The next day, Hermione and James walked down to the Evans' wing to discuss Tilly and Robby's wedding the next day.
"Good morning, Mister and Missus Evans, Lily, Petunia," Hermione said after Lily opened the door. "May we come in?"
"Of course," Evelyn said, smiling. "And how many times have we told you all to call us Evelyn and Michael?"
"Sorry," James said, closing the door behind them. "It's a habit for Hermione, give her some time and she'll start calling you by your first names. It took her quite a while before she called mum and dad anything other than mister and missus Potter."
"What did you want to talk about, James?" Lily asked, settling into the couch with Petunia.
"Two of the house elves are getting married tomorrow," Hermione began. "We wanted to let you know that Tilly and Robby have invited you as well."
"What's a house elf?" Petunia asked. Since they had moved into the wing, they hadn't seen any of the elves, they tended to stay out of the muggle wing due to the magic dampening runes.
"Would you rather meet them?" Lily asked. "It's easier to see with your own eyes than to have it explained to you, trust me."
Petunia nodded, excited to be seeing something else from the magical world.
"Mipsy, Tilly, Robby," Hermione called. "Please come here for a moment."
Suddenly, three beings popped into the room in front of Hermione. They were small, no taller than the average four year old, with wide heads, large eyes, and large feet. "Yes, Missy Mione?"
"Mipsy, this is Lily's sister, Petunia, and her parents, Evelyn and Michael," James said, kneeling in front of his favorite elf. "They're coming with us to Tilly and Robby's wedding tomorrow, and they wanted to meet you beforehand."
"Mipsy be's so happy to meet Missy Lily's family!" Mipsy said, bouncing happily. "Mipsy is very happy Missy Lily's family be's coming to the wedding!"
"Missy Tunie," Tilly said, looking at Petunia. "Does yous be knowing how to sew? Tilly be's noticing yous not wearing clothes like Missy Lily."
"Yes, I do," Petunia said, surprised. "I make all my dresses, as well as making clothes to donate to orphanages and hospitals for kids."
"Would Missy Tunie like to be helping Tilly?" the elf said, wringing her hands. "Tilly and Mipsy not be's very good at sewing and Tilly be needing a wedding dress."
"Oh," Petunia said, smiling softly. "I'd love to, Tilly! James, do you know if you have a muggle sewing machine?"
"If we don't, we can go into London today to get one," he replied. "Now, Mipsy, will you explain an elven wedding to Hermione and the Evans family?"
"Oh, yes," Mipsy said, happy for her friend. "We's be having weddings like the muggles, with vows, flowers, a meal and dancing all night! Masters be's the ones marrying the elves, but we's be doing something different. Tilly and Robby asked Mipsy to marry them, and mister Charlus told Mipsy that was ok!"
"So, it's just like a wedding we'd have," Evelyn asked, surprised.
"It is," James answered. "I was at Mipsy's wedding to her husband, Patty. I'd never had so much fun in my life!"
"Where is Patty, James?" Hermione asked quietly. "I haven't met him."
"Patty be's visitng other elves to invite them to Tilly's wedding," Mipsy answered. "Tilly be's our daughter."
"Oh!" Hermione said, surprised. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Mipsy does as Mipsy does, Missy Mione."
The Potters, in fact, had a muggle sewing machine, hidden away in the attic. Tilly also uncovered several yards of fabric she deemed perfect for her wedding dress. Petunia, having found charcoal gray fabric, as well as white fabric, offered to make Robby, Mipsy, and Patty outfits for the wedding as well.
"Missy Tunie really be's making outfits for all the Potter elves?" Tilly asked, surprised.
"Of course!" Petunia said, grabbing all the necessary materials and placing them in a basket to take back downstairs. "Consider it your wedding gift from me."
After a few hours, Petunia had created a beautiful dress for Tilly, complete with a veil. She had also made Mipsy a beautiful mother of the bride dress, as well as suits for Robby and Patty.
Meanwhile, Lily and Hermione helped Mipsy transform the garden for the wedding. The area of the gardens where the wedding would take place was surrounded by rose bushes, trimmed to perfection. An arch sat at the end of a long aisle, where one side sat short, child-sized chairs for the elves, and the other sat full-sized chairs for the human attendees.
"We's done," Mipsy said finally happy with the area. "We's ready for the wedding tomorrow."
The wedding was upon them. Lily and Hermione insisted everyone wear muggle formalwear, to match what they elves were wearing.
"Oh, I didn't bring any formal dresses," Evelyn said, glancing at Hope.
"I have some you can try on," Hope said, smiling. "You too, Dorie. If you see one you like, I can always alter it so it fits perfectly. James took Hermione on that offered shopping trip and I accompanied them. Petunia and Tilly decided on a 50s style for the wedding, and these dresses fit the bill."
"Won't we need Petunia for that?" Evelyn asked. "There's no way she can alter dresses for us and get ready for the wedding."
"I'll alter it magically," Hope said, smiling. "If you love the dress, Petunia can make the alterations permanent, and you can keep it!"
Meanwhile, in Hermion's seldom-used room, Hermione, Lily and Petunia were getting ready.
"Are you sure we can wear these, Hermione?" Lily asked, chewing on her lower lip.
"I am!" she said, smiling. "Besides, I didn't pay for them, Jamie took me on that shopping trip after we finished setting up the garden yesterday. I grabbed a few dresses I think you'd both like. Tunie, don't worry about any alterations today, we can magically do them for now."
Petunia nodded, selecting a light pink dress with cap sleeves. "This one is beautiful, and it fits the 50's style theme that Tilly and I decided on."
"Most of the dresses will fit that style," Hermione said, smiling. "I convinced Jamie to take me to a few charity shops as well, that's where all these came from. Hope did the same for her, your mum and Dorea."
Finally, everyone was ready, the girls beautiful in their 50s inspired dresses and the guys in suits, and they made their way to the garden.
"We's be here today to join Tilly and Robby in marriage," Mipsy began, smiling.
A short while later, after Tilly and Robby sealed their marriage with a kiss, the chairs had been rearranged with tables, ready to hold the feast that all the visiting elves helped prepare. Hermione noticed Tilly and Robby were missing and turned to ask James.
"Elves consummate their marriage as soon as the wedding is over," he said, smiling at an elf he knew belonged to Andromeda and Ted, a cousin of Mipsy's. "If I recall, elves are only pregnant for four months, and Tilly came exactly four months after Mipsy and Patty's wedding."
"Mipsy does as Mipsy does," the elf said, smiling at James. "Mipsy only wishes she could have given Tilly a sibling."
"Can't you still?" Hermione asked, curious.
"Mipsy could, but Mipsy can't leave her family right now," she said, smiling sadly. "Mipsy's boys need her."
"Mipsy," Dorea said, having overheard the conversation. "If you wanted to have another child, please know the permission Charlus and I gave you to have children at your wedding still stands. We would never stop you from expanding your family. Besides, you're young for an elf, and there are plenty of people here to watch out for your boys."
Mipsy could only hug Dorea in response, before looking at her husband. "Patty better be's ready to give Mipsy another elfling."
Everyone at the table laughed at that, before James noticed Tilly and Robby had returned.
"Hey, the newlyweds are back!" James said, excitedly. "It's time to party!"
The reception lasted for several hours, the teens finally retiring inside after hugging Tilly and Robby. Lily and Petunia followed their friends, unaware that the five in front of them had been sharing a bed for weeks. When they finally made it to James' room, Hermione excused herself to change, pulling Lily and Petunia with her.
"I just wanted to give you two a heads up," Hermione said, slipping out of her dress and sliding into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, then handing Lily and Petunia some spare shorts and shirts as well to borrow for the night. "The boys and I have been sharing a bed since I came here, before you ask, it's not sexual. I-I feel safe surrounded by them."
Lily nodded, understanding. Petunia was confused for a moment, then nodded as well. "I'm eighteen, almost nineteen, and Lily is almost seventeen, and I still get nightmares about what happened and climb into Lily's bed."
"Nightmares about what?" Hermione asked.
Petunia sighed, turning to Lily and nodding, as if telling her that she can tell Hermione.
"Last summer, a boy in Tunie's year assaulted her," Lily began, hugging her sister. "His name's Dursley, awful whale of a boy with and even worse family."
Oh my god, Petunia married her abuser! I definitely intend on changing that!
Hermione said nothing, just joined in the sisters' hug. "You're both welcome to join us, I'm sure Jamie or Remy has already enlarged the bed again."
The sisters nodded, following Hermione out of the room and into James'. Once there, Hermione noticed they had left room for the girls - Hermione's usual spot between James and Remus, Sirius sitting by James' legs, waiting for her to lay down, and a larger spot on the other side of James, presumably for Lily and Petunia. Hermione also noticed that Regulus had switched sides, with Remus closer to the edge of the bed, and was now laying on the other side of James, leaving space for the Evans sisters.
Sirius and I, James and Lily, and now Regulus and Petunia Hermione thought to herself as she got comfortable, waiting for Sirius to lay down. We have to find Remus' mate, I wonder if it's still Tonks.
With that, sleep overtook all seven teens.
Dorea, Hope and Evelyn decided to go inside as well, after changing from their dresses into nightgowns, Dorea and Hope wordlessly motioned to Evelyn to follow them. When they reached James' bedroom door, Dorea whispered to Evelyn. "The kids have all been sharing a bed for weeks, I'd imagine they invited Lily and Petunia to join them. Please know that nothing untoward has happened between them, even with the slowly developing relationship between Hermione and Sirius. It's purely comfort and a sense of safety to them. To invite your girls means that our boys want to protect them too."
Evelyn nodded, having seen the way all the boys seemed to look out for the girls, from James gently guiding Lily through the garden, careful to avoid the few rabbit holes that dotted the property, to Regulus covertly (so he thought) checking Petunia's drink that an unknown elf had served her, to Sirius, constantly keeping Hermione within his peripheral vision, as if he was afraid she'd disappear any moment, to Remus, watching over all the teens as if he were their guardian.
Dorea silently opened the door, and what they saw warmed the three mothers' hearts. From left to right, lay Regulus, looking as if he fell asleep comforting Petunia, who was also asleep, tear tracks still fresh on her cheeks, Lily, turned to James, her head resting on his arm, her hand reaching behind her, clasping hands with Petunia, Hermione, who had one hand tucked under her head, the other carding Sirius' hair on her lap, and finally, Remus, laying like Hermione, one hand tucked under his head, the other laying loosely between him and his cousin.
"Mum," Lily whispered softly. "She told Hermione what happened last summer. Regulus sensed something was wrong, and let her cry on his shoulder, I swear-"
"It's okay, Lily Flower," her mum said, whispering as well. "Dorea explained it all to me. Sleep tight, love."
After closing the door again, Dorea turned to Evelyn. "What happened to Petunia?"
"Let's go down to my sitting room," Evelyn replied. "I'm sure Petunia doesn't want to wake up and relive it again for a second time tonight."
Once they were finally in the Evans' wing, Evelyn turned to make tea for her newfound friends, surprised to see Mipsy standing in front of her stove. "Mipsy, what are you doing?"
"Mipsy cares for Missy Tunie," the elf said. "Mipsy heard some of what Missy Tunie told Missy Mione. Mipsy wants to know everything so Mipsy can help her friend heal."
Evelyn crouched and hugged the small elf. "Petunia cares for you too, Mipsy. You can make the tea, as long as you promise to sit on the couch with us."
Mipsy nodded, and within seconds, had four cups of tea ready, and was settled on the couch between Dorea and Evelyn.
Evelyn took a deep breath and began Petunia's story.
"There's been a boy that's quite obsessed with Petunia, has been for years," she began shakily. "He's the last person I'd ever want to be associated with either of my daughters. Last summer, he and Petunia were at a party held by one of their mutual friends. Petunia's drink had been spiked with some kind of drug, and when she woke, her clothing was gone, and Vernon Dursley was on top of her."
"Oh, Merlin," Dorea whispered, covering her mouth.
"That's not the worst of it," Evelyn said, looking at Dorea intently. "We took Petunia to the police station to report the assault. When the police came to talk to Dursley, he was enraged. He cornered her at their school and beat her so badly that she was in hospital for weeks."
"Missy Evie, you's say you's from Cokeworth, right?" Mipsy suddenly asked.
"Yes, Mipsy, why?" Evelyn said, stunned. Suddenly, the elf disappeared. A few moments later, she reappeared. "Vernon Dursley will never be's hurting another lady like that. Mipsy makes sure of it."
"What did you do, Mipsy?" Hope asked, as Evelyn was too speechless to react.
"He's will be unable to get excited again," Mipsy angrily responded. "He hurt Missy Tunie, Mipsy does as Mipsy does."
Evelyn hugged the elf again, "Thank you, no one would do anything to him after either attack. Petunia will be grateful to you."
Just then Charlus and Michael stumbled into the Evans' wing, clearly having taken part in too many servings of elf wine.
"We'll talk more in the morning," Dorea said, collecting Charlus, while Hope just smiled at her friends. "The boys are good for her, they'll help her see that not every man is a monster."
The next morning, the seven teens entered the kitchen together, Hermione and Tilly, having entered through an elf-sized door by the stove, immediately started on breakfast.
"Missy Mione," Tilly said softly. "Makes sure to make enough bacon for Missy Evie and Mister Mike."
Hermione was thoughtful for a moment, but agreed with Tilly. Given what Petunia told them yesterday, Hermione wouldn't be surprised if the Evans family joined them for every meal from now on.