Chapter 6 – welcome home

Landing in Venice was uneventful but strange, as well as passing the muggle protection area. Terrorism was hitting hard and Muggles were doing their best to protect their ones.

Travelling with almost no luggage could be suspicious, or so thought Harry, but looking how the staff was reacting to his Mother he realized it was not the first time she has arrived here with strangers and with no luggage, they gave him a good look with an hint of pity but nothing more.

"We will need to pick a cab, I've not called home to advise …"

"Seem they have been advised all the same, Marco is here with a young man I do not know … yet"

They all looked at the two men approaching, one old enough to be father to them all and the other one just little older then Harry, both of each wearing a deep grin on their faces, as if they had just won a bet or outsmarted their loved ones.

"It was time you come back! Who's idea was to leave without a warning? Leaving us without news? Marietta was so worried she was ready to phone Shoori …"

"But was calmed down by StormWalker announcing my trip to you Mother, so now she is busy cooking sweets for this poor child of mine, who finally is back at home."

The young man embraced Morwenna with a great care, showing love and happiness – he was embracing his own Mother after a long time and his face showed how much he loved her without fear to be endangered by his openness.

"Welcome back Mother, I'm here to help you and your new Child in any way I can. I bring with me the blessing of all our family and their love for a new brother … or brothers as I see you are bringing home three new friends .."

"RavenWing, please be a good boy and stop asking questions - I will judge if and when it would be time to explain things and what could be explained to young boys as you are, so now be silent or you will get no sweet."

The words sounded harsh but were denied by the caress that followed them and the young man looked quite pleased too, his dark eyes bright with laugh and joy.

"Marco thank you for being here at our arrival, we need to go home by the long way. Water crossing disturbs their tracking means and we do like our privacy, do not we?"

"As Madame wish, but warn those two new boys to be careful, if they do barf on the boat they will have to clean their own mess, I'm not their servant, only yours"

"Have you ever travelled by boat Harry? Remus? Hope you are not affected by water movements, we will go hide-and-seek for a while so tracing spells will be fooled and will lose us while we are living here. Marco is afraid you could get hill and start barfing, we have no meds and no time for them to work properly, the sooner we start sailing the sooner we will be safe, so if you fell hill just be sure to hang out of the boat and puke out of it, ok? "

Harry e Remus shocked their hears as they never had put foot on a boat, but they were only worried to be on the old man's good side, he really looked a lot enraged with them, so they listen their Mistress and silently vowed to not puke if they only could manage to.

The boat was not a big one, neither was it different from all those around them. One small boat looking exactly as hundreds of others sailing nearby, tracing them would not be an easy task and the ever moving water was the best hiding they could get, yes, they were in the safest place they could ever be, cared for and shielded from the magic world, not even the best Auror could ever trace them now. Remus and Harry released a deep breathe they had not realized to be holding … and gulped in surprise in feeling an embrace from behind.

"Nobody could trace you from the moment we all go on the boat, you are safe now, relax and sit down comfortably. If you have never been on a boat please follow my advice and sit in the front, facing the wind, it will help you to keep your stomach in its proper place and to enjoy the trip better.

We will have time in the next days to speak and get to know each other, now allow yourself to get in touch with this beautiful city, allow you to feel the soul of Venice, let yourself be welcomed by this town that has surfed time and history …"

Then they heard only his soft voice, singing softly well know rhymes

"Row row row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily merrily merrily

Life is but a dream…"

After some time Harry turned a bit to check the others and saw his Potion Master sitting near the old man, Marco, chatting quietly in a language that was not English but sounded as music to his ears, his Mother was resting comfortably in the harms of the young man who kept singing softly, Remus was at his side, breathing deeply the salty air, relaxing in the freedom of being outside but not alone, welcomed presence between friends, a werewolf but still a friend - at least for Harry, Severus and their Mistress Morwenna …

Toughs and fears stormed in Harry's mind, mixed with the images of beauty that were appearing in front of him while their ride was going on, he was on a rollercoaster of emotions and quite lost in them, his life had changed and he could only hope it was for the best.

The ride was not short but Harry could not trace time, he had been too busy in looking at the sights of palaces and isles, he was quite sure they had seen some of them at least twice but perhaps that was related to the need of making them untraceable.

They arrived in an isle not far from the large square and the laced palace, not far from a long isle but yet with a large space filled only by water.

"Welcome to the Isle of Saint Helen, I live here and you will too, for as long as it will be necessary. May you feel no fear while we share a fire."

On the doorstep an aged woman was waiting for them with a tray, sure some kind of ceremony to mark their arrival … enough to make Remus and Harry shy and careful again.

Morwenna was the first to act, showing the rite and solving the riddle

"Welcome to my home, please do share with me what I could offer you:

Bread to sustain your lives, Salt to give flavour to them and Wine to toast to the joys the Above may grant us all. Blessed Be"

And she took a piece of bread, dipped it in the bowl filled with salt and eat it, and just after swallowing it took a sip of wine from the goblet, replacing it on the tray after drinking.

The dark haired young man was next, helping himself with bread, salt and a sip of wine

"I'm back at home Mother, to share with you the bread that gives life, the salt that adds savour and the wine that songs of joy. Blessed Be"

Severus Snape was next, his acts just the same ones but his voice did nothing to hide the emotions that were storming in him, his voice was as dark velvet caressing the ears, his face was smiling and his hands were trembling a little bit.

"Once again I'm able to share with you the bread, the salt and the wine, welcomed as a friendly guest with a proper rite, I enter your home as one of your blood, never to leave your side from now on. Blessed Be."

Time was stilled, but the Mistress was waiting and a slave cannot effort to displease his Mistress, so Remus took the last step to fulfil his duty and grant the welfare of his beloved almost godson.

His hand was trembling while picking the brad and the salt, his mind whirling for the words … proper words that a slave could use … none of the old blessings his mother used seemed proper but his mind used one nevertheless

"You share with me shelter, food and the future joy, may your lives be long and merry and may you be welcomed in Heaven ten minutes before the Devil will learn of your death. Blessed Be."

Harry looked stooned by his friend's words and a bit afraid too, bread, salt and wine were of course much more then they seemed as well as the blessing he was expected to use … how in hell could he be up to their expectations?

An hand on his shoulder pushed him a bit ahead while the old man spoke softly in his ear

"just do it child, eat and drink and let your heart speak, you are coming home lad"

breathing deeply Harry nodded and do as the other had done just moments before, eating bread and salt and sipping the wine

"I arrive here as a stranger and I'm welcomed as family, let each day have its pain as well as its joy. Blessed Be."

the smile on his Mistress' face spoke of sad understanding, of old scares and older wounds, of sorrow and of hidden hurts, and in that smile Harry found he was at home at last.