Snapshots of a Wedding

SNAPSHOTS OF A WEDDING

"When you're in a relationship, you're always surrounded by a ring of circumstances...joined together by a wedding ring, or in a boxing ring."

-- Bob Seger

[...Conspiracy Theory...]

9:07 A.M.

Ginny sighed and continued to look down her checklist as Luna and Hermione paced back and forth in front of the table. Although there was still plenty of time to get things done, the three were very anxious now that Mrs. Weasley was definitely not going to help; they were going to have to take control of everything themselves, a feat they were admittedly not prepared for.

"This is just bloody ridiculous!" she spat out, startling Fred and George who had just walked in.

"Dragon-bride starting to roar," Fred joked, grabbing an apple out of the basket in the middle of the table.

"Bug off you little git," Ginny retorted without looking up from the parchment.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" George asked, moving to sit next to Fred instead of Ginny.

"She's just a little irritated."

"No, I'm a lot irritated, Hermione!" Ginny finally looked up. "Mom and Mrs. Potter tried to call of the bloody wedding earlier this morning."

"Oh, we saw that coming," the twins said simultaneously.

"Mom always had a problem with you dating Harry," Fred started, "and so did Mrs. Potter."

"So it was only a matter of time before they voiced her opinion, and try to put an end to this wedding," George concluded.

"How is it that you two always know everything?" Luna asked, shaking her head at the twins.

"That's our little secret, little Ms. Lovegood."

"Oh please, they don't know everything," Hermione said, sitting next to Ginny.

"That's what you think, Ms. Granger," Fred said, eyeing Hermione suspiciously.

"Well that's beside the point," Ginny said, not even noticing the staring war between Hermione and her brother. "Now that mom's out of the wedding planning I need to find someone to bake a cake, someone to help me decorate the tent, someone to prepare lunch and the dinner." Ginny sighed. "I'm not going to be able to do all of this."

"You won't have to Ginny," Hermione said, finally turning her gaze away from Fred.

"Yeah sis, we'll help you. Fred and I know a couple of talented chefs who could bake the cake and prepare the meals." George grabbed a parchment and started scribbling away.

"And Luna and I could help you decorate. It won't take long, not with the right charms and spells."

Ginny looked at her brothers and then to Hermione and nodded. They were right. She didn't have to do all of this alone. She had so many people who could help her and time was definitely on her side. She had basically an entire day left for preparations.

"Right. So we'll straighten the food issue out. You girls get to work and do whatever it is that you bridal parties do."

Ginny laughed as she watched her brothers march out of the kitchen and apparated.

"Should I trust them with this?"

"I know they're a bunch of jokers but I don't think they'd sabotage your wedding. They, unlike some people, actually approve of it."

Ginny nodded and stood up. At least now, they were beginning to make some kind of headway.

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Harry flicked his wand at his trunk and it closed, locking away his wedding rob, shoes, underwear, clothes and other necessities for the honeymoon. The plan was for both the bridal party and the groomsmen to get ready at the Burrow since that was where the wedding was going to be and, then, for Ginny and Harry to depart early the next morning, spending an entire week somewhere exotic for their honeymoon.

Harry smiled at the thought of the wedding. In less than twenty-four hours he was going to marry Ginny, the woman he had been absolutely crazy about since his sixth year at Hogwarts.

"You seem ridiculously happy." Harry spun around to see Neville standing in the doorway. "You're smiling from ear to ear."

Harry chuckled. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm getting married today."

"So I take it you're just as excited as you said you'd be."

Harry nodded. "I can't believe the day is finally here." He walked over to the window. "You wait and wait for it to come, thinking it never will and then the day arrives and you're just so, overwhelmed by it. But it all just feels so amazingly terrific!"

Neville shrugged. "I wish I could tell you I know how you feel."

Harry looked at his friend but remained quiet. Neville had always been a tad bit pathetic at just about everything up until their fifth year at Hogwarts; by then he had really stepped into his wizarding talent and had proven himself worthy of possessing magic. The only thing he failed to acquire was the ability to charm the ladies. Even now, at twenty-one years old, he was struggling with developing a relationship.

"Don't worry, Neville. You're turn is probably right around the corner," Harry finally managed to say. In fact, he could say it confidently, knowing a particular bit of information that proved his theory correct.

"Harry darling, would you care for some bre-" Lily Potter stopped short when she entered her son's bedroom and spotted his locked trunk. "Going somewhere?" she asked, knowing fully well the answer.

"Yes as a matter of fact. I'm headed to the Burrow," Harry said, walking over to his trunk.

"What are you going to that God-awful place for?" Lily said, fixing her face into a disgusted expression.

"Because, mother, I'm marrying Ginny." Harry gave a flick of his wand and his trunk disappeared, magically transported to the Burrow.

"I told you already that I forbid it."

"You can't forbid me to marry Ginny. I'm a grown man therefore I can make decisions for myself." Harry moved to exit the room but his mother stood in front of him, blocking the doorway. "Mother, get out of the way."

"No! Harry, sweetheart, Ginny is the wrong girl for you. Do you see her family? Do you really want to end up like that?"

"End up like what? In a family full of people who truly care about my happiness?"

Lily Potter just kept looking at her son.

"I'd prefer it to people who tried to stand in the way of what I want." Harry managed to push past his mother. "Come on Neville. I said I'd met Ron at the Burrow at ten so we better get going."

Lily watched as her son and Neville disappeared down the stairs. Anger and frustration were writhing all through her. She did not want her son marrying Ginny.

"You're not going to marry Ginny, Harry. I'm going to make sure of that."

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Ginny continued to tick off her checklist, double checking to make sure that was she was ticking off was straight.

"Alright so the bridal party is straight; the rings are picked up and Remus should be bringing them soon," she said, checking her watch which read 9:46 A.M., "and Fred and George are handling the cake and the food. I think we're making excellent time."

"The dresses arrived then?" Hermione asked, going over the list herself to make sure.

Luna nodded. "I picked them up yesterday. They're right in the closet." Hermione walked over to the closet and took out the laundry cases that contained the two bridesmaid dresses. "Where's your dress, Ginny?" Luna asked, helping Hermione remove the dresses.

"It's in Charlie's old bedroom. It's the only closet that was big enough to hold it," Ginny said, smiling at the thought of her lavishly gorgeous wedding dress.

Hermione laid the laundry cases on the bed but stopped short, leaning over and holding her stomach. "Ugh! This bug is getting on my nerves."

"Why don't you go see what's downstairs? I'm pretty sure there's something in one of those books."

Hermione shook her head. "I can barely make two steps without feeling like I'm going to throw up."

"I'll go get it then," Ginny suggested. She turned towards the door but her path was blocked by the sudden appearance of Fred. "You're going give somebody a heart attack one day if you keep doing that," she reprimanded, holding her chest.

"Well we have bigger fish to fry at the moment," Fred said, a tone of worry in his voice that Ginny had never heard before. "Remember the chef we mentioned?" The girls nodded. "Well, he's sick with Dragonpox of all things."

"Dragonpox?!?" Ginny and Hermione exclaimed.

"It's a mild case and he'll be fine but he's not well enough to do any sort of cooking today."

Ginny heaved a frustrated sigh. "Great! Means we have to find somebody else to do all the cooking. And quickly! It's almost ten o'clock and Harry those were supposed to be arriving at ten. Plus I have some family and the priest coming at one o'clock for lunch." Ginny flung her hands in the air in frustration. "We can't have lunch with people if there's no bloody food to give them!"

"Ginny calm down," Fred said. "We'll find a way to get some food. We're wizards girly, or have you forgotten?" Fred smiled and winked at her before disapparating.

Ginny shook her head and rubbed at her eyes. "I swear if -"

"Um, Ginny, what color were our dresses supposed to be?" Luna asked, unzipping one of the laundry cases.

"Royal blue," she replied, turning to face them, "why?"

"Because these dresses are um," Luna paused and looked up, pulling her dress out of the case before saying, "pink."

"What?!?" Ginny yelled, rushing over to her. "There supposed to be royal blue. Didn't you check them before you brought them here, Luna?"

"Yes I did and it said Ginevra Weasley - Royal Blue on the tag," Luna replied, placing the dress on the bed. "They were blue yesterday."

"Oh this is just bloody brilliant this is!" Ginny said, brushing her hair behind her ears. "I can't have my bridesmaids in pink when all my decorations are in royal blue!"

"Ginny, it's no big deal. We can change the color of the dresses." Hermione took a hold of Ginny's shoulders. "You seem to keep forgetting that we're witches and wizards here who can do just about anything with magic. Handling a few technical mishaps is no big deal."

"Don't you see Hermione?" Ginny pleaded, near tears. "Someone is out to get us and I'm pretty bloody sure it might be my mom and Mrs. Potter. They're doing some sort of conspiracy magic to ruin this entire wedding. I know they are. I just know it!"

"I don't think either of them would stoop that low," Luna said, rubbing Ginny's back as a few tears fell, "no matter how much they're against this wedding."

"I concur. No one is out to get you two, Ginny. It's not a conspiracy!"

Just then Remus ran up to the room. Panting to catch his breath, he leaned on the doorpost and peered at the three girls. "Hey girls, um, I-"

"I know Remus," Ginny interrupted. "Just put the rings on the table."

"Oh, um," Remus stood up and looked at Ginny. "There's a slight problem."

"A slight problem?"

"Um, Remus, maybe those weren't the best wor -"

"Shut up, Luna!" Ginny slowly walked over to Remus. "What problem is there, Remus?"

Remus, slightly taken aback by Ginny's actions, slid into the room and moved towards Hermione and Luna, keeping his distance from Ginny. He was pretty hesitant to relaying what he came there to say now that he saw Ginny's not-so-kosher mood.

"Um, the rings are um," he paused and then swallowed before ending, "missing."

"WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE MISSING??"

Remus was not particularly afraid of much things but Ginny's sudden outburst had startled him.

"We had gotten them and everything like you requested but they somehow disappeared and when we tried a few summoning charms, nothing happened."

Ginny let out a loud sigh and turned to Hermione.

"You were saying about my conspiracy theory?"

Hermione kept quiet and looked up at Remus and Luna. Something was definitely fishy about today. First, both mothers duel about the wedding and try to call it off and then things just start going rigid - the cake, the dresses, now the rings? It definitely was starting to sound like a conspiracy.

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Coming up... [...Saved By The Elf...]