𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐎𝐌

Chapter 34

With classes, Quidditch, choir practice, training and wedding rehearsal, by the end of the week, Harry was exhausted. It was Friday and the wedding would be tomorrow afternoon in the garden at the mansion. Sara and Severus, with the help of Dumbledore, had made the announcement to the school the previous week. And, as expected, all the students were giving Sara and Snape much teasing and grief. They’d never admit how much they truly loved it, but the final Friday afternoon Potions class in which Harry and Draco were in attendance was almost a spectacle in itself. The students would keep humming the tune to the bridal march under their breath and it was evident that Severus was extremely nervous and excited. For the first time in months, he actually threatened to take house points. By the middle of class, Severus was even more of a pitiful wreck, so Harry came to Severus’ rescue in the class by threatening to zap everybody if they didn’t stop humming. The students stopped. Immediately. It was hard to say if Severus was more angry at having been defended by Harry, or grateful for his needed help.

 

Sara’s morning sickness had taken a turn for the worse, much to their surprise. Harry had a few conversations with the baby already, and he assured them everything was fine, and that ‘junior’ was very strong and liked carrots, grapes, and apple pie. Sara, of course, vomited at the mention of food and then cried afterward. Harry, however, comforted Severus instead. Sara wasn’t the only one with health related issues. Even though neither had said a word about it to the other yet, Albus knew Harry sensed and felt his weakened condition. Every day that passed Albus grew a bit weaker both in health and in magical strength. Harry’s heart was heavy, but Albus was in good spirits which helped lift Harry’s mood to at least tolerable. Albus shared the memory of his own wedding day with Harry who had never even been to a wedding before. Harry had cried at the touching memory, endearing him ever more to Albus’ heart.

 

Harry and Dumbledore had combined their memories and had added them simultaneously to the memory holder that they’d bought from Ollivander’s. Their memory was very long and of the entire first day that Sara and Severus had met and was a very pleasant one. Sara and Severus had invited many of their friends and had made arrangements with the Ministry for portkeys for them with Albus’ help. The wedding attire was ready and distributed, the flowers had been delivered to the mansion, and that afternoon after classes, Albus, Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione were planning on sneaking away to go to the mansion and decorate the snow covered gardens into a beautiful wedding area. Harry had secretly contacted the ensemble that was to perform at the Christmas Ball and had, with an offer of a hefty sum of galleons, persuaded them to be at the mansion to play music. They were to arrive at Hogwarts and portkey tomorrow morning with Albus and Harry.

 

Albus, Harry, Draco and Ron had decided to throw a little Bachelor party for Severus after they’d found out that Hermione was giving Sara a bridal dinner in Sara’s quarters that evening. Hermione had invited a few of Sara’s wizarding friends, Molly Weasley, Ginny, herself, and a few other choice students and had arranged for the houselves to provide a nice meal for the ladies along with a bit of décor in the wedding colors. The men decided that they’d have the bachelor party in Albus’ office and much to Draco’s complaints, had foregone the triviality of any décor. The men planned on one thing. Liquor and plenty of it. Ron, Draco, and Harry had convinced Albus to let them enjoy the evening by partaking of the alcohol on such a special occasion. They were thrilled.

 

The Gryffindors complained about canceling the Friday afternoon Quidditch practice. Harry called a team meeting before the practice was to begin just after Potions.

 

“But why are you canceling? The Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match is only a week away, Harry. We can still have practice without you and Ron here,” Seamus argued.