Zia was not asleep. She sat slumped against the wall outside the door to Tom's room, worried sick that someone could come back, that someone could harm him. Even though she knew Lycoris could not return to the apartment, even though it was supposed to be safe now, she was unable to stop feeling jumpy. Itzli was in Tom's room, and she had returned him to his original size. The fifteen-foot snake was now coiled around her son's bed, keeping an extra watch over him. He was poisonous, and she knew that if she asked, he would deliver a death bite to anybody that posed a serious danger to the family. Honovi was next to Zia, but she was not in her tank. Zia had asked permission to enlarge Honovi, and now she and Itzli were equally sized. Even with the two huge snakes in the house, Zia could not relax.
You're still worried, Honovi stated, eyeing Zia with a perceptive gaze. Even with the protective measures.
"How could I not be? I was attacked in my own home, and our family was threatened with death by a complete stranger," Zia spoke softly.
I understand. I was thinking, Honovi began, that perhaps it is time for a change. We've been in this apartment for five years, and now I think it would give you peace of mind if we lived elsewhere. Zia thought about the snake's words, and she couldn't deny that after what had taken place in that living room, she would not be able to feel safe there again.
"I don't know how we could afford it. I've been keeping money aside ever since I was able to repay Mary and Charlie, but I'm not sure it would be enough."
Well while you're out tomorrow, maybe you could see if the Ministry of Magic has any resources for this.
"I'll do that. Thank you Honovi."
We're family, you don't need to thank me. I think that you should try to get some rest. If anything happens, I'll wake you. Honovi twined herself into a loose circle around Zia, as if creating a nest with her body.
"I'll try," Zia replied. Minutes later, she fell asleep, but it was not peaceful. She woke up several times from dreams that she couldn't remember but knew were nightmares, and each time Honovi gently reminded her that everything was still fine. When dawn came, Zia knew that her family would not be living in the apartment for much longer. She would lose her mind if they stayed.
The next morning, Zia was dressed and ready by the time Tom was hopping into the kitchen for breakfast. It had been arranged with Regulus that they would go to the Ministry earlier on in the day, and she could tell that Tom was excited because he was already completely dressed with his hair combed and shoes on.
"Mama, when will Regulus be here?" Tom asked her, climbing up onto the taller chair she had placed at the table for him. He was still too small to sit in a normal sized chair and reach the table at the right height.
"About half an hour," she said, placing a bowl of porridge and a spoon in front of him. "I added the brown sugar and milk just the way you like it." She then sat opposite him with her own bowl of porridge.
"You don't look so good," he said. "You didn't get much sleep, did you? You know lack of sleep is bad for your health, you told me so yourself."
"Yes, it is bad for your health, but I was having a difficult time last night," Zia said. She didn't want to scare him with her own fears, so she did not explain further.
"You were worried about us all, weren't you? Because of what happened. That lady, she scared you. You don't have to hide it mama, I know already." Tom looked up at her. "And you have something you want to discuss, too."
"I should have realized you would already know, we can read each other so easily," she told him. "Yes, I do have something I want to talk to you about. I would like to find another place for us to live."
"I thought that was it," he told her, eating his porridge calmly. "I think that is a good idea. We should find somewhere bigger, so there's more room to play!" Zia laughed.
"We will do our best," she told him. Minutes after they had finished dinner and getting ready for the day, there was a knock on the door. Zia walked over and opened it a crack to make sure it was Regulus, then upon verifying that it was him, opened it all the way.
"How is everything?" he asked. Zia noticed that he also looked like he hadn't slept very well, and realized that it was probably hard to sleep under the same roof as his sister after what had happened. He was probably worried that his family would find out. If it was her, she probably wouldn't have been able to go back to the house.
"Good enough," she told him. "Come in." He stepped into the apartment and she saw that he was wearing charcoal gray robes instead of muggle clothes, and carrying two parcels wrapped in brown paper. Tom bounced into the room excitedly, saw Regulus, and immediately went over to him.
"We're going to move!" he informed Regulus. Then, tugging on his robes so that Regulus would crouch down to his level, whispered, "Mama couldn't sleep very well last night because she's too worried, so it's for the best."
"Is that so?" Regulus asked, directing this towards Zia.
"Yes, it is," she confirmed. "We're not sure where yet, but that's the plan."
"I was thinking about moving myself last night," he said. "I think it's time to—ah—leave the nest."
"I see," Zia replied. Tom's face lit up suddenly.
"You should look with us! Maybe you could find somewhere close to where we move," he explained. "Since you're family now too." Regulus smiled a little bit, which made him look less tired.
"I think that would be nice. I almost forgot, I brought these for you both." He held one package out for Zia and the other for Tom. "You'll have to see if they fit. You don't have robes already, do you?"
"No, we do not," Zia said. Robes weren't something she considered necessary for their daily needs, so she had never bothered to buy any.
"Well, you'll need them to fit in at the Ministry. You helped me with muggle clothes, so I'm helping you with this," he explained. Tom opened his package and pulled out a child-sized set of robes in a deep gray-green with a pattern of little black snakes sewn around the edges. Zia looked at Regulus and raised her eyebrows.
"Pretty sure I know what your house was," she told him. He grinned.
"And you would be right. But I got these because Tom loves snakes," he replied, and they both watched with amusement as Tom grabbed the robes and skidded off to his bedroom to put them on. "Take a look at yours." Zia unwrapped her robes and unfolded them so she could see everything. The robes were dark periwinkle, with silver swirls running through them.
"Are these dress robes?" she asked. Regulus laughed.
"No, these aren't the same thing as dress robes. Everyday robes don't have to be black. You should go try them on."
Zia took the robes into her bedroom, and put them on over her muggle clothes. The robes were high quality, and she wondered how much Regulus had paid for them. They fit well, so she went back out. Tom was already out in his robes.
"Regulus did a good job picking the robes, didn't he? They fit!" Tom said enthusiastically.
"Now you both look ready for the ministry. I've set it up so that your fireplace is part of the floo network, I noticed you had one and thought it would be the best way to get there." Regulus pulled out a little pouch filled with shimmering light gray powder, and gave a small handful to Zia. "You'll go first, Tom will follow after, and then I'll be last. All you have to do throw the powder into the fireplace, wait until it flames up, then very clearly say 'Ministry of Magic.' You'll do fine."
Staring cautiously at the fireplace, Zia threw the powder in, then did as instructed. She wasn't sure that she liked the feeling of traveling by floo. She had always had problems with motion sickness, and the strange rushing and spinning feeling was not sitting well with her stomach. When she arrived in the large fireplace at what had to be the ministry of magic, she stumbled out dizzily, feeling sick. Moments later, Tom appeared in the same fireplace, followed by Regulus.
"You look ill," Tom said bluntly. Zia smiled weakly.
"I'll be fine soon, don't worry," she said, wobbling over to brush the soot off of him. When she got her stomach back, she brushed herself off, then looked at Regulus to guide them.
"The Office for House Elf Relocation is on Level 4, just follow me," he said, and then led them to one of the lifts nearby. They traveled down a couple floors, then stepped out into a well-lit hallway and walked to an open door bearing a sign that designated it as the Relocation office. It was a tiny room, but well kept. A woman sitting behind a desk greeted them.
"Hello, how may I help you today? Are you seeking a house elf or reporting displacement?"
"She is seeking an elf," Regulus said authoritatively. The woman nodded and began rifling through a stack of papers. Zia turned to him.
"What do you mean I'm seeking an elf? I thought this was informational!" she hissed frantically.
"I happen to agree with what Tom said yesterday. I think it would be beneficial for you to have help. A house elf would be good for you," he responded. "I'm going to help you find one to employ." The woman spoke then.
"We happen to have just got one in. It's young, the family bred two of theirs, then decided they didn't want the new one. Would you like to have a look?" The corners of Zia's mouth pulled down into a frown as she listened to the woman talk about the elf. She could see why Hermione was so disgusted with their treatment; the elves were managed like slaves.
"Yes," Regulus said, before Zia could spit out a 'no.'
The woman went into the back of the office and came back with a small elf following her, dressed in a simple skirt and shirt set, the clothes being the mark of a dismissed elf. The little elf looked up at Zia with its huge round eyes, wringing its small hands together nervously. Zia crouched down in front of the elf.
"What is your name?" she asked it.
"Pozey," the tiny elf squeaked.
"Well Pozey," she began, glancing at both Regulus and Tom, "I'm Zia. My family seems to be in need of a house elf. Our family isn't very big, and we don't have a lot of money or a large house, but if you'd like, we would love to have you." The elf looked at her, blinking slowly.
"Zia is letting Pozey choose?" the house elf asked incredulously.
"Yes," Zia replied.
"Pozey is choosing Zia then. Pozey is needing work, and thinking that Zia will be a good mistress," the elf responded. Zia smiled.
"Alright then. You'll have to walk with us for now I'm afraid, since we will be searching for a new place to live," Zia explained. The elf nodded. The woman behind the desk spoke.
"There is a fee of three galleons for this service," she said. Zia reached for her purse, but Regulus plunked the gold coins onto the desk easily and then led them all out. New additions to their family seemed to be coming all at once, and Zia wondered what other surprises were in store.
"I'll pay you back," she said, again reaching for her purse. Regulus frowned.
"No, you won't. Three galleons is nothing for me, and after what happened because of my sister yesterday, I feel like I owe you a lot more than three galleons," he stated firmly. Then he led them back to the elevators, onto a new floor, and into another office. "This is where magic-friendly homes are listed. While it is possible to buy a muggle house and adjust it for wizarding needs, it's often just easier to get one that's already had the necessary precautions taken on it."
There was a little old balding man sitting at the desk, dictating something to a quill as he sorted through papers. Regulus approached the desk and the man looked up.
"Excuse me, but my friend and I are both searching for new homes. Price isn't an issue, but security is. Do you have time to help us now, or should we make an appointment?"
"Now is fine, now is fine, let me pull out some files here and we can all take a look at what is available," the man said in a wheezy voice. He looked excited as he pulled various rolls of parchment off of shelves, and Zia thought that it was probably because Regulus told him price wasn't an issue. Her eyebrows pulled together as she turned to him, both Tom and the house elf standing by her legs. Tom was spouting out questions as fast as Pozey could give him the answers, ranging from subjects like wizard food to wizard games. He seemed very interested in her description of Quidditch, which surprised Zia. She had never thought of Tom as the type to be interested in sports, but she had no objections to it. Satisfied that Tom was doing fine, she turned to Regulus.
"Maybe price isn't an issue for you, but it is for us. We don't have a lot of money Mr. Black, we can't afford anything fancy."
"Like you said, price isn't an issue for me. I've got access to more than enough money for both of us. And as I said earlier, after yesterday I feel like I owe you."
"You feel like you owe my family a new house? I think that's taking it too far." The little man was holding a stack of papers expectantly as she spoke, apparently waiting for the conversation to end.
"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't feel the need to move in the first place. You would feel safe in your apartment. I can't repay you for the peace of mind you've lost, but I can pay for a new house that will have extra security measures. Does that make sense?"
"Yes, however, like I said, it's too much."
"How about you choose a place to live and pay what you can and I'll make up the difference. You won't get me to compromise any more than this, so it's either that or I pay for the whole thing. Pick."
"Absolutely not, for either option," Zia told Regulus. He rolled his eyes exasperatedly.
"Honestly Zia, I've got plenty of money, this is nothing," Regulus said. Then he turned to the man. "Sorry to make you wait. Please, show us what you have." The man pulled out several pieces of parchment, each with an image of the house for sale on it. As he began expounding upon the good points of each one, Tom interrupted him.
"We want the houses to be close by each other," he said.
"Is that right?" the man asked, looking from Zia to Regulus.
"You heard the kid," Regulus said. The man frowned, thumbing through the stack of parchment.
"I hope you realize that this greatly narrows your options?" he wheezed.
"That's fine," Regulus said. The man pulled two pieces of parchment out of the stack, and set them out on the desk.
"These are the only two near each other with high security charms already in place. You may want to add your own of course, everyone has their own taste. They're two large estates about half a mile apart," the little man said, then proceeded to point out the different protective charms on each home, the sizes and location advantages, and any other perks that were stated on the parchments.
"They sound great," Regulus told him. Zia glowered at him, hoping that he was excited to purchase both a home and a summer home right next to each other. "But where are they located?" The man looked over the pieces of parchment and put his finger on the location.
"Greater Hangleton," he puffed.