Chapter Fourteen - Toast - It's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore
"You're kidding me, right?"
"Horace, I wish I were. They're bringing both Bellatrix and Dolores up the old prefect stairs from the dungeons." Shaking his head, Harry looked at his bride in disbelief as she was shaking off the effects of observing the world through her patronus. An advanced technique that a handful within the Order had mastered, Hermione usually found that it took a few seconds before she felt totally in control of her human body.
"Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Seeing the grin on his wife's face, Harry knew he'd just handed her a straight line that she would be unable to resist.
"I think so Harry, but isn't Bellatrix going to just look silly wearing lederhosen and leading the Wizengamot in a chorus of `I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No'?" Trying to keep a straight face while Horace was staring at her as if she'd lost her mind, she shrugged. "Sounds like Voldemort shared a bit more with Bellatrix than just pillow talk."
"How many more?" Looking distraught, Harry began mentally compiling a list of the things that needed to be `undone' if they were going to postpone their honeymoon. "Damnation, wasn't it enough that we had to kill Tom multiple times?"
"Stop, Harry." Seeing the look on his face, Hermione smiled warmly. "We're catching that portkey tonight, come Hell or high water."
"This could be significant."
"Today you're not Senior Team Lead Harry Potter. You're not `The Wizard Who Won'. You're not `The Effing Boy Who Lived'. You're a newlywed who's getting ready to suffer through all of our friends embarrassing us for the next three hours until we sneak away for four weeks of worrying about nothing more sinister than whose turn it is to roll over and order room service." Seeing the wizard standing behind her husband grinning from ear to ear, she smirked.
"And if you don't believe me, just turn around and let Kingsley tell you that there are plenty of people who are qualified to handle this, and some of them are even working today so none of our close friends have to miss anything once they drop the trash off in London."
"Harry, it's going to take us at least a month to find an advocate willing to represent Bellatrix. The precedents are very murky on what we can charge her with since she was not only merely dead; she was really most sincerely dead." Looking only slightly worried, Kingsley began to think about the ramifications of someone turning up, very much alive, years after they'd been declared dead and buried in an unmarked plot on Azkaban.
"Doesn't count." Shaking her head, Hermione parried a look from her assistant that said `you're getting sucked into this'. "She knowingly perpetrated a fraud to avoid prosecution upon the court. There's no way anyone could argue that she wasn't aware that she had a Horcrux, so she's responsible for the consequences of using one as well as the benefits. Since she obviously had a Horcrux tucked away, she wasn't really dead, she was merely mostly dead. And there's a big difference."
"Harry?"
Looking over, Harry could see his brand-new father-in-law standing there, with a very serious look on his face.
"Yes?"
"Since you've only been married a short time, I feel compelled to explain to you what the only correct answer is in a situation like this. Regardless of what your sense of duty tells you, the only correct answer is `Yes dear.'."
"But…"
"The only correct answer is `Yes dear'." Shaking his head, Alex looked over at Arthur for support.
"Harry, don't make a fuss. We're not going to release the specifics until after the two of you have left, so don't make it necessary for me to have to explain things to my wife before the reception's over." Seeing the stubborn look on Harry's face, he smiled sadly.
"Don't make me call for Ginevra; I'm certain she'll have something painful to say about it if you bollix this up."
Shaking his head, Harry looked around at the group that was surrounding him. While both the witch who had leaped in front of the curse and the wizard that attacked his bride were well on their way to St. Mungo's, their assembled friends and families were milling about, waiting for someone to declare the `emergency' over and that the evening's festivities were ready to begin.
Finally, the appearance of a shining Jack Russell terrier decided things. Looking around, the canine patronus growled softly and looked up at him.
"Harry, before she realizes she's made a mistake, you might want to get this show on the road. Lavender and I will be back from London in about ten minutes. Luna's heading upstairs with Parvati and the rest even as we speak.
"If you get started in the next few minutes, you'll be ready for my very witty and perceptive Best Man opening remarks by the time I get these three signed in and tucked away for the night."
As the patronus faded away, Harry sighed. "Well, if that's the way everyone feels about it?"
"Harry, if you're saying that you don't feel like going on our honeymoon…" Watching the smirk forming on her husband's face, Hermione shrugged eloquently.
"Not at all, but I've been a worrier since you've known me. Didn't think today was the day to change since it's worked so far."
Taking his arm and steering him towards the front table, Hermione chuckled. "Harry, there's a big difference between `because of' and `in spite of'. Being a worrier isn't one of your more endearing characteristics."
Looking over her shoulder, Hermione caught Carra's eye. Touching her DA galleon that hung from a chain around her neck, she smiled as Carra nodded and began sending a message on hers to the group that had gone up to Gryffindor Tower earlier.
"Do you want to do the honors, do should I?" Hermione asked, looking around at their guests who were still milling around. Before Harry could answer, George Weasley spoke up.
"Since Ickle Ronniekins is skiving off, let me do the honors." Grinning cheekily, George turned to look at the crowd before either Harry or Hermione could object. Taking his wand, he touched the tip to his throat before beginning.
"Since the `Best Man' is unavailable at the moment, the `Better Man' will take charge." Pausing for a second as laughter echoed around the room and for some heckling from friends, George took a quick bow before continuing.
"In case anyone's interested, this is the wedding reception for Harry and Hermione. Since Hermione finally decided to do the right thing and make an honest wizard out of Harry, it's only fitting and proper that all of their friends show up to drink their firewhiskey, eat their food, and generally give them the mickey before they take off on a well deserved honeymoon." Looking over to where Angelina was glaring at him, he grinned sheepishly.
"If everyone could take their seats, I'll update you on the schedule of events." Pausing as people began to move towards their assigned tables, George moved over to the head table, and coincidently further aware from his highly annoyed spouse. "From what I've been told, everyone is fine from earlier, Marietta is doing well and Mr. Flint is doing as well as can be expected." Pausing for a second, he looked over at Harry and winked.
"Although, anyone who was foolish enough to pick Flint for their fantasy quidditch league might want to consider cutting him from their squad, his playing time is going to be very limited for the next century or so unless Azkaban starts a prison league."
Just as he was going to continue, a strange look came over his face and he grabbed his throat. Smiling grimly, Ginny came up and patted him on the back.
"George, you wife would like to talk to you. Since I'm the Maid of Honor, I'll fill in for our Best Man until he can get himself back from his little errand in London." Shaking her head as her brother walked over to where his life was sitting, still trying to talk, she smiled at the group.
"As George mentioned, we're here to celebrate Harry and Hermione finally getting their acts together." Ignoring Hermione's muttered "this is an improvement?", she grinned as Luna gave her a thumbs-up. "On behalf of the families of the bride and groom, we'd like to welcome everyone who came out for Hermione's Skiving Day."
Looking over towards the table to her right, where the Headmistress was sitting with some of the other staff members from when the pair had attended Hogwarts, she chuckled. "And I'm supposed to wish Minerva a `Happy St. Swithin's Day' from all of the DA."
Smiling as the Headmistress toasted her with a mug of something, Ginny shook her head as people were finding their seats. "Since we all know how traditional both the Bride and Groom are, I've been elected to tell you that we're going to deviate just a bit from the traditional wedding reception format."
Ginny went on to explain that the couple was going to forego the traditional `first dance' to signal the end of the cocktail time, since they both wanted to be able to mingle with their guests. After `enough time and alcohol has passed so no one will notice exactly how bad my brother is at public speaking' they would be begin the remarks and toasts, which would be followed by dinner.
"Good of you to join us, Ron." Nodding to her brother who was making his way forward from the back of the hall, she smirked. "Everyone enjoy yourselves and we'll let you know when it's time to eat."
As the crowd began to mingle, the atmosphere began to change. Gone was the sense of urgency and purpose that had occurred in the wake of the attack and the response. And a big part of that was Harry and Hermione's doing.
The couple seemed to be everywhere, talking to folks, laughing and enjoying themselves and their guests. A small musical group, current and recently graduated students from Hogwarts who had gotten together to form a band and, just maybe, become the `next big thing' in the wizarding world, were playing off to the side.
They were doing covers of Weird Sister tunes along with classic rock staples since musical tastes in wizarding Britain were a bit closer to the current day than other things in wizarding society, but still markedly behind the times and things their muggle parents had enjoyed were new to wizarding audiences.
Hermione was chatting with Lavender and her fiancé while Harry was two tables away assuring his twin nieces that Teddy would be able to go to the beach with them while he and Hermione were in America on their honeymoon. As they both finished and looked up at each other with identical wry grins, they could hear someone trying to get the room's attention from the head table.
Turning, the both could see Ron standing there, tapping a water glass with his wand. As soon as he saw that the majority of people in the hall were looking his way, he smiled and started speaking.
"Sorry I wasn't here earlier, as Best Man it was my job to deal with some party crashers, and I'd like to thank Gin for stepping in and keeping things going." Ignoring George's shouted "What about me?"; he smiled as he saw the bride and groom heading towards the front table.
"We've come to the part of the program where I'm supposed to stand up here and say something very profound and witty about Harry and Hermione and the fact that they've finally gotten around to getting married." Reaching down and taking a sip of his water as the couple in question slipped into their seats, he smirked.
"Almost fifteen years ago, a funny thing happened on the Hogwarts Express. Actually a couple of funny things happened that day, and one thing that changed my life. I had already met Harry, we were sharing a compartment, when the compartment door opened and life as I knew it changed." Pausing for a second, he tipped his glass in Hermione's direction before turning back to the crowd.
"Hermione Jane Granger came bustling into our compartment in search of Neville's lost familiar Trevor. As far as I'm concerned, if that poser Lockhart managed to slime his way into an Order of Merlin, Third Class, then Trevor deserves at least a Second Class award because of his ability to become misplaced at the most opportune moment. Both Neville and I were there when these two met. At age eleven, it was just creepy, but now I've grown up just enough to realize that those stories that people tell about `love at first sight' are true and everything that's happened to the two of them started in that compartment.
"Harry and Hermione. I think that sums it up. There's a rightness in that that doesn't need to be explained to anyone who has ever met them. Of all the weddings I've attended, and I'm including my own in this, I can't think of one that was more fitting, more `right' than this one." Looking sheepishly over at his wife who was trying not to laugh at him, he smiled. "Luna, you know I only mean I'm still not certain how you put up with me, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Smiling as his wife blew him a kiss from her seat, accompanied by a theatrical "ahhh" from his brother George, Ron chuckled and turned to face the couple.
"Someone from The Prophet dubbed the three of us `The Golden Trio' at some point. I think it was in between times that they were trying to convince everyone Harry was a raving nutter, but that's not important. And, as usual, they got it wrong. While the three of us were together a lot, it was always Harry and Hermione, and then me."
Looking very serious, Ron turned and smiled nervously at the two. "For almost all of our time in school, I was an immature prat, and I'm very thankful that the two of you were patient enough to wait for me to grow up, rather than kicking me to the curb as I so richly deserved. I failed the two of you on numerous occasions, Hermione especially, and I'm very thankful that you continued to make allowances for me. Because of all of the things I've ever had the opportunity to do, what comes next is the thing I'm the most honored by.
"I'm going to skip over the part where the Best Man tells embarrassing stories about the newly married couple because all of the really embarrassing moments seem to have me in them, so I think I can safely move ahead to a toast." Looking around, waiting for everyone to pick up their glasses, Ron reached down and exchanged his water glass for one filled with champagne.
"Here's to Harry and Hermione. Never has the world seen better friends or two people more in love than these two. And I know that, speaking for all of your friends and relatives, I can safely say that everyone in this room has the same heartfelt thought." Pausing for a second as he brought the glass close to him, he winked cheekily and grinned. "Thank Merlin the waiting is over."
A ragged "Harry and Hermione" ran around the room as everyone toasted the happy couple. Smiling in relief, Ron started to turn back to the crowd when Hermione stood from her place and tapped her glass.
"I'm going to run roughshod over protocol here. Which should come as no surprise to anyone seeing as I've acquired the reputation of finding no tradition or institution sacred, over the years,"
Gesturing for the rest of the crowd to sit back down, she fixed Ron with a McGonagall-worthy glare as he started to leave. "Not so fast, Ronald. Even though turn about was fair play since Harry was best man at your wedding, I'm finally going to have my say."
Turning to the crowd, she smiled. "Ronald brought up a few things in his little speech that I think need clarified. All three of us are what you can charitably call `difficult' when the mood strikes us, and our relationship over the past fifteen years has been all over the map."
Blushing a bit, she smiled down at her husband, who winked at her cheekily. "But there was always a constant. Even when we were all acting like royal berks and none of us were really speaking to each other, there was something there that kept us together. Like the name or not, `The Golden Trio' was something that started out as three misfits who were simply trying to survive what was happening around us and ended up being something very different. We were best mates, on our good days and bad. And over the years, the group has grown."
Pausing for a second, she reached down and picked up her glass. "Those of us who are here, and those who have gone on, are part of something extraordinary. And while I'm not putting this wedding on a par with some of the things that have happened in the past, all of the things that we went through, all of the extraordinary people and beings who have been part of our lives over the past fifteen years brought us to this day."
Turning, she held up her glass to Ron. "So, Ronald, like it or not, you're stuck with us. Not just the Potters, but also all of the rest of the people we've come to call `family' over the years. So, on behalf of both Harry and myself, I want to propose a toast to you and to everyone who was part of this long journey that began on the Hogwarts Express."
Waiting until everyone had stood, she reached down and took Harry's hand before smiling brilliantly at the assembled group.
"Here's to Ronald, and to everyone who has been part of our lives up to this point. Never doubt we both care deeply about each and every one of you and we know that we wouldn't be here if it weren't for those people who have been part of this from the beginning. And we can't wait to see what happens next."
Holding up her glass for a second, she smiled. "To the future!"
"To the future," the company echoed as glasses were emptied a second time. Looking over at Ron, she smirked.
"Now you can let them know what's coming next."
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A/N - While I still don't own anything relating to Harry Potter and his universe, I also don't own anything relating to the movie The Wizard of Oz, the movie or the novel the Princess Bride, or the cartoon series Pinky and the Brain or The Animaniacs. It's not my fault that these characters enjoy the classics.
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