Lily and James' Wedding

Petunia fluffed Lily's veil. She looked beautiful in the ivory gown, which was covered in tiny satin flowers. The chest was embroidered with roses. Her shoes were simple white pumps. Her hair was magnificently wavy. As Petunia helped her sister prepare for the biggest day of her life, she felt like spitting on her.

Petunia's wedding had been no piece of cake. Lily hadn't even come because she was at her blasted school learning how to turn rats into teacups. It was the day she found out their parents had been killed. That night, in order to lift her spirits, Vernon had clumsily tried to make love to her. It was horrible.

Worst of all, Lily was marrying one of those other weirdoes. Potter was his name. Apparently he was the most wonderful man on earth. Petunia didn't buy it. How could one of those freaks be as magnificent as Lily played him up to be?

"Alright, you look fine. Let's go." Petunia snapped, her patience worn. Lily merely smiled at her. "What? Are you comatose?"

"No, it's just…I love you, Petunia." Two tears squeezed their ways out of Lily's eyes. Her lips wobbled. She cried out and ran to her sister. Petunia patted her back uncomfortably. She ran a hand delicately through her spellbound hair.

"Oh, do shut up Lily." She smiled down at Lily, something that was extremely rare coming from Petunia. Lily giggled, choking on her tears. "Come now. Don't ruin your make-up or I'll have to redo it. Oh damn, the mascara's already running." She wiped her cheeks and redid it in a jiffy.

"I'm sorry…It's just that I'll miss you." Lily said.

"What are you babbling about? I've been gone with Vernon for nearly two years."

"I know…but somehow it'll be different now."

"Yes…well, we'd best be going. The ceremony's due to start soon." She hesitantly put her arm around Lily and walked her out of the dressing room. But before they could get to the main hall, they ran into someone tall, dark, and greasy.

"Severus!" Lily cried in surprise. "You came!" she detached Petunia's arm from her shoulders and ran to him. She flung herself in his arms. He looked surprised, but otherwise his face was stony. Even so, Petunia could see as she looked closely that there was a bit of pleasure behind those cold black eyes.

"You expected otherwise?" He drawled. With most men it would sound boring, the way his words were so drawn out, but he could pull it off. Petunia stared at him, enchanted. "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing important." Petunia fired back. Lily let go of Severus and turned to glare at her sister.

"Petunia! That was rude!" She said, shocked.

"And your point is?" She matched Severus' posh drawl.

"Never mind. Severus, this is Petunia, my sister. Petunia, this is Severus Snape." Lily introduced them. They shook hands stiffly, never breaking eye contact.

"Pleased to meet you." Severus said icily.

"Ditto."

Lily stared at their tenseness for a moment, then broke it by saying as sweetly as she could muster, "Severus is my friend from school. Well, actually, he's my ex."

Severus turned slowly and gave her a look that could kill. "I thought I had asked you not to speak of that?"

"Lay off Snape. At least she told the truth."

Snape glowered at her, but Petunia stood her ground. "And what business is this of yours?"

"Lily made it my business."

"Why I –" Severus stepped threateningly towards her, but Lily grabbed his arm.

"You know what?" she squeaked nervously. "We should really get to the hall, it's almost time for the ceremony."

"Right." Petunia replied. They went in the direction of the hall, Lily between them, glaring the whole way.

"Aw, Prongs, you look smashing." Sirius Black commented, grinning debonairly over his friend James Potter's shoulder. They looked at each other in the mirror they were standing in front of.

"Thanks Padfoot. I'll make sure to lie to you before you get married, too." James smirked.

"No mate, I'm not lying. You look brilliant." They grinned at each other. "It's Wormtail who looks like the basket case he really is."

Peter Pettigrew was just behind them, trying to fasten his cuff links. "Shut up."

"Say, where's Moony?" James asked.

"Probably puking with misery." Sirius smirked puckishly. "He loves Lily, you know."

"Nah, you're lying."

"I'm serious!" He claimed, and by the look in his eyes, James could tell that he was.

"Are you really?" James asked rhetorically. "Are you really…" He said down on a stool. "I would have never suspected…!"

"I thought it was bloody obvious. You can see it in his eyes when he looks at her."

"I just never noticed. If I had known –"

"Things would be exactly the same." Sirius finished for him, smiling wistfully. "No offense, man, but I know you wouldn't give her up for anything. Not even Moony."

"Yes, I know." James sighed. He decided to change the subject. "Don't you think this orange suit is a bit much?" He fingered the black bow tie, the only bit of sensible color in the whole thing.

"Not at all! It's holiday spirit, mate! After all, today is Halloween."

"I hope Lily won't be upset."

"It doesn't matter much anyways. Tonight you can make up for it." Sirius elbowed him in the ribs, beaming, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Shut up numb nuts." They all laughed, even Peter, who was still fiddling with his cuff links.

"Am I interrupting any thing?" Came a drawling voice from out in the hall. A figure barged in without so much as a knock.

"Snape!" seethed Sirius. "What the bloody hell are you doing here!"

"I was invited…by Li-ly." He stretched her name out with a flick of his tongue, laughing smugly.

"You little ba –" James lunged at Snape, but Sirius grabbed his arms.

"Ignore him man! An ickle greasy prat like him isn't worth getting your tux dirty." Sirius snarled, refusing to take his eyes off Snape.

"And besides, you're just jealous! Don't you know the hero always gets the girl?"

Snape froze. James could tell that one had hit home. He began to smile.

"And don't you know, Potter, that your…ah…happiness won't last for very long? Don't you know the hero doesn't always live to a ripe old age?" Snape inquired, his teeth bared.

"And where'd you hear that from? Voldemort?" James laughed.

Snape flinched. "Indeed!" He yelled. "Indeed!"

He ran out of the dressing room and slammed the door behind him.

Severus and Petunia took their seats on opposite sides of the isle, still seething. Petunia crossed her arms over her chest and held her head high. Soon the music began to play and Lily walked down the isle on the arm of Sirius Black. Severus hissed quietly.

The ceremony was nice, but boring. It ended with a very simple kiss. Petunia looked away, and Severus almost gagged. Purple smoke from various cameras floated to the ceiling.

Everyone was ushered to the sides of the room, and with a flick of the justice's wand, the pews disappeared and a buffet table and many smaller round tables appeared. A small square of floor in the middle of the hall was reserved as a dance floor.

Petunia and Severus ended up being seated together. Petunia's lips were pursed and Severus' face was a livid white. It wasn't until the bride and groom's dance that either of them said a word.

"This is disgusting." Petunia complained, gesturing to her sister and Potter.

"Yes. That Potter –"

"Is such a buffoon!" Petunia finished passionately. "I can't believe Lily allowed him to stay with her in our parents' house!"

"He was much worse at school, strutting around like he was Headmaster, showing off for the girls…"

"He makes me sick!" They declared in unison. They stared at each other. Petunia revealed a weak smile, and understanding surfaced in Severus' eyes.

"Would you like to…would you like to leave? With me?" Severus added quickly. Swiftness and hesitance in speech was not his nature, Petunia automatically knew, and she took it as a compliment.

Petunia almost admitted, 'I'm a married woman.', but decided to keep her mouth shut. She wrenched her wedding ring off her finger and dropped it in the glass of Champaign that sat on the table, untouched. She smiled at Severus, who returned it wholeheartedly. They slipped out of the hall silently.

THE END