FINALLY got Chapter 5 ready...looks like things will be slowing down now... ... ...also, the events for this chapter were meant to occur in Chapter 6, but...I realized I had NO material for this chapter, so... ... ...yeah...here it is here instead!

As Mary and Garry left Ib's home, Garry realized something, looking down on Harry, then at Mary. "I just remembered...we need to get both Harry and yourself some new clothes," Garry commented.

Mary looked down at her dress, then at Harry and his clothes. "...I can see Harry needing more clothes...but why me?" Mary asked.

"You can't just go wearing the same dress all the time, out here...You'll eventually need to change, otherwise the dress will just get smelling, and filth-infested…" Garry replied.

"...Oh…" Mary replied.

"Alright, let's get going," Garry said, and the duo drove to the nearest clothing store, where they woke up Harry.

When they went in, Harry was extremely nervous, but Mary did her best to comfort Harry, until she had to go try on some clothes she chose. Every time she tried something on, she showed the others. Half of the outfits were variations on her usual dress, in different colors, and the rest consisted of a long-sleeved blouse and a skirt. Soon, Mary had 10 new outfits, and then they had Harry try on some outfits, getting him 7.

Later, when the group made it home, Garry ordered pizza, and Mary entertained Harry. After Garry was done, he started reading some books, while Mary drew with Harry. Soon afterwards, someone knocked on the door. "Oh, it might be the pizza, I'll get it," Garry said, and he went to the door.

When, he opened the door… … …"Ah, Mr. Anders. I hope you're having a fine evening…"

Garry's expression went neutral. He said, near-emotionlessly, "...Albus Dumbledore…" He turned to the woman next to Dumbledore. "...Minerva McGonagall…"

"May we come in, young man?" Dumbledore asked.

Garry sighed. "Very well, come on…"

"Thank you…" Dumbledore replied, as he and McGonagall entered.

"So...I'm not gonna mince words: why are you here?" Garry asked.

"We heard that you have come into guardianship of a certain young wizard… … …" Dumbledore replied.

Garry froze. "...Who told you I found Harry?"

"I have my ways…" Dumbledore replied, although the fact that Garry leveled a glare at McGonagall meant he figured it out.

"...Well, if you're going to try to make me hand Harry over, you're shit out of luck: I've also come into guardianship of a girl that likes helping take care of him...She's been through a lot, so I'd rather not see her get upset…" Garry said.

"I wasn't thinking of it...I just wanted to know how he's doing here...and I needed to talk to you about a few things…" Dumbledore replied.

Garry nodded, and they entered the living room, where Mary and Harry looked up. "Uhm...Garry, who're these two?"

Garry sighed. "Just...I'll explain later, alright?"

Mary stared at Garry for a bit, before sighing. "Alright...Should I take Harry, and go somewhere else?"

"That will not be necessary, Miss…"

"Mary. Mary Weiss…" Mary replied, crossing her arms.

"I see...as I said, you and Mr. Potter do not need to leave, Ms Weiss…In fact, he is in part why I am here tonight," Dumbledore replied.

Mary narrowed her eyes at Dumbledore. "Relax, Mary," Garry said, "I don't think he means Harry any ill will, unlike those good-for-nothing relatives of his…"

Dumbledore nodded. "Exactly...I just came to see if Harry will be raised properly here."

"Well, then considering how you all seemed to think of me, I'm surprised you're even giving me a chance…" Garry grumbled.

"Mr. Anders, I know that our handling of your bullying situation was subpar-"

"Subpar?" Garry turned to Mary. "Please take Harry out of the room. I'll call you back in a bit…" Mary nodded, and led Harry out. Garry turned back to Dumbledore, a look of anger on his face. "Subpar? SUBPAR?! Is that what you're calling it?! I got levitated to the top of the astronomy tower and dropped at least THRICE during my time at Hogwarts! I got sent to the hospital wings 5 times! A WEEK! And THAT was just the Gryffindors, JUST because I was in FUCKING SLYTHERIN! Part of the reason it took me SO LONG to get a FUCKING job is, first, I was unable to get one in the Wizarding World, because of stupid Muggleborn prejudice, and then when I got to the Muggle World, it took me SO FUCKING LONG to find someone willing to hire me, because of the mental problems and emotional instability caused by my OWN FUCKING HOUSEMATES, JUST because I'm FUCKING MUGGLEBORN! You don't know HOW HARD I have to remember NOT to call myself a 'mudblood' because of HOW FUCKING MUCH I heard that FUCKING WORD And you call your handling of what happened to me SUBPAR?!" By the end, Garry was huffing and panting, before sitting down in a chair, nearly to tears at the memories. "I'm sorry...I just...I managed to graduate Hogwarts, but my time at Hogwarts was STILL the WORST 7 years of my life…"

Dumbledore and McGonagall just gaped at Garry. After a few minutes…"So...that's why…" Dumbledore pondered, "That is what you went through?"

"Just a taste of it…" Garry replied.

McGonagall then seethed, ashamed with her own house, "I thought we fixed such issues between Gryffindor and Slytherin back during the days of the Marauders…"

"So I guess you can finally see why I'm hesitant to have anything to do with Hogwarts, and the Wizarding World in general, now-a-days…" Garry replied, "In fact, TODAY was the first time I met someone from the Wizarding World that I DIDN'T see as either a complete asshole or as completely negligent…"

"And who would that be?" McGonagall asked.

"Her name now is Ilona Callahan, but before she got married, she went by 'Ilona Sindile'..." Garry replied.

"Ah, I remember Ms. Sindile: a dedicated student. Then again, one would expect that from a Ravenclaw. You said she's married?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, to a muggle named Yavin Callahan. They have a 9-year-old daughter named Ib, who's a good friend of both Mary and myself," Garry replied.

"Ah, I see. Speaking of Mary, would it be safe to call them back in?" Dumbledore asked.

"Ah, right. Mary! You and Harry can come back in now!" Garry called. A few minutes later, Garry was about to get up and look for them, when the door opened, with Mary and Harry coming in. "What took you?" Garry asked.

"Sorry, had to pick up our drawing materials," Mary replied.

Dumbledore leaned over, and looked at the drawings in Mary's hand. "My word, did you draw those?"

"Hm?" Mary questioned, looking at the foremost image in the stack. "Well, that one, yeah…why?"

"May I ask how you drew such a good picture?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm just...good at drawing…" Mary replied, "I'm trying to teach Harry how to draw as well…" Dumbledore 'hmmed' at that, before muttering, and...soon, a rune appeared on Mary's hand. "Huh?! Where'd this come from?!"

"I thought so...You're a Child of Guertena, aren't you?" Dumbledore asked.

"A what?" Garry asked.

"To put it bluntly, a painting painted by Guertena Weiss that was brought to life, through the magic he left on his paintings and taking over the life of another, linked to the painting The Fabricated World," Dumbledore answered, "Any of the paintings that escape the Fabricated World are called Children of Guertena, as a result. Normally, though, Children of Guertena are at worst mindless, at best not self-aware, and usually never humanoid. However...not only are you humanoid, but you certainly seem self-aware...Although I can't help but wonder who took your place in the Fabricated World…"

Mary sighed, before slouching in a chair. "A week ago, Garry and a friend of ours, Ib, ended up in the Fabricated World, where they met me. Back then, I had become...to put it lightly, stir-crazy from the 125 and a half years I spent in the Fabricated World, so I nearly killed them...however, they managed to talk me down, thus allowing them to promise me that they'd visit me once in awhile...The first time they made true on that promise, yesterday...Harry and his uncle appeared in the Fabricated World. We saw Vernon… … ...beating...Harry...When I saw that...I...I just got...I...I was enraged...I knocked Vernon down and tore his rose to shreds...In other words…"

Dumbledore finished. "Vernon Dursley took your place...If...what I heard was any indication...then...well...I guess I cannot blame you for it…"

"Indeed: as vindictive as it sounds, the world is better off without him…" McGonagall replied.

Mary nodded. "And after seeing what he went through, I'm going to do EVERYTHING I can to ensure that Harry's raised happy and healthy…"

Dumbledore looked at Mary, then Harry, then Garry, before asking the last one, "I'm guessing that Mary's the one that's trying to raise Harry, and you're just around to make it legal to the Muggles?" Garry nodded. "I see… … ...Well, since it seems Harry is indeed happy here...I see no reason to take him away...although, I would suggest moving somewhere safer, in case any of the Dark Lord's followers find out he's with you…"

"That's taken care of: the Callahans invited us to move in with them: we're probably going to start packing tomorrow…" Garry replied.

"Then I believe I can be of assistance, when the time comes," Dumbledore replied, before standing. "Well, I believe we took up enough of your time-"

*knock knock knock*

The two Hogwarts staff looked at Garry. "... … ...I ordered pizza before you got here…"

"Ah, I see, I guess we'll see you tomorrow," Dumbledore replied.

"Alright, see you later…" Garry replied, and the two magic users left. A moment later, Garry turned to Mary and Harry. "Well...dinner time!"

And that's chapter 5...I don't know when Chapter 6 will be out, especially since I'm working on other stories as well...I'm actually hoping that I can post the prologue and Chapter 1 of Summoner's Chronicles Book 1: Into the Land of Faires, a Story that's been WIP since July 23rd, within a week...cross your fingers guys!

Oh, I've been neglecting my outtro! This is IceBite, on ! Bringing you Fanfics, no matter how bad it hurts me...