I FUCKING TOLD YOU SO.

MINERVA MCGONAGALL was the closest thing to a mother that Sirius still had in his life. And though he had worked on her nerves when he was growing up, she still cared greatly for the man and was quite proud of how he'd turned out. But because she knew him so well, she couldn't help but roll her eyes when she received a letter from him one Tuesday morning.

But much to her surprise, Remus, who was ever the teacher's pet and sitting next to her to discuss Neville Longbottom's improved marks since joining the dueling club, got the exact same envelope, his name written in Sirius' messy handwriting. As a matter of fact, the cream envelopes dropped from several owl's beaks, being delivered to the likes of Harry and Draco and each of the Weasleys and Hermione. So, with an idea of what the envelope contained, McGonagall opened hers and read the elegant, golden script over carefully.

Ivette Arora
&
Sirius Black

have the great pleasure of inviting you to their wedding on Saturday, December 23rd at Black Manor.

The ceremony begins at 4:00 PM followed by an evening of dinner and dancing.

"That poor girl," McGonagall muttered, not really meaning it as she smiled down at the invitations.

Remus chuckled beside her, reading his own, but mostly the message scrawled on the back of his, where Sirius requested he be his best man. "Turn yours over, Minerva."

The older woman did so, only to find a messy message from Sirius himself.

What are your thoughts on performing a marriage ceremony?

| | |

"Harry says Rem's dueling club is going really well," Ivy told Sirius, leaning back against his chest. He was teaching her how to cook, his hand over hers as she stirred a pot of pasta sauce. "The twins keep causing trouble though."

"Don't know why he's surprised," Sirius said, chuckling. "I'm just hoping they don't put explosives in the wedding cake."

Ivy narrowed her eyes. "That's a very specific scenario, Sirius Black. Are they planning on putting explosives in the wedding cake?"

"I'd never let them, Darling," he assured her. "I enjoy cake too much to waste it like that."

She rolled her eyes playfully and turned her head and stood on her toes to kiss the underside of his jaw. "Is Remmy gonna make it to the suit fitting on Sunday?"

"Yeah, he's free since it's a Hogsmeade weekend. He'll bring Harry along as well," he said. "What about dress shopping?"

"Fleur's taking over," she laughed. "I thought I liked clothes, but she's a fashion expert, it seems. But I think she's just projecting — wants to marry Bill even though they've only been together a few months."

Sirius hummed and kissed the top of her head. "I knew I wanted to marry you within days."

Ivy's cheeks heated up from the sweet statement. "I wish I could say the same, but you were a dog, so..."

He scoffed and pinched her side, making her squirm. "But after you saw my roguishly good looks, you changed your mind, yeah?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "But I'm not marrying you because you're handsome, Siri. It's hardly your best quality."

"Oh really? What persuaded you to say yes then?" he asked, tilting his head.

Ivy turned in his arms, forgetting about the sauce over the stove as she put her arms around his neck. "You have a kind heart," she began, standing on her toes to kiss his neck. "And you're so funny," she added, moving up to his jaw. "And you're always so sweet to me." She kissed the corner of his lips, pulling back when he tried to get a proper kiss. Ivy bit her lip and traced nonsense patterns on the back of his neck. "And you make me feel like the most important, radiant, perfect person on the planet when you kiss me."

"That's because you are all those things," he said softly. "But if you need reminding..."

Then Sirius hooked his finger underneath her chin and pulled her into a gentle kiss. She sighed happily against his mouth, getting lost in him still so easily.

"People eat in here," Kingsley Shacklebolt said, entering the kitchen with a snickering Tonks a few steps behind him.

Sirius rolled his eyes playfully and let Ivy go, both focusing once more on the stove. "So, Kingsley, how'd the scouting go?"

"Reports say Greyback is back in actions," he said, taking a seat at the dining table.

Tonks leaned against the wall and nodded in agreement. "He's sniffing about Malfoy manor — might be trying to take over with Malfoy locked away with the Lestranges and Mulcibers and Dolohovs. But... he's looking for all those he's turned in the past."

"I'll write to Remus," he said, making Ivy frown. "He'll deserve to know."

"At least he's safe at Hogwarts," she murmured, worried about the older man. She knew that Fenrir Greyback still haunted his nightmares, and that Remus was longing for the day he got a rematch, wanting to take out the man that ruined his life. "Along with everyone else. Dumbledore won't let them be hurt."

"I don't think Dumbledore's done a stellar job at protecting those within the castle walls as of late," Sirius muttered under his breath, only Ivy hearing him. She elbowed him in the stomach lightly, just enough to let him know he couldn't say things like that out loud in the Order.

Truth was, after everything that happened last year, Ivy was beginning to see things Sirius' way as well. Harry wasn't safe, and neither had she been. Dumbledore wasn't some god that could stop everything bad in the world from happening.

"So, Ivy," Tonk said, taking a seat then, "how's dueling lessons going without Lupin?"

"Moody's mean," she said with a frown. Moody had taken over her training and he rarely let Sirius help, which discouraged Ivy. "Like, really mean. I miss Rem."

Moody pushed her hard until she was exhausted and near tears — it made her feel bad for all the Aurors he must've trained over the years. But between him and the methods Remus taught her, she was making slow progress. She still wasn't fit to go out into battle or anything, but Sirius was pleased to know she could somewhat defend herself if the need arose.

"Lupin's a brilliant teacher — helped me with my Patronus. Can see why you miss him," Tonks shrugged, not catching the look that Ivy and Sirius shared, both knowing they didn't miss him so much because of his teaching methods.

But neither would have it any other way, knowing how important the teaching job at Hogwarts was to him. And it comforted them knowing that Harry had another person they trusted watching over him.

"At least he'll be back at Christmas for the wedding," Tonks went on. "Say, Sirius, is Lupin... dating anyone?"

Both Ivy and Sirius raised their eyebrows, a bit stunned by the forward question. And as Sirius answered, he rubbed comforting circles on Ivy's hips. "Not that I know of."

Tonks hummed and seemed to be thinking a few things over. "I thought he might be — he's been walking around with his head a bit higher, you know? Thought he landed a bird."

"Nope, no birds," Ivy said, eying Tonks, catching how her cheeks heated up and her hair took on a red tint. "But he'll probably need a date for the wedding. You could keep him company."

"You think he'd say yes?" she asked, seeming a bit nervous — and Tonks never got nervous. "I mean, he is pretty fit. But he's older."

"I, uh, I don't think age matters all that much to him," Ivy said, not looking Tonks in the eye, knowing she'd give herself and their secret away with the embarrassment on her face. "But it doesn't hurt to try. I think you could make him really happy if things work out."

| | |

The months leading up to the wedding seemed to fly by for Ivy, who spent every day with Val and Molly and Fleur making plans — thankfully, the longer they spent together, Molly realized Fleur wasn't all that bad. She even liked her on good days.

And everything — the cake tastings and music selections and dress shopping — led to now. The morning of.

Ivy woke earlier than normal in her seldom-used bedroom at Black Manor. She and Val had stayed there to keep Sirius from laying eyes on her too early. Her nerves made her anxious, and because she was fidgeting in the bed, Val woke up as well.

"Don't tell me you've got—" Val broke off, letting out a big yawn. "—cold feet."

"No," Ivy said, feeling like a swarm of pixies had been set loose in her stomach. "They're toasty warm. Just excited."

Val sighed and sat up. "Can't believe I'm losing my sweet Flufflepuff to Black. Though I guess you were lost long ago."

"I'm still going to be there for you, Val. Nothing much is changing."

"Right. You do already sleep in the same bed every night and live together and do everything together," she mused. Then she frowned. "Why get married if you're already doing all that?"

Val had never understood the reasoning behind marriage. She just figured spending your entire life with someone was good enough — she didn't need a ring to be happy. Just commitment.

"Because I love him," Ivy said, smiling at the ring on her finger. "And there's nothing I want more than to call him my husband. I know you think it's silly, but surely you must be thinking about things getting serious between you and Viktor."

"We've talked about it. Right after you two got engaged," she admitted with a shrug. "He's like me. Maybe it'll happen one day, but he's content with just being together for now. Doesn't mean we want each other any less."

"Well, I'm glad he makes you so happy," Ivy said, leaning against Val. "Do you think Sirius is nervous?"

"I think he's smoking in the study with Remus with a shit-eating grin on his face."

| | |

Val wasn't that far off. Sirius and Remus were seated in the library at Grimmauld Place near the window, passing a cigarette back and forth while eating breakfast. And Sirius hadn't been able to wipe the grin off his face since he woke up.

"I can't believe you're getting married," Remus said, laughing a bit.

"I can," he said softly, knowing he'd wanted to marry this girl for the past two and a half years. And finally he was going to do it.

"You remember at James' wedding? When you turned into Padfoot—"

"And crashed into the cake," Sirius laughed, shaking his head. "Lily wanted to murder me. Said she was going to get payback at my wedding."

The two exchanged a sad smile, knowing that wasn't a possibility anymore. Sirius would've given anything to have James and Lily there with him, as they were more family than anyone that was actually blood related to him was.

"Maybe Harry will fuck things up," Remus said, looking on the bright side. "He and Draco could get up to some nonsense. And hey, the twins could still blow up the cake."

Sirius chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, Fred cares too much about Ivy to ruin her day. I can just picture the tears in her eyes if something went wrong."

| | |

With no father to walk her down the aisle, it was Ethan who did so — they joked that he was her something borrowed. He stood next to Ivy, the pair waiting for their cue to leave the manor and walk outside. She wore a white gown with a veil over her face and held a bouquet of pink and yellow flowers in her hand. She was mere moments away from seeing Sirius at the end of the aisle as Val and Remus walked ahead of them as the maid of honor and best man.

Meanwhile, at the altar, Sirius was having trouble standing still. His eyes stayed glued to the double doors that led out to the beautifully decorated gardens. Ivy was just inside, being hidden by a charm that kept them from seeing the other until she stepped outside. All he wanted to do was run to her.

"Stop fidgeting," McGonagall hissed to Sirius, who was messing up his tie while trying to adjust it.

The music couldn't have began fast enough, and he barely looked at Remus and Val as they walked down the aisle together, too busy craning his neck to get his first look of Ivy. And when she stepped out, he nearly fell to his knees to propose all over again. Sirius thought she must've been an angel with the way she glowed, looking radiant in a white gown that hugged her chest perfectly before flaring out in a long, silk skirt.

Their eyes met through the translucent veil, and Ivy's breath caught in her throat, thinking he looked so handsome in his suit with his hair neatly combed for once. Her grip on Ethan tightened and she sped up, accidentally dragging him a bit. Rather than chastise her, he just chuckled and matched her pace.

Ivy didn't really pay any attention to the others as Val took the flowers from her hand and Ethan gave her away to Sirius. She didn't give any thought to all the people in the audience that were watching them. All she did was stare into his striking grey eyes, fighting off tears as he slowly lifted the veil over her face.

"Hi," he whispered, a smile on his face.

"Hi," she repeated with a little giggle.

"Hi," McGonagall said in a flat tone, getting their attention.

Ivy looked down shyly as Sirius laughed. But even then, she couldn't remember much, too busy marveling at Sirius, who was doing the same. Neither really listened as McGonagall began the ceremony, giving a speech about watching the two of them grow up a part and then grow together.

But when it came time to say their vows, Sirius was as ready as ever.

"I had the misfortune of falling in love with you when I was a canine," he said, an amused smile on his face. It made everyone in the audience laugh. "And to this day, I cannot believe someone as perfect as you could love me back. For the longest time, I didn't believe I was the type of man worthy of it. But you, Ivy, you found the good in me. You saved my life. And you brought me back to life after the world tried it's hardest to bury me. I love you for countless other reasons, but those are the reasons that made me realize I want to spend forever with you. With what we've survived, I suspect it won't be too hard, Darling, so long as you're by my side."

A tear slipped down Ivy's cheek, and he quickly wiped it away. She nuzzled into his hand and closed her eyes for a moment before McGonagall nodded to her, letting her know it was her turn.

"Siri," she began softly, "you entered my life right when I needed you most, and I'm so thankful you decided to stay in it after that day. Because I hardly remember what my life was like before you — not just Snuffles, but you. And with you, I've learned so much about life—"

Dark smoke encased their vision, and the younger ones in attendance screamed. Sirius grabbed onto Ivy a bit tighter in the chaos as flashes of magic broke through the thick fog, spells being thrown left and right — some by those invited but most by those not.

And over the screaming, in between grunts coming from his mouth, Alastor Moody shouted out. "I fucking told you so!"