SATURDAY JULY 30, 1994
Staying in Rome had seemed like a bad idea after what had occurred at the Vatican, but Harry had not had any idea where he wanted to go next. After talking to a few tourists in the city, they had learned of a company that did bus tours around Sicily. It seemed like something nice and relaxing to do after all the excitement.
They had seen white sand beaches and gone swimming in the Mediterranean. There were quaint little villages with specialty boutiques. They had stopped at several vineyards for wine tastings.
This evening, they had stopped in the town of Sortino. The tour would be remaining here for the night and the next day to view the town, its abundance of Catholic churches, and the Necropolis of Pantalica. For now, they were seated at a table in a nice family restaurant and pub that Luna had recommended. The food was deliciously Italian. Harry could tell his ravioli was hand made. They were large, stuffed with cheese and beef, and coated in a delectable tomato sauce full of fresh oregano. Sirius and Luna had both expressed satisfaction at the quality of their own meals.
The door to the restaurant opened suddenly to reveal a group of men in fancy pinstriped suits. Silence filled the entire restaurant and the staff all lined up to greet the newcomers with the greatest of respect.
"Welcome, Boss Zabini. It's a pleasure to have you here again. How is Vinny doing?" The chef called out as he exited the kitchen and came to give the lead man a friendly hug and handshake.
"I could never stay away from your cooking," the man replied, "Vinny is doing much better. He's going to look dangerous with his new scar though, even if he is a big softy. How are the suppliers I arranged for you working out? Not stiffing you are they?"
"No, sir. Only the best, especially since they know you enjoy the food so much. Why don't you sit in your usual booth? I'll whip you up a plate of your favorite on the house, and I think one of our best vintages is just about mature enough to complement it perfectly." The chef led the man towards a booth in the back, the other men taking tables around the restaurant.
"Sergio, you are much too kind to me, my friend."
"Nonsense," the chef replied, "After everything you've done for me, how could I do any less."
"That man has a wand and a gun," Harry murmured just loud enough for Luna to hear, "I've never seen a holster like that before."
"The mafia families aren't too picky about their weapons," Luna agreed.
Harry glanced at the man in the corner booth. He was middle aged with olive skin and slicked-back black hair that had white creeping in at the temples. He wore a blue suit with a red tie. He somehow managed to look both relaxed and alert at the same time.
"Do you think he's related to Blaise from Slytherin?" Harry wondered.
"Anything is possible," Luna allowed, "You won't know unless you ask."
Harry stood up suddenly, preparing to sate his curiosity. Every eye in the building turned to him. It was rather unnerving. He approached the corner table where Boss Zabini was watching him through calculating half-closed eyes. He suddenly felt naked without his armor, knowing that there were a dozen men just waiting to put a bullet in him.
"Excuse me," Harry said.
"What can I do for you young man?" Boss Zabini asked.
"I was wondering if perhaps you were related to Blaise Zabini," Harry asked.
The man's eyes widened fractionally. "I am, indeed. Unfortunately my brother had the misfortune of marrying the boy's mother. I told him to meet a nice Sicilian girl, but he went for the rich beauty with six wealthy, and now dead, ex husbands. Why don't you join me, what was your name?"
"I'm known by many names, but most commonly I am now called the Dark Lord Sanies Sibilus." Harry sat down.
"Ah, yes, the gladiator. You have become quite infamous recently. I wish I could have been there to see your performance. Frankly, many of the rumors are rather unbelievable."
"That's the problem with magic," Harry said, "Nothing is unbelievable. Not that the muggles don't have their own ways of making the impossible happen. It's best not to underestimate anyone."
"That's good advice," the mafia leader nodded, "Did you want anything to eat?" A plate with a large slice of lasagna and steamed vegetables all dripping with a cheesy sauce was placed in front of Boss Zabini.
"Well, I already ate some delicious ravioli, but I wouldn't say no to dessert," Harry said.
"Sergio! Bring some of your famous gelato for my friend here!" Zabini called out, "You will love this. His mother's secret recipe, I've found none better."
"I look forward to it," Harry said.
"Now, tell me, what do you know of young Blaise. I have not heard news for some time. And, call me Giovanni since we are friends now."
"Sure, Giovanni," Harry replied, "I don't really know much about Blaise. My contacts are mostly in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Blaise was sorted into Slytherin house. He is a hard worker and is near the top of most of his classes. Unfortunately, he does not associate with the most pleasant company."
Sergio came and placed a glass bowl in front of Harry. It contained a scoop of mint and a scoop of chocolate gelato garnished with two chocolate-dipped waffle rolls and dark chocolate shavings. Harry took a bite of the creamy treat. It was sweet, rich, and had a pleasant tang that he couldn't quite identify.
"This is good," Harry praised the dish.
"Thank you, sir," Sergio said, "This recipe has been perfected over four generations in my family. I must get back to work now." The owner hustled back to the kitchen.
"What bad influences has Blaise been associating with?" Giovanni Zabini asked curiously.
"The children of Death Eaters and pure-blood fanatics," Harry answered, "I don't understand how they can follow such beliefs, especially when they are consistently out performed by a muggleborn and they bow down to a half blood, and that's not even considering the moral implications of their beliefs or the inbreeding which will probably fix the problem without Harry Potter having to intervene at all."
Zabini laughed. "In the families, we only accept pure-blooded Sicilians. It is not a matter of better blood, but trust and family unity. We are more than happy to work with anyone if it is good business. It's no wonder their dark lord was killed by a baby if he thought the purity of his blood would win the day for him."
"As long as all intelligent species are treated equally and you have sufficient oversight to prevent the abuse of power, you will have no quarrels with me."
"And your stance on illegal activities?" Giovanni inquired.
"I am a dark lord. I know that sometimes it is required to violate the law to accomplish goals. As long as no one is being hurt by it, then I leave matters for the local authorities to deal with."
"How very reasonable of you. Why don't you and your two friends stay at my home for a few days. I can show you some interesting things. We can relax and get to know each other better. I think you are a very interesting man and I would love to see if the rumors of your skills are exaggerated."
"Thank you for the invitation. I'll need to consult my friends and make sure they don't mind missing the remainder of the bus tour."
Zabini looked a little upset by what he had said.
"It is no insult to your hospitality, I just prefer not to upset the lady since she suggested this bus tour in the first place," Harry explained.
Giovanni Zabini grinned and winked, "Of course, you must keep the lady happy. I will look forward to a favorable response after dinner."
Harry, Luna and Sirius enjoyed a ride in a black sedan with Giovanni to his country estate. The inside of the car had been expanded to be more like a limousine than a normal luxury vehicle. Giovanni entertained them with some stories of back room deals and family gatherings until the large white house with perfectly manicured grounds seemed to appear out of nowhere.
"This house has been in my family for generations. It is hidden from view by extensive wards so that no one who doesn't know it is here can find it. My cousin Vinny used to like to speed through the streets, then when he had a police car on his tail, he would head here and watch the officers try and figure out where he went. He was a real prankster."
"I hope he doesn't get infested with snidgey wickets," Luna said, "People like that attract them like nargles to mistletoe."
"What are snidgey wickets?" Giovanni asked curiously.
"They're invisible creatures that look almost like skinny bowtruckles. They latch onto the back of someone's neck and feed on lies, making them reveal their secrets," Luna explained, "I don't know how to get rid of them though, other than telling the truth all the time."
"If you see one of my boys having trouble with one of these snidgey wickets, point him out to me and I'll see if I can't find a way to get rid of them."
"You're surprisingly open minded," Harry pointed out, "Most people have trouble believing in the things Luna sees."
"I met a gypsy woman once. She could look at a man and tell you everything about him. She was a bit odd as well. It turned out that she was an aura reader and could see things that existed only on the spiritual plane. It is a rare gift and it is rare that any two ever meet, so they all describe things differently. Perhaps they all see things differently as well. The fact that she is a seer as well, probably only makes here stranger and more precious. You have good taste. I am not a man who overlooks opportunities and possibilities because that would be bad for business. Though, with abilities like this, you need to be sure of how reliable they are."
"Which makes me wonder, why haven't you made any prophecies recently?" Harry asked Luna, "You've started acting almost normal."
Luna raised an eyebrow mockingly, "Do you really want me to always spout off stuff like, 'The lord of snakes, shall stand beside the light of death. Through fire and air, water, and earth, shall be the trials heralding the resurrection of the vanquished heir. With the moon's revelations the hound will hunt, leading the serpent to the fragments of darkness,' all the time?"
"What did that even mean?" Harry asked.
"Exactly!" Luna said.
"Do you even know what that prophecy meant?" Harry asked.
Luna didn't answer, instead opening the door and stepping out of the car.
"Sounded normal to me for her," Sirius said, hopping out the opposite door.
"In my experience, it's best to live in the present," Giovanni said, following Sirius. Harry got out next to Luna.
"This place is very nice," Luna stated, looking over the expansive gardens and lawns that surrounded the manor.
"Yes, it should considering how much I pay for upkeep," Boss Zabini chuckled as he turned to Harry, "Shall we head inside and get you all settled before it gets too dark? I can give you a tour of the grounds tomorrow."