DH8: The Wedding – Harry Potter Lexicon

"Let nothing tarnish your memories of Albus Dumbledore!"
-- Elphias Doge

Harry, disguised by Polyjuice Potion, attends Bill’s and Fleur’s wedding, where he meets Xenophilius Lovegood and Ron’s Great Aunt Muriel, and re-encounters Viktor Krum and Elphias Doge. Thanks to Krum, Harry remembers who Gregorovitch is and learns that Xenophilius is wearing a symbol associated with Gellert Grindelwald. Thanks to Muriel’s gossip, he hears more about the Dumbledore family. The party is broken up by the arrival of Kingsley Shacklebolt’s lynx Patronus, warning the guests that the Ministry of Magic has fallen, Rufus Scrimgeour is dead and the Death Eaters are coming.

Calendar and Dates

The day after Harry's 17th birthday, so it is 1 August.

Interesting facts and notes

"When I get married," said Fred, tugging at the collar of his own robes, "I won't be bothering with any of this nonsense."

My reaction now is to remember Amos Diggory's words to Cedric before the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, that beating Harry Potter at Quidditch was something he would be able to tell his grandchildren (GF4).

....dropped her small beaded bag, which made a loud thump quite disproportionate to its size

As we learn later in the day, Hermione has placed an Undetectable Extension Charm on the bag, which is very, very useful later on (DH9).

"Another Weasley? You breed like gnomes. Isn’t Harry Potter here? I was hoping to meet him. I thought he was a friend of yours, Ronald, or have you merely been boasting?"

Is Auntie Muriel not a Weasley, but perhaps a relative from another side of the family?

"Grindelvald carved it into a wall at Durmstrang ven he vos a pupil there."

So Gellert Grindelwald, before his expulsion from Durmstrang at the age of sixteen, was already interested in the Deathly Hallows (DH18).

We find out later what it is Xenophilius Lovegood thinks the symbol he wears is meant to signify (DH21).

Exceptional character moments

Percy didn't attend the wedding.

Auntie Muriel's glee in spreading anxiety and gossip through the whole of the wedding party.

Elphias Doge not being able to defend Albus Dumbledore's past actions, partly through ignorance, but also because he thinks that wizards should just "believe" when faced with facts. Although with Great Aunt Muriel and Rita Skeeter involved they will be distorted facts, of course.

Memorable lines

"Vot [...] is the point of being an international Quidditch player if all the good-looking girls are taken?"

"How wonderful! Gnome saliva is enormously beneficial!"

"Luna, my love, if you should feel any burgeoning talent today - perhaps an unexpected urge to sing opera or to declaim in Mermish - do not repress it! You mat have been gifted by the Gernumblies!"

"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."