Harry Potter

After the War

Chapter 4

Audrey Hopkins was a witch of high calibre whom Percy had met during his first year of Hogwarts. She was a Ravenclaw and good friends with Percy's Hogwart's girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater. After leaving school, Audrey received a job working in the Ministry of Magic as a personal assistant to Fudge. Once Percy joined the ministry as a scribe, their friendship started again and, when Percy revealed he was no longer with Penelope, Audrey was overjoyed and asked him out. They began dating and Percy, as he put it, "fell for her like star from the heavens". But, once Audrey told him that she thought the Ministry was wrong about Harry and Voldemort, he ended the relationship. She'd resigned and Percy hadn't seen her since. Then, in the room of requirement before the battle, they'd met again. Audrey was the cousin of Wayne Hopkins, a Hufflepuff student who started Hogwarts the same year as Harry, Ron and Hermione. She'd seen Percy and turned away to talk to someone next to her but, after apologising to his family profusely, he'd walked over to her and told her that if they survived, he wanted to marry her. Audrey automatically said yes and they'd been engaged ever since. They'd decided to wait for a while till they got married due to Fred's death but they were finally tying the knot.

"Ronald Billius Weasley! What time do you call this?" Molly screamed at him, "I told you eleven O'clock! It's quarter past!" Molly was feeling a bit stressed. She wanted Percy's wedding to be perfect seeing as Bill and Fleurs wedding was ruined by the Deatheaters.

"Mum! It's five minutes past! It'll be fine." Ron argued as he took off his coat and hung it on a peg inside the door. Molly Weasley glared at her son and turned to Hermione.

"How'd it go, dear?" she asked hugging Hermione tightly.

Hermione hugged her back for a moment then stepped back, "They weren't there but we think there may be some hope." She smiled weakly as Harry confirmed this with a firm nod.

"Good!" Molly said, "Well you'd better start getting ready," She addressed the three of them, "Harry, dear, I've asked Ginny to lay your robes out on your bed and Ron, yours are in your wardrobe." She began to shoo them out of the kitchen towards the stairs, "And be quick! We've still got a lot to do before people start arriving." A crash came from the garden and she hurried off to deal with the latest crisis.

"She's getting worse!" Ron said, looking at her watch, "We've still got five hours till the wedding!"

"She just wants it to be perfect, Ron, and don't be mean about your mum. She's had a lot to cope with lately." They all went silent. Fred's grinning face popped into Harry's head. He shook the thought away. Today was going to be a happy affair.

"I wonder how Percy's doing." Harry pondered, "Isn't he nervous?" Ron snorted.

"Yeah! He was almost catatonic this morning! He was so pale; I thought he was going to fai-" Hermione dug her elbow into his ribs, "Hey! What was that for?" She nodded towards the third floor where Audrey had been staying. Harry leaned over the banister and heard voices floating towards them.

"Zis dress is parfait!" Fleur said. As they reached the third floor landing, they saw that Audrey's door was halfway open. Luckily they hadn't seemed to hear a thing they had said; Harry noticed Ron had worked that out due to his sigh of relief. Fleur looked up from finishing the stitches on Audrey's dress, "Ah! 'Arry, Ron! We need a man's opinion. What d'you think?" She turned Audrey towards them and opened the door fully.

Hermione squealed beside Rona and Harry, "Oh my God! Audrey! You look amazing!" she practically flung herself into the room to get a closer look.

Audrey flushed furiously, "Really? You don't think it's a bit much?" she spread the dress out and did a small spin.

Ron whistled from the doorway, "Definitely not!" He said, "Percy better understand how lucky he is." Audrey blushed again.

Harry smiled at her, "You look beautiful, Audrey." She smiled back and looked in the worn mirror hanging inside her wardrobe. Her dress was perfect. It was made out of some white fabric that clung to her body, but managed to keep all of its intended sophistication at the same time. Fleur had embroidered little swirls across the bodice and enchanted the dress so that the swirls moved and changed colours. Her veil hung limply from the back of a chair but Harry could see miniature butterflies flying across the bottom.

"Ok, enough!" Fleur told them, "We 'ave to much to do! Make-up, 'air, everything must be magnifique! Out, out!" Fleur shut the door on them as Audrey called out a thank you.

"Well, that was a bit rude!" Hermione said indignantly as they moved back towards the staircase.

"Oh come on, Hermione. She just wants it to be perfect." He winked at her and she shook her head at him, a smile creeping onto her face.

"She did look amazing, though." Harry pointed out as they reached Hermione and Harry's rooms on the fourth floor.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "I hope Hermione looks that good at our wedding." He kissed her cheek and continued up the stairs to his floor. Harry glanced at Hermione who was standing dumbstruck outside her door, her face as red as the Gryffindor flag hanging in Harry's room. She snapped out of her daze and quickly opened her door, slamming it behind her. Harry grinned and entered his own room. Sitting on his bed, Ginny was looking through a photo album. She smiled at him as he sat down beside her.

"I didn't know Ron and Hermione were getting married."

Harry laughed, "I don't think Hermione did either." Ginny put the book down beside her and leaned into Harry, who wrapped his arms around her and sighed contently. They sat in silence for a while, enjoyed each other's company. After so long on the run and being away from her, Harry felt as if every moment with Ginny was its own little treasure and should be treated as such. She was everything to him.

"Harry?" she asked quietly, he grunted in response, "Do you ever think of us getting married?" Harry started laughing again. Ginny jerked out of his arms.

"What?" she asked him, anger turning her face as red as her hair, "What?" she asked again. Harry tried to stop laughing and failed miserably, "Is it that ludicrous to think about?" tears began filling her eyes and she turned for the door. Harry reached out, grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. She had a split second objection before Harry planted his lips on hers. Ginny struggled for a millisecond before giving in and kissing him back. Eventually, Harry pulled back.

"I'm laughing because thinking of our future together was one of the only things that kept me going whilst I was away." Ginny threw her arms around his neck.

A knocking came from Harry's door, "Harry? Have seen Ginny?" Mrs Weasley called through the door. Ginny sighed and got up from the bed.

Picking up Harry's robes and hanging them from the hook inside his wardrobe, Ginny called back, "I'm in here, mum." Molly opened the door in lightening speed. Once she'd ascertained that there was no, as she put it, 'hanky panky', Molly straightened her apron and looked at her daughter.

"Ginny, dear. Could you go and help your father with the delivery hags? He keeps asking them if they've eaten any children lately. Honestly, I don't understand why he can't keep his mouth shut!" Harry grinned.

"I'll be there in a minute, mum, let me just finish sorting out Harry's robes?" she indicated to a large stain that had suddenly appeared on the collar. She pulled out her wand to further her point. Molly pondered for a moment then turned to Harry.

"You look a bit grubby, dear. I'll go run you a quick bath, shall I?" Molly asked.

"That would be lovely, Mrs We- urm, Molly." Harry said. She left the room and Ginny quickly removed the stain on Harry's shirt.

"I'd better go help Dad. You know what he's like." Ginny got to the doorway before Harry said anything.

"Ginny?"

"Yes?" she asked, pausing at the door.

"I love you." Ginny flung herself across the room and kissed him with a fiery passion. That only broke when Molly yelled up the stairs for her to hurry up.

"The hags are nearly at braking point!" Harry and Ginny pulled apart reluctantly. Ginny walked out of the room and Harry fell back onto his bed.

"Oh, and Potter?" Ginny stuck her head back round the door, "I love you too!" She disappeared again, revealing Hermione standing in her doorway across the hall with a grin on her face. Harry flicked his wand and closed the door, grinning back.

The wedding of Percy Weasley and Audrey Hopkins wasn't what you'd call a small one. Almost everyone they knew from the Ministry of Magic who hadn't fallen into the clutches of Voldemort, were in attendance. Many Hogwarts students, both past and present had turned up, including most of the teachers. A few of Charlie's friends who had helped bring Norbert over had taken some seats as well as all of the Weasley family. Ron's Aunt Muriel had only turned up due to the fact 'Percy's too up himself to find a girl. If she goes through with it, I'll eat my hat!" Audrey's family were also there, though much smaller than the Weasley percentage. Apparently their views of the Weasley family had been swayed by their involvement in stopping Voldemort, as had the rest of the wizarding community. They were now a respectable wizard family. And that meant one of the biggest weddings in history. Even Rita Skeeter turned up to do a piece for the Daily Prophet. Luckily, Hermione's gossip on Rita's animagus status kept the piece free from corruption and scandal.

"So, I'm betting it lasts a day. What about you?"

"Aunt Muriel!" cried Ginny, "You can't say things like that!" Ron sniggered and received another dig in the ribs from Hermione. Harry couldn't remember the last time everyone looked so happy. Hermione and Ron were sitting next to Harry, Hermione's head resting on Ron's shoulder as they curled up together. Ginny was sitting on Harry's lap, watching Audrey's dress glitter against the torches lit by Norbert as it grew dark.

Aunt Muriel looked hurt, "Are you telling me I'm a bad Aunt?" She pulled out her purse, "Look, I'm betting 10 sickles on it. Who wants in?" she looked around their table.

"Okay, I'm in." Ron declared. Hermione was going to object but gave up, smiling slightly at him. He kissed the top of her head and reached into his pockets. "I bet they don't break up." He put his money on the table and got to his feet. "C'mon let's dance!" He pulled Hermione up from the chair and they spun off onto the crowded dance floor. Aunt Muriel left, heading towards the bride and groom.

"He looks happy, doesn't he?" Ginny asked. Harry watched Percy for a moment.

"He looks ecstatic." He confirmed.

"Harry! Ginny!" came a dreamy voice from across the room. A girl with waist length, dirty blonde hair came hurtling across the dance floor in a blue sparkly dress that looked like moving waves. Her progress was slightly delayed by the fact she was dragging along a boy, looking uncomfortable in dress robes.

"Luna? Luna!" Ginny raced to greet her friend. Neville sat down heavily next to Harry.

"Alright, Harry?"

"Hey, Neville." Harry replied. "How are you?" Neville had become extremely famous in the short time since the battle. Word had got out about his ingenuity with using the mandrakes to knock out the deatheaters. Then, when they'd been told he'd stood up to Voldemort and killed Nagini, offers from every herbology organisation around Britain came flooding by owl.

"Exhausted," Neville told him, "I had three people today, begging me to join them." Harry smiled. He knew Neville was secretly enjoying the attention. Neville's family had never really held out much hope for him.

"I bet your Grandmothers loving it, though?"

Neville pointed to a foreboding looking woman talking to Mr and Mrs Weasley, "She's been bragging ever since we got here."

"When did you get here?" Harry asked.

Neville checked his watch, "About half an hour ago."

Harry looked at him in surprise, "Seriously? Why haven't I seen you?"

Neville sighed, "Rita Skeeter saw me checking out the garden and wanted an interview." Harry laughed, "It's not funny! She kept asking if my mandrakes looked anything like me." Harry snorted. "Anyway, how are things going with those two?" He indicated to Ron and Hermione dancing to The Weird Sisters new song.

"I think they're doing well. Hermione's finding it a bit strange but I don't think Ron's having any problems with it at all," he told Neville, thinking back to Ron's wedding blunder earlier. "So, what's with you and Luna?"

Neville blushed, "I don't really know, I mean I like her, a lot, but I don't think she feels the same."

"Of course she does! Don't give up, mate, you'll get her eventually." Neville smiled weakly. The band had started playing a slow song and couples were lining up around the edge of the dance floor.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, Elves and Dragons," said Selene, the lead singer, "Please welcome to the floor, for the first time ever, Mr and Mrs. Weasley!" Percy and Audrey walked onto the dance floor, Percy looked incredibly embarrassed. As they began to dance, Molly burst into tears and had to be dragged away by Bill. You could hear Hagrid sobbing over the music. Harry excused himself and cautiously went over to him, careful not to startle Norbert who Hagrid was leaning against.

"What's wrong, Hagrid?" he asked sitting beside his giant friend.

"Oh, 'Arry! I remember the firs' time Percy and I met. 'E told me how to get more outta me veg. 'You should cat'gorise the plants' 'e said. Told me I should grow 'em alpha-alpha-hiccup!" Hagrid had been drinking a lot by now. "Sorry 'Arry. I've jus bin feelin' a bit lonely o' late. Yeh know, with me bin an' criminal fer a while. Got a bit lonely in me cave, wha' with the ministry after me fer months an' yeh lot not visitin'." Norbert whined and placed his gigantic head into Hagrid's lap. "I'll be fine, though. Just 'appy ter be 'ere with ev'ryone." He raised his bucket sized glass to his lips and guzzled the Firewhiskey filling it. He belched and thumped his leg as his eyes watered. Unfortunately, Hagrid forgot that Norbert's head was resting on his thigh and as he hit the dragon, Norbert blew out fire in surprise. Harry leapt backwards, narrowly missing the jet of conflagration. Instead of roasting Harry, the stream of flame hit a box of muggle fireworks Mr. Weasley had been saving for the wedding. The crowd on the dance floor stopped to watch as the whole box exploded, colours dashing everywhere. The guests oohed and ahhed. Until, that is, one of the fireworks burst free of the crate and set Mr. Weasley's shed on fire. Harry leapt up and pulled his wand from his pocket.

"Aguamenti!" Harry yelled as the shed lit up like a beacon. Several other wizards quickly hurried over to help. Once the blaze was retired, everyone stared at the crumbled remains of Arthur's workshop. After a few moments, Arthur quickly laughed and said that he'd been thinking of getting a new shed anyway. Most of the guests went back to their conversations and, as the band struck up again, dancing. Ginny pulled away from her conversation with Luna, who grabbed Neville and dragged him onto the dance floor.

"How's he doing?" she asked gently as she reached Harry. Ginny nodded towards Hagrid, who was currently curled up under one of Norbert's wings and snoring loudly enough to make the water in nearby glasses vibrate.

Harry shrugged, "As well as he can do, I guess. He doesn't really do well on his own." They turned back to face the charred building. "Didn't your dad have all his 'experiments' in there?" Harry asked her, placing his arm round her shoulder and hugging her close.

"He used to, but he had to chuck everything out when He was in charge."

"Good thing too!" George had crept up to them and his sudden outburst made Harry jump. A ghost of a smile danced on his lips. At first glance, Harry had no idea who it was. His normally clean shaven face was covered in a ginger down and his eyes looked dull and lifeless.

"What do you mean?" asked Ginny, who had had a lifetime of Fred and George creeping around. "Why is that a good thing?"

George pointed to the base of the shed, "Do you see that weird outline just under the floorboards?" Harry squinted for a few moments.

"I don't see-wait!" A faint silver square was poking out from underneath the wreck. "What is that?"

George winked, "One of our hideouts for the shop, you know, back when we were designing products. You tap out a secret code on the floor and it opens into a basement we created during our third year holidays." Harry couldn't help but notice he kept saying 'our' and 'we'. Immediately, Harry felt a crushing sadness settling on his heart. He glanced at Ginny and it was obvious she'd noticed too. When George turned to check nobody was listening in to the conversation, Harry wiped away a tear that had escaped down her cheek. She hugged him closer as a thank you. "You see, we thought right under the ministry's nose was the best place to hide things. I can't even remember what's under there, but the last time I was in there, I distinctly remember seeing something that looked an awful lot like a doxy nest."

"Okay, we're going to start heading away from this area then." Ginny told him, dragging Harry away from the increasingly undesirable area. They went back to the main party, watching wearily as George snuck off towards where Aunt Muriel was snoozing in her chair.

"I really wouldn't like to be Muriel right now," he told Ginny as she led him towards the dance floor.

She laughed, "Yeah! If I'm not mistaken, he had something similar to a Gassy Gumdrop in his hand." Harry laughed with her, spinning her into the dance. They stayed there through five more songs before Ginny went to get drinks. Harry sat down next to Ron who was watching Hermione talking to Audrey.

"So when's your wedding?" Harry asked him, barely concealing his grin. Ron groaned.

"I can't believe I said that! Bloody hell! She must think I'm an idiot."

Harry laughed, "Of course she does! But not because of that." Ron elbowed him, "I'm joking! I think she found it cute. Cute little Ronnykins!"

"Right!" Ron pulled out his wand, "You've got a choice between a hex and a jinx. Which one do you want?" Harry pretended to surrender and they both laughed.

"Ah, there you are, Weasley!" Professor McGonagall was making her way over to them , a tall glass of Daisyroot Draught in her hand, her hat slanted slightly. "I've been looking for you."

"Sorry, Professor." Ron sat up into a proper sitting position rather than his usual slouch.

"Oh, Ronald! Don't you think we're a little bit past formalities after everything that's happened? Call me Minevra."

"Oh." Ron blushed, "Okay... Minevra."

"That is, of course, unless," she sat on the chair opposite the two of them, "your request is still standing?" Ron nodded.

"Good!" She smiled at him, "Professor McGonagall for another year, then." She raised her glass and clinked it against Ron's.

"Urm, sorry," Harry interrupted, "but what's going on?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you; I'm going back to Hogwarts."

"What?" Hermione had just arrived, steering a bottle of floating champagne towards their table.

"Ah! Miss Granger, dear, I just received your owl this morning." McGonagall told her. "It's seems you two aren't the only ones who want to complete their seventh year properly. I've had about twenty owls flying into my office in the past week."

"Sorry I didn't tell you, Hermione. I just-" But he didn't get to finish his sentence. Hermione had launched herself at him and they were now kissing a little too passionately, Harry felt, for public decency. McGonagall obviously thought so too as she turned towards him and pretended they weren't there.

"So, Potter. Have you thought about applying for a job in the auror office yet? I hear Savage has been trying to recruit you for the last two weeks. He isn't very patient, is he?" Harry laughed. He was pretty sure he liked tispy McGonagall more than the sober version.

"Yeah, but I don't want to join up right now. I'm still not feeling friendly towards the Ministry right now, even if Kingsley's in charge."

She nodded, "So what are you going to do?" Harry spotted Ginny making her way over with their drinks.

"Well, I was thinking about coming back to Hogwarts, but I thought I'd better check with someone first." Professor McGonagall saw Ginny approaching them, too, and gave Harry a quick wink before ducking away to another table.

"Hey, guys! Get a room!" she flicked a confetti fairy at Ron and Hermione who didn't notice. "What got into those two?" she enquired.

"Oh, they just found out they're going back to Hogwarts." Ginny's eyebrows disappeared into her fringe.

"And?"

"And what?"

"What about you? Are you going back too?"

"That all depends." Harry told her, pulling her onto his lap, her green dress covering his knees.

She frowned, "Depends on what?"

"On whether or not you want me to go back. We'll be in the same year if I do. Same classes, same common room again, same castle." Her grin stretched across her face, like a Cheshire cat. "I just don't want you to think I'm a bit clingy," He grinned back at her.

"Harry, I've been obsessed with you for almost eight years! I think it's your turn to be a bit 'clingy'"

"So?" Harry teased her, "Is that a yes?" She kissed him. When they broke apart, Harry called over to the next table, "Professor!" McGonagall turned away from her conversation with Elphias Doge, "I'm in!" She gave him a very out of character thumbs up before turning back to Doge. "I guess that's it then."

"Yep" Ginny confirmed, smiling at him.

"We're going back to Hogwarts."