The wedding was only three days away when the Order received a bit of information that they simply could not resist. Under the influence of Veritsaserum, a captured Death Eater had revealed the location of one of Voldemort's secret bases. Compelled to tell the truth, the man confessed there were weapons, strategic plans, and more than ten important Death Eaters meeting with the Dark Lord at the ruins of an old castle that night. Moody urged Dumbledore to take action immediately, but Hogwart's Headmaster wanted to be more cautious. He worried Voldemort had somehow foreseen this and was setting a trap.

Alice was helping Lily with her final fitting when James apparated into the shop, causing the girls to scream and throw things at him. "James! You're not allowed to see the dress before the wedding, it's bad luck!" Alice shouted as he ducked behind a sofa and the proprietress darted out of the room.

"Then cover her up! I need to tell her something," he cried as Lily's shoe sailed over his head.

The girls were giggling hysterically by the time Lily had dragged on a robe over her dress and come around to liberate him. She helped him up and he returned her shoe with a wry grin before putting his hand on her cheek and kissing her gently. "Dumbledore called. Important mission we've got to do tonight," he explained quickly. He didn't miss her confused, disappointed look.

"I thought we agreed we wouldn't go on any raids before the wedding," she reminded him gently, reaching up to brush her fingers down his cheek where a short stubble was growing.

James had the good grace to look sheepish, but he hugged her tightly. "I know, love, but this could be really important. Tonight could change everything."

Lily bit her lip and looked up at him anxiously before nodding and turning away, gathering up her skirts. "All right, James, but I'm coming with you."

He caught her hand before she could take two steps and pulled her back. "No, Lily. It's too dangerous."

She stared at him, not wanting to argue in her wedding dress just before the big day, but unable to think of a nice way to tell him he was being a chauvinistic prat. James caught her face in his hands, kissing her gently before looking at her so hopefully that she felt her irritation beginning to melt. "Lily, tonight really could change everything. We could stop Voldemort. People would be safe again. It's not something I can just pass up."

Tears sparkled in her eyes as she glanced away from him at Alice, who was looking as nervous as she felt. With a low groan, she gripped his arms tightly and relented. "Okay! Fine! Go... save the world! But you'd bloody well get back here soon... and in one piece!"

He kissed her fiercely, giving her a maniacal grin that made her giggle before disapparating. She moved over to hug her friend anxiously. "You can go to Frank if you want, Alice. He's probably going too."

"Not without me if he knows what's good for him," she replied wryly, leaning back to draw the robe off her shoulders for one last look at the dress as if it could somehow give her courage. Flicking her eyes upward, she caught her friend around the head and kissed her quickly. "You're gorgeous, Lily. And just think... three days from now, we could be celebrating a whole lot more than just your wedding!"

She agreed vaguely, allowing Alice to disapparate before moving to change out of her wedding dress. The plump witch that owned the shop bustled into the changing room to help her, but her compliments were lost on Lily as she considered what James was facing. She was relieved when the woman finally left, giving her time to change back into her street clothes. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror, her eyes filled with tears again and she blinked rapidly, drawing in a deep breath. "He'll be fine. The guys will be with him. Nothing bad can happen to the Marauders," she reassured herself firmly. Unfortunately, her reflection still looked terrified.

Lily was wearing a trail in James's carpet by three o'clock the next morning. The group had left for the raid just before midnight and had yet to return, leaving her with nothing to do but wait anxiously. She hadn't been able to do anything all day but sit and stare at the clock. Dinner with James's parents had been a silent parody in which no one said what they were really thinking and they all pushed their food around their plates without eating anything. It came as no surprise that they decided to go to bed early, although Lily was fairly certain that they were getting the same amount of rest as her.

A loud crack announced someone's arrival and Lily dashed out into the hallway, pulling up short when she found Peter rushing away anxiously. There had been a big debate about letting him go since his friends had been worried about him holding his own against the Death Eaters, but he had insisted on going to make sure they were safe. After nearly a night-long battle, he definitely looked worse for the wear. His robes were covered in mud, the side of his head was singed, and he looked absolutely panicked.

"Peter! What is it?" she called, causing him to spin around and race back toward her.

"Lily, you've gotta help! It was a trap!" he cried fretfully. "They knew we were coming and... and, so many people..." He took a calming breath. "They've got James. I- I don't know who else, but they've got him and they'll... they'll..."

"It's okay Peter," she assured him briskly, fighting the panic that threatened to overwhelm her as she squeezed his hand. "We'll go. Right now. Let's go and find him. We'll bring him home safe, yeah?"

He smiled at her miserably, trying to draw courage from her serene control and feeling like a beast for bringing this upon his best friends. They apparated to the Longbottom's first, not foolish enough to go barreling in without reinforcements. They found a ragged group of survivors being tended by the members who had stayed behind. Remus rushed toward them from the kitchen, grabbing Lily into a fierce hug.

"James and Sirius are still missing," he told her anxiously.

"Bloody idiots," she murmured crossly before turning to step up onto a chair and face the group. "Oi! Everyone! I'm getting married in two days, but my groom and his best man haven't come back. Who's coming with me to rescue them?"

Without hesitation, those able to walk came to her side. Frank and Alice moved forward with grim smiles, even though Frank's leg was heavily bandaged and he had a cut trickling blood down the side of his head. Dorcas Meadowes and Marlene McKinnon were right behind, standing up bravely though they both showed signs of scorch marks. Lily nearly cried when Dumbledore, the Prewetts, Moody, McGonagall, and Hagrid completed the group. Instead, she steeled herself and nodded briskly. "Let's go."

James and Sirius sat tied back to back in a dank, windowless room, waiting for the inevitable. They had both been beaten to a bloody pulp, but had only cried for more and laughed at their captors as they tortured them. At the moment, they knew beyond a doubt that they were waiting for Voldemort himself to come kill them.

"Hey Padfoot?" James said thickly in the darkness, drawing his friend's attention immediately.

"Yeah, Prongs?" Sirius wheezed, pretty certain that his ribs had been broken at some point.

James couldn't help grinning, though it felt like his face was trying to split in half from the effort. "I can't wait to tell our kids about this when we get old."

Sirius chuckled softly, leaning back against his best friend in an effort to ease his breathing. "The little brats will probably never believe us."

"Naw... they'll go to school and tell all of their friends how their dads defeated the Dark Lord," James assured him positively.

"Single-handedly," Sirius added, looking up as light footsteps sounded in the corridor outside their door. "Got any more tricks, Prongs? We could use some of that old Potter ingenuity right now."

James's laugh turned into a hacking cough and he spat blood onto the ground before straightening to look toward the door. "Sure, Padfoot. Why don't you just take a nap and let me take care of this? Nothing I can't handle."

The two boys were still chuckling when their cell was unlocked and they were converged upon by a mass of hooded figures, who pulled them up roughly by their arms to march them out of the room. They squinted in the predawn light after spending hours in darkness, but did their best to walk bravely as they were led through the crumbling ruins of the castle. Voldemort was in what used to be a great hall, lounging expectantly on an ornate, black marble throne. His robes hung loosely around his gaunt frame, causing James to think vaguely of a buzzard. His chuckles started Sirius's and they only stopped when they were both cuffed sharply around their heads.

"Show some respect," the Death Eater leading the procession hissed sharply. James and Sirius stared in surprise at the woman, whose voice seemed oddly familiar. Feeling distinctly hazy, they turned back to the Dark Lord, who was flanked on all sides by rows of his followers. At that moment, the boys fought despair as they did the math and realized there were far too many of them to contend with.

As they reached the dais, Voldemort rose from the chair, his serpentine face contorted into a hideous grin. "It's nice that you boys could make it on such short notice... and I can't tell you how pleased I am that you two stuck around for me to arrive," he told them pleasantly.

Sirius spat in the dirt at his feet before laughing up at him. "Yeah, well, we aim to please."

This statement earned him a fist to the side of his head and James let out a loud yell as he lunged at the Death Eater who struck him, only to be dragged back and punched in the face with enough force to snap his glasses cleanly in half. The horrible scene around him was instantly lost as one side of his glasses fell to the dirt floor and the other dangled uselessly around his ear. They had been pretty well useless anyway in the dank hole they had been kept in and speckled with mud and blood for the past few hours, but he still hated the fear that churned in his stomach at the total loss of his sight.

Voldemort merely smiled at the carnage and held out a hand to them. "You mustn't be so rude, boys, after I've gone out of my way to show you hospitality. Not even a thank you... what would your parents think?"

He laughed evilly, causing his minions to chuckle mindlessly. To James, they sounded like a group of hyenas ready for dinner. He was so lightheaded and numb from the loss of blood and hours of torture that he lowered his eyes so that he wouldn't start laughing too. Without warning, the Death Eaters holding their arms behind their backs kicked their legs out from under them, sending them crashing to their knees.

"None of that, now," Voldemort corrected them sharply, effectively silencing the crowd of murderers. "Help them up. These boys deserve to die with dignity. On their feet, like real men. I'm sure Dumbledore would appreciate us showing his sacrifices respect."

There was a stir at the side of the room as a Death Eater stepped forward into the clear space beside the dais, drawing everyone's attention. James's only sign that something was wrong was the sound of feet shuffling, until Sirius stiffened as Lily tugged off the mask and grinned confidently at the Dark Lord. James felt his heart stop and he swayed on his feet when he heard her call, "Did you really think we wouldn't come back for them?"

Voldemort hissed in surprise, but movement on the other side of platform caught his attention when Dumbledore himself stepped up, his eyes flashing angrily as he raised his wand. "This ends now, Tom."

The room seemed to explode with activity as flurries of bodies and spells rocketed around the ruins. James dropped weakly to his knees when Remus appeared out of nowhere to punch his captor in the face before sending him flying with a flick of his wand. The woman who had admonished them to have respect earlier removed her mask and Marlene smiled at them cheerfully.

"You lad's just don't know when to quit," she laughed as she removed their restraints.

Fabian Prewett, who had been the Death Eater holding Sirius, apologized for the rough treatment as he helped support Sirius's weight while his brother stood at his back shooting off a string of spells that were effectively keeping their attackers at bay. James was helped to his feet by Remus and tried to look for Lily, but couldn't see any more than a blur without his glasses.

"Let's get you guys home. You've got a wedding to go to," Remus chuckled buoyantly, ignoring James's light protests as they disapparated.

Lily, Alice, and Frank stood back to back in the midst of the crowd, giving them hell and pleased to see the Death Eaters breaking up, running or disapparating hastily. Glancing over her shoulder with a laugh, Lily caught sight of Dumbledore and Voldemort entrenched in the fight of their lives, but it was clear, even from across the hall, that Dumbledore would win. She felt her hopes soar as she realized this could be it; the fight could be over in a matter of minutes!

She gasped in surprise when Voldemort suddenly sprang from the dais into the crowd. Refusing to let him get away, she and the Longbottoms rushed forward to intercept him. A massive explosion knocked Death Eaters and members of the Order alike from their feet, sending them sprawling in untidy heaps in the mud. In the general confusion that ensued, Voldemort made good his escape, leaving his followers to quickly follow his example.

Dirty and weary, Lily pushed herself to her feet, looking around to survey the damage and sighing in relief when she saw that everyone was safe. They disapparated to the Longbottom's, where a post-rescue party was already underway. Frank's normally frigid mother was wearing a fluffy pink hat and passing around drinks while other members of his family provided music, food, medical assistance, and other forms of entertainment. Lily glanced around and wasn't surprised to find Sirius and James sitting in the midst of it all while Marlene and Emmeline patiently worked to heal their wounds.

Reluctantly, Lily disapparated, returning to the Potter mansion to tell his parents that everything was okay. She found them in their dressing gowns drinking coffee in the kitchen and Adele began crying in relief when she heard the news. They immediately decided to join the party at the Longbottom's and Lily told them she would catch up before heading up the stairs. She went into James's room to find his spare pair of glasses, but stopped when the light from the window reflected against her engagement ring, sending prisms dancing across the bed.

Crippling pain surged through her body as the reality of the last few hours finally dawned on her. Sinking to her knees, she pressed her hand over her mouth and fisted the other in the comforter of James's bed as she sobbed harshly. She had almost lost him. Had it not been for Peter, he could be dead at this moment. Despite her cautious approach to his work for the Order, she had never really considered losing him before. It had never felt like a real possibility. James was just too confident and talented for anything to happen to him.

A loud crack startled her and she turned to find James standing in the middle of the room, bandaged up, leaning on a crutch, and smiling vaguely in her direction. "Hey there. Aren't you even glad I'm alive?"

Still crying, she crossed the space between them, gently placed his glasses on his nose, and slapped her hand half-heartedly against his chest before pulling him into a bone-crushing hug that made him wince in pain. "You're such an idiot!" she sobbed.

"I know. I'm sorry," he whispered, putting an arm around her waist. He let her cry herself out before smiling down into her swollen, tearstained face. "Thanks for saving my ass. It really would have sucked if I died two days before our wedding."

Mindless of his weakened state, she pushed him away from her and glared at him furiously as he stumbled. "How could you say something like that? I was worried sick about you. You could have died! What would I have done without you? This is not funny, James!"

"I'm sorry, love, but none of this feels very real right now. Algie gave me something and... everything's just so funny," he tried to explain, unable to wipe the grin from his face or muster up the abject terror and relief he should be feeling. Limping toward her, he caught her hand and grinned down into her face. "Let's just go back to the Longbottom's, Lily. We'll get drunk and celebrate with our friends, then come back here and make love, because that is what we're fighting for."

"Sex?" she laughed as she reluctantly allowed him to draw her close.

"Life, Lily. And all of the wonderful, awkward, funny things that come with it," he reminded her gently.

"You're deep when you've been drugged," she told him fondly.

James laughed out loud at that. "You should see me when I'm drunk. Now let's go enjoy what's important."

She finally relented and they returned to the Longbottom's to find the party in full swing. Lily helped James to find a seat among the crowd of bodies before getting him a stiff drink and taking her place beside him. Nearly twenty minutes later, Peter turned up and everyone cheered as he brandished Sirius and James's wands, which he had somehow managed to ferret out of the wreckage. He was greeted like a regular hero when everyone found out that he had been the first to galvanize the rescue party and he could barely stand under the pressure of his comrades slapping him enthusiastically on the back and knocking him around with jubilant hugs. Dorcas even kissed him, she was so pleased, causing him to blush furiously until Remus pressed a drink into his hand and muscled him into a chair.

With Lily's expert ministrations, neither James nor Sirius had a single mark on them by the morning of the wedding. They were standing anxiously with Peter and Remus at the front of the tiny chapel nearly a half hour before the service was set to start when Petunia slipped in the back, peering disdainfully around at the small crowd of wizards that had gathered for the ceremony. James caught sight of her as she took a seat and frowned before glancing over at his friends.

"Who's that?" Remus asked quietly, having never seen her before.

"Lily's sister. She didn't tell me she invited her," James explained shortly before heaving a weary sigh. "I guess it's my turn to be the bigger person."

James wove his way through the guests to the back and leaned over a pew to smile at Petunia. "Thanks for coming. Would you like to see Lily before the service?"

Petunia gave him a startled look before plucking nervously at her pale blue dress. "Oh, I suppose..."

He worked at not glaring at her because of her waspish tone as he led her through the atrium to the small side room where Lily was getting ready. He tapped on the door lightly and it was opened just a sliver for his mother to peer out at him. "I told you before, James, you're not allowed in here. Now shoo or I'll set your father after you."

"Lily's sister is here," he told her quietly, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

Adele opened the door a fraction wider and her hand shot out to drag the young woman forward before slamming it in her son's face. Petunia stumbled into the room to find an old woman in sunshine yellow robes and several other younger woman all fluttering around her sister to help her prepare. Her hair, which had grown since she cut it in the summer, cascade down her back in thick curls, pinned with sparkling white lilies. Her dress was as plain as her sister's had been extravagant; covered in white lace and reaching to mid-calf. She caught sight of her sister in the mirror and stared for several seconds before spinning and flying at her, hugging her tightly.

"Oh! Tuny, I didn't think you'd come!" she cried in delight, kissing both of her cheeks before leaning back with a charming grin.

Petunia shifted uncomfortably, surprised that her sister didn't seem nervous or weepy at all. "I just came because you came to my wedding," she announced stiffly.

"Oh." Lily dropped her hands to her sides and took a step back. "Well, thank you for coming anyway."

They stood in awkward silence for a minute before Alice called Lily back so they could finish her hair. Not knowing how to excuse herself gracefully, Petunia hung in the background. She took in Lily's simple wedding attire, without even a necklace to dress it all up, and felt a twinge of pity for her sister that she was marrying a man who couldn't afford better. It wasn't long, however, before the women were ushered out, leaving Lily and Alice alone.

"Well that was awkward," Alice said wryly as she brushed her hand over Lily's dress.

Lily smiled and shrugged, picking up her simple bouquet. "I didn't think she would come. I'm so glad we could have a small wedding."

"Because mine was a nightmare on wings?" Alice chuckled in reply.

"Yes," Lily giggled impishly, giving her friend a quick hug.

In no time, Sirius arrived and escorted Alice out while Lily took her place beside Dumbledore, smiling at him prettily. She stood serenely beside her old mentor as she waited for their time to go in, wondering absently what the priest would think of all the people wearing wizard's robes. Dumbledore himself was wearing blue robes embroidered with stars and moons.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in a low voice as she fussed over her flowers one last time.

She didn't answer as they stepped into the doorway and her eyes met James's, causing them both to grin outrageously at one another. She didn't see Severus sneak in or her sister standing awkwardly at the back of the church. She barely noticed the guests crowding both sides of the aisle or Dumbledore passing her to James. She hardly heard a word the priest said. The only thing that really registered was James leaning in to tell her how beautiful she looked. Before she knew it, they were man and wife and James was leaning down to kiss her. Before she could pull away he put his arms around her waist, dragging her against his chest and lifting her from her feet. She let out a loud giggle as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him exuberantly, drawing laughter and catcalls from their guests.

When they returned to the Potter Manor for the reception, Lily gasped in surprise when she apparated, not into the ball room as she had intended, but into a dank, musty cave. She was about to try again when a thin light shone in the dark and Remus stepped forward with a smile to pluck her wand out of her hand.

"None of that, now, Lily. We've been planning this for years," he told her as he hugged her and kissed her cheek. "All you need to do is sit tight for an hour, tops, and we'll take you back. If you don't cooperate, I've been given permission to get tough."

"Permission from who, Remus?" she laughed as she took a step back and looked around hopelessly for a place to sit.

"Sirius, of course," he said with a grin. "Now I need to get going, but I'll be back."

"Remus, I don't want to spend half of my wedding day in a cave," she pleaded as she caught his arm. "Can't I go into the house, at least?"

Remus frowned at her suspiciously before glancing around them. "Only if you promise that you won't run away."

"Yes, yes, horrible consequences and all that," she waved him off, clinging to his sleeve. "Remus, did you ever consider the fact that I might want to help you after all the rubbish James has put me through over the years?"

Remus's face broke into a slow grin at the suggestion and they had soon worked out a deal. He apparated into the Potter's ball room a few minutes later and nodded conspiratorially at Sirius. As if on cue, James arrived at Sirius's side with a nervous frown.

"Have you seen Lily, Padfoot?"

Sirius grinned and made a show of looking around the room before pointing out a thin redhead standing near Frank and Alice. "There she is, Prongs. You ought to be more careful or you might lose her."

He slapped his friend on the back with a loud laugh before leading him across the room to be united with his bride. James slipped his arm around her waist in relief, only to have her giggle hysterically and slap him away playfully. "Oh, James, what do you think you're doing? We don't want to give our guests a show, do we?" she asked in an oddly high pitched voice.

He raised an eyebrow at her and frowned. "Weren't you wearing a different dress before?"

Lily giggled and batted her eyes up at him. "Of course I was, silly! I changed before coming downstairs. I didn't want to get anything on my wedding dress!"

Sirius gave her a sharp look behind James's back before motioning for her to tone it down. Remus arrived at their side a moment later and asked Lily to dance. "No way, Moony," James announced firmly. "I get the first dance with my wife."

Lily giggled as he led her out onto the dance floor, but he was too busy with her stumbling lightly over his feet to talk to her. By the time they finished the first dance, he was fairly certain Sirius had given her something to drink, an idea that was only solidified as his best friend swooped in to claim the next dance with the bride.

"Tone it down Wormtail, he's getting suspicious," Sirius murmured in a low voice as they whirled away, wincing when Peter stepped on his foot.

"I kept telling you that Moony would have made a better Lily, Padfoot," Peter sighed miserably. "I don't know if I can keep this up for a whole hour."

"Forty-five minutes. You just need to let the Polyjuice Potion do its work, Wormtail. You sound like her and look like her. All you need to do is act like her for a little while longer," Sirius reminded him stubbornly.

Lily's pretty face contorted into a frustrated pout and Sirius had to keep himself from laughing. "It's harder than it looks, Padfoot!"

"Just don't think so hard about it," he advised, shooting an amused glance at Remus over her head.

James had to fight his anger with his friends as they feigned ignorance when he demanded to know what they'd done to his wife. He didn't notice the thickly veiled woman standing in a dark alcove of the ballroom taking everything in with great amusement. He didn't even notice that Peter was missing. He was so caught up with Lily's odd behavior that everything else lost importance. Every time he tried to kiss her, she would giggle inanely and push him away and she seemed almost eager to talk and dance with everyone but him.

After nearly an hour of chasing her around the ballroom, he finally herded her to a seat at the head table, hoping a little food might make her feel better. He was surprised, however, when she crammed her plate to overflowing with everything she could get her hands on and stuffing her face enthusiastically. Putting a hand on her leg, he leaned in to speak to her, but she just giggled and shooed him away.

"Lily, what's going on?" he asked quietly as she continued to resist him.

"What are you talking about, Jamie?" she asked in a false, high pitched voice that caused James to stare at her. Was it just his imagination, or did she look heavier than usual? She beamed innocently and batted her big blue eyes at him and he frowned.

"You are so dead, Wormtail."

There was a loud scream and a tearing of fabric as Peter burst the seams of his dress and stumbled to get away from the enraged groom, causing all of the guests to turn and laugh. Lily removed the heavy veils Remus had provided her with and rushed toward them, catching James around the waist before he could pummel any of his friends and spinning him around to kiss her.

"That was not funny," he told her sharply, weakening when she pulled his head down for another kiss and pressed herself firmly against him.

"I thought it was pretty hilarious," she told him playfully. "I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner. Just think of it as payback for seven years of pranks."

When she kissed him again, he couldn't think of a reason to argue with that.

Author's note: Thank you guys so much for the overwhelming response! I'm really glad you guys like it, and this last chapter really made me LOL.

So... I cut out the last chapter, because it made me feel dirty inside. It doesn't really go with the whole theme of the book and was really pointless. I'm working on something better, so please just be patient and hopefully I'll be able to bring you something that isn't crap as soon as possible.