AN: YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! I've been getting so many sweet comments! I wish I could dedicate this to everyone! Bad news...the transcript I was using to help write this was deleted for copyright. Which is fair, but now I have to buy the book. This chapter was originally intended to be much longer. I am sorry for the inconvenience and I assure you that I will not stop writing.

Harry looked at his Aunt curiously as they made their way up to the teacher's wing of the castle, where all of the Professor's dorms were. Similarly to the entrances to the four houses, each room had a painting guarding the door with a password. This was a precaution that was put into action after students started sneaking in to steal test answers and pull pranks. She sighed happily at the memory. She had a truly terrible Herbology teacher one year. He hated Anna, so the Marauders visited his dorm often, leaving little 'surprises' for their beloved Professor. He quit before they even got halfway through the school year. To this day, Anna considers it one of the Marauder's greatest accomplishments.

Teachers got to choose their paintings if they wanted to. Most didn't care too much what it was. Lockhart had chosen a picture of himself, of course. Anna had chosen hers with much more thought.

It was a portrait of two deers, a buck and a doe. The buck was sturdy and stood proudly, but mischief twinkled in it's eyes. The doe looked gentle, but not fragile or weak, and her eyes were kind. They looked like peaceful guardians to Anna. She placed her hand gentle, but firmly on the painting and whispered, "Avalon." She knew it wasn't very creative, using the name of her owl as her password, but she didn't know what else to use.

The corners of Harry's lips turned upwards into a hesitant smile as the buck bowed and the portrait gave way beneath Anna's hand. They walked in and the door closed by itself, with a soft click. Teachers were obviously given more luxuries than the students, though Harry didn't really mind. He figured most of them deserved it.

There were two comfy, red recliners that were separated only by a small oak coffee table with a tea set and a book with a ribbon bookmark inside. Anna grinned at her nephew, "You like the room? I've made a few changes. Go ahead and sit. I just need to get the tea. It helps me relax and think. You don't have to have any, but I've got biscuits!" The Gryffindor nodded, "Thanks."

She disappeared, taking the tray with the tea set with her and returned quickly with the tea. Harry lifted his teacup, inspecting it and noted in amusement that they had were Gryffindor themed. They were scarlet with gold trim and the classic lion symbol on them. She poured the tea and he added milk and sugar. As he sipped he couldn't help it let his mind wander to all the times he had to fetch tea for the dreaded Dursleys.

His smiled dimmed, knowing he would have to go back.

Anna cleared her throat, setting down her cup and beginning her speech, "People are irrational and complicated. They seem to forget all of the good things about you as soon as something that is considered bad is revealed. And what's worse, they assume. They assume that because muggleborns aren't born from magical folk, they are weaker. They assume that just because you are in a certain house, you think or act a certain way. This is, of course, not exactly true. I've seen cowardly Gryffindors, kind Slytherins, foolish Ravenclaws, and traitorous Hufflepuffs."

She took a second to sip her tea before continuing, "I want you to know that Parseltongue, does not make you evil. It does not control your actions or define you in anyway. It is simply a skill and it may even save your life one day." She winked and he smiled a little but it vanished as soon as it appeared and his eyes fells to his hands, "But what if I am related to Salzar-" She cut him off bluntly, "Harry, I don't care if you are related to the Dark Lord, himself. You are also related to me and I know you aren't a killer or anything of the sort. You have not given me any reason to believe otherwise."

Harry shook his head, "B-but the sorting hat almost put me in Sliytherin." She nodded, having suspected it, "That may have been because you were a Parslemouth. Listen to me Harry, because this is exactly why I wanted to talk with you. If you want people to believe you, you have to believe in yourself first. Don't doubt yourself. Because there is one thing you know for sure."

The Gryffindor looked at her curiously, "What?" She grinned and straightened his tie, "You are Harry James Potter and nothing on this Earth could change that." He grinned as his confidence slowly began to reform. His Aunt had that effect on him. It may have been because he never really had a mum or anything and it just felt wonderful to know that he had someone he could trust.

He left her room and he quickly wiped the smile off his face, knowing that it would look bad if he was smiling after he 'attacked' Justin. He was still nervous about it the next day when he was with Ron and Hermione. There was a bad blizzard that forced Professor Sprout to cancel class, so they had free time to do what they wanted. Hermione and Ron were playing wizards chest, while their friend fretted about the dueling incident until he finally decided to try talking to Justin and tell him his side of the story.

Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned. He found a group of Hufflepuffs and was about to ask them where Justin was, when he overheard their conversation. Ernie was telling his fellow Hufflepuffs Harry's 'diabolical plan.' It was the most infuriating conversation he had ever had the displeasure of overhearing. He ended up storming out of the room after having a heated argument with Ernie. It was ridiculous! He would never stoop to Malfoy's level and hate Muggleborns. It made him furious, but he knew arguing more wouldn't solve anything.

He had a conversation with Hagrid and proceeded to stomp up the stairs and down the corridor, when he tripped. He looked to see what he tripped over and saw the paralyzed form of Justin Finch-Fletchley.

He gulped. This wasn't good.

- With Anna -
Anna had been going to the library to return a book when she heard the commotion. She ran until she came upon a familiar scene. Harry was surrounded and next to him, there lay Justin, frozen in horror and floating above him was Nearly Headless Nick, floating but still obviously paralyzed. This time, Ernie Macmillan was the first to speak and he pointed his chubby fingers at no other than her nephew, "Caught in the act!" Anna growled, she never like Ernie, anyways. Minnie snapped at Ernie to be quiet and repeated the command with Peeves.

Anna quickly went to stand by her side, "Everyone, back to your house!" Her tone was sharp and left no room for complaints. The students filed out and she followed Professor McGonagall and Harry to Dumbledore's office, seething.
Once in his office, McGonagall left without a word, leaving Anna alone with her nephew. She sighed, "I'm sorry, Harry." He looked up at her in surprise, "It's not your fault." She shook her head, "I promised Lily and James I'd protect you and I've failed." He gripped her hand, "Don't say that. I'd be in even more trouble if it weren't for you. You haven't failed. I'm not hurt or dead. I haven't even been given detention for it, yet." She squeezed his hand and smiled.

Harry looked around the office curiously. There were many strange things on the shelves and his desks. Anna grinned with a mischevious, "You know, I came here a lot when I was a student. At first, it was because I turned Lucious Malfoy's hair hot pink, but sometimes I would come for advice. He's one of the wisest people you'll ever meet, even if he's a little strange. He told me the stories behind all the knickknacks in his office."

She pointed to a small silver hand mirror with an emerald encrusted handle that rested on a shelf behind the desk, "That mirror is supposed to show the person who looks into it their past, but the last person who owned it accidentally spilled some sort of potion on it and now, it only shows what you had for breakfast that morning. Albus bought it because he found the story amusing." Harry laughed.

She gestured to a chalice made out of Mahogany with swirled designs, "That, turns whatever liquid you put in it into butter beer. He won it in after someone challenged him to a chocolate frog race. He claims it is one of his most prized possessions." She, then, walked over to his desk and held up the seemingly ordinary, crystal candy dish on his desk that was currently full of lemon drops, "I gave this to him for christmas one year. It looks like a perfectly normal candy dish, but I charmed it so it never runs out of sweets. That way he can offer as many as he wants to others and still have enough himself." Her nephew laughed, "That's clever."

She moved to a glittering orb if amethyst, "This one has a more impressive past. It's a healing orb. It's said that centuries ago a wise wizard brought this orb to a unicorn on the eve of the full moon. The wizard fed the unicorn sugar cubes before humbly asking the creature to touch it's horn to the sphere. The unicorn did as he asked and touched his horn to the surface. Do you know who that wizard was?" Harry shrugged, "Dumbledore?" She laughed, "No, close. It was Merlin. The orb developed tremendous healing powers that were used on King Arthur, himself. Alas, over the years, the power has faded and it can only heal minor injuries such as paper cuts and small bruises. Even so, it's one of my favorites." Harry smiled a little, always happy to listen to one of his aunt's stories. He knew she was trying to cheer him up and he had to admit, it was working. That is, until he spotted the sorting hat.

He walked over to it, not daring to touch it. After a few seconds, he heard it whisper in his ear, "Bee in your bonnet, Harry Potter?" Harry stumbled over his words, "Er- yes. Err- I'm sorry to bother you. I just wanted to ask-" The hat cut him off smartly, "You've been wondering if I put you in the right house. Yes...you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said. You would do have done well in Slytherin." Harry shook his head, "You're wrong."

Anna came up behind Harry and pulled him away as she scolded the hat, "You can hush. You're just grumpy from sitting on a shelf for so long." Surprisingly enough, the hat quieted. Suddenly a gagging noise rang out and they turned to see an old, molted, red bird sitting on a gold perch. Harry looked at his aunt with concern for the poor creature. The bird looked very ill. Half of it's feathers had fallen and it's gagging was becoming more and more urgent. Anna, though, did not look concerned. She didn't even blink. Not even when it bursted into flames.