"Forty seven Galleons," Harry agreed, holding out his hand to shake on it. The man took Harry's hand and gave it a quick shake and then pulled out his money pouch.

Not looking up as he counted out money he said, "He picked up negotiatin' a lot faster than you did when you were younger Severus."

Harry looked between the dealer and Snape and wondered at the comment.

"He had a good teacher."

The dealer laughed. "Let your granda' hear that from beyond the grave. He'll be back to haunt you right quick. This can't be his first deal," he commented, nodding his head towards Harry as he counted out the last of the gold coins.

"It is."

"On your da's first deal his grandda' cuffed him about the head when he was done for haggling down instead of up." He handed the coins to Harry, who put them in the black suede money pouch they used for conducting business. His father had made one for him and given it to him the evening before. "Woulda laughed myself silly if my da' hadn'ta done the same to me for paying out more'n he woulda liked on that deal."

Harry looked up at his father again in awe, trying to imagine the tall dark Potions Master getting cuffed for doing poorly on a gem deal by his grandfather, who had been running the Prince gem business at the time.

"We will return in the third week of June with more fire quartz," Severus told the dealer, and the man waved, thanking them for the delivery.

Harry and his father walked out of the large wooden shed and into the pasture, boots squelching in the wet grass as fog rolled across the hills around them.

"You really got hit for not doing a deal right?" Harry asked when they were a bit further from the workshop.

"Hit, no. Cuffed lightly, yes. My grandfather was a smart business man and was very particular about teaching his descendants the right way to do business so the family legacy could continue. He was however, not interested in abusing his charges. He was strict and I was made to re-read the book about bartering and made to practice haggling with my older cousins for months before I was allowed to make another gem deal."

Severus held out his arm and Harry took it so they could apparate home. When they arrived inside the entryway, Harry pulled off his muddy boots and set them by the door and then followed his father to his office with the money pouch so his father could write the transaction in the books and balance the accounts.

As Severus pulled out the business ledger Harry stood on the other side of his father's desk and fidgeted for a moment. "If I hadn't done the deal right, would you have cuffed me like your grandfather did you?"

Severus looked up at Harry and found both anxiety and curiosity on his face. "I will never hit you," he said. Harry seemed to take his word for it and came to the other side of the desk when beckoned to do so a moment later to watch as his father entered the transaction into the ledger.

When they were done entering the information, Snape closed the leather bound book and slipped it back into the desk drawer. Then he pulled out a sheet of parchment and handed it to Harry. "This is the list you asked for from the orphanage. They called back yesterday evening. As you no longer reside there, they can't share the names of the boys."

Harry's eyes scanned down the list. It was numbered instead of listing names. 1. A fire engine that makes noise. 2. A really warm blue coat - boy's size medium (child requested this item so children at school would no longer make fun of him for his coat). 3. A regulation sized football.... the list went on. Harry found the bottom of the list. 33. There were 33 boys still at the orphanage. There had been 34 when he'd left last summer and he wondered who else had been adopted.

"Bet the coat is for Eddie. He loves dark blue and always complained about not having anything good to wear." His eyes scanned down the list to number twelve. "Twelve has to be Noah because he loves board games."

Severus listened as Harry guessed several other boys he had known living at the orphanage.

"When can we go get gifts?"

Severus looked over the list again. "I do not believe you will have enough money to purchase all the items on the list. It is supposed to snow heavily again tonight, and tomorrow, perhaps after you have earned some more from shoveling?"

Harry nodded. "So Friday? That's still a couple days until Christmas."

"We will go Friday morning. Perhaps Mrs. Mayer would like to accompany us into town."

"I'll ask," Harry said brightly. He turned to head for the door but turned back again and said, "Can I go over there?" It was dark out and he didn't want to go out without permission.

"Yes. Hurry back."

Harry pulled his coat and boots back on and raced down the lane to ask Millie if she wanted to come buy Christmas gifts Friday morning to deliver Saturday to the orphanage. She told him she would love to come.

"I've got to shovel snow for a few more days so I have enough money. It's supposed to snow a lot tonight and tomorrow."

"If only you had a friend to shovel with you," she said. "How many places do you shovel in a day?"

"Twenty if I'm doing the shops in town," Harry said.

"There's thirty five in Hawes I think," she said.

"Yeah. I can only do 10 if I'm shoveling walkways at houses because they're not as close together as the shops." Harry told her goodbye and set back out in the darkness, shoes crunching on the snowy lane as he made his way home. By the time he'd returned a few minutes later a plan had slowly formed in his mind and he found his father in the living room reading on the couch in front of the Christmas tree.

"Could I have Ron over again tomorrow and the next day?" Harry asked. "Not to spend the night," he clarified. "If he could come help me shovel walkways we could do twice as many."

"You assume he wants to shovel snow with you."

"Well, he might not," Harry agreed. "But could I firecall and ask him?"

Severus looked over his book at Harry and motioned to the spot on the couch beside him. Harry came and sat down.

"You want the money for the orphans," Severus said.

"Yeah."

"You cannot expect your friend to want the same things as you do, or to put all of his effort into working for free as you have done. He may agree to help you for nothing, or he may want some of the profits."

"If he helps me and keeps a couple pounds per shop, I'd still have more than I had before," Harry said.

"He may wish to keep the entire amount from the shops he shovels."

Harry hadn't thought of that. Millie and Arran and Mrs. Allan had been so generous offering to donate money to buy gifts for the orphans as well that Harry had assumed everyone would want to help.

"Well," said Harry, "if he does want to keep it all, it's ok. It would still be fun to have a friend to shovel with."

"You will also need to provide lunch for your friend, and dinner if he is here late."

"I can make him dinner here," Harry said.

Severus narrowed his eyes at him. "Firecall your friend and ask to speak to him in person, either here or at the Burrow. This is a conversation best had in person with his parents. Tell him you will buy him lunch in town and that I will provide dinner both days. We will also provide the shovel and warm gloves. I will give you money both days for the two of you to eat in Hawes."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yes. That is assuming his parents agree to let him work with you for the next two days."

Harry jumped up from the couch and asked excitedly, "Can I firecall him now then before it's too late?" It was already nearing six.

"Yes. If his parents agree you may step through to the Burrow provided you are not gone for more than an hour."

"Thanks!"

Harry took the floo powder from the mantle and threw a handful into the grate calling, "The Burrow!" It was only a few minutes before he'd been invited to come all the way through, so he stepped through, shouting to his father that he'd be back soon.

The Weasleys had just finished with dinner and were happy to see Harry for the holidays. Ron was especially happy to see his friend a second time.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" asked Ron, bringing Harry into the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was cleaning up after dinner and Mr. Weasley was reading the evening edition of the Prophet at the dining table.

"Hello Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley said, and he returned her greeting and then Mr. Weasley's greeting.

"I came to ask if you would help me for the next two days," Harry told Ron, sitting at the wooden table with him. "Or just one day if you can. I've been shoveling snow to earn money so I can buy a gift for every kid still at the orphanage in Leeds for Christmas, because they only get whatever people donate. We're going to get gifts Friday but I haven't earned enough yet. It's supposed to snow pretty good tonight and tomorrow so there will be lots of shoveling to do. I can do 20 shops on my own each day, that's 100 pounds. If you helped we could double the amount of shops we shovel in front of. I understand if you don't want to do it for free. I thought maybe if you wanted to keep half from the shops you do and put the other half to the presents? Or if that's not enough you could keep all of what you earn. It'd be fun still to have a friend to spend the day shoveling with. We'd feed you and everything... my dad's going to give me money for lunches, and he'll make dinner both nights. And we have a warm pair of snow gloves for you and I'm going to borrow a second shovel from Arran."

Harry had said it all rather quickly, hoping to get it all out before his friend could say no. At least this way he could make sure he heard the whole spiel.

"How much do you have so far Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I have enough to spend 23 pounds per kid at the orphanage. There's 33 this year."

"You earned almost 800 pounds shoveling snow?" Mr. Weasley asked, surprised.

"No," Harry said, I earned some selling gems and my dad is donating some money, and Mr and Mrs. Mayer and Mrs. Allan donated some too. I earned half though.

"That's about 160 Galleons," Mrs. Weasley said, doing some quick maths.

"I know I won't have enough to buy them candy or anything. We called the orphanage and asked them to ask each kid for one thing they wanted. A lot of it's toys. Some of the kids asked for things like warm coats or scarfs and mittens though, so 23 pounds per kid won't be enough. They have room for 35 kids, and I was also kind of hoping to buy two extra gifts... just in case they get someone in on Christmas, you know? The year I went I came in on Christmas Eve."

"You did?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Harry nodded. That day he'd been out in the snow all morning with no coat, no gloves or hat... when someone had called the police and he'd told them why he'd run away they'd put him into a car in front of a heater to warm up and taken him later that evening into Leeds to the orphanage. Harry shook himself from the memory, not wanting to think about it. The next morning the other boys had all been given gifts that had been donated. Mostly it was little things, but Harry had nothing. He had pretended not to be upset, because he was finally warm and fed and had a safe place to live, but it hurt to know he was having yet another Christmas where no one had thought of him.

"Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, "I'm going to make candy to give to them. When are you dropping off the gifts?"

"Saturday morning... Christmas Eve."

"I'll have Ginny and the twins help me," she said. "That way every child can have something sweet Christmas day. I'll bring them to you Friday evening through the Floo if that's all right."

Harry nodded. "That'd be great. Thank you," he said brightly.

"What do you think Ron?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Of course I'll help. You're buying donuts again right?"

Harry grinned. "Yup, dad said he'd give me money for lunch in town."

"Then I don't need to keep any of the money from shoveling then. You're gonna show me how to do it right?"

"Yeah, it's hard work, but not too bad once you figure it out."

Mr. Weasley turned to Harry and said, "Ron said there are wards on the entire area you live in. I hope you can understand Harry that we're a bit worried about Sirius Black."

Harry explained to him about how the area around Hawes used to be owned by the Princes, and how it was all warded against curses, hexes and binding charms.

Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a piece of cake she'd made earlier and then disappeared upstairs. Before Harry left to return through the Floo a few minutes later she came back downstairs with a thick warm coat and a wool hat and an old scarf for Ron. "I'm not sure about keeping your shoes dry though," she said. "I'll have to look up a spell in the household charms book."

"Oh," Harry said. "We have a waterproofing potion we put on my boots. We have enough left for another pair. Could I use your Floo to go get it?"

"That must be a very expensive potion," Mr. Weasley said.

"We brewed it ourselves," Harry told him.

They gave him permission to use the Floo again and he was back five minutes later with the potion and with his father, who insisted he be the one to pour the potion over the boots so none be wasted as they didn't have more.

Severus and Arthur worked the potion over Ron's boots outside the back door and then set them to dry by the fire. Severus promised they would be dry and waterproof by the next morning.

"I'll come through at seven," Ron promised, and Harry waved at his friend before he and his father went home through the Floo.

"It's going to be great," Harry enthused when they made it back through to their own living room. "Mrs. Weasley's going to make some candy for the orphans and everything. She said she'd bring it all Friday night."

"And you are certain you did not impose your own wishes upon them?" Severus asked.

"I was polite," Harry promised. "I just explained what I was doing and they offered to help."

"I see." He looked at his watch. "It is eight. If you are to rise early to greet your friend, you should go to bed early."

Harry told him goodnight and hurried upstairs, flopping into his soft warm bed on his back with a grin. Images of delivering gifts to the orphanage in a few days danced before his mindseye as he stared at the ceiling of his room, Christmas lights making him feel cozy and at home in his space.

* * *

Ron's mother had sent breakfast through the Floo with Ron the next morning. Apparently he'd woken too late to eat and she'd insisted he take some for Harry as well since Harry and Severus were providing lunch and dinner. Harry and his friend ate quickly and then Harry gave him the warm gloves and they went down the snowy lane, bundled up, to ask Arran if they could borrow his snow shovel for the next two days.

"Lucky for you I know two young masters who will shovel my walkway since I'm not going to have my shovel with me," Arran said with a wink as he handed the shovel to Harry. Harry grinned at him as he handed it to Ron and the two boys thanked him and shoveled the walkway from the Mayer's front door and out to their front gate.

Once they made it to Hawes, Harry showed Ron how to ask each business if they wanted their walkway shoveled. There was six inches of snow on the ground that morning and the shopkeepers seemed to be waiting for Harry. The first shop owner handed Harry eight pounds and said, "This is going to buy presents for some orphans right?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "But how did you know?"

"Arran came down and told us last night when his wife sent him into town for flour and sugar."

"Oh," said Harry. "Thank you!"

Then he took Ron back outside and showed him how to shovel the snow, and gave him a few tips on doing it quickly and in a way that wouldn't cause his back to hurt later on. "Push it off to the side here like this instead of lifting it up and dumping it out. If it sticks to the shovel tip the shovel over and tap it on the ground and the snow will fall off like this, see?"

Then they were off. Harry went across the street and started there, and together they made their way up the street, getting further than Harry had done previously on his own. As before, the shop owners seemed to be waiting for them with money. They usually gave Harry five pounds to shovel, but now they were giving him seven or eight. One shop gave him twenty. Harry asked why he was giving him so much, to make sure he wasn't expected to come back and work again for the next few days without pay, and the bakery worker said, "For the orphans. Buy ‘em somethin' good."

"Did Arran tell you?" Harry asked.

"I think he told Peter down at the grocer. Peter called around last night and told us why you've been out shoveling the last couple weeks. You shoulda told us sooner. We want to help."

Harry was stunned and felt like tears were prickling his eyes. Why was he tearing up? He'd cried a lot during his life because he'd been hit, or because he was sad or lonely, or even angry. You weren't supposed to cry because you were happy, were you?

"Uh, thanks," Ron said, accepting the twenty pound note. "We'll put it to good use."

The baker smiled and went back inside and Ron slapped Harry on the back and turned away as Harry wiped his gloves across his eyes.

"Sorry," Harry said a minute later.

"For what?"

"You know."

"Nah, didn't see nothing."

They grinned at each other and finished shoveling that street and made their way down a couple of the side streets with businesses on them.

It was four and the sun was starting to set when they left Hawes and headed back towards Bainbridge. They decided to see if they could shovel a few walkways before dinner and Harry took Ron to a few houses he'd shoveled for before. They seemed to be waiting for Harry and Ron and were glad to have the help removing the snow as it was starting to snow again and they were supposed to get three more inches that night. Generally Harry had only been charging three pounds per house, but now they were giving him random amounts as well, from three to twelve pounds.

It was dark and the temperature was dropping when they made it home at six that evening. Severus was inside with Chinese takeaway and a pot of hot tea waiting for them.

"You were out later than expected," Severus commented when they both came in and began stripping wet clothing and shoes off by the front door.

"We shoveled all the businesses in Hawes except one," Harry said, "and then we got five houses between here and Bainbridge."

The boys sat down to eat, hungry and tired, and Severus cast a warming charm on both of them.

"How much did you make?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"We will count it after you eat."

When both boys were full, they emptied their pockets onto the center of the table and counted out the money. "Two hundred and seventy one pounds," Severus said, impressed. "I thought you were only charging five pounds for each business."

"We were," Harry said. "I guess Arran told them why I was shoveling. All day people just kept handing us more than what we were asking for."

"One guy gave us twenty," Ron said, "and a woman down the lane gave us twelve." Harry was grateful that Ron didn't mention the tears that had sprung to his eyes earlier in the day.

Severus made Ron drink another cup of tea, asked how his boots had held up in the snow with the waterproofing potion, and then told him to go home and get a good night's sleep.

"No arguments there Professor," Ron told him. "I'm wiped out. I didn't know so many muscles could hurt all at once."

Ron told Harry he'd be back again in the morning and went home through the Floo. Severus added the money to what Harry had already earned, which they were keeping in a box locked with a spell in the office and Harry went up to bed as well.

Before the orphanage he'd only known life with the Dursleys. They had been horrible and stingy when it came to providing even the basics for Harry. Harry had only known cruelty when he'd lived with them. Though he knew other people had the capacity for kindness, he had never seen it aimed at him.

Then Harry had gone to the orphanage where the Father's were strict, but kind, and where kind strangers occasionally donated clothes or toys or things for Christmas to the orphanage. Harry had found some of that same kindness at Hogwarts from Professors and friends as well.

It wasn't until Harry had come to Bainbridge though, and met Millie, Arran and Mrs. Allan that he really started to see generosity in his life, and felt loved for the first time. Even though it had taken a full summer, he had started to feel respected and wanted by his father too. His father also seemed to be generous in letting Ron come to stay the night, in giving Harry all he needed, and agreeing to help him with the orphanage. Harry hadn't expected it from others in town though. He had never been able to be generous before, though he wanted to. Now he felt like he would be able to be generous to the orphans because of the generosity the people in Hawes and Bainbridge had shown to him. The people today who had given him extra money, who had been waiting for him to come shovel snow... they'd made Harry feel wanted in a way he never had before. They'd made him feel welcome. They'd made him feel as though Bainbridge was really home.

* * *

Harry stood still in Millie's kitchen, mouth hanging open. Tears were prickling his eyes again and he was feeling that same sense of awe he'd felt in the past two days at the generosity of the people who wanted to help him by paying him extra to shovel snow. There were plates piled with freshly baked soft sugar cookies, chocolate fingers, and mince pies. Millie was bustling about directing Mrs. Allan to put them into certain boxes when they were all wrapped up in plastic before she could leave with Harry and Severus for the day to go shopping. His eyes roved around the kitchen and found sugared almonds, brownies, and blueberry muffins as well, wrapped up and ready to be packed away into boxes.

"But- why?" Harry asked. The two women turned to him. He'd come to collect Millie Friday morning so Snape could apparate them to the shopping center, and found that the two women had spent the entire day before baking goodies to take to the orphanage Saturday morning for Christmas. Now Mrs. Allan was going to spend time wrapping them all up and preparing them for transportation the next morning since Millie wasn't going to be there.

"What do you mean why silly child," Millie admonished him with a little laugh. "Can't have children going Christmas day without goodies to eat."

"But- you both already donated money, and Arran let Ron borrow his shovel, and you're going to help us buy gifts. You didn't have to do this too." Harry was desperate to know. He was passionate about doing this for the boys that had been left behind at the orphanage. He didn't understand why everyone else was as well.

Millie and Mrs. Allan looked at each other and then back to Harry. Mille stepped towards him and cupped his cheek in her hand. "Because it's important to you Harry, so it's important to us."

"I don't understand."

"We're family," she said. "This is what families do."

"Why?"

"Because they love each other."

Harry looked around at the kitchen full of baked goods again. This was for the orphans, but it was really for him? Was Mrs. Allan his family now too? He felt like she was.

Harry hugged Millie then, surprising her, but she quickly wrapped him up in her arms. "Thank you," he said.

She murmured her assent into the top of his hair, and then he pulled back and gave Mrs. Allan a hug too. She hugged him back and then took a dish towel and wiped gently at Harry's wet eyes with it. "Come now, can't have you going out with your eyes all wet can we? Master Snape will come after us thinking we've treated you poorly."

Harry laughed and said, "He might drag you down the lane by your ear to apologize."

Both women laughed. Millie had heard the story and Mrs. Allan had seen Snape dragging that boy down the lane in person. "Oh no, can't have that," she said.

"We'd better hurry," Millie said, "or we'll be late. I want to get down to the Master's house and get a roast in to cook before we leave and that will take a few minutes. Don't forget to package those muffins in airtight containers," she said. "I don't want them stale by Christmas morning."

"Yes yes," said Mrs. Allan, tutting. "I have baked before you know."

As Harry and Millie went back home, Harry thought about what Millie had said. They had done it for him. The people he'd shoveled for weren't family though, and they'd still paid him extra. Why? Because Arran had told them what Harry was working for. Arran had done that for him, and then the townspeople had wanted to help.

When they returned to the house, Harry was surprised to find Ron sitting at the table drinking hot cocoa.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"Professor Snape came through the Floo and asked me to come buy the gifts with you guys. I was glad to get out of the house before mum roped me into making candy. I just want to eat it, not make it. He said I helped earn the money so I should help buy the gifts too."

His father came into the kitchen before Harry could question him more and brought in the money and the list, which was now split onto four different pieces of Muggle lined paper. He sat at the table with Harry and Ron as they waited for Millie to finish putting in the roast to cook. When she came to the table a minute later and sat down, Severus handed a list to each of them.

"We will stick together as much as possible, though it may go quicker if we each focus on finding certain items. Mr. Weasley, your list has toys for many of the younger children."

"Two toy fire engines, a set of L E G O," he read, saying each letter instead of reading it as one word, "a tip lorry, a set of Hot Wheels in cool colors," Ron paused and asked, "what are Hot Wheels?"

"Small metal toy cars," Millie said.

Ron nodded and scanned down his list to look at the other toys listed there, eight items in all.

"Harry, your list is geared towards sports items like footballs."

"Got it," Harry said. There were things like footballs, basket balls, rugby balls, and cricket sets on his list, which also had eight items.

"Your list has clothing and miscellaneous items," Severus told Millie. Harry noted one of the items on her list was 35 pairs of fabric gloves. "Apart from your items, we will be buying each boy a pair of fabric one size fits all gloves. This was a request from the priests who run the orphanage."

"At this time of year those are only about a pound for a pair," Millie said.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "My list has board games. We currently have 38 pounds per child to spend," he went on. "There is also 44 pounds left for a pair of fabric gloves for each child, and 30 pounds left for wrapping paper, which we will give to the orphanage to wrap the gifts. I will be getting the wrapping paper along with the board games."

Severus divided up the money according to how many children were on each list, making sure to give Millie an extra 44 pounds to get the extra gloves.

"Do not lose the money. Check each item off the list as you find it and stay within the budget of 38 pounds per child," he said, handing each of them a Muggle style pen. "Once you make your purchases we will come together again to see how much money is left, and to ensure that the gifts are of equal value. Stick together as much as possible. Mr. Weasley, do not stray too far from one of us. I don't wish to be the focus of your mother's wrath should we lose you two days before Christmas."

"Yes sir."

Severus found himself in an awkward situation a few moments later as he needed to apparate three people, when he was used to only apparating one, or occasionally two. Harry and Ron ended up holding onto his left arm while Mrs. Mayer held on to the right. Severus apparated them to an alley next to huge rubbish bins behind the shopping center in Kendal.

"It's been a long time since I've been apparated," Millie said, looking down at her hands as if to make sure she was all in one piece.

They went around to the front of the shopping center and went into a large store that had many of the items they needed, and agreed to meet in the toy section in forty minutes. Ron and Millie split off to head to the toy and clothing departments, and Harry and Severus went to sporting goods, where Severus left Harry to go and find board games and wrapping paper.

Harry had 8 children on his list. On his list he had three footballs, one cricket set, one basketball, and three rugby balls. Harry found the cricket set first, which was over his budget. He only had 38 pounds to spend on each child but the set for the first boy was 42 pounds. It was the only option though so he put it in the trolley. If he stuck to his budget with the other gifts he would still have just over 37 pounds to spend for the other 7 kids on his list, which turned out not to be an issue as all of the other items were far under budget.

Harry had fun picking out rugby balls with fun colors. He put a green, black and white one into his trolley, followed by a blue, black and white one, and then finally a yellow and blue rugby ball. He hoped the boys using these would have a lot of fun and imagined big games of rugby going with all of the kids that lived there. Sometimes the Father's would have all of the kids walk down to the park and spend the day there.

Harry also picked out bright and colorful footballs. There was a green, blue and black one, an all gold football, and a bright blue football with large white x's on it.

The last thing on his list was a basketball. Harry found a handsome black basketball with bright teal letters and put it into his cart.

Harry had 304 dollars to spend on the children in his list, and after totaling up his purchases of the many balls and the cricket set, he still had 149 pounds left. He desperately wanted to go back and get rugby socks, football socks and other items to give to each of the boys on his list with the leftover money, but decided to do what his father had said instead and went to meet the others in the toy department, marking down how much extra money he would have on the list at the bottom next to the total of what his purchase was going to cost.

Harry found Ron putting his last item in his trolley. Harry peered inside. There were many large toy lorries, a big Lego set, and one box with five small Hot Wheels cars inside.

"How much will you have left?" Harry asked, and Ron looked at his list.

"I haven't totaled it up yet. I marked what each item costs next to it though. I know I spent less than what I have to spend on each kid, especially that one that wanted Hot Wheels."

Harry waited for him to do the maths, and when he was done, Ron still had 172 pounds left. "I mean, the pack of Hot Wheels was only 8 pounds, so that kid should still get some other toy that's 30 pounds right?"

Harry agreed. "I know. I have 149 pounds left and I wanted to get some cool sports socks or rugby shirts or something."

Snape was the next to finish his shopping and find them a few minutes later. His trolley was full of packages of brightly colored wrapping paper, board games and card games.

"How much do you have leftover?" Harry asked

He didn't even have to look at his list or count the totals as he knew off the top of his head. "52 pounds." Harry peered into the cart. "That one kid just wanted a deck of cards?" he asked. "Ron and I have a lot left over... enough to get each kid a second gift on top. Especially the one kid that got this," Harry said, holding up the small pack of Hot Wheels.

"We will see how much we each have left when Mrs. Mayer returns." She did a few minutes later with her items. She had 32 pounds left.

When they had totaled up what money they would have left after their purchases Severus said, "That leaves approximately eleven and a half pounds left per child."

"I have an idea," Ron said, and they turned to him. He held up the box of Hot Wheels cars with 5 cars inside. "This is for the one kid that wanted it. But hear me out, this was 8 pounds, it has 5 cars inside, there's 35 kids. If I can have-" he paused and did some maths in his head, "-if I can have 56 pounds of what's left, I can get enough of these packs so each kid can have one of these little cars that's inside. I don't know what Muggles do with these things, but seems like if everyone had one, they could all play with them together."

"So each kid would get a pair of gloves, a little car, and their gift," Harry said, thinking that would work out well. Severus did some maths on his list again and said, "If we do that and I add a few more pounds out of pocket, there will be enough left for 10 pounds for each child to get another small gift."

"The kids that got clothes could get a toy each," Harry suggested, "or a sports ball. A lot of the ones I put in the cart were about 10 pounds. And for the kids that asked for sports balls, I was looking at rugby and football socks. They had some that looked neat that were on sale for just under 10 pounds."

Severus pointed to the Hot Wheels pack in Ron's trolley and said, "Find something different than cars to give to that child with the Hot Wheels as a second gift." Then he looked into his own cart and said, "I will find something bigger to give to the child that asked for a deck of cards, and perhaps books for the other children that asked for board games."

Plan set in motion, they re-divided the money that was left over, giving Ron an extra 56 pounds and split up again. Harry hurried back to the sports department happily and picked out 3 pairs of striped rugby socks, all in different colors, 3 pairs of bright football socks, and then turned in a circle trying to figure out what to get the last two on his list. One had asked for the cricket set, and the other had asked for a basketball. He only had 10 pounds to spend on each of them and didn't want to get them socks, as that wouldn't go with either gift. Harry had no idea, because he hadn't really ever played basketball or cricket. He knew there had to be other accessories, like there were in Quidditch, but didn't know what to get. He supposed he must have looked lost or confused because an employee working in the sports section came up to him after a few minutes.

"Finding everything you need?"

"Uh, I'm not sure," Harry said, and explained his situation about only having 20 pounds left and needing to get something else basketball and Cricket related.

"Well what about a ball pump and needles?" the teenage employee asked. "Got all those balls and no pump for when they go flat, especially that basketball."

"I didn't realize," Harry said.

"Got a budget one over here. You screw the ball needle on and push the needle into the little hole there in the ball, then push down on the pump yourself. Yeah, here it is, eight pounds."

"Perfect," Harry said, though he felt like it might be kind of a lame gift when the other kids had gotten socks. On the other hand, the one kid with the ball pump would be popular because everyone would come to him to get their sports balls filled with air.

"And this," the guy said, sticking a foil packet of basketball cards into Harry's trolley. "Two pounds, that makes the ten you had, yeah?"

Harry nodded.

"Ok, cricket, let's see, that cricket set has everything needed to get started," the guy said, looking at the box, "kid's size cricket bat, a pair of batting gloves, a cricket ball, 4 stumps and a bail, yup looks good. What about-" he turned and led Harry to another aisle. "Yeah, here we go. How about a cricket magazine? Got The Cricketer, four pounds, or you can skip that and get him this book," he flipped it over. "Nine pounds. Look inside, it's got all kinds of interesting cricket facts and talks some about the famous teams, and the section in the back there talks about the rules and how to play and it has tips and stuff."

Harry put the book in the trolley and looked up at the teenage boy who had helped him. "Thank you. All this stuff is going to kids in Leeds in an orphanage. You've helped a bunch."

"Really? Glad to help then."

Harry took his items and went back to the toy section where Ron's trolley now had twice as many toys, and where Millie's had toys piled on top of clothing and gloves. Severus came up behind them just as Harry arrived. His trolley now had several books on top of the board games and wrapping paper and also a few extra games.

"Are we still within the budget?"

"Perfectly," Millie said. Harry nodded and Ron gave him a thumbs up.

"It is time to check out then."

Ron it turned out was over budget by one pound, but it worked out because Millie, who was in the next checkout lane over was under budget by one pound and handed it over to him so he could pay. Harry and Severus both had a few coins left, but that was it. They took their numerous bags and went to the back of the shopping center, though it was obvious there was no way Severus could apparate them all as well as their bags at once.

"I will take Mr. Weasley back to the house first with his bags, then I will return," Severus said. Ron slid his arm through the bag holes so they were all hanging heavily off of one arm and held tight to Severus who had done the same with his, and then they popped out of sight.

"You're a good boy Harry," Millie said when they were gone. "I don't know of many other young people your age that think of others like this."

"I just remember what it was like to be in the orphanage for Christmas and to have nothing but what I was wearing," he said. When he'd arrived that first night on Christmas Eve, he'd had only the clothes on his back and the hope that he'd never see the Dursleys again. It had taken a few days before the Fathers had managed to scrounge up some other clothes for him and get him enrolled in the primary school the other boys went to. He'd settled in after that and tried not to look back, determined to make the orphanage his home... that was until he'd gone away to Hogwarts and had determined to make Hogwarts his home. It was strange now, because he'd wanted to escape Hogwarts at the end of the term and come home to Bainbridge. Harry hoped Bainbridge would be his home for a long time yet.

Severus came back and seemed to be debating internally for a moment before Millie said, "I'm a grown woman and will be fine for the two minutes you're gone."

"I will return in one," Severus promised. Harry gathered his bags and Severus took his arm and apparated him home, where Ron was waiting in the kitchen. His father didn't say a word before apparating away to collect Millie again.

"How much was all that that we spent?" Ron asked. "In Galleons I mean?"

"Eh, 280 or something," Harry said, and Ron whistled.

"Not sure I've ever seen that much at once," Ron said. Severus came back with Millie before they could talk more about it.

They got their lists back out and Severus brought out a pad of Muggle paper. Millie wrote each child's number and wished for items on a separate sheet of paper and set it on the counter, table or floor. Then they began placing items from the bags onto their correct sheet of paper, until each paper had a little pile of gifts. Harry looked at what he had bought for the 8 boys on his list. Each boy on his list had gotten the item they wanted, the extra item Harry had bought for them, a little metal Hot Wheel's car, and a pair of gloves in colors of bright blue, dark red, orange, black, or other colors boys tended to gravitate towards. With the gifts, the baked goods, and the candy Mrs. Weasley was making, Harry really hoped the boys at the orphanage would have an excellent Christmas and feel wanted and loved. Harry had thought about each one of them through the hours of shoveling snow, planning, and purchasing the items.

* * *

There was no way Snape could apparate to the orphanage with 35 small boxes of gifts, ten rolls of wrapping paper, 5 boxes of baked goods and a box of homemade candy. It was only an hour and forty minute drive to the orphanage, so Arran loaded up his toolbox into the back seat of his truck the next morning and they carefully packed all of the boxes with the gifts, food and candy into the truck bed, covered it with a tarpaulin, and strapped it down. Then together, Harry, Severus and Arran made the drive to Leeds.

"I called ahead last night. They're expecting us at ten," Severus said told Arran when they were halfway there.

"We'll make it on time," Arran said.

When they got there, Arran couldn't remember where to go because it had been more than ten years since he'd been to Leeds, but Harry was more than familiar with the area and directed them to the orphanage.

"I'll unstrap the load," Arran said after they pulled up. "You go figure out if they want us to bring it in through the front door."

"Only one door in or out," Harry called back happily, hurrying up the three steps to the large front door. He opened it and stuck his head inside. There was no bell and the Father's didn't like when people knocked because the building was big and they couldn't hear when someone was at the door.

"Should you be going inside without permission?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, we have to go to Father Connor's office." Harry led Severus down the long straight hall with a high ceiling to a door halfway down and pushed it open. Somewhere in the distance they heard a thump and several boys laughing, and for just a moment Harry missed rough housing with the other boys he'd spent a few years growing up with.

"Harry!" Father Connor said, surprised to see him. "Come in! And Mr. Snape."

Severus gave him a nod. Father Connor had met Snape before when he'd gone out to meet him to see if his home was suitable for Harry. This was just days before Harry had returned on the train from Hogwarts the previous summer, only to be told he was getting adopted.

"How have you been?" Connor asked Harry. "You look well."

"I'm good!" Harry said brightly. "We brought presents, homemade candy and baked goods. Can we bring them in?"

"Of course, let me find Father Cooke so he can help." He picked up the phone on his aging wood desk and dialed one. A moment later all the phones in the house started ringing. They stopped after a moment and Harry knew it was because one of the other Father's had picked up somewhere else in the building.

"No, I need Father Cooke," Connor said into the phone. He hung up the phone, picked it up again, and dialed one. The phones all started ringing again. Again they stopped, and Connor said, "No, where's Cooke. Shout out for him to pick up."

Harry held in a laugh. The building was big and this was how they found each other. Harry and the other boys had frequently played jokes on the Father's by picking up the phones scattered throughout the house and dialing one to make them ring. Connor repeated the process again and finally it seemed he had found Cooke. "Come to the front and help unload gifts. There's someone here to see you." He smiled at Harry, and Harry felt awkward. Father Connor wasn't a bad guy, but he was strict. He ran the orphanage and Harry had often found himself on the receiving end of Connor's stern words while he'd lived there. It wasn't often that the man had smiled at him or seemed happy to see him. Harry had gotten along best with Father Cooke, and had been glad it had been Cooke who had driven him out to Bainbridge so long ago to go to his new home.

"Harry!" Father Cooke didn't give Harry a chance to turn around and instead gave him a bear hug from behind, lifting his feet off the floor momentarily before setting him down. Harry turned and hugged him.

"You look so good lad," he said. "Things seem to have turned out well for you."

"Yes sir."

They went back out front to where Arran had unloaded several boxes onto the sidewalk. "All the ones with a note on top are food," he said. "The rest are gifts."

"Each box has gifts for one child," Severus said. "We understand you have 33 boys in residence here?"

"We do," Connor said.

"There are two extra boxes in case you get a boy on Christmas."

"I see," Connor said, "thank you."

"We have included wrapping paper and tape. Inside each box is a paper with the number of the child you gave us and the item requested. There is more than the requested item in each box."

Father Cooke opened one of the cardboard boxes with gifts inside and smiled. "They'll love this," he said. "They're all like this?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "We earned a lot of money so there was enough to get all the kids some gloves, the gift they wanted, a little car and a second little gift. My friend's mum and his siblings made mint humbugs, candy canes and orange jelly slices, and our family down the lane made soft cookies and brownies and muffins for Christmas day." Harry didn't see the odd look Severus was giving him at his comment about having ‘family down the lane'.

"What a thoughtful young man you've grown to be," Cooke said. "Come on, let's get all this into the kitchen before the boys decide to disobey and come downstairs. They're banned from the kitchen until tomorrow so we can wrap gifts." He picked up two boxes stacked on each other and Harry did the same and followed him in.

"What do you have that needs to be fixed?" Arran asked Connor as he pulled his toolbox out of the truck.

"Fixed?"

"We'll be here a couple hours. If you've got something that needs done, I'll do it."

"You're too kind. As a matter of fact, there's a few wires poking out of the wall in the downstairs hall, and one of the shower heads in the upstairs bathrooms isn't working, and one of the toilets runs constantly."

"I'll take care of it," Arran said, "just show me where to go."

While Arran worked, Severus, Harry, Father Cooke and Father Connor moved the rest of the boxes into the kitchen and began unpacking food to put away. Harry didn't need to be told where things went because he remembered, and Severus watched as he retrieved two pairs of scissors from a kitchen drawer without being asked and brought them to the table to start wrapping gifts.

"Someone else went home after I left?" Harry asked.

"He was adopted by a family in Norway," Cooke asked.

"Who was it?"

"You know I can't tell you," Cooke said as they began laying out wrapping paper to wrap packages. Father Connor left to check on Arran's progress with the wires a minute later and Cooke leaned in to Harry and whispered loudly, "But I won't stop you from seeing who left for yourself."

Harry flashed him a grin, looked to Severus for permission, and when Severus gave a little nod, Harry jumped up, peeked out of the kitchen door into the hall, and disappeared into the building somewhere.

"I will assume you did not send him to check files in Father Connor's office."

"Oh no, he gets into enough trouble as it is. No need to ruin his Christmas by giving Father Connor a reason to scold him," Cooke laughed. "We haven't gotten any new boys in since Harry left, so he knows everyone here. It's not really breaking confidentiality by letting him go visit the other boys."

"Hm." Severus wrapped one gift, labeling it with the name, Dane now that he had a list of names to go with the list of numbers he'd been given over the phone. Then he moved on to the next box.

"Were the extra gifts Harry's idea?" Cooke asked.

"Yes."

"He came to us Christmas Eve one year... freezing cold, chapped hands and face. Police brought him when he'd run away because he hadn't eaten in days. He didn't want to spend Christmas smelling good food he wasn't allowed to have," Cooke explained. "We had a donation of gifts that year, nothing like what you've brought us, just little things, some used books and toys, you know. But there was nothing for Harry that year, because he'd come so late Christmas Eve. He watched all the other kids open gifts the next morning. Acted like he didn't expect a gift because he'd never gotten one before."

"I did not realize."

"He was a special case," Cooke said. "The other boys have mostly lived here since they were babies, or some of them came to us young. This place is all they've known. Harry had come to us from a family though... has he told you about them?"

"Some," Severus said. Harry had never told him too much in detail, but he'd indicated that he'd been locked in a closet under the stairs and that his family had mistreated him. Even years after leaving the Dursleys, Harry had still been affected by their actions. Even now, some days he still didn't feel able to go into the cramped stairwell leading down to the mines. On those days, Severus didn't push him to go to the mines and instead let him go outside where there was a lot of open space and where he wouldn't feel confined. Harry seemed to prefer being outside and working outdoors.

They wrapped boxes silently for several minutes. "He seems well... happy," Cooke said. "He looks warmly dressed and he smiles a lot. I'm happy to see it. He was always so serious. It was rare to see him smiling, even when he was playing with the other boys or telling me or the other Fathers about Hogwarts."

"There was a period of- adjustment. We did not get along well at first," Severus admitted.

"That tends to happen with kids who get adopted. I can imagine it must have been harder for him. You'd be his fourth home you know. His parents, then his relatives, then here, then with you. Connor said you're a professor at Hogwarts?"

"Yes. I teach Potions."

Cooke shook his head and smiled. "You're the one Harry always came back from school complaining about."

"We- did not get along, as I said."

"But now?"

Severus stopped wrapping the box he was working on and looked up in thought. Cooke was right, the child did smile a lot now, and Severus always felt gratified to see it, because he was oftentimes in part responsible for the boy's happiness. He was unsettled when the child was struggling, when he was unable to go into the mines to work because he was remembering being trapped in a closet, or when he was upset with Severus.

"He is my son. I am happy to provide him with a home and the things he needs. It has been nice to- have a son to spend time with at school as well," he said. Harry had often come down to his office or quarters during the last term to play chess or do homework. He'd grown accustomed to Harry's presence and couldn't imagine going back to a quiet life alone now.

Cooke smiled as he wrapped another gift. He was glad Harry had finally found a father and a home.

* * *

"Do you know where Harry is?" Severus asked Arran. Arran had finished the list of tasks given to him by Connor and was now standing on a tall ladder in the main hall screwing in a new lightbulb.

"Seen him run up the stairs behind me twenty minutes ago with a raucous bunch of boys," Arran said. "You done with the gifts?"

"Yes. We are ready to go when you are."

"You could always apparate back to the house with Harry and leave me to drive the truck home," Arran said, holding a screwdriver in his mouth as he worked.

"I cannot," Severus said. Then remembering Harry's words from earlier that day he said, "We are family."

Arran looked down at Severus and took the screwdriver out of his mouth. "It took a long time, but I'm glad you finally realized that Severus," he said with an approving look in his eyes.

Severus turned away, hoping his cheeks weren't turning embarrassingly red. Arran never called him Severus, only Millie did that, and even then only occasionally. Well, he supposed, if they were family...

Severus went up the long set of stairs to the second floor and found another long hallway with doors on each side, some of them open and revealing bedrooms packed with beds and dressers. There were a few toys to be seen, but in general the rooms were depressing, and he didn't want to think about Harry having to return here each summer after a year away at school. He didn't want to think about how he had wanted to send Harry back here... how he had thought the child was spoiled and attention seeking, and that he had run away from the Dursleys because he hadn't been pampered enough.

‘In an orphanage Severus? He's pampered more in an orphanage than in his own home?' Millie had once challenged him. No, he could see now that Harry hadn't been. Especially not that first night he'd turned up... he'd come on Christmas and not expected anything according to Cooke.

Severus heard a ruckus down the hall and went to investigate, hoping to find Harry. Around a corner and down another short hall he found Harry in the midst of a pile of boys laughing and giggling as they wrestled on the floor together. Harry was usually so reserved, even with his friends at school, that Severus was surprised to see him roughhousing like this.

"Who's that?" a boy asked, and the writhing mass of wrestling fell apart. Harry looked up and said, "That's my dad."

There was a chorus of, "whoa,"s from the boys as they stared up at the tall, dark haired Potions Master. Then one boy asked, "Is he gonna eat us Harry? You sure you don't wanna come back to live with us again?"

Harry grinned at the boy that had asked and got up off the pile. "No way, if I move back in here Saint Nick will skip me again for Christmas because he won't know where to find me."

"St. Nick skips here sometimes too," another boy reminded Harry.

"Not this year," Harry said.

"You don't know," yet another boy said, exasperated.

"Sure I do," Harry said. "I bet you get loads of gifts."

"Yeah, whatever," the boy who had challenged him said.

"It is time to go," Severus told Harry, and he gave him a nod.

Harry turned and waved to the group of boys, all who looked near enough in age to Harry that Severus couldn't be sure if they were younger than him or older.

"Merry Christmas!" Harry called back to them.

"Bye Harry!"

"Come visit again!"

"Bye!

When they were back downstairs, Arran and the ladder were gone, and Severus wondered if he had moved on to another task or gone back to the truck.

"He took his toolbox back to the truck," Father Cooke said, coming up behind them. Then he turned to Harry and put a hand on his shoulder. "You've done a good thing here Harry. I'm so proud of the strong young man you're becoming. I hope you have a merry Christmas."

Harry smiled at him and nodded. "Merry Christmas to you too. Don't let Father Connor yell at the other boys too much when they rough house."

Cooke laughed. "Didn't put another hole in the wall upstairs did you?"

"Not this time."

Cooke followed them out to the street and gave Harry a solitary wave as they drove away. Harry watched out the back window until they turned a corner and lost sight of Father Cooke. As they made the hour and a half drive back to Bainbridge, Harry tried to think back to living in the orphanage, to spending Christmas hoping someone would donate a present just for him, to sharing a room with several other boys, and rough housing with them and playing hide and seek and trying to stay out of trouble so he didn't get chastised by Father Connor. He had lived it, he'd been back and had a reminder of it, but he couldn't imagine living it now. He couldn't see himself being any other place than Bainbridge and Hawes, where people were generous... where he had family that loved him, a father who cared enough about him to let him have friends over, and a home to share with those friends.