Chapter 7

Pressure

The next morning, Severus awoke to Harry moaning. Throwing on his robe, he dashed to the guest bedroom. Harry was not quite awake, but he was in obvious pain. Severus woke the boy gently and gave him a pain potion.

"Harry there is something I want to tell you about. Last night I told you that your mum, dad and I were great friends and how they never wished you to go to the Dursleys, right?" asked Severus. Harry nodded, waiting for Severus to reach his point. "Well, your mum asked me to be your godfather when you were born." Harry's eyes widened, but he still said nothing.

"Harry, I have the paperwork, making me your legal guardian. However, I don't want you anywhere near your poor excuses for relatives, ever again. So I want to adopt you, using a Blood Adoption, so that no one can ever legally part us. I need your say-so before I go through with this. So, what do you say? Would you ever be able to consider becoming my son?" asked Severus

"Yes, Sir. You took me in, even though I'm a waste of space, and a freak-"said Harry

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" yelled Severus. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Severus regretted them. Harry curled his tiny, broken body into a ball, with his eyes wide, and tears flowing out of them murmured,

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Severus picked up the frightened child in his arms and held Harry close to his chest. Severus slowly rubbed calming circles on Harry's back.

"Hush, hush," Severus searched for an appropriate pet name, "Hush, baby boy. I've got you. And, I'm sorry. That was my fault, you did nothing wrong."

"I h-h-ad-t-t-oa do-un-s-s-o mth-th-in. Wun-a yelled-o-th-th-er wise." sobbed Harry.

"No, no. I didn't like that you called yourself a freak, that's all. You're not a freak, and I want you to understand that. I simply overreacted. Shhh." said Severus gently, as his cell phone started to ring. Harry laughed at the horrible timing. Severus looked at the caller identification. It was Josephina.

"I'm sorry Harry, I really must take this." said Severus. "It's Healer Hopea-Wolfe, um the sister with black hair." Harry giggled and nodded.

"Hello." said Severus

"Hello, Severus." said Josephina. "Hey, do something for me. Look at your kid. Now, look at me. Now back at your kid. Now back at me. What? You don't see me? Open your front door, Severus, or Anne so help me, I will kick it in." Severus sighed. Her tone told him that she was very serious about kicking his door down, so he reached for his wand and flicked, thus opening the front door, and hung up the phone.

"Both Hopea-Wolfe sisters are on their way up right now, Harry. They'll be dying to see you." Just as Severus finished his sentence, the girls stomped into the room.

"Gunnar and Damen are in a totally, dangerously legit mood. They are SO stressed about their hunting trip to the U.S.A." moaned Anneliese. "We came over here so that they couldn't take it out on us!" Josephina said nothing at first, but immediately targeted Harry.

"How're you feelin' today, Puppy?" she asked

"Good." said Harry shyly in response. "Why do you keep calling me 'puppy' and stuff like that?" Josephina offered Harry an angelic smile that made Severus's heart swoop.

"What do you say, Professor, can I tell him?" asked Josephina.

"Yes, I suppose you must." said Severus, not at all excited about Harry's reaction.

"Okay, kiddo. The first thing I will say is beyond shocking. I will give you a moment to gather yourself, but then let me explain myself, alright?" said Josephina. Harry nodded.

"Okay," Harry said. Josephina conjured two chairs in front of Harry's bed. She and Anneliese sat in them.

"Well, alright, beyond shocking part. We- Healers Hopea-Wolfe, Svarta-Vargen, Colmillo, and I are werewolves. Alpha werewolves to be exact." said Josephina. Harry gasped and moved ever so slightly away from the women sitting in front of him.

"Okay, now I explain myself. We are a different type of werewolf than the one you are so obviously thinking about. The ones that shift at the full moon and go crazy ripping peoples' throats out are called Lycanthropes. We, on the other hand can shift at will at any time of day, and we stay sane and can understand people and we don't rip out throats, none of that. We are called Therianthropes. We are a bit different in our own respect too, because we have a tolerance of silver." Said Josephina in explanation. Harry nodded.

"Wow, that sounds really cool. Could you shift right now, if you wanted to?" asked Harry, sounding very much like child being shown a robotic toy.

"Yes," said Anneliese with a short laugh."Are you asking for a demonstration?"

"Only if you want to." said Harry, immediately lowering his head and flashing the whites of his eyes submissively.

"Not right now, Harry, sweetie, but we will show you at some point. Don't be so submissive with us, kiddo. I know we're Alphas, but I'm not mad at you, you did nothing wrong." said Josephina, and she wrapped Harry into a warm, gentle hug. After she released Harry, she turned to Severus, a completely different on her face.

"I've got to give you some warning Severus. Remember how Anne said that Gunn and Dame were in a mood? Well, Gunnar could defiantly be a danger to you and Harry." said Josephina, anxiously.

"WHAT?!" asked Severus in fear

"Well, as an Alpha, he is a very protective mood. In his mind I am his. And I spend a lot time with you and now there is a pup involved. You are not his to control and that makes you a threat to his status."

"What are we to do? How can I protect Harry?"

"By saying that you'll offer Gunnar your allegiance. Harry's too…and smelling like Anne and I couldn't hurt." said Josephina. Severus's heart raced. He had never recognized a leader, or answered to a group as elite as the Wolves. He looked at Harry, and then at Josephina. Could he put Harry through a Bite, at her hands? The time had come. Severus needed to decide if he would join the Pack, or estrange them. Could he, Severus Snape, the anti-social, slimy git, really become Pack?

"Harry," said Severus loudly "Will you accept my offer? Will you become my son and heir?" Harry looked fearfully at Josephina and nodded eagerly at Severus.

"Yes, Sir I will. I think you'll love me like a father. Will you really protect us, Healer?" asked Harry.

"Yes I will, pup. Severus, your answer, I need it now. And I mean NOW. I can smell Gunnar at the front door!"

"Yes, yes. We accept!" said Severus.

Take that, Svarta-Vargen, thought Severus grimly. At that moment a very angry Gunnar entered the room. A snarl marked his handsome face.

"JOSEPHINA! What on earth do you…..Oh crap? They smell like…Oh man they didn't become Pack did they?" Gunnar asked losing his anger very quickly and looking gaily at Severus and Harry, then Anneliese and Josephina, then back at Severus.

"I can't wait to tell Damen! Welcome to the family, Severus. Welcome to the Pack." said Gunnar warmly.

"Family," said Harry quietly and expectedly. "Fam-il-y. Can I really be part of a family?" Gunnar looked at Harry indulgently.

"You sure can, kid. But you can't be part of just any family. You can be part of my family. Welcome home, kiddo. We've missed you for quite awhile."

Aaaaaand it's a cliffy folks! What happens next? Read and find out! Please of course read and review! Long overdue but… DISCLAMIER: These lovely characters belong to JK Rowling, a true queen for letting us have a fraction of her glory. I do own some characters and the storyline however, but NOTHING ELSE! Don't forget to review!