The wedding was the most ... solemn event to ever be held at Hogwarts. Total attendance, five people, inclusive bride and groom. There were no flowers decorating the room, there were no proud parents on the front row aisle. There wasn't an ecstatic maid of honor and happy best men, and there definitely weren't any blushing brides and nervously blissful grooms. Instead, there were two witnesses, the man and woman to be married and the person conducting the ceremony. And the only sounds in the office of Albus Dumbledore, was his voice, uniting the two in holy matrimony. Severus wore his usual black, and Minerva wore her usual green. She had refused to wear white, as she said it is an insult to the ideology of pure, virginal brides that the color represented. The only compromise she had made was allowing her hair to flow free, with locks of it entwined with white jasmine.

Poppy looked at the two, wishing that somehow things had been a little different... wishing that somehow those two had fallen in love when they found out about Athena. But at the way they were avoiding each other's eyes, looking at a point beyond each other's shoulders, love was the furthest thing on their minds. But being the hopeless romantic she was, she still held hope that eventually in time, the two would find love in each other. She personally had never met two people more suited for each other... except James & Lily... or maybe Charlie & Jules... well you get the drift. Oh, well, this wasn't exactly what she had wanted for her friend... but it was a beginning. Now, about the wedding present...

Remus couldn't believe what was happening was really happening. He didn't think his wolf heart could take another surprise. He really thought he had walked into a parallel universe when, only several hours ago, Severus Snape... Severus Snape for goodness sake, had come up to him and asked (not too politely, I might add) if he would witness a wedding. That was the first surprise. The second surprise came when Remus had asked who's wedding he was to witness (Severus having answered it was his). And the third came from when he had asked whom Severus was marrying (he had had to strain his canine sensitive ears to hear the mumbled reply). His heart would never heal from that shock. But the ultimate shock came in the fourth surprise, when he found out WHY they were marrying (he had actually gripped his heart and swore it had stopped beating for a full second). Yup, his heart was damaged forever. James would turn in his grave if he knew and Sirius... Remus was glad Sirius wouldn't have to find until it was too late. A Slytherin marrying a Gryffindor? It wasn't heard of! His first thought had been to say no... How could he witness such a blasphemous act??!! But, Severus decided to drop an atomic bomb on his head.

'It would mean so much to Minerva you would come,'

That was it... he wouldn't abandoned Minerva for anything and if she needed him there, then there is where he will be. Ugh... Sirius is going to shed dog hair when he hears about this... oh well, at least Remus knew what to give Snape as a wedding present... a dog repelling serum, Severus was going to need it.

How is it that something so right could be so wrong? Albus thought as he recited the words that would bind the two people in front of him. He knew that marrying the two would be best for them in the long run. Despite their stubbornness and thick headedness, they needed each other. They needed to be with someone who will understand each thought, each decision, and fight every inch of the way, so they'd never loose grip on reality. But when he looked at their faces; confusion and despair, he just wanted to stop the whole thing, tell them it wasn't right and send them back to their rooms. But it was right... and that's the problem.

Minerva wanted to laugh. Not in joy but in the irony of the stupid façade. A wedding between her and Severus. She didn't know which was more ridiculous; Minerva McGonagall marrying Severus Snape or the Head of Gryffindor marrying the Head of Slytherin. She was mad... insanely mad to go ahead with this. Her parents would *SO PROUD*. A child out of wedlock, a wedding night ten months BEFORE the wedding and oh, the proudest bit, her soon to be husband was a former deatheater!! That really took the cake. She had to bite her lips to stop from laughing. It wouldn't do for her to spend her first night as a married woman in St. Mungo now would it. If only they knew what her calm exterior was really hiding, they'd never believe it. Minerva McGonagall never loses her head. She's always sensible and very level headed, composed in the face of danger. Well, she didn't feel like either of them tonight. What she did feel like was to run out of Albus's office screaming or maybe get on her broomstick and ride up into space...or... she really was going insane. Shaking her head, she focused her thoughts back to the present, and very real situation. A good thing too, as it was time for them to recite the vows. Swallowing deeply, she looked up at Severus's dark eyes, the first time that night. She really wanted to believe that if she'd ignore him, he'd go away... such irony; a bride wishing her groom would disappear. She saw herself holding out her hands and she saw them disappear as Severus's larger ones wrapped around them.

Severus had blocked everything out. He had no thoughts, no emotions... his mind didn't even register that he was about to get married. He'll worry about the pain and feelings, when he's alone in his cold dungeon and his wife and child are in the eastern tower. He wasn't the marrying type, but he thought that if he WERE to get married, it'd be a lot different from this. For starters, they'd have a wedding band each and his WIFE would be in the same room with him and the wedding night would happen after the wedding (well... maybe not, but it's the principle that counts,)... he lifted his hands and clasp the smaller ones. Sigh, nothing in his life has even gone the way it should, so why should it start now?

As one they chant:

Guardian of the North, Ruler of the Earth,

Watcher of the East, Ruler of Water,

Keeper of the South, Ruler of Fire

Spirit of the West, Ruler of Wind,

Powers of the North, East, South, West,

Guide us thru the lost

Strengthen us against weakness

Shield us from destruction,

Guard us from neglect

We unite under thee,

In soul, will ours combine,

In blood, will ours unify,

In body, will ours gratify,

So blessed be...

A silhouette of gold and silver emanated from them, spinning around them, through the entwined hands, weaving and merging to form a mixture of colors, then rising above their head to form a lion and a serpent before exploding into a shower of gold and silver dust. All eyes watched the final steps with awe. Minerva and Severus look down at their hands, their fingers interlacing with a fine thread. They were officially husband and wife. The deed is done. They release their hold of each other and the thread came undone. Severus held the long cord in his hands.

"That is the bond of your marriage. Guard it well, but if you so wish to end this marriage, simply cut the thread and you will be free. Remember, it must be done mutually," said Albus. Severus and Minerva nodded. Albus lost his solemn face and smiled at the two.

"I believe it is customary for the bride and groom to kiss," he said. A little shy, but Severus leaned down to kiss his wife. But just as his lips were about to graze hers, she turned giving him her cheek instead. Poppy had to refrain from rolling her eyes in disgust. Minerva is such a mule sometimes. There was awkward silence. Then Remus broke the silence.

"Since I am technically the best man, I believe it's customary for me to kiss the bride too," he said a little too brightly.

"Then I, as an unofficial maid of honor am to be kissed by the groom," said Poppy, looking merrily at Severus. The two obliged their friends, and allowed themselves to be kissed and congratulated. Albus suggested some food and drinks, a small celebration he said, but Minerva politely declined, with the excuse that tomorrow was a school day and she'd already skipped out on two sixth year transfiguration classes. She didn't intend to make it a habit. Severus seconded her motion. Much to Minerva's despair, Severus left Albus's room just as she did too, leaving her with no choice but to allow her husband to accompany her to her room.

They walked in silence for a while.

"So, do you feel different?" he asked suddenly. Minerva was a little startled at him.

"Err, no, actually. I hardly feel anything," she said truthfully. Her insides had turned numb. Silence again and they continued walking. Suddenly Severus stopped and growled. Minerva turned to look at him. What was his problem?

"Minerva, I know you don't like this... and well neither do I. But I am willing to make the best of this situation," he hissed at her. She recovered from her shock to snap back.

"And I'm not?" how dare he try and intimidate her!

"No! You act as if I had beaten you to marry me!"

"Well, I'm not exactly happy,"

"And I am? I'm a confirmed bachelor. Being thrown into a marriage that I wasn't prepared for isn't exactly the highlight of my life,"

"I'm sorry to have discomfort you, but this wedding WASN'T my idea!" she half shouted at him. He knew she was right. His wall fell, and she saw a tired man behind it.

"This is going nowhere. We can bicker and fight all night, it won't change a thing,"

"So what do you propose?"

"A truce,"

"A truce? I didn't even know you knew the meaning of that word!"

"Minerva, I am trying to be reasonable and you're NOT making it easy," growled the potions master. His temper was flaring fast.

"Reasonable? How unslytherin," Minerva couldn't resist. Severus didn't say anything but glared at her.

"Fine, I'm sorry. Okay a truce,"

"So we raise our daughter together not as married couple but as friends," he said. She could see from his face, though he thought it didn't show, that this was hard for him. Hell, Severus probably didn't have a friend in his whole life!

Severus was getting impatient. He had just offered her his friendship, something very rare and in fact never done before and she just stood there analyzing him. Damn woman! Didn't she know this was hard enough without her scrutinizing him? What he needed now was to find some students and take off an abysmallic amount of house points. Just as his temper was about to blow, Minerva nodded.

"Friends," she said and held out her hands.

Was she mocking him? But one look in her blue eyes, he saw she was sincere. He received her hand and they shook on it.

PHEW! Glad that was over and done with…. ^_^