Harry ate as he listened to Lucius and Draco explain everything that he would need to know should they both get arrested. It was a lot to take in and only left him feeling even more confused than he had been when he had come into the room. He reached up to rub his temples and a vial was set in front of him. He turned to look at Snape, who had settled himself in the chair at the end of the table.
"It's a Headache Reliever, Harry. Take it," he said gently. "Don't worry about trying to remember everything. I'm taking notes for you."
"Oh…thank you, Snape…" Harry replied, before draining the vial and returning it to him.
Snape chuckled. "Harry, call me Uncle Sev like the other kids do. Please. Or even Severus as Draco does on occasion."
"I…uh…alright, Sever…Uncle Sev," Harry finally managed to say.
"That's better," he said before turning back to Lucius. "Continue."
Lucius and Draco talked for what seemed like hours before Lucius finally leaned back in his chair. "I think that's about everything. Any questions, Harry?"
"Just one, sir," Harry replied. "What is my re…birth name?" He had almost asked what his real name was, but had thought better of it. Harry Potter was the only name he had ever known; to him it was his real name, even if he had been born to Lucius and Narcissa.
"Scorpius Abraxas Malfoy," Lucius told him.
"That's a bit of a mouthful," Harry replied.
"That's what I told him," Snape said, chuckling again.
Harry looked down at the table, his fingers absently tracing the grain of the wood. The other three waited for him to speak again. "I…uh…I'm not quite sure how to say this…"
"Just say it, Harry," Lucius encouraged him.
"I…I've always been Harry. At the Dursleys I was just plain old Harry. Then at Hogwarts I was Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived. Well, I…I don't think I could be anyone other than Harry. I don't want to offend any of you, but I…I want to keep the name I've always known."
The room was quiet for a moment before Lucius finally answered. "That's fine, Harry. After all it has been eighteen years and you wouldn't remember being called Scorpius. It was only for about two days, anyway."
"Thank you," Harry replied, before turning to Severus. "Can I talk to you for a few minutes? Alone."
The man nodded and stood. "I'll head to the library," he said, heading toward the door.
Harry stood and started to follow him, but stopped when Draco spoke. "What's wrong with the name Scorpius? I think it's a good, strong name…"
"Then use it for your firstborn son," Harry tossed over his shoulder as he left the room. He went up to the library where Snape had taken a seat in one of the two chairs in front of the large fireplace. There was a fire going, but it gave off no heat. Harry took a seat on the floor in front of the Potions Master. "I'm sorry for crying all over you last night."
Snape shook his head. "Don't apologize. As long and as hard as you wept last night, you obviously needed it. Lucius, Narcissa and even Draco are very worried about you, Harry. I know that it's hard for you to accept that they are your family, but they do care about you. Lucius and Narcissa never stopped loving you, even though they gave you to James and Lily. This is the only family I have left, Harry, and it hurts me to see all of you in so much pain."
Harry pulled his knees up and hugged them, making him look much younger than his nearly eighteen years. "You saw what the Dursleys were like. I always wanted a real family, but I'm not sure…"
"You're not sure that you want this family," Snape finished for him.
Harry nodded. "I saw the memories and I…I trust you, sir. I really do. But I've gone all this time thinking that James and Lily were my parents…"
In a move that surprised Harry, Snape sat on the floor in front of him and rested a hand on Harry's arm. "Harry, Lucius and Narcissa are your birth parents, but James and Lily loved you as their own and gave their lives for you. Did Lucius show you the memory of the hospital when you were given to James?" Harry nodded again. "The charm that Narcissa used is a very old one that was often used in old pure-blood families when a family had no heir and chose to adopt one. When children are born they take part of their genetic makeup from their mother and part from their father, a mixture of both parents. What this charm does is to give the child the genetic makeup of not only the birth parents, but the adoptive parents as well. The child will then look like the adoptive parents, but the personality and magical traits come from all four parents."
"That's a bit confusing, but it does make sense. Does something like that happen often?"
"When it does happen, it's kept very quiet and within the family. The Blacks and the Potters are distantly related. Narcissa has always enjoyed studying obscure charms, which is how she knew it even though she's never seen it used herself."
"Is it--can it--is there any way to reverse the charm?"
"No. It is permanent. Adoption of any sort can not be undone and the adopted child can not be disowned. With an adoption you are saying that you choose to accept the child into your family until the death of the child, and provisions must be made in the Will of the parents or the adoption becomes void."
"I've got another question."
"Go ahead."
"If part of the reason I was given to James and Lily was because of the Malfoy estate being entailed to Draco as the firstborn son…what about Reg? He won't be able to inherit anything, will he?"
"That's correct. Draco realized the same thing several years ago and came and spoke to me. I have named Reg as the heir to my estate, small though it is. He won't be left completely penniless."
"What about the girls?"
"When Narcissa's parents died, the bride price that Lucius paid was left for any daughters that Lucius and Narcissa might have."
"So everything's been taken care of?"
"Yes, Lucius and Narcissa have made sure to provide for each of their children."
AN: I am leaving as soon as I post this to move to another state for at least the next 6-8 weeks, possibly permanently. I'm not sure how much writing I will be able to do over the next few weeks, but I will update as often as possible.