This is coming along really slowly and I'm sorry about that, but it's just not flowing. I will finish this, it's just going to take a little longer than I originally intended. I'm really sorry about the wait.
Sirius' PoV
We've found the perfect house. It's small and old and wonderful. We're going to buy it outright, so paying rent won't be a problem and then we're going to fix it up. It's got woods in the back so Moony and Padfoot can run free at the full moon. Our neighbors are pretty far up the road and we're about a fifteen minute walk from the closest town. The house has two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a sizeable living area, and a bathroom. It also has a good sized shed out back and a nice yard. We've even got a front porch!
Peter and Jen have also found a good sized flat in Muggle London. I haven't seen it yet, but apparently it's very nice and their rent is really good. They're moving in right after their honeymoon. (The wedding is tomorrow.)
James and Lily are moving into a house like us. It's in Godric's Hollow, a nice little neighborhood with a lot of younger families. Their house is a bit bigger than ours, but I have a feeling they'll fill it up pretty quickly. They won't, however, move in until after they're married. (The date for that wedding hasn't been set yet.) As soon as they move into their house we'll move into ours. We want to get out of this flat quickly, but not so fast that it seems like we're running away. This place was only meant to be temporary anyway.
This last month has been a flurry of wedding preparations. Remus will be Peter's best man and Lily Jen's maid of honor. Everyone was a bit shocked when Peter asked Remus to be his best man; I mean Peter has always had a bit of an obsession with James. When Remus asked him, Peter said something to the effect of, "well I didn't want to ask James because then he'll feel guilty when he picks Sirius as his best man." Sometimes Peter shocks us all.
It's going to be a small affair; just close friends and family. It'll also be on Valentines Day. The whole idea of getting married on Valentines Day seems incredibly soppy to me, but to each his own. I think that Lily and James are looking at a summer wedding. I don't know if Remus and I will ever get married. We haven't really looked into it very carefully, but I don't think we'll be able to find someone who will do the service for us. It doesn't really matter to me if the Ministry approves or not; we love each other and have exchanged rings and that's good enough for me. Maybe one day it'll happen though.
"Sirius," calls Remus, "come to bed we've got a big day tomorrow." I sigh and rise from the chair I've been sitting in for the past half an hour.
"What were you doing out there?" he asks as I climb into my side of the bed and snuggle up behind him.
"Just thinking," I say as I turn out the lights with my wand before throwing it onto the bedside table. (Alright it's a piece of wood nailed to the wall, but who's asking?)
"About what?" he asks as he turns to face me.
"Love, marriage, what's happened in the past couple of months," I say with a yawn.
"Ah," he says, "well don't get too maudlin." Then, "night Padfoot."
"Night Moony," I reply as I kiss his nose. He laughs sleepily and returns the kiss. We're both sleepy, having returned from Peter's bachelor party not too long ago. Remus didn't drink at all, and I only had a pint. It'll be interesting getting James up in the morning though.
Remus' PoV
Today's the big day. Well, it's Peter's big day really, but he's the first Marauder to get married so it's a pretty big day for all of us. I woke up this morning to the lovely sound of James throwing up. Luckily, Lily showed up with a hang-over potion before Peter could have a heart attack.
We're all dressed in dress robes, and I feel ridiculous, but Jen insisted that we all look our best. (Personally, I think I look bad, but I didn't tell Jen that.) Sirius, however, looks marvelous.
"The car is here," calls Peter. We've rented a car to take us to the ceremony. Jen and Lily will get there in a similar fashion. We all pile in and we're off. Peter is muttering under his breath and wringing his hands. He always has gotten extremely nervous about things.
We arrive at ten minutes to noon and head in. The wedding is supposed to happen at twelve thirty and the reception will start at one. It's going to be a brunch and will go all afternoon and possibly into the evening. There won't be any dinner, however, so it probably won't go too late.
We enter the building and Peter starts looking around frantically for Jen. "She's here, don't worry," says James soothingly. To us he mutters, "absolutely nutters this one."
"I heard that," says Peter petulantly as he punches James' arm lightly.
The time flies quickly, and before I know it, Jen is Mrs. Jennifer Pettigrew. They kiss happily, and rice is thrown from every direction. We all tramp across the hall for the reception.
I have to say that the hall they've picked is beautiful. There are flowers everywhere, and a small fountain stands in the center of the room. Tables are arranged on one side of the room, and the remaining area consists of a dance floor. A bar is set up on the far side of the room, and directly to my left is the buffet. Plates are filled, and the guests make their way to their seats.
The food is amazing, and before long everyone is stuffed to the brim. I give my obligatory speech, but it's not much. I can't really say what Peter has done for me over the years without incriminating myself and others, so it's not much but I think he knows what I mean. The best speech by far, is Dumbledore's. He talks about love shining through even in the shadows of war and death. I see some tears with this one, and Sirius squeezes my hand under the table.
Someone, however, has a sadistic streak and seated me next to Melanie. Now eleven, she's still as flirty as ever. Every time she tries to engage me in conversation, Sirius growls softly. Either Jen or Lily is going to pay for this later (seeing as they did all the seating), but for now I may as well have some fun with this. A jealous Sirius can be fun.
The meal is over and dancing has begun. "Would you like to dance?" I ask Melanie politely, holding out my hand. She looks like she might faint for a second before accepting quickly. I watch as Sirius' face turns red and give him a little wave, before heading out onto the dance floor.
We dance a fast song together, before a slow one comes on. She looks at me expectantly and I think 'why not?' "Remus," she starts, batting her eyelashes furiously, "do you believe that people can fall in love even if they're far apart in age?"
I sigh. I've got to end this before she asks me to marry her or something. "It can happen," I start slowly, "but I don't think it's going to happen here. You're a very nice girl, but it just wouldn't work honey. One day you'll find someone who can love you and who's closer to your age, but today is not that day."
She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. "Is there something wrong with me?" she asks woefully.
Oh damn. "Melanie listen to me," I say carefully, "you are a wonderful person, but I already have someone. You're also eleven years old."
"B…but Jen said that you don't have a girlfriend," she stutters.
"I don't," I say quietly. I take a deep breath before saying, "I have a boyfriend, and he's currently glaring at us." She glances around the room until her eyes rest on the pouting Sirius.
"Him!" she says, "the two best looking guys in the room are dating each other?"
"Well," I say, "yes. It's not something we advertise though."
"So it's a secret," she says, her eyes getting big.
"Yes and no," I say. "A lot of people know, but the majority of them don't and we'd like to keep it that way. Can you keep it a secret?"
"Yes," she says, "I suppose this means you guys want me to leave you alone?"
"Oh course not," I say, "just because I don't want to date you doesn't mean we can't be friends." She's really not that bad, I just don't like her hanging on me. "You can tell us about Hogwarts; tell us if it's changed any. Besides, Sirius doesn't know that you know about us."
She grins widely and says, "Let's go then."
It takes Sirius exactly one hour and fourteen minutes before he cracks and tells Melanie that we're dating. She looks at me and we burst out laughing. Sirius looks between the two of us, before dragging me away to explain myself.
Out in the hallway, I explain the whole thing to him and he says, "You are a very evil man Remus Lupin, a very evil man."
"It serves you right for being jealous of an eleven year old girl Padfoot," I reply with a laugh.
"You know what your punishment is right?" he asks.
"What?" I reply.
"You, Remus Lupin, are going to dance with me," he says with a smirk.
"Oh no, anything but that," I say sarcastically. He laughs and pulls me into his arms. We dance until Lily comes and finds us for the cutting of the cake.
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