Apparently there was a bit of confusion in thinking that chapter 17 was the end of the story. This is in fact the last chapter of this story. I hope it leaves you with a bit more closure. Thanks so much for reading and all of your kind reviews. I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have! Cheers, and Merry Christmas!

Chapter 18

The next months flew by like something out of someone else's life. Before Lily and James knew it, N.E.W.T.S were over, as was their time as Hogwarts students. The next milestone in their lives was fast approaching.

June 27th was to be their wedding day. Mrs. Potter had done a good deal of the planning to allow the young couple to focus on their exams, but Lily had made the final decisions.

The invitations had gone out to all of their family and friends, and Lily had spent a tearful day holding a sealed invitation, addressed to Petunia Evans, marked "Return to Sender."

James found her curled on her bed in her dormitory, and held her in his arms, rocking her gently until her tears subsided. After some minutes, she lifted her head and forced a smile. "I didn't really expect her to come. I just…"

James nodded, "I know, you just hoped she might be happy for you." She nodded, trembling, tears threatening to spill again. "It'll be okay, Lil, I know it will. Just give her some time; she needs more time. You and your sister will be friends again some day."

"I know, I, I just really wanted her there," she said softly. She shook her head and quickly wiped her hands over her eyes, and sniffed. "But I'm okay, now. Really. Thank you, James."

"Any time," he smiled. "Hey," he said, eyes dancing mischievously, "Want to go slide down the stairs? I'll bet standing on the top stair will set it off too."

Lily started; she had forgotten he shouldn't have been able to come up here to the girl's dormitories. She began to say something, then decided not to ask and that there are some things she doesn't need to know about. "Okay, let's go." She took hand and they raced out of the room.

Soon after this, their time at Hogwarts ended, and Lily and James returned to his parent's house until the wedding. James carried Lily's luggage to the same room she had stayed in before, but this time, Mrs. Potter was there as well. When James lingered after setting her trunk at the foot of her bed, his mother said, "I'm sure Lily's tired, dear, maybe you should let her rest."

Lily's eyes smiled as she kissed him on the cheek and said, "I'll see you at dinner; I am a little tired."

When James and Mrs. Potter had left, she opened her trunk and began to unpack a few things. She hung her robes in the closet, folded her other clothes and put them in her drawers. Tenderly, she picked up a framed photograph of her family from the summer before they had spent in France on the beach. It was muggle photo, and it seemed almost strange that the tiny figures were not waving at her, but instead stood still, frozen in time. She placed the picture on the desk, and returned to the trunk. There, at the very bottom, was an ivory gown. She softly caressed the silky material with her fingertips. This, she had chosen entirely on her own. She had received permission from Professor Dumbledore to go with Sam and Taylor one Saturday to find it. They had spent hours, looking at dress after dress, but the instant she had seen this one, Lily knew this was the one. Carefully, Lily hung it in the closet, behind the rest of her clothes, and then went downstairs for dinner.

June 27 came, and so did James and Lily's loved ones. Lily didn't have any other family aside from her sister. Both sets of her grandparents had died when she was too young to remember, and she didn't have any aunts or uncles, so all the guests were witches and wizards. The group was small, a few of their friends from school, including of course, Remus, Sirius, Taylor, Sam, and a rather silent Peter Pettigrew, a few distant relatives of James' whom they couldn't offend by omitting invitions, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, a few others they had grown close to over the past seven years at Hogwarts, and of course, James' parents.

Guests began to filter into the house, and James waited for the wedding to begin, pacing in his room and pulling anxiously at the collar of his dress robes. "Nervous, mate?" Sirius asked from his seat on James' bed.

"No," James said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat, "I mean, 'no.'"

Sirius grinned. "Relax, mate. You've been wishing for this for seven years. I, personally, never thought it'd happen, but here we are."

"You'll be fine, James," Remus said from the corner. His face was slightly pale, and he had circles under his eyes. The week before had been the full moon and the effects were still wearing off. "Just try to calm down a bit; your mum won't be too happy if that hole you're wearing in the floor gets much deeper."

James stopped pacing and sat down in his desk chair. Immediately, his foot began tapping the floor. He just couldn't sit still.

Lily was sitting in front of a vanity mirror Taylor had conjured for her, staring blankly at her image. Samantha was standing behind her, brushing her hair, talking about different things, trying to distract her, but Lily didn't hear a word until Sam tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Did you hear me Lil? I said you should probably get dressed now."

"Oh, yeah, right." Lily said, and stood. Taylor handed her the dress, and Lily stepped behind a dressing screen to change. Her fingers fumbled over the tiny pearl buttons, and Taylor asked if she needed any help. "No, I've got it," Lily said as she tapped the back of her dress with the tip of her wand, and it buttoned itself. She stepped our from behind the screen, and her friends let out a soft gasp.

"What?" Lily asked, anxiously looked down at her dress, half expecting to see a giant tear or a stain.

"Nothing, it's just… Oh, Lily, you look so beautiful!" Taylor said, her eyes becoming misty. She stepped as quickly as she could in her high heel shoes over to Lily and hugged her, sniffling slightly.

"Hey, don't leave me out!" Sam said, putting her arms around both of her friends, her eyes teary as well. They all began to laugh, and wiped their eyes.

"I don't know why I'm doing this," exclaimed Taylor. "It's not like we'll never see each other again, but…"

"But it won't be the same," Sam picked up the trailing sentence. "Things are changing."

"For the better, I hope." Lily said, with a smile. "But I know what you mean. It seems like our entire lives have been turned upside down overnight. And now, we're growing up. Really growing up. I mean, I'm getting married! To James Potter! A year ago, I'd have thought that would have been impossible."

"Yeah, you're getting married; Taylor's going off to become a healer; I'll be stuck in Diagon Alley, working in my Dad's shop until I earn enough money to rent that space for my own shop." Sam had aspirations to become a great fashion designer, but her parents thought it too much of a whim to lend her the money to get started. They hoped by the time she had earned the money to open the shop, she'll have changed her mind and decided to pursue something more practical, like a healer, or Mistress of Magic, or maybe take over the family business. Lily and Taylor knew this wouldn't happen, though. Sam had been sketching edgy new designs for clothes since third year, and during their sixth and seventh years, she had even brought some of her ideas to life, sewing them herself and selling them to fellow students. "We're all splitting up."

"Well, we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen. We're best friends, our boyfriends, and husband," Taylor nodded to Lily, "are best friends. School may be over, but we'll still be together, we'll make sure of it."

"Promise?" Sam asked, looking a little relieved, like she had really thought she wouldn't see them again for years.

"Of course," said Lily with a smile. "Now, come on you guys, help me fix my hair."

The back yard of the Potters' house had been made over so beautifully, if you hadn't known magic was used, you'd have had to suspect it. Tiny fairy lights glimmered from the tree branches at the edge of the surrounding woods. The legs of the rows of white velvet cushioned chairs sank into grass so soft and thick, it felt like the most expensive carpet. A fine white silk cloth ran the length of the aisle, and led to a lattice arch, woven thickly with pale yellow honeysuckle, saturating the air with their intoxicating scent.

Guests began to filter into the yard and find their seats as sunset approached. The priest stood beneath the arch, and James took his place in front of him, with Sirius and Remus beside. A woman in fuchsia robes and a lime green hat began playing a large golden harp as Taylor began the procession.

Her dress was pale yellow, the color of the honeysuckle covering the arch. It was long and sleek, the neck cut high, just below her throat, but the back was open, except for the corset-style straps criss-crossing down the back. Samantha followed her with a dress similar in color, but strapless, and tighter fitting, and where Taylor's flowed almost the ground, Sam's fell only to her knees.

When Taylor was halfway down the aisle, Lupin came to meet her, took her arm in his, and escorted her the rest of the way, as did Sirius when Sam reached that point. When all were in their positions, the woman at the harp began to strum the Wedding March, and all rose from their seats to turn and watch as Lily appeared at the foot of the silk cloth.

She looked radiant, with her auburn hair twisted into loose spiraling curls, piled on her head, and two loose tendrils fell by her eyes, framing her face. Her gown was of ivory silk, and it fit tightly across the bodice, which was embroidered with tiny silver roses. At the waist, the dress loosened and flowed freely, until the skirt ended, just touching the ground. Embroidered flowers were scattered across the skirt, and around the hem.

At her side was Robert Potter; he was to give her away. James looked down the aisle and smiled at Lily. He knew how hard it must be for her, not to have her father here. He knew they had been close. At the other end of the aisle, Mr. Potter took Lily's arm and walked her down the aisle, and smiling at his son and soon-to-be-daughter, he took Lily's hand and joined it with James'.

The minister began to speak about love, marriage, and commitment. James and Lily were in some what of a daze, and they heard nothing until he began their part.

"Do you James Potter, take Lily Evans, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer…"

They stood together, holding each other's hands, and said their vows, promising to be together, and love one another, until separated by death. They gave each other a ring, symbolizing their love, which has no beginning and no end. And finally, the minister said, "I now pronounce you, man and wife." Then, looking at James he said, "You may kiss the bride."

(A few years later.)

An old wizard with a long silver beard and a very crooked nose walked into a somewhat dirty-looking bar with rather few customers. He shook off his cloak, for it was raining outside, and hung on a peg on the wall.

"Hello, Aberforth," he cheerily greeted the barkeep, "has a Miss Trelawney been here?" He asked.

"Upstairs," he grunted, nodding to a door visible from where they were standing, which looked rather loose on its hinges, and had a tarnished brass number 7 affixed to it.

The old wizard walked up the rickety stairs and stepped into the room. He was to interview Miss Trelawney for a position at the school of which he was Headmaster. After a somewhat disappointing interview, he was about to give his apologies and take his leave, when something most extraordinary happened. The woman's head fell forward and lolled from side to side, as though she had lost consciousness. Then, suddenly, she sat bolt upright, staring straight in front of her, but seeing nothing, and in harsh, rasping tones, she began to speak.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approached…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… (Here, there is a loud crash outside the door, and shouting voices can be heard, but the old wizard pays them no attention, focusing only on the woman.) And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…"

Once again, the woman's head fell to her chest, and she looked up at the wizard, quite unaware anything had happened.

The End