When they were about to land Nat closed her book, she had almost finished it. Harry had slept rather well for the whole flight, only getting up to use the washroom and then eating something. He tried watching another movie but in the end fell asleep. Harry was groggy but followed Nat easily enough off the plane and down the escalators and lead them through the maze that was baggage claim and customs. A official from the Ministry of Magic Canada was there to great them and check their bags once again.
"Who is coming to pick you up?"
"Well my parents were, but since the plane was delayed I'm not sure. We don't live too far away actually." Nat said looking around as they walked slowly. "I'm sure they are around-"
"NATALIAAAAAAAAAAA"
Natalia whipped around in the direction of the voice. Emma was bounding towards them. Nat squealed with delight and dropped everything to run at her. Nat's force was greater than Emma's and she knocked them both to the ground. A smiling man helped Harry pick up Nat's things and move them out of the way. Harry lent against the wall and watched Nat fondly. The two were rolling and laughing together. One more person came into view. Harry recognized him as Bryan. Emma's boyfriend. Bryan picked Nat up and hugged her, then pulled Emma to her feet as well. Harry saw himself be pointed at so he stopped leaning against the wall and put the backpack on over one shoulder. Nat was smiling broadly.
"Emma. Bryan. This is Harry." Nat said when they were close.
"Hello." Harry said with wave.
"Hey Harry." Emma waved back.
"Hey Harry." Bryan said offering his hand. Harry shook it and smiled. "Here, let me help." Bryan took the suitcase and Nat's duffel bag. Harry had his own suitcase in hand. Emma took Nat's hand and pulled her forward. The group started walking out of the airport.
"Yay! It snowed!" Nat cheered as they got outside.
"It's been snowing for like a week." Emma sighed. "It's gross."
"You're gross." Nat countered picking up some snow.
"The snow in Britain different or something?" Bryan teased.
"Yes. Very. It's British snow." Harry said with a grin. Everyone looked at him. "It has a silly accent and tends to think it's better than everyone else."
The three Canadians laughed and Harry grinned wider. Emma and Bryan kept on teasing Nat on the way to the car. It was a four door car, not new, but not too old either. The trunk was already occupied by a hockey bag.
"Bryan Alexander Perry. I told you to take out your hockey gear!" Emma scolded. She was pushing the bag to one side. Bryan joined her and when they pushed together they managed to compact the bag enough to fit the two suitcases in. Harry's backpack fit in easily. Nat had to do some puzzle solving to fit her duffel in.
"There. No harm done." Bryan said closing the trunk.
"Yeah lucky for you!" Emma sighed. She held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. Bryan drooped his shoulders and handed over the keys. Emma smirked in victory and made her way to the driver's seat. She pulled the seat closer to the wheel and then got in. Harry and Nat got into the back seat and Bryan into the remaining one. The car was started as the three doors closed and then Emma backed out of the spot and out of the parking lot.
"You got money for Tim's?" Bryan asked digging out his wallet.
"Err yea." Emma said pointing at her purse down near Bryan's feet. "Dig some out of the boat there."
"Tim's?" Harry whispered to Nat.
"Coffee shop." Nat said. "They only take cash."
"Oh." Harry said. Nat took his hand. Only a few months ago she was the foreign one, she remembered how it felt to be the odd one. She made a mental note to make sure she kept an eye on Harry and his smile. Emma rambled on about school and the gossip since the last letter she sent. Bryan corrected her when necessary and Nat would double check she heard names correctly. Harry stayed quiet, content to just watch Nat in her natural surroundings. When they got to the coffee shop Emma pulled into the drive through.
"Usual Natalia?" She said as they waited for the car in front of them to finish ordering.
"Yes." Nat said rubbing her thumb over Harry's hand gently.
"What does Harry want?" Bryan asked Emma.
"I don't know. Harry!" Emma called as she drove up to the speaker box. "What do you want?"
"Uh, just tea I guess." Harry said.
"What kind of tea?" Emma asked just as the girl asked "Can I take your order?"over the speaker. "Oh never mind. Hi!"
"Can I take your order?" The girl asked again.
"Um yeah. What kind of tea do you have that a British person would like?" Emma asked. Bryan facepalmed.
"Emma!" Nat laughed.
"Umm. English breakfast?" The girl offered over the speaker.
"Perfect. I'll get that." Emma said.
"What size?"
"Medium." Bryan said looking at the change in his hands.
"Medium please." Emma said into the speaker.
"Is that everything?"
"No. A medium black. A medium double single and a large double double." Emma said and then paused. The speaker read the order back to them. "Perfect." Emma said and she drove forward to the window.
"Coffee complicated in Canada." Harry sighed. Nat giggled.
"You're just funny and foreign." Emma teased grinning at Harry in the rear view mirror as they waited for the drive through window to open.
"Canadian coffee makes about as much sense as American politics." Bryan said handing over the money he had just counted. Nat snorted. "Should be ten cents back Em."
"Mmk." Emma said as the window opened and she handed over the change. The change came first, Emma took it and then put some change on the counter of the window. "Oh, no tray." Emma handed the coffee's over to Bryan and after inspecting the tops passed the brown cups to the correct person.
"Drink up my lovies." Emma said driving away. "You're gunna need all the energy you can get."
Emma took them to what Harry was told was Nat's family home. It was good size, two floors. Harry could see the ocean in the distance.
"Halifax Harbour." Nat said as she stood by Harry. "C'mon we can go there tomorrow when it's daylight. Emma has everyone over don't want to keep them waiting."
"Yeah." Harry exhaled. He turned to get his stuff out of the trunk but Bryan and Emma were already taking them into the house. Nat took Harry's hand and lead him into the house. Harry felt his heard pounding.
"Natalia!" Came the cheer. Nat grinned as she took off her coat and shoes. Harry did the same, a little slower. Harry watched her get swarmed by three people. The rest of the people from the picture. Nicole, Helen and Evan. The most noticeable difference from the photo is that Helen's hair was now a bright pink. Evan's was blue.
"Harry." Nat dug herself out of the swarm and grabbed Harry's hand. "Ready to meet everyone?"
"Yeah." Harry said softly with a smile. Nat got up on her toes to kiss Harry quickly and then pulled him into the kitchen.
"Harry Potter." Harry looked over, a man (obviously Nat's father by the resemblance.) "Very glad to have you here. How was your flight?"
"A good. Sir." Harry said shaking the hand that was offered to him.
"Kazimir Drake. Good to meet you finally." Nat's father said shaking Harry's hand.
"Likewise sir." Harry said with a smile.
"Kazimir." Mr. Drake corrected. A woman joined them. "Ah here is my wife. Maureen."
"Hello." Harry said with a nod of his head.
"C'mon we have the basement set up." Emma said pulling on Nat. Nat grabbed onto Harry who managed a smile before turning and walking properly. Downstairs was a finished basement that had a big welcome home (for Christmas) sign and some food laid out on a coffee table. Harry and Nat sat in the oversized chair together while the rest gathered in the couch and love seat. Evan got into the popcorn.
"So I like your hair twins." Nat said after taking a bit of candy to eat and relaxing into Harry.
"Oh my gosh, me too!" Evan fawned. Harry rose an eyebrow.
"We got Evan's boyfriend to do it yesterday." Helen said playing with her hair. "Love it."
"He'll do yours too love. We can go tomorrow, the mall will be bitchin' but it would still be really fun." Evan said.
"I still need to get some gifts." Emma said. "I'll go too."
"You up to shopping tomorrow?" Nat asked looking up at Harry.
"Well, I suppose I could be." Harry replied taking some candy offered from Nat.
"Oh my God I want to have sex with his voice." Helen sighed. She fell off the couch to lean on the coffee table.
"Just his voice?" Evan said softly. Emma kicked him – she was the only one who heard him.
"Oh! Let's see your pictures Nat!" Emma said suddenly.
"Yeah, just a second." Nat said getting up and going upstairs for her bag. Harry licked his lips when Nat left, feeling unprotected.
"So Harry, ever leave England before?" Emma asked when the silence had just started to settle in.
"No, first time actually." Harry said with a smile.
"How'd you like flying?" Bryan asked reaching forward for some of the munchies on the table.
"It was alright. I much prefer a broom though." Harry said with a nervous laugh.
"Oh right! Nat said you're captain of the Quidditch team at Hogwarts." Emma said excitedly. "It's on brooms right."
"Yeah." Harry said. "Nat says you guys don't play it here."
"Well not much anyway." Bryan said. "Our school here had a small one. Ontario has a league, and the prairies but there isn't much based out of the maritimes."
"Oh. I didn't realize any of you were..." Harry started, blushing a little. "Wizards."
"Just Bryan." Helen smiled. "He goes to the same school Nat is from."
"Nat never said anything." Harry said. They looked over as Nat came down the stairs.
"Shto?" Nat said holding the phone to her head using her shoulder. She had her photo album in one hand and her duffel in the other. "Kak pozhivaesh?"
"Gramma Drake I bet." Emma said moving to the floor when Nat got closer. Nat nodded as she listened handing the album.
"Harry go though that with them? I'll be a minute." Nat said holding the phone away from her head, she brought it back to her head when she saw Harry move. "U menya vsyo khorosho?"
"Nat's grandmother calls once a night from Russia to see how everyone is doing." Emma explained and everyone shuffled to let him on the couch. "She won't talk too long."
"That must be expensive." Harry said looking over at Nat who was pacing with the phone. Emma opened the photo album and took Harry's attention. "Ah hell. Let's she what she has in here."
Nat looked over from her conversation and smiled as she watched her friends all lean in around Harry and laugh as the tour through their four months of memories started.