THE WEDDING
JULY OF 2000
Over a year ago, Harry proposed to his so-to-be wife Diana Black-Lupin on a beach when they were vacationing in America. Of course, she said yes, crying in sheer happiness as they kissed.
Their family was ecstatic for them when they announced it. Molly nearly fainted from the news, before wanting to start planning the wedding right then and there. Neither of the newly engaged couple minded Molly starting the planning, they wanted to marry as soon as possible.
Diana made most of the final decisions but asked for Harry's opinion on the cake, venue, and theme. He added in a couple of his opinions but said the final decision was hers.
Harry picked out his wedding outfit with the help of Arthur, a simple black dress robe. Ron's his best man, with Draco, Neville, Ben, and the rest of the Weasley brothers as his groomsmen.
His so-to-be wife had Molly's help picking out her dress, which he was buzzed to see. Diana's maid of honor was Hermione, with the rest of her bridesmaids being Ginny, Ella, Koda, Luna, and her brothers' significant others.
Hermione planned the bachelorette party, a trip to a spa, and getting their nails and toes done from the wedding, before going out to a restaurant for dinner and then heading to a local pub to have fun.
After the party at the pub, all the girls, except for Koda, Aubrey (Percy's girlfriend), and Fleur, who was pregnant, were so drunk that they could stand straight. The two helped each other drunk girls into the Shell Cottage, where Bill was drinking tea in the kitchen.
"How much did they drink?" He says when his sisters stumbled into his arms.
"A lot," Koda grunted, lifting Hermione from the ground when the brunette muttered about being tired. Mione, surprisingly, drank the most.
Diana rubbed her face against her brother's stomach but tried to stand up straight. "I'm gonna—Hiccup—sleep with Sammy."
Bill shook his head, handing Luna, who was sober enough to be responsible, his little sister, and picked up Diana. "That's not a good idea. Let's go you to bed, Annie."
"But Sammy..." She murmured as she was thrown over his shoulder.
"You can see him tomorrow, Annie," Bill says, starting up the stairs. "Aubrey, Floo call Ron, Draco, and George to come to get their girls. We had a pretty tame night...until you. No Harry."
As Bree called the three of them, Bill put his sister to bed, watching her as she, luckily, petted the bed like a cat and giggled incoherently, before completely passing out.
When he came downstairs, he saw Ron holding a hunched-over giggling Ella, the look on his little brother's face was priceless. George had thrown his girlfriend over his shoulder when Angelina started sobbing hysterically, and lastly was Draco, who was having a hard time getting his girlfriend to stand up.
Bill helped the Malfoy heir get Hermione up and into the Floo, before stepping back and watching as the couple disappeared and then his brothers and their girlfriends.
The bachelor party was pretty tame, much more boring than the girls. The boys drank, but not enough to get drunk like the girls. They stayed at the Burrow, chatting and playing a bit of game before Molly and Arthur came to him with Hazel and Teddy.
Teddy squirmed out of his grandpa's arms and hurried over to his daddy, who was playing Wizard's chess. He climbed on Harry's lap and snuggled into him. "Daddy."
"Hey, love." Harry smiled, running his fingers through his son's hair.
George stood up from where he was sitting took his daughter from his mum's arms and kissed her head. Molly bid the boys a good night, heading off to bed, and Arthur stayed for a drink, chatting with Ben and Draco.
After a while, the Floo flamed to life with Aubrey's face appeared, telling Draco, Ron, and George to go and get their girlfriends. The redhead handed his daughter to his dad, before him, Draco, and Ron disappeared.
Harry stood up with Teddy in his arms, bidding Ben and Neville goodbye and Arthur, Charlie, and Percy a night before heading up to his and Diana's spare room they're staying in until their house is ready. As he was putting his son to bed, he heard Ron trying to get Ella to be quiet while they were going to their room.
***
The next morning, Harry and the Weasleys started to prepare for the wedding, the boys were already in dress robes with anti-sweat charms over them so they wouldn't sweat from the July sun.
While the boys got the Burrow ready, the girls were in Ginny's room getting ready...Koda passed around Pepperup potions to each other her friends, who were lying on the bed suffering from a hangover.
"I'm never drinking again," Ella whined, burying her face into the blankets.
Ginny gulped down the potion from where she was leaning against the headboard of the bed. "You say that, but tomorrow you'll be drinking again. Trust me, I know."
"Tonight," Diana whispered, her head lying on her sister's lap. "Molly is allowing booze tonight."
Angelina, Hermione, and Ella all groaned before downing their potions. Hermione stood up as the potion started to take effect and ordered everyone to get ready. Molly came in moments later and helped the girls with their makeup and hair before she pulled Diana up and made her choke down the potion.
The woman pulled her into another room, where she helped her niece into her dress. Beautiful oversized Dalia-inspired floral motifs cover an A-line silhouette with two rows of velvet ribbon wrapped around the bodice to secure the waist with a delicate bow in the back. And to not have Diana over towering Harry, the blonde wore low-heeled white Mary Jane heels.
While Molly was curling her hair (even though she could just use her abilities), Diana grew nervous and a bit downhearted. Her hair turned from bright pink to a mix of purple and blue causing Molly to stop what she was doing.
"What's the matter, Annie?" The woman asked, looking at her niece through the mirror.
Diana looked down at her manicure nails and picked at them on habit. "Just nervous."
"That's quite alright, dear. It's okay to be nervous on your big day. I was a wreck on mine." Molly says, before noticing the blue appeared again. "Dearest, your hair is blue again. What's wrong?"
"I've waited for this day my entire life, and I'm so happy I'm marrying the love of my life, but I always pictured my dad, and now my papa, walking me down the aisle with my mum watching from the stands, Freddie, he would be helping you get my ready, and..." She paused, tears welled up in her eyes. "...Sammy. If Dad couldn't walk me down the aisle then I always pictured Sam walking me down."
"Oh, my sweet dearest," Molly murmured, turning the chair around so that her niece was facing her. She benched down, taking Diana's face in her hands.
"I want him here, Molly." Diana cried softly. "I want them all here."
"Shh, shh, don't cry, Annie." The woman cooed, wiping away the tears that rolled down her niece's cheeks. "Look at me, dearest, they're here. They're watching, I promise you." Molly cleared her face of tears. "At least you weren't wearing makeup yet."
Diana sniffled, letting out a watery chuckle. She turned back around and let Molly finish her hair and makeup, a simple and natural look, yet elegant at the same time. Strands of her curly blonde were bright pink as excitement bled through her veins, she walked down the stairs and into the living room where her friends and siblings were waiting.
"Oh my god," Koda exclaimed, loudly when she spotted her friend.
The rest of them all turned and gasped upon seeing Diana, who blushed under their adoring eyes. Her brothers suddenly started cheering with laughter, causing her friends to start too. Ginny was already crying from how beautiful her sister looked, and so was Percy.
Hermione came over with her hands over her mouth in shock before grabbing her best friend's. "You look stunning, Ana."
"Thanks, Mione. So do you." Diana grins, looking over her best friend's burgundy dress.
"Alright, everyone! Get with your partner and line up in this order." Molly announces. "Hermione and Ron, Ginny and Luna, Ella and Draco, Koda and Neville, Benny and Charlie, George and Angelina, Bree and Percy, and Billy and Fleur. Arthur is with Diana."
Standing at the altar was Harry with Hagrid officiating the wedding. Their friends from Hogwarts and the rest of their friends' families were sitting, waiting for the ceremony to start. His eyes landed on their teachers, McGonagall, Slughorn, Madame Hooch, Flitwick, Sprout, and Madame Pomfrey sitting in the audience.
Soft piano music started when the door of the Burrow and out stepped the bridesmaids and Groommens, led by Hermione and Ron. As they got into their respective places, Teddy came down halfway holding the rings before Ginny had to help him the rest of the way, Harry grinned at his son, bending down and kissing him on the head.
Hazel and Porpentina came down next with Molly, who was the one throwing the flowers. The seven-month-old Hazel lay peacefully in her grandma's arms as one-year-old Tina tried to help the woman throw the petals. The crowd cooed at the little flower girls before the one-year was handed off to her Nana, Ophelia.
Not before long the crowd rose to the feet, turning towards the door as At Last by Etta James started playing. The audience and Harry seemed to hold their breath in anticipation as the doors of the Burrow opened again. A soft murmur of gasping filled the air when Diana stepped out of the door.
As she started down the aisle, butterflies appeared out of thin air and fluttered elegantly around her and Arthur. Harry was taken aback by how breathtaking his soon-to-be wife looked, tears started to flow from his eyes. It was so real. He finally gets to marry the love of his life.
He stepped forward his beloved, taking her from Arthur, who muttered the words of 'take good care of her' and led Diana up to the altar and stood in front of Hagrid as he spoke.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the presence of family and friends to celebrate the joining of this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore, is not by any—to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly—but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate, these two persons percent now come to be joined. if any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together speak now or forever hold your peace..."
Everyone held their breaths, waiting for anyone who dared to speak against Diana and Harry's marriage. The couple smiled when nobody did, not even Cho who was sitting in the audience.
Hagrid smiled, his tears welled in his eyes. "Marriage is a union of husband and wife in a heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy and the help and comfort given to each other in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly—it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained."
"There are no obligations on earth, sweeter or tender than those you are about to assume. There are no vows, more solemn than those you are about to make. There is no human interaction more scarce than that of the home you were about to form. True marriage is the
holiest of all earthly relationships. The state of matrimony is based in a deep, invisible union of two souls who seek to find completion in one another."
Hagrid glanced between the couple and motioned them to turn and join hands. Diana and Harry faced each other, their hands joined together.
"And now the vows, please."
"Harry, since the day we first met on the train to Hogwarts in our first year, I knew I would marry you. Call it love at first sight, if you may, but I knew, I knew you were for me. Throughout the years, I could only look at you and fall in love even more than I did before. From admiring you from afar, or to blatantly telling you I love you, you and you alone always make me feel alive, and special. It's always been you, and until the day I die, it will always be you. I love you, Harry James Potter, with every fiber in my body and soul."
In the crowd, Molly and most of the women were crying at the beautiful scene, as well as some of the men. Hermione and Ginny were on the break of sobbing, clutching their bouquet of roses. McGonagall wiped her tear-filled eyes with her handkerchief, as her colleagues openly wept.
Harry was crying, squeezing his beloved hands before he spoke his vows. "Diana, I was a fool to not realize my love for you sooner than I did. Even now, I look back and I think I was the biggest idiot in all of Hogwarts. Though, deep down I knew I had fallen in love with you even if I didn't see myself at first. You've always been by my side since we met on the train to Hogwarts, and I still can't wrap my head around how you are still by my side now. I'm so grateful to have you with me through the hard times, sad times, and the happy times, making memories after memories. You, Diana Alice Black, are and will forever be the love of my life. I love you from now and forever."
Diana's chin wobbled as she choked back a sob that threatened to break from her mouth and squeezed her soon-to-be husband's hands.
"Harry James Potter, do you take this woman as your lawful wedded wife, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health: and, forsaking all others keep you only unto her as long as you both shall live?"
Harry grinned, his emerald eyes shining with new tears. "I do."
"Diana Alice Black, do you take this man as your lawful wedded husband, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto him as long as you both shall live?"
Diana nodded, ginning. "I do."
"The rings, please."
Ginny nudged her nephew towards his parents, Teddy hurried over to his mother, who bent down and took him in her arms. She kissed his head, before taking the rings. Their son ran over to his grandpa and climbed on his lap.
Standing in front of Harry again, they held their respective rings as Hagrid spoke. "The marriage ring seals the vowels of a marriage, and represents a promise for internal everlasting love." He looked at Harry. "Harry, please repeat after me. I, Harry James Potter, take thee, Diana Alice Black, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in the sickness and health, and to love and cherish forever, and thereto I give thee my pledge."
"I, Harry James Potter, take thee, Diana Alice Black, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and healthcare to love and to cherish forever, and thereto, I give thee my pledge," Harry repeats and placed the ring of Diana's finger.
"Diana, please repeat after me. I, Diana Alice Black, take thee, Harry James Potter, to be my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, and to love and cherish forever, and thereto, I give my pledge."
"I, Diana Alice Black, take thee, Harry James Potter, to be my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish forever, and thereto, I give thee my pledge," Diana says and placed the ring on Harry's finger.
"You may now kiss your bride."
Harry immediately reached up, cupping his wife's cheeks, and planted his lips on hers, kissing her softly. Diana smiled into the kiss, hearing the cheering and whistling of her friends and family. When they finished kissing, Harry intertwined their hands and faced the crowd, raising their hands.
At last, they are Mrs. and Mr. Potter.