Chapter 53: Union
Today was the day.
The day he would finally marry the love of his life in front of family and friends. The day Lily Jean Evans would become Lily Jean Potter in an union blessed by God and Magic. That is if Lily didn’t kill him for being late.
Why? Because today was Saturday and as a professional quidditch player that meant there was a game happening. No matter what Rick said, Coach Cambpell didn’t care one bit. To him the game was more important than Rick’s own wedding.
“Catch the snitch fast then and you’ll be free to go.”
Even his teammates found the Coach’s stance too hard but he didn’t budge one bit. The wedding was at 11am and the game started at 10. Quite problematic. He had told Lily that he would do his best to be there on time and despite her doubts believed him. She had told him they could postpone the ceremony a few hours but he refused. They had worked hard when planning this day and Rick didn’t want to change a thing.“Lily, stop biting your nails.” her mother chastised, taking her hands away from her mouth.
“I can’t help it, mom. What if he’s late? Everything will-”
“Lils, he won’t be late.” Marlene tried to reassure her while she was combing her luscious dark red hair. “You know that nothing is more important to him than you. If it takes too long he’d just ditch the game without a care in the world.”
“...”
“Now hurry up, your dress won’t put itself on and I can’t give you your hairdo while you’re not in it.”
“W-Where is it?”
“On the bed.”
Lily stood up and let her towel drop to the ground revealing her naked body to her mother and Marlene. She went quickly to pick her dress when she was stopped by a Marlene rolling her eyes.
“Your lingerie first, dummy!”
“O-oh! Yes. Lingerie first.”
“She needs to relax.” the blonde thought aloud and sent a patronus to Dorea.
“What was that?” Rose wondered aloud. She marveled at the beauty of the light. “Was that a tiger?”
“It was. That’s the patronus charm. It’s a guardian created from a very happy memory which repels the foulest dark creatures. It can also be used for sending messages.”
“I’d be scared too if I was confronted with a tiger made of light.”
“Oh, the shape is not definite. It varies from person to person. Lily’s is a lion and Rick’s a lioness. It can be any animal really. Some are rare, some are common. Headmaster Dumbledore is rumored to have a phoenix while Professor McGonagall is a simple cat.”
“A cat? That’s not the kind of animal I’d want to protect me.” Hearing that, Marlene chuckled.
“The animal matters not, it’s the memory that counts. The stronger the happy memory, the stronger the protection.”
The door to the room opened and Dorea entered quickly. She looked around and saw Lily completely panicking and struggling with binding her undergarments when she knew she had done that plenty of times before. Without saying a word she walked to the redhead and handed her a pill.
“Calming-” she didn’t finish her sentence that Lily took it and gobbled it down. “Draught. Everything is going to be fine, Lily.”
The bride said nothing and instead closed her eyes. After a few seconds she took a deep breath.
“I know. It’s just… silly thoughts I have in my head.”
“Last minute jitters. Everyone has those. I’m sure Rick will too.”
“Jitters? Really, Lily? What are you scared of? Rick is head over heels for you.” commented Marlene.
“I know but what if he got tired of me? That I’m not adventurous enough? Boring? Too-”
“You’re none of those things and you know it. There is no one else in the world he would marry instead of you.”
“Amelia?”
Marlene’s face deadpanned and the blonde witch turned to Dorea.“... Lady Potter, do you have another pill?”
“I do but it’s ill advised. Dear, you must really be stressed if that’s all the effect it has on you.”
“I’m not stressed. Well… not anymore. It’s just… the doubts are still there. Like Amelia. Why would he want to marry me when Amelia has bigger breasts and a bigger ass? I’ll marry her in his shoes.”
“Because Amelia is not you. She doesn’t love him the way you do. Doesn’t care for him the way you do. Doesn’t complete him the way you do. It’s always been you, Lily.” reassured Marlene.
“...”
Outside the room and the church, guests were listening to the wireless. Almost all of them were Gryffindors and former members of the quidditch team.
“For all his intelligence, sometimes he really can be absent minded.” Rhiannon commented while looking at Sirius tuning the radio to find the right station for the Magpies game.
“He has an hour to win the game. He did it in less in the past.” Frank Longbottom wasn’t worried one bit at the prospect of Rick not being in time for his own wedding.
“You forget to count the time to get here, and prepare. I know you guys are quick but still…”
“Eva’s right. Count at least fifteen minutes.” Amelia supported the Holyhead Harpies chaser.
“Black! Are you going to put the game on or do I have to do it myself?!”
“Been out of school for months and I’m still being yelled at by my former head of house.” Sirius muttered then finally found the right frequency. “Done!”
“About time!”
“The bludgers had been released.”
“And now the Golden Snitch.”
“Referee Smith throws the quaffle into the air and the game is…”
“Over?”
“... Did- Did Potter already catch the snitch? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me? Fabian?”
“It seems like it, Noah. He’s… Look, he’s showing- Yes! Potter caught the snitch!”
“Sweet Merlin, how fast was that?”
“I don’t know, we have to wait for Smith to… 2.98 seconds.”
“2.98?! That’s faster than Roderick Plumpton! By more than half a second!”
“That’s insane!”
“What luck!”
“And observation’s skills. Potter was the only one to notice the snitch was flying near Smith’s boot.”
“True. Merlin, that’s both amazing and disappoint- Wait what is Potter doing now?”
“It seems to me he’s leaving the stadium on his broom.”
“He is! What the… Yes? We’re on air, what’s so impor-... Are you sure about that?”
“Seriously? He left because he was going to be late to his own wedding?”
“Wow. Potter really wanted to catch that snitch fast.”
“And he did!”
“Well, we certainly can’t blame him for it.”
“No, it’s quite understandable. Though, to actually catch it in less than three seconds…”
“Regardless, we wish all the best to Potter and his soon to be wife.”
“And best of luck!”
“And we will be back with you next week for the Canons against the Harpies!”
The transmission stopped and the group surrounding the wireless had been speechless for a while.
“Merlin’s beard. He really wants to get married.” Sirius commented, breaking the silence.
“Good luck, girls. Rick is going to destroy you next month.” The chuckle Frank let out didn’t amuse Eva nor Rhiannon who murderously glared at him.
Back to the bride room. Lily had a very pleased smile splitting her face from ear to ear. Dorea had put up her own wireless when the bride to be had asked to listen to the game.
“Any more doubts, Lils?” Marlene inquired with a smug smile. “No? Then hurry up! Morgana! At this rate you will be the one late!”
For the first time in the day, Lily was active. Really active. She put on the dress that she had asked Ted to make for her. Not an easy task with how sophisticated it was but it didn’t bother her. Her man had kept his promise in the most spectacular way and that made her all giddy. Giving one last look at her wedding dress she couldn’t help but find it beautiful.
Perfect.
The wedding gown laid in serene majesty, a vision of love and devotion crafted from the softest whispers of fabric and lace. It was the kind of dress that seemed to hold a thousand unspoken promises, a garment meant for a bride who believed in timeless romance. Its bodice, adorned with intricate lace embroidery, was a garden of delicate blossoms, each petal and vine stitched with the care of an artist painting a masterpiece. The floral motifs stretched across the fitted torso, cascading over the sweetheart neckline that softened into a demure illusion of lace, creating an air of both elegance and innocence.
Short, lace-covered sleeves framed the gown with a gentle grace, their scalloped edges blending seamlessly into the embroidered pattern, as if nature itself had lent its artistry to the design. The bodice, structured yet effortlessly feminine, cinched at the waist before giving way to an ethereal skirt—a cascade of diaphanous tulle that billowed like the mist of a dream. The blush-toned fabric, barely perceptible beneath the sheer overlay, added warmth to the gown’s purity, as though it carried within it the tender blush of first love.
As the skirt unfurled, it did so with an almost weightless grace, floating towards the floor in layers of gossamer lightness. Scattered lace appliqués, carefully placed among the folds, seemed to drift like petals caught in a soft spring breeze, an echo of the romance woven into every stitch. The train, long and flowing, promised to glide behind the bride as she walked toward the one who awaited her—a trail of beauty and devotion left in her wake.
It was a dress meant for vows spoken in hushed reverence, for soft smiles exchanged beneath a veil, for a love story that would last beyond a single day. In its stillness, it awaited the moment it would be brought to life, no longer just fabric and lace, but a symbol of forever.
Absolutely perfect.
“Now, the hair then the makeup.” her wand out, Marlene began to work.
Back outside Charlus was reminding everyone that this was a muggle marriage and that no magic was to be done.
“Why, though?” Sirius inquired. “Not that I won’t respect Lily’s wishes!” he quickly added. “I’m just curious.”
“Because Lily’s sister hates magic and her fiancée doesn’t know about it.” Remus replied to his friend. He had always been on good terms with the trio and became even closer with Lily when he volunteered for the wolf-eazy pill. Close enough that she wanted him at her wedding.
“Ah! That’d do it. But who would hate magic?”
“Jealous and bitter people.” Amelia was well in the know about that. She had encountered murder cases involving a squib and they had been quite unpleasant.
“That is true. My older brother and I are barely on speaking terms anymore. We only talk now because he realized that with all that's going on in the Wizarding world, he is glad to be a simple muggle.” The confirmation that Ted brought out gave support to Amelia’s words.
“Anyway, is everything ready? The seats?” Charlus made a verbal checklist of everything that’s supposed to be done for the ceremony.
“Done.”
“Music?”
“Done.”
“Tables and seat arrangements?”
“Done and done, sir.”
“Alright. That just left people. The bride’s family has not arrived and also a few other guests. They have… 40 minutes to get here which is good.”
“The groom is missing too.” Amelia pointed out. “I know it’s obvious but that’s why we might forget.”
Soon enough the missing people arrived in groups. Albus Dumbledore, Filius Flitwick and Horace Slughorn came via the knight bus. Arcturus, Melania and Cassiopeia arrive by portkey and for once the siblings were not insulting each other.
“Grandpa!”
Of course at the sight of her great grandfather, Nymphadora escaped from her mother’s side and ran to the man to greet him.
The next to arrive was Rick who, to everyone’s surprise, got out of a carriage pulled out by ponies. He was still in his quidditch robes and quickly greeted everyone as he walked towards the church without stopping. On the way he tossed the snitch to Minerva who easily caught it. She had a very pleased smile on her face. Entering the church he was followed closely by Amelia who was his best man or rather woman. That had shocked more than one person when they had heard that.
“Here.” She gave him a bag with his clothes in it.
“Thank you.” he replied with a smile and began to get out of his quidditch gear. “The rings?”
“Andromeda is safe keeping them until it’s time for Nymphadora to bring them.”
“Perfect.”
He finished putting his tuxedo on and Amelia had to help him with his bowtie.
“That reminds me of our one date.” The playfulness in his voice amused Amelia who was reminded of the date in question.
“Me too. Good times.”
“Especially after the party.”
She finished with the bow and took a step back. Handsome was the word she felt would describe him best in that moment.
“No last minute doubts?”
Rick shook his head. “No. I have doubts, always had but it’s about me not being good enough for her. I’m ignoring them. Lily always knew what she wanted and what was best for her.”
“And she chose to marry you.”
“She did. And she’s too stubborn to back out now so honestly, I’m good.”
“Your wedding vows?”
Rick patted his pockets and found a folded letter inside his vest. He took a look to confirm everything was in order and put it back.
“Honestly, this best man thing is easy. I dread what Marlene is going through right now.”
“Best woman.” he corrected her. “And it’s easy because I’m easy. You wouldn’t say the same thing if I was a total mess or not even here. Everything would fall on your shoulders. From taking the blame of something going wrong to marrying the bride.”
“What?!”
Rick smoked at her utterly shocked face. “It’s a very old muggle tradition. If, for whatever reason, the groom doesn’t make it to the wedding, it’s the duty of the best man to marry the bride instead.”
“Thankfully I’m the best woman like you said.”
“Awww, you’re no fun. That was one of the reasons I picked you in the first place. Lily would have been delighted.”
“I bet she would have and you picked me because you don’t have close male friends.”
“True but then again the other boys in my years… Remus and Sirius turned out alright in the end but it was a bit late to really forged bonds. And since Marlene is a tiny bit closer to Lily because they’re both women I couldn’t ask her. Which is fine. I would have picked them because… tradition. You’d have been my first choice anyway.”
A knock on the door was heard and Charlus entered the room.
“Everyone's ready. Lily’s family had arrived and all witches and wizards had been briefed on what not to do and what to do. No surprises with muggle tradition.”
“And after? Once Lily’s sister and her fiance are gone?”
“Ceremony at Hogwarts, everyone’s been briefed.”
Rick nodded and thanked his father. They had been lucky with the location of the wand joining. Both he and Lily wanted somewhere special and meaningful in magic for this. Preferably secluded. When they asked Godric if he knew any secret place like that he pointed out Hogwarts checked all their criteria. Thanks to Lily being his descendant and the Lady of the house she had certain privilege regarding the castle.
Of course they were few and rather conditionals.
She couldn’t claim possession of the school with her title nor the land it was built upon. She could, however, enter the school grounds (but not inside the castle) as much as she wished as long as it didn’t disturb students. She could also ask the current Headmaster if she could use the castle for some event, providing, of course, it respected the rule about not bothering students. No one else could do that. Not even the Smith who boasted of being descended from Hufflepuff could do that, since they were not from the main line. The truth was that they weren’t or otherwise they would have claimed the lordship of House Hufflepuff.
In any case, when Lily contacted Dumbledore and requested permission to hold her magical wedding there, he agreed. It was a week-end and Lily had chosen a secluded spot not too close to the castle. Rick had not been surprised when it turned out to be at the lone tree near the edge of the lake.
Taking a deep breath he looked at Amelia.
“I guess it’s time.”
“It is. Now hurry up because I don’t want to take your place.”
They shared an amused smile then left the room. Walking down a short corridor they arrived inside the main part of the small church. On each side of it was Rick and Lily’s family in the first row. Behind them their friends were dispatched in an un-orderly fashion. Rick greeted the old priest, a squib who had found God when he left the wizarding world for the muggle one, and stood on the right of the altar. Amelia stood silently behind him on the side. He noticed to his left Marlene taking her place as the maid of honor and giving him a huge grin.
As the first delicate notes of Pachelbel’s Canon drifted through the air, a hush fell over the assembled guests. Every head turned instinctively toward the entrance, and there—framed in the soft glow of late afternoon light—stood little Nymphadora, the first to begin the procession. Dressed in a charming pale pink gown that shimmered with just a hint of magic, she moved down the aisle with solemn concentration, tossing handfuls of flower petals into the air with theatrical flair. The blossoms tumbled gracefully around her, falling like enchanted snow to create a soft, petal-strewn path that seemed to glow with promise.
Then came the bride.
Lily appeared on her father’s arm, radiant beyond measure. The moment Rick laid eyes on her, time seemed to stutter and falter, as though the entire world were holding its breath just for her entrance. He had seen her in countless outfits—school robes, Muggle clothes, lab gear, even nothing at all—but in this moment, nothing compared. She was transcendent.
Her hair was styled in a thick side French braid that swept elegantly over her shoulder, threaded with delicate white lilies that matched the flower crown resting atop her head. A soft side bang framed her freckled face, accentuating the gentle curve of her cheek and the brightness in her eyes. The gown she wore was impossibly white, perfectly fitted, and utterly timeless. It moved like water with every step she took.
Her smile, luminous and steady, was more dazzling than the dress itself. It wasn’t the practiced smile of formal photographs—it was soft, genuine, and alight with joy. Rick felt it pierce straight through him. He couldn’t look away. Not even as the music faded and the officiant began to speak. Not even when the guests all turned to watch them. His eyes never left her.
In the later years he would say to his children and grandchildren that the only thing he remembered of that moment was how beautiful Lily was and saying ‘I do’.
Nothing else.
Nymphadora had brought the wedding rings on a red cushion and the engaged couple put it on each other's finger.
“I pronounce you husband and wife.”
The old priest barely finished his sentence that Lily had grabbed her husband's suit and pulled him forward for a kiss full of love and fervor. Everyone cheered and clapped their hands, while having a good laugh at how much Lily wanted this. Exiting the church, the married couple thanked all the guests and got on the carriage. Lily couldn’t believe Rick had done that, it was a fantasy of her when she was a little girl that she had given up on because it was too childish.
“I should have known you’d find out and make it happen.” She kissed her husband and buried her head into his shoulder as the carriage departed.
“We’re keeping them by the way. The ponies I mean.”
“You bought them?!” her eyes widened at the news.
“Of course. They’re all yours.”
“But… Where…”
“Potter Manor has a stable. Never noticed?”
“I… No? I never really explored the manor or its grounds.”
“We have Thestrals and a few regular horses. The stable is on the East of the garden. A five minute walk.”
“I want to see them!”
Rick chuckled at his wife's enthusiasm. “Whenever you want, Mrs Potter. We have all the time in the world.”While he was giving her a heartfelt kiss, the guests back at the church began to leave. It wasn’t a traditional muggle wedding that’s for sure. Lily just wanted to honor her muggle-born origins with the actual ceremony, but everything else, like the reception and the dance, would happen the magical way. Magic was part of herself and she would not suppress it for her sister and her fiance. Both muggles were a bit pissed that they came just for less than an hour but nobody really cared about their opinions.
“Lily wanted a small and short wedding so you won’t have to complain about it. She knows you don’t want to be here and respected your wishes. She could also have not invited you and your friend at all.”
The nasty glare Marlene added to her words given to Petunia were left as she walked away to join Sirius who was talking with the side of the family he could tolerate or outright liked. Once the undesirables left in Vernon Dursley’ car everyone took either the Knight bus or a portkey to arrive at Hogsmeade. There they took special carriages they had reserved for the occasion and made their way to Hogwarts.
“I never thought I’d be back here so soon.” Sirius commented.
“Afraid Professor McGonagall will give you detention again?”
“Ha Ha.” he sounded unamused but the knowing look his girlfriend had on her face made him smile too.
“Finally going to verify if animals can go up the girls stairs?” He looked at her in surprise when he heard that. “I know. So does Lily and Rick. We don’t know what animal though.”
“But… How?”
“That’s a bit of a long story. You know Rick made a map of the castle right?”
“Yes, that’s why we…” He cut himself off realizing he was about to divulge the secret existence of the Marauder’s map and that wouldn’t do it.
“Made your own? We know about that too, more on that later. Anyway the day you pranked Snape in fifth year? They saw his name leave the castle. He was followed by James whose name moved way too fast for a human running. Starting from there they paid attention to you guys every time it was your time of the month, Remus and that’s how they found out.”
“All this time they… Why didn’t they say anything?” Inquired the werewolf.
“And caught us or reported us?”
“Because of why you became animagi. They thought you could use the company, Remus.”
“Oh. I… don’t know what to say.” He was touched by the gesture from people who were no more than housemates at the time.
“So they knew all about our movements in the castle too?” Sirius wondered.
“Yep. Not just yours. Everyone. They stopped plenty of things, most notably some Slytherin shenanigans. How do you think no snakes ever got the upper hand on Rick after Mulciber was expelled?”
“HA! He ambushed the ambushers!”
“Yup.”
“The map!” Remus realized something. His exclamation surprised Sirius so much that the contentment he felt at Slytherin being outsmarted was washed away on the spot.
“What about it?”
“I always wonder how Lily and Rick could hide their relationship for years! Especially when we would have seen them together on the map! James would certainly have with how obsessed he was with Lily! Now I know! If they have their own map then they know the spells! They could have tweaked our map a bit to make sure that they never appeared together at certain times, like during the night.”
“Close but no. The map simply displays their location inaccurately. Let’s say they were getting it on in our bedroom, your map would have put their names outside the common room.”
“And we would have thought they were patrolling,” finished Sirius. “That’s brilliant.”
“I'm definitely asking them how they did that.”
Once they arrived at Hogwarts, no time was wasted for the wand joining ceremony. It was a quick affair and they all went back to the castle where a very large room was used for the celebration. The first dance was of course for Lily and Rick alone.
“Man, they really are in love with each other.” Sirius commented, moved by the love he witnessed from the way the married couple was looking at each other, lost in their own world where only them existed. “James never had a fighting chance.”
“None.” answered Marlene looking at her best friends being lost in their own world.
“Somehow it feels…” he didn’t quite have the words to describe what it was feeling but his girlfriend did.
“Wrong to witness this? As if you were intruding?”
“That’s exactly it. And you saw that for years? Is that why…”
“I went my own way? Partly. I love them, Sirius. I really, really do, but the love the three of us share pales in comparison to what they share. I wanted that. Not with them, that’s not the kind of love I have for them but I wanted that and I knew that I wouldn’t find it by staying with them like we were.”
Over the year they’ve been dating, they both have been open with their past relationships to not have any surprises down the line. Sirius had been shocked when during summer she shared her fifth and sixth- year experience with the two other members of the trio. In a way it was a test Marlene gave him to see how he would react to Lily’s bisexuality. If he had a problem with that, she intended to put an end to their relationship. She should have expected however that Sirius would imagine her and Lily intimately together and find it ‘hot at hell’.
“The other reason is that there was a cute stupid bad boy who caught my eye and I wanted to see where it would go.”
“Happy with the direction so far?” he grinned knowing she was talking about him.
“I didn’t even have to threaten to castrate him for months so… Very.” He let out a snort and pulled her to him for a kiss.
The song was over and it was now time for everyone to join. As per tradition, Lily danced with her father and Rick with his mother. It was obvious she had cried with how red her eyes were.
“I’m so conflicted.” was Dorea’s confession. “On one hand, I’m losing you, stolen away by Lily. On the other hand, it’s Lily.”
“Mom, we’re still living in the manor. We may move out someday but only when we both can earn a living. Lily is not there yet.”
“Better watch out for your food. I want grandbabies to spoil now.”
“And you will have them, just be patient. You could also content yourself with Nymphadora.”
“That’s not the same.”
The conversation didn’t go further and they just enjoyed their dance. Afterwards, Rick went on to dance with every woman in attendance taking a break from time to time to rest his feet. During one of them he talked with Frank.
“How’s the Auror training?”
“Gruelling.” was said with a distasteful grunt. “But Alice is with me so it’s bearable.”
“Still not tying the knot? You’ve been engaged for years now.”
“When we saw how difficult the program was we agreed to marry after it. We simply didn’t have the time to plan everything. And it’s not like we’re not living like a married couple already, it's just not official. My mother had been quite displeased as it was improper but both my Father and Alice’s agreed when we told them our reasons and they smooth things over. What about you? Married and jungling with your quidditch career. I still can’t believe that of all the things you went with that. Fourteen NEWTs and you became a pro seeker?”
“I can go for my masteries whenever I want. Quidditch was the only thing I couldn’t do later in life.”
“Smart choice.”
“You only say that because now you can bet almost safely on me and make money.”
Frank chuckled. “True. The money I win from those bets will allow me to give Alice a better life.”
“A better life? Isn’t your family well off?”
“Oh, it is but Longbottom tradition oblige. The Heirs are given two hundred galleons when they reach seventeen and nothing else.”
“They have to prove they can manage their money and get a job making sure they don’t become spoiled and complacent. Once you become the lord you will have access to the family money.”
“Pretty much.”
“Not that bad a tradition. A bit harsh but if it works…”When it was getting late, one last tradition was observed. The throwing of the bouquet. When told of it of course the ladies found it amusing and played along. When Sirius used his wand to banish it when it would have landed in Marlene’s hands, it landed in the most improbable person who wasn’t even part of the crowd.
Minerva McGonagall.
The troublemaker’s face paled and the murderous glare his girlfriend was giving him turned into a very smug, vindicated and pleased expression.
All the guests left the castle (minus those living there) and went back to their home. Once at Potter Manor, the newlyweds ignored everyone and went to their room where they had the time of their lives. They properly acquainted themselves as husband and wife.