Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dear Mister Prince,

I know you don’t know me, but I received a letter today from my mother, which was weird because my mum is dead. It came from a bank called Gringotts and they said that my mum had very strict instructions not to send this until I’d turned ten years old. Well I’m ten now, as of today, and I’m… very confused. There’s a picture in the letter of my mum and a man who I believe to be you. (And the picture moves! Can you believe that? I’ve never seen a moving picture before! I didn’t know they could do that!)

My mum wrote that something bad might happen to her and she wanted me to know everything just in case. She didn’t say what she was scared of, but it makes me think maybe she didn’t die in a car crash like my aunt said she did. Anyway, in the letter she told me that, while she is my real mum, James Potter blood adopted me after I was born to protect me because my real dad would have been in danger if anyone knew about me. She also said that if I was ever in trouble or needed help that I could write to you and you would respond. She said to just put the letter on the windowsill and an owl would pick it up. An owl! I think it’s rather silly, really, and I don’t know if I believe her… or any of this really… but I figure it doesn’t hurt to try. And if nothing happens, well then I’m the only one to know how silly I am right?

Anyway, I know you don’t know me, and mum says you don’t even know I exist, so I’m not mad at you for not helping me before. But um… well, I could use help now if you’d be willing. I’m ten today, you see, and my aunt and uncle hate it when it’s my birthday, so they left for vacation with my cousin Dudley. It’s been great! Because I have the whole house to myself for a whole two weeks! But… well, my Aunt forgot to buy groceries before she left and I ran out a few days ago. But I’m not allowed to go grocery shopping without an adult, so I was just wondering maybe if you’d come help me get some groceries?

It seems a silly thing to ask I guess when we’ve never met… but mum said you’d help and I’m really hungry.

Sincerely,

Harry James Potter

PS. Are you REALLY a prince? Does that make me a prince?

PPS. Mum also wrote you a letter and asked that I give it to you. I’ve included it in this post but I promise I didn’t read it!

My Dearest Severus,

If you are reading this letter, then Harry is alive and must have contacted you because I am gone. I’m not sure what’s happened to lead to this, but please know that I sincerely, and utterly forgive you for whatever has happened. Times right now are dark and I know you are… lost. I truly hope you’ve found your way back to the light, and I trust the goblins would not have sent this letter if they were not sure of your allegiances. That being said, I’m truly sorry for everything you are about to learn. I had not meant to keep this from you, but with us on opposite sides of the war, it did not seem safe at the time to inform you of the truth.

The truth being that Harry is your son.

I cannot assume to know what’s passed since I wrote this letter, but I can only imagine it was terrible. Please know I do not blame you, not for anything that has happened or will happen. I never could.

I’ve loved you Severus, ever since we were children, and I will never stop loving you.

I am sure you are confused, but please trust me that it is all true. If you don’t, then visit Gringotts and ask to see Griphook. He will see to it that you’re well informed of the various birth forms I’ve hidden away with him, as he is my private accounts manager. With everything happening recently, James and I were hesitant on who we could and could not trust. Right now, the people we know for a fact are true to us, and in extension, to our son, are Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. I would add you to the list, however with you lost right now, I think it best to wait until you have once again found your mind.

I know you will probably be furious about James, but a blood adoption was the best way to keep Harry safe at the time with you… lost as you were. Surely you will be asking why he would have agreed to such a thing, why he wasn’t furious about an affair when we were already married, but- well Severus, the fact of the matter is that I never loved James Potter, not like I loved you. We entered into our marriage as best friends, and as a way to hide the truth that could have ruined James long before his career could even start. I’m sure you’ll remember Padfoot and Moony, and I can assure you that James has always loved them both much more than he has ever loved me. Our marriage was a means to an end, a way to hide a secret. Make no mistake, I love James. He is my family, but he will never hold my heart like you have, and his heart belongs to others.

This letter is dragging on and I have little time left to write it. I’m truly sorry, Severus, for everything that’s happened between us. For allowing you to push me away and lose yourself to him. I’ll never truly forgive myself for any part of the war I’ve participated in, but most of all for keeping this secret from you.

I’ve written two letters for you, one to be given to you if Harry needed help after his 10^th birthday, and one to be given to you upon his arrival at Hogwarts so you are not terribly surprised to see him, just in case he never wrote. I know reading this means I’m dead, but I can only hope Harry is safe with his godfathers where he is meant to be. However, his calling upon you most likely means the opposite. I know not where they’d send him if something happened to Padfoot or Moony, but I implore you to please look after him if you are able.

His adopted name is Harry James Potter, but his given name is Hadrian Ambrose Prince.

I love you Severus, more than you know.

Always,

Lily

Severus Snape was always considered a well collected man.

His temperament has always been on the harsh side, but he kept his emotions close to his chest, kept his secrets even closer. In fact there are very few who have ever seen a crack in his perfectly sculpted mask, and fewer still who he trusted to take the mask off for. He could perhaps list on only three fingers the amount of people who had ever seen him so much as cry. He was used to being poised, hardened. He hid his emotions behind a wall of Occlumency that even Dumbledore had never managed to break through.

So when Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were informed by their house elf that their closest friend was collapsed in the east seating room, absolutely distraught, they didn’t hesitate to spring into action.

“Oh my dear, what on Gaia has happened?”

‘Distraught’ was probably too loose a term for what the couple came upon when they entered the room. Severus had indeed collapsed into one of the large arm chairs, hunched over with his elbows on his knees and his head in one hand. His hair was tangled and messy, hiding his face and looking like he’d gotten into a fight with nargles, and his free hand was clutching a piece of parchment so tightly Narcissa was surprised it hadn’t torn yet.

“Tipsy,” her husband called, turning when the head house elf appeared beside him. “Fetch us some water and blankets. Perhaps something light to eat.”

“Sevvy, dear,” Narcissa said quietly, gracefully dropping to her knees before the dark haired man and putting a hand on his, “you look awful dreadful. Let me take this and we’ll get you some water, yes?” He didn’t fight her as she gently pried the parchment from his fingers, noticing it wasn’t actually one letter, but two, and she dutifully ignored the stench of firewhiskey on his breath, instead ducking her head to search his face for any hint of what might have happened. She was met with blank eyes and tear tracks down both cheeks, a look she hadn’t seen on him in nearly nine years. Not since he’d lost the closest thing he’d ever had to a soulmate. With the assumption that he wouldn’t be able to speak right now, she turned to her husband and took the blanket he held out for her in exchange for the letter. With a grateful nod, she draped the heavy knit over Severus’ shoulders and grabbed a glass of water from Tipsy. “Severus, darling, I need you to drink for me, okay? Come on, head up. Just a few sips to ease my mind, yes?”

She wasn’t sure how conscious he was of her words, but he lifted his head regardless, eyes staring through her as she placed the glass in his hands and helped him raise it. She didn’t let up until he’d at least drank half of the glass, slightly surprised when he then dropped his head onto her shoulder and let out a heavy, broken breath.

“Oh my.”

Narcissa frowned, glancing back at her husband who had moved to take a seat on the nearby couch, his hand spread over his mouth as he read the letters in his hands. “What is it? What’s happened?”

“Severus?” Lucius asked quietly, glancing up and dropping his hand to the letters. “My friend-“

“Go on.”

And oh how Narcissa’s heart positively ached at the despair in the man’s voice. Severus didn’t move from her shoulder, and she didn’t dare mention how improper this was for purebloods, but he waved a hand at her husband in permission.

“It’s a letter from Lily Potter,” Lucius said quietly, the words barely heard over the crackle of the fire that Tipsy had started. She could feel Severus shiver in her arms, but waited for her husband to continue. “It’s to be delivered upon the tenth birthday of her son, Hadrian, in the case that something happened to her. Gringots must have sent it today.”

“The Potter boy?” Narcissa frowned, eyebrows tugging together. “What on Gaia could she have to say about him that would result in such a state? I thought Dumbledore had him locked away somewhere safe until he was meant to attend Hogwarts.”

Lucius hummed, nodding. “Safe seems to be a loose term for it.” He turned the piece of muggle parchment towards her, this one a dirty white with little blue lines across it. The words were written messily with some sort of muggle device, some crossed out like the writer tried to reword things or had spelled something incorrectly. She couldn’t read it from her place before Severus, but she could see the large “Mr. Harry Potter” scribbled at the bottom of the page.

“It appears,” Lucius said slowly, almost carefully as his gaze drifted to their friend before returning to her, “that the Potter boy is not, in fact, James Potter’s son.”

It took an embarrassing amount of time for Narcissa to connect the dots. She’d been hearing the famed name of the Boy-Who-Lived for so long that it was hard to imagine the boy wasn’t Potter’s son. But then she registered the weight of Severus’ head on her shoulder, the heavy stench of whiskey in the air around them, and the grave expression on her husband’s usually stoic face. A mix of emotions sliced through her like a dagger- anger at Lily Potter for the lies, fear for what had happened to the boy himself, despair for her closest friend. But as a mother herself, she suppose she couldn’t blame Lily Potter for what she’d done. They had been locked in a time of war and Severus had been unfortunately on the opposite side.

“The child,” she said as she raised a hand to rest on the back of Severus’ head, holding him, grounding him. “Where is he now? Would he not have been placed with family? Did their will not name a godparent of any kind? Even if Severus was never known to be the true father, some kind of guardian would have been appointed.”

“He’s with his aunt,” Severus croaked, fists clenching in his lap. “He’s with that wretched woman and her horrid husband.”

Narcissa frowned, wracking her brain for some memory of Lily Potter’s family. “She’s muggle, isn’t she? Lily Evans came from a muggle family? I recall you complaining extensively of a Petunia.”

Severus nodded and took a deep, deep breath. She could feel him tensing, shifting, breathing… collecting himself enough to pull away from her. He didn’t go far, and he didn’t complain when he’d finally straightened up slightly and Narcissa had taken his hands in hers. He looked exhausted, a little bit broken, and completely and utterly lost. “Petunia hated magic. She was always jealous of Lily for being born a witch. Lily didn’t speak more than a handful of words to her sister after receiving her Hogwarts letter. I cannot- Albus left him there with her. After everything that’s happened, he just- he left their- my-“

The words choked off and the woman reached up to pull him back into her arms, glancing back at her husband. “Well then? What does it say?”

“She is writing to tell Severus of Hadrian’s true parentage and that she’s left some documents with the goblins in case anything happens to her and Potter. The boy has written, claiming he too received a letter telling him about Severus.” Lucius frowned down at the dirty page, surprisingly unbothered to touch it as he re-read the words. “He writes that his mother told him to contact Severus if he ever needed help and-“

The uncharacteristic hesitance in Lucius’ words had Narcissa’s heart lurching even more and she glared at him, willing him to get on with it.

“He’s asked Severus to come grocery shopping with him,” the blonde continued, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion and anger. “It appears his relatives have gone on a trip for a fortnight and have left him nothing to eat.”

“Nothing to eat,” Narcissa demanded, surprised at how loud her voice became as she tried to hold back a shriek. “The boy is ten years old! How do they expect him to fend for himself at home for a fortnight with no food? And Albus has allowed this? How long have they been treating his supposed golden boy like this?”

Lucius hummed, nodding his head in agreement. “Lily Potter would be rolling over in her grave if she knew. Severus,” her husband waited patiently as their friend struggled to collect himself again, waited until he pulled away from Narcissa and turned his gaze to the man, “I cannot begin to understand how difficult this must be for you, but you must decide what your next course of action is.”

“Lucius,” Narcissa hissed, scolding. “Surely this is not the time.”

“There is no time, Cissy,” her husband replied sharply, narrowing his eyes at her before turning back towards the potions master. “The boy has asked for help. You must decide if you will give it, and if you do, what the ramifications of those actions will be.”

“I cannot leave him there with her,” Severus snapped, body tensing and teeth bared like a cornered animal. “Who knows what that horrid woman has done to him.”

As if expecting the answer, Lucius nodded. “Good. Then you have our full support,” he answered with no hesitation. “If your headmaster has a plan for the boy that requires him to be with that family, then this is going to be a difficult road. If I recall, the Potter’s never had a public will reading, and I was not privy at the time to visit the private one. Neither were you for that matter.” Seeing her husband drop into business mode, Narcissa straightened up and waved her hand towards another chair, pulling it up close enough that she could still clutch at Severus’ hands. “As a member of the Ministry, and with you as his true father, I can escort you to fetch the boy whenever you wish. Dumbledore does not even need to be notified as whatever hold he has over the boy is likely no longer legal, if it had been at all.”

The stern tone of her husband’s voice and the straightness of his spine began to draw Severus back into himself, and she could see that he was grateful for something stable and direct to focus on, no doubt wondering himself what his next steps needed to be.

“If you wish, I will act as your lawyer in the case,” Lucius offered gracefully. “We will need to visit Gringotts to examine the wills and whatever the Potters have left the boy, as well as get to the bottom of what happened to the wills in the first place if the boy was placed with Petunia Evans. I doubt very much that it would have been Lily’s first choice of guardian for the boy, especially after you turned back to Dumbledore’s side once the war was over. You should have been notified as soon as possible.” Humming, Lucius waved a hand and one of their family lock boxes appeared in his lap where he placed both letters and magically sealed them. “I will keep these as evidence for now if you don’t mind, but you are happy to them whenever you wish. No doubt the goblins will require an inheritance test for the boy, but we will need to do one for you as well upon opening the investigation. Without it, the goblins will not allow you access to any information on the boy or his accounts.”

“I-“ Severus paused, swallowing around the lump in his throat and gazing at them both gratefully. He squeezed Narcissa’s fingers softly before taking another deep breath. “I cannot take him to Hogwarts with me, and Spinner’s End is no place for a child-“

“Oh nonsense,” Narcissa interrupted with a scoff. “You practically live here anyway, Severus, darling. We have plenty of room for both you and the boy, you may stay as long as you both need to. Even longer if you wish. Besides,” she said with a smile, “it might do good for Draco to be here to help soothe him in a new environment. I’m sure if our suspicions are correct about how he is treated, he may not trust adults very well. I will speak with Draco about it while you two are gone, make sure he is fully aware of his duties in welcoming the boy.”

“Petunia wouldn’t have even taught him about magic,” Severus sneered, running a sweaty hand through his hair. “He didn’t know about moving photographs or that owls delivered mail. I honestly have no doubt she wouldn’t have told him anything about what he is or who his family is.”

A difficult conversation then, the woman decided as she hid a grimace. Draco was a darling, but he grew up very privileged and proper. She would need to speak with him about how to treat the new boy so as not to frighten or upset him. Or worse, insult him.

“I am aware of how late it is,” Lucius frowned, glancing towards the grandfather clock in the corner of the room, “but it would be best if we visited Gringotts as soon as possible. I know you wish to retrieve the boy now, but without verifying your identity and relation to him through an inheritance test, I’m afraid it would be considered kidnapping. If we leave now, we can fetch the boy in less than two hours, I expect.”

Severus jolted slightly in surprise, eyes widening and fingers twisting through Narcissa’s so tightly she was sure she might have bruises forming. “So quickly?”

Lucius gave a rare smile and nodded. “There will be much to do, but your test is the only one needed immediately in order to fetch the boy. We can leave everything else for after. I’d rather not leave him any longer than absolutely necessary.” Severus was already nodding, pushing himself from his chair and smiling gratefully when Narcissa helped him up. “I will write to the Ministry to open a case while you freshen up,” Lucius said as he stood as well, straightening his sleeves and grabbing his cane. “I’ll make sure they are aware to keep it completely confidential until we know the full details.”

“Thank you, my friends,” Severus whispered, a bit of life finally returning to his eyes as he looked at them both. “I can never repay you for all you’ve done for me.”

Lucius stepped forward, dropping a heavy hand on his friend’s shoulder, thumb brushing the side of his neck, and smiling at the man. “Severus, you are family. Malfoy’s always take care of family. Now, go get freshened up. I will have Tipsy bring you a potion to rid you of the alcohol and fetch you when I am ready. We will leave upon the hour.”

Even with the proof of Lily’s letter, and the one from the boy, it didn’t truly settle in that Severus was a father until he was sitting before Griphook the goblin with an inheritance test in his hands. Lucius had been with him the entire way, explaining the situation to Griphook who was aware only of what Lily Potter had told him previously, and being a pillar of support for Severus when the words stuck in his throat.

He’d never been more grateful that Lucius and Narcissa were his closest friends. That they’d stood by him no matter what and were willing to help even though he was barely functioning. Even though his Occlumency was crumbling around him.

Inheritance Test Results

Severus Tobias Prince-Snape

Born 9 January 1960

Spinner’s End, Cokeworth, England

Father: Tobias Peter Snape - Deceased

Mother: Eileen Genia Snape (nee Prince) - Deceased

Godfather: Abraxas Malfoy - Deceased

Godmother: Druella Black - Deceased

Son: Harry James Potter (nee Hadrian Ambrose Prince)

Creature Inheritance: Vampyre (by blood, mother)

Heir to:

House of Prince (by blood, mother)

House of Black (by proxy, son)

House of Slytherin (by proxy, son)

House of Peverelle (by proxy, son via adopted father)

House of Potter (by proxy, son via adopted father)

House of Griffindor (by proxy, son via adopted father)

It continued on about his abilities and family and so on, but he was stuck on the one line. Son: Harry James Potter (nee Hadrian Ambrose Prince).

A son… he had a son.

Upon verification of identity Griphook had given him a file with his name scrawled beautifully on it in Lily’s exceptional handwriting. It contained Harry’s (Hadrians?) true birth certificate, the adoption papers signed by James Potter and witness Sirius Black, and a single photograph.

Lily was just as beautiful as he remembered, her green eyes twinkling in the pale photo and her smile lighting up as she laughed. He could tell it was the day of the birth because her hair was tied up in a messy bun, her skin was flushed and damp, and she was dressed in St. Mugo’s maternity gown. Still, she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen and he couldn’t help it when his heart lurched into his throat. In her arms was a tiny bundle wrapped in an emerald green cloth, a tuft of wild black curls just barely visible over the edge of the wrap.

He watched as the photo moved, Lily smiling at whoever had taken it- Potter no doubt- and shifting enough for that tiny face to come into view.

He didn’t look much like either of them really, not freshly born and barely an hour old. But he was pale as snow with pink in his cheeks and his little button nose. And when he blinked his eyes open, they were the most beautiful of greens.

Just like his mother’s.

“We are aware of the unusual circumstances surrounding the situation,” Griphook was saying when Severus slipped everything back into the file and glanced up at the goblin, “but we request you return as soon as possible with the Potter heir as to read the wills. They have been sitting sealed for far too long.”

“Sealed?” Lucius frowned, leaning forward slightly in his seat. “They were never read? How is that possible?”

“The circumstances leading to the Potter’s death was… complicated as I’m sure you know, Lord Malfoy,” Griphook sneered, though not necessarily at the blonde, simply at the situation. “At the time, Head Warlock Albus Dumbledore took complete control over the proceedings. For the young mister Potter’s – nee Prince’s –safety, he saw to it that the boy was hidden away from prying eyes and the Ministry agreed. We goblins were not privy to any information further than that, but the wills were left in the vault and Dumbledore was named Magical Guardian.”

Severus tensed at that, eyes narrowing at the goblin. “Magical Guardian? The wills should have been read and he should have been placed with whoever was named his godparents. As magical guardian, he’s had power over the heir seats by proxy and any of the vaults, right?”

“Not quite,” Lucius answered with a frown. “He would technically hold the accounts by proxy, but would not be able to access anything other than the trust vault. However, if a true guardian came in such as a birth parent or a named godparent, then Dumbledore wouldn’t have access to anything. And considering the wills have been willfully ignored, which is illegal, it would be well within yours and Hadrian’s rights to demand he repay anything he’s taken from the vault.”

Grim and equally upset, Griphook nodded. “Indeed. There was little the goblins could do at the time with the Ministry backing his decisions. However we will of course assist in correcting this grievous mistake once Mister Potter nee Prince completes his own inheritance test and we are able to verify his identity. As stated, this would be best to do as soon as possible in order to get things moving along to their correct holders.”

“We are going to fetch him now,” Lucius said when Severus didn’t respond, moving to stand and bowing his head slightly to the goblin. “We appreciate your help Master Griphook and would further appreciate your discretion as this matter unfolds.”

It wasn’t long before Severus found himself in front of an unfamiliar house in an unfamiliar neighborhood.

Number 4 Privet Drive was… disgustingly normal. It looked identical to the other houses on the street and had absolutely nothing about it that was even remotely unique save for the number 4 painted on the mailbox. There was no car in the driveway, though Severus didn’t expect one as Petunia and her disgusting husband were no doubt still on whatever trip they’d decided to take, and all the lights in the windows were dark save for the one in the front room.

“Are you ready?”

Lucius’ voice cut through the silence of the street, but Severus was grateful for his soft tone and the gentle hand his friend placed on his shoulder. The potions master hadn’t noticed that they’d been standing at the door for a few moments without moving, and he might have been surprised that Lucius didn’t grow impatient if he didn’t know the man so well.

“No.”

He glared at the blonde when Lucius laughed. “No one is ever truly ready for parenthood, Severus,” he said wisely, patting the dark haired man’s shoulder before letting it drop to his side, “and yet we forge on because we love them regardless.”

There was a tiny sign beside the door that read ‘If no one answers, ring the bell,’ so Severus didn’t bother even knocking, instead pressing the button beneath the sign. Instead of the ding of a doorbell that he’d expected, a bright red light lit up on the inside of the foyer, flickering a few times before stopping.

Lucius watched curiously through the glass, eyebrow raised as he turned to Severus who gave no answer.

They only had to wait a few moments before a small figure skidded into view behind the foggy glass, his features blurred as he stumbled forward. A few clicks sounded and a second later the door was being tugged open slightly, a chain higher up keeping it from opening completely.

And there he was.

His son.

Despite only seeing a photo of him a few hours old, Severus couldn’t deny the boy was his. His hair was wild and curly, falling messily around his chin like his mothers had when she was his age, and his big green eyes blinked up at them behind a pair of spectacles. But he had Severus’ dark hair and sharp cheekbones and his nose was long like his but it turned up in a little button just like his mother’s. As Dumbledore had told them years ago, the boy had a scar starting under his fringe and stretching across his face like branching lightning, just slightly darker than the rest of his skin. It was mostly on the left side, but parts of it reached across his nose and stretched just slightly down the side of his neck.

A result of the killing curse.

Most surprising however were the fading bruises they could see on his cheek and collarbone, as well as the dirty and massive clothing he wore, making him look even smaller than he was. (Which was small. Merlin, Severus had never seen a child his age this small.)

“Hello, we are looking for a Mister Harry Potter,” Lucius said, though the boy’s eyes didn’t leave Severus’.

When he didn’t answer, Severus frowned and raised an eyebrow. “You are Harry Potter are you not?”

He knew he was, it was incredibly obvious, but the boy didn’t react to either of their requests and it made something anxious and worried knot in Severus’ stomach.

After a moment, the boy squeaked and shut the door, only to open it again and hold up a hand to them as if to tell them to stay. The men nodded in agreement, sharing a glance with each other as they waited. There was a loud shuffling behind the door, the sound of a chain clanking against the door and some more shuffling. Seconds later, the door was pulled open completely to reveal the small boy, huffing and puffing like he’d been running around. He pushed a small step stool out of the way- no doubt used to help him reach the chain- and rushed up towards Severus, holding up a photo and pointing at it and giving a soft, “ah?”

The photo was one Severus hadn’t seen in a very, very long time but he remembered it vividly. It was during the summer of their fourth year. Lily had dragged him to some concert in a field for a band he’d never remembered the name of, spread out a blanket and draped herself across it with a smile that could light a thousand suns. Severus was sat next to her, his long black hair pulled into a messy bun and Lily’s with flowers woven into her braid.

They were happier times.

Severus nodded, smiling at the image before glancing at the boy. “Yes, that’s me.”

The boy frowned, glaring at Severus’ lips for a moment before grunting and grabbing at his hand. He tugged the potions master until the two men were following him into the house and living room, the door shutting behind them. Once he was satisfied with their destination, he snatched a notebook from the table and scribbled something on it before he all but shoved it in Severus’ face.

‘I can’t hear and reading lips is hard. My name is Harry Potter, are you my dad?’

His son was deaf, something he must not have been born with or he assumed Lily would have told him about it in her letter. How he’d grown to be so, Severus wasn’t sure but he didn’t like the thoughts swirling through his mind at the new information.

“Do you know sign language?” Severus signed, though he spoke aloud for Lucius’ sake since he knew his friend wouldn’t understand him otherwise.

Harry’s eyes brightened immediately and he gasped, bouncing on his feet a few times as he nodded frantically. “You sign! My aunt and uncle don’t know how but I taught myself,” the boy replied, fingerspelling the names of his relatives. “The library has lots of books and sometimes do classes for it.”

Relieved to be able to communicate easier, Severus nodded and knelt down in front of the boy, ignoring the way his old knees ached at the movement. “I’m a teacher and have had a few students who are deaf, so I have learned so I can communicate better with them.”

Harry’s eyes grew even larger, if possible, and his smile was even brighter than Lily’s had been. “You’re my dad, right?” The boy asked, glancing curiously at Lucius before turning back to Severus with almost pleading eyes. “You can take me to get food?”

A spike of pain shot through the man’s heart at the question and he could tell Lucius knew what the boy was asking even if he didn’t technically know of the meaning behind the fingers pressing to the boy’s lips. It wasn’t hard to figure out it meant ‘food’.

“Harry,” Severus began, pausing slightly before sighing. “I am sorry about everything you have gone through, but I am not here to take you shopping, I am here to take you home.” Confusion slipped into the boy’s face, his nose scrunching up and his head tilting slightly before he pointed the hallway, signing ‘home’ again in question. But Severus only shook his head. “No, I’d like for you to come live with me, if you’d like,” he signed slowly, making sure the boy understood what he was trying to say. “This is my best friend, L-U-C-I-U-S, and I live with him and his family. They have a son your age as well. You aren’t safe here with your Aunt and I’d like it very much if you came to live with me instead, if you’d like.”

In truth it wasn’t really an option. Severus would be damned if he let the boy stay with this awful family, but if he truly did not wish to live with the potion’s master, then he would find somewhere else he trusted for the boy at the very least.

And Harry… Harry looked like he was shell shocked to be honest. Like this had never once been an option he thought he had when he’d written that letter to Severus. His big, green eyes- Lily’s eyes- were wide as dinner plates and there was a sudden hesitance that graced his features, an uncertainness in the way he wrung his fingers together and shifted his feet in front of them.

“What is it? Do you not want to?”

Harry shook his head quickly and for a moment Severus’ heart sunk to the pit of his stomach, but before he could let it get to him, Harry’s hands were already moving and he looked to be blinking back tears.

“You-“ he paused, pulling his hand back from where he was pointing at the man. “You want me?”

And oh how his cold exterior he was usually so proud of cracked at that. For a moment he was glad the boy couldn’t hear the borderline whine that escaped his throat, and he was immensely glad that Lucius was gracious enough to ignore it as well. Not that his friend appeared to be taking much stock in the conversation at hand anymore. Of course, Severus was sure he was listening but he’d taken to wandering the small living room and glaring at various photographs on the floo and the walls.

It was an attempt at privacy that the dark haired man appreciated when he knelt down before his son and tried to give him his gentlest smile.

“Of course I want you Harry. I’d have taken you right away if I was able, but I’m here now and I hope that’s okay,” he answered carefully, not wanting to lie to the boy. “Harry, this place- your aunt and uncle- they aren’t safe for you. I don’t know how to be a good father, but I’d like to try if you’re willing to let me.”

Harry bit his lip and glanced over to where Lucius was holding a family photo. Severus couldn’t see what was on it, but his friend looked a strange mix of confused and angry. Harry simply looked torn.

“Aunt P-E-T-U-N-I-A will be mad,” he sniffled, eyebrows scrunched together like he was worried that’d be a deal breaker.

And it was true, Severus had no idea how to be a father. And Petunia was going to be furious. (As well as, no doubt, Albus, considering he placed the boy there for a reason.)

But Severus was determined and seeing this little boy- looking so much like his mother that the old man’s heart ached with it- standing in the middle of an ugly, muggle living room dressed in nothing but rags, gave him a warm, protective sort of feeling that he hadn’t felt since Lily Evans.

“We can deal with your Aunt, you don’t have to worry about her,” he assured the boy. “I just want you safe, and that isn’t here.”

A sob escaped the boy’s lips as the tears started tracing down his cheeks, his small hands scrubbing desperately to hide the overflow of emotion he was no doubt feeling. But he nodded his head anyway as he threw himself into Severus’ arms, his tiny body shaking with the force of his sobs.

But it was fine. It was okay because they were happy tears.

Harry Potter was going home.

Chapter Text

Draco Lucius Malfoy liked to consider himself the perfect example of what a pureblooded heir should look and act like. He was poised, polite, and pretty, just like his mother. But he was also incredibly quick and well learned like his father. Even Uncle Severus often told him he was particularly exceptional in potions crafting for a boy his age. No doubt he’d be top of his classes once he got to Hogwarts.

So naturally, when his mother told him she had a very important job for him, he immediately latched onto her words, taking each one incredibly seriously.

“Remember, Draco Darling, that Harry grew up very different than you did. He was raised by muggles who treated him very terribly,” his mother was saying as she crouched before him, straightening his shirt collar. “He probably doesn’t know much, if anything, about magic and he will most certainly need a friend to help him in this new place. Do you understand?”

“Of course, mother,” the boy responded, tilting his chin up in pride. “Blaise and Theo say I’m the best of friends.” It wasn’t completely true of course, people of their status knew better than to be so open with affections, but both boys were always eager to come visit and they never complained, so Draco assumed he had to be. Still, one thing had been bothering him since his mother had interrupted his library time. “I didn’t know Uncle Severus had a son,” he frowned, holding out his hands for his mother to straighten his sleeves even though they were perfect. “And if he’s Uncle Severus’ son, why is his name Harry Potter? Everyone knows the story of Harry Potter.”

It seemed utterly ridiculous to him that such a famous story could have been wrong.

But his mother was patient with the questions and smiled at him when she stood fully. “We aren’t quite sure the truth of the whole matter yet, but rest assured your father will find out. All we know is that the boy is Severus’ and Lily Potter had kept it a secret from everyone but James Potter and Sirius Black. We don’t believe even Dumbledore knew.”

Draco nearly scoffed at the idea that the old coot didn’t know something, but his mother seemed sure and he wasn’t about to question her of course.

After a moment of consideration, Draco straightened his back and looked up at his mother. “Do you think he’d like a gift? I have just the thing to give him!”

Narcissa smiled and placed a hand on the boy’s cheek, her face softening in the way it always did when she was particularly fond of Draco. “Of course dear, I think that would be a wonderful idea. Why don’t you go get it. Quickly now, they should be here any minute.”

Draco was gone and back as fast as he could, almost skidding to a halt beside his mother, his gift shrunk into his pocket and his posture absolutely picture perfect just in time for his father and uncle to apparate into their sitting room, a tiny body held in Severus’ arms.

He watched patiently as the potion’s master set the boy down, hands on his shoulders to keep him steady from the apparating until he was able to hold himself up. Then he crouched down and started speaking, his hands moving as he spoke.

“It’s always strange for your first time,” he said, smiling softly at the boy like he did whenever he smiled at Draco. “You’ll get used to it. Are you alright?”

The boy- Harry Potter- wasn’t exactly what Draco had been expecting. Everyone had seen the pictures of him, but of course they were years and years old, from before the attack. Still, he looked a lot more like Uncle Severus than Draco imagined he would. Except for his eyes, those of course were a vibrant, beautiful green. Not really like a forest green, but more like a slytherin green. Like the colour of his silk sheets or his father’s old tie. And then there was the scar. In all the picture books about ‘The-Boy-Who-Lived’ his scar was tiny on his forehead, like a little sowilo rune, but the actual scar was like real lightning, arcing across the boy’s face in reaching branches.

It was… very cool, if he was being honest.

He wasn’t dressed very well, in fact Draco was hard pressed to think he was dressed any better than a house elf, but he carefully hid his disdain with the reminder that this boy had grown up with muggles of all things. Surely now that he was here, Draco could help get him real clothes, and he would demand his mother see to the boy at some point about the ugly bruises across his skin.

“You’ve already met my friend Lucius, but this is his wife N-A-R-C-I-S-S-A and their son D-R-A-C-O,” his uncle was saying, slowing down their names as he spelled them out with his fingers. Draco wasn’t daft, he knew his uncle was using sign language- he’d known a child a long time ago who couldn’t speak so she used the silent language- but that didn’t mean he knew what the hand signs meant. He made a mental note to learn.

Harry had noticed them by now, eyes wide as he tried to hide behind his father’s leg, peeking out at Draco like he was afraid he’d hurt him.

Taking the initiative as the boy’s newly appointed best friend, Draco took a step forward and bowed his head, his hands out flat to show he wasn’t holding his wand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, trusting his godfather to translate for him since he didn’t know how to sign. “I’m Draco Malfoy and I’m going to be your new friend.”

Harry stared at him for a while, then down at his hands before looking up at Severus who translated quickly what he said, a look of amusement twitching at his lips. Harry pointed to Draco’s hands and frowned. “It’s a traditional greeting for pureblooded witches and wizards,” Severus explained, nodding towards Draco who’d yet to move. “It’s to show that they mean you no harm and aren’t carrying a wand. It’s polite to do it back.”

Harry still looked confused, but to Draco’s delight, he shuffled out a bit from his father’s leg and stuck his hands out to show they were empty, bowing slightly. His form was terrible, his hands more shoved out than gently displayed and he bowed much too deeply, but Draco was pleased anyway, and it appeared the adults were as well. Besides, there was plenty of time to teach him properly before he met anyone else. When he glanced back up, he signed a few things in Draco’s direction, fingers slowly spelling something out before he took two fingers and waved them in the air above his face in the shape of a sowilo.

“It’s nice to meet you, my name is Harry Potter,” Severus translated, tapping Harry’s shoulder for a moment before repeating the strange sowilo gesture in question. Harry signed back and the man nodded before turning back to the others. “This is his sign name,” he said, repeating the gesture, “so you don’t have to spell his name every time. It’s an H,” he said, showing off his pointer and middle finger, “and the sign for lightning.”

Fascinated, Draco watched and repeated the gesture so he wouldn’t forget, then he turned to Harry, his eyes wide. “What’s my sign name?”

Uncle Severus snorted and rolled his eyes, but he still translated the question when Harry turned to look up at him in question.

The boy looked to be thinking for a few moments before he turned to Draco. With a determined expression on his face, he touched one finger to his ear and brought the hand down into a fist, before moving it towards his mouth and wiggling his fingers outwards. It looked absolutely ridiculous to Draco and he couldn’t even begin to understand what it meant, but his uncle looked pleased so he didn’t imagine it was awful. “Well?”

“That’s your sign name,” his godfather explained with a smile, waving towards Harry who repeated it. “It means silver dragon.”

Silver dragon.

Draco couldn’t help the break in his normally cool mask when he smiled brightly, his eyes all but lighting up at the name. “Brilliant! Did you hear mother? I’m a silver dragon!”

Narcissa chuckled, placing a hand on Draco’s shoulder to keep him from literally bouncing in his spot. “I heard, darling. I think it suits you well. It’s a pleasure to have you in our home Harry,” she greeted the boy, waiting until Severus finished translating to bow her head and show her hands. “I am Narcissa Malfoy, mistress of this home and mother of Draco. I hope you will feel at home here with us.”

Not needing prompting this time, Harry waited until his father was finished signing to turn towards the woman.

“Thank you for having me, I’m Harry Potter,” Severus said as the boy signed, smiling before Harry faced his hands out and bowed. He looked a bit unsure, his gaze turning towards Draco for just a moment. But Draco’s smile seemed to relax him and he straightened back up to sign something else that looked similar to Draco’s sign name. Severus’ grin only widened and he dropped a hand on Harry’s head. “He says this is your sign name,” Severus told them, motioning for Harry to repeat it, before he could explain however, Harry pointed towards Lucius and did a similar sign only he touched his forehead instead of his chin like he had for Narcissa. “It means Mother Dragon and Father Dragon.”

Draco absolutely preened at the fact that Harry had named them dragons, and that his parent’s names were only because of Draco’s.

“I have something for you,” Draco said quickly, pulling the gift from his pocket and resizing it. “Is it- is it alright if I give him a gift, Uncle Severus?”

His uncle seemed surprised at the question, like he hadn’t expected Draco to do such a thing- which the blonde figured was fair since it was usually the guests who brought gifts for the host. Still, he waited for his uncle to nod and look down at his son.

“Draco has a gift for you,” he signed, earning him a wide eyed gaze from the smaller boy. After a quick, frantic response, Severus’ smile turned a bit sad and Draco really wished he would have learned the signing language at some point. “Of course, Harry. You don’t have to take it if it makes you uncomfortable, but Draco would like to give it to you.”

Draco figured then that maybe Harry wasn’t used to getting gifts, that by the tears in his eyes maybe he’d never gotten a gift before in his life. Something Draco assured himself he’d remedy as soon as possible.

So when the dark haired boy turned back to him, trying desperately to keep his tears from spilling over, he nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Draco stepped forward and held out a book.

It was fat and long, with a beautiful black leather on its cover and the Hogwarts emblem blazed across the front. Previously it’d been in the library, and technically he’d never asked his parents if he could give it to Harry, but at the same time, considering the situation, he truly hoped they wouldn’t mind. Judging by the soft looks on their faces, they didn’t.

Harry frowned at the book, though not upset, only confused. He put his hands together like a prayer before separating them. Draco didn’t need his uncle to translate to know the sign meant book.

“It’s a year book,” Draco said easily, shifting the heavy book in his hands to prop it open and show Harry the large group photo on the first page. “It’s got images from everyone who went to Hogwarts with our parents,” he explained, pointing to a silver haired man that he knew Harry recognized as Lucius, and a dark brown haired woman that was his mother. Harry’s mouth was hanging open in surprise as the image shifted and moved, the students shuffling or smiling as the camera ran. Draco shifted it again to point towards a dark, greasy looking man and the red-haired woman hugging him. “That’s Uncle Severus and your mother.”

He figured Harry must have known that already, since the boy didn’t bother even looking at his father for a translation, too awed at the picture even as he reached a finger out to touch it, stopping just before he came in contact with the parchment. He looked almost frightened for a moment but Draco didn’t say anything about it. He remembered his mother telling him to be patient with the other boy, so he was.

“Draco darling,” his mother said, gesturing towards a table off to the side of the room. “Why don’t you set the book down and show Harry the other pictures, yes? Your father and I have some things to discuss with your godfather before dinner. Afterwards we can get Harry set up in his room and tomorrow we can go shopping to get him some things. Yes?”

Draco nodded excitedly, smiling big as his uncle got Harry’s attention to translate what Narcissa had said. Just before the silver-haired boy could turn towards the table however, Severus put a hand on his shoulder and gave the boy a grateful smile.

“Thank you, Draco. This was a thoughtful gift.”

Grinning at the praise, Draco hugged his uncle quickly before shifting the heavy book in his arms again. “Well I told mother I was going to be his best friend, so I have a lot to cover. Besides, mother said he might not know much about his parents so I thought this might help.”

“I think it did,” Severus smiled, patting his shoulder once more before pulling away. “Harry knows how to write and read, so if you have trouble communicating with him, you may do it that way.”

Relieved, Draco bobbed his head. “I’d like to learn your signing language though,” he assured his uncle. “If you’ll teach me?”

“Of course,” was his reply. “I’m sure Harry would be happy to teach you as well, now off you go.”

Harry was actually happy to teach Draco. He learned quite a few words while they were flipping through the yearbook such as “mom and dad”, “school”, “magic”, and “student”. He also learned “pretty” in regards to Harry’s mom and “grumpy” in regards to Severus. The other boy was absolutely fascinated with the moving pictures, but especially the ones of his parents. He’d stopped to stare for a long time when they’d reached the seventh year individual photos, staring at his mother’s image as she winked smartly at the camera. James Potter was a few pages past, his cocky smirk and wild hair nothing like Harry’s. How anyone thought the boy was Potter’s, Draco would never know. He also spent a bit of time on Severus’ photo, amused at the shaggy black hair and the dead looking eyes.

“He looks like me,” Harry wrote on a spare piece of parchment, letting Draco read it before he signed it as well.

Draco laughed before pointing to Harry’s eyes. The other boy grinned in understanding before signing “mother”.

Draco quickly flipped a few pages back to show Harry the photo of his own father, back perfectly straight and poised like he was sitting for an oil portrait instead of a school photo. Draco pointed it out before straightening his own back and flattening his face in an attempt to mimic his father’s expression. Harry giggled loudly at the sight and Draco couldn’t help but feel proud that he’d managed to relax the boy so quickly.

Eventually they made it to the back of the book where Draco knew the clubs and event photos were held. He showed Harry the photos of his own parents in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Club, and a photo of Uncle Severus toiling over a classroom of various potions. He showed off the many, many pictures of the quidditch teams, especially the ones of James Potter hitting quaffles through goals and being hoisted onto the shoulders of the other daft gryffindors. The other boy seemed most interested in the photos of his mother, however, so Draco didn’t tend to dwell long on the other sections, instead flipping quickly to the sections with the Charms and Transfiguration clubs. Lily Potter was in many of them, her red hair standing out in the dull sepia of the photos, her smile as bright as Harry’s as she laughed silently.

By the time dinner came around, Harry had tears in his eyes again, but he quickly wiped them away and Draco pretended not to notice them as they stood. He did look surprised though when Draco thrust the book into his arms and told him he could keep it. He refused to take no for an answer, even as Harry asked him for the fifth time if he was really sure. (After that Draco was half tempted to snatch their spare parchment away from the boy, but he didn’t.)

“Patience Draco darling,” his mother would say.

Finally, the boy gave him a hesitant, shy sort of smile and hugged the book to his chest. He touched his fingers to his lips before laying the hand flat, palm facing upwards. At Draco’s confusion, Harry waved to the parchment and quickly wrote down “thank you” in translation.

Draco grinned and nodded his head in acknowledgement.

He was sure this was going to be a great friendship.

---

“Goodness, look at him. The poor dear, what on Gaia did those dreadful muggles do to him.”

Severus sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and shaking his head. He couldn’t help but glance at the two boys on the other side of the room, his heart lurching at the way Harry was practically drinking in Draco’s attention, the way he was soaking up any information the boy could give him from the yearbook. Honestly it’d been a wonderful idea and he’d have to thank Draco more thoroughly some other time, perhaps with a gift of his own to show his appreciation at the boy’s thoughtfulness. Still, it saddened him a bit to see the boy so enthralled with photos of his own mother.

It reminded him of the lack of photos they’d seen in Petunia’s house. The lack of any sign that Harry even lived there other than the light above the door and the…

“They had him sleeping in a cupboard,” Severus said quietly, careful to keep his anger in check as to not draw the boy’s attention. Narcissa looked shocked, like she almost didn’t believe him but when her husband didn’t contradict his statement, her face turned red with anger. “The room was barely big enough for him and all he had was a mattress on the ground and a piece of parchment on the wall that said “Harry’s Room”. It was under the stairs, for Merlin’s sake,” he growled, fists clenching in his lap.

“Not to mention the bruises,” Lucius sighed, shaking his head in disgust. “I’d like you to take a look at him when you can, Cissy,” he said, addressing his wife and earning an eager nod in response. “We’ll of course take him to a healer tomorrow as well, after our trip to Gringotts, but there is no need for him to be in pain any longer than needed.”

“Yes of course,” the woman agreed, waving a hand. “I’ll see to him after dinner.” There was a brief pause where they all watched the boys, their faces softening when they saw Draco make a mockingly straight face that sent Harry into giggles. She smirked, turning to raise an eyebrow at her husband, knowing exactly what their son had shown the boy. Lucius dutifully ignored her however, and Narcissa chuckled. “Regardless, I’m sure there are other things to discuss, yes? What did Gringotts have to say? And the ministry?”

Lucius sighed and rolled his eyes, telling Severus that no doubt the ministry business was going to be messy, but he didn’t interrupt as his friend spoke.

“Had the boy been literally anyone other than who he is, I figure this would be an easy case. They would have signed the boy over and prosecuted the magical guardian immediately, especially considering the wills were ignored. However,” he continued before his wife could question him, “the ministry was unfortunately in agreement with Dumbledore at the time in question. They didn’t know anything about Severus being Harry’s birth father, however, which works in our favor more than theirs. Their missive was rather short in response, but they’ve agreed to a meeting by the end of the week to discuss the case.”

Narcissa shook her head and straightened out a wrinkle in her skirt. “Yes, because I’m sure they’ll do the boy justice with the entire ministry in Dumbledore’s pocket.”

And unfortunately Severus couldn’t argue that. The old headmaster had too much power, especially considering the fact that he was currently holding power over any of Harry’s proxy seats in the Wizengamot. Regardless, Lucius still held a lot of power in the ministry and he would be damned if he allowed this all to be swept under the rug, Severus was sure about that.

“We shall take him shopping tomorrow as well,” Narcissa said decidedly, though neither of the men would dare argue. “The poor dear doesn’t look like he’s owned anything new in his life. He’ll need clothes, shoes, robes. I’d like to get him some a trunk as well for travel, maybe a few books and things for entertainment. We’ll of course have to get the boys their Hogwarts supplies but that can wait until next year. There are some wonderful books for magical children who were raised by muggles, those might be helpful for him.”

Lucius was nodding, tapping his finger on his cane softly. “There are some stores for wizards with disabilities as well. They aren’t very common but I believe I know of one in Diagon Alley. We should stop there as well, perhaps get him an automatic writing quill that will translate lessons for him. I will speak with Draco’s tutor about adding Harry into the lessons.”

“He’ll no doubt be behind Draco,” Severus commented with a frown. “I’m sure Petunia let him go to school so she didn’t get in trouble, but I have my doubts that she allowed him help on his studies. Not to mention he’ll have no knowledge whatsoever on wizarding subjects.”

His friend bobbed his head and waved a hand. “Latricia Horntail has been Draco’s tutor since he was an infant. She’ll no doubt be able to catch Harry up in time for Hogwarts. And Draco will help, I’m sure of it.”

Severus hummed in agreement, his eyes drawn back to both boys and watching them as Harry taught him a few signs after writing their meanings down and then pointing towards the yearbook. “I am grateful he is here,” the potion’s master said quietly, relief evident in his slouched shoulders and his soft gaze. “The boy was so eager to leave, I’m not sure he’s ever even had friends before, and Petunia’s boy was no doubt as horrid as she is. I’m sure it’s not going to be this easy always, and we’ll have our struggles, but I-“ he paused to take a deep breath, glancing up at his two best friends and smiling. “I am forever grateful that you are all here with me.”

“They do seem to be doing well together, don’t they,” Narcissa smiled, following his gaze toward the boys. “If you are fine with it, Severus, I’ll put the boy in the room next to Draco’s. It’s down the hall from yours and ours anyway, but I’m sure he’ll be much more comfortable near Draco than us. Have you explained to him what we’ll be doing tomorrow yet?”

Severus sighed and shook his head. “Not yet. I wanted him to settle just a bit before thrusting everything at him. I’ll explain it after dinner, though I’m not sure how much of it he will understand.”

“We’ll take Draco with us,” the woman decided with a nod. “I only planned to take him on the shopping portion, but it might be easier for him if someone his age is there to help him understand, and I think Draco will do well to keep the boy calm. They might not let him in with you in Gringotts, but I’m sure Harry would appreciate the company at the healers and Diagon Alley. Luckily, with it being in the middle of the week, the crowds should be thin. And what of Hogwarts? Surely they’ll find out eventually that the boy is staying with us. Dumbledore will no doubt be furious.”

Severus couldn’t help but glower at the fact, hand clenching around the goblet in his hand. “Right now we’re unsure if Dumbledore was aware of Harry’s true parentage or not. When Lily and Potter were originally killed, we were informed that the boy was being placed with blood relatives because Lily had cast blood wards on the boy. The headmaster told us he’d only be safe from the death eaters if he was with family.”

“Which leads us to believe Dumbledore didn’t know,” Lucius continued with a frown, “because a parental blood tie is much stronger than an aunt or uncle. However, Dumbledore deliberately ignored the Potter’s wills, making it suspicious as to why.”

“Unfortunately I… was not in a good place when Harry was born,” Severus hedged carefully, resisting the urge to scratch at his arm where his sleeve hid his faded mark. “I did not turn to Dumbledore’s side until after Lily was killed and I certainly was not in the right mindset to take care of a child. It’s possible Dumbledore knew and decided I was unsuitable at the time, or it’s possible he was unaware completely. Right now we’re simply unsure.”

“Which is why we are going to keep everything confidential for as long as we can,” Lucius said meaningfully. “Dumbledore of course will need to know eventually and there will be no hiding it when the investigation gets far enough to confront him, however I’d like to keep him out of it until we are certain Severus has complete custody over the boy. We don’t want any chance that he’ll take Harry and put him back with that dreadful family.” Narcissa seemed pleased with that information and her husband nodded in understanding. “For now, Severus, is there anyone at Hogwarts you trust enough to bring in?”

Severus took a moment to think about it, running through the various choices. “Minerva was there when they dropped the boy off with Petunia. I’ve known her as long as I’ve known Albus and I trust her much more. She has only ever had her students safety and happiness in mind whereas Albus runs games no one knows the rules of,” he sneered, running a hand through his hair. “Besides her, I trust Poppy Pomfrey as well. She too would go against Albus if it meant the safety of a child. In fact I’d trust her to look the boy over much more than a random healer, especially with him being so… recognizable,” Severus said carefully, gesturing towards his face to indicate the boy’s scar. “I can contact her tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Narcissa hummed, glancing towards Harry with a curious look. “Well need to hide that while we’re out tomorrow, I’m sure. Probably best that no one see him out and about with us so close to Dumbledore’s nose. The goblins are trustworthy enough, but the random wizard on the street of the Alley is not. If anyone asks I’ll tell them he’s a cousin’s son and we are caring for him until further notice.”

Severus was fine with that, knowing it was the safest option for the time being. Harry might not understand, and he doesn’t look very recognizable with so many of the potion master’s own features, but that scar was too famous to explain away, even if it did look different than any one remembered.

And Severus was shocked, had been since he first laid eyes on the boy, at how much he looked like him. After so long of thinking the boy was Potter’s, of imagining a tiny boy with dark brown hair and a wicked smirk, cocky and spoiled in whatever pampered home Albus had put him in… it was hard to look at this skinny boy with broken glasses and damaged ears, with black wild curls and little button nose, and see the same child he’d imagined for so long. And what would he look like as he grew older? Would he take the spitting image of Severus aside from his eyes and small stature? Would he turn to quidditch like Potter or potions like himself? Or perhaps charms like his mother. What house would he be sorted into when he got to Hogwarts? With a Gryffindor mother and adopted father and with Severus in Slytherin.

Oh the possibilities of Harry breaking every expectation the world had for him if he managed to sort into Slytherin.

Perhaps he was getting ahead of himself.

“Deep breaths my friend,” Lucius chuckled, patting him on the shoulder as if he could read his mind and see his troubles. “Your life is going to be upside down from here on out, but it will all be worth it in the end.”

---

Dinner had been… interesting to say the least.

Harry had never seen so much food before outside of Aunt Petunia’s Christmas' or the rare occasion Harry was allowed to go to the potlucks at the church. He couldn’t eat very much of course, and thankfully no one pushed him to, but it was the most delicious food he’d ever had in his life! Even tastier than the birthday cake he’d snuck before Aunt Petunia had him take the trash out on Dudley’s birthday one year. And he was allowed to sit at the table next to Draco.

Draco.

Harry had never had a friend before. Dudley hated him and his friends always chased him around for Harry Hunting, and since he couldn’t hear no one at school wanted to talk to him. The closest he’d gotten to a friend was Miss Harendale at the library. She always gave him snacks when he hid there after school and she was the one to tell him about the sign language classes twice a month. She’d even signed the permission slip for him to join because she somehow knew Aunt Petunia wouldn’t.

But Draco was different.

Harry had been hesitant at first, not sure how the boy was going to act or how his parents would act. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon always hated Harry because he took attention away from their Dudley. He certainly wasn’t allowed to sit at the table next to the other boy. But Draco had just expected him to sit beside him and the adults just smiled.

And the book! Harry had never gotten a gift before, only been given Dudley’s old clothes because Aunt Petunia didn’t want to buy him new ones or waste old ones. But now he had a book with pictures of his parents in it, all three of them! And Draco… Draco said he could keep it. Which meant he wasn’t going to take it back. (Not that Harry would argue if he did. He was grateful for even being allowed to keep it for a little bit, so if Draco wanted it back, Harry would easily hand it back over.) And the other boy was eager to learn signing, demanding Harry teach him all kinds of words throughout dinner and dutifully ignoring his father anytime he was scolded for speaking too much at the table. Or Harry assumed that’s what Mr. Malfoy was saying, because his dad wasn’t able to translate everything and Harry could only sometimes catch words from lip reading. He did catch Draco saying “but father I have to learn,” a few times which always had his father smiling and backing down.

Harry taught him the alphabet first since he wasn’t allowed paper at the table, and Draco took to it immediately, only forgetting a few letters the first few times. Then Harry taught him the signs for all of the foods, taking his time after he was finished eating to spell them out for him before repeating it again in sign language. On more difficult names or explanations, his dad would translate, but for the most part Draco was happy to learn without assistance. Something about it being easier to remember if he was forced to pay attention.

After dinner the boys were led upstairs, Draco practically dragging Harry by the hand until they reached a long hallway of doors where they all stopped. Draco pointed towards one door with a little snake engraved on its face and carefully spelling out, “my room” and then pointed towards the door they were standing in front of and signing “your room”.

Harry wasn’t sure what the boy meant, his face scrunching up in confusion as he glanced back at his father. “I get a room?”

Something sad and angry passed over the potion master’s face before it carefully went blank and he nodded. “Of course you get a room. I’ll not have you staying under the stairs. You deserve much more than that,” he spoke as he signed. “Besides, it will stunt your growth.”

Without further ado, Mrs. Malfoy pushed the door open to reveal a room bigger than the Dursley’s whole living room! The walls were a simple crème with pretty silver designs at the top of them, and there was a big four poster bed draped in blacks and greens sitting diagonally in one of the corners. There was a desk and a dresser pushed up against the walls, and a few bookshelves in one corner with a chair, though the shelves were all empty. At the end of the bed was something he remembered his aunt calling a ‘fainting couch’, and there was a window on the back wall that stuck out just enough for a bench to fit up against it to sit on. Harry could just barely see the hint of a garden and maybe a lake in the darkness.

Harry turned back to his father with wide, tear filled eyes. “This is all mine?”

“All yours,” Severus nodded with a smile, lips moving as he spoke and signed together.

He took another moment to glance around before glancing at the door. “No lock?”

There was a lock on the door, but his father must have understood the question because his smile turned sad again and he nodded. “We won’t lock the door and no one will come in here without your permission. This is your space.”

“We’re going shopping tomorrow,” Draco said once the potion’s master finished, looking eager to join the conversation. “We can get you books for your shelves and decorations or something. I’ll show you my room too! I have posters of all the great quidditch teams and father gave me his old Slytherin banner to hang on my wall! We’ll get you all kinds of things-“

His father’s hand on his shoulder had Draco pausing, Harry still trying to catch up on Severus’ translations. After a brief pause, Lucius smiled softly and tugged Draco back a step. “I’m sure this is all very exciting, Draco, but perhaps we should let Harry rest now. It’s been a busy day and we have a lot to do tomorrow. Come, off to bed with you both.”

After a many more thanks from Harry to the Malfoy’s, he was left alone in his room with his own father, wearing a pair of Draco’s pajamas that had to be rolled up at the bottom so he didn’t trip. He was sat on his bed, Mr. Prince- his dad- sat just a foot away.

“Father Dragon said we have a lot to do tomorrow,” Harry frowned, eyebrows scrunched up in question.

“We do,” his dad answered with a grim nod. “I hope to make it as smooth as possible as to not overwhelm you, but there is a lot we have to do in order for you to stay with us.”

“Like what?”

His father frowned, seemingly trying to figure out his words carefully before turning back to him. “First we’ll be stopping by Gringotts, that’s the bank that sent you your letters,” he explained and Harry nodded. “It’s run by goblins, but they have very specific magics that will help us prove that you’re mine. I already have proof on my end, but we will need it for you as well. Then I believe Narcissa and Draco want to take you shopping. You need clothes and such, so we’ll get you all that from Diagon Alley. That’s a shopping center you’ll visit a lot once you start going to Hogwarts. Sometime tomorrow I’d also like a mediwitch to look at you.”

“Mediwitch?”

“What muggles would call Doctors,” Severus explained, waving a hand slowly towards one of the bruises quickly fading on Harry’s cheek. Narcissa had given him a quick look over before leaving them just to make sure he wasn’t hiding any terrible injuries and had cast a few small healing spells to hurry his bruises along, but she was no mediwitch and could only do so much outside of an official setting without the ministry finding out. “I want to make sure you’re healthy. Have you ever been to a doctor before?”

Harry frowned, thinking about it for a long moment before nodding. He remembered it vaguely, a long time ago. Big white rooms, a man in a blue uniform. Lots and lots of medicine. “Aunt Petunia took me once because I got really, really sick. She’d never taken me before when I got sick but I think it was really really bad this time.” Frowning at the memory, Harry tugged at his ears. “The sickness took my hearing I think. She never told me what happened, the doctors just gave me medicine until I was better.”

When the boy glanced back up, he recoiled at the fury on his father’s face, only soothed a few minutes later when it became apparent that the man wasn’t mad at him.

“I have a friend who is a mediwitch,” the man signed slowly, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. “She’ll come look at you tomorrow just to make sure there’s nothing else, okay?” Harry nodded and smiled brightly when his dad placed a hand on his head, ruffling his hair. “Get some sleep, kid. I’ll be here when you wake up, okay?”

Harry nodded, snuggling down under the covers, more content than he’d been in… well ever, he figured. He grunted when the lights turned off, drawing his father’s attention just before the door shut.

“Leave it open please?”

“Of course. Goodnight, Harry.”

“Goodnight… dad.”