Thank you very much for your praise of this story - I appreciate it!

And yes, Harry's acceptance is *definitely* gradual - but I figured it has to be, to be realistic. And even then, it's somewhat accelerated because of the fact that they're more or less stuck together with very few others around (of which Dumbledore is the only one Harry would feel more comfortable with). And it's helped by the fact that the way I'm picturing Snape is someone who *can* enjoy teaching, if his student(s) is/are (A) willing to learn, and (B) of above average competence in whatever he's teaching (which almost automatically disqualifies most of his Potions students! *g*). And as Dumbledore speculated, he's finding one-on-one teaching to be interesting. And the thought of developing the Slytherin side of James Potter's son doesn't hurt... (*EG*)