Sirius finished writing his message to Dumbledor. His poor owl had been getting quite the chore list but he'd needed help. He couldn't trust himself to find Harry on his own. He didn't trust himself to properly quit drinking on his own either. He couldn't keep drinking when it had so clearly put his godson, James's son, in so much danger. He'd let James and Lily down, he expected to hear an ear full from Lily's sister, and Aspen and Lupin, gods they were going to be furious. But he'd contacted them already, and asked that they save they're righteous furry for after they tracked Harry down, and he'd get clean so that he wouldn't be a risk to losing him again. James must be so disappointed.
Kreacher hadn't been many places, and didn't know a whole lot about the world around him. The only thing he'd ever known was his masters' home, they're numbers, he was a house elf. He settled to the side of Harriette's bed, the tiny girl curled up in a small fitful sleep. Moon had come out and patched her up. It had surprised Kreacher at first, if he was being honest with himself he was still surprised. How did two live in the head of one. It was pretty confusing. Moon sat across from him watching him, with glowing red eyes. It was a little intimidating. Sun and Moon were gigantic. But Sun had been kind and Moon had not really done anything to him. If he stayed quiet and still and didn't bother them then he should be safe, at least Kreacher hoped.
"So, can you tell me a bit about the situation?" Moon asked. Kreacher wasn't sure what he meant. "About where Harriette was taken about the people who were-" Moon was struggling with the words.
"Harriette's Mother's sister brought Harriette to my master's house," Kreacher said, hoping it was the answer to the correct question. Moon was rather large and made of metal, getting hit by him would hurt a lot.
"And your master?" Moon asked.
"He is the last son of the Great Black family, though he is not so great, and seemed to be close to Harriette's father." Moon nodded.
"Thank you for bringing Harriette home by the way," Moon said. "I'm not sure what we would have done if you hadn't."
"You are- very much welcome," Kreacher said.
"You should get some sleep," Moon said. Kreacher nodded, getting up to search for the place he was to sleep. "Here, just lay it out wherever, we'll figure out a better sleeping plan later." He offered Kreacher a long thin cloth tube. Kreacher took it looking around, before laying at Harriette's bedside. He checked before fully laying out to make sure that was fine, once it was laid out he laid on top and started to curl up. "You're supposed to lay inside the thing." Moon said. "It's supposed to help keep you warm." Kreacher looked the thing over. It only had one opening.
"How would Kreacher get out?" he asked, a mild panic growing.
"You'd- here- mind if I come over" Moon started toward him but stopped when Kreacher flinched. Kreacher looked at him. "I'll just show you how to use it okay?" Kreacher slowly, hesitantly nodded.
"Good," Moon showed him that there was a thing called a zipper that Kreacher could use to open it more. Kreacher was relieved to find it easy to use and that he'd be able to get out if the one part got blocked. Moon handed Kreacher a pillow next. Kreacher had seen pillows and sometimes his cupboard was allowed to have cushions but never had he been given a whole pillow to himself. Well, he'd never been presented with clothes before. He'd never wanted to be. Not for his whole life. Kreacher settled into the bedding and tried to fall asleep. It took a very long, long time for his nerves to let him.
Mayla was settled into the nest of bedding that was her sleeping cave. She liked the canopy, and her Granny Nova tucked her into the bedding before picking up the book she'd brought to read her. They read a chapter of "The Hobbit" every night.
"Now last we-" Nova started opening the book to the marked page.
"Granny Nova?" Mayla asked.
"Yes, dear?" Nova set the bookmark back in the crease of the book's spine and turned to face Mayla.
"Do- Do you think Harriette is okay?" Mayla said, tugging her blanket up to cover her chin. "I mean, Emelia cries whenever I ask what happened, and we haven't heard from her. Not to mention her family was so mean to her before."
"I know," Nova Raywood said, a sigh making its way out of her. "Right now there isn't much we can do, legally speaking, and it's-" Nova sighed again, looking at her granddaughter. "Sometimes there are things you can't do anything about. Sometimes the only thing you can do is wait and see. Sometimes there are things you can do. But you have to know when to fight, stand, back down, or wait. That's all we can do. Right now the only thing we can do is choose to keep reading the Hobbit or go to sleep without a story."
"No, I want you to read to me," Mayla said, sitting up. "Please."
"Alright, settle down, and I'll read the next chapter to you," Nova said, opening the book and taking out the bookmark. Mayla laid down and listened.
"...Wish…she…was my sister…" Mayla said sleep covering her voice. Sparking an idea deep within Nova head, and heart.
Harriette woke up early the next morning with a small thrill of panic shooting her up onto her hands and knees, searching the dark room for the threat. When she realized she was home she relaxed. She saw Kreacher curled up on the side of her bed. She relaxed even more. She wasn't sure what she could do to protect him but she was going to. She sighed, then she heard someone coming in. She turned to see her daddies coming in. Harriette hadn't realized her heart rate had picked up until she started calming down.
"Morning, Daddies," Harriette said, keeping her voice low to cover up her panic and to avoid waking Kreacher. She settled on her legs and gripped her knees.
"Morning, Harriette," Sun said, softly. "Can-" Sun was reaching out for her and Harriette lifted her arms before he could even finish. He picked her up gently and hugged her tightly and she felt safe and loved and home. She hugged tighter then he did, but that was only because she didn't have to worry about hurting him.
"I missed you," Harriette admitted.
"We missed you too," Sun said, he started rocking her. "As much as I'd just love to enjoy your return, we don't have a lot of time and I'm not sure what happened. Who your- uh- small-little -uh, friend is? And that's not to even mention how you even got in here without help, and just there's a lot and we-" Harriette nodded. She gripped him tighter then. She had to tell him she was a freak, she'd seen her 'godfather' doing stuff similar to what she could do, maybe she wasn't as much a freak as she thought. Well, then again Dudley was also like that. She sighed, pushing back a little and wiping her eyes.
"Kreacher is a house elf," Harriette started her explanation with the part she was sure about. "He's apparently like a-a." She shuddered thinking about the hall with all the heads on the wall. House elf heads. Her throat got tight and her eyes started burning. She sniffled trying to get control of her tears. She shook her head. "I- there- well," she paused, wrinkling. Head tilting. "I'm not sure. I think he's something, well, that apparently makes it okay to be mean to him as far as that jerk was concerned." Harriette struggled. "Aunt Petunia came and grabbed me."
"I heard that part," Sun said.
"She sold me, she said he's my god father but she sold me," Harriette sniffled. "I thought she was nicer than Vernon, that she at least cared cause," She hiccupped. "'Cause I was her sister's kid. I thought she'd at least care 'cause of that, but she sold me." She sobbed.
"Oh, Harriette," Sun said. "I- I'm not trying to doubt you but did you see money being exchanged?" Harriette shook her head. "Did they talk about money at all with you?" Harriette shook her head again. "Alright, that doesn't exactly remove the possibility of you being sold, but at least it might be that it's not the case." Sun ran his hand over her head. Harriette breathed out, calming. "Maybe she really was telling the truth."
"Where was he before?" Harrietter grumbled.
"I don't know," Sun said, shrugging. Harriette rubbed her eyes. "But you're here with us now, and you don't have to go back to any of them." Sun reassured. "Especially since he-" Sun looked away then. One of Harriette's eyes was swollen shut, her glasses, when she had still had them, were nearly broken in half and both lenses had been nearly shattered. She had a nasty cut and `lump on the other side of her head. And Sun had only let her sleep after a scan had shown she wasn't concussed. There had been so much blood. Sun rocked her some more, hugging her closer. She let him, nearly burrowing into the ruffles on his neck., and hugging him as tight as her sore little arms could manage.
"I'm sorry," Harriette said. Sun rubbed her back.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Pumpkin," Sun assured. She sniffled, shaking her head. Pushing away lightly.
"I lied," She said.
"About what?" Sun said.
"I-I'm not normal," She said looking down at one of his fake buttons.
"What do you mean?" Sun said, running a gentle hand over her head.
"I'm-I'm weird," She gestured vaguely around them. Sun just hummed. "I'm-I'm a freak." Harriette whispered.
"Harriette, that's not a nice word to say, even if you are talking about yourself, heck especially talking about yourself." Sun's scolding almost made her feel better. Almost.
"No, I mean that I'm literally- I'm different, I do stuff, weird stuff," Harriette tried to explain. "The Dursleys called it being a freak."
"That's not very nice of them," Sun said, he almost muttered it more to himself, then he said more to Harriette. "What kind of stuff?"
"I dunno," Harriette said. "All kinds of stuff, weird stuff." She clarified.
"Well, how am I supposed to know if you don't give an example, Pumpkin," Sun teased. That did make Harriette feel better. Not completely. She still had to give an example.
"I…." Harriette trailed looking around, hoping inspiration would strike. "I can make things float, with like, my mind?" Harriette tried. "I can't always do that one, but one time I made a lot of papers fly everywhere like a whirlwind. We were inside." Harriette said before Sun could interrupt. "I turned my teacher's hair blue once. I think. I once set something on fire by accident, then I put it out. I can or I could tele-tela-teleport." Harriette said. "I can't while I'm wearing this thing though. But Kreacher can, that's how we got home." Harriette glared at the bracelet on her arm, it covered up her friendship ones, and felt heavier than it looked. Harriette couldn't help but think about a ship's anchor. "I can also make people not notice me as much. I'm not entirely sure that was just me though, people are really unobservant." Harriette pouted, remembering her desperate cries. She wanted to tuck up into Sun's hug again but she wasn't sure what he actually thought about her anymore. Maybe he didn't want to be her daddy. Maybe M
oon didn't either. Maybe they were thinking of a nice way of telling them to go away.
"Yeah, I heard from Emelia what happened," Sun said, running another comforting hand over her head, rubbing her back. "As for making stuff like that happen. Well, it is what it is." Sun said. "You want a hug." Harriette teared up, burying her face against her Daddies' shoulder and clinging like her life depended on it.
What do you think all that means? Moon asked.
If we weren't seeing what Harriette called a 'house-elf', I'd say it was something like a way to blame Harriette for things that weren't her fault. Sun thought back. There's also the whole teleporting thing. It's not like I could think of any other way they could have gotten in without at least one camera spotting them in or around the pizzaplex. Why would Harriette lie about it?
Keeping a way to get back in here so she can get her stuff if we kick her out, Moon said, Sun's incredulity causing him to continue with a mental waving of the white flag. Trauma doesn't just go away Sunshine. She's been through a lot. A lot that she doesn't fully understand. She's clearly under the belief that eventually we're going to throw her away.
Then we'll just have to keep reassuring her until she's not anymore, Sun thought, holding Harriette tighter. She snuggled even deeper into their hold. I just wish we knew what he had so we could take care of him properly.
Kreacher? Moon said, with a mental nod. It could be such a rare condition, undocumented. The deformities are pretty severe.
Unless that's how 'house-elves' are supposed to look, Sun said. Neither of them believed it. This 'godfather' person must be some sort of 'collector' of oddities. Maybe Harriette does have something unusual about her and that's what caused him to want to collect her.
He could also actually be her godfather, Moon pointed out. She did say her parents weren't great people.
That could have just been things They said to keep her under their control, Sun said.
We don't know enough.
What are we going to do?
Protect our daughter, Moon's words were fierce.
We can't even leave the daycare.
"Daddies," Harriette said, pushing away to look them in the face.
"How would you like a new last name?" Sun said, a thought forming. It wasn't much but it was something. Grasping at sand as it were. Harriette tilted her head.
"Okay," Harriette said, brightening. "What kind of last name?"
"Not sure yet, but it'll help keep you safe," Harriette's brow wrinkled. Then her mouth turned into an o shape.
"Oh, right, 'cause the coverment can track you with your last name," Harriette said proudly.
"I thought so too," Sun said. "It's 'government', Pumpkin." Harriette made another little 'o' shape with her mouth. Before nodding. They thought for a moment.
"Someone had to make you right?" Harriette asked suddenly.
"Well, yeah, Moon and I have creators," Sun said.
"Two?" Harriette asked.
"Yeah, one each, they worked together quite a bit though," Sun shrugged. "They were friends."
"I was going to ask if you knew anything about them next but it seems you do," Harriette was getting excited. "What else? What else?"
"Oh, well, they were nice, to Moon and me, good people. They didn't want to get married to anyone or have- but they did want kids." Sun covered up. Deciding that conversation would be best for another time. They had other things to worry about right now. "I don't know why you asked so suddenly. We have to…" Harriette had held up her hand a silent request to let her continue. Sun nodded, and Harriette put her hand back on his shoulder.
"So, I was thinking, the people who made you were like parents and it seemed that was their idea too…" Harriette said, a hint in her words.
"Oh." Sun said softly, then more excitedly. "Oh that's a wonderful idea!" Sun said happily.
"So?" Harriette said. Sun tilted his head slowly until it was almost upside down. Harriette giggled. "So, what were their last names?" Harriette asked.
"Well, here's the funny thing: they had the same last name, even though they weren't related, well, as far back as they knew anyway." Harriette's jaw dropped for a second before she recovered.
"So, then?" Harriette asked. Sun started tilting his head again. Harriette snorted, rolling her eyes. "Daddies, seriously. What's my new last name?" She asked
"Oh, right, Edmonds," Harriette took that in. Nodding.
"Hmm," Harriette said. "Okay, Harriette Edmonds. How do I spell it."
"E-D-M-O-N-D-S," Sun said. Harriette spelled it quietly to herself for a moment.
"Can I ask- Can I ask a favor," Harriette's voice got so soft then.
"What's up Pumpkin?" Sun asked.
"Can I use my moms name too?" Harriette asked. Sun started tilting his head. "See my middle names my birth dads first name, but it feels wrong to abandon them. I don't know if they really had a choice in leaving me. I don't know if I trust those two at all anymore." Sun nodded.
"I get it, of course you can, Pumpkin," Sun said. "You're our daughter but they were your parents too. I get that. They- it's a sad situation so of course you can keep both your parents name with you. So…?" Harriette smiled.
"My name is Harriette Lily James Edmonds," Harriette said proudly. Sun felt so much love and protectiveness for his little girl then, mixed with the pride that she shared with them. Sun put his forehead to hers and she smiled. Then he booped her nose.
"Dad kisses," Sun said. Sun could feel Moon's own love and pride and protectiveness for their daughter. "Moon sends his own love and kisses your way too." Harriette smiled. Then kissed them on the cheek.
"Daughter kisses," Harriette said, snuggling into their shoulder once more. Sun and Moon held her just a little bit tighter for a second.
Mayla woke at her usual time. Sitting up to the sound of her alarm clock; it played the theme to Freddy and Friends (It's a cartoon series in this, it is for children and appropriate for them). She smacked the clock on the off switch yawning. Mayla was going to spend half the day in the daycare, before she would go home and do other stuff. Some days they'd got there all day, some days she'd go alone and some, her grandma and/or her gran-paw would be there with her. They always discussed the daily plan over dinner the night before. Mayla liked that. She liked not having to worry about being surprised about the day and wondering what she was going to do.
She skipped over to her wardrobe, bounced to a stop in front of it, and opened it up to pick out her outfit for the day. Her Granny always picked out a few for her to wear the night before and she'd choose which she'd wear that day. Since she wasn't always sure what she wanted to wear the night before. She chose one of the long sleeved shirts and jeans. The shirt was purple and had Bonnie on it. A lot of her clothes had Bonnie on them. She liked it that way.
She turned to look at herself in the full length mirror and took the brush to tame her wild bedhead. She was never quite sure how she got her hair so tangled, but she was proud to be able to brush her own hair. Sometimes she'd ask Granny to put her hair up, but sometimes she just liked doing it herself. She pulled her hair through a scrunchy, until it stayed in a low comfortable ponytail. Sometimes she liked doing bunny ears but today she didn't feel like doing that.
She wondered if Harriette was able to do her hair nice too. She wondered if Harriette's relatives were being mean to her again. She didn't like that fact. She wanted her friend to be happy. Mayla sniffed and shook her head. She wasn't going to think about it.
Harriette sat at the table to eat breakfast. Sun kept hold of her while Kreacher, after some convincing, sat across from them eating his own breakfast. Harriette stayed curled against her daddies to feel safer, but she also wasn't sure about how to work without her glasses. Sun helped her find her plate and her fork so she could eat, then hugged her a little tighter.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," Sun said.
"It's not your fault," Harriette said back. She didn't really want to talk about it. She didn't want to think about that man.
"So, Mr. Kreacher, will you be staying with us?" Sun asked. Kreacher shifted.
"Kreacher is the only name Kreacher has," Kreacher said. "Is the last names not what has the Mister and titles and all that?"
"Ah, I suppose that is true," Sun said. "Well?"
"Kreacher is not-Kreacher has nowhere else to go, but Kreacher is not sure where to stay."
"Here is sort of like your cupboard at that place," Harriette tried. "You can just stay here. Right?" Sun nodded. "We can get you your own bed, but you don't have to if you don't want to. There are lots of places in the pizzaplex that people don't go to, so you could probably hide in one of them if you'd prefer. Maybe tonight, Moon and I can show you around." Harriette looked up to Sun.
"Moon would love to," Sun said. "He's actually a little curious about you?" Sun said. Kreacher nodded. Seeming both somehow relieved and put off by the idea. "Until then you can stay here and do whatever. There are some books, and sewing and knitting stuff. We don't have much to keep someone occupied all day. I could bring you paper and some pencils and you could draw or write too." Kreacher perked up at that. "Do you want to do that?" Kreacher swallowed looking at Harriette who gave a thumbs up and nodded vigorously. Kreacher nodded.
"Yes, if you would be so kind," Kreacher answered. Sun nodded, hugging Harriette a little tighter before setting her down.
"I'll be right back, okay, Pumpkin," Sun said. Harriette nodded. When Sun left them Harriette turned to Kreacher.
"Do you think they have a way to track us, like with, I dunno, magic?" Harriette asked. Kreacher nodded.
"Kreacher is hiding you now, but won't be able to when separated far apart," Kreacher said. Harriette nodded.
"Then I need to be able to do it myself," Harriette said. "What about you?"
"Kreacher isn't able to be tracked that easily," There was a sense of pride in his tone there. Harriette smiled.
"Okay, good," She shifted. "Can you- can you teach me?" Kreacher looked at Harriette confused, so she continued. "To hide myself, so they won't find us by tracking me. And will the daycare be too big?"
"Shouldn't be," Kreacher said. "Kreacher will check, if you want." Harriette nodded.
"Yes, please," Harriette said. Kreacher vanished for a moment then reappeared.
"Kreacher will be able to hide Harriette in all the daycare, and probably a bit beyond, but best to not push it too much." Harriette nodded.
"That makes sense," Harriette said.
"Your dads are very nice," Kreacher said. Harriette nodded, a smile growing more pronounced on her face.
"They are," Harriette agreed. "So.. Can you?" Harriette asked again. "Teach me to hide myself."
"Kreach-Kreacher can try," Kreacher said. Harriette nodded.
"That's all we can hope for," Harriette said nervously.
Mayla ate her breakfast while watching Freddy and Friends on the tablet on the table. Sometimes Granny and Gran-paw ate with her but today they'd had to wake up earlier and weren't back home yet, so she'd poured herself a bowl of Bonnie Berry Blast, her favorite cereal, she didn't get to eat it that often, so she was perfectly happy with this arrangement. Harriette popped into her head again. She couldn't help but wonder if Harriette would enjoy the show she liked. Sun wasn't in it, and neither was Moon , so maybe not.
After getting Kreacher the supplies and assuring him if he did get bored he could read, and Harriette even told him he could play with some of her toys if he wanted, the two went down to the daycare level. To await Mayla and Emelia.
Harriette watched, she wasn't sure she was ready to hang out with the others after what happened. She wasn't sure she was ready to deal with anything. But she wanted to stay with her Daddies and she wanted to make sure Emelia learned she was okay. So, she waited with baited breath until Emelia arrived.
"Emelia!" Harriette called out. Tears starting to blur her vision.
"Harriette!" Emelia called. Her voice cracked on the word. Like she was crying. She flew down the slide and Harriette flew into the ball bit and then they were hugging.
"What happened to your face?" Emelia said.
"It's okay now," Harriette said. "I'm fine," Then she whispered so that only Emelia would hear. "I got away from them, so I'm fine." Emelia tightened her hold on her.
"What if your aunt comes for you again?"
"She won't, adults never check the same place twice," Harriette reassured. "And she won't be able to track me again this time.
Mayla was on the instep of her house, putting on her shoes. She put on her favorite Bonnie sneakers and she was wearing her bonnie socks. She couldn't help remembering Harriette's shoes and how old they'd been the first time she'd met her.
"Ready to go, Sweetie?" Granny Nova asked her. She nodded.
"Yeah," Mayla said. "I hope Harriette will be back soon." Mayla said. Taking Granny Nova's hand.
"I hope so too," Nova said, sounding sad. "I won't be able to go with you today, remember."
"Yup! You have pack stuff to attend to," Mayla said.
Since Emelia was the only one who'd come this early today Harriette filled in some of her adventure with her 'godfather'. Though she left out her freak powers and his, and Kreacher for now. It wasn't a forever thing. She just wanted to make sure Kreacher was comfortable with Emelia first. He'd been really mad on the bus. So she didn't want to make him mad.
"That's terrible," Emelia said, taking Harriette's hand. "I'm glad you're okay though. Will you really be okay now though." Harriette nodded.
"Harriette!" Fred and George shouted together, Harriette turning to the two as they ran over to the table she and Emelia were seated at.
"Fred, George," Harriette said. "How are you?"
"What happened to your face?" Fred asked.
"That bruise looks awful!" George said at the same time. Harriette cupped her swollen cheek, sniffling a little.
"It's nothing, my- my uncle got mad at me," Harriette said. "That's why I moved away from them!" Harriette said. She and her daddies had come up with a reason for her getting a new last name inside the daycare. "I got taken to foster care." Harriette wasn't fully familiar with what that meant, but her daddies seemed to be sure it would work, at least for the adults and the kids would just accept.
"What's that?" Fred asked.
"It's when a bad family gets replaced with a good one," Emelia explained. "They're very strict about it." Emelia said, catching onto the story, and giving Harriette's hand a little pat. Harriette was immensely grateful to her for this. After a few questions the twins and Emelia got bored sitting around and dragged Harriette into a game of catch, though they stayed close to the entrance slide to wait for Mayla.
Mayla rushed toward the slide pearing over, just barely, the railing to look down into the daycare.
"Harriette! You're back," Mayla shouted flinging herself into the slide, she arrived seconds later to rush to Harriette only to freeze in place?
"What happened to your-" She started, Harriette uncomfortably holding her hand to her face, Mayla's eyes zeroed in on the bracelet and her eyes narrowed on in. "let's go see Bram-paw, to get that thing off," Mayla said, taking Harriette's hand carefully and walking toward the door. She said the word 'thing' like a dirty word, the same way one might say vermin or filth.
Bram was walking in with his normal baskets of odds, and ends for all the kids. When Mayla, holding Harriette's wrist as if hiding something. Mayla looked to be on the egd of tears, a worried twins behind the girls, looking lost.
"What is going on here?" Bram said, crouching as much as his old bones would allow "Harriette sweet puppy, what is going on?" Bram asked as he sat down, arms open for a hug from the girl. Harriette hesitated, but before she could decide Mayla was in a stormy tirade.
"They collared her Bram-paw. How do they have a collar?" Mayla said whimpers coming out as she spoke. Showing Bram the offending item. It looked innocuous enough to be in the presents of muggles, and even most wizards might not know what the thing was. Bram did, and he was not pleased about it. There were bandages underneath it carefully wrapped around her wrist as best it could be. The bandages had pale almost invisible red streaks, and Bram could smell a small hint of blood.
Bram took the bracelet off and put it deep into the basket, and took out his ever magical badges. All the kids in the daycare knew of them, but the cream he also took out was new. His face showed all his emotions, but he never said anything hurtful, to them.
"Now I'll hold onto that and talk to the man who owns it. To think he would use this. But it's all over now. Do you know what it was? Did he tell you or did he just put it on you. Sweet pup" Bram said, looking his granddaughter sniffled, tears beading in her eyes as she rubbed her wrist, before scrubbing at her eyes and sniffling again. She looked up at Bram.
"Thank you," she sniffled again. Still clearly upset. "Please don't tell him where I am." Harriette said, voice so soft but there was clear panic there. "Please don't talk to him at all. He'll know you know where I am?" Harriette begged.
"If he asks me where you are I will only say safe. And he won't know more." Bram said a soft grow rumbling his chest.
"Please," she begged, a little more desperation. "Please don't. He doesn't need to know." Harriette begged.
"Alright, I won't tell until we have a better plan sorted out, but I really must tell him how very disappointed in him I am eventually." Bram said. Harriette held her pinky out, and he wrapped his around hers.
"Maybe you'll not hit him with a curse because you're waiting. But it is funny so see them fly when you do," Mayla said with a smile.
"I don't know if I'd ever go that far," Bram said. "Now why don't you four go and play, I think Emelia is getting worried over there." He gestured and sure enough Emelia had gone over to where Sun had started to prepare a plan for the day, she was gesturing with mild panic in there direction. Harriette gave a wave before pointing to the now free wrist. Sun's head did a tilted droop, and relaxed his shoulders the way Bram had come to recognize as relief. Then he took Emelia's hand and they headed over to them.
"Hello, Bram," Sun said, almost immediately getting a tiny Harriette attached to his leg. He scooped the girl into his arms and ruffled Mayla's hair.
"Hello Sun, how are you doing?" Bram said, taking the 'thing' out to cover in a black velvet bag before looking up.
"Oh, I'm good?" Sun said, a concerned and confused tone in his voice. "What's up?"
"I actually think it might be best if we talk about that at the end of the night I'm afraid, I saw a few more parents lining up today." Sun nodded.
"Ah, yes, I'm good by the way thank you for asking," Sun said. Taking the basket to put in the food storage area as he always did. "And you?"
"Good, better now that Harriette's back," Bram admitted.
"We were all very worried," Mayla stated. "Even if Granny and Bram-paw have to do other thing besides worry." Bram chuckled ruffling her hair wildly.
"All the teens said if I didn't see you today, they would go looking for you, but don't tell Bram-paw or Granny," Mayla said.
"Thank you," Harriette whispered shyly, giving a little wave and shy smile. It floored Bram for a moment how much that smile looked like Lily Evan's, the day Helana had first introduced her to them. No she'd married the Potter boy hadn't she. He'd had similar black hair to Harriette's too. Her eyes were the same as Lily's too. And the owner of the bracelet.
"May I ask what your last name is?" Bram asked. Harriette brightened looking to Sun and almost bouncing.
"I'm Harriette Lily James Edmonds!" She answered. "I got a new last name and added my mom's first to my middle." She said so proudly. "Cause of this!" She said, She pointed to the swollen bruise on her face.
"I see…well then…" Bram said the growling coming louder.
"Harriette's previous last name was Potter," Mayla said. "It reminds me of something but I can't remember what?"
"That would make sense," Bram said, trying to cover his anger with his amusement at his granddaughter's brilliant memory. "I'm terribly sorry I didn't recognise you before." Bram said. Harriette tilted her head. "Though I suppose it makes sense, I remembered a boy, must have been a mistake," Bram winked. "Mayla don't you remember your mother talking about her friend Lily?" Mayla thought for a second before nodded.
"Why?"
"Well, as it would turn out Harriette is that very same Lily's daughter, I never met your aunt before so I wasn't able to recognize you through her," Harriette tilted her head even further. "You have your mother's eyes, and the owner of the that bracelet would be a friend of your fathers, and if I'm not mistaken your technical godfather." He couldn't help but growl certain words, anger bubbling under his skin like lava.
"That's what my aunt said," Harriette admitted. There was a knock on the door.
"A fu-fiddle sticks-'' Sun said. "We'll keep talking about this more later."
"I have some kool moving photos of our mums at my house," Mayla said.
"Really?" Harriette said skeptically.
"Moving?" Emelia asked.
"She's talking about videos," Sun said, setting Harriette down. "Alright, littles it's show time!" Sun chuckled as the girls and twins scattered."
"No, they are photos that move, its real." Mayla said as she ran off following on Emelia's heels. Bram shook his head.
The day wasn't that busy, kids came, kids went, some stayed. Sun started the day with an art project. Something with foam colored pieces so that Harriette who was mostly blind could do. Harriette was terrifyingly good at operating without her glasses. When Emelia asked about it she shrugged and said her glasses weren't that good anyway and she was used to not having them more then having them. Since she'd only been given them for school. Sun hadn't liked that one bit. The day bore on, snacks and naptime and meals came and went. Finally the kids' parents returned to gather up the remaining kids. Emelia's parents came to take her last. Except Mayla, who Sun expected to be late since Bram was doing the daycare closing today and promised to continue the talk more after.
Bram had messaged Nova to tell her that their grandchild was back, that she needed new glasses and she had the damned 'thing' on her. But more importantly who she was and how they could help her more. Nova had called and sounded as if they had found a missing part of their family with how she went on about Hennal and Lily and now the two kids.
Bram couldn't agree more, he occasionally looked over to see their girls, Harriette and Mayla and Emelia playing. Sometimes the twins joining them. Different games or art things. Harriette was forced to squint a whole lot, which had to hurt with her swollen eye. When it was finally time to close the daycare it was honestly a bit of a relief. Waving good-bye to Emelia and her waving back was a little bitter sweet. Then it was finally time to talk about things with Sun.
"Well, that wasn't such a bad day," Sun said, scooping Harriette up and ruffling Mayla's hair. "So… Um…"
"So, Harriette's staying with you now I take it?" Bram said. He'd noted several interactions before, he'd only been confused when her aunt had come to take her. That had thrown him off, but this morning's incident with the 'thing' was what sealed it. Harriette showing off the freed arm. As though Sun understood what that would mean. Which stood to reason that she'd told him, the bandages were neat and clean despite the 'bracelet' being over them. Treated with the stuff they used in the daycare rather than some other antibacterial cream. The smell unmistakable to his wolf senses. Then she'd begged him not to tell. As if this was where she'd be found all the time. Sun and Harriette stiffened. "I have no intention of blabbing on either of you. I just want to be on the same page." The two relaxed, marginally. After a while of hesitation and shared looks. Sun nodded. They watched Bram for a long time. As if waiting for some sort of reaction from him. He sighed. "Harrette is a magical child, just like Mayla and all the Weasleys. We, Nova and I can and will help, new glasses, clothing, year passes, all that, she is counted in the pack as part of it, as was her mother," Bram said, making sure to lessen the worry of Sun.
"Ah," Sun said, relaxing a bit more, Harriette's little fists loosened in from his ruffles as she looked to him.
"I don't want to go live anywhere else," Harriette said. Bram tried to keep his eyes from wandering to the swollen bruise on her face.
"That's fair, I'm sure you feel a lot safer here and I can't blame you for that, this is the one place you haven't been hurt," Bram reassured.
"You can live with us whenever you want, right Bram-paw," Mayla said.
"If you decide that's what you want," Bram clarified. "And if you ever feel comfortable with us you can visit too." He assured. Hugging Mayla to his side. "It's your choice. It's clear you're safe and happy and taken care of here and that's all that matters in the end. However, we still wish to help you and that's something we really need to insist on. There are surely things a child needs that you can't get here." Sun tilted his head in the way Bram had learned was a pout, before nodding.
"Yeah, there are," Sun agreed.
"Fazzbear has a schooling set up yes? Online classes?" Bram asked
Sun wobbled his hand in the air in a so-so manner.
"I've got an educational program, but it might be out of date," Sun grumbled. "And our approved sights aren't always the greatests. And then there's the whole…" Sun trailed. "Magic thing. I'm not sure if that entails some form of special needs or…" Sun trailed.
"Our pack has several Eta's or teachers. Maybe one of them could come here to help teach," Mayla said.
"I'm not sure that would work," Sun made a very human gesture of annoyance and embarrassment. "I can sneak in some things to an extent, and occasionally people, but as for a long term education, which Harriette would need…" Sun trailed, again. "It's not that I don't appreciate that idea, if I could make it work I would. It's just…" another trailing off, then a shrug and sigh.
"Maybe not but that doesn't mean we can't have her on our school list and bring in work as needed for her," Bram said.
"That would work a lot better," Sun agreed. "School books would also be helpful. Up to date school books would be really helpful." There was some resentment in his voice. Harriette patted his cheek.
"Well you have our contact information, to update her profile, we have her information to put her in 'school', and get what she needs, and all I will ask of you and Moon is to love her and be there for her. Deal?" Bram said, holding his hand out.
"Pff, easy-peasy," Sun said, from the outside it looked like he slammed his hand in Bram's carelessly, but his hand stopped before touching Bram's then moved into a shake.
"What about furniture?" Mayla said. "I'm sure you don't have all the furniture you need." She pouted. Sun looked to her.
"Well, a rug would be nice," Sun admitted. "Our home's floor isn't exactly what I'd call gentle on little feet." Harriette nodded.
"It's really hard," Harriette admitted.
"We can do that later when Harrettie feels safer with leaving their dads," Bram told Mayla while they were talking when they were finished. "but we can get a rug for you tomorrow night." Bram said.
"Why?" Mayla said, pouting. "Do you have a toy chest?" She turned a smile on her face. Harriette turned her head sideways. An adorable gesture she'd started picking up from her dads.
"I have a box," Harriette said. "It's the cardboard box they were kept in before? Are you supposed to keep toys somewhere special?"
"Of course your supposed to!" Mayla insisted. "You have to have a toy chest to keep your toys." She said. Harriette looked to her fathers confusion clear on her face. "That's how you keep them safe!" Mayla pouted then.
"The box works fine," Harriette said.
"Do you have a wardrobe, or dresser?" Mayla asked. "To keep moths out of your clothes so they don't get eated- eaten." Mayla corrected.
"No," Harriette admitted. "Ms. Spider keeps the moths out of my clothes though, most of the time." Harriette said. "She's always done that."
"Hmm," Mayla said seriously. "That's not good." She finally said, very serious with her prognosis.
"Mayla," Bram said, affection and exasperation in his voice at her his grandchild's nature. She was a sweet, loving girl and had a brilliant mind, but she has absolutely zero patients.
"How would you even get a wardrobe to us?" Sun tried.
"Magic," Mayla insisted. "I want to see." She said, "You trust me right? So, I'll look at the room and see what you guys need and we'll bring it with us tomorrow, or-oh-oh we could apparate here tonight!" Mayla said, bouncing. Bram sighed.
"Alright, if it's only you I can do that," Harriette said. "You can put me down. And I'll take Mayla there." She said, proudly.
"Oh?" Sun asked.
"Yeah, I've teleported before!" Harriette said, trying to get down.
"Isn't that a little complicated?" Bram a little nervously.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Pumpkin," Sun said, but he did set the girl down, since she'd started squirming.
"It's fine, I've done it loads of times before, and I want Mayla to meet Kreacher!" Harriette said. She took Mayla's hand and before either of the adults could so much as blink the two girls were gone.
"Fuck," Sun said, very softly.
"Language," Bram joked.
"Oh don't you start on me too," Sun said.
"Ta-dah!" Harriette said, proudly.
"You can already apparate!" Mayla asked, looking surprised.
"Um, yup," Harriette said. "Hi, Kreacher. This is my friend Mayla." Kreacher waved.
"Hallow," Mayla said, waving to Kreacher. "You have a house-elf?"
"No, Kreacher was stuck with my 'god-father' but we ran away together," Harriette explained.
"Kreacher could not simply leave Harriette by herself," Kreacher admitted.
"Oh," Mayla said, shrugging, then look around the small space that Harriette called home. "Hmm… what's that over there?"
"That's the room where the door to this place is," Harriette said. "We don't go there." she whispered. Mayla nodded. She looked over to the space that was Harriette's and nodded very sagely.
"You'll definitely need a wardrobe," Mayla said very seriously. "Are these your clothes? Is that the box of toys you mentioned? What's that space?"
"That's Daddies' desk," Harriette commented. "Those boxes are for there tools." Mayla nodded.
"I need a piece of paper and pencil," Mayla said. "There's just so much." she said. Kreacher offered a paper and pencil to Harriette.
"And what about you?" Mayla asked. "Where are you sleeping."
"Kreacher and the others were going to look around the-,"
"Pizzaplex?"
"Right, Kreacher was thinking of picking a spot there," Kreacher said. "But Kreacher may also stay here." He shrugged. Mayla nodded. "You'll need a bed and stuff too." Mayla said, noting it down. "Clothes. I'll probably need to see where you pick. Oh, I know I'll see if I can get a few options that way you can just grab the one you want. You can probably get food here… I don't know what else an adult would need. Are you an adult?"
"Kreacher is very old," Kreacher stated.
"Okay, 'old man house-elf'" Mayla wrote down while talking. "Okay, now, your daddies should have a tool chest, a real tools chest, or a quirk bored or hanging thingy." She wrote down things, while wondering around the room. "Maybe more then one rug would be nice so you can split the areas more. You might need another shelf. You'll need lots and lots of books for school. I like these lights. Do you have more?"
"Uh-huh," Harriette said heading to the box. "Do you want some."
"Hmm, maybe," Mayla said. "What colors you got?"
"We got; pink and blue and green… oh! Purple! Like Bonnie, it's even on the box! Bonnie Purple!" Harriette said excitedly.
"Oooh, that one, yeah!" Mayla said.
The two girls arrived back to the adults a little while after. Harriette lept into Sun's arms immediately after, and he ruffled Mayla's hair as she passed him to show her Gran-paw her efforts.
"I noted all the stuff they'd need!" Mayla said. "See, now we can use a bigger on the inside bag to bring it all over to them!" Mayla said, bouncing. "See, I even noted down all the space stuff!" Mayla said. "So they won't be too big to fit properly." Bram looked to the work.
"It is very cleverly done, but how are they going to get it out of the bag," Bram commented.
"Magic, I'm not stupid I made sure Harriette could float stuff," Mayla pouted. "I even made sure she could float stuff as heavy as furniture." She rolled her eyes.
"Ah," Bram said, nodding. "I suppose you did think of everything."
"Uh-huh, look what I got in return!" Mayla said, excitedly. "They're purple!"
"They are," Bram said. Harriette tugged on Bram's sleeve at the shoulder. In Sun's arms she was only a tiny bit below eye level.
"How much money will it cost? I don't have a lot," Harriette admitted.
"Don't worry your little head over it, your family gots it covered," Bram said, giving the girl an awkward but affectionate hug.
"Are you sure?" Harriette asked. Bram nodded, Harriette looked to Sun.
"We really do appreciate the help," Sun said. "We would be delighted to have Mayla over anytime." He did his version of a wink. "Even without an official, daycare sleepover pass."
"I would love to have a sleepover!" Mayla said excitedly.
"And we would love to have you," Sun said, ruffling the girl's hair.
Notes: Okay, so this isn't as good or as much as I wanted but it's been too long since I posted and my friend ended up getting a little sick and then had family stuff to deal with so I may or may not be writing alone again and this may mean some weird scheduling. I know I've already said that but I just- I have anxiety okay. I worry you guys aren't enjoying it or I'm not posting enough fast enough, and I don't know what to do. I'm sorry.