A Jaded Family

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling while Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to the genius of Akira Amano. I make no claim to ownership on either of them.

A/N: Before you start reading, here some translations you may find useful:

Buon Dio- Good God;

A/N: This chapter has been edited.

oOo

Chapter 3

15th June 1998 – n° 12 Grimmauld Place, London

'Now I remember why Mione was the one who packed my bag before the Hunt.'

Looking at the meager possessions in front of her, Harry sighed. Finally, she understood why Mrs. Weasleay got angry if they prepared their trunks only a few hours before leaving for the train; the young witch was sure she was forgetting something... Putting on the bed a last pair of socks, she checked her mental list. Again.

Clothes, food, a couple of books, ticket, money, cloak… Now she only needed to find something to put all these things-

TUNK!

Harry groaned while something small and leathery slammed against the back of her head and propelled her, face first, on the bedspread. Getting her bearing, she pushed herself up with an arm as her free hand caught the small brown purse that made her see the stars. 'But what the hell?!' she thought, blinking her green eyes.

"Did you really think we would let you go without saying goodbye?" said a male voice behind her. "You really are something, Harry," it continued, amused.

Blushing, the girl got up and turned around, looking at her godbrother while he leaned against her bedroom's door frame. Neville seemed even taller than the last time she saw him and that happened only a week and a half before. He was wearing his red Auror coat and the black DA band stood out sharply on his left arm.

'He must have just returned from a hunt…' she concluded, looking at the smears of blood and dust on his uniform. Sometimes it seemed impossible that at only seventeen, he and the rest of the DA decided to join the Auror Corps. She knew it was only temporary but she considered them all too young, too weary, too jaded to take on a responsibility like that. Masterfully she ignored how hypocrite her thought was - considering she was the one in charge of the DA Section in the magical police force- and she greeted her fellow Gryffindor with a hug. "It's this the way to greet an old friend?"

His dusty face twisted in a mix of exasperation and affection, "It is when you decide to take a holiday and you let me in charge of the troops. And let's not talk about the paperwork."

She snorted.

Paperwork.

If possible, the desk job was almost as boring as Snape's essays. Almost.

"Don't worry, you will survive," she murmured cheekily, patting the top of his head as he was an annoying little brother. She sniggered at his glower.

"Yes yes he will, Harriet Potter," confirmed an airy voice and Harry smiled as Luna appeared over Neville's shoulder, a dreamy expression on her pale face. "The Nargles won't bother us much, you can go," continued the Lovegood, stepping over the other witch and hugging her. Harry rose her eyebrows at the boy, asking for a translation to the Ravenclaw's odd words.

"Andromeda Floo-called. She explained," supplied Neville as a heavy scowl marred his face.

"Ah." Harry's face turned ashy as she swallowed dryly. Really, what could she say?

Luna put her hand on the girl's shoulder, for once her blue eyes were clear. "We will go with you, if you want, Harry. All you have to do is ask…"

The Potter smiled as her expression saddened and shook her head in denial. "We can't all disappear… With Ron and Mione gone, Ginny and George grieving Fred, the DA needs someone to coordinate them. Neville can't do it alone, Lu." Then grimacing and looking at the witch in particular, she added, "And you two are pureblood."

The two nodded and Neville made a face at the thought of him and Luna waltzing around the Muggle world. It was like asking for a disaster to happen.

'And Merlin only knows how Harry's luck is more than enough to make trouble,' thought him smirking to himself. Almost like the girl in question read his mind, Harry glowered at him.

The wizard simply smiled innocently. It was true and they both knew that.

"Anyway, we came bearing gifts," chipped Luna, grabbing the purse in Harry's hand. "Weightless and bottomless, with a bunch of charms that will not let it be ruined or stolen from you. It has an Undetectable Extension charm too."

Sighing in relief, Harry took the purse and hugged it between her scarred arms. Hermione took the beaded handbag with her in her travel and she really feared she would have had to drag her poor battered trunk around half Europe. She grinned brightly, she really had the best of friends.

"It was my mother's" murmured Neville crossing his arms in front of him, a ghost of a smile on his lips. Harry made a strangled sound from the deep of her throat, her hands started trembling slightly while her eyes grew huge at his confession. Letting a welcoming expression paint his face, the young Longbottom shrugged, "It was only collecting dust in the wardrobe anyway."

'Unlikely,' Harry thought. His house elves would have killed themselves before letting their Mistress' things collect dust. And they both knew that. Pinning him with a skeptical look, he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Mum would have liked for you to use it," he admitted in the end.

'Maybe,' reflected the Girl-who-Lived. Both of them hadn't forgotten what exactly tied them together, even more than that blasted prophecy. Alice had been chosen to be her godmother; if Dumbledore hadn't decided to send her to her Aunt's house, the two of them would have grown up as siblings… Even just for a little while, Alice Longbottom would have been her mother too. Grateful, Harry hugged him tight, "It'll take well care of it. Thank you."

They stayed like that for a minute or two, basking in the other's warmth when Luna jumped in between them, incapable of waiting any more. "Open it, open it!" the blond exclaimed, pulling again and again one of Harry's arms.

Amused, the Girl-who-Lived inserted a hand in the purse and frowned when it came in contact with a lot of cold and sleek things. Pulling out one of the objects, Harry looked at the vial in her palm; a bright red color swirled inside the glass. A Pepper-up potion.

"It was a fortune that our home had the potion lab built in the basement," hummed Luna in her singular way, nodding to the vial. "Most of mum's potions survived the roof collapse. They are all under stasis."

Harry could only watch her friend. The potions' prices doubled after the Blood War, some even tripled after the closing of borders. It was a month and a half after the Battle of Hogwarts, the ingredients' importations were still blocked; it was a miracle the Ministry had enough potions for the St. Mungo and the Auror Department. What they were giving her was without price…

"There is also a vial of Veritaserum in it!" Chipped the Ravenclaw with nonchalance, as she never turned upside down her friend's world. "I nicked it from Snape's old pantry at school."

Neville burst out laughing, running a hand through his short blond hair, "He really did have one, the old bat!" Nudging at his godsister with his shoulder, he added, "Your luck really doesn't change, Potter!"

Harry felt her throat close and her bright green eyes get wet, her emotions getting the better of her. Looking at her friends, in her chest rose a feeling that was comfortingly warm and cozy, glowing brighter and brighter with every breath she took. Smiling, she let herself being submerged by the sensation of joy, happiness and gratefulness that was rushing through her veins.

'I don't deserve them…' Thought the overwhelmed witch in her mind.

Neville grabbed her, purposely ignoring her lucid eyes, and ruffled her already messy hair, "Well then, what time does your metal thing with wings depart at?"

Snorting, the Girl-Who-Lived slapped away his hand as she replied, "It's called airplane, Neville, and my flight to Milan is in five hours."

"We are late then," practically sang Luna, putting the vial back in the purse and dragging the black haired girl back in the bedroom. Surrendering herself at her friend's mercy, Harry sighed and let the blond manhandle her. All this not before catching her fellow Gryffindor's smirk.

"What?" She asked, kind of worried.

"Oh, nothing…" He replied, smirking even wider and joining the girls in Harry's room.

In those five hours, she discovered that packing with Luna was even worse than packing with Mrs. Weasley.

oOo

Harry threw herself on her seat with all the grace of an aground whale; she had forgotten just how boring and frustrating was the queue for the plane boarding.

'And let's not talk about the scare that Muggle thing gave me when it started to make noise,' she thought testily. For thirty seconds Harriet Potter thought her life was officially over, that she would have to spend her last miserable days in jail with Teddy who knows where.

During those thirty seconds, she really believed that the charm she used on her papers had failed and the word TERRORIST had splattered itself on the controller's screen upon her photo.

Instead, she just didn't take off her belt. Her belt!

"Bloody. Muggles," she hissed under her breathtaking off the sweater and ignoring the curious passengers who were staring at her arms. Really, it wasn't so bad! Her worst scratches were covered with gauzes and her bruises had lost their yellowish color days ago.

Suppressing a groan, Harry covered her face with a hand while a blush rose up to her cheeks. Merlin, what she would give for a Notice-me-Not charm! But, really, she did not want to take the chance to blow up the plane… Technology and magic do not mix.

'Come on, Potter, you should be used to it!' She said to herself resolutely. The Wizarding World had loved to put their noses in every single aspect of her life; being stared at was part of the gig. Nothing new there.

The energy started and, instinctively, she reached for the seat armrest, holding it tight. A groan of pain made her turn to the person sitting next to her; the boy's blue eyes were scrunched with hurt. He smiled awkwardly and signaled her to look down; it was not the armrest what she was crushing.

Harriet did groan out loud too.

oOo

Basil had to admit it, he didn't see it coming.

He thought he would just go to England, discover why all their informants disappeared in the last year and then goes back home. Nice and easy.

Just it didn't happen. Half of them were dead and the other half didn't know anything. Even the journey back was full of surprises… But in his defense, who would expect a Sky in business class?

Skies were the most important members in the Mafia World, practically royalty. So sought after by Elements for their acceptance, their warmth, for being home that a Sky was essentially pampered and revered by his Guardians and Famiglia. In almost an obsessed way.

Ergo, Skies don't travel in business class. Ever. And certainly not in presence of an unknown Element!

That's why when he sensed the Flames of Sky on his airplane, his intuition had screamed 'Danger!' It was easy to unleash the protective instincts of a Guardian, it took nothing to make them attack if they thought you could be a risk for their Sky.

Only, it didn't happen.

No Flame wrapped itself around the Sky, no blaze warned him away… nothing. And this was worrying. No Sky was left alone, especially not when they had that Flame power.

Nervous, Basil brushed his sandy lock of hair from his eye and looked at the girl who was walking hesitantly down the aisle. Her emerald green eyes, hidden by a pair of atrocious glasses, jumped from one number to the others trying to find her seat. The first thing he saw was that she was skinny, almost dangerously so; her thin face was too pale and tired. Not to mention her clothes… The young mafioso scrunched his lip, annoyed. What kind of Guardian let his Sky fall in those conditions?! Why there was no-

His breath got caught in his throat when the girl stopped in front of him. Her short curly black hair parted, highlighting the cut right below the hairline and the yellowish bruise on her cheekbone… a lightning bolt scarred her forehead… suddenly her haggard appearance took a more terrifying meaning. He knew that sometimes Elements reacted in a violent way to the Sky Attraction; some were clear-headed enough to get away before doing something they will regret, others… others tried to force a Bond and ended up hurting or killing the Sky.

Watching that young girl, Basil felt his Rain Flames seething and raging under his skin. This was not the way to treat a Sky! Letting his Flames leaking out from him and redirected them towards the hurt girl; her shoulders relaxed under the influence of his Tranquility Attribute and he rejoiced at the feeling of the Sky's Flames be tense no more. Basil didn't have a Sky, the nearest thing to home was his Master, but Iemistu-sama always had a tight control on them and rarely he could enjoy in their warmth. Sighing, he forced himself to relax in his seat, leaving his left arm in the shared arm-seat and closing his eyes.

The motor of the plane roared and the Sky tensed, clawing at the leather under her palm and his poor hand with a strength it should not be possible from a body so tiny, making him groan in pain.

"Sorry," murmured her blushing strongly and taking away her hand.

"Ah, worry not, my Lady, it could have happened to anybody," he chuckled massaging his hand. Harry rose a puzzled eyebrow at his archaic way of talking in his Italian accent but still nodded her head in assent.

'Merlin, Hermione is right! I suck at small talk…' She thought when the silence became heavy.

"Is this thy first plane flight?" he eventually said, looking at her with kind blue eyes.

"Ah, yes."

"And… are thou sure thee should been here alone?"

Her green eyes looked at him perplexed. "I meant…" The boy tried to explain, "I meant, there is no one who is going with thee, my Lady? No family or friend?"

"Italy isn't so far away… I don't need a babysitter," commented her shrugging casually.

"I'm sure, my Lady but nay even a Guardian?" Basil whispered, looking at her closely and stressing the last word like it explained everything. Maybe for him, it did, but definitely not for Harry...

"No, no… guardian," said her slowly, green emerald eyes huge and incredulous. She knew she seemed younger than she was, with her petite frame and big eyes, but she was seventeen. She has been considered an adult in the Wizarding World for months now. Actually, she has been treated as an adult since she was fourteen. Anyway, she didn't have a good feeling about this 'guardian' thing. In fact, the Italian boy, if possible, became even more worked up.

"How.. how could have they left thee alone?! It's dangerous for thee, my Lady" Basil felt his Flames crackle and writhe. Buon Dio, you don't let a Sky go around like that! Where the hell was her Famiglia?

Harry's aristocratic face hardened and she hissed enraged, "I can take care of myself!"

Basil's gaze ran again all over her injuries and sighed. "Thou has not to sacrifice thyself this way; even if my Lady feels the need to forgive and forget, thou can not allow those who treated thee this way to keep going on!" finished him taking her hands in his.

'What the hell is he talking about?!' she thought gob-smacked. Harry looked up and down the aisle worried, searching for a free seat to move to. This boy really was nice and all but really this conversation was starting to become creepy.

"I can see thee hasn't been hurt too gravely but worry not my Lady, I'm here to free thee from thy chains. Allow me to guide thee and I shall show thee how this world can be magnificent for such as us!" he blurted out waving his arms around and becoming more and more animated.

Harry burst out laughing at his ridiculous act. Merlin, when was last time she honestly laughed? It seemed like years!

'Maybe he isn't so bad,' the girl thought, smiling and letting herself relax. While strange, the boy wasn't a danger for her and she was good at understanding people; all her years with the Dursleys trained her well.

"What's your name?" she asked tilting her head.

"I can't believe I didn't even introduce myself to thee, my Lady," said the Mafioso offering his hand "I'm Basil."

"Nice to meet you, Basil," she said taking his palm in her own and sending a look at her fake passport.

In the beginning, she freely admitted she had been scared when Andromeda declared she would be the one to decide her 'flower name'. That woman happily condemned her own daughter to be called Nymphadora, after all. Now she couldn't be happier of having let Andromeda have carte-blanche on her new identity. She said she chose it because it described a lot of qualities she refined during those hard years of struggle - faith, hope, courage, change - and what she hoped she would find now that the war ended – harmony.

Harry wasn't sure if she really was all those things if she really grew in a new, true person. A better person. She only knew that its literal translation meant 'Flower of the Lily' and any homage made to the amazing woman that had been her mother was enough for her. With that thought, Harry's smile broadened and shook his hand, "I'm Iris Sinclair."

oOo

The Mafioso's heart literally stopped for a moment. It took all his training to prevent his smile from freezing on his face and for his eyes not to become huge as plates.

'S-Sinclair?' Basil thought half terrified and half disbelieving. 'A Flame Active with Sinclair as their surname?!'

Gently he let her hand go and studied carefully the Sky Flames she was unconsciously emitting. They were very, very strong and pure; Flames like that didn't just pop out of nowhere. Especially with that surname.

Everyone knew of the Renato Sinclair. He had been one of the most dangerous killer, the very best, before the Arcobaleno Reborn stole his title. He was a Flame User unaligned to any Famiglia and so infallible that his hits were paid twice or thrice the normal price: a merciless killer so legendary that just saying his name made the blood freeze in the veins of the other Mafiosi.

Till his disappearance, at least.

No one knew where he was, his traces were erased with the same mastery that he dealt with his contracts, but they knew he wasn't dead. If someone had managed to kill him, they would have not kept it quiet.

'He must have retired in England...' Basil concluded while he watched her lower her seat a bit, smile and say she would sleep till the landing. The Italian nodded lightly, too absentminded to take offense of her lack of need to talk to him.

True to her words, she fell asleep in seconds thanks to the soft rumbling of the plane.

The Rain stayed silent for the rest of the flight, lost in his thoughts. His return home just got a lot more complicated.

oOo

Basil dialed on his phone while he looked at the young Sinclair with the corner of his eyes. She was waiting for her to be cleared to enter Italy and he didn't have much time. A couple of rings later, the phone was picked up on the other side.

"Oi Basil! Do you have any idea what time is it?" said a loud male voice. "I hope you have a good reason to wake me up at 5 am."

"Master," he sighed relieved. He really didn't know what to do. His anxiousness had to have leaked out in his voice because the CEDEF Boss's tone became worried, "Everything ok, Basil?"

The boy carded a hand through his sandy hair, "I found a young Sky, Master, no Guardians nor a Famiglia" then he kept going on, lowering his voice and admitting reluctantly, "She isn't… well, Master."

The line was silent for a couple of moment where he knew Iemitsu-sama was valuing the pros and the cons of adding the newfound fragile Sky in the CEDEF or even in the Famiglia.

'Skies are natural leaders, adding this girl in the Vongola will only strengthen our power,' reflected the young Mafioso. 'The Famiglia treats its members well. She will be hurt and used without the protection of a mafia family. The most logical thing for her is joining us,' he continued trying to suffocate the guilt of involving such an innocent girl in the Mafia World.

"Name?" Basil heard from his Master, the sound of papers being shifted and a pen being uncapped echoed in the background. The Rain took a quick look behind himself, reassuring himself Iris was still there. She was rummaging in her purse and taking out a shining silvery cloth. A scarf, maybe; it did get cold in the airport.

"Iris Sinclair" he murmured in the phone taking his eyes from her.

The noise of a chair crushing on the floor and the loud WHAT of his Master made the Rain's poor ears ring. "Don't lose her Basil! Keep her with you till someone come to pick you two up!" shouted the older Mafioso on the phone. He really wasn't surprised; if he didn't know he would have scared her to death, Basil would have had the same reaction.

The Mafioso turned around and readied himself at stall Iris enough to give his fellow agents time to get there. He really hoped she wouldn't take offense for her kidnapping. His blue eyes scanned the whole room for the girl…. and this time it was he who shouted on the phone.

"M-Master! She isn't here anymore!"

oOo

Iemitsu hung his phone up and sighed, clutching a lock of his blond hair in each hand.

'What a mess,' the Mafioso thought. For years Donna Daniela and Don Timoteo had tried to tie Renato Sinclair to the Vongola Family but the hitman had been always adamant to stay neutral. No Sky had ever been strong enough to seduce the hitman... in this sense, Sinclair reminded him a lot of Reborn.

Both men had always been so infuriatingly unaligned, despite Reborn inclination to accept the Vongola Family's contracts more. With all three Nono's legitimate heirs dead, Xanxus still smarting for his years as a popsicle and his little Tuna-fish still training for his role as Decimo Vongola, the Family was on thin ice.

'Vongola needs a new alliance…' the Young Lion thought, looking at the grainy photo of the girl in his hand. Luckily didn't have problems in taking the airport cameras' recordings; green eyes and black hair were featured quite common. '…if we have to hunt down the girl so be it.'

Iemitsu nodded to himself and pushed the bottom of his intercom, "Send a red flag to all our allies and informers. Iris Sinclair is in Italy."

Absently, he let himself fall against his office chair and rubbed his tired face. What he just did was dangerous, very dangerous. If Renato Sinclair was still alive… Iemitsu suppressed a shiver.

He just hoped they would survive the famous killer's wrath for taking his little Arcobaleno.