Chapter 9: Dumbledore's decision
Previously:
After awhile when the adults went back to a light conversation they heard someone running down the stairs. It was Draco. He burst through the doors and said "He is waking up, I didn't know what to do so I came down stairs."
Sirius stood up and put his hand on Draco's shoulder. "Thank you for telling us, I'll go up." Sirius then prepared himself for what Harry would be like. Opening the door to where Harry lay Sirius walked in.
~O_O~
"Harry are you awake?"Sirius looked to the bed where Harry was now sitting upright facing the wall. The boy turned around quickly at the sound of his voice, "Oh Paddy.." he said flinging himself onto Sirius.
"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you, I'm so sorry, so sorry." Harry started crying while clutching Sirius's shirt. The best Sirius could do was to rub Harry's back and telling him that it was not him fault. That nothing that ever happened was his fault. Slowly the crying died away.
"Before you say anything more Harry I need you to take this potion. It tastes awful but it will make you feel a bit better ok," Sirius then coaxed the potion down Harry's throat.
"Harry I want to ask you a question, you do not have to answer straight away but I would like you to think about it ok." Sirius looked down at Harry who was now sitting in his lap. "Would you like to live with me and my partner? Even if it is just for a while would you like to come live with us?"
Harry didn't even need a minute to think it over, he hugged Sirius tightly and said "Yes please." Repeating it over and over like chant, he thought Sirius needed more than one confirmation to know Harry knew exactly what he wanted.
"Shall we go downstairs and greet everyone else. I still want to introduce you to my partner like I promised." Sirius put on a ridiculous broad grin, to which Harry gave a small one in return.
Picking Harry up Sirius gave him one last big cuddle before taking his hand and leading him from the room. Waiting for the pair of them like a worried mother hen at the bottom of the steps was Severus. Upon seeing both Sirius and Harry he ran over and hugged them both. It was not often that Severus openly displayed emotions but this was a special case.
"Are you ok Harry, how are you feeling, are you warm enough?" Severus fretted.
"Pro…. Professor Snape?" Harry said timidly. Hearing his name spoken as if a student was facing him, he knew Sirius hadn't told the boy yet.
"Ah yes Harry this is well, is my partner. Your cruel and evil Professor Snape is the man I love." Reaching over still holding onto Harry Sirius brought Severus into a quick kiss on the lips to make the point clear.
"Sevvy sweety," Severus growled the sweety part, "Why don't you drop your glamour and show Harry your pretty face." Severus glared at Sirius now for using such profoundly disgusting romantic words. But none the less he dropped his glamour and Harry stared with wide eyes. Severus Snape's hooked nose became straight, he beady black eyes became a pale blue with hints or grey, he face softened and became a bit more feminine in look, but it was the hair, the hair flowed down in luscious waves instead of their normal greasy clumps. Severus also shrank a bit in height but was still lean and tall, but was now an inch shorter then Sirius, rather than the other way round.
Harry instinctively reached out a hand to touch Severus's face still looking into his eyes. Soon both of his hands were outstretched towards Severus and he was leaning over wanting to be held. Sirius thought it was funny how Severus stood there motionless not knowing what to do. Finally Sirius bought Severus's arms up so he could take Harry and embrace him.
"Why do you hide your face sir, why" Harry whispered still staring with large eyes looking at his professor.
"That is a long story, but the short version was to hide, from my father, with this face I look more like my father's side of the family, one I wish I never knew." Severus's face turned dark.
"I won't ask sir I promise, don't look sad," Harry's eyes brimmed with tears. Severus was shocked not knowing what to do, but Sirius came back just in time and pried Harry off one very stunned Severus.
"Shh Harry it is ok, you're not harming us." Sirius started rubbing circles into Harry's back yet again. "Why don't we take you home aye, and get some rest. Tomorrow is Christmas and we need you to be happy for Christmas, yes?" Soon after, he felt Harry's breathing slow as the boy fell back asleep.
"What about Lucius and them Sirius, do they not want to say goodbye?" Severus questioned Sirius.
"No for the time being I think they want to stay invisible, like the guardian angels. But a more accurate thing is they are a bit afraid of Harry's reaction, and Draco is especially afraid. Poor boy still doesn't know why he feels the way he does. He's so confused." Shifting Harry against him Sirius moved the boy into a more comfortable position for the both of them. "But sometime tomorrow we are going to have to talk to his parents about our decision." Severus looked bleak at the prospect of doing that, he dreaded their reaction.
Leaving the Malfoy Manor the trio quietly made its way out of the grounds to where they could apparate. Upon arriving at Severus apartment Sirius went off and put Harry in the spare room before returning to Severus in the kitchen.
"If Dumbledore is there tomorrow what do you think his parents will decide," Sirius asked Severus.
"I'm afraid I'm not sure but either way I don't think Harry is going to like his parent's decision much. He really is past his limit, seeing him there at the station was bad enough, I never thought he would be so lonely in his brother's shadow." Severus placed his head in his hands. "To think all I have ever done was watch because I didn't want people to know about us for a long time. How cruel am I, how cruel." Sirius wrapped his arms around Severus and hugging him tightly to his chest he let the man cry his heart out. Sirius whispered "It was not your fault, you could not have prevented this, just pushed the event further back."
~O_O~
When morning came Severus was the first to wake. The first thing he noticed was he was not in his and Sirius room, then that he was holding onto Harry who in turn was snuggled up to him. It wasn't until he tried to roll over did he realise that Sirius was behind him. For awhile as he laid there Severus thought this would be such a beautiful family moment, but of course Harry was not theirs.
In the time Severus as sulking over the fact Harry was not part of his family, Sirius had woken up and noticed the slight shacking coming from Severus.
"Don't cry," Severus jumped at the voice, he thought that he was the only one awake.
"We still have to talk to his parents about this, but don't cry." Sirius hugged Severus tighter.
"Can you make breakfast Paddy.. I'll wake Harry. But I just want to lie down for a while." Getting the message Sirius got up kissed both Harry and Severus on the head, left to go make breakfast.
Once Sirius had left, Severus lay back down next to Harry. They boy still had a hand clutched to his shirt. Taking a hand he brushed the boy's bangs out of his eyes.
"I wish you never grew up in the shadows." Severus placed a kiss on Harry head and then decided to wake him up.
"Harry wake up now, come one." Harry grunted in his sleep and mumbled five minutes more. Being just that little bit cruel Severus smiled and ripped off the bed coverings. The cold air hit Harry and he bolted up into a sitting position curling into a little ball.
"AH cold." Harry turned his head towards Severus. "Why I was warm," he stuck out his bottom lip in a pout.
Severus chuckled and hugged the boy. "Go put some clothes on we are having breakfast. Then harry we need to take you home." Seeing the flash of emotions that played on the boys face was heart breaking. But Severus knew he needed to remind the boy so he could prepare himself for the confrontation.
"I'll be down stairs, Sirius is making pancakes for breakfast. Change fast, or else we might eat them all." Upon hearing that they were having pancakes for breakfast, Harry instantly forgot his worries about his parents, changed then ran after Severus. He caught him just as the man was about to descend the stairs.
"I'm changed." Harry had a huge grin plastered on his face.
"That you are."Severus hugged the boy to his side as they went down the stairs towards the kitchen.
"Ah Severus, Harry, I hope you like chocolate chip pancakes. I found this stash of chocolate and had a desire to use it." He glanced at Severus.
"Paddy, Remus is going to kill you for using his secret stash at my house." He fixed Sirius with a glare, as Harry chuckled on the side. Everyone knew Remus had the biggest addiction to chocolate and had stashed it at everybody's houses. If he was ever denied it, well no one spoke of the time that happened.
"Oh come off it I will just replace what I used with the same stuff, he can't refuse more chocolate." Before either of them could find anything wrong with this he cut them off. "Well come on you two dig in," Sirius said, piling three on each of their plates.
So far for Harry it was the best Christmas morning he had ever had. Sirius had made chocolate pancakes with chocolate sauce for breakfast. This ended up with everyone starting to smear chocolate on each other. Sirius of course was the most chocolate covered of them all, as Harry and Severus ganged up on him.
Both Severus and Sirius had decided it would be ok for Harry to open their present before they met everyone else. He gasped in genuine delight at what they had given him, it was the most beautiful pendant that would ward off most minor hexes. The stunning silver snake had emerald eyes that glinted in the light as it wound its way around an opalite moonstone heart. He hugged them both crying his eyes out in happiness.
But of course not all good things could last forever and Harry knew what was coming. They had to go to his parents again; he couldn't stay with Sirius and Severus forever. Although Sirius said he would just take Harry to the house, and Severus would be floo-called later to help collect Harry's possessions, when things had been sorted out.
So around ten Harry and Sirius each took a pinch of floo powder and stepped into the fire place, arriving moments later at the house in Scotland where the others where holidaying.
They had barely gotten out of the fireplace when Richard was all over Harry, hugging him close. He had been so worried, but no one was saying anything on the matter. Worst of it all his parents had seemed completely unfazed that Harry had disappeared.
Sirius, having finished dusting the soot off himself silenced the others questions and led them from the room, so as to not disturbing the two brothers.
"Harry I was so worried, all I remember was going with mum and dad and then all of a sudden I'm here, without you. God I was so worried about you." His words came out muffled as they clung to each other, Harry trying hard not to burst into tears once again.
"I was sad Richy, I saw that everyone was gone, I was left alone again. I was so sad." Richard hugged his brother tighter in response to this.
Trying to make sure Harry didn't cry Richard decided to change the topic.
"Harry look merry Christmas. I have a gift for you, give me a second alright." Richard detached himself from his little brother and went over to the tree in the corner and pulled out a box wrapped in Ravenclaw colours. "Go on open it, I hope you like it."
Harry, like a curious little boy, ripped the paper off and tore the top of the box off. There sitting on top of a velvet bag was a wand holster. A leather wand holster that looked like it was made for a larger person.
"I know not many people get them, and only get them later in life. But I thought you might like it. It is spelled to adjust to the wearer, so if you put it on now it will shrink to your arm size. It will resize as you get older too." Excitedly Harry took it out to test it. Putting it on his arm initially was odd because it was far too big but all of a sudden it shrunk and moulded to his arm. It was like a second skin.
Jumping on top of his brother Harry said, "Thank you Richy, thank you. I'm sorry I don't have my present with me at the moment, b…" Richard placed a finger over Harry's lips silencing him.
"It was a gift that I know you are alright, well and not sick and cold out in that snow storm. It is a blessing in itself just to know you are alive." Then Richard gave Harry a bone crushing hug. Giggling Harry hugged back.
~O_O~
Meanwhile in the study with all the adults.
"What did you just say James, because I don't think I heard you right. You just said I think it might be best if we gave Harry away. Harry is not a fucking object, he is a human being, in fact your son."
"Well I don't see how we can keep him happy if all he wants is attention. We have Richard to think of mostly. He is the chosen one. He needs more attention and care."
"Harry doesn't always want attention, he just wants to be FUCKING REMEMBERED. The amount of times you leave him alone is astounding."
"Don't you talk to me about child care, you don't even have children Sirius, last I checked your partner was a male, who as far as I've seen is incapable of giving you children."
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE BRING SEVERUS INTO THIS." Sirius walk over to James grabbing the front of his shirt. "This is about your son, who you are just going to give away, put off to the side because you can't even spare two seconds to look at him and remember that you have another child."
James had a murderous face. "You don't know what it is like, like I said before you don't have children." He had barely spoken the words before Sirius's first punch hit him square in the face.
Remus started toward the fighting pair, intending to tear them apart, until he felt a hand against his chest. Looking across he saw Dumbledore looking at him.
"No, let them fight it out. It's the easiest way" Lily wasn't even watching them, she was still calmly sitting drinking her tea with Tonks. Tonks on the other hand had been just about to follow Remus to break up the pair, but having seen him stopped she halted, unsure.
Finally Dumbledore decided something needed to be done before the two men seriously hurt each other. Breaking them apart with magic he paused for a second for them to cool down before he continued to propose what he had been thinking about for a long time.
"I believe James is correct, in that trying to bring Richard up to the ability the world needs him, Harry must go. But why don't you take him Sirius. You and Severus have always wanted children you can take the boy." Then there was silence.
Sirius was in double disbelief that Dumbledore had suggested such a thing and that he was treating Harry as an object.
Remus was staring at the old man. What was he thinking separating the boys now? Harry would be crushed and Richard would be devastated. Seeing the boy in a mad state of worry in the past twenty four hours was bad enough, but to be told he wouldn't see his brother apart from at school what would be his reaction?
Tonks and Remus seemed to be in shock. Lily was still unfazed by the whole thing, James didn't even seem to care about his second son, and here was the most powerful wizard in the world stating the same thing. To just throw Harry aside while they pamper and mould Richard.
"See Sirius even Dumbledore agrees with me." James got up and went over to Lily. "Come on we'll go tell the kids. Dumbledore decided to go with them, but Remus and Tonks ran over to Sirius who had put his head in his hands.
"Sirius you better got out there as well, Harry will need a kind face to see. In all my years I never thought James, Lily and Dumbledore would agree to such a thing." Remus lifted Sirius up while Tonks rubbed circles into her cousins back.
"Go to him cousin, he needs you more than anyone else at the moment."
"Thank you, I'll go." They watched Sirius's sad frame walk out the door towards the lounge room.
"What did Harry do to deserve them Remus?"
"Nothing love, absolutely nothing, he has just been caught up in politics of the wizarding world." Remus brought Tonks to his side and hugged her tight. What a horrible Christmas this was turning out to be.
~O_O~
Severus was sitting near the floo and was worried to hell and back. He didn't know the decision and he didn't what was going on, all he had been told was to stay here. He just hoped Harry would come out of it ok. He had started wringing his hands, the only thing left to occupy them was a hot cup of tea that the house elves had left him.
~O_O~
Sirius had eventually caught up to the others walking towards the lounge room. He could hear laughter, and it pained him. He didn't want Harry to stop laughing, to stop having fun. This was Christmas for Christ sake. He was dreading Harry's reaction to all of this.
"Harry Richard would you two mind taking a seat." Dumbledore said calmly.
"We have something to tell you two. As of the recent events, we believe it would be best if Harry is sent away, to leave you Richard the ability to grow faster magically. Harry is obviously holding you back so, we, your mother father and me have come to the decision that Harry would be best with Sirius." Richard looked at the man in utter shock. Take his brother away, his brother a distraction. What was all this nonsense? But he quickly glanced at his brother Harry, and what he saw was not good. Harry was blank, emotionless. Harry always had emotion, but this was scary.
Harry didn't know what to think. His parents didn't even want him and he was holding his brother back. He was in the way. Without thinking he got up and went through the floo, collapsed on the other side where he felt two arm encircle him and he cried his little heart out.
"Well great, you are wonderful parents, you just drove your son away. HE DIDN'T EVEN SHOW EMOTION GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS REALLY THINKING." Sirius was so mad. "YOUR OWN SON, YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH YOUR GIFT OF LIFE. HE IS YOUR OWN FLESH AND BLOOD AND YOUR JUST GOING TO ABANDON HIM? DO YOU THINK THIS IS ALRIGHT?"
"Yes we do," Lily answered quietly.
That did it for Sirius, he had no more respect for them, for his best friend and his wife and the old coot they all trusted and followed. He knew he could not stay here. So doing exactly what Harry did he grabbed a handful of floo dust and left.
Eventually the silence that had followed Sirius departure was broken by Richard. "Why mum... why are you giving him away he is my brother."
"Oh sweety you'll understand later. Harry was holding you back, and the world needs you no distractions and all. This is for the best." Hugging her elder son she was proud that he wasn't blowing up like Sirius.
Remus and Tonks looked on from the door frame. What a broken family lead by an old coot.
~O_O~
"Severus ward anyone else allowed to come over. I just want this place for Harry, you and me."
Taking the hint Severus changed the wards and walked over to Sirius.
"What happened? All I get is Harry flooing over, crying. I just put him on the couch when he fell asleep."
"He is now ours, according to James, Lily and Dumbledore. They don't want him holding Richard back." Severus gasped, they were giving Harry away in favour of making sure Richard was the perfect soldier.
"Oh Sirius, but ….. He's just a child, they both are …. Oh my god." Severus started stroking the boys face unconsciously. He felt almost as though he were about to cry for the boys fate, he had just lost his family over night.
"We get to adopt him later, I just got an owl for it. James and Lily are giving us their son." Though Sirius knew Severus didn't need any papers for him to run away with the boy. Severus loved the boy too much, Harry reminded Severus too much of his old life. Walking over to his love and embracing him from behind he placed his head on Severus's shoulder.
"We'll do everything in our power to make him happy right?"
"No question about it Sirius, he deserve happiness in his life."
Unknown to them the whole conversation was heard by Harry. He had woken up when Sirius came through. Harry was glad of one thing; he was going to stay with Sirius and Severus. At least he was not going to be put up for adoption.
Same deal guys, REVIEW and what not. If there are any really bad mistakes flag em :D
