Finally, here's the chapter consisting of Luna's Christmas wedding. The next chapter will outline Alice's tenth year, and most of it won't be in much detail, except for a few major events. I'm sorry it took awhile to get this up. I had a lot of fun writing it.
Chapter Six: Unity…True and Odd
The morning of the wedding dawned on us with a heavy snowstorm outdoors. By the time Liana and I had shuffled downstairs for breakfast, we learned that my father had hurried off to the Burrow to help several of the Weasleys set charms around the wedding altar, to weaken the level of chilliness.
"Those charms work wonders," Liana assured me as she poked at her porridge. "It'll feel like spring by the time the men are done with applying the magic."
As we two dug through our breakfasts, one by one, housemates joined us in the kitchen, and began helping themselves to food of all sorts. Michael came frolicking down the stairs in his pajamas, with his dress robes flung over his shoulder. He was to eat and then hike over to the Burrow, where Rolf had spent the night. Although only eleven, Rolf had baptized his nephew as his best man for the wedding. Michael was evidently quite eager to live up to his duties, as he snatched a banana up from the table and was out the door in a matter of seconds.
Mum wallowed into the room also in her nightgown, her eyes still slumberous and half-shut. Feeling around the kitchen counter for the pitcher of pumpkin juice, she announced, "Poor Luna is getting nervous already. She's already vomited in the toilet – Hermione's calming her down now."
The mental image of aloof Luna hunched over a toilet shocked me. Pushing back my chair, I hurried upstairs and down to the W.C, where a mini-queue had gathered outside the door. Rose and Lily greeted me wide-eyed, their hair knotty and sticking up – it was most likely that they had been aroused from slumber by Luna's retching. I was surprised when seeing that Molly, Lucy, and Roxanne – all who had been staying at the Burrow – were there as well.
"Grandma Molly sent us over right after we finished eating," seven-year-old Roxanne told me. "All of us girls will be over here soon, and the boys will be at the Burrow."
"Why is it that the bride and groom can't see each other before the wedding?" I grumbled to her. "It's a silly tradition. When I get married, I'll make sure that that rule will be broken."
Liana came up from behind me, giggling. "By the time you'll be married, you'll have forgotten that you wanted to break that rule."
"No, I won't!" I protested. All of these girls knew each other better than I did them, and I wanted a reason to stick out among them, and be different. "You'll see. I'll invite you all to my wedding just for you to see!"
My proclamation brought forth sniggers among the other girls. I merely hung my head high, and maintained a confident smile. Our childish actions were broken when the bathroom door creaked open, and Hermione stepped out, leading a pale Luna into the hall.
"Luna!" we little girls broke out into concerned tones. "Are you all right? Will you still get married?"
Bold Lily, who was six at the time, blurted out, "Are you contagious?"
Luna smiled at us weakly. "Hello, girls," her voice still rang out like music, but it was a little raspy after her early meeting with the toilet. "Don't you worry, I'll be fine. The Wrackspurts must have just paid my bedroom a visit last night. But I'm perfectly all right now!"
"Luna has gifts for you all," said Hermione.
As eagerness struck us all, Luna nodded. "My family has a tradition that a bride gives all of the female guests under ten a piece of her childhood before marrying." She held a head count, and then continued, "We just need little Eleanor to wake up, and then I'll hand out your gifts."
Immediately, before Luna even finished her sentence, us seven girls were bounding down to the room where my parents and Eleanor had spent the night. Only my sister was occupying the room at the moment, sleeping angelically in the queen bed, where Mum had placed her after both she and Dad had awoken.
The other girls hesitated when they saw Ellie's sleeping figure, but I didn't even give it a second thought before flopping down on the bed heavily. I shared a bedroom back home with this girl, and I knew what could wake her up.
"Alice!" Liana screeched. "How could you-"
But Eleanor had awaken, teary-eyed that I had jerked her awake so abruptly. "Ally mean!" she cried out – that phase was apparently one of her favorites as a baby.
Lucy, who was only three months older than Eleanor, bustled around and explained to my sister in a gurgled, three-year-old way about Luna's family tradition. Eleanor was up and about rapidly, and before we knew it, the eight of us had trampled down to Luna's bedroom.
Luna's sleeping quarters were crammed. No longer was the circular bedroom that had been destroyed by the Erumpent Horn's explosion so long ago. The room was now rectangular, with a tiny bed that bore bright purple sheets in one corner. A shelf on the wall held numerous books, probably about all of the magical creatures Luna was an expert about. A portrait of Rolf that had been painted by Luna herself hung next to the bookshelf, the painting bearing a perfect resemblance to Rolf.
Luna was lounging in a chair by the window when we entered, a burlap sack at her feet. "Do you like it?" she asked us, nodding towards the painting. "I'm giving it to Rolf as a wedding present."
As we rattled off our 'well done's and 'fantastic's, Luna beamed, having retained her dreamy exterior. She was still dressed in her vomit-splattered bed jacket, but for some reason, the vomit did not appeal grossly to us. She summoned us over to her chair, and urged us to make ourselves comfortable on the floor. As we plopped downwards, Luna reached down and pulled the sack into her lap. "What I'm about to give you all are treasures of mine that were like friends to me in my childhood," she began, giving us that enchanting smile. "They helped me see brightly when the day wasn't so bright itself – honestly, what those Crumple-Horned Snorkacks can do!"
Luna ducked her head into the bag, rummaging through it until she yanked out a rag doll. Giving us a speech about how this doll was one of the last things her mother gave to her before her death, Luna handed the doll to Eleanor, giving my sister's hair a motherly tug. The next items given out were a miniature portrait of the Lovegoods' home pre-explosion – the painting having been one that Mr. Lovegood had created and had inspired Luna to paint herself – and a brooch of what Luna said to bear the silhouette of Rowena Ravenclaw. These things were respectively given to Molly and Rose. Lily and Roxanne were then given a pair of radish earrings and a sunflower hair clip.
After she bestowed upon Lucy one of her father's old exploration telescopes, Luna turned to Liana and I, the eldest girls of the eight receiving gifts.
"Firstly, Liana," Luna said as seriously as she could without sounding too dreamy. "You'll be my niece by the end of the day, so I figured I'd give you one of my most prized possessions." When her hand withdrew from the sack, it clutched onto the butterbeer cork necklace my father had told me of the previous night. I knew of Luna's devotion to that simple little necklace.
Apparently, Liana knew of the necklace's significance as well. She gasped upon laying eyes on it. "Oh, Auntie Luna!" she breathed. "Your necklace – for me?"
Luna nodded, eyes getting slightly misty. She reached out to embrace Liana, who gratefully returned the hug. Wiping her eyes dry, Luna dug around in her sack for my present. "And for Alice…"
I sat up straighter, and drew my breath.
Luna pulled out a heavy-looking book, one that was shriveling and fading with age. "The revised edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Daddy contributed to it, and those authors made sure to include Wrackspurts, Nargles, and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks in this edition."
I squealed in excitement. "Oh Luna! Thank you so much!" I accepted the book from her in glee. "Now I can learn about the Nargles!"
"And much more!" Liana added helpfully.
The eight of us bombarded Luna with hugs and kisses, not caring about getting dirty from the vomit stains on her night attire. Luna graciously returned each hug and kiss before Hermione, Mum, and Ginny bustled in with the four other Mrs. Weasleys that had just arrived from the Burrow – Molly, Fleur, Angelina, and Audrey. It was time for them to assist Luna in changing into her wedding outfit, and to apply makeup. Angelina Weasley and Ginny Potter shooed us little girls into the bedroom Liana, Rose, and I had slept in. Fourteen-year-old Victoire and twelve-year-old Dominique were there, ready to help us get changed into our dresses as well.
As the other girls busily slipped into their dresses, I lingered when fingering the dress my father had given me as a present the previous day. My playing with males at an early age prevented me from growing up with items a normal girl would – I was bored with my dollhouse, frilly dresses, etc., and they were not put to use again until Eleanor was born. The dress Dad had given me lacked frills and the color pink; in their stead was a floaty, periwinkle dress material that was made perfectly for my nine-year-old, simple figure. Biting my lip, I wiggled into it before I had any objections. The lack of pants felt awkward on me, but after several of the girls complimented my look, I tried to verge away from self-consciousness.
We girls filed downstairs, where Mum began organizing us into rows for the photographer to snap our picture. After photographs were through for us at least, high chatter broke out among the stairs, and as the numerous Weasley women, with the former Weasley woman, bustled into the kitchen, Luna entered after them, looking simply radiant in a long, flowing yellow dress.
We bust out into squeals over Luna's appearance – she looked grounded, yet dreamy, and simple, yet breathtaking. After begging my mother, I was allowed to dash back upstairs to get my camera and hurried back to the kitchen to snap Luna's picture on my own. The professional photographer then arranged us all into more rows, and took one more snapshot before allowing us to tramp outside to the Burrow.
The cold immediately bit into our bare skin, but Mrs. Molly Weasley assured us that it'd be warmer at the altar. The walk to the ceremony quarters nearly killed us, especially those wearing high heels. But the humidity that hit as soon we stepped within ten feet of the altar caused sweat beads to break out underneath our clothes. A canopy had been placed above the altar, and all of the males who had gone over to the Burrow to dress and assist Rolf were underneath it, helping guests find their seats.
Among the guests were Dean Thomas and his Muggle wife, and the now ancient Filius Flitwick, the former Charms teacher at Hogwarts, and the head of Luna's House. My mother set forth with my father to greet these icons of their past, while us children began to mingle at the back of the many row of chairs. I noticed James speaking with Fred and Michael, all looking suspicious. I figured that James had a prank up his sleeve, and was bringing the other two into it. As I observed the trio distantly, I found myself acknowledging the fact that James looked quite handsome in his dress robes, perhaps even more handsome than Michael, who was looking a bit peckish in his putrid orange robes.
With my camera still tucked underneath my arm, I joined Luna, Hermione, and Ginny, all who had been waiting in another tent for the start of the wedding. Ginny and Hermione had been named matrons-of-honor, as they were both already married. Victoire and Dominique were filling in the positions of bridesmaids, along with Luna's sixteen-year-old twin cousins, Madeline and Josephine. Liana had proudly accepted the offered slot of flower girl, and was standing outside the bride's tent with a smug look as I approached.
"Look at the flowers I get to toss around," Liana egocentrically showed me the petty white basket she was to carry, the basket containing African violets. "Auntie Luna let me pick them out – I made sure that these are anti-Nargle – we wouldn't want those things crashing the wedding!"
I enviously eyed Liana's extensive, purple dress – one that ironically matched her violets. I admitted to myself that I was jealous of Liana's girlish exterior, while I was 'blessed' with thickset legs that always bore scabs, and my mother's knotty and flyaway yellow hair. Liana was a nine-year-old in an eleven-year-old's body. She was more than a head taller than me, and her hair was at a perfect and straight length. Behind my friend, I could even spot several of Luna's male, ten-year-old relatives eye Liana quizzically, but yet in an interested way.
Without replying to Liana's comment, I brushed past her into the tent. A vanity mirror was placed in the center of the premise, with a cushioned bench in front of it. Luna sat upon the bench like a queen, with Ginny pinning a hair clip similar to the one Roxanne had received into the bride's hair. Hermione was rattling off last-minute instructions to the bridesmaid quartet located in the corner.
"Hello, little Alice," a smile played across Luna's glowing face.
"I never wished you luck," I told her apologetically. "O-or congratulations."
"There's no need for that, I know you mean it." Luna rose from the bench, her robes falling over her feet.
"Thank you again for the book," I said. "I'll read it as soon as we go back home."
Luna nodded her appreciation, and I shyly held up my camera. "May I take another picture of you? With the rest of them?" I motioned toward Hermione, Ginny, and the bridesmaids.
"Of course, Alice," Luna grinned, and self-organized herself and her bridal party into two rows. After pulling Liana in from her post outside the tent and placing her dead-center, I snapped the picture, only to have Ginny step out of her row after the photo was taken.
"Why don't you stand with them while I take a picture, Alice?" she asked. "You may be part of the bridal party, but…"
"But I like you to be in a photo with us just the same!" Luna finished gleefully.
I eagerly placed myself next to Liana, and beamed broadly as Ginny snapped the photo.
Soon, the wedding march's tune struck up from an invisible band, and we all hurried out of the bridal tent. I found my place with my family on the bride's side, while the women I had just been with arranged themselves properly at the other end of the carpet aisle. Rolf appeared at the aisle, with Michael behind him, and an ancient-looking minister soon joined them there. I was practically bouncing out of my seat with excitement – already, I loved the chaos and disorder of a wedding, especially when it managed to contain romance and family gatherings as well.
The music struck up more boldly, and heads swerved around to see Liana and the ring bearer, another one of Rolf's nephews, proceed up the aisle. Sighs of adoration broke out among the crowd, smiling at the two cousins. Liana grimaced at being treated like a five-year-old, and I fought back a giggle, but only after Dad squeezed my hand meaningfully to stop me.
Next came the four bridesmaids, each ushered by their own groomsman. A collective breath was withdrawn from what seemed to be everyone. We were all stunned by the bridesmaids' beauty and their escorts' handsomeness. Even twelve-year-old Dominique was looking mature and developed next to her fifteen-year-old groomsman. As they lined up in their assigned places, there was a creak as guests stood from their chairs as Luna and Mr. Lovegood began their march up the aisle.
My eyes darted back and forth between the bride and the groom during this walk. Rolf's eyes had gone alit, and the scratches on his face seemed nearly invisible when Luna neared closer and closer. Luna's eyes held the same aliveness as her to-be husband's. Mr. Lovegood guffawed sobbingly as he gave away his daughter, and when he did, we returned to our seats.
And so began the whole and eventually boring wedding ceremony. Throughout the whole speeches, readings, etc., I felt myself growing numb and lethargic, and found myself staring blankly at the canopy above the wedding altar. What would happen if it'd fall…?
Almost the exact moment my thought left my head, the canopy's supportive poles wobbled dangerously and plunged downwards, the entire canopy falling down on Luna, Rolf, and the minister. The crowd erupted, and several guests rushed forward to pull the trio out from underneath the canopy material. I was still in my glazed over state when this occurred, but the loud snorting laugher of James Potter broke me from my daze.
Dad immediately jumped to his feet. "Good God! How could that have happened? There was no wind…"
"Daddy," I interrupted, the cogs in my head turning feverishly, "have I shown signs of magical powers yet?"
My father exchanged a look with Mum – at the time, I was not aware that they had concernly conversed on countless nights about how I was nearing my Hogwarts years and had expressed no magical talent yet. "Er…no, Alice, you haven't." He glanced at me with raised eyebrows. "Is there something you'd like to tell us?"
I blushed, and glanced down at my sore feet. "I was looking at the canopy, and was wondering what would happen if it…"
"Fell?" Mum croaked. "Are you saying that you think you caused that thing collapsing?"
I nodded breathlessly. The threesome underneath the canopy was still struggling to crawl out. James, sitting in the row in front of us, swung around his head to see how Fred – who was sitting behind us – was reacting to this. But instead, his eye caught mine, and I suppose my embarrassed expression gave away the fact that I caused the canopy to fall. He gave me a surprised look, and I shifted lower in my seat.
Dad swooped down to embrace me proudly. "Good for you, Alice! You're magical!" His large smile faded a bit when looking back at the canopy, and he began stumbling past the people in our row to assist Luna and Rolf.
Mum reached over to give me a hug, and by the time her congratulatory words ceased, the canopy was back in an upright position, guests were returning to their seats, and the ceremony was continuing.
By the time Luna and Rolf's lips met in a kiss symbolizing their life union, and celebratory sparks exploded out of the canopy's corners, I was relieved to stand up and stretch my legs. As we proceeded to a marquee for the wedding reception, Dad whispered to me that I'd best keep the outcome of my new powers a secret. I agreed, giggling, anxious to find out if my powers would appear again somewhere at the reception. But twenty minutes into the party, I could see that my powers were retired for the day, and I began amusing myself by snapping pictures of the dancing and socializing guests.
After giving both Luna and Rolf congratulating hugs, I photographed them doing a waltz of some sort. My parents, the Potters, and every Weasley couple were also photographed dancing – except in Hermione and Ron's case, as Ron found one of Mr. Lovegood's culinary creations shockingly good, and was gobbling it down rather than dancing, much to Hermione's dismay.
After succeeding in photographing all of the other children, I set forth to try to take a picture of Michael. Throughout supper the previous night, I had attempted to persuade him into me taking his picture for my scrapbook, but he never gave in. Now, I was filled with determination to get his picture before my family and I left for London the next day. I didn't admit to myself the fact that I was forming a childhood crush on Michael, but was eager to embrace it, for I had never had a true crush on someone before.
I approached him when he was shoving Chocolate Frogs into his mouth with James as a sidekick – my old friend seemed to have become as close to Michael as I had to Liana. "You," I pointed to him promptly and straightforwardly, "are going to let me take your picture."
James snickered. "What's the matter, Mike? Are you afraid of the flash Allie's camera makes?"
My heart leapt eagerly at the sound of my nickname- it was common to hear from my parents, but I hadn't heard it from James since we moved from Godric's Hollow.
Michael scowled. "That's none of your beeswax." He turned to me reluctantly. "All right. It seems like you and Liana will be spending a lot of time together, so I might as well get used to you."
"I can take your picture?"
Michael shrugged, and nodded. "Right then."
"Could you pose by the tree over there?" I blurted out. "Please?"
Michael followed me over to the spot I was aching to take a picture by. He leaned against the tree for me, but I shook my head. That wasn't the pose I wanted. "Could you sort of…squat against it?"
Michael copied the pose I demonstrated for him, but he didn't do it the way I wanted. Hesitantly, I guided his arms and legs into the right position, afraid that he'd snap at me if I accidentally pinched him. But Michael allowed me to touch him, and as I snapped his picture, a zing surged through me.
When we two had retreated back to the reception area, James, Rose, and Albus were huddled together at the refreshment table. I made to join them, as Liana was nowhere to be found. Before I was able to enter their circle, James left it, looking slightly green in the face.
"Hello," I greeted him. Luna's wedding had seemed to bring us a bit closer than our previous friendship status. "Do you-?"
I was about to question if he knew if Mrs. Weasley had brought out the wedding cake yet, but my sentence was cut off. Before I knew it, he was giving my cheek the speediest kiss in all of reality. It would have been on my lips if I didn't turn my head at the last moment.
When he stepped away, everything from his neck to his ears bright red, I exclaimed, "James Sirius Potter! What was that?"
"I'm sorry, Alice!" James wailed. "Those two…" He pointed towards Rose and Albus, who were both laughing after failing to hold their chuckles back. "They dared me to do it! I didn't do it in a lovey-dovey way, I meant it in a…"
He searched desperately for more words – I would have laughed of his usage of the phase 'lovey-dovey', but I was too busy consciously touching the spot on my cheek where his lips had touched. The kiss had been sticky – he must have had one too many of those Chocolate Frogs. Any other nine-year-old girl would have gleefully bragged of it to her friends, but this kiss being received from my best friend, right after I had thought of a crush on Michael, just seemed too awkward and embarrassing to discuss. I merely glanced back hotly at James, his brother, and cousin, and darted away from them, seeking anyone to strike a conversation up with. Finally, I realized that I was in no mood to talk to anyone, and flopped down on a chair placed at a deserted table.
The stars eventually appeared in the wide sky, and as Christmas Day slowly slipped away, I repeatedly traced that exact spot on my cheek, turning down plates of food my mother brought me, and refusing to play the games the Weasley and Scamander children had created. I struggled to remember if I had felt a zing when James's lips were placed on my cheek – a zing similar to the one I had felt after photographing Michael. But as the wee hours began to haunt us, I found myself dozing off in an untouched plate of cake. I must have fallen asleep right there, as when I woke up, it was the next morning, and my parents were preparing to leave the Lovegoods', where Luna and Rolf had left the previous night for their honeymoon.
After a speedy breakfast, we bid our farewells to Mr. Lovegood, Michael, and Liana, for the Potters and Weasleys had left before most of us Longbottoms awoke. Even when we were a distance away from Ottery St. Catchpole and were setting our Portkey home, my mind drifted back to the previous night, when I had fallen asleep with the images of two different boys in my mind…
Reviews are the only payment for a fanfic author. I know several of you have been waiting anxiously for the wedding segment, so I'd like to hear feedback about it. And one question - is the story realistic enough to believe?
