Chapter 11 – Down by the Lake
It was late afternoon and the sextet had returned to Hogwarts and were hanging out around the lake enjoying the warm Indian summer. Luna's soft humming as she wove her tapestry while talking to Lily, who's head was resting in James lap while he chatted with Ginny about Quidditch.
"What are you humming Luna?" Sirius asked.
Ginny snickered as she recognized the song. It was one that written for Remus after the final battle.
"Just a song Siri," Luna answered
"Sing it for us oh muse." James snickered \
Luna looked over at her friend. "Ginny, You up for it?"
Ginny's smile spread slowly across her face. "Sure sis, Accio Guitars" And in minutes Ginny and Luna's guitars sped down from the sky and into their waiting arms. They began Luna taking the lead with her dreamy voice and Ginny's coming in for harmony.
Secure
yourself to heaven
Hold on tight, the night has come
Fasten up
your earthly burdens
You have just begun
In the ink of the
night I saw you bleed
Through the thunder I could hear you
scream
Solid to the air I breathe
Open-eyed and fast
asleep
Falling softly as the rain
No footsteps ringing in your
ears
Ragged down worn to the skin
Warrior raging, have no
fear
Secure yourself to heaven
Hold on tight, the night has
come
Fasten up your earthly burdens
You have just begun
I'm
kneeling down with broken prayers
Hearts and bones from days of
youth
Restless with an angel's wing
I dig a grave to bury
you
No feet to fall
You need no ground
Allowed to glide
right through the sun
Released from circles guarded tight
Now
we all are chosen ones
Secure yourself to heaven
Hold on
tight, the night has come
Fasten up your earthly burdens
You
have just begun
Secure yourself to heaven
Hold on tight,
the night has come
Fasten up your earthly burdens
You have just
begun
In the ink of the night I saw you bleed
Through the
thunder I could hear you scream
Solid to the air I
breathe
Open-eyed and fast asleep
Falling softly as the rain
No
footsteps ringing in your ears
Ragged down worn to the
skin
Warrior raging, have no fear
Secure yourself to
heaven
Hold on tight, the night has come
Fasten up your earthly
burdens
You have just begun
Secure
yourself to heaven
(in the ink of the night I saw you bleed)
Hold
on tight, the night has come
(through the thunder I could hear you
scream)
Fasten up your earthly burdens
(solid to the air I
breathe)
You have just begun
(open-eyed and fast asleep)
Secure
yourself to heaven
(no feet to fall, you need no ground)
Hold
on tight, the night has come
(allowed to glide right through the
sun)
Fasten up your earthly burdens
(released from circles
guarded tight)
You have just begun
(now we all are chosen
ones)
Now we all are chosen ones
(secure yourself to
heaven)
Allowed to glide right through the sun
(hold on tight
the night has come)
Released from circles guarded tight
(fasten
up your earthly burdens)
Now we all are chosen ones
Their voices faded out from their tight harmony and they opened their eyes to see not only their friends but others who were drawn by the sirens call of their voices and the sheer power of the song.
"Another… Please Lunara… Ginnae another." Remus breathed out not wanting the moment to end so soon.
The girls smiled to themselves and started with another song written for the war. This one written by Hermione and Luna one night after a particularly grueling mission.
Sticks
and stones
Battle zones
A single light bulb
On a single
thread for the black
Sirens wail
History fails
Rose-colored
glass
Begins to age and crack
While the politicians
shadowbox
The power ring
In an endless split decision
Never
solve anything
From a neighbor's distant land
I heard the
strain of the common man
Let it be me
(this is not a
fighting song)
Let it be me
(not a wrong for a wrong)
Let it
be me
If the world is night
Shine my life like a light
Well
the world seems spent
And the president
Has no good idea
Of
who the masses are
Well I'm one of them
And I'm among
friends
We're trying to see beyond
The fences in our own
backyards
I've seen the kingdoms blow
Like ashes in the winds
of change
But the power of truth
Is the fuel for the flame
So
the darker the ages get
There's a stronger beacon yet
Let
it be me
(this is not a fighting song)
Let it be me
(not a
wrong for a wrong)
Let it be me
If the world is night
Shine
my life like a light
In the kind word you speak
In the turn
of the cheek
When your vision stays clear
In the face of your
fear
Then you see turning out a light switch
Is their only
power
When we stand like spotlights
In a mighty tower
All
for one and one for all
Then we sing the common call
Let it
be me
(this is not a fighting song)
Let it be me
(not a
wrong for a wrong)
Let it be me
If the world is night
Shine
my life like a light
This time when the music ended both the girls had glistening eyes and begged off singing anything more.
Sirius' heart had flipped over in his chest listening to them. Her smoky voice made him quiver deep inside.
None of the slowly dispersing crowd had noticed the headmaster standing quietly by the tree behind them.
"Lunara, Ginnae." The deep voice called out to them.
"Oui, Granpere?" Luna said without a thought in response to their first names. Ginny flinched at the sharp intake of breathe from those around them.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily above his glasses. "I wanted to know if the two of you would consent to sing at the Masque on All Hollow's Eve? We will be having a band but I'm sure the rest of the students would appreciate the experience we were all treated to here. Wouldn't you say so Minerva?" He said turning to look at a very stunned McGonagall.
"I suspect so Headmaster. I for one would love to hear more from these two." She replied. The two of them and everyone else around them looked on waiting for the two girls to reply. After a short whispered conversation none of it in English the two girls said in unison. "We would love to Granpere."
He smiled at them affectionately. "There then that is settled, Minerva I believe we should continue our walk and leave these children to enjoy the rest of their day." With that the two Professors walked away headed back toward the castle.
Ginny and Luna took a deep breath, turned toward their friends and waited for the storm to break. Lily looked at them with a confused look on her face, James' eyes were clouded by shock. Remus looked pale and Sirius seemed to have found the answers he had been looking for, as he just looked relieved.
"Granpere? Now I don't speak French but even I can figure that one out." Lily said
"Well I speak it just fine, and I'm wondering why our good friends decided to leave that little tidbit out of their history." James huffed.
Luna looked at Ginny with a pleading in her eyes, one Ginny understood too well as saying FIX THIS, and she sighed before answering her two confused friends. "The Headmaster is our grandfather. Our Mother before she was married was his only daughter Ardiana."
"Bloody Hell! Why didn't you tell us before?" Sirius cursed.
"Oh yeah because I usually enter into all my conversations by announcing my familial ties like some arrogant Slytherin." Ginny shot back at him causing him to blush. "Besides," She gentled her tone a bit looking at him "We were supposed to keep it a secret, Granpere didn't want our teachers to feel obligated to go easy on us because of him. It's the main reason we haven't been here since 1st year. If things were different we would have never come here." Her voice caught slightly at the end making Sirius want to run over and hold her tight.
"Well no use crying over spilled pumpkin juice." Luna said lightly. "Besides Gin… we have a performance to plan now."
"Speaking of which," Remus butted in "The two of you are amazing. I can't wait to hear what you come up with for the Ball."
"Ah yes the Ball…Hey Gin." Sirius said turning his eyes on the red haired witch.
"Yes Siri?" She answered meeting his grey eyes with her violet ones.
"Wanna go to the dance with me?"
"Sure why not. Someone's gotta keep you out of trouble." She laughed at his pout. He always did the best pouts and puppy dog eyes.
They gathered their things and started to head back to the castle. Remus lagged behind the group trying to screw up his courage to ask Lunara to the dance. She glanced back at him and decided to lag behind as well.
"Remus?" her dreamy voice interrupted his musing. "A Knut for your thoughts?"
"Um… I was… well… I was wondering if… I mean I'll understand if you don't…" He stopped dead as she put her hand on his arm and looked up at him with her sea green eyes.
"I would love to go to the dance with you Remus." She smiled into his shocked eyes her own twinkling.
"Thank you." He said simply and grasped her hand as they hurried to catch up with the others.
AN: Songs in this chapter are Secure Yourself and Let It Be Me by the Indigo Girls and I don't own that anymore then Harry Potter.