MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING

CHAPTER 10: A Reception

"Does the best man make a speech at muggle weddings?" I hissed to Remus as we were served our food.

"I think so," he replied putting his napkin in his lap. "This looks good," he said pointing to the chicken.

I swallowed. I hadn't prepared any sort of speech. And I didn't approve of the wedding so what was I supposed to say? 'Hello, I think Lily should marry me instead.' Yeah, that would go over well. Well, I had time to think about it, anyway. I could probably get Remus to write me one too. So I put it out of my mind, not wanting to worry about it. Lily and Sirius were walking around the room talking with all the guests.

I watched as Lily hugged an old, lumpy woman. She laughed and smiled, chatted friendly with the obnoxious woman. I felt sad she was marrying Sirius. But I didn't have the heart to break up their next wedding, anyway. Although it would have been quite easy for me. I looked next to me, and two seats away sat Lia, staring at Sirius. We were quite in the same predicament. Although, adultery was involved with hers.

Sirius and Lily arrived as their meals were served. Sirius took the seat next to me. "Congratulations, mate," I told him.

"Well, I'm not married yet," he said stabbing his meat. That seemed to be his punch line lately. I shrugged and turned away from him looking out at all the muggles. There were quite a few of them here for this wedding. I tried to scope out the Prime Minister. I figured he was the uptight man wearing the jacket that buttoned up all the way to the neck. He looked like he needed a few drinks. Speaking of drinks, I needed one as well.

I finished my glass of wine and looked around for a waiter. I flagged one down and had him bring me a whiskey. Muggle whiskey wasn't quite the same as fire whiskey, but it did get the job done. After finishing dinner, dancing began. I sighed and took off my coat. I watched in a jealous huff as Sirius and Lily walked hand in hand to the middle of the dance floor, with the lights dimmed stepping softly to a sappy muggle song blaring all around me. Finally the song ended and everyone dispersed to either the dance floor or the drink table.

I wasn't really in the mood for dancing. Remus was already out on the floor boogying with Mary Macdonald and Peter was trying to schmooze some muggles to get out there with him. I undid my bow tie and saw Lily still entertaining guests. I looked around for Sirius and saw, not to my surprise but to my distaste, him dancing with Lia. I rolled my eyes and then stopped. This was my chance to dance with Lily. I jumped up, unbuttoning the button that was closing at my throat and stood behind her as she talked to some muggles.

"Hello," I said in her ear. She turned to look at me and smiled.

"James!" she said. "What a pleasant surprise! I'd like you to meet my great Aunt Daphne. She's come all the way from America." I took the hand of a wrinkly old lady and brushed my lips onto her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Daphne," I said with sly grin.

She blushed and looked around fanning herself. "Oh, you're a charming young boy," she said. I always did love making old woman uncomfortable with my forwardness. "Did you come over here to ask me to dance?" she asked, pursing her lips.

"Actually," I began turning to Lily.

"Why, thank you!" Daphne cut in pulling me out to the dance floor. I gave a weary look to Lily who just laughed at me. Three songs and some uncomfortable moves later, I was back searching for Lily. I spotted her at another table talk to another muggle and I made my way over to her. But I was intercepted by Peter who pulled me aside into an uncrowded area.

"I need your help," he croaked to me.

"What?" I asked.

"Some girl just stuck her tongue down my throat and told me to meet her in the bathroom," he said. His face was white and his voice hoarse.

"Peter!" I exclaimed. "That's great! Why do you need my help?"

"Well," he began. "I went in there, and it…" he paused.

"It, what?" I asked.

"It was a boy," he hissed.

I started to laugh, trying to hold it in. "Oh," I said.

"What do I do?" he asked.

"I-I dunno," I told him hiding my amusement with his dilemma. "Good luck with that, mate." I left him in the foyer and had to keep my laughter in so as not to look like an idiot laughing to himself. I spotted Lily at the Prime Minister's table. I figured I probably shouldn't interrupt. So, I waited nearby for her to finish. I spotted Sirius at the bar having a drink and out of the corner of my eye I saw Lia coming toward me. I pretended not to notice, but when she was standing in front of me it was a bit hard.

"Would you like to dance?" she asked.

I swallowed and looked at Lily who was now sitting in a chair next to the Minister still deep in conversation. "Sure," I said, and as I said that the music slowed and the lights dimmed again. I put a hand on her waist and took the other in mine and began to move to the music. Now, this was actually the first time I had really talked to Lia in the past week. I mean we said our polite hellos and farewells but we never actually had a conversation. Its not that I didn't want to, either. She seemed like a pretty cool girl (minus the whole Sirius thing). But we just never really got a moment to talk, just her and me.

"Nice wedding," I said trying to start conversation.

"Yeah," she said. We dance in silence for a few more moments then she finally spoke. "I know you know," she said finally.

I let out a breath. "Yeah, I know," I replied. "And I don't approve. How can you do that to your best friend?" I said.

She looked taken aback. "Excuse me?" she asked. "You're doing the same thing, as I am."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, though I actually knew.

"I see the way you stare at Lily. And I saw you carrying her back up to her room last night," she said.

"She was pissed out of her mind," I defended, shocked by her accusations. "Would you rather me to leave her outside in the front yard?" My voice carried anger in it. I dipped her.

When she came back to face me she said, "All right, our situations may be a little different."

"A little?" I repeated. "Quite."

"Anyway," she continued. "I just wanted you to know, that it's over. We both agreed it was for the best that we stop."

I raised my eyebrows at her and spun her. When she came back I asked, "Is that for sure?"

"It is," she said nodding.

"Very well, then," I said. "Then, am I assured the next wedding will pan through smoothly?"

She looked at me with a gleam in her eyes. "Only if you want it to," she said with a sly smile. I stopped moving and peered at her peculiarly, but just then the song ended. "Thank you for the dance," she said giving me a small curtsey. I bowed to her and she walked away.

I left the dance floor thinking to myself. I made my way outside, in need of some fresh air. But to my luck I saw Lily had already occupied the area I wanted to be in. She was sitting alone on the bench in the garden underneath the archways of ivy that we had seen Remus and Mary kissing on the day before.