Disclaimer: I do not own the original canon nor am I making any profit from writing this piece. All works are accredited to their original authors, performers, and producers while this piece is mine. No copyright infringement is intended. I acknowledge that all views and opinions expressed herein are merely my interpretations of the characters and situations found within the original canon and may not reflect the views and opinions of the original author(s), producer(s), and/or other people.
Warnings: This story may contain material that is not suitable for all audiences and may offend some readers. Additionally, there's references to canon bullying and real-life homophobia. Please exercise understanding of personal sensitivities before and during reading.
Author's Note(s): Here's a fluffy piece about two friends right before one of them gets handfasted.
Challenge/Competition Block:
Stacked with: QL (Season 8); MC4A
Team (Position): Wigtown Wanderers (Keeper)
Round Info: Season 08 – Game 01
QL Prompt(s)s: Helping Others
Individual Challenges: Gryffindor MC (x2); Magical MC (x2); Shifter MC; Disabled; Rian-Russo Inversion; The 3rd Rule; Ship Sails; Lunar Era; Old Shoes (Y); Short Jog; Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes; Eating Cake; Green Ribbon; Greatest Gift
Other MC4A Challenges (Prompt): Sp Bingo [5A](Love); Tr Bingo [2B](Masquerade); Hunt [Sp Writing Diversity](Bisexual Character); Ship [Sp Med 1](Acts of Service); Chim [Joyce] (Copper)
Representation: Lily Evans Potter/Alice Longbottom; Lily Evans & Remus Lupin QPR;
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenge(s): Found Family; Nontraditional; Zucchini Bread; Machismo; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; White Dress); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Wabi Sabi); Demo (Clio's Conclusion); Demo (Creature Feature; In the Trench; Some Beach; Tied & Died)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Toad); SN (Rail; Negate)
Word Count: 1147
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At My Side
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The stone circle they had chosen for the ceremony was in the middle of woods that covered the back half of Alice's family estate. Said family estate was in Wales, less than a half hour drive from the border with England. With Cokesworth just over the border, that meant that Lily had grown up with Alice as practically her neighbor and had never known. All the magic in the world would never be more powerful than how close she had been to her beloved for years before they had met at Hogwarts.
Someone had arranged chairs to border the twisting paths which spiraled outward from the center of the circle in different directions. The round white pebbles of the paths glinted in the sunlight that dappled through the trees. The foliage made the light take on a pale green tinge. It was healthy and alive and so, so vital. Lily's heart pounded in her chest at the reminder of almost losing Alice just a few days ago. An Auror's work was dangerous enough without the current war with Voldemort, but Alice would not be herself if she wasn't doing everything she could to help others.
Helga would be so proud that Alice was a member of her House.
"I had always wondered, you know," Remus said as he tugged her away from the tent opening that she had been peeking through. With a calmness that he had never really shown while they had been at Hogwarts, he settled her onto the stool in the center of the covered space. As he worked on the elaborate braids that she had decided on for the ritual that would bind her to Alice, he continued speaking. "Not that you needed any particular reason to turn down James, but I had always wondered if it wasn't something more than simply his aggressive pursuit of you. Especially when you turned down Severus—not that I blame you, there—and also Peter, who you seemed to go out of your way to show kindness."
"Peter needed kindness," Lily explained. "You guys tended to go off on your own so often, and he didn't really have any other friends. Offering to study with him was the least I could do, especially after the disastrous ending of my friendship with Severus. He was vulnerable if he wasn't with you, but I knew that Severus wouldn't dare try anything if he was with me."
"I hadn't realized that it was quite that bad," Remus whispered, pinning a braid into a twisted bun behind her ear. "I know that we tried for peace after that horrible prank, and I know that it failed, but I hadn't realized that Severus would take after Peter if he was on his own."
"Well, Peter didn't want you to know," Lily said. "He believed that you guys would look down on him, especially James." She tilted her head back, disturbing Remus' hands. "No more talk of the past. I'm getting bonded in less than an hour. We should be thinking of the future."
"I know that you're going with more of the pure-blood traditions for this," Remus said. He fumbled for something in his pocket before pulling out a jeweler's box that had seen better days. "But my mother thought you might like to borrow these. I know that we're not family—not really—but well, you know that Mum loves you."
Carefully, she lifted the lid on the box. The earrings were simple drops on copper hoops. The drops had been cut in such a way that brilliant blue of the azulite swirled with the deep green of the malacite. Around the points of the drops (where they met the hoop), silver wire had been wrapped so that there were three ends that curled into tiny spirals around the drops. She raised her eyes to Remus', unable to speak through the tears clogging her throat.
"My mother wore them on her wedding day," Remus explained. "And so did her mother. Obviously, this is before I came along—" And was bitten, went unsaid. "—so that's actual silver wrapped around the stones, but the hoops needed to be replaced, so they're new. I chose copper to finish matching your cords."
"It's perfect," Lily managed. She threw her arms around his neck, careful to keep the jewelry away from his skin. It wouldn't do to send her best man to the hospital before the vows. "Something borrowed, something blue, something old, and something new. Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Lily. I just hope that I have a chance at the same happiness."
"You know what Alice says about that—"
"Yeah, yeah," Remus interrupted. He pulled away, closing himself off as he recited the familiar words with a bitter tone. "All things in their time, a heart full of rainbows which shine."
"She's not vague on purpose," Lily hedged, trying not to laugh at his annoyed expression. "You know how seers can be."
"Well, knowing doesn't stop it from being annoying," Remus grumbled good-naturedly. "Get those things on. They're almost ready for you."
"It will happen," Lily reassured as she put on the earrings. "You'll meet your special someone—since you won't accept any of Sirius' marriage proposals—and then I will be the one helping you get ready."
"Knowing my track record, I will end up eloping in the Muggle world in the middle of the night."
"And if they're a man?" she asked as she turned to straighten his tie, despite how it was already straight. "What will you do then, hm? Will you still try to cheat me out of my moment?"
"What man would have me?" Remus asked. His tone was uncharacteristically bitter. "Who would be willing to deal with all the issues that come from dating a man on top of the ones from dating a werewolf?" He sighed and rubbed his face. She slid a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him close enough to touch their foreheads. "It's unfair to even ask a woman to do it, Lils."
"All things in their time, Remy," Lily whispered. "She's never been wrong before. You just have to keep believing. It will happen for you, too."
"Lily, you're my best friend," Remus returned, matching her volume, "and I love you more than life itself. Maybe it's not romantic or sexual, and I would never make the same assumptions that James and Severus would if they had your friendship, but I want you to know something. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for you."
"All I want is you to stand beside me," Lily said as softly as a butterfly kiss. With their heads together, she could not see his smile. She didn't need to in order to know it was there. It was in the crinkled corners of his gilded eyes.
"I can do that," Remus promised. "I can do that."
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An Ending
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