Moments

49. The First

(999 words)

Neville stood at the gates of Hogwarts, staring up at the huge castle. It felt like coming home. It was right to be here.

He took Hannah's hand and gave it a small squeeze. 'Tomorrow,' he said softly.

'Tomorrow,' she agreed.

They walked up the long path. It was funny how it no longer seemed so daunting.

'Look, Nev!' Hannah pointed towards the Black Lake and the arched bower that had been erected near its shore. It was already decorated with white roses and ribbons.

'It's magical,' Nev said but his heart thumped with nerves at the sight. Tomorrow...

Minerva met them at the door, his gran beside her.

'Hannah, Professor,' Minerva smiled.

And Neville was relieved to see the sternness on Gran's face fall away into pride. 'The first professor in the family,' she said.

'Not yet,' Neville said. 'Not until I get back from our honeymoon.'

'Tsk!' Minerva waved his objection away. 'You've signed my employment contract now. Come and see the Great Hall.'

Neville's jaw dropped to see the hall. The long house tables had been exchanged for round tables and the long staff table was reset for the wedding party. House-elves in livery wove between the tables, already setting them for the wedding breakfast. Every window and every column were swathed in ivy and roses and small fairy lights were charmed to sparkle amongst them.

'Pomona has surpassed herself,' Minerva's eyes twinkled.

Hannah's eyes glistened. 'I couldn't imagine it would be so beautiful.'

'We'll be eating in the kitchens tonight and, Hannah, you'll be in Neville's new quarters. Neville, I've put you up in the Gryffindor Tower with your groomsmen for old times' sake.'

He smiled.

People arrived throughout the afternoon and the Hogwarts Express brought guests who preferred not to Apparate into Hogsmeade. Hagrid met them with carriages to take them up to the castle.

Neville was back with Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Dean for the night, though they managed to fit in Draco too.

'No keeping me and Nev awake with your bedroom shenanigans,' Ron smirked as they transfigured the beds into two doubles and two singles.

Neville paled significantly but Seamus slapped him on the back and said, 'as if we'd do that?'

Harry, as best man, took his duties very seriously. 'No, party's over, we've done the stag. If you two start messing on, I'll put you in a total body bind until the morning. Nev needs his beauty sleep.'

'Should've gone to bed three-hundred years ago then,' teased Dean.

Neville smiled; it was good to be back amongst his friends.

Draco, of course, complained about the gaudy gold and red décor but Nev heard him admit to Harry that he'd always wanted to see inside the Gryffindor tower.

The familiar dorm room looked very different with their groomsmen robes hanging up ready for the morning. Because Neville was still 'officially' an Auror for another week, it meant he got to wear his full Auror dress-robes, alongside any other Aurors attending the wedding. Hermione had said it was a common muggle practice too, that military personnel often wore full attire at weddings. And because they were the 'Elite Squad', their dress-robes were rather less garish than the rest of the department; he was sure Peanut and Draco had something to do with that. Of course, Harry was highly decorated with all his medals, but that couldn't be helped.

At precisely 10.32am they left the dorm and walked together down to the arbour for the ceremony, rows of white chairs had been arranged with an aisle down the centre. They had fifteen minutes of greeting guests until Harry ushered him to the front and left the others to organise seating.

Neville couldn't sit still. When he tried, his leg developed an irritating jig. He kept standing up and looking towards the castle, or checking his watch, or looking at all the guest meandering across the lawns in the glorious sunshine. They couldn't have planned the August weather better.

He sat back down again. But then Aberforth wandered over to congratulate him, and Gran had some last-minute advice, and Pomona had a rosebud for him to wear in his lapel. The Hogwarts staff seemed very excited; they'd had to reseat Hagrid twice and he was already crying.

Suddenly, the music started and Neville's heart was in his mouth.

He stared fixedly at the lake, watching the tell-tale signs of the giant squid basking in the sun. Harry nudged him and he took a deep breath and stood a little taller, he'd faced far worse than this. So, he turned around and caught sight of Hannah walking slowly towards him, a nervous smile on her face. Hermione, Padma, and Susan just behind her. He beamed. His Hannah and she's beautiful. He wondered what he'd been so nervous about.

Kingsley Shacklebolt acted as wedding minister, apparently it was tradition amongst the Aurors and the higher officials in the Ministry. And the ceremony went far quicker than he could remember, perhaps because he was too busy looking at Hannah and her dress and her flowers and her tumbling hair. Perhaps because he was too busy being happy.

When Kingsley said he could kiss the bride, he stepped forward, whispered, 'I love you,' and leant down to kiss his petite and beautiful wife. He thought he was the luckiest man alive.

There was a big cheer from behind him.

When he turned to walk back up the aisle with his new wife, he found that his fellow Aurors were stood in two lines, lining the aisle, their dress-swords drawn and held upright to their noses.

'Hup!' shouted Booth and they all turned to face one another in unison before lifting their swords and bringing the tips together to make an archway for the bride and groom.

Hagrid blew his nose noisily.

Pomona was clearly crying.

Gran dabbed her eyes discreetly with a handkerchief.

And he and Hannah walked up to the Great Hall as man and wife.

*****

A/N This image inspired the Elite Squad's dress-robes. I imagine Peanut to look like this (artist unknown).