It's My Life
Severus, Narcissa, Lucius, and even Remus were not surprised to find that the last thing left to Harry by Sirius Black was the lordship ring to House of Black. They suspected during that talk without Sirius saying it that the man had become Lord Black in the absence of his father Orion Black, and even Regulus, who was Sirius's brother. It had come as a shock to everyone else in the house, though. None of them had been familiar with Harry being a lord, probably because Harry never told them due to the craziness of the year they'd all endured. Harry figured things out as soon as Griphook told Harry that Sirius had made him his sole heir. All Harry needed was the connected piece of how he was made heir when he'd only been Sirius's godson.
The information was revealed that Sirius blood adopted Harry on Severus's approval so that Harry would actually be Sirius's son and legally able to be named heir, and now, lord. A week had passed since then and Harry didn't do much with his time except read or sit with his friends. Even if he did that, he was pretty quiet until spoken to directly. Harry still came to meals, and slept at random. Everyone knew he was battling his depression since Sirius had died, trying to stay strong and not break down. It wasn't working, Harry was miserable but according to Severus, not displaying any markers that he was going to do something to hurt himself. Severus just told everyone to give Harry his space if he wanted to withdraw away from group sittings.
The Malfoy's were settled into the manor, living on the second floor where the bedrooms all were except for the random one on the main level, then another couple in the basement. Narcissa and Lucius had taken up residence in the room next to Severus's, then Draco was directly across from his godfather's. Blaise, Theodore, Vincent, and Gregory were sharing the room down the hall more and next to the laundry room. Thanks to extension charms, it was quite a comfortable fit that gave them the feel they were in the dorm at Hogwarts. Pansy had her own room, on the same side of the house as Draco, but farther down.
Remus too was living at the manor, Harry offered it to him. Remus had taken up residence at the room across the manor from Harry's room, on the other side of the house. It wasn't just a room as it was a small flat. Open sitting area, bathroom, and closed off bedroom. Remus said he'd eventually use the beach cottage, but not yet. It was too soon from losing Sirius, and there was pain of losing James from years ago too. Remus told Harry about the fun summer they'd spent there after graduating Hogwarts, but he couldn't bring himself to live there yet. Harry told him he understood completely as it was the same for him with going to Grimmauld. No matter how many times he'd been there in the past, it would be different without Sirius there.
Remus's first transformation took place on the 30th of June, inside Potter Manor. Harry told the man that Severus would never allow him to sit with Remus during things as Sirius and James had done in the past, but he could at least stay in the house, confined to his room. As long as he agreed to surrender his wand and let Severus lock it down until he shifted back to human form. Remus agreed quickly, and was emotionally affected by Harry's drive to pick up where Sirius and James left off, not wanting Remus to be alone and he was close by if anything happened.
Also, Lucius was given the den as an office to use since he still did quite a bit of work with the ministry and it was turned into a third library Harry found that when the Malfoy's abandoned their own manor while Voldemort was gone; they literally grabbed everything they could that couldn't be left behind. It was mostly their bedrooms, Lucius's office, and the Malfoy library. Everything else didn't matter. For Harry's friends, as they didn't have anything with them, Harry sent them to their houses with house elves to get what they wanted or needed. Now, everyone has settled in.
Today was July 1st, so Remus was sleeping off his transformation from the night before and likely to be up for dinner time. Harry had spent most of his day in his room, reading or sleeping, according to Severus's check-ins. The Slytherin friends hung in the family room while Narcissa was with her husband in the den. She usually read while he worked.
Severus, unfortunately, got called away to Malfoy Manor just after lunch, and that was when Harry moved himself to his room; he hated Severus was still going. If the Malfoy's were found out, why would Severus take the risk? It upset Harry to no end. But right now, everyone was together in the great room, which was just a larger living room than the family one. The Weasley's and Hermione were over too, it had been the hope to cheer Harry up.
"Harry still upstairs?" Narcissa asked.
"Yeah, we tried to get him to come out. He said he was going to take a nap." Draco sighed. "I'm worried about him."
"We all are, son," Lucius stated. "Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do. Everyone mourns differently, takes the loss of a loved one differently. And to Harry, he's taking the loss of Sirius very hard, very personal. You admitted you would not be okay if someone killed your godfather."
"I think he got worse when Uncle Sev got called away; he's worried about him." Draco muttered.
"It's very possible," Narcissa agreed. "Harry doesn't like the idea of Severus being called to the dark lord for the very reason we no longer reside in our own home. It's clear we've been found out and there's much to be concerned about if Severus is as well. It's been hours since he was summoned…For all we know, the dark lord has already killed him."
"Mother, don't say that!" Draco tensed up. "U-Uncle Severus would fight back and escape."
"I know, my Dragon…But you have to understand that the dark lord could have gotten information that Severus blood adopted Harry, that he's not loyal to the dark lord…And Severus would be ambushed and one against all the others." Narcissa reminded.
It was then that Severus returned, coming through the door and meandering into the great room; the man could barely talk and was sweating. "We were just talking about you, Severus." Lucius said.
"All good things, I hope." Severus remarked.
"Bloody hell, Uncle Sev…" Draco looked over his godfather's condition.
"I take it the dark lord is not happy of the…Changes?" Narcissa inquired.
"No, everyone got it tonight. He's furious you two have abandoned your manor, and have assumed what is true, that you've abandoned your loyalties to him. He's angry that no one knows where you are. I got it until he was satisfied I didn't know where you were. And it's not even as if I could tell him…Harry's the secret keeper, only he can tell people about this place." Severus managed to sit down on the couch, groaning.
"Are our parents okay?" Pansy questioned.
"Yes, all a little roughed up, but fine and glad you're away from it. They said they'd reach out, I've yet to ask Harry if they can call here. It's risky with them still being marked." Severus replied.
"Aren't…Draco's parents marked?" Blaise wondered.
Lucius and Narcissa looked at Severus, as if to ask should they reveal it and Severus didn't appear to have an answer. "No, they are not." Came Harry's voice from the doorway. His arms were folded over one another and he was leaning on the frame. "Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy are not marked because I removed them."
"You…Have the power to do that? Ron asked.
"It takes a little work and some Parseltongue, but yes…I can." Harry replied.
"When I left, you were upset and now, you seem angry." Severus pointed out to his son. "Something you'd like to discuss, my boy?"
"Yes, actually…" Harry approached his father and lightly grabbed his hand, then hissing and flipping them around. "I'm angry that you can't seem to stop going to him for your own safety. So if this is how I get you to stay home, so be it."
Severus realized right away what his son had done. He transferred the mark onto himself. "Harry, we already talked about this and I told you not to do it again." Severus stood up. "Put it back, right this instant."
"I will not." Harry told him.
"What is all the yelling about down here?" Remus came in. "Harry, are you okay?"
"No. No, I'm not." Harry told his uncle.
"What's happened?" Remus asked.
"Stay out of it, Lupin. This is between me and my son." He paused. "Harry, I'm not asking. I am your father and I'm ordering you to put it back." Severus demanded.
"No." Harry refused.
"Put what back?" Remus asked.
"Harry has the ability to transfer Severus's dark mark onto his own arm. He did it at the trial when Dumbledore and the idiot's lawyer tried to get the case thrown out that Severus, my mother and father, were death eaters. My mother's has been gone since Easter vacation and my father's was sentient enough to not wanna leave, so Harry cut the threads of magic on it that tied it to the dark lord, and connected the mark to my father's own magic instead. Uncle Severus, though, refuses to give up his mark to hold his position as the dark lord's spy." Draco explained.
"And Harry, right now, just put Severus's mark on his own arm?" Remus inquired.
Harry lifted his sleeve to reveal the mark in place. "Your mark is loyal to me, Dad. It'll do what I ask of it and right now, it's not going back on your arm until you agree to stop going back to him."
"Harry, I have no choice. My position was not compromised and I have a duty to maintain it. Now put the mark back. I don't know why you would risk your life like this, but it seems counterproductive to your godfather dying to protect you a couple weeks ago." Severus said. "This is dangerous, son."
"It's just as dangerous for you." Harry remarked. "You can throw yourself into danger, but not me, and I'm the one who is supposed to defeat the dark lord? So I can take on the dark lord at eleven, twelve, fourteen, and fifteen…I can have the burden thrown on me to be the wizarding world's savior from Voldemort…" He paused.
"But I can't take or remove your mark to protect you. Me having this on my arm is more dangerous than risking my hide against the dark lord? But it's not dangerous for you. Seems counterproductive for you to say you'll always be here to protect me when you're with him and he could kill you at any time! Don't you think?"
Severus tensed at that. Dear Merlin, this boy inherited more than his looks. The boy was using his own words against him. Sadly, Harry wasn't wrong, and Severus didn't know how to respond. "It is not your job to protect me, Harry. It is mine to you. I know how dangerous it is, and I have no choice if I want you safe."
"You have a choice!" Harry snapped. "I gave you one when I realized I could remove the mark or manipulate the magic it's connected to. Maybe before you didn't have one. But you do now, and you choose to keep running back. You keep endangering yourself. On purpose!" He stated. "I came up with something that any death eater wanting out could dream or hope for. I found a way to combat the dark mark. Something said to only be done by Voldemort himself. Where the only way out was him dying or him killing the traitor. I found a way to save people, but you would willingly keep throwing yourself into the fire?"
"Harry, enough! I have told you time and time-," Severus began. "You know what, this is not up for debate. I'm your father, I make the rules. You do as you're told. There's no negotiating this matter. I'm putting my foot down. Last warning. Don't make me have to ground you, young man." Severus warned. "Put it back on my arm, now."
"Then ground me, Dad…" Harry told him as he was surprised by Harry's willingness to get punished. "I won't put it back. It's not gonna risk me because I severed the connection we had. He can't get in my head anymore. All he can do is hurt everyone through it and summon."
"Unlike you, I can resist and ignore him because I actually give a damn about my life. Enough to not keep running back to a murderer!" Harry yelled. "It's connected to him right? If I called him through it, he'd get the message? If I attacked the mark, would he feel it? Maybe I should? Maybe I should go the next time he calls."
"Harry Potter-Snape! Don't you dare!" Severus said firmly.
"Why not? You do it. You do it every time he calls. You rush off to him like an addict wanting to score again. If you put your life on the line to protect me, I'll start doing the same. After all, the dark lord is mine to defeat. Is he not?" Harry argued back.
"I do not approve of your newfound attitude, Harry. This is bordering on a temper-tantrum and I feel you're a little too old for those, but if you don't watch it with challenging me…I will ground your behind until you go back to school in September. You and I will be having a very long talk later on why you've become like this and maybe adjust it. So help me Merlin. I will ask once more…Put the mark back on my arm."
"I told you to do it. I'm inviting you, Dad. Ground me. Ground me til I'm seventeen…I don't care." Harry paused. "If you want to ground me for loving you enough to risk being punished…You do what you feel you need to. But I won't apologize and I won't change my mind. As you tell me, I'm doing this for your own good. I won't put it back. I refuse." Harry paused.
"And there's nothing you can do to make me because unless you're going to the only other parselmouth around to explain to him that your adopted teenager son, who happens to be his enemy and wants dead, took your mark away and you need a new one…You have nobody else who can reverse this but me. And I will not. So go ahead. Ground me."
"I don't understand why you want to be punished, Harry. You're being very difficult." Severus sighed.
"Yeah? I wonder who I got it from. Last I heard, you were pretty damn difficult and stubborn too." Harry told him. "I'm going to my room, since nothing I say to you is getting through. I suppose I'll be there until September, when school starts again. Goodnight, Father." He turned and prepared to leave the room.
"Harry, get back here. I did not dismiss you, nor even issue a punishment yet." Severus said.
"Harry…Stop." Remus tried and caught the teenager's shoulder. "What's going on with you? I have to agree with Severus here, you're being very defiant and it's not like you at all."
"Don't worry about it, Uncle Remus," Harry continued walking.
"Merlin, you'd think the dark lord is in your head and causing you to be like this…" Severus muttered.
"I already told you he can't get in my head anymore." Harry reminded. "But if he is, guess what, Dad…Your cover is blown because he'd be able to see everything and the minute you go back…You're dead. Still worth the risk?"
"If you're going to speak to me, you'll do it facing me, Harry. And yes, he can. He was trying to do it before school ended, remember? Your occlumency is good, but not on my level." Severus said.
"I'm not using occlumency, in fact…I don't even have my shields up." Harry informed. "I told you, Voldemort can't get in my head. But no surprise that you're not listening to me. I severed the connection we had. Now, if you don't mind…I'm going to bed."
"You most certainly are not, young man. You've not yet had dinner and we're still talking." Severus said.
"You said you were grounding me if I refused and I am. So I'm going to my room, and not even hungry. So good night. I suppose I'll see you in September." Harry retorted.
"Harry Potter-Snape-Prince-Black, I swear to Merlin…You stop right now where you are and tell me why you're acting this way. Why are you defying what I'm telling you to do? Why do you want me to punish you!" Severus glared.
Harry stopped only a moment, turning his head to look at his father. "You wanna know so bad?"
"Yes. Yes I do." Severus nodded.
"Fine." Harry turned around fully to look at him. This time, Severus saw tears brimming his son's green eyes and a pang of guilt that stabbed him in the heart about how he'd been so harsh with the boy. "Me suffering punishment for taking your mark to protect you is better than me having to watch another father get tortured and killed. You can ground me until you take your last breath, Dad, and I'll take it gladly if it means you're home safe with me…" He paused. "Because I won't lose you too."