Disclaimer : All characters belongs to J. K. Rowlings, minus professor Tralatong, whose name belongs to the creators of Farscape. All were kidnapped in the dawn, and are not used to make money. They will be returned when I'm done.

See, don't own so don't sue, unless you're interested in my teddy bears collection...

Besides this work will contain people out of character since I am definitely not JK Rowlings, and some strange sentences since I'm French. Not to forget it's an AU... No Peter, and Lily is the fourth Marauder. Still here?

So, on with the show...

Chapter 8 – A lawyer trick and a close call

Mr Snape cleared his throat before saluting his son and the Headmaster.

Mrs Snape surveyed her son who had jumped apart from the teenager who had been embracing him at the first sign of an intrusion. Both were furiously blushing.

While Dumbledore shown her husband the contract, she turned to her son and, raising an eyebrow, asked him: "Not even your first day at school and already in trouble! So, what do we save you from? Being hugged to death?" she teased her red skinned son.

"Mum!" he squealed, "it's serious!"

"Hum? But you're so cute when you blush, remind me of your father!"

"Mum!"

She beamed to the others teenagers. "I'm his mum! And you are?"

No answer from the blinking teens. Sirius then made a tentative smile. "I'm Sirius. James, Remus, and at last but not least, Lily." He said pointing to each in turn.

"I'm sorry I had to drag your son in my problems." He added looking at the floor.

"Pff! That's what friends are for!" she shrugged.

"But we weren't exactly friends … at least not till the train ride today."

"But you are now."

"I think so. At least we think of Severus as such, madam." Answered Lily.

"Severus?" his mother turned towards him.

"Yes?"

"Do you consider them your friends now?"

"Yes."

"Scrogneugneu! Couldn't you tell them so? Ah, I swear, men! What would they do without us, women!"

"Mum!" cried Severus, blushing deeper.

"Look, a new shade of red! Let' s see if I can make you go till lobster red!"

Just then, Remus' control broke and he began to laugh loudly, quickly followed by James and Lily.

Sirius turned to Severus, bewildered but smiling. "And I thought my mother was strange!"

With a sigh, he took the embarrassed Severus in his arms and whispered in his ear "You ok? Or should I call the cavalry?" he indicated the three laughing teens "I'm sure Remus could think of some plan, even while dying of laughing."

"S'ok. Pretty much embarrassing but ok. Wait till she know you enough to try her techniques on you!" Severus answered, hiding his blushing face in Sirius' neck.

Sirius just nodded and stood there, hugging him, and Severus felt right.

His mother nodded at this display and stepped to her husband's side. "Mission accomplished, captain! They're less tense now! And our son acquired four good friends."

Her husband agreed "It goes with what Dumbledore told me of the situation."

He then resumed it to his wife. After a few minutes of deliberation, he voiced his conclusions. "Our biggest hope is that it isn't signed. You said they are in town? Then maybe, they wrote and signed some new ones. But grabbing it before fleeing… that was genial! It bought us some time. At least till tomorrow, when they'll go straight to your office, Dumbledore." Albus nodded, his face somber.

Mr Snape went on "So, we must act tonight. But before… James? Can I have a word with you?"

"Sure." James quickly joined the lawyer who gave him a note. After a few minutes of hushed whispers, they ended the conversation with decided nods, and James grabbed some floo powder, threw it in the fire and disappeared with a shout of "Snape manor!"

Everybody looked at Mr Snape expectantly. His wife sighed "As usual, Samuel Snape, you forget that us, poor mortals, are not able to read your mind."

"Sorry, Sarah! What I mean is that we'll need a blue ribbon of approximatively 50 centimeters, Albus and wait for James' return."

Everybody blinked. Sarah shrugged and went with Minerva to retrieve the ribbon.

"Oh! And flowers! Yes! We need them!"

"And everybody said they can't follow me and that I'm strange! Dad! Care to explain or you'll let us in the dark?"

"Oh, sorry son. I have a solution. It's a little bit tricky but it could work."

Everybody crowded around him.

"So, explain!"

Samuel turned to Sirius. "I hope you're Sirius."

"I am."

"Good, it will work then!"

"What. Will. Work?" seethed Severus.

"His wedding of course!"

"Excuse me? I thought I heard wedding? It takes two to wed, dad, Sirius can hardly wed himself!" Severus nearly shouted.

His father blinked. "No of course, stop being stupid!"

Severus looked murderously at his father, but instantly calmed when Sirius took his hand and squeezed it.

"Sometimes my father is even worse than my mother." He muttered.

Everybody agreed. Just then, Minerva and Sarah entered the office with two big bags in their hands.

"Sirius? Come here!" Sarah called from behind the chair she had put her bags around. Sirius looked at Severus as if asking if it was safe. Severus shrugged. Sirius then went to the chair and sit as he had been told to.

"Lily, care to help?" called Sarah.

"What do you want me to do?" she enquired.

"Try and do something with his hair." Sarah answered, giving Lily a brush, a comb and some hairbands and ribbons.

"So, Minerva, help me chose. This model or that one?"

"Should I be worried?" Sirius asked Lily.

"I don't know." Lily answered, brushing Sirius' longs tresses and tying them at the base of his neck with a white ribbon.

"Ok, wait a minute!" Lily said, backed by Remus. "We won't let you do anything to Sirius till you don't explain us your plan."

Severus paled suddenly. "I know what they're planning."

"So enlighten us." Remus asked sternly, his arms crossed on his chest.

"They want to marry Sirius to someone. This way his mother won't have the parental authority, thus not the right to sign this contract, because the parental authority will be transfered to his bride or groom's parents, as he is sixteen."

"A little slow on the intake, Severus?" his mother joked.

"Mum, you could at least ask Sirius, I don't think he'll take well to being forced into this, at least, not without an explanation." Severus sighed. "Moreover, it's your plan, you should be the one doing the explanations."

"Ok" Samuel then walked to Sirius "Sirius, what do you think of your father?"

"Honestly, I haven't seen him till one month ago, I don't even know if he's still alive. And it's not like I care."

"So, we only have to deal with your mother. Good. As Severus said, we're trying to throw her out of the whole thing by transfering the parental authority she had on you on someone else."

"With a wedding."

"Yes. Unfortunately, that means that it will be a wedding till death do part you, no divorce allowed. Besides, you can't wed someone older, because it has to look like some arranged marriage, so it needs a least one parental agreement. Dumbledore will act as your familly representative." He stopped and looked at Sirius. "Everything clear?"

Sirius nodded.

"I hope you don't mind, but you'll be obliged to marry Severus."

"Why?" Lily and Remus both wanted to know.

"First, James is already engaged. Secondly, it can't be a woman, as the parental authority would then be transfered to Sirius' parents. And thirdly..." he trailed, looking unsure at Remus, who nodded and smiled slightly. "And thirdly, this marriage should be irreproachable, without the possibility of being dissolved. Which would happen if he married me, because of my secret.Besides, the fact that Severus is a pure blood, as well as Sirius, is a plus, and will help this marriage to be accepted by the Slytherins."

Samuel looked impressed. "If you're looking for a job after school, it would be an honor to hire you."

"Besides," Remus mused, "there's one more reason why Severus is the only logical choice." He grinned mischeviously.

"Oh, and what is that?"

"Because, Severus, this way you'll be able to follow your familial tradition." He sighed at the sight of their clueless faces. "For Merlin's sake! Samuel Snape married Sarah Snape. So, Severus Snape must marry someone whose first name begin with an 's'. Like Sirius." He explained, stressing the 's' of the first names.

Everybody laughed, even Sirius.

"But, shouldn't you ask Severus? It's his life too, it isn't fair to force him to marry me just to save me."

Sarah snickered. "From what I saw when we arrived, and what I know of my son, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Severus!do you agree to this? Really?"

At Sirius' words, Severus kneeled in front of his chair, took his left hand in his and, looking him in the eyes, said : "Sirius Black, would you do me the honour of becoming my husband? I always wanted to ask you out, but I didn't managed to find the courage to do so before that. Don't get me wrong, I am not doing it to take advantage of the situation..." the last part was nearly inaudible.

Sirius blushed and managed the tiniest 'yes' before being pulled into Severus' embrace.

"Yes! Way to go, future son in law! Nice shade of red!" Sarah cheered. Sirius buried himself deeper into Severus' arms, quietly murmuring in Severus' ear that he felt the same way, the teasing being only a way to get a reaction out of Severus, and a way to get him to remark Sirius.

"So sorry to take my son away so soon, I'm just borrowing him. I promise I'll give him back in one piece. More or less!" Sarah alughed as she grabbed her dazzed son by the arm and pushed him to sit in a chair next to Sirius' own.

"Lily, work your magic!" She then turned to Minerva "Would you please transfigure those gentlemen's robes into things more suitable?"

"Albus and myself can manage!" Samuel said quickly.

"So, Sirius, let me get a good look at you. Yes..."she mumbled, turning around a confused Sirius, "definitely those ones" she gave Sirius a set of deep blue robes. "Shoo! Go change in the bathroom!"

When Sirius returned, he noticed that everybody was ready, exepted Severus, who had his eyes covered by James, back from his little trip. "It is bad luck to see the groom before the wedding." Explained Remus with a grin.

"Woah! Sirius, you look superb!" James winked before ushering Severus into the bathroom to get changed, still covering his eyes.

"First," Dumbledore started, "we must undergo the signature of the marriage contract. I won't read it, as it basically develop what we discussed before. Gentlemen?" he handed them a pen. Severus signed first, then Sirius, and lastly Severus' parents and the witnesses, James and Remus.

The Headmaster performed the ceremony, the vows were exchanged, Severus and Sirius' left hands were linked by the ribbon. There was a moment of hesitation when Dumbledore told them to exchange the bracelets.

"Oups I knew I forgot something!" wailed Sarah.

"I've got them" Samuel rummaged in his pockets. "Somewhere..." he trailed. He looked hopefully towards James. "James?" he eyed him expectantly. James sighed and remind Samuel "I gave them to you as soon as I arrived." He remind him.

Sirius, his head on Severus' shoulder was discreetly laughing while Severus sighed. "They will never change." He murmured to his groom.

"There!" Samuel exclaimed in triumph, waving the bracelets over his head, "Sorry to have kept you waiting!" he beamed as he gave them the bracelets. The wedding went on without any more incident. Severus and Sirius were kissing when Fawkes burst into flames, leaving a featherless fledgling.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "That is a good omen, gentlemen!"

The adults discussed a few minutes, while the teens congratulated the new couple.

Dumbledore clapped his hands. "Well, it has been a long day, so everybody should go to bed. I'll anounce this change of situation to the whole school tomorrow at breakfast. There will be a Feast instead of lunch and a free afternoon to celebrate this union." He turned to the stern witch standing at his side. "Minerva, we'll open the North Tower for our merry little group." He smiled pleasantly at the tired and yawning group. "And I don't want to see any of you before lunch. Good night, or what is left of it!"

"Good night!" everybody chorused, as they trooped outside and quietly trecked behind the transfiguration teacher, Sirius and Severus holding hands and sometimes stopping to trade little kisses.

As soon as they arived at the North Tower, nobody lost time and under an hour, when dawn was rising, they finally were sleeping.

At breakfast a few hours later, Dumbledore closed the doors with a wave of his wand as soon as the last students had stepped in. Dumbledore's smile could have split his face, had it been a little bit wider as he eyed the assembled students and faculty. "Early this morning, I witnessed a faboulous event. For this reason, lunch today will be a Feast, and all afternoon classes will be cancelled."

Everybody cheered and even the wildest suppositions as to the nature of the event were not close to the truth.