52. Adoption
Harry looked around the room and sighed. It was a bitter sweet victory with too many deaths. He could see George crying over the loss of his twin; Harry hated it. He had never seen either twin so much as shed a tear with their ever present jokes and grins on their faces. And now Fred was lying dead on the ground with his twin sobbing over his body. Harry's heart broke when he saw the bodies of the Remus, Tonks, Ted, and Dromeda lay dead. Harry realised he should have expected this to happen with Trelawney's Prophecy about Teddy.
Everybody was trying to pull Harry into the fray. Harry refused on the account of having to return to his daughter and orphaned godson. He found the two children in the care of Ollivander.
'Is it over then?' asked the old man.
Harry nodded with a sigh.
'Hello, Teddy, I'm your godfather and I'll always be there for you,' he held the baby boy.
'It wasn't your fault you know,' said a voice behind him.
'I think it was, professor,' said Harry.
'You were unconscious at the time,' reminded Snape.
'Actually I was dead,' Harry fixed his old teacher with a piercing look.
Snape raised and eyebrow.
'You know what I was,' said Harry.
'A Horcrux,' sighed Snape.
Harry nodded, 'if Voldemort killed me I'd have a choice to stay or go on. I chose to stay because of my children.'
'You got a choice?' questioned Snape.
'I had a part of his soul in me and he took my blood,' explained Harry.
'Binding you together,' understood Snape.
Harry nodded, 'what does the name Persephone mean?' asked Harry.
Snape gave Harry a piercing look, 'she was one of the Greek goddesses of death why?'
'When I died I met Dumbledore and he referred to my unborn child as Persephone,' Harry said quietly.
Snape frowned, 'so what are you going to do now?'
'I'm going to adopt Teddy, chose one of my houses and get a job,' said Harry.
'I thought you wanted to be an Auror,' said Snape.
Harry nodded, 'can't when I'm pregnant,' Harry pointed out.
A few weeks later Harry was in the Ministry of Magic with Annie Lancashire in the Department of Childhood Welfare. Harry had decided to renovate one of the properties that he owned. It was an old house in Glamorgan with three floors. There was the ground floor where the whole kitchen had be redone due to rot, it had a large living room, and a dining room leading onto a balcony. The other two had four bedrooms on each with a bathroom as well. Harry had fallen in love with the oaks and stream and lake that were on his land. He had planned to have a smaller property but he wanted his children to grow up in a country environment with plenty of room to run around. Plus, it would keep them away from any nosey reporters.
'So Mr. Potter you wish to adopt Ted Remus Lupin?' asked the blonde witch.
Harry nodded.
'And where will you live?' Annie asked.
'Lakeside Cottage,' replied Harry.
'Ah yes that should be fine,' said Annie. 'And he'll be living with your daughter.'
Harry had brought Phoenix with him so that he could show that she was not evil in case that affected his adoption claims. Annie looked at the little girl who was sitting on the floor playing with a toy that Harry Potter had brought along with him. Phoenix looked up with bright green eyes identical to her father's.
'Gah,' she said.
'I never believed the rubbish about her being evil,' Annie said. 'I've seen too many children come from terrible families but being little angels themselves.'
'And do you have a job yet?' she asked.
'For now I'm supporting myself on the money in my vaults,' said Harry. 'But I hope to become an Auror eventually.'
'Yes finances don't seem to be a problem,' agreed Annie. 'Have you got a partner?'
Harry nodded, 'we've been going out for about a year not that she's living with me. Her brother would kill me,' he muttered.
'Do you have support its not easy being a single parent?' she asked.
'The Weasleys and Severus Snape,' replied Harry.
'That will be fine,' she beamed. 'Will you be taking him home today?'
Harry nodded, 'I'm staying in London until the renovations are complete in September. I have a house there.'
'Good,'
Annie stood up and the witch and the wizard shook hands. Harry caught the Knight Bus back to Grimmauld Place.
