The Handfasting

"I have great hopes that we shall love each other all our lives as much as if we had never married at all." (Lord Byron)

It was early afternoon on a crisp and clear autumn day at Malfoy Manor. The large banquet room on the south side of the house was buzzing with conversations, the clink of crystal goblets and the rustle of expensive robes.

About two-hundred wizards and witches walked around the Silver Hall meeting and greeting each other and talking in small groups. Liveried servants and house elves meandered through the crowd with tablets laden with glasses of sparkling wine and platters of hors-d'oeuvres.

The large floor-level windows overlooking the garden had been thrown open and guests spilled out over the lawn, protected by warming spells, and admired the profusion of magically created fragrant flowers and plants that adorned the grounds. It might be fall all around, but that hardly foiled the magic, money and artistic taste of the Malfoys

Around the perimeter of the manor aurors robed in green stood watch, reminding those guests who paid attention, that the Malfoy residence remained a place under siege, despite the lavish festivities. Most attendees, however, disregarded the aurors and curiously tried to take in as much of the Manor and park as possible. An invitation from the Malfoys was always a rare honor, and now that Mr. Malfoy had been so much in the spotlight after his arrest, people's interest in the notorious wizard had only increased.

Younger guests snooped around in the hopes of finding perhaps a chance Dark Magical item. Readers of Witch Weekly speculated about the bride and her dress and the true nature of the relationship of the new couple, and Ministry employees nodded sagely as they discussed official matters with an air of self-importance that served to mask their level of envy at the Malfoys' displayed wealth.

Minister Fudge had just reached for a fourth crystal flute of champagne when suddenly the loud peal of a bell cut through the general bustle of the crowd.

A blond young man dressed in the solemn black robes of the Summoner walked through the hall ringing a gold bell in triple peals and called: "Hear ye! Hear ye- The handfasting is about to begin..."

Conversations stopped and people started to throng around the younger Malfoy who led the way through the ball room and down the central gravel path of the garden until the entire wedding party found themselves under the tall, ancient trees of Malfoy Park.

Without hesitation Draco guided the guests down a network of paths among the bare oaks until they came to the clearing that had been readied for the ceremony. They saw that several people had already arrived before them.

Four witches and wizards dressed in the colors of the four Elements already waited within the open space among the trees, while around the imposing stump of a felled oak stood the Lord of Malfoy Manor, a portly and elegantly dressed wizard by his side, and a Ministry witch from the Department of Records.

As the Summoner stood aside, a tall blond witch with the long staff of the Gatekeeper stepped out between the trees and greeted the guests. Inga Magnusdottir solemnly opened the consecrated circle that was marked by the silk rope and led everyone to their appointed places. It took a few minutes for the guests to sort themselves out, but when the crowd had calmed, the headmistress magically resealed the entrance, stepped up to the altar formed by the tree trunk and laid down her staff. She then assumed her place by the side of the official.

Draco, in the meantime, had remained outside the circle and now walked deeper into the park. While the guests waited expectantly the four Speakers took their positions at four low tables that were set out in the main directions of the compass.

Everyone craned their neck to get the first glimpse of the bride, and a few minutes later a stir went through the crowd as the Summoner's bell could be heard again.


Eleanor's eyes were fixed on the ground before her as she held up the skirts of her dress and carefully watched her path over tree-roots and through piles of dried rustling autumn leaves. She tried to keep up with the long strides of the Summoner who walked by her side. Behind her she heard the hurried footsteps of her Maid of Honor.

Draco had just called to them from outside the tent, and a house elf had straightened one last sprig of love-in-a-mist in her hair. Now they wound their way to the clearing for the handfasting ceremony. Eleanor was both surprised and touched that Lucius' son had consented to play a role in the ritual, which to her seemed to indicate that he supported rather than opposed their union.

"Fudge is already tipsy," the younger Malfoy sniggered as he told her about the arrival of the guests at the Manor, and she shook her head, then placed a finger on her lips.

"Shsh, we are almost there."

"Nervous?" asked Draco, lifting an eyebrow at her.

She took a deep breath. "Yeah," she admitted. "I'm going to flub my lines, trip over my gown and probably end up flat on my ass when we have to jump the broom. On top of it all this dress is laced so tight, I'm going to faint any minute."

An appraising glance out of grey eyes grazed her. "Well, you look great," the Summoner told her with conviction.

She briefly laid her hand against his arm. "Thanks, Draco," she said and smiled gratefully. "Wish me luck!"

Just then the Gatekeeper approached them with raised staff and opened the circle for them. Draco nodded to her and guided the bride and the Maid of Honor towards the altar before bowing to his father and taking his place next to the gate.

Eleanor briefly locked eyes with Lucius as she stepped to his side. She saw the groom's grey eyes narrow as he regarded her. For a moment his face remained expressionless and aloof, then she saw the corners of his mouth curve in the smallest of proud and appreciative smiles. It was meant for no one else but her, and as she caught it and smiled back she knew that her appearance met with his full approval.

Just then Belisarius stepped forward and placed a small velvet pouch in front of the Official on the oak stump. She nodded and raised her arms.

"Bear witness now to those, who have come before you, to declare their will today in the presence of all. Let this handfasting commence!

Neither a wizard nor a witch is property to be bought or sold, given or taken. So we will hereby establish if the bride and groom are who they claim to be, if they are free to marry, and if they come of their own free will."

She turned towards Marigold. "Do you know the name of this woman?

The auror gave the traditional response identifying the bride. "She is Eleanor Julia Sartorius."

"Can you vouch for her being free to be handfasted to this man?" asked the Official, and Marigold assented.

The witch then repeated the identification for Lucius, this time addressing Belisarius.

Satisfied with the answers she now turned to the bride. "Eleanor Julia Sartorius have you come here of your own free will and accord, without coercion or false pretence?"

Eleanor cast a quick look at the man standing next to her, and for a moment she remembered seeing him for the first time as he kissed her hand outside the Silver Teapot in Diagon Alley. She smiled. "I have," she said.

The face of the Official remained expressionless as she addressed the groom. "Lucius Octavian Malfoy, have you come here of your own free will and accord, without coercion or false pretence?"

Eleanor watched Lucius and saw his lips tighten for a moment. She wondered if he thought back on when he had replied to that question the last time, assenting to his arranged marriage to Narcissa in order to please his father.

"I have," he said, his voice sounding full and certain.

The witch stepped back with a curt nod. "Then you may proceed."

Belisarius moved in and opened the velvet pouch on the altar, taking out two rings and placing them on top of the fabric. He handed the smaller one to his client.

Lucius gave his mother's old wedding band an appraising glance. He had set it on Eleanor's hand once before, when he had asked her to marry him on a sun-drenched day in August in the gardens behind the Manor. This time the promise she had made him then would be fulfilled.

He faced the woman who stood by his side and heard the soft rustle of her gown as she moved. She looked lovelier than he could remember and he had to smile when he remembered her words to him as she had consented to his wedding plans. 'Let's knock their pointy wizard shoes off.' She had certainly done that. There could not be a single man out there in the circle watching, who would not wish, at least for a second, that he were him, Lucius Malfoy.

The blond wizard reached for the bride's hand and looked up to face the crowd. "No wizard may be handfasted but by his own will. So I declare here before all present that I will bind myself to this witch, my friend and partner, who stands before me."

He slipped the emerald-speckled gold filigree of the ring on Eleanor's hand and watched her look at it for a moment, meet his gaze and then reach for the remaining ring on top of the velvet. Unlike her, Lucius had not seen his wedding band yet. The old ring that had bound him to Narcissa he had discarded.

He found that she had chosen to have a replica of her own ring made for him, but without the stones. Instead a small serpent crept through the lacework of small leaves and branches that formed the circle.

He met her eyes and caught in the deep green of them an expression he had seen before. They had faced each other in her bedroom in London during his exile and she had finally looked at him and told him the truth. Just as then there was no challenge in her gaze, just a deep calm. He heard her voice again. 'I love you.'

For a moment Belisarius, the Official and the crowd of onlookers just faded away as he remembered, then her clear voice brought him back. "No witch may be handfasted but by her own will. So I declare here before all present that I will bind myself to this wizard, my friend and partner, who stands before me."

He held out his hand, and she slipped the ring on his finger, next to the Sartorius seal she had given him on the very same day six years ago. She seemed to remember herself, because as she looked into his eyes he saw her lips curve and silently mouth "happy birthday" at him.

The Official resumed her position. "And now we will proceed to the handfasting, the tying of the knot that will join the bride and groom together in marriage."

Lucius and Eleanor joined their left hands as the witch walked around the altar with a black cord and tied them together. "Behold!" she cried.

They raised their bound hands and the Ministry witch intoned the formal traditional declaration.

"Made to measure, wrought to bind, blessed be, these lives entwined!

By the powers vested in me by the Statute for the Registration of Handfastings of 1632 and the Department of Records at the Ministry of Magic I pronounce you husband and wife. I present to everyone here assembled, and to the spirits of this place, Mrs. Eleanor Malfoy-Sartorius and her husband, Mr. Lucius Malfoy."

Eleanor smiled as people began to clap and she felt Lucius right arm encircle her. The embrace proved a little awkward as they held their bound left hands between them, but that hardly deterred the man who was now officially her husband. "Like the waist. It suits you," he purred just before his lips captured hers.

She let herself sink into their kiss which was probably longer and more abandoned than tradition would have deemed seemly, but she did not mind until she finally heard the Official clear her throat. Reluctantly Lucius released her.

"I was afraid you might say that," she whispered to him when she had the use of her lips again and was rewarded with a slightly evil smirk.

The Official took charge of the ceremony again. "And now, as in all marriages, you have certain duties towards each other."

Still bound together Lucius and Eleanor approached a small table covered with a blue cloth that was set out in the east part of the circle. Fritz Hauer, dressed also in blue and speaking for the element of Air greeted them.

"Blessed be your marriage with these gifts from the Spirit of Air: clear understanding of each other, and of yourselves, joy in learning from each other and teaching your children together."

Lucius picked up a dagger that lay on the table. He faced his wife. "I call upon the Spirits of Air to witness my oath, that I shall protect you always."

Eleanor watched him as he replaced the weapon and led her to a similar table decked out in red to the south, where his brother-in-law waited for them. Lucius' oath held such poignancy for her, now that they were besieged on all sides, and to see the glint of menace in his eyes as he had brandished the dagger told her that he had not made his promise lightly. 'And I will protect you,' she thought fiercely.

Armand De Lacy held out a flaming brazier to them. "Blessed be your marriage with these gifts from the Spirit of Fire: honor and advancement as a family, success and strength, and the inspiration to find ways to love one another."

Lucius took the brazier from the red-clad wizard and again spoke to her. "I call upon the Spirits of Fire to witness my oath, that the hearth-fire of my house shall warm you and welcome you always in our home."

'It already has,' she wanted to tell him, but of course that would have definitely been a breach of tradition. So she hoped his eyes would tell him as he now handed the brazier back and gently turned her to make their way over to the west. It was time for her promises now.

At a green table Isadora Akers presented her with a silver chalice filled with water. The astronomy teacher placed her hand over her heart and seemed quite overwhelmed by her own words. "Blessed be your marriage with these gifts from the Spirit of Water: a clear understanding of each other's desire, resolve to stand by each other, whatever may come to pass, gentleness and patience."

Somehow Eleanor doubted that the Malfoys would be able to add gentleness and patience to their virtues, but she would at least give her family the benefit of the doubt. She took the chalice from the professor's hands and let Lucius drink.

"I call upon the Spirits of Water to witness my oath, that my love will comfort and refresh you. May you never thirst!"

He smiled at her and licked his lips as she handed the cup back. Somehow he also looked as if he was dying to speak out of turn, and she suspected that it would be a rather suggestive remark.

They finally made their way to the north and approached Cornelia who held up very well in her yellow silk, despite her own misgivings. She actually winked at her brother and Eleanor was again taken aback at seeing Lucius' familiar smirk on a female face as she presented her new sister-in-law with a flat gold dish that held a small piece of bread sprinkled with rock salt.

"Blessed be your marriage with these gifts from the Spirit of Earth: strength to do what you must do, when you must do it, and together as one, fertility and stability."

Eleanor picked up the bread with her unbound hand and gave it to Lucius to eat. "I call upon the Spirits of Earth to witness my oath, that my love will nourish and sustain you always. May you never hunger!"

As they completed the circuit and moved back to the altar in the center they found Belisarius and Marigold in their way. The Guardian and the Maid of Honor held an old beaten-up looking broom between them that was lavishly garlanded with orange blossoms.

The Official approached the new couple. "I will now unbind you as the fetters that will hold you henceforth will be the fetters of your hearts." She unwrapped the cord from their hands, cut it in two and presented them each with one half. Then she addressed the crowd. "The handfasted couple will now jump the broom in time-honored tradition."

As the Guardian and the Maid bent down to hold the broom above the ground Eleanor felt Lucius' had slip into hers. "Ready, wife?" he challenged her. Eleanor tried to take a deep breath despite her stays and wondered briefly how she would hold up while dancing later on. "Ready, husband," she replied.

As they jumped everyone erupted in shouts and clapping and one could barely hear the Summoner's bell again, as Draco shouted to the guests. "Come now and join us at the Manor for our feast!"

Inga Magnusdottir picked up her staff and opened the circle while Lucius and Eleanor returned one last time to the tree stump to sign two copies of the Ministry certificate of handfasting, witnessed by the Maiden and Guardian, and signed and sealed by the Official. The Ministry witch handed one copy to Lucius for the family archives and packed the other one into her cloth bundle for Ministry records.

Her business-like demeanor disappeared together with the official document. "Well, that went rather smoothly," she complimented everyone patting the altar. "Now, where might one get a decent glass of fire-whisky around here?"