Chapter 15: Summons
When Severus finally arrived at the headmaster’s office, he found the aged wizard pouring over a mountain of scrolls. His square frame eyeglasses were perched on his long and crooked nose as his blue eyes rapidly scanned over a large chart.
“Come in, Severus,” Albus beckoned, his words the only acknowledgment that the man had entered his office.
“Tell me you knew of this.”
Albus looked up at the potions master. “Indeed, Severus. I was well aware of the relation.”
The headmaster opened one of the scrolls currently littering his desk. “Narcissa’s relationship to the Potters is a distant one, though not without it’s significance."
Severus bent over the desk and studied the names in front of him. Narcissa’s was easy to find, near the bottom. His eyes worked their way up the charts to an obscure marriage between a Dorea Black and Charlus Potter. Their son was James Potter.
“And you’ve known this the entire time?” Severus questioned, a tad displeased by the headmaster’s secrets. Granted, many assumed that Severus had been close with the Malfoy family while spying on the Dark Lord. However, there was a certain animosity between the men, and neither had kept their pseudo-friendship since his release from Azkaban.
As a student, and even during the years after, Severus had never met the parents of James Potter, nor had ever been interested enough to study the lineage. His own interest had been reserved for the Prince line, of which held no relation to the Potter, nor Black, family.
“Indeed. It was early in my teaching career that both Charlus Potter and Dorea Black wandered these halls as students. In fact, I even attended their wedding. A momentous occasion, if I recall correctly. They had the most splendid table of puddings.” Albus trailed off, recollecting the wedding reception from years ago.
“If I could possibly interrupt your recollection of past sweet indulgences…” Severus drawled, becoming even more annoyed. Harry was asleep back in his quarters and Severus knew he was on borrowed time until the child woke. The stubborn child wouldn’t even agree to lie down until I promised that we would brew together when he awoke.
“My apologies, Severus,” Albus acquiesced, turning back to the issue at hand. “Narcissa is only Harry’s second cousin, estranged as it is.”
Severus backed away from the desk as Albus cleared the paper with a wave of his wand. Placing it in front of the fireplace, Severus mulled over the news silently for a moment.
“And what legal claim do they have to the boy?”
“Now, Severus, have a seat. Harry will not be leaving us, I assure you.” Albus sat opposite of the potions master in front of the fireplace, a tea tray appearing on the small table before them.
“The Ministry of Magic has several laws where a child’s custody is assigned. The most distant relation that the ministry has control over is a grandparent. Possibly even a great aunt or uncle,” Albus explained as he poured two cups of black tea.
“Of which, Harry has none still alive.”
“Correct. The Ministry of Magic has no grounds to dispute Harry’s current guardians.”
“And legally who are they? Those blasted muggles?”
Albus sighed as he recalled the day he took Harry from the home of his relatives. “No. The Dursleys signed over custody of Harry to myself, cutting themselves off from any rights to the child.”
“Can this be disputed by the Malfoys or the Ministry?” Severus questioned.
“Not with any merit. They could try to make the custody issue a difficulty but in the end it wouldn’t stand in court.”
“I wouldn’t put it past them,” Severus growled, knowing just how much Lucius would try to disrupt the life of the Boy-Who-Lived.
“Severus, we do need to adjust some of Harry’s custody paperwork,” Albus said as he set his teacup down. “As of right now, I have been granted sole custody of the child. I think it’s imperative that Harry remains with you. It has not escaped anyone’s notice that he is doing very well under your care and I believe he will continue to do so.”
“Albus, no one will give full custody of the savior of the wizarding world to a former death eater.”
“Not full custody, no. I had more of a joint custody agreement in mind.”
Severus narrowed his black eyes at the headmaster. And just what schemes are you concocting now, you old coot?
“We can have the legal documents drawn up to give you primary physical custody of Harry and we can share a joint legal custody agreement. This way no one can raise an argument against your care for the child.”
“No, Albus, but they can question your sanity,” Severus drawled.
“Nothing in your current circumstances would change, Severus. No matter what the legal situation, I am in need of your care for our young charge.”
“Indeed, Headmaster. I have gone from paying off my debts by spying to now wiping snotty noses,” Severus spat, annoyed that the arrangement was turning permanent. Harry hadn’t been as much hassle as he had expected but the young potions master had hoped a better option would be coming along. Especially with the school term starting in just a few weeks.
“Harry needs you, Severus.”
“Just draw up the infernal papers. I’ll sign them,” Severus sighed, defeated. The boy is starting to grow on me anyways.
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As he walked back into his quarters, his thoughts still focused on the meeting just completed, a cry from the bedroom alerted Severus to the current state of his charge.
Tossing his robes over the edge of the couch, Severus rushed into the child’s bedroom. Harry was thrashing on the bed, caught up in a nightmare. It isn’t unusual for a child, especially one that has gone through as much as Harry had, to be plagued with nightmares. Severus had already experienced the child’s night terrors since having charge of him. This experience was different however. The same white light was building around the child. The same light was preventing Severus was entering into the room. Unable to reach the child to wake him, Severus could do nothing but stand at the door and watch. He had not seen any more evidence of this wild magic since the incident with the erkling.
“NO!” Harry wailed, finally coming out the dream. The white light flashed in the room and then disappeared completely. Severus had almost expected the room to be damaged from the magic but everything remained intact. When the erkling had been hit, it had been completely annihilated. Filing away the event for further contemplation, Severus hurried to the bed and soon had an armful of a crying child.
“Calm yourself, Harry,” Severus tried in his best soothing manner. He was still used to barking at children, not being a comforter.
“I don’t wanna play with him,” Harry sobbed as he clung onto his guardian with all the strength the small boy possessed.
“Play with whom?”
“The kid in the forest. He scares me.”
The erkling. Severus was wondering when that incident was going to make it into Harry’s night terrors. The previous ones had been about the Dursleys.
Pushing Harry back, Severus summoned a handkerchief and wiped the tears from the boy’s face. “Harry, it was only a dream. You’re safe here.”
Harry hiccupped and nodded, the dream slowly fading from his mind as he fully woke up.
“Harry, just before you woke up, how did you feel?”
“Scared,” came the timid answer.
“Anything else?”
“It felt like something was heavy here,” Harry indicated to his chest. “Like Fang was sitting on me.”
Severus nodded. He figured the tight feeling that Harry experienced was his magic building. It seemed connected to fear, but one thing confused the potions master. Why was there no damage to the room unlike the forest?
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“It’s happened again, Headmaster,” Severus sighed, sinking into the chair. It was late in the evening and he was exhausted from the day. Once Harry had calmed down from the nightmare, the two had spent the afternoon brewing in his lab. Harry had been captivated with his new potions kit and kept himself entertained for the day, allowing Severus to focus on his own project. He was actually rather impressed with the kit and was secretly coming up with his own ideas for improving the concept, as Harry would eventually grow bored with the simple concoctions that the provided ingredients would make.
“Harry’s nightmares are continuing?” Albus questioned, summoning tea for the two of them.
“This one was different from his usual ones. It was his experience with the erkling. His magic even flared this time, the same white power as in the forest.”
“Indeed,” Albus murmured, watching the flames in deep thought. He spoke again after a moment. “I’ve continued my research. What do you know about empaths?”
“Just that they sense the emotions of those around them.”
“There are variations of the ability, one being particularly rare, in fact. It’s a combination of empathy and a strong, protective magical core. It’s only been documented a few times, and none within the last century.”
“So this gifting is what Potter has?”
“I suspect so, although we won’t be positive until he gets older and his magic continues to develop. His accidental magic is stronger then most children his age. The average magical child will display basic signs of magic. They can do things like summon a bottle when hungry and the like. Harry’s magic is showing atypical signs that lead me to believe that he does indeed have this unique gift. I believe he senses when something or someone is set on harming him. His magic then naturally reacts to the threat.”
“And how do we control this?” Severus asked.
“For now, we keep him safe. As he gets older we can train him. I believe that once he can understand the concept, training in wandless magic will help a great deal.”
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Since Harry’s birthday, the entire staff had started gathering for meals in the Great Hall. Each day, more of the staff seemed to be arriving. The professors always purposed to arrive at the castle several weeks before the term began. The classrooms needed to be prepped, the lesson plans prepared, and any adjusting to school policies and curriculums made.
Nearly a week since the custody paperwork was filed, two large barn owls swooped down, landing at both the Headmaster’s and the Potions Master’s breakfast plate. Harry, enthralled by the large owls, reached to try to pet it, but the haughty bird tried to take a nip at the small boys fingers, it’s feathers ruffling in annoyance.
The black eyes met blue as the two men glanced at each other, taking the letters from the birds.
Dear Severus Snape,
You are personally summoned to the Department of Family Affairs on the 17th August at promptly 10:00 am for a custody hearing regarding the application for joint custody of Harold James Potter with Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Harold Potter is also expected to be in attendance.
Sincerely,
Mavis Pompernell
Head of Family Affairs
Ministry of Magic
Severus slowly folded the summons and put it back into the envelope. As much as it wasn’t wanted, it truly wasn’t unexpected.
“Is it safe to assume your letter states the same, Headmaster?” Severus asked as he watched Albus set the parchment aside.
“Indeed, Severus.” The rest of the staff looked on with curiosity as the owls flew off. Severus watched as Harry glared at the owl as it disappeared out of the window. The boy had been offended by its rude behavior. He had gotten used to the school owls that loved his affection whenever Harry accompanied his guardian to send off a correspondence.
As Albus explained to the staff about the summons, Severus tuned out the chatter over the pending meeting. He was willing to bet that Lucius’s contacts within the ministry had alerted him to the custody change. It would be a long, exhausting meeting for sure, but Severus was confident in the Headmaster.
As the Potions Master glanced down at the happily eating child next to him, he couldn’t help but think about how much his life had changed in a month. His exterior hadn’t changed. Even the staff commented on how he seemed as cynical as ever. However, his regard for his ward had shifted. Yes, he is worth the inconvenience after all.