A New Beginning

Chapter 7: Adoptions Make a Family

Harry woke up the next morning feeling both nervous and excited. And wasn't that a shock? He hadn't been excited in… well, a long time. But… But he might be getting adopted today.

Hopefully.

So long as all goes well.

He was going to have a proper family.

Then, of course, the morning sickness kicked in. But he didn't mind as he stumbled out of bed and towards the bathroom to relieve his stomach. He even managed somewhat of a smile, that really looked more like a grimace, as he felt a large, comforting hand on his back, rubbing gentle circles into it and easing the tension there.

When he was done he leaned back into the embrace that was waiting for him and sighed happily as the man who may soon be his actual mother gently wiped his face with a cool, damp flannel.

"Would you like to try a morning sickness relieving potion?" Severus asked gently.

"N-no," Harry whispered.

"Okay. That's okay. Are you ready to get ready for the day? The goblins are coming here, but they can either meet us in one of the family rooms, or come to the bedroom. It is up to you where you feel the most comfortable," Severus said.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Harry said, smiling slightly as Severus helped him up.

"And do you want a bath, to relax and maybe help with the nausea? Or do you just want to have a good wash?" Severus asked, concern in his eyes.

"Erm, can I have a bath please?" Harry said.

"Of course," Severus nodded, "I will run it for you whilst you brush your teeth. Do you want me to stay with you again?" he said as he moved to run the bath.

"Yes, please," Harry muttered, feeling weak for needing the man close to him. But he… he needed a barrier, a protector, someone who cared near him. He needed to feel cared for and loved.

He didn't want to be alone.

He hadn't been truly alone since he found out about the baby.

He couldn't risk being alone with them.

And he didn't want to risk it now.

What if something happened?

What if a Death Eater came along?

What if all the spells and potions caught up to his body again?

What if..?

No, he couldn't be alone.

Not yet.

Perhaps not even any time soon.

He wanted to feel safe.

Was that so much to ask?

Sev made him feel safe.

And… And he knew what to do if something went wrong.

Harry brushed his teeth and washed his face, trying to forget all the bad things. Trying to focus on the good. The adoption.

His new, real, family.

Soon he was climbing into the warm, bubbly water, and laid back against the back of the tub, legs stretched in front of him as his head rested on the little pillow that Severus had placed there for him. His hands resting on his small bump as he tried to relax. And Severus took his seat on the floor next to the bath, running his fingers gently through Harry's hair.

"Erm, so you said the other day that when the goblins test me they will find out the gender of the baby. So, we'll know today?" Harry said distractedly.

"You can know, if you want to know. If you don't want to then we won't show you the results. Although, Narcissa and I already know. We found out when we tested your magic," Severus grinned slightly.

"And you didn't tell me?" Harry said, shocked.

"You said you didn't know if you wanted to know yet. I thought I would wait to mention it until you had decided," Severus said gently.

"R-right. So… you know?" Harry said, needing to be sure.

"Yes," Severus said.

Harry's throat bobbed and constricted with emotion as his thumb rubbed against the curve of his belly.

"I want to know, but," tears filled Harry's eyes, "I'm scared,"

"What are you scared of, Harry?" Severus asked, his voice soft, and full of concern.

"What if… What if something happens? What if I lose them? What if they are taken from me? What if..? I-I don't want to-to be too attached," Harry said as the tears finally fell.

Merlin, he was a wreck.

"Harry, child, I think we already know that you are inexplicably attached to your child," Severus said, pain etched into his voice, "It's hard not to be when you can feel them, their magic, their energy. And yes, all the possibilities are scary, especially after what you've already been through, but not knowing whether you're having a boy or a girl won't make anything hurt any less if something were to go wrong. If you truly want to know, then ask. But if you want to wait, then that is fine, too. And if you want to wait until you have given birth, then that is also okay,"

Harry nodded, looking down at his little bump… and he needed to know. He wanted to know.

Desperately.

He wanted to know if he was having a little boy or a little girl. And Severus was probably right in saying that if something did happen then not knowing wouldn't make it hurt any less.

He already loved his baby more than anything else in the world.

Yes, he was young, but he had wanted a family his whole bloody life. Someone who would love him unconditionally, and whom he could love the same way.

And this… his baby was that for him. No matter what. His baby was his true, blood family. His baby was everything.

So yes, he wanted to know. Needed to know.

But Merlin did all the 'what if's hurt.

"C-can you tell me, please? I don't want to find out from the goblins. I want to find out from you," Harry whispered, looking up at Severus with pleading eyes.

"Are you sure, Harry? You don't need to know now if you're not ready," Severus said.

"I need to know. I want to know. I just… it hurts. But I want to know, please," Harry said.

"Okay, if you're sure," Harry nodded, and Severus smiled, eyes warm and full of understanding, "You're having a little girl, Harry,"

It was as if everything stopped as his heart and soul filled with love, and hope, and awe, and joy, and… everything.

"A-a girl? Really?" Harry breathed, lips wobbling slightly even as they turned up at the sides.

"Really," Severus nodded, a small smile on his face also.

Harry couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face as he moved to hug Severus, trying not to get the man too wet, although a rather large part of him didn't care as the man wrapped his own arms around him and held him as close as he could given the edge of the bath was between them.

And, of course, Harry started crying again, but it was mostly happy tears that time.

He was having a little girl.

He was going to have a daughter.

His baby was a girl.

"Does Tom know?" Harry asked.

"No. I wanted you to know first, or for you to find out together," Severus said.

"Oh, do you think he will be mad that I had you tell me without him?" Harry asked worriedly as he pulled back, laying back down and placing his hands back on his belly.

"I'm sure he will understand, Harry. At least this way you can be the one to tell him," Severus said, smiling as he placed a gentle kiss on Harry's forehead.

"I'm going to have a daughter," Harry breathed, a smile on his face, trying not to think about the possibilities. The bad ones anyway.

"You're going to have a daughter," Severus said, smiling at Harry as he ran his fingers through the teen's messy hair.

…

Harry was sitting on his bed with Severus and the twins when Tom entered with a familiar looking goblin.

"Hello Griphook, how are you today?" Harry asked kindly, settling back into the pillows between his spine and the headboard.

Griphook, Severus and Tom looked at Harry in shock, and almost awe, which confused Harry greatly.

"Erm, is everything okay?" Harry asked.

"You remembered my name, Mr Potter. Even though we have only met once," Griphook said, clearly trying to hide how stunned he was.

"Well, yeah. You took me to my vault, and Hagrid to get the stone for Dumbledore when I re-entered the wizarding world," Harry said, still confused.

"Hmph, indeed. But most wizards don't take the time or energy to remember a goblin's name. Especially if that goblin is not their account manager, and is just a goblin that takes people to their vaults," Griphook said.

"That makes no sense," Harry said, "You are the ones who handle our money, our properties, investments, and whatever else. We should respect you enough to know your names. You are incredibly important to society, the ones who make us able to keep things moving. You should be recognised for that,"

Griphook smirked, but there was a happy glint in his eyes which you could see if you looked close enough, "You, Mr Potter, are what us goblins would prefer all wizards and witches were like. And I think you will be able to accomplish wonderful things for the country, if you want to put your mind and heart to it,"

Harry blushed slightly, looking down at his curled legs.

"Anyhow, I believe we are here to talk about guardianship," Griphook said.

"Yes," Severus said, "Harry, Fred and George are all in need of a new guardian, and we were hoping I would be able to adopt them all,"

"And why, Mr Snape, are they are all in need of new guardians? I do believe the twins have living parents, and they are of age," Griphook said as he sat in the chair Tom conjured for him, as Tom sat in another.

Severus looked at Harry and the twins with a questioning look.

"Can you explain, please?" Harry whispered.

Severus nodded and turned to look back at Griphook, squeezing Harry's hand in reassurance as he did so. And so Severus explained everything that had happened. Everything. From the duel, to Harry fainting and ending up in Headquarters, to the Order trying to kill his baby at every opportunity, to Harry and the twins escaping and making their way here, to Harry almost losing the baby, to Harry's magic being weak and them being unsure whether Harry's body and magic will be able to keep the pregnancy going for what was supposed to be the length of the pregnancy.

Everything.

And boy did Griphook look beyond angry.

"Right," Griphook said, voice shaking somewhat, "Well then, I will need to do an inheritance test on all of you before I can proceed, if you are agreeable. Mr Potter, do you know the gender of your child? If you don't want to know I won't show you your results,"

"I know," Harry smiled, and chuckled slightly when Tom sputtered.

"You know?" Tom said in shock.

"Yes. Do you want to know?" Harry said, smiling at the man.

"I… Yes, please," Tom breathed.

"Well then… I wonder if she will have your eyes or mine," Harry said.

"It's a girl!" the twins exclaimed excitedly, gently crushing Harry in their arms as they cheered.

"Oh, this is amazing! Georgie, we're going to have a niece," Fred beamed at his twin and Harry just smiled in their arms, looking over George's shoulder to find Tom staring at him in awe, and shock, and… something else that sent flutters through his body.

After everything had calmed down they went straight to work with the tests. Tests that revealed Harry as the Heir of the Potter, Black and Peverell Houses, and Severus as the Heir of the Prince family, and able to take over as Lord if he wanted to.

And that was a shock for both of them who didn't know too much about all the politics of the world, but they accepted their titles, knowing they could come in handy at some point.

There would be no trouble with Severus adopting Harry, since the Headmaster wasn't doing his job as Harry's magical guardian correctly, based on the evidence provided by Severus of Harry's abuse, and the attempted termination against Harry's consent.

The twins, however, were supposed to be more difficult due to the fact their parents were still alive, and they were of age. Except that there was a clause in the Weasley family charter that stated if a child of the family (whether of age or not) were in danger from their parents, then they could allow themselves to be removed from the family and adopted by someone else.

And since the whole of the Order, including Molly and Arthur, turned on Fred and George for actively protecting Harry and his unborn child, physically harming them multiple times, the adoption was able to go ahead. Which was certainly a bloody relief for them all.

A blood adoption was offered also, for the twins and Severus anyway since a blood adoption would potentially cause more complications with Harry's pregnancy, but the option was available for when he had given birth, and he could do it for his daughter also, so that she was biologically Severus' granddaughter.

And then it was done, after a lot of paperwork and the twins opting to wait until Harry and the baby could do the blood adoption to do it themselves so they could do it together, as a family.

And Harry didn't think he would stop smiling as his new family embraced for the first time.

Not for a little while anyway.

Hiya, how are you all?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully it wasn't too emotional, haha. So... what's going to happen now I wonder? More of Tom's reaction to his daughter will come in the next chapter. But what else? Where is this story going to go? What would you like to see, even if it is just something small? Also, what should they call their baby girl, I wonder? I have some ideas, but we shall have to see. Feel free to make suggestions though.

Anywho, I posted an essay/petition where I (un)officially explain why I think I should be cast as my favourite character, Severus Snape, in the new HBO series, despite the fact that I am a woman. It would mean a lot if you went and read it, but no pressure. It isn't going to lead to anything, unless, by some miracle, it goes viral, but it was fun to write. It is on my AO3, Maraudering_Paige. Feel free to go and check it out.

Also, I am working on some Spotify playlists for my fanfics, so if you can think of any songs you think work with the stories as they are so far, or where you think they are going, or songs that give you the vibes you get from the stories, then please do let me know and I will give them a listen, then potentially add them to the playlists. I will let you know as soon as they are ready, though it may take a few weeks because life.

I have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are all welcome to join if you would like to and are able to. It is where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfics, life, share memes and more. It is also where I have somewhat of an update schedule for my fics and will be keeping you up to date on what I am working on, in regards to fanfics, original works, and more things. So if you are interested in joining then I am more than happy to accept you all.

I also now have a TikTok and an Instagram for my fanfic writing escapades. The username is maraudering_paige on both of them so feel free to follow me, and we shall see how often and what kinds of content I can post when I can. But it is another way for me to keep you all up to date if you don't have Facebook and such, and for me to spread the word about other things I am working on and things I want to do and such. So yeah, feel free to join me on those if you are able.

And finally, if you like poems, then I write them and I have started a where you can read 1 or more poems every month depending on how many I have the time to post. You also get access to information about my original books I am working on before anyone else. For £2.22 a month. If you would like to join me over there and read some rants I call poems, and get updates on original work, then you may. My username over there is Paige_Makepeace. No pressure, by the way, you certainly do not have to if you can't or don't want to. I understand. I just thought it would be a cool thing to try.

If there are any other platforms you think I should join you all on then let me know and I will have a think.

I hope you are having an amazing day!

Kind regards,

Paige xx