Albus Dumbledore's sad eyes stared at one of his most talented students, Lily Evans Potter. One of his many gadgets warned him that Voldemort managed to get into the Potter's safe home and he apparated there as quickly as he could, it was too late. James was dead, Lily was dead and Harry was...where was Harry?
Dumbledore looked around the room and spotted the little boy crying in his crib. A wave of relieve passed through him at that moment, but also a feeling of extreme sadness. Harry would have to confront Voldemort when older. The Headmaster went to the crib and picked up the small toddler, his fingers brushing against the red curse scar as he casted a spell that eased the pain temporarily.
"Albus." He startled at the sound of Severus voice, thing that rarely happened.
"Severus, my boy. What are you doing here?"
"The same as you. Where is the Dark Lord?" The spy asked as his dark eyes found Lily's dead body. Albus choose not to answer that question as his blue eyes watched the Potions Master break down, the realization of Lily's death hitting on him.
They stayed like that for some moments, Severus forgot all about the Headmaster as he picked up Lily's body and embraced her, and Albus decided to let him be, because if Severus didn't grieve in that moment, then he never would and the feelings would bottle up. Harry seemed to understand that it was a private moment and wailed quietly in Albus's arms as he watched the unknown man cry over his mother's body.
"What are you going to do with the boy?" The young man asked, his voice coarse and his eyes red and puffy.
"I'm going to put him with his only living relatives, the Dursleys." At Severus horrified gaze, he continued. "I know Lily and Petunia didn't talk for a long time. But I think that Petunia will put her feelings aside and give Harry a home and a lovely childhood, the same way Lily would if the tables were turned." He finished with a soft voice, trying to make the much younger wizard to understand.
"She hates us, our people Albus. And her whale of a husband will absolutely despise and loathe the boy. I will not let you put him there, not when he can be in another safer place where he will not be abused nor hated." Severus immediately protested.
"Where do you suggest I put him then?"
"Not here, let's go to Hogwarts." The Potions Master looked around, met Albus's blue eyes and apparated off the scene. Sighing, Albus also apparated to the Hogwarts gates.
Albus and Severus sat in the Headmaster's office facing each other, Harry was in Dumbledore's quarters, sleeping peacefully inside a very comfortable looking crib. Albus called an elf and asked for some tea, feeling that the two would need it. Severus was slumped against the chair he was currently sitting on in a very unSnapeish form.
"Severus?" Albus called, the tea in front of them.
"My brother."
"Pardon?" Dumbledore asked startled, his eyebrows pushed downwards to form a confusing frown, he blinked slowly at the Potions Master.
"My half-brother Albus, Erik Prince. He is older than me for 4 years. My mother cheated on my father with Julius Malfoy, Lucius's uncle. Even if Eileen was a blood traitor, Erik was her firstborn making him the heir of the Prince family line, and being a pureblood was what made my grandparents claim custody of him. I only met him in my 5th year, the Christmas after mine and Lily's friendship ended. " his voice broke a little " Tobias was out of town, my grandparents had just died not one week prior and my mother decided that she wanted to know Erik better. We got along when she invited him over for dinner."
"What do you know about him?" Albus asked interested, leaning slightly forward with eagerness.
"He is married to a pureblood french woman named Isabelle. He is the Head of the British Unspeakables and Isabelle is a very talented Mediwitch. They have two children. Sebastien is 3 years old and Madeline is Harry's age. I know that my brother wants more children so I know he wouldn't mind to adopt Harry." He told the old man. "They are the perfect family. Erik and Isabelle are very good parents, the kids are polite, healthy and respectful. They live in a three story house in Cheltenham and they spend each holiday in a two story house in France."
"Very well Severus. Contact your brother. If he accepts, he and his wife can adopt Harry." Dumbledore gave the man a kind but tired smile. "I am going to bed now, it was a hard day."
"Good night Headmaster."
"Good night Severus."
"Dada" A little boy crawled to the man sitting in one of the large couches in the living room.
The boy didn't look much older than three, he had pitch black hair with a fringe that covered his eyes in a cute way, pale skin and bright blue silvery eyes. The man looked up, his dark brown eyes - almost black - shone with playful disapproval and his lips quirked up in an amused smirk.
"Why are you not sleeping Sebastien?" He asked the boy, Sebastien gave him a toothy smile and lifted his arms up, silently ordering his father to pick him up. "Your mum's going to kill me." The man muttered with a small smile and obeyed his son.
The boy snuggled closer in his father's arms and then sighed in contentment. Erik shook his head at his son's antics and stood up with the sleeping boy, he headed to the stairs and climbed them, making sure he was as silent as possible to not awake his beloved wife. He turned to the right and opened the first door in his left.
Erik climbed down the five steps ladder and tucked the small boy into bed with Jax, his stuffed black and white wolf. He climbed the stairs, turned off the lights and left a gap between the door and the doorframe. He was almost reaching his own bedroom door when the doorbell rang, making him frown. Looking back at his watch - 10pm - he shared a confused look with his wife - who had just woken up.
"Severus." He greeted as he opened the door, his half brother leaning against the doorframe.
"Erik." Severus nodded back. "Can we talk? It's important."
The older wizard said nothing but opened the door wider to let his brother enter the comfortable looking house. Erik led Severus to the living room, Isabelle following them after ordering the house elves to bring some tea and biscuits for the three. The couple sat in the sofa that Erik had previously sat on while Severus sat in one of the armchairs. After the tea and biscuits were served, Severus started to tell them about the tragedy of Godric's Hollow, the death of James and Lily Potter and the temporarily death of the Dark Lord. How Harry Potter survived the Dark Lord and now he needed a home.
"Albus wants to put him with the Dursleys, his muggle living relatives. The problem is that they hate everything that has to do with magic, including Harry. I knew you always wanted another child, so I was hoping you could adopt Harry. Change his identity, give him a normal life but train him nonetheless."
"We would be honored to give him a home and a family, Severus." Isabelle smile kindly, her native french accent mostly covered by the british one.
Isabelle was a beautiful woman, being half-veela and all. She was not tall nor petite, she had pale skin, long silvery blond hair very much alike the Malfoy's and blue silvery eyes. She was a kind woman, always eager to help others with her healing talents and a great mother. She was the perfect match for the snarky, brutally honest and provocative Erik Prince, with his pale skin, dark brown eyes almost black and pitch black hair.
"Thank you." Severus found himself saying with a small, almost unnoticeable smile.
"Do you wish to stay here for the night, Severus? You look rather tired, it must have been a very difficult day for you." Erik's comforting hand on his shoulder squeezed lightly, informing Severus that his older brother understood his pain. "Your room is as clean as ever."
"Thank you for the offer Erik."
"You can borrow some of your brother's clothes." Isabelle smiled again at him. "I'm going to check if the kids are sleeping and then I'm heading off to bed. Goodnight Sev."
A/n: Hi guys, hope you like it. Sebastien's bedroom link will be in my profile.