The hazy light of sun through rain streamed fitfully into the living room the next morning. No trace of Sirius Black remained, but Koda's mind, hazy from lack of sleep, kept imagning him around, like a ghost.
They made it back to the house around midnight. Tired beyond words, Koda slumped into the sofa, and in a few minutes the warm, comforting weight of Cei leaning on her lulled her into sleep. Now his presence next to her was gone, but as the pallid sunlight warmed her cheek, she couldn't stir herself to wake. A gentle warmth washed over the gash on her calf, easing the pain into nonexistance. Finally, she pulled herself into conciousness, opening her eyes.
Cei was crouched on the floor, dutifully washing her wounded leg. A small bowl of water was on the floor near to him, a few puffs of steam coming off of its surface. He hadn't quite realized that she had woken up, still bathing the gash with utmost care. Koda roused herself further, and silently leaned down to catch him in a hug. He flinched slightly, startled, then relaxed, looking up into her face with almost childlike deep concern as she pulled back.
"I'm fine," she whispered to him gently. "Really. But thank you."
He looked down, as if a bit ashamed, but she brought his gaze back up with a gentle kiss on the cheek. And for the first time in what seemed like a century but was really only a night, he smiled.
Christmas was sneaking up on them, but the weather remained persistantly warm enough for rain instead of snow. Everyone came to the general consensus that it was going to be a gray and soggy Christmas, but made the best of it anyway.
Koda looked at the calendar, plotting. She smiled to herself. It was the twentieth, the day she had planned something ahead. It was time to go out and do something that would make her feel better, as is hardwired into every female mind: shop.
As Cei streightened the collar of the heather-gray robe he was wearing, he smiled. In fact, the two seemed to be plotting presents for each other already.
It was a quick trip there by Floo Powder that soon became a merry occupation for the morning. As Koda guarded secret presents from Cei, he tried in vain to bounce up and down and peek, but often as they were checking out he would place a hand in front of Koda's eyes and slip something into the pile that they were buying. Being at wizard shops, a quick spell to wrap whatever you were buying and send it home by owl was a mere few knuts extra, and well worth it, since neither of the pair wanted to be stuck carrying a mass quantity of parcels. As entertaining as tag or any sort of game, they went from shop to shop, each looking forward to the apparently huge pile of presents that awaited them in a few days.
However, their merriment was oblivious to one other thing happening in Diagon Alley. In support of the new war, and called for by the people, Albus Dumbledore was delivering a solemn yuletide speech in one of the Alley's many grand squares. If Koda had known, she wouldn't have come, and if Cei had known, he would have spent the day in some tiny nook of the house, shivering as old demons haunted him. Yet they were there. Whether it was luck or ill fortune, some roll of the dice ment that something great would happen...
And happen it did.
It started just as they walked out of another store. Koda was laughing and Cei smiling, his blue eyes sparkling. Koda was revering in the fact that life seemed to have come back to him in full as he looked up. The sparkle died, and a shadow seemed to pass through his expression as he seemed horrified at something. At what? He was staring at the rooftops, Koda knew. What was there to frighten him?
And then he tore through the crowd, pushing people aside with reckless abandon. Koda ran after him, calling his name, yelling at him to come back. He seemed oblivious, as if some thought consumed his mind - no time for her, or for apologies as those shoved aside yelled and cursed, waving fists. They ran, Koda following him blindly, terrified.
Then it happened.
Koda looked up, and Koda saw. There was a figure, dressed in black, a magic crossbow lifted to his shoulder. The poisoned arrow was pointing down, pointing at a stage - a podium - a man, a man who she knew. Cei's father. And Cei ran twards him, his face full of voiceless panic, and then -
The arrow flew.
The arrow hit.
Cei sunk to the ground with a gasp, the shaft embedded in his chest.
The crowd screamed and gasped all at once, taking a step back. The token few who sat onstage stood up, horrified. Koda screamed, pushing forward, clawing her way through until she reached Cei's limp, prostrate form. Turning his head to face her, she began to sob, calling his name over and over again. His blue eyes fluttered halfway open, and as the world swirled and blurred about them, he took a deep pained gasp, reaching up shakily to catch her hand.
"Koda..." It was the barest whisper that escaped his lips, voice raspy from not being used for so very long. "Koda... I love you... and please tell Father... I still love him too..."
And then with another gasp of pain, his grip on her arm went loose, the blue eyes closed. Koda pulled away, standing, as the others rushed and swirled about her. Behind her the assassin turned and stood on the rooftop, somewhat triumphant, and the crowd turned to mob as they screamed "Get him, get him!". Koda retreated back with them, for Cei was surrounded by others now... doctors, people who knew what they were doing - and a grief-stricken father.
Koda found herself again running, because it felt good to run, and the crowd parted for her smoothly, unlike the last time. They chased the assassin, matching his strides on the rooftops with footfalls on the ground. And she was there again, on the crest of the people, with burly athletes red-faced and clutching wands, like mythical Atlanta in some great hunt.
The black-clad figure darted out from a building, and curses and jinxes from around him rendered him unable to move quickly. As the mob rushed in and about the unlucky assassin, the door of the small building hung open. Koda turned, she looked, she stepped in, and she screamed.
Another figure, one she knew much better, was slumped against a wall, bound and gagged with another arrow through his shoulder, pinned to the wall. Someone had not wanted him to talk, and succeeded quite well. Blood turned the black robes he wore into a deeper, morbid shade, and his face, already pale, was white with blood loss.
Koda let out one more shuddering cry before beginning to sob in earnest. The crowd came about her, milling forward, and kind arms took her by the shoulder to lead her away as she screamed wrechedly, "No... No! Father! Father!"
She looked up, sobbing and slumping into a stranger's arms as a small crowd of kindness guided her past and out of the way. Years later she would still swear that she saw a Roman figure scrawling into a wax tablet - the morbid, angst-ridden figure of the Muse of Tragedy.
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A/N: You should be really happy with me now, Hayley. I think I'll be able to distract people demanding other 'fics out of the way momentarily if I keep on writing Rain.... nice good juicy chapter, yes?
Usual disclaimer applies... good grief... You all know the drill. { Insert witty and legal disclaimer here }