Sorry for such a long delay-every time I sat down to write something came up and I never got round to actually writing an entire chapter

As always, this story is dedicated to my inspiration, Harn-Gin and their story Summer Lessons.

Just to remind people this is AU after Sirius's death. So no flamers please. Also, Harry is learning to accept all sorts of society, including those he doesn't like, hence he is sent to a family who would willingly meet with the Malfoy's. Dumbledore knows this and I believe he trusts the Tonkses to do the right thing and to keep Harry safe.

Disclaimer: Since I often forget to write this it covers all chapters. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, not me

'I still say it was too dangerous Dromeda!'

Harry blinked as Ted's voice returned him to the world of waking. He remained where he was on the sofa, lying still; and keeping his eyes shut. He had no desire to get up yet.

'Quiet Ted! You'll wake him,' snapped Andromeda in reply.

Deciding to try and head off an impedending argument Harry regretfully sat up, not needing to fake a yawn.

It's alright, I'm already awake,' he said, ignoring the thick tension in the air. 'How was your visit yesterday?'

'My sister and I have reached a satisfactory agreement and in a week's time Cissa will be staying here for tea. I shall have to teach you correct table manners before then.'

'It's madness! She'll invite along her death eater scum of a husband and we'll all be killed the moment we open the front door!' Ted was starting to sound a little hysterical and Harry realised too late that it wasn't the best thing to have mentioned. But it would have cropped up sooner or later so it was best to just get it over with.

'A Death eater he may be but you forget that Lucius was a good friend of mine at Hogwarts! He won't try to kill me and Cissa would never harm me,' retorted Andromeda, drawing herself up to her full height, making Harry flinch slightly at the sudden reminder of her relation to Bellatrix.

'A friend who abandoned you the moment you married me!'

Harry stood surreptiously and tried to back out the room.

'You know why! You just don't want me to reunite with my family. Scared I'll leave you Ted?' snarled Andromeda, having at some point drawn her point and was waving it around agitatedly, at her least composed since Harry had met her. But even furious she still looked graceful and sophisticated, each angry gesture a perfect unfurl of her arm, like a trained dancer. Harry wondered if she'd teach him how to do that. It certainly looked intimidating.

'Please stop!' he cried, hated that he had caused this argument. 'I'm sorry I brought it up!'

Both spun round to face him, Andromeda had her wand raised threateningly and Harry couldn't help the startled step back he took, nor the fear that flashed across his face. It seemed to snap Andromeda out of her angry though and she looked slightly shocked.

'I am very sorry you had to see that Harry,' she said, sounding honest, once more completely composed. Her wand had vanished back into the sleeve of her robe.

'Yeah, I'm sorry kiddo,' said Ted sheepishly, still looking a little ruffled.

'That's fine just please don't argue,' said Harry, hating how much like a little kid he sounded.

'Now how about some breakfast,' said Ted with mock cheerfulness.

Andromeda shook her head, looking at Harry appraisingly.

'No one is having breakfast until they look presentable,' she ordered and Ted meekly bowed his head because guiding Harry upstairs.

'Just do what you did yesterday kiddo,' he said with a smile as they climbed the stairs. 'You impressed Dromeda, even if she didn't show it.'

With a wink he slipped into his room.

Harry turned and entered his own room. He immediately headed for the wardrobe and pulled it open. The sight of all those clothes was a scary one. It looked a bit like something he'd expect Draco Malfoy's wardrobe to look like; though he wouldn't be surprised if Malfoy's wardrobe was bigger than this entire room. Seriously, Malfoy was such a girl when it came to clothes and his appearance. Harry was sure Malfoy spent hours preening himself before going down for breakfast. Irritating little ferret.

Forcing away his annoyed thoughts Harry closed his eyes before pulling out a shirt and a pair of trousers at random. He opened his eyes to see a silk emerald green shirt and a pair of plain black trousers. Was he supposed to wear this? He'd look like Malfoy for sure! Should he wear one of the robes? Ted didn't wear robes in the house but Andromeda did….

Groaning at the unfairness of it all but too terrified of Andromeda to protest Harry changed into the new clothes, deciding against wearing a robe as it really wasn't necessary for breakfast, placing his worn clothes in a basket Ted had pointed out to him yesterday. The house elves would clean his stuff and make sure everything was pristine as always.

Harry glanced at himself in the full length mirror. He looked…surprisingly good. His hair was a mess again though. He'd have to ask Andromeda to reapply the charm. He took one last look in the mirror. The emerald shirt did look good with his eyes …

He pushed away any vain thoughts. He was still Harry Potter, the boy who had grown up in the cupboard under the stairs. It wouldn't do for him to get a big head. Not now.

Knowing he'd spent too much time upstairs already, Harry exited his room and traipsed downstairs, nervous if Andromeda's reaction. He entered the dining room, hands clasping and unclasping as he looked up at Andromeda, finding himself desperate for her approval. It almost made him feel like he had a mother.

'Much better,' said Andromeda appraisingly and Harry felt his entire body sag with relief. 'Posture straight!'

Harry's body, remembering the years of uncle Vernon's barked orders, immediately stood to attention.

'Relax lad,' said Ted with a gentle smile. 'Dromeda's just getting a little over excited.'

Harry couldn't help but return Ted's smile as he took a seat.

'Your hair is a mess again though,' announced Andromeda, pulling out her wand, ignoring Harry's slight flinch. 'The charm is Rectus.' She demonstrated the wand movement slowly.

'But I can't do magic outside of Hogwarts,' pointed out Harry sadly.

'Of course you can,' said Andromeda imperiously. 'That rule was introduced for the mugglebnorns sake and no self-respecting pureblood follows it. There are wards round most pureblood homes to prevent underage magic from being detected, though in most cases the magic registered is simply thought to be that of their parents or family.'

With a slightly nervous grin Harry took out his hand and copied the wand movement.

'Rectus,' he said clearly. He raised a hand up to feel his hair. It certainly didn't feel any different. No owl arrived either.

'Look.' Ted conjured a mirror and held it up for Harry to see.

He gasped. His hair was the not the dead straight that it had been when Andromeda cats the charm, but instead fell in neat waves. It reminded him a little if Sirius. Harry immediately felt a wash of sorrow roll over him. He missed Sirius so much….

'Cheer up lad, it looks great,' said Ted with a broad smile and Harry returned a smile tentively.

'Any questions before we begin?' asked Andromeda, banishing the mirror with a flick of her wand. 'Oh and dancing lessons will begin tomorrow.'

Harry pulled a face at that. Dancing….He racked his brains for the question he wanted to ask. What was it Ted had said?

'What does "it's improper to ask a guest to call you by their title when they are of equal status even if they are underage" mean?' he asked after a pause. I had been nagging him ever since he heard Ted say it. It sounded like so silly Pureblood rule to him.

'In the Pureblood circles many family lines are dying out. Also with a lot of people dying in the last war—' and this one, thought Harry as his mind drifted once more to Sirius '—there were many old family's that were left with heir's or Head of Houses not out of Hogwarts, much like yourself. Since they had to stay with someone, who more often than not was a lesser family member or godparent, new rules on formality had to be created. Hence, the current rule. You may be underage but your head of household, of two old Pureblood families once you turn seventeen holds great sway. You will be a very powerful person. Neither Ted nor I am a powerful person in such technicalities. Therefore it would not be proper for you to defer to us.'

'Oh,' said Harry, mind whirring. Well that answered his question. Now he just had to work out what it meant.

'Now for an introduction to table manners,' said Andromeda, waving her wand and causing silver cutlery to appear in each of their places at the table. Harry stared at them in confusion. There were three rows of cutlery, plus spoons. This was much too complicated already!

'You start from the outside and work inwards,' instructed Andromeda. 'We'll be using these at dinner but for now we will work on the correct way to hold each piece as well as these.' Fish knives and an assortment of other cutlery Harry had never even seen before or known existed appeared and he balked.

'Now this is a—' Andromeda was cut off as the door rung. She exchanged a frown with Ted.

'Wonder who that is?' said Ted in confusion as he rose from his seat to open the door.

Sitting in silence Harry heard the sound of loud voices before Ted returned with a beaming smile on his face.

A purple haired witch followed him in.

'Watcha Harry.'