A.N.: I know, I know. It is months that I updated and I'm sorry. Anyway ... So here is the next chapter. Plz read and review and be kind. :) Enjoy

LG Faithful

Trouble 19

When Harry's vision cleared after his first apparition experience, he found himself standing in a field of wild flowers. It was the most beautiful landscape he had ever seen, being a city child. With one hand still clinging to the hand of his mother, he stared around wide-eyed. It was almost too much to take in the trees, flowers, rocks, and the feel of the grass beneath his feet. He breathed in the scent of heather and knew he had found the place he could call home. Sweeping his eyes leisurely over the landscape, Harry finally noticed the old manor, cresting the top of a nearby hill. All around the manor rose bushes grew and filled the air with their heady scent. Harry grinned; there was no better place to play Cupid.

"Wow, this is ... breath-taking," he exclaimed happily, letting go of his mother's hand and walking up to the house, drinking in all the sights.

Minerva had to smile and looked at her family home as Harry must, having grown up in a typical modern suburb of muggles. She had seen Privet Drive and in particular the Dursley's house. It was nothing like this old Scottish stone manor with its imposing nature. Seeing it through Harry's eyes, Minerva had to admit it seemed intimidating and a little cold.

Albus walked up to his wife and stood beside her. She was obviously miles away, staring at her home with an inwardly turned look in her eyes. Maybe she remembered the first time Lily had seen it, or the day Lily had come running up the hill, shouting and waving, to tell them that she was engaged to James, or the night Harry was born in one of its guest rooms. A small smile tugged at his mouth and he stepped closer to his wife, taking her hand in his softly. It drew Minerva out of her trance. She started a little and looked up at him, her eyes dark pools of emerald green. Albus couldn't read the emotions at the bottom of these pools, but decided to take a chance. No risk, no fun, after all. He raised her hand and placed a tender kiss to the back of it, never leaving her eyes with his.

A loving spark ignited in Albus' blue orbs and set Minerva's body aflame. She had to turn her gaze away from his or she would be consumed by it. Jerking her hand away from him, she walked after Harry, calling out to him. "Inside it is more homely, son. Let me get the key and then I show you your room." She fumbled in one of the pockets of her cloak, but had to stop as Harry flung himself at her, hugging the stuffing out of her.

"It is awesome here," he said, beaming up into her face. "I can't wait to see my room."

Albus hid his grin behind his hand over the lower half of his face. Yes, Harry was definitely like his parents, both bubbly and easily excitable. Lily had squealed when Minerva had shown her to her rooms ... and James had nearly jumped out the window when Albus had walked in on a romantic moment between him and Lily.

As he ascended the last meters to the front door, Albus noted that everything had been prepared for them, exactly as they liked them. He made a mental note to give Dobby a raise for the little miracle he had done here. Inside the manor's entrance hall Dobby awaited them. Now he bowed deeply to his employer.

"Welcome home, Master," he squeaked happily, beaming like a lantern.

Harry stood there for a moment, stunned into silence. Minerva nudged him and smiled at his obvious surprise. "We thought you might like a familiar face around," she explained. For a moment Harry was surprised by the thoughtfulness of his new parents, before he reminded himself that they were not Vernon and Petunia Dursley who gave a damn about him, but Minerva and Albus Dumbledore who loved him. 'At this rate I'll never again stop smiling,' he thought as he stooped down to hug Dobby.

"How are you, my friend?" he asked the house elf.

Dobby was close to tears at being thus greeted by the great Harry Potter, but hugged the boy back. "Dobby is great, Harry Potter," he squeaked out. "Dobby has prepared Miss Lily's old room for Harry Potter as Master Dumbledore wanted Dobby to. Winky helped."

Harry rose and looked around. Sure enough, there in the shadows stood Winky. She looked better than the last time he had seen her. No stains covered her neat uniform. Blinking a little and squinting into the shadows, Harry noticed that she didn't wear the Hogwarts uniform anymore but instead the uniform of House McGonagall, a miniature white blouse over a miniature tartan kilt. The coat of arms of the family was stitched over her heart.

Minerva walked forward and nodded to the elf. "I hope you made yourself comfortable here with us, Winky," she spoke softly, kindly. Her voice was as soft as the day she had told Harry and Ron Hermione had been petrified. It amazed Harry that she would hide this softer side of herself almost all the time in school. 'Why?' he asked himself. 'What hurt her so much that she thinks she has to guard her heart?' He had a feeling, though, that the answer might possibly have something to do with his mother ...

"Thank you, Mistress," squeaked Winky, quite a few octaves higher than Dobby. "Mistress is too kind to Winky."

"Not at all." Minerva shook her head. "I hope you will come to see this as your home."

Winky bowed her head, hiding the expression on her face and the emotions in her eyes from her employers.

Albus had sidled closer to Harry and was now whispering into Harry's ear. "She needs a master. Not all house elves are as strong as Dobby. She was lost. Some elves lose their minds when they have no master to tell them what to do. She was vegetating in Hogwarts, not living anymore. Hopefully she will recover now with Minerva as her new mistress."

It was an explanation of sorts, but Harry wasn't sure he understood it. He also kept imagining what Hermione would say to all this. 'Prob'ly defending Winky's right to be free.' Before he could think further and work out what his father might mean, Minerva waved him to follow her up the stairs.

"Let's get you unpacked, why don't we."

Following her eagerly, Harry bounded up the stairs. When they were half way up, Albus called after them. "So I'll get our bags into the master bedroom, Minerva. Shall I light a fire in there?"

Minerva stiffened and paled, but she couldn't bring herself to call back that she had planned to sleep in the guest room.