Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The End.

Chapter 14—The Wedding

Lily was surprised to see her Aunt Rose at the Kings Cross station looking very ecstatic.

"LILY!" she cried, flinging her arms around her. Lily wobbled slightly, clinging onto her aunt to regain her balance. Aunt Rose took this as a gesture of affection and held her niece tighter, "Lily…wonderful…Petunia never got a response…I was worried you didn't get her letter!"

"Oh, I got it," Lily assured her, smiling slightly.

"Wonderful…and you know…Petunia told me. About you know what," her Aunt Rose winked, "That's why you're parents were ever so proud of you. To think you're a witch—!"

"Shhh!" Lily hissed. There was no need to scream it in a muggle train station. Petunia told Aunt Rose? Oh dear, what on earth had convinced Petunia to even mention it, Lily wondered to herself. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about her aunt knowing her secret. It looked as if she would stop anyone on the platform and scream the news in their ear. Of course, Aunt Rose did nothing of the sort as they headed back to the car. Instead she bombarded Lily with one too many questions. She was talking so fast, however, that Lily didn't even had the chance to answer if she'd wanted to. When they reached her aunt's car, Lily took her seat in the back, hoping this would prevent a bulk of conversation. Unfortunately—it didn't. This time, as her aunt questioned her, she paused to let Lily actually answer.

"So…how was school? What is it called again? Oggywarf? Or was it Hogpenton or—"

"Hogwarts," Lily supplied, wincing slightly…Hogpenton? I mean really…

"Oh…yes, Hogwarts, that was it. Interesting name…so it's your last year? What have you learned? I'm so curious—"

"Well, when did Petunia tell you?" Lily asked, still shocked that her aunt knew her biggest secret. Even more shocked that Petunia had told her.

"A few days ago. She wanted to warn me that you might be bringing a schoolmate who might not be…er…as controlled with their powers as you are." Lily doubted Petunia put it in these kind terms, but Lily nodded all the same, "So tell me about Hogwarts."

"Oh, okay…well, what did you want to know? My subjects? Well I'm in Potions—"

"Oh! Like in a cauldron! Like a real witch!" Lily held back her laughter at her Aunt's eagerness, "Do you have—"

"We've got wands," Lily said, smiling at her overexcited aunt who gasped at this, "Which we use for Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. My other classes are Arithmancy and Herbology." Her aunt nodded, looking at her from the rearview mirror.

"This is amazing Lily! Amazing! I'm sure you're excellent, let me guess, top of the class?" Lily nodded, feeling herself blush.

"Well…I mean…I'm not the only one. My friends are all really bright and this other boy, James Potter, he's really smart too. He's Head Boy along with me but he's rather silly sometimes. A bit of a prankster, no respect for authority, he plays Quidditch and—"

"Quidditch?" her aunt interrupted, curiosity mingling in her voice. Oh right, Aunt Rose didn't know about Quidditch. Lily took up the rest of the car ride explaining the magical sport to her. She about died when she found out that witches and wizards really flew on brooms.

"Amazing! To think…it's better then airplanes!" Lily chuckled while she told her Aunt a bit more about her school as she pulled out her trunk, "Lily…" her aunt said tentatively.

"What?"

"Would you mind…could you…show me some magic?" she asked eagerly. Lily smiled at her Aunt's enthusiasm.

"Sure." Pulling out her wand, she levitated her trunk causing her aunt to gasp and carried it along into the house.

"Lily that was wonderful!"

"Oh…it's only a simple levitating charm. Really…we learned that first year. I can show you more later. Your lucky I'm seventeen or else I wouldn't able to use it at all, Id be expelled, that is. Anywho right now I'm practicing Human Transfiguration. That's rather difficult but it's really interesting—"

"Who will you be transfiguring?" she asked nervously.

"Oh, I can just do myself…that's what I usually do or my friends—"

"Oh, speaking of friends, are you bringing a certain someone?" she asked, smiling. Lily's face dropped slightly, and she shook her head.

"No…I thought well, I don't think many of my friends would do well at a muggle wedding."

"A what wedding?"

"Muggle…non magic people..."

"Yes well—" they were interrupted by the doorbell. Sighing, her aunt glanced towards the door, "I think that's the florist. He's going over the last minute details with Petunia. Why don't you go unpack?" Lily nodded, dragging her stuff upstairs into the room she'd stayed in over the summer. Locking herself in the room, she laid on her bed, staring at the cracks in the ceiling. She was trying not to think about certain things…her parents, the wedding…James. Her stomach gave a guilty jolt. As much as she didn't deserve him, she still liked him, and for reasons beyond her, he liked her. She'd toyed with the idea of inviting him anyway—or showing up at his house, but she didn't even know where he lived. Besides, she knew all it would do was complicate things, even if she really did want him there. She should have known better then to ask him in the first place. This is what you get for fancying James Potter, Lily scolded herself.

There was a sharp knock at her door that forced Lily back into reality and out of her daydreams.

"Yeah?"

"Lily?" It was Petunia.

"Oh…hey…uh…you can come in." The door opened a fraction so Petunia could stick her head in. She was looking very annoyed.

"Dinner. By the way, Aunt Rose has a dress for you…assuming you haven't gotten one. You have to make sure it fits." Without another word, Petunia closed the door with a snap. Lily grudgingly got up and followed her out.

Dinner was quiet, everyone seemed rather tense. Her aunt had never been married, so there were only three of them, eating in silence. Petunia barely touched her plate when she asked to be excused. Lily forced herself to eat under her aunt's watchful stare. Finally, Lily offered to clean up the kitchen. Aunt Rose argued this until Lily said she'd do it by magic. Aunt Rose excitedly pulled up a chair to watch while Petunia huffed and stalked out, muttering 'freaks' under her breath. The rest of the night seemed to creep by. Petunia's annoying friends came over, all of them giggling obnoxiously. They were to be the bridesmaids. Lily could tell Aunt Rose didn't approve, but she didn't bother saying anything. Instead her and Lily got together Lily's outfit and Aunt Rose even let Lily go out and get Petunia a wedding gift. She went to bed early, telling her aunt it had been a long train ride and that she was tired. Truth was, she was wide awake. Lying in the blackness of her room, it would be many hours before sleep would fall.

Today was December 21, aka, Petunia's big day. Lily at the moment was hiding out in the bathroom, away from Petunia. She'd been raving at everyone all morning. It was apparent the stress and anxiety had reached its breaking point.

"…WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST IT?" There was a pause, "DON'T EVEN GIVE ME THAT! I NEED IT NOW!" What on earth was she on about now? Lily checked to make sure the door was locked. Urgh. What a depressing day. Lily immediately promised herself she wouldn't be like that on her wedding day. That is…if she ever got married. After all who would marry her? Gah. Petunia was actually getting married…even if it was to a stuck up, ugly, blah. At least they had matching personalities, Lily thought to herself, smiling.

"LILY!" Oh, right, she needed to go with her Aunt to get her hair done. Grudgingly, she left the protection of the bathroom to go downstairs.

"Lily, can you be any slower? We're going to be late!" Petunia snapped, "Yvonna! Where'd she go off to?" Petunia demanded before exiting the kitchen in a hurry. Lily and her aunt exchanged wordless glances as they tiredly followed Petunia out to the car.

After many tears and tantrums, they'd gotten back to the church. Petunia had broken down into sobs claming her hair looked like she was Medusa and that Vernon would never marry an ugly wart like her. Of course, after much consoling (and a new hairstyle) Petunia gathered herself together. Sitting in the front pew, Lily tugged on her own short, black dress. Her own hair was laid in curls that framed her face, red lipstick, and a pair of strappy black shoes. She felt oddly out of place for a wedding, but she didn't have another dress. Feeling self conscious, she put back on her sweater and tugged down on her dress. Her aunt, watching her, whispered.

"Quit fidgeting! You look fine." Lily gave up and waited for the music to begin. Once it did, everyone watched the bridesmaids followed by a cute little flower girl that skipped down the aisle, almost falling. Lily had no idea who she was. Finally, Petunia appeared. And for once in her life, Lily could say that Petunia looked gorgeous. Her usual straight dirty blonde hair was sleeked back in an elegant bun with a veil that went around it. For once, her dress fit her perfectly. It wasn't over the top and frivolous, but it had pearls sewn along the top of the dress. It had a long trail that ended in lace, and she was clutching a bundle of white roses while her arm was linked in Vernon's fathers arm. She gave a nervous smile to everyone as she walked by, looking elegant. The last measure of music was played as she approached the altar. Petunia turned a fraction, looking at everyone when her eyes fell on Lily. She looked as young and nervous as ever. It suddenly struck Lily that Petunia was only twenty two. Lily wasn't planning on being married then, and here was Petunia walking down the aisle. She had to be terrified. Lily smiled at Petunia sincerely. Petunia returned it for half a second before turning back to smile at her fiancée—almost husband. He smiled back, and Lily smiled to herself. Even if they weren't the nicest people in the world, Petunia was Lily's sister. She only hoped that they'd be good to each other, for they really seemed to love each other.

The ceremony was beautiful. Aunt Rose started crying—she wasn't the only one. Lily began to think about how lucky Petunia was to have found someone. She could only hope she'd ever find the same thing. Aunt Rose blew her nose loudly as Lily followed her back to the car, silent. They were going to head to the party which was being held at a large ballroom where Lily remembered Petunia taking ballroom dance lessons when she was seventeen.

The party was alright, most of it was people walking up to Petunia and Vernon congratulating them, but within the first fifteen minutes, Lily was feeling restless. Already five people had passed by saying how it was a shame that her parents weren't there to see their eldest daughter wed. Oh, just make me feel worse, Lily thought to herself, feeling sulky. She sat at the table taking a sip of champagne, playing with a gold ring she was wearing. This night was going to drag on forever. People began rushing to the middle of a portable wooden dance floor while some soft tune from the DJ was playing in the background.

"Excuse me?" Lily turned around to see a boy around her age smiling at her. He wasn't bad looking with nice brown eyes, a rather plain face, and a charming smile, "Would you like to dance?" Lily was going to say not really, but since she had been sitting alone, he was probably just trying to be nice. Besides, it wouldn't kill her.

Much

Although it's possible, for the klutz she is, to trip over her own feet and pummel into the nearest glass table.

Cause of death: Dancing

Oh she can just see it now. But against her better judgment she agreed.

"Sure," Lily said, taking his hand and walking out to the dance floor.

"I'm Brad, Brad Hanson," he offered.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Lily Evans, Petunia's sister." They danced for a while, talking, and Lily found him nice to talk to.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked after they'd danced for a while.

"Sure." Sitting down, they talked for a while. Brad talked about school for a while and football. He looked like he was about to ask her about her school when a slow song came on. He smiled at her…he really had a charming smile.

"Would you like to dance? I've always liked this song." Lily doubted it. She'd never even heard it before, but she agreed. Slow dancing, he asked her something surprising.

"So…do you have a boyfriend?" he grinned. Okay, maybe not that surprising.

Really?

Why cant this just be an innocent dance?

"Oh…no." Lily murmered He laughed.

"Really? I'm surprised. You're nice, and very pretty…usually girls like you are taken." Lily couldn't hide her smile.

"Why thank you…but I kinda screwed it up with the one guy I liked."

"Oh really, tell me about it." He spun her around, and she giggled, surprised she hasn't harmed anyone from her unskillful dancing yet.

"This boy, James Potter at my school, I've been crushing on him since, well, the beginning of the year. I was just being stupid…he liked me for a long time, and I kept turning him down. Then…when he was done with me, I guess you could call it I…er…started to like him." Brad smiled.

"You always want what you can't have." He stated

"But—" Lily was going to explain why she hadn't said yes the first million times. After all James Potter was a jerk! A wonderful, hot, charming one, but a jerk nonetheless! However, someone interrupted them. A very familiar voice…

"May I cut in?" Lily almost thought her heart stopped she turned her head a fraction and gulped. She whipped around only to find James Potter. He looked positively handsome. His mess of a hair was even more disheveled then usual and his hazel eyes were twinkling charmingly. He had his signature smirk on his face that made you want to grab him by the collar and song him right then and there. Brad cleared his throat and that brought Lily back to reality. Finally, stuttering…

"P-P-Potter?"

A/N: Hm...was that predictable? Drop a review please and tell me what you thought! thanks!