SKREIGH- C.DIGGORY

72

At three o'clock on the 20th of August, Draco, Narcissa, Delilah, Stuart, and Cedric land outside the burrow, the familiar red smoke fades from around the trio who were all dressed for the occasion of the day. Molly Weasley had quickly rallied Cedric and Draco to join the twins, Stuart, Ron and Harry in greeting the guests.

"When I get married," Fred says tugging at the collar of his own robes as Delilah approaches. "I won't be bothering with any of this nonsense. You can all wear what you like, and I'll put a full Body Bird Curse on Mum until it's all over."

"Bold of you to assume you find someone willing to marry you and your ugly mug," Delilah quips and Fred nudges her harshly.

"She wasn't too bad this morning, considering," George says. "Cried a bit about Percy not being here, but who wants him? Oh blimey, brace yourselves, here they come, look."

Brightly coloured figures were appearing, one by one out of nowhere at the distant boundary of the yard. Within minutes a procession forms, which begins to snake its way up through the garden toward the marquee.

Exotic flowers and bewitched birds flutter on the witches' hats, while precious gems glitter from many of the wizards' cravats; a hum of excited chatter grows louder and louder, drowning the sound of the bees as the crowd approaches the tent.

"Excellent, I think I see a few veela cousins," Fred says, craning his neck for a better look. "They'll need help understanding our English customs, I'll look after them-"

"Fred, you dirty dog," George jeers after his retreating twin.

"I'm certain that most straight men are pigs," Stuart murmurs, gaining nods of agreements from females in the vicinity.

"Wotcher," A familiar voice says, appearing behind the group of four.

"Hi Tonks," Harry says as Delilah looks up at the sky with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"What is it?" Remus asks.

"There's something different in the air," Delilah says. "I'm sure it's nothing"

"Who is this George?"

"This is Delilah Potter, Aunt Muriel," George says. "Cedric's girlfriend"

"Her ankles are very skinny, and so are her waist and her wrists," Muriel says. "Your red lipstick is very tarty my dear"

"I'm going to take that walking frame-" Delilah fumes.

Narcissa is quick to swoop in, talking to Muriel about Fleur's goblin made tiara which the old woman was more than happy to boast about.

"Don't take it personally, she's rude to everyone," Ron says, approaching the angry strawberry blonde.

"Talking about Muriel?" Fred inquires re-emerging from the marquee, a lipstick mark on his cheek.

"Yeah," George nods. "This morning she told me my ears are lopsided. Old bat. I wish old Uncle Bilius was still with us, though; he was a right laugh at weddings."

"Wasn't he the one who saw a Grim and died twenty-four hours later?" Hermione asks.

"Well, yeah, he went a bit odd toward the end," George says.

"But before he went loopy he was the life and soul of the party," Fred says. "He used to down an entire bottle of fire whisky, then run onto the dance floor, hoist up his robes, and start pulling bunches of flowers out of his--"

"Yes, he sounds like a real charmer," Hermione says, while Harry and Delilah roar with laughter.

"Never married, for some reason," Ron says.