Chapter Two
It was the late afternoon of July 13th and the sun was low over the rolling green hills and distant forest which surrounded the cottage in the Welsh countryside. The back garden was simply decorated behind its new wards—two rows of wooden lawn chairs laid out with an aisle in the center which ended at a wooden altar covered in green ivy and vines.
Arthur Weasley glanced around the crowd standing in the back garden of Hope’s Cottage.
Sirius Black was barking his usual laugh, talking animatedly with Fred and George. His long black hair was combed carefully out of his face, which was alight with cheer. He gestured as he talked to the twins—telling some story from his Marauder youth—and George and Fred watched him in wide-eyed wonder before bursting into uproarious laughter.
Sirius Black was wearing a simple white dress shirt, rolled up to his elbows in the July summer air, and a pair of neat black dress slacks. His shoes were as black and shiny as his hair. Arthur could not help but notice how much Sirius shone; how much he looked like he had just caught the Golden Snitch or won a winning hand.
Nearby, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood together. Harry was blushing as he looked at Ginny, and Arthur recognized the longing in his bright green eyes. Ginny smiled warmly at Harry and then turned to listen to Hermione’s story.
Behind them, Fleur, Bill, and Tonks were talking to Andromeda and Ted—Tonks’ parents. Arthur had never had the pleasure of meeting them before but found them to be instantly likeable. Andromeda was Sirius’ only blood relative who was like him (as in, not a blood supremacist and/or Death Eater) and she had been overjoyed to be able to attend Sirius’ wedding.
Near the aisle, Molly was talking to Charlie—who’d made it in time for Sirius’ and Remus’ wedding since he was already planning on attending Bill and Fleur’s. It had been ages since Molly had seen Charlie, and Arthur smiled as he watched his wife fuss over their second eldest.
Arthur turned his head, looking, but caught no sign of the two other guests. He stepped through the back door of the cottage, and looked around the kitchen.
“Okay, Moony?” A little voice was saying, carrying through from the living room.
“Oh, yes, I’m very well, Teddy,” came the kind reply.
“Why sad?” Teddy asked.
“I’m not sad…”
Arthur stepped into the living room.
Remus Lupin was sitting on the sofa. His grey and brown hair was neatly swept out of his face. Like Sirius, he wore simple clothes—a pair of chestnut brown slacks with matching brown dress shoes, and a white dress shirt rolled up to his elbows, revealing a multitude of slashing scars, and those burn marks on his narrow wrists.
Teddy was standing in front of him, looking up at Remus’ face while Remus straightened Teddy’s white dress shirt. The toddler’s hair was turquoise at the moment, the curls carefully combed. Arthur smiled to himself; hopefully Teddy wouldn’t change his features and ruin the styling.
Remus looked away from Teddy as Arthur entered and smiled softly. Arthur noted that he looked quite well considering the Full Moon two nights before; his good health surely due to his new status as an Alpha in the werewolf pack. His face was not pale—his cheeks had soft color—and the premature lines and scars were now so familiar that they were but a second-thought to Arthur, who was focused on looking for whatever it was that Teddy saw in Remus’ face. And Arthur saw it—Remus’ face was masked somehow, too carefully composed; something was lurking deep within his brown eyes, his smile seemed restricted.
“Alright, you two?” Arthur asked them, coming to sit beside Remus on the sofa, “You look very nice, Teddy.”
Teddy smiled, “Moony did my shirt,” he said proudly.
“Well, he did an excellent job.”
Teddy nodded and then turned to look back up at Remus, his little brow furrowed, “Not sad?” He asked Remus.
Remus smiled kindly at the child, “I’m the farthest thing from sad.”
Teddy frowned slightly, cocking his head, confused.
“What is it, Remus?” Arthur asked quietly.
Remus sighed softly and looked between the two of them before bowing his head. Teddy waited, extremely patient for a child he was, Arthur thought.
At last, Remus lifted his head. There was a fierce and tender light in his brown eyes, which were wet now with tears. Remus’ breath hitched in his throat as he said, “I’m the happiest I remember being since I was a young lad.”
“Oh, Remus,” Arthur said.
Teddy beamed at Remus, “Moony’s happy?”
Remus nodded, his breath hitching again, “The happiest…in so long…”
Teddy crawled up into Remus’ lap, pressing himself against Remus’ chest.
“Your shirt will get wrinkled, little one,” Remus murmured.
Arthur tutted, “One wave of a wand and it’ll be sorted again.”
Remus nodded, taking deep breaths and closing his eyes.
“It’s alright, Remus,” Arthur said gently after a moment.
Remus opened his eyes and looked at Arthur, “Thank you,” he said, “for everything.”
Arthur blinked—he couldn’t for the life of him understand why Remus was thanking him.
Remus’ wet brown eyes twinkled, “You were the first adult since Sirius’ return from Azkaban to know about us. You accepted us…and accepted me as a werewolf too. You showed me what it could be like if our friends knew. I wasn’t worried, because of you.”
Arthur stared, shocked, and then he shook his head, “Of course, Remus…”
Remus tilted his head, his eyes still swimming with tears as he lifted a hand now to rest on Teddy’s small back, “I never imagined it could be so, Arthur...so often, my life has been a series of closed doors…or something I just had to endure…and after October 31st, 1981, there were many times when I wondered what the point was—why stay in a body that ripped itself apart once a month, in a world that did not want it? I did not want to succumb to the kind of the life the rest of my fellows lead, I was not welcome in the Wizarding World, and still, because of my condition, I could not fully fall back into the Muggle world either…”
Arthur felt his chest ache, his mouth was dry.
Remus continued quietly, “There were many times in those years alone...after James and Lily...with Sirius in Azkaban...with what I believed he'd done...in which I pondered how I may Apparate to a pack and instigate a fight. How I would find silver…”
“Remus, Merlin’s beard—” Arthur stammered.
Remus turned to look at Arthur, and startlingly, his wet brown eyes were warm, “But I did not ever move to make such thoughts a reality. Because I never stopped loving him, Arthur. Even then. And somehow, I knew that that love…that it would not be in vain. I had to keep it alive, and so, I had to keep myself alive too.”
“How…how did you know?”
Remus smiled softly, “It was in the same way that I knew I first loved Sirius. That I knew I loved Harry and Teddy. I just...knew.”
Arthur reached out and placed his hand on Remus’ shoulder, “Remus, it’s been an honor getting to know you. The world is a better place with you in it. We are all better people, because of you. However you knew…whatever and all that brought you here up to today…well, we’re all just so bloody grateful.”
Remus took a steadying breath, “And I am so grateful for you all too.”
Arthur patted Remus’ shoulder and then withdrew his hand, “Come now, let us dwell on that, eh? On the fact that this is the happiest you’ve been in ages, on the family and friends here today, and on the love we’re here to celebrate between you and Sirius, alright?”
Remus nodded and smiled wryly, “That can be easily done.”
“Thank you for confiding in me,” Arthur said kindly, “Oh, and also for helping me get that officiate license.”
Remus chuckled softly, “Not at all. Thank you for officiating.”
“Like I said, it’s an honor,” Arthur said with a grin, “Now, let me take Teddy to Molly, she’s got the rings for the little ringbearer and I’ve got to get everyone in their seats and take my place. And you better dry your eyes now before Sirius comes and thinks you’re having cold feet.”
Remus smiled, “Never.”
Arthur stood at the altar; his notes ready in his hand. Standing beside him, Harry Potter smiled and pushed his glasses up his nose.
The small assembly of guests seated in their chairs turned their heads —Molly, with Teddy in her lap, Bill and Fleur, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Tonks, Andromeda and Ted.
And then the backdoors to Hope’s Cottage opened, and two men stepped out from within.
Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were holding hands, and for a moment, they stood on the threshold, looking up the aisle, toward where Arthur and Harry stood.
Sirius and Remus each looked as if the sun were shining out of their faces, and in fact they might as well have—for Remus’ magical aura was imbuing both of them in a golden glow…
Together they smiled and gazed upon the guests, and then Sirius turned his head to look up at Remus. In response, Remus turned to look down at him, and Arthur saw Remus squeeze Sirius’ hand.
And then, together, they walked forward.
The summer air was already fresh and crisp, and now it became overwhelmed with the scent of pine and sweet humid electricity…
In short time, the two men reached the altar, standing in front of Arthur and Harry at his side.
Arthur cleared his throat.
“Welcome, family and friends,” Arthur began, “We are gathered here today to make a most unique and extraordinary union between two of the most exceptional and miraculous of men. It is my honor here today to officiate this marriage ceremony. A marriage—as Molly and I well know—is merely the opening of a door to a shared life. But the two men standing before me have already been sharing life with one another since they were but first years at Hogwarts. So, without further ado…let us bond Sirius Black and Remus Lupin in matrimony.”
Arthur now turned to the dark-haired man on his left side.
And Sirius Black said in flawless, flowing speech, “Remus Lupin, I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things, until the very end.”
Remus blinked, his brown eyes full in his face, and then he spoke, and it was as clear and calling as the flow of an impenetrable river, “Sirius Black, I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things, until the very end.”
Arthur realized that he did not know any two others who already whole-heartedly knew—who already had whole-heartedly lived—the essence and nature of wedded vows besides the men standing before him—they, who had already lived by such vows long before pledging them in such a manner…
“And now, the ringbearer…” Arthur said with a smile.
Molly gave the child on her lap a nudge and Teddy beamed, bouncing out of her lap and stepping into the aisle.
“Sirius and Remus—or rather it was Sirius I believe—have chosen rings to exchange with each other as a symbol of their undying love…”
And Teddy reached the head of the aisle, the little velvet black box open in his small hands as he extended it in between Sirius and Remus.
The rings were laid bare for Arthur to see for the first time—and for Harry, who stood beside him.
And Sirius reached into the little velvet box held aloft by Teddy, and picked out the first ring.
“Sirius, as you place this ring on Remus’ finger, repeat after me…” Arthur said, “With this ring, I thee wed and pledge my love now and forever.”
Sirius smiled as bright as the Dog Star as he said “With this ring, I thee wed and pledge my love now and forever,” and Remus lifted his long and scarred left hand and Sirius cradled it carefully with one hand, and with the other, he slid the ring onto Remus’ finger.
The ring was a brilliant pitch-black, made of solid onyx, encircled with pearly white phases of the moon, each phase made of a pure white opal, and on the head of the ring—where the Full Moon might have shone—was a glowing white star, twinkling within its night sky setting.
Remus stared down at the ring, reaching his right hand to lightly touch his long index finger to the twinkling white star in the center—it shone brighter underneath his touch, illuminating Remus’ face in starlight.
Remus lifted his head, and tears were spilling over his eyelashes as he smiled widely.
“Remus, as you place this ring on Sirius’ finger, repeat after me…” Arthur said, “with this ring, I thee wed and pledge my love now and forever.”
Remus turned now to Teddy, taking the second ring within the little black velvet box, and he reached his hands out toward Sirius’ waiting left hand.
Remus rested his own left hand—now ringed—underneath Sirius’, and their palms touched as Remus carefully slid the ring onto Sirius’ finger.
“With this ring, I thee wed and pledge my love now and forever,” Remus said.
Sirius’ ring was identical to Remus’, made of pitch onyx, and encircled with opal phases of the moon. But in the center of Sirius’ ring was indeed the Full Moon…yet above it, was that same bright star, twinkling as if to tell the Moon, you are not alone.
Arthur cleared his throat and rapidly blinked his eyes, “Before these witnesses, you have pledged to be joined in marriage. You have now sealed this pledge with your wedding rings. By the authority vested in me by the Ministry of Magic Officiant Course, I now pronounce you married!”
Harry Potter brought his hands together and started the applause—like Arthur, he was blinking furiously—and soon Teddy joined in, clapping and giggling as he came to stand beside Harry. The small crowd rose to their feet, applauding and sniffing.
Remus Lupin bowed his head, reaching his right hand to cup Sirius Black’s cheek, who was smiling so very proudly, and Remus’ smile mixed with the radiant glow of his magic as he brought his lips to meet Sirius’.
When they broke the kiss, the two men looked at one another.
“We did it, darling,” Sirius whispered, his hands now on Remus’ chest.
“Yes,” Remus whispered back, kissing Sirius’ forehead, “We did it, love.”
The adults and those of age waved their wands and the chairs were moved to encircle tables covered in an array of glasses and drinks. The tables were gathered around a wooden dance floor in the back garden covered by rows of string lights. Remus’ record player was set on a table and magically amplified.
Remus was shaking hands with Charlie and Bill as Harry hurried up to Sirius, who was chasing little Teddy among the tables.
“Sirius!” Harry hissed, “It’s time!”
Sirius grinned, catching Teddy and tickling the toddler under his chin before straightening up to focus on Harry, “Too right. You’ve got the record?”
Harry nodded, “Hermione’s about to put it on!”
“Excellent, you’ll watch the little one?” Sirius said, turning to where Hermione stood by the record player, blushing and waving as she held the vinyl album.
“Got him,” Harry answered, scooping up Teddy as the child giggled.
“Right,” Sirius said, sweeping his long black hair out of his face and patting Harry’s shoulder as he winked, “wish me luck!”
Harry laughed and watched his godfather stride over to where Remus stood across the dance floor.
“Hiya, husband,” Sirius said with a wicked grin as he reached Remus.
Remus smiled back, “Hi to you, husband.”
Sirius turned to the two young men standing beside Remus, “You’ll excuse me if I steal him for a moment?”
Bill laughed, “Go on then.”
Remus’ brow furrowed, “What’s this about?”
Sirius extended his right hand, “This is about a dance, Moony. You and I.”
Remus’ mouth fell open, “I…oh, Sirius…I thought we said…”
Sirius nodded, undaunted, “We did. But Harry made me promise under threat of violence that we’d have a first dance.”
Remus glanced over to where Harry stood, smiling widely as he held Teddy. Ron had come to stand beside Harry and now waved at Sirius and Remus, calling out, “Congrats, you two!”
Remus felt his cheeks warm at once as he turned back to Sirius, who was still waiting with his arm extended.
“Dance with me, Remus,” Sirius said, his dark eyes shining.
Remus looked upon Sirius, and knew that he'd follow him anywhere, through anything. So, he reached out a long arm and took Sirius’ hand.
As they stepped out onto the dance floor, the record player cracked and spun, and the voices of the small crowd went quiet.
Sirius led them to the center and then turned, stepping into Remus’ hold.
Their right hands clasped; Sirius placed his other hand on Remus’ waist as Remus put his hand on Sirius’ shoulder.
And then the music started.
When all the dark clouds roll away
And the sun begins to shine
I see my freedom from across the way
And it comes right on time
Well, it shines so bright and gives so much light
And it comes from the sky above
Make me feel so free,
Make me feel like me
And it lights my life with love
Sirius and Remus danced in a tight circle; their foreheads pressed together.
Remus breathed in Sirius’ sweet scent, listened to the sound of Sirius’ steady beating heart…
Sirius stared up at Remus’ face and felt his warm hold…
And each knew that they’d take the pain…the suffering…the doubt…that they’d take it all over and over and over again, because of where it had led them.
Their love had carried them through, all along.
It had never been in vain.
And it seems like, it feels like
And it seems like, yes it feels like
A brand-new day
A brand-new day
I was lost and double crossed
With my hands held behind my back
I was long-time hurt and thrown in the dirt
Shoved out on the railroad track
I’ve been used, abused, and so confused
And I didn’t have nowhere to run
But I stood and I looked
And my eyes got hooked
On that beautiful morning sun
And it seems like, it feels like
And it seems like, yes it feels like
A brand-new day
A brand-new day