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Penny really hadn’t believed it when she’d gotten the invitation to Bill and Fleur’s wedding. There was a lot to not be believed: first, that Bill was getting married at all (he was barely older than she was!), second, that he was getting married in the middle of a war (she couldn’t even go out to Diagon Alley alone anymore), third, that he was marrying a witch (she knew Bill was bisexual, but she had to be honest: she hadn’t seen that one coming), and finally, that the witch he was marrying was none other than Fleur Delacour.
Penny hadn’t met Fleur, personally, but she’d seen pictures from the Triwizard Tournament a few years prior. Fleur Delacour was, even in print, one of the most beautiful women Penny had ever seen.
And Bill was marrying her. Mega-dweeb Bill Weasley!
She wrote Charlie her surprise, and he apparently felt much the same way, and said that he didn’t understand it, either, but that Fleur was undoubtedly completely head over heels in love with Bill. Which was, well, just odd. Not that someone would be in love with Bill (he was lovely), but that Bill would wind up with someone as bloody perfect as Fleur Delacour.
But she RSVPed, of course. She wasn’t going to miss this. And, hey, maybe she’d find someone, too. Anyone invited to a Weasley wedding was bound to, at the very least, support the Order, if not be an outright member, and Penny liked to keep with people who held similar moral viewpoints.
She wore a dress that was probably just a little bit too sexy for a wedding, but, fuck, Tonks was going to be there (Tonks!), and Tulip and Ben and Rowan, too. And that wasn't to mention the possibility of attractive Weasley and Delacour cousins.
The wedding itself was at Bill’s parents’ house, and she saw Charlie first, so she hugged him tight. “Oh, it’s so wonderful to see you!” she said.
“It’s wonderful to see you, too,” Charlie said. “You look – oh, god, please tell me you’re not trying to get back with Tonks.”
“No promises,” Penny said. “How’s Bill?”
“Good. A bit nervous, but good. Have you seen him since…?” He trailed off, but Penny knew immediately what he meant. It was common knowledge among their little group – especially those who had connections with the Order – that Bill had been mauled by Fenrir Greyback just last month. Apparently, he’d not been turned into a werewolf, but he’d been left with some nasty scars.
Penny shook her head. “No. It’s been – with the war…”
“It’s not great,” he said. “I’m just relieved he’s all right.”
“That’s what really matters,” Penny agreed. But really, what awful timing. A month before his wedding.
Charlie looked over toward a couple of his brothers. “I should show you to your seat. I’m really meant to be keeping Bill company until the ceremony starts, but… I had to say hello to you.”
“I’m glad you did,” Penny said. “And we’ve got to catch up.”
“Definitely,” Charlie agreed. He walked her to her seat, near the front (but not in the front row, of course), and promised to catch up later.
The wedding was completely lovely, and she managed not to cry (she couldn’t say the same for Ben, who was sat next to her), but what really blew her away was the reception.
She knew, as most people in Wizarding Britain did, that the Weasleys, by and large, were not a wealthy family by far. There might be some old money stashed away with some older relatives, but Bill and Charlie’s immediate family had never been well off. She supposed that had influenced what she’d expected, which was probably shitty of her.
She was sat at a table with most of Bill’s (and her) old friends from Hogwarts for the reception: Tonks, Tulip, Ben, Rowan, and even Barnaby (who was casting less-than-subtle glances at Charlie). Before they had a proper chance to catch up, Charlie was shooting sparks from his wand from the high table.
“All right, it’s time for the best man’s speech!” he said. He had a glint in his eye that Penny knew only too well, and she exchanged a look with Rowan and Ben (the only reasonable two of the bunch, really).
When the tent had quieted down a bit, he continued. “Bill is really a great bloke.” Penny looked at Bill, who looked like he was waiting for the punchline. He knew his brother too well. “As any of my friends from school can tell you – because he was always hanging about with us. I know what you’re thinking – wow, Charlie, I never knew your friends in school were all two years older than you; you must be so cool. Well, I am cool, but that aside – you didn’t know because all my friends in school were in my year. And I’m sure we were all quite cool to be hanging round someone like Bill for our first five years at Hogwarts.”
Penny had to stifle a laugh when Tonks called out, “Bill taught me how to duel when I was in second year!”
Bill turned bright red, and Charlie laughed. “Yeah, I remember that! He also broke more school rules than anyone but – well, no, actually, I’m fairly sure he broke more school rules than Ron or the twins. He was just careful enough not to get caught. But that doesn’t make him a bad boy, of course – he was a prefect and then Head Boy. Dunno how that happened, really, but maybe our professors saw him surrounded by a group of kids two years younger than him and thought he was an excellent role model. Which he is. He was just also teaching us how to duel and how to try to become junior Curse Breakers investigating mysteries at school. I think I speak for all of us when I say we weren’t surprised that Bill became a Curse Breaker after all that.”
Tonks and Tulip cheered, and a few people laughed. Bill looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him up on the spot.
“And Bill has always been popular with younger girls, so I, for one, wasn’t surprised at all when he told me he was dating Fleur. In all honesty, Bill and Fleur are perfect for each other. They’re both incredibly brave, loyal, terrifying if you get on their bad side – and they’re both more than capable of kicking your arse. I’m really very happy for him, and I’m honoured that Bill chose me as his best man – though, again, I suppose he didn’t have many options. I wish you both the best, and let’s raise our glasses. To Bill and Fleur.”
“To Bill and Fleur!” came the unanimous response. Penny drained her entire flute of champagne.
“I can’t believe he did that,” Ben said once everyone had quieted down.
“I can,” Rowan said. “It’s Charlie.”
“Rowan has a point,” Penny said. She had a younger sibling of her own, of course, and while she adored Beatrice, it wasn’t as if Beatrice had never intentionally embarrassed her, especially in good spirit. “Bill knew what he was getting into.”
“I tried to get Bill to have me be his best man,” Tonks said. “He didn’t like that idea. He was afraid I’d ruin the wedding.”
Penny could only imagine what Tonks would have done as best man, and was grateful that Bill seemed to have had the sense to tell her no.
“Charlie just gave an embarrassing speech,” Rowan said. “I think you would have planned some extravagant prank.”
“Maybe,” Tonks said.
“So,” Charlie said, stopping by the table and sitting down across from Tonks. “What did you think?”
“I think it’s a good thing you’re leaving for Romania tomorrow,” Ben said.
Charlie rolled his eyes. “Bill’s fine with it. It’s not like he didn’t know what he was getting into.”
“That’s what Penny said,” Tulip said.
“I could have gotten way more embarrassing,” Charlie said. “All of us have more embarrassing stories than that. I’m pretty sure Tonks has got a list for my wedding.”
“And I’d better be your best man, Charles,” Tonks said. “Otherwise, I’ll never forgive you.”
“You’ll have to fight Bill for that honour,” Charlie said. “Though I really don’t intend on getting married very soon.”
“I’m serious,” Tonks said. “I can think of a dozen offhand. Like the time you and Barnaby –”
“Anyway,” Charlie said. “It’s great to see everyone, but my Great-Aunt Muriel hasn’t seen me in months, and unlike Bill, she actually will kill me.” Without any further ado, he stood up and walked quickly away from the table.
“Coward!” Tonks called after him. Once he’d left, she said to the group, “And he’s meant to be a Gryffindor.”
“Wait,” Barnaby said. “What did Charlie and I do that was so embarrassing?”
“Where should I start?” Tonks said. “Because I’ve got a list, really.”
“I’m going to go get some more champagne,” Penny said, standing up. “Does anyone else want anything?”
“Actually,” Ben said, “I think I’ll go with you. I need more champagne, too.”
His flute was full, but no one said anything as he followed Penny away from the table.
“I forgot how much Tonks can be,” Ben said. “But it is really good to see everyone. We could all use a little happiness about now.”
“I agree,” Penny said. “Though I don’t want to hear whatever it is that Tonks was going to say about Charlie and Barnaby.”
“It doesn’t feel like it’s been six years, does it?”
Penny shook her head. “Not at all.”
“I’m leaving,” he said. “I’ve not told the others, but I’ve got a flight to Canada tomorrow morning.”
“Oh,” Penny said. She didn’t know what to say; it was probably safer, for Ben, as a Muggleborn, to get out of the country, but it was still an unwelcome reminder of reality on what should have been a totally happy occasion.
“I’ve got a job lined up. A Muggle one. It’s incredibly easy to fake credentials with magic, you know. Even I managed it.”
“Good luck,” Penny said. “Really. I’ll be staying, but… I’m not sure it’s the safest option. Actually, I’m quite sure it’s not.”
“You’ll be fine,” Ben said. “You’re a brilliant witch, and you’re a Half-Blood. You won’t have anything to worry about. Me, on the other hand…”
“Give me your address, before you go. I know how to send letters with the Muggle post, and I’d like to keep in touch.”
Ben nodded. “Yeah, of course.”
“Mind if we cut in?”
Penny looked up to see Bill (whose scars did look quite bad, though she made sure not to let that show on her expression), and Fleur, who looked absolutely fucking radiant. Honestly, if Penny weren’t already certain she was bisexual, Fleur Delacour (-Weasley?) in the flesh would have been all the proof she needed.
“Of course not!” Penny said. “Congratulations, both of you! We’ve not been properly introduced,” she said to Fleur. “I’m Penny Haywood, and this is Ben Copper. We went to school with Bill and Charlie.”
“We were in Charlie’s year,” Ben added. “I was a Gryffindor, Penny was a Hufflepuff.”
“So it is true,” Fleur said, with a smirk. “Bill and Charlie had the same friends at Hogwarts?”
“For the most part, yes,” Penny said. “We all really looked up to Bill, though.”
“Even Charlie,” Ben said.
“Especially Charlie. I’m sure you already know that all of Bill’s siblings idolise him.”
“Oh, I know that,” Fleur said. “I did not know that Bill had all young friends.” She turned to her husband. “When were you going to tell me?”
Bill blushed. “Probably before we had our first child?”
Fleur laughed and kissed him. “I am very lucky to have such a wonderful husband, no?”
“Absolutely,” Penny said.
“I’m the lucky one,” Bill said.
“Well,” Fleur said. “We have established that you were such a good big brother that you adopted all of Charlie’s friends – I think that means you will be an excellent father.”
“Let’s hope,” Bill said.
“I’m not really sure it was because he was a good big brother,” Ben said. “Bill did you have friends your own age?”
Bill laughed. “Ben, I can always kick you out of my wedding.”
“I think,” Fleur said, “that means ‘no.’ But I don’t mind. I don’t think it matters very much at our age if your friends are a year or two younger than you.”
“I don’t think so, either,” Penny agreed.
“Although… I do think we should get to know each other. I know things are difficult now, but we can work something out, yes?”
Was Fleur Delacour really asking to spend time with her? Of course, she knew it wasn’t like that; she was at Fleur’s wedding, after all. “Yes, absolutely,” Penny agreed.
“I want to know all of Bill’s friends, and besides his friends from work, I have only spoken with Charlie and Tonks.”
“I’d offer,” Ben said, “but I’m moving to Canada.”
Penny stepped on his foot. Had he really said that in front of Bill on his wedding day?
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Bill said. “Keep in touch, all right?”
“Of course,” Ben said, though Penny didn’t know how he planned to manage that and live as a Muggle. At least she assumed he planned on living as a Muggle. What was the point in getting a Muggle job if you weren’t?
“Penny, are you staying?” Bill asked.
“For the foreseeable future, yes,” Penny agreed. “I’m at St. Mungo’s – they’re not going to need me any less.”
“No,” Bill said. “I wouldn’t think so.”
“Anyway!” Fleur said. “I am so happy that so many people have come to our wedding! I didn’t think Bill’s family liked me very much.”
From Bill’s expression, it was clear that Fleur was right.
“Charlie seemed to.”
“Oh, Charlie and Ron, yes,” Fleur said. “I think Mrs. Weasley worried that I only liked Bill because he is so handsome – as if I would marry someone just because he is handsome! I have had many handsome men who want to marry me.”
Penny could certainly believe that. “I, for one, trust Bill’s judgement,” she said. “And Charlie’s, too, for that matter. Bill’s a wonderful wizard, really. Anyone would be lucky to marry him, and I’m glad that he’s found someone who deserves him.”
Fleur positively beamed. “Thank you very much, Penny.” She kissed Bill’s cheek. “I do like your friends.”
“Even Tonks?” Ben asked.
Penny shot him a glare.
“What?” Ben said. “It’s a legitimate question; Tonks is a lot to handle.”
Fleur laughed. “Yes, even Tonks. She is very amusing!”
“I’m surprised Tonks didn’t tell you that I was sort of a loser in school,” Bill said. “I didn’t bribe her, or anything.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she and Charlie planned it together,” Penny said.
“You might be on to something, there,” Bill said, glancing over to where Tonks, Tulip, and Charlie were all laughing together. “I’m really not bothered. I think Ron and Ginny’s friends are the only ones here who ever thought I was properly cool. Even if they didn’t know the extent of it.”
“Charlie played Quidditch and he works with dragons,” Penny said. “It’s difficult to compete with that.”
“I think Bill is much cooler than Charlie,” Fleur said. She kissed him, then, deep and languid in front of everyone. Penny thought she should probably avert her eyes, just out of respect.
“All right,” Ben whispered to Penny. “But I’m not the only one surprised that Bill actually married a witch, am I?”