𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗜𝗜𝗜 ━━ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘
097. fight our way out together
( songs for the chapter:
iris — the goo goo dolls
fallingforyou — the 1975 )
APRIL, 1979
𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧, 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧, 𝗗𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗔𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗗𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗘𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗦' 𝗪𝗘𝗗𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚. The girls spent weeks preparing the wedding that will be taking place in the gardens of Potter Manor in Godric's Hollow. The theme for the bridesmaid dresses were flowers. Lily did not care what colour they were as long as they had a million flowers implanted on the dresses using lace fabrics.
Everest claimed emerald, Dorcas chose lavender, and Marlene wore a magenta gown. Alice wore pale yellow with peach-coloured flowers decorating her fabric. This left Scarlet with midnight blue, a colour she undoubtably adored; similar shade of blue laced fabric was used to create several floral patterns on her long dress, scatters of silver glitter falling here and there on the expanse.
After doing her makeup and pulling her hair into a classy bun, making sure to decorate herself with tons of flowers and glitters as Lily anticipated, Scarlet moved to her bedroom from the dressing room, and Sirius instantly turned around upon hearing her footsteps.
Sirius gaped the moment he laid eyes on her; those towering heels and jewellery encrusted with diamonds, he felt as though he was staring at the definition of beauty itself. As though the poets had the image her in mind whilst writing all those poems and sonnets.
"Look at you," he grinned in awe, eyes filled with adoration, "you look beautiful... You are beautiful."
"Not so bad yourself, darling," she winked, advancing towards him slowly. Her hands were covered in dark blue, lace gloves as she placed one of her palms over his chest.
"When we return from the wedding," he gripped her hips, digging his thumb over the fabric of her dress roughly as he looked at her seductively, lust dancing in his irises, "can I have the permission to take it off you?"
She mischievously smirked, arching a brow and running a hand down his chest to smoothen his suit, "that depends on how you behave, does it not, Mr Black?"
Sirius pulled her closer, his hold on her tightening as his lips curled up, "it's Prongs' wedding, you know I won't behave."
"I'm only kidding, love," she rolled her eyes, "only bought this dress so you could take it off."
"That's what I like to hear," he rasped out, glancing from one of her irises to another. "First time being best man, I'm truly terrified."
Scarlet smiled lightly, "My second time being a bridesmaid, I am pretty used to this."
"There's a difference, alright? Between bridesmaid and maid of honour," Sirius huffed, "you'll understand when you're Chasseur's maid of honour, the tasks are way more difficult."
"I can't wait to be a maid of honour," the girl groaned, already mesmerised in the thought of planning an entire wedding for her best friend.
"You won't enjoy it when you get there," he muttered back, putting on a shiny black watch on his wrist and then tugging at the long sleeve of his white, ironed shirt, "I'm so very anxious right now."
"You'll be fine, you just have to stand there and try not to laugh."
Sirius glanced at her hesitantly, a look on his face that spelled out mischief, "you know... there is a way you could make me feel less anxious."
"Sirius!" She groaned again, throwing her head back in annoyance, "hurry up and give up on your odd fantasies, we're going to be late."
OF COURSE, REMUS BEING ONE OF THE GROOMSMEN MEANT HE would have to walk down the aisle alongside a bridesmaid, and he was unluckily stuck with a fussy Everest who claimed the back of her dress was incredibly itchy. She walked like a cripple down the aisle, and stepped on Remus' foot several times with her high heels all whilst the boy did his best to keep a joyous face and hold onto the girl before she falls face-first.
Next in line were Sirius and Scarlet who locked arms with vivid smiles, and walked in rhythm down the carpet covered in flowers.
"Weddings are a tad tedious, don't you argree?" Sirius whispered lightly.
"Shut up, I'm trying to concentrate." Scarlet replied with a sickly sweet smile to which the boy furrowed his brows deeply.
"On what? Walking?"
Scarlet was very glad to be separated from Sirius and his idiotic questions once they reached the end of the aisle, and she took a place next to Eve with a bouquet in her hands.
The music softened. The guests accumulating the expanse turned over their shoulders.
Lily had her arm locked with Mr Potter who walked her down the aisle, birds chirping miraculously as the sun dove in over the horizon, and soft melody filling the overwhelmingly joyous air. The redhead wore a fluffy white gown with a long veil, a little tiara made of little white flowers resting on her wavy hair. Green eyes enchanting the entire crowd like a spell casting over the expanse of the garden.
Scarlet smiled vividly, and out of nowhere, a little frown overcame her expressions; she realised if Sirius and she were ever to get married, neither of their families would be there for support, their parents would not be by their sides.
She averted her gaze to Sirius and found him already staring at her in pure adoration, although a frown similar to hers was plastered to his face, as though he knew what she was thinking. He mouthed, 'I love you' in her direction, and she mouthed back an answer softly, the smile stretching back on. Truly, nothing else mattered when Sirius Black was in her sight.
As Lily reached the end of the aisle, James was tearing up, little tears threatening to fall from his water-line at the breath taking sight.
"James, are you crying?" Lily arched a brow, the grin on her face now stretching beyond the point of possible. "Seriously?"
"You mean, Sirius-ly?" Peter chimed in from behind Sirius in a whisper, slapping a hand over her mouth to avoid a laughter from escaping.
"No," an offended James shot back, "maybe, I'm just allergic to the sight of you."
The girls behind Lily rolled their eyes, and Everest spoke up quietly, "can we get this done before Lily decides to run away with one of us, as in, the better options?"
The wizard officiating the wedding declared all the words necessary, and beautiful vows were made by James and Lily. Scarlet's hand was itching to slap Everest who stood next to her because the brunette yawned about twenty times throughout the ceremony. There was Mr Potter who could not stop sobbing from the front seats.
"Do you, James Potter, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The officiated questioned.
James could not wait to say, "I do."
"Do you, Lily Evans, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Lily smiled brightly, "I do." The redheaded girl was unaware of the absolute chaos taking place behind her where Everest had to slap a hand over Marlene's lips to make sure she does not say something stupid or interrupt with astonishing words.
James and Lily exchanged their rings to symbolise eternal commitment, and Mr Potter buried his head in the crook of Mrs Potter's neck to cry.
"By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss." The officiator declared.
James stepped forward once and dipped Lily before pressing a long, blissful kiss to her lips. The guests all clapped elegantly, and the boys could not help but wolf-whistle whilst the girls cheered loudly.
After the ceremony, most guests gathered inside the Manor whilst the teens were dancing out in the yard where fairy lights and floating candles decorated the area.
"Lames for the win!" Scarlet declared, clicking her champagne glass against the other glasses the bridesmaids held.
"I thought we settled on Jily," Lily groaned, throwing her head back with a tiny laugh escaping her lips.
"That's no fun!" Marlene protested, agreeing with Scarlet's brief toast. She and Lily found themselves in a very animated argument about the couple name.
Scarlet and Everest's arms were locked, and Sirius spawned in from behind and separated their intertwined arms, "excuse me, she has a boyfriend, you know?"
"That is highly disappointing," sarcastically, Everest shot at Sirius, "where is he?"
"Get your hands off of her," Sirius became more offended
"I apologise, when you said boyfriend, I was expecting a man," Everest glanced at him up and down, and Sirius was being buried underneath his never ending rage. For a man so obsessed with jokes, Everest certainly got on his nerves.
"Let's dance," whispered Sirius in Scarlet's ear, and then leaned to kiss her shoulder from behind with a soft smile.
"Oh Merlin," Marlene grimaced, causing laughter to erupt, "take it somewhere else, will you?"
One by one, they all seemed to join the dance floor. James and Lily Potter being the centre of attention, swaying slowly to the music.
Whilst dancing, with Scarlet's fingers interlocked behind Sirius' neck, and his fingers grasped her lower back. In a few seconds, Scarlet realised that as they danced, Sirius was slowly ghosting away towards the backdoor that leads a staircase all the way to the roof of the Potter Manor.
"What are you doing?" She asked, suspicion raising in her head.
"To get the best view of the fireworks, y'know?" He whispered softly, speaking very close to her face.
"We've got time," she retorted, arching an eyebrow at her strange behaviour, "I told you to not act weird, Sirius."
"I'm not, just— come on, I just want to be alone with you, away from everybody else," he turned around the situation quickly enough with a lustful tone, snaking an arm around her waist and tugging her closer, making her gasp at the sudden contact.
His hand on her back moved a little lower, tightening his grip and that was all it took for Scarlet to bark out a tiny peal of laughter before grabbing his hand tightly and moving up the stairs, away from the guests and their friends.
Sirius and Scarlet ran up the stairs, hand-in-hand like children who had committed mischievous acts, bright laughter overwhelmed the atmosphere, and the lovers glided up the dark stairs like two blobs of luminescence.
The girl placed her hands on her knees as her figure bent a little, heaving; Sirius was rather used to running around quickly and steadying his breathing.
"This is an oddly stunning rooftop," Scarlet furrowed her brows, taking in the surrounding that even left Sirius both surprised and mesmerised. Fairy lights and candles covered the area, flowers decorating every inch underneath the starry sky.
When Scarlet stopped walking by the railing and turned to Sirius, an unexplainable expression littered his face. She raised a brow, knowing there was something he was itching to blurt out.
The blonde guessed it would probably be something wildly inappropriate.
"I have been wanting to ask you something for months now," Sirius nervously said, hands shoved in his suit pockets as he looked at her with his eyes dipping in moonlight. "Just seeing James out there, I thought... what the hell am I doing—? Waiting around like a fool."
Scarlet let him speak without interruption. "We're in the middle of one of the darkest times in this world, and I'm absolutely terrified," he lightly chuckled under the shivering cold atmosphere, desperately trying to find some warmth, "and the only reason I'm holding on is because of you."
"Because I get to be terrified with you by my side, the girl I love, the girl I'll always love... that's the sort of thing that keeps me motivated to fight in the war, that we always fight our way out together... truly, that's a lot of fighting and a lot of being together." He smiled, a little sense of humour in his tone which made the girl chuckle softly. "I don't want us to stop being together."
His voice was soft against the harsh wind. Most people had gone home, and the newlyweds are off to their honeymoon... hence, it's just Sirius and Scarlet. It's just the two of them against the world.
"Scarlet Celestine Bridget," he took out his hands from his pocket, a black-velvet little box in his hand as he kneeled to the ground smoothly, softly clicking the box open to reveal a glistening emerald gem resting on a silver band. Wide eyes blinking hopefully and a tiny, peaceful smile on his face, "Marry me?"
It was mind boggling, overwhelming. Something about the whole day's events were bubbling and withering, causing this rush of wildly unexpected emotions from a girl who so-hated feelings to begin with. Something about the sheer realisation that a person would choose to spend the rest of their lives being with her, loving her sent her to the bloody moon.
Scarlet felt the most joyous and equally terrified at the same time.
For the first time ever she felt like her life had finally slid into place. As though she was exactly where she was supposed to be — under these lights, in the presence of bickering and laughter from the gardens. Nothing in the world made more sense.
"Yes." She lunged forward and fell right onto him, pressing her body against his with such force, he almost fell on his back out of lack of balance. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he caught her by the waist in shock. Her lips were smashed against his, a long, tight peck that knocked all air out of his chest. Scarlet hasn't breathed even since he started talking—and he talked a lot. She pulled away lightly, her face still dangerously close to his, "You bet I will. For Salazar's sake, of course, I'll marry you."
Sirius licked his lips silently, biting the insides of his cheeks to avoid a smile so large, his face might start to hurt. His heart was thumping against his chest as he caressed her hair.
"Now let me put the damn ring on your finger, Blondie." He murmured against her lips.
She chuckled softly under her breath, widening their distance as she stood up. He softly held her hand—still on his knees, gently caressing her palm and smoothly sliding the ring onto her ring-finger.
He then squeezed her hand three times, gently.
Three times.
I love you.
When he looked up, her eyes were glistening even more under the light of the stars—a layer of gloss on her irises.
Sirius Black had just made Scarlet Bridget shed tears of joy.
The thought should not have boosted his already sky-high ego as much as it did. It was a huge accomplishment.
When he was back on his feet, he pulled Scarlet into another kiss, placing his hand on her bare back and dipped her, allowing her body weight to fall onto his arm as she wrapped her hands around his shoulders. As though blessed with perfect timing, the fireworks they had prepared for their married best friends shot up in the background.
He pressed his lips to hers, delicately, drinking in the feeling he could never get tired of. He placed his folded index finger below her chin to draw her closer, moving his lips softly against her own as his chest exploded— navigating her chin with his fingers. Her heart threw itself against her ribcage and she smiled into the kiss, relishing every part of his soft lips. Still intertwining her fingers with his, her other hand travelled from the side of his face down to his jaw and then to the back of his neck where her fingers met his hair. She moved her lips with his slowly, detaching and reattaching to ease the tightness of her chest. But it only grew stronger.
"What the hell is the matter with you—?" A shrieking voice accompanied the loud noise from the fireworks, causing the two of them to jolt apart, Scarlet gasping in fear as she placed her palm on her chest. "Wha—no, no! You can't do that!"
The two of them swirled around to find James Potter freaking out with his new-bride giggling uncontrollably behind him. Lily looked practically crimson from having to hold in her laughter for Merlin knows how long.
"This—it's not funny! Not funny at all!" He pointed his index towards his friend who awkwardly scratched his neck. "Moony! Hey, MOONY! WORMY! Come see this!" He yelled towards the staircase.
"Should you two not be on your honeymoon?" Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest.
"This is our honeymoon." James scoffed.
"On the roof?" Sirius grimaced.
"What did you expect from James?" Lily spoke from the back, a large toothy-grin on her face.
"Exactly—wait, what? You said it was romantic!" James turned to his bride.
"Yes, for dogs, maybe." Lily bit the insides of her cheeks to suppress a fit of laughter, enjoying the moment of teasing her husband.
"Sure, sure, make fun of me all you want—"
"Congratulations, you two!" The redhead ignored her husband and exclaimed excitedly, running forward and wrapping her arms tightly around the blonde. "Oh, let me see it!"
"I chose the ring," Sirius said with a proud grin. The girls ignored him.
As the two girls fawned over the beautiful ring on Scarlet's finger, Sirius and James shared a look. A look with a tiny smirk and wiggling brows that said, 'we did it!'
"Come here, Prongs," Sirius lent his hand forward, watching as James shook it lightly and then provided him with a brotherly hug. "Congrats."
"Congrats to you, you dog!" James said the words intentionally with that little irony of calling him a dog, "Who would've known... you and Bridget."
That was when Remus rushed on frantically, panting loudly. "Why are you screaming? Who died?"
The four of them diverted their attention to the tall, scrawny boy who stood at the stairway.
James snickered. "Let's just say you're gonna have to propose to someone at Sirius' wedding."
Remus put the two and two together through James' words and the crimson-blush on Scarlet's face. "Oh, Merlin! This is the happiest day of my life!" He jumped towards the boys as the three hugged each other once again.
Scarlet felt Lily squeezing her hand in excitement. "Where's Peter?" The blonde asked.
Remus glanced at the girl with a smile. "He's drunk, like really drunk. He tried to eat one of the candles."
"Well, let's all get drunk," Lily suggested. "It's not like James planned anything special for our honeymoon."
"I told you—I-eh, you're right." James uttered defeatedly. "But I do have more glamorous plans for tomorrow."
After the Potter Manor cleared out, the group of friends sat on wooden chairs that surrounded a small campfire they created in the backyard. Lily's head was resting on James' shoulder whilst Remus was recollecting some precious words about how far they have come.
Peter was snoring loudly, slumped over his chair.
"Cheap wine beats all wine!" Marlene cheered with a raspy tone, wrapping her arm around Everest's shoulders and messing up her hair.
"Blondie would know," Sirius raised a brow after taking a sip of the 'cheap wine' he drank, looking at the girl sitting on his lap and smirking lightly. He slightly leaned forward and only brushed his lips with hers, not kissing her but giving her a feather-like touch, "She devours cheap wine."
"I don't think she ever had cheap wine in her life," Eve scoffed, glancing between the newly-engaged couple with a grimace.
"You think by now Peter would be able to handle his drinks," Remus chuckled, looking at his friend. Marlene and Everest went onto a silly argument about what the best type of wine is.
Sirius and Scarlet were sharing a bottle of wine as Black spoke. "Remember the first time he drank?" He wondered.
"So vividly," James laughed. "Scarlet yelled at him and the poor lad got so scared, he thought drinks would help him re-collect himself."
Scarlet snickered to herself. "That's what he gets for bragging."
"Winning a Quidditch match against Slytherin is a big deal for us," James defended. "You should've seen the utter look of defeat on your face... and you don't even play."
The group laughed lightly as Lily slapped his arm, "Why are you bothering her?"
"Answer your wife, Potter." Scarlet glared at him whilst Sirius looked at her dreamily, slumped over his own chair. He was playing with her hair absentmindedly, lost in thoughts.
"Padfoot, will you stop looking at her like you want to eat her?" Remus said with a disappointed shake of head.
Sirius shook awake from his daydream. "Don't look at us, look at Alice and Frank!" The group faced a rosy-cheeked Alice and a rather confident Frank making out in their seats. The others let out groans of disgust as a joke before erupting into a peal of laughter.
Lily looked around at her friends. Half of them arguing and half of them staring at each other dreamily.
Perhaps, this was not the fairy-tale dream Lily always talked about to her girls. She did not get an expensive venue in the city of London where her parents got married, she did not get a grand wedding with hundreds of guests that included her parents and sister.
But she found something more meaningful than that. She found a family. She found herself surrounded by people that she would sacrifice her life for and she found a husband that would do anything for her which made her feel like the luckiest girl alive.
Even though the happiest day of her life had to be during one of the darkest times in the Wizarding world and she had to celebrate in secret, at least she was under a sky full of bright stars, in her husband's arms surrounded by friends she adored.
𝑪𝑨𝑹𝑨 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑺
oh gosh this chapter made me emotional
my babies. all of them.
also, if I highly recommend playing the songs I mention
at the start of the chapters, they really set the mood!