Marlene

33- The Weddings

Preparations were made in mere days. All those who were to be there were invited.

The wedding party was very small. Marlene's parents and sister, Lily and James, Remus, Peter and a few other members of the Order.

"I never saw myself as a marriage type of girl," Marlene said as she attached the veil to her head with some hairpins.

"Here let me," Lily took the veil from her and began to pin it down.

"And you're sure that you're ready for this," Sarah asked.

"I would have thought it would be dad trying to change my mind," Marlene let out a nervous laugh, "but yes, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. We might all be dead tomorrow, might as well live in the moment."

"Don't say that!" Erica placed her hands over her ears and shook her head. She was on her school Easter holidays, which meant that she was able to be at the wedding.

"Well, I hope that everything works out in the end," said Sarah, "as I am sure it will. After all, we have Dumbledore on our side, he took down Grindelwald you know."

"Let's not talk about this all," suggested Lily. "Not today, only happy things today."

"Alright," Marlene got to her feet and arranged her dress, "let's do this!"

Before she knew it, Marlene had walked down the aisle. David had handed her to Sirius. She smiled giddily at him. He grinned widely back at her.

She hardly noticed what the little old wizard was saying. She didn't notice her mother blowing her nose, or James discreetly wiping away a tear.

"You may now kiss the bride," the wizard said. Marlene shook herself and then felt Sirius's lips on her's.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of congratulations and dancing and laughter. But not once did Sirius's hand leave Marlene's.

In times of darkness, the small moments of light were what had to be grabbed by both hands. Marlene saw this, and she grabbed this wonderful moment as if she were a Seeker, grabbing the Snitch that would win her the World Cup.

********

Merely a few months later, Marlene was Maid of Honour and Sirius was Best Man at the wedding of James and Lily. This was yet another one of those moments of pure happiness, that the group grabbed by both hands.

Marlene was overjoyed to see her best friend so happy and enjoyed the ceremony. Just like at Sirius and Marlene's wedding, the congregation was small. Just the couple's closet friends.

James's parents had succumbed to Dragon Pox mere weeks before, meaning that their absence was quite obvious. Lily's parents were there, however, along with her thin-lipped, grumpy, sister Petunia and her rather large husband Vernon.

Marlene sat at the side of the dance floor, watching James dancing with Lily's mother, and Lily laughing as her father stepped on her feet.

"Care to dance Mrs Black?" Sirius offered Marlene his hand, a large grin on his face.

"I would love to Mr Black." She smiled and took his hand. It had been a topic of discussion among the couple, as to if Marlene would take Sirius' name or not.

Marlene had wanted to. She didn't associate the Black name with the rest of Sirius's family, as she had never met them, and did not intend on doing so.

Sirius, however, had been more unwilling for her to take the name. He argued that she didn't deserve to be associated with his family in any way. But eventually, Marlene shouted him down, telling him that she didn't care who his family were, she cared who he was.

They swayed slowly. Smiles upon both of their faces.

"I wish it could stay like this," murmured Marlene, "I wish everything, the war I mean, all of the chaos and death, I wish it would stop. And we could stay happy like this forever."

"I know," said Sirius, kissing her forehead, "I love you so much, Marlene Black."

"I love you too Sirius Black."