A Light of Meaning

Bill was fidgeting nervously with his tie again. “Cut it out!” Charlie groused, slapping Bill’s hand away. “It took me twenty minutes to get that right!”

“I think it’s still a bit off,” Bill muttered.

“No, it isn’t!”

“Just a bit more to the left…”

Charlie drew his wand. “Think Fleur will appreciate getting married to a bald, green-skinned guy? Because that’s what you’re about to become.”

“Huh. I’m already green-skinned,” Bill said weakly, and it was true he looked a bit sickly. “Is it normal to throw up a breakfast you had eight years ago, right before you get married?”

“How would I know, I’ve never done it,” Charlie pointed out, slapping Bill’s hand again. “What’re you worried about your stupid tie for, anyway? I’d be more concerned about when Fleur walks down that aisle in that dress – you better be prepared to hex all the men she snags with her Veela charms.”

Bill’s eyes flared. “I’ll kill them.”

“What if it’s me?”

“You, I’ll hurt and then kill. Nothing but the best for my brother.”

“Delighted,” Charlie said.

“Did she…really look that good?” Bill asked oh-so-casually.

“I don’t know, I never saw her,” Charlie replied with a smirk. “As soon as I opened the door, her mother started shrieking at me in French. Bad luck or something.” He slapped Bill’s hand. “Do I need to tie your hands behind your back until the ceremony?”

“Er…should I come back later?” Harry asked from the door.

“Harry!” Both brothers waved him in, and Harry walked cautiously over to them. “I’m glad you made it,” Charlie said. “We got your return owl, but still, we were worried. Is- I mean, are, um…”

“Ginny, Ron and the twins are here,” Harry assured him. “So are Hermione, Luna and Angelina, as Ron’s, George’s and Fred’s dates.”

“Good,” Bill said. “I didn’t want to hold off the wedding.” His eyes glazed over for a moment. “On second thought, can you tell them to disappear for, oh I don’t know, a year or two?”

“No, I think your mum’s mad enough at all of us,” Harry replied mildly.

“Right,” Bill said. “Oh, that reminds me…” Bill punched Harry hard; Harry went toppling back over a chair. When he righted himself he found Bill pointing his wand. “Move your hand,” Bill said. When Harry didn’t he sighed. “I’m just going to heal the bruise, I swear.”

Cautiously, Harry lowered his hand from his cheek, and Bill cast an excellent Healing Charm; the pain vanished, and the bruise faded almost instantly. “Sorry, Harry, I really am,” Bill said as he helped Harry up. “I just had to. For Ginny. I know she’s happy, and I really am happy for you, but…well, it’s a big brother thing.”

Harry massaged his jaw. “Fred, George and Ron didn’t feel the need.”

“No sense of responsibility, those three,” Charlie said lamentably, shaking his head.

Harry glanced at Charlie. “Are you going to hit me too?”

“Nah, Bill got you good; I’m satisfied,” Charlie said blithely.

“Huh. Well if I were you two, I’d avoid Ginny for the rest of the day,” Harry said. “Because when she hears about this she’s going to be a bit upset. And she’s learned some amazing hexes the last few weeks. Oh, and you better tell Fleur not to kiss my cheeks if you want her undamaged on your wedding night.”

Both Bill and Charlie looked decidedly unnerved. Just then, the three of them heard a bell chime three times. “Fifteen minutes!” Charlie exclaimed. “Time to go get into position!”

“‘Get into position’,” Bill repeated, again sounding sick, as he was led to the door. “Merlin, that sounds…rigid. Structured. Inflexible. Charlie, I can’t do this; tell Fleur one of your dragons ate me.”

Charlie, in desperation, looked to Harry for help. “Will you tell this wanker that marriage isn’t such a big deal? He won’t listen to me!”

“Why should I, you pointed out yourself you’ve never been through it,” Bill shot back. “Harry, did you throw up right before you married Ginn?”

“Er…no.”

“Did you feel sick?”

Harry thought for a moment. “Not really. I felt nervous, and excited, but not sick. Why?”

“I must be doing something wrong,” Bill grumbled.

“I don’t think you should judge based on me and Ginny,” Harry said as they forced Bill to walk down the stairs. “Our wedding wasn’t exactly normal. Why don’t you ask your dad? He was right outside last I saw…”

“Good idea,” Bill agreed faintly. “Maybe throwing up at weddings is hereditary.”

They reached the ground floor and Charlie pushed Bill out the door. “I’ve heard of wedding jitters, but this is just absurd,” he told Harry. “The most sane he’s been in the last two weeks was right after he punched you.” Harry chuckled as Charlie followed Bill outside.

Harry glanced around and felt a lump in his throat. It was the first time he’d been in the Burrow since his illicit late-night romp with Ginny in her room the day Hogwarts closed…and the first time he’d seen the kitchen, or the rest of the house, since Christmas. This had been the one place other than Hogwarts that Harry had truly felt at home; he’d been treated like family, even loved. The idea that he wasn’t welcome was sharply painful, and Harry resolved right then to reconcile the Weasley children with their parents, even if it meant revealing everything.

After making certain that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wouldn’t see him leaving their house, Harry slipped out the door and headed for the seats on the lawn. He quickly spotted Ginny, seated next to Hermione with a free seat between her and Fred. Harry greeted them all as he stepped past Ron on the end, Hermione and Ginny, and collapsed into the empty chair. Ginny smiled nervously. “Did you get in to see Bill?”

“Yeah. He’s a bit, um, distracted, but I told him we’re all here. He was really happy.” He hesitated. “And then he punched me.”

“He what?” Hermione, Ron, the twins, Luna and Angelina all looked round at Ginny’s gasp. “Why the hell did he do that?”

“He healed it right after,” Harry told her. “He said it was a brother thing; defending your honor, or something. It’s okay, really.”

“A ‘brother thing’?” Ginny hissed furiously.

“Smashing, does that mean I get a go?” Fred inquired innocently, and then yelped.

“Behave, Fred,” Angelina warned him, withdrawing her hand.

“Ginny, Bill’s got wedding jitters,” Harry said in a low voice. “He’s got them bad enough that he asked me for wedding advice.” Ginny raised an eyebrow. “I think it calmed him down a bit, hitting me I mean; he said sorry right after. No harm done. Just let it go, okay?”

Ginny glared for a long moment before growling out “Fine. Even though I perfected that Punching Hex and this would be the perfect opportunity, I won’t hex him. He gets a one-time, free day due to insanity from being a groom.”

“Thanks, Ginn,” Harry said with relief. He grinned. “Did I tell you how incredible you look in that dress?”

Harry had taken Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Angelina and Luna all out and bought them all new clothes for the wedding; they’d spared no expense, and were among the best-dressed at the wedding. “I better, for the fortune it cost,” Ginny retorted. “I still think it was a waste of money…”

“It’s your brother’s wedding, it was hardly a waste,” Harry replied. “And it’s not like we can’t afford it. Besides, I don’t think you’ve ever looked sexier while still wearing clothes.” Ginny blushed.

Ginny sat back in her chair and looked up to the stage, where the ceremony was taking place. There was no one on the groom’s side yet, but Fleur’s mother was already in position; Fleur’s sister Gabrielle would be carrying Fleur’s train. Ginny sighed. “What is it?” Hermione asked her.

“Oh…it’s stupid,” Ginny muttered. “When I was ten, Bill promised me I’d be a bridesmaid at his wedding. I know that, well, circumstances didn’t allow for it, but…this just isn’t where I pictured I’d be on this day.”

“I’m so sorry, Ginny,” Hermione said, taking her friend’s hand. “This isn’t fair; I wish there was something we could do.”

Ginny shrugged resignedly. “It’s okay; actually, it’s probably for the best. If I had been a bridesmaid, I’d have killed Fleur long before the wedding.”

“Hey, Ginn,” Fred said, “am I missing something? Last I’d heard, the wedding was still happening in France! When did it get moved to the Burrow?”

“Fleur’s family offered to move the wedding here after Bill was hurt back in June,” Ginny told Fred, rolling her eyes. “We found out about it ages ago!”

“Yeah, well, I’m not exactly in the Inner Circle, am I…” Fred muttered before being shushed by everyone.

In a few minutes, all the seats were filled, and a buzzing anticipation ran through the crowd. Fred and Angelina were chuckling to each other in low voices, and Ron was looking rather gobsmacked – happy, but gobsmacked. After ten minutes had passed with nothing happening, though, Harry glanced confusedly at Ginny, who shrugged. Then another ten minutes passed, and still no sign – in fact, Mr. Delacour, Mr. Weasley, Charlie and Bill were still absent from their place on the stage. “Do you think maybe Bill’s even more nervous than I thought?” Harry asked quietly. “Maybe he Apparated away!”

“Oh, witches thought of that and dealt with it long ago,” Hermione whispered back with a smirk. “There’s now a tradition at Wizarding weddings to place a large Anti-Apparition Charm over the whole area, just in case the groom gets cold feet.”

“That’s right clever,” Angelina put in, chortling at Fred’s expression.

A few minutes later, a slight buzz made Harry look around; Gabrielle Delacour was walking swiftly from the house towards the seats. She was eleven by that point, and her Veela traits had begun to blossom; she looked quite stunning. She walked up the outside of the seats, scanning the audience for something, and when her eyes rested on Ginny she gave a relieved smile and jogged over. “Excuse moi,” she said softly in a musical voice; then she recognized Harry. “Oh…bonjour, ‘arry,” she said, blushing.

“Hello, Gabrielle,” Harry said, trying to ignore the grins from Fred and George. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You, as well,” Gabrielle replied, her face quite red. She turned to Ginny. “Pardon, you are Ginevre, oui?”

“Er, yes,” Ginny said. “Hello. Um, do you know why the wedding hasn’t started yet?”

“Oui,” Gabrielle replied with a little giggle. “Charles, ‘e says to tell you to go up to ma mere,” she said, pointing to the stage.

“Your mother? But…but why?” Ginny asked in shock.

“Charles said Guillaume, ‘e insisted,” Gabrielle said with an impish smile. “ ‘e said ‘e would not be wed without you as his matrone d’honneur.”

“Maid of honor?” Ginny squeaked. “Me?”

“Non, matrone,” Gabrielle corrected, and giggled again. “Parce que, you are a married woman already!”

“But- But-”

“Go on, Ginny, this it what you wanted!” Hermione hissed in her ear.

Feeling suddenly trapped, Ginny swallowed and nodded. “Merveilleux,” Gabrielle exclaimed, clapping her hands. “You must take l’anneau, the ring…” She reached into her pocket and brought out a small black velvet box, which she handed solemnly to Ginny. “I must go tell them you are convenu,” she said, and sprinted away back to the house.

Almost shaking with nerves, Ginny stood up, aware that the entire gathering had been watching the exchange. She slipped past Fred, Angelina, George and Luna into the center aisle, and walked slowly toward the stage. She was extremely relieved when Fleur’s mother smiled warmly at her. “Hello,” she said tentatively when she got close enough.

“Bonjour,” Fleur’s mother replied. “You are Ginevre?” Ginny nodded. “Good. Guillaume told us of you. You have the ring?” Ginny nodded again. “You are to stand here,” she said, indicating the highest spot, to her left. “When it is time, you hand Guillaume the ring. That is all.”

Ginny let out a huge sigh of relief. “Oh, thank Merlin. I was worried I’d have to learn a speech or something…”

Fleur’s mother smiled. “No, it is simple. Guillaume, ‘e wished you to do this, and only you.”

Ginny felt tears prickling at the backs of her eyes. “Ah, they are ready,” Fleur’s mother said, nodding in satisfaction at something over Ginny’s shoulder. Ginny turned to see Bill, Charlie, her father and Fleur’s father following the rector to the stage.

Ignoring that she was in full view of everyone, Ginny ran across the stage and threw her arms around Bill. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

“It was nothing, Ginn,” Bill replied, hugging her back. “I promised, didn’t I?”

Ginny drew back and stared in pleasant surprise at Bill. “You remembered!”

“Course I did. Just too bad I couldn’t force you do all the maid of honor duties!”

“Matron of honor,” Ginny corrected with a smirk. “Would I have had as hard a time dealing with Fleur as Charlie apparently did with you?”

“Oh, Harry’s got a big mouth,” Bill muttered.

“Maybe so, but you better be glad he spoke for you or it’d be…well, just ask Fred and George later why they don’t try to prank me any longer,” Ginny declared, poking a finger into Bill’s chest. “Punch my husband again, and when I’m through Fleur won’t let you touch her with a ten-foot wand!”

“Sounds like you’ve learned something even nastier than your Bat-Bogey Hex,” Charlie said a bit nervously.

Ginny turned to reply to Charlie, and her eyes met those of her father. Feeling she had to say something, Ginny mumbled “Hi, dad,” feeling all of a sudden like a little child.

Mr. Weasley managed a strained smile. “Hello, Ginny,” he said; it was very formal, but there was no anger in his voice, and Ginny’s heart leapt. At the very least, her father was going to put aside their argument for the sake of Bill’s wedding. “Thank you,” she whispered, and Mr. Weasley’s eyes widened.

As if specifically to save them from an awkward moment, music started up from off to the side of the stage. “It’s time!” Charlie hissed. Ginny gave them all a quick smile and darted across the stage, getting to her place just before Fleur started down the aisle.