Meeting Mum

Marvolo Decided There Was Little Harm In At Least Meeting His Mother, and Requested Kingsley Arrange It. Marvolo Had No Idea What To Expect From The Meeting, and Hermione Was Accompanying Him As Moral Support. They Were Enjoying A Cup Of Regular Butterbeer, When Hermione Spoke Up. ''Would It Ever Have Worked Out? Our Relationship?'' Asks Hermione. ''It's Not Impossible, Though It Would Raise Questions, Questions That Matter Little In The End. You Always Were My Favorite Gryffindor Hermione, Academically Brilliant and Beyond Beautiful, Had Things Been Different I Could See Us Settling Down Together and Marrying.'' Says Marvolo, As Hermione Blushes Slightly. ''Marvolo?'' Asks An Elderly Female Voice.

Turning Around, Marvolo See's His Mother, Octavia Bulstrode Beside Kingsley Shacklebolt. ''Mother.'' Says Marvolo, Slowly Acknowledging His Mother. ''I Am Not Sure What To Say, Your All Grown Up.'' Says Octavia. ''Yeah, Well Eighteen Years Will Do That.'' Says Marvolo Jokingly, and His Mother Looks Down. ''Let's Just Talk Mother.'' Says Marvolo, Before Indicating For Her To Sit In The Seat Now Vacated By Hermione.

Marvolo and His Mother Had Chatted For A Good Couple Of Hours, and When It Came Time To Depart, Neither Were Particularly Interested In It. Marvolo Was Happy His Mother Was Alive, Much Less That His Father Was. Since Morfin Gaunt Was A Demented and Inbred Waste Of Human Space, Which Was Saying Something If You Looked At Marvolo Gaunt, Marvolo's Paternal Grandfather. Marvolo Sent Molly Weasley An Owl, Requesting She Help His Mother Adjust To The New Life Ahead Of Her. When That Was Sent, Marvolo Felt The Need To Go To Bed, Feeling Weightless and Without Burden For The First Time In Years.

Now Fully Rested and Ready For His Final Day Of Pre-Training, Marvolo Knew He'd Need To Face Harry With His Best Skills and Strongest Magic, He Had To Fight Against Harry, The Last Day Of Pre-Auror Training Required A Duel Using Powerful Curses, Anything Shy Of The Killing and Cruciatus Curses Was Considered Valid. No Doubt Weasley Would Make A Remark About How It Should Come Naturally To Someone Like Him. If Weasley Did, Marvolo Was Fully Prepared To Break Ron's Nose. But If His Assessment Was As Outstanding As His Grades On His O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T's, He'd Have Nothing To Worry About. Well, If Ron Harmed Tracey, Marvolo Was Worried He Might Actually Do Something Worse Than Break Ron's Nose.

It Was A Simple Matter Of Apparition To The Ministry, and Marvolo Found Tracey Already There. ''Hey Gorgeous. '' Says Marvolo, Kissing Her Deeply. ''Hey, Ready For This Final Bit Of Training?'' Asks Tracey. ''Yep.'' Says Marvolo As He See's Ron and Harry Approach. Ron Goes To Speak, But Marvolo Stops Him. ''One Comment About My Family and Dark Magic Coming Together Naturally and You'll Find Yourself At Saint Mungo's With Your Nose Broken In Three Places Ronald Weasley.'' Says Marvolo, and Ron Just Swallows His Words. Ready To Go, Harry Motions For Them To Go and Fight. ''Ron, You Hurt My Tracey More Than Necessary, and You'll Find More Than Your Nose Broken, I'm Warning You, Ignore This Warning, and I'll Make You Beg For The Cruciatus Curse Over What I'll Inflict Upon You.'' Says Marvolo in A Low Whisper, and Ron's Face Pales Sharply

Leaving Ron To Piss Himself, Marvolo Follows Harry and Walks To The Center Of The Duelling Arena. ''You Ready Potter? Our Elders Against Each Other Could Level This Entire Building.'' Says Marvolo. ''I'm As Ready As I'll Ever Be.'' Says Potter. ''Very Well, Expelliarmus!'' Says Marvolo Catching Potter Off Guard. Potter Fires A Shot Of Incendio At Marvolo But Marvolo Launches His Fungus Oculus Hex Against Potter, Blinding Him, Before Using Expelliarmus To Knock Potter's Wand From His Hand. ''Come Now Potter, Have You Learned Nothing? I'm An Innovative and Inventive Wizard, I Create New Spells Every Day In My Head. Speaking Of Which, Fungus Oculus Erradio!'' Says Marvolo As He Casts The Counter Hex To His Fungus Oculus Hex.

Audible Clapping Is Heard, and Professor Flitwick Enters The Duelling Circle. ''Quite Impressive Mr. Gaunt, You Must Teach Me That Hex Some Time, Especially The Counter Curse, Most Impressive and Most Efficient. Mr. Potter, Your Inability To Effectively Combat Mr. Gaunt's Spells and Strategy Has Not Gone Unnoticed, and As A Result, The Ministry Has Decided To hold You Back In Your Training. Mr. Gaunt, It Is My Pleasure To Award You The Ranks and Privileges Of A Junior Apprentice Auror. Your Beloved Ms. Davis Has Also Been Given This Rank, and Awaits You At Your Pleasure.'' Says Flitwick. ''Thank You Professor, But I Also Have A Favor To Ask, Would You Conduct The Band At My Wedding? It'd Be A Great Honor For Me If You Did.'' Says Marvolo. ''Of Course, It'd Be My Pleasure.'' Says Flitwick. ''And You Can Count On Me Supporting You As Your Best Man.'' Says Potter. ''Thanks Harry, I Appreciate It, But Please For The Love Of Merlin Tell Mr. Weasley To Make Sure George Has No Joke Devices On Him Before Leaving Home.'' Says Marvolo As He and Potter Share A Laugh.

Marvolo Was Watching As The Grounds Were Being Prepared By House Elves While Goblins Watched Other, He Was Enjoying The Quiet When The Bloody Baron Arrived and Greeted. ''Master Baron.'' Says Marvolo. ''Mr. Gaunt, Peeves Promised To Refrain From Mayhem Until The Ceremony Was Over. As You Requested.'' Says The Bloody Baron. ''Oh, What A Load Off My Mind, Daphne Keeps Asking Why I Even Invited Peeves.'' Says Marvolo As The Poltergeist Suddenly Appears Beside Marvolo. ''Hehe! Peeves See's A Lot Of Potential For Mayhem and Chaos!'' Says Peeves. ''Glad You Could Join Us Peeves, There Are Some House Elves Round Back On An Unscheduled Break, Pitts Could Use Some Help, Just Don't Cause Too Much Trouble.'' Says Marvolo Referring To His New House Elf Servant, Previously In Charge Of The Hogwarts Kitchens. ''Hehe!'' Replied Peeves Before Vanishing. ''I'm Gonna Regret Inviting Him Aren't I?'' Marvolo Asks More Himself Than The Bloody Baron. ''Probably, Yes.'' Says The Baron.

Marvolo Had Had One Final Errand To Make, Before He Could At Last Get Into The Final Wedding Preparations, He Had Put In A Special Order From Ollivanders For Three New Wands Using Two Different Core Types, He'd Ordered A Dogwood Wand That Utilised White River Monster Spine and Unicorn Hair, An Ebony Wand Of Thunderbird Tail Feather and Horned Serpents Horn, and A Black Walnut Wand Of Phoenix Feather and Dragon Heartstring. He Intended To Keep All Three Until Such A Time As They Were Ready To Be Passed On To Their Intended Owners. White River Monster Spine Cores Produced Spells Of **** and Elegance, While Unicorn Hair Cores Produced The Most Consistent Magic. Dogwood Wand's Were Notoriously Quirky and More Mischievous Than Peeves and The Former Twin Weasley's Put Together. Phoenix Feather Cores Produced The Greatest Range Of Magic, While Dragon Heartstring Cores As A Rule Produced The Strongest Magic, Black Walnut Was Suited Best For A Witch Or Wizard With Good Instincts, So Phoenix Feather and Dragon Heartstring Were A Good Match. Ebony Wands Were Good For All Manner Of Combative Magic and Were Especially Skilled In Transfiguration, This Was Complimented By The Thunderbird Tail Feather Core, While The Horned Serpents Horn Ensured The Spells Were Especially Strong. Marvolo Planned To Hold Onto Them, Until The Wands Could Be Passed On To Their Intended Owners.

Marvolo Planned To Gift Them To Any Children He Sired. On the Subject Of children, Marvolo Was Hesitant Over Having A Child With Daphne Due To Her Blood Curse, But If She Asked, He'd Give Her One. Their Love Was Enough For Him, and He Didn't Want To Lose Ger To Some Ages Old Cursed Line Nonsense. Early On There Were Signs Of Affection Between Them, His Enigmatic and Mysterious Behaviour Aroused Daphne’s Insatiable Curiosity and They Just Found Each Other Compatible.

The Final Preparations Were Under Way, and A Lot Of Friends and Family Were Already Arriving At The New Gaunt Estate Near Little Hangleton, A Lot Of Hogwarts and Wizarding War Alumni Were In Attendance. Flitwick Was Present Conducting The Wedding Band, Draco and His Mother Represented House Malfoy, McGonagall and Several Former, Current, and Graduated Students Were In Attendance. The Weasley Family, With The Exception Of George and Arthur Were In Attendance, The Guest List Was Long, but A Enough Charms Kept Little Hangleton Ignorant Of The True Nature Of The Wedding and It's Guest List.

Marvolo and Several Hogwarts Alumni Were Present With Spouses Or Girlfriends Of Their Own. Bill Weasley and His Wife Fleur, Hagrid and Madam Maxine, Blaise and Nott Had Left Their Spouses At Home, But Ron and Hermione Were Present, Neville and His Girlfriend Hannah, While Kingsley Attended As Marvolo's Father, and Several Other Illustrious Guests Such As Viktor Krum and Newt Scamander Were In Attendance. Marvolo Knew That The Daily Prophet and Quibbler Had Lobbied For Invites, and Marvolo Allowed Both Groups Inside, But Warned The Former To Keep Skeeter A Region Away and Avoid Excessive Gossiping.

Marvolo Was Already Famous For More Than His Bloodline, Second Wizarding War Actions and His Reputation For Good Looks and Strong Intelligence. He'd Been Offered A Spot On England's National Quidditch Team, But Had Declined, A Rare Action For Someone As Skilled At Quidditch and As Famous As Him. Harry Had Received A Similar Offer, But Had So Far Been Undecided On His Decision. Regardless, Wedding Bells Were Scheduled To Start Ringing With The Next Hour.