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The Wedding
Verity groaned as she mopped the floors of the Great Hall, cleaning up bits of cream peach pie and chicken drumsticks. Everyone who had been involved in the food fight was to clean the mess up without magic.
As the last of the omelette was scraped from the dark, starry ceiling by a petrified 1st year balancing on a rickety ladder, Verity threw down her mop in triumph. She was finished! Gathering up her bag and cloak, she ran from the hall with Lily, past James and Sirius ("I creamed Snivellus!") before stopping short just in front of the entrance hall, as two figures emerged from the darkness.
The woman shook her head, her dark down hair gathering at her shoulders. The man looked as conniving as ever.
What were her mother and Patrick doing here?
She stiffened as they approached.
"Verity, dear!" Leanne cried, throwing out her arms and engulfing Verity in a hug, smothering her in thick mink coat.
Verity fought her way out of the suffocating embrace, and stared at her mother. "Where did you get that thing from?"
Her mother smiled. "A lovely gift from your future step-father."
"Well, it seems like the sort of vile thing he'd buy. Figures why it's so horrid." Her mother looked hurt. Verity knew she was being a brat, but she couldn't stop herself. "Did you know that some poor animal was brutally slaughtered for you to get that? It's just as horrid as him." She looked defiantly at him.
Patrick started forward, fire in his eyes, but stopped himself suddenly. He forced an angry smile. "I know you don't like me, dear, but I'm sure that we will becomes good friends after your mother and I get married tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Verity gasped, aghast.
Leanne piped up. "That's why we came here. We want you to come to the wedding, sugar pie."
"Don't call me that!" she snarled. Her throat closed up as she looked at the disgusting being before her. There was no word hideous enough to describe Patrick. He was the scum of the earth, and even worse, her mother was too blind to see it.
She couldn't speak. Without a word, she turned her back and walked silently away. "Verity!" her mother hissed. "Don't be such an insolent brat! Why do you do this to me? Can't you be happy for me for once?"
Verity kept walking. Footsteps echoed from behind her and she was caught by the shoulder and swivelled around. "Don't turn away from me! This is the first chance I've had since your father did that to us that I can be happy!"
Words burst forth from Verity's mouth. "Can't you see this toad isn't good for you? I've never tried to deny you happiness! I wanted you to get married again after Dad died, I really did! But not to him! You only met him two months and five days ago! I've been counting! I only want the best for you, and I always have. Scumbag Patrick is not the best!" she screamed.
She took a breath and continued. "If my father was alive now, I'd go and live with him! Not that I'd know anything about him, because even though he died when I was a baby, you still won't even give me his name!" Verity could see by the look on her mother's face that she'd gone too far.
Leanne stepped back as if she'd been struck. Tears appeared from her large hazel eyes and slid down her face. She swallowed painfully. "Suit yourself." she replied calmly, turning and walking from the hall, her fur cloak swirling around her feet.
Patrick looked smugly up at her before following Leanne out the front doors.
Verity swore violently and kicked the stone pillar next to her, causing her to shriek in pain and curse even more. She heard giggling from below her and realised with horror her fight had been witnessed by half the school.
She stormed up to Griffindor Tower and hurled herself onto her bed, erupting into tears. She hated acting like this, but she couldn't help it. Patrick was no good. How did her mother not see that?
She rolled over and rummaged through her trunk, pulling out a small notebook. Dear Diary... she started to write.
A few hours later, Lily came up the stairs. She smiled sadly. "Hi, Verity. That was some fight..."
Verity groaned. "Please don't. I'm guilty already. I don't want to feel any worse."
"It's not you fault," Lily comforted. "It was your natural reaction; he's a jerk. And there's just something about him; even I can tell. Have you worked out what he was doing at the station with the creepy tall guy?"
Verity shook her head no.
"I would've done the same thing..." Lily offered. Verity snorted. "No, I would've. And I bet even Petunia would too."
"Thanks... I really feel better now that you've compared me to your sister." Verity murmured. Lily laughed.
The next morning, Verity awoke. With a start she remembered all that had happened the night before. Today Patrick Malus would be her step-father. Aargh. And she would be Verity Chambers Malus. The thought sickened her.
She lay in bed, thinking sadly of the way it used to be, just herself and her mother, with the occasional boyfriend visiting. She wished any of them could be her mother's husband. Anyone but Patrick.
May swooped through the window with a hoot and dropped a purple glittered envelope on her bed. She tore it open, half expecting what would be inside.
Dearest Sweetheart, (Verity groaned to herself)
We are getting married today whether you like it or not. I would still like you to come however. Included is a pass to allow you to leave Hogwarts for the day to attend.
The wedding begins at 1pm.
Should you wish to come, send back and your Aunt Kate will be waiting at Platform 9 3/4 for you.
Leanne
Verity sighed and glanced at her watch. She'd already missed breakfast. Vile was the thought of Patrick, but she couldn't let her mother down.
"I'm going to regret this..." she moaned, scribbling back a message.
Verity left Hogsmeade station glumly, already regretting her decision. By the time she reached Platform 9 3/4, she was wondering if it was possible to run back the way she had come. But alas, her cheery Aunt Kate was already there, and upon catching sight of her, ran up and threw her arms around her.
"Oooh." My little Vera, I haven't seen you since you were this big!" she measured out the approximate size of a baby with her hands. "Oooh, won't it be an exciting day today?" she bounced up and down.
Kate, short and plump, was a different picture from her tall sister Leanne, and more eccentric too. "Come, come, we're going to take the train to Piccadilly, and I'll drive you to my place to get changed. From there, we're going straight to the church!"
Verity groaned quietly as her aunt pulled along her trunk for her and skipped down the station.
She sat in the small white chapel quietly, after Kate took her back to her cute little house upon where she forced her to don a long blue dress. ("You mustn't wear your robes!" she was adamant.)
A few people were there already, murmuring quietly. Patrick was up the front, smirking in that infuriating way of his. Verity wanted to strangle him. Breathing hard, she stood up and walked to the side door of the church, opening it into another room beyond, where a tall woman clothed in a puffy white dress examined herself in a mirror.
She turned around and smiled sadly. "So you came." She held out her arms.
Verity stepped forward into the hug. "But only for you." she said. She breathed in deeply, and looked her mother in the eye. "I'm not here to say I support you and Patrick. I despise Patrick; I'm not going to pretend otherwise. The only reason I came today was because I don't want to let you down."
Leanne nodded slowly. "But my dear, why do you not like him? He has done nothing to warrant you to act like this."
Verity groaned. "Why can't you see it?" she exclaimed. "Under that happy loving little mask, he's not good! I can sense it. Can't you see it?"
"Sense it!" She laughed. "My dear, there's nothing wrong with Patrick. Your 'sense' is a little off this time."
Verity stamped her foot angrily. "I know what I'm talking about!"
Her mother looked cross. "I will marry Patrick today. And if you do anything, anything at all to ruin it, I'm not letting you come home for the holidays. Now go." She pushed Verity back out the door. "I don't want another word about it." she said firmly, shutting the door.
Patrick came by her casually and bent down to her. "I don't know where you get your ideas from, but I would be very careful if I were you..."
"You don't scare me. Anyway, I know you're using her!" Verity accused. I don't know what you're using her for, but I know you're up to something."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
The blare of the organ startled her and Patrick. He walked quietly down the front and Verity sat down again. As the wedding procession began, Verity sank down into her seat. What a horrible day.
After the torturous hour was over, Verity stood in the side room of the chapel for the reception. She could cry. Patrick was married to her mother. He was her step-father. Aargh.
She sidled over to the banquet table, where a beautiful, four-storey wedding cake sat primly as the centrepiece of the table. She wanted to smash it so badly. She glanced over to where Patrick and Leanne were seated at the end of the room. Patrick cuaght her stare and smiled in a satisfied way; gloating at her. Eurgh how she hated him...
Balling her hands into fists, she leant up against the wall. She noticed Patrick looking at her, then excusing himself and leaving the table, then coming down the room towards her.
"Hello, Verity." She glared at him. He ignored her and continued on. "Ah, the marriage is over; legal and final. And because of that, I would like to say to you: There's nothing you can do now. In answer to your earlier accusation - yes, I am in fact using your mother. Unfortunately for you, I'm not going to bother telling you why." He paused, and looked over his shoulder. "But I doubt you'll really need to find out from me; they do say that when you die, all questions are answered... and that time is coming oh so soon for you and your mother..."
Verity gaped at him in horror. "You're going to kill us!" she shrieked. Without thinking, she pushed at him hard, sending him sprawling backwards, onto the table and smashing the magnificent cake. Well... it wasn't so magnificent now.
Leanne gasped and rushed to her husband's side. "Verity!" she shouted. "How dare you do such a thing to Patrick!"
Verity's head was whirling. "He's going to kill us!" she screamed. "He said it just then! He's going to kill us! He's going to kill us!" she was breathing hard.
"Good lord!" Leanne cried. "Verity I've had enough of this!"
"I'm certainly not going to kill her!" Patrick coughed.
"Why won't you believe me?" Verity yelled. "How will you possibly believe this scum and not me? I'm your daughter!"
Leanne's eyes flashed. "Get out." she hissed. She helped the cream and jam coated groom off the floor, then pointed at the door. "My daughter wouldn't do this to me. Get out."
She couldn't believe her ears. "But how will I get back to Hogwarts?" she said incredulously.
"How should I care? Just go!"
Verity started around her, at all the people gathered around her; their accusing eyes. She couldn't stand it. Running past them all, she tore to the door and wrenched it open, hurling herself out into the cold night's air.
She jogged down the street, her breath making fog which swirled around her. She ran past the unfamiliar houses and broke through a line of trees, the branches getting caught in her hair. Breaking away from them, she came out onto a dimly lit street. She slowed down and stopped, looking around her. She had no idea where she was. How would she get back to Hogwarts now? She could try and apparate, but she was terrified of doing that. Apparition wasn't something she was very good at, even though she'd passed her test the year before.
Tears falling from her eyes, she collapsed onto the pavement in defeat and crawled under a small pine tree, before lying down and looking up at the stars. She didn't know how long she'd lain there before she drifted off to sleep.
She woke with a start. Where was she? She appeared to be in the back of a car. "Oh my god!" she thought wildly, looking around her. "I've been kidnapped!" She screamed loudly and kicked at the doors.
"Verity! My goodness dear, it's just me! Remember me?" Someone took her hand. It was Aunt Kate.
"Oh..." she swallowed."I thought I'd been kidnapped." Kate laughed.
"Oh no, my dear. I'd never kidnap you. After you ran out from that little... fiasco back at the chapel, I decided to go out and look for you. It's a good thing I found you too. Whatever were you doing under that tree though?"
Verity shook her head. She didn't even know herself; or what she'd been thinking.
"Oh well." Kate leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to get you back to Hogwarts, dear. Don't you worry." She climbed into the front driver's seat and started up the car.
After a short drive, Kate pulled up at her house. "Now, you've passed your apparition test, haven't you?" Verity nodded. "Well, we're going to apparate into Hogsmeade and walk back up to Hogwarts. You alright with that?" Verity shook her head again. She'd never really liked apparating, especially after splinching herself the year before. It was a painful experience she never wanted to repeat.
"Oh.." Kate looked crestfallen. "Well, I'll help you then. It's just much easier than driving you to Piccadilly station, then taking a train to Kings Cross and then to Hogsmeade. Will you be able to do it?"
Verity swallowed, and nodded. She gripped Kate's arm and held on tight. Following Kate's lead, she half spinned and with a gasp, felt herself being pulled to her destination. She wobbled for a bit, unstable, but was steadied by her aunt. "Let's go." she gestured up the main road through Hogsmeade, which lead up to the castle.
Verity arrived at the castle and stood in the entrance hall. Kate hugged her. "I'll have a talk with Leanne, alright? It's terrible that you two have been torn apart in such a way. I'll see you later then, ok?"
"Thankyou," Verity whispered. Kate smiled and left through the front doors.
Verity turned and walked into the middle of the hall. She could hear noises from the Great Hall. It must have been dinner time. Deciding to skip the meal, she went left and went up into Griffindor Tower. With a surprise, she found Lily waiting on her bed.
"Something went wrong, didn't it?"
Verity burst into tears and rushed forward into Lily's arms. "Don't worry... just tell me all about it and we can write hate mail to Patrick together." Verity laughed through her tears but still couldn't keep them back.
"So what went wrong?" Lily asked.
Verity sat on the bed and looked at her hands.
"He's going to kill me. And he's going to kill my mother."
Author's Note
Thankyou to my bestest friend Margaret and my other bestest friend Linda who both helped me write this chapter!
Also thanks to Lydia, Carmen, Linda and Margaret for editing this before I uploaded!
I would also like to specially thank Lydia for forcing me to post this chapter. I was ready to give up (even though I promised I wouldn't) because I realised I subconsciously plagiarised a little phrase from Charlie's Angels. You made me cry, but at least I posted!
Please review! Pretty please with a cherry on top! Reviews are fun to read!
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Thankyou!
Little-Kity
