The Family

Reines never thought she'd meet her grandparents. Well, on the maternal side as her paternal side kicked the bucket a year before their son did from Dragon Pox(the grandfather) and depression(the grandmother) that she basically allowed herself to get infected just to be with her husband. If that wasn't an example of deep love, she doesn't know what else is. Very rarely that people marry for just pure love these days. Most people marry for convenience or superficially-stupid reasons or out of greed-induced benefits after manipulating some naive man or woman and then become their parasite.

Then she is also fortunate that her parents loved each other that her mother refused to remarry until she finds a man just like her father.

She wondered about herself. Would she be able to marry out of love someday too?

That would be wonderful so maybe she should listen to her own advice and teachings, and make it her own dream.

She doesn't have particularly any goals for the future as she would inherit the family business anyway. Not only that, the family fortune would last her until her death day with more money still coming as long as they have cows and chickens. So might as well marry for love and have a happy family while living in a beautiful, peaceful countryside.

Its an ideal dream and world to have for her.

But now, as she is on a taxi ride to Cokeworth where her grandparents are...

She was nervous somehow.

She brought new clothes with her, not just her luggage.

She found herself more comfortable in the japanese trend of gothic and classic lolita fashion than the traditional dirndls of good ol' alps that she bought plenty enough to cover all four seasons with matching accessories and shoes.

It suits her well as she's good-looking, slim and slender, like a doll that only truly cute/attractive/beautiful girls with slim and slender bodies can pull it off. And she owled Sirius with a catalogue about Aristocrat Fashion since its more good-looking if he wanted to buy his wife new clothes.

Muggles are definitely WAY BETTER than witches and wizards in fashion!

xxx

'Hey Andie look! Reines sent us a letter and a japanese fashion catalogue!' Sirius exclaimed as he tore apart the brown paper wrapping after taking off the letter taped to it.

'A fashion catalogue? We can't even understand what's on it.' said Aphelandra wryly. 'What's the letter say?' Sirius opened the letter.

'Paddy, for Middle School, I went to Japan,' Sirius sputtered incredulously, 'For better language learning to learn Japanese! Since staying in an apartment is too costly, I took the Homestay Program where foreigners stay with a Japanese Host Family.' he then read aloud all about Reines' experiences and what she felt about the Japanese Lifestyle and the concerning Host Family she's staying with.

'Oh dear...that's no good alright...' Aphelandra choked out, feeling sorry for the child Reines grew to care for.

'I'll say. Good thing she's doing good with the poor kid.' Sirius grimaced. 'I'll continue. 'Anyway, since Japan is the land of cute and beauty in regards to some things like their sweets, cakes, clothes, uniforms and shoes, I recommend shopping there from now on if a girl wants new clothes and shoes befitting of nobility and aristocracy. I bought these for Andie as she's an adult and I bought the Classic and Gothic Lolita for teenagers like myself but in a few years, I'd go Aristocrat too. By the way, one galleon is 653.66 yen, one sickle is 37.91 and one knut is 1.31. Happy doing the math and its worth it or if you don't like the color, just change the color when you get it since the colors tend to be gloomy on purchase!' so she says...'

'...and some of these are more than five digits...if she didn't tell us the exchange rate, I might have put my foot down.' Aphelandra shuddered.

'Oh please! If you ask me these prices are wallet-friendly compared to the stuff I used to get in Twilfitt and Tattings back home! The reason its high priced is because its made of Acromantula Silk but the design leaves much to be desired! These outfits may be no Acromantula silk but we can always get a nice tailor to custom-make these for us in colors you'd like as Color-Switching every now and then would be tiring.' Sirius pointed out. 'Well, Reines wouldn't know that as she never grew up knowing Pureblood ways of Living Standards.'

'Then at least the money we spend will be worth it then!' Aphelandra chimed. 'Acromantula silk with bright colors on these gorgeous dresses, can you imagine?!' she squealed happily. 'Seeing these catalogues makes tailors Swiss Nobles go to look like they got design education from the stone ages!'

'You'll be the envy of all belles come Christmas Parties.' Sirius snorted. 'We got work to do.'

'Mother~! Call the family tailor right now! I got a new wardrobe in mind!'

xxx

Cokeworth, Evans' Residence...

Reines winced at the magic she felt in the house.

'Mum, this...?' she paused as she wasn't sure if she wanted to walk forward with all these barriers...

'Oh, its about forty security wards your father and I cooked up to protect them till the end of their days.' Lily told her daughter. 'He was even willing to do Dark Magic just to see the looks on Death Eater faces when they come through. Its blood-keyed to him and Evans Family Relatives. Well, Vernon refused to let his blood be used in magic so I suspect only Petunia and Dudley come visit, if ever. And no doubt if Petunia can help it, Dudley doesn't know we exist.' she drawled sarcastically as they rang the doorbell.

An old man answered the door.

Upon seeing them, he sported a beaming smile.

'Lily! And you must be little Reines!' he exclaimed as he happily welcomed them inside.

Reines decided her grandfather is friendly enough that her worries are washed away. Wonder about her grandmother though...

She was well-received by her grandparents, especially because she's cute...and there's something else entirely.

'You're different from your cousin Dudley that's for sure.' said Rosette gloomily. 'I really wonder about Petunia and Vernon's way of parenting, it worries me.'

'Their way of parenting? What about it?' Reines asked them over tea as Lily cooked lunch.

'Well...your cousin is extremely spoiled and used to getting his way...if he can't or wouldn't, he'll throw a tantrum and your aunt and uncle will gladly go to the moon to give him what he wants. He's terribly spoiled. A spoiled and selfish brat I can see his future in a Juvie Center anytime soon. Not only that, he's as obese as his father!' Jefferson grumbled. 'They should have done better parenting. Children have high potential at a young age as blank slates. Its their parents' upbringing that makes children what they are as adults. You grew up appreciating simple but finer things in life, know the value of good manners, hard work, and education while when I ask Petunia about her son's grades, dear lord, she sees D's and E's as normal grades for a growing little boy! Need I remind her that you and Dudley are the same age, yet she still treats him like a Kindergartener!' he snorted. 'Vernon is no better, calling him 'Li'l tyke'! I know there's more but I would like to know what Little Whinging thinks of that boy because his personality...is worrying.'

'Oh, would you like me to scope it out?' Reines offered.

'Eh? But Little Whinging is about a day's drive from here! Don't bother.' Rosette sighed. 'But at any rate, we will not have an iota of sympathy. We warned Petunia time and again, she refuses to listen. They say 'too little, too late'. That saying cannot be anymore truer than it is. Not to mention whenever they come, we have to hide our wallets upstairs and lock our bedroom doors.'

'Eh? Why?'

'He's a budding thief, that one.' Jefferson growled. 'I once left some money on my coffee table since I was going to buy my favorite cigars. Your aunt and uncle took your grandma to the nearest hospital because of a bad fall when her cane broke so the brat was left with me alone and they hired a caretaker for us until her leg healed. I just went to the toilet before I go out and when I came to get my money back, its gone and suddenly, Dudley has a bag of chips and a can of soda and that was my cigar money! Needless to say we're careful with our valuables ever since they come here as its pointless to talk about their son's flaws to selective-deafness. I have a greedy gluttonous thief for a grandson and I'm glad Lily brought you up well. You're a good girl compared to his bad boy.' he sighed. 'I was thinking that when we finally move on to the hereafter, we will leave only Petunia anything. Not a single cent on that undeserving delinquent boy.'

'But I do have something to leave you dear. Our lawyer passed away from cancer so might as well do everything ourselves. And we're not getting any younger.' Rosette sighed as she took out a jewelry box. 'These are the jewelry your look-alike ancestor once wore when she married her fiancee. They're priceless heirlooms I barely got from some relatives, until I sent them a photo of you. Only then did they let me have my way!' she snorted. 'Although you'll have to return it to them after you marry. Don't lose these!'

'Oh dear, I wouldn't or I'll get in trouble!' Reines giggled. 'But grandma, who's her fiancee?'

'The guy's name is Daemon Spade. Both of them joined the Vongola Organization in Italy and at a time when the government was rife with corruption, they are the people's answer for justice, and fighting for a better life for the commoners and the poor in those days. They are vigilantes when the law were useless, too interested in serving themselves, than the public. That's history.' said Rosette. 'We Italians are pretty serious about family history and lineages if one descended from nobility and my family is one. In the days of your ancestor, our family had the title of Duke and Duchess so yes, we take history seriously even if today, we live normal lives. Italians tend to be proud of that so I'm glad in a way thanks to your schooling in La Garenne, you learned Italian. You're a step closer.' she smiled. 'Who knows what happened to Vongola if that organization survived today.' she frowned thoughtfully. '...it just vanished all of a sudden three years after Lady Elena's death...and then an organization claiming to be Vongola walked a bloody path since. Mafia.' she stated grimly in distaste. 'Your poor ancestor is sure to roll in her grave if she gets wind of this fake Vongola and their heinous deeds. So tell us about your time in Japan dear.'

xxx

Lunch that day, is of course, healthy cuisine with Reines taking care of her grandparents' ailing body parts. Elderly bone and joint problems.

'Oh! Reines is this advanced in magic already Lily?!' Rosette gushed out as she and her husband felt much better than the results they get from spending big money over.

'Well, she's a hardworker...she won't stop until she's satisfied!' Lily beamed happily. 'Reines, how are they?'

'For now this is a temporary solution mom, unless they get a caretaker who will cook them healthy meals, some potions and a visit from me every school vacation for me to fix their bodies so they can walk upstraight with no skeletal pain again.'

'Well, that's one thing to do on our list...our last caretaker quit because of Dudley.' Rosette said gloomily. 'She can't stand him and they visit on a weekend every week. Had we known what kind of upbringing he'd have, we'd never have asked them for weekend visits. We put up with it when Dudley's a toddler but now he's a teenager! Honestly!'

'We have our limits too dearie and we're about to blow up. Ten caretakers! Ten!' Jefferson scowled. 'And they say the Caretaker just didn't like their 'diddykins'! Who would?!'

'Well, we can always get a House Elf and we can pretend your caretaker took a day off when they visit.' Lily suggested. 'They'll do all the cleaning and cooking, and all you and dad can do is relax and have fun. Even better, you won't have to pay a dime!'

'Really now?'

'Really? We can go to Diagon Alley right away to buy one. I'll be back in half an hour! Reines, stay here OK?'

'OK!'

'If some undesirables show up, turn them to stone!'

And Lily was out.

'Huuuh?!' the two elderly gaped at their door where Lily was a second ago, and at their granddaughter.

'Well, ever since I can turn anything I want to stone, that seems to be mum's favorite way of taking out Death Eaters ever since I turned daddy's killer to stone as a baby by accident.'

'I say good riddance.' Jefferson scoffed. 'Honestly, killing good people just because they won't let him have his way? He reminds me of a psychotic Dudley with magic. Now that, I'd rather do without.'

xxx

Diagon Alley...

Lily went to Gringotts to withdraw some money to buy a House Elf. House Elves cost about 500 Galleons and the younger the more pricey. She settled for an adult elf as her parents only have a few years left anyway...that, and she needs Potions for her parents, until she saw the Daily Prophet.

MINISTRY RANSACKED!
STATUE OF YOU-KNOW-WHO STOLEN!
LOOKING BACK TO 1981
POSSIBLE REVIVAL ATTEMPTS?

'Shit.'

She bought a copy and quickly rushed her business.

xxx

Half an hour later, at home...

'I'm home!'

'Welcome back mum!' Reines chimed. 'So who's our new helper?'

'Mum, dad, Reines, this is your new caretaker Rollie.' Lily introduced the shy female elf dressed in a white dress and slippers. 'She may be bonded to me but her orders are to specifically come from mum and dad but I am the go-to in times of emergency. Rollie, I'll now explain the rules, OK?'

'Yes, Mistress Lily.' Rollie nodded.

'One, protect my parents at all costs. If the danger is muggle, compel them into forgetting and go elsewhere. But if the danger is magical, destroy it.' Lily told the elf with a cold smile. 'Other than that, clean the house, do your chores and listen to my parents. And also, you will cook recipes from the cookbook I prepared for them, alright?'

'Yes mistress!'

'Good! Now get to know my parents.' Lily told the elf kindly. 'Mum, dad, something...came up. I have to inform Moony and Padfoot that we have a problem and we have to plan.'

'Wizarding kind problem?'

'...the Ministry was ransacked, and his statue was stolen.' Lily stated darkly. 'There will be harebrained revival attempts. Reines, is magic or any potion capable of undoing your petrification?'

'No mum, Magic and Dying Will Flames are very different from each other.' said Reines as Rosette's jaws dropped before gushing on how proud she is of her granddaughter for being closer to Vongola. 'Dying will is basically our willpower and wish despite having set abilities and I'm a Sky.' she said, showing off her Sky Flames. 'I can only synchronize, harmonize, assimilate and petrify. And we tried with bugs, I can't restore them. If I can't, highly unlikely with magic. Since my will and intent turned him to stone, as long as my will keeps him...rocky, I just don't see how he can be revived.' she snorted. 'They can keep trying in vain, nothing will happen.'

Famous last words, Reines...