Giotto looked like he had been sucker-punched. Hariel felt somewhat sympathetic, she had had to pass the same test when she took the Ladyship Ring and it was a very draining and intense experience, but well, at least he had not been judged by the Black family ring. That one had been a hit or miss.
Now that time had passed, she could admit at least to herself that she had been passively suicidal when she had taken that specific ring and let it judge her. She had expected to die.
She did not. It had hurt like hell and she had had to spend seven days in a magical coma in St Mungo, but it had accepted her because in the end, it valued power over blood purity and because it has seen something in her heart that it had liked.
What did it say about her, she mussed while she watched Giotto try to compose himself, that a purely dark ring had accepted her?
"What was that?" he asked, at last, teeth gritted in cold anger and voice hoarse. Well, at least he had stopped with the fake niceness. It was time he showed his true colors, and now at least Hariel was one hundred percent protected from any and all of the shenanigans he had probably been trying to get her into.
"Ah, well, nothing for you to worry about. It's not like I will be calling on you all the time or something. We can just ignore each other in peace," she added because she felt it was fair.
He had gone from being someone dangerous to being someone dangerous who couldn't hurt her or any member of the Potter House, but well, since she was the only Potter alive that was a moot point. He was harmless to her now. More or less. Kreacher had seemed harmless too, so Hariel would be watching him closely.
"What are you talking about? How did you do this?" he said looking at the very bright orange soul bond that went from his chest to Hariel's own, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Oh, that was a bit weird but nothing to write home about.
"Umm, well, this didn't happen with the previous ghost," she admitted looking a bit bewildered, twisting a lock of her black hair pensively. Shouldn't the bond go to the ring? Oh, it went to it too, but there was a bifurcation and the other end went right into Hariel's core. Maybe because she was the only Potter left? Or because she had not had that kind of interaction with Idiot Gabrain?
Whatever the reason, it didn't seem important enough to be worried about it.
"Previous ghost? How many ghosts have you trapped this way?" Giotto seemed a mix between mad and shocked. Well, it was absolutely not Hariel's fault.
"Trapped? I was only defending myself. And the previous one had been there for centuries. A right git that Gabrain was, glad to see him gone."
Hariel was truly glad to not have to hear his sanctimonious speeches about how she needed to get married and start procreating to continue the Ancient, Noble, and Pure line of his ancestors again. She was no incubator and she was not going to start sprouting children just because it was the expected thing to do.
If she ever had kids, it would be because she wanted and with someone she loved. And that was that. Not that Gabrain had understood it being like 800 years old and every bit the pompous pureblood wizard. So, what if he had been considered so powerful that he had been in the ring for that many years. She was sure that she could beat him.
Well, good riddance.
Giotto just stared at her like the whole axis of his existence had been moved sideways and then turned upside down. It was not such a big deal, for Merlin's sake.
"This is a Guardian Bond," he stated, and Hariel could almost taste the emphasis put in the word guardian.
"Well, yes, it is. It happens." Why did he feel the need to state the obvious she didn't understand.
"It absolutely doesn't happen." He crossed his arms and glared. His orange-gold eyes bright and defiant.
"Well, I have to disagree seeing as how you are my Ghost Guardian now," she said a bit exasperated with the entire situation. Couldn't they get past the whole guardian thing so she could go back to sleep?
"Sky Guardian." He said thunderous, still with that half murderous look in his eyes. Why did he had to have such intense eyes?
Sky. Oh, so that must be his Species. Pretty even when mad. Like Veelas.
Hmm, Harry had never read anything of Skies, but maybe it was a translation or something like that. He could be an Air Fae… no, he was no Fae, she had his whole name. What about a Daemon? An Elemental Sprite? Some kind of lesser faerie? A High Elf? She would have to hit the books on magical creatures when she went back home, but she would at least address him how he wanted.
She was not the impolite invader here.
"Alright, Sky Guardian," she agreed wanting to change the topic. "Look, it's not a big deal. I am pretty strong, possibly not super smart but I am used to getting out of my own problems without Ghostly Interference. It's not like you will have to do anything. Just… I don't know, do whatever you were doing before. Go haunt a Castle or something."
Giotto seemed so done. Hariel had seen that expression somewhere, she didn't quite remember on whom, but she had, but she was also done. She wanted her sleep.
"Look, you clearly don't understand anything. I already do protect the ring of one famiglia. My famiglia, " he said, still glaring "Whatever you did, undo it."
Hariel blinked, because really?
"Absolutely not. Not that it can be broken. Well, it can, but you would need to find another spirit, you would have to convince them to change places, or trick them, and then they would need to pass the ring judgment or die, and they must be stronger than you. Those are the ring rules. I didn't make them," she laid it out for him "And I would have to approve it which I won't."
"What do you mean die? I am a Ghost. I can't die" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed, and his lips thinned into a severe line, his eyes looking past her like he was watching something in his mind.
"Your spirit would have been destroyed obviously," she said curtly. It's like he didn't know anything!
"Why, why would you do this?" Giotto seemed so miserable now that it kind of made Hariel feel a little bad. Truly, it was not a big deal, she would let him do his thing in peace. There was no need for dramatics.
"You were dangerous, and kind of scary. I was protecting myself. It's basically self-defense." She didn't want to admit the last part, but he had been so very intense and kind of scary, and it is not like he could go and double-cross her or confide her words to someone else now, so she could let herself be open with him.
"Scary? I… I literally brought you to one of the most beautiful places I know and I was being scary?" He looked baffled.
"You hijacked my dream, you, a powerful unknown Entity, who then proceed to try to compel me with weird magic to be all calm and nice to you. Of course, that was daunting and super suspicious. What did you want to do with me by the way? Now that you and I are, well, you know, and you can't hurt me you can fess up. I promise that I will try not to get mad.
"That doesn't make any sense, and that ring is… barbaric. I didn't want to hurt you at all! How would this thing affect my famiglia?
He seemed so offended it was almost funny, but Hariel noted how he hadn't said a word about why the hell had he invaded her dreams.
"Your family? It wouldn't affect them at all unless you were the Head of your family. It seems a bit strange that the ring accepted you if you already guard another ring. These things are kind of territorial. What family are you from again?
"The Vongola," He said, chin up with a hint of arrogance, glowing golden eyes lasering into her green ones.
"Doesn't ring any bells. They are not part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, so the Potter ring wouldn't have felt threatened, I guess."
"The Sacred Twenty-Eight?" he asked, voice laced with confusion.
"Eh, you know, the Families that have been ruling over Britain for the last millennia."
His gaze sharpened at this.
"Look, take it easy. Rest. Relax. Go to your family if you want. I really need my beauty sleep, so can we wrap this up and just…?" she gestured with her hands, at the meadow, at Giotto, and at the glowing bond between them.
He suddenly looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and looked at his hand with now had two rings over his gloves, then he seemed to steel himself. Hariel had to admit that he had something… she didn't know what, but something that made him likable. Maybe it was the compulsion thing that he was still doing, if with a lesser intensity.
Either way, Harry wanted to sleep.
"Fine. I am going to visit my famiglia. We will have words in the future, though. Of that you can be very certain," he said with resignation, voice deep and laced with finality.
"Be my guest," Hariel rolled her eyes at the over-dramatic ghost.
He left, and the meadow disappeared becoming Grimmauld Place. Oh, joy. She was going to love the new dream, she was sure of it. Was that Walburga?
xxx
Reborn woke up, with his phone chiming, and Leon bundled in his chest. He felt a bit dizzy. Oh yes, he had been drugged.
He used his Sun Flames to clear his body of any rest of the several substances and checked that everything felt fine. It did. Whatever she had given him, he didn't recognize it, which being the World's Greatest Hitman was a little weird and even somewhat offensive.
He did feel better after a long shower and with a new, perfectly ironed suit, though. Now that his physically related things had been taken care of he looked at his phone.
Will be arriving today, couldn't find any direct flights. In Japan. TS
Good. He would have more time to compose himself. The events of the past day needed to be reviewed, assimilated, and archived to put to good use at a later time.
The Sky, Hariel came out of her room at breakfast time. Her Flames strangely subdued.
She had dolled herself up this morning, he noted. She wore a white and pale yellow, delicate and flowery looking summer dress. Pure Silk if he was not mistaken, but he arched an eyebrow at the black combat boots and black denim jacket that went with it. He had to admit that she looked good.
She was staring at him, and he could see how she was trying to ascertain whether he remembered something or not. Let's start playing games.
"Good Morning, Hariel," he greeted her pleasantly and then continued reading the newspaper.
Her shoulders relaxed a fraction and she plopped into the chair in front of him, looking at the breakfast that had been served mere minutes ago.
"Morning, Sinclair. Feeling good? I think your blood sugar was low yesterday. It did give me quite a scare," she lied while preparing a cup of tea.
Oh, so searching for information, are we?
"Oh, I am perfectly fine. Just enjoying the excellent coffee." Even if it was just good enough.
"Do you ever drink something else?" she asked scrunching her nose and even daring to look judgmental while she chose between several different pastries to eat.
"Your obsession with pastries could be talked about instead, there are fruits and vegetables served and I have noticed that you don't seem to pay them any attention."
"Nonsense, Sinclair. I would feel bad eating poor innocent plants."
"The chocolate bean comes from a plant," he deadpanned." So does the flour on that thing."
"Well, that's unlucky for those plants," she said biting into the brownie in her hand and eating it with gusto.
"Ho? So ruthless today, aren't you? How did your sleep go?"
She stopped munching, and sent a glare his way, not that she could see his face with the newspaper between them. Reborn could because he was just that good. He smirked. It was good to be back in control.
"Very nice dreams. Meadows, flowers, dreamy princes, ice cream you know, the works."
Hmm. Reborn wondered whether Giotto could be considered a dreamy prince or not. Did she remember the dream? He itched to know what had transpired in that dream, and what information was now in the hands of Vongola Primo. He hadn't been the Head of the Vongola famiglia for nothing.
He could appear to be nice, charming, and even be nice and charming, but he was also a ruthless and cunning Mafia Boss. Even if he had left, in the end, because he didn't want to keep being that, it was just a fundamental part of him. A part that Tsuna lacked, but there was time. Neo Vongola Primo was going to be a thing whether he liked it or not.
Reborn could never deny a fundamental part of himself in that way. He was like he was and he was perfect that way. He mused that he had never been able to harmonize with any Sky, even Luce or Yuni because they were just so sweet and pure. So, even if they were strong, it just didn't feel right.
Not that Luce had not been a selfish manipulative being, but she had been soft. He didn't want to think of Luce. It always made him feel murderous.
Then there were Skies like Xanxus, that… well, let's not go there because he could have murdered the brat eons ago if that had ever happened. He didn't know how Viper could stand it, but they had always been odd, and if they were paid, he guessed that they just didn't care. Xanxus Sky wasn't strong enough to hold him anyway.
"That sounds delightful. I dreamed I was bombing a pirate ship." He had, curiously, and Skull had been in it. It had been pretty funny.
"Oh, in the language of dreams that means that you are going to have a misunderstanding with the people around you," she furrowed her brows, head tilted as if trying to remember. "Oh, did you kill them or fight them?"
"Eh, I guess they all died from the bombs."
"Oh, then you will probably have a visit or an unexpected visit," she parroted like she was reciting it from a book. "Not that I believe in that stuff."
Reborn scoffed to himself. Giotto could be called an unexpected visit alright, but that had been yesterday, and Shamal was expected, but still a visit. Hmm.
"Why learn of it if you don't believe it?"
"Eh, I had to take that class in school one year. You know, Divination: Tarot Reading, Interpreting Dreams, Reading Auras and all of those things. Best class for relaxing, if it weren't for all the incense and death omens."
"Seems like a waste of time," He said, thinking of what kind of school would teach that kind of nonsense. It was information on her though, so he would remember it.
"Oh, it was. I changed courses, but my best friend insisted on learning it just in case," she said, a grimace on her face. A touchy subject. Interesting.
xxx
Hariel was glad the day was going well for once.
Sinclair didn't seem to remember anything, and when she had sent a diagnostic spell his way he looked to be in perfect health condition, that which all that coffee he seemed to drink.
She had decided to visit the Magic Area in Brussels because she hadn't had time to before with all that muggle stuff she had seen, and their train parted tomorrow to their next destination. She wanted to buy some gifts and splurge a little.
She was also curious about Belgian Wizarkind…
She had even chosen a magical dress that Fleur had said looked beautiful on her and it was charmed to look muggle in non-magical areas, and it transfigured itself into the latest Parisian fashion robes of the season in the magical zones.
She was looking for an Entryway to the Magical District when Giotto appeared.
She nodded at him because she was polite, but she was not going to start speaking with a ghost in the middle of a muggle city.
He seemed more composed, though. His dark mood seemed to have lessened. She guessed he had seen that his family was fine and dandy and he had decided to stop being a drama queen.
Still, where was the Entryway?
She didn't want to have to bring out Hermione's Travel Guide Book. She sat down on a bench and closed her eyes concentrating on the magic surrounding her. When nothing came to mind, except Giotto's warm soul bond, she went deeper and deeper into her magical core.
As always, she winced a little looking at it, but it was as good as it could be. It hurt deep to see it so scarred, but each scar strengthened it: The Dursleys, The Fire, Voldemort, Azkaban, Hogwarts, Dying, losing Sirius and Luna…
All the events that had made her who she was, the ones who had left their marks on her. Not a pretty sight, but it was all her.
There she found where she had to go fast and easy.
She opened her eyes again. Giotto was crouched in front of her looking like he had been talking to her or calling her. He looked a bit worried.
"I am fine," she whispered.
He nodded but didn't look very convinced.
Hariel walked to the wall, covered as it was with some pamphlets about muggle protests and some graffiti, and went through it, feeling like it was the same type of magic that they used for boarding the train in King Cross. This was not the principal opening, mind you, but it was the closest one to where they were.
She looked at the colorful buildings and the fairy lights that seemed to be everywhere, even if it was just early afternoon. Giotto was looking at everything too. He probably hadn't known this place during his lifetime.
"Wow, it makes Diagon Alley look dingy. They sure look like they had advanced from the Victorian age to at least… the 20th century," she commented taking in how modern everything seemed in comparison.
"Is this a Mist City?" he asked sounding and looking confused.
"Uh, it's just Magical Brussels? I don't know about that Mist City. Look, this seems to be called Ivory Avenue," she said pointing at the building nearest to them, where you could read it, in a blue metallic placard with beautiful handwriting that changed fonts and colors.
Hariel asked a young witch where she could find the nearest book store. She needed to read on several things and she thought it was better than to wait to go back home. Plus Hermione would love all the new books.
Giotto was strangely silent, but Hariel had seen him in a bad mood recently and didn't want to push. What was he even doing here? Did he want to have that "We have to talk" conversation he had threatened her with?
She entered the shop, so well illuminated, and really it was weird seeing all those magical places looking kind of modern.
She greeted the clerk, an an older-looking gentleman in traditional green robes with a pointy hat and bushy grey beard.
"Oh, you are British, aren't you? We don't get many British visitors. Things are better now that that dreadful war business is finished, I am glad you decided to visit," he said jovially.
She tried to smile but failed. Countless people had tried to leave Britain during the War, but the other countries had closed their borders. It was just hypocrisy. They all had known. No one had helped.
"Yes, well. Now it's easier to visit. I would like some books on Necromancy and Magical Creatures."
"Necromancy?" he asked looking alarmed "What would a young lady want to do with that kind of thing? Dangerous stuff, very dangerous. If your boyfriend has passed away you should let him rest in peace."
Hariel stomped her feet and pointed at Giotto, who had kidnapped a small fairy from one of the lights. The fairy seemed amused though and was dancing in his palm while chirping at him. He was looking at the little thing with a soft smile.
"You see, I have a new Ghost Guardian, I mean, Sky Guardian, and he seems kind of you know, tangible," she said poking at Giotto's cloak which moved easily.
"Oh, yes, I can see that. Well, young man, you better protect this pretty lady as she deserves," he started admonishing Giotto who looked… alarmed.
"Are you talking to me?" he asked.
"Do you see anyone else in here, boy?" the clerk said, disapproval clear in his voice "Kids these days…"
"He's a ghost sir, he could be like really, really ancient." Hariel pointed out. "He's also very tangible, so if you could find some books on that we would be truly grateful."
The clerk went away muttering about disrespecting youth and foreigners, and Hariel rolled her eyes. She didn't want to waste all of her time here, just get the books and then have some fun exploring.
"So, how was your family?" she asked Giotto because he seemed to be very hung up on them and it seemed the safe-ish thing to ask.
"They are fine. No damage came to them," he said noncommittally.
"I am not going to tell you I told you so, so do you want some kind of book to read or something?" she asked because now that he was her Guardian, it was her duty to provide him with whatever he needed. Not that she had known he was going to be tangible sometimes. That complicated things a little.
"I… the ones you seem to want to get are the ones I would like to read," he said, after doing that thing with his eyes.
She would ask him about that at a later date, maybe. If he was in the mood.
Half an hour later, they were sitting in a café, where Hariel was having an Ever Changing Ice Cream, it was a bit tricky to eat, if you waited five seconds, it would change the flavor, so you had to be alert and not end up tasting something nasty.
Giotto couldn't eat anything obviously, but he could feel the temperature and had ordered a coffee to cradle in his elegant hands.
It must be an Italian thing. Like Sinclair. Now that she thought about it, hadn't Giotto said something about seeing him being possessed by Alistair and being curious? Uh. Maybe he hadn't been lying after all?
"Are you related to Sinclair?" she asked after catching a spoonful of wild berry-flavored ice cream and avoiding the spinach-flavored one. She would eat vegetables when she got home.
"To Reborn? No, we are not related."
"You said you were watching him. Or him being possessed anyway."
"He was, and kind of still is my heir's tutor." Giotto said "And my famiglia has known him for many years, but we are not close, since… I am a ghost."
Oh yeah, Sinclair was a muggle. He couldn't see ghosts.
"Well, that kind of sucks. Does anyone get to see you ever, or do you look invisible to everyone?" she asked curiously. It must be lonely. At least the Hogwarts Ghosts had each other to pester, and everyone could see them. She imagined Remus being invisible to her and she felt very sad.
"I can appear visible sometimes when I am near my Ring, but I mostly wander the Spirit Realm or watch over the new generations."
Hariel made a face. "That sounds boring. Is there anything fun to do in the Spirit Realm?"
Giotto gave her a secretive smile, that could almost be a smirk but said nothing.
"Oh, so that's a yes, right?"
He still denied all knowledge of anything, and Hariel had things to do and places to see so she asked him to get lost a little in the road of life and let a lady have fun.
She left him in the café, still nursing that cup that was charmed to never get cold. She had left him enough money that he could get himself whatever else he wanted if he remained tangible. She would ask him next time if he had and for how long.
She went into total splurge mode, but she reasoned that getting gifts for everyone was a good reason for it, so between books, plants, a little plush snake, countless robes, both magical and muggle, lots of shoes, an expensive pair of brilliant red dragonhide boots that had countless interesting features, a snitch that changed colors instead of being golden, a bucket of never-ending candy, chocolates of all kinds, and numerous other things her handbag was nearly full.
She visited the most interesting places in the book: The museum of moving statues of wizards and witches that talked had given her a headache because they all were super loud and keep arguing about things and dueling each other.
The ministry of magic had been alright. Very modern and sleek looking, but nothing fascinating.
She had found a shop owned by a necromancer and had seriously contemplated entering and asking some questions, but really, that was just asking for trouble.
She had been shown a ring in the center of the district, where the fairies danced all night and she had been totally in love with it.
It had been a full day all in all.
Hariel was exhausted when she left the magical district. It was pretty late too, so the dinner time on the train must have passed. She decided to have something in some pub and then call it a day.
She found a pub that reminded her a little of home, or at least of The Leaky Cauldron, and asked if they served dinners. They did.
She was seated at the back and offered a basic menu. She was also told that she got free drinks with it, so all in all, it was a good deal.
She ate, feeling ravenous, the ice cream she had had with Giotto a thing of the long past. She wondered about him. He was a strange ghost, that was for sure.
Then she noted it, an aftertaste in the back of her tongue, and shit, she had forgotten to check her food for anything.
She could feel how her vision blurred and tried to get up and get away, but someone, a young woman, seated herself next to her and smiled with a cold smile full of teeth.
"Oh, honey, I have told you numerous times not to get so sloshed," she said "I will have to get her back home. In this state, she can't be left alone, who knows who could take advantage of her. Young women disappear from the streets so often..."
Hariel could see blurry faces but she didn't recognize anyone, and some words were spoken to her or at her, she didn't know, but she felt drifting away fast. It was a blur.
Arms touching her. Moving her. Voices talking in whispers. Screams. Strong and sudden pain in her arm, or at least she believed it was her arm. Movement. Darkness.
Total Darkness.
Notes: Ha, so you guys thought bad things would only happen to our favorite Mafiosi? This is kind of a bridge chapter, the next one has been written forever it seems, and it's kinda dark guys. But since it was pre-Giotto I am working on it. Thank you all for the comments, you are the best inspiration one can have. By the way, totally unrelated but all the dream stuff is real. I looked it up after reborn had said he had a dream about Pirates. p/pirate/ So the meanings where a surprise! Maybe I am actually a seer? Or Hariel is? Uh.