Chapter Nine: Trickery

The sun climbed up the Weasley's house on Saturday morning, first touching the wooden handrail of the steps on the front porch, before advancing into the front living area and bathing it in an orange glow. Several minutes later the sun's rays met the eyes of Harry Potter, who happened to already be awake.

"I'm getting married today," he said softly, to no one but himself. His fiancé had spent the night with her parents, claiming to her brother and sister in law that she needed to help her mother prepare for the family gathering that was to take place later on today.

Deciding he might as well get up and go downstairs, Harry stood up from the bed, grabbed his dressing robe, and put it around his shoulders as he opened his bedroom door and advanced down the hallway. It was still very early in the morning, so everyone appeared to still be in bed.

Ron and Hermione's door was closed, and he could just faintly make up the snores his best friend was omitting from behind the wooden frame.

He smiled. Some things never change, he thought to himself as he made his way down the stairs.

It wasn't until he entered the family room that he realized he wasn't the only member of the household who was awake on this lazy Saturday morning. There on the sofa was his one and only daughter, her legs tucked underneath her body. She turned and looked over the back of the couch, through the window, and into the backyard. The sun outside was a very deceiving entity, for there was still several inches of snow on the ground. Lily Potter seemed to be transfixed by the winter wonderland outside the window, because she didn't even hear her father approaching.

"Hey there, kiddo," Harry said, finally drawing her attention.

Lily looked up and gave him a gracious smile. "Good morning, Daddy."

He walked over to her, kissed her on the forehead before he took a seat next to her on the couch. "Good morning, sweetheart. Where's Jack?"

"Oh, he's still in bed. I've been down here for a while," she admitted nonchalantly.

"Why is that?"

"Couldn't sleep," she explained.

"You didn't have a dream, did you?" he asked, growing worried.

She shook her head and looked away. "No, Dad, I had a dream the night before last. I um….never went to bed last night," she informed him, looking mildly ashamed.

"Lily Elizabeth Potter!" he lightly reprimanded, "You can't avoid dreams by simply not sleeping. It's not healthy. You need to rest!"

"I know, but Jack was up with me half the night last night after I had that dream. I know he never went back to sleep after he finally got me calmed down."

Harry sighed heavily, "Please, don't make this about burdening Jack again."

"No, it's not about Jack really. Dad, they scare me. I feel like I've lost control over my own life. I feel helpless," she said, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.

Harry pulled his daughter into his arms and held her tightly. "You're not helpless. You just need to learn how to let other people help you."

"Tell me that it's all going to be okay," she pleaded desperately. "Tell me that Jack and I are going to be alright and that we're going to get married and grow old together make each other happy for the rest of our lives."

He kissed her forehead lightly. "Let me tell you a story," he began. "Once upon a time there was a prince and his very best friend. Now these two children were friends for years until the boy realizes that he's in love with his best friend. Lucky for him, the girl feels the same about the prince and they allow themselves to fall in love. In the meantime, the girl's father is out there somewhere, worrying his little head off about his baby girl. He wonders if she's alright if she's happy and safe and loved. When the father finally sees his daughter again, he's immediately relieved because he knows the prince has taken good care of her, and loved her more with every passing moment. The father now can let go of his fitful burden because he knows the prince will always take care of her, even when she doesn't want him to. And although the he knows his daughter still has struggles ahead of her, he also knows the prince will never leave her side. He'll always been there to help her through it. And do you know what the very best part of the story is?"

Lily shook her head. "No, what's the best part?"

"The girl loves the prince just as much as he loves her. She knows she couldn't' go on without him."

"That's cute, Dad. Sounds like a regular bedtime fairy tale," she said, smiling as she pulled away from his arms to look over at him.

"It will be if you let it, love," he said as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. He poured a glass of orange juice for her and walked over to Ron and Hermione's potions cabinet. After finding the potion he was looking for, and pouring some of it into the juice, he shut the cabinet door and returned to the living room.

"Here, drink this," he said, handing her the glass and watching her take several sips. It took several seconds before he could see any of the effects of the potion.

"This has a sleeping potion in it, doesn't it?" she said, looking down at the glass which was still half full.

"Only a mild one," he confirmed. "You'll be up in time to get ready to go to the Burrow with us later."

Lily shook her head, clearly trying to shake the potions influence out of her. "But Dad, what if I…"

"If you have a dream, Jack will be right there. Let him help you, Lily. You promised me you would try," he instructed. He watched her lean back onto the back of the sofa, but she continued fighting to keep her eyes open as she gazed off into the distance. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms once more rubbing her back, soothing her into sleep. "This potion is very mild, and it wouldn't work if you really didn't need rest. Don't fight it. Close your eyes. That's it. Everything is going to be alright."

Once her breathing regulated and she remained still for a few minutes, Harry gathered her up in his arms and walked up the stairs. Once he reached Jack's bedroom door, he tapped on the wood lightly with his foot hoping that would be enough to wake him up. Sure enough seconds later a very groggy Jack Weasley opened the door racking a hand through his hair and looking slightly confused to see his girlfriend asleep in her father's arms.

"Missing something?" Harry asked, nodding down at Lily.

"I wondered when I woke up and she wasn't here," Jack said, standing aside so Harry could enter.

"I had to give her a mild sleeping potion. She never came to bed last night," Harry told him as he laid her down on the bed and tucked the covers under her chin.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Jack apologized. "I must have been more tired than I thought otherwise I would have noticed.

Harry waved his hand dismissively. "It's not your fault that she's stubborn. She should sleep for a few hours. I told her you'd be there for her if she has a dream."

"I will be," Jack assured him.

"Thank you," Harry said as he patted him on the back and left the room.

Once he was gone, Jack looked over at his sleeping fiancé buried beneath the mountain of blankets. Letting go of the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, he walked over to the bed and got underneath the covers. Even though she had ample covers on top of her, he felt her shiver beside him. He pulled her into his arms to share the warmth of his body.

"Jack," he heard her mumble, almost incoherently as she let her arm fall across his stomach.

"I'm right here," he told her. "I'm right here." He brushed the hair off her forehead, and breathed a sigh of relief when her breathing regulated and she fell back into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

"Mum, are you sure the florist placed the flowers outside properly?" Ginny Weasley asked her mother frantically as she made her way around the house, checking on this and that.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head at her daughter. "Yes, Ginny dear. Everything is all set up. The cloaking spells are in place so that no one will see the decorations until you're ready. But if you don't sit down and breathe for just a minute, I'm going to grow angry."

"I'm just nervous, Mum," Ginny assured her.

They both took a seat at the kitchen table.

"This is what you want, Ginny? You're happy?" Molly asked hopefully, taking her hand.

A silly grin graced Ginny's face. "Yes, this is exactly what I want. This is what I've always wanted. He makes me very happy, and we're going to make a wonderful life together."

"Has Harry told Lily about the wedding today?" Molly wondered.

"No, we haven't told anyone other than you and Dad and Hermione. I just hope she doesn't think I'm trying to take her mother's place. I would never try to do that."

"That poor thing," Molly said shaking her head. "She's been through so much. Every time she came here with your brother she was always so polite. Just like her father. I just wished there was more I could have done for her."

"Well, she'll be your official granddaughter once she and Jack get married anyway," Ginny reminded her.

"Yes, that's right," Molly said happily. "Have they set a date?"

"They want to do it over Easter holiday at Hogwarts," Ginny informed her. "Harry and I are going to ask them to stand up for us in the ceremony along with Ron and 'Mione."

"That will be nice, dear. Now, why don't I go check on the food while you go upstairs and start getting ready? Take a nice long bath and relax a bit. It is your wedding day after all."

Ginny nodded, kissed her mother on the cheek, and walked up the many crooked staircases to the bathroom. No matter how long she was away from the Burrow, it always felt like home. It still smelled the same as it did when she was a little girl. She remembered falling down these stairs when she was eight after Ron pushed her from behind a little too hard. She also remembered the look of guilt on his face as he helped her stand up once she reached the bottom. This house was all ways filled with noise when she was growing up. Even though no one lived here besides her parents and a few house cats, the walls still seemed to hold some of the laughter from years past.

Walking into the bathroom and shutting the door, Ginny looked around her once more. She remembered running up here one specific evening towards the war. Ron, Hermione, and Harry had been gone searching and fighting for over a year and a half. They hadn't gotten to attend her graduation from Hogwarts and they'd missed family weddings…and birthdays…and holidays. No matter how joyous the occasion was on the outside, it was always bitter sweet because they weren't there. They had left just after Bill's wedding the summer after their sixth year in school.

On the particular night Ginny was recalling no one had heard from them in almost two months. None of their letters arrived in regular intervals, but they always tried to write whenever they could.

The time Ginny was thinking of was a beautiful winter's day a few weeks before Christmas and no one knew if Ron, Hermione, and Harry were alive, dead, hurt, or hungry. Her parents were sick with worry. All her older brothers were off fighting or helping the war effort in some way, but at least they did get to see more of them a lot more than the other three. Percy was the only exception, who would never rejoin his family despite all his mother's pleads. Bill's wife Fleur had decided to stay at home with her family in France while her husband was away. Charlie's wife Danielle was staying at the Burrow along with their two small children. She'd been there since death eaters attacked her and Charlie's home in Romania six months before. Fred and George weren't married yet, but their girlfriends Kara and Jackie were staying at the Burrow with them as well. Tonks, who had married Remus Lupin in a surprising ceremony just after Bill married Fleur, was at the Burrow along with their son Jacob, and Tonks had just learned was expecting again.

Standing in bathroom, the memories of that night all came rushing back. She remembered running up here after reading an article in the newspaper about Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The article talked about their apparent "disappearance" from society, and claimed that they must have either been killed or captured. Ginny remembered coming in here and turning on the shower so no one could hear her cry.

A few months later the war ended, and she couldn't get over how different Harry was when he came home. Ron and Hermione seemed different as well. The bond between the three of them was stronger than ever, but the things they had seen and done together had changed them forever. Ron and Hermione healed by leaning on each other, but Harry was a different story.

She and Harry started dating again for a while. But it always seemed that just when she was getting through his defensive walls, he would close off again. It was almost like he was afraid to let anyone in, like he didn't think he was worth it. Knowing Harry, that assumption was probably correct. It wasn't long after that when Harry started being gone all the time again. That was the end of the road for them, or so she thought.

Smiling to herself, Ginny thought about Harry now. He was different; he'd changed again that was for sure. Perhaps it was fatherhood, or growing up, or simply separation. But he was Harry again. The Harry she'd fallen in love with years ago. The Harry that had kept her awake countless nights while she was away working in America. Merlin help her, she loved him more than she had all those years ago. Much, much more.

"Come on, baby. Open your eyes," Jack coached, trying to get his fiancé to wake up. She had been asleep for a few hours. He'd just gotten out the shower and it was time for her to get up and get ready. "Lily, time to get up."

Finally, she opened her eyes and squinted in the bright light coming in through the window. She gave him an evil look and covered her face with a pillow.

"There's my girl," Jack joked as he pulled the pillow away from her and kissed her forehead. "Always bright and cheery in the morning."

"How did I get up here?" she asked, sounding groggy.

"Your dad carried you," he reminded her. "You didn't sleep last night so he gave you a sleeping potion to make you rest for a few hours."

"Oh right, remind me to thank him for that later," she said sitting up. She stretched her arms out and made a small squealing noise. For the first time since Christmas she looked rested. Jack couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Why don't you go take a shower? We've got to leave in a little bit."

"Alright," she said, kissing him quickly on the lips, "Be right back."

Almost an hour later, Jack, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all waiting in the living room for Lily to come join them so they could leave. They'd sent the younger boys on their way just seconds before. Jack thought Harry looked nervous, for some reason. He kept fumbling with something in his pocket and running his hand through his hair.

"It is just a family party, right Harry?" Jack asked innocently.

"Yeah, ummm…why don't you go check on that girl of yours?" Harry suggested, and if possible looking more nervous.

"Sure, godfather," Jack smirked as he bounded up the stairs. "Lily!" He called walking to his room and knocking on the door. "Are you decent?"

"Do you care?" A sly voice responded from the other side of the door.

Jack grinned and opened the door. "No, really I don't."

Lily walked out from his bathroom wearing a light green dress that ended at about her knees and black high heels. The dress was tastefully cut into a v-neck, the sleeves where white as well as the empire waist. Her hair was as curly and wavy as ever, flowing like the sea to the middle of her back. She was also wearing the necklace he had given her for her birthday and her mother's bracelet. She looked absolutely amazing.

Lily seemed to have noticed he was staring at her. "Jack?" she called, trying to get his attention.

Jack did nothing but stand there in spite of his best efforts to respond. Oh man. Okay words, Jack. This is simple. Come on you've used them before. But how do you form them again?

"Are you okay?" she asked, coming closer and touching his arm gently.

He couldn't help himself; he cupped the side of her face with his palm and brought her lips to his. The kiss was completely innocent, and lasting only a lingering second, but it seemed to get his point across. He smiled to see her cheeks blush scarlet when he pulled away.

"Well, I see you like the dress," she said, giggling. This in and of itself was strange. Lily never giggled.

"Maybe I'll show you just how much I like it later tonight when we come home," he growled in her ear.

Lily raised an eyebrow but gave no reply to his implication besides nodding her head. "Okay, just let me grab my sweater," she said walking back to the closet. This was when Jack noticed the scars on her chest weren't there.

"Lil, what happened to the scars? I can't see them?"

She returned with a white sweater draped over her arm. They were arriving by floo so there was no reason to wear a heavy cloak. "It's just a simple spell," she told him as he followed her out the door and towards the stairs. "I don't usually bother with it, but since they're will be a lot of kids I decided I'd better do it to avoid questions."

"I love you," he told her, taking her hand.

"I love you too," she whispered in his ear. By that time they were in the living room.

"There you are," Hermione said anxiously. "Lily, you look wonderful. I love that color on you."

"Thanks, Aunt Hermione," Lily said, blushing again.

Everyone else was dressed nicely as well. Hermione had a periwinkle dress on; Ron and Harry were both wearing nice pants and button down shirts.

"Shall we?" Ron said, motioning to the fireplace.

Lily stepped in first after grabbing some floo powder. "The Burrow!" she said clearly before she was engulfed in flames. Ron and Jack followed her, leaving Harry and Hermione behind. She couldn't pass up the chance of giving her best friend a big hug.

"Oh, Harry! I'm so happy for you!" she said once she released him. "You've always been the closest thing I've ever had to a brother."

Hermione's parents had been killed during the heavy fighting towards the end of the war, and she had no family left.

"You are my sister, 'Mione. Biological or not," Harry told her, kissing her on the forehead. "Thanks, you know…for everything."

"It's my pleasure," she said with distinct signs of tears forming in her eyes. "Let's go get you married. Are you going to let everyone mingle for a little while before you announce it?"

He nodded his head, "Yeah, I want to take Lily aside and talk to her. She should hear this from me."

"That's probably a good idea."

"After you Mrs. Weasley," he said, sweeping his hand toward the fireplace. Once she was gone, Harry stood there and took a couple deep breaths. His life was about to change forever.

"Jack!" Molly Weasley exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around her grandson. "How are you dear?"

"I'm fine, Grandma," he said returning her hug.

"Are you taking care of Lily here?" Mrs. Weasley asked sternly as she caught glimpse of Lily standing a few feet behind them.

"Yes, I am. Not letting her out of my sight," Jack assured her, pulling Lily to his side and wrapping a protective arm around her waist.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Lily said politely.

"Now dear, how many times must I ask you to call me Molly?" Mrs. Weasley asked with her hands on her hips.

"Always once more," Lily said, smiling shyly.

"Jack, do you think you can let her go just long enough for me to give her a hug?" Mrs. Weasley asked, holding out her arms.

"I guess so," Jack said releasing her reluctantly. Lily walked timidly into Mrs. Weasley's arms, who embraced her as she would one of her own. Jack was so thankful that his family always treated Lily as if she were biologically related to them. He knew how much that meant to her. After they bid his grandmother goodbye for the time, they advanced into the rest of the living room. The room had to be magically expanded to accommodate all the family members, and even still there were people everywhere. The next to great them was Remus Lupin.

"How's it going, Jack?" Remus asked, shaking his hand.

"It's going good, Remus," Jack answered with a smile. "Where is Tonks?"

"She couldn't make it tonight. A good friend of hers is very ill and she's helping her husband tend to their small kids. Most of ours are grown now," Remus added somewhat sadly. He then turned to Lily. "How are you holding up, Lily?"

Lily looked up at Jack who nodded his head silently urging her to tell the old friend of the family the truth. "Things could be better," she admitted soberly.

"I know it's been tough, kiddo," Remus said as he affectionately pulled her into his arms and gave her a reassuring hug. "Maybe its time to turn it in at the ministry," he suggested.

"I know but it just doesn't seem like the best time. There is so much going on," Lily reminded him.

"There is never going to be a right time," Remus said wisely. "But sometimes you just need to forget about that and do something for yourself for once."

Suddenly a familiar voice behind them spoke up. "I've told them the same thing," Harry said wearily.

"Daddy," Lily said, blushing as he put and arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"How are you Remus?" Harry asked, smiling at his former professor.

"I'm doing great Harry," Remus said. "I can't believe how much you look like your father now that you're a grown man."

"That's one of the best compliments anyone could give me. How are the kids?"

"Oh, they're growing up. The boys Michael and Jacob are seventeen and seventeen and the girls Crystal, Veronica, and Monica are thirteen, fifteen, and eighteen," Remus responded.

"They're in school in America, right?" Jack wondered seeing as how he had never gone to school with any of them.

"Yes," Remus confirmed. "Tonks and I moved there just before Jake started school. I've been teaching at the Salem Institute ever since."

"I'm sorry you couldn't stay at Hogwarts, Remus," Harry said guiltily.

"Oh don't be. I love where I'm at," Remus assured him.

Harry nodded and then looked over at Jack. "Would you mind terribly if I stole your fiancé for a little while?"

"No, I don't mind," Jack said, shaking his head. "Just as long as I get her back."

"I think I can manage to bring her back to you in one piece," Harry reassured. "I need to talk to you about something," he said, leading Lily way from the crowds of excited relatives. When the approached the back door and Harry made to open it, she hesitated however.

"Dad, I didn't bring a cloak with me," she told him. She was right, she stood there in her green dress and white button down sweater which was hanging down unbuttoned to show off the front of the dress.

"I think we'll be okay," he said, pulling the door open and leading her outside. The air around them was pleasantly warm in stark contrast to the snow that lay on the ground.

"Dad, what's going on?" She asked looking around.

Harry took his daughters hands in his own and looked at her seriously. "Lily, this gathering is more than just a gathering."

She laughed at his nervous statue. "Well, then what is it?"

"Ginny and I have decided to get married. Tonight….we wanted it to be a surprise," he told her calmly watching her face to gage her reaction.

Lily looked stunned to say the least. "I see," she said letting go of his hands and walking over to sit down in one of the patio chairs with a somewhat dazed expression on her face.

Harry took this as a bad sign and ran over to sit kneel in front of her. "Lily, we didn't tell you because we didn't want anyone to know. We just wanted something small and intimate. We didn't want the press to get wind of it and turn it into some big newsworthy event."

"So that's where Aunt Hermione and Ginny have been all week?" She asked putting the pieces together. "And you too. You guys have been off planning this?"

He nodded, "Yes, honey. The only people who knew about today were Hermione and Ginny and I as well as Ginny's parents. But I wanted to tell you before I announced it to everyone else-"

Lily cut him off from going any further by smiling and shaking her head. "Its okay, Dad, I understand. I think it's wonderful."

"I don't want you to think this means I love your mum any less," Harry said quickly.

For a second, Lily tilted her head heavenward as if to receive some kind of confirmation that she was allowed to say what she was about to tell him. When she returned her gaze to his she shook her head, "Dad, you never loved mom like you love Ginny. Even you can't convince me of that. I know you loved her, but not like you love Ginny."

He nodded his head looking at the ground beneath his feet. "Yes, you're right. But she was still your mother, Lil," he added, looking at her again.

She looked down at her hands in her lap. "I never knew her," she said sadly, looking up at him after a few seconds. "She will always be the woman who gave birth to me. I know she must have loved you very much. I can assume that she loved me, but she wasn't really my mother. She couldn't have been. A mother is someone who is there for you when you need them. Someone who talks to you and helps you with your problems. Someone who holds you when you cry and tells you everything is going to be okay when you're scared. She was never that person for me. I know it wasn't her fault, and it wasn't your fault either. Am I making any sense?"

"Yes, it makes perfect sense," he told her, despite his tears. "But it's still terrible. I feel like I've denied you a mother."

This time it was Lily who grasped his hands in hers. "Dad, did you kill my mother? I mean really, did you say the curse that took her life?"

"No," Harry said, looking her in the eyes.

"Did you ask for it to happen?" she pressed further.

"No," Harry said again.

"Alright then, it was not your fault. I may have never had a mother, but I think I turned out okay, don't you?"

"You're perfect," he said honestly, brushing the tears off her cheek.

"Some things just aren't meant to be. But I know you and Ginny are meant to be together. If she makes you happy then I'm happy."

"I love you, Lily. I love you more than you will ever know," Harry told her, embracing her tightly.

"I love you too. Now why don't we go inside and make everyone's day?"

"You read my mind," he said standing the both of them up and walking back inside. Once they were in the kitchen, he picked up a glass and tapped the side of it with his wand. "I would like to have everyone's attention!" The whole house fell in a hush and everyone turned to look at Harry expectantly. "I would first like to thank everyone for coming. This is a very special day for me. I haven't seen many of you since the war ended and I just wanted to say how wonderful it is that we can all be here under the same roof once more."

"Here, here!" the audience said merrily as they all held up their glasses and took a sip.

Harry nodded his hand and did the same. "But before we get too far into the party there is something that Ginny and I would like to do," he said mischievously. Everyone looked around for Ginny, though she was no where in sight. "If you would all take a walk out to the tent which will appear in the back yard in a matter of seconds, I will explain in a few moments. And will my daughter, Jack, Hermione, and Ron please stay behind."

Everyone exchanged confused looks but made their way to the back door. As they passed Harry many asked what was going on, but the only response they got was a wave of his hand and a smile. Ginny's brothers all looked at Harry with serious expressions, but they all went outside as they were told. Lily looked out the window over the kitchen sink and saw a large white tent off in the distance. Had that been there a few minutes ago?

Jack walked over to her with a strange expression, his father close behind. "Okay," Jack said, putting his hands in his trouser pockets. "What's going on?"

Lily looked up at her father, who nodded his head indicating that she could let the cat out of the bag. "Ginny and Dad are getting married!" she squealed excitedly.

"What!" Ron and Jack exclaimed identically.

"Shut your mouth, Ronald or you're going to catch flies in it," Harry joked. Hermione seemed completely calm next to her husband, which didn't go unnoticed by him in the slightest.

"You knew about this, didn't you!" Ron accused.

"It's not her fault, mate," Harry defended. "Gin insisted on telling her so she could help pick out things for the ceremony."

"I knew something was up!" Ron said, pointing at all of them suspiciously.

"Don't look at me," Jack said defensively. "I had no idea."

"Neither did I," Lily piped in, holding up a hand in declaration.

"Ginny and I would like you and Jack to stand up with Ron and Hermione during the ceremony," Harry said looking at her.

"We'd love to," Jack spoke for the both of them.

"She's ready, Harry," a voice said from the stairway. They all knew it to belong to Mrs. Weasley. Sure enough, Molly came 'round the corner seconds later with a big characteristic smile on her face.

"Okay then," Harry said rubbing his hands together. "This is it. I'm going to go out there and clue everyone in. Jack, give us a few minutes before you escort your grandmother in."

"Got it," Jack said as Harry took off out the back door.

"Where's Dad?" Ron asked.

"With your sister, of course," Molly said, shaking her head. "Lily and Hermione…Why don't you both go on up and be with Ginny for a minutes. Wait a little while to give us enough time to get everyone calmed down before you come down."

"Alright," they both chimed happily, walking up the stairs and out of sight.

A/N- I guess you guys will just have to send me loads of reviews if you want to find out how the wedding goes! I'm kidding, the next chapter will be up when my beta gets it back to me! Though the reviews may help things! Thanks for reading!