Title: Reforging old bonds

Pairings: implied Remus x Severus; drarry, chaise (CharliexBlaise), brektor (MontaguexViktor),

Fandom: Harry Potter

Summary: Harry grows up as Remus and Severus' son, spending school hours at Hecate's school for young witches and wizards. Despite the slight difference in their ages, his guardians arranged play dates with both the Malfoy heir, Draco who is Severus' other godson and the Longbottom heir, Neville.

A/N: It's been a long time but I finished an update... it feels weird.

Chapter 25- inheritance and decisions about the future

Draco's Sixth and Harry's Fifth Years blew by, they were often studying when Draco didn't have perfect rounds and Harry wasn't handling Quidditch practices.

They still had time for dates; the occasional surprise picnic dinner in the Astronomy Tower during winter, as well as outdoor picnics during autumn and spring.

Draco's mother sent the occasional missive still asking him to please speak with Lucius but Draco was stubborn. Either his father would accept his relationship or he could hold his tongue.

Lucius had, of course, tried to write Harry, but Draco had the Prince elves on his side and they were careful to prevent such letters from reaching him. Draco knew that Lucius would try to guilt Harry into agreeing to a separation and that would hurt his gentle boyfriend. The idea of such a thing happening had upset the Prince elves and they agreed at once.

Draco spend a large portion of his meagre time working on studying ahead, he just had to work extra hard not to ignore Harry.

XoooooooX

June 9, 1996

Draco had been ignoring his father's letters for months, almost a year.

He wasn't expecting a letter from his father's solicitor, a distant cousin named Sancus.

It was advisement of a betrothal, he had an ultimatum; acceptance and his signature, which was expected within twenty-four hours. Without both, he would be disowned.

Just because his cousin Adrian Pucey had been given the same choice, he was disgusted that his father had made the same decision. Well, he had no interest in bonding to Pansy Parkinson. He was in love with Harry Potter and threats of disownment, even the loss of his right to use the name Malfoy wasn't going to change his mind.

Draco sent a very polite refusal to his cousin, Sancus. Acknowledging his understanding that his refusal would mean loss of his family name, his inheritance and his trust vault.

Harry didn't realize that Adrian had been disowned despite being Head Boy and having completed a few years of training as a healer prior to his graduation. Draco had hoped…

Never mind, he refused to back down. He had always felt a connection to Harry, despite being a year older, Draco had tried to be platonic but during his fifth year, that became impossible. He had rallied his House to support Harry, if Hogwarts was foolish enough to turn on Harry, then they didn't deserve to bask in his successes.

Draco was determined to prove his worth, that he was more than his name and more than his heritage. He loved Harry, he had one year left before he became a proper adult wizard. Surely, that was enough time for him to adjust to not being Draco Malfoy…

XoooooooX

Draco was surprised to be asked to stay after completing his usual Potions apprenticeship lesson by his godfather, "Yes, sir?"

"I heard that you are to be disowned due to having refused a betrothal?" Severus frowned.

Draco flinched, "Yes…"

"Your father is removing your right to use the family name as well? That is rather harsh, that is more of an Abraxus sort of ultimatum than something that Lucius would dream up on his own. No matter, I would like to give you something."

Draco blinked, "What would that be?"

"Legal dispensation to use the name 'Prince'. You are my godson and I am the head of that House, without a male heir of my own, I have some latitude to decide my heir. There is some debate among our circles that it belongs to a male descendant of a Prince. But, I am hopeful that I can choose outside of blood."

Draco was speechless, his godfather and Harry's papa was willing to give him the right to use the Prince surname? He was even trying to make Draco his heir? Over Harry?

Severus grumbled, "You could at least acknowledge my offer."

"My apologies, Uncle. It is beyond generous. I did not expect such a thing."

"After how you protected Harry after that fall and rallied Slytherin around him, it is a small gift. After all, you will be bonded to my son in time and your heirs will be our grandchildren."

"That is my intent, to be bonded to Harry. I do not wish to be bonded to another." Draco said sincerely.

"Very well, I will have a legally and magically binding document drawn up to allow you to use the name Draconis Abraxus Prince."

"Thank you, I am greatly relieved. I intend to still work hard to prove that I am worthy of so great a gift as well as of Harry."

"I have no doubt that you will continue to work hard," Severus said with smug fondness.

Draco painfully wished that his own sire had even looked at him in such a way, but that was unlikely now that he was to be disowned.

XooooooooX

As Draco's final year at Hogwarts began, he began second-guessing his career choice. He loved potions, but it wasn't a very prestigious or lucrative career. For a viscount and heir to a seat on the Wizengamot as well as on the Board of Governors, it was a way to stay busy. He began looking into the legality of his disownment and found he had a keen interest in law.

He determined to prove his worth as Harry's boyfriend and hopefully, his future bonded. Draco had little to offer Harry, he had hoped to be allowed to keep his name at least, as Adrian had. But Lucius had even stripped him of that…

Draco was surprised that despite rumours of his disownment, that his Housemates still treated him with the same deference. Given that Theo was the son of a Prince, perhaps, that explained matters. At any rate, Draco still had to prove to the Wizarding World that he was worthy. Harry was still the blood child of the couple who defeated Voldemort after all…

XoooooooX

Harry had heard that Uncle Lucius had disowned Draco, by the time he learned, it was too late of course. He didn't understand, he thought that Uncle Lucius saw him as family. What was so awful about his dating Draco? He had felt that he was almost part of the Malfoy family since forever. His sister Artemis was Aunt Cissa and Uncle Lucius' goddaughter after all.

Harry had mentioned to his parents that he had been interested in flying professionally, with Viktor and Oliver singing his praises to the papers and to scouts, they had been appearing during quidditch matches more often since the October following the Triwizard.

Remus had ruffled his hair and assured him that James would have been proud, his blood father had been a gifted Chaser and if there hadn't been a war, likely would have gone pro and aimed for the Kenmare Kestrels.

Harry had grown up surrounded by Arrow fans, if one ignored Ron and his worshipful obsession with the Cannons. At any rate, Harry was determined to be a success, what time he had between lessons and the rare date, Harry used to arrange practice matches with Slytherins who had time. Not all of them were from Harry's team, but it was interesting to work with a greater variety of persons.

Harry was both flattered and distracted that Draco chose him over his inheritance…

"Knut for your thoughts, cousin?" Theo drawled after casting a privacy ward.

"Just Draco… are you upset?"

"That your papa, our Head of House is making it clear that he wishes to make Draco his heir? Not especially, I have the Nott inheritance after all. Besides, mother disclaimed all rights to the Prince Estate when she joined the House of Nott, just as her uncle Aurelius did when he joined the House of Burbage. While Aunt Irma is allowed the Prince surname, just as Draco is, she can't inherit mostly due to her father marrying out."

"When did you get so wise?" Harry said fondly.

"hmph," Theo grumbled.

Daphne flashed him a smile and Theo flushed just a tad.

Harry had watched relationships bloom for his old friends Theo and Blaise, Blaise had kept up a correspondence with Charlie Weasley. Charlie tried to make an appearance on Hogsmeade weekends, but being a Dragon Keeper was both dangerous and unpredictable as their charges were. Given Blaise's interest in Magical Creatures, it wasn't any wonder that he too was hoping to be hired at the preserve where Charlie worked. Theo was planning to be an Auror despite his potions marks, how his parents felt about such a menial career that was dangerous as well has had unpredictable hours was debateable.

Draco's cousin Adrian, as well as his childhood neighbour Brecc Montague, had thwarted their parents' expectations as well. Adrian had studying healing while still at Hogwarts and skipped a few years ahead in Healing training, he was expected to be a fully certified healer within two years. While Brecc had gone into Professional Quidditch as well and was a reserve Chaser for the Vrasta Vultures. Whether he would be signed by Bulgaria as well, that was debatable.

Harry was trying to make sure he had good marks but he wanted to be both a good friend as well as a strong quidditch player. Just because he was both James Potter and Sirius Black's heir, didn't mean that he wasn't going to have a career. He didn't really care about politics yet, maybe when he was older and a parent.

What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?