A Game of Cat and Mouse

E P I L O G U E

"Are you nervous?" A deep, cocky voice asked.

"I don't t-think so," another responded unsurely.

"Well, I would be. Plenty could go wrong."

"James! Don't scare your sister!" a third voice hissed.

"What, Mum? It's true. There's a lot than can mess up on wedding days."

"Really?" the tiny girl's voice whimpered. "Like what?"

The older boy began counting on his fingers as he spoke. "Fire, missing bridal party, guests get too drunk, the caterer isn't on time, someone objects in the ceremony, you trip walking down the aisle, you forget your vows, you mess up your dance, the groom doesn't show up—"

"ELIO MIGHT NOT SHOW UP?!" Annie cried.

"Well, yeah, it happens loads of time. Very common for cold feet, you know. Wouldn't blame you if you got them now and saved us our Saturday."

"I think I'm going to faint," she whispered, her body shaking as her mother wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly.

"Shh, it's fine. Of course Elio is going to show up. He risked his life for you—many times, actually. A little wedding isn't going to scare him off." Annie whimpered while Evelyn glared at her son. "James is just being an idiot to freak you out."

"Really, Mum, I'm just trying to prepare her for the inevitable—"

"The inevitable?! Oh no..."

"James!" an angry voice boomed.

"Oh, heyyyy, Dad. Crazy seeing you here," James chuckled nervously.

"At my own daughter's wedding?"

"Well, weddings aren't really your thing— Yeah, I'll shut up now."

"Stop trying to scare your sister. And Annie, I just spoke with Elio, who is practically bouncing off the walls in anticipation. He'll be there and I'd be surprised if he wasn't there half an hour early, if not more, just waiting for you to arrive. So stop worrying and enjoy your wedding day."

"Really, Daddy? He'll be there?"

"He'll be there," Tom said with the closest thing to a smile he could muster before kissing the top of her head.

"Yeah, Dad'll kill him if he doesn't come after all that he's spent—"

"James! Stop acting like an ass and let your sister get ready. Merlin, you've spent too much time around the Nott boy and his little friends..."

"Hey! Albus is nice."

"Crazy how the Potter boy is the best behaved out of four pureblood men," Tom grumbled.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's make you a bride," Evelyn whispered into Annie's ear before grabbing her arm and pulling her into the bridal suite.

Annie took a deep breath as she sat in the chair, trying to calm her racing heart. He'll be there. He promised. Dad promised, too. Don't worry, she told yourself.

And then she heard Elio's voice in her head sweetly say, "Nothing could keep me away, my love. I'll be there."

"Are you supposed to be talking to the bride on her wedding day?" she teased.

"Oh, I'll be doing a lot more than talking later—"

"What are you blushing at?" her mother asked with a wink. Annie turned even redder before shoving Elio out of her mind.

"Nothing."

"Uh-huh," Evelyn said with a knowing grin. "You forget your father and I have one of those links. I remember one time—"