Forever
The music started. Sirius took a deep breath and tapped Dora on the shoulder.
"Go on, Hon. Lay out the flowers for me, yeah?" The ten-year old smiled and nodded. She started walking, dropping rose petals behind her. Sirius counted to ten and followed. He turned around the corner and saw Remus. Remus was, as always, perfectly stunning. A crisp white muggle suit with a light gold tie perfectly complimented his hair and eyes. Sirius glanced quickly to the left and saw an empty spot between Peter and Andromeda. Oh well, he hadn't really expected Reg to come anyway. It still hurt. He focused his gaze back on Remus, refusing to let one tiny detail spoil this day for him. It took all his willpower not to flat-out run down the aisle. He beamed, letting all his joy show. This was his Remus, waiting for him. His Remus, about to wear his ring. His Hogwarts days of scribbling 'Sirius Lupin' on the edges of parchment were finally about to pay off. After what seemed like much too long, he reached Remus, grasping his hands.
"Family and friends," James started. (Obviously they had immediately asked James to marry them. Who else?) "Or should I just say family: we may as well be. Today, with the setting sun and all her stars as our witness, we bring together two halves of a soul. I've known these two for eight years now- Merlin, does it feel like longer- and I've seen all their ups and downs. I remember when Sirius first told me he 'thought he might possibly like Remus just a little'. That is exactly how he said it to me. 'Just a little'. This happened in our second year of school. And I said to him 'Really?! Wow, what a shocker.' Because let me tell you, from the moment we sat together on that first train ride to school that first year I remember thinking to myself, 'Gods above, if this keeps up it is going to be a long seven years'. And they were! Standing here today, there is not a single thing I would change. I know I'm not technically the one getting married here, but as my wife Lily found out at our wedding, if it's happening to one of us," he nudged Sirius with his shoulder and they grinned at each other. "It's happening to other as well. Siriusly though, I don't think either of these two could find someone as perfect for each other as they already have. Now, if Miss Dora would bring us the rings please," James smiled over at her as she brought them up. "Remus, if you'd take the silver, Sirius, the gold." He nodded at Sirius. Sirius held up the gold ring and looked deep into those amber eyes.
"Remus… when we first met I was in a really bad place. I know there are few eleven year olds who could've said that and not be exaggerating, but I'm not. You know that. It took a lot, and a lot of people helped, but if it wasn't for you I might not be here today to make these promises. Thank you, because no matter how bad it got, I would gladly do it a thousand times over again to be here with you. When I sat next to you on that train ride, you had this look in your eyes. It intrigued me. After that hour I decided that if I ever only did one thing in life, it would be to see every side of you. To know every emotion that passed through your heart, every expression and interest. Obviously I wasn't so poetic about it then, but still. That is a goal I am still working on, even after eight years, and probably will be until the end. But I've gotten a new goal since then. Now I know that the only thing I truly need is to prove to you every day that I love you. To show you with every word, every action, that my only purpose is to be with you. I love you now, I loved you years ago, and I'll love you every day for the rest of my life and after. Je promets. Will you love me too, please?"
"I will," Remus said through tears. Sirius probably had tears of his own on his face, but that didn't matter. He slipped the golden ring onto Remus’s left ring finger, and it looked perfectly at home there. Sirius smiled up at him. Remus took a shaky breath and began.
"Sirius,
When I was little, my Grandda' would tell me this story. I can't remember it perfectly, but it talked about a little boy that no-one loved. Some people pretended to, but it was a lie. So he went his whole life thinking he was a monster, his lack of love reflecting in on himself so that the word lost any meaning. Grandda' said that all the way across the world, there was a girl. I remember her name- it was Dahlia. Dahlia could find beauty in everything, especially things and people who lacked it. Grandda' said that if they had found each other, theirs would be love to conquer all. After my, um, incident, I felt more and more like that little boy. Sometimes I would sit outside and wonder about my Dahlia, who she was, where she was. And then I got my letter and came to school and found her in the shape of little boy who pretended to have more confidence than he did. And, darling, I wouldn't have it be anyone else. You brought out a part of me I never knew existed. You loved me despite whatever I may be. I could never find it in myself to love anyone but you, and I wouldn't even if I could. I will love you until I can love no more, and I will find a way to love you past then too. Could you find it in yourself to love me as long?"
"I already have," Sirius responded, and Remus, smiling, slipped the band of silver onto his finger.
"Then it is with immeasurable pleasure that I annonce: Remus and Sirius Lupin! You may kiss each other, but please remember the children that are present. Mainly myself," he chuckled as Remus dipped Sirius down and kissed him happily. Everyone was clapping and the music got a bit louder. And then all at once they were getting hugged by everyone, Lily was practically sobbing, and James was crying a bit too. Then the crowd abated for a mother-son dance. Remus went first, twirling with Hope. The song ended and they hugged, sending Sirius up. Euphemia met him in the middle, and they started dancing. Sirius couldn't've imagined a more perfect day: everything was as it should be. Lastly Sirius and Remus danced, dazzling everyone as usual. Clapping, and then (oh my, had those tables always been there? Wow, I can't believe I didn't see them earlier!) they ate. Dinner was delicious, boarding on Hogwarts-feast-level. Everything scrumptious was assembled in front of him, and Sirius ate more than enough. He excused himself from the table towards the end, not wanting to leave Remus for even a second but needed to do something.
"Minnie dear, why haven't we danced yet? You came, so you're not getting out of it," he grinned at McGonagall, who put her fork down and took up. "If you insist," she said. As they danced, she said:
"So, Mr. Black, have I finally seen the day all four of you marauders are in the same place and there's no mischievousness about?"
Sirius gasped. "Minnie, I'm appalled at you! Perfectly astounded! Why would you ever think such a thing? Me, cause mischief at my own wedding! Besides, it's Lupin now. I'm a married man, you know," he said. She raised her eyebrows. Sirius sighed dramatically. "Oh, alright. If you must miss the fun- no, don't look at me like that! I'm not doing anything! Now, if James happened to bring a bucket of walking shrimp and a few mice for when the muggles leave, who am I to say anything? Honestly, you'd be impressed with his transfiguration work." McGonagall chuckled.
"We'll see about that," she said.
The rest of the night went as planned. We might never know if James let loose walking shrimp, or if Minnie was impressed with them, or if she even stayed. We might never know if Mary and Dorcas convinced Lily to eat some odd gelatin dessert, or if she threw up because of it. We might never know what, exactly, followed the wedding, how long it was until one of the pair came to question the others' sincerity. We might never know just what dark paths lay ahead for them. What we do know is that, from that day onward, they honored their vows, in whatever ways they could.