The Wedding

In the afternoon, Harry and his friends await the arrival of the various wedding guests. For Harry’s own safety, he has been asked to take some Polyjuice Potion to take on the appearance of the Weasley’s “Cousin Barney.”

The wedding guests start arriving, including some beautiful vela (relatives of the bride). Fred and George wander off to flirt with them. Lupin and Tonks appear with apologies for not attending Harry’s birthday party; the Ministry of Magic is not fond of werewolves. Harry notices a look of misery on Lupin’s face.

Harry then meets Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna Lovegood’s father, an astoundingly eccentric wizard. Harry, however, is mostly shocked that Luna Lovegood can see through Harry’s “Cousin Barney” disguise.

Hermione comes in, looking beautiful. She is followed by the famous Quidditch player Viktor Krum, Ron’s rival both at Quidditch and with Hermione. Still, there is not much time for pleasantries because the wedding ceremony begins. After Fleur Delacour stuns everyone with her beauty and her love for Bill Weasley, the reception begins.

Ron asks Hermione to dance to show Viktor Krum that the two are a couple. Viktor, however, is much more concerned with what Xenophilius Lovegood has around his neck: a charm of a “strange triangular eye” that is the symbol of the evil wizard Grindlewald (the very one that Dumbledore defeated so long ago). Harry is confused because he knows the Lovegoods would have nothing to do with dark wizards. While talking with Krum, Harry realizes that the “Gregorovitch” from his dream is actually a wand maker and that this proves that Voldemort is truly trying to figure out where those gold sparks came from.

Harry begins to enjoy comparing wizard wedding traditions with Muggle wedding traditions, but then he meets the wizard, Elphias Doge, who wrote the complimentary article about Albus Dumbledore. Harry begins talking to Doge about Dumbledore. Elphias Doge completely refutes everything Rita Skeeter wrote in the most recent, scandalous article. Even though a small argument ensues between Doge and Ron’s “Auntie Muriel” (who is a Skeeter fan) in reference to Dumbledore’s sister being a Squib, nothing shakes Harry’s Admiration for his mentor. However, Harry does learn that Rita Skeeter’s main source of information does live in Godric’s Hollow: Bathilda Bagshot. Further, the Dumbledores also lived in Godric’s Hollow. This confirms Harry’s plan to try Godric’s Hollow first in his search for Horcruxes.

The silver Patronus of Kingsley Shaklebolt, a lynx, interrupts Harry’s reverie. The Patronus informs the wedding guests that the Ministry of Magic has been lost to Voldemort and Rufus Scrimgeour has been killed. The Death Eaters are on their way to the wedding at this very moment.