In All the Thunder

Chapter Six: Wedding Plans

It was nearing the end of fall. Nothing much had happened since that night at the end of the summer. They had just lived normal lives. Bundled up in jackets, scarves, and gloves, Sirius and Krystyna were walking through a park. They weren't talking a lot, but it wasn't really needed.

Krystyna looked up at Sirius. "Did James tell you when he was going to do it?" she asked him curiously. Sirius looked up to the bare trees, seeming like he was thinking.

"If I remember correctly, I think he said tonight," he replied.

"Why tonight?"

"You, of all people, should know that tonight is Lily's birthday," Sirius told her with a grin. Krystyna smiled at him and nodded her head. Of course she knew that; she wanted to see if he remembered the reason. "He wants to give her a very big surprise."

"I can't wait," Krystyna sighed wistfully. Sirius slipped his hand into hers, and he saw her smile unconsciously. They continued to walk, hand in hand, with her head laying against his arm.

13

Wrapping paper was everywhere; the place was covered in it. Sara was picking up the paper and putting it in a large trash bag with her wand while Lily collapsed into a chair with an assortment of things around her. She was smiling brightly. Sirius and Krystyna were sitting on the couch together. Peter was drinking some (rather potent) butterbeer on another seat, looking a little down; he'd been dumped by Michelle two days ago. Lorena was sitting in front of the television, examining it curiously.

James had left to "go to the restroom", and Remus had gone to get another drink for both him and Lorena. Lily was looking pleasantly content, but Krystyna could tell that there was something wrong with her. She stood up and walked over to her, sitting down in the seat next to her.

"What's up, Lily?" Krystyna asked.

Lily looked over at her quickly. "What? Oh, sorry--" She smiled at her, and Krystyna gave her a You-Can't-Fool-Me look.

"Something's bothering you; I know that much," Krystyna explained coolly. "Now, spit it out or do I have to make you tell me."

Lily sighed, seemingly defeated, and shook her head. "No, you don't have to make me," she answered in a sad voice. "It's just... I was looking forward to seeing what James would get me, but he didn't have the money to get me anything. It's so strange! He's always had money, but after the place he was working for shut down... I understand him completely though, and just him being here is nice enough for me."

Lily smiled wanly and Krystyna mirrored it. She patted her on the hand and went to sit back down next to Sirius. Lily was going to get the surprise of her life. James was a liar; and Lily had to know that. James worked at the same place Krystyna did, and she had not been laid off.

James walked back into the room with a large grin on his face. Remus walked into the other doorway from the kitchen.

"It's seems that we have one more gift to give to the birthday girl," James announced cheerfully.

Lily raised her eyebrows at him, and her eyes were glowing. She probably could see what was coming to her. She stood up when James got close to her.

James got down on one knee in front of her and Lily had tears welling in her lively green eyes. This was probably not the best thing for Peter to watch after he had gotten dumped by his girlfriend. James took Lily's hand and a tear fell to the floor. He brought out a small black velvet box.

"Lily Evans, will you marry me?"

James had never before put his heart on the spot like this. He had never truly worn his heart on his sleeve. After many years of fruitlessly chasing after Lily and being rejected every time, he'd never gotten hurt by her. If she rejected him this time, it would break his heart into very tiny pieces.

Lily found her voice again and gasped a breathy, "Yes!" Both James's and her eyes were glowing with bliss. He stood up and she threw her arms around his neck before putting her lips to his. The happy, now engaged, couple were laughing now for no reason at all except for the fact that they were so ecstatic.

When they finally broke away, they saw that Peter was crying--enjoyed that James and Lily were a couple or that he had just gotten dumped, they didn't know. They held hands and smiled at each other anyway. Sirius stood up and held out his hand. James took it and the best friends grinned at each other, shaking hands.

"Congratulations, mate," Sirius said. James inclined his head to him. "Looks like the ladies' man lost to the obsessive stalker."

James laughed loudly. Today was a very good day. Of course, that meant that it could only get worse--or could it?

13

"I want a spring wedding with all sorts of flowers! And pink--I want lots and lots of pink!"

Lily was beginning the process of planning her wedding while James went to work. The place he had worked for had never shut down in the first place. Lily was walking outside her and Krystyna's split house in the garden she had made. Krystyna was following behind her with her glasses on (she needed them sometimes, as she was a bit farsighted) and a notebook with a quill in hand. She was trying to record all of this down while walking, but Lily was walking pretty fast.

"Pink, got it," Krystyna repeated, nodding her head and writing this down. She suddenly stopped and looked up at Lily. "Um... I'm not so certain that James would want a lot of pink."

Lily spun around on her. "Pink!" she exclaimed. "Whatever colour he wants also, he'll get it. Don't worry; marriage is about compromises. I got this handled."

"Right," Krystyna sighed sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She continued jotting down everything Lily said.

"Actually, I think James would want red or blue for his colour," Lily noted.

"Let's wait until James gets home and then hear it from him directly, okay?" Krystyna replied quickly before Lily got anymore ideas. Lily nodded her head and started thinking again. She wanted the perfect wedding and the only way that could be done was if she had done it. She should've been a Ravenclaw; Krystyna snorted at the thought.

"Oy, Lily, can I have this pear in your refrigerator?!" Lorena's voice called loudly from inside the house. It stopped Lily for only a second, and she turned towards the window into the kitchen.

"Of course!" Lily shouted back.

"Thanks!"

"You're welcome!" Lily stopped, and Krystyna gaped at her. She suddenly turned around to face Krystyna with a puzzled look. "Now, where were we?" Krystyna opened her mouth to answer when Lily suddenly remembered. "Ah, yes, the wedding! Well, James once told me that he wanted it where there were plenty of green grass and color. He likes the outside. Of course, he may have been talking about the middle of a Quidditch Pitch..."

"I think I'll go ahead and rule out the Quidditch Pitch," Krystyna noted.

"No, no, I like the idea!" Lily replied hastily. Krystyna looked up at her sharply. "We could all be on our brooms in front of the falling sun in the sky and it could be so romantic and--"

"Just to let you know, I'm not going to sit on my arse for an hour on a broom and I doubt your mother or sister will either," Krystyna pointed out. "Last time I checked, Petunia tried to knock my head off with a pan when I was over at your house for, er, being abnormally obnoxious and rude with an underlining of being terribly strange."

Lily thought about it and then nodded her head; Krystyna did have a point there. What was she thinking?

"Oh, yes, alright, well then--"

Someone interrupted Lily by hacking and sounding like they were dying. The two girls both looked back to the house and saw Lorena staggering out before she fell onto the ground. Sara quickly came out after her and looked down at her.

"Lily, what was that thing?!" Lorena gasped. She coughed again. "That was no pear!"

"Was it in the bottom drawer on the right--alone?" Lily asked curiously, putting her hands in her pockets and cocking her head.

"Yeah," Lorena said weakly.

Lily cringed. "Ooh, that used to be a pear," she replied. "But I did a little experiment on it with my wand and I guess I never threw it away... Sorry, Lorena."

Lorena made a gagging sort of sound and then groaned, putting a hand on her stomach and rubbing it gingerly. She gagged again and shook her head. Sara looked sorry for her and tried to help her up. Lily sighed and walked over to her, helping Sara pick Lorena up from the ground. She looked back at Krystyna rather sadly.

"We can discuss the wedding plans later, Krystyna," Lily sighed, sounding slightly unhappy. Krystyna took her glasses off. A sudden shriek emitted from Lorena. They all looked at her and Sara and Lily nearly let go of her from shock. Krystyna, on the other hand, dropped the notebook and quill she'd been recording things in. Lorena was fading--like she was slowly turning invisible.

"Wh-what's happening, Lily?" Lorena demanded in a shaky voice. Lily and Sara let go of her and took a step back. Lorena, however, was now standing up on her own, looking at her hands and arms. "Why am I turning invisible?"

"Oh, no! When I tried to multiply the pear a few days ago, it must've messed something up!" Lily cried out in horror. "Or maybe it was when I put an Invigorating Potion inside. You know, it didn't work. I was trying to make it taste more delicious than before so James would think about eating fruit..."

"Bloody hell, does that mean I'm gonna stay invisible forever?" Lorena questioned, but for some strange reason, she didn't sound angry or scared. In fact, she sounded curious.

"No, but I don't know how long it'll last," Lily answered hastily. "Lorena, we have to get you St. Mungo's immediately before you completely disappear!"

"Completely disappear for a certain amount of time?" Lorena repeated to herself quietly. "Hm..."

A sudden mischievous grin spread across her face, and she locked eyes with Krystyna.

"Lorena, what are you thinking?" Krystyna asked suspiciously.

Lorena clapped her hands together and then rubbed them. Her mischievous grin had turned into a smirk and she was now looking very sly. "Methinks it's time for a little bit a payback," she simply told her. At first, nothing registered, but after a minute or two (Lorena's hands had disappeared completely), Krystyna realized what her blond friend was going to do.

"Lorena, no!" Krystyna yelped. She ran to grab her, but at that moment, Lorena disappeared. Krystyna waved her hand around where Lorena once was, but there was nothing there anymore.

"What's wrong?" Sara asked.

"Who do you think Lorena wants to payback?" Krystyna said quickly, although it was not a question. Sara and Lily looked at each other with wide eyes; they were thinking the same thing.

"Malfoy," Lily said out loud. Krystyna nodded her head. "Lorena, I don't think this is such a good idea..."

"Oh, please, Lily chill out," Lorena's voice said from behind the rose bush. She was heading toward the gate. The three girls ran in that direction. "I'm not going to hurt him--too badly."

"But I don't know when you'll reappear!" Lily exclaimed fretfully. "For all we know, you could reappear when you're standing right in front of him!"

"Let's hope not," Lorena said from where the door was. They all turned around back to the house. She was tricking them and it wasn't very funny. "I'll be back in twenty minutes tops."

"Lorena!" Sara said loudly. She was the first one to get to the door to find that Lorena wasn't there anymore. They looked around the garden.

"Hasta Luego!" Lorena laughed. There was a loud pop and they knew that Lorena had Apparated to somewhere. If they only knew where, they would follow her. Lily looked horrified. Sometimes, she thought that Lorena, who was already mischievous enough, had learned too much from James and Sirius. If only she was more like Remus, Lily had sometimes thought.

13

Good gravy, this place looks more like the Great Hall at Hogwarts than the Ministry of Magic, Lorena thought as she entered the Ministry of Magic, still invisible. She passed plenty of people. She'd never been in the building before so everything was quite new to her. James hadn't told them everything. Now, if I were a prat with lots of galleons, where would I be?

Lorena rounded the corner and nearly fainted. Allen, her brother, exited the elevator. He was wearing fancy robes and was looking established when people called out to him. Lorena scowled, but tried to ignore him. He was the wrong prat with lots of galleons.

Nevertheless, she lost in her battle to ignore him and ended up sticking out an invisible foot, tripping him and sending him flailing to the ground. She held in her laughter as she entered the elevator herself. After a while of whistling to the elevator music, dodging flying notes, and making sure people didn't back into her, the door opened. When she got out she found who she was looking for almost immediately. She grinned wickedly.

Well, well, well, if it isn't the poncy git himself with the Minister of Magic, Lorena thought. Yup, he's a butt kisser alright. I'll bet my small fortune that he's giving away money to the Minister. Stupid Malfoy. Stupid Daniel Jacobs.

Daniel Jacobs was the twentysomething Minister of Magic, who was, although the youngest Minister of Magic in the history of England, a bright fellow. Lucius Malfoy was the old teenager, who was already trying to get the Ministry in a jam in the future; Lorena knew that if Malfoy wanted something, he could just blackmail Jacobs. If she'd learned one thing from the Malfoy family, it was that you could get almost anything you like by blackmailing someone.

"Who's going to be the new Hogwarts School Governor?" Malfoy was asking.

"Don't know yet, but we're having a meeting tonight," Jacobs replied. "Say, why don't you join me in the meeting, Lucius? After all, we need someone fresh out of Hogwarts to explain the situations there. No use trying to fix the place if we don't know what's truly happening on the inside, right?"

How can you possibly be brilliant and stupid at the same time? Lorena thought helplessly.

"Well, I'll see what I can do, but I'd enjoy coming to the meeting," Malfoy said coolly. "I have a busy schedule, but I think I can make it. What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock sharp," Jacobs answered.

"That's even better; I'm sure to make it," Malfoy told him. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Sure you would, Malfoy. You want the world, after all, Lorena thought viciously. I bet Malfoy has tea with You-Know-Who all the time. Oh, wait; it's Voldemort. Right. Voldemort, what a name. It'll be Tea Time with Voldemort at nine o'clock at the Malfoy residence! She paused. I wonder if that ever happened before.

"Well, I'd best be going," Malfoy said. "Narcissa is waiting for me at home. We're having a lunch date."

He's dating Narcissa Black? Ha, ha! Oh, this is too good! I wonder when the wedding is. I'll have to ask her next time I see her at the Three Broomsticks.

"Alright, goodbye and see you tonight," Jacobs said, shaking Malfoy's hand. He then added in a lower voice so no one else could hear, "And thanks for the donation. We all know we need some, we just don't say anything."

The poncy git, I knew it!

"You're welcome," Malfoy replied. "Goodbye."

Malfoy turned around and began to walk away. Lorena let him pass her and right before he reached the elevator, she gave him a swift kick in the butt, sending him crashing into the elevator. He yelped and Jacobs and a few other people came to his rescue.

"What happened?" Jacobs questioned.

"I don't know! It felt like someone kicked me, but there's no one there!" Lucius said, sounding shaken and scared. Lorena held in her laughter and then pulled his hair. "Ow! Someone just pulled my hair!"

"Nonsense, there's no one--Ouch! Someone kicked me!" Jacobs said loudly, rubbing his side. Lorena tried to hold in her laughter. She hadn't kicked him; Malfoy, who was flailing around, trying to hit whoever had kicked him, had accidentally landed up doing it. Hopefully, he'd kicked some sense into Jacobs. "What's happening?" Obviously not.

Lorena picked up her wand and on the wall of the elevator, she wrote: You have been warned. This elevator is guarded by the spirits of the undead. You are cursed through all eternity!

Everyone immediately leaped out of the elevator and she walked inside. The doors shut and she burst out into laughter. It was just in time, too, because she became visible again. She walked out of the Ministry of Magic looking like everyone else and no one realized she had done it. A few people waved at her, believing she was someone else; Lorena, not knowing what to do and feeling thoroughly pleased with herself, just waved back at them. When she Apparated back to Lily's and Krystyna's house, she was bombarded by the three girls.

"What did you do?" Krystyna demanded.

"I gave Malfoy what he deserved," Lorena simply told her with a smirk. "I gave him a swift kick in the arse."

Obviously, the wedding plans were on hold because they all burst into laughter.