Okay, I'm super late with an update and I am super sorry guys! Been a very eventful few months! However, this chapter is an absolute mammoth and I really hope you'll love it. So without further ado… Bg.97 xx
James bit down on his lip as he straightened his tie, ruffling his hair in the mirror once more. He paused, giving his reflection another look, then ruffling his hair yet again. Damn his genes, picking up that habit.
He grabbed his wand, shoved a few necessities into his robe pockets before apparating to the Burrow; right into the heart of the chaos.
"Ah, Jamie, you're here!" his grandmother called him to attention before he could even catch his breath. "Head straight on out and help get the tent set up."
"Sure thing Nan," he responded promptly, for fear of an outburst, before turning right around and heading straight out the front door.
He took a deep breath of the autumn air as he stepped out into the large garden of the Burrow. It was fresh, and surprisingly warm for a morning in October, as if someone was looking down over Rose and Scorpius.
James wandered over to the group of men stood by the large piece of marquee material lying on the ground. As he approached, his Uncle Bill spotted him and a large grin spread across his face.
"Perfect timing James, we only needed one more set of hands to get the job done."
Before he knew it, James was being sent to one post ready to levitate the marquee and push the poles into the ground. He knew today would be hectic: he'd been to enough family weddings to know that, but every single time he was still amazed by how quickly everyone got stuck in the work.
As he stood at his post and awaited instructions, he was finally able to take a breath. Beside him, Hugo noticed this and chuckled. "It feels like more work every time we do this, hey Jamie?"
He laughed in response. "Tell me about it." James turned to look at the younger Weasley properly. "How have you been, Hugo? It's been a while."
"I've been good," he said, and James got the sense that he truly meant it. "I mean, it's still kind of surreal that my big sister is getting married, but I'm really excited for her."
"You given Malfoy 'the talk' yet?"
Hugo beamed, his dimples clearly visible. "I don't think I need to. He's sufficiently scared of us already." James snorted, as he prepared his wand on account of hearing Bill's instructions being called behind his conversation.
"So you're looking pretty suave. Got yourself a hot date for tonight?"
"Just a friend, actually."
"Huh." Hugo raised an eyebrow, "You're not known for having many of those."
James went to protest, but before he could, he was being told to cast 'wingardium leviosa'. It was okay. He'd get Hugo back later.
After that job had been completed, he managed to actually say hello to some of his family before heading inside, probably to be assaulted with more jobs to do, but surprisingly he wasn't. Making the most of the opportunity, he sneaked upstairs and knocked on what had once been his mum's bedroom door.
"Who is it?" a collection of female voices yelled.
"It's just James," he called, waiting for a response.
After a minute, he heard Rose say, "let him in" and the door was finally opened.
His eyes widened as took in the appearance of his younger cousin. She had yet to put the dress on, but her hair, which he was used to seeing in a messy bun or tucked under a hat, was loose- her ringlets hanging down with random silver beads placed throughout her hair. Her usually natural face had make-up done in a way that was subtle but accentuated her features. James was speechless.
Rose snorted. "Do I look that hideous?"
"You look beautiful, little red. Absolutely beautiful."
Rose blushed as she pulled James into a tight hug. After a few seconds, James felt hands prying them apart.
"Come on now," Annabel, Rosie's friend/ Gryffindor housemate/ maid of honour, said as she stood between the two cousins. "We have a schedule to work to."
James stepped back, letting Annie and Victoire take over and sidling into the corner next to his Mum. Ginny smiled and leaned her head on her eldest son's shoulder.
"Who'd have thought that Ron could have produced a daughter so beautiful?" she commented with a smile.
James laughed, "Well I'm sure Aunt Hermione helped quite a lot."
They laughed for a while, then Rose had a thought, interrupting them. "Jamie, you don't mind doing me a massive favour and popping round to the flat, do you? It's just that I don't trust Scorpius, Albus and Charlie getting ready in one space and actually sticking to schedule."
"Am I really the only one you can send?"
"Yes! Teddy's setting up the stuff in the tent, Louis will be crap at reporting and I need Hugh here in case I freak out. It's better if a younger person does it. Please James." Her eyes were large and pleading as she looked at her cousin.
He rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'll be back in a bit."
As soon as he apparated outside the door of Scorpius and Albus' place, he could hear the boys arguing about something inside. The door was slightly ajar, so he decided to just bite the bullet and go in.
When he did, he was surprised to see that Scorpius, although it was his wedding day, was in fact the calmest in the room. Instead, it was Albus who was flitting around the room only half dressed- his hair sticking out at odd angles, and sweat beading on his forehead.
"But what if I trip Annie up when we're coming back down the aisle, or if I drop the ring, or if I mess up my best man speech?"
"Merlin, Albie- it's not even your own bloody wedding!"
At the unexpected extra voice, the two men's heads shot up. Scorpius smiled, whilst Al looked even more panicked.
"Rose sent you didn't she? Because she doesn't trust me to get Scorpius to the wedding in time." Al accused, his finger pointing in an attempt at intimidation.
"Rose did send me, but not because of you being a prick. I'm just checking up on the blushing groom."
Scorpius smiled, his dimple clearly visible. "The groom is perfectly prepared and is very excited to be marrying his best friend."
"You should be. Just you wait until you see her." James commented with a twinkle in his eye, causing Scorpius to blush. Pulling himself away from the moment, James paused to look around the flat. "Hey, where's Nott?"
"Outside having a fag," Al said, still pacing and looking nervous.
"Well it looks like you guys have things mostly under control here, so I guess I don't need to hang around. I have a flask of mead in my pocket, but I don't think you'll be needing it, Malfoy."
"I'm good," Scorpius chuckled, "but maybe let Al have it. I think he needs a little something to calm his nerves."
James snorted, but nonetheless, he passed the flask to his little brother.
"Thanks Jamie." Al said, hurriedly opening the flask. James acknowledged his thanks with a nod before sharing a similar look with Scorpius and apparating back to the Burrow.
By the time he had returned, Rose had changed into the dress, and James was completely stunned all over again at how angelic his younger cousin looked. His face was wide-eyed and beaming as he reassured Rose that Scorpius was fine and that she was going to blow him away when he saw her.
"I know it's kind of emasculating for me to make this observation; but that dress truly is incredible."
"Well you shouldn't expect anything less from me Jamie."
The voice from behind him took him by surprise, and caused his smile to stretch even further to the point where it physically hurt. James spun round and engulfed his sister in a hug so tight that her feet came off the ground.
"It's good to have you back, Lily pad."
"Bloody hell James, I've been gone a year, not a century."
"Felt that long!" James exclaimed, his arms firmly gripping Lily's shoulders.
"It's definitely good to have you back." Rose added.
Lily's lips tightened as she responded, "I'm only here for the wedding this weekend, and then I'm leaving on Tuesday: to go home to France."
Ginny met her daughter with a sarcastic eye- roll. "Just let us enjoy it, sweetie."
Annabel brought the room back to the event in hand by announcing that it was T- 1 hour until the wedding. The realisation of the time reminded James of his duties.
"I better head off, I need to go pick up Elizabeth."
At this, Lily wiggled her eyebrows. "Elizabeth, huh? You're bringing a date to this shindig?"
"Piss off, Lily," James muttered, ignoring the blush on his own cheeks.
"I'll have you know that Lizzie is a great girl and a great friend to James," Ginny intervened, her arms crossed in front of her chest.
"Thank you Mum!" James let out exasperatedly as he made his exit from the room.
Lizzie straightened her dress once more as she leaned closer to her bathroom mirror to double check that her make-up looked good. There was going to be a lot of high- profile witches and wizards at this wedding, and as an up and coming sports reporter, she wanted to be on top form. Part of her also wanted James to look at her and no-one else, but that part of her was trying to be pushed down as far as humanly possible.
"Aunt Lizzie, you look great. You don't have to keep checking that your face hasn't changed."
Lizzie laughed affectionately at the way her niece was leaning against the doorframe, one hand resting on her hip. "Thank you Jane. I just want to look extra special for this wedding."
"Is that because you're going with one of those gorgeous athletes that you interview for your paper?"
"No, not at all!" Lizzie announced reflexively (and probably way too quickly).
"Really? Cause Grandma told me that this friend of yours has done loads of shirtless photoshoots and girls of your kind all over the country are totally into him."
"Well I've never looked at shirtless pics of him, and I'm not every other witch in the country, am I? You need to get your pubescent, overly- hormonal head out the clouds. Your Dad would die if he heard you talking about boys like this."
"Yeah, well Dad isn't here, " the 12 year old retorted easily.
"Stop being cheeky, you!" Lizzie chided.
Jane was about to make another comment, when she was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"That will be James, so please- behave yourself- for once." Lizzie headed down the stairs, an excitable Jane following behind her into the lounge.
Lizzie discreetly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she opened the door. James stood there- looking handsome as ever; his robe in his hand, his tie yellow to match Lizzie's dress. If how impressed she was didn't show on her face, it definitely showed on his.
"I know, I'm hot," he joked as he stepped through the door.
She rolled her eyes, and lightly punched his shoulder.
"You look pretty great too, by the way."
"Why thank you." she smiled before sinking into a sigh. "Sorry to be a pain, but we have to just hang around here for a few minutes. Mum and Dad have just popped out to the shop, and I don't trust my niece home alone."
"Not a problem. Where's your niece?"
Lizzie pulled James into the lounge where Jane had made herself comfortable on the sofa, her eyes intently staring at her phone until James caught her attention- at which point her eyes shifted and her cheeks reddened significantly.
James smiled as he introduced himself. "Hey, I'm Jay: I'm friends with your aunt."
Jane said nothing; just continued to stare at James.
"Since she's lost all powers of speech apparently, this is my niece Jane." Lizzie offered as she gestured towards her.
"Jane- great name. That's my best friend's middle name."
"Cool," Jane spluttered, unable to say much more.
James struggled to hold back his laughter, so it was a good time that the front door opened at that precise moment. He turned around to see Mr and Mrs Hartley enter, both with multiple shopping bags in their hands. Lizzie's mum perked up as soon as she spotted him.
"Hello James! It's good to see you again."
"Yeah, you too, Mrs Hartley."
Lizzie grabbed her bag with one hand and James' arm with the other and led him straight out the door. "Since you're back, we'll be going."
"We didn't need to rush Elizabeth," he laughed once they were out the front door.
Lizzie checked her watch. "Umm, yeah we did. The wedding starts in just over half an hour, and I don't want to be late."
"Well then… shall we, milady?" he smiled as he held her hand and prepared to apparate; she smiled back as they were spun into an entirely new place.
When she opened her eyes again, Lizzie gasped. The house in front of her was the most incredible thing she had ever seen. It was tall, and crooked, and she was terrified that it would collapse at any moment; but it was unique and eccentric.
James beamed as he watched her drink it all in. "Welcome to the Burrow. Shall we?"
Lizzie simply nodded, her mouth still wide, James leading her past the house into a large field in which a marquee was stood, intricately decorated with flowers and lanterns and birdcages, and other intricacies that set the scene as a cute, almost bohemian- style wedding.
They wandered through as people began to drift in, and made their way to find somewhere to sit, people occasionally stopping them to talk to James. Eventually, they made their way to the front, where a young man with curly ginger hair and a young woman with a round face and kind green eyes were gesturing for them to join them.
"Elizabeth, this is my cousin Hugo and this is his girlfriend…"
"Ruby," she finished for him with a smile.
Elizabeth smiled at them and shook their hands before looking up at the front and noticing Scorpius and Albus stood there, both looking very picturesque and handsome in their suits.
"Scorpius doesn't even look nervous at all. That's crazy!" she whispered to James beside her when they sat down.
He shrugged in response. "He has no reason to be. He's been waiting for this day for ages- he's completely ready for it."
"I don't know if I could have got married at 21. It just seems so young."
"If you're lucky enough to have already found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with at that age, what's the point in waiting?"
Lizzie's face softened as she observed the man beside her. That response wasn't what she'd expect from someone like him- someone who thrived on freedom and parties and not being tied to anything. He kept surprising her, and she found herself in awe of him. The little voice in her head kept whispering that this was why she liked him. Her attention was brought back as the congregation was called to stand for the entrance of the bride.
The harp started playing with the flick of a wand as the murmurs quietened to await Rose's arrival.
The room went silent when they saw her. Lizzie hated clichés, but in this instance, it was completely true. Rose lit up the entire place. She was absolutely beautiful; her dress was stunning, though simple in its design. Her eyes were bright and excited, and Ron walked beside her wearing a proud yet nervous smile. The sight of it moved something in Lizzie, and before she could quite comprehend what she was doing, she has reached over and slipped her hand into James'. He didn't bat an eyelid, or so much as look at their joined hands, but her heart couldn't help but skip at the bashful smile she saw on James' face out the corner of her eye. Her hand remained in his for the entirety of the ceremony. The smile remained too.
Okay, so this chapter was too ridiculously long, and this seemed like a good place to cut it. The next instalment will be with you in the next few days! It is all the same chapter really, just a part 1 and part 2, if you will. I hope you liked it. I'll post pictures of Rose's wedding dress and the dress Lizzie is wearing, on my tumblr (a link to which can be found on my profile page), so if you want to look- do! Some major exciting stuff coming in the second half of this, so be on the lookout for it! Bg.97 xx