It's the long awaited update! Don't faint –it's for real, even gave me a shock!

This is an AU fic, started before book five, therefore Mrs Arabella Figg is, in my universe, a retired Auror who was asked to live as a muggle in order to further protect the Boy-Who-Lived.

Hand-Me-Down Clothes

Chapter Nine

That damn bird of his, it was huffing! Oh yes it was definitely giving him the evil eye, ridiculous flouncing peacock of a pest…

Severus Snape glowered at the bird perched by the door, and turned his back on it, shifting to his other foot, curling his hands restlessly around each other he impatiently waited to be acknowledged by the silver haired man, seated in front of him behind an oval desk, covered in various bits of paper and a muggle newspaper. For the last five minutes Severus had been trying to read it upside down, as Dumbledore was engrossed in writing a letter and had as yet given no sign he knew Severus was there.

Even as he thought this, the Headmaster set aside his quill and ink, rolled and sealed the letter and looked up at him.

'Ah, Severus Snape.'

If that wasn't enough to give Severus the willies, the man didn't invite him to sit, have tea, or even have a sherbet lemon, oh he was in really really deep shit.

'Do you have anything to say?' Dumbledore asked, an eyebrow rising from a twinkle-less eye.

Severus gritted his teeth.

'No,' he spat, and then seeing the eyebrow lower again, added: 'Sir.'

Dumbledore sighed, with the world weary tone a mother uses on her naughty children, Severus caught it, and scowled that he should be treated so.

'If you act like a sulky school boy, Severus, so shall I treat you,' admonished Albus, with that astonishing ability to see directly into your mind.

Uncomfortably, Severus shifted to his other foot and attempted to clear his mind, he never truly expected to win against Dumbledore in a battle of Legilimens, something about the man made you incredibly open. Perhaps it was that damn twinkle –there it was again, as if the man found his thoughts amusing, him amusing! It was an offence to the very Slytherin core of his being!

'Oh, Severus,' said Albus, chuckling lightly. 'This will stop.'

'What?' he demanded.

Dumbledore simply looked at him, and for some reason Snape found himself slightly ashamed, which annoyed him to no end.

'Harry is not James,' said Dumbledore firmly.

'Could've fooled me,' muttered Snape.

'You are fooling yourself,' said the Headmaster. 'You will not find peace for your tortured memories in bullying Harry. You would do much better to befriend the boy, -'

'Are you mad?' interrupted Severus, eyes bulging.

'I believe that question has already been addressed by many parties,' replied Albus seriously, 'but on this issue, I can assure you I am completely sane… I think.'

'I'm not making friends with the boy!' snapped Severus.

'No?' said Dumbledore, perching his fingers and leaning back in his chair, his light blue eyes intense on Snape's.

'No!' exclaimed Severus, forcefully.

Dumbledore made a vague noise in the back of his throat.

'No,' said Snape again, sounding a little unsure.

Another vague noise, and a slight tilt of the head, Snape began to feel desperate.

'I hate the boy!'

'Tsk!' said Dumbledore. 'You don't know the boy!'

'I know I hate him, he's just like his-'

'He is not just like his father, but! you wouldn't know that because you don't know the boy.'

'And have no desire to,' snarled Snape, wondering if he could make it to the window if he sprinted, unless of course, the old sod had nailed the windows shut.

'No?' asked Dumbledore again, with that infinitesimal touch of curiosity.

'No!' said Snape, twitching.

'As you wish,' said Dumbledore, calmly, waiting.

'I wish!' said Snape, furiously.

'What do you wish?'

'To leave!'

'As you wish. Would you mind looking after Harry for an hour after lunch though, I'm afraid I'm dreadfully busy.'

'Yes, yes, of course!' hissed Severus, frantic to make his escape.

'Good, good, my apologies for taking up your time.'

'Uh,' said Severus, now completely wrong-footed, was Dumbledore, apologising… he shook his head and turned to leave, befuddled.

'Oh just one more thing, Severus,' called Dumbledore, cheerfully. Snape paused in the act of reaching for the handle, fixed his face into a grimace of accommodating pleasure and swivelled to see two steely grey eyes fixed like gimlets upon his own.

'Make one harsh move or word to Harry and the consequences will be more than dire. Hearken to me well Severus, for I do not 'fool' around on this, harm the boy, and I harm you, understood?'

Severus dumbly nodded.

'Good,' smiled Dumbledore benignly, 'Have a wonderful time this afternoon!'

And Severus Snape left. About three steps down the hallway he started screaming.

^*"^*"^

'…And then I turned and raced back towards Granddad, really fast, and Granddad laughed but Mrs McGonagall dived out the way and Madame Hooch was jumping up and down, really excited and-'

'Harry,' interrupted Mrs Figg.

'Yes, Mrs Figg?'

'I take it you like flying?'

'Yes! It's great! I can-'

'Good good, but do you suppose you could take me to see Duh-Granddad?'

'Oh, okay,' Harry looked a bit crestfallen. They were stood in the foyer and Mrs Figg, once again clad in robes, rather than those dreadfully uncomfortable and restricting muggle clothes, looking approvingly at Harry's change of clothing and attitude.

'I came to see you too, Harry, but I must see Granddad first, about something very important,' she explained, her words soothing the lines from his forehead.

'Okay,' Harry smiled. 'He's in his office, he sent me to answer the doorbell.' He puffed out his chest, obviously feeling very important, Mrs Figg hid a smile and then scowled as they started up a staircase, leading to another staircase, which, she now recalled, led to another staircase, damn this blasted school.

Some time later they reached the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office, on seeing Harry it winked and leapt aside, even as Dumbledore opened the door at the top of his office to look down upon them.

'I was beginning to wonder what was keeping you,' he said, his form illuminated from behind with the light in his room.

Mrs Figg said something beneath her breath, which, had Harry been paying closer attention, would have been unforgivable, but little Harry was looking exceedingly depressed.

'What brings you to my neck of the woods, Arabella?' enquired Dumbledore politely, offering her a seat in front of his desk: she sat with a relieved sigh, before fixing him with a look that could strip paint.

'Just how long were you planning to wait?'

'Wait?'

'Until you informed the Ministry!' snapped Mrs Figg.

'Oh, that,' said Albus, as if it were something that had just slipped his mind.

'Yes that!' glared Mrs Figg, now looking furious.

'Would you like some tea?'

'Albus! The Minister is coming, today! He hit the roof when he heard! Dumbledore, you fool!'

'Now, Arabella,' gently protested the so insulted man.

'He's going to take Harry away! Idiot!' barked Mrs Figg, actually looking quite upset.

There was a soft cry from the window seat, both adults swivelled to see Harry looking absolutely distraught.

'I knew that was why you came!' cried Harry. 'I'm going to be taken away!'

Dumbledore looked at Mrs Figg and then back to Harry, firmly he said:

'No Harry, I am not going to allow you to be taken away.'

Mrs Figg's lips tightened, and she made a disapproving noise, it was quite clear she believed Dumbledore was giving the boy false hopes, Harry heard and understood.

'You promised!' said Harry, looking betrayed. 'You promised, you gave me your word, you said: "never ever ever"!'

Albus Dumbledore stepped quickly over to Harry and knelt before the small boy, he clasped Harry's shoulders, looked him in the eye and spoke with all his heart.

'Harry, I swear to you that my promise stands, and will not be broken, the Minister will not be able to take you from me, I will never ever allow that, do you believe me?'

Harry's emerald eyes watered, he was terribly afraid he was going to have to go back to the Dursleys, back to being unwanted, unhappy, living in a cupboard, wearing hand-me-down clothes and most of all, being unloved.

'Harry,' whispered Dumbledore, a tear in his eye, whatever it was he saw in Harry's eyes hurt him. 'I love you, child.'

There was a moment of tense silence, and then Harry gave a great gasp, to swallow his tears, 'Please don't let them take me away, Granddad.'

'Never in a million years, Harry,' said Dumbledore, eyes shining, his face set in a determined fashion.

Harry gave a tentative little smile, and to Dumbledore it was the brightest sunray in the world, the old man lifted a hand to brush away a tear and Harry flew into his arms.

'Oh thank you Granddad, thank you, thank you!' said little Harry Potter, still feeling as though every happiness was a favour and not a gift, new to love and joy.

'Shush, dear boy, no thanks is needed, am I not your granddad?' and it was as he said this that blinding realisation struck. 'Of course!' he muttered beneath his breath, excitedly. 'Harry, how would you like to be my real Grandson?'

Harry lifted his head curiously. 'Aren't I already?' he queried.

'Yes, yes, but what if you were in name as well as deed?'

'Oh no Albus,' said Mrs Figg. 'Are you off your rocker?'

'Not in this, no,' said Dumbledore, standing and wondering if there was something about his moustache today, making him look odder than usual.

'I don't understand,' said Harry.

'Would you like to be adopted, Harry?' asked Dumbledore, quite seriously, grinning widely.

'Adopted?' said Harry, looking alarmed. 'By who?'

'By whom,' corrected Mrs Figg, sounding remarkably like Mrs McGonagall.

'Me of course!' laughed Albus, 'Who else had you in mind?'

'You? You're going to adopt me?' asked Harry.

'If you …' Dumbledore paused. 'Do you think it's a good idea?'

'I think it's a brilliant idea!' said Harry, jumping up onto Dumbledore's lap, as the Headmaster took his seat. 'Can you?'

'I don't see why not,' beamed Dumbledore.

'Dumbledore,' said Mrs Figg, sourly. 'The ministry will never allow you to adopt the Boy-Who-Lived.'

'Oh yes they will,' disagreed Dumbledore, calmly.

'Oh no they –' Figg stopped. 'Dumbledore, he is-'

'And I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.'

The argument ceased. Mrs Figg, ex-auror, reflected mentally that Dumbledore was quite right: the ministry was not going to deny the most powerful light wizard in the world from adopting a little boy. Especially if he did that, the Minister would wet his pants.

'It's no use crying over spilt milk,' she said under her breath, eventually. 'I wish you both all the luck in the world. Don't forget to write, Harry Potter-Dumbledore.'

'Do you have to go?' asked Harry sadly.

'I must, the Minister may be arriving anytime, and I cannot be seen to have 'tipped you off'.'

'I understand, Arabella,' said Dumbledore, nodding his head, his blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at her. 'Thank you.'

'It wouldn't have been necessary if you'd only called the Minister,' she muttered nearly under her breath, grumpy at the thought of walking down all those stairs again.

'Allow Fawkes,' offered Dumbledore, politely, and with much relief Mrs Figg avoided the stairs and left instead, in a spectacular blaze of flame.

'I suspect he did that to impress you,' said Dumbledore, looking down at a very impressed Harry.

'Will she be burnt?' asked a concerned Harry.

'No,' said Dumbledore, confidently.

'Will I really get your name?'

'You will have my name, if you wish.'

'I wish!' said Harry, happily, immediately reminding Dumbledore of someone else.

'Ah,' said the wise man. 'I will have much to do this afternoon Harry, would you mind if one of the other professors took care of you?'

Harry thought about it. 'I come back to you at tea?'

'Oh yes!' said Dumbledore. 'It is just for the afternoon, Harry.'

Harry nodded solemnly in agreement just as Dumbledore's office door crashed open.

'Hello Severus,' Dumbledore said, without looking up, Harry's face was the picture of impending doom- he was such a bright boy. 'There's been a change of plans…'

^*"^*"^

Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, Order of Merlin First Class (which truth to tell, came with the office, unless you already had one of course- like Dumbledore), was puffed. He was huffed and he was puffed but certainly not up to blowing any houses down, it had just started to rain, the fat heavy rain of summer storms, and to top it off, it was thundering, and if there was anything that scared Fudge more than You-Know-Who and muggle clowns, it was thunderstorms.

The clouds rolled over his head, grey and black furies, rain thrashed down at an angle designed to penetrate every possible gap in his so-called waterproof cloak, and despite his best attempts at a repellent charm, he was getting soaked. A crash of thunder split the heavens and the Minister dashed ungainly beneath a tree, lightening flashed jagged above the forbidden forest and something rustled in the leaves above…

There had never been an unhappier Minister for Magic.

When finally he reached the great front doors of Hogwarts, at a cowering run, he was rather bedraggled, he stood in the front hall, dripping and dejected, furious at Dumbledore and wishing he had thought to command a floo entrance (only allowed for V.I.P's and emergencies).

A warming charm was ineffective and a drying charm didn't stand a chance against his mass of soaked clothing, he looked around for someone to vent his discomfort on: in the distance someone with a pile of books floating beside him or her was striding into a dimly-lit corridor.

'You there!' he shouted, and realised as she turned that he had pointed at the uppish, waspish deputy Headmistress. 'Tell Dumbledore I'm here to see him.'

'The Headmaster is expecting you,' Professor McGonagall replied coolly. 'You may go straight up.' And without another word or gesture swept on.

'The Headmaster is expecting you,' he mimicked sarcastically, irritated, his usually affable composure absent.

It took him half an hour to climb the staircases to Dumbledore's office, his clothes were drying stiff on him, he could feel his toes wrinkling like dried dates and his hair was frizzy. 'Oh when I get to Dumbledore's office,' he threatened beneath his breath, 'oh boy will he regret this, oh boy yes…'

^*"^*"^

/Half-an-hour earlier: Pragmon Pope Solicitors ~ Est. 312 BC/

'Dumbledore, old fellow! Well, this is a pleasant surprise!'

'Hello, Theoros Pragmon,' greeted Dumbledore pleasantly.

'Ah, business or pleasure, old friend?'

'Business I'm afraid, I must call in that favour.'

'Ah, yes, uh-hem, of course, one moment.' Theoros Pragmon's wrinkled head disappeared from the fire, the old man had been around for as long as most people could remember their grandparents talking of him, naturally, Albus had known him for longer.

There were some confused voices beyond the fire, it seemed one of Pragmon's younger grandson's was protesting his Grandfather's sudden and unexplained cancelling of the afternoon's appointments. Theoros' first and only son, Dikastes Pragmon, interrupted the protests of his fifth son, his deep voice could be heard counselling patience and wisdom, apparently the famous diplomacy of the Pragmon Popes had yet to be imparted to this young impetuous newcomer.

The Pragmon Pope Solicitors were an ancient establishment with an excellent reputation, as such, in order to be able to afford their services one needed much wealth and social standing. Dumbledore had both these necessary requirements yet did not need to call upon them, a long time ago now Theoros Pragmon, given sudden and unexpected control of the family business after his father died suddenly (of natural causes, rich, powerful peoples solicitors were rarely murdered, it was seen as unprofessional) had made some unwise business decisions.

It was only thanks to Dumbledore that his business and the honour of his family name remained intact, he was firmly on the side of light now, and there was an unspoken understanding that Dumbledore and any heirs he might ever produce would have the complete and honest professional services of the Pragmon Pope Solicitors, should they request it. Theoros and his son, Dikastes and his eldest son, Trygaios, (and one day his eldest son) were all quietly and respectfully aware of this unspoken arrangement, for it worked both ways, any business patronised by the great Albus Dumbledore profited mightily from the reputation this garnered, for however secret things were, occasionally, Dumbledore allowed this information to slip past, as an unspoken appreciation of the completely unknown tasks they sometimes performed for him.

Yes, confusing perhaps, but Albus Dumbledore had many such understandings within the magical and non-magical community: they were the key to his power and his huge network of informants, though he did not see it in quite that fashion.

'Right!' said Theoros, his head appearing once again in the green flames. 'I shall be there directly.'

'Excellent,' beamed Dumbledore. 'My thanks.'

^*"^*"^

'What are we going to do Mr Snape?' asked Harry panting as he tried to keep up with the tall man's fast paces.

'Do?' came the snarling answer. 'I tell you what I'm going to do, I'm going to throw you from the top of the astronomy tower if you don't stop asking your infernal questions!'

Harry giggled, 'You're funny,' he smiled up at the surprised face above him. Snape looked disgusted. 'Half–wit,' he muttered under his breath, Harry didn't hear, they had just entered a room that he had never seen before, it was rather like a cave, dark and gloomy, but with the most fascinating things in it. Tables filled more than half the space, with wooden stools standing empty beside them, huge black cooking bowls stood on each desk and test tubes and bottles full of weird and slightly disgusting things lined the walls on rickety shelves. It was a little boys dream hideout, with shadows to hide in and sticky, gungy looking substances in pots, a place where battles could be fought and potions created to save the world from Dr Hyde. Plus, and a huge plus, if he got hungry he could help Mr Snape with his cakes, Harry liked cakes, he'd had more in a week here than he had in six years with the Dursleys, which was not to say he was being spoilt with sweets here.

'I have to make a potion,' said Snape, his lips curled. 'You are not to leave this classroom, but you are to entertain yourself, quietly! Understand, whelp?'

'Yes Sir!' said Harry, already thinking of the fearsome battle he would have with the huge fire-breathing dragon currently residing at the back of the cave.

Some time later, Harry had forgotten to be quiet and was making quite a ruckus, knocking down cauldrons and tables as he battled his dragon with the leg from a broken chair.

'Back! Back I say!' he roared and swung widely with his long unwieldy sword, there was a louder than usual crash as he struck a weak shelf and it fell, six bottles of potion ingredients smashed as they hit the floor, filling the air with noxious odours and strange colours. More explosions took place as the ingredients mixed and formed new, smellier compounds, Harry, startled at first, decided it was the Wicked Witch creating a diversion so that the purple dragon might eat him up. He renewed his sword swinging in earnest, 'Never! You'll never beat me! I say, Never!' he shouted in his best imitation of a Knight's chivalric bellow, when all of a sudden he was picked off his feet and swung above the ground. He looked up, surprised, at Mr Snape's purple face, 'Hello sir,' he smiled winningly, a small voice in his head telling him that perhaps he ought not to have broken the shelf.

'I'll sir you!' hissed Snape, looking alarmingly enraged, to Harry it just looked as though he was choking.

'Water helps,' he said kindly.

'I know that,' snapped Snape, thinking he was talking about the mess of potions covering his classroom floor: he gripped the boy tighter by his collar, and a voice suddenly echoed eerily in his head. One harsh move…just one harsh move or word to Harry… harm the boy and I harm you. He put Harry down carefully,'Damn it!'

^*"^*"^*"^*"^

Cornelius Fudge banged open the door to Dumbledore's office, he could hear the murmur of voices inside and took savage pleasure in the fact that he could legitimately order that person or persons to leave, being the Minister of Magic.

'Good Afternoon, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore, without even glancing his way, he was seated behind his desk, but next to him, next to him was Theoros Pragmon!

'Dumbledore, you and I need to speak, alone,' said Fudge, trying to look authoritative, even as he knew he stood looking untidy, damp and unkempt.

'Sir Dumbledore has requested my presence,' said Pragmon, his smartly pressed robes with their top-of-the-range material, only serving as a contrast to Fudge's robes.

'Then Sir Dumbledore can tell you to go away again!' said Fudge rudely, his day had not been going well and now the fool had to use Dumbledore's knighthood.

'We were just discussing Harry,' said Dumbledore, interrupting quietly, looking politely interested in Fudge's reaction.

'Harry Potter!' exclaimed the Minister.

'Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'I am adopting him.'

Fudge laughed.

It was a mistake.

Five minutes later he had never been so convinced that Dumbledore adopting the Boy-Who-Lived was a good idea. In fact it was a fabulous idea, and as he helped the solicitor and Dumbledore draw up the deed he couldn't help but keep mentioning what a fantastic idea it was.

^*"^*"^

/Dinner time at Hogwarts/

The staff table was full, busy and loud with the gossip and business of the professors, who were looking with some trepidation at the beginning of their last week of freedom. One little boy, with jet black hair and vivid green eyes, who had recently learned that talking was not punishable by banishment to his cupboard and no food, was holding forth on his days activities to a mildly amused deputy Headmistress…

'Mr Snape teaches cooking,' said Harry happily, Mrs McGonagall looked at him, her lips twitched. 'I helped him do a bit, we were making a witches cake!'

'A witches cake?' she enquired.

''Cos it had all sorts of bits of lizard and a lot of weeds in it, and I reminded Mr Snape to put flour in, because you have to have flour in a cake, so he said okay, you make your own witches cake and I'll make mine and I did and here it is, I made it for you, because you're a witch and you're lovely!'

Mrs McGonagall took the pro-offered gift and tried to appear as if it looked vaguely appetising, it had been poured into a glass jar, but if you left it alone for a brief moment it looked as though it was trying to climb out. She made sure to screw the lid on securely.

'See, Severus, it was not so bad,' said Dumbledore further down the table, blue eyes bright over the tops of his spectacles, his Potions Master gave him a look that spoke volumes. 'I daresay you had more fun with Harry today than you even realised!' he proclaimed.

'I daresay,' growled Snape, the sleeves of his robes still smoking.

^*"^*"^

Mr Theoros Pragmon of Pragmon Pope Solicitors shook his head wryly over his bedtime cocoa (a slightly tangier version of Sir Dumbledore's), as he thought over the day's events. Only Albus Dumbledore could affect such an abrupt change of heart in a man so puffed up with his own importance, only Dumbledore, with a few quiet yet somehow infinitely menacing words could manage such a thing and still send the man away an ally. Yet it seemed there would be another Dumbledore, not quite the real thing, but surely close enough, for Harry Potter-Dumbledore was sure to effect quite a powerful change in the hearts of those in his life, it was the nature of those with the twinkling eyes.


Authors Notes: A sequel is tempting, but at the moment I'm not sure, I shall definitely think about it, I get all sad thinking about the final chapters of this fic! :-( Yes, I'm sorry but there is but one or two more chapters left of this, and wow, I'm more upset than I thought I would be to finish it.

Other than that, if you'd like to keep up-to-date with how I'm doing on the next chapter of HMD Clothes check out my live journal: quillitch! (Link on my Profile page also.)

Review Thanks go out to the most amazing people ever to have existed (LoL):

Doro-chan, LinZE, Allison, makoto-18, Musicstarlover, Chalza, luisa, Rommy, hummer , Wintersong, alexis sukikohana, Pyrinsomniac moonstone-mystyk, Tigerlily BipolarGirl, Acacia Jules, MeganToillier,forgottenone1385, Otspock, AAAA TaZZ, rebma1, Simple Confusion, Layce74(who reviewed three times!), KES, Mel-chan, moony*padfoot, AJ Gryffindor, I-like-chickens, love-power-child, Bishies_Rule cadet-wolf, Cestrel, Molly Morrison, Sailor Sol Madame Moony, wanderingwolf, Dragenphly, Hele1, Spork and Foon, sadiew, juggling stars, Jessica Black1, Sarah, starangel2106, Squeak4ever, PrincessJedi, Jaquelyne, Lady Knight19, Ice Lupus, AngelBaby 13, Shi-koi, PussyKat, Harmoni, venus4280, crazy , sakurakawaiicherry, padfoot n' moony, Anifan1, Rhiain, Gryffindor-girl1, Von , Madison Black, shortnsassy, Arsenal , Phoenix Lumen , WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Mikee, Nilboriel, Cinnamon3, Kaizer Knuckz, Jazmyine, Amanda, npetrenko, Tracy, IrishPotterChick, Kifira, Padawan JanAQ, ag , Kateri1, EriEka127, Katani Petitedra, KuTiExAzNxAnGeL , Relle, Kemenran, Rain Warrior, Felinity, Little Elflet, theauthorthatwrites, readersam, Robin4, MiruSedna, Syko-san , Barbara Kennedy, leaps , Illucia, K, No, Wood is not a stick, Maven , LittleEar BigEar's sis, Lunawolf, WolfMoon, Mrs. Fawkes, Arizosa, Ikazo, Star Mage1, Aurumlupi, Amanda , Chicken Stars, Rosaleen , isc-atenista, Rachel A. Prongs , Wishweaver, john, Turelie Telcontar, Rainbow Ichi, Butler, sunkyssed, dragonbrat, Winstin Jerimiah Ashcroft III, Jordan, Doro-chan, JuMiKu ! Phew!

Pyrinsomniac: In England the standard use of speech marks and quotation marks is opposite to that in the USA, I know, dumb, but true. Thank you for your review however, I'm glad that somebody liked my less-than-pleasant Snape!

Dragenphly: Was that a hint? LoL I'm doing my best to (realistically) make Snape more friendly toward Harry, but bearing in mind canon…

Hele1: Yes, I've even read some of those fics where Harry is rescued from a terribly abusive situation by a suddenly concerned Snape, because everyone else is 'unavailable'. Some of them are okay, they just require the suspension of reality, lol.

Spork and Foon: Should know that Quillitch is immensely flattered by their pastiche, and has actually checked out their fic, unfortunately she has had no time to read the whole thing nor review, but does intend to remedy this soon. ;-)

Lydia: I am English, actually, so I really should know what I'm going on about! Thank you!

venus4280: Hmmm, Hufflepuff Harry, lol. As you can probably tell from this chapter I am setting the boy up as a potential Gryffindor, still, there is always room for surprises!

Crazy: Crazy review, made me laugh!

WeasleyTwinsLover1112: I would like to have Remus in it, but maybe in a sequel because this is near it's end. Hope you enjoyed the conversation between Albus and Severus!

npetrenko: Thank you! I'm having a great time at Uni, but it does mean less time for this fic!

Robin4: Sirius Sirius, yet again I must say that if he was going to appear in this AU it would have to be to a possibly sequel, which I am not sure will come about, like you said, depends on the plot bunnies!

Barbara Kennedy: You're quite right, Mr Sallow Skin is a big word for a 7 year old boy, andi did worry about when I posted, but only for a millisecond, lol! Still, I don't recall him having problems walking and talking at the beginning!

No, Wood is not a stick: Thank you for your lengthy and thoughtful review!

I think that is it! Huge hugs and sherbet lemons to all of you!