The wedding ceremony was beautiful. Bill's friend and fellowcurse breaker atGringottsread funny stories about their adventures with a certain perfectionist goblin who was extremely touchy and snappish. Apparently, Bill and his friend had taken advantage of this, much to the goblin's annoyance. Finally, the two kissed, and everyone cheered. Ginny looked sideways at Harry while clapping merrily and winked at him.
After the service, everyone returned to the Burrow where there party would be held. Harry, who had been there just that morning, was startled at how many changes had been made in such a short amount of time. Live angels were floating gracefully around, singing in high, pure voices. Once in awhile, one would shoot someone in the back with an arrow, and that person would suddenly become sweet and look for his or her love. Streamers were hung up everywhere, and tiny sparklers continually exploded (courtesy of Fred and George). Harry took Ginny's hand and led her over to meet with Bill and Fleur, who were thanking everyone for coming. Ginny reached forward enthusiastically and hugged her brother.
"Congratulations!" she cried happily. "The first Weasley to marry. I bet I'm next," she added, sneaking a look at a blushing Harry. Harry was thinking if he should shake Bill's hand in a manly way when the second eldest Weasley hugged him.
"Thank you so much for coming Harry!" Bill smiled. Harry instantly felt right at home. It was all right. He was a Weasley, too.
"It was beautiful," he answered honestly, grinning. Mr. Weasley sauntered over with a bottle of Fire whiskey in his left hand.
"Hello boys," he croaked. "Fleur, you're gorgeous. Will you marry me?" he swayed and cackled drunkenly. Fleur stared in open-mouthed horror, while Bill roared with laughter.
"He's never had a drink in his life!" he cried throughout laughs. Ginny rolled her eyes at her father, and helped Bill carry him over to a plush maroon chair.
"You stay there, Dad," she ordered sternly, while Charlie came rushing over to tend to him. Ginny turned and vanished into the crowed. Harry looked around to see many familiar faces. Lupin was chatting with Tonks, who had long, silky black hair and a dreamy look upon her face. Professor McGonogall was talking with Hagrid about some sort of Jabberth.
"And I fed 'im a slobberworm, and 'e went all calm, yer know what I mean?" Hagrid said. Harry laughed at Professor MgGonogall's revolted expression. She pulled her tall black hat further down on her face. Madam Promfery was lugging around a portrait of a fat lady in a silk dress.
"If only Dumbledore were here," the Fat Lady complained. "He could get me out of here for a couple hours and I wouldn't have to be lugged around like a box of-"
Harry didn't hear the rest of her complaint, for a firecracker whizzed right at his head, and he was forced to duck. He silently marveled at Fred and Georg's magical ability, and headed over to the punch table. Kingsley Shacklebolt was standing there, looking grumpy and thoroughly unhappy.
"Hi," Harry said. Kingsley merely grunted and turned away to find himself face to face with Hermione Granger, who looked dazed and happy, a tall redheaded boy standing behind her, beaming.
"H-hi there," she giggled, very girlishly. The man turned away once more.
"Filthy mudblood," he grunted. Harry grabbed Kingsley's shoulders and whirled him around to look into his eyes.
"What did you call her?" he demanded. Shacklebolt looked disgruntled.
"Wha-what do you mean, Potter?" he shook. Harry glared at him.
"You called her Mudblood," he accused. Kingsley cursed.
"Knew I was forgetting something " he hissed to himself. Harry shook him.
"What are you talking about?" he shouted. "And why are you calling me Potter? What is wrong with you?" Hermione backed up, looking with disgust at the highly ranked Auror and member of the ministry. Kingsley sighed in frustration.
"I've waited long enough," he growled, pulling out a long, thin wand. Harry plunged his hands into his robes, but not before the man's skin had started to bubble up. Harry stared.
"Polyjuice Potion," Hermione whispered. The man looked down at his arms, and realized his mistake. Halfway through the transformation, an eerie sign appeared upon his right forearm. He pressed it, screamed in pain, and grinned nastily at the silently shocked party. Black, hooded men appeared, laughing and cackling evilly. Harry clenched his wand tightly, and quickly pointed it at the Death Eater who had been disguised as Shacklebolt.
"Petrificus Totalus!" he bellowed. The curse rebounded off the man. He smirked.
"At Potter," he drawled. "You didn't take a good look at this mark on my arm now, did you?" Harry looked at the Dark Mark. No, not the Dark Mark. There was no stake entwining the skull. It was a…
"An eagle?" Harry said faintly. The man nodded.
"Very good boy," he hissed. But then, Harry realizes it wasn't a hiss. It was a twerp. The man grabbed Harry's wand while the boy was standing frozen, and twirled it carelessly between his thumb and forefinger. He grabbed Harry by the front of his robes and lifted him into the air with extraordinary strength. He pulled Harry closer until they were face to face.
"Do not dare humiliate me by assuming that I follow that idiot snake man," he snarled. Harry's eyebrows rose.
"What, you mean Voldemort?" he said carelessly, smiling at the man's expression.
"I will not tell you not to speak the name," the man said. "He is not clever enough to create fear of a name. However, I am. My name is Gremur." Harry stared the man straight in the eye.
"Only Voldemort is good at being an ass," he taunted. The man's eye's lowered, and he threw Harry from him with all his might.
"I am the Dark Lord!" he roared. "No one else! No one can challenge me and live!" Harry lay on the floor, wandless and quite amused. Ron tried to throw him his wand, but another robed man caught it easily and pocketed it. Ron looked faint, and Fred came up from behind and supported him.
"My wand," Ron moaned. Harry gave him a 'well you tried' look. Suddenly, there was a yell of, "Stupefy!" A bright blue jet of light flew out and knocked Gremur off of his feet. Harry breathed in relief, and started to get up when Gremur leapt up and starting advancing upon Ginny, who was standing firmly on the ground.
"I just told your little boyfriend over there," he said. "You see these little hats on our heads? Course not, they're invisible. Well, these are extremely helpful little things called Shield Hats.
"Hey!" came a yell. Fred started sprinting towards the man, who froze his legs with a flick of his wand.
"Nice things you make at that little shop of yours," he said calmly. Fred struggles fiercely against his body bind, then finally regained his senses, pointed his wand at his legs, and muttered the counter curse. He walked towards Gremur.
"You lying hag," he stated calmly, George now accompanying him. "We never sold our stuff to you." Gremur smiled.
"Oh, but you did," he chuckled. My little daughter here walked right in and bought your stuff for me. Helpful little tad. First one I branded with my mark." He brushed his finger in a complicated pattern across his mark, and with a loud crack, a tall, hooded figure appeared. It sank to its knees.
"Please father," came a weeping voice that Harry thought rather familiar. "Please. I don't want to kill him. I can't. They were my friends! Please! Plea-g" she was cut short as the Gremur swished his wand and she fell over, screaming in pain. When he released her, she lay sobbing at his feet.
"No, not the Cruciatus curse," Gremur said softly. "No, not that pitiful excuse of torture. This here is a little invention of mine, called the Jibber Jive. Actual scissors are inside you, and start cutting away at you organs. After awhile, you die. Hurts, too," he added, gesturing towards the crying figure.
Harry wanted to kill this man, almost as much as Voldemort. For he had finally recognized the voice of the crying person, and put that and the Eagle Mark together. He ran forward and pulled off the figure's hood.
"Cho!" he whispered in disbelief. He had known it was her, but still could not take it in. The beautiful girl lay sobbing at his feet, looking up at his with the utmost despair and longing.
"Kill me," she whispered. "I can't take it, just kill me please. Please." Cho moaned as Gremur sent another dose of the Jibber Jive. She screamed in agony and pain and clutched into a ball. It stopped, and she breathed heavily. Gremur sniggered.
"I can't use it in big doses," he explained in a low voice. "She'll die, and I most certainly don't want that. But a little bit of pain now and then is only good for discipline, and she is in dire need of that." He chuckled, and Harry stood up slowly and advanced upon him.
"Let her go," he said calmly. "Or I'll kill you." Gremur laughed.
"In case you haven't noticed boy," he answered, "you are wandless, and I have a wand. And now I conquer you." He pointed his wand at Harry's chest, when a high, cruel voice broke in.
"He is mine." Harry looked in horror as Voldemort glided towards him, loathing written upon his face. His bright red eyes gleamed angrily and he looked in disgust at Gremur.
"Harry Potter is mine,' he repeated. Death Eaters stood behind him, trying to look immensely threatening to Gremur's followers, who returned the favor with icy cold glares, making some Death Eaters whimper. Harry knew he was trapped. How could such a wonderful party turn into a graveyard? He reprimanded himself for thinking it, but he knew that most of the Weasleys would not escape the predicted fight ahead. They just were not good enough. With a pang, he thought of Ginny. He backed up, but Gremur jabbed his wand in his chest, causing Hary to wince in pain.
Voldemort walked forward, his wand pointing at Gremur.
"Give me Potter," he said. "And I will spare your life. Thank you ever so kindly for surrounding him for me. Now allow me to kill him, or would you like to take his place?"
Gremur hesitated, then screamed, "Jibiero!" and aimed at Voldemort, who easily leaned sideways, the spell missing him by inches.
"Do you really think of fighting me?" he hissed. "I am the Dark Lord, the unbeatable."
"No you're not!" came a trilling voice. Harry twirled around, searching for the anonymous voice. Ginny's fists were clentched at her sides, her eyes piercing and her face white and furious.
"Who dares interrupt me?" Voldemort snarled. Ginny sent red sparks into the air from her anger.
"Me," she growled. Voldemort laughed delightedly. "You're not unbeatable," she continued hurriedly. "Harry's beaten you four times and he will tonight!" Voldemort lazily pointed his wand at the fierce red-headed girl.
"Avada Ked-" He was cut off when Gremur threw a spell at him once more, determined to win. Voldemort ducked, and Ginny took that moment to run to Harry.
"Ginny, get out of here!" Harry cried as she helped him up. She glared at him.
"Harry, no," she growled. "I'm staying and helping you. If you haven't noticed, you have no wand." She added, twirling hers. Harry snatched it and sent a spell at her that caused her to Apparate into Dumbledore's old Headmaster office at Hogwarts.
He stood watching as Gremur and Voldemort dueled. Voldemort was obviously much more powerful, but, being a former Ravenclaw, Gremur was much more knowledgeable and knew many deadly spells, some that Harry was quite sure he had invented himself. It was getting nastier and nastier. Gremur's men walked towards the terrified Death Eaters, and starting cursing them without a thought. They quickly won, and turned to cheer on their master. Voldemort's eyes grew steadily redder.
"Crucio!' he shouted. Gremur conjured up a shield, and the curse rebounded, leaving the shield shattered and broken. Gremur tossed it away, and raised his wand.
"Leviorsa!" he bellowed. His aim missed, and a fallen Death Eater rose into the air, his top half breaking off from his bottom and floating into the air. The bottom fell to the floor with a heavy thud. He was not yet dead, but blood was flowing thickly from his severed body.