Updated: Sunday 13th March 2005

Disclaimer: See Chapter one. Song lyrics are not mine either.

Chapter Forty Seven: The Sounds of Summer

Summer had been amazing. She had received her Hogwarts letter in the second week of the holidays and was absolutely thrilled to not be in the school grounds when she got it ("because that would just suck the fun out of it" she'd told her Godfather). Not long after that, she bumped into Harry in Diagon Alley while she was getting her school supplies; only she couldn't spend a lot of time with him because Ron was there. She did manage to thank Ron, though, for his brothers and his excellent work in breaking Harry out of the Dursley's house. Ron, in return, looked like he'd just swallowed a liver flavoured Bertie Bots Bean, but let their animosity drop for the duration of their brief encounter.

Once again, however, her time with Remus in London was passing all too quickly. Shortly before her return to Hogwarts – which she would be travelling to for the first time by the Hogwarts Express - Remus had surprised her with two tickets to the Reading Music Festival. After learning that world famous Muggle bands converged the venue each year for a piece of the action, Estella could barely contain her excitement. Remus explained to Estella that after he'd bought the two tickets he'd been told that children under 13 actually got into the festival for free when accompanied by a paying adult and so she was free to invite two friends. So she invited her cousin Tonks, who gladly accepted the second adult ticket, and Hermione, who was not yet 13. She had wanted to invite Harry, but there were just too many inherent difficulties in getting permission from his guardians; and Remus had seemed reluctant to chaperone 'the-boy-who-lived', mentioning his regret at not being 'suitably equipped'… whatever that meant.

While many people who converged onto the barren landscape of grasslands in Berkshire camped nearby, Remus insisted that they would be port keying too and from the venue daily from their home in London, "To avoid the unseemly element of music festival culture" Remus had said. Tonks was a little bummed – she wanted to blend into the social fringes of Muggle youth and 'experience' life – but neither Hermione or Estella were adverse to the idea of coming home to a good book and warm bed at the end of each night. It was all a matter of balance.

The Reading Festival, that year, was held over the last weekend in August, between the 28th and 30th; with the Hogwarts Express leaving Kings Cross Station on the following Tuesday, the 1st of September. Amongst the line up were the likes of Nirvana, Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, Smashing Pumpkins, Nick Cave and Manic Street Preachers. Remus, in particular, was 'hanging out' to see a band called Public Image Limited because they had a penchant for doing covers of songs by bands such as Led Zepplin and Sex Pistols – bands of 'his time'. Surprisingly, the band Remus had dragged them out to see on the Friday wasn't too bad. Asides from some coarse language and partial nudity, the songs had a good vibe and left the girls eager to experience the rest of the weekend.

Although the weather was altogether miserable, throughout Saturday night in particular, it rained like buggery. The comedy tent was closed down and the music tent was almost washed out, yet the crowds were still wild and the show still went on. However, after one of the guitarists from Manic Street Preachers broke his guitar in a fit of rage and hurled it into the audience violently, Remus ported them back to the house early: sopping wet and muddy (despite the charms) before things got too out of hand.

On Sunday, Estella bought a official Reading long sleeve t-shirt for £14 from one of the merchandise stalls and, as an afterthought, got Harry a black and white Public Enemy t-shirt for £10 as a belated birthday present because even if Harry didn't know who Public Enemy were, she was sure he'd appreciate the implied joke. At least Hermione concurred with her as such. One of the funniest ironies to present itself that day was when a band called Mudhoney was onstage opening for Nirvana and the impatient audience started throwing mud at them. The band then started throwing mud back at the audience and Estella was truly in her element.

If only she was allowed to use her wand to amplify her effects.

Remus, meanwhile, had no idea what he had gotten himself into. Not only did he willingly subject himself to chaperoning three girls for an entire weekend, but he was their lone guardian and protector in a overcrowded environment where Muggles were drinking, swearing and copulating in every corner. Severus would have his balls for potions ingredients if he had any idea what Remus had exposed his niece to! He was already having nightmares about Selina coming back from the dead to kill him. Most disconcertingly of all, was the image of Sirius laughing his head off in Azkaban, revelling in the fact his daughter was turning Remus grey. Things had surely changed since he had last been to a Reading Festival – although part of him supposed it was merely the change in circumstances that unnerved him so. It was all very well and true to be a young, voracious newly-graduated 17 year old male out to have a good time in the 70s, but now he was there as a parent, he was seeing things from a whole new different perspective.

Thank goodness for automated port keys.

Everyone present at the festival had to wear wristbands, and Remus had these charmed to activate by his command irrespective of if he was physically present or on the other side of the venue from the bearer. In addition, his wristband would warm and glow accordingly if one of the girls was in need of assistance. Stella would glow grey, Tonks, neon pink, and Hermione Gryffindor red. Of course, it was never his intention to leave the girls without his supervision, but in such circumstances it paid to be prepared. If he'd had any choice after he'd seen the reality of the conditions at the festival, he would have port keyed them back to London and tore up their tickets faster than you could say 'encore' – he could hardly believe his lapse in judgement – but thankfully something was on his side because it all turned out so well.

After coming home Sunday night thoroughly exhausted, Remus had bundled the girls into his muggle car to drive them to their respective homes. At that moment he sat behind the wheel in his freshly charmed clean clothes, trying to shake the cotton wool out of his head; his ears still ringing from the weekend of aural overkill.

"I'm so lonely, that's ok I shake my head, I'm not sad, and just maybe…" The three giggling girls sang the resonating Nirvana song at the top of their lungs, still way too hyped from the last act they had seen. Remus looked back at them through the rear view mirror and smiled, humming along.

"I'm not sure, I'm so excited, I can't wait to meet you there…" Estella sang extra enthusiastically, perhaps alluding to the anticipation she felt about going on the Hogwarts Express for the first time and arriving at Hogwarts as a student for a change.

"I don't care, I'm so horny…" Tonks continued after the other girls voices had faded away. The two adult passengers of the car blushed at the awkward silence that followed.

"Uncle Remus?" Estella asked finally. "What does it mean when you're horny?"

Remus groaned, sending a dangerous look in Tonks' direction, silently cursing the girl for bringing that line up. "Um," he said, tapping the steering wheel distractedly. "Ask me again when you're 30."

Hermione and Estella looked at each other, giggling, and knowing altogether much more than what they let on by the looks of it. "Oh," Said Estella with mock disappointment. "So you mean they weren't singing about Hungarian Horntails?"

'Damn…' Remus thought to himself, 'could have used that.'

After another few moments of contemplative silence, the girls started singing again.

"With the lights out it is dangerous here we are now entertain us we feel stupid and contagious here we are now entertain us!"

Remus looked back at the girls and smirked. "I had you guys entertained all weekend!" he said incredulously, "give an old man a chance to recover!"

The girls laughed heartedly. Their spirits like this for the remainder of their journey.

"Uncle Remus," Estella said over breakfast on Monday morning. "Do you think I'd be able to play an instrument like that?"

Remus looked up from his coffee - his strong coffee – and smiled. "I don't see why not." He said warmly. "Though I probably wouldn't try and cut a career as a singer just yet. My ears are still burning."

The subject of his mirth scowled playfully and threw a muffin at him. "Hey!" She cried indignantly, with a smug look on her face. "I seem to recall a certain old man scaring people away with his Led Zepplin impersonation!"

Remus had the modesty to blush. "I couldn't help it!" He said, justifying his actions. "I was a little excited that they covered that song, okay?"

"A little excited?" Estella spluttered. "A little? You were screaming like a Banshee you were that excited!"

Remus grinned reminiscently and took a bite out of the muffin Estella had thrown at him. "At least we all had a good time." He said, between mouthfuls.

"Oh yes, Uncle Remus!" Estella said. "The best time! You are so cool! Uncle Sev wouldn't be caught dead there."

"I'd be dead if he had." Remus said lowly. "Don't forget to omit certain… details… from your Uncle."

"But Uncle Remus, you don't condone lying!" Estella said with mock innocence.

"No, no I don't. But I'm all for giving your Uncle a dose of his own medicine." Remus said, clearing the plates. "I'm sure you won't find it too hard to put your Slytherin influences to work."

Estella smirked, winking at him conspiringly.

"Come," Remus said finally, having set their dishes in the sink. "Before you head off to school, there's something in the attic I think you'd like to see."

"Damn it! It's got to be around here somewhere!" The highly-caffeinated werewolf tore the attic apart in search of something.

"What are you looking for, Uncle Remus?" Estella asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"A grand piano." Was his distracted reply.

"But Uncle Remus, I think I would have noticed if there was a grand piano in here…"

Remus sighed and turned around, leaning on a pile of boxes wearily. "It was your mothers." He said quietly. "She hated it when your father – who couldn't play for his life – would muck around with it and so she shrunk it and only brought it out when she wanted to play. It's got to be up here somewhere."

"My mother played the piano?" Estella asked, intrigued.

"Yes. The originations of the piano are ambiguous, and so many pureblood families had their children tutored." Remus explained. "I believe your Uncle is quite the aficionado, though I'm only going on what your mother told me. The delicate bone structure of your hands that you inherited from your mother's family are perfect for learning to play."

Estella looked down at her hands, wide eyed, then looked back at her Godfather. "Maybe it's in her bedroom?" She offered suggestively.

Casting his Goddaughter a searching look, he stopped rummaging through the trunk he was buried arms deep in and sighed. "No. It's in here somewhere." A few more moments of searching. "Wait a minute… what's this?"

Moving an large dormant mirror and setting aside the protective dust sheet, Remus sighed. "I'd forgotten all about this." He said to no one in particular before turning to face the stricken look on Estella's face. "Estella… this… these are…"

Glaring coldly at the startled impressions of her parents faces, Estella blinked and looked at Remus. "I know. We've already met." She said shortly before turning on her heel and leaving the attic.

Remus looked from the gaping hole in the floor that had just swallowed his Goddaughter into the floor below, to the animated oil images of his childhood friends. Feelings of remorse, sadness and confusion battled for ground in his mind as the vestiges of his friends' life together stared at him innocently. Part of him want to curse the magically captured imprint of Sirius and relieve himself of the past 11 years of grief and baggage; but as he looked into the confused grey orbs of his painted friend, he couldn't help but soften. This wasn't Sirius Black, the infamous betrayer and murderer – this was Padfoot, his childhood friend and devoted father-to-be.

"Moony?" A crackly voice in the portrait, hoarse with disuse, tugged memories from his heart as it tore right into his soul. "What happened?"

The werewolf sighed, his face suddenly ten years older as his eyes bore the weight of his emotions. "Trust me, Padfoot, you really don't want to know."

"Remus please." Selina's portrait pleaded, distraught. "Something's not right. We're dead aren't we?" She hugged her expanded abdomen desperately. "We never get to see out little girl grow up."

Remus could only nod, his body taking a shaky breath as he struggled to maintain a hold on his emotions. It only seemed like yesterday that Selina was in that hospital room pleading with him to take care of baby Estella. His thoughts, however, were interrupted by said child calling for him from the floor below.

"C'mon Uncle Remus! Don't worry about finding the piano now, I'm going to Hogwarts tomorrow anyway." The voice filtered up through the trapdoor. "Come help me pack instead."

Remus looked helplessly at the fraught figures in the portrait. "Go to her." Sirius said gruffly, evidently feeling put out that he couldn't be the one to hold his little girl and play with her and help her pack for school. "Just promise you won't leave it so long between visits, eh?"

The man nodded and went downstairs to help Estella pack.

Later that night, after Estella was fast asleep, Remus returned to the attic to give his immortalised two-dimensional friends some answers. By the time he was done, Selina was beyond hysterical, clutching her belly protectively and retching uncontrollably. Sirius, on the other hand, was angry and full of self loathing. He could not believe that he would be so crass as to betray his best friends, let alone act in any way that would cost him his family.

"It can't be true, Remus!" Sirius pleaded, his voice panicked as he dissolved into manly sobs. "I wouldn't… I couldn't… how…?"

Doubt began to fester in Remus' mind. For Sirius to have pulled off his evil plan he had to be a bloody brilliant actor, but everything within Remus' gut screamed at him that the scene before him was not an act. Even Selina couldn't bring herself to believe her husband would be capable of such acts. Now, Remus had heard the phrase 'love is blind', but Selina was a Ravenclaw – she wouldn't fall so blindly without due cause.

"I don't know what happened, Padfoot." Remus said finally, keeping his tone formal. "But that's how it happened. I'm not about to open the proverbial can of flobber worms by daring to question it now. You're only a portrait! You can only possibly represent what people see on the outside. Sirius Black fooled everyone. He obviously had more going on underneath than what any of us would care to admit to. I'm sorry, Sirius, but I'm not about to take the word of an artist's superficial impression over historical fact. Good night."

"Remus!" The portrait's muffled voices called out after him as he covered the frame with its sheet and left the attic.

It was a shame Selina hadn't had a solo portrait done.

End Chapter: The Sounds of Summer

Next Chapter: Missing Moments, Magical Musings…