* ~ The Eighth Year Universe Series ~ *
PART FOUR
Brave New World
Chapter 2: Love & Marriage
A/N: The flashbacks in this chapter are scenes from part two in this universe, so if you want more of Sadie and Theo's backstory, head on over to "Last Call for Sin" and have a read ;)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"I'm just going to check over the ceremony arrangements with the vicar, sweetheart. I'll be back soon," Sadie's mother said as she kissed her daughter on the cheek.
"Okay, thanks, Mum," Sadie said with a smile.
Her mother left the room, which left Sadie alone with Daphne.
"You look terrified," Daphne said with a small smile.
"I am," Sadie admitted sheepishly, "It's all happened so fast…my brain is just catching up."
"If this is how you're reacting, imagine how scared Theo is," Daphne joked, which made Sadie laugh.
"I think everyone must feel scared on their wedding day," Sadie mused thoughtfully, "But I think it's more nerve-wracking when you have written your vows."
"I think it's nice," Daphne said as she put Sadie's veil on for her, "And I think you and Theo are perfect for each other. You might have tried to hide it for years, Sadie, but Tracey and I always knew you liked Theo. His complete undying love for you was pretty obvious too from about second year."
Sadie smiled, but it wasn't an entirely happy smile, "I wish she was here today Daph, it should be the three of us in here…."
"I know," Daphne said. She fixed Sadie's veil in place and hugged her friend, "But she's watching from somewhere."
"I like to think the same," Sadie admitted. She wiped her tears away before they could roll down her face and ruin her make-up, "When I dreamed about my wedding day…I knew you would be my Maid of Honour, but I just always thought that Tracey and Pansy would be my bridesmaids."
"War changes everything Sadie," Daphne said as she sat down next to her friend, "And I miss them too. It kills me to think about my wedding day without Tracey. I miss Pansy, and I even miss my father sometimes, but everything happens for a reason. Look at the friends we have made this year, the people we have met who have changed our lives."
Sadie smiled and hugged her friend.
Daphne drew back and smiled a little tearfully, "We're the survivors. You survived, and you are marrying the man of your dreams. I bet you if you went back in time and told yourself that during the war, you wouldn't believe it."
"I wouldn't have," Sadie chuckle, "Thanks, Daphne, I don't know where I'd be without you."
"Sad and lonely," Daphne said. She kissed her on the cheek, "I light up your life, right?"
"You do," Sadie laughed.
Daphne drew back and smiled once more, "Are you nearly ready to go?"
With a slightly pale face, Sadie nodded.
"I'll go get the girls then," Daphne said with a smile. She disappeared from the room and popped her head in next door, where thankfully, all of the boys were ready.
"How are you doing, Theo?" Daphne asked.
Theo was pacing up and down the room.
"Nervous," Theo admitted, which was something that he didn't admit to very often.
"So is your soon to be wife," Daphne said as she walked into the room and patted Theo on the shoulder, "Don't worry about it."
"We've been trying to tell him this," Harry said with a smile, "But nothing seems to work."
"I'll be fine. I just want to get started," Theo said as he wrung his hands.
"Good," Daphne said as she turned to the girls, "Because I'm collecting the bridesmaids so we can get started."
"We're ready," Hermione said. She got to her feet, followed by Lilly and Susan.
"See you in the church, Theo," Daphne said. She kissed him on the cheek. Theo nodded, and the girls disappeared from the room.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Theo, sit down," Neville said in amusement as he watched his friend pace.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor," Harry added with an amused chuckle. They were gathered in this little room, waiting for it to be time to move into the church.
"What if she runs away? What if she doesn't want to marry me? What if she's realised I'm not any good for her?" Theo asked. He spouted all of this off very quickly.
"Theo, she realised you weren't any good for her a long time ago, and she's still marrying you," Draco joked with a smirk as Harry and Neville sniggered at the state Theo was in.
"Are you sure?" Theo asked.
Draco nodded. He put his arm around his best friend's shoulder, "You're being an idiot. If she thought you weren't any good, why would she have saved you from the dark tower, huh? Why would she have cried her eyes out while we sat and waited through the night for you to wake up? Why would she have stayed up late every single night for a month, just pouring over floor plans? It wasn't me who got you out, it was both of us, and she did that because she loved you."
Theo took a steadying breath and nodded.
He hugged Draco, "Thanks, man."
Neville and Harry watched from a distance, and Harry murmured, "She isn't the only one, eh?"
"Oh, that much was obvious during the war," Neville shrugged, "You didn't see him, Harry. He practically begged me to save Theo. I had a hell of a job convincing Gin to help Slytherins, mind you."
Harry frowned, "You'll have to show me the memories sometime."
"Why?" Neville asked curiously.
"So I can understand quite how much you had to go through while I was running away," Harry replied quietly.
Neville grabbed Harry's wrist and shook his head, "Shut up. You weren't running away; you were working on a plan that saved all of us. I was just keeping the kids safe in the meantime."
"Oi! You two, it's my wedding. You're not allowed to have bromance moments. That's our thing," Theo objected, nudging Draco.
Neville chuckled and said, "You shouldn't be freaking out about Sade running away, you know? She probably thinks you're gonna make a run for it."
"She should know I'd never do that," Theo said softly as he sat down for the first time, "I've been in love with her since the moment I saw her."
"How did you meet?" Harry asked curiously.
"Yeah, did you know each other before Hogwarts?" Neville asked curiously.
Theo shook his head. He was still smiling, "Nah, we met on the Hogwarts Express…."
"What are you freaking out about, Draco? Obviously, we're going to be in Slytherin. Look at our family histories; it's our legacy!" An 11-year-old Theo was saying to an 11-year-old, somewhat scared-looking Draco.
"But what if I'm sorted into Gryffindor or something?" Draco asked anxiously.
"You won't be," Theo said as he patted his friend on the shoulder, "You've got Slytherin written all over you."
The two boys were walking up the Hogwarts Express, searching for a compartment.
"Come on," Theo said, "We'll ask those three if we can sit with them."
He pointed to a carriage with two blonde-haired girls and a dark-haired girl in it and pushed the door open, "Hey, do you girls mind if we sit with you? Everywhere else is full."
"Sure," The girls said in unison.
"Hey, Draco."
Draco smiled, "Hey, Daphne. Theo, remember I told you about Daphne? The girl from France?"
Theo nodded, "You don't sound French."
"That's because I'm not French dumbass," Daphne shrugged, "I'm English. I just lived in France for a while."
"I'm Theo Nott," Theo said as he sat down heavily next to Draco, "But you probably knew that too."
"Never heard of you actually," Daphne said, which made Draco snigger.
"Shut up, you," Theo said as he nudged his best friend, "I'm sure you're mistaken. My family are very influential."
"Not influential enough clearly," Daphne said with a smirk.
"Daph, don't be so rude," The other blonde girl said.
"Yeah, Daph. Merlin, you're so rude," Theo said; he shook his head and tutted mockingly, "You know who I am anyway. I'm your cousin."
"I know. I was just hoping that you didn't," Daphne said dryly.
The other blonde girl chuckled, so Theo turned to look at her.
"Hey, I'm Theo Nott," Theo said as he shook the other girl's hand.
"Sadie Cauldwell," She said with a smile, and Theo felt something then that he couldn't explain, he smiled broadly at the girl, and for the rest of the train journey, he talked to her.
"You know, that story has many parallels with how my parents met," Harry said with a smile, after hearing Theo recount how he first met Sadie, "Only sadly it didn't end so happily."
Theo smiled, "I guess I should think myself lucky then, not that I don't already mind you," he said as he gazed at the wall, looking like his mind was far away.
"Have you ever seen him like this?" Harry asked Neville in an undertone. His fellow Gryffindor shook his head.
"I have," Draco said quietly, "This is how Sadie has always made him."
"I think this is how my parents were," Harry said as he revealed something to his friends that he had only ever told himself before, "I think Sadie and Theo's relationship is really similar to my parents."
"Without the war and a scummy rat, I think you're right," Neville said with a smile, "I think they are a perfect example of how your parents should have been."
"Alright, you two, the time for being sentimental is over," Draco said as he glanced at the clock, "Time to get started, Theo."
Theo nodded. He looked incredibly nervous now.
"Stop worrying," Draco said to his best friend as they walked out of the door together, and it made them both smile as they remembered that first train to Hogwarts. The parallel of that day with Draco freaking out and Theo calming him down with today was almost amusing. Still, it was also nostalgic, and it made Draco realise that after today everything would change because Theo would be a married man.
As the two friends walked down the corridor to the entrance to the church, Harry, Neville and Blaise (who had just arrived) followed them. They reached the door and walked into the church. There were already some guests seated in the front few rows, and more were filing in as Draco steered Theo into position by the altar.
"She's going to turn up, right?"
"Of course she is," Draco said as he placed his hand on Theo's shoulder.
Theo scanned the crowd, and his eyes eventually fell on his stepmother, who was in the front row on her own. Lacey would be sitting next to her later, but she was outside with the bridal party at the moment because she was the flower girl.
Salvadora smiled at him and got to her feet. She walked forward and said, "You do not need to look so concerned, Theo. She is just outside the door, and I know she feels just as nervous as you do. But you have so much going for you, you are both young, and you are in love. It's rare to have both of those things in a pureblood marriage."
Theo smiled, "Thanks, Sally."
She kissed him on the cheek and went back to her seat.
"Sally?" Draco asked. He smiled at his best friend, "Since when were you 'Theo' and 'Sally' then?"
"Since I decided to grow up," Theo admitted, "We're both adults, and she didn't enjoy being married to my father any more than I enjoyed being his son."
Draco nodded and looked at him proudly, "That's very mature of you."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Alright, Sadie, we're ready when you are," Hermione said from where she, Lilly and Susan were holding her train.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Sadie admitted as she grabbed Daphne's arm.
Daphne chuckled and linked her arm through her best friends, "We'll move now then before you change your mind," she joked as she held the door open and helped Sadie through it.
"Don't worry, I'd never change my mind about marrying Theo," Sadie said. She smiled as they walked down the long corridor. It seemed to take forever, but eventually, they reached a little hallway area.
Waiting in this area was Sorenson (who was walking Sadie down the aisle), Oscar and Lacey. Oscar looked incredibly adorable in his little navy blue dress robes.
"You look beautiful, sis," Sorenson said. He hugged Sadie and linked his arm through hers.
"Thanks," Sadie said a little shakily as she got into position, ready to enter the church.
"Deep breaths Sadie," Daphne whispered from behind her. She placed her hand on her shoulder, "We've got a couple of minutes until it's time to go in."
Sadie nodded. She closed her eyes and couldn't help but remember the moment she fell in love with Theo…
"Sadie!"
Sadie looked up. She felt exhausted and ill.
"Theo," She said quietly. She was full of relief as he hurried towards her.
"What did they do to you?" Theo asked angrily as he cut the ties binding her.
"Nothing," Sadie lied, "How did you get in here?"
Sadie had been in a locked room in the dark tower, and ties had been binding her hands and feet together.
"The Carrows are at a Death Eater meeting," Theo said as he helped Sadie to her feet, "And I flew onto the roof to get you, but I set off the caterwauling charm, so we don't have much time."
"Ah!" Sadie cried out when she tried to put her foot down on the ground.
"Is it broken?" Theo asked.
Sadie shook her head, "I don't know," she admitted.
Without a second thought, Theo lifted Sadie in his arms and rushed down the spiral stairs as fast as he could so that they could escape before the Carrows came back. Sadie didn't even worry about him falling. At that moment, for the first time, she trusted him completely.
"Where's Pansy?" Sadie asked as she tried desperately hard to keep her eyes open.
"She got out last night, snuck out while the Carrows were doing the rounds," Theo explained when they reached the bottom of the stairs.
Theo pressed his finger against Sadie's lips as they heard voices in the corridor. He quickly pulled them into a broom cupboard, carefully shut the door, and placed Sadie down on her good foot.
They were pressed very tightly together in the broom cupboard, and even in her exhausted state of mind, Sadie blushed slightly at the contact. They held their breath as the voices passed them on the stairs. The voices belonged to Crabbe and Goyle, who were obviously patrolling the area in the Carrows absence. They must have noticed the absence of the security troll, and in a moment, they would discover that Sadie was gone too.
"Come on," Theo whispered. He opened the door and lifted Sadie effortlessly once more. They emerged onto the main sixth-floor corridor, and Theo saw Daphne waving them over from the entrance to the central tower. They rushed through the thankfully deserted area to the central tower, which acted as a shortcut to where they needed to go.
Theo didn't seem to be struggling with carrying Sadie's weight as he carefully but quickly made his way down the spiral staircase to the bottom, where two large double doors stood ajar.
"There you are," Draco hissed from where he was keeping guard outside of the doors, "You took longer than expected."
"I think Sadie has broken something," Theo said, "She can't walk."
"Come on then," Draco said. He led them out of the central tower onto the second-floor corridor, "We need to get her back so Trace can look her over."
Theo nodded, "Don't worry," he whispered to Sadie, "We'll be back soon."
Sadie and Theo had been friends for years, but something different had been developing throughout the war and his concern for her today made Sadie realise that she might be falling in love with him.
The trio rushed along the second-floor corridor and made their way through a locked door which Draco made sure to lock behind them. The hallway was flooded, and water came up to their knees, but they were used to this, so they waded through it into their hide-out. It was a disused bathroom that they had cleared out and used as a place to sleep where the Carrows couldn't find them.
"Sadie!" Daphne called out. She looked anxious as Theo put Sadie down on one of the makeshift beds, "What happened?"
"She might have broken something. I had to carry her here," Theo said. He sat down next to Sadie and kissed her on the cheek, "You're safe now," he whispered and at that moment just before she passed out, Sadie looked at Theo and thought to herself…I want to marry him one day…
"Stop daydreaming, sis," Sorenson said. He nudged his sister slightly and smiled at her, "It's time."
Sadie took yet another deep breath as the double doors began to open. She saw the church, filled with guests and then at the end of the aisle, she saw Theo; he looked pale and terrified.
The music began to play, and Sadie began to walk forward. Her eyes were locked on Theo. It was as if she was gliding towards him and all of her thoughts and worries about today completely left her head.
Theo had imagined for the last month what Sadie would look like today, but when the doors opened, and she began to walk down that aisle, his breath caught in his throat because she looked more beautiful than he could have imagined in his wildest dreams. Her hair flowed over her shoulders, her veil covered her face but didn't conceal her smile. She looked like an angel, and her dress was perfect for her.
Theo barely noticed the rest of the bridal party, but his best man and groomsmen did. To Harry, Daphne looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her in the dress Sadie had chosen. It was one of the few times she left her hair down and natural rather than fixing it to be curlier or straighter instead of leaving it in its natural wavy state.
To Draco, Hermione looked equally as beautiful. He was used to seeing her with her hair pulled up out of the way or left bushy, but today it had been loosely curled, and it looked beautiful.
To Neville, Lilly looked amazing wearing the bridesmaid dress because Lilly didn't wear dresses as often as the other girls did. Her hair was unusual too, because it was almost always poker straight, but today it was curly, just like Hermione and Susan's hair.
Neville looked away from Lilly to see Theo's reaction and realised that Theo hadn't started breathing yet. He rolled his eyes and nudged Harry. Harry frowned but realised what Neville meant, so he nudged Blaise and pointed to Theo. Blaise nodded and nudged Draco, who frowned and looked around. It was only then that he realised what was going on.
Draco nudged Theo gently, which made him gasp, "Breathe, you fool, you don't want to faint on your wedding day," he whispered jokingly into his best friend's ear.
"Thanks, Draco," Theo whispered.
Neville and Harry glanced at each other and rolled their eyes in amusement.
Theo hadn't been able to take his eyes away from Sadie as she drifted down the aisle. In his mind, it was in slow motion, but she eventually reached him, and when she did, she grinned broadly at him.
"I'm proud of you, sis," Sorenson whispered as he took Sadie's hand and placed it in Theo's as tradition stated. He lifted her veil and kissed her on the cheek before taking his seat next to their mother, who looked like she was crying already.
Sadie beamed at Theo as she gripped his hand tightly. Lacey and Oscar sat down at the front of the church for the moment, and Daphne, Hermione, Lilly and Susan all stood next to Sadie.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," The vicar, a short man with a large moustache, said, "We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Theodore Roosevelt Nott and Sadie Cauldwell."
Theo glanced around at his groomsmen, he had expected them to chuckle or smirk at his name, but they were all smiling. He chuckled on the inside and thought to himself. This is probably the only time they won't laugh at my name.
"Today, Theodore and Sadie will be united in body and soul for life," The vicar said as he smiled at the young couple who appeared to be almost glowing with happiness.
"I must now ask if any man can show just cause as to why Theodore and Sadie may not be lawfully joined together. Let him speak now, or forever hold his peace," The vicar said. He paused to see if anyone objected.
There was silence, so the vicar continued, "Do you Theodore Roosevelt Nott, and you Sadie Cauldwell, promise to comfort, honour, protect and be faithful to each other for as long as you both may live?"
"I do," Theo said without taking his eyes away from Sadie's.
"I do," Sadie said quietly but loud enough for it to be acknowledged.
"Then I would ask you to give your vows to one another," The vicar said with a smile.
Sadie and Theo then turned to face each other and entwined both of their hands. They had chosen to make their vows a mixture of traditional and personal. The personal would come first.
"Sadie, I have never told you this," Theo began, his voice shook a little, "But throughout my darkest days during the war, you were the guiding light that saved me from the darkness that might have overwhelmed me," he took a deep breath, "Throughout the month I spent imprisoned I thought of you, I thought of seeing your face again and seeing your smile," he paused for breath once more, "You all thought that it was a miracle that I lived, but I wasn't the miracle, you were. You saved my life then, and you made me realise how blind I had been not to see that I was crazily in love with you."
Sadie was already crying slightly. She carefully wiped her tears away with her finger so she would not smudge her make-up.
"I want to thank you for saving my life, but I also want to promise that the love I felt then will never fade and that I will give you all of me for as long as I live," Theo finished. He looked slightly emotional himself.
All of the girls were crying, and even Draco looked a little teary.
Sadie had to take a moment to compose herself as her mother, and Theo's stepmother both sniffed and clutched handkerchiefs in the front row.
"Theo," Sadie began, "I realised I was in love with you when you saved me during the war. I was close to giving up when you walked in and carried me to safety," it was strange how they both talked about the war without previously discussing their vows, "I have never told you this, but that day just before I passed out I couldn't help but think to myself, I want to marry him someday," there was an 'aww' from the audience and Sadie's mother sobbed louder.
"There were so many times after that day that I could have given up, but I didn't because I remembered that thought and each day that passed convinced me more that it might truly happen one day. I lost a lot in the war, but ultimately I gained you from it, and that made every sacrifice worth it," Sadie's voice shook slightly as she got emotional, "So I promise to love you for every day of my life and to cherish every moment that we spend together."
Theo was actually in tears, although he tried very hard to hide it, those closest to him saw. Sadie's hands shook in Theo's as she finished speaking and took a shaky breath.
The vicar looked like he might burst into tears too as he moved onto the traditional part of the vows, "Do you Theodore Roosevelt Nott take Sadie Cauldwell to have and to hold from this day forward? For better, for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish until death do you part?"
"I do," Theo said, his voice was rough with emotion.
"And do you Sadie Cauldwell take Theodore Roosevelt Nott to have and to hold from this day forward? For better, for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish until death do you part?"
"I do," Sadie said softly. She was unable to stop her happy tears from falling now.
With a helpful hand from Sorenson, Oscar walked forwards. He held a pillow with the rings on it.
"Place the ring on Sadie's finger Theodore," The vicar said as Theo picked up Sadie's wedding ring, which was a simple golden band with diamonds set around the edge. His hands shook a little as he placed the ring on Sadie's finger and slid it into place.
"And would you please place the ring on Theodore's finger, Sadie?" The vicar asked. Sadie's hands also shook as she slid Theo's simple golden band onto his finger.
"I am now delighted to pronounce you man and wife," The vicar said with a beam, "You may now kiss the bride!"
All of their friends and family cheered as Sadie and Theo kissed; it was the best and most emotional kiss they had ever had. The only kiss that rivalled it was one that Theo couldn't remember and that Sadie had only told him about months later…
"Draco, please!" Sadie begged, "I have to go, please."
Theo had now been imprisoned in the dark tower for a month by the Carrows for saving Luna Lovegood's life when she had been caught trying to get food for her and the others working for the light.
"Fine," Draco relented, "But if you get hurt or…something else happens...we warned you."
"She'll be fine," Daphne said as she glared at Draco, "She's a good fighter. You just never give her the chance to show it."
"Then she can show it tonight," Draco said shortly, "Come on, we need to go now, or we have no chance of helping him."
Daphne nodded. She, Draco, Pansy, Sadie and Tracey left their secret bathroom hide-out, waded through the flooded corridor, rushed along the second-floor corridor and entered the central tower.
"Sadie, you can guard the tower," Draco commanded, but Sadie shook her head, "No, Draco, he saved me and now I'm doing the same for him."
Draco opened his mouth to argue when Tracey cut in, "I'll stay here."
Draco glanced at her, "Are you sure?"
Tracey nodded, "I'm the worst fighter. Put me in the place where we're least likely to encounter the opposition."
"You need to get Theo out of there," Daphne agreed with a nod, "You and Sadie."
"Right, come on, you three," Draco said to Pansy, Daphne and Sadie. The three of them made their way up the central tower as fast as they could. Sadie had never been allowed on these rescue missions before, so this was new to her. The last time she had been on this staircase, Theo had been carrying her in his arms.
"Alright, we need someone to guard this end of the tower," Draco said when they reached the top, "And I've got a feeling little miss perfect is going to refuse."
"Draco, you saved Pansy because you're in love with her, aren't you?" Sadie hissed.
"Of course I am," Draco responded.
"Well, I am in love with Theo, and I don't care if he doesn't notice me or have any idea about the way I feel, but I am going in there, and I'm going to save him. I won't let him die," Sadie said intensely as she stared into Draco's eyes.
"Okay, you made your case," Draco said with a small, almost proud smile, "Daphne, stand guard."
Daphne smiled and nodded. She pulled out her wand, Draco turned to Sadie, "Come on, then warrior princess."
Sadie didn't smile; she couldn't, not when Theo was in danger. She knew that he could be dead up there by now, but she was trying not to think about this possibility. When they reached the sixth-floor corridor, Neville and Seamus created a loud, explosive distraction that drew all of the Death Eaters away from the tower.
Draco and Sadie ran towards the tower together but encountered Filch and Mrs Norris patrolling the staircase.
Draco had barely raised his wand, but then in a flash, Filch and his cat were both lying stiff on the ground, not dead but frozen. He turned in surprise to Sadie, who was holding her wand and glaring at them.
"Petrificus Totalus," Draco mumbled as he looked at the frozen bodies, "You can do speechless magic. Impressive."
"Told you I could be useful," Sadie said as she ran up the staircase after Draco. In minutes they reached the top of the tower where the cells were located. All of them had cast-iron doors and spells that stopped magic from being used inside them. It was like Azkaban without the Dementors.
"Get Theo, I'll keep watch," Draco said. He took his wand out and stood atop the stairs, fully expecting a horde of Death Eaters to come up them.
Sadie looked through the windows until she found the cell where Theo was.
"Theo", Sadie called through the gap in the door.
"Sadie!" A weak voice called back, "Is that you?"
"It's me. I'm going to break you out. Stay away from the door," Sadie called.
"Okay," Theo called back.
Sadie waited for a moment and then pointed her wand at the door, "Bombarda!"
There was a small explosion at the base of the door, which was enough to force it from its hinges, and it fell backwards into the cell.
Sadie rushed in when the smoke cleared and found Theo sitting on the floor at the back of the cell. He looked exhausted and weak, like he hadn't eaten for days, but he was alive.
"I'm so glad you're okay," Sadie whispered as she drank in his features. She had truly been worried that she might never see him again.
"Me too," Theo said with a small smile.
Sadie leant forward and caught his lips in a gentle, soft and passionate kiss. After that, he fainted.
"Is he alive?" Draco asked from the corridor.
"Barely," Sadie replied.
Draco ran into the room and picked his best friend up, "Come on, let's escape via the roof while Longbottom keeps that lot busy."
Sadie followed him onto the roof.
"Accio broomsticks."
Two brooms broke out of the shed in the grounds and flew up to them. Sadie jumped on one, and Draco got on the other, supporting Theo as he did so. They flew off into the night before the Death Eaters could even begin to climb the tower.
"I love you," Theo whispered as he kissed Sadie once more.
"I love you too," Sadie beamed. She looked out at their friends and family, who were clapping, cheering and crying.
They linked arms and walked down the aisle out of the church, followed by the rest of the procession.
The Maid of Honour and the Best Man followed arm in arm.
"That was beautiful," Daphne said as she wiped her eyes.
"I never thought it would be that emotional," Draco admitted with a small smile.
"It's interesting that they both talked about the war," Daphne mused.
"Not really," Draco said with a smile, "It's how they fell in love after all. I remember Sadie that day when we saved Theo. I'd never seen her so passionate before."
"She proved herself to you that day," Daphne remembered with a fond smile.
Draco shook her head, "No, she didn't. It was the weeks leading up to that day when she proved herself to me. All those nights, we would stay up, trying to work out how to get Theo out…that was when we got close."
"Through your mutual love for Theo," Daphne said with a small smile, "He brought you together."
"I suppose he did," Draco said simply.
"Do you think we'll ever tell Harry and Hermione the truth about the war?" Daphne asked. She had never told Harry the whole, complicated story of her and Blaise, and Draco was yet to tell Hermione the truth behind his relationship with Pansy.
"One day we will," Draco answered, "But everyone has secrets."
Behind Daphne and Draco, the other bridesmaids and groomsmen walked arm in arm. Blaise walked with Susan, then behind them were Neville and Lilly. Finally, bringing up the rear were Harry and Hermione.
"Who would have thought we would have been this emotional over the wedding of two Slytherins," Harry said to Hermione, who was still drying her eyes.
"The war changed a lot," Hermione said, "But I didn't realise how much it changed things for the Slytherins, let alone for us."
"From everything Nev has told me, I think they were fighting their own battle in Hogwarts while we were fighting ours across the country," Harry admitted.
"Do you think they will ever talk to us about it?" Hermione asked Harry curiously, "Draco mentions things that happened back then, but he doesn't like to talk about it."
"Neither does Daphne," Harry admitted, "But I think one day they might tell us everything. Do you think we'll ever tell them everything we went through in the war?"
"I'm not sure," Hermione admitted with a frown, "Maybe one day."
"Maybe," Harry said as they reached the doors to the church.
Behind Harry and Hermione, Lacey and Oscar walked from the church hand in hand. Traditionally the bride's mother and the groom's father should have followed, but as Theo's father wasn't here and he didn't have much family, Lotus walked from the church on her own.
Bringing up the rear was supposed to the groom's mother and the bride's father, but Sadie's Father wasn't here, so Salvadora walked from the church arm in arm with Sorenson instead.
When the procession had left the church, it was time for pictures. Eventually, it was time to move on. Sadie and Theo disappeared ahead of the others to apparate to Nott Manor, and the rest of the wedding guests began to follow.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
When the bridesmaids, groomsmen and the rest of the general 'bridal party' arrived at Nott Manor, they were led upstairs to a large ballroom where lots of long tables were set up for the meal.
All of the other guests were already seated when the bridal party were announced and took their seats at the top table.
There were two seats left in the middle once everyone was seated for Sadie and Theo. Next to where Sadie would sit, Sorenson was seated and next to where Theo would sit, Lotus was seated. On Sorenson's other side was Salvadora, and on Lotus's other side, where Theo's father should have been sitting, was Lacey. Next to Lacey was Daphne, and next to Salvadora on the other side was Draco.
At the table nearest the top table, Hermione, Susan, Lilly, Harry, Neville, Blaise and Ginny were all seated.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Sorenson said loudly, "Please welcome Mr and Mrs Nott!"
There was much cheering as Sadie and Theo walked in hand in hand and took their seats in the centre of the top table.
Sorenson then stood and clicked a spoon against a glass to get everyone's attention. The room fell silent, and Sorenson smiled at everyone with ease. Being an Auror, he was used to public appearances, and he seemed in his element, "I would like to thank everyone for coming today. Traditionally, of course, this would be our father's job, but as he can't be here today, I would instead like to welcome you all to the meal and reception. I hope you all enjoy yourselves!"
Sorenson sat back down with a smile and squeezed Sadie's hand. She was still slightly upset that her father was locked up in Azkaban instead of being here at her wedding.
After Sorenson had opened the meal, the orders were taken, and the first course was served. At the smaller table in front of the top table, the friends talked amongst themselves as they ate.
"Trust Theo and Sadie to have great food at their wedding," Harry said with a chuckle as he tucked in.
"It's almost as good as the stuff they serve at the Ministry Balls," Neville agreed. He looked like he was enjoying the food immensely.
Hermione rolled her eyes at her two friends, "Is food all men care about?"
"Not entirely," Neville said.
Lilly laughed, "I disagree with that, looking at the way you lot eat."
"It did feel like a fairytale wedding today, didn't it?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"Yeah," Lilly said as she glanced up at Sadie and Theo, "I felt like I was in a storybook."
"I wouldn't know," Harry said with a chuckle, "I never did read them as a kid."
"I have no idea what Muggle fairy tales are like," Susan admitted in amusement, "Everyone dies at the end of Beedle the Bards tales unless you read the Beatrix Bloxam versions with their sickly happy endings."
"That's pretty much what Muggle fairy tales are like," Hermione admitted with a sheepish smile, "The girl always gets the prince, and they all live happily ever after..."
"That's stupid though," Neville mused, "All that's teaching young girls is to wait and do nothing, and you'll get a prince."
"I know," Harry agreed, "At least Beedle's tales have morals behind them that teach kids things."
"Beedle the Bards tales teach life lessons," Blaise spoke up. He had barely said anything all day as he watched the proceedings quietly, "They teach that death is as much a part of life as birth is. They teach that desire and ambition are not always good traits, but ultimately they teach that with determination and a pure heart, you can achieve anything in life."
"Wow," Harry said, the others were all equally stunned.
"That was pretty deep, Blaise," Ginny said with a smile.
Blaise shrugged and went back to his soup. He left the others stunned into silence.
Shortly after their discussion about fairy tales, the first course was finished, and the plates vanished from the tables. The orders were then taken for the main course, and while the food was being prepared downstairs by the house elves, it was time for the speeches.
First, Sorenson stood up to give a speech, traditionally it would have been Sadie's father giving a speech at this moment in time, but Sorenson was doing so instead.
"When I first met Theodore Nott," Sorenson began, and Theo chuckled under his breath, he knew what was coming, "He was an irritating 12-year-old boy who came to our house for my sister's 12th birthday party. He was hyperactive, cocky, and an annoying git," Sorenson said, which earned him chuckles from the crowd, "In the space of an hour, he had scared away our pet Clabbert, wrecked our garden and had accidentally set fire to the tent we were having the party in," this elicited more laughter from the guests. Most of it came from the table where Harry and Neville were sitting.
"I swore when he left the house that day, and my mother did too, that there was no way we'd be seeing him again," Sorenson said as he shook his head in amusement, "But Sadie continued to be friends with him, and we put up with it because she seemed happy. There was a condition, though; he wasn't allowed back in our house for years after that. I remember the day I began to appreciate that friendship, though. I was at work and received a letter from Theo that said my sister was in trouble; she had been captured during the war. He told me not to worry, that he would get her out but that he felt I ought to know. I didn't believe him, but two days later I got a letter from Sadie saying she was okay, that Theo had gotten her out. From that moment forward, I haven't thought of Theodore Nott as the idiotic child wreaking havoc in my back garden. Instead, I think of him as the heroic man who saved my sister's life, and for that reason, he deserves Sadie as his wife more than anyone else ever could."
Sadie was a little teary as Sorenson sat down to cheers and clapping. She wrapped her arms around her brother, "Thanks, Sorenson," she said softly because it was one of the first signs he had given her to acknowledge that he was happy for her to be with Theo.
The following speech was going to be by Draco, who looked a little nervous as he got to his feet to give it, "Theo's my best friend, we've known each other since we were little kids," Draco began with a small smile, "I remember when we were growing up, Theo would always swear he would never get married. He thought he was a real little academic, always banging on about how marriage was pointless and how he would never meet anyone who would make the hassle seem worth it. But then we got on the Hogwarts Express together, and we ended up sharing a carriage with these three girls, one of whom was Sadie. I knew from the moment he ditched me to talk to her for the whole journey that he might have found that one person who would make him change all of his views. He didn't realise it straight away; in fact, it took him far longer than it should have done to realise. But during the war, Theo finally realised how close he was to losing Sadie, and he understood how much she meant to him for the first time," he paused for a breath, Sadie was still crying, and now Theo looked teary too.
"Seeing Theo as happy as he is with Sadie, it makes me happy because I know now that he'll be alright. I've always worried about him being alone for the rest of his life because of his old attitude to marriage, but now I know he's got someone who loves him and cares for him, and I know that will never change," Draco's voice broke a little, "And that makes me happier than words can describe."
There was much cheering as Draco sat down and took a large gulp of wine.
"Oh," Harry whispered to Neville at the table in front of the top table, "I think he's finally realising he's letting go of his best friend."
Neville sniggered, but Hermione glared at them and muttered, "Would you two idiots shut up? You don't understand how close they are. It's not like you two, or even like you and Ron. It's more than that, and today is really hard for him, so stop being arseholes!"
"Sorry," Harry mumbled.
"Yeah, sorry, Hermione," Neville said sheepishly.
Hermione shook her head, and Lilly hid an amused smile at how scared Neville was of Hermione. They all looked up to the head table to watch Daphne get to her feet. She looked a little bit nervous but not anywhere near as much as Draco had.
"Well, I never thought we would get to this moment," Daphne admitted with a chuckle, "I've known Sadie since before we started Hogwarts, and she was always a fairly quiet person with a hidden, sneaky, mischievous side. When Theo walked into our compartment on the Hogwarts Express that day, I knew it was the start of something," Daphne said with a smile, "But she refused to see what everyone else saw for years until eventually during the war she realised that what everyone had been telling her was right, she was totally mad for Theo."
Theo smirked at this, and Sadie shook her head in amusement.
"It took even longer for them to both admit to each other how they felt, mind you," Daphne said as she rolled her eyes and got chuckles from the crowd, "But I am so glad that they did. I never thought anyone would be able to tame Theodore Nott, but Sadie has, and I don't know why that surprised me, to be honest. She's probably the only person he listens to and trusts completely, apart from Draco, of course."
Theo smiled over at his best man, and Draco smiled back.
"I think Sadie and Theo complement each other perfectly, and I've never been happier for Sadie," Daphne finished. She smiled at her best friend as she took her seat to cheers and claps.
As everyone calmed down from the speeches, the main course was served, and Harry and Neville spent most of it discussing how amazing the food was, which caused much eye-rolling from the girls, especially when Susan joined in.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"What do you think they will dance to?"
"Something wizarding, I suppose," Hermione said as she stood with Lilly, they were both drinking from wine glasses as the tables were cleared away to make way for the dance floor.
"I haven't heard much wizarding music, you know?" Lilly mused, "Even though I've been a part of this world for so long."
"There isn't much difference," Susan told her, "The songs are very similar, but the words are more…magical, I guess."
"And our instruments are better," Daphne said with a smirk.
Susan laughed and agreed, "Yeah, we enchant them to play, so we don't need a whole band to do it for us."
The tables had been cleared away and replaced by smaller circular ones surrounding a large square dance floor as they talked.
"Do you know what the music for the first dance is?" Hermione asked Daphne, who shook her head.
"No, Sadie's kept it very quiet," Daphne admitted. It was clear that she was curious about the song choice, however.
At the end of the room, a small band was set up, and it began to play as the girls watched. The musical instruments did play themselves in the background. One man was the main singer, and two other men were the backing singers but other than that there was nobody to play the instruments.
Theo took Sadie's hand and led her out to the dance floor as the song's opening notes began to play. They looked so blissfully happy as they reached the middle of the dance floor. Theo placed his hand on Sadie's shoulder, and Sadie placed hers on his arm. Then they joined hands with their free hands and began to move effortlessly together to the music.
The singers began to sing, and Harry smiled at how fitting the song was for Sadie and Theo.
I know we've been friends forever,
But now I think I'm feeling something totally new,
And after all this time,
I've opened up my eyes,
Now I see you were always with me.
"I remember everything about that day on the Hogwarts Express," Theo whispered to Sadie as they glided around the dance floor together.
"Me too," Sadie admitted with a small smile, "I'll never forget any part of it."
"Neither will I," Theo promised as he kissed Sadie lightly on the lips.
Could it be you and I never imagined?
Could it be suddenly I'm falling for you?
Could it be that you were right there beside me, and I never knew
Could it be that it's true that it's you?
"When did you realise you wouldn't be a playboy bachelor forever?" Sadie asked Theo with a smile. She felt perfectly content as they danced together.
Theo smiled. He recalled the moment as clearly in his head as if it had just happened, "The morning after I saved you from the tower during the war," he admitted, "I sat up all night talking to you, I was just praying that you would wake up and when you did I knew one way or another I'd never be the same again."
Sadie's cheeks were slightly pink as she beamed at this.
Theo smiled, "So what made you realise?"
"The day I saved you," Sadie said, she drew parallels with the moment that Theo had known.
"I don't remember it all that well," Theo admitted. He only knew what he had been told already by Sadie.
Sadie smiled, "I know you don't remember it, but I kissed you and then levitated you back to our hide-out, and I got pushed out so everyone could work to save your life. I was watching from the sidelines, just praying you'd make it so I could tell you how I felt."
"Why didn't you?" Theo asked curiously. It was something he had always wondered about.
Sadie smiled up at her husband, "Honestly, I never had the guts."
It's kinda funny you were always near,
But who would have ever thought that we would end up here?
And every time I've needed you,
You've been there for me,
So now it's clear,
I've been waiting for you
Sadie?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad I eventually got the guts to ask you out," Theo admitted with a sheepish smile, "I mean, I know it took a good prod from Daphne, but I'm glad I did it."
"I'm glad too," Sadie admitted, talk about an understatement
Cause today is the start of the rest of our lives,
I can see it in your eyes,
Oh, but it's real and it's true and it's just me and you,
Could it be,
That it's true,
That it's you.
As the song ended, everyone clapped as Sadie and Theo kissed in the middle of the dance floor. With the initial first dance over, it was time for the other formalities, including the Best Man and Maid of Honour dancing together. Theo and Sadie continued to dance in the middle of the floor, and Draco approached Daphne.
"Harry, can I borrow your fiancé for this dance?" Draco asked in amusement.
"Ah, I suppose so," Harry said with a smirk, "Since it is tradition after all."
Daphne chuckled at Draco's outstretched hand and took it. They walked onto the dance floor together and effortlessly slipped into the dance position as a different song played in the background.
"How about a dance Hermione?" Harry asked as he held out his hand to her. Hermione smiled and took his hand, then let him lead her onto the dance floor.
"Woah, be careful there, Harry," Neville joked with a grin, "You're dancing with Hermione! There aren't any tents around, are there?"
Harry shook his head in amusement and yelled, "Hit him for me, Lil!"
Lilly gladly obliged, and Hermione laughed as others followed suit and made their way onto the dance floor.
Salvadora danced with Sorenson, and Lotus rather sweetly danced with Lacey while Oscar ran around hyperactively.
They all danced together, every so often, they changed partners, but they all laughed, let their hair down and refused to let themselves worry about the world for the moment.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"It's time to cut the cake!" Daphne announced excitedly with their photographer, a certain Dennis Creevey, on her heels.
Sadie and Theo pulled themselves off of the dance floor to the spot where a sizeable three-tier cake was standing. Atop it were two moving figures that looked very much like Sadie and Theo, they were waving happily. The cake had pale blue icing to match the wedding theme, and everyone gathered around as Sadie held the knife in her hand and Theo helped her cut the first slice of cake.
Everyone clapped and took photos as Neville said, "I can't wait to try that cake."
After they had all eaten cake, it was time for the last planned event of the evening, which was Sadie's dance with her father, or in this case, Sorenson. At the same time, Theo was to dance with his mother, or in this case, his stepmother.
"Well done, Sadie," Sorenson said quietly to his sister as they danced together, "You've already created a better life for yourself than I did."
"Don't say that," Sadie said somewhat sadly, "You have Oscar."
"I know," Sorenson said with a smile, "And I love him more than anything in the world. But you and Theo did things the way I wanted to. You're married now, and you're going to have a bunch of little monsters and a house. It's how I wanted to do things, but Oscar came along."
"It doesn't matter how you get there," Sadie said as she leant up and kissed her brother on the cheek, "You're a fantastic Dad, and Oscar loves you. Anyway, we don't have a house. We're living with Harry after the honeymoon."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Sorenson said cryptically as the song ended.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Meanwhile, Salvadora said to Theo, "I'm pleased for you, Theo. I think Sadie's very good for you."
"Thank you," Theo said. He was rather proud that he managed to get to this point where everyone in his life was proud of him, and he was grateful that they all liked Sadie.
"I must admit there was a stage when I wondered if I would ever attend your wedding," Salvadora said honestly, "And I was anxious about the way you were behaving, but as I have already told you, I am grateful to Sadie for saving you from that life."
Theo nodded. His thoughts were far away, "I'm just as grateful to her," he said with a smile.
At that point, Lacey rushed over and asked, "Mum, can I dance with Theo now?"
Salvadora chuckled, "Of course you can," she said. She kissed her step-son on the cheek and left the dance floor.
"Come here, squirt," Theo said fondly as he held his sister's hands.
"I'm not a squirt," Lacey objected as she danced with her older brother.
"You are to me," Theo said, "Are you happy that Sadie married me?"
Lacey nodded, "I like Sadie. She's nice. I don't know why she married you."
"Oi, that's not fair," Theo said as his sister stuck out her tongue at him.
Theo narrowed his eyes at her, "I'll get you for that," he said as he tickled her, and she shrieked loudly with laughter.
Somewhere amongst all of her giggling, the song ended, and Sadie walked over to Theo.
"Hey," Theo said with a smile as he threw his sister over his shoulder easily, "What's up?"
Sadie laughed as Lacey hit Theo on the back and asked her to let him down, "Harry and the others have something to tell us."
"That sounds interesting and cryptic," Theo said as he put Lacey down, "Run along you. There's extra cake in the kitchen. I bet Cookie will give you a slice if you ask nicely."
Lacey grinned and rushed away in the direction of the kitchen. Theo turned to Sadie and slipped his hand into hers, "What do Harry and his mysterious gang have to tell us?"
"I have no idea," Sadie admitted, "They were giving nothing away."
"That's because it's a surprise," Harry said with a grin as the bride and groom reached them on the edge of the dance floor.
"Wow, this isn't just a couple of you," Sadie said as she looked at the group gathered. Harry, Draco and Neville were at the front with Daphne, Hermione, Lilly and Susan all in on it too.
"We have a wedding gift for you," Draco said with a smirk.
"And I know you said you would open all of your gifts when you got home from your honeymoon," Neville added, "But we have to give you this one now."
"Okay…" Theo said with narrowed eyes, "Should we be scared?"
"Nah, of course not," Harry said happily, "This is your present," he held out a small box to Sadie, who took it with a frown.
"Go on then, open it," Daphne said with a grin.
Sadie carefully removed the lid from the box and was even more confused when she found a set of keys with three silver keys attached to it.
"What do they open?" Sadie asked, but Theo was now looking at his friends suspiciously.
"The littlest key opens the summerhouse in the garden," Neville said matter of factly.
"The middle key opens the gate to your roof garden," Draco added.
"And the big key unlocks the front door to your newly renovated ten bedroom, six-story house at 11 Grimmauld Place," Harry said casually.
Sadie and Theo stared at Harry in shock for a moment. As they tried to comprehend this, Harry added, "It's from all of us. We all contributed."
"You're serious?" Theo asked. He was still completely shocked, "We have our own house?"
"We're serious," Draco said with a grin.
"Wow," Theo said, and Sadie nodded. She was speechless.
"Thanks, guys," Theo said entirely seriously as he hugged every single one of his friends and then grabbed his wife and hugged her, "We have a house, Sadie!"
"I know!" Sadie said with a grin, the shock began to wear off, and the excitement took over, "Thank you so much, all of you, but thank you, Harry, because I know this was your idea."
Harry shrugged and blushed slightly as Sadie launched herself at him and kissed him on the cheek while Theo, Draco and Neville roared with laughter.
Sadie made Harry dance with her after that, and for the rest of the night, the friends danced and laughed and didn't have a care in the world. It was a wonderful way to live, and Harry loved it.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
As the evening wore on, the reception drew to a close which meant that it was time to say goodbye to Sadie and Theo as they left for their honeymoon.
"Thanks for everything today Draco," Theo said quietly to his best man. He hugged him and pretended to say goodbye when what he really said was, "Owl me updates of the Quidditch league, yeah? Sadie's banned newspapers."
Draco chuckled and said, "Sure, mate," then added, "Have a good honeymoon."
Theo nodded and waited for his wife to finish saying goodbye to Daphne.
"Promise you'll look after Swiper for me," Sadie was saying to her best friend. She was referring to her tabby cat.
"I promise," Daphne said as she shook her head in amusement, "I have a cat too, remember?"
"Sorry," Sadie said with a blush, "I just don't leave him alone very often."
"Don't worry, he'll have great fun with Lightning", Daphne said. It was a source of great amusement to Draco and Theo that Daphne's cat happened to be called Lightning, and Harry happened to have a lightning bolt-shaped scar.
"I know, I trust you," Sadie said with a smile as she hugged Daphne.
"Have a good time on your honeymoon," Daphne said as she kissed her best friend on the cheek.
"I will," Sadie said. She took Theo's hand and let him help her into their vehicle, which was a beautiful pale blue carriage that looked like a smaller version of the one that had brought the Beauxbatons students to Hogwarts during the Triwizard Tournament. Two large pure white hippogriffs were at the front to pull it. On the back of the carriage hung a sign that said "Just Married."
"Bye!" Sadie and Theo called as the Hippogriffs took off, and the carriage began to rise into the air and move away.
Everyone stood in a crowd out in the garden, waving to the carriage. When it began to move further away, most people began to apparate home until eventually, only a few people were left watching the carriage become a dot in the sky.
Draco and Harry wound up standing alone, with the others standing slightly further away. They were both staring at the dot in the distance.
"It's funny, isn't it?" Harry said thoughtfully, "How a war can change absolutely everything."
Draco nodded and mused, "Yeah, you just can't go back to what you had before after a war. Can you?"
Harry shook his head. He never thought he would be here today at the wedding of two Slytherins he had barely known before returning to do an eighth year at Hogwarts.
"It changes us all," Draco said as the dot vanished behind a cloud.
Harry smiled slightly and took his eyes away from the sky to glance over at Daphne, smiling and laughing with Hermione. Neville stood nearby with his arm around Lilly, and Percy and Susan talked in undertones about something.
"I'm glad it did," Harry said as he turned his gaze to Draco.
"Maybe things didn't turn out the way we expected them to before the war," Draco said with a small smile as he looked over to his fiancé, who looked radiant as she grinned and talked to Daphne. They had both let go so much, now that they weren't in the middle of a war, they seemed so much freer, "But I think they turned out better."
"I think you're right," Harry agreed. Maybe he hadn't ended up with Ginny like everyone had wanted and expected him to, but then that wouldn't have been realistic because he had loved Ginny before the war. The war had turned him into a completely different, almost unrecognisable man. Ginny had been his teenage girlfriend; Daphne was his future wife.
Draco smiled slightly. He looked once more at the sky rather than at Harry, "We go into a war as naïve children, Harry, and we emerge as men. I can't see a world in which the war wouldn't have changed us."
Harry smiled fondly at his Slytherin friend, "You know something? For a moment there, you sounded like Dumbledore."
"Shut up, Scarhead."
* ~ TBC ~ *