If I� owned Harry Potter I the sixth and seventh books would have been so much different.

This chapter was a bitch to write so review me and tell me if it was any good!

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Nathan walked into his room in a daze. He'd thought that his mother would have given him the cold shoulder at least, but instead she apologizes to him, after what he did. He couldn't get his mind around it. Everything he had read about soul mates said that they were loyal and one hundred percent bound to their mate, partly because they shared a soul and partly because of the deep love they shared. It was phenomenal to think that his mother loved him and his siblings more than their father. It made his heart sore that he was so loved.

Automatically he walked to his dresser and pulled out some socks and a pair of plaid briefs. He wasn't the same person that he was when he left home two months ago; he liked different things, different music, different people, and different clothes. He wanted what he wore to say that. The way he used to dress used to say that he was the good son. The son who always did as he was told and who always did everything correct. That wasn't him anymore.

Before he grabbed a pair of black slacks, he waved his hand and his stereo turned on blasting rock music throughout the room. He looked over the slacks and shrugged they would have to do; with a shrinking charm they might even be manageable. Looking through his closet for s shirt was the hardest part. He couldn't find anything he liked. He could hardly believe he dressed like such a prat. Finally he managed to find a shirt he actually liked. It was a black and white Weird Sisters t-shirt that Evan had brought home for him two years ago.

He pulled of his pajamas and pulled the shrunken black slacks on. They were snug all the way down his leg like he had wanted. His plaid briefs stuck out a bit in the back but he didn't mind it was part of the look. He pulled on the t-shirt without even having to shrink it because it was so old. The shirt was almost skin tight on him. He slipped on his black converse and tied the laces, glad to have something that felt worn. As an afterthought he grabbed his long black muggle dress jacket and slipped it on.

With his outfit complete he only had to do his hair. He looked around the room thoughtfully. He'd never used hair gel before he left for Italy so there was none in his room. He grabbed his wand and conjured a pint of gel; the brand he found worked best with his hair. He twirled his wand between his fingers and stuck it in his back pocket. This was a routine he had down to a science.

He grabbed a glob of gel and rubbed it into his hair. The top of his hair he left basically alone it didn't really need any work, it was messy enough as is, but for the hair on the back of his head he spiked it all up. It gave him a messy, I don't care what you think leave me alone, type of look and he liked it that way.

For the past few months he'd been dressing more carefully, he wanted to look good and from his recent experiences in Italy he knew he did. He wanted people to look at him. He wanted them to stare. When he dressed how he liked he felt confident and to meet with his father today he knew he would need all the confidence he could get.

With one last approving look at himself in the mirror he left his room, the music turned off as he walked out, and followed the well known path towards to the kitchen. There was no one there and after a quick look in the drawing room he knew his mother and Harry must have already left.

He was starved having refused every meal the house elves offered him last night. He pulled out his wand and summoned his new muggle contraption from his pants pocket of the day before. It was new from an American company called Apple. It was a hand held square box that fit nicely in his pocket and played any and all the music he wanted through head phones. He loved it and rarely didn't have it on, since one of his new friends in Italy gave it to him.

He pressed play and was rewarded by the blaringly loud rock music he now loved. In another fifteen minute he was steadily eating his breakfast, which consisted of four eggs, three pieces of bacon, three pieces of sausage, two pieces of toast, a scoop of hash browns and a large glass of orange juice.

When he was done his massive meal he put his dishes in the sink and watched as the disappeared. As a child it always amazed him that is until his father had told him how exactly the dishes were transported to the school's main kitchen so that the house elves could wash them. After that it had kind of lost it its magic, no pun intended.

He looked around the kitchen wondering if there was anything else he wanted, preferably something that took a long time to cook. He knew he was delaying the inevitable confrontation with his father but so far this morning he had been doing really well at forgetting that yesterday had happened. Now that it was time to face reality all he wanted to do was turn around and run back to Italy. At least there he knew what was what.

With a foreboding feeling he walked out of the kitchen and into the drawing room. He stopped in the middle of the room and looked at the relatively plain wooden door that was always closed. The door to his father's private office. It was one of the few places that were off limits in the families' quarters. The only people allowed in there were his father and occasionally his mother. It was where his father did all of the really important business, the type of things that couldn't be risked discovery in his headmasters office. As a child Nathan always imagined matters of national security things that only a few people would ever know. He still hadn't figured out what exactly went on in there but unlike most childish fantasies he still wasn't sure his father wasn't doing the things he had imagined as a child. In fact as he got older he was more sure that his father was doing great matters of secrecy he just couldn't prove it.

He turned off his iPod and put the headphones in his pocket. With a deep breath he stepped towards the door and knocked before he lost his nerve.

"Come in Nathan." His father said immediately.

He set his face and opened the door. The room was not like he was expecting. He had been expecting something similar to his father's headmaster office, something with bright colors and odd nick-knacks. This room was dark. The walls were covered in dark mahogany book shelves; the only absence of books was a wall with a huge dark marble fire place. There was a large desk that was perfectly clear, not a single scrap of parchment laid on it. Then two dark red chairs in front of the fireplace, his father sat in one of them.

He stood in the threshold of the room for only a minute before with a determined step walked towards the empty char that he had guessed was for him. He sat down and avoided looking at his father who hadn't taken his eyes off him since he entered the room; instead he looked into the burning red embers of the dying fire.

After an uncomfortably long silence Albus spoke. "I think we can skip the pleasantries." Nathan didn't make any move to show that he agreed with his father or that he even heard him. He just sat perfectly still waiting for the lecture and the yelling he knew was on its way.

"Do you know why your here?" Albus asked. Again Nathan didn't make any move to answer or to even acknowledge his father.

Albus sighed. "I'm not angry at you, and I'm not going to start yelling at you." Albus said knowing what his son was thinking. There was a flash of panic in Nathans eyes as he realized his father had just used legilimency on him. "And no I'm not 'reading' your mind." Albus said. "I'm reading your body language."

Nathan felt a rush of relief. He hated the thought of anyone being in his head. Ever since he had found out about the art while in Italy he had read everything he could on the subject. He had known that this was one skill his father had to have.

"I asked you to come here so that we could talk. I want to explain to you the things you read. I want you to understand." Albus continued.

Nathan stayed quiet but it was becoming harder for him. For weeks after he had read the journal all he had wanted to do was ask why and now the offer was almost too tempting.

Albus sat back and settled into his chair. It looked like he was getting ready to tell a story like had when they were younger. 'But' Nathan thought. 'I bet this one is half as pleasant'

"My childhood was not something I would wish to repeat." Albus said choosing his words carefully. "My family was a very proud, very influential, and very traditional pureblood family. They believed in purity of blood, old money and lineage." Nathan wasn't that shocked. He had guessed that from some of the insults thrown around by the portraits at the Dumbledore Estate.

"My father was very involved in politics and held a lot of clot in the ministry. I remember him as a very controlling man. We were to be the perfect pure blood family.

"I was the eldest and as such I was heavily trained in etiquette, politics, society, and of course magic, from an early age. As the heir to such a well known pureblood family I had to be the best at everything. Being second best was not "acceptable" as my father had often said.

"My brother Aberforth was born when I was three years old but it was obvious very early on that he did not have the same flare for magic that I did. This in my father eyes was also not "acceptable". I have never denied that Aberforth was treated secondary to myself. He wasn't abused physically, the son of such a prominent family had to been seen well cared for, but he was neither loved nor cared for.

"My sisters' birth was a catalyst in the Dumbledore family. My mother who was always a physically weak woman did not survive the birth for more than a week. It was an infection that killed her I was later told.

"For years my mother had acted as a buffer for us children to my father's less forgiving side. With her gone there was no protection. Until that point I had idolized m father. In the mind of a six year old rather spoiled boy he was the perfect example of everything a man should be.

"I was amazed with little Ariana. She was so small and so dependent on everyone else around her. I found it fascinating that she was my sister. I suppose it was something akin to yours and Harry's relationship. The love for a younger sibling is not easy put into words, one has to experience it. My sisters' birth brought me closer to Aberforth and the three of us soon grew very close. My siblings looked up to me and I cherished them.

"This as you can imagine angered my father. He did not want me to associate with "lesser creatures". His disapproval of Aberforth had turned into a near hatred and he despised Ariana for taking his trophy wife and ruining his perfect image to society.

"I will not bore you with the details of those years but I will say that they were not pleasant and I lost all respect for the man I called father.

"The summer after my first years at Hogwarts my father in a drunken rage killed Ariana, she was six. I tried and failed to protect her, but my underage use of magic did alert the ministry of some troubles. They sent a representative to the house to investigate what had happened. The ministry worker arrived in time to subdue my father before he could do Aberforth or I any real damage."

Nathan couldn't take his eyes off his father while his father looked resolutely into the fire place. Their positions completely reversed from fifteen minutes ago. Nathan had always wondered why his father never talked about his childhood. He'd always assumed it had been normal and similar to how 'proper' pureblood children were raised. The only stories he had heard about his father's past involved his mother. He had come to meet his father telling himself that nothing his father said could change his mind about his father's actions but already he found himself horrified at the tragic tale.

"I gained control of my families holdings providing I met the ministry standard care for my brother, which wasn't really a problem. I hired a nanny and a tutor for the two years before he went off to Hogwarts to keep him occupied while I was away. Life went on, but Aberforth and I never regained the closeness we shared in our youth.

"It was in the summer after my sixth year that I became politically active. I voted in the Wizengamot and hung around the ministry generally trying to make a good impression. People still hadn't forgotten my father and his insane rage but they had heard great things about me from Hogwarts. I was generally well received and most of the ministry saw me as a prodigy. The undersecretary to the Minister, someone I was trying to get to give me an intern job, asked me to play host to his distant nephew. I accepted and two days later Gellert Grindelwald came to the villa Aberforth and I had been living in.

"Gellert was handsome, charismatic, and very powerful. He was also five years older than me. I saw his power and I thought that that was all that mattered. He stayed for the entire summer and I grew to look up to him as I once did my father. I was enthralled with him and Aberforth hated him. My thirteen year old brother could see Gellert for what he was but I in all of my infinite wisdom couldn't see he was using me. This drove my brother and I even further apart.

"To describe our relationship simply; he became the father figure I had been missing in my life. He exploited my need for approval and acceptance, while stroking my ego." Albus said this last part with a bitter smile towards his son before looking back to some point in the dying embers.

"While I was in school we wrote each other continuously and it was during Christmas holidays that we started to make plans for the perfect world, everything we talked about is written in that journal you found.

"It was in the summer after graduation that I lost my trust in Gellert. We had been in the study all afternoon and it was becoming dark. Aberforth came in the room to ask if we were coming down for dinner or if he should tell the elves to keep our plates warm. It was a simple question and I understood that Abe didn't want to be left alone any longer, I'd been ignoring him since Gellert had come.

"Gellert saw that I was getting up to leave and he disapproved. He slapped Abe and threw him out of the study, slammed the door and told me that we weren't done working. We argued and eventually we came to blows. He was physically stronger than me left me a bit bloodied.

"After Gellert left Abe came into the room and told me again that Gellert was bad news and I finally believed him. I closed off the wards to him and locked the floo address before staying locked in the study for another week to review what we had been planning.

"Rereading what we had written left me disgusted with myself and it reinforced my belief that Gellert was not someone I wanted to be around. And that was the end of my friendship with Gellert Grindelwald.

"I went on to become Nicolas's apprentice; we discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood together and some other useful little tidbits. But most importantly Nicolas provided me with a father figure that wasn't trying to use or hurt me. I credit him for everything good I've ever done in my life, including marrying your mother.

"I stayed with Nicolas until I was twenty seven. He told me to get some real world experience and sent me off to the Auror program. I was tested then immediately accepted due to my very thorough training with Nicolas.

"I got tired of being mobbed by the public; I was already something of a celebrity, so I left the ministry and applied for the transfiguration position at Hogwarts. I met your mother and we were married in the muggle world after she graduated.

"During all of this time I stayed clear of international ministry meeting so I wouldn't have to meet Gellert. He had gone home to Germany and was gaining political power rapidly. They already had him pegged for the next German Minister. It was about the time that I started teaching at Hogwarts that news came of him being in an accident and then nothing for a while. He dropped into the woodwork and I didn't hear from him again until your mothers and mine one year anniversary.

"He sent me a letter telling me that our noble cause was about to commence and that he wanted me to join him on his quest for the greater good. I didn't answer the letter. Over the next few years' dark activity increased until it became apparent that the muggle war going on had magical roots. Gellert was advising that insane muggle Hitler and was having buildings with magical occupants bombed or destroyed.

"I opted to stay out of the fight. I was perhaps over confident in the ministry and under confident in Gellert. I didn't think he could achieve anything beyond a small skirmish." Albus sighed and shook his head in what Nathan thought was disappointment.

Nathan expected his father to start talking again but the man sat in a pensive silence for a few minutes; it looked as if he were in deep thought. Nathan stayed still not wanting to disturb his father. As he sat in the absolute silence guilt wracked through him. He couldn't believe what he had done. He was supposed to be the intelligent one in the family. He knew he had hurt his father; it was what he had intended to do. He had yelled those words in hopes of hurting him.

Now the past two months seemed so wasted, everything he had done was wrong. Instead of investigating and talking with his father he had jumped to conclusions. He felt like he should be the one apologizing and explaining, not his father.

Albus waved his hand suddenly and startled Nathan. From a cabinet beside the dark oak desk came floating a bottle of dark amber fluid and two crystal tumblers. Albus caught the bottle and the tumbles lowered themselves down gently onto the table. The bottle was only a third full and Nathan was somewhat shocked. He'd never expected his father to be the kind of man to drink, though now that he thought about it, it did make sense. Albus's jobs were very stressful and he likely dealt with more than most wizards could think of handling. He was a Headmaster, Government advisor, Wizengamot head, national hero, not to mention husband and father. Nathan felt a rush of pride for the man sitting in front of him, something he hadn't felt in almost two months.

Nathan was broken out of his thoughts when Albus slid a glass over to him. Nathan's eyes widened and he looked at his father in surprise. Blue met blue and Nathan tried not to remember the hurt he had seen in them the previous night. He looked down and hesitantly took the tumbler. It was only filled very slightly a third of what his father had.

Nathan shot a quick look to the door before taking a large sip. That was a mistake. It felt like fire or liquid acid was shooting down his throat into his stomach. His eyes watered and his gag reflexes were straining. By some miracle he swallowed the mouth full and took a gasp of air. That was another mistake. The cold air in the room made his throat burn nearly as badly as before. This time he couldn't hold back the hacking coughs. All he could think about was the horrible burning in his throat.

The burning subsided after a few minutes and he became aware of someone rubbing his back trying to comfort him. He knew that it was his father just by the scent, a unique mixture of sandalwood, parchment, lemons and his mother's lavender bath soap. He looked up with slightly teary eyes.

There was his father looking tired. There were bags under his eyes and his face looked weary, but there was no hiding the strong love that Nathan could see etched into every angle of his face. He quickly averted his eyes again the guilt becoming almost unbearable.

"Small sips, son, small sips." Albus said in a soft voice. Nathan felt him squeeze his shoulder one last time before going back to his chair.

Nathan sat up and cast a weary glance at the glass of the foul drink. "A little warning would have been nice." He said with a scowl. Immediately his face changed. He didn't want his father to think he was still angry with him and acting angry wasn't the best of ideas.

Albus didn't retort but Nathan thought his eyes seemed to have a glimmer of their usual twinkle in them.

Albus took a small sip of the amber liquid before he began talking again. "I had no intention of ever fighting with Gellert again; I never wanted to see him again if it was possible. I watched as the war got worse and worse from the safety Hogwarts, your mother was a godsend. She was my rock.

"Then in 1945 Gellert attacked did something I couldn't ignore. Aberforth had gone out and got married a few years previous, they had a beautiful daughter. She had strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes. We weren't close but we did see each other on holidays and had dinner every once in a while.

"Gellert had never forgotten my brother's interruption that night. He apparently blamed him for my abandonment of him. Gellert attacked them at their home during the weekend. Aberforth had gone to Diagon Alley for something or another and had no idea. Gellert tortured, raped, and cursed his wife, Elizabeth; the same went for Anna their daughter." Nathan felt himself swallow bile; his already upset stomach was churning. Without thinking his hands sought out the crystal tumbler and he took a much smaller sip. This time the warm liquid spread warmth throughout his body and left him feeling slightly numb. A welcomed feeling.

"Aberforth came home and found the bodies of his family. Gellert had left after he lost interest in Anna." This time in was Albus who took a sip of the amber liquid. They both sat in silence, Albus with memories and Nathan with an imagination that more than sickened him.

"My brother wasn't the same after that. I tried what I could to console him but he would take none of it. He blamed me for helping to create and not stopping the monster that slaughtered his family. He's actually the first person to break my nose." As Albus said this his long figure caressed the long healed wound.

"For the next three days I went a bit mad, I went to Germany, searching for Gellert's hideout. I found it and walked right in. It wasn't long before I was being attacked by his minions and I dare say I killed a fair few of them. When I found him he was sitting in an empty room smiling. He said he knew I would come and that he needed no thanks for taking care of pesky brother. He had no doubt that Aberforth would kill himself soon.

"I confronted him and he seemed genuinely shocked that I hadn't come to join his forces but to kill him. We fought but I was tired. I had been up for three days, I was emotionally and physically exhausted, not the best way to face a Dark Lord. Also at that time I was a transfiguration teacher with only two years auror experience, I wasn't a fighter, that wasn't how I was trained. I should have died that day." Albus said bluntly. Nathan winced and took another sip of his drink.

"Gellert had me beaten and broken on the floor. He was ranting at me about how we could have ruled the world together. I remember thinking of your mother and about how happy we had been together and how I would never see her again. Almost as if summoned the door blew open and in stormed your mother. I don't think I've ever seen her so angry. If you think she's terrifying now multiply that by ten thousand

and add in her all black dragon hide battle armor." Albus said the last part with a half smile and Nathan found himself half amused and half terrified. His mother was seriously the scariest person he knew and would ever know.

"Your mother had been working as an auror for a few years and she was very good, the best in our ministry, but Gellert was insane and very powerful. I knew that Minerva didn't have much of a chance to beat Gellert alone so I joined the fray again. We over powered him together and I finally killed him with a well placed severing curse.

"That was the end of Gellert. Ever since your mother and I have been living here, working, and raising a family." There was another prolonged silence as Nathan sat in thought. He felt completely ashamed and all he wanted to do was go back in time and stop himself from being such a prat.

"And Nathan?" Albus said. Nathan looked up and met his father's gaze. "I never had any intension of hiding this from you. Both Lizzy and Evan know, I told them when they became of age. I had planned to do the same for all my children but you always did move faster than expected."

Albus's words were not angry or accusatory, but now knowing this Nathan felt like a complete fool. He looked down and studied his hands, trying to control the wetness behind his eyes.

"I…I'm sorry." He burst out suddenly. "I…I….I don't hate you and I was so confused and angry, but I…I didn't mean it." He didn't start to cry but his breath quickened until he felt like he couldn't get any air in his lungs.

"Nathan!" Albus said sternly as he saw his son's skin pale and heard his rapid breathing. Blue eyes met his and there was such an array of emotion in Nathans eyes that Albus couldn't distinguish them from one another. "Breathe" he said as he kneeled down in front of Nathan.

Nathan nodded but his breath remained rapid and uncontrollable. "I think you're having a panic attack, just breathe when I tell you, and I promise everything will be okay soon." Nathan nodded slightly showing he understood. "Breathe in." Albus said then a few moments later said "Breathe out." They repeated this process for several minutes until Nathans breathing evened out.

"Are you okay?" Albus asked gently.

Nathan nodded his head shakily as he tried to compose himself. That was the scariest thing he'd ever been through. It was even worse than when he had gotten lost in the forest surrounding the McGonagall family manor when he was nine.

Bonelessly he slid out of the chair and into his father's arms. He felt a bit childish but all he wanted right now was to feel safe and the place he felt the safest outside of his mother's arms was his fathers. His father griped him tightly and Nathan squeezed him back so hard that his finger nails ripped his father's robe and scratched his back pretty badly.

Father and son separated eventually and again it was Albus who first spoke. "I think we should put these past two months behind us, but let's not forget the lessons we have learned during them."

Nathan sniffed and nodded as he stood up, his knee's protesting slightly as they stretched from their previously cramped position. He offered his father a hand up and his heart lightened when his father took it. They sat in their chairs again and again Albus was the first to speak.

"How was Italy? I know Lizzy and Evan thought it was a bit boring and much too historical but your mother and I thought that you out of all our children would appreciate what the city offers to teach visitors." Albus half asked half explained, moving on to a new topic of conversation, a less painful one for sure.

Nathan rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "The city does have a lot to teach you." He agreed.

Albus narrowed his eyes, one thing hadn't changed. Nathan was a horrible liar. "What exactly did you learn?" he asked in a neutral voice.

"Nothing much." Evaded Nathan without much skill. "I did explore a bit of the underground though, met a lot of new people, and had a lot of fun."

Albus let it go. He knew his son had most likely done some things he hadn't approved of but he didn't want to know. Out of all his children he trusted Nathan's judgment the most. Nathan always knew when enough was enough and even with recent event Albus had no doubt in his son's abilities.

"Did you make any friends?" Albus asked. It was a routine question that he always asked and he always knew the answer. His children had friends in almost every country in Europe; something he was hoping would help them in the future.

Nathan smiled. "I made a few actually. There's this on guy Chris, his dad owns property in Italy, but their originally from the states. His dads like mega rich in the muggle world, he helped found this company called apple. He's got a wicked sense of humor and he knows everybody who's anyone in the city. He also gave me this thing called an iPod; it's amazing I'll show it to you later." Nathan said with a happy smile. It felt good to just talk to his dad again.

"Then there's Nicolai, he's another one of Leone's pupils. He's brilliant. Very smart in theories and formulas but he's rubbish when it comes to practical application. He's an okay guy though; we've gotten into a few debates on magical theory and the like.

"Then there's Michele, she's very nice." Nathan said and didn't elaborate.

Albus grinned. "She's 'nice'?" he asked with a smile, purposely trying to embarrass his son.

Nathan looked his father right in the eye with a cocky smile and without hesitating said. "Very nice." Albus was impressed; there wasn't even the slightest sign that Nathan was uncomfortable. His son was getting good. He could still make Evan blush like he was twelve.

"Did you learn anything?" Albus asked.

"Not as much as you would think." Nathan said with a frown.

"And why is that?"

Nathan shrugged. "A lot of it I read about before, it was mostly just practical experience. Though I did learn a thing or two, but it wasn't as much as I was expecting. I was actually kind of disappointed."

"That doesn't surprise me. Have you decided what field you want to study next?"

Nathan shifted in his chair and avoided looking at his father. "Well I've been thinking a lot lately and I've been reading a lot too. I've kind of decided that after I get my NEWT's I'd like to study in the muggle world for a bit. There are so many fields of science and mathematics that they've explored thoroughly but wizards completely ignore. I want to take a look at them."

Albus settled into his chair and scratched his chin. "I think it's a fine idea, but I'll leave it up to you to tell your mother." Albus saw Nathans somewhat shocked looked and laughed. "You didn't think I'd make you stay in the magical world did you. Even I've attended some muggle seminars and classes, Nicolas thought the same things some seventy years ago."

"What sort of courses have you taken?" Nathan asked. He'd never heard of his father doing this before.

"Mostly psychology, some child raising classes, and at least three physics lectures. It's all very fascinating." Albus said.

The pair sat in silence for a minute before Albus pulled a shrunken chess set out of his pocket. "Would you like to play?" he asked as he enlarged the small end table in between the chairs.

"I'd like that." Nathan said with a smile. "But you do realize you're going to lose, horribly, and dreadfully."

"I my child, have years of experience on my side." Albus said in his best headmaster voice.

"That doesn't make up for a lack of skill." Nathan said then covered his mouth with his hand so his father wouldn't see the huge smile that had bloomed.

Albus plastered an incredulous look on his face and put a hand over his heart. "You wound me." He said with a hidden smile.

Both man and boy smiled happy to have everything back to normal.

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A.N.

I'm sorry for he late update but it couldn't be avoided. My uncle was diagnosd with terminal cancer. He killed himself. We weren't really close but I've been trying to help my cousins get through it. I know what it feels like to lose a father so�I was deemed most apprpriate to keep them company.

On a happier note I've decided that highschools jus not for me. I'm going to apply for a jump start program that will allow me to leave schol early and go to college next year.�I'm super excited because�I haven't learned anything�in highschool other than�the fact that navy blue and black do not match.�

I can't give you a good estimate on when my next chapter should be out because�I don't even know, and before�I post a new chapter�I want to go back and�fix my earlier chapters.

As always tell me what you think. Love it or Hate it. I don't care. Reviews just make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Peace,

Alisha���