“Severus, may we have a word?” Snape was walking out of his office when the tiny professor found him.

“Certainly, Filius, I have 10 minutes now before my next class, or do you want to join me for tea this evening?”

“Tea would be fine thank you, Severus. See you later.”

Snape watched as the tiny man walk the corridors toward the Ravenclaw tower. He did not wonder what they were going to discuss, lately all that was in the staff’s mind, and his too, was Harry’s adoption. Severus wished for this to end soon. It was too much uncertainty. After owling the papers to Child Services, he had received an acknowledgment of receipt, but since then there had been no news. Three weeks had passed. Albus said that he had been contacted, and that everything was running smoothly, yet Severus had a bad feeling and was waiting for the ax to fall. He wanted to hurry with the “blood adoption”, once that was completed the Ministry would just have to ratify it with the paperwork. But in the meanwhile the future was uncertain. He hoped that Filius had found the right Ritual at last.

Harry seemed to be getting used to the idea, he was more talkative than usual, he was struggling in class but doing better. They were meeting twice a week, to review his progress in school and on Saturdays for breakfast, after which Harry would stay the day in Severus' quarters and go back to the tower to sleep.

The room was almost ready. Severus had placed warming charms and changed the color of the walls and had fixed the furniture. Harry had unpacked the sheets and blankets, and the books and toys, but had not asked to sleep there and Severus did not want to insist until the adoption was complete or at least the ‘blood adoption’.

Filius Flitwick arrived at teatime.

After each men had a cup of tea in their hands he started talking.

“Well Severus”, Flitwick cleared his throat, “I have completed my research. I think we have to do it as simple as possible, I wanted to discuss it with you first, because with our female colleagues it can be a little bit complicated.”

Complicated was not the word that Severus would choose, but he did not dwell on that. “What does it involve?” He asked fearing the worst.

“We should divide the process in three parts, Severus. Preparation, celebration and the blood adoption, itself, but each part is very important you see? The completion of one would boost the others. Rituals provide a way for people to express their feelings and recognize change. They signify change, change that will take place, in your home and in your life.”

Change? A small scary word. Severus sighed “What should we do?”

“The first part involves only you.” Severus was paying all his attention. He placed his cup on the table in front of him, Flitwick continued. “This is what we are going to call the pre-adoption ritual. It involves you preparing to receive the child. It means that you are going to get a place ready for Harry.”

“The room is almost ready.” Severus pointed to the door down the hall.

“Good. Then we can go ahead. You must be convinced that this room is going to belong to your son, not the son of your best friend or the son of James Potter, not even the son of the love of your life...”

Severus flinched.

“Yes, Severus I know. But the room must be for Harry. Your son. Nothing more or less.”

“But I do not want him to cut the ties that bond him with his parents… remember that we will try to keep the blood wards for his protection…”

“The child does not have to break those bonds to bond with you. But you will have to make new ones, you have to realize that He is yours. You are the one that must realize that for him to be really yours. Remember that we will be dealing with ancient magic, that is raw magic that works with the intent, there couldn’t be even a trace of doubt in your mind.”

“Is any charm involved?”

“Not a charm, it is more like an exercise of will. You will need to use some candles… Four to be more precise. You are going to fix the room for Harry, after each detail is ready you are going to light a candle and say. ‘This is the bed of my child.’ Or ‘This is the wardrobe of my child’ and also ‘This is the place for the dreams of my child.’ Then at your table, you will say that there would be always a place for your child to sit and in your arms a place for comfort. There is not a set line to use, you should make it up as you go. Say what your heart feels at the moment. In the end you will light the last candle and will say ‘I am ready for the child to come and be mine.’ You will do that for three consecutive nights. If you start tonight you will finish on Thursday.”

“I can do that. I will start tonight.” Flitwick looked into his robes and took a box, the size of a book. He opened it and presented it to
Severus. “Here are the candles.”

“What’s next?” Until now it was not so hard, thought Severus.

“Celebration.” Severus did not like how that sound. Flitwick saw his expression and continued. “That is why I wanted to talk to you alone my friend, you know how just that word would make Minerva’s, Pomona’s, Poppy’s and Albus’ eyes twinkle. Rituals provide a meaningful bridge out of secrecy and shame. You must let the world know! On Friday or Saturday you should have a celebration that would inform your friends that you are ready for the child to arrive.” Filius saw that Severus was still reluctant. “Rituals celebrated with openness, love and pride send a strong message of validation to those around us and, most importantly, to the child.”

Two things popped into Severus mind one was ‘is Harry going to be present?’ And ‘I am not good at preparing parties.”

Filius could almost hear him. “You can let Minerva or Pomona do it…” Severus got a genuine look of terror. “but it might just be easier if you tell the elves how many are coming, they will get the food and drinks, you won’t need anything else.”

“I do not have friends Filius.”

“Rubbish Severus, we are not only colleagues, you know we all support you in this.”

“Do I need to inform all the school, then?”

“I understand that you want to keep it private. The staff will know anyway but not the general public. It is important that Harry understands that you want to keep it a secret because of his safety. Not because you are not happy or proud of being his father. He will not be present in that reunion but he should know about it.”

“Could we make the ‘child-shower’ reunion in the Staff room?” Severus did not really want people in his quarters.

“Possible, but I would recommend it to be here, as everyone will be required to bring a ‘welcome present’ and it is better if they are allowed to place them in Harry’s room. This rooms will be full of good wishes.”

“What kind of presents?” Candles, presents, parties would they also need him to bake a cake?

“Symbolic. Appropriate for an eleven year old. Maybe something sweet, something warm, clothes or toys.”

“What next?”

“Full moon is on Tuesday, that would certainly make the ritual stronger, you must choose four witnesses. I think that Pomona, Poppy, Minerva and Albus would be glad to do it. I will conduct the ceremony. We would require the same 4 candles and picture of Harry’s parents. Harry and you must be present. That is when we are going to need blood.”

“Harry light this candle for your parents and tell them, first in your mind, that you are not going to stop loving them or being their son but are going to become Severus’ son.”

Harry lit the candle and placed it in front of the picture of his parents.

He kneeled on the pillow in front of the table. His back was touching Severus knees.

“Now, say the line that you practiced.” Flitwick was seated on side and was directing the ceremony.

“Mum, Dad I will always be your son and love you, but now I am also going to be the son of Severus Snape.”

The candle flame brightened and then it went out.

All those present felt a small breeze around them.

“Now Severus, light the candle again and tell them that you are claiming the child as yours. That you are entitled to him, regardless of anything past or future, that he IS your child and you will love him.”

Severus felt that his hand was trembling as he lighted the match. But at the moment the fire touched the candle he felt a warmth around him. A warmth that he had associated with his mother, and later, with Lily. He knew that it meant that Harry was now part of himself.

He said the words, and listened to them as if some one else was talking.

The candle stood lit. Filius looked at that with approval. The ceremony was going very well.

“Now my friends, you who are the witnesses, are going to light two more candles and I will light one also. ‘Because the fire that they represent will bind us to remember and will bind us to fulfill this ritual. We are witnessing this beginning and we are bringing our collective magic to keep the bond. Severus, please use the pin and place a drop of blood from your finger on the cloth… Now help Harry do the same. Now touch your fingers and let the blood mix…” Harry felt a tingle that started in his finger and went through all his body, he was looking at Severus and knew that the man had felt the same. Flitwick continued. “Fold the cloth… now your blood is mixed. Place the folded cloth over the candle…”

The cloth burned in an instant, like a snowflake in a fiery grip.

Another warm breeze surrounded them and the candles went out at the same time. Everyone was silent.

Severus had both his hands holding Harry’s shoulders.

“Well, it seems that it worked. Harry you have a father, Severus you have a son, you are a family now!”

Harry stood up and felt the arms of his father around him. They sat in the same chair.

Everybody present shook hands with them. Harry saw that the pinprick in his index finger had closed. He felt like crying but did not want to do it in front of his professors…

They left some minutes later, understanding that the small family needed time to be together. This was a celebration for two.

Harry stood by Severus as he said goodbye to their guests. Both were relieved when the door closed after the last one.

“Was that all?” The boy asked. He felt full of emotions and he did not know how to express them at all.

“Yes Harry. Now you may open your presents.”

“Presents?”

“Yes, they brought them the day of the party, they are welcome wishes.”

“Presents for me?” Harry was still overwhelmed by the ceremony. Severus tried to lighten it up. “Well, they are for my son, do you happen to know him?”

“I am your son.”

“Then I think that they are for you, son.” Harry run and embraced his father.

Severus asked to be the referee on the next Quidditch game. After what happened during the first game he did not want to risk Harry but couldn’t stop him from playing. He wanted to be close if an emergency occurred.

Harry was so excited to have his father near him that he caught the snitch as soon as the game started. Making it one of the shortest games in Hogwarts history!

As Gryffindor won, they celebrated in the tower.

The following Monday Severus received summons to appear at the Ministry of Magic that same afternoon. He informed the Headmaster and they decided that he should not go alone. Albus Dumbledore and Filius Flitwick would go with him.

They apparated out of the school boundaries to the main lobby in the Ministry of Magic. From there they took the elevators to the Child Services Department.

They were made to wait in a small meeting room. An old witch from Child Services offered them coffee and tea and left, then returned accompanied by Cornelius Fudge ten minutes later. The man looked at them angrily.

“Dumbledore, I was informed that an illegal adoption ritual was performed in Hogwarts last Tuesday!”

“It was not illegal, Cornelius. Adoption rituals are not forbidden.”

“Adoptions must be sanctioned by the Ministry!”

“We understand that the paperwork is in process, Cornelius.” He turned to look at the witch beside him.

“It is in process, but approval had not been granted.” stuttered the Minister.

“As of today, Cornelius, five weeks had passed since the Children Services Department received the paperwork. The policy says that the proceedings have to be completed in one month. So the paperwork should be finished by now.”

“We have not finished it. There are things we are still considering.” He could hardly talk.

“What things are you talking about?” Albus Dumbledore was at ease.

“Like the fact that the child to be adopted is Harry Potter! And the person that is going to adopt him is a Death Eater!”

“You know that the charges were withdrawn. Severus Snape was declared a free man more than 10 years ago and as such he may adopt any child.”

“Any child, but not Harry Potter…”

“Why not?”

“Because the child needs special attention and… He has no right to do it.”

“Cornelius, we delivered along with the required papers the letters from the child’s mother stating that she was a friend of Severus and that she wanted him to take care of her son.”

“The child has relatives…”

“He does, but his relatives… His uncle has been offered a position outside the country. They did not want to separate Harry from the world of his parents and they requested that a Guardian was appointed for the child.”

“A guardian, but not a parent, this is too… definitive!”

“Severus Snape has been Harry’s Guardian since the beginning of the School year, so the next logical step was to ask for the adoption.”

“But he had not been approved by the Ministry.”

“He was approved by the Ministry before he started teaching at Hogwarts.”

“If you allow me, Albus…”

“Of course, Filius.”

“Minister, when you learned of the Adoption Ritual, it was completed, was it not?”

“Yes.”

“It means then that it was successful and that you need only to ratify it by giving the correct papers to Mr. Snape.”

“We are not going to do that.”

“Do you really want to mess with ancient magic?” said Flitwick. That moment the lights went out in the small room and a strong wind blew around them.

All present were left speechless. Dumbledore lighted his wand and said:

“Do you plan to go against ancient magic, Cornelius? Are you prepared to do it? This magic is as strong as an unbreakable vow.”

In the light of Dumbledore’s wand Cornelius Fudge felt really small, and he had never been good with ancient magic…

“Of course not, Albus. We know of the strength of those vows and… That is why those rituals should be regulated by the Ministry, if they are done wrong….”

“In this ritual there is only hope and love involved, Cornelius, the beginning of a family.”

“So,” said Severus in the voice he used to make all of his students tremble. “Are you going to give me the papers?”

“Certainly, but we are going to file a protest…”

The light went off again after a loud thunder-like noise was heard. The light returned after a small flicker.

“We are going to give you the Adoptions papers.” the pale witch said. Cornelius Fudge too scared to talk only assented and signed the parchment that was presented before him. He said his goodbyes and went out. The Minister of Magic ran all the way to his office and asks his secretary to suspend his meetings for the afternoon and to get him a Calming draught.

The three wizards went for a drink in the ‘Leaky Cauldron’ after the meeting.

They sat in a private booth and ordered their drinks.

Severus looked a little shaken. He had the folded parchments in the inner pocket of his robes and touching them against his chest. He had heard of the strength of ancient magic and that was the reason he wanted it to protect Harry, but he had never heard of it manifesting itself like that.

Filius sat in a tall chair, as he sat he took some marble sized balls from his back pocket. Some were black and some were silver colored. He placed them in front of the Headmaster.

“The ingenuity of the young minds always surprises me. Who could have believed it…?”

Severus looked at the balls, but he did not know what they were.

“You will have to give points to Gryffindor, my friend.”

“I will give 10 points each for each ball I used and also a free pass for the next detention they earn in my class.”

“They should learn to use their brains in more constructive ways. Although if I may say it, these things are brilliant.”

“I wish I had a picture of Fudge's face after the thunder…” The small man almost fell from the chair laughing.

“Whom are you talking about?” Severus wanted to understand the conversation.

“The Weasley twins. They managed to create these extraordinary balls…”

“Those balls?”

“Yes, Severus, the black ones extinguish the lights and the silver ones produce a sound very much like thunder…” The small man was making a big effort not to fall of the chair… “I thought they would be helpful…”

“I thought you had overdone it after the second one thundered, Filius!” laughed Dumbledore.

‘My mistake, I used two balls.”

“I bet Fudge will think it twice before he tries to go against an ancient ritual again!”

At that moment the drinks arrived and Severus toasted his friends. And vowed to go easy on the twins in the future…

That night Severus called Harry to his quarters and showed him the parchment. He knew that it changed nothing between them now but they framed a copy and placed it in Harry’s room.

They were a family with ministerial approval after all!