The Medinas

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Diego had often imagined what it would be like to introduce Sarah to his family as his girlfriend, but it had never looked like this. 

Sarah smiled and shook the hands of his parents, grandparents, and his aunt and uncle, though she could barely suppress a yawn after their long escape to the continent. She wore a baggy sweatshirt and jeans, which she'd had to transfigure from her light pajamas, and her hair hadn't been brushed in the over twenty-four hours they'd been traveling. 

Still, even Diego looked travel worn, and his family seemed ecstatic to finally meet the woman they'd been hearing so much about. Only his Abuela narrowed her eyes when introduced to Sarah, and it was subtle enough that she didn't notice. 

The journey had been tense. Fortunately, many of the group were muggleborn and understood about muggle transportation, and they were able to help the others navigate the wonders of purchasing a bus ticket. Still, it was the first time any of them had ventured farther than the farmyard on Evans Estate since they'd had to flee for their lives from Lord Voldemort's regime. The group of twenty people kept looking over their shoulders with ashen faces and cowering at alarming noises. 

Though she hid it well, Diego could tell Sarah was also furious with him for going back to get her as they escaped. 

"I wasn't about to leave you there!" he'd tried to explain under his breath on one of the buses. 

Sarah had stared out the window with folded arms. "You are the only hope these people have of getting to safety, and you abandoned them."

"Yes, to make sure you were safe. And I'd do it again."

No reply. 

At the villa, when Sarah wasn't being praised and teased in equal measure by his family, she stayed close to Penny, cuddling Sophia. 

The refugees were put at ease by Diego's jovial family, his four little cousins running around and vying for attention, and a tour of the villa and accompanying land. 

"So, you really don't have to deal with all this 'Dark Lord' stuff over here?" Merula asked as they strolled among the grapevines (the harvest had ended just before their arrival). 

"Not so much," said his father. "We knew something terrible was happening in England, but we were very surprised when Diego told us the truth. That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned. We nearly didn't believe him, yes?"

He nudged Diego's mother, who nodded as she pushed her thick, brown hair behind her. 

"All we knew here was the news from your ministry and rumors that friends and family we're going missing over there."

Dinner was a large affair, as it always was in the Caplan household. His Abuela cooked enough Chicken Paella to feed a hundred people rather than twenty, and she made sure to recruit plenty of help, too. 

"This one is useless," she finally said, gently shoving Sarah away so that Penny could flip the tortillas instead. 

"Sorry," muttered Sarah, hurrying to sit by his Abuelo instead. "I've always been a terrible cook."

"Don't you worry," chuckled Abuelo, wrapping an arm around Sarah and giving her a friendly shake. "A face that beautiful doesn't need to cook, yes Diego?"

Diego smiled, but said nothing.

"For myself, I prefer a full stomach to a full heart. That's why I married your Abuela."

Abuelo and Uncle Hugo laughed. Abuela shook her fork threateningly at him. "Careful Dulzura, or you won't need to see the future to know your bed will be found outside tonight."

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