Author's Note: Anyways, one of the things that hit me while I was reading Deathly Hollows for the first time at age 9 is that Petunia is the worst. I'm a big sister and seeing how awful she was to Lily outraged small-child-me. We're addressing that now. With fluff. Of course. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.
Dedication: My best friend is in the middle of a Say Yes to the Dress marathon right now (as she is always, to be honest). Consider this the cross-over she never knew she needed.
Warnings: Estranged family; sibling manipulation and bullying.
Stacked with: MC4A; By Any Other Name; Specious Narrative
Individual Challenge(s): Gryffindor MC (x4); Ethnic and Present; In a Flash (Y); Advice from the Mug; Seeds
Representation(s): Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law bonding; estranged sisters; Jamaican Potter family; I know Petunia was a child when she didn't get her Hogwarts letter but dear gosh that is not a reason to verbally and emotionally hurt your sibling and then eventually abuse their child later, thanks for coming to my TED Talk.
Bonus Challenge(s): Second Verse (Bechdel Test; Not a Lamp)
Tertiary Bonus Challenge(s): Ameliorate; Spare
Word Count: 1122
Lace and Pearls
Lily shouldn't be sad.
This was not supposed to be a sad day. This was supposed to be the opposite, actually. In fact, many, many people were working hard to make this a happy day for her specifically.
But she was still standing in the bathroom of the cottage, wiping at her eyes and hoping to destroy all evidence of tears before her bridesmaids turned up, excited to grab breakfast and go dress shopping.
"Come on," she told her reflection in the mirror sternly. The shakiness in her voice didn't help. "Deal with it. It's not a surprise. You knew this might happen."
She wiped at her eyes again, and she was reaching for more toilet paper when the door burst open and Euphemia Potter burst in.
"Oh, sorry dear, I should have knocked, I—oh no, dear, what's the matter?"
"Fine," Lily said hastily. "I'm fine, I'm…"
"Well, no sweetheart, you're crying," Mrs. Potter said with the patient straightforwardness that must have been required to raise James—not to mention Sirius.
"It's silly," Lily said, looking down at her hands.
"Tears aren't silly dear, they're messages we give ourselves," Mrs. Potter said.
Her softness and the soothing Caribbean lilt of her voice seemed to stabilize Lily. Mrs. Potter took her hand and paused, giving Lily the window she needed to chime in.
"I'd sent my sister a letter to see if she'd come wedding dress shopping with me," Lily said. "And she never replied. And I knew that realistically if she wanted to come, she'd have replied earlier. But… I… Part of me was still waiting, even this morning. Just in case she changed her mind."
"Oh, love," Mrs. Potter said. "I'm sorry, that's awful."
"It's fine," Lily said. "We… we don't really along, anyways. She made me stay at Hogwarts one Christmas to keep me from meeting her Muggle husband, and if it hadn't been my mother's dying wish I don't think I'd have been invited to that wedding either. So it's not a complete surprise, I'd just… I just thought that maybe this would be a good time to change things. Turn a new leaf and so on. Like I said…"
"No, don't go calling it silly again," Mrs. Potter warned her. "You feel it strongly, and it's very real. And for good reason! A wedding is important. Family is important…"
Lily sighed. "It is. That's how we were raised, which is why this… this distance between us hurts. I thought Petunia might come around, since we're all the blood relatives we've got left, but I suppose that… that doesn't matter to her."
Mrs. Potter tapped her hand.
"Well, I've got my nicest and luckiest pearls on dear, so I suppose I'll be able to come along if you want family there…"
"Really?" Lily asked her.
"Yes, if you like. I'm not as cool as your friends in the bridal party, and I won't be your mother-in-law for another few months, but if you want me there, I'll come," Mrs. Potter said.
Lily wrapped her arms around her thankfully.
Marlene and Mary were more than gracious to Mrs. Potter, who thought they were hilarious in turn. Alice had also come along, since Lily had wanted someone who'd done the whole "wedding" thing around. Halfway through breakfast, when Marlene pried Lily for more details on the wedding thus far, Lily was back to laughing and smiling and brimming with ideas and plans and stories.
"On our way to Diagon Alley, we should stop by that Muggle antique store you like," Lily told Mary, nudging her with her foot under the table.
"That would be lovely," Alice said. "I have to find my mother-in-law a present, and I haven't the faintest idea where to begin."
"Mrs. Potter, are you okay with the detour?" Lily said.
"That's Mama to you," she said patting Lily's hand. "And yes, I'd love to see the spots you girls like…"
They made their way through London after, and stopped just a block away from Diagon Alley. The shop's little bell rang on their way in, and they quickly scattered throughout the store—Marlene showing Mrs. Potter the glass display of vintage jewelry she so liked. That was how Lily was alone when she saw it.
"Alice," she said, calling to the closest friend. Alice joined in and gasped.
"Oh my goodness…" Alice said, carefully reaching out to run her fingers along the dress' lace skirt. "Marlene! Mary! Mrs. Potter!"
They all gathered around the dress on the mannequin; admiring its capped sleeves, plunging back, lace skirt…
"You have to try it on," Marlene said, nudging Lily before she darted off to find the shopkeeper.
And try it Lily did.
"Merlin's beard," Marlene said. "You look stunning…"
"Oh, Lily…" Alice said.
Lily looked at her reflection in the mirror. She gathered her hair above her head and let it fall… She bit her lip again. She had already cried far too much today, but...
"This looks a little like my mum's wedding dress," she told them. "I mean, it needs hemming…"
"We can bring it to Madam Malkin's for that," Alice said.
"The lace is a bit torn here, but I could add a red ribbon around the waist to hide that… And I would match your dresses… I can't believe it… do you guys like it?"
"Like it?" Mary asked. "Lily we're dying here, we love it! Do you love it?"
"You said you had your luckiest pearls on Mama, not magical pearls," Lily said.
Mrs. Potter came forwards and unclasped her pearls, gently placing them around Lily's neck.