[Chapter 29 - The Big Day]

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Nobody tells you how difficult it is to plan a wedding, let alone your own wedding. Sure, the magazines and articles make it sound so easy, ' Top cake flavours every bride should have,' and 'These seating plans are a must for modern weddings.' They don't tell you how draining it can be when you've been caring for a baby on top of that.

After the big dress heist, Genevieve and Severus began to dig deep and push ahead with the wedding preparations.

The pair had decided their best man and maid of honour with little to no difficulty, little being the keyword. Vivianne was ecstatic to be Genevieve's maid of honour, but Severus was a different story.

With some heavy bartering, owls back and forth and a bargain of minding baby Harry for a whole week, Genevieve had managed to get Severus and Lily Evans, now Potter, on speaking terms. With their friendship rekindling, the witch agreed to be Sev's best man, well, best woman, and all seemed to be whole again in the world.

So, with most of the nitty-gritty details sorted out, Genevieve had one more important thing to sort out: who would walk her down the aisle?

The Sunday before the wedding, Genevieve found herself pacing up and down the hallway reflecting on the task. She was so lost in the list she had curated, she didn't realise Severus had walked up behind her, causing her to leap into the air.

"You're going to wear a hole onto the floorboards if you continue to pace like a madwoman," Severus teased, taking the parchment from her hands and stashing it away in his robes as he had done all those months ago.

"I need that, " she responded, trying to reach behind her burly fianceé's arms.

"The last time you said that you almost had a panic attack over the Christmas concert, "

Standing on her tippy toes, Genevieve gave the wizard a light peck on the cheek, slowly reaching her hand into his pocket," Well, this is more important than that- this has to be perfect or they might say no-."

She was stopped by Severus placing his hand onto her shoulders, grounding her as he did at Christmas.

"Is this about who's going to walk you down the aisle?" Severus asked, pulling her into a hug as she nodded sheepishly," Well, anyone who you asked to walk the most beautiful, stunning, stubborn, brilliant woman down that aisle will be honoured."

Giving the man a cheeky kiss, Genevieve let out a sigh of relief.

"I still need that list back,"

Severus looked up at her, a wide grin upon his face, " Somethings still never change."

~*~*~*~*~*~

To say Minerva McGonagall was confused was an understatement. She was baffled, flabbergasted, utterly bewildered. She couldn't understand why Genevieve would want to meet her so abruptly.

After she had let her transfiguration call out for the day, Genevieve dashed into the classroom and out again as quickly, only leaving the instruction to meet her by the entrance to the walled gardens at seven pm. She seemed to be in an awful tizzy leaving Minerva to fret.

As she left her quarters that evening, Minerva began to wonder as she rambled down the dimly lit corridors," What if the wedding is called off,"

She shook her head promptly, berating herself for thinking such things and swiftly made her way down to the Great Hall.

Opening the wooden door, Minerva craned her neck but found no one was there. She was just about to turn on her heels when a voice echoed down the corridor.

"Minerva! I assume you to had a cryptic message thrust upon you?" Albus asked, emerging from the garden.

"You're not up to your old tricks again, Albus?" Minerva questioned, putting on her most high-grade teacher stare.

The headmaster heaved a hearty laugh, taking off his half-moon spectacles," Surprisingly, I have nothing to do with this one. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?"

"A what?"

"Sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of. Maybe I should get some for Severus as a wedding gift?" He said the last part to himself.

"No, thank you, Headmaster," Minerva replied stiffly, amazed how he could think of confectioneries at a time like this.

"I'm dreadfully sorry I'm late, Primrose wouldn't go asleep," Turning their heads, they spotted Genevieve hurrying down the corridor.

"Is everything alright, dear? You seemed rather uneasy when we last talked," Minerva asked the witch with Albus agreeing with her.

Taking a deep breath, Genevive decided this was as good a time as any to ask, fidgeting with her engagement ring as she spoke with a shake in her voice.

"Professor McGonagall, you've been like a mother to me ever since Grandmama passed and even before that in school. You took me under your wing, you protected me and saved me when Quirrell attacked us. You've always been there for me when I needed you and I wondered, would you do the honours of giving me away?"

Minerva's eyes were glistening with tears of joy and pride listening to Genevieve's kind words, so esteemed that she brought the younger witch into a smothering hug," It would be my pleasure, Genevieve,"

Genevieve also asked Professor Dumbledore to officiate the wedding, who was both honoured and humbled as Minerva was.

"Well, it looks like it's drinks on me, I will accept those bet winnings anytime, Professor McGonagall," Albus declared, linking arms with both witches.

"Bet?" Genevive questioned.

The pair looked at each other wide-eyed, leaving Minerva to nervously laugh, "That's a story for another time, dear,"

~*~*~*~*~*~

All of the wedding guests, friends and Hogwarts staff gathered around the island in the middle of the Black Lake. It had been beautifully decorated with bouquets of roses, stephanotis, orchids, gardenias and orange blossoms and matchsticks were transfigured into church benches, with the help of Vivianne and Minerva.

It was a glorious morning for a wedding. The crowds settled down into their seats rather quickly, and Vivianne, Genevieve's Maid of Honour, began to walk down the aisle with Lily by her side, who was cradling baby Primrose as she attempted to throw rose petals.

Severus was awe-struck when Genevive walked up, holding onto Minerva's arm. She was breathtaking, like something from a fairy tale in her dress. He was enthralled by her radiance as Albus began the ceremony, only zoning back in when Primrose cried out.

Looking over at Severus, Genevieve gave him a warm smile, "hold on a minute, " taking Primrose from Lily and resting her on her hip as Albus continued.

The Headmaster placed his wand on the pair's clasped hands, and golden tendrils burst from it, snaking up their arms, bonding them till death do them part. In a burst of light, the bond materialised in the form of two gold bands, appearing on both their hands.

When the ceremony came to an end, they shared a kiss so full of affection and passion it would convert any old man to a path of love. The part began soon after, and Genevieve, Severus and baby Primrose shared their first dance, waltzing gracefully across the floor.

Before they realised it, the sun had begun to set and the party was in full swing. Lily had offered to take Primrose for the night, leaving Severus to take advantage of this opportunity. He pulled Genevieve off the dance floor and into a secluded corner. 

"Now then, what do you say to sneak away while everyone is distracted ?" Severus whispered seductively into his wife' ear, holding her close to him.

"I saw that's a wonderful idea ?" She hummed in response, pulling him towards a gap in the party-goers.

Just like every wedding eve in history, doors were locked, clothes dispersed and the body's moulded to each other. Yet don't fret, reader, for Primrose did not become a sister that night, even if she didn't realise it.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I'm not crying, I'm not crying, I'm not crying! How did you like this chapter?? I didn't know what part of the wedding to focus on but I decided that Genevieve calling Minerva her mother was it! My stone heart was melted, and we can't forget about Primrose xx

*The_lost_flower*