What if James and Lily lived?

Chapter 11 ~ The Wedding

"Okay, do you remember the order? I may or not have forgotten," a sheepish grin formed on Dorcas face.

"Mary, Lily, Dorcas and then myself. Harry and Savannah go out before us." 

"In order of height, really Marlene?" The girls were laughing now; all nervous tension eased away. Lily stepped out in front of them all, worry displayed on her face. "Where's your grandfather Nick, Marlene? He had Harry last, and he should be here."

Silence.

A pair of shoes dragged against the gravel. "Don't mind me, Harry just wanted to practice his walk on the road," which earned gleeful smiles from the girls. "Ready?" He asked as he approached his niece, extending his arm.

Marlene barley whispered a response, "Yes," afraid if she spoke, the day would crumble to pieces.

The music began, as Harry and Nick's granddaughter walked - or rather, ran down the aisle, clutching flowers. Neither wanted to throw the flowers, instead they wanted to keep it for themselves. Laughter followed them, as they ran for the aisle; James fought back tears at the sight of his boy. Growing up before his eyes. Joyfully remembering his first steps, and his first words, tears formed in his eyes.

"You know, you can back out at anytime, muffin," a smile drawn on his face.

A pathetic attempt to make his granddaughter smile; it worked. "Really, granda? Muffin, you haven't used that one in years."

"It was what you looked like when you were born. Your dad noticed it first."

At the mention of her father, she went silent. Prior to now, prior to the war, she had always envisioned her father walking her down the aisle, into the arms of the man she loved. Due to the War, that thought, along with countless others ceased to exist.

"He'd be proud of you, pet, I know it."

They engulfed one another in a hug, before the other girls joined. "We should be heading down soon."

"Okay when we start walking we have to keep in tune with the music, and we need to walk together at the same time. So it's one... two... one ... two. Okay. Have you got that. It's one for left then two for right. Okay?"

Looking completely dumbfounded, Nick, simply asked, "What?"

Fuming, Marlene controlled her anger. "We need to go walk left leg then right leg to look ELEGANT," like it was the most simply thing in the world!

"Ahh, Marlene, I thought you said it was right then left," asked a nervous Lily.

Marlene who was bent over catching her breath, with support for the nearest door handle, ever so carefully straighten up her back, and breathed in deeply, before turning her body clock-wise until she came to face Lily and the bridesmaids. Her eyes traveled around the room before she realised that her own grandfather was no longer with them.

Truth be told, he did run out of the eyeshot in fear of what was going to occur. Would she erupt? Would she hex everyone in sight? Or would she simply act normal? No one knew for sure, and Nick McKinnon was clearly not one eager to find out.

Marlene's eyes caught a Lily's fearful green emerald eyes. What am I doing? I'm  never like this? What's wrong with me?

Marlene drew a breath in, and then out again; she repeated his a few times, until she could feel her heart rate dropping. "What's wrong with me? Why can't I have a normal day like all of you? I guess I'm just freaking out."

While blowing out a breath Lily never knew she held onto, she made her way over to Marlene, to comfort her. "Don't worry Marls, everything will be alright. And when you see him, up those on that alter, all your worries will cease to exist."

"Really Lily?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Right, were up."

******
"James, how's my hair."

"Fine."

"James, how's my suit. Do I look fat?"

This time James just really couldn't hold it in. Having Sirius feel worried about being "to fat" was just so unbelievable. The wedding must really be getting to him. Usually, he wasn't a nervous guy; James could list the amount of times he had been nervous - the shallow, shaky breaths, the swearing hands, the desire to move his toes.

He had to handle this gently. Not another repeat from first year, when they were barley 11.

Sighing, James grabbed Sirius and looked at the man, that was practically his brother. "You look fine, now stop whispering the bridesmaids will be walking down in a moment."

Sirius slowly put down his handy dandy hand mirror, which he slipped into one of his numerous pockets, and simply said to James, "Okay, but does the back of my hair look okay?"

*****

Longingly, gazing down the aisle, pondering on were his bride to be was. She wasn't late, but he just couldn't wait to see her. From his confidence that he was showing no one would have thought how much of a melt down he had early. But with James and Remus by his side, and his soon to be wife, he knew nothing could or would destroy this day.

Soon, his beauty came. The love that held deeply to his heart. It was time! The bridesmaids walked down the aisle, one by one, until it was finally the brides turn. Gripping her grandfathers arm, they walked to the beat of the music.

Walking elegantly with beauty and grace down the aisle, Marlene was drawing eyes, but all she could see was him. Sirius. And he was all she wanted to see. Sirius promised himself he wouldn't cry, but his attempts were effortless. This was the girl.

His girl. The girl he fought for. The girl that fought for him. The girl that waited until after Hogwarts. The girl... the girl that always stood by him.

He was ready to spend the rest of his life with her. He was ready for the next stage of their adventure.