Soft music could be heard in the air. People walked along Crescent Street when they arrived. Everyone smiled and talked happily. Today was an occasion to celebrate, especially for one certain couple.
The only thing that could possibly ruin the day was the weather. It was pouring down buckets of rain. Some waited outside and risked getting wet before the wedding happened. Others raced inside and were helped to their seats.
"You are absolutely foolish some times, James Potter!" Obviously it wasn't this couple celebrating. Mrs. Lily Potter, spoke to her husband with aggravation. "If she wanted me at her wedding she would have invited me here!"
James opened his mouth to say something, but was immediately cut off. Oh, how he loved his darling wife.
"Let's go home!" Lily said and snatched his left arm. "I was about to brew a potion before you dragged me here. Severus was going to come over and help." She added.
James gave her a simple look that said she was horrible at coming up with excuses on the spot, especially since she invited his all time worst enemy to their place. A war was taken place and James was certain Severus Snape involved himself in the Death Eaters. How was he ever going to prove that to his beloved wife though? She had chosen to trust someone who had put her down in the past and was completely against everything she was!
Lily tapped her foot impatiently. Of course she knew she should have never invited Severus into their home. He had been a friend to her off and on since they were eleven years old. James could hold his grudge, but she wasn't going to. James was jealous. Simple as that! Times, like now, she wondered why she never asked Severus to date her. She pushed a strand of her bright red hair out of her face and sighed. She knew why she never asked. He would have said no. He wasn't the type of guy who was interested in a relationship. Besides that, she was honestly happy with her husband.
James moved his arm from her's and wrapped it around her shoulders. He steered her to the church and put a finger to her lips when she was about to protest.
"It's your sister's wedding. Do you honestly believe she wouldn't have invited you?" James asked and stared at her hard. "Our invitation was probably lost in the mail, like you said her's was to our wedding." He ruffled his jet black hair when he thought about that now. Had the letter Lily was supposed to send inviting Petunia and her love to their wedding really been lost in the mail?
"You just wait. You'll learn fast." Lily muttered, not wanting James to meet her sister.
James smiled at her. He knew she would regret it later if they didn't at least try to show up at Petunia's wedding. "Are you sure I shouldn't have wore my dress robe?" He asked her worriedly, as they walked up the steps to the church Petunia and Vernon had chosen to get married in. Vernon's family was extremely Christian.
"Muggle men wear suits to weddings." Lily informed him. She looked down at her dress, unsure of why she bothered getting dressed up for this. She did wish she was invited, but the point was she wasn't and she didn't feel right welcoming herself like this.
"Lily!" A man said as he rushed over to the two suddenly. He wrapped his arm tightly around her and smiled brightly.
"Dad," she said back with a warm smile. "How is everyone doing?" She tried to keep the mood positive with him.
"I've never been one to lie to you, sweetie." He told her quietly. "Things have been difficult with your mother disappearing this year. Petunia was rather close to her." The man dropped his gaze sadly for only a minute. "Today Petunia is getting married though. It's wonderful that you two managed to make an appearance. Come in, come in with me. Petunia would lo..."
"You've never lied to me. Don't start now, Daddy." Lily said as she moved away from him with James. "We'll see you inside." She said before they disappeared into the church.
James looked behind him to send a smile at Mr Evans. His father in-law and him met at Lily's and his wedding. Personally he liked the man. Although he threatened James a million times that if he ever hurt Lily he would be taken care of, he was a sensible and honest man and James admired him.
Lily looked around. She regretted not bringing her wand for a safety measure.
You never knew what Petunia might do. She was like a witch without a wand. Ok, witch wasn't the word for her. She was a total bitch! She hadn't always been like that though. There was a time when Lily and Petunia were best friends. They did everything together, even planned their double wedding. How could everything have changed?
James looked around at all the candles then to a priest. "Great, Lily, look at him." Lily did as she was told. "See? I told you I should have wore a dress robe!" He blurted out.
Lily rolled her eyes as she took her husband's hand. "He's likely marrying my sister. He's a priest. That is what they wear." Lily explained before walking over to the holy water. She dipped her fingers into the water and moved her fingers from her forehead, chest, left shoulder, and right shoulder.
James stood aside, not bothering to follow her lead. The two hadn't been married in a church. He wasn't religious. He didn't even know his wife might have been until now. Maybe he shouldn't have dragged her here. It was her sister's wedding though. She had to be there.
"Father," Lily greeted him as she walked up to him. "I have a confess..."
"YOU WERE NOT INVITED!" Petunia's shriek was probably heard across the streets, if not across town.
The woman stood with her hair tied back with a blue elastic. She wore a beautiful white wedding gown. Her pearls were white. She looked picture perfect. The girl Lily had grown to the age of eleven with looked amazing on her wedding day.
Lily had to blink back tears from her emerald green eyes. She couldn't blame Petunia for not inviting James and her, because James's suspicions were correct. She never sent Petunia an invite to their wedding.
"You are absolutely beautiful." Lily told her sister positively.
"Go to hell!" Petunia said through clenched. "You were not invited. Vernon knows the freak society you live in and he won't be a part of it. We will not be a part of it." She kept her voice stern as she spoke. She stared Lily straight in the eyes and didn't even blink while she spoke.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Petunia. I'm your brother in-law." James held out a hand to her politely, but she refused to take it. He didn't bother pushing her into getting to know him. She was her own person and he wasn't one to waste time on stuff that didn't matter. As long as she didn't matter to his wife, Petunia didn't matter to him. "We bought you and Vernon a gift. We'll leave you to your wedding." He said as he held out a gift box to her.
Lily and James both watched her hesitate to take it. It was like she was scared something would jump out at her. Nothing did. James wasn't foolish enough to prank his wife's sister. He had been foolish enough to force Lily into showing up at a wedding they hadn't been invited to and were just kicked out of.
"Come along," James told Lily as he reached for her hand.
Lily shook her head. She moved a hand gently across her stomach. "I have some news, Pet." She used her sister's nic name. "You're going to be an aunt." She told her and Petunia's jaw dropped. "And I would like you and Vernon to be the God parents to mine and James's baby." She told her hopefully. This was where James's jaw dropped. It was the last thing that could attach her to her sister and soon to be brother in-law though.
Petunia looked from her sister's stomach to Lily's eyes. It looked like she was about to forget all the hatred she had for Lily and the wizards and witches and giants etc.
"A war has started, Pet." Lily told her. "I think it's already taken Mum away from us." She said this very sadly.
Petunia shook her head. She didn't want to believe this. She couldn't believe any of it. Her mother had been there through everything for her, even the many things she couldn't understand. She told Petunia when Lily received her acceptance letter to Hogwarts that she was just her special witch and couldn't be taken away from her or she would lose all of her powers. There was just no way she could be dead.
"Please, Petunia, please promise me that you'll watch out for our child if anything should ever happen to James and I?" Lily asked pleadingly.
Petunia looked at her sister for a few seconds longer. "You can't stay. You can't. Vernon won't marry me if you are here." She whispered to Lily regretfully. She looked down for a few seconds, then to Lily's stomach, then to her emerald green eyes. "I promise." She whispered.
Lily swore she stopped breathing when she heard that. It was an incredible feeling to know her sister was still there for her. She wanted to talk her out of marrying Vernon, but it was clear that Petunia saw something in him and it was much too late. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder.
"I guess we can leave now." Lily told James when Petunia walked away from them.
James looked at her to see what she really wanted. He could tell it was suddenly upsetting her that she was going to miss out on her sister's wedding. "You don't want to leave?" He asked her.
"Of course not. She just promised to watch our child should anything happen to us!" Lily exclaimed. "Vernon doesn't want us here. We need to...what?" Lily asked as James pulled her close and threw his invibility cloak over the both of them.
James couldn't help but bring it. He had a feeling it might come down to him needing his cloak. He smiled at Lily when she looked up at him thankfully. The two walked in and took seats in the back.
Vernon was now waiting at the alter. His best man stood beside him. As Here comes the bride started playing Petunia and Mr Evans appeared. They slowly started walking up the isle as everyone stared back at them.
Petunia didn't stare up at Vernon right away like a typical bride to be would. Lily was positive her eyes were on her and James. Maybe their mother had been right about Petunia having magical powers too. Some how, some way, Petunia knew they were there. A small smile crept on to Petunia's face as she continued looking for a few more seconds.
"Honey?" Mr Evans asked worriedly.
"It's ok, Daddy. I just thought I forgot something new." Petunia said, but she did have something new. She had a brother in-law and a sister who actually cared about her. They were new enough for her.
"You're beautiful," Vernon whispered to her. He reached for her hands and she let him take them only a bit hesitantly.
The two then turned to the priest and waited for the ceremony to continue.
"I, Petunia Evans, take you, Vernon Dursley, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. I, Petunia Evans, take you, Vernon Dursley, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I do." Petunia said happily before she took the ring and put it on his finger.
I, Vernon Dursley, take you, Petunia Evans, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. I, Vernon Dursley, take you, Petunia Dursley, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I do." He calmly put the rings on her finger and was about to kiss her when the priest gave him a look.
"If anyone has anything to say, say it now or forever hold your peace." He looked around patiently. Petunia crossed her fingers and toes. James looked at Lily. Lily looked at James and clenched her teeth to stop herself from shouting out to stop the wedding immediately.
"You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. That God has joined, men must not divide. Amen."
"Amen," Vernon said. He glared at Petunia for not also saying it or maybe it was because she wasn't paying him any attention now.
Petunia's eyes were at the back row. She couldn't help but think James and Lily were there. How would that be possible though? Stupid question she told herself. Lily was a witch and James a wizard. Although she would never be told it, she knew they were there for her. Although she would never admit it, she was happy they were there for her.
"I promise," Petunia whispered what she had told her sister. "I promise I'll be there if." She said quietly. Vernon was about to ask, but she shook her head.
The priest smiled at the two joyfully. "I would like to introduce Mr and Mrs. Dursley! You may kiss the bride!"
With a passionate kiss the wedding was over. Their marriage and their life together had just begun.
The end.