Journey to the Battlefront
Author's Note: Thanks Folk/Ivy, for helping to edit these chapter.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters or mentioned or depicted in the following chapter, J.K Rowling owns them.
-Chapter Six-
Wedding Bells
Here comes the bride-to-be,
Her rosy cheeks shine with glee.
A hustle bustle everywhere-
Where's the gown for her to wear?
All the stones and gems bright,
Bracelets, chains: put them right.
Let's all be happy and gay;
Forget all fear for today.
It was a bright and sunny Friday, a welcome change after a week of untimely storm and rain. The little church at Ottery St. Catchpole was filled to its brim. Mr. and Mrs.Weasley were sitting in the front row with their Aunt Muriel and Fleur's family. The members of the Order were there, McGonagall in an emerald green cloak with jeweled fastenings, Hestia Jones in a sequined orange gown, Dedalus Diggle in velvet robes in violet and a matching top hat, Kingsley Shacklebolt in a beige suit, Sturgis Podmore, released from Azkaban after finishing his six-month sentence, Tonks who was wearing her hair blonde like the bride instead of her trademark pink for the occasion, Lupin, who was standing beside her wearing new navy blue dress robes, Alastor Moody nursing an arm injury and Hagrid wearing his very old and very horrible hairy suit with an orange tie and taking up an entire bench at the back with an elegant Madame Maxime in a pale pink silk gown. There was also old Mr. Perkins, Mr.Weasley's former colleague in the department of Misuse of Muggle Artefacts and a few curse-breakers from Gringotts, friends of Bill.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the second row with Fred, George and Lee Jordan who had been invited by the twins. Bill was waiting at the alter with best man Charlie. Percy had chosen to ignore the invitation and Ron said that was the nicest thing he had ever done.Harry looked around. Everybody, the members of the Order included, were looking happy. An aunt of Fleur, a plump middle-aged woman with a face like a red and round apple, two great black eyes shaded with thick shadowy brows and wrapped in furs kept patting and whispering to the bride's mother who was dabbing her eyes with her silk handkerchief. Fleur came with her father, and her queenly entrance seemed to take all the air out of the little hall. She looked like a Greek goddess in a white silk gown, intricately embroidered with silver and white, with a riot of frills and laces that flowed like a mountain stream down the gown, encircling her slender waist. Her silvery smooth hair was tied up in an elaborate knot and adorned with a gold tiara. She was followed by two pretty bridesmaids,a little blonde girl and a beautiful redhead. Harry's heart rwas racing as he saw Ginny, resplendent in a golden gown that was cut a little low in the back to show the shoulders, and the transluscent layers of gold cambric that made up the skirt. He forced himself to look away. He saw Mrs.Weasley beaming, having long forgotten what she had originally thought of her intended daughter-in-law. He saw Ron and Hermione holding hands and looking at each other. And he thought of the time he had spent with Ginny,not many weeks ago, yet which seemed eternities away.The more he tried not to think, the more he remembered, those kisses, those strolls along the lake,those sitting together and whispering beside the warm fire inside the Gryffindor Common Room, they all appeared like distant dreams that had never happened.There was a sudden explosion of cheering and clapping all round. Harry looked up,startled out of his reverie. The groom and bride were kissing. Bill and Fleur were married.
-XXX-
They were all sitting together in the Weasleys' kitchen. Bill and Fleur had left for their honeymoon (they were to be back by Monday) and almost all the guests were gone, but the party was by no means over. Fred and George had set off a box of their enchanted fireworks designed specially for the occasion and there was deafening din in the house. Ron's great aunt Muriel was drinking her sixth bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky and talking about baby Bill with streaming eyes. Mrs.Weasley was beaming at everyone around.It was impossible to believe that only a two nights ago Mr.Weasley and Bill had dashed off around midnight to fight death-eaters who were killing of muggles in a nearby village. They had returned within an hour to say they were ok and had then gone straight to the headquarters for an emergency meeting. He did not know what had happened there but as his eyes fell on Mr.Weasley and Lupin who was the only Order member (apart from the Weasleys)left behind,it seemed to him that things were not fine after all. They were engaged in a serious discussion. Harry's wristwatch showed ten minutes to nine. Lupin looked up and caught Harry looking at him across the table. He whispered a few words to Mr.Weasley and then, standing up suddenly, indicated Harry to follow him outside. "Can we go up to your room and talk?" he asked him outside the kitchen. Harry was surprised. "Okay then." he replied.
Inside, Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. "What's going on? What does Lupin want with Harry?" she asked in a low voice.
"I dunno," Ron shrugged, "maybe McGonagall has now set him to find out what we're up to."
Hermione frowned. She wished she would give up. They had been asked that question a million times already by herself and by other members of the Order.
Harry came back after half an hour and sat down beside Ron. "We are in the Order." He said.
Ron looked completely nonplussed.
"But Harry, you said we were going to.." Hermione began uncertainly.
"We are." Harry cut her in. "And the Order will not interfere in what we do. But I thought we might need to use headquarters sometime so I agreed when Lupin asked me. And I asked him to get in touch with Neville; he will like to join the Order I think."
They were silent for a while and then Harry sat up. "Listen, I've got to say something."
Chapter 6: Houseguest
N.B: Ok so I have edited it and I hope it reads better now.Thanks to everyone who reviewed.