Well, I've been writing like mad and a very very rough draft is complete! That's right I now know what's going to happen more or less! I'm so excited I can hardly sit still to type this!

Thanks anon- I'm blushing!

Thank you Hambares! Excellent question about the clay. The answer figures in rather directly to every aspect of this story including the big climax, so I won't ruin it for you. You will hear a whole lot more about that I promise.

Thanks Setq'-in! I appreciate it!

Flurry- Yes, you are so right. Harry is sweet and should have had a nicer life. I will now give Harry some honey and make things better. Thank you!

anon, Hambares, Setq'in, and Flurry, this chapter is my love for you which is boundless concentrated into compact fan fic form:

The Potter's Tale

Chapter Three

Sorting of Wizards

Harry woke feeling like he was floating on a feather. When he opened his eyes he thought he was still dreaming. He couldn't remember ever waking up feeling this good in real life. Then he realized where he was. Harry sat up in the bed. He ran his hand over it. He had never slept on anything like this before. His uncle slept on a cot. He slept on his uncle's cot once when Vernon was away with the wagon. Harry had taken a bath first so that he didn't get clay all over it. Harry didn't care for the cot. It smelled more strongly of his uncle than Harry imagined it might. It gave him bad dreams. Other than the one time, Harry slept on the floor for as many nights as he could remember.

Harry got out of bed and went to the window. He put his hand on the glass. He couldn't believe the luxuries here. His uncle had been well off compared to most men in the village. Nothing his uncle owned compared to anything in this house, well except for the teapot and the other items Harry had made. Suddenly he wondered about that. Why would anyone like Witch-finder Snape give houseroom to anything he made? Dobby seemed to like his pots. Perhaps Dobby had bought them. It was still dark out with no moon. Since he could not see much, he put his hand against the glass again marveling at the sheer extravagance of using sheets of clear glass for windows!

Harry used the chamberpot under the bed that he had found was clean even after use. He washed in the tub, still the same lovely temperature as when he had first gotten into it yesterday. Harry dried and carefully dressed himself. He felt entirely lazy. He hadn't done one useful thing since Witch-finder Snape had brought him here. Maybe if he could find some way to make himself useful the witch-finder might let him stay for a while, or at least a while longer than if he were of no use at all.

Harry crept around the house as silently as possible. Wearing boots made that more difficult. Still, Harry was good at being quiet when he needed to be. It was almost second nature after living a whole life around his Uncle Vernon. Harry walked around a corner and ran into the witch-finder's stick that Snape was holding at chest level.

"It is you," the man said obviously relieved to see him. "I thought you would be still asleep at least for another hour."

"I'm sorry," Harry said, rubbing his breast bone where he had walked into the end of the stick.

"It seems sleeping potions effect you with less than average duration."

"Is that what you gave me? Er, thank you. I slept very well, Witch-finder Snape."

"Are you hungry?"

Harry smiled and felt a little embarrassed. He wasn't used to being offered food all the time. Even the Widow had never tried feeding him so often since he had grown up.

"You'll make me fat as Uncle Vernon."

"How fat is your uncle?"

"He's enormous! Maybe you saw him. He was the really big man throwing the most stones."

The witch-finder said nothing. He only watched Harry. Finally he said. "Let us have breakfast. You need not eat enough to make you as fat as your uncle."

They ate oatmeal with cream laden milk, honey, and strawberries. Strawberries were a rare treat for Harry. Harry had seen but never tasted honey and was completely fascinated. First he took a tiny bit just to see if he might like it. Then he took just a small bit and drizzled it atop his oatmeal. When he had eaten it all off the top, he rather shyly asked Snape if he might take more honey without being rude.

"Harry!" Snape picked up the honey and plonked it down in front of Harry. "Have the lot but never ask me if you may eat. While you are in this house you will eat as much of anything as you like. There is no army to feed in the basement! There are no blockades on the supply lines!"

"Why are you good to me?"

"Because I used to be you."

Harry said nothing but seemed to think about that for a while. Finally he looked up at Snape again. "I'm sorry."

"You say that often."

"I'm sorry about a lot of things."

"Eat more honey."

Harry did.

"I wanted to ask you-"

"Yes?"

"What can I do?"

"What do mean precisely?"

"For you, to pay back for what I owe you?"

"You owe me nothing."

"I owe you my life, you and Dobby both. I doubt I'll every be able to repay either of you for that, but at least I can work for you both since you are giving me food and houseroom."

"You have given us both your thanks. It is enough, Harry."

"I can work hard! I can bake bread! I could make a kiln and throw more pots for Dobby! You could sell the rest like my uncle did! I can earn my keep! Please don't send me away!"

"Harry! Listen to me now. You are free to stay here as long as you wish. If you enjoy baking you may do so occasionally. If you would like to build a kiln because you enjoy throwing pots, I will help you to do that. However, you are here as my guest. I do not require you to enrich my savings. There is no need for you to do manual labor in this house."

"But I don't know how to do anything else."

"That is why I think you should learn new things. Last night I planned a lesson. I have books that you welcome to read. I can show you things and answer your questions. Harry, you do realize that you are magical?"

Harry knew that being a potter was a magical calling. The clay had told him so. It was a potter's responsibity to free the magic in the earth. The clay was part of the earth. Every lump of clay had its own voice and a story to tell the world. A potter was under a sacred obligation to release the clay from the earth and the story from the clay. Once the story was told it must be preserved, baked hard in a kiln to remain for anyone who would listen to the clay to hear a story of the earth.

"We're both witches. Aren't we?"

"Yes, but since we are both male we call ourselves wizards."

"Wizards? I never heard that word in the village."

"The villagers are called Muggles since they are non-magical. We do not allow Muggles to learn about us."

"I guess that makes sense considering what they do. Does being wizards make us evil?"

"No. There are good wizards just as there are good Muggles. You are not evil, Harry. Neither are the Muggles of your village. What you tried to do for the girl was good. Your actions were brave though thoroughly unwise. Though what they did was wrong, they acted out of fear and ignorance. Muggles and wizards both are only evil if they do evil, knowing it is evil."

"You're not even a real witch-finder!"

"I found you."

Harry smiled.

"Yes, you found me."

Harry watched as something like a shadow passed over Snape's features.

"The witch-finder was looking for you. He found me instead. I am an evil wizard."

Suddenly, there was a popping sound. Snape stood drawing the stick. He grabbed Harry out of his chair, sending the chair across the kitchen. Snape stepped between the popping noise and Harry.

"Ah, Severus! So good to see you, my friend. You are looking well!"

"If our past friendship meant anything, you would honor our agreement of no future dealings."

"Fortunately, my dealings are not with you, dear boy. This must be Harry standing behind you! Hello Harry! I am so glad to finally meet you. I am Albus of Dumbledore."

Harry very cautiously peaked out from behind Snape's robes to see a tall, hale, old man with long white hair and beard and a very pleasant smile that made his bluer than blue eyes sparkle. He was wearing robes of every color that Harry had every seen a flower. He looked like a walking rainbow but more vivid. That was not why he looked odd to Harry. Harry had never seen anyone who looked so old before, nor any old person who looked so very healthy.

"I hear you are particularly fond of honey, Harry. You must be a very wise boy indeed. Would you care for a sweet?"

The man reached into his robe and pulled out a handful of brightly colored pebbles. They were very pretty but Harry could think of no use for one. It bothered him that this stranger knew he liked honey, though, when Harry only found that out moments ago. Still, any observant eye could have drawn the same conclusion by glancing at the breakfast dishes. All the same the man had tried to seem mysterious about it. That bothered Harry too. He did not trust this man and wouldn't even if the witch-fin- if Master Snape did, which clearly Master Snape did not.

"No thank you."

This decision seemed to displease the old man.

"Severus?" said the old man holding out the pebbles again.

"Our agreement, Albus?" Albus shrugged put one in his mouth and the rest away again. Harry felt Snape relax just a bit and knew he had made the right choice by refusing one. "If you have dealings with Harry as you claim state the nature of your business. Then leave, Albus. I will not ask again."

"I've come to escort Harry home to Dumbledore Castle, of course! You'll love it there, Harry. I hear you are quite the potter! Did I mention we have a kiln at Dumbledore Castle? We also keep bees, and-"

"Strange, I don't recall Dumbledore Castle having a kiln."

"Of you don't, Severus! We have had one only since yesterday! Dumbledore Castle is a school, Harry. You may live there as long as you like and consider it your home. You will learn all you need to know the Wizarding World and find your place in it! There are other students your age, of course, some older and some younger. I am certain you will make many good friends there and have some wonderful adventures too! Are you ready to leave, my boy?"

"I am staying," said Harry.

Dumbledore's jolly good humor melted away just like the candy on his tongue, completely.

"I was afraid you might fall under- unsavory influence before I had time to collect you, my boy. It is not your fault, Harry. It is- the pity of innocence- that it can be led- so easily astray." Suddenly Albus' good mood and twinkle returned. This time he was aiming them at Master Snape like weapons. It was ugly. It angered Harry that anyone could mistreat Master Snape. "I have of course taken the appropriate steps and have had myself declared Harry's guardian until he reaches his majority. I have the papers here- if you care to look them over, Severus." Albus held up a scroll of some sort. Master Snape did not move from his spot.

The clay spoke to Harry. Told Harry what to say. Harry stepped out to stand slightly to Snape's right.

"I am no boy, sir, and certainly not your boy. I am eighteen as of my birthday, the Twenty third of June. I have skills. I've supported myself and family for over half my life. I will stay here or go at Master Snape pleasure. When I go I will make my own way. I am -not- going anywhere with you."

Dumbledore's smile faded as did the mad twinkle in his eyes.

"I think you must be mistaken, Harry. You are seventeen. Your birthday was the Thirty First of July of that year-"

"You are mistaken, sir. You seem to have me confused with my cousin, also named Harry. As I told you, my birthday is the Twenty third of June just past. I believe I would know better than you."

"Very best of luck with Harry's cousin, Albus. Dobby!"

"What may Dobby do for Master Snape, sir?"

"Please see to it that Albus is escorted off this property by any means necessary."

"I was leaving, Dobby. Harry, Severus, I will see you both again soon."

There was another pop. The rainbow wizard was gone.

"Dobby, check to make certain he has left no mischief behind him. Harry, I am a powerful wizard. However I can guarantee you that I can not single-handedly protect you, not from Albus of Dumbledore."

"What does he want with me?"

"I do not know. We will leave now for you are not safe here."

Harry smiled. "You sure you're an evil wizard?"

"There are worse. Give me your hand."

-Thanks just for reading! A poem for the best potential muses in the world aka reviewers:

All reviews of what you've read
Put ideas into my head
And make me think my story through
Compelling me to write for you
If you want to make me write
Send me a critique tonight
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You can send a FLAME my way!
One humble fact is always true
If you write me I write for you!