Chapter 23
The day after their visit to the Grangers was followed by a visit to the burrow. The news of their engagement and the invitation to their handfasting was accepted and celebrated more freely and happily. It was as if it was expected, except for the handfasting, which took them all by surprise. Of course they were all happy to change their Christmas plans to celebrate Harry and Hermione's handfasting ceremony, which was decided to take place the day before Christmas.
They informed Dumbledore and the rest of the staff about their intentions. They asked only a few others to join the ceremony so as not to make it a huge spectacle that the media would like to pounce on. The planning was private between Harry and Hermione. The only thing they were worried about was how many students planned on staying for the holidays. Luckily for them because of the ensuing battle, parents wanted their children home with them to spend as much time as possible. That left the seven teenagers.
Draco just told his parents he didn't feel like going home for Christmas and that was that. They didn't try to persuade him nor did they try to ask him what the reasons were. Lucius was too busy with his master to care, but Narcissa understood Draco's decision and only wished she was able to spend it with him instead.
Lavender told her parents that she was needed for a special project, which was half true, and they couldn't deny Lavender her decision. She told them how important the project was for her and what it meant for her to be able to put some time into it and they relented with pride on her dedication. They'd never seen her so dedicated when it came to school so they were more than happy to accommodate her that time.
Neville didn't have much of a problem. His grandmother knew about the special training, but didn't quite understand the type of commitment it ensued from Neville. She only knew that since it was backed by Dumbledore, which was all she needed to know.
When everyone's plan was set, they went back into their original routine once again, except for Harry and Hermione who had their handfasting preparation to add to their responsibilities.
The weeks went by fast and the search for the second song, which was magically posted on their meeting room the wall, was not as easy as they first thought after discovering the first.
"The power Binding be the next
As Lake of Face can tell."
"Do you think the Lake of Face whatever it is will help us?" asked Ron.
"Well, we were able to get a little bit of help from Cwen, I don't see a reason why we shouldn't be able to get some help from the Lake of Face," answered Hermione.
"Yeah, but Cwen was alive," Ron voiced his doubt.
"Well, remember big brother, Fincayra is full of magic. What makes you think the lakes at Fincayra couldn't talk?"
"She's got a point there, mate." Draco commented.
"Well, I have another one," Neville brought up. "What if the Lake of the Face isn't even a lake but a name for someone or something else?"
"Geez, Neville way to complicate things some more," Ron told him sarcastically.
"He's right," Hermione put in. "It could be a number of things and I didn't seem to see any reference to it in the books we saw in Cairpre's collection."
They talked of the old bard who was an old friend of Merlin's as if he was a long lost mentor of some kind. In actuality, they talked of anyone or anything in Fincayra as if it were part of their present world instead of another world in a distant past. They knew from Merlin's teachings that Fincayra was lost to the world as they knew it, but that didn't stop them from visiting the place in a time when it still thrived with a life force. Merlin never did tell them exactly what happened to it, but they didn't think they'd want to see it in its present condition anyway.
"You know, we can still go back to when everything existed," Harry put in after he was tired of listening to them argue. "We'll scour every section of the island if we have to. We'll even have Emrys and Rhia guide us if need be. So, until then let's focus on our lessons shall we?"
They all looked at Harry. They'd never seen him so relaxed before. He was always the one worried about the ensuing battle. They were a bit puzzled. They let it go and went back to their studies.
The following Hogsmeade weekend they decided they wanted to explore Fincayra and see what they could find in the Lake of the Face. They arrived at Fincayra and found Rhia and Emrys taking a little nap under the Shomorra tree. The Shomorra tree was the last of its kind in Fincayra. Legend has it that its seed yields many different trees and it bears hundreds of different type of fruits. They saw apples, pears, oranges, cherries and more growing out of that one tree.
It became Neville's favorite plant. He hadn't seen it the last time they were there because they were called back to Arbassa before he could explore all of Druma. His face lit up at the sight of Rhia, but was almost blinding when he saw the tree. They gathered around it oohing and aaahing. There wasn't a fruit they could not find.
After they had their fill of fruit Harry asked Emrys and Rhia for their guidance as to the Lake of the Face. Emrys and Rhia warned them about the otter, the trickster that lived within the lake and the legend of the lake. They told them that looking into the lake will get them face to face with an important truth in their life, even if the truth was something they would rather not know.
"Well, I think I have a pretty good idea about what we'll all see if we look inside the lake - Voldemort trying to kill us," Ron told them good naturedly. No one laughed because they all knew that it was inevitable and their only solace is that they will be strong enough to defeat him, or that Harry will be strong enough to defeat him.
"Can we leap there?" Harry asked.
"Sure, I can leap us there since I know where it is but I will probably need a boost from you because I haven't refined my art of leaping yet," Emrys answered. "Ready, then?"
Everyone nodded and closed their eyes in concentration. Emrys and Harry connected hands and concentrated to leap all nine of them to the Lake of the Face. Within seconds they found themselves faced with a body of water. They looked at each other almost daring one another to look inside the lake. They didn't know whom the second song would reveal itself to, so they knew that each one of them except for Draco would have to look inside the lake. With unspoken agreement, Harry walked towards the lake first. He knelt down and looked into the lake.
At first all he saw was a clear view of his reflection. While he looked on the image started to change. He saw the Dark Lord with his wand out directed at Harry. But before he could let out the curse, they were both engulfed with a circle of flame. Harry could hardly breath and he felt his eyes burning from the heat. He could hear his friends screaming his name then the lake cleared into darkness. Harry was coughing as if he'd been there inhaling the smoke. He was sweating as if he'd been near the heat. Hermione and Ron and the other went to him to help him up.
"Here drink some water," Rhia offered the container she'd fashioned out of leaves. Hermione held it up to Harry's lips. He took a swig of the water and felt his lungs cool instantly.
"Thanks."
"I don't know if I want to look," Hermione told him. "What did you see?"
"Voldemort and I inside flames," he choked out.
They all took turns looking into the lake despite what they saw happened to Harry. With the others however, there's seemed as uneventful as what happened to Harry. Hermione became withdrawn and depressed after looking into the lake, but she didn't want to talk about it. She told them she wasn't ready to tell anyone.
Neville looked a bit gloomy. Ron looked puzzled. Lavender looked positively happy and Ginny looked unaffected. Draco who didn't need to look into the lake, didn't do so. He was worried about what Ginny saw in the lake even though she showed a mask of indifference.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I didn't have any type of revelation that solves the second song," Harry told them. "What I saw I already expected as much."
No one seemed to want to talk about what they saw, but neither did they have a sudden revelation of the meaning of the song. They were almost sure that the second song would be revealed for one of them if they went to the place where the song implied. They were all disappointed when the remaining six did not have any great insight after the experience.
They left Fincayra with heavy hearts and exhausted. They all bounded to their own rooms in their own beds after dinner. No one was willing to talk about what they saw in the lake except for Harry. Harry didn't bother to turn his empath on. He knew it would have been easy to find out what they saw, but he didn't want to betray his friends trust just the same.
The next night after the Lake of the Face excursion, Harry decided to give them a little talk to try to lessen their fears if any about what they saw. Lavender who had been happy about her vision already told him about Ron's proposal, but she didn't want to tell Ron so that it wouldn't jinx the outcome.
"Listen. I don't know what each of you saw unless you've told me. I am not going to use my powers to try to find out. I just want to tell you that those visions though they may be true still have a chance of changing. It will be up to us to change whatever it is. I for one do not want to get burned with Voldemort. I have too much to live for." He looked at Hermione.
"If what you so frightened you too much then remove yourself from the situation in which it will happen. If it has to do with this mission then by all means tell me and take yourself out. If it is something else, do something to ensure the vision will not take place. Don't let it consume you or else you might miss an important step that would have prevented the vision in the first place. Please for your sake, do not dwell on the vision. Nothing is written in stone, our future is not set in stone, if there is some way to change the outcome of your vision, then please focus on that instead of the vision itself."
The rest of the night was uneventful as each one tried to let Harry's little speech sink in. The week that followed was a bit less stressful than the day after the trip to the Lake of the Face. Though they weren't close to finding the meaning of the song, they were a bit more back to normal.
The weeks passed more quickly than anyone anticipated. It was Christmas Eve and the castle was buzzing with preparations for Harry and Hermione's handfasting ceremony. The snow was melted near the lake where the gazebo was erected where the ceremony would take place. Garlands of white roses surrounded the gazebo. The lake was melted so that it shimmered.
The Grangers and the rest of the Weasleys arrived that day to help with the preparations. Each one had a task to complete before the ceremony. Mrs. Granger helped Hermione with dressing for the ceremony. She brought her a simple white silk dress with flowing sleeves. Molly had created a crown of white roses to place atop Hermione's head.
Hermione was a nervous wreck. She didn't want to think about the vision of one day feeling alone without Harry by her side, but she accepted the fact that she'd rather spend as many days with the man she loved and be sad and alone one day without him than not have any days spent with him at all. She decided in her logical and practical mind that the happy days spent with Harry will somehow outweigh the sadness she could ever feel without him.
Because winter would shorten the day, they decided to hold the ceremony at around noon. When everyone was dressed and ready, they all walked near the lake together. Harry held Hermione's hand.
Dumbledore then consecrated the whole area with salt, water and purifying incense in this case sage. Two while candles, a dish of salt, a brass altar bell, a wand (in this case Dumbledore's), a chalice of water, a cup of rose oil, a quartz crystal, the rings and the cords were all placed on the altar inside the gazebo. He then proceeded to cast a circle in a clock-wise direction using Godric Gryffindor's sword. He blessed each guest with greetings and incense and then rang the bell three times.
Hermione and Harry entered the circle holding hands. They stepped inside the gazebo and faced the altar (north) and Dumbledore blessed them with greeting and incense. Everyone else formed a human circle chain around the gazebo where Dumbledore, Hermione and Harry stood.
"In this sacred circle of light we gather in perfect love and perfect trust. O Goddess of divine love, I ask thee to bless this couple their love, and their handfasting for as long as they shall live in love together. May they each enjoy a healthy life filled with joy, love, stability and fertility," Dumbledore announced. He then held the dish of salt before Harry and Hermione and let each of them place their right hand over the dish.
"Blessed be by the ancient mystical element of earth," Harry and Hermione then faced east. Dumbledore rang the altar bell three times and smudged Harry and Hermione with incense.
"Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of air." Harry and Hermione turned to face south. He gave them each a candle in their right hands. He lit the candles (inciendo) and then held his wand above them.
"Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of fire." Harry and Hermione turned to face west. Dumbledore sprinkled water from the chalice over their heads.
"Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of water." Then Harry and Hermione faced North once again. Dumbledore anointed their foreheads with rose oil and held the crystal above them.
"May the divine goddess of love in all her glory bless you with togetherness, honesty, and spiritual growth for as long as you both shall live for the handfasting is the sacred union of the female and male aspects of divinity." He then consecrates the rings with salt water.
"Let the negative vibrations impurities and hindrances be cast forth and hencefrom and let all that is positive loving and good enter herein. Blessed be these rings in the divine name of the goddess so mote it be." Harry and Hermione placed the rings upon each other's fingers. They'd decided to use James and Lily's rings and buy their own later.
"Hermione, you are beautiful inside and out. You've been by my side since the day we met and have always supported me in anything I do even if you thought I was wrong. You bring out the best in me and you helped me grow into a better person. Without you my life would be meaningless. You complete me in a way that no one else and nothing else could ever do. Despite all my shortcomings you love me anyway. I promise to honor you, cherish you, be honest with you for as long as we both shall live."
Hermione looked into Harry's eyes. Her eyes were a little teary from the words that Harry spoke as well as most people in the circle. Even McGonagall was getting teary eyed.
"Harry, you are my best friend and the only one who probably understands me inside and out. You are the bravest person I've ever met and so selfless with your love despite all the hardships you've overcome. You have helped me see that there is more to life than my books or school. You accept me for who I am and not what you want me to be and with all my heart I love you. I promise to be faithful to you, to cherish you and love you with all my heart for eternity."
Dumbledore consecrates the cord one gold and one green. He then binds their wrists together as they held hands. "By the knots on these cords your love is united. By the power of the goddess I now pronounce you handfasted for as long as you both shall live together in love so mote it be. Harry, you may kiss Hermione."
Harry looked at her and kissed her on the lips as the crowd erupted in cheers.
Hermione looked at Harry and smiled and just then it dawned on her. She just discovered meaning second song of binding. "Harry, I think I know what the second song means."
"What?"
"Being handfasted to you. This is just a symbol Harry. I didn't need the cords to show me just how much we're bound together. This knot, this rope can always be severed, but the bond between us comes from our heart. It is the strongest bond of all." Just then the ground started shaking. She grabbed hold of Harry to steady herself.
A/N: So what is Hermione's powers you say? Find out next chapter. Thank you for your wonderful reviews. I am trying to hurry things along so let me know if I should go faster or slow it down a little.
The handfasting ceremony was taken from the following site: http://www.mindspring.com/~stardancer/handfast.txt
Colors of the Cord used in tying the Knot and their significance:
Dark Blue - for a safe journey and longevity Light Blue - for understanding and patience Pink - for romance, honor, partnership and happiness Green - for health, prosperity, luck, fertility and beauty Red - for courage, strength and passion Yellow - for wisdom and harmony Brown - for healing animals and the home Silver - for creativity and protectionGold - for unity, prosperity, and longevity White- for peace, sincerity and devotion