Cold Feet?
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 05-06-03 08:29
All around the Burrow the sounds of jubilant laughter and excited conversation sounded, surely drifting as far over as the town of Ottery St. Catchpole. No one could hide his exhilaration, particularly Molly Weasley, who kept flitting in and out of the Bride's tent to help Helena prepare for her big moment. Helena's mother, Charlotte, was there too -- her hysterical crying could be heard clear across the yard, which was slowly filling up with animated wedding guests.
Every member of the wedding party -- Bill as best man, Allison Caufield (long-time friend of Helena's) as maid-of-honor, groomsmen Percy and Stephen Gregor (Charlie's dragon-keeper buddy), bridesmaids Clarissa and Natalie Lehmann (friend's of Helena's who are twin models in the wizarding world), Ron, Fred and George as ushers and Ginny as the lovely flower girl -- stood around in anticipation of the pictures, which were being taken by a French wizard named Jean-Pierre Roucy, who came highly recommended by Marcus Tufton, having needed photo documentation of dragons in the wild on a regular basis.
With one arm draped around Adriana's shoulders, Bill checked the time on his other wrist, noting that it was a few minutes after five in the afternoon. The wedding ceremony was scheduled to start in just under an hour. A commotion in the house, drew Bill's attention away from Adriana's soft cheek to Charlie, who had come bursting out the back door.
"Someone's a little nervous," Adriana remarked, bumping Bill's hip gently with hers. "Why don't you go talk to him?"
Bill agreed, "I don't know what advice I can give him, considering I've never been in his position before..."
"...But he'd appreciate some brotherly advice," Adriana supplied, and she gave him another little push, this time with both of her hands. "Go." She smiled.
Bill returned her smile and crossed across the green lawn (charmed that way for the ceremony), taking in the comfortable warmth from the outdoor lamps positioned around the wedding site. He met Charlie by the rows of white chairs, where the younger Weasley was running through his vows.
"Hey, Charlie," Bill said, grinning. "You nervous?"
Charlie ran a hand through his fiery red hair and replied with a grin of his own, "I don't know why I am. We're already married you know, so this shouldn't come as such a big...I don't know...shock to me."
"It's because of all the people here...Mum, Dad," Bill explained. "It'll all be over with in a little over an hour and then you and Helena can take off and get a little privacy."
"Mum's going to want us to stay for the reception, Bill," Charlie countered, laughing.
"You're probably right about that," Bill admitted. "Come on, let's go get these pictures out of the way," he continued, clapping his brother on the back.
Charlie and Bill approached the rest of the wedding party, the women dressed in dark green robes and the men in black, and awaited Jean-Pierre's instructions.
Picture Perfect
Author: Fred Weasley
Date: 05-06-03 09:23
"Zee groom in zee meedle, pleeze. Yes, gud." Jean-Pierre, quite the eccentric photographer, wanted to take shots of all the men in the party together first. Fred, George and Ron stood off to one side, looking quite handsome in their brand new, black dress robes. On the other side of Charlie stood Bill, Percy and Stephen, the only non-Weasley on the male half of the wedding party.
Fred smiled for the camera, catching a stern glance from his father, who had warned him and George not to ruin the wedding pictures by making silly faces or doing any antics for the camera to catch. For Molly's sake (and the safety of their own lives!), Fred and George had agreed.
Briefly between photographs, Fred's eyes fell upon the lovely Blossom, who stood next to one of the heating lamps with Adriana Fairchild. Both women were watching the boys squirm for the pictures, smiling and laughing on occasion about who-knows-what.
More and more people were arriving for the ceremony; the Granger car had just pulled up and as soon as Hermione stepped into the backyard, Ron's eyes lit up and he shouted, "Hold on a moment!" and tore away from the photo shoot to give his girlfriend a hug and a kiss. He even offered Gabriel a friendly handshake.
After Ron returned with the biggest smile on his face, the photographing continued...
A Wedding
at the Burrow
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 05-07-03 14:20
The Grangers pulled into the drive of the Burrow, thick tire grooves marking the perfectly white snow, which had only previously been marred by footsteps. It seemed Hermione's family was the only one thus far to arrive by car; most of the other wedding guests were apparating in or using Floo Powder.
After Mr. Granger turned off the engine, Hermione took off her seat belt and opened her door, gathering a package into her arms before sinking into the soft snow. Mr. and Mrs. Granger followed, both dressed warmly, yet formally (and obviously Muggle-style) for the occasion. Perhaps somewhat curious as to what a wizarding wedding ceremony would entail, they also wore looks of wonder and interest on their faces. Gabriel meandered next to Hermione, taking the package from her arms, even after her protests. He shot her a sly grin and tucked the package underneath his arm.
"What happens if someone else got them a stainless steel utensil set?"
Hermione shrugged, lifting the hem of her cranberry-colored dress robe. "So, we take it back and get them something else, or the other guest who brought my gift will have to get his exchanged. Do you think Charlie and Helena will like it?"
They reached the back of the house where they saw neat rows of white lawn chairs, matching arches entwined with lush, green vines and red roses and several tents farther off, presumably for the bride and the others in the wedding party. A group of men were lined up at the altar, the majority bearing flaming red hair. They smiled and grinned for the camera as it flashed repeatedly.
Suddenly, a pair of eyes fell upon Hermione and widened, just as the grin on the same face did. Ron shouted, "Hold on a minute!" and sprinted away from the photographer to embrace his Hermione. He hugged her hard and kissed her face many times, exclaiming how much he had missed her.
Hermione laughed and returned his love with a few kisses herself, and then she told Ron to return to the photo shoot. Ron's ecstatic grin never left his face as he greeted both Mr. and Mrs. Granger, nor as he shook Gabriel's hand. Then, he dashed off to stand next to his brothers again, where his jubilant smile continued to shine.
"Do we want to find some seats or mingle a little bit?" Hermione asked, turning to face her folks.
Gabriel nudged her with his free hand and pointed towards one of the tents, where Mrs. Weasley had just exited. She spotted Gabriel and the Grangers and came bustling over.
"Oh, Hermione dear! I'm so glad you could make it. Ron's missed you so," she exclaimed, giving Hermione a motherly hug. She turned to Gabriel next and showed him equal affection; she had grown quite fond over him during the summer holidays. "There's a table just there," she said, after she had parted from Gabriel. She pointed off to a side table where there were some refreshments as well as a stack of finely-wrapped gifts. "Why don't you just put that with the others." She smiled sweetly at Gabriel then began to converse with Hermione's parents.
Hermione escorted Gabriel to the table, casting glances at the photographing, noting also that Ron kept looking her way between shoots.
"To answer your question from earlier, Hermione," Gabriel suddenly said when they reached the table, "I think Charlie and Helena will love the gift. Everyone needs a spatula. Well, maybe not everyone. Those who can cook. Can they cook?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "First of all, it's not just a spatula." She started ticking off the other items with her fingers. "It's a slotted spoon, soup ladle, serving spoon, strainer and a spatula. I assume they can cook. Can't anyone?"
"You can't."
Hermione looked defiant. "Yes, I can."
"Pouring milk into a cereal bowl is not called cooking," Gabriel laughed. "...even if you say otherwise."
"Give me a book, in this case a cook book, and I can do anything, Gabriel Baine." Hermione stuck her tongue out at him and then turned away to survey the other guests.
Molly Weasley was still deeply engrossed in conversation with Hermione's parents. Arthur came over after a few moments and struck up a discussion with Mr. Granger, and before long the two started walking to the front of the house, presumably to look at the car. Professor Fairchild was standing off to one side with another young woman, and various other guests were scattered around, watching the pictures being taken and awaiting the start of the ceremony.
Put on a
Happy Face
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 05-07-03 17:27
Julian, immaculately dressed in dove grey dress robes with black trim, grins at Briar. He nods towards her to indicate her deep sapphire blue robes, "You look smashing. I thought no one is supposed to outshine a bride on her wedding day."
Briar's face pinkens slightly from a fetching blush as she returns his smile. "You don't look so bad yourself. Are you ready to go?"
"Just waiting on you but," Julian drops a feather light kiss on Briar's lips, "you're worth the wait."
She takes a playful swap at him then double checks pocket to make sure she's got the wedding gift, then reaches for Julian's hand. He refrains from asking why Briar felt the need to purchase a present for the Weasels when she made both cakes and a great deal of the food and didn't charge them so much as one knut for any of it. Instead Jules gives Briar's hand a squeeze then the two disapparate to appear seconds later on one section of the snow covered lawn near the Burrow.
Briar nods towards the carefully arranged chairs near where a group of mostly red headed men stand posing for a photographer. "Why don't you go on and save us seats while I go find the gift table?"
Jules smiles at Briar and pecks her on the cheek, "Be happy to." He watches her walk away then rolls his eyes and scowls. Being nice to everyone and appearing to be more or less happy to be here with Briar is going to make for one damnably long day. He mutters something foul under his breath then arranges his features back into something much more amicable before turning and heading for the chairs.
Wreathed
in Beauty
Author: H Potter
Date: 05-07-03 19:11
After asking Sirius for like the zillionth time if he was sure he'd owled off Charlie's and Helena's wedding present, Harry throws a handful of Floo Powder into the kitchen fireplace, loudly calls out, "The Burrow!" and steps in. There's the familiar feeling of being pulled by unseen hands while having the breath sucked out of him only to emerge moments later in another fireplace. After making sure his dress robes are free of dirt and ash from the fireplace, Harry exits the house, his eyes already scanning the lawn for signs of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
Ron is easily spotted as one of the many red-headed males being arranged by a photographer. The man snaps the picture then gestures to one of the only ones in the group without the distinctive Weasley hair. The wedding party member heads off to tend to whatever errand he's been sent to do. As Harry approaches he hears the photographer telling the Weasley brothers he wants one of just them. That picture is quickly taken then Mr. Weasley is told to come stand with his sons. By this time the groomsman has returned followed closely by Ginny.
Harry thinks Ginny looks prettier, and happier, than she's ever looked before. She looks very elegant in her dark green wedding robe, her hair braided into a coronet with sprigs of ivy and tiny red and white rose buds woven in. Harry sits down where he has an unobstructed view of Ginny and the Weasley men as the photographer gives instructions for how he wants them for more pictures.
Sitting there, watching Ginny, Harry forgets all about looking for Hermione.
Waiting for
the New Year
Author: Diether Jameson
Date: 05-07-03 19:57
He had climbed to their roof after having eaten a very late dinner, much like what happened on Christmas Eve. Seeing as Mirai and the others were busy helping mama and papa clean up, he took the opportunity to be alone and go to his favorite spot in his house, the rooftop.
He lied down on the roof and gazed at the sky. It was a clear night. The stars are shining brightly and the moon glowed above. This was a habit of his that he couldn't break when he was at home. It was his personal sanctuary, his personal escape from reality where he could be let his thoughts run wild.
He had been thinking how much the year has changed him. Maybe it was not readily seen by other people but he knows that he has. Perhaps, even Mirai has noticed it but she hasn't spoken of it. As he was lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear someone had climbed up the roof, too.
"Red," someone said softly to his ears. He opened his eyes to see Mirai leaning over him with a smile on her face.
He tilted his head up and kissed her softly before lying back down. Mirai, on the other hand, sat with her legs tucked to her side and softly lifted his head towards her lap. She began stroking his hair and hummed quietly.
"Stay up with me and wait for sunrise?" he asked.
"Sure."
"Good."
And he closed his eyes once again to drown in the hypnotic rhythm of Mirai's strokes on his hair and her soft humming.
Wedding Bell
Blues
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 05-07-03 21:19
Briar deposits the gift, a set of four sterling silver cheese and dip spreaders, each having a different dragon handle, beside a pile of other wedding presents just in time to overhear Hermione Granger telling the boy beside her, "Give me a book, in this case a cook book, and I can do anything, Gabriel Baine."
Briar walks around the table and approaches the two. "Hi, Hermione. You look wonderful! That color is great on you! Anytime you want cooking lessons, you're welcome to come to the bakery. Maybe this summer, hmmm?"
Before Hermione or Gabe can reply, Briar smiles and excuses herself, "Julian keeps motioning to me. I'll talk to you later, all right."
Briar rapidly walks to where Julian is sitting, stopping only long enough to wave at Bill and mouthing the words, "You look very handsome."
Gracefully sitting down beside her fiancé, Briar puts her hand in his outstretched one and laughingly asks, "Missed me already did you?"
Julian raises Briar's hand to his lips and bestows a kiss before flashing that heart melting grin of his, "Always."
A well manicured hand taps Briar on the shoulder, "Mind if we sit here until it's time for things to begin?"
Briar isn't all that happy that Adriana's suddenly decided that the only place to sit for now is right beside her but it's not like she can very well say no. Julian stands up, showing off his gentlemanly manners and gestures to the two seats Adriana had pointed to. "We'd be delighted to have you and Blossom join us, Adriana. Say, you should wear red more often. It suits you rather well. And Blossom, a pleasure to see you again. My mother would be envious that you can wear that particular shade. Periwinkle is her favorite but it makes her look sickly whereas it makes you look positively radiant."
Blossom blushes, utterly captivated by Julian's charm, not that Briar can blame her. Now, if only Adriana would find a reason to go talk to someone else, Briar, Blossom, and Julian could have a nice, friendly chat. Much to Briar's chagrin Adriana not only stays but she moves to sit on Julian's other side.
Adriana leans in close and asks, "Jules, when you and Helena were going to get married, was it a really large wedding or something small?"
Briar, thinking it's common knowledge by now that Helena and Julian had once been engaged, doesn't think twice about the question. In fact, she's sort of wondered the same thing herself what with the way Mrs. Valentine seems to want Briar's and Julian's to be the biggest social event of the year.
Julian screws up his face as if searching for some memory. "Well, while it wasn't as big as what my mother would have wanted, it was fairly grand. Something like eight hundred and fifty guests, eleven bridesmaids, eleven groomsmen, maid of honor, best man, two flower girls, two candle lighters, two ring bearers. Helena wanted something a little smaller but we ended up compromising to keep my mother from having a snit fit. There was even a full seven course sit down dinner for the reception..."
Julian's words come to an abrupt end when out of the blue he's grabbed by Charlie. The man who was all smiles and laughter as the happy groom just moments ago is now gripping Julian so tightly Charlie's knuckles rapidly turn white. He literally snarls when he demands, "What the hell are you talking about? Helena and you?"
Briar rushes in to try and pry Charlie's hands loose and answers for Julian, "Helena didn't tell you, Charlie? She and Julian were engaged several years ago. There's much more to the story but as far as anyone knows, Julian stood her up at the alter."
Charlie, his face redder than his hair, violently shoves Julian away, firmly pushes Briar aside and stalks off in the direction of the bridal tent.
And a Happy
New Year
Author: Chyler Stratford
Date: 05-07-03 22:28
Chyler Stratford was so tired of the bed rest that she had been put on since the sharp pains she'd been having the last week or so. She was five months along, her belly growing by the day, and she did NOT want anything to happen to this baby.
Nevvyn had been by over Christmas and she'd given him a gift for his fatherly attitude toward her as she was pregnant, and just for giving her 'potions and notions' for what had been ailing her. It was an ancient mortar and pestle, with carvings around the top of the mortar bowl. Nevvyn, of course, was more than pleased with the gift, and gave Chyler a kiss on the cheek and her own little present. He handed her a silvery orb that opened, and inside was a beautiful, cobalt blue, blown, glass potion bottle. A glass, silver beaded line made swirls here and there, and it sparkled like tiny stars had been caught in the glass. When Chyler opened the orb she gasped and flung her arms around the kindly old hedge wizard's neck, thanking him gratefully.
She looked at the bottle which sat on her bed-side table and sighed, rubbing her hand over her stomach. She had a feeling that something was going to be wrong when the baby was born, but kept telling herself she was just worrying because she was a new mother.
Chyler flung the blankets off of her and sat up with a bit of difficulty, for her muscles were stiff. She placed her feet on the floor and stood, stretching, and then padded downstairs.
"Lysander, Honey-Bear?" she called, rubbing her forehead with one hand, and bracing her back with the other.
Lysander appeared at the foot of the stairs. "Yes, Baby?"
"I'm hungry, and I don't want to stay in bed. I was thinking about some chocolate frogs or something." Chyler said, licking her lips. She got to the base of the stairs and Lysander planted a kiss on her forehead.
He grinned at her. "Having New Years cravings, Baby girl?"
"Yeah," Chyler pouted. She bent to pick up some papers that had blown on the ground and immediately straightened with a cry of pain, grabbing her belly.
Lysander quickly guided her over to a chair. "What's wrong? Is it another labor pain?"
"I don't know." Chyler panted, gnashing her teeth. Again she cried out in pain, bracing herself with her bare feet on the wood floor. "Get. . . the doctor!"
"He's out of town, Chy. I can't get him!" Lysander had knelt, squeezing his young wife's hand.
Again she clenched her teeth together. "Then get . . . Nevvyn!"
And Lysander dashed out the door.
Eve
Author: Fynn Greenleaf
Date: 05-08-03 04:39
Ah, holidays in Hogwarts weren't bad at all, Fynn thought, as he sat on stone steps with one arm around Cho . And now it was the brink of the new year. How fast. And time seemed to move quickly, slowly, as he fixed his eye on the stars which spread across the night sky gradually, beautifully, like her blush.
"Hm," he said, almost bovinely content, sedate with festive happiness. He had mellowed so much; she had brought that about in him. Cho's profile in the starlight was perfect; sparkling eyes, the tip of her nose, her pink mouth. Her hair shone magically, and tonight she too felt reflective, her chin on her hand, pondering.
"What is it," she murmured rather than asked, turning to smile at him.
He grinned back, winked. "Remember the first time you were stuck with Fynn Greenleaf on a starry night?"
"No. Yes. No. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing." he had drawn her closer to him, and brought her face close to his. "I happen to have found it rather memorable." They kissed, as if for the first time, on that first starry night.
Something
Blue - Part One
Author: Helena Tufton
Date: 05-08-03 07:35
The very vision of a happy bride, Helena stood before a full-length mirror inside the bridal tent and studied her reflection. A young woman in her early twenties stared back at her, a few strands of golden hair braided around her head while the rest hung loose and slightly curled just past her shoulders. Little pearls decorated the braided crown for that added mystical touch. From the ornate hairstyle to the flowing white wedding robes, Helena looked very much like an Olympian goddess.
"Okay," she muttered mostly to herself. Through the reflection in the mirror she could see Charlotte Tufton blowing her nose into a damp handkerchief. Things hadn't changed over the years; Helena remembered her mother doing the same thing before her almost-wedding to Julian Valentine.
"Something old..." Helena's gaze flickered over the diamond studs in her ears; they had belonged to her grandmother. "...something new, something borrowed..." Here, Helena gently tugged on a bracelet clasped around her right wrist, which belonged to her maid of honor, Allison. "...something bl––"
"You were engaged to Julian Valentine?" Charlie shouted, red-faced and with fists clenched into balls as he burst through the flap in the tent.
Instantly, Mrs. Tufton's snifflings ceased and she looked up at Charlie in wonder as Helena spun around bearing a facial expression resembling extreme horror. During those months at the dragon reserve in Romania, Helena had often seen Charlie become irritated (and usually with her), but never in all the time she had known him had she seem him so very angry.
Helena opened her mouth and shut it several times, unable to find the correct words. Her groom continued to tremble with rage where he stood, his balled fists white and a stark contrast to the fiery blood pumping through his face, which flowed to the very roots of his hairline. Mrs. Tufton took the brief interlude to escape the tent, leaving her daughter and perhaps no-longer-future son-in-law to speak in private.
Charlie stared daggers at Helena and repeated through clenched teeth, "You were engaged to that despicable, no-good git, Valentine? Tell me it isn't true, Helena. Tell me that what they're saying out there is all lies."
Helena held his gaze, despite the angry look, and affirmed, "It's true, Charlie. Julian and I were engaged..." and as if to alleviate the grave situation she added, "...years ago."
"Why didn't you tell me, Helena?" Charlie asked, too angry to truly show signs of bewilderment. "I thought we trusted one another." He relieved the pressure in his fists and threw his arms into the air as he exclaimed, "You weren't merely engaged to him, Helena, you nearly walked down the aisle for that sorry S.O.B.!"
"And he left me standing alone at the altar!" Helena shouted, suddenly irritated. "Did the people out there tell you that too? Did they tell you how I cried myself to sleep every night after he dumped me, after he humiliated me in front of my friends and family? He meant the world to me, but I was just a joke to him."
Charlie looked disgusted. "You loved him?" Raising his voice he emphasized, "Julian Valentine?"
"Of course I loved him!" Helena yelled, her own hands clenching into tiny fists. "I wouldn't marry someone I didn't love."
"Really?" Charlie asked incredulously, visibly trembling with rage. "I honestly thought you loved me, that you cared enough for me to tell me your deepest, darkest secret, but now I see how very wrong I've been all this time."
"You don't mean that, Charlie," Helena argued. "You don't mean that at all." Her eyes started to brim with tears. "Do you want to know the real reason why I didn't tell you about Julian?" Helena asked, and when he remained silent she continued, "I didn't tell you about him because I knew exactly how you'd react. I know you hate him, you and Bill. This ridiculous animosity from your Hogwarts days has the three of you so blinded that anything at all about any of you is construed negatively. Even the worst people have something worthy of love, Charlie."
"I can't believe you actually had feelings for that jerk!" Charlie repeated, horrified. He ignored her look of protest and stated, "You know, Helena, I'm reminded of a situation a few months back," he paused, "when we all learned the news of Briar's engagement to Julian. You didn't like it one bit," and then he added spitefully, "...another woman horning in on your man."
