In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*Weasley Wedding

Bill and Fleur's wedding felt like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. The Burrow was full of chatter and movement as everyone prepared the house and the tent for the nearing ceremony. There was also a lot of shouting and ordering people around from Mrs Weasley and Fleur of course, but even then it felt nice to be hearing about problems with dress colours or hairstyles, instead of the actual problems going on elsewhere

There was also the stress of Mrs Weasley throwing Harry a big 17th birthday party the day before the wedding, and it all turned out to be worth it, until Rufus Scrimgeour, the Minister for Magic, showed up and the Lupin family were quick to leave

Three o'clock the following afternoon guests began to pour in for Bill and Fleur's wedding, and while the boys were in charge of seating guests, Briar and Ginny were inside getting dressed since they were Fleur's bridesmaids 

Ginny had put up a bit of a fuss about the colour of the dresses, which were gold, but when they had them on both girls could agree they actually liked them. And Fleur's little sister Gabrielle was the other bridesmaid and she also looked beautiful in it

Ginny's Great Aunt Muriel however disagreed with their dresses and made sure to tell them that as she handed Fleur her tiara

"Are you ready?" Briar asked her friend

"Yes," Fleur smiled nervously

"You look beautiful," she said and the two veelas shared a hug before Mrs Weasley alerted them that the ceremony was about to begin, so they all headed downstairs. Mr and Mrs Weasley were the firsts to head into the tent, followed by Fleur and her father Mr Delacour, and lastly came Ginny, Gabrielle, and Briar

When they all reached the altar, it was clear to everyone that no one else existed to Bill and Fleur but each other

"Ladies and gentlemen," began the priest, who was the same man who had presided at Dumbledore's funeral "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls..."

Briar glanced into the crowd seated and met her dad's eyes, seeing him smile widely. Next to him Tonks was smiling too, and Briar was reminded of their wedding day. 

"Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle Delacour to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," Bill said and it sounded like he was trying very hard not to cry

"And do you Fleur Isabelle, take William Arthur Weasley to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," she said in her throaty French accent, and Briar's heart burst with happiness for the pair

"Then I declare you bonded for life." The man smiled and the tent burst into cheers. He waved his hand high over the heads of Bill and Fleur and a shower of silver stars fell upon them, spiraling around their now entwined figures. As Fred and George led a round of applause, the golden balloons overhead burst. Birds of paradise and tiny golden bells flew and floated out of them, adding their songs and chimes to the din. "Ladies and gentlemen!" called the tufty-haired wizard. "If you would please stand up!"

They all did so and he waved his wand again.The seats on which people had been sitting rose gracefully into the air as the canvas walls of the marquee vanished, so that they stood beneath a canopy supported by golden poles, with a glorious view of the sunlit orchard and surrounding countryside. Next, a pool of molten gold spread from the centre of the tent to form a gleaming dance floor; the hovering chairs grouped themselves around small, white-clothed tables, which all floated gracefully back to earth round it, and the golden-jacketed hand trooped toward a podium.

The crowd began to disperse to the edges of the room and Briar was quick to head to the newly weds

"Congratulations!" she cried and hugged them both "I'm so happy for you!"