The Wizarding Act of 1978

Chapter Four - Practice Makes Perfect

"This is complete bullocks!" Sirius exclaimed for the fifth time in as many minutes.

Jane giggled behind her hand as she continued to survey the private quarters she and Sirius would be sharing after Christmas. It was comfortable, somewhat small, but perfect for newlyweds.

"You don't have to cook your own meals, Sirius. It's just an option …" she responded as she smiled over at Headmaster Dumbledore. "In case we don't want to leave here for a meal."

"And what could possibly keep me from …" Sirius trailed off as he took in the smirk and arched eyebrow of Jane. Interesting, he thought to himself as he also allowed a slow smirk to cross his face. He was suddenly a bit surprised as the mischievousness of her comment. Sure, she was James' sister but she had never been quite as outspoken about it as the Marauders were.

Now he had a vaguely good idea of where some of the pranks that he and his friends were not responsible for were coming from. Get out of here, old man, the young man thought. I want to snog the life out of my future wife.

"Well, I believe that's all, Mr. Black, Ms. Potter. You may return to Gryffindor Tower now," Dumbledore said with the usual twinkle in his eyes.

"But I thought this was where we were going to live," Sirius said with a pout.

"After the holiday, Mr. Black," Dumbledore said with a smile. "You will move in here after Christmas."

Sirius muttered a few choice words and stomped out of the entrance to their quarters.

"I'm sorry about him, Headmaster. I think he assumed we would be moving in here immediately," Jane said with an apologetic smile.

"I am quite sure he was hoping to get some more - how did he say it? practice? - in before the wedding. There's nothing more embarrassing than messing up the first kiss as man and wife, Miss Potter," Dumbledore said with another large smile.

"Is that experience talking, Headmaster?" Jane asked with a grin.

"No, my dear. I'm afraid it's just second hand," the aged wizard said with a sad smile. He was much more somber than usual and the twinkle seemed to have dimmed in his eyes.

"Have you ever been married, sir?" Jane asked as they exited the apartment and headed towards Gryffindor Tower.

The old man was silent for a long time. He seemed to be having a conversation with himself inside his own head, completely ignoring the question of the young girl walking beside him. When they got closer to the Tower, Dumbledore looked down at Jane with the same sad smile he had been wearing as they left the apartment. "That, I am afraid, is another story for another time. You'd best be getting up to bed. And I am sure Mr. Black will be waiting for you inside your common room. Have a splendid night, Miss Potter."

"Thank you, sir," she called to his retreating back. "For everything."

The old man did not respond as he descended the staircase towards the corridor leading to his office.

Sirius was still muttering to himself as he entered the common room. He kicked the end of the couch before flopping down in it between Moony and Prongs, arms crossed and a sour look on his face.

"What's up with you?" James asked in astonishment.

"He won't bloody let us move into the new place until after the wedding," the young Black grumped. "Said we can move in next term but we have to stay here until then."

"What's wrong with that?" Remus asked. "I mean, it's not as if you're planning on doing anything with her."

"We'll be married in a month. We have one month after her birthday and she turns seventeen in four days. I just … we need to get to know each other better, don't we?"

"You know everything about her, Padfoot. What else is there to learn?"

Sirius' only response was to blush.

"You've got to be kidding me," Remus responded with a chuckle. "You actually think you're going to get Janie to shag you? She's not one of your girls, Sirius. She's not tempted by your charm. Your words don't make her melt."

"She cried when he proposed to her," James replied.

"Both times," Sirius added with a smile.

"You proposed to her more than once?" Peter asked as he joined the conversation. "Why?"

"The first was just to make sure she was okay, you know? I had to make sure I got that ring on her finger before that idiot Flint got to her."

"And the second?" Remus asked.

"It was real," Sirius whispered. "I don't know where it came from. I was just … she joked around about me not asking her so I just … I did. I dropped to my knee and practically begged her to accept my proposal. Soppy words, shaking hands … everything. It was really strange, come to think of it. I've never been nervous around a girl before. Especially not Janie."

"You're just nervous that her name will be Black in a month. You're going to have a wife," James snorted. "You're going to be marrying my sister." And then he paused, his eyebrows furrowing together. "Holy shite! You're marrying my sister!"

"Well of course he is," Jane said as she entered the common room. "You were there when he put the ring on my finger. Honestly," she said with a sigh. "Sometimes I wonder how you made Head Boy."

"He cheated," Lily said from the corner.

"I'd do anything to be with you, Lils," James called over his shoulder.

The redhead tried to look stern but she simply smiled. "So, Jane, when's the wedding?"

"Well," she said as she glanced over at Sirius, "we decided Boxing Day would be best. Everyone will still be around for Christmas and there won't be anything to interfere. We were thinking of a rather small affair. One attendant each, my parents, Remus and Peter," she continued.

"Oh," Lily said, trying to smile. She wasn't going to be invited.

"And I was kind of hoping you'd stand up with me," Jane said softly. "I mean, I know we're not exactly best friends but … you know … I was hoping …"

"Of course!" Lily shouted and threw herself at Jane. "I love weddings. And this will be absolutely fantastic. Oh, it'll be the best wedding in the history of weddings …"

"Until ours," James butted in.

Lily blushed and looked away.

Sirius and James raised an eyebrow to one another. So, Prongs has got her blushing and stuttering. Well done, mate.

"And obviously James will stand up with me."

James smiled and nodded, eyes glued on the redhead now sitting beside his sister. The two females were happily chatting away about wedding plans. Peter sat on the table in front of the other three Marauders. "So, stag night?"

James and Sirius looked at each other with slight frowns. They knew they should, but neither particularly cared to follow that tradition.

Everyone was shocked when Remus was the one to add, "C'mon, Padfoot. Last chance to be with a girl who's not Jane. Unless you've come to some kind of agreement that you can be with whomever you want while the two of you are married. That sounds like something that might appeal to you."

"I'll be true to my wife, Moony. And don't you dare insinuate otherwise. She's not like the other girls."

"No kidding, Sirius," Remus responded as he stood up.

"Why don't you just say what's on your mind, Remus?" Sirius shot back as he came to his feet as well.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the blonde haired boy returned.

"Just admit that you're beyond angry that I'm a pureblood and I get to marry her! Admit that you've fancied her for the better part of two years. Go ahead and say it, Lupin. It's not like we don't all know!"

"If you knew it, why did you ask her to marry you, Black?!"

"To save her, you idiot!" Sirius screamed. "Merlin, Moony. What did you think it was for?"

The room silenced immediately. He knew he should turn to Jane and tell her that everything he'd told her earlier was true. He should tell her that he did fancy her. He needed her to know that he did want to fall in love with her. But at that moment in time, the only thing on his mind was hurting Remus. He knew that the werewolf would be a better match for his fiancée, but he, Sirius Black, got her. He put the ring on her finger. He was marrying her. Not Remus.

"You're such an idiot, Black. Do you even realize what you have? She'll be the greatest thing you could ever do and you're with her so no one else could be? Isn't that just a bit selfish?" Remus asked quietly.

"He saved my life, Remus," Jane said from her spot on the couch. "He had just asked me before Flint came in. If he hadn't been there, I would be marrying Joseph Flint and would be a Death Eater. Or a Death Eater's whore. Which would you rather have, Remus?"

"It's not a fair question," the werewolf responded.

"It is. I know Sirius isn't in love with me. But we want to try. I mean, who knows? Maybe we could be one day."

"And maybe his family will have you killed," Ed Wilson said from the corner.

No one had seen the young boy there. He was a cousin to Ted Tonks, husband of Andromeda Black. "They burned Andy off the family tree for marrying my cousin."

"I've already been burned from the tree," Sirius said with a dismissive wave. "I don't care either way. Janie and I are getting married in less than a month. We will then come back to Hogwarts and move into our apartment. During this time, we will adjust to married life. Since Janie has a year left, we won't be attempting to expand our family for at least two years."

"We will practice though, right?" Jane asked with wide eyes and a concerned look.

"Practice makes perfect, love," Sirius replied with a roguish grin.

"Oy! We are not talking about this with me in the room!" James cried loudly. "I don't want to know a single thing that you do with my baby sister."

"Good, mate, because it's going to be between me, Janie, the bed, the wall, the table …"

"Oy!" all three boys shouted, covering their ears with their hands.

"I think it's time we go practice for that first kiss as man and wife," Sirius said with a grin as he stood up and extended a hand to Jane.

"I completely agree," she responded as she took his hand and rose to her feet.

As he escorted her to the portrait hole she turned to him and said, "Oh, and don't think I forgot what you said about the reason you asked me to marry you."

Sirius' gulp could be heard by those on the couch.

"You're going to have to prove to me that you really want me to be your wife …"

"Oh, that I can do …" Sirius said with a definite smirk in his voice.

As the portrait hole closed, James allowed his head to thump onto the table. "I think I'm going to be sick."