Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

Harry's New Boggart – Chapter 18 – Harry's Wedding Day

Harry woke up in the very comfortable bed at Potter Manor, with Ginny's head resting on his chest. He silently wondered how he'd ever managed to sleep without her. 'Well,' he thought to himself, 'hopefully after today I never will.' He looked at his fiancé's head and said, "Ginny…Ginny…Ginny, you need to wake up."

"Mmmslllppn," she eloquently declared without moving.

"I can't marry you, love, unless you wake up," he chuckled.

"I suppose not," she agreed, lifting up her head to look at the man she loved as she yawned.

Harry grinned. "No, your family would never understand why you didn't show up. We need to get dressed quickly and floo to Hogwarts. McGonagall said we can shower and dress there so that we're not full of floo powder at our wedding. I'm sure Hermione and her parents will already be up and ready to go. They'll want to help you get ready. Your mum should be going there soon, too. I've got to pick up Aunt Petunia."

Twenty minutes later, Harry appeared in the living room of the house the Dursleys were staying in. He saw his Aunt sitting at a table wearing a nice dress, waiting for him.

"Hello, Harry," she greeted, looking down uncomfortably.

"Hello, Aunt Petunia," he responded. "Are you comfortable here?"

"Oh, it's all right. Dudley spends all his time playing video games in his room since he can't go outside, and Vernon has been watching television in our room."

"What have you been doing?"

She took a deep breath. "Oh, after I spent a few days organizing the house, I've spent a lot of time cooking and cleaning, but it does get boring."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "If there's something I can send here to help you pass the time, let me know."

"I wasn't sure you would. I know you've rejected some of my requests for elaborate dinners." Harry looked down, appearing uncomfortable. "I guess I can't blame you. You were already too skinny and I gave you a tiny quarter of a grapefruit for breakfast. Even when Dudley wasn't dieting, we pretty much kept you on bread and water. I-I want to thank you for taking us in at all. It-It's more than we deserve."

Harry shifted his feet on the floor for a few seconds. "Are you coming alone or are Uncle Vernon or Dudley coming?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I'm coming alone. No matter how bored they are here, I'm afraid they don't want to go to a magical school; they don't want to meet magical people; and they don't want to be at your wedding. You may notice that they made it a point to not be in this room now. Vernon is actually a bit mad at me for wanting to come."

Harry sighed. "Th-thank you for coming. Are you ready to go?"

She looked up at him for the first time. Harry noticed that her eyes were red and she appeared to have been crying. "Y-Yes I'm ready to go. Y-Your mother would have been very proud of you, Harry. I-I wish she were here. Let's go."

Harry, although shocked about how Petunia spoke of his mother, took his aunt's hand and escorted her to the fireplace, and they flooed into Hogwarts. Harry scourgefied her when they arrived and then headed for a shower.

An hour later, Harry was inside a room adjusting the bowtie on the muggle tuxedo he'd transfigured out of a set of Dudley's old clothes. The wedding was to be a mixture of muggle and wizard traditions. Besides, Harry always thought that muggle clothes looked better than wizard robes. Harry and Ginny had removed their rings for use in the wedding, and Harry believed Ron had them. There was a knock on the door. "Come in," he said.

The door opened to reveal Hermione, wearing a periwinkle blue gown similar to what she wore at the Yule Ball. She was wearing a big smile on her face as she took a step forward. "Ginny's almost ready and she suggested that I help you and Ron get ready. I've just left him in the other room. Let me help you with your tie."

"Sure, Hermione," Harry grinned at his sister-by-choice. "Maybe you can help me get my hair properly combed for the first time in my life."

The brunette chuckled. "Sorry, Harry. I'm afraid I don't know any spells that can do that." She sighed. "It's hard to believe you're getting married. I remember the time we met on the train."

Harry chuckled. "You were looking for Neville's toad."

She grinned. "Who would've guessed all the adventures we would have together after that day."

"Yeah, starting with fighting a mountain troll."

"I've never told you how much your friendship has meant to me, Harry," Hermione admitted. "When Ron said I didn't have any friends that day, I cried because it was true. I really never had any friends before that happened. It really meant a lot to me the way you and Ron came after me and fought that troll."

"It was the least we could do," replied Harry simply. "Besides, we'd have never made it through six years at Hogwarts if we hadn't, and I wouldn't have a sister."

Hermione hugged him tightly for a second, and then released him. "Oh no. I've wrinkled your clothes." She then performed a spell on him, and the wrinkles disappeared. She then pinned a flower to his suit coat. "The ceremony will be starting in just fifteen minutes."

A few minutes later, Harry found himself walking through the door that had been left open in the room of requirement. He looked around and realized that he was in a duplicate of the back yard of the Burrow, set up almost exactly the way it had been for Bill's wedding. He saw a lot of people, mostly Order members, already gathered inside and sitting down. He looked toward the front, where there was a raised platform, and saw the elderly wizard who had officiated at Bill and Fleur's wedding standing near Ron and the groomsmen –Bill, Charlie, and Neville.

Percy had been invited to the wedding by Mr. Weasley, but refused to come. Based off of how mad every Weasley was when they found out he was missing yet another family wedding, he thought Percy may want to go into hiding from his family. The twins, after taking a wizard's oath to not make any pranks occur during the ceremony, were asked to be ushers. Harry walked up to the officiator and shook his hand. "Hello, sir. I'd like to thank you for coming here on such short notice."

The wizened old man smiled and replied, "Anything for Harry Potter," causing Harry's ears to turn pink. He hated using his fame, but apparently it could be helpful sometimes.

Harry then talked to his groomsmen briefly, starting with Bill. Both he and Charlie gave him warnings not to mistreat Ginny, which he took in stride. Since he had no intention to mistreat Ginny anyway, he wasn't too worried about it.

He then walked up to Neville, shaking his hand. "Thanks for agreeing to be a groomsman at such short notice, Neville. It means a lot to me."

"I-I'm happy to, Harry. I-I was surprised you asked me, though."

Harry looked at him like he was crazy. "Why wouldn't I? Who went with me to the Department of Mysteries? Who helped when Hogwarts was attacked? You. I'm sorry that I don't show it much, but I know that you are a faithful and trustworthy friend who has been there when I've needed you." He took a deep breath while Neville's ears went pink. "I have a lot of respect for you."

He finally walked up to Ron. "Did I ever tell you that you were the first friend I ever had? I know you have some reservations about my relationship with your sister, but I'm thankful that you're here as my best man."

Ron's ears turned pink. "Er, well, I never had a problem with you dating or even marrying Ginny. I, er, felt that things moved a bit fast. I'm happy for you two, and I'm glad you're getting married. Now that you're joining the family, mum will stop treating you better than the rest of us."

Harry was then told where to stand, and within a few minutes, the ceremony began with music playing. He was barely listening to it as he waited to see his bride. He knew that Hermione was the Maid of Honor and that the bridesmaids were Luna, Fleur, and Gabrielle. That was the entire wedding party.

Harry knew he'd never remember the exact gown Ginny was wearing that day, but he knew he'd never forget how she looked. He watched her gracefully walk up the aisle with her father, wearing a thin veil over her face. After Arthur Weasley had given her hand to Harry, he looked into her chocolate orbs through the veil as they held hands. Fleur sang a love song that Harry wasn't really listening to. He was getting nervous about what he knew was coming next. Finally, he heard the words. "Harry and Ginny have opted to say their own vows. Harry will go first."

Harry nervously cleared his throat as he looked in Ginny's eyes. "Ginny, when I first met you, I didn't see you as anything but a little girl. I remember feeling flattered that you'd had a crush on me, and slightly amused at the ways that it would show itself." He took a deep breath. "I watched you grow up into a beautiful young woman before my eyes, and yet I was too blind to see it for such a long time. When everyone else was afraid to get me angry, you weren't afraid. You confronted me, reminding me that of everyone I know, you were the one who understood what I was going through, and showed me what a strong person you are. You gained my respect that day, and truly became one of my friends. After that, you helped me break the rules of Hogwarts, and told me that Fred and George had taught you to believe that anything is possible. You showed me that you believed in me when you came with me on a dangerous mission. It was just a few months later that I realized I was falling in love with you."

He took another deep breath and continued. "The only problem I had then was that someone else had realized how wonderful you are before I did and you were dating him. I can't tell you how jealous I was last year when you were with him, and I found myself wishing that you would break up with him so that I could ask you out. Then one night, I drank some lucky potion so that I could do something that had nothing to do with you, but while I was leaving the Gryffindor common room under my invisibility cloak, I accidentally bumped into you, starting the argument that wound up breaking up your relationship with the other guy." Ginny looked surprised, and then he saw her smile.

Harry continued with tears in his eyes. "I'll never forget the first time we kissed in that same room. It was like all my dreams I ever had were fulfilled. Those weeks before tragedy struck were the happiest I'd ever had in my life." Harry sighed. "I'll never forgive myself for breaking up with you. I did it for reasons that I thought were right, but I know that I hurt you. I'll never understand why you took me back. I know you saw that my worst fear was losing you, and that I needed you, but I didn't deserve for you to take me back.

"Instead of telling me that, you told me…that you loved me. No one had ever said that to me before." He didn't notice his Aunt Petunia crying in her seat, hanging her head down in shame at that statement. "I-I can't tell you how much you've meant to me." A few tears escaped his wet eyes as he continued to gaze into hers. "I love you more than I could ever say. I-I want to spend the rest of my life trying to show you how much I love you, and I'll do my best to never hurt you again."

By this time, Ginny, as well as several others, including Hermione and Mrs. Weasley, were openly crying. After a few seconds, without waiting to be asked, Ginny took a deep breath and began her speech.

"Harry, the first time I saw you, you were a cute, polite, scared little boy alone at the train station, asking my mum how to get onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. When I found out you were the famous Harry Potter that I'd heard about all my life, I couldn't believe it. You weren't acting like a great hero from a storybook. You just seemed like a normal boy on his way to a new school. However, when I started reading the very few letters that Ron sent home…" Ron softly cleared his throat at this statement. "…about how you and he had become friends, my opinion immediately changed.

"He told of how you'd fought a mountain troll, and how you'd become the youngest seeker in a century, and how you'd done so many other things until you finally went through a magical obstacle course and beaten Voldemort again. I was so jealous of your adventures and developed such a crush on you that I couldn't even talk in front of you. But when you came to my house that summer, you were still the humble, polite boy that I'd met briefly the year before.

"I was so embarrassed at what a fool I'd make of myself, but you were always polite and nice to me. I remember how embarrassed you seemed when we went to Gringotts and we saw how much money you had in that one vault. Most people I knew that had money liked to flaunt it, but you acted like it was something to be ashamed of. You didn't want my family to feel bad about not having as much money as you.

"I remember how surprised I was when you gave me the set of Lockhart's books that he'd given you after dragging you next to him for a publicity photo. Then Draco Malfoy came up and taunted you, saying how much you liked the attention." She smiled. "That was the first time I talked in front of you, telling him to leave you alone. I should've hexed him. You've never wanted to be famous. Draco called me your girlfriend then. I remember blushing and wishing it were true."

She took a deep breath. "I spent half that year watching you, and the other half writing in that bloody diary about you. I don't think I've ever properly thanked you for risking your life to save mine, and never even thinking about a reward. I truly believed I was going to die. When I woke up and saw you there, I felt like the princess who had been saved by her knight in shining armor. I was so afraid of what you'd think of me after that. No matter what Professor Dumbledore said, I felt responsible for what happened. But you didn't treat me any differently. In some ways I was glad, but in other ways, I was disappointed. In the fairy tales I'd read where the princess is saved, she and the knight got married and lived happily ever after."

Ginny took a deep breath and continued. "As the years went by, I realized that you really don't see yourself as a great hero, and that when you're not on an adventure, you really are a normal boy with the same problems as everybody else. I lost my crush on the Boy-Who-Lived, and began falling in love with the real you. Of course, I realized that someone as extraordinary as you would never fall in love with someone like me, so I tried to suppress that, dating other boys.

"I guess my last boyfriend was a complete mistake. If I hadn't gone out with him, we'd have been together several months sooner. I'll never forget when I started to notice that you were starting to notice me. At first, I thought it was my imagination, wishful thinking. When you kissed me for the first time, in front of all those people, I thought I was dreaming. Those first weeks we were together, I was living my fantasy!"

Ginny's face saddened a bit. "After…what happened…I just knew you would break up with me. That didn't make it any easier. My childhood fantasy of being the Boy-Who-Lived's girlfriend was over. I acted confident that you'd come back to me, but I wasn't. When I heard what that boggart was telling you, I couldn't believe it. You loved me. I knew it was the truth because boggarts never lie, so it gave me the confidence to tell you that I love you."

She smiled. "Since we got back together, life hasn't entirely been a childhood fantasy, but I wouldn't trade one moment with you for all the gold in Gringotts…" She then smirked. "…most of which belongs to you, anyway. I also wouldn't trade this for our first weeks together, because now I'm not just your girlfriend in good times. I've been your companion in hard times, and you've been mine. I vow to always be your companion and to love you unconditionally for as long as I live, and to do my best to be worthy of the love you've given me."

Another song was sung, and they exchanged rings as a spell was cast upon the couple that caused them to glow white for about fifteen seconds when the rings were put on their fingers. Then they were pronounced husband and wife.

There was a half-hour break before the reception was to begin, so everybody was cleared out of the room of requirement, walking past the wedding party and shaking their hands. Harry was hugged by Ron, Arthur, Molly, Luna, Hermione, Minerva McGonagall (which surprised him a bit), and finally, Aunt Petunia. She was crying as she started apologizing for the way she and her family had treated him as Harry led her to a nearby room, away from everybody.

"When you said that Ginny was the first person to ever tell you they loved you, I realized that we never gave you the love that every child deserves. I'm so sorry! I failed you. I failed Lily! How could I have been so mad at my sister that I treated her son like a disgusting slave? I am such a terrible person! Why didn't you just kill us yourself instead of relocate us? That's what we deserve, what I deserve!" Harry awkwardly patted her back as Ginny approached from behind Harry.

"What's done is done, Mrs. Dursley," said Ginny Potter, "What's important is what you're gonna do now. I know Harry wants you in his life."

Mrs. Dursley, with tears streaming down her face, looked at her nephew's bride. "Call me Petunia. Actually, there're a lot of names you could call me that would be appropriate, none of which is flattering."

"The past is gone, Aunt Petunia," insisted Harry, releasing her from the embrace. "We can't spend our lives regretting what we did wrong. We just have to go on from here. I do want you in my life."

"We both do," added Ginny.

Petunia looked once again at Ginny. "I must say that you are beautiful. You remind me of Lily on her wedding day. Harry, of course, looks just like his father did except for his eyes. You, on the other hand, don't really look that much like Lily except for your hair, but there's something about you that makes me think of her. I think it's the way you look at Harry. The love I can see in your eyes for him can't be expressed in three words. I want to thank you for loving him like that."

Ginny blushed. "I can't help it."

"By the way, while you were making your vows, you mentioned adventures Harry had at Hogwarts. I'd love to hear about them some time."

They went back to Room of Requirement a little while later where, at Harry and Ginny's insistence, Petunia joined them at the family table. She found herself sitting next to Mrs. Weasley, who started glaring for a minute at Petunia until Ginny gave her a threatening look. Petunia noticed and put her head down. "I-I can imagine what you all must think of me, and you'd all be right. I don't deserve to be here at all, let alone at this table. Mrs. Weasley, from what I understand, you've been the mother for Harry that I should have been, and I thank you for that. I have no excuse for how I acted toward Harry, except that I was a fool. If you'd be more comfortable without me here, I'll leave so that a better person than me can sit here."

"Aunt Petunia, you're not leaving," insisted Harry.

"Of course not," said Molly kindly, softening up to the repentant woman, "You're Harry's family, so you should be here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. I'd like to learn all about the life that my nephew has lived in your world."

"It's Molly. I know Harry won't like me saying so, but he is the most extraordinary young man I have ever met. I remember…" While Harry blushed, much to Ginny's, Hermione's and Ron's amusement, Molly told all about how he'd helped degnome the garden his first day at the Burrow, and how he'd accidentally flooed to Knockturn Alley. She talked about how he and Ron had stolen the flying car (which the Dursleys did receive a letter about, to which they'd responded that Harry should be expelled), and how he'd saved the lives of three different Weasleys, and many other stories. Then Ron and Hermione started talking about things he'd done at Hogwarts that Mrs. Weasley never found out about, which caused Harry to put his head down while Ginny giggled.

It was late in the afternoon when Harry directed Petunia how to travel by floo, both to the house she was living in, and to Potter Manor, giving her a hug goodbye. He and Ginny then flooed back home. Harry set the security system to allow Aunt Petunia to floo inside. They were about to go into the master bedroom (and put silencing and locking charms on the door) with instructions to not be disturbed unless Voldemort himself came to the house, when they heard someone fall out of the fireplace. They went back and found Petunia lying face down on the floor. Harry and Ginny ran to her when they heard her sobbing. They gently turned her around and Harry received a shock. His Aunt had a black eye and was bleeding from what appeared to be a broken nose.

Harry asked, "What happened?"

Petunia coughed as she sobbed. "I-I told Vernon we were wrong about you and he…he got mad."

Ginny watched her husband's expression change from concern to rage in half a second. He said, "Ginny, take care of Aunt Petunia. I'll be right back." He pulled out his wand as he stood up, ignoring protests from both women.

Vernon Dursley was furious with his wife as he glared at the fireplace she'd escaped in. How DARE she go to that FREAK's wedding, and then defend that freak! Then, to top it off, she left using one of that FREAK's methods! He heard a small pop behind him and turned around to see the most frightening thing he'd ever witnessed. Harry Potter was glaring at him with more hatred than Vernon had ever seen. He was pointing his wand straight at Vernon, who swallowed hard just before he felt himself lifted off the ground by the freak's unnaturalness.

"WHO THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BEATING AUNT PETUNIA!?" Harry shouted as his uncle was thrown roughly against the wall. "YOU BLOODY COWARD! YOU ONLY LIKE TO PICK ON PEOPLE WHO CAN'T FIGHT BACK!" Vernon was now being hit into the ceiling as he cried out in pain. He was starting to bleed from some cuts he'd received. By this time, Dudley had heard the noise and was silently watching the exchange. "I OUGHT TO PACK YOU IN A TRUNK AND MAIL YOU TO VOLDEMORT MYSELF! DO YOU KNOW YOU BROKE HER NOSE, YOU WORTHLESS WHALE!?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH, HARRY!" came Ginny's voice from behind him. She'd flooed there as soon as she got an elf to take care of Petunia.

"Stay out of this, Ginny! I've got a score to settle with this wife-beater!"

"I'M NOT STAYING OUT OF THIS! I DON'T WANT MY HUSBAND TO SPEND HIS WEDDING NIGHT IN AZKABAN! Set him down and come home with me." He felt her hands touch his shoulders as his uncle watched in terror.

Harry felt himself involuntarily relax. Without saying a word, he set Vernon down roughly on the floor and turned toward his wife, taking a deep breath. "Fine. We'll go home." He turned toward Ginny to put his arms around her so they could apparate.

Before they disappeared, Dudley timidly came out and said, "Er, could you take me where mum is? I-I want to see if she's all right."

Harry looked at his wife, who nodded. "I'll have to set the security system to let you in. I'll be right back." They disappeared with a pop. When Harry returned a few minutes later, Vernon was still on the floor, glaring at Harry and Dudley, but smart enough to keep his mouth shut. He only had a few bruises and cuts from what Harry had done. There was also a wet spot on the front of Vernon's trousers. Harry grabbed Dudley's hand and they went to the manor.

Dudley's eyes went wide as saucers as he looked around at the mansion he found himself in. "Th-this is yours?"

"Yes, Dudley," answered Harry. "Ginny, where is Aunt Petunia?"

"I told Dolly to put her in one of the bedrooms."

Once they located her, Dudley ran up to her saying, "Mummy? Are you all right?"

Her nose was now healed, but the black eye and a few bruises were still on her as she lay. "I'm fine, Dudley."

"Why did dad do it?" asked Dudley.

"Because I told him that we were wrong in the way we treated Harry."

Dudley looked bewildered. "But, but he deserv…"

"What did Harry ever do to you that made him deserve to be beat up?"

Dudley looked like he was doing something Harry had never seen him do before – thinking. "He…er…he didn't belong. You said so."

"I know I said so, but what did Harry do to you to make you hate him?"

"He sent a snake at me," replied Dudley.

"After you'd shoved me down, and that was an accident," countered Harry. "I didn't know I could do magic yet. But you'd beaten me up tons of times before then, and all I'd done is make your breakfast. It was your hobby, like beating up other little kids for their money is now."

"Dudley! Is that true?" asked Petunia.

"No mum…"

"I've seen him at it," insisted Harry stubbornly. "I know you've never believed me over Dudley, but it's true anyway."

Petunia looked from Dudley to Harry with a horrified expression on her face. "How-how long has he been doing that?" Petunia asked Harry.

"Since the summer before my fifth year, when he learned boxing. He and his gang would find little kids and beat them up. That's what he'd just been doing when he was attacked by a Dementor."

Petunia started crying. "Not only did I fail with Harry, but I failed with Dudley as well. Son, we've got to get you help."

Dudley looked livid. His face was now red. "I do NOT need help! Those kids don't need all that money! I should have it! I wouldn't beat them up if they'd just give it to me! They're just little freaks anyway! I'm going back to dad!" He turned around and stormed out, followed by Harry, who apparated him away without saying a word.

Petunia cried to Ginny, who was still in the room. "Why? Why does he feel that way?"

Ginny looked at Petunia with pity and a bit of anger. "You taught him that he was better than everyone else, and that it was all right to beat up defenseless people like Harry used to be. And you turned a blind eye to everything Dudley did wrong. Harry told me that there were many reports from his school about him beating up kids there, but you ignored them all. That's why. Hopefully he'll be able to realize he has a problem and change like you have, some day."

"It is my fault," sobbed Petunia.

"Well," said Harry, who just came back, "Dudley's back with Uncle Vernon."

"I-I not only failed you, but I failed Dudley as well!" declared Petunia as she turned toward her nephew. "How can you ever forgive me?"

Harry took her hand in his and smiled at his mother's sister. "I already have. Now, just concentrate on getting some sleep. Goodnight."

Harry turned and walked out of the room in time to hear Ron and Hermione apparating her parents into the house. He was still frustrated over the situation and didn't want to explain it, so, instead of greeting them, he and Ginny quickly went to their bedroom, where they were expected to be anyway. Just before they closed the door, he heard Hermione saying something to Petunia.

When they were in the room, Harry started pacing around after charming the door for privacy. "I can't believe Uncle Vernon would do that to her! He never hit Aunt Petunia before!"

Ginny thought his wording was interesting. "He never hit her? Did he hit you?" Harry stopped in his tracks at that question. The look on his face was the only answer Ginny needed. She walked up to him and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "Let me help you forget all about that tonight."

The next day, Harry found himself at the Burrow. He and almost the entire Order were there, disillusioned so that they couldn't be seen. He'd tried to talk Ginny out of coming, but stopped when she threatened to hex him. McGonagall had conjured four dummies with red hair inside the house. Harry was guarding the one that was supposed to be Ginny. He was with the half of the Order that was guarding the inside. The plan was to let the Death Eaters in the house and then surround them. Harry looked at his watch to see that it was 9:05. They'd been waiting for about an hour. He could think of better ways to spend his wife's birthday, but he knew this had to be done.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when the door swung open and a woman shouted, "Crucio!"

He watched as the curse hit what was supposed to be Ginny, and turned to see who'd just tried to torture his wife. It was Bellatrix. He pointed his staff at her and thought, 'Reducto.' She was hit in the chest by the powerful blast and thrown into the wall. He could tell that she was dying from her injuries as blood came from her mouth. "Who-who did that?" she asked.

He summoned her wand and walked to the other side of the room where she was at and answered, "Harry Potter," as he snapped her wand. She didn't see him, but heard his voice just before she died. A moment later, he heard the noises of a battle just outside, so he went out to join. He saw the floor full of Death Eaters that already were down, some dead, some stunned. He saw others desperately looking for their attackers, to no avail. He joined in and stunned a few, but the fact is that the enemy was outnumbered and outclassed. They had been counting on the element of surprise. 'Surprise definitely was part of this attack,' Harry mused to himself. 'Only it was the Death Eaters who were surprised.'

Chapter end