Author's Note -Wow, I've left you guys hangin' for a while, didn't I? For the record, I started this almost immediately after the last chapter was posted. But thanks to the internet on my computer breaking down I couldn't upload it. In fact, I'm at my not so local library right now which I rushed to because there was a black out at my job today so we couldn't work. As such I really don't have much to say other than, thanks to the reviewers, you all rock and I love every last one of you for supporting this story.

I know it's been a while but think of it this way: because I wasn't able to get on the internet and be distracted by other peoples stories, I've had a lot of time to write chapters for this. If I actually did or not is another matter /smile/.

The lack of internet also hindered my ability to put much French in this chapter but lets play a game and assume all the conversations between the adults in this chapter are in French, 'kay?

Chapter 7

"Remi?"

The sound of him mother's voice drew Leverett's attention to the door, she would absolutely dote on this boy. If Harry thought that Lianna was intense then he defiantly wouldn't know how to act when he met Mama Brie. And the fun wouldn't even really start until Maribell got here.

--

Remus turned his head at the sound of his mother's voice and after a moment the woman passed through the door into the room. She hadn't changed a bit since the last he'd seen her. She still had her height, about the same as his, and her long pitch black hair pulled back into a tight pony tail, the streak of silver grey she insisted on keeping hanging out and curling just under her chin. Her black eyes sparkled like Lianna's blue ones, with warmth and boundless energy. She wore a simple short sleeved black dress as was always common for her and a green apron was wrapped around her waist falling over the slightly large hips that came from bearing four children.

"Hello, mère." Remus smile easily at the woman. She was certainly a site for sore eyes.

"Remi, mon cœur, vous avez enfin arrivé." she smiled and stepped forward quickly to hug him tightly and, because he was still in Remus' arms, Harry as well.

"Et vous," she said looking at Harry only. "You must be my lovely new grandchild." She switched to English seamlessly, though her accent was a bit heavier then Leverett's and Lianna's. Harry smiled shyly up at her through his lashes and she smiled kindly back. "It's wonderful to finally meet you in person, mon bébé, I'm your Gran, Sabrina."

--

Harry watched the woman he had come to know through the many letters she sent him filled with greetings and wishes to see him and instantly loved her. She was one of the prettiest people he'd ever seen and she had such warm eyes, just like Remus'. Her voice was soft like his own and she smiled, not showing her teeth, but still portraying her happiness and being so nice to him even in person. In a second he made up his mind.

Removing his thumb from his mouth for what seemed like the hundredth time that day he reached out his arms to her in a silent plead to be picked up into her arms. "Hi Gran," he responded to her earlier greeting with the slightest hesitation. There was a pause as the other members of the family looked on- but not from Brie, if she was surprised by his actions she didn't show it and immediately wrapped her arms around his small body and pried him from Remus' own protected embrace. She hugged him to her chest tightly and smoothed his hair down humming soothingly as only a mother (and grandmother) could. With a grin at her children's shocked faces she about-faced and walked towards the kitchen calling over her shoulder. "Well come on then, permet d'obtenir des chocolats."

--

Remus sat between his older brother and sister and watched in silent amazement as his mother practically waltzed around the kitchen with his son. The woman could multitask like no other and this was proven as she prepared and mixed the ingredients for brownies while balancing Harry expertly on her hip and talking sweetly to him, switching repeatedly from English to French. What really amazed him though, as he was used to his mothers unbelievable feats, was that Harry was smiling and talking shyly back to her. The comments she made in her own tongue only had him smiling puzzledly but everything she said to him directly and in English was meet with a blush, grin or a near quite response.

"He seems quit taken with her," Lianna commented from his right and Leverett snorted from the other side.

"Why wouldn't he be? Maman has that effect on everyone."

That was true. No one who ever met Sabrina Cahors was able to resist absolutely falling in love with her. She was a mother and a best friend all wrapped in one. Not to mention her brownies were to die for, if the smell of them alone didn't make you adore her, you were soulless, simple as that.

A nudge from Lianna had him, Remus, turning his attention from the scene in front of him. "Remi," she smiled softly "he's absolutely lovely. Completely adorable, I'm smitten."

"That's true, little brother." Leveratt added leaning forward on the table in front of them. "He is quite the little cutie, and very endearing."

"Very polite too," Ly piped up. "Maribell will love that!" Remus couldn't help the smirk at the mention of his other sister.

"What's been going on with her anyway? We haven't spoken in months and she usually calls if only to tell brag about how well everything is going for her and asking me to move to Russia. Apparently werewolves are in high demand in her 'company'." Leverett let out a barking laugh.

"That sounds like Mari alright!" he howled and Lianna snickered in agreement.

"Very true. However, the reason she hasn't called is because of the little one over there." she nodded her head to Harry and their mother who still looked very deep in conversation as Sabrina stirred her brownie batter with only half attention. "She didn't want you feeling any obligations to her while you already had the responsibility of taking care of him." Remus frowned.

"When have I ever had any obligations to her?"

Lianna slapped her hands down on the table. "That's what I said!" she exclaimed a bit too loudly as Harry looked over at the curiously for a moment before retuning his a attention to Sabrina. "But she only gave me that look, you know the one, and threatened to have her guards lock me in her blasted dungeons!"

"Oh, stop whining," Leverett reprimanded. "Maman would never let her." At Lianna's glare and Remus' gentle laughter he changed tactics. "Besides, ice queen or not, you know she was only joking… I mean, you know, probably."

"It didn't sound like she was joking." Lianna huffed.

"Yeah, but when have you ever heard Mari use a joking tone?"

"Which just proves my point! Her sense of humor is malicious at best."

"I wouldn't say malicious, more like… malevolent."

"It means the same thing. God, she makes me depressed sometimes."

"Not if you took your medication everyday she wouldn't."

"My medication taking habits have nothing to do with the fact that your sister is an evil bitch."

"She's hardly evil, unpleasant maybe, but not evil."

"What was the point of talking about her again?"

By this time Remus was struggling in what seemed to be in vain to try not to burst out laughing. He wondered idly if mère could hear what they were saying before dismissing that thought. Of course she could. If the slightly wider smile and wicked gleam in her eyes was anything to go by she was enjoying it too.

"I was asking what was going on with her," he coughed out, lips twitching upward in an attempt to keep a strait face. If he started laughing now he'd never get answers and their banter would go on for ages.

"Oh, right." Lianna flipped her hair over her shoulder and leaned forward to imitate Leverett's position of leaning his elbows on the table. There was still room of course, the thing was big enough to fit eight people comfortably. "Well you know, the usual. Mass take over this, political upheaval that."

"Is she still on that?" Remus asked doubtfully.

"Remi, she's been on that since she was five." Leverett deadpanned. "She'd doing a really good job of it too. Her little empire keeps getting bigger. She has people on the inside in both the magical and muggle worlds and she has a lot of important men completely besotted with her."

"And woman." Lianna added. Remus grimaced and asked, already knowing the answer.

"They aren't all married, are they?" He was shot two incredulous looks and rolled his eyes. "Right."

"It's all for the better anyway." Lianna smiled charmingly. "If she sleeps with them they'll be a lot more inclined to do what she wants just for the simple black mail of telling their spouses."

"Or being able to have another go with her," Leverett smirked.

"Not that she would ever actually sleep with them," Lianna relented. "She's much to noble for that."

"Nobility has nothing to do with it and you know it. They're old."

"Well, that could be it too. The point is, if they think they could have a chance with her, it has the same beneficial effects for her as it would had they actually acted on their lustful impulses."

" 'Lustful Impulses'?" Leverett laughed.

Remus felt his cheeks heating a bit and was very glad at the moment that Harry was neither paying them any mind nor knew next to nothing other then the word 'mother' in French. He would hate to have to explain the place this conversation was quickly turning.

--

Sabrina's smile widened as she listened to her children prattle on about their sister. The conversation was hardly appropriate of course and when they were younger they each would have gotten a good knock about the head, but as it was they were adults and entitled to speak about each other anyway they wanted. She'd have to warn them though to cut down on it as her bébé learned French. It was nasty topics of discuss and her grandchild would not be subjected to it, thank you very much!

The precious bébé was smiling and talking to her softly and according to Remus, that was quite the feat. She was glad he had taken quickly with her, she would have hated having to spend time slowly making nice when all she wanted was to spoil the little dear and smother him in adoration. He was so cute!

Absently she wondered how he would take to Maribell. The girl looked a lot like her and was for all intents and purposes pretty much like she was when she was younger. As it was, that wasn't exactly a good thing. The girl was a perfect and frightful mix of Sabrina's rebellion and her father's strong headedness.

Sabrina let a slight sigh, one she was sure Harry didn't notice at the thought of her first husband. She always did. He had been quite the gentlemen when they'd gotten married, but he had a lot of hidden secret from his wife and growing family. He'd gotten killed when he got caught up in the wrong crowd and had almost, even in his death, brought the wrath of his 'associates' down on his family. Sabrina had never been so happy to have kept her maiden name and was quick to change her children's to reflect that they were indeed hers, children of the House of Cahors. She had always told herself she should have known it would have ended badly, her mother always told her, that was all first loves were: Lovely Trouble.

She had met Jonathan Lupin not long after and the man had been a blessing. He had been great with Maribell and Leverett who adored him and had given her two new precious children. He died of natural causes only several weeks before Remus was bitten. The two subsequent events had left the family thoroughly subdued for some time, but it had all turned out alright in the end. She had did well for her self and had done more than right by her children. They'd grown up, smart, strong and absolutely fearless, which was about all a mother could ask for. They were not quite her babies anymore but they were still her hearts and even that was okay. She had a new baby to dote over now!

(A/N - I'm unsure if I indicated before that Cahors was Ms Brie's maiden name or married one. If I said married before then I changed my mind, it is her maiden name.)

--

Sitting around the kitchen table, conversation was light and cheerful. Remus held Harry firmly in his lap, having received the little boy back as his mother had handled her hot brownies as she took them from the oven. Harry leaned, relaxed, against his chest and ate the brownies and drank the milk in front of him happily as he listened with half an ear to the conversations going on around him about miscellaneous topics. As with most talks in the Lupin/ Cahors household, this one drifted between several languages. They paused briefly in English several times when Harry himself came up, but otherwise there was a verity of accents that weren't recognized by the toddler and words he didn't know.

Not that Harry minded.

It felt… safe and comfortable, like a whole table full of Moonys.

It felt like home.

--

Remus gently carded his hand through Harry's wild hair as his family discussed anything and everything. There were no boundaries here though most talk reverted back to Harry. Remus was sure Lianna was planning something ominous to do to the poor boy's hair. She'd taken one look at the black locks and Remus could see the wheels turning about just the sheer number of things she could do to them.

Leverett would be a bit more subtle with his meddling, but not by much. Remus had the feeling that in the coming weeks, Harry would be getting quite a few lessons on the scare tactics that Levi used in his everyday life. It would certainly explain to the boy why almost no one at the French Ministry would look at Levi dead on (or them by simple association) and gave him a wide breech. Of course, it was unfair to land Levi with all the credit- er, blame- for the fear that surrounded their family, Maribell and Lianna had quite a bit to do with that too. It was just Levi got the bunt of it because Mari had occupied herself with taking over another country and Lianna, after many psychoanalysis, had been basically given a free pass mostly because of her mental health- not that there was anything wrong with that. She certainly milked it for all it was worth.

His mother too had a certain glint in her eye whenever she eyed the child. He could almost start counting the amount of money that would be spent on clothes, books and toys for the boy. Harry would never want for anything, that was for sure, and if he ever did and voiced his wants, it wouldn't last for more then a few hours as Remus had no doubt that someone would rush out and get it for him. Remus loathed the moment he would have to be the disciplinarian and stop the inflow of things. Why was it that he was the youngest yet the most mature out of all of them? Including most especially his mother.

--

"It seems as if the honey-child is thoroughly exhausted," Lianna commented as she absently smiled at her new nephew who was curled up at Remus' side. Remus looked down and it seemed as if Harry indeed was. His eyes were closed and his breath had evened out, almost in sleep but not quite.

"He has had a long day," Remus smiled even though it was only about six-thirty. "He's been worked up since this morning and hasn't had a nap or anything like he normally does."

"Why was he worked up this morning?" Leverett lazily asked as he stretched out on the sofa on Remus' other side and propped his feet up on the coffee table. Sabrina immediately pushed them off looking scandalized.

"He was worried that you all wouldn't like him."

"Oh, the poor dear." Sabrina sympathized. "It must be hard entering such a new environment, but he should know that would never happen, he is mon bébé now."

At the sound of the endearment Harry opened his eyes blearily. Remus smiled as he realized that Harry at least knew they were talking about him by the way they addressed him. "Are you ready for bed cub?" he asked switching to English.

"He hasn't had dinner yet!" Sabrina snapped. Levi snorted.

"I doubt he'd want it. All that chocolate from earlier must have filled him up nicely."

Sabrina frowned. "That's hardly a proper meal,"

"Ah, but his stomach isn't quite big enough to handle both your baking and your cooking Maman, he's not used to it as we are. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if he wasn't hungry at breakfast tomorrow morning."

Remus hid a grin. Sabrina looked terribly put out which caused her children to snicker. Remus looked back to Harry for an answer. The little boy yawned and nodded as he rubbed his eyes, trying to rid them of the dry feeling that came with sleep. Remus wrapped him in his arms and hauled the boy up onto his hip. "Harry will be sleeping in my room with me for a while until he feels a bit more comfortable," he informed his mother who nodded in understanding though she and Lianna had spent quite a bit of time doing up the little ones room. He would have to grow accustomed to everything.

Remus kissed his mother and both his brother and sister on the cheeks and bid them goodnight. "Bonne nuit," he waved and proceed out of the sitting room and up the stairs to the bedrooms. His and Harry's things had been brought up earlier and the clothes had been unpacked by Lianna. Remus had been weary about her going through his things and he was right in the feeling because as soon as she came down the look in her eyes and the threat of a shopping trip promised pain. At least it didn't seem like she was preparing to make him clothes. Yet, that is.

He gently bedded Harry down, removing his clothes and replacing them with sleep wear as the child was already nodding lightly. Remus hummed as he did this and smiled when Harry relaxed and fell further into Morpheus arms. He tucked the little one in and brushed a few stray hairs out of his face as he place Maurice next to him. Harry curled around the bear even in sleep. Remus considered the time and decided he'd rather go to sleep also rather then stay up and unpack more or go join his family for dinner. He know this would probably be the last meal he'd be missing in a long time, Maman wouldn't stand for it again, no matter how stuffed with chocolate he was.

He quickly changed into his own pajamas and extinguished the lights. He slipped down next to Harry and tucked the small head into his side before falling into the pleasant darkness himself.

A/N - Okay, so that was a fair length, right? I know my plans for summer and hauling ass through this story and making regular updates has been shot to hell but do not fear! I shall continue writing! I mean, I'm going to need something to do when I'm not paying attention in class. Senior year stress my ass. It's only high school, how bad could it be? /nervous smile/ Pray for me?

mon cœur, vous avez enfin arrivé - my heart, you have finally arrived

Et vous - and you

Mon bébé - my baby

permet d'obtenir des chocolats - lets get some chocolate

Maman - mom

Mere - mother

Bonne nuit - good night (I think…)

As always, feel free to correct my French or anything else that seems amiss. I don't think I ever got around to fixing the last chapter but it'll be done eventually.

Love you all! hitori

25/o8/o9