It was quiet. Harry, still knocked out, muttered Severus's name. Yes, Severus gave Harry permission to use it, with the Malfoys or when they were alone. This was in the Hogwarts infirmary, in front of Minerva, Albus, Remus, Sirius, Horace, then a small handful of students. Draco obviously knew the truth, and it made sense why in this state of almost dying, Harry might want Severus's comfort; their bond wanting them close to one another.
However, in this kind of setting, Severus couldn't just get closer to Harry to hold his hand, cuddle up, or even kiss his forehead to whisper that he was there for him. Obviously, Harry sensed Severus close because the boy turned his unconscious form towards the potions master. Not even at that, he spoke Severus, the man's first name.
Students weren't supposed to use that and Draco's only pass on using the man's first name was if there was an Uncle in front of it to say Uncle Severus, or Uncle Sev and Draco only usually used that privately. Remus too, knew that Harry and Severus were bonded, but he had sworn to the teenager he wouldn't say a word to Sirius, so he wasn't saying anything about this.
Severus had no idea what he could even say right now, what excuse could he give to why Harry had turned in his direction and was muttering his first name, especially when everyone believed that Severus and Harry hated one another. There was trying to act like it wasn't a big deal, but it would never work. Then there was the obvious answer; tell everyone the truth.
"Why is he calling you by first name, Snivellus?" Sirius was the one to break the silence.
"How should I know, Black?" Severus remarked, feigning innocence and going with his first idea of how to handle this.
"Don't you play innocent, you dungeon git!" Sirius glared. "Why is my godson calling you by first name, and it wasn't just a slip of drugged up tongue because he is unconscious and somehow still turned his head towards you. He knows you're here! You speak up right now, or so help me-,"
"You'll do what?" Severus responded calmly. "Lose control of your temper that your godson prefers his teacher's presence over yours?" He scoffed. No, Severus wasn't doing this. Not with Sirius. If the truth came out, so be it, but Severus would not let Sirius take up the protective godfather role after what he did to Harry. It was what Sirius did that got Harry to come to Severus and ask him for marriage to activate a loophole in not needing a guardian as a minor if he had a spouse.
"Then he would have called you as all the kids have! Professor Snape. Not Severus, he called you by first name and the students aren't allowed to do that. I'm sure your own godson is an exception, but Harry is nothing more than your student; he has no reason to address you otherwise." Sirius argued as he drew his wand from his inner pocket.
"Sirius Black!" Poppy scolded. "You put that wand away right now, young man. I will not have fighting in my wing or around one of my patients."
"I swear to God, you rotten, dirty death eater…You tell me what is going on or I'll hex you to the afterlife." Sirius remarked.
"Good luck with that, Black," Severus responded calmly. "But do remember your own words that I knew more curses and hexes before I stepped foot in Hogwarts as a student than anyone else. You don't stand a chance against me." Severus told him. "Calm yourself."
"I will not!" Sirius snapped. "What did you do to my godson!"
"Letting your anger get the better of you? Go ahead, argue with me in front of him…Wake him up and let him yell at you for giving me a hard time, just like fourth year when he was in the hospital." Severus challenged. "I dare you."
Sirius flinched, recalling that incident. "Sirius, don't be a fool." Remus put a hand on Sirius's shoulder to pull him back from his inching towards Severus.
"No, Remus! I know something is going on!" Sirius shrugged the man off him. "I know my godson is living with you during the holidays, Snape. He told me himself on New Year's Eve. He told me he called in the life debt you owed James and he's staying with you. Now, what did you do to him!" Sirius aimed his wand at Severus.
There went any chance Severus had at getting out of telling the truth. It got everyone's attention at what Sirius admitted, Harry calling in the debt and living with Severus. "Be that as it may, it doesn't mean I've done anything to Potter other than give him a stable home to live in. Something you and Albus are clearly incapable of doing."
If this was going to happen, Severus was taking his shots where he could get them. "I won't raise my wand against you. Potter asked us not to fight one another two years ago, and I've not forgotten the request. For reasons I'll never understand, Harry loves you like a father or uncle and I won't disrespect him by attacking you. But the warning laid out, Black, if you hurt him again; I won't hold back."
"Severus, you admit that Harry called in a life debt you owed his father, and he's residing at your house during holidays from school?" Minerva inquired.
"There's no point denying it." Severus stated.
"What's a life debt?" Seamus asked.
"It's like a magical binding I Owe You." Hermione said. "It means that Harry's father did something to put Professor Snape in his debt, but because Mr. Potter is deceased; the debt transfers to his next of kin, which is Harry…So Harry can call it in and collect on the owing."
"What debt did you owe James?" Albus inquired.
"In our fifth year as students…Sirius knew I was trying to figure out why Lupin was always disappearing on the full moon. Sirius told me where to look and catch him, so I went on a full moon and came up against Remus transformed. James was there, he protected me from Remus and saved my life before getting me away safely. He saved my life, so I owed him my life which created the life debt." Severus informed.
"And what is all this with Harry calling it in?" Minerva demanded.
"Potter came to me at the end of his fifth year, calling in the life debt that I let him live with me so he could get away from his godfather. I agreed." Severus lied. If he could avoid talking about the marriage, he would.
"No, I don't believe that. Not after all the years of hell you've given Harry. There's more to this…" Sirius said.
"Give it a rest, Black." Severus commented. "The more to this is that you messed up enough that your godson needed protection from you and he chose me to protect him. This goes right back to what I said that he prefers a teacher who gave him hell for years over you." He folded his arms over one another.
"The more to this is that you couldn't accept James is gone and tried to turn Harry into him. That your mental stability is nil from twelve years in Azkaban, immediately after losing one of your best friends. You hurt your godson because you wanted him to be James, that you couldn't stop seeing James. Calling him James."
"You just did it on the New Year's Eve celebration at Malfoy Manor and I've got all those kids as witnesses to you saying Harry is James. You can't accept his death because he looks just like his father. I scolded you once for trying to turn Harry into his father, don't make me tell you again. I promised Harry you'd never hurt him again and I'm a man of my word." Severus stepped closer to Harry's bed now, wand slipping down from his sleeve, but it was out defensively, to protect Harry.
"Severus…" Albus sighed. "You have no claim to have Harry at your house; you're not his guardian."
"And you're not innocent in this either, Albus." Severus commented. "You've also endangered Harry with your choice in residences for the boy."
"I assure you I have no idea what you're-," Albus began.
"You put Harry with Petunia's family, Albus. They hate magic!" Severus glared. It wasn't often the man lost his composure, and more so that this was over Harry. "You're the one who sent Black after Pettigrew and if you stayed well enough out of it; Harry wouldn't have grown up being abused and starved by those people."
"You forced Harry to stay there for ten years, and a further two more summers beyond that and he told you every single end of term that he didn't want to go back and you ignored him. Don't you dare tell me he was safer behind those ridiculous blood wards!" Severus snapped. "I have full claim over Harry and he's staying with me."
"You have no custody over Harry. I do because I'm his godfather. You taking him is illegal and kidnapping! I'll have you arrested." Sirius threatened. "Call the aurors, Albus."
"Sirius, you don't mean that…" Albus tried.
"I've never been more sure." Sirius glared.
This was bad. Harry was unconscious and without him awake to confirm anything; Severus just looked like a liar and that he had kidnapped Harry. God it would look worse if he revealed they were married, but perhaps it was worth a shot. "I didn't kidnap him; he came to me." Severus said. "His residing with me is perfectly legal, Black."
"It is not and I'll see you imprisoned for whatever you've done to him." Sirius stated.
"Oh, for God's sake…" Severus sighed. "Harry is emancipated from needing a guardian as a minor because he is married!"
The room went silent.
"What?..." Sirius froze. "What did he just say, Remus?..."
"I believe Severus just said Harry is married, which emancipates him from needing a legal guardian due to him being under seventeen." Remus repeated.
"Harry is married. Bonded, in fact, to me. I am more than his teacher, and head of house…I am his husband. My rights as his spouse override you as guardian because marriage emancipates him as an adult." Severus explained. "That is what Harry called in for the life debt. Not to live with me, to marry me, so he could be emancipated as an adult and get away from you, Black."
"This is worse!" Sirius snapped. "You married a sixteen-year-old and all bonds have to be consummated! You had sex with him! He's a child! Albus, I want him arrested!"
"I'm sorry, Severus…Not even I can protect you from this one. Sirius is right. Minerva…Summon the aurors." Albus sighed softly.
Yeah, this was bad. Severus wanted Harry to wake up, he said he would take care of this. It didn't take long, despite the time. Two aurors showed up with Minerva not more than ten minutes later.
"I want this man arrested for kidnapping, unlawful marriage and sleeping with a child." Sirius demanded.
"Let's just calm down and do this properly…" One auror spoke. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks. Thank God, people from the Order. It might go better because they knew Severus wasn't a bad person.
"Pr-Properly?! He just admitted to marrying my godson!" Sirius yelled.
"Severus? Is this true…?" Kingsley inquired.
"It is." Severus nodded.
"Uncle Sev…Want me to call my father here?" Draco inquired. "As he officiated it?"
"You knew about this, Malfoy?" Ron finally spoke.
"My family witnessed the entire thing. My father officiated it. Severus and Harry have been married since August 2nd, 1996. Two days after Harry turned sixteen." Draco said calmly.
"Alright, let's calm down and get the story…" Tonks remarked. "Severus? How did this come on? Why is Harry in the hospital? We need the whole thing…"
Severus sighed and began to recant how things happened tonight where Draco was hit with a love potion from Ginny that was intended for Harry, but then Horace served poisoned alcohol to students, not that he knew it was tampered with, and Harry was the one who drank first and ended up poisoned. Draco saved Harry with a bezoar, now recovering and unconscious. Then Severus explained the story of how he and Harry ended up married.
"He admitted to it, arrest him!" Sirius demanded.
"Severus…I don't know how this will go, but…Harry is still an underage wizard and you not only married him, but slept with him. I have to take you in." Kingsley stated.
"You finally get what you deserve, Snape…" Sirius grinned.
"Sirius Orion Black! That is enough!" Harry's voice made everyone look at him as he was now awake, attempting to sit up, but still weak. "That is so enough with all the immature arguing. Sirius, I warned you once before to stop starting shit with Severus."
"Harry! He married and had sex with you! It's illegal!" Sirius said.
"He didn't force me into it, Sirius. I asked him to do what he did…To get away from you after what happened." Harry said. "You damn well know what you did too, so don't act innocent. The only thing Severus has done to me is protect me all these years."
"Who else was I supposed to turn to? Might as well be the only person who has never let me down. Grudge of the past or not, he's always been there in his own way to keep me safe. So watch it with the insults towards him, he's been here for me a hell of a lot more than others have."
"Pup, I've always loved and been-," Sirius tried.
"No, you haven't! You spent twelve years in Azkaban for listening to that one instead of taking me in!" Harry pointed to Albus in whom he referenced. "Mum and dad chose you to care for me if something happened to them. You were a free man, Sirius. You hadn't gone after Pettigrew, or gotten framed. You had me, in your arms, when Hagrid came on the headmaster's orders. You CHOSE to hand me over, you gave up your custody for a chance at revenge."
"You could have refused and then the headmaster had no legal claim to MAKE you give me up. You chose to lose me for twelve years and ten of those years were stuck in a house I was hated in, being abused and starved because that one," He motioned to Albus again.
"Said it was for my own safety. I'd have rather taken my chances literally anywhere else. I'd have preferred the streets than living there. But did I get a choice? No. My entire life thus far has been being made to do things I don't want to. It ends now." Harry said firmly, trying to get out of the bed.
"Harry…" Severus got closer now. "You need to stay down and rest…I will handle this."
"I'm fine, Sev." Harry told him. "You stay right here and let me handle it. I promised you that you wouldn't face negative fallout for this, that I would handle things if something like this happened…" He reminded as he grabbed the man's arm and pulled Severus beside him protectively, then stood up slowly, and pulled his wand. Draco too now moved to Severus's other side, wand was ready to protect his godfather alongside Harry.
"Harry, we do have to take-," Tonks started.
"No, you do not. You have no grounds to arrest him. Our marriage is entirely legal, filed properly in the right department, courtesy of Lord Lucius Malfoy." Harry stated. "Draco, call your father. He'll settle this. No one is going anywhere." He continued.
"Madam Pomfrey, may I use your fireplace?" Draco asked.
Poppy only nodded, still taking the information in. Draco went over to the woman's fireplace, and called the manor to get his father there. It didn't take very long, but Draco returned with Lucius and Narcissa walking on either side of him.
"Harry and Severus have done nothing wrong." Lucius stated. "The two married and bonded August 2, 1996, at Malfoy Manor. I officiated the ceremony, and filed the paperwork. My wife and I both signed as legal aged witnesses. This was the ceremony chosen," He held up the book of marriage rituals. "I left it bookmarked."
"And we've brought the wedding album. I had planned to present it to the boys on their one year anniversary, but…You'll find it documents each step of the ceremony. My husband, son, and I will provide memory proof as well." Narcissa added.
"Harry was of legal age to consent." Draco mentioned.
"Yes, legal age to consent to sexual relations is sixteen…If both people are the same age. Severus is a full grown adult sleeping with someone underage, the only way this would be legal was if Harry was seventeen." Kingsley informed.
Severus knew this was going downhill. Harry couldn't protect him, no matter what. Perhaps the bond couldn't be broken between them, but Severus would still end up in Azkaban. "And what if I happen to be considered seventeen?" Harry asked.
"If you were such, then it's legal, but you are n-," Tonks started.
"You'll find that I am, actually." Harry remarked.
"Harry, you're only sixteen until July 31st," Albus sighed.
"Butt out, would you?" Harry stated. "Two years ago, if anyone cares to remember, I was forced to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Right, we all recall when my name came out of the goblet and I was told I had to compete or lose my magic?" Everyone nodded.
"Fantastic. The age limit set for competing in the tournaments was seventeen, was it not? Only those who were seventeen could cross the age-line and have a chance to be chosen. I, however, did not enter my own name. I never would have crossed the line given I was fourteen. But someone did enter my name. Barty Crouch Jr, polyjuiced as Moody."
"The goblet accepted my name, and selected me to compete even after three champions were chosen. It means I was bound to the contract stating I was seventeen and able to compete. When the goblet chose me, and I was given permission to compete to avoid losing my magic by my guardian, at the time, Sirius; I was considered an adult. Seventeen."
"That is not how it works! Your age goes by the year you were born." Sirius said. "You're not seventeen yet."
"Technically, no…I'm not. But legally…I'm considered an adult and have been since the tournament." Harry countered. "Lord Malfoy, care to check the logistics on that?"
"Harry's correct." Lucius confirmed. "The rules of the tournament were that only seventeen and older students could compete in such. Harry may not have submitted his own name, but his name was entered by another, therefore…Harry is legally considered an adult and has been since 1994."
"Legally, Harry was emancipated as an adult at fourteen because of his name being entered." The man explained. "Legally, Harry married Severus as an adult and you can't arrest Severus for sleeping with a sixteen-year-old because in the eyes of the ministry and wizarding community; Harry is considered an adult."
Okay, Severus wasn't expecting this. Why hadn't Harry ever mentioned this being his backup plan. Technically, Harry didn't need the marriage to Severus to get out guardianship if he was already considered an adult. They'd have to talk about that later. Or maybe he didn't know until recently? They would talk later.
"Teacher/Student relationships are still forbidden!" Minerva remarked.
"We weren't breaking any rules, Minerva. Harry and I stayed entirely professional during school hours." Severus commented. "Anything after classes ended for the day, or the weekends, the holidays…Entirely allowed. Harry isn't considered my student if he isn't in my class and we never did anything or behaved anything but teacher and student when he was in my classroom."
"Albus!?" Minerva looked at him.
"Regrettably, Minerva…Severus is correct. There are no rules against the two of them being a married couple after school hours, regardless of the fact that Severus is a teacher and Harry's head of house." Albus informed. "I can't expel Harry for the relationship, nor can I terminate Severus's contract."
"Even if they've…Gotten intimate on campus?" Minerva asked.
"If it was kept private to Severus's personal chamber, yes. There's no rules against such acts if they were outside the parameters of being teacher and student. Severus wasn't in the student dorms with Harry, and Harry wasn't in Severus's office when these times happened; they've broken no rules." Albus said.
"You'll find, Auror Shacklebolt and Auror Tonks, that all is legal order. There are no grounds to arrest Severus." Lucius handed over a folder of documents, copies of the filings at the ministry.
Tonks and Kingsley looked at one another, and sighed before handing the documents and album back to the Malfoys. "Sirius…It's all legal. We can't arrest him." Tonks told the dog animagus.
It really was all real. Harry and Severus were married…Bonded. Officially, and legally.