One Week 'Til Bells Ring

SUNDAY: Clothes and Cakes

"Alice, I can't breathe!"

"I know, Lils, I felt the same way before, when Frank and I were taking care of the preparations for our wedding. I'm so excited for you!" She hugged her friend. "You're getting married! I could cry."

"No, seriously, I can't breathe!"

"What?"

"This dress is suffocating me!" Lily was getting a little blue in the face.

"Oh, right." Alice unzipped the dress for her. "Better?"

"Whew. Yeah. How about the next one?"

Alice handed her the next dress as Lily struggled out of that one. She put the next one on.

"No, not that one. It makes you look fat, Lily. You aren't fat, but this dress is so poofy it makes you look it."

"Eh," she frowned, looking the mirror. "You're right. I can't wear this. Alice, it's supposed to be the best day of my life. What am I going to do?"

"Relax, Lily. Your wedding will go off with out any problems. You've still got six days. I just can't believe you left it 'til a week before the wedding to get your dress!"

"Well, I'm sorry," she snapped.

"But you did have a really fun bachelorette party last night, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Crashing James's bachelor party was the best bachelorette party I could have hoped for."

"I can't believe you actually had the guts to parade in front of all those men."

"It was for James. Besides, I heard him telling Sirius the sweetest thing. Get the zipper and ties for me on this one, I can't reach them."

"Sure. What did he say?"

"Well, he saw the cake and knew what was going to happen and he told Sirius that the only naked girl he wanted to see was me, and that wasn't 'til after the wedding."

"A true gentlemen. Lils! That's the dress! That's the dress!"

Lily looked in the mirror. It wasn't quite the look she'd intended, but she had to admit the dress was gorgeous. The bottom half was layers of gossamer lace that flared gently outward and went down to the floor. The top was just tight enough without suffering her and it had some of the same gauzy lace with intricate beadwork. There were no straps to hold the dress up. The back of it had crisscrossed straps across her back, with a short zipper just below the straps.

"That the dress, Lily. You've got to wear that one."

"It's cold."

"Cold?"

"It's somewhat backless. And there's nothing up top to keep me shoulders warm." She'd always been a fairly conservative dresser.

"Lily, you're just wearing it for the ceremony and the reception. You'll be wearing something different at night...or not."

"Don't even go there, Alice." Lily blushed, and glared at her best friend. She didn't even want to think about that. "I'm going to try on another one. If there's nothing I like better, then I'll wear this."

They went through the rest of the dresses. There was nothing better. All of them had some problem (the neckline was too low, the skirt part was too short, a bride's dress was not supposed to have green polka dots on a pink background, et cetera).

"Alice, if you like the green and pink so much, that can be your maid of honor dress," Lily snapped.

"Shopping sure makes you irritable."

"No, you make me irritable."

"Just relax. You've been engaged for months and months, and now you've got less than one week left to throw this wedding together."

"I know, I know!" She sighed. "What am I going to do?"

"You are going to pay for this dress, that way there is no more arguing over it. Then you and I are going to pick out bridesmaid dresses."

"But--"

"Now, Lily."

"No."

"Lily, this is your wedding. You'll remember it forever. Don't you want it to be special?"

"Yes."

"Don't you want it to be perfect?"

"Yes!"

"Well, it won't be perfect if you, your maid of honor, the flower girls, and the bridesmaids, all have to show up to the church in our knickers because you couldn't decide on dresses."

They paid and went to look at bridesmaid dresses.

"I think you should wear the green and pink one," Lily said viciously.

"No, no, no. I like this." She picked up a lovely pink one. It was mid-calf with rosebuds just below the shoulder, and short sleeves.

"How come you get to wear sleeves?" Lily pointed out.

"Because it's not my wedding, so I don't have to show off."

After an hour's debate, they found the perfect bridesmaid dresses. "These are lovely," Lily said.

"Yes, these are the ones," beamed Alice.

The dresses were floor length, baby blue, off the shoulder, had a fitted top, and had skirts that flared out at the bottom. They were lovely and exactly what Lily wanted. "And since you are the maid of honor, we'll add a special sash to yours around the middle."

"Great!"

They paid for the bridesmaid dresses and then proceeded to choose flower girl dresses.

"Now, we've got to decide on cake, flowers, reception hall, church, guest list, honeymoon and lingerie--"

"I told you to quit it with that!" Lily said, blushing (especially her ears and nose as she often did when truly embarrassed).

"Okay, fine. You also have to pick out James's tux. And Sirius's. And you might as well get Remus and Peter's too."

"I know. They don't have time."

"Actually I was going to say that it's because even if James got the right sort, Sirius might come in something neon green. I don't think Peter's ever even been inside a Muggle shop on his own before. Remus might be okay on his own but if you're getting the other three, there's no reason not to get his." They picked out the necessary clothes for the men and paid for this purchase too.

"We've got an appointment with the bakery to check out cakes."

"Muggle or magic?" asked Lily, getting into the car.

"Magic. Diagon Alley."

"Then let's dump the clothes back at my place and Apparate. It'll save some driving time. Probably." When they got to Diagon Alley, they were right in front of Rosin's Bakery. They picked out a charming cake and ordered it for Friday.

The cake was five layers, each in a circle of decreasing circumference as it went up. "Even Peter wouldn't be able to eat that much," laughed Lily. Each layer was decorated around the edge with alternating rosettes and lilies. The rosettes were pale yellow and the lilies were a delicate purple (Lily's second favorite color was purple; her first favorite was green). The figures on top of the cake looked just like James and Lily (including the clothes they would wear for the ceremony) and moved. The cake itself was a rich and tasty chocolate. An archway of spun sugar hung over the two figures on top.

"Time to pick out invitations now. And you've still got to write the guest list," Alice said.

"No more today."

Alice saw the tired look on her face. "Fine. No more today. But tomorrow we're covering invitations and flowers. I'll come to you at eight."

"Nine."

"Eight-thirty."

"Deal."

Lily Apparated back to the apartment she'd been renting in London for the past couple years. Her parents had died only a year before and given the house to Petunia, knowing that the Potters were giving Lily and James their house since they were going to travel abroad for a while and then settle somewhere smaller. Lily sighed. Petunia had gotten married a year ago, shortly before their parents died. Their father had been crushed when at first Petunia hadn't wanted her father to walk her down the aisle. Lily knew it was because Petunia thought their parents favored Lily over her. Eventually Petunia had conceded (just to keep things traditional), but she refused to invite Lily. Lily had cried over it some, but not in front of Petunia. She went to the wedding anyway, under James's invisibility cloak. She briefly said her hellos to her parents and to a few others, but left before Petunia saw her. After all, it was her sister's day and she didn't want to spoil it for her.

Lily made some dinner and decided to call Remus. She'd persuaded him to get a phone. Though she wasn't sure exactly how he worked that out with the phone company. He was still living with his parents. She dialed.

It just kept ringing. Remus probably wasn't home, and his parents didn't know how to answer the phone. They probably just stared at it and used a silencing charm. She'd call back tomorrow night if she didn't see him sooner than that.

She picked up the mirror and straightened her hair. "James Potter."

James and Sirius's mirrors had originally just been for the two of them. The boys didn't know how to share. But Sirius had agreed to loan his to Lily so she and James could communicate more frequently this week before the wedding.

James beaming smile promptly appeared, his hair as disheveled as ever. "Here I am. Miss me?"

"No."

He pouted. "You didn't miss me? You don't love me anymore?" He faked sobs and tears.

"Oh, you know I'm joking. I love you and I even missed you. Even though I just saw you last night."

"About that..." he started.

"Forget it. I just wanted you to know that I got tuxedos for you, Sirius, Peter, and Remus today."

"You did? Thanks, Lils."

"Is Remus over by any chance?"

"No. Just me and Sirius. He was here earlier. We're picking out china patterns and curtains." He pursed his lips and nodded in a way that left no doubt in Lily's mind about what he said being a joke.

"That's nice. If he stops by, tell him I want to talk to him."

"Okay. Is it anything important? You look worried."

"No. I'm fine." She tried to smile. What if Remus said no? Well, she could always ask Mr. Potter. Maybe that'd be better. No it wouldn't. She was closer to Remus and it was him she wanted. "Just let him know for me. Would you?"

"Of course, Lily. I love you."

"I love you too."

Lily heard a loud and obnoxious voice in the background, "Ewwwww! James is being all mushy and lovey-dovey again, Mrs. Potter!"

"Sirius," Lily heard a voice call faintly. "Play nice with James or you don't get any dessert."

Good old Mrs. Potter. She was so sweet. Lily blinked. By the end of next week, she would be Mrs. Potter. The Mrs. Potter of Godric's Hollow. That was slightly unnerving.

"Look, James, do like your mum says and play nice with Sirius. I'm tired, so I think I'm going to go to bed now."

"Okay. G'bye."

"Goodnight." She put the mirror down and it swirled until it showed only her own reflection again.