The Beacon in the Darkness

Disclaimer: Everything in the Harry Potter world belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros.

CHAPTER ONE

If anyone looked back on the wedding of James Potter and Lily Evans, many would say it was the last bright light before the unrelenting onslaught of the darkness. The day of the wedding was beautiful. The sky was a cornflower blue and the sun shone as brightly as a phoenix flame. The ceremony was to be held in the large grounds of the Potter Manor and was going to be a celebration of a union both Muggle and Wizarding ways; incorporating rituals from both cultures. The trees surrounding the grand expanse of lush green grass were decorated with cream and gold silk bows and even the leaves had been enchanted to have a golden glimmer whenever the sun touched upon them. Simple pearly white chairs had been set up in twelve straight lines in two blocks with an aisle where the bride would finally make her entrance. At the very front was a slight platform where the bride and groom would exchange their vows, which was shadowed by an arch entwined with fresh lilies that had been charmed to turn gold and dove white at different intervals.

The massive Potter Manor was filled with guests, caterers and family members rushing and bustling up and down the grand stairwell with messages, errands, odd-ends, clothing, flowers—it was bedlam. Mrs. Potter, who had been ill for some time, had managed to rally her failing health and throw herself into the planning of the wedding, ignoring the dull ache inside of her at the thought that her husband, James' father, was not alive to see his son get married. She sat in a cushioned armchair in her study with a to-do list in her frail, sandpapery hands. She still had elegance and poise and her frosty white hair was tied back in a gentle twist, adorned with a pale pink silk lily. She was clad in fine pale-blue dress robes with a rope of pearls around her neck. Her face lit up as her foster son, Sirius Black, strode into the room.

"Mrs. Potter!" exclaimed Sirius, his face alight with excitement and his eyes looking affectionately at the woman he considered his true mother. They embraced tightly.

"Hello Sirius," Mrs. Potter said fondly, "Is James alright?"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "He's still in one piece but as twitchy as a rabbit! He threatened to hex me if I didn't give him some privacy to get dressed but I reckon he's sneaking out to see his wife-to-be," and gave Mrs. Potter a cheeky wink.

Mrs. Potter chuckled lightly. "Really, Sirius, I had no idea you thought so little of my son's virtue," she said teasingly.

Sirius gave Mrs. Potter a knowing look. "Well, from past experiences, where a certain red-head is concerned, rationality tends to fly out the window for a certain messy-haired and spectacled man."

Mrs. Potter and Sirius looked at each other for a minute then they burst into laughter.

James Potter, soon-to-be husband of Lily Evans, was not—contrary to Sirius' blatant insinuations—sneaking off to meet with his bride. In fact, he was standing in front of his mirror pulling at his cravat that was at an odd angle. Even in his state of extreme nerves, James knew he looked good as his tall and lean figure was gowned in traditional wizarding dress robes of rich black that had an emerald sheen when it was touched by light.

His stomach was churning and he felt more nervous than he ever had before a major Quidditch game. But then, he reminded himself, you weren't waiting to marry the love of your life. He didn't know how he could possibly equate marrying the woman he had obsessed about for most of his school life to a simple Qudditch match. He had tossed and turned for most of the night and could barely keep down the bacon and eggs the house elf Verona had cooked for him this morning. It wasn't as if he was afraid to marry Lily, it was more the fact that he was afraid Lily wouldn't want to marry him. He knew the thought was completely irrational, but then, he was hardly ever level-headed when it came to Lily. He mentally cringed when he thought of how arrogant and pig-headed he had acted in front of her during Hogwarts, thinking that his antics would actually impress her. He took another deep breath and told himself he was being completely ridiculous and that it was just pre-wedding jitters.

He glanced at the clock above his desk: in two hours he would be a married man.

"Psst!" came a hushed voice from the door as it creaked shut. James jumped around, startled and before he could even regain his senses he was suddenly leapt on and smothered with hot kisses. Lily. James fell back against his desk but did not let go of her.

"Lils—"

More fervent kisses.

"Hmm…"

"It's—bad—luck…if—the bride sees—the—groom before…the—wedding and…"

"…darling… you—worry—too—much!" gasped Lily, breaking away from the kiss, her lips red and bruised from their passionate encounter and her eyes sparkling with mischief and vivacity.

Lily rested her forehead against his, the two of them breathing heavily.

Lily giggled. "No one knows I snuck out to see you! I just couldn't resist—Emmeline and Alice still think that I need some time alone!"

James smiled tenderly at her and brushed back a piece of her stray red hair that had fallen in her face. "You sound just like a Marauder," he said admiringly.

Lily smiled winningly and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. "Well," she murmured, her hot breath sending pleasurable sensations tingling down his body, "I have learnt from the best."

"I wouldn't expect anything else," James drawled, failing to hide the amusement that gleamed in his eyes.

Lily unhooked her legs from his waist and lithely landed on the floor, smirking at James' protests. She stifled a laugh as voices floated in from outside. "I better go before someone sees me!" she whispered.

"Take my Invisibility Cloak with you…in two hours—or to be more exact: one hour and forty-nine minutes later—you will be my wife!"

Lily could not restrain herself from flinging her arms around his neck with a squeal. James hugged her close to him, breathing in the strawberry scent of her hair.

"I love you," he breathed, hugging her even more tightly, if it was possible.

"And I you," she said softly, then with obvious reluctance pulled away and James handed her his Invisibility Cloak.

"See you soon," James said, dredging up a weak smile as he already felt a hole in him open at being separated from her—even if it was only for less than two hours.

Lily blew him a kiss and then in a heartbeat was gone.

Sirius left Mrs. Potter in the study and energetically sprang up the stairs that lead to James' room. He had felt some consternation over Mrs. Potter's health but had shook it off, knowing that she would not want a fuss nor want to upset her beloved son's wedding. Besides, he rationalised to himself, she was looking more alert and spritely than she had since—since Mr. Potter's funeral.

Sudden memories of the father he should have had flooded back to him. Sirius remembered standing by his bed at St. Mungo's and the way Mr. Potter had grabbed his hand with surprising energy and choked out in a raspy voice, "Sirius, you are like a second son to me and I know how loyal you are to us—to James first and foremost …dark times are coming, suspicion and betrayal will slowly infiltrate our lives and fear will be hanging over all of us, but there is one thing that you can hold to: that is your friendship—no your brotherhood—with James…a brotherhood like that may fray, but it does not weaken, it is constant and unwavering. My son—yes Sirius, I regard you as my son; don't look so surprised—most people spend their entire lives looking for a friendship like yours and James' but do not succeed…a-all I ask is that you do not allow the dark forces to poison the camaraderie between the two of you—indeed all your friends. Just stay true and constant, Sirius. That is all one can do in times like these."

Mr. Potter's last words to him had instilled in him a fierce sense of duty and honour, and he felt that he was not only Prongs' best man but also his brother, best friend and bulwark. He felt it was his duty to ensure that Prongs had the best wedding day possible—Lily too, for Sirius regarded her as his sister. After all the tragedy they had suffered, what with the death of Lily's parents and James' father, it was the least he could do.

Sirius pushed open James' door without knocking and found his best friend standing in front of his mirror looking like he had just been assaulted by the full force of nature. His messy hair was even wilder and his glasses were slightly askew. Sirius was about to ask what the hell he had been doing, but when he spotted the lipstick mark on his cheek, a sly grin spread over his face. "Prongs, you ol' dog!" Sirius said jovially, clapping James on the back heartily.

James batted him off, flushing bright red which made Sirius smirk even more. "I'm not the dog here," he muttered. "And get those dirty thoughts out of your head; it's not what you envisage, Padfoot."

"What dirty thoughts may they be?" asked Sirius innocently.

"I can tell you are thinking of by that lascivious and obnoxious smile of yours."

Sirius laughed. "How are you feeling?"

James wiped the lipstick off his cheek and turned to face his best friend, appearing dazed. "I- I feel as if I am in some sort of fantasy where the love of my life, the object of my affections has agreed to spend the rest of her life with me and then I wake up and I am back in fifth year where Lily is shouting that my head is too big for a broomstick." James ran a hand through his hair distractedly. "Sometimes I wonder why Lily agreed to go out with me in the first place, let alone marry me. I mean—she is such a beautiful, passionate, independent woman and she could have had any man! But she chose me and sometimes I am so afraid that this is all some amazing, warm dream that I will wake up from and find she is just a puff of smoke."

Sirius' jovial face immediately sobered and he gripped James by the shoulders and said intensely, "That's right, she chose you—you, not some other prat! She and you are made for each other! Everyone sees it—Lily sees it! Why do you think that she snuck in here earlier to snog you senseless? Don't look so surprised Prongs, Alice told me she caught Lily sneaking back in an invisibility cloak of all things—anyway, she loves you, only you, no one else. For Merlin sakes! The both of you want to make me gag sometimes because you seem so in love, so enraptured with each other. We aren't in fifth year anymore, Prongs. You've changed—she's changed! Just remember: she chose you!"

James embraced Sirius tightly. "Thank-you Padfoot," he said hoarsely. "I love her so much that the thought of a life without her—"

"I know, I know Prongs," Sirius said quietly, hugging him in a tight brotherly clasp.

"My dear, you look beautiful! James is going to think you are some kind of apparition!" Mrs. Potter said warmly, stepping into the dressing room where Lily was standing in the middle of the floor dressed in her wedding gown with Emmeline and Alice fussing about Lily's dress.

Lily blushed. "Thanks Mrs. Potter."

"James is going to be practically drooling at the altar!" said Alice cheekily.

"You are going to drive him wild in this dress!" added Emmeline but then remembering Mrs. Potter was in the room, she coughed and suddenly found the fabric of Lily's skirt fascinating.

Lily's dress was strapless. The top half of the dress was silk and body clinging then it became chiffon and flowed out, creating an illusion that she was wrapped in a cloud. Her back was practically bare with the exception of three skinny spaghetti criss-cross straps at the back. She wore no veil but her hair was curled into graceful ringlets that framed her bare milky white shoulders and entwined with little pearls. Around her neck was the emerald necklace that James had given her on Graduation.

"Excuse me, Emmeline and Alice, but could I please speak to Lily alone for a moment?" asked Mrs. Potter.

"Of course!" said Alice and pulled Emmeline out of the room with her, leaving Lily and Mrs. Potter together.

The two women gazed at each other for a moment in silence. Mrs. Potter crossed the room and clasped Lily's hands in hers. "Your parents would be so proud of you today," Mrs. Potter said softly, her eyes filled with empathy for Lily.

Lily bit her lip. "I know...it's just so hard today, my wedding, not having my parents around," but then her face warmed and her eyes became almost radiant. "Yet I know I am not alone: I have James, the Order, the Marauders, my friends and you who have all been like my family when my sister failed me."

Mrs. Potter noticed the shadow of pain that crossed over Lily's face at the mention of her estranged sister. "Sometimes it is people who do not share the same blood as us that are more faithful, are more like family to us," Mrs. Potter said gently.

Lily nodded, obviously struggling to keep in check her emotions. Mrs. Potter's hands felt comforting and calmed her greatly. "But I am not the only one labouring under a private sorrow. Forgive me, Mrs Potter as it very selfish of me to forget that you have lost your husband."

Mrs. Potter smiled serenely. "No my dear, do not feel guilty at all. I spent over half a century with my husband whereas you are in the bloom of youth with everything ahead of you and have been deprived of your parents' presence at such a young age. I am an old woman with the little energy I have left invested in my son's happiness today. Like you, today is hard for me because I long for my dear husband to be here and see his son get married, but it gives me great comfort to think that he is watching over us, like your parents would be. Just because they have died, it does not mean that they have forgotten us. I can feel his presence here today, I see him in my son…"

Lily stared at Mrs. Potter in awe. "How do—how do you know these things?"

Mrs. Potter gently kissed her cheek. "I have been on this earth for a long time."

Lily laughed; the hidden shadow of grief slipping away from her because of the sheer grace and strength of Mrs. Potter and impulsively hugged her.

"I want you to be happy, my dear. Today will be filled with so much joy—live and savour every moment! I want you to love, laugh, fight, cry with James; share the good and the dark moments with him. In these increasingly dark times, the love between you and my son is like a beacon in the darkness to which all of us levitate towards to, sustenance to all our souls."

Both Mrs. Potter and Lily's eyes were wet with emotion. "I love James so much, Mrs. Potter."

Mrs. Potter's hands trembled. "I know you do, my dear, I know you do," and she pressed a kiss to Lily's forehead then enfolded her in a motherly embrace.

End of Chapter One! Next chapter is Lily and James' wedding! Yay! Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks