"I don't think he--" Harry abruptly stopped talking when it came to him that he was close to betraying something Snape had told him in confidence.
Amaelia Thistlethorne looked as though she understood Draco's issues about family love, but also as though she approved of Harry's discretion. "Patience," she repeated. "And too, please realise that it may be a few days before your brother takes it into his head to test his new father's commitment. At the very start he will likely be feeling too vulnerable to even attempt pushing limits."
Harry's first reaction to that was to think she had it wrong and Draco wasn't the vulnerable sort. But then he remembered the scene he'd witnessed the night before. Draco in the hallway, leaning against Snape, sniffling in despair from Lucius' dreadful threats. So yes, Draco was a bit vulnerable. He just didn't like to show it. And if he got a bit snide with his family for a while, well, Harry could put up with that. He could help see Draco through to the other side, where he would realise what family meant.
"Well, if you have no further questions I will return to the office to see to it that the matter is concluded this evening," said the casewitch as she hefted her considerable bulk to her feet. "Though with the head of WFS supporting it now, there should be no problems."
Harry nodded. "Hmm, too bad I didn't have any warning; I'd have made a well-wish." His mind started racing as he tried to figure out what plants would be best for Draco.
"A well-wish for an adoption?" The casewitch appeared startled, but then she caught on. "Oh, I see. That's a marvellous notion. What a nice young man you are, thinking of a thing like that."
"Draco thought of it first. Way back then. He's a good brother."
"As Professor Snape is a good father. You needn't convince me further, Mr. Potter. I thought at first that this was proceeding much too hastily, especially as the murder has yet to be solved, but now I see that you all fit quite well together. Just remember what I said about Mr. Malfoy's possible mood a few days hence."
As if Harry could forget.
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Harry wasn't nearly as bored alone in Snape's quarters the second time around, because now he had a project to pursue. A well-wish. The book Ginny had given him, Well We Wish You, was still in his trunk, and of course Snape had loads of books detailing magical properties of plants. Granted, those were designed more with Potions in mind, but they were still useful. Draco's book, Harry thought, would have been really useful, but it was nowhere to be found. Harry didn't know if it was one of the items that had vanished when the goblins had enforced the terms of his vault, or if Draco had merely packed it when he'd gathered up all his belongings.
Draco must have been feeling truly hopeless, Harry thought as he glanced about the room. There was nothing of his left at all, as though he'd believed the adoption would never go through and he'd be forever barred from Hogwarts. No wonder he'd been acting hostile. Of course, according to the casewitch, that was only going to get worse...
Maybe, Harry thought. I managed to skip that step; maybe Draco will too. We are already a family...
But at some level, Harry knew, Draco didn't really believe that.
He ate dinner alone, ordering pot roast in honour of Draco, and then got right back to his research.
The flare of the Floo took him by surprise when it finally happened. Jumping up, Harry nervously glanced down at his clothes. He should be in dress robes, well-wish in hand, and he looked as though he'd come down to brew all day! Which he had, of course. Snape had entirely forgotten about his potions tutorial, but Harry was hardly going to complain about it. In the first place, Draco was far more important. And in the second, Harry didn't like potions all that much anyway.
Draco stepped through the Floo first, followed closely by Snape, who had a satchel in hand. A small satchel, yet it probably held everything Draco had left in the whole world. Harry thought that was rather sad, but this time, he knew better than to offer Draco part of his own wealth.
"Hey," Harry said, which he thought was pretty lame, but he didn't know quite what to say about the adoption. Upon this day your joy is made complete, something like that, except that would have to wait until he'd gotten all his plants together. "Is it done? Official?"
Draco nodded, not meeting Harry's eyes. He unhooked his cloak and as he shrugged out of it, Harry couldn't help but notice the black patch where the Slytherin crest used to be.
"So do you have a certificate embossed and suitable for framing?" he asked to break the tension.
"No," snapped Draco, the one short word taking Harry aback.
"Oh, I guess it couldn't make it through Fidelius--"
"Indeed not. Albus delivered it personally," said Snape. He withdrew a rolled scrolled tied with ribbon and extended it to Harry.
Draco sucked in a harsh breath, but Harry gave him an easy smile. "What, you think I'm going to object to something? I'm sorry you've had it so rough lately but I'm not sorry at all to have this to admire." Thumb and forefinger about to pull the end of the ribbon, Harry paused. "May I?"
"I think I'd rather you didn't."
"Harry, please do go ahead," said Snape, his black eyes rebuking Draco, though his tone of voice remained calm. "He's going to find out sooner or later, you realise."
"I know you're adopted, Draco," quipped Harry.
"You don't know the rest though--"
"What rest?" Before Draco could answer that though, Harry had the certificate unrolled and was reading it. Well, scanning it. It was the same as his own, after all. Except for the name prominently featured in glowing gold script.
Draco Snape.
Harry's eyes just about bugged out of his head.
Draco Snape?
Harry checked again, but sure enough, the name was still the same.
"You changed your name?" he finally asked, keeping his tone carefully level as he glanced up. He didn't want to let on how strange he found that; it seemed to him that Draco was a bit on edge about it already.
"Yes." As if needing a distraction, the other boy went to hang his cloak, then came back and stared at Harry in clear challenge.
"Uh, all right," said Harry, smiling past his shock. Draco Snape? He rolled the name around in his mind, wishing he could try it out on his tongue to see if it fit. It was just... too strange to take in.
Apparently his expression gave his thoughts away. "I thought a fresh start would be a good thing," said Draco in an airy tone that didn't do a thing to hide his defensiveness. "I was tired of being judged his in every way just because he sired me."
Harry remembered then, Snape saying, Draco is trying to distance himself from his father. Harry just hadn't realised that Draco was going to try quite this hard. He still really couldn't wrap his mind around it.
"You aren't jealous, are you?"
Blinking, Harry shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm just surprised, is all. You're happy with it, right? Then that's all that really matters."
Draco inclined his head in a rather regal gesture. "I'm happy with it, Harry. It was my idea, after all." A wicked grin suddenly curled his lips. "Of course Lucius is bound to regard it as quite a slap in the face. So that's all right, then."
"Draco Snape," Harry finally said out loud. He couldn't imagine what his friends were going to say. But then again, that hardly mattered. "Hmm. Well that'll take a bit of getting used to but if you're happy with it then so am I."
The other boy's eyes began to gleam with mischief. "Not too late to be Harry Snape yourself..."