Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Serena POV.
I held Bella's hand tightly as we walked along the path towards St. Michael's tower. Ignoring all the people gathered there was extremely easy when my concentration was entirely dedicated to Bella. Even while walking, I could barely take my eyes off her. Bella seemed to enjoy my gaze, so she simply smiled slightly as we walked.
Finally, we crossed the tower, walking down the middle, revealing the place where the ritual would take place, so my gaze finally focused on it. The circle was just as I had left it. Freya, who wasn't even disguised as Syr, wore a rather simple cream-colored dress and a few accessories; she was dressed as a priestess.
She stood beside the central altar, where the various items for the ceremony were arranged. Glastonbury Tor was still bathed in moonlight, the stars twinkling in the night sky, and the lights floating around—something that would soon change, if my internal clock was correct; the first rays of sunlight would appear in just a few minutes. I sighed as I glanced at Freya once more; she smiled gently at us.
Then I looked around the outer circle; that's where the family and friends were to be, those who would bless and protect the ritual. Fourteen people were standing in a circle, waiting.
Enid, Ravel, GLaDOS, Lucy, Rebecca, Riveria, Arcturus Black, Andromeda, Narcissa and Druella Black, Bella's mother, were quickly joined by Lucius and Cygnus Black, Bella's father. Finally, there was Harold Minchum, the current Minister of Magic, and to my surprise, Albus Dumbledore, who smiled slightly at me.
I almost wanted to sigh and ask whose idea it was, but I ignored it for the moment as Freya stepped forward. She walked gently to the eastern altar, delicately picked up the incense, and raised it as if to show it to everyone, then took a deep breath.
"Let this circle be drawn, not as a barrier, but as a sanctuary." Freya began solemnly, gently wafting the incense as she circled it, which began to glow in her wake. "Let only truth, love, and goodwill enter within it. Let all discord remain outside, and let every blessing find a home here."
"This is a bond of the noblest and most ancient kind. Magic will guide and unite them. This circle brings us together, reminding us that today we are a community, family by blood, chosen family, and dear friends. And we will all witness what is about to happen."
"The space is prepared, the doors are open, and so are our hearts. Let's begin." Freya said as she finished walking around the circle, which was illuminated with a faint blue light. To my surprise, I could see and hear the ancient magic emanating around us.
Bella and I started walking once more. We turned around the circle and stopped in front of the East altar. Freya was waiting for us with a gentle smile.
"Two paths converge, two stories meet, two lives that until today walked side by side, now come to declare themselves traveling companions. Neither belongs to the other, neither dominates the other, and both appear here by their own choice."
"Do they come to this circle freely? Do they come without coercion or deception? Do you come with the sincere desire to share your path? " Freya asked, staring at us intently.
""I Do."" Bella and I said without even hesitating, Freya smiled broadly.
"Then welcome," Freya said, stepping to the side. Bella and I stepped forward, entering the circle. Then the magic seemed to descend with force; the light around the circle magnified and shone more brightly as we stepped inside before calming slightly.
Freya didn't even flinch; she simply continued holding the incense from the beginning and gently waved it around us, especially over our heads, chests, and hands.
"May the elements bless them, first the air, the winds of dawn and of the first breath, bless these souls with understanding, that they may never lack words when they must speak and that they may never lack a listening ear when they must understand. May the smoke carry away all unnecessary burdens, may doubts dissipate like mist at dawn, and may only that which is true remain." Freya recited before leaving the incense on the altar.
Then she led us to the west altar, took the bowl of salt water, and held it up in front of us. Bella and I let go and began gently washing our hands.
"Second, water, bless this union with compassion, that they may share their joys, that they may share their sorrows, and that they may always find mutual refuge in times of storm. Enter this union with clean hands, open hearts, and honest intentions, that nothing hidden may come between you." Freya said gently, then removed the bowl and placed it back on the altar. Bella and I took each other's hands again.
Then she led us to the southern altar, where she gestured for us to take the candle placed there. We did so, simultaneously taking the ceremonial candle, which began to burn more brightly.
"Third, the fire. Bless this union with courage and passion, that their love may never grow cold, that their desire may never turn to indifference, and that they may always find the strength to choose each other once more. Today, two flames, two fires, two lights born from different paths become one. Neither diminishes to feed the other. Both create something new. May this flame always remember that union does not demand disappearance. May you remain yourselves as you build something greater, together." Freya said as she guided us to the altar in the center, next to the union candle.
Bella and I carried the ceremonial candle from the southern altar and carefully lit the unifying candle in the center. A huge flame erupted from the candle as it lit, vibrating in hundreds of colors before stopping and calming slightly. Freya nodded, carefully took the ceremonial candle from our hands, and carried it back to the southern altar. Then, she led us to the last altar, the northern one.
Freya paused slightly before bending down and lighting some candles that I hadn't placed there. I watched curiously as Freya stood up.
"And fourth, the earth, bless this union with stability, that they may build a home and prosper together, that future generations may remember this day with gratitude. To those whose steps preceded us, to those who walked these paths before us, we remember and honor you." Freya said as she bowed slightly.
When her words ended, the four altars lit up brightly as the circle vibrated more intensely. Then Freya led us toward the central altar. Carefully, she beckoned us to enter the central circle.
A small circle where Bella and I could barely fit. We turned to look at each other. I moved first, with delicate movements, I removed Bella's bridal cape, gently placing it on the altar.
I bent down slightly to let Bella do the same with my bridal cape, placing it on top of hers so they joined together.
Freya moved, grabbed two ceremonial daggers, and handed them to us. Bella and I took them while Freya picked up a chalice and placed it between us. Bella and I raised our left hands and made a cut in our palms.
We let the blood drip into the chalice as our blood mingled. We laid the daggers on the altar as the ritual's magic healed our palms. Bella moved first, taking the chalice filled with our combined blood, dipping two fingers into it, and beginning to draw runes on my body.
The runes covered my arms, so I slightly moved my shirt and drew them on my body. The runes symbolized union and unity; love and trust; pleasure and generosity. They showed that we had chosen a lifelong bond between equals.
When Bella finished, she handed me the chalice, and I gently drew the same runes on her body. When I finally finished, I gently raised the chalice and drank a sip of our blood.
Then Bella took the chalice, turned it, and drank the blood from the same spot where I had drunk. Once we finished, Freya took the chalice and placed it on the altar, finally nodding in the direction of the circle. Bella and I held hands again and entered the circle at the same time.
Once we entered, the glow enveloped us tightly; I could feel the magic practically buzzing and vibrating all around us so strongly that anyone would notice.
"With this, the elements have been called, and the ancestors remembered," Freya said solemnly before giving us a mischievous look and a wink. Then she raised both hands to the sky. "Now, I invoke the chosen gods. Freya of the Vanir, guardian of love and war, bless these two souls who stand before you today. Bless their laughter, their dreams, and their victories. Bless even their hardships so that they may thrive through them, together. May they share the same home without losing their individuality, their freedom, and may they never lose the love that brought them here."
When Freya finished, a light golden pulse traveled around the entire ritual circle, charging the magic circle even more. My eyes opened wide as I looked at Freya, but she was not finished yet.
"Miach, kind healer, protector of those who offer help without asking for anything in return, look upon these two souls and bless them, bless their hands so that they may heal each other, bless their words so that they may comfort each other, bless their hearts so that they may understand each other and be a refuge for one another and for all those who seek refuge in their home. May they walk together, may they grow together, and may they care for each other all the days of their lives."
Just like before, the same golden pulse swept across the ritual circle. The circle around us had gone from a light sky blue to one with golden flecks running all over it.
I just stared in disbelief at Freya, who was smiling broadly. Then I turned to look at Bella, who had a gentle smile after hearing Miach's blessing. I could only sigh in defeat.
"Now, the vows will be pronounced. Here, the commitment takes visible form; you will not be bound as slaves, you will not be bound as prisoners, you will be united by choice, like two branches that grow intertwined, like two stars that share a constellation."
"Please join your left hands and recite your vows," Freya said gently. Bella and I obeyed immediately. We turned to face each other. We both extended our left hands and clasped our forearms tightly. This time, Bella let me take the lead; my breath trembled.
"We... didn't have the most orthodox beginning, you could say, and at first, I just went with the flow, but now, I choose you. Not because you're easy. Not because you're perfect. And certainly not because you make my life easier."
"I choose you because you are you, and that's all I want and all I need, you, completely you."
"I don't promise you peace. I don't promise you an easy life. I know you don't want either of them. But what I can promise you is to be by your side and face this world, and the next, for all eternity."
"I love you. Completely. With all that I am and all that I will be, I love you completely and irrevocably." I finished softly, smiling at Bella and gazing into her eyes. Bella's eyes sparkled as she smiled without embarrassment; she looked at me intently before sighing softly.
"Everything. I give you everything of me," Bella said firmly. "My body, my mind, my magic, and my soul. I offer you my devotion, every one of my thoughts, my life, and all that I am and will be."
"This is the third time I've chosen you, and possibly the most important, but it won't be the last. I love you, I love you completely and irrevocably, and I will always choose you, in any world and at any time, for all eternity and in all my lives." Bella said with terrifying firmness.
I just smiled broadly and brightly. I could feel my eyes starting to burn, and I had to blink rapidly to avoid crying.
I could feel both my vows and Bella's; they entwined around us with such firmness that it was almost comforting. I had made unbreakable vows before; they were chains, restrictions, squeezing the soul in a restrictive and almost suffocating way.
These… these vows… I could feel them gently enveloping our souls. I could feel Bella's soul drawing closer to mine, as if the vow were uniting us, making us one. But it still lacked firmness; it still needed one last push.
"Until now, you have spoken your vows, you have shared your promises as a symbol of your commitment. Now, let those words take shape, for spoken words are like winds, and the magic that will bind you together is permanent. Let your hands be joined not as chains, but as a reminder of the choice you make today before all these witnesses," Freya said solemnly.
Then Freya took a small dagger, cut her palm slightly, took a white ribbon, stained it with her blood, and raised it high.
"This first bond I tie in the name of Freya, lady of chosen love, mistress of magic and guardian of warriors, may she bless the passion that unites you. And also, in the name of Miach, healer of visible and invisible wounds, may he bless your hearts and your home." Freya said gently.
Then she moved her hands gently and tied the ribbon around our hands. The ribbon… the ribbon felt similar, yet… completely different. As Freya wrapped the ribbon around our hands, the bonds of our marriage vows tightened, gained strength, and coiled even more tightly around our souls.
"Now, I will invite family, close friends, and the community to bless this union," Freya said, extending her hand toward one of the people. I saw Bella's father step forward with poise. He entered the outer circle, took one of the black ribbons, and stood outside the small circle where Bella and I were. Even so, he reached out and wrapped the ribbon with trembling fingers around our hands.
"May your home remain steadfast even as the world changes around you." Cygnus solemnly nodded in our direction, then returned to his place. The next person approached and repeated the same thing; this time, it was Lucius.
"May neither of you strangle the other for the next millennia," Lucius said playfully before stopping. "Unless the other wants it." He said, looking at Bella, who just glared at him. "May no adversity ever separate you," Lucius said more gently. With that, he walked away, and the next person came in.
"May you always find comfort in each other's presence." Druella said with a smile, looking mainly at Bella.
"May you always have a place to return to together." Narcissa, almost tearfully, seemed to gather all her strength not to hug us right there.
"May you never have to hide who you are to be loved," Andromeda said as she looked at both of us, especially at Bella.
"May you never lack reasons to smile and make your lives colorful." Enid said she was practically crying as she smiled.
"May your union prosper like an eternal flame: warm, bright, and impossible to extinguish." Ravel said, chin raised.
"Most couples fail due to poor communication, accumulated resentment, or homicide. Try to avoid at least two of those options," GLaDOS said dryly. I snorted, amused.
"May you always have someone to escape to when the world gets too heavy, and never let fear drive you away," Lucy said with a small smile.
"May time never erode the love between you," Riveria said softly and gently.
"May they continue to be crazy about each other for all eternity, and may no one be stupid enough to try and separate them," Rebecca said, almost mockingly, before stopping and shrugging. "Or may they be stupid enough, and may you crush all the idiots in front of you," she added finally.
"House Black recognizes you as worthy to walk together. May the lineage that continues today never know weakness," Lord Black said with composure.
"In uncertain times, few things inspire more hope than seeing two people choose to build something together," the minister said firmly, nodding in our direction. Finally, Dumbledore approached.
"I have always believed that love is the strongest magic there is, one that I have certainly never fully understood... and honestly, I suspect that's part of its beauty," Dumbledore said gently. "You are stronger together. Love doesn't mean walking in front of each other or behind each other; it means staying by each other's side, even when the path becomes difficult. Don't forget that."
With that, Dumbledore grabbed the last white ribbon and… drew in ancient magic. I could feel the whispers and see the ancient magic gathering in the ribbon as he tied it around our hands.
Finally, the last knot was tied around our hands. I could feel all the blessings, vows, and promises, all entangling around my soul and my magic. I could feel Bella as well as my own, as she pressed comfortably around my soul.
"Look at these hands, they carry in them their vows, the blessings of their families, their friends, their communities, those who love them, and now, they will carry them forever. Before recognizing this union, the exchange of rings," Freya said as she looked at me before nodding.
I nodded gently. Bella looked at me curiously as I began to slide my left hand through the knots. I could see her eyes wide with confusion, and they would be. This... wasn't really part of the ritual, but I had done the calculations and tweaked it slightly to include this part.
Before our hands separated, I grasped her ring finger with mine and intertwined them tightly. The ribbons and bows were still tied around our hands, then I took hold of the wand that Freya gently handed me.
I moved my wand while controlling the ribbons and shrinking them; the fifteen ribbons wrapped around our ring fingers. The magic seemed to respond to my intention, and it coiled around our ring fingers, then began to merge into our flesh—no, into our souls.
"Rings, for me, are... something fickle, something that can be taken off, something that can be lost, something that can be destroyed, and it's not something I want to share with you." I began softly as I watched the ribbons continue to fasten around our fingers and merge. "With this, our vows and our blessings, these marks, will remain forever, reminders of this day and this union, and nothing will erase them, something we will carry with us for all eternity, together, and I wouldn't want it any other way." I said gently.
I watched as the ribbons finished disappearing; my ring finger and Bella's were surrounded by silver lines that tangled and intertwined before extending to the middle of our palms and the backs of our hands.
I looked at Bella, who was smiling broadly with her eyes shining brightly.
"I love it," Bella said softly, and I smiled broadly.
"The vows have been spoken!" Freya began once more with force. "The hands have been joined, the blessings bestowed, the rings exchanged! Before the elements, before the ancestors, before the gods, and before all those present! " Freya's voice resonated powerfully; I could feel the magic vibrating ever stronger. Then Freya pointed to the sky, where the sun had already begun to rise, about to fully emerge as dawn broke.
"With the arrival of dawn, a new beginning appears; your union has been recognized. By the expressed will of both of you, and by the authority of this sacred circle, in the name of magic, I declare you wives. You may seal your union with a kiss," Freya said firmly.
I could feel the magic throbbing strongly; it trembled throughout the hill as Bella and I looked at each other. We both smiled and moved closer. I leaned in far enough, and finally, we gently joined our lips.
I could feel my soul crumbling, as all the vows, bonds, and blessings tightened, sealing it permanently. I could feel my soul joining Bella's unquestionably.
My soul was undoubtedly one with Bella's; I belonged to her and she to me, and we were both one. It was… really hard to describe. I didn't know where my soul ended, and Bella's began, and… it wasn't overwhelming; it just felt good, perfect.
Finally, we separated and looked at each other. I could see her eyes sparkle as she gazed at me in recognition. I could feel my soul within her, and I was an extension of her. So all I could do was smile, completely in love.
"Hello, wife." I said softly. Bella laughed, stretched out her hands, and wrapped her arms around mine, forcing me to bend down to her level. Then she rested her forehead on mine and smiled.
"Hello, my wife," Bella replied with a bright smile. Yes… Today was the happiest day of my life.
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Author's Notes: Long live the wives! Well, now, I hope you liked this little ritual. First, I want to apologize if there are any inconsistencies. It was difficult to find Handfasting rituals, let alone find detailed information about it, so I had to do a lot of research and then improvise another part.
In addition, I've never written wedding vows, family blessings, or even ceremony speeches, but I really like how everything turned out. I'm really satisfied with this, so I hope you liked it.
There should be a couple more chapters left of the rest of the wedding, the ceremony and reception still need to be finished, and everything else, then several POVs before starting the next arc.