Wedding Plans

Harry returned home to find Draco and Ginny surrounded by list upon list of things they wanted or didn't want for the wedding. He bent down and picked up one of the lists. "Oh, really?"

"Which list is that, Harry?" asked Ginny.

"The one that says we have a traditional Veela ceremony with everyone in the nude and us on a platform in a tree?"

"We threw that one out, love. That is the discard pile." Draco smiled beguilingly at Harry.

"Do you two want to hear my idea?"

"Yes," both Ginny and Draco responded.

"I was in Hogwarts and I saw a symbol today. I went back and asked the Grey Lady what it was, and she said it was the symbol of a Sept wedding."

Ginny and Draco stared at the drawing Harry had made of the symbol. It was a square, with stars at each of the four points. What made it more interesting were the embedded symbols. The square was filled with a circle, which had a triangle in it. Where the points of the triangles met the lines of the circle and the outer square, there were stars. At the centre of the symbol was another square, but this square had the corners indented inward in semi-circles, it looked like an altar. Both Ginny and Draco looked up from the drawing expectantly.

Harry continued. "The stars can be replaced with candles; we stand in the middle. The guests would mostly be arrayed in front of the area where there is not a third candle. The ceremony is a regular binding with a witness for each of us. I know Ginny wants Hermione to stand for her, and I was thinking of maybe Neville and Viktor for Draco and me. What do you think?"

Ginny and Draco just stared at Harry. They had been planning all day long, and he managed to waltz in with... "That is the most perfect idea ever!" Ginny bounced up from her spot on the floor and threw her arms around Harry. Draco grinned and joined in.

"Perfect. It is homage to our past, and it celebrates us uniquely because only a Sept marriage could really use that set up. I love it." Draco really was pleased.

"What are we going to let Molly do, then? She has to do something, or she will be upset." Harry did not want to hurt his surrogate mother.

"Mum knows a lot about food magic. We thought we would ask her to do the cake. It will be a big job, but not like the whole catering or even most of the planning. We have everything decided, and I think she will be pleased. It is a good way to rehabilitate Malfoy Manor as well. The grounds will be blessed by our marriage, and it should sweep away whatever dark magic lingers."

The three went to sleep, pleased with their plans, and decided to tell the Weasley matriarch the next day.

"Oh, I love this pattern for the candles! Where did you find it?" Molly sounded delighted.

"Harry found it at Hogwarts. The Grey Lady told him it was the symbol for a Sept marriage." Draco's pride in his husband-to-be was very evident.

"And you and Ginny did the rest of the planning?"

Draco nodded.

"Yes, Mum, we did. I know we have everything planned, but we did want to ask you a big favour. We know how important the cake is, and we really would like your magic to be the one woven into the baking. Would you do that for us?"

"Oh, yes! I would be so happy to! And I can have you all add a bit of your magic to the batter, since we will be doing this at home." Molly bustled out of the living room and headed for her special stash of Prewett family recipes. She was quite certain there was a recipe for a wedding cake there.

From The Burrow, the trio headed to Diagon Alley to contract a printer for the invitations; from there they went to Draco's favourite French restaurant to get the catering set up, and then to Malfoy Manor to tell the elves what to expect.

After six stationery stores with horribly ostentatious designs, even Draco was starting to think they might never find anyone who could help them. They found a tiny little shop called Inkstain's Invitations and walked in. Zoila Inkstain was pleased as punch to be able to show off her work to the infamous trio. She was even more pleased when her design, based on the historical descriptions of Sept weddings, made the three exclaim in delight. "Oh, look, Harry! She got it just right!"

"She definitely did, Gin. What do you think, Draco?"

"Perfect. May I ask you a question, Miss Inkstain?"

"Of course, Mr. Malfoy."

"Why aren't you more popular? This is brilliant work."

"Unfortunately, I try to tailor my work to the couple, and most recently everyone was happy with very ostentatious designs that had no depth of character. No one was interested in what I have to offer."

Draco smiled. "I imagine you will have quite a bit more work after this. We are thrilled to have your original and thoughtful work on our invitations. And please, keep one for yourself. The artist should always be present to see how her work is received."

Zoila was beside herself. By the end of the day, all of Diagon Alley knew not only that the Sept triad wedding was going to be the event of the summer, but also that it was going to be the most original.

After the adventure with the invitations, the food tasting at The Golden Flute was sounding better and better, until they got to the restaurant and found an overwhelming array of food.

"Phillippe, what is this?"

"We wanted to give you a little of everything to try, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasley, and Mr. Potter. If you follow me, I will show you."

It turned out that the tables were arranged by what Phillippe thought would be the most pleasing as a set meal.

After trying the food on three of the tables, they all looked ready to throw in the towel.

"Let's just try one more."

"Fine, Harry. But if that one isn't it, we can carve up the Giant Squid for all I care." Ginny was exasperated.

"You might not care, but he would." Draco made both his loves laugh with that comment.

Luckily for the Squid, the fourth table was perfect. The appetisers were pate on toast points, chilled garlic shrimp, and a lovely steak tartare. The soup was a delicate potato leek concoction, its colour a lovely mint green. There was a choice of a delicate white fish with tomato and black olive sauce or carved beef roast with horseradish sauce or a pastry wrapped duck breast with a forest berry sauce. The salad was butter lettuce with a very tasty dressing of olive oil, ground pepper, sea salt and a touch of white wine vinegar. A lovely cheese tray, featuring Port Salut, Brie, Stilton, and Cheddar, rounded off the savoury feast. Dessert would of course be the wedding cake.

"Who is preparing the cake?" Phillippe was very curious.

"My mother. She has an old family recipe."

"I can't wait to taste it, Miss Weasley."

The three returned home, glad they only had to think of each other and their vows for the next three weeks.

Well, they had thought that was what they were going to do. Alexei and Hermione were drafted into helping sort the RSVPs.

"Uncle Draco, why do we have to sort them? Who is going to say no?"

"You always speak the truth as you see it, don't you, Alexei?" Draco laughed.

"Why wouldn't I? Papa says lies have lives of their own, and it takes too much brain power to keep them straight. The truth doesn't change."

Harry and Hermione heard him and smiled. "He truly does sound like you, Herms. I'm a bit jealous of Draco for getting you and Viktor to be the baby-to-be's godparents."

"Oh, Harry. You know you are the closest thing I have to a brother. Your babies won't be left out." Harry just hugged her in response.

The five of them finished giving instructions for seating to the elves and began to set up the centre binding shape.

Hermione waved her wand and the symbol for the Sept binding appeared on the grounds. She turned to Alexei. "Tomorrow we will get up early and light the candles and ask for the Dawn's blessing."

"It sounds lovely, Mama."

"You remember what you are going to say at the opening?"

"Yes, Mama."

The morning came and found Harry, Ginny, Draco, Hermione, Viktor, Neville, and Alexei out lighting the seven candles and asking for the Dawn's blessing. As they finished, the candles flared and the lines of the Sept symbol lit up with a soft light.

"Oh, that is a wonderful sign!" Minerva's voice came from the edge of the binding symbol.

"Does it mean anything in particular, Headmistress?" asked Draco.

"Call me Minerva, dear. It means that Magic itself is pleased with your joining. When I heard that your signatures turned golden on the license contract, I wanted to be here early to see the Dawn's blessing. I hope you don't mind."

"We don't mind, Gran Minerva. You and Gramp Alastor are always welcome!"

Minerva teared up at Alexei's declaration. Not only at being adopted as his grandparent, but because he was comfortable enough to have done so.

"Alexei, you really shouldn't make announcements like that at someone else's home," Viktor chided his son gently.

"It is just fine, Vik. Alexei should feel like this is also his home. As should you and Hermione." Draco was startled when his response to Viktor earned him a hug from Mad-Eye Moody himself.

"Well, boy, you just proved to me that you are nothing like your old man. Yes, yes, I know he was trying to redeem himself at the end, but it was still a bit self-serving to me. You are the real thing, my boy. I'm proud of you."

Draco was stunned. He didn't think he would ever hear those words from someone like Mad-Eye. And to be told he was the cause of pride almost caused him to break down again.

"Don't look like that, boy! You have to go get dressed for your wedding."

The guests had arrived and were seated as the sun set over Malfoy Manor. The candles and the glowing symbol in front of them had them mesmerised.

A young voice came out of the trees lining the seating area. "Some people say that only two are needed for a true marriage. That is not always the case. Two magnets are strong, but they can repel each other just as powerfully. Place a buffer between them, and it takes an immense force to pull them apart. Such is the case here. Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny, and Uncle Draco are far stronger together than apart." Smiles and applause were followed by a joyous laughter when the same young voice said, "Did I get it right, Mama?"

The guests smiled when they saw Alexei Krum take his seat next to the Weasleys while his Mama took her place by Ginny's mark. Her fiancée, Viktor Krum, and Neville Longbottom joined her. A small pop of elf-magic and the triad appeared next to their designated witness. They joined hands in a circle.

The Minister then spoke. "I cannot marry these three. All I can do is stand witness to their vows that will bind them to each other. What say you?"

Draco began. "I was incomplete for most of my life. Even when it was Harry and I, there was something missing. Now I know it was Ginny. Alexei had it right. We are stronger together. My loves, you make me a better man. I bind myself to you with these ribbons of passion, fidelity, and love." The Minister took ribbons, which changed colour as Draco spoke and wound them around the trio's wrists, beginning the binding.

Harry went next. "I've always longed for a family of my own. The Weasleys tried, but it never seemed to be enough. Then Draco had this idea, which I was willing to help him with, never suspecting that my own happiness would follow. My loves, I bind myself to you with these ribbons of family, love, and patience." Again, the Minister wound ribbons around three sets of wrists.

Ginny smiled as her loves spoke their vows. "I wasn't ready the first time Harry wanted to settle down. Then I thought I had lost him to Draco. Little did I know that the Fates were conspiring to bring us all together. My loves, I bind myself to you with these ribbons of love, home, and wisdom." As the Minister wound the last set of ribbons around their wrists, a glow began to emanate from the triple set of ribbons.

"I declare that I have borne witness to this binding, and per the powers vested in me by the Ministry of Magic and Magic herself, I present to you the triad of Malfoy, Potter, and Weasley. May your family prosper, be fruitful and happy." As his words faded, the glow turned into a flash, and the ribbons disappeared, only to become permanent marks on all three of their left wrists.

The applause from the guests was thunderous. For propriety and legality's sake, the witnesses signed the marriage certificate, and the celebration began.

"Vitya, do you wish we were doing something like this?" Hermione said, brow furrowed, as she and Viktor caught their breath after the fine food and exuberant dancing.

"No, my love. This suited them. Our wedding will suit us."

The gift that Viktor had brought for the triad was most unusual. It was a copy of the only history of Septs, their lives, their magic, and their marriages. It had been written by Septs for Septs.