Chapter Ten – Happiness in the Darkest of Times
March 17th 1979 would serve forever as a beacon of happiness and hope in an otherwise increasingly worrying world. Maunsel House in Somerset was alive with light and magic. The venue was the one extravagance that James and Lily had consented to during the months of wedding planning between their families. It had its advantages, being far in the English Countryside and unlikely to draw any unwanted eyes. The Slade family, prominent in both muggle and wizarding society, were very close acquaintances of Fleamont and Euphemia Potter and were happy to allow the use of their estate, and accommodation for the guests for the night, at a very reasonable price.
The main house was covered in climbing ivy of green and red that almost obscured the red brick beneath and providing a picturesque backdrop for arriving guests as they followed the enchanted candles that hovered in the air to guide the path to where the ceremony would take place.
Around the south side of the building and down a shallow slope the path led towards the gardens, budding now with flowers and greenery at the beginning of spring. Guests passed the set out tables and low stage arranged on the grounds beneath a beautiful canopy of trees, helped along with hydrological potions to ensure their leaves had returned in time. It was here that the wedding breakfast would be held later. From one strong bough an old fashioned swing was hung, large enough for two or three to sit comfortably.
Around the tree and another fifty or so metres along, the gravel pathway reached the summerhouse. Outside of which were assembled a few rows of mismatched chairs either side of the aisle. The summerhouse was a quaint little building, designed for little more than shelter from the weather, and with room enough inside only for two benches to sit opposite each other. Its white panel appearance gave the impression of a walled-in gazebo with two arched windows either side of the opened doors. Here the wedding arch was assembled of entwined branches of willow and mahogany around which were wrapped strands of pink petunias and white roses. The arch had been entirely of Lily's design with the two particular kinds of wood romantically representing the wood of each of their wands.
Despite the venue, it was to be a small ceremony, intimate and nothing to draw any further attention to themselves than that which the Potter's engagement notice in the Daily Prophet hadn't already drawn. Lily cared nothing for the immense wealth that James was set to inherit, and indeed neither did he. He would be just as happy to marry her in Knockturn Alley if she had asked for it.
Whilst the wedding was the day they had both longed for for years now, neither party of the soon to be wed couple had any delusions of self importance and grandeur that made them feel as if they needed to display the wealth that was at their disposal. Nor did they feel the need to share such an intimate day with anyone other than their nearest and dearest friends and family. This was a day for Lily and James. For the Potters and the Evans. It was not a day to be publicised and paraded through the streets. There was a war going on and a need for quiet and security.
Because of the need to hide her identity as a witch from all but her muggle parents, sister and brother-in-law, though there was hardly a need for the latter given the little effort they made to even remain in contact, the only representatives from Lily's muggle life would be her parents. Though Petunia and Vernon had been sent several invitations to the wedding, nobody expected for a moment that they would attend. Lily however had insisted on keeping a place free for them as part of the wedding breakfast just in case, though it would inevitably remain empty.
Magic could be felt in the very air itself as the small procession of guests made their way down towards the summerhouse. It was a magic that had nothing at all to do with the lights that led the way, or the shimmering enchantments that protected the location from unwanted eyes and unwelcome gatecrashers; but something far lighter and exciting.
Frank and Peter were deep in easy conversation as they walked, Frank blissfully reminiscing of his own wedding just two months earlier as though it had been years ago. Fleamont and Euphemia were already there and about to take their seats, dressed impeccably in matching navy blue. Happiness radiated from every part of the eldery couple's faces and made them suddenly look twenty years younger than their over seventy years. To live to see their only child married and happily settled was all they could ever have asked to get to witness.
A burst of emotion and Euphemia was already bursting into tears of joy as James made his way over to greet them before he took his place. She flung her arms around her son and cried into his shoulder.
"You knew I'd get here, Mum." He fondly joked as Fleamont eventually peeled her away and they took their seats in the front row.
"Really? I didn't." Sirius kidded as he adjusted the flower in his lapel and stepped over to clasp a hand on James' shoulder. Even his normally joking black eyes were sparkling with the excitement and emotion of the looming ceremony.
Both James and Sirius, who was serving as best man, part of their very small bridal party, were dressed similarly in formal dress robes of such a dark purple they were almost black. Both men wore vests in the same colour and identical white flowers in their lapels but different in their ties and James, unlike his best man, wore a half length cloak over his right shoulder.
James pushed his glasses back up his nose against the nervous sweat that was beginning to clam up his skin and grinned as the rest of the guests began to file in and take their seats. He raised a hand and waved as Remus and Peter made their way up to quickly give her best before the ceremony began.
James had used the wedding as an opportunity to insist on buying all of his friends new dress robes for the occasion. Peter's old set was not so bad but Remus, and his ridiculous height, had outgrown his father's dress robes which were already a good decade old and faded. Neither, to James' relief, had rejected the offer as Remus in particular never cared for being offered anything he perceived at charity. Both the other two Marauders had finally surrendered their hair like Sirius had eventually done, to Lily's scissors and now, with neatly short and well kept hair, looked far more the part.
As Remus and Peter took their seats in the second row, joined after a moment by Frank, the rest of the seats began to fill. Their guests in total numbered less than twenty inclusive of the two sets of parents, with heartfelt apologies and congratulations sent by Dumbledore who was quite understandably unable to attend.
At Dumbledore's recommendation, and Mad-Eye's insistence, a few members of the Order of the Phoenix had been invited as an extra level of security. Caradoc Dearborn, Sturgis Podmore and Emmeline Vance all sat apart from each other and wore matching expressions of sheer happiness for the young couple, and recently good friends, and all carried their wands at easy access just in case.
Mary Macdonald, looking sweet in a floral sundress who, had their wedding party been larger, would likely have been a bridesmaid, took a seat directly across the aisle from Peter with a shy sort of wave.
The officiating wizard, whose black robes were edged and lined with gold raised his hand from the raised platform with the arch and swept an open palm through the air. The flute, violins and harp that had sat stationary to the side lept into life. After a few cursory test notes, the enchanted instruments struck up a classically upbeat tune. Down the aisle trotted Rose Evans,looking every part the mother of the bride in an elegant olive green dress and matching court shoes. Her auburn hair was swept into an updo and her round face wet with happy tears as she sat down last of all beside Euphemia who reached over and kindly clasped the muggle woman's hand.
A few moments of settling passed as James and Sirius took their places at the forefront and Sirius, in a rare moment of genuine emotion stepped forward to embrace his brother. He whispered something that made the sweaty and nervous groom laugh aloud and and grin as the best man stepped aside. With another gesture from the officiant, the assembled company all rose to their feet as the music changed to a classical rendition of Lily's favourite piece "Annie's Song".
James released a nervous breath and turned his back just as the music swelled to a crescendo. There was an audible intake of breath from the small assembly as a whole and he could resist no longer. He turned and his jaw fell agape at the sight of his bride on the arm of her father.
Lily was an image in white.
Her dress was beautiful in its simplicity. The bridal gown fell elegantly in straight lines to a pool on the grass that became a short train as she walked. The overlay of tulle parted at the waist and curtained out so the satin could be seen. The bodice was plain and pure in its whiteness until it reached the shoulders, over which draped a short caplet of the same tulle. Her red hair fell in elegant curls down her back save a few loose strands that blew across her face beneath the translucent veil. Pinning that in place was her something old and blue, a hairpin passed down from her mother and grandmother before her. Petunia had refused it as she did not care for blue.
Her wand was not even near her person and yet magic quite literally radiated from the happy bride. With every step she took the air seemed to get a little lighter and a little brighter, the dancing lights swelled and glowed, twinkling merrily in her wake. There was not a flicker of anything but sheer happiness in anyone present, no thought whatsoever for any pressing dangers or mild discomforts. Even Remus for once looked his age and not ten years older, his scars seemed to vanish for a second in the wave of goodness that was permeating the air.
Thomas Evans was a tall and well built man with salt and pepper hair. His tie matched the green of his wife's dress and his moustache was neatly trimmed for the occasion. His beaming face held nothing but pride as he walked his youngest daughter down the aisle toward the young man who would take her care into his keeping.
Behind the bride and her father, Alice Longbottom, matron of honour, glided into view. She wore a long gown in royal purple that brushed the grass as she walked. Her own wedding ring glinted on her finger as she clutched a small bouquet of petunias and roses tied with a white ribbon. Her short black hair contrasted greatly with the flower crown of matching blooms that rested neatly on her pixie cut. Frank beamed and was unable to resist a cheesy sort of wave to his wife as she passed them and took her place, the mirror image placement of Sirius.
The short walk seemed to take an eternity for the betrothed couple in their eagerness to be married to one another. James stepped forward, meeting her at the arch and holding out his hand to shake his muggle father-in-law's. Thomas nodded warmly to the young man, and handed Lily's shaking hand into James'. Their clasp immediately tightened and the nervous sweat and shaking immediately stilled, replaced with a sudden feeling of calm that rushed through both.
The assembly was silent but for the occasional sniffle from the parents of the bride and groom as the ceremony began. All hung on every word as they exchanged their vows, which they had individually composed themselves, and publicly formalised their commitment to each other.
As golden wedding bands were exchanged, both designed and made by muggle hands, they were joined in symbol and in honour. The officiant waved his wand over their joined ones and a stream of golden light wound itself, forming the magical bond that only the truest love really made unbreakable. A lone tear slid down James' smiling face and when he lifted the veil and uncovered her face, Lily's cheeks too were streaked with silver. In unison they drew each other close and shared the first kiss of marriage. Cheers erupted with such fervour they could have come from a crowd three times the size.
xxxXxxx
Fairy lights, magical and non magical, twinkled merrily in the trees as the evening was just beginning to fall into dusk light. Six round tables had been spaced out upon the grass for the guests to mingle and mix as they chose. Light music and laughter filled the air as trays, some bearing champagne and sparkling red wine and some bearing an abundant amount of food, floated unaided around the area much to the amusement of the Evans'. Atop the small raised stage, on a small white garden table, the wedding cake was proudly displayed. The two tiered fruit cake had been made with love by the mother of the bride. It was a charming piece, coated in white fondant with red and gold sugar roses around the base, calling back to the couple's days as Gryffindors. Instead of the traditional muggle wedding toppers, Euphemia Potter had conjured and enchanted a silver stag and doe which shimmered proudly on the top of the cake.
"Ladies and gentlemen and uh, witches and wizards? I present to you, Mr and Mrs James Potter." The warm, if fumbling voice of Thomas Evans carried over the garden, as the newlyweds, freed from the photographer's clutches, strode into the wedding breakfast hand in hand and beaming ear to ear. Lily's veil had been removed and her hair now blew unencumbered across her face when the breeze blew up.
The merrymakers applauded and raised their glasses in greeting as the couple of the hour joined the festivities. Lily's eyes cast one more ever hopeful glance around in vain for her sister. Petunia, she knew, would never consent to lower herself to the company of so many magical folk, even if the sisters were on half decent terms, but ever the optimist, Lily refused to believe the worst of her.
But today was her wedding day. Today was the happiest moment of her life and even the absence of her sister could not dampen that. She felt James' fingers tighten around hers and the cool gold of his wedding band sent a small thrill through her as she hopped up onto her toes to kiss his cheek.
The cheers and whistling quieted as the music rose in volume and James led his new wife into the centre of the outdoor space where a small dance floor had been set out to open the dancing.
Fond smiles and whispers followed the couple as they danced slowly, with only eyes for each other. James might have been a natural in the air, but he had two left feet for dancing and more than once Lily had to quickly hop backwards when he placed a foot wrong. This only made them both burst into quiet laughter, correct their position and resume, until it inevitably happened again twenty seconds later.
A minute passed, then two, and then Thomas Evans swept Euphemia Potter out onto the dance floor and Fleamont offered his hand to Rose, opening the dance to the small and intimate gathering of guests. Conversation stuck up anew once more.
"Oh! You got me a little that time." Lily teased, stepping backwards again and shaking her right foot a little.
"Sorry! I'm really trying." James grinned. "I promise I'm not usually so uncoordinated."
"Well let me cut in then, mate. I'll show you how it's done." Sirius appeared out of nowhere with a cursory tap on James' shoulder just as the music quickened to a lively pace. "If you will, Mrs. Potter?" He exaggerated a bow and held out his hand.
"Gosh, that's strange to hear." Lily, whose skin had been a permanent shade of blushing pink all day, beamed with a contagious happiness and, as James relinquished his hold on her waist, let Padfoot take her hand and whisk her into a lively quick step.
"Mary looks rather nice doesn't she, Pete?" Remus teased as he plucked two smoked lamb chops off a passing tray. The full moon was four days away and his appetite was at its peak for the month. Peter, completely distracted, kept stealing little glances over his shoulder to Mary who was chatting with Frank, Alice and Emmeline.
"Yes she does." He replied quickly without really thinking and immediately an expression of shock came over his face when he caught the humorous twinkle in Remus' face. "I-I mean…"
"Oh come off it. Just go ask her to dance."
"Oh n-no, I couldn't. And she wouldn't want to dance with me anyway, oh look he's back!"
Peter hastily turned the third degree questioning off of himself and waved heartily to James. "Congratulations, Prongs!"
James was striding towards them with three glasses of red wine held carefully in his hands. He placed them on the tall standing table they were gathered at and pushed one towards each of his friends, returning the hearty clap on his shoulder from Remus.
Raising their glasses they clinked them together in a toast and cried "Cheers!" in unison.
"Does it feel different to be married?"
"Couldn't tell you yet, I'll get back to you on that, Wormy." James grinned but raised his left hand to glance at the wedding ring fitted snugly to his finger. "But this definitely does."
"I was just trying to convince Peter to dance with Mar-"
"Remus!" Peter squeaked indignantly, to no avail as Remus filled their newly wedded Marauder in on the conversation.
"With Mary." He finished, ignoring the protests of the rapidly reddening wizard, and together with James, flicked his eyes briefly up to the young woman in question.
The already wide grin on James' face only grew moreso as he glanced between Peter and Mary and eagerly jumped on board. "You should! I can't be the only one of us with love in my life, that's just terribly selfish."
"H-hey! Why me? What about Sirius?"
James burst out laughing and Remus snorted in derision so suddenly he spluttered over a mouthful of wine and had to comically stick his neck out to prevent ruining the brand new dress robes he wore. Exchanging a look with James, he scoffed, "I don't think he's the settling down type."
"To put it diplomatically." James confirmed and shot a sly raised eyebrow at Remus, "And since Moony over here thinks he's sworn off romance altogether, I'm afraid that leaves you, Peter Pettigrew. So…" Without a moment of hesitation he spun Peter firmly around by the shoulders, and caught him to steady him before he fell right over, and gave him a literal push in the right direction. "Go for it then."
Looking every bit the teasing school chums, Remus and James stood shoulder to shoulder, glasses in hand and watched with matching grins as a mortified Peter shuffled towards the other table. The lively discussion paused for a moment as Mary turned to face him and a pretty smile broke out over her features.
"Who'd have thought it?" James chuckled, "Good ol' Wormtail."
"Well done, old chap." Sturgis swept over dressed in Gryffindor crimson, his straw coloured hair slicked back with a thick lacquer of brylcreem, and shook James' heartily. "I thought you were pushing your luck back in school but I guess you took the "Chaser" title literally."
"Oh we all agree with that." Seconded Remus, stepping back to allow more room around the table as Frank, Alice and Emmeline moved over to join them. Mary had evidently accepted Peter's stammered invitation to dance, though every few moments he paused to wipe his sweaty hands on his robes.
"...Well I can't disagree with that, can I? Now, if you all don't mind," James tossed back the last of the wine in his glass and started to move backwards away, "I'd better rescue my mother-in-law from Sirius."
"A wonderful night isn't it?" Emmeline's light Yorkshire accent lifted above the music as she placed down her carefully monitored second glass of champagne, and gazed around at the clearing and her fellow Order members. "Sort of...renews your hope that there's still a lot of good out there."
"What a lovely way to put it." Alice chimed as she finally removed her floral headpiece and adjusted the little curls near her ears, her silver wedding rings glinting in the glow of the fairy lights. "Frank and I said the same when we went ahead, didn't we, Frank?"
"Well yes, but even if I didn't think so, my mother wouldn't have heard of postponing it."
Alice laughed, "Augusta is terrifying, I keep saying we could just put her on the front lines and the Death Eaters would run as soon as look at her." Behind her, Frank was nodding his head so animatedly that he looked like he would completely detach from his body.
"Now, now. What did Lily say about any secret meetings at her wedding?" Sirius' loud voice interrupted as he strode over, his face flushed but grinning broadly. He swapped an empty glass for a full one as a tray floated beside him and fitted himself in between Sturgis and Emmeline.
"I promise we aren't talking Order nonsense," the former Gryffindor captain clapped him on the shoulder but placed down what was about to be his own fifth glass of champagne when he saw the raised eyebrow the former Holyhead player was giving him. Caradoc still stood slightly apart from the gathering, and the three of them were in attendance for security moreso than merrymaking.
"Right you are. Shall we, my dear?" Frank grinned, tilting his head towards the small dance area and holding out his hand for Alice to take.
Emmeline had been exactly right in her remarks, Remus mused as his attention momentarily began to waver and his gaze drift unfocussed around the garden. There was not room for any thoughts of concern or unhappiness here. There were the whimsically amused expressions on Lily's muggle parents' faces as they continually kept stealing glances at the floating trays and the moving cake topper. It was the mirror of an expression he fondly remembered seeing often on his mother's face, though she had lived with magic in her life since before Remus had been born.
Curiously, today even the brief reminder of his late mother did not dampen his spirit, the familiar prick of pain and loss that was ever present had given way for today to a fond remembrance.
There was the glow of happiness, if a hint of tiredness, in the faces of the Potters senior. They were well advanced in years and the son they had given up all hope of having until a miracle had occurred in their fifties, was married and out of the nest and they had gained a daughter. They had lived to see their only heir and child happy. They were purely and sincerely content.
There was the sheer love that was so powerful you could almost feel it in the air everytime James and Lily even looked at each other.
Hope. That was what the entire scene embodied. Hope for a future, not only the newlywed's future, but a better one for all. Even he, realistic and at times pessimistic of his own life, for this evening could believe in a better one. Perhaps not quite this, but perhaps not as dismal as he had convinced himself. Then again, he'd had a considerable amount of wine.
"Earth to Remus, are you still in there?"
A loud snap before his face made Remus blink and burst out of his contemplations. Sirius snapped his fingers again and tugged on his arm. "Prongs has been calling for you for a solid minute, come on!"
"What? Right, yes." The werewolf grinned and waved to James who stood with Peter and beckoned them both over.
"Now I insist you all come and get a photograph."
James beamed, his voice a decibel or two louder than usual, the way it usually rose when he was in an excellent mood and had a few glasses in him. The photographer had been darting around all evening to capture the spirit of the day and was now tasked with portraits of the merrymakers.
Lily stood in the camera's shot now, her arms looped affectionately through her matron of honour's as they laughed and barely stood still for a moment.
Two cameras were set up on stands as per the couple's wishes to differentiate between the enchanted moving images, and the regular stationary ones that could be distributed without raising muggle suspicion.
"Come on then!" Lily waved them in as she and Alice moved out of the shot. What followed could only be described as a few seconds of uncomfortable blokey shuffling around to get them standing right. Remus, by far the tallest, stood on the far right and angled slightly behind James. Peter filed in and on the far left, his arm slung around Wormtail's shoulder, Sirius grinning like a madman. The camera flashed, preserving in time the happiest day that the Marauders, Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, had spent.