Chapter VII: Wedding Bells
(Daphne P.O.V)
Since the night at the Drakes, Daphne had been having difficulty sleeping. However, the feeling of Harry's hand around her waist, the feeling of his gentle kisses on her neck, the feeling of him running his hand through her long golden hair, it had made everything, at least for a little, feel okay. The warmth of Harry's body next to hers as they slept for the past few nights had made Daphne wonder how well she'd adapt to not having him sleeping by her side in just a few days. Once again, Tracey had found out about it, but her efforts to tease Daphne had now failed in its entirety. Even if Harry hadn't said it yet, she knew she loved him.
Daphne blinked her eyes open, a tired yawn leaving her lips as the day of the wedding had finally arrived. While she'd never say it aloud, more importantly to her, it was the day in which Astoria was slated to return. She turned with a low mumble, reaching her hand out, "Morning Flyboy, it's time to-," her heart raced slightly in her chest as Harry's body was not found beside her.
Quickly, she sat up, looked around the room only to find Harry's pajama pants neatly folded beneath his pillow. Her scan had brought her attention to the window that rested beside the bed as she peered through seeing a sight that made her chest feel warm. Standing in the very cramped 'backyard' if one could even call it that, was her boyfriend, dressed in his light blue suit jacket, his hand resting on his godfather's shoulder. She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't quite stop herself from cracking the window open to hear the voices below.
"I don't know pup," Sirius said with a sigh. "I love her, you know, I really do. I know I should be happier that I'm going to be getting married and having a kid, but I-" Sirius let out a low growl, "I just wish it was any other time than now. The kid is innocent, and Emmeline, she's good, she's different from people like us. You...Remus...me... we all got into this war for revenge and things have just gotten so complicated. I don't want Emmeline to live a life as a widow; I don't want my kid to live without a father. Sometimes, I just don't know what to do."
"Stop doubting yourself," Harry said. "For a man who constantly berates himself, I can't think of a single wrong decision that you made. You saved me! I don't even want to think about where I could have been if Dumbledore had gotten a hold of me before you." Daphne watched as Harry looked up at the sky, grinning, "You and the Tonks', you fed me, cared for me, taught me magic, and you made me the person I am today. By all measures, I think you succeeded."
Daphne nodded in agreement. Even though Harry was an arrogant ass during their third-year, she had to admit Harry had matured greatly. "You're getting married today Padfoot, and Emmeline, she's good for you. When I see you two together, I sometimes wonder if that's how my mom and dad acted with each other. Yeah," Harry said with a pause, "The timing might suck, but that baby, when it comes around, it's going to change everything. That baby's going to be my responsibility to protect as well, and I swear it. I will make this world a better place for it."
Daphne's smile grew larger than even Sirius' as she watched her boyfriend's godfather turn to him, "If you're going to love the baby properly, you should probably stop calling it, 'an it' then," Daphne had to contain her laughter at Harry's expression. "It is a boy," Sirius said, "Talked it over with Emmeline when we found out the gender. When he's born, he'll be James Regulus Black."
"A boy, huh?" Harry said with a chuckle leaning back, "I don't know why I really thought it was going to be a girl. James Regulus...it's not a bad name. It could certainly be worse, you could have named him Albus Severus." Sirius laughed at the notion, and Harry smiled, it clearly seemed as if it had been a while since the normally cheerful man had let out a genuine laugh.
"You're still my godson," Sirius said, returning back to his calm demeanor." House Black is still rightful yours, I wouldn't-"
"I know, but hopefully James will like the responsibility more than me," Harry said with a smile. "It's honestly too much work. I'll probably do what you're planning to do to me and pawn it off on him once he turns 17." Sirius smirked before both Harry and his godfather's mouth turned flat once more, "Speaking of Regulus though, the locket, did you find a way to destroy it?"
Sirius shook his head grimly, "Tried everything short of the unforgivables, nothing even dented the damn thing. Seems Kreacher hit the same wall. Worse than that, it seems to have this negative effect on those who wear it. Kreacher wrote about it in his notes and I put it on to test it. Within ten minutes, I felt like I wanted to kill everyone. Regulus in his last message to Kreacher said it was an item precious to Voldemort. After wearing it for a few moments, I saw why."
"Where is it?" Harry asked.
"It was too dangerous to leave here, especially with all the new members we've been getting. Bill took a look at it, I figured a curse breaker would know about whatever the hell that thing was, but even he looked stumped. Though one thing's for sure, he supported the idea that we have it removed from the house immediately. Currently, it's in my vault at Gringotts. We can take a look at it later if you want." Daphne swallowed at Sirius' words, Dark Magic so foul that even a curse breaker feared it, just what the hell could it be?
A charmed ring blared from Sirius' watch as he jumped to his feet, "Well, it looks like it's time for me to head off to the Burrow. Molly and Arthur really were kind to allow us to use their backyard for the ceremony. Remember, pick up Astoria and meet us there ASAP, else Emmeline might go Bridezilla on you and take your head off. Nearly nine months in, the mood swings can be fierce. Moony and I will be waiting, so don't take too long." She watched as Harry nodded before Sirius vanished in a plume of black smoke.
Harry remained still, as Daphne continued to stare, waiting for something to happen. But whatever she'd expected, it hadn't been for Harry to look up at her with a smile, "You know eavesdropping is very rude."
"How long did you know I was listening in?"
"The whole time," Harry said with a grin, "But at least it means I don't have to repeat anything. Are you ready to go get Short-Stack?"
"Just give me half an hour; I'll meet you down soon!" Daphne called out as she left the window and raced towards the shower.
The day of the wedding had finally arrived.
(Harry's P.O.V)
Muggle Prime Minister Demands Justice for Muggles Killed in Brockton Bridge Attack, Minister Fudge rapidly losing favor among both the wizarding public and Muggle Representatives.
The headline that had sparked Sirius' morning depression rang in his head as they approached the international travel waiting room. If Fudge is replaced, there's a chance we'll get a more capable minister. However, there's also a chance that it could be a puppet of Voldemort. Is a fool like Fudge the better of the two evils? Should I advocate for Fudge, or attempt to see him replaced with someone of my choosing? If I do that, who should I choose to replace Fudge? I could push Arthur. It's unlikely that he'd waver under Voldemort after what they did to his daughter, yet would that really put the nation in better hands? Maybe Augusta Longbottom, but the old lady isn't exactly the best with people? Come on Potter, think, who could be a suitable replacement if it comes to-
"Harry," He heard Daphne whisper as she snapped free of his thoughts, turning to face the blonde beside him. In one word, divine is how he would describe how beautiful his girlfriend looked today. Her baby blue dress made her eyes pop, and her perfectly applied makeup made it look like she was glowing. Her gorgeous blonde hair had been tied down into a cascading and voluminous braid, though the concerned expression on her knitted brow had drawn all of Harry's attention, "Are you okay? You look like you were thinking hard about something?"
"I'm fine," Harry replied. "Honestly, I shouldn't really be thinking about anything other than the wedding today, but, I just can't get my mind off of what I read in the prophet this morning." Daphne's head tilted, he knew that the blonde hadn't exactly gotten to read the news this morning. "The Muggle Prime Minister isn't happy with Fudge's handling of Voldemort, and honestly I don't blame him. I was thinking if I should use my power to make a move to replace him before Voldemort does, or if I should advocate for Fudge to stay on. Even if I did choose to play the game to get a new Minister elected, I don't exactly know who that should be."
"Look at you getting all interested in politics," Daphne said with a smirk that made Harry scoff at the idea. Political engagement was at the bottom of his list of fun activities, and yet he knew that the war needed to be fought on multiple fronts, "Fudge is too greedy, power-hungry, and easily swayed to be trusted. His consistent reign has been a mockery for all of wizarding Europe and his inability to respond to a crisis is evident. I'm not saying it's a fact, but from what I hear from Tracey's dad, he was hesitant to cut from his own salary to better fund the Auror Corps. He needs to go."
"And be replaced with who?" Harry asked gently.
"I'll get back to you on that. I'll write a list of candidates that we can narrow down later. I'm certain that it has to be someone with far-reaching appeal and they don't necessarily need to be good at politics right now, but whoever it is needs to be someone that instills confidence in the country." Harry watched as Daphne sighed, "If what I saw while working at the hospital this summer taught me anything, things are going to get a lot worse before they get better."
Harry nodded glumly, agreeing to the notion of things getting worse was difficult. Harry had learned if nothing else, how to be pragmatic under Morgana and Moody's watchful eye. Though he too found himself stunned at Daphne's growth as well. The two had been inseparable since his return, and Harry couldn't have been happier about it. He'd heard all about Daphne's summer training, but had also been informed about the reason Daphne hadn't been walking around with a wand. A fire had erupted in his chest as he learned about the history of the tiny round scar that popped out along his girlfriend's clear and perfect skin, and for a few seconds, Harry had wanted to kill Kenneth more than he did Voldemort.
Harry leaned down as he pressed his lips to the top of her girlfriend's head, causing her to look up with a wrinkled nose. He'd been through hell, but clearly, he hadn't been the only one. Daphne had been on a losing streak when it came to her sister, and he hoped to be in contact with Morgana soon. He wouldn't allow Astoria to die, even if he had to bend the rules of the universe himself, he wouldn't allow any harm to come to her.
"In Transit, arriving From Bulgaria!" The charmed voice box in the waiting room called out pulling Harry to his feet as he offered Daphne his hand. Harry had been expecting to wait a while, but it seemed as if Bulgaria hadn't been planning to allow the return of the Dark Lord to ruin their efficiency, as within twenty minutes a pop erupted in the waiting room, and standing there, looking a bit bewildered but safe was a girl that Harry had truly missed greatly.
Astoria herself had grown quite pretty, though it hadn't done much for her height. Her head is still easily available for him to press his chin against. Though her petite frame had certainly begun to fill out as the most minor of curves had begun to form beneath her Gryffindor Red party dress. Harry couldn't help but smile as Astoria's kaleidoscopic eyes focused upon him, and within seconds, all of the younger Greengrass' lady-like appearance vanished as she dropped her bags, racing towards him. Harry stretched his arms out as Astoria tackled him, a minor sticking charm silently applied to the soles of his shoes, that kept him standing as he wrapped his arms around his excitable little sister.
"Harry! You're back!" Astoria said warmly as he dropped her to the ground, "How did your summer go? Did you learn any cool spells? Can you teach me? Pleeeeaaaaasssseee."
Harry shook his head playfully, "Glad to see you haven't changed a bit, Short Stack."
"I have changed," She said, her face ballooning in a similar fashion, "I've gotten a lot stronger too. Maybe I'll even beat Michael for second in command this year." A chuckle left Daphne's lips as Harry simply grinned, "What's so funny?"
"You, dork," Harry said tapping her forehead before leveling with her, "But it's true, you've grown a lot stronger, I can actually sense your magic now, that's a huge threshold to cross. Don't tell them, but I think you're even stronger than Blaise and Tracey." A bright grin grew across Astoria's face as Harry stood straight up, "So, you feeling ready to go?"
The third-year Gryffindor nodded as Daphne called out for Dobby. The elf quickly flashed in and out with Astoria's bags, taking them to Daphne's old room in Grimmauld Place, and returning to take them all as with another crack, they vanished.
(Michael P.O.V)
"Stop fidgeting with your tie please," Claire whispered as she swatted away his hands. His eyes falling upon the beautiful witch at his side, her party gown perfectly matching her grey eyes that looked up at him with minor irritation. Michael lifted his hand once more, earning a low, yet playful growl from Claire before he dropped it with a chuckle.
Michael had been really worried about what he was going to wear, at first, he'd settled for just using his dress robes from last year, but Claire's father had put an end to that idea, helping Michael afford a beautiful blue suit that matched his for once combed over hair. Though, Michael wasn't necessarily one to accept charity so easily, yet Claire's father had insisted only after Michael had, 'Repaired his car.' Michael tried to explain that thing had just run out of gas, but the French Minister wasn't hearing it.
Michael brushed his hand through his hair, as he felt Claire's eyes rest upon the sapphire focusing crystal strapped to his palm. "You're bringing that with you?" Claire whispered, gazing down at his palm where the focusing crystal strap rested.
"Uh, yeah," Michael said with a shrug, his eyes scanning the King's Cross arrival station at Platform 9 ¾.
"Why?"
"Have you met Harry?" Michael said with a teasing tone, "I give this wedding one hour, two tops before shit hits the fan. Even if it doesn't, who knows, maybe I could show off." Michael pulled the envelope that had been delivered to him earlier in the summer as he offered Claire his hand, "Ready, Pretty Bird?" Michael asked with a gentle smile. Claire nodded, taking her hand before with the strike of the hour hand, the envelope sparked blue, and then, they vanished.
Michael had learned from his invitation that the ceremony had been moved to the Burrow. Personally, he had no problem with it, he enjoyed being around the twins, and Charlie had certainly been interesting as well, but when he had arrived on the grassy fields, the area certainly hadn't been what he was expecting.
The southern bend of Ottery St Catchpole was huge with land that seemed to expand for acres cut off only by the small creek that slashed through the expansive field. White decorative tables, arches, and blooming flowers expanded as bright as the eye could see. In a way, it looked like the most picturesque wedding venue possible, only one thing was out of space, the Weasley's house itself.
It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked that the magic placed on the home must have been the only thing keeping it together. Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, the burrow. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard. In a way, Michael had been a bit bewildered by the house and yet, he couldn't deny the surprisingly home-like feel that the building resonated.
He took his girlfriend's hand as the two descended the hill towards the festivities, the music growing ever louder. Though the world may as well have fallen silent as his eyes fell upon two of the people he'd been missing greatly this summer. While the Greengrass Sisters were both certainly radiant, and Hermione had looked as stunningly beautiful as she had when she descended the staircase during the Yule Ball, his eyes set solely upon Harry and Neville. "Go," Claire sighed under a gentle smile, "I'll catch up."
"You're awesome," Michael replied as Claire gave a knowing nod, before, like a freshly fired cannon ball, he raced down towards the hill as Harry and Neville ran to meet him. They collided in a tight brotherly hug smiling and laughing before breaking apart allowing Michael to get a good look at the fifteen-year-olds that stood before him. Harry's transformation had been stunning, but Neville's wasn't anything to sniff at either. The Blonde's Hair growing in a nobly parted style, his teeth now perfect, and his blue eyes glowing with confidence. "You two looked like you managed to keep up with your training, you may even be as strong as me," Michael called out sarcastically.
"I'd be more than willing to test that theory," Neville said with a bright grin.
"I'll flatten both of you," Harry said in his own light-hearted tone before they locked eyes once more, "You look good Corner, I heard that you left the country when I got back. I was a bit worried at first, but you seem alright."
"Better than alright, Potter," Michael said with a smile of his own, "But I can't say I didn't feel the same way. I left the country, but it seemed like you left the planet. How someone as famous as you went AWOL I don't know, but I'm guessing there's an interesting story behind it." Harry nodded as Michael smirked, "Wanna share?"
"Later," Harry said absently, "For now though, let's get something to eat, I'm starving."
"Somethings never change," He and Neville said with a chuckle as they followed Harry towards the buffet table line with familiar foods. It wasn't that Michael hated French Cuisine, far from it in fact, but there was something about beef wellington that really made him feel at home.
The girls had soon rejoined their circle as the nine took a seat along the round table, but the conversation hadn't lasted long before Michael felt hands wrap around his and Harry's neck, their eyes looking up to find some familiar freckled faces, "Well, Well, lookie here George," Fred said in a warm tone.
"Our disciples, back in the world of the living it seems," George said with a smirk, "Hope you two had a fruitful summer."
"Sorry guys," Harry said with a smirk, "Didn't have time to think of any pranks this summer. And judging by the look on Michael's face, it seems he didn't either."
"No time for pranks!" Fred and George called out in surprise, "I must say I disagree, in times like these, a good laugh is always appreciated, which is why, we wanted to show you this!" Michael squinted as a picture of a boarded-up building clearly somewhere in Diagon Alley was placed before them, "Introducing, the new location for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Or at least it will be once we purchase it. Of course, we were planning on taking out a loan from Gringotts, but…"
"If anyone was thinking about making a business investment," George said, breaking apart from Fred.
"We're certain it will be well worth the trouble," Fred said with a smile.
"Wish I could guys," Michael said with a mournful grin, "But it's not exactly in my-,"
"I think it's a great idea," Claire called out, "Father's always trying to teach me about investing my money, something about making my money work for me instead of the other way around, I'll have my solicitor contact you two soon."
A smile grew across the twins' faces as Harry too spoke up, "I'll put invest as well, I know that my parents, especially my dad would have been on board with something like this, we all need to keep spirits high in times like these. We'll work out some numbers later, thanks for giving us the heads up. If it's you two, I'm certain I'll be seeing a generous return."
The twins nodded happily, racing off as Michael's eyes fell upon Harry and Claire, a chuckle leaving his lips as he scanned the other tables. For the most part, it seemed pretty tame, the guests consisting of mostly familiar faces; Tonks, Andromeda, Ted, Arthur, and Molly Weasley, the other Weasley children. Professor McGonagall had also been invited as well as Professor Flitwick, Michael couldn't help but notice that Dumbledore was unsurprisingly missing.
The two professors looked to be locked in a riveting discussion with Moody, who appeared to have just arrived, dressed as informally as always, though Michael was glad the Professors had been distracted, Michael wasn't quite sure how much he wanted to interact with his professors over the summer. It was at that moment that Michael had come across a surprising face, a red-haired woman, shorter than average height, with amber eyes was sitting beside Remus, her hand resting atop of his. "Who's the red-head with Remus?" Michael asked curiously, a question that seemed to make Harry gag.
"Narcissa Malfoy, under Polyjuice Potion" Neville replied, his eyes glancing at the woman, "Remus explained it all to us earlier. Remember the mole in the Dark Lord's camp, apparently, it's been her the whole time. She's been the one informing my Gran and the rest of the Order about incoming Death Eater attacks. According to Remus, she joined out of fear regarding the Dark Lord's treatment of her son."
"Not like it matters much," Harry grumbled, "When I read Crump's mind, there was no doubt about it, Malfoy was the one who gave up the Davis' House."
"What her son does isn't her fault Harry," Daphne said soothingly, "Trust me, I was around her and the Malfoy's a lot when I was younger. She's not a bad person, but Malfoy Sr. runs the show in that house, Draco's just trying to follow his father's footsteps. Plus, look at him," Daphne whispered, her eyes darting back to Remus, "You can't deny that they both seem happy."
"Who Remus chooses to date is his business," Harry grumbled, "But I don't like feeling like I have my hands tied regarding Malfoy because she and Remus have a relationship. He's dangerous, I know we don't know for sure if he's a Deater or not, but in my opinion, it's not worth the risk."
"If the Dark Lord did give him a mission," Astoria said in between bites, "It would be better for us to tail Malfoy, rather than to take him out. Draco's not powerful enough to be anything but a cog in the machine. Understanding his mission is more valuable than stopping it. Compared to you, he's a nonfactor, but the ability to get inside V-Voldemort's head, to see just how desperate he is based on his plan, that's far more important."
Michael had felt his jaw fighting to drop, he was considered the brains of their little group, but Astoria's assessment had nearly matched his thought process exactly, "Not bad, little-green, couldn't have said it better myself. What's more troubling to me is this business I've been hearing about Snape being named Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, are we certain Dumbledore hasn't completely lost his mind."
"Look, Professor Snape can be an ass sure," Tracey said, interjecting into the conversation, "But he also protected Daphne from Malfoy during our third year. I get that you two don't like him, and with good reason, but I think it would be better to give him a chance before jumping to conclusions, right?" Tracey grinned, "Plus, if Professor Snape does end up being a garbage instructor, we can always take lessons from good old Professor Potter again, right?"
Michael laughed at the bright red hue that grew in Harry's face, "Not this again, please."
"I think it's quite dashing," Daphne said with a smirk, causing Harry's head to sink further. Thankfully for his friend, the sound of a strumming harp overtook the party music as all the attention turned to the flower petaled path that led to the gleaming white altar where Augusta Longbottom stood in a flowing green dress, the book of family lines in hand. "Is your Gran-"
"Yeah," Neville said with a sigh, "She insisted on being the one to marry my dad to my mom, got certified and everything. Guess Sirius and Emmeline are giving her a try, This oughta be fun."
The sound of footsteps emerged from the burrow and two things surprised him immensely. First was how beautiful Emmeline managed to look despite being damn near nine months pregnant. Her white hair was done up in complex braids, and while it certainly looked tight, her white dress flowed behind her elegantly as she approached the altar.
Sirius stood at her side, the two choosing to walk together, the two had lost their parents, but they had each other, and in this case, at least, that was enough. Michael had been shocked to see Sirius' hair neatly combed, his suit, remarkably perfect as the two approached the altar. Michael couldn't help but smile as the two turned to face each other.
A gentle introduction had been given before Augusta had given Sirius to signal to begin with his vows. "You know," He started, his voice struggling to hold back the deep and complex emotion, "From the days of the first order, I had always secretly hoped to be assigned as your partner, more than ever after James had been partnered with Lily. At the time, they were for shallow reasons. I thought you were beautiful from the moment I saw you. Your warm smile, your brilliant purple eyes, your flowing white locks, I always knew if there was one person who would be capable of tying down a dog like me, it would be you."
"Those feelings grew as I witnessed your courage, your intelligence, and your reliability. You were there when I needed a laugh, you were there when I needed to cry, you were there when I needed someone to hold my secrets, and you were there when I needed someone to take my drunk ass home after we somehow pulled through from a crazy mission." A chuckle broke from the crowd as Sirius' smile sunk, "And then one day, I had to face the reality that you may have been gone for good. My heart was broken, and though I tried to act like I would be okay with whatever the outcome would have been, I knew that was a lie. And so, when you came back into my life I knew one thing, I would do everything I could to keep you there."
"We live in a crazy world, now more than ever, and yet, I vow to uphold these truths. I vow that I will honor you, I vow that I will treasure you, I vow that I will stand by your side come rain or shine, sickness or health. I vow that I will work hard every day at being a good husband. I vow that I will work relentlessly to be the best father I can be for our child. And I vow, that no matter what happens, I will make it back to our bed every night. I love you, Emmeline Vance. I always have, and I always will."
Michael bit his lip hard, trying desperately to fight back the tears, mimicking Harry's crumbling facade as best as he could. Sniffles from all around the table were heard as Emmeline spoke breaking the short silence. "Sirius Black, from the day I met you, I knew you would be dangerous. From the day I saw that troublesome smirk, I knew that I was caught. Your power was commendable, your wit was sharp, your honor was in my view unquestionable, and for a girl in her twenties, most importantly, your abs were hard."
Once more a gentle chuckle rose from the crowd as Emmeline's smile grew. "I had so much I wanted to say when I first wrote these months ago, but none of them truly say how I feel, so I'll say it simply. You Sirius Black, make me happy. You make me feel strong. You make me feel like anything is possible and so I vow to you, that I will always be your lover in the good times and the bad. That I will always strive to make our home one that is filled with love. That I will wear the name of Black proudly, and honor the new vision that you have set forth. I vow that I will, no matter the circumstances always return to the bed we share. I vow to remind you that you are loved every day. I vow to be by your side from this day until our last day. I love you, Sirius Black, I always have and I always will."
At this point Michael's resistance had crumbled with tears streaming down his face as Augusta Longbottom spoke up, "Do you, Sirius Black, take Emmeline Vance to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do, now and forever," Sirius said with a smile.
"And do you, Emmeline Vance, take this pain in the ass who used to run amuck in my house with Frank and James during their post-mission hangouts as your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," Emmeline said with a chuckle before her eyes began to glow with watery tears, "Now and forever."
"Are you certain?" Augusta said with a chuckle.
"Augusta!" Professor McGonagall called out loudly, "Let my cub be!"
"Fine, Fine," the old lady said with a smile, "Then without further ado, I name you Man and Wife, I'd you would please place, but a droplet of blood on the page of House Black in the Book of Houses."
Michael watched as each taped the tip of their ring fingers with their wand placing their fingers to the book. "It is done!" Augusta said loudly as the crowd applauded.
Michael couldn't help but smile as he watched Sirius lift the very pregnant Emmeline into his arms, his own hand reaching out to touch Claire's. Michael was certain there were going to be darker moments ahead, but for once, he said as he looked down at his newly formed weapon, for once he was glad he was wrong.