The next morning Severus was sitting in his office, trying to catch up some of his neglected paperwork. Albus knocked on the open door and walked in with some official looking documents in his hand.

"Good morning Severus" he said with the famous Dumbledore twinkle in his eyes. "How did your first night with your new son go? I trust everything went smoothly."

Snape shook his head and sighed.

"Albus, I just don't know. This scares me more than going to the Dark Lord when he summoned me did. Harry is afraid of everything. Poor boy can't help it, but I don't know if I am the right one to help him."

"Severus, of course you are. You are really the only option. You live most of the year here in Hogwarts where he will be safe, you know more than anyone alive what Voldemort is capable of doing, and you certainly know what it is like to be alone."

Snape sighed again.

"Albus, the child hasn't made a sound yet. When he cries, he cries silently. I found him in his crib in the middle of the night crying without making a sound. I asked him if he wanted to sleep in my bed with me and he just nodded his head. I turned the light off in my bedroom and he instantly stiffened and as soon as I charmed a night-lite for him he relaxed and went to sleep. When I put him in his high chair I honestly believed that he was afraid to eat. I think that he thought he would get in trouble if he tried to eat."

Albus called a house elf and requested a pot of tea. When they were settled with tea and biscuits he spoke.

"The child needs to be around someone that he knows. He witnessed his parents get killed, was sent to muggles where he was neglected if not abused, and finally was taken from that home by three people who he doesn't know and brought to yet another strange place. I believe that James and Lily had a house elf named Dobby. They got him for the express purpose of protecting Harry. We need to find him."

Severus called for Daisy and she appeared immediately with a pop holding Harry in her arms. He asked her "Daisy, are you familiar with a house elf named Dobby?" When she nodded vigorously he asked "do you know what happened to him?"

"Oh yes Master Professor sir. A bad wizard stole him the night the big bad wizard killed my Little Master's mommy and daddy. He is being Mr. Malfoy sir and he made my friend bond to him and makes him be doing all the nasty chores at his manor."

By this time Dumbledore had Harry on his lap, feeding him a biscuit. A small cup of pumpkin juice had appeared next to the teapot. He asked Severus to read the documents from the Ministry. These made the adoption official. Severus Snape had a son.

"We have to go Malfoy a force him to release Dobby Severus" said Dumbledore. "We will have the ministry send some Aurors with us. I'm positive that Voldemort knows that you no longer have his mark, and about the adoption too."

He turned to Daisy and told her to take Harry back to their quarters. He told her to take good care of him and that they would be back very soon. Upon hearing this Daisy took the baby from him and they disappeared. The two wizards went to the fireplace and flooed to Dumbledore's office, from which they flooed to the Ministry. Twenty minutes later Professor Snape, Headmaster Dumbledore and ten Aurors appeared in front of the gates of Malfoy Manor. When they rang the bell demanding admittance Lucius Malfoy opened the door.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit Dumbledore? The Headmaster of Hogwarts and the traitor you brought with you have no business here.  He sneered at Snape who returned the glare ten fold. 

"We are here to get the house elf Dobby. We know that you stole him from Harry Potter; however, we are will not press charges with the Ministry if you give him a piece of clothing right now. This is non-negotiable Lucius, we are going to take that elf back to his rightful owner."

Malfoy did not like this at all, but what could he do? He knew that he had been caught. Stealing a house elf called for a term in Azkaban and he certainly did not wish to reside in that grim place. So, reluctantly, he called Dobby and instructed him to go fetch him a clean shirt. As soon as the elf appeared again with the shirt Malfoy took it from him and then handed it back and said "I am giving you this shirt you worthless little creature."

Dobby's ears had been flat against his head since he had appeared in the room the first time, but hearing these words made them stand straight up. There was a huge smile on his face as he turned to the two wizards standing behind him. All of a sudden the smile disappeared and the ears went right back down.

"Thank you, Dobby is worthless elf who should be punished. Dobby is not protecting Little Master Harry and must be punished.” With this he fell on the floor and started to pound his head against the floor.

Dumblore picked him up saying "No Dobby! You do not need to be punished, you were stolen and you do not need to assign the blame to yourself. Harry is safe now and he has a new father, Professor Snape has adopted him."

With that the group turned around and walked back out of the gates where they turned and disappeared, leaving Lucius Malfoy, who was wishing that he had the courage to have hexed them all, but who was aware at the same time that it would have been an impossible task. Malfoy was a powerful wizard but Dumbledore and Snape were both much more powerful.

Upon arriving back at the castle Snape and Dobby went to Snape's quarters to check on Harry. The walked into the nursery and Harry looked up. His face lit up with joy upon seeing his old friend and he ran across the room straight into Dobby's arms and hung on as tight as he could. He still didn't say a word, but the smile on his face told them all exactly how he felt. He didn't want Dobby to ever leave him again.

 "It is being all right young Master, I is here now and the bad wizard gave me clothes because your new daddy made him. I was not wanting to leave you but that evil wizard just grabbed me and I is being gone from your house! Dobby was going to punish himself, but Headmaster Dumblydore stopped me. Headmaster and Harry's new daddy is being wonderful men." 

Severus then introduced Dobby to Daisy. It was very apparent that Dobby was not at all pleased about sharing his Master Harry with another house elf because his ears did their drooping thing again.  Professor Snape explained however that this was necessary.

"Dobby, I need both of you. I need you to protect Harry and I need Daisy to take care of him. You two can do this together. There will be times that I will have to leave him to take care of things and I need to know that he is well cared for and safe. With both of you here I will not have to worry about my son every time I leave him."

Both elves nodded their heads and replied that they would be happy to work together for Master Professor and Little Master Harry.

Suddenly Fawkes' song was heard through out the apartment and the air started shimmering the way it had yesterday in Dumbledore's office. A moment later Merlin was in the room with them with a huge smile on his face.

"Albus, Professor we have been watching and we are pleased with what we have seen. Severus you have a large job ahead of you. I know you have doubts about your ability to raise this child, but we know that you are the only one to do it. Now, tomorrow morning both of you and Professor McGonagoll are to meet the Council. I will be here after breakfast to take you to the meeting. It is time for you to find out about the Indigo children.