CONFUNDUS; harry potter [UNDER EDITION]

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE

None of the letters inside the mailbox is from Harry. Lucca skips over them, trying to see if he accidentally missed it; more touristics places for the summer holidays, promotions and coupons and Christmas cards from distant relatives who won't make it to the celebrations. Nothing. Harry hasn't replied and Lucca isn't affected because by now everyone has returned home for the winter break, so maybe he is busy and Lucca shouldn't be angry. But he is. He has sent the mirror, so why isn't Harry calling him? Did he even get it? What if it got lost in the Floo-Mail? Owls are certainly more effective but he won't hear Pablo rant about the new law regarding animal abuse and the prohibition of birds to deliver letters.

"Nothing, I suppose," Daniel mumbles when Lucca drops the stack of mail on the counter. "Must be busy, Lu. Don't worry about it."

"If you are done mopping, come and help," Nora grunts as she peels yet another orange.

Lucca smirks, deep down knowing Nora has grown fond of Harry in the short time he was there. He didn't mention it over the letter, waiting to surprise Harry himself. She seems to be against it, more out of routine than anything, but more than once, in the past three months, Nora has set the table for four people and mentioned how quiet her mornings were.

Sitting next to his grandmother, Lucca grabs the washed strawberries and begins to chop them into smaller pieces and toss them inside the huge cauldron. Fruit salad, a Christmas classic. This years' Christmas will be celebrated in Great-Grandma's place, the Giordano Headquarters as Paz likes to call it. Lucca isn't sure what to expect from seeing his extended relatives once again. He vaguely remembers his Great-Grandmother Allegra Giordano, a broad-shouldered Italian woman who wouldn't dare to speak Spanish even in her dying breath (which is predicted to be soon). He is surprised she is even alive at this point, with 134 years old in her pocket, blind due years of Seeing and in a wheelchair that takes her to bingo every Friday night. Lucca didn't like her back then, he doesn't know if he will like her now. Allegra Giordano is proud to be the daughter of a Seer who contributed to a civil conflict back in Italy. She boasts about magic and bloodlines, and she doesn't like when they don't open their Inner Eyes.

There was a time when Francesca visited after she had an accident falling down the stairs, and Lucca was forced to tag along. It was creepy, how a blind woman stared at him and mumbled to herself before maniacally laughing, screaming, 'MAGIC IS ALIVE IN OUR BLOODS!'

She praised Francesca for breeding such a beautiful and powerful lineage. The moment was forgotten with the rest of his traumatic experiences. He reckons Allegra's obsession with the Inner Eye must have been the reason his mother became fiercely overprotective of them. Francesca, who never experienced a vision but could read the stars and her magic pulled tarot cards with peeks of the future, wanted them to hide. Then, the curse happened and it got worse.

Lucca won't lie about being nervous. That woman gives him the creeps.

He isn't sure if she knows. Either about his deal with the Grim or his lack of visions or whatever happened to him back in England.

"Lucca, your mirror is buzzing," says Daniel.

"Just tap twice with your wand, must be Milan," he replies.

His grandfather holds up the mirror and taps it twice with his own wand, his face breaks in a huge grin. "Oh! Look at you, Mils. My beautiful girl, how are you? Preparing little Irene for her first Christmas?"

"Little Irene hasn't stopped crying the whole night," Milan's voice sounds irritated and tired. "That's mostly why I called. Is grandma around?"

At the mention of Irene, both, Nora and Lucca, move to stand behind Daniel. Milan's eyes are red with dark circles beneath. Her face is still puffy but she looks well, healthy, just tired.