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AN-2021-07-16: huge thanks to dstone12 and Miette for reviewing this chapter and correcting my mistakes :)

Severus was nervous.

He had an appointment with a Ministry Councillor to argue for his emancipation. It was only five days since he came back from school but it already felt like a lifetime.

He had spent these five days working on the best angles to present his case for emancipation, including asking Lord Malfoy for advice. His Mentor had agreed to be present for the meeting and vouch for Severus as his financial caution. Professor Flitwick had also agreed to come as his educational caution.

Severus had hesitated before asking the Charms professor this huge favour. At first, he had thought to ask his Head of House. But while Slughorn did not ignore him, it was clear to Severus that the man was much more interested in his Slug club members.

Remembering Flitwick's offer from January, Severus had waited for him to be alone in his classroom and had awkwardly proposed his plan and plea. The professor had quizzed him on the courses he wanted to take as NEWTs in order to prove he was at the same intellectual level as Hogwarts graduates. After two hours, Severus had convinced him that he could pass the NEWTs he was aiming for.

He had then asked Severus what his plans for preparing for the NEWTs were, as well as what he would do afterwards. Severus had answered as best as he could. The professor had made it clear his answers would not suffice in front of a Ministry official but were a good enough beginning for the professor.

Now, Severus hoped he would be convincing enough. He had to.

He had dressed in his best robes, the ones his Mentor had gifted him – thanks Merlin they had a growth charm imbued into them or they would show his calves. For the occasion, he had used the special shampoo that cleaned his hair from any potion residues and pulled his hair back into a ponytail at the back of his neck– a braid would have been presumptuous. For once, he did not find his reflection ugly. Far from handsome, yes. But not "girls run screaming the other way" either. That was a first.

With a last check of his appearance, Severus took hold of the Portkey his Mentor had sent him. He took a deep breath before saying distinctly "rendezvous".

In a flash, Severus appeared in Diagon Alley. To be precise, he appeared in the come-and-go area of Diagon Alley. Legal Portkeys for public use were strictly regulated. The number of areas they could give access to were restricted and well defined. Severus' had deposited him in the area nearest the Ministry of Magic.

Walking quickly but without unseemly haste, scanning the crowd, Severus made his way toward the Ministry. He spotted his Mentor talking with Professor Flitwick just outside the grand building. Indeed, the Ministry was impressive. More delicate than Gringotts in appearance, it could have been a royal palace from the outside.

It was the first time Severus saw his charms professor outside of Hogwarts. He could almost believe the Half-Goblin in front of him was his professor's twin, the heir raised to rule the family domain while his professor was the unlucky second born and had to make do with teaching in the most prestigious magical school. Professor Flitwick looked as regal as Severus' Mentor. Only the amused and curious glimmer in his eyes was the same as ever.

"Good morning Lord Malfoy. Good morning Professor Flitwick." greeted Severus respectfully, bowing his head to the two elder men.

"Good morning Severus," answered his Mentor genially, eyes critically assessing his clothing as well as his nervousness.

"Good morning to you Mister Snape. I could believe you are Lord Malfoy's nephew. The councillor will appreciate your attention to proper attire and manners befitting the formality of the hearing, " said Flitwick, approval clear in his voice.

"Indeed," acquiesced Lord Malfoy. "Are you ready?"

Squaring his shoulders, Severus nodded.

"Then we shall go."

They walked to the magnificent entrance, Severus schooling his face not to show his awe. It was not that hard when the anxiety about the meeting was mounting, coiling in his gut and threatening to make him ill.

The entrance clerk looked bored. Severus thought he would be too. The man asked every visitor to hand over their wand, what was the purpose of their visit, checked against some kind of register, examined the wand briefly then gave it back and allowed the visitor inside. Why he took the wand was a mystery to Severus. Did he put restrictions on it so people could not use it inside the Ministry? Was it even possible? Or did he put on a trace, same as for minor Wizards, to be able to tell which wand had cast a spell in case of mayhem? If the clerk did any of this, he was skilled enough not to be obvious. Severus did not see him spell any wand, even though he observed the process carefully.

When his turn came, Severus reluctantly handed his wand to the clerk. It might not answer his every command but it was his.

Taking Severus' wand, the clerk froze. Carefully, he examined the wand, a new gleam in his eye.

"This is a Maverick wand, isn't it?"

"Yes Sir," answered Severus, unsure why his wand had roused the man's interest.

"These days I seldom see a Maverick wand I haven't encountered before. Especially in non-pureblood hands," he added with a piercing glance to Severus.

He shrugged, not knowing if an answer was expected from him, even less one which would be safe to say. Officials' notice could not bring any good to a non-influential half-blood Slytherin. If he became a Potion Master grade I, it would be another matter.

"Oh my. You really have... thestral tail hair for the core?"

The clerk was looking at him, excited and... surprised.

How did the man know? There really was more to this wand checking than meets the eye.

"Well..." Severus was at loss. Which answer was appropriate? Wasn't it rude to ask such a question?

"Do not worry young man. The privacy spells prevent anyone from hearing our conversation. Thestrals are uncommon even for one of Maverick's wands."

He paused, eyes half closed and hands hovering over Severus' wand as if sensing for something.

"Will you try the Ritual? Not right now of course, the bond is not yet settled. But it's strong even now. In a few years, you could... It has never been tried with a thestral core. Too many people considered Thestrals an ill omen and were too ashamed to try. The fools. And they complained about thestral wands being weak when they were the one to weaken it with their own prejudice."

Severus felt like he had missed a step somewhere in the conversation. What was the clerk talking about? But it would not do to show ignorance.

"Well, I know you might hesitate, seeing so few dare to try it nowadays, even among the oldest Houses. But I strongly encourage you to think about it." Said the clerk while handing him back his wand.

Severus contained a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for the advice Sir. I will think about it. I wish you a good day."

"Good day to you too Mister Snape. You may pass through."

He joined Professor Flitwick and his Mentor, both looking at him with interest.

"Why was he so interested in you?" asked Lord Malfoy.

"My apparently unusual wand. He asked me if I was going to try the Ritual," said Severus, emphasizing the word slightly with a question in his voice.

"I see. I did not ask you if you knew about it because from your spell casting, I could tell that you and your wand are not yet aligned."

"He said we should be in a few years."

"Alright. I will tell you about it after the meeting."

"Thank you, Sir."

Severus noticed Flitwick had listened intently to the conversation and was now eyeing Severus as if he was a very interesting puzzle.

However, Lord Malfoy did not give him the time to mull over its significance. The man moved smoothly through crowded hallways and corridors, Severus struggling to follow as swiftly as he could without colliding with anyone.

Finally, they stopped in front of a desk where Lord Malfoy subtly motioned for Severus to introduce himself. A few minutes later, the three of them were comfortably sitting in a cosy room in front of not one but two councillors. From their explanation, Severus gleaned the Ministry did not want any acceptance or refusal of emancipation to be challenged because there might have been a subjective decision based on the gender of the councillor. Indeed, some said women were less likely to accept emancipation of children while men would more readily support boys' emancipation than girls' because they would see the latter as weaker. To guard against such accusations, the Ministry imposed a rule requiring two councillors, one man and one woman.

"Mister Snape," began the male councillor – Mr. Fomber. "Would you please explain why you feel the need to ask for an emancipation?"

"Yes Sir," said Severus calmly, using his Occlumency knowledge to steady his voice and hands. "My mother died this year. She left me some money, enough to sustain myself several months if need be. My father is in the process of creating a new family with another woman. They are tight financially. I do not want to impose on my father, nor do I think it would be appreciated as both he and his future wife are Muggles. I know I can pass my NEWTs by the end of July, but I need to be an adult to take the tests outside of school. With my NEWTs scores and considered as an adult, I will be able to take care of myself and plan for my future."

Mr. Fomber was watching him intently. The woman, Mrs. Nealson, was taking notes. He hoped they were in his favour.

"If I understand you correctly, Mister Snape, your emancipation has two purposes. First, you want to be independent from your father," said Mr. Fomber. "Do you think he would not take proper care of you?"

The question was tricky. Severus knew he could not lie, he had to say the truth in a way that would satisfy the councillors. He had to be a Slytherin.

"My father's future wife is pregnant."

What a shock that piece of news had been. The meeting preparation as well as Occlumency had prevented him from thinking too much about it but Severus knew he now had a new mind box to deal with. Occlumency was handy but it required true discipline not to lose yourself in the process.

"I do not want to put unnecessary stress on her. I don't think he told her about magic and it would be awkward for me to always hide the truth of what I am. I believe it is best for all of us that I am not living with them."

"Your mother was a witch?" Asked Mrs. Nealson, seemingly out of the blue.

Severus frowned. Why did it matter and why did she ask?

"Yes, Madam."

"I see. Do you have any other family left on her side?"

He thought of grandparents he had never met except for one moment during the Mentors first meeting. He thought of Mother's letter.

"Maybe."

She wrote something in her notes but did not pursue the matter.

"Alright Mister Snape," said Mr. Fomber, taking the reins of the interrogation once again. "The second reason you wish to be emancipated is to be able to take your NEWTs this summer, in order not to go back to school. What would you do if you passed them?"

"I will continue my studies. I can either get into a university or school or get an apprenticeship. I have not yet made my choice on which kind of learning environment I would prefer but it must encompass several fields. An apprenticeship would guarantee I am housed and fed. I also know several schools would propose scholarships if my NEWTs are good enough."

"Are you sure you can find an apprenticeship in such a short time?"

"If I may?" asked Lord Malfoy.

"Of course my Lord, you are Mister Snape's financial caution."

"Several Masters are already interested in Severus, especially some French ones who look forward to working with him in Potions. I know he does not wish to limit himself to only one field so he may need several Masters or one multi-field Master. In the worst case, if his NEWTs are not high enough for the Master he prefers, Severus will live with my family until he takes his NEWTs again."

"You all are confident in his abilities," said Mrs. Nealson. "Your OWLs confirm this faith is not misplaced Mister Snape."

She already had his OWLs results? He needed to know his scores.

She smiled a little, no doubt guessing his thoughts.

"You did very well. Straight Os in every course. Your Potions score is the best since the OWLs creation."

She frowned.

"Were you proposed to skip a level in Potions?"

Severus started. Study Potions with the years above him? Was that possible?

"No Madam, I did not know it was possible."

"My understanding was you could only skip a level if your grades were high enough in every course," intervened Lord Malfoy. "Headmaster Dumbledore told me you either studied all the upper level courses or none of them. He said it was a shame Severus did so badly in Transfiguration."

Severus was torn. His Mentor had never told him any of it. Of course, he must not have wanted to get his hopes up. But he had inquired – for Severus.

"To be truthful," said Professor Flitwick, speaking for the first time since the beginning of the meeting, "you can study only one course ahead of your year. But you have to have at least E in all your other courses."

Mrs. Nealson sighed.

"I know Headmaster Dumbledore felt too many children were inclined to neglect their other courses when they were allowed to skip a level in their best field but to expect E's in all courses…"

"We do give side projects to the students we feel might benefit from studying in advance."

"I never was given some," said Severus tersely.

"Professor Slughorn gave you unrestricted access to a Potion lab in your third year," contradicted Flitwick.

"That was not a side project," protested Severus.

"What was it then?" asked the Professor curiously.

Severus paused. What was it indeed, from Slughorn's point of view? The man never checked on Severus. But he trusted him with a potion lab. Had the man watched on Severus without him knowing? It was doubtful. Still…

"Maybe he did. What about the other professors?" he asked challengingly.

Flitwick smiled.

"We all knew you struggled with Transfiguration so we figured we would let you put your energy into it. By the time you improved, it was clear you did not need side projects to research and think about magical theory and spells. Your essays showed me what you learnt and I did not need to do more."

Oh. Severus felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment and pride.

"Well," said Mr. Fomber. "I think we all agree taking your NEWTs is in your best interest to flourish on the academic side of the issue. However, how will you support yourself financially?"

He raised his hand, preventing Lord Malfoy from interrupting him.

"Lord Malfoy is your financial caution. But we cannot emancipate you only for you to rely on someone else. In this case, you would be better asking for adoption into Lord Malfoy's House."

Except he could not without meeting his grandparents first. And letting Lord Malfoy know his Mother was the woman who had fled from a wedding with his cousin. If the Lord even wanted to add a dark hair unhandsome Half-Blood to his line. Right.

"As I said before, Mother left me enough money to last several months. Plus, I have brewed Potions to earn money before."

"In which capacity did you brew?"

"I first brewed with Mother. She sold the potions under the name Eileen's Apothecary."

Mr. Fomber straightened.

"You are the one running it? I heard their potions are of exceptional quality for an interesting price. Even the Potions level III ones. My cousin took the risk even though they had no license and she did not regret it. Of course, you could not have a license, young as you are."

He paused, scribbled something.

"Yes. The Potions level III were not proposed before this year. You needed the experience. How did you manage to brew so many potions while studying at Hogwarts?"

"Well, Mother and I brewed as much as we could during summer. And I used professor Slughorn's laboratory when needed."

He paused, suddenly feeling the weight of the four adults' stares.

"You managed to brew, at home, potions potent enough to last the entire year? I know the vials you used to contain the potions were not specialized ones. The potency of the potions should have decreased quite rapidly. But I know for sure they worked. How?"

Severus shrugged uncomfortably.

"When we first began to brew, I was not yet at Hogwarts. We brewed every day and our Potions worked. I did not know about the fading potency of the potions at the time. And afterwards…No customer ever complained so…"

Mr. Fomber shook his head.

"The loss of potency of potions as well as the adequate containers are covered in every year curriculum, with more details added each year I think. How could you not know?"

Severus shrugged.

"I did not learn from books at first. And then… As I told you, no customer has ever complained."

Mrs. Nealson spoke, to his relief.

"I think we have proof Mister Snape could survive at least as well as any adult Wizard with his NEWTs if he were emancipated. In the case you failed your NEWTs, Lord Malfoy has assured us he would house you as long as needed. Professor Flitwick is adamant you will pass them. I tend to agree, although it is a shame to think what your scores would be with two more years to learn."

She looked at him, smiling slightly.

"We understand your desire to be independent from your father. I agree it would make things easier for you, although I hope you will keep in touch with him."

Of course he would. And go for lunch every Sunday. And spend Christmas happily with his family. She must have been a Hufflepuff, really. Still, she had seemed to read between the lines so…

It did not matter. What had they decided?

"Congratulations Mister Snape. Your emancipation is authorized. The contractual forms will be waiting for you at Gringotts where you can sign them. Lord Malfoy and Professor Flitwick must sign them as well as your cautions."

"I encourage you strongly to explore your future options with the help of Professor Flitwick." Added Mr. Fomber.

Severus felt light headed. He managed to graciously thank the two councillors and exit the Ministry without making a fool of himself before being swept in a hug by his Mentor.

The embrace was too much and he began shaking, tears coming to his eyes. He had done it. Thanks to them. To Mother. Who had left him. He was leaving his father. Who did not care. He would be responsible for himself. As he already was. But differently. He was… He was…

"I am proud of you."

The feelings behind the words soothed him as much as their meaning.

Breathing deeply, he extracted himself from his Mentor arms, giving him a shaky smile.

"Come Mister Snape. We still need to go to Gringotts." said Flitwick gently.

Nodding automatically, Severus felt Lord Malfoy take his arm before apparating them away.