~*~

"Yes, sometimes our little thinker is surprising us, right?" Severus asked and shifted Harry in a more comfortable position.

"Yeah, I'm sure he will be sorted into Ravenclaw," Harry said.

"We will see. There is still so much time until they are sorted. Things can change," Severus said.

"Hoping he will be sorted into Slytherin, aren't you?" Harry asked teasingly.

"No, I just fear that all my sons will get sorted into Gryffindor," Severus said and started tickling Harry.

"Oh, cuddle time and nobody invited me?" Ivy said, standing in the door frame, smiling.

"He is all yours to cuddle, love. I have to go and start on the lab," Severus said and helped Harry out of his lap. With a last ruffle of Harry's hair he left the living room, but not before giving his wife a kiss.

"Everything okay?" Ivy asked when Severus was gone.

"Sure, Mum!" Harry said cheerfully. He felt so relieved after his talk with Severus, even if he didn't know why. "So where are these catalogs Severus was talking about?" he knew he would get his mothers attention with her shopping addiction.

Ivy smiled happily. "I'll be back in a minute. Oh, it will be so nice to decorate your room." Excitedly she left the living room to fetch the catalogs.

~*~

Looking through catalogs with Ivy was as bad as going shopping with her. This woman really was addicted to shopping in Harry's eyes. To Harry's embarrassment she showed him some children catalogs as well, and he fell in love with a bed that looked like it was a cave hollowed out from the trunk of a very thick tree. It would match perfectly with the wall picture Albus would hopefully charm for him.

After Harry skimmed several times back to the trunk bed in moments he thought Ivy wasn't looking, Ivy asked, "Harry, if you like it, why don't you just say it? Severus said you want an all around mural of a forest. It would match perfectly."

Harry blushed. "That's for small kids." He saw Draco's grinning face in his mind.

"It's not. Look!" Ivy showed him the age recommendation on the top of the side on which the bed was. "It's from age twelve on."

Hmm, Draco doesn't have to know, right? Harry pondered mentally. "Okay, ehm... can we buy the matching cupboard as well?"

Ivy smiled happily. "Of course, we can," she said and tapped her wand at the bed and the cupboard. "Oh, let's take the desk, commode and the bookshelves as well Harry. Then it all fits with the walls."

Harry nodded. Eathan and Ly will be stunned to see the room, Harry thought proudly. He couldn't call it his room before he lived in it.

Suddenly the fireplace flared green, and Albus stepped out. "Hello, my dear," he said and kissed his surprised daughter.

"Is something wrong?" Ivy asked, worriedly.

"Of course not," Albus said and ruffled Harry's hair absently as a kind of greeting. "I just thought Severus could use some help building the lab."

"He is down in the basement," Ivy explained.

"Shall I show you the way," Harry asked, realizing too late that it was Albus' mansion. He blushed wildly.

Albus chuckled and patted Harry's shoulder. "I think I know where it is."

_______

Skating with Ivy and the twins was fun. They fell more often then they skated, but the cushion charms Ivy had placed on them were making sure it stayed fun nevertheless.

When they came back from the lake, they found not only Albus and Severus in the living room drinking Butterbeer but also Alastor.

"I am slowly starting to worry. So many men in the house and only one woman," Ivy said while kissing Alastor on his cheek. "Where is Poppy?"

"She is helping Minerva with some paperwork. I got bored and thought I could help building the lab," Alastor explained.

Severus grinned. "Yes, and with so many helping hands we've already finished Harry's lab."

"Really?" Harry asked, excited. "Can I see it?"

"Certainly, go down and have a look," Severus said and took another sip of his Butterbeer.

"Oh, no, young man," Ivy said while grabbing Harry's arm when he turned to leave for the basement. After she had the attention of the puzzled Harry, she added, "You first have to change your clothes. Please help Eathan and Lysander as well."

Harry groaned, but obeyed.

"We want to see your lab as well, Harry," Eathan said and spoke for his brother, too.

"Then let's change your clothes quickly and go down," Harry said while already pulling Lysander's jumper over his head.

"Ehm..." Lysander said and bit his bottom lip.

Eathan threw him a warning glare, but to his bad luck Harry saw it.

"What?" Harry said and took Ly's chin to turn it to him.

"We are not allowed to go in the basement," Lysander said shyly.

"But when you are around, it will be okay," Eathan said, trying to sound convincing.

"Yeah, sure, and then I'm the one in trouble again. No, boys. If the basement is off limit for you then I won't take you down there," Harry said sternly.

Eathan crossed his arms in front of his chest. He let himself fall down on his bed and pushed his bottom lip out.

Harry grinned. "If you knew how cute you look when you pout, you wouldn't do it anymore."

Eathan stopped pouting and faced Harry. "But it is unfair. Why can't we go down there?"

"Ask Mummy or Daddy. If they say it is okay, I will take you down with me," Harry explained. Only his seeker reflexes made him grab both boys before they could run out of the room. "Hey, I meant after we are finished changing."

"Then hurry," Eathan said demandingly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Paul?"

"Master Harry needs my help?" Paul asked after popping in the room.

"Yes, could you please help me dress the twins?" Harry asked politely.

"They can undress and dress themselves, Master Harry. You only need to help them tuck everything in and check that they didn't put something on the wrong way," Paul stated. Harry swore he could hear amusement in his voice.

Harry glared at the twins who giggled wildly now.

Eathan started to pull his jumper over his head and slipped out of his trousers.

"Fantastic," Harry said, annoyed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't ask," Lysander stated. "You always just changed us back at Hogwarts."

"Because I thought that you can't do it alone," Harry said and tucked Lysander's undershirt in his underpants, like he saw Paul doing with Eathan.

"It was nice," Lysander said softly and all of Harry's annoyance vanished.

"Yeah, great," Harry said, smiling, and kissed Lysander on his forehead. Facing Paul, Harry said, "Thank you, Paul, I can take over now."

Paul vanished with a pop, and Eathan pointed at his forehead. First Harry thought he wanted to insult him, but when Eathan said, "Kiss," Harry realized what Eathan meant. Quickly he kissed Eathan like he had kissed Lysander after dressing, and then they left for the living room.

"Mummy, Harry wants to show us his lab," Eathan said pleadingly.

Harry gasp for air. "I didn't!"

Ivy smiled. "So who was it who wanted to go down to the basement?" she asked Eathan.

"Ehm... me," Eathan said sullenly.

"The basement is off limits, Eathan. You know that. It's too dangerous," Severus explained while coming over to them.

"But Harry is a kid, too!" Eathan whined.

"Yes, he is, but he is an older kid than you," Severus said and patted Eathan's head. "When you are as old as Harry is, you will be allowed to come down to the basement a well."

"Promise?" Eathan asked hopefully.

"I promise," Severus said, smiling down at his son. Turning to Harry, Severus asked, "So are you ready to see your lab?"

"Sure I am," Harry said happily.

"Daddy," Eathan called before Severus could leave the room.

"What's the matter, Eathan?" Severus asked patiently.

"When am I as old as Harry?" Eathan asked childlike.

"In eight years," Severus said, grinning.

"Eight years?" Eathan looked at his fingers to count how much eight is. "But that's so long!"

"Oh, come on, Eathan," Ivy said and lifted Eathan up in her arms. "Don't you want to tell Grandpa and Uncle Al what you have done all the day?"

Eathan still looked sad, but when Severus and Harry had slipped out of the room, he went over to Albus and cuddled with him.

"Wow, it's great!" Harry exclaimed when he saw the lab. The walls were painted in a dark green and they were covered with shelves on one side. The other side had a big tub for cauldron cleaning, a cauldron shelf and two cupboards with vials and other utensils. In the middle of the room stood a big desk, with two Bunsen burner-like flames in place.

"In the summer you can supply your shelves and the cupboard," Severus explained. He proudly laid his arm over Harry's shoulders.

"I can't wait for the summer," Harry said, in awe.

Severus chuckled. "Come on, Albus wants to charm your walls before the furniture arrives," Severus explained.

When Albus and Harry stood in the empty room, Albus instructed Harry to clear his mind and just imagine the walls like he wanted them to be.

"Fine, Harry, when you are sure you have it in front of your mind, open your eyes and I will use Legilimency to see it," Albus said calmly.

Harry trusted Albus, and so he didn't think twice to open his eyes and mind for Albus to see into it.

"Hmmm," Albus hummed when he closed his eyes after seeing Harry's version of a forest. He breathed a few times deeply and then turned without opening his eyes at the walls and started to almost sing a sequence of Latin words.

It was amazing. Harry could feel the magic around him. White foggy figures danced out of Albus' wand and the room filled with mist. After five minutes Albus stopped the singing and just hummed for a few more minutes until the mist vanished completely, and then Harry saw the magnificent mural.

He quickly went over to one wall. "Roan!" He laid his hand against the wall were Roan reared up and neighed. Harry could hear birds singing and the wind in the trees. He smiled happily and went in circles with his eyes closed to enjoy the sounds of the forest. When he had enjoyed the noises enough he opened his eyes and stared directly at Albus and the rest of his family, who had joined them.

Oh, damn. I danced like a girl, Harry thought while seeing the smirks and Severus' raised eyebrow.

Before he could feel too embarrassed the twins stormed over to him and pulled him around to dance with them. They giggled wildly and then started to explore the forest picture with Harry. The found a lot of creatures, who came and went as they pleased. There were still so many more creatures to discover, but some would only come out in the night, like Harry had imagined it in his mind.

"I want one, too, Grandpa!" Eathan said happily.

"But only the light one," Lysander said shyly. He liked to look at the dark part of the forest on Harry's walls, but he didn't want to sleep in a room with such a dark forest part.

"If, you two still want one in the summer, I will charm your walls new," Albus promised.

"Thank you, Albus. It's exactly like I pictured it," Harry said, smiling happily.

"I'm glad you like it, Harry," Albus said and laid his hand on Harry's shoulder. "If you don't want to hear the noises you just have to say feriae, can you keep that?"

"Sure," Harry said, beaming at Albus. "How do I reactivate the noises?"

"Strepitus," Albus said and all the noises were back.

Before Albus and Alastor left the mansion, Alastor gave Harry a book. "I have heard about Roan, Harry. Please follow Severus' instructions. It's too dangerous for you to meet Roan alone. This book has a lot of information about swamp horses. I thought you would be interested in it."

"Thank you!" Harry said and hugged Alastor.

_________

A ringing sound was heard while Severus read the goodnight story Harry had chosen. Eathan, Lysander and Harry looked up curiously when Ivy went out of the room and the ringing stopped.

Severus grinned and said, "Only one more page, boys. Then it's bed time."

Ivy still hadn't come back when Severus finished reading the story. "Bedtime," Severus whispered, because Lysander already had fallen asleep on Harry's lap, and Eathan also was half asleep with his thumb in mouth. Severus lifted Lysander in his arms and gestured Harry to carry Eathan.

When the twins were tucked in their beds, Ivy came into the room. She gave both of her little sons a kiss and then turned to Harry. "Your furniture has arrived. I have arranged them. If you want, you can have a look at it before you go to sleep," Ivy whispered.

Eagerly Harry followed his parents into his room and was in love with it instantly. The bed was amazing and the wall picture arranged itself around it. A dark green carpet was a pleasant surprise.

"A Slytherin room," Severus said teasingly, but Harry was too thunderstruck by the beauty of his room to reply to Severus. Ivy bopped Severus in his ribs nevertheless.

The room smelled new and not like his room at Hogwarts. That was the only negative thing about the room. "Can I try it out?" Harry asked, gesturing to the tree cave bed.

"Certainly, Harry, but only testing. Tonight you need to sleep with the twins. The furniture has to breathe first, and we need to air the room for a while."

"I know," Harry said, not because he really knew but because he didn't mind to share a room with the twins.

When Harry lay in his bed, he saw that the trunk was hollow even at the top, so he could still see his charmed ceiling.

"You can change the bed if you like," Ivy explained and tapped her wand at a knothole. The tree changed and a ladder out of wood appeared and led to the slightly changed tree top. Harry climbed the ladder and saw a hammock-like part on top of the tree. It was covering the hole completely. It must be very dark in the cave bed now, Harry thought curiously. He didn't know why, but even with his bad experiences with the cupboard at the Dursley's he felt safe in small dark rooms. I will try to sleep in the cave while it is darkened by the hammock on its top one day, Harry planned.

Hesitantly Harry climbed down again. The hammock was very comfortable, and he would have loved to stay longer or even fall asleep in it while looking at the night sky on his ceiling. Yes, now it was his room!