Bonus for the day! Two chapters at once! I don't like reading long chapters but these two needed to go together. Tomorrow, we reach our exciting conclusion, Stay tuned.

Betrothal Chapter 17

Stag Do

June 14

Ginny woke at nine and was reaching for clothes, when she heard noise coming from the stairs. She poked her head out and saw Harry, across the hall, doing the same. It was starting. Then they saw all the brothers and a sister-in-law stomping up the stairs, each carrying some kind of noise maker. How did Charlie get an accordion?

"You each have five minutes to get dressed and downstairs. No excuses!" Yelled George.

"What the bloody he…" Ron tried to argue as he wrenched open his door and leaned over the rail.

"Okay, fine. You can come as you are." George laughed and moved up towards him.

"But…" Ron backed up as George came a few more steps further up.

Hermione pulled him back by his arm, "Come on Ron, I think he means it."

George laughed, "Of course I mean it! Hurry up."

"Yeah. Hurry up. We don't have all day!" Bill called out as he rapped on his bongo drums. Fleur blew hard on a kazoo. The sentiments were echoed throughout the crowd.

Ginny had only her head out her door, "All day for what?" She asked, grumpily. She knew she had to play along.

"Never you mind, baby sister. Get dressed and meet us downstairs." Charlie squeezed the accordion, making an off-key screech. Percy replied with a blast on a plastic toy trumpet.

Hermione pulled Ron into their room and slammed the door.

It only took Bill a brief look at Harry before Harry too closed his door. They were ready, maybe.

The four met at the top of the first landing, looking down at a large crowd crammed at the foot of the staircase. Raucous hoots and wolf-whistles greeted them as they continued to the bottom.

Ron was pushed towards the front door. He was swallowed up by the crowd and disappeared once he was outdoors.

Hermione was the next to be grabbed and sent through the door. Then came Ginny. Harry, nervous and unsure, tried to step back, but Padma and Seamus were standing behind him,

"Sorry Mate, it's your turn." Seamus gently pushed his back, so Harry was obliged to walk forward. As he stepped through the door, he didn't have a chance to look for the others. A hood was placed over his head. Before he could yell in surprise, he was being apparated away.

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There was only silence. He reached up to take the hood off, only to find his arms were locked to his sides. "Guys? Come on, guys?" He could hear no reactions. He stood still, listening for any clues.

He felt movement and a touch on his head. He felt his clothing leave and new robes wrapping around him. Then a strange voice sounded quietly in his ear, "You are now prepared." He was again transported, but this time, he could hear all sorts of sounds. Laughter, talking, opening of bottles.

The hood was lifted, and he blinked in the harsh sunlight that filtered through trees. Nearly two dozen men sat on the ground or on camp stools before them. There was a large white tent behind them, with the doors closed.

"Harry?" Ron said off to his right, just out of sight.

"Yeah, Where's the girls?" Harry found he was still bound. He couldn't even turn his head.

"I don't know. Not here." Ron muttered.

"Dearly Beloved." Boomed George's voice, "We are gathered together to mourn the passing of Harry James Potter and Ronald Bilious Weasley."

The hoots and whistles magnified.

"Their passing leaves an empty hole in our hearts that only a drink can fill." George moved into Harry's vision. "Let's raise a toast to Harry and Ron!"

"They were taken before their prime, never again to relish the joys this life has to offer them." He raised his bottle again.

"Hey, Git. We're not dead." Ron yelled, half laughing.

"It is true, they're not really gone, are they? No, dear loved ones. They are moving on. Embracing a new plane of existence. Raise another one to their journey!"

Harry could only hope it was mild butterbeer or they were going to be comatose by noon.

"When these two brave men learned of their final fate, they did not run and hide. No! They stood tall and faced the battle before them."

"Ron, what is he going on about?"

"It's called a cremation. You just have to bear with it." Ron would have shrugged his shoulders if he could have moved them.

"You mean a roast?" Harry said, trying to wriggle at least a finger, with no luck.

"I know what a Roast is. We'll get a bit more cooked than a roast." Ron snickered.

George lifted up his bottle again, "To Harry and Ron. May they get through married life better than they did bachelorhood!" Everyone drank again, and George ran back into the group of men while Charlie raced up front. He circled the two petrified grooms.

He shook his head, "I don't know. I just don't know." He stuffed his hands into his pockets, "How in all this green, green Earth, did these two ever get this far?" He turned back to the carousing mass. "My baby brother, a married man before he's even twenty. Why? How? Oh don't tell me about the whole Celtic soul bond and all that. It's not fair. The elders should have a chance before the youngers. And Hermione, no less. What can she see in him?"

He paced back and forth in contemplation. "The only thing I can think of is she actually is in…lo…lo…love with him." He dragged the word out as if in pain or maybe ill.

"Now Harry, here. What can I say? He turned traitor and stole our baby sister. OUR SISTER! Did he ask permission before getting that spot on his arm? NO. Did he think we might have something to say on the matter? No. In fact, he actually tried to play it cool, acting like he had no idea what to do about his fate. But it seems like it's not just one sided. Little Ginny also, the poor innocent, came down with the same disease. Marriage! Why, oh why, oh why?

"Men, I can only do one thing now. Welcome to the family, Harry." Charlie punched Harry's shoulder, then he raised his bottle to the heavens, "Harry and Ron, don't screw it up!" Echoes of the toast caused the trees to shake.

It continued on. Bill, Percy and then on to Oliver Wood, Seamus and so on. Harry and Ron could only stand at attention and listen to continuing toasts, roasts and sarcastic references. As the morning wore on, Harry began to feel the summer heat. His mouth was dry and by noon, all he could think of was a tall drink from one of those bottles. Ron actually coughed more than once, making Harry think that his mate was also parched.

Finally, the last toast was drunk. George ran back to them and studied them again. "Gentlemen, you have lasted well." He touched them on the heads and the spell was broken. Harry looked over at Ron and burst out laughing. At the sound, Ron looked back and actually fell to his knees in laughter. They were both dressed in frilly women's wedding robes, including veils.

George handed them both a bottle, "Come, time to feast!" The twenty or more men parted to reveal a large table spread with picnic fare.

Afterwards, brooms had been brought out and they had a huge quidditch game, teams divided haphazardly, with no rules and after all the butterbeer and other libations, hardly any coordination. And yes, the two had to actually play while wearing their ridiculous attire.

Mid-afternoon, the game stopped, and the grooms were taken into the tent that held two baths. Arthur, Neville, and Hagrid joined them in the room. It was the first time Harry and Ron had seen them that whole day. Harry and Ron were instructed to go behind the screens and slip in the baths.

"Cleanse yourselves well so you may go to your brides with pure hearts and clean bodies." Arthur demanded softly. The two were happy to. They were dirty, sweaty and a little aromatic after the long workout. "Arise and dress in the robes that are hanging on the screen." Arthur said solemnly.

Light blue robes were draped over the screens. They dressed but noticed that there were no shoes.

When asked, Hagrid cleared his throat and read off a card, "Yer feet should touch the soil, from whence ya come. Yer robes are blue, the color of the sea and sky- Life and light." He then blew his nose in his handkerchief with a loud honk.

"Step this way." Arthur motioned the canvas door. There awaiting them, were the rest of the group. All were bathed and dressed in clean robes. Ron and Harry knew things were getting serious. Gone were the whistles and guffaws, now there was solemnity and quiet.

"Brothers. I present Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, please raise your wands." Wands were raised and lit. "Síocháin agus áthas."

The rest of the men responded, "Peace and Joy"

The earth shook slightly and leaves about their feet started to twirl up to their knees before settling back down to the ground.

"We are ready, Hold our hands." Arthur, Neville, and Hagrid held out their hands and when Ron and Harry placed theirs in, they were apparated to behind the marquee near the Burrow.

Arthur gave them a brief instruction on what they were to do. Neville sprinkled a pinch of salt over their heads and pinned a rosette made of wheat and oats, tied with a silk ribbon, on their lapels. He pulled a card out of his pocket. "Salt, to protect your union from evil and grains as a reminder to provide for your family at all times. That they would never have need or want."

"Come along Harry, Ron, we need to move. The lady folk will be here any minute now." Arthur said.

He stepped back, and they all walked into the tent, Ron turned to Harry, "This was nothing like Bill's stag do. Why did we get all this?"

"I reckons it has ta do with what's on your arms, Ron. I wanted ta tell ya Harry, but well, I's never been ta one. Din' know what ter expect." Hagrid wiped his face on his huge handkerchief again. "But I'm right honored to be here wit' you tonight."

Harry ignored the nearly one hundred people sitting and watching them. "I wouldn't accept anyone else, Hagrid." Harry tapped Hagrid's arm as they stepped onto the raised stage.