Chapter 3 – Finishing a Chapter of Life
Nine days after Ginny arrived in Kenya, Luna woke and realized the day she had been dreading had arrived. While Rolf's remains had never been found, everyone knew he was gone and she had decided with Ginny's help to hold a memorial service at the university. Ginny had been an amazing help in the previous week and Luna knew she wouldn't have been able to handle the arrangements without her. Ginny had also been by her side the previous morning when Luna had met with officials to finalize the death certificate and read Rolf's will. She of course received everything and Rolf's inheritances meant that she and the boys would always be well provided for, but the day was also the final acknowledgement that she was a widow. It was a word she hated, one she had never dreamed of associating with herself.
When they finished with the paperwork, Ginny had brought her back to the flat and let her sleep for the rest of the day while she and Harry cared for the boys. Harry had arrived two days previous and delighted in the two boys, enjoying the practice that would come in handy when Ginny delivered their first in five months. He was staying for a few days and would be speaking at the memorial service, along with Adongo. Ginny was on leave from the Harpies due to her pregnancy and had not set a date on how long she would stay. She wanted to ensure that Luna was able to cope before leaving her alone in a foreign country. Luna had decided that she would remain in Kenya for the year that was left on Rolf's research grant and finish the translation work, as well as editing and publishing Rolf's notes. It was a difficult decision, but she knew it was what Rolf would have wanted.
Pushing down her feelings of despair, Luna pulled herself out of bed and went to care for her sons. Harry and Ginny were on the fold out in the living room and were just waking as well. Within a couple of hours, everyone was ready and exited the flat to head to the university. With the two small boys they couldn't apparate, so instead opted for a taxi. In the years she had lived among muggles in Nairobi, Luna had become accustomed to automobiles and no longer found them daunting.
On the way to the university, they stopped at a local hotel and picked up Rolf's aunt Louisa. She was Rolf's only living family other than Luna and the boys. Rolf had been orphaned as a teenager fifteen years earlier and sent to live with his grandfather and mentor, but Newt had died two years previous at the age of 99. Louisa was Rolf's father's sister and only sibling and she had never had children of her own, although she did delight in her nephew's success and tales of adventure. She had arrived the day before and met Luna for only the second time. When she first saw the boys, she had wept openly and assured Luna that she would provide any help she could. Luna appreciated the offer, but she barely knew the woman and was still in too much shock to be able embrace the woman openly.
The taxi arrived at the university and Harry helped Luna out. Then Ginny and Louisa each took one of the boys and they made their way to the outside amphitheater where the service was being held. Luna took a designated seat up front and watched as everyone began to arrive. The majority of them were local colleagues from the project she and Rolf were working on, but there were also a dozen or so colleagues that came in from out of country. Soon it was time for the memorial and Adongo waved his wand, causing a number of banners to unfurl that showed the pictures of Rolf that Luna had chosen. It was difficult to see them, but she couldn't help looking at each and remembering so many good memories.
The service began as Adongo spoke of Rolf and his brilliance, but also of his fairness when working with his team and his love for teaching. After Adongo finished, the podium was opened for anyone wishing to say a few words. Eight colleagues from several countries took the opportunity to say a few words and share memories. Finally, Harry closed out the service by remembering the last time the Potters and Scamanders had vacationed in New Zealand and Rolf had taken them on a wild chase through the mountains when he thought he had spotted a web footed dunkdunk. Harry ended the service with a small prayer before turning to a pyre that had been set up at the back of the amphitheater stage. On the pyre was the remains of Rolf's jacket, the only part of him that had been found. Harry cast a quick spell and bright blue flames engulfed the rowan wood and the leather that lay on top of it. Luna folded herself into Ginny's arms as the last physical piece of her husband was consumed in cleansing fire. With the service complete, everyone made their way to a nearby meeting hall for light refreshments. Ginny and Harry took the boys while Luna and Louisa received condolences from those in attendance. Finally, around two in the afternoon, most of the crowd had dispersed and Luna was able to head home.
The day following the memorial service saw Harry and Louisa leave Kenya. Harry had several cases pressing and had to return home, but Ginny stayed. She didn't set a time to return, but decided she would stay until Luna stabilized. The next week was difficult as she helped Luna pack up Rolf's clothing and assisted with moving Luna and the boys to a different flat on the opposite side of the building. The change allowed some of the constant reminders to be left behind as Luna tried to figure out how to rebuild her life. Later in the week, Luna began the arduous task of starting to work again on her translations. Adongo came by to talk to her and they agreed that Rolf's notes were the most important. Luna wasn't sure she was ready to handle them, but agreed to try as soon as possible. Ginny was an immense help by taking care of the boys and Luna. She handled the mundane tasks of living like shopping and cooking while Luna tried to organize her thoughts and refocus on her work. What had taken an hour or two previously now took half a day, as she found her thoughts drifting and despair overtaking her.
Two weeks after the memorial, Luna finally mustered the courage to sit down and start the task of organizing all of Rolf's notes and journals from the almost three years they had spent in Kenya. He had a unique style of shorthand notation, and she was one of the few who understood it. As she handled the pages and lovingly pondered his familiar handwriting, she found an unusual peace come over her. Working with the journals came much easier than her translation work, and Luna soon found herself making good progress. By the time she had been working on them for two weeks, Ginny had been with her for a little over a month and was missing Harry desperately. In the previous week, Luna had found herself once again capable of handling everyday chores and balancing those duties with her work, so she decided one night to have a talk with her best friend.
"Ginny, now that the boys are finally asleep I need to talk to you. You've been amazing these past weeks and I honestly don't think I would have made it through without you, but I'm starting to do better now and I think it may be time for you to go home. I know how much you miss Harry."
"Well, I have been thinking about it Luna. I just didn't want you to think I was abandoning you, although you have been doing a lot better lately. Would you really be alright here alone?"
"I'm not alone Ginny. I have the boys and my friends here. No one like you of course, but I'll get by. I'm only staying until I complete the work like Rolf would want me to. Truthfully, I am tired of the heat and foreignness of Kenya. I love traveling, but I also love England. I never thought I would be gone this long."
"Alright, if you're sure. I'll go to the Department of Magic tomorrow and arrange a floo connection. I'm going to miss you Luna. I'll be glad when you come home."
Three days later all the arrangements were in place and Shani came to watch the boys while Luna escorted Ginny to the Department of Magic. The floo office was a small room with two desks and a fireplace that could be keyed to different locations. One old wizard slumped over a desk, verifying Ginny's authorization before gesturing her to move toward the fireplace. Ginny turned to Luna and said a final goodbye, kissing her long and deep before turning back around and stepping into the floo. Luna watched the last of the green flames die down and left to return to her boys.
The next months for Luna were busy as she poured herself into her work. She was determined to finish Rolf's project and get home to England. His last trip was supposed to have been the culmination of the research project, so most of what was needed had been done. Shani and other friends continually checked on her and Shani's aunt watched the boys most days while Luna worked.
A month after Ginny left, Adongo and Shani threw a first birthday party for Lorry and Sander that also was Luna's first social event since the memorial. The party was held in their garden and was a festive affair. Luna couldn't believe her boys were already a year old. She remembered back to the day they were born and how excited Rolf had been. Little did she know then that he would leave them so soon. Luna did her best to enjoy the event and the boys were delighted by all the attention they received. When she took them home and put them down for a nap, she immediately immersed herself back in Rolf's journals and her work.
Five months after Rolf left her, Luna finished the last notations and finalized the formal publication copy of Rolf's research. She had expected it to take much longer, but with her unique understanding of Rolf's writing and her working at all hours, the writing finished much sooner. Shortly before she finished, Luna received word from home that Ginny had delivered a baby boy. Leaving her own two boys with Adongo and Shani, she floo'd back to England for two short days to see Ginny and baby James. She really wanted to stay longer, but knew that the sooner she completed the work, the sooner she would be able to return home permanently.
With the work on Rolf's journals and notes complete, Luna returned to her work translating and sorting through hundreds of years of myth and stories from locals regarding the emela-ntouka. The final translations took another two months and then she worked on combining Rolf's research with the local knowledge and stories. Eight months after Rolf's passing, she passed her completed draft to Adongo for review. Two weeks later he approved it with just a few minor adjustments and she submitted it to the Department of Magic for publication.
With her publication complete, Luna began to make arrangements to return to England. Adongo, Shani, and her other friends expressed how much she would be missed, but all understood her need to move on. She had been in Kenya for a little over three years and had grown to love the country and its people, but it wasn't home. As the publication was being finalized, she sent Ginny a letter announcing when she planned on returning. She had no place to stay and no idea what she was doing next until Ginny's reply arrived. Ginny insisted that Luna and the boys stay with the Potters until she could get settled. Luna breathed a sigh of relief and quickly penned a reply with her thanks and advising that they would be arriving via floo in five days.
Luna had thought she would be busy during her last days in Kenya, but she really had very little to pack. The flat had come fully furnished, except for the boys' cribs, which she had bought secondhand and sold cheaply to the sister of a friend. That left only personal items and a few souvenir pieces. In total, three suitcases and four boxes. With the packing done in less than a day, she decided to spend the time with her friends and seeing her favorite spots in Nairobi one last time.
When the day to leave arrived, Adongo, Shani, and five others were at Luna's flat to pick her up. The suitcases and boxes were lightened before being taken to a waiting taxi. They had hired a van for the ten of them and the drive to the Department of Magic went all too quickly. Luna, the boys, and all her friends crowded into the floo office and a round of long, Kenyan good-byes ensued. Once she and the boys has all been hugged and kissed many times over, she gave a last long hug to Shani before levitating her bags and boxes, settling the boys in their stroller, and stepping into the green flames. The floo ride was longer due to distance, but not bad. Twenty minutes after leaving Kenya, she arrived in the floo office at the Ministry of Magic. Ginny, baby James, and Harry were waiting for her and the first thing she heard was Ginny's squeal. They hugged tightly before Harry stepped forward to embrace Luna. Then the three boys began to be passed around. They continued like that for several minutes when a Ministry official started making hints and indicating that they should take the celebration elsewhere. Harry took the cue and levitated all of Luna's bags and boxes as she followed the Potters out of the Ministry and breathed the crisp English air, glad to be home.
