Chapter Six
Scrimgeour used his walking stick to pull himself to his feet. His sharp yellow eyes moved from scrutinizing Harry, Ron, and Hermione, to look back towards Remus and Sirius in the entranceway. Slowly, Scrimgeour limped forward toward the two men.
He paused in front of them, staring at them rather like they were on a display.
Remus cocked his head. His magic was still thick in the air, his hands in his pockets, and he lifted his eyebrow as if to say, See?
Sirius glowered, his dark eyes glinting like coals.
“I underestimated you,” Scrimgeour told them, and then he limped around Sirius and was out the back door in a matter of seconds. Remus caught the sound of his Apparation from beyond the Burrow’s wards and turned back to Harry and his friends.
“He’s gone,” Remus said.
“Show us that Deluminator,” Hermione told Ron at once.
Sirius hurried forward as Ron held up the small object in front of him, but Remus stayed where he stood in the threshold.
Hermione turned to him, “Come, Remus—”
“I can see quite well from here,” Remus said kindly, “It’s silver, you see,” he added with a light shrug of his shoulders.
Ron frowned a bit as he looked down at the silver Deluminator and clicked it. The lamp on the table beside the sofa immediately went out.
“Huh,” Sirius said.
“What?” Harry asked, looking to his godfather.
Ron clicked the Deluminator again and the ball of light from the lamp flew back, illuminating the room once more.
“You could have just used Nox,” Sirius explained, his brow furrowed.
“Or Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder,” Hermione added.
“It must serve another purpose,” Remus said from the threshold.
They all turned to look at him.
“Dumbledore invented it himself,” Remus continued, “I am certain it does more than merely turn off lights. But Dumbledore also knew that the Ministry would confiscate his will and examine his belongings. These gifts…” Remus nodded toward Hermione’s lap where she had rested The Tales of Beedle the Bard and Harry’s left fist where he held his Snitch, “I believe they must serve some purpose for your upcoming quest.”
“Why didn’t he just tell us what these things are for when he was alive?” Ron asked, looking perplexed.
Sirius groaned, “Bloody typical.”
Ron stuffed the Deluminator into his pocket. With the silver now no longer exposed in the open air, Remus moved forward to come stand behind Sirius. A crease appeared between Remus’ brows as he considered Dumbledore’s methods, and soon his expression was clouded with thought.
“When Scrimgeour made you take the Snitch, Harry,” Hermione said, changing the topic, “I was so sure something was going to happen!”
Harry grinned at her, “Yeah, well, I wasn’t going to try too hard in front of Scrimgeour, was I?”
“What d’you mean?” Sirius asked.
“The Snitch I caught in my first ever Quidditch match—” Harry said slowly, raising his eyebrows mischievously.
“That was the one you nearly swallowed!” Ron cried.
“Exactly,” Harry said.
Sirius’ face broke into a massive smile, “Go on then!”
Harry felt his heartrate increase and Hermione, Ron, Sirius, and Remus’ eyes were all on him as he raised the Snitch to his mouth.
It did not open.
Harry lowered it slowly, disappointment now coursing bitterly through him, but Remus suddenly said, “Harry—look! There’s writing on it…”
Harry immediately glanced down, and there engraved upon the smooth golden surface of the Snitch, where seconds before there had been nothing, were five words written in the thin slanting handwriting that Harry recognized as Dumbledore’s.
I open at the close.
“‘I open at the close…’” Harry breathed, “What’s that supposed to mean?” He glanced up to look at their faces.
Ron, Hermione, and Sirius shook their heads, both looking at a loss. But Remus was staring now at Harry with his face rather frozen, his brown eyes wide in his masked face.
“What?” Harry asked him at once. He knew Remus’ tells by now.
Sirius’ head snapped to look at Remus, “What d’you reckon it means, Moony?”
Remus blinked slowly before saying, “I…I think it means that whatever is inside the Snitch, Harry will need it for…the end.”
“The end?” Hermione asked, “The end of what?”
Remus’ jaw flexed subtly, “Perhaps it means the end of the mission he sent you on. But more likely, I believe it must mean it opens whenever Harry is ready to end Voldemort.”
Sirius’ dark eyes met Harry’s of bright green, and in the heavy silence Sirius cleared his throat, “Further evidence that Dumbledore believed in you, Harry,” Sirius croaked, “As do we.”
Harry’s heart stuttered.
After a moment, Ron fidgeted, “And the sword…why did he want Harry to have the sword?”
“But why couldn’t he have just told me?” Harry exclaimed, suddenly finding himself quite impatient now, “It was there, it was right there on the wall of his office during all our talks last year! If he wanted me to have it, why didn’t he just give it to me then?”
Hermione bit her lip, looking wretched at having no ideas. Ron looked dumbfounded and merely shrugged. Sirius gave Harry a helpless look—full of baleful wide eyes and uncertainty.
But Remus spoke again, and this time he began to pace smoothly, walking the length of the carpet in the sitting room while they all watched him, “Dumbledore must have known the sword was not his to give away,” Remus murmured, “Including it in his Will was ceremonial then…a message more than a gift…the sword must be useful for your mission somehow. But it’s at Hogwarts…how to retrieve it then…”
Remus continued to pace.
Hermione raised the book in her lap, “And what of The Tales of Beedle the Bard? I’ve never heard of this book.”
Sirius and Ron stared at her incredulously, “You’re kidding!” They chorused together.
Hermione looked surprised, “You two know them then?”
While Remus continued to pace, murmuring low under his breath, Sirius nodded eagerly, looking glad to help, “O’ ‘course! They’re all the old magical kid’s stories. ‘Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump’—that’s Teddy and I’s favorite!”
Ron laughed, “Figures. My favorite growing up was the ‘The Fountain of Fair Fortune’.”
Sirius grinned, “Nice one.”
But Hermione was frowning, “But I wonder why Dumbledore thought I should read them?”
Sirius shrugged and Ron and Harry looked equally baffled.
Remus paced past Sirius, who gently reached out and rested his hand on Remus’ upper arm, “Come now,” Sirius tutted, “You’ll wear down a track in the carpet if you keep that up.”
Sirius turned to look back at Harry and his friends, “Best put your gifts in a safe place for now. Moony and I need to help with the final preparations. I say let’s have another bloody good wedding, shall we? And then afterwards we can all puzzle over the vexing mysteries of Albus Dumbledore, eh?”
Remus smiled softly down at Sirius, his concentrated-looking expression melting away at once, “Alright then.”
Harry, Ron, and Hermione shared one last perplexed look between themselves and then hurried to go carefully store away their gifts.
Three o’clock that afternoon found Harry, Ron, Fred, and George standing outside the great white canapé awaiting the arrival of the wedding guests. Harry had taken his Polyjuice Potion disguise and so now resembled a redheaded Muggle boy from the village nearby (Ottery St. Catchpole) whom Sirius had managed to take a hair from when he had gone into the village as Padfoot a few hours earlier. Harry would introduce himself as “Cousin Barny” to those who asked and Remus and Sirius would tell curious guests that Harry Potter was not able to attend the ceremony.
Behind Harry, the entrance to the canapé revealed the rows and rows of golden chairs set on either side of the long purple carpeted aisle that Molly and the Delacour’s had arranged. Outside, butterflies and bees were hovering lazily over the grass and Teddy was pulling lightly on Remus’ hand as he tottered toward a particularly bright yellow butterfly. Sirius and Remus had their heads bowed as they stood together, talking lowly, and Harry knew they were discussing the security precautions taken for this wedding.
Teddy’s hair was now as yellow as the butterfly and he grinned cheekily up at Remus, pulling harder on his hand, “Look Moony!”
Remus and Sirius both turned to look down at the toddler as Fred, George, Harry, and Ron watched from their position at the entrance to the canapé.
Harry frowned a bit. Remus’ lined and scarred face looked weary and Sirius had that anxious-agitated manner that he usually had only before Remus left for a Full Moon with the werewolves. Harry realized that his guardians were far more uncertain about the security of the wedding than they had voiced aloud.
The rest of the wedding party waited inside the Burrow and so now Fred turned to Harry, Ron, and George and said, “When I get married, I won’t be bothering with any of this nonsense,” Fred said, “It’ll be like Moony and Padfoot’s wedding. Except even better—you can wear whatever you like and I’ll put Mum in a Body-Bind Curse until it’s over.”
George grinned, “Brilliant. But she wasn’t too bad this morning, considering. Cried a bit about Percy not being here, but who wants him? Oh blimey, brace yourselves. Here they come.”
Brightly colored figures were appearing one by one out of nowhere at the distant boundary of the garden’s wards. Remus, Sirius, and Teddy quickly moved towards the back of the crowd that soon began to make its way toward the canapé.
“Excellent, I think I see a few Veela cousins,” George said with a grin, darting forward to escort two beautiful young French women.
“Wotcher,” said a familiar voice as Harry returned a few minutes later from leading a rather deaf old couple to their seats.
Tonks’ hair was blonde today, and she was wearing a set of golden robes. Behind her were Sirius and Remus, and Teddy was holding her hand, imitating her hair. Sirius winked and grinned at Harry, but Harry saw Sirius’ eyes dart around the assembled guests. Remus gave Harry a swift smile, but as he turned away Harry saw Remus’ face fall into lines of weariness.
Harry (“Cousin Barny”) led them all to their seats in the third row beside Mad-Eye Moody and Sturgis Podmore and returned shortly to the entrance of the canapé to see Ron face-to-face with a Wizard. The Wizard had shoulder-length white hair and wore a cap whose tassel dangled in front of his nose and robes of an eye-watering shade of yellow. An odd symbol, rather like a triangular eye, glistened from a golden chain around his neck.
“Xenophilius Lovegood,” he said, extending a hand to Harry, “My daughter and I live just over the hill. But I think you know my Luna?” He added to Ron.
Luna hurried forward from behind her father, “Hello Harry!” she said.
“Er…my name’s Barny,” Harry said, flummoxed.
“Oh, have you changed that too?” Luna asked brightly.
“How did you know—?”
“Oh, it was just your expression,” Luna said.
Luna was wearing bright yellow robes, which she had accessorized with a large sunflower in her hair. Once you got over the brightness of it, the overall affect was quite pleasant.
Returning a moment later from escorting the Lovegoods, Ron and Harry looked out over the empty garden and crowded chairs.
“Wow,” Ron said suddenly, blinking rapidly, and Harry turned to see Hermione hurrying towards them, “You look great!” Ron told her.
“Always the tone of surprise,” Hermione said, but she smiled.
She was wearing a floaty, lilac-covered dress with matching high heels; her hair was sleek and shiny.
“You look vunderful,” a voice said.
There, standing at the entrance, was a dark-haired young man. He was staring at Hermione.
“Viktor!” Hermione cried, blushing feverishly, “I didn’t know you were—goodness—it’s lovely to see—how are you?”
Ron’s ears had turned bright red and he said much too loudly, “How come you’re here?”
“Fleur invited me,” Viktor said, raising his eyebrows.
Harry hurried forward to shake Viktor’s hand and offered to show him his seat.
As Harry headed back up the aisle after ushering Viktor to his seat, the twins, Ron, and Hermione came hurrying down toward him.
“Time to sit down!” Fred said, “Or we’re going to be run over by the bride!”
Harry, Ron, and Hermione took their seats in the second row in front of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry sat and turned to look back at the entrance, smiling to himself.
Harry Potter thought it was rather grand that he was able to attend two weddings in a row during such a dark and tumultuous time—and that for the first wedding he had gotten to serve as Best Man to his guardians, to his parents’ best friends. To two men.
His first wedding had been a gay wedding. And his second wedding was for one of the Weasley’s. But both involved people with ‘non-human’ magical blood in their veins.
In fact…Harry’s eyes widened as he made the mental connection…
Both weddings involved a person contaminated by Fenrir Greyback—with the goal of that person being pushed from society, of them being now seen as no more than a beast.
But both had found love anyway. And married during the depths of a renewed war.
Harry’s heart swelled with the music emanating from the enchanted golden balloons floating at the roof of the canapé.
Harry blinked away the mist in his eyes and a moment later, Molly and Arthur strolled up the aisle, each beaming from ear-to-ear, followed shortly by Bill and Charlie.
Bill had his long red hair tied back in a low pony-tail on the nape of his neck, his eyes bright and smile wide. The facial scars had healed quite well over the last few months, and with the abundance of lights under the canapé, no shadows fell across Bill’s marred face. Charlie clapped Bill on the shoulder as they reached the front.
“Oh my,” Hermione breathed, swiveling in her seat to look back at the entrance.
Monsieur Delacour and Fleur came walking up the aisle. Fleur seemed to glide rather than step—she was wearing a simple white dress and seemed to be emitting a strong, pearly glow. Ginny and Gabrielle, both in long golden dresses, followed behind.
Harry suddenly forgot how to blink—didn’t want to blink.
Fleur Delacour on her wedding day was truly celestial, but Ginny Weasley in that dress…under the glow of the lights overhead…she radiated like the sun.
Ginny reached the altar a few moments after Fleur, who had reached for Bill’s hand, and as he took it, Bill Weasley looked as though he had never met Fenrir Greyback.
Harry’s heart pounded in joyous triumph at the symbol of victory over depravity and darkness.
Soon, the Wizard at the altar was speaking…
“Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle…?”
“…then I now declare you bonded for life.”
The Wizard before the newly-wed couple raised his wand over his head and a shower of white stars fell upon Bill and Fleur, spiraling around their entwined figures. Behind him, Harry heard Teddy gasp in awe. Fred and George led the applause as Bill leaned in, his eyes fierce and tender all at once, and Fleur flung her arms over his shoulders, pulling him toward her. They kissed deeply and Harry swore he saw and felt the traces of their magic in the air around them, dancing with the stars.
“I like this song,” Luna Lovegood said to Harry a few minutes later, after the canapé had been transformed into a dance floor in much the same way Remus’ and Sirius’ wedding had transformed after their ceremony a few days earlier.
Bill and Fleur had finished their first dance and it had been an ode to victory. They had danced like they commanded the music, their eyes locked on each other.
Luna now stepped onto the dance floor for the second song, revolving on the spot, quite alone, eyes closed and waving her arms over her head.
“She’s great, isn’t she?” Ron said admiringly from beside Harry at their table, “Always good value.”
Harry grinned. He caught sight of Teddy pulling on Remus’ and Sirius’ hands, towing them toward the dance floor.
“Come and dance,” Ron said suddenly, turning to Hermione.
She blinked at him, looking quite taken aback, but also blushed. They vanished a moment later behind Luna and Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and Teddy, who were dancing in a silly circle.
Viktor Krum sat down beside Harry, startling him. The reason for Ron’s sudden invitation for Hermione to dance with him now made sense to Harry.
“Are they together now?” Viktor asked.
“Er…sort of,” Harry said.
“Who are you?”
“Barney Weasley.”
“Who is that man in yellow?” Viktor asked Harry with a frown.
“Xenophilius Lovegood,” Harry said, “He’s the father of our friend Luna.”
Viktor glowed over the top of his drink, staring at where Xenophilius stood talking to several warlocks on the other side of the dance floor.
“That is a filthy sign he wears on his chest,” Viktor said lowly.
“Sign?” Harry said, looking to that triangular eye on Xenophilius’ chest, “What’s wrong with it?”
“That is Grindelvald’s sign.”
“Grindelwald? The Dark Wizard Dumbledore defeated?”
“Yes.”
Harry stared in confusion, “Are you quite sure it’s Grindewald’s…?”
“I am not mistaken,” Viktor huffed, “It is carved in Durmstrang's wall from when he was a pupil there. I valked past that sign for several years. I know it well.”
Harry was at a loss of what to say. He knew it was most likely that Xenophilius had no idea what the symbol meant, or had his own special interpretation of it…
“That girl is very nice-looking,” Viktor spoke up, pointing at Ginny, who was now dancing with Luna, “She is a relative of yours?”
“Yeah,” Harry said sharply, “and she’s seeing someone. Jealous type. Big bloke. You wouldn’t want to cross him.”
Viktor grunted, “What is the point,” he said, draining his goblet and rising to his feet, “of being an international Quidditch player if all the good-looking girls are taken?”
And he stode off.
As the evening drew in, and moths began to swoop in under the canapé, the revelry became more and more uncontained. Fred and George had long since disappeared into the darkness with a pair of Fleur’s cousins; Charlie, Hagrid, and a squat purple-robed Wizard were singing “Ode to Odo” in a corner; but Harry noted that Sirius and Remus (along with the rest of the Order members present) were not drinking or joining in the raucous. Teddy was now on Molly’s hip as she spoke to her relatives, and Sirius and Remus were standing by the canapé entrance along with Mad-Eye, Sturgis, and Tonks.
Harry watched them. Mad-Eye’s magical eye never ceased its swiveling and Remus stood so still and straight that Harry knew he was extending his senses out to the wards, on guard. Sirius’ brow was furrowed, his arms crossed as he watched Teddy on Molly’s hip across the room.
“I simply can’t dance anymore.”
Harry was startled to see Hermione plop into the seat closest to where he stood by an empty table.
Hermione’s cheeks were pink and she slipped off her shoes, sighing in relief, “Ron’s gone for butterbeers…Harry, are you okay?”
Harry blinked, “Yeah…I just was watching—”
At that moment, something large and silver came falling through the canapé over the dance floor. Graceful and gleaming, the lynx landed lightly in the middle of the astonished dancers. Heads turned as those nearest to it froze mid-dance.
Then the Patronus’ mouth opened and it spoke in a deep loud voice of Kingsley.
“The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming.”
Everything seemed fuzzy. Slow.
Harry and Hermione jumped to their feet, drawing their wands. Silence spread outward in cold ripples from the place where the Patronus now had faded. Then someone screamed. Harry and Hermione dove into the panicking crowd. Guests were sprinting in all directions, some were Apparating—the wards around the Burrow had broken.
“Ron!” Hermione cried, “RON!”
Harry saw cloaked and masked figures appearing in the crowd—
“Protego!” Tonks and Sturgis shouted, a cry that echoed on all sides.
Harry gripped Hermione’s hand as he turned—where was Teddy? Sirius and Remus??
Suddenly, Ron was there, he caught hold of Hermione’s free arm.
And in the next second, Remus was standing in front of Harry, thrusting Teddy into Harry’s other arm that wasn’t gripping Hermione’s hand, “Take him to Headquarters!”
Harry looked beyond Remus and saw Sirius—he was dueling one of the figures clode in black, the face masked, beside Tonks…
Teddy’s hazel eyes were wide and the toddler felt as heavy as a stone in Harry’s arm as Remus turned, running into the fray—
“DAD!”
For a moment, Harry, Ron, and Hermione froze.
As did Remus.
He looked over his shoulder, his grey-and-brown hair hanging over his pale face, his brown eyes wide in shock.
Teddy screamed, leaning over Harry’s arm toward Remus.
“DAD!” Teddy wailed, “Don’t go!”
But then Harry felt Hermione turn on the spot beside him, his other hand still tight on her’s and she squeezed them all through space, away from the Burrow, away from the Death Eaters, away, perhaps, from Voldemort himself…
Taking them away from Sirius and Remus and their other family members...
Taking them to 12 Grimmauld Place.