I have officially reached Redemption length and I still have a way to go. I am anticipating quite a few more chapters though hopefully this fic won't be more than fifty in total. It's still easily my longest fic! 

Thanks to:

Sabia

Dreamer Child

Anne-Marie

Becks89 – hehe I have to breeze through months otherwise I'd be writing forever!

Kyra2

Lost angel92

Lolly6

Mika

lAcKlUsTrE

Chapter 35 – The Wedding

The next few months passed quickly, but emptily. They researched and they attended Order meetings, neither Buffy nor Sirius could leave the house but they were content to stay. Sirius spent the time tidying the house, with fervour that Buffy had never seen in him when cleaning before. He said he wanted to make it baby proof and Buffy helped as much as he would let her.

The pregnancy progressed and the baby kicked for the first time at the end of January. Once she had started, she didn't stop and Buffy could feel her moving around constantly.
They received their invitations to Xander and Anya's wedding in February, and though he was initially wary, Dumbledore agreed to Buffy attending since Kingsley would be present as Faith's date.

April came; the wedding was set for the 15th, exactly three weeks before the baby was due and Sirius, Buffy and Kingsley flooed out a few days before.

Once they arrived, Anya set up bride central in Revello Drive; she was going to get ready there on the morning and wanted everything perfect.
 "This is my first marriage," she told Buffy. "Everything needs to be perfect." Buffy eagerly assisted her with the last minute arrangements, hoping that one day, in the not so distant future; she would get to do the same thing with Sirius.

The day before the wedding Anya and Xander's relatives and friends arrived. No one could decide which side was worse, Anya's bizarre demon friends or Xander's loud, drunk, weird family.

Despite a few complications the day dawned, bright and sunny and Buffy helped the bridesmaids get ready at Revello Drive, while Sirius, Giles, Oz, Kingsley and Xander were at Xander and Anya's apartment.
 
Buffy was privately glad she wasn't a bridesmaid anymore.
 "It's green," she said helpfully to Faith and Willow after helping them into their dresses. "Umm…very….green." They scowled in unison at her and Buffy had to hide her smile.
 "I look like a big green monster," Willow said bravely. "That's just what I look like."
 "A dress," Faith said bitterly. "First time I wear a dress in a whole lot of ages and it's green and frilly. Green and frilly." She scowled at Buffy again. Buffy smirked, being pregnant had its upsides, she was wearing a pale pink dress.
 "You guys look great," she said, stifling a chuckle. "Look, it doesn't matter anyway. You're doing the bridesmaid thing. Anya looks beautiful so that's all that matters."

 "I really do," Anya said, coming into the room. "You guys look so beautiful!" She sighed happily. "Oh, I can't wait to get married. Spending the rest of my life with my best friend, what could be happier? Go me!" Willow, Faith and Buffy surveyed her; she looked gorgeous in a strapless dress with a skirt that flared out into a train.

 "You look stunning," Buffy said joyfully. Anya did a twirl for them and they all sighed in unison, even Faith. They all looked at her in surprise.

 "What?" she said defensively. "I can embrace my girl side every now and then if I want to!" Anya shuffled forward.
 "Okay, group hug!" she announced importantly. They all hugged in a group and Anya pulled away looking at them happily.
 "Oh you all look so lovely," she cried joyfully. "Sorry Buffy, but this green just wouldn't have worked with the baby. Maybe you can borrow Willow's sometime, I wouldn't want you to miss out." Buffy smiled fixedly.
 "Wouldn't want that," she agreed tightly.

They got to the 'Sunnydale Bison's Lodge' early, sneaking Anya into the back so she and Xander wouldn't see one another before the wedding. Once Anya was well hidden, Buffy set off to find Xander and the other guys.
People had begun to arrive and were milling around the lobby.
 "Circus freaks my ass," Buffy muttered, eyeing a man with tentacles. She saw Xander's father getting stuck in at the bar, his mother not far behind and shook her head.
Across the hall, she went through a side door and found the guys, all tuxedoed up.
 "Hey guys," she said breezily. "Xand, your dad's already started on the free bar." Xander sighed heavily.
 "Just as long as we get through the ceremony without him and mom having one of their rows I don't mind," he said. "What are receptions for if the bride or groom doesn't get embarrassed by family members?"
 "What do you do with this?" Sirius said frustratedly, holding up his cummerbund. Buffy giggled and came forward to help him put it on.
 "But what's it for?" Kingsley asked, watching Buffy put on Sirius and then attempting to do his own.
 "It stops people from seeing the place where your pants meet your shirt, god forbid," Xander said gravely. "It's a muggle thing." Buffy stood back to check the cummerbund was ready.
 "Right, are you all set?" she asked, looking particularly at Xander.

 "I guess so," he said doubtfully. Then he straightened up. "No, I really am. I'm gonna get married. Woohoo married! Let's go before I lose it again." He marched towards the door way and they all trooped after him.
Everyone was in their seats, seated by Xander's weird cousins who were acting as ushers. Xander took his place at the front, Oz next to him as best man. Buffy and Sirius sat in the front seats and turned in their seats as the music started.
 Giles and Willow walked up the aisle arm in arm, followed by Kingsley and Faith who then stood to the side of the Minister. Everyone stood up to see Anya standing at the end of the aisle, glowing with happiness.

She walked the aisle slowly, and Buffy watched Xander who looked happier than she'd ever seen him. Finally he'd found the perfect woman for him and they were getting married and it was perfect. She wiped away a few stray tears as they sat down and Sirius took her hand and squeezed it.
 "Damn hormones," she murmured. Even the demons and the Harris's stopped fighting and throwing one another death stares as the couple exchanged their vows.

 The ceremony was beautiful, each exchanging their own vows; Anya's being typical to her. And then it was over and they all trooped into the next room, weird relatives and all, where ten round tables had been set up for the reception.

"So you're a married man now, looks like it's off the cards for us," Buffy teased Xander who grinned back. "What's it like?"

 "Weird," Xander replied, his eyes finding Anya. "But also of the good. It's comfortable, no more worried that this whole relationship thing is a fluke and that really I'm destined to be alone." Buffy watched as Xander made his way to Anya and took her hand tenderly. She sighed with happiness and then felt Sirius nuzzling her neck.
 "Getting broody for weddings?" he asked and she nodded.
 "Also wanting this baby to hurry up and come out," she said, holding her stomach gently. "I'm ready for the real deal now." Sirius put his arms round her, resting his hands with hers on her stomach.
 "Not long," he said softly and she smiled.

"Not long til all hell breaks loose," she said with a wistful smile. "Ah well, we've had it quiet for too long now." She and Sirius walked over to the circular table which was the top table and full of the Scoobies. The all sat down and Giles lifted his glass.
 "To the Bride and Groom," he said shortly and they all lifted their glasses and toasted Xander and Anya before beginning to eat.
 "You all ready for you best man speech sweetie?" Willow asked Oz who nodded, patting his jacket pocket.
 "I'm all ready with the funny jokes and stories," he replied. Xander grimaced.
 "Funny stories," he said blankly. "Funny. Huh." Oz smiled succinctly.

They ate their way through three courses in the large hall in the Bison's Lodge. It was warm and wood panelled, thankfully without the animal heads of the wedding room. Large windows were down one wall spilling the Sunnydale bright sunlight into the room and warming them. It was a beautiful day, fitting for the wedding.
 "Dumbledore wasn't particularly happy about me coming was he?" Buffy asked Kingsley who shook his head hesitantly.
 "He was worried." Buffy shook her head.
 "I know," she said uncertainly. "But its Xander's wedding, I had to be here."

 "Dumbledore's more worried than I've ever seen him," Kingsley said shortly. "Probably because of Harry and now the baby. But Dumbledore always knows more than he lets on, more than all of us. Even Moody doesn't know the things Dumbledore knows. I hope his fears are unfounded in this instance." Buffy swallowed hard, it was the first time she'd left Grimmauld Place since Christmas. Suddenly, things didn't seem so sunny and she was a little afraid.

Still she quashed their fear as she listened peaceably to Oz's best man speech that successfully embarrassed Xander. Day turned into evening, the tables were cleared away and a DJ set up so they could dance. Buffy recognised many tunes from her high school days and danced with her friends, all the while glancing around her furtively.

 "You're tense," Willow said simply to Buffy and she nodded, taking another look over her shoulder.

 "Something Kingsley said," Buffy said vaguely. "Dumbledore was worried and that makes me worried. I mean so many demons here and how do we know that they're all with Anya?"
 "But Kingsley's here," Willow said helpfully. "And Sirius and I can get with the magic too. And Faith. I know you've got to worry but maybe try not to? If anything happens, we can fight it."

 "I know, it's just-" Buffy was cut off by a loud crash. She whirled around frantically to see Xander's Uncle Rory looking guilty.
 "Sorry," he called drunkenly. ""Glass got away from me." Buffy sighed and turned back to Willow.
 "I know," she sighed guiltily. "I'm freaking. It's just hard, you know to-" A series of three crashes made her jump and turned again and her heart stopped in her chest. It felt like the world just stopped turning for that one moment and when it started again it was slower and everything was so clear.
So clear, like the eight Death Eaters that had come crashing through the windows and stood before them, all wearing black masks and pointing their wands at Buffy.

Buffy stumbled backwards, away from them, back until she felt the cold wooden panelling against her fingers, knowing her back was to the wall. People began to scream, she registered dimly, Xander's family, running, through the double doors into the other room and no one tried to stop them. That wasn't what they were here for.
But Sirius was here, standing in front on Buffy, wand out and a snarl on his face.
 "How many times do I have to kill you before you die?" a woman hissed at Sirius from behind her mask. Bellatrix Lestrange, Buffy realised blankly.

 "Get away from her," Sirius growled through gritted teeth. She laughed harshly. More people now, Xander, Willow, Kingsley, Oz, Faith, Giles, all coming to stand with them.

"Got your little friends slayer?" a man chuckled coldly. "They won't save you. The Dark Lord requests your company. You have something of his." Willow backed up so she was next to Buffy. She clasped her hand.
 "Caerimonia Minerva, saepio, saepire, saepsi," she murmured, concentrating hard and her pupils blackening and filling her eyes. "Saepio impedimentum!" A barrier flew up around them, encircling Buffy and the Scoobies and leaving the Death Eaters outside.
 "Buffy you have to run," Sirius said urgently, turning to her. Buffy shook her head.
 "I – I can't," she murmured. "I can't leave you guys, they'll kill you."
 "Just run," Sirius instructed desperately. "Go!"
 "No," Kingsley said sharply. "Wait, stay with us. There might be more and Dumbledore's coming."
 "Dumbledore?" Buffy said, mystified. Kingsley nodded swiftly, looking around them. The Death Eaters were firing spells at the shield.
 "We had a signal," he explained quickly. "He, and others, they're coming soon. Will the shield hold?" Buffy looked at Willow who was scrunching up her face in pain.
 "I hop- I don't," she muttered painfully. "The magic, it's strong. I don't know how much longer…."
They moved into defensive positions, encircling Buffy, pulling out weapons. Buffy was glad to have seen Anya leave with the rest of the guests, it was her wedding day and she wasn't a fighter. Faith was busily ripping the skirt of her dress so she could move properly and the others were removing weapons from their clothes. Buffy reached down to her thigh, she had a long handled knife strapped to her leg which she pulled out.
 "It's fading," Willow groaned frustratedly. The shield flickered out and a stunner shot towards Buffy which Sirius deflected before the shield flickered back on.
 "I can't," Willow gasped and the shield fell around them. They sprung into action quickly, Sirius and Kingsley at the fore, deflecting curses and firing their own. Willow moved forwards too, her eyes blackening as she shot green bolts of energy at the Death Eaters. Faith yelled and leapt into the foray, slashing with her axe at a man and knocking another over with a blow with the handle. More Death Eaters came through the shattered windows and the fight was on.

 Buffy ducked a bolt of red light fired at her by an unknown death eater. She couldn't move from the spot where they'd left her, she clutched her knife weakly. It was the first time she'd been useless and she hated it so much but she couldn't move. She couldn't let any of them touch her, it would be too dangerous so she just had to watch, however frustrated it made her.

 "Buffy!" she heard a yell and her head snapped over to see the double doors fly open to let Dumbledore stride into the room, followed by moody, Tonks and countless others.
 "Get out of here!" Moody growled furiously. Buffy opened her mouth but Sirius ran up to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her after him. They ran through a side door, leaving the battle behind them.

 "Quick!" he said urgently. "We have to get the hell out of here." They ran down a narrow corridor, out into the starlight of the garden of the Lodge.
 "Where?" Buffy asked frantically and Sirius pulled her after him towards a large oak tree. They passed it, passed bushes and flowerbeds, having no idea where they were or where they were going.
Buffy threw herself at Sirius, flattening them both to the ground as a bolt of green light whizzed over their heads. He leapt up and began to fire curses at the group of death eaters. Buffy could do nothing but she clutched her knife, and suddenly threw it, right into the chest of one of the robed figures.
 Her first human death and she felt nothing. She had to protect her child.

But this was all wrong, a hand grabbing her arm, pulling her away from Sirius. She punched the face and it fell but there was another masked face and he grabbed her hair and dragged her.
 "Sirius!" she screamed and he turned, narrowly missing a curse.
 "Buffy!" he hollered, running towards her and the death eater that dragged her with him. She clawed furiously at his hand but the death eater merely looked at her with cold slanted eyes through the slits in his mask.
She stared back at Sirius, eyes begging him to do something, her arm reaching for him but all he could do was shout as she was whirled away from Sunnydale in a flash of colour and light.