Upon arrival to the church, Molly made a beeline to the bridal room after sternly telling Severus that he mustn't follow. Obliging (and secretly pleased), Severus exited the church and wandered the orchards in deep musings oblivious as the wedding party, shortly followed by the bride and groom's respective immediate families, hastened into the church for preparation.

It was a day that Severus dread. Dreaded since the very day he held her in his arms, since the moment she looked up and said her first word (Sef - no matter what her mother says, it was not a random syllable to Severus). He hoped and prayed that this day would never arrive. He would summoned up his "Grandpa Snake," as he silently refers to it as, whenever she introduced a boyfriend to him and her grandmother. Yet that blond boy slithered his way into his granddaughter's heart.

Severus looked up and saw Rose standing on the church's front steps. Her russet-auburn hair looking especially red in the morning sun, and as she waves as the sun rays catches the diamond on her finger, then ruffling her skirts Rose went inside.

Studying the steeple with narrowed eyes. Severus had never been particularly religious himself-not quite an agnostic, but more along the lines of "It doesn't relate directly to me, so I don't care." Maybe that was why he had no positive associations with that silhouette. In his mind, steeples and ringing church bells had always been linked to unhappiness-the ruin of his parents' abusive marriage, the small church in Godric's Hollow where Lily Evans married his worst enemy. Molly had respected that, and she had wanted a wedding in the Burrow's backyard, anyway. He almost wished they had had a church wedding. Then at least he would have some positive thoughts for the place, besides the building that was going to steal his Lily Luna away.

Am I this overprotective, he wondered to himself, because it is Lily Luna?

He had given his other granddaughters' boyfriends obligatory glares. He had loomed when he first met them and sent chills down their spines with his impenetrable black eyes when the engagements were announced. Take Rose, for example. He had pulled her fiancé, Francis Longbottom, aside and showed him a vial of clear potion and insinuated oh-so-delicately that it would tip into his next drink if he ever hurt Rose or broke her heart. It had been water, but Francis didn't need to know that. Severus' reputation had done the rest.

His thoughts were interrupted by the father of the bride.

"Is it too late to object," Harry had said, running a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair like he often - and his father before him - did in his youth. He chuckled wryly. "I can't believe Lily's getting married. It seems like only yesterday she was begging to get on the train with her brothers."

Severus silently agreed.

"Now she's marrying," Harry said with a low laugh. "Did you know that Lily won't even let me in the room? I have to wait to see my baby girl right before I walk her down."

"Mate," came the voice of Ron Weasley. Severus looked up as his middle-aged stepson and former student approached Harry and himself. "Trust me. There's no greater thing to see your daughter walk out of that room for you, just for you, because next time and all the other times after that it'll only be for him. I nearly lost it when I saw Rosie in her wedding dress."

Before either Severus or Harry could speak, a fourth joined them with: "My son has a name, Weasley."

"And yet he remains as the boy who stole my daughter, Longbottom," Ron retorted back, grinning and clapping the graying Neville on the back.

"Professor," Harry asked, leading the other two men to divert their attention to the oldest among them.

Severus stood frozen, as if a lightning bolt had struck him and rendered him speechless. These men that he taught in their boyhoods, gave unsolicited fatherly advice to, and played grandfather to their children (and now great-grandfather) were grandfathers and all grown up. These men are beyond the ages that their father had lived and at one time Severus, himself, was feared by them and now they freely joke in his vicinity. Severus should feel alien, unnatural in this setting, but perhaps with the uncomfortableness of the church's steeples and bells. It only brought forth a surrealism.

Severus should not be here.

He is not Frank Longbottom or James Potter or Arthur Weasley. Somehow, though, he took on these father's roles. It wasn't that it had felt wrong to Severus. No, it was wrong that it felt so right. He forgot so easily, and when he remembered, he always felt like a thief. Severus was rescued from his crisis of conscience by a new arrival on the church steps. The men around him stiffened infinitesimally. Ron's eyes narrowed like a dog scenting a ferret, Neville suddenly looked pleasantly neutral, and Harry took a formal step forward.

"Malfoy," he said levelly, offering his hand.

Draco Malfoy, Severus' former favorite student, accepted the hand with a diplomatic shake. "Potter," he said, not bothering to acknowledge the others. Draco's hair had begun the nearly invisible shift from pale blond to grey. Like always, he had overdressed for the wedding of his only son, as if to prove a point. What point, probably even he didn't know these days.

The Weasley clan and the Malfoys of the previous generation had only ever attained a cool mutual regard mixed with stale animosity. Severus knew it would have been naïve to hope for anything more. Too much had happened between them back at school. (Rita Skeeter's persistent gossip column theorized on a long-running affair between Draco and Hermione, even going so far as to hint that he was Rose's real father. Rose, with her red hair and freckled face. Some wizards were simply useless at genetics.)

Despite Ron and Draco's animosity toward each other, the next generation of Weasleys and Malfoys got along sublimely, maybe a bit of apprehension from some of the older children but mostly pretty well. When Rose and Albus started their first year together, they were practically inseparable and rarely left each other side the moment the scarlet engine train left Platform 9 3/4. The two cousins joined James and their other school-aged cousins (as well with Francis) and chose a boat with Francis where reserved, quiet Scorpius was occupying. The three friends chatted, before Rose turned to Scorpius and started asking questions. Slowly Scorpius opened up.

At the Sorting, due to their surnames, the four first-years were separated (for Rose and Albus it was an agonizing fifteen minutes of separation). Francis went first to Gryffindor, then Scorpius surprisingly went to Ravenclaw instead of the expected Slytherin. Albus was called into Ravenclaw and young Rose had the most surprise sorting of her year: Slytherin. Even with the house placements, Albus and Rose were still inseparable in their Hogwarts careers and invited Francis and Scorpius to remain in their circle. In fact, much against her father's instructions, Rose sought out Scorpius and persistently asked for him "to hang" around.

Severus could not be any prouder of his granddaughter.

"Severus," Draco said curtly, drawing the older wizard out of his thoughts.

"Draco," he said a little more warmly. He privately wonders if being a grandpa or a husband made him soft. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Draco said relaxing a little as Neville turned to Ron to further distract him. "Astoria's excited about getting a daughter. Father and Mother are amicable to Lily, Mother more so than Father." Severus nodded, even in old age Lucius still harbored old purity beliefs. It is to be expected, it is difficult to eradicate ideas that are rooted deep within.

"That's good," Harry murmured in agreement. Like any father, he still worry for his only daughter and thus was apprehensive about Lily's treatment in the Malfoy family.

"Give him time," Severus advised. "If Lily Luna can soften my heart, she can soften your father." He laughed. "I remember, when she was nine, after meeting your son she told me she was going to marry him one day."

Harry laughed, garnering attention from Draco, Neville, and Ron. "She told you that? Lily told me that too. I wasn't too happy, mainly because she was nine." Sobering up, he looked at Draco square in the eyes. "My daughter is her mother's daughter, meaning once her mind is made up she won't stop until she has it."

"And Scorpius is his mother's son—" Draco said.

"Thank Merlin," Ron coughed into his sleeve, earning him a scalding look from Severus.

Draco continued with aristocratic polish: "—meaning that he knows how to play the long game and bring out the best in someone. Astoria had her work cut out for her. But Scorpius—he won't have much to do at all."

"Are you kidding?" Harry wore a genuine grin now. "While Lily pursues her Quidditch and potions career? He'll be busy with the kids."

Now Severus smiled himself without any doubt or guilt, only warmth. Twenty-five years of happy memories flooded him. Lily Luna was very much her parents' daughter, being a Quidditch prodigy (Seeker and captain) who had recently signed onto Puddlemere United. She loved Quidditch almost as much as she loved potions. She planned to go into forensic alchemy once her sports career was over. Her grandfather, also, distinctly remembered 4-year-old Lily telling him she wanted five children and that she would name all of them Sevy, even the girls.

Molly poked her head out of the church doors. "There you lot are! Get inside, it's time for the wedding photos." Her hair had gone sandy-grey about fifteen years ago, but if anything she had achieved her greatest beauty since then. She accepted Severus' arm as they cut through the riot of their extended family toward the photographer. "If there is any disaster, no matter how small," Molly said through her stubbornly radiant smile, "you and I are running away to Patagonia. New names, new life, no arguments."

"I thought we were doing that if everything goes off perfectly."

"Yes, well. Only you have any idea how sore my hands get this time of year." It was an autumn wedding, and their family had grown to such as size that Molly had to start knitting in October to finish all the sweaters in time for Christmas.

The photographer, a muggleborn friend of the bride, directed the traffic of the motley crew of Weasleys, Potters, Malfoys, and one Snape. First it would be Lily's extended family, then just her immediate, and then her grandparents. Then her cousins, uncles, aunts, and nieces and nephews would be dismissed leaving Scorpius' extended (far fewer than Lily's number, which Ron, of course, threw in Draco's face), then immediate, and then family. Afterwards a photo of both sets of parents and grandparents, and then the wedding party. Severus grew exhausted just listening to the witch explain the set up and wondered how she had the energy to plan it all.

Once the Weasley clan was settled and great-grandchildren were preoccupied with Severus and Molly in the front center, the photographer looked around for the bride. Upon not finding Lily or her princess-y white dress, she turned to the groom:

"Hey, Scor, where's Lily?"

"Right over -" he trailed off, his gray eyes finding the spot by the double doors fiancee-less. "Well, she was here."

"Of course, she left," Lucius snorted. "She realized that a Potter has no place with a Malfoy."

"Watch it," shouted not Ron, but James. "That Potter is my sister!"

"James," came Harry's warning voice from behind Severus.

"Dad, he insulted Lils AND our family. No one does that."

"I did no such thing," Lucius retorted back, disregarding Narcissa's hand on his arm and silencing Draco with one stern look. "I was simply stating a fact. A Malfoy does not consort with mudblood-loving blood traitors such as the Weasleys. It is a surprise that Severus even joined the family."

Then the riots started, all started by young Arthur. Arthur who grew up idolizing his step-grandfather, begging day and night to sit on his knees and hear stories about Slytherin and Hogwarts and his role in the war. Arthur who grew up with a wizard father and a muggle mother. Arthur who grew up hearing tales from his grandmother about how his birth grandfather - his namesake - was knowledgeable in all-things muggle. Arthur who still has one foot in the muggle world and the other foot in the wizardry world, even more so than his older sister George.

Arthur threw the first spell, leading a chain reaction.

Pulling Molly down for cover in the pews, Severus looked up and saw Draco and Harry trying to hold peace in the division. Scorpius was trying to get to the back door (most likely in hopes to find his bride) but flying spells and curses deemed as obstacles to the groom.

"Patagonia?"

"I would love to say yes," Molly said, appearing even more weathered and tired now than ever. Severus squeezed her hand. "But we need to stop it. Go find Lily and I will deal with this."

"Only you can fix this," he said and kissed Molly, before escaping only to discover a ghostly Lily Luna trying to breathe.

Severus wondered if Molly had known this would happen. He wouldn't have been surprised. His wife could be downright clairvoyant when it came to family matters. "What's this, now?" he asked.

Lily nearly gasped, "Grandpa!" and ran into his arms. "I can't do this. This is a mistake."

Once, Severus had had daydreams about a redhead named Lily, in a wedding dress, running into his arms with those very words. Now he was, if not ashamed of that wish, dismissive of it.

"Is it?"

"It is," Lily sobbed in her grandfather's shoulder, her words nearly muffled as if someone casted the muffliato spell on her. "I mhmmm. hsss famimmmhmm hits me. An mhmm djhjdh akhdj."

Outside the door, Molly's bellowing overcame even the chaos of the duel. Severus rather wondered if there would be any Malfoys left for him to poison once they left this room. "His family hates you?" he repeated, his arms still around Lily. "Then you're right. It is a mistake."

"Grandpa," Lily exclaimed, pulling away to indignantly glare at Severus. An indignant glare consisting of snot, bloodshot eyes, and mascara and tears muddying her cheeks.

Severus summoned a handkerchief from the dressing table in the corner and handed it to her. "It's a mistake if you're marrying him for his name, or his wealth, or his lineage. Then you'll have nothing but heartache and disappointment. But if you're marrying him for himself? Then you'll make it through. It will be hard, but you, Lily Luna, are no coward."

Blowing her nose with the handkerchief, she hiccuped, "I am, I am marrying Scorpius for himself. I love him. But Lucius and Narcissa - Lucius mostly - barely acknowledges me and when he does he belittles me. As for Astoria, she likes me. Draco... I don't know. He doesn't talk to me and I tried, I really do try, Grandpa!" She blew her nose again. "I love Scorpius, but what if his father never truly likes me. What if he hates his future grandchildren because of who my father is?"

"I cannot solve these problems for you in the half-hour before the organ starts to play," Severus admitted, for all that he wished he could. "All I can do is speak from experience. I had many, many doubts before and after marrying your grandmother. In all honesty, I still do, yet I do not regret it. Imagine walking out of this church married to Scorpius, with all his family problems and prejudices." Severus' mouth pulled down. "Knowing there was a fully-fledged duel right before your wedding. Now imagine walking out of here not married to him. Which is the scenario you can live with?"

"There's a duel!?"

"Was," Severus corrected, cocking his head to the sounds beyond the door. Only Molly's voice could be heard, cutting all outside to ribbons and bullying them into their places. "Your grandmother has it sorted. Well, Lily Luna? Do you feel that you can go through with this? Whatever you decide, I will be behind you. Even if I have to poison a few people to do it."

"Sounds like Grandma, she can be quite scary," Lily confided in a stage whisper. "I think I'll go through it. Sorry for this breakdown. I was hoping I was going to be all composed like Rose was." She glanced at the vanity and grimaced. "But now I look like a raccoon."

Her grandmother's ire seemed to be as good as a shot of brandy for steeling the bride's nerves. This was the Lily Luna Severus knew. "Wipe that off, then." He offered the handkerchief. "I always thought you looked your best without makeup."

"You're my grandfather, you're supposed to think that," Lily said, cleaning her face with a new washcloth (mentally rolling her eyes at her silly grandfather handing her a soiled handkerchief) and then using the scouring charm for extra measures. "But for once you're not alone, Scorpius also likes me without make-up. Come to think of it, he never seems to notice me when I do wear it."

Suddenly the sound Severus had earlier been dreading filled the church: the organist had begun to play. "In the name of-" Severus muttered and checked his pocket watch. It was at least 15 minutes early. He wouldn't be surprised if the fool had panicked and tried to end the contention among the families the only way he knew how.

"Are you ready?" he asked. When Lily Luna nodded, he offered his arm.

Lily stopped her grandfather in the doorway. Peering up, her brown eyes meeting his dark ones, she smiled, "for the record, Grandpa, I'm glad you married Grandma. Because if you haven't, I wouldn't have known you and you wouldn't have gotten a Lily." Then she nudged Severus forward and was escorted to the double doors of the sanctuary.

You would be so proud of your granddaughter, Lily, he thought with a flush of warmth for his oldest friend.