Marauding Ever After
by MariKenobi
Chapter 29 – Dress Rehearsals
A/N - not mine, no money, don't bother...
The Belle Reve trio was going mad. They still couldn't believe they had agreed to an event without the most important member around. What Remus Lupin was planning was sweet… but keeping it all a secret certainly made it too difficult to carry on without a hitch. To make almost everything worse, most of the people involved were busy working. So they couldn't even bring them over to rehearse. At least the entertainment was getting ready. They could relax knowing that at least one of the events would go on swimmingly.
The music was too awesome. The Hearties had become a fabulous band on their own. Soon enough they were going on tour all over the Ever After. It was going to be amazing.
"One more time boys! Remember this one will be for Dora! We have to be perfect!" Ted yelled to his band mates after they had finished their set.
"For Dora!" The rest of the Hearties exclaimed.
Across from them, Fred and Cedric were putting the finishing touches on their outfits for the performance.
"They are kind of good." Cedric commented as he bopped to the music.
"Kind of?" Fred jumped up. "I love it! I'm pondering how to join their group. I could be a good Hearty. I was born to be adored."
Cedric shook his head. "They can adore you from a theater stage. You can't carry a tune and you know it."
Fred turned his head in a snit. "You are just jealous. Everyone loves me."
"Sure they do."
"They also want to be me. I am going to be adored. Here. The store. The Club. Everywhere." Fred grinned.
Cedric slapped his forehead, "Eternity is way too long."
Sirius was trying to learn the computer. He wondered why Moody wanted their systems to be updated. It was the Ever After… they had all the time in the universe.
"Stupid thing!" Sirius kicked it. "Moody!"
Silence.
"Moody!" He bellowed louder.
"Yes." Moody growled in reply appearing next to him.
"Why do we need this?'
"It will be good, besides wizards aren't the only ones that work in the Ever After. We have to learn how the Muggles did it too." Moody hadn't finished talking and he was already looking at some other papers.
"Why did I agree to this job?" Sirius groaned.
"Because it was about time you grew up. Most people do it while living, you were always special." James had walked into the office. "Hey Moody. We received this papers today. You should take a look." He gave Moody the documents and sat on Sirius' desk. "Where's your new very hot assistant? Remus said you were expecting her at any moment." James tried not to laugh but it was impossible.
"Hot?" Moody looked up. "I will not have you referring to any member of this office in that manner. Also, how do you know it won't be a man? Unless that's how you swing, which is completely acceptable… Clearly. Besides, Nymphadora will not be choosing anyone on account of any so called hotness. She is searching for talent."
"Tonks is picking her?" Sirius' eyes almost bugged out. "I'm doomed. She's going to pick the most annoying person she can find. What did I do to deserve this? Are we sure I wasn't suddenly sent to that other place for eternity?"
"Drama queen." James stated.
"Indeed." Moody agreed.
Remus gave Colin another notebook. This was the fifth notebook he had given him in the last hour. Colin was getting more and more nervous as the time went by. He had felt prepared, but now he was having doubts.
"This is all that you should need for arithmetic. There's more material than you will be able to cover, but that way you will be prepared if a student goes fast or something like that."
Colin nodded at Remus, who continued. "If you were to find yourself in trouble, which I doubt, Madame Montessori will surely help you out."
Colin nodded again… barely since he was sure he was turning purple. "I'm certain I'll manage." He squeaked.
"If I didn't think you could do it –"
"I know Remus. And thanks for believing in me."
"Always. Now let's move on to the science experiments you can do." Remus took yet another notebook, which made Colin groan again.
Lily and Emmeline kept moving around all the flowers and balloons. This drove the party planners crazy.
Sirius complained that it was too pink and needed more blue. James agreed and began helping him change stuff around. This also drove the planners crazy.
Remus could care less. He just wanted everything beautiful for Dora. As she deserved.
"Dear, dear Moony… We have a situation!" James and Sirius walked up to him.
"Yes, Sirius?" Remus rearranged some flowers… and the planners probably got mad again.
"James is under the mistaken impression that he's going to be your best man. I beg to differ, Moony. Clearly, I'll be your best man. After all, you are marrying my cousin. Again."
James turned to Remus and shrugged. "I tried to explain, but he's not having it."
"Well… you were James' best man," Remus used his best teacher calm voice. "He never got a chance to be a best man. I think it's only fair."
"Fair? FAIR! How can you say that?"
James rolled his eyes. "What about poor Remus? He'll never have the chance. Who would ever want to marry you?"
"Oh shut it, Prongs."
Remus couldn't help but laugh. It was good to have friends.
Some time later Ted and Moody walked up to Remus and company. "What's the point of rehearsing if Nymphadora isn't here? We all know what we have to do."
"Moody, we are preparing a wonderful surprise for my daughter. It has to be perfect. Did you make sure to keep Dora busy so she won't find out about this?"
"What do you take me for, Ted? I am a professional. I just informed her that there was a lot of work to be done and if she was planning on taking a vacation right around the time she was starting a new job with me, she better be ready to hit the ground running when she came back."
"Knew I could count on you, Moody, to come up with something." Remus patted the man on the back.
"It was the truth. There's plenty of work to be done. I could be there doing it right now."
Ted laughed. "Oh Alistair, spending the time away from the office won't kill you!"
"And if it does… no problem. We are already dead." James shrugged.
"Besides the food will be delicious." Lily joined them.
"This is the Ever After, the food is always delicious." Moody growled. "I thought you were over there with the flowers."
"I was," she sighed, "but Vanderbilt was really angry over my latest suggestion and threatened to do painful things to me… so I decided to join you men."
"Afraid she was going to turn you pink?" Sirius asked.
Lily nodded. "She threatened with purple."
James gave his wife a kiss. "Personally, I think you would look smashing all in purple. It would bring out your radiance. The splendor it would provide shall give enough light to put the sun out of business. The amazingness---"
"Yeah… yeah… I get it James. You and Lily love each other tons and tons. Enough!"
"Yeah, poor Sirius will never get anyone to love him like that." Lily laughed.
"Is it attack Sirius' day? I thought we were here to get this sham of a wedding on track. Let's move it… of course since I'm apparently NOT the best man, it's not like I have anything to do." Sirius whined.
"I was going to ask you to give the toast, but if you are going to be that way, I can have Colin do it." Remus grinned broadly.
"Ha! He would turn green before uttering a single word. You need me. I'm the only man for the job."
