Authors Note: Thanks again for all the reviews and the support for this story in general. I hope you'll like this chapter too.

Shadow Phoenix

Chapter 6

Adoption

Once everyone is gone Severus considers if he should tell Harry that he's filing to adopt him or if it is too risky in case he doesn't get approved. He's still thinking about it when he enters Harry's room and sees the boy look up worried before Harry asks, "He did what he said, didn't he? He told them, to let me stay, right?"

Severus can barely stand to see the fear in his eyes and opens his arms saying, "Come here my son." Instead of running into his arms the boy flashes there in an instant and is glad to feel his dad's strong arms close around him and holding him tight. "He did that and more." Severus replies deciding that he will tell him and in case something goes wrong he will promise to fight until he does get to adopt this wonderful boy in his arms. "He suggested something I never even dared to hope for and now I have a chance to do this I'll fight for it until I get it."

"What is it?" Harry questions sounding a little worried.

"Lucius is at the ministry with the adoption papers." Severus replies, "I'm going to adopt you no matter how long it takes to get it approved. I don't care how often I have to try but with a mind healer having given me in writing that he truly believes it to be in your best interest I might eventually find someone in the ministry that will get me approved as your father."

"Is that better than being my dad now?" Harry questions surprised. He thought he already been adopted. "Where is the difference?"

"Right now, my little Harry, you are only here as my foster child" Severus explains. "That means that I'm responsible for you until you turn 18 or until the child services department at the ministry deems me unfit and someone else better to take care of you. They usually don't get involved but as you saw today, they can. Especially if the Minister is making them get involved as he did this time. But you won't inherit anything from me unless I write you in my will, which I did but that's beside the point. Important is that once you're 18 and get hurt and into a hospital, they won't consider me your family. I won't be permitted to see you until you give permission which in case of being unconscious you can't. Not being able to be there for you would be terrible for me but they aren't allowed to let non-family members to you." Severus holds him tighter, "But once I've adopted you, you are legally my son. And even if child services deem me unworthy and take you away, I'll have a right to fight them again and again and again to get you back. I'll be able to see you in hospital once your 18 unless you explicitly forbid it which I dearly hope you'll never do but I will always be considered your father for as long as I live and nothing and no one can ever take that from us again. And even if my last will and testament that leaves everything to you is lost or destroyed you'll still get everything because you'll be my only child and as such my legal heir."

"But what if you get sick of me?" Harry wonders.

Severus smiles gently, "Never my son, I could never get sick of you. I love you and no matter what happens nothing will ever change that. I'll never let you go again once I've gotten to adopt you and with that statement from the mental healer I finally have a small chance to get to do that and I will use it no matter what else I might have to do."

Harry just hugs him and holds on tighter whispering, "I love you too dad!"

They stay like that for some time just hugging and happy to have one another and are still in that position when they hear the fire flare up again. With a sigh Severus reluctantly lets go of his son to see who came and sees Lucius in his living room and Andromeda Tonks stepping out of the fire after him. "Hello Severus," Lucius says "I think you've meet miss Tonks from child services department before."

Severus raises an eyebrow. He had meet her in the past during the order meetings before the dark lord had killed Lily and James. Leaving Harry at the Dursleys. He hadn't known however that she was working with child services meaning that she probably knew more about abused children than Albus had let on when discussing if Harry should stay with him. He's glad that Harry is with him but still doesn't like that Albus clearly had lied to him.

"Professor Snape." Andromeda says and sees Harry step out of the room after the man and clinging to his robe. "I'm here to speak to you and Mister Potter about this adoption file you filled out."

Her tone makes it clear that she doesn't like that he even dared to file to adopt the boy. "Let's sit down then." Severus replies, "I have a feeling it won't be easy to convince you."

Harry looks up at his father worriedly and holds on tighter for a moment. Severus just looks back at him with a gentle smile, "Don't worry, I meant what I said, I won't give up."

Andromeda is surprised to see the boy smile and nod. "Would you like me to make some tea?" Harry asks Severus. The older just sighs, he had told Harry a hundred times that there is no need for him to do menial labour since Severus can just use magic but it seems too ingrained into him to do such things and even after six years with Severus he still hasn't gotten rid of it.

"What do you think?" Severus asks for once instead of gently telling him that he'll do it.

Harry sees his eyebrow raised and thinks about his reply instead of giving the initial reply he had been about to give by just starting on setting the table. While thinking about that he suddenly realises that he doesn't even know where the cups or the kettle are in this house and blushes saying, "I guess you do it again?"

"Correct." Severus replies. "Would you mind elaborating how you finally figured that out?"

"I don't know where the cups are." Harry mumbles with a blush, "I still remember where everything is at the Dursleys but not here or at Hogwarts so I clearly never had to here."

"Of course, you don't." Severus says, "It be illogical to let you do it until you learn to do it magically. Once you do I might let you do it on occasion to practise it but until then it's much more efficient to do it myself then let you do it the muggle way."

"You still remember where it was at your Muggle family?" Andromeda questions surprised, "You were five when you came to stay with Professor Snape. That is much too young to handle burning water often enough to remember even six years later."

She looks worried towards the boy. Wondering if he has a very good and possibly photographic memory or if there is something going on here that she wasn't told. Harry looks away with a strange haunted look in his eyes. One that she had seen before and looks sternly towards the boy before she looks at Severus, "Why weren't those muggles charged with child endangerment or abuse depending on the severity?"

Harry looks at her shocked and pales. Severus just places a hand on his shoulder calmingly and says, "Because Albus and I agreed that it be best to keep it out of the press for Harry's benefit. Harry always knew we could charge them for their treatment of him and that I would support him should he choose to do it but he too preferred to just forget about it which would have been impossible had miss Skeeter heard of it."

"I understand." She replies and looks at Harry. "Mister Potter, do you know why I'm here?"

"It's about the adoption my father filed for." Harry replies.

"Do you know what that means?" She questions further. "You are eleven after all and since that is clearly older than seven I can't agree or disagree with this without talking to you and to do so I need to make sure you understand what this is about."

"In that case I would like you to approve it." Harry states clearly, "Dad explained everything in detail and I'm aware that being adopted means that he'll be my lawful father even after I turn 18 which means that he'll get to see me in hospital in case of an emergency because he'll still be considered my father. It also means that he'll be able to regain custody should someone try to separate us again."

Andromeda looks surprised until Lucius says, "Severus thought it important to use his normal way of speaking instead of making it easier for the child since the boy came to him. He said it be good for his vocabulary and make understanding school books easier once he enters Hogwarts."

Andromeda chuckles saying, "Might not have been a bad idea Mister Potter certainly has a better Vocabulary then most children his age. I do hope however Professor Snape that he is capable of acting his age too."

"I'm doing what I can by going to the Weasleys or letting one or two of their children spend a weekend here and as you might know, they certainly have that part down. But Harry seems to prefer Draco's quieter company or being with older children and is rather quiet and withdrawn but it is improving and I hope that entering Hogwarts and being surrounded by children his age will help even though I do fear it to be a little too soon seeing that he can barely be around all the Weasleys by now but Albus assured me that Harry my stay in my quarters whenever he needs a break from his class mates."

"I assume that is due to the severity of the Dursley's treatment?" She questions, "May I ask how bad it was?"

Severus looks at Harry and asks, "Would you like to stay for this or rather go to your room and play for a little? I could also ask Lucius to get Draco to visit for a little."

Harry looks at them and asks, "Can I go to Miss Narcissa and ask to come back with Draco? You could tell them while I get him and I can go play with him after this for a little?" After that he looks at Lucius, "And may he spend the night? It's summer break after all so his tutor won't be there, right?"

"I don't mind." Lucius replies, "And I'm sure Draco will be ecstatic to spend some time with you again, he was rather upset that he couldn't come with me to see you today."

Severus just nods at him and Harry, for once uses the floo to get to Malfoy Manor. It's not the first time he uses it since Severus usually uses this way to take him to Diagon ally to avoid being seen flashing in and Harry strongly dislikes apparition ever since Severus had used that to take Felix to go to the Dursleys to find the missing Harry.

As soon as Harry is gone Severus looks sadly towards Andromeda, "It was dreadful. Harry tried to inflict self-harm the day he came to me. To be frank, he even hoped to die from what he was attempting to do and if his magic hadn't acted up to save him, he probably would have died. They've beaten him and called him names never even letting him know his real name. On top of that they failed to give him appropriate amounts of food, no warm clothing, no proper room even though their son had two and it appears he had to do at least most of the household chores considering that he's still rather often asking to do things like he did a moment ago and is keeping his room impeccably clean. I never asked him for details but I know he was hit hard enough to tumble down their stairs and seemed to consider it normal to be hit that hard and that it was only due to his stupidity with asking a question so close to the stairs that made him fall all the way down and as a result it was at the time perfectly acceptable in his opinion that he was punished for hitting a picture frame with his foot on said fall."

"I take it he wasn't permitted to ask questions?" She questions pale.

"No, he was not." Severus sighs, "It appears he was little more than a house elves in their house and received a worse treatment then most of them do."

"Poor boy." Andromeda says, "I'll keep this between us of course but are you sure you can continue taking care of him?"

Before he gets to answer Harry and Draco appear in the fire together and strangely, the fire is blue rather than the usual green but as Harry had known, Andromeda is seated with her back to the fireplace. Severus glowers at Andromeda saying, "I'll never abandon Harry no matter what. He's my son whether you approve of it or not does not change how I feel about him!"

She nods at him and says, "In that case we'll only need to clarify some small details." She turns to Harry with a smile saying, "Will you resume your original name or receive a new one?"

Harry looks surprised but then smiles, "You mean you'll approve? You'll really truly approve and I'll be his son for real?"

"Yes Harry, I'll approve." She smiles at the small boy and sees him run to his dad to hug him.

Harry looks at him and says, "You get to name me now! You're the dad so you'll have to choose a name."

Severus smiles at him saying, "I told you before, you'll always be my little Harry and I'm much too old to get used to anything else."

"You're not that old." Harry grins, "But I'll have your name now, right? I'll be Harry Snape, won't I?"

Severus looks thoughtful for a moment before he looks at Andromeda asking, "Will he be able to change it later should he regret whatever he'll decide today? Or is there a chance to postpone the decision?" Harry looks worriedly until Severus holds him even tighter saying, "Don't worry my son, you'll always be my child now even if you regret it, I'll keep you no matter what you think about it. But James and Lily loved you too and you know that they gave their lives to protect you and you'll hear about them and they'll always be a part of you too and I don't want to take that from you and that name is what you'll have left from them while I'll have you all to myself and don't even have to share you with another parent. Because you're all mine no matter what name you carry."

Lucius smiles at them fondly and looks at his own son glad to have him and understanding Severus but raises an eyebrow seeing his sons glare towards his godfather and his fist balled. He is watching him for a moment longer and wonders if his eleven-year-old can possibly be jealous? He is rather fond of Harry and at home usually says that he wants to stay with his Harry or after a visit that his Harry did this or that but it's always his Harry and now someone else said that his harry belongs to him. He grins and decides to keep an eye on that just to make sure that he'll know if his son has chosen such a splendidly powerful boy for himself and to make sure that a Malfoy will always get what a Malfoy wants to get.

Andromeda just smiles at the father and son that hold on to the other tightly and says, "We can change it to Snape anytime but not back from that." She replies.

"Then I think that for Harry's sake we should keep it as Potter until he's a little older and had more time to consider such a live changing decision." Severus looks at his son, "I'd be proud to have you carry my name but I'm even more proud to call you my son and Potter is a much more respected name then Snape is and while I'll always be your father no matter what, some might put more weight on your name and those will always see you more favourably when you're a Potter then if you'd be a Snape and I won't let you change that until you're old enough to understand those reasons. Also, as I just said, that name is what you'll have to remember your real parents by and I don't want you to come to regret throwing that away. Not because I don't want you to be a Snape but because your future happiness is more important to me than that you carry my name. Please don't mistake it for anything else."

Harry frowns a little but then nods and says, "I'll still be your son forever and ever, right?"

"For all eternity, my dearest son." Severus says and holds on tightly.

Andromeda fills in that Harry will keep his name until he is old enough to choose a change for himself and signs it before summoning the seal that will mark it as being approved. Once that is done the paper is send to be filed in the ministry and she walks over to the new family and congratulates both just like Lucius and Draco do afterwards. Lucius noticing that Draco still seems a little upset but clearly tries to hide it and manages to keep it from Harry while Severus looks surprised at him.

A little latter Lucius and Severus are alone in the living room while the boys are in Harry's room playing chess which Draco probably will win since Harry never really got interested in it and while he does know the rules of the game hardly ever practises and thus doesn't know the finer strategies as well as Draco who loves to challenge his father and mother who both have been the best of their individual classes during school. Draco even is a challenge for Severus who is the only one capable to defeat both older Malfoys in chess.

"Do you know why Draco seemed displeased with me?" Severus asks as soon as they are alone. "And how did you know about the healer anyway? You weren't involved in this and failed to inform me?"

"Of course I wasn't." Lucius looks angry at being accused of such a thing. "Harry flashed to Draco last night after overhearing you and Albus talk about it. Apparently, he was scared and needed further reassurance. And about Draco, I think he didn't like it when you said that his Harry is all yours." Lucius grins towards the end again and Severus just looks at him with a raised eyebrow before worriedly looking towards his son's bedroom. "Don't worry my friend, I very much doubt that Draco will do anything untoward to your precious little baby. He himself is only eleven after all and only considers Harry his best friend. I do believe however that it's in the process of changing and that Draco is falling for his friend."

"And you have no problem with that?" Severus questions not certain how he himself feels about anyone trying to charm his son."

"I don't mind." Lucius grins, "Harry would be a good match for anyone and I'd be proud to have him as a son in law and I do believe that you should feel the same but I do understand that since Harry hasn't always been with you and is a little less mature in some aspects due to the abuse he suffered, you'll need some time to get used to the idea of anyone trying to win your sons heart."

"What do you mean less mature." Severus grumbles. "Harry seems, if anything, too mature."

"In some aspects, he most certainly is." Lucius sighs, "But Draco most certainly would complain if I'd hug him the way you two just did and claim that he's much too old to be cuddled like a baby. And you do remember how Draco had asked if he's a baby to be carried around at the age of five? Harry is much more dependable on your caring love then an average child his age is. Most children start to get independent, he's still clinging to you and trying to get closer rather than preparing to move out of the house eventually. I hate to think that Draco will one day but he's already growing into that, little by little."

Severus frowns. He hadn't even thought about that but must agree that Lucius has a point. They did start school at that age because prior it would be too much to be separated from their parents and now only those a little more insecure or shy children still get homesick and wish to see their parents and even those get over it quickly but Harry probably won't. At least not all that soon or easily and it might even be bad for his mental health which is why he and Albus had agreed to let Harry stay with him permanently should he end in Slytherin and on occasion should he end up anywhere else. And Severus couldn't let him go to a school he isn't working at himself. Harry would be distraught if he'd even suggest it he's certain about that.

"Don't worry Severus." Lucius replies, "Draco has noticed that Harry, while mature in some things lacks this kind of maturity and even when he realizes that his own feelings are changing or by then probably have changed, he won't push Harry and just watch over him until he too is ready for a relationship. I'm sure of that since Draco quiet often says that he must protect his Harry from others. He worries how others will react to his closeness to his dad at an age where most kids start to whine about their parents babying them."

Severus sighs, "I worry even more about where he'll go to. What am I to do if he's sorted into my house. We both heard by now that the sorting hat does consider a child's preferences and Harry will wish to be with me and I can hardly tell him that I don't. I wish I could have him in my house without worries but too many children of death eaters will be surrounding him in that case and his life is much more important than having him with me and as you just pointed out, it might not be bad if he's forced to deal with someone else as a head of house and anyway, I'm his dad first and foremost and it will already be strange to teach my own son in my classroom and act like he's just another student and I doubt I won't prefer him over others and to do that as a head of house would be even worse for the other children and might alienate even those that aren't from a death eater family."

"I know." Lucius replies, "But I doubt he's sneaky enough to be a Slytherin."

"He sneaked off to you last night." Severus points out. "He knows what to do when it counts most and he is smart and he knows what he wants and apparently, whom to go to, to get it! You saw how he added those vows to make it less likely that anyone would try and get a second opinion."

"That doesn't make him a Slytherin." Lucius says calmingly. "And Albus said he could live here should he go there." Lucius replies, "In that case you don't need to be his head of house since he doesn't need to go to the dorm."

"It will make it harder to make friends though." Severus grumbles.

"How about you worry about that when it happened." Lucius suggests. "He might not be a Slytherin. He could go every way considering that he is smart and was brave enough to talk to that mind healer and he's also caring enough to be a Hufflepuff meaning he could really go into every house."

"I just hope it won't be Slytherin." Severus sighs, "I would miss him around here but it would be best for him."

Lucius puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "It's not much longer, school starts just next week, try to enjoy what little you'll have of him until then. I intend to do the same and will pick up Draco tomorrow morning bright and early. Those two will see plenty of each other once school starts. But for now, I must go home. I doubt Harry told Narcissa and Draco much considering how quickly they came here and I fear she'll have my head should I not inform her soon."

Lucius leaves and Severus tries to distract himself with a potion book before lunch time.

Harry on the other hand looks at Draco after having listened in on their conversation and looks worried. Draco too is worried since Harry has heard his father talk about him falling for his little friend. Draco had noticed it nearly a year ago himself but fears that Harry still isn't ready to know and now he found out. "You think I should try to talk the hat to send me somewhere not Slytherin?"

"Maybe." Draco frowns, he'd wanted to be in the same house as Harry but apparently, that wasn't safe for him and he agreed with his Uncle Severus, Harry's wellbeing is much more important than his own wishes. "But where too?"

"Maybe Gryffindor?" Harry mumbles worriedly, "I know you hate everything Gryffindor but I like the twins and the team wants me for sure."

Draco frowns, having to play against his Harry decreased his enthusiasm. He had done so when he was at Hogwarts when one of the teams had invited Harry but that had been a friendly game between friends, not a competition with a prize. "Maybe, I can talk the hat into letting me go to Gryffindor too?"

Harry laughs, "You a Gryffindor? Draco you'd hate it."

"I'd hate it to be separated from you more." Draco grumbles.

"But we wouldn't be." Harry insists. "We're here together all day long and we can spend most of our time in the library or outside and I'd love to fly against you. You're good and it be great and I promised you before, we'll be friends no matter what."

Draco sighs, even after what Harry heard he's still just a friend no matter what. He tries to smile but it comes across rather weak, "Okay, but you better keep that promise."

"I will." Harry says hugging his friend. "But honestly, can you believe the rubbish they thought about you loving me? We're friends and we are both boys. They are so silly."

Draco just sighs and sadly says, "Yeah, real silly."

They spend the rest of the day playing different games and a week later they meet again at the train station in London. Harry looking green since they apparated to the train station to get there. "Do I have to take the train?" Harry mumbles right before Draco reaches him.

"Yes, you do." Draco says before Severus can, "You'll be with me and I want our school life to start good and proper."

Harry just sighs and Severus and Lucius help both boys with their suitcases wait together until the train leaves. Narcissa is also with them and teary eyed about letting her little boy go, much to Draco's annoyance. He knows he'll miss them dreadfully but he refuses to show it. He's already eleven after all.

The train just left when Ron comes in, "Hi Harry." He says "Mind if I stay with you the rest is…" But he never heard about the rest of what is what since Ron started to glare and spit towards the blond, "Why is Malfoy here."

"I'm here because Harry is MY best friend." Draco replies proudly.

"In your dreams, maybe." Ron grumbles, "He's my friend and the friend of my brothers."

"He might be a friend of yours but I'm his BEST friend." Draco replies still grinning smugly until he hears a small sound from Harry. It sounds like a split-second whine, neither long nor loud like he himself is trying not to make a sound but it's enough to make Draco look at the terrified green eyes that seem close to crying because his friends are fighting. Draco grumbles, "For crying out loud." Before he looks back at Ron with a sweet angelic smile forced onto his face and says, "I'm delighted to meet you Ron Harry has told me so many nice things about you."

Ron just looks confused and deflated at that and after he sees Draco move his chin a tiny bit towards Harry he too looks there and sees the begging nearly teary eyed look on Harry's face and pales.

"I know, those eyes are lethal." Draco says amused after seeing Ron's face pale.

Harry starts to look confused from one of his friends to the other while Ron looks back at Draco who smiles towards Harry. "Can't believe I'm saying that, but I actually agree, Draco." After that he holds out a hand towards Draco and says, "For him?"

"For him." Draco agrees and takes his hand. "I just hope my father won't get a heart attack when he hears I'm sort of friends with a Weasley."

"I fear the same." Ron grins.

"How about you two play chess?" Harry suggests, "You both love to beat me at it."

"You play?" Both of the other boys say before glaring and saying, "You're on."

Draco gets out his chess set and both boys start to play while Harry just watches and buys some of everything when the sweets cart stops by and Ron can't buy anything which is also why he shares his much to Draco's disgruntlement. He doesn't like it that Harry gives anything to anyone but him. The game goes on for some time until a girl comes in asking if they saw a toad since a certain Neville has lost his one. She leaves after telling Ron that he's got some dirt on his nose causing Draco to complain that she should have let him walk around with it and claiming it would have been funny to see how McGonagall would react about it. The girl chides Draco about it being mean before she leaves.

Once at Hogwarts she happens to be in their boat on the ride to the castle and even after living there most of the year for the past six years already Harry's eyes shine in amazement when he sees the castle from this view. Harry is nervous the whole time he's in front of the big door waiting to be let for the sorting and is just glad to have Ron on his left and Draco on his right side.

While finally walking inside and up to the teachers he sees his father smile at him while that girl from the train talks about the celling being spelled to look like the sky outside and that she read it in Hogwarts: A History. Of course Harry already knew that since his very own bedroom within this castle is just like it. He looks towards Dumbledore next and the Phoenix behind him. He isn't seeing him all that often but he did already notice that it isn't always the same one. No one else seems to notice it and when he had been about to point it out the Phoenix girl that had been there had thrilled and told him not to tell with it. She also had ordered him not to tell that he understood them and that they might inform others should they be forced to do but that right now, it's a secret between Phoenixes and that he, being one, should help them keep it.

He wondered for a while why it was a secret and also, how they were planning to explain it to others but assumed that they'll just appear together and have him translate since apparently being a Phoenix animagus lets him talk to them unlike the rest.

He notices quickly that today it's one of the two male Phoenixes that is there on occasion and not the one he saw first but the one that isn't there as often as the others and Harry assumes it to be because he seems to have a hard time to stay in one place. One of the females is similar but she seems more like she wants to flee while this one just wants to move. But Harry had only seen her twice and the first one had been while he still was hidden as Felix and probably one of his first days here and the second time at the last day of the last term when he had set up there with his dad. Now he was with the students.

Now, one of the first years after the other is called up and sorted. As usual it takes a different amount of time and Harry watches as Draco is called up and sits down his face showing how concentrated he is while the hat is lowered onto his head. At first it looks like it is to shout out something before he even touches the boy but then stops to move all together and it takes some time until he screams Slytherin. Draco looks sadly towards Harry when walking towards his new classmates while Ron whispers "Every dark wizard was a Slytherin."

"Grindelwald wasn't even at Hogwarts and Dumbledore was a Snake too! Are you calling him evil?" Harry asks "Saying they are all evil is like saying Muggleborns aren't worthy to learn magic. It's all a bunch of prejudiced rubbish."

Ron looks at Harry and slowly the line of first years thins. When Harry Potter is called up everything is silent and he nearly shivers feeling all the eyes on him. He takes a deep breath before walking up to Minerva, reminding himself that he has to call her Professor McGonagall from now on. He sits down and turns forcing himself to look at the students until the hat is lowered over his eyes. He hears it whisper and just thinks, 'Not Slytherin.'

The hat's voice says in his head only, 'Not Slytherin? Are you sure? Slytherin can help you on your way to greatness.'

'Not Slytherin.' Harry thinks, 'I don't want greatness anyway, I want peace for my friends and myself and will do anything for that but Slytherin isn't safe because of those idiotic death eaters!'

'You'll do anything?' The hat sounds like it's chuckling. 'In that case I guess it's' "Gryffindor!"

The last word is said loudly into the room and Professor McGonagall takes the hat from his head.

"I knew our little chick would be a Gryffindor!" The Phoenix thills and Harry turns to see him fly a little around the parch rather than standing before suddenly sitting down with a thrilled, "Fuck, don't tell the others I messed up chick!"

Harry just grins at him before he walks over to his new table and looks first at his dad, glad to see a smile on his face for a moment before his eyebrow raises with a short look to the Phoenix. Harry blushes and mouths later. Next, he looks at Draco who looks longingly towards him but smiles when Harry smiles at him and waves back after a wave from Harry.

Once he's in his dorm room he quickly gets ready for bed and draws the curtains around his bed before he flashes to his dad's private room. "Hi dad." He says.

Severus glowers at him and draws his wand to spell Harry's Dressing gown and his slippers on his son before saying, "Next time make sure to be properly dressed. I don't want to see you catch a cold."

"Sorry." Harry grins and hugs him. "I hope you don't mind that I'm in Gryffindor? Draco said all Slytherins hate them!"

"I'm too old for such childish notions." Severus calms his son.

Harry just grins saying, "Funny, it seems Fred and Gorge believe otherwise just like their older brothers do."

"That is because I'm not too old to dislike dunderheads." Severus says with a little grin, "Now, what was that with Fawkes down in the great hall? Do you know anything about it?"

"What makes you think I might know anything?" Harry questions.

"Because I saw your grin at him and how he thrilled more looking right at you." Severus said, "Dumbledore wants to try to get out of him if he can talk to you but apparently, he flashed away."

Harry blushes a little saying, "If I tell you, will you keep it a secret? She asked me not to tell!"

"Who asked you?" Severus looks worried.

"The calm female Phoenix that is sometimes with Albus." Harry replies. "Fawkes is four Phoenixes that switch places and yes I understand them but they hardly ever talk to me. I heard Fawkes, the calm male one I mean, call Albus names the first time I was there whenever he was supposed to say yes."

"He called him names?" Severus asks grinning? "What did he say exactly?"

"I don't remember all because my head was fuzzy but I do remember that he called him a silly old sugar addict."

Severus grins at his son saying, "That's not calling him names, that's stating a fact."

Both chuckle a little before Severus asks, "I assume today wasn't either the calm male or female though?"

"No, it was the hyper male." Harry says, "He said he knew that their chick would be in Gryffindor. I think he meant me." He looks a little worried before adding, "Oh and then he didn't want me to tell the others that he messed up. I think he wasn't supposed to speak around me. They never do Just that one female did when I was about to tell Albus that it wasn't the same Phoenix as the other times. That was the first time I saw them as Harry. I noticed before though. The hyper one and the scared female aren't often there but the others switch nearly daily with the hyper male being there about once a month but the other female was only twice here. Oh and the calm female said I was a to keep the Phoenixes secrets since I'm one too."

"Four different Phoenixes?" Severus frowns, "And they call you their chick?"

"Yeah," Harry replies.

"You're still my son." Severus insists and pulls him closer into a tight embrace. "But I am glad they have an eye on you too as it seems."

"Will you tell Albus that I blabbed on them?" Harry questions "They'll notice."

"They'll notice that hyper males messed up anyway when Albus keeps asking them about it assuming them to be one." Severus grins, "But I will keep your secret. Even if only to keep them to watch over you."

"Thanks dad." Harry says.

"And now off to bed." Severus orders.

"How?" Harry asks, "I went to bed without dressing gown and slippers, and now I come out of bed with? They'll notice."

Severus grumbles about insolent little children while spelling the gown and slipper back to their place and says, "Now hurry before you catch a cold."

"Okay." Harry says and flashes away right after saying, "Good night dad, I love you."

Authors Note: Four Phoenixes? And they consider him a real one? Why do they consider him a Phoenix rather than an animagus? And who are the others, are they known or not? But before some think of two guys two girls must be the founders, no they are not the four founders... But maybe one or two names are known thanks to my story or the books but I won't tell who. At least not until they introduce themselves during the next chapter. Also, why do they call Harry their Chick? Will they be helpful and if yes how? Will Albus find out about it too or will he be kept in the dark? And what about Draco? Will he tell Harry about his feelings soon or was his father, right?

Also, I believe he is rather young to really be in love and is rather in love with the idea of being the partner of the Phoenix like that woman in the story and to have the powerful Phoenix protect him and to live happily ever after. You know, like some girls want to be like Cinderella or such just to get the prince. It will however grow into real love in time. Next chapter you'll find out a bit more about Harry's daily routine and the Phoenixes as well as how his first Halloween goes.