Chapter Fifteen; The Party
Thanks Nick, I've gone to MANY different weddings in my time so I know how it all works. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter although it is pretty sad. In the next one Tobey will finally go to Hogwarts though!
"Are you alright mate?" Ron whispered in his ear but Harry just continued staring at his aunt and uncle before he got up from the table and walked away with Chance trotting after him wagging his tail. Harry could hardly contain his anger when he finally reached them.
"That's it! I've had it with you! It's one thing when you treat me like dirt, but it's another when you start treating one of my friends the same way!" he yelled as his mother quickly ran over to him.
"Please Harry calm down, you're making a scene." She told him.
"I don't care! It's something that they need to hear!" he hollered. "Well maybe not Aunt Petunia so much, but it's about time you grow some courage and start standing up for yourself! I mean ever since I was a little kid you've just been standing back and allowing your husband to treat people like that and letting him abuse them the way he does! Like the time he pushed me down the stairs or whipped me with his belt!" he shouted on the top of his lungs.
"I'd watch your tongue if I were you boy." Vernon said pointing an angry finger at him before glancing up at Lily. "And you will do well to teach your son some manners." He growled as Lily started to open her mouth before Petunia spoke up.
"No." she muttered quietly glancing down at her plate. "He's right." She said and Harry wasn't sure but he thought he saw tears coming out of her eyes. "I need to learn how to stand up to you." She said.
"I beg your pardon!?" Vernon exclaimed before she glanced up at him.
"It's over. I should have ended it a long time ago but I just didn't have enough strength to." She said before looking over at her sister and nephew. "Look, I know it's asking a lot but I am truly sorry for all the pain that you both had to go through over the years. Could you please forgive me?" she asked them as Harry nodded.
"Of course we do Petunia." Lily reassured her as Harry bent down and picked Chance up.
"There you see Petunia!?" Vernon said turning to point at them. "That boy cannot be trusted, he's holding a Pitbull!" he yelled as Petunia rolled her eyes while Chance started wagging his tail and licking Harry's face.
"No on the contrary I think that you're the one who can't be trusted." She said as she stood up and started walking over to them. "I mean it looks like the worst he's going to do is lick my face off." She said as she smiled down at the puppy. "What's his name?" she asked Harry.
"Chance." He replied.
"Well hullo there Chance," she began as she bent down and started petting him. "I've always wanted a dog." She admitted as she continued stroking the top of his head and running her hands down the side of his face. With a wag his tail he gave hers a lick. "Yeah Chance that's a good boy, such a sweet dog." She said.
….
After supper was over the cake was cut and then the real party began. "Now as their first official dance as man and wife, welcome Bill and Fleur Weasley!" the DJ cried as Bill took his bride inside his arms and started waltzing a crossed the floor with her. Ginny watched them while she ate her cake unaware who was standing beside her until he tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hey stranger." He said as she instantly recognized his voice and quickly whirled around to come face to face with Aaron Parker who was smiling brightly at her.
"Aaron!" she cried quickly throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "I didn't know that you were here!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah your mum invited us to perform." He explained with a grin before they broke apart. "And it looks like Bill and Fleur aren't the only ones to be tying the knot." He told her.
"You're getting married? Won't you leave behind a bunch of broken hearted fangirls?" she questioned before taking another bite of her cake.
"Yeah but it's time for me to finally settle down. I love her like crazy anyway." He explained.
"Oh really? What's her name? Is she here?" she asked him.
"No she couldn't make it tonight because her grandmother died. And her name is Brittany." He explained.
"Really? Gosh, people's grandmothers are dying all over the place." She said when suddenly Harry walked over to them still carrying Chance inside his arms.
"Somebody wanted to say hullo to you." He told them with a grin.
"Well hey there puppy." Aaron said patting the top of his head and scratching him behind the ears as Ginny reached out to stroke him as well. Chance wagged his tail and started licking Aaron's cheek making him laugh.
"Sorry, he likes to do that."
"That's alright I'm used to it. Brittany has a Pitbull puppy just like him except he's black and white instead of blue and white. She named him Oreo for that very reason. One of the friendliest dogs that I have ever seen. I used to call him the friendliest, but that was before I met this little guy." He said.
"It's sad that Pitbulls have such a bad reputation. They can be such great dogs." Harry said. "However no dog is greater than Cowboy." He said as Aaron laughed.
"Everyone says that about their own dog. There's nothing like a bond between a dog and his owner and the unconditional love that they share." He said. "By the way are you driving yet?" he asked him as Harry nodded.
"Yep, I drove here. I can only drive with a licensed driver in the car with me right now, but hopefully soon I'll have my license." He said.
"Wow, that's pretty cool. I'm sorry to hear about Dumbledore though he was such a good man." He said.
"That's alright I know that he's in a better place now." Harry said. "Especially since he knew Jesus." He added.
"The way I hear it though is he became a Christian because he was afraid." Ginny said as Harry just simply looked at her.
"Afraid of what? Wait a minute you're not one of those born again Christians are you?" he asked her.
"What!? Of course not! Those people scare me to death! I mean I'm not saying that all of them do but still." She said. "Anyway, it said in the Daily Prophet that when he was the one who murdered his sister when he was a teenager." She told him.
"That's a lie, Dumbledore would never do that." He told her with a quick shake of his head. "I mean you don't believe it do you?" he questioned her.
"No, of course I don't. But Harry, there is a lot about his life that we don't know. I mean he never really discussed his private life with any of us. The only thing we really knew is that he believed in God." She said as Harry thought this over for a moment while Bill and Fleur finished their first dance together.
"Well, got to get going guys, see ya." Aaron said as he started to walk away and the crowd started cheering as he and the rest of The Dragons took the stage.
"Hullo there everyone, I just wanted to say God bless you and this next song is going out to the two newlyweds!" Rickie exclaimed before he looked over at the DJ and queued him to hit the music. All of the girls rushed out onto the floor and started to dance as they started singing about a party in the castle. Ron walked over to Harry and stood next to him while the music continued to play.
That's when suddenly Neville joined them. "Hey guys." He said as they quickly turned over to look at him.
"What's up?" Ron questioned him as he just simply heaved a heavy sad sigh and avoided looking at them.
"Nothing." He said sadly. When Harry turned his head again, he realized that he was staring at Luna who was busy dancing with her father.
"Do you like her?" Harry asked him.
"Yeah. Only she doesn't know it yet." He told him while he continued staring at her.
"Well then why don't you ask her to dance?" Harry suggested.
"I can't. I don't know how." Neville told him.
"You did alright with it at the Yule Ball." Ron pointed out.
"Yeah but that's only because I didn't have to go with her. I didn't even know her yet." He said when suddenly the music cut out and all of the lights turned off. A blue ball of light floated into the center of the crowd.
"The ministry has fallen. The minister of magic is dead."