Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, as it is the property of the wonderful JKR.
Chapter 20
On Saturday 31st October, 19 year old Selena Black - her birthday not being whilst March - was stood in Jonathan and Cherilyn Potter's house, in the bedroom which had been hers during her stay with the family.
' You look beautiful,' Cherilyn said, her eyes welling up with tears as she observed the young woman who would soon become her daughter-in-law.
Lena smiled softly. The dress she was wearing was long and white, with a fitted bodice and a layered princess style skirt. Her veil was dotted with pale blue flowers which matched her eyes, and she wore the tiara which James had given to her at the christmas ball in their 7th year of schooling.
Mrs Potter was wearing a cream coloured set of robes and a hat adnorned with lace.
' Mrs Potter, you're going to make my mascara run!' wailed Lena, as tears dripped down her cheeks.
' Oh no you don't,' commanded Molly, who was sat on Lena's old bed, holding her 3 month old son, Ronald - she and Arthur having eloped some months ago once Molly got pregnant, refusing to wait around and plan out a full wedding.
With all the chaos Voldemort was causing, the order was very busy, and Molly and Arthur had dropped out, not wanting to deprive their son of a parent if anything should happen to either of them. Alice and Frank had also gotten married - having eloped.
In this time of great panic, people were getting married in a panic that they would be killed by death eaters before they had the chance to wait it out. Lena had been insisted that she and James were going to do things properly, however.
The wedding had already been put off from the summer because of a mission James had to go away on with Sirius. Lena had now finished training as a professor, but hadn't been able to get a post at Hogwarts this year, so was taking a year out to work full time for the Order. James was in his 2nd and final year training to be an auror.
Alice jumped up and immediatly began to retouch Lena's makeup.
There was a knock at the door, and Lauren opened it to reveal Sirius.
Sirius entered the room, about to speak, but he was speechless when he saw his sister.
After a moment of staring at her in awe, he managed to speak,' You - you ready? ' he asked her.
She nodded,' As I'll ever be,' she told him, her heart jumping in to her mouth as she took his arm and let him lead her down to the garden.
Mrs Potter went on ahead to inform everyone that the wedding was ready to start.
Molly handed Ron over to Arthur at the door, before getting in line to walk down the aisle inside the marquee that had been set up specially for the occasion.
The strains of the wedding march was played by the string quartet hired to commemorate the dances at the Christmas Eve Ball back in Hogwarts.
All heads turned to face the bride as she glided down the aisle, a modest smile upon her face as she passed by the guests, bridesmaids Maria and Lauren holding the edges of the long train of her gown, whilst other bridesmaids Molly and Alice followed on behind.
Once they reached the front of the marqee, where James and the minister were waiting, Sirius placed Lena's hand in James' before standing beside James - as he was not only giving his sister away, but being James' best man too.
Vows were exchanged, tears were spilled - from Lena and James, from Mrs Potter, from their female friends, from some of the elder women there - rings were exchanged ... after Sirius realised they weren't in his pocket and had to apparate home to fetch them, and come back again quickly.
Finally, the minister uttered the words Lena had been dreaming of for ages,' I now pronounce you man and wife. '
The guests cheered as James kissed his new wife, and the minister waved his wand to transform the contents of the marqee in to a dance floor and drinks and food tables, and circular tables for the guests to sit at.
As everyone came to congratulate them, it stuck Lena just how many people they had invited - the few members of their families, their friends from Hogwarts, many professors from Hogwarts, younger students who had looked up to them, the old quidditch team, people they had met on their teacher and auror training courses, most of the shop owners from Hogsmede because James and Lena had gotten to know them in the 18 months they had been living in their flat.
They had invited Regulus - Lena hoping that he would see this as a chance to change, to be different form the family - but he ignored the invitation. Orion and Walburge Black were not invited, nor were Bellatrix - who was now married to Rudolphus Lestrange -, Narcissa, and her husband.
They had invited the only other member of the Black family - besides Sirius - who was worth speaking to. Sirius and Lena's cousin Andromeda, who was several years older than them. Andromeda had been disowned for marrying a muggle born - Ted Tonks. They brought their daughter, 9 year old Nymphadora, with them too.
Even a reporter and photographer from Witch Weekly was there. Witch Weekly had taken an interest in Lena since Lauren first started working there, and had invited Lena as her plus one to a party. The magazine executives had seen her and got talking to her and liked her. On finding out that she was training as a teacher - training to work with people - they offered her a job as the agony aunt for their magazine, but she declined at the time because she was in training and with the order, things were stressful enough - not that she could tell any one else about the order, that is. However, when they requested ot cover the wedding in the magazine, and there was a lot of money involved, Lena and James agreed on the conditions that they got to pre-approve all photographs and quotes used, and that Lauren wrote the article up because she was a close friend of theirs.
Lena was sat down at one of the tables with James a short while later, when their landlord approached them.
' Hey, kids,' said old Mr Handell, ' congratulations.'
' Thanks,' Lena nodded, as James shook Mr Handell's hand.
' Listen,' said the old man,' there's something you should know - I'm selling the shop ... I'm retiring.'
James gasped,' Oh no, we'll miss you and all, but what about the flat? Do we have to move out? '
Mr Handell smiled kindly,' I was wondering how you two would feel about buying the shop - you're both dedicated to the sport, you wouldn't have to move out ... you won't have to keep paying rent to a landlord. You can work in the shop when it suits you, or if you're too busy to work there, you can hire staff. Plus, I know you two kids'll look after the shop, and you're real enthusiasts, the customers'll love you.'
Lena sighed,' Well, we'll have to think about it, of course but -'
James cut in,' If the price isn't too much for us, then yes, we'll take it. '
Lena looked at James, who shrugged and said to his new bride, ' Why not? We've plenty money between our families, and it'll earn us some more money - plus we both love the sport ... or we could put whatever we want in the store. We can hire staff if we're too busy to work ... it'll give us something to do, why not? '
' Ok,' Lena nodded.
Mr Handell grinned, ' Thanks, kids. I'll be around once you get back from the honeymoon to discuss contracts and the legal side.'
Once Mr Handell left, Lena giggled and threw her arms around James' neck, squealing, ' Oh Merlin - we're going to own a shop! I feel like such a grown up ... house, marriage, owning our own business. '
It was half an hour later, when Lena was stood by the drinks table with Lauren and Maria, when a woman in long black robes with a short black bob, called, ' Selena, daaarling! '
Lauren rolled her eyes,' It's Catherine,' she told Lena,' you know, the magazine's editor ... she's been nagging at me to arrange a meeting between the two of you for ages. '
Catherine reached their side,' Lena, darling, you look beautiful ... thank you so much for letting me come here today. I wondered what you're up to these days? Where do you work, now? '
The corner's of Lena's mouth twitched as Maria and Lauren swanned off and left her to it, she smiled at Catherine as she handed her a glass of champagne, ' Well, you know who I was training to become a teacher, don't you? Well, I'm trained, but I wasn't able to get a post at the start of this year, so I've not been doing too much.'
Of course, she had been doing a lot for the order, but could not tell Catherine that.
Catherine smiled sadly,' Oh you mean you're unemployed? How awful for you.'
' Not really,' shrugged Lena,' we both come from wealthy families and are getting by just fine. We're also in negotiations to buy a shop in Hogsmede - so that'll keep me busy .. and James, too, when he's not in training of course.'
Catherine smiled,' Oh, well I hope you're not too busy - I was hoping you'd finally take that post as our agony aunt - the girl we've got is useless, and it's good pay ... you'd be invited to all the best parties ... you could work from home if you wanted ... but if you're too busy with your new shop and all ...'
It was a very tempting offer.
Lena sighed, then smiled,' I'll have to think about it, but I'll get back to you once we know what's going on with this shop thing. Thanks for the offer though.'
Catherine nodded gleefully and clinked glasses with Lena.
As she sipped her wine, Lena jumped when a hand laid on her hip.
She relaxed when she turned her head to see James stood behind her.
' Care to dance? ' he asked her.
Lena looked between James and the magazine editor, ' Would you excuse me, Catherine? ' she asked, with a serene smile.
' Of course,' nodded Catherine,' I had planned on getting a dance in with that gorgeous brother of yours. '
Lena laughed as James whisked her away to the dance floor.
He pushed past the other couples, until they were in at the centre of the dance floor and he then pulled her close to him and sashayed from one foot to the other.
Then slow danced for a while before he spun her around and back in to him.
' Mmmmn,' he sighed once his lips were pressed against her ear again,' I must say, you make a divine Mrs Potter. '