Some days after Cedric proposed, they kept the secret, only Blake knew, because she had noticed the ring, but Arabella made her promise not to say anything.
"Harry!" Arabella called once she saw him arrive one day at breakfast. He walked towards her and she pulled him aside, Cedric was quickly at her side. When the three of them were together, Arabella.walked them to the hall.
"What's up guys?" Harry asked.
"Well, we want to tell you something" Cedric started saying and then looked at Arabella.
"Harry, Cedric and I are engaged" Arabella told him.
Harry looked at his sister, then at Cedric, then back at his sister. He felt a sudden urge of protecting her, he wanted to ask Cedric who he thought he was. He wanted to throw away his wand and punch Cedric in the face,.but he didn't. Harry could see how much they loved each other, and while they hadn't been formally dating for a long time, they knew each other better than anyone.
"Oh, wow, that's great, guys" Harry managed to say after a few seconds of awkward silence. He hugged his sister and then Cedric.
"On another note, Harry" Arabella said, "I am now seventeen, which legally makes me an adult, and I was wondering if you'd like for me to apply for your guardianship"
"Get me out of the Durlsey's?" Harry asked excitedly.
"I know there's only two years before you can decide to move out, but I thought you'd like not to have to go back there in the summer" Arabella told him. Happiness was obvious in his face, he was ecstatic, his smile was big.
"Are you kidding? Yes! Merlin, Arabella, I'd want that more than anything!" He wrapped his arms around his sister's neck and laughed. Arabella hugged him back tightly, he was now taller than her, but he was still her little brother.
They returned to the Great Hall happier than when they had left it, and just as the Owls entered with the mail. A big shadow swooped over their heads. Other owls moved aside for the Eagle Owl to pass. Arabella recognised it, it was Castiel, Altan's owl. After Altan's death, Castle had bonded to the Weasley twins but every now and then brought things for Arabella. He landed on the Slytherin table and waited for Arabella. She got to the table and extended her arm, Castiel immediately jumped and stood on her arm, nuzzling against her cheek, he gave her the letter he had on his beak and then flew away to the Gyffindor table, where the twins gave him multiple letters and a package.
Dearest Arabella,
Please meet me at McGonagall's office at once, there is something you need to see with most urgency.
Percy Weasley
Arabella read the letter and ran out of the Great Hall, with Cedric at her heels. She ran all the way to the Transfiguration classroom and then back into the office, where Professor McGonagall was sitting in her chair and Percy was standing, waiting for her.
"Arabella, this is about the issue you wanted me to help you with, isn't it best for Cedric to wait outside?" Percy asked.
"No, he can stay" Arabella mentioned, "what is so urgent, Percy?"
"Well, since your birthday was some days ago, I submitted the petition for changing your surname" Percy said, taking some papers from a portfolio, "and it was rejected" he showed her a petition form with a big red stamp that said 'REJECTED'
"What? Why?" Arabella asked, looking at the petition.
"That was my question too, so I wrote a letter to the Magical Registry of Witches and Wizards of the United Kingom, and today, I received an answer" he showed her an open envelope, he took out one of the papers and read, "Dear Mr. Weasley, hereby I inform you that the reason Ms. Evans's request was rejected is because there is the requirement in which the new name must be different from the one appearing in the Birth Certificate and Registry, plase find attached to this letter a copy of Ms. Evans's birth and adoption certificates, along with her legal registration, kind regards, Herbert Kemper, Head of the Department"
"What? Why did he call me Ms. Evans?" Arabella took the letter from Percy and read it about twelve times before looking up, "and what adoption certificate?" She asked.
"That's the interesting part" Percy took out the remaining papers from the envelope, "this is your birth certificate" Arabella, Cedric and McGonagall looked at the document.
NAME: ARABELLA NIAD EVANS
WEIGHT: 3.780 KG
SIZE: 53 cm
DAY AND TIME: JUNE 2ND, 1978, 05:00
NAME OF THE MOTHER: LILY JADE EVANS
NAME OF THE FATHER: -
WITNESS 1: JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER
WITNESS 2: MARLENE MCKINNON
"My father is not listed in my birth certificate" Arabella said, short of breath, she quickly looked at the next paper, it was an adoption form.
HEREBY, I, JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER, ADOPT ARABELLA NIAD EVANS , BORN AT ST. MUNGO'S HOSPITAL FOR MAGICAL MALADIES AND INJURIES, ON JUNE 2ND, AT THE CONSENT OF LILY JADE EVANS ON THE GROUND THAT ARABELLA DESERVES A LOVING FATHER THAT WILL STAND BY HER ALL HER LIFE AND WULL TEACH HER TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
CONSENTS: Lily Jade Evans
WITNESS 1: Marlene McKinnon
WITNESS 2: Remus John Lupin
Arabella must have read it a thousand times before frantically looking at the official registry.
NAME: ARABELLA NIAD EVANS
MOTHER: LILY JADE EVANS
FATHER: JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER (ADOPTIVE)
GUARDIANS IF THE PARENTS SHOULD PERISH OR ARE UNABLE TO CARE FOR THE CHILD: MARLENE MCKINNON, REMUS JOHM LUPIN
Arabella looked at the papers with tears in her eyes. Her knees suddenly gave in, Cedric caught her before she fell. He sat in one of the chairs with her in his arms, and she started crying. Arabella wailed for what seemed hours. It was hard for Professor McGonagall to watch. She had become involved when Arabella asked her if she knew about the matter of her father's actions, she was. Minerva never forgot what Severus Snape did to Lily Evans, every time she thought of it, it made her feel disgusted, but she tried her best to look past it, to think of Arabella and how she thankfully inherited Lily's kindness, Arabella was the only good thing out of that situation.
"Then why does the school have you registered as 'Snape'?" Percy asked.
"Professor Snape asked Dumbledore to change her records" Professor McGonagall said. Arabella looked up to see her.
"What? You knew?" Arabella asked accusingly.
"I didn't know everything" Professor McGonagall explained, "I didn't know Lily hadn't registered him as your father, I didn't know James adopted you or that Marlene and Remus were your legal guardians in the case your parents died. I only knew what Severus told us. He said Lily didn't want to keep you, but he couldn't change your last name without a valid reason, and after Lily and James died, it seemed only logical for everyone that he'd keep you, he was your father after all. And he asked Albus to change your last name to Snape in the school records, he agreed" Professor McGonagall said, looking at the papers in her desk. Arabella sniffed and dried her face with her sleeves, then stood up.
"Can I keep these, Percy?" Arabella asked, putting in order all the papers.
"Of course, they're yours" Percy told her with a sympathetic smile. He kissed her cheek before excusing himself and leaving, he had to work.
"Are you okay, dear?" Professor McGonagall asked her.
"Yes, it was just a bit of a shock, but I am going to have a nice conversation with my father" Arabella said the last part sarcastically.
"I suppose you are. Now, go to class, both of you. And, Ms. Evans" Professor McGonagall called as they left, Arabella stopped and turned to look at her, "That's a very nice ring, I'm happy for the two of you" Cedric and Arabella looked at each other and then smiled at Professor McGonagall, nothing went past her, really.
Arabella went to the owlery with a piece of parchment and copy of the documents Percy had brought. She folded them neatly and put them in an envelope, and then scribbled in a piece ofnpartchment before putting that too in the envelope. She wrote her father's name and gave the envelope not her owl, Gemini, and told her to give it to Severus. In the parchment, Arabella wrote what she'd been thinking for a while now.
When is the lying going to stop?
YOU ARE READING
ALWAYS (Harry Potter fanfiction) (Snape fanfiction)
FanfictionPREVIOUSLY NAMED: "BEING SNAPE'S DAUGHTER" Ella Snape is the potions' master daughter, but not his only child, though. She is friends with one of the Weasley twins but hates the other one. She is best friends with Cedric Diggory and Draco Malfoy's g...
