Dark Tower

All characters contained in the story, belong to JK Rowling and company.

Chapter fifty: The big day!

As Mme Bones entered the room of Requirements she headed for the altar to verify if all she needed for the ceremony was there. She took the plain brown box out of her cloak pocket and placed it on a small table, adding a ward over it so no one could tamper with it. It was a short ceremony, but its magical properties were quite eye catching. She smiled to herself as she remembered the last couple she had married not long ago; the bride had cried all through the ceremony... and the groom fainted at the very end. Poor thing almost broke his neck when he had fallen off the platform where the ceremony was held. Had to call a mediwitch to revive the young man.

Albus Dumbledore came in wearing pewter colored dress robes with a matching hat. He neared Mme Bones with a large smile on his face. "Amelia! Nice to see you again." He bent over her offered hand, kissing its fingertips lightly. "This is a great day… I'm happy that you are officiating it."

Amelia beamed at him, "Albus, always the charmer! It's nice to be able to help out. I always enjoyed this kind of ministry work. Most pleasant!'

"I agree. Bringing a young couple together is a worthwhile endeavor." His eyes spanned the room, looking at the decorations that adorned every corner possible. His eyes twinkled behind his glasses, "Jessica's sister is really gifted for finding harmonious and joyful decorations. I've never seen such a lovely decor for a room at Hogwarts." He said as he gave an appreciative glance at the cascade of flowers and ribbons that seemed to pour out of the walls, with a touch of greenery to give it an outdoorsy feeling. It almost felt like a proper British garden.

Amelia nodded in agreement. "Quite a lovely room, I must agree. Is the happy couple ready?" she asked calmly.

"I believe so... I checked a half hour ago. Both were ready." He said with another ready smile.

"Very good then. You can let the guests come in, we'll start in about fifteen minutes." She added while looking at her pocket watch.

Albus bowed slightly and went to open the doors wide open. People started to trickle in, taking seats in the rows that had been arranged.

Snape was met by Remus Lupin; Remus had been asked to accompany Snape to the ceremony. As they walked slowly side by side, Remus threw him a sideways glance, a little smile hitched to his lips. "Feeling nervous yet?"

Snape gave him a cold glance, "Not really, but then I doubt I would admit as much to you." He smirked slyly before he finally admitted. "Maybe just a little bit... I never imagined that a woman would eventually get me to an altar." He chuckled lightly.

"Aw, Severus! But Jessica isn't your usual taste in witches, is she? She probably has something that others in your past lacked." Remus pointed out with much clarity. Severus couldn't find fault in what the other man had said.

"Maybe." he conceded... barely. They came to the open doors of the wedding room and saw all the people assembled in there. Severus drew a quick breath. He hadn't realized that so many people would be here. Some had seen the groom, turning to wave or smile up at him. He nodded curtly to them in acknowledgment.

Remus chuckled next to him. "Severus! It's your wedding day, not your funeral. Try smiling at the people, it would floor them I can assure you." He grinned largely at him.

"Lupin, I know what day this is!" he growled through clenched, but smiling teeth. He looked pained rather than living his pre-wedding bliss.

Remus turned away from the room to chuckle silently. "I do think you rather startled Mme Pomfrey. She's never seen you 'smile' before." Remus hiccupped at Severus.

"Lupin... do be quiet, will you! Before I forget where we are and who is in attendance. I wouldn't mind stopping the mindless drivel that's coming out of you." Severus hissed at him, a warning glare zeroing in on the DADA professor.

Lupin couldn't be less impressed by Snape's menace. He couldn't do anything right now and that fact made him even happier. But before he could add anything, Alice and Marilynn arrived, turning the corner to come near them.

"Hello, hello!" they chimed in behind Severus's back. Snape turned quickly toward them, looking behind to see if Jessica was following.

"Is Jessica coming?" He asked quietly but in clipped tones.

Alice's brows shot up in response. "Nice to see you too, Professor Snape!" She passed by him in a huff, not bothering to answer his question.

Marilynn looked at Remus before answering him, "She's coming with Becca in a few minutes. Just adding the finishing touches to her hair and veil." She lowered her gaze under Severus's mildly impatient one.

Remus took Marilynn's hand in his, giving it a light kiss on its back. "Don't listen to him, he's always cranky before afternoon tea." He smiled at her with twinkling eyes.

Marilynn smiled sweetly at him, which in turn, exasperated the Potions teacher. He rolled his eyes in utter frustration. "If you two have nothing else to do... could you take that somewhere else?"

Both Remus and Marilynn looked at him with some surprise at such an aggressive outpouring, but said nothing in response. They went inside the room, leaving him to his muddled thoughts.

Jessica and Becca had finished putting up her veil and were coming out of Jessica's room. Jessica felt nervous but she knew it would be over soon enough. Becca threw an arm over her shoulders and hugged her lightly. "The big day is here, feeling ok now?"

Jessica lifted her shoulders and breathed a long sigh. "Not that bad I guess. Still a little bit tired though."

"Aw... it'll pass soon enough. You won't remember that part of your day anyway." She poked fun at Jessica's little potions mishap.

"Gee... thanks Becca! I was trying to forget that part. Who would of thought I'd react that way to that silly potion?" She said with mild frustration. "Anyway, let's get this over with. The wait is getting to me right now."

"Then move along then, we are almost there." They turned the corner and immediately saw the open doors to the wedding room. Jessica's breath got short as her nerves threatened to overwhelm her again. Becca whispered something to her ear, which made her laugh. It calmed her a little, permitting the air to penetrate her lungs again.

Becca accompanied Jessica to the front of the room, letting her sister take her place next to her future husband. She went to the first row of seats and sat next to Alice. She hadn't noticed the glare that had followed them as they passed a certain guest. His platinum hair shone brightly under the torch lights as his eyes glimmered coldly with malevolence.

Mme Bones came forward, taking her wand out from her the inner sleeve of her robes. Smiling lightly, she said to Severus and Jessica, "Wands please." She produced an oblong silver platter for them to place their wands upon. "Severus take Jessica's right with yours" He did as instructed, his gaze meeting his future wife's eyes with an undefined emotion. Amelia Bones turned to the table behind her, removed the wards upon the small brown box, and then removed the gold chain it contained.

She draped the chain over their hands in a complicated array of interwoven motifs, which started from his wrist to end with hers. Amelia touched the chain with the tip of her wand, making the links glows brightly. She gazed at the linked hands and said clearly for all to hear: "Amo Alius... Fortuno Universi... Per sulum annus donec infinitus."1

She waved her wand above their hands, a ribbon of lavender smoke enveloped the joined hands, then it dissipated into nothing. Amelia brought back their wands and sprinkled an opalescent powder over them. She murmured something and the wands levitated above the platter. "Severus and Jessica take your wands again, with your left hand."

They followed the instructions that followed. They joined their wands, placing tip against tip. The energy that now flowed between them could be felt through the room. Women started to cry unwittingly, men looked on stoically, understanding the bond that united them now.

Amelia brought out a crystal bowl that contained but water. "The invisible ties that now bond you will forever be your source of strength. Like this bowl of water, which represents the base to which you shall each have to add your own ingredients, to produce the elixir that you shall drink in times of happiness and strife. Today, we start with the commitment you have vowed to each other." She placed two small strands of ivy inside the bowl. "Next, we add the love that has grown between you." She added two rose petals. "Our aspirations for each other in marriage, sweet and nurturing..." She added a drop of honey and then poured a vial of red wine inside the bowl.

She placed the bowl on a table next to them. Murmuring an incantation, the liquid started to swirl within the bowl. Another incantation, the swirling stopped, the liquid stood as clear as before the additions. "Today we see it clean and pure, nothing has made it murky or unpalatable. It is your individual duty to keep it so. Heed my words, for they are the truth that has been passed down through generations of wizards and witches."

She took the bowl away and then turned back to face the linked hands. "Lower your wands and say your vows to each other."

Severus cleared his throat with a small cough then said: "Jessica. As I stand before you, I vow to protect and care for you, love and cherish our union. I am yours forever more..." A gentle grin came to his austere face, softening his features, making him look even more handsome, in Jessica's mind.

Jessica, eyes filled with love and emotion, smiled up at her husband. "Severus... As I stand before you, I too promise to protect and care for you, love and cherish our union. I am yours forever more..." Her face lit up as she voiced her vows.

Becca, sitting in the first row of seats sniffed loudly, trying to contain her tears of happiness. Alice and Marilynn were already dabbing furiously at their eyes with handkerchiefs they had brought with them.

Mme Bones took one end of the chain that she had woven around their hands, murmuring a spell and with a pass of her wand above; the chain fell off with ease. "May life be good for you both... Our wishes of happiness will always follow you." She smiled at them, then raising her hands to either side of her small form, "I present you, M. and Mme Severus Snape. May the celebrations begin!"

All in attendance stood up and came forward to congratulate the happy couple. Almost that is... A lone figure remained sitting in his seat. He smirked; a wicked gleam in his eyes could be seen by anyone who would have bothered to look. The hand that held his usual serpent-headed cane remained clenched around the slender shaft of wood. He bowed his head for a moment, then looked back up to survey the swarm of people that surrounded Snape and that wench he would now call his wife.

He got up and went to the front of the room. A wizard of his standing couldn't be seen as ungracious. His eyes focused mainly on the new bride as he came slowly toward them, ready to dole out the usual platitudes he reserved for these occasions.

He was next in line to congratulate the couple, when two Aurors came into view. They came up behind Jessica, discretely keeping guard over her. Lucius kept his face smooth, though the surprise of seeing the Ministry's best keeping an eye on him, almost made him laugh.

Severus kept his face expressionless as Lucius came up the line of well-wishers. But a single glance at Jessica made him worry about the other man's presence; what would come out of Lucius's mouth? Knowing his propensity to hold grudges (unlike him...cough), he knew he would mention something to her, if he had a chance.

Lucius wore a odd smile as he came to Severus first, "Severus..." He said as he offered his hand, "Good show! Finally tied the knot? Never thought you had it in you." His usually cold eyes twinkled with the untold truths he so wanted to say. His last altercation in front of the Master still stung him. "Congratulations my friend... long life to you and your new wife." His eyes dropped to Jessica's developing mid-section, he smirked at them. "I'm certain she'll provide you with many offspring to continue your line, if nothing else."

Jessica's hand became like a vice on Severus's arm, her eyes turning dark with anger. But she kept her mouth shut this time. It wouldn't do, to lose her self-control at her own wedding! Severus merely put his own hand own hers, hopefully trying to calm her.

"Nice of you to come Lucius. It's always a pleasure to see old friends at these functions." He said coldly to the man, "But I must mention, that I didn't marry this lovely woman just to sire a whole brood of children. Keeping her barefoot and pregnant is not in her best interest." His mellow tones held a subtle warning as his eyes bore into the other wizard's face.

Lucius quirked a brow at him, "I see." he said casually. "And where would her interests lay? But I digress... this is not the proper moment for an intellectual discussion about women's ... um... proper role in the wizarding world."

Lucius didn't hold many woman in high regards, they were kept in two categories in his book... they were either hearth keepers and mothers with little else to add to the wizarding kind; or like those ladies from the seedier side of Knockturn alley, paid for services rendered. But Severus knew his thoughts about that subject and would rather not have Jessica listen to them. She would probably try to hex Lucius to kingdom come.

"Well, we will speak later Lucius." His gaze swept over the people standing in queue behind the blond man. "Others are waiting to see us." His dismissal was a tad grating to him, but Lucius said little. He turned to Jessica and took her hand. He lowered his lips to her hand, kissing its back lightly, in a provocative way. "Madame" he said as he straightened up, "My best wishes to you on this glorious day." He said coolly to her. " I will have to ask Narcissa to invite you to dinner very soon; a little get-together so we can get better acquainted. " He added in a low purr, so Severus wouldn't hear.

Jessica almost ripped her hand out of his grip, wishing to slap his face at the open provocation. She looked up at Severus, giving her the resolve to answer him. "It's nice of you to show up. So glad you could come to our little party." She lowered her voice before adding, "Your two goons aren't with you? Unless they got lost coming here..." Her eyes were flashing at him, hinting at that horrible day at Becca's home. "Narcissa? Is that your maid?"

Lucius paused for a moment before answering, a small muscle started to jerk on his jaw. His anger became palpable. "Narcissa is my wife, I'm sure Severus has mentioned it to you." It took all his willpower not to strike the wench for her cheekiness. "As for my friends..." He smirked at his choice of words, "they were not invited. Wouldn't want party crashers, would we?"

One of the Aurors came forward and whispered to Lucius's ear. He closed his eyes briefly then stared back at Jessica. "It seems that I need to get along. We WILL be seeing each other very soon, my dear!" With a smirk and a light swish of his cloak, he was gone. Jessica just breathed a sigh of relief before accepting good wishes from the next wizard in the line.

1 To love another… To prosper together… with each year, until forever.

It's finally done! Married, hitched, united, joined in holy matrimony, etc, etc… Hope you guys liked my version of a wizard wedding. Read and review…