☽☽☽
July 1970
"Remus?" Athena asked as she lay on her back on the grass staring at the blue sky above her. The world almost felt impossibly amazing but through the eyes of a child imperfections were common blemishes added to make everything a bit more unique. After all, what's the fun in everything being normal?
Remus looked across to her. The long grass had been squashed by their trampling footsteps. Some could still hear their careless laughter echoing against the larger trees that they had just climbed.
"What is it Rena?" Remus asked happily. Always excited to hear what she was going to say. Sometimes Remus would let Athena talk for hours about nothing at all. He felt there was a certain wisdom behind even her less thought out statements.
"You know one day when we're older" Athena pondered, "I think we should get married"
"Don't be silly" Remus laughed suddenly, "marriage is something grownups do when they're in love"
"But we're in love, I love you" Athena pointed out with a small frown.
"But we love each other as friends" Remus continued, "it's different, this love is fun. Real love is boring"
"Why do you say that?"
"Because our parents are boring and we're not... and I don't know anyone else who's in love I suppose" Remus sighed as he sat up, staring down at the lake down the long hill where they sat.
Athena thought about it a moment longer before she agreed. Remus was usually right about these things after all.
"Well how about this" Athena stood up importantly and brushed the grass off her dress, "when we're older, we won't fall in love because we're not boring so why don't we have a marriage of friendship"
"I'm not sure that exists" Remus shrugged, "I've never heard of people getting married for friendship"
"Well we'll be the first" Athena declared, raising her arms in the air and spinning around wildly.
"What if we're not still friends when we're older?" Remus asked sadly.
"Don't be ridiculous" Athena gasped as she fell down onto the grass beside him with a laugh, "I solemnly swear that we're going to be friends forever!"
"Solemnly swear?" Remus asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah" Athena grinned, "what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing... I like it" Remus nodded, thinking to himself that he wanted to save that phrase for another time.
"So let's make a promise" Athena continued to smile as she moved towards him and held out her smallest finger, "that when we're older we'll get married, in a fun way. Promise?"
"Promise" Remus smiled gently.
☽☽☽
July 1997
Of all the days they could have picked, this may have been the brightest. From the moment the sun rose over the hill to the moment it dipped below the horizon, it cast a sense of warmth over everything it touched. It made even the darkest corner look happy and it reminded everyone what an amazing day this was.
On the nineteenth of July 1997, Remus and Athena got married. It was most overdue but maybe that's what made it so amazingly memorable.
The church was situated by the sea. Neither Remus nor Athena were very religious but it seemed an appropriate building to get married in nonetheless. It was beautiful anyway. The old stone and the plant pots outside that held flowers of white and periwinkle blue. The sound of the ocean crashing over the shore. It was serene, it was idyllic, it was perfect.
Athena had been to many weddings in her time yet somehow she never imagined that she'd one day be attending her own. Of course she'd dreamed it, every time with a different picture. Every time a new dress, new colours but always the same groom. It had always been Remus and now it always would be.
It had taken them two weeks to plan it all. Aurora was stressed by how fast her sister was moving with this. Not because it was a whim decision marrying Remus but because she wanted every detail to be perfect. Athena had asked her sister to be maid of honour, Aurora had cried for twenty minutes afterwards. Athena took this to mean yes.
The ceremony would be small. Remus didn't want to invite many people. In fact his only real guest would have been Elle. The only family he felt he had left. The Weasley twins were invited too. Mainly to accompany Elle but Athena supposed they would have been welcome anyway.
She wanted to invite Harry of course but unfortunately for now it was key that he would stay at privet drive. They would be collecting him a few days before his birthday. The mission was top secret, only heard by those in the order. Athena had been in control of it. It seemed Dumbledore wasn't the only one who believed Athena should take over.
Tonks was there along with Hazel. The two of them were more than thrilled to hear about the marriage. Hazel being the hopeless romantic she was screamed for nearly a minute in happiness, spinning around in a circle which made Athena dizzy. Tonks had been more calm but her hair had turned more vibrant when she heard.
Athena only had two bridesmaids. She was considering making Hazel one but decided she was fine with only two. Those were Elle and her cousin Sapphire. Her and Sapphire had never been that close recently but growing up they'd known each other a lot more. Athena wanted to remind herself how much family she still had. Sapphire was more than happy to take up the role.
Elle on the other hand had been shocked. Really she was a choice because of Remus but somehow Athena had started to love her like a niece. She'd never taught Elle meaning she'd never felt like a student to her but since seeing her relationship with Remus, Elle had felt like family. Now they were getting married, Elle technically was family.
Remus didn't have a best man, who would he ask? It would have always been Sirius. Maybe James. Maybe even Peter back in the day. Athena never really thought about how much Remus had lost. Their loss had always been shared but now knowing that there would be no one standing beside him, Athena felt awfully upset.
Maybe they kept the church so empty because they wanted the chairs to stand for who would have been there. The first time Athena had seen the row at the back completely deserted, she'd imagined them sitting there watching. Marlene, Dorcas, Lily, James, Sirius and even Alice and Frank. Athena even imagined her brother Archer sitting awkwardly on the end.
Another person Athena had to imagine being there was Kennedy. She didn't want it to ruin her day, the fact that her best friend didn't show up. She tried not to think about it. Of course she hadn't replied to the invitation but Athena still imagined she'd be there. The fact that she wasn't hurt. More than Athena would like to admit. Maybe she was blind in the faith she still had for Kennedy but she couldn't help it. Love did that sometimes.
Dominique had shown up along with Bill and Fleur who Athena had been getting along well with at order meetings and burrow visits. She had been invited to their wedding happening in only a month. She was more than happy for them. They made a perfect couple and it was the Weasley's loss if they couldn't see that (especially Molly).
Athena was most excited to see her parents. Athena's parents had lived in Italy since the end of the first war and she barely got a chance to see them. Maybe once a year at best. She was thrilled when they showed up halfway through her putting her makeup on. Some part of her had been scared they'd be too busy but she supposed they'd always make time for their daughter.
Henry and Mary Sinistra looked older now, there was no denying that. Her father still looked handsome but there were flecks of grey in his hair and more lines on his face now. The Sinistra genes were amazingly good which meant that Mary still looked beautiful. Her hair was shorter but her smile just as radiant. Aurora and Athena were equally happy to see them.
The dress was simple. Athena was never over the top with the clothes that she wore, this was simply how she liked things. It was made out of a shimmering silk, fitting her like a glove. The skirt was slightly looser but maintained the same seams as it flowed effortlessly down.
She felt like a princess with her curls lying over her shoulders. Her eyes sparking with faint glitter. Athena could have cried. She probably would cry later. It was bound to happen at some point this day, the happiness just seemed to radiate off her.
The bridesmaids and the maid of honour were dressed in a pale sage green, each with bouquets of white flowers in their hands. Athena told them they all looked beautiful a multitude of times. The dresses were the same except for the tops. While Sapphire and Elle's had straps, Aurora's lay off her shoulders. The difference pointed out the maid of honour, Aurora loved little details like this.
When she stepped into that church, time stopped. It was the most beautiful picture she had seen in her life. Flowers hung from the ceiling along with glittering glass ornaments that cast beautiful rainbows over the stone walls. There were hanging plants and flowers around the corners of the room spilling nature into the inside. They hung over the wooden beams above them, trailing down beautifully and matching with the dresses that the other girls wore.
However the first thing Athena noticed when she stepped through the door was Remus, and he saw her too. Athena had never failed to take his breath away. Her beauty was something to behold, so effortless yet so sculpted as though time had been taken to create her.
Remus never forgot how lucky he was but now he was more aware of this than ever. As he saw Athena standing silhouetted by the glowing light outside, he swore she was an angel coming to bless them. Surely she couldn't be real. Athena was ethereal and Remus had never understood how someone could be so beautiful, so perfect.
Athena stared at Remus standing at the front of the church. The windows behind him alive with colour. He wore a simple suit with the sage green tie that matched so well with the theme (Aurora's doing). His hair hanging over his face shining almost honey coloured in the sunlight.
She couldn't see his freckles nor his scars from this distance but she knew they were there for she had studied them so many times. He stood tall even when there was no one to place him beside. His hands held in front of him. However the thing she appreciated most in this moment was his smile, the way it lit up his face. She wished she could see more of it.
The walk was unbearably slow. Athena wasn't worried about falling, she simply wanted to get up there, to stand in front of him so she could see every detail in his face, see the faint green in his eyes and whisper that she loved him.
Then they met. He reached out a hand to help her up the stairs. Athena had known him so long, loved him so long but today every touch seemed to set off fireworks inside of her. It was all coming true. Eternity with Remus made living feel like a dream. Part of her wondered if she could be asleep.
"We are gathered here today" began the familiar voice of Minerva McGonagall.
It only seemed right that their favourite teacher should have been at the wedding. Minerva had guided them through so much and Athena liked to consider her a friend. When Athena had learnt she was an officiant, things just fell into place.
"To celebrate the marriage of Remus John Lupin and Athena Sinistra" she continued.
Athena felt she could get lost in Remus' eyes. He was the only person she could stare at for so long without things becoming awkward.
"We'll start with some words from the groom" said McGonagall as she turned to Remus.
"Athena... Rena" Remus began with a small smile, looking slightly nervous. "You were my only friend growing up and there isn't a world for me without you in it. Sometimes it seems strange when people say it feels like they've known someone forever. We know that feeling better than anyone. Years have gone by and I still know you. The world could cave in and I know we'd still be standing... together. You make me appreciate everything, I've never seen someone who looks at the world with such wonder, never seen someone who gets excited to watch a new sunset each and everyday. You applaud the world for being unique just as you love me despite our differences. I wish more people could see the world the way you do Rena because it is truly a gift and I'll love you for it and for everything else you do"
Athena was willing herself not to cry as her smile became wider and wider. She could feel the eyes of everyone else in the room on them but for once she did not care for the gaze of others but only for the gaze of Remus. Everyone else was invisible. Remus was the only one there standing before her and he was the only one she wanted to smile at.
"Athena, do you have anything to say?" Asked McGonagall expectantly,
"We've been friends since the day I was born. Only a day apart, some always said it was destiny we would grow up and be together. When we were younger we made up something that became ours. A promise. Something that would unite us and although sometimes it has divided us, I believe it's brought us closer to where we are today. A promise may be something so small and insignificant to those who don't understand how much they mattered to us. They were our way of showing how much we cared. Even now we still make them. Promises to scatter us across a lifetime. So many I can barely remember them all but I know I'll do my hardest to keep them. I've never loved someone as much as I love you Remus and I promise that I'll love you under every sun, under every star and under every moon. Forever and always"
"Forever and always" Remus whispered quietly back to her.
"And now we can make this official" McGonagall smiled happily along with everyone else in the crowd, "Remus Lupin, do you solemnly swear to take Athena Sinistra to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish forever?"
"I do" Remus smiled as he reached for a pillow Aurora had now walked forward holding. He lifted a small golden ring carrying a twinkling sapphire and slid it gently onto Athena's waiting finger.
"Athena Sinistra, do you solemnly swear to take Remus Lupin to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish forever?"
"I do" Athena nodded as she picked up the other ring and repeated the process of sliding it onto his finger.
"Then I can now happily pronounce you husband and wife" McGonagall beamed, "you may now kiss the bride"
Remus grinned before he leant forwards and kissed Athena. She'd been waiting for this the entire ceremony. She couldn't explain how amazing it felt. The cold metal on her finger and the growing excitement for the rest of their lives. Athena and Remus moved apart, hearing the cheering around them as they yet again stared at each other with the overflowing love they were both familiar with.
"How do you feel, Athena Lupin?" Remus asked with a growing smile.
"Perfect" Athena replied, "absolutely perfect"
☽☽☽
A/n
Words - 2683
Published - 16th August 2021
AHHH
finally they're married
after two books, twelve
acts and 376 chapters approximately
that really puts into
perspective how
long this book is omg