𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫 | n. tonks

xxxi

Bill and Fleur's wedding was a few days later, and the days leading up were spent cleaning and preparing for the occasion. When the day arrived, Tonks changed her hair to a silvery-blonde colour to match Fleur's hair. As promised, Molly was able to get Aunt Muriel to let her borrow her tiara. Hadley, after arguing with her mum and fiancé for nearly an hour, agreed to put on a dress and let Molly do her hair.

"Woah." George gasped when he saw his sister come downstairs after getting ready, Molly following behind her with a proud smile. "You look like a girl, Haddie."

"She's a girl!" Fred exclaimed dramatically, clapping his hands together. "A girllll!"

"I am a girl, halfwits." Hadley rolled her eyes and pulled the skirt of her dress down in an attempt to cover her legs more.

"Yeah, but today you look it," Fred teased, smirking. He flicked one of the curls that Molly put in Hadley's hair, and she slapped his hand away.

"What the bloody hell are these?" Hadley asked, pointing down to her legs.

George put a hand on her shoulder. "Those are your legs, darling."

"They need to be put away." Hadley turned to go upstairs, but Molly and Tonks blocked her way. "Mum, please, can't I get some leggings or something? Oh! O-Or maybe a suit so I can match Fred and George!"

"Want me to cut your ear off, too?" George asked, snickering as he exchanged a look with Fred.

"Very funny," Hadley said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at her brothers before turning back to Molly. "I don't do dresses, Mum. They're too..." she shuddered and lowered her voice to a whisper, "girly."

"It's just for a few hours and then you can go back to your jeans," Molly told her, patting her cheek gently. "Now, outside, all of you. The reception's about to start."

"At my wedding, I'm wearing pajama pants, a hoodie, and absolutely no make-up," Hadley grumbled, stumbling a little in the high heels her mum insisted she wear. "And slippers. What's the point in dressing all fancy?"

"C'mon, Ley, you look hot." Tonks chuckled and kissed her cheek. "And I, for one, love it when you show off your legs," she whispered quietly in her ear, smirking a little when Hadley blushed as red as her hair.

─── ⋆·✧·⋆ ───

Hadley spent the party after the reception avoiding her Aunt Muriel – the last thing she wanted to do was answer her judgemental questions about her relationship with her girlfriend –, catching up with other members of the Order, and dancing with Tonks and Fred and George.

It was an odd time for a wedding. She was still grieving the loss of Mad-Eye. Ron was planning on running off with Harry for Merlin knows what instead of going back to Hogwarts. She was terrified of what might happen to Ginny at Hogwarts now that Dumbledore was gone, and she had Auror training to worry about on top of everything else.

It was an odd time for a wedding, but at least it was a distraction that got her mind off of things for a little bit.

Unfortunately, just when she was letting her guard down, a glowing blue lynx patronus entered the tent where everyone was gathered, and Kingsley's voice spoke: "The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead. They are coming."

They are coming...They? Who's they? Hadley thought for a moment before her eyes widened.

"Shit." She pulled out her wand and pushed through the frantic crowd of guests to find Ron and Ginny. Getting them to safety was her first priority.

"Hadley!"

She turned in the direction of the voice and spotted her little brother. She ran over to him and hugged him tight.

"Hadley, I have to–"

"I know," Hadley whispered. She kissed his forehead. "Don't try to contact anyone. Go with Harry and Hermione and get out of here." She gave him one last hug, not knowing when – or if – she'd ever see him again. "I love you, Ron. Be safe."

"I love you too, Hadley."

There was a loud crack as the Death Eaters appeared. The protective enchantments around the Burrow had been broken. Hadley watched to make sure that her brother and his friends had safely Disapparated before joining the rest of the Order in the fight.