HARRY POTTER AND THE LAST LINE OF SLYTHERIN

Chapter 3: The Wedding

Lillian Randhulphus couldn't believe her luck. Here she was, stuck at a wedding in a pink taffeta dress. The frills and fluffs were extra puffed for emphasis. Her hair was neatly tied up and curled and lipstick and mascara were applied to her pale face. She resembled a doll – most likely Chucky's Bride. Oh well, she would've had to wear pink anyway because of Fleur.

"Lillian dear…are you ready to make your entrance as the flower girl? Let's see how you – Oh Merlin! What has been done to you?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as Lillian turned around with a grim face in the doll costume. "Well…um…err its not too bad. A little fluffy but it certainly…brings out the…umm….cheerfulness of you?" She rolled her eyes. Ever since Gabriel saw the outfit to her flower girl costume, she had been rightfully stubborn about not wanting to be the flower girl. No one else wanted to be one, so they asked Lily knowingly that she had no idea what a flower girl was and what she had to wear. She shall break Jamie's nose for volunteering her. "Mrs. Weasley, it's alright to say I resemble a maniacal Barbie. It's only a wedding right?" she said turning back to the mirror to try and smooth out her fluffy dress.

Mrs. Weasley frowned, "It's not just any wedding you know. We are trying to make merry here at the darkest of times. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?" Lily had been hearing that an awful lot lately and it made her all the more curious of the wizarding world. Don't they have any magic that could kill this evil Voldemort? What is so special about him anyway? "Here, let's get you changed. I know Fleur will throw a fit, but I won't have Tonk's half of the wedding ruined with you looking like you do." Relief washed over Lily as she led her to a small boutique near the Wizards and Witches Wedding Centre. After trying out several outfits and arguing with the boutique lady, Mrs. Weasley uncovered Lily's eyes so that she could see herself in the mirror.

"Oh! Is that me?" She said, scarcely believing that the girl in front of the mirror was her. She did a tourniquet checking her dress from every direction.

"Well, a little unorthodox for a flower girl but, I guess it will have to do. My I never knew she was quite so mature in age until she wore this dress." The boutique lady complimented.

"Oh thank you Agatha dear! I owe you a lot for saving my son and my friend's wedding!" Lily couldn't stop smiling. Could it be possible for her to be happy for this day? Maybe she could forget about Will just for the moment? At the mention of Will, she instantly cringed and gave a thin smile to Mrs. Weasley saying that the dress will do. Why is this girl so cold? Mrs. Weasley's thoughts continued even after they left the store with Lily's dress on.

Lupin nervously did his bow tie and then undid it again. This wedding was harder than he had thought. What if she doesn't want to be with me after the wedding? The door clicked open and Lupin turned abruptly and found his best man to his relief. "Harry!" he said, pleased to see him. "Hey! I just came in here to wish you good luck. You really deserve a day like this." In fact, Harry was jealous for despite the fact that Lupin was a werewolf, he chose to live a normal life with a wife whom he loved, while he Harry, couldn't possibly put not only the girl whom he cared about but his best friend's sister, in danger because of that stupid prophecy.

"Thanks, Harry. To tell you the truth, never in my life did I expect to fall in love at this age much less get married." Both chuckled at the irony of their lives. Harry shifted his feet uncomfortably, "Did my…were my…was my parents' wedding like this?" Lupin lifted his grey eyes to meet Harry's green ones. "I'm sorry Harry. I wouldn't have known. It was a full moon that night and well, under obvious circumstances I couldn't attend. But Sirius…" He looked away silently cursing himself for bringing up his deceased friend's name to his godson. Tears formed in Harry's eyes but he quickly wiped them away. "It's okay if you mention him. I don't mind. He would've wanted to see you like this today." He bravely smiled up at his old DADA teacher and his teacher smiled back. He embraced Harry to show him he was there for him. Another knock on the door from Bill, who looked handsome even with his wolfish features, to signify the time for the walk down the aisle and the two grooms and one of the best men were off.

The Wedding Centre was graciously decorated with cream flowers and pink ribbons (though they were baby pink much to Tonks' dismay who preferred hot pink). There was no mistaking that the family of redheads were the Weasleys though Percy was the only one who hadn't come though he had been invited. Harry was mesmerized by the blonde women beauties that were obviously related to Fleur but he returned to search the peers for Ron and Hermione and found them as usual – fighting over some small stupid thing.

"Why do men have to wear bow ties at a wedding? It makes us look completely ridiculous with robes." Ron complained as he struggled with his bow tie. "Oh for heaven's sake Ron! Don't you know anything? The tradition of wearing a bow tie started when – oh, there you are Harry. We've been looking all over for you." Hermione hid her gown for as a surprise, while Ron wore his old robes from the Yule Ball because his new one had butterbeer stain on it.

"Yeah…by all over she meant the brides' dressing chambers. Honestly, why do women take so long to get dressed? Ow! Hey that hurt!" Ron grumpily rubbed the shoulder which Hermione punched. Harry laughed. These two will never change. "Where's James?"

"Oh, him? He's over there practicing his charms with Fleur's second cousin." She casually gestured her gloved hand towards a girl in a pale blue gown robe laughing at something flirtatious James said. "Really, how does that schoolboy manage to snag a hot girl five years older?" Ron's comment earned him another smack from Hermione.

When the wedding minister was ready to perform the ceremony, everyone hurried and took their places, including Hermione who left to take her place as one of Tonks' bridesmaid along with Genevieve, Tonks' cousin, who was also a muggle-born witch. Harry wished Lupin good luck while Charlie, Bill's best man did the same. "Here comes your little cousin Ralph with the ring. Aw, doesn't he look dashing in those robes of his?" All the girls from both sides of the family cooed earning them a harrumph from Ron. "Hey, Ms. Snobby Snoot is next." Fred whispered to Harry from the front aisle. They snickered but stopped all at once with the crowd when a girl entered – with flowers.

Lily walked hesitantly up the aisle, keeping her posture straight and throwing flowers to the crowd. She felt gorgeous in the dress and her brother whistled showing that he agreed. It was a full length gown with full sleeves of white and pale lavender and cream silk. If it weren't for the fleur-de-lis crown reef on her cascading brown hair, she would've been mistaken for the bride. Lily smiled without restraint; in fact she couldn't help it and James smiled secretly glad that his sister was having so much fun for the first time after so long.

"What happened to the fluffy pink dress we were supposed to make fun of?" Ron said as he gaped at the girl he had just recently nicknamed "Pig Nose", because her nose was always stuck up enough to show her nostrils at all times like a pig. "She decided that she had the common sense to ruin your fun." His mother whispered and gave a small smile when the three teens turned to gape at her now. "You helped her! Oh mum, you always ruin the fun." Ron whined even though he had started to have second thoughts about the girl. Mrs. Weasley shook her head.

After the flower girl finished her walk down the aisle, the two bridesmaids entered. Little Gabrielle looked enchanting and Ginny looked ravishing too with her hair swept up and her curls loosened to frame her heart shaped face, which complimented the deep amethyst dress that both her and Gabrielle wore. Harry's heart gave a double flip and smiled happily at her. She returned his gaze and smile and for minute both were lost in each other's eyes and then Ron interrupted him when he pointed at James again when he started flirting with another one of Fleur's cousins. "Why is life so unfair?" whined the young Weasley.

Then came Tonks' cousin and Hermione, — looking more gorgeous than ever. Harry gaped at her bubble-gum pink gown. The shell pattern hugged to her matured figure (which grew underneath her books?) and puffed short sleeves gave her extra stature. She modestly held the cream roses to her chest and held her head high, grinning like a fool. Harry turned to see if Ron was gawking and sure enough, he saw his best friend drool over the girl who drove him crazy over the past six years at Hogwarts. "She's –she's–she looks like she's – beautiful." He whispered the words unable to take his eyes off Hermione. Harry in amusement, laughing uncontrollably inside his head, patted Ron on his back, saying, "You'll get used to it."

The brides entered blushing (Tonks more than Fleur because Fleur told her it was tradition to do so, which resulted in her grinning comically mad underneath the veil) and took their places opposite of their husbands to be. "Dearly beloved…" the minister began. And when he asked if anyone had objections to their joining, not one person in the Wedding Centre had doubts in their hearts and therefore would never have had to hold their peace.

And the two couples said their I do's and received blessings and the declaration of them as husbands and wives, both Bill and Lupin gave their brides their long awaited kisses to seal their unions. Everyone stood up and clapped and Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but cry as she saw for the first time one of her sons get married. Mr. Weasley hugged her close and cried too, remembering his own wedding so long ago. Harry grinned and painfully hoped that the couples' lives would last longer than his parents'. Each with their own thoughts, the witches and wizards made their way to the reception hall.

As the magical people took their seats, Charlie tapped his glass for attention, reminding Harry that he hadn't prepared a speech for Lupin yet. "Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards, as Bill's best man," he made a gesture towards Bill, whom smiled (a bit toothy) warmly at his younger brother. "I would like to warn his wife about some traits my dear brother has." He grinned at the confused faces of the crowd and the alarmed face of Fleur. "He snores in bed, he hates it if you try to get him to cut his hair, though I see that Fleur managed it and he hates taking baths." "OI! WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!" Bill insisted, though he was grinning too. "Yes, well, ahem. Now you've seen another trait of him. He hates it if anyone blows his secrets." Charlie remarked, which earned him another laugh from the crowd. Lily smirked knowing how she hated it when her brother James would do the same. "However, with all these traits, he's still my big brother — the first Head Boy of our family and the dude with the fang for his earring — which I see once more that Fleur has managed to remove again. I guess she really is the one for you bro. What mum couldn't do for, what's it been five years? She accomplished in a moment. No offence to you mum, we love you still." He told Mrs. Weasley when she harrumphed.

"Anyways, even though you might look a bit different now," he explained tentatively, "We still love you, each and every one of us in this room — otherwise why else would we be here?" he questioned the crowd where one coughed. "Oh right Lupin and Tonks. Yes, there's another great couple, but I'll leave Harry to tell you all about them. So where was I? Oh yes, my brother. All I can say is, Bill, you've got one heck of a hot wife and I shall hate you for that for life. Cheers everybody." The crowd laughed.

"Your turn Harry!" Charlie motioned to him. Harry got up, slowly. He noticed the crowd went unusually quieter than they had for Charlie. It figures, they probably expected him to mention Voldemort in there somewhere. Well he wasn't going to wreck his professor's wedding with that. "Well, I'm not quite so good at this. This really is the first wedding I've been to." He chuckled, but the crowd bore him down. "First of all I would like to say how great Professor Lupin is. He was one of the greatest Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, I've ever had. He taught me…quite a lot actually. I would bore everyone if I was to list them all. But, I guess, what I really appreciate Professor Lupin for, is the fact that, now that my godfather, Sirius Black has passed away, he's still here to talk to me if I ever needed to know something about my dad." Mrs. Weasley brushed a tear off. "He's an honourable man and Tonks —well, no offence Tonks, but I would never in my life would've imagined Professor Lupin to fall in love with Tonks much less her with him. Oddest couple but opposites attract and I wish them the best of luck in the future." He finished and drunk his champagne along with everyone else. Lupin clapped his back and whispered thanks.

The reception continued as the band they hired, Diddling Doxies, struck up a number, the new couples took their places on the dance floor and began to waltz to their tune. Other couples including James and another Delacour bachelorette joined them. Even Ron asked Hermione hesitantly for a dance. Harry looked past Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to watch Ginny, looking stunning making his heart leap painfully. A blond boy, obviously from the Delacour side, asked her for a waltz and she undecidedly agreed. As the house elves of the Wedding Centre ran past Harry, he grabbed a shot of firewhiskey and gulped it down, letting the creamy liquid burn his throat. Damn...he was jealous.

Lily downed her fourth firewhiskey. She had begun to feel quite daring. So much love and happiness and just a day ago, they were all talking about how Voldy whatever his name was is going to kill them all. Lily couldn't help but get her eyes off Harry. He looked so dashing in his best man's robes, but no matter how much she pouted or licked her lips, he would never even glance at her direction. It almost seemed he had his eyes glued in one direction….which is where Ginny is it?–was standing?

Lily snorted in drunken stupor and grabbed another shot of firewhiskey and gulped it down in one go again. She went, barely walking straight to the bathroom but out came a certain set of twins. "My Lily dear, you look absolutely wasted." said Fred smiling cheekily. "And you know what that means." chided George nodding his head in mock seriousness. "Mwha? I'm gonna sleep with someone?" she spat out her in disgust. The twins' eyes bulged and they grinned like Cheshire cats, "My Lily, we never knew you were so bold but I suppose that can be arranged…"

"Nah…you'll probably dung-bomb me in the morning." Lily waved them off with her empty glass and proceeded to stagger only to be stopped by the twins once more. "No, Lily dear. You're the flower girl. It's a tradition for the flower girls to sing a jaunty song for the reception." Lily hiccupped, "Really? I never knew that." She thought as the Weasley couplet dragged her into the reception room. They sat her in a table where she downed another firewhiskey. As the Doxies finished their song, (Love me without a Love Potion) Fred tapped his wand and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards, Weasleys and Delacours, we are pleased to present you another wedding singer amongst us. Please welcome Lillian Randhulphus!" George dragged her onto the stage as she cheerfully clapped her hands in giddiness.

They shoved her on and she stumbled a bit. The people looked expectantly at her though by now and Mrs. Weasley was nowhere to be seen. Grinning like an idiot, she cleared her throat and opened her mouth to sing. Only, it wasn't what she wanted to sing. And as she sang the lyrics, she started growing what the lines said she had.

Oh honey, I am called Schneider girl.

Everyone just looks at me and wants to hurl.

Got a forest of hair in my armpits,

With my Schneider face full scary of zits,

It's no wonder that mirrors just tend to break

When they see my ugly Schneider make.

I have some bo—

"Petrificus Totalus!" The crowd stopped laughing. Mrs. Weasley froze Lily, before she could make a fool of herself with her song and dance. The crowd grew silently and watched Fred and George reluctantly turn to face their mother. What they saw was something twice as scary as what Lily looked now. Their mother's ears had turned cherry red as well as her face. She looked absolutely livid. "FRED! GEORGE! YOU OBNOXIOUS TWITS! WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME DO YOU TWO THINK YOU WERE DOING TO THE POOR GIRL?" "Uh…elaborating our source of entertainment?" said George foolishly. Mrs. Weasley puffed to twice her normal size making the twins feel smaller and smaller by the minute. "If you go out of bounds once more and I mean it! If you even dare to toe the line, I will see to it that your precious joke shop is RAMPAGED BY A HERD OF GIANTS!" With the menacing look in her eye, no one questioned if she could have done such a thing.

"Yes, mother." The twins muttered and uttered a spell to reverse their prank, which in turn Lily hiccupped, grinned once more and fainted. The crowd laughed, amused at the highlight of the wedding. Everyone except for one person…

Not exactly my favourite chapter, but I guess it'll have to do for now…Till next time!