I still don't own any Harry Potter characters but I have J.K. Rowling's autograph !
(P.S the Ray Ellington Quartet were a real musical group)
The WeddingHarry made his way to seat 162, and found Ron and Charlie were sitting either side of him.
"What kept you?" Ron hissed. "Did Auntie Gwyneth stop you? I tell you that woman is as mad as…"
"Listen, I overheard something from a couple of Death Eaters. I'll tell you and Hermione about it after the ceremony."
Harry looked around the chapel. At the front of the chapel an old muggle vicar stood, clearly bemused by so many people in robes and pointed hats. The pews had been enlarged by magic, so the huge families of the Weaslys and the DeLacours could all squeeze in. There were many people here Harry did not recognize, although there were some he had seen when accompanying Mr Weasly to the Ministry of Magic. He saw Kingsley Shacklebolt a few rows ahead of him, a man Mr Weasley and Harry had once shared a lift with, he even saw Professor Flitwick on the DeLacour side, and standing by the entrance, utterly bemused by the hustle and bustle, was the unmistakable figure of…
"Hagrid!" Harry called out. Hagrid turned to see the source of the voice, and beamed when he saw Harry.
"'Ello, Harry!" Hagrid squeezed himself in next to Charlie. An elderly wizard went to ask Hagrid to move seats, but thought better of it and sat down next to an irritable looking Frenchman.
"Sorry Grawp couldn' come." Hagrid said to Ron. "I don' know whether yeh dad's invitation included him or not."
Harry couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief. Grawp was hardy the kind of giant to sit still for more than a minute.
"Any news?" Charlie whispered. Ron and Harry leaned in to hear.
"Nothin' yet." Hagrid replied. "He's pretty much gone in teh hidin' again. I'da though' with Dumbledore gone…"
Hagrid stopped to wipe a tear from his eye.
"Sorry. I shouldn' be sad. 'S been months now. Besides, it's a happy occasion. Bill 'n Fleur." Hagrid leaned in again.
"Don't suppose any of yeh's seen Madame Maxime, have yeh?"
"Shhh! It's starting!" Ron hushed them. They sat up again, the witch behind Hagrid craning her neck up to see. Bill and Lupin took their positions, Lupin looking a lot different in robes that weren't shabby, and his face looked happy and healthy. Bill looked nervous and very exited; he was almost shaking and couldn't stand still. Fred and George were standing to the side holding the cushions bearing the rings, looking for once solemn, and Mr and Mrs Weasley were sitting in the front row, Mrs Weasley sobbing slightly.
Everyone quietened down, the organist began to play. Looking back, Harry could see Fleur and a brittle looking man that must be her father walking slowly up the aisle. Fleur was wearing robes that bore similarities to a traditional muggle wedding dress, except there was no veil. She looked extremely nervous, but was smiling happily. Her eyes flicked from relative to relative, she smiled slightly at Harry and Ron, and Ron turned a bright pink.
Finally, they reached the front of the chapel. The vicar began his speech, reading a few passages, and explaining the joys and virtues of matrimonial bliss. He came to the penultimate lines, and Bill and Fleur gazed into each other's eyes, the love between them apparent to everyone in the room.
"Do you, William Weasley, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for better, for worse, for richer and for poorer?"
Bill smiled. "I do."
The vicar turned to Fleur.
"And do you, Fleur DeLacour, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for better, for worse, for richer and for poorer?"
Fleur smiled. "I do."
An 'Aaaaaaaaah' swept across the crowd.
"By the power invested in me by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I pronounce you…" A wizard official hurried up to the vicar and whispered something in his ear. The vicar gave him a strange look, but nodded.
"…Wizard and Witch. You may kiss the bride."
Bill leaned into Fleur and kissed her. The crowd applauded and cheered, getting on their feet. Harry, Ron, Charlie and Hagrid stood up with the rest of them, Hagrid roaring with enthusiasm, tears running down his face into his tangled beard. Mrs Weasley was crying so hard Mr Weasley had to hold her up to prevent her from fainting.
Bill and Fleur were looking so happy Harry was surprised light wasn't coming from their faces.
After the ceremony had finished, everybody went into the hall were a band had begun to play, and food had been laid out on tables. All the families reacquainted themselves with long-lost relatives, and got to know the other side of the marriage. The newly wedded couple were the centre of attention, being congratulated by every person, complimented on how nice they look, and giving them tips on a happy marriage. Harry had been spotted a few times, but for once no one seemed to be paying much attention to him. He found this a welcome relief to have someone else in the spotlight, and made his way over to where Hermione and Ginny were talking.
"Quite a ceremony, wasn't it?" Hermione asked Harry. "I mean, I wouldn't have minded being a bridesmaid, but all in all quite nice, wouldn't you say?"
Harry nodded, but he wasn't really listening. He was looking over at where Ron was talking to a very attractive girl. He was talking easily and laughing; entirely unlike the Ron that Harry knew. Harry staring at them drew Hermione's attention to them. Harry could see that she was forcing herself to stay calm.
"Who… who's that girl Ron's talking to?" She asked almost casually.
Ginny looked over to him and smiled.
"Don't worry, that's only our cousin Rosita."
"I'm not that sure it is." Harry replied as he watched Ron put his arms around her and kiss her. A look of disgust came across Ginny's face when she saw him, and Harry could clearly see that Hermione was controlling some dark desire that involved cursing Ron into a rubber duck. As they walked away, Harry turned back to the two girls.
"He was never really that close to her." Ginny was saying to Hermione. "I don't know what could have come over him. I mean she's our cousin!"
"Who's our cousin?" Ron appeared holding drinks. He dropped them when he received a sharp slap to the face from Hermione. The resulting crash drew the attention of the nearby crowd, but Hermione was still glaring at Ron.
"I think you're disgusting! I mean she's your cousin!"
"What were you thinking, Ron?"
"Couldn't you control yourself?"
After this outburst from Ginny and Hermione they stormed off, leaving Ron bright red with butterbeer all down his robes. The crowd continued chatting amongst themselves.
"Scourgify." Ron muttered, clearing up the drinks he had made. "Okay, what have I supposedly done now?"
Harry cocked an eyebrow. "Well, if she is your cousin…"
"If who's my cousin? What are you talking about?"
"Rosita."
"Yes, what about her?"
"We saw you kiss her."
"Kiss her?" Ron took a step back, clearly revolted. "That's sick, she's my cousin!"
"That's what I just told you."
"I know! I didn't do it!"
"Well we all saw you."
"I was over at the bar getting drinks!"
Fred and George came over.
"Ron, you might want to control yourself." Fred said.
"Yeah, close family relations and all that. It is a bit sad." George added.
"I didn't do it!" Ron practically yelled.
"We all saw you. Look, if you don't want us to tell anyone, we won't."
"Now, if you'll excuse us, we're off to give Bill some honeymoon tips."
Fred and George disappeared into the crowd, and Ron turned back to Harry.
"I didn't do it." He almost whimpered.
"Okay." Harry thought about all the times when Ron had believed him and stuck by him during their time at Hogwarts. It was the least Harry could do to stick with him now. "Okay. I believe you. But someone who looks very much like you kissed Rosita."
"It could have been Polyjuice potion."
"All that trouble just for a quick snog and make people think it was you?"
"Maybe they really don't like me."
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Bride and Groom are about to cut the cake." A wizard called out for the band to stop and for everyone to gather around the table. Bill and Fleur were standing around the cake, which had a small, moving model of them slow dancing on top of it. Bill transfigured his wand into a knife and, both of them holding it, cut a slice of the cake. There was polite applause, and Bill began handing out slices to everyone. Harry and Ron each grabbed a plate and took a slice from Bill.
"I think it's better if I stayed away from Hermione and Ginny for a bit." Ron told Harry. "The expression 'turn the other cheek' might be a bit hard for me at the moment."
Harry nodded, and Ron went off into the direction of the bar. Harry went over to rejoin Hermione and Ginny.
"Can you believe Ron? He can't even show his face near us."
"He's probably gone off to see her."
Harry could see that this was not a good time to be arguing with the two girls, so he instead turned the conversation to the strange men he had seen lurking around the back of the chapel.
"Shouldn't we report them or something?" Hermione suggested.
"We don't have any evidence." Harry replied. "They'll never believe us unless we have firm proof."
"What about their Dark Marks?"
"Voldemort probably isn't using them anymore. They've exposed his followers too many times before; he might be using other ways of contacting them."
The conversation went on like this for a while, bringing up suggestions, but in the end they weren't going anywhere. The conversation was finally interrupted when the announcing wizard called out again.
"Everyone find a partner, and put your hands together for the Ray Ellington Quartet!"
The crowd applauded as a short, dark skinned man in purple robes went up to the stage. The musicians behind them began tuning their instruments. Harry instinctively went to go with Ginny, but she shook her head.
"You're the one who said that we can't be involved anymore." She said. "Even one dance might raise a few eyebrows."
"Besides," Hermione added. "One of Fleur's brothers has had his eye on her."
Harry laughed and turned away. He was looking for someone who might remotely be interested in dancing with him (preferably female) when Fleur approached him, bringing her sister Gabrielle.
"'Arry." She said in her throaty voice. "You remember my seester Gabrielle?" I 'hope you save a dance for 'er."
"Um…" The last time Harry had seen Gabrielle she had just been pulled from the bottom of the Black Lake in Hogwarts. He had to admit she looked better now in red dress robes and her blonde hair done up in curls. He shook his head to clear the Veela charm both Fleur and Gabrielle carried.
"Yeah, sure." Harry nodded. "Oh, congratulations by the way."
"Oh, 'Arry, you are too kind." Fleur swooped down and kissed Harry on the cheek. "Now, eef you will eexcuse me?"
Fleur left Gabrielle with Harry and went to join Bill on the dance floor. The lights dimmed, and the announcing wizards voice rang out yet again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the newly wedded couple share their first dance."
The quartet began to play, and Ray Ellington began to sing. Fleur and Bill slow danced their way across the floor, gazing into one another's eyes. Mr and Mrs Weasley looked fondly at each other, and various couples around the hall gazed at the couple in the middle. Bills larger feet stepping in and out of Fleur's steps, and Fleur expertly leading. The two danced across the floor, love in each other's eyes.