Chapter Thirty Two – Shocking But True

"Love. What a small word we use for an idea so immense and powerful. It has altered the flow of history, calmed monsters, kindled works of art, cheered the forlorn, turned tough guys to mush, consoled the enslaved, driven strong women mad, glorified the humble, fuelled national scandals, bankrupted robber barons, and made mincemeat of kings. How can love's spaciousness be conveyed in the narrow confines of one syllable? Love is an ancient delirium, a desire older than civilization, with taproots spreading into deep and mysterious days. The heart is a living museum. In each of its galleries, no matter how narrow or dimly lit, preserved forever like wondrous diatoms, are our moments of loving, and being loved." – Diane Ackerman

By December, James had concluded that he was very content. In fact, he was pretty certain he bordered perilously near happy. Shocking but true.

On the opposite note, Lily had concluded she would probably kill her mother-in-law before she turned twenty, providing she actually got married. That wasn't looking so hopeful at the moment. Lily had not envisioned a single thing in the world that could disrupt her wedding plans once she found her groom, but she had never before met Emmaline Potter.

Of course James was happy. His days were spent finishing his medical training and then his evenings and weekends were filled with fun with his friends and Lily. Lily, on the other hand, spent her daytime hours in wearying Hit Witch training and her evenings and weekends struggling with the wedding plans. She felt like struggle was a minor description of the ordeal. Every dream she had ever had for her wedding was being struck down like pesky mosquitoes. If she wanted red flowers, Emmaline informed her white was more appropriate. She wanted a white dress, Emmaline insisted on white robes. Lily begged for Muggle music, Emmaline cried until they had arranged for a magical string quartet. Lily was allergic to peanuts, but low and behold, the reception could not be a success without several peanut dishes. Who cared if the bride suddenly started choking and turning blue? Not Emmaline. This day was not going to be about Lily, her beliefs or traditions, or even her survival. This day was all about Emmaline Potter and her wishes for the social event of decade.

Lily could not help but feel bitter, and all the bitterness surfaced to James's eyes for the first time two days before Christmas.

He was idly toasting some marshmallows in the fireplace to the strains of the White Christmas soundtrack on the telly. Outside, seventy three strings of white lights glowed brightly on their house, trees, and fence. Inside, the tree was up, garland was on every doorway, and mistletoe had been applied liberally. With a jerk of his wand, he brought the marshmallows back out of the fire and began wondering what he would be eating for supper that night.

James grinned when he heard the door open, and went to greet Lily with some gooey marshmallows. He had done a really superior job getting them golden brown all over. Not a burned spot on them. Lily would be proud. Unfortunately, the first glimpse of her expression alerted him that the marshmallows wouldn't be top bill on tonight's show.

"Er, bad day, dear?" James asked cautiously, taking in her disheveled appearance. She was still wearing the standard athletic uniform worn by Aurors and Hit Witches in training. She looked fairly clean except for the big stain on one of the legs of her sweats. Her hair looked like a disaster zone. Odd pieces were popping out from her messy bun. All in all, she looked like a rag lady.

She snorted without humor. "Bad day? A bad day is a walk in the park compared to today. I was eating lunch in the cafeteria, and all of a sudden an owl comes in, knocks over my plate of greasy pizza, and hence the stains on my shorts. That owl is from your very dear mother who requested my presence immediately after training, due to some emergency. I worried through four more hours, and I get to her place, to find out the emergency was only that it was going to be a bigger hassle than expected to get the white orchids. You may ask why that doesn't concern me. Well, James, I hate orchids! Well, I was pretty steamed, and I decided I wanted a walk through town. On my way, I walk past the dress store, and I see the perfect dress. I would slay dragons to have that dress. See, Mildred at the shop gave me a catalogue photo of it. Lovely, wouldn't you say?"

Lily waved the glossy picture in front of his face, but he could make out none of it.

"Well, I started thinking more about it, and I can't wear it because your mother chose some robes for me. She also chose music I don't like by a group I don't care about. I hate the food and flowers and the cake design and the bridesmaid dresses and what you're wearing and what Sirius is wearing and the location and the officiator and the invitations and the decorations and my shoes and the way I'm wearing my hair and the vows and the music to our first dance."

"Er, is there anything you do like?" James asked nervously.

"NO! There is not a single blessed thing I like at this wedding besides you and the Marauders. She even told me it would be best if Millie wasn't there. I don't like a single thing at this wedding because it's your mother's wedding, not mine. If we give her the chance, she'll pick out our wedding bands. We are not getting married on June twenty first at some meadow in God knows where. I am not going to be married in some robes that don't even fit me properly in shoes I can't walk in to music that gives me a headache."

"Umm, when would you like to get married?"

"NEVER!"

"What?"

Lily finally dropped the gym bag she was carrying and walked closer to him. "I don't want to get married anymore. This is ridiculous; I have never been this miserable before. Let's just live together and forget about being married. It's not worth the hassle."

"It is too."

She laughed. "That's easy for you to say. You aren't the one having your dreams crushed. You aren't the one being driven out of your mind by the number of orchids we should order. You aren't the one dealing with your mother. You're the one toasting marshmallows, laughing it up with your friends, and engaging in a roll between the sheets every night. I'm sure I would be having fun if that was all I was doing."

"Now, listen, Lily, you're upset and you're just venting. You don't really want to call off the wedding."

"No, James, I am very serious. I am not going to be marrying you in June. Why don't we go sit down and we can talk about our options." Lily led a stony-faced James to the living room and perched on the coffee table opposite of him when he chose the couch. His face may have been blank, but his mind was racing. He would not be going down without a fight. "Here are my ideas. We could just not get married. We aren't the problem, the wedding is. Or, we could go to the Ministry and have a civil ceremony."

"No and no," James said firmly. "First of all, we are getting married. Second, a civil ceremony at the Ministry is the next step up from being unmarried. That isn't what you want. In Magic-Land, people only have weddings like that when they have something to hide, like a half-Muggle baby on the way, for example. Why not have the wedding you planned."

"Have you not been listening?" Lily asked impatiently. She got up from the table and flopped onto the couch next to him. "Your mother will interfere with that too. The only way we can have a wedding is if she is in Siberia without her wand or an owl or a fire."

"Why don't we just think about if for a little bit before we begin burning bridges? Let's go finished our Christmas shopping and talk about it some more in the morning. It'll work out."

"I really think we should resolve this now."

"Fine. You sit in here and resolve while I finish my shopping." James left the room to get his coat and scarf in preparation for venturing out into Muggle Grantham. When he returned to the living room, Lily was still sitting. He walked over to her and kissed her forehead. "You do realize it'll work out in the end. We'll get married and live happily ever after."

"What makes you think that?"

"That's what people do when they love each other."

"Cute."

"I thought you would enjoy it. Lily?"

"Hmm?"

James rested his forehead against hers and looked into the green eyes that held him so entranced. "I love you. Don't forget that when you're doing all that resolving."

"I won't. Don't forget you still haven't got anything for Remus."

"Damn, I had. Perhaps he won't notice if we just get him a lovely card."

"James."

"I know, I know. Bye, Lily."

"By James. Don't stay out too late; it's supposed to get really cold tonight."

James left the house and instead of Christmas shopping, he began putting his newly formed plan into action. First stop was the dress store to ask Mildred what dress Lily had been looking at.

The Next Morning…Christmas Eve 1974

"Liiiillllyyyyy, wake up!"

Lily groaned and rolled onto her side, facing Millie, who was strangely enough, sitting next to her on the bed. After she grappled with her glasses, Lily pushed her hair out of her face and muttered, "What are you doing here?"

"Waking you up, evidently. It's nine o'clock, only six hours until you get married. I brought you some breakfast. It's not much, but it'll hold you over for awhile."

Lily sat up so quickly she knocked a glass of milk out of Millie's hand. She grabbed her wand and hastily cleaned it up, and then asked carefully, "What are you talking about? I'm getting married? I think you're mistaken. Where is James, anyway?"

"Arranging the wedding would be my guess; no, I'm not mistaken; you and James are getting married at three."

She arranged herself more comfortably sitting up in bed. "We called the wedding off last night. We probably aren't even getting married."

"He explained the situation. Here, let's eat." Millie opened some bags and boxes, revealing frosted sugar cookies, doughnuts, and muffins. "Healthy, I know, but we don't have time for five star dining today. Now, listen carefully. Since you told him you were upset with the whole wedding slash Emmaline thing, he decided he would arrange your dream wedding today. It is Christmas Eve, after all. I didn't know Potter had something this romantic in him. The Marauders are all decorating today. He got our dresses last night; they're hanging on the door over there. I will pick up the flowers at half-noon, and the Potters House-Elves are arranging the dinner afterward. You, my dear, have nothing to worry about except looking pretty."

"James and I are seriously getting married today?"

"Yes."

"You're not pulling the mickey on me?"

"No."

"How could he do this? A wedding can't be sprung upon me like…like a trip to the grocery!"

"Just last night you were complaining how much work it was. Trust me, this will be perfect."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"In that case, it is rather sweet."

"That's the spirit; now, eat your breakfast."

"Oh yes, I wouldn't want to miss out on the eight hundred empty calories I'm about to consume. I guess it'll be the last time I'll be doing this single, though."

"You don't know about lunch yet, Lily."

9:00 a.m. - St. George's

Stratford-Upon-Avon

As soon as the doors shut behind the priest, James turned to Amos Diggory. "Did you deliver all of the invitations?"

"Yes. Your mother nearly fell over. Everybody said they would be here at two forty five. Several exclaimed over the darling invitations."

"They were rather nice, weren't they?" Sirius asked. "I made them, you know."

"You told the elf how to make them," Peter pointed out.

Sirius made a face, but acknowledged the point. The darling invitations in question were gingerbread wedding bells wrapped in burgundy cellophane tied with a gold ribbon. On the bells, in white frosting, was written Please join in the celebration of the marriage of Lily A. Evans and James B. Potter at St. George's at three o'clock on Christmas Eve. Attached was a small, identically shaped card, listing apparation and Flooing details.

"Where's Potter?"

"He's making some pepper-up potion. We're all weaving around like drunkards after being up all night, and after he started worrying about the smell of one of the trees, we sent him off. He's about to make himself sick," Remus answered. The three remaining Marauders were decorating the inside of the small church while Mason Dechamp was guarding the entrance from Muggles, as well as trying to put up some greenery around the doorway.

"Well, I'm off to see about the carolers and the rest of the musicians." Amos apparated with a dull pop and the Marauders resumed decorating.

At the Evans-Potter residence

10:00 a.m.

"I don't understand how they can get it all done on time," Lily muttered, munching on a cookie and watching a movie on the telly. "I've spent months with Emmaline, and we're nowhere near finished."

"The Marauders can move mountains if they put their minds to it, and they have Amos and me and James's friend Mason as well as about half a dozen House-Elves. It won't be as elaborate or as grand as what you and Mrs. Potter were planning, but it'll be what you've dreamed of for years," Millie assured her.

"When should we get dressed?"

"We'll eat lunch at about half eleven, and then we'll start then. I don't think it'll take that long."

"Sounds good to me. Want another cookie?"

St. George's

11:30

Mason popped his head in the door, and saw James arranging flowers in the foyer. "One of the elves just apparated behind a shrub out here to tell me the cake was finished."

"Alright, thanks," James said distractedly, and mentally checked it off his list. The cake was done, which meant the rest of the food would begin being prepared now. The carolers were booked and scheduled to show up at two thirty to sing as the guests arrived. Most of the ceremony decorations were in place, and they were beginning on the outside. His and Sirius's outfits should be arriving from at two. The priest had a vague idea of the routine, just enough to get him by, and little enough to easily erase from his memory. The marriage license had been signed by both of them, courtesy of Millie. One of the deputy ministers was notified and should be there at three thirty for the magical portion of the ceremony. Everything was as smooth as glass.

He had even checked in with Millie several times via the mirrors he and Sirius used to make sure everything was going well. Glancing at his watch, the one Lily had given him two Christmases ago, he decided it was probably time to contact her again. He ran and got the mirror from the room he was using as a dressing room and made it show him Millie. When she picked it up, she looked annoyed. "This is the eighth time since she woke up. What do you want now?"

"I was just making sure everything was going okay. Is she still doing alright?"

"Yes, fine."

"Is she eating lunch?"

"We're working on that right now. Are you lot about done with the decorations?"

"Yes, we're the same as done with the sanctuary and I'm working on the foyer. The others are working on the courtyard, and then we'll go to the ballroom."

"I'm still bringing her to the church at half two."

"We'll be ready, don't worry," James assured her.

"How can I keep from it?"

James rolled his eyes and shut the mirror off. He had more important things to do than mess with Millie. Arranging those tulips in the vase was one of them.

Evans-Potter Household

1:30 p.m.

"Ready to see our dresses?" Millie asked. Their hair and makeup was done, but so far, Lily was still completely in the dark as to what any part of her wedding would look like. She hadn't even seen the flowers Millie had picked up yet.

"I'm dying."

With a lot of ceremony and giggling the two girls unzipped the garment bags from the dress shop Lily had been by just the evening before. Millie put on her dress first, and Lily nearly began crying. It was just like she had imagined; it was a knee-length, long-sleeved burgundy satin dress with a boat neckline trimmed in the same dark velvet that comprised the sash. Millie wouldn't allow Lily to see her dress as she put it on away from a mirror, and when she finally got to see her wedding gown, she felt tears well up in her eyes. "It's the one I saw in the window."

Throughout the whole day, Lily had been apprehensive. Could James really get this right? He knew very little about Christmas and even less about weddings. She had been overreacting when she said she didn't want to get married, but she wasn't so sure she wanted to elope so soon. When she turned to see her reflection, her anxiety slid away. It was perfect. The dress was the perfect winter dress because the fabric was made of heavy satin, but the illusion sleeves made it pretty instead of stuffy. The skirt was full and was pulled up in flounces along the bottom to reveal a gold underskirt. It was stunning, the dress of her dreams.

"Ready for your bouquet?"

"It can't be better than this," Lily murmured, but followed Millie downstairs to the box of flowers. She pulled out the bouquet, and handed it to Lily. It was, curiously enough, arranged out of white tulips with red tips. The stems were left bare and neatly tripped at the bottom. They were secured with a gold ribbon with several small glass snowflake ornaments handing from it.

"That's your something old. My mum bought them her first Christmas on her own for her tree. They were cheap, but pretty, so you can keep them, if you want."

"I love them. They're gorgeous. Did you pick out the flowers?"

"Surprisingly enough, James even handled that. I didn't know he had it in him."

"I didn't either," she said wonderingly. Apparently James had some sort of secret wedding-planning personality. For somebody who claimed he had never been to a wedding where the people actually liked each other, this was a rather large step.

"Let's go downstairs and take some pictures with the tree and outside. You've got to have loads of photos. Maybe we should get a snack while we're at it."

"I've already eaten four cookies today. I'll go into a diabetic rage shortly because I can't digest all of it as it is."

"You will be embarrassed if your stomach starts rumbling during the ceremony."

"Fine, let's take some pictures and eat some cookies."

St George's

2:20 p.m.

"Do I look alright?" James asked nervously. He tugged at his tie and then at his jacket in an attempt to get it aligned more accurately.

"That red really brings out the color of your eyes."

"I still think we should have gone with green to match Lily's eyes."

Sirius made gagging noises at his friend. "That is revolting. Nobody cares if the groom's tie matches the bride's eyes. I have a hard time believing you are still James Potter. Do you just let her lead you along like a pet?"

"I do not let her lead me along," James said defensively. "We discuss things. She didn't lead me along today! Besides, she is a very good leader when she does lead."

"Whatever. I like her all the same, but I do regret that you're rushing into this. I didn't have the chance to throw a bachelor party."

"Yet another good reason for rushing into it."

"I don't see why you don't want to go out with me and the others more. Lily doesn't mind. She thinks it's fun to be home alone, or she goes with her friends. She does have friends other than you, you know."

"I don't think you're supposed to be talking to me about this before my wedding, Sirius. You're supposed to be telling me how happy I'll be and how great she is and what a lovely life we'll have together," James said rather testily. He was really wishing he hadn't got dressed so early. He couldn't sit down for risk of creasing his pants.

"We both know she's the best and you'll be disgustingly happy together. It's time to move on to a new topic. Millie should be here any time with our boutonnieres. I'm going to go check. You really should do something about those bags under your eyes. You look like an old man robbing the cradle." Sirius left the room, and James tried to remedy his appearance.

Sirius was happy for James, he truly was. All day long he had been excited to work this hard for two people as great as them, but he felt just a little sad and left out. Triads were always awkward relationships. His friend was moving onto something without him, something he couldn't be part of. All the same, though, Sirius was going to do all he could to make this day great for James. He knocked on the door to the room Lily and Millie would be in, and he was surprised to hear them already inside.

"Who is it?" Millie called.

"Sirius."

"Oh." Millie abruptly opened the door and sidled out. "What do you want?"

"Can I come in?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Can't see Lily before the wedding."

"That's James, Millie. I'm not marrying Sirius."

"We could switch things up if you wanted, though, Lils," he said, and forced his way past Millie. "So, do you have the flowers for James and me?"

Lily handed Sirius the two tulips wrapped in cellophane.

"Nervous yet? James is so paranoid I'll be surprised if he doesn't run out there and start making last minute adjustments to the decorations."

"I am kind of nervous, actually," Lily admitted, "mainly because I don't know what to expect. I've never even been to a magical wedding. Mrs. Potter has gone over it a hundred times with me, but hearing her describe it isn't the same as seeing it. Besides, I have a tendency to tune her out after a minute or two."

"Most people don't last a whole minute," Sirius laughed, and sat down across from Lily at a small dinette set under a window. "It's kind of funny to think that you'll be Mrs. Potter now. Kind of comical, really."

"Thanks for allaying all of my fears and apprehensions."

"That is what the best man is for, you know. Whenever you're doing your bouquet toss, could you perhaps keep it away from any young woman I might consider dating?"

"I will be sure to aim it at the ugliest girl in the room, Sirius, just for you."

"I'm glad; I was a bit worried. I'm happy we've got things all worked out now. You look really nice, by the way. The leafy stuff in your hair is a nice touch; do you suppose I should tuck some in James's to match?"

The leafy stuff in question was holly leaves. "If you put anything in his hair, it'll look like he's been sleeping in a forest."

"Good point. I'm supposed to give this to you while I'm here. It's your something new, courtesy of James." Sirius gave Lily a small, flat jewelry box. She opened in and couldn't help but smile. Inside was a delicate crystal snowflake on a gold chain. After he clasped it around her neck, Sirius glanced at his watched and whistled, "Nineteen minutes until you become Mrs. Potter. I better go make sure James hasn't clawed his way out of the room yet and perhaps administer a sedative. You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but he's wound tighter than a clock today."

"Why's that?"

"He's determined this will be perfect for you. He doesn't want you to regret marrying him."

"He is such a dolt. Tell him to stop worrying. I love everything I've seen."

"I'll tell him, but you know what a worrywart he is. He has asked be about the rings eight times since I picked them up."

"Rings? You have the rings? Can I see?" Lily asked eagerly, jumping up to meet Sirius at the door.

"Definitely not, Miss Evans. You can ogle it all you want once you're Mrs. Potter, but for now, it's my secret. I helped James pick it out, you know. He was being a sissy about it, and I had to step in."

"You're scaring her; get out of here, Sirius," Millie said forcefully, and physically removed Sirius from the room. "See you in fifteen minutes."

"Don't be late, you two. James will probably go into cardiac arrest or pop a blood vein or something." The door was slammed in his face. Sirius went back to the room with James, only to find the groom being sick in the washroom. "I told you to stop worrying!"

"Shut up!"

More retching noises.

"I also told you not to eat that fish."

"I also told you to shut up!" James came out of the loo a few minutes later, cleaned up, and looking annoyed. "Whichever of you who did the shrubbery outside just wadded up the leftover lights and through them behind it. Did you think nobody would notice?"

"Is that what has got you so worked up? The lights? What is wrong with you? I never knew you were such a control freak. You do realize Lily probably won't even notice half the stuff we've done."

"It's the thought that counts," James said firmly, and smoothed his coat in the mirror again. "You still have the rings, right?"

"That's number nine. Would you relax? You're going to make me sick."

Sirius was tucking the tulip in James's buttonhole a few minutes later when he said quietly, "I'm happy for you, Prongs. I'm happy you're finally happy. I wish we could all find somebody like her."

After the uncharacteristically emotional moment between the two friends, James tried to smile to break the tension. "You know, I knew I had to marry her when I realized she was the first girl that any of us went out with that we all liked."

Sirius laughed. "She was the first! Go figure. Wait till you see her. You'll probably cry."

"I'm not going to cry."

"Whatever. Millie's not looking so bad herself. You're a pretty good stylist. I didn't know you were so multi-faceted. Healer by day, wedding planner, stylist, florist, jeweler, and decorator by night."

"I am pretty talented. Look, it's time. Mirror Millie to let her know we're going."

After Sirius did that, he and James went down stairs and walked in the side door that led them to the altar. The thirty five guests all looked at him and Sirius expectantly, and then went back to chatting over the cheerful Christmas carols being sung by the group of Victorian carolers in the choir's balcony.

James wiped his palms on his pants and surveyed the scene. The decorations actually looked really nice. It was difficult to comprehend that the entire wedding was going to be pulled off with only nineteen hours of preparation. His mother appeared to have the same thoughts because she kept turning around to stare dazedly at her surroundings.

"On the bright side," Sirius said quietly, leaning towards James, "You haven't eaten anything recently."

"Can you tell I'm nervous?"

"Your eye is twitching and you're fiddling with whatever's in your pocket. What's in your pocket?"

"Some money, breath mints, wire cutters, and antacids."

"I can't believe you charmed your pockets on your wedding day. Do I even want to know what you're going to do with Lily that requires wire cutters?"

"It's in case something goes wrong with the decorations!"

"I see. Oh! Look! We're starting. Deep breath. You look great. Exhale."

St. George's

Three o'clock p.m.

"Ready, Lily?" Millie asked quietly.

"Yeah, let's go."

"I love you, Lily!" Millie threw her arms around her friend for a tight hug before placing something in Lily's hands. "There's your something borrowed. We both know what's blue." Millie tucked her hands in the white muff in lieu of a bouquet, and sauntered through the doors and down the aisle to the tune of the dance scene from The Nutcracker.

Looking down, Lily laughed when she saw that the object was a hairpin with a horseshoe on it. Millie had 'borrowed' it from Petunia years ago when she was visiting the Evans' house. When she tucked it in her hair, Lily became suddenly sober at the realization none of her family would be in that church. She momentarily felt like crying at the thought of walking down the aisle without her family there watching her, but it was something she had reconciled with early in the planning process. It was a fact of her life now.

The doors opened again, and as Lily moved in front of them for her first view of the sanctuary, Tchaikovsky's march began playing instead of the more traditional Lohengrin. That was perfect. She gripped her bouquet a bit tighter and stepped through the doors. Lily immediately glanced to the altar to spot James standing with a nervous stiffness. Instantly, she smiled, and a second later, he returned with a grin and a wink.

During her walk between the pews, she took in the scene of the ceremony. Most surprisingly, there were about three dozen people, all dressed in red or green. James's parents and friends, Lily's friends, some of their dorm mates from Hogwarts, a couple teachers, and a few new friends from work in addition to their dates created a hefty number.

Amazingly, the church was decorated so perfectly Lily doubted she would change anything. There were three tall, slender evergreen trees along each of the two side walls, decorated in gold ribbon and tapers. In addition, the gold and white candles glowing in the windows lent a rosy glow to the whole church. Greenery intertwined with tiny strands of red beads and wide gold and white striped ribbon draped along the edge of the ceiling. On each pew was a wreath with a bow and ribbon the same shade as Millie's dress. Looking down, Lily saw the runner was white with an embankment of very real looking snow on each side. Glancing ahead again, she saw that James was standing in front of an arbor covered with evergreen branches and decorated with gold, white, and burgundy ribbons. Near him was Father Hilshire, the same priest that had married Vernon and Petunia.

Meeting James's eyes again, Lily knew her smile must be huge, but she couldn't control herself. This was precisely what she had always dreamed of.

The Muggle ceremony wasn't the traditional Catholic rites that Petunia and Vernon had used, because Lily wasn't the most avid Catholic, and James wasn't the most avid anything, but the priest used the same Bible verses, Ecclesiastics 3:1-8 and homily he had for her sister.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak: a time for love, and a time for hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."

Now, Lily didn't feel all that far from the rest of her family. She wished they were there in the front row instead of Amos and his family. The comforting words reminded her so much of her family, she felt it must be a good sign. The words weren't so comforting though, when she looked away from Father Hilshire to James. They seemed exciting, like a burning promise of things to come that only he could show her.

"Now is a time for a wedding. James and Lily have invited us here today to share in the celebration of their wedding. We come together, not to mark the start of a relationship but to recognize a bond that already exists. This marriage is one expression of the many varieties of love. Love is one, though its expressions are infinite.

It is fitting to speak briefly about love. We live in a world of joy and fear and search for meaning and strength in the seeming disorder. We discover the truest guideline to our quest when we realize love in all its magnitudes. Love is the eternal force of life. Love is the force that allows us to face fear and uncertainty with courage. But, you must "be of love a little more careful than of anything." For the giving of yourself in love is difficult: you must learn to give of your love without total submission of yourself. Therefore, in your giving, give your joy, your sadness, your interest, your understanding, and your knowledge–all expressions that make up life. But in this giving, remember to preserve yourself–your integrity, your individuality. This is the challenge of love within marriage."

Lily glanced over to see Millie smiling slightly, and then met James's eyes again. The intensity of his gaze startled her.

"James, do you come before this gathering of friends and family to proclaim your love and devotion for Lily? Do you promise to respect her, and to care for her during times of joy and hardship? Do you commit yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge to remain faithful to her?"

"I do."

When Lily affirmed the same, she felt James squeeze her hand.

Father Hilshire asked Sirius for the rings, which he produced, and continued, "Creator, Savior, Loving Spirit, bless this couple who have committed themselves to each other in marriage and have come seeking your blessing. Surrounded by their families and friends, may they feel encircled by your love as well as theirs. Assure them of your presence in days of joy like this one and in days of sorrow, pain, and bereavement. Strengthen their relationship through all the tests of adversity and brighten it with a generous measure of happiness. Bless these rings, to be a sign of the vows by which this man and this woman have bound themselves to each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. James, take the ring and place it on Lily's left hand. Repeat after me: With this ring I seal the commitment I have made to you here today, may you wear it proudly as my wife."

Looking down, Lily saw that both of their hands were shaking as he slid the ring onto her finger. That was also when the tears began building up in her eyes. She quickly dashed them away before placing a ring on James's hand, saying, "With this ring I seal the commitment I have made to you here today, may you wear it proudly as my husband."

"May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one another - not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you know your fullness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you succeed in all important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back. May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another's presence - no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities. May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it loving one another. By the authority of God and country, I pronounce you husband and wife; you may kiss the bride."

James and Lily kissed through the applause, but when they separated, the priest was already gone, and in his place was a jolly looking man in burgundy robes. How appropriate.

"We will now begin the magical portion of the ceremony to join James Potter and Lily Evans as husband and wife. I feel we can dispense with many of the portions and use just the necessities. Mr. Black, do you have the wands?"

Sirius removed James's and Lily's wands from a box behind the greenery.

The deputy minister made the wands levitate in an x. "We will now have the saying of the vows. James, take Lily's right hand in yours and make your promise to her.

James took her hand and met her eyes, and with a slight smile, said, "I pledge to you my life to always be your partner and friend. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I have given you my life to keep. I vow to make my home forever in your heart. Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following after you, for where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay, and where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the powers of magic do with me and more if anything but death parts you from me."

"Lily, take your hand in James's and make your promise to him."

Lily gripped James's hand, and she felt a moment of panic because she didn't know what to say. Then, the same words James had said flooded her mind, and she was able to say them as smoothly as he, just as Emmaline had promised.

The official began the next part of the ceremony, "Magic is a great gift we have been given, one we guard cautiously. Our wands are the symbol of our talents and skills. James, Lily, each of you remove your own wand, then, saying your vows, please exchange them."

Lily lifted her wand and said in unison with James, "I came to this place alone, but I will walk from it at your side. Because Where there has been cold, you have brought warmth;
where my life was dark, you have brought light these things I promise I will do. I vow to treasure what is true so that I may touch whom I embrace. I vow to make your terrors few, and then with you those demons face. And now, as we make one of two, a passage we cannot retrace, these things I promise I will do."

The two of them exchanged wands.

"And now, as a symbol of your new shared life together, light the candle before you."

Lily and James touched each others' wands to the candle suspended in front of them. When they were finished, they gave Millie the wands. Instructing them to face their friends, the officiator decreed, "Behold, husband and wife!"

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved,
loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves.
Victor Hugo

A/N: Impressively long chapter for me, no? I have to give credit where credit is due. I know nothing about weddings, and I got much of the ceremony material from and but I did tweak them a bit.