Chapter 13 “ The Betrothal Ceremony
“Ack! MOTHER!” James cried out, struggling with his cravat.
“What is it dear?” Mrs. Potter asked, sailing gracefully into James’s room looking elegant in royal blue satin dress robes.
“Will you please help me with this bloody thing?” he pleaded, waving the ends of his tie at her.
“Watch your language, young man!” she reprimanded while hiding a smile at his frustration. She came over and brushed his hands out of the way. “You’re just like your father, only now he just waits for me to do his for him altogether instead of creasing it up like you have this one.
She drew her wand and waved it over the cravat, smoothing the wrinkles away. In moments it was folded and tied perfectly. “There, now you’re presentable. If only you hadn’t gotten the Potter hair. I do hope you don’t have a girl when you become a father. I wouldn’t ever wish hair like that on a girl.”
“You’ll have a long wait for that, I promise mum!” James replied vehemently.
“I’d better, you young scamp!” she declared with a fond smile. “Now, turn out your pockets!”
“Huh?”
She wasn’t fooled for a moment by his wide-eyed innocent confusion. “I know you, and I know Sirius. I’d wager the Potter fortune on the fact that you stopped in Zonko’s while you were in Diagon Alley. Now. Turn. Out. Your. Pockets!”
“Yes, ma’am.” James sulked, pulling dungbombs and fireworks from his pockets.
“Dungbombs?” his mother snapped. “At a betrothal ceremony? You tell your friend that if I catch so much as one whiff of a dungbomb I’ll pull his ears till they match his animagus form!”
“His what?” James cried out, astonished.
“Really James, I’m no fool. You and your friends have been studying on how to become animagus for years. Your nicknames tell me what your forms are,” she replied blithely.
“Why haven’t you said anything?”
“I thought it best kept secret. With everything that is going on in the world, that criminal Voldemort on the rise, with his cronies, what do they call themselves? Oh, yes, Deatheaters. I think a wizard with your abilities could be a great help someday,” she stated firmly.
“Oh, erm, uh,” James stuttered.
“Don’t worry, I haven’t told a soul, not even your father. Your secret is safe with me. Now, let’s find your father, he’s probably at the bar getting ‘fortified’ if I know him.” A fond smile creased her face as she took her son’s arm and guided him from the room.
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Sirius knocked on his cousin’s door calling out plaintively, “Andie, do you have a moment?”
“Of course Sirius, come on in but the monster is in the bath so don’t let her escape!” Andie called from the bathroom in her suite.
Sirius opened the door and was surprised to see Ted sitting in an armchair, dressed and ready for the ceremony. “Isn’t it a bit late to just be putting her in the bath?” he called out teasingly.
Ted chuckled. “This is Nymphadora’s second bath. She slipped the guard and made it to the garden where she discovered freshly fertilized roses and decided to ‘help’.”
A bark of laughter escaped Sirius at the vision that came to mind. “Do you have a spare set of robes for her?”
“Several,” Andie declared from the doorway of the bathroom. Nymphadora was firmly wrapped in a towel. “What do you need, cousin?” She picked up her wand and began drying her daughters hair, Nymphadora laughed happily at the warm breeze.
“Do you know how to tie one of these?” Sirius asked mournfully, holding out his cravat. “I don’t want to appear like a complete idiot.”
“Come here chum,” Ted ordered fondly, “Let Andie finish with the monster.”
“Not a monster!” Nymphadora declared vehemently.
“Of course not dear,” Andie soothed. “Now which robe do you want this time?”
Sirius chuckled at the little girl chattering away at her mother as Ted waved his wand at the cravat that had tried to make his life miserable. He really wanted to make a good impression on Maeve. Perhaps he would be able to get her to dance with him.
Ted had the cravat tied in the blink of an eye and offered Sirius a cup of tea. “I’d rather have a glass of firewhisky but I don’t suppose you’d allow that?” Sirius replied hopefully.
“Not for a moment!” Andie answered firmly. “Not that I don’t think you’ll sneak something after the ceremony, but there will be no blame laid at my door!”
“I understand,” Sirius replied. “I’m sure it’s hard enough for you knowing how my mother will treat Ted.”
“Exactly! Now, it’s time, let’s go.” She laid her hand on her husbands elbow. “Shall we?”
“Of course, my dear. Don’t worry, I’ve plenty of shark-repellant with me,” Ted joked.
Sirius reached down and took Nymphadora’s hand. “Let’s go, monster.”
“NOT a monster!” she stated. “I’m a princess!”
“Yes you are, sweetheart!” Sirius affirmed.
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Mrs. Black approached Sirius and withdrew his wand from her robes. “You have your part to perform during this ceremony, for that alone I am giving this back to you. I’ll be collecting it from you when we return to the Manor. Do you understand?”
Sirius nodded and reached for his wand.
She pulled the wand back a bit and in a quiet menacing tone she warned. “You do anything, and I do mean anything untoward, and I’ll snap this wand in half and you’ll be disowned and disinherited.”
“I understand mother.” Sirius replied, biting back the sharp words that sprang to mind. She had drilled his father, Regulus and himself several times as to their parts in this bloody ceremony.
She handed his wand to him with an icy glare.
A gong sounded in the drawing room. “The sun has begun to set. It is time to make our way to the stones.” Mrs. Black addressed the crowd. “Portkeys are here on the table, they will be reactivated to return us here once the ceremony is complete. Small sachets covered the surface of the table. She took her husbands arm and picked one up, disappearing immediately. Within moments small groups of three or four people made their way to the table for their portkeys.
They reappeared just outside of Fingal’s Cauldron Seat, a double circle of stones. The inner ring consisted of eight granite boulders and the outer of fifteen. The ceremony itself would take place within the inner circle in which eight people would stand. Regulus, Morag, Mr. and Mrs. Black, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, Sirius and Maeve.
Mr. and Mrs. Black made their way to the north and northwest stones while Mr. and Mrs. Stewart took their places by the south and southeast stones. Sirius stood by the southwest stone with Maeve across from him at the northeast. Sirius was hard put not to stare. She was lovely. Cream silk robes flowed around her figure elegantly. Her light red curls were pulled up to the crown of her head and allowed to fall in corkscrews, bouncing against her neck.
Regulus and Morag appeared simultaneously, Regulus at the west stone and Morag at the east stone. They both looked slightly nervous but they were smiling at one another. The crowd breathed in relief. That they had appeared at the same time was an excellent omen.
Mr. Black and Mr. Stewart stepped forward drawing their wands. Mr. Black spoke in a clear voice, “In centuries past, betrothals taking place here in Fingal’s Cauldron Seat have been blessed unions. I am here to offer my son, Regulus Black, in marriage to your daughter Morag Stewart.” An arc of light shot up into the air, hovering clearly in the dim light of sunset.
Mr. Stewart called out heartily, “In ages unknown, unions have taken place in this sacred place have indeed been blessed. I accept your offer and extend my own of my daughter Morag Stewart, to your son, Regulus Black.” A matching arc of light shot from his wand and met the existing arc, joining them together and turning the light from clear white to scintillating gold.
As one, the fathers held out their hands to their wives, and spoke together, “Do you so bless this union?”
The mothers stepped forward drawing their own wands, speaking together, “I do.” They gestured toward Regulus and Morag. “Step forward children.” When they reached the center of the circle the mothers raised their wands from each wand another arc joined the existing one forming a dome of golden light enclosing the young couple.
Regulus held out his hands toward Morag, speaking softly, yet the words were clearly heard by all who were there to witness the ceremony. “I request the honor of your hand in marriage.”
Morag smiled sweetly, her eyes meeting his. “I offer my hand to you, may our souls be joined.” She laid her hands into his.
Sirius stepped forward and offered his blessing, “Let this marriage be one of faith and happiness.” He raised his wand, thrilling to feel magic coursing from him once again, clear white light spread across half of the golden dome.
Maeve stepped forward and offered her blessing, “Let this marriage be one of joy and love.” She raised her wand, and a matching shield of clear white light joined with Sirius’s.
The white shield of light melded with the golden dome, making it seem more solid. The dome brightened and began to swirl around the two standing in the center.
The six casters lowered their wands; the young couple was unaware of anything but each other. For a long moment they were encased in a globe of golden light that sank through them until it contained only their hands. The globe spun there for a moment and shot skyward exploding in a glorious burst of glittering sparks, lighting the circle with a golden glow just as the sun finished sinking behind the horizon.
Sirius and Maeve were the first to begin the wild applause that followed. The observers shot appreciative sparks skyward, adding their own approval of the ceremony and their blessing to the betrothal.
Mrs. Stewart wiped happy tears from her eyes and grasped her husbands’ arm. “A perfect ceremony! I’ve never witnessed a perfect ceremony before. This must be a good omen!”
Mr. Stewart patted his wife’s hand fondly. “Yes, my dear, a very good omen.”
Mr. and Mrs. Black smiled at one another, Mr. Black quietly whispered in her ear, “You were right my dear, Regulus was the one to be betrothed!”
Mrs. Black nodded in agreement and addressed the crowd, “Your portkeys will activate in a moment, and dinner will be served at Black Moor Manor with dancing to follow.”
Sirius, overhearing the remarks from his parents, looked away for a moment. He didn’t understand why they had such animosity toward him. Most of the time he didn’t allow it to bother him, yet there were moments, like this one, where he was envious of his brothers favor in their eyes.
A light touch on his arm shook him from his morose ruminations. “It was a lovely ceremony, don’t you think?” Maeve asked softly.
His eyes swept over her in admiration. “Absolutely lovely,” he agreed, covering her hand with his.
“Good show, old man!” James cried, pounding Sirius on the back. “Hello Maeve, you look delightful this evening!”
“Thank you,” she murmured. She was a bit flustered, standing there with Sirius holding her hand on his arm gently. She pulled herself together and returned the compliment, “You clean up well yourself. The both of you.”
The crowd mingled, chatting quietly about the ceremony and the newly betrothed young couple still holding hands in the center of the stones.
“James,” his mother called, “you can chat with your friends back at the Manor. Come along.”
“See you there,” James said, grinning at Sirius and Maeve. “Oh, and a warning from my mother, mate.”
Sirius raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“She said to inform you, that if she catches so much as one whiff of a dungbomb, she’ll pull your ears!”
Sirius chuckled. “I do believe her.”
“You should!” James exclaimed. “Maeve, I look forward to talking with you again back at the Manor.”
Maeve nodded to James as he loped back to his parents.
“Ah,” she began, not quite knowing what to say to break the silence that had fallen between them. “Do you know the story of Fingal’s Cauldron Seat?”
“I can’t say as I do,” Sirius replied, reluctantly releasing her hand.
“There’s a hole in that stone over there in the outer circle. It’s said Fingal tied his dog there while he cooked a meal.”
“You do seem to be interested in dogs,” Sirius observed with a grin.
A puzzled look crossed her face before she remembered their meeting. “Oh, yes, I suppose so. I haven’t seen that dog since the day we met in the library. Perhaps his owners have taken him home.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw him again sometime,” Sirius replied blithely.
“I’d like to. Snuffles is such a sweet dog.”
“Snuffles?” he sputtered.
“Yes, I don’t really know his name, but he is such a sweet dog I had to start calling him something. The first time I saw him he stuck his nose in my basket, probably looking for food,” she answered with a laugh. “My basket was full of potion ingredients. He sneezed something fierce. Since then, at least to myself,I’ve called him Snuffles.”
Sirius laughed at the memory. “Snuffles then. I like that.”
Maeve’s parents were beckoning to her. “It’s time to go. I’ll see you at the Manor.”
“I’ll count the moments,” Sirius said in farewell. His smile turned rueful when he was left alone to imagine his mate's reactions to his new nickname.
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I do hope you liked the ceremony and that it was worth the wait! Please leave a reveiw and let me know what you think!
A Sirius Dilemma by ElspethBates
Chapter Notes: The day of the Betrothal Ceremony.