Despite her elation over Victoire's engagement to Daniel, Molly was disappointed by the fact it wasn't bringing the family together as she'd hoped it would. In her eyes the engagement was a second chance for Daniel to take his rightful place amongst the family, but sadly not everyone thought that way, including Daniel himself. Not that Molly blamed Daniel for his cautious attitude towards the part of the family he didn't know as he'd been subjected to years of bitterness aimed in their direction and no doubt his view of certain members of the family were somewhat warped. What Molly really felt she needed was a chance to actually speak to him and show him that while some of their actions in the past might have been wrong, they had all been made with the best intentions. She needed to talk to him and prove to him how much he was loved by the entire family.
Although Ginny's attitude wasn't really going to help in that department, and despite Molly's pleadings, she was adamant that she would not be attending the wedding. When Molly had broken the news to Victoire, she seemed to have taken it in her stride and if she was offended by her aunt's behaviour, she didn't show it. However, even though he hadn't said anything, Molly suspected Bill felt entirely different from his daughter and she was sure that he was bitterly disappointed in his little sister and her attitude.
Molly had also hoped the situation with Ron would have been sorted by now, and it was only Arthur's advice to keep out of things that had her keeping quiet. Her instincts were screaming at her to speak to Victoire and beg her granddaughter to help, but Arthur was convinced it would only make things worse and he'd convinced Molly that any interference on her part could well backfire on her. However, since a date for the wedding had yet to be set, Molly wasn't giving up hope of Ron being able to attend the special day.
Biting her tongue and stopping herself from trying to fix the cracks within the family wasn't easy for Molly, but to keep the peace she was keeping quiet and carrying on as normal. And normal for Molly meant regularly visiting her children and dropping off baked goods, which was how she found herself at Bill and Fleur's one afternoon, keeping an eye on her grandchildren while Fleur ran a few errands. Although before long Dominque and Louis wouldn't need watching as they'd both hit their teenage years and Molly knew that before long they would each by flying the nest and living their own lives. However, for the moment Fleur wasn't entirely happy about leaving them unsupervised while she was out, which meant Molly got a chance to spend some time with her grandchildren.
Although after they'd both had a slice of the peach pie she'd brought around, Molly found herself alone in the house as Loius took to the skies to practice his quidditch, while Dominque settled herself in the sun with a stack of glossy magazines. For a while Molly pottered around the house, doing a spot of tidying up, before she made herself a cup of tea and settled down at the kitchen table to peruse a stack of magazines she'd found stacked on a table in the front room. It quickly became apparent to Molly that all the magazines were wedding related in some way, and she was guessing Fleur had been looking at them with Victoire.
Towards the bottom of the pile, Molly discovered a glossy brochure for a large hotel situated in the Cumbrian countryside. The brochure was advertising the wedding packages available, and Molly flicked through the pages, marvelling at the grandness of the hotel and the fancy weddings they were offering. What caught her eye in particular was the fact the hotel specialised in outdoor weddings as they had exceptionally large grounds that could cater for guests lists running into the hundreds. As Molly wondered just how large the gardens were, and if the wedding ceremony took place a decent distance from the hotel itself, she found a business card belonging to the hotel's chief wedding planner stuck between the pages with a time and date handwritten on the top. It would seem her granddaughter had an appointment to view the hotel on Sunday afternoon.
Spotting a potential answer to one of the problems facing the family, Molly grabbed some parchment from her bag and jotted down the address of the hotel, along with the time and date of Victoire's appointment to view the potential wedding venue. She then returned the stack of magazines where she had found them and when Fleur returned home half an hour later, she had no idea Molly even knew about the hotel, let alone that she was aware that Victoire was considering it for her wedding.
After leaving Fleur's house, Molly headed straight over to see her youngest son, and to tell him what she'd discovered.
"How does that help anything?" Ron asked with a defeated sigh. "I hardly think gatecrashing the wedding is going to help me win Daniel over. For that to happen, I need to get him away from Hermione and that bastard of a husband of hers. As long as they're in the picture, he won't even consider listening to what I have to say."
"I'm not suggesting you gate-crash the wedding," Molly said with a tut. "I'm suggesting you might be able to attend as a genuine guest. If Daniel and Victoire hold the ceremony outside, you might well be able to watch from the hotel without the restraining order being rescinded. Before you say anything, I know it's not ideal, and we want the order lifted, but it could be considered a goodwill gesture on your part that you are willing to abide by the rules."
"That could actually work," Ron conceded with a thoughtful nod. "Of course, I would have to check the place out and see if the distances would work. And of course, it's not how I want things to be in the long term. I want this order lifted."
"And it will be in time," Molly confidently assured her son. Even with the present difficulties she was holding out for a happy ending and for Daniel to truly embrace being part of the Weasley family, even if it did take some time to happen. "But as we've both learnt, pushing things with Daniel doesn't work. He needs time to truly see that we love and care for him. Given the stories about us he's no doubt being raised on, we have to give him time to see the truth for himself. We can't expect him to instantly side with us, not when his mother has turned him so completely against us."
"I guess patience is the key," Ron conceded. "Maybe once's he's married and he's truly away from the Malfoys toxic influence, he'll be able to think for himself. Despite what that bastard Malfoy says, I will keep writing to him. I will keep showing him how much I care."
"Just don't antagonise the situation before the wedding," Molly cautioned. "We still have to get Victoire and Daniel to agree to you attending at a distance. And if Hermione has her way, she won't want it to happen."
"Sod what Hermione wants," Ron snorted. "This is about Daniel, not her. Let's go and check the hotel out, and if the distances are going to work, we can turn up on Sunday while they're there and prove that my presence at the wedding doesn't have to be an issue. I can handle not being part of the entire day, I just need to be there for the ceremony. I need to do this for Harry."
Eager to press ahead with their plan, Molly and Ron headed off to the hotel that very afternoon. Over the years Ron had learnt exactly how far away he had to stay from Daniel and Hermione, so it was easy for him to judge how far away from the actual wedding ceremony he would have to be. By his calculations, he could sit just outside of the hotel and watch proceedings while Daniel and Victoire married a fair distance away on the lush grass that went on for miles. Of course, he would need binoculars to be able to see anything, and some sort of enchantment for him to be able to hear, but he was sure it could work. He could witness Harry's son getting married, while obeying the restraining order that had been forced upon him over twenty years earlier.
"How do we handle Sunday?" Molly asked her son once he confirmed that their plan was workable.
"If we're here slightly before the appointment time, you can settle yourself in one of these seats in the bar that overlooks the gardens, and I can wait out front. When you see Victoire and Daniel in the garden, you can send word to me and I can come as far as I can into the hotel. With any luck, I can get all the way to outside before we make our presence felt. You can then approach Victoire and Daniel and explain how this can all work. You can explain how I can be at the wedding, while still respecting Daniel's wishes. It's not perfect, but it's something. And you never know, it just might be the sort of gesture that will show Daniel that I can be trusted and that all I want is to get to know him and tell him all about his father. I hate to think how little he must know about Harry. I bet she's kept loads from him, and I can't see Malfoy wanting to talk about someone who was ten times the man he will ever be."
When Hermione first mentioned Scorpius and Lyra having Sunday lunch with their grandparents and spending the afternoon at the manor, Scorpius was not impressed with being treated like a child. As he reminded Hermione, he was an adult and didn't need supervision when she and Draco weren't around. And while he may have still lived at home, it was only temporary and he had a penthouse coming his way from Lucius and Narcissa once his quidditch future was secure. Since he didn't know which quidditch team he would be signing with, or if he would even be signing with one, Scorpius hadn't yet decided where he wanted his home base to be, so his grandparents were holding off on the accommodation until they knew where he wanted to live.
However, Hermione managed to talk him around by pointing out that Loius would be there, and it wasn't fair to leave him with Lyra and Dominique as the two girls were very friendly and would likely end up leaving him out. Of course it helped that Loius was also a big fan of quidditch, and would likely appreciate some tips from an almost professional like Scorpius. Although in the end, Scorpius agreed to go because he actually liked Louis and an afternoon hanging out with him sounded fun, and Sunday lunches at the manor were also top notch and he did like his food.
With the youngsters packed off to the manor, the Malfoys, Weasleys, Victoire and Daniel headed off to view the hotel that was a potential wedding venue. Since their appointment with the wedding planner wasn't until the afternoon, they had lunch first in the stunning dining room, which offered spectacular views of the acres of grounds surrounding the hotel.
"Are you thinking of an indoor wedding or an outdoor one?" Draco asked as they enjoyed their deliciously cooked Sunday roasts.
"It depends on when we go for," Victoire answered. "The hotel actually has charms to ensure it doesn't rain on the actual ceremony, but they can't really change the feel of the seasons. So I think if we're going for a summer wedding, then the gardens would be perfect, but if we want a winter wedding, indoors might be better. As for Spring and Autumn, I guess it depends on how early or late in the season we decide on."
"In other words, we have no idea," Daniel said with a chuckle. "I do admit, the outdoor weddings looks pretty stunning, but it also means waiting virtually a year to get married. Unless we're going to knock a wedding up in a few weeks."
"I would have thought a place like this would have waiting lists a mile long, so even getting married next summer might be optimistic," Fleur cautioned. "If you want a quick wedding, we might have to go with a less public venue."
"Let's not decide anything until we've checked this place out," Victoire said. "Because I have to say, if everything else is as good as this food then it's going to be an awfully tempting place to get married."
"It is good food," Bill said with an appreciative hum as he speared another piece of beef and popped it into his mouth.
With everyone agreeing the food was spectacular, as was the hotel, or at least what they had seen so far, they enjoyed the rest of their meal before settling the bill and meeting with the hotel resident wedding planner. Before they toured the hotel, the wedding planner briefly explained the various packages they had on offer, ranging from a basic package to a rather spectacular all-inclusive package, and even a bespoke package where the bride and groom could pick and choose whatever they wanted for their big day. There was even options for how long they wanted the use of the hotel, again with a range of options, veering from weekends to a single day, and even just a couple of hours for the ceremony itself.
After also showing the three couples some pictures of some previous weddings the hotel had hosted, the wedding planner began the tour. They viewed a couple of the hotel rooms, including the honeymoon suite as it was currently unoccupied, before visiting the different indoor venues that could be used for the actual ceremony and for the reception. Eventually the tour led out into the vast grounds of the hotel, where the wedding planned ran over the various ways an outdoor wedding could work. Although the big selling point of an outdoor wedding was a small island situated on a lake, which could be reached by a small bridge.
"It's very popular to have the bride and groom exchange vows on the island, while the guests are gathered here on the main lawn," the wedding planner explained.
"Ooh, I like that," Victoire cooed, turning to smile at Daniel. However, as she turned the hotel they'd been walking away from came into view and she spotted a very familiar figure heading in their direction. "Gran?" she queried with a frown.
Victoire's cry had everyone spinning around, and they were all shocked to find Molly heading in their direction. However, the closer she got to the group, the more obvious it was her focus was entirely on Daniel. In fact, it looked like she couldn't take her eyes off him, and when she finally came to a stop, it was his name that fell from her lips.
"You look so much like your father," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
"Mum, what are you doing here?" Bill demanded sharply.
"How did you even know where to find us?" Fleur asked with a puzzled frown.
"I saw the appointment card when I was at yours the other day," Molly admitted, although her eyes never left Daniel. "Please don't be mad at me, but we came to make a suggestion."
"We?" Hermione questioned with a frown, not spotting any other members of the family in their proximity. But then a prickling sensation struck her and when she looked towards the hotel she was sure a figure was standing in the doorway of the bar. Not that she could see clearly as the hotel was a decent distance away from where they were standing.
"No," Daniel gasped, having followed his mother's gaze and reaching the same conclusion. "Do not tell me he's here."
"Who?" Fleur asked, seconds before the answer dawned on her and she gasped in horror. "Molly, no."
"We're just proving that Ron can still be at the wedding without breaking any rules," Molly argued. "No-one even knew he was here until I said something. He could be here on the big day, tucked away at the back. All he wants is to be at the wedding. Is that really too much to ask?"
"Yes, it is," Daniel spat. "After everything he put my mum through, it is too much to ask."
Glaring at Molly, he briefly glanced back towards the hotel before he turned on his heel and fled in the opposite direction, with Victoire heading after him to check he was okay. Watching her son run off, Hermione was so tempted to go charging towards the hotel and ensure that Ron was well and truly sent packing. She knew that the spell keeping Ron away from her and Daniel affected Ron, not her and her son, and if there was any breach of the distance, it was Ron that was magically moved. If he tried to get to somewhere near to where either she or Daniel was, he was unable to move forward, and if it was either she or Daniel who headed in Ron's direction, he was the one who was moved further away. She knew from George that at least once he'd been magically moved from Diagon Alley when she'd arrived, not knowing that he was already there. So she knew that if she headed for the hotel, Ron would be pushed backwards until eventually he would be out of the hotel and even further away from her son.
"How dare you," she hissed at Molly, choosing to focus on the older witch rather than chasing Ron out of the hotel. Although, if he didn't leave soon, she was damn well going to return to her original instinct and make him leave. "You know how Daniel feels about Ron. You know he doesn't want him at the wedding. So how dare you bring him here and try and interfere."
"I was simply trying to find the best solution for all the family," Molly argued. "What difference would it make if Ron was here? We've been watching you all for at least five minutes, and not one of you knew he was here. So why can't he be here for the wedding?"
"Maybe because Daniel doesn't want him there," Draco spat. "Do yourself a favour, and get him out of here, before I remove him myself."
"I will not stand for you threatening my son," Molly hissed angrily, glaring hatefully at Draco. "He should have gone to the Ministry when you threatened him the other day. Thugs like you need locking up."
"I didn't threaten your precious son, I made him a promise," Draco retorted. "One I am very close to keeping."
"Get him out of here, Mum," Bill ordered, his voice making it clear that he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "I can't believe you've just done this. I'm not sure Vic is going to forgive you for this. You may have just gone too far this time."
Not waiting to see if Molly was going to obey her son, Hermione turned her back on the older witch and with Draco by her side, they headed in the direction Daniel had gone. They found Daniel and Victoire sitting on a bench beside some rose bushes, and while he was clearly shocked and angry by Ron's unexpected arrival at the hotel, he assured his parents that he was okay. A few minutes later Bill and Fleur turned up and assured them that Molly and Ron had gone. They also explained that they'd ended the meeting with the wedding planner and after apologising for their family's behaviour, they'd promised her they would be in touch once some decisions were made.
"I've already made a decision," Daniel declared. "I will not be getting married here. In fact, I will not be getting married anywhere public, where he can turn up and watch from afar. I want him nowhere near me, or our wedding."