Elaborate Lives

Disclaimer: I don’t own the Harry Potter characters (mutters under breath: stupid copyright) but I do own Kiki and Harmony...and the title comes from the “Aida” soundtrack. Enjoy!

It was a chilly day at the beginning of November. A small white chapel stood out against the reds, yellows and oranges of the autumn season. A couple drove by this chapel, and the woman’s eyes widened as she watched a group of oddly dressed people gather outside of the building. Judging by their black clothes, she knew they were there for a funeral. She wondered if they were for any of the thirteen people who were killed last week in London by that maniac Sirius Black...

A young blonde stood, wrapping her arms around her to keep herself warm. Her black cape did little to black the chill spreading through her. How can a morning this mild be so raw? she thought to herself. She walked over to another woman, a black haired woman with startling gold eyes.

“Kiki?” the woman asked, placing a hand on the woman’s shoulder. Kiki turned around and tried to smile, but failed. She collapsed into her friend’s arms and started to sob.

Kiki’s sobs lasted for about five minutes before she calmed down. “I’m sorry, Harmony,” she said.

“Don’t be. We have every right to break down and cry with each other,” Harmony said. “After all, Lily and James are...are...Merlin, I can’t even bring myself to say the word.” Harmony’s eyes brimmed with tears. “There’s Remus. Oh, Merlin,” she breathed, catching sight of her boyfriend.

The tall brown-haired man looked weak and walked with his head down. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He seemed to have the aura of a man who was defeated by his demons, a man alone in the world. Harmony called his name and he turned, his face suddenly seeming to age overnight.

Remus stopped before he reached the group and seemed to hold back from his girlfriend and friend. “Is he avoiding us?” Kiki asked. “Don’t tell me he thinks that we’re next because we’re his friends.”

“It could be. You know how Remus feels about being—you know,” Harmony said, bringing her voice down so as not to attract any attention. “He probably thinks Voldemort is trying to punish him for not joining with the other werewolves.”

“Let’s change the subject before someone overhears us. Oh look, there’s Lily’s ogre of a sister and her troll of a husband,” Kiki said, catching sight of Petunia and Vernon Dursley.

“Now, Kiki, we don’t want to insult anyone. Especially the trolls and ogres,” Harmony said. “You weren’t doing them justice with your comparison. Don’t the Dursley’s have little Harry?”

“Oh, ugh, they do,” Kiki replied. “You go and try to talk your boyfriend out of his shell and I’ll go rescue the poor, helpless Harry James Potter from his evil aunt Petunia, excuse me.” Kiki rushed past and approached the Dursleys as Harmony went to embrace Remus.

He shied away from her touch, causing her to worry. “Will you stop that, Remus,” she whispered, “you have nothing to do with it!”

“I have everything to do with it. Voldemort lured over Padfoot to spite me, and then goes and murders Lily and Prongs, just to laugh at me. I can’t stand it if you got hurt as well!”

“Remus, for someone who could surpass everyone in school, you can sure be idiotic at times,” Harmony hissed at him. “Voldemort is gone, remember? There is no one else he can hurt.”

“The Death Eaters,” Remus whispered, suddenly clutching Harmony close to him. “They will try to finish his punishment plan. I know it.”

“Are they going to do something for a master who is either too weak or dead?” came a new voice. It was Albus Dumbledore, their old headmaster and leader. “You have nothing to fear, Remus.”

“Except the Ministry’s backlash against my kind.”

“Well, if that happens, I’ll be right by your side,” Harmony said, leaning her head against Remus’ shoulder.

Kiki walked over holding little Harry. “They had left him in their car. Can you believe that?” She rocked the one year old, listening to him start babbling. “He’s so sweet...does he really have to stay with them?” Kiki asked Albus.

“I’m afraid so,” Dumbledore replied, looking over the baby. “He looks so much like James. But he has Lily’s eyes.”

“He’s probably going to be a heartbreaker like James and Sirius,” Harmony said, before breaking down. Remus caught her and let her cry.

“I’m the last one,” he whispered. “The last Marauder left. James and Peter are dead and Sirius is locked in Azkaban for their murders and the murders of others. I don’t believe it, but it’s true. I am the last Marauder.”

Kiki’s stance suddenly changed. “You are not the last Marauder. Sirius is still alive. He’s innocent, I know he is!” she declared, stonily. At this point a hand plopped down on her shoulder, causing her to spin around. There was her boyfriend, Severus Snape.

“How are you doing?” he asked. She made no response, but just turned around, looking guilty.

“Kiki, there were witnesses who saw...we can’t doubt them,” Albus said.

“But witnesses can be wrong.”

“Twenty of them?” Remus asked. “I know, I don’t want to admit to myself, but we have to. Sirius betrayed us and became a murderer.”

“And this surprises you three? Or have you forgotten our fifth year?” Severus interjected. “I certainly haven’t and I really doubt you have, Lupin.” The tension between the group could’ve been cut with a chain saw as they all remembered the year Sirius tricked Severus into seeing Remus in his werewolf stage.

“Get away, now,” Harmony said, through her teeth. “Before there is another murder today—yours. And I doubt the jury would find me guilty.” Severus slowly walked away upon a look from Dumbledore.

Molly and Arthur Weasley approached the group, holding a little baby. “We couldn’t leave her home with my mother,” Arthur explained, as Harmony went for Molly’s bundle.

“Here you go, dear. You are her godmother,” Molly said. She turned to the cooing child in Kiki’s arms. “Harry, poor child. He’s living with those muggles, isn’t he? I had so hoped he and Ron would be friends. Remember when Lily, Alice and I discovered we were pregnant at the same time? I guess Harry, Ron and Neville will have to be friends in Hogwarts.” Molly let Harry swing her finger around.

“Molly, Ginny is beautiful,” Harmony said. “A bright spot in these dark times.” She twirled the little baby girl around a little more. “I can’t wait to have children of my own,” she said, shooting a look at Remus. He merely smiled.

The crowd began to disperse, leaving only this small group. Petunia timidly walked over to retrieve their nephew. “Ki, Mony, Moon, bye, bye,” he babbled in his cute baby talk. The group waved as he was placed in the car.

Molly and Arthur soon took their leave with Dumbledore, as little Ginny was beginning to get hungry and they feared what condition the twins had left the Burrow in. Severus walked near Kiki and gave a quick cough. “I guess I have to go. I’m going to break it off to him. I think I owe to Lily’s memory and to Sirius,” she said, moving to join the professor.

That just left Harmony and Remus, who stayed a little while longer before going back to his place for dinner. The two comforted each other through the night as a sudden storm brewed up.

“Where are you going? It’s eight o’clock in the morning,” Harmony asked, head resting on a pillow. She watched as Remus changed into clothes. He rushed around the room, looking for his shoes and to pack a bag. “What do you need that for?”

“The Ministry called me in,” he said. At Harmony’s alarmed face, he sat down on the bed. “I’m sure Albus will make sure nothing happens to me. They have just asked me to come in for a few days. They advised I bring a bag.” He kissed her forehead. “You can stay here as long as you want,” he told her.

She swung out of bed, collecting her clothes. “Last night was wonderful,” she told him. She leaned over and kissed him passionately. “Remember that while you’re at the Ministry,” she told him. He smiled and flooed out of the house.

Harmony had just finished brushing her hair when Albus’ head appeared in the fireplace. “I need you in my office for a minute,” he said. Harmony walked over and into the fireplace to floo to the Hogwarts school.

She sat down and watched Albus pace behind his desk. “Unfortunate news, Harmony. Alice and Frank Longbottom were tormented by some loyal Deatheaters,” he said.

Harmony gasped. “Are they—are they---oh please don’t say they are. I couldn’t bear to lose any more friends. Please, they aren’t, are they?” Harmony still couldn’t still bring herself to say the words “dead” or “death.”

“No, the Longbottoms are alive—to a point. I’m afraid the Deatheater attack caused them to go crazy. They don’t recognize anyone anymore. Not each other, not their families, not me, not even their son. Neville is safe though, with his grandmother. She will make sure he is raised properly in our ways. I look forward to the days he walks these halls with Ron Weasley and Harry Potter.

“But there has been two other deatheater attacks. One was in Italy and the other in Denmark. I believe you know a little Danish?”

“Yes. Enough to get by. Why?”

“I’m going to need you to go out there. They killed our spy in Denmark. We need someone to cover his post until we can be assured the Deatheater activity there is ceasing. Kiki is covering Italy. She and Severus broke up, you know.” Albus looked down on Harmony.

She sat there, in a dilemma. She couldn’t refuse Albus, but she had just promised Remus to never leave his side. “Can anyone else go? I have Remus to think about. And what type of godmother would I be if I hardly ever saw my goddaughter?”

“Unfortunately, you are the only one capable of the job,” Albus said, suddenly looking worn and tired. “If I could send anyone else, I would. But I can’t. I’m sorry, Harmony.”

“Can I write Remus a note? He was called in by the Ministry this morning. Please?” Harmony asked.

Albus nodded. “Write it now. I will give it to him myself. After all, I’m going to have to go check to make sure they are treating him properly.” He handed his former student a paper and a quill. She wrote and wrote until she thought her hand would fall off. She handed the note to Albus and left the office, not to return there for more than a decade...

A/N: hope you enjoyed this! There’s more to come...believe me, I have a large chunk of this written. There’s a quote from a Broadway song hidden in here. A cookie to everyone who finds it and can tell me the name of the song/play it is from!