"Your father will come around, my love. Do you want to go with your mother? Or we could go find my best mate. He's apparently kept himself well occupied in my absence and seems to have grown close to one of my father's various daughters. A party might be a nice distraction? Or if you aren't in the mood for a party, we can abscond to someplace, just the pair of us, if you'd like? Whatever makes you happy." The words tumbled out so rapidly that if one didn't pay any heed to their actual content then Sirius thought he would have sounded a lot like his father. He couldn't help it. He was still brimming with excitement that Marlene had agreed to be his wife. He had to practice real restraint to keep his feet planted on the ground.

There was a long pause as Marlene looked at her mother. Sirius got the impression they were speaking to each other somehow, both looked lost to the present world. Finally, they seemed to return as Marlene sighed.

"The son of Dionysus just offered to pass up a party for my sake. Is this some sort of very odd dream?" Marlene shook her head and smiled up at him, it was a bit forced, but it was her same beautiful smile.

"I ask myself that same question every day…" He ran a hand along her face and then jumped when his soon to be mother-in-law disappeared before his eyes.

"Mother has gone to speak with Father and Giannis." She took in a deep breath before straightening in his arms. "I think I'd like to meet your friend and your sister."

Sirius pulled his eyes away from the spot Fate had just stood and looked back down at Marlene. "I've only met my sister once, and only for a minute. But James did seem rather smitten in that minute. I'm curious how that's gone. Are you sure, though?"

"Positive," she reached up and kissed him just once before lacing her fingers with his and following him in the direction Sirius thought was most likely to bring him into contact with James.

Soon enough they found him, dancing with the red-haired daughter of Dionysus, looking even more thoroughly smitten. Sirius laughed to himself. This whole Demigod business had come with some unexpected perks. Apparently, a matchmaking service was part of the package. It was perhaps a bit strange considering the poor track records of the gods where monogamy was concerned, but Sirius had no complaints so he was not going to question any of it. Who was he to question Fate? She was going to be his mother in law quite soon and he was intent on making a good impression!

"Are you going to introduce me or are we just going to watch them from over here?" Marlene tugged on his hand as he stared at James and Lily. "Because the latter is perhaps a bit creepy. I advise against it."

"I'm just happy that my friend appears to have found love! That's hardly creepy, Miss Fate." He put on a faux disapproving tone. It didn't hold up to her smile. He had to kiss her. She was just so very kissable.

Of course, it was during this momentary distraction that James must have noted his presence. He felt the slap of a hand on his shoulder, pulling his attention away from Marlene. He spun around and was met with an immediate embrace from his lifelong friend.

"Well, that's one way to celebrate that you're not dead!" James laughed loudly. "Glad you didn't get eaten and all but I thought perhaps you'd notify me of your presence before attaching yourself to this woman's face." He held a hand out to Marlene, "Hi, by the way! I'm James. This idiot is my oldest friend in the world. Best of luck with him because he's properly exhausting and his father will not stop undressing me with his eyes."

"Oh come now. He's just appreciating the scenery!" Sirius's sister Lily chimed in, rolling her eyes as she took James arm.

"James, Lily, this is Marlene," Sirius pulled Marlene to him, "daughter of Fate, slayer of the Minotaur, crusher of chairs, and also my betrothed wife."

"Crusher of chairs?" James looked perplexed.

"Yes!" Sirius nodded excitedly. "She crushed two of Minos's chairs just with her mind! It was wicked! But… That's the part you take issue with? Really?" Sirius was sure that his friend would be at least a little surprised that he'd come back, not only alive but with a woman crazy enough to have consented to marry him.

"I might have been in on this whole scheme from the get-go…" he gestured from Sirius to Marlene, obviously indicating… well, Sirius wasn't sure.

"What? There was a scheme?" He gave James a quizzical stare.

"Oh yes," James nodded. "To be fair I don't think either of the deities involved even noted my presence. I was more of a bystander. But there was most certainly a scheme. Glad to see that it worked out nicely! Lovely to meet you, Marlene. You look very like your mother, except less terrifying."

"You don't think I look terrifying?" Marlene looked baffled at James for a moment, then turned her attention back to Sirius. "I like your mortal friend, Sirius. Let's keep him."

"You'll have to fight me for him, brother." Lily winked.

"Glad to see our father had the right idea," Sirius smirked at his newfound sister.

"Lily!" Dionysus walked up behind them and pulled the group into an awkward embrace. "I was just coming to let you know Sirius is alive and back for his little mortal but looks like he found you first. He's getting married you know?!" He released them and flung his arms up in the air.

"Hello Father," Lily laughed, "Sirius has just introduced us to Marlene."

"Yes, yes, all very wonderful and confusing but Moira knows what she's doing. Oh," he turned to Marlene, "I mean no insult, but I don't think it wise to serve your mother's unique vintage at the wedding. She's a dear and all," he pulled a goblet out of the air, "but she does something strange to the poor grapes."

Marlene laughed and Sirius felt his heart leap, that would take some getting used to.

"Don't worry, Dionysus, we're leaving the party up to you."

Sirius laughed as his father spun in celebration of the news and the way his arms looked rather like a scarf flapping around in the wind.

"Excellent! So much to do! This will be one of my finest displays!" He kissed James on the cheek before skipping away.

"Well, at least we know that our wedding will be something to talk about." Marlene chuckled.

"Father is good at a few things." Lily smiled at James who had taken a step closer to her as if that would protect him from more of Dionysus' advances. "He generally likes his children to be happy."

"Yes that," Sirius smiled before grabbing a goblet from a passing tray, "and he's quite adept with grapes."

Everyone collapsed into laughter. Sirius, though lacking Marlene's powers of foresight, still managed to see a future with these people. From what he could tell, it looked like a happy one.