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I Believed in Father Christmas	By : sarcastrow Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 1699 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I do not make any money from these writings

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
I Believed in Father Christmas

Chapter 10

Let Your Road be Clear

Seamus could not stop smiling. He’d worked hard for this day, but his mother and his soon-to-be-mother-in-law had worked even harder; now they could bask in their accomplishments. He stood and looked in the mirror, adjusting his tie. Reflected in the mirror Dean laughed. “You’re humming again,” he said, and sniggered.

“Oh, piss off,” Seamus said through his own giggles. “Bloody song got stuck in me head this morning, and I’ll be buggered if I can get it out.”

“Yeah, I can kind of sympathize.” Dean swatted Seamus’s hands from his tie and adjusted the bow over his friend’s shoulders. “But don’t sing that when you’re supposed to be singing the other song.”

“That’d be a good one, yeah,” Seamus said. He adopted a northern English accent and sang,

“Mrs. Brown you’ve got a lovely daughter…”

*

Lavender looked in the mirror, Parvati and her mother reflected on either side.

“I hate you,” Parvati said smiling broadly with tears in her eyes. “No one should look this beautiful.”

The long white dress of satin and silk cascaded down Lavender's body. The bodice hugged her, announcing her femininity without being vulgar. Delicate embroidery, stitched in gold thread, decorated the entire dress with Celtic knotwork, roses, and swirls. A few multi-hued gems were attached at appropriate points, the center of a rose or a swirl, the quarters of a knotwork pattern, and in the eyes of the lion that guarded her train. A strip of lavender satin ribbon bordered the hem and neck line, while lace and silk made up the sleeves. Parvati had commented earlier that what she was wearing under the dress was as at least as spectacular, but only Seamus would see that.

Her mother handed her the bouquet, the whirl of goblin-wrought silver that contained the stems glittered in the sunlight streaming through the upstairs bedroom window. She looked into her youngest daughter's eyes and intoned, “Something old.”

Parvati pointed her wand at Lavender’s charm bracelet and a leprechaun with glittering green eyes appeared hanging on it. “Something new,” she said.

Lavender plucked a ruby studded pin from her mother’s dress and pinned it on her own. “Something borrowed.”

Her mother picked up a long velvet box her father had delivered and opened it. Inside was a sapphire pendant on a thin gold chain. “Something blue,” she said as she placed it around her daughter’s neck.

Sylvia Brown dabbed the tears from Lavender's eyes. “Don’t go spoiling Jasmine’s work; she spent an hour on your face.”

“Hope she enjoyed it.” Lavender laughed. “Because it’s the last time she gets to do it.”

*

“Two weddings in six months,” Franklin Finnigan said. “Sure and that’d make me a bit frantic. You holdin’ up okay, Nat?”

“Oh, I’m fine, Frank,” Mr. Brown said. “I’m just happy that the two oldest aren’t furious that Lav’s the first of the girls to get married.”

They sat at the kitchen table in the Grove, and Frank poured more tea into their cups. “Well, I’ve said it before and it bears repeating. You’ve raised a fine daughter, you and your wife have. She saved me son from a wasted life, and we’re happier than words can say to have her join the Finnigan clan,” he said.

Nat held up his cup. “To our children then, Lavender and Seamus.”

Franklin Finnigan smiled at his new relation and decided he really liked Lavender’s father. “To Lavender and Seamus,” he said, and sipped his tea.

*

Sylvia Brown and Margaret Finnigan stood on the lawn of the Grove; it was Lammas Day. Before them the lawn swept down the small hill from the house, and where it flattened a large marquee had been erected. Inside, rows of chairs faced a small dais with an altar and a piano sitting on it. Flowers were everywhere. Roses entwined around the arches at the entrances, carnations and gardenia festooned the lectern, a large multi-flower spray sat on the piano, and the entire interior of the marquee was littered with petals of all kinds. It smelled incredible.

“The tables for the feast are set,” Janice Brown’s voice said from behind them.

“Oh, thank you so much, me dear,” Margaret told her. “I’m sorry I haven’t said it yet, but it’s a pleasure to have you and your husband back to the Grove.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Finnigan,” Janice said. “Rowan and I love it here almost as much as Lavender does. We’d be a nuisance if we lived closer.”

Margaret laughed. “Pish posh, come as often as you like. Frank and I will be happy to have you any time.”

Janice looked toward the house. “Are they ready?”

Sylvia nodded. “Parvati’s got Lavender up in Margaret’s bedroom and Seamus should be joining us any minute.” She turned and looked toward the house just as the door opened. “Ah, here comes Luna; we’re about to start.”

Janice started down the slope. “I’ll just go and join Rowan then,” she said over her shoulder.

Luna strolled down the walkway, smiled at Seamus's and Lavender’s mothers, and proceeded to the entrance of the marquee. She was wearing a calf length dress of deep blue satin. Her hair had been tamed by Artemisia with charms and dark blue ribbon from its usual unruly state, and it fell in perfect waves around her face and down her back. A small silver rabbit on a silver chain hung around her neck, and the reason for the flat shoes of black leather became apparent when she mounted the dais and sat in front of the piano.

A murmur went through the crowd in the chairs. Although most of them knew Luna, only a dozen or so knew of her ability at the piano. She lifted the lid and without pause started into Chopin’s Étude number three. She had chosen this piece for its similarity to the lives of the two people about to be wed, peaceful, but with moments of high tension. A small smirk graced her face as a few people in the audience gasped. She hadn’t intentionally kept her talent from them; she just wasn’t someone who needed validation from others. She knew she was good.

And now they all knew.

About halfway through the piece Dean led Mrs. Finnigan, and then Mrs. Brown, to their seats beside their husbands. Luna never stopped playing and segued seamlessly into a set of alternating, arpeggiated chords. Seamus appeared at the entry, strode to the dais, then Dean joined him and stood on his left. The crowd gasped again at the second great surprise of the afternoon when Seamus began to sing. Although there was an old superstition about the groom singing at his wedding, the Finnigan men never held to it. They had sung to their brides for as long as there had been Finnigans. His grandfather had sung this particular song, as had his father. Seamus had altered the lyrics a small bit, and now it was his turn.

“One night as the moon did illumine the sky'

I first took a notion to marry

I hopped on me broom and away I did fly

You'd have thought I'd have been in a hurry

When I came to the place where I often had been

Me heart gave a leap when my darlin' I seen

I lifted the latch and I bade her Good E'en

Will you come with me over the mountain?”

Seamus looked out over the rows of neatly seated guests. Lavender’s mother sat in the front row smiling up at him with tears of happiness coursing down her face. Her father sat on her right with shining eyes of his own. On the other side of the aisle his mother looked at him with an expression of supreme pride, and his father was silently singing along with him. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sat in the front row just beside his parents, looking stunned. His brilliant tenor was as big a surprise to them as Luna’s virtuosity was to everyone else. The melody came round again and he sang the second verse.

“What notion is this that's got into your head

You'll make me afraid to be near you

It's twelve o'clock and they're all in bed

Speak low or me mammy will hear you.

I'm using no magic, casting no spell

I'm an honest young wizard and I love you right well

And if you'll not have me, then dear girl, farewell

I'll go back alone o'er the mountain.”

Through the entry to the marquee he saw Lavender and Parvati making their way down the gentle slope from the house. He nearly forgot what he was doing, and his voice gave a little hitch as he locked eyes with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Next verse, Seamus, Luna’s voice said in his head. He nodded, eyes never leaving Lavender’s, and continued.

“If I were to make an elopement with you

I might find myself in great danger

The country would tittle and censor me too

My parents would frown and no wonder.

Let them all tittle and censor away

Consult with yourself for it's growing near day

What do we care what the country might say?

Come with me over the mountain.”

They were close now. The gathering under the marquee had yet to notice the girls approaching, so caught up in the song as they were, and Lavender slowed her walk so that Seamus had time to finish.

“She looked at me long and she looked at me hard

She trembled a little uneasy

Then wiping a tear that appeared in her eye

She said to me – Darling, I'm ready.

Give me a moment till I get me shoes

Me heart gave a leap when I heard the glad news

I lifted the latch saying I hope you'll excuse

Me simplicity over the mountain.”

Parvati brought Lavender to a halt a few feet from the opening. Seamus was grinning broadly, still staring into Lavender's eyes, as he started the last verse.

“By this time the moon had gone down in the sky

And the morning star hiding in shyness

We both made the journey in greatest of haste

And we were wed at the altar of highness.

In peace and contentment we’ll spend all our days

The anger of parents will soon blow away

And often we’ll smile when we've little to say

On the trip we take over the mountain.”

Luna reprised the last few bars of the melody and segued into the Wedding March. Everyone stood and turned to face the two women at the entrance to the marquee. More gasps and murmurs sounded through the crowd, and a few loud sobs came from Mrs. Brown, Jasmine, and Artemisia. Nathanial Brown had tear streaks down his face, and Seamus noticed out of the corner of his eye that even his mother was dabbing a handkerchief at her cheeks.

Theodore Lupin, all of five years old, marched slowly down the aisle carrying a pillow with the two rings. A small titter rippled through the audience as they observed how intently he was concentrating on not dropping the rings from the pillow. Hermione rose from her chair and stepped up on the dais, and with a smile she bent and took the pillow from Teddy. The little boy smiled and scampered back to his grandmother who was sitting at the end of the second row behind Ginny. With a chuckle Hermione took her place behind the altar and set the pillow between the two lit candles that stood on it.

Parvati kissed Lavender's cheek and walked slowly down the aisle to take her place opposite Dean. Seamus barely noticed; his eyes were only for Lavender. Darkness formed at the edge of his vision, and his world contracted to a small circle around her, all else was blackness, and he swayed a little.

“Stay on your feet, Finnigan,” he heard Dean say in a whisper.

Then Lavender started down the aisle. Unseen by anyone, Artemisia pointed her wand at the ceiling of the marquee and muttered an old incantation. A gentle flurry of lavender petals fell over everyone as the bride walked slowly to the man she would marry. Seamus held his hand out and helped her up the step. She handed her bouquet to Parvati and took both his hands in hers. With a grand flourish Luna finished the wedding march and turned to face them.

Hermione smiled out across the crowd and raised her voice. “Witches and wizards, friends and family, welcome.” She looked Lavender and Seamus each in the eyes. “Love … love is our greatest strength, our strongest shelter, and our most powerful weapon. Our great professor, Albus Dumbledore, thought this was the most important lesson he could teach us, and I agree. We gather here to celebrate that supreme human achievement, love. In these two before us we see it manifest. In their hearts, in their souls, and in their actions they have proven their love over and over. Now committed, each to the other, they stand before us to declare their love and take the ancient bonds. Please be seated.”

As the audience sat Hermione pulled her wand from under her robes, and closed her eyes in concentration. She held her wand up over her head and swept it in a great circle. “Ban, ban, barrier that none shall pass. I conjure thee, great circle of power, that we may sanctify and protect these that would be wed. Naught but love shall enter in, naught but love shall emerge.” A rippling in the air formed around the marquee, and the sounds of the birds singing in the trees became muted and distant.

Margaret Finnigan looked at the young woman with the chestnut hair, caught her eye, and nodded to her, impressed. Hermione smiled back at the older woman and continued. “I have known Lavender and Seamus from the day we all first met. Their courage made them Gryffindor, their dedication made them a great witch and a great wizard, and their willingness to selflessly sacrifice themselves for the good of all made them heroes. Today we will make them one.” She turned to Lavender. “My sister, you have had more hardship in your short life than most see in a hundred years, I wish only happiness for you from now on. Do you have words for your husband to be?”

Lavender looked into Seamus’s face, securing this moment in her memory. “Seamus Finnigan, one day long ago I pulled you into my arms from the water of the black lake. I didn’t know then that you were the love of my life, but I did know that you were my friend. And you remained my friend through the hardest times of my life. Then, at my most imperiled moment, you were there, saving me. I owe you my life, Shay, but more than that I pledge it to you. I pledge you my heart forever and your name on my last breath.”

Half the crowd was openly crying. Hermione turned to Seamus, his eyes shining with unshed tears of joy and love. “My brother, we have laughed and we have cried together. You were the heart and the fire of passion for those that stayed. I wish for you all of the joy and love you so deserve. Do you have words for your wife to be?”

“Lavender,” he began, “I was lost and drifting with the wind, and then an angel found me, an angel with a loving caress and a firm hand.” Another giggle flitted through the audience. “You brought me back from a dark place, you did. I was not the man I should be, the man I am now, and I am that man because of you. Just when I feel that I could not love you more, you do something fine, and I’m lifted to another, higher love. You are me life, me future, and your eyes are the last thing I wish to see when I depart this earth. I will be true to you and never waver, and I will stand with you and face whatever comes. This I swear by the land, by me family, and on me wand.”

Sniffles sounded from all quarters of the marquee. Hermione gave the audience a moment to collect themselves and then continued. “In the past, when honor was in short supply, these bonds were made on pain of death. Now we simply take witches and wizards at their word.” She turned to Lavender. “Do you, Lavender Brown, take this man, Seamus Finnigan, to be your husband; to be his refuge from the world, to hold him in sorrow, and laugh with him in joy? Do you promise to stay true to him and love him for as long as you live?”

Lavender lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it. “I do.”

Hermione looked at Seamus. “Do you, Seamus Finnigan, take this woman, Lavender Brown, to be your wife; to keep the world from her door, to comfort her in sadness and dance with her in happiness? Do you promise to love her and only her for as long as you live?”

Seamus looked Lavender squarely in the eyes. “I do, with all me heart.”

Hermione looked out at the crowd. “Since not all of us are wizards or witches, I will explain the bonding of the wands. Since the time that magic arose witches and wizards have bound themselves together, one way of showing trust and faith is the mutual bonding of the wands. As these two are wedded so will their wands be wed. They will be magically united so that if danger should arise both will serve either person as their own, and if they are used together their magic will be multiplied.” She looked the couple before her. “Wands.”

Seamus drew his wand from the inside pocket of his dress robes, and Lavender drew hers from a special pocket in her dress. Seamus knelt and offered Lavender the handle end of his wand. She took it and placed it in her right hand along with hers, and then she wrapped her left hand around her right. Seamus stood and placed both his hands on either side of hers. Both of their wands, surrounded by all four of their hands, pointed at the ceiling.

Hermione drew her wand again and did clockwise circles around Seamus's and Lavender’s while she said the incantation, “Ego suo vos iam quod forem. Unus vita, unus pectus pectoris, unus veneficus.” A blue green glow shimmered around all three of them for a moment and then faded. Hermione nodded to them, and Seamus released his hold on Lavender’s hands. She handed him his wand, and they slid them back into their pockets.

“The wedding rings are a symbol of a love eternal.” Hermione said, and glanced at her own. “They are a physical depiction of a love that has no beginning and no ending.” She lifted the pillow with the rings from the altar and nodded to Seamus. He took the smaller thin gold band from the pillow, and Hermione smiled at him. “Repeat after me … with this ring I thee wed.”

Seamus looked into the face of his bride. “With this ring I thee wed.” He slid the ring on her finger and the moment it touched her engagement ring the two fused into one.

“To be your husband, your friend, your lover.”

His smile turned a bit roguish. “Aye, to be your husband, your friend, your lover.”

The audience laughed.

“To cleave to you and you alone for all my days.”

“To cleave to you and you alone for all me days.”

Hermione turned to Lavender. She remembered how she had trembled at this point in her own wedding, almost dropping Ron’s ring. She glowed with pride for Lavender as her friend calmly plucked Seamus’s ring from the pillow and took his hand.

“With this ring I thee wed.”

“With this ring I thee wed.” Lavender pushed the ring onto his finger.

“To be your wife, your friend, your lover.”

“To be your wife, your friend, your lover.”

“To cleave to you and you alone for all my days.”

“To cleave to you, Shay, and you alone for all my days.”

Hermione nodded and looked into the crowd. “In a magical marriage the rings have an additional duty.” She nodded to Seamus and Lavender.

Lavender kissed her ring and held her hand out to Seamus. “As we are bound,” she said.

Seamus kissed his ring. “So these are bound,” he said, and laid his hand on Lavender’s so that their rings touched.

Hermione drew clockwise circles above their hands with her wand. “Be united as one heart, exsisto Iunctus ut unus pectus pectoris,” she intoned. A glittering shower of golden sparks spiraled down out of her wand. Seamus and Lavender’s rings glowed briefly, and then they felt them warm and the steady pulsing of each other’s hearts in their rings. “For as long as you live you will be able to find each other.” Hermione looked out into the audience. “As Seamus and Lavender have stood before us and bound themselves, their wands, and their rings, we are bound to bear witness that they are now and forever, husband and wife.” She winked at Seamus. “Kiss the girl, Shay.”

Seamus slid his arms around her waist. “Hello, Mrs. Finnigan.”

“Hello, Mr. Finnigan,” she said, and his lips were on hers. The world vanished at it was just them, wrapped in an embrace. Far in the distance she heard a voice shout, “Well done, Finnigan,” followed by cheers and applause.

“Hello in there,” Hermione said after a long pause, and then she laughed. “We’d like to get to the feast now… if you don’t mind terribly.” The birds singing in the trees became louder when Hermione flicked her wand, dispelling the circle.

Gradually the world came back into focus, and Lavender looked into her husband’s smiling face.

“Hungry?” he asked.

Lavender looked at him with an expression that made Seamus’s heart race and his face flush. She smiled coyly and said, “Not really.”

“Aye, he laughed. “Well, even so we probably should join our guests and build up our strength then.” Seamus took his bride's hand and led her back down the aisle as the crowd cheered again.

*

At the head of the receiving line Luna shook Rowan Brown's hand. “You play marvelously,” he said.

Luna looked at him and grinned. “Thank you, Rowan Brown.” Lavender tells me we have something in common.

He looked at her, and concentrated. Yes, I believe we do.

She swayed a little, looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow. No need to shout, Rowan Brown. My, you are very strong, aren’t you?

Janice looked from her husband to the blonde woman with the Mona Lisa smile, knowing she was missing something. “Good to see you again, Luna,” she said.

“It is very nice to see you again, Janice Brown,” Luna said as she took her hand, and Janice felt a tingling sensation pass through her body. “Both of you.” Luna’s smile became even more enigmatic. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you, but we’ve been married now for five months,” Janice said. “No need for congratulations anymore.”

Luna giggled. “Oh, yes there is,” she said, looking over Rowan’s shoulder. “Good afternoon, Minister.”

*

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Dean called. He stood next to Seamus at the head table. All around the back lawn of the Grove tables were scattered. Each had an umbrella half again the size of the table top hovering over it. Seamus and Lavender were flanked by Dean and Luna on Seamus’s side and Parvati and Anthony on Lavender's. Pelly the Badgewonk, Luna’s erstwhile pet, sat in her lap. The crowd quietened as Dean held up his glass. “I met Shay and Lav the same day they met each other, September the first, nineteen ninety-one. We were all sorted into Gryffindor, and became friends. In short order Shay became my best mate, and he’s been my best mate ever since.” He smiled, turned, and addressed Lavender. “Lav, Shay ever tell you about the night after the Yule Ball?”

Seamus glared at his friend. “Shut the hell up, Thomas,” he said, and the crowd roared with laughter.

“Do continue, Dean,” Lavender said with a smile. “Just what did happen?”

“Well my best mate comes home from a date with the most beautiful girl in our year.

“HEY!” shouts simultaneously sounded from Anthony, Ron, and Blaise.

“IT'S THEIR WEDDING, GUYS!” Dean shouted back.

Hermione rose from her chair at the next table. “We concede, don’t we, ladies?” Parvati and Padma both smiled and nodded. “Thank you, gentlemen, for your defense,” she said, looking at Blaise, Anthony and then her husband. “Go on, Dean.”

“Thank you, Prefect Granger,” he said slyly as she took her seat.

She smiled and glared at him. “Don’t push it, Thomas,” she said, and looked at Luna. “I know someone that can put you in detention.”

Dean Laughed along with everyone else, looked out at the people sitting around the tables, and went on. “So, Shay comes back to the dorm after the ball, and he’s floating on air.” He turned to Lavender. “It was his first kiss, you know.” Lavender nodded. Dean smiled at her and turned back to the audience.

“Well he comes in the room to find two morose roommates, me, and Neville not back to the dorm yet.” Parvati and Padma both laughed, and Dean looked from one to the other. “Yeah, we covered that one at Harry and Ginny’s wedding, didn’t we. Anyway, it didn’t even slow Shay down,” he laughed again. We heard about the whole night, twice. Every dance, every kiss, the feel of her dress, the colours her hair turns in the light, her eyes, everything. We took the mickey a good bit, but his smile was charmed on, charmed on by a very beautiful young witch, and we couldn’t get under his skin at all.” He paused. “Hacked us off, really.”

A round of laughter went through the crowd.

“Well, it wasn’t the beginning of a grand love affair like we thought it would be, but it was the continuation of a grand friendship. Though to tell you the truth, Lav, Shay never had eyes for anyone else after that. He dated a few girls after the war, more ‘n a few, but you seem to be a hard act to follow.”

The crowd laughed again.

“Then came the battle.” The crowd quietened substantially. “Lav, I don’t know if you know this, but Shay stayed by your bedside for three full days. We had to drag him back to the dorm to get some sleep after Poppy told us you would live.”

“Parv told me when I woke up,” she said thickly. “She also told me he was pretty mad that he wasn’t there when I woke up.” She hugged his arm.

“Yeah, I know,” Dean continued. “We got remarkably pissed at the Hog’s Head that night.”

Chuckles sounded from several male voices.

“Those laughs you just heard were from the blokes that were there. A lot of us care for Lavender as a great friend, and we were… well not quite as relieved as Shay and Parv were, but we were very happy that night.” He smiled at the couple next to him. “For the next year and a bit Luna and I went back to finish, and Shay went travelling and lived on and off with Harry and Ron at Grimmauld. When Luna and I got our flat we had an extra room, and we asked Shay if he wanted it. The ‘last living bachelor’ moved in shortly. You all remember that ‘last living bachelor tripe, right.”

Ron and Harry nearly guffawed as laughter, and nodding heads were scattered through the crowd.

“Yeah, Shay, we told you, me especially, that love would find you. I just didn’t know she’d be sitting at our kitchen table.” He looked fondly down at Lavender. “One night we lost track of Shay, and Lav went out to look for him with us. She found him, in more ways than one. That weekend was the first time he brought Lavender here, and when they got back home I had a very different best mate.”

Dean looked out at the crowd with a serious look on his face. “My friend here is a good man; Lavender makes him a great man.” He let those words hang in the air for a moment. “And Shay brings out the best in Lavender, her family will attest to that. Many of us see that there are couples here that were meant to be, Luna and me, Harry and Ginny, those two,” he said, rolling his eyes and nodding at Ron and Hermione.

“You be sure and give him just as good at their wedding Shay,” Ron called out.

“Yeah, yeah, stuff it Weasley.” Dean laughed, and gazed back out across his audience. “Looking back on it, Lav and Shay were meant to be too, and now they are. So here’s to my best mate and one of my oldest friends.” He raised his glass. “To Lavender and Seamus Finnigan, may there always be fire in your hearth, love in your hearts, and money in your pocket; to Lavender and Seamus!”

“Lavender and Seamus!”

*

“I have something for you, Lavender,” her father said. They swayed in the middle of the dance floor to a slow waltz. The interior of the marquee had been charmed into a dance hall complete with soft lighting and wooden floor. “I thought Artie or Jaz would get here first, but as you’re the first girl to be married you get it.”

“What’s that, Dad?”

“A very special locket,” he said, and pulled a silver chain with an egg sized oval locket on it from his suit pocket. “Your great grandfather gave this to your great grandmother before he left to fight in the First World War. It’s been handed down to the first woman in the family to get married since. Your grandmother got it on her wedding day, your mother on hers, and now it’s yours.” he placed the chain around her neck.

Lavender looked into her father’s face, and a few tears ran down her cheeks. “I think you should save it for Artie, Dad. I won’t have a daughter to give it to.”

Nathanial Brown looked at his daughter with a melancholy smile on his face. “You never know what the future holds, my baby girl,” he told her. “You can give it to one of their daughters if you like, but for now it’s yours.” He chuckled. “Oh, and I’d keep it to yourself for a while. They’re hacked enough as it is.”

“Okay, I’ll keep it, but just until one of their girls gets married.” She looked into her father’s face. “Thanks Daddy, thanks for everything.”

*

“Change partners, Nat?” Seamus asked as he and Sylvia swung up beside him and Lavender.

“Certainly… Son.” Grinning with pride he handed Lavender’s hand to her husband.

“Mum talk your ear off?” Lavender asked in a hushed voice as they danced away from her parents.

“Oh no, not at all, she just told me how happy she was… a few times.”

Lavender giggled. “Well she is, quite.” She shook her head. “I just hope Artie and Jaz forgive me.”

“Oh they seem fine. Don’t think they’re angry at all, not from the way they keep smiling at you and telling you how beautiful you are. You are by the way, so beautiful.” Her heart fluttered at the look he gave her. To the gates of hell and beyond, she thought. Anything, anytime, anywhere. I promise I won’t take advantage, Shay.

“And you are the most handsome, devoted man in the world, my husband.” She said sincerely, and then chuckled again. “But just wait until Mum starts pestering them to find husbands of their own. Rowan and I are never going to hear the end of it.”

“We could do a bit o’ matchmaking?”

She shook her head and fixed him with a stern expression. “Don’t even think it, Shay. Parv and I learned the hard way.”

“Do tell?” he said with a mischievous smirk.

“Oh, okay. No secrets.” She smirked and rolled her eyes. “Well, it was fifth year, and we noticed Dean watching Ginny.”

Seamus stopped dead. “You did that?”

Lavender blushed and pulled him back into the dance. “Yes, well, sort of. I mean he was interested and we didn’t know… everything. All we really did was put a word in Ginny’s ear that Dean was interested, and then put them together at the end of year party. Ginny was done with Michael at that point, so we thought it’d work well.” Lavender laid her head on his shoulder as they danced. “There were a dozen girls crushing on Harry, and we thought Ginny was over it.” She was quiet for several moments, as she reveled in the feel of her husband against her. “Should have talked to Hermione,” she chuckled. “But how could we have known Ginny had been in love with Harry since she was ten, and by that time I had a sort of issue with Hermione.”

Seamus chuckled himself. “I’ve told you this before, me love. I just wish it’d have been me. We’d have got here a lot sooner.”

“We’re here now, Shay.” She looked up into his eyes, drinking him in, memorizing the expression of pure love on his face. They drifted around the dance floor in silence, holding each other close, in their own insular world oblivious to everything and everyone else. Other couples passed by them and offered congratulations, but they smiled and danced on as it became obvious that the bride and groom were lost in each other.

*

The bonfire was roaring inside a circle of boulders set in the back lawn of the Grove. As he opened the garden gate Seamus noticed that now and again someone would approach the fire and toss a scrap of parchment into the flames. He and Lavender had left the marquee full of dancing people to stroll through the garden before they left for France. Lavender giggled and pointed to a bench at the far side of the pond.

“I knew it!” she said quietly.

Cho Chang sat wrapped in the arms of Dudley Dursley. After the New Year party at Grimmauld they'd started seeing each other on a regular basis, much to his parent’s consternation. Lavender smirked. Auror Chang was not intimidated by… anything, and Dudley’s parents had learned early on that she wouldn’t curse them, she’d talk, and Cho possessed a quick mind coupled to a razor sharp tongue. She had laughingly relayed a tale to Lavender that Dudley told about the last visit by Professor Dumbledore to the home on Privet Drive. Dudley thought it was funny as hell now, his parents weren’t there yet. He had also told Cho that her half hour rant on their treatment of the two boys they had raised, delivered at an ever increasing volume and pitch, had tamed Mr. and Mrs. Dursley quite well.

“Harry loves that, you know,” said Seamus from her side. He chuckled. “Says it turns his uncle into a cherry coloured walrus.”

“They’re getting pretty serious,” Lavender said. “Wonder what colour he’ll turn if they get engaged.”

“I’d pay ten galleons to see it.”

She smiled. “I’m sure you’re not alone there, my love.”

They came to the swing. Lavender sat while Seamus pushed her in gentle arcs. “Are the papers for the house all finished and filed?” she asked.

“Aye, me love. It’s our home now.

Her smile was content and serene. “Good. Margaret… Mam,” -she smiled happily- “is very pleased we’re going to be so close, and Mum is a floo away. It’s marvelous, Shay. I like old homes, and a little cottage built in thirteen twelve is my idea of perfect.”

“Grew up in an old home meself.” He looked up at the new moon. “It was a good day for you, me love?”

“Better than I ever dreamed of, my husband.”

He laughed and brushed his hand down her hair as she swung back to him. “Wonder what Kingsley was on about.”

“Yeah, me too, I’m curious what this ‘intriguing situation’ is?”

Seamus pushed her again. “Well he knows the rules; we stay together, they don’t get to make any demands on your sweet, something we want to do, we’ll see what he says when we get back.”

“He’s a good man.” She laughed. “Persistent, but still a good man, and it was very nice of him to personally arrange the Portkey to Paris.”

“Speaking o’ which, there’s a room at the Hotel Magia waiting for us.” Seamus brought her to a stop, stepped around to the front of the swing, and held out his hand. “Mrs. Finnigan?”

Lavender took her husband’s hand and rose from the swing. “Mr. Finnigan.”

Cho and Dudley watched from across the garden, as the bride and groom shared a wondrous moment in the moonlight. When Seamus pulled a letter from his pocket and Lavender took hold of it, Dudley felt Cho snuggle into him. “Have a wonderful time, Lavender. You’ve earned it. Take care of her, Shay.” The couple on the opposite side of the garden floated up into the air and disappeared in a flash of blue.

****

Seamus held the door for his wife as she walked into the office of the Minister for Magic. Lavender smiled at the Minister and took a seat in one of the chairs facing his desk. She smoothed the fabric on her dress, a knee length, form hugging creation in red and blue silk and satin. Her husband had been very patient and generous as she wandered through the dress shops of Paris, and she had been very grateful and accommodating in the ensuing evenings. Seamus sat in the chair next to her, and they looked expectantly across the desk at Kingsley.

“Well,” he said in his rich baritone. “Did you enjoy Paris? I can see you left a few galleons there.” He indicated Lavender’s dress.

“More’n a few, sir,” Seamus said, and laughed. “Ah, but it was worth it, it was.”

Lavender laid her hand on Seamus’s. “And thank you, Minister.”

The Minister interrupted her. “Kingsley, Mrs. Finnigan,” he said kindly. “I’d like to be on a first name basis with you and your husband.”

“All right,” she smiled. “Thank you, Kingsley, for the room, for the champagne, for the escort from the French Ministry, all of it. It was wonderful, and the French Ministry and the staff of the hotel were so kind and helpful, we had no trouble at all.”

“Aye, they even tolerated me massacring their language.”

Lavender laughed. “Oh, Kingsley, you should have seen some of the looks we got when Shay attempted French.” She giggled uncontrollably.

“Aye, I suppose it was pretty funny for you, me love.” Seamus said shaking his head. “Me bad French with me accent. I’m surprised they understood me at all.”

Lavender laughed harder. “They didn’t, Shay. I translated more than you know.”

“Well then I guess any time I go to France you have to come.” He said and kissed her hand.

The Minister smiled at the two young people so obviously in love. “I’m happy you had such a good time, and I’ll relay your thanks the French Minister. Pierre was more than pleased to arrange what he did for you.” He leaned forward and opened a file on his desk. “But I suppose you’d like to know why I wanted to talk to you again.”

“You’re going to offer us another position I suspect,” Lavender said with a smile.

“Yes, I am,” he laughed. “And this time I think you may accept.”

“Aye then, let’s hear it.”

Minister Shacklebolt cleared his throat. “As you are more than aware, there are now a Mr. and Mrs. Potter and their friends Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.”

Lavender nodded. “We were all at the weddings.”

“Quite true, Lavender,” Kingsley said. “Which means in the near future there will be young Potters and Weasleys, and those children will be targets. There are those who will never give up their vendetta against Harry, Ron, Hermione, all of you.” He let them think on that for a moment. “When I spoke to Ginny and Hermione they didn’t fully comprehend the nature of the threat, now they do. We need someone to watch over these most precious children, we need security for them that will be constant and ‘constantly vigilant’, we need to be sure that when the attack comes, and it will come, that those that are to protect these children will act instantly, effectively,”-his face hardened- “and lethally, with no hesitation.”

Seamus and Lavender were gobsmacked. Of all the possible offers they had guessed about, this one had never occurred to them. The minister continued. “When I asked Ginny and Hermione who they would like for this assignment, you two were their first and only choice. We have time, but not a great deal I suspect.” His deep laugh reverberated through the room. “After all there are Weasleys involved.”

Seamus and Lavender were still too stunned to talk.

“There will be training, of course. The standard three months Auror training, but then I have arranged some very special foreign opportunities.” He looked at the pretty blonde woman. “Lavender, I understand you have been studying Kung Fu. I’ve spoken to the Chinese Minister, who in turn has spoken to the Wizarding Wu Shu monks of Lhasa.”

“They exist?” Lavender choked out.

“Yes, and they would very much like to train you. The idea of a sentient werewolf skilled in the Wu Shu arts appeals to them a great deal.” He turned to Seamus. “Seamus, they would also teach you. You would need to know how to work with Lavender in those kinds of situations.” Kingsley smiled to himself. He knew the offer was one that would intrigue them, but he was very pleased at their stunned, awed faces. “After that the Shinto wizards of Fuji would be pleased with your presence.”

Lavender let out a stunned breath. “Us? Me?” she said in wonder

“Yes, Lavender, both of you. Lastly the American department would take you through modern combat and weapons training.” He looked at Seamus. “You’re going to have to learn to drive a car, fly an aeroplane, ride a motorcycle.”

“Already know how to do that one, sir,” Seamus said, still amazed.

“Good. You would report directly to me, and no one else would know the nature of your assignment besides the immediate families. To everyone else you’ll just be the nanny and her husband.” He stretched and smiled. “Well I know this is a big decision, so I’ll let you think on it, but don’t take too long. If you decide not to take it we’ll need time to make other arrangements.”

Seamus was quiet for a long moment while he watched emotions play over his wife’s face. “Me only concern is for Lav.” He turned to face her. “If we do this, love, could you handle being around the children that much knowing that you can’t have your own?”

Lavender nodded slowly. “Yes, Shay, I could. I think it’s a wonderful idea, really.” She looked at her husband and gave an almost imperceptible nod to him, and he smiled and nodded back. Lavender turned back to face Kingsley. “I don’t think you need make any other arrangements, Minister, and we don’t need to think about it,” she said. “We’ll take it.”

Finis
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I Believed in Father Christmas