Now Harry wore the puzzled expression. "Why would I?" he replied. "Like you said, I asked you to take care of me."
"Well, yes," Snape admitted, "but you didn't ask for me to adopt you."
The beaming smile that spread across Harry's face seriously confused the dour professor.
"Yeah, I know," Harry agreed happily. "I never would've asked for something like that. I mean, that's like asking for the biggest, best present in the whole world! Even Draco would've been too shy to ask for something like that, but you gave it to me anyway."
Snape's mouth opened and closed, but no sound emerged. Had the little fiend just suggested that being adopted by him was equivalent to "the biggest, best present in the whole world"? He fought down the urge to clean out his ears. "Well... so long as you're pleased," he finally managed to mumble, and then the brat's pointy forehead crashed into his breastbone and he was rendered wholly incapable of speech. At least that's how he explained his inarticulateness to himself.
Harry finally lifted his head from his da's robes and wiped his eyes. He really needed to stop bawling like a girl every time his da did something nice for him, though he figured that getting adopted was special enough that even a grown up might blub a bit.
"I'll be a really good son," he promised fiercely. "You'll see."
"Silly child." Snape's voice was unaccountably hoarse to his own ears. "You have already proven yourself to be a g-good son," he stumbled slightly over the unaccustomed words. "Though I will of course expect you to continue to behave yourself and act with appropriate decorum," he added quickly, never one to miss an opportunity to remind the brat of his obligations.
"I will!" Harry vowed, so overcome by the enormity of his father's actions that he didn't even roll his eyes at the stern words.
"Hmf." Snape didn't actually snort in derision, but he made it plain that he had a very realistic view of a 12 year old's usual conduct.
"Erm, DaтАж" Harry said tentatively. "Can I тАУ y'know тАУ tell anyone?"
Snape gave a long-suffering sigh and realized his arm was, for some inexplicable reason, still draped around the boy's shoulders. He quickly removed it, even as he said, "I believe that the other faculty are planning to hold some sort ofтАж festivityтАж tomorrow. You should speak with your Head of House to ensure that your friends are included."
Harry bounced up excitedly. "Wow! A party? For us? Wicked!" He darted for the door. "I'll be sure t'tell Moony тАУ I mean, Professor Lupin тАУ that you like those little spice biscuits that Dobby makes."
"Potter! Don't you dare тАУ " Snape began. It would do his reputation no good for his addiction to the house elf's baked goods to become public knowledge.
But before he could finish his stiff injunction, Harry had returned and thrown himself back into his da's arms, knocking the startled man against the sofa cushions. "Thank you thank you thank you!" the boy whispered. "You're the best da ever!"
And then he was gone, pelting out the door as if a horde of Death Eaters were in hot pursuit. Snape looked after him, feeling rather as if he'd been hit with a Confundus charm. Potter was happy, no, ecstatic, to have been adopted by him? Perhaps тАУ just perhaps тАУ he wasn't quite as horrible at this parenting thing as he had fearedтАж
TBC...
*Chapter 58*: Chapter 58
The party celebrating Harry's adoption was quite the event. It seemed as if half the Wizarding world was present, and reports of its splendor dominated the gossip pages of the Prophet for several days.
It was as if the other teachers had conspired to make up for every missed birthday and unsung achievement in both Harry's and Severus' lives with one glorious celebration, and Harry's incandescent smile practically lit the room. It was nice to have a party thrown for him, but what made it really special тАУ and allowed Harry to overcome his natural shyness тАУ was that it was for his da as well. Commemorating the fact that neither of them would ever be alone again was, for him, the best possible reason to celebrate.
To his own surprise, Snape rather enjoyed the festivities, as most of the adult guests made a point of coming over to congratulate or praise him. This was so far outside his normal range of experience that he quite forgot to sneer disparagingly. And on the rare occasion when someone had the bad taste to express doubt or concern over his suitability, he was shocked to find an outraged Black or Lupin by his side, bristling with offense on his behalf. He even managed to tolerate Dumbledore's nauseating smile тАУ and the twinkling eyes that said "I told you so" тАУ though that might have been due to the numerous congratulatory toasts. If he hadn't known the old coot better, he would have sworn the aged wizard was smirking.
As much as he enjoyed the party, Harry was relieved that тАУ when it was over тАУ things at school went back to normal. Oh, the other kids expressed their appreciation that he had provided them with such a gala event, but to everyone at Hogwarts, Harry's belonging to Snape was old news. The adoption didn't seem to change anything between the two, so it made no difference to anyone else either. Harry happily slipped back into the relative anonymity that he craved and was soon once again caught up in the naughty plot to incite a prank war between the Ravens and the 'Puffs.
Albus had taken the occasion of the adoption party to pull Bill Weasley aside and, as expected, the eldest Weasley was happy to help. Like the rest of his family, he had become very fond of Harry, and he had heard from his mother of Snape's miraculously transforming the twins from annoying troublemakers to budding businessmen. As a result, he was eager to do what he could.
Two days after the party, he returned to the castle and listened closely to his former Headmaster and Head of House. McGonagall and Dumbledore provided him with a carefully edited version of events, and Bill agreed to think it over and return with his suggestions in a week's time. To everyone's astonishment, when he returned, it was with permission from the goblins to enter Bellatrix's vault and, if a Dark artifact was present, to remove or destroy it. The faculty, gathered in the Headmaster's office, gaped at him.
"How in Merlin's name did you accomplish that, Mr Weasley?" Minerva asked in utter incredulity.
Bill grinned. "Well, I more or less pledged my brother." At their astonished stares, he laughed outright. "Percy's talked to me about his coming to work with the goblins when he finishes school, and so I made a bargain with the goblins at Gringotts. I explained that there's a dangerous item in Bellatrix Black LeStrange's vault that, frankly, they would be better off not having on their premises. The deal is that if they help us to remove the item, they'll get another Weasley wizard working for them."
"Surely it wasn't that simple, Mr Weasley," Snape said silkily. "The goblins did not acquire their reputation by being so accommodating."
Bill cleared his throat, looking a little uncomfortable. "Not exactly," he admitted reluctantly. "The deal is that if they let you into the vault and you don't find your missing artifact, then Percy and I will work for them for the next 20 yearsтАж for free."
Poppy gasped in horror. "You indentured your brother for 20 years!"
"Only if we don't find something," Bill said, forcing a smile. "So let's all hope that you do. But Professor Snape is correct тАУ the goblins play for keeps. I needed something big to make it worth their while, and that's what they wanted. I guess when Percy came to visit me over the hols, they thought he had potential or something, but that's what they demanded. It's not as if you're going to be able to gain access to the vault without their cooperation, so I did what I had to do. You said this could be the key to You-Know-Who's defeat; I figured it was worth it."