Amici ed Amanti

Amici ed Amanti

With Friends Like These Part 3

Liam sat on the leather sofa in his father's outer office waiting patiently and flipping through the previous evening's Daily Prophet. He's been in England exactly seventy-three minutes and had spent the past fifty-seven minutes waiting for his father to finish up a meeting.

Calla, his father's long time secretary, smiled sympathetically in his direction again before offering him tea for the third time. "He's really busy this afternoon," she'd say every time.

Eventually the doors opened and several conservatively dressed wizards exited followed by this father who regarded him with a quirked eyebrow. "Well, the prodigal son has returned home."

"Hullo Da," Liam said sullenly. This wasn't going to go well, he could just feel it.

His father nodded, turned sharply and retreated back into his office. He had no choice but to follow. "Mum isn't happy with me is she?"

Liam saw the ghost of a smile that flitted at the corners of his father's mouth. "That's a mild understatement."

"How dead am I?"

"More than a doornail. When do you plan on putting in an appearance at home so I can arrange for a hole to be dug so I can hide your body?"

"In a few days, maybe after I get settled. I need to find someplace to live." Liam suddenly felt weary at the prospect of having to make all sorts of arrangements to restore his life in England. He'd been abroad for far too long. "Besides, I need time to work up my courage."

"I think it would be wise to see her as soon as possible," his father prodded him. "And you're always welcomed at home."

"Gareth has been kind enough to offer me his sofa until I find a place." His brother had taken up residence in their father's old Soho loft and while it was nice and had a fantastic view, it didn't have much in the way of guest accommodations.

"You'll be sleeping with that dog of his."

"I know," he sighed as he thought of Gareth's over friendly Irish wolfhound, Grendel. "But I don't have much choice. Murphy is busy with wedding stuff and I didn't want to intrude."

"You have a room and a bed awaiting you at home."

"Mum wouldn't give me a minute's peace and you know it."

"True, but isn't that better than sleeping with a dog?" his father tried to reason.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Liam snorted.

"Your Mum means well. She just wants to see you happy that's all."

"No," he corrected his father, "she wants to direct my life."

"She only does it because she loves you and she does mean well."

"I love Mum, really I do, but I can't take it. Why do you think I took the position in Italy?"

"And you nearly broke her heart when you did."

"I know." He hated that his father could make him feel guilty with so few words. The battle between him and his mother was an age old one. Liam was much more independent than she would have preferred. "But I'm back now."

His father nodded. "I suppose I could find something for you to do around here. Maybe something that will allow you to travel a good bit."

"No, I want to make my own mark. I thought I'd give professional Quidditch a go. I'd like to play for the Falcons."

"Your mother won't like that one bit," his father said with a huge grin, "but you couldn't have made me more proud! I always wanted at least one Quidditch player in the family."

"I'm going to give it a go. I did well in Australia; I don't see why I couldn't repeat that success here."

"And this wouldn't have anything to do with Tavish Wood challenging you when he was seeing Lucy Ann now would it?"

"Of course not, Father," Liam said slyly. "I'm doing this for myself, but if I get to take him down a couple notches in the process…"

"Spoken like a true Malfoy," his father said proudly. "How about I skive off the rest of the afternoon and we go see your Mum? I know two girls who'd be very happy to see you."

He knew instinctively that his father's question was rhetorical so he could do nothing but wait for him to tie some loose ends so they could leave for his appointment with the executioner, err, his mother. He supposed it was better to get this over with sooner rather than later that way the sense of impending doom could fade a bit until the wedding festivities started to get going. How in the world did he get caught up in these things he pondered as he followed his father's lead and Apparated home.

Liam was unprepared for the noise that enveloped him as soon as he appeared in the foyer with a soft pop right after his father. The high pitched squeals of a little girl assaulted his eardrums causing an instant ache in his head. The sound of his mother's highly irritated voice caused him to cringe involuntarily.

"It'll be all right son," his father said, patting him on the back and leading the way into the game room. "You get used to the noise."

The squeals and pleas ceased the moment he stepped into the room. The little girl standing on a chair in the middle of the room regarded him warily, her mouth hanging open in mid-scream. She was draped in pale pink material that was half tailored into some sort of costume and her messy pale blonde hair fell around her shoulders untamed. The scarlet in her face from her protestations quickly blanched as she blinked at him, another scream erupting her from her tiny body, this time in horror.

Her mother's hand over her mouth silenced her just as she launched herself at her mother. "Ava Molly! How many times have I told you not to scream? You're going to be the princess, like it or not! Now stand still!"

Liam was nearly winded when his other sister's head collided hard with his stomach as she flung her arms around him. "Li Li! You're home," Rauri cried.

"Yes, Rug Rat, I'm home," he chuckled, hugging her back.

She smiled up at him, her brown eyes twinkling mischievously. "What'd you bring me?"

"Rauri," their father chastised. "That isn't polite. He's just arrived."

"So, my oldest child does remember where home is," his mother said, slowly untangling herself from her youngest child's death grip. "I was beginning to have my doubts."

"Hullo, Mum," Liam said contritely.

"Don't ‘hullo, Mum' me William Draco Malfoy! Just where have you been? Don't you know that I've been worried sick about you?"

"Come on, my little pixie faeries," their father said, holding out both his hands. "Let's go feed the ducks down at the pond."

Ava unceremoniously hoisted up her dress and carefully walked around Liam until she reached the safety of her father's waiting arms. "But Da, I'm not a pixie faerie! I'm a Quidditch player!"

Rauri tugged him down so she could wrap her arms around his neck and whisper in his ear, "It'll be over sooner if you just let her shout and you don't say anything."

After the door was firmly shut, he gave his Mum his best half smile.

"Don't even try with me. I've had years to grow immune to that little smile of yours," she said firmly. "I'm angry with you for disappearing for months without so much as an owl from you!"

"I know I was wrong, Mum. I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, Liam. Something could've happened and your father and I wouldn't have known unless it would've been written about in the Prophet like all your tarts!"

"My what?"

"You heard me! There wasn't a week that didn't go by without a picture of you and some tart living it up in Sydney while I sat here worrying myself to death because I hadn't heard from you! I had to hide the paper from your sisters!"

"Mum, I had no idea!"

"What was I supposed to tell them? "Oh your brother is too busy shagging all the witches Down Under to come see you?" Ava barely knows you!" She burst into tears just then, her bottom lip quivering. "Am I that bad of a mother that you feel like you have to stay away?"

Even though he knew it was coming, the guilt she laid on him settled in the pit of his stomach like a rock. It was probably worse than it should have been because he knew he deserved it. "No, Mum! It wasn't like that at all!"

"Then how was it? I don't understand why you feel the need to live in another country so far away from your family!"

"It had nothing to do with you all right?"

"Apparently it does! You saw Lucy Ann and Murphy and even your brother," she huffed.

"Mother, it isn't what you think," he bellowed in frustration. He could feel the pounding headache starting to gather strength behind his eyes again and he just wanted to put all of this to rest. He loved his Mum, but she could drive him nutters when she got on a rant.

"Then what was it?"

"It was a witch." There he said it and it wasn't so bad.

She frowned. "A witch?"

"Yes, a witch that I was desperately in love with, but I was terribly mistaken because she couldn't be bothered with me. She was too bloody busy with Wood." He mumbled the bit about Wood so that she really couldn't hear it. "I was humiliated by my friends as well because they all knew and didn't stop me. I just didn't want to be here for a while all right?"

His mum made a disparaging noise in her throat. "Well, apparently this witch doesn't know a good thing when she sees it therefore she's not good enough for you! Do I know her?"

"Mother, just stop please. I can't handle your meddling right now. I just got back," he stated firmly. He figured he might as well go all out with her. How much more angry could she possibly get?

She looked like she wanted to say something, but she bit her bottom lip instead. "You're right sweetheart. You did just get back home."

He snapped his jaw shut before she could say anything to him, but he continued to stare at her in disbelief. Had she just acquiesced? He could scarcely believe what he'd just heard. "Thank you," he managed to utter without belying too much of his shock.

His mum tried to gather him in her arms like she did when he was a little boy, but found that she couldn't because he towered over her. She opted for hugging him tight around the waist. "I just want you to be happy."

"I know, Mum." Liam wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. First the first time in a long time, he felt glad to be home. Mum and Da knew how to make everything all right.

"I want you to settle down with a nice witch, be happy and make me a Grandmum some day in the very distant future."

"That's what I've been trying to do, but it hasn't worked out quite right yet."

"You're still young yet," she said comfortingly before pulling back and eyeing him curiously. "It's Lucy Ann isn't it?"

"Goosey?" he said, brows furrowing.

"The witch that you're mooning over."

"I'm not mooning over anyone, Mother," he protested, pulling away to cross his arms defensively. Maybe he it was too soon to be glad he was home after all.

"Yes, well," she harrumphed. "She doesn't deserve you if she can't see what a fine catch you are after all these years."

"Mum," he warned in a low voice. "My love life isn't up for discussion."

"Of course, sweetheart," she said with a smile that told him that she was far from finished discussing the topic.

"I mean it, Mum."

"All right, all right! I promise not to meddle in your love life."

"Thank you."

"Then I probably shouldn't tell you that your father and I are hosting a small party for Murphy and Mere in a fortnight and you have to be there because you're the best man. Did anyone tell you that Lucy Ann is the maid of honor?" She gave him a sweet, innocent smile.

"No, I thought it was Stephie's turn," he groaned with the realization that his friends had just set him up. Sending Murphy to Australia when an owl would have sufficed should have been a major warning sign, but he refused to believe his best friend would do that to him. Well, he was on to them now.

"Apparently not." Liam could see the cogs turning in his mother's brain with this new bit of information. This was not a good sign. "But let's not talk of these things. Why don't you stay for dinner? I know the girls would love to spend some time with you."

Dinner was a pleasant affair, Rauri's bitter diatribe on her hatred of potatoes, particularly the mashed variety, aside. They spent time catching up on the events of the past few months - Liam's adventures in Australian Quidditch League; Rauri's top of the class standing and first prize in the Wee Witches Wandless Cooking Challenge; and Ava's landing the role of Princess in the annual St. George's kindergarten play.

"I did bring presents," Liam announced, settling on the floor in front of the fireplace in the game room.

Ava's bright blue eyes grew wide. "Pressies? For me?" He grabbed his baby sister making her squirm and squeal in delight as he tickled her mercilessly.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down, Li Li." Rauri joined in the fray until they were all rolling around on the thick shaggy rug and gasping for breath.

"All right," he said, finally sitting up again without being attacked. Ava immediately settled in his lap, obviously over her initial fear of him. "I brought each of you a shark tooth necklace. These are special because I caught the shark when I went coral reef fishing." He handed each girl a white stone necklace accented with green beads on which hung a small shark's tooth. "See, I have one and Murphy and Gareth do too."

"You killed a shark for his teeth?" Rauri asked in disbelief, holding the necklace between two fingers.

"Yes, and we had shark steaks for dinner that evening as well."

"Wicked," Ava chimed in as she tried to put her necklace on. "I want to eat shark too!"

"It isn't nice to kill animals for their teeth," Rauri said. "I'd rather have a koala bear."

"Rauri Narcissa, what do you say to your brother for being thoughtful enough to bring you a present?" their mother chided her.

"Thank you."

"Don't worry, Rug Rat. I brought other presents." He handled out gifts of stuffed animals, a boomerang that was charmed not to break anything, a hand-carved trinket box for his Mum, and jet and chalcedony Wizard's Chess set for his Da.

"I think it's well past two little witches' bedtime," Ginny announced after all the presents had been handed out and her youngest was struggling to stay awake through a rousing game of Gobstones.

Liam trailed behind his Mum up the stairs carrying Ava, who was sound asleep on his shoulder. He cast a cleansing charm on her before shaking her awake so she could put on her pyjamas while he said goodnight to Rauri.

She had already crawled in bed with her stuffed cat, Gigi, by the time he returned to say his goodnights to her. She hugged his neck tightly and whispered in his ear, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered back. "Now go to sleep like the good little witch I know you to be and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"Promise. We need to discuss this Tavish Wood poster of yours."

She smiled sleepily, pulling at her pyjamas that he could now see were covered in a team logo of some kind. "Puddlemere United is my favorite team, see?"

"We'll have to change that, Squirt."

"Uh uh," she protested, settling down so her mother could tuck her in tightly and kiss her before dampening the candle.

"Mummy?

"Yes, baby," she answered from the doorway.

"Can we keep Li Li?"

"Of course, we can baby, that is if he wants to be kept."

"Don't worry, Mum," Liam said with a smile, not wanting to miss any more of his sisters' lives than he all ready had. He figured his love life would work itself out on its own just as well here as anywhere else in the world. "I'm home to stay."

~*~