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Chapter 2: A Weasley Wedding and Talks of R.A.B.
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(A/n: Just a little note, the wedding ceremony itself in this chapter is really crappy, because I just don't write weddings well. I've only been to like four in my entire life that I remember. So, just cut me a little slack on this. Thanx!)
Harry and Hermione landed in the Weasley's living room and they bumped into each other, and Hermione almost lost her balance, but Harry kept her from falling by keeping a hold of her hand, and grabbing her other one. Once Hermione's feet were firmly planted on the ground, Harry found himself in a smothering hug by Mrs. Weasley. Harry said his hello, and didn't really hear what Mrs. Weasley was saying about him looking underfed as usual. He saw Ginny leaning against the wall, smiling. Harry returned the smile, and his gaze traveled over to his other best friend, Ron. From the looks of it, it seemed as though Ron hadn't noticed that Harry had arrived. He was too busy staring at Hermione, who was staring back, an annoyed expression on her face. No one had really noticed Mrs. Weasley and Ginny leave the room, most likely to fix some food for Harry. Hermione cleared her throat and looked pointedly from Ron to Harry. As if just noticing that Harry was there, Ron said,
"Harry, good to see you mate!"
"Hi Ron." Harry glanced at Hermione, who smiled feebly and then climbed the stairs. Harry was about to say something to Ron, but he was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley calling him to go eat. Ron smiled with a look on his face saying they'd talk later, and then followed Hermione's path up the stairs. Harry went to the kitchen, where the kitchen table was full of food, and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Fleur had congregated. Fleur smiled warmly when she saw Harry and stood to give him a hug.
"'Arry, eet's good to see you again. `Ow've you been?"
"Hello, Fleur. I've been ok, I guess."
"Oh, Molly, you are right, `e is far too skinny. `Ere, `Arry, eat up!" Harry looked at it all skeptically, and asked,
"Er, Mrs. Weasley, you don't expect me to eat all that, do you?" Mrs. Weasley said looking pointedly at Fleur,
"Oh heavens no. Fleur is trying to decide on what food she wants for the wedding. She still can't reach a decision."
"I'm sorry, Molly, but everything is so good. Eet's impossible to choose."
"Well, you're going to have to, because you can't have it all at the wedding! That's too much! Harry, dear, your food is on the counter there." She pointed to the large plate of food and glass of pumpkin juice on the counter. Harry smiled. It was still a lot of food, but he appreciated the thought. He said,
"If you don't mind, I'll take this upstairs, so I'm out of the way." Mrs. Weasley and Fleur weren't paying attention, but Ginny smiled at him and nodded. Harry returned the smile and went upstairs. He heard Ron's voice from the room that Hermione and Ginny shared. He heard Ron say,
"Why were you holding his hand then?" Hermione sounded quite irritated when she said,
"Because he told me that he was worried that he might splinch himself if he did it by himself. I was merely helping him."
"So you have to hold his hand to do that?" Hermione sighed in frustration.
"Ron, you are blowing this way out of proportion. There's nothing wrong with holding onto his hand to help him with apparating." Ron sighed and Hermione went on saying,
"There's nothing going on between me and Harry. I don't know why it bothers you so much if there were, it's not like you and I going out."
"That's rich coming from someone who couldn't stand to see me and Lavender together last year!"
"I've told you the reasons for all that, Ron, why do you keep bringing it up?"
"You know I've fancied you for a long time, Hermione. It's just, I was just a little…"
"Jealous?"
"Yeah."
"You have nothing to be jealous of, Ron." Harry took this opportunity at a cease-fire in Ron and Hermione's argument to knock on the door. Hermione called,
"Come in." Harry opened the door and smiled feebly at his friends.
"Mind if I join you?" Hermione smiled and shook her head, Ron was looking uncomfortable, like he sensed that Harry had been listening to the conversation he had with Hermione. Harry sat down on Ginny's bed and held the plate out, offering the food to the other two. They both declined, and Harry said,
"So, what's all the news?" Hermione was about to answer, but again Mrs. Weasley interrupted the conversation. They heard her yell up the stairs,
"Ronald Weasley, I told you three times to clean up the backyard! The wedding is in less than a week, it has to be clean!" Ron sighed and said,
"Be back later." He left the room, leaving a silence between the two. Hermione said,
"You heard what we were talking about, didn't you?"
"No, I didn't." Harry lied.
"Liar."
"Alright, so I did. Sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Don't worry about it. It's just Ron being himself, and it gets annoying sometimes."
"I thought there was something between you two?"
"There never was, and never will be, as long as I have something to say about it."
"But I thought with all the stuff going on last year that you were going out."
"Harry, the reason I acted the way I did was for three reasons. One, Ron was spending too much time with Lavender, two, Lavender was just using him to get to you, and three, I was feeling left behind."
"Left behind?"
"Yes. Ron was dating Lavender, you were dating Ginny, who was I dating? Nobody. It was just a little jealousy is all. And I knew Ron used to fancy me, and the fact that he didn't anymore made me feel left behind. Don't get me wrong, I don't like Ron in that way, but just the thought that he had moved on made me feel jealous. It's just a simple thing, really." Harry slowly nodded, taking in everything that Hermione had said. Then Hermione added,
"And also, between you and me, Ron's an idiot." Harry laughed. Hermione smiled and said,
"He still has the emotional range of a teaspoon. But anyways, how've things been going for you?"
"Like what?"
"Like everything."
"You already know that if Hogwarts is going to remain open, I'm not going back."
"I know. And it is going to remain open, McGonagall is the Headmistress now."
"And, well, what else is there to say?"
"I don't know. Oh, I'm sorry, you asked me before what the news was, and I never told you."
"Right, you didn't."
"Ok, first of all, have you been reading the Daily Prophet?"
"Scanning it is more like it, I just look over the headlines, occasionally read the stories."
"Alright, then what do you know?"
"I know that the Ministry is still printing things to help people stay safe. I've read about the deaths across the muggle world, and disappearances of witches and wizards."
"Mainly that's all that has been happening. Either nothing major has happened, or the Ministry is trying to keep everything quiet so they don't cause a panic."
"Sounds like something the Ministry would do." They were silent for a while, and Harry's eyes scanned the room, and his gaze stopped at a pale gold dress hanging next to Hermione's bed. He said,
"What's the dress for?"
"Fleur decided she wanted another bridesmaid in her wedding, so, you're looking at the third bridesmaid for the Weasley-Delacour wedding." The dress was a shiny pale gold, with halter straps that tied in the back.
"Well, if you don't mind Harry, I need to change clothes. The whole nice dress thing doesn't work for me on a regular day." She got up off her bed and Harry took his plate and left the room. At the door, he stopped and said,
"What was with the dress and everything?" Hermione laughed.
"It was Fleur's idea, and her handiwork. She thought I'd have a better time of convincing your relatives to let you come with me if I looked nice, and not like I do every day. The dress, the hair, make up, all that stuff was her idea."
"Well, I guess it worked, Dudley couldn't stop staring at you."
"I know. It was a little disturbing too." They both laughed and Harry left, shutting the door behind him.
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Three days later, people were arriving from all over to the Burrow for the Weasley-Delacour wedding. Everyone was bustling around with the last minute details, and the house was noisy with chatter and yelling. Vivid flashes of colors went by as the people wearing them rushed past. One girl of about eleven rushed through the crowds, clad in pale gold. She ran up the stairs and opened the door to the room where the bride and her bridesmaids were getting ready. She slammed the door and said,
"Ginny, your relatives, zay are crazy!" Gabrielle crossed the room and sat down in her chair she had previously vacated. Ginny smiled.
"Yeah, they are. But they are the ones that only come around for these big family events like this. We never see much of each other. So when we get together it's all, `Oh I haven't seen you since you were this big!' and stuff like that." Gabrielle said,
"Well, good luck, Fleur, `ou `ave crazy relatives now." Fleur and Ginny went on talking, and Ginny said to Hermione,
"Let's go see what Harry and Ron are up to." Hermione nodded, and she and Ginny stood and left the room going down the hall to Ron's room, where he and Harry were getting ready for the wedding. Ginny knocked and called to the two on the other side of the door,
"Are you decent?" Harry said,
"Yeah, come on in." Ginny opened the door and she and Hermione came in and shut the door. Ron was pacing, dressed already in black dress robes for he was best man for the wedding. Harry was sitting on his bed, reading, and dressed in his green dress robes. Ginny went and sat beside Harry on his bed, and Hermione conjured up a chair to sit down. Hermione looked up at Ron pacing back and forth and asked,
"What's the matter with you?" Ron shook his head and continued pacing. Harry rolled his eyes.
"He's nervous."
"About what? It's not like it's your wedding." Ron didn't answer, but Harry spoke for him.
"He's afraid he'll mess something up, like trip and fall and knock the witch he's escorting over, or that he'll walk too fast and it'll look bad, or he'll loose the ring, or whatever." Hermione rolled her eyes too.
"Honestly Ron, you'll be fine. If you trip when you escort Gabrielle up, I'll tell her to let go of your arm and let you fall and keep walking. So you won't knock her over." Ginny and Harry laughed, but Ron stopped pacing for a moment to glare at Hermione. She grinned, and he resumed his pacing.
"You'll do fine, Ron. I promise you, you won't make a fool of yourself."
"I hope you're right, Hermione."
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A few hours later, the entire group of guests were congregated outside in the garden for the wedding. Everyone was anxiously waiting for the main event, conversing amongst themselves, glancing back towards the house every once in a while to look for the wedding party. Finally, the minister stood at the front of the garden, and the groom walked up the aisle between the chairs and stood facing the people, waiting for the rest of the party. Bill was smiling, of course, the kind of smile that he couldn't get rid of even if he had to. Despite the fact a werewolf attacked him earlier that year, he had healed, and he only had minimal scars. Aside from the scars, he still looked like the Bill Weasley everyone had always known. Mrs. Weasley started wiping away tears with her handkerchief, while her husband kept his arm around her for support. Mr. Weasley smiled at his son, and looked back as the bridesmaids and groomsmen started walking up. Hermione and Fred were first. Hermione nervously smiled, looking around at all the people staring at her, while her escort was grinning at the attention. Hermione let go of Fred's arm when they reached the front, and they both turned and faced the group, waiting for the next two to come up. Hermione caught Harry's eye and they both smiled. Ginny and George were the next ones to come up. Ginny's arm was linked with her brother's and like Hermione, Ginny had a nervous smile on her face, and George, like his brother, grinned at the attention. Ginny and George joined Bill, Fred, and Hermione at the front, and watched the last couple coming up the aisle. The best man and the maid of honor were the last couple to come up, Ron and Gabrielle. Gabrielle was smiling shyly, while Ron looked sort of green. All of the wedding party knew he was nervous, and so did a few of the congregation. They all smiled in encouragement trying to make Ron feel better, but it never worked. Charlie was originally supposed to be Bill's best man, but something came up that he couldn't make it back for the wedding, so Ron stood in Charlie's place. The two reached the front without any incident, and soon after the bride and her father came up. Bill beamed with pride as he watched his bride come up the aisle, arm linked with her father's. Fleur smiled back blushing slightly. Fleur's father gave her away, the vows were spoken, rings exchanged, and the newlyweds were presented to the congregation.
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"See Ron, you did fine, you didn't forget the ring, or trip and fall. You were just over worried," Hermione said to him later at the reception.
"That's the last wedding I want to be best man in for a while, it's too much stress on a person." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"But what if I want you to be best man at my wedding?" Harry said.
"You won't be getting married right away anyways, right?"
"Right. There's too much else to deal with right now anyway. And I'm not in that place with anyone."
"Good. Ginny's too young at the moment."
"I know that, Ron. Like I said, there's too much to deal with right now. And if we were still together, we wouldn't even be in that place yet."
"Good." Hermione laughed.
"Ron, it's a wonder Ginny ever meets any guys. If it were up to you, she'd never date."
"Nothing wrong with that."
"No, there's not, but there is if her brother scares away potential boyfriends."
"Ginny's only sixteen, Hermione, she's got her whole life to date."
"Well, anyways, I'm just glad I don't have an older brother like you to keep me from dating."
"You don't date much anyway."
"So? I still date."
"I think you need an older brother sometimes to fix the problem with your choice in men…" Ron trailed off, instantly regretting what he said when he saw the look on her Hermione's face.
"I didn't mean that, Hermione." Hermione stood up, and walked away.
"Is this like a daily routine for you two, that you two have to fight all the time?"
"Well, if she didn't take everything so personal, we wouldn't fight so much."
"No, Ron, I really don't think that's why."
"But whatever. She'll be back." Harry stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"To go find her."
"She's fine."
"Don't you remember that no one is supposed to go out alone?"
"Ok, I'll go with you."
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They found Hermione sitting on the porch swing in the backyard, looking out over the fog-covered landscape. Evenings were foggy every day now; the dementors were the cause for that. It settled the earth with a hazy gloom, but it seemed to go unnoticed by the guests at the party. Hermione was brought out of her reverie when a voice said,
"Hey." She turned towards the direction of Harry's voice and saw him and Ron standing next to the swing. Harry elbowed Ron to apologize.
"Hermione, I'm sorry for what I said, I didn't mean it." Hermione smiled and shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. I've got better things to do than stay mad at you, Ron." Ron smiled.
"Mind if we join you?" Harry asked.
"Go for it." Harry sat next to Hermione on the swing, while Ron slid up onto the railing that went around the back porch. They all stared out across the countryside. After a long silence, Ron decided to voice the opinions of himself and also the two sitting with him.
"The weather sucks nowadays." Harry and Hermione smiled and nodded.
"Even with the dreary fog, it is peaceful around here," Hermione said.
"Yeah, when we leave, I might never be able to come here again," Ron said.
"Why's that? You'll be back after you finish the term this year," Harry said.
"Not necessarily, I'm not going back to Hogwarts, and who knows if this place'll still be standing when I eventually get the chance to come back. If I'm still alive."
"Why aren't you going back to school?"
"Same reason you aren't, mate. I'm going Horcrux hunting with you. We both are." Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione spoke first.
"Harry, there's nothing you can say that's going to stop us helping you. Do you really think we'd let you go out alone and find these by yourself?"
"Yeah, we might be of help to you, Harry." Harry opened his mouth again to say something, but found that Hermione was right, there wasn't a thing he could think to say that would keep them from coming with him. He sighed.
"What did your Mum say when you told her that you weren't going back for your seventh year?"
"Well…she doesn't…really know yet."
"Good luck with that one, mate. Have your told your parents what you're planning on doing?"
"Yes. They were disappointed, but then I pointed out that if we don't help, and something happens that you should fail, God forbid, there won't be a Hogwarts to stay at, and if there still is, it won't be very safe anymore." There was silence again; save for the squeaking of the swing as Harry's foot absently moved the swing back and forth. Hermione picked her feet up from moving back and forth with the swing and stretched her legs over Harry's lap, and leaned her head against the back of the swing, while the squeaking continued. Ron said out of nowhere,
"Do you really think my Mum is going to over-react when I tell her?" Harry and Hermione laughed.
"Do you not know your mum?" Hermione said.
"Yeah, I guess your right. Well, I guess I should get it over with soon, you know, rip the Band-Aid off. Quick and painless." Again Harry and Hermione laughed.
"Oh, I don't even have the heart to crush your small glimmer of hope, Ron," Hermione said. (A/n: Ok, now, I don't have my 6th book on me, it's at school, so I can't remember all this stuff of the top of my head, so if something's not quite right, I apologize. Please kindly correct me, and thank you in advance for your forgiveness.)
"Anyways, any ideas on where and what these Horcruxes might be?" Harry shrugged.
"The only thing I know is one of them is a locket that belonged to Slytherin, a cup that belonged to Hufflepuff, and something that belonged to Gryffindor, and his snake, Nagini. There's also the diary and that ring Dumbledore had, but I have no idea where to find the remaining ones, or even what they are for sure."
"What did the note in the basin in that cave say again?"
"That this R.A.B. person has taken it and plans to destroy it to bring Voldemort closer to his downfall." Ron flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name.
"Oh come on, Ron, if you're going to help Harry, you've got to learn to say Voldemort's name," Hermione snapped. "Come on, say it. Let me hear you say it." Ron hesitated.
"Come on."
"V…V…Vold…" He took a deep breath and rushed out, "Voldemort."
"There. Now, no more flinching when you hear his name."
"Alright, Hermione."
"Anyways, R.A.B. And we still don't know who he or she is?"
"No."
"I asked Lupin about it earlier this summer, and he said he's never heard of an R.A.B., and neither has McGonagall or anyone else. It's probably a Death Eater, who backed out or something. Too bad Sirius isn't…you know. He might have heard of him while he was in Azkaban." When Ron finished his last sentence, Hermione got that look on her face when she just figured out the answer to a difficult problem. The two noticed it and Ron said,
"What?"
"I think I just realized who R.A.B. is."
"Who?"
"What if the R. stands for Regulus, and the B. for Black?" Realization dawned over Harry and Ron.
"Sirius's brother."
"Yes, what if his middle name began with an A?"
"And Ron could be right, he was a Death Eater that backed out, and Voldemort killed him."
"What if that was the reason why Regulus died? Because Voldemort found out that he stole the Horcrux." Ron sat up, wearing almost the same look that Hermione was wearing before.
"I know where it is."
"Where?"
"Remember when we were cleaning Grimmauld Place summer before last?" Harry and Hermione nodded.
"Remember when we found a locket that…"
"No one could open."
"Right."
"Well, that was an easy find then, we'll go to Grimmauld Place tomorrow," Ron said.
"But how do you know it's still there?"
"Why wouldn't it?"
"Remember that Mundungus as been through the house looking for things to sell, what if he took that too?"
"I thought Dumbledore made him bring everything back?"
"Ron, do you honestly think that Mundungus is going to bring everything back?"
"Oh. Right."
"He might-Harry, what's the matter?" Harry was staring off into space, like he purposely tuned out the conversation. He shook his head.
"Nothing."
"Liar, " Ron and Hermione said at the same time.
"It's just…I don't want to go back to Grimmauld Place all that bad. The whole place is just depressing.
"We don't have to go right away if you're not ready, Harry. It's understandable that it's painful to go back."
"But anyways, I think we all should go back inside, people will be looking for us soon," Ron said, as he slid off the railing and headed inside, Harry and Hermione right behind him.
A/n: Whew, long chapter! But I finally finished it!! Hope you enjoyed, please review!!
Husker_fan_2006
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