2.| ✮𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓑𝓲𝓵𝓵. ✮ {𝓑. 𝓦𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓵𝓮𝔂}

\\𝒻𝒾𝓋ℯ\\ (𝒸ℴ𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓃𝓊ℯ𝒹)

~

Once everyone was gathered again for the reception, Bill and Eleanora seated at the front, holding hands under the table; Charlie rose to give his best man speech. Before he began, he gazed down at Eleanora and Bill affectionately.

"I've obviously know Bill my whole life," Charlie said to the expectant crowd. "He was always the reliable older brother. The one to keep the rest of us in line, who was always there to help us with our homework or bandage whatever wounds we got from fighting each other or giving the exact advice he knew his little siblings needed. I remember one time, I must've been six or seven, I stole my dad's old racing broom and flew it around the backyard while our mum was making lunch. When I fell, which I know is surprising coming from the ex-star quidditch captain of the Hogwarts team-"

The audience chuckled. "-Bill was the one to wipe the blood off of my knees and scold me for stealing the broom and make me promise to never ever tell my parents what had happened- sorry Mum. Anyways, the reason I'm telling you this is because we all need to understand that Bill is one of the most generous, giving people of all time. We all can see from the way he looks at my new sister in law-" he gestured at Eleanora, "-that he would give her the world if that's what she wanted. But see, that's the thing. Eleanora would never ask him for that."

He met Eleanora's eyes, his own growing misty. "Eleanora here is the one person who wants to help people just as much as Bill does. She's just as selfless, as giving, as loving as him. The whole time they've known each other I've watched them go back and forth, giving and taking, working as hard as they could to protect each other, and that's all love is, isn't it?"

He paused, looking back down at Bill and Eleanora, who were smiling at each other, still holding hands. "I've known Eleanora since she was eleven years old. I knew her as the annoying second year who wouldn't leave me alone about teaching her how to play quidditch; as the fourteen year old who quickly became a star player- which I would take credit for, but we know it was all her; as the sixteen year old girl looking for adventure wherever she could find it; and as the woman we know today. The one who's always there for everyone; who always wants to help, who would do absolutely anything for the people she loves. The one who has always loved my brother, but also saw through to who he really is. Who continues loving him after everything they've been through, and who I trust to always love him no matter what happens in the future. El-" he turned to look Eleanora directly in the eyes, "You know you've always been a little sister to me." Eleanora nodded and grinned at him, feeling her eyes water up. "I'm just glad we get to finally make it official."

And with that, Charlie patted Bill on the back, leaned down to kiss Eleanora's cheek, and then settled back into his seat.

Eleanora leaned over to Bill and whispered, "I think we were wrong to expect a disaster."

Bill laughed softly. "I think we were right to expect one, but this was a nice surprise."

Eleanora smiled and sat back, waiting for the next speech. Her mind wandered to one time during her sixth year when she promised Beatrice they would be each other's maids of honor. The thought of it stung now that Bea was a Death Eater, but before she could get too sad about it, she saw George help Daisy stand up on a chair and use a fork to tap lightly on a glass to get everyone's attention. The crowd laughed and turned to watch Daisy, who didn't look at all frightened to be standing in front of so many people.