Hermione watched Harry closely as the group sat at the kitchen table waiting for the owl post of the Daily Prophet. They were confident that Rita Skeeter's scoop would be making headlines.
For his part, Harry felt like throwing up. Not only was this his wedding day, and he was due a fair share of nerves, but at this very moment witches and wizards throughout the United Kingdom were probably reading far more about his life than he had ever wanted to be revealed. The Belgian waffle with honey that he normally would have devoured sat barely touched on his plate while Ron was on his second helping. He wondered if Ron ate when he was stressed out or if nothing affected Ron's appetite. But, what did Ron have to be nervous about? All he had to do was keep up with the rings. The thought of Ron keeping up with the rings succeeded in adding an extra jolt of panic to Harry's already writhing insides.
The air was thick with tension. Hermione's parents had gone home to inform her grandmother and sister of the weddings. They were going to be part of the small ceremony that was to take place that evening. Arthur had gone to work so as not to cast suspicion of his prior knowledge of the article. He was prepared to face a lot of questions given his known closeness to Harry and Hermione.
Dumbledore was at Hogwarts. He was expecting to hear from the board of governors today. Professor McGonagall had come to Grimmauld Place to offer support for her Gryffindors. Lupin, of course, was there as he had taken up residency in the old Black Family Home per Sirius' request months ago. Snape, also at Hogwarts, was brewing potions specifically for Harry and Hermione to use later that evening.
Harry picked at his waffle and dribbled pools of honey over it every so often in a useless attempt to look like he was eating. He caught Hermione's eye and tried to smile. He could tell she was feeling a lot like he was today. Every once in a while she would look at her ring and give him a beaming smile. He sipped at his glass of milk.
Hermione's plate looked a lot like Harry's, only she was not even faking interest in her food. "Where is that stupid owl?" she muttered.
On cue, a tawny barn owl swooped into the window, dropped the paper at Lupin's plate and took off after receiving payment.
As expected, Rita had written the top story. The headline blared HARRY POTTER BOMBSHELLS in large bold letters. There was a photo of Harry and Hermione that had been taken after a Quidditch match. Hermione was hugging Harry and both had big smiles on their faces. There was another more unexpected photo-that of Uncle Vernon. He looked as if he had spoken to the photographer for a minute before slamming the door in his face.
Lupin began to read: Rita Skeeter, on special assignment for the Daily Prophet, can exclusively reveal that Harry Potter, 16, plans to wed his long-time girlfriend Hermione Granger, 15.
The lovebirds were both in Diagon Alley yesterday. Mr. Potter was seen withdrawing a hefty sum from his bank account and browsing at Santino's. Ms. Granger bought a stunning bridal gown at Contessa's and told sales staff that she would be marrying on October 1.
In a conversation with Ms. Granger and her maid-of-honor Ginny Weasley, 14, it was revealed that love is not the sole reason for the upcoming nuptials. And, no, it is not pregnancy either, as the two have decided to follow all traditional wizard customs, though both were raised by Muggles.
In a life already marred with trauma, one secret sorrow of our hero has been kept from his adoring and indebted public. Harry Potter, the boy who defeated You-Know-Who as a baby and gave us years of peace, the child who has faced the Dark Lord multiple times and lived to tell, the one who was ridiculed for revealing the truth of You-Know-Who's rise back to power, this our hero, has suffered years of physical and emotional abuse and neglect at the hands of his Muggle relatives.
"Good Lord," Harry interrupted, irritated by the tragic description of him given in the article.
Lupin continued reading: With an act worthy of You-Know-Who's greatest ally, Vernon Dursley, Potter's uncle nearly murdered the young man on his sixteenth birthday, July 31. As an underage wizard who can not do magic while in Muggle society, the small-framed Potter was unable to defend himself against the brute strength and violent temper of his gargantuan uncle, pictured at right. This beast brutally attacked Potter, leaving him unconscious and bleeding to death. He was rescued by Arthur Weasley of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office and Remus Lupin, former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts.
Potter suffered several broken bones, a concussion, and was unconscious for over twenty-four hours reveals his fiance. Ms. Granger also reveals that this was only the latest in a history of physical and emotional abuse he endured. As a child, she says he was kept locked in a closet when he was not being "worked like a house elf." He was starved as punishment for being "different," though he did not know why he was "different." Mr. Potter did not learn that he was a wizard or that his parents Lily and James Potter had been murdered until the first time he was rescued from the Dursleys by Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' Care of Magical Creatures professor, on his 11th birthday.
Because marriage would guarantee emancipation from his abusive relatives, his only blood kin, Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore has suggested that the couple, who had planned to wed upon graduation, marry while still enrolled in school.
This reporter, for one, is horrified that our brave young Mr. Potter was not removed from this situation years ago. I find it infuriating that his friends had to send him food so he could survive summer holidays and the faculty at Hogwarts and the Minstry of Magic turned a blind eye to his living conditions while basking in the freedom and safety that he gave them. To think that our beloved Boy-Who-Lived was mistreated for years by Muggles! It is an outrage! The Daily Prophet is calling for an investigation into the lax protections given to Mr. Potter throughout his childhood.
I would like to be the first to publicly extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the young couple. May you find years of happiness together, free from such horrors as you've experienced thus far. I'm sure all the wizarding world will celebrate Harry's freedom as well as his love.
"Well, I'd say she's back in your fan club," Ron commented, breaking the silence that followed Lupin's oration of the article.
Harry was glad someone had said something as he had no idea how to react. Part of him wanted to run and hide in the nearest closet to avoid this scrutiny. Another part was resigned to the truth, the revelation, and the intent of the revelation to bring him closer to his confrontation with Voldemort. "So, what now?" he asked.
"Now? Now we have a wedding to get ready for. What comes of the article will come. Don't let it dampen this day," McGonagall answered. Harry was sure her eyes were glistening more than normal. Surely the article wasn't about to make her cry.
She got up and walked to Hermione. "Come on, dear. I bet your mother will be arriving shortly. We have to do your hair and nails and makeup. And let me see that gorgeous ring!" she exclaimed taking Hermione's hand. "Molly, I trust you'll be readying the house?"
Mrs. Weasley nodded. Harry noticed that she looked as if she were fighting tears as well. For some reason, this made him want to crawl under the table. Maybe having never gotten any sympathy as a child had made him despise being on the receiving end of it. He did not know whether to comfort Molly, let her comfort him, as she obviously wanted to do-not that he needed comforting, thank you very much-or just ignore the concern and hope it would go away.
"Then let's go. I don't believe that nonsense about a groom seeing his bride the day of the wedding, but there should be some level of expectation. Mr. Potter, the next time you see this young lady, she will be walking toward you to take your hand in marriage." She chattered on about her own wedding day as she led Hermione and Ginny from the kitchen. They were not even aware that she had been married or widowed. Hermione glanced back at Harry and gave him a warm smile. Somehow, this all felt surreal. Was she really going to be Mrs. Harry Potter in a few hours? She felt like she was walking in a dream.
Harry returned her smile, also feeling like this was all a dream. It was a lot to take in at one time-his history of abuse was revealed and that was tearing him up inside. He hated pity. He hated that his life was on display. He hated that everyone who loved or despised him had this knowledge. Before, the playing field was more level. He felt entirely overexposed.
Then there was the wedding. In hours he would be married to Hermione and he had no idea what that meant other than they were expected to consummate their marriage. He pondered how that expectation was going to affect them. Was it fair to Hermione to put this pressure on her? Was it even fair to him? If the way he felt last night while kissing her was any indication, he was sure that the act would come naturally enough and that they both wanted it. But would they regret moving this far this fast? Would they both resent having this decision and timeline thrust upon them by Voldemort? Did it even matter how they felt when so many innocent lives were at stake? Hundreds of people would suffer and be murdered if they did not agree with Voldemort. Muggles would be murdered just because they were Muggles. They could not risk his success in any more dark magic blood rituals.
What about the ceremony itself? Would it live up to Hermione's dreams? Maybe she would like her relatives to be present at her wedding. Sure, the small ceremony was fine for Harry. Just about everyone he cared about would be there. He did not have family to consider.
He sighed heavily. All his questions and ponderings were useless. Nothing would change. He and Hermione would be married tonight with a small group assembled to wish them well. He decided then that one day he would see to it that Hermione had the wedding she wanted, no matter what it entailed.
"What are you thinking about, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she cleared dishes.
"Everything," Harry answered. He even looked weighed down.
"It will all work out for the best," Molly promised.
"Thanks," he forced a smile. "So, what do we need to do to get the house ready?" he asked, eager to occupy himself with something to stay busy.
"You? Nothing. You and Ron are to go upstairs and get yourselves ready for tonight. I'll be up to check on you after I take care of the house."
"For ten hours?" Harry asked. "I'm sure we could be more useful here."
"I've got everything under control," Molly told him firmly. "You will not be working on your wedding day."
"Come on, Harry," Ron said. "We can see if Fred and George want to come over and celebrate the last few hours of your bachelorhood."
"Oh, no you can't!" Molly said, stopping them. "Fred and George don't know this wedding is taking place tonight. They're to be under the impression that the wedding will be in October. Dumbledore wants as few of us as possible to know the truth."
"Oh," Ron said disappointedly. He was sure a visit from the twins would liven up their day and help Harry get through these last few hours of worry.
"Go behave yourselves," Remus told them. "Molly and I will handle things with a few waves of our wands."
Back at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had gone to check on the Potion Master. "Severus, how is it coming along?" he asked, peering into the cauldron.
"Fine, but why did you request this specific fertility potion? If they make a mistake--"
"There will be no mistakes," Dumbledore interrupted. "I plan to see that each of them gets the correct dose myself."
Severus nodded. "And will I be expected to brew birth control the entire time the Potters are enrolled?"
"I'm sure Ms. Granger, or I should say, Mrs. Potter can handle this recipe herself."
Severus snorted. It wasn't missed on his part that Dumbledore thought Granger could handle the recipe, but had not suggested that Potter was put in charge of something so important. "It should be ready in an hour. I have to separate it and add the ginger root to his and the gardenia nectar to hers. It will be ready in plenty of time."
"Excellent," Dumbledore commented. "I shall deliver it when the time is right. Can we expect you at the ceremony?"
"I should say not," Severus told him. "I already know too much."
Dumbledore nodded. "Just as well. I must leave you know. I'm sure there will a new stack of letters on my desk. It seems the public is thoroughly outraged over the Prophet article and the board of governors, what's left of them, are expressing their concerns as well. I will have to smooth a few ruffled feathers."
And so they spent their day: Dumbledore accepting owls; Severus finishing his potions; the adults at Grimmauld fussing and fretting over the details; and the teenagers whiling away ten very long hours.
A/N: I appreciate the feedback and continued interest in my story. I'm sorry it's taken so long to update. I've been way too sick to write coherently this week. Someone has asked about Harry not getting into trouble do for doing underage magic. I'm operating under the assumption that the restriction of underage magic applies to underage magic in Muggle society. Fred and George have never gotten into trouble for working on their jokes. None of the kids were reprimanded for using their wands at the QWC. Also, I hope everyone will play along with my tweaking of Minerva's life. This is fan fic and AU, afterall. In case anyone is wondering where other Order Members are, they'll come along later. They're not invited to the wedding. LOL
Harrynlupin: the "Hhh is for Hairball" title was a warning for the fluff level of the last chapter. I was coughing up hairballs after writing it. ;)
Cronje: you can change fonts at the top of every chapter if there's a certain style/size you prefer.