Snape put a hand on Harry's wrist to still his frenetic movements. "That answer is misdirection. Can't you tell me what is the matter?"
"I... " Harry groaned, then managed to whisper, "I just keep asking myself what my father would have to say about all this."
"Your father's dead!" Draco erupted. "In case you haven't noticed, Severus here is alive and willing to take you on, even if it does get him killed. You might consider not being such a spoiled little arse to him, you know!"
"That's enough," Snape said before Harry could reply. Not that Harry knew what to say to that. "Get your cloak, Harry, and we'll Floo up."
Harry got his cloak, but said, "I can't Floo anywhere, Professor."
"Not done prevaricating yet?" sniped Draco.
"E-nough!" Snape snapped, enunciating the word with more force than before.
"I might burn up!" retorted Harry.
"Nonsense," said Snape, wrapping his robes around himself in preparation. "I wasn't planning to send you alone. If we go together, my magic will pull you through without incident."
"Well, even so, I don't much like the idea," Harry stubbornly insisted. "Is it so much trouble to walk up?"
"Mr. Potter," Snape said, his voice adopting full professorial tone, "I quite assure you, there is no reason to be concerned. My own magic will shield you from any ill effects. I know whereof I speak."
"I can't believe you ding Hermione for using hitherto," Harry muttered, before he realized that insults probably weren't the best tack to take. All in all, he wasn't quite clear on just why Snape even wanted him around. He'd understood, when he'd thought the adoption was just to make the warding spells work. Now though... well, Snape had said Harry was somewhat admirable, but Harry didn't think he was. So where did that leave him? Harry couldn't shake off an awful premonition that he could still blow it with Snape, and that would leave him with nobody.
Again.
He suddenly wished he hadn't mentioned his father, even if Snape had asked. He really, really wished he could agree to Floo, but not even to keep things on an even keel could he risk what the flames might do to him.
"Um, I mean, a walk would make for a really nice change, sir," he murmured, shifting nervously on his feet. "I'm sure you can protect me in the Floo," he lied, hoping to mollify the man, "but I haven't had a chance to really stretch my legs in weeks."
Draco gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, then hurriedly shoved them under the table.
"And besides," Harry miserably added, "the idea sort of reminds me of... er, Samhain."
Snape uncrossed his arms to remark, "I didn't realize. Well, I suppose this is one of those times when we negotiate, then. We'll walk. Are you ready?"
Harry nodded. "Dudley, will you be all right here?"
"No, I'm going to kill him and stuff his body up the chimney," Draco suddenly snarled, every word bitter. "Of course he'll be all right! Do you trust me that little? If I'd wanted to do something foul to your cousin, I've had plenty of opportunities before now!"
"I didn't mean that--" Harry began, but Dudley cut him off.
"It's fine, Harry. You go off and sign papers with your new dad."
Harry cringed and stared at his shoes. Snape might want to be his guardian--though even that word made Harry rather shiver, reminding him as it did of the Dursleys--but no way did Snape want to be his dad.
Draco abruptly stood up and left the table, without even excusing himself--a breach of manners that Harry recognized as quite unusual for the Slytherin boy.
Snape didn't reply to Dudley's awful gaffe or react to Draco's rudeness. He merely opened the door for Harry, saying little to nothing as together, they left the dungeons.
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"You know, it really is nice to have my world expand beyond the confines of your quarters," Harry remarked as they were riding the enchanted staircase up to the headmaster's office.
"No doubt."
"Don't you think Draco would be in a better mood if--"
"I suggest you leave Draco and his attitude problem to me," Snape smoothly interrupted.
As hints went, that one was pretty hard to miss. That didn't mean it stopped Harry, though. As much as he still resented all the things Draco had done over the years, he couldn't help but feel a bit bad for him now. At least Harry had never been under any illusions at the Dursleys; he'd known he wasn't loved. It must be awful to believe you came first with your parents, then find out that you came a distant second to a crazed snakelike monster. Talk about a paradigm shift!
"Um, Draco kind of resents this whole idea, you know," Harry ventured.
Snape gave him a look which clearly said, You think? At that, Harry shut up. Let the Slytherins work it out for themselves. He had enough on his plate.
The headmaster opened the door just as Snape had raised his hand to knock. In other circumstances, Harry would have laughed out loud at the sight of Snape yanking his balled fist back just in time to avoid rapping Dumbledore on the nose. As things stood, though, he just felt too undone to appreciate the humor. He felt a bit like a Quaffle that had been hit way out over the pitch. He didn't know where he was going to land... or if he was going to land safely.
"Come in, my dear boys," the headmaster enthused. "Quite a day, eh? Quite an adventure." He waved them into seats, beaming from ear to ear. "Sherbet lemon? Peppermint? Jolly Roger? Ah, I know just the thing for you, Severus." He snapped his fingers, and a thick, ridged strand of black licorice appeared, wafting through the air toward the Potions Master.
Snape scowled deeply, but to Harry's surprise, he did take the candy. He didn't eat it though, but tucked it into a pocket, presumably for later.
"Harry, anything you would like? Anything at all?"
The boy shook his head.
"Tea, perhaps? Orange juice? I hear the house-elves have been conjuring it especially for you."
"Nothing, sir. Thank you."
"All right, then." Dumbledore briskly rubbed his hands together. "Now, as you may or may not know, Wizard Family Services has the authority to grant adoptions. It is an organization loosely affiliated with the Ministry of Magic, though not under its direct control. Good thing, in my view. We don't want Harry's guardianship treated as a political matter, certainly."
That sounded sensible enough; Harry nodded. Snape, he noted, was simply listening.
"I contacted Wizard Family Services early this morning," Dumbledore continued, "to ascertain procedure, that sort of thing. When I explained the gravity of the situation, they were more than agreeable to expediting their usual process. It wouldn't do at all to have bureaucracy stand in the way of...." The headmaster broke off that train of thought and shuffled some papers on his desk, but not before Harry divined the rest of the sentence.
It wouldn't do to have bureaucracy stand in Harry Potter's way. He's the Boy Who Lived. He'll be the Savior of Us All. Promised almost from birth to destroy Voldemort, don't you know...
Not even Wizard Family Services was going to look at him and see him for what he was. Harry sighed, and curled his legs in tightly against the chair, wishing he could somehow hide.
"There are some initial forms the two of you will need to fill out," Dumbledore was continuing. "I suggest you take care of that here, in the privacy of my office, as Severus' quarters are a wee bit crowded at the moment." He beamed another smile. "For the sake of Harry's safety, Family Services is willing to interview the two of you at Hogwarts rather than insisting you come to London as would be usual."
Interview? Harry didn't like the sound of that. What were they going to ask?
His concern must have shone in his eyes, for the headmaster began explaining, "They simply wish to determine whether the two of you are compatible and ascertain that Severus can provide an appropriate physical, emotional, and magical environment for your needs."