"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley was rushing in from the garden. Her face was bright red and there was sweat on her brow. Harry could tell instantly that she loved having all the family in the house. She bustled over to him and gave him a large hug. He knew that it was for Sirius that she hugged him. Mrs. Weasley had never liked Sirius but she felt that Harry most be going through so much. She wanted him to know that she was there. As she let go of Harry there was a distant sound of something falling in the garden. Then there was a loud scream of laughter. Harry thought the scream sounded familiar.
"Mum, what was that?" Ron asked as he got up and walked to the window above the sink. She sighed for a moment and then walked to the door.
"That will be your brother's and Tonk's. I swear if I get anything done with them around it will be a miracle. Where has your father gone to?" She glanced up at the clock. Harry did to and he saw that the hand with Mr. Weasley on it was pointing to work. She gave another long sigh, "Ronald, if your father comes in tell him I said that-" What Mrs. Weasley said was never found out. At that very moment she ran from the room and they could here her yelling at Fred and George.
"You can tell she is happy," Hermione said quietly from behind a rather large book. They could only see the top of her bushy head, which was usually all they saw of her anyway.
"How is the joke shop going?" Harry asked Ron. They could tell that Hermione did not want to be in the conversation. She was deeply into the book she was reading. Harry glanced at the title, Advanced Arithmancy.
"It's going really well. They bought me the best gift. They got me a new broom Harry. A Nimbus Two-Thousand and Two. They said they wanted to hear that I help beat Slytherin again." Ron was thoroughly excited about the broom. He and Harry moved from the table (Hermione sat still reading her book) and went to the step. Standing at the top was Ginny Weasley.
"Hi, Harry. It is about time you got here. Ron, can I borrow Pig?" She asked as she came down the steps. Harry couldn't help but notice that she looked different. She had grown taller in the summer. Her hair was shorter and her face had finally filled out. Harry noticed for the first time that Ginny had grown up. She was no longer the sad girl who was quite around him. She was no longer the hostage of a memory in the Chamber of Secrets.
"The bloody bird is with Dad. Ask him for it when he gets home," Ron said as he walked up the steps. Ginny was holding something small and white in her hand. It looked like a letter. Harry and Ron continued up the step until they reached the final room-which was labeled Ron.
"I have Fred and George's old room. Ginny has Percy's old room. The Ghost in the attic took over mine," Ron said as he pushed open the door. It was clear that the twins had lived here. There were holes in the wall and the room smelled as if it had most certainly housed the early begging of the twin's joke shop. Ron pushed aside some laundry-which Harry noticed fell through the floor. His mouth must have been open in shock. Ron explained that the house bent in and out of shapes to make living manageable. Harry wondered what it would have been like to grow up in this house. Ron was rummaging through a chest.
"Here," Harry handed him a sleek broomstick. It was jet orange and shaped rather sharply. The head of the broom was tinted to the left (for max speed Ron added) and the end was violently straight. Harry was reminded of his old nimbus. It had served him well.
"We should play tomorrow," Harry said as he handed Ron back the broom. Ron looked so happy.
"I don't think we can mate. Tomorrow is the wedding. The day after though," Harry began to panic as Ron lay down on his bed. He had never been to wizard wedding before.
"Ron, are there any customs that I should know about?" He felt odd as Ron stared at him with disbelief. Harry was used to this look; he got it almost regularly as he found himself asking questions about average wizard things.
"Oh, Mum told me that it is not so different from Muggle weddings. I mean there are a few things but nothing you have to do. For the most part all you have to do is sit there and look nice. Do you have your dress robes?" Ron asked as he pulled a book from under his pillow. Harry could see the front, it was bright orange and Harry was sure it had to do with the Chudley Cannons.
"Yes, I do. Listen, Ron I am sleepy. I think I am going to get some rest," Harry walked over to the other bed. As he laid down on it he was sure it smelt like Canary Creams. As his eyes closed he could hear the sound of Mrs. Weasley screaming at Fred and George. He couldn't help but think about Sirius. Harry always thought of him before he closed his eyes to sleep. He could see his face and his crooked smile. Harry wondered if he would ever seem him again.
It turned out that Harry was sleepier than he thought; he woke up the next morning and heard the muffled snores of Ron. His stomach was aching with hunger. He got out of bed and walked slowly to the door. He pulled it open quietly. As he walked down the steps he could hear two very familiar voices. It was Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley. Harry could not see them. He knew it was rude to listen, but really wanted to hear what they could be speaking about. He pushed himself further down the steps. The murmurs became clear and definite voices.
"Albus, what do you think he is planning?" There was a small quiver in the voice of Mr. Weasley. He knew exactly who 'he' was.
"I am not sure Arthur," Dumbledore paused for a moment. "I believe that his eyes are no longer on the Prophecy. I think he is content with knowing it was destroyed. He knows not that I have informed Harry," He paused again. Did Dumbledore know he was there? "I would like to keep it this way. I wonder what he is planning. I think we can guess who it involves,"
"You don't mean-" Harry wondered who this person was. Both Mr. Weasley and Dumbledore were quite and Harry eased himself back up the steps. Harry went back into the room. His hunger had subsided.
Harry had no idea that Bill's wedding would be such a large affair. Harry didn't care what he and Ron talked about that morning. He went through the morning only have paying attention. Even as members of the Order came in Harry talked through a forced mouth and smiled oddly at Fred and George's jokes. His mind could not leave what he had heard. No matter what he did, he thought about the sound of Mr.Weasley's voice. He thought of who the mysterious person could be. He went through the day until it came time for him to dress.
"Ron, what exactly do you do in the wedding?" Harry asked as he pulled his green dress robes over his face. Ron was wearing a completely black lace robe.
"I have to walk down the aisle with Fluer's sister-the one you saved in the pool," Ron stopped and moved over to the mirror. Harry thought that he had never seen Ron look so fancy. There was a scream for Ron from downstairs. It was Mrs. Weasley.
"She will be foul today if anything goes wrong," Ron said as he left the room. Harry departed behind him. He didn't like to be left alone-time along meant time to think about everything. Better not to think. Mrs. Weasley was wearing a bright red dress as she snatched Ron away and sent Harry to the garden.
As he entered the garden he saw for the first time how monumental the wedding was. There were rows of white chairs-as far back Harry could see. On the left side there were a number of very patricians looking French wizards and witches. On the right were a number of red-headed wizards and witches also he saw a few Goblins and in every other seat he could see members of the Order. Harry noticed that each looked like one of the Weasley's he knew. He could see a tall lanky one-like Ron, thin and balding ones-like Mr. Weasley, and rather thin prompt ones-like Percy. Just as he glanced over one that looked like Ginny he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Hermione. She had greased her hair down and was wearing velvety black robe.
"Shall we sit down?" Hermione said. They sat next to the thin balding wizard-that turned out to be Mr. Weasley's father. Harry wondered if he should tell Hermione about last night. Then he thought: Why spoil the day?
He and Hermione sat speaking for sometime. They talked about returning to Hogwarts, class choices and books that Hermione had read ('Honestly, I wrote a great essay I want to show Professor Binns. I did it for fun). Just then, Harry could hear the magically magnified voice of Mrs. Weasley call attention. Just then a great boom of traditional music filled the room. Hermione looked oddly at the kitchen door. Out of it came Fred, who was holding hands with some French witch; lilies fell magically from above them. George came out next arm and arm with a French witch as well. Then came a wizard Harry had never seen. He was rather tall and sunburn. He must work with Bill. Then came Ron and Fluer's younger sister; she smiled at Harry as they walked passed. Hermione looked livid.
The music became deeper and more melodious as the last couple came out. Out of the Burrow's kitchen door came Bill and Fleur. She was wearing an all white robe and lilies in her hair. Bill was wearing simple black robes and Harry could see he cut his hair. Mrs. Weasley was crying loudly from a corner. They reached the end of the aisle and Harry wondered what happened next. There was no minister.
Magically a rope came from thin air. Fleur and Bill put their hands out and the rope tied them together. For a moment silence filled the room. Then out of no where Dumbledore stood. He clapped very loudly and all the others joined. Harry couldn't help it, he thought it was anti-climatic.
"That was so sweet. I love this…not as long as Muggle weddings," Harry stared at her. She was looking fondly at Fleur and Ron as if they were parts of a puzzle. The clapping stopped and Dumbledore moved to the front. "I suppose he is there passage. You know passage into the world of marriage. He claps first and starts the feast."
"May the feast commence," Dumbledore said loudly. He clapped his hands together and the rows of chairs turned into tables; upon them sat food. Harry thought the wedding wasn't that bad.
