Author's Note - I kinda figured I owed this to you at the very least….

Chapter 8

The door in the front hall opened silently and a tall dark figure stepped in just as silently. The moonlight from outside flood the entrance hall before the door was closed and the house was once more bathed in darkness. The hood of the cloak the figure wore fell as she tilted her head towards to the ceiling. Not a sound was made and she assumed all the current occupants of this abode were sleeping. The woman moved confidently through the dark hallway until she reached a door. She opened it and it squeaked but with a flick of a switch the kitchen was flooded with light.

Maribell blinked her eyes rapidly to dispel the dots dancing in front of them. She sighed a raked long fingers through her hair and shook out the curls. Trying to make as little noise as possible, knowing how lightly her mother and siblings slept, she went around preparing tea for herself.

She didn't notice in all that time the green eyes looking at her from the doorway.

--

Harry had awoken with the overwhelming need to go to the bathroom. He was scared for only a moment before he realized where he was. In France, with his new family. Having met them he'd gotten over the fear he had of the not liking him. They'd been very nice and kind to him and why would they do that if they didn't like him? He relaxed further when he felt Moony sleeping beside him. The mans warmth practically radiated. He hesitated for only a moment before deciding against waking Remus and asking him to take him to the bathroom. He knew by now the man wouldn't mind but he could do it himself. The bathroom was only down the hall as Remus had showed him earlier and he was a big boy after all.

He unwrapped himself from Remus' arms and scooted out of bed and clutched Maurice to him as he left the room and went to the bathroom. He had finished and was headed back to bed feeling grateful for the moonlight form the windows filling the hall when he heard a door open. He looked down the hallway towards the staircase wearily.

He Remus, Aunt Lianna and Gran were on this floor and Uncle Leverett was on the third floor above them. The house was a lot bigger on the inside then it was on the out. The halls were narrow but littered with doors. In this hall, there was a staircase at either end, one that lead up to the third floor and one that lead down to the rest of the house. Harry was sure the sound hadn't come from his uncle upstairs or anyone down here with him. That meant someone had opened the door downstairs. He was about to turn and get Remus when a light glowed from a room downstairs. Harry thought. If it was a burglar or something dangerous surly they wouldn't have turned on the lights. That was just silly. Feeling more confident and a great deal more curious, he went down the steps to search out the mysterious person.

The light was coming from the open door of the kitchen and now so were other sounds. Cabinets opened, water ran and metal was sat down, all very softly. He didn't hesitate in peeking around the corner of the door. He almost opened his mouth to greet Gran when he noticed it wasn't her. The woman in there did look an awful lot like her though.

She wore a black dress, much like Gran had earlier only hers was tighter, longer and her sleeves flowed. She was taller then Gran and thinner and when she turned around Harry could see her face had a darker look. Her hair drifted easily around her and hung in lose curls around her face that had the same lines as Grans that made her just as beautiful. Her eyes were black, her lashes long and her brows slim. Despite the cold look, she was perfect like Gran.

And Harry was sure she was his aunt.

He watched as she flitted around, looking more like she was floating then walking, like Gran, and made tea. He waited until she was sitting down and had placed her cup and saucer in front of her to make his presences known. He stepped into the light of the doorway and had to force himself from shrinking back from the fridge eyes that were immediately on him. He instead put him thumb in his mouth. The black eyes, now very much unlike Gran's regarded him for several moments before they softened.

"Hello. Who might you be?"

Her voice was soft but had an edge to it, a lot like Mister Sev'rus'. Her English was lightly accented but didn't sound like the soft French of Gran's or even Liana's or Leverett's, it was harsher it it's own way but still pretty to Harry's ears. He spoke around his thumb to answer her.

" Ha'wry."

A smile ghosted across her face and it made him relax, she looked a lot kinder now and her features were softer. "Ah, Remi's little boy, my nephew are you? I'm Maribell, your tante, childling." Harry frowned for a moment before he recalled the meaning of the word, Tante, it meant aunt. She looked him over a moment longer before beckoning him with a long finger. "Come here childe, let us talk."

Harry didn't even consider disobeying her and walked over. He was about to try an clamor into the chair next to her when she picked him up and easily placed him on her lap, facing her. Yes, she was definitely Gran's daughter. She was a lot stronger then she looked, not that Harry was heavy.

--

Maribell frowned to herself at the boy's lightness before shrugging it off mentally. That was to be expected, though he had been with Remus for months, that was not enough to banish two years of neglect. But that was okay, those Dursley people would be dealt with.

She settled the boy on her lap and gazed at him after gently removing his thumb from his mouth. He was cute, that was true and his eyes showed with a lovely intelligence that she was sure she'd have fun bringing out. She wondered briefly what Dimetri's little girl would think of him. They would make a wonderful couple when they both grew up.

"Tell me about yourself," she told the boy plainly and he blinked curiously up at her so she elaborated. "All I know about you, childling, is that you were adopted by my brother, renamed Hadrian James Evier Potter Cahors- Lupin and that you are the age of three but nothing else."

--

Harry blinked, his name was a bit of a mouthful now and he wondered about the change in his first name. Remus hadn't told him about that. Would he still be called Harry?

"I like coloring." he said the first thing that came to mind. "And reading but I'm not very good at it yet. Moony is working with me on it and he says I'm getting better. I like it when he reads to me." Maribell smiled pleasantly at him.

"Do you have a favorite book?"

"No," he shook his head. "I like them all. And I have lots." Black eyes shinned.

"I think I may be able to help with your collection, if you would like some more books." Harry felt his eyes widen.

"Yes, please!" he said happily. This woman was as nice as the rest of his new family and he was glad. He'd been worried for a while.

"What else do you like?"

Harry though for a moment this time before smiling softly. "I like visiting Madam Poppy and Mister Sev'rus," he told her. "They work at Hogwarts and they baby-sit me sometimes when Moony isn't feeling well. I really like my new family too." he added shyly. "I like Gran, she made me brownies and I like Uncle Levi and Aunt Lianna and you too."

Maribell's lips twitched upward into what could pass as a grin. "That's lovely, dear." she said. Harry beamed.

"Can you maybe tell me about you?" he asked and was met with a soft chuckle.

"Of course. My full name is Maribell Elizabeth Anita Evreux Cahors, I'm twenty-five years old and I live in Russia part time to run my business."

"What sort of business do you have?" Harry asked curiously.

"A very big , very nice one. I can speak several languages, I graduated from Beuxbatons Academy, the best wizarding school here in France and then I attended Maldurn's and Waldurn's Wizarding University for my magical degrees in Political Science and World Affairs. I started my business right after I graduated Beuxbatons and was starting University, but it's been growing ever since. I enjoy reading, like you and classical music."

Harry looked owlishly up at her. "That's a lot of stuff. Moony says Uni-vers't is hard. Did you do good?"

"Well." Maribell corrected. "And yes, I did. I also got many very powerful connections."

Harry frowned slightly. "Whaddayou mean?"

Maribell's smile was pleasant but her already dark eyes darkened. "My connections are people I know who can help me when I need it."

"Like friends?"

"The word I would use is minions."

--

Remus awoke abruptly and laid for a minute trying to figure out what it was that woke him.

"You really should be more on your guard, brother, even in Mère's house."

He sat up quickly and stared incredulously at his open door where the dark figure that was his sister stood. "Mari? What are you doing and…" he looked closer at her arms and the bundle she was carrying and felt his curiosity rise. "And why do you have Harry?"

Maribell glanced at the child in her arms and walked into the room she, very gently, laid him down and tucked the sleeping boy in. "He heard me when I came in, came down stairs and we talked until he fell asleep." she said quietly as to, he assumed, not to wake Harry. She straitened and proceeded back towards the door. "Keep a better eye on him, Remi dear. I'm retiring for the night, we will talk and take pleasantries in the morning. Bonne nuit, petit frère."

She closed the door behind her, dousing the room in darkness except for the patch of light that came through the window. Remus blinked and looked down at Harry, seeing him well despite the darkness because of his werewolf senses. He looked fine and was sleeping peacefully clutching Maurice to his chest once again. But the boy had been… talking to Maribell to Merlin knows how long. That didn't bode well. He sighed as he laid down. Harry, like most children, soaked information up like a sponge, he'd surely have some claims to defuse in the morning.

--

It only took an hour and a half come morning to convince Harry that any friends he made were not to be called 'minions', no he did not need to collect allies, people didn't need to be constantly put in their place by their superior, they also did not need any sort of autocrat as governments worked just fine as democracies, that aforementioned autocrat was definitely not his Aunt Maribell and no she did not have a dungeon like Mr. Snape, yes she did have a dungeon and no he could not visit them, for which Remus was grateful for. He was happy to know he still had the influence over Harry despite whatever spelled Maribell tried to weave last night in the boys imagination.

Harry seemed a little put out that apparently Maribell was wrong on several fronts but took it in a stride and agreed with Remus not to take anything she said concerning rules and government very seriously if he'd never heard anything about it before from a more reliable source, i.e., someone other than Maribell and who hopefully was not one of her evidently vast number of 'workers'.

In that time Remus was able to assist Harry in bathing and dressing and do so himself while Harry sat on the bed quietly and looked through his books. By the time it was time to go down to breakfast, indicated by the delicious smells coming from the kitchen, he and Harry were both clean and dressed and the younger was brainwash free and cheerfully looking towards the day. Remus was already exhausted.

They arrived to the kitchen to Sabrina cooking and Lianna nursing a cup of what Remus was sure was hot chocolate. It was always hot chocolate when Maman was around. "Good morning!" Lianna greeted brightly. Harry smiled shyly back at her and waved at Sabrina when she turned. The older woman beamed.

"Come here mon bébé, tell Gran how you slept." As Harry released Remus' pant leg which he'd been clenching and unclenching out of nervousness in his small fist and walked over to her, Lianna got a good look at her brother.

"You look like hell," she said frankly. "Not used to sleeping back in your old room?"

Remus plopped gracelessly into the seat beside her. "That's not it, Maribell got in last night."

Lianna's eyebrows shot up and she looked towards the doorway as if expecting the woman to walk in at any second. "Did she really? Damn, creepy much? Sneaking in in the middle of the night like that."

"Harry heard her come in and apparently they talked for a while until he went to sleep."

Lianna snorted into her cup. "That sounds promising," she deadpanned and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Tell me about it. I've been trying to convince him since he woke up that she's a psychotic megalomaniac and not to listen to a word she says. In not so many words of course."

Lianna couldn't help but laugh at that. Remus was usually the one defending Maribell from her own and Levi's verbal attacks, or at least not joining in. To hear him say that was a real treat.

"What sort of mendacity did she implant?"

"Stuff about government, a supreme ruler, minions, what else? She also told him about her dungeons though I think it was just in passing." Liana shivered at the mention of the dungeons but Remus continued on. "I honestly don't know what to do about her,"

"What can you do? It's Maribell." Lianna pointed out.

"But still, he's three. That was uncalled for. I really rather she not wrap him up in her delusions of grandeur."

"They are far from delusions anymore little brother, she has quite the following." Lianna lamented.

"She's a beautiful, intelligent and headstrong icon, of course she has a following. I just don't want my son to be a part of it."

"Good point," Lianna agreed. She was silent for a minute before nudging her brother with her elbow. "You're a good daddy," she smiled and Remus blushed slightly before brushing off the comment.

"I'm a sane person,"

"Aw, come on Remi," Lianna pouted. "Don't go insulting the mentally unhealthy. We don't like that." She leaned over the table on both elbows and shot him a grin over her shoulder. "Besides, sanity is over rated, I assure you. Be happy that despite what you would like to think, it is genetically impossible for you to be a sane person."

"I resent that," Maman cut in suddenly as she approached the table with Harry, both were laden down with plates and silverware. Remus smiled endearingly at the boy, he seemed pleased about helping. Lianna shot her mother a charming smile.

"But of course I wasn't referring to you mère, I was talking about… dad." she hastened. Sabrina raised a disbelieving eyebrow and Remus smirked slightly.

"Yes you were," he contradicted and Lianna glared. "If you weren't then how were you referring to Maribell, we have different fathers afterall."

"Well obviously, but their father was a Mafia Lord."

"He was not!" Sabrina said indignantly and Lianna sat back and sunk down in her chair.

"Okay, a rising Mafia Lord."

"There was no mafia," Sabrina glared until Lianna relented and looked away.

She waited until her back was turned though to lean over to Remus and whisper rather loudly, "But there was a secret society that acted suspiciously like the mafia."

Remus laughed, Sabrina whipped around and glared and Lianna smiled innocently while Harry looked on, curios as to what they were saying in the odd language it seemed everyone but him could speak.

--

Though Remus had already promised to teach him French, Harry was hoping he'd learn really fast. Faster then even reading! It was no fun not knowing what anyone was saying, though he did pick up on a few things, mostly the name for things, but that was no fun.

He had helped Gran set the table this morning and she had kissed him on the cheek, said thank you and that he did a good job. She was so much different that Aunt Petunia who would have no doubt found something to complain over and make him do in again before slapping him around the head for getting it wrong and then doing it for a third time herself. He had been happy to help Gran, even before she gave him the kiss. They'd sat down to breakfast and though he couldn't finish it all, it tasted delicious and he was stuffed within minutes. Moony too hadn't been able to finish his plate and though Gran had lightly scolded him, she didn't make him eat it. Moony looked relived.

Uncle Leverett wandered down still in his pajama about halfway through breakfast and fixed himself a plate and a cup of coffee bleary eyed. Aunt Lianna teased him in a language that didn't sound like French but Leverett just ignored her. After he was more awake and had started eating the adults all held conversations in the pretty French but that didn't mean they forgot about him.

At least one of them was always talking to him and though he didn't always answer verbally he made sure to nod and shake his head when a yes or no question came up. He wasn't used to having so much attention focused on him. Of course Moony paid him a lot of attention, he was hardly ever alone, and so did Madam Poppy and Mister Snape (though the latter seemed quite reluctant to be in his presence at all) whn they watched him. But to have four people constantly talking and asking him questions was a bit over whelming he started to feel tired of speaking. Remus seemed to notice immediately and picked him up and placed him in his lap, facing towards him so that he could wrap his legs around his waist and rest his head on the mans chest. The steady beating of the others heart had Harry calming and just listening to the words floating around him like he had the night before. It ticked whenever Remus laughed because his chest rumbled and it shifted every time he spoke.

Harry closed his eyes.

--

"Is he supposed to sleep that much, Remi?" Leverett asked looking at the little boy and Remus glanced down.

"He's fine," he assured. "The potions he takes makes him tired naturally and I think he's a little overwhelmed with this entire situation still. He has only been here a day and there's a lot of you. He's usually just around me." Levi nodded and stood and gathered the plates to put in the sink. Either Lianna or Remus would wash them later the muggle way. Maman insisted on it and Remus was already falling back into the routine of this house, and that was that all chores would be distributed evenly no matter who you were or how old. Unless of course you were sick.

"Would it be okay if I woke him up?" Lianna asked excitedly and Sabrina looked ready to reprimand her when Remus nodded.

"Yeah. He falls asleep all the time but I usually don't let him stay that way. I rather he just take a nap sometime in the afternoon and have a set bedtime so that he can sleep all night and not be kept up because he slept all day."

"Great!" Lianna exclaimed and bolted out of her seat. "I have some toys we can play with and maybe I can do his hair and he can try on those clothes I bought him! Oh! He'll look so adorable…" her voice faded as she headed up the step and Remus was suddenly reluctant to wake Harry up.

"Well, you've set the kid up with one hell of an afternoon." Levi snorted and followed Lianna's path at a much more leisure pace. "Good luck with that. I have a job I was supposed to be at over an hour ago. See you later."

Remus looked over at his mother who raised her hands in surrender. "As much as I love and adore both you and my new baby, I'm not getting in the middle of that." She stood and walked out the door in the direction of the study.

"She's your problem now," she called cheerfully over her shoulder.

--

Maribell wandered into the land of the living well after noon while Maman was making lunch and Harry, Remus and Lianna were in the living room. She took only one look at the place before wishing she was back in bed. This was going to be her job to clean up she just knew.

She was still in her night gown, a thin flowy thing in, of course, black. Her hair was in a braid but after sleeping it was coming undone and rebellious tendrils framed her face. "Do I even want to know?" she asked Remus quietly who was closer to her, sitting on the sofa. Harry and Lianna sat in the middle of the floor surrounded by toys and clothes and Ly's little box of 'goodies'. She dearly hoped there was no dye on the floor, that would be hell trying to clean up.

"No," Remus told her plainly, not turning around as he kept a strict eye on the scene in front of him. He wasn't sure what sort of inane game Ly had thought up for them to play next but she looked way to happy, even for somebody taking the medication she was. Harry seemed a bit over excited too. Remus blamed the brownies.

She hummed and was about to walk out when Remus' voice stopped her. "If it's all the same to you, Maribell, I would appreciate it if you stopped trying to manipulate my son into becoming one of your little bizarre devotees."

Maribell sighed and turned back to him. He had turned his head toward her and was scowling. "Caught that, did you?" she breathed sounding dismayed as if she had been anywhere near subtle with her scheming.

"Yeah, the thing about the minions was kind of hard to miss, Mari." Remus rolled his eyes.

The young woman shrugged. "Calm yourself Remi, I was only playing around. I would never want my nephew caught up extensively in my world,"

"Extensively?"

Maribell nodded seriously. "Yes. Accidents happen, uprisings. It would be foolish of me to bring him in when he could get hurt. We'll try again when he's older," she sighed.

"The hell you will."

"Or when me and mine have better control over the rowdy masses. I mean honestly, how hard is the concept of 'obey'?" she continued as if not hearing him. Remus huffed and turned back to face the room. There was no getting through to that girl.

--

Harry grinned as Aunt Lianna told him her idea for a game. That sounded like so much fun! He wondered briefly if Remus would get upset but shrugged it off. It was only a bit of paint she had told him. No harm done.

He leaned closer as she whispered the details. He loved it here!

A/N - Are you not proud of me? Am I not wonderful? Two chapters! One day! That's dos! Ni! I rock!! /cough/ love me? Review?

25/o8/o9