The rest of the afternoon was mostly devoid of unnecessary conversation between the adults which meant Harry dominated their interest. He was pleased at having the attention and so he kept busy chatting about every little thing he saw. Finally, before they left to return home to their cottage, it was time for Harry's ferris wheel ride. He first rode with his father, and then he rode with Echo.

As the wheel spun leisurely and carried Harry and Echo to its furthest height, Harry asked, "Do you like my dad, Echo?"

"I'm not sure, Harry." Seeing the worried look on the child's face, she quickly amended her statement. "I don't dislike him. I mean, after all, he was very brave to have pulled me out of the ocean and I do rather like seeing how he is around you. He loves you a great deal."

"Soooo, then you do like him?" he persisted.

She looked down at the small figure of the Potions Master standing on the ground below. Severus Snape didn't have the classic good looks that had bewitched her when she met Oland, but then, her ex-husband had a rather ugly soul. Severus Snape had a large nose that had obviously been broken one too many times in his youth. Large though it was, it somehow fit his face. Smiles were most certainly a rare sight, and were no doubt meant only for people he cared about. A few times during the day, she had caught the smallest of smiles directed at Harry and found that just that little bit, added to the man's rather expressive, dark eyes, gave him a certain appeal that would keep any woman around.

The man was also incredibly intelligent and as much a lover of books as she was. If the Hunchback of Notre Dame had been as intelligent as Potions Master Snape was, she'd find him attractive. Severus Snape was not handsome but he certainly was no Hunchback!

Then... that voice of his. Truly, it was a magical power that he wielded with great skill. It should have been outlawed. There was practically a tangible feeling to the Potions Master's voice that gave her chills... and they weren't unpleasant chills. She couldn't help wondering if, amongst his older students, there weren't a few young girls harboring secret crushes on the darkling wizard just over the silken strains of his voice.

The ferris wheel paused momentarily at the top and Echo forgot she'd not answered Harry's question. "I suppose I do like him." The hopeful look on the child's face just stabbed at her heart. She had to break his bubble now, or he'd absolutely resent her later. "Harry. I hope you're not trying to set your father and I up. It's just not something I can do now. My husband... my ex-husband only became my ex yesterday, and I..."

"It's okay, Echo. I just don't like people who don't like my dad and there are... well... a lot who don't. I'd hate to like you if you didn't like him. It wouldn't be any fun and it wouldn't be fair to my dad."

Echo sat back in the rocking seat of the ferris wheel. Well, she'd apparantly read that wrong. Harry just didn't want any negativity to disturb his life. She patted his hand. "I like you, Albus, and even your father, Harry. Don't worry."

Harry smiled and right before she looked away, she caught a bit of a twinkle in his remarkable green eyes. Echo pursed her lips thoughtfully and mused about how that twinkle was so much like Albus'!