Chapter 609: Prelude
Chapter 609: Prelude
At 11 AM the next day, Liam set down a newly crafted Fireball Spellring and heard a commotion from downstairs. Through the glass, they saw Harry, Ron, and Ginny, dressed neatly, standing in a row in the sunlit courtyard, ready to welcome guests.
"Thankfully, we have important things to do, so Mrs. Weasley didn't assign us any chores. Harry and the others have been busy these past two days", Hermione said, feeling relieved as she looked at Harry and the others in the courtyard.
This morning, the courtyard of The Burrow appeared in a way it never had before: the rusty cauldrons and old rain boots that usually cluttered the back steps were gone, replaced by two newly planted winged shrubs in large pots, one on each side of the door. Even without a breeze, the leaves lazily fluttered, creating a charming, ripple-like effect. The chickens were penned up, the yard was swept clean, and the nearby garden was neatly trimmed and decorated. All of this was the result of Mrs. Weasley and the others' hard work.
For safety reasons, the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic had cast numerous protective spells over The Burrow, ensuring that no one could arrive there directly by magic. So it took several minutes before Liam and the others saw Mr. Weasley, smiling and carrying heavy luggage, leading two people into the courtyard. Fleur immediately rushed over to embrace the female guest. It seemed today's visitors were Fleur's parents.
Fleur's mother was a beautiful blonde woman in a leaf-green robe, living up to her half-Veela charm. Fleur's father, while not as captivating as his wife, was shorter and stocky, with a pointy black beard. However, he appeared to have a good temper and politely kissed Mrs. Weasley's cheek upon entering the yard.
There were then a series of greetings, but something must have happened because Fleur's mother said something that made Mr. Weasley laugh nervously, a sound Liam could hear from upstairs. However, Mrs. Weasley shot him a stern look, and he immediately fell silent, his face taking on an expression like he was sitting by a friend's sickbed.
Soon, everyone entered The Burrow, and Liam turned his attention back to his work. He had to prepare a batch of essential items for the impending war and write a letter to Professor Dumbledore requesting his assistance.
By the time he finished, it was lunchtime. Downstairs, Liam met the Delacours for the first time that day. The atmosphere at the table became even more lively with Liam and Hermione's addition, as both spoke fluent French, making communication much smoother. In particular, Teacher Luo Zhen had taught them French, giving their accents a Parisian flair that the Delacours found very endearing.
Due to Fleur's actions in the last retreat, where she shielded Bill from a spell, the Weasley family's attitude toward her had changed significantly. They now accepted her as one of their own, which made today's meeting between the two families very harmonious.
"Thank you so much for the wedding gift", Fleur and Bill said formally after lunch. Liam's gift was a pair of palm-sized porcelain dolls, but these weren't mere decorations; they were alchemy puppets. By channeling magic power, these puppets could transform into an exact replica of the user, helping to divert enemies or perform other tasks.
Although this function could only be used once a day, and the puppets would only remain in human form for five minutes, Bill, who had seen countless treasures during his time at Gringotts, knew how valuable such an alchemy product was. This was why he specifically came to express his gratitude.
After lunch, Liam quickly discovered that the Delacours were delightful guests, always willing to lend a hand. They were pleased with everything and actively helped with the wedding preparations. Mr. Delacour expressed his delight in French, calling everything "adorable", from the seating arrangements to the bridesmaids' shoes.
Mrs. Delacour was also an expert in household spells, and in no time, she had the oven sparkling clean. Hermione followed her and Mrs. Weasley, trying to learn some new tricks. Gabrielle, like a little shadow, followed her sister, helping as much as she could while chattering away in French, adding a lively atmosphere to the house.
However, with everyone crammed into the rooms, the house felt much smaller. To avoid bumping into others, Liam moved his alchemy table to the shed. A few minutes later, Mr. Weasley, deemed a distraction, was also chased out of the house and joined Liam in the shed.
“Liam, you’re here too.” Mr. Weasley, who had intended to sneak into the shed for a bit of peace, was surprised to see Liam dividing a football-sized liquid hovering over the Alchemy Array into several metal-reinforced Crystal Vials.
“To be honest, I think you should take a good rest. Some tasks can wait a few days without much impact. This should be a time to relax, but ever since you came to The Burrow, I’ve seen you busy nonstop,” Mr. Weasley said, almost never seeing Liam take a break these past few days.
“It’s nothing, Mr. Weasley,” Liam replied, sealing the Crystal Vials one by one. “Actually, this doesn’t cause me much stress. Besides, I’ll definitely stop working tomorrow because I need to practice a bit as Professor Lupin’s best man.”
The main reason for Liam’s recent busyness was the lack of a Potion Master after Snape’s defection, which had caused some issues with the Order of the Phoenix’s potion supply. Liam had to step in to fill the gap.
“I’ll help you,” Mr. Weasley offered, moving to Liam’s side. “Although I only got an A in Potions during my N.E.W.T. exams, I can still handle the raw materials for these common potions.”
That evening, Liam and the other young people set up tents in the living room again. Charlie returned from Romania in the afternoon, making this wedding the most complete gathering of the Weasley family in years.
“I heard they’ll be using Miramont’s Magic Tents for the wedding. I’ve seen those tents, and they are absolutely beautiful,” Ginny said excitedly as they all gathered in the tents. “Of course, I have to thank you, Liam. The entire set of gold and silver dinnerware you lent us is amazing. Bill told me those pieces are even more exquisite than those made by Goblins.”
“I’m glad I could help,” Liam smiled. The dinnerware had been brought from Middle-earth, where the Dwarves’ craftsmanship far exceeded that of the Goblins in this world.
The next day was Harry’s birthday. As Liam and Hermione walked into the kitchen, they placed their gift on top of the pile. “Sorry, Harry, I was a bit rushed with the gift. I hope you like it.”
“Is this too valuable?” Harry opened the small box to find a thumb-sized engraved golden lion brooch, adorned with several rubies.
“This isn’t just jewelry,” Liam explained. “It’s designed to complement the headband I gave you a few days ago. It will provide maximum protection for your mind and soul.”
“Thank you so much,” Harry said sincerely, placing the pin in his chest pocket with reverence. “Since I’ve been wearing the headband, I no longer feel that emptiness in my mind when I sleep, and I haven’t had any nightmares.”
“That’s good to hear,” Liam said. “But I suggest you wear it regularly. The headband is woven from several magical metals, so it won’t easily wear out even if you wear it every day.”
Harry’s birthday party started on schedule that evening. Due to the large number of guests, several tables were set up in the garden. Fred and George used magic to create a large number of purple lanterns, which hung above the guests’ heads, displaying the number “17” in bright, eye-catching digits. Liam and Hermione, standing back to back, sprayed purple and golden banners from their wands, artfully hanging them from the trees and shrubs.
Mrs. Weasley had prepared a huge golden Snitch-shaped birthday cake for the occasion. Other guests, such as Hagrid, Lupin, and Tonks, had also come especially for the event.
“Don’t worry, I tried on the suit this afternoon. I promise I’ll look my best as your best man tomorrow,” Liam said to Lupin, who was sitting beside him.
“That’s great. I hope this wedding can be perfect for Tonks. I owe her so much,” Lupin replied.
(End of Chapter)
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