Harry Potter and Changing Destinies

Chapter 50

AN: I used a handfasting ceremony found on a website called www.handfasting.info/hand7.html because I knew I wanted a Handfasting ceremony but didn't know how they were done. So, I didn't steal it I am giving credit because hello they know what they're doing I just know what I like. Whoever this site belongs too I give all credit for the handfasting info it helped a lot in this chapter.

A few weeks later found Harry with a headache and pulling at his hair.

“I’m the Boy-Who-Lived. I’m the Savior of the Wizarding World I should not have to deal with this,” he thought as he woke to yet another morning of Severus and Sirius fighting over something to do with their up and coming Handfasting Ceremony.

Harry had sent a letter right to the Daily Prophet to explain who Ali was and why she was there to during the fight with Voldemort. To explain why Draco Malfoy, the son of a well-known Death Eater was at his side. Why he had kissed Hermione Granger and not his supposed girlfriend Ginny Weasley. Where the hell was Ron Weasley his best mate and why a few weeks later he, Hermione, Draco, and Ali had with Severus Snape, a teacher he was known to despise gone to the Department of Mysteries. While later they all had appeared from said Department with the thought dead, ex-murderer Sirius Black. He had thought maybe a preemptive strike would be good in these cases so he had written them before they could come up with some fabricated stories on their own.

He had done this hoping it would lessen his stress and headaches but apparently having a couple who were a couple in everything but ceremony was more stressful. Especially when said dead man wanted to have a ceremony right away and said dead man’s partner wanted to plan it all out to perfection.

This afternoon was the ceremony and Harry had thought that Sirius’s freak out in the middle of the night, “oh wait make that 3 hours ok at 3 in the morning,” had been the last of the fights but apparently not.

“Harry, make them stop. I’m trying to get some sleep. Severus had me up most of the night getting the finishing touches on the altar done.”

“I’ll try dear. Be back in a bit.” He said as he put on his robe and left the room.

When he finally found them they were at the dining room table fighting over their breakfast plates.

“Guys could you quiet it, we have two pregnant women in the house. Plus, it’s your damn Handfasting today. Can’t you get along?”

“I can’t get along with that idiot Gryffindor!”

“Oh, really than why the hell did you agree to marry the man?”

“I…I love him.”

“That’s right you love him and he loves you. Both of you are just tired and worried. It’s your wedding of sorts today of course you’re going to be on edge. Now go back to bed for a few hours, get some sleep. I’ll have Jensen wake you up when its time to get ready.”

“Okay, Harry. Sorry. Tell the girls we’re sorry too. WE didn’t mean to…”

“That’s ok Padfoot.”

“Yes, sorry Harry my boy.”

“That’s ok Sev, really. Go to bed, rest.”

A few hours later found the whole house up and getting ready for a Handfasting ceremony. For this one day Safehaven would be uncloaked and plotted so friends and family and a few specifically chosen reporters could come to this wonderful day. Afterwards, the people would forget, not the ceremony but the place and its location.

In one of the biggest areas of garden Safehaven had was set a circle of chairs for all guests to sit in during the ceremony. Within this circle was a smaller circle that was only big enough for the couple their wedding party and the priest and priestess. Severus and Sirius had said they wanted a traditional wizarding wedding given the circumstances of Sirius’s coming back. So within the circle in the center on some raised land was an altar that held on it what were called the Gods’ candles which were already lit, 4 quarter candles and what was called a working candle, as well as a feather pin and the actual marriage license – this was one thing of the modern times they were bringing into ceremony. Well that and maybe the music and outfits. The altar also held a chalice to the West of the altar, the rings they were going to exchange to the North of the altar, to the East of the altar was the cord they would use, and to the South was the Unity Candle.

It had been decided Narcissa would fill in as the Mother of the Groom for Severus; traditionally this would be the father of bride’s place if this were a heterosexual Handfasting, the two men explained while Remus stood as Father of the Groom for Sirius which would have been the mother of the groom’s place. While Harry and Draco stood as Groomsmen and Ali and Hermione stood as the female equivalent of Groomsmen at a gay Handfasting. Which no one had a problem with at all. They actually smiled at the priest and priestess’s faces when Severus and Sirius explained the Handfasting would be for two men instead of the normally thought male and female.

It was twenty minutes to show time and Harry was with Sirius helping the nervous man with his tie, “You ready Padfoot?”

“Yeah I am…well I would be if this damn tie would cooperate.”

“Here let me.”

“Harry, I can’t believe you accepted Severus so quickly, why?”

“Well, Sirius I knew even before I learned of him being my godfather and your partner in the…well during my spiritual trip that Severus was on our side, but I didn’t quite know why until recently so I had time to get used to him being good, being a friend instead of enemy.”

“Oh? So, how do I look?” Severus asked as he looked at himself in a mirror.

“Perfect, now come on. Everybody’s ready.”

So, with this the song Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne began to play as Harry and Sirius stepped out of a tent and walked to the altar where Severus, Remus and Narcissa stood on the first step of the altar area and Hermione, Ali, and Draco stood on the floor of altar area. While the Priestess and Priest were near the altar itself. They all took their places while the guests proceeded in and sat down.

Once everyone was sat, the music ended and things quieted down the Priest began, “As friends and family of Severus and Sirius we welcome you here today. Come join the celebration of this, the most mystical of unions of two souls, two lives.”

The Priestess continued, "For that which is truly eternal is a binding of life and love. It is more than just flesh to flesh, it is mind to mind, feeling to feeling, soul to soul, in this world and the next. Sirius and Severus ask you all to celebrate this joyous uniting with them now.”

The Priest went on, “There are many elements that make up a marriage; let them be called forth."

At this point Ali, Draco, Harry and Hermione went to their spots by the altar that corresponded with what part they were playing in the ceremony and their quarter. Draco began, “I am north, the symbol of earth. Know and remember that this is the element of law, of endurance, of the understanding which can not be shaken. I bring to your wedding the power of steadfastness."

Hermione went on where he stopped, “I am east, the symbol of Air. Know and remember that this is the element of life, of intelligence, of the inspiration that moves us onward. I bring to your wedding the power of mind."

Harry went on, “I am South, the symbol of fire. Know and remember that this is the element of light, of energy, of the vigor which runs through our veins. I bring to you wedding the power of will."

Ali finished, “I am west, the symbol of water. Know and remember that this is the power of love, of growth, of the fruitfulness of the earth. I bring to your wedding the power of desire."

The Priest then continued on with, “These two who are joined in love now have the desire to make their bond a matter of record, so that all the world and society in which they live may witness it, and lend to them the support of their hearts and minds."

The Priestess then proceeded on with, “For the thoughts which arise in the hearts of us all are not mere fantasies, but real things; and each person who witnesses this marriage creates a part of the structure which strengthens the bond between these two who love each other," and the Priest continued, “And so in token that this, your marriage, is not just a casual joining, I ask that some member of your family speak for you."

To this Narcissa spoke up, “I, Narcissa Malfoy, speaking as the Mother of the Groom, declare that Sirius shall henceforth be welcomed into the community of our family and friends. May our love and welcome strengthen the bond between them."

At this the Priest and Priestess both say, “So Mote it Be.”

After this Remus states, “I, Remus John Lupin, speaking as Father of the Groom, declare that Severus shall henceforth be welcomed into the community of our family and friends. May our love and welcome strengthen the bond between them."

At this again the Priest and Priestess both said, “So Mote it Be.”

Just then another song this one being When You Say Nothing At All by Allison Krauss and Union Station began to play while Severus and Sirius moved into the circle and picked up the Gods’ candles and Sirius began, “Thou art God,” and Severus went on with the same, “Thou art God.”

Then the Priestess begins, “Your separate lives are symbolized by the separate candles you now bear. As you join their flames to make one flame, know that at that moment you are willingly joining your lives forever. Is this what you wish?"

Both Severus and Sirius say together, “I do.”

The Priestess continues with a, “Then so Be It.”

At this Severus and Sirius light the unity candle that is placed in the south and return the Gods’ candles to their holders still lit. The Priest and Priestess come out from behind the altar where they have been standing and bring the cord with them.

Priest starts, “Likewise, this cord is a symbol of the lives you have chosen to lead together. It has been woven, by your own hands, to symbolize the intertwining of your lives. Up until this moment you have been separate in thought, word and action. As these cords are tied together, your lives become intertwined."

Severus and Sirius at this point face each other and cross hands so the Priest and Priestess can tie their wrists. And Priest continues on, “As the right hand is to the left hand, may you be forever one, sharing in all things, at home and abroad, in love and loyalty for all time to come."

To which the Priestess continues, “Sirius, repeat after me: By seed and root, by bud and stem,
by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, in the name of the Gods I, Sirius, take thee Severus to my hand, my heart, and my spirit.”

To which Sirius did and then the Priest said to Severus, “Severus, repeat after me: By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, in the name of the Gods I, Severus, take thee Sirius to my hand, my heart, and my spirit,” to which he did.

After this was done the Priestess stated, “But you cannot always be physically joined,” and removes the cord without untying it and lays it on the altar, “and therefore the exchange of rings is one of the deepest symbols of a marriage. It is a constant reminder, a shared touch between a pair, a couple. The circle is a symbol of the eternal. To give a ring to someone you love is to say that your love has no beginning and no end."

At this she hands Severus and Sirius the rings and they exchange them. Then she continues on, “This bond I draw between you: that though you are parted in mind or in body, there will be a call in the core of you, one to the other, that nothing and no one else will answer to. By the secrets of earth and water is this bond woven -- unbreakable, irrevocable; by the laws that created fire and wind this call is set in you, in life and beyond life. Above you are the stars, below you are the stones; as time passes, remember..."

This is where the Priest continues where she stopped, “Like stones should your love be firm. Like a star should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage; let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but not too close. Have Prudence with one another, for storms will come, but they pass quickly."

Then the Priestess went on, “Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened make you uneasy for the Gods are with you always. Ever love, help and respect each other and then know truly that you are one in the eyes of the Gods. May the blessings of the Gods be with you now and always, Blessed Be!”

At this point Severus and Sirius together stirred apple cider that was brought out within the chalice with an athame and drank it together. After they were done Sirius passed the drink to Ali who drank and then passed it to Hermione who did the same and then she passed it to the Priestess who drank and passed it on to the Priest who drank and passed it to Draco who after drinking from the chalice passed it to Harry who drank from it and then returned it to the altar.

After all this the Priestess and Priest state together, “By the power of the Gods, We now declare that you are husbands. May you be joined in heart as you are in law. We and your friends and family bid you exchange a kiss. May you be one forever."

So the two men did. Severus pulled Sirius to him and planted a very heart warming kiss on his now legal partner’s lips. When they parted the Priest and Priestess had them and their witnesses sign the license.
After this was done the song Your Arms Feel Like Home by 3 Doors Down began and every receded out of the circles and went to the reception in another part of the gardens.

Severus and Sirius first dance at the reception that last for a few hours until Harry and Ali sent everyone away was to When Somebody Loves You by Alan Jackson. Once everyone was gone this just left the staff, Harry, Hermione, Ali, Draco, Sirius and Severus there once everyone was gone.

They sat and talked for a while longer but then Harry shoved a making out Severus and Sirius out the door with a laugh of, “Honeymoon somewhere else. We don’t wanna see or hear it. We’ll be traumatized for life.”

So with a laugh from the newly married couple and a pop they were gone off to their honeymoon.

AN: After chapter 51 which my friend and co-writer is working on now is done we will be taking a short break for Christmas and family things. Don't worry our story WILL NOT be like others and be forgotten and never finished. We will finish it. Actually we only have a few more chapters after 51 really. So, I think we're due for a break, don't u? Enjoy the holidays - we will.