It's My Life
Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco already knew about the blood adoption, obviously. Lucius had been the one who suggested it to Severus and then Draco learned the day after it took place. For Remus and Sirius, it was shocking information to learn. Severus hadn't just adopted Harry, he blood adopted him to make it entirely un-arguable. No one would ever be able to contest with Severus being Harry's guardian as it was more than that now. Severus was actually a father to Harry.
"Y-You blood adopted him?" Sirius asked.
"I did." Severus nodded.
"To protect him from Albus?" Remus pushed.
"Well, that had been what it started out as…But Harry and I spoke before it took place and found we already saw one another as such." Severus informed.
"Explain, please?" Remus hoped.
"You are aware of the situation we spoke of before coming to the manor, when you came to the Malfoy's to see Harry. We explained that Albus had been trying to take control of Harry to mold him into a perfect weapon against the dark lord. And also that Albus has purposely left Harry with abusive relatives?" Severus began. The two males nodded.
"A situation in school revealed that Albus and Umbridge are working together to get Harry obedient to Albus. They believed to be doing it by Harry being under Albus's guardianship since you are a felon and his parents are dead."
"Yes, we remember that Albus became Harry's magical guardian…" Sirius stated.
"And that you took temporary guardianship while there was an investigation into Albus, to remove him permanently?" Remus recalled.
"That's correct." Severus replied. "However, the glamour Harry wore to protect his lordship rings from being seen was broke by Albus. Apparently, Umbridge saw it and told Dumbledore. They cornered Harry in Albus's office and broke the charm I'd placed. Now remember that Albus didn't know he was temporarily relieved of his guardianship duties, not even about the investigation."
Severus then continued, "So he tried to demand Harry remove them, but Harry refused. Albus tried to order it as guardian and Harry said no. They tried to remove them, and got forced away. Albus threatened to take Harry to the Wizengamot to petition their removal as he did not approve of Harry taking his lordships. And didn't even know about Slytherin." He explained.
"So it came out that Albus wasn't the guardian?" Remus asked.
"He knows he's being investigated and that his guardianship was removed and placed with someone else. He just doesn't know who. The files at the ministry don't reveal the name, those are at Gringotts, which Albus can't access. Neither can the ministry." Lucius informed.
"I happened to be at the ministry to see Fudge to discuss the use of the blood quill, demanding Umbridge's termination when I overheard Albus and Umbridge talking to Fudge, learning Albus was no longer guardian. Things…Took a rather dark turn in discussions of how to get Harry under their control."
"Go on…" Sirius asked.
"Albus requested Fudge to get a slavery collar so they could place it on Harry, control him that way…" Severus remarked.
"What?!" Sirius and Remus narrowed their eyes.
"Settle. Fudge refused, trying to cover his own behind no doubt." Lucius stated. "However, there was discussion of how to stop the investigation. Obviously, I reported it back to Severus and gave the suggestion of adoption."
"But this wasn't basic adoption, it's blood…It's-," Sirius tried to say.
"Unbreakable." Severus nodded. "That's why it was chosen. A regular adoption can be revoked and take far too long to process and be accepted…We didn't have time for such, nor did we want to risk the uncertainty of Harry being taken away. The minute Albus is granted guardianship, he'll force Harry back to the Dursley's…"
"I don't put it past the old coot to force Harry to remove his rings, leaving him open to spells bordering imperious. Lucius suggested blood adoption, which makes me a third parent, a second father…A living relative of blood relation. Albus can't fight that, nor take it away unless he kills me and I don't see him trying that as I'm his spy to Voldemort."
"If you get in his way, Severus, spy or not, he'll try…" Remus remarked. "You saw the desperation when he suggested a slavery collar…"
"That I did, so there are secondary measures in place if anything happens to me." Severus stated.
"I hope it's sending him to me." Sirius remarked.
"Not while you're still a wanted felon, Sirius…You have to understand that Harry is not safe with you until your name has been cleared." Narcissa reminded. "We know that's hard to accept and Lucius is doing everything in his ability to see you freed, cousin," She assured. "But it will take time, and until then, the best you can do for Harry is to stay hidden."
"Then what is the secondary plan?" Remus inquired.
"I've brewed a second blood adoption potion for Harry to be taken in by the Malfoy's if things happen to me before you are freed to take Harry yourself." Severus informed.
"But Harry is dating Draco, won't that make them brothers?" Sirius asked.
"No, because I did not brew it with Lucius or Draco's blood. I brewed it with Narcissa's, who, before marrying into the Malfoy family, was a Black. The adoption would view Harry has a Potter-Black. The only familial connection to Draco would be that they'd be step siblings, but not actual blood. Magic genetics don't mix that way even though Draco would be half-Black too." Severus explained.
"He was born after marriage, he took the Malfoy name; he's entirely Malfoy. If Draco took an inheritance test, Black would not show up. It goes by paternal connections to work in favor of being heir to the family. Harry would be Black because of what Narcissa was born as. So it would look more like Harry being adopted into the Black family." Severus revealed..
"The only way Harry becomes a Malfoy is if he and Draco were to get married." Lucius stated. "Trust me, we discussed this matter before the potion was brewed to ensure that for Harry and Draco to continue dating; they would not end up related to one another."
"We have that potion tucked away in stasis for if things should go that way. It's an emergency backup is all, to ensure Albus does not get custody of Harry if anything happens to me. Harry is more than aware of this too and he's consented." Narcissa added. "We've taken all things into account and prepared for anything. We all agree Harry does not need to suffer further than he already has."
"So right now…Harry is a Potter-Snape?" Sirius questioned.
"Legally, yes and I've already directed that should I die…Harry gets everything I own, including my Prince inheritance. I never took the name, but it belongs to me as the last living heir to the Prince name. As you know, my mother was a pure blood witch, Eileen Prince. I never took up lordship to it because my grandfather is still alive and has no other grandchildren." Severus informed.
"My mother was disowned, but I was not disinherited. If something happened to me, Harry would become Harry Potter-Prince-Black. There's nothing he can inherit from Snape, but Prince for what I've left behind, and also then the adoption by Narcissa. I obviously don't receive everything of the inheritance until my grandfather passes, which, last I heard, he's very close to doing." Severus remarked.. "As Narcissa said, we have thought of everything necessary to protect Harry. Albus will never have control over him or anything regarding him again."
"I suppose we're at ease with all the information." Remus stated.
"Not quite…" Sirius said calmly. "And this isn't to nitpick, but more of a personal favor…In the event I am not cleared, or I should die…I want Harry to inherit everything I own. As you know, Narcissa, the Black family only passes it's everything down to the next male heir. Draco does not qualify as he's already Malfoy heir, and your other sister, Andromeda, had a girl, Nymphadora. I have no children of my own, Harry's the closest I have…"
"If he's to become a Black should something happen to you, Severus, I want you to allow me to blood adopt him too. You can stay his father, I'm not trying to override that…But let me adopt him so that he can be considered my heir. We don't even have to tell him…But he deserves to have everything I leave behind." Sirius asked.
"Yes, the rules are very clear on all that." Lucius stated.
"What are the rules, Father?" Draco wondered.
"In heirship and lordship, there are unbroken rules to follow of who inherits." Lucius began. "As Sirius stated, you cannot inherit the Black despite your mother being a Black because of your own paternal line of being Malfoy heir. Therefore you cannot be claimed as another heir."
"But…When Uncle Sev adopted Harry, it made Harry heir to the Snape and Prince lines, technically…So how come he'd be allowed to take heirship of Black too?" Draco wondered.
"Because it's blood adoption, son," Narcissa stated. "Adoption differs from birth. He's becoming an heir through adoption, you are one via birth. As in birthright."
"If Harry were born to one of those lines, he would not be allowed to take heirship of so many." Lucius added.
"But he's heir to Potter, and he was born to that one." Draco argued calmly, trying to understand.
"But Harry is not Potter heir, my Dragon…" Narcissa reminded. "Harry is Lord Potter. He was heir, until he accepted Lordship, it removes heir factor until Harry has a child of his own, who then becomes the next heir while he stays lord. As lord to Potter, he can be adopted as heir to other lines as long as it's blood adoption. Because adoption is the factor. Sirius could just as easily grab a kid off the street and blood adopt them as heir too, even if there's no familial connection."
"Ooh…" Draco understood. "So even though Uncle Severus adopted him as Snape and Prince heir…It's adopted, so that means Mr. Black can also adopt Harry to being the Black heir."
"Precisely." Sirius nodded.
"I want your word, Sirius, that you won't try to use this adoption to override me…" Severus demanded. "Harry and I agreed that we see one another as father and son long before I offered him the blood adoption potion."
"I, Lord Sirius Orion Black the Third, solemnly swear to allow Severus Snape-Prince to maintain all fatherly duties to Harry James Potter-Snape-Prince and will never overstep the boundary of being something I am not to him." Sirius swore. "I know Harry sees you as his father, Severus…I won't take that away from him or you. You've always protected him over the years, you earned the right to take the father position. I won't tell Harry about this, I'll remain Uncle Sirius, Siri, or Padfoot."
"Very well. You will need to give me a week to brew the potion." Severus agreed. "Why don't you want to tell him? You know that you both have to drink it, don't you?"
"Yes, so slip it into his drink or something. Don't tell him…He'll worry. I remember how he was when we learned of Dumbledore's manipulations; he was begging me to stay safe. Many died in the first war, Severus…I don't hold faith we'll all be making it out of the second alive." Sirius sighed.
"Harry said to everyone that he didn't want to lose anyone else and you know that if he's in danger, I'll be one of the first to protect him, even if it means my own life. It's better not to reveal such to Harry, he'll get scared and reckless to stop Voldemort and he's not ready yet. He is very powerful, but he's not ready yet…" The dog animagus looked down.
"I don't want him to know, just have it be a surprise that if I die, I named him my heir and he inherited everything. It'll come out in the will, which I've already written. Aside some personal mentions of what is left to others, Harry gets the rest."
Severus stared at the man before him. "As you wish then, but understand that this doesn't not give you the right to be reckless either, Black…You heard Harry, as did I. If anything were to happen to you; he wouldn't easily recover from it…"
"We're all being careful, Severus, that's precisely what all the planning that's been done is about. We're ensuring Harry's future is never in Dumbledore's hands again, and that he'll always have what he needs to get through life if we are not around while he's still under seventeen. Which is still a year away…A lot can happen in a year." Sirius stated.
"I concede to your point, Sirius. I will prepare the potion. I already have some of Harry's blood stored…I was working on something to try and correct his eyesight, I'll use seven drops of it for the adoption potion. I'll let you know when it's ready so it can be timed for you both to take it. If it's anything like for Harry and I, he'll black out…" Severus enlightened.
"And so will you, until the next morning. So this needs to be set up to happen at night when Harry is already in bed and can just think he's fallen asleep. I don't like the idea of keeping information from Harry, but I understand your side to things…So I'll do this as a favor to you, don't make me regret it." The potions master added.
"Thank you…" Sirius replied.
"Now then…Will you two be staying for dinner?" Severus asked.
"If you don't mind, even without the dinner…I feel I should apologize to Harry for getting the way I did." Sirius stated.
"Yes, you should indeed. Come along, dinner will be ready in moments. And I'm sure Harry would like some company." Severus remarked.
. . .
Without further waiting, the group made their way upstairs to find Harry not there. "Draco, would you be kind enough to fetch Harry?" Remus asked.
"Of course, Professor Lupin," Draco nodded.
"Oh, you don't have to call me that anymore. I'm no longer your teacher." Remus smiled. "Mr. Lupin or Remus is just fine."
"I call you Professor because as Harry once said, you were the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had at Hogwarts." Draco informed calmly before he exited the room to go up to Harry's suite and bring him down for dinner.
"Well, he's a sweet boy," Remus chuckled.
"We did our best with him." Lucius remarked. "From what I hear, the students learned the most with you as their teacher over the others. Quirrell was possessed by the dark lord, Lockhart was a fake, Moody was actually Barty Crouch Jr, and Umbridge is just awful."
"Would it be possible for you to return?" Narcissa inquired.
"I'm afraid not." Severus interjected. "The dark lord cursed the position so that no one lasts more than a year."
"That and parents have written that they didn't want a werewolf teaching their students." Remus stated. "I did enjoy my time as teacher, though."
"Harry got his teaching skills from you," Severus informed calmly. "I've seen his lessons in the army, he dresses as you did with the casual button down shirt, tie, and vest. I'd say you were his inspiration. I've told him right out he'd made an excellent defense teacher in the future when the dark lord is destroyed and the curse lifted. He's told me he'll consider the idea."
"Has he considered what other things he might like to do after school ends?" Sirius wondered.
"I believe Auror is a contender," Severus remarked. "Maybe healer as well. He seems quite proficient in healing magics, or has shown an interest in such."
"Not a quidditch player?" Remus asked.
"No, he just does that for fun," Severus said. "Well, not even now. Draco is on Slytherin quidditch team, Harry only plays in games as a fill in for Draco when he's not up to it. Other than that, Harry just enjoys flying on his broom."
"Did you say before that you have allowed Harry to read from your dark magic books?" Sirius inquired.
"No, no. Well, yes, but only to learn how to defend from them." Severus informed. "Harry has given me his word he will never use the dark spells unless it were life or death. I've allowed him to read up to know what spells could come at him from the dark lord during their fights. He needs to know what he'll be up against."
"That's fair," Remus told Sirius.
"Originally, I believe he started to find a way to remove the dark mark." Lucius claimed. "Draco told us all about it after dinner here at the manor when he and Harry called the truce."
"Beg your pardon?" Sirius asked.
"Draco admitted to Harry that he was worried for us working for the dark lord, and hoped that Harry might be strong enough to free us from the cursed mark that ties us to the dark lord. Harry promised Draco he would find a way to free us." Narcissa informed.
"And so he has," Lucius nodded.
"What? H-He really did it?" Remus and Sirius asked quickly.
"Did what?" Harry wondered as he came into the room with Draco.
"Freed us from the dark lord," Narcissa smiled.
"Oh, yeah. I did that." Harry confirmed to his two uncles.
"H-How!? No one's ever been able to counter that mark…" The two yelled in shock.
Harry giggled a bit. "The dark lord isn't the only parselmouth…"
"Y-You used parseltongue?" Remus inquired.
"I did." Harry nodded. "How else would the others be able to contend with such? None of the death eaters stood a chance at removing a mark placed in parseltongue. I got the hint from Narcissa who told me Voldemort hissed when he placed it."
"That's…Amazing, Harry…" Sirius beamed. "So then, none of you are marked anymore?"
"Well, that's not entirely true…There was more to the mark than just a form of communication." Lucius stated. "But Harry can definitely manipulate the mark if unable to remove it."
"Explain, we could report this to the-," Remus began.
"Absolutely not," Severus refused. "Dumbledore doesn't need to know how powerful Harry actually is. I've already got the dark lord breathing down my neck to figure out why Harry can use his magic as a weapon…" The man sighed.
"What?" Sirius asked, blinking.
"I really don't like you having the mark still, Dad…It's dangerous." Harry mumbled.
"It's more dangerous to you if I'm not in the loop of knowing what the dark lord's plans are, Harry…I'm sorry. I know you don't like it and worry, but this is for the best…For now. We don't need Voldemort knowing that you are capable of removing his mark. It will drive him to attack you sooner, and you are not ready yet." Severus stated. "I've been doing this for many years, my son…You have to trust me. Everything I've done and still do, Harry…Is to protect you."
"I know…" Harry nodded, putting his head down.
"Come now, don't get all upset. I promise I will be alright. Remember, no matter what happens, son…You are taken care of and safe. That's all that matters to me." Severus promised. Harry nodded again. "Now, everyone have a seat. We'll eat dinner, and I'll explain things to get Remus and Sirius caught up. It is obvious, but I will lay the warning anyway, that what we tell you needs to stay within these walls…" Severus stated.
"Of course," Sirius and Remus replied.
"Then get comfortable. What I tell you hasn't and will not be revealed to the Order. This is a lot like Voldemort's group hierarchy…This is inner secrets that not everyone can know." Severus remarked.
"Understood." The two nodded.
Dinner was delivered to the table and everyone began eating before Severus started to explain things that had been discovered.