The Real Memory

Harry took Ginny for a romantic little dinner at a small café on the Thames. They'd been their several times before, so she didn't suspect anything unusual.

After dinner they took their customary walk down the Thames and across the millennium bridge to St. Paul's Cathedral. The two of them would then go inside and just sit in the chairs and look up at the artwork while holding hands. It was a magical place.

Tonight was a little different though. Harry stopped Ginny halfway across the millennium bridge to watch a boat passing underneath them. The two of them stood there in silence as the sun slowly dipped lower, until it's rays hit Ginny's hair and made it go up in flames.

This was the moment, Harry decided. He took Ginny's hand in his and pulled her to face him as he went down on one knee. Ginny's eyes lit up like her hair when he pulled the ring out of his pocket and offered it to her.

"Yes!" Ginny squealed as she threw herself into his arms.

Harry lost his balance and fell backwards as passersby stopped to watch them. Somehow, Harry managed to slip the ring on Ginny's finger as they tried to untangle themselves.

A few minutes later they were on their way again. Harry's arm was around Ginny's waist and the two of them looked like they were walking on clouds. They were completely oblivious to everyone around them.

Everyone, even Ron, was happy to hear about the engagement. Hermione and Ron threw them an engagement party. Harry got congratulations from all of his teammates and there were cries of rage throughout the country when the news announced their engagement. Harry's daily supply of love letters from fangirls turned into hate letters.

They usually weren't about him though, instead, they were letters ripping Ginny apart. They called her all sorts of nasty things; Harry destroyed these letters upon receiving them, he didn't want Ginny to see them. Eventually his agent stopped sending them on.

Ginny decided on the first Saturday in May. This meant only about a six month engagement, but they didn't mind, they didn't want to wait any longer than they had to.

Over the next six months Harry heard from Snape several times. He proposed different theories and Harry recounted more of his memories, both magical and muggle. Nothing seemed to fit though. They began talking so often that Snape actually got an invitation to the wedding. Surprisingly, he accepted it.

About a month before the wedding the lease on Ginny's flat was up so she moved in with Harry, much to her mother's shock and annoyance. This really didn't affect them much though, by this time Aunt Petunia and Mrs. Weasley were impossible to deal with since they had taken over the wedding plans. Everyone was doing their best to just stay away from them.

It got so bad that Mr. Weasley went to visit Charlie down in Africa for awhile. The two of them came back just a couple of days before the wedding.

Luna ended up being Ginny's maid of honor, with Hermione as her single bridesmaid. From the tales he heard, Harry learned that Luna threw crazy hen parties. Once he heard about the mime stripper, he didn't want to hear any more. He really, really didn't. Hermione threw her a beautiful bridal shower at a nice little café near her new flat with Ron. They'd moved once Hermione started getting a steady, dependable income from her articles.

Harry's best man was Ron, with Dudley as his only groomsmen. The two of them threw him a stag party that involved camping out at a pub in London for several hours. Harry enjoyed just relaxing and drinking a few beers with his friends and teammates.

Before he knew it the wedding had arrived. They were holding it in the same small church that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been married at in Ottery St. Mary.

Harry was spending the night before the wedding at a small bed and breakfast in town with his family and some of the wedding guests. Ginny was at her parent's place with her family. He went to bed the night before the wedding with a feeling of excitement coursing through his veins. It reminded him of his feelings on the night of August 31st during the eleventh year of his Magic Memories.

Unlike the last time, this time he dreamed.

He was sitting on a park bench with Ginny; they were watching the stars together when she shivered. So he took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, but it fell off. So he put it on her again, but it fell off again. It did this everytime, and she kept shivering more and more. He tried hugging her, but it didn't work, his hands went right through her. Panic rose in his chest as he watched her skin turn blue as she slowly froze to death while he got warmer and warmer - his chest felt like it was on fire. It was as if he was sucking the very heat out of her.

Just before she took her last breath he woke up, yelling her name.

Harry's hand automatically moved to the other side of the bed, where Ginny normally lay, but she wasn't there. Panic raced through his chest and it took him a moment to remember that she was at her parents.

Taking a deep breath Harry stumbled out of bed as the sun began peeking around the curtains and down the hall to the bathroom. Splashing warm water on his face he tried to erase the memory of Ginny freezing to death in his arms.

There was a knock on the doorframe. Harry looked over to see Snape standing there. "Another nightmare involving your Magic Memories?"

Harry shook his head as he turned the water off. "No, it was a dream about Ginny freezing to death in my arms, whatever I did, I couldn't warm her up. Despite the fact that I was burning up, there was a literal fire in my chest, yet I just couldn't keep her warm."

Snape frowned, "Interesting, now, do you need the bathroom?" Harry shook his head, "Good, can you please leave so I can use it? Honestly, this place needs a bathroom in every room."

Harry rolled his eyes at this comment as he left the bathroom. He wandered down the hall to his room and spent the next couple of hours doing some exercises while he tried to wipe the dream from his memory.

A little past noon he was finally ready, in mind and body. He was showered and wearing a tuxedo with an emerald green vest and the dream was firmly locked up in the same place he used to keep all of his memories. He was waiting with Ron and Dudley in a small room off the chapel for their moment to enter the chapel.

Butterflies were fluttering around in his stomach as he kept checking the clock on the wall. Trying to distract himself, Harry glanced over at his friend and cousin. Dudley was sitting in a chair, calmly reading a magazine while he waited and Ron was pacing back and forth - obviously nervous about watching his only sister get married. All three of them were waiting for the background music to change so that they could enter.

The door opened and all three young men looked over, not expecting anyone. To their surprise, it was Snape.

"Snape, why are you here?" Harry asked in confusion.

"I think I figured it out." He grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him over to a corner.

"Can't it wait until after the wedding?" Harry asked, annoyance in his tone, he was more worried about his wedding than his Magic Memories at the moment.

"No, not really," Snape took a deep breath and was about to continue when the music changed.

"Harry! We've got to go." Ron called as he smoothed his hair nervously.

"Just tell me afterwards." Harry said, pulling away from Snape as Dudley put down his magazine and straightened his tie.

"No, Harry, I have to tell you now." Snape said in a rushed voice.

"Harry! Come on!" Ron said as he grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him towards the door to the chapel.

Snape reached out and grabbed Harry's arm quickly, "Harry, just tell me, do you have your necklace on?"

Now Harry was confused, "Of course, I never take it off."

Snape breathed a sigh of relief as he let go of Harry's arm. "Good, I'll tell you afterwards then, as long as you keep the necklace on you should be fine, you've been fine for years after all." He turned sharply and left the room.

Harry just had a second to straighten his coat before he was walking out into the chapel, Ron and Dudley right behind him.

The chapel was beautifully decorated with fresh flowers, but Harry saw none of it. He was focused on the door at the end of the aisle, waiting for Ginny to enter. By the time he reached the alter he had already put Snape's words out of his mind. Today was his wedding day; he wasn't going to worry about his Magic Memories. That could wait until tomorrow, they'd waited for years already.

The music changed and the doors opened to show Hermione. She looked gorgeous in an emerald green gown as she rolled down the aisle, a happy smile on her face. When she reached the alter Dudley helped her position her chair properly.

Then came Luna, she floated down the aisle in her normal dreamlike state. Harry heard Ron chuckle slightly as he escorted Luna to her spot next to Hermione.

Then the music changed yet again as the doors opened wide and Ginny stepped through with Mr. Weasley on her arm.

Harry forgot to breathe until Ron poked him in the back and whispered, "You better not pass out from lack of oxygen."

Ginny looked amazing in some lacy, frothy concoction. Harry didn't notice anything else about the dress; his entire focus was on her face. She looked absolutely radiant. He couldn't believe he was so lucky.

Before he knew it Mr. Weasley had kissed her cheeks and taken his seat. Harry was left with Ginny as the priest began to speak. Harry remembered saying "I do" in a clear, strong voice. Though he'd never remember how he managed that.

Then came the rings, Harry took the ring from Ron and slipped it on Ginny's finger, next to the opal ring. Then Ginny slipped the other ring on his finger.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Harry was leaning forwards, about to do just that, when the doors to the chapel slammed open and a crazy woman ran down the aisle, a gun in her hand, as she screamed, "You bitch! He's MINE!"

Time slowed down.

Harry caught a glimpse of the woman's face as she got closer and realized that he recognized her. It was Romilda Vane.

Then there was a load CRACK, followed quickly by another, as she raised the gun and fired it twice at Ginny, all in one smooth motion.

Harry pulled Ginny out of the way, but in doing so he slipped.

He jerked sharply as the bullets hit his body.

He fell to the ground as he heard screams and shouts all around him.

His vision began to blur as Ginny's face appeared in front of him. She was crying and saying something, but he couldn't quite make it out.

Harry tried to reach out, he wanted to comfort her, to let her know that he was going to be alright, but his mouth wouldn't work.

The last thing he saw before his fuzzy vision disappeared completely was Ron pulling Ginny into his arms as Snape took her place.

And then everything was gone, just like it had been eleven years previously.