CHAPTER FIVE: NIGHT OF THE VEELA
The morning of the wedding arrived barely two weeks later as Mrs. Weasley marched into each bedroom well before the sun had risen, tossing people out of their beds here and there with a flick of her wand. She had, most considerately, saved Harry for last so that by the time she opened his bedroom door he was already sitting up, reaching for his glasses on the bedside table.
"Oh, dear you're already awake," she said with a smile. "How wonderful! Breakfast will be in about an--" she turned her head. "FRED! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT KREACHER IS NOT A LAB MONKEY?"
At that she disappeared and Harry rose quickly, his emptied brain quickly refilling with the same thought that had greeting him every morning since he had learned...his mum was one of them.
He had not opened the diary since; the thought of what else may lay written on those pages too unnerving, but he could not fight his attraction to the drawer where it lay, calling for him to open it again. He had always heard how his mum and dad had been top notch Gryffindors...Head Boy and Girl. It just didn't make sense. Sitting back down upon the bed he took a deep breath, slowly pulling the drawer towards him when--
"I feel like I've been beaten to a bloody pulp by that damn Whomping Willow," Ron moaned, and Harry turned to watch as his friend made his way bleary eyed towards the bed where he sat, his head falling onto Harry's shoulder with a thud.
"Erm, nice night?" Harry asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips while Ron managed a smile that quickly turned into a grimance.
"Oh, you should have come mate," Ron gingerly lifted his head, a hand placed firmly at the temple. "Firewhiskey was flowing from beginning till end and Fred and George managed to find these hags who weren't really hags at all and...well you get the picture."
Harry felt a pang of jealousy as he listened to Ron ramble on, wishing he too could have been there. It had been taken for granted he would be attending until just the previous morning when Mrs. Weasley had firmly put her foot down.
"Absolutely not," she had said, sloshing bottles of syrup onto the table.
"But Molly," Mr. Weasley had interjected. "We're all going to be there...Alastor, Remus, me..."
"Yes all of you drowning in vats and vats of FireWhiskey."
The whole table watched as Mr. Weasley made to object, but Mrs. Weasley beat him to it.
"Don't give me that look Arthur...I know as well as you do what goes on at those parties."
They had left it at that and so, while Harry watched glumily from the upstairs landing, Mr. Weasley, closely trailed by Fred, George and Ron had left, laughing amongst themselves while Hermoine tried her best to cheer him up.
"You can come down to the girls party," she had suggested lightly as high pitched squeals floated up from the living room. Hermoine's face tinted crimson.
"No, go on, I'm going to er, read..." Harry trailed off as a loud 'whoop' met their ears. (He had a second's sickening vision of Gilderoy Lockhart down there in a speedo). Hermione looked beside herself.
"Are you, er..." she trailed off, her eyes glancing over the banister.
"Go!" he had said and watched as she scampered downward. With a sigh he had disappeared into his room, instead opting for several quiet hours of stargazing at the windowsill, trying desperately to clear his mind before sleep blanketed his eyes...
"...and er you get to meet Fleur's family today," Ron was saying. Harry blinked fast, trying to act as if he had been hanging onto every word.
"Hey, I know Gabrielle," Harry said with a grin, remembering all too well how grateful Fleur had been when he had pulled her sister from the bottom of the lake in his fourth year.
"Yeah, yeah but, er, well I'll let you see for yourself," Ron declared, standing up on slightly unsteady footing. "See you downstairs?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, see you in a few," Harry said, watching Ron walk a clearly zig zagged line out the door as Fred and George began to taunt Bill with the Doomsday March from somewhere above.
* * *
The morning flew by quickly as people bumped and pushed at each other, calling orders back and forth as they all tried to render themselves presentable. Harry stood for several minutes taking in his new dress robes, a deep midnight blue to compliment the wedding 'theme' as Mrs. Weasley had called it.
"'ey Harry," Ron said opening the door a crack. "You ready? Mom says we have to leave in about five minutes."
"Huh?" Harry turned, feeling foolish that he hadn't stopped to realize that such a large event couldn't possibly be held IN Grimmauld Place. "Er, where is the wedding at again?" He watched as Ron smiled widely, looking quite tall and dapper himself, his red hair contrasting nicely with his dark blue attire.
"Mizz Delacour eensisted that she could not marry eenyone if zee wedding could not be held in er native home of France," Ron said in a rather bad impression of Fleur. Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"I take it a portkey then, eh?"
"You got it mate," Ron winked, and they headed down the stairs together to find Mrs. Weasley tucking last minute strands of hair back into a bun, dressed in rather flattering robes of ivory.
"Oh good, there you two are," she cried, clapping her hands together, her eyes darting around the room. "Now we're missing..." she seemed to lose count for her eyes trailed over everyone again.
"Me, Mrs. Weasley," Hermoine said meekly, rushing into the room. Guiltily, Harry swept his eyes over her, allowing himself a rare moment to appreciate how well she cleaned up. As it had for the Yule Ball, her hair was straight and gleaming but she had left it down, the long strands falling down her back with little more than a curl at the ends. Ivory robes, almost identical to Mrs. Weasley showed off a figure that--
"And me, mum," Ginny cried, running to join the circle so that Harry, surprising himself, found himself beginning to appraise her instead. It occured to him at just that moment that she wasn't the little girl that he had rescued from the Chamber of Secrets but more like--
"Everyone gather around the present, at least one finger on it now...that a dear..." Mrs. Weasley commanded as everyone leaned in to touch an elegantly wrapped box with a mound of ribbon on top.
"I don't see why we couldn't have apparated...we've been doing it for years," Fred complained, as George let out a yell of, "Ger off my foot!"
"The wedding party arrives together, I've already told you that," Mr. Weasley sighed, glancing towards the clock. "It has to be almost time..."
Harry counted the seconds with everyone else and felt his fingers cramping horribly as he struggled to maintain a hold on a loop of ribbon. It was as he heard Mr. Weasley sigh once again that he looked at Ron, a thought bubbling to the surface.
"Hey Ron, I'm not a member of the wedding party."
"Of course you are!" he answered back, grinning sheepishly across from him. "You're escorting Ginny!"
"Who're you escorting?"
Harry watched as Ron's face flushed a vibrant red. To the right of Harry's elbow, Ginny giggled, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh that's easy. Hermoine's HIS date."
Harry grinned and glanced at Hermione, who seemed almost transfixed by the clock. Snickering, he leaned towards Ron to congratulate him on finally asking her out when he felt a strange, but familiar, tug around his midsection as they sped off towards their destination. Ginny banged horribly into his side and the whole group gave a collective grunt as they sped forward in a rush of wind, sucked magically forward until--
They landed in a heap, Harry panicking as he felt something slither across his face until he realized, most embarassing, that it was nothing but the bottom of Ginny's robes as she struggled to her feet. She held out a hand, and blurrily he stood, realizing that his glasses must have been knocked off in the process. Feebly he scanned the ground, his eyes at a squint until he heard her laugh.
"Looking for these?" she inquired and he turned, watching as she dangled a black blur in front of him. Grabbing them quickly he snuffed them back on his nose, giving her a sheepish 'Thanks' in return.
"Oh mother zey are here! All of zem, and ooh!"
Harry stumbled once more as a white streak flew into him. He gasped for breath as tight arms embraced him and watched as Fleur's beaming face popped up rendering them nose to nose.
"And zey brought 'arry too!"
It seemed to Harry that matrimony brought out the veela in her even more, as she stood looking other-wordly, her blonde hair and her whitish blonde dress catching every guys stare around her, including Ron who yelped most loudly as Hermione jabbed her elbow sharp into his side.
"I am so glad that all of zee family could be here for my big day," she declared throwing her arms out and beaming a wide smile to everyone,which Fred and George returned most stupidly.
"Yes well," Harry heard Mr. Weasley say, stepping forward. "Guys, I think we better check on Bill..."
Harry watched as Mr. Weasley wound the fingers of each hand around the back of the twin's collars, yanking them backwards to loud grumbles of protest. Ron followed them out, shaking his head, and Harry, most unwilling to stay alone around (gulp) so many females, brought up the rear.
"Guys a word of warning," Mr. Weasley began, and Harry followed them out of what he realized had been a carefully constructed tent, directly into the last rays of an amazing sunset. "remember that Fleur's family has veela running through it. I don't want anyone doing anything stup--"
"Would you look at those--"
"FRED!" Mr. Weasley barked, grabbing a hold of his son once more and turning him away from what Harry noticed was an EXTREMELY attractive woman, showing off what looked to be a garter made up completely of fairy wings.
"Legs, dad!" Fred complained. "All I was going to say is legs..."
"I bet you my share of stock in their shop that legs was the farthest thing from his mind," Ron muttered under his breath and Harry couldn't help but share a laugh as he stopped with the rest of the group in front of yet another tent.
"Bill, it's us!" Mr. Weasley called and as if he had said the magic password, the curtain parted allowing them to enter what was clearly the male gathering hole.
The first person Harry recognized was Charlie, who hovered over Bill with a large goblet in his hands, its contents smoking and frothing horribly. Although he could not hear what was being said, he saw Charlie attempting to push the cup towards Bill, who sat shaking his head, looking quite nauseous.
"He looks dreadful," George mumbled.
Fred smirked. "A case of the jitters, if you ask me."
"Who can blame him? Blimey..." Ron said, and Harry noticed he looked almost as bad as Bill, who at that moment finally realized he had company.
"Oh! Hey guys, er...sit down," he said with a wave of his hand, obviously unaware that the tent was empty aside from the chair on which he sat.
"You okay Bill?" Mr. Weasley asked, kneeling beside him. He cast a sideways glance up to Charlie who shrugged, the goblet still smoking in his hand.
"How does she look?" Bill said instead, looking around the room.
"Beautiful," Fred said with a nod, punching George in the stomach who, still staring at the goblet, agreed enthusiastically with - "Absolutely smoking!" which seemed to be the worst thing to say, for Bill let out an amazingly loud hiccup.
"Er, so, Charlie how'dja get here?" Ron blurted, taking a step back from the scene and staring at Bill as if he might burst into flames at any moment.
"Apparated a--"
"Apparated! Dad said we had to come as a family for 'appearances sake' didn't you d--"
Mr. Weasley silenced George with a dirty look, and turned back to Bill saying assuringly, "Son, I was the same way on my wedding day. This is the worst part, I promise."
Harry watched uncomfortably as Bill gave a shudder. He would never have believed it if he hadn't seen it for himself -- tough looking Bill falling apart in front of their very eyes.
"I am never," Ron muttered in Harry's ear. "EVER getting married."
"Guess we'll have to break it to Hermione then," Fred said over his shoulder. Harry watched as Ron's eyes narrowed, and chanced a grin before Ron turned back to him.
"Let's hope this thing starts soon cause I---"
The soft sound of gorgeous singing slowly wafted into the tent and the guys turned a collective head to the entrance as a willowy figure stepped through, a wide smile placed on a rather pallid face. The man nodded to each of them in turn, his long robes billowing around his feet as his fingers gently traced the spine of a beautiful book, glowing warmly around the edges.
"Bill," the man said, and when he spoke Harry felt as if he had swallowed a flask of Calming Drought. "at the end of the ceremonial Night of the Veela we request your presence at the front of the alter. Boys, if you will then head out to meet the young ladies you will be escorting..." he trailed off with a warm sigh before turning and disappearing around the curtain.
The music grew increasingly louder, and even though Harry could not see, he could picture the veela twirling and spinning their magic as they had done at the Quidditch World Cup. Ron seemed to share the same memory, for every time Harry looked over at him he had a finger placed loosely in each ear, mouthing something Harry could not decipher until finally the music faded and Mr. Weasley stepped forward, clapping and whistling enthusiastically before coming to his senses.
"Okay, the, er Night of the Veela's ended. Bill, I believe that's your cue..."
They all murmured their encouragement as Charlie helped Bill to his feet, holding him by the arm for at least a minute before Bill nodded and stepped away. Looking like a scared child (apart from the ivory fang in his ear) he headed to the curtain flap, looked back with a nod, and disappeared.
"Okay guys," Charlie said, heading towards the entrance. "Let's go."
Harry shuffled along with Ron back outside where, to his surprise, the sunset had completely receded, giving away to a magnificent starry night sky. They both watched as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bumped right into each other, smiling as they made their way to the very first row of ivory benches.
"Hey guys," Harry murmured to Fred and George in order to distract himself from the thought of having to walk down such a long aisle with Ginny on his arm, WITHOUT tripping. "Who are you guys escorting?"
"Gabrielle," Fred said glumly as George coughed something that sounded very much like 'jail' and 'bait'.
"Wha' about you George?"
"Fleur's cousin, Jolie," he said with a grin. "Our age," he added, much to Fred's chagrin.
They walked the rest of the way in silence, stopping in unison right in front of the girls. Harry watched as Ginny wound around Ron, coming up to him and grinning widely. His arm felt many times larger than his body as Ginny looped hers through his and they lined up awkwardly, Ron and Hermione leading with Harry and Ginny directly behind.
"Here goes nothing mate," he heard Ron mutter as the music started once again.
In a daze Harry began to walk, his mind trained on nothing except the song of the veela and the stars that seemed close enough to touch.
The morning of the wedding arrived barely two weeks later as Mrs. Weasley marched into each bedroom well before the sun had risen, tossing people out of their beds here and there with a flick of her wand. She had, most considerately, saved Harry for last so that by the time she opened his bedroom door he was already sitting up, reaching for his glasses on the bedside table.
"Oh, dear you're already awake," she said with a smile. "How wonderful! Breakfast will be in about an--" she turned her head. "FRED! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT KREACHER IS NOT A LAB MONKEY?"
At that she disappeared and Harry rose quickly, his emptied brain quickly refilling with the same thought that had greeting him every morning since he had learned...his mum was one of them.
He had not opened the diary since; the thought of what else may lay written on those pages too unnerving, but he could not fight his attraction to the drawer where it lay, calling for him to open it again. He had always heard how his mum and dad had been top notch Gryffindors...Head Boy and Girl. It just didn't make sense. Sitting back down upon the bed he took a deep breath, slowly pulling the drawer towards him when--
"I feel like I've been beaten to a bloody pulp by that damn Whomping Willow," Ron moaned, and Harry turned to watch as his friend made his way bleary eyed towards the bed where he sat, his head falling onto Harry's shoulder with a thud.
"Erm, nice night?" Harry asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips while Ron managed a smile that quickly turned into a grimance.
"Oh, you should have come mate," Ron gingerly lifted his head, a hand placed firmly at the temple. "Firewhiskey was flowing from beginning till end and Fred and George managed to find these hags who weren't really hags at all and...well you get the picture."
Harry felt a pang of jealousy as he listened to Ron ramble on, wishing he too could have been there. It had been taken for granted he would be attending until just the previous morning when Mrs. Weasley had firmly put her foot down.
"Absolutely not," she had said, sloshing bottles of syrup onto the table.
"But Molly," Mr. Weasley had interjected. "We're all going to be there...Alastor, Remus, me..."
"Yes all of you drowning in vats and vats of FireWhiskey."
The whole table watched as Mr. Weasley made to object, but Mrs. Weasley beat him to it.
"Don't give me that look Arthur...I know as well as you do what goes on at those parties."
They had left it at that and so, while Harry watched glumily from the upstairs landing, Mr. Weasley, closely trailed by Fred, George and Ron had left, laughing amongst themselves while Hermoine tried her best to cheer him up.
"You can come down to the girls party," she had suggested lightly as high pitched squeals floated up from the living room. Hermoine's face tinted crimson.
"No, go on, I'm going to er, read..." Harry trailed off as a loud 'whoop' met their ears. (He had a second's sickening vision of Gilderoy Lockhart down there in a speedo). Hermione looked beside herself.
"Are you, er..." she trailed off, her eyes glancing over the banister.
"Go!" he had said and watched as she scampered downward. With a sigh he had disappeared into his room, instead opting for several quiet hours of stargazing at the windowsill, trying desperately to clear his mind before sleep blanketed his eyes...
"...and er you get to meet Fleur's family today," Ron was saying. Harry blinked fast, trying to act as if he had been hanging onto every word.
"Hey, I know Gabrielle," Harry said with a grin, remembering all too well how grateful Fleur had been when he had pulled her sister from the bottom of the lake in his fourth year.
"Yeah, yeah but, er, well I'll let you see for yourself," Ron declared, standing up on slightly unsteady footing. "See you downstairs?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, see you in a few," Harry said, watching Ron walk a clearly zig zagged line out the door as Fred and George began to taunt Bill with the Doomsday March from somewhere above.
* * *
The morning flew by quickly as people bumped and pushed at each other, calling orders back and forth as they all tried to render themselves presentable. Harry stood for several minutes taking in his new dress robes, a deep midnight blue to compliment the wedding 'theme' as Mrs. Weasley had called it.
"'ey Harry," Ron said opening the door a crack. "You ready? Mom says we have to leave in about five minutes."
"Huh?" Harry turned, feeling foolish that he hadn't stopped to realize that such a large event couldn't possibly be held IN Grimmauld Place. "Er, where is the wedding at again?" He watched as Ron smiled widely, looking quite tall and dapper himself, his red hair contrasting nicely with his dark blue attire.
"Mizz Delacour eensisted that she could not marry eenyone if zee wedding could not be held in er native home of France," Ron said in a rather bad impression of Fleur. Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"I take it a portkey then, eh?"
"You got it mate," Ron winked, and they headed down the stairs together to find Mrs. Weasley tucking last minute strands of hair back into a bun, dressed in rather flattering robes of ivory.
"Oh good, there you two are," she cried, clapping her hands together, her eyes darting around the room. "Now we're missing..." she seemed to lose count for her eyes trailed over everyone again.
"Me, Mrs. Weasley," Hermoine said meekly, rushing into the room. Guiltily, Harry swept his eyes over her, allowing himself a rare moment to appreciate how well she cleaned up. As it had for the Yule Ball, her hair was straight and gleaming but she had left it down, the long strands falling down her back with little more than a curl at the ends. Ivory robes, almost identical to Mrs. Weasley showed off a figure that--
"And me, mum," Ginny cried, running to join the circle so that Harry, surprising himself, found himself beginning to appraise her instead. It occured to him at just that moment that she wasn't the little girl that he had rescued from the Chamber of Secrets but more like--
"Everyone gather around the present, at least one finger on it now...that a dear..." Mrs. Weasley commanded as everyone leaned in to touch an elegantly wrapped box with a mound of ribbon on top.
"I don't see why we couldn't have apparated...we've been doing it for years," Fred complained, as George let out a yell of, "Ger off my foot!"
"The wedding party arrives together, I've already told you that," Mr. Weasley sighed, glancing towards the clock. "It has to be almost time..."
Harry counted the seconds with everyone else and felt his fingers cramping horribly as he struggled to maintain a hold on a loop of ribbon. It was as he heard Mr. Weasley sigh once again that he looked at Ron, a thought bubbling to the surface.
"Hey Ron, I'm not a member of the wedding party."
"Of course you are!" he answered back, grinning sheepishly across from him. "You're escorting Ginny!"
"Who're you escorting?"
Harry watched as Ron's face flushed a vibrant red. To the right of Harry's elbow, Ginny giggled, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh that's easy. Hermoine's HIS date."
Harry grinned and glanced at Hermione, who seemed almost transfixed by the clock. Snickering, he leaned towards Ron to congratulate him on finally asking her out when he felt a strange, but familiar, tug around his midsection as they sped off towards their destination. Ginny banged horribly into his side and the whole group gave a collective grunt as they sped forward in a rush of wind, sucked magically forward until--
They landed in a heap, Harry panicking as he felt something slither across his face until he realized, most embarassing, that it was nothing but the bottom of Ginny's robes as she struggled to her feet. She held out a hand, and blurrily he stood, realizing that his glasses must have been knocked off in the process. Feebly he scanned the ground, his eyes at a squint until he heard her laugh.
"Looking for these?" she inquired and he turned, watching as she dangled a black blur in front of him. Grabbing them quickly he snuffed them back on his nose, giving her a sheepish 'Thanks' in return.
"Oh mother zey are here! All of zem, and ooh!"
Harry stumbled once more as a white streak flew into him. He gasped for breath as tight arms embraced him and watched as Fleur's beaming face popped up rendering them nose to nose.
"And zey brought 'arry too!"
It seemed to Harry that matrimony brought out the veela in her even more, as she stood looking other-wordly, her blonde hair and her whitish blonde dress catching every guys stare around her, including Ron who yelped most loudly as Hermione jabbed her elbow sharp into his side.
"I am so glad that all of zee family could be here for my big day," she declared throwing her arms out and beaming a wide smile to everyone,which Fred and George returned most stupidly.
"Yes well," Harry heard Mr. Weasley say, stepping forward. "Guys, I think we better check on Bill..."
Harry watched as Mr. Weasley wound the fingers of each hand around the back of the twin's collars, yanking them backwards to loud grumbles of protest. Ron followed them out, shaking his head, and Harry, most unwilling to stay alone around (gulp) so many females, brought up the rear.
"Guys a word of warning," Mr. Weasley began, and Harry followed them out of what he realized had been a carefully constructed tent, directly into the last rays of an amazing sunset. "remember that Fleur's family has veela running through it. I don't want anyone doing anything stup--"
"Would you look at those--"
"FRED!" Mr. Weasley barked, grabbing a hold of his son once more and turning him away from what Harry noticed was an EXTREMELY attractive woman, showing off what looked to be a garter made up completely of fairy wings.
"Legs, dad!" Fred complained. "All I was going to say is legs..."
"I bet you my share of stock in their shop that legs was the farthest thing from his mind," Ron muttered under his breath and Harry couldn't help but share a laugh as he stopped with the rest of the group in front of yet another tent.
"Bill, it's us!" Mr. Weasley called and as if he had said the magic password, the curtain parted allowing them to enter what was clearly the male gathering hole.
The first person Harry recognized was Charlie, who hovered over Bill with a large goblet in his hands, its contents smoking and frothing horribly. Although he could not hear what was being said, he saw Charlie attempting to push the cup towards Bill, who sat shaking his head, looking quite nauseous.
"He looks dreadful," George mumbled.
Fred smirked. "A case of the jitters, if you ask me."
"Who can blame him? Blimey..." Ron said, and Harry noticed he looked almost as bad as Bill, who at that moment finally realized he had company.
"Oh! Hey guys, er...sit down," he said with a wave of his hand, obviously unaware that the tent was empty aside from the chair on which he sat.
"You okay Bill?" Mr. Weasley asked, kneeling beside him. He cast a sideways glance up to Charlie who shrugged, the goblet still smoking in his hand.
"How does she look?" Bill said instead, looking around the room.
"Beautiful," Fred said with a nod, punching George in the stomach who, still staring at the goblet, agreed enthusiastically with - "Absolutely smoking!" which seemed to be the worst thing to say, for Bill let out an amazingly loud hiccup.
"Er, so, Charlie how'dja get here?" Ron blurted, taking a step back from the scene and staring at Bill as if he might burst into flames at any moment.
"Apparated a--"
"Apparated! Dad said we had to come as a family for 'appearances sake' didn't you d--"
Mr. Weasley silenced George with a dirty look, and turned back to Bill saying assuringly, "Son, I was the same way on my wedding day. This is the worst part, I promise."
Harry watched uncomfortably as Bill gave a shudder. He would never have believed it if he hadn't seen it for himself -- tough looking Bill falling apart in front of their very eyes.
"I am never," Ron muttered in Harry's ear. "EVER getting married."
"Guess we'll have to break it to Hermione then," Fred said over his shoulder. Harry watched as Ron's eyes narrowed, and chanced a grin before Ron turned back to him.
"Let's hope this thing starts soon cause I---"
The soft sound of gorgeous singing slowly wafted into the tent and the guys turned a collective head to the entrance as a willowy figure stepped through, a wide smile placed on a rather pallid face. The man nodded to each of them in turn, his long robes billowing around his feet as his fingers gently traced the spine of a beautiful book, glowing warmly around the edges.
"Bill," the man said, and when he spoke Harry felt as if he had swallowed a flask of Calming Drought. "at the end of the ceremonial Night of the Veela we request your presence at the front of the alter. Boys, if you will then head out to meet the young ladies you will be escorting..." he trailed off with a warm sigh before turning and disappearing around the curtain.
The music grew increasingly louder, and even though Harry could not see, he could picture the veela twirling and spinning their magic as they had done at the Quidditch World Cup. Ron seemed to share the same memory, for every time Harry looked over at him he had a finger placed loosely in each ear, mouthing something Harry could not decipher until finally the music faded and Mr. Weasley stepped forward, clapping and whistling enthusiastically before coming to his senses.
"Okay, the, er Night of the Veela's ended. Bill, I believe that's your cue..."
They all murmured their encouragement as Charlie helped Bill to his feet, holding him by the arm for at least a minute before Bill nodded and stepped away. Looking like a scared child (apart from the ivory fang in his ear) he headed to the curtain flap, looked back with a nod, and disappeared.
"Okay guys," Charlie said, heading towards the entrance. "Let's go."
Harry shuffled along with Ron back outside where, to his surprise, the sunset had completely receded, giving away to a magnificent starry night sky. They both watched as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bumped right into each other, smiling as they made their way to the very first row of ivory benches.
"Hey guys," Harry murmured to Fred and George in order to distract himself from the thought of having to walk down such a long aisle with Ginny on his arm, WITHOUT tripping. "Who are you guys escorting?"
"Gabrielle," Fred said glumly as George coughed something that sounded very much like 'jail' and 'bait'.
"Wha' about you George?"
"Fleur's cousin, Jolie," he said with a grin. "Our age," he added, much to Fred's chagrin.
They walked the rest of the way in silence, stopping in unison right in front of the girls. Harry watched as Ginny wound around Ron, coming up to him and grinning widely. His arm felt many times larger than his body as Ginny looped hers through his and they lined up awkwardly, Ron and Hermione leading with Harry and Ginny directly behind.
"Here goes nothing mate," he heard Ron mutter as the music started once again.
In a daze Harry began to walk, his mind trained on nothing except the song of the veela and the stars that seemed close enough to touch.