19
Author's Note - Do you know what I think is really frickin' sweet? The fact that I shamelessly advertised my own story and actually got No Day But Today read by quite a few of you guys. Never have I been so impressed by the amount of people who read my Author's Notes. Kudos… kudos…
So, right. Er, because of time constraints (if that's what you want to call my lack of inspiration for writing out the entire month they spent in Italy) this chapter will contain a reasonably big time skip (and several small ones). The show must go on and all that rot, but you could always request a one-shot if it really bugs you.
"{Indicates Italian}"
Other conversation's in French unless otherwise noted.
Bloody hell… what are we on now?
Chapter 16
"{So you are leaving tomorrow, yes?}"
Harry nodded apologetically at Elena, the waitress girl he had meet nearly a full month ago at the Paola café. "{Yes, I'm sorry. But I promise I'll come back to visit you!}" The dark haired girl laughed.
"{Be sure that you do}," she grinned and Harry smiled brightly back at her under his fringe. She then looked idly over at Remus, "{You be sure to take care of him,}" she said sternly and Remus, with a soft laugh, nodded his agreement.
"{I'll do my best,}" he grinned and stood from the table they had been accustomed to sitting at nearly every morning for the last month for the last time… at least for a while. Harry hopped up with him and the little boy wrapped his arms around the legs of the older girl in a tight hug. Her eyes immediately softened and she knelt down to hug him back and Remus had to hide the wide grin that wanted to overcome his face. Harry just seemed to have that sort of effect on people.
"{You be safe,}" Elena whispered into Harry's hair before standing. Remus reached out a hand to shake hers and she smiled as she returned the gesture. A moment later the light haired man and his son were waving goodbye and exiting the café.
"{Papa? When will we be back?}" Harry asked looking sadly back to where they'd left the only friend he'd had a chance to make in Italy. Sure Elena was practically a grown-up but after seeing her so much over the last month he considered her a friend. Remus ran his fingers through the boy's hair fondly.
"I don't know, but I promise we'll come back" he said pointedly in English in an almost in vain attempt to get the boy to speak it again at least occasionally. Harry sucked up language like a sponge and Remus had the feeling that in the coming years the boy may forget what his mother tongue was. Indeed Harry looked up at him curiously before realization crossed his face and he smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry Papa, I'll try to remember," he apologized and Remus raised a disbelieving eyebrow as he noticed the distinct lilt in his son's voice. Great, he was developing Maman's accent.
"Don't worry about it. Now we should get back, we have to finish packing. I don't understand how we acquired so much extra stuff in only a month, I only really took you shopping twice." Harry giggled at his fathers bemoaning and carefully treaded his fingers through the older mans so that he could hold his hand and could see Remus' lips twitch up in a smile.
"Can we get Gelato on the way?" he asked as sweetly as possible and the smile promptly feel.
"At least he's not asking for chocolate…" Remus grumbled again to himself and Harry laughed.
(O)(O)(O)
"Mon bebe!" Harry giggled as he was swept into a wide tight hug by his grandmother and tried to hug her back just as tightly though he didn't quite manage.
"Hi Gran," he grinned shyly and Sabrina gave him a watery smile and placed a big kiss on each of his cheeks.
"Hello darling, how are you? Look how much you've grown!"
"It's only been a month, Maman. Less than thirty days in fact. I really doubt he grew at all, at least noticeably." Remus laughed lightly but blinked in surprise when he was roughly shoved aside by a someone with the same sandy colored hair as his.
"Honey-child!" Lianna exclaimed and quickly claimed Harry from her mother to smother him in her own kisses. "I missed you sooo much! Look how big you got!"
Remus rolled his eyes and bent to once again pick up his and Harry's bags that his sister had made him drop. "He didn't grow," he repeated and as he straitened and he felt another two bodies push him to the side making him stumble as well as drop their things again.
"Childling," Maribell smiled and took the four year old from Lianna to press a kiss to his messy head.
"Hey kid, man you've gotten big!" Leverett crowed and ruffled Harry's hair with a large grin. Remus grunted as he picked himself off the floor.
"He didn't grow," he deadpanned and was thoroughly ignored as his mother and siblings ushered his child inside the house, Levi and Lianna talking loudly, Maman dabbing her eyes and Maribell looking rather serene. Remus sighed ad he looked after them. "Yes, I'm well. Very glad to see you too," he muttered to himself as he bent once again to get their bags. "No, I don't need help with the bags. Really, I'm fine but thank you," he continued.
Yes, it was good to be home.
(O)(O)(O)
"So tell me darling, how did you like Italy?" Gran asked eagerly as they all sat around the small boy, who Maribell kept on her lap. Harry looked up at them through him bangs.
"It was really fun Gran. Papa took me to see so many things. We went to museums and restaurants and the Colosseum and Fontana di Trevi and the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel and the Villa Doria Pamphili Park!" Harry was getting more and more excited as he spoke.
"Papa also took me to a place called Looney's, it was an indoor entertainment center and there were a lot of other kids there and we even went to an open-air theater to see a puppet show," Harry giggled. "And Gran, Papa only let me eat traditional Italian food and we ate breakfast almost everyday at a café not to far away from the apartment and I made friends with one of the waitresses, her name is Elena and she told me I had to come back to visit and Papa says we can but he doesn't know when but he promised we would. Next time do you want to go with us to meet her, you'd like her, she says she loves chocolate and she'd the one who told me to try the chocolate gelato an it was good but I don't think it was as good as the lime one, actually it kinda hurt my teeth." Harry took a large breath before he continued on. Remus peaked into the room and smiled when he saw Harry talking animatedly to his family who was gathered around listening with rapid attention to the little boy who, uncharacteristically, had a lot to say. It was always good to see Harry so comfortable.
Instead of joining them (he'd been there after all, the stories Harry told were nothing new to him) he continued up the stairs to his and Harry's bedrooms. He put all their bags in his room before collapsing on his bed which, as was typical for him after not being home for a while, he missed a lot. He didn't even consider unpacking, they'd just have to re-pack again soon anyway. This was just the beginning after all, he wasn't through with Harry's World Tour yet.
Remus smiled to himself at the thought. In fact, the only reason they'd stopped back in France first was because of the full moon which, as it was in two days, Harry couldn't be alone during (1) and the fact Harry hadn't seen the family he adored so much for such a long time, they'd left right from England after all and it was by far the longest time he'd been away since the boy had gotten here. He'd give Harry long enough to see everybody again, share his excitement with Maxie and Fleur maybe, and then they'd be off again.
(O)(O)(O)
"Harri! It's so good to see you!"
Harry turned from where he'd been talking and playing with Maxie and smiled brightly up at the older girl who'd just walked into the room. "Fleur!" he exclaimed and stood to hug her. "I'm so happy to see you too," he told her as he stepped back and sat back with Maxie. Fleur joined them, gracefully tucking her long skirt under her and all three were completely oblivious to Leverett's and Fleur's mother watching them amusedly from the doorway of the living room.
"I asked mere to allow me to come over immediately after I heard you were back," she smiled. "Hello Maxie," she added belatedly and the younger boy just looked amused.
"Hey Flo," he smiled and the little blond glared halfheartedly at the shortening of her name but decided not to reprimand him instead turning her attention back to Harry.
"I've been on holiday with my parents before but never to Italy though I've heard Ms. Brie talking about it," she said indicating Harry's Grandmother. "You must tell me all about. What sort of things did you see, what people did you meet? Are you very good now at speaking Italian?"
Before Harry could answer Maxie spoke up. "He's better than good," he bragged for his friend. "He sound's exactly like Ms. Brie when he speaks it, right down to the accent," the boy laughed. Fleur grinned.
"That's wonderful! You're Papa must be so proud."
Harry blushed at the praise and rubbed the back of his head. "It's nothing…" he muttered and Maxie and Fleur exchanged tickled looks at his embarrassment and they continued on that way as he shared with them the wonders he experienced in the distant city.
(O)(O)(O)
Remus glanced up briefly from his book to wearily watch as Lianna flitted around the kitchen humming something under her breath. He watched as she made herself a cup of instant coffee and thoroughly defiled it with so much sugar and creamer she may as well had just made hot chocolate.
"Not feeling very energetic this morning?" he asked dryly, still a bit too warn out from the full moon to attempt full sarcasm.
"Hmm?" Lianna hummed and turned to look at him in surprise as if just seeing him. "Oh no, I've been drinking energy drinks since last night because I was working on a new potion, I'm perfectly well caffeinated still," here she giggled insanely and winked over dramatically at her younger brother. "I just wanted something sweet that didn't involve chocolate."
Remus blinked demurely at her reasoning but didn't say anything. That was just Lianna. "So what are you up to?" his sister asked as she took the seat at the table next to him and leaned back in her chair so that it was balanced precariously on its two back legs.
"Research," he answered passively.
"Research?"
"Well Harry and I are leaving in a few days and this time I'd rather be prepared and find some more childe friendly places for us to go."
"Maman says that you guys are going to the Netherlands…"
"Technically, though I think we'll end up spending more time in Belgium if I plan this right. But that's were one of the Cahors family homes are located."
"Really?" Lianna asked surprised and Remus snorted.
"Yes, that was my general reaction too. It seems a bit… tame… for them, don't you think?" The siblings looked at each other and smirked at the thought of their ancestors and the tales they'd been told of their arrogant and supercilious lifestyles. They'd always imagined it was like a family full of Maribells.
"Sort of," Lianna conceded. "Then again, that general area is known for their castles and other lavish structures, magical and non, you may just find yourself in some huge looming chateau with a hundred dusty bedrooms you'll have to clean to make the place livable."
Remus stared as Lianna laughed, obviously joking, but an incredulous feeling was building in his stomach. "Maman was the one who told me about the place but surely even she wouldn't…"
Lianna grinned wickedly at her brothers distress. "I don't know Remi dear, you know how Maman only wants Harry to have the best- having him live in a castle, I imagine, falls right into that category."
Lianna stood, poured her only half empty cup of coffee into the sink, yawned despite her apparent caffeine intake and waved cheekily at him as she left, presumably to go to bed for the first time in what was probably over 24 hours (she did have a habit in getting rather caught up in her experiments), leaving Remus worried and mildly horrified.
(O(O)(O)
Harry smiled as widely as he could at his grandmother when she placed a large trunk at his feet. He could see Remus watching with interest and not a little trepidation out of the corner of his eyes and tried to figure out what would make his father so very nervous about a trunk. He hadn't seen Lianna or Leverett touch it after all.
When Gran gestured Harry stepped forward and opened it only to blink in surprise to find it empty. Not that he wasn't completely unimpressed, it was a very nice trunk after all, but Harry looked up at his Grandmother in confusion. Sabrina frowned slightly before looking into the trunk herself and chuckling. "Oh, sorry darling, wrong compartment,"
She closed the lid to the trunk back and after taking out a very small ring of keys from a previously unseen pocket in her dress, she locked it, unlocked it and reopened it. Harry gaped. He'd become fairly accustomed to magic though he'd learned his family didn't use it as much as other witches and wizards apparently did, but this was amazing. A moment ago the trunk had been empty but with the simple turn of the key it was filled to the brim with an assortment of things form clothes to his Gran's homemade cakes to several small toys and trinkets. Remus groaned.
"I'm afraid we got a bit carried away when we were shopping while you were gone bebe, but this is all yours. See, bebe, Gran bought you some clothes- you'll be the most handsome little boy in all the Netherlands, your Papa is going to want nothing more than to show you off!"
Harry grinned up at the energetic woman and looked over at Remus who looked distinctly put out with the amount of items in the trunk. Harry bit his lip wondering if the man would let him bring all his new things with him. Remus stepped forward and looked as if he was about to protest when he caught Harry's silently pleading green eyes and promptly deflated.
Harry lowered his head to hide his smile and joined his Gran in her excited rummaging in his new trunk. He loved his family.
A/N - It's short but this and the last chapter were mostly filler (though that may have been obvious). I already know what the next chapter will involve so it'll definitely be longer and maybe out sooner but WARNING, there will be a significant time skip. I'm rather anxious to get through Harry's childhood. The next few chapters will still be as cute as it has been I imagine, and you guys won't be left longing for details on Harry's life, but I thought it only fair to warn you.
(1) They won't always be going home after one month intervals just because of the full moon, they're doing so now because Harry is still young and fairly weary around people. That, and the fact Remus didn't know anyone personally in Italy to look after Harry (surprisingly enough) was the reason they came back. As Harry get's older or if Remus is acquainted with someone in their travel destination areas, Harry will likely be left 'alone' or with them while Remus is mostly incapacitated (after all, as I'm writing it in this story, the 'real' full moon is only one night, not several).
Oh, and before I forget, to PadyandMoony :
First, thanks very much for the review/translation. Usually I just tell my readers I have no idea what I'm talking about language wise and that you're free to correct me but I must have forgotten to last time, so thank you for ignoring that oversight and being a good enough person to still answer my obvious plea for help to save me from the dangers of the Google Translator ^_^.
Second, are you THE PadyandMoony from this sight? Cause there's only one listed and I would have answered your review directly but I couldn't be sure without you logged in and that probably would have been weird if you aren't /sheepish smile/.
If you are, great job! I'm positive I've read at least some of your work before and it's superb!
I think that's all, I'm glad you like my work, cheers!
A NOTE TO EVERYONE ELSE: Would you guys like it if I responded to your reviews? Even if it's just a quick thank you? I used to do it in the good old days and I still do it occasionally now but it seems I've fallen off the wagon because I started losing track of them (did anyone notice I hit the 300 mark!), but I always like talking to my readers ^_^, so if you want to converse let me know!
Love you all, hitori