Chapter 38:  The Ceremony

[ March 30, 1973 ]

What's the beauty of transfiguration and illusion magic? You can literally make anything out of nothing. And when you have not just one mage, but an entire coven eager to help the newlyweds — and get gloriously drunk at their wedding — you don't need to spend a single coin to have a celebration of stunning scale. That's exactly what happened this Saturday morning. Since I still couldn't use magic, my job was to get my familiar ready.

"Dorothy, stop fidgeting!" I said, trying to brush out her long hair.

Veela hair, by the way, is a prized ingredient for potions and wand cores — but only if it's given willingly. If you cut it by force or take it from a corpse, the potion turns to poison, and a wand made from it is more likely to explode in your hand. That's why some veela, when times are tough, sell their hair, but it's not encouraged. Just like prostitution or seducing men with their charms isn't encouraged. It's like getting a guy drunk because you can't attract him any other way.

"I want to go down, pee! It's fun there, pee-pee!" Dorothy had learned to talk quickly — I'd been teaching her to read, and the mental connection helped. Still, she hadn't completely given up on "pee."

"We'll go down for the ceremony itself, so be patient, pee-pee. Damn, now you've got me saying it too!"

At least she was sitting still for now, but getting this little devil into a dress was a challenge. Dorothy felt no discomfort from nudity. As a fairy, she'd been covered by petals — part of her body — and as a nymph, she was basically just born. So she was always trying to undress. I had to hang illusions on her, but today she was supposed to be clothed.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Yes, come in," I called.

"Are you ready?" It was Mom, in her wedding dress. Not white, but — as veela tradition dictates — a red-gold dress to the ankles, with a deep neckline and open back. A tribute to the coming-of-age fire ritual in harpy form, which I still had ahead of me at fifteen. Though maybe I'd manage to avoid it. "You look so beautiful today! You'll make a wonderful couple!"

"Mom, it's a fake engagement. Are you starting again?" For some reason, Ariel had developed a special fondness for Dorothy. Oddly, she'd never been like this with Apolline.

"Everything fake can become real over time," she waved her hand, as if to say, "You'll understand when you're older." "Alright, let's go downstairs, everyone's waiting!"

The veela didn't mess around — they built an entire pavilion with a long table right on the main street. The white, rectangular pavilion with its arched roof, and the houses around it, were decorated with flowers, vines, lanterns, and illusions of colorful birds, animals, and fairies. Most veela were Beauxbatons graduates, and their school of illusions is legendary.

Inside, two long tables were separated by a red carpet, at the end of which stood a platform. There, the formal veela elder waited — an elderly woman who looked about fifty, but was actually 120. Veela live even longer than wizards. Why "formal"? Because all decisions in the coven are made by the veela council, which had recently invited Ariel, but she'd declined for now, citing work. The elder was responsible for ceremonies like this.

She stood in a closed golden dress on the platform. Next to her stood Ludwig, with Dorothy beside him as his witness. Ludwig's parents hadn't approved of their son's bride and refused to come. Many people were eyeing Dorothy, seeing her for the first time and wondering where she'd come from.

Ariel and I stood on the opposite side, and to solemn music I took her hand and led her to Ludwig, transferred her hand to his, and stepped aside.

"We are all gathered here to witness the marriage of our sister and her chosen one. For every veela, this is a special event, as we rarely find men worthy of us, but when it happens, it's usually for life. As the elder of Veilon, I have the right to perform marriages. But marriage must be voluntary, so I must ask — Ludwig von Schroeder, is your decision to marry Ariel Marlow voluntary?"

"Yes," answered my future stepfather. And I thought, that's a good question, considering the existence of love potions, charms like Imperius, and the veela aura.

I scanned the crowd for Apolline and Jacqueline with Alan, since they'd helped Mom with the organization, and finally spotted them. Apolline was sitting with Delacour. Well, that's her business. I'd already let her go, somehow. If she wanted to avoid me, that was her choice. Still, a bitter aftertaste lingered.

"Ariel Marlow, is your decision to marry Ludwig von Schroeder voluntary?"

"Yes," Mom answered, beaming.

In the front rows, among the guests who'd arrived by portkey, I spotted Hayato, Saiga, Ma Kensei, and Shizuka with Miyu — the baby sleeping sweetly in her mother's arms, protected by silencing charms. Next to them sat Phineas, who was supposed to speak later.

"If anyone present is against this marriage, let them speak now or remain silent forever." Naturally, no one objected. "So be it. I pronounce you husband and wife! You may exchange rings!"

I took from the stand a beautiful lacquered box, inside which were two golden rings. Not just any rings, but artifacts I'd made a month ago, combining Sumerian and modern magic.

They were portkeys, able to transport the wearer to their spouse by will or in danger, beacons, and danger-warning artifacts. They also had the same functionality as my ring — the stone could be changed for protection or attack. They were blood- and aura-bound, so no one else could use them. The height of my current abilities in artifacting. I'd even had to take a non-disclosure agreement from Ludwig about the rings' functions, with a death clause included.

Ludwig and Ariel put the rings on each other's fingers, where they adjusted and flashed with bright light, showing they were far from ordinary. Then they kissed, to applause, tears, and cheers from the crowd — mostly single women, so their reaction was understandable.

"Before we begin the feast," Mom began, flushed after the long kiss, "I'd like to announce another significant event in our family. As you know, Mr. Black is a good friend and mentor to my son, and I'd like to give him the floor so he can tell you about the addition to his family!"

"Thank you, Ariel," Black said, calling Mom by name and showing his closeness to our family. "Ladies and gentlemen, on this day of union, I'd like to present my adopted daughter — Dorothy Black!"

At first there was silence, then the applause grew louder and louder. What difference does it make what you're drinking to? Two celebrations are better than one. Veela are uninhibited and don't hide their feelings. The invited reporters were clicking away like mad. A wedding of a little-known wizard and a popular veela inventor wasn't much of a story, but a representative of a dark family adopting a veela? That was news.

"Thank you, thank you," Mom calmed everyone, her voice amplified by charms. "But that's not all. We'd also like to announce the engagement of my daughter, Dorothy Black, and my student, Arthur Marlow!"

"What? No! How could you?!" Apolline, to my surprise, burst into tears and ran away, but it didn't spoil the mood. If anything, it added spice and gossip about unrequited love.

"What's wrong with your daughter?" I asked, finding Jacqueline after pushing through the congratulations.

"Nothing," she answered with a sigh. "My daughter is just a fool."

"How so?"

"She decided that if she ignored you, you'd come running to find out why, get all worked up and interested. I told her that's not your style, but she didn't listen. Teenagers always know best." She popped an olive in her mouth. "She even got Patrick to help. When nothing worked, she came to the wedding with Delacour to make you jealous. And now you're engaged."

"I see. That backfired," I shrugged.

"Won't you go comfort her?"

"And how would that look? Besides, I'm burned out. I have no desire to play childish games. She'll get over it."

"You're right," Jacqueline smirked. "I was the same at her age. Don't worry — go to your fiancée, she's looking lost surrounded by all those veela."

"Well done, student," I didn't make it to Dorothy before Hayato intercepted me, grinning and giving me a thumbs up. "You don't waste time!"

"Oh, you too?" I rolled my eyes. "But thanks for coming. I'm glad you're here."

"What are you talking about? We're family!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Master Ma, who'd found a laughing veela and was probably whispering something scandalous in her ear. "How could I not come?"

"Look at Kensei," I said. "He's not wasting time either. Maybe you'll follow his example?"

"You know what?" the giant grinned. "You're right, student! I've never seen so many beautiful women in one place in my life!"

"Good luck, teacher!"

I was genuinely happy for Hayato's family, as if it were my own. Watching Hayato head off with veela undressing him with their eyes, Ma Kensei chasing after women, Shizuka giving Saiga a slap for staring at someone else's girl, Ariel and Ludwig cooing in a corner, and Phineas sipping wine with a smile, I realized — this is real life.

And it's for the sake of this idyll that it's worth becoming stronger. The only thing that spoiled the celebration for me was Apolline's outburst. She could have been my first wife if she'd acted differently. But I don't need hysterics and mood swings. I like women like Ariel — the kind who'll follow you through fire and water, and you never have to wonder what she'll do next. I don't want to live on a volcano.

So I went to rescue Dorothy from the crowd of curious women, all eager for a bit of gossip.

***

In the end, the celebration lasted late into the night, until the last two veela crawled out with Hayato, singing in two different languages, and headed for the dormitory.

I saw Apolline later, tear-stained and in Delacour's arms, and thought maybe it was for the best. If I'd gone after her, I'd have given her hope and started a whole new round of gossip. Patrick wanted to approach me several times, but didn't dare.

After sitting the required time at the table and eating my fill, I went with Dorothy to finish drawing the ritual circle for the marriage ritual — in full Sumerian form. Not for me, of course, but for the newlyweds.

"Well, are you ready?" I asked that night in the basement, lit only by candlelight. "Did you memorize the words?"

"Yes, we're ready, you've asked three times already," Ariel laughed, wrapped in a single cotton cloak that could be thrown off in a second. Ludwig was dressed the same.

"Well then, good luck." I left, closing the door behind me and heading upstairs. The marriage ritual involved not just a circle and charms, but ritual sex, so I would definitely be superfluous there.

***

—————————————————————————————————

Thank you for the help with the power stones!!!