Harry woke up in a soft bed, in a room he definitely didn't recognize. But Hedwig looked perfectly calm, so that was alright.

"Ah, so you're awake!" said a very cheerful voice.

Harry blinked and reached for his glasses. She became a little clearer.

The woman was in a red outfit, but there was a sort of ageless quality about her. She had a strange marking on her cheek, and amber colored eyes like a sky at dawn or dusk. There was a crossbow that was well cared for by her side, but it was more out of habit from what he could tell.

She looked to be in her sixties at least, but she could have been fifty.

"...Are you Auntie?"

Daniella positively beamed at him.

"That's right! You were so tuckered out that we decided to let you sleep in," she said happily.

Somehow he had the feeling she was pleased because he didn't call her out about her age. Well, 'Auntie' fit her better than 'granny' did whenever he was talking to her.

"You are even more adorable than your picture! But far too thin," she said grinning.

Harry blushed at being called adorable, but took the 'thin' comment in stride. It wasn't his fault he was so skinny.

There was an explosion outside, a lot of yelling, and the sound of chaos.

"What was that?"

"It seems my dear grandson is having another one of his friendly spats with his friend," said Daniella. She hadn't even batted an eye.

Harry blinked... the way they acted reminded him of how the Weasleys tuned out the twin's explosions in their room.

"There's some clothes in the dresser, if you're feeling up to meeting them properly."

He finally realized he wasn't wearing his old clothes. A cursory inspection later revealed that most of the 'clothes' from his time in the Dursleys had been tossed out (more like burned by an enraged Daniella), and that the only thing that remained were his Weasley sweaters and school uniform.

With Xanxus...

"Voi! When is that brat going to wake up!"

"Shark trash, shut up."

Xanxus was not pleased...but he was also very curious to meet his cousin. The fact his Nonna was hiding this from his 'father' was something he found hilarious.

Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't the stick that came out in clothes he definitely wasn't used to wearing.

However it was the eyes that had his attention...not the color, which was a vibrant green almost the color of jewels. No, what had his attention was the unshakable resolve this kid had in his body.

He could be battered, beaten and half-dead...but he would remain a stubborn bastard who wouldn't give up. This wasn't some trash who didn't understand... this kid was a fucking survivor and he wouldn't hesitate make the last sacrifice if it meant taking out the other asshole with him.

Something weird passed between them. It took him a few moments to realize he was actually grinning.

He didn't even know this kid and he liked him already.

Daniella beamed at the silent interaction between them. She knew introducing the two was a great idea!

"Harry, this is my grandson Xanxus. Xanxus, this is your cousin Harry. Be nice."

Harry looked him in the eye without flinching.

"Hello."

Lunch was slightly awkward. Xanxus had grown up in the slums, so he recognized the signs of long term abuse and neglect pretty quick. The kid was defensive about his food, but was so discreet about it that it was easy to miss. There was also a slightly quiet air about him, one that made it easier to disappear into the background so no one noticed him. Even with the new clothes, he could see the kid was beyond skinny as hell... and he did not like having unknowns around him.

All signs of someone who got the hell beaten out of him regularly by the people who should have taken care of him, and who withheld food often enough that he would have a lot of trouble gaining proper weight.

He had a quiet pride, and while he would bend he was a stubborn bastard who wouldn't break until all hope was lost.

Xanxus was not a "nice" person. However he was a slum brat himself, so he knew how to handle this sort of person. He unconsciously adjusted his body language, and slowly Harry relaxed around them.

Daniella looked very pleased with herself. Introducing her adopted grandson and her newly found nephew had been a brilliant move.

It was weird. He found himself enjoying spending time with Xanxus, to the point he barely registered Squalo's loud "Voi!" or the way Xanxus seemed to call everyone trash.

Well almost everyone. He called Daniella "Nonna" (which had him earning major brownie points with his aunt, because he honestly said she didn't look old enough to be anyone's grandmother... certainly not to someone Xanxus' age) and he called Harry "little bird" for some reason.

Of course that could have something to do with the way Hedwig had taken one look at Xanxus and promptly began treating him the same way she treated Harry. Like he was another chick she needed to mother.

She liked Xanxus enough that within a week, he started wearing some of her discarded feathers in his hair.

"Runt, we're going out shopping. And we have to pick up your new contacts."

Daniella had been pissed when she found out he had been wearing the same glasses for years. So much so that she had her personal doctor take him in for an exam...and he came out spitting mad saying it was a miracle Harry could see a damn thing with his glasses considering they were the wrong prescription!

Which was why Harry got two new pairs of glasses that actually looked good on him (according to Daniella and Xanxus anyway), and three sets of contacts. Including a pair that would allow him to change his eye color.

If Xanxus was shocked about learning that magic existed, or that his new "little brother" was a wizard, he didn't show it. Though he did scoff at the fact they still used "pathetic sticks" to cast spells.

Xanxus gently ruffled his hair. He made sure Harry saw what he was doing so the kid didn't flinch.

Above all, Xanxus knew damn well that you needed patience to train someone out of that sort of instinct.

Harry had to gasp when he saw the world clearly for the first time in years.

"That big a difference, huh?" said Xanxus amused.

"Imagine having a thick film over your eyes for years, only to have it removed and seeing the world clearly," said Harry, taking in the sights with major enthusiasm.

He noticed that an interesting movie he had heard about on the TV when he was watching it with Xanxus and Squalo was playing, but was too shy to ask.

Xanxus scoffed, and lightly cuffed him on the head.

"Come on little brother. It's not like Nonna will care if we decide to stay out and watch a movie or go out to eat," he said.

Harry didn't care about his gruff attitude or demand that he 'behave' like he had a stick up his ass. He accepted his personality for what it was.

After all, at least Xanxus never lied about being a street brat with a whore for a mother. He was unashamed to be who and what he was, Vongola's "noble image" be damned.

If they didn't like it, then they should have left him on the street with his mother. He was an uncouth, brash and foul mouthed asshole and damn proud of it!

And Harry was fine with that, so long as he never acted like he was something he wasn't.

Of course some idiot noticed the infamous "Vongola bastard" was out and about with an unknown civilian and thought to try something when they came out after the movie. It was interesting, and decent enough. But Xanxus preferred seeing the way his little brother light up with something as simple as going to a movie theater like a normal person.

This was a major test of how Harry would react to the Cosa Nostra. So far any flame (if he had any) were more like wisps. Daniella had yet to confirm if he had gone active or not. She was still looking for one "Sirius Black" to give him a thorough chewing out for not insuring his godson was being raised properly.

Harry didn't bat an eye at the sudden violence. He didn't even care about the fact someone was shooting at him.

Because they were supposed to be on a simple errand, he had left his wand behind. However he wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"Sniper, on the roof!" he said to Squalo.

"Voi! I see him. Good eyes!" said Squalo.

Xanxus shot the bastard who hadn't gotten a decent bead on the trio.

"You call them out, I'll shoot the assholes. Squalo can handle anyone dumb enough to come at us from the ground," said Xanxus.

Harry nodded without hesitation. He was calm, for a civilian. He didn't even freak out about the fact people were trying to kill or capture them...he focused on the here and now, dealing with these idiots.

He only had to duck out twice before he called out two more snipers, which Xanxus shot down without hesitation. One fool came out of nowhere and tried to get to them...but Squalo cut him up with his sword.

Then some idiot attempted to sneak up on them, never mind the famous Vongola Hyper Intuition (which even Xanxus had to a limited degree) would have warned them.

"Get lost, wanker!" shouted Harry, and it happened.

Pure orange flames with streaks of violet and indigo flared to life in his hands as he threw a rather nasty right hook. It sent the thug careening into the wall where he cracked his skull. If he wasn't dead from the hit, then he'd bleed out in short order soon enough.

Xanxus grinned.

"Good punch."

Harry was looking at his hands in shock.

There were more gunshots, and the sound of tires. The flames sputtered out and Harry sagged. Xanxus caught him before he crashed. He felt his Wrath fall into an easy resonance with his little brother. It felt a lot nicer than the dissonance he always felt with that old bastard who called himself his father.

"Are you three alright? What happened to him?" asked Diana.

"He's fine. He went Active properly is all," said Xanxus. They were quickly shuffled off back to the villa.

Daniella wanted to postpone informing her son about his cousin for as long as possible. Originally it was a little prank, but now she was genuinely concerned as what Timoteo would do if he knew.

Xanxus openly admitted he'd rather stay with Harry than go near the Iron Fort. Not only was he dissonant with Timoteo, but her son barely had anything to do with his adopted child save to reprimand him for not being more like that foolish boy Iemitsu or his own sons who were already grown.

At this point she was seriously considering sending Xanxus to Hogwarts for a year...just to see how bad the situation there was.

Daniella looked angry, but her eyes softened when she heard Harry was just exhausted from using his Flames, not hurt.

She was very fond of her nephew, after all.

"What color were they?" she asked Xanxus, who had been close enough to see.

"Sky, with a strong Cloud/Mist secondary," he said immediately. "I'm betting the Mist is because of that magic you told me about though."

"Well, at least we know he's Active now for certain," she sighed. This was a mess.

"He didn't even freak out once when the shooting started. Just called out snipers and handled himself like he was used to being in danger," said Xanxus, frowning.

"Voi. I thought he was a civilian?"

"One who is apparently being tested every year at his 'school'. Xanxus, how would you like to be the one to train Harry's Flames?"

Xanxus' eyes widened.

"What?"

"I would be willing to send you to this... Hogwarts...as a transfer student, with a possibility of sending Squalo to the area during holidays or on weekends. In exchange you can train Harry how to use his flames and improve his physical condition to something a bit more acceptable."

"I thought you needed magic to get into this place?"

"The Vongola are considered pure bloods by the Ministry. Though that only lasts as long as the 'heir' displays whatever magic or ability is passed down through the generations," said a voice tiredly.

"What are you doing awake?" said Xanxus.

"I'm used to worse. Anyway according to the goblins, the Vongola are considered an 'Ancient and Noble House' by pure blood standards so long as the heir fits the requirements set. You could marry outside the established lines and it wouldn't make a bit of difference so long as the heir and head of the family have the same bloodline gift," said Harry. "So I suppose by that definition you could easily be considered a 'home-school wizard' or something."

"And Squalo?"

"A knight or Steward, easily," said Harry without hesitation. "He's too subservient to Xanxus to be considered his equal, but he acts as his Right hand so he could be considered one of Xanxus' knights. I would have to look it up."

"Not right now you're not. You are going to eat something and then get some sleep!" said Daniella sternly.

Harry was so dead on his feet that once he managed to finish the majority of his stew he practically blacked out.

Xanxus snorted.

"Stubborn brat," he said, hauling the kid bodily over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

He dumped the teen on the bed and threw the covers over him. Harry looked so much like a little kitten that Xanxus huffed.

He looked at his grandmother.

"So what do I need to do in order to get into this pig warts place or whatever the fuck it's called?"

Daniella grinned at him. It was good to see Xanxus being all protective over his "little brother".

"We'll have you tested for a core in the morning. You two should eat and get some sleep."

Xanxus stormed off to take a shower... and to the open amusement of Daniella went straight to Harry's room to comfort with the younger boy so he didn't freak out in the morning about what happened.

Somehow she doubted he would, but he'd appreciate having something to hug. The two of them had bonded better than she could have hoped, and she could tell Xanxus' flames didn't feel so rage-filled anymore. Whether it was a product of having a "little brother" or a result of Harry's Flames mixing with his, it could only be for the good.

Xanxus needed something to ground him properly.