Nexus (The Demigod Wizard) Part 2

The Wedding

The morning of Bill and Fleur's wedding was the most chaotic morning of Harry's life. And that was saying a lot, considering he had witnessed and participated in the chaos of the Weasley family trying to get everyone off the the Hogwarts Express for the start of term.

The ceremony itself had gone beautifully. Mrs. Weasley and Madame Delacour cried throughout—Harry even thought he saw Mr. Delacour tearing up as well. It had certainly made Harry emotional as well, although he had not cried. He could not help but think that Dumbledore would so have loved to be there for the wedding. He always did love love. That got him thinking more about the old man. Why couldn't he have told Harry more truths when he was alive? Why was it, that even dead, he left more questions than he answered? 

After the ceremony, the celebration began. The large white tent that the Weasley men had set up was packed full. There were over a hundred guests sitting at the purple lace tables, watching Fleur and Bill dance, or loitering at the desserts table.

"Care to dance?" Ron asked Hermione, casually. The witch looked startled at Ron's manners, but took his hand and followed as she was led away.

He saw Ginny dancing with Luna on the opposite side of the floor, the two friends laughing. Luna raised her arm and twirled Ginny, whose dress spun like molten gold.

He turned his focus back to Bill and Fleur, who were swaying at the center of the dance floor, most eyes upon them. They looked extraordinarily happy.

Suddenly, the tent darkened and the rumble of the wedding members quieted in a startled silence. The hairs on his arm bristled, and Harry stood up to see what was happening, a worried feeling in his gut.

At the center of the floor, a corporeal patronus bounded in on paws, trails of silvery smoke behind it. All the light seemed to be sucked to it.

"Rufus Scrimegour is dead," the patronus spoke, slowly and eerily, in the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt. Silver smoke continue to ripple off the animal. "The Ministry has fallen."

"They are coming."

There was a pregnant pause in which everyone watched the patronus evaporate, the silver whisping upwards and disappearing, its message delivered.

But then Harry heard screams. Death Eaters apparated in columns of black smoke, the magical wards around the Burrow clearly broken. Harry's heart seized.

People screamed and disapparated, while some engaged with the Death Eaters.

Bill drew his wand, sweeping Fleur behind him at the same time. Mrs. Weasley began exchanging hexes with a Death Eater while Mr. Weasley yelled at people to get out to safety. Lupin and Tonks jumped to their feet, joining all Order members present in fighting, buying time for the others to escape.

Harry pushed through the crowd of screaming people. They were all fleeing, so he was struggling against the tide. He had to find Hermione and Ron.

"HARRY!" He heard Ron bellow, his voice getting swallowed by the roar of the chaos. Harry saw the top of his friend's red hair a few meters away.

But before Harry reached his friends, his attention was averted by a streak of light, brighter than the other spells. He saw Ginny duck to avoid an Avada Kedavra from a Death Eater she was fighting.

"GINNY!" Harry yelled, changing direction and lunging for her. Panic and fear laced through him, clouding his senses.

"Harry, no!" Lupin screamed, grabbing the boy with his free hand and holding him back. "You have to go! It's you they want, go!"

But it was too late—they'd seen him. Five of the Death Eaters bolted in his direction, wands raised. Harry and Lupin readied themselves for the onslaught, as jets of light burst towards them.

In the same millisecond, Harry felt a rush of air over him and flinched instinctively. A figure lept over his head and landed in front of him, deflecting the curses off a glowing bronze sword.

At the same time, Hermione and Ron appeared next to Harry. The person who'd saved Harry was blocking hex after hex with his sword, blocking everything from reaching Harry. Before he had time to ponder who it was, the guy reached back and grabbed Harry's arm just as he linked hands with Hermione and Ron.

"You have to—" the guy's voice cut off with an expression of horror and confusion as the four of them were jerked forwards. Their bodies bent and folded in an asphyxiating gasp before their feet slammed into a leafy ground.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione landed on their feet in a large, dark forest. They heard a cry of pain and a thump as the guy—who had accidentally apparated along with them from grabbing Harry—fell to the ground.

Hermione screamed in shock at the unexpected stranger. Ron knelt down by the guy—who seemed unconscious—and rolled him over.

"Bloody hell!" Ron yelled, his face pale. "He's splinched!"

Harry turned to look in horror at Percy, who'd just saved their lives and was now bleeding out because of it.