Chapter 50: It's Better in the End
After one of the longest weeks of their life, Harry and Ginny were extremely happy to see their children again, however to say things were chaos would have been an understatement. Six children and themselves to get ready and out the door in one piece, lectures on how this would be a quiet event and they were not to yell or even talk until mommy or daddy said so fell upon deaf ears, as the group stepped into the ballroom of the hotel.
It like everything else was wonderful. A giant chandler holding hundreds of burning candles hung in the middle of the silver room. A stage was set up at the end with a velvet blue curtain separating the ballroom from back stage where Harry and Ginny were ushered, much to the children's disappointment. The couple was given a brief description of how things would work and in what order, before they were released. The kids cheered when they came back out five minutes later. Harry picked up Daniel while Ginny grabbed Lily, they were just about to go wait outside where it was less crowded when a voice spoke echoing through the suddenly silent room, the children looked around wide eyed.
"Would our guests of honor please up to the stage." Harry and Ginny bent down to put Lily and Daniel down but they hung to their neck and began to scream.
"Come on, we'll be right up there." Harry said, pointing to the stage. Daniel held firmly on. With a sigh, the two parents walked up to the stage and sat down in their separate chairs, happy kids in lap.
"Today is a special day, as we reward The Order of Merlin first class for services done to this country. They are not from Italy, but that did not stop them from taking control and helping to save over a thousand people and around twenty children, none of them there own." Applause broke out right after the interpreter finished speaking in English. When it got quiet, the Minister of Magic from both countries made a speech, as well as the head of the Symphony they were supposed to see the day before and the owner of the used-to-be Opera house. By the time they got to the reason everyone was there not just the children were getting restless.
"So today, we honor Mr. Harry James Potter, and his Wife Ms. Ginny Ann Weasley Potter with the Order of Merlin, First class, please stand." Harry and Ginny stood their kids holding firmly on.
"When I call your name please step forward, Harry Potter." Harry stepped forward, and the Minister had to pin the metal under Daniel, but when he finally finished it was beside his other Order of Merlin metal.
"Ginny Potter." Ginny grinned at being called by her new last name, as she stepped up as well. In the distance she could see her father tape-ing away proudly. The minister had slightly less trouble with Ginny's as Lily cooperated. Once again clapping ensued. Now will the couple please lead us in a dance?" With a nod, Harry and Ginny took hands and walked off the stage, as a band literally appeared on stage. A slow song, neither had heard before came on, as they began to awkwardly dance, with two kids hanging on them. The dance finished and Harry noticed that both children had fallen asleep. Quickly the couple walked over to the nursery that had been set up, and checked the two in, noticing that the others had been checked in also.
"Care to have a real dance?" Harry stated, taking his wives hand.
"But of course." The two stepped to the side of the dance floor to wait for the current song to end, it did and both Harry and Ginny stepped out onto the dance floor right as their song began to play. Smiling, they danced as if they were just married. Falling in love with each other all over again, they swept across the floor as if they were on clouds, staring into each other's eyes, only seeing one another. The song ended and Harry leaned over to whisper in to his wives ear.
"Let's escape for awhile." Ginny nodded and they danced toward the exit, where they swiftly walked out without being noticed. Stepping out of the hotel, the two took a deep breath of fresh, cool air. The sun was shining, there was not a cloud in the sky. A deep blue from above made it look like it was made of silk, and if you reached far enough you could feel it. The streets were almost empty; being most of the city was either at the ceremony or watching it via the floo network. Hand in hand the couple walked over to the lake, Harry took off his light jacket and placed it down upon the green earth below them, the two sat together facing the water, leaning against each other. All was calm; they were where they wanted to be.
After one of the longest weeks of their life, Harry and Ginny were extremely happy to see their children again, however to say things were chaos would have been an understatement. Six children and themselves to get ready and out the door in one piece, lectures on how this would be a quiet event and they were not to yell or even talk until mommy or daddy said so fell upon deaf ears, as the group stepped into the ballroom of the hotel.
It like everything else was wonderful. A giant chandler holding hundreds of burning candles hung in the middle of the silver room. A stage was set up at the end with a velvet blue curtain separating the ballroom from back stage where Harry and Ginny were ushered, much to the children's disappointment. The couple was given a brief description of how things would work and in what order, before they were released. The kids cheered when they came back out five minutes later. Harry picked up Daniel while Ginny grabbed Lily, they were just about to go wait outside where it was less crowded when a voice spoke echoing through the suddenly silent room, the children looked around wide eyed.
"Would our guests of honor please up to the stage." Harry and Ginny bent down to put Lily and Daniel down but they hung to their neck and began to scream.
"Come on, we'll be right up there." Harry said, pointing to the stage. Daniel held firmly on. With a sigh, the two parents walked up to the stage and sat down in their separate chairs, happy kids in lap.
"Today is a special day, as we reward The Order of Merlin first class for services done to this country. They are not from Italy, but that did not stop them from taking control and helping to save over a thousand people and around twenty children, none of them there own." Applause broke out right after the interpreter finished speaking in English. When it got quiet, the Minister of Magic from both countries made a speech, as well as the head of the Symphony they were supposed to see the day before and the owner of the used-to-be Opera house. By the time they got to the reason everyone was there not just the children were getting restless.
"So today, we honor Mr. Harry James Potter, and his Wife Ms. Ginny Ann Weasley Potter with the Order of Merlin, First class, please stand." Harry and Ginny stood their kids holding firmly on.
"When I call your name please step forward, Harry Potter." Harry stepped forward, and the Minister had to pin the metal under Daniel, but when he finally finished it was beside his other Order of Merlin metal.
"Ginny Potter." Ginny grinned at being called by her new last name, as she stepped up as well. In the distance she could see her father tape-ing away proudly. The minister had slightly less trouble with Ginny's as Lily cooperated. Once again clapping ensued. Now will the couple please lead us in a dance?" With a nod, Harry and Ginny took hands and walked off the stage, as a band literally appeared on stage. A slow song, neither had heard before came on, as they began to awkwardly dance, with two kids hanging on them. The dance finished and Harry noticed that both children had fallen asleep. Quickly the couple walked over to the nursery that had been set up, and checked the two in, noticing that the others had been checked in also.
"Care to have a real dance?" Harry stated, taking his wives hand.
"But of course." The two stepped to the side of the dance floor to wait for the current song to end, it did and both Harry and Ginny stepped out onto the dance floor right as their song began to play. Smiling, they danced as if they were just married. Falling in love with each other all over again, they swept across the floor as if they were on clouds, staring into each other's eyes, only seeing one another. The song ended and Harry leaned over to whisper in to his wives ear.
"Let's escape for awhile." Ginny nodded and they danced toward the exit, where they swiftly walked out without being noticed. Stepping out of the hotel, the two took a deep breath of fresh, cool air. The sun was shining, there was not a cloud in the sky. A deep blue from above made it look like it was made of silk, and if you reached far enough you could feel it. The streets were almost empty; being most of the city was either at the ceremony or watching it via the floo network. Hand in hand the couple walked over to the lake, Harry took off his light jacket and placed it down upon the green earth below them, the two sat together facing the water, leaning against each other. All was calm; they were where they wanted to be.