Marauders Mistakes (blackinnon)

part thirty two

The next twenty four hours were frantic. At least they were for Marlene and Sirius.

Marlene had taken charge of sorting out Lily's dress, flowers, invites, venue, bridesmaids dresses, flower girls, and alcohol. And Lily.

Sirius was in charge of James, the suits, the rings, the vows, the keeping James and Lily apart, protective spells, finding a wizard who would marry Lily and James at last minute, and anything Marlene had forgotten.

Lily was awfully calm, she and Marlene had spent the morning looking at expensive wedding dresses, Marlene had a cup of coffee in her hand at all times, and sat with Dorcas and Emmeline outside the changing rooms waiting for Lily to appear in the next dress. So far, it had not been a success. Lily stepped out in another puffy wedding dress, that she evidently didn't like.

"Marls.."

"Mhm.."

"How many people are coming?"

"Not sure yet Lils, I'm still writing and sending invites.. Why?" Marlene asked finally looking up at the dress Lily was stood in and bursting out laughing. "Okay, understood.. I've got an idea." Marlene muttered, a flicker of excitement on her face.

Lily frowned, as if she was suddenly realising she had left Marlene in charge of her wedding.

Marlene dragged the girls out of the shop and back onto the muggle high street, down the street she continued to chatter to Lily, checking the lists of guests she had and making sure she wasn't missing anyone.

"There is someone else.." Lily whispered, as Doe and Em fell in front.

Marlene raised an eyebrow, "I've sent letters to Petunia and Vernon Lils, and yes I got Sirius to hand deliver them.. no Owls."

Lily murmured something under her breath.

"Needs to be louder Lil."

"Severus" She admitted, though only slightly louder.

Marlene slowed in her tracks and looked thoughtful. Then she nodded. "I'm not going to stop you." Lily looked relieved until. "But we all know what side he is on Lily, and we know who he associates himself with, and the safety-"

"Sev would never!"

"Lily, you don't know him anymore." Marlene was forced to remind her. "Look, you can go ahead and invite him, but I won't send that invite, and I won't tell James. Its up to you."

Lily nodded and followed after Marlene.

"Here we are!" Marlene said dragging Lily into Topshop.

"What on earth Marls I-"

Marlene pulled a white dress off the rack, simple with lace detailing, knee length and beautiful Lily grinned. "I knew there was a reason I trusted you with this."

"Glad you do, because I don't!" Marlene laughed, as the other girls came to join them.

"Oh that's lovely Lily." Dorcas beamed.  Emmeline nodded, clearly in agreement.

Marlene was already scanning the shop for other dresses, for the bridesmaids. Emmeline saw what she was doing and began to search, while Dorcas went to the changing rooms with Lily to check sizes.

"Any ideas Mar?" Em asked.

"Obviously not white, or orange.. or pink?" Marlene replied grinning. "I should've asked her." She muttered

In the end Marlene found three of the same dresses, in a pretty lilac colour for the three bridesmaids, and a spare for Petunia in case she decided to turn up, Marlene doubted that.

She dragged Em to the changing rooms and showed the dresses to Lily quickly, before checking that they fitted all the girls.

As Lily stood in her dress, staring into the mirror, the other girls emerged and Dorcas burst into tears. "You all look so beautiful."

The girls smiled and laughed at sweet little Doe.

"Lils, I was wondering about a flower girl.."

"Dora." Lily smiled, knowing exactly what Marlene had been about to suggest.

"Page boys?"

"Charlie and Bill Weasley?" Lily suggested. "Percy will be too young.."

"Right, fantastic. I'll send a letter to Sirius right away and I might apparate and grab Dora so she can chose a dress?" Marlene talked out loud.

"Em and Doe, you guys are in charge of Lily, keep her away from James, get her some nice shoes, oh and us, decide about hair, though Doe you can do hair of course.."  Marlene was still talking as she wandered off.

"Why on earth is she sorting this out?" Em asked Lily when she went back into the stall to change.

"Em, if you think I could organise this in a day you are wrong, I'm too much of a perfectionist. Besides, I just want to get married, it isn't the time for a big extravagant wedding.. its not safe enough."

Lily's mind wandered back to Severus, and whether or not she should invite him. Her head said no, but her heart said yes, but should she listen to her heart when she was marrying another man? She knew she loved James. She wanted to spend her life with James, she knew that for sure. She would die for him, at any moment. Yet Sev was her biggest what if, her first crush, her first wizarding friend. Her support for many difficult years at home. It hurt Lily to think about who he had become, what she really knew he was like. So Lily had a decision to make, should she invite Severus, or not?