His chuckles joined Harry's. "She adored him. Not only for his Quidditch skills but his magical talents. Like I said, he was very good at transfiguration and that is one of my favorite schools of magic as well. I taught it before Professor McGonagall did."
"What was my mum like?" Harry asked quietly, yearning for more.
"Remember when I said your father had a bit of a tongue on him? Lily Evans had more than a bit." Dumbledore smiled broadly. "She never shied away from being vocal. One professor said that she was quite cheeky in wit and word."
"Wow," Harry breathed.
"She was Muggleborn and was unafraid of the ones that would look down on her for it. I am sure you have seen some of the negative attitudes about it?" Dumbledore sighed deeply. "One of the unpleasant sides of our society, one I have been trying to help change for some time."
"Why do people look down on Muggleborns?" Harry asked.
"A variety of reasons, all of them unreasonable," Dumbledore replied. "There are those that deem them unworthy of magic. Others believe they are bringing down the society where the Pureblood reigns supreme."
He poured more tea. "In this case, Lily was very intelligent and never backed down from standing up to others for it. It made her many enemies as well as many friends." A mischievous smile grew on his face. "In fact… your mother and father were not friends for quite some time."
"Really?!" Harry gasped.
"Really. Your father thought her to be very head strong, ironic for him to say, and the fact that she did seem to like him from the start nettled her. Your mother found him, in her words, 'quite annoying' as well as arrogant."
"They hated each other?" Harry asked softly.
"No, even at their worst, they never did," he said soothingly.
"What changed?"
"James got his head on straight and matured while Lily mellowed out some. They started tolerating each other more and then they became friends and then more." Dumbledore chuckled as he drank his tea and nibbled on a piece of cake. "I won a rather substantial bet when they got together." He colored a little. "Do not tell anyone that we do that."
"I won't, Sir," Harry said, delighted.
"Lily was very good at charms and potions," Dumbledore continued. "Very intelligent and one of the highest of her year. She was also deeply loyal to her friends and was incredibly kind to many. One of the few that made friends with people from all the Houses. She was a wonderful person."
Throughout the stores being told, Harry had looked utterly happy. He was finally learning about his parents, mythical figures that he built up in his mind. He had no idea of them at all and having given all this information, it was like finding water in the desert. Then he sat back, looking glum all of a sudden.
"Mister Potter?" What is wrong?" Dumbledore asked, sitting his cup aside and leaning forward.
"I don't sound like them," Harry said at last. "I'm not very smart like they are. I only have a few friends, not a lot. They sound amazing," he said wistfully.
"Do not compare yourself to them," Dumbledore said gently. "You are your own person. You are not James Potter, nor are you Lily Evans Potter. You are Harry James Potter. You should be different from them. You are not them."
He continued when Harry looked up. "Yes, you look extraordinarily like James save for your eyes which are a mirror of Lily's. And I see in you things that you share with your parents. You are incredibly kind, Harry. You are friends with the House Elves, something most magicals would not think to be. You are good to your friends and are loyal to them. Professor Flitwick is quite happy with your performance in charms and you have some skills in potions. You fly well from what I have heard."
"You think so?" Harry asked plaintively.
"I do," Dumbledore said firmly.
"Thank you," Harry whispered. He gave a start when Fawkes fluttered over to sit beside him.
"If you need further proof, Fawkes does not approach many people of his own volition," Dumbledore smiled. He then sighed when Fawkes began taking food from Harry's plate. "Then again, perhaps he has some ulterior motives as well. Fawkes, I think you know better than to do that," he said and snorted when he was soundly ignored.
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