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Since they had found Luis during the waning gibbous moon, Stiles decided to perform the searching spell during the same window.
After almost a month, Peter had found no information on the current whereabouts of Luis' mother, Maria Lopez. The name was common enough that she had disappeared into the over-taxed Los Angeles hospital system. Luis knew enough about where he had come from to allow them to trace Luis and Maria back to their hometown along the Arizona-Mexico border but all that did was confirm their names. Because they had been living on the Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation, there was little official paperwork for Luis or his mother.
The only good news was that the local hospital had a record of Luis' home birth, which made him a US citizen and cleared up his problems with INS. Peter was arranging for Luis to have a US Passport so that the problem would be unlikely to happen again.
But there were no family records that could help them find Maria.
They left information with the Nation's hospital and the tribal office so that if someone came looking for Luis or his mother, they knew to contact Peter's law firm. Peter sent a small team to check out where Luis and Maria had lived, to see if there was anything there that would give them any clues. They brought back some personal belongings that had been left behind, but nothing helpful in finding Maria.
All Luis knew about their destination was Oregon and "Tia Elisabetha" -- and not whether she really was an aunt or even a relative.
"I'll need to take a bit of your blood," Stiles explained to Luis. "That will help me do the spell that I hope will help find your mom."
Luis' lower lip wobbled. "What if you can't find her?"
"You stay here," Stiles said firmly. "You have at least a touch of magic and I'll be glad to teach you what I can. We won't put you back into the system. And we have lots of plans in place in case something happens to us. There's Derek and my dad, to start, and others that you'll meet over time. It's the same thing we have for Jamie."
"Really?" Luis asked.
"Really!" Stiles promised.
Luis threw his arms around Stiles. "Thank you!"
Stiles hugged the boy closely.
While they waited for the waning moon, Luis went back to school. He had been ahead with his assignments as he had said but he had missed the friends he had made. Stiles had Luis bring his friends to the Sheriff's home for play dates, to maintain the security of the Den.
Peter had worked out an arrangement with the O'Hanrahans to allow Luis to move in with them and for Peter and Stiles to take over the foster-parent relationship. The O'Hanrahans were able to admit that, while Luis was not a problem at all, they had over-estimated their ability to handle an active young child. They were publicly grateful to Peter and Stiles for being available to help. Being related to the Sheriff helped with the needed paperwork and it was mostly a formality to be approved to take Luis into the Stilinski-Hale household.
After a hearty dinner on the selected night, and checking that Luis' homework was complete, they took a relatively straightforward path to the Nemeton, in deference to Luis. The tree would protect itself from strangers and wouldn't be found if it didn't want to be.
When they got to the tree, Luis looked around wide-eyed. "I can feel her!"
Stiles patted the tree. "She's a good tree. She helped us find you, you know!"
Luis gently touched the tree and softly said, "Thank you!"
"Okay, ready?" Stiles asked. Peter stood back, watching to make sure they would not be disturbed. No one should be around but they never assumed.
"Ready?" Stiles asked.
Luis nodded.
Stiles took out an athame and held Luis' hand over the tree. He pricked the boy's finger and let three drops of blood fall on the tree.
"Mother Mooon, we seek your help in finding family for our lost one, Luis."
Stiles nodded. Luis took a breath and said, "Mother Moon, I seek my family for I am lost."
Stiles continued the ritual. "Mother Moon, we ask for your help." Stiles placed his hand on the tree.
Stiles heard Peter's sudden intake of breath. He looked up and froze in place.
"We mean no harm," the ethereal figure said, their voice a thread of bird-song on the wind. "We come to help one who is part of us."
Luis is part Fae? Stiles was stunned.
"Youngling, you are part of our family. Not enough to walk the Path but one to be protected. Your magic comes from your mother, who is gravely ill. If you bring our cousin here, we can help her..."
"Mama! You know where she is!" Luis lit up.
"The Guardian will help you, youngling," the Fae went on, looking at Luis. "He can teach you much." A puff of mist came over Stiles.
"He is as one of ours and we will protect him," Stiles promised as the figure evaporated into dark night.