Chapter 19

Here's a short chapter. For those wondering when the Avengers will appear: soon. Now that Harri's medical emergency is over things can progress more rapidly.

And so, it began.

Healer McCoy turned towards Harriette and began to chant in what sounded like a mixture of ancient Greek and Latin. After a moment he stopped chanting and made a downwards slashing motion with his short and squat pale wooden wand. Harri felt like something inside of her had shattered. Her magic roared to the surface, completely out of control. A phantom wind whipped their hair and clothes into a frenzy and the flickering flames from the scones struggled to stay lit. Lightning strikes arched from her body and struck at everything around her. It was like a storm had suddenly appeared indoors. At that random thought, her magic began to conjure rain to accompany the other weather-like phenomena. It stung. Harri gripped her stool in panic and looked over at Snape who grunted at the impact of a strike of magical lightning on his shoulder. He glared at her and mimicked taking a deep breath. She copied him and then looked up at the healer who was staring at her with fascination.

At his patients' glance, Healer McCoy gathered his scattered wits and began to chant anew, this time waving his wand over both his patients' heads. After a few repetitions of the chant, the storm settled down to a warm spring rain. Thank goodness the white robes were thick enough to prevent the wet wool from revealing anything embarrassing in its sodden state.

Snape eyed the growing puddles on the floor and hoped the star-struck healer would get a move on before they all drowned.

"May the thrice-blessed goddess: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone bear witness to the blessing of this new family." McCoy intoned with his arms opened wide as though to embrace the heavens.

McCoy lowered his arms and turned to address Professor Snape, ignoring the rivulets of rain that flowed over his face and down his body.

"The Maiden asks you, Severus Tobias Snape: Will you faithfully guide her child on her journey into adult-hood?"

"I will guide her to the best of my knowledge, and I will seek advice in those places where my knowledge is lacking." He replied seriously.

"The Mother asks you, Severus Tobias Snape: Will you love this child as her parents would have?"

"My love, while different in expression, will be no less potent than the love of those parents taken from her before their time." He replied without hesitation. Harri's eyes widened in amazement as she watched their exchange. She desperately hoped he was being honest.

"The Crone asks you, Severus Tobias Snape: Do you accept this child as a member of your clan, directly under your responsibility, forevermore?"

"I do."

Harriette startled as the healer turned to look at her.

"The Maiden ask you, Harriette Jamie Potter: Will you faithfully seek guidance from your new family as your journey together into an uncertain future?"

Harri tried to think of an elaborate response to mirror the one given by Professor Snape, but her mind couldn't summon the words. "I will." She answered with a nod.

"The Mother asks you, Harriette Jamie Potter: Will you love your new family as you would have those who are dearly departed?"

Now Harri had to think. Did she love her parents? Yes, but it was more love for what could have been. "My love will be all the stronger for it will reflect what is instead of what could have been." She heard the Professor draw in a sharp breath. She kept her eyes trained on the healer. She couldn't bear to turn and look at Snape's expression.

"The Crone asks you, Harriette Jamie Potter: Will you honour your new clan, in both word and action, and the man who will become your Father?"

Harri was a bit confused. What did it mean to honour the clan? She looked up at Snape, seeking guidance.

Severus saw the question in her eyes and decided the fact she was already looking to him for help was a good omen. "It means will you behave in a manner that will do your new family proud both publicly and privately." He clarified. He hoped his interruption didn't affect the ritual negatively, but the child could not be expected to answer honestly if she did not understand.

Harri pushed her soaking hair out of her face and nodded at the healer. When he seemed to still be waiting for a response she blushed and said aloud, "I mean…yes, I will. I'll probably make some mistakes, but I'll do my best."

Healer McCoy smiled at her reassuringly. The column with the white chalice rose from the floor between herself and the Professor. A small athame lay next to it. Harri watched as the rain seemed to flow over and down the sides of the chalice as an invisible domed forcefield lay over it, protecting the contents within. The potion swirled with a silvery glow that reminded Harri of the stuff in a pensive. Snape inserted his hand in the dome before nicking his thumb with the knife, so the rain didn't wash his blood away. He watched carefully and quickly removed his hand when seven drops had fallen into the potion. He then handed the athame to Harri who hastened to copy him. She quickly pulled her hand back after the seventh drop of blood and the eighth dripped onto her white robes leaving a bright spot that was quickly washed away by the rain. Snape gave her a warning glare for almost ruining the potion. Another glance showed the self-inflicted injuries had healed making her heart soar with happiness. He was honest! He would love her!

Snape snorted at the goofy smile that stretched across the chit's face. He could not suppress the small lifting action that turned up the corners of his lips in response. Perhaps this would not be so terrible after all.

McCoy turned to address Professor Snape once more. "The Goddess bids you to state your name as the world knows it to be."

"Severus Tobias Snape."

"The Goddess bids you to sate the name the world will now call you and your new clan."

"Severus Prince of the Prince Clan." Snape drained half the contents of the chalice and a wave of power seemed to echo from the column as he replaced the chalice. No one seemed startled by this except for Harri. The healer then turned to address her.

"The Goddess bids you state your name as the world knows it to be."

"Harriette Jamie Potter."

"The Goddess bids you state the name the world and your clan will now call you."

"Harriette Jamie Prince of the clan Prince."

Harri ignored Sna…Severus' startled expression and drank the rest of the potion. It tasted like air with an aftertaste of blood. Far from the worst potion, she's ever had to drink. Once she replaced the chalice another echo of power rippled from the column. This time the rain stopped, the water collected on every surface turned to mist and it seemed to take the chalice and the rune circle with it. Harri could barely see her hand in front of her face.

"Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again."

The healer's closing statement seemed to echo in the fog-shrouded room.

A long-fingered hand grabbed her arm pulled her gently from her seat. The person who she assumed was Professor...Prince lead her towards the exit. Once in the hallway, he turned to peer at her without letting go of her arm. "How do you feel?"

Harri looked down at her now bone-dry robes before looking back up at her new…dad. "Um…numb mostly. And a bit tired."

Healer McCoy gestured for them to follow him. "I have a private room set aside for you to rest. We'll discuss the next steps and being processing your discharge.

The new father-daughter pair looked at each other from the corners of their eyes before following the kindly man without another word spoken.

Severus held her arm the whole way.