All characters are property of JK Rowling and I do not make a profit from this story.
Beta: Roman's Sundial
Chapter Fifty-One: Engagement Traditions
Hermione Granger – Present Day
January 6, 2001
"Good, you're still here," said Hermione, as she pushed her way past Harry and into his flat. "Where is Ginny?"
"She's at the Burrow getting ready; I was just about to apparate there."
"Harry, today is your engagement party," Hermione stated.
"Yeah, and?"
"Your wizard engagement party."
"Okay, and?"
Hermione sighed. "Have you any idea how wizard engagement parties actually work?"
"It's – it's not just a party?" Harry asked, a little uneasy.
"For the most part it is, but there are a few things that are done at traditional engagement parties, and something tells me that Molly will expect it."
"Hermione, I don't know anything about them!" Harry said panicky.
"I know, that's why I've spent the last two days reading up on it," Hermione told him. "I was going to lend you the book, but then I figured that you wouldn't actually read it, and then it would upset Molly if you didn't do what was expected and so-"
"So, you're going to tell me?" he asked hopefully.
Hermione smiled. "Yes," she replied.
"You're a lifesaver, Hermione, really!"
"Yes, well, you can thank me later! So, first is wardrobe. It's very simple for a male, you just need to wear black wizard robes."
"Why black?"
"Because the woman picks the wedding color!"
"What?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever color Ginny wears today will be the color that will be worn the day of the wedding. Now, can you just listen? There isn't much time!"
"Right, sorry."
"So, you're going to have to announce your Best Man in front of everyone as well."
"That's easy, it's Ron."
"Shh! Telling anyone beforehand is bad luck! Then Ginny will select her Maid of Honor, followed by three bridesmaids. After, you will select three ushers. It's important that you don't tell anyone until the time of the choosing, Harry."
"Why?"
"It's an ancient magic, apparently. I'm not sure if I actually believe it, but there wasn't enough time to research. Anyway, you have to select the ushers in a specific way. The first person you select has to be someone who is not related to either of you, but has been there for you in one way or another. This shows that an outside factor will protect your marriage. The second usher must be someone from her bloodline. This shows that you respect her family and accept them as yours. The final usher must be someone from your bloodline." At this, Hermione said her words slowly. "This shows that your bond to your family will forever remain strong."
"Well, that isn't possible, Hermione; I have no bloodline left."
"If that were true, then things like Godfathers and Godsons would be accepted…"
"Perfect, I'll pick Teddy, then. He isn't too young, is he?"
"His age isn't ideal, but it would be allowed. But Harry, you can't pick Teddy…"
"Why not?"
"Because Godsons only work if your bloodline is extinguished."
"My bloodline is extinguished, Hermione."
But Hermione shook her head. "Your aunt and her family are still alive."
Harry laughed out loud. "You've got to be joking!" he said. "You know that they wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near magic! Besides, nobody knows about them, really; I'll just pick Teddy."
"You can't, Harry; there's an ancient magic binding all of this, remember?"
"I thought you didn't believe in it?"
"I don't, but Molly does, and she knows that your cousin and uncle are alive and well!"
"Well, then this can't happen the way she wants it to."
"Harry, she's already upset about the Ritual Knot, and now you're going to take this from her, too?"
"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, HERMIONE?" Harry yelled. "NONE OF THIS IS MY FAULT!"
"I know, Harry," she said, trying to calm him down. She glanced at the clock behind him. "You're going to be late, Harry. Just get dressed and make your way to the Lovegood's, I'm sure we can figure something out."
Harry Potter – Present Day
January 6, 2001
Harry apparated just outside of the Lovegood's rook-shaped house and entered the Fidelius charm's protective barriers. He was astounded to see almost seventy-five people there, all mingling with one another around large bushes with little leprechauns flying around, and several chutes of wine magically floating around and refilling themselves. Towards the right, he saw a small stage with a large cake centered in the middle, and to the left he saw a table full of small boxes, where a beautiful redhead stood waiting beside it in a long flowy lilac gown. "Hey," he said smiling, as he approached his bride-to-be.
"I see you got the wardrobe memo," she said, approving his black wizard's robes.
"Hermione," he told her truthfully, taking a look at her. "So, our wedding is going to be purple?" he asked her.
"Lilac, actually," she corrected him. "It was between this and coral, but I figured the coral would clash with my hair."
"Good choice," Harry said, although he had no idea what color coral was, and wondered if it were a shade of red.
"I'm assuming Hermione filled you in on everything else, then?" she asked him.
"Yeah, and I have no idea who I'll pick as the third usher."
"Same for me and the bridesmaid." When she saw Harry's confused look, she explained. "My first bridesmaid is also a friend, so that'll be easy. My second is someone from my bloodline and sister-in-law's count, so that'll be easy, too. But my third bridesmaid has to be someone from your bloodline."
"Oh," said Harry, not realizing that she would have to select someone from his side as well. "Well, Molly will have to understand," Harry said finally.
"I know," said Ginny, frowning. "It's just that after the Ritual Knot being a bust and then her losing dad and Archie, I feel bad letting her down about this, too."
"You, uh, won't have to," came a voice from behind them.
Harry spun around, and could not believe what he was seeing. "Dudley?" he said exasperated.
"Hi," Dudley said quietly.
"What are you doing here? How?" Harry was almost at a loss for words.
There was a young lady standing beside Dudley, leaning on his arm, and she smiled at Harry's expression. "My name is Polly Hudson," she said to him. "Do you remember Piers?" Harry remembered all too well who Piers was; it was hard to forget someone who tormented you for years. He nodded towards Polly. "Well, he is my cousin and he introduced me to Dudley; now we are engaged!" she said happily.
"Oh, uh, congratulations," Harry said, almost feeling sorry for the girl. "But that doesn't explain how you're here."
She smiled again. "Dudley told me about the witch's visit to his parent's house," she said.
"What witch's visit?" Harry asked.
"Your Mum," Dudley answered, nodding towards Ginny.
"Mum went to your house?" Ginny questioned.
"Yeah, my mum and dad were pretty angry about it," Dudley replied.
"I bet, "Harry said, almost wishing that he could have seen their face.
"Anyway," said Polly, getting them back on track. "My third cousin Anastasia is a muggle-born; she's the only one in our family, though. But she's told me about quite a bit of the traditions and she explained to me how the engagement parties work. So, once I heard Dudley explain the point of the witch's visit, I knew at once that we had to come."
"So, uh, you would actually partake in my wedding?" Harry asked in disbelief.
Dudley nodded. "I haven't forgotten about those cloaked things," he said quietly to Harry. Harry thought back to the summer before his fifth year when he and Dudley were attacked by Dementors and Harry finally understood; this was Dudley's way of thanking him. "But, uh, don't tell mum and dad, okay?"
"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry answered.
"Also, they don't know Polly has a cousin who's a witch."
"Don't worry about it," he said, extending his hand. "Thanks, Big D."
"What about my bridesmaid, though?" Ginny asked.
"As long as you don't get married before April, then Dudley and I will be husband and wife, so you can use me," she told Ginny.
"Perfect!" said Ginny excited. "Harry, this will make mum so happy! Can we?"
"Of course," said Harry, still comprehending the fact that his cousin was here at his engagement party.
Ginny grabbed his hand. "Well, we need to start making our announcement," she said to them. "See you soon, and thanks again!"
"Yeah, thanks," said Harry, as he walked with Ginny towards the stage.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Ginny asked him when they were alone.
"I just don't know about this," he told her truthfully. "Dudley hates me."
"Well, he's here, isn't he? He's probably doing it for his fiancé, but who cares! Let's just get through this engagement announcement, then we can worry about his intentions."
"Okay," said Harry, walking onto the stage with Ginny and watching as all the guests quieted down and gathered in front of them.
Ginny Weasley – Present Day
January 6, 2001
"Thank you everyone for coming," Ginny said excitedly, as she faced all of her and Harry's loved ones. "Harry and I are very excited to be here today, engaged. You all know how much we mean to one another and that this was an engagement waiting to happen!" Ginny allowed her family and friends to laugh before she continued. "Although he isn't here, I know that Harry and I have my father's blessing. We can't control everything in our lives, such as the loss of my father and our son, Archie, but we can control our marriage and our happiness together, and no matter what, we will always triumph." There were several cries of "here, here!" from the crowd, as well as a few sniffles. Ginny knew that she had gotten her point across, and so she moved on. "With that said, I know that I am delighted to select my ladies, as I am sure Harry is for his men, so shall we begin?" she asked, looking at Harry.
"Oh, uh, right," said Harry, looking at her for guidance. "I am now going to select my Best Man?" he said it more as a question to her, and she gave a small nod. "Well, that's an easy one. You've been my best mate since my first day at Hogwarts; it only makes sense that you'll stand beside me now, Ron Weasley." Ginny watched her brother walk onto the platform and stand beside her fiancé.
"My turn!" she said excitedly. "My decision is also any easy one; I select Hermione Granger as my Maid of Honor." Ginny watched as a teary-eyed Hermione joined her hurriedly on the platform, with her big bush of curls bouncing happily. "And for the rest of my ladies!" Ginny said to the crowd. "As per tradition, my first bridesmaid is someone who is not family, but is just as good as. I have fought alongside her many times and she is someone who I trust with my life. I select Luna Lovegood." Luna made her way through the crowd and stood at the base of the platform, angling so that she was facing both the crowd and Ginny. Ginny was thankful that Luna was a pureblood witch and knew the traditions well; she knew it would please her mother. "For my second bridesmaid, I've always wanted a sister, and thanks to my oldest brother, I've finally gotten one. I choose Fleur Weasley." Fleur handed Victoire to Bill and walked gracefully over, standing next to Luna. "Finally, I am pleased to honor Harry's side, and invite his cousin-in-law to stand beside me. I choose Polly Hudson." Ginny watched as Polly joined Luna and Fleur, while giving small encouraging nods to Dudley.
"I guess I have three spots to fill now," Harry said. "To start with someone who I trust, and who isn't family, the decision was easy. This person has been there in ways I never have expected, and I am proud to call him my friend. I choose Neville Longbottom." Ginny clapped just as hard as everyone else; it was a great choice, but she did worry about how Ron and Neville would get along once Ron found out Jessica's secret. "To honor Ginny's family, I easily pick Bill Weasley." Ginny was surprised with Harry's choice; she had assumed that he would have picked George. She supposed it was because she had picked Fleur and realized that Harry made a good decision. "And finally, my family," Harry said. "I, uh, would like to pick my cousin, Dudley Dursley." Ginny watched curiously as Dudley joined the rest of Harry's groomsmen. It seemed as though Polly had taught him everything correctly, but that didn't make Ginny any less suspicious.
"Thank you everyone for coming," Ginny said, heading towards the last part of the evening. "Once again, we are so excited to share this moment with you all, and we will be ending our evening with the traditional opening of the box to determine our wedding date. But first, Harry and I would like to now honor each other's family with a heartfelt gift, as is tradition." Ginny caught Harry's eye and panicked; the look on his face showed Ginny that Harry knew nothing about this part. How could Hermione have forgotten to tell him? Ginny proceeded with her gift slowly, hoping that it would help give Harry time to think of something. "We all of course know the tragic story of Harry's parents' death, and I am sorry to say that I will never know them. Since they aren't living, I thought that my gift of honor to them would instead be to their son." She walked over to the side of the stage and picked up an envelope made of velvet and handed it to Harry. "Here are the birth and death certificates of both your Mum and Dad," she said to him. "I honor them by presenting these documents to their only son, so that he can have their complete story, from beginning to end."
"Full circle," Harry whispered to her. "Thank you." Ginny smiled. She knew that Harry understood the sentiments behind it, and that was what mattered to her.
"Your turn," she whispered to him nervously. Ginny watched him scratch his head nervously. After a few moments however, she recognized a look on his face: he had a plan. She watched him walk over to Remus and they whispered quietly together, before Remus nodded his head and turned and disapparated. After a few moments, Remus returned and handed Harry some parchment and an odd-looking quill, and Harry bent over and scribbled something down. Finally, he stood up and spoke.
""down. Finally, he stood up and spoke. , and Harry bent over and scribbled something down. Finally, hMolly, uh, I can't give you a completed gift today, but I can give you part of it, and then the rest of it when I marry Ginny." He walked over to her and handed her the parchment that he was writing on. "I know that I can't complete the Ritual Knot with Ginny, but I can do this instead. This is a Promised Parchment, and my promise to you that I will protect Ginny, be faithful to Ginny, and love her for the rest of my life. It's not signed as I do not have a next of kin who is in my life, but once I marry Ginny, she will be my next of kin, and she can witness for me."
Ginny watched the tears build up in her mother's eyes. "Harry, it's perfect, thank you!" she exclaimed, as she hugged her soon to be son-in-law. Ginny smiled; perhaps it would take a long time, but she knew that there was a bright future for her one day.
Harry Potter – The Past
March 27, 1999
Harry continued to twirl Ginny's hair through his fingers. They were in the Gryffindor common room together, with Ginny laying across his lap on one of the couches. "Harry, it's three in the morning!" she exclaimed, glancing at the clock. "We have Charms in the morning, we really need to get to bed."
"No," said Harry plainly.
"No?" she questioned, sitting up and looking at him. "What's the matter?" she said, after looking at his expression.
"Did you know that my dad was born in March?" he said, fixating on a spot on the wall and just staring.
"No, I didn't," Ginny replied honestly.
"Yeah, Sirius had told me one time, but never the day; I should have asked him."
"Maybe it was today," Ginny said.
"Maybe, or yesterday. I don't even know what month my mum was born in. Maybe it was March, too, or maybe she and I shared a birthday in July."
"Or perhaps a birthday with me in August."
"Yeah, maybe," Harry said out loud, not really to Ginny, but more to himself. "I guess I'll never know."
"I'm sure someone knows," Ginny said, trying to be helpful.
"Even if they do, what else could they tell me?" Harry said, starting to get angry. "What do I know about them, really? That my father and I look alike and that my mother and I have the same color eyes?"
"I'm sure we could find out whatever we'd like," she said patiently. "What is it that you would like to know?"
Harry thought for a moment. "Their birthdates would be nice," he said. "And their middle names."
"Okay," said Ginny. "We will find that out."
"It would be nice to have the full circle," he admitted to her.
"Full circle?" she questioned.
"Yeah, like from when they were born until the day they died; full circle."
"Full circle," Ginny said nodding. "Okay, if that's what you want, then that's what you'll get. Now go to bed, I'll see you in Charms soon!"
Author's Notes: Hello everyone! Here's a bit of a happy chapter for you, and the introduction to Dudley's return!
Reviews: Not much to say this time. To comment on the review about Daisy, I don't want to give much out but I will say these two things: 1. Don't assume you know who is in the Potter's grave. 2. Don't assume Daisy is dead. This of course will all be answered in due time!
Next chapter we will see Jessica finally tell Ron about Neville.. Stay tuned!
Thanks as always!