In the Melancholy Moonlight, Part 5: Dark Matter

Chapter 253: And We Run, And We Run, And We Run

HARRY:

The morning of the wedding was an absolute whirlwind of activity. Breakfast was a rushed affair, everyone just stopped at the table long enough to grab a slice of toast and continue with their preparations. I knew better than to try to help, seeing as I still looked like myself, so I merely stood in the corner, out of sight of any windows, and watched the chaos unfold.

"Oi, Cub, do you want to come with us to the village to nick a couple hairs from the first ginger kid we see?" Fred called.

"Not looking like that, she can't!" Bill said.

George nodded and waved Lucy over. "Right, right, Cub, get over here, let us charm your hair red."

"No!" Fleur protested. "She is wearing a klein blue dress of mine that no longer fits me! Blonde hair will be much more flattering!"

"I don't know if I know a spell that will charm her hair the same color as yours," Fred admitted.

"It's alright, I do," Fleur said, beckoning to Lucy. "I have an idea."

"Do what you think is best," Lucy said as she hurried over to Fleur.

"I was thinking that since you will not have the same polyjuice as Harry to properly disguise you, it would be best to give you a slightly more elaborate backstory. You can be a childhood friend of mine who does not speak English. Plus, it would give you an excuse to stick by Harry's — I mean, Barny's — side," Fleur added with a smile as she transformed Lucy's hair from brown to a shimmery silver-blonde. "He can ensure you do not miss anything because of the language barrier."

"That sounds great!" Lucy exclaimed. She glanced over at me. She'd already covered her scars, but I knew my girl, I knew she was blushing under the makeup. "Assuming you don't mind, of course?"

"Spending time with you? Never," I replied with a smile. I turned to Fleur. "What should her false name be? I can introduce her to anyone who asks."

Fleur considered this for a moment, looking back and forth between Lucy and me a couple of times. "Mirielle. Mirielle Alarie."

"Mirielle Alarie," I repeated. "You got it."

"How would you like your hair styled for the wedding, Mirielle, while I am here?" Fleur asked.

"I trust your judgement far more than my own," Lucy replied. "Do what you think is best."

Fleur beamed as she did a complicated bit of wandwork that tied Lucy's hair up into a braided crown. She whispered something in Lucy's ear that made Lucy giggle and look my way.

"My work here is done," Fleur announced after a second, tucking her wand away. "All you need now is your dress, which can wait until you are back."

"Thank you," Lucy said, turning to give Fleur a quick hug. "I'll be back soon to help you get ready."

Lucy didn't glance my way again before following the twins out the door. Once they'd disappeared, I figured I might as well get into my dress robes so I had one less thing to do once they got back, so I climbed the stairs to Ron's room, dodging a number of frantic wedding preppers on the stairs as I went. When I got up to Ron's room, I found Hermione and Ginny up there with him.

"I keep forgetting to tell you," Ron said when I arrived, "but Mum found a Puddlemere United sock somewhere in the house after you arrived and wanted to know if it's yours."

I shook my head. "No, it's not mine. Why would I care about Puddlemere?"

"Well, Oliver Wood plays for Puddlemere, as their reserve Seeker, but unless he's been coming around to visit, I have no idea why there'd be a Puddlemere sock here," Ginny replied. "Anyway, we're just hiding up here... I mean, we're helping by staying out of the way. Where's Lucy?"