Grace Aux Malfoys
DISCLAIMER: As usual, not mine, never has been and - the way I write - will never be.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I am dedicating this chapter to a lovely and wonderful author, FLETCHER DELANCEY, for reasons which will be explained in the notes at the end of this chapter.
Chapter 10.
The Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
It was a celebration to rival the ones that had exploded across Britain nearly two decades before when it was announced that baby Potter had defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. For the students of Hogwarts, it was a feast that outdid everything they'd experienced in the castle before. Not just the food but the presence of liquor (butterbeer, fire whiskey, elf-wines, goblin ale were flowing freely), a seating arrangement like the Yule Ball (round tables rather than the long House tables, with a central aisle leading to the `head table' at the end), House banners and goblin clan crests hanging from the ceiling, the lights from hundreds of candles, the ghosts of Hogwarts engaging in various antics including formation flying …
At a table near the aisle, the Tonks family sat with Remus, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and several bandaged and banged-up Gryffindors, all having a good time watching Ted play with his grandson Teddy who, having an audience, delighted in constantly changing his hair colour, to the quiet dismay of his grandmother.
At another table a large group of redheads and others gathered - seven redheads aside from a blonde (Fleur), three dark-haired young women (Katie, Angelina and Alicia) and a dreadlocked, mummified young man (Lee Jordan). To those who knew them, it was easy to identify the Weasley Family - although a second look would be needed to realize that the redheads were missing three of their number (Ron, Arthur and Molly) although they had an additional one (Susan Bones) sitting with them.
Several tables held a mixed bag of humans and goblins, although they were as raucous as the rest and seemingly not at all affected by the prospect of sharing a table with virtual strangers. These tables were not shared by strangers - these held the wizards and witches who'd found haven in the Goblin Nation and they were now happily sharing a meal with their goblin friends.
The noise level was high as conversations and laughter flowed; beneath this, however, a palpable tension existed. They had barely sat down for the feast when phoenix song erupted in the hall and they all watched as the blue and white phoenix from earlier appeared, only to disappear with a flash seconds later, bringing with it the Headmistress and Hermione Granger.
Proving again that the only thing faster than a phoenix is rumour - or even rumour masquerading as fact - the word had spread: the Australian Minister of Magic was arriving, and bringing Hermione's parents with her. And that had led to a further spate of speculation as everyone realized that Hermione Granger - who the Prophet declared that morning as having married or eloped with Ron Weasley - was holding hands with Harry Potter when the Minister's party entered the Hall.
This led to the realization that Ron was missing and supposedly in the Hospital Wing along with Arthur and Molly.
Combine the above, toss in a healthy dose of guesswork - both reasoned and alcohol-induced - and everyone knew something was going to happen. What it was, very few knew; whether it was good or bad, no one could tell … that it will be entertaining, well that was a given …
Every once in a while, eyes shifted to the head table where they could see Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, Deputy Headmaster Filius Flitwick, two goblins that had been identified as Director Ragnok of Gringotts and his consort Reena, and the man of the hour, Harry James Potter. They could see that he was nervous, fidgeting more than usual, and he looked more than ready to hurl or to bolt - maybe even both at the same time.
The others at the table were silent, seemingly sympathetic to the young man's plight, or at least that was what they could infer from the occasional glances cast at the young man. That something was wrong was obvious; what it was became the subject of still more conjecture.
If they only knew, Remus thought as he kept a strong grip on his emotions - torn as he was between anger at a certain white-haired, long-bearded, manipulative old meddler and amusement at Sirius' father for pulling a prank that would have done Phineas Nigeullus proud - but with consequences that would have Orion and Walburga and their bigoted ancestors spinning in their pureblooded, Toujour Pur graves.
He had to shake his head at the elder Black who'd come up with a twisted idea that only a Slytherin could dream of. All to get around the ancestral laws of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black which had primus genitor and the continuity of the line at its core, and ensure that Sirius - who reverted to Heir-Apparent of House Black with the death of Regulus in '79 - would never become Lord Black.
Orion, the then-Lord Black, imposed a new codicil on the Laws of Inheritance: that the incoming Lord Black (Sirius, as he expected) should be either (a) married at the time he took the mantle, (b) name an Heir (who must be a descendant of the Black Family), or (c) should be married within 24 hours of being informed of his inheritance by the goblins - otherwise, the mantle of Lord Black would pass on to the next in line. In the event there was no one, the Black Trust would be sequestered until a new Lord Black emerged.
To ensure that he did not just marry some tart off the street, the old veQ (Remus had picked up some words from Filius) stipulated that the marriage (in the 24-hour option) must be public and use a Druidic bonding ceremony that wouldn't work unless the couple were truly committed to each other - unless there was a betrothal contract already in place which only need to be consummated within the time frame.
Remus shook his head. The codicil was devious and cruel - and Sirius wouldn't have been able to comply with it at the time. When Orion died later that year, Walburga Black was still in residence at the manor; since Sirius had vowed he would never return while either of his parents were still alive, he wasn't able to comply with the residency codicil of the will.
On the other hand, Remus reflected, the way the codicil was structured left a glaring loophole that he suspected old Orion had completely overlooked: Sirius could have named James Charlus Potter as his Heir-Apparent, since James was Dorea Black-Potter's son which made him, technically, Sirius' uncle.
And that was the reason why Sirius was able to get around Orion's codicil in '95 when he was finally able to claim the title and property of the Black Family: he named Harry (who was technically his second cousin) as Heir-Apparent the moment he was informed of it.
Which made Harry also a second cousin to Andromeda and Narcissa - Remus snickered. Tonks would have a field day when it came out; he could just see her calling Harry `Unca Harry' and teaching little Teddy to call Harry `Gramps'!
The problem was that Sirius, for whatever reason, forgot to rescind the codicil before he died … and that left Harry in a major bind. Refuse it and House Black and its considerable fortune would go to Draco. That the ponce could meet the requirement was a given - he had an existing betrothal with the Parkinsons that they knew about … he would have the simpering pug Pansy before a binder within minutes, which meant Lucius would be back in power, slithering his way through their world and spreading his poisons once again.
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration; he understood Harry's aggravation at the situation. The problem was that they had no other viable option. Harry's first thought was to name Teddy as his Heir-Apparent but that got shot down by both Ragnok and Shacklebolt who pointed out that, at the moment, Teddy couldn't be named an Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black because he was technically a werewolf.
Harry growled at that - he had become quite attached to his godson the past few days - only for Remus' own growl shutting him up and making him listen. The fact was, as Kingsley pointed out, the anti-werewolf laws were still on the books and it would take time to get them removed. Given the timeline imposed by Orion Black, there was no way this could be done.
His suggestion of Harry adopting Teddy using the same blood adoption ritual that Sirius used was shot down by Ragnok - apparently, Orion had thought of that dodge and stipulated against it. Harry didn't need the blood adoption to become Heir-Apparent; Sirius had apparently done it just so he could legally lay claim as Harry's guardian that summer, Dumbledore's insistence on Harry returning to Privet Drive be damned … and, Remus knew, Sirius wanted to have that emotional and `spiritual' connection with Harry as his `son' in law and in blood.
Remus smiled wistfully, thinking of Harry's reason why he didn't want to `jump' into marriage with Hermione, even if it was the easy thing to do: he and Hermione hadn't gone through the expected `rituals' leading to such: dates, holding hands, checking out the broom closets, asking permission from the parents, shopping for rings ...
It was Flitwick who pointed out that as far as the school was concerned, they'd been dating for the past seven years. True, they may not have had a `real' date (as in time spent at the movies eating popcorn or just staring at each other across a table in Madam Puddifoot's) but they had spent more time together than most couples had before they were married!
Minerva also pointed out that magic - and their world - already considered them married, being soul-bonded as per the Book of Souls and the evidence of their own eyes.
Having no other options, Harry finally acceded - only to turn green and almost lose his lunch at the mention of the fact that he still had to ask permission from Hermione's parents. That they were on their way was no consolation … Harry's complaint that he could just imagine being introduced as "Lord Harry James Potter-Black, blah blah blah and Hermione's soul mate which means I need your permission to marry her right away."
The snickering in the room ended with Hermione's saucy yet heartfelt "I'll protect you, Harry … I always do" to which he answered with a much more controlled kiss than the one they'd witnessed earlier.
Remus sighed; the appearance of Anastasia the phoenix a few minutes earlier meant that the Grangers were at the gates … he wondered if Kingsley would send him and Tonks to Azkaban if they Imperio'd the Grangers to agree to the marriage between their only daughter and Harry Potter …
***
The Front Gates, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
A ball of fire flashed in front of the gates with winged hogs and three people materialized out of the flames. A heartbeat later, and the firebird flamed out on her mission, leaving the three behind - an apparently middle-aged, auburn-haired woman wearing a smartly-cut business suit beneath her wizarding robes, and a man and woman in jeans, shirts and denim jackets who blinked and shook their heads - moments before, they were looking at a magnificent castle bedecked in lights and enchanting in the moonlight; right now, all they could see was an expansive patch of wild grass with ancient ruins in the distance.
"Calmly now," the auburn-haired woman said. "Hold on to me if you must; Anastasia's gone to fetch mum. She has to be here to adjust the wards for you."
The two nodded, looking around uneasily at the moonlit terrain. They were in the middle of a dark and gloomy forest that they knew was full of magical creatures both light and dark … Dan and Emma Granger relaxed as much as they could, although both were near-bouncing in eager anticipation of seeing the daughter they loved after nearly a year of being apart. Their time in Australia had been good for them: they were tanned, much fitter and healthier than they were for the past two decades; and they understood their daughter's world much better now, given the environment of Magical Australia and their friendship with its head of government.
At the same time, Dan was nervously fingering the hard plastic case that he was lugging under his arm - only to freeze when he realized that the Minister of Magic for Australia (and former Master Auror) Samantha Wallace's eyes were glinting as they focused on him. With deft flicks of her wand, the hard case was in her hand - along with the 9 mm Browning pistol that was hidden, holstered, beneath Emma's jacket.
"I'm holding on to this," the former Auror said as she shrunk and pocketed the items. "I know you want to scare off that redheaded buffoon who had the sheer gall to elope with your daughter but it will be Mum you'll first see … won't do to kill the Headmistress because of itchy trigger fingers now would it?"
The two looked sheepishly at the ground but were unrepentant; Samantha sighed. She'd tried to warn them about bringing their personal weapons to the school; they may be proficient with those things but against several hundred wands …
Samantha smiled when she heard the warbling melody of Anastasia's song; with a flash of phoenix fire, two people were visible in the moonlight. One, a young woman with bushy brown hair, hurtled towards Dan and Emma and nearly bowled them over with the ferocity of her hug.
Samantha Minerva McGonagall Wallace, Minister of Magic for the Commonwealth of Australia, watched the scene with fondness, teary-eyed as she remembered past reunions with her own parents. Smiling, she watched as the other person approached at a dignified pace and Samantha, throwing all dignity to the wind, simply jumped and wrapped her arms around her mother before lifting her up and giving her mother a kiss on the cheek. She then held Minerva at arm's length, her eyes moving down in a well-practiced pattern to check for wounds, ailments or other flaws even as Minerva stood still and allowed the scrutiny.
"William couldn't make it," she replied to her mother's questioning look. "The bairns are teethin' so he told me to go ahead … those two (she indicated the Granger parents who were still wrapped around their daughter) were about to go postal on us …" She smirked at her mother's puzzled look and said, "You don't want to know … but there's something you're supposed to do?"
Minerva nodded and approached the Grangers, where Hermione was still talking a mile a minute. Samantha giggled. "Goodness," Samantha said in admiration, "does the child even take a breath?"
"Give her a break, Sammie," Minerva said softly. The three Grangers turned and smiled with Minerva exchanging hugs and cheek kisses with the parents of her favourite pupil. She then pulled out her wand and began the complicated movements and murmured chanting that would attune the muggle Grangers to the wards.
It was the only thing that had stopped Anastasia from depositing her daughter and the Grangers right in the Great Hall; there was no telling what the wards would do to the Grangers if they just `dropped in.' The wards were up and running just before the goblins arrived; they may not be at full power yet but what they may do to unauthorized muggles did not bear thinking about.
On the other hand, Minerva thought to herself, it could be a good thing … at least Hermione will have a chance to talk with them and prepare the way, so to speak.
She heard simultaneous gasps and knew the wards had accepted the Grangers; Dan and Emma were staring in wide-eyed surprise at the magical castle in all its ethereal beauty and shimmering majesty, lit by moonlight and magnificent in the midst of the gloom.
Hermione started dragging her parents through the now opened gates of the school, following a well-worn and well-remembered path to the castle's front doors, talking a mile a minute and causing the mother and daughter who were following to chuckle.
Minerva and her daughter walked in silence, comfortable with the proximity to the other that they'd missed over the past months. Minerva was trying to work out something in her mind - she needed to ask a favour from her daughter but wasn't sure how to ask.
It was Samantha who provided the opening she needed: "So, mother, things are settling down, I heard … I understand that congratulations are in order?"
A puzzled Headmistress turned to her, and Samantha rolled her eyes. "Oh really, mother! The Prophet started delivering again in Australia and we saw the news …"
She stopped in her tracks at hearing the fervent "Shyte!" that escaped her mother's lips - Minerva McGonagall never swore - but her brain got a kick start when she heard an angrily raised voice ahead of her: "THAT IS A LIE! Someone pranked us - we think we know who and why but I am not, and NEVER WILL BE, married to Ronald Bilius Weasley!"
A murmur of voices and the raised voice rapped out, "How can I be sure? Simple - I'M SOUL-BONDED TO HARRY JAMES … meep!"
For the first time in her life, Samantha M. Wallace saw her mother wilt. It took a moment to process the information - she was McGonagall's daughter, after all - and she grinned at her mother as she said, "Oops!"
Her statement was punctuated with a warbling song from the phoenix who was riding on her shoulder and she smiled - Anastasia was on the ball, as always, and she could see the three people ahead of her relax as seemingly unbearable tensions flowed away from them, carried off by the soothing sound of phoenix song. She saw her mother shake her head, straighten her shoulders and walk with grim determination towards her favourite student.
She moved to catch up with her mother, her mind focused on a single thought: "This should be good!" Anastasia's warble at her shoulder told her that the firebird agreed with her completely.
***
The Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
It was the sudden hush that that alerted Harry to his impending doom. He looked up from his contemplation of the tablecloth in front of him and gulped at the first sight of Hermione's parents in almost six years.
The Mr Granger that Harry remembered was a tall man with Hermione's brown hair and eyes, eyes that had a dreamy quality to them which could sharpen with a hidden wit and intelligence. Those eyes were not dreamy this time, they were sharp and focused; it was also apparent that Mr Granger had taken up body building in the meantime as the chest beneath the pale blue shirt and the legs within the denim jeans were rippling with muscles that were not apparent the last time Harry saw him.
It was Mrs Granger, however, who had Harry shivering as his eyes met hers. He remembered a tall, slim woman with dark brown hair, curly as opposed to Hermione's bush, but with surprisingly blue eyes in a rather pale face. What he was looking at could have stepped out of Vernon's large-format telly - the lead character in a much-favoured show that Vernon and Dudley religiously followed while Petunia sniffed and was busy in the kitchen, Harry with her … something about a warrior princess.
The incarnation in the Great Hall was a close approximation: the dark brown, almost black hair was now straight and fell to broad shoulders, muscles rippled beneath the shirt and jeans … Mrs Granger looked as if she would be far more comfortable wielding Gryffindor's sword while battling the basilisk than Harry ever would!
The elder Grangers had locked on Harry moments after they'd entered the hall; they started walking with purposeful steps up the centre aisle with Hermione beside them, whispering in a voice so low that no one could understand a word. No one noticed the Australian Minister of Magic who was standing in the doorway beside the Headmistress; if one had looked, the resemblances between mother and daughter would have been cause for comment.
As the Grangers approached, Harry wondered why Hermione had sent them away. To keep them safe? That was a laugh … the way those two looked now, Voldemort would have two options if he confronted them: run for the hills screaming like a little girl facing the bogey man - or fall down on his knees to worship them (or worship Emma, if he hadn't lost his male hormones).
Knees.
The word lingered in Harry's mind … and something deep within Harry came to life and flared within his brain.
Deliberately, he stood and stepped off the platform on which the head table sat, and started walking with a measured pace to meet the parents of his beloved.
The older Grangers were impressed when they saw this but did their best not to show it; they had, after all, spent almost seven years with nothing but stories and pictures of Harry Potter. Ron Weasley they knew about, but this was almost always in a pejorative sense except for a brief time in Hermione's sixth year. It was Harry they thought they knew best - except that they always treated the stories with a huge pinch of salt since they could see their daughter's utter fascination and dogged devotion to the lad.
The Prophet's arrival at Samantha's home this morning was a rude shock which had Dan cleaning his shotgun and the service pistol he'd kept from his time in the Royal Marines, while Emma contemplated bringing along her Japanese-made kitchen knives. Samantha (who had heard much about Hermione and Harry from the Grangers and her own mother's frequent letters and infrequent visits over the past seven years) had calmed them down, but it was a near thing.
The time spent walking to the castle and the Hall had been well spent, however. Between Hermione, Minerva and Samantha, the Grangers knew there was little they could do - magic had apparently intervened and their daughter was married to her young man, although she still needed their permission and a ceremony to make it official.
That they would grant permission was a no-brainer; that didn't mean, however, that they couldn't have some fun with their daughter and his intended. All this had been decided with a few glances and unconscious flickers of their facial muscles.
The Grangers and Harry Potter approached each other silently; the tension in the Great Hall was ramping up exponentially; even the ghosts were silent as they watched - the Bloody Baron's sharp gaze had silenced Peeves. Unknown to everyone there, nervous hands had palmed wands all over the hall … the Granger parents didn't know it but a sneeze would have sent hundreds of lethal hexes, jinxes and curses flying at them …
The Grangers stopped in the middle of the Great Hall; less than three feet away, Harry Potter also stopped, eyes switching from mother to father - not in a shifty manner but deliberately holding each for a long moment before moving to the other.
Hermione had fallen silent, shifting her weight from foot to foot in nervousness. She'd done her best to explain the situation that Harry and she found themselves in; McGonagall had tried her best to clarify things and even Samantha had put her two knuts in, but everything seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. Her parents started walking like a pair of articulated robots with focused expressions on their faces … pausing only at the entrance to get their bearings and spot their target before continuing in the best traditions of classic Western films like `High Noon'.
The silence stretched to the breaking point; when it seemed to Hermione that her only option was to scream just to release then tension in her gut, Harry James Potter did something that caught everyone - human, goblin, (disillusioned) elves and ghosts - by surprise: he dropped to his knees in front of her parents but kept his back straight and his arms by his side … his eyes locked firmly with Emma's.
The silence in the Hall was broken by Harry's ringing voice: "Honoured Emma Elizabeth Granger," he turned his head to meet Mr Granger's eyes, "Honoured Daniel Marion Granger." He paused as he centred himself and his mind focused on the page he'd read in a cold tent months before, words that had not been heard or uttered for hundreds of years by wizards or witches: "Under the eye of Fahla who sees all, I say that I am deeply in love with your daughter. Her happiness is my ambition; her well-being is my purpose. All that is mine I place freely at her disposal, including my heart, my soul, and my life, which I would gladly lay down to protect hers. This I swear in Fahla's name. I am Harry James Potter, and I ask this gift of you and all your ancestors: Will you do me the honour of accepting me into your family?"
For a single moment, even the candles in the Great Hall stopped flickering as everyone and everything held its collective breath. The shocked Grangers stared at Harry, speechless, only for the elder Grangers to nearly jump as they realized that their level-headed, strong willed daughter had moved to kneel beside Harry.
Hermione silently grabbed hold of his hand before turning to them: "Under the eye of Fahla, who knows all and sees all, I say that I am deeply in love with Harry James Potter. His happiness is my ambition; his well-being is my purpose. All that is mine I place freely at his disposal, including my heart, my soul, and my life, which I would gladly lay down to protect his. This I swear in Fahla's name. I am Hermione Jane Granger, and I ask this of you: Will you speak for all of our ancestors, and accept Harry into our family?"
Her last words were choked as tears spilled out of her eyes; this was a moment that she had never envisioned in her wildest dreams, and would never have been able to predict in a thousand years. She waited breathlessly for her parents' response, not realizing that she and Harry had caught them by total surprise!
What the Grangers must do was clear - they knew it going in; they simply thought to have some fun with their daughter's intended. But how to respond … instinctively they both knew that the response had to be exactly right, else everything that should be would be lost.
The silence of the Great Hall was broken by soft buzzing as people whispered, wondering what in Hades their heroes were doing. To their surprise, it was the goblins who knew the answer: this was an ancient rite, of which the origins were lost in the mists of time. The goblins still practiced it (in fact, many of the goblins in the Great Hall had gone through it) but it had fallen out of favour with the humans. In fact, one goblin at Natalie's table said that it was Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw who were among the last they knew who'd used it.
Emma was about to wing it when she overheard the whispers … and her memory kicked in, her inner eye reflecting the page from a centuries' old book she'd perused in Samantha's library … she gave her husband a glance and he nodded to her to respond for them.
Without hesitation, Emma stepped forward and placed her hands on Harry and Hermione's heads. She spoke in a clear, ringing voice: "My children, we hear your petition. Under the eye of Fahla, who connects our past with our future, and in the name of all of our ancestors, we say that Harry James Potter is now one of our family. May our descendants rejoice in this bond, which enriches our family beyond measure."
The candles in the Great Hall flickered wildly as a collective breath was expelled; there were no cheers or applause, however, for the Hogwarts ghosts - the Bloody Baron, the Grey Lady, the Fat Friar, Sir Nicholas and even Moaning Myrtle - had hurtled around the room, finger to lips in a clear sign to keep silence.
Harry and Hermione had stood up and were embraced in turn by Hermione's parents, who both had tears in their eyes. Hermione tapped Harry's shoulder and nodded; as one and still holding hands, they walked to the table where Remus Lupin stood gaping -Hermione dropped to her knees as her soprano voice cleaved the silence: "Honoured Remus John Lupin, as Harry's only remaining true family, I ask you to hear my petition."
Like Harry before her, she visibly centred herself before continuing, "Under the eye of Fahla who sees all, I say that I am deeply in love with Harry James Potter. His happiness is my ambition; his well-being is my purpose. All that is mine I place freely at his disposal, including my heart, my soul, and my life, which I would gladly lay down to protect his. This I swear in Fahla's name. I am Hermione Jane Granger, and I ask this gift of you and all your ancestors: Will you do me the honour of accepting me into your family?"
Remus' cheeks were awash with tears, as was Tonks', when Harry joined Hermione on the floor, and his voice filled the silence: "You are my family; the only one whose acceptance I would seek." Taking Hermione's hand, he repeated the ancient words: "Under the eye of Fahla who sees all, I say that I am deeply in love with Hermione Jane Granger. Her happiness is my ambition; her well-being is my purpose. All that is mine I place freely at her disposal, including my heart, my soul, and my life, which I would gladly lay down to protect hers. This I swear. I am Harry James Potter, and I ask this of you: Will you speak for my mother and father, for my godfather and yourself and all of our ancestors, and accept Hermione into our family?"
Remus couldn't speak - like Hermione, this was something that he had never envisioned happening, not even if he lived a thousand years. His heart swelled at Hermione's words, calling him Harry's only true family; his heart nearly burst when he heard Harry affirming his place in the young man's heart.
He had to be poked by Tonks before he could move. Placing his hands on the two teens' heads, his choked voice responded, "My children, I hear your petition. Under the eye of Fahla, who connects our past with our future, and in the name of my …" he sobbed, "my best friends James, Lily and Sirius and all of our ancestors, we say that Hermione Jane Granger is now one of our family. May our descendants rejoice in this bond, which enriches our family beyond measure."
As Harry and Hermione rose to their feet, a resounding cheer that threatened to crack the ceiling of the Great Hall broke - people and goblins were on their feet cheering, clapping, stomping their feet (the goblins joining in), whistling … the two teens felt themselves being wrapped in hugs from behind and they knew that it was Hermione's parents … before they could protest, Remus and Tonks were hugging them from the front and a group hug was in progress.
"SILENCE!"
It felt like a guillotine cut the noise into deafening silence as people looked around for the source of the shout - and gaped when they realized that it was Headmistress Minerva McGonagall who'd done so.
"There is one final step, if Harry and Hermione are willing?"
The two looked at each other and nodded; they turned to Hermione's parents - who also nodded in resignation. They knew what Minerva meant, having discussed this only minutes ago; Remus, however, looked bemused but was willing to go along.
Minerva turned to her daughter, eyebrow raised. Samantha, with Annabelle still on her shoulders, shook her head and smiled as she said, "The problem will be the rings …"
Ragnok interrupted her, "Hem, Hem … after our meeting, and on the advice of my consort, I took the liberty of having something retrieved from the Potter vaults. Lord Potter?"
He held another ornate box out to Harry who hesitantly approached, took and opened it to reveal a pair of rings - clearly ancient, with no stones or other adornments except a line of runes running around their golden surface. He looked at Ragnok curiously but it was Remus who drew a sharp breath, "It's the Potter ancestral wedding rings, Harry! The last time I saw them, James and Lily wore them …"
Ragnok nodded. "Actually, these are the wedding rings of the Lord and Lady of Clan Potter. Goblin-forged, they were a gift from the Goblin Nation to Clan Potter for being the first depositors and clients of the bank. Aside from the protective magic, they have one other function: to be transported magically to the vaults on the passing of their owners, to be ready for retrieval when needed by the next Lord."
He turned to Harry. "I hope I was not too presumptuous …"
Harry stopped him. "I thank you for your kindness and foresight, Clan Chief. I see it as a reaffirmation of the bonds between the Nation and my Clan. Would I be overfamiliar in turn if I ask that you and your Consort stand as witness to me and my Hermione?"
Ragnok glanced at his wife, who winked at him. "We would be honoured, Lord Potter."
It took some time to prepare but between magic, the Hogwarts and Potter elves (which included Kreacher at both Harry and Hermione's insistence), they were ready in no time.
A wave of Minerva's wand and the candles in the Great Hall were extinguished, leaving the moon, which was at its zenith, to cast its silvery rays through the transparent ceiling of the Great Hall, bathing the entire space in ethereal moonlight.
In the centre of the Great Hall stood Samantha Minerva McGonagall Wallace, Minister of Magic for Australia and a registered Binder, Annabelle the phoenix on her shoulder, its soft croons the only music the event needed. In front of her stood Harry and Hermione, with her parents and Remus and Tonks directly behind them and slightly to either side.
To Harry's left stood Ragnok and Reena, representing the Goblin Nation, along with Hagrid and Firenze the Centaur. To Hermione's right stood the Weasleys, with Molly having been called from the Hospital Wing (she explained that both Arthur and Ron were still sedated and unable to make it). Hermione's disappointment was only slightly faked; she'd hoped that Arthur could have joined but was relieved that Ron wasn't there. Hermione blinked when Ginny pulled Susan with her in line; she had half-expected some fireworks from the redheaded former girlfriend of her Harry but was gratified when Ginny merely winked at her and blew her and Harry a kiss.
Behind Samantha stood Kingsley Shacklebolt as the Minister of Magic for Great Britain, with Minerva McGonagall and Filius Flitwick standing in line. All around the Hall were students, parents and teachers, all of them grateful for the opportunity to be witness to what they knew would be a once in a lifetime event.
Moving around was Luna Lovegood, carrying a magical camera that a Potter elf had retrieved from somewhere they all knew was best not to ask about. After a brief discussion with Harry and Hermione, she was designated the official wedding photographer and the Quibbler was granted exclusive rights to both story and pictures. All three felt keenly the loss of Colin Creevey, one of the few casualties of the war that they knew … but life must go on.
Samantha Wallace took a final look around and said to the couple in front of her, "Let's get this show on the road."
She took a deep breath and began.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today beneath the light of the moon to witness the joining of two souls …"
She spoke briefly of the two that she had heard so much about, from proud parents and an even prouder teacher; talked briefly of love, commitment and love's endless promise, about how patience and compassion were the keys to a successful marriage.
She then asked for the rings - and blinked when two elves (Kreacher and Winky) stepped forward to hand the box to her.
Nodding, she handed one to Hermione and the smaller of the pair to Harry.
"Place the ring on each other's finger and present me with your left palms please."
Both rings were slipped on and as the teens held out their hands she made a cut across each of the palms with her wand.
Samantha then asked them to clasp their hands and said, "Don't release until I tell you." They nodded at her. "Harry. Hermione. Please repeat after me. With this ring, this symbol of our vow, I bind my heart to your heart, my magic to your magic, and my soul to your soul, forever and eternity."
As Harry and Hermione began to repeat after Samantha, the air turned a pearly colour.
When they said they bound their hearts to the other's, a gold ribbon wound around their hands, a second ribbon appeared when they bound their magic, and lastly a third ribbon wrapped around them as they bound their souls.
On the word, eternity, there was a blinding gold light and the ribbon disappeared.
"So mote it be."
The words were said reflexively - Samantha, like everybody in the Hall (except for Harry and Hermione) were trying to blink the spots out of their eyes. Luna was seated at a table, her camera beside her and hoping that the flash she'd seen through the lens hadn't burned the film - and that there was a picture she could develop. It wouldn't be a picture if all anyone would see was a field of golden light!
Soon enough, Samantha turned their palms over and inspected the cuts and smiled at the two. "Congratulations. The tradition is for you now to kiss."
She blinked when she heard a sibilant "Shyte!" from behind her, and turned to glare at her mother - and blinked again when she realized that Minerva had conjured a pair of sunglasses which she handed to the Minister before conjuring another pair for herself. She opened her mouth, only to close it as Flitwick handed her another pair.
All over the Great Hall, people were looking askance at the goings on around the wedding party: Bill Weasley (who had worked with Gringotts-Cairo and was familiar with desert attire) had conjured a pair of dark glasses for his wife and then himself; the twins, after observing their eldest brother, had quickly followed his example and were conjuring the same for their siblings and mother.
Reena, who had headed the Gringotts Curse Breakers, had copied Bill's actions and had dark glasses for herself and her husband. Luna Lovegood, seasoned traveller that she was, was putting on a pair of dark glasses shaped like goggles. The Grangers, seeing what was going on around them, pulled sunglasses out of their jackets - many of the muggle-born blinked at the sight of Dan Granger looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator II - square faced and square-jawed, muscles bulging and dark glasses covering the upper half of his face.
They shifted their attention to Harry who was smiling at Hermione as he cupped her cheeks in his hands. He leaned forward and gently met her lips with his.
Within seconds those who wondered at the actuations of those around the pair understood as a fiery red and gold aura, burning in its intensity, sprung into existence around the kissing couple - the light growing in intensity to rival anything that they had ever seen before. Those with unprotected eyes tried to turn away, in fear of their eyes melting away as the fiery aura turned into a golden pillar of flame that reached to the ceiling.
None realized that they had fallen to their knees in the presence of so much magic - all they would remember later on was the golden pillar of light and the sensation of something on their skins before the triumphant cry and song of a phoenix penetrated their numbed senses.
They cautiously opened their eyes to see the pillar of flame fading away and they waited, half-fearfully, to see if Harry and Hermione had turned to ash from the intensity of the flame. A collective breath was released when they saw the couple holding hands, looking around them, bemused.
As they shakily got to their feet, a shaken Samantha Wallace cast a silent Sonorus on herself and said, in an amplified voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen … Magical Peoples of Britain … I give you Mister and Missus Harry James Potter-Black!"
She paused, her hands in the air, and said the words that would soon become a part of every magical wedding around the world: "May our descendants rejoice in this bond, which enriches our world beyond measure."
As the cheers echoed and re-echoed around the Hall (again threatening to bring down the ceiling on their heads), something was happening in the Master Bedroom of Malfoy Manor. A sleeping Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy never saw it but pinpricks of golden light seemed to emerge from their bodies … which swiftly coalesced into a dense cloud at the centre of their chests before seemingly imploding silently and disappearing in the wink of an eye.
In another bedroom, Draco Malfoy rolled over as he dreamed of swimming in a sea of gold - galleons, necklaces, rings, goblets - and never noticed the same thing happening to him.
In the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, a bleary-eyed Ronald Bilius Weasley stared at the golden glow suffusing his father but he quickly fell back on his bed as his head was still ringing from the non-stop Howler pouring words directly into his ear from earlier.
In the Great Hall, the celebration interrupted by the arrival of the Grangers continued but with an even more intensified pace as numerous toasts were raised to the goblins, to Harry and Hermione, to the Grangers, to Hermione and Harry, to the Ministers of Magic, to Harry and Hermione, to Minerva McGonagall, to Harry and Hermione …
***
AUTHOR'S NOTES: When I started this story almost exactly a year ago, the basic outline of this chapter as well as key passages was already in my head. Who knew it would take me a year to get to this point? And it's not over yet … one more chapter to go.
Before I even put the first word to `paper' or saw the first word on the computer screen, I sent an email to Fletcher DeLancey, a fiction writer whose story "Without A Front" was one of the many that enthralled me during the months (or was it years?) that I thought I had abandoned the HP universe. I requested permission (which she so graciously granted) to make use of portions of her story for this tale.
The "Testament to Fahla" (or at least what I called these passages) were lifted in their entirety (except for the names and gender) from her tale. The first time I read the novel (WAF is book-length) and encountered the passage, I knew that I would be making use of it if ever I got my writing juices back. It did and I did.
If you wish to read her stories, they can be found at http://fletcherdelancey.com. Fair warning, though, Ms DeLancey writes lesbian fiction; if that bothers you, don't read it. If you get beyond that, you will find a series of beautifully written, totally exciting, thought provoking and ultimately wonderful stories set in the Star Trek: Voyager universe, of which WAF is one.
If you do drop by her site because of this, please drop a note as to how you found her tale.
You may also recognize the wedding scene from the above. Yes, it came from "Breach of Trust" from Hlpur and yes, I most definitely asked permission from Helena to make use of it. A strange coincidence … it is also just about a year since she's updated her stories … here's hoping that she will get back to her writing soon.
To all those who've read this tale, marked it as a favourite, or include it in their alerts - as well as those who've reviewed, my deepest gratitude.
Right now, it's time for a break … some sleep and back to the keyboard.
Thank you.
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