Albus Dumbledore stood at the back of the room and watched Lily Evans giving her wedding vows. She had written her own, and he was sure James had done the same. He wasn't really paying attention to the words, when everyone in the church laughed. He watched her blush a rosy red and remembered when he had first caught her kissing James in a broom closet last year. She had blushed the same shade then.
He smiled. He had known at that moment that they would get married. He had never doubted James' affections for her for the last 3 years, but Lily had seemed too sensible to be swept off her feet by him. He had never been more pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. He watched as James held her hand listening to her words, his eyes glistening more than they normally did.
Ah, young love. He had loved someone once himself, but for the safety of all concerned he had remained single. He knew the demands of war—and there was a war coming—were always more costly than they should be. He didn't want to put someone through that: the endless nights waiting for his safe return. Or, if he was truthful with himself, it was because he didn't want to mourn the loss of a lover Voldemort would kill to get to him. Then he wouldn't be able to free himself of his emotions as he fought against evil. And he had to be calm to think one step ahead of the enemy.
He looked up as James' started saying his own vows. He watched the young man stumbling over his words and wondered if he'd really chosen the right path. Were James and Lily going to truly be happy? He knew that they stood on the dawn of a war that would overtake them all. Was one day, one year even, of happiness enough? If either one of them were to die in this battle, would they regret this moment? He doubted it. He knew that even if they were only allowed one hour, that hour would be filled with all the happiness it could contain.
He watched them exchange rings, tears of joy running down both of their faces. He wished them the best of luck in their coming union. He looked at the friends and family surrounding them and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. But as he looked at all of the tears he had a dreadful premonition, as if he wasn't at a wedding at all, but at a funeral.
He saw the lighting shift as in a dream and saw the ghost of a casket standing behind the priest who was intoning a blessing over the joined hands of Lily and James. He heard an evil laugh ricocheting off the rafters of the arched ceiling and almost felt the ground beneath him quake. He closed his eyes, grabbing the wall behind him, and let the vision fade.
He heard the priest telling James to kiss Lily and the raucous laughter and applause that followed soon after. He opened his eyes again. No doubt James had pulled one last prank. He heard the organ music swell and watched the newlyweds flee down the aisle, running as if the hounds of hell were on their heels.
Albus shook his head, trying to free it from these worrying cobwebs. He joined the crowd outside preparing to throw rice (some weird muggle tradition he'd been assured) and walked among the bustling assembly listening to the drone of their happy chatter. When the couple finally made their reappearance, he dutifully threw his rice and again wished them happiness. But as they got into their car and drove into the horizon, all he could see was the light of the approaching dawn.
Disclaimer: these characters are not of my own invention. They are the creative property of JK Rowling, goddess extraordinaire.
Author's Note: this was an assignment a friend gave me per the following instructions.
Scene: Lily and James' wedding
Emotions: Angst (hee!) and Joy
But you must use NO DIALOGUE.
Length: No less than 500, no more than 2000.
With NO DIALOGUE.
All from the POV of anyone but James or Lily. OR Sirius.