The Sign
Chapter 13
Good byes
June 7
The morning was glorious. No rain in sight and only a slight breeze to move the fragrant bushes that surrounded the two graves. The turnout was much larger than imagined, with many loyal readers of the Quibbler in attendance. Kingsley spoke, then Harry (much as he didn't want to.) and Luna sang the lullaby her father had often sang. It was one he had made up himself. It had no real tune and no real poetry to the words, but it meant love to Luna.
Members of the DA served as pall bearers and ushers. Together, they all lifted the soil and set it upon Xenophilius' simple coffin. With a wave of Hermione's wand, both of Luna's parents now slept under a blanket of wildflowers.
Photographers had been present so the two couples had been very careful to not show any PDA and arouse suspicion. Ginny even put a glamour over her ring, so no one suspected a thing.
As soon as they could, Harry and the others left. Once they changed out of their somber robes, they apparated to the house to meet with Shannon.
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She was a short curvy older woman. She had a pile of sample books, brochures and drawing boards. She approved of the large table, and promptly moved her things all over it.
"Now. Izzy said you don't want a lot of fuss in filling this place." She said matter of factly.
"So, you know Izzy?" Ron asked in jest.
"She's my daughter. I'm Seamus' maternal aunt." She answered with a laugh.
"Can you imagine, Ron, when all our kids are grown, it'll be just as confusing." Ginny punched Ron's arm.
"We can only hope." He rubbed his arm.
"Alright, down to business." Hermione got everyone's attention. "Where do we start?"
"Thank you. Seamus filled me in on the situation. You want to move in soon, and then move out to have more extensive work done and then settle in permanently, correct?"
"Correct." Ginny said firmly. As the mistress of the house, she knew she would have to take lead on this- whether or not she wanted to.
"Okay. Let's start with the main rooms. That will set the tone for everything else." She shifted one big book with another and then flipped it open. "The sitting room. Tell me what your needs are."
"Harry wants light wood. Big squooshy couches and fluffy carpets near the fire. I want a set of chairs in the front of the room, by the front windows with a table between and footstools. We want shelves for books and games around the fireplace. The walls are going to be a soft gray with cream trim. Izzy said colorful furniture would make the place seem happy."
Shannon stared at her for a second, thought hard then raised her wand. Pages from the many books spread on the table, floated up and draped themselves over a presentation board. She moved things around and tweaked something. With a smile, she turned the board around and there was their sitting room.
A large sectional suite was facing the fireplace and another, matching set of a small sofa and two soft chairs were grouped together in front of the large front windows. She had placed small and medium sized tables and ottomans scattered throughout.
"Perfect!" Harry said, before he looked too long.
"I suggest some sheer drapes in the windows, letting in light. If you make the sofas an intense color, like this red, your room will always look exciting and welcoming." Shannon moved to say more but Ginny stopped her.
"It's perfect. What's next?" Ginny asked.
"You don't want to see alternatives?" Shannon was shocked. She was used to clients who would take weeks over just one room.
"We're not picky or fussy, and we hate shopping. We just don't have time." Harry spoke up.
Shannon leaned back and smiled. "I'm going to love working for you." She thought for a moment, "Okay, I tell you what. For each room, I want you to tell me as much of what you want. I will put it together and you say yeah or nay. I can't read your mind, But I can interpret it."
Harry and Ginny nodded. "Let's get started." Harry said.
"This company has different styles of upholstery, but I know this red one is in the showroom. There are about two dozen carpets that will work, and I'll need you to select what you would like…." She pushed on, making even the boring details seem worthy of attention. There were a few times when Shannon did indeed act as though she read minds. Before Harry could say a point, she started talking about it. With that in mind, he decided to play a game. Every time Ginny or the others said green, he would think very hard red. Shannon would suggest red instead. She was a legilimens.
She went on, listening, presenting and changing. In four hours, most of the rooms were set. Luna took a little more time than the others, as Shannon had never met someone quite like Luna. Then again, not many people have.
As darkness was settling in through the window of the kitchen door, they finished and set time for Tuesday for an actual shopping trip. Harry wasn't going to buy his squooshy couch or his new mattress without testing them.
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June 8
Monday was rainy. A wet, miserable, windy rain. A lazy day. Molly was visiting Andromeda and everyone else was working. It was now time for the five to relax a bit.
Harry was sitting on the floor of the sitting room in the Burrow, leaning against Ginny's knees, He was struggling with his personal accounts. Hermione had talked him into it, especially with all he was spending. "Hermione, did I add this up right?" He handed the ledger over to her.
She studied it and made a note on the margin. "Yes, I think you did. Harry, if you hadn't shown me what you have, I'd be terrified." She handed the ledger back.
"Well, I am terrified. I've spent…well, a lot more than I care to admit." He was amazed at the numbers.
Ginny looked over his shoulder, "What's the total?" She gasped. "But that's…"
"Yeah. In one week, we have spent what I'll earn as an auror in a year." Harry faked a groan. "Oh, how will we ever get by?"
"Oh, shut it, Drama Queen. It's not even a drop, is it?" She ruffled his hair.
"A bit more than a drop, but nothing painful. Listen guys," The other four gave him all their attention, "They started on the house and we have only a few days left to get ready for the move-in on Friday evening. Let's do an inventory."
"Well, All I got is some new clothes. The rest is for your house." Ron took a bite of the apple in his hand.
"You know what I mean. Where are we in what needs done?"
"Give me a minute," Hermione started scribbling on a paper, and consulting the receipts and looking at the lists. The minute took five, then ten minutes.
In the meantime, the others continued what they were doing. Ginny reading the Quidditch section of the Daily Prophet, Harry trying to get her attention. Luna was reading an old textbook. Ron was staring off in space with a quidditch catalogue sitting on his lap.
"Ok, got it!" Hermione sat up straight and turned to face the others. "We have all the furniture now. Just a bit of shopping on Tuesday, right? Luna, how set are you? We have your furniture, but what else do you need?"
Luna looked at her, unblinking. "I'm not sure. I have some clothes. I have a toothbrush and a comb."
"Luna, come on. You need more than that to live." Ginny pushed more.
"Well…" Luna looked shyly at the two young men but found it difficult to continue.
Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and then at their friend. "Come on, Luna. Show us what you have." Hermione stood and helped Luna rise. "These lugs are bored with silly little details. Let's see what we can do."
Ginny turned back at the guys, "While we're upstairs. Go make yourselves useful somehow."
When her back was turned on the stairs, Ron sent her a rude gesture and picked his magazine back up.
An hour later, the girls came back down, with Hermione holding onto another list. "Guys? This afternoon, we're going out on a girl's shopping spree. Don't get too nervous, you aren't invited." She smiled at Ron's attempt at interuption, "But that card of Ginny's just might get a little warm by the time we get home."
"Sorry, can't do. You got a letter, Hermione." Ron held out a small parchment envelope.
She opened it and read, slumping down onto the sofa. "Now?" She mumbled.
"What's going on?" Ginny looked at Harry, concerned.
"Kingsley wants to meet with us in an hour." Harry handed her his letter. "Looks like you and Luna are on your own.
"Deposition? What's that?" She asked.
"A written or verbal recounting of events. Like a pre-trial testimony." Hermione answered without looking up.
"I was hoping to put it off longer." Harry muttered. "No choice, trial is the 22nd. Sorry, Gin."
"Yeah, that's alright. Like you said, no choice." Ginny shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, I'll just go back upstairs." Luna turned back and wandered upwards. She knew she had no rights to expect anything. But Molly, ever the frugal one, had only gotten her a few changes of clothing and only the bare minimum of hygiene or grooming products.
Ginny wanted to cry for her. But she wasn't allowed to apparate yet, so the shopping trip had to be postponed. "Do you think those of us at Hogwarts will need to testify?"
Hermione sighed, "I wouldn't be surprised. A lot has happened there over the past few years. They'll want a full record."
"So, what will you do while we're gone?" Harry asked, still thinking of Luna's reaction. This wasn't fare to her. Then it came to him. "Ginny, I have an idea. First, contact Fleur. If she's available, ask if she could take you two shopping. And this time, make sure Luna has more than she needs."
With a smile and a hug, Ginny raced to the floo. After a few minutes, she raced back up the stairs, "Luna, Luna. Get your shoes on!"
Shortly after the trio left through the floo, Ginny and Luna stepped through to Shell Cottage.
Fleur was waiting for them and the three disapparated to an alley near a large department store.
"Now, Mademoiselle Luna. I am wanting to take you directly to zee dress department. I have seen what you wear, and I am ashamed. No, you will be walking like a beautiful woman! I insist!"
"Lead the way?" Ginny, agree wholeheartedly as they opened the new world of muggle London fashion. She had to tug Luna along, the younger girl wanted to spend a lot of time looking at the people, not the merchandise.
More lingerie, dresses, casual wear…They left no department undamaged. In four hours, the three women had more bags than they could carry. A trip to the chemist helped fill Luna's other needs.
"On to tea." Fleur announced. "I am famished!" She led them across the street into a small covered sidewalk bistro.
"Ginny, Fleur, this has been most enjoyable. I feel so very pretty." Luna was staring after an airplane passing high in the sky.
"I'm glad. But listen, I have a request." Ginny sat forward in her chair.
Luna looked away from the sky. "Anything."
"Now that Harry's not here, I want to ask. You're very good at drawing. I was wondering, would you make a drawing for me? A large one. It's a wedding gift to Harry."
"Of course. I would love to do that."
"Actually, the drawing is going to be a carving. I'll be contacting someone Dad knows to carve a door to our room. But I need a full-sized drawing." Ginny felt weird asking. Luna has made very realistic drawings, but sometimes they could be a bit on the fantastical scale.
"That is nice, Ginny. What do you want on this picture. I could try something like a crumple-horned…."
"No, I have something very specific." Ginny interrupted. "I was thinking something with a mountain scene, it has several elements. A large dog, a wolf, a deer, a doe, and a large owl. If an outline of Hogwarts is somewhere, that would be nice."
"I understand the owl, that's Hedwig, the large dog is his godfather, the wolf, would that be Professor Lupin? And then there's his parents." Luna started tracing with her finger on the tablecloth. "I must get some parchment." She said dreamily.
"Well, I didn't mean right this very minute." Ginny muttered with a laugh, "The carver can't even get to it for another month."
"I'll be happy to do it, but I want to get back to the Burrow and think on it." Luna looked like she wanted to get lost in the dreamworld.
"Oui. And I must return home to my husband." Fleur stood and twirled her little bag on her finger. "Come, My sisters. Let's get you home." She moved them to behind a pillar, twisted and they were gone.
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"Back already? I thought you'd be out longer." Ron said as he looked up from the chess board.
"Already? Ron, we've been gone over four hours! How did your meeting go?" Ginny flung her bags onto the table. Luna grabbed as much as she could carry and struggled up the stairs.
"Not bad. Nothing more harrowing than when we told your folks what happened." That had happened two nights Ron and Hermione had returned from Australia. "Percy was there, giving his deposition." Harry fished in his pocket, "Here, Kingsley said to give it to you."
Ginny took the envelope and opened it with trepidation. "I guess it's my turn. I won't need any trial, but I need to write out a deposition by the 20th. Not too bad, huh?" She looked at the others. "What about the others, the DA?"
"Yeah, them too. Luna will get her letter in the morning."