Chapter 19: Once Upon a Time
Rumpelstiltskin. The Evil Queen.
Those were fairytale characters. Even Harry knew that and Aunt Petunia had never told him any of those stories.
Hearing that boy, Henry say that was who his sister and father were…he didn't know what to think.
Well, Gold wasn't like Rumpelstiltskin or at least the Rumpelstiltskin that Harry picture. A tiny imp who was idiotic enough to make a bargain with a woman to guess his name. Gold wouldn't be that stupid. His bargains were always ironclad. It went with being a lawyer, Harry figured.
Plus, he never saw him spin straw into gold.
He did sew though, that was probably somewhat suspicious.
And what about Regina?
Was she an evil queen?
No. His sister was one of the nicest adults he knew. She saved him for his mother. She couldn't be the woman who had tried to kill Snow White, the princess in the fairytale.
But then, Harry remembered the conversation he had with her.
How Regina had said she done things that weren't exactly nice. Was it possible?
He sighed heavily. He couldn't deal with this right now. He knew he was supposed to stay in the library, but Harry needed to get out. Only when he tried to run out, he found he couldn't.
Gold had set up wards.
Perfect.
Even further ruining his fun, was that Belle seemed to somehow be alerted to him trying to leave.
"Harry?" She said looking at him. "I thought you were talking to Henry?"
"I need to be alone." He stated.
She eyed him cautiously. "Are you okay?"
Why did everyone ask that?
Harry sighed heavily. "That kid is weird."
Belle sighed. "He's your nephew."
"No one knows it," Harry said as she pulled him towards her office. "He's creepy. He said some things about Gold and Regina, they can't be true."
Belle looked at him as she motioned for him to sit on one of her chairs. The office reminded Harry strangely of Gold. It was actually no surprise, since most of the furnishings came from Gold's office. Including a cup that matched the chip one they had setting on their china table. Save for the fact, it didn't have a chip.
Harry offered to do a repairing charm on the cup that was chipped, but he quickly told not to bother. That part of the charm of the piece was its chip.
"What did he say?" Belle said.
"That they're fairytale characters." Harry said. "He's off his rocker, right?"
Belle sighed. "Not exactly. I know that Rumple didn't want to overwhelm you, but I think it's time to tell you the truth about The Enchanted Forest."
"Then it is true then. That he can steals babies and Regina poisons princesses."
"It's a little bit more complicated than that." Belle said, "You know, the world isn't black and white, Harry."
He sighed. "But…"
"Your father and Regina have both made mistakes." Belle said, "They can't change their past. They do love you though."
"But they're fairytale characters. Villains."
"Yes." Belle said. "Though, I don't think they'd exactly be fairytale characters since they're real breathing people."
Harry sighed heavily. "I don't know how I feel about this."
"You want to go to Granny's?" Belle asked.
Harry shook his head. "I…I don't know what I want Belle. I thought I was starting to understand all of this, but I'm even more confused."
"I'll get your father."
"Don't." He pleaded.
The last thing he wanted to do right now was to see either his father or Regina.
Belle sighed. "You're going to have to face them, eventually."
Harry sighed. "I need to think. This is too much."
"You knew he was The Dark One." Belle said.
"Yeah, but not freaking Rumpelstiltskin. I'm related to a baby stealing imp."
"He's never actually stole a baby. Cinderella sold him her child."
"A baby buyer, that's even better. And seriously, Cinderella?"
"The deal fell through."
Belle wasn't helping the situation.
"It is more complicated than it appears, Harry."
"How did you two get together?" He finally found himself asking.
Because he didn't get it. How could someone like Belle be with a baby buyer. Or Rumpelstiltskin. Rumple stinking stilkin out of all the fairytale characters to be related to…
She murmured something about how it was complicated.
"I need to take a walk, Belle."
"It's too dangerous." She said, "Rumple set up those wards for a reason, Harry."
Harry shook his head.
"I can take you to the pawn shop or to see Regina." Belle said hopefully, "They can explain probably better than me."
"I don't want to see Gold or Regina." Harry said his eyes unbeknownst to him at that moment appeared to glow causing Belle to step back.
All Harry wanted was to get out of the stupid library. He needed to be alone someplace, anywhere. Away from Belle. Away from that boy, Henry. Away from everyone. He just wanted to be alone.
And then suddenly he was gone, no longer in the library.
He could hear the ocean. He gasped. Harry had never been to the ocean before or even seen it. It was startling how vast and blue it was. And how peaceful it. The air felt good too. Not stuffy like the library. Brisk. He could smell the salt.
Harry could just sit there all day.
Unfortunately, while Storybrooke might've been a small town it wasn't that small of a town.
"Are you okay?"
He turned around to see a small brunette eying him.
He tried to place her with his knowledge of fairytale lore, but he couldn't. It wasn't that surprising since he would've never thought his own sister was the evil queen.
Harry just shook his head.
"You're Harry." The woman said. "Emma's mentioned you. You're Belle's son?"
He nodded. Of course, now he understood the Belle lie even more. Who would want to be related to Rumpelstiltskin.
"My name's Mary Margret." She said, "I'm Emma's mom."
"But…"
"I'm too young, I get that a lot. Are you okay, sweetie? You really shouldn't be out here like this."
Harry sighed. "I needed to get some air."
Mary Margret nodded. "How do you feel about getting some hot chocolate?"
"I don't want to go to Granny's." Harry said. He'd easily get spotted at Granny's. And Gold, no Rumpelstiltskin would come there and force him to go home.
Mary Margret didn't seem to take his dislike to Granny's to heart. Instead, she said. "I wasn't going to recommend Granny's anyway. I make a mean hot chocolate myself and I have a special ingredient."
"Special ingredient?" Harry asked.
"Cinnamon!" Mary Margret said as if it was the best thing in the world.
Harry frowned, "I'm allergic to cinnamon."
"Oh," Mary Margret said with a frown. "That's okay. We'll do it without the cinnamon I always had to do that for…"
"For, who?"
"It doesn't matter." The woman said, "I still can make a pretty awesome hot chocolate with marshmallows. Now, come on, you must be freezing."
It was pretty cold for July, Harry had to admit, and the hot chocolate tasted pretty darn good too.
Mary Margret was ridiculously nice. She had to be a princess. He had to admit while being around her, he sort of got how Regina was not a princess. Mary Margret was ridiculously nice, Regina wasn't. Well, she was nice to Harry, but snarky. He could tell that Mary Margret would never snark or say anything remotely sarcastic. Instead, she knit and wove baskets.
Which was nice.
Harry would like to have a mother like her, a nice normal mother. Instead, he had Cora. Who gave birth to his sister The Evil Queen. And his father was the fairytale version of a baby broker.
"You look tense, Harry." Mary Margret said offering him a muffin (they were gluten free).
Harry shrugged. "It's just an adjustment, that's all."
"I imagine so." The woman said. "I didn't know Belle had any kids. So, it's sort of a shock to all of us. You know, I was friends with your mother once upon a time."
That didn't surprise him. Belle would hang out with someone like Mary Margret. They both had that ethereal princess like quality about them. Which made Belle and Gold look even weirder.
"I never knew that she and Gaston were involved."
"Who?" Harry asked.
"Your father." Mary Margret said seeming surprised that Harry didn't know about the man.
Harry shrugged using the line Belle told him to say. "By all accounts Mr. Gold is my father."
Mary Margret didn't say anything but sadly nodded her head. "Well, I knew your birth father too growing up. I can sort of understand Belle's reluctance about talking about him. It's amazing that those two actually got together."
"Well, I'm proof." Harry said.
"I guess you are," Mary Margret said with a smile. "I'm trying to figure out who you take after more, actually. It's weird. You don't remind me of really either of them."
Harry shrugged. "It must have been an even split."
"Must have." She said before adding, "Sure, you're not Gold's."
He paled.
She laughed, "It was just a joke, Harry. God knows, you're not evil enough to be the Dark One's spawn."
He didn't know how this made him feel. A part of him wanted to defend his father, but then again he was Rumpelstiltskin. He had done some horrible things. But even though Harry knew that, he couldn't' help but think about the man who had been caring or him that week. Although, Gold might be slightly creepy he did care for Harry. That much was obvious.
That's because you're his burden, a voice in the back of his mind said.
"Harry," Mary Margret said looking at him. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," He said.
Mary Margret looked like she was going to say something else when the door to her apartment opened and a tall man walked into the room.
He had to be a prince, Harry thought as he eyed the man's tall built. He looked regal and not creepy, like Harry's own father. Also, it would make sense if Mary Margret married a prince because she had to be a princess.
"Snow, I'm….oh, hello." The man said spotting Harry.
"David, this is Harry." Mary Margret said to the man.
"As in Just Harry?" David asked, "Belle's son?"
"Seriously, why does everyone keep referring to me as Just Harry."
"It's an Emma thing," David said. "We never asked. It's nice to see you, a bit of a surprise, but nice. But…"
"David." Mary Margret cut him off. "I saw Harry on the beach, I invited him in for hot chocolate."
"Oh," David said. "Well, Snow makes some excellent hot chocolate."
"Snow," Harry said. "As in Snow White? So that makes you Prince Ferdinand?
"Prince who?" David asked.
"It's a Disney Wiki thing." Harry said. "So, it's David then."
"I call him Charming." Snow said.
"Isn't that Cinderella's prince? Or is that another Disney thing?"
"Disney?" Mary Margret said for a second, "Oh, yeah, I forgot those movies. You really must not remember a lot about the Enchanted Forest, huh?"
"Not really." Harry said looking down at his feet.
"It's okay." David said as if saying that would cheer Harry up.
And it sort of did. At least he didn't look at him like he was nuts like Henry.
"I think I'm going to make some cookies," Mary Margret said breaking up the awkwardness some more, "Do you like break and bake, Harry."
He shrugged. He had no idea what she was talking. Charming or David, whatever his name was, started talking to him. About fishing of all things.
It seemed so normal.
This was how it was suppose to be, Harry thought. For a brief moment he wondered how it would be if David and Mary Margret were his parents rather than Rumple—no, he was going to call him Gold not that ridiculous name—and Cora.
It would still be weird, sure, but he was sure if he was the child of David and Mary Margret he'd never have to worry about either one of them killing him. Though, he'd have to worry about Regina since she was the Evil Queen apparently.
But Regina wasn't that scary.
At least to him.
Like Mary Margret, it was relaxing being around David. Harry knew nothing about fishing, but he sort of wanted to go now. Of course, imagining fishing with Gold was ridiculous since he doubted the man would ever go fishing since it would require him to wear something other than a suit. And knowing Gold, he'd probably crack a remark how he could zap up a fish.
Which is probably what Harry would do too, but it was nice hearing something so normal for once.
David was talking about tackle boxes (yeah, it was starting to get a little boring) when the door opened.
"Grandpa!" A voice called.
Harry's body froze up. He recognized that voice and he did not like its owner.