Harry Potter and the Master's Mirror

by T.H.W

In fifth year, Harry Potter and his friends return to school early after a murder is committed against one of their number. What do all-seeing eyes, a teacher, a vengeful ghost and a mysterious phrase the 'Master's Mirror' have in common? Not Ootp

19. Of Weddings and Dancing Partners

CHAPTER 19.

OF WEDDINGS AND DANCING PARTNERS

"Hell, I can't do this. What the hell was I thinking?" Bill muttered as he paced back and forth for what seemed to be the hundredth time that morning.

Ron and Harry chuckled under their breaths as they watched him pace, rubbing the back of his neck and tugging nervously on his long, red ponytail as he did so. As Bill paced blindly around the area outside the Dining Hall, he accidentally bumped against one of the immens, stone pillars. Ordinarily, the slight jarring would have made no difference to the rock hard pillar. However, Hogwarts had been weakened and even its pillars were not as strong as they once were.

Ron and Harry watched in horror as the loose stones which composed the pillar shuddered threateningly, then began to hurtle towards the stone floor. Bill swore loudly as Ron and Harry covered their heads.

"LEVO!" Bill yelled, whipping out his wand and pointing it at the falling stones.

A flash of gray light shot towards the stones in a burst of speed and hit them with full force. A few inches from Ron and Harry's heads, the stones suddenly slowed, then rotated precariously in mid-air. Ron raised his head and glared first at the rocks, then at Bill who was staring at the rocks in horror.

"Well? You done tryin' to kill us?" Ron quipped.

"Yeah, Bill. If you didn't want us in the wedding party, you could have just said so." Harry added. Ron winked at him, which, Harry was sure, was meant to praise the comment.

Bill glared at Ron, then shook his head.

"Redeo lapis!" Bill said shakily, pointing his wand once more at the rotating stones.

The stones held still a moment, shot back up to the pillar and arranged themselves tighter than they had been before. The pillar stood erect, once more intact and solid.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Ron demanded of his brother. Harry easily sensed that Ron was obviously getting quite a bit of pleasure out of giving his nervous brother a hard time.

Bill didn't respond, but simply shook his head and ran his hand across his neck nervously before continuing to pace. Ron gaped a moment, indignant that his jibe had been ignored, then he shrugged and cast Harry an irritated look.

It was only a few days after the horrific battle with Voldemort, but it seemed to Harry that the battle had been weeks and weeks ago. Things had changed and Harry thought he'd never get used to the changes. But now, it seemed that things had always been this way, almost as if the safer days of the past had never existed. They were only wonderful dreams he and his friends had been having for a while. This was the real world, the world they had been meant to be living in from the start. He and the others had eluded fear and hate for a such long time in sweet dreaming. But now they were awake and the horrors were even more real than the dreams had been.

After the battle, the bodies of the hundreds of witches and wizards were sent to their families, and if they had no relatives, they were buried on the grounds of Hogwarts, a tiresome and draining duty. The sick were taken to Madame Pomfrey, one of the few who had survived Voldemort's attack on the Hogwarts staff. She and the few other witches and wizards that she had recruited to help her, had their hands full with the wounded that were piled relentlessly before them.

Hogwarts was filled with pain and agony as the bodies of the witches and wizards were identified and buried. Parents of the younger witches and wizards, who had lost their lives in the battle, let out cries of raging agony as they were told of their children's deaths. Those throes of misery echoed in Harry's mind long after he'd gone to bed that night, and it was accompanied by the equally heartbroken cries of the children who suddenly found themselves orphaned.

The handling of the deceased Muggle-born children was a delicate matter, one that Professor Dumbledore wished to handle alone. Originally, he had wished to take care of it all himself, but when Professor McGonagall insisted that he allow her to help, he could not object. The bodies of the Muggle-born witches and wizards who had been killed in the fighting, were cleaned as much as possible and sent back to their parents with an accompanying letter from Dumbledore. Harry knew that the looks of utter sadness and defeat that rested in the lines of Professor McGonagall's face as she helped Dumbledore to write these letters, and the sudden weariness that exuded from Dumbledore's pained eyes would haunt him in the years to come.

Hogwarts castle was in ruins. The walls had fallen and few of the classrooms had survived.

"The walls and contents are easy to replace. But the people who learned and taught in them, irreplaceable." Harry heard Dumbledore say quietly as he surveyed the scene.

With the help of the other witches and wizards and their magic, as well as the strength of the giants, Hogwarts was partially restored. Over several dreary afternoons and evenings, any wizard or witch could clearly see the fallen stones of Hogwarts flying swiftly back into their spots and the giants settling pillars and whole roofs back onto the castle remnants, slowly recreating the castle that once had stood in glory and majesty. The castle hadn't been completely finished. It would take a great amount of time to finish the job even with magic.

Harry realized this. He also realized that the wounds that had been inflicted upon Hogwarts, would not heal so quickly as many thought. This was a violent and destructive blow that had been cast upon them, one that would take some time to recover from. Voldemort had asked for war. He would get one, now that he had spilled the blood of innocents.

However, there was one comfort in Harry's mind. Many of his friends had escaped death at the hands of Voldemort. Seamus, Dean, Cho Chang, even Neville had survived. But so many others had perished. Harry remembered with a sickening feeling, the heroic death that Jessica Fawnweb had submitted to. That little girl. Harry shook his head in disbelief. Yes, wounds had been inflicted upon Hogwarts, and the scars would indeed remain there forever.

But fortunately, there was a slightly happier note to the sadness and horrors of the previous days. Bill Weasley and Rhiannon Flutterae were getting married. They didn't want to wait.

"Besides, when is this gonna ever happen so perfectly? I mean, my whole family's here! My friends, my teachers, it saves us having to buy invitations!" Bill said good-naturedly, drawing a much needed smile from those around him.

Mrs. Weasley had been quite shocked with her son's forward attitude, (she herself was a firm believer in planning far ahead of time) and she tried to dissuade him.

"Bill, dear. It is handy, but do you really think it's appropriate? I mean, so many have died only a few days ago and with a wedding so soon afterwards? Why, some people will talk that you didn't mourn long enough!" Mrs. Weasley worried aloud.

However, Bill was not swayed.

"Mum, we've mourned enough. You think that those people who died would want me to spend three or four weeks in mourning? No, I don't think so. This is a forward age, Mum. We can't take weeks to mourn the dead. Voldemort certainly won't give us that luxury."

And so, it was decided that the couple would be married in the Dining Hall of Hogwarts by a wizarding minister who had been a part of the battle and had stayed to help with the restoration of the castle.

"Don't got much, I'm afraid. But I think tha' I can work something out fer decorations." Hagrid had assured Rhiannon as he, while blushing quite red, showed her some of the white roses from the gardens that had survived the battle..

Rhiannon had smiled and thanked him, assuring him that anything, no matter how small, would be appreciated.

All the members of the Weasley family were to have a place in the wedding, which Harry thought was QUITE a feat. Charlie was appointed Best Man, while Ron, Fred and George were to be groomsmen. Percy was to be a ringbearer of sorts, but he insisted on magicking the lacey pillow on which the rings sat on to levitate, so he would be spared having to carry it himself.

"I would look like a fool carrying that thing." Percy sniffed, eyeing the laced pillow with disdain.

"What? You can't look the fool for once for your dear brother?" Bill had joked, throwing a muscled arm around his skinnier, younger brother. Percy simply rolled his eyes and almost as if he was touching something foul, he flicked Bill's arm off his shoulder.

With the other Hogwarts students gone, having been sent home as soon as possible, Rhiannon joked that it was going to be hard to find enough bridesmaids to match all 'those Weasley boys!', but she managed. As bridesmaids, Rhiannon chose Hermione, Ginny, and Artemis.

With the bridesmaids chosen, everyone was curious to know who was to be Rhiannon's Maid of Honor. To everyone's equal surprise, Professor McGonagall was chosen. The Transfiguration teacher was just as shocked as the rest of them.

"ME? Rhiannon, I am far too old to be in anyone's wedding! Honestly, I don't know what you're thinking." McGonagall had protested, a slight blush slowly trickling across her pale cheeks.

"Oh, come now, Minerva. Who knows the next time you'll be invited to take part in a wedding ceremony? And such a lovely wedding ceremony at that." Dumbledore chided the Transfiguration Professor kindly. McGonagall faltered slightly, then cocked her head in false indifference.

"Well," She hesitated. "Just so long as you aren't expecting me to give a speech or anything." She sniffed.

Rhiannon, emerging suddenly from her dignified teaching ways, let out a small squeal and flung her arms around the professor, who stiffened, then gently placed her arms around her former student as her body relaxed into the embrace.

Mrs. Weasley had continued to worry the previous day that it was simply not possible for everything to be ready on time. But Rhiannon had a gift of planning, almost as flawless as Mrs. Weasley's. The D.A.D.A. teacher had everything planned, even down to the time that she and Bill would leave Hogwarts after the ceremony. There would be few guests, besides the remaining Professors and a few of the witches and wizards who had stayed behind to help repair Hogwarts. She had even invited the giants to the wedding, but they had declined, explaining that they were departing back to Scotland to stay until Dumbledore needed them again.

Dumbledore and all the remaining witches and wizards, thanked them heartily, which caused all the giants to mutter under their breaths and extend their thanks quietly in an embarrassed voice, reminding Harry very much of Hagrid. Harry smiled wistfully as Hagrid bid his aunt good-bye, but Harry could tell that Hagrid knew he'd see them again, somehow, some way. Harry himself was sure he all would see them again. If Voldemort was going to make another attack upon Hogwarts or any other part of the wizarding world, the giants would return.

Rhiannon had planned everything out perfectly and she dictated it to the members of the wedding party the night before the wedding. However, as soon as she reached the end of her speech, Ron cried out indignantly,

"Hey! What about Harry?! I mean, he saved you more than once down there in that hell hole! What about him?"

In order to appease his infuriated brother, Bill immediately added Harry to his entourage, which lead Rhiannon to throw her hands in the air.

"Now I've got to find another bridesmaid." She muttered good-naturedly. The choice wasn't hard.

Seeing that it was Harry that was added, she immediately decided that Ginny shouldn't walk down the aisle with Fred as originally planned. She would walk with Harry. Harry's eyes had widened when she'd told him this and his mouth had dropped open uncharacteristically wide, making his teacher laugh almost maliciously.

"Professor! You did that on purpose!" Harry protested, barely able to speak. Rhiannon nodded, a twinkle in her eye.

"Yes, I suppose so. But I do love Ginny. She's so sweet, very studious. Very good in class." She commented with a wistful smile that suggested that Ginny Weasley being good in class wasn't exactly the reason she'd chosen her to walk with Harry.

"Sorry, Perce. You'll just have to walk up with Fred." Bill told Percy reluctantly, even as a smile fought to surface.

"Great! So I get to be a flower boy of sorts then?" Fred asked cheerily, not at all put off by the change of partners.

"I suppose, if you want to Freds." Rhiannon said, casting a wary eye at Bill, who clearly thought the switch quite hilarious.

Percy, however, thought nothing of the sort. He simply pursed his lips and took a step away, muttering under his breath as Fred grinned maliciously.

Harry smiled, but then felt himself pale. It wasn't the fact that walking down the aisle with Ginny Weasley scared him. It was the fact that, well, he just wasn't sure how to act around her. Every other time he'd seen her, she'd simply clammed up or she'd walked quickly in the other direction. There was simply nothing to do but to try to talk to her either before the ceremony or after.

And so it was set. The wedding was on, everything was planned. Now, it was just a matter of the ceremony starting. The rest of the Weasleys were running about getting ready. The last Harry had heard, Mrs. Weasley was making sure that the decorations in the Dining Hall were set up to her satisfaction. Bill..........was pacing, leaving Ron and Harry, who'd been ready hours ago, to simply sit there and watch him.

"Don't you let him out of your sight!" Mrs. Weasley had warned Ron and Harry. "If he's like any man before a wedding, he'll try to get out of it. He's just nervous, the poor dear. Be patient with him, but if he tries to give you the slip, you do whatever you have to, Ronald Weasley." Mrs. Weasley said grimly.

Ron grinned at this firm allowance.

"I can do anything?" He asked sneakily.

Mrs. Weasley looked at him suspiciously, but nodded.

"Anything."

"Wicked."

But much to Ron's chagrin, there hadn't been any need for him to stun Bill or even curse him. Bill had simply paced the halls, muttering under his breath. The eldest Weasley boy looked rather strange to Harry. Harry had never seen him in any clothes other than his rather punkish ones, so seeing him in anything else was unusual. Bill had cast off his regular clothes and was attired in the brilliant crimson dress robes that he'd worn to the Yule Ball.

"It isn't fair! Why can't I see her NOW? I mean, c'mon! I'm gonna see her in a minute ANYWAY! I mean! Honestly! This is just stupid!" Bill muttered as he paced.

Ron chuckled and leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear,

"Sounds like us before the Yule Ball doesn't it?"

Harry looked at him with a smile and nodded.

"Oy, Bill!"

Bill started violently as his name was shouted from the opposite end of the hallway. A few seconds later, Fred and George Weasley dashed down the hall, skidding to a stop directly in front of Bill, excitement showing clearly on their identical faces. Bill frowned as he looked over his younger brothers. They too had changed out of their regular Hogwarts robes and were attired in the robes they'd worn to the Yule Ball. Fred was dressed in emerald green, George in midnight blue.

"What do you guys WANT?" Bill yelled.

Fred and George grinned and shrugged.

"Nothin'." Fred said, a malicious smile gracing his face. "We just saw Rhia, that's all."

Bill's face lit up, sensing an answer to his troubles, though why he thought he'd get one from Fred and George, Harry could hardly imagine.

"Really?! What does she look like? Will she see me?" Bill asked eagerly.

Fred and George glanced at each other maliciously, then eyed Bill with enthusiasm.

"Well, to answer your first question.......we can't tell you that." Fred said, his mischievous grin spreading wider.

"To answer your second question.......we can't tell you that either." George finished, grinning happily.

"We didn't talk to her!" Fred laughed loudly.

Bill's face screwed up in frustration and he glared at his laughing brothers.

"Bloody hell! What good are you?" He yelled, throwing himself down beside Ron.

"Oh c'mon, Billy! I mean, you REALLY expect me an' George to tell you what your bride looks like BEFORE the wedding?" Fred chided him.

"That's bad luck, old boy." George said knowingly.

"I don't CARE! I'm NERVOUS, alright! I wanna......what was I thinking? Asking her NOW? I mean, I, I shouldn't be doing this! Yeah, yeah! I'm worn out from everything, and ah, yeah, everything! And I can't, and, I just can't!" Bill burst out in frustration, covering his eyes with his fists.

Fred and George waved their fingers at Bill.

"Now, Bill, you don't wanna get on Mum's bad side, do you?" George asked.

Bill ceased to pound his head and looked up to stare at the twins.

"Oh yes, you know what we're talking about. You know what Mum will do if she finds out that you're backing out on Rhia." Fred said with a malicious smile.

Bill simply stared at them, saying nothing.

"It'll be worse than a thousand Howlers, so I suggest you stay in this, otherwise," As he said this, George ran his finger in a jagged line across his throat.

Bill sighed and placed his head in his hands once more.

"I'm doomed." He muttered.

"Oh, don't act like that, Old Man." Fred said cheerily.

"Soon you'll be with your one true love!" George said with a smile. "Alone, beneath the stars, kissing, smooching, and everyone knows that that leads to,"

"George Weasley!" Both Fred and George whirled around guiltily to face a flushed faced Molly Weasley, who stood in the doorway observing them both with a wary eye. "You stop right now! I don't even WANT to know what ELSE you were going to say." She warned.

George threw his hands out in front of him.

"What? What did I say? It's just a fact of life that boys and girls,"

Molly Weasley choked aloud, her face becoming a vibrant red as she cut him off.

"Nevertheless, stop. It's not appropriate, especially in front of Ron and Harry." She said crisply.

George put his hands obediently behind his back and glanced at Bill, who was now staring at his mother with what could definitely be called total and utter helplessness.

"Mum, I don't think I can do this." Bill muttered, resting his head in his hands once more.

In an instant, Mrs. Weasley was standing at Bill's side, her hand gently grasping his shoulder.

"But, Bill dear, of course you can." She said simply.

"What makes you so sure?" Bill asked wryly.

"The fact that you've liked her ever since your first year at Hogwarts. Is that convincing enough?" Mrs. Weasley commented coolly.

Bill turned red and stuttered violently.

"How did you, well, why, how," He stuttered.

Mrs. Weasley crossed her arms over her chest in a knowing gesture.

"Honestly, Bill dear. You are so easy to read. You were so obnoxious to that poor girl when she was a child and I could see plainly through it that you were wild about her."

Bill groaned loudly.

"How do you know this stuff?" He moaned.

"Easy. I'm a mother." Mrs. Weasley replied tersely.

"Right. I forgot." Bill scoffed.

Mrs. Weasley's gaze softened as she spoke quietly to Bill.

"Listen, dear. My father told me that your father was exactly like this before our wedding."

Bill looked up at her sharply.

"Dad? Is Grandad off his rocker? Dad always told us that he had no qualms whatsoever before you got married!" Bill protested.

A strange, pinched look came over Mrs. Weasley's face and suddenly Bill became very red and began to mutter under his breath.

"Be that as it may, he did INDEED pitch a pretty fit." Mrs. Weasley said crisply. "He said that he didn't know what he was thinking, what he was doing, even made up some excuse that he wasn't in his right mind and that his evil twin had fallen in love with me or some crazy thing." Mrs. Weasley said simply.

Fred, George, Ron, Harry and Bill stared at her in amazement.

"Whoa." Fred said simply.

"Was Dad off his rocker?" George asked eagerly.

"Do girls make a fellow go crazy every time they get married?" Came Ron's frantic voice.

Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Oh, shut up! He was only making excuses. My father made him see reason. Made him see that if he didn't love me, he wouldn't have asked me to marry him, and he wouldn't be there right at that moment. Then he made him think about what I was doing and thinking, wondering if I was doing the right thing. And Grandad told him, that I knew I was doing the right thing, because I loved someone so much that I'd die for him, and I'd be true to him forever: a man named Arthur Weasley." Mrs. Weasley said quietly.

"Oh, Mum!" Fred cried out, throwing his arms around her in mock feeling.

"That's so beautiful!" George sniffled.

Mrs. Weasley turned red and shoved the twins for their sarcasm.

"Oh quiet! It was true!" She protested.

"So, you're saying, that that's probably what Rhia's thinking right now?" Bill broke in quietly.

Mrs. Weasley looked down at him, her eyes soft and gentle.

"That's what I'm saying, Bill dear." She replied.

With that, Bill let out a great sigh and stood.

"Well then, I suppose I should pull myself together. After all, who knows what would happen if I don't get married? I might miss out on having a family as big and as great as this one." He said cheerily.

The remaining Weasley boys stared incredulously and open-mouthed at their elder brother.

"Oh, bloody hell! You aren't telling me that you want a family as big as OURS?" Ron called out indignantly.

Bill turned to him with a cocky grin.

"Who knows? Maybe I'll want one bigger."

A look of horror came over Ron's face as he stared at his brother. Fred and George simply shook their heads.

"He's lost it." George muttered.

"Crazy as a loon." Fred concurred.

Mrs. Weasley gave a satisfied smile as beautiful organ music leaked through the heavy wooden doors of the Dining Hall. Bill paled as Mrs. Weasley quickly began adjusting the flowers pinned to her faded green robes. Then she leaned over and kissed Bill on the cheek, fingering his ponytail as she pulled away.

"Oh, Bill, you could let me trim it really quick, just before the ceremony! It wouldn't take too long and you could surprise Rhiannon!" Mrs. Weasley said enticingly.

"No, Mum." Bill said firmly.

Mrs. Weasley sighed, then began to fix her hair as Arthur Weasley walked in the room.

"Ready, Molly?" He asked cheerily.

Mrs. Weasley wiped a tear from her eye as she looked from her son to her husband.

"I think so." She sniffed.

Arthur put his hand out and Bill took it.

"I'm proud of you, son. Proud of the choices you've made. Proud of the woman you've chosen to be your wife. And for the record, I don't care about your hair." He whispered.

Mrs. Weasley, however, heard the comment and sniffed indignantly. Bill smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Dad." He said quietly.

Mr. Weasley smiled, blinked the mistiness from his eyes and put a hand on Bill's shoulder before he pulled away, and opened the doors to the Dining Hall. He put out his arm for Mrs. Weasley, who smiled winningly at him as she took it. Then they walked down the aisle, the parents of the groom.

"BILL!" Ron suddenly yelled. "You're supposed to be at the front of the Dining Hall!" He hissed.

Bill paled and stared wildly at his parents walking down the makeshift aisle of the Dining Hall.

"Oh, yeah! Where do I go? Where do I go?" He muttered, sqeezing his eyes tight shut as he spoke.

"Down the hall, to the left, into the door that leads to the front of the Dining Hall." Percy said simply as he walked into the hall, Charlie on his heels.

Bill threw his hands in the air and grinned broadly.

"Thanks, Perce! I owe ya one!" He called before running around the corner, skidding on the stone floor.

"Break a leg, lover boy!" Ron hissed as his brother dove out of sight.

Harry smiled and shook his head as Bill dashed down the hall. Mrs. Weasley certainly was a mother through and through. She knew exactly what to say to calm Bill down, despite the interference on the part of her twin sons. Harry couldn't help but think about the day when perhaps, he'd get married. His Mum wouldn't be there. She'd be there in spirit, but not in the flesh. But surprisingly enough, he didn't mind so much. He knew that his Mum trusted Mrs. Weasley to take her place in such matters. No matter what, his Mum would be with him, but Mrs. Weasley would be the physical force keeping him grounded and on the straight and narrow path of life, despite the hardships that would come with it.

As the organ music continued to play, Harry stood in unison with Ron and both began straightening their robes nervously. They too wore their dress robes from the Yule Ball and looked very much the same as they had on that event, but there was one difference. Harry thought he and Ron looked more tired, more careworn than they had that night. That happy night seemed so long ago and changes had arisen with the passing time. Harry's charred hands were wrapped carefully in bandages and there was a tired look reflecting in Ron's blue eyes that hadn't resided there the night of the Yule Ball. Harry smiled fondly at his friend, who returned it with his familiar lopsided grin. They had been through hell and back and Harry knew he was grateful to have Ron for a friend. Anyone who had the guts to remain his friend after all that they'd been through was worthy of the title.

There was a shuffle of feet and suddenly, Hermione, Ginny, Artemis and Professor McGonagall stepped into the room, looking flushed and excited. Harry and the other Weasleys eyed their teacher in surprise, never before knowing their teacher to flush at ANY time. Apparently, neither did Minerva McGonagall. She patted the bun at the nape of her neck, got a better grip on her flowers and glared at the boys.

"Straighten up, Weasleys! And you too, Potter! Roll your shoulders back! Honestly, you look like circus performers." She snapped.

Immediately, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron and Harry straightened their backs, eager to escape McGonagall's wrath for one day. As they did so, Percy sniffed, thinking no doubt about his poker straight back.

The girls watched the boys with mirthful eyes, the latter of whom flushed in embarrassment at their lack of etiquette.

"Oh, goodness, I don't think this iris is quite the right shade." Professor McGonagall muttered as she eyed her bouquet, composed of irises, forget-me-nots, and lilies of the valley.

She pulled her wand out of her emerald green dress robes and flicked it at the offending iris, which immediately darkened a shade. She compared the color with the shade of the other irises in the bunch of flowers and nodded in affirmation before slipping her wand in her robes.

Like the rest of the wedding party, the girls were dressed in their dress robes from the Yule Ball: shades of midnight blue, pale green and crimson. Harry was sure that if there had been more of a notice, Rhiannon would have had dress robes made for the bridesmaids, but in his opinion, he thought they all looked lovely despite the different colors.

"At least the bouquets match." Professor McGonagall murmured as she glanced at her flowers.

Harry smiled at his Professor's worrying. She had taken it upon herself to help Rhiannon as much as possible since she wanted to be wed so quickly. Harry knew as well as Rhiannon that Professor McGonagall was not one for things being done speedily and sloppily. Professor McGonagall had seen to it that there were at least suitable flowers for the wedding, as well as appropriate dress robes for Rhiannon.

"I will not have you walking down the aisle for your wedding in black, Rhiannon. Good gracious." McGonagall had said sharply when Rhiannon had mentioned the offending idea of using her black teaching robes for the wedding.

Somehow, the Professor had seen to it that Rhiannon had white dress robes. The flowers had been picked by Hagrid from the gardens. That job had been overseen, of course, by Professor McGonagall. Irises, forget-me-nots, and lilies of the valley were the choices.

"I want simple things. Simple, but elegant." Rhiannon had said, and Professor McGonagall had done her best to fit the bill exactly.

"You'd think it was her wedding." Ron whispered from beside Harry. Harry grinned and nervously straightened his crumpled robes.

Hermione, Ginny and Artemis chattered excitedly as they stepped into a single line. Their hair was done up, with flowers gracing the folds. Hermione had woven in sprigs of lilies-of-the-valley through her brown tendrils, while Ginny had been content to settle a small white iris bud in her braid. Artemis had strung lilies-of-the-valley through her long, swinging braid, and had tied a single forget-me-not at the bottom of it. It was quite obvious to all the boys that they were excited.

"Alright gentlemen! Line up with your partners! Now, no walking shabbily down the aisle! This is going to be perfect! I don't want a shoddy performance." McGonagall ordered, pointing a crooked finger towards the girls.

As the Weasley boys made their way to their partners, a grinning Fred jumping forward to take his place by a gloomy Percy, Ron whispered,

"Heavens, we wouldn't want to trip right in the middle of the "Wedding March", now would we?"

Harry suppressed a smile as he watched Professor McGonagall line up Artemis and George together at the front of the line. George looked down at Artemis with a soft expression, then slowly leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Harry grinned as Artemis blushed deeply and smacked the Weasley twin on the arm.

"Weasley! Potter! Come over here and get in line."

Ron quickly positioned himself beside Hermione as McGonagall called for him. Hermione smiled as Ron tripped over his dress robes and flung his arms out to keep from falling on his face. Ron simply leapt to his feet from his place on the stone floor, ignoring the chuckling and taunting of his brothers, and cast a winning smile in Hermione's direction. Hermione looked surprised that Ron hadn't responded to his brothers' ridicule with some offense. She eyed him curiously, then blushed deeply as Ron stuck out his arm for her to grasp.

Hermione stared at him for a long time. Harry had seen that look many times. It was the look she got when she was studying a History of Magic text-book as she tried to understand the theme of the whole lesson and was trying to figure out what it had changed and who. But this was one thing Hermione couldn't decifer, so she simply settled to gently clasp Ron's arm and wait for their cue.

"Potter! Over here beside Miss Weasley." McGonagall called shrilly.

Harry slowly took a step towards the girl dressed in crimson. As he did so, Ron and Hermione turned around to glance at him. For some reason, the way they looked at him just............he didn't understand why, that is, but he felt himself blush as he quickly walked forward to stand beside Ginny. Ginny didn't look at him as he stepped up to her. Harry noticed that her face was pale and she was biting her lip rather vigorously.

It was well known to Harry, as well as Ron and Hermione, that Ginny Weasley had a bit of a crush upon him since she'd met him on Platform 9 3/4. It was this that made Harry nervous. He'd never had a real girlfriend before, and he didn't know how to act around girls that liked him. For that matter, he didn't know how to act when he liked girls. He'd certainly made himself look like a real git when it had come to Cho Chang the previous year.

Girls and romance were two aspects of Harry's life that he had not quite mastered. Inwardly, he wished his father were still alive. He always did, but especially in times like this. His Dad could tell him how to act around girls and what to say without offending them. But he did have someone to turn to: Sirius. If anyone knew what advice his Dad would have given, it would be Sirius. But Sirius was in the next room and Harry had to say something right then, otherwise, he'd look like a fool. So he took a deep breath and turned to face Ginny.

"Hullo, Ginny." He said quickly, inwardly chiding himself to speak slower.

But Ginny was not turned off by his rapid tongue. Instead, she slowly turned to face him, then blushed as crimson as her robes.

"Hullo, Harry." She almost whispered.

Harry racked his brain for what to say next.

"You, you look quite lovely, Ginny. You wore those robes to the Yule Ball, didn't you?" Harry asked.

Ginny suddenly paled and one of her hands grasped a fold of the offending robes.

"Why? Is that bad? Should I have worn something else?" Ginny asked almost frantically.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise at the girl's sudden outburst of worry. He didn't know what to say. He didn't mean to offend her. He just couldn't for the life of him find anything to say!

"No, no! You look lovely! I just couldn't remember if you'd, if you'd worn it to the ball or not. That's all. Didn't mean to offend." Harry said helplessly.

Color slowly leaked back into Ginny's cheeks and she smiled.

"Oh. Well then, thanks."

"You're welcome."

Ginny looked away a moment, but when she turned back, she finally looked fully into Harry's face. She lifted her chin bravely and smiled.

"You look quite handsome, Harry."

Immediately after she said it, she turned a bright red and fingered her robes nervously. Harry simply grinned.

"Thanks, Ginny."

Ginny smiled and looked relieved that her boldness had not been taken offensively. Harry smiled at his own cleverness. Whoever said that talking to girls was hard?

As Harry straightened his robes for the hundredth time, a slight rustling caused him to turn around. Behind him, dressed in immaculate, white dress-robes, stood Rhiannon. Her curly brown hair was drawn into a lover's knot with lilies of the valley slipped between the curls. Her eyes were alight and shining as she winked at Harry, then moved to look up at her escort. Harry knew that Rhiannon's father should have stood in that place beside her, but he knew that the replacement would perform the job just as well. Albus Dumbledore smiled down at the young bride on his arm, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her. Rhiannon herself, didn't look like she minded her escort taking over paternal duties.

"Come now, Potter! It's almost your turn." Professor McGonagall whispered to Harry as Ron and Hermione made their way down the aisle. Harry turned to look at McGonagall as she patted her hair self-consciously and she took Charlie Weasley's arm. Charlie winked at Harry as they both felt the Professor's nervousness exuding from her person.

"Excuse me, Professor." Professor McGonagall looked up at Harry as he spoke timidly to her. "I didn't get the chance to tell you that you look really fabulous."

Harry could not help but smile at the soft look of pleasure and astonishment that came over his teacher's face as she eyed him in surprise.

"Why thank you, Harry! It's so very kind of you." She said simply, her eyes shining.

"You're welcome." Harry whispered.

He breathed deeply as Ron and Hermione approached the makeshift altar at the front of the Dining Hall. George and Artemis had gone before them and now stood at the altar grinning down at them.

"Potter! It's your turn!"

Harry gasped in surprise as he felt Professor McGonagall's finger prod his shoulder impatiently. Slowly, he turned to face Ginny and to his surprise, she was already eyeing him. Hesitantly, he extended his arm to her.

"Well, shall we?" He asked quietly.

To his surprise, Ginny Weasley did not clam up, nor did she walk away or ignore him. She simply smiled and gently slipped her arm in his.

"I think we should." She whispered so low that Harry could barely hear her.

"Potter, Weasley! A move on, if you please!" McGonagall hissed.

Harry didn't flush in embarrassment. He simply knew that the Professor was nervous. So was he, but for some reason, it didn't seem to matter anymore. He simply began to walk down the aisle.

The stars in the magicked night sky above them twinkled mysteriously in the soft candlelight of the Dining Hall, now transformed into a church of sorts. As Harry walked down the aisle, he scanned the crowd witches and wizards who had stayed for the ceremony.

There was Sirius standing uncomfortably beside Remus, his medium length black hair pulled away from his face, his long fingers pausing occasionally to pull at the black dress robes that had been loaned to him. He was safe here. The remaining witches and wizards knew of Sirius's innocence. How they knew, Harry could only guess. Mrs. Weasley would say nothing, only that Professor Dumbledore had chosen them to be on the alert and ready to assemble the moment that the Sugilatio Flammae showed Voldemort's attack. Harry could only guess that these select people had been told by Dumbledore and they were people whom the Headmaster trusted with his life. That was the only way Sirius would be kept safe.

As Sirius continued to pull at his robes, Remus sighed at his friend's inability to remain still, but still smiled winningly at Harry as he proceeded down the aisle. Sirius stopped moving for a moment to do the same, but he managed to cast a sly wink in Harry's direction as he noticed Ginny. Harry blushed, but blushed even harder as Ginny looked up at him with a smile that said, 'I saw that'. Harry decided he'd have to have a little talk with Sirius about girls. They saw far too many things they weren't supposed to. Who knew what she was thinking now?

The only Slytherins present that Harry knew by sight were seated next to each other in the row in front of Sirius and Remus. Draco Malfoy stood directly in front of Sirius, his chin raised proudly, disdain reflecting in his cold gray eyes as he eyed George and Artemis. Severus Snape stood next to the Slytherin boy, his face stoic as he eyed those standing before him critically, as if trying to find some fault with them.

Harry tried to hide his frustration as he separated from Ginny and took his place beside Ron on the altar. He couldn't understand why the two Slytherins couldn't co-operate even for a wedding. After all, it was Rhiannon's wedding, one's professor, the other's former student.

As the organ music increased, (Harry noticed that it was indeed coming from an organ, though there was no organist and it played on its own), the witches and wizards in the chairs stood and turned towards the aisle, awaiting the bride. Rhiannon began her walk down the aisle with Dumbledore, who held her arm gently. Harry could not help but smile at the look of pure joy on Rhiannon's face, nor could any of the others. Fred, who had made it up the aisle without causing too much damage to anyone else or Percy's ego (he had thrown sweets from 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' into the crowds rather than flower petals) and George could not stop grinning, nor could Charlie or Ron. Even Percy managed a smile as well, as soon as he'd gotten far from Fred's side. From the other side of the altar, Harry heard Ginny sigh happily.

Ron poked Harry in the shoulder, and nodded towards Bill, who stood in front of the waiting wedding party. Bill's face was alight as he watched Rhiannon and Dumbledore make their way down the aisle. All nervousness seemed to have faded, replaced with a soothing serenity.

When Rhiannon and Dumbledore stopped in front of the altar, the Headmaster stooped and kissed Rhiannon on the cheek, then embraced her gently. He then raised his wrinkled hand towards Bill, who stepped down from the stairs and placed his hand in the Headmaster's. The Headmaster then took Rhiannon and Bill's palms and placed them together. Rhiannon smiled happily and whispered a 'thank you' to Dumbledore as he stepped away from them, then allowed Bill to lead her up the stairs towards the minister above them.

Harry had never before seen a Wizard wedding. He had never seen a Muggle wedding for that matter either. His aunt and uncle never took him places, especially not to family occasions. It was this lack of experience that made him all the more happier to be present at this wedding. He was glad that this was his first experience with a wedding, that the people who were being married were more than, 'Cousin Jane and Cousin Bob'. He knew these people, he had lived alongside them, he loved them. To them, he was family, and to him, they were family, and they had been kind enough to include him in this most intimate ceremony. No wonder he couldn't help but smile.

He remembered several things about the wedding, things he kept in his heart to ponder over. He kept thinking,

Was this what Mum and Dad did? Was this how THEY were married?.

He watched as once more, Rhiannon's hand was placed in Bill's and the minister pulled out a tightly coiled rope, that once pulled out, sprang to life, uncoiling itself and wrapping around the hands of the couple kneeling before it. Their hands were tied together, not only for that moment, but for all time. It was then, while they were bound by this magic, that the Minister placed the gold bands in the bride and groom's free hands. Gently, the two slid the rings on each other's bound fingers. Only when Bill and Rhiannon had pronounced their vows in full, did the rope unbind them, the rings securely resting on their fingers.

"Now, you have proclaimed a solemn promise, and though the rope has been removed from your hands, you are still bound together, the two of you. You shall be one and shall live your lives as one." The minister proclaimed.

Harry smiled gently as he heard Mrs. Weasley let forth a great sob. Bill smiled and he and Rhiannon stood and faced each other.

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife." The minister called over the assembly.

Then Bill leaned in and kissed Rhiannon gently on the lips. A cry broke out among the populace and before long, the whole crowd was cheering loudly. It was unlike anything Harry had ever seen, all those people, so happy that two of their number had taken this immense step. Even Sirius cheered loudly, his pale eyes alight. A strange look rested on Professor Snape's face as he watched the two kiss and eyed the joy that spread around the room. Harry couldn't identify it. Could it have been regret? Or even happiness? Harry was not sure, for he was distracted by Ron jumping dangerously close to the edge of the stairs. He quickly grabbed at his friend's dress robes and pulled him back, though Ron was laughing hysterically and because of this, almost fell despite Harry's attempts.

The instant the Minister had pronounced Rhiannon and Bill married, Fred and George had begun to set off Filibuster fireworks. A moment later, they were tossing them out into the crowd. The numerous witches and wizards, despite the fact that several of them were elderly, grabbed at them eagerly and in a flash of wand-lights, the room was filled with popping fireworks. The magicked-night sky above them, was soon peppered with beautiful flashes of light that rained down upon the crowds in showers. Even Percy, rule-abiding Percy, grabbed a few of the fireworks and set them off with a yell.

As the celebration continued, the chairs in the hall began to disappear with little pops and puffs of smoke, occasionally catching an unfortunate person unaware when their chair disappeared out from under them, setting them on the floor with a hard smack. When all of the chairs had disappeared, the witches and wizards smiled and finished laughing with deep breaths.

"Haven't had so much fun in ages!" One of the elderly wizards gasped, setting off one more firework with a gleeful outburst.

Then as suddenly as the chairs had disappeared, the tables of the Dining Hall returned, decorated and covered with elegant glass plates, goblets, eating utensils, and menus. One table sat at the head of the Dining Hall, draped in white, green garlands hanging from the edges.

"C'mon, Harry! I'm starving!" Ron yelled excitedly as he dashed up the stairs towards the head table.

Rhiannon eyed Ron with a smile as he catapolted himself into his chair and grasped eagerly at the menu. Hermione sat down beside Ron, but eyed him with disdain as he eyed the menu hungrily.

"Bloody hell, this looks good." Ron murmured happily.

"Honestly, Ron. One would think you hadn't eaten in years." Hermione scolded.

Ron eyed Hermione cheerfully, unwilling to let go of his happy mood despite Hermione's chidings.

"Honestly, Hermione. Have a look at the menu. Go on! You'll see why I'm so excited, and hungry." Ron said energetically. Hermione eyed him suspiciously, but sighed and looked at her menu.

Harry too looked down at his menu, which seemed to glow in the candlelight that filled the Dining Hall. Harry's mouth watered at the many delicacies that rested within, but finally he chose chicken and a baked potato. He said his order aloud and instantly it appeared in front of him piping hot, a cold sliver of butter resting on the edge of his plate, various dressings set before him on the table. His goblet was filled with a whipped concoction that he discovered to be a sort of raspberry syllabub. Beside him, Ron dug into the food he had ordered: a slab of ham, and crisp, buttered green beans resting in a small bowl beside his plate. As soon as Harry finished his food, his dishes disappeared and a small dish containing a chilled, red sort of Jell-O. On the first bite, he discovered it was a delicious raspberry flummery. It was a meal never to be forgotten in Harry's mind.

"Hey, Hermione!" Ron said, eyeing Hermione as she devoured her food hungrily. "That's slave labor food you're eating there."

Harry groaned, expecting a tirade or at least a scolding to come instantly from Hermione's mouth. But to his and Ron's surprise, she shrugged and smiled.

"And it's very good slave labor food, isn't it?"

"Hermione," Ron breathed. "You haven't decided to just forget the whole 'free the house-elves' thing, have you?" He asked hopefully.

Instantly, Hermione's chin raised and her eyes exuded a look of firm defiance.

"Absolutely not! I still hold with my view on the house-elves, but I think it's alright just for tonight. After all," Hermione cast a tender look upon the bride and groom who were laughing together over their own private joke. "They don't have anyone else to make the food for them."

As soon as the meal was ended, the witches and wizards stood up and away from their chairs and tables. Ron nudged Harry as he gulped down the last bit of raspberry flummery.

"Get a move on, mate. Don't wanna get hit by a flying chair now do you?" Ron whispered as he shoved back from the table.

Both Harry and Hermione eyed Ron curiously, but they got out of their chairs and moved away from the table. As soon as they did, all the chairs and tables in the Dining Hall rose in the air and flew by their occupants to the edge of the walls. The lights were suddenly dimmed, and the Hall was lit only by the dim glow of tall white candles that levitative high above the floor, resting in the velvet black sky, mingling with the glowing stars. The guests began to clap as Bill and Rhiannon stood and made their way down to the cleared floor. It was only then that Harry saw Mr. Weasley nervously standing beside Rhiannon's enchanted cd player. When he'd finally set it up, he stepped back to gaze at it, a look of pride resting on his face.

"Oh geez." Harry turned to Ron as he heard his friend's groan. Ron was holding his stomach, a pleased smile stretched across his red face. "Don't think I'll be able to eat another bite ever. But I will. I've gotta have cake." He murmured happily, closing his eyes wistfully as if he could already taste the cake.

As Harry had assumed, the music for the reception was to be Muggle music. As Bill and Rhiannon stepped on improvised dance floor, Mr. Weasley tapped the cd player with his wand. As the strains of music began to play, Harry thought he recognized the song, but couldn't be sure. He rarely heard music in his aunt and uncle's house. Only on certain occasions did they play music, and only late at night when he was securely locked in his closet or when he and Dudley were sent to bed. Harry didn't know for sure, but it certainly did sound like the delicate strains of music he'd heard leaking under his door in the late night. The tune was soft, the sound of a guitar and various stringed instruments whispering in the background, the male singer's voice, light and gentle.

Bill grasped Rhiannon's hand and whispered something in her ear that made her blush and smack him good-naturedly. A moment later, she rested her head gently on his chest and they danced together in one fluid motion, perfect and unbroken.

Longer than,

There've been fishes in the ocean.

Higher than,

Any bird ever flew.

Longer than there've been stars up in the heavens.

I've been in love with you.

Stronger than,

Any mountain cathedral.

Truer than,

Any tree ever grew.

Deeper than any forest primeval.

I am in love with you.

I'll bring,

Fire in the winters.

You'll send,

Showers in the springs.

We'll fly,

Through the falls and summers,

With love on our wings.

Through the years,

As the fire starts to mellow,

Burning lines in the book of our lives,

Though the binding cracks,

And the pages start to yellow,

I'll be in love with you.

I'll be in love with you.

Longer than,

There've been fishes in the ocean.

Higher than,

Any bird ever flew.

Longer than,

There've been stars up in the heavens,

I've been in love with you.

I am in love with you.

Harry heard Ron scoff beside him, but when he glanced at his friend, he was surprised to see an unusual softness residing in Ron's freckled face as he gazed at his brother and new sister-in-law. Fred and George too were passive, an unusual sight to see in them. Ginny stood beside Charlie, who's arm dangled around her shoulder as she rested her head on his chest. The room was completely silent until the strains of the music faded. Then there was wild clapping as the bride and groom turned to face their guests. Rhiannon was grinning from ear to ear and Bill was the same, his face almost as red as the long hair draped down his back.

"Isn't it just gorgeous? I want a wedding just like this." Hermione said, slipping in to stand beside Ron. Ron scoffed as he turned to her.

"You wanna have a wedding in a dilapidated castle?" He asked. Hermione sniffed.

"You're crazy, Ron Weasley. I suppose I won't hang around with you. I think I'll go and,"

But Ron didn't give her the chance to finish. He jumped to her and grabbed her hand almost desperately.

"Sorry, Hermione. Dance with me?"

Hermione started at his boldness, then smiled.

"Goodness, Ron. You'd think that you were more concerned about dancing with me than your apology." She chided. Ron shrugged and gently took her arm in his, a pleased glow emanating from his face.

"Yeah, well. What can I say?" He murmured mirthfully.

"You mean you WERE more concerned about dancing?" Hermione yelled.

Ron exclaimed loudly in protest as he and Hermione began to argue as they proceeded down to the dance floor. Harry smiled and shook his head as he watched them. This was how they were. They would fight, but they were still very much friends, maybe more.

Harry grinned as Fred and George whooped at the choice of music: a fast techno tune, the bass line reverberating the unsteady walls of the castle. They jumped to their feet from their places on the floor and nearly bowled over Percy on their way to the dance floor. As he made his way out, Charlie grabbed at Percy, urging him to come with them, but Percy shook his head and sniffed disdainfully.

"Not right now. I've got more important things to do."

Charlie cast a look of scorn in his brother's direction as he walked away.

"Like what?" He spat out. "Got more cauldron bottoms to fix?"

Percy ignored him completely, slipping past Harry and into the crowd of witches and wizards. Charlie glared at Percy's departing figure a moment, then shook his head. A moment later, his enthusiastic grin had spread over his face and he made his way towards Professor McGonagall, who was sitting by herself, watching the witches and wizards twirling across the dance floor.

"C'mon and dance with me, Professor!" He called out cheerily, tugging on her arm.

Harry grinned as McGonagall eyed the Weasley boy in wide-eyed surprise, then as she frowned and attempted to shake him off.

"Good HEAVENS, Mister Weasley! What do you take me for? A shoddy bar-room dancer? I'm hardly at the age to be dancing." She protested.

"Oh, c'mon Professor! Dumbledore is always saying what a great dancer you are! Can you blame me for wanting to take you for a whirl?" He asked, grinning at her winningly. To Harry's surprise, the professor looked to be weakening, though she still protested.

"But, I haven't danced in such a long time." She said hesitantly.

"Oh, who cares! Me either! I've been mucking about in dragon dung, as my brothers say, and I don't have time for dancing. Humor an old student. You know, I always was your favorite." Charlie wheedled, winking at her.

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall let out a cheery laugh and stood, grasping his young, leathered hand in her wrinkled one.

"Well that IS true. You always were the steady one, Weasley." She said, patting his hand in a motherly fashion.

"Of course!" Charlie agreed with a grin.

"Hey, Potter!" Harry turned around as someone called his name. Artemis stood beside him, grinning from ear to ear. She tucked a strand of blonde hair that had come loose from her braid behind her ear and crossed her arms across her chest. "Wanna take an old friend for a whirl?"

"Sure, Artemis. Let's go." He said kindly, taking her arm and whirling her onto the dance floor, causing her to break out in a flurry of laughter.

Harry grinned at Artemis as he grasped her hands and danced in time to the drum beat. This seemed so easy. Why then had it been so hard to do with Cho Chang? With Artemis, everything just flowed, like every motion, no matter how awkward was just part of the dance, part of the course. He wished life could be like that, however, Artemis did seem to bring that quality into his life. It was talent she had, one he could only hope to discover the secrets of.

"Isn't this great? So romantic." Artemis commented as they danced.

"I agree, it's great. Romantic, how?" Harry asked with a smile, knowing that Artemis would be all too willing to answer his so male-like question. He was right.

"Oh, come on, Harry!" She said instantly, glancing at Rhiannon and Bill. "I mean, they've been in love all this time! They fought a battle together, almost lost each other, and now they're getting married in the place where they first fell in love!" Artemis said excitedly. Harry grinned and shrugged.

"If you say so."

Artemis frowned in frustration, then eyed Harry closely. Finally, she saw the mirth dwelling in Harry's green eyes, and she slapped him on the shoulder good-naturedly.

"You're just playing with me." She protested. Harry laughed loudly.

"I know, but it's just so easy to do!" He answered her. In the midst of another song, Artemis closed her eyes and grinned as she grasped Harry's hand.

"Twirl me, Harry." She pleaded good-naturedly. Harry grinned and took a firm hold of her hand.

"Alright then. You ready?" He asked.

"Ready!" Artemis called, squeezing her eyes shut in anticipation. Harry grinned and began to twirl her as the drum beat of the song ran around them.

"Here we go!" He yelled.

Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're,
Acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated.
Life's like this, you.
And you fall and you crawl,
And you break and you take,
What you get and you turn it into,
Honesty, promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it.

No, no, no.

With a flourish, Artemis grinned and fell into Harry's arms with a dramatic gesture. Harry laughed loudly and caught her, dipping her almost to the floor. She finally opened her eyes as he held her there, and she grinned broadly.

"I hope your arms don't give out. Because if you dump me on the floor, Harry Potter, I'll kill you." She said, her voice mirthful. Harry grinned, then laughed nervously as a dull pain ran up his arms as he tried in vain to lift her. "Harry," Artemis asked nervously, her smile frozen on her face.

"Can't, get you, up!" Harry laughed breathlessly.

Artemis' eyes widened as she stared at him frantically.

"Don't you drop me! Harry, don't,"

The warning came to late. They collapsed on the floor in a tangled heap. Harry and Artemis laughed loudly from their place on the floor till Harry finally made a move to stand. When he struggled to his feet, he tripped on his dress robes and found himself right back where he had been in the first place. Artemis shook her head, her explosive laughter filling the hall. A tall shadow fell over them just as Harry found his legs and extended his hand to Artemis.

"Geez, Harry. I'm a lousy dancer, but I don't dump girls on the floor. I better keep Artie away from you, otherwise she might not come out of a tango with you alive." George said in mock seriousness, extending a hand to Artemis.

Artemis laughed and grabbed his hand and he pulled her up. Immediately as the song ended and a clash of guitars broke out, George's feet started to shuffle almost as if they had a life of their own.

"C'mon Artie!" He called, dragging her out onto the dance floor. Artemis turned towards Harry with a jubilant grin and called,

"You don't mind, Harry?" She called. Harry laughed and shook his head in the negative.

She nodded and gave him a thumbs up, jerking her head towards Ginny Weasley, who was standing by herself near the punch table. Harry laughed and waved a hand towards her. Then he breathed deeply again, trying to get a grip on himself and figure out something to ask Ginny. Perhaps he could just ask her to dance straight out? What if he beat around the bush a bit before asking? He couldn't make up his mind, so he decided to play it as it went.

Ginny was fervently watching Bill and Rhiannon dance, but she quickly looked up at Harry and blushed as he approached. Harry smiled uneasily at her, fingering his robes nervously. She shifted uncomfortably and turned a deep shade of red as she looked up into his face.

"Hullo, Harry! Having fun?" Ginny asked nervously.

"Oh yeah, Ginny! It's great! Ijustwantedtoknowifyou'dwanttodancewithme." Harry said quickly, his words running together crazily.

The nervous look faded from Ginny's eyes and she stared incredulously at Harry. Inwardly, Harry writhed at his mistake.

"What was that, Harry?" Ginny asked cautiously.

"Well, I," Harry was just about to tell Ginny that he had to do something urgent, something else, anything else but ask her to dance, but something stopped him. It was the unmistakeable look of mirth that rested in Ginny's eyes as she watched him. Harry breathed deeply, the spoke slowly. "I just wanted to know if you'd want to dance with me."

No matter how hard she tried, Ginny could not hide the pleasure that danced in her eyes as she stared at Harry in astonishment.

"Really?! I mean, yeah, I mean, well, SURE! I mean, thanks, Harry. I'd love to dance with you." She stuttered happily as she took his offered hand. Harry grinned and winked at her.

"No problem, Ginny."

Immediately as he stepped out onto the dance floor, the artist of the song being announced to the crowd as Smash Mouth, the song, "Walking on the Sun", Ron shouted out at Harry,

"Hey, Harry! Whaddya think you're playing at? Making a move on my baby sister, are you?"

Harry turned towards him, ready to fire back some sarcastic comment, before he was cut off by Ginny, much to his surprise.

"You hush up, Ron Weasley! Harry can ask me to dance if he wants! I haven't got the plague you know!" She yelled loudly. Harry stared at her in surprise, but Ron seemed pleased by her reaction as he laughed loudly but said no more. Ginny tossed her red head and blushed as she saw Harry's surprised look. "I can speak up you know, if I want to. I don't very often, but........brothers." She exhaled in an aggravated tone. Harry laughed and nodded.

"I think I understand, Ginny." He said with a smile. She returned it and it was then that Harry noticed how really pretty Ginny Weasley looked, especially with that smile. It was curious he'd never noticed it before.

********************

The song ended with a flourish of yells from the people on the dance floor as they cheered for more. The cd player instantly obliged, placing another song over the speakers. Draco Malfoy stood off to the side of the dance floor, thinking how ironic the song playing sounded to the thoughts whirring about in his mind.

Jesse is a friend.

Yeah, I know he's been a good friend of mine.

But lately something's changed,

It ain't hard to define.

Jesse's got himself a girl,

And I wanna make her mine.

And she's watching him with those eyes.

And she's loving him with that body,

I just know it.

And he's holding her in his arms late, late at night.

You know I wish that I had Jesse's girl.

I wish that I had Jesse's girl.

Where can I find a woman like that?

Obviously, there were great differences between himself and the song, but all the same, it made sense. That George Weasley, was NOT by any means of the imagination his friend, yet he had taken the girl he was fond of. And Draco knew for a FACT that Artemis was not, well, 'loving him with that body'. The very idea made him sick to his stomach. But he knew she'd kissed Weasley. He'd seen that for himself. It was quite unfair by his standards. In his mind, Artemis should have been in Slytherin. She was obviously capable of holding up to Slytherin standards, and with a name like that. Draco Malfoy and Artemis Thornshadow. The names just, clicked. To HIM anyway.

George Weasley and Artemis Thornshadow. Oh please, just knife me and throw me in a trash can.

Draco inwardly gagged. If she wanted to have a last name that sounded like some kind of creeping rodent, fine. Let her.

Artemis Malfoy. Now THAT sounds good. He thought with satisfaction.

And I'm lookin' in the mirror all the time,

Wondrin' what she don't see in me.

I've been funny,

I've been cool with the lines.
Ain't that the way love's supposed to be?

That part of the song made sense. What was there in him that Artemis didn't think she could handle? He was interesting, suave, definitely had the moves. He'd been casual, been kind, well, as much as he could be, kind to HIS standards anyway. And that one line, 'I've been funny/I've been cool with the lines./Ain't that the way love's supposed to be?', that definitely sounded familiar. After all, that was how it had always been with his father and mother.

His father regarded his mother with cool familiarity, but hardly with love. There didn't seem to be any love there save clever remarks every now and then. Draco had done all those things, but it hadn't worked. Artemis was still not truly his, nor did it seem she would ever be. She had dragged him this far, taking him away from the life his father wanted him to lead. She made him think that maybe, just maybe, he could be an individual. He could be someone better than what he had once been. She had dragged him to the point of no return.

"My, my you're just looking far too serious over here."

Draco jumped slightly at the sound of the female voice behind him, but composed himself and turned to Artemis, a cocky grin resting on his face.

"Yeah? I've heard it's becoming." He said coolly. Artemis crossed her arms and shook her head.

"Not when you're thinking so hard that you look like you ate a sour lemon. What's up?" She asked, a small smile on her lips.

Draco took a deep breath and almost choked as he realized how dry his throat was. Funny, it wasn't like that a few minutes ago.

Why do girls DO that? He muttered inwardly.

"Say, Artemis, I want to speak with you. Would you care to dance?" Draco asked quickly, extending his hand to her.

Artemis smiled and took his hand, and as she did, an electric shock ran up his own arm as he led her onto the dance floor.

"What's on your mind, Draco?" She asked kindly, her eyes smiling.

As Draco swallowed the lump that had somehow pulled itself together in his throat, he cursed himself for freaking out.

It's just ARTEMIS. For heavens sake, Malfoy! Get a hold of yourself. His mind grumbled.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about what's going to happen now. At least, what YOU think is going to happen now." He said calmly. Artemis shrugged and shook her head.

"I really don't know. I mean, I'm going to have to go back to my parents of course. But you know, Dumbledore still says that school will be in session next year on schedule, so, I suppose I'll come back. What about you?" She asked.

Inwardly, Draco cringed.

"Well, I'm not going home this year." He said proudly, trying frantically to surpress the feeling of fear that inevitably crept down his spine.

A look of surprise flashed over Artemis' fair face as she eyed him.

"Well, why? Where are you going?" She asked in concern.

Draco shrugged calmly and smiled.

"I'm going to stay with that moron, Sir-, well, a friend of Dumbledore's." Draco ceased speaking as he thought about Sirius Black.

Dumbledore had warned him not to tell the few students who had remained behind with their parents of Sirius Black's presence. Their parents were of course aware of the fact, but he didn't want the children to be alarmed. Few people knew that the dark haired man was the feared Sirius Black. Draco knew that all the Weasleys, even the youngest girl knew of Sirius's innocence, but they were the only ones besides Harry and his gang of friends. Artemis was far from a child, but for some reason, Draco felt that he shouldn't frighten her. After all, Sirius Black wasn't just feared in Britain.

"I don't feel like going home this year. That's all. I WAS going to stay with relatives, but I don't feel like being with THEM." Draco said calmly, but inwardly, he was frantically trying to come up with an excuse for going to stay with Dumbledore's mysterious friend.

Of all the bloody people Dumbledore could PICK. Sirius Black. His mind muttered.

The look of concern left Artemis' face, but it still reflected in her gray-blue eyes as she put a gentle hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Oh, I see. You don't want to home because of what happened here. I completely understand." She hesitated a moment, then said, "It was brave of you to do what you did down in the chamber, Draco." Artemis said, a twinge of shyness creeping into her tone. Draco shrugged and nodded.

"What did you expect me to do? Let you die?" He whispered, suddenly unable to find his voice as he remembered the Master's Mirror, as he remembered how he had once carried it and how it had come so close to killing this girl standing before him.

Artemis simply shrugged.

"Well, that is what one would normally expect from a Slytherin when a Gryffindor's life is at stake." She said knowingly.

"I know. I know that. But I had to. I, I think that......why do you do this to me? Why?" Draco's quiet voice suddenly raised in tone as it filled with anger and frustration. "Everything in my life was fine before you came along! Just fine! I had a nice little war going with Potter and his stupid friends, I had a career coming to me, I was going to have a reward for carrying the mirror into Hogwarts. But NO! The mirror had to kill Martin Wothes! I had to watch it kill Martin Wothes, a fellow in my own House, DIE because he was too stubborn! Too loyal to Hogwarts! And therefore, Dumbledore had to make sure everybody came EARLY and other students from different schools HAD to come to Hogwarts!" Draco said angrily. "And then, YOU came, and I thought, perhaps, you'd be in Slytherin. You had a good name, you were, I don't know, lovely, I suppose. But NO! You get put into Gryffindor, right where I couldn't get at you. And then that Weasley got to you first! Artemis, everything I knew fell apart when you came here! I let go of everything I'd known, just because, maybe, you could learn to like me even a little. But what was I thinking? I gave up everything!" Draco whispered, his voice finally lowering, but the frustration hardly receding.

Artemis smiled wistfully as she stared at the boy in front of her. She had taken the news well. A tad too well, Draco thought. It seemed as though she knew already. She could feel the turmoil inside of him. That knowledge that she possibly possessed, almost frightened Draco. Had he been any other boy, it would have.

"You gave up evil, you mean." She said quietly. Draco slowly raised his head and stared at her. "You mean to tell me that you'd rather live a life of death and evil, than be dragged away from it?" She asked patiently.

"Better that than being on my father's BAD side!" Draco said angrily.

Artemis sighed and shook her head.

"I don't know what to say, Draco." She said quietly.

"I don't either." Draco muttered.

"What do you want me to say?" She asked.

Draco's blonde head shot up instantly.

"That you love me and not Weasley." He said firmly. Artemis gave a small chuckle and grasped his hand.

"I can't say that, Draco." White-hot pain reflected in Draco's gray eyes as he stared at her, but she refused to let him drop his head. "I can't say that because I don't love either of you." Slowly, hope returned to Draco's gray eyes. "I like you both, but I don't love you. I'm too young to love someone. I, I don't even know what love is. If you can just accept that for now, until a time, when I'm ready to choose, I would love to remain your friend." She said quietly, a hopeful smile on her face.

Draco dropped his head thoughtfully. When he raised it, there was an almost greedy gleam in his large eyes.

"Does Weasley know about this?" He asked. Artemis nodded and her eyes twinkled. "And?" Draco urged.

"He said that he'd be willing to wait. After all, he's going to have his hands busy as soon as this year is over. He's going to start his joke shop." Artemis said proudly.

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Quite the career he's chosen." He said sarcastically.

"I know. I think it's great." Artemis said, grinning at the idea.

"If you say so." Draco muttered. Then he sighed resolutely. "Alright then. I'll wait for you, Artemis. But let me tell you something. I don't mean to be kept waiting for long, and I don't mean to let any red-headed, Muggle-loving, pathetic excuse of a wizard get the better of me. Just remember that." Draco said seriously.

Artemis's smile faded slightly as he demeaned George, but she shook her head and grasped Draco's hand gently.

"Alright, Draco. But I want to thank you."

Draco frowned and cocked his head to the side.

"What for?" He asked.

"For saving my life so many times." She said. Draco scoffed, seething self-anger coursing through his veins once more.

"I tried to get you killed. I took you down there to help me." Draco muttered.

Artemis nodded knowingly.

"True. But I still believe that you are the only reason that I'm alive right now. I mean, honestly, if that's the way you're going to think, I could blame Harry for not realizing the truth until too late!" Artemis said. A twinkle entered Draco's eyes and he grinned maliciously.

"You could do that." He said.

Artemis sighed and rolled her eyes upward.

"You'll never learn will you?" She asked. Draco shook his head, grasping her hand tighter.

"Never."

And as Draco danced with Artemis, the new song that came over the speakers came through more clearly and made more sense in that moment, than any song could.

I'm falling even more in love with you.

Letting go of all I've held onto.

I'm standing here until you make me move,

I'm hanging by a moment here with you.

I'm living for the only thing I know,

I'm running and not quite sure where to go.

I don't know what I'm diving into,

I'm hanging by a moment here with you.

********************

Harry watched Draco and Artemis conversing on the dance floor with more than a little concern. She didn't like the fact that Artemis couldn't keep away from Draco and refused to tell him to leave her alone. He worried for her. Why, he had no idea.

He now stood off to the side of the dance floor with Fred, George and Ron, Ginny having been asked to dance by her brother Charlie. Fred and George were talking excitedly about a new joke shop product that they'd thought up on the dance floor and Ron was sipping punch, glaring at a Ravenclaw seventh year who'd asked to dance with Hermione. Ron quit staring at the two when he dropped his napkin on the castle floor. However when he raised his head, his eyes focused on another sight. He squinted a moment as he stared off in the distance. Just as he did so, Fred gave a low whistle.

"My goodness, Rhia's already chasing after other men!"

Ron growled and leapt to his feet, punching his brother hard in the arm.

"Shut up, you pillock! For some reason, she takes to him. And besides, if we really looked at things, we owe our lives to him." Ron said about the man Rhiannon was speaking to with a resentful grumble.

"And to Rhia!" George threw in frantically.

"I know, but he did most of the work." Ron reasoned.

A look of horror came over the twins' faces as they stared first at each other, then at Ron and Harry.

"WE DON'T WANT TO OWE OUR LIVES TO SNAPE!!" They moaned together.

"Well, get over it, because you two most of all owe your lives to him. He saved your lives in particular all on his own." At that, Fred and George crossed their arms across their chests and glared at no one in particular. "That'll teach you for implying that MY sister-in-law is flirting with the smarmiest Potions Master in the world." Ron said with a smirk.

Harry smiled, then turned back to the sight that had first incited the argument: Rhiannon had walked over to Snape (who had kept himself far from the dance floor and its occupants) and was now talking to him quietly. His face was stony and he eyed her with a look of almost suspicion. But finally, Rhiannon achieved her goal, and Severus Snape placed his white hand in hers, (Harry only now noticed the hideous burn that covered the top of his hand, an aftereffect of the battle), and she lead him out onto the dance floor. From there, Harry noticed with surprise, that Snape knew exactly what to do. He, perhaps almost gently, placed his hand on her hip and took her other hand in his, still gazing down at her with cool indifference. Harry shook his head and turned back to Fred and George, who were now arguing with Ron that Snape was surely trying to woo Rhiannon.

Odd things happen every day. Harry thought with a smile as he watched Rhiannon dance with her old Potions Master.

********************

Rhiannon relaxed into Snape's grasp with ease, then looked up into his dark eyes, amusement weaving in and out of her small smile.

"You see, Severus, I knew you remembered how to dance." She said in mock solemnity.

"It has been a great many years since I last danced, Rhiannon. I do not see why you've dragged me out here." He insisted sourly.

Rhiannon, not put off by his cool tone, merely chuckled.

"Indeed! I'm sure it has, but you still dance divinely. Most likely better than Bill. You know the arts of dancing aren't emphasized as much now as they were in your time." She said quietly, trying to suppress the twinkle in her eyes.

At the compliment, Snape's eyes were filled with a faint glow that he tried to suppress and he drew himself up slightly.

"Of course. I'm sure the boy never took any time to actually learn to dance, not like we did in times past." Snape said scornfully, glaring at Bill, who was speaking energetically with a tall wizard in tattered blue robes. The wizard, who looked to be only a little younger than Snape, responded vigorously to Bill's questions, only pausing to brush a strand long, black hair from his dark eyes. "Orion Phoenix." Snape hissed. "Why did you invite him, Rhiannon?" Snape asked scornfully as he stared at the tall wizard.

"Because he was a great help to us in the battle, Severus. Besides that, Dumbledore wished for him to stay so he could speak with him. Just because he wasn't up to your standards when you were in school, is no reason to scorn him now." Rhiannon chided him.

"The man is a agitator, Rhiannon. He's far too over-zealous about this coming war for my taste." Snape shot back.

Rhiannon smiled and shook her head.

"Still can't let go of old hatred, can you?" She asked quietly.

Snape finally looked away from the wizard Orion Phoenix and glanced down at Rhiannon.

"It is the only thing I have left." Snape said shortly, but quietly. "I have no family, nothing to call my own. My hatred is all that keeps me willing to survive another day, the only thing that makes me willing to prove my adversaries that I am their better. It is all I have left, Rhiannon. Understand that."

"Whether or not you believe me, I think that you have more than hatred within you, otherwise you wouldn't have done what you did for us. A man with so much hate would never concoct that potion or even work on it for so long, even when his chosen helper attempted to leave him." Rhiannon murmured bashfully.

Snape nodded shortly.

"You were afraid. I have told you time and time again that if you do not attempt to control your fear, it will control you. I see you haven't remembered everything from my lessons." Snape hissed.

If this hurt Rhiannon's feelings she did not show it. Instead, she stared at the floor for a time, before she looked back up at the Potions Master.

"I'd like to thank you, Severus." She said quietly.

Snape looked slightly taken aback. Rhiannon smiled at this, knowing that he expected an outburst as a reply, never thanks.

"For what?" He snapped, irritated that his barb had gone unnoticed.

"For my life."

For a moment, Severus Snape's gaze faltered as he gazed at his former pupil standing before him. He then seemed to realize what he'd done. He'd stepped out of character, out of bounds of clearly laid boundaries. But then again, he was supposed to be on the good side. Wasn't he?

I could have easily turned her over to Voldemort. EASILY. It would have been so simple, then I could have returned to his favor. But I wouldn't have done that. Not for the world. He thought firmly.

"You're welcome, I suppose. Though I don't see what I had to do with it." He said coolly, attempting to hide his feelings from his former pupil.

Rhiannon simply smiled and shook her head.

"You know you did, Severus. I can see right through you, even if everyone else can't. Thank you, for everything." She whispered, her eyes misting slightly.

Snape eyed her, then looked away. To Rhiannon, it looked as though he was breathing deeply, trying to rein in his emotions, but when he turned back, any bit of emotion, save for one small speck, had disappeared.

"You're welcome."

That tiny bit of remaining emotion called gratitude, twinkled brightly in his brown depths, a sight not usually seen in his sneering face.

" 'Scuse me, Snape. But could I be the honored enough to have a dance, my lady?"

Snape was startled out of his sudden lapse of character and he turned and glared at the man beside him, who eyed him with flinty stare that Snape didn't appreciate.

"I didn't know you even knew how to dance, Black. If I remember correctly, you and your little posse simply jumped about with no rhyme or rhythm." Snape snapped in annoyance, addressing Sirius Black, who now closely stood at his elbow. Sirius's pale eyes twinkled, but he shrugged and grinned, eyeing Rhiannon mirthfully.

"Ye,s well, I admit in school I didn't have the best idea as to how to dance. But at least I have one thing going for me now." Sirius said, taking Rhiannon's hands in his own.

Snape stepped aside and glowered at him.

"And what's that?" He scoffed.

Sirius grinned as he whirled Rhiannon away from the Potions Master.

"I invented the Macarena." He said saucily.

Snape merely stood stone still and glared at Sirius, while the latter twirled Rhiannon as she laughed long and loud at the jibe.

********************

Harry laughed to himself as he watched Rhiannon and Sirius dance merrily amidst the younger couples. He had never seen Sirius so happy. Perhaps it was the atmosphere, the fact that it was a wedding? Could that be it? The last time Harry had seen his godfather look like this was in the picture of him at his parents' wedding. Sirius had looked just as excited, his eyes just as bright then as they were now. He couldn't help but grin as Sirius dipped Rhiannon low to the floor, laughing as Rhiannon frantically grasped at his broad shoulders, trying desperately to pull herself upright. It was good to see him light-hearted for a change.

As Harry scanned the couples surrounding his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and his godfather, he caught sight of Ron and Hermione. Ron was slowly leading Hermione out onto the dance floor. Gently, he placed his hand upon her hip, his face and ears a vibrant red. But he was smiling. So was she for that matter. Yes, even Hermione was smiling, her face slightly red as well. The sight caused Harry to pull up in confusion. His two friends were staring at each other as if they could see the future in each other's eyes. They weren't supposed to look at each other like that. They liked each other, but not like that. Right?

As Harry stood there alone, he finally accepted what was happening to him, to his friends. Ron and Hermione, though not meaning to, were leaving him behind. Ron and Hermione were drifting away from the carefree days that they had always shared. He hated it. He wanted to go too. He wanted to be with them always. He knew he would be, but he would never be able to break into that special place that they had sealed themselves into. He knew that now whenever he asked Hermione something, she would look to Ron for affirmation. When he asked Ron for his opinion, he would look to Hermione to help him out, to back him up. Someday he guessed, perhaps in the near future, he would be back here in this hall. Only it would be Ron standing nervously in the wings. It would be Hermione walking jubilantly down the aisle, her delicate fingers clutching her flowers nervously. Then all worry would fade from her eyes as she took Ron's hand and they walked away together. And Harry would be there through it all, beside them. He couldn't hold them responsible for this feeling that they had no control over. He couldn't blame it on them. Yes, through it all, he would be there, come what may.

********************

"Draco, how come I've got to tell you everything that you want to hear about me, but you don't have to say anything about you?"

Draco started as Artemis suddenly challenged him. He smiled as he looked down at her. She was glaring at him. She looked quite handsome when she was angry, her gray-blue eyes sparking with frustration, her lip curled in cool defiance.

Draco smiled, but shook his head nonchalantly.

"My life is not that interesting." Artemis snorted loudly. "Now, that was unladylike." Draco chided her.

Artemis waved her hand impatiently.

"Whatever. Come on! I have to tell you stuff about me, now you share. I'm not going kill you or anything." She admonished him.

Draco simply grinned and shook his head.

"That's the point, Artemis. If I told you, I'd have to kill you." He said simply.

Artemis frowned, then pursed her lips and turned on her heel, walking rapidly towards Rhiannon's cd player, dragging Draco along with her.

"What are you doing, you stubborn girl?" Draco asked, sighing deeply.

"I'm going get my message across to you, you stubborn boy." Artemis retorted, walking up to the cd player.

She flipped through a book of songs and lyrics that Rhiannon had compiled for a time, then stabbed her finger on a certain song lyric.

"That's the one." She murmured.

Then she raised her wand and pointed it at the cd player.

"Ludus 'Trying'." She whispered.

Silver sparks burst from the end of her wand and enveloped the cd player. The contraption let loose a violent shudder, then began to play a slow guitar tune. Artemis turned to Draco and grinned.

"Now, Mister Malfoy. Let's go onto the dance floor and then you can listen to what I'm TRYING to tell you."

Draco merely rolled his eyes as they walked back onto the dance floor.

"A lot of good it'll do. Heaven knows you didn't get the idea when I tried to play a song for you." He said with a sigh. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Believe me, I DID. I quite understood the little game you and George were playing."

Draco shook his head and crossed his arms across his chest as he scowled.

"It was hardly a game, Artemis. It was war. We had to show our best. I have to admit that if it hadn't been for Rhiannon, I wouldn't have known which songs to pick. They are all Muggle songs after all." Draco said coolly.

Artemis merely stared at him, before shaking her head.

"I give up. I just give up." She muttered as the song began.

Could you let down you hair,

And be transparent for a while?

Just a little while to see,

If you're human after all.

Honesty is a hard attribute to find,

When we all want to seem like,

We got it all figured out.

Let me be the first to say that I don't have a clue

I don't have all the answers.

Ain't gonna to pretend like I do.

Just trying to find my way.

Trying to find my way,

The best that I know how.

I haven't memorized,

All the cute things to say.

But I'm working on it.

Maybe I'll master this,

Art form someday.

If I quote all the lines,

Off the top of my head,

Will you believe that,

I fully understand,

All these things I've read.

Just trying to find my way.

Trying to find my way,

The best that I know how.

Well I haven't got it all,

Figured out quite yet,

But even if it takes my whole life,

To get to where I need to be.

If I should fall to the bottom of the end,

I'll be one step back to you.

Just trying to find my way.

Trying to find my way,

The best that I know how.

A twinge of guilt ran through Draco as he listened to the song, looking to Artemis at intervals, who eyed him eagerly. Well, perhaps he had abandoned her in regards to his life. It was true that she told him things about her, then waited impatiently for him to take his turn. He never did. He had assumed that she knew everything there was to know and that she would be satisfied with what she knew. She knew what she had seen by spending time with him, as well as the things that her fellow Gryffindors whispered about him under their breaths.

The thing that Draco realized about himself was that he wished he knew everything, and though he didn't, he gave the pretense that he did so he'd be even farther above those below him in status. Apparently, Artemis didn't feel that way. She liked to be honest, which, oddly enough, was one of many reasons why he was attracted to her. She was honest in ways he never could be. It was unfair, he realized now. But he wasn't exactly ready to take off the many layers of his mind either. Someday maybe. Someday he'd be completely honest. He'd tell her everything.

All his dark little secrets, all the things that had happened to him in his short life, what it was like to live in his father's shadow, what it was like to live a life of darkness. There were so many layers, so many levels to Draco Malfoy. It would take some time to sift through them all. Till then, she'd have to wait.

Slowly, Draco looked up at Artemis, a sad glint hiding behind the cold gray of his eyes though he grinned and said,

"Honesty is overrated." When her face fell, he quickly spoke again. "Look, I understand. Don't get me wrong. Just give me some time. Please." He asked quietly. She smiled gently, then nodded, extending her hand toward him.

"Alright then. Deal?"

Draco grinned, took her extended hand and shook it.

"Deal."

********************

Harry released Ginny's hands as the slow song ended. He had been bold enough to ask her to dance with him again, and to his surprise, she'd said yes without even the least bit of hesitation. The asking had gotten easier, and Harry wondered why on earth he'd been nervous in the first place.

The music changed to a bright techno tune and the pairs on the dance floor let go of each other's hands and began to dance on their own, but still with their partner, in that distant but close way that modern dancing had become.

We're in Heaven.

Oh thinkin' about our younger years.

There was only you and me,

We were young and wild and free.

No, nothing can take you away from me.

We've been down that road before,

But thats over now.

You keep me coming back for more.

Baby you're all that I want,

When you're lying here in my arms.
I'm finding it hard to believe,

We're in heaven.

As the song proceeded, there was a cry of outrage from Sirius, who was dancing alongside Rhiannon and Bill.

"This is a remake of a perfectly good Muggle song!" He yelled indignantly.

Rhiannon simply laughed at him. Sirius looked sulky for a moment, then he grinned evilly and crept to the edge of the dance floor. Harry quickly saw what his godfather's eye was fixed on. Remus Lupin was talking quietly on the edge of the dance floor with several older Hogwarts students. Sirius slowly snuck up behind Remus, with the softness of foot developed through practice, though perhaps it had been out of use for a time. But he had forgotten nothing of the ways of sneaking behind a best friend. A moment later, Remus jumped violently as Sirius' hands clamped down on his shoulders and he steered the former D.A.D.A. teacher out onto the dance floor.

"Sirius! Are you mad?!" Remus yelled, trying to pull himself from his friend's clutches.

Sirius laughed loudly, but continued to push him. Then giving Remus a final shove onto the dance floor, he said,

"C'mon, old man! Have some fun! You're looking far too sober for a wedding!"

Then he rushed off laughing, leaving Remus to beg the pardon of the witch Sirius had shoved him into. Harry laughed loudly at that, then turned to see Hermione and Ron doing the exact same thing, save for the fact that Hermione was trying to hide her mirth by clamping her hand over her mouth. Ron on the other hand was laughing hysterically, his hand over his eyes.

Harry shook his head as he gazed out over the hall. Nearly everyone in Hogwarts was out on the dance floor. Even Molly and Arthur Weasley had entered the dance floor. But the two were stubbornly dancing together, Mrs. Weasley refusing to dance, as she put it, 'like a bunch of fools jumping up and down'. She was a firm believer in the old ways of dancing. The old ways of dancing included waltzing, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stumbled about to the music, trying desperately to dance to the beat of the music, but unable to hear it through the loud drum rhythms.

Sirius had returned to Bill and Rhiannon after he sadly observed that Remus was not going to come after him. Much to Harry's surprise, Lupin was dancing, awkwardly, but he was doing so all the same. Harry believed that the only reason he was doing so was because the woman Sirius had shoved him into,was obviously part of the old crowd, a former student from when Remus had gone to school. He could tell by the excited way that the two spoke to each other as they danced.

Harry merely grinned and looked down at Ginny who laughed loudly at the sight of Remus dancing with the witch.

"Your godfather is fabulous, Harry!"

Harry grinned at that and nodded.

"I know. He's great!"

Then Ginny blushed a bright red, but raised her chin stubbornly as she looked at Harry almost intensely.

"You're great too, Harry." She said shyly.

Harry was startled only for a moment, but then he looked down kindly at Ginny and smiled.

"I think you're great, Ginny, but I'm not so sure if I am." He said quietly.

Ginny brilliant smile faded as she searched his face in confusion.

What makes you think something like that?" She asked.

"I don't know. I'm just not. Sirius is great, you know, he survived Azkaban. Dumbledore is great. But I, what have I done that's great? Truly great, and don't say I am because I defeated You-Know-Who, because it doesn't count! I don't even remember it." Harry muttered spitefully.

Ginny looked thoughtful a moment before she answered.

"But you've defeated him every year since you returned to school. When he tried to take the Sorcerer's Stone, when he tried to kill you last year, in, in the Chamber of Secrets."

Harry glanced down at Ginny in concern as her voice suddenly dropped. She was staring at the floor a slight trembling overtaking her body. However a moment later, she was smiling again.

"You've defeated him then, and I know you remember those times, Harry."

"I did it because I had to, Ginny."

"No, you didn't. You never had to. You had a choice, and you chose the harder path. Isn't the fact that you chose to fight You-Know-Who a truly great thing?" Ginny asked quietly.

Harry stared at Ginny in surprise and admiration. He had never thought of things that way. He had always just fought because it was the right thing to do. He had never thought that there was a choice. Any other person could have just walked away and allowed Voldemort to do as he wished, but he, Harry, refused to do that. It had simply amazed him that Ginny Weasley, who had never truly spoken to him ever, possessed such wisdom despite her young years.

"Thanks, Ginny. And I mean that." Harry said sincerely.

Ginny blushed deeply and shrugged her small shoulders.

"Any time."

********************

Draco Malfoy couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy. Granted, his happiness was invoked by listening to Muggle music, at a wedding of one of those Weasleys, but he was also with Artemis. The world was right when he was with her, and nothing could change that. At least, that was what he thought.

As Draco danced beside Artemis, he was suddenly violently shoved from behind. After a series of undignified slips and slides across the dance floor trying to avoid the other dancers, he found himself in a completely different part of the dance floor. He frowned and whirled around, searching the crowd for his attacker. Artemis was staring at him in surprise, blinking rapidly as if she was trying to decifer what had just happened. Draco knew what happened. He narrowed his eyes and picked himself up off the dance floor and stalked towards Artemis and his attacker who stood close by her, grinning madly.

"You got a problem, Weasley?" Draco growled as he stopped in front of Artemis.

George Weasley shook his head energetically.

"Nope! Just wanted to have some dance time with Artie." He said cheerily.

Draco winced as George misused Artemis's name and scowled.

"Don't call her that." He hissed threateningly. George ignored him completely. "Alright then, dance time's over." Draco muttered as he bent over and shoved George as hard as he could across the dance floor.

He watched happily as George fell backwards on his side, then hurtled towards a punch table that was inadvertently in the way. The punch table was only saved from being knocked over by the fact that a few observant witches noticed George's hurtling descent towards the table. They quickly placed shielding charms on the table so that George bounced off it unharmed and the table remained intact. Draco grinned maliciously as the witches helped a staggering George to his feet. Then he turned to Artemis and cast a cocky grin in her direction.

"I think my day just got better."

Another shove from behind and Draco was on the floor with George standing triumphantly over him. Draco leapt to his feet with the agility of a cat and a moment later had his wand out and pointed at George's face. Much to the Slytherin's surprise, George's wand was also out and pointed just as close, but his face was void of sober looks. Instead, he looked as though he thought it was a game, just a funny little game.

Artemis quickly thrust her hands between the two as they moved towards each other.

"You should have chosen between us, Artie! Now it's a jolly war!" George said cheerfully, almost as if he liked the idea.

"No, it DOESN'T have to be a war!" Artemis protested.

"What are you talking about? We've got to prove ourselves." Draco scoffed in a demeaning tone.

"No, you DON'T." Artemis groaned.

"Oh yes, we do. Good point, Draco!" George said, a twinkle in his eye.

"Glad you concede to THAT, Weasley. Now, shall we have at it?" Draco asked, his eyes shining as well, but with grim determination.

Artemis' hands came once more between them and they glanced at her in annoyance.

"Artie, we're trying to have a war here." George said impatiently, waving his wand in the air.

"You will both just have to dance here and get over it. I'm not going have this pushing and shoving you two have going on. I won't choose between either of you." Artemis said stubbornly. The boys glared at each other, but stayed put, both taking places on either side of Artemis as they danced. However, their wands were not sheathed, but kept out and pointed ruthlessly at each other throughout the entire song. "Why me?" Artemis muttered helplessly.

********************

We're in heaven.

Loving's all that I need,

And I found it there in your heart.
It isn't too hard to see,

We're in heaven.

We're in heaven.

"You know what?" Rhiannon Flutterae, now Weasley, asked Bill as they danced closely together.

Bill smiled and looked down at his wife.

"What?" He whispered.

Rhiannon stood on the tips of her toes so her mouth could reach his ear, and as she smiled, she whispered,

"I think I'm in heaven."

Bill barely gave her time to move before he kissed her boldly. They didn't even break off when Sirius let loose a loud, embarassing whoop, attracting the attention of the other wizards and wizards around him. Rhiannon blushed and attempted to pull away, but Bill only pulled her closer.

"Let 'em look." He whispered.

Rhiannon chuckled then allowed herself to be pulled back into the kiss.

"Hey, hey, hey kids." Charlie Weasley admonished them as he approached, putting a hand on both their shoulders. Rhiannon looked up at him with an impish grin, while Bill merely glared. Charlie chuckled at the sight of his brother's sober face, then spoke again. "There'll be plenty of time for that later. You don't wanna be poisoning these kids' minds do you?" Charlie asked.

Bill grimaced, then winked at Rhiannon.

"Yeah, I suppose. I don't know what I'd do if I caught, oh, I don't know, Ron doing that in the hallway or something." He scoffed.

Rhiannon's face lit up a moment as the sight of George, Artemis and Draco came to her eyes. She grinned broadly as she saw George and Draco's outstretched wands and the glares that pierced each other repeatedly.

"Hey, Bill! C'mon! Come with me." She said, tugging the eldest Weasley on the arm.

Bill grinned broadly, his eyes sparkling.

"I'll go anywhere with you, sweetie. Are we leaving?" He asked, an irrepressible grin on his face.

Rhiannon gave him an odd look and shook her head.

"Hardly." She countered.

Bill frowned, allowing himself to be towed along by Rhiannon.

"It's not fair. Let's just cut off the party now. Or better yet, let's just leave and let everyone else party." Bill proposed.

Rhiannon chuckled and grasped his arm to her.

"Like Charlie said, there'll be plenty of time for that later. Now, I've come up with a fabulous idea." She said, stopping in front of her cd player.

Bill stuck his hands in the pockets of his robes and frowned.

"I want later to be now."

Rhiannon merely chuckled as she grasped the book of songs and ran her fingers down the lyrics. When she finally found what she was looking for, she straightened and pointed her wand at the cd player.

"Ludus 'Wake Up'." She whispered.

The cd gave a violent shudder, but before it could play, Rhiannon tapped it again with her wand.

"Pausa."

As Rhiannon twirled her wand between her fingers joyfully, Bill eyed her in confusion.

"What did you do?" He asked hesitantly.

Rhiannon flashed him a triumphant grin and replied,

"Oh, just dealing out some payback." She said simply.

Bill then gave a sudden laugh, a glint in his hazel eyes.

"Great! I'm going to love this, I just know it." He murmured.

Rhiannon nodded and grinned before setting her wand to her throat and tapping it.

********************

"Alright. As fun as this glare-fest has been, I'm going have to bow out for the moment. I want go get some punch and just rest a bit. Alright? Now, don't kill each other as soon as I leave. I won't be very inclined to want to date the only one left standing if you do." Artemis said, cautiously stepping away from Draco and George.

The two boys nodded, pocketed their wands and turned to eye each other.

"Yeah, I'm going to go rest too." George said, stepping away from his adversary.

Draco raised his chin proudly, his gray eyes sparking the longer he stared at George.

"I'm going to go mingle." He retorted cooly, walking off in the opposite direction.

Artemis merely rolled her eyes as she watched the two boys walked away from each other, both chins raised stubbornly, both pairs of hands itching to curse the other. Then she frowned as Rhiannon's voice rose out over the room, loud and vibrant.

"This song is for a certain group of people, a love triangle who needs to decide who goes with who so the rest of us can cease to be tortured by your song-request-wars."

Artemis gasped and brought her hand to her mouth, suddenly blushing horribly.

On opposite sides of the dance floor, George and Draco stopped dead in their tracks. They both knew who that love triangle was composed of. George Weasley shook his head and clenched his fists in frustration as a few seventh years pointed in his direction mirthfully.

"Sister-in-law or no sister-in-law, she's goin' down." He muttered.

However, George decided that though she'd played her cards horribly, the most he could do was listen to what Rhiannon was trying to tell him before he dealt out payback.

********************

Wake up and tell me it's alright,

Wake up, 'cause I just wanna hold you tight.

Wake up and tell me it's alright.

It doesn't matter you've got all that you need.

It doesn't matter you've got everything you see.

It doesn't matter you've got anything you please.

But you don't have me.

It doesn't matter you've got all that you need.

It doesn't matter you take everything you see.

It doesn't matter you've got anything you please.

But you don't have me.

Why do you close your eyes so tight?

When you kiss him in the night,

And you make believe the face,

Just to try to fill the space.

Wake up and tell me it's alright,

Wake up cause I just wanna hold you tight,

Wake up and tell me it's alright.

Don't you ever wonder what you're looking for?

Wake up and tell me it's alright,

Wake up cause I just wanna hold you tight.

Wake up and tell me it's alright.
Don't you ever wonder what you're looking for?

Don't you ever wonder what you're looking for?

Cause you don't have me.

In that moment, Draco almost forgave the person who had humiliated him in front of all the people dancing in the Dining Hall. As much as it had hurt his pride to be humiliated in that fashion, it all made sense to him, the message that Rhiannon was trying to get across to him. He hoped Artemis was listening, and listening closely. That was exactly how he felt. She had everything she could ever want: friends, a pure heritage, a good mind, everything any self-respecting wizard or witch should desire. But she didn't have him. And she should have him. He should have her. He loved her. He really didn't believe that Weasley loved her like he did. Weasley loved her for her company. Draco loved her for who she was, for what she did to him, how she made him feel. She needed him, just like he needed her. She was his rock, he was the waves crashing below her, grasping desperately for something to hold onto.

********************

Wish I had heard all the words that I say,

It doesn't matter she's got all that she needs.

I'm looking forward to how lonely I will stay.

Cause you don't have me.

Will it matter when you're on your own?

Will it matter when you're all alone?

Will it matter when you stop and smell the breeze,

And you don't have me?

Why do you close your eyes so tight?

When you kiss him in the night,

And you make believe the face,

Just to try to fill the space.

Wake up and tell me it's alright,

Wake up cause I just wanna hold you tight,

Wake up and tell me it's alright.

Don't you ever wonder what you're looking for?

Wake up and tell me it's alright,

Wake up cause I just wanna hold you tight.

Wake up, wake up.
Don't you ever wonder what you're looking for?

Don't you ever wonder who you're looking for?

Cause you don't have me.

No you don't have me.

Cause you don't have me.

George Weasley gently rested his head against the wall as he listened to the verses. He too forgave Rhiannon in that moment, for the verse made sense.

That's all it is. She has everything. She could have Draco if she wanted.

He really didn't BELIEVE that Artemis was going to love HIM, did he?

I mean, honestly. She has Draco Malfoy going after her.

Draco had so many advantages over him. Draco was stunningly handsome; he was only moderately cute. He also abhorred his nose and his freckles. He had no real looks to speak of. However, his one consolation was that there was another person in the room who was the carbon copy of himself. It was a comfort to know that he shared his defective nose with someone else.

Draco was rich; he was poor. Draco had everything, could offer Artemis anything. He had nothing to his name. That was ALL he had. His name. What kind of future was that?

What kind of thing is THAT to offer the girl you love? George thought, dejection spinning circles around his thoughts.

In truth, the reason that part of the song made so much sense was that he was willing to give Artemis up. To let her be on her own, to let her choose. If she chose Draco, he wouldn't stand in her way. He would step aside and let her take him, marry him, take his name, and still be civil to her. He couldn't treat her badly, not like other fellows did when their girls chose other guys over them. No, if he had to, he would let Artemis Thornshadow go and he wouldn't stand in her way. Any other boy would never had counted this theory as an option. George Weasley was not that kind of boy.

********************.

Harry shook his head as he listened to the song. He too, knew who the love triangle was composed of. Probably all the people in his year did. When George and Draco made war, they were very public about it. It was impossible for anyone, even the other houses, NOT to know.

"Who's this song for, Harry?"

Harry turned to face Sirius who ran a hand through his now sweaty black hair as he looked down at him.

"It's just for a couple friends." Harry said with a shrug, inwardly thinking that the least he could do was preserve Artemis, George and Draco's privacy since Sirius was one of the few who didn't know about them.

However, Sirius did not look put off. Instead, he nodded knowingly, a shrewd smile curving about his lips.

"Ah, it's for Arthur Weasley's son, Malfoy and that cute blonde." Harry let his mouth go slack for a moment before he grinned broadly at his godfather's intuitiveness. "I'm not that thick. I've seen those two masses of raging hormones fighting over that girl all night. Who does she actually like?" Sirius asked.

Harry shrugged.

"Who knows? I don't think she wants to choose, but Draco and George aren't going to stop at anything."

Sirius nodded and sighed reminiscently.

"Ah, young love. I did that one time." Sirius said, sticking his hands in the pockets of his robes.

"What?" Harry asked curiously.

"Stalked a girl. You know, gave her flowers, magicked up little presents for her, dedicated dung-bombs to her, stuff like that." Sirius, nonchalant strains echoing in his tone.

Harry had to suppress a chuckle as he gazed at Sirius, trying to imagine him stalking a girl, throwing dung bombs at her one minute, then shoving flowers in her face the next.

"Did my Dad do that too?"

Sirius grinned broadly in remembrance.

"Oh, he had quite a few 'accidental' run-ins with your Mum. At least we swore to him that we believed they were accidental. But the only thing is, your Dad didn't go for the romantic approach like I did." Sirius said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Really? What did he do?" Harry asked eagerly.

"He went for the more violent, eye-catching approach. Pitched dung-bombs at her when she'd come out of class. Exchange her wand with a fake wand so that she'd get shown up in Charms. Set rabid Hoptoads on her when she was going to the bathroom. Stuff like that. That's only a few instances."

Harry stared at Sirius in astonishment.

"My Mum must have HATED him!" He said in astonishment.

"Yeah, she would have, till everything backfired." Sirius said glumly.

"Why? What happened?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh, he pulled some prank, then saved her life." Sirius complained.

"What did he do?" Harry questioned with interest.

"He messed with her broomstick before Quidditch practice." Sirius said with a nonchalant shrug. This time, Harry could not keep his mouth from falling wide open.

"He could have killed her." He almost yelled, remembering his own experience with an enchanted broomstick.

Sirius nodded fervently in agreement.

"Yeah, probably. But James usually just thought of things to do, then did them, not really thinking of the consequences. Thinking through schemes completely was more along the lines of Remus. That was HIS forte." Sirius said, a twinkle in his eye.

"Well? What happened?" Harry pressed.

"Just what a normal human being would, or should expect of an enchanted broomstick. The thing went out of control the minute Lily went into the air. It was a pretty powerful charm you see. The broom moved constantly, trying to throw her off, but see, the one thing James didn't calculate was that your Mum wasn't about to allow herself be thrown to the ground and be made a fool out of. James realized that quickly." Sirius said, shaking his head. "He finally realized that when the broomstick flew out of the Quidditch field and much higher than he had anticipated, with Lily still holding onto it. Then he got his broomstick and brought her down just as she fell off. She was up a good couple hundred feet too. It seemed like he was doing detentions for forever." Sirius said wistfully.

"So, Mum didn't mind that he'd been trying to KILL her?" Harry asked.

"Oh, he wasn't trying to KILL her! He was just trying to scare her." Sirius said, quickly coming to his friend's rescue.

"Yeah, but, Sirius, she could have fallen the WHOLE couple hundred feet! I mean, what would have happened if Dad hadn't realized what was happening before it was too late?" Harry protested.

"Then she would have been a pancake and YOU wouldn't be here!" Sirius burst out almost desperately.

Harry suddenly noticed the blush that rested on his godfather's ordinarily pale cheeks. He cocked his head as he stared at his godfather.

"Sirius, did YOU help Dad with that scheme?" He asked quietly.

"It wasn't supposed to get that out of control." Sirius muttered. "She was supposed to fall off the instant it started going crazy. Stubborn female."

"So THAT'S how Mum fell in love with Dad?" Harry asked in disbelief.

Sirius shrugged.

"Rather. That's just how it started. First, she was really mad at him after she found out, but your Dad could beg really well. He got in her favor soon enough." Sirius said with a grin.

"What about you, Sirius? Wasn't there any girl who liked you and your dedicated dung bombs?" Harry teased, half-joking, half-serious.

Sirius's grin flickered, and he rubbed his chin a moment.

"Not really."

"Doesn't look like you're telling the truth, Sirius."

"Well, Harry, I'm not the best liar."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Was there ever a girl?" Harry pressed.

Another pause. Then,

"There might have been."

"Do you want to tell me about her?"

"Not especially." Sirius said shortly.

The look on Sirius's face was a familiar one to Harry. He'd seen it several times throughout the last few days. That look of mixed sadness and frustration. He saw it in his face whenever he talked soberly with Rhiannon about the Master's Mirror and Voldemort.

"Well then, I need some advice." Harry said.

Sirius's face lit up and a smile started at one corner of his mouth.

"I can do advice. What on?"

"Girls."

The smile faded again.

"Harry, why the sudden preoccupation with members of the opposite sex?" Sirius asked shortly.

Harry shrugged, trying to ignore his godfather's cool tone.

"Because I have to deal with them, and I don't know how to deal with them. And there might be one that, I, perhaps, maybe,"

Sirius's face softened as he stared down at Harry. He held up his hand, stopping Harry mid-sentence.

"Treat girls with respect. That's what they want. Also do whatever they say, unless it involves something that's demeaning to your masculinity. Then, you run like hell." Sirius said with a smile. "Tell them that they're always right, it keeps them happy. Tell her," Suddenly, Sirius eyes gained a deadened look and he no longer looked at Harry, but stared past him. "Tell her that you love her at least one hundred times a day. Tell her that she's the only woman who understands you. Harry," Sirius suddenly grasped Harry's shoulder and looked him in the eyes intensely. "Don't let her walk out on you without explaining what you did wrong. I don't give a damn if you think you're right and she's wrong. It's just a natural fact of life that men are wrong most of the time. Whenever you get together and she gets ready to leave, make sure she knows you care. You'd feel horrible if something happened to her and, and the only thing you could think of was that you didn't tell her at least that before she left."

Harry stared at his godfather in confusion. There was something that Sirius was reliving, remembering even as he spoke. Harry had no idea what it was, or who he could be speaking of. Whoever it was, whatever the situation had been, it had stung his godfather deeply and mortally.

Finally, after a long period of silence, a wistful smile passed across Sirius's lips.

"However, you don't have to do that until you get a steady girl, Harry." Then the smile increased to a grin and Sirius stepped past Harry, a glint in his pale eyes. "Hold on a minute, Harry. Remus looks as though he's getting a bit too comfy with Miss Spirix Fantasia."

Harry didn't see anything unusual going on between his former D.A.D.A. teacher and the tall woman to whom he was speaking. A minute later, Harry couldn't help but grin and shake his head in sympathy for Remus as Sirius pushed himself between the two and began speaking enthusiastically to the witch, Spirix Fantasia.

********************

Fred Weasley watched his twin brother from the side of the dance floor, noticing how he kept casting wistful glances at Artemis as she talked with Hermione and Ron on the other side of the dance floor. Then he cast his eyes in the direction of Draco Malfoy, who was simply standing, not glancing at Artemis, merely staring into space, thinking perhaps. As the Weasley boy glanced at the both of them, then at the girl they both wanted to attain for themselves, a wicked, gloriously evil plan came into his mind. A plan only a Weasley could come up with. Quickly, he stepped up to the cd player and grabbed the book of songs. He had an idea, if he could only remember the song he needed.

********************

George sighed and straightened his back as he moved towards the punch table and grasped a glass of the red concoction that rested on the table. A moment later, his fingers gripped the goblet extra tightly when a sudden announcement from a familiar voice stilled his actions.

"This next song is going out from You-Know-Who, no, not THAT one, to Artie. C'mon and make up your mind, Artie!" The voice called out.

Inwardly, George groaned and smacked the palm of his hand on his forehead as the all too familiar song rang out over the speakers. It was one that Rhiannon had played extensively before D.A.D.A. classes. George and Fred both knew it by heart because they both liked to come to class early to speak with Rhiannon. Both he and his twin teased her continually about the song, and now Fred was using it against him.

One, two,

Princes kneel before you,

That's what I said, now.

Princes, Princes who adore you,

Just go ahead now.

One has diamonds in his pockets,

That's some bread, now.

This one, he wants to buy you rockets,

Ain't in his head, now.

This one, he got a princely racket,

That's what I said, now.

Got some, big seal upon his jacket,

Ain't in his head, now.

Marry him, your father will condone you,

How 'bout that, now?

Marry me, your father will disown you,

He'll eat his hat, now.

Marry him, or marry me,

I'm the one that loves you, baby, can't you see?

Ain't got no future or a family tree but,

I know what a prince and lover ought to be,

I know what a prince and lover ought to be.

Said, if you, want to call me baby,

Just go ahead, now.

And if you, would like to tell me maybe,

Just go ahead, now.

An' if you, wanna buy me flowers,

Just go ahead, now.

And if you, would like to talk for hours,

Just go ahead now.

One, two,

Princes kneel before you,

That's what I said, now.

Princes, Princes who adore you,

Just go ahead now.

One has diamonds in his pockets,

That's some bread, now.

This one, he wants to buy you rockets,

Ain't in his head, now.

Marry him, or marry me,

I'm the one that loves you, baby, can't you see?

Ain't got no future or a family tree but,

I know what a prince and lover ought to be,

I know what a prince and lover ought to be.

Said, if you, want to call me baby,

Just go ahead, now.

And if you, would like to tell me maybe,

Just go ahead, now.

An' if you, wanna buy me flowers,

Just go ahead, now.

And if you, would like to talk for hours,

Just go ahead now.

Oh your majesty!

C'mon forget your king an',

Marry me!

Just go ahead now!

"Good idea, eh, mate?"

George glared viciously at his twin as the guilty boy leaned against George's shoulder.

"She's gonna KILL me! I promised earlier this evening not to press her! Now what's she gonna think?" George hissed.

"She's going to think you're AWFULLY bold." Fred grinned, pointing at Artemis who was storming towards the both of them, a glint in her ashen-blue eyes.

"Artemis, I can explain." George started as Artemis placed her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, you better." She challenged.

"Well you see, I," George started.

"Isn't he bold?" Fred cut in, grinning at Artemis as he put his arm around his twin.

Perhaps it was the look of death that George cast at his twin, or perhaps it was the look of utter and complete triumph that echoed on Fred's face that made Artemis catch on. Whatever it was, it caused her to soften visibly as she looked at the two of them.

"Oh, I see. Freds, how about I find a song for you and Alicia? Hmm?"

Fred paled as he noticed the malicious gleam in Artemis' eyes. That gleam didn't lie. If forced, she would do exactly as she threatened.

"Artie, now, you wouldn't? Right?" He stammered.

Artemis shrugged.

"I don't know. Would I?" She asked.

"Okay, I get the picture here. I'm going. I'm going." Fred said nervously, eager to place himself at Alicia's side so that any assailants given by his twin would be easily disproved.

As soon as he left, the music was cut short and Mr. Weasley's voice boomed across the room loudly.

"Excuse me! Attention all! We're about to finish the ceremony in a little different way. We're going to do some things such as cutting the wedding cake and something with a garter," Mr. Weasley stopped abruptly as someone let loose a shrill whistle. "Now, that's uncalled for!" He tutted. "Everyone just gather at the table at the head of the room."

Harry grinned as Mr. Weasley flushed red and tapped his throat with his wand. A moment later, the head table that had been shoved to the side of the dance floor, shot to the head of the hall, a large wedding cake settled in its middle.

"Looks like Rhia decided to keep some of her Muggle traditions." Ron said with a smile as he made a beeline towards the table, dragging Hermione along behind him. Harry frowned as he tried to keep up with his friends.

"Professor Flutterae's not a pureblood?" Harry asked breathlessly.

Ron didn't answer him immediately, as he was shoving through the pressing crowd.

" 'Scuse me! A fellow who needs cake, coming through! 'Scuse me! Pardon me! C'mon! 'Scuse me!"

Ron finally got up front and pulled Harry up with him. Ron grinned and gave a whoop as he saw Rhiannon and Bill approach the table, both grinning widely at the whoops and cheers that were thrown at them from all directions.

"Ron! Professor Flutterae isn't a pureblood?" Harry repeated in Ron's ear.

Ron started and rubbed his ear, but nodded.

"That's right. Her Mum and Dad were Muggles."

"Were?"

Ron winced and took a step away from the crowds gathering around the table. He pulled Harry and Hermione close to him and whispered,

"Her Mum and Dad were killed in the old days before You-Know-Who was defeated. Almost a month before he killed your Mum and Dad."

Hermione gasped aloud and pressed her lips to her mouth. Harry felt his own mouth go slack as he took in Ron's words. Rhiannon had been in her first year of Hogwarts and her parents had been killed less than a month before his own had been slaughtered. Harry had never realized the things that he and his teacher had in common.

"Don't talk about it though, alright?" Ron whispered urgently as he turned to make his way back into the crowd. "Don't wanna bring it up now."

Harry pushed to the front of the crowd in a sort of daze. He was still trying to comprehend the circumstances surrounding Rhiannon and her family. He watched as Bill placed his hand over Rhiannon's, which grasped the cake knife. Rhiannon looked up lovingly at Bill and he winked at her, then together, they made a clean swipe through the cake, much to the crowd's appreciation. Harry watched as his teacher grinned at her husband, then laughed as he licked the knife clean of icing. She was happy. She had gone through tragedy, but she was happy. He was certain that there was an empty space in her heart that her parents had left, one that no one could fill. But she had survived. He supposed he could too. It would take time, but if Rhiannon, who had known her parents for eleven years, much longer than he had known his own parents, could do it, then he was certain that he could.

Grinning, Rhiannon slipped the large piece of cake onto one of the crystal plates sitting on the table. Bill, suppressing a smile, balanced a bite of cake on his fork as Rhiannon closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Harry glanced at Ron as his friend held his breath and watched as Bill carefully slid the cake into Rhiannon's mouth without incident.

"Thank God. Mum was worried that he'd try to mess up her dress or something." Ron breathed.

Harry chuckled, then watched as Rhiannon took a forkful of the cake and held it up as Bill closed his eyes and opened his mouth. A sudden mischievous look came over her face and she took the piece between thumb and forefinger and glanced at the crowd. The crowd gave her the affirmative and Rhiannon popped the bite-sized portion in her own mouth, but grasped the large piece of cake and shoved it into Bill's face.

The wizards and witches all around them, laughed hysterically as Bill's mouth gaped and his eyes shot open. He stared at Rhiannon, who was laughing loudly, then glanced at the top layer of the cake, a small thing, topped with a bride and groom ornament.

"WILLIAM WEASLEY! DON'T YOU DARE!"

Bill's grasping hand halted in mid-air as he heard his mother's frantic, but firm voice. He dropped his hand away from the ornament and glared at Rhiannon, who continued to laugh, her eyes shining. He nodded in submission, then moved to cut another piece of cake. With his fingers, he grasped a large piece from it and shoved it in Rhiannon's face. She gasped and inhaled cake as she did so, the crowd laughing around them. Bill laughed loudly as Mrs. Weasley let loose a loud cry at the sight.

Bill shook his head after a time as he watched his wife sputter through white icing.

"Remotio concresco!" He muttered.

Instantly, the cake disappeared from the bride and groom's faces and they silently called a truce, picking up instead the bottle of champagne. They linked arms and drank the bubbly stuff without comment, a secret smile on both their faces. Then Rhiannon whispered something in Bill's ear, who shrugged and replied,

"Ladies first."

Rhiannon smiled, then grabbed her bouquet of flowers. She moved away from the cake and glanced out into the crowd. Hermione and a few other girls stepped in back of her, but the others eyed each other in confusion. Rhiannon frowned, then gasped in realization.

"What I'm going to do," She explained. "Is throw the bouquet! What needs to happen, is the single girls and women come around behind me and I'll throw the bouquet out among them. Whoever catches it will be married next! The same goes for the garter, which Bill will do in a minute." Before Rhiannon could finish Charlie let loose a piercing whistle, which caused Bill to blush a vivid red and mutter under his breath. "Yes, but only with that, the boys and men have to come and catch it. Then they'll supposedly be the next ones to be married." Rhiannon explained.

"So, will the girl who caught the bouquet and the fellow who catches the, the garter," A seventh year Ravenclaw said, prounouncing the word 'garter' like a foreign word. "Will they be married to each other?"

Rhiannon blinked and stared at the girl a few moments before she answered.

"Well, it doesn't mean that persay. It's just a Muggle tradition we have in weddings."

The crowd murmured, as if conceding that the reason that the tradition was so odd was simply the fact that it was Muggle. The single girls, with the exception of several older witches, all crowded in a huge mass behind Rhiannon.

"Now, NO magic!" Rhiannon called behind her as she prepared to throw the flowers.

Rhiannon stood still a moment, the bouquet poised behind her. Then she tossed it backwards as far as she could. There was a general scream among the girls as the bouquet fell directly in the middle of them. But only one girl rose triumphantly with the bouquet in her fist. Ginny Weasley, breathless and laughing, her hair askew and in her face, held up the bouquet triumphantly, received a kiss from Rhiannon, then stepped away, allowing the other girls to observe her prize.

Then Rhiannon grinned and sat down on a chair that had been moved to the center of the crowd, and propped one leg on the other, her eyes twinkling. Bill too grinned and knelt down in front of her.

"Well, that's us." Ron said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he and Harry and the other boys walked into a group.

Harry was surprised to see Sirius in the crowd, but then he noticed that his godfather's hand was firmly clamped on the pale and rueful looking Remus, who occasionally moved to glare at his friend. Harry chuckled, then turned back to the scene before him. Bill was obviously nervous, and the boys and men behind him weren't helping any. Especially his brothers.

"Now be careful, Bill, old boy!" Fred called out from one end of the crowd.

"You don't want your hands to slip!" George concurred, the grin on his face identical to his twin. Bill shook his head, but did not move his hands from their position on Rhiannon's knee.

"C'mon, Bill! I wanna see if I'm gonna get a girl ever!" Charlie hooted.

"C'mon, Bill, you can't take all day you know! I know you wanna get out of here anyway!" Ron yelled loudly, much to Harry's surprise.

That got the satisfied reaction out of Bill that his brothers had been trying to attain. Bill, red-faced, suddenly turned and glared at all the sections of the crowd where his brothers were standing.

"Shut up, already!" He yelled.

"Well, if you'd just get the stupid garter! Bloody hell! Even I'd have it off by now!"

Sirius yelled from the middle of the crowd, causing Harry to choke on his laughter.

"S'okay, Sirius. He wants to drag it out, doncha, big brother?" Charlie called maliciously.

That was the final straw. Bill shook his head and slipped his hand under Rhiannon's robe, his cheeks a bright red. Ron grinned broadly as he watched his brother, still embarrassed by the cat-calls. But it didn't affect his timing. He brought it out quickly and waved it over the group. The crowd cheered loudly and positioned themselves. Bill played with the garter a moment, feeling the elasticity with his fingers. Then he positioned it behind him, and shot it into the crowd. Harry didn't think he'd ever seen Ron jump so high in his life. He probably broke a record as he jumped and caught the garter in mid-air. The other boys and men who were looking around for the garter on the ground, groaned good-naturedly at Ron as he waved it in front of them. Bill put his hands on his hips and breathed a sigh of relief, shaking his head at his youngest brother, who was looking very pleased with himself.

"Congratulations, Ron!" Harry said good-naturedly.

Ron turned to him, his face slightly red and winked.

"Used a bouncing charm. That would be kinda cheating, wouldn't it? After all, Rhia did say no magic. But I had to." Ron said, his eyes twinkling. Harry merely shook his head and laughed, grabbing a piece of cake from the table as he and Ron passed. "I think I just died and went to heaven." Ron groaned as he finished his piece of cake off in a matter of seconds, shoving a large, lavender icing-rose in his mouth and smacking his lips contentedly.

Hermione screwed up her face in disgust as she eyed him.

"Pig." She said simply, taking a drink of pumpkin juice.

"Aw, you're just sore that you didn't get the flowers. Don't worry." He stretched the garter out in front of Hermione's face with a grin. "I got the garter, so that makes one of us that's gonna get married."

Hermione shook her head in frustration, the reason for this that Harry could not see. But Ron didn't seem to mind.

"What? Are you asking me to marry you?" Hermione challenged. Ron shrugged and pocketed the garter.

"I'll keep it around for good luck." He said in an explanatory way.

Hermione stared at him, then grew bright red and became very interested in the contents of her goblet. Ron grinned and winked at Harry before taking a great gulp from his goblet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we're going to have two more slow songs before we conclude this evening's ceremony. What's that?" Charlie, who was imitating a Muggle dj, suddenly stopped speaking, a surprised look coming over his face as he heard the calls of one girl. "Well, I, I suppose I could dance with you." He stuttered, still surprised by the attention.

Ron grinned as his brother grasped the hand of the girl who'd called him 'a hottie' and walked out onto the dance floor. Harry could almost swear that the older Weasley boy's hands were shaking.

"That's Charlie for you. I bet you he's bloody nervous. He hasn't danced with a girl in ages." Ron said in an explanatory way. Then as slow, gentle music played out across the hall, Ron quickly put down his juice and grasped Hermione's hand. "C'mon, Hermione. Dance with me." He said quickly.

Hermione didn't even hesitate. She simply took his hand and walked towards the dance floor. Harry smiled as he watched them. It was so surprising how things turned out. Before their first Yule Ball, Ron could barely ask anyone, let alone Hermione. Now he had grown bold and didn't even think twice about asking her. Then he saw George walking towards Artemis and taking her hand in his, leading her out onto the dance floor. It seemed that everyone had the guts to dance with someone. After all, there were only two more dances. Who would be willing to dance with him because it was him, not because he was famous Harry Potter.

A sudden rush of adrenaline shot through him, and he suddenly realized who would be willing to do that. He stepped down from the platform and walked over towards the table where Ginny and Mrs. Weasley sat, watching the other dancers. Harry smiled through his nervousness as he saw Mr. Weasley standing in front of the cd player, poking it and prodding it, asking Rhiannon questions as he did so. Mrs. Weasley was watching the dancers with narrowed eyes, clucking at the closeness of the bodies of a few of the younger couples. Ginny was sitting still, her red head resting on her hand, just watching the others.

Harry took a deep breath, probably blushing, he was sure, then tapped Ginny on the shoulder. Just as Harry had hoped, Ginny didn't care that he was blushing. She simply looked up at him and smiled sweetly.

"Yes, Harry?"

A lump rose in Harry's throat, but he quickly overcame it as he blurted out,

"Do you want to dance, Ginny?"

He barely noticed Mrs. Weasley's hand as it settled over her heart, or the shining look in her eyes as she looked at them. Ginny's smile grew wider and she stood, taking Harry's limp hand.

"Sure, Harry. I'd love to." She said boldly.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, the tingling feeling that had spread from his head to his toes, burning him. But it was a pleasant burn, one, he was sure he could get used to. He just had to get over the pain of the asking.

Now the night has gone,

Now the night has gone away.

Doesn't seem that long,

We hardly had two words to say.

Hold me in your arms for just another day,

I promise this one will go slow.

We have the right you know.

We have the right you know.

Don't say the morning's come,

Don't say the morning's come so soon.

Must we end this way?

When so much here is hard to lose?

Love is everywhere,

I know it is.

Such moments as this are too few.

Its all up to you.

It's all up to you.

Here I am,

The one that you love,

Asking for another day.

Understand,

The one that you love,

Loves you in so many ways.

Tell me we can stay,

Tell me we can stay, oh please.

They are the words to say,

The only words I can believe.

Hold me in your arms for just another day,

I promise this one will go slow.

We have the right, you know.
We have the right, you know.

Here I am,

The one that you love,

Asking for another day.

Understand,

The one that you love,

Loves you in so many ways.

The night has gone,

A part of yesterday.

I don't know what to say.

I don't know what to say.

Here I am,

The one that you love,

Asking for another day.

Understand,

The one that you love,

Loves you in so many ways.

"Hey, Ginny," Harry spoke up hesitantly.

"Yes, Harry." Ginny replied, looking up at Harry with a smile.

Harry gulped breathlessly. Why was it that this, well, that GIRLS did this to a fellow, even if they don't like them?

And I don't like Ginny Weasley! Right? Of course. Of, I, right?

He faltered and inwardly gaped at himself. What he was about to ask, what he was about to say, was absolute madness.

Don't do it, Harry! Don't be an idiot! Everybody will think you're crazy if you,

"You know, Ginny. We really don't know each other that well. Maybe we should try to. I mean, I really haven't been able to really, an' I feel like that's, rather, my fault, really." He stuttered.

You said 'really' three times, lunkhead. His brain scoffed.

"I know." He muttered, but at the same time, eagerly eyeing the light that flickered in Ginny's eyes. She nodded her red head energetically and smiled.

"Sure, Harry! That would be nice. I really don't know you that well either." She said apologetically.

Harry smiled and nodded, looking down at the ground before looking up at her and starting to speak in a shy voice that grew louder as he got bolder.

"Well, my favorite ice-cream is probably Wild-berries, when they have it at Diagon Alley, that is. I'd like to learn to ride a bike. I never really had one of my own, but I think it'd be fun to do."

"You do? I've always wondered about bikes! They're those Muggle contraptions with two wheels and pedals, aren't they? Dad brought one home once! But Mum made him destroy it after he tried to enchant it to fly and Fred and George crashed it into her garden. How does it really work? I mean, without enchantments, that is, if you don't mind telling me." Ginny said, her excitement fading as she realized how much she was speaking.

But Harry grinned. He had no clue that Ginny could talk this much. He didn't mind either.

"Well, my cousin Dudley had a bike for a while before he got too fat to ride it. What you do is sit on the seat and balance yourself over the pedals and then push the pedals with your feet. Then the wheels move and you go!"

"But isn't it hard to get your balance?"

"It seems like it should, doesn't it? But I suppose it takes practice, just like a broomstick."

Harry felt as though he should feel differently about the things he was saying. He felt a twinge of self-consciousness as he spoke, but not much. Ginny didn't care if he stuttered or said 'really' several times in one sentence. It was almost as though she was as nervous as he was and she understood the reason. But he wasn't sure if he believed that. Girls weren't that intuitive, were they?

The whole situation, the setting around him was so different in Harry's mind, so peaceful actually. When would all these people be together in one place ever again? Any minute, some of them could give in to the call of evil, others could be killed in the struggle for good. Standing there in that moment, Harry realized how much he should treasure this moment, because he might never have another moment like it ever again. Though it hurt to think about it, he might lose one of these people standing here, just as he'd lost Cedric, numerous other students, and all those teachers. He HAD to cherish them now, for in an instant, they could be gone. There was one thing he was sure of as he gazed into the brightly blazing eyes of Ginny Weasley. No matter what, he would fight to keep those people around him, with him for as long as possible.

********************

Draco waited impatiently for the song to end, his reserved gray eyes fixed on Artemis as she danced with George. He tapped his foot and rolled his eyes, glaring at te cd player blaring the offending music. He didn't like the song. It was a good song, he SUPPOSED, but the main reason he didn't like it was because Artemis wasn't dancing with HIM. Now, had she been dancing with HIM, he'd love it. But as it was..........

Finally, that bloody song's done. Draco muttered inwardly as the song lyrics faded away.

Quickly, he walked up to Artemis and grasped her hand from George. George cast him a sour look as he stepped aside.

"What's the matter, Weasley? Got something in your throat?" Draco sneered as he took Artemis' hand and positioned himself beside her. Artemis sighed and glanced at George apologetically as she waltzed away.

Find me here.

Speak to me.
I want to feel you.

I need to hear you.

You are the light,

That's leading me,

To the place,

Where I find peace again.

You are the strength,

That keeps me walking.

You are the hope,

That keeps me trusting.

You are the life to my soul.

You are my purpose.

You are everything.

And how can I,

Stand here with you,

And not be moved by you?

Would you tell me,

How could it be,

Any better than this?

You calm the storms.

You give me rest.

You hold me in your hands.

You won't let me fall.

You still my heart,

And you take my breath away.

Would you take me in?

Would you take me deeper now?

And how can I,

Stand here with you,

And not be moved by you?

Would you tell me,

How could it be,

Any better than this?

'Cause you're all I want.

You're all I need.

You are everything.

Everything.

Could you tell me,

How could it be,

Any better than this?

Draco sighed with contentment as he gazed down at the girl holding his hand quietly. He felt that this night was one night where he'd been perfectly happy. True, there had been a few rough spots, but Artemis had been there to smooth them out. In fact, he couldn't remember a time when he'd been truly happy. There'd been no joy in his home. His mother was firm and strict, submitting to Lucius' every whim and will for Draco. Lucius stared at him as if he was worth nothing. He felt his son was weak and he let him know it. Draco silently stiffened as he remembered his father, the scowl he ALWAYS had on his face when he looked at his son. ALWAYS. It was always there. He could probably honestly say, that he had never been happy, at least until he'd met Artemis. He'd just have to deal with Weasley. That was all. Not an easy task, he realized now. Artemis was attached to him, liking his jokes and pranks and all. But she liked HIM too. He knew it. He sensed it. He just had to cause her to sway towards him. That was all. That was all.

********************

The bride and groom departed after the final song, waving from the broomstick they shared as they swooped out of one of the higher windows of Hogwarts, their owls flying behind them. Harry glanced at Ron as he gave a dismal sigh and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I hate to admit it, but I'm gonna miss the prat, AND her." Ron murmured.

Rhiannon had made sure to kiss each one of her new family members before she left, and though that family did not include Harry, he received a hug and a kiss on the cheek as well.

"You be careful this summer, Harry." Rhiannon murmured as she sqeezed him. "And if anything happens, owl Dumbledore. But I have a feeling you'll be much happier this summer, staying with Ron and all." She said, winking.

"So when will we be seeing you again, Rhia?" Ron asked as his new sister-in-law straightened and made a move to walk away.

Rhiannon stopped and smiled excitedly at Ron.

"Bill and I will most likely drop by this summer, but I will be seeing you both next year for classes."

"Really?" Ron said, amazement leaking into his voice. "Well then, you'll be the ONLY D.A.D.A. teacher to come back after a year, won't you?"

Rhiannon couldn't help but grin and throw her hands in the air.

"I suppose so. Sorry to disappoint you."

"Disappoint me? Rhiannon, don't get me wrong, you can be bloody obnoxious and secretive, but I wouldn't have anyone else be my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Ron said boldly, causing Rhiannon to kiss him firmly on the cheek, much to his dismay. "Come off it, Rhiannon." He muttered, blushing.

"Sorry, Ron. I just couldn't help it. You're too fabulous for words." Rhiannon said, grinning.

Ron shrugged and returned the grin.

"What can I say? Just my natural charm kicking in."

Harry grinned at the memory and turned to Ron, who was still watching his brother's broom drift away from them on a brisk current of wind.

"I'm really glad your Mum and Dad said it's okay for me to stay with you over the summer." Harry breathed excitedly, imagining what a wonderful summer he would have, probably the best he'd had in years.

Ron grinned broadly at this bit of knowledge and sighed happily.

"That is bloody great, Harry! But," He paused, frowning. "You know, Dad says that there must be some kind of ancient magic on your aunt and uncle's house. Things keeping you safe. What will happen to them if you leave?"

Harry frowned and furrowed his forehead in thought.

"I dunno. I suppose,"

"The spells and charms that were placed upon your aunt and uncle's home when you first arrived there, will be transferred to the Weasley's home." Dumbledore said from behind the boys. Harry turned around and smiled broadly at the Headmaster.

"Really? So, I'll be just as protected at the Weasleys as I was at the Dursleys?" He asked hopefully.

Dumbledore smiled through his long white beard and nodded.

"That is correct, Harry. Now then, I suppose that you boys should be going upstairs to bed, as you've got an early start tomorrow. Got to get on the train and go home for the summer. This HAS been quite an interesting school year. Quite interesting. But not nearly as interesting as I feel the NEXT year will be." Dumbledore murmured softly.

Harry shook his head firmly, images of death and screams of torture filling his mind as suddenly as the words had been spoken.

"I certainly hope it's not as interesting as this year. I don't want another year like this ever." Harry said firmly.

Dumbledore glanced at him silently, then began to speak, his voice quiet, but very firm in its purpose.

"I understand your feelings, Harry. But do me a favor," Dumbledore bent down close to Harry's face, the light in his crisp, blue eyes dampened in his sober nature. "Don't give up and give in just because of this horrible year we've had. People have died, yes. The Dark Powers have returned, yes. But all shall be taken care of. You shall be with the Weasleys, and the other children shall return to their homes."

Harry suddenly frowned and looked up at the elderly wizard.

"But what about Draco? Where's he going to go? He certainly can't go home." He protested.

"No, he cannot go home." Dumbledore agreed. "It has been arranged that Mister Malfoy shall accompany Remus and Sirius into hiding until further notice. He will be much safer with the two of them."

Harry and Ron's mouths both dropped open in shock.

"SIRIUS? Draco, is going with SIRIUS?" Harry almost exploded.

Dumbledore nodded.

"Your godfather and I talked it over and decided that it would be best that you stay among the wizards, stay in the wizarding world so that you can be protected. Mister Malfoy will need this as well, but no one here will tolerate him, as well they shouldn't. Therefore, I assigned him to Sirius, seeing as the two are like two peas in a pod, both stubborn and smart-mouthed. Both can be terribly vicious if provoked. They'll be perfect companions, though they would never admit it." Harry shook his head in disbelief, still unwilling to grasp that Draco, Draco Malfoy, that slimy git was leaving with his godfather, taking the place beside him that should have been his. "I understand your frustration, Harry, but it is something you must accept." Dumbledore said quietly. "Sirius was not exactly willing to take on Mister Malfoy, but he accepted it. Now, you had best say good-bye to Sirius now. He and Remus are leaving tonight. I myself have things to settle. Such as interviewing for teaching positions." Dumbledore smiled and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "You take care of yourself, Harry. You stay safe and keep your eyes open and your mind clear. Do that, and you'll go far." Dumbledore patted the boy's shoulder, then walked slowly off towards the other wizards gathered.

"I can't believe that Draco is going with MY godfather." Harry muttered.

"Well, might not be that bad." Harry turned and stared at Ron with disgust. "Well, c'mon! I mean, he might learn to be cool like Sirius!" Ron stuttered.

Harry shook his head and eyed Draco, who stood by Sirius, looking very put out indeed.

"I suppose I'd better say good-bye to him too. It's the only nice thing to do." Harry muttered, sounding as though he'd rather do anything but be nice to the Slytherin.

Ron's eyes widened in surprise, then he placed his hand on Harry's head, grinning broadly.

"Bless you, son!" He said, quite loudly indeed.

Harry groaned and smacked his friend's hand away playfully as he walked towards Draco.

Draco saw him coming before he was even two feet near him. That tell-tale sneer spread across his features and Harry had half a mind to just say good-bye to Remus and Sirius and forget even SPEAKING to Draco. But he couldn't help it. There was this thought running through his mind: it was probably what his father would have done.

"So, I hear you're leaving, Draco." Harry said quietly.

"Yes, Potter, no thanks to you. Can't believe I've got to go with your git of a godfather." Draco scoffed.

Harry inwardly seethed, but he attempted to ignore the comment.

"Well, I wanted to say good-bye and, I wanted to thank you." Harry managed to choke out.

Draco's cold eyes narrowed.

"For what, Potter?" He sneered.

"Well, when you jumped in front of the 'Crucio' curse. You didn't have to and,"

"Listen, Potter," Draco interrupted. "And listen good. Don't even think for a MOMENT that I did that for you. I did it for Artemis and ONLY Artemis. I didn't care about the rest of you. Just keep that in mind and DON'T be expecting any favors from me, because you won't get them." Draco finished coldly.

Harry stared at the boy, the gray eyes so full of hatred and anger. Stubbornly, Harry drew his head up.

"Good-bye then." He said coolly.

Draco merely scoffed, deigning it unnecessary to even answer Harry. Harry turned and clenched his fists as he walked over and said his good-byes to Remus, then walked slowly over to Sirius, who was talking once more with the witch, Spirix Fantasia.

" C'mon, Spirix. You KNOW I was madly in love with you in fifth year. You've got to remember!" Sirius was pleading with the woman.

The woman, who was quite tall, almost rivaling Sirius in height, suppressed a smile. Her black robes billowed around her curvaceous figure and her slender white fingers were resting on her cheek as she regarded Sirius thoughtfully, occasionally lifting a finger to extract a strand of black hair from her dark brown eyes.

"Sorry, Sirius. It's not ringing a bell." She said, her voice smooth and delicate.

Sirius threw his hands in the air.

"The 'Spirix bomb'? You remember the 'Spirix bomb' don't you? It was a dung-bomb that I dedicated to YOU, in fifth year." Sirius explained.

Spirix Fantasia merely smiled and shook her head.

"Sorry, Sirius. Guess you'll have to remind me some other time." She said apologetically.

Sirius shook his head as he stared at the witch in confusion and defeat.

"I suppose. See you, Spirix."

Spirix Fantasia turned and waved at him as she walked off towards Professor Dumbledore, who had been gesturing for her to approach him. Sirius slowly turned around to catch sight of Harry, and pulled up short.

"You did NOT hear that. Understood?" He ordered.

Harry grinned and nodded.

"I didn't hear a thing. I think I need a Muggle hearing-aid." Harry responded sarcastically. Sirius chuckled and shook his head.

"She's just playing hard to get. That's all. I'll get her in the end." He sighed dismally and ran his fingers through his black hair. "Well, I suppose this is good-bye till next year." Sirius said shortly. "You know, Dumbledore was talking about letting me stay with you all next year in school. As Padfoot of course, but still. That would be helpful. I'd like to do that, just so I could keep an eye out for you this time." He said with a wry smile.

"I'd like that, I think." Harry replied.

Sirius nodded, then quickly placed his arms around Harry and squeezed him tightly.

"I'll see you then. You take care of yourself. Don't go getting killed this summer, because otherwise I'll go crazy." Sirius said quietly.

Harry smiled gently.

"I won't even THINK of it." He reassured him as Sirius released him.

"Good. Because if you do, I will kill you again!" Sirius said, shaking a finger at Harry before sticking his hands in his pockets. "You know, I'm really dreading this ride home. I feel like I've got a first class ticket into the pits of hell, or I'm ferrying around Beelzebub." He muttered.

Harry laughed at the idea of Draco being the devil incarnate. To his surprise, it wasn't that hard to imagine.

"You'll live. I'm sure of it."

Sirius sighed and shook his head.

"I suppose I'll have to. See you, Harry."

"See you, Sirius."

Harry watched his godfather walk to one of the open castle windows and jump on his broomstick. He then turned a sour face to Draco and indicated for him to jump on the broomstick as well. Draco glared at him and carefully stepped over the broomstick and settled himself on it. Perhaps it was the fact that Draco didn't JUMP onto the broomstick, or the glare he had given Sirius, but either way, something possessed Sirius Black to shoot off the tower at a high speed, causing Draco to lose his bag and grasp the broomhandle for dear life. Harry laughed loudly as he heard Draco cursing and screaming for Sirius to,

"STOP THE BLOODY BROOMSTICK!"

A few feet away from him, Harry saw Remus sigh and shake his head. Remus then grabbed Draco's bag and jumped onto his own broomstick, shooting off into the night sky behind Sirius. Harry waved to them, already wishing that it was NEXT year, and they were all together again.

************************************************************************

Author's Note: Heh-heh, "STOP THE BLOODY BROOMSTICK!" One of my favorite lines. Anywho, hope this was worth the REALLY long wait. I apologize completely for that. It's been far too long! My gosh, only one more chapter after this! *sniffle* I'll miss you guys SO much! But hopefully the sequel to this will be done soon, though I'm starting to doubt it. Things are getting more and more complicated and the plot is becoming more and more twisted and it's surpassed 200 pages already. *rubs hands together* Heh-heh. Boy, am I gonna have a surprise for YOU guys when it comes out. I absolutely can't wait! I think it's even better than this one, actually! So, I hope you guys like it when it comes out. Actually, I have been considering as to whether or not I should do this. I've been thinking about releasing the title of the sequel just to start you guys guessing. I don't know though. Give me your opinions. I don't wanna release TOO much. Also, start thinking of questions to ask me about this story if you even have any, then post them in a review after the NEXT chapter. I'm pretty sure you guys might have a FEW questions, so I figured I'd try to answer them in a chapter after the story is finished. And if you don't have questions, cool.....sorta....not really.....I haven't done my job well. ;-) Any questions you've got, I'll try to answer them without giving away too much. ;-) So anyway, just wanted to let you know about that.

Also, I wanted to address the obvious straying of J.K. Rowling's style in this chapter. I know she usually doesn't give us an inside glimpse of the thoughts of the other characters unless Harry hears it himself, but I felt it necessary for the sake of the future of the series if we heard the conversations between Draco and Artemis, Rhiannon and Snape, etc. So I hope that didn't throw you off too much and that it flowed alright.

And there's another thing and perhaps I'm taking this a bit far. I don't WANT to reveal too much about Artemis or anything, but I also couldn't help but share this with you. See, there's this song that is TOTALLY Artemis's song. It's almost her theme song. So I decided that I'd show it to you guys and see if you guys could decipher anything from it. Heh-heh. I'm so mean.

"Bring Me To Life"

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?

Leading you down into my core,

Where I've become so numb without a soul.

My spirit sleeping somewhere cold,

Until you find it there and lead it back home.

Wake me up inside.

Wake me up inside. (I can't wake up!)

(Save me!)

Call my name and save me from the dark.

(Wake me up!)

Bid my blood to run before I come undone.

(I can't wake up!)

(Save me!)

Save me from the nothing I've become.

Now that I know what I'm without

You can't just leave me.

Breathe into me and make me real.

Bring me to life.

Wake me up inside.

Wake me up inside. (I can't wake up)

(Save me!)

Call my name and save me from the dark.

(Wake me up!)

Bid my blood to run before I come undone.

(I can't wake up!)

(Save me!)

Save me from the nothing I've become.

Bring me to life.

(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)

Bring me to life.

Frozen inside without your touch, without your love.

Darling, only you are the life among the dead.

All this time I can't believe I couldn't see.

Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me.

I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems.

Got to open my eyes to everything.

Without a thought without a voice without a soul.

Don't let me die here.

There must be something more.

Bring me to life!

Wake me up inside.

Wake me up inside. (I can't wake up)

(Save me!)

Call my name and save me from the dark.

(Wake me up!)

Bid my blood to run before I come undone.

(I can't wake up!)

(Save me!)

Save me from the nothing I've become.

Bring me to life.

(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)

Bring me to life!

So yes, this DOES have a deeper meaning than presented. It's up to you guys to sift through it and try to figure out what the heck T.H. is talking about. ;-) Good luck!

Now, I must confess something sad to you all............I HAVEN'T READ THE FIFTH BOOK!!! *pitches a fit* I haven't been able to get a hold of it ANYWHERE! The library canceled my ruddy hold on it for some stupid reason and now I'm number 28 on the waiting list. :-0 I'm about to go mad, especially because I was a stupid git and went on ff.net after the book came out, stupidly forgetting that there was a death and that it was inevitable that people would write FANFICTION about it........so yes, I know who dies. No, I won't tell you. :-) I'm that nice. But anyway. Don't tell me anything about it. I'm incredibly jealous of all you lucky people who have read it!

I'm feeling so awful that I didn't get this out quickly enough, that I'm just going to forget thank you's for this chapter. Know that I DID receive your reviews and compliments, and I DO appreciate them with all my heart and soul! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And also, think about what questions to ask and whether or not I should reveal the next story's title and possibly an excerpt. Just give me your opinions! The next and FINAL chapter will be out as soon as I finish editing it and writing thank you's to the reviews for this chapter. ;-)

Love ya!!

T.H.