cycle

A long purple carpet was laid at the entrance of the big tent, delicate golden chairs were neatly placed on both sides, and the white golden flowers wrapped around the pillars echoed the golden balloons above the tent.When Hermione and I arrived, Mrs. Weasley's scheduled waiter and band had already arrived, and they were smoking a pipe and chatting under a tree not far away.

"You look really good!" Ron, who rushed over to point us to the seats, looked at Hermione and praised sincerely in a tone that must have sounded sincere.

"Always in that surprised tone," Hermione said though, and she didn't move away when Ron made a gesture to kiss the back of her hand.

"It's all under control, it's all under control." There was a sudden loud noise not far away, and when the crowd fell into a brief panic, Fred's loud voice resounded through the entire tent, "Friends, don't panic, You know we wrote on the invitations that all guests had to bring their noses to the wedding - ouch mother I just wanted to liven things up - well, it was Hagrid who got his seat wrong and collapsed five chairs!"

"The two of them are preoccupied with taking care of those French relatives in Fleur." Ron grumbled, coughing loudly to show that he was not at all interested in young French girls in bright hats and jeweled bow ties.We had just passed a few middle-aged witches who didn't seem to understand much English, and Tonks, who looked particularly energetic with blond hair, greeted us holding Lupin's hand.

"We just saw Neville and Harry, and Arthur told us that both of them drank Polyjuice Potion." Tonks said to us with a smile, sweeping away the gloom before, it seems that Professor Lupine never He was so cleanly dressed and his hair carefully trimmed that he looked at least ten years younger. "I was supposed to be on duty. Lily said I should take a break since I haven't been feeling well lately. Your mother is the nicest person I've ever met!"

"I haven't had time to say happy wedding in person." I hugged Tonks and shook hands with Professor Lupine.Tonks smiled and squeezed my cheek.

"Where are Neville and the others? What have they become?" Hermione asked a little nervously. She had been clutching the small beaded bag in her hand tightly since she came downstairs. "And Tallus, I need any time Remember their location anywhere!"

"Don't be too nervous, Hermione." Tonks patted Hermione on the shoulder, "I think Lily and Fiona will be over in a while, although James may be too busy to come - just relax today Be on your nerves. Tallus got caught by Fleur's cousins, by that post. Here, see, two red-haired boys over there, Harry with short curly hair, and long curly hair It's Neville, and the wizard they're chatting to is really weirdly dressed!"

"That's Xenophilius Lovegood—Luna's father." Ron introduced us to the middle-aged man with white hair dressed as if he was attending a masquerade. Many people couldn't help but look up and down at his eye-catching egg-yellow robe and the gold necklace with a pendant like a triangular eye strangely around his neck.Just at this moment, Luna trotted over with her fingers raised high, her face still had an expression as if she was in a dream.

"I just got bitten by a goblin!" she said cheerfully to us. "I've never experienced it before! Look, Neville!"

"Uh, I'm Barry now." The long curly-haired young man next to Mr. Lovegood showed a nervous expression, "How did you know that?"

"Your appearance has changed, and so has your name?" Luna turned her dazed eyes to another tall, thin young man with short curly hair, "Then what has your name changed to, Harry?"

"Barney, Barney Weasley." Harry forced a smile, and seemed to have given up on asking why his disguise was leaking.

"Hello, Barney Weasley." Luna reached out and shook Harry's hand, "but I think you are more suitable for Harry Potter."

"Let me find some ointment and apply it to you." Neville kept looking at the bleeding wound on Luna's fingertips, "It looks pretty serious—"

"No, no, my dear child!" Mr. Lovegood, who was talking to others just now, turned around, his face was full of joy, "This is a rare gift for an engineer! Luna, my dear , if you have any sudden urge today - want to sing an opera, or want to read in the language of the mermaid - don't suppress it!"

When Luna nodded cheerfully, I think it took a lot of effort for Hermione to suppress the urge to snort.Ron held back a smile and led the Lovegood father and daughter to their seats. Harry was about to come to me when a dry old witch appeared tremblingly, wearing a hat and With a pink feather hat that didn't match her age at all, she yelled for Neville and Harry to go over and help her, but those eyes reflected the shrewdness and sobriety that didn't match the elderly, and she looked beyond her With his hooked nose, he looked over Harry and Neville, looking me and Hermione up and down with some condescension.

"Who are you two?" The old witch looked at Harry and Neville suspiciously, "Why do I feel like I've never seen you?"

"Barry Weasley and Barney Weasley." Neville let her hold his arm tightly and replied, "Ron's distant cousin."

"Oh! Weasley, no wonder!" The witch pinched Harry's nose with her skinny hand. "You reproduce faster than goblins. I don't have the time to remember who is who! Married to a French Man, though a pretty girl, but—French! Well, well, at least my leprechaun wreath is pretty on her head, and has been in my family for centuries—come here, you two , I just saw it in the house and didn't have time to ask, who the hell is Ron's Muggle-born girl?"

"Oh... I am." Hermione replied with some unease, not sure if it was "Ron's" or "Muggle-born" unease.

"Hmm..." She looked critically at Hermione from head to toe again, "the posture is not beautiful, the ankle is too prominent."

"Don't take it to heart, Aunt Muriel is a nightmare, she's not polite to anyone." Ron hurried over to pick up the witch and then hurried over to us and said, "She's old, a little old Confused, it's over 100 years old after all. Used to be the richest person in our family and no one would contradict her but Fred and George and she said she wouldn't leave a cent to them - but it's different now I can't imagine anyone richer than Fred and George."

"She also said my hair was so long that she thought I was Ginny," Neville muttered, "and then asked which Weasley's daughter Alice was."

There was a sudden commotion at the tent door, and the screams of some witches made us all nervously reach for our wands.A dark-haired, hook-nosed young man appeared in the crowd. He glanced around, then walked straight in the direction of Hermione, still looking straight at Hermione's face when he handed the invitation to Ron , said in a low voice: "You look so beautiful."

"Victor!" Hermione wanted to reach out to shake his hand, but she passed the hand holding the small beaded bag. In a panic, she wanted to change a clutch, but she didn't hold it firmly. There was a bang disproportionate to its size, and I was sure I heard the clatter of books collapsing in the intervals of the music.

"Miss Snape." Cedric Diggory, who was walking behind Krum, held out his hand to me with a smile, "Long time no see, Ron—the invitations for me and my father are here."

But Ron didn't seem to hear Cedric, and he didn't care about Mr. Diggory, who was not looking well beside Cedric.He stared firmly at the back of Hermione's hand that Krum politely kissed, then lowered his head to look at Krum's invitation for a while, and said in a rough voice, "Why don't I remember sending you an invitation?" Woolen cloth?"

"Fleur invited me." Krum raised his thick black eyebrows.

Krum's appearance caused a lot of commotion, especially the group of Veela cousins ​​who had finally been seated by Fred and George (no longer pestering Talus).Fortunately, we were all asked to find a seat quickly, or we might bump into the bride-I saw Dad and Mad-Eye Moody sitting in the corner, both of whom were out of tune with the joy around them (and didn't really want to into) expression.Mom didn't make it to the ceremony on the time she said, and I felt a little uneasy, but Hermione had pulled me into the second row behind Fred and George, the blush on her face never fading.

The hum of talking and laughing in the tent was gradually drowned out by the arrival of Mrs. and Mrs. Weasley, smiling and waving to us, Mrs. Weasley, in her new purple robe and matching hat, trying to hide it with a wink. With tears in the eyes.A moment later Bill and Charlie were standing in front of the marquee with large white roses in their buttonholes.A playful whistle sounded from the crowd, and Fred managed to bring laughter back to the table.

When Mr. Delacour walked down the aisle with Fleur on his arm, no one seemed to be able to hold back the sigh of being overwhelmed by the beauty in his chest.Fu Rong only wore a very simple white dress, or all the cumbersome decorations were a burden to her. The beauty that has always been strong and aggressive on her body suddenly restrained all her sharpness today and turned into a soft and gentle one. Silver light flashed across the eyes of everyone present.

Ginny and Gabriel followed in gold dresses holding bouquets, both looking prettier than usual.When Furong walked up to Bill and smiled, everyone present could no longer see the scars left on Bill's face. Everyone could only see two young people who were in love with each other sincerely looking at each other. Under our witness, make a vow for the rest of your life.

"Ladies and gentlemen." A somewhat monotonous voice sounded, and I recognized it as the little wizard presiding over Dumbledore's funeral, "Today we gather here to celebrate the union of two loyal souls..."

There was a soft sob from the seats, and Mrs Weasley and Mrs Delacour covered their faces with lace veils.At that moment I thought a little out of place of Mrs. Black and Dumbledore's funeral, also neat chairs, people in dresses, music, flowers, sunshine, even the same person officiating.We sing of tender happiness and lick parting wounds in similar scenes, we shed tears when we bid farewell to the dead and we shed tears for the result of love, or there is no difference in the essence, people are always because of love—germination The love of love, the love of results, the love of long journeys, only to feel the sorrow and satisfaction.

"...I declare you to be partners for life."

When the little wizard said this, Harry quietly took my hand that was hanging by his side.

A large cloud of silver stars fell on Bill and Fleur, and the golden balloon hovering above their heads exploded amidst the loud applause of the audience, flying out of the Bird of Paradise and a small golden bell.Everyone followed the command and stood up (Aunt Muriel held Neville's arm tightly, and the curse words she muttered were drowned out by laughter), all the seats were lifted gracefully into the air, and the canvas of the tent disappeared Now, as a pool of melted gold spread to everyone's feet, a dance floor appeared in the orchard with a brilliant sunset.

"Absolutely, my mother was always worried about what Fred and George would do - you know, it's not a surprise or a scare to her." Ron admired, reaching for a glass of wine from the waiter's tray. He handed Hermione the pumpkin juice and took a glass of Firewhiskey herself, "Ah, I'm an adult, and I can finally drink whatever I want."

"Should we go over to congratulate the newlyweds?" Hermione tiptoed to see where Bill and Fleur were, and they were almost overwhelmed by the rushing crowd. "Too many people—"

"There's always time for it later." Harry, who had never been interested in dancing, planned to sit down in a quieter, out-of-the-way place. "I saw Neville and Luna, did you go there together?"

"As long as there's no veela in there," Tallus muttered. "I knew I'd drink Polyjuice Potion too, tsk."

As soon as we sat down, Bill and Fleur first stepped onto the dance floor as the band played. After a while, Mr. Weasley also led Mrs. Delacour to the dance floor, followed by Mrs. Weasley and Fleur's father.I haven't been to a wedding, and I feel instinctively happy watching them dance on the dance floor, and I have mixed feelings thinking about the farewell that will be faced immediately after today's wedding.It may be because my eyes have been following Fleur's fluttering skirt, creating an illusion that I want to dance. Cedric, who is sitting on another table not far from me, leans over and invites me politely: " Want a dance, Miss Snape?"

"Huh?" I glanced blankly at Harry who was still talking to Talus (of course he is Barney Weasley now), it seemed impolite to refuse bluntly at this time, and he obviously had nothing In other words, I put my hand on Cedric's arm. "OK, thanks."

"You don't seem to be in a good mood. Is it because Harry didn't come?" Cedric asked gently. Sensible."

"Yeah." I glanced at the table over there, and Krum sat down on the empty seat I left, but he didn't invite Hermione to dance. Instead, Ron pulled Hermione to follow me and Seth. Derek walked on the dance floor behind. "Huh? Why do you know about me and Harry? Well, no, I just don't think when you graduated we didn't—"

"Harry Potter has never concealed his liking for you." Cedric laughed, "I still remember the DA training back then, as long as a boy said more than five words to you, he would walk over to you Pay off."

"Really?" I blinked my eyes, "I haven't realized this yet, I just remember that Qiu Zhang would teach other girls to spell wrong spells because of you——uh, sorry, I'm really not very good at getting along with unfamiliar people people chat."

"It's nothing." Fortunately, he was not angry because I mentioned his ex-girlfriend abruptly, "It's been so long...we were very happy when we were together, and we separated because we reached a consensus. Very good memory, although the ending is regrettable."

"Mr. Diggory doesn't seem happy today." I tried to change the subject stiffly, remembering that Cedric's father had been silent and dark since he entered the tent, "I remember when you were in the Quidditch World Cup Came with the Weasleys because the neighbors were invited?"

"My dad was angry because he quarreled with me, and it had nothing to do with Mr. Weasley's family." Cedric replied, "He thinks I should continue to stay abroad, that's the safest way. But Britain is in turmoil , The international department stationed abroad is useless, what is the difference between hiding out and deserting? I originally wanted to at least catch up with Professor Dumbledore's funeral... It took too much time to convince the family."

"That boy with red curly hair seems to mind me dancing with you." Cedric looked at the table where I was sitting just now, and asked thoughtfully, "Although he was talking to Viktor, he kept looking at us. —Is it your friend?"

"Uh, Ron's cousin." I replied vaguely, "I don't know him very well. I just met him today."

Fortunately, the song ended and the conversation did not continue.As soon as Cedric let go of my hand, Ginny appeared out of nowhere and extended a hand to Cedric with extra vivacity: "Do I have the honor to dance with you?"

"What's the matter?" I had just returned to my seat, Harry had gone somewhere, he was still sitting here a second ago.Krum pushed aside the crowd with a sullen face and walked towards Mr. Lovegood, who was as conspicuous as a sunflower. I really can't think of any grievances between these two people.

"He said the triangle-shaped emblem Mr. Lovegood was wearing was Grindelwald's - Grindelwald used to go to school in Durmstrang, so he was pretty sure it was an evil symbol." Neville Looking a little worried, "I think he must have made a mistake. Maybe Mr. Lovegood is just wearing a cutaway drawing of a horned snork."

"Yeah, how can you be serious with their father and daughter?" Talus yawned, shaking his head and rejecting another beautiful witch who came to invite him to dance, "The wedding...so that's how it is, to be honest Pretty boring."

"Where did Harry go?" There were too many people on the dance floor, and most of the people present had red hair. Instead, I first saw Dad leaning against the pillar by himself, with that kind of expression on his face when he was in class. The sneering smile that would appear listening to the two old men arguing - and then I saw Harry, who was actually there too.

"How can you listen to the nonsense of a woman like Rita Skeeter!" I heard the voice of the gray-haired old man trembling with anger as I struggled to drag my skirt over, "Listen to such slander, Insulting... what she wrote was an insult to Albus! I don't care about the dirty water she throws at me, the kind of bald vulture who hates women, without a shred of professional ethics-"

"But what she wrote is much more interesting than your obituary." Aunt Muriel smiled while holding a glass of champagne, "We like to read that kind of stuff, a saint can't always be a saint, someone has to stand up Expose the unbearable secrets behind him—"

"Albus has nothing terribly private, he's been very—"

"Come on, Ephias." Muriel waved her hand impatiently, and asked Harry, who was standing next to him, to take the champagne from the waiter and fill it up for her, "He killed his Ariana?" Squib sister, it might be a relief if I say that, after all, Ariana has been imprisoned in the cellar by Kendra Dumbledore—”

"Arianna is not a squib!" I thought that the elderly wizard named Dorje might fall to the ground in anger in a second, but he took a big sip of ice water and took several deep breaths before saying, "I said so , those are all lies woven by Rita Skeeter in order to catch people's attention, Ariana just has been in poor health and is not suitable to go to Hogwarts school!"

"But how do you explain that Candela has never found a doctor from St. Mungo's to treat Ariana? You can't convince yourself that the truth is that the domineering witch couldn't bear to give birth to a Squib, and she chose to erase her Her excellent son is her best assistant and accomplice." Muriel said triumphantly, "Rita Skeeter said, she interviewed a very powerful witness, Bathilda Bagshot -"

"Professor Bagshot doesn't pay attention to people like Rita Skeeter." Harry interrupted Muriel abruptly, regardless of the shock caused by his cold tone to the nominal "aunt", "Professor Dumbledore rarely goes back to Godric's Hollow, but every time he comes back, he mourns at the door of the chapel - where his family is buried. You can believe the nonsense of those reporters, and you should respect more people Choose to believe that Dumbledore was a great man."

"I was going to get some butterbeer just now, but this old woman was holding me back and saying these things." Harry shook his head and said in a slightly annoyed tone as he came to me, " If I'm not now—forget it, what did you and Digory talk about?"

"He seems to be going back to China to help." I took the beer he handed me, "After a short chat, he and Ginny—"

At this moment, a big silver thing fell through the ceiling above the dance floor.Elegant and gleaming, the lynx lands lightly among the frightened dancers.Before I could react, my father, who was a few steps away from me, had already rushed in front of me. The Patronus opened his mouth wide and began to speak in a man's loud and thick voice.

"The Ministry of Magic has been taken. James and Fiona are confirmed dead. Here they come."

Everything seemed slow and blurry, and the dance floor, which had been filled with music just now, was instantly filled with screams.I just pulled out my wand, and everything I heard just now seems to be still in the stage of sound, and my brain has not recognized what it means, or I subconsciously refuse to understand what it means.

Darkness came upon me, my vision blurred, my voice died away, and I realized that Dad had Apparated me out of the Burrow.When I was finally able to breathe heavily, my father and I had already returned to the door of the house, and my father kicked the door open with a tense expression and let me go in quickly.

"Stay here, I'm going to the Ministry of Magic." He said simply, and began to point around and began to mutter, "Safety guard—"

His chanting stopped abruptly, and he should have felt the temperature around him drop at an extremely fast rate just like me, and the chill climbed up my thighs and onto my bare shoulders.An icy mist crept up the window panes.A silver-white fox jumped out from the tip of my wand. Dad stepped back slowly step by step, stretched out his hand to block me behind, and fixed his eyes on the door that he had just closed tightly.

"I'm glad you didn't try to resist, Severus, it shows you're not completely confused and know that resisting me is a waste of time." A cold, high-pitched and clear voice sounded, and it didn't come from behind the door, but It's walls from all directions.I looked around in panic, my father stretched out his hand and slowly pressed down my raised wand, and whispered to me with the corner of his mouth, "Don't move."

The door in front of me disappeared into the darkness, or that person came out of the darkness in the void. The patron saint I just conjured rushed towards the figure, and he waved his hand casually to another young man. blond man feet.The figure gradually became clear, hairless, like a snake, with two slender nostrils, a pair of shining red eyes with vertical pupils, and a black robe that dragged the floor covered most of his pale skin.

The silver-white fox gradually turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared. I shuddered and followed the smoke disappearing upwards to see Draco Malfoy's expressionless face.

"I thought you'd ask me in for a drink," said Voldemort, in a dryly joking tone, taking a step forward and smoothing the dust and blood on his robes with pale fingers. "I haven't forgotten, It feels like yesterday, Severus, when you couldn't wait to be introduced to my team by Lucius."