Chapter Two: The Wedding
Neville Longbottom was as red as a beet. He didn't think he'd ever received so many compliments on his cooking in his life as he had in this single evening.
He'd started them off with a choice of smoked salmon and oyster pillows, served with cucumber and a sauce Vierge or a classical minestrone soup. He prepared a gigantic poached pear and walnut salad with a Gorgonzola dressing. For the main course he offered pot roasted squab pigeon stuffed with Foie Gras and Escargois Ravioli, fondant potatoes and Morel mushrooms or a duo of fillet steak and fillet of veal with shallots and Cep mushrooms. For a desert he offered hot apple souffle with his homemade Calcados ice cream or a glazed coconut rice pudding with strawberries or caramel mousse drum with raspberries marinated in a rose wine, which he'd made himself. He also prepared five different kinds of tea and three different kinds of coffee.
Harry and Draco's pre-wedding dinner was a consummate success.
Harry and Draco walked with Neville to the waiting helicopter which would take him back to London.
"You outdid yourself, Neville." Draco said, grinning. "I don't know how to thank you."
"You don't have to thank me, Draco." Neville said. "Just you wait until tomorrow. A light lunch, but every bit as good as the dinner was. I promise you."
The helicopter took off without a sound, and Neville was gone.
Harry and Draco walked hand in hand around their home. They had bought the island together and, with the help of magic, built their home there in less than three months. They enchanted the island to ensure their privacy. The island simply did not exist.
The setting sun threw their shadows behind them. They walked towards the western cliffs and halted at a small grove of trees. They undressed and walked away from the grove of trees into the open.
Harry looked into Draco's eyes. "If you don't want to do this, I will understand." he said.
Draco kissed him. "There is nothing I want to do more."
Harry nodded. They faced each other and slowly lowered themselves to their knees. They joined hands, interlocking their fingers. They bent their elbows and leaned into each others hands. They locked eyes as the last rays of the sun disappeared below the horizon.
They did not blink as they stared deeply into each other. When they spoke, they spoke at exactly the same time, their two voices melded into one.
"Iunctus."
They both felt their fingers tighten around each other.
"Convenio."
It was as if someone was wrapping a rope around them. Their bodies did not move, but it felt to both Harry and Draco that they were now knee to knee and nose to nose.
"Semper."
They felt as if they were floating upwards.
"Aspicio."
Both Harry and Draco closed their eyes as they said this. They each saw a flash of light.
"Iunctura."
They felt as if their bodies were pressing into each other, as if they were physically melding.
"Contineo."
That feeling continued. They had the feeling they were one being, not two.
"Semper."
They felt the feeling of lightness increase. They could not distinguish up from down from left from right.
"Expletum."
They both felt a jolt. As if they had dropped to their knees, although they had been on their knees during the entire ritual. Slowly, at exactly the same time, Harry and Draco opened their eyes and looked at each other. Draco nodded to Harry and Harry closed his eyes again.
Harry found himself looking into his own face. He saw wind blowing a mass of black hair in every direction. Draco turned his head and Harry saw him look over his shoulder at a black building that Harry realized was their house, then pan back and look out to sea. The water was only half a shade darker than the sky and Harry caught the glimpse of a tiny whitecap on the windblown waters. Cutting the connection was as simple as opening his eyes and he did just that.
He got Draco to stop staring out to sea by disentangling their fingers and touching him lightly on the shoulder. His throat was tight and so he did not speak, but nodded. And Draco closed his eyes and made the connection.
Draco saw himself, although blurred. Harry's eyes were filling with tears. Harry closed them quickly and his vision cleared. Harry looked over Draco's shoulder to the grove of trees where their clothes were piled. Draco watched as Harry looked out to see beyond the trees. There was a boat, all lit up miles away. Then Draco was looking at his own face again, and the vision was blurring. He cut the connection and looked at Harry through his own eyes.
"Love." Draco said, breaking the silence at last.
Harry reached up and caressed Draco's face. He leaned slightly forward and kissed Draco. When the kiss was broken, they remained on their knees, wrapped in each others arms.
The Iunctius Charm had been successfully completed.
July fourteenth proved to be unseasonably cool. The guests were glad of it, as there wasn't much shade on the magically concealed island. Enchanted helicopters brought the guests to the island and would take them home.
All of the guests were friends of Harry's, but many of them had come to think of Draco as a friend, or at least not as an enemy. It was not a gaudy affair. Friends from school. The Weasley family. A few former teachers.
Albus Dumbledore was asked to preside over the ceremony, and he agreed before the question was completely stated. He stood now, resplendent in robes of some shimmering fabric which could only be called peacock, and watched Harry and Draco approach him.
Hermione Weasley and Severus Snape waited on either side of Dumbledore. Hermione was dressed in robes of medium blue and Severus was dressed in robes of charcoal grey, as far as he would deviate from black. They would stand up for the men who came today to profess their love for each other before their friends.
Harry was dressed in a Muggle suit of light grey, which contrasted perfectly with his dark hair. His hair was whipped in every direction as the light wind off of the sea played with it.
Draco was also dressed in a Muggle suit, this one of an inky black. More than one person marveled that he managed to avoid looking like an undertaker. The breeze simply lifted his hair and placed it back on his head.
They walked arm in arm down a short isle to where Dumbledore waited for them. They stood before him with slight smiles on their faces. They were ready.
Dumbledore said, his voice both joyous and serious, "Today we gather to bear witness to the joining of two lives. Two spirits. They have statements to each other and they wish to have them heard by their friends."
Dumbledore paused, then turned to Draco. Draco and Harry faced each other and Draco spoke first. Looking into his lovers eyes he said:
"You gave me a second chance when no one else would. You befriended me when I should have been friendless. You listened to me when others would have been deaf. You talked to me when others would have been silent. You watched over me where I would have been alone. You forgave me where no one else would have. You believed in me when no one else would. You saw light where no one else did. I feel like we are one. I will be by your side beyond forever."
There was a significant pause. Someone blew their nose. Not breaking the contact with Draco's eyes, Harry said:
"You saw past the legend and into my heart. You expected me to make mistakes and did not chastise me when I did. You treated me like a normal human being as opposed to some name in a history book. You lifted the signs of a failed curse from my and in so doing, you lifted a great weight from me. You proved to me that you love me for me and not because I am some status symbol. You are a part of my heart and soul. I will stay by your side past the end of time."
Silent tears were falling down Hermione's cheeks. Dumbledore coughed, then cleared his throat.
"It is love that blesses a union and makes it stand the test of time. I believe that this union is blessed tenfold and more." Dumbledore said, smiling. "Gentlemen, you may seal this union with a kiss."
Harry and Draco kissed and the island exploded in applause.
The luncheon that followed lasted well into the afternoon. Molly Weasley cried until she had no tears left. The newlyweds were congratulated time and time again. The luncheon was unquestioningly perfect and Neville spent several hours red from blushing as people complimented the chief.
Neville had spoken correctly. He offered Marinated Grilled Vegetables with Aubergine Caviar or Rump of Lamb with Fondant Potato and Aubergine Caviar or Mediterranean Vegetables for the main course and for dessert he offered Honey and Nougatine Parfait or Fig and Tamarind Compote or Lime and Tequila Meringue Pie. Again, he offered a wide assortment of fresh tea and coffee.
The party began to break up in the middle of the afternoon. The enchanted helicopters took people from the island in small groups. Soon the only people left were Harry, Draco, Amethyst and Severus.
Severus shook the newlyweds hands and Amethyst hugged them both with far more warmth than she usually showed.
"Joined forever." she said, looking between them. "More permanently than any marriage." Amethyst beamed at them and they noticed that Severus too, was smiling a rare warm smile.
"I wish you the same happiness I feel with my life mate." he said.
Amethyst and Severus Snape got into their car and drove west, off of the cliff where Harry and Draco joined the night before and into the sunset. The car did not drop at all. It remained at the same level for a short time and then began to rise steadily into the air, until it disappeared behind a few gathering clouds.
Draco looked at Harry. "I think I would settle for even half the happiness those two give each other."
Harry touched Draco's cheek. "We shall be at least as happy. I swear it."
Neville Longbottom was as red as a beet. He didn't think he'd ever received so many compliments on his cooking in his life as he had in this single evening.
He'd started them off with a choice of smoked salmon and oyster pillows, served with cucumber and a sauce Vierge or a classical minestrone soup. He prepared a gigantic poached pear and walnut salad with a Gorgonzola dressing. For the main course he offered pot roasted squab pigeon stuffed with Foie Gras and Escargois Ravioli, fondant potatoes and Morel mushrooms or a duo of fillet steak and fillet of veal with shallots and Cep mushrooms. For a desert he offered hot apple souffle with his homemade Calcados ice cream or a glazed coconut rice pudding with strawberries or caramel mousse drum with raspberries marinated in a rose wine, which he'd made himself. He also prepared five different kinds of tea and three different kinds of coffee.
Harry and Draco's pre-wedding dinner was a consummate success.
Harry and Draco walked with Neville to the waiting helicopter which would take him back to London.
"You outdid yourself, Neville." Draco said, grinning. "I don't know how to thank you."
"You don't have to thank me, Draco." Neville said. "Just you wait until tomorrow. A light lunch, but every bit as good as the dinner was. I promise you."
The helicopter took off without a sound, and Neville was gone.
Harry and Draco walked hand in hand around their home. They had bought the island together and, with the help of magic, built their home there in less than three months. They enchanted the island to ensure their privacy. The island simply did not exist.
The setting sun threw their shadows behind them. They walked towards the western cliffs and halted at a small grove of trees. They undressed and walked away from the grove of trees into the open.
Harry looked into Draco's eyes. "If you don't want to do this, I will understand." he said.
Draco kissed him. "There is nothing I want to do more."
Harry nodded. They faced each other and slowly lowered themselves to their knees. They joined hands, interlocking their fingers. They bent their elbows and leaned into each others hands. They locked eyes as the last rays of the sun disappeared below the horizon.
They did not blink as they stared deeply into each other. When they spoke, they spoke at exactly the same time, their two voices melded into one.
"Iunctus."
They both felt their fingers tighten around each other.
"Convenio."
It was as if someone was wrapping a rope around them. Their bodies did not move, but it felt to both Harry and Draco that they were now knee to knee and nose to nose.
"Semper."
They felt as if they were floating upwards.
"Aspicio."
Both Harry and Draco closed their eyes as they said this. They each saw a flash of light.
"Iunctura."
They felt as if their bodies were pressing into each other, as if they were physically melding.
"Contineo."
That feeling continued. They had the feeling they were one being, not two.
"Semper."
They felt the feeling of lightness increase. They could not distinguish up from down from left from right.
"Expletum."
They both felt a jolt. As if they had dropped to their knees, although they had been on their knees during the entire ritual. Slowly, at exactly the same time, Harry and Draco opened their eyes and looked at each other. Draco nodded to Harry and Harry closed his eyes again.
Harry found himself looking into his own face. He saw wind blowing a mass of black hair in every direction. Draco turned his head and Harry saw him look over his shoulder at a black building that Harry realized was their house, then pan back and look out to sea. The water was only half a shade darker than the sky and Harry caught the glimpse of a tiny whitecap on the windblown waters. Cutting the connection was as simple as opening his eyes and he did just that.
He got Draco to stop staring out to sea by disentangling their fingers and touching him lightly on the shoulder. His throat was tight and so he did not speak, but nodded. And Draco closed his eyes and made the connection.
Draco saw himself, although blurred. Harry's eyes were filling with tears. Harry closed them quickly and his vision cleared. Harry looked over Draco's shoulder to the grove of trees where their clothes were piled. Draco watched as Harry looked out to see beyond the trees. There was a boat, all lit up miles away. Then Draco was looking at his own face again, and the vision was blurring. He cut the connection and looked at Harry through his own eyes.
"Love." Draco said, breaking the silence at last.
Harry reached up and caressed Draco's face. He leaned slightly forward and kissed Draco. When the kiss was broken, they remained on their knees, wrapped in each others arms.
The Iunctius Charm had been successfully completed.
July fourteenth proved to be unseasonably cool. The guests were glad of it, as there wasn't much shade on the magically concealed island. Enchanted helicopters brought the guests to the island and would take them home.
All of the guests were friends of Harry's, but many of them had come to think of Draco as a friend, or at least not as an enemy. It was not a gaudy affair. Friends from school. The Weasley family. A few former teachers.
Albus Dumbledore was asked to preside over the ceremony, and he agreed before the question was completely stated. He stood now, resplendent in robes of some shimmering fabric which could only be called peacock, and watched Harry and Draco approach him.
Hermione Weasley and Severus Snape waited on either side of Dumbledore. Hermione was dressed in robes of medium blue and Severus was dressed in robes of charcoal grey, as far as he would deviate from black. They would stand up for the men who came today to profess their love for each other before their friends.
Harry was dressed in a Muggle suit of light grey, which contrasted perfectly with his dark hair. His hair was whipped in every direction as the light wind off of the sea played with it.
Draco was also dressed in a Muggle suit, this one of an inky black. More than one person marveled that he managed to avoid looking like an undertaker. The breeze simply lifted his hair and placed it back on his head.
They walked arm in arm down a short isle to where Dumbledore waited for them. They stood before him with slight smiles on their faces. They were ready.
Dumbledore said, his voice both joyous and serious, "Today we gather to bear witness to the joining of two lives. Two spirits. They have statements to each other and they wish to have them heard by their friends."
Dumbledore paused, then turned to Draco. Draco and Harry faced each other and Draco spoke first. Looking into his lovers eyes he said:
"You gave me a second chance when no one else would. You befriended me when I should have been friendless. You listened to me when others would have been deaf. You talked to me when others would have been silent. You watched over me where I would have been alone. You forgave me where no one else would have. You believed in me when no one else would. You saw light where no one else did. I feel like we are one. I will be by your side beyond forever."
There was a significant pause. Someone blew their nose. Not breaking the contact with Draco's eyes, Harry said:
"You saw past the legend and into my heart. You expected me to make mistakes and did not chastise me when I did. You treated me like a normal human being as opposed to some name in a history book. You lifted the signs of a failed curse from my and in so doing, you lifted a great weight from me. You proved to me that you love me for me and not because I am some status symbol. You are a part of my heart and soul. I will stay by your side past the end of time."
Silent tears were falling down Hermione's cheeks. Dumbledore coughed, then cleared his throat.
"It is love that blesses a union and makes it stand the test of time. I believe that this union is blessed tenfold and more." Dumbledore said, smiling. "Gentlemen, you may seal this union with a kiss."
Harry and Draco kissed and the island exploded in applause.
The luncheon that followed lasted well into the afternoon. Molly Weasley cried until she had no tears left. The newlyweds were congratulated time and time again. The luncheon was unquestioningly perfect and Neville spent several hours red from blushing as people complimented the chief.
Neville had spoken correctly. He offered Marinated Grilled Vegetables with Aubergine Caviar or Rump of Lamb with Fondant Potato and Aubergine Caviar or Mediterranean Vegetables for the main course and for dessert he offered Honey and Nougatine Parfait or Fig and Tamarind Compote or Lime and Tequila Meringue Pie. Again, he offered a wide assortment of fresh tea and coffee.
The party began to break up in the middle of the afternoon. The enchanted helicopters took people from the island in small groups. Soon the only people left were Harry, Draco, Amethyst and Severus.
Severus shook the newlyweds hands and Amethyst hugged them both with far more warmth than she usually showed.
"Joined forever." she said, looking between them. "More permanently than any marriage." Amethyst beamed at them and they noticed that Severus too, was smiling a rare warm smile.
"I wish you the same happiness I feel with my life mate." he said.
Amethyst and Severus Snape got into their car and drove west, off of the cliff where Harry and Draco joined the night before and into the sunset. The car did not drop at all. It remained at the same level for a short time and then began to rise steadily into the air, until it disappeared behind a few gathering clouds.
Draco looked at Harry. "I think I would settle for even half the happiness those two give each other."
Harry touched Draco's cheek. "We shall be at least as happy. I swear it."