The sound of the church doors opening made everyone turn automatically to
see the bride. To the delicate strains of the Wedding March, Lily Evans
walked down the aisle, accompanied by Albus Dumbledore. Anya knew that
Lily's father had died when she was 14, but she was happy to see Dumbledore
accompanying her. Lily looked beautiful in a sparkling white dress with a
full skirt and simple corset top. She approached the altar, and gave
Dumbledore a kiss on the cheek before turning to face James.
The service started. Anya could feel tears trickling down her cheeks as the wizard minister spoke his words. When he got to her favourite part, she almost broke down.
"Do you, James Edward Potter, take this woman, Lily Marie Evans to be your lawful wedded wife?"
"I do," James smiled broadly at Lily.
"And do you, Lily Marie Evans take this man, James Edward Potter to be your lawful wedded husband?"
"I do," Lily smiled gracefully.
"Then by the power vested in my by the Ministry of Magic, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" the minister said to an eager James. James lifted Lily's veil, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
Walking out the door of the church, people through colourful confetti at the newly-weds, who couldn't take their eyes of each other. Anya looked at Sirius and shared a smile with him. She knew that one day soon, she would be the one in the wedding dress, smiling with her friends.
"Williamson! Wake up!" Sirius commanded, not in a joking tone. Anya snapped her head to him, realising that she had been resting her head on her hands, dreaming off into space.
"Sorry" she said quietly, blushing slightly. Sirus just twitched his nose and nodded.
"So," she said, getting back to business.
"Tell me your side of the story, leaving out nothing," she instructed Sirius. He reluctantly told his story, with encouraging nods from Hermione, Remus and Harry. Ron seemed to be in another world, staring at Anya and occasionally turning to Sirius, looking puzzled.
"So that's it," Sirius finished his tale, Anya furiously scribbling notes on a massive long piece of parchment. She nodded, but kept writing. Remus got up to fix tea and cake. Hermione helped him, but Harry and Ron remained at the table, silent.
"Ok, well Black, it looks like with your evidence, and Dumbledore and the kids backing you up, you have a good chance," Anya finally finished writing. Sirius winced when she said his last name, but got a confused look when she mentioned the kids testifying.
"Hangon, what children are testifying?" Sirius asked, forgetting his anger, and speaking in a truly puzzled tone. Anya looked confused at his question.
"Harry, Hermione and Ron of course," she said matter-of-factly. Remus saw the look of anger flash over Sirius's face.
"Why wasn't I told of this sooner?" he asked Anya.
"I thought you knew!" she said, truthfully.
"Well I didn't know that. But I do know that there is nothing I can do to stop you three from getting up there in court, is there?" Hermione, Ron and Harry all shook their heads slowly. For a while, everyone sat there in complete silence, not even the scribbling of Anya's quill could be heard.
"Alright then, I suppose I'd better leave. I'll send you an owl in a couple of days, when I have the facts sorted out. The trial is next Monday, please try and look presentable!" she glared jokingly at Harry, Ron and Sirius, who all looked quite hurt at her comment.
"Well then, I'd best be off. Goodbye!" she said cheerily. She got up from the table, as did Sirius. He held out his arm woodenly, as if to shake Anya's hand. She took his hand, and shook it warmly, until she noticed something tied around his wrist that made her drop his hand like a hot potato.
Anya scurried over to the fireplace, and sent herself away before anyone could ask what was wrong.
"What do I have cooties?" Sirius asked, half stupid, half-serious. Then he looked down at his wrist, and cursed to himself. Hanging down off a leather strap was a Silver Star. The very same Silver Star that Anya had given him when they had announced their love for each other. Remus caught Sirius doing this, and gave him a slight shake of the head. Harry, Hermione and Ron just remained perplexed as to the sudden exit of their teacher.
"Well you're all here now, you may as well stay the night," Remus announced to the group. Hermione and Ron had overnight bags with them, as they were going to stay at Diagon Alley after the meeting with Anya. Remus sent owls to the Weasleys and the Grangers, informing them of the change in plans.
They had bangers and mash for dinner, with Hermione doing most of the cooking. Ron tried to help out by mashing potatoes, but he just succeeded in creating a white pile of mush, thanks to his addition of a pint of milk. Hermione dumped this down the sink and started afresh. So the boys sat around the table, playing a game of Wizard Chess, while Sirius and Remus discussed the case at hand, away in the living room.
"Sirius, I know you don't want Harry testifying, but it's the best chance you have of freedom. With his and Albus's testimony, and the new evidence, you're sure to be let off!" Remus said in an excited whisper.
"Don't get ahead of yourself Lupin!" Sirius retorted, still a little angry with his friend for bringing Anya to his home.
"Was it strange?" Remus asked Sirius.
"Was what strange?" Sirius queried, knowing perfectly well what Lupin meant. Remus lifted his eyebrow.
"If you mean seeing her again, yes it was a little odd. If you mean the cup of coffee you made while she was here, yes it was very strange!" this was Sirius's way of ending an important question, with a joke. Remus knew this frustrated Anya, there had been a big commotion one year at Hogwarts about it. Many years earlier......
"Why can't you ever answer me straight Black?" Anya yelled at an angry Sirius. James wandered into the argument mid-fire.
"What'd you do this time buddy?" he asked, nonchalantly taking a bite out of his apple.
"I have done nothing wrong. I'm answering your questions aren't I?" he yelled back at Anya. It was 5th year, and really only the start of their tempestuous relationship.
"Look Sirius, can you please just answer me straight, now?!" Anya had given up yelling and taken to pleading.
"Did you kiss Amy Watkinson behind Hagrid's hut last week?" Anya asked him calmly. James dropped his apple in shock, and turned to Sirius, amazed that his friend could do such a thing.
"Of course I didn't. She made that story up completely!" Sirius retorted.
"And why would she do that?" Anya reasoned.
"Because.....because.....she's jealous of us!" Sirius finally found the words he was looking for. Anya still wasn't fully convinced.
"Look Anya, you are the only one for me, please take me back!" Sirius resorted to pleading, and Anya's face softened significantly.
"I know I shouldn't trust you Black. A man who speaks so smoothly should never be trusted!" she allowed herself to be engulfed in a bear hug, and she quietly sobbed into Sirius's broad shoulder.
James left the room, satisfied that his friends had worked everything out. He was however, now craving to be hugged, so he found Lily, and gave her the biggest, warmest hug he could give. Lily was surprised, but returned the embrace.
"What's all this about?" she said muffled into this shoulder.
"It's just because! Do I need a reason?" James said. Lily looked up at him and smiled, sighing contentedly.
The service started. Anya could feel tears trickling down her cheeks as the wizard minister spoke his words. When he got to her favourite part, she almost broke down.
"Do you, James Edward Potter, take this woman, Lily Marie Evans to be your lawful wedded wife?"
"I do," James smiled broadly at Lily.
"And do you, Lily Marie Evans take this man, James Edward Potter to be your lawful wedded husband?"
"I do," Lily smiled gracefully.
"Then by the power vested in my by the Ministry of Magic, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" the minister said to an eager James. James lifted Lily's veil, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
Walking out the door of the church, people through colourful confetti at the newly-weds, who couldn't take their eyes of each other. Anya looked at Sirius and shared a smile with him. She knew that one day soon, she would be the one in the wedding dress, smiling with her friends.
"Williamson! Wake up!" Sirius commanded, not in a joking tone. Anya snapped her head to him, realising that she had been resting her head on her hands, dreaming off into space.
"Sorry" she said quietly, blushing slightly. Sirus just twitched his nose and nodded.
"So," she said, getting back to business.
"Tell me your side of the story, leaving out nothing," she instructed Sirius. He reluctantly told his story, with encouraging nods from Hermione, Remus and Harry. Ron seemed to be in another world, staring at Anya and occasionally turning to Sirius, looking puzzled.
"So that's it," Sirius finished his tale, Anya furiously scribbling notes on a massive long piece of parchment. She nodded, but kept writing. Remus got up to fix tea and cake. Hermione helped him, but Harry and Ron remained at the table, silent.
"Ok, well Black, it looks like with your evidence, and Dumbledore and the kids backing you up, you have a good chance," Anya finally finished writing. Sirius winced when she said his last name, but got a confused look when she mentioned the kids testifying.
"Hangon, what children are testifying?" Sirius asked, forgetting his anger, and speaking in a truly puzzled tone. Anya looked confused at his question.
"Harry, Hermione and Ron of course," she said matter-of-factly. Remus saw the look of anger flash over Sirius's face.
"Why wasn't I told of this sooner?" he asked Anya.
"I thought you knew!" she said, truthfully.
"Well I didn't know that. But I do know that there is nothing I can do to stop you three from getting up there in court, is there?" Hermione, Ron and Harry all shook their heads slowly. For a while, everyone sat there in complete silence, not even the scribbling of Anya's quill could be heard.
"Alright then, I suppose I'd better leave. I'll send you an owl in a couple of days, when I have the facts sorted out. The trial is next Monday, please try and look presentable!" she glared jokingly at Harry, Ron and Sirius, who all looked quite hurt at her comment.
"Well then, I'd best be off. Goodbye!" she said cheerily. She got up from the table, as did Sirius. He held out his arm woodenly, as if to shake Anya's hand. She took his hand, and shook it warmly, until she noticed something tied around his wrist that made her drop his hand like a hot potato.
Anya scurried over to the fireplace, and sent herself away before anyone could ask what was wrong.
"What do I have cooties?" Sirius asked, half stupid, half-serious. Then he looked down at his wrist, and cursed to himself. Hanging down off a leather strap was a Silver Star. The very same Silver Star that Anya had given him when they had announced their love for each other. Remus caught Sirius doing this, and gave him a slight shake of the head. Harry, Hermione and Ron just remained perplexed as to the sudden exit of their teacher.
"Well you're all here now, you may as well stay the night," Remus announced to the group. Hermione and Ron had overnight bags with them, as they were going to stay at Diagon Alley after the meeting with Anya. Remus sent owls to the Weasleys and the Grangers, informing them of the change in plans.
They had bangers and mash for dinner, with Hermione doing most of the cooking. Ron tried to help out by mashing potatoes, but he just succeeded in creating a white pile of mush, thanks to his addition of a pint of milk. Hermione dumped this down the sink and started afresh. So the boys sat around the table, playing a game of Wizard Chess, while Sirius and Remus discussed the case at hand, away in the living room.
"Sirius, I know you don't want Harry testifying, but it's the best chance you have of freedom. With his and Albus's testimony, and the new evidence, you're sure to be let off!" Remus said in an excited whisper.
"Don't get ahead of yourself Lupin!" Sirius retorted, still a little angry with his friend for bringing Anya to his home.
"Was it strange?" Remus asked Sirius.
"Was what strange?" Sirius queried, knowing perfectly well what Lupin meant. Remus lifted his eyebrow.
"If you mean seeing her again, yes it was a little odd. If you mean the cup of coffee you made while she was here, yes it was very strange!" this was Sirius's way of ending an important question, with a joke. Remus knew this frustrated Anya, there had been a big commotion one year at Hogwarts about it. Many years earlier......
"Why can't you ever answer me straight Black?" Anya yelled at an angry Sirius. James wandered into the argument mid-fire.
"What'd you do this time buddy?" he asked, nonchalantly taking a bite out of his apple.
"I have done nothing wrong. I'm answering your questions aren't I?" he yelled back at Anya. It was 5th year, and really only the start of their tempestuous relationship.
"Look Sirius, can you please just answer me straight, now?!" Anya had given up yelling and taken to pleading.
"Did you kiss Amy Watkinson behind Hagrid's hut last week?" Anya asked him calmly. James dropped his apple in shock, and turned to Sirius, amazed that his friend could do such a thing.
"Of course I didn't. She made that story up completely!" Sirius retorted.
"And why would she do that?" Anya reasoned.
"Because.....because.....she's jealous of us!" Sirius finally found the words he was looking for. Anya still wasn't fully convinced.
"Look Anya, you are the only one for me, please take me back!" Sirius resorted to pleading, and Anya's face softened significantly.
"I know I shouldn't trust you Black. A man who speaks so smoothly should never be trusted!" she allowed herself to be engulfed in a bear hug, and she quietly sobbed into Sirius's broad shoulder.
James left the room, satisfied that his friends had worked everything out. He was however, now craving to be hugged, so he found Lily, and gave her the biggest, warmest hug he could give. Lily was surprised, but returned the embrace.
"What's all this about?" she said muffled into this shoulder.
"It's just because! Do I need a reason?" James said. Lily looked up at him and smiled, sighing contentedly.