When James had sent the owl to his mum and dad about Remus and Sirius's surprise Costa Rican wedding, Dora had wanted to tell him then and there about the resurgence of the Dragon Pox.

"No," Charlus had argued, even as he coughed on a smoky breath, "And ruin their special day with worrying about me? Rubbish!"

"But how are you supposed to apparate safely in your condition..." Dora argued.

"Dora - my dear - I will find a way, as it is important to our sons that we be there."

It was Dora who went to Dumbledore.

"He insists we don't tell the boys, but I'm terrified of his apparition - all that way - it's difficult for even the fittest wizards, and the way he's been coughing..."

Dumbledore peaked his fingers before him in a steeple and sighed very heavily. "I do think it is important for Charlus to be present at the wedding," he said, and when Dora made to object, Dumbledore held up his hand to stay her words. "He shall need to travel by side along, and for the sake of being sure he is safe and able to go to the wedding, I shall go too, and Charlus may apparate with me."

Dora had been in tears. "If he would be safe in anyone's hands, they would be yours, of course, Albus."

So the morning of the wedding, Charlus sat in the Potters' bedroom, eyes closed, doing up his tie as he tried to concentrate on his breathing. He could feel the dragon fire ignited in his chest, his lungs struggled to expand and contract, and he could feel smoke rising up his throat.

Just today. Just let me make it through today, and tomorrow I will go and be seen by a Mediwizard, he bargained with his lungs. My sons need me there today.

Dora came in the room, putting on opal earrings that had been an anniversary gift nearly two decades ago now. She glanced in the mirror to check her hair one last time before going and her eyes caught Charlus's in the reflection. "Honey?" she asked, "Are you alright?"

Charlus swallowed back the smoke. "Yes," he replied. "Jolly."

Dora was about to press more when there was a loud rapping on the door downstairs. "Oh, that must be Dumbledore!" She smiler and turned to go and let him in, pausing in the doorway. "Dear, your tie is a wee crooked, come downstairs when you've done your hair and we'll fix it up before we leave." She ducked out of the room.

Charlus nodded, though she did not see it for her rush to answer the door downstairs. He let out a great exhale of breath, and grey, ashy air came from his mouth, like that which rises from a volcanic eruption. Calmly, he got up and went to the drawer, opening it up and taking out extra handkerchiefs. Then he crossed to the bathroom, ran the faucet, and filled a plastic cup with water. He looked himself in the eyes in the mirror. "Cheers," he whispered, and he poured the water down his throat, temporarily dousing the fire within, choking on the steam as it rose out of him, hoping Dora could not hear him.

Charlus did not count it a waste of effort in any way to be there that day, watching Sirius's wedding. He sat between Dora and Minnie, watching with wide, wet eyes as the ceremony commenced. He tried to keep from coughing, drinking from a glass of water he had procured the moment they arrived. He swelled with pride as Remus and Sirius said I do, and at Dumbledore's pronouncement, when they became husbands, he stood up and clapped fiercely, his heart fit to burst.

He tried not to stare at James as he did it, tried not to imagine James's wedding to Lily Evans.

When the grooms had been taken away by unicorn, and everyone was being shuffled to the reception, Charlus excused himself from Dora for a moment. He stepped through the crowd to where Minerva McGonagall was standing with Elphinstone Urquart, and he tapped her shoulder.

"Min?" he asked, "May I borrow you a mo'?"

Minnie excused herself from Elphinstone and followed Charlus away from the party, several feet into the foliage, where the elephant ear leaves blocked them from view. "Flea," she said, stern, "What is the meaning of this?"

He stopped walking and turned 'round to face her. "I need you and Elphie to look after Dora."

"What?" Minnie's brow furrowed, "what are you talking about?"

Charlus took a deep breath, or at least as deep a breath as the pox would allow. He let it out slowly, a grey haze of smoke rose up from his mouth, and his eyes stared directly into Minnie's.

She blinked, taking in the implications. "How long has it been back?" she asked, her voice imperial. She tilted her chin in a way that most found to be either uptight or snobbish, but Charlus knew was something of an intense emotion - usually pride, the kind of pride that she wore to mask feelings of insecurity or fear.

"It never fully went away," he confessed. "Times were better certainly, but it's been off and on all along."

"And you've doused it."

"I've been dousing it all day," he answered, shaking his glass so the ice clinked.

Minnie nodded slowly.

"Listen, Min, I just gotta know she isn't alone, alright? I gotta know she has someone she can depend on. You and I - we've been best mates forever, haven't we? We've always been a team. Remember back in school, our famous tag team goal shot in quidditch? No one ever expects the Seeker to intercept the quaffle and send it to the best Chaser the team's got, do they?"

"I've yet to see it done to this day," she admitted.

Charlus put his hand on Minnie's wrist. "I'm passing you my quaffle, Min."

Charlus had walked across the beach to where James and Lily sat by the fire, Marlene and Emmaline with them, talking and laughing. The two girls excused themselves, hurrying away, leaving Lily, James, and Charlus alone on the sand by the fire. Dora was still gushing over Sirius and Remus, so Charlus had taken the opportunity. "As lovely as this all was, I do reckon yours will be twice as beautiful," he said, smiling as he sat on a chair left behind by one of the guests. He smiled.

"Hope so!" James answered. "Going to be rough beating gay werewolf in Costa Rica, but I reckon we'll make do."

Charlus nodded, "I reckon you will." He studied them a moment, then, "Have I ever told you that I wholeheartedly approve of the two of you?"

Lily smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Potter."

His eyes lingered, nostalgic and pained because he wished he could close his eyes and remember the wedding that had not yet happened.

"Dad?" James asked.

"Jamesy?"

"I said, are you and mum staying tonight?"

Charlus shook his head. "We came with Dumbledore. Headed back with him, too."

"Oh," James sounded disappointed. Then, "We're all bloody glad you came, dad."

"I am, too."

Sirius was yelling from across the beach then, and James looked up and rolled his eyes. "Hang on, I've got to go see what he wants."

When James had got up and run off, leaving Lily behind with Charlus, there was a silence for a moment. Charlus broke it first. "You know, I'm very happy for you and James."

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Lily answered, smiling.

"You're everything I would want in a daughter in law, Lily."

She blushed. "Oh," she said, embarrassed.

"Yes," he replied. "Thank you - for loving my son as much as he deserves to be loved."

"No one can love that strongly," Lily answered.

Charlus replied, "You can - and you do, Lily. Never discount it. Claim it. Learn to wield it."

Lily looked confused, "To wield it?"

"Love is powerful magic. The most powerful there is. It adds strength to any spell it casts. Some say anger and pain are powerful and they are, so is hatred. The Cruciatus, for example, must be cast with intent and hatred."

Lily nodded. "That's true."

Charlus said, "Protect yourself and Jamesy in these times, Lily. Through everything. Protect all the ones you love and wield that love, and you'll find your powers are stronger than even the fiercest spells cast with hatred."

Lily thought of the power of her shield charm in the tower room of Durmstrang, saving James from Voldemort. She remembered how her shield charm had blocked his spell and how shocked he had been at the strength of it. Lily was about to ask Charlus a question -  but James had returned, and he was laughing, calling Sirius a stupid dog. The lot of them started talking about their happiness for Remus and Sirius then, and Lily never got to ask her question before she forgot what it had been.

"There you are!" Dora exclaimed, coming over to collect Charlus from the fire's glow. "Dumbledore needs to get back to London, dear, he's got Order business to attend to."

Charlus nodded and got up, though reluctantly, for the energy it exerted took some of his breath away and he had so little of it to spare. He could feel a sharp pain in his right  side as he got up, a shooting, throbbing ache deep inside, behind his ribcage... But he held back any reaction. He went over and gave Lily a hug first. "Take good care of my boy, Miss Evans," he said in a friendly, jokey sort of tone.

Lily laughed, "Its rather like taking care of a child at times, sir."

James grinned, "I do what I can."

Charlus had turned to James next and he had smiled at him, just looking at him, and he pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

"I love you Jamesy," he said into James's ear. "More than anything. I am extremely proud of you, son."

James laughed, "C'mon dad, I haven't even done anything to be proud for. At least not today." He winked as Charlus pulled away.

"I'm proud in general, James. Of everything you do." He nodded at Lily, "Take care of her, too, huh?"

James grinned, "Always," he replied.

Dora hugged Lily and James each rather quickly then, and told them to come 'round on Sunday for dinner and to bring the Newlyweds, and James promised they would. Then Dora hurried Charlus toward Dumbledore.

"Hold on, one more thing I've got to do before I go."

Dora sighed, "Charlus, honey, he's waiting..."

"I know, honey, I know, but I just need to talk to Sirius, just one more moment."

Dora sighed, "Alright, I'll let Dumbledore know we're coming."

"Yes, brilliant."

As Dora hurried off, Charlus went up to Remus and Sirius, who were dancing now on the beach. Charlus tapped Remus on the shoulder. "Might I cut in?"

Remus smiled and nodded, "Of course, sir." He gracefully backed out, handing off Sirius to Charlus, and went to stand by James and Lily at the fire pit.

Sirius looked at Charlus, grinning. "Thanks again for coming," he said. Sirius had been worried he wouldn't come, but the fact that Charlus had arrived at the wedding at all signaled to him that he had nothing to worry about.

Charlus replied, "I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in England."

Sirius laughed, "A good deal of it is in Minnie's office at Hogwarts, I reckon."

"I don't doubt that at all," he chuckled. Then his face turned more serious. "Sirius, you've been a son to Dora and I, ever since that Christmas night you showed up at our door."

Sirius smiled, "Thanks Dad."

"Slightly less than half your life, you've been my boy - and I am damm proud to be your dad. Through everything and anything, Sirius. You're a treasure." Charlus smiled, "Especially today though, I am proud you've found someone to love you and to take over for me in caring for you. Remus is a good man, and you take care of him, too, alright?"

Sirius nodded. Something twinged inside of him, but he assumed it was emotion from kind words, and he flung his arms around Charlus with enthusiasm. "I love you," he said.

Charlus squeezed Sirius right back, "I love you, too, Sirius, very... very much. Now for my very important marriage advice: Honesty is always best. Never lie, never keep secrets. Compromise instead of fight. Give in once in awhile (I know that's hard for you). Never go to bed angry with one another."

"Yes sir," Sirius grinned. "Thanks dad."

Charlus patted Sirius's shoulder, "Good man." And he turned then to fetch Remus to return Sirius to him. "He's a handful, Remus," Charlus said, chuckling.

"Oh don't I know it, sir!" Remus replied.

Charlus had turned then, waving one last time to James and Lily on the beach. He walked away, his throat tight, and made his way to Dumbledore and Dora. He paused when he'd nearly reached them, a good way apart from everyone else at the party, and he stared out at the ocean's tumbling waves. He drew a breath of the salty air, and he held it a moment before letting it out. Smoke came with it, but luckily no one was watching. His eyes traveled up to the evening cloud, scarlet and pink. He smiled at it, and he had whispered, "See you soon, Ottalie."