I just reread a few chapters and realised a mistake - not in my writing (although I have noticed a few of those) but in what I'd written. I'd been trying so hard to avoid them kissing 'on screen' as it were, and then two chapters ago they kissed three times in the first paragraph! If you've watched call the midwife you'll know what I'm trying to achieve.. If not just ignore me. I make a vague reference in this chapter to the last two Gryffindor girls who shared the dormitory with Hermione and Lyra. Fay Dunbar is one, I'm going to go with Lily Moon as the other.
The day after sending out her invitations, Lyra gathered all the important women (and one little boy) in her life to the house she shared with Sirius. Standing before her in the kitchen stood Tonks, Hermione, Ginny, Molly Weasley, Fleur, Luna and Teddy. Together they soon Flooed to Diagon Alley, attracting attention from passers by as they strolled along the cobblestone streets to the shop that stood at the far end, named Lavender in honour of their fallen friend.
Upon entering, they were greeted by Parvati Patil, one of the five surviving girls of the group of six that had shared the Gryffindor dormitory since their sorting in 1991. After the Battle of Hogwarts, where Lavender Brown had died, Parvati had opened a shop in honour of her friend, as their shared dream had been to own one together. Parvati was going to help Lyra find a wedding dress, and had promised not to reveal any details of the chosen gown to the public until the wedding day itself in two months time.
Lavender itself stocked more than just wedding dresses, it stocked robes for formal occasions, which sometimes stood in for the wedding dress, the preferred option for Muggleborn and halfblood witches. But today, Lyra was here for a wedding dress.
They were quickly ushered in to a back room which was laid out with sofas as the front of the shop did as well. This was to keep them from prying eyes that may take the opportunity to peek through the gowns in the window to observe Lyra trying on finery.
While Lyra was in the dressing room trying on her first dress, Teddy and the others were waiting patiently, chatting about the wedding. Teddy was impatient. He had noticed Lyra disappear and wanted her back. But when she came back in a beautiful white dress, the little one year old didn't recognise his godmother. He stared at her, snuggling back into his mothers arms as this woman stood before them biting her lip as she waited for their comments.
They all agreed that though it was a lovely dress, it didn't suit her. Even Parvati was critical. It swallowed Lyra, made her flashier than she felt comfortable in. The dress wasn't her, didn't fit her personality.
The next dress, Teddy adored. He wriggled on his mothers lap as she desperately tried to contain the squirming youngster, before she finally let go and he scrambled off and made his way to his beloved 'Lyly' who bent down in her long dress, picked him up for a cuddle and kissed his chubby cheek. She found the dress perfect for such manoeuvring, and the others thought it was beautiful on her too. The skirt flowed gently downwards, lace settling on top. The top of the dress fitted Lyra's waist, and had a slight curve to the top of it. The dress had long sleeves, alluding slightly to the traditional witches robes while honouring the muggle traditions. The dress itself was simple, and radiated Lyra's personality through every seam and stitch so lovingly sewn into the gown.
Lyra didn't have to ask her friends opinion, she could see it in their faces as they all stared open mouthed at her. Lyra was still holding Teddy as she faced them, his arms were wrapped around her neck and his legs sat on her waist as if they belonged there, and her dress wasn't restricted by this at all.
"What do you think?" She asked the group. Molly had tears in her eyes as she replied,
"Oh Lyra dear, you look beautiful!" The sentiment was repeated in various forms by everyone other than Tonks and Luna. Luna stated that she was glowing so much that the Nargles were busy gathering around her in awe, while Tonks didn't say a word.
Lyra sighed.
"Auntie Dora?" She said teasingly, "what do you think?" Tonks stared at Lyra, while the others stared at Tonks, waiting for the inevitable 'it's Tonks!' But it didn't come.
"Auntie Dora?" She asked instead, "oh.. Ly!" Tonks blushed, before rushing to hug Lyra, stumbling slightly before reaching her and hugging both Lyra and Teddy, still in his godmothers arms.
"I'm only seven years older than you, you know" she mumbled. Lyra laughed. "I'm too young to be an 'Auntie Dora' to an eighteen year old."
"So what do you think?" Lyra asked again. Tonks blinked at her.
"Oh! Um.. Oh Ly you look gorgeous, Charlie's going to be speechless!"
Lyra beamed, and nodded to Parvati who was herself beaming. Parvati quickly measured Lyra's body so she could return a few weeks before the wedding to check that the correct fitting charms were working properly. The fitting charms would allow the dress, once it had been tailored for each specific person, to adjust to any changes in body size or shape the wearer went through. The dress Lyra was modelling now was just a shop dress, designed to show the bride and her guests the gown, but did not have any charms attached.
Now she had a dress, Lyra could not wait for her wedding day. It felt a lot more real than it had done before.
The dress Lyra is wearing is the one in the story image. I designed it myself using an iPad app so any resemblance it may have to a real dress is completely coincidental.