Hey guys! Please forgive me, if this chapter is slightly off. It was a weird day.

To all of you having a great mother: giver her a thanks from me.

For those without great mothers: I know, it sucks. Fuck'em

Home

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you?", Jo asked one last time. She was leaning in the doorway while Wanda put on her shoes and jacket.

"No. I can really drive myself.", Wanda told her. Again.

"I know that, but if you drive, you can't drink anything."

"Jo, we are going to the cinema. We are not going out to drink! And even if I got tipsy and drove the car, I couldn't crash it, even if I tried. Arthur has pumped it so full of spells… how does it even still move with electricity?"

"That's a question you'll need to ask someone who actually understands magic. And technology. I qualify as neither. But I CAN tell you where the term magic comes from.", Jo grinned, "Also beside the point. Drinking and driving is a no go."

"I know", Wanda almost rolled her eyes, "If I SHOULD end up drinking something, I'll call you."

"No matter the time."

"No matter the time.", Wanda agreed, took the keys for her favourite car off the sideboard and waved goodbye at Jo.

"Have fun!", Jo called after her.

Ten minutes later Wanda was driving down the country road leading into town, loudly singing along to her playlist, when the AI system informed her of a call.

"Wanda, oh wonderful Wanda, what are you doing?", Teddy's voice sounded over the speakers.

"Driving into town."

"Watcha' doin' that for?"

"I am meeting Jenny from Zumba and a couple of her friends. We are going to the movies."

"Really? Can I tag along?", his voice was hopeful and Wanda felt a tiny pinch of regret when she had to turn him down.

"Sorry. I was explicitly told that it's ladies' night."

"Damn it. How dare you have a social life without me?! I always invite you out with the guys!", Teddy huffed, causing Wanda to grin widely.

"That's because I am likeable."

"Ouch, right in the feels.", Wanda could practically hear Teddy gripping his chest in mock hurt, "You know what? Sometimes my weird working hours suck. Everybody's busy and I am bored."

"Read a book.", Wanda deadpanned.

"Can't. Too wired."

"Go for a run."

"Don't be absurd. It's cold and drizzly."

"Edward, you're a wizard. You can protect yourself."

"But I don't wanna do something productive!", Teddy pretended to whine, while Wanda joined the main road, "Is Emmy home?"

"Nope. Your Dad took her with him on a business trip to Washington. They should be back tomorrow."

"Lily will be in bed soon… what's Mama doing?"

"She said something about a hot bath and Pride and Prejudice."

"If this continues, I'll have to come over to try and cuddle Kater. I'd spend my whole evening chasing him through the house."

"And the grounds. Your Dad finally installed that catflap."

"I hate my life."

"Stop whining. Go out by yourself! Meet someone nice! I hear Molly is ready for great grandkids.", Wanda grinned.

"Now you are just being cruel, Wanda. And why don't you have a longer name to call you, when you misbehave?"

"Why would I, Edward?", Wanda teased, "Sorry, I have arrived. Talk soon?"

"Yes. Rub it in! Rub it in. You have a social life and I am a pariah. A boring pariah!"

"Goodbye, Teddy!", Wanda laughed and ended the call.

She grinned widely when she exited the car. It was weird, but Teddy and her had really hit it off. He reminded her of Pietro, sometimes. In a good way. It was nice to have that kind of energy again. And Teddy treated her like a part of the family, too. Often he did take her along to concerts, pubs… or just for a relaxing movie night on his couch.

Wanda made her way over to the cinema. There was a young, plump woman already standing in front of it.

"You Wanda?", she called hopefully.

"Yes. Hi!", Wanda walked over to her.

"Oh thank God! I am Rachel. Jenny told us she'd invited you and I am SO thankful. I had to take the bus and was WAY early. But now you're here, so at least I have someone to talk to!"

"Am I that early?", Wanda frowned and checked her watch.

"No! We just gave Rachel a later time, because she is always neurotically early!", Jenny shouted from behind them, laughing happily. There were two other girls standing behind her, laughing as well. Apparently they had waited in the foyer.

"You did WHAT?!", Rachel shouted.

"Oh, come on. We didn't want you to stay in the cold for too long. Please don't be mad, luv.", said one of the other girls, looking on pleadingly.

Rachel grumbled good-naturedly, locked arms with Wanda and pulled her towards the others.

It turned out the other two were sisters Chelsea and Sheila and they seemed just as happy to meet Wanda as Rachel had.

"Let's get our tickets, all the popcorn in the world and enjoy us some action!", Chelsea declared, pumping her fist in the air.

The others laughed and followed behind.

More than two hours later, the five women left the cinema, laughing amicably. Wanda was beaming. The movie had been ridiculous, stupid fun and Wanda had loved it.

"Well, that was FUN!", Sheila announced, as they made their way in front of the cinema, "Now pub?"

Wanda looked at her in shock. Pub? So Jo had been right after all. Did Wanda really want to go and get drinks? She really didn't want to inconvenience Jo by calling her in the middle of the night, but on the other hand, she really didn't want to be the boring girl leaving early. The girls all nodded and looked expectantly at Wanda.

Screw this, she thought, Jo told you to call, so why not take her up on it?

"I'm in."

The others cheered and five minutes later they all sat down in the pub around the corner, ordering their drinks.

"So, what's new with you, Rachel? How is the job hunt going?", Jenny asked carefully.

"Argh, no. Horrible. I was so happy when I left for Uni. Now I don't have a job and am back to living with my mum. It's so… humiliating. And exhausting.", Rachel sighed, "It's like I am 14 again."

The others nodded in sympathy. Suddenly Wanda felt even less sure about this exercise. She didn't want anyone asking after her family. She didn't want to be the poor orphan with the dead twin and the destroyed country again. These girls thought she was normal. She didn't want them to look at her differently.

"Rachel's mother is…special.", Chelsea explained quitely to Wanda.

"Special? How?", Wanda looked at the grim faces of her (hopefully) new friends.

"The other day, she asked me, if I wouldn't consider smoking. Maybe I'd eat less.", Rachel took a huge sip from her beer.

"What? That's just… wow.", Wanda shook her head.

"You sure you don't wanna come and move in with me for a bit?", Sheila asked, her face honestly concerned.

"Yeah, thanks. I know she's… a bitch, but for now I'm good. Just need to find a job and I'm out of here. My mum was right, after all, I should have studied something 'real'."

"Don't be ridiculous.", Chelsea huffed angrily, "You wanna do that for the rest of your life, so you better like it."

"What did you study?", Wanda asked carefully.

"Linguistics and Arabistics."

"Wow. That sounds awesome.", Wanda smiled at her, "Jo studied Medieval Studies. You'd probably get along quite well."

"Who's Jo?", Rachel wondered.

"Her stepmum.", Jenna chirped, before Wanda could answer, "What did she do with that degree?"

"She worked as a personal assistant for a while. Right now she works as a research assistant from home."

"See?", Sheila smiled, "There is something for everyone."

"At least you made it out of here.", Chelsea groaned, "I am still stuck here. I live in a crappy little apartment and just… go on. Like I did in school. Only now I work there full time instead of after school."

"Hello? Our apartment isn't crappy.", Jenny tried to joke, but it fell a little short.

"Where do you live, Wanda?", Sheila asked, smiling warmly.

"We live up on Prussia Cove.", Wanda explained.

Chelsea whistled through her teeth. "That's quite something. Are your folks loaded or something?"

Wanda took another sip of her drink, before saying: "Yeah. They are." Then she closed her eyes. She had lied now, actively so. She knew, she should feel guilty, but it just felt so nice, to be… normal.

"You could probably live everywhere then. Why in the middle of nowhere?", Jenny asked.

"I like it. It's quite. Relaxing."

"Emmy told me your brother lives in London. You visit him a lot?"

"Yes. We hang out when he has time off. He actually asked me, if we didn't want to share a flat, but right now, I am really happy here."

"Must be nice.", Rachel sighed, "I'd give anything to get to live in London."

"We always want what we don't have.", Sheila padded her arm, "One day, you're gonna miss it here."

"Your brother… I think I've seen him before… tall bloke? Weird hair?", Chelsea asked.

"Yes, that's Teddy. He dyes his hair all the time."

"He single?"

"Chelsea!", Jenny laughed in horror.

"What? Have you seen him? He is one good looking guy and pickings around here are slim. Where do you want to meet a fella we didn't go to school with?"

Jenny buried her face in her hands in shame. Wanda was laughing happily. Chelsea's question didn't bother her at all-

"He's single, Chelsea. He actually wanted to tag along tonight, but I told him it was girls only. Sorry."

"Shame on you!", Chelsea declared loudly, "Next time, we'll trade brothers. I have one. You can have him."

"Our brother is twelve.", Sheila groaned.

"Is he? Must have forgotten about that. Do you have a bloke, Wanda?"

"I… I do, actually. But right now it's long distance.", Wanda admitted carefully, not really wanting to get into that particular situation.

"Don't complain! That's bad taste, when we go empty.", Chelsea finished her beer and gestured for another one. The girls were all laughing widely now.

"I'll make it up to you.", Wanda boldly declared, "Next time we're making a movie night at home, I'll invite you guys. Then you can inspect Teddy."

"As if he won't notice he's being sold off.", Jenny laughed loudly.

"He won't. His best friends from school are all girls and even if: he won't mind. He's not the type to hide, just because he's in a room with women."

"I like him even more.", Chelsea grinned.

They continued laughing and drinking in that fashion for hours, until the pub was about to close and Wanda reached for her phone.

"I'm gonna call home.", she unnecessarily told the others.

"We'll have to walk anyway.", Sheila told her, "We'll wait with you."

Jo picked up after about ten seconds, her voice as awake as ever.

"Helloooooooooooooooo!", Jo screeched and Wanda held her phone away from her ear, "Sorry. Had to do that. Will do it again tomorrow morning, when you have more than one Kater."

Wanda groaned. "Can you come and get me, after all? I had a little too much to drink."

"Sure thing. But always remember: You puke, you clean. Pick you up in front of the cinema?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

20 minutes later the five girls were taking refuge under the roof of the now closed cinema. It had started to drizzle again, when Wanda was surprised to see the VW Bus pull up at the curb, not the small electric car Jo prefered to drive.

The driver door opened and Wanda's mouth well open. It wasn't Jo, after all, apparently Harry had returned early.

"You're home!", she grinned happily, as he walked over and hugged her.

"Yeeeees, and I brought presents.", Harry laughed, before turning to the others, "Hi! I am Harry. Who needs a ride?"

"Hi!", the others answered in unison, before Rachel said: "No one, Sir, we can walk from here."

"It's raining. It's cold and late. And I brought the big car, so let me feel useful, please."

Wanda nodded at them behind Harry's back and Rachel looked like she wanted to politely decline again, when Chelsea elbowed her and said: "Yes, please, too lazy and drunk to walk."

Harry laughed and they all hurried to get out of the wet air, with Wanda declaring shotgun and sitting down next to Harry. He was still dressed in a suit and undershirt, so Wanda was sure he hadn't been home long when she'd called.

They dropped off Rachel first, before reaching the girls' apartment complex. They were all laughing happily, telling Wanda they'd see her soon.

"Bye, Wanda! Thanks, Wanda's Dad!", Jenny called, as she pulled the door closed and Harry and Wanda were left in the car alone. Harry pulled back into the lane, his fingers drumming to the soft music.

"Sorry.", Wanda told him quietly.

"Sorry?", he asked, his gaze leaving the road for a second and looking at her in confusion, "What are you sorry for?"

"For… the girls thinking you are my father. I should have corrected them. I didn't…"

"You know? Of all the names I have been called in my life, Dad is my favourite. Hands down. Although I am a little offended I look this old."

"It must have been the lighting."; Wanda joked and Harry smiled at her.

He looked ready to drop it, but Wanda suddenly just felt the words leave her mouth.

"It was just nice. For a while. To not be the poor girl with the dead family. I think it was the first time in my life, people envied me. I don't need anyone to envy me, that's not it. But I don't want to be pitied, either."

"I know, Wanda. And I understand. Sometimes, when I was a teenager, people would assume Tony was my father. I never felt like correcting them. Sometimes it was just nice to pretend for a bit."

"Really? You? You always seem so… secure in everything.", Wanda looked at him in surprise.

"That's because I had to learn to pretend a long time ago.", Harry's face was grim, as his hand went through his hair, "Sometimes I still like to pretend, you know? I dress up in casual clothes and visit SI or one of the charities. It's… like a vacation from myself. At least for a bit. No one wants my opinion. My money. Me… It's just… normal."

Wanda didn't know what to say. She hadn't seen Harry look so… vulnerable. Not since Siberia.

"Sorry.", he sighed, "I shouldn't put this on you. You just had what looks like a lovely evening."

"I did. Very. But that doesn't mean you can't tell me what's going on. You always listen to me, too.", Wanda assured him.

Harry smiled at her. "Nothing special, I guess. I had a meeting with Tony. It didn't go too well. But that doesn't matter now. I am home. And Tony is a problem for another day. That wasn't even the point I was trying to make. What was it? Oh yes. Wanda, I want you to be comfortable here, with us. I know, I've said it before, but… this is your HOME now. And we are your family, in whatever capacity you want us to be. And if you decide to move out one day, we'll still be there. Visiting you. Expecting you to come and visit. All the time."

"Why though?", Wanda blurted out. She never understood why they had all been so willing to take her in, a stranger.

"Because we are lucky. I am lucky. I am lucky my Dad came and got me. I am lucky the Weasleys found it in them to include Tony and me. I am lucky Jo decided to write that drunken e-mail. I am so lucky, for so many things. I… I have a cousin, you know? His parents were killed, when he was a toddler. He lived with an aunt for a while. Then foster care. That could have, would have been my life without all those kind people, that took a chance on me. And I have seen what happens, when there is no one left to care for you. I had people who caught me, when I needed them to, so please let me do that for you, too. We are all a little broken here."

Wanda put her hand on Harry's, when she saw a tear track down his face.

"I am very grateful for everything, Harry. I like being part of your family."

"That's good. Because now you are stuck with us.", Harry smiled sadly, "Och, damn it. How did this happen?"

"You had a bad day. We all get to unload sometimes.", Wanda assured him, as they pulled into the driveway, "Was your trip a success?", she tried to change the subject.

"Yes! Bucky is going to be a free man."

"What is he going to do? Us weird people aren't exactly made for normal jobs."

"I have an idea, but I'll have to discuss it with Jo first or I am dead."

They walked into the living room to find Jo and Emmy sitting on the couch, huddled under a blanket together.

"How was it?", Jo asked, smiling as Emmy gave a happy wave. Wanda half hugged the girl without her getting up and then plopped down on the couch next to her.

"Are you guys tired yet?", Harry sat down as well.

"Not a bit.", Jo declared.

"We are on US time.", Emmy sighed, "I am wide awake."

"Too buzzed.", Wanda agreed.

"Okay… Top Gear or Great British Bake Off?", Harry asked and reached for the remote.