As Is

Chapter Five

Subtitled: You Can't Hide Behind Social Graces

Blind item: Which playboy pureblood has finally tied the knot without his parent's knowledge or permission?

The Potter heir's surprise wedding to mystery girl…

Inside the tropical wedding of James Potter and his new bride…

Peter dropped all three newspapers on James desk with a thud.

"I've already seen all of them." James said dully. "The papers quite helpfully send me a copy whenever they print anything about me."

"Sort of defeats the purpose of the Prophet's blind item, doesn't it?" Sirius asked, sitting back and putting his feet up.

"This may come as a shock to all of you but when I come into this building, I'm expected to work, that is why they call it that." James sighed, though he knew it fell on deaf ears.

His mother had run his wedding announcement in the Prophet the day before and no one, including his friends, had left him alone since. Poor Lily couldn't even leave their flat, the press were so bad. Plus his mother was adamant that no one should see her until her grand debut. Probably so she could control what outfit Lily was wearing the first time her picture was plastered all over the papers.

Remus held up a frame and smirked. "Cute."

"Give me that!" James growled and yanked the frame away from him. His mother had also taken the liberty of getting one of the announcements she had sent to her friends framed.

Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin Potter are pleased to announce the recent wedding of their son, James Baldwin Potter to Lily Elizabeth Potter nee Evans on October 4th.

Please join in celebration at our home this Friday at seven pm for cocktails and a light supper.

Responses requested

Evidently you were supposed to frame a wedding invitation, but as his mother icily reminded him, since they had so thoughtlessly neglected to invite anyone to their wedding, the invitation to the party would just have to do. James rolled his eyes at the memory. All the woman wanted was for him to get married, he finally does and she takes issue with how he did. Although he supposed it could have been worse. She could have taken issue with who he did it with. Fortunately his mother adored Lily, which was more then he could say for himself.

"So how are things with the little woman?" Remus said lazily, playing with his wand.

James grimaced. "It's…complicated. I don't really want to talk about it."

Sirius burst out laughing. "That bad, huh?"

"It's just a little awkward…" James said. "Truth is we haven't spent all that much time together."

"Secret to a good marriage. " Sirius agreed sagely.

James chose to ignore that. "Yeah…well…you guys coming to the party?"

Peter grinned. "Please, like we would miss that."

Sirius looked giddy with anticipation. " It's going to be a night to remember."

James sincerely hoped he was wrong.

James opened his flat door and gasped in absolute shock. He stepped slowly.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." He whispered in disbelief. The floor of his usually spotless living room was almost invisible beneath a sea of clothes. Dresses, shoes, slips and cardigans were strewn haphazardly around the room. He picked up a red silk dress that lay on the nearest chair.

He hated mess. It drove him absolutely insane. Where had all this stuff even come from? "Lily!" he called.

"Just a minute!" her voice was muffled behind her bedroom door. She stumbled out a moment later, face flushed. For a moment James' breath caught in her throat. She was stunning in her navy blue dress. The hem barely brushed the floor. "What's up?" she asked, stumbling slightly in her heels. Her voice brought James back to reality.

He shook his head. "What is all this?" he asked, gesturing around himself to the piles of dresses.

If it was possible her face turned even redder. "Oh, James, I'm so sorry. I'll take it all back. I just…I couldn't go to the store with all the paparazzi outside the flat. So I just had Madame Malkin send me everything in my size. But I promise I'm going to return everything. I know it's a lot of money."

James could have laughed. She thought he was mad about the expense?

"I don't care about that. It's your money to do with as you please. I meant the mess." His voice tight with annoyance.

Lily blinked at him twice. She was never going to understand this man. It was all backward. He didn't care that she had spent several thousand galleons on dresses she was never going to wear but a few clothes on the floor and he looked like his head was about to explode.

Suddenly she felt inexplicably angry.

He sulked around the place with his panties in a bunch. He hardly ever said two words to her. She had never met such a self-righteous, surly, spoiled….

"Oh for Christ's sake!" She cried, striding across the room and grabbing her wand. She muttered a spell and all the clothes rose from floor and floated back into her bedroom. A moment later the door shut and they were back in the spotless room.

"Happy?" she asked coldly, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Ecstatic."

"We have to leave in fifteen minutes." She turned on heel and marched back into room, the door shutting with a slam.

James put his head in his hands. The woman was completely insufferable. She had come into his life completely unasked, thrown his whole world upside down. She was messy, impulsive, and temperamental. He knew it was irrational to resent her…but it was easier to hate her then to hate himself.

And besides, too much self-reflection could be very messy and if there was one thing James hated, it was a mess.

They apparated at 7:05 to the Potters' backyard, though it was more of a manicured garden then a typical yard. They walked in chilly silence towards the backdoor. Lily tumbled slightly as her heels caught on uneven patch of ground.

James reached out automatically to steady her. "Try not to fall on your face inside…" he muttered as they began to climb the steps to the house.

"God forbid I embarrass you." said Lily acidly as James raised his hand to knock on the door.

As the door opened, the space between them closed and James' arm was wrapped so tightly around her shoulders that it hurt a little bit.

They grinned at Lucy and had barely stepped in the door when a shrill voice greeted them.

"Good gracious, Master!" Lucy cried stepping forward and yanking them in. "You're late, Mistress will be so angry."

So some things are genetic, Lily thought wryly.

"I'm very sorry, Lucy, I ran a little late from work." James said.

"No, matter. Come, some of the guests have already arrived. " She said and scuttled out of the kitchen and into the exquisite marble hallway Lily knew so well, her brown feet padding silently on the floor.

James sighed and offered Lily his arm without looking at her and they followed those clicking heels resolutely.

The ballroom was halfway between the kitchen and the dining room where Lily had eaten previously. Before she had time to dwell on the sheer size of the Potter mansion – and there really was other name for this place – they walked into the ballroom.

"You're late," Mrs. Potter hissed through her perfect smile, swooping in from nowhere.

"Sorry, mother." James said through his own smile, kissing her dutifully on the cheek. "I got held up at work."

"Jackson, have I introduced you to my new daughter-in-law, Lily? And of course you remember my son James?" Mrs. Potter said, sweeping them towards a fat, balding man in a tuxedo, ignoring James' apology altogether.

"I don't believe you have. Why she's even prettier then you said."

And so it began.

An hour later James had said hello to every person his parents had ever met and their spouses. At some point he had gotten separated from Lily, though that was no hardship. It was, however, beginning to look a bit odd as this was, after all their wedding reception – a reception that had been thrown because they were too in love to wait for a church wedding. He scanned the crowd for a few minutes, glad for his height. He found her across the room and paused.

The light played off of her red hair, making it shin, almost sparkle. She was talking to his father's accountant and seemed to be enjoying herself. She had to hand it to her. Mr. Jacobs was unendurable in the best of situations. After a few drinks he made you contemplate suicide. And yet, as James watched her, he was in awe of her easy charm. She was so clumsy, so shy around him that it had never occurred to him that she would hand such a situation with ease. She had been fine in Luxus, of course, but he had attributed that to the alcohol. He also couldn't ignore the looks men were sending her, and felt an unfamiliar feeling bubble in his stomach.

"Alright there?" A friendly voice asked and James turned to find Remus and Peter behind him. He sighed with relief.

"Oh thank Merlin, I thought you lot had bailed."

"Nah, your mum just made us promise we'd let you mingle for a bit." Remus said, eyes twinkling.

"And you quite helpfully agreed?" James guessed, rolling his eyes. "Where's padfoot?"

Peter pointed over James shoulder where he saw his old friend chatting with a very pretty blonde. He shrugged. "Least someone's having fun."

"We'd better get over there before the former Mrs. Potter joins the club." Remus said darkly.

James followed his gaze in confusion until his saw it. Eleanor Parks was about five feet from Lily and getting closer every second.

James cursed under his breath and moved through the crowds with Remus and Peter hot on heels. Eleanor was already there, with Mr. Jacobs and Lily when he arrived.

Eleanor was the sort of girl you really wanted to feel sorry for, if only she weren't so completely irritating. She had limp mouse-brown hair, and a head that was a little too big for her shoulders, and a habit of clearing her throat at awkward intervals.

"Oh James!" she cried delightedly and threw her arms around his neck. "How lovely to see you." Over Eleanor's shoulder James could see Lily raise a single eyebrow in amusement as she sipped her campaign. James couldn't help thinking that it was a good thing she was beautiful since she was almost as annoying Eleanor.

Eleanor pulled back from the hug and placed a hand on James' shoulder in a move that was supposed to be flirtatious. "I was just about to ask your lovely bride when we could expect the newest little Potter!"

Lily's face grew pale. "Excuse me?" she asked.

James turned to Eleanor in horror.

"Well, that is why he married you after all. Everyone knows the Potters take forever to conceive." Eleanor smiled, a mean glint in her eye. "Well it's been a gas seeing you, but I see my boss. Best go say hello. Kiss kiss!" she said giving them air kisses and disappearing into the crowd

Remus, Peter, and James turned to stare after her in complete disbelief.

"Hell hath no fury…" Remus muttered under his breath. James turned back to answer when he saw Lily who was shaking with silent fury.

Remus saw it even before James. "Mr. Jacobs, have you tried the lobster rolls?" he asked, grabbing Peter and leading the accountant away.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Lily asked, so quiet James was afraid.

"Lily, I can explain –"

"Oh, Lily, good I found you!" Mr. Potter burst in. "I wanted you to come talk with my old friend Hager Handler, you know, you're old editor-in-chief. Come this way, dear." Mr. Potter said leading her away but not before she shot James one last look of cold contempt.

Twenty minutes of more inane conversation passed before a soft but distinct tinkling was heard in the air. The room slowly silenced. His mother and father rose elegantly from the center of the room, as though floating on thin air.

"Thank you all for coming," His mother said in her normal speaking voice, her wand held to her cheek to magically amplify it. "Would my son and new daughter please come forward?" she asked, scanning the crowd for them. James pushed gently through the crowd to the spot from which hi s parents had risen, Sirius punching him genially as he went. Lily approached from the opposite direction meeting him in the center. They began to rise and James suppressed a chuckle as Lily almost screamed. She started to glare but became keenly aware that several hundred eyes were upon them and instead reached for his hand.

Everyone broke into applause as they joined his parents in the air.

"We couldn't be more pleased to welcome Lily into our family, " Mrs. Potter continued.

"Or that James has finally been tamed!" Sirius cried from the audience, a ripple of laughter following.

"Our irrepressible second son, James' best friend Sirius." Mrs. Potter said charmingly to polite applause, though her forehead was creased in annoyance. "As I was saying, Baldwin and I are absolutely tickled to finally have a daughter,"

"Especially such a beautiful and intelligent one!" Mr. Potter cut in.

"So to our darling son, James and his beautiful new wife we'd like to give them a place to start a family of their own!" Mrs. Potter said and handed James a large key. He took it ceremoniously and turned to grin at the thunderous applause, reaching out to put his arm around Lily's shoulder, her smile frozen solid on her face. But she swallowed her pride and kissed James on the cheek.

A single arm shot up with sparks. Lily jumped slightly in surprise.

"Yes, Hager." Mr. Potter said pleasantly.

"I was going to wait to tell the new Mrs. Potter at work tomorrow, but since this a night of celebration, I'd like to share some news now!" Hager said, looking carefully cheerful.

Both of Lily's new in-laws turned to her with pleased smiles. She had to hand it to the Potters, they were actors, the lot of them.

"We've missed Lily so much since she's been on her honeymoon," Hager continued, Lily suppressed a snort – honeymoon indeed. "That we've decided to promote her to senior staff writer of domestic affairs!"

The applause broke out again. Lily thought her face would break from smiling. She didn't know why she felt so miserable. There she stood – well, floated – in this beautiful house that was more hers then anyone else, with not only her job back but a promotion, and yet she felt disgusted, and dirty - even.

She continued to smile, just waiting for the night to end.

a/n – well James and Lily certainly aren't getting along, and Lily may have her job back but that heir thing sure throws a wrench in his plans. I hope you all enjoyed the party.

Next time we get Sirius and Ann back again, James reverting to his pre-lily ways. And Lily's return to work.

Please review!