You handled everything very well. Too much hit waaay too close to home. It's why I ensured my kids took Karate and we were very open about everything in life. I made sure they knew it was ok to trust their own instincts and that sometimes it isn't disrespectful to tell an adult NO!

The Karate actually saved my daughter no less than 4 times in college. 1 person went on to rape a 14 year old that same day.

I'm going to fav this, but I am not sure if I can re-read it. Maybe in a few years.

Ty, for taking these topics seriously.

I enjoyed that in between it was still ok to be a kid and joke or laugh. Life doesn't stop happening around us, even if we want it to at the time. Bringing in Padfoot was perfect, btw. Perfect.

his

It was a sad story for a little bit there when ginny committed suicide but the ending and other little stuff brought the mood of the story back up.

If this is Harry's third year when everyone meets Padfoot how is it that Hermione and Ron know who he is along with the staff?

This was amazing and heart warming

Over dramatic

A great story here.

"So because he had trouble with a few lions he takes it out on everyone, he really knows how to hold a grudge," Harry said. Yes, he could certainly win a gold medal in Olympic Grudge-holding.

I have often wondered why Dumbledore didn't observe Snape's classes while invisible. He tells Harry in PS that he is able to become invisible without a cloak, so he has the perfect opportunity to observe any of his professors. That he did not in the face of so many complaints spread over so many years makes him complicit in Snape's abuse, IMO. What is worse is that, with his big nose being stuck everywhere, he would be well aware of what the lack of competent Potions students is doing to Britain's pool of potential Auror and Healer candidates - decimating it - not to mention not turning out any new Potions masters. Surely Dumbledore's role in this fiasco needs addressing.

The fact that the Weasleys would support Dumbledore in returning Harry to an abusive environment makes me wonder if they are under spells to agree with him or to not see the abuse/neglect. It is, after all, quite obvious. Harry should have told Amelia. She gets things done, and she isn't afraid to tell Albus to butt out!

I can just imagine them going on to creating an orchestra group once graduating from Hogwarts.

I can understand how Harry might have learned to play the guitar without too many people finding out. Guitars are portable, and they aren't that loud, unless the player wants them to be. Harry could have kept one hidden and found a hidey hole somewhere around Privet Drive to play where he wouldn't be disturbed. He might even have played st Muggle school. A piano, on the other hand ... how did he learn to play? Surely the Dursleys wouldn't have permitted it.

I have known a few self-taught pianists in my life. One plays only by ear and really doesn't read music, though he can pretty much pick up anything he hears, whatever the key. One Sunday morning, he was playing on the concert grand piano in church, before church started. I was surprised to hear him begin playing "Music of the Night." (Kind of gothic for church, no?) It was beautiful, though - especially on that piano and with the amazing acoustics in the new sanctuary - and I enjoyed just quietly sitting and listening before church started. This guy was just gifted ... period.

My mom's oldest sister was like that, but she mostly played what I called "honky tonk" or old saloon-type piano. (It always reminded me of the piano players we heard on old westerns, who played in saloons.) I suppose it was a little liar ragtime. She always "wiggled" or trilled a lot on the high keys. Even though it has been close to 55 years since I last heard her play, I can still hear it in my mind.

I suppose Harry could have learned at school, if he was a prodigy of some sort. The music director or even a custodian might have let him use a practice room before or after school, or maybe even let him play on an old upright stuck in a storeroom somewhere. I've known such things to happen. It is lovely to have such a gift, and music can definitely have a healing effect on the soul. Well, it does on mine. :)

Thanks for sharing your story.

Poor Harry! He will probably feel guilty that he didn't write the Weasleys when he first noticed problems. The one who SHOULD feel guilty is Dumbledore. As Headmaster, he should have made sure that both Ginny and Harry saw Mind healers for trauma counseling. Ginny, having been possessed for most of the year, was really critical. I hope he is cited for this, as it shows a lack of care and concern for the students, IMO.

McGonagall isn't a lot better. She needs to spend more time in the common room in the evenings.

Aww, man, can't you write a story where Harry grows up happy and loved with his parents? There aren't enough of those. But I love your stories.

I really like this story. It's been saved to my reader for ages. But the only thing I don't get is how everyone knew Padfoot. This is still year 3, so shouldn't Sirius still be freshly escaped?

really good, cried at the end

Loved it

I feel that you are giving the wizards too much credit with the 'mind healers'. From my own interpretation they deal with spell damage to the mind compulsions, possessions and obliviations; that sort of stuff not the actual psychological harm brought about by abuse.