Marc was shaken awake the next morning at nine o'clock. He wasn't too
impressed - it was the holidays, for Merlin's sake, and he was a growing
teenager. He needed his sleep.
"What d'you want?" he groaned.
"Time to get up," Severus said, sounding amused and remarkably cheerful. "We've only got an hour to prepare you for the appointment."
"It doesn't take that long to eat shower, dress and eat breakfast."
"As you're going to have to wear formal robes, it could easily. Its lucky the goblins keep complete confidentiality because we're going to have to get Mr Harry Potter's vault transferred to your name."
"Okay, I get the point. Go away, I'll be down in a moment."
"Would you like me to ask Altair or a house elf to help you with the robes or do it myself? You're never going to manage alone."
"Kill me now," Marc muttered, then sighed. "You, I guess, just give me time to shower."
When he returned, Severus had laid out what seemed like about five separate outfits on the bed, all in black and green.
"First put on the leggings," he instructed, pointing at the black ball at the end of the bed. "The tunic, the other way round, plain black at the back, snake at the front, of course. Good, now take the robe, no that's the cloak. The robes are green. Finally the cloak, you've already found that one. Make sure the hood's free, we might need it if we go to one of the more public fireplaces."
"I could have managed that."
"I doubt it. I remember when Draco had to put on his for the first time, about a year ago. He spent half an hour experimenting - Lucius would never stoop to helping him - before I ended up going up."
Marc snickered and went to look at himself in the mirror. He didn't recognise the youth staring back. He looked medieval, almost, his robes, tunic and cloak made from the finest silk-lined velvet. It suited him though, especially with the black and green colouring. He could quite easily see Draco Malfoy looking stunning in them as well.
"What are the Malfoy colours?" he asked curiously, hoping they'd be some garish combination like crimson and emerald or...
"Royal blue and silver."
Damn, okay, he'd look amazing in them. Shame, really.
"Do I need socks or anything?"
"Sorry, I must have forgotten. Do you have black socks?"
"Yes, school ones."
"Perfect, put on your boots when you come downstairs. Its usually easier if you sit down," he commented, watching his eldest son hop around the room attempting to pull on his socks. "I'll see you downstairs."
After a two course, leisurely breakfast, Marc was introduced to his soft, knee-length boots. They were black, of course. Then Altair gave him a thorough check over to make sure he was presentable and sent him outside to where his father was waiting. They walked out to the Floo, pulled up their hoods and went through to Gringotts Bank, Diagon Ally, London.
A goblin met them at the fire and bowed deeply as they stepped out.
"Master Snape, I am Griphook. Please, follow me."
Severus nodded curtly and swept through the crowded main room behind the goblin, Marc in his wake, desperately trying to look as impressive. He just couldn't get his robes to billow as effectively as his father's did. They sat down opposite a desk.
"What did you require from Gringotts bank, Master Snape?" Griphook asked.
"I've come to acknowledge my son and have him added to the records here."
"Very well sir. May I enquire your son's name?"
"Marcus Severus Godric Salazar Snape."
"His age?"
"Sixteen."
"Date of birth?"
"31st July 1980."
"Is he a pureblood?"
"Naturally."
"The name of his mother?"
"Alba Eirian Rowena Dumbledore."
"Therefore, deceased. Very well, is he the child of a marriage, a soul bonding or illegitimate?"
"A soul bonding."
"You realise that this leaves him behind your other children in succession to becoming the head of the Snape family?"
"Yes."
"May I confirm his magical signature?"
"Certainly. Marcus, hold out your hand, palm down, over the parchment."
Marc did as he was told and stared as a shield appeared on the parchment. On it, a phoenix perched on the back of a stag, in its beak was a snake.
"Very interesting," the goblin said. "Might I inquire whether Master Marcus has had a previous identity?"
"He was Harry Potter."
"Excuse me for a moment, I will find his records. Yes, he is the fully adopted son of James Potter, Master of the House of Potter. He is heir to that house and will take up his position when he comes of age upon his next birthday. There is a note here about the House of Black."
"Black?"
"The will of Master Sirius Black, recently deceased, will be read out on 11th August and the presence of Mr Potter has been requested. He has also. . ."
"Also what?"
"As godson, he has been named as heir to Master Sirius Black should he agree to complete the adoption. Should he refuse, the estate of the Black family will pass to Master Draco Malfoy, heir to the house of Malfoy."
"He accepts."
Then Severus turned to Marc.
"This basically gives you the gifts of a member of the Black family, as you already hold those of a Potter. They usually have to do with shapeshifting, either Animagus or Metamorphmagus. You also have obligations to financially look after members of the Black family, not that any of them will have problems."
"Fine, if you think its okay."
"The documents, if you please Griphook."
"Here Master Snape, the young gentleman need only read the document, you will find it quite simple, and sign along the dotted using his chosen signature as Master of the Black family."
Severus skimmed it.
"The usual sort of thing Marcus. Sirius Black adopts you as his heir, giving you all the priviledges and responsibilities given to a true born son of his blood and placing you above all other scions of his house in terms of inheritance. He suggests that you take the name Orion to your own as acknowledgement of your new responsibilities and use it should you ever wish to hide your fame behind another identity. Not a bad idea, for him. I should sign it 'Orion Sirius Black'. That would mean that, like Harry James Potter, it would be a proper legal identity should you ever require it. It might just be the answer we need to your problem of Dumbledore's army. Signing it releases the gifts of the Black family to you."
Marcus took the pen and scrawled 'Orion Sirius Black' on the dotted line indicated, beneath Sirius' flourish of a signature. A warm glow spread through his body.
"Has the gift come to you?"
"Yes Father, I think so."
"Excellent. Does Gringotts require anything else of us?"
"If you would just sign the acknowlegement of your son, Master Snape, that will be all. Details of the reading of the will shall be forwarded to your home address as soon as possible. Should you have any more inquiries to make of us, we are happy to serve."
"Ah, one other thing. Kindly transfer the vault belonging to Mr Potter so that it is under the name Marcus Snape."
"Easily done, Master Snape. Allow me to escort you to the entrance hall."
"What d'you want?" he groaned.
"Time to get up," Severus said, sounding amused and remarkably cheerful. "We've only got an hour to prepare you for the appointment."
"It doesn't take that long to eat shower, dress and eat breakfast."
"As you're going to have to wear formal robes, it could easily. Its lucky the goblins keep complete confidentiality because we're going to have to get Mr Harry Potter's vault transferred to your name."
"Okay, I get the point. Go away, I'll be down in a moment."
"Would you like me to ask Altair or a house elf to help you with the robes or do it myself? You're never going to manage alone."
"Kill me now," Marc muttered, then sighed. "You, I guess, just give me time to shower."
When he returned, Severus had laid out what seemed like about five separate outfits on the bed, all in black and green.
"First put on the leggings," he instructed, pointing at the black ball at the end of the bed. "The tunic, the other way round, plain black at the back, snake at the front, of course. Good, now take the robe, no that's the cloak. The robes are green. Finally the cloak, you've already found that one. Make sure the hood's free, we might need it if we go to one of the more public fireplaces."
"I could have managed that."
"I doubt it. I remember when Draco had to put on his for the first time, about a year ago. He spent half an hour experimenting - Lucius would never stoop to helping him - before I ended up going up."
Marc snickered and went to look at himself in the mirror. He didn't recognise the youth staring back. He looked medieval, almost, his robes, tunic and cloak made from the finest silk-lined velvet. It suited him though, especially with the black and green colouring. He could quite easily see Draco Malfoy looking stunning in them as well.
"What are the Malfoy colours?" he asked curiously, hoping they'd be some garish combination like crimson and emerald or...
"Royal blue and silver."
Damn, okay, he'd look amazing in them. Shame, really.
"Do I need socks or anything?"
"Sorry, I must have forgotten. Do you have black socks?"
"Yes, school ones."
"Perfect, put on your boots when you come downstairs. Its usually easier if you sit down," he commented, watching his eldest son hop around the room attempting to pull on his socks. "I'll see you downstairs."
After a two course, leisurely breakfast, Marc was introduced to his soft, knee-length boots. They were black, of course. Then Altair gave him a thorough check over to make sure he was presentable and sent him outside to where his father was waiting. They walked out to the Floo, pulled up their hoods and went through to Gringotts Bank, Diagon Ally, London.
A goblin met them at the fire and bowed deeply as they stepped out.
"Master Snape, I am Griphook. Please, follow me."
Severus nodded curtly and swept through the crowded main room behind the goblin, Marc in his wake, desperately trying to look as impressive. He just couldn't get his robes to billow as effectively as his father's did. They sat down opposite a desk.
"What did you require from Gringotts bank, Master Snape?" Griphook asked.
"I've come to acknowledge my son and have him added to the records here."
"Very well sir. May I enquire your son's name?"
"Marcus Severus Godric Salazar Snape."
"His age?"
"Sixteen."
"Date of birth?"
"31st July 1980."
"Is he a pureblood?"
"Naturally."
"The name of his mother?"
"Alba Eirian Rowena Dumbledore."
"Therefore, deceased. Very well, is he the child of a marriage, a soul bonding or illegitimate?"
"A soul bonding."
"You realise that this leaves him behind your other children in succession to becoming the head of the Snape family?"
"Yes."
"May I confirm his magical signature?"
"Certainly. Marcus, hold out your hand, palm down, over the parchment."
Marc did as he was told and stared as a shield appeared on the parchment. On it, a phoenix perched on the back of a stag, in its beak was a snake.
"Very interesting," the goblin said. "Might I inquire whether Master Marcus has had a previous identity?"
"He was Harry Potter."
"Excuse me for a moment, I will find his records. Yes, he is the fully adopted son of James Potter, Master of the House of Potter. He is heir to that house and will take up his position when he comes of age upon his next birthday. There is a note here about the House of Black."
"Black?"
"The will of Master Sirius Black, recently deceased, will be read out on 11th August and the presence of Mr Potter has been requested. He has also. . ."
"Also what?"
"As godson, he has been named as heir to Master Sirius Black should he agree to complete the adoption. Should he refuse, the estate of the Black family will pass to Master Draco Malfoy, heir to the house of Malfoy."
"He accepts."
Then Severus turned to Marc.
"This basically gives you the gifts of a member of the Black family, as you already hold those of a Potter. They usually have to do with shapeshifting, either Animagus or Metamorphmagus. You also have obligations to financially look after members of the Black family, not that any of them will have problems."
"Fine, if you think its okay."
"The documents, if you please Griphook."
"Here Master Snape, the young gentleman need only read the document, you will find it quite simple, and sign along the dotted using his chosen signature as Master of the Black family."
Severus skimmed it.
"The usual sort of thing Marcus. Sirius Black adopts you as his heir, giving you all the priviledges and responsibilities given to a true born son of his blood and placing you above all other scions of his house in terms of inheritance. He suggests that you take the name Orion to your own as acknowledgement of your new responsibilities and use it should you ever wish to hide your fame behind another identity. Not a bad idea, for him. I should sign it 'Orion Sirius Black'. That would mean that, like Harry James Potter, it would be a proper legal identity should you ever require it. It might just be the answer we need to your problem of Dumbledore's army. Signing it releases the gifts of the Black family to you."
Marcus took the pen and scrawled 'Orion Sirius Black' on the dotted line indicated, beneath Sirius' flourish of a signature. A warm glow spread through his body.
"Has the gift come to you?"
"Yes Father, I think so."
"Excellent. Does Gringotts require anything else of us?"
"If you would just sign the acknowlegement of your son, Master Snape, that will be all. Details of the reading of the will shall be forwarded to your home address as soon as possible. Should you have any more inquiries to make of us, we are happy to serve."
"Ah, one other thing. Kindly transfer the vault belonging to Mr Potter so that it is under the name Marcus Snape."
"Easily done, Master Snape. Allow me to escort you to the entrance hall."