Author:

Hello again, here it is, the second chapter. Last one was from Harry's view mostly, so I will try to make this one from mostly Valinor's view, here goes.

Chapter Two: Preparation

The next two weeks were blurred for Valinor. Everything was moving way too fast for her liking. And everything was also way too unreal. It seemed as though she was in a dream, a nightmare more like it. A nightmare where Dumbledore, who was like her second father, was all but forcing her to get married, MARRIED. And to a person she hardly knew at that. But the truth sunk in a bit. She was getting married, in three weeks, on her 16th birthday.

"What a great birthday present that is" she muttered sarcastically to herself. It was Sunday morning, about two weeks after Dumbledore had told her about the little "surprise"; and with the wedding date looming ahead of her, she was running out of time. It was now or never. When Dumbledore had proposed his plan, there seemed to be no way out. It was just like say yes or disappoint the person who you cared about the most. Now though, she was regretting her decision more and more.

She grabbed the two pre-packed bags lying at the door of her bedroom and left walked into the small, cramped main room/kitchen of her flat. The noisy sounds of everyday London traffic snuck in through the single window. The flat was just a simple little thing; Valinor hadn't lived in it enough to get to decorate it. She grabbed her coin purse and started towards the front door with no idea of what she was going to do when she went out there. She had run away before, but that was some time ago, and she wasn't alone. Now she was older and a member of the ministry, and oh so much easier to catch. Frustrated she stopped in the doorway contemplating all of her options. She didn't want to quit her job or go away but she had gotten herself into a hell of a lot of trouble.

"Is it really worth everything, Ms. Riddle?"

Valinor jumped as Dumbledore's calm voice rung out from behind her. Spinning around she saw him sitting on her beat up sofa, looking up at her. She found herself at a loss for words.

"I know what you were about to do, and I repeat, do you really find all of this necessary?"

Valinor was becoming a little angry at Dumbledore's cool demeanor. How could he be so calm when her life was in wrecks!

"That's pretty easy for you to ask. You don't have to completely ruin your life in three weeks" she said icily.

"Now really, Valinor, does the idea of marring Harry really devastate you that much?" Dumbledore asked.

"Um, yea. Hello, this isn't just some blow off thing Albus, this is marriage! You know, binding yourself together with someone else FOR LIFE!" she said, trying in vain to control her temper.

"I know perfectly well what marriage is, but I also know that you agreed to it, which makes you permanently bound to your decision." Dumbledore tried to explain calmly.

"To hell with my decision, can't I take it back?"

"No, once you make your decision you are magically bound to it" Dumbledore said.

"I am what?!? Thanks a lot for telling that little piece of information before. Is there any other little wormholes that I am going to find out now?" Valinor asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well actually, there is" Dumbledore said grinning

"So typical of you" Valinor said smiling in spite of herself. Dumbledore would never change, would he?

"To be connected with someone, in the way that you are to be connected with Harry, you must learn to actually care for one another. Otherwise the bond won't work and all of this would be for nothing." Dumbledore said, waiting for her to explode, and explode she did.

"First you told me to get married, and now you are telling me to fall in love! Love is an emotion Albus, you can't control emotions. How do know that I'm not already in love with somebody! For all you could know, I might have already pledged my undying love to anybody!" she spat

"If you did, then you wouldn't have accepted" Dumbledore said

"If I had known, I never would have" Valinor rebutted.

"Well you did, and that is all there is to it. You will get married in three weeks, you will try to get along with Harry and you will come with me and listen to the rest of the terms" Dumbledore said, searching through his pockets for something.

"There's more?" Valinor asked weakly. "I don't want to hear them, I am not going with you!" she exclaimed.

"Can you get that for me?" Dumbledore asked, pointing to a pen on the table. Without thinking Valinor picked the pen up and then felt a tug at her navel. Cursing, she felt herself being transported to god knows where.

She felt herself make contact with ground. Cold, smooth ground. She looked down and saw that she was standing on a cold marble floor. She wished that Dumbledore had given her time to put on some shoes. She slowly looked up and the first thing she saw was a pair of dark green eyes staring into hers.

"Ah, right on time mister Potter" Dumbledore said from his position near the fireplace. Valinor looked around. They were in Dumbledore's house. The same place that two weeks ago she†Looking beside her she was Harry, a puzzled expression on his face. He looked just as confused as her.

"So now that we all are present, lets begin" Dumbledore said. "The wedding is to take place in three weeks, exactly, on the date of Valinor's sixteenth birthday. You both will stay here in this house until that date. I have already sent an explanation letter to your aunt and uncle, Harry. In this time you both will be able to make any last minute preparations you need. It will not be a big wedding. Each of you are allowed to invite two people. Other than that, no one else but myself will be present. You need not worry about lodging at the time present, for Harry still needs to finish school. You, Valinor, will also be going to Hogwarts. You will say that you were home schooled. You will be known as Valinor Potter, and nothing else. No one is to know who you are or who your parents are. Now for the case of Miss Granger and Mister Weasley, I assume that you are going to invite them to your wedding, Harry, so they naturally will know. I trust them not to tell anybody else. If anybody asks why you two were married, you two make something up, I am sure you will not find that too difficult. So that is all for now. I will see you in a few hours for lunch I presume. Your rooms are not far from here. Ditto and Kale will show you to them. You can unpack, take a shower, or do whatever you please. Lunch is served at twelve." Dumbledore finished, leaving the room. Two little house elves came into the room. Kale, the girl, led Valinor out the door. Before they left, Valinor got a quick look at Harry. He looked as disgruntled as her.

"He hates me" she thought to herself. Well why wouldn't he? He hates her parents and probably thinks that she is just like them. But she wasn't anything like them. Sure she wasn't perfect. She was insecure, extremely hot tempered, and very strong willed, but she wasn't about to go around and kill anybody who wasn't pure blooded. She just wished that she could prove that to him. Maybe she could, she had three weeks. And who knows what could happen in that amount of time?

A/N: So did you like it? Please review!