For Our Parents Willed So

For Our Parents Willed So

*

Traditions

*

"How exactly do wizards get married, anyway?" asked Lily curiously. Being a Muggleborn, she naturally didn't know much about Wizarding traditions, but she was genuinely curious and willing to learn.

"Well, it depends," said James. "The actual bonding ceremony is quite simple -- how elseway could Sirius and Lucius have got married so fast? -- but the marriage isn't considered truly complete before the official ceremonies have been fulfilled and the marriage has been blessed. You can ask for a blessing to the marriage either from the Sun or the Moon. If from the Sun, the actual wedding ceremony takes place at new moon at midday, when the Sun is strongest, if from the Moon, then on the full moon at midnight, when the Moon is strongest."

"Quite obviously Peter and I are going to have the wedding of the Sun," Remus said with a weak smile, intertwining his fingers with Peter's where their right hands lay on top of each other on his thigh. "Usually, they are thought to symbolize certain things. The Sun is supposed to give the marrying couple warmth, love, and strong feelings, while the Moon gives calmness, patience, and loyalty."

"Well, you certainly have enough patience even without the Moon's blessing," said Sirius, grinning. Then he turned towards Lily. "For seven days before the wedding, both grooms or brides have to stay inside, and neither sunlight nor moonlight is allowed to get to the room where they are in. They're also not allowed to see each other, of course. This time is called siar. They are required to wear special robes during the siar, as well as to follow a strict diet. Both have to stay awake for the last full night before the wedding, and during that night, one of their friends accompanies them. This person, who usually is their most trusted friend, is called bahar, or if they are female, baharra, although the name bahar is sometimes used for both. Bahar is pretty equivalent to the Muggle best man, although their gender is not dependant on the gender of the one getting married. Other than staying with the spouse-to-be the last night, they are also the only ones who are allowed to step into the room they are staying in during those seven days. Others can talk through the doorway, as long as no outside light gets in and the grooms or brides don't see each other."

"Sounds interesting," Lily said, smiling. And she truly looked interested. The only thing she didn't do was making notes -- although they all were pretty sure that she made quite a lot of mental notes while listening to them.

"Whatever type is the wedding, there is still one thing that must be done," Severus continued, never moving his head from its comfortable place in James's lap or opening his eyes. "Before the two can get married and be blessed, both have to so-calledly marry the one heavenly body they are are asking the blessing from. And before this can be taken care of, they also have to divorce -- all Wizarding children get married to the Sun, the Moon, or a star when we are just little kids, as it is thought to protect us."

"Protect, truly," muttered Remus. "I am currently married to the Moon." Peter placed his chin on top of his smaller fiancé's head, smiling comfortingly even though Remus couldn't see it as he was out of his sight.

"If a Muggleborn or a Muggle wishes to be married by the Wizarding ceremonies, they of course don't have to divorce," Sirius picked up the story again. "But with Wizarding people, the brides and grooms have to divorce their previous 'spouses' -- that's quite simple, really, much simpler than an actual divorce. All that is required is to pour some clear water on top of a stone that symbolizes the spouse. Anyway, when that's done, the actual wedding starts."

After a small pause, he started to tell, "The first step is where the bahar helps the groom or bride to get dressed. In the marriages of the Sun, the wedding robes are red, in the marriages of the Moon, they are pure white. They have to be completely dressed, but with no jewellery, at the dawn in the Sun marriage or at sunset in the Moon marriage. Even though jewellery is not allowed, the robes are usually beautifully embroided, especially with brides, but with grooms, too. There are also special marks that have to be painted to their face and hands, although nowadays some tend to ignore those. After that, all they can do is pretty much just to wait. All they can eat or drink between getting dressed and the moment of the wedding is clean water."

"And then?" Lily urged, leaning forward in her eagerness to learn more. Her eyes were shining with curiosity and quite a lot of romantic excitement.

"Then, just before the moment of the wedding, the bahar or baharra puts a red or white silk veil on their face, so they won't see their spouse -- either of them," said James with a smile. "Then they are led outside, where all guests are already waiting. Still not seeing each other, a large veil being held between them by the bahar or baharra, both grooms or brides then take the silk veil away from their face, revealing themselves for the Sun or the Moon to 'see'. After that, they go down to their knees, press their head to the ground, and get up. This is done three times, and always to the direction of the 'spouse'. Then the so-called vicar -- as wizards don't have a real church, usually any respected wizard or a witch is fitting -- puts a ring to their finger, made of the stone that symbolizes their 'heavenly spouse'. If they've originally been married to this heavenly body, they usually use the same ring. This ring stays forever between the engagement ring and the wedding band, kind of tying them together."

"So every fully married wizard or witch has three rings in their left ring finger?" asked the young witch.

"Exactly," verified Sirius, raising his hand to show it to her. "As I and Lucius have only been bonded and not fully married yet, we only have two rings -- our original 'wedding bands' have been removed, as we had to be divorced from those heavenly bodies to be even bonded. We are going to have the full ceremony after I graduate, however. Nothing less would be enough for a Malfoy," he added with a grin.

"Get on with the story," Severus said annoyedly. "It's not like I didn't know about your rings, I've certainly studied them many times enough." While saying this, he idly fiddled with the two rings he himself had -- a golden sapphire ring he'd got from James when their engagement had been made public, and a plain one made of moonstone that symbolized his 'marriage' to -- quite obviously -- the Moon.

"Fine, spoilsport," Sirius replied, sticking his tongue out in a very childish way, not caring that Severus couldn't even see it. Then he turned towards Lily again. "So, after they've got married to the Sun or the Moon, they are finally allowed to see each other. That's why the bahar then take away the large veil. Now, the ceremony varies a bit. In a traditional Sun wedding, the 'vicar' conjures a large fire that doesn't burn, but looks real. They have to step in the fire, showing that they are ready to go even through fire for each other. In the middle of it, they again kneel and bow down three times, then walk out of the fire hand in hand. After that, they are given the rings, which they put to each other's ring finger, and then allow the bahar to tie their better hands and arms together from the wrist to the elbow while the magical bonding is performed. In the older ceremony, which is still sometimes used, one of the bahar also braids half of their hair together at the sides of their better hands. These ties have to remain for at least the following seven hours, which is how long the following feast officially lasts. After that, the bahar take the binds -- usually silk ribbons -- away, sometimes cut a bit of the hair braided together, and burn them on top of a piece of stone that is then broken to half. The halves are given to the bahar, and they are thought to bring luck."

"Oh, how romantic," Lily sighed dreamily, her eyes shining brightly. "What about the Moon wedding, then? What happens there after the large veil has been taken away?"

"Well, they also have to prove their willingness to face dangers for their spouse-to-be," James said. "So, a pond of ice is conjured -- and above the ice, it is really freezing. They have to cross this ice -- note that they are bare-footed, it's not nice at all -- to each other, then bow as required, and walk together to where the 'vicar' and the bahar or baharra are waiting for them. They're also given the rings, and they put them to each other's finger. But after that, it's again different -- the bahar or baharra take a tiny dagger made especially for this task and slash over the palms of their better hands. Then these palms are put against each other and the hands are tied together, from the fingertips to the elbows. Originally, this was supposed to make the bond as strong as that of the Sun wedding -- tying hair together has never been a part of the Moon wedding. And, as in the other one, the 'vicar' performs the magical bonding, and the ties are to remain for seven full hours. Then the bahar or baharra release the bindings that are made of a special magical material. With a spell, these bindings are melted and formed into two tiny mirrors, which the bahar or baharra again get to bring good luck."

"Now, that's even more sweet," Lily said with a dreamy smile. Then she eyed her companions curiously. "Which ceremony are you guys going to use?" she asked. "Well, Remus and Petey are quite obviously having a Sun wedding, but what about you others? Sirius? James, Severus?"

"A Sun wedding for me, at least," Sirius replied. "Lucius and I both completely refuse to use our fathers' wedding robes, like the traditions would require if we had a Moon wedding like our parents."

"Well..." James looked hesitant. He wiped a stray lock of hair away from Severus's face, obviously delaying his answer. Then, when everybody had sat in a pregnant silence for some time, Severus spoke instead of his fiancé, again letting them know that, despite his appearance, he was well awake.

"We were talking about having a Moon wedding," he said softly, "as it's been a tradition in both of our families for several generations already. I don't think we will have that, however, as Remus quite obviously wouldn't be able to attend to the ceremony in his human form if we did."

"It's nice that you thought about me, and it truly means a lot to me," the werewolf said with a slight smile, "but don't let me stop you. Sure, it'd be nice to attend to the ceremony, but if you want the Moon's blessing, have it. I certainly will taunt you enough from the corridor during your siar," he then added teasingly. "And I can always be there as a wolf, of course!"

James smiled warmly. "Thank you, Moony," he said with a relieved sigh. Then, with a bit of mischief in his eyes, he turned towards Sirius. "What do you think, Paddy, could you maybe accept being my bahar?"

"I don't know, Prongs," the other teen replied, laughing slightly. "I will, if you accept being my bahar."

"Accepted." They extended a hand to each other, then shook them with broad grins.

"Remind me to ask Lucius, Jamie," mumbled Severus from his place in James's lap, then snuggled up to the bespectacled boy, obviously going to really sleep. About the time, too, with all the times they'd thought he was sleeping only to hear him saying something again.

"I will," promised James, wiping another strand of hair away from the pale face. The others watched them with warm smiles, Peter wrapping his left arm around Remus -- his other hand still lay on the werewolf's thigh, his fingers entangled with Remus's.

"And on that note..." A slight smile curled Remus's lips again as he turned towards Lily. "I'd be honoured if you accepted to be my baharra," he said, still smiling.

"Oh!" exclaimed the girl in surprise. "I mean, of course, I'd love to! But -- I don't know how. I've no idea what I should do and when and how. What if I mess something up?"

"You won't, I'm sure of that," Remus said with a warm smile. "I'm certain that everything will go perfectly well. But if you are really unsure, my Mother has a whole book about the bahar and the wedding ceremonies that she'd surely let you borrow."

"Well -- I accept, then." And her lips formed an even brighter smile.