Harry Potter:Bonds of Hope

Chapter Four: Talks of Bonds

When Severus arrived back at the room Harry had finished eating and was holding Draco again, talking to him quietly as Healer Greyclaw, Dobby and King Ragnok were discussing something at the foot of the bed.

Severus rushed back over to his family, the separation from them had been taxing on his magic, he could feel it, and he needed to be close to them again. He breathed a sigh of relief as he sat next to Harry and started stroking Draco's tiny head gently, completely in awe of the baby in Harry's arms.

"Are you both okay?" Severus asked quietly.

"Yes, are you?" Harry said with a small smile on his face.

"I am now," Severus said, smiling back at Harry.

Severus didn't know what was coming over him. Whether it was the bond, or magic, or something else. But he felt like with Harry he could be himself. His true self. Not the person he had to pretend to be in order to maintain his position. Not the person he had to pretend to be at Dumbledore's behest.

He could be Severus.

Just Severus.

And he liked it.

He felt free.

He hoped that it meant that maybe he could teach the way he wanted to from now on. He hoped he could stop being horrible to the students. He hoped he could be himself. Dumbledore had just ruined his position as a spy by telling Lucius, even though his trial confirmed it long ago he could have worked around it, saying that is what Dumbledore thought, and it enabled him to spy on Dumbledore this whole time. But Voldemort wouldn't believe a word of it if Lucius told him that he was spying for Dumbledore.

But Severus was okay with not spying so long as he had his family. He would always protect them. He had always wanted a family.

"Are you two ready to talk about everything?" Griphook asked after a few minutes.

Severus looked Harry in the eyes for a few moments. He could see how anxious he was under his façade, it was hard to get anything past Severus. But he understood. Harry was young, only fourteen, and there was a lot going on. There was always a lot, too much, going on in Harry's life. But Harry was also happy, happy to finally have a family, a true family. And Severus could see that happiness shining amongst the anxiousness in Harry's whole body.

It made Severus happy, because someone was happy to be destined to be with him. Someone was happy to have a child with him. He obviously wouldn't do anything until Harry was seventeen. But that just gave them time to get to know each other, to build a proper relationship. A proper family.

A happy family.

"Yes, we're ready," Harry said, looking back at the goblins.

"Good. I think the first thing we should do is give all three of you inheritance tests. This way we can see if the magical surge has given any of you new powers, new inheritances, and such," King Ragnok said as he placed the items for the tests on the bed. Harry froze.

"We need to use a needle for Draco also? Surely there is something that won't hurt him," Harry fretted, clutching Draco a bit closer to him.

Ragnok smiled at Harry, "Don't worry, Harry. You know I would never hurt your son, or any child for that matter. When you came here last summer, did you feel anything when we did your inheritance test?"

"No," Harry shook his head, "but I am used to pain, so a little needle won't really feel like anything to me,"

It was a sad truth that hurt Severus more than he thought it would, or could for that matter. It twisted his heart to know that Harry had been through so much in his short life. So much pain, sorrow, anguish. He just hoped that this bond allowed him to better protect him, and Draco.

"I know. But there is no need for you to worry. I promise. All of the needles we use on children are covered in a numbing spell that doesn't affect the potion. He won't feel a thing and we will heal it straight away. I promise,"

"Okay," Harry said, and Severus could hear how much he trusted the goblin in his voice, but also see it in his eyes.

Ragnok, Griphook and Healer Greyclaw all helped them add seven drops of their blood into their own bottles of inheritance test potion and shook them before pouring them onto the parchment and healing the tiny wounds on their fingers.

"We will start with Draco's," Ragnok said, picking up the delicate parchment and looking over it with a grin, "Draco Severus Potter-Prince, born on the fifth of September nineteen ninety-four at 12 minutes past midnight to mother, Harry James Potter, and father, Severus Tobias Prince. His magic is removed of all blocks, spell damage, and other taints. He is heir to the Potter, Prince, Black, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Peverell Houses. He is a Parselmouth, and will have the ability to do Parselmagic. He is also a natural healer. He is a bearer. And, when he comes into his magical strength at seventeen he will be very powerful, potentially even gain new skills. There are no traces of the Malfoys left in him,"

Harry and Severus stared at their son, their son, in awe. It was hard for Severus to believe that he finally had the one thing he had always wanted more than anything else.

"Would you like to change his first name at all? It is up to you of course but if you would like to you have ten days to decide on a new one," Griphook said.

Harry and Severus looked at each other again, almost as if they were having a conversation with their eyes. It was odd to Severus that he could understand what Harry was thinking just by looking at his expressions rather than looking in his mind like he usually would be able to. He idly wondered if it was part of the bond.

"No, it is okay. We will keep his name as it is," Severus said.

"I like the name Draco. But also, it would be good to honour the old version of him. We might not have gotten along, but I can understand him now. And I know now that maybe the boy I saw wasn't the true him. Just the one that was trying to survive. Like me. He won't live like that though now. We will make sure he can be himself. We will make sure he is happy, and loved," Harry said, looking back at their son with sad eyes as he touched his finger to Draco's tiny palm and smiled slightly as Draco clung tightly to it.

Severus felt that there was more to it, but he didn't push. He and Harry would have to talk properly about everything, but it could wait until they got through this conversation with the goblins.

"We shall move onto Severus' next if that is okay with you both," Ragnok said, they both nodded in response, "Severus Tobias Prince, nee Snape, born on the ninth of January nineteen seventy seven," Severus gasped quietly in shock, "at two forty three in the afternoon, to mother Eileen Snape, nee Prince, and father Tobias Snape, both of whom are deceased. Soul bond (Bonds of Hope) to Harry James Potter with one child, Draco Severus Potter-Prince. Lord of House Prince, heir to Houses Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff; we were able to keep that out of the conversation when you came in with Dumbledore as there is a clause that the heirs of the founders of Hogwarts can only be told they are the heirs when on their own or with family," Severus was still in shock.

"Masteries in potions, defence against the dark arts, and dark magic, now dated at nineteen ninety four, although none of your previous accomplishments in the fields have been lost, they are just under your previous name of Severus Tobias Snape. A letter will be sent to the boards to let them know what has occurred," Severus nodded gratefully, "All blocks on your magic have been removed, along with any and all potions, spells and curses in your system. Lady Magic is slowly removing your Dark Mark, she can't do it quickly because of the structure of it, and because it is tied to your magic, but it will be gone in the next twenty four hours. She is also removing the glamour that was placed on you, but again, it will take twenty four hours as it has been on you for so long. You are now a Parselmouth, and have the ability to do Parselmagic. You are a natural healer. And you are incredibly powerful,"

Severus was in shock. He almost missed the look that Harry was giving his left arm, but he saw it, and he knew he had to say something.

"I was a spy, Harry. For Dumbledore. I didn't want to be a Death Eater," he said.

He was shocked that Harry didn't see it when they were in the birthing pool, but maybe Harry was too caught up in the pain to truly notice anything.

"Okay," Harry said after looking Severus in the eyes for a few moments.

"I'm sorry, what glamour?" Severus said when his mind caught up with what Ragnok had said.

"Albus Dumbledore placed a glamour on you when he came for your home visit when you were previously eleven. It was a slow acting one that made you think the changes in your appearance were natural, but they weren't,"

"Why would he want to change my appearance?"

"I don't know. That would have to be something you ask him," Severus just nodded, not knowing what to think or say.

"And lastly, Harry James Potter, born on the thirty first of July at eleven fifty nine in the evening, to mother Lily Rose Potter, nee Evans, and father James Fleamont Potter. Godfather is Sirius Black, Godmother is Alice Longbottom, nee Fawley. Soul bond (Bonds of Hope) to Severus Tobias Prince, nee Snape, with one child, Draco Severus Potter-Prince. Legally an adult due to becoming pregnant with a child. Lord Potter, and heir to Houses Black, Peverell, Gryffindor and Slytherin. However, you can become the Lord to those Houses now. All blocks, spells and potions have been removed from your system. Lady Magic is slowly removing your lightning scar also, but it will take up to twenty four hours for her to finish as there is some very dark magic in it that is linked to your magic. You are a bearer. You are a Parselmouth and have the ability to do Parselmagic. You are a metamorphmagus. You have some elemental abilities. And you are very powerful,"

"Does Dumbledore know about me being the heir of Gryffindor, Slytherin or Peverell?" Harry asked, still looking at Draco, clearly not wanting to take his eyes off him for a minute. Severus felt much the same.

"I believe he knows about Peverell, but he doesn't know about the founders. The heirs themselves are the only ones that can be told they are the heirs, and it is their own prerogative if they tell others. The founders wanted to protect their heirs as much as possible,"

Harry nodded, grateful that Dumbledore wasn't able to exploit them in that way. Severus was also grateful. Who knew what the man would do if he knew that the three of them were heirs to the founders of Hogwarts. That Draco was the heir to all four of them. They had seen what he had done to Tom Riddle because he was the heir to one of them. Would they be made enemies also?

Well, they were already enemies of a sort. Dumbledore had used Harry, hurt Harry too many times. He had used and hurt Severus also. He also apparently wanted to use and hurt their son.

But they would do whatever they could to protect each other and Draco. Severus was sure of that much.

"So, what can you tell us of the Bonds of Hope?" Harry said, looking briefly at the goblins still sat at the end of the bed, with Dobby next to them.

"It is a ritual of sorts created and performed only by Lady Magic herself. The first recorded Bonds were formed during the first ever witch hunts, and they have happened fairly regularly, although one hasn't occurred in about two hundred years despite the wars and things that have occurred in that time. There are a few factors that need to be in the three people involved before the Bond can be established," Griphook said.

"Those factors are: all participants need to be at least fourteen years of age. If there is one a fair bit physically older than the others, they will be de-aged to seventeen. The one that is the youngest of mind will be de-aged to a foetus. At least one of them needs to have the ability to carry a child, and they need to be fertile. All three need to have been abused in some way, although, the more powerful the bond, the more they have been abused. They also need to be found worthy by Lady Magic, of love, family, and all that they have desired but never received. It is a bond which is meant to aid you with achieving everything you desire. It enables you to share power, and magic, and be happy, be loved, be a family. The Bond will only be formed if Lady Magic finds the three people involved to be compatible; magically, physically, emotionally and mentally. In all ways essentially. You have all been through the same abuses, you have all been used by people. You are compatible. The Bond, once formed, will last forever. In each new life you will all find each other and provide each other with that same happiness. It provides you with the hope that you have needed and desired your whole life. Hence the name," Ragnok said.

"The reason why the C-section was a bad thing for Pomfrey to do, even with her thinking she got consent from your magical guardian, is because the Bond strengthens and relaxes during the pregnancy. Your magics would have used that time to settle, and to get used to the bond, and also to help you come into your new powers. Then, of course, there is the fact that Draco is premature, had they waited another week he would have been classed as full term and so his lungs would be fully developed. Male bearers also just want to give birth naturally, it is their body's and magics need to give birth. The only case this isn't true is when there is something wrong that could kill either themselves, their child, or both of them. That is the only time a male bearer's magic allows a C-section with no consequences, or if they give permission for it. Yes, women also mostly prefer to give birth naturally, but there are no major concerns when they want a C-section as their magic won't fight it. But with male bearers there can be consequences, such as going into labour even if you have already given birth. Because that is what your body and magic wants. Your body is magically enhanced to have children; to carry them, to birth them. When your magic, and your body, doesn't get that, it fights back, so to speak," Healer Greyclaw said.

"Is that why I have been feeling weird since I woke up, after the bond? Because my body and magic knew something wasn't right? That something had happened that wasn't meant to have happened?" Harry asked somewhat quietly.

"Yes. You will probably feel that way until all of your magics have settled,"

"I do have some books about the Bond that goes into some more detail if you would like to read them. There are things that you will be able to do once your magics have settled and you have practiced," Ragnok said.

"That would be great, thank you," Severus said.

"Right, we will leave you both to talk. If you need anything Dobby knows what to do. Harry, sweetie, do you need anything before we go?" Healer Greyclaw said, giving Harry a motherly look.

"Erm, a pain reliever please. My stomach hurts," she gave Harry a pain reliever and he took it gratefully with a sigh of relief.

The three goblins left the room. Dobby went to putter about the kitchenette.

"Harry, are you okay?" Severus asked.

Harry hummed in response, "We have all been through the same abuses," he whispered.

Severus looked down at his hands. He hadn't really taken that line in until Harry said it. It hurt that Harry and Draco had also had to live through the same kinds of experiences that he had. They didn't deserve it. Deep down he knew that he didn't deserve it either, but it was hard to come to terms with.

"Are you okay with this?" Harry asked.

"Yes. I have always wanted a family. More than anything else. And now I have one. Are you okay with this?"

"Yes," Harry said, smiling slightly before a yawn escaped.

"Let's get some sleep," Severus said and Harry nodded.

They laid down, facing each other, Draco laying in between them, close to both of their chests, Harry laid a hand on his tiny stomach.

"I punched Lucius Malfoy in the face," Severus told Harry, a grin on his face.

"Did you break his nose?" Harry grinned.

"I believe so,"

"Good. That is just the beginning, though, right?"

"Of course,"

They fell asleep easily.