chapter 10
The night before James’ wedding he sat anxiously with his sleeves rolled up as his mother and Sirius decorated him with intricate patterns of mehndi.
“Mama, I thought mehndi is a female wedding tradition,”
“it, is,” said Effie, “but I remember how enamored with it you were when we first went back to India. Your asked Priti during her wedding when you would be able to get pretty designs on your arms and legs and she said,”
“That it’s just for girls, beta,” James finished.
“Yes, my were you distraught,” Effie laughed, “you made me promise to give you mehndi when it came time for you to marry. I am only fulfilling your wishes,”
“Yes, ok but we are really trusting Sirius with this,”
“Oi,” Sirius swatted his other arm, “Effie showed me how. And I’m good at this,”
“Just please don’t draw bollocks on me padfoot. This stuff won’t come off for a while,”
Sirius laughed, “Don’t worry I already get that talk from Effie,” he said as Euphemia gave him a motherly smile, “look what I am doing though,” James turned his head to see a mandal chakra at his forearm surrounded by little flowers. Not traditional but certainly beautiful.
“Not bad pads,”
“Thank you prongsie,” he said before returning to James’ arm.
“So, James.” Asked his mother, “excited for the big day,”
“Yep,” he said weakly.
“James that was pathetic,” said Sirius.
“I’m excited really,”
“James,” Effie said leaning closer,” you can still call it off. Make it seem amicable. I don’t want you to go through with this if it’s not what you want,”
“No, no,” he denied. “I want this. I told you we can be happy together,” his mouth spoke even though every thought in his head betrayed his lips.
----
James looked into the mirror of his changing room, checking collar, his boutonniere, his cuffs. Everything apart from his heart. The door creaked as James and Sirius turned to see Euphemia Potter standing at the entrance.
“Effie, you’re late,” nagged Sirius.
“Well in truth, I was delayed by doubts about whether the festivities of this day might take place or not,”
“Doubts?” Sirius questioned turning back round to James, “Prongs is there something I don’t know?”
“Not at all,” smiled James.
“Are you quite sure James,” Effie asked. James turned to meet his mother with a stiff smile,
“Yes, mother I am quite sure,” Sirius looked back and forth from Effie to James trying to place the tension in the air. “Sirius,” James said signaling for the door, “do you mind,”
“Um not at all. I’ll see you out there alright,” he said making his way out.
“Yea course.” Sirius shut the door behind him leaving only Effie at James, James took a deep sigh before addressing his mother, “I’ve gone too far down this road to turn back now mama. Lily will be ruined if we do not marry, and our family will suffer equal scandal. You know we are in no place for that,” James turned back to adjust his coat, “this was always the plan.”
“And what about Regulus,”
“We have… chosen to go our separate ways,”
“James” Effie said turning her son to fix his tie, “you’re allowed beta. To be happy. To follow the desires of your heart. I know your father has expectations for you but we both know that he as well as I just want you to be happy,”
“But mother,”
“I want you to make the right decision out there James. The right decision, whatever that may be,”
---
The band played into the vast chapel; James entered first. The altar before him, the archbishop of Canterbury in the center. Peter and Sirius to the left. He noticed as his best friend met the eyes of the man opposite him. In his eyes there was nothing but love. James is thankful that after everything that happened last season, the Black brothers eventually found their way to each other. He turned his head to the bride’s side of the altar. Regulus stood with a handful of hyacinth. Of course, Lily would insist he be there. Those two are as thick as thieves. He let his eyes linger at the younger Black. God, he looked lovely, he looked as he did at his coming out, yet James noticed how the man held himself with more grace. Their eyes met for just a moment. He bowed to the king and queen before taking his place on the altar.
Next came the maid of honor. Petunia walked in, bowed to the royals, and took her place at the altar. Blocking James’ view of Regulus. He took a second to silently spite his soon-to-be sister-in-law.
Finally, came the bride. The hall stood as Lily walked in with her father. It shouldn’t have, but it comforted James to see the nervous look on her face match his own. She bowed to the royals and lent her hand out for queen Alice to kiss before taking her place opposite James on the altar. As they all got settled, the archbishop began the ceremony.
“Please be seated. Dearly beloved we are gathered together here in the sight of god and in the face of this congregation to join together James Fleamont Potter and Lily Rose Evans in holy matrimony,” James’ eyes dragged away from his fiancé to Regulus’.
“And therefore, it is not by any to be enterprise,”
The cloudy grey eyes met James’ warm eyes in the cathedral.
“nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, and wantonly,”
He felt his breath hitch as the younger boy didn’t pull his gaze.
“To satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites,”
Want me Regulus thinks as he gets ingulfed by James’ gaze.
Want me
Want me
Want me
“like brute beasts that have no understanding...”
James has to look away. He must. He must, he can’t
“but reverently, discreetly, advisedly”
What if James just went over and kissed him. How screwed would he be if he did that.
“My lord,” he heard, “my lord,”
“Sorry what,” he said turning back to the bishop.
“He wants you to repeat James,” Lily said speaking quietly to him.
He was going to, James swears he was going to, but then he heard the slight Klink of a ring falling to the ground.
Regulus’ eyes shot down to the floor where his ring had fallen, he had been a nervous reck throughout the whole ceremony. He knew Lily didn’t want this, neither did James yet there they were getting married in front of his very eyes. There he was watching the man he loved be signed off to someone else.
He had been fiddling with his noble and most ancient house of Black ring all throughout the ceremony, his eyes darting between it and James. He had been doing a pretty good job at keeping its balance, until he didn’t. before he knew it, he, as well as James were on the floor, kneeling up next to each other. He felt his breathing calm for the first time in weeks as James slid the ring back on his fingers, murmuring slight apologies just soft enough for him to here.
As James stood back to the alter, he was met with the angry looking eyes of Sophia Evans,
“Um,” he began looking between lily and the archbishop, “shall we continue?”
“No,” Sophia answers for them, “your majesty,” she said turning towards the royal court, the congregation turning with her, “my daughter feels faint I would like to call a slight recess.” Alice eyed her and then the soon to be curiously,
“Ms. Evans?” she asked inquisitively. Lily looked between the queen and her mother.
“Yes, maby just a short pause, this dress is a bit tight,” if Alice noticed the uncertainty in her voice, she didn’t comment on it.
“Very well, we shall resume shortly,”
Regulus’ he turned towards the audience following the sound of his name exiting his mother’s mouth.
“Regulus Arcturus Black,”
He gulped, “Mamon,”
“Viens avec moi,”