A Potter in The House Of Addams
Chapter 2 : On The Move
Harry took the time to look at the ferry that had come to meet them. Driving through New York had been interesting in its own way, but of course he was interested to see what would be coming next. He had expected a mundane ferry to take them across, but instead what he saw was a throwback to the earlier part of the previous century. The Paddle Boat looked as if it belonged more along the banks of the Mississippi than anywhere near the Metropolis known as New York. It neared the dock and he watched as a ramp lowered itself. He took a moment to notice several other individuals around their car, most of which hadn't been there before, and most of them began moving onto the spacious paddle boat.
He felt their car follow suit, and a few moments later they were greeted by a small collection of fair haired individuals. Most of which looked so beautiful it was hard to look away. One, a young girl, stopped at their car.
"Business or pleasure?"
Her accent was odd, but it sounded wonderfully exotic. Lurch looked toward her and grunted.
"I see," she replied before coming toward the cab, "Now, business or pleasure?"
Gomez smiled, "Both, in a sense," he gestured toward Harry and Wednesday, "Our children are attending Hogwarts, and we wished to stay with them until they board the ship."
She nodded, "Very well," she held a flower, which no one dared to touch. Harry began to reach for it, but Grandmama stopped him. A moment later she left, and then Grandmama let go of him.
"Best not do that. That was a fae, and if you accepted that gift you would be hers forever. Looked like a member of the spring court, that only makes it worse."
Deciding it would be best to listen to his grandmother he took heed of her warning, withdrawing his hand. The young fae maiden's expression didn't change much, but Harry felt that she was exasperated by his reluctance. After securing the family car, the retinue of fae left and Harry felt it as the ferry began to move. Slowly, but surely, it left the dock, and as it did, Harry noticed a mist that covered them. In less time than he believed would be possible for the antiquated ferry he felt it stopping. There was the sound of chains moving, a few shouts, and then the crowd around them began to move. Along with them was the family car which crept forward at a zombie's pace.
As they traveled past the mist which veiled the ferry, he caught sight of the young maiden fae. Her expression was still very neutral, save for her eyes. Something predatory and possessive consumed her eyes and bewitching to look at, or was until after Wednesday nudged him with her elbow that Harry stole his glance away. The Addams Family was not one to shy away from the terrors or nightmares of the world, but he felt that the sooner he was as humanly distant from this magical ferry, the better off he would feel.
That time came shortly after the mist around the vail parted and they were greeted with the sight of an old building. Having studied history all three of the Addams' children recognised the immigrant checking station. The Rolls Royce Phantom II moved toward a section of wall that looked as if it had been bricked up. Harry marveled as it drove through the section, and appeared in a functioning inspection station. He noticed hundreds of witches and wizards moving about, working together to inspect every single incoming witch, or magical being, and of course checking those traveling out of the country as well.
The car stopped at such a station and Harry was struck again by the intense beauty of the being standing there. Like before he was certain he was looking at a member of the Fae. The woman moved with a grace that boarded on unnatural and made her way toward them.
"Welcome to Ellis Island, do you have your family, or individual passports ready?"
Lurch grunted, handed over a large blue slip toward the fae, and she took a moment before she nodded. She stamped it, and directed them toward the northern doc. The car moved, again at a Zombie's pace, and before long, Harry looked at the dock before them. The loading ship had a large section open, and Lurch was directed to drive up the ramp, into the section, park and secure the car, and then they would be escorted to their guest quarters. The car was parked next to what looked like a green station wagon that couldn't decide if it wanted to be a car or a tank, with a Bumper Sticker on the back that read, "Wally World or Bust".
Once Lurch chained the undercarriage of Rolls Royce Phantom II to the floor of the ship the entire Addams clan began to move up the stars. What awaited them was a sight that Harry was hard pressed to believe. The ship itself looked to be some kind of luxury liner, yet it obviously was smaller than what was needed for the amount of people on board. As they walked into the ballroom he caught sight of several ghosts floating about. One of which was moving through the walls, apparently checking the status of the ship. He waited until the ghost came near, and watched as he stopped. The ghost looked toward them.
"Welcome aboard the Titan, it is everything the Titanic was meant to be," he stated, "I am Captain Edward John Smith."
Upon hearing his name Wednesday smiled, "You captained the Titanic," she stated.
He nodded, "I did, and I remained aboard until the very end."
"Good man! Well, I truly hope that this voyage is as exciting and eventful as that one old man!"
He studied them, shook his head, and floated off.
Aboard the ship was something that Harry hadn't expected to see. There was more of the Fae, but there were men and women in chains. None of them looked upset, but instead they followed the Fae as if they were following their wives or husbands. He watched as a woman, barely out of her teens, followed by a member of the Fae. The man she followed stopped, turned toward her, and he watched as the two kissed. The woman seemed to become paler for a moment, before she shivered and then the two walked on.
"That's what I was warning you about," Grandmama said, "The Fae would entrap you after you accepted a gift. The only way to keep from being trapped by a Fae is to offer a gift first. If you do then the Fae is indebted until they return a gift of equal measure."
She watched them move, "Remember that. If you meet any of the Fae over there you offer a gift first."
One of the Fae moved toward them, giving a smile and began to show them toward the cabin they were to share, She opened the door, her red hair shimmering in the slightest light, and the moment it opened the sight before them was something from the Titanic itself. The master bed was large and spacious, and then there were no less than six other doors leading to other rooms. Harry opened one to find a bed that was almost as large as the master bed, the room large and expansive, and there was even a place to write and draw. Smiling he looked back at Lurch who set his trunk down.
"Thank you Lurch."
The large butler grunted, moved, and walked back toward the door. Soon Harry was alone with his thoughts in the large and spacious room. Solitude didn't bother him, but having grown up with Wednesday, and Pugsly, he'd actually become quite accustomed to having the background noise of two siblings. Part of him wondered if this was what it was going to be like at Hogwarts. Would he be alone most of the time, left to his own devices, and no one around him other than the quiet thoughts rumbling around in his head. It wouldn't be terrible, but at the same time he wasn't sure if he wanted to be alone so often. His hands found a piece of paper, a pencil, and soon he was allowing himself to draw without looking. His auto drawing was similar to auto writing, or at least it was in the aspect that it allowed him a chance to see what was roaming around in his head without actually thinking about it.
After a few moments he stopped and looked at the picture. What was there before him was a serpent, coiled, it's eyes cold and merciless, but there was no malice to be seen. It simply was. He studied the serpent for a moment more, wondering where he could have seen such a huge one, and then he reached over for another piece of paper to draw with.
When the Rolls Royce finally touched down on solid ground, Harry saw that they finally pierced through the veil. Waiting for them on the other side was a portly, and sagging, old fisherman. Gomez leaned out the window in order to speak with him.
"I say, my good man," the Addams Family patriarch began, "might you know where one can get to a road leading to London?"
"Foreigners, are ya?" the fisherman asked, "yeh, I might know."
After an exchange of notes (how Father had acquired British pounds so quickly, Harry would never know,) the ancient mariner began explaining.
"Don't know if this is the best route, but if you hop on over to Mildford Haven from here, there's a lane that will take ya to the A48. If you follow the A48 generally east, that'll lead ya to the M4. Keep on the M4 easterly until ya hit the M25. From there, ya'll reach London and Robert's your father's brother."
"Thank you, my good man!" Gomez beamed, "we shan't take much more of your time. Lurch?"
Lurch grunted, giving the fisherman the slightest of starts, then the car drove off, taking the Addams away from him. His heart rate steadily lowered until the vehicle (with American plates, no less,) was well out of sight. He figured that the family would reach Milford Haven in under an hour. It shouldn't really haven't bothered him all that much, what with that Scarmander fellow popping up every so often to borrow his preferred fishing shore, but he did his best no to comment on the oddities and eccentrics that more often than not showed up here. He did not notice the ferry shrouded in a misty veil…