Disclaimer: no es mio. Oh yes, I can do these in multiple languages! :D haha!

And here is the last of the already-written chapters, Chapter 8. The next one shall feature my writing! :) Enjoy!

As per the norm, bold is flashbacks, and : is mindspeak


Chapter 8

Harry stretched and yawned as he awoke for the day. As he lay there, he fondly remembered his birthday party. I can't believe that Sev and Jane threw me a birthday party. It was so much fun. I don't remember ever having a birthday party before. Out of all his memories over his time spent with Sev, Jane, Mia, and Drax, the party was his favorite. I am going to see Sev today. We are meeting the Grangers and going to the zoo, he thought happily.

Harry was going to get to spend time with his 'family' today. I wonder when I started thinking about all of them as my family. Sev always made me feel brave ... made me feel that there was nothing to be afraid of ... safe… ever since he began to teach me to sign.

Harry climbed out of his bed and padded to the bathroom. He knew that Marie wouldn't mind if he made his way downstairs on his own. He had lived in the orphanage for two years now and knew his way around.

Harry was halfway down the stairs when he heard voices coming from directly below him. He stopped and crouched down, one foot planted on the lower step for balance. He didn't want to be seen, but he didn't want to leave either. Clutching the rails of the banister with both hands, Harry stuck his head in between them to get a better look.

He instantly recognized the pretty pink hat as belonging to Abby and wondered why his friend was dressed in her favorite smock. Curiosity piqued, he watched as Abby conversed with two very nice-looking people, while Laura, the Matron of the orphanage, hovered close by. When the man and woman turned their attention to Laura, Abby's head, as if sensing Harry's presence, turned to where he was hiding, and he saw the familiar brilliant smile, the same one she had flashed him two years ago.

Harry had been at the orphanage for about a year. He remembered being scared, but also feeling safe at the same time. He knew his mummy and daddy were not there, but he seemed to be safe. Every day, a really nice lady would come and take care of him, feed him, talk to him, and read to him. She would put him in the library on a big fluffy blanket for play time while she tidied up. She would always talk to him as she dusted and packed away, her lively chatter a source of comfort to him.

He also sometimes heard strange noises and voices coming from outside, and once, when Marie was carrying him by the library window, he saw little people playing with a ball. She said they were children like him who didn't have a mum and a dad. He remembered wanting to go out and be with those other children who didn't have mums and dads, but Marie moved away from the window then, and as always, put him down on his blanket and handed him his toys. He often heard those children laughing as he sat on his mat everyday, but he only had his toys and his Marie to keep him company. Until that one day …

Harry was sitting on what he thought of as "his" blanket. The head Matron that he heard Marie address as Laura came in with a little girl in her arms. They spoke for a while, but Harry wasn't paying attention to them anymore. He was looking at the little girl that Laura handed off to Marie before she rushed out of the room. Marie, though a little nervous, walked towards where he sat, and put the little girl down a distance from where he was …

She was pretty, but more than pretty. Harry thought she looked like an angel. She had brown hair, although it had some flecks of red in it. Her eyes were a mix between brown and green. They got all sparkly when she laughed. She sat in front of him and smiled this sweet smile that he could get lost in.

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She passed one of her color sheets and crayons to him with a gentle push. Marie noticed this and walked over to where both kids were sitting.

"Harry," she said softly to the little boy. "This is Abby. She lives here too."

"Hi, Hawwy," Abby said, as she held out her hand.

Smiling brightly, Harry put his hand in hers and knew at that moment that he had made a friend.

That was how Harry's friendship with Abigail "Abs" Spencer began. It was quite simple really. She was his first friend at the orphanage and now she was leaving him.

Severus didn't know what was going on when he reached the orphanage to pick Harry up for their outing at the zoo. He noticed a little girl turning around with a small smile on her face. She got into a car with a seemingly nice young man and woman.

He walked through the doorway and immediately knew that something was wrong. His eyes searched for Harry. They finally came to rest on the lone boy curled up on the stairs, with tears streaming down his cheeks. One look at Harry's face and Severus' decision was made. He moved quickly toward the stairs, scooped the boy awkwardly into his arms and carried him to the boys' room.

Severus took one look around the room and frowned deeply. Harry lives like this? The room was filled with eight dormitory style beds and dressers. It offered no privacy to its occupants.

"Where is your bed, child?" Severus asked softly.

Harry merely pointed to a bed that was furthest away from the window. Severus carried Harry to his bed and sat down with him still on his lap. He gently rocked back and forth rubbing circles in his back until the boy's sobs turned into quiet hiccups. Severus pulled away from Harry so he could look him in the eye.

"Harry," he began soothingly, "Please tell me what is troubling you."

Green eyes looked up and locked with Severus's, allowing him to read Harry's thoughts.

:The little girl you saw leaving was my friend, Abigail. She was my first friend. I am sad she left. She was the only one who talked to me, besides Marie. I want a family like that, Sev. Am I ever going to have a family?:

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Severus' heart broke for the little boy sitting on his lap. He wanted nothing more than to give Harry the family he deserved, and vowed right then to make sure that this little boy didn't suffer any longer. He would need to talk to Jane.

"Let's get you dressed, Harry," Sev said, carefully lifting the boy from his lap onto the bed. "We have to meet the Grangers and Drax at the zoo."

Harry nodded his head and directed his consoler to his dresser drawer. Severus pulled out the shorts and green t-shirt that he had brought for Harry the last time he visited. It was warmer out so he had picked some summer clothes up for the boy in Muggle London. He dressed Harry quickly and they made their way downstairs.

Marie was waiting for them. She had seen Severus take Harry upstairs. She was going to comfort the boy herself but then figured it might be best to let the Professor handle it. Harry had grown quite attached to the gruff man. She only hoped that it worked out for both of them in the end.

Severus nodded to the woman once they stopped in front of her.

"We'll see you later, Harry," Marie said.

She looked at Severus and nodded as she moved back into the parlor.

Severus and Harry arrived at the zoo in ten minutes. Both of them were surprised to see Draco standing at the entrance alone. The young blond had tears slowly falling down his cheeks, and was trying very hard to remain brave. Alarmed, Severus broke into a run, with Harry in his arms. He came to a stop in front of Drax and put Harry down.

"What happened, Drax?" Severus asked softly as he drew the boy into his arms. Harry stood there looking at the blonde boy with sympathy in his heart. He did not know what had happened, but whatever it was, it was bad, and Drax did not deserve that.

He laid his small hand on Drax's back and he began to calm instantly. Severus noticed this immediately and was disquieted by Harry's innate ability to calm the boy down. Can this be possible, he wondered. They seemed to be feeding off the other's emotions. The calmer Harry was, the calmer Draco became. Severus doubted whether either boy was aware of this occurrence.

"Dromie left this for you, Uncle Sev," Drax stated once his crying had subsided. Severus took the letter from Draco's shaking hands and sat down with both boys to read it.

Severus-

My intentions were honorable I assure you, but I find that I can no longer look after Draco. The memories of what my sisters were involved in are too fresh whenever I look at the boy. I am sure he is a lovely child, but that is no longer my concern. I leave him in your care; do with him what you will. By the power and name of the Black family, I sever all ties with Draconius Malfoy.

Andromeda

Severus stared at the letter in shock and did not even hear Jane and Mia come up to them. Jane was concerned by the look on Severus' face.

"What is it?" she asked. Severus wordlessly passed the letter over to her. Jane scanned the letter quickly, her heart clenching when she read the last line. She turned to Mia.

"Why don't the three of you go look at the panda bears, while Sev and I talk?" she proposed.

Mia immediately took charge and grabbed the hands of both boys and dragged them to look at the pandas.

"What are we going to do?" she asked softly.

"We?" Severus croaked out. He cleared his throat nervously before continuing. "I didn't mean to imply that there was a 'we'."

"Of course there is a 'we', Sev," Jane chided softly. "I have grown quite fond of you."

"I have also grown quite fond of you, Jane," Severus replied softly, taking her hands in his.

"What are we going to do, Sev?" she asked again as she turned away from him to look for the kids.

He smiled his first genuine smile. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, some would say lovingly. He proceeded to tell his tale. Over the next hour, Sev held her and told her lovingly about his world. The Potions Master told her about the Potters and the Malfoys. The reformed Death Eater told her about the Dark Lord and what had led up to Harry becoming the Boy Who Lived. He finally told her about Hogwarts and Dumbledore.

When he had finished his tale, she turned and put her arms around him and held him tightly. The dark-eyed wizard never thought that a woman like Jane would care for a man like him for all the tea in England, but that was before Harry. The little boy with green eyes had changed the way that Severus looked at the world. He finally started to believe in things again.

"Thank you for sharing this with me, Severus," Jane said. "What is your plan?"

"How would you feel about expanding your family?" Severus asked gently.

"Don't you mean our family?" Jane replied.

Severus smiled. "Our family," he corrected. He liked the sound of that. It was something he could get used to.

"We will have to adopt Drax, as well as Harry," Severus started. "I would like to keep the children sheltered from the magical world somewhat until I can ascertain the true depth of all three's powers."

"I realize that Harry has been to Hogwarts before, but I am hoping to…" Severus continued.

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"Wait!" Jane interrupted. "What do you mean all three's powers?"

"I mean Mia's powers as well, of course," Severus stated as if it were obvious.

"Mia has powers?" Jane asked in awe. "Are you certain?"

Jane had no more got the question out of her mouth when there was a pop behind them. She turned around as she saw her three children, hands joined, levitating three kittens out of a storm pipe. There was a blue light linking the three of them together.

"Yes, I am, my dear," Severus replied shakily. "I am very certain."

Severus knew that he needed to research this phenomenon further. As he and Jane sat with the kids enjoying a picnic, he knew they had been correct in trying to keep them away from the magical world for the time being. After lunch, Severus and Jane prepared to talk to the children about becoming a family.

"How would you three like to live together?" Jane began.

Mia, being a very smart and precocious child, asked. "You mean like a family?"

Jane beamed at her daughter. "Exactly like that, Mia."

Drax looked at Sev and Jane. "I not alone?"

Sev smiled at Drax's simple statement. "No, Dragon, you're not alone anymore." Draco smiled and nodded his head. He wanted more than anything not to be alone. He nodded his assent and hugged Severus, Jane, and finally, Mia. The man returned his hug, somewhat stiffly. Jane chuckled at him over Drax's head. He returned her laugh with a lopsided grin.

Harry stood there with his mouth open in shock. There was no way that they were talking about him were they? Severus was looking right at him, smiling and nodding his head. "Yes, Harry, we mean you too."

Harry's eyes filled with tears and he leapt at Severus, blindly, trusting the man to catch him. Severus caught him easily and enveloped him in the warmest hug Harry ever felt. He soon was the recipient of three other sets of arms around him, as the family shared their first hug.

Severus felt extremely uncomfortable with this new invasion of his personal space. He was not used to it, but he figured with two attention-deprived boys and one very affectionate little girl and her mother, he better get used to showing affection.

They all separated a little while later and left the zoo hand in hand, with the three kittens in tow.