It was...strange. Rather than te cramped and smelly cupboard he was used to was white, scent less sheets of a bed that he didn't recognize. Why wasn't he in his cupboard? This wasn't right; freaks like him never got a bed a nice as this. His thoughts were cut off as his hearing picked up just in time to catch a few select words.

"...I intend to adopt him, as my son."

That voice. It sounded familiar. Harry looked around, ever so subtly so he wasn't caught, and saw three different women standing around his bed in a very nice looking room. However, it was the woman standing next to the window that caught his attention and just like that, everything from earlier came back to him.

It was the woman who saved him! The woman who gave him a hug!

But...what was she talking about? Who was she going to adopt? It couldn't be him, could it?

While Harry was busy with his thoughts, the other women in the room were trying to process what their sister had just told them. They could understand lending assistance to a few exceptions among men, a certain straw hat wearing boy being one of them, but to adopt a little boy? Both sisters could only stare at Hancock with speechless expressions while said sibling was dead serious.

Harry looked at the pretty black haired woman curiously. She was nice, but not nice enough to put up with a freak like HIM for very long...Right?

Marigold was the first to recover from the shock.

"Sister, I understand that you wish to help him, but to go as far as adopt him? Are you sure that is something you want?" She questions seriously.

Hancock simply closed her eyes.

"I won't lie to you Marigold; I have no experience in parenting what so ever. But, if even half of what the stories about him say is true, then we at least owe him that much. Besides..." She then turns to the window, extremely hesitant about what she was going to say next. "...We've had a similar upbringing."

Both Marigold and Sandersonia couldn't argue with that. How they were brought into the magical world wasn't a pleasant memory, but they had someone to help them move past that.

Then, Marigold looked over at Harry and saw his eyes were open.

Catching her gaze, Harry let's out a startled squeak and tries to make himself smaller in the sheets. The noise catches the attention of the others before Hancock moves closer to Harry and genlty places a hand on his head. He flinches from the contact at first, but when he realizes that she isn't hurting him he looks up to see her giving him the same gentle smile from before.

"Hello Harry. Are you feeling better?" She asks gently, receiving a slow nod as is answer. "Good, I'm glad."

Hancock looked at him for a few more seconds. Then, she took him into her arms, cradling him against her chest like an infant.

Harry was confused by what Hancock did, but his head happen to be resting against her heart. Listening to to it's rythem caused a sense of nostalgia to wash over him as his eyes began to feel heavy, something that did not go unnoticed by the woman holding him. The small smile on her lips unconciously widening slightly, she remembered Harry needed to know about what she decided.

"Harry, can you stay awake a little longer? There's something I want to ask you." Harry suddenly found himself giving Hancock his full attention, sadly due to his uncle's teachings, and ready to hear what she has to say.

"Now then," she began, pausing briefly to think about what she was going to say, "how would you feel if you were to come stay with me?"

Harry looked at her with huge, confused eyes. "But why? I'm too freaky...You shouldn't want to touch me...And you REALLY shouldn't want me in your house..."

This got a reaction from all of the Boa sisters. The most visible, and audible, was Sandersonia's, as she drew in a sharp breath as her eyes widened greatly at what was said. Marigold and Hancock managed to keep their outward reactions to mild surprise, but the latter was absolutely furious inwardly at what was obviously the mental abuse the child was put through. Now she was tempted to march straight to where the sorry excuse for a human being was currently held behind bars anturn him to stone and grinding him 'to dust, regardless of who saw. Keeping her anger in check, her surprised expression morphed into a concerned one.

"Harry, you shouldn't talk down about yourself like that." She told him gently. "I for one don't think you're freaky."

"But I am!" He protested, confused as to why Hancock said that about him. "Uncle Vernon told me so! I'm a freak! I don't get to slee in a nice bed or-" his arguement was cut short upon Hancock tightening the hug firmly, but not enough to hurt him. He failed to notice Sandersonia trying not to cry and Marigold placing a hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her.

While she may not look it because of her control over her emotions, but Hancock was beyond furious at the damage Dursley had done to the boy in her arms. Turning the tub of fat into stone dust didn't seem like a bad option right now.

'I hope you burn faster than a snowball in Hell for this Dursley!' She hissed on the inside. Quickly getting her act together, she focused her attention on Harry, a sorrow ful look in her eye.

She took a deep breath, the sound shaky and uneven. She had to collect herself fully...She had to speak to him calmly...She couldn't sound like a quivering wreck when trying to console him...

"Harry, listen to me; by no means is what your uncle said true. In fact, I highly doubt we could call that so called man your uncle because of what he did to you. Do you want to know why?" Harry simple looked at Hancock, sheer confusion written all over his expression. Regardless, Hancock continued. "It's because family doesn't hurt one another like he hurt you. That man was not your family. No, family looks out for one another, helps eachother, they stay by your side. Some people will even help you regardless if you're family or not... even if they don't know you very well." She had gone quiet when she mumbled that last part; a smiling, straw hat wearing boy coming to mind as she finished.

Harry on the other hand, just continued to look at Hancock, his confusion increasing with every word. Why would she say all of those things? Why would she help him if she didn't know him like she had said? If Vernon wasn't family, like his aunt and cousin, if they weren't his family because they hurt him, then who was? Who WOULD help him? Who WOULD stay by his side?

The flood of questions in his head didn't help his confusion. He didn't know what to do! What could he do? Harry couldn't take it anymore. The questions just kept coming until, finally, the floodgates opened. Harry buried himself in Hancock's bosom, letting out YEARS of pent up sorrow, misery, and pain in her dress.

Hancock herself was taken aback, but the surprise and shock that came quickly passed as she looked at the child in her arms. His silent cries filled with so much pain that tears of her own started to prick at her own eyes. But she dare not cry here she needed to be strong, for this child, he needed. That said, she held the child close, stroking his back gently as the tears fell.

"Yes, that's it...You need this. Desperately..." She whispered to him soothingly as she began to rock him back and forth.

Marigold could only watch the display in silence. A sad frown marring her features as the young boy cried his hart out while her eldest sister comforted him. Sandersonia had given up on fighting her emotions and let her on tears fall, trying her best to keep her own sobs as quiet as possible. The doctor that had treated Harry was standing outside the door, a tear of her own escaping her eye. Having arrived when Hancock had assured Harry that nothing was wrong with him, the doctor could not help but think that the child was in good hands.

Actually adopting Harry had been a bit more stressfull than Hancock had liked. After Harry had spent the night at the hospital, as per the doctor's orders, just to be safe, the sisters had him checked out and went straight for the adoption agency. That's when things got complicated: first they found out that there weren't any records of him at all, then while they were getting things in order, Hancock had to tell a half-truth as to how she knew of and about the child, leading to the paperwork that had to be filled out. As the CEO of a large company, paperwork seemed to follow her everyhere. Ugh.

To say Hancock was relieved it was over was an understatement, in fact, she was actually a little excited that she would finally be able to take Harry home. It was kind of strange, considering she never even DREAMED of having a child before.

At least...not yet.

After letting her secretary know that she'll need a few days from the office, Hancock told the woman to send any paperwork (guhh) that she needed to sign and any reports in written for to her estate when she needed it. Of course , the secretary was a squib from the magical world, so keeping her boss's estate near the Grand Line in the Wizarding Realm in the secret was easy, as well as sending everything Hancock needed.

With that done, the Boa Sisters and young Harry Potter were well on their way to the location that would lead them to the latter's new home. Letting his curiosity get the best of him after a few minutes, Harry looked up to his adoptive mother, even though he didn't feel ready to call her that yet.

"Um... Miss Hancock?" Despite the volume of his voice, he managed to get the Woman's attention.

"Yes Harry?" She replied, seeing an opportunity to take her mind of of certain past events.

"Wh...What's your house like?" He asked shyly. He was tense, but relaxed when Hancock smiled.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a house, per say." Her new son's head tilted slightly in innocent confusion at her answer.

"What do you mean?"

Hancock smirked and patted his head. "My home is FAR too big to consider a house. It's usually referred to as a mansion."

"Oh." He looked to the floor, thinking over what she said. "So... what's a mansion like?"

"Well..." She trailed of as she thought about how she would answer him. "A mansion is usually filled with lots of rooms; some just to sit in and others meant for other stuff you like to do, like reading. They even have yards that are ten times bigger than what was at your old house."

She was met with another 'oh' as Harry's expression suddenly became downcast at the intense chores he might have to do, even though he didn't know she wouldn't make him do any. Hancock noticed his expression almost immediately.

"And no, Harry, it is NOT your job to clean up the mansion. I have servants for that. Don't worry."

Harry turned to his new parent in surprise. He had forgotten that he told her about what the Dursleys made him do when he still lived with them. Hancock, having decided to stay with him a little longer that night, felt that if she was going to adopt Harry, it was her duty to undo the damage that the Dursleys had done. So with some gentle prodding on her part, she got Harry to tell her everything, despite needing to stop every now and then to comfort him when he remembered the more brutal beatings and abuse he went through, despite her offer to stop the first time.

"But... but how will I earn my keep?" He asked, still confused about his situation.

Hancock took on a playful expression of thought, having received a bit of advice for parenting after the adoption interview. Her thoughtful look became a smile as she began to stroke Harry's messy locks. "That's easy," she started in a just as playful tone, "you just need to be yourself. That's more than enough for you to do."

Watching the scene unfold before them, Marigold smiled, her eyes full of mirth, while Sandersonia giggled a bit at the sight, thinking this side of her older sister as amusing yet a bit cute with Harry in the mix.

After a while, Hancock's transport arrived at a canal in the hidden parts of London. Hancock carried her new charge while she and her sisters walked on a side path into a tunnel along the canal. Harry began to get when they entered the dark tunnel, but the passage way was immediately alit with dark orange flames, making Harry jump a bit, but he soon calmed down. They continued to walk in silence until an exit could be seen. Said exit was behind a heavy looking door with snakes and amazon lilies decorating the enirety of iT, and it seemed like as though the snakes were keeping the door shut.

Walking up to the door, Hancock raised a hand and slid the tips of her fingers down the door before whispering, "Through hardship and love."

And just like that, the snakes came tom life and slithered across the heavy wood surface, until the door stood unbarred.

Pushing the door open, The group of foor now stood in a dark cave alit with torches. A dock could be seen a short distance away from them, a boat made of red wood tied to the wood platform by a rope. What caught Harry's attention was the snake at the front of the boat faceing the direction to the group's right. Harry thought it was a decoration, until it turned to look at them.

The little boy let out a surprised squeak and pressed his face into Hancock's bosom. Hancock simply smiled and patted his back.

'You needn't fear me, child...' Harry's head shot up at the unfamiliar voice. He snapped his head back and forth, searching for the source. 'Look here.' Harry's eyes widened when he looked at the snake again.

"Y-You...?" He asked softly. The snake nodded. "You can...t-talk...?"

The sisters were initially confused when Harry started looking around as if he were searching for something, but that soon led to surprise when Harry turned to the snake on the boat and started hissing at it.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hancock asked, having a sinking feeling as to what was happening.

Realizing that he did something he though he shouldn't have, Harry began to panic.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just thought since I could talk to the snake, I would, and I didn't know it was bad and I'll never do it again, please don't hate me!"

Hancock simply hugged Harry to calm him down, but it gave Hancock the answer she needed, he was a parseltounge. But how? As far as she knew, niether of his parents, let alone his mother, were decendants of Salazar Slytherine. So how was it that Harry knew the language of snakes?

She shook her head a little, since there was no need to think about it. Instead she turned her attention back to the child in her arms.

"It's alright Harry. In fact, you're lucky that you can even understand him." She soothed, ending on a slight enthusiastic note.

The young woman giggled at the wide-eyed expression of confusion he gave her, and she kissed his brow gently before ruffling his hair.

"Very few people can do what you can. I was just surprised you could, is all." She told him. "So don't worry. You're allowed to talk to snakes if they have something nice to say."

"Okay, Miss Hancock." Harry said softly. Hancock smiled softly at him before moving to the boat.

Once she was seated in the front, with Marigold and Sandersonia sitting behind her, Harry looked around in the boat to see they were missing something.

"Um... Where are the paddles?" He asked innocently, currently unaware of what would happen next.

Smirking to her new son, she decided to be somewhat vague in her answer. "We don't need them, Harry."

Tilting his head, he asked why before the snake spoke up again. 'Hold on, child.' Harry looked forward to the snake, before looking to the side to see the docks starting move away from them.

His eyes widened and he smiled slightly. The boat was moving on its own? "Miss Hancock...? Is the water really strong?"

"Oh no, my dear. This is simply magic." Hancock replied, running her fingers through his hair.

Harry flinched a little. That word was bad! Uncle Vernon said so! ...But then he remembered what Hancock had told him before. Uncle Vernon wasn't family. So did that make his uncle...wrong?

"M-magic?" He asked carefully.

"That, and the snake is pulling the boat." Hancock stated, making Harry ask the snake if it was true, and the serpent confirmed it.

After a while, the tunnel started to get get dark, only for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel. Harry looked to his new mother, before she gently squeezed his shoulder in assurance and gave him a soft smile. Just as Harry turned back to the light, the room flared up a bit, making him cover his eyes in surprise. Blinking to get rid of the brief glare, he turned his sights forward again to see that they were no longer in a tunnel, but saw lush forests on either side of the gently flowing river they were now on.

"Wow..." Harry breathed softly, taking in the lush, beautiful forest he was now in. "This is so pretty...But Miss Hancock...Where are we...?"

Hancock smiled at Harry's reaction and giggled a bit into her hand. "Well, Harry," she started, "I guess you can say this is part of my yard."

Harry stared at his adoptive mother in wide-eyed wonder, making his Aunt Sonia silently gush at his cuteness. "Y-your yard?" Harry asked, getting a nod in return.

"That's right, and we should be seeing your new home pretty soon. So just sit tight, okay?" Hancock replied, getting a nod from Harry as he patiently sat in her lap.

As they continued to gently move along the river, with Harry taking in the sights and Hancock watching him in amusement, the foliage began to lighten up. Harry looked ahead as they entered a clearing, and what he saw nearly took his breath away.

In the center of the massive clearing was what had to be the BIGGEST house he had ever laid eyes on. The massive structure was colored with several shades of red, and looked like a castle he had seen on the T.V. once. Harry couldn't help but look over the building in awe. His new mother lived HERE? It was amazing! Seeing it from the outside only made him wonder what it was like on the inside.

Hancock saw his reaction, and a smirk graced her features. "Oh, it seems you like your new home." She said calmly. "Shall we see the inside, then?" Harry nodded eagerly. It was like she read his mind or something, because he REALLY wanted to see what was in there!

As they docked, Harry said his good-byes to the snake on the boat before the small group departed and made their way to the large door of the mansion. Harry examined the door with childish wonder, gazing upon the many designs that were embedded on the the large brownish-red wood. Hancock turned to Harry with a smirk.

"Ready to see where you'll be living from now on?" She inquired, getting an eager nod from her new son in response. "Well, then what are we waiting for?"

And with that, she snapped her fingers, making the large double door open inwards. Harry just barely caught the sight of the inside, before...

"Welcome back, Snake Princess!"

Harry nearly jumped out of his mother's grasp as over a dozen bikini armor clad women greeted the returning group of four from the entry hall.

Hancock smiled and patted his head. "Don't be afraid. These are my servants and guards. They're just here to greet us." She assured him gently. Harry gave her an uneasy glance, then looked around at all the women surrounding him. They were all looking at him curiously, some just looking, some murmuring to one another...

"Why do you think she's holding a child? Did she adopt?"

"If she did, then why?"

"I don't know, but that child is so cute!"

Harry actually heard that last one, before he blushed and hid in his mother's bosom again. Hancock simply smiled at him and rubbed his back to ease him out. Just as the child seemed to relax, another voice spoke up.

"Snake Princess? Care to explain something about our new guest?"

Hancock looked to the top of the flight of stairs at the end of the room to see a short, elderly woman holding a snake staff and wearing red clothing standing there.

"Elder Nyon." Acknowledging the elder that raised her and her sisters, Hancock stepped forward. "Everyone," she began, addressing the room's occupants, "I want to introduce you to my son: Harry Potter." As she gestured to her new child, the entire room filled with gasps in an instant.

"A son? But it was my understanding that you despised the male population. If you were to adopt, I was almost certain it would be a girl... I even made a bet over it, so now I must relinquish one hundred dollars..."

While not exactly pleased that her elder made a bet about what kind of child she would raise (granted, she didn't expect to be raising a son either), a smirk made it way across the empress's face.

"Now don't tell me that you forgot all about him..." she trailed off.

That's when everyone in the room, save for Harry, understood what she meant.

Strawhat Luffy.

They had all heard about the one time she answered a summons to the British Ministry, and a former servant to the one Hancock had dubbed "That Thing" had mocked her for not only being a devil fruit user, but called her a coward for not answering previous summons as a Pirate Warlord in the ever hidden, and mysterious, ocean known as the Grand Line.

That was the first time she met the rather curious character that was Monkey D. Luffy. Since he and his crew were exploring at one point and found Hancock and the former servant talking, and the captain didn't take the insults likely. After the Warlord meeting was over. Luffy and his crew decided to visit. While treated with hostility at first, Hancock gave them some leeway because of the captain's actions. After getting to know the rubber boy and his crew, Hancock decided that as long as they did nothing to betray her trust, they were allowed to visit should the need arise.

Needless to say that was something that confused her crew and tribe to this day.

And it was no secret that Hancock had deep, DEEP feelings for Straw Hat Luffy, though despite her many attempts to make these feelings known, he was too dense to acknowledge them.

Harry, on the other hand, had no idea whatsoever as to what was going on.

"Um... Miss Hancock, who are you talking about?" Harry asked shyly.

Hancock looked to him, be fore the mental image of the Strawhat Pirate's wide smile made her flustered.

"Um... well... W-we're talking about a good friend of ours. Hopefully you'll get to meet him someday." She told him. Harry simply nodded. A sudden hiss could be heard, making all eyes turn to the stairs as a giant red and whilte snake with a skull on it's head quickly made it's way to Hancock.

Harry was startled as the large snake stopped in front of him and his new mother, but Hancock simply smiled at the familiar face.

"Hello, Salome." She greeted simply.

"Missssstresssss!" The snake hissed excitedly, curling around its master. Hancock smiled and stroked the snake's head. The large snake extended it's tongue on her cheek affectionately, then turned to Harry with a curious expression.

Harry returned the snake's gaze, albiet shyly. The skull on Salome's head made him a bit intimidating.

"Harry." The boy looked up to see his mother looking down to him with a look of reassurance. "I want you to meet Salome." She started, gesturing to the snake twisting around them. "He's my partner, and he will help protect you."

While her words relived him a little, he was still cautious. He cast a shy glance to Salome, and waved.

"H-hello." Many heads tilted in confusion and/or curiosity as the supposed snake prince used his parseltongue instinctively.

Salome's eyes widened slightly in surprise when Harry spoke in the language of serpents, but it passed as soon as it came before he smiled through his gaze.

"A pleasure to meet you, child." He returned.

Hancock watched the conversation with a smile, despite not knowing what was being said. Still, a few things needed to be taken care of. First and foremost...

"Everyone, listen up." All heads turned to the empress as she began speaking. "As I have said before, young Harry hear is my son. While he may not be able to learn the ways of the Kuja, we can at least teach him how to defend himself when the time comes. Even though that time has yet to come, he is to be treated with respect. So I expect every one of you to treat him kindly. Understood?"

There was a resounding chorus of affirmation throughout the crowd. While they weren't particularly FOND of men, they didn't HATE them like their queen did. If she was willing to trust this boy, then he must be the exception to the rule.

"Princess." Hancock turned her gaze to the snake elder standing atop the flight of stairs, not moving an inch since she first arrived. She did, however, gesture to the side. "A word?"

Hancock simply turned her attention away for a moment, before turning to her sisters, who had been reunited with their own snake partners as Hancock had.

"Sonia, Mari..." Heads of green and orange directed their attention to their sister upon being called out. "Can the two of you watch Harry for a minute. There's something I need to do." Her request was met with smiles and nods from both of her sisters. A tug on her dress later and Hancock saw Harry with a mildly worried look. She simply smiled at him and stroke his dark locks.

"It'll be alright, Harry. I just need to speak to the elder for a minute. I'll be with you real soon, I promise."

Harry didn't look to sure, but nodded none the less and allowed himself to be placed with his aunts. As the servants began going about their business and Hancock leaving the room with Nyon, Harry felt himself being picked up by his Aunt Sonia.

"Well, Harry, how about we give you a tour of the palace?" She asked. A nod was all she needed before the party of three began moving.

In another room, Nyon and Hancock had begun to talk about Hancock's choice in adopting Harry.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" The elder questioned sternly. "It's not every day you decide to bring a wizard child to the palace. A savior among them, no less."

Unlike the other Kuja, Nyon knew perfectly well where the Pirate empress came from and her upbringing, having raised her and her sisters herself. Hancock let out a long sigh, knowing she would have to explain Harry's backstory sooner or later.

"Well, Elder, you see, I may dislike men, but even I have standards. And the relatives he was sent to live with when his parents died? Well, Dumbledore is a senile old fool, and I'm going to have words with him." She said, eyes narrowed.

The way the woman in front of her spoke gave Nyon the feeling that she wouldn't like what she was about to hear. Dumbledore had proclaimed himself as Harry's magical guardian, that much she knew, but where the old wizard had sent the boy to live was a mystery.

Until now.

"Do mind explaining?" The elder asked unsteadily.

Hancock sighed again before going into a summarized version of how her day ended. By the end of it, Nyon had her head down, her eyes shadowed, and her hand gripping her staff very tightly.

"Dumbledore, you old, crusty, senile fool..." She mumbled. "Sending him to a family KNOWN to hate wizards...What was he THINKING?"

"That's what I wish to know." Hancock replied bitterly. "That's why I brought him here. So that I may help him recover. I know I don't really have much experience in parenting. That's why I would like your help."

Nyon turned her gaze to the woman she saw as a daughter. In her eyes burned the determination she always held when she set her mind to something.

Either that or she had been hanging around the straw hat boy for too long. Despite that, it was an easy answer for the elder.

Hancock let a smile grace her expression when Nyon gave her answer. Walking over to the window, she began too look out into the distance as she thought over what to do next.

Nyon, seeing her adoptive daughter's thoughtful expression, decided to speak up.

"So what happens now?"

Not moving her gaze from the view outside, Hancock gave her answer.

"Firts thing's first," she began, "we get Harry used to living here, then we help him recover from the damage those, animals did to him." Hancock's expression and tone darkened considerably when she described the Durselys, a term Nyon found all to appropriate.

"I see." Nyon said. "And on the off chance someone should pay a visit?" She then asked with a knowing smile, albeit barely visible.

Hancock blushed at the hidden meaning behind those words. She knew full well who the elder was talking about, but didn't say anything... at first.

"Well..." Hacock said, her blush toning down as she smiled and brought a hand to her cheek. "It depends on the person."

Elsewhere, a young man with shaggy dark hair sat on the figurehead of a large lion-headed ship, grinning broadly as the ship sailed forward.

"Looks like you're in a good mood, Luffy." A green-haired man acknowledged, glancing in Luffy's general direction.

"Shishishi. Of course." Luffy replied. "It's been a while since we last saw them all." He grinned widely as he thought about seeing the pirate empress again... which led him to thinking of all the meat she gave him last time.

The green haired man, the firsmate of the Strawhat Pirates, Roronoa Zoro, simply gave a nod to his captain's response. Deciding to simply leave the strawhat wearing boy to his musings, he walked off to get some training in before they arrived.

Luffy, on the other hand, was looking off into the distance as the ship continued to move along it's course. Nami said it'd be about a day or so before they got there, but didn't matter to Luffy, he was just thinking about the mountain of food he was going to eat, as well as the friends he made there.

Little did he know, he was about to make a knew one.