Ch. 2 - The Wedding
The following afternoon, Remus took an exceptionally long while to get ready for the ceremony (since he was constantly excusing himself to smoke a cigarette in between putting on pieces of his tuxedo. He hoped that the rental shop wouldn't charge extra for the smell.) It was going to be fine. Yesterday had been fine, so today was going to be just fine. Peachy, in fact. Probably.
James hardly noticed Remus' state, as he compulsively fixed his bowtie and boutonniere, occasionally wiping sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. He had been dressed and ready for hours now, just pacing about the room, and he hadn't even cracked a single wedding night joke. Only Lily Evans-soon-to-be-Potter could possibly put him in such a state so contrary to his usual devil-may-care demeanor. Sirius and Peter thought it best to not bother Remus, and instead focused on the groom. A few minutes before James was supposed to go out into the sanctuary, Sirius produced a bottle of scotch and four glasses.
"Where the hell have you been hiding that?!" exclaimed James, who looked a little relieved to be able to have a drink before the ceremony.
Sirius chuckled and began pouring a dram into each glass. "Not too much sir, or Lily will smell you and turn right back around." He handed the groom his glass. "I should know, Marley made me sleep on the couch after stag night."
"I hardly even remember the stag night," said Peter, who winced slightly at the strong smell coming from his glass.
Even Remus, who had been brooding in the corner of the room, was drawn out of his seclusion and came to collect his glass. "Good to have you back," Sirius joked as he handed it to him. He had poured Remus a little extra.
"Now then," Sirius began, screwing the cap back on the bottle and dramatically raising his own glass high in the air, as if he were about to recite a monologue and not give a toast. "Messrs Moony,"
"Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs." The other men laughed as they joined in the recitation.
"Are gathered today to mourn the tragic loss of a dear colleague-"
"Oh, piss off, Pad!" James griped, shoving Sirius and causing his scotch to slosh out onto Remus' pant leg. After the laughing had subsided, Sirius continued.
"No, in all honestly...we are so happy for you, James. Well done."
"Here here!" Peter chimed in.
James was beaming and turning red. "I like being toasted as much as the next bloke, but if you don't hurry this up, I'll start crying and then I'll look like a soggy cranberry when I greet my wife."
"To Prongs," said Remus, looking James in the eye with a heartfelt smile.
"To the Marauders!" shouted Sirius. "Cheers!" Their glasses clinked.
With that, James intrepidly made his way out to the altar. The other three headed to the narthex at the front of the church, where the rest of the members of the wedding party were to line up to walk down the aisle. Lily was the first to greet them as they entered: she looked appropriately radiant in a simple but elegant white silk gown with a delicate veil over her copper locks, which Marlene had done up into a beautiful coiffure. All three groomsmen stopped and made various exclamatory comments when they saw the beautiful bride, each taking their turn to embrace her.
"My God Lily, you're a vision."
"That's sweet of you, Remus."
"Sweet Merlin, somebody call Witch Weekly! I think they'll find they're missing their front page girl!"
"What Sirius means to say is you look really, really beautiful."
"Thanks, Peter. So, he hasn't made a run for it then?" the bride inquired jokingly.
"I actually think he's worried that you're the one who's going to run off," Remus informed her, gesturing inside the sanctuary.
Lily raised a mildly amused eyebrow. "You don't suppose he's actually concerned about that, is he?"
"No, but the sweating might have led one to believe so," said Peter.
"My husband-to-be could stand to benefit from some nerves. You know, keeps him on his toes," said Lily, looking rather pleased with herself.
"It's not too late to change your mind, you know. Remus and Peter will hold him off if you want to make a quick escape out the back."
"Are you proposing, Black?"
"Don't tempt me."
"I heard that!" barked Marlene, who had emerged from the bride's dressing room completely flustered.
"Just a bit of fun, Marley," Sirius reassured her.
Remus mimed a whip to Peter, who turned crimson trying to stifle his laughter.
Marlene had bigger things to worry about and chose to ignore this. She turned to Lily. "Ready?"
"Absolutely," said Lily. And she meant it.
"Brilliant. I'll get everyone lined up. Alice is just fixing her hair. She has a pixie cut for Merlin's sake so I don't see what there is to fuss about…" she grumbled, trotting back to the dressing room to fetch the others.
"Lily, wait a moment," said Sirius, dropping the act and grabbing her hands.
"Sirius, I'm not actually going to run off with you, you know."
"I just wanted to say that...the world is pretty mucked up right now, but you deserve every good thing in it, and the way you and James love each other...well...it just gives me hope that someday, it's going to be better."
Lily was struck by this rare sincerity, and gripped his hands back tightly. "Sirius…"
"We really are happy for the both of you," said Remus, echoing his sentiment.
"Alright, that's enough from the three of you. I can't cry before I go out there," she said, having to look at the ground to abate tears. If the boys said one more word to her, her heart would overflow and Marlene would be cross with her for ruining her makeup. She hugged them each one final time. Fleamont Potter entered with perfect timing, and Lily went to the back of the line to take the arm of her soon-to-be father in law, who kissed her cheek tenderly.
"Easy Dad, I reckon that's James' job."
"Nonsense Sirius," he said. "I'm allowed to kiss my new daughter-in-law."
Just then, Marlene shooed the other bridesmaids out of the dressing room. Sirius and Peter paired up with Marlene and Alice, and Remus realized too late that he had been left to pair up with Emmeline. Weren't they supposed to have worked out this procession yesterday? Or had they already done it and he just repressed the memory?
Emmeline stood quietly at the second spot in line, dressed in a periwinkle silk gown like the other two bridesmaids with her eyes safely on her bouquet of white peonies. Her thick, chestnut hair had been shaped into a chic twist, and the thin, fluid silk of the dress adorned her every shapley curve. Remus gulped.
After a nudge from Lily, Marlene stepped out of the penultimate spot in line and faced them. "Maybe you two could trade with Alice and Peter?"
"No," Emmeline replied, looking up from the flowers directly at Remus. "It's alright." She held out her arm for him, unsure of what he was going to do.
He took a moment to consider his options, then Remus calmly entwined his arm with hers, not once breaking eye contact. Marlene and Sirius exchanged looks that were somewhere between horror and delight.
The sound of the organ broke their stares, and the doors flung open into the sanctuary as the few guests stood up from their pews. Emmeline and Remus turned and faced straight ahead. Out went Alice and Peter, then it was their turn. Marlene and Sirius followed.
The trip down the short aisle seemed to span far longer than it should have. Both of them stared flatly ahead, simply focused on walking in a straight line. After a few moments, there was a collective sigh from the congregation.
"That must be Lily," whispered Remus, almost unaware that he had said it out loud. He glanced up at James, and could make out glistening tears beginning to accumulate on his friend's cheeks.
"...She looks exquisite," Emmeline replied in the same hushed volume.
"...Yes, she does. That doesn't come as a surprise."
They continued walking. How long was this aisle?
"...Is that...did you just drink scotch?"
Remus shook his head a bit in disbelief and looked at her for the first time since they left the narthex. "How did-...Ah, yes. I hear you've been in Scotland," he said in a sour tone, turning back to the altar.
"I'd know the smell of peat anywhere."
Finally. They reached the altar and went to their respective sides, then watched the bride and groom's tearful greeting. The ceremony began.
"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today…"
Remus had intended not to look at Emmeline at all during the ceremony. The one occasion that his eyes betrayed him was the first time he noticed the diamond ring on her left hand.
