Chapter 6

While much of Harry's time on Santorini was filled with defense lessons and magical training, there was also plenty of time for fun to be had. Sirius ensured that mischief was managed on a relatively daily basis and would prank the youngsters of the house, as he had many years to make up for. He would transfigure their clothes, dye their skin and hair, and had once managed to have them both covered in feathers squawking like chickens.

Now the two teens gave as good as they got from the old marauder, and with the help of her father's transfiguration journals, Harry had managed to really make Sirius appear a fool on several occasions. She had managed to swap Sirius's arms and legs, rearranged his face, and once had even left him trapped in dog form with a human head on its shoulders!

When Sirius bit off more than had could chew, Calliope would join in and help save him before the two teens ended up making any of the changes to his anatomy permanent. She still had uses for the mangy mutt.

The most embarrassing moment for Harry during her stay at Villa Black was when she tried to use her phoenix flame to travel within the house. She had been able to perform the skill surprisingly well until she choked on some ash mid-travel due to her clothes catching fire. When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in the hallway completely starkers in from of Regulus, who walked right into her and immediately passed out with a nosebleed!

As Harry ran back to her room with an embarrassing squeak, Sirius nearly tripped on his son, who lay prone across the floor. Once he learned what had happened, he was insufferable for the rest of the evening until his wife grabbed him by the ear and hauled him to their bedroom for a quick chat on maturity.

Needless to say, Harry asked Calliope if she could help her to purchase some fireproof robes and undergarments. It wouldn't do for this to happen somewhere like Hogwarts. Harry didn't think that she would ever survive the embarrassment.

One evening, Sirius took everyone out to enjoy a nice family dinner. The four magicals were celebrating the signing of the betrothal documents and had been able to successfully submit them to the ministry through the Gringotts without a snag. It appeared that no one had yet noticed that the Potter heir who was missing was now an heiress betrothed to the House of Black.

"Harry," Calliope said with her musical voice. "I want to thank you for coming into my life and joining our growing family. Until now, it has been just me and Reggie in this house. With Sirius's return and you with us, I feel as though I have the family I've always dreamed of. One day, when you are ready, I truly hope that you can call me mum."

To say that Harry was moved would be an understatement. The young woman stood abruptly and tried to burrow herself into Calliope's open arms and cried tears of joy. She had never had a mother figure in her life other than Mrs. Weasley, and she just knew that Calliope was the type of mother that she hoped to become one day.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Harry cried over and over again. "I would love to call you mum."

Sirius had never been as happy as he was at this moment. His wife and son had been returned to him, his goddaughter was now safe and under his protection, and his power and political connections were strengthening back home. Britain was in for a wake-up call as soon as Lord Black returned to those rocky shores. He vowed then and there in his heart that his family would never again suffer at the hands of its enemies.

In the background, unknown to the rest of his family, Sirius had been hard at work with the Goblin nation. Using his vast fortune, he contracted the goblins to renovate his ancestral home at 12 Grimmauld Place in London. He told them to destroy any truly dark artifacts so that his family could enjoy the house without the threat of injury.

His barking laughter filled his office when he read the missive from his accountant Sharpfang, informing him that his mother's portrait screamed when they set fiendfire to the tapestry. They sent a vile with the memory for Sirius to view at his pleasure.

With the destruction of the painting and a cursed locket that was discovered on the premises, his old house elf Kreature appeared before him, thanking him for destroying the locket that Regulus died for. After hearing the elf's story, Sirius realized that his brother had finally turned against the monster that was Voldemort and had truly redeemed himself of the entire affair with the Deatheaters. Sirius was once again proud that he had named his only son after his little brother.

It was now nearing the end of August, and it was time to return to Britain. They knew that they couldn't stay on the beautiful island much longer and chose to spend the day at the beach. Harry, still shy about exposing her body to others, chose to wear a pale green one-piece swimsuit that Calliope had purchased for her from the village. A pair of jean shorts and a white t-shirt tied at the waist finished the outfit.

With her hair tied in a pony, she spent the day playing on a warded section of the beach and threw a frisbee back and forth with Regulus as Calliope sunbathed on her beach towel. Sirius eventually transformed into Padfoot and stole the frisbee from them, causing a merry chase across the sand that ended when a surprised Calliope caught sand in her mouth when Sirius jumped over her.

Harry had never before been to the ocean, and her time on the Grecian island had allowed her to fall in love with the gorgeous environment. As Harry gazed out on the sea, Regulus looked over and found himself enraptured in her innocent beauty. Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned over and placed a chaste kiss against Harry's cheek!

Blushing profusely at the sudden gesture of affection, Regulus stood and ran into the crashing waves to cool off in the sea. When he finally surfaced for air, he turned around and saw that Harry had followed him out, struggling to keep her head above the salty water. That was when Regulus came to the realization that Harry didn't know how to swim!

"Hold on!" Regulus called out frantically. "I'm coming to get you!"

As quick as he could, Regulus splashed towards Harry and held her steadily above the water to catch her breath. Moving Harry to his back, he began to swim back to shore.

"What were you thinking!?" the teen ranted once he got Harry back to dry land. "You could have drowned out there! If I hadn't seen you, then you very well could have!"

"imsrry…" Harry mumbled under her breath.

"What?" Regulus sighed once he took a few calming breaths.

"I said I'm sorry!" Harry shouted, her hair turning between red, blue, and yellow in embarrassment. "I just wanted to tell you that you didn't need to run away from me. I know that I have had a freaky life and that some people may see me as a freak, but I'm still just Harry."

Shocked at Harry's outburst, Regulus finally realized what was bothering Harry. Using both of his hands, he tilted Harry's face up towards his to keep their eyes on one another. After a moment of silence, he said something that meant the world to Harry and that she would never forget.

"You are not a freak," he declared with such venom that Harry almost took a step back. "If anyone ever tries to tell you differently, then I can promise you that they will be in a world of pain at either my fists, talons, or magic. You are the most powerful, brave, motivated, silly, and beautiful girl that I have ever met. Anyone would be honored to claim you as their friend. I hope that you can think of me as your friend as well. Maybe one day, you could see me as more than a friend."

Harry looked up at the young man that was gazing fiercely into her eyes. Those were the scariest, most kind words that anyone had ever said to Harry in her life. All she could do was nod her head and avert her gaze as her wet hair whipped around in the sudden breeze.

"Is everything alright over her,e you two?" Calliope asked as she and Sirius made their way over.

"We're ok," Harry quickly replied to divert their attention. "Reggie saved me when I went out too far. I forgot that I didn't know how to swim so well."

Sirius looked between the two teens as if to confirm that everything was ok before telling them that it was time to head back to the villa.

Having spent their final day at the beach, the Black family returned and began to pack their belongings for the journey home after they showered the salt and sand from their bodies. It didn't take very long for them to pack, so once they were finished, the family shared a bottle of wine to finish off the day. Together, they sat and watched the sun as it set over the horizon of Santorini.

"I'm going to miss these sunsets," Harry sighed to herself.

"I believe that I will as well," replied Sirius. "After so long in the dark of Azkaban, I will cherish moments like these whenever I can. I propose that we come back here every summer hols to take advantage of this beautiful scenery."

"I concur, husband," Calliope purred. "While I will be satisfied to be wherever you are, the sunsets of my home are the most magnificent of any I have ever seen. I only wish that mitéra and patéras were here to see the beautiful family that I have made for myself."

"My dear," Sirius said. "Your parents can most definitely see our family from wherever they are. I truly believe that our loved ones take a peak at us from time to time. I can only hope that they never look into the bedroom past eight o'clock!"

At his comment, Calliope couldn't help herself and smacked her husband on the back of the head.

"You are such a dog, my love," the woman chuckled. " I do believe that my parents would have loved you. If I haven't said it enough times, thank you. Thank you for saving me from those slavers all those years ago and making me your bride. Those years that we lost mean nothing now that you have returned to me, and I couldn't imagine losing you again. It would be too hard."

Wrapping his wife in his arms, Sirius kissed Calliope deeply. The love between the two could literally be felt radiating around the room.

"Eww!" Regulus called out. "Get a room, you two. You're supposed to be setting the example here!"

"My poor misguided son," Sirius sighed in mock despair. " A proper example is what I am setting here. Having professed my love for my beautiful wife, I am going to carry her back to our room, where I plan to ravish her for the rest of the evening and hopefully provide you with a sibling in the near future! Adios!"

With that said, Sirius picked up his giggling wife in his arms and ran to the master bedroom as fast as his legs would carry him, the two laughing all the way before slamming the door shut behind them.

"Tell me that did not just happen," Regulus groaned as he banged his head on the table in mock defeat.

"Sorry, Reggie," Harry giggled, surprising herself. She had never giggled before! "I think I had too much wine!"

"No such thing!" Regulus declared as he refilled their glasses. "We must not let these bottles go to waste. I bet that I can last longer than you!"

Needless to say, Gryffindors charge ahead…

"Challenge accepted!" Harry quipped before downing her glass. Six bottles later, the two teens ended up passing out at the kitchen bar.

"Well," Sirius said to Calliope as they entered the kitchen for a glass of water. "I can't say that I did not see this coming. They will definitely feel this in the morning!"

"That is an understatement," his wife chuckled. "Do you think we should have a hangover potion ready for them when they wake up? To take off the edge?"

For a moment, Sirius really thought about it.

"Nah!" He finally decided. "This will be a good way for them to learn not to overindulge themselves. I had to learn the hard way, and I believe that they will learn from this lesson as well. With that decided, lets get them to bed. We can allow them some mercy."

Taking out their wands, the husband and wife levitated the teens out of the kitchen and deposited them into their beds to sleep off the alcohol. After changing the teens' clothing into sleeping wear with a quick switching spell, they were then tucked in for the night.

Tomorrow they were to return to Britain, and Sirius had planned a little surprise for Harry upon their return. Hopefully, the surprise won't blow up in his face. Harry had done well over the past month, and he would hate to ruin all of the progress that they had made as a family.

"Goodnight, my angel," Sirius whispered into his wife's ear. "I love you more than you could possibly imagine."

"Goodnight to you as well, my grim," she whispered back to him. "I am so blessed to have you back in my life. Thank you for making my family whole once more."

"Thank you, Heka, for bringing my family back together," Sirius praised the invisible deity. "If not for you, my family would have been hidden away from me forever."

The villa rumbled quietly in acknowledgment of Lord Black's praise.