Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter Twenty: Funeral, Part 2

"Remind me, why did I think this was a good idea?"

Fleur stopped brushing her hair to look at Ginny, sharing a brief glance with Gabrielle who was reading on the Gryffindor's bed. Why the other witch was even bothering was a question that flitted through the Gryffindor's mind often over the past several hours. Unlike herself, the quarter Veela could pull off a paper sack with the poise and grace of a true lady.

The morning had begun before the sun had even rose which meant freakishly early. Ginny and Stéphane picked up House Delacour's and House Flamel's formal wear from the tailor. The amount of money both of them had to pay for the clothes were ridiculous. The Weasley was certain her family hadn't spent that much money in a year, much less on something as frivolous as clothes. Still upon seeing the Delacours in their fancy attire Ginny could almost see the appeal of dropping that much money on clothes.

Apolline as the Matriarch of her family wore a sky blue floor length dress. A silver sash embroidered with the Delacour coat of arms repeating crossed over her chest from her right shoulder to left hip. Her hands remained free of gloves to show case the Delacour ring resting on her right pointer finger, showing her as second in the family's hierarchy. Silver earring with sapphires hung from her ears along with the matching necklace. As a half Veela Apolline was afforded supernatural beauty. Before today, Ginny had seen her stop traffic. Now, the Gryffindor thought that she could easily incite riots or cause men to fall over dead from her beauty.

Fleur was her mother's daughter. She wore a similar dress and sash. The only difference being that the sash went from her left shoulder to right hip, signifying her position as Heir Apparent to House Delacour. Her body was devoid of jewelry save for the small ring on her left pointer finger. It, like her sash, signified her position as an heiress.

The youngest of Delacour women was the only one missing the sash. Gabrielle was pleased at how her dress looked without the "ugly piece of cloth" destroying its beauty. Which was just as well, considering she couldn't wear one. A sash was only afforded to the Patriarch, Matriarch, and Heir.

Stephane made looking the part of Lord seem easy. He wore a light grey muggle suit with a sash the same color as his wife's dress crossed over his chest. The true piece of his outfit however was the long flowing cape that cascaded down his back. It was a slightly darker blue than his sash and had the Delacour crest writ large upon it in golden thread.

All Delacours had two final, but simple pieces of fabric. Silk of the purest black was wrapped around both of all their upper arms.

The fact was that the entire family managed to look jaw droping-ly beautiful when arrayed together. It made Ginny hate them just a little. After preparing fully, Apolline and Stephane stepped out to see to some details, leaving their third daughter with the other two.

All of that had led to Ginny staring at the mirror looking at her reflection. Over the years her body had changed so much that she couldn't associate the young woman looking back at her as the insecure eleven year old who couldn't meet her own eyes. It had happen gradually, with some sudden leaps, like when she had had her magical awakening. The Gryffindor knew that she was only fourteen, almost fifteen. But the regal woman in the mirror seemed to feel differently.

Her dress was a deep emerald green that brought perfectly contrasted with her brilliant red hair. Hair that was intricate in its simplicity. Two small braids, one on each side of her head, began at her temples and met at the back of her head, perfectly centered. There they were clipped together with a gold phoenix with sapphires for eyes. Like Stephane and Apolline, she wore a sash with House Flamel's crest covering it, only where theirs were silver her's was a regal blue.

The final element of her astonishingly beautiful ensemble was the pure black cloak. Ginny remembered her father raving about how muggles wore all black to funerals. In the wizarding world this was not the case. Wizards and Witches wore their house colors, even family. The difference was that, the closer the relationship one had with the deceased the more black was present over those house colors.

The two armbands resting on Gabrielle's arms, for example, meant that she was a close friend – almost family to Nicolas and Perenelle. A single armband meant friendship while some would only have hair ribbons or handkerchiefs present, signifying a passing acquaintanceship. There would be a great many hair ribbons and handkerchiefs at this funeral.

But by contrast, the cloak of uninterrupted black, untainted by any signs of color, draped over Ginny's shoulders symbolized that she was the Flamels' closest living relative. And, in effect, that she was their Heir.

And now Ginny was looking in the mirror and wondering what had happened to the wild tom boy who wore pants and got dirt all over her clothes. She couldn't be the same woman wearing this fortune, could she?

"Come again, Fury?"

The Lady Flamel met her elder blood sister's eyes and blinked. So caught up in her thoughts she didn't know what was going on. "Pardon?"

God, even my voice sounds different now.

"You said, Remind me why I thought this was a good idea."

"Oh."

Ginny let out a soft noise of acknowledgement before turning back to the mirror. She heard a faint rustling and within seconds Fleur and Gabrielle were standing next to her. The reflection noted this change of scenery, now showing three absolutely gorgeous women. Well, two gorgeous women and one utterly adorable girl. The Gryffindor looked at their reflections and thought, the one in the middle can't be me.

She glanced down and to her left as Gabby tugged on her hand. "What's wrong?"

"I just…I look in the mirror," she returned her gaze to the reflection. "And I see a woman, who is confident and beautiful and seems utterly prepared for the coming storm. And I know that's me but the only thing I can think of is 'someone must be standing in front of me' or 'Nic managed one last prank before he went, and enchanted my mirror to show something that isn't there.' Because that can't be me. I'm just a fourteen year old who enjoys getting dirty, and playing Quidditch and football and dueling. I'm a girl who hasn't worn a dress in years and that woman in the mirror can't possibly be me."

As Ginny spoke, tears blurred the image in front of her eyes. She fought with everything she had to prevent them from falling. Suddenly, she felt a hand gently turning her face towards Fleur.

"That's what you see? A woman who can't possibly exist?"

The eighteen year old former Triwizard champion's voice was soft, and as gentle as her hand that was still on the younger girl's face.

"Because that's not what I see. I see someone who has been through so much and survived. I see a beautiful young woman who is just coming into her own. I see you, Ginny. Someone who is now one of the most powerful people in the world but I have no doubt that you will use that power sparingly."

Ginny blinked her eyes drying. Gabrielle tugged on her hand again, and Fleur allowed her own to drop from the Gryffindor's face as she turned to look at her blood sister.

"I see someone who was willing to risk everything for a child she didn't know. I see someone who is the kindest person I have ever met. I see someone who is frought with insecurities forced upon her by a cruel, evil man. I almost wish you had never had Tom Riddle's Diary. Because then, you might be more confident, with all these insecurities not there."

Gabby paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Almost. But not quite because then I wouldn't have met you, or if I had you wouldn't be the Ginny I know, the sister I love. You look in the mirror and think that that woman couldn't possibly be you. But I look at the mirror, and at you, and think that you couldn't possibly be anyone else."

Fleur had lessened Ginny's discomfort but Gabrielle was nothing less than a hero to the fourteen year old in that moment.

"You…you really think that?" The Gryffindor, for all her courage stumbled over the words, glancing between the two sisters that she'd never dreamed she'd have. "Both of you?"

The two quarter Veela reacted instantly, engulfing their sister in a group hug.

"You're our sister, and one of the most amazing people ever."

"How could we not?"

Well...This chapter seems to be an exercise in avoidance. Unfortunately I can't delay politics any longer, wish me luck on that. I apologize for the delay in this chapter, but life got away from me. Again. I suck, I know. I also never did respond to reviews after last chapter, so I'll have those up before next Saturday (hopefully). I still need a beta! If anyone is interested...

As a disclaimer, I have no idea how to describe clothes. While I am female, my wardrobe is mostly composed of t-shirts, jeans, and gym shorts. With several pairs of button up dress shirts, a full pant suit, and a single dress that hang mostly unused in my closet. I'm not even going to get started on my shoes 'cuz I have a feeling that other women might murder me...So, like I said, I'm bad with clothes.

I sincerely thank You can only live once for ensuring this chapter was written in a (semi) timely fashion.

8/3/2014 - I finally updated my profile with responses for every review since the last time. I also took the old one down. I want sincerely thank everyone who read and reviewed EFGG. All of the positive feedback is almost overwhelming and makes all the struggles I have with this story worth it. I might have forgotten to thank every individual in every review response, but know that I am truly grateful and completely honored that you took time from your busy lives to say a few words about my story.