Countdown to Small Gifts 6/6: Happily ever after

[smallgiftsmods.livejournal.com]

Hi, folks! If you're just joining us, we're on DAY SIX of six days of discussion before Small Gifts begins posting. Start off by introducing yourself (and meeting fellow participants and watchers) over here!

Today's question: if you could give Remus and Sirius a happily every after, where and when would it be? At what age? In what circumstances? I know our art and fic address this question all the time--in fact, many in our exchange will do so!--but chime in with your thoughts today, right now. Are there parts of their story that are essential to them and their dynamic--parts you'd need to keep despite the tragedy? How would you go about making them happy?

Comments

[ruinsplume]

I absolutely wrote them a happily-ever-after fic for this fest!

For me the part of the story I'd need to keep IS the tragedy (except the part where they die, of course). Not only because those tragedies shaped them as people, and as partners, but because the story I want--and the story I want to live--is the one that tells us that in spite of the tragedy and trauma we experience, happiness and love are still possible.

[sostrata.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh! This is what I'm all about!

I agree with ruinsplume. With apologies to my sweetie James, I keep everything up to the beginning of Book 1. After that, playtime! Harry features in all my ideas, since I think that Harry is as important to Sirius' happiness as Remus. I have a number of scenarios that take place in various time periods- right after the Potters died, after Book 4, after Book 6 (a Bring Back Black, obviously), and at the end of Book 5. These rely on Voldemort getting offed in some way or other. And these guys can do some good offing! I am convinced that JKR killed off Sirius because she knew that, with him around, Voldemort would have been defeated sooner. It totally would have happened. I don't require them to defeat Voldemort, though- in at least one scenario, I had it that Voldemort really did died at the Potters' house. I don't really mind about Sirius being proved innocent or not; I think it would sort itself out as long as Voldemort was gone (without pesky plot things to contend with). And with that out of the way, we have our happily ever after!

[secretsolitaire.livejournal.com]

Personally, my favorite happily-ever-after scenario is Bring Back Black. (Does anyone remember that old Veil of Possibilities challenge? It kills me that no one ever finished it and got Sirius back to the right 'verse!) That way we get most of the events of the series plus the happy ending (and as I said in another one of these posts, I'm a big sucker for reunion fic).

That said, I can read lots of different versions and be happy. Raising Harry (as long as it's not too cutesy), Sirius never went through the veil, total AU, meeting again in the afterlife...it's all good. :)

[shaggydogstail.livejournal.com]

Looks like I'm the only one wishing for a realio trulio happy ending without any character-building tragedy. Whatever. You are all monsters, Rowling would be proud. I, on the other hand, am starting up the campaign for a full-on happy ending; go AU and go large or go home. EVERYBODY LIVES!

And by "everybody" I mean "Lily and James" obviously. I honestly don't see Sirius ever getting over their deaths, not really. (Remus would struggle a lot too, but he is more, uh, stoical and anyway he can't blame himself. Sirius could've saved them but he made a terrible mistake and didn't so, yeah, even Remus and Harry's combined best efforts wouldn't convince him to allow himself to be properly happy after that.) They can still have some sadness with Remus being a werewolf and dealing with all that comes with that and Sirius can have miscellaneous childhood traumas with his family. Although I'd probably let Regulus live too, in for a penny in for a pound.

Remember all those epilogue, what epilogue? fics after TDH? Let's have more Voldemort, what Dark Lord? in which lalala, I don't care how, but all my faves get to live happily ever after, with snuggles and good times and laughter and sex. Yes. EVERYBODY LIVES, JUST THIS ONCE, EVERYBODY LIVES.

You know it makes sense. *winks*

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

All I know is that it involves Barty Crouch Sr still being alive and Sirius publicly, legally, professionally, and emotionally dragging him and the entire legal system of the Wizarding World through mass amounts of vindictive, well-deserved shit.

Lupin sees the dawn of a new era for werewolf rights and gets to teach at Hogwarts again.

They both get public apologies the Order of Merlin, First Class. Sometimes they visit Dolores Umbridge in her jail cell just to cheerily share newspaper announcements on the most recent advancements in 'half-breed' rights. Sirius apologizes to Kreacher and vice versa. Harry lives with them for a while. Lupin has a great relationship with his best friend Tonks. They have riotous annual Christmas parties with her, Andromeda, and the teenagers.

All is well.