Before beginning, I'd like to tell everyone (I know this must be annoying by now but I promise there's something new!) that if you go to my profile, you can use one link (did she say one? She did! Wow! Finally!) to see some of the ideas of playbys I have for some characters (of course, casting is all up to the reader so don't feel as if you should think of them as this - they're not quite there for me with Amelie and Teddy, but close enough as these were the ideas of them I had whilst writing in the first place (Amelie was chosen when I decided to restart the story)). Also included are a few dresses which inspired some of the clothing worn by Amelie and Lily through the story.

Without further ado...

Chapter One

The ceremony passed with what I can only describe as... Well... Okay, I'll admit I didn't pay too much attention to it in all honesty. It is a tad difficult to do so when you're trying to control your breathing and stop looking at your soon to be husband more than is strictly necessary. Ted really didn't seem to take too kindly to that last bit and kept whispering little things under his breath whenever the officiant looked to the crowd or the papers held in their hands, trying to get me to look at him, even with a glare. Those comments coupled with how incredibly handsome he looked standing in his wedding suit beside me, his hand firmly pressed against the small of my back, was the source of my inability to breathe - more so than being watched by a large number of people anyway. I was trying so hard not to laugh from his little jokes or tickling touches, that at one point when the officiant looked at me with a clear question that I'd missed the words of, I had to search my brain for the answer. The only thing I could think they were asking was whether or not I consented to the marriage - a perfectly reasonable suggestion, right?

"I do," came my answer, clearer and stronger than I thought it would be, so it wasn't surprising that Teddy stiffened in shock beside me, or that the officiant's eyes widened slightly before they coughed, eyes darting between us as they no doubt wondered whether the shy and quiet girl they'd met before was the same standing in front of them speaking without reservation.

"I'm sorry..?" The officiant leaned towards me at that point, whilst Teddy's hand slipped around to the side of my waist and tugged me against him. The sound of horrified gasps behind us was my first indication that what I'd said wasn't quite right. The second was when Teddy's lips pressed against my temple and then his hot breath washed over my ear urgently. I wondered why it was urgent, but as my mind registered his words, all became clear.

"...jokes weren't that bad that you'd actually object to marrying me, were they? Or is it something else? My hair too dark? Was it the kiss?" His voice shook slightly as he spoke, but as I turned newly horrified eyes to meet his, I could see that it was from laughter rather than horror. I glanced behind me to see a number of people sitting with their mouths slightly open in shock before I met Lily's stare, filled with the same laughter as her adoptive brother, who raised her hands in a shooing gesture as if to tell me to turn back and fix things.

"Did you..." The officiant cleared their throat again, eyes continuing to dart between us as I turned back, and Teddy's laughter broke forth when I buried my mortified face into his shoulder, hands fisting the back of his jacket as both his arms came around to stroke my back soothingly. "Did you obje-"

"A misunderstanding is all," I heard Teddy's voice come from somewhere above me, addressing the crowd as much as the officiant as he spoke loudly, somehow hiding the mirth from his voice despite the way I could feel his body shaking from it. I marveled at his control, whimpering quietly about my luck before he gripped my waist and pushed me gently away although he remained strong by my side. "Just lost in translation is all." He added this with a wink to me, before turning back to the crowd, and I tried to take that moment to breathe deeply and steady my nerves. "Don't worry, she doesn't have a choice in this, not really!"

That gained a number of nervous laughs from the magical audience and confused murmurings from the muggle portion, more than one comment on the fact that if I was pregnant or something, in this day and age a wedding wasn't required. That made me cringe and Teddy pale a little.

"I'm sorry, I need to hear from Amelie herself." The officiant near glared Teddy to death before looking at me with a much softer expression. "Amelie... I'll ask again... Do you know of any impediment-"

"I- I... I... wasn't listening," I admitted quickly, which caused Teddy's grip on my waist to tighten again as his face pressed against my hair, laughter spilling from his lips as his body shook more violently than before.

"I'm sorry?" The officiant's comment was echoed by those behind me, along with an old witch who shouted at us to speak louder for those without extendable ears if they couldn't use their wands. That one started up the muggles' murmuring again, which subsided suddenly at the same time as Ron Weasley complained about how Hermione Granger-Weasley shouldn't be using magic against unsuspecting muggles, and after my dad started asking about memory charms, the moment was repeated. I heard Mr. Weasley promise to tell my dad all about it later before Mrs. Granger-Weasley announced that we could continue. I chose to ignore the slightly illegal and morally dubious use of memory charms going on behind me and nodded emphatically.

"I t... I th... I thought you were asking if I wanted to m... Marry Ted..." My voice was unsteady this time, embarrassment creeping through my body until I attempted to hide in Teddy's chest again, something which he resisted at first but then allowed when I refused to give up. "Which I do... Ma-Marry him, that is... I-I mean, I do want to... I don't know why I wouldn't." My voice came out muffled, but it seemed to be understood by the officiant, at least enough for us to continue.

I stayed like that for the rest of the ceremony, eliciting a few comments from the muggle attendees afterward which my mum and dad sorted out by explaining in excruciating detail about how apparently Teddy had injured his leg earlier that day and I was holding him up until the end. I have to say that Teddy pretending to limp for an hour after his wedding was pretty hilarious really, but I can't pretend that I'd been able to meet the eyes of anyone who hadn't been obliviated during the nuptials... At least not until after Teddy's speech, which was around the same time his leg seemed to magically recover. We stood to the side of the tent, arms around each other as he spoke.

"If you'd asked me before I'd met Amelie, what the best thing in the world was, I would probably have told you it was laughing until I couldn't breathe anymore with my friends. That, or it would have been singing in the kitchen with my grandmother as she taught me to cook. Perhaps Harry taking me to my first game when I was four (which Ginny won, in case you were wondering). Maybe, just maybe, it would have been when James was two and he stormed up to me with his little fists firmly wedged on his hips as he'd seen Ginny do to Harry before, and told me that I had to come to see him at least twice a day because he missed his big brother... But that was before I met Amelie. Before I knew what pure, unbridled happiness was. It was before I knew that it could physically hurt to look into someone's eyes and know your entire world revolved around them.

Falling in love with Amelie wasn't something I ever planned. Honestly, I don't think anyone apart from Lily would ever have imagined we would have been suited to each other - and that would have been because she wanted Amelie to grow up to marry one of her brothers, and I count to her. Maybe some of the best things in life are the things you don't plan on? The things you never imagined possible. Maybe sometimes you're supposed to experience the impossible just so that you can appreciate the world as it is so that you can experience the brilliance, colour, touch, smell - everything that makes life beautiful and infinite and limitless.

That is what I see, what I feel, what I experience when I am around Amelie. I can't say she's perfect because she's not and neither am I, none of us are, but she is the closest I have ever had the chance to meet. Am is intelligent, mature, kind, funny, calming, strong, insecure despite said strength, shy, passionate, has a tendency to zone out, can pretty much predict the future, and can do anything she sets her mind to. I cannot imagine how anyone could not love her, not fall for her faster than you ever thought possible (although if anyone was to do that I would have to warn you that it could only end in heartbreak. I think if I could ever manage to part from her, you'd have the added obstacle of James here before you had a chance).

I fell in love with Amelie Lupin the first time she cried. I know, that doesn't sound too good really, but it's true. She cried because she didn't want to hurt someone who had hurt her - because she wanted to fight her battles in her own way, and in her own time. I didn't understand it and I still don't, but I stand by her, and in that instant I found my heart break itself into pieces for her and reform both protected and protector. With Amelie, I know what it is to allow myself to rely on someone as much as they rely on me - I know what it is to give and take in equal measure - to risk - to have that risk rewarded with a simple smile - a touch of a hand on mine - a softening of eyes more complex and beautiful than any jewel.

Amelie has my heart. She has my soul. She has my past. My future. My present. It is safe with her. It is impossible. It is a risk. It is filled with hopes, dreams, and visions beyond my comprehension. We are young, that is true, but what is truer is that we will live a long life together, have at least four children, and we will be happier than I ever dreamed of being.

To Amelie Lupin.

To my wife.

To the most incredible person I have ever met in my life.

To love, and most of all...

To happiness."

His speech was lovely and seemed to be so perfectly worded, I honestly had no idea how he could have worked out what to say, I would have been spluttering all over the place and taking deep breaths if it were me. When I told him this he grinned and asked if I wanted him to add bloody infuriating to the list of things he loved about me, because my inability to see myself as he and the rest of the world does makes me rather difficult to understand sometimes. He also joked about asking if I wanted him to have added how hot I found him instead, and that set us both off laughing for a little while before people came to congratulate us again.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Teddy's question breaks through my thoughts as he leads me through the steps of our first waltz as a married couple. I can't answer for a moment as his hands slip to my waist and grip, remembering to place my hands on his shoulders just before I'm lifted effortlessly above him and swung in a circle, returned to earth as if he's handling something infinitely precious. I haven't really tried this form of waltz much, but I think I would probably be less secure being lifted into the air by anyone else.

"Aren't I a bit heavy to be lifting like that?" I ask him, instead of responding to his question, worrying my lip between my teeth as I glance up at him, suddenly nervous. His slow grin makes me feel as if a weight has been dropped somewhere in the region of my stomach... Odd, that... Since this morning, it seems to be happening more and more. Not unpleasant, but still quite off-putting.

"You weigh less than a feather," he replies with a chuckle, pulling me closer than strictly permissible in the dance. I scoff in response, trying to form a more coherent reply with his silver grey eyes so close.

"Maybe quite a few feathers... If they were attached to a hippogriff..." His answer is to lift me in the air again with his eyes shimmering, this time refusing to set me down as quickly as before as if he's testing my weight.

"A tiny hatchling hippogriff perhaps, but nothing more than that." There's no strain in his voice as he says this, hands shifting an instant before he throws me higher and I squeak at the feeling of weightlessness before catches me mid-spin, an arm behind my knees, the other wrapped around my waist, holding me securely in his embrace as he continues the steps of the dance without so much as a moment's hesitation. Applause surrounds us, but I can barely hear it as my arms wrap around his neck, laughing up at him. Of course, even being carried in his arms, I'm stuck looking up at him. The wonder over when I'll ever get to look him straight in the eye or down at him as I do with most people crosses my mind before that weight hits my stomach again and I frown lightly in confusion. "What's wrong?" He asks me, a matching frown on his face, and I shake my head, unwilling to try to explain what the matter is when I'm not sure myself. I focus on clearing my face before grinning up at him and tightening my arms around him as I reply.

"Nothing, just a big spin," I tell him. He seems to accept this, and apologises quickly, slowing his steps and turns.

"I'll be more careful, angel." The way he says angel is the same as when he calls me Am, as if it's a name he's decided only he can call me, and I hide in the crook of his neck for a moment, dropping a kiss against his skin before pulling back with a stern expression on my face. Well, as stern as I can manage when being danced about in his arms.

"I'm no angel," I force out in the darkest whisper I can manage, which curiously causes his face to go blank for a second, hands tightening on me before he drops his head back and laughs. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not!" He replies in a mock haughty tone as he looks at me again, but his grin negates everything. "I'm simply... Appreciating... Yes, appreciating the fact that you seem to think you're being threatening right now."

"I am threatening!" I glare at him again, knowing full well that Lily thinks the expression looks adorable on me - she's likened it to an angry puppy before. "You should be scared, I'm very very threatening right now. And besides, I'm not an angel."

"I'm sorry, of course, I'm very scared right now," Teddy speaks through his chuckles and then looks oddly serious before continuing. "And in that dress, with your hair like that, you look like the most beautiful angel to exist, like heaven decided to drop you right here- I'm sorry, I can't!" His laughter breaks through again, and I have to clutch even tighter to hold myself in case he drops me. I'm being serious, the way he's almost doubling over as his progress across the dance floor stutters to a stop is dangerous to me considering he's the only thing between me and falling unceremoniously to the floor. "No, th-th-that's ridi-culous, bu-t you do look beaut-iful, Am."

"Thank you," I reply dryly, "the way you were laughing whilst saying that definitely makes me feel like you mean it." I have a mere moment at the end of my sentence as I register his face closing the distance between us, and then his lips are pressing against mine as whoops explode around us.

"Say it again," Teddy whispers in my ear as he wraps me in his arms, making me feel overly warm despite my shiver which has nothing to do with the chill of the winter air as we stand far from the magically heated reception area, hidden by a tree from the guests. The moon shines through the trees, casting an almost ethereal glow around his dark form, which is making me think of a fallen angel with his glittering silver gaze focused on mine as he pulls back to look at me, a lock of dark hair falling across his brow practically begging me to give in to the urge to push it back. His silky hair slips through my fingers as I do.

"S-say what?" I ask quietly, smiling gently up at him, trying to avoid his eyes and failing miserably. He brought us here only minutes ago, slipping an arm around me as if he could feel my panic begin to rise with the seemingly endless parade of guests offering us well wishes, asking where we'll be honeymooning, asking so many questions I found it hard to keep up. I know exactly what he wants me to say, but I enjoy the look of mild exasperation in his eyes before he realises I'm joking and rolls his eyes, pulling me closer.

"You know what."

"What? That I love you-?" For someone who wanted me to tell him I loved him for the first time since we'd admitted it earlier, you'd think he would be less inclined to cut me off with a searing kiss, but- Ooh, one second, I'll be back...

"Amelie! Teddy!" Standing at the side of the dancefloor, Teddy's arms wrapped around me from behind, his forehead dropped to my shoulder as he complains heartily over being left at the sidelines of his own wedding, I'm more than content to ignore the calls until the familiar voice comes closer... Which it does, and quite quickly, attached to an excited Elladora, towing Tom behind her, who greets me with a grin and pokes the top of Teddy's head rather insistently, eliciting a grumbling response I feel as well as hear, the reverberations from his chest traveling through me.

"Hello," I speak quietly, embarrassedly. I know we'd only disappeared from our wedding for a mere ten minutes, but the slightly glaring look Elladora sends Teddy as his head lifts reminds me of her comments a month before as if reminding Teddy that I'm much younger than he is.

"What's up?" Teddy asks, and I can practically hear the raised eyebrow in the challenging tone he uses before his voice softens with a sigh. "Enjoying the reception?"

"We are, as it happens! Nice to see you married at last!" Tom replies cheerily, sharing a look with his best friend that I can't interpret before his grin turns devilish and Elladora rolls her eyes at me. "Ready for the best man's speech? Don't worry Amelie, I won't say anything too bad about your husband." He adds, and I glance up at my hus-Oh Merlin, that's the first time I've... He's my husb-... Oh Gryffindor's sword, I'm married... I'm married. I'm mar-

"Are you okay?" Elladora looks concerned but my eyes drop to the floor as I begin to zone out, Teddy's arms tightening around me before they slip away and I take the opportunity to escape quickly, darting away towards the table holding the champagne. I vaguely register Teddy admonishing Tom, explaining that it might not have hit me yet that I was married, but I'm grabbing a glass before my mind catches up to me and I straighten my spine, grabbing four instead of one and heading quickly back to the group watching me with mild concern.

"Sorry," I say quietly, passing the champagne out as if its an offering of apology, which they all take happily, Teddy's arm slipping back around my waist, his hand moving in soothing circles against the fabric of my dress as I raise my glass. "To sudden realisations," I tell them the instant before the glass touches my lips and bubbling liquid slips down my throat. The glass is empty when I remove it, and I look around to see they all took the same route, Elladora blushing at Tom who looks as if he's steeling himself for something. Teddy kisses my temple as his best friend nods to us with a cheeky expression on his face and walks backwards, his glass refilling before he winks at me and hops up onto the small stage housing the band and a microphone. I didn't know there was going to be one, but apparently Teddy really pulled out all the stops for this one. The music comes to a sudden halt and I turn my face, leaning up so that I can kiss Teddy who allows a mere brush of our lips before resting his forehead against mine, worry in his eyes.

"I'm okay," I manage to whisper and he squeezes my side as the look leaves his eyes and he smiles a little. I know he knows I'm nervous now, but I think I'll be okay, or at least manage to stave off the panic of the situation for a little while longer. As he told me before, I need only give the signal and we can sneak off again, this time not to kiss so much as to calm my nerves before returning. I don't want to tell him that I wouldn't mind the kissing so much when he's being so careful to look after me... At least, I figure it won't do to push him if he doesn't want to. I know that's a silly thing to worry about, but I am more and more today - or at least that I'd be a nuisance on what should be the happiest day of his life so far.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Tom calls out happily, tapping the microphone in front of him as if he's not a pureblood and has regularly used the muggle technology. "Ah, it works! Success! Teddy hoped it wouldn't, but then he's in for a bad ride here, isn't he? Now does everyone have a glass?" Tom asks to a chorus of cheers. My empty glass is replaced by a full one, my hand slipping into Teddy's as my new husband begins to look rather sheepish about what his best friend might have to say about him.

"Here we go..." Elladora turns to look at me and winks in much the same way as her husband had, and I pretty much hear Teddy's gulp beside me. I'm looking up at him and he's refusing to meet my eye, so whatever Tom has to say is going to be incredibly interesting...

"Teddy... Teddy... Teddy... Edward, for you older folk." Tom shakes his head and is speaking in a grave tone which is setting off little peals of laughter from Teddy's friends, interspersed as they are throughout the crowd. "What can I say about Teddy that will embarrass him as much as I want to?" Teddy burrows his face into my neck at this, and I have to quickly cover a patch of his hair which is rapidly turning red before any muggles see and lose yet another part of our wedding day. He seems to get it under control, turning it black again quite quickly as I feel the twitch of his nose and shift a little at the ticklish movement. I'm choosing to ignore the smile I feel against my shoulder in case it leads to him snuffling me again whilst everyone's looking at Tom.

I'm trying hard not to yawn at this point, what with it only being about one in the morning and the reception being in full swing. Tom's speech had everyone in stitches, but I unfortunately seemed to miss the majority of what was said due to Teddy's nose changing form every time I tried to concentrate. I'm sure he was using my policing of his metamorphagus powers to keep my attention off his best man, but I'll hopefully find out later if Lily was filming it as well as she just assured me she was. Oh no, the yawn is coming... Bite your lip Amelie!

"Tired?" I look up and shake my head despite having to give in to my traitorous body and place a hand over my mouth, showing myself and Harry, who asked, that my refusal was a flat out lie. He laughs at this, and then falls into a smile. "I think Teddy was looking for the coffee a few minutes ago, so if you're both on your way out I wouldn't worry. You've been up all day, or at least he has."

"Has he?" I ask, knowing he's been up for at least as long as I have, but not being sure whether he was as exhausted the night before. Harry nods and a grin I haven't seen before passes his lips as if he's about to give up a secret he knows he shouldn't.

"Teddy spent the entire night pacing around the house wondering to anyone who would listen about whether or not you'd jilt him, or what would happen if he messed things up. Now I know that's quite a James thing to do but I can't say I pegged Teddy for quite so much of a worrier. He tends to keep that sort of thing to himself." Harry seems to be looking at me questioningly now which is making me feel as if I should be shifting from foot to foot like a child with their hand caught in the biscuit jar, but I'm forcing myself to stay still, even though my cheeks are blazing and I'm probably blushing brighter red than Sirius. The star, not the person, if you were wondering.

"D... Erm... Do you... Do you know why?" I ask him, my voice barely lower than a squeak to begin with which makes my blush worse and causes me to clear my throat as I continue. "I mean... Do you know why he would have been so nervous?" There. Got it. Harry's grin widens as he places a hand on my arm, and I feel as if I'm about to be given the secret to the meaning of life or something. I'm not lying to you when I tell you that Harry Potter is scary, reassuring, calming, and nerve tangling all that the same time - the man saw more danger and lived through more by the time he was my age than most people would see in three or four lifetimes. I know he's my best friend's dad, but I don't know many people who don't get quite nervous around him, and I don't want to toot my own horn here, but I like to think he likes me so I'm more scared of letting him down than ever.

"I think it has something to do with the fact that for all I've tried to be good to Teddy, James, and Albus, they're unfortunately too like me. And Teddy is so like his father it's hard for us sometimes not to tell him. I just want you to remember that he's Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks' son, and if he's ever overly-worried a lot, annoying, or so infuriating you want to shout at him and chuck him out your house-" Odd one that, it seems to me as if he's saying that from experience. Does he mean that he's done that to Teddy or his father? "-he's also happy, clumsy, messy, silly, kind, nurturing, and has the patience of a saint." Harry's eyes are twinkling from behind his glasses, almost as if he's on the verge of tears, but he can't be, he's Harr-

"What's going on?" Teddy interjects, coming up beside me. I look to him with a smile, and when I glance back at Harry, he's looking off towards his wife. A second later he returns his gaze to us both and all suggestion of a tear in his eye is gone. "Not warning my fair bride off me already, are you Harry?"

"No," Harry replies with a laugh and a subtle wink to me really, what is it with all the winking today? "Just informing her that if she ever wants to throw you out the house one day, we'll put you up for a bit." This earns me a bear hug from Ted, who growls jokingly at Harry and informs him that I like him far too much for that.

"Oh I don't know," I surprise us all by speaking in such a serious way, "you do play for the wrong team after all. Can't be sure of my actions if you dared to beat Puddlemere again." Teddy's mouth drops open in shock for a few seconds as his eyes dart between Harry and me, and then the three of us descend into fits of laughter not unlike the times I spent with Lily before all of this happened.

"Right. I saw that yawn earlier, but I didn't think you were so tired you'd lost your senses, Am!" Teddy says in a mock serious tone once we manage to control ourselves, and at the mere mention of a yawn, I have to cover my mouth again from another one. It's all his fault, he's too warm and snuggly for his own good.

"Shall I round up the other parents then, so you two can say goodbye? Or do you think-" Yawn. "And I think that answers my question as to whether you two could hold on much longer. Synchronized yawns already! I'm impressed!"