Chapter 3

The Weasleys had a wedding to plan. The date had been set. The invitations were sent out and chaos reigned in the house. Somehow the fact that the Weasley's two most mischievous children, twins Fred and George, were now living above their Joke Shop in Diagon Alley there was no increase in the level of calm in the household. Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley were to be married in just two weeks and everyone in the house had been assigned tasks to prepare for the garden wedding.

Fleu and Mrs. Weasley sat at the kitchen table looking at a magazine displaying every changing pages of the wedding gowns. The pictures moved and glowed before them as the models turned on the page.

"Fleur you're a beautiful girl I'm sure that any of these dresses would like nice on you." Mrs. Weasley pleaded.

"Eet's not that. I don know." Fleur said as she looked at the display of dresses solemnly, "Of cousre der beautiful. So beautiful but………. Dese time are so hard. Should we celebrate nothing, now?

My mother, she writes me from Beauxbaine. My Uncle is missing, zey think he is a prisoner zey don know."

Mrs Weasley tries to reassure Fleur. " I'm sorry dear. I know we're all trying to get along with the changes in the world. But this is your wedding you must try to think of that right now. You can't wear and old sack now can you, dear."

"No, No, I can not. But too many…….to many. What is the word." Fleur said as she stuggles to remember the word in English.

"Sequins" Mrs. Weasley provided the word.

"And dis one with butterflies wid it and here eet sparkles." Fleur continues

Mrs. Weasley leaves the Fleur at the table and goes over to an easel in the corner of the kitchen.

She thinks aloud as she looked at the writing. "Now Ron is looking after the garden. And seeing to some flowers from Neville and Professor Sprout. No plants from unknown sources for this wedding. Security, security." She said to Fleur who is not listening. "Now Aurors how many Aurors are coming. Of course they'll need a place to stay. And you family and friend of Fleur. They're welcome. Fred and Greoge's room, Percy's room. The patio is nice Private. And food. What is it rains? My word."

"Ginny, Ginny, dear," Mrs. Weasley noticed Ginny as she tried to cut through the kitchen unseen. "You have to help Fleur find a dress. We have to go to London the try it on today if we have a chance of getting before the wedding."

"Mom but I was just going to post a letter to Harry." Ginny whined

"Aarry, hows Aarry?" Fleur asked.

"He's fine. Fine I guess. He doesn't get many letters through. They're always the same. He's fine. Busy. He can't come to the wedding because of his Uncle." Ginny said.

"I do hope he changes hez mind. He means so much to me and my sisiezzter." Fleur said while pausing at a dress.

"But why doesn't he even say he misses me. Would it kill him to say that he can't wait to see me or something.'

"Maybe he doesn't want to make you feel vorse." Fleur said in a kind voice.

Fleur had found her place in the Weasley home. Arthur and Molly were increasingly busy with Ministry assignments and Fleur's help was now welcome around the house. She was a good match against Ginny at Quidditch. Ginny, Ron and Fleur practiced against each other whenever they had the time. Fleur had been selected to receive training for the Apperation Response Unit. The ARU was a highly trained team of witches and wizards that apperated into the most life threatening situations and give medical aid to those in need. Bill was not happy about her dangerous work but she had proven herself worthy during the Triward Cup. Her mind was set. Ginny for the first time had another girl in the and, after Fleur stopped trying so hard to be the perfect future daughter-in-law, turned out to be a good friend.

"Couldn't you think of something that would make him come." Ginny pleaded

"I'm not going to lie to him. I vant him to come too, but I think eets best. The Ministry can not spare the extra security. It would be very very dangerous for him to come. You know eets true." Fleur stops for a moment. "Now look at dees dress. Eets nice. You see. Plain but very pretty. You think?"

Ginny looked back to the magazine to see a simple satin white dress with flowing sleeves open at the shoulder and wrist. "Your mom is gonna love it."

Ginny left the kitchen and continued her task of getting her letter to the regular muggle post box. The Weasleys lived closer to the regular muggle word than most pure-blood wizarding families. Arthur Weasley's fascination with the muggles made it certain that they didn't live in some bewitched village that protected them from being seen by muggles. Ginny made her way down their long drive to the muggle road. The house was protected from intrusion from the curious muggle by a board circle of foul smelling hedges. To a non-wizard the sent was unbearable but to members of the wizarding world the sent was most pleasant. Muggles in general were not overly curious and passed by the hedges and, the thought to be, vacant house behind them with little thought. Ginny cautiously stepped out from the hedges and looked up and down the road. She ran across the road to the mailbox and quick as she could shoved the letter I the box and raised the flag. Another quick glance and her long red hair flying behind her, she ran safely back behind the hedges.

"Ginny, Ginny" Ron called to her from the garden. He was standing in the middle of some dirt holding a paper and a shovel. "Take a look at this, will you? Does Mom wan this to be the path for the bride or a flower box?"

"I don't know, Ron" Ginny said as she takes the map. "But don't bother Mom with it. She in a right state about all the guest that are coming soon. Isn't Neville going to be here after lunch?"

"Yeah"

"Well maybe he can help you with it. Mom, Fleur and me are going to London to buy dresses."

Ron laughed, "Yeah you in a dress. I'll bet you're going to look like the top of a cake with it's hair on fire."

"On get off it, Ron. You might not get off so lucky either you know. What is Mom makes you wear dress robes?"

"She wouldn't."

"She might" Ginny laughed back at him and threw a clod of mud at him that splattered squarely on the head of the shovel.

Ron bent down to get some more dirt but Ginny was already running back to the house.

"Yeah go on run or I'd get you so filthy they won't let you into the shop," Ron yelled as his release clod of dirt falls well behind Ginny.