Harry stared at his breakfast, trying to push back the queasy sensation flowing through him at the loud Weasley table.
Mrs. Weasley placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him that apologetic and kind motherly smile.
"I suppose bacon and eggs is a bit heavy for you today. Try some porridge, you need the energy for the exams." Harry absently nodded and she switched the plates over, giving him a bowlful of porridge and some maple syrup should he want it.
At first he thought he wouldn't be able to handle the syrup but his stomach rumbled loudly at the scent of the hot oats. He poured a little bit of syrup on the top and started eating.
"Don't worry Harry."
"You'll do great."
"There's no question-"
"-you'll leave unanswered." The twins said going back and forth between each other.
"Hopefully you get easier questions than we had." Ron grumbled.
"Hermione said it was easy. You just left your studying till the last days." Ginny challenged. Bickering ensued which Harry blocked out as he ate the porridge. His fingers itched to reach for the flashcards Mrs. Weasley had helped him make. Unfortunately the matriarch had also forbidden studying at the table after the first night when Harry forgot to eat at all.
There was a sudden hush and Harry looked up from the bowl. On the doorway Arthur Weasley led Snape inside.
"Have a seat Severus." The red head said.
Harry stared at Snape, who still moved slowly from, what Harry could simply guess was, soreness.
"No, that's alright Weasley. I did not mean to interrupt your breakfa-sit down and finish Potter."
Harry flinched, feeling an achy feeling in his chest. He hadn't expected the other to be out today. He had started to stand to come greet him but it seemed the other was still angry with him. He looked back down at his bowl of porridge and ate a little slower.
"I will wait in your livingroom." He informed the household and walked out.
"Have some coffee Severus!" Mrs. Weasley called, sending freshly brewed coffee hovering out the door.
Knowing that their hated potions teacher was just a room away the table mellowed down a little and breakfast was finished fairly quickly after that.
Harry went nervously to the livingroom, while all Weasleys seemed suddenly content with helping to wash the dishes.
Snape was standing in front of the centre pole, staring at the golden runes that still glowed faintly, showing that it was still doing its duties and guarding the household.
Harry opened his mouth, trying to break the silence, but Snape beat him to it.
"Come here Potter." Harry kept his eyes glued to the ground as he stood beside him. He felt goosebumps run up his arms and through his body. He shuddered at the static from the centre of the home. "Ah, so you feel it too."
"Is that… me?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes. You can feel how powerful you are. Today's exams will be a breeze for you, I know it." Harry looked up at him and Severus pulled him away from the static. "You are powerful, yes. But don't ever, ever try to do magic you don't understand the effects of."
Harry nodded. He nodded because he understood the stupidity of his actions, even if they turned out ok. "Yes sir. I'm sorry, ok?" He mumbled.
"I am… simply glad that you are alright Harry…" Harry felt his chest tighten and ignored the fear that he would be pushed away as he stepped closer to Snape and hugged him. Harry felt the other's arms embrace him, offering him that comfort he'd wanted so much when he was small. Well if he could get it now he was not going to sneer at it.
There was a hint of awkwardness as they pulled away from each other, each avoiding the other's eyes. But Harry didn't regret it. The hug left him feeling warm.
"Alright, let's go. I have your exam details here." Snape said taking out an envelope. "We'll meet with the headmaster there." He said leading him along toward the fireplace.
"Why meet with the headmaster?" Harry asked. It wasn't like the headmaster was a requirement to take an exam.
"…Paperwork." The pause told Harry more than any other explanation.
Snape was nothing legally binding to Harry. Probably Harry needed a parent present to sign some forms. With his aunt and uncle likely to never come to his aid, it only left the headmaster to sign paperwork in his name.
"Let's floo there together." Snape said, grabbing a handful of floo powder. The Weasleys popped in then, in time to see them squeeze into the cramped fireplace.
"Good luck Harry!"
Snape let go of the powder and the Ministry of Magic appeared before them. Snape kept his arm around Harry's shoulder, pulling him along. It would be easy for Harry to get lost if he got separated from Snape right now, the square was packed with people bustling back and forth, even more than when he was here last year.
The exam floor was a bit barer, with one ministry official talking to the Headmaster while getting him to sign some paperwork.
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Welcome. Just in time. Do you have your paperwork?" Snape handed in the envelope. The examiner took out a form that Harry saw was filled with the potion master's writing. "Alright… You've already done history of magic, divination and care of magical creatures. That means today you will be doing charms, herbology, then you will have a break for lunch. Then potions, transfiguration, a three hour break followed by defense against the dark arts and astronomy. Is that alright?" She said and handed Harry the schedule of exams.
"That's fine." Snape answered for him. Harry was grateful. He had no idea if it was alright or not. It sounded like a lot. He started feeling queasy.
"Alright, come in when you're ready." She walked ahead into the room. It looked like a small enough office with one desk at the centre.
Harry looked up at Snape who turned his attention to him. "You have worked hard for this Potter. Just calm yourself. You can do this. I shall be waiting for you when you come out." He said.
Harry nodded and looked at the headmaster who smiled. "Good luck Harry." He said. Harry took a deep breath and stepped away from Severus' side to walk into the examination room.
oOoOoOo oOoOoOo oOoOoOo
Severus sat outside the examination room four hours later. The instructions paper for the parents lay in tiny pieces on the floor as he had started seeing how many times he could cut it in half before he couldn't do it anymore.
With nothing to distract his hands, his knee took over, bouncing up and down. He recalled how irritating he found it when Potter would do it.
"My dear boy he will be fine." Severus looked up as Albus returned. "Harry should be finishing his transfiguration exam soon. You're hopeful about his potions exam?"
Severus gave a simple nod, staring at the door. "He knows it. As long as he doesn't get nervous he will remember." He said. His knee kept going as if he didn't have control over it. "Did you get them?" He asked looking up at the headmaster.
Albus had moved to the side and was pouring them some tea from a tray Severus hadn't even noticed before.
"Indeed. Everything has been sorted."
Severus accepted the cup of tea and finished it in four large gulps.
"Severus." Severus looked up at the headmaster, his knee stopped at the seriousness in his eyes. "I want you to know that I am grateful that you could be there for Harry when I couldn't. I'm glad that you did not let old resentments cloud your judgement this year and I am proud that the two of you have grown to care for each other the way you have."
Severus allowed the silence to stretch out for a bit before replying. "That's it? No 'but' or 'however'?"
"Absolutely not."
A small bell rang by the door of the examination room and Severus stood, turning as the door opened a few seconds later. He caught a glimpse of three examiners still making notes as Potter came out.
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Harry sighed as he walked out, the scratchings of the examiners still ringing in his ears, as if he were trying to decipher what they were writing about his practical.
Snape and the headmaster were both there. Had they both been waiting for him? The headmaster passed a large envelope to Severus which he accepted and put away into his robes.
"Ah, Harry. How did it go?" Albus asked.
"Ok… I'm not sure about a couple of questions… and I think I got the timing wrong in potions…" he said not looking up at Severus. Potions had been the one he wanted to be the best at… to make Severus proud of him. To show that he was worth caring for.
"Do not concern yourself with what was. The exams are out of the way and you can now forget about them. Only defense against the dark arts and astronomy left for now." Snape said giving his shoulder a firm squeeze. Harry nodded though it still bothered him.
"I'll leave you two alone then, I have a lot of things to prepare for the new school year. Take care Harry. Take care Severus."
"Thankyou professor." Harry said, watching the headmaster go.
"You must be tired. I believe we both might be in need of coffee." Snape said. Harry was glad to hear that. Never a fan of the drink unless he felt noticeably tired.
oOoOoOo oOoOoOo oOoOoOo
With his belly filled with warm food, Harry recalled the envelope the headmaster had given Severus. "What was that thing that professor Dumbledore gave you?"
Snape looked up briefly as he stirred his own second cup of coffee to dissolve the spoonful of sugar he used on it.
"Well… do you remember when you were in the hospital? I couldn't stay with you unless I was supposed to be guarding you?"
Harry nodded. He recalled the feeling of loneliness having not seen the other upon waking up.
"And you recall how you were almost not allowed to come to my side when I myself was seriously injured?"
Harry looked at his treacle tart. How could he forget? He nodded. "Because we're not really anything to each other. I'm practically just a freeloader in your house…" Harry mumbled, looking around, uncomfortable at being in a public place while talking about this. He felt as if people could see the stain on him that was left behind by that muggle. The stain left by the Dursleys. The stains left by the dark magic he'd performed.
"That is not the perception I have of you." Harry looked up as Snape used that voice. He wouldn't say it was soft… but it was quiet, deep and calm. Something that meant so much more to Harry. Snape was not avoiding eye contact with him anymore. "The family registry is still open. If you wish, we can go and I… I can adopt you."
Harry felt himself go numb. The word 'adopt' itself sounded strained coming from Snape and the moment the potion master had managed to force it out he had ceased eye contact. It couldn't be because he was feeling forced. After all… no one was asking him to do this… he knew Dumbledore would have rather Harry stay with the Dursleys. This was all Snape. Snape wanted to take him in. He wanted to give him the concrete, legal proof Harry so very much longed for.
"You… want to adopt me?" Harry mumbled, the voice barely above a whisper.
"…I do. This has been a long year. Very long. More so for you than for me." Snape began. "I've gotten to know you better. I've done all I can to keep you safe and in one piece not simply because I… owed Lily that much. Not only that. But… because the very thought… This is not easy for me to say out loud Potter…" Snape said and looked away, taking a few moments to think over his words.
Harry kept his eyes locked on him, never blinking, not wanting to miss a single word, a single expression. His heart raced wildly making it hard to hear already and he didn't want to miss a thing. Snape finally took a deep breath and turned to look at him.
"I don't do this because of duty… but because I genuinely wish for your safety… and for your contentment. So… the choice is yours."
Harry only looked away once he felt his eyes filling with tears. He nodded vigorously. "Yes…" He said. "Yes…" His voice cracked a little then but he didn't care. "Let's go."
Harry felt in a daze as they re-entered the ministry of magic. As they made it to the family registry. As Snape handed in the paperwork Dumbledore had handed over just about an hour and a half ago. The Dursleys had apparently signed where they were supposed to and Harry for once felt eternally grateful for their utter disinterest in him. He would have thought that it would hurt to be cast away so easily, but instead he was overjoyed.
Snape signed and then Harry signed where he was supposed to. The witch handling the paperwork checked the authenticity of the paperwork and tossed it to the side, magic carrying it to a large golden stamp that went up and down, as other forms passed under it.
With a loud thump Harry watched the forms get stamped and return.
"Alright, that is it, all sorted. We will send you copies of the certificates as soon as they're ready." It all fell on deaf ears. All that Harry knew was that it had gone through.
With all the difficulties in his life he had expect it to be harder, to have been met with more opposition. Instead he was now adopted. He now had a father. A real father. Not just a picture or a valiant story. Snape had been there before those papers had been stamped but he had never been able to push back the fear that he could easily be returned to the Dursleys, or that he could easily be taken away from Snape's side and neither one of them would be able to stop it.
Not any more.
"Harry… lets go." Harry nodded, going with him. He was a little numb, but he knew it wasn't due to something bad. It was something very good and even if he remained in shock a little longer he didn't have to worry about it for now.
