A/N May not be suitable for younger eyes.

Chapter 8

July 19

Harry couldn't explain what made him do it, but he decided to wear his dragonhide vest and pants under his dress robes. It wasn't one of his dreams or visions, but he had an uneasy feeling regarding the wedding. Maybe it was his new responsibilities as head of the Order, or his disappointment after talking with Hammer, but he was nervous.

He also wore Godric's sword in the ceremonial scabbard at his side. Mr. Weasley had asked him to use it as part of the traditional wizard's blessing at the end of the ceremony. As the rightful owner of the heirloom, Harry would walk up to the kneeling couple and tap each of them on their left shoulder. Harry thought the whole ceremony had been vastly overblown through the combined efforts of Molly and Fleur's mother, Riana.

Harry found Hermione talking with her mum and dad. She was wearing an ice blue backless long dress and by any objective assessment looked beautiful.

"Hi Harry," said Emma. "You look very handsome in those robes." He was wearing light wool slate grey robes with crimson trim over his body armor. She saw the slight frown on his face as he looked over to Hermione and quietly asked, "What's wrong?"

Harry fumbled over the words. "Hermione, you look beautiful. I mean your dress looks great, but…" He didn't know how to tell her the things he wanted to say.

Hermione studied Harry's face for a moment and knew that he was trying to say something. She replied, "Tell me what's on your mind, Harry."

"Would you wear your dragon hide armor under some dress robes instead?"

At first offended that Harry didn't like her dress for some reason, Hermione was ready to lay into Harry with some nasty comment. Then her normal rational thinking took hold and she realized that he'd never say anything to intentionally hurt her feelings. She thought for a moment, trying to interpret what he had really meant.

Harry made eye contact, pulled out the puppy dog eyes and asked, "Please?"

Dan seemed to understand and came to the teens rescue. He asked, "Harry, do you have any extra sets?"

Harry nodded.

Emma said, "If it's OK to borrow them, we all will wear them. Hermione, is that OK with you dear?"

There were tears welled in Hermione's eyes – disappointment, frustration, anxiety, profound respect, and something else. She'd had precious few times to dress up and be a young woman, and hated the costs that the war was inflicting on them on a daily basis. She hated the idea of wearing body armor to a wedding, and knew that it must have hurt Harry to even bring it up. Realizing that he was just being careful, and grateful that he cared, she nodded and said, "I'll go get several sets for Mum and Dad to try on. Thanks Harry."

Harry didn't know exactly how to take her comment, but said nothing. He was disappointed that Director Hammer had refused to assign more Aurors.

"What are these dear?" asked Dan holding up a piece of cord that had been tucked into the pants pocket.

Hermione replied, "They are emergency transportation devices, Dad. If you pull on them twice, they'll instantly transport you to the back garden here. Just leave them in the pocket. They'll be fine."

… --- …

A few minutes before they were ready to leave, Dan took Harry aside and asked, "how much trouble are you expecting?"

Harry replied, "Any is too much. Trouble seems to find me."

Dan asked, "If you're so certain that there'll be trouble why... never mind, I see your point. If you can't live your life, in a way the other side has already won." Harry nodded. Dan looked at the teen for a moment and asked, "What can I do to help?"

With a pensive look on his face for a moment, Harry replied, "Keep your eyes open, dance with your wife, and daughter, but at the first sign of trouble get them away." Harry thought for a second and said, "I'll be right back." He returned a minute later with the American .45 pistol that Dumbledore had left him.

Dan looked quite surprised and asked, "Harry, where did you get this? Pistols are illegal."

Harry said, "Dumbledore left it for me. It has a special permit. If anything happens, I have millions to hire solicitors with. Better to be safe than sorry. Please?"

"I have practiced with one before. I was in the service for a few years right out of dental school." Dan understood that Harry had his family's best interest at heart and nodded. Harry helped him adjust the shoulder holster.

As Harry was helping Dan with his robes that Hermione had insisted her parents wear after the first discussion, Emma came in and asked, "Are you two ready?"

Dan replied, "As ready as we will ever be. Let's go."

Harry asked, "Should I say something to Ginny?"

Emma asked, "Harry, have you ever been to a wedding before?"

In truth, before this summer, Harry hadn't really been anywhere socially. He shook his head and replied, "No Ma'am."

Glancing at Hermione for a moment and seeing her cautioning look, Emma replied, "The bridesmaids all wear matching formal dresses. It wouldn't do to bring body armor up. I'm sure they'll be careful."

… --- …

Ginny adjusted her dress for what seemed like the twentieth time in the last hour. She felt eleven again in the strapless gown looking at herself in the mirror after seeing Fleur. Even Gabrielle seemed to fit into her dress better.

"You look lovely dear," said Molly to her daughter. She knew that Ginny would always be petite and loved her just as she was.

Ginny looked at her mum, thankful for the words of encouragement. She tucked her wand into the matching bridesmaid handbag along with the emergency portkey that Harry had insisted that all Order members carry.

… --- …

Ron was looking through the latest issue of Which Broomstick, deciding whether to order the Firebolt Standard model like Harry had or to go with the DLX model which contained enchanted unbreakable twigs. It was only three hundred galleons more.

The twenty thousand galleons that Harry had given him last night was burning a hole in the teen's pocket. One thousand two hundred galleons did seem like a lot for a broom, but he finally had the opportunity to get something that he really wanted.

Ron ignored the fact that Fred and George had started a highly successful business on about the same amount of gold as his intended purchase. He just wanted it. He wanted to take Hermione out for dinner again and not have to consider the prices on the menu and to have enough muggle notes to pay, no matter where he went.

With his new gold, Ron just knew that Hermione would see him in a better light.

… --- …

Harry and Tonks visited with the Aurors before the ceremony. They were mostly people that Harry didn't know. Harry noticed one and quietly asked Tonks, "Who's that?" The wizard had sharp eyes, and looked like a man who could take in every detail with just a glance.

She replied, "Bob Sunset. He was in my Auror class. I'll introduce you."

Harry walked over with Tonks who said, "Bob, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Harry Potter."

Bob was a bit awestruck, but quickly recovered. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Potter sir."

Harry remembered seeing him from the Borgin capture, held out his hand and smiled. "Harry. Just Harry. Please. Do you have everything that you need? It's a big parimeter to cover."

Bob looked at Harry sand replied, "Yes Sir. Four other Aurors are also on duty."

Harry had previously seen Aurors Hestia Jones, Michael Wood and two others who he didn't recognize wearing their duty Auror robes. He replied, "It was nice to meet you Bob."

Bob nodded in agreement and replied, "Lets hope that the most eventful moment this evening is standing around watching Bill undoing Fleur's garter to give away." They smiled at each other. Harry and Tonks went to find their dates.

… --- …

Harry found Ginny a few minutes later. He caught himself staring at her hungrily. She looked like a special Christmas gift that was waiting to be unwrapped. The only words that he could manage to get out of his mouth were, "Wow Ginny. You look brilliant. I'd hug and kiss you all afternoon, but I wouldn't know where to start."

More than a bit embarrassed at his words, Ginny replied, "Thanks. You look rather tidy yourself, Mr. Potter. I wouldn't mind unwrapping you later." She no longer felt like a beanpole. Harry was a bit embarrassed at her words, even though he'd had the same thought.

… --- …

Harry had never seen anything like the ceremony before. Justice Abraxan from the Wizengamot performed the ceremony. Bill looked very handsome in his slate grey robes. Fleur, well Fleur looked as beautiful as any woman could possibly look. She had ivory wedding robes. The gown was backless and somehow seemed to stay on magically. Ron seemed to have caught the full vela magic blast and nearly made a fool of himself during the ceremony.

After Justice Abraxan had spoken her words and Fleur and Bill had exchanged their actual vows, she nodded at Harry who walked over. Carefully Harry withdrew the extraordinarily sharp weapon from the scabbard. Harry said the words that he'd repeated several dozen times. "Fleur and Bill, may you both enjoy the luck drawn from Godric Gryffindor's own sword." As he gently tapped Fleur and tapped Bill on the shoulder with the flat side of the sword. Several wizarding cameras flashed while Harry was working.

He heard some murmuring as he was saying his words. Harry had come to take the sword for granted, but within the wizarding world, it was virtually a mythical artifact.

After Harry finished, Justice Abraxan walked over, out her hands on Fleur and Bill, then said, "May I introduce for the first time, "Mr. and Mrs. Bill Weasley." Everyone stood and applauded.

… --- …

After meeting with the dementors, Riddle sent them to the staging area a few miles from Ottery St. Catchpole then called his Death Eaters. While Riddle seemed largely unaffected by the hellish creatures, he knew that the Death Eaters wanted little to do with them.

At the wedding guests were congratulating the new couple, Voldemort was beginning his prep talk, covering the final plans. "Wormtail tells me that by a stroke of luck, Scrimgeour, Hammer, and Potter are all at the same table. This will allow you to cast your killing curses from a greater distance. Should you miss one target, you will likely hit one of the others. Bella will cast the first spell. Do nothing until she has fired. The only thing that can go wrong with this plan is if the targets are alerted and have time to scatter. Don't let that happen." Voldemort walked around the inside perimeter of the circle that the Death Eaters had made looking at his servants, sensing varying amounts of fear or confidence.

He continued. "After you have fired your first killing curse, you may target anyone that you wish. The Dementors should appear within a minute. After they have arrived, apparate back here. Do not stay and engage the targets. The Dementors will begin feeding and finish your work for you."

Malfoy's robes hid the extreme excitement that the young man felt at the Dark Lord's words.

Riddle continued, "Wormtail, stay a few minutes and assess the damage that the dementors are able to inflict." The balding man with the silver hand nodded, largely out of fear.

Riddle concluded, saying "By this time tomorrow, we will have freed our other faithful servants and brought the Ministry to its knees. Do not fail me."

… --- …

Mrs. Weasley had lined Harry up in the wedding party receiving line and had him stand between Ginny and Ron. Harry truly wished to avoid the extra attention, but saw no way out of it without seriously hurting her feelings. People started coming up and spent as much time talking with him as Bill and Fleur in spite of Harry's attempt at moving them along. Harry grew increasingly annoyed as almost every set of eyes flicked up to his forehead as they passed by. Several exceptionally rude people went so far as to ask for an autograph, which Harry politely refused and moved them along. Ginny whispered, "I'm sorry Harry. Thanks for doing this for my mum."

Harry smiled at her, and his anger immediately vanished.

Minister Scrimgeour was next to greet Harry. "Congratulations again on stopping those two Death Eaters three weeks ago. It turned out that Death Eater Thomas Morte had been wanted for three murders including Director Bones. The Ministry is truly in your debt for stopping this killer."

Embarrassed, Harry replied, "You've already done more than was needed, Minister. I was only doing what needed to be done. This is Bill's sister Ginny and her brother Ron."

Scrimgeour nodded absently, and replied, "It's a pleasure, Miss Weasley. Hello Tom," and walked by.

As Harry was greeting the next person in line, Ron was silently steaming. 'Harry's always the hero. I coulda hit some bloke with a Reducto charm and gotten a pile of reward money. You don't need a scar to hit someone. I could do it too. Minister Scrimgeour didn't even remember my name. He's just like Slughorn, always playing favorites.'

In Harry's mind, the line seemed to go on forever. He was glad that he was near the end of the receiving line. Ginny tried to give him a playful pinch on the rear and feeling his body armor gave him a questioning look.

He returned her look with a grim expression and nodded. The look on her face changed in turn from questioning to surprise to understanding and she nodded back.

… --- …

After the guests had moved through the reception line and everyone had enjoyed a beverage or two, Harry had a chance to look around. The back garden was decorated with thirty-two tables that each held ten people. Harry noticed that there were little name cards on each of the tables. Apparently Molly and Fleur had spent countless hours deciding who needed to eat with whom. There wasn't a head table common with muggle wedding receptions. Several of the tables had a person or two from the wedding party.

Harry felt quite self-conscious walking around with the Godric Gryffindor sword in a scabbard tied to a crimson sash around his waist, but some things couldn't be helped. Mr. Weasley had beamed at him when he'd used it to give Fleur and Bill a tap for luck.

Ginny found Harry getting swarmed by Gabrielle and a half dozen of her friends. Seeing her, Harry gave a relieved look, and politely excused himself. "Thanks. They were being ridiculous."

Ginny replied, "That's what I'm here for." She slid under his arm. Harry was very aware of all of that bare skin, and careful not to slide her gown up or down. Ginny said, "We're at this table. Should we sit down?"

Harry thought he'd be much more comfortable sitting and replied, "Thanks."

Remus, Tonks, Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones were sitting at the table already. Harry glanced at the other name cards. Cards for Kingsley Shacklebolt and Director Connie Hammer were next to Ginny. Cards for Louise Scrimgeour and Minister Rufus Scrimgeour were next to Harry.

"Hi Hannah, hi Susan. You both look really nice. It's good to see you again." Harry didn't ask 'How have you been,' as they had lost their parents and guardian respectively. He would talk with them later and ask how they were doing. Hannah had been staying with Susan for the Holiday. Neither was comfortable living alone.

Tonks had talked Remus into getting some new dress robes. Ginny smiled at Tonks, who said, "He does clean up rather nicely, doesn't he?" Remus looked about as self-conscious as Harry felt.

Harry glanced at the next table over and saw, Dan, Emma, Hermione, Ron, Charlie, his girlfriend, and four people who seemed to know Charlie. They all seemed to be the outdoors type, deeply tanned and if possible, even less comfortable than Harry in dress robes. Charlie was talking animatedly with Hermione's parents soaring his hands, apparently describing how a dragon glides.

The table on the other side of Harry had Fred with Angelina, George with Alyx, and some other family friends that Harry didn't recognize. George seemed to be very attentive to every thing that the pretty young Auror Cadet had to say.

After the food arrived, Charlie stood to make the toast. "Bill, Fleur, everyone here wishes you both a lifetime of happiness, health and prosperity. We wish you a family of your own and a lifetime of peace." As the couple kissed, everyone raised their glasses.

The dinner was fantastic. The guests had a choice of a roasted beef and baby potatoes, or Atlantic cod with garlic potatoes and French cut beans. There were carts of cakes and fancy breads. Everything looked great.

At Harry's table Minister Scrimgeour said, "Susan, I was telling Harry that he had stopped the Death Eater who was responsible for your aunt, Amelia's…"

Mrs. Scrimgeour whacked her husband on the arm and said, "Really Rufus, this isn't the time or the place for such a conversation. Save it for another day." She gave him a look that indicated that she clearly meant business.

Fleur's sister, Gabrielle stood to make the second toast. Though she spoke slowly, her English was nearly flawless. "Fleur, I think that you have found the perfect partner in Mr. Bill Weasley. You like each other as friends, as partners, and as lovers. Bill, I hope that my mother and I can make you feel as much a part of our family as you parents, brothers and sister have made Fleur feel in yours… Oh, no…" The young woman pointed a second before the first spells were launched.

… --- …

The forty-five Death Eaters had moved into position by walking the last mile to the woods that edged up to the Weasley property. Moments before, Bella had modified the instructions slightly. "Get Scrimgeour and Hammer first." There were thick hedgerows on either side of the property and the front was effectively blocked off with serving carts, and the raised platform that had been set up for the wizarding dance band, The Charmers. Their equipment filled the platform.

Standing on the platform while delivering her toast, little Gabrielle had seen the Death Eaters emerge from the edge of the woods and managed to give everyone a two second warning.

"Oh no." Gabrielle saw the wands being pointed a second before the jets of green light began to fly.

With one fluid movement, Harry dove from his chair, dragging Ginny and Director Hammer to the ground with him. A dozen Quidditch matches and countless hours practicing had sharpened his already quick reflexes. A second later, Harry completed his lunge knocking Hermione and her parents off of their chairs and overturning their table.

Feet away from where he was originally sitting, Rufus Scrimgeour's life ended along with his wife as they were hit with a combined twenty-six Avada Kedavra curses. As Harry was accidentally groping Emma Granger, Tonks had pushed her lover to the ground, knocking Susan Bones down with her. Sitting nearly behind the Minister, Hannah Abbot was hit with eight killing curses that had missed their original target.

The next ten seconds was pandemonium. Within moments of the first jets of light the Death Eaters made a running charge for the hundred feet or so that separated them and the closest tables. In the five seconds that it took the Death Eaters to reenact the charge of the Light Brigade, most of the witches and wizards had whipped out their wands and begun firing back.

"Stay down," Harry hissed at Ginny as he stood to defend his loved ones. "Reducto, Reducto." Two idiots fell over. They would be dead within a minute.

Bella had found the table in an attempt to get Hammer and Potter. "Avada Ka…"

BANG!

The Sperry made .45 service pistol had not had a round fired in the last fifty-two years, but still functioned flawlessly. There was a small hole in the front of Lestrange's forehead. The back side was missing.

Hammer and Harry nodded at the enraged Dentist, as they each pointed to another target and fired.

… --- …

For some inexplicable reason, Sybil Trelawney had always been one of Bill's favorite professors. She had been delighted to receive an invitation to the wizarding wedding of the summer. In reality, she had very few friends and had always counted herself fortunate that the good-looking red headed man had chosen to remain friends with her after leaving school. Apparently her ability to predict the future failed her, as she was quite surprised when the purple slash hit her across the chest. She died moments later with her bottle thick glasses lying beside her.

… --- …

Hermione fired a stunner and dropped a Death Eater. He fell stunned next to her mum.

Not to be outdone, Ron saw a Death Eater behind Tonks and fired, "Reducto." Unfortunately his blast was poorly aimed and hit Ministry Director of Magical Law Enforcement Connie Hammer squarely in the chest.

"Oh no," cried Hermione who had seen Ron hit Hammer. Tonks made a vain attempt to stop the massive bleeding and to keep her boss breathing.

Remus fired and dropped a Death Eater. Next to him Fleur parent's best friends Shawn and Shauna Lumeine lay bleeding badly, hit by cutting hexes.

… --- …

Charlie noticed something was wrong when Harry dove off the table, protecting his little sister and the others in the process. He was closest to Fleur at the time and did the same with his new sister-in-law. Seconds later a dimwitted Death Eater made a charge at Fleur. Charlie demonstrated a flame-cutting spell on the Death Eater that he had used many times with his dragon-keeping job. Apparently the Death Eater was impressed by it. He spent the reminder of his life contemplating its effectiveness. Feet away, Bill nodded in appreciation.

… --- …

Hagrid, the normally gentle man saw the Death Eaters kill one of the people at his table. Lisa LeRone from Beauxbatons had been at Hogwarts during the Tri-Wizard tournament and had come to know Hagrid. As he saw her slumped head first at the table, rage filled the man. He got up, and ran at the attacking Death Eater picked her up and threw her against the trunk of a nearby tree snapping both her back and the tree in the process. Hagrid went back and picked up Fleur's friend looking in vain for somewhere to take her to get help.

… --- …

Molly Weasley was outraged. Her son's wedding was ruined and she wouldn't let these hooligans get away with it. She stunned the first Death Eater who came close to her, ran up to her and kicked the helpless woman over and over, beating her into a broken mass of black robes and a bloodied mask.

… --- …

Within twenty seconds, thirty-four of the Death Eaters were dead, seriously wounded or had been stunned. It looked like a route for the light side until the first chill hit the air. Behind the bandstand, someone screamed, "Dementors." As Riddle had planned, everyone's attention had been so focused on the Death Eaters that the dementors were nearly upon them before anyone noticed. An unholy chill filled the air.

… --- …

At that instant the remaining Death Eaters decided that it was time to leave and take their chances with an enraged Dark Lord. Ten Death Eaters managed to use their portkeys and leave a certain fate for an uncertain one.

… --- …

Auror Michael Wood was the first casualty of the dementors. Surrounded by a dozen, he had thoughts of his parents' murder at the hands of Death Eaters. Unlike the Order members, he didn't have an emergency portkey. The twelve foot dementor picked up the unconscious Auror and set him down ten seconds later before moving on to its next victim.

… --- …

Blood was everywhere as Harry hurriedly checked on Ginny and the Grangers. Harry didn't see his best buddy Ron getting stunned and manacled by the young Auror Bob Sunset.

Harry stood up and yelled, "Use your Patronus charms. Expecto Patronum." A beautiful silver stag flew from his wand and began charging the Dementors fifty feet away. Other people stood to cast their forms. Unfortunately few were able to. With the horror of so many dementors so close by, most of those who knew the charm were unable to cast anything more than a silver formless mist from their wands. Dozens of people were on the ground retching from the bad feelings.

… --- …

Percy had insisted in believing Hammer's assessment that there was a low risk of attack at the wedding. Like Hermione, he had a blindness when it came to the decisions made by his superiors. His last worldly thought as he was being lifted up by a pair of rotting hands was that he'd failed his first boss, Barty crouch. Holding Percy by the neck, legs kicking wildly, the creature raised its hood with the other hand revealing a dead looking face. There was nothing where its eyes should have been. The only discernable feature was a large toothless mouth. With a great intake of breath from the twelve-foot dementor, Percy's soul was irresistibly pulled from him and he knew no more.

… --- …

Someone ran into Harry knocked him over and accidentally knocked his wand out of his hand in the process. Harry searched in vain. The dementors began circling, apparently focused on his area. The fuzzy white noise of his mother screaming in the moments before her death returned with concert volume and crystal clarity.

As one of the vile creatures put its long fingered decaying hands on Harry's forehead, Harry pulled the sword from the scabbard and plunged it into the dementor's throat. The foul dementor let out a last unholy scream and vanished in a blast of grainy dust and muck leaving Harry covered in a black cloak and putrid slime.

Realizing that he wasn't dead yet, Harry got up and lunged his sword into the next nearest dementor, then another. Within thirty seconds the crazed teen had felled a dozen of the foul creatures. Harry would later learn that in the recorded history of wizarding, no one had ever killed off a dementor before.

"Harry!"

Hermione screamed as the evil creatures had picked up her mum and Ginny. Hermione tried, but has unable to get more than a wisp of vapor from her wand.

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG! Dan emptied Harry's pistol at the creature that was about to feed on his wife. Unfortunately the copper slugs had no discernable effect on the dementor. He watched in horror as the monster raised his best friend to its mouth.

Turning his attention to the sound of the pistol Harry charged the dementor. "Gryffindor!" cried, Harry as he pierced the unholy creature with the relic sword. Moments later, Emma was covered in the creature's empty cloak.

… --- …

Ginny was lying on the ground with her eyes unfocused when Harry felled the beast that had previously been holding her. As she was hidden beneath the massive cloak, Harry hadn't noticed her lying there in all of the confusion.

… --- …

Alyx saw the raven-haired wizard running around waving the sword like a madman. One of the few people standing, she was able to cast a Patronus at the dementors, one of the only forms that materialized in the last minute. It drove some of the dementors away at least momentarily.

Harry yelled "Patronus charms," and several people seemed to wake out of their stupor. Moments later, a half dozen forms emerged. Between the Patronus forms and the wizard who had felled over twenty of their number, the remaining dementors glided away.

Five minutes after Gabrielle had uttered the words, "Oh no," Harry looked out at the once beautifully decorated back garden. Instead of a wedding planner's pride, Harry saw thirty overturned tables, and a sea of dead, soul-less, wounded and dazed witches, wizards and Death Eaters.

He slumped to the ground and wept.

… --- …

A/N

Thanks Steve.

How could Harry get Ron out of very serious trouble?

Has anyone read a story that had a great funeral/memorial scene?

Thanks for taking the time to review.