𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐑

the one with the wedding

"There's never a reason not to chase the person who makes you feel something."

•

THREE O'CLOCK ON the following afternoon found Harry, Ron, Draco, Fred, and George standing outside the great white marquee in the orchard, awaiting the arrival of the wedding guests. Harry and Draco had taken large doses of Polyjuice Potion and were now the double of a two redheaded Muggle boy from the local village, Ottery St. Catchpole, from whom Fred had stolen hairs using a Summoning Charm. The plan was to introduce Harry as "Cousin Barny" and Draco as "Cousin Ben" and trust to the great number of Weasley relatives to camouflage him. All five of them were clutching seating plans, so that they could help show people to the right seats. A host of white-robed waiters had arrived an hour earlier, along with a golden-jacketed band, and all of these wizards were currently sitting a short distance away under a tree; I could see a blue haze of pipe smoke issuing from the spot. Behind Harry, the entrance to the marquee revealed rows and rows of fragile golden chairs set on either side of a long purple carpet.

The supporting poles were entwined with white and gold flowers. Fred and George had fastened an enormous bunch of golden balloons over the exact point where Bill and Fleur would shortly become husband and wife. Outside, butterflies and bees were hovering lazily over the grass and hedgerow. Harry looked rather uncomfortable. The Muggle boy whose appearance he was affecting was slightly fatter than him, and his dress robes felt hot and tight in the full glare of a summer's day. Draco, however, seemed very Draco Malfoy-like even in his appearance as a tall, lanky ginger. He was flashing his brilliant smile at the guests who were coming and directing them to their seats with utmost politeness.

I was getting dressed in our room, overlooking the Marquee, bothered about the dress I was expected to wear. My makeup was done-magically by Ginny who had the strangest skill at beautifying charms. I didn't quite look like myself.

"No matter what I put on your eyes, they pop out," she said, holding up a magazine with color palettes. "Your dress is silvery gold. Do you want me to put this-" she pointed at a dark greyish black, "-or this on your eyes?" She was now pointing at a soft brown.

"The darker one," I said. "It's more exotic."

As Ginny instructed Hermione to do my make-up magically, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the chaos outside. Brightly colored figures were appearing, one by one, out of nowhere at the distant boundary of the yard. Within minutes a procession had formed, which began to snake its way up through the garden toward the marquee. Exotic flowers and bewitched birds fluttered on the witches' hats, while precious gems glittered from many of the wizards' cravats; a hum of excited chatter grew louder and louder, drowning the sound of the bees as the crowd approached the tent. I saw all the boys stop dead in their tracks staring at a gaggle of what could only be the veela cousins. As if hearing my glare, Draco turned back and met my eyes at the windows, flushed and moved towards the older wizards, directing them to their seats.

"Your eyes changed colors again, Skylar," Hermione smiled after finishing applying the shadow. "They became grey for a second."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. My eyes had never been grey before.

"Yeah, they're hazel again. Here-" Ginny handed me a bright red lipstick. After being done with the process of getting thoroughly ready for what was not even my own wedding, I stood up, my rosy-silver dress caressing my skin softly, and winced. The dress had thin straps, and revealed a lot of my shoulders and back-and my scars.

"It's okay," Hermione said, standing next to me in a shorter, flared lilac dress. Had I been shorter, I'd have word something like hers. But due to my height and stature, any dress I wore that wasn't full length, make me look lanky and out of place. Mrs Weasley had, also, chosen me this dress to match Draco's dark grey suit. "They don't look bad."