Chapter 30

"Sheesh," Lily thought to herself as she strained her head to look between the other people who were all trying to get a glimpse of Petunia, "For once she doesn't look all that bad."

Petunia walked down the isle in a white flowing gown, brown eyes bright and beaming.

"I don't think I have ever seen her this happy before." Lily whispered to James.

James nodded.

Petunia walked up the steps to the alter and clasped hands with the groom.

The minister then gave the traditional wedding speech.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of two wonderful people."

Next, he recited the vows for the bride and groom to agree to.

"Do you, Vernon Dursley take this woman Petunia Evans to be your lawful wedded wife? To have her, to hold her, through better and worse, through rich and through poor."

To which Vernon replied, "I do."

The minister then repeated the same vow to Petunia and she also replied, "I do."

The rings were exchanged, and the minister announced to the crowd, "I am proud to give to you, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley." He turned back to Petunia and Vernon. "You may now kiss the bride."

Cheers, shouts, and whistles were heard all around the garden as Vernon and Petunia leaned in and kissed each other.

They then walked down the isle together, and everybody followed them to the back of the garden where some pictures were being taken.

James and Lily didn't really know what to do. After a few minutes, Vernon's mother, Samantha, asked Lily and James if they would please follow her in a couple minutes to the reception hall and help her put bubble containers on the tables.

Lily agreed, even though she had no idea what the lady meant, and Samantha went off to talk to some other people. Lily and James were about to follow her, when the photographer came over and asked them both to please stay a little longer for some pictures.

Lily was helpless and at a loss.

"What do we do?" she asked James.

James only shrugged. "I have no clue."

They decided to wait for the pictures, and if Samantha left without them, oh well. She could deal with whatever she wanted them to do.

James looked over at where pictures were being taken of the bride and groom and the bridesmaids and the groomsmen.

"I've never been to a weeding before;" He told Lily, "Much less a Muggle one. It seems kind of boring doesn't it?"

Lily smiled. "I guess so. Hopefully the reception will be better."

"What's a reception?" asked James.

"It's the party after the wedding." Lily explained. "It's… oh you'll see."

She looked around for Vernon's mother again, but she was nowhere to be seen. "I guess she went in to do whatever she was going to do." She told herself.

Then, the photographer ushered the two over, and said, "We're taking a family shot here. Would all the family of the bride and groom please come over? Yes, cousins too."

James was shoved away while a small herd of people congregated around the bride and groom. Lily knew a couple of them, them being her cousins.

The photographer lined everyone up right, and was about to take the picture, when he came over to Lily. "Vat do you zink you are doing?" he asked with a strong French accent, "Take zat coat off at vonce! You vill ruin ze picture."

Lily blushed and took off the coat James had put on her and gave it back to him. "Sorry." She whispered. She had actually forgotten that she even had it on. She looked back at the camera, and the shot was taken. Lily then felt just how cold the air was; absolutely chilling.

The photographer then shooed Lily and a few other people away to take another picture with other people.

Lily went back over to James. "Ve don't need you," she imitated the photographer's accent, "You are just ze zister. No vone of importance."

James chuckled and shook his head. "Can we go in now?"

"I think so." Said Lily, "But can we walk around the garden for a few minutes first? It is beautiful."

"Sure." Said James.

Lily giggled.

"What?" asked James.

"You," Chuckled Lily, "Acting so mature."

"I can change." Said James defensively.

"Don't worry Prongs." Lily replied, "I like it."

The two walked around the garden for a few minutes, and then went into the reception area.

(This was a resort bar, so they had to walk through a bar to get to the room where the reception was being held.)

By the door, there were some bathrooms, and Lily's aunt said to Lily on the way there, "Some of your cousins and I are sitting at the table farthest to when you walk in the door. Come sit with us!"

Lily relented, and led James to the far table, where she did see some of her cousins sitting.

It was a round table, and big enough to sit about 10 people.

"Is that you Lily?" asked one of the girls at the table. She was a little taller than Lily and had auburn hair and green eyes.

"Tessa?" Lily asked.

The girl jumped out of her chair and gave Lily a big hug.

"LILY! I haven't seen you since forever!"

Lily grinned and dragged James forward.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend and fiancé James." She said, "James, these are my cousins! This is Tessa."

James took the girl's hand and kissed it. "Charmed. I'm sure."

Tessa giggled.

"We were best friends until I went to boarding school. Then I just saw her in the summers until. Until I couldn't go home anymore," said Lily. She then motioned to a tall man who was sitting in another chair at the table, with flaming red hair that was cut very short. He was turned away talking to a girl beside him. "Unless I am mistaken, this is my cousin Tom."

At that, the man turned around and grinned. "Well hello Lily, I haven't seen you in ages!" he said.

"It's nice to see you too Tom." Lily smiled.

A woman with the same red hair stood up, and walked over to Lily and gave her a hug. "Don't forget me!" she said.

"Of course not." Lily giggled, "This is my cousin Angie, and another cousin who is here is Jake. He is one of the groomsmen so he's still outside."

James nodded.

They sat down in two empty chairs, and Lily asked Tessa, "Where is everyone else?"

James almost spit out the water he had just poured in his mouth. "Else? As in there are more of you?"

Lily and Tessa laughed.

"Don't sound so shocked James! Yes there's more. There's still Matt and Shannon."

"I don't mean to sound rude," said James, "But there sure are a lot of you."

Tessa smiled. "I know." Then she turned to Lily. "Shannon had to go to work. You know she lives like 7 hours away."

Lily nodded.

"And Matt, well now he lives in Mexico. He just moved there a couple years ago, so you wouldn't know that."

Lily agreed, "Yea, you're right."

Then, Lily's aunt, the one who told them to sit there, came over with another man.

"Hi Lily!" said the man.

"Hello Uncle Jack." Lily smiled and gave the man a hug. "Uncle Jack, this is my fiancé James. James, this is my Uncle Jack and Aunt Katie."

The three exchanged their how-do-you-dos, and Lily sat back in her seat and started chatting with Tessa.

"So you finally got your guy huh?" asked Tessa.

Lily smiled coyly. "You forget nothing do you?"

"Nope." Tessa grinned. "I remember how you used to always talk about how much you wanted a boyfriend, and then you started going to your boarding school, and ever since your first year you would come home every summer and rave to me about how perfect this boy was who was a year older than you and how you two would be perfect for each other. What was his name again?" she pretended to be deep in thought. "Oh yes. James."

"Yes?" said James. He turned from talking with Lily's aunt and uncle.

"Nothing." Lily said quickly.

James shrugged and turned back to talk again.

Lily lightly punched her cousin in the arm. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"How could I forget? You talked nonstop about him!" Tessa replied. "Oh. And by the way, Petunia invited Brian. I think she did it on purpose because she figured you had a boyfriend."

Lily looked the way Tessa was pointing, and saw someone she hadn't seen for three years.