It seemed to Dumbledore that morning did not wait long before pouring sunlight through his bedroom window. He lay there for a while, listening to the birds singing and thinking about the events of the previous night. He had a serious talk with Harry to prepare. What would mentioning the infamous "M" word do to the child? Dumbledore admitted to himself that he had been quite naïve when it came to realising the Dursley's hatred for magic. Indeed he had been quite naïve about the Dursleys in general and Harry had suffered some dark and difficult years as a result.

"Yes," he thought sadly, "It will be no easy task to convince Harry that magic is not evil."

On top of this, Albus also had a very sick Severus to prepare for. He shuddered when he thought about the potion incident again. He was grateful that he had woken up in time and that Healer Barnes had dealt with it all so calmly.

"I used to be calm and serene," Dumbledore reminded himself. He supposed that was the difference between being the seemingly omnipotent onlooker, protecting the wizarding world as best he could and being on the inside, a worried parent of two very vulnerable children. More than ever, he thanked Merlin for Minerva's help. He had always been able to rely on the Deputy Headmistress.

He looked at his twelve handed watch and suddenly realised why time had seemed to go so fast. It was only 6:30. Why on earth was he awake!

Just as Albus closed his eyes he heard a small whimper from the adjoining room.

"Severus," he thought and went to see what was wrong.

The little boy was sitting up in bed. Looking at him, Dumbledore saw that this had been taken great effort. There were small beads of perspiration on the little face. James had warned the Headmaster that the antidote for the Silencio potion would greatly weaken the child for a day or two, but the old wizard was still shocked at what he now saw. Quickly, he went to Severus and put a supporting arm around him. Severus responded by leaning against Albus and he was quickly gathered into the strong arms.

"Child," Dumbledore said gently, "You need to sleep some more. Why don't you close your eyes again, hmm?"

"Need a dwink, Abus," came the hoarse little voice.

"Of course, sweetie," said Dumbledore softly. He called Dobby, who bounced about despite the early hour, and ordered a cup of juice for the sick toddler.

Severus drank greedily and then became sleepy again. As Albus put him back into bed, however, the little boy whimpered. "Yu 'tay, Abus."

"All right, child," Dumbledore soothed, "Why don't we go and sleep in my bed?"

Severus agreed to this and was soon nestled comfortably in the Headmaster's arms.

Minutes later, Dumbledore's descent into slumber was interrupted a second time by a pair of shy green eyes peering up at him from beside his large bed.

"Come on, Harry," he said with a tired smile, "In you get."

With the help of Fawkes (who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time) Harry was deposited in the bed and curled up on the other side of Dumbledore.

Silence reigned for another couple of hours as they all slept.

It could certainly be said that Severus was not a morning person. This was especially true when he was unwell.

"Come on, little one," Albus cajoled, "Just eat a little more breakfast for me and I will give you some more medicine."

"Don't want to!" Severus cried.

Albus sighed and then cut some fruit up into very small pieces. Setting them on a plate beside Severus, he turned away slightly and feigned total disinterest. He was not surprised when they all disappeared. Severus loved strawberries and bananas.

Harry meanwhile, was eating his breakfast quietly and did not protest about the vitamin rich protection potion Healer Barnes had left for him to stop him getting the flu. Of course it helped that Albus was drinking one too.

"The last thing you need is to become ill as well, Headmaster," Jeffrey had said sternly.

After he had taken his potions, Severus played on the floor with Harry while Dumbledore read his post.

"Good morning, everyone," came the voice of Minerva McGonagall.

"Goodness, Severus! You still look very pale," she crouched down beside him and felt his forehead, finding his temperature to be normal. She then picked him up and cuddled him, which Severus seemed to enjoy. Leaning over, she kissed Harry on the forehead and he smiled shyly up at her.

"My best wee boys, aren't you?" she said warmly.

When the children were occupied once more, Dumbledore took Minerva aside and quietly updated her on the events of the previous night.

"My word! The poor wee darling," she exclaimed, "No wonder he looks so pale."

"Yes, he is still very weak," Albus stole a glance at the dark eyed toddler. "Harry thought he was making him better, Merlin help him."

"And you say he opened your medicine cabinet?" Minerva asked, "Does he know he did that with magic?" She asked in a hushed voice. She had seen enough of the Dursleys to suspect their feelings on the subject.

"No, he does not," said Albus quietly, "He would probably be terrified if he did. I am going to have a talk with him about it later today. I wondered if you would stay for that. I think our young Harry will need a lot of convincing."

"Of course I will, Albus," McGonagall said, "You really should let me help more. You look tired.

"I am all right, " said Dumbledore calmly, "Though I don't mind telling you last night was not good for the heart."

"I imagine not," said Minerva, briefly placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"Abus, Seberus go 'leep," Harry tugged at the Headmaster's sleeve.

"That's the effects of the antidote, " Albus explained to McGonagall as he picked up the sleeping toddler, "He will be very tired for a day or two."

"I give him a tiss?" Harry asked. He seemed to have taken James's advice on the best ways to help Severus to heart.

"All right, child," Minerva whispered, "But we must be very quiet. Let Albus tuck him in first."

Albus soon beckoned Harry over to the small bed and Severus received another sloppy kiss. The adults smiled.

"I think now is as good a time as any for that talk," Minerva said quietly.

They led Harry back into the living room and sat down with him on the couch. He looked at them curiously.

"Harry," Albus said, "Do you remember last night when you flew up to my medicine cabinet?"

Harry looked both ashamed and frightened.

"No, Child," Dumbledore soothed, "I am not angry with you. I know you only wanted to help and you know lots of good ways to help Severus now, don't you?"

"Yeah," said Harry, looking a little more confident.

"Do you remember how you opened the medicine cabinet?" Albus asked softly.

Harry looked a little confused.

"You wanted it to open very much, didn't you?" the Headmaster supplied.

"Yeah," said Harry, "An' then it opened and my arm got all tingly."

"That's right, my boy," Dumbledore smiled, "That tingling feeling you got, which made the door open, was something very special. It was your first magic."

It was as if Dumbledore had slapped Harry. Before either adult had time to react, Harry had dived off the sofa and under a nearby table.

"Harry," said Minerva in alarm, "It is all right, love. There is no need to be afraid."

She sat down on the floor near the table and Albus quickly followed suit.

"S Sowwy," whispered Harry. He was trembling so much he could barely speak.

Harry," McGonagall's voice was warm, "You have done nothing wrong. You are a wizard and wizards can do magic. That is not a bad thing."

"Vernon and "Tunia said I'm not allowed to say the "M" word and I am a fweak."

"Oh, Child!" Dumbledore fought to keep his composure. It was heartbreaking to see such fear in the boy's face and realise his part in causing it. "You are not a freak. The Dursleys were very bad to tell you that. You are a very special little boy. You can do magic because you are a wizard. Your Mummy and daddy did magic too and they would be very proud of you." He paused to let the child digest this information.

"You are a wizard, Harry," Albus repeated, "And you belong in the Wizarding world with Minerva and Severus, Me and all your friends. You are a very good boy and we love you so much."

Harry crawled very slowly out from under the table.

"You not put me in the big dawk for using the "M" word?" he asked fearfully.

"No, my darling," Albus shook his head, tears running down his cheeks and into his beard.

Harry went to Albus and almost fell into his arms. "I didn't wike the big dawk," he sobbed, "It was scawy an' I couldn't get away from the big monster."

"What big monster?" McGonagall felt a chill run down her spine.

"Vernon said there is a big monster in the cupboard that eats bad boys wike me."

It was a credit to Albus and Minerva that they didn't get hysterical about these new revelations of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of Vernon Dursley.

"I'd like to pay that beast a visit," thought McGonagall grimly, "I'd turn him into a dung beetle."

Instead she reached out and stroked Harry's hair. Albus was now cuddling the child close and rocking him as he cried, murmuring soothing words into his ear.

They spent the best part of the afternoon calming Harry. They encouraged him to talk to them and to draw pictures (Albus made a mental note to show these to James Barnes) and they read him stories. Gradually, Harry's anxiety began to fade.

Dumbledore showed Harry some small spells such as one to clean sticky little handprints off his glasses and Minerva showed Harry how she could turn into a cat. Harry was a little frightened at first but fear soon gave way to childish excitement and she got several requests to "Do it again, 'Nerva!"

When Severus entered the room in Minerva's arms. He was greeted with a much calmer scene. Albus and Harry were sitting on the couch looking at picture books. Harry had always been enthralled by the moving pictures and asked Dumbledore a lot of questions about them.

I think I'm going to call you 'Harry Why?' from now on." Dumbledore chuckled and tickled Harry, who giggled.

"Hello, my little sweetie," Dumbledore beamed up at the child in McGonagall's arms.

"I see stowee?" Severus asked.

"Of course, pet," Minerva sat down beside Harry, who smiled and patted him on the arm.

"I tell you a stowee, 'ittle Seberus," said Harry and began to turn the pages of the book, talking incessantly about the boy flying in the sky and a hippogriff chasing him.

Severus listened with great interest while Albus and Minerva sat back, pleased that the children were getting on so well.

"All right children. Time for dinner, I think," the Headmaster said at last. Dobby had already begun laying the table. Severus reached out for Albus, who gathered him into his arms. He began feeding Severus, who seemed too tired to eat on his own.

After dinner, both Dumbledore and McGonagall bathed the children and readied them for bed. Severus was almost asleep as Albus tucked him in.

"He's exhausted," Minerva commented.

"Yes, the illness and the strong medicines are really taking their toll on him," Albus agreed as he pulled the covers up around the sleeping child and kissed his forehead.

Going to Harry, the Headmaster kissed him too.

"Sweet dreams, my little bird," he whispered, "If you are frightened or Severus is sick, you must come and get me, all right?"

"Aw wite" agreed Harry.

"That's my boy," Dumbledore smiled and quietly left the room, Minerva in tow.