AN: An apology for the long wait. It's been over a year now. It was extremely hard to get this chapter out. I couldn't just like it, and there was just so much of the story (or at least the narration) that I wanted to change. I have decided to upload as is, and perhaps come up with a more polished story later.

Two Weddings and Two Funerals

Sirius was not nervous for his wedding. He was miserable. Harry had taken his leave early that morning as he left for Darry, and Sirius couldn't help but feel bereft. Harry had promised to keep in touch, send a raven every other day, and had offered Sirius his castle for his honeymoon. While Sirius certainly looked forward to meeting Harry at Darry, he couldn't help but shudder at the thought of having a honeymoon with Cersei Lannister. Cersei Lannister who was obviously as reluctant and miserable as he was with this wedding.

As Sirius spoke his vows alongside his bride, it was obvious to him that Cersei too would rather be anywhere else. The atmosphere of the sept would have been absolutely funereal, if it hadn't been for the enthusiasm of the other couple that was getting married. The overt affection, the exaggerated courtly courtesies of his sister and Oberyn Martell would have disgusted Sirius, if it hadn't disturbed King Joffrey so visibly. Sirius suspected that much of their display was for Joffrey's benefit.

After the seemingly interminable ceremony was over, they proceeded back to the castle, where the grand feast would soon commence. The journey was as miserable as the wedding. The Queen Mother was unpopular, it was plain to see, especially when compared with the popularity of the newly minted Princess Margaery Martell. The city obviously loved her, Sirius was glad to note, and people waved flags and banners with roses and suns lined the streets en route to the castle, with just the occasional stag or lion. Cersei's expression, which had been annoyed and irritated earlier, had turned thunderous, and Sirius couldn't help but be amused.

Their carriage finally reached the castle, and before he knew it, he had been primped up and marched to the Throne room, where the feast was soon to begin. The cavernous room seemed smaller, as nearly all the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms (and some from beyond) teemed in the chamber for the feast. There were to be seventy-seven courses, and the celebrations would go on till midnight, though it was obvious to anyone who looked closely that the extravagant spread had been hastily repurposed from the King's wedding to that of the double wedding of his mother and his betrothed.

Sirius didn't know how he would survive it: Harry had left, Remus, Hermione and Ron would be seated at the benches below. The only person from the Hogwarts party to be seated at the High Table would be Snape, and Sirius wished Cersei could have married him instead. They both had enough bile to drown each other, and good riddance to them both it would be…

The guests had all been in their places when Sirius was called to the throne room. Prince Oberyn and Margaery had made their way just minutes ago. Sirius would be joining Cersei, and would be escorted to the dais alongside the King, and would be seated to his right, in a seat of honour (the Martells being on the King's left). It was grand. It was majestic. And unfortunately, it was inescapable.

With the King taking his place on the dais, the High Septon said his blessings, and the feast began, and with the feast, commenced the entertainment. There were songs that didn't interest Sirius, a fool on stilts, and some jousting dwarfs that the King, and Cersei found tremendously amusing, but seemed to upset Tyrion Lannister. Sirius found that he didn't care for mediaeval sense of humour or mediaeval music. How he wished there was a punk rock band instead. At would make the wedding at least somewhat tolerable.

Sirius, instead, studied the crowd. Everyone was in their finery. Ron was sitting with the lesser Tyrells on the first bench below the dais. Hermione was seated towards the back, with the lesser houses, but seemed to be watching the High Table quite closely.

They were on the twentieth course now, Sirius thought, and peacocks in their plumage were being brought in. Snape was sitting at the far end at the left, scowling. Just looking at Snape made Sirius want to cleanse his mouth, and as he reached out to his cup, he saw Cersei's hand retreat quickly. As if I want to touch you. Rolling his eyes, he took a sip. It tasted off, even for a wine from a barbaric land. It was irritating his throat, and he coughed to clear it. By some instinct, he chanced a wandless switching spell, exchanging Cersei's wine with his own. Cersei was smiling, and had reached out to drink her own cup. The irritation was getting worse. He gulped down some more wine from his goblet to wash away the irritation. This wine was better. Of course Cersei had served him rotten wine.

But it felt better only for a moment, and then he was choking.

Poison. Of course it was poison. As if someone with Cersei's reputation would limit herself to a prank. He needed an antidote. Snape. Snape was the Hogwarts potions master. He would know…

Sirius lurched towards the end of the table, and yanked Snape's collar.

Poison he gasped, and then everything was turning black. He could hear screams, their sounds muffled, as if they were coming from far, far away. Someone had pried open his mouth, and was trying to shove something down, but there was only blackness. And then, paralysed, he was inundated with images of another life, and they played on, and on and on…


Magically activated charcoal wasn't the same thing as a bezoar, Hermione knew, but she had to make do with what she had. The Grand Maester was tending to the Queen Mother, who had also collapsed, and Sirius had been left unattended. Margaery was screaming, as were most at the High Table. Sansa had run, terrified, but Hermione couldn't care less. She had pushed in a spoonful of the adsorbent into Sirius's mouth, and waited. Sirius was breathing, he had a pulse, yet he was obviously unconscious. She hoped he would survive. She looked at Snape, who nodded. Olenna Tyrell was directing her guards to escort Sirius to the Tyrell quarters, from whence he would be taken to Highgarden to recover. Chaos reigned. Whatever the poison was, Lady Cersei seemed more affected by it than Sirius. She was frothing at the mouth, and blood had started to run down her nose. Joffrey looked shell-shocked, and Hermione knew it was over when the Grand Maester stood back up straight, shaking his head.

She had to find Ron. They would have to do something about Sirius. If he were to go to Highgarden, their group would splinter further. Harry had already left, and without each other, they were more likely to be vulnerable.

She had to resort to a point-me spell to find Ron. He was in the Godswood, hidden behind a large alder. He put his finger against his lips, and gestured her to hide behind him.

Sansa Stark was there, and so was a fat drunk, dressed like a knight. They were talking, and Ron and Hermione had to strain themselves to hear what they were saying.

"You knew there would be murder, Ser Dontos," Sansa Stark was saying

"Softly, my lady, they choked…they have arrested your husband for it, and you know what will happen then. You must away, now…"

"They arrested the prince!? I trusted you! What had you against Lord Sirius? And they will kill the prince, and they will wed me to the imp. All because of you"

Sansa turned back. Ser Dontos looked aghast. "No, my Lady, wait! I will get you off King's Landing, to freedom, trust your Florian for a moment more...a boat awaits to take you away to your Lady Aunt. Don't go!"

Hermione glanced at Ron, wide-eyed. And then there were footsteps, crunching the autumn leaves…

It was Professor Lupin. Hermione stepped out from behind the tree.

Seeing them step out from behind the tree, Sansa gasped. The fat man tried to run, but was knocked out by Remus's fist.

"Ron's here as well. I thought we ought to stick together at times like this." Remus nodded, but his expression was furious.

"We heard a very interesting conversation Princess Sansa. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us?"

"I didn't know," she wept. "I swear I didn't. Ser Dontos told me that he would make arrangements to rescue me from King's Landing a moon ago. That I should wait here on Joffrey's wedding day after he creates a distraction. I didn't know that there was a murder planned, I didn't know they would set up my husband to take the blame, and I didn't want any harm to befall Lord Sirius. Please! You must believe me!"

"What about Lady Cersei? You don't care for any harm befalling her? Would you care about collateral damage?"

Sansa said nothing. She couldn't honestly say she was sad to see Cersei die. Everyone knew it. And what did collateral damage mean?

Remus smiled humourlessly. "Sirius is my best friend. Sirius is my brother. Anyone who harms him is my enemy. I will get to the bottom of this Princess Sansa, and if you do have anything to do with it, you will be sorry you were ever born. I hope for your sake that you are speaking the truth."

Remus drew his dagger, and placed it at Dontos's neck. He then turned to Hermione. "Revive him."

Ser Dontos came to slowly.

"What do you know about the poison?"

"Nothing"

Remus pushed the blade through the skin, breaking it, and continued to increase the pressure gradually. "I will keep pushing till I have an answer, Ser"

"I swear, nothing!"

The dagger pushed in further. "I will reach a vein soon, or maybe an artery. It will be too late by then…"

"I don't know. It was supposed to be Joffrey. The poison from Asshai was for him. It was in Lady Sansa's hairnet." Sansa inhaled sharply. "She was to wear it for the King's wedding, but that didn't happen. I thought the plan had fallen through. But Oswell told me that another distraction has been arranged, and that I should escort Lady Sansa to freedom as planned. I know nothing about this poison or how it came to be in their cups. I swear!"

"Tell me about the hairnet? How do you conspire with Lady Sansa?"

"Lady Sansa is a prisoner, even so she saved me from Joffrey's wrath. I wanted to rescue her. To redeem myself. I gave her the hairnet, told her it was my mother's, that it was magic, and to wear it today."

"Where did you get the poison from? To whom were you going to deliver Princess Sansa?"

Intent as they were, listening to Dontos, they had not heard the approach of the gold cloaks and the Kingsguard. The soldiers stopped a few yards away from their little group.

"You there? What are you doing here? Get back to the castle. We are to question everyone. Anyone who doesn't will be killed. It is the King's command."

As Remus stood up, retrieving his dagger, Dontos tried to make a run for it, rushing past a large, hook-nosed Kingsguard. Swiftly the man extracted his own dagger, and slit Dontos's throat, the blood gurgling out any last words. Dimly Hermione noticed, that Sansa was retching.