Title: All You Need Is...

Author: Drusilla Dax ()

Pairings: Severus/Harry

Rating: 15, and OotP-coherent.

Summary: Years after the war, Harry Potter wants to get married... but he can't.

Disclaimer: I'm just playing with other people's toys. May I be forgiven in my next incarnation... Nothing you recognize is mine. The MOSSes -Ministry Officers of State Security - are my babies.

Reader: Mikee and Stephanie. The remaining mistakes are all mine, and I apologize for those.

All You Need Is...

The Above must have known that evil was lurking, waiting to do some mischief, because a terrible storm was raging all over the British Isles that night.

Cornelius Fudge Apparated onto the doormat of the Dursleys in Privet Drive and he knocked on the door.

Harry Potter answered the door; the young wizard was extremely surprised to see the Minister for Magic patiently waiting in the rain when he could have Apparated inside the house.

'Sir?' Harry said, though he felt like hexing the man into oblivion.

'May I come in, Harry? I have come to make amends and exonerate Sirius Black,' the Minister said.

The thunder roared, and as if it were a sign of some sort, Harry felt that a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders.

He invited Fudge in, closed the door behind him and told him that he must tell his relatives that a wizard was in their home. Fudge waited patiently.

As soon as the door closed behind the Minister, Minerva McGonagall transformed back into her human form and she Disapparated to the gates of Hogwarts to warn Albus Dumbledore.

Petunia and Vernon Dursley were introduced to the Minister for Magic, and they were so impressed that they allowed Harry to take his unexpected guest to his room.

Fudge explained that it had taken him some time to understand that Lord Voldemort was still in this world and that he was, indeed, back. He explained that what Harry had said after the Triwizard Tournament was so extraordinary that it had taken him a whole year to acknowledge that Harry had told the truth all along.

Harry was still crushed by Sirius's death; he didn't really care for the Minister's apology.

Harry had many friends, but he had lost the last person who represented a link with his parents. He was stuck with his aunt and uncle; they were relatives, not family.

Petunia and Vernon Dursley did not deserve to be called family.

Harry finally started to pay attention when Fudge told him that he wanted to clear Sirius Black of all accusation and make, according to Sirius's will that had been made before he was taken to Azkaban, Harry his sole heir.

Clear Sirius?

That would be a nice birthday present!

Actually, Fudge pointed out that it was a good thing that Harry had turned sixteen the day before, otherwise, he could not have acted as Sirius's sole heir. Harry vaguely remembered one of Binns's lessons; he knew that some wizarding things could only be done after one was sixteen. Maybe it would be a good thing after all.

Fudge presented Harry with a legal file - two identical pieces of parchment - and he gave permission to Harry to check their validity with magic.

Not fully trusting the Minister, Harry read the documents from the first to the last word before he put some spells on them.

When he was satisfied, Harry took a quill and some ink, and he signed.

Fudge told him that he was sorry about Sirius, and that he was sure that the war would end very soon.

There was something in Fudge's tone which bothered Harry, but he thought that it was because he didn't like Fudge, and that he was much too stressed.

Harry asked the Minister what he had to do now that he was Sirius's heir.

Fudge smiled and said that he was taking care of everything.

The Minister said goodbye and left.

When Fudge Apparated back inside his office, he called Percy Weasley and asked the young man to prepare the file for the High Archives and to bring the papers in an hour.

Percy left.

Fudge heard the Floo connection open in his office. He knelt and said, 'I did it, Master.'

The wizard who had come inside the Minister's office walked before him; still on his knees, Fudge took the hem of the robes of the man before him to kiss it. This is when he noticed that the robes were dark violet with silver stars, not black.

Fudge gasped and looked up at the man before him.

'I have always known you are an imbecile, Cornelius; I just didn't know the extent of your cowardice before tonight,' Albus Dumbledore said. 'Tell me why Voldemort wanted you to visit Potter tonight. What is it that "you did"?'

Fudge was paralyzed on the floor.

Dumbledore took his wand, aimed it at Fudge and quietly said, 'Imperio!'

Fudge told Voldemort's plan to the Hogwarts Headmaster.

The Minister had two documents prepared.

One was a sham so that Harry would believe in the good intentions of the Minister - conveniently, Black was dead and he had really made Harry his sole heir.

The other... The other had been spelled to look like a copy of the one concerning Sirius while its true nature was totally different.

Voldemort wanted to sign it first, but he knew that nothing could have concealed his magic from the young wizard.

Fudge had taken the parchment to Harry. It didn't matter that the young man hadn't really seen what he was signing, the contract was as binding as if Harry had seen the name of Voldemort on it.

It was the law.

Voldemort knew it.

Fudge knew it.

Dumbledore knew it.

Dumbledore growled, because he had to find a way to avoid that and if Potter hadn't been so naïve, then this wouldn't have happened.

Yet, the young wizard had just signed an agreement to marry Voldemort, according to one of the oldest traditions in the magical community, which meant that their souls would be bound together.

That form of drastic union had become somewhat obsolete - except in some cases when a couple insisted to be bound that way. Then, the Ministry had found a way to make sure that such a marriage would be fair to both parties, and if the couple passed their test - thus certifying officially that equality would reign in the marriage - the soul-binding wedding was authorized.

The souls of Harry and Voldemort had not been weighed, but the Dark Lord was counting on the fact that Harry was young to control him. Besides, if he did not consummate their wedding, Voldemort would not die alongside Harry when he succeeded in getting rid of the annoying young wizard.

Voldemort's plan was perfect. The Minister for Magic had himself ratified the agreement, Harry had signed to be married and bound to whoever would sign the parchment next to his own signature...

Harry would have been condemned if McGonagall had not been there - in spite of the fact that Fudge had asked to meet all the members of the Order of the Phoenix, even those who were to watch the Dursleys' house; of course, Fudge had been a bit late at the meeting. It was a good thing that Dumbledore didn't fully trust the Minister.

But, Harry was not out of the wood yet - or so it seemed.

When Voldemort Floo'ed in, Percy entered the room with the files earlier than Fudge had said.

Seeing Fudge encouraging Voldemort made Percy sick and while Voldemort and Dumbledore duelled, the younger wizard managed to summon the parchment whose content now seemed vital to the war. Percy stunned Fudge and was about to alert the guards when Dumbledore told him to sign the parchment himself.

'I can't marry him, sir. I'm engaged, and what about Harry, sir? It would not be fair,' Percy objected.

'This is a war, Weasley. Bring me the parchment, I'll do it if you're such a twat,' Albus barked.

'Very elegant, Albus. At least, with me, the boy would die a virgin,' Voldemort said, avoiding yet another charm cast by Dumbledore.

Percy was shattered, yet he had enough heart and wit to flee. He sought refuge in one of the Restricted Sections of the Ministry.

Percy was calm. He knew he would certainly die in a few minutes, but he would do one last really good thing. He used one of the illegal devices kept in the heart of the Ministry and, when he knew what he needed to know, he wished good luck to Harry and he went back towards Fudge's office.

The Minister was still stunned, and Dumbledore was badly injured. Percy ran to him, but Voldemort came out of the shadows and ordered Percy to give him the wedding parchment and the High Archives file that would seal the contract by sending everything to a place where even a plonker like Fudge could not retrieve it.

Percy fought bravely, but Voldemort killed him and took the documents.

When Dumbledore regained consciousness, Percy was cold, and Fudge was totally at sea.

Voldemort brought the parchments back to his mansion, he signed the wedding document, placed it on the Archives file to have it magically stored and...

Nothing happened.

The Death Eaters felt the wrath of their master through their Marks for hours on end.

On the following day, a brand new family record book was delivered by magic to the Ministry, where it would wait until Harry Potter would come and ask for it.

Harry was never told by Dumbledore what could have happened that night, and since the parchment concerning Sirius Black's heritage was not a fake and had been approved, the old weasel needed Harry so that Harry would agree to lend Grimmauld Place to the Order.

From the Dursleys, Harry was shipped to his new house, and was left alone when members of the Order had missions.

Now that the entire community knew that Voldemort was back, there was a lot to do.

As long as Harry stayed inside the house, Dumbledore didn't care if the young wizard was on the verge of breakdown.

One night, Severus Snape Floo'ed in. He thought that Dumbledore would be there.

He called and searched the house. Nobody answered.

Severus started to worry about Harry, because if the young wizard wasn't there, Merlin knows where he could be... He could be in Voldemort's hands...

The Potions master also reflected that Harry might not be well - the boy had looked quiet and pale the last time he had seen him.

Severus opened all the doors.

He went to Sirius's bedroom, opened the closet, and found Harry there, prostrated in the dark.

'What are you doing here, Potter?'

'This is where I belong. I should never have left the cupboard under the stair. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were right. I'm a freak. If it were not for me, my parents, Cedric, Sirius, Percy and so many others would not be dead. Voldemort would not be back.'

The implications of what Harry had just declared slowly sunk in, and Severus Snape allowed himself to gasp.

He despised James.

He still hated Sirius.

But no one deserved that.

Severus wondered why Dumbledore wasn't taking better care of the young man, then he remembered how he had treated him in the past, and how he treated him today.

The Potions master made an important decision; he decided to forget everything about Harry "Famous Annoying and Disrespectful Brat" Potter, and he would save the human being who was crumpling before his eyes on the floor of a dusty closet in a lonely mansion.

'Bollocks, Potter! You're here because Riddle and Dumbledore are too proud to duel and finish this magical equivalent of "Mine is the biggest". All this should have been finished long before your birth. You should be James's brat and as insufferable as Malfoy. None of this is your fault,' Severus said.

Between sobs, Harry mentioned the Prophecy.

'Do you still believe in Dumbledore?' Severus asked.

Harry stopped crying and Severus clearly saw that Harry was about to join Lockhart's happy land.

When Harry held out his arms, Severus knelt next to the young wizard and held him.

Severus resumed his tutoring and Harry quietly obeyed.

When Severus and Harry saw that Dumbledore didn't like the fact that they were working together so much, they intensified their sessions.

First came respect, then - over the following months - truce, and then friendship.

When the last battle took place, both wizards felt something stronger than friendship for each other, but they had not dared mention their feelings.

The War ended in early July.

Harry was asked to stay in Grimmauld Place.

Because of yet another lie of Dumbledore's, Harry left the wizarding world on August 1st. He was of age in the Muggle world, and he could hide there.

Harry found a Muggle job totally by chance. One night, as he was walking back to his room, he helped a woman who was pestered by thugs. She was deeply impressed with the way he had got rid of the young men, and she insisted on buying him dinner on the following evening. It turned out that she was the director of a huge publishing firm; one thing led to another and Harry ended up being assigned to help an actor named Alan with an autobiography.

In the beginning, the actor simply couldn't believe that Harry didn't know him at all; the young man told him that small pleasures and entertainment had not been very prominent in his life, and the older man saw so much sadness in the eyes of his secretary, that he believed Harry.

Harry was absolutely fascinated with the life Alan led; he watched all his recorded works and enjoyed those tremendously.

Sometimes, Alan wondered why Harry seemed so haunted.

He found that the young man was a good advisor, asking him interesting questions about some aspects of his work. Harry exclusively typed what the actor confided about his family and friends; he never asked more questions on that topic.

One day, he'd asked Harry why he never phoned home.

'There's no one home,' Harry answered. 'I'm an orphan.'

'Don't you have friends?'

Harry shook his head.

'No girlfriend?'

Harry looked at him, and whispered, 'He's dead.'

Before he could say that he was sorry, Harry had resumed typing.

After five months of collaboration, a first draft was sent to the editor, who was absolutely delighted with the balance between private and public life.

Harry's work was over, but the actor insisted on inviting him to a party. It was part Christmas party, part "let's have some fun before we start filming" party. The cast and crew were very nice, and Harry enjoyed himself a little bit.

Out of the pub, Harry's Muggle friend said, 'You almost looked fine inside, but you seem ill at ease in the street.'

'Being in Edinburgh feels strange. I've spent some time nearby, and I guess there are still faces I don't want to see,' Harry explained, digging his hands deeper into his duffle coat's pockets.

They walked in a companionable silence - something they both appreciated.

The car Harry had rented for Alan was parked in a small, quiet street behind the pub, and Harry had accepted a lift.

Harry felt something strange when he got into the car, but he had learnt not to pay attention to tiny little things like that because he knew it was paranoia.

The car refused to start.

'If the cold does that to an engine, I can't imagine what it does to that poor sod,' commented the man behind the wheel.

'What?'

'You haven't seen the man in the alley? I think he was searching the dustbins.'

Harry finally acknowledged what was wrong; he could feel magic at his back. He gasped.

'Are you all right, Harry?' Alan paused. 'Is this a situation you experienced yourself?'

Slowly, Harry shook his head and finally said, 'I... I have the feeling that I should go and see if this man needs any help.'

Harry re-opened the door and got out. The Muggle followed him.

Harry spotted the wizard hiding behind the dustbins. He was dressed in black trousers that were absolutely filthy and a shirt that might have been white, but was tainted with obviously dried blood and mud, and was reduced almost to shreds. He was barefoot and shivering badly. He was fighting to have a wandless Shielding charm hide him.

'Can I help you?' Harry murmured gently.

The man prostrated on the floor was so surprised to hear Harry's voice that his charm stopped shielding him.

Harry howled and knelt next to Severus.

'Albus told me you were dead!' Harry said, taking his coat off and wrapping Severus in it.

Severus looked at Harry with tears in his eyes and said one word, 'Azkaban.'

Harry helped Severus up.

'Will you be all right?' Alan asked.

Harry looked at him as if he had been given a present worth a millennium of Christmas and birthday presents wrapped together.

'Now, yes. Ta!'

'Is there anything I can do?'

Harry looked at the man in his arms and said, 'Yes, could you phone my boss and tell her I have a family issue, and I can't come back?'

The Muggle blinked, but he nodded. He felt that he would never know who the bum was and what Harry intended to do.

'Don't worry, she'll understand; and if she doesn't, I'll make her. Good luck, Harry!'

'Thank you, sir!'

'You're a good man, Harry.'

The young wizard smiled, carried Severus and walked away into the night, saying, 'Goodbye, it was an honour to work with you.'

'It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr Potter.'

When the car started, Harry and his precious cargo had already Apparated into a small Unplottable cottage in the outskirts of Hogsmeade.

Harry did a magiscan on Severus and fought not to cry.

Harry summoned the wand he had stored when he left the wizarding world, and he healed his friend. He would have to give him some potions, but Severus was the Potions master, and Harry would not dare to brew a potion without Severus by his side.

Right now, Severus needed a decent meal before Harry could lead Severus to the bathroom.

When Severus allowed Harry to carry him into the kitchen, Harry knew just how tired Severus must be.

With magic, Harry lit a fire, summoned a blanket for his shivering Severus, opened a can of soup and had it heated.

Harry tasted the soup and when he knew that it was not too hot, he fed Severus one small spoon at a time. Half-way through the bowl, Severus made it clear that he could not eat more.

With a flick of his wand, Harry prepared a bath and carried Severus into the bathroom.

The temperature was tropical. Harry undressed his friend gently - the rags on his back were about to fall apart - and he cleaned him of the vermin infesting him.

In the tub, Severus let Harry bathe him.

'I thought you had died,' Severus whispered.

'Albus told me you were dead. That's why I left. There was nothing left for me in the wizarding world.'

'I thought I was sent to Azkaban for letting you die,' Severus went on, not really acknowledging what Harry was saying.

Harry didn't need to confront Dumbledore and Fudge to know that Severus must have been shipped to jail without trial.

The young wizard dried Severus and took him to bed; he guarded Severus's sleep and warded the nightmares off.

After some days of loving care, Severus's health improved radically.

Harry discovered that one last Dementor had been kept alive to torment the Potions master; Severus remained sane because he kept thinking that Sirius had done that for twelve years, so he could do it, too. Sometime during the second week, Severus admitted that he wanted to go out of his cell and kill whoever had killed Harry. That confession made Harry kiss Severus; it was just lips briefly touching lips, but it proved to be the turning point in Harry and Severus's lives.

Severus discovered that Dumbledore had told Harry that he had been killed by Malfoy. Immediately after the end of the battle, Harry had been sent and kept in Grimmauld Place; he left after his birthday.

'Why did you leave?'

'They've made me a murderer,' Harry paused. 'And with you dead, there was nothing left for me there.'

Severus held out his arms, and Harry cuddled up against him.

'This is strange, Severus, but I want to stay with you.'

There was no word to describe what Severus felt, so he just held the younger wizard against him.

Severus and Harry took one step at a time.

As long as Harry didn't go back into the world that had been theirs but a few months ago, they couldn't know exactly what Severus's status in the wizarding community was.

Harry had decided to hide just under their noses, in Hogsmeade, but he refused to risk his happiness just yet.

What was important was Severus's moans when Harry fed him British muffins with fresh butter and home-made marmalade, Severus's small smile when Harry pushed a lock of hair and kissed one of Severus's lobes.

What was important was their smiles when they woke up in each other's arms after a night of tender lovemaking.

They were building their own little world.

Their nest was full of happiness.

They went out as little as possible, and always in the Muggle world, and always with glamours.

Harry and Severus were wrapped in their love and they forgot everything about their past.

They forgot the years of fights and insults, the years of mistrust, all these things that were the fault of Dumbledore.

When Harry turned twenty one...

Well, first, he woke up on Severus's chest and it was the best pillow he could ever dream of. Second there was that light of contentment in Severus's eyes when he woke up that made Harry melt, and feel loved and happy and complete.

Third...

Harry traced a path of feathery kisses from Severus's left nipple to his mouth.

'Severus?'

'Yes?'

'I passed my N.E.W.T in History of Magic.'

'Harry?'

The younger wizard took a deep breath and said, 'Will you marry me, Severus?'

Of course, Severus knew that Harry knew about all the forms of bonds and wedding in the wizarding world, that Harry had thought that maybe Severus no longer had a status within the magical community, that Harry had given all this a serious thought, that Harry loved him enough to link their fate, so...

'Yes.'

'Yes?'

'Are you suddenly becoming deaf, Mr Potter?'

Harry shook his head repeatedly; Severus saw the tears in Harry's eyes and took his fiancé in his arms.

Harry told his plan to Severus, who reluctantly agreed to follow it.

Their very first step was to check that Severus was no longer at risk of prosecution. Harry sent Hedwig to Mad-Eye Moody; Harry's faithful owl brought them back a letter that informed them that Severus's possessions had been seized when he was sent to Azkaban, but that the private inquiry made by Arthur Weasley proved that Severus had been wrongly accused. Nothing could be done about what had belonged to Severus, but his file had been cleared. Mad-Eye added that Harry would find some changes when he came to London.

'Ready to Apparate and make me an honest man?' Harry teased his fiancé.

'How could I Apparate without a wand?' Severus said, still remembering vividly the moment when Fudge broke his in two.

Harry offered his wand to Severus, and he took Voldemort's out of his sleeve.

'They're twins. I thought that you could keep mine since you can work with it, and that I could use the other. If you want, we can stop by Olivander's and get you a new one,' Harry said.

'You kept... You kept the other?'

'It made Voldemort's killing more... real. It kept me grounded the days I... the days I cried because I thought you were gone,' Harry explained.

Severus took Harry in his arms and kissed him. There were dark and sad things that he just understood.

When their lips parted, Harry murmured, 'You understand, you don't mind for one Apparation, but you'd rather have a wand of your own.'

'My, my, Mr Potter, it took time, but you finally know me.'

Five minutes later, Harry said, 'We'd better stop kissing, or we're going to end up on each other, and we're going to Apparate to the Ministry after hours.'

Severus chuckled and took Harry's hand.

They Apparated directly inside Olivander's.

The old wizard knew immediately who had just come into his shop. He was not really surprised when Harry told him that he had found a wand - Voldemort's - and that he wished that the wand maker would take it.

While Mr Olivander was putting Voldemort's wand into a box that he would hide in his basement, he informed the two wizards that the new Minister for Magic had brought the pieces of Professor Snape's wand the day after the Elections, and that he had kept it ready for the day he would come and claim it.

'I'm no longer a professor, Mr Olivander,' Severus said bitterly.

'An inquiry revealed what had been done to you. Fudge was exposed as a Death Eater, and...' Olivander's voice trailed off.

'And?' Harry asked.

'Dumbledore,' Severus said.

Olivander nodded. 'Some of the things he did were uncovered, and he's been sacked.'

Harry snorted.

'How much for Severus's wand?' Harry asked.

'Let's say that it's a gift. It seems to be appropriate,' the old wizard said.

Harry and Severus smiled.

They were still holding hands when they got out of the shop and walked to the Ministry.

People were staring at them.

Harry Potter, the hero and saviour of their world, and Severus Snape, a man with a past more than dubious, were walking together in Muggle clothes.

People stared, but no one dared to say anything or stop them.

They entered the Ministry and walked straight to the Information Desk.

The couple was about to ask where they had to go to get married when Tonks ran into them.

'Oops! Sorry, gentlemen!' She paused, looked at them, and shouted as she threw herself into Harry's arms, 'You're still alive!'

She told them that the Minister had asked people from the Ministry to look for them both, but that they had failed and Arthur had been afraid that either Fudge or even Dumbledore had done something final, for Merlin knows what reason.

The young witch also admitted that she had feared for Harry when attorneys contacted her to give her the title deed of Grimmauld Place.

'It belongs to you, Harry. Sirius made you his heir, not me,' she said.

'And I gave it to you. Are you using the mansion?' Harry asked.

'This is where I live,' she answered.

'Then this is for the best,' Harry said.

'Where do you live now?' she asked.

'In Muggle London,' Harry lied without blinking, which made Severus very proud.

'Could I help you?' she wondered.

'We're here to get married. Could you tell us where to go?' Severus said.

Instead of blushing, her hair turned orange.

'Interesting colour,' Harry teased her.

She placed both hands on her heart and said, 'As an Auror, I can join you. May I?... Would you let me officiate?'

Harry and Severus looked at each other and nodded.

They followed her to her office. It was a bit messy, but Tonks hadn't changed much in three years since both men had last seen her.

'Which kind of wedding would you like to enter into?' she asked.

By now, Harry was drowning in Severus's eyes.

'A Soul-binding bond,' Severus said.

Tonks summoned the magical device that would determine if the two wizards could be authorized to enter such a bond, and they passed the test. Tonks sent a parchment to have the Minister sanction this union.

Instead of a flying parchment back to her office, Tonks saw the Minister himself enter the room.

'Would you mind my borrowing your office for a few moments?' Arthur Weasley asked.

Tonks shook her head and left.

Arthur looked extremely ill at ease and the other two wizards were wondering if it had been so wise to go directly to the Ministry. They had wanted to behave like any normal couple, and not make use of Harry's Galleons to pay a notary to bring them the form and weigh their souls, but now they might well be in the lion's den.

'You can't imagine how happy I am to see you here,' Arthur said.

'To the point, Minister, if you please,' Harry said.

'I thought I would always be "Arthur" to you, Harry.'

'If you come in here instead of letting Tonks marry us, it can't be good,' Harry explained.

'Merlin! I really wish we could have located you; it would have saved you time,' Arthur declared.

'We're glad that no one disrupted our happiness,' Severus intervened.

'Well, maybe you will see things a bit differently in a few minutes,' Arthur said.

Neither Severus nor Harry relaxed, so Arthur started his tale, 'After Percy's funeral,' Harry tensed visibly, but Arthur held out his hand and said, 'My son died because of Dumbledore and by the hand of Voldemort, and there was nothing you could have done to prevent this, not with two wizards such as the two who caused his death... Yet, there is one thing that he did for you. One of the parchments that Fudge brought to you the day after your sixteenth birthday was not what it looked like. Before he died, Percy wrote a small note informing me of what had taken place, I got the rest of the tale from Fudge and Dumbledore under Veritaserum - your last batch for the Ministry, Severus, I thought it was poetic justice.'

Severus waved his hand in dismissal and asked, 'What happened?'

Arthur told them about Voldemort's plan, Fudge's part in it and Dumbledore's reaction.

Severus and Harry were trembling with rage.

'So, Percy destroyed the parchment and saved my soul,' Harry murmured.

'I guessed Percy had some hopes to survive to that night; I believe he didn't think that Voldemort would linger that long inside the Ministry, but...' Arthur paused, cleared his throat and went on, 'What Percy knew for sure was that Dumbledore would bind you to himself, without even caring if this was your inclination, and since your souls had not been weighed but the parchment signed by Fudge, the old weasel, like Voldemort, would have used you as his puppet and a weapon in the War. Percy couldn't let that happen to you after all you had already been through. I've been able to assess that Percy used one of the illegal devices we keep here and he sent the parchment away, then he spelled a fake that Fudge saw Voldemort take with him.'

'Percy found a way to hide the parchment?' Harry said.

'No, Harry, he didn't hide it. He sent it, alongside with the file that would store it in the High Archives. This is why I've sent people after you when I discovered this.' Arthur gave his family record book to Harry and said, 'You've been married for the past five years, which is why I don't have to approve your wedding. You are already married.'

Harry rose from his seat, furious. 'I will find a way to denounce this.'

'We'll fight to have that law revised,' Severus barked as he took Harry in his arms.

'Soulfinder,' Arthur said.

'Uh?' Severus said, all anger gone from him in a second.

Since that reaction was not at all what he expected from Severus, Harry decided to let Arthur tell him more.

While Severus took the record book from Harry's hands, Arthur said, 'Percy used the Soulfinder to find your soulmate, Harry. I can't let Tonks marry you today because Percy did it years ago.'

Severus couldn't believe whose name was written next to Harry's in the book and Harry looked like a surprised house-elf.

His right index finger oscillating between the two wizards in front of him, Arthur said, 'You were the best match for each other, and you are married. Do I have to spell it out for you, gentlemen?'

The book still in his hands, Severus sat down and Harry sat on his lap.

'Percy...' Harry said barely above a whisper.

'His last action was a very good one, and I'm proud of that,' Arthur said.

'How?... I never signed such a thing... At the time I would have sent both Voldemort and Dumbledore packing if they had ordered me to marry Harry,' Severus said.

'I had someone check all the documents that were sent from the Ministry that day, and it turns out that Percy had spelled it to look like an informal poll allegedly sent to all the Potions experts in Great Britain,' Arthur explained.

'When I think that I spent hours answering that poll!' Severus exclaimed.

Harry and Arthur chuckled.

'I wish we could have found you before,' Arthur said.

'We were happy, even if we didn't know,' Severus said. 'It was not important.'

'Where have you been?' Arthur asked.

'In heaven,' Harry said, looking at his husband.

'We have something to discuss, Arthur, will you excuse us? We must go back home,' Severus said.

Harry wondered what Severus meant, though he hoped that some celebration was involved, and Arthur was at sea.

'I hope you will not disappear for years again. You still have friends, and we miss you,' Arthur said.

The two married wizards looked at each other and promised to stay in touch.

When some of their friends were invited to the cottage, it was always through Portkeys that Severus and Harry spelled themselves, so that no one really knew where they lived. They were all so delighted to see them again that they accepted their conditions.

There was so much happiness in the little cottage that it was always a pleasure to be invited by the two wizards.

There were dinners and parties, and there was one birth - which was what Severus wanted to discuss with his husband after he read his name next to Harry's in their book. The name of their first child was magically written below their names.

Years went by...

It was the end of the school year at Hogwarts.

Two seventh-years took their trunks.

On their way out, Headmistress McGonagall stopped the now certified witch. 'Miss Pope?'

'Ma'am?' the young witch said, putting her trunk down.

Minerva loved all her students, but that particular witch had always had a special place in the headmistress's heart.

'Are you going immediately back home, Wendy?' she asked, pushing a rebellious blond lock behind the young witch's ear.

Her blue eyes twinkling, Wendy nodded.

'With Hugh?' Minerva added with a small smile.

Wendy looked at the young wizard waiting for her by the castle door and nodded again.

The Gryffindor Wendy would introduce her Slytherin boyfriend to her parents in a few minutes.

Minerva kissed Wendy's forehead and she looked at Hugh. He looked so much like his father when he was eighteen, that it never ceased to amaze Minerva.

Happily for those two, their world was peaceful.

'Tell your parents that it's been a long time since I last saw them,' Minerva said.

Wendy nodded, pecked her former Headmistress on the cheek and left Hogwarts.

The young couple walked to Hogsmeade and Wendy led Hugh through the wards of her home. The young wizard was impressed because his parents had taught him a lot about wards and protections.

She opened the door of the house.

Hugh smiled when he saw the name of the cottage.

'I'm home!' Wendy yelled, putting her trunk down and invited Hugh to do the same.

Two boys ran to their sister, who hugged them. They were blond and blue-eyed, like her.

'Wendy!' they shouted happily.

The witch turned to Hugh and introduced the boys. 'This young wizard who will replace me at Hogwarts next year is my brother John. The other is our youngest, Michael, and Michael is...' her voice trailed off.'

The little boy was half-hiding in his sister's robes when he said, looking at their guest, 'I'm going to be five in two days.'

Hugh grinned; Wendy had mentioned her brothers, but the young man was delighted to finally meet them.

'So, if I get this straight, you grew up in a cottage named "Heaven" and your parents called you Wendy, John and Michael like in that Muggle tale,' Hugh paused, looked at Wendy and her younger brothers and declared, 'It's cute. Now I'm impatient to meet your parents!'

'Really, Mr Lupin?' Severus asked.

Harry came into the room just behind his husband and kissed their daughter, who was already in Severus's arms.

Hugh looked at Wendy and blinked several times.

'That's what you meant!' Hugh exclaimed.

'When?' Wendy wondered, mock-innocently.

'When we met in Potions and you said "there's a trick about my surname". Of course, POtter and SnaPE gives Pope! And now I know why mum giggled when I told her where I was going... Mum and dad knew, right?' Hugh said.

'Hermione giggled?' Severus asked.

'Like I've never seen her giggle in my entire life, sir!'

From that day on, Hugh Lupin was included in the magic of the wards that controlled the cottage. When Harry and Severus told him why they were protecting their family that way while Wendy entertained her brothers in the garden, the young wizard swore to keep their secret, and the couple knew that they could trust him.

After years, and thanks to their children, Severus and Harry started to include more and more people within their refuge.

Each time their friends visited, the latter didn't remember the years of war and the years when they had feared they had lost their two friends, they rejoiced in their attachment and enjoyed their company.

After years in their own version of hell, Harry and Severus experienced bliss in the heaven they had built together.

Finis

List of challenges:

Claudia wanted some fluffy Sev/Harry.

Mikee wanted a certain actor to have a role in a fic.

Oreocat offered this: "So say back when that there were two types of marriages-the standard, which is pretty self explanatory, and then there was a Soul Bind. Soul Binds came about because people decided they wanted a more permanent type of marriage, one where their magic was involved as well as their property. A soul binding would join two people completely, souls/hearts/minds/lives.

This type of wedding eventually fell out of favor because it was discovered that if the two people weren't fairly equal in their magical ability, the weaker one could become the others slave. It might be by accident, remember they are joined by minds as well and they'd know it wasn't deliberate, but still, the wife wants the kitchen green, but hubby doesn't...if she's stronger, she may knowingly OR unknowingly force the husband to go along with the green since that's what she wants.

Soul bindings are still around, but you have to be "measured" against your partner to make sure neither one of you could accidentally force or overpower the other into doing something they didn't want to. And the MOM is the one doing the measuring....

Now then, the second part is this-paperwork makes the world go 'round :)

Since magic can conceivably do anything, incredibly massive wards and restrictions were placed on paperwork so that it couldn't be changed. After all, enter into an agreement, and don't like it? Destroy the paper, perform Obliviate...problem solved. So it was decided that the strongest of magic's would be used to protect paperwork. Once you signed something, no matter what it may be, it STAYED signed. Copies would be made immediately, and possibly stored in several different places, maybe even an archive that the MOM couldn't touch.

Now here's the idea-what if Voldemort decides that since he's stronger that Harry, marrying him in a Soul Bind would put Harry under his control. Since I don't think Harry would sign anything with Voldie's name on it, he uses Fudge to somehow get Harry to sign the Soul Binding paperwork first, with the plan that Fudge will then immediately take it to Voldie to sign, making the contract valid.

Only something happens, Dumbledore sees the paper after it's signed, Percy sees a copy appear at the MOM, someone intercepts Fudge, who knows? But when it's discovered what's been done, the only solution is for Harry to marry someone who is equal in power, and who can sign the original immediately, before Voldemort can try to get it back from them so HE can sign it.

Let's see, who is strong enough to equal Harry, not too old, not a lesbian, not dead, and right within reach to sign the paper....I wonder what the potions master is doing...^_^"