King Of My Heart | R. BLACK

52 | wedding bells

November 14, 1989

Angela stared at herself in the mirror, a frown on her face. She raised her hand, pushing her hair off her forehead, the scar that ran from her scalp to her ear as prominent as ever. She dropped her hand with a huff, gently patting it back into place.

She was sure she would remember that day that happened for the rest of her life. Laying on the cold floor of the drawing room. Her best friend's mutilated body was staring back at her, eyes wide, and glued open. Flies swarming her body, just wanting something to snack on. Angela squeezed her eyes shut, pushing away the memory.

It had been two years since it had happened, and yet, it still haunted her. And the one thing that still bothered her was how she had gotten out. Anytime she asked, the answers were minimal, never enough information for her to work with. Just that they were glad I got out. But there was no reason for that, not really. Not when it made more sense for them to have killed her when they had the chance.

Her parents had given her the choice but heavily pushed for her to stay home her Seventh Year. She had considered both options at the time, trying to figure out what was best for her. Ultimately, she stayed home, stuck with her brother's torment for her year of homeschooling. It had been for the best. Her parents had caught Dragon Pox about halfway through the year so she took care of them. They passed away before she was able to graduate, leaving James, Sirius and her to themselves.

Angela had already been of age by the time they passed, and their parents left them more than enough to live the rest of their own lives without having to work a single day. The three of them stayed at their home, no one having a reason to move until now.

James had tried to get her to stay, he practically begged her too. He wanted to keep her close, he wanted to keep all of them close. If he had it his way, everyone would live in the house forever. When Sirius announced that he and Remus were getting an apartment together, Angela didn't want to be the last one standing and she certainly didn't want to third wheel the newly engaged couple.

Lily and James were happier than ever, given the circumstances. Had the war not been a thing, they would have held off on marriage. But it felt as though everything was being rushed these days.

There was a knock at her door, pulling her from her thoughts. "Hurry up, Ang!" Trevor called out. "They'll start without you."

Angela rolled her eyes, "No they won't." She opened the door and the boy jumped in surprise. He was dressed nicely, a simple suit adorned his body. She smiled at him, sticking her elbow in his direction. He looped his arm through hers and the pair made their way downstairs.

The wedding was being held in their backyard, as to avoid drawing attention to themselves. That, and they wanted a small wedding anyway. Just the people they cherished the most. Trevor excused himself and Angela waved him off before she went to find Lily. She entered the room after a knock and smiled at the girl who was staring at herself in a full length mirror. Lily smiled at the girl, turning around to face her, "You look beautiful."

"Me?" Angela gaped, pulling the girl into a hug, "Look at you! You are absolutely breathtaking! I'm surprised you don't look more terrified given that you're swearing yourself to the likes of my brother of all people."

"I heard that!" James called out and Angela was surprised. "Relax," he said, though his voice was muffled. "I haven't seen her yet. Sirius is going to retrieve me once you move her to her next location. We didn't want to be apart."

"Well, that," Lily agreed. "And we have news."

"Hey!" he shouted. "You said we'd wait till I could see her face!"

"I lied," the redhead replied, sticking her tongue out in the boy's direction even though he couldn't see her. Lily turned Angela with a smile. "I'm pregnant."

Angela's eyes widened, "You are?"

She nodded, "I'm only two weeks old so we're keeping it on the down low." Lily played with her hands, "But we wanted to ask you a favor."

"This is so not fair," James huffed and the two girls rolled their eyes. "I should be the one telling her! She's my sister."

"After today, she's mine too, moron," Lily countered and the boy huffed. She turned back to Angela, "We know that you wanted to move out and we get that. But...we could use some help with all of this. It's new territory for us and I think the extra hand would be helpful. Just for a few months. Once the baby's born?" She dropped her tone, "I think your brother is going to need the help."

Angela smiled at this, "Yes, yeah, of course." Her plans to leave home could wait. They weren't dire, not really. "We have to get going before everyone gets antsy," she told her, "I'll meet you over by the kitchen so we can get the groom out there."

Lily embraced the girl one more time before leaving the room. Angela turned to the closet, "You can come out now."

James opened the door, tripping over something on the way out. He caught himself, straightening tuxedo out. He grinned when he caught his sister's eye, "And mom and dad always thought it would be you first."

Angela rolled her eyes, crossing the room to him anyway. She pulled him down into a hug, "I'm so happy for you." She pulled away, tapping the side of his face, "You're gonna be a great dad."

"You'll stay, right?" he asked, not having heard her answer moments before. He looked worried that she would say no, almost frightened. "Not sure we can do it without you."

"I'll do it," she told him, "But I leave by Halloween," she told him. "I can't live here forever." He opened his mouth to argue and she held her hand up, "I can't." Her brother had always been the protective type but it felt as though the last year had been a particularly not pertinent sort of protectiveness. From both him and Sirius. "Now get out there," she told him, "We can't fall behind schedule."

He rolled his eyes, messing her hair up a bit, "See you out there, sis."

She huffed, moving towards the mirror to adjust her hair. She stared at herself for a bit, imagining a dress similar to Lily's on herself. The bell bottom sleeves would hang over her hands, the floral mesh over the dress covering the entire of it. The small tail of the dress hit the floor, ready to be carried by her best friend. If only Daisy was still alive. "You look beautiful, Ang," she would have said, a smile on her face that could make even the darkest person happy again. "You're going to sweep them all away."

Angela shook her head, dispelling the thought from her mind. She quickly wiped her tears, careful not to ruin her makeup. In reality, she wouldn't have a wedding. The odds of her making it out of this were slim and she knew that. There had been a target on her back since day one, for reasons she had never understood. Besides, there was no one she'd want to marry anyway.

It felt like there was a hand holding her chin up and she closed her eyes. It happened from time to time, a phantom feeling. Almost as though in another life, she did have someone who would hold her. It was a life she had forgotten. She was quick to pull herself together, checking the mirror to make sure she looked fine before heading to Lily.

"Everything okay?" Lily asked and it was an innocent question, she was probably just wondering what had taken her so long.

"Of course," she said, tapping her hip to her soon to be sister-in-law's. "Come on, let's officially make you a Potter." Lily grinned in return.

It was a happy day for everyone. They laughed and cried. Everyone cheered. The friends danced the night away, joking about how Lily had actually married Sirius and James, and now she was stuck with them both. It was a happy day.

And yet, despite everything, Angela felt a gaping hole in her chest where a piece of her had been removed. A piece of her that was fundamentally important that it took away from moments like this. And she was stuck with that forever.