A/N:
Hi everyone! I hope you're having a reasonably relaxed December.
Without any waffling, please enjoy this chapter.
If anyone has ever been even remotely involved with a wedding, they can understand what the week leading up to Saturday was like. Frankly, Rose had no intentions of dwelling on it and had spent much of the four days and however many hours rushed off her feet, so busy she barely had time to sleep, let alone think. It had gotten so bad that poor Peter had fled to his mother's house for the week, citing her age and that he was all she had in the world (lucky bastard). Her father had let him go with a grin, then promptly disappeared back into his garage with James and Sirius. And on the rare occasions when Jim was out and about, James and Sirius were suspiciously MIA. Some people had all the luck. Remus, by virtue of the fact that he didn't suck, had remained by Rose's side for most of the hellish week. This included the cake catastrophe (why in Merlin's name it wasn't vanilla enough when Petunia had ordered chocolate Rose didn't want to contemplate), Petunia's screaming accusations when the veil for her dress went missing (because Rose absolutely had the time to go in there, find where she had put it, and then moved it just for the heck of it), and the meltdown after Vernon decided that he wanted steak on the menu with less than twenty-eight hours until the wedding. That hadn't been fun. Especially not when Jim had muttered - loud enough for Petunia to hear - that he had suggested putting steak on the menu back in November.
Where was Lily while all this was happening?
Petunia had deemed her the least freakish out of her sisters, and had lumbered Lily (and by extension Marlene and Alice) with setting up everything Rose could not be trusted with: writing out place cards, greeting the early arriving guests - undoubtedly peeling grapes was also in her job description. Rose had, in no uncertain terms, informed Petunia that if she expected Rose (and Remus and Peter and James and Sirius) to behave themselves, then the only orders Rose would accept from her would be the detailed itinerary she prepared every morning. Otherwise she would not be held responsible for any mischief making that may occur at the wedding. Or for what state the wedding preparations would end up in if she irritated any of the magical folk in attendance.
It wasn't even dawn when the Evans household awoke on the nineteenth. The clocks had just ticked over to five am, when an inhuman screech split the air. James, still mostly asleep in his hammock, pressed his face into his pillow. "Would someone please deal with that banshee?"
"M'tryna sleep 'ere" Peter grumbled in agreement, finally having arrived back from his mother's at around midnight.
"Don't they know better than to wake a sleeping werewolf?" Remus growled, emerging from beneath his blankets with his hair ruffled beyond measure.
"It's Draco dormiens nunquam titilandus" Sirius quoted, sounding entirely too awake, the bastard. "Not lupinotuum pectinem enim dormiens numquam surgere." There was a beat of silence, during which Rose naively imagined she might get back to sleep. Then, Sirius audibly smirked (if anyone could do it, he could) and continued. "And, just so you know, only the people in this room know about your furry little problem, so even if they did know lupinotuum pectinem enim dormiens numquam surgere they wouldn't know to apply it to you."
"You know Latin?" Remus demanded, green eyes eerily cat-like in the darkness.
Sirius scoffed, heralding a return of the hereditary Black family arrogance. "I know everything."
"Let me sleep, Sirius, or go through the wedding with turquoise hair" Rose growled, borrowing a leaf from Remus' book (101 Ways to be Grumpy Before Breakfast - yes, it was an actual book in Remus' extensive library) and pulling the covers up over her head. Maybe if she pretended that they weren't there, then she could get some more sleep. Sleep was sanctified, sleep was holy, sleep was wonderful - she loved sleep. Of course, she was forgetting one little detail - she was back in Cokeworth, and Cokeworth hated her.
A rapping came at her door, followed by a shrill screech she knew all too well. "Up! Up! Get up! Everything has to be perfect on my special day!"
Rose groaned, loud and long. "I should have hexed her when I had the chance!"
Peter, unwisely, poked his head up and switched on the lamp. "Do you know, that's actually what a lot of people say about us?" The Marauders didn't even have to share a look to have the same idea. In the split second after Peter's words, four pillows sailed through the air and hit him one after the other, right in the face. "You're all gits."
The one fortunate side effect of Petunia's crazed awakening of the entire house, was that the immaculately crafted wedding day pre-wedding breakfast schedule was thrown out of whack. The Marauders - who thought the entire schedule ridiculous - procrastinated until long after Lily, Alice and Marlene had gone down. While they were stuck downstairs with Petunia and her grapefruit half, the Marauders remained upstairs, mocking the entire proceedings and generally ignoring the increasingly shrill screeches for them to come downstairs. Muffling charms really were Merlin sent. When Petunia had vanished into the bathroom to begin her preparations, Jim knocked on the door and gave them the all-clear.
"I hope there's actual people food down there" James said, stretching his arms up over his head as he yawned. "I could really go for a bacon sandwich right about now."
"Ooh, a fried egg butty" Sirius added, staring wistfully towards the kitchen. Rose just smiled at Lily, her twin passing them on the stairs with a scathing glare.
"You have twenty minutes, Rose" Lily informed her, reluctant amusement flickering in emerald depths. Rose turned and rolled her eyes. James and Sirius were mounting the bannister, sliding down with exaggerated 'wheeing' noises.
"They're smarter than they look, most of the time" Remus offered, frowning contemplatively at the laughing Marauders. "But I must admit, that did look fun."
"They're all yours" Lily smirked, drifting off towards her room. "Have fun."
Rose scoffed, grabbed Remus and Peter by the arms and marched them both downstairs. "You are wizards" Rose reminded them, ignoring the vociferous protests from all four of the other Marauders. "You want to risk your necks? Grab a broom and race about. Leave bannister-sliding for someone else."
"Killjoy" Remus muttered, casting a final, longing look over his shoulder. Rose huffed, towing them into the kitchen.
Rose's father was the only person in the kitchen when the Marauders (still complaining) entered. His hazel eyes regarded them for a brief moment, silent laughter shining bright within them, his paper flickering back up to cover his face. "So nice of you five to finally join us."
"The less I have to deal with Tuney today, the better" Rose shrugged, smiling as Remus held out a chair for her. "And good morning, Dad."
"Morning, flower" Jim replied, folding his paper back down. "There's bacon in the dish, we still have five hours until the wedding, so take your time if you really want to annoy Petunia."
"We would never" Sirius smirked, affecting an expression of wounded innocence.
"Perish the thought" James added with a cheeky wink. Jim made small talk with them while they ate breakfast, keeping them entertained with tales of the wedding planning they hadn't been around for.
"You lot try and behave for ten minutes" Jim chuckled, getting slowly to his feet. His knuckles went white on the chair, shaking his head a little. Rose opened her mouth, but Jim smiled easily - the same smile he'd always given her. "Petunia is going to get on your nerves, Rosie, just remember that she does love you - deep, deep down - and that this is her day. Try and be happy for her."
"She's marrying Vernon, Dad" Rose interrupted, incredulous. "Winner many years in a row of the Most Boring Muggle award. He's tedious-"
"He makes her happy" Jim replied calmly. "Is he what I hoped for in a son-in-law? Not exactly. But not everyone can be Sirius Black, sweetheart."
Rose gaped, jaw hanging unflatteringly open. "Dad!"
"Can't argue with the truth, Rosie" Jim said, turning his expressive hazel eyes on the others. "I'll see you four soon?" James nodded once, a frown flickering over his face - there one moment and gone the next as if it had never existed. Jim kissed the top of her head on his way out the kitchen door, nodding significantly at James as he went.
"What was that about?" Rose wondered, frowning towards the garage.
"Jim's got our suits and stuff out in the garage" Sirius declared cheerfully. Rose privately thought that he was being far too cheerful for someone forced to attend Petunia Evans - soon-to-be Petunia Dursley's - wedding.
"Apparently it's a girl free zone" James agreed, also far too chipper. "An oasis from the craziness. A shining beacon of freedom and hope. While you're stuck in here, with gowns and hair and makeup."
"And Petunia" Peter piped up, sharing a smirk with James.
"And what, pray tell, happened to the idea of Marauders sticking together?"
"She's your sister, Rosebud" Sirius smirked, as carelessly handsome as ever. "And, your father declared it a girl free zone. Including all three of his daughters."
"In that case, I'll show Vernon over if he arrives" Rose replied, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she pranced out of the kitchen. That'd teach them to leave her to suffer.
Alice, wrapped in a fluffy blue dressing gown the colour of her cornflower eyes, caught Rose's attention as she trudged upstairs, still inwardly cursing her friends. "We're in Lily's room" she said, nodding back towards the semi-open door.
"Petunia?" Rose checked, not in the mood to brave that particular dragon just yet.
"With your mother and her maid of honour in her room" Alice replied, her tone leaving it up to Rose what particular brand of crazy she wished to partake in. Rose just nodded, directing her footsteps into Lily's room. Petunia and Rose got on best when they were away from one another, it was the kindest thing Rose could do for her on her wedding day morning. And if it also served to save the already tenuous remains of Rose's sanity, then that was just a bonus - and had absolutely no bearing on her choice whatsoever.
Unlike Rose's room, which was pale gold and covered in wizarding photographs and assorted Bowie posters, Lily's room was more mature. Papered with soft floral paper and carpeted a colour reminiscent of Ravenclaw blue, there was no hints that a teenaged girl occupied it. Bookshelves lined most of the walls, almost bowing under the weight of the various tomes and scrolls. Several photos (both wizarding and muggle) sat on the dresser and beside cabinets, and the pale yellow curtains were open to admit the rays of the morning sun. Marlene lounged on the bed (covered by a Gryffindor spread - the only visible sign of house pride in the room), looking almost like a Hollywood starlet in her elegant dressing gown. Lily sat at her vanity, putting the finishing touches on drying her hair. "Hi Rosie" she smiled, nodding at Alice, who had held up a wireless with a hopeful smile.
"Hiya, Lil" Rose replied, wondering at the easy calm of this room compared to the tension running through the rest of the house. "What's on our agenda?"
"Bathroom's free" Lily replied, meeting Rose's eyes in the mirror. "Shower, get your dressing gown and meet back here in no more than ten minutes. Tuney's on the warpath. She wants us ready as soon as possible for the photographs."
"Has she dropped the dresses off yet?" Rose asked, hoping that the might have a chance to magic the thing more acceptable.
Lily shook her head sadly. "Whatever it is we're stuck with."
"Much like Tuney" Rose remarked, smiling at Lily's laugh. "I'll go get ready. Don't have too much fun without me."
"Wouldn't dream of it" Marlene commented, idly blowing on her nails. "Speaking of trouble, what are your shadows up to?"
"Hiding out in the garage with Dad, the chickens" Rose sighed, trying to remind herself that she was happy for Petunia. She was really, but all this fuss and drama was too much for her. Petunia deserved a big production, of course she did (especially considering the way she had been unknowingly sidelined as the only muggle daughter of the family), but at the same time Rose knew that they all probably would have been happier if Rose (maybe not Lily, but definitely Rose) had been left to be nothing more than a guest at the wedding, rather than a member of the wedding party.
Hair and makeup in Lily's room took a little over an hour. The door was kept open, Petunia and Violet's voices carrying in from Petunia's room down the corridor. Elizabeth - Petunia's maid of honour, her best friend since primary school - popped in and out, borrowing things or stopping by just to give them one of the many reminders Petunia's panic insisted they receive. It wasn't actually as horrible as the week leading up to this had worried Rose it would be. Petunia didn't shriek at them, she didn't badger them too much - she mostly just left them be to get ready on their own, trusting that they wouldn't ruin her big day. Rose was privately astounded at the faith their older sister was showing in them, until she remembered that Lily was there. Even Petunia knew better than to accuse Lily of being untrustworthy, Rose on the other hand was tarnished by her mischievous reputation. Sadly, the knowledge didn't bother her all that much. Marlene put the finishing touches on Lily's hair and makeup first, the blonde stepping away from the vanity with a flourish. James was going to choke on thin air when he saw her. Lily looked beautiful. Even still wearing a ratty old dressing gown she insisted was more comfortable than anything else, she was radiant. Alice had applied a very light touch of makeup, paying special attention to Lily's eyes, really making the vibrant emerald pop. Rose submitted quietly to the attentions of Lily's friends (because they were, honestly, more Lily's friends than her own), trying her best not to flinch or wince as Marlene attacked her long red hair and Alice stuck pointy things close to her eyes. Rose had never been much for the whole makeup thing, trusting that she was pretty enough without needing to go through any fuss to enhance it. Lily kept her distracted, reading out snippets from that morning's Daily Prophet - which had just been delivered by a rather grumpy looking tawny owl. She kept it light, staying away from the undoubtedly grim headlines of (and here Rose was extrapolating from the past few days) more missing people/creatures/families. A trickle of unease ran down her spine, but Rose pushed it away determinedly. Today was Petunia's wedding, tomorrow would be soon enough to start discussing these new developments with the Marauders now that they were all back together again.
"There, all done" Marlene announced, removing the cover she'd placed on the mirror when working on Rose. If it wasn't for the violet eyes in the reflection, Rose would have thought she was looking at Lily. Marlene and Alice had somehow managed to recreate the exact same affect as they had on Lily - the same hairstyle, the same makeup, the same delicate emphasis on the typically vibrant Evans eyes. She hardly recognised the woman in the mirror. Gone was the mischievous gaze, the subtle smirk, the subtle trappings of trouble-making. The woman in the mirror looked beautiful, feminine, non-Marauderish. It was a look that worked on someone as sweet and comparatively innocent as Lily, but some part of Rose (a small, mostly ignored part that had always felt inferior to Lily) said that she was just a fraud in a beautiful facade. She tossed that little voice into a mental oubliette, forcing a smile that looked genuine to the eye.
"You are a miracle worker, Marlene McKinnon" Rose smiled, wondering when exactly her smile would become genuine again.
"I know" Marlene smirked, midnight blue eyes shrewd. "It's not very Marauderish, is it? But makeup doesn't hide who you are, Rosie. It just emphasises other parts of you. Nobody could look at you and not see a Marauder, but you'll look suitable for the wedding photos."
"Thank you" Rose replied, feeling her smile turn more genuine. Marlene was brilliant at giving metaphorical kicks in the pants.
"Besides" Marlene's smirk turned wicked. "Black won't be able to keep his eyes off you. Not that's he able to normally."
"Marlene!" Lily was bright red.
"Oh relax, Lily" Marlene waved an elegant hand. "She's of age, and it's not like half of Gryffindor doesn't know anyway." Rose decided to just smirk and pretend she had no idea what they were talking about. A compliment was a compliment, after all.
Elizabeth drifted in, looking quietly elegant in a gown of soft gold, holding two dresses in their bags. "Time to get dressed, ladies" she smiled, tossing a glance back out of the door. "I'm going to call and check on the church, make sure everything is going okay over there. We have a little under an hour to go." Marlene and Alice took their cues to go and change in Rose's room - their dresses having already been laid out in there waiting for them. Lily and Rose stared at the garment bags, neither making a move to open them. Rose looked significantly at Lily, nodding towards the bed where the bags had been laid down.
"Oh no" Lily shook her head, careful not to mess up her hair. "You're a Marauder. You do it."
"My being a Marauder is neither here nor there in this circumstance" Rose replied flatly, crossing her arms over her robe.
Lily shrugged easily. "Fine. I'm the elder twin, I'm pulling seniority. You do it." Rose scoffed, glaring petulantly as she tried to find the loophole getting her out of this particular pickle. Unfortunately, Lily's logic was inescapable.
Rose tapped her foot, growling a little to herself. "Oh for Merlin's sake" she snapped, storming over to the bed. Careful not to ruin her French tips, Rose yanked down the first zipper, mouth falling gently open in surprise. "Tuney has excellent taste in everything except men" she commented, stroking a finger down the rose pink fabric.
"I thought she hated us" Lily murmured, regarding the long crepe dress.
"Apparently not as much as she hates the thought of ugly wedding photos" Rose replied cheerily. "Just look at the bright side, at least it's not that Muppet monstrosity."
Violet stopped just inside the room, looking quite lovely in a mauve skirt suit. "Hurry up, girls. Petunia is nearly ready for the photographs."
"Just a few minutes, Mum" Lily called, picking up the dress bag with her name on it. "Rosie and I will be out soon."
Lily hovered by the bedroom door, twisting her fingers together nervously. Where Rose had always been comfortable in the spotlight (the occupational hazard of being a Marauder), Lily had always preferred staying as far out of sight as possible - her academic excellence notwithstanding. So, to be dressed up as she was, and going to be in the spotlight as much as she was, Rose could see how uncomfortable her twin was becoming. "You look beautiful, Lil" she said, swishing the fabric of her skirt a little. "I, on the other hand, look like a light pink meringue."
"We're nearly identical twins, Rose" Lily huffed, hiding a smile. "If I look beautiful, so do you."
"Well" Rose sighed, resisting the temptation to run her hands through her hair and mess up her lovely hairstyle. "On the bright side, meringue or beautiful, this is Tuney's day, aside from some photographs most of our acquaintances will never see, everyone will be focusing on Petunia and not us."
Lily made a quiet nose, conceding her point. "C'mon then. A brutal double murder by the bride will cast a bit of a pall on the big day."
"Please" Rose smirked, feeling like herself again for the first time since looking in that mirror. "Like you didn't hide your wand somewhere in that dress. There's no way that Petunia could kill us, even if I went right up to Vernon and yanked the moustache off his face."
"You dream about doing that too?!" Lily laughed, tossing her head back.
"Every time he opens his mouth" Rose assured her. With shoulders squared, she lightly took Lily's elbow, steering them both down the corridor where Petunia and the photographer was waiting for them.
It wasn't until after Elizabeth gently escorted the photographer out of the house, with instructions of where to find the father of the bride, and the groom, that Rose had the chance to pay any real attention to her sister. The one getting married today at least - she'd had plenty of time with Lily already today. Petunia had always been something of the plain sister, especially compared to how beautiful Lily was, but today she put them both in the shade. Her hair was pulled up in an elegant fashion, little flowers dotting the blonde tresses, soft curls were left to frame her face, and the subtle makeup worked with the sheer radiance of her happiness to create an angelic glow. Her wedding dress was as elegant as any royalty would choose to wear. Unlike what Rose had been expecting, it completely ignored the fashions of the day, opting instead for a very fifties style floor length gown, with lace overlay and lace three-quarter length sleeves, and a skirt that flared out naturally from the hips.
Violet sniffled at her place near the door, attracting the gazes of her daughters. "You all look so grown up" she sobbed, clutching a scrap of lace to her chest. "My grown up flowers. You were only babies yesterday and now my eldest baby is getting married, and my twin babies will be getting married next-"
"Not for years" Lily cried, shaking her head frantically. Petunia seemed to smirk a little, but when Rose looked again her expression was as flat as it typically was around the younger Evans sisters.
Rose, for her part, just scoffed. "I don't think that'll happen, Mum" she said brightly, trying not to make Violet blub any more. "I very much doubt that Siri is the marrying kind."
Violet cheerfully ignored her, Rose was used to this by now, sobbing something out about how beautiful they all looked standing there together. "I'll go downstairs and wait for you. You girls have a few minutes together. Everything is going to change now, you know." With that rather ominous remark, Violet turned and glided out of the room, leaving them in an awkward silence.
"Just for today, not even for the whole day, just five minutes, can we please forget that we're witches and that you hate us for it?" Lily asked, perching delicately on the edge of the bed.
Petunia glanced out of the window, forehead creased in thought. "Five minutes" Petunia allowed, trying on a small smile. For the first time in years, Rose saw a genuine emotion - that wasn't hatred or scorn - appear in Petunia's blue eyes. She looked happy, giddy almost. "I'm getting married today!"
"I know" Lily grinned, sharing in Petunia's enthusiasm.
"Vernon's a good man" Rose added, the most genuine compliment she could give him. And he was a good man. A little boring and almost offensively ordinary - the furthest from magical Rose could ever conceive of - but he was a good man, and he would take care of Petunia. No matter how much Rose and Lily couldn't stand him - they both thought that Petunia deserved better - at least they could acknowledge that Vernon treated Petunia like royalty, and he certainly seemed to love her in his way.
"You don't like him much" Petunia murmured, talking more to Lily than to Rose. If Rose didn't know better, she might almost think that Tuney was worried.
"You do" Lily said easily, offering a warm smile. "Rosie's right. He is a good man, and if he doesn't treat you like a queen, he'll just have to answer to us."
"And everything is going to go perfectly today" Rose added, hoping to quell any anxieties Petunia had. Despite what people thought, she did still love Petunia (she was a shrew, but she was Rose's shrew).
"How can you know that?" Petunia asked, sounding almost vulnerable.
Rose glanced at Lily and smiled brightly. "Because you planned it all, Tuney. It couldn't be less than perfect."
Petunia's eyes softened, her lips parting as if she had something she wanted to say. But before she could speak, they were interrupted.
"Girls!" Jim yelled up the stairs. "The cars are here! Time to go or we'll be late!"
Petunia nodded at Lily. "Coming, Dad!" Lily called back, handing Petunia her bouquet off the dresser.
Petunia stopped by the door, turning back to them in indecision. "You both look beautiful too" she offered softly. "I'm glad Mum insisted I make you my bridesmaids."
Any Latin contained within the chapter is entirely provided by Google Translate.
Thank you for reading!
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