Beta'd by Ie-maru(Thank you)

Chapter 19

"No," Harry refused for what seemed like the twentieth time. He was not some teenager who rolled over for everyone…even though he does look like a teenager. Besides, even in his teenage years, Harry was never a pushover.

"Why? We would make a good famiglia!" Ren smiled as he took a bite from his breakfast.

The others ate and quietly observed Harry's refusal and Ren's arguments like they were testing the waters. Harry was glad that they weren't also jumping on board Ren's crazy idea. At least it was only Ren who was pushing this on him.

"No, you said family! I think this famiglia business has a whole different meaning than that!" Harry glared at Ren, who smiled in response. Harry crossed his arms and looked away first. He didn't want to start another pointless staring contest.

"Famiglia is family. We did agree on that." Ren sipped his espresso with an almost innocent expression.

"You are—" Harry started to call Ren on his fakeness, but Verde interrupted them.

"While it's entertaining to watch you two run in circles," Verde said sarcastically as he put his newspaper down, "We really do need to decide on where to live. I still think my lab is the better choice. It's remote, well stocked, and has excellent security systems."

It seemed Verde's interruption roused the others from their breakfast. Like a domino effect, they started to talk about their own home bases in an effort to impress Harry and get him to choose.

"Harry, let's go to China. China has amazing scenery," Fon said.

"No, to my place, kora!" Colonello insisted.

"Stupid! It's not secure. Inside a big metropolis, there are too many nooks that snipers can use," Lal growled.

Harry helplessly looked at them. 'Do they really think I can decide? If I decide, would they even listen?' Then he looked at Ren, who was sipping his black coffee silently. 'Would Ren even go along with it if ti wasn't his choice?' Ren was a very strong and pushy fellow used to having his way and Harry was not stupid. He knew he was the weakest one here. He didn't have his former reputation, nor his money and prestige. Even worse, Harry looked like a teenager! He didn't think these grown men and woman would silently follow his commands like his past aurors would.

"Lal is right. Our base shouldn't be in the city. We need something like a manor with a plot of land. It should be easily securable, have plenty of rooms, and we can't forget about image…" Ren trailed.

The others all exchanged looks before saying, "Bochi's manor!"

"Of course, we almost finished their men. It'll be a piece of cake, kora!" Colonello nodded.

Harry's shoulders bunched up and sweat gathered at his temples. "Didn't we just come from there? I don't want to go back!"

Fon put a calming hand on Harry's arm and said, "That wasn't the Bochi famiglia's manor. The majority of the Bochi were stationed where you were, but the property belonged to Vasaio. The Bochi manor was visited earlier by the others and myself and we cleared it of enemies."

"A quick run through to double check and we can forge the paperwork to make it ours," Ren said with a nonchalant wave. "The Bochi are relatively new, so it won't be too hard to get it done."

"We just need to finish their boss," Verde said blandly. "I left him behind at the Vasaio manor and he's probably run back home, thinking we wouldn't backtrack." A small, evil grin grew. "We could catch him off guard if we work quickly enough."

"It would save money," Viper muttered. "Buying a full estate with or without furnishings would be far more expensive than forging the necessary documents."

"Then let's go!" Lal stood up from her seat and brought her gun out at the ready. "We've got some work to do!"

"We need to do some spring cleaning before moving in," Ren agreed and armed himself. "Lal and I can handle it. The rest of you can play guard detail in the tank in case anybody tried to make trouble."

Harry was stumped. 'Are they talking about stealing someone's house!? They said they took out the guys...they killed them! And they plan to kill more of them! Bochi was right to be mad at me for stealing his wallet and he obviously didn't have control over Ampelo; he doesn't deserve to be killed so we can just take his house! Especially when they seem to have houses already!'

"No, nobody is moving an inch from this table," Harry said firmly as he stood up.

They all looked at Harry like he suddenly grew two heads. 'That's it. No more Mr. Nice Guy!'

"All of you, sit down right now! Verde, no more talk about killing the Bochi's boss! And Lal, Ren, put those guns away and stand down!" Harry shouted, channeling his time as General Potter.

They quickly sat back down. Lal grumbled, but she put her gun back as well. Ren smiled, strangely and quite visibly pleased, and also tucked his gun away. 'Thank Merlin! I thought Ren would refuse for a minute, but…he seems willing to play along.' Harry frowned and shook his head. He really didn't want to think about Ren's reasoning.

Colonello opened his mouth to say something, but Harry held his hand up and glared at him.

"No Colonello, we won't storm another mansion," Harry said tersely. He massaged his head and tried to ignore his growing headache. 'Really, did I anger some god in a past life? Why do I have to be bonded with this bloodthirsty bunch!'

"Then where will we live, Boss?" Ren smiled like the cat that caught the canary.

"B-boss! Oh, no you don't. I won't be in the mafia!" Harry glared at Ren. He wasn't going to step on that landmine. Thank you very much!

Ren chuckled lightly in response.

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"Harry, we really need to secure a place for our famig…family!" Fon hastily changed his word as Harry's glare went his way. He forgot that Harry was a civilian. Of course, the mafia would scare Harry. But, Fon knew Harry wouldn't get a choice when the time came and his name known. Skies were always dragged into the mafia. They were so very coveted.

Harry sighed and said, "Why can't we just rent an apartment some place you can all agree on?"

"Apartment? Don't joke about that. We'd be the laughing stock of the mafia world if it ever got out. Also, think about the other civilians you'd live near. Your new apartment neighbors would either be dragged into our world or be caught in the crossfire," Ren pointed out.

Fon really wished that Ren would stop being so blunt and forward. He didn't want the hitman to scare their sky away. A heartbeat after Ren's proclamation, Harry's expression shifted from indignant to worry for others. Fon smiled and thought, 'Our sky is truly softhearted.'

"Is there really not another way? Why can't you guys just tell the other famiglie that you didn't find me?" Harry asked. "Or that I died? Or something!"

"Even if they believed us, you can't hide your flames. Sooner or later, someone will sense them and you and your unsuspecting passerby will be dragged into the mafia world," Ren said evenly. "At least you would be safe and well cared for with us. We will respect your moral boundaries and won't force you to fight or deal in dirty work, but others would just keep pushing until you break. Please, just work with us here. We want the best for you. We want you to be safe and happy."

Harry looked helplessly at Fon. Fon could only nod his head, trying to convince Harry without words that everything Ren had said was true. Harry slumped back into his seat, his earlier presence gone. Fon could only see a scared teenager who was clinging to his sanity by sheer stubbornness. Fon's heart clenched at the sight.

"Ok, but…I don't want to steal someone's home. Then again, I don't have money…" Harry sighed and blushed due to his own admission. He didn't like being unable to provide for himself.

"Perhaps it would be better to build one to our own specifications," Verde mused aloud. "I could make traps and security systems no one would be able to suspect. We could get off the grid and be harder to track."

"Yes, we can plan everything ourselves," Lal agreed as she warmed up to the idea.

"Oh, I want a training field," Colonello said as he waved his hands enthusiastically.

"All that money…lost!" Viper mourned.

"Decided. But where should we build it?" Ren wondered.

"Oh, right. Finding a good plot of land in Italy would be impossible! All the major famiglie own the best spots," Colonello groaned.

"Then we'd really need to seize land by force to stay here," Lal murmured. "Going further afield from our contacts would put us at a disadvantage."

"Or you could build on a small island," a young boy's voice suddenly chirped.

Fon jumped and immediately took guard between Harry and the intruder. Ren was already there, gun out and pointed between the eyes of the young boy who was standing in doorway with a wide smirk painted across his face. The others were quick to follow their example.

The young boy looked around the age of 10, but his crimson eyes held a glint that shouldn't be found in a child's eyes. Behind the boy were men dressed in black with their own guns defensively brought up.

"How?" Ren demanded, his expression cold.

"How? Ah, how can I be here when you ordered the staff not to let anyone enter?" The boy's smirk grew. "Using the staff as your guards and informants was clever, but unfortunately for you, they obeyed a higher power when pressed."

"Higher power?" Colonello said sharply, eyes narrowed and trigger finger itching to fire.

"Yes, higher." The boy imperiously held out his hand and one of the men opened a suitcase and handed over a packed of clipped papers. The boy tossed the packet over to them. "The Empire hotel was bought by me earlier today, so I'm their new boss. You, on the other hand, are merely customers."

"Ah, then I have to report a complaint. The Empire hotel really treat their customers' privacy badly," Ren said with a strained smile.

"Complaint received. Thank you for your time. We will shortly contact you with a refund," the boy said sarcastically.

"You haven't changed. As wordy as ever, Dominico Vasaio," Viper muttered.

"And you as well, Viper. Hiding in the shadows, as usual," Dominico replied.

"What are you doing here? Business?" Ren said seriously. "Revenge?"

"I'm not here for your services. Actually, I'm here for Harry." Dominico looked at Harry, who was hidden behind Fon.

"Me?" Harry popped his head out from the storm's protection curiously. He may not have had a chance to see their guest, but he recognized the last name. This Dominico didn't sound nearly as angry as he would have expected. Harry squeezed through Fon and Ren to get a better look. He could practically hear Fon's nervous shifting and thought he could feel Ren's heated glare.

"Why?" Harry wondered.

"Oh, I'm hurt. You don't remember me!" Dominico dramatically put his hand over his heart and swooned. His crimson eyes shone brightly with mischief as he looked at Harry.

Harry thoughtfully stared at Dominico, suspicions rising in his mind as tried to remember anyone who looked like the young boy before him…his eyes suddenly widened and Harry sputtered, "V-voldemort!?"

"Bingo," Dominico said cheerily.

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'Voldemort? Why is he here?' Harry thought in alarm. He subconsciously took a fighting stance and tried to draw his wand instinctively, but his hand met with the empty space his wand once took. Harry took a step back as fear rang at the back of his head and he was both grateful and worried as Ren pulled him back to take cover behind him.

"Why are you here!?" Harry's demanded as his heart beat painfully against his ribs. He found himself bunching his hand up in the back of Ren's suit as he waited. He wasn't completely sure if it was for his own comfort or if it was so he could switch places with the sun guardian to protect him should Voldemort attack. Maybe it was both.

'Just great! Out of all people who could have crossed over, it's him!'

"I'm hurt, Harry. I come over to talk to my old friend and this is the greeting I get?" mini-Voldemort mocked as he flashed an innocent look his way.

Harry's brain short circuited. 'I give up. All of this is a horrible nightmare. Wake up Harry! Wake up in your comfortable bed!'

"We were never friends!" Harry spat.

"But we had such history!" Voldemort faked a blush and even shed a tear. "Such intimacy we had. You could say that our very souls were bound together! How could you forget?"

"What?" Harry choked. He looked around to the others in renewed panic, unable to find the words to explain how very wrong this was. Ren and others looked surprised and disbelieving at the claims whereas the black suited men looked angry.

"Hey, you bastard! How dare you hurt our famiglia's heir," one of Voldemort's lackeys shouted.

"Our esteemed heir," another one said.

"I will cut your head off!" another claimed as he brought out his sword.

Voldemort raised his hand and all of his men halted immediately. He smiled at them and said, "None of that. Harry is my friend. You are not to hurt him, understand?"

The black suited men nodded hastily. Voldemort nodded in satisfaction before he happily skipped to Harry, much to Harry's horror. Harry stepped back quickly, but Voldemort somehow managed to twist between Ren and Fon's grasping hands to hold Harry close.

Using Harry as something of a shield against Harry's more trigger-happy guardians, Voldemort continued. "Nee, let's leave these block heads and talk privately. After all, we have so much to catch up on."

"What?! No way! You're the last person who I want to talk with!" Harry hissed.

"And here I thought you'd want to know about your fellow traveler." Voldemort sighed as if he was disappointed in Harry.

"I don't care! I don't want to associate with you. Leave!" Harry escaped from Voldemort's clutches and backed away from him.

"Yeah, as if we'd leave Harry alone with you, kora!" Colonello glared at Voldemort and the others nodded sharply in agreement.

"Ah, how annoying. Harry, you really do want to speak with me," Voldemort said.

"Why?" Harry growled. "Tell me one reason why I should hear you out."

"Oh, I just thought you'd want to hear about your favorite dog. That mangy, black dog you loved so much," Voldemort trailed.

"No! He can't be," Harry dodged his guardian's and hurried back over to Voldemort. "Tell me!"

"Of course, but we need privacy for this sort of conversation." Voldemort pointedly looked at Ren and the others who were glaring hatefully at the Vasaio heir.

"Fine, let's go." Harry grabbed Voldemort's hand and started to leave, but a bullet shot out to hit the door-frame in warning. When Harry looked over his shoulder, he saw that it was Ren who was holding the gun their way while the others held off Voldemort's minions.

"Oy-oy-oy, I can't agree with you on that." Ren stalked over to them, gun pointed at the Vasaio heir with deadly precision. "Harry, get away from him."

"No!" Harry replied. "I have to hear what he has to say."

"Oh, you have guardians!" Voldemort gleefully looked them over, as if truly seeing them for the first time.

"Harry, I won't tell you again. Leave him," Ren growled. "He is not safe."

"No, I need to talk with him," Harry refused stubbornly. "That dog he mentioned, it's referring to my godfather. I thought he was dead…you understand, right? You're always going on about the importance of family. I need to know!"

"Ah, your sky has spoken. What will you do now?" Voldemort said mockingly. He laughed in the face of the deadly hitman pointing a gun at his face.

Ren nearly shot Dominico right there. He grit his teeth instead and glared.

A/N: Thank you for support xD. Sorry if its short chapter but I was buzy.