A Warm Welcome
Harry had just finished setting up his bookshelf when a knock at the door made him pause. He wasn’t expecting visitors.
Wiping his hands on his jeans, he walked over and pulled the door open, only to be met with the bright, cheerful face of a young girl holding a pie.
“Hello!” she chirped. “I’m Yuzu Kurosaki. I live next door with my family. We saw you move in, so I thought I’d bring you something as a welcome gift.”
Harry blinked in surprise, glancing down at the pie. It smelled amazing—warm and fresh, like something straight out of the Burrow’s kitchen.
For a moment, he hesitated. He wasn’t used to this—kindness without expectation. But then, he gave her a small smile and stepped aside. “Thank you, Yuzu. Would you like to come in?”
Her face lit up. “Really? Sure!”
She stepped inside, glancing around curiously as Harry led her to the small table in his living room. He quickly cleared off a few books before sitting down across from her.
“You made this yourself?” he asked, gesturing to the pie.
She nodded proudly. “Yep! I do most of the cooking at home. My dad’s awful at it.”
Harry chuckled. “I know a few people like that.”
As he cut them both a slice, Yuzu looked around before settling her gaze on him. “So, you moved here all by yourself?”
“Yeah,” he said simply. “Just looking for a quiet place to live.”
“Well, Karakura’s a nice town. A little weird sometimes, but nice!” She smiled. “My family’s lived here for years. There’s my dad, my older sister Karin, and my older brother Ichigo.”
Harry nearly choked on his bite of pie. Ichigo? The name sounded familiar—where had he heard it before?
Yuzu didn’t seem to notice his reaction. “My dad runs a clinic, but he’s really loud and kind of embarrassing. Karin’s more serious, and Ichigo—well, he acts tough, but he’s a good person.”
Harry nodded, storing the name away in his mind. He had a feeling this wasn’t the last time he’d hear it.
“Thanks for the welcome, Yuzu,” he said after a moment. “I appreciate it.”
She grinned. “No problem! If you ever need anything, just come by. We’re neighbors, after all!”
As she left, Harry watched her go, a strange feeling settling in his chest.
He had moved here for peace, but something told him that being neighbors with the Kurosaki family meant things were about to get very interesting.