It's My Life
Almost a month had passed since Harry got with Draco and had a falling out with Ron. Harry never ended up getting to tell Draco what happened because they had such a good time in Hogsmeade that they used the rest of their night make out and talk to friends. It had been busy ever since, Draco ended up sick and Harry had to play his Quidditch match, which was fine. Harry didn't mind being on the Slytherin team as a back-up player; he did fill in for other positions too if needed. Harry had spent a lot of time studying for final exams because the OWLs were rather important. Harry also stayed busy with Occlumency lessons, even though he had it down; when he got stressed out or angry, it affected his shields and made them weak.
Severus had also begun to work with Harry on keeping the shields without headaches from the strain. And if all that wasn't filling his schedule, normal class and homework took the rest alongside the defense lessons. Harry would tell Draco over the upcoming holiday, it started on the 31st of March and lasted until the 14th of April. Easter was on the 7th of April. Right now, it was a Thursday and the 28th of March. Harry was busy in the library doing work as Draco had quidditch practice and Severus was in his office grading papers. It was about 5:00 pm and dinner was still two and a half hours away.
Albus walked through the floo into the Minister's office with Umbridge following behind. The Minister was sitting stiffly at his desk with a sizable stack of papers in front of him.
"Cornelius," Albus asked briskly. "What news do you bring me on the matter I asked about?"
"It's as you and Dolores suspected, Albus. Your guardianship over the boy has been suspended while there is an ongoing investigation regarding Potter's welfare." Cornelius informed them as he sighed, looking for all the world like he hadn't slept in days. As luck would have it, Lucius Malfoy was just outside the office and happened to overhear things about this situation. He found a place to spy on the conversation and listened closely; he'd need to relay things to Severus later.
"Then who has temporary custody of Potter? He's a minor, they wouldn't have allowed him to be without one." Dolores remarked.
"Perhaps Minerva has custody," Albus supplied. "Besides Headmasters, Heads of Houses can act in Loco Parentis for their students."
"Unfortunately, it's not listed who has that role." Fudge told the man. "It was already hard enough to get this much information. It seems that the documents that had been archived in the Ministry are the redacted versions." The Minister said as his finger tapped the Gringotts seal.
"But you're the Minister!" Dolores looked insulted on Fudge's behalf. "How dare those filthy Goblins withhold information from you! You should compel them to release the unredacted documents through the Wizengamot."
"Are you daft woman! That would put everyone in here on the chopping block!" Fudge raised his voice for once. "I don't want to go down in history as the Minister who started the next great Goblin war!"
"Now now, please settle down," Albus said in a grandfatherly voice. "We need to think this through."
"What's there to think through Albus. You're screwed if any of these allegations turn out to be true," Fudge quipped. "Neglect, endangerment, kidnapping, attempted assault…" Cornelius grumbled. "It's a pretty steep list, Albus, and things are already in the evidence viewing stage. They've got Potter's memories to everything and you know those are not altered; he doesn't have the ability to distort them to what he wants people to see." He added.
"You forget that I am Chief Warlock," Albus boasted.
"A suspended Chief Warlock," Dolores primly stated. "What can you even do now? As long as the investigation is ongoing you have no power in the Wizengamot."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Dumbledore stated. "Quite a few members owe me favors. I can certainly swing the votes my way."
"And what if you can't?" Fudge questioned while narrowing his eyes to glare at the Headmaster. "My hands are tied Albus, Amelia Bones is on a warpath and I have a re-election coming up. This is all the help you're getting from me!"
"Now now, Cornelius," Albus said.
Dolores uttered, "But we need the Headmaster to help control the Potter boy!"
"Enough!" Fudge slammed his fist on the mahogany desk. "Dolores, you are in no position to talk. I'm already cleaning up after you,"
"W-What do you mean?" she questioned.
"Did you seriously think that I wouldn't hear?!" Fudge muttered angrily. "I gave you leave to use that quill to keep Potter in line but you had to go and use it on other students as well! Now there have been inquiries. Did you really think those students wouldn't write to their parents?"
"But…But…" Umbridge sputtered.
"I have the Board of Education breathing down my neck!" Fudge uttered as his eyes looked mad. "Not only Augusta Longbottom, but that blasted Malfoy are adamant I open an investigation into your teaching methods! Lucius, in fact, is already here and on his way up for a meeting. So this needs to be quick. Do you have any idea what will happen if I am linked to this scandal?! You were to keep Potter cowed not torture the student body for your own sadistic pleasure!"
Umbridge kept her mouth shut after that outburst. Fudge was heaving in anger right now.
"Perhaps…" Albus murmured loud enough to catch the attention of the other two.
"What Albus," Fudge, already high strung, asked.
"All this goes away if we have Harry doesn't it?" Albus questioned as he looked at Fudge and Dolores. "If Harry withdraws his claims we can sweep it all under the rug."
"That's wishful thinking Headmaster, but maybe you're forgetting something. We don't have Potter!" Fudge stated.
"Not yet at least," Albus said while folding his hands over his lap. "There is a way around the guardianship rule,"
"Just what are you on about old man?" Fudge muttered.
"I'm talking about a slavery collar. I know for a fact that the Unspeakables are still studying that magic. As Minister you must have access to one," Albus proclaimed.
"Have you lost all your marbles?! Slavery magic is forbidden! If it were to come to light…" The minister glared.
"But it won't, will it?" Albus questioned. "If Harry is under our thumb he can not only retract his claims but he can support you and your campaign politically and financially as well Minister. Think about it. The Potter fortune is vast,"
"It is an attractive solution," Umbridge muttered.
"Yes, no matter who is Mister Potter's guardian. A slavery collar will trump that bond." Albus nodded as he looked at the hesitating Fudge. "It isn't even illegal," He then supplied.
"What?" Fudge asked.
"The laws on it have never been changed," Dumbledore stated. "Afterall, we wizards have been using the same slavery magic to bind the house elves for centuries." Upon Fudge's reaction Albus noted that the Minister had never thought about that and how wizards were able to bind powerful creatures like the elves to themselves all those centuries ago.
"But the collar would be noticeable," Fudge's argument seemed to waver.
"That's the beauty of it, Minister. No one will ever know. A slavery collar can be transfigured into anything the Master wants. It could be turned into something as small as a necklace or an armband. Even an ankle bracelet."
"I…I need to think about this," Fudge mumbled, clearly unsure about the Headmaster's suggestion.
"Don't dawdle Fudge," Dumbledore stated as he stood up, walking to the floo. "The sooner we have the boy in our grasp, the better."
"And what if his guardian, whoever it is, decides to make a stink?" Umbridge asked.
"I'm sure the Ministry has ways with dealing with unwanted pests, Dolores," Albus replied. "In fact, I would bet on it. It might be our only chance, Minister…"
Cornelius sighed. "It would do the trick, but I can't approve of it, Albus. It's too risky. You've spoken about Harry having his lordship rings; they'd warn him of danger to a collar or ritual. You'll never get close enough to get the object on him. Even being all that, there's a level of free will the elves possess when bonded to a master. If they don't have orders to follow, they do their own thing. So unless you specifically know who Harry's guardian is; you can't forbid him from speaking to that person." The man explained. "And if they're observant enough, they'll notice a piece of jewelry that seems too odd for Potter to have." He paused. "Think of another way."
"Those rings are the problem. Whoever his guardian is has allowed him to have them, so we need to get the guardian out of the way so that I can be it again." Albus remarked. "You can stop the investigation, can't you? Say it's false, the creation of a rebellious child?"
"I don't know. This investigation has been going on since before the school year started. It's not new…" Cornelius informed. "You said Potter was with his relatives, how would he have gotten out of the wards to get to the bank. Much less, who got the memories for evidence. Potter doesn't know how to do that, it's below his knowledge base…Someone had to do it for him."
"Figure something out, Cornelius. If we can't get Potter under our control, we're all facing the fall out. He's destined to destroy Voldemort and he needs to be prepared for his fate." Albus said.
Lucius had heard enough, no matter what plan got used; Harry was in danger and Severus needed to be warned that the three were up to something nefarious. Lucius left the ministry and went right home.
. . .
Reaching home, Lucius found Narcissa on the couch reading a book and she looked up to see him.
"Welcome home, Lucius," Narcissa greeted. "How did things go at the ministry?"
"Fudge was with Albus and Dolores…" Lucius sighed. "They're up to something involving Harry, I need to warn Severus." He tossed some powder into the fireplace. "Severus Snape's Office, Hogwarts."
"Yes, Lucius?"
"We have a problem that involves Harry's safety. Can you come through so I can explain? It's quite a bit." Lucius stated.
"I'll be right there."
The call ended as Lucius sat back on the couch, sighing. What he heard was despicable and low, there needed to be counter measures in place immediately for any situation. After five minutes, Severus walked through the fireplace and stood before Lucius and Narcissa.
"What threat is against Harry?" Severus asked.
"I went to the ministry today to speak to Fudge about the incoming requests from parents about Umbridge's torturous detentions, only he was with Albus and Dolores. I was outside the door listening as the conversation started with Albus asking about the guardianship situation with Harry. He's learned he is not Harry's guardian, but someone is. The documents don't show who has him right now. Severus, Albus was going as far as suggesting Fudge allow him to get possession of a slavery collar." Lucius informed.
"WHAT!?" Narcissa screeched in horror at the very thought.
"Calm yourself, Narcissa…" Lucius remarked. "Fudge turned it down under the wise reasoning that Harry would still have free will like house elves do when not following direct orders. And since they don't know his actual guardian, they can't make him follow an instruction to not speak to the guardian."
"Smart man, for once." Severus folded his arms. "What danger is Harry in?"
"I don't know. I figured I had enough to bring you this as a warning that they're up to something. There was a small discussion on Fudge trying to stop the investigation to give custody of Harry back to him. It shouldn't be possible, but it very well could be." Lucius enlightened. "Severus, I think it's time to invoke the very same magic Albus tried to keep Harry down with…" He paused as Severus eyed the man. "Blood magic. It's legally binding and unbreakable. The wards on Privet Drive fell because Harry never considered that place his home after we removed him, but I believe you could get full custody of Harry if you use it."
"Use what?" Severus questioned.
"Blood adoption." Lucius said firmly.
"Lucius…You realize that-," Narcissa began.
"I know what I said, Narcissa. But I think it's the only chance to ensure they can't do anything else to Harry. Albus knows he can't touch Harry without guardianship over him, and Harry has his rings too. If Dumbledore gets custody back, he can legally make Harry take them off and then Harry has no warnings to spells or potions that would more or less be an imperious curse on him." Lucius now looked back at Severus. "Fudge will concoct a way to stop the investigation and custody would go back to Dumbledore in a heartbeat. You need something that can't be fought, Severus. Adopt Harry, it would be as if Harry still has a living parent, which cannot be contested with in court. Albus loses custody of Harry and they can't do anything to stop it. It's your only option…And I think Harry would go for it, if he knew the circumstances."
"Lucius, it's not just a basic adoption. It's blood; he'd be my son. It's not as if he'd have a living parent, he would. I'd be his father." Severus argued. "This goes deeper than just taking custody of him until he's seventeen. It's forever."
"That's why it's perfect." Lucius revealed. "Severus, it's the only way to protect him permanently. We can't take chances with any other ideas; it'll just upset and stress Harry out to always be looking over his shoulder for what could get him next. I know he does that with the dark lord, but that should be his only concern, until the time comes to destroy him. This is how you stop Dumbledore from trying anything else with Harry."
"What if Harry doesn't want this?" Severus asked. "I'm his guardian, his teacher…But his father? Harry will never allow me to take James's place."
"It's not taking his place, Severus…It's just adding a new one to the mix. So he'd be a child to Lily and James, but also you, by adoption." Narcissa spoke up. "I think Harry would agree, the interactions between you two have been previously discussed before." She added. "Stop denying it, Severus. You love Harry as if he were your own son. I know you annex James because of the past, but you can't sit there and tell me that you haven't imagined what things would be like if you and Lily had ended up together and Harry was your son with her."
Severus was quiet. Sadly, he had. The more he got to know Harry, and seen him since this whole thing started; Harry had adopted many of his mannerisms. Truly taking after him. "You see it, don't you?" Lucius asked.
"It's rather hard to miss," Severus sighed heavily. "He wears all black when not in his school uniform, combs his hair down, folds his arms like mine, speaks ever so calmly…Uses logic against people, takes pride in making them feel stupid." He admitted. "You should have seen him use my own lines with him on Umbridge. It was hard not to crack a proud smile…But-,"
"You said atta boy or that's my boy," Narcissa said lightly. "Didn't you?"
"I did…" Severus confessed.
"Because you see him as your son, Severus," Lucius repeated. "He's taking after you, someone he's only just started to get along with after four long years of believing you despised him."
"Taking after you over Sirius and Remus," Narcissa corrected. "That should tell you who he looks up to. I firmly believe that Harry sees you like a father, Severus. He let you comfort him, admitted his depression…"
"He still went to Black about feeling like he was becoming evil." Severus countered.
"Because the moment was there. Remus and Sirius were going on about how he was like his parents, and Harry argued that he felt like he wasn't. It was just the moment, and he does love them like family. He said it openly, with you there. It was to them, but he made it public knowledge to all of us." Narcissa commented. "Severus, stop over complicating this."
"Harry loves you because you're there for him as a father should be. You've taught him, protected him, sacrificed for him. Everything a loving parent would. Just admit you love him and see him as your own son. Go brew the potion and then sit down with Harry to explain things." Lucius said.
"But do be quick about it. We don't know when that group is gonna strike…" Narcissa added.
"It should be enough, though, to get them arrested." Lucius remarked.
"Thank you for the warning, Lucius. See you soon, Easter holiday is right around the corner. I'll be getting back to the school now. I need to speak to Harry anyway…Something is bothering him, I think." Severus informed.
"Oh, like what?" Narcissa wondered gently.
"I'm not sure. He just seems off and has for a month, but I don't understand why because he seemed pretty happy in his new relationship," Severus said.
"New relationship? Is he dating that Weasley girl, it was easy to see that she has a serious crush on him." Lucius chuckled.
"No, Harry's not with Ginerva. Wait, do you not know?" Severus questioned, surprised.
"Know what?" The two asked right away.
"I assumed Draco may have mentioned it to you by letter, but I guess not." Severus paused. "I'm not sure if he'll say something to you face to face over the break, so if he does…Act surprised. Harry and Draco are dating."
"How long now?" Lucius inquired.
"Since the 1st of March." Severus enlightened calmly. "I knew where it was going after they were caught snogging in the closet of their common room."
"Explain!" Narcissa demanded.
"The kids were playing a muggle game called Seven Minutes In Heaven. It's a group of people who get chosen at random out of a bowl, or hat. Two names are chosen and those two people go in a closet for seven minutes and can do whatever they want. Talk, kiss, foreplay, sex if fast enough." Severus explained. "Harry and Draco were only caught kissing quite intensely before I stepped in to break them up because even after seven minutes and the door was opened; they didn't stop or notice anyone watching."
"And then they were dating shortly after?" Lucius asked.
"Yes, the next day they waltzed into the hall for breakfast holding hands and shared a small kiss." Severus nodded. "I assume you've given Draco the sex talk?"
"Of course as soon as he became a teenager," Narcissa stated. "Has…Harry?"
"I don't know if Black or Lupin have had that talk with him. I should probably find out…They were pretty into a month ago and with teenage hormones…" Severus implied heavily that it wouldn't take them long to get into all that intimacy stuff, unless they had already.
"Well, thank you for telling us. No, Draco hadn't mentioned a thing. But we'll give him the chance to tell us over holiday." Lucius stated. "Heading back to Hogwarts now?"
"Yes. I need to speak to Harry about his mood. It might be nothing, but-," Severus stopped.
"It's a parental instinct to know when something seems off about your child." Narcissa grinned at Severus, who shot her an unamused glare.
"I'll see you both in the next weeks." Severus entered the fireplace and departed back to the school.
"Think that gave him the push to believe it?" Lucius asked his wife.
"I think he's believed it since Christmas when we brought it up, or perhaps that very first time Dumbledore cornered him at the start of the year. You heard Severus, he went running after Harry gave the signal he needed help." Narcissa stated.
"Well, let's hope things work out. Acceptance and belief are key in blood magic being the most effective." Lucius mentioned.
The two parents relaxed together and were now very much looking forward to the Easter holiday when Draco came home and hopefully told them about dating Harry. Of course, they didn't mind their son dating a male. There was nothing wrong with such and only wanted Draco's happiness.