A./N.: 'Awkward talk and promises' is the unofficial title of this chapter.

"Hagrid!" exclaimed Harry joyous before hugging the half giant around the middle. "You're the man I wanted to see!"

"Coinkydinky", beamed Hagrid, "I wanna talk to ye also." For a moment he turned serious before going on: "Last time dinna go weel and I wanna talk abou' Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. They aren't all that bad and ..."

"I know ", interrupted Harry as serious as Hagrid. "We talked and now I think I understand them better. But they still didn't give a damn about me for the last 13 years. There were occasions when they could have told me. Both of them. Especially Dumbledore."

Harry sounded bitter to his own ears. With a pang he realized that he wasn't over the whole thing yet. Hagrid eyed him sympathetically from above and patted him on the shoulder, causing Harry to loose his balance and crash head first into a suite of armour.

"Oh, so sorry, Harry!" exclaimed Hagrid apologetically, taking the boy by the gruff and heaving him out of the iron limbs.

"S'ok", mumbled Harry a little dizzily from the fall. Collecting himself again, he raised his wand and uttered a spell: "Reparo."

Both Harry and Hagrid watched in amazement as the armour pieced itself back together. It cackled softly after the last piece had reset itself into place.

"Doesna seem too disgruntled", muttered Hagrid. "Wanna eat breakfast at me cabin?" he asked softly. "More privacy."

Harry was in a tight. He wanted to be alone with Hagrid to ask him questions about his parents and his godparents but he also wanted to actually eat something and Hagrid's cooking skills were less than ... oh well, he could eat double and triple helpings at lunch.

"That's great, Hagrid", he said at last with fake enthusiasm.

Hagrid beamed at him and led the way down to his cabin. There he immediately began cooking, feeding Fang with the scraps. Harry settled into the large armchair and watched Hagrid, cooking with his apron on. He had to grin, imagining Uncle Vernon standing in a kitchen and cooking. It was a ridiculous idea and it helped lighten his mood considerably. For some reason he had no problem imagining Mr. Weasley doing the same, or Albus Dumbledore.

"My cooking is even worse than Hagrid's", answered a soft voice behind Harry, and he could clearly hear the laugh in it.

Turning around, Harry saw Professor Dumbledore stand in the door. He was wearing purple robes and his beard was braided and the tip was fastened by a violet ribbon. He looked more eccentric today than he usually did. Harry chuckled upon seeing his headmaster. Perhaps it was the way Dumbledore always walked around that gave him the confidence to assume this man was not too proud to lent a hand in running a household.

'Or perhaps wizards are simply different in that respect?' mused Harry.

"No, that's not it, Harry. There are a lot of wizards who treat their women no better than house-elves. Men who know how to appreciate a woman help her", said Dumbledore, eyeing Harry interestedly over the rim of his spectacles.

Harry nodded his understanding, he was more than a bit disconcerted by Dumbledore reading his mind. He decided it was easier to blurt everything out around this man.

Albus Dumbledore smiled at Harry's decision. He liked the boy very much and Harry obviously trusted him not to use his knowledge to an advantage and to keep his secrets.

"Hagrid, do you have photos of my parents with Mina and Albus on them too? I want to add them to the photo book you gave me", asked Harry quietly.

He was not sure how Dumbledore would react to the request. Hagrid beamed yet again at him and nodded his head vigorously.

"I look for 'em as soon as I can ... now eat up", ordered Hagrid, ladling scrambled eggs onto Harry's and Albus' plates. Then he sat down in front of his own overflowing plate and started shovelling it in. Albus and Harry eyed their plates suspiciously, as if their food could decide any moment to jump off the plate and make a run for freedom. Albus looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow and Harry nodded. Both grabbed their forks and with life-defiance dug into their food. Surprisingly it tasted like scrambled eggs and nothing else.

"Come on. I'm not that bad. And scrambled eggs aren't that complicated", defended Hagrid is cooking skills, although it was a bit lamely.

Albus sniggered into his food and winked at Harry who tried, unsuccessfully, to hide his own grin from Hagrid. The giant only rolled his eyes.

All three men talked very little over breakfast, neither of them sure how to approach the subject top on their minds. It was not exactly comfortable to sit in silence. They all sighed a huge sigh of relief as a silvery tabby appeared on the table between them.

"Albus, I hope you can help me find Harry. The Minister is on his way over with the adoption documents. Oh, and you better have two witnesses at hand."

McGonagall's voice rang through the cabin in clipped tones and the tabby actually glared threateningly at Albus. Harry was surprised at her tone towards her husband. He remembered her anger only yesterday when she had hexed Albus unconscious. He certainly never wanted to be on the receiving end of her anger.

Albus, though, didn't seem fazed in the slightest. He smiled at Harry with a twinkle in his eyes and explained himself:

"Well, it appears as if I already dealt with the problems at hand. I, obviously, found you. Filius agreed to be one of my witnesses and the second ... well, Hagrid, that is the reason I'm here for. Would you care to be the witness of the adoption of one Harry Potter by his godmother and her husband?"

Hagrid had to blink back tears as the full meaning of the question hit him.

"Of course, headmaster", stuttered Hagrid, giving up his futile fight with his tears. "Harry, ye'll have a real family now. I am so happy fer y'all!"

And he hugged Harry, crushing his ribs and driving all air from Harry's lungs. After a moment he let go and help Harry to stand.

"Sorry ..."

"It's ok", mumbled Harry, hugging Hagrid on his own accord now, burying his face in the big man's stomach. "I try to be a good son."

A./N.: Next up will be the adoption. Help with the magical aspect of it will be greatly appreciated.