Chapter 20

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Everyone had arrived and gathered in the ballroom, moving to stand where indicated, and were waiting quietly for the ceremony to begin. Albus stood behind the altar table, dressed in white silk robes heavily embroidered in deep brown and forest green, the Ministry witnesses to either side of him, dressed in robes of deep green and their feet bare. The charmed ceiling above was dimming, as stars just began to be visible, mimicking the sky outside the majestic windows.

All the other guests were dressed in simply adorned robes in muted shades of nature; greens, browns, blues, mauves, pale yellows, lavenders, grays, creams, and tans. They had all shed their shoes and boots in the hall and entered the ballroom barefoot.

The list of guests had been kept limited to only those with close ties to the Malfoy's and to Harry. After much discussion the list had been finalized as follows; Albus as Officiant, Severus and Sebastian, Remus and Sirius, Neville and his Gran, Hermione and the Twins, Ron, Arthur and Molly, Bill, Charlie, Poppy, Minerva, Filius, Pomona, Hagrid, Luna, Arabella Figg, Andromeda, Ted, and Nymphadora Tonks, and Kingsley. Lucius and Narcissa were not close to any of their other remaining family members; most were distant and not known personally.

The Ministry witnesses requested, were Amelia Bones, Second Chair Mugwump of the Wizengamot, a longtime friend of Lucius Malfoy, and Mr. Pickering, Head of Familial and Generational Services--recommended by Amelia for his stellar adherence to confidentiality; something he felt all families deserved.

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Harry squirmed as Sirius buttoned the collar of his white robes. Remus stood behind him, running a brush through his hair one last time, making sure it was smooth and shiny. The men had already dressed in robes of sage green.

Sirius gave a gentle tug on the mandarin collar of Harry's robes. "Stand still, Lil' Prongs! What's wrong with you?"

"Jus' nervous, Siri."

Remus smirked and moved behind Sirius to run the brush through his husband's hair. "Pup, you will be fine. Everything will go well. Calm yourself." He admonished over Sirius' shoulder.

"I guess..."

Remus handed the brush to Sirius and they traded places, as Harry moved to sit on the edge of one of the chairs. He stared down at the soft boots he wore, as he listened to the brush move through Remus' wavy hair.

"Remi, won't you get a migraine?"

"No. That only happens if I wear my hair this long for more than a couple of days. I will reverse the spell tonight before we all go to bed."

Sirius leaned in and whispered in Remus' ear, and Remus' face immediately colored bright pink. Harry smiled and coughed to cover his laughter. Remus glared at Sirius as the dark-haired man winked at Harry.

A knock drew their attention to the door, which opened revealing Lucius, Narcissa, and two of the house elves holding the twins. They and the twins were similarly attired in white formal robes, both Lucius and Narcissa's hair hung loose down their backs, brushing their hips.

Lucius smiled. "It's time, Harry."

Narcissa leaned around him and flashed a warm smile. "Let's go become a true family, Harry dear."

Harry rose, and his godfathers joined him as he moved to enter the hall. They followed Lucius, Narcissa, and the twins down the hall and down the spiral staircase. Approximately five minutes later, they arrived outside the closed doors of the ballroom, where Hermione, George, and Fred Weasley waited, also dressed in robes of sage green, which set off the older twins' hair quite nicely.

"Alright there, Harry?" Fred and George asked in unison.

Hermione enveloped him in a gentle hug. "I'm so happy for you, Harry."

"Thanks Moine. I'm fine, guys. Just nervous."

The house elves relinquished their charges to the twins and disappeared with a pop.

Lucius turned to face the group. "It's time. Places, please, everyone."

Once everyone was where they should be, he turned to face the doors and spelled them to open. Albus saw them and smiled. Casting aMinor Sonorous on himself, he began the ceremony.

"We gather here this Night to bind together these children with a mother and father, in a ritual of love and willing acceptance. Let all who stand within this circle be here of their own free will and accord, in peace and love. We charge this Circle to be filled with love. May this sacred space be consecrated before the Gods and Goddesses and may it be a Guardian and Protection for the work we do this night in the Presence of the Ancient Ones."

Raising his arms, Albus faced the East, as he began to call the corners, turning wundershins as he called each.

East: Be with us here, Oh Spirits of the Air With your breath of life, seal the bonds of familial love between parent and child.

South: Be with us here, Oh Beings of Fire. Give their love and protection your own all consuming power.

West: Be with us here, Oh Beings of Water. Grant this new family the deepest of love and caring -- a richness of body, soul and spirit.

North: Be with us here, Oh Spirits of Earth, Let your strength and constancy be theirs for as long as they live.

Facing the altar again, he continued.

We call upon you now, the God and Goddesses that will smile upon this joining and bless it with your particular gifts. Please hear us --

Oh Brigid, Goddess of family and unity;

Oh Habonia, Goddess of hearth and home;

Oh Eostre, Goddess of new beginnings;

Oh Iovantucarus, God of the protection of youth;

We call you to join us now and witness the melding of this new family.

As Albus finishes speaking, the group outside the doors, enters, stepping out of their shoes as they do so. Walking slowly, Lucius and Narcissa enter first, followed by Harry, flanked by his godfathers, and finally, Hermione, flanked by her spouses, each holding one of the twins. Once they are all inside the ballroom, the doors close silently behind them. As a group, they stopped five paces from the altar and waited.

Albus' voice filled the room again, as he looked over the gathered group, as if seeking for someone.

"Who has come as the parents to accept these children into their hearts and into their home?"

Lucius and Narcissa approach the altar and lay their wands side by side on the front of the altar, leaving a space in between. They speak together in answer.

"We, Lucius Abraxus Philippe Malfoy and Narcissa Eponia Vivienne Malfoy, come as the parents to accept these children into our hearts and into our home."

Albus nodded.

" Who has come to present these children?"

Lucius and Narcissa stepped back and apart to make room for Harry and his godfathers to step forward to the right front of the altar, and for the Weasley triad and the twin to take their place at the front left of the altar.

"We do." Answered first, Remus and Sirius, then again by the Weasley triad. Harry placed his wand on the table between the Malfoy wands, and the Hermione placed the two white roses with Harry's wand.

Albus turned to face Harry, his voice warm and comforting as a quilt as he spoke; the pale blue eyes twinkling.

"As you are an adult wizard of consenting age, do you come willingly to be blood bonded with, and adopted by, the parents who have petitioned for said bonding and adoption of you into their family?"

Harry looked from Remus to Sirius, then to Lucius and Narcissa; as all of them looked at him with encouragement and love in their eyes. He looked at the twins, cuddled in Fred and George's arms, noticing how the toddlers' white blond hair was such a contrast to the flaming tresses of the men holding them. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He could feel Sirius rubbing small circles on his back. Swallowing, he took a breath and tried again. Nothing. He looked up at Albus, feeling panic fill his chest.

Albus returned his gaze calmly, eyes twinkling, and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. As Harry stared at the older wizard, he noticed a white mist begin to form to either side of Albus, between him and the Ministry witnesses. The mist moved and began to take form. Harry's jaw dropped in shock, as several muffled gasps were heard from others present.

"Answer the Officiant, my Son. The ceremony cannot continue until you do."

"Da?!" Whispered Harry. "Mum?!"

"Yes, Harry my love. We thought we should show our support for your adoption." Lily's spirit smiled at him. "Luc and Cissa's offer to adopt you makes us very happy."

Tears ran freely down Harry's face as he tried to convince himself he wasn't dreaming. This was the first time he'd seen them since his Fourth Year at Hogwarts. He could hear sniffling around him, and realized he wasn't the only one who missed them dearly. He wiped at his eyes and looked at Albus.

"I do so, willingly."

Albus looked pleased as he looked at Lucius and Narcissa. Speaking the next part of the ceremony, Lucius and Narcissa answer in unison as they perform the symbolic gestures.

"If it is your true desire to accept the responsibility and care of these children into your home, your hearts, and your lives, show your affirmation by voice and by deed. Will you provide them with a home of safety and security, warmth and caring, love and affection?"

Lucius and Narcissa moved forward. "We Will." Stopping in front of each child, Lucius took the cloak Narcissa handed him and placed it on the child, closing the clasp and raising the hood. Both placed a kiss on the forehead of each child when they were finished.

"Will you feed them when they hunger, give them drink when they thirst, and nurse their wounds and care for them through their illnesses?"

"We will." Lucius took up the bowl of apple slices and drizzles honey over them from the other bowl. Narcissa picked up the goblet of lavender laced milk. Lucius fed a piece of honey-covered apple to each child, followed by Narcissa who gave each a drink of the milk. Lucius returned the bowl to the table, picked up two linen serviettes, and they dabbed each child's mouth.

"Will you teach them to be a magickal being to the best of their ability? Teach them of their family and their heritage, and of the world and all it's wonders?"

"We will." Lucius and Narcissa each took a straw and lit it from the large candle on the table representing their family, and both added their flame to light the three smaller candles.

"Will you guard and protect them from injury and harm to the best of your abilities, even that of your own lives?"

"We will." Lucius and Narcissa moved to cross their wands over Harry's wand and the roses, then stepped back.

"Will you accept their blood into your own, and share yours with them, granting them all rights, inheritances, and responsibilities of being members of your family?"

"We will. We desire to share blood with these children, binding us to them and them to us. Making us all one family that cannot be parted. We do so avow, witnessed by those present."

Lucius and Narcissa step forward as they speak, and present their right hands to Albus, palm up. He picks up the etched silver bowl and the Athame. Holding the bowl below, he slices quickly across each of their palms and they turn their hands so the welling blood drips into the bowl. The witnesses step forward and cast healing spells on the cuts, before the parents step back.

The children are brought forward by their godparents, the palm of each child presented. Albus repeats the process with each child, casting slight Numbing Spells on the toddlers first. Cuts healed, and toddlers soothed, Lucius and Narcissa came forward again and accepted the twins, standing in front of the altar, Harry between them. The godparents remained where they were, and the witnesses returned to their places.

Albus poured a few drops of sacred water and into the bowl, spelled the athame clean and set it aside. Lifting the bowl, he held it aloft in one hand, and his wand in the other, as he spoke the Binding Spell.

"Sanguis Ligare. Omnis proles sanguis ligare pro omnis parentes saguis. Habere primus sanguis ab solus. Copulare atque anudare omnis proles pro omnis parentes. Anudare familia in iurare ab caeremonia in ab amare. ** So mote it be!"

All present answered as one. "So mote it be!"

Smoke rose from the bowl, and as Albus set it back on the table, it was apparent the contents had vanished as part of the spell. Albus spoke again.

"Who comes to accept the honor of being Godparents to these children?"

The godparents step forward to flank the parents and children. "We do."

"If you are so called upon in the future, to assume your place to care for your charges in the same manner as their parents have vowed, will you fulfill it to your utmost ability?"

"We will. We do so avow, witnessed by those present."

"By what names will these children be known in the Wizarding Worlds?"

Mr. Pickering steps forward, opening the parchment scroll, to verify the names as they are spoken. Narcissa spoke first, indicating the child in her arms.

"Our daughter shall from this day forward, be know in the Wizarding World, as Zoe' Vivienne Narcissa Malfoy."

Lucius spoke next, indicating the child in his arms. "Our youngest son, shall from this day forward, be know in the Wizarding World, as Sasha Philippe Lucien Malfoy."

Then both parents placed a hand on Harry's shoulders, as Lucius spoke. "Our middle son, and heir to the Malfoy Line, shall be know from this day forward, in the Wizarding World, as Haralde James Lucien Abraxus Potter-Malfoy, as he is to remain the acknowledged heir of the Potter and Evans Family Lines."

Albus looked to Mr. Pickering, who nodded, before rolling the scroll up and stepping back.

" From this moment forward, these children shall be known by these names. Parents, accept your children into the circle of your love. Godparents, take your place as guardian of these children and support for the parents. Congratulations, and may the Gods and Goddesses rain many blessings down upon you!"

The new family and the godparents stepped three paces back from the altar, and waited while Albus concluded the ceremony, beginning with dismissing the corners.

"We dismiss you now, Oh spirits of air, and ask you to return to your elemental home harming none as you go and taking with you our thanks for your attendance."

"We dismiss you now, Oh spirits of earth, and ask you to return to your elemental home harming none as you go and taking with you our thanks for your attendance."

"We dismiss you now, Oh spirits of fire, and ask you to return to your elemental home harming none as you go and taking with you our thanks for your attendance."

"We dismiss you now, Oh spirits of water, and ask you to return to your elemental home harming none as you go and taking with you our thanks for your attendance."

Facing forward toward the altar, he continued.

"Dear Ladies, Brigid, Habonia, Eostre, and Lord Iovantucarus, we thank you for your Attendance in our Sacred Circle and ask your blessings on this family and on the bindings we have performed here this night. Please return now to your areas of governance, harming none as you go and taking with you our thanks and love. Blessed be!"

All present answered as one. "Blessed be!"

The Ministry witnesses stepped forward, presenting the parchments for signing. When that was finished, the Ministry Seal of Records appeared on the parchments, which immediately duplicated themselves, rolled up, and disappeared in a flash of light to be filed at the Ministry, and at the solicitors' offices for the Malfoy, Potter, and Evans Estates.

Albus' role as Officiant was now done, and he smiled at the Malfoy's and their new children, and at each of the Godparents, with tears of joy welling in his eyes. Holding his arms out toward those gathered, he spoke officially, one final time.

"May blessing be upon those who have come to share in the joy of this family this night. Merry meet and merry part, and merry meet again. Please come forward and share your good wishes with the new family."

Everyone moved forward as if released from a spell, to surround and congratulate the new family, sharing hugs, kisses, and handshakes. Harry accepted the signs of affection and joy, but he only had eyes for the spirits hovering with Albus, as he moved toward the group.

Tbc...

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** "Bind this blood. Each child's blood bind to each parents' blood. Retain the first blood of the last [heir]. Join and unify each child to each parent. Unify this family in a vow of respect and love."

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Haralde James Lucien Abraxus Potter-Malfoy

Zoe' Vivienne Narcissa Malfoy

Sasha Philippe Lucien Malfoy