Harry was still a small and quiet child, but he was starting to adapt. And Severus was determined to give him as much happiness as humanly possible. He had only had custody of young Harry Potter for a couple of months, since the summer, and he had decided that one of the best ways for the six-year-old to adapt to the changes into his life was to settle him into a routine straight away. So Harry spent five days of the week at the local primary school, where he was slowly starting to settle in, and Severus made sure to encourage him all he could, while not forcing him into anything he didn't want to do at the same time. The issue of school aside, but Harry didn't put up too much of a fight. Those blasted muggles had conditioned him to be obedient. He still didn't talk much at all, although he had asked Severus about his parents a couple of times, and Severus was wondering whether or not it had been a mistake to tell Harry that he had gone to school with his mother and father. He had explained to Harry about magic the best he could, since the Dursley's hadn't told him anything, and Harry had accepted most things readily. Severus done small little tasks everyday with magic, so Harry gradually got used to the magical world, although he knew not to mention anything at school.

Severus was stood at the school gates promptly at three thirty to collect Harry. He was always on time and always stood in the same place so that Harry could spot him easily. It was only a small school, with about twenty students in each of the seven years, so Severus knew most of the parents of the children in Harry's class. They all knew that Harry had had a pretty tough time of it in the early years of his life, and they were all very supportive. The teachers were as well, and Severus was confident that they would be no problems for Harry at school. The teachers were well-experienced and wise, and the pupils kind and well brought up. Those in Harry's class still included him in activities, even if he didn't respond a lot of the time. Well, he didn't respond verbally anyway. Severus soon saw a small boy with glasses and a mop of messy black hair coming across the playground, and there were some other children in a group with him, all of them still willing to be his friend. Soon Severus felt a small hand slip into his own, and he smiled down at his young charge. "Hello, Harry," he greeted the boy. "How was school?" he always tried to ask the boy questions to get him communicating.

"It was good," Harry answered quietly, as the two left the playground hand-in-hand. It was Harry's standard answer, but he seemed happy enough today. Severus was glad. It was a Friday, and he had plans for him and Harry tonight.

He was slowly convincing Harry that he was a good boy like other children, and that he deserved treats and days out like other children. Half term week had been a bit of a struggle, but they'd had some fun days, filled with trips out, and Severus was getting used to looking after a young child. This time last year he would never have believed he'd be looking after a six-year-old Harry Potter and he wouldn't have believed he was capable of keeping them both alive. But he was starting to thrive, as was Harry, he couldn't imagine not sharing his home with the little boy now. And he owed it to Lily to look after her son.

Once they were home, Severus sent Harry upstairs to change out of his school uniform. He had left Harry a pair of jeans and a t-shirt out to get changed into, and had told him to put a jumper on as well. The jumper he hadn't picked out, he was trying to make Harry make some decisions by himself everyday. Harry appeared back downstairs in a knitted jumper with a dragon breathing flame on the front, and Severus picked him up and swung him round to sit on the kitchen counter near where he was going to prepare supper. "You may have a sweet while we prepare supper, Harry," Severus told him, holding out the sweetie jar to Harry, which held his Halloween goodies from earlier in the week. Harry took a sweet and gave Severus a smile. Halloween had been a right adventure, but fun in the end when Harry got over some of his many fears. And it had been the best Halloween Severus had had since his days at Hogwarts when he had celebrated the day with Lily. It seemed fitting that he should create such good memories on this particular day with her son. He hadn't told Harry that it was also the day that his parents died, telling himself the boy was much too young to know yet. The boy understood his parents were dead, that he had been a friend of his mother's and that he was going to live here from now on, and that was enough for now.

"What are we having for supper?" Harry asked shyly and Severus knew he must be curious, as he had pulled out many ingredients that probably didn't look much like they would make a decent supper.

Severus was glad the boy was willing to communicate some, and that he was no longer afraid to asked questions, and he turned to face Harry to give him his full attention. "Tonight we get to do something fun," he told his ward. "We get to make dessert first, and have fun doing so."

Harry responded to his enthusiasm with a small smile. "Really?" he asked.

"Yes," Severus told him. "We've got a fun filled night." He was a little bit nervous about tonight, but he was determined to go through with his plan. "Now, as I start preparing, why don't you tell me about what you learned at school today?"

"We done our five times table," Harry told him.

"Very good," Severus replied. "We'll have to keep practicing on an evening."

Harry beamed at him, he was enjoying spending time with Severus more and more, and he liked that he was now able to do his school work, instead of having to let Dudley get better marks than him. "And we learned about the great fire of London in history," Harry continued.

"Oh really?" Severus asked him.

"Yes," Harry told him seriously. "To keep with the fire theme."

That comment encouraged Severus greatly, that tonight might actually be a very good idea. "And how did the fire start?" he asked.

"In a bakers shop," Harry told him. "In Pudding lane, which is a rather funny name for a street."

"So is Diagon Alley," Severus told him, and Harry giggled. "And why did you need a fire theme in history today?" he dangled the question.

"Because we've been learning about Guy Fawkes as well," Harry told him.

"And the gunpowder plot, about sixty years before the fire of London" Severus said. "Your mother loved that part of muggle English history, and told me all about it on several occasions when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up King James the First and the Houses of Parliament with gunpowder. She hated missing Guy Fawkes night while we were away at school."

"Remember, remember the fifth of November," Harry chanted to him, and Severus rewarded him with a beaming smile.

"That's right," he replied. "Gunpowder, treason and plot," he continued. "I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot." Harry gave him another smile, and Severus was reminded of how far they had come in a couple of short months. "And do you know what tonight is?" he asked the boy.

"Bonfire night," Harry told him. He looked a little nervous about the fact.

"Yes, one of your mother's favourite nights of the year. Good food, cold crisp air, and fireworks," Severus told him. Harry didn't particularly like loud noises, but Severus was determined they were going to the town's firework display tonight. "Now, firework night food. For dessert we're going to be making toffee apples." Severus had already speared several apples on lolly sticks that afternoon, and he was now heating ingredients to make the toffee. Harry looked into the pan curiously. "Don't touch the pan," Severus warned him. "It's hot."

"I won't," Harry solemnly promised. Severus left the mixture in the pan bubbling, and started to lay out plates filled with treats such as different coloured sprinkles usually served on ice-cream, chocolate shavings and several small varieties of sweets. He then showed Harry how to carefully dip his apple into the hot toffee mixture and then roll it in which ever treat he wanted. They made several plain ones as well, and some with each kind of treat on, and then Harry got creative and made some with a mixture of the treats on, until all the apples and toffee mixture was used up. They had made way more than they needed, but as always it was worth it for Severus to see Harry having such fun. He was rather sticky when they had finished, and Severus quickly cleaned his hands, face and jumper with a softly uttered charm.

Severus set the tray with the toffee apples on aside, and looked at Harry. "Hungry?" he asked the boy, and received a small nod in reply. "Ok then," Severus told him matter of factly. "Your mother said that they always used to have sausage sandwiches for supper on bonfire night, does that sound good to you?" he asked Lily's son.

"Yes," Harry said.

"Right then, this is the plan," his guardian told him. "Supper, and then we'll walk down to the firework display at the riverside."

"Ok," Harry agreed quietly, and Severus knew he was nevous with the idea.

Harry remained sitting on the worktop as Severus fried a pan full of sausages and onions on the stove, and buttered some bread buns, before digging the ketchup out of a cupboard. Harry ate most of his sausage and fried onion sandwich, and Severus was pleased, he had started to eat more recently. He decided that they had time to have a toffee apple before heading out. Harry choose a plain toffee apple, wanting to save the fancy ones for later. The amount they had made, they were going to be eating toffee apples for a week at least. Maybe Severus could palm some off on Professor Dumbledore. With his fondness for sweets, the Hogwarts' Headmaster was bound to like toffee apples.

Later that evening Severus bundled Harry up into a warm coat, with his mittens hanging by a string through his sleeves so he didn't loose them, his hat and scarf and they made their way out of the house, hand-in-hand again. There were lots of people also walking down to the riverside where the firework display was to be held, and a few fireworks had already gone off, causing Harry to jump and clutch Severus' hand tighter, slightly scared. But Harry had been scared at Halloween, Severus told himself and they had both ended up having a great night. There was an air of excitement in the air, and although the street lights were still on the sky was pitch black. Harry held Severus' hand tighter the closer they got to the riverside, as the numbers of people began to swell. The firework displays up and down the country always attracted huge crowds, and Severus was eager for Harry to experience Bonfire night.

When they got to the riverside Severus found them a nice little spot to stand in, and Harry looked around with wonder. He had seen the riverside before, but never filled with so many people. And there were traders walking around with lots of glow in the dark merchandise, and tempting smells wafting from burger vans. Severus bought them some hot roasted chesnuts to share, even though he knew Harry would wait patiently for the display to start, even if he was a little scared.

He was very scared when the street lights went out and the countdown began, and Severus picked him up and cuddled him into his coat. Harry jumped at the first firework and Severus was worried that he was going to begin to cry, and cuddled him closer. Gradually though, as the display went on, Severus noticed that Harry had stopped jumping at every bang from a firework, and was instead watching the display in silent amazement. Severus knew he had made the right decision to bring Harry to see the fireworks. He really did have a lot of his mother in him and she had loved these nights. Severus wished he had got to spend more with her, and was determined he was going to share them with her son.

He ended up carrying Harry the last of the way home, and he had a very sleepy six-year-old when they got back to their house. But it was the weekend tomorrow, so it didn't matter that his schedule had been interrupted. Seeing Harry's awe towards the end of the firework display made it all worth it. He quickly got Harry into bed, and received a goodnight hug from the little boy. "Tonight was fun," he was told sleepily, and Severus knew that the night had felt magical to Harry from the way the boys eyes were shining. "Can we do it again next year?"

"Yes," Severus told him, as he pulled the bedcovers tightly around him. "We'll celebrate Bonfire night every year." He dropped a quick kiss on Harry's forehead, and as he turned out the light Harry's room was illuminated from another firework from outside. But Harry was exhausted from all the fun of the evening, and was asleep before Severus had shut the door.