To: A.P.W.B. Dumbledore
From S.T. Snape.

(Ciphered)

Dear Headmaster,

The holiday is progressing successfully. Following a day-trip to Wizarding London, yesterday, which young Messrs Potter and Malfoy spent (mostly) in Diagon Alley, Harry and I, today, escorted Mr and Mrs Malfoy and young Master Malfoy to the National Gallery and Science Museum. Messrs Potter and Malfoy enjoyed critiquing the art, especially the uglier portraits, and the box of glass eyeballs in the Science Museum was held to be superbly disgusting. Mr Malfoy has added considerably to his personal library and, also, the Museums’ funds via the gift-shops. Additionally, Harry and Draco are now the proud owners of a pair of plastic eyeball keyrings.

Master Potter appears to be settling into the family very well and has struck up a particular friendship with Flossie, who has the dual claims to Harry's affection of being a. pregnant and b. scarred through the abuse of a former owner. I fear that we will not escape the Malfoy seat without a puppy in tow. Harry is gathering quite the menagerie.

Over the last three days, I have spent no inconsiderable period of time thinking on whether it would be to Mr Potter's benefit if I should take a greater role in his life. Immediately before we left Uroborus, Mr Potter expressed serious concerns as to leaving and asked if he could return for his next holiday and, during many of our Saturday afternoon meetings, Mr Potter has repeated his desire to holiday with me, expressing an eagerness to spend time together in a non-academic setting. Moreover, before Mr Potter, who is, as you know, a parselmouth, left Uroborus, he met Salazar Slytherin’s portrait and they conversed until sometime before dawn (which was when I discovered Mr Potter asleep in Slytherin's Chamber). During our subsequent conversation, Professor Slytherin, counselled me to adopt Mr Potter and his opinion, that Mr Potter considered me as a father, was born out on the day of Mr Potter’s Quidditch accident, when Harry addressed me as ‘Dad’ and, furthermore, begged me not to leave him and said that he loved me.

I believe that an adoption would be in Mr Potter’s best interests and, if Mr Potter agrees, I will endeavour to provide him with a stable, loving home. I am, of course, aware that, should, as we suspect, T.R. return, that my adopting Harry will leave the Order embarrassed for a spy. I have made arrangements.

Yours Sincerely,

Severus Snape

From the Desk of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

11th November

Dear Severus,

I drafted this letter _6_ weeks months years ago as it seemed rather obvious to me that young Harry Potter would, eventually, carry his point. Yes, by all means; at this stage, I cannot imagine that adoption will be anything other than an official confirmation of an established relationship. I am very happy for you both and sincerely believe that you will do very well together. Now, no more lollygagging; off to W.A.S. with you both. Chop chop.

With love and best wishes,

Albus.

“Draco, sweetie, could you come and help Mummy choose a Yule gift for Harry?”

“Oh Mummy! Harry and I were about to play Mages and Maidens!” whined Draco, pouting at his mother from the bed, upon which the board game was laid out.

“Draco…” Narcissa said sternly, tapping a small, grey suede boot and crossing her arms under her ultramarine travelling cloak.

“Okay Mummy but it’s not very sporting, you know. Leaving poor Harry all alone like this.” grumbled Draco, standing up.

(‘Poor Harry’ blushed and looked away, feeling slightly uncomfortable.)

“Harry, dear, if you’d like, you could go and sit with Severus. He’s in the yellow drawing room.” Narcissa said in a kind voice.

“Okay, Mrs Malfoy.” Harry smiled at his best friend encouragingly but Draco just looked sulky.

Draco and Mrs Malfoy walked with Harry down the stairs, to the family drawing-room.

“Bye Harry.” said Draco when they reached the door “Remember, you owe me a game!”

Harry grinned “Sure. Have a nice time shopping”

“Thank you Harry” smiled Mrs Malfoy “Draco and I will bring home ice-creams so try not to fill up to much on sweet things before we get back.”

Harry nodded “Yes Mrs Malfoy. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, dear. Come along, Draco”

As Harry watched Draco positively skip after his elegant mother, he couldn’t help but think that it was amazing what the promise of ice-cream could do.

OoOoO

“Hello, Harry” smiled Severus from the low, primrose silk sofa, where he was sitting with Flossy’s soft, fluffy, black head in his lap “I see that Mrs Malfoy carried her point with Draco.”

Harry sat down on the other side of the pregnant briard “Yes, Sir. Mrs Malfoy has a kind of quiet way of being firm.”

Severus chuckled “Yes, she has. Harry, I must confess that it pleases me to see how well you have settled into the Manor; many children find such a situation difficult, especially with a family as closely knit as Lucius, Narcissa and Draco.”

“They’re all really nice, though” said Harry, massaging Flossy’s back “And you’re here too, Sir.”

“Indeed. It is… enjoyable to be in a domestic setting.” Severus idly rubbed the scarred-over ridges where Flossie’s ears had once begun. Poor, dear old dog.

“Yes.” Harry said shyly “School is fun but it’s sort of nice being here, almost like it was at Uroborus, though…”

“Yes Harry” Severus said solicitously.

“Well, Draco’s really great and its fun doing kids stuff together but, at Uroborus, we… I sort of enjoyed spending time alone with you” Harry finished, flushing.

Severus smiled “Well, we have a whole afternoon together now.”

Harry beamed “I got an owl from Hagrid this morning, Sir: he said Hedwig’s eggs are all okay and he thinks that they might soon hatch.”

“That is good news, indeed, Harry and, with Flossie due to whelp any day now, we seem to have a very exciting Yule holiday.”

Harry stroked Flossie’s tummy, a tender look on his face “Flossie’s puppies are going to be happy, aren’t they, Sir? Mr Malfoy won’t let them go to people who would hurt them like what happened to Flossy?”

“I have it on very good authority that Mr Malfoy places a dormant curse on every family who buys one of his puppies. If they so much as hit the dog, he will be notified immediately.”

“That doesn’t sound like much of a curse, Sir” said Harry, looking confused.

“You haven’t seen Mr Malfoy angry, Harry.” smirked Severus.

Harry giggled, gently carding the dog’s fur through his fingers, earning an approving gaze from Flossie’s large, brown eyes.

“What sort of home would you like to go to, if you were a puppy, Harry?”

Harry looked up with a thoughtful look in his green eyes “I think… although I like being here, with Draco and Mr and Mrs Malfoy… I don’t think I’d really feel comfortable with a brother who’d been there before me. Like Dudley was. And… well, Mrs Malfoy seems really nice but… Petunia used to seem nice to Piers and all of Dudley’s friends. She was only... Not that I think Mrs Malfoy is like that!” Harry said hurriedly, blushing “It’s just…”

“You find it hard to place total trust in women” said Severus gently “It is easy to understand.”

Harry nodded “I just think that I’d like a father all to myself. Someone I knew would never hurt me and who would know cool things and who would like me for me” the child finished wistfully.

“Someone like me, Harry?”

Harry cringed, his cheeks burning. Had he been that obvious?

“You see, I have been thinking and it seems to me that, as we wish to spend our holidays together, like father and son, it would not be a bad idea to become father and son legally.”

“You mean, like an adoption?” Harry asked, his heart and his eyes filling with hope.

“Yes, if you should wish.” Severus smiled “However, if you wish to remain a Ward of Hogwarts, you may.”

Harry beamed “I… I’d really like to… to be your son! I’ve always wished…” he stopped, treacherous tears blocking his throat.

“You can have as long as you need to think about it, maybe until the end of the Yule holidays…”

“No!” Harry twitched “Um, I’m sorry I interrupted you Sir.”

“Do not let it concern you, Harry. This is no common conversation after all.” Severus said with a smile.

“I want to. I don’t need time to decide” said Harry firmly.

Severus nodded. “Very well, Harry. I am… very pleased that you would choose this. Mr Malfoy has arranged an interview with someone from Wizarding Adoption Services this morning” Severus gave a wry smirk “I told him that we should wait until I knew your opinion but, it seems, Mr Malfoy has a fair amount of prescience.”

“What will happen during this interview, Sir” asked Harry, his fingers tracing the raised scar tissue of Flossie’s back.

“The Wizard or Witch, I do not know who it is, will ask me a few questions while you are out of the room and, then, you’ll be called into the room and I’ll leave so that you can answer your questions in privacy.”

“You don’t have to go, Sir. I don’t think they could ask me anything which I wouldn’t mind you hearing.”

Severus smiled “I appreciate that, Harry. However, it is W.A.S policy to interview the adopter and adoptee separately.”

“Okay. Um…”

“Yes Harry?”

“Can Flossie stay in the room with me?”