Will-o'-the-Wisp

"Oh, blast it," Sirius grumbled. He undid the buttons for the umpteenth time and made sure to line up the buttonholes with the buttons this time.

Remus shook his head, a teasing light in his eyes. "You know, Siri, it's usually the groom who's so nervous he can't dress himself properly, not the best man."

"The groom has not yet put in an appearance," Sirius said haughtily. "And give me a break--the light's shoddy in this corner. I can't exactly see what I'm doing."

Remus chuckled. "I was teasing. And James will be here in a minute or two."

As he spoke, the door swung open and James bustled in, clutching a garment bag and grumbling. "Had to go the long way around...Al and Marly and Petunia accosted me and made me take the back stairs so I wouldn't walk past and 'accidentally' see Lily before the wedding. I'm not late, am I?"

"No, you're fine," Remus assured him, tying his shoe. "How are you feeling?"

"Bloody petrified," James muttered, collapsing in a chair as Frank entered and closed the door behind him. "How'd you get through this without hurling?"

"Who says I did?" Frank chuckled. "Vomiting is the body's way of saying you've got too much crap inside and need to get it out, don't knock it till you've tried it."

"Thanks, I'll pass." James smiled weakly, then started putting himself together.

"James," Remus said patiently. "That's your shirt. It doesn't go on your legs."

"Oh, right," James said sheepishly, shrugging into the shirt. He stopped, frowning. "Odd...this feels a lot different than it did in the shop..."

"That's because you're putting it on upside-down, mate," Sirius told him.

Remus glanced at Sirius, rolled his eyes, snatched the tie out of his hands, and did it up for him. "Someday," he told Sirius, "you and I are going to sit down together and you are going to learn to tie a tie."

"Yes, sir," Sirius said with a teasing grin.

Frank helped straighten James out. As the groom peered into the mirror, desperately trying to tame his unruly hair, the door opened yet again and an older wizard with a crop of white hair sticking up in all directions came into the room. He smiled at James. "Nervous, James?"

James turned and tried to grin. "A little, Dad. Okay, a lot," he admitted as his father raised an eyebrow.

Adonijah Potter chuckled. "Been there, done that. Just remember, son...the important thing is that, at the end of the ceremony, you're married to her. And you--" He pointed an accusing finger at Sirius. "If you try what you tried at the rehearsal last night, I will personally staple you to the steeple."

Remus and Frank both laughed, while Sirius looked slightly chagrined. The previous evening, when the pastor had glossed over the "does anyone see why these people shouldn't get married" part, Sirius had spoken up with, "My client pleads not guilty by reason of temporary insanity." Remus had elbowed him hard and he'd shut up, but it had taken a few minutes to calm the rest of the wedding party down.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter," Sirius said meekly. "I was only kidding."

Adonijah laughed and clapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Ah, I'm only pickin' on you, kid. I know you wouldn't do that."

There was a sudden knock at the door. A loud, harsh voice barked out, "Special delivery, boutonnieres for the ushers."

Remus groaned softly. "Of course she got Petunia to deliver them..." he muttered to no one in particular. "Okay, hold on," he yelled back. Since he was still the only one finished dressing, he walked over to the door and slipped outside.

Petunia stood in front of him, scowling slightly, wearing a rather becoming yellow dress and clutching a box. "Oh...hello, Remus." She thrust the box at him. "The red one's for the best man, the white ones are for the other two...whoever the hell they are."

"One is me. The other one is Frank Longbottom." Remus took the box. "Thanks, Penny."

He winced; he'd used his old nickname for her without thinking. She looked a little uncomfortable too. "Remus...I thought...I mean, we were over."

"We are over," Remus stressed. "I'm sorry, Petunia...I shouldn't have called you that..."

"No, I don't mind," Petunia said quickly. "It's just...you should know that I'm married now."

Remus's eyebrows shot up. "Since when?"

Petunia raised her chin proudly. "Two months. To Vernon Dursley."

"Ver--I thought you hated him!" Remus said in surprise.

"Well...not as much as I thought I did." Petunia studied him suspiciously. "Have you moved on? Found a new love and all that?"

Remus hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, I have."

"Fantastic." Petunia grinned and gave him a chaste, friendly kiss on the cheek. "See you at the wedding."

"See you, Mrs. Dursley."

Petunia stuck her tongue out at him as she retreated. Remus shook his head and went back into the room.

James glanced up and raised his eyebrows. "Um...Rem? Did you know you have lipstick on your cheek?"

"I do?" Remus glanced in the mirror. "Oh, blast." He grabbed a tissue and quickly wiped it off.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, pretending to look hurt. "The maid of honour not over you yet or something?"

"First of all, she's the matron of honour, and second of all it was just friendly," Remus informed him. "You know that."

"I know. I was teasing."

James looked surprised. "Matron of honour? Who's she married to?"

"Vernon Dursley, if you can believe it," Remus answered, handing Frank one of the boutonnieres, then fixing Sirius's before donning his own. He glanced around the room. "We ready to go?"

James smiled weakly. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Adonijah checked his watch and gave his son a hug. "I'd better go sit down, and you four ought to get ready to come out." He levelled a finger at Remus. "Remus, I'm counting on you to keep these fellows straight. Ten minutes."

"Yes, sir," Remus said respectfully, nodding. "We'll be there."

"You'd better." Father smiled at son. "Good luck, son."

"Thanks, Dad." James kept smiling until his father had left the room, then collapsed onto a chair. "Ten minutes? My God, I'm not ready for this yet. 'As ready as I'll ever be' isn't ready enough."

Sirius put his hands on his friend's shoulders. "James, for God's sake, breathe. You're going to be fine. You'll go out there and stand in front of the church for a while, and the bridesmaids will come down the aisle and take their places, and then Lily's father will escort her up the aisle and you'll forget everything but how beautiful she looks and how lucky you feel. The preacher will say some official-type things, you'll repeat your vows, you'll give her the rings, you'll kiss the bride, you'll be married, and you'll wonder what the hell you were so nervous about."

"For someone who's never been married, that's a remarkably accurate description," Frank observed. "Although you did leave one thing out, Sirius."

"What's that?" James asked, looking up.

Frank smiled. "She's just as nervous as you are, mate. But the important thing is...you made it this far. She loves you enough to be here, to stand up with you and to agree to be your wife. And when you see her in the dress, her eyes on you and her father at her elbow, she'll be so nervous that you'll forget to be nervous yourself, because you'll be too busy calming her down. It'll be okay."

James managed a grin. "Thanks, mates."

Remus glanced at his watch. "Ready?"

"Ready or not, we'd best go." James rose to his feet. "Come on, comrades. Once more into the breach."

James and his groomsmen took their places at the front of the church. Sirius stood closest to the groom, followed by Frank, then Remus. They waited for a while as the waiting guests slowly quieted...and then the music changed. The song was a lyrical hymn that Remus couldn't quite place, but it had obviously been selected for the bridesmaids to walk up the aisle. Petunia led the way; a few steps behind her came Alice, then Marlene. Marlene took her position as the last bars of the hymn faded away...and then the music changed again.

Remus knew that his friends had opted out of the typical wedding march, but he hadn't expected the bridal march to be Morning Has Broken, although as it was Lily's favourite hymn he supposed he should have guessed. As Lily began processing up the aisle, clutching her father's arm, Remus noticed James stiffen.

Lily looked stunning. The dress suited her perfectly; it was a sleeveless white gown with a bell skirt and few embellishments, only a single pearl at the neckline. Her arms were ensconced in long white gloves; her dark red hair was piled on top of her head and fringed with a lacy white veil. She clutched a bouquet of--what else?--white lilies, and her face was rapturous, her smile the perfect bride's smile. Remus allowed himself a smile as they reached the front of the aisle.

He really paid very little attention to the proceedings; he was more interested in watching James's face, not to mention Lily's. Sirius and Frank had been right; James seemed to have forgotten his own nerves. Lily, too, seemed calm, if enraptured. They repeated their vows--Remus heard Lily's mother snuffling from the front row of the bride's side of the church--the preacher turned to Sirius and requested the rings. Sirius pulled the two bands out of his pocket and handed them over; Remus recognised the Celtic knot. Each ring also had a single moonstone and a single garnet on either side of a fire opal, symbolising their birthdays and the date of their wedding. The preacher blessed the rings, James slid one onto Lily's finger and she slid one onto his, repeating something about the rings...and the preacher closed his hymnal gently. "You may kiss the bride."

James lifted Lily's veil and kissed her, one of the most drawn-out kisses they'd ever had in public. Remus felt his heart swell at the sight. As they drew apart and turned to the congregation, the preacher announced, "May I present Mr. and Mrs. James Adonijah Potter."

The guests applauded and rose to their feet as the recessional struck up. James and Lily proceeded down the aisle first, followed by Sirius and Petunia, then Frank and Alice, then Remus and Marlene. Remus felt like he was walking on air. It was all over. James and Lily were married.