An: Here it is. THE chapter of all chapters. Nuf Said. Thank you all you wonderful Reviewers. You all rock.
Disclaimer:There's this thing you know...that states that I don't own shit. Sad but True.
Chapter 44- I will forever…
The big day was here. The day with a capital W. My wedding day. Lily was still asleep on the couch, unaware of the fact that I had been up for an hour. I wasn't exactly nervous; I was definitely not having any second thoughts. I just…had a lot on my mind.
I was getting married to this amazing guy that I loved to death. I was expecting our first child. And on top of that the knowledge of the prophecy loomed over my head. But I had made a promise to myself. Now I was just going to concentrate on the present and not worry about anything else.
Lily woke up a couple of minutes later and then the other girls and Damien arrived. Damien armed to his teeth with make-up and hair supplies. I was in for a long morning.
"So Char, are you nervous yet?" Jas smiled, spinning around in her red dress. I grinned back at her from where I was sitting, Damien doing something to my hair.
"No. I have never been surer of anything in my whole life, so what should I be nervous for?" the girls awed and started giggling.
"Damien, Ethan is coming to the wedding right?" I said smiling at him through the mirror. Damien sighed dreamily and said;
"Yes he is…I am so happy that I went with you to that appointment…or else I wouldn't have met the love of my life" I smiled at him and said;
"I thought you said fashion was the only love in your life after Luc…" he just gave me a glare and ripped in my hair slightly.
"Ouch! Damien!" he just smiled sarcastically at me and said;
"Oh…I'm so sorry darling" the other girls laughed and I scowled at him. When Damien's minor torture session was finally over it was time for the dress. The girls were waiting anxiously, not even they had seen the final product. Damien helped me into the dress and I sighed and rolled my eyes when it had to be taken out an inch…again.
"Honestly, when will they stop growing?" I whined and pointed at my chest; Damien only snorted and did a spell to alter the dress. Thank god for magic. I looked down at my white dress and smiled, Damien had really outdone himself. It was a strapless gown that was tight around my torso and then faded out from my hips. Thanks to a spell my minor baby-bump was hidden easily. At the cleavage diamonds sparkled, they were also strewn near my hips. Then a trail trailed behind me and the back had some crisscrossed ribbons on it. My veil was imbedded with my hairdo and fell gracefully down my back. (I don't normally do this…but a link to the picture can be found on my profile…it was just too beautiful) I smiled at Damien and tears sparkled in my eyes.
"Damien…the dress is fantastic. Thank you" he smiled too and sniffed;
"Oh darling…the pleasure was all mine, now don't you dare start crying already and ruin your makeup" I gilled and hugged him tightly.
"Are you two coming out of there already? We want to see the dress!" Jas annoyed voice floated into the room. Damien and I looked at each other and laughed.
"Ready for your first entrance, practice before the big one" he grinned and I nodded silently. He went out before me and I could see him doing the ridiculous bow and a sweep of his arms towards the doors. I took a deep breath and stepped outside. I was met by an awed silence.
"Char…" Amelia gasped out.
"…You look beautiful" Izzy smiled at me. I gave her a smile back and Jas started laughing and said;
"Who wants to bet against me that Sirius will literally drool when he sees her" everyone started laughing and I just shook my head.
"Damien you really did an amazing job" Alice praised and he fanned himself and actually blushed.
"Why thank you"
"Please…don't inflate his head more" I said grinning and we all started laughing again. Then Lily happened to look at the time and blurted out;
"Shit! We have to go! We'll be late" and with that we rushed outside to the waiting car. This was it.
Sirius POV
So Prongs managed to get me over to his place, I still felt uneasy about leaving Char alone. I mean after that episode at the club and everything. I had basically come to terms with the fact that I was going to be a dad…and that I was going to actually get married today. Yeah, it was the morning of my wedding day and I was sitting on Prongs balcony silently thinking and drinking coffee.
I couldn't believe that we had gotten this far…who knew, eh? I looked at the time and decided to wake Prongs and Wormtail; yeah the other guys were here too. Moony and Reggie were already up; I could hear them in the kitchen.
"Morning Moony, Reggie" I said when I stepped inside and Moony looked up at me from the prophet while Reggie just grinned. Already dressed in their new tuxes and red tie, which Moony had accepted from Damien, and only because everyone in the wedding party got one. He still had something against people giving stuff too him…and probably always will.
"Morning Padfoot…nervous?" I actually had to think about that. Yeah, I had a lot on my mind but I couldn't really say that I was nervous.
"Not really" I smiled and he gave me a smile back. I then made my way towards the guest bedroom Wormtail was occupying and woke him up, and then I proceeded to wake up Prongs. Who angrily told me to stuff it until I reminded him that I could still change my best man into Wormtail. When we were all up and dressed everyone in matching suites and red ties, except Prongs and me who had purple ones. Damien's idea.
"Wait…aren't we supposed to have those little pocket flowers?" Wormtail pointed out…and for once it was actually something smart that came out of his mouth. So we panicked and tried to find the damn red roses that we were supposed to have in our pockets. It took us fifteen minutes to remember that Damien had told us that the flowers would be waiting for us at the church. By this time we were almost running late so we rushed out to the car and sped away. This was it.
Damien's POV
When we finally reached the church I rushed the girls into the room that was reserved for the bride. And just when I got out of there another car pulled up and the groom and groomsmen showed up. I continued to rush them into their room, ignoring the frantic and lovesick grooms' questions about the bride.
I hurried into the church where I met up with the priest and Mary Potter.
"Damien! This place looks wonderful!" I glanced around and saw all the deep red, purple and white rose bouquets that were placed around the room.
"Thank you Mary, you look stunning by the way" she smiled at me and patted my cheek in a very motherly fashion.
"Are the girls here? I would love to see Char before the big moment" I smiled and told her where she could find them. I then turned to the priest, my hired helps to plan the wedding and…Ethan.
"Ethan! What are you doing here so early? The guests aren't supposed to arrive for about half an hour!" he smiled and we hugged kissing each others cheeks.
"I thought you might need some help." He said smiling that blinding smile that made me weak in my knees. I just nodded and then turned to my helpers, one of them gave me my head set and I was in my rightful place. Giving out orders left and right. That half hour past quickly and we started to take in the guests.
"Hello professor McGonagall and professor Dumbledore, so glad that you could come! It means so much to Sirius and Char…please follow Ulrich and he'll show you your seats"
"Mr. and Mrs Evans, just turn left at the first row, please. Tuni you're on their right with Alexander, love the colour of your dress by the by"
"Damien you made it!" she laughed and I grinned and shooed her to her seat and turned to the next guests who turned out to be some of Sirius co-workers. When everyone was finally seated I looked over the crowd and gave a small wave to Jasper Virgo and Francesca Lafontaine, this sure was one specked wedding. I even caught a glimpse of Marilyn Tudors, one of our own pop-stars…didn't even know she was invited…then I quickly gave orders to one of the unnamed helpers to stall so I could fix everyone's dresses. I hurried to the grooms' room and ordered the scared groomsmen to stand in front of the church and dragged Remus with me to the doors in the beginning of the isle. Then I rushed to the brides' room and ordered them to their places and Mary to go and take her seat. When I had finally managed to fix everyone's dresses I gave the man responsible for the music thumbs up and this show was on.
Chars POV
I smiled when Remus approached me with a stunned expression. I will never forget the look on his face when I asked him to walk me down the isle…
It was two days before the wedding and I asked Moony to have some tea with me at a café in Diagon Alley. He looked happy but confused when he approached me. We hugged and kissed cheeks…Damien has rubbed off on me…and then sat down.
"You are glowing Char" he stated and I just smiled.
"I wanted to ask you something Moony" I said, better cut to the case, he already knew that something was up anyways.
"Ask away Char" I smiled at him and took a deep breath.
"Remus, you know that I don't have a dad…and the only one close to being a dad to me was Mr. Potter. And you know that in a wedding, the bride is walked down the isle by someone…their dad. But since I don't have one…I was wondering if…you…I…eeh…I'm rambling aren't I?" I grinned and he looked at me stunned.
"What I'm trying to ask is…Moony…will you walk me down that isle? It would mean a lot to me" he looked at me, stunned.
"Moony?" I said, thinking that he didn't want to do it. But suddenly his face lit up and he took my hands saying;
"I would be honoured" and then we smiled at each other.
I smiled gently at him and he hugged me lightly, careful not to ruin anything. Because he knew if he did, Damien would personally have him killed.
"You look stunning Char" he said and I just smiled and concentrated on breathing, I was definitely feeling the butterflies now. But Moony's presence like always calmed me.
"Are you ready to do this?" he asked me smiling. I grinned back and said;
"I was born ready Moony" he chuckled and then The Verves Bittersweet Symphony started to play and the first bridesmaid; Izzy started to walk down the isle as the doors were thrown open.
General POV
December 30th is a sunny beautiful day and we arrive at a small church in the outsides of London. In this very church a wedding is about to begin, an epic wedding between Sirius Orion Black and Charlotte Emily Reese. A wedding they and all their loved ones have been waiting for.
Lets enter the church and see what's going on right now. At the back row we find some journalist here to cover the wedding, and then the rows are filled with acquaintances to the couple. And in the very front rows we find their closest family and friends.
Sirius Black is standing in the very front next to the priest looking rather dashing in his black suit and purple tie. He is nervously fidgeting with his sleeves and his bets friend and best man James Potter, tried not to laugh at him. Regulus Black, Sirius little brother is standing next to James, trying not to laugh and next to him we find little Peter Pettigrew, who just looks lost and out of place. Suddenly, when Damien Stanford gives a discreet thumbs up to a man dressed in green, and then sneakily sits down next to the handsome Dr. Ethan Ryan, the song Bittersweet Symphony echoes in the church. The doors are thrown open and Amelia Lupin walks down the isle. She is followed by Alice Longbottom and Jasmine Pearson. Then there is a small pause and the maid of honour Lily Evans walks down a vision in purple.
The music stops and everyone in the small church seems to hold their breath as the wedding march starts to play. The audience stands up and cranes their necks to get a glimpse of the bride, the grooms head snaps up and he too straitens. Every single eye in that church is fixated on the doorway.
Remus Lupin appears and he holds out his hand to the left side o the door…and then a vision in white the bride steps forward. A joint gasp of wonder can be heard through the whole church and small murmurs spread along the rows. The bride herself looks down, seemingly taking a deep breath and then she looks up and her brown eyes meets the grey ones of her lover. For the two, time seems to stop, silence not a sound is heard…and then as if someone pushed the play button the wedding march plays on and the pair at the end slowly starts to walk up the isle. Someone's camera flash goes off but no one seems to notice, everyone watches the brides every move. After what seems like an eternity they reach the altar, where the bride hands her bouquet of red roses to a bridesmaid and Remus Lupin kisses his friend on the cheek and gives her hand to the waiting groom. They both stand up in front of the priest, their eyes never leaving the others. The march stops and the priest speaks;
"We are gathered here today on this beautiful December morning to witness the marriage ceremony of Sirius and Charlotte." His voice echoes through the room and small snowflakes start to fall over the couple. Amelia Lupin is asked to read a piece of Hemingway and her voice is the only sound in the room when she reads; "A Farewell To Arms". Then the priest looks at both participants and smiles.
"And now the bride and groom will say their vows". Sirius smiles and clears his throat and in a slightly breathless voice he starts to speak:
"Charlotte, I love you. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage.
I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, And to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life." Through teary eyes Charlotte smiles and repeats the same words that were just said to her.
"Sirius, I love you. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage.
I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, And to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life." Sniffles can be heard all over the church. Mary Potter tries to soundlessly blow her nose and Damien Stanford tries to dab the tears in his eyes away…Minerva McGonagall has long ago given up trying to hide her tears. The priest reads "To Be One With Each Other" by George Eliot before the exchanging of the rings begin. He turns to the best man, James Potter and asks;
"Do you have the rings" after nervously patting his pockets and scaring half of the assembled people he grins and hands over the golden bands. And then the exchange begins with Sirius repeating after the priest.
"This ring is a token of my love. I marry you with this ring, with all that I have and all that I am" he gently slips the ring onto Charlottes left ring finger and smiles when she responds;
"I will forever wear this ring as a sign of my commitment and the desire of my heart". Then she is handed a ring and repeats after the priest;
"This ring is a token of my love. I marry you with this ring, with all that I have and all that I am" she too slips the ring onto Sirius left ring finger and he responds with;
"I will forever wear this ring as a sign of my commitment and the desire of my heart" now not many eyes in the rooms are dry, the priest smiles at the couple in front of him and says;
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife…you may kiss the bride". And with those words Sirius Orion Black for the first time kissed his wife Charlotte Emily Black. With the snow falling down on them the newly weds rushed out of the church, cheers of joy following in their wake.