Chapter Seventeen - The Milestone

The pilastered white marble walls gave the room a feeling of neoclassical grace. The beige veins of the marble toned in with the toffee coloured Wilton carpet. Fragrant, black-red Guinée roses were everywhere – in sprays on classical marble 'pillar' stands, in swags around the walls, and in a shallow bronze bowl on the gold-draped table behind which Elphinstone MacCandlish, the Chief Registrar stood waiting.

Across the table from the Registrar and a little to the right sat Snape, and to his right was Fabien Lavelle. Behind them, the seats were taken up by almost all the staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry together with Harry Potter and Cho Chang.

The seating in the room was arranged in two blocks that flanked a wide central isle. The front row of the left hand block was occupied only by Aurora Lavelle. In the rows behind her were ranged Aurora's parents, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall, Aberforth Dumbledore and his wife, Septimus Peor with Remus Lupin, and Amanda Fitzwarren and Neville Longbottom with Ginny, Charlie, and most of the other Weasleys. Behind them, the massive figures of Rubeus Hagrid and Olympe Maxime completed the occupation of the left hand seats. The Headmaster had found it difficult to choose which side to sit – he was, by marriage, Celeste's great uncle, but he also felt himself to be something of a father figure to Snape. Eventually he decided he must abide by tradition – he knew Snape would understand, and probably not want it any other way. As ever, McGonagall wanted to sit next to the Headmaster but she had no wish to sit on Snape's side of the room – she had no desire to be seen to be in any sense on his side.

In a little shallow alcove to the right of the main room, a small orchestra was softly playing Luigi Boccherini's Minuet from his String Quartet in E Major. The sound wafted gently out across the sea of witches and wizards in their beautiful robes and hats.

The orchestra finished Boccherini's Minuet and began the second Andante from Handel's Water Music, at which point Snape rose slowly from his seat and turned, looking more Gothic than ever amid the room's neoclassical elegance. Snape however had his own kind of elegance. He stood tall and proud, composed and looking very much in command. He was hiding his nerves well. He wore and outer robe and tunic of bottle green velvet, black breeches and a snowy white silk shirt. The left breast of his robe bore a silver Slytherin serpent. The congregation's faint and expectant buzz of conversation subsided as, pale and motionless, his black hair framing his face in a pointed arch, Snape stood looking down the room, gazing over the heads of the crowd, patiently waiting. At the appropriate stage in the music the door at the back of the room opened.

Celeste and her father appeared. Snape knew she had rehearsed this carefully, planning her entrance so that by the time the two of them reached him, the music would be drawing to its close.

Lucien Lavelle wore a gold-edged silk robe of his habitual powder blue, royal blue breeches and a cream satin shirt. Celeste wore a robe of deep red velvet edged with gold and bearing on the left breast the gold emblem of a rampant lion – the colours and insignia of the House of Gryffindor. Naturally, her hair was put up into its French pleat, but Snape was surprised to see that she had forgotten her ear clips. Where are the gold earrings, he wondered. Then he understood. The neck of her new red dress was cut low, revealing the silver serpent necklace with its oval emerald. It was more important to Celeste to wear that necklace at her wedding than to maintain her careful colour co-ordination. It was a detail he appreciated – its meaning a signal just between the two of them.

Arm in arm, Celeste and her father paced slowly down the isle. She caught Snape's eye, gave him a small, reassuring smile and his taught face softened in return.

Once they were positioned in front of the table, Lucien Lavelle took his daughter's right hand and passed it to Snape who held his left hand ready to receive it. Briefly Lucien wrapped their hands in both of his own, pressing them together to signal his blessing on their union. He smiled at them and slowly withdrew to sit beside his wife in the first front-row seat. The music faded to it's conclusion and the Registrar cleared his throat.

"We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Severus Sebastian Salazar Snape and Celestine Leander Lavelle…" he began. His voice was even and comforting, unhurried and deep… "…If any person knows of any reason why these two should not be joined in matrimony, let that person now declare it, or forever maintain his silence." He waited for a few seconds in case anyone wanted to challenge the validity of the marriage, and then continued. At length he reached the vows.

"Repeat after me" he said softly to Snape. "I call upon these persons here present … to witness that I, Severus Sebastian Salazar Snape … do solemnly take … Celestine Leander Lavelle … to my wedded wife … to have and to hold … from this day forward … in sickness and in health ... for better or for worse … and forsaking all others, I bind myself to her."

Phrase by phrase, Snape dutifully repeated the words, and in her turn Celeste did the same.

"Have you a ring?" the Registrar discretely asked Snape. Rings were not obligatory, but for those who chose to provide one, they were expected to provide an accompanying speech. Fabien stood up briefly to pass Snape the Slytherin platinum ring with its diamonds and central emerald. Snape placed it halfway along Celeste's finger and spoke the words he had prepared.

"I give thee this ring … in token of my love, and of my undying devotion … an heirloom of my House … and a pledge of the worldly goods with which, unreservedly, I thee endow … and hereto I plight thee my troth." Gently, he pushed the ring into place at the base of her finger.

"Have you a ring?" the Registrar discretely asked Celeste.

She nodded calmly as Lucien stepped forward, handing his daughter a ring. She turned and placed it halfway along Snape's wedding finger. He had never seen the ring before. It was gold and shaped exactly like hers. It also contained three gemstones – a deep red garnet flanked by small, brilliant diamonds. His hand was trembling slightly and she gave it an affectionate squeeze.

Her voice was level and assured as she spoke her prepared words. "I give thee this ring … in token of my love, and of my undying devotion … May the garnet's fire bring warmth to you in the chill of the world … and may the diamonds' light be a guide to you through the darkness … And with this I plight thee my troth." Gently, she pushed the ring into place at the base of Snape's finger. It fitted exactly – they were both relieved to find that the measurements the jeweller had taken in April had not been inaccurate. Thinking over her words, Snape gazed in awe at his beautiful ring, and he squeezed Celeste's hand.

"I now pronounce you man and wife – you may now kiss the bride" the Registrar said. Snape's ring glittered as he slowly swept his arm around Celeste and kissed her gently. The Registrar smiled. "A little paperwork formality now" he said; "the signing of the register."

As they disappeared into the anteroom for the signing, the orchestra played Carl Orff's music and Fabien's mellow voice captivated the assembly with Omnia sol temperat.

When Celeste and Snape re-emerged the ceremony was technically at an end. Having sung the closing bars, Fabien stepped aside. With a whisper of thanks to him and to the Registrar, Celeste and Snape stepped forward and began their return down the isle, as the orchestra played the joyful and ebullient third movement – the Allegro – from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto Number One.

They assembled in the reception room amid warm wishes of congratulation and the clicking and flashing of two photographers' cameras. One camera belonged to the photographer Sinistra had hired for them as her wedding present, the other was from the press. They posed for photographs, said their goodbyes to Celeste's grand parents who were not going on to the reception, and then finally prepared to Disapparate, making for Hogsmeade where the carriages waited to transport them to Hogwarts. Sinistra's photographer accompanied the wedding party – he would be present for the whole day.

At Hogwarts a marquee had been set up in the grounds, and when all the guests were seated the house-elves served the food and made sure everyone's wine goblet was kept filled. Dumbledore made a short speech of welcome and toasted the bride and groom to signal the start of the wedding feast.

Snape and Celeste had changed their clothes. Snape was still in bottle green but his robe was of a summer-weight material. Celeste wore a full-skirted, sea green, silk dress with a tight bodice and leg-of-mutton sleeves. The necklace was still proudly in evidence at her plunging neckline and the silver ear clips were now in place.

When people were starting to feel replete it was traditionally the time for the bridegroom's speech. Snape rose from his seat and called for everyone's attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Colleagues. Friends." As Snape spoke he looked around, letting his hypnotic gaze draw everyone in. "You will no doubt be pleased to hear that I shall not weary you with a long speech, but while I am speaking could I please ask the house-elves to charge the glasses. Thank you." He paused briefly to ensure the elves had noted their cue and were discretely topping up all the champagne flutes; and as they did so, he continued. "First of all I should like to say 'Thank – You – All' for coming here today, to join Celeste and myself as we celebrate our special day. Thank you for the wonderful gifts you have given us (he waved an elegant hand towards a table at the end of the marquee, laden with beautifully wrapped packages). Thank you too for the less, err, tangible presents – for this banquet, and the use of the school premises, for the music we will shortly hear, and the fireworks which will conclude today's celebration; for the photographer recording this special event; and too for the help I have received in preparing myself for this day." As he made this last point Snape directed his gaze upon Madeline Black and gave her a small, shy smile. Then he broadened his gaze and continued once more.

"Today marks a milestone in my life. A turning point. Another–second–chance. There have been some dark times in my life – often of my own making – but I have been very fortunate, more fortunate than I perhaps deserve, to have good friends to help me through those times. The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, has fulfilled such a rôle and I now offer him my long overdue thanks. And now Celestine Leander Lavelle takes up the challenge of shining a light into the dark corners of this irascible wizard's psyche. You will no doubt agree, hers is a brave undertaking. So I ask you now, without more ado" Snape said, picking up his own champagne flute, "to raise your glasses and drink a toast, to the witch who has generously consented to share her life with mine – Mrs Celestine Snape."

Everyone stood momentarily and raised their glasses, murmuring 'Mrs Celestine Snape'. Then, as the elves again saw to the refilling of the glasses, they took their seats, expecting Dumbledore or possibly Fabien to call the next toast.

As they toasted her, Celeste looked shyly around and smiled, murmuring her thanks. Then as Snape resumed his seat she surprised everyone by getting to her feet.

"It is not customary" she announced bravely, "for a bride to make a speech at her wedding reception, but having received such a tribute, I must break with tradition. My husband will not approve of this – he is a stickler for tradition." She smiled and continued.

"I think it is true to say that Severus Snape – irascible wizard – is very well known to almost everyone here. You have probably called him many things over the years." Her audience smiled, some chuckled. "Difficult is one of the politer words that spring to mind." At this impish comment, warm laughter filled the marquee. "But" she continued in a more serious vein, "Severus, as he has shown many times, has never been lacking in courage. So, ladies and gentlemen, would you please raise your glasses and drink a toast to, the wizard who will not flinch from pain in order to achieve change – Professor Severus Snape."

Along with the guests, Celeste turned to Snape, raised her glass and toasted him. He was dumbfounded and actually looked visibly moved. Fighting to keep control of his emotions, he reached out his hand to hers. She put down her glass, bent, and kissed him, and this brought forth a storm of applause. Finally, as it subsided Fabien rose, made a short speech and blessed the bride and groom. He then read out some owled messages of congratulation. They included one from Cornelius and Petronella Fudge, one from Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater, and one from Vladimir Gordeev, the Russian Wizard who was Charlie's predecessor in Romania. Once they were dealt with Fabien announced "Ladies and Gentlemen, or do I mean Witches and Wizards? Forgive a Muggle his lack of accurate terminology. The dancing will now begin…"

Dancing took place on the lawn near to the marquee. As planned, music was provided by the Niall Falallin orchestra, with Ravelin to arrive later to do the hotter numbers. Snape opened the dancing with Celeste, swinging her confidently about to Alicia's light, jazzy and jokey rendition of It Had To Be You. Other couples soon joined them, Celeste's parents, Dumbledore with McGonagall, Aberforth with his wife, Sprout with her husband, the Blacks, Harry with Cho Chang and Hagrid with Madam Maxime. More and more came forward until the dance area was quite full.

Alicia looked a picture in a glittery sugar pink full length dress and silver sandals. Her hair was trimmed with tiny pink rosebuds. She followed It Had To Be You with a sultry-voiced I'll Take Romance, to which the couples could waltz. Snape and Celeste looked at ease as they danced, and they seemed to be having fun. It was also increasingly clear that they were becoming heedless of the staring crowds and simply enjoying the music. And it was true, Snape was at last starting to lose the painful self-consciousness that fuelled a lot of his coldness, his sarcasm and his disproportionate desire to prove himself.

Harry struggled through Begin the Beguine, but when the orchestra slid into the rapidly cascading phrases of the Brandenburg's 'Cadenza' Adagio, he and Cho decided to give it a miss. They sat down and watched Snape whirling Celeste around in a spirited waltz to the Bach Concerto that had actually been composed before the modern form of the waltz had been invented. Cho was slightly envious – Harry could never manage what they called 'old fashioned' dances. Harry was amazed at his old Potions Master – he had never imagined Snape doing anything as remotely human and pleasurable as dancing.

Alicia took a rest while the orchestra played Cheek to Cheek, and then tried to dance a two-step with Sirius Black, to the tune of the 1930s song March Winds and April Showers. Her straight dress was rather too tight for dancing and they both found it quite hilarious.

By then Snape and Celeste were standing to one side, resting, and drinking iced pumpkin juice. They surveyed the crowd and the dancers, noticing Sirius laughing good-naturedly with Alicia.

"It's quite a success" Snape said happily, "and the weather is perfect! By the way, who invited Draco Malfoy to the reception? I'm not displeased to see him, but he buttonholed me about a teaching career when he greeted me a few minutes ago."

"I think he's with Hermione Granger" Celeste replied a little uncertainly. "Remember we marked some invitations to named individuals plus guest of their choice? I believe Hermione brought the Malfoy boy."

"Did she really?" Snape said, amazed. "I thought she would probably bring Viktor Krum."

He watched Neville Longbottom dancing quite smoothly with Ginny Weasley, and the Weasley parents dancing together as the orchestra played the tune of another 1930s song, Hands Across the Table. He observed that Alicia was having more success in moving to this tune as she danced with Fabien Lavelle. He also spotted Septimus Peor and Remus Lupin who were drinking flagons of mead and talking to Harry and Cho. Yes, he said to himself, it's going splendidly.

Dusk was falling, making the flashes from the photographer's camera more noticeable. Magically suspended lanterns were popping into existence and floating above the crowd. Some guests were helping themselves to food from the buffet in the marquee. Many others were dancing; the orchestra was playing You and The Night and The Music.

Ravelin had arrived and were setting up with help from the Flitwick brothers. The band all wore glossy black two-piece suits, white satin shirts, and green bow ties. Fake diamond cufflinks glittered at their wrists. Harry went over to see Dean who had been a Housemate of his at Hogwarts. They chatted and reminisced until Dean said "OK, we're gonna start now, Harry. We're openin' wiv You Aint Seen Nothin' Yet…"

In need of a rest, Dumbledore and McGonagall sat at a little table with Celeste's parents and Fabien Lavelle, and watched the dancers jiving to the hot rock number You Aint Seen Nothin' Yet. The Black's were, as usual, going wild, but even Snape and Celeste were putting in an amazingly good effort. After several goblets of wine, Snape had really got into the mood of the dancing and had thrown caution to the winds.

Dumbledore noticed Aurora Lavelle's eyes narrow. "Do you still doubt him, Aurora?" he asked.

"I'll never trust him" she murmured. "Look at him – Salazar Slytherin reborn!"

"He is not an ancestor of Salazar's" McGonagall said. "His great-great something-or-other was adopted by Slytherin's descendants. Albus has the details somewhere."

"Yes, a baby was adopted" Dumbledore agreed. "A foundling. Left on a doorstep, much as I left Harry Potter. But I believe the Snape foundling was actually a Slytherin descendent. I looked into Snape's family history when he came here as a pupil. Such a strange, gifted, difficult boy he was. Quite an enigma. All my investigations lead me to believe the witch who abandoned that baby was indeed a pureblood Slytherin. As to why she left her child? Perhaps she could not endure the stigma of his illegitimacy. Perhaps she did not have the means to take care of him. Who knows? Severus pooh-poohed my theory. He certainly never saw himself as 'The Heir of Slytherin', and he is not a parcelmouth. And yet – I still suspect we are looking at the heirs of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin dancing together today. And when you see the firework display tonight, you will see I am not alone in my opinions."

"That just proves me right" Aurora said smugly.

"You are too hard on him, Aurora" Lucien objected. "Yes, he has a dark side, but few of us are exempt from that. He also has a power to heal."

"He does indeed" Fabien agreed, "and an ability to break free of his darkness."

The tune changed. Dean Thomas began to sing Witchcraft, and Fabien stood up to dance. "Minerva, may I?" he asked, extending his hand to her. "I bet you have never danced with a Friar before!"

Blushing slightly, McGonagall stood up and took his hand.

For the evening Alicia had swapped sugar pink for midnight blue. It was another sequinned sheath dress of satin, slashed to the thigh to reveal dark blue fishnet tights. Her hair sparkled with metallic blue glitter. Her next song was My Resistance Is Low.

Ravelin followed this with the Beach Boys' song Barbara Anne. Snape had by now taken a small drop of Terpsichorean Potion just to give himself a little extra courage, and he and Madeline Black managed a modern bop to this song, as did Sirius and Celeste. Then they swapped back to their respective spouses for a very hot rendition of Crocodile Rock, and then Take a Chance on Me, followed by Dean cooling the tempo by singing This Time The Girl Is Gonna Stay.

At about half-past nine Alicia and Dean were singing Say Me, Say You as a duet, to which everyone could dance a slow smooch. Following this, and moving in perfect unison like The Four Tops, Ravelin sang Knock on Wood, during which Snape and Celeste stopped dancing and went to say farewell to a few chosen individuals.

"The next three songs lead, without a break, into the firework display" they explained "And at the end of that we set off. So we want to say goodbye in advance now, and to thank you for making this day so wonderful for us." They embraced Celeste's parents – Celeste giving her father a special hug of gratitude, as she could see he had found the day something of an ordeal. They also embraced Fabien who again uttered a blessing. There were hugs too for Dumbledore and McGonagall. Snape shook hands with the Flitwick brothers and Celeste kissed them. Then they looked for Harry and Cho and the Blacks, but they were all dancing. "No matter" Celeste said. "They'll get our thank you letters soon."

Accompanied by Ravelin and the full orchestra Alicia was starting to sing The Power of Love as her last solo so they quickly returned to the dance area.

Ten o'clock was approaching. Alicia's The Power of Love had given way to Ravelin performing Take My Breath Away and then to the orchestra playing the waltz Oh How We Danced On The Night We Were Wed. Couples smooched dreamily to Take My Breath Away, but most were getting tired, and the following waltz, with its accelerating tempo was too energetic for them. They drifted to the sides of the dance area, leaving Snape and Celeste to dance alone.

Snape whirled Celeste around faster and faster – they looked as though they could dance all night. Their eyes were locked onto one-another; no one else existed for them now. In many ways Snape looked very much the evil sorcerer and Celeste the beautiful bewitched victim – some would have agreed with Aurora Lavelle's opinion of him.

As the final bars of the waltz approached, Felix Flitwick and his brother Clement positioned themselves beside the firework ignition point.

The music was changing, blending seamlessly into Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks as the dancing stopped completely and all the lanterns were extinguished. Showers of Dr Filibuster's 'Professional Exhibition Grade' fireworks exploded in time to the thunderous baroque chords, reaching ever higher as the music progressed. Enthralled, the crowd oooed and aaarhed! At the climax the final fireworks burst, fizzing and crackling, splitting the darkness, forming the shapes of a golden lion and a silver serpent cleverly intertwined; as starbursts of red and green repeatedly erupted around them. The crowd gasped!

"That is truly amazing!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Felix and Clement have surpassed themselves. It would be so easy for one animal to appear to be devouring or crushing the other, but the Flitwick brothers have depicted an embrace; a caress."

Standing at the front of the crowd, in their own embrace stood Snape and Celeste, their heads tilted back to watch the pyrotechnic wonder. This was their signal. They turned, raised their hands and called a thank you to everyone and a brief farewell. A second later they had melted into the impenetrable shadows behind the firework display; and a few moments after that the lights were restored so that the guests could party on…

Out of sight, Snape and Celeste hurried to the other side of the castle. At the back entrance to the dungeons the carriage was already waiting and two house-elves were talking to the driver. Once inside Snape's chambers they changed their clothes and lined up their few pieces of luggage which were already packed. The elves assisted them to the carriage.

"Thank you Binnie, thank you Tavey" Celeste said. They seated themselves in the carriage and she held Snape's hand. "Portugal next stop" she said excitedly as he put his arm around her.