Chapter Four

Moominmama was busy sewing a rip in a blanket when her sons came in. Harry seemed positively giddy while Moomin sulked. She curiously hummed to herself as she watched Harry run up the stairs while Moomin lingered in the entryway.

"Well, what's that all about?" She asked as she still heard Harry running up a flight of stairs.

"Oh...He's just happy he saved Snorkmaiden from drowning today." Moomin replied in a monotone voice. Moominmama felt her eyes widen, "Excuse me, but what did you just say, dear?"

Moomin didn't seem to hear his Mama as he sat on the sofa next to her, cuddling up to her. She smiled and warmly wrapped an arm around him, sewing temporarily forgotten.

"Well, as long as you're all safe, I suppose... Now, why are you so blue dear?"

Moomin sighed heavily before speaking. "How do you tell a girl you still want to be her friend but you don't want to be her boyfriend?"

Moominmama hummed to herself. "Well, I say you must be honest with her. Perhaps get her flowers to show her you still care about her as a friend?" Moomin nodded, "Yeah, she does like pretty things…" He mused.

"Now, do you really want to not be her boyfriend anymore?"

Moomin thought a moment before shrugging against her. "I don't think so. I liked having someone to read stories with and hug but she was getting a little too clingy for me. I miss hanging out with Snufkin and going on adventures instead of just reading them. This is just my first girlfriend and my first break up too."

Moominmama raised a brow with an amused smile. "Well, then if she were a good friend, she'd understand. Tomorrow, I'll help you pick out some flowers I'm sure Snorkmaiden would like very much."

Moomin smiled, "Thanks, Mama."

Meanwhile, Harry raced to his Pappa's study. Flinging open the door and giving his Pappa a fright.

"Oh Gobble Gook, Harry! Don't just slam the door open like that!" He clutched his chest as he braced himself against the window. It didn't even faze Harry that his Pappa might have been listening to him and Moomin.

"Pappa, I gotta talk to you!"

"I can see that…" Moominpappa mumbled as he shut the window and walked to his chair. He commented, "These nights are getting colder and colder. Leaves will be falling before long." He sat in his seat with a groan.

"Now then, what do you want to talk about?"

Harry sucked in a breath before rambling. "Well, I've had a crush on Snorkmaiden for a while but Moomin is her boyfriend so I stayed away. But today, she almost drowned and I saved her-"

"Wait, what now?!"

"It's fine, I said I saved her. Anyways, she kissed me and called me her hero and Moomin said he'd break up with her for me but will that make me a bad brother? But I really like her and I liked her longer than Moomin! What do I do?!" Harry exclaimed as Moominpappa stood with a smirk.

"Woah, there son! Deep breaths."

Harry did as he was instructed before Moominpappa spoke once again. "You know, this reminds me of puppy love days of my own. A girl liked me that Joxter secretly fancied...I tried to date her. Maybe out of pride or in spite of my friend or maybe just because I wanted to date someone? Eventually, she lost interest in me."

"Did she get with Joxter?"

"Nope. She got with someone else entirely. The point is, is that these things happen a lot in your youth. You may not think it now, but years from now, you'll see. I'm proud of both of you for looking out for each other and I think that Moomin wouldn't have done this if he didn't want to see you happy."

"But...What do I do? How do I tell her?"

Moominpappa seemed to preen as he spoke, "Well, I was quite the ladies man in my day! I'll tell you how I wooed your Mama."

"How did you and Pappa know you loved each other?" Moomin asked as he sat on the couch with her.

Moominmama giggled to herself. "Oh, he fumbled with his words. The poor thing went on endlessly to the point I didn't understand what he meant. He was so shy, he ran away and left me a note...I wonder if I still have it? It had crude hearts around it as well as him asking me on a picnic date."

She paused a moment as a smirk graced her lips. "It wouldn't surprise me if he's giving Harry the same advice...Oh, my. I better set Harry straight before he embarrasses himself."

Moomin giggled at that, a bit more confident in his choice.

The next day, Harry waited anxiously near the Snork household while Moomin was inside.

"Hello, young Wizard." A deep voice greeted near Harry.

Harry blinked in surprise as a tophat came in view. A black panther lazily sunning herself a few yards away in some tall grass.

"I sensed your magic and saw how you fared against the sea. I'm truly sorry I couldn't help." The older man genuinely looked guilty as he recalled the ordeal.

"How?" Harry asked to which Hobgoblin produced a magic orb into thin air. "A relic I obtained years ago. I can sense your magic anywhere in Moomin Valley, however, I can only know why or what happened by gazing in this orb."

"So...You can see the past?"

Hobgoblin hesitated before he nodded. "And the future."

Hardy nervously bit his lip, eyeing the iridescent orb. Hobgoblin smiled, "If you like, you can view it. Just ask a question. But be warned, thy may not want to know all that occurs… Especially with the past. Thou are here now and that's all that matters."

Harry thought for a moment. So many things were in his mind. He wanted to know his past, his origins, why and how his parents died.

But something told him not to. To live for a future, not a past his mentor helped him escape.

"May I see the future?" He hesitantly asked. Hobgoblin smiled warmly at him, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Anything you wish."

Harry gazed into the glimmering light reflecting from the crystal orb before uttering a wish, barely a whisper.

"...Please show me, my future love…"

The orb swirled inside, hazy pink and purple fog drifting around an image. Harry's eyes widened as he saw himself much older. A young man with stubble and stronger features. He saw himself in a formal suit with a bit of Moomin rustic charm. Flowers of all kinds dangled above him as he smiled under an arch.

Harry felt a smile tug at his lips in wonder as the fog cleared, revealing a white figure in a veil. He couldn't see their face as they walked down the aisle but one thing stuck out to him.

A gold bangle around their ankle. One he knew anywhere.

Harry beamed as he saw his wish come true before his eyes. The orbs image fading before the wedding could commence. The pink fog dissipated before clearing completely. Leaving behind a clear crystal surface in its wake.

"I take it you saw the image you hoped for?" Hobgoblin commented with a smirk. Harry's heart was fluttering as a joyful smile spread across his face.

"Oh, yes! Yes, I did! Thank you!" He practically ran to the Snork house door.

"Uh, Harry! Oh-" Hobgoblin called after him before smiling to himself. He chuckled as the orb disappeared from his hand. "Youth."

Harry strode up to the door with purpose, knocking confidentially on the door. His confidence wavered as Moomin came out looking a bit confused.

"Hey, everything okay?" Harry asked to which Moomin nodded. "Yeah, she took a break up surprisingly well...Mama was right, flowers do help."

Harry fumbled in a panic, "Flowers! I should have brought flowers!"

Moomin gripped his arm to settle him. "Don't worry, Harry. If she doesn't want to go on a date with you because of flowers...Well, then she wouldn't be very good girlfriend material." Moomin reassured. Harry took a deep breath and nodded.

"You're right. Wish me luck ...And Moomin? Thank you. You're the best brother ever."

Moomin chuckled in agreement, "You're not too bad of a brother yourself." They both chuckled as Moomin left, giving Harry a thumbs up.

Harry stiffened as Snorkmaiden opened the door.

"Oh, Harry! What a pleasant surprise-"

Harry cut her off as he stepped forward, a tinge to his cheeks. "Forgive me for being rude and interrupting you, but...I wanted to know if you want to go on a date? If you say no, I understand…"

Snorkmaiden's eyes light up as she excitedly clutched her hands to her chest. She turned a pretty pink in joy. "A date? No one has ever asked me on a proper date before!"

Harry looked at her oddly. "But you and Moomin were boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Snorkmaiden chided, "Moomin was a childish romance. I'm older and becoming a woman now! We only hung out or took walks. It's about time I had a true date with someone so gallant!" She dreamily sighed. Harry felt a nervous smirk on his lips.

"Oh...So...That's a yes?"

She eagerly nodded, her fur never pinker. "Yes."

Meanwhile, Hobgoblin grinned in amusement as he secretly eavesdropped.

'Children. So worried about growing up...I hope you can handle such a hopeless romantic, young wizard.' He thought before vanishing along with his panther.

That night, Harry took Snorkmaiden on a picnic personally prepared by Moominmama. Despite the vision, Harry was still nervous and unsure.

Snorkmaiden put on a confident and cool demeanor but was caught anxiously stroking her tail a few times. Her fur threatened to shift colors in her anxious state.

Moominmama and Moominpappa secretly watched with binoculars from their tower at the two children in the field.

"Papa! Stop spying on those children's intimate date!" Moominmama scolded as she collected laundry.

"Oh, you should see it dear. Our little miracle is growing up…"

Moominmama quizzically looked at her husband as she heard sniffling. She smiled as she took the binoculars.

"Moominpappa, there is no reason to be sad. He and Moomin still have quite a bit of childhood still left."

He wiped his eye. "I'm not crying…" He muttered as she gazed through the binoculars with a knowing smile.

"Aww, they are adorable." She admitted before folding up the binoculars and patting her husband on the arm.

"It won't be long before we'll have an empty nest." She commented as he followed. "Don't say that! Not until a few more years, at least!" He whined.

That night, Harry took Snorkmaiden's hand and walked with her. They kept a foot distance, exchanging timid glances every so often.

"Oh, I hate to see the Summer end...Soon, all beautiful things will die." She sighed sadly as she gazed at the flowers in the field.

Suddenly, an idea struck Harry. Hobgoblin had touched base on it, but never fully.

He plucked a yellow flower from the field. "Yes, things have to end and die." Soon, the flower glowed as a twinkling yellow light enveloped it. "But if we don't leave behind the old, how can we make room for the new? Mama says that everything is beautiful in its own way. Pappa says that beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

He presented the flower to her as it glowed in the dark Summer night. Rivaling the fireflies that danced around them.

Snorkmaiden's eyes shined as they reflected the glowing flowers light.

"And what do you think Harry?"

He grew thoughtful a moment as she took the flower gently in her hand, her other hand over her chest.

"I think...That beauty comes and goes. Hopefully, this flower won't. Maybe it will glow for you as a nightlight, even through winter?"

Snorkmaiden gasped as she looked awestruck at both the flower and Harry. "Oh, Harry! It's so beautiful! I'll cherish it forever and ever!" She smiled as she shyly gave a soft kiss to his cheek. He blushed and smiled back as they walked a bit closer to one another back home.

Hobgoblin watched from the mountains with a proud smile. "Very good, Harry."

Sadly, the flower didn't preserve its glow for more than a week, Harry was still too inexperienced to truly preserve something to the same degree as Hobgoblin.

Autumn came as the leaves fell. Harry made sure to spend time with his friends as well as Snorkmaiden, after all, she was his friend too.

And soon, Winter hibernation came. It seemed Harry got to Snorkmaiden as she claimed she and her brother Snork would stay up during the Winter...But, that never happened. Snorkmaiden fell asleep by the first night's snowfall. Snork did stay up to work on his flying machine, even though he claimed it still wasn't ready.

Moomin was depressed as Snufkin left once again for the Winter. Harry and Snorkmaiden tried to cheer him up but he still seemed sad that his best friend was leaving once again.

It wasn't anything personal, just that Snufkin liked being alone and traveling alone. The knowledge didn't make Harry or the rest of the kids hate it any less.

Harry closed his eyes and fell asleep, a blizzard outside his window. He wasn't sure how long it passed, he never was. But soon he heard birds chirping outside his window. He stretched with a yawn and an excited smile. He turned over to Moomin, nudging him.

"Hey, wake up." He whispered. Moomin moaned as his eyes fluttered open. "Harry?" He mumbled as his brother looked down at him with a grin.

"It's spprrriiinnnggg." Harry sang. Moomin didn't seem to register it until a moment later. His eyes went wide as he crawled over Harry and leaped from the bed.

"It's Spring!" He yelled as he raced out of the room. Harry laughed and followed after him. He had on such thick and warm pajamas, he didn't mind running outside in them.

Harry barely made it out the front door when he heard that infamous harmonica. Moomin was already racing ahead of him to the bridge.

However, before Harry could go to the bridge, he was greeted by a panther leaping out in front of him onto the ground.

Harry jumped but then relaxed, instantly recognizing her. "Hello, girl." He petted her huge head as she rubbed up against him, almost knocking him over.

"What a nice Spring morning, don't you think?" Hobgoblin mused with a stretch. Harry blinked at him quizzically. "Did you hibernate?"

Hobgoblin smiled at him, covering his mouth to stifle a yawn. "Not as much as I should have. Having this much power comes with responsibility…Speaking of power. Thou might be ready for the witch." He drawled out. Harry felt both nervous and excited.

"Really?! So, witches really do exist?"

Hobgoblin grinned, "But of course! The witch family near here keeps to themselves. Most likely the reason Moomin Valley thinks they don't exist."

"Oh wow...I can't wait for you to take me!"

Hobgoblin held up a hand in pause. "Um...Actually, I can not go."

Harry looked alarmed at his mentor, "What?! Why?!"

Hobgoblin gritted his teeth and averted his eyes. "The witch and I have a history...She wouldn't be pleased to see me."

Harry felt his eyebrows rise in astonishment. "History as in enemies?"

"Doesn't matter, point being that I cannot take thee. Your friends and you shall travel alone to the witch's forest. Tell her who sent you and show her thy powers thus far." He urged, cutting Harry off and getting back on to his panther.

"Best of luck!" He said as he took off, leaving Harry standing there in bewilderment.

'What was that about?' He wondered.

Meanwhile, Moomin beamed as he raced to the bridge. "Snufkin!" He cried out as he reached the harmonica player. Snufkin put his harmonica down, a peaceful smile graced his lips.

"Well, hello Moomin." He said as he felt arms wrap around him. "Did you miss me that much?" Snufkin chuckled as Moomin let him go. "Of course I did!" Moomin exclaimed in outrage.

Snufkin grinned bringing the rim of his hat down lower on his face. "I arrive every Spring. I promise that and I never break a promise Moomin...Laws maybe, but no promises."

Moomin smiled at him, his eyes twinkling with joy. Snufkin glanced back at him, his cheeks warm. Moomin said, "What adventures are we going on today, Snufkin?"

Snufkin glanced up towards Moomin house, seeing Harry speaking to his teacher.

"Hmm...I don't know but it looks like we might find out." He pointed. Moomin turned around to see a troubled expression on Harry's face as Hobgoblin and his panther took off.

"Oh...Wonder what happened? Harry looks upset." Moomin muttered as Snufkin jumped off the railing of the bridge, walking past Moomin. "I don't know. Let's find out."

Moomin followed Snufkin to his brother Harry. Harry forced a smile. "Happy Spring, Snufkin." He mumbled.

"Well, that's some 'welcome home'." Snufkin teased before his smile fell. "Are you alright, Harry? What did Hobgoblin want?"

Harry rubbed his arm. "He says I'm ready to learn from the witch."

Moomin replied, "What? That's great news! You've been looking forward to it since last Spring."

Harry winced, "Yeah, but there's a catch… I have to go into the Witches forest along to ask her."

Snufkin sighed and scoffed his shoe while Moomin looked worried.

Snufkin spoke up, "Correction. WE have to go."

Moomin looked at Snufkin anxiously, "Are you sure?" Harry chimed in, "Yeah guys, you don't have to…"

"Don't worry about it. I've always wanted to see a witch anyways." Snufkin shrugged.

Moomin nodded towards Harry. "Yeah, and I'm not letting you go alone."

"So, it's settled. We get the gang and go see this witch. Together." Snufkin confirmed. Mommin grinned, "Boy, what a Spring adventure!"

Harry bit his lip anxiously. "Yeah…"