It was a nice morning at Hogwarts. The sky was shining, despite the fact that autumn had come, the Great Hall was warm and everyone’s was preparing for the year’s first lesson. For Harry Potter it would have been a nice morning if the year’s first lesson was not Potions. He could not quite understand why on Earth they had to do their Potion’s lessons so early in the morning. He looked at Ron, who was devouring his breakfast opposite him. He, also, was not looking forward for the year’s first Potion’s lesson. Well most Gryffindors didn’t. To Harry’s astonishment only a few people had decided to quit Potion’s lessons. According to Ron, the Potion’s N.E.W.T was regarded to be an extremely important qualification in the wizarding world. Therefore most decided to continue studying the lesson. Harry looked towards Neville’s direction. He seemed more that happy with his choice of lessons. Neville had told them, at Hogwarts’ Express; that he had chosen to stop going at Potion’s lessons and concentrate on his Herbology’s N.E.W.T.S. Apparently Professor Sprout had offered to teach him a special N.E.W.T examination on how to breed different kind of magical plants. Neville had accepted happily, and he was now sitting with his Mimbulus mimbletonia in front of him anticipating the year’s first Herbology lesson.

“Why do we have to go into that dungeon again?” Ron pouted unhappily “First lesson with that git? This is definitely not a good sign!”

“Ron!” Hermione stated being a little annoyed “I know you don’t like Snape but do you mind not calling him a git? You are a Prefect. What…”

“Yeah, yeah Hermione I know. What example do I give, when I am calling our Professor a git all the time?” Ron stated as if he had heard that question a thousand times.

Harry smiled. Ron had raised his eyes in desperation while Hermione was once again giving him the good old “You-are-a-Prefect-and-calling-your-professor-a-git-is-not-to-be-done-around-small-eleven-year-olds” speech. He was feeling happy that his two best friends were with him in that Potion’s class. Admitting it to himself, he could not understand how on Earth he had ever managed to get an “O” in his Potion’s O.W.L.

FLASHBACK

He had been sitting in that small crammed bedroom of his when a grey feminine owl tapped her beak against the window’s glass. On other situations he would have heard Uncle Vernon’s wails about the “retched owls”, but that day when he opened the window for the owl to enter, he saw Uncle Vernon glaring at him, his face red as if he was going to explode muttering something under his breath. After seeing his nephew coming back from that school of his with full-grown wizards escorting him; he knew that he was in deep trouble. Harry, after that fateful meeting, was allowed to communicate with his friends freely without being questioned to whom he had sent a post or why.

The teenager opened the sealed envelope that had Hogwarts’ emblem on it and started reading. When he finished he blinked twice and pinched himself in order to assure himself from the fact he was not dreaming. Then smiling he re-read the letter.

Dear Mr. Potter

I am pleased to inform you that your O.W.Ls’ results have arrived. I want to congratulate you for your passing marks and inform you that Hogwarts’ Express will leave King’s Cross on September the first.

The list for the books required for this year’s classes as long as your O.W.Ls’ results are enclosed inside.

Yours Sincerely

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Harry looked at his O.W.Ls’ diplomas. Each subject’s was different colour and it had handwritten notes that explained why the student had received the mark assigned. He knew he had passed but did he dare to look? Harry felt his hands trembling slightly, therefore he set the papers upside down and placing a finger he chose the first one.

The first one had a magic picture of a girl transfiguring a stone to a canary. The parchment was yellowish and with red shining letters and it was marked with an “O”. The handwritten note stated that he had described and defined most questions perfectly, though his Switching Spell definition could have been better.

The second parchment presented two wizards duelling with one another. A golden “O” was shining brightly and seemed to change colour when the parchment was moving. The handwritten note stated that he had received one-hundred-and-ten per cent for his examination due to his Patronus Spell.

His Charms result presented a wizard levitating an hourglass. It had an “E” labelled with blue ink. The note mentioned that points were lost due to the fact that he had use a Growth Charm on his rat instead the Colour Change he was supposed to.

His Herbology had another “O” and his Care of Magical Creature’s result an “E”. His Divination results were marked with an “A”, something that Harry was expecting. The whole exam turned to a great fiasco and he was wondering how on Earth he had ever received an “A” in the first place. His History of Magic was graded with a “P” and the handwritten note stated that he could re-sit the exam again the year after.

At last there was one parchment left. He wondered whether he should have looked at it. This exam was going to prove whether he was capable of becoming an Auror. He turned the paper slowly and studied the picture. A witch was stirring a cauldron and the mark was an “O”. Harry was in the verge of screaming with happiness. Oh, he could only imagine Snape’s disbelief when he would have received the letter. He looked at the handwritten note. His definition on moonstone and mandagora were good and his potion had the results expected. Yet there was a different handwriting included. A handwriting Harry knew well. In small, almost unrecognisable letters there was written.

I will expect better things from you this year Potter.

Now why had Snape written that to him?

END OF FLASHBACK

“HARRY!” a loud voice entered his ear bringing him back to reality. Harry looked around and saw Ron looking at him. “Mate it’s time for Potions. We don’t want to be late.” Harry stood up and followed Ron to the Dungeons. He sat with Ron and Hermione as the other Slytherins, Gryiffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs entered the class. Malfoy glared when he saw him entering the classroom. Harry smiled. He could have bet that Malfoy was not expecting him to pass the O.W.L examination with an “Outstanding”.

-)-)-)

“Good morning class.” Professor Snape said when he entered the room “As you know I am not going to ask how you passed your holidays. I hardly care. Whoever is in this class has proven worthy of getting an “O” in his O.W.L examination.” He looked at Harry’s direction for a moment before he would continue “Though I cannot understand how. Now this is your programme for the first part of the N.E.W.T examination” Snape finished and waved his wand for the parchments to appear in front of each student. Then turning around he started writing a potion’s ingredients. A long list of potions appeared in front of each one of them. Malfoy raised his hand.

“What is it Mr. Malfoy?” Snape asked not looking away from the blackboard.

“What is the Combination Potions Professor?”

“They are a new material in the N.E.W.T exam and we are going to start the term with them. They are the only Potions that require two persons to be made and we are going to spend the semester with them. Since the pairs will be chosen by lot, you can end up with anyone from any house. Therefore you will spend a lot of lessons preparing the same potions with different persons.”

Harry looked at Hermione and Ron being apprehensive. That meant that he could end up with anyone. He imagined himself trying to make a Potion with Malfoy. No, on the other hand he did not want to imagine such a thing.

-)-)-)

Three weeks had passed since that day. Harry had practised with Padma, Hermione, a Ravenclaw boy called Steven and others he could not quite recall. That day, like every day Snape entered the room holding a goblet that contained small folded pieces of parchment. Pacing around the room he gave to each one of them a piece of paper that contained a number. When everyone had a number he shot with his wand and numbers appeared.

“7 with 21” he called first. Seamus stood showing his seven and a Ravenclaw girl named Susan followed showing her number. This continued for some time and Harry got more and more anxious while the pairs were paired. Suddenly he heard his number.

“18 with 3” Snape shouted. Harry stood up showing his piece of paper when he saw who was his match. The two glared one another, staring each other into the eyes. This would have turned into a great staring contest if Snape had not stopped them.

“Mr Malfoy, Mr. Potter, get your seats”

It seemed that it was going to be one very long lesson. Malfoy was trying to ignore Harry and concentrate while he chopped the bat wings into small equal pieces. Harry was stirring the potion being bored to death and trying to not to look at Malfoy. Suddenly Malfoy’s voice was heard

“Potter you are stirring this potion too quickly.” Harry did not look up and tried to submerge the feeling of anger. Malfoy was ordering him. He began stirring slowly when Malfoy grabbed his hand and hissed “You are too slow now”

“Then why don’t you do it yourself?” Harry snapped at Malfoy who looked back being angered.

“Maybe I’ll do that” Malfoy replied in the same tone as he let Harry take his place. However he was not going to stay quiet for a long time. When Harry had started to chop the madnagora’s roots Draco eyed him apprehensively. Harry was measuring his armadillo bile when Malfoy touted.

“Too much”

“Will you leave me alone Malfoy? I did not ask for your opinion” he whispered as he grabbed a bowl of white powder.

“You have to be precise at potions. Do you know the consequences of not making a potion correctly? Do I have to remind you of your friend Longbottom’s mistakes?”

“Don’t you even dare insult Neville in front of me Malfoy” Harry hissed holding the bowl in his hand.

“Oh yeah what are you going to do?”

Harry could control himself no more. He threw the bowl at Malfoy who ducked in time. The bowl and everything it contained landed into the cauldron. The liquid turned from faint blue to lime green before it exploded, filling the room with purple smoke.

“Everyone at the floor and cover your nose!” Professor Snape shouted while he covered his nose with a handkerchief and retreated behind his mahogany desk. Some coughs and splutters were heard and then it was silence. Snape put his hand inside his robes, took his wand out and waved it in a circular way. Immediately the purple smoke dissolved and the room was filled with pure clean air. The students reappeared from behind their cauldrons, still holding their handkerchief that covered their face. They seemed to be using their handkerchief to suppress their urge to giggle hysterically, for their always dignified professor was kneeling on the floor and was looking at them from behind his writing desk. Then, with a glare that seemed to state “Tell-this-to-anybody-and-I-will-personally-torture-you-before-I-kill-you”, the hook-nosed professor stood up, paced down the room and towered in front of Draco Malfoy’s and Harry Potter’s cauldron.

Draco was standing still, covered in that lime green liquid from head to toes. “Mr. Malfoy” Snape started with a cool tone in his voice “I could have expected that from any other student but not from a Slytherin’s Prefect. Mr. Potter, and you, should learn to behave your age. What if this was a real exam? What if someone got hurt? Though I thought this day would never come I must say. Five points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor. Now where are you Mr. Potter?” Snape concluded when he realised that Harry was not there.

A loud shriek echoed inside the room and Snape looked at the direction it was heard. Padma, who was standing next to Harry’s and Draco’s cauldron pointed at the floor. Snape saw Harry’s robes but no Harry standing there. Had the boy evaporated from the blow?

“Severus, get a grip on your self. No student of mine had ever evaporated from a blow.” Snape contemplated arguing with himself.

“HE HAS DISAPPEARED IN THIN AIR. THE BLOW KILLED HIM!” Padma wailed looking towards the rest of the class. The others seemed to be in shock and Hermione touched Ron’s shoulder to prevent herself from collapsing. However the robes twitched slightly and Snape knelt behind the cauldron and engaged himself for a while.

“Unfortunately Miss Patil you are wrong” Snape muttered as he rose in full height. A pale, white baby was staring at the rest of the class with his olive-green eyes. It was draped inside Harry’s school robes and was resting inside Snape’s left forearm. “Mr. Potter has just turned into an infant. Class Dismissed!” And with those words he left the class leaving everyone dumbfounded.

-)-)-)

Dumbledore and McGonagall were informed immediately and they were now waiting in the hospital’s wing. Madam Pomfrey was checking Harry in another room, while Snape described the lesson’s incident. When he finished he stood up to leave but Dumbledore insisted that he had to stay with them. Snape sat down and tried to keep himself neutral. He felt awkward being in the same room with McGonagall and Dumbledore since they were both his professors in the past. He almost felt like a naughty schoolboy. He leaned back and looked outside the window. He was feeling nervous but he did not know why. He hummed under his breath and unconsciously tapped the floor with his shoe. Madam Pomfrey entered the room holding baby Harry.

Harry was now wearing a violet pyjama that had the magical picture of a duckling embroidered on it. The duckling was swimming inside a lake, quacking every once in a while. Madam Pomfrey gave Harry to Dumbledore, who beamed. Harry looked at the white-bearded man as if he was trying to remember, who the man was. Then turning his head he looked towards Snape’s direction. Snape stared at the baby’s direction for a while before he would turn his head towards Madam Pomfrey.

“If we disregard the fact that this was caused during an accident, Mr. Potter is a healthy three-week old baby.” Madam Pomfrey commented looking at Dumbledore and Harry, “The antidote will take a week to be prepared and can be only given by doses so that it would not cause damage to the brain. Someone has to look after Harry, who will luckily be back to his old self by Christmas.”

“Who is going to look after Harry, Albus? McGonagall asked “I will not allow you to send my student to those Muggles again. You know that they have mistreated him.”

“I have to agree with you Minerva.” Dumbledore said while his electric blue eyes shined. “Harry has to stay inside Hogwarts to be protected by Voldemort’s Death Eaters. Stop fidgeting. When will you start saying his name?” This was addressed to McGonagall and Snape, who flinched at Voldemort’s name. “But as I was saying he has to be looked after by someone, who will not treat him like the Boy-Who-Lived.” With those words he turned to see Snape, who getting the message stood up and shouted

“ABSOLUTELY NOT! I HAVE FOLLOWED POTTER, LOOKED AFTER HIM IN HIS FIRST YEAR BUT I WILL CERTAINLY NOT LOOK AFTER THE BOY AS A BABY!”

“Come on Severus.” Dumbledore started giving Harry to him “Look at how much he likes you” the old wizard stated while Harry snuggled comfortably on Snape’s laps and rested his head at Snape’s soft black robes. Severus Snape looked at both McGonagall and Dumbledore and then at baby Harry, who seemed to look at him with huge pleading eyes. Closing his eyes, he gave the baby to McGonagall. Standing up into one of his infamous poses he looked at Dumbledore’s eyes. Being determined he spoke softly and very slowly

“No. I am not taking him and there is nothing you can do to convince me. And that is final.”

-)-)-)

Snape opened his chamber’s door feeling exhausted. His chamber was as big as a flat. Blue wallpaper with small gleaming gold stitches was on the room’s walls and the fireplace was lit making the room warm. A crammed library was at one part of the room along with Snape’s office. A door that led to a huge bathroom was at his left and a small living room with a round table and three velvet armchairs was at his right. And in the middle of the room there was the biggest bed anyone could have ever imagined.

“Ga!” said a small voice in amazement and delight. Snape looked down at the petite baby in his arms and wondered how the others had ever managed to convince him. Sighing deeply he answered back.

“Yes Potter “Ga!” indeed”

Snape sighed once again and then placed baby Harry on his huge bed. The baby stared at him with its olive-green eyes, while he looked at the small amount of baby supplies he was carrying with him. There were some diapers, a baby’s bottle and some talc.

“Great, just great! Tomorrow I have to go to Diagon Alley and buy some things for you! And if there is something I hate more than taking care of you, is shopping!” he mentally told Harry, who being unaware of what his professor was thinking was sucking his index. Taking the baby’s limited things he retreated into the bathroom. The hook-nosed professor was stuffing the baby products into a small cupboard when a shriek was heard from his bedroom. Sighing once again he moved to his room to look after the little “menace”.

Baby Harry was crying loudly, his fists clenched near his chest. Snape raised him to his eye level and stared him being puzzled. Harry was still wailing even though he was holding him.

“Now what do you want Potter?” he asked the baby softly.

“Yeah as if you are waiting for an answer Severus!” he said to himself being sarcastic.

In the meantime he was getting a headache from Harry’s piercing wails, something that made him vow never to let Dumbledore convince him about anything, whatsoever. He sat down and placed Harry into his arms. Harry feeling comfortable inside Snape’s arms had stopped wailing. Yet he continued sobbing and when the professor tried to examine his face he caught his hand with his mouth and sucked it. Snape’s face contorted in disgust.

“Yuck! He is actually sucking my fingers right now. Saliva! Absolutely, Disgusting.”

However he paused for a moment because it had finally struck him. Harry was hungry. That’s why he was sucking his hand.

“Potter, you are more clever than I thought.” Snape commented faintly. He reached for the bottle and whispered “Fill up.” Nothing happened, the bottle stayed empty. Snape blinked once or twice.

“Fill up!”

Nothing

“Fill up please?” Snape asked, while Harry had started wailing once again. Then realisation hit him. That was a muggle baby’s bottle.

”Oh thanks Headmaster, for giving me muggle things to use!” Snape muttered having the need to curse loudly.

“Dobby, enter my room immediately!” Snape ordered while he was getting impatient.

“Yes Master Professor Snape sir!” said Dobby, who had immediately entered the room

“Dobby I would like some baby formula for Harry Potter.”

The house-elf took the bottle, chanted a series of words and the bottle was instantly filled with warm milk. Giving it to Snape, Dobby disappeared immediately. The professor took the bottle and put it in Harry’s mouth. Yet baby Harry spit the milk and started wailing.

“What’s the matter now?” Snape asked.

“It is probably too warm for him,” Snape thought and raised his sleeve to test the milk’s temperature. The hot feeling on his wrist proved that the milk was indeed too warm and taking out his wand he changed the milk into a more mild temperature and then placed the bottle into Harry’s mouth. The baby started sucking happily and Snape felt his headache subduing slightly. “Maybe things will get better after all!”

-)-)-)

Severus Snape was grading a class’ papers when a horrible stench covered the room. At first he thought that someone had placed a dungbomb inside the room to play a prank. Yet there was a small detail that destroyed his theory. His private chambers were undetectable. Not even the Slytherins knew where they were located. The only person, apart from his fellow professors, that had ever set foot inside his chambers was… POTTER!

The professor stood up and towered over baby Harry, who had an expression of pure satisfaction drawn on his face. The smell that escaped from his diapers was absolutely horrible and Snape’s face contorted in disgust before it would turn white from realisation.

“Oh no! No, no, no! I am not changing your diapers,” Snape thought shaking his head in horror. Harry, in the meantime, was feeling uncomfortable and had started sobbing. Snape could not control himself no more.

“THIS IS A CONSPIRACY POTTER! A CONSPIRACY THAT YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR MAKING ME MISERABLE. YOU KNOW WHAT? I BELIEVE THAT YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME THINKING OF NEW WAYS TO TORMENT ME!”

Harry wailed being annoyed. Snape looked at him panting heavily from anger. Then sighing once again he whispered in defeat. “Ok Potter! I will change your stupid diaper.” He looked at Harry once again and taking a deep breath, he removed the baby’s diapers.

“MERLIN’S BEARD!” he exclaimed when he looked at the “contents” inside baby Harry’s diapers, and smelled the sickening odour that seemed to have become more powerful. “How is it possible that all those things came out of you?” he started “Those . . . things weight as much as you do! You are a baby for heaven’s sake!” Being extremely careful he removed the diapers and threw them away as quickly as he could. Then taking a deep breath he moved on to the next task.

Harry squealed when he touched the water, something that made Snape flinch unconsciously. Holding Harry carefully he started rubbing him gently. The baby cooed happily and at Snape’s face a hint of a smile appeared. However when he realised what he was doing his lips curled into a scowl and he started speaking again.

“You know what my problem is Potter? I always take signs for granted. In your first year I tried to protect you and did you know what happened? Not only I got bitten in the leg by a three-headed dog, not only my robes were set on fire by Miss Granger, but I also never got a thank-you note from anyone. Not even a “sorry-for-suspecting-you-professor” apology.”

Harry looked at him blankly.

“Oh don’t play the fool to me! I know that you were, and you are always suspecting me. Then during your second year I was the one that I had to look for you when Mr Weasley and you banged yourselves into the Whomping Willow with that Ford Anglia. And do you know what my prize was for looking for you? I heard you saying to Mr Weasley that I was probably sucked because nobody likes me. Well now no one could blame me for being extremely angry that evening. But once again you thought I was trying to get you into trouble.”

“Ga!” Harry said while Snape was rubbing his back.

“Oh don’t you “Ga” me! During your third year I searched for you during the evening. Remus had forgotten to drink his Wolfsbane Potion, it was full moon and we all thought that Black was an extremely dangerous wizard and murderer. I ended up with three “Expelliarmus” spells hitting me and a concussion that kept my head spinning for days. No wonder I wanted to um. . . . impose harm on you afterwards.”

Snape rubbed Harry with a small towel to keep him warm while he kept speaking. “Then in your fourth year I had to reveal my past to everyone so that stupid Fudge would not send you to “St Mango’s” and I even became a spy for the Order. And last year I gave Umbridge some water pretending it was a Verisareum Potion. I risked my neck only to be accused by you for Black’s death. After all those signs that seem to scream “STAY AWAY FROM THE RETCHED BOY!” I have once again promised to help you. I hope that having to change your diapers will be my only problem. But something inside me says that it isn’t.” With those words Snape retreated to the bathroom in order to bring a diaper and some baby powder.

-)-)-)

Professor Severus Snape let a sigh of desperation. He looked at the diaper and stirred it clockwise once. Looking at it again he stirred it one more time.

“Wow Severus you are the first wizard in the world to stir a muggle diaper,” he commented to himself. Why couldn’t the muggles label the correct way to put a diaper? “I am a full grown wizard and I can wear this thing to Potter!* Snape thought being determined. He placed Harry into the diaper and put some baby powder on him. “Guh. . . Guh. This thing actually spreads in the room. This tape is sticky. Oh leave my fingers! Darts!”

Snape rose in full height and smiled in satisfaction. At last he had done it! Now it was time for Harry to wear his pyjama.

When Harry was put to sleep, Snape entered the bathroom.

“Take a bath doughnut!” the mirror shouted at him.

“Oh Shut Up!” Snape said looking at his image. He was covered in baby powder from head to toes.

“Well here goes another set of clean robes!” he thought placing them into the basket for the dirty clothes. The robes disappeared immediately, while Snape filled his bathtub with water.

-)-)-)

The hook-nosed professor was eating mechanically while he was thinking of the evening’s events. When he entered the Main Hall for dinner everyone stared in disbelief. He was holding Potter in his hands for over five hours and he had not yet killed him. Albus had that damned twinkle in his eyes, the one that gave him the shivers. Keeping his face neutral he sat down and Dumbledore announced about Potter’s accident and of him becoming the baby’s guardian. The Main Hall erupted from whispering and comments.

He had finished eating when Harry started asking for his bottle. Everyone turned to look at him while he took baby Harry into his arms and put the bottle into his mouth. Snape felt everyone eyes ON HIM and once again he felt uncomfortable. He waited patiently for Harry to finish, trying to make the feeling of panic subdue. When baby Harry was fed he stood up and he was about to leave the room when Hermione called after him.

“What is it Miss Granger?” Snape asked slowly

“Um . . . Professor . . . We were wondering whether we could see Harry please.”

“Sure Miss Granger. Why not?”

One thing was sure. Harry liked seeing his friends’ smiley faces. Hermione took him into her arms and coaxed him. She then gave him to Ron, who smiled at him and whispered “Good Luck” to him. Parvati called him “Harrydinkins!” something that left Snape looking at her with a false-faced expression. Neville hold him being determined and then gave him a funny face. “Well it is time for Mr Potter’s night sleep.” Snape said taking Harry from his arms and leaving the room.

0-0-0

Snape entered the room with a huge grin on his face. Every movement of his was slow. He smiled and looked inside the cradle. “How is my little Harrydinkins?” he asked. The baby looked at him behind his glasses and gave him an evil smile.

0-0-0

“WAAAHHH!”

“Where’s the fire?” said Snape that shot out of his bed immediately. He looked at baby Harry who was wailing and gave him a deathly glare. “You won’t leave me get some peace in my sleep either will you?” he asked while he scooped Harry into his arms.

“Memo to myself: If I ever call Potter, Harrydinkins I must throw myself out of the window,” he thought as he rocked Harry to sleep.

The light entered the room and fell on the man’s face. Feeling an increasingly warm sensation on his right cheek the man turned and grabbed his pillow tightly. His eyes flickered and his eyelids opened revealing two onyx pearl-like irises. He tried to sit up when a ray of sunlight touched his eyes and a piercing hint of a headache started developing at his temple. He rubbed his temple while a soft moan escaped from his lips. For him, morning hours were definitely not his favourite time of the day. He turned to look at the small figure that was sleeping next to him. The baby had his eyes tightly close and he was sucking his miniature index being peaceful.

"Potter looks almost cute. Whoa were did this came from? Impure Thoughts! Impure Thoughts! Potter is NOT cute. POTTER IS NOT CUTE!" Snape thought shaking his head and retreating into the bathroom.

-)-)-)

Snape was looking himself in the full-length mirror.

"How on Merlin’s sake does the old man always manages to convince me?" he asked himself looking at his image intensively. He was wearing a pair of blue-jeans, a black polo-neck pullover and the usual pair of his shiny, black, squeaky-clean shoes.

“You must take the train Severus for Harry’s safety!” he said using a high-pitched mocking tone. “You must wear Muggle clothes and act like one of them. Some things cannot be bought in the wizarding world!” “Does anyone asks how I feel?” he asked loudly. “I guess not” he answered back faintly.

"How on Earth do Muggles walk with such tight outfits? You can’t even breathe inside them," he thought as he revolved around his axon.

“Do you realise the trouble I get for you Potter?”

The baby cooed happily while it snuggled into Snape’s tight hug. The man sighed and he opened the door. "Luckily the Slytherins do not wander around in the castle. I will never live through it if they ever see me in Muggle clothing."

-)-)-)

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville were grouped in one of the castle’s corridors. Ron seemed absent-minded and they were trying to make him speak. Neville had asked whether it was Harry’s accident that troubled him and Ron nodded to confirm. Snape heard them talking and hid himself, waiting for them to leave. He was not so keen of having the whole Gryffindor tower discussing him dressed in Muggle clothing.

“Oh come on Ron! Harry is going to be fine!” Hermione said with a soothing voice.

“Yes. . . but . . . Snape being his guardian? Snape is…”

"Come on Mr. Weasley spit your poison," the professor thought piercing his lips

“…old.” Ginny said finishing her brother’s sentence.

“Yeah!” Neville and Ron said in unison

"OLD! I AM NOT OLD!"

“Snape is not old!”

"Good Miss Granger!"

“To your information he is as young as my father.”

"EXCELLENT MISS GRANGER!"

“If the man was dressed in something else than black robes, he would have looked much younger”

“Well it’s hard to believe it!” Ron whispered faintly. He was about to say something more when Snape stepped forward. Everyone fell silent. He walked towards them, holding baby Harry and saying a “Good morning” to them. Nodding at Hermione, who, with Ginny, was looking at him being dumbfounded he turned around the corner and stopped.

“I told you he is younger.” Hermione said cheekily. That made Professor Snape smile. It was a genuine big smile that was not going to last for long, since he turned crimson red when he heard Ginny Weasley’s outburst that was followed by Hermione’s chorusing laughter and then their squeals.

“HE HAS THE SEXIEST BUM I HAVE NEVER SEEN!”

-)-)-)

The hook-nosed professor entered Dumbledore’s office and sat opposite the old wizard. Dumbledore took Harry and beamed at him. Harry cooed and then turned to see his appointed guardian. Snape looked at Dumbledore, who smiled at him with one of his infamous smiles.

"Oh here comes this sense of embarrassment again," Snape considered as he looked at the floor. The man used to get an interest at all kinds of floors when he was around his ex-headmaster.

“Now Severus” Dumbledore started, making Snape’s head shot up. “Here is the money from Harry’s vault at Gringotts” and with those words he gave him a bag with galleons. “We have also asked for some of the money to be exchanged into Muggle money. A carriage is waiting for you outside Hogwarts’ grounds. It will take you to the nearest Muggle city. From there on you will take the train to King's Cross and then the  underground to Diagon Alley.” Snape nodded and took Harry into his arms. He was about to leave when Dumbledore’s faint voice was heard. “Molly Weasley sends you this” he commented pointing towards a red pram behind his office.

-)-)-)

The young policeman stared at the man that was pushing the red pram feeling puzzled. The man was looking forward, his head proudly high waiting for the other passengers to pass. He remembered seeing the man holding his little son as he disembarked from the train but he could not recall him holding a pram with him or asking for help to get one out of the train. How was it possible that the man was pushing one right now? Prams do not appear instantly and they certainly do not fit into a man’s pockets. “That will teach me never to drink before coming to work” he contemplated rubbing his head.

In the meantime Snape had got out of the station and moved towards Diagon Alley. He had used a “Reducio” spell to fit the pram into his pockets until he needed it. He tried to move as quickly as possible. The sooner he would set foot into Diagon Alley, the sooner the whole experience would finish. He stopped near the wall Diagon Alley was supposed to be and looked around. Perfect. Nobody was around. Chanting a few words he entered Diagon Alley and moved toward “Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions” shop.

-)-)-)

Fact Number One: Men are Hunters by Nature. Fact Number Two: Men do NOT Like Shopping. Result: Professor Severus Snape, the epitome of masculinity in the Wizarding World, the one and only hunter was about to hit his head at the nearest wall. For him shopping was like an Auror operation. You go in, jinx the bad wizards and get out of the place as fast as you can. However Madam Malkin had a different opinion. Her assistants, some female shoppers and she, were dressing and undressing Harry for the past two hours. After so much dressing and undressing he wondered why Potter had not got lament. At first he thought of going for a walk but after all he was Potter’s guardian and he was responsible for him. Therefore he sat at a chair and waited patiently. But after two hours his patience left him, something very uncommon; for Snape was famous for being able to compete with a Saint’s patience. He stood up and trying to restrain his angry words and interrupted them. Madam Malkin commented that they had decided on eight different pyjamas. "EIGHT PYJAMAS. IT TOOK THEM TWO HOURS TO CHOOSE EIGHT PYJAMAS!" he started screaming inside his head. Smiling, with great effort, he paid for Harry’s clothing items and moved towards the shop cursing inside. “Next place “Celesta’s Magical Baby Items”” he told himself.

Snape looked at the brands. “Miss Bates’ whipping tissues. They clean your baby instantly.” Snape looked at the woman’s picture being grateful while the woman in the magical photograph nodded in understanding.

Then he proceeded to diapers.

"Hmm. Those here fit automatically and the ducklings start quacking when the baby gets dirty. Not that I won’t be able to smell the air," he contemplated as he took two boxes of that brand. Then he moved towards the magical baby bottles wondering why those kinds of items were sold in such a low price. Turning around he saw a young mother with her twins. Smiling at her he asked her being curious.

“It’s pretty logical” she started “You can never know that the baby bottle will produce something nourishing. I prefer baby formulas. It is like Potions you know.”

“Potions?” Snape asked feeling interested.

“Yes. You mix two products and you create something that will quieten your baby for many hours. If this isn’t magic, then what is it?”

"Maybe I should consider going to a Muggle shop after all!" Snape thought while he was paying.

-)-)-)

Severus Snape entered a Muggle supermarket looking for some baby formulas. The baby’s section was huge. It had every kind of baby-items and for the first time in his life Snape let his curiosity overcome him and he searched around. Yet while he was looking at some baby formulas he reached out and grasped a woman’s hand. The woman had green long hair, a pointed nose and brown eyes. Looking at her angrily he talked slowly.

“Nymphadora Tonks, why on Merlin’s sake, are you following me?”

The young woman looked at him in a puzzled manner and blinked twice. Snape looked at her coolly while she seemed to be thinking of something.

“It’s no use telling me it isn’t you Nymphadora”

The woman’s cheeks got more and more red and whispering in defeat she nodded.

“Now will you stop calling me Nymphadora?”

“Ok Tonks. How many of you are here?”

“You can bet I am here Snape,” a growl was heard near his ear startling him.

“Mad-Eye Moody,” Snape said turning his head glaring at the air.

“And Remus is behind the corner.” Tonks commented. “Remus we have been discovered” she shouted and Remus Lupin appeared. The man, who was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt, moved towards the pram and stroked Harry’s cheek who granted him with a toothless smile.

“You can guess why I am in an Invisibility Cloak.”

“If we disregard the fact that your scars can scare every living being, no why are you wearing a cloak?” Snape said grabbing two baby bottles and two boxes of baby formula and moving towards the cashier’s stand.

-)-)-)

“How did you manage to understand that it was Tonks that had been passing near you for so long?” Moody asked while they were walking at the crammed street.

“Well the first two times I gave her no notice. But when over ten different women pass wearing the same outfit I am getting suspicious. My question now. Why have you been following me?”

“Dumbledore’s orders” the three said in unison.

“I see!” Snape commented coolly while they entered a park “And the reason was?”

“It seems that Albus is concerned about Harry’s and your safety.” Moody grumbled

“Anyway you have finished your shopping. It’s time to go now.” Lupin and Tonks said smiling while they apparated. Snape sensed Moody leaving with them.

"Aurors! They stalk you down and they don’t even bother helping you with the shopping," he thought as he sat down onto the grass.

Taking Harry from the pram he took a bottle full of milk that was magically kept warm until use; and fed Harry. While he was feeding baby Harry; Snape noticed one thing. Every female inside the park was staring at him. Those that were in groups were smiling and went back to their chatter. Others who were jogging stopped and waved at him.

“I know that this is either because of you or else I have suddenly turned into every woman’s dream husband,” he whispered at baby Harry while he was putting him back to his pram and took his way to the station.

-)-)-)

“Excuse me sir!” the young guard said stopping him “I saw you this morning. Weren’t you pushing a red pram?”

Snape smiled. “No, I was not pushing a pram. How did you get that idea? My dear man I believe you need some rest” he concluded and patting the man’s shoulder being friendly; he moved towards the train’s platform leaving the man looking at him with a puzzled expression.

Severus Snape sat with an evil expression on his face. Holding baby Harry in one hand he inserted his hand into his pockets and touched the reduced-in-size items.

"I love teasing the Muggles. They believe everything," he thought and looked at Harry who yawned before drifting to sleep.

The heavy wooden door creaked and squeaked while it opened. The Potions’ Master entered the castle listening to his footsteps’ echo that seemed to fill the room due to the unnatural silence. Almost everyone was missing. The Hogsmeade Trip was programmed for the weekend and the school was empty. He climbed up the stairs that were leading to his private chambers.

"Deadly Silence!" he pondered as he strolled at an empty corridor. "The only thing I hate is Deadly Silence!"

Snape was believed to be the type of a man that loved silence. However the truth was different. It was true, indeed, that Snape liked teaching a quiet classroom but he enjoyed seeing his students’ faces. Their faces were full of life; they breathed and tasted life to the extreme. It was their powerful energy that made the castle warm and vibrant. Without them around the place was terribly cold.

"That is what I am fighting for," a voice whispered inside his head while he felt a shiver running down his spine. "I am fighting so that the world will never become cold and empty."

He looked at baby Harry that rested inside his arms. The miniature boy looked so tranquil while it slept. Snape touched the door’s handle and while he stared and let a deep sigh escape from his lungs

“I guess I am fighting for you too Potter!” he let a faint whisper escape his lips.

-)-)-)

The hook-nosed professor looked at the eight set of pyjamas that were lying onto his bed and felt the anger rising inside his chest.

"I still can’t believe it. It took them two hours to choose eight pyjamas," he thought rubbing his head. Taking the pyjamas into his hands he examined the closely and being as sarcastic as ever he started commenting Harry’s pyjamas. "One red with a kitten chasing a ball of yarn. Typical! This one has a puppy chasing a butterfly. Hope they did not choose every farm-animal pyjama that the shop contained. Here is a navy-blue one with the moon and the stars. Oh and this one has the sun embroidered on it. Well thanks for the solar system girls. Here is a violet one with a duckling on it. Your are prone to duckling, aren’t you Potter. Ok why on Earth a lion and a lamb would sit near each other and be friends? This is no real life! In real life the lion would have turned the lamb into lamb chops. There are also three plain pyjamas. A green one, that’s an improvement, another red one and... Finally! A sensible colour. Grey!"

Having commented every pyjama he arranged Harry’s clothing items in his wardrobe and retreated into the bathroom to change to his much more comfortable robes. While he placed the muggle outfit he owned into his wardrobe, he stared himself once again in the mirror. Miss Weasley was right. He did have sexy buttocks. “For the love of all that is pure Severus! You are in enough mess already. Stop thinking of your buttocks” he grumbled to himself, while he was blushing.

He sat at his favourite black, leather armchair feeling exhausted. Suddenly he felt his stomach tighten and a loud rumble was heard inside his room. Snape touched his stomach remembering that he had eaten nothing since breakfast. He leaned towards the small wooden table that was in front of him and whispered.

“Tea Time”

Immediately a silver plate appeared on the table. A porcelain kettle that contained hot tea inside was at the middle, along with a small porcelain jug that contained milk and his cup. He looked at the plate inside the platter. He took it feeling his mouth watering.

"Chocolate-chip cookies," he told himself and bit one. "Yes this is life! Hot tea and chocolate- chip cookies. I love chocolate!" he thought as he snuggled into his armchair, holding the warm cup of tea, and placed his head to a much more comforting position.

-)-)-)

Snape had almost finished his dinner when Harry started crying asking for his bottle. Everyone’s head shot up in interest while he took baby Harry into his arms and gave him the bottle that contained the baby formula. Harry took the bottle’s plastic nipples and sucked it happily. Snape looked down at Harry, whose eye’s shifted looking at him; making his stare soften. In the meantime the students at Gryffindor table whispered at one another.

“Snape looks different.”

“Aren’t they cute?”

“Who would have expected it?”

Hermione looked at the Potions’ Master direction feeling a fluffy sense rising inside her chest. Taking Ron’s hand she leaned and whispered something to his ear. When her hand touched his, Ron’s ears turned red. However when she had finished her sentence, he blinked, and smiling evilly he leaned at Denis Creevey’s side. Creevey looked at Ron and Hermione in disbelief before he would turn to stare at Harry and the rest of the professors. Dumbledore beamed at him and at his surprise he blinked. Well if he had the Headmaster on his side, why would he be afraid of Snape? Touching his magical photographic camera under the table’s surface he adjusted the lenses and its flash before he would rise it up and take a picture of Snape feeding baby Harry. Snape noticed nothing and Denis Creevey sighed in relief. He put his camera down and looked towards Hermione and Ron.

When Harry emptied his bottle, Snape raised him to his shoulder level and started rubbing his back gently. Harry twitched feeling a weird feeling inside his stomach. The professor heard a little burp and then some gurgling. He felt his shoulder getting moisten and he closed his eyes. Opening them he saw everybody in the Great Hall eyeing him, expecting his reaction. Giving Harry to Dumbledore he mumbled that he would come back soon and hurried back to his chambers. Entering his chambers, he closed the door behind him and charmed the room with a Silencing Spell. Then taking a deep breath he let every feeling out.

“DAMN YOU POTTER! YOU HAD TO VOMIT ON MY ROBES. YOU COULD NOT RESIST YOURSELF” he started as he spasmodically undressed himself. “DO YOU THINK I ENJOY HAVING YOU RELEASING ANYTHING EXTRA YOU HAVE, OUT OF YOUR STOMACH? ANOTHER SET OF CLEAN ROBES TURNED INTO A DIRTY PILE. HOW MANY GERMS DO I HAVE ON MY SHOULDERS NOW? I WILL BURN THE ROBES! NO I BETTER STERILE THEM!”

"HOT BATH! WHAT I NEED IS A HOT BATH!" his insides screamed.

-)-)-)

A piercing wail entered his ear causing him to shot up being startled. Closing his eyes he tried to calm down and return his racing heartbeat to normal levels. The baby’s wails intensified.

"I am not an expert," Snape thought "but I do understand that those kinds of shrieks are not because of a diaper."

Opening his eyelids he stared at Harry groggily.

The small infant had his fists clenched at his chest and his knees drown up to his chest. Tear drops glistened as they run down his cheeks; and his face was tomato-red from the wails of agony. The hook-nosed professor touched baby Harry’s cheek, who wailed in agony even louder. Fighting with his bedcovers, in order to get out of the bed, he tripped and fell. Half- tripping, half-walking he found himself in front of the fireplace. Rising in full position he grasped a handful of blue powder from a white jar. He threw the powder into the fire, which sizzled and changed to a violet colour. Standing at four he took a deep breath and muttering a groggy “hospital wing” he shoved his head into the violet blazes.

Snape closed his eyes while he felt the annoying grasp by the neck. His head moved forward as if someone was pulling it to the direction he wanted. Yet he felt no pain since his neck was now a giant piece of rubber that was extending and twisting inside Hogwarts’ chimneys. When his head had stopped moving he opened his eyes and looked into the hospital wing. His nose twitched in annoyance. Hospital smell and ash combined. It was, certainly, not his favourite. Madam Pomfrey lowered to his eye-level.

“Severus what is the purpose of your visit?”

“Since I do not tend to visit people at three o’ clock in the morning, I believe you can guess the cause of my visit.”

“Is Harry sick Severus?”

“Well there is certainly something wrong with him. He cries in agony and he is really tensed.”

“In what kind of position does he rest?”

“His fists are clenched at his chest and his knees are drawn up to his chest.”

Poppy retreated into a room next door and to Snape’s shock she let out an evil chuckle. "Something says that I am not going to like this” he thought waiting for Madam Pomfrey to return.

“As I suspected it” Madam Pomfrey said returning back. “Ready for the good news?”

“Go on Poppy! I do not have all night!”

“Harry is fine.”

”And is this supposed to be good news?”

“Severus!” Madam Pomfrey said in annoyance.

“Ok, ok Poppy I am sorry. What were you saying?”

“As I was saying Harry is fine. He is just suffering from the common baby disease named Colic.”

The Potion’s Master turned white. His mother had once described how he had suffered from a Colic disease as a baby. And the worst part was that there is no potion to relieve the pain.

“From the look on your face I can imagine that you know all about this disease. The only thing I can do is to give you some things to do. Here’s the paper” she said as she put the piece of paper into his mouth. “Be patient ok?” she shouted as his head disappeared.

-)-)-)

Snape towered himself over baby Harry, who was still crying being lament. He studied the paper and cursed.

"I am supposed to get all cuddly and wiggly for you to get better? Well no bloody way!" he thought looking at baby Harry. Baby Harry wailed loudly, half-gasping for air. Snape’s eyes closed and he thought for a moment or two. Then he sat on the bed and he put the small body on his laps. Turning the baby so that it would lie on its stomach, he placed his hand at its back. He moved his hand in a circle- like way, something that seemed to comfort Harry. Harry’s wails turned from being irritated to just lament. The hook-nosed professor blinked. This cuddly thingy really had an effect on Potter.

"But how do I become nice to him?" he thought. Harry let a wail.

“Ok . . . Potter. . . You are not so bad. . . I guess. . .” he started while a part of his brain was shouting at him "What are you doing there you idiot? Don’t get into such deep waters!"

He continued rubbing Harry’s back, while Harry cried and cried

“Well. . . You know. . . I am not good at words. . . You may be a little menace Potter . . . but . . . well you look... How do I say this? . . . You look . . . well you know . . . Cute!” he said shuddering a little. Harry turned his head and looked at him with the olive-green eyes of his. However he started wailing as he felt a new spasm. “It’s ok Potter. . . Almost every baby goes through this phase. . . Try to think of something ok? Like . . . I don’t know . . . kittens or something.”

Two hours later Harry started calming down. Snape took him into his arms and paced up and down his room. He felt like every one of his joints would dissemble, turning him into a pile of ashes. Harry sobbed being irritated. The professor touched the little baby’s cheek .

“Ok Potter. We will make an agreement. I will take you for a ride but you are not going to tell anyone because If you do; I will have to kill you before Poppy will haunt me for my skin”

Harry blinked and then cooed. Snape nodded and unlocked a door that was behind his office. Taking out a “Firebolt” he sat and kicked upwards. Holding the broomstick’s handle in one hand and baby Harry at the other, he flew outside the bedroom’s window. The sky was coal-black and the stars were shinning like diamonds. Snape breathed the fresh air and felt the breeze petting his hair. He passed over the lake and saw the moon mirroring on the clear water. Seeing that Harry was sleeping deeply, he returned to his chambers and tucked the infant inside his bed. He lied inside his bed and looked at the luminous magic clock.

"Two hours till sunrise," he thought while he yawned and drifted to sleep.

When Madam Pomfrey turned to welcome her guest she stopped dead at her tracks. Her smile faded and she stared at the living creature that stood before her. The two dark circles around his beetle-black eyes seemed darker due to the face’s extremely pale colour and the marks of pure exhaustion that were drawn on his face made the man look like he was suffering from an incurable sickness. That day; the shoulders that held Professor Severus Snape’s head proudly high, were bend making him seem a bit shorter and weaker. Inside his arms a worn-out baby was sleeping peacefully.Her Healer’s instincts took over. After all you were born a Healer; not made one. Taking baby Harry from his hands; she grabbed him tightly by the wrist and, with quite some effort, she pulled him from her office into the hospital wing. Looking at him sternly she pointed at him to sit on the nearest bed’s edge and then retreated to the next room, muttering something under her breath, holding baby Harry into her arms.

Snape felt the comfort of the bed and enjoyed the silence of the room. The smell of the hospital wing was, still, disturbing his sensitive nose but he was too tired to complain about it even to himself. The only thing he wanted to do that morning was to lay back, close his eyes and drift off to sleep until the Second Coming. However Snape had a policy. He never missed one of his own lessons. He dreaded to the mere idea of a Potion’s class with not the rightful Potion’s Master inside, especially when it come to the current year’s six-graders. He tried to imagine that kind of situation.

0-0-0

All of his students waiting quietly in front of their, already heated, cauldrons for him to arrive. A new substitute teacher enters the classroom, while every student eyes him in pure puzzlement. The new substitute teacher eyes the class and a smile forms. Some of his students get the message and smile to one another.

“Unfortunately Professor Snape will not attend today’s lesson” the substitute teacher’s voice is heard.

“Snape is sick. We are going to have fun!” they whisper. Their whisper turns louder and louder until it becomes a roar. Crumbled pieces of paper and small paper airplanes start flying around the room.

0-0-0-0

"Oh no! I am not going to give you this kind of satisfaction!" he thought when Madam Pomfrey entered the room. The woman looked at his direction and spoke slowly.

“Severus you look awful!” she commented as she leaned towards her medical cupboard.

"Well tell me something I don’t know Poppy. I am not used to stay up all night you know. It is natural to look like that when a little threat screams his head off all night," he thought as he let out a grumble.

“I think. . . “

"Don’t ever think of it Poppy!"

“. . . that you should. . . ”

"Don’t let it out Poppy," he warned her once again inside his head.

“. . . get a day off to sleep.”

"Darn Poppy you had to say that. Well Show-Time!"

“ABSOLUTELY NOT! I am not letting the students running amok into my classroom!”

"Though I do need a nice rest!" a small voice jumped inside his head.

“Severus you are acting in a childish manner. Go and get some sleep!”

“No!” he answered laconically and yet stubbornly.

“Humph! I can tell you Severus. You do try a saint’s patience! You want to stay awake? Fine! Stay awake. But you know what comes next. A Stimulating Potion. I am not going to let you leave this place until you drink a whole goblet of the most powerful one. Did I make myself clear?”

"Darn Iknew she was going to give me one of those," he thought being disgusted

“Alright Poppy I will drink your stupid potion!” he muttered grumpily.

“Harry looks worn out too.” she commented while she kneeled and started searching for a potion vial.

“Yes Potter calmed down at five o’ clock in the morning” he spoke softly and then hurried to answer her not-asked yet question “And yes I, did, woke up at seven o’ clock as usual.”

“Severus, I will never understand this thing you have with your classroom. What are house-elves for?”

“I will never permit a house-elf to do my job”

“FOR MERLIN’S GRACE, SEVERUS! WHY SHOULDN’T A HOUSE-ELF LIGHT UP THE CAULDRONS’ FIRES?”

“Poppy” Snape started silkily “the fires must be lighten up in an exact temperature with the correct amount of wood. A few may think of the whole incident as something entertaining. . , but I do not think that destroying my pickled ingredients collection is amusing. And no I am not going to let anyone else do it for me” he finished his sentence with a tone that indicated that nothing could change his mind.

“Ok Severus! Do whatever you want.” She touted as she gave him a goblet full of a blood-red liquid. "Thickhead Idiot!"

The raven-haired professor looked at the goblet that contained the red- blood liquid intensively and then at Madam Pomfrey. She was eyeing him with a “drink-it-if-you-dare” challenging look. He looked at the goblet and then brought to his mind the potions’ class without him. With no hesitation he brought the goblet to his lips and let the liquid run inside his mouth.

"Darn! This thing tastes horrible. Memo to myself: Find a way so that this potion’s flavour becomes more tolerable. Better idea. Make it taste like chocolate," he thought as he emptied the golden goblet with quick gulps. Placing the goblet at the nearest table he tried to prepare himself for the upcoming side-effects.

However he was not prepared for what was going to happen next. He sat at the nearest chair while he felt something hot spreading from his stomach to his whole body. He started feeling uncomfortable. As if every cell inside his body had eaten from a handful of red small hot-chilli peppers. He turned to look at the mirror to ensure himself that smoke was not escaping from his ears. "Now I do understand how food feels when it is cooked!" he thought as he felt the burning sensation subduing to a more pleasant tingling one. And then the sensation faded while a wave of pure power started running through his veins and blood, making him powerful and ready to continue.

-)-)-)

Professor Severus Snape entered the classroom and sat behind his mahogany desk, as he welcomed his students with a grumble that would have made a gorilla jealous. The Stimulating Potion was giving him energy, alright, but it could not improve his foul mood that was a product of not having a proper sleep. Taking his wand out of his robes he chanted a series of words and a long list of ingredients appeared in front of each student.

“You must brew this Potion by the end of the double lesson’s period. The instructions are written down on the parchment. Do not distrub me unless you are dying. I do not want to hear any speaking, whispering or coughing. Even better; if you can survive the double period without breathing, do it so. What are you looking dunderheads? Start doing your potions. ” he pronounced seriously. Not giving them a second glance he opened his desk’s drawer. Taking a miniature book from inside, he placed it on the wooden desk and transformed it back to its gigantic size. The book was thick and covered most of his torso. Looking at its context, he licked his index unconsciously and muttering “Potions’ Flavour” under his breath he started turning the pages quickly.

In the meantime his students getting his clear “bother-me-and-you-will-die” statement, started to chop their ingredients. Ron, who was, as always, being bored during Potions, turned to look at Hermione. She was powdering her dragon fangs being extremely careful. Feeling his ears turning red, he looked down and started chopping his salamander eyes.

“Mione!” he whispered quickly “Mione!”

“Yeah Ron!” said Hermione without looking at him.

“Umm . . . Are supposed to chop the eyes into cubes or something?”

“No Ron”

Silence fell between them for a moment and then Ron talked again.

“Mione!”

“What?” she snapped

“Can we talk for a while?”

Hermione did not answer immediately but when she did, her voice was sympathetic

“You do miss Harry don’t you?”

“Well he is my best friend and well . . . Yeah!”

“Quiet!” Snape said laconically while his eyes were fixed on the book’s pages.

They stopped talking for a few moments and to Ron’s amazement it was Hermione who spoke first.

“Umm . . . Ron. . . ”

“He is in a foul mood today isn’t he?” Ron commented

“I think it is due to total sleep absence”

“Yeap he looks like sh. . . .”

“RON!” she snapped trying not to shout.

“Ok, ok Mione! He looks awful”

“Well I still liked his speech today”

“Mione. . . “

“Not that it could compete with the introductory speech during our first year.”

“Mione you have a serious problem.”

“Are you jealous Ronnie?”

“What? Me? No!”

“Yes you are!”

“No I am not!”

“Well you don’t have to be Ronnie.”

“I know!” he answered back sardonically, making her cheeks turn slightly pink

'TEENAGERS!" the hook-nosed professor thought raising his eyes unconsciously. He looked at the luminous watch at the end of the dungeon. One period gone, one left.

-)-)-)

The two following days passed into the same pattern. Snape, despite Madam Pomfrey’s advices would wake after two hours of heavy sleep to light up the dungeons’ fires and then he would take his Stimulating Potion. In a bad mood he would assign papers and schoolwork and then at the end of the day he would get baby Harry from the Hospital Wing and look after him. By sunset he would curse himself for deciding of taking care of a little menace and he would sadly comment that another set of clean robes was destroyed.

However on Wednesday morning Snape started realising that something strange was happening to him. He caught himself wondering about Potter’s welfare. The baby’s fragile body was constantly inside his head. He once caught himself looking at the clock every once and a while in order to see the time left to pick Potter. He shook his head and kept repeating to himself that he was simply doing what he did out of duty to the school. Dismissing the last class for the day, he headed to the hospital wing.

"DARN!" he thought when he saw who was waiting for him along with Madam Pomfrey. The Headmaster of Hogwarts’ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, owner of a Merlin’s First Act, the one and only Albus Dumbledore was sitting on a chair munching lemon drops while he held Harry into his arms. Well, if Snape knew that there was something certain in his whole life; well that was the fact that Albus Dumbledore inside the certain hospital wing meant troubles coming ahead. To be precise that meant troubles; that had to do with a particular olive-green eyed teenager, recently de-aged into an infant boy.

“Please sit Severus” Dumbledore welcomed him with his infamous twinkle “Madam Pomfrey has called me here. Apparently she has some interesting news about Harry.”

"Yeap, just as I suspected. Another Potter Issue," he thought while he sat opposite Dumbledore and turned to face Madam Pomfrey, who started talking with her matter-of-fact manner.

“Severus” she started looking at him seriously “have you noticed that Harry is not acting his age?”

“My dear Poppy, I have noticed that since he set foot at Hogwarts. I cannot believe it took you so long to understand it.”

“Severus. I am not joking” she answered back sternly.

“Well Poppy. He is an infant. I am feeding him, I change his diapers and he has not talked to me yet. Since he has not yet started transfiguring anything, I do think that he is acting like a proper baby.”

“Well unfortunately Severus he is not. He coos and goos and seems to recognise some of us. And I can assure you that this is not something a month-old will do. I also took the liberty to take some drops of blood to have his ammunition system checked. To my surprise I received an answer that he would not need a shot until he becomes one year old.”

“All these are nice Poppy but what do they have to do with me?” he asked curiously, while he tried to dismiss his fears for the thing to come.

“Unfortunately the de-aging potion Harry had drunk returned him to his infant age but had not erased all of his memories or his body’s past. This causes something like a rivalry inside his brain and I fear of brain damage. To make sure that he is going to be fine, I have decided that Harry will receive very mild doses of the aging Potion and that he would not receive more until I would observe that everything proceeds fine with him”

“And that means?” Snape asked being confused

“That means that Harry will not be his self by Christmas. He will probably be back to himself by the summer holidays.”

Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore turned to see him, waiting for his outburst. To their amazement Snape seemed to be in deep thinking. Looking at Harry and then at them, he whispered in defeat.

“Ok headmaster. It is fine with me. After all” he said coolly “I do not think I have any other choice.” With those words he stood up and taking Harry with him he got out of the hospital wing. Dumbledore looked at Madam Pomfrey, who was more than dumbfounded and blinked while he gave her a mysterious smile. Then standing up, he walked towards his office. "As I suspected it. The boy has started destroying the wall around Severus’ heart," he thought happily while he put a lemon drop into his mouth.

On Friday afternoon the hook-nosed professor entered the hospital wing, holding baby Harry. Madam Pomfrey mixed a tea-spoon of the potion with Harry’s milk and gave it to Snape. Snape fed Harry and waited for the potion to start working. A golden aura formed around the baby’s body and Snape felt it getting heavier and enlarging a little. When the aura disappeared Snape stared down at a small baby with emerald-green eyes that gifted him with a toothless smile. That caught Snape by surprise and blinked for a moment or two as he felt a fuzzy sensation spreading inside his chest. Realising that Madam Pomfrey was outside the room he let a hint of a smile.

“Well I am happy to see you too Potter” he whispered softly.

“Congratulations Severus” Poppy said making him to turn to look at her with a scowl “You are now in charge of a four-month old.”

A mild breeze entered the room, passed through the bed’s satin curtains and gently touched the man’s face. His eyelids flickered slightly and opened slowly for a second or two before they would close once again. The raven-haired male let out a sigh of pure satisfaction. Finally after a week of limited sleep, he had been able to rest for a whole of eight hours without any crying or annoying baby sound from a certain teenager recently turned to an infant. Reaching the age of four-month; marked the end for Potter’s colic period. The night before Snape charmed his bed, for Potter’s safety, and drifted off to Dreamland with no other care in his mind. An irritated squeal was heard and Snape’s eyes shot open. Now why on Earth I did that? It’s not like I care about Potter, right? RIGHT? he asked himself and then he whispered obediently “Right!” Harry squealed once again and Snape stared him being a bit puzzled.

“Now what is wrong with you Potter? If you want something cry for Merlin’s Sake, don’t squeal at me!”

“Ga!” Potter replied being irritated.

“Yeah Potter Ga and Goo and Gi. Now what’s the problem? Diaper?”

Harry stared at him, and to Snape’s disbelief he let out“Goo!” of confirmation. ‘You will never stop to amaze me Potter.’ he thought and got out of the bed. Baby Harry looked at him, raising his eyebrow in a question matter. ‘Well if it isn’t the typical Potter reaction!’ Snape thought as he realised what had made Harry stare at him with amazement .It was his clothes. The raven-haired professor was wearing a pair of green boxers and a white t-shirt that had the phrase “Got Potions?” magically stamped on it. The letters were silvery and seemed to sparkle every once and a while, changing to a different colour.

“Hope you like the clothes Potter. Oh and I will advice you to never, ever speak of them to anyone.” Snape stated coolly as he stood in front of Harry with a magical diaper and “Miss Bates’ whipping tissues.”

“Aprt!” Harry let out happily as his diaper was removed. Then a thin string of liquid rose up from him and landed on Severus Snape’s magical t-shirt. The hook-nosed professor stared at the baby being horror-struck as the warm liquid sprayed on his t-shirt. When everything had finished, he closed his eyes and started counting in order to calm himself.

“ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR . . . THIRTY-FIVE, THIRTY-SIX . . . Damn this thing does not work,” he thought while he was about to hit his head in the nearest wall. Looking at Harry who seemed to enjoy being naked he let out an irritated whisper:

“Damn you Potter. I loved that t-shirt.” With those words he chanted the bed once again and retreated to the bathroom. Taking out his t-shirt he put it into the laundry basket and ordered. “I want my t-shirt sterile and clean by tonight.”

“I need a bath!” he thought as he returned back to his room.

Snape raised his head from the test-papers feeling amazed that nothing was heard insight his room for the past couple of minutes. Potter could not have drifted off to sleep without his help could he? He looked towards his bed and watched the infant carefully. The small baby stared at his hands and then joined his palms together letting out a squeal of satisfaction. He, then, moved them apart and raising his right foot up, he let another squeal. A hint of a smile formed to the Potions Master face that he dismissed with a scowl as soon as he realised what he was doing. “This is not the time to turn all mushy Severus.” he scolded himself as he rose from his chair.

The Potions Master sat near Potter, who with quite some effort rolled to his tummy and smiled at him. Snape took him into his arms, as a reward, and gave Harry his index. Grasping the long index he squeezed it and put it into his mouth. “I should have got used to it by now!” Snape thought feeling disgusted. Harry chewed the finger and let out a wail of desperation. Small irritated whimpers escaped from the boy’s lips and it started kicking inside Snape arms. The raven-haired man let the baby down. Harry grasped a medium plastic circle, put it into his mouth and started chewing it with irritating squeak. Snape took the message.

“Oh great! That was exactly what I needed. Harry started teething again,” he thought as he placed Harry into a cradle that was near his desk. Another gift from Molly Weasley.

“YOU KNOW POTTER, YOU ARE LUCKY I AM NOT SUFFERING WITH MY NERVES” the Potions Master snapped as he looked at baby Harry viciously. The boy was getting crankier as time passed by. Snape found himself being attacked by every toy the cradle contained. He gave Harry a pacifier that he threw back at him hitting him on the head.

“How on Earth does he manage to always aim and hit me in the head?” the hook-nosed professor thought as a vein pulsed at his temple and his left eye started twitching.

He leaned back and closed his eyes, hearing Harry’s irritated squeals and crying. He hummed and tapped his foot to the floor and to his amazement Harry stopped crying. He stopped and after a few seconds Harry started crying again.

“It’s UNBELIEVABLE! Potter has a musical ear! Next thing I am going to learn is that the Weasley brothers know how to dance ballet!” Snape commented being amazed, as he stood up and unlocked the, always, locked door that was behind his office.

He entered the dim-lit room and paced towards a woman’s portrait. The woman had Severus Snape’s big onyx-pearl eyes, his coal-black hair and pale complexion. Her nose was pointed and she was smiling sadly. She looked at Severus and she gifted him with a smile that reached to her eyes and made something flatter inside his chest. Waving to him she let a faint whisper.

“Hello my little Severus.”

Snape knew that if she was alive, she was going to try to touch his hair. Feeling the excitement he was feeling back then, when Him was not around, when he was absent and they were just the both of them; Severus Snape let out a sigh and peeped

“Hello Mum!”

The hook-nosed professor closed the door behind him and placed the small suitcase on his desk. Baby Harry let a cranky squeal and threw a toy that hit him on the head once again. Trying to ignore him, Snape opened the small black case and smiled with what he saw. An old wooden Stradivarius rested inside. Snape’s oldest friend was about to come back to life again. Examining it and making sure the violin was in a good condition, the man started tuning it and placed it on his right elbow. Taking the bow he started playing. The music escaped from the violin chords bringing back nostalgic memories. Those memories had nothing to do with Him, and his torments. Snape closed his eyes and smiled with pleasure as his fingers petted the chords. The song became passionate and the tune intensified, spreading around the room.

Snape stopped playing and turned to look at Harry. The baby was staring at his direction with his emerald-eyes shining with pleasure. The Potions Master put the old Stradivarius into its suitcase, rocked baby Harry to sleep and placed him into the cradle. When he looked up, he returned back to his secret room being unaware that his eyes had started shining once again.

The next day Snape decided to follow one of Madam Pomfrey’s advices. He, the one and only hunter had actually decided to follow her advice to start feeding Harry with a few spoons of sterile food. Now, Severus Snape, the epitome of masculinity in the wizarding world was, wondering how on Earth he was supposed to feed a baby.

Everything started when Madam Pomfrey mentioned that, according to Remus Lupin’s words, Harry’s mother, Lilly, had started feeding her son a few spoonfuls of that mushy liquidized food the moment he had reached his four months of age. Now it was Snape’s turn to give Potter his meal. The Potion’s Master prepared a small bawl of “Farine Late” and sat opposite baby Harry. Then picking a small amount of mush with the pick of his silver spoon he put it in front of Harry’s mouth.

Baby Harry eyed him with a, heaven forbid, sarcastic stare that seemed to shout clearly “YOU ARE JOKING RIGHT?”

“No Mr. Potter I am not joking.” Severus Snape answered back and placed the food at the tip of Harry tongue. The small baby’s nose wrinkled in disgust and he spit the food on the professor’s sleeve and from that moment he refused to open his mouth whatsoever.

At first Snape decided to use the direct approach. He placed the spoon in front of baby Harry’s mouth and simply waited for him to open his mouth. After a while, the Potions Master discovered that there was another human being in the world that could rival his own thick-headedness. He decided to quit using that method. After all, his arm was starting to become stiff. His next decision was to try the good old persuasive method. Taking some mush again, and hoping that this incident would never escape his chambers’ walls, he moved the spoon around Harry mouth.

“Iiiii . . . Open your mouth for the Firebolt” he uttered feeling his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Apparently this made no real impression to baby Harry, who kept staring him with a look that seemed to state “I am not that stupid you know.”

“Well I can’t blame you, you know. This thing does not look attractive at all.” Snape commented. “But you have to eat at least a spoonful. Potter.”

Harry looked at the mush being disgusted and Snape thought that it had to do something fast. For his own sanity and Potter’s safety that is. But the only person, who knew about babies, was . . .

“ I must really like you Potter,” he thought as he took some powder from a small blue vase and threw it into the fire.

Molly Weasley was cooking at the kitchen when she heard some noise in her living room. She entered it immediately, with her wand on hand, but she saw nobody. A whisper was heard from her fireplace and she looked into the flames. Severus Snape’s head was there and he looked as if he was about to kill somebody. The chubby woman lowered her head towards the fire.

“Is it something wrong with Harry, Severus?” she asked being apprehensive.

“No Molly. There is something wrong with me. If I was sane I would have never agreed to look after him” Snape commented growling

“Oh Severus it can’t be that bad!” she stated trying to be sympathetic and not laugh at his face. The man sounded so helpless that it was laughable.

“Yes it is Molly. I can’t convince him to eat. And Lupin told Poppy that Harry was eating at that age.”

“Well he did Severus. I remember that Lilly was feeding him when she was in the Order. I used to give my Ron some spoonfuls of food too.” Molly said being nostalgic.

“Well he is not eating now. That’s for sure!”

“Hmm. . . Let me think! . . . Yes I do remember that Lilly had mentioned something about Harry’s eating habits.” Mrs Weasley said thinking

“Any suggestion is welcome”

“Oh yes now I remember. Harry used to eat only a brand of mush made of biscuit grain. He detested anything else.”

“And where am I going to find such a thing?”

“Oh don’t worry Severus I will send you some with the owl-post post tomorrow morning. You can start feeding him from tomorrow.” Molly said happily. Severus thanked her and returned to his room.

Snape gave Harry his formula and sat by the fire. Looking at Harry snoozing peacefully, Snape took a book from his library and before opening it he commented wearily.

“KIDS!”

It was Sunset. The sun had turned red and had transformed the sky’s colour from light blue to a mixture of orange, blood-red and black-blue. Inside the room the liquid in the small glass vases changed to the colour of the amber. The ingredients inside the liquid glistened and twirled causing a mysterious effect to everyone that laid his eyes on them. Silence was spread inside the room. The only sounds that could be heard, every once and a while, was the faint scribble in the parchment and the cracking from a piece of wood being eaten by the blazes.

A squeal of annoyance was heard, breaking the silence of the room. The man’s raven-haired head shot up and looked at the baby that rested inside the small cradle. Baby Harry granted him with a toothless smile.

“Oh and they tell me you belong to Gryffindor Potter! You annoy me during my work and then you look at me with a look that could melt butter. This is a Slytherin’s quality for Merlin’s Sake!” Snape thought, shaking his head and returning back to marking. A few moments later another squeal of annoyance was heard and Snape looked at the miniature baby with a venomous glare that could make any student run amok to save his life. Baby Harry let out a giggle. “It seems that I am losing my touch!” the hook-nosed professor thought being concerned and then returned back to the piece of parchment he was reading. The little baby boy stared at him for a few moments before he would throw a toy that would hit him on the head.

“HEY CUT THAT OUT!” Snape stated being extremely annoyed with Harry.

“What is wrong with the little monster today?” he thought looking at Harry, who seemed to stare at him with his huge emerald-green eyes. Potter did not want to play with the toys inside his cradle, and he did not want him to do any work either. Madam Pomfrey had warned him about this. Apparently the infant wanted to monopolise his life. What could he do? He could not spend the entire time engaging with Potter. He had a lot of work to do. He had assignments to mark. After all he was behind schedule. He looked away and tried to concentrate. Harry, who was not going to let his new guardian escape so easily, used the ultimate weapon. He started whimpering.

“Darn the boy knows me too well!” Snape thought while he turned to face the baby boy.

“Can I work just for a few moments please?” the raven-haired man asked being desperate. The baby giggled once again. Snape went into deep thinking. “There must be a way to do my job and interact with Potter at the same time.” Snape raised his eyes and kept thinking, when an idea struck him.

“Oh but this is so stupid!” he thought debating with himself.

“Well do you have a better idea?” he answered back, “After all; this might help Potter understand some things better. When you are a child, you do understand some things more easily.”

He took a parchment from the pile.

-)-)-)

“Potions that contain mandagora roots can cause a drowsy side effect” Snape read from the essay, ticked it and turned to baby Harry “Yes Potter” he started making his voice squeaky “the mandagora root can cause the user to go all sleepy and groggy.” “Baby talking about Potions is ok, I guess” he thought. “Yes! And then Mr Sandman comes and pours sand to your eyes so you can sleep and that is why we must put only an itcy bitcy amount of . . .”

“Professor Snape sir!” a shout was heard, startling him and causing him to jump two meters high. He turned around and saw an apprehensive-looking Draco Malfoy staring at him. Draco’s hair was messed up and he was wet from head to toe.

“Umm . . . What is it Mr Malfoy?” the hook-nosed professor enquired feeling uneasy. “Oh this is great. A Slytherin Prefect had heard me baby talking Potter about Potions. Can things get worse?”

“Peeves, sir! He took advantage of Bloody Baron’s absence to the “Slaughtered Ghosts’ Symposium” and he attacked the dungeons. He is heading for the Potions’ Ingredients supply storeroom. We cannot control him!”

“WHAT? . . . The bloody Poltergeist . . . Wait ‘till I get him . . .” mumbled Snape being infuriated and arise from his seat. Turning to look at Malfoy with a glare that clearly stated that someone was going to get hurt, and that; that someone was certainly not him, he uttered:

“Draco, please be a good sport and take care of Potter for me, will you?” and with those words he closed the door behind him.

Draco Malfoy kept staring at the closed door, moments after it was closed being horror-struck. His Head of the House could not be serious. How was he supposed to look after a baby? And especially when that baby was Potter? A toy flew up high and hit him on the head. Malfoy turned around, glaring and faced Harry. Baby Harry scowled and started crying. The blond boy rubbed his head feeling uneasy and hoped that the Potions Master would return soon.

“WILL YOU STOP CRYING?” the blond boy asked being frustrated

“WAAAHHH!” cried the miniature baby at the top of his lungs.

“Please?” Malfoy asked Harry, who stopped and then began once again.

“POTTER YOU ARE DRIVING ME INSANE!” Malfoy shouted

Harry whimpered but continued crying. The blond Prefect sighed in desperation and took baby Harry into his arms. He stared at the small baby with his cold blue eyes, feeling uneasy. Holding his nemesis into his arms was not something he dreamed doing and to make things simple, Draco still wondered why the Potions Master had agreed to look after Potter in the first place. Baby Harry kicked inside Malfoy’s arms and let out a squeal of annoyance.

“I guess you still don’t like me, do you Potter?” Draco asked sighing “Well I still feel the same about you. However you are a baby now, and since I cannot hex you to the next dimension, can you stop irritating me please?”

Harry started crying and screaming. The blond Prefect closed his eyes and wondered whether it was allowed to commit suicide in front of a baby. The small baby’s head turned towards the cradle. He kept staring it longingly and Draco found him self incapable of not leaning forward and taking a stuffed unicorn toy that was inside the cradle. Harry giggled as he saw the toy in front of him and then turned to look Draco.

Malfoy gazed at him and whispered “That isn’t so bad, is it?”

-)-)-)

In the meantime Professor Severus Snape found himself in havoc. Some of the Slytherin Prefects were still trying to control the Poltergeist, who attacked them with water balloons and Stink Pellets, and kept moving towards the Potions’ Ingredients Storeroom. The Potions Master stepped forward and stood in one of his infamous poses.

“Peeves” he started glaring the Poltergist venomously “Fly another inch towards my private storeroom and I won’t be responsible for the consequences”

The Poltergeist threw a water balloon at Snape, who ducked in time. Another one flew high and landed on the raven-haired man’s back. The Potions Master felt his back getting soaked as another water balloon landed, and broke, on his head. His hair soaked and turned even blacker. The man felt his face burning from fury. Peeves started laughing hysterically and grimacing he started chanting:

“Oh Snapie, you Foolish Git

“You think I live in a pit

“Take your grease away

“And take a notice to what I say

“To your storeroom I’ll find a way”

Severus Snape blinked and rubbed his head. Well if that wasn’t out of tune! he thought feeling a shiver down his spine.

“Well now I do understand why the king ordered for you to be executed. Your chanting stinks”

Peeves threw a water balloon and stuck his tongue out. Then letting a hysterical laughter he flew towards the Storeroom.

“PEEVES THIS IS THE LAST WARNING!” Snape threatened him

“Well what can you do to me Snapie? I am already dead. You can damage me not!” he squeaked and twirled, making the small bells around his belt jingle. The Potions Master stared at the Poltergeist and his eyes half-closed dangerously. Granting Peeves with a dangerous smirk he took his wand out of his robe’s pocket.

-)-)-)

“Oh Potter, look at me!” Draco squeaked, trying to catch baby Harry’s attention by making funny faces. The door opened at that point revealing a very wet, puzzled, and yet satisfied Severus Snape.

“It seems that you have been entertaining Potter by making faces.” Snape said smirking, forgetting the primary rule of never, ever dare a Slytherin by commenting about his or her actions.

Malfoy, who always followed the Slytherins’ Primary Rule of never leave anything unanswered smirked back and answered being cheeky “Well excuse me if I am mistaken sir, but when I entered your office you were baby talking Potter about Potions.”

The raven-haired man and the blond boy looked one another intensively for a couple of moments. Snape’s eyes closed into slits and he spoke slowly.

“Mr Malfoy, this conversation never took place!”

“I totally agree Professor!” Malfoy whispered and moved towards the wooden door. He opened the door slightly before he would turn back and ask

“Umm . . . What happened to Peeves sir?”

Snape smirked evilly and took a miniature jar from the inside of his rob. Turning it back to his original size, he showed Malfoy, a very irritated and squashed Peeves. The Poltergeist cursed loudly and the hook-nosed man shook the jar violently. Then he turned to face the Slytherin Prefect.

“As you can see Draco, Peeves will consider to ever coming near the dungeons ever again.”

"I want that essay on my desk, first thing Monday morning. Class Dismissed!” the man’s voice echoed inside the dim lit room.A couple of students grumbled as they left the dungeons. A three-foot essay about the discovery and development of use of the Draught Potion meant a whole weekend of hard studying in the library and, certainly, not a relaxed Hogsmeade Trip. Well Snape may have agreed to look after baby Harry, and to their amazement he had not killed the baby yet, but that did not mean that he was getting softer. On the contrary he seemed to have grown vicious in terms of homework. Yet none of the students could help him self from not laughing, as they passed in front of a jar that contained a very irritated and magically mute Poltergeist. When the Potions’ classroom was empty, Severus Snape smirked evilly and waved his wand in front of the jar.

“LET ME OUT YOU GREASY SON ON A #£!” Peeves screamed angrily.

“My, my, language Peeves. What will the Bloody Baron say of this behaviour?” the hook-nosed professor said while he kept smirking with a smirk that meant danger.

Peeves replied with something really inappropriate that made Snape glare and grit his teeth. Taking a deep breath he let the air slowly while he replied with an icy-cold voice:

“I was in the inch of deciding to let you go but guess what Peeves, you are staying here until Bloody Baron returns on Sunday.”

He turned to his heels while Peeves kept swearing in the most hideous manner. While the Potions Master touched the doorknob he turned to see the trapped Poltergeist and commented cheekily.

“Well I wish you a nice weekend too Peeves."

-)-)-)

Madam Pomfrey checked the small baby inside the cradle. Baby Harry “engaged” himself by playing with his hands, and feet, leaving a squeal of satisfaction every once and a while. Smiling, she returned back to checking the hospital supplies. She kept muttering under her breath while she ticked for the potions she had to request to be made; when someone opened the door abruptly. The woman let her quilt jump high being startled and she turned to face the creature that had entered in her quiet and dignified hospital wing. Her eyes close in slits before she would let out an irritated, yet cool “Severus Snape”

“My goobness Bobby. Why boes the Hospital Wing has to sbell like dat?” the raven-haired professor stated while he clutched his nose; wishing he could ripe it off and never smell the Hospital Wing’s air.

Madam Pomfrey felt the urge to giggle hysterically. Snape’s decision to always clutch his nose the first couple of moments he entered the Hospital Wing had developed at the beginning of the week. No one could blame her if the Potions Master’s reactions seemed laughable to her.

“Well Severus. I have to sterile the Hospital Wing every day. Wizards or not, we will never be able to eliminate bacteria you know” she replied not being able to hide a smile.

“Yes but we could all live better with an air freshener Poppy,” Snape thought as he looked into the cradle.

“I am taking Potter now. I am going to bring him back this evening for his dose” he uttered. However Madam Pomfrey stopped him and pointed him to sit at the nearest chair. “Oh Great! What am I going to hear today?” the hook-nosed professor though while he sat down.

“First of all I want to talk to you about Harry’s potion dose. I have noticed some five-month and six-month activities the last three days and I was about to ask you whether to turn Harry back to his seven-month old self this week.”

“Seven-month means Potter leaves from my back more easily. Yes you can do it Poppy” said Snape immediately. Yet, something inside his chest sting slightly as soon as he replied. Snape dismissed that feeling. “Babies have to grow up. And you do want Potter away from you RIGHT?” he questioned himself hardly. He then nodded twice and looked at Harry, who kept staring at him.

“However Severus” Madam Pomfrey continued “This period of time is very important for the infant. It is that time of his life who wants to play and be talked to. Think you can manage him Severus?”

“Well I am doing well so far aren’t I Poppy? I have survived Potter’s Colic period and after that I think I can take everything” the man replied.

Madam Pomfrey looked at the man with the look that seemed to state “you-don’t-know-where-you-are-getting-to” but Snape decided to overlook it. Looking at the Healer for another time he tried to stand up. However she let her hand out once again.

-)-)-)

Severus Snape looked up from the plate to the crowd of students that seemed to be interested in his actions.

“How does the woman managed to convince me? . . . . Severus you are repeating yourself lately!” he thought as looked back to the plate and stirred the food with the spoon that he held.

He looked up again and glimpsed towards his fellow professors’ direction. Hell, they were staring at him too! Well except Dumbledore that seemed to have got interested in his soup. But, nevertheless he had that insufferable twinkle in his eyes. An annoyed squeal was heard and the raven-haired professor raised the spoon and put it into the baby’s mouth. Then he turned round and glared at the students, who all turned instantly back to their plates.

“Will you stop staring please? It is not like you have never seen a Potions Master feeding an infant with a spoon,” he thought baring his teeth while he looked baby Harry opening his mouth for the next spoonful. Blinking for a moment he thought “This baby care will turn me insane. It must be the third time I have seen a flash since I have start taking care of Potter.”

In the mean time, Denis Creevey, sighed in relief. Recklessness was not of his best qualities especially when it came to Professor Snape. He looked at his magical photographic camera and hoped that if he was ever found out; his camera would be spared from damage. The first time he took the photograph he did it as a joke. Yet minutes after the dinner, the Headmaster had asked him to get some photos of Harry and Snape as frequently as he could. He had photographed Snape five times so far and he wondered where this was going to lead to.

-)-)-)

Near sunset, the hook-nosed professor entered the Hospital Wing and waited for Madam Pomfrey to mix the Aging Potion with Harry’s baby formula. He looked at baby Harry who smiled at him. Snape saw the tip of the Harry’s first tooth and petted the boy’s head. Madam Pomfrey entered the room and gave him the bottle that contained the potion and the formula. When he had stopped feeding Harry a golden aura surrounded the baby’s fragile body and the Potions Master felt it getting bigger and heavier. A couple of moments later, Snape found himself holding a baby with huge olive-green eyes that smiled at him revealing five pearly white teeth. Madam Pomfrey took Harry into her arms and weighed him, marking the results. Then she unlocked one of her cupboards, took a small bag from inside and gave it to Snape, who eyed her being puzzled.

“These are story books Severus. Something tells me you are going to need them from now on” she commented with her matter-of-fact tone as she shooed the hook-nosed man out of the Hospital Wing.

Professor Severus Snape discovered that the seventh-month old baby Harry had difficulty in going to sleep. Rocking Potter to sleep, as usual, had no positive result and the raven-haired man was running out of patience. When he stopped rocking Harry for a moment, the infant got extremely annoyed and started squeaking and kicking inside his arms.

“Excuse for stopping rocking you; master and commander!” Snape thought irritably while looking at baby Harry. He continued rocking the little baby for a couple of minutes before he would mockingly ask:

“Potter, do you mind going to sleep? I do need my beauty sleep too you know!”

Finishing his sentence he turned to look at the luminous clock at the wall. “Half-past ten and something tells me he is not going to drift off to sleep unless I act fast.”

Sighing deeply he reached for the bag that he had tossed on the floor some hours ago. Opening it he took out a small book and sitting on his bed, he put baby Harry in his laps and held the magical story book in front of Harry. The infant cooed in delight as it saw the pictures moving on the book’s cover. Stifling a yawn, Snape stared at the book.

“Silvy the Little Unicorn Goes For a Walk” he read the story’s titles and then let out a snort. “Merlin help me! I can’t believe that someone was insane enough to publish a series of this,” he thought while Harry giggled seeing the small golden unicorn pacing up and down the page. The turning to the next page he started the story.

“Silvy the Little Unicorn lived with her mother, father and friends in the Enchanted Prairie . . . Yeah whatever!” he started while baby Harry snuggled comfortably and touched the picture.

“You see Potter? That small thing must be Silvy and this is her dada and that is her mama.”

“Merlin I am losing it!”

“Anyway let’s continue. One day Silvy was bored. She did not want to play with her friends or her mother. . . KIDS! They are never, ever satisfied with what they have!” he commented and turned the page.

“Silvy decided to go for a walk. . . . Well this is typical. I mean; this is what the story is about. So she went to ask her mother to let her do so. See boy? Always ask an adult before you act” the raven-haired man commented and turned the page.

“Silvy’s mother allowed her to go for a walk up to the river. Look Potter there is the river. She also said Silvy, to never leave the footpath because she could end up in the forest. See the dark trees Potter? That’s the forest. Seems like the Forest of Doom to me. I can bet five galleons that this is where Silvy will end.”

Turning the page and stifling another yawn, Professor Severus Snape continued “Silvy walked being careful never to leave the path. Suddenly a pink butterfly landed on her nose. Silvy stared at the butterfly greeted her ‘Good morning miss Butterfly. How are you today’ . . . Ok kid I know you have manners; but do you seriously expect the butterfly to answer back? . . . Ok Potter I will continue the story. My, is it a yawn I just received from you?”

“Severus shall I worry that you talk to Potter and comment on a children’s storybook plot?” he asked himself sarcastically while he turned the page.

“The pink butterfly rose up high and flew around. Silvy chased her feeling happy. But Silvy did not notice that she had left the track and had entered the forest. Ha I knew it! Didn’t I tell you that she was going to end up in the forest?” Snape said and turned the pages.

“Silvy suddenly realised that she was not in the path. Silvy was lost. . . Well as some say ‘It’s Show-Time!’ . . . Silvy was scared. . . Of course she was. She asked for her mother. However Silvy was a clever little unicorn. She did not move from her place so that it would not get more lost. After a while her father and mother found her . . . Of course they did! The heroine never dies, or gets lost, for more that a page. Silvy was happy. She promised never to leave the path again. . . . You know what is the moral of that story Potter? Never chase butterflies . . . Potter?” Snape asked and then looked at the boy that was snoozing peacefully inside his arms. Gifting the boy with a hint of a smile, Severus Snape placed the infant into the cradle and looked at the luminous clock. Quarter to Eleven. It was amazing what ten minutes of story telling could do to a child.

Baby Harry’s eyes flickered and opened slowly. The room was dark and only the moon’s light seemed to provide some comfort from it. The infant stared at the ceiling being transfixed. However moments later he turned his head right and heard the calm snoozing of the man that occupied the big bed. Harry wanted to see the man now. Initially he knew that when that man was not around him for a while, that meant that something bad was about to happen. He let a squeal and then stopped. Snoozing was still heard. “Aprt!” baby Harry let out and then squealed twice. The man mumbled under his breath and sighed. Being frustrated the infant started whimpering.

“Oh Potter give me a break!” Snape muttered as he tried to open his eyes. The wails intensified and the raven-haired man felt the urge to curse. “Well it is clear that Potter needs me” he thought trying to convince himself to get out of the bed. “I hate my life!” Severus Snape grumbled while he got out of the bed and half-walking, half-tripping he moved towards the cradle.

Towering himself over the cradle he groggily looked at the baby boy, who was whimpering. Baby Harry seeing that Snape was looking at him; calmed down and stared back, clutching the stuffed unicorn he had with him. Taking the baby into his arms, the pale-looking professor sat on his bed and rocked Harry. The infant yawned and started drifting off to sleep and the man put him back to his cradle. To Severus Snape’s disappointment baby Harry started wailing again as soon as he attempted to move away from the cradle.

“Merlin have mercy!” he thought recalling Madam Pomfrey’s words about separation anxiety. Apparently trying to go back to sleep and ignoring the baby was not going to help at all.

Scooping the infant from the cradle he sat on the four-poster bed and taking his wand he chanted it once again. He then let baby Harry to lie on the mattress, lied down too and covered himself, and the baby, with the sheet and blanket.

“Ok Potter” he coolly stated turning to look at Harry that was yawning “this part of the bed is mine.” he commented drawing an invincible line with his long finger. “Don’t you even dare cross the line or I will not be responsible for the consequence” he finished and turned his back at the boy.

It was a nice Saturday morning at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Outside the castle the birds were twittering madly, while inside a certain chamber two big green eyes, in a round face, opened. Blinking for a couple of moments the little creature clasped the stuffed unicorn toy and then let it down. Rolling on his stomach baby Harry pushed up on his arms and got into a sitting position. Taking the small toy once again he squeezed it and then turned to look at the man to his right.

The hook-nosed man had his eyes shut and was snoozing being tranquil. His left arm was under the pillow raising his head into a much more comfortable position, while his right one was resting near his face. The infant looked at the man and then at his toy. Then back to the man and at the unicorn toy once again. Holding the stuffed unicorn tightly, he raised his hands and a couple of seconds later he landed it on the man’s face with all the strength his small hands had.

Severus Snape shot up being startled. His heart was pounding and his pulse was racing faster than a Firebolt. Panting from shock, and lack of breath, he turned his head and glared menacingly. Baby Harry was staring at him holding the toy.

“Potter you are insufferable! How could you do this to me?” he stated harshly closing his eyes into slits. He was about to say something more but he stopped seeing the impact his voice’s tone had on the small boy. Baby Harry’s lips quivered slightly, his green eyes started moistening and then the little boy let the most heart-shuttering wail of desperation a person had ever head.

“Great! Just Great!” Snape mumbled groggily feeling frustrated. He did not mean to snap at the small boy. It was an accident. He was just startled. He took baby Harry into his arms feeling the small infant go stiff while he was touched. The infant stared into his black eyes sobbing slightly. The raven-haired professor wanted to kick himself unconscious. Mornings may wasn’t his best time of the day but this was no reason to startle a baby boy in such a manner, even if that baby boy was the recently de-aged Potter

“Darn I am not good at doing this things,” he thought while he was wondering on what to do next.

“Apologise is the best option I guess!” a small voice peeped inside his head.

“NO WAY! HE STARTED IT!” his ego debated back.

“FOR MERLIN’S SAKE, IT IS FOR A BABY BOY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!” the voice squeaked back and then everything fell silent inside his head.

Severus Snape petted baby Harry’s head and looked at him straight into the eyes. Black eyes met the large moist green ones. “Ok Potter I am sorry” he started taking a deep breath “I shouldn’t have acted so harsh and I hope you will forget it soon.” Finishing his last word, and feeling slightly lighter, he gave Harry his unicorn toy.

Harry smiled at the view of the toy and Snape let him down feeling relieved. At least this had pass.

-)-)-)

The black-robed professor raised his head up and looked outside the window being unable to resist. The lake was gleaming in tranquillity and the grass at Hogwarts’ Grounds looked greener that ever. The castle was quiet. Almost everyone was away at the Hogsmeade Trip. Well except him, Potter and the first and second graders. But students did prefer the comfort of their Common Rooms.

It had been quite some time since he had left his chambers for a walk. He kneeled near baby Harry, who was playing at the floor for quite some time, and enchanted his robes and Harry’s grey pyjamas to adapt according to the weather. Then taking a clean blanket, he scooped the baby into his arms and moved to the door. Snape was about to open the door when baby Harry turned his head towards the door and squealed

“BIBI!”

“Bibi?” the professor thought “Who or what is Bibi?”

“Bibi!” Harry insisted staring at the floor.

Snape looked at the floor. But what was he supposed to be looking at? “Severus this is ridiculous!” he thought and shook his head.

“Bibi, Bibi!” baby Harry exclaimed kicking inside Snape’s hands.

“Ok, ok Potter I am trying to understand what you are asking for!” Snape answered back as calm as he could.

“If I was a baby what would I consider Bibi to be?” he asked himself thinking logically. “One thing is sure, thank Merlin, that Bibi is not I,” he thought snickering inside. Ok. Bibi, Bibi, Bibi. What was on the floor? A piece of parchment. No it couldn’t be Bibi. A pacifier. But no ordinary baby would have given its pacifier a name. But Potter was not an ordinary boy. He was the one that made his life miserable. But again the pacifier could not be Bibi. Aha! A stuffed unicorn toy.

Taking the stuffed toy from the floor he offered it to Harry, who let a “Bibi” of excitement. Then turning to look at the Potions Master with grateful eyes, he wrapped his miniature hands around Snape’s head. The raven-haired man’s eyes enlarged from shock, mostly because a small part of him enjoyed this representation of affection. “Umm . . . Potter. . . It was no big deal” he stated uncomfortably getting outside the room.

-)-)-)

Severus Snape stood near the lake. To his surprise it was not as cold as he had expected it to be. Waving his wand with his right hand; he charmed the blanket to spread on the grass and then he put baby Harry on the ground. The infant kept quiet as the Potions Master knelt down and gave him Bibi. Seating himself on the blanket; Snape smelled the cool atmosphere and enjoyed the changing of colours in the endless horizon. In the meantime the infant had engaged himself in a “conversation” with Bibi.

“Ba ma ga daprt” he stated looking at the toy seriously for a couple of moments. The raven-haired man felt his face twitching uncontrollably while he tried to control his urge to chuckle. The boy was a real bubbler indeed. Baby Harry turned and staring at his “guardian” with his olive-green eyes he stated “Gi ma baa da.”

Snape’s left eyebrow arched in question. Gi ma baa da? How was he supposed to respond to that? The little boy stared at him again and seriously stated “Mi bi ga!” The raven-haired man’s eyes closed into slits and he kept distant for a couple of moments. Then, as if he had understood everything baby Harry had just said, he nodded and answered back. “Of course Potter. Mi bi ga to you too” The infant gazed at him with delight and started babbling rapidly once again. To his amazement, Professor Severus Snape found himself enjoying babbling back. The infant kept babbling happily let him touch the unicorn toy that had named Bibi and kept bouncing in excitement.

The hook-nosed professor, noticing Harry’s new activity of bouncing decided to engage him into a little activity. He placed Bibi on the ground, just a few centimetres away from Harry’s reach. The infant tried to reach the toy but he could not quite do it. Squealing in frustration he turned to look at the professor. Snape sat near baby Harry and stared as the boy leaned forward once again.

“Come on Potter. You can reach Bibi. Just lean a bit forward. You have passed a Hungarian Horntail! This is far easier that that!”

Harry reached for his toy once again but he could, still, not grasp it. He squealed in annoyance and turned to look at Snape, who motioned with his hands to continue. The infant looked at the toy being determined, leaned forward and finally grasped the toy and squeezed it with affection.

Snape stared at the boy feeling a bit proud but then his face fell when he saw who was standing a few meters away from where he was resting. The old wizard paced slowly towards him and Harry’s direction. Snape felt the usual embarrassment rising to his face and tried to dismiss it with a scowl. Staring at the horizon, he wished he could turn invincible. “Oh yes Severus! How many black-robed wizards do you know that they could be passed for invincible by that man?” his logic interrupted.

The old wizard sat near him on the grass. Looking at him with his blue twinkling eyes, Dumbledore inserted his hand into his star-patterned robes and taking it out he stated smiling.

“Ah Severus, it’s so good to see you! Lemon Drop?” and then he offered one of them to him.

“I’d rather not Headmaster. I don’t want to spoil my appetite” the Potions Master said declining his offer being civilised.

“And how is Mr Potter this weekend?” Dumbledore asked Harry, who kept playing with his unicorn to. The infant looked at the old bearded wizard happily and raising the toy up he babbled happily “Bibi ba bu!”

“I am pleased to meet Bibi Harry” the star-robed wizard stated happily. Seeing that Harry started paying attention to his toy once again he turned to look at Snape, who was staring at the lake being absent minded.

“The lake is nice isn’t it young man?” Dumbledore stated chuckling at Snape’s expression when he called him young man. The Potions Master blushed for a couple of seconds and then turned to look at him.

“What do you want Headmaster?” Snape asked coolly.

“Severus” Dumbledore stated seriously “I do not come near you because I want something from you. How many times must I tell you these things? Believe it or not you are still a young boy to me and I find it pleasurable enjoying the lake with you and baby Harry.”

“Thank you Headmaster” Snape said smiling a little. Albus Dumbledore was the only person that had inspired a bit of trust in Snape’s heart. He remained silent for a couple of moments and listened to the upcoming voices of the students that returned back from Hogsmeade. “It seems that they are coming back!” Snape stated and taking baby Harry into his arms he charmed the blanket and offered a hand to Dumbledore.

“No thank you Severus. I think that I am going to enjoy the lake for a couple of minutes.” Dumbledore stated with his twinkling eyes shinning. Snape had started walking when old wizard’s voice caused him to halt.

“I have noticed that you have given Harry a grey pyjama to wear. I think a bit of colour suits him better” and chuckling mischievously Dumbledore commented “I think both of you need a different colour”

“Headmaster” Severus Snape stated smirking “It will be a cold day in Hell when I start wearing robes of a different colour.” And with those words the black-robed wizard started pacing towards the castle.

Severus Snape sighed in frustration, while he looked at baby Harry seriously. He had a lot of work to do. He had a work that required a cauldron, a huge amount of ingredients, and most importantly, peace and quiet. A work that needed no distractions. A work that needed no infants around. Madam Pomfrey had required several different potions the Hospital Wing for Monday morning. He had managed to brew some of the required potions while he was teaching in class. But still he had six more left to be done and the worst part was that he had no place to leave Potter.

Madam Pomfrey was busy, since the first Quidditch Match of the season was approaching. It was amazing what a little match could do to some of Hogwarts’ hyperactive teenagers, especially when those teenagers came from Gryffindor and Slytherin, whose house-teams would play against one another. Five attacks had taken place during the past week. Ten students, five Gryffindors and five Slytherins, had ended in the Hospital Wing with serious hexes on them. Madam Pomfrey, being enraged had called for both Professor McGonagall and himself to her office and threatened that if that kind of behaviour was to continue, she was not going to take care of any other student. Snape had, of course, done his duty and talked to the Slytherin students, hoping that he had knocked some sense into their little heads. Yet, deep inside, he feared that his words were going to last for only a couple of days. Thus it was important to finish the potions on time. That was going to please Poppy and, he hoped, would make her tolerate the upcoming attacks.

“Now, where can I leave Potter for today?” he asked himself. Madam Pomfrey was busy taking care of hexed teenagers. The headmaster, being a busy man, had the advantage of not taking care of “unpleasant” activities. What about Argus Filch? “I am not that desperate!” he commented shaking his head and then kept transfixed at the wall. “I should have signed a contract of a baby-sitting aid when I agreed to do this,” he though sarcastically.

Initially the Potions Master knew who were the most appropriate people in the castle to take care of baby Harry. However there was one issue preventing him from asking them to help him. Those people were students and, worst of all, Gryffindors. And Severus Snape had a policy. “Never ask your students a favour, since this will, definitely, get you into trouble. Not only you will have to award them with extra points for their services, you will also owe them a lot for spending their time doing extra work for you.”

“What if they offered themselves for that ‘extra work’?” asked the cunning Slytherin spirit that inhabited inside his chest. “You will, indeed, give them a few extra points, being nice, but you will not owe them for their services. After all you could have done it on your own, couldn’t you?”

The black-robed professor smirked evilly as a plan formed inside his head.

-)-)-)

Hermione Granger looked at her wristwatch. Five minutes until the end of her patrol. Then she could go into the Gryffindor Tower and meet Ginny for a good chat. If things went well she could even convince Ron to study a bit of Transfiguration. Or maybe she could play a bit of a Wizard Chess with him. She looked outside the castle’s window. Her patrol had been quite peaceful. Poor Ron’s wasn’t. He had to stop two fights in two days. And all of these fight happened because of a stupid Quidditch Match. She giggled thinking Ron’s reaction to her thoughts. She could almost hear his words now “Blimey! A stupid Quidditch Match? No! It is in matches like that one that we get to prove our spirit to the team, we get to honour Gryffindor House and, most importantly, we get into stupid Malfoy’s nose.”

Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching. Coughing twice, to give herself a much more serious expression, she turned her head towards the direction the footsteps were heard. A tall black-robed man appeared from the corner. He was holding a pale-looking baby with emerald-green eyes on his right hand, while he was trying to carry several small bottles that contained potion ingredients with his left hand. Passing near her, a small bottle slipped from the professor’s hand and falling on the floor, it rolled in front of her feet. Snape, being absent-minded noticed nothing and continued his way.

“Um . . . Professor Snape sir?” Hermione peeped as she kneeled down and lifted the small bottle.

“What is it Miss Granger? Quickly, I don’t have all day!” he said turning to look at her with a scowl.

“You dropped a bottle professor” she answered quickly, giving him the bottle back.

The Potions Master nodded as he took the small bottle carefully. Then turning on his heels, Hermione heard him murmur to himself “Thank Merlin the Sacritis’ bottle did not break.” It was as if something had snapped inside Hermione’s head.

“Professor, Sacritis is the herb that when boiled emits a smoke that can cause dizziness and terrible headaches if inhaled” she said rapidly in her matter-of-fact tone.

“I am fully aware of that Miss Granger. After all, I am the Potions Master of this school. Your point is?” he asked impatiently once again.

“What about Harry sir?”

“What about Potter?”

“I mean isn’t Sacritis’ smoke dangerous for a baby? What if inhales some of it?”

“Don’t worry Miss Granger he won’t. I will cover his nose and there will be only a small chance of breathing the smoke.” Snape answered back and started walking while he started counting inside.

“One . . . Two . . . and . . .”

“Professor . . .” said the young girl as she rushed behind him.

“Three!”

“ . . .why don’t you let Ron and I take care of Harry for today?” she asked blocking his way.

“It is not necessary Miss Granger. I think that I can manage Potter for today,” he answered back coolly and tried to move.

“Oh, but I insist, sir!” Hermione stated firmly blocking his way.

Taking a deep breath, as if he was trying to control himself; he talked slowly and carefully “Since I do understand that you are not going to let me pass if I refuse, you can take care of Potter with Mr Weasley for today. Be at my office in approximately five minutes. I will have some things for you.”

The curly-haired girl nodded and walked to the other direction. Seeing her disappearing at the corner, Snape smirked in satisfaction. “Hell I Am Good!” he thought as he paced towards his office.

-)-)-)

Ron Weasley was in deep thought. Every movement of his had to be calculated and very careful or else chaos would ensue. Moving that thing over there was too risky and moving that one over here was too expected. There was probably a trap. AHA! Finally he’d got it. He grasped the queen from his old, wooden, a bit battered, and yet trusted wizard chess set. Then he placed it or better tapped it on the black square receiving an annoyed “I am a lady and you must handle me with care!” squeal in the process. Then he turned to look at his sister, who was now looking at the chess set being transfixed.

“RON, GINNY! COME HERE NOW!” Hermione’s loud voice echoed in the Common Room startling them. Brother and sister stood up and rushed towards the gap in the wall that led outside the Gryffindor Tower.

“Hermione!” Ginny shouted being annoyed, “You scared the willies out of us!”

“Oh sorry! Ron, do me a favour and please place your hands inside the portrait hole”

“Place my hands inside the portrait hole? What for?” Ron asked puzzled.

“Just do it Ron. Trust me, you ‘re going to love this.”

The redhead placed his hands inside the gap and after a couple of seconds something soft and heavy was placed on them. To his amazement that something moved slightly.

“Um. . . Hermione? What exactly is this?” he asked in uncertainty.

“You will never find out unless you get your hands out. And do be careful not to drop him.”

“Oh this is just the time to become secretive Hermione! Wait a minute; did she just say ‘Him’?” Ron thought as he extracted his hands out of the gap, as carefully as he could. A few moments later a squeal of delight escaped Ginny’s lips since Ron had found himself gazing into a small baby boy’s green eyes.

Five minutes later baby Harry found himself being seated on a blanket on Gryffindor’s Common Room’s floor surrounded by three teenagers. Instinctively he knew that he could trust them so he kept staring at them. The three teenagers kept looking at the infant, who was clutching a unicorn toy protectively. A couple of silent moments passed before Ron would break the silence.

“Man This Is Weird!”

“Tell me about it!” Ginny said while the three of them were still transfixed on the boy’s movements.

The infant chewed the unicorn toy’s horn and, turning to look at Ron, he granted him with a smile. The two girls near the redhead boy let out a “How Cute!” squeal and Hermione leaned forward and seated Harry on her laps. Harry stared at her and then showing her the unicorn he started babbling.

“Bibi maa giii daprt!”

Hermione looked at the infant startled. Baby Harry turned to look at Ron and babbled more intensively “Bibi maa giii daprt!” After a couple of more babbling and seeing that neither Ron nor Hermione were responding back, he started wailing being unhappy.

“HECK WHAT JUST HAPPENED? WHAT DID WE DO WRONG! DARN!” Ron asked, his voice loud from panic.

“RON, DON’T CURSE IN FRONT OF A BABY!”

“ WAAAAAHHHHH!”

“Ssshh Harry I wasn’t shouting at you.”

“YES APPARENTLY HERMIONE CARES ABOUT YOUR FEELING ONLY!”

“RON WILL YOU STOP SHOUTING! I AM TRYING TO MAKE HIM RELAX!”

“I AM NOT SHOUTING! YOU ARE SHOUTING! I AM JUST PANICKED!”

“WAAAAAHHHHH!”

“Oh brother!” Ginny whispered shaking her head. Ron and Hermione had decided to have a fight at that particular moment, while Harry was crying more loudly than Moaning Myrtle. Covering both Hermione’s and Ron’s mouth with her hands, she spoke slowly and with a tone that did not take no for an answer. “I am going to leave your mouths now and you have to count to thirty before you will speak again. Did I make myself clear?” The other two nodded and she let them go slowly. Then taking baby Harry into her arms she started talking.

“Hello little one! Who is your little friend?”

“Bibi maa giii daprt!” the baby replied sniffing.

“Oh this is Bibi right?” Ginny asked interested.

“Bibi! Bibi di ga!” baby Harry responded enthusiastically.

“Well I am happy to meet Bibi too Harry.”

“Gaa da pipi art?”

“Yes and the others are happy to meet Bibi. Aren’t you guys?”

The other two nodded and smiled to the infant that had started babbling to the unicorn toy once again. Leaving Harry on the floor Ginny turned to look at her brother and her friend. Hermione had turned her back to Ron and seemed to be having a silent conversation with herself. Ron glared and turned to look at Ginny’s face.

“Where did you learn all those things about babies?” Ron asked his sister curiously. Ginny chuckled.

“Oh this is so embarrassing to remember. During your first year here Mrs Mathews, you know one of dad’s co-workers had to go for an important seminar with her husband. So she let her baby daughter, Annabelle, at the Burrow for the weekend. So on Saturday afternoon, while mum was out feeding the chickens, little Annabelle started babbling to me and when I kept staring her like she was an alien she went lament. I freaked out and rushed to mum who solved everything that is. I just remembered it when Harry started crying.

“It is good to have Ginny with us I guess.” Hermione spoke at last and then thinking for a few moments she asked Ron “Are you for a game of wizard chess?

Ron grinned at her and said evilly.

“Are you ready to lose ‘Mione?”

“In your dreams carrot-boy!”

“‘Mione I hate it when you call me that.”

-)-)-)

“Finally! One more and I am done for today,” the black-robed professor thought as he cleaned the cauldron with the tip of his wand. Five potion vials were aligned on the table nearby being full with potion. Placing a mandagora root on the table, he started slicing it quickly humming in the process. Suddenly the humming faded coldly, since Snape realised that he was humming the “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” tune. "Darn I am spending too much time with Potter" he growled continuing his work.

“I have to admit that I am getting weirder and weirder every day. Last night I let him sleep in my bed again” he talked to himself while he was adding a spoonful of unicorn horn’s powder into the cauldron and stirred. “I am bathing the boy, read him stories and I even comment on their plots. One of those days I will start singing lullabies” he commented sarcastically adding the roots in the potion and reached for a bottle containing dragon tears.

The moment his fingers touched the bottle, Severus Snape felt a sharp hot burn on his left forearm. Yelping in pain he withdrew his hand from the table and instinctively pressed his forearm with his right palm. Cursing loudly he leaned down, removed the carped under his office and opened a trap-door. Taking out a silver cloak and a mask, he charmed them to fit his pockets. Then turning around he took a small amount of powder out of a small jar and throwing it in the flames he shouted:

“Headmaster, I am leaving now!”

He rushed to the door and he was about to leave the room, when he remembered something. Turning around he instantly cleaned the cauldron and put out the fire. The mark burned hotter once again making him grit his teeth. “I’m coming. Don’t be so impatient.”

Wearing his black cloak and the mask, the Potions Master apparated inside an old manor. The place was dimly-lit with a few candles and caused a shiver to run down his spine. The other Death Eaters and he were in a circle and in the middle of that circle was the Dark Lord.

Lord Voldemort stood up smirking evilly.

“My loyal servants after so many months in Azkaban I have decided to release you from there. To anyone that wonders why I didn’t do it before, well the answer is easy. I want you to feel how I felt when I was weak and waiting for you to come and find me. You are lucky I am good-hearted!”

Behind the mask Snape’s face contorted in disgust. However he tried to keep his head clean of thoughts. The Dark Lord was known for being able to read the mind easily and he was not to risk being caught.

“But something troubles me,” Voldemort continued hissing venomously “I cannot sense the boy anymore. At first I thought he was dead but now something tells me he is not. Something tells me that the boy is alive and I can’t sense him. And this frustrates me. And you know what happens when I get frustrated. SNAPE!”

“Yes my Lord!” Snape said bowing slightly and being calm as ever.

“What happened to the boy?”

“My Lord, the boy spends most of his times in the Headmaster’s office. No teacher is allowed there during their sessions, but I do suspect that the boy receives Occlumency lessons.”

“Damned-be the old fool!” Voldemort spat glaring. Then eyeing Snape with hatred, as if he was Dumbledore himself, he pointed his wand at him and shouted “CRUCIO”

Snape felt as if every cell inside his body was pierced by hot needles. He wanted to fell to his knees and scream. Yet he was a proud man, a proud man that was not going to loose his dignity in front of a sadistic lunatic. He kept still clutching his fists together so hard that his nails pierced the skin. When the pain subdued he took a deep breath and looked at the Dark Lord.

“This, Snape, is to remind you that I have not forgotten your incapability of turning in the Ministry. You can go now.” Voldemort spoke softly and then shooed him with his hands.

-)-)-)

“RON YOU ARE INSUFFERABLE!”

“AND YOU ARE A KNOW-IT-ALL!”

“WHAT? YOU SLIMY GIT!”

“I KNEW YOU WOULD DO THAT! YOU ALWAYS ACT THE SAME WAY. YOU ARE CALLING ME A GIT BECAUSE I DO NOT SPEAK ILL TO LADIES!”

“OH WHAT A KNIGHT YOU ARE!” Hermione shouted sarcastically.

“Hey, Hey, HEY!” Ginny shouted entering the Common Room holding a small bawl of pureed food. “What is happening here?”

“She tried to cheat!” Ron shouted.

“DID NOT!”

“DID TOO!”

“DID NOT!”

“DID TOO!”

“Guys! GUYS! Chill out people!” Ginny interrupted them, still holding the bowl her hands. The suddenly her eyes closed. Something was missing, something that had to be there. Her eyes opened and widened in shock.

“Where is Harry?” she asked Hermione and Ron. The other two looked at the floor. Harry had disappeared taking Bibi with him.

“HARRY” they shouted in unison and started searching the room.

In the meantime Harry, who could not stay immobile for long, had rolled under the bookcase and had fallen asleep there. The three teenagers searched the Common Room being frantic with worry but no one thought of looking under the library.

“Snape is going to kill us!” Hermione cried, her voice full of panic.

“Or he might reward us for service to the school,” Rom commented while looking under a high-chair.

“It’s not funny Ron!”

“Where could he be?”

-)-)-)

Neville Longbottom entered the room holding his Mimbulus mimbletonia. He put the plant on the table and asked the others what had happened. Receiving the answer that baby Harry was lost he started looking around in the room. He kneeled to look under the library and a few moments later he took out a snoozing baby that was holding a unicorn toy.

“Neville you are a life-saver” Ginny and Hermione said in unison taking the baby from his hands and giving him a peck on the cheek. Neville blushed and taking his plant with him he retreated to the Dormitory. A few minutes later he had joined the three of them in the Common Room. The others were trying to feed baby Harry.

“Open wide for the Hogwarts Express!” Ron said loudly moving the spoon around. For a moment or two the three teenagers could have sworn that baby Harry’s eyes had raised in desperation. Yet the infant opened his mouth for the spoon.

-)-)-)

The Potions Master was sitting inside Dumbledore’s office being worn out. He had just spent the last hour describing the day’s incidents.

“So Voldemort cannot sense baby Harry” Dumbledore spoke slowly “That’s good! It was clever of you to tell him I was teaching him Occlumency Severus. Well done!”

Snape grumbled and stood up to leave. Every cell of his body was aching from the Cruciatus Curse. Dumbledore took the man’s arms and made him sit on an armchair. Taking a Potion vial out of his cupboard, he poured some potion into a goblet and offered it to the sitting man. Snape’s eyes widened from puzzlement as he took the goblet.

“How did you know?” he whispered sipping some of the potion and feeling the aching subduing.

“That he exposed you to the Cruciatus Curse? I have seen many things my boy and it is amazing how worn out you look when you are exposed to a spell that requires such a hatred to be summoned.”

Sipping the last drop from the goblet, Snape nodded and rushed out of the room. He had a potion to finish and, though he felt reluctant to admit it, a baby boy to look after.

The Gryffindor Common Room echoed with the girls' chorusing laughter.

"HE DID WHAT?" Hermione asked aloud while she kept laughing her head off. "No Ginny he didn't. Snape is too serious to do such a thing!"

"Oh but he did!" Ginny answered back cheekily. "And I have the parchment to prove it."

She rose from her seat and climbed from the spiral staircase into her dormitory. She opened her trunk and took out a file that was labelled with a "Potions" inscription. Opening it she ran through her essays and took out the one she wanted. Putting the file back into her trunk, she rushed down the stairs into the Common Room and handed the parchment to Hermione. The curly-haired girl started reading Snape's comments on the essay. What the essay lacked was listed in seven different points. However when Hermione read point number 7 a smile formed. It became bigger and bigger until she started rolling on the floor laughing hysterically. She read point number 7 aloud, still gasping for air:

"7. Professor Snape's advice for this week is: Flattery will get you anywhere, but please refrain from talking about my arse in public."

Ron and Neville looked at each other; their eyebrows rose in amazement, and then they started chuckling uncontrollably. They could imagine their professor grading Ginny's paper, writing down the points carefully and, smirking to himself, adding that extra point about his bum. It was definite now. Snape had gone insane.

A small cough was heard. The teenagers stopped laughing and turned to the direction it was heard. Fat Lady was waiting impatiently inside a canvas that was hanging above the Common Room's fireplace.

"It's about time. I'd been trying to catch your attention for quite some time now. Professor Snape has kindly asked me to come here and inform you that he is waiting for baby Harry and you outside" Fat Lady spoke sternly and then disappeared from the canvas.

)-)-)

The portrait moved aside as Ron, Hermione and Ginny crawled outside the portrait hole. Neville had decided to be the one who would pass Harry to them through the gap. Neville had gotten over his fear of his ex-Potions Master. However he still felt uncomfortable around him and had decided to keep his distance. Receiving baby Harry from him, Hermione turned to look at Snape.

"We enjoyed having baby Harry with us today, sir" she spoke, looking at him.

"I hope he was not much trouble" Professor Snape stated flatly.

"Oh no sir! Not at all!" Ron and Hermione spoke in unison.

"I have to admit Miss Granger that you were right. I worked in a more relaxed manner without having Mr. Potter around me. Twenty points to Gryffindor for Mr. and Miss Weasley's, Mr. Longbottom's and your; help. Come along Potter, time to go back to our room" the raven-haired man uttered, taking baby Harry from Hermione's hands.

The infant looked into his guardian's beetle-black eyes. Feeling happy he wrapped his hands around the pale man's face. The man went stiff and two red blotches appeared on his cheeks. Coughing slightly, he turned around and left the three dumbfounded students gazing at the point were he stood.

"Oh My God!" the three of them gasped in unison.

"Was it just me, or did I just see Harry hugging Snape?" Hermione spoke in puzzlement.

"Yes you did 'Mione" Ron answered faintly while he kept staring at the door.

Ginny's eyes bulged and her mouth hunged open. Then she let out a high- pitched scream as she started repeating "Snape gave TWENTY points to Gryffindor! Oh Merlin! Snape gave TWENTY points to Gryffindor!"

"Heck! He just admitted that 'Mione was more right than he is!" Ron said hugging Hermione, who turned crimson-red and giggled.

"I hope this isn't a dream!" Neville's muffled speech was heard as he crawled outside the portrait hole.

)-)-)

Professor Snape entered the room, fuming. He paced up and down the room, stopped; and kicked one of the desk's wooden legs. Seconds later he realised that this action had caused him much discomfort. He cursed and hopped around until the pain subdued. Looking at the mahogany desk accusingly he gritted his teeth and grumbled menacingly:

"Blasted Gryffindor teenager! Blaster Slytherin teenager"

The day had started so well. He woke up early and took baby Harry to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey was pleased. For the first time, after thirty years of being a Healer, the "Gryffindor versus Slytherin" Quidditch Match resulted to only a broken elbow and a broken nose. Nothing a good potion could not fix. There were no fights from the outcome of the match and no students to stay overnight. Perfect!

He had no interruptions or troubles in class. Except from a petite first- grade girl, who squealed in fear, when he had addressed her to answer a question. That rumour about him being a vampire had, most probably, revived once again. But anyways the day had passed with nothing to irritate him. Until half hour ago - that is

FLASHBACK

The hook-nosed professor put off the cauldron fires and, like every second Wednesday, checked the cauldrons for any cracks or other sort of damage. He had read in "POTION-MAKING TODAY" search magazine that a portion of defected cauldrons had been found in one of Diagon Alley's best shops. Since then he wanted to search every cauldron in the castle. After having Potter turning into an infant, he hated the mere idea of a cauldron leaking; and turning a student into something that had seven legs and antennas.

Having finished checking the cauldrons, Snape walked outside the dungeons to find himself in havoc. Mr. Malfoy, a Slytherin Prefect, and Mr. Weasley, a Gryffindor Prefect, were lying on the floor, beating the hell out of each other. Gritting his teeth, Snape leaned down and pulled them apart. Holding them by the ear, he dragged them into the dungeons once again. He made them sit down in the nearest chair and then locked the door behind him. Chanting a Silencing Charm, he turned around and stared them.

"And may I know what was the purpose of such a behaviour?" he asked, a dangerous tone in his voice.

"HE TALKED BAD ABOUT MY FATHER!" Malfoy shouted

"HE TALKED ILL ABOUT MY FAMILY AND MY MOTHER!"

"I NEVER SAID A LIE ABOUT IT WEASEL!"

"NEITHER DID I; FERRET-BOY!"

"SILENCE!" Snape barked and the two teenagers stopped.

"If those two are the hope of Tomorrow, I don't want to live in Tomorrow's society" he thought rubbing his temples.

"The point is," the professor started with a venomous voice "that you two misbehaved in the school's corridors. A Prefect does not wonder around, using another Prefect like punch bag! You are in the Prefect position because the Headmaster found you suitable of giving your smaller fellow classmates a good example. And I can bet my life that everything started because of yesterday's Quidditch match. You know what? I don't care about it. I want you to learn how to act in a civil way; and your age!"

"Now let me think about your punishment. Twenty points from your House each! And a week detention for both of you. Mr. Weasly, be at my office at six. Mr. Malfoy, I have warned you at the Slytherin meeting. You earned detention with Filch. And be warned. If this kind of behaviour continues, I will make sure to achieve your removal from the Prefect Board. Now get out of my sight!"

Not wanting to stay with an exceptionally angry Snape, the two boys stood up immediately and moved towards the door. The Potions Master kept staring forward, fuming, minutes after they left.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Blasted teenagers!" he murmured under his breath, while he kept pacing "You leave them alone for two minutes and they start fighting like three- year-olds. And worst of all, we are talking about the Prefects here. Yeah boys, let's start a war inside the school. No one will mind. Sometimes I do believe they will never grow up. Hell never! Potter will . . . Potter? Oh hell! I forgot Potter in the Hospital Wing!" he thought and rushed outside his office.

)-)-)

"Insufferable Greasy Git!" Ron Weasley thought as he paced inside the empty corridor that led to Snape's office.

"I knew he would do a thing like that. Twenty Points from Gryffindor ha? I knew that he would take the points he added on Sunday. I bet he added the points to his house right away. And I have to spend my time in detention for a whole week."

"Stupid Malfoy! He started it all. He deserved that black eye. Even thought it lasted only for a couple of moments, I enjoyed it! the redhead thought smiling as he approached Snape's office. Well at least I'll get to see Harry for a while, while stinky Malfoy will clean Trophies without magic"

He stood opposite the wooden door and he was about to knock when he heard something coming from inside the room. He blinked twice and wondered if his ears had deceived him. No it could not be happening. This was unrealistic. He was probably on crack or something. He leaned towards the door and pressed his left ear on the hard wood.

"Now Potter, repeat after me. The sheep says "baaaa!"" Snape's voice was heard. Ron's face contorted while he tried to control his laughter. "The sheep says "baaaa"?"

"Ok Potter, what does the sheep say? The sheep says . . ."

"Baaaa!" baby Harry's voice followed enthusiastically.

"Very good Potter! Now after me! The goat says "maaaa!" See the goat on the picture? Yes that thing says "maaaa!" Snape's voice continued.

"Oh wait 'till I tell it to the others!" Ron thought chuckling inside.

"Now Potter, are you ready? The goat says . . . "

"Maaaa!" the small voice answered and then continued "Maaaa! Bibi, maaaa!"

"See Potter? Bibi knows too!"

Ron looked at the door. He stood up and knocked it. Loud coughs were heard and the boy laughed as he heard his professor grumbling a panicked "Merlin's beard, I had forgotten all about Weasley!" The freckled boy entered the office trying to look as ignorant as he could. Snape was sitting at his black armchair, holding baby Harry on his laps. A small colourful book was on his desk. He dismissed the book into one of his desk's drawers but Ron could bet that it had the title "Farm Animals" labelled on it.

"Mr. Weasley, I have been expecting you," the pale-looking professor pronounced coolly. "Now sit down. You are two minutes late, and you are already wasting my valuable time"

"Ok, ok! Merlin, we are not in a good mood today, are we?" Ron mentally asked his professor, while he sat opposite him.

"Mr. Weasley, you have not heard any weird noises coming out of my office when you arrived here, have you?" Snape asked dangerously.

"Apart from you talking to Harry, pretending to be an animal. Nuh! Where did you get that idea?" Ron thought immediately, before he would answer.

"No sir. I heard nothing at all."

"But I will make sure, people will learn everything!" he thought evilly.

)-)-)

Ron powdered five black beetles in fine powder. Professor Snape had decided that he would spend the week's detention, helping him to brew some Potions. He gave the bowl to his professor and watched him adding the powder, pinch by pinch, into the potion that changer from sickly yellow to a fizzing orange one. Snape motioned for him to start chopping the dragon's tongue, while he was carefully measuring the armadillo bile into a small cup.

A loud scream echoed in the room and then ear-splitting crying followed. Ron shot up being startled. His left hand knocked a small bottle that rolled down the table, and it would have broken if he did not reach out and grasp it in time. He thanked Merlin that his reflexes were still working and turned to apologise. To his amazement, Professor Snape was not standing near him anymore. The cup was lying on the floor, and Snape had rushed to baby Harry's cradle. Ron kept staring amazed.

The black-robed professor scooped the infant up and looked at him being worried. The baby kept wailing loudly, his face red from intense crying. The man rocked the boy slowly. Baby Harry stopped wailing hardly but he kept sobbing asking for comfort. Raising the boy to his eye-level, Snape looked at the boy; before he would let it rest its head at his shoulder.

"Sshh, Potter. Was it a bad dream? Now, now, everything is alright. I am here now ok?" he whispered slightly into the boy's ear, while his insides screamed: "I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM DOING THIS RIGHT NOW!"

"I can't believe I see Snape doing this right now!" Ron thought while he kept staring his professor patting Harry's back and whispering comforting words into his ear. He heard a hissing sound and he saw the potion turning faint blue, before it would start emitting a disgusting odour.

"LEAPIN' SALAMANDERS!" the redhead shouted holding his breath. He put off the cauldron's fire, while Snape rushed to open the windows, still holding baby Harry with one hand. He, then, took his wand and waved it in a circular way. The disgusting smell faded slightly. However it seemed to linger in the room like the effects of a recently thrown dungbomb.

"Mr. Weasley!" the professor asked harshly "I left you alone for a couple of moments; and you managed to ruin the potion we had been brewing for the past half-an-hour. What were you thinking?" he finished his words, while he kept petting the infant's back.

"I kept staring you, holding and petting Harry sir!" Ron answered inside sarcastically.

"Umm . . . I am sorry, sir. . . Harry's wailing startled me, and I lost my concentration" the teenager verbalised.

"Oh, get out of my office. There is nothing more we can do now," the Potions Master said in desperation.

The young man turned around quickly, but he was stopped before his hand could touch the doorknob. "And Mr. Weasley, the past ten minute never occurred. Am I clear?" the voice was heard, a tone of danger inside it. Ron nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

)-)-)

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?"

"I DID NOTHING! YOU ARE ACTING LIKE A MAD MAN!"

"I AM NOT, WOMAN! YOU TRICKED ME! NO ONE TRICKS ME!"

"CHILDREN! Children! Relax now" Dumbledore's aging voice was heard as the door opened and the headmaster's head appeared. "Now, Severus, Poppy why are you acting like three-year-olds? Look at baby Harry. See how well- mannered he is behaving?"

"But Headmaster, she cheated!" Snape furiously insisted.

"I did not. Severus you are acting like a baby!"

"Yes you did! You made me agree to let Potter age a bit faster; and now you come and tell me that for the next two weeks you will age him only by one month each week."

"Severus," Madam Pomfrey exclaimed impatiently "the period of being an 8- month old and 9-month old is extremely important for an infant. I refuse; to let young Harry age more quickly and turn his brain into a pile of goo, for your enjoyment only."

Madam Pomfrey stopped speaking and stared Severus as if he was an annoying four-year old,

"Immature brat! Calling me "Woman"; in such a manner. I was a Healer before he could crawl." she thought piercing her lips

"Oh, do you whatever you want. It is not like I have another option to avoid it!" Snape snapped and Madam Pomfrey entered her office. By Merlin, she will pay for this! he thought and turned to look at Dumbledore, who had sat down and was playing with baby Harry.

"Ah, children!" Dumbledore exclaimed, looking at Snape with twinkling eyes "They grow up so quickly, don't they young man?"

Snape blushed when he heard Dumbledore's last words. "Oh stop doing that!" he reminded himself and answered coolly.

"On, the contrary Headmaster; I do believe that they grow up very slowly!" Snape answered back and turned to look at Madam Pomfrey, who entered the Hospital Wing. If looks could kill, Madam Pomfrey would have been dead. However they couldn't and the only thing the pale-looking man could do was to accept the baby-bottle that contained the Potion.

Professor Severus Snape marched down the corridor that led to his private chambers, holding a sleeping baby boy. The eight-month old Boy-Who-Lived had dozed off moments after the Aging Potion was given to him; despite the fact that three new, small pearly white teeth had been added to his mouth. It was fortunate that he had given him something to eat before they would go into Poppy's Hospital Wing. Snape's eyes flushed dangerously when he remembered the Healer's "trick." Only that woman could have decided to take such an action to his expense."I'll show her! She is, so, going to pay for this!" he thought while he turned the doorknob.

The Potions Master stopped dead and blinked. He retreated two steps back and turned his head to the right. "Door number one . . . Door number two . . . Door number three . . ." he counted inside. He was indeed; outside the correct chamber. But . . .

"What the Hell happened to my room?" he murmured while he kept staring in shock.

His private, most glorious, chamber had been completely re-decorated. His large four-poster bed, that used to be in the middle of the room, was now placed at the bedroom's left corner. The small living-room had vanished to thin air and the huge Persian carpet that covered the whole room had been replaced with a soft, mattress-like substance that was decorated with magical pictures of kittens, puppies, clouds and bunnies. Harry's toys were neatly sorted by size and shape near the library, which had been transferred near the four-poster. The only thing that had left untouched was his mahogany desk, his private storeroom and his cauldron.

The raven-haired man was transfixed. He kept staring at his chamber with mixed emotions. One part of him felt pure surprise. He had never realised that his bedroom could be so big. The other part was purely angered and loathsome. He cautiously stepped inside the room, as if he was afraid that the new mattress-like carpet would suck his foot. To his surprise, he was right. That thing, whatever it was, was so soft that it caused his foot sink inside it. Snape tried to move his right leg, only to discover that the unstable surface caused him to trip slightly. Fortunately, he managed to maintain his balance and not fall. He looked at baby Harry that kept sleeping, unaware of the severity of his professor's problem. Walking as if the room's floor was a huge minefield, Snape managed to place the infant on the big four-poster.

He then tried to turn to his tracks, only to discover that the "Monstrous Carpet" was preventing him to do so, since his shoes were now stuck. Sighing in desperation, Snape removed his shoes. His feet touched the soft substance, creating a sense of comfort and for a moment he felt his anger to subside, slightly. He paced towards his office and taking a small bell, he tinkled it twice.

A small pop was heard and Dobby the house-elf appeared in front of him. The tall man felt his eyes stinging slightly at the multicolour of the elf's clothes. Dobby's tea-cosy was decorated with small stamp-like badges that gleamed furiously. He wore a maroon jumper, the most hideous electric- blue-with-vertical-luminous-green-stripes tie a person had laid eyes on; and a pair of violet shorts. But the elf's socks, or rather stockings, where the ones that caused the most surprise to him. The right stocking was a pink-with-black-dots one, while the left one was a mustard-yellow plain one.

"Of all the free house-elves in the world, Dumbledore had to hire the one with such a bad taste in clothes," the Potions Master thought instantly. Dobby bowed, his bat-flap like ears moving furiously.

"How can Dobby help; Master Professor Snape sir?" he asked with his squeaky high-pitched voice.

"And may I ask;" Snape asked quietly and stopped mysteriously for a couple of moments, "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY ROOM?" he shouted. Then remembering that baby Harry was sleeping, he turned towards the bed apprehensively. He let a sigh of relief. Luckily the boy had not waked up.

Dobby's ears flapped in fear and he started quivering slightly. He looked at the malicious-looking man that stood opposite him. Professor Snape was known for his cool calmness but this time things had gone too far. Even humble poor Dobby could understand that.

"Dobby is sorry Master Professor Snape Sir. Master Professor Dumbledore is asking for Dobby and the rest of the elves to prepare Master Professor Snape's room sir." the house-elf squeaked quickly, while he watched the professor's eyes flare in anger. "And Dobby is always listens to Master Professor Dumbledore's orders. Even if Master Professor Snape . . ."

"Ok, Ok, Dobby! I got the message!" Snape snapped impatiently, a vein pulsing dangerously at his temple. Not only he had heard the longest, and most irritating, Master-Professor-speech of all times, but now he had the urge to kill a certain damned-twinkling eyes old man. He breathed heavily and looked down at the elf that shook violently with fear.

Dobby closed his eyes, expecting Snape's rage to land on his head. He had given Professor Snape bad news and back at his old masters, bad news was always rewarded with punishment, while good news was rewarded with nothing at all. He felt the towering man opposite him examining him. He expected a violent outcome like a Stinging Hex but as moments passed he could do nothing but open his tennis-ball eyes and blink slightly.

The tall professor was standing opposite him, his eyes closed. He looked like a man, who was trying to calm himself by counting, only to find out that that kind of attempt helped a headache to develop and provided no comfort at all. Dobby waited patiently until the man would open his eyes.

"Dobby," Professor Snape started with his voice being a weird mixture of anger, restrain and high-pitched squeak "stay here, and look after Potter for me, for a while. I have something to discuss with Professor Dumbledore." Finishing his words he wore his shoes and walked carefully towards the door.

"Master . . ." Dobby squeaked worriedly but stopped when he realised the severity of what he had just done. Trying to question your master's decision was outrageous and he knew that the consequences would be harsh on him. But Professor Snape turned around and waited his mouth forming a scowl of impatience.

"Yes Dobby?" he questioned, while his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Master Professor Snape will not . . ." the house-elf started apprehensively and then stopped, as if even thinking of such a thing was worst than the incest-taboo. Snape did not understand what Dobby was implying. However something inside him blinked and smirking slightly he answered back, while he exited the room. "Don't worry, I will not hurt him"

"Much!" he thought as he closed the door behind him and marched towards Dumbledore's office.

)-)-)

"Now remember," Snape reminded himself seriously, as if his self had split to a mature one and a younger one. "He will use words and his be-damned twinkling eyes to disorient you. Be careful of not being distracted by them ok? Or you'll be lost in seconds. Got that?"

"It's not like I am facing a Basilisk! I am just seeing the school's headmaster. You know, that kind old wizard that would never hurt a fly" the younger voice replied back in confidence, while Snape murmured the new password; "Ton-tongue Toffee" and without paying attention to the older voice's defeated remark.

"Boy, You Are Doomed!"

)-)-)

"Ah, Severus! So good to see you so soon! Lemon Drop?" the old wizard spoke calmly, while the menacing Potion Master entered his office, ready to explode.

"OH LEAVE THE LEMON-DROPS-HINGY-WHHIZBY STUFF AND TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MY ROOM!" Snape cried out.

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, remained as cool as peach, despite the younger man's shouting. He granted Snape one of his mysterious smiles and pointed at the red-velvet chair that was placed opposite his own desk.

"Severus, do sit down." Dumbledore said calmly.

Snape harrumphed slightly and sat down. He crossed his arms together and kept looking at the older man impatiently. Dumbledore was holding something inside his hands and his long fingers were playing with it. The raven-haired man's eyes darkened and narrowed. Why was the old man trying his patience? Why did he always have to try to enrage him? The answer was simple. It was because he was too good with the man. If he had shouted and refused, the many times Dumbledore said something; he wouldn't be sitting there, being in such a position.

"And I wouldn't have to take care of the boy. I mean Potter. It's not that he isn't cute. STOP DOING THAT! POTTER IS NOT CUTE! YOU DON'T LIKE POTTER! Ok? Good! I wonder if he is ok. Can Dobby take care of him? He gets so sloppy sometimes. STOP DOING THAT! THINK OF DUMBLEDORE! THINK OF ANGER! Don't think about Potter!"

He turned his attention to Dumbledore, who had placed a Lemon Drop in front of him. Feeling some of his previous anger returning, he looked at Dumbledore and, then unwrapping the Lemon Drop and placed it inside his mouth.

"See? I ate your stupid Lemon Drop! Now will you tell me what you have done to my room?" he asked impatiently, as he sucked the sweet thing in his mouth.

"Young man I did nothing that will not prove me correct later on," the headmaster of Hogwarts answered back enigmatically.

Snape's cheeks reddened for a couple of moments. That supposed to be answer? He hated that kind of explanations. He hated that Dumbledore was toying with his limited amounts of tolerance.

"Merlin, give me the strength not to kill him!" he thought, while he kept staring at the older man that was seated opposite him.

"But why is my whole bedroom decorated like a giant playground? And most importantly, why does my bedroom contains a mattress-like carpet of doom?" he continued, stressing one word after another, as if violating the words would prevent him from attacking Dumbledore, and then crunched the Lemon Drop.

"My dear boy," Dumbledore said softly "you will soon find out that the little bundle of joy you take care of is going to need a lot of space and comfort."

"Yeah, little bundle of joy." Snape commented inside sarcastically "A little bundle of trouble is much more appropriate."

"You should have asked me first Headmaster." the hook-nosed professor said, feeling extremely irritated. "You don't just order the all the house-elves in the castle to come and re-decorate my room. This is a violation of my rights as a professor here."

"To make things clear, I only used twenty house-elves to redecorate your room. If I had used every one the castle contains, we would have left without dinner. Your room is not that big. But now Severus, if I had asked for your permission to redecorate your room; would you have allowed it?"

"Certainly not!"

"See my point?"

)-)-)

"I told you that this was a lost battle," the older voice commented into Severus Snape's head, as he was strolling downward the corridor, towards his room.

Snape ignored the comment and continued his pace, feeling angry and exhausted. Just a few steps outside his room, he heard an ear-splitting scream, followed by a few anxious wails. He felt a strange flip-flap in his chest and he had to regain all of his logic so that he would not rush into his room. He had caught himself doing it a few days before, when the last of the Weasley brothers was having a detention. Just a simple cry from Potter and he found himself dropping the cup containing the armadillo bile and running to check out for him. By Merlin's Wondrous Magic, he had never dropped anything as important as a Potion Ingredient in his life. This baby thing was affecting him more and more. He turned his chamber's door and entered the room, trying hard to keep his face neutral.

Baby Harry was wailing frantically inside Dobby's little, skinny arms. His little face was deep red, as he kicked and tried to escape Dobby's grasp. Poor Dobby was trying hard to calm the infant by making little shaking movements.

"Oh please Harry Potter. Stop cry. Dobby is unhappy when Harry Potter is sad" Dobby squeaked unhappily, in the verge of start crying himself.

Snape felt the urge to start laughing. Dobby seemed so helpless, trying to calm down baby Harry, he was almost laughable. Snape removed his shoes and paced on the mattress-like carpet. Scooping baby Harry into his arms, he started moving around the room, rubbing the boy's tiny back. Feeling the strong arms wrapping around him, the infant started to calm down. His wail transformed to small sobs and finally to hiccups.

"See Potter? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Snape whispered, trying to control his voice to not become a soothing one. The boy calmed down and started snoozing.

Snape placed baby Harry into the cradle and turned to see Dobby, who stood near the chamber's wooden door. The house-elf seemed a bit disappointed and kept staring at his maroon jumper. The Potion Master guessed that Dobby felt that way because of his incapability to look after Potter properly. A house-elf was not allowed to fail in the work that was assigned to him. However, he could suspect that Dobby had never looked after an infant before in his entire life. For the Malfoys may were paranoid when it came to the point of purebloods and muggleborns, yet they cherished and loved Draco to the point they were spoiling him rotten.

Snape sighed as he remembered about. . . But he shook his head and gritted his teeth immediately, trying to block out the memories. There was no space into his heart and soul for those kinds of things. Not any more. He turned his attention to the house-elf once again, his sight, mixed with bitterness and appreciation. Nodding his head downwards, as he always did to thank someone; he dismissed Dobby and looked at the luminous clock at the wall. It was half-past-nine. Opening his wooden wardrobe, he took out a pair of blue-white striped boxers and a long-sleeved t-shirt that had the magic picture of a babbling cauldron. Doing so, he retreated into the bathroom.

)-)-)

"She said I couldn't make it." Snape thought looking at baby Harry, "She thought I wouldn't last an hour from now on. How damn true she was!"

"No Potter! Don't throw . . . the goblet," the professor said as the infant threw the goblet of water that was placed at the small table near his bed. Harry giggled as he saw the water spilling into the mattress-like carpet and forming a puddle. Snape sighed and knelt down holding his wand. He was about to charm the carpet with a warming charm when a stuffed toy hit him at the top of his head.

"I am going to kill that boy!" he though gritting his teeth. "No, I have to be calm. No reason to get angry. He is just a baby boy . . ."

He stood up and scooped the baby boy into his arms. He placed him on the new carpet with all of his toys. Harry let out a happy squeal and stared at his guardian, who re-treated behind his desk and started scratching his quill on a piece of parchment. Baby Harry babbled happily and fell back on his back. He started touching his legs and then rolled on his tummy. He put his little hands down and tried to raise himself. Slowly he found himself standing in four. He tried to move forward, only to discover that he was a bit weak. He stumbled and fell on the carpet. He looked up at his guardian, who was not paying attention to him. He sat up and looked at his toys once again. He took a soft ball and threw it towards the old man, hitting him.

Severus Snape stared at the parchment he was marking in pure horror. A red line was now crossing the whole parchment, as if it was all a pure mistake. And the irony was that it belonged to Hermione Granger. She was going to have a fit when she was going to lay her eyes on it. As a purely next Minerva-McGonagall wannabe and insufferable Gryffindor student, that girl was a perfectionist. And he was a perfectionist too. And as a perfectionist to perfectionist, he knew she was going to have a fit. At least that was what he was going to do now.

He stood up and sat down the floor, opposite the little green-eyed monster, known as the Boy-Who-Lived by many in the wizarding world, but the Insufferable-Baby-of-Doom to him, Harry Potter.

"You know, Boy." Snape started with his dangerous silky voice. "You used to be afraid of me, some years ago. But now, you throw things at me and you think that I like it. Well I don't. I am not cuddly or good. I am your worst nightmare. I read stories to you, but you ought to be afraid of me. To make things short, you must never, ever throw stuffed balls or unicorns or any other weird-stuffed-with- feathers thing. You know why? Because I am Professor Severus Snape, your Potion Master. And believe me. You are obliged to feel afraid of me!"

The small baby boy stared at the man with his olive-green eyes without making any movement.

"Good Shot Severus!" the professor congratulated himself. "You scared the Hell out of him. Now he will never act mischievously ever again"

Baby Harry, however, giggled lightly and moving forward he hugged his professors cheeks and kissed the tip of his nose. Professor Snape backed, while two red blotches painted his cheeks. Touching the tip of his nose, where the sloppy kiss had landed, he sighed and said in defeat:

"Potter, I will never understand you."

It was a sunny Sunday morning at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Severus Snape gritted his teeth and measured the thick liquid, before adding it into the warm water. He stirred the mixture twice, smiling slightly to the nice smell and the bubbles that appeared. He tested the temperature of the liquid and feeling satisfied he looked down. To his amazement the last, and most important, ingredient required was missing. He looked around, his gaze searching for it, hoping to find it before the warm water would get cold."Now, if I was a naked baby boy, where would I hide?" he thought half- seriously, half-playfully.

Since last day, Potter had proved to be worthy of his "amazing abilities" and started crawling. Snape, though he would never admit it openly, was surprised by how quickly the infant had mastered the new art of crawling. At first he was a bit wobbly, but in quite some time, Potter was able to cruise himself anywhere. Unfortunately, however, that enabled Snape to understand even better; why that boy was sorted to Gryffindor. For baby Harry was determined to drive his professor nuts by searching the whole chamber. He had proven that early this morning.

FLASHBACK

Snape, who had for some reason forgot the primary rule of never-leave-a- cupboard-open-when-a-crawling-menace-is-around was about to discover that there were quite some ways for a baby to get dirty while searching, even if a chamber is clean. The Potions Master had been grading a three-foot essay about "Frog Warts and their Multiple Uses", when a soft "Thump" was heard. A few seconds later a squeal of delight, accompanied with giggles, echoed inside the room, forcing him to raise his head from the paper. His beetle- black eyes enlarged from shock on what his sight met and a faint "Merlin's Star-patterned Robes!" escaped his lips.

Baby Harry, the Boy-Who-Was-Destined-To-Irritate, was seated opposite the small, wooden ingredients' cupboard. A bug full of blue powder had rolled and opened over the boy, who was now covered with its contents. The infant took handfuls of the powder and tossed them around, creating a messy effect.

"Potter, whatever you do, do not put your fingers in your mouth. And stop tossing that thing around. It does not grow on trees!" Snape exclaimed as he rushed towards the powder-covered baby.

He, then, kneeled down at his hands and knees and started gathering the powder into a new bag. Having saved what it could be saved, he turned to see Potter. He stood up and took the baby into his arms. Looking at it, he smirked.

"You know Potter, you look like a baby clown!" he said softly, still smirking at the boy.

Big Mistake! For if Snape had paid attention, instead of smirking, he would had noticed that baby Harry's eye-colour changed to deep green. And deep green meant only one thing. Mischief. Before Snape would realise it, the infant tossed a handful of blued powder onto his face.

"Hey! That was not funny!" he protested coughing, as the blue powder sprinkled on his cheeks. Having no other option, he placed the giggling boy on the mattress-like carpet and undressed it.

"Stay there!" he ordered and retreated into the bathroom.

-)-)-)

"HEHEHEHAHAHA! You look like a sprinkled fairy!" the mirror echoed inside the bathroom.

"Call me that again, and I will not hesitate to replace you with a Muggle mirror!" Snape threatened the bathroom mirror, while he was filling a baby bath tamp with warm water.

"Replace me? With a Muggle One? Why? What does a Muggle mirror has better than me?" the mirror asked with Narcissistic tone.

"Low Levels of Self-Centrism!" Snape thought gritting his teeth.

"They don't talk!" he answered the mirror. "And the Wise Mirror is the Quiet Mirror," he finished off, leaving the bathroom.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Now Potter where can you be?" Snape hummed slightly and stopped, instantly, in shock.

"This is preposterous!" he commented to himself. "You are, actually, playing with the boy Severus!"

He leaned down the bid mahogany desk of his, muttering under his breath about not liking the boy; and that all babies around the world should be banned. Well, not all exactly. Only the ones that had green eyes, black hair and were destined to wear glasses and save the world. The others could stay. Seeing that the boy was not under the desk, he turned and opened the wooden wardrobe. He remembered hiding from his mother, when he was a little boy, inside his chamber's wardrobe in Snape Manor. It was their pre-bath playing time. Of course his mother would always find him at the end. However Potter was not inside the wardrobe.

"Well it was pretty obvious, you ding-head!" he said to himself. "You were three! You could stand on your toes and touch the handle! He is a baby for Merlin's Sake! How do you think he was supposed to touch the handle? I don't think he can float to mid-air!"

Snape cursed softly and checked the water inside the bathtub. Still warm. Taking his wand out, he chanted a warming spell and went back to his search. Now where could that boy be? Suddenly his eyes stopped still at the four-poster bed. But of course! Potter was under the bed! How come he never thought of that?

"Typical of you Snape. You tend to disregard the most obvious answer" he thought as he kneeled and looked under the bed.

"Giyarprt!" baby Harry giggled happily when his guardian appeared, looking at him from the side of the bed.

"Hello to you too boy. Now come outside and have your bath," the young black-haired man said seriously.

Baby Harry giggled happily, but did not move. Snape's eyes closed into slits and he inserted his hand under the bed. However baby Harry was quicker and rolled further inside, going outside the man's grasping area.

"That's unfair!" Snape exclaimed seeing baby Harry enjoying his unsuccessful attempts to touch him. "Who's idea was it; for me to have a large bed? Stop giggling Potter. That's infuriating!"

The infant stared at his guardian with gleaming eyes and taking a dust- bunny that was lying near him, he placed it inside his mouth.

"Eww! Potter that thing is certainly not good for you. And I can also bet that it is not nourishing," the Potion Mater commented as he closed to eyes and thought to himself.

"Maybe I can get him out by using Wingardium Leviosa. No this may hurt him and after all I can't do it under the bed. What about Accio? Does it work on living human beings? I must ask Flitwick some time. How about entering under the bed? That's plain stupid Severus. You can't fit there! Urrgh..."

"Potter," Snape ordered calmly, but in an extremely dangerous tone, "come out this instance, or I will order Creevey to take a photograph of you, naked on a bear-hide. And then I will distribute copies of that picture to every human being inside this school. Including the faculty."

The baby's eyes darkened for a couple of moments and, Snape could swear on it, came to resemble the sixteen-year old Potter's ones. That colour reminded Snape of the boy's older self thinking during Potions. The boy crawled forward, towards him. Snape sat in a kneeling position and when the boy emerged from under the bed, he caught him and raised him to his eye- level.

"Ga!" baby Harry pouted and stared the man directly into the eyes.

"Well Potter, if that's your attitude." the raven-haired man stated flatly, "Then let it be!" he continued and stared at the angry baby's eyes.

This movement turned out to be the longest staring contest Severus Snape had in his whole life. No one had ever met his glare without lowering his eyes immediately. Well except McGonagall. . . . And Dumbledore . . . And Poppy. . . And . . . Ok the faculty was much older and no one was afraid of him. But students were another issue. He looked at Harry's angry eyes and felt his eyes watering a little. That boy proved once again that could rival his own thick-headedness. He could not afford to lose.

Snape did it. The only thing no one would ever expect him to do. The only thing that could stun, and keep, a student of him dumbfounded for days. It was so amazing! It was so unbelievable! Snape . . . stuck his tongue out to baby Harry. The baby blinked from surprise. This was a side of his guardian he did not see every day. Finally the chamber was filled with the boy's giggles. The hook-nosed professor let out a weird chuckle, due to his attempt to suppress it and remain serious.

"Ok Potter, it's time for bath!" he coughed seriously.

-)-)-)

Baby Harry giggled happily when his body touched the warm scented water's surface. Being seated in the baby's bath tamp he started splashing water around. Snape rubbed the baby boy's creamy body with the water and then focused on his head. For some peculiar reason the man could not understand, Potter tended to move around the moment he would touch his head. After quite some time, and loads of baths, he discovered the way to keep baby Harry quiet. It was simple, yet effective. It was a plastic ducky.

"Qack, qack!" the infant exclaimed as the tall wizard gave him his bath toy. "Bloom, qack, bloom!" he continued as he splashed the plastic toy into the water. Snape smiled to this sight, only to scowl seconds later. Then taking some baby-shampoo, he rubbed it inside his wet palms and then placed it on the boy's soft hair. At first baby Harry was annoyed but seconds later, he returned back to his splashing and babbling. The tall wizard rubbed the boy's tiny head carefully and then took a bowl full of pure clean water that was near him. Placing his left palm so that he could cover the baby's eyes, he spilled the water onto the boys head, little by little, to remove the soapsuds from the shampoo.

"Go! Prrrr!" Harry exclaimed as the water ran down his head.

"Yes it is a bit cold, isn't it?" Snape commented as he rubbed the boy's head clean from the last trails of soapsuds. He, then, moved sideways and found himself staring at the infant's green eyes. Taking some "suitable- for-baby-skin" liquid soap, he started rubbing Harry's little porcelain- white body.

Baby Harry, who had probably decided at the moment that he had stayed quiet for a lot of time, grinned mischievously. When Snape's head lowered closer to him, he moved his hands forward. The black-robed professor retreated backwards and searched frantically, due to lack of vision and pain, for a towel to wipe his face.

"It stinks, it stinks. Potter when I find the towel, you are going to die!" he thought while he blindly searched around. "Well at least I have completed the whole He-Looks-Like-A-Big-Mean-Bat persona of mine." he commented to himself sarcastically. He long fingers touched something soft and he immediately brought it to his face and wiped the water off. Snape turned his attention to baby Harry, who was eyeing him gleefully tossing water around.

"Well Potter," he said smirking "you must know now. This means War."

He moved to the bathtub and splashed, gently, some water to the boy. The boy was, at first, in shock. Yet he regained his senses very quickly and attacked back. Snape felt the water splashing against his chest and was left with a mixture of different kinds of surprises. At a point, he was shocked. Potter, a weak boy that wore diapers, had the audacity to strike back. No one strikes back. For Heaven's Sake that meant "Challenge." However, what he really felt was surprise. His chest was airy and soft. To his pure amazement, the raven-haired man found himself enjoying that splattering with Potter. And he never enjoyed anything. Well, except chocolate. He stopped for a moment in order to consider his actions. The "action" he was about to engage himself with was going to become a cause for a lot of thinking.

Baby Harry stared at the tall man and threw more water on him. Snape snapped back to reality and looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow of question. Did the boy really thought that he, Severus Snape, was about to let this "Challenge" pass? He smirked and splashed more water to the boy's face. This triggered a series of count-events that was to lead to the biggest water-fight Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ever known.

-)-)-)

"Ok Potter, that's enough. This water is cold, and you started to get wrinkles from being too much time in it." Snape exclaimed after quite some time. He scooped the infant into his arms and started rubbing his body with a towel.

When baby Harry was dressed, Snape took some time to examine his room. The Mattress-Like-Carpet of Doom was doused from the water and soapsuds. The assignments he was marking were lying forgotten on his mahogany desk, and a plastic duck was placed near his ingredient collection. One thing was sure. This havoc, reminded nothing of his always dignified, clean chamber.

"Severus, are you alright? You missed. . ." the older female echoed inside the room but stopped abruptly, probably from shock of what her eyes had met. ". . . lunch."

Severus Snape turned around and for a split of a second he enjoyed the surprise drawn in Minerva McGonagall's features. If someone could be proud for one thing, that would be the greatest achievement of taking Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress by surprise. However, a couple of seconds later his face turned ashen white.

"Shit! How do explain this mess?" he thought, a bit panicked. "I don't think that the "A-Troll-Entered-My-Chambers-And-Attacked-Potter's-Bathtub" excuse will be believable. Now Severus, think something fast!"

Yet, Snape needed to explain nothing, for McGonagall's face lit up and a wide grin was spread across her features. Snape was sure that the fact that his robes were soaked with water was the hint that gave the truth away.

"WHAT?" he asked in bewildered tone as the Transfiguration's Professor gazed at him with, a Heaven Forbid, soft expression.

"Oh Severus, you two are so sweet!" McGonagall said cheerfully and turned around.

"No I am not sweet!" Snape exclaimed urgently and in desperation, while McGonagall kept smiling. "I am Severus Snape! The Potion Master of this school. I am the fear of every student around. I am certainly not sweet!"

McGonagall hummed slightly and kept smiling. She opened the door and smirking she commented:

"Ok Severus, whatever you say!" She then closed the door behind her.

"Potter," Snape said furiously, yet very calmly, while watching the infant playing with Bibi "this is entirely your fault!"

“I am sorry Severus, there’s nothing more I can do!” the female voice said in defeat.

Severus Snape sighed in frustration and reminded himself on how much he hated the Potter-boy. It was simply irritating that the infant had decided that this was the time of “I-Do-Not-Want-To-Be-Away-From-My-Professor.” Separation Anxiety. How much Snape would hate it!

FLASHBACK

Everything started early that Monday morning, just a few hours ago. The Potion Master opened his eyes and let out a groggy sigh. He absolutely hated Monday mornings. He turned his head to the left and was amazed to see baby Harry fully awake. Snape felt the urge to growl. He, who wanted to go back to sleep, had no luxury into doing so. While the boy, who had all the Time in the World to sleep, was wide awake and played with a stuffed unicorn-toy. With eyes half-closed, the tall man walked into the bathroom.

-)-)-)

“WAAAAHHHHH!”

Snape shot up being startled. He looked at the old blade he was holding in his right hand and thanked whichever Great Witch or Wizard had been protecting him that moment. He shuddered and shook his head, as he thought himself moving his hand spasmodically because of the cry. He imagined the unbearable pain and the blood running down his cheek to his neck. He sighed in relief and looked at his covered-with-shaving-cream face.

“WAAAAHHHHH!”

Snape entered the room, still covered in shaving cream. He took the boy into his arms, which silenced immediately while he felt the warmness of his guardian’s chest. Baby Harry giggled, when he saw the man’s face.

“You think it is funny Potter? Well I don’t! I have to shave, and you are distracting me.” Snape commented and placed the boy on the mattress-like carpet. He placed some toys near the boy, including Bibi, and moved towards the bathroom. “Now be a good sport and play, while Professor Snape finishes his shave,” he said and took the razor once again.

He was about to place the blade against his cheek, when the baby boy’s wails echoed in the bathroom once again. Snape took a deep breath, while his mirror-image started banging his head against the wall’s image. He entered the bedroom and the boy silenced.

“Potter, do you mind? I need to shave in peace.” Snape exclaimed and narrowed his eyes. The boy stared as the man turned his back; and the moment his head got out of his vision, he began crying once again. The raven-haired man closed his eyes in despair and felt the urge of laugh hysterically.

“I just want to shave and lit the damn cauldron’s fire!” he though.

And then he had an idea. An idea that was so crazy that it might work. He entered the bedroom, took baby Harry and Bibi into his arms; and entered the bathroom once again. Placing the infant on the toilet-seat’s cover, he turned his attention to the mirror. No crying at all. At last, he could start shaving.

-)-)-)

Fifteen minutes later, Snape entered Madam Pomfrey’s office, as always, without knocking. The Healer shot up feeling startled and gifted Snape with a murderous glare. He just smirked in satisfaction. After the incident on Friday afternoon, Snape promised one thing to himself. If he could not hex her, he would just irritate her nuts. Simple, yet effective.

“Severus, how many times have I asked you to knock the door before entering?” Madam Pomfrey asked with her matter-of-fact voice.

“If we include my childhood years, I would say, forty-seven.” Snape answered back crisply.

“My goodness Severus, if I didn’t know you; I would have felt flattered that you keep a record of your irritating habit towards my face!” Madam Pomfrey remarked sarcastically and reached out to take baby Harry into her arms.

Yet the moment baby Harry felt the woman’s hands touching him, he let out a loud squeal and grasped Professor Snape’s robes as hard as his baby hands could hold. Madam Pomfey looked at Snape, who looked at her blankly.

“Has he done that before?” the Healer asked, as she let the infant rest into his guardian’s arms.

“No, as far as I know. But Potter has developed an irritating habit of wanting me around him all time long.”

The raven-haired man saw a glint in the witch’s eyes and he felt a shiver running down his spine. It was definite now. He was going to listen to something really bad. He felt baby Harry’s grasp intensifying. His squeals, however, subsided and he started chewing Bibi’s horn.

“So, little Harry is suffering from a severe case of Separation Anxiety?” Madam Pomfrey addressed, in a soothing tone, while she tried to catch the baby boy’s attention.

Baby Harry, looked at Madam Pomfrey and then hid his face in his guardian’s chest. Snape felt quite uncomfortable and coughed slightly. He, then, scowled at the Healer, who was smirking at his sight.

“I hate it when the woman takes that expression!” he thought and placed the baby on one of the beds with all of his toys.

Baby Harry sat quietly, holding his stuffed unicorn-toy into his hands. His attention, however, was focused at each one of his guardian’s moves. Snape turned to look at Madam Pomfrey in uncertainty. While he hated to admit it to himself, he felt reluctant leaving the boy alone and distressed.

“Oh do go to class Severus; and do not worry. He will cry, but he will get quiet soon enough.” the Healer commented quietly.

Snape turned around to leave. He opened the door and he was about to step outside, when he stopped dead at his trucks. He had just realised something very important. He turned around and eyed Madam Pomfrey with a venomous glare.

“Poppy, I certainly do not care about the boy’s welfare. Oh stop smiling!”

-)-)-)

Severus Snape that day like every day, apart from weekends that is, entered the Potions classroom in the castle’s dungeons; and started lighting the cauldron fires. Far from the common belief; that a person could easily just point a wand and lit a fire, Shape new that the truth was quite different. A worthy Potion Master, like he was, was fully aware that fires lit in a slapdash way, could result unpleasantly. In a mild catastrophe the outcome would have been a Potion with an awful taste and, in some cases, a hideous transformation. Yet in the worst, and most likely to happen, situation; the result was going to be a huge explosion followed by pickled ingredients being landed on student’s faces. And if Snape ever wanted something in his entire life, this was his valuable ingredients collection staying inside its jars.

Snape hummed to himself as he lit the last cauldron fire. When the fire was nicely adjusted to the correct temperature, he opened one of his mahogany desk’s drawers and took out a magical thermometer. Like Mrs Weasley’s magical grandfather-clock, the thermometer had words, instead of temperature, written on it. Professor Snape moved towards the middle of the classroom and raised it to his eye-level.

At the bottom of the magical thermometer, there was the inscription “You Are Supposed To Brew Potions Not Ice-cream”, while at the very top there was the written statement “Hell Must Have Broke Loose And I Foresee A Cauldron Exploding.” However the man’s eyes lingered, in satisfaction, at the middle of the magical instrument, where the phrase “Conditions Perfect – One Of A Kind Alchemist!” was written. It was at that moment that Snape heard a small “Psst!” coming from behind and he turned around to see a very anxious Madam Pomfrey’s head. He leaned down towards her and motioned his head.

“Severus,” the Healer said in defeat “I never thought I would say this, but I need your help in the Hospital Wing!”

END OF FLASHBACK

“What do you mean; there is nothing more you can do?” Snape asked, hoping that what he was about to hear, was not what he suspected it would be.

“You saw the state poor Harry was when you finally arrived. He was literary out of breath. He stopped crying the moment I gave him to you and from that moment on, he has clinged on your chest and refused to let you go. Apparently, the only solution is to take him in the classroom.”

“WHAT?”

“Listen to me Severus before you go ballistic.” Madam Pomfrey said, interrupting his outburst, “Baby Harry needs to feel relaxed when you leave a room. And to achieve that, you have to gain his trust.”

“Then what do you propose?”

“Now listen to me carefully . . .”

-)-)-)

“I must have gone MAD! What on Earth am I going to do with that thing in my class?” Snape pondered as he stood in front of the old wooden door. Sighing deeply, he entered the class.

Everyone in the classroom stared at the Professor, unable to utter a single word, from their amusement. Severus Snape, the most cold-blooded professor Hogwarts’ students have ever met, and were destined to fear, has entered the classroom, cuddling an infant. Now that was something to be recorded inside the new edition of “Hogwarts: A History.”

Baby Harry, who was resting inside his guardian’s arms, looked up from the man’s chest towards the rest of the classroom. Everyone was staring at him from behind their cauldron, uncertainty drawn on their faces. Then, smiling slightly, baby Harry brought his left hand to his mouth and blew a kiss towards the students’ direction.

“AWW, HOW SWEET!” every girl in the classroom squealed in unison and then they all started giggling together.

“Females around the world unite your mother instincts together!” Snape thought, ironically as he, along with the rest of the males, kept staring at the girls with a face-fault expression.

Coughing to himself slightly, he took out his wand and charmed the whole front of the classroom into a playpen area. The students tried to control their giggles. Snape in a playpen area! What more was left to be seen?

“If I hear, even the slightest suspicion of a giggle, you will all end up writing your Will. Did I make myself clear?” the raven-haired man exclaimed in a dangerous tone. Seeing that everyone had the “I-Got-The- Message-Professor” expression, he continued. “Now take the Potion List I gave you at the beginning of the year, and start brewing Potion number four.”

Everyone turned to his books and ingredients, while Snape sat down and started marking some essays. Ah, if only his life could get any easier.

-)-)-)

Luckily, baby Harry had decided to behave in an appropriate manner during the first lessons’ periods. Yet at the beginning of the fifth period, Snape understood that his luck was getting short. Not only had he a double period with the “Mischievous Fifth-Graders of Gryffindor and Hufflepuf”, but Potter decided that it was the “Time-To-Embarrass-Professor-Snape.”

Ah the Fifth-Graders! The most mischievous group of students in Hogwarts’ History! Many may thought that the appearance of the Weasley twins up to now, must had ensured that the Seventh-Graders, would be known as the most ill-behaved in Hogwarts’ Chronicles. And yet this was not true. The truth was that the Fifth-Graders were unbearable for a reason. The word “Silence” was not understood by them.

For example Miss Weasley proved soon enough that she was both the Twins in one. The girl was a major practical joker, rebellious and if anyone was caught in her bad mood swings he would suffer. Mr Creevey had the annoying habit to take his photographic machine anywhere. The professor knew that the boy only waited for him to turn around in order to photograph anyone secretly. As for Miss Stevenson of the Hufflepuf house, well the girl could not stop speaking. He had threatened with detention but the girl would continue talking. Snape had found himself in the verge of shouting “SHUT UP!” more than a thousand times. Luckily, however, he always managed to remind himself that he was a gentleman. Then he would give her detention.

It was during a speech that baby Harry decided to interrupt.

“The rare Emerald Lilly can be gathered once every four years. It takes this outstanding plant four whole years to blossom, and it must be cut during the first half hour of its life to maintain his amazing abilities. After thirty minutes of blossom, it turns back to a seed. When it comes to Potions this plant . . .”

“GA!” a very irritated baby Harry’s voice was heard. Everyone, including Snape turned his head towards the boy.

Baby Harry was sitting near professor Snape’s legs. When the Potions Master stared at him, Harry scowled and hit his little hand against his guardian’s left leg. A few giggles were heard, as Snape kept staring the baby blankly. Baby Harry waited silently for a couple of moments.

“Moo, Goof!” he shouted at Snape causing a hysterical laughter to fill the room.

“Goof? Do I look like a Goof to you, Potter? Severus, you are hallucinating once again. He cannot speak yet, he is just bubbling!” Snape thought as he kept staring at Potter, wondering of what the boy wanted.

Seconds later, and seeing that his guardian did not intended to move, baby Harry crawled behind the professor and pressed his head between the man’s legs. Snape’s felt the urge to curse in embarrassment, since he finally understood the obvious. Potter wanted to crawl under the table. Moving aside, to let the boy pass, Snape turned to face all the teenagers that were laughing, being out of breath.

“I am pleased that this little incident brought you back from Dreamland, but we have to continue our lesson.” Snape spoke acidly, as the students’ laughter turned to snickering.

“Now as I was saying, when it comes to Potion this extraordinary flower has many multiple uses. A spoonful of its petals, in a de-hydrated form, is the ultimate ingredient of the Wolfsbane Potion, while a . . .”

Snape stopped once again as he felt someone tagging his robes. Lowering his gaze once again, he looked at baby Harry. The infant raised Bibi towards Snape and cried out happily.

“Pi! Bibi pi do!”

“Oh Merlin what am I going to do with this boy?” the professor pondered as the whole classroom started snickering once again. “Stupid Brats! What are they laughing about? Now I will show them!” he thought greeting his teeth and he lowered down to take baby Harry into his arms. Then he turned to face the classroom that kept snickering.

“Since you find my lesson so amusing,” he started by closing his eyes into slits, “I feel that there is no reason to continue. Your homework for Wednesday is to write a six-foot essay about the different uses of the Emerald Lilly. I want to know how each part of the flower can be used in both hydrated and de-hydrated form, the taste it creates when it is added to the Potion and its side-effects if it is ill-used. Now, there is no use to moan like that. Class Dismissed!”

The students stood up and emptied the classroom. Snape heard a faint “Heartless Git!” and assigned Mr Williams an evening-worth detention. He, then, turned to the baby boy who looked him straight into the eyes and giggled happily. Though he felt reluctant to admit it, he knew that it was time to ask for her help.

-)-)-)

Snape looked at the old wooden door that he had seen a lot of times before in the past. He stood still and weighed his options. He did not want to ask for the woman’s help. It was not only the mere fact that she still regarded him as the younger ex-student she had once met years before. It was also the fact that his proud Slytherin spirit did not wanted to ask her help from all the other Professors in this school. However he was clearly out of choices and he did not want to re-live the day's experience ever again. Looking around, to make sure that no student was around, he knocked the door.

“Enter!” a quick, yet warm voice, escaped from behind the door that led into the office.

The door opened and revealed a scowling Snape that hold a happy little baby Harry into his arms. Minerva McGonagall gaze softened as she pointed towards a chair near her wooden desk. Snape growled and sat.

“How can I help you Severus?” McGonagall asked smiling slightly.

“Minerva,” Snape spoke softly “I would appreciate it, if you stop snickering like that. You haven’t stopped doing this since yesterday and it has started getting to my nerves!”

“I can’t help myself Severus. You two were so sweet!”

“Oh for Unicorn’s Glazing Eyes! How many times do I have to repeat that; Severus Snape is wicked? Not sweet. Not soft. And if you don’t believe me, you can ask any other student you want.

“No need to do so Severus. I saw that little first-grader eyeing me apprehensively after you snickered at her during breakfast,” McGonagall chuckled. “The poor one was looking at me with those pleading eyes that seemed to shout ‘Please don’t let him eat me Professor!’ Has the rumour about you being a vampire revived again?”

“This is what I believe. Tell me Minerva, do you have any idea how are those rumours manage to linger over the years? Since I got the job as a Potions Master, this rumour comes and goes. I don’t know but it seems to me quite obvious that the fact that I am teaching in daylight, sleep at night and I can see my face in the mirror are a major substantiation that I am not a vampire. What more do this blasted children need from me?”

“A smile and some colourful robes!” McGonagall thought; but replied, “Don’t worry Severus, as it came it will pass. Now what is the purpose of your visit? Let me guess, you want help with little Harry over here?”

“How did you know that?” Snape questioned her, trying to hide his amazement.

“I had a talk with Poppy this morning and I was hoping that you would request for some help.”

“Memo to myself: Kill The Damn Healer!" Snape thought and gritted his teeth. However, seconds later, he smirked.

“Don’t get any ideas of importance Minerva,” he snickered. “The only reason I ask for your help is because no other professor is available. It is an unfortunate event that you and I; have free time at the same hour.”

“Don’t worry Severus, I won’t. So, how is it going to be done?”

“Poppy advised me to leave the boy here each day and increase the period of my absence steadily. Let’s begin with a period of ten minutes shall we?”

“Ten minutes? Isn’t that a short time?” McGonagall asked in surprise.

“Not for Potter. I have my doubts that you can even survive five minutes with him. I better go,” he stated, put Harry on the floor, and stood forward.

“Severus,” she said stopping him, “I know I am no expert in babies but I am aware that you must say goodbye to him and assure him that you will be back before you leave.”

“DAMN!” Snape thought “I hate it when women take that look of superiority!”

Yet having no option, he kneeled and stared into Harry’s big green eyes.

“Ok Potter, be a good sport and wait for Professor Snape to return from his walk. Try not to torture professor McGonagall, much.”

He was about to stand up when he saw McGonagall motioning with her hand. Sighing deeply, he passed his hand over the boy’s head, in a weird attempt to pet and not pet the boy’s hair.

“See Minerva? I granted your wish. Have a nice ten-minute moment with him.”

And with those words, he closed the door behind him.

-)-)-)

“WAAAAHHHHHH!”

“Now, now dear. Professor Snape will be here soon.” McGonagall said soothingly and gave him a stuffed ball from near by. “Why don’t you try to play with this little ball until he comes?”

“GRAAAAHHH!” baby Harry shouted and tossed the toy away, hitting a basket that contained a pillow and a ball of yarn.

“Mr Potter, that was not very nice!” McGonagall exclaimed seriously and picked the ball up.

“WAAAAHHHHHH!”

The Transfiguration professor sighed and shook her head. Though she felt reluctant to admit it, baby Harry was very difficult to handle. He was so much different from the quiet sixteen-year old Harry Potter. Maybe if she took him into her arms, she could make him relax.

“Harry, give me back my glasses and stop crying. You are giving Aunt Minerva a dreadful headache. Now, now . . .”

“WAAAAHHHHHH!”

“Oh by Merlin’s Square-Lenses Spectacles . . .” McGonagall uttered and placed baby Harry on her desk, who once again took her glasses and refused to give them back. For how much time had this boy been crying? Now wonder Severus Snape was the only one to handle him.

The door opened and McGonagall saw a very black blurry image. Baby Harry’s wails ceased, and her glasses were given back to her. For the first time in her life, McGonagall felt the urge to scream in delight after seeing Snape.

“So how did it go?” the tall man asked blankly, as he wiped the boy’s tears and nose with a handkerchief.

“If we disregard the fact that I am temporally deaf at my right ear from too much screaming, I would say it went well.” McGonagall answered seriously while her insides were screaming with delight “AT LAST IT IS OVER! IT IS FINALLY OVER!”

“Shall I bring him tomorrow then?”

“Certainly Severus. I think he has started to like me!”

Snape just nodded and closed the door behind him. However he could not help himself but to whisper into the boy when he turned down the corridor:

“Potter, I hope you will not kill the woman by the end of the week.”

When the door closed behind her, Minerva McGonagall leaned back at her chair and closed her eyes. A small ringing echoed inside her ears and she had a terrible headache.

“By Merlin, this boy hates me!” she whispered faintly and gave her self a mental order to ask Poppy for a Nerve-Calming Potion.

-)-)-)

The days followed in the same pattern. Harry would scream as frenzy as a Banshee and would not stop until Snape would enter the room. By Friday, however, baby Harry turned more relaxed to the idea of the Potions Master absence. McGonagall managed to engage him to some playing activities and had she could swear that when Snape arrived from “his walk”, Harry had called her ‘Miva,’ while he waved goodbye to her. When the door closed behind her, she sighed. Next time she was going to see Harry; he was going to be nine-months old.

Snape raised his head from the assignment he had been grading and sighed unhappily. Potter had discovered a new way to test his limited patience. This way was called “Dropping-Things-To-The-Ground-Until-Snape-Throws- Himself-Out-Of-The-Window.”

It was for almost an hour that baby Harry would choose a toy; examine it carefully by squeezing it or banging it on his laps, and then would throw it on the floor. Seconds later he would start squealing until the hook- nosed professor would lean down, pick up the toy and give it back to him. Baby Harry, then, would choose another toy, examine it and throw it on the ground.

“Why can’t my Sunday mornings get easier?” he questioned himself as he saw Baby Harry examining a soft red ball.

However, when Harry threw the ball down and started squealing about it, Snape knew that he was not going to grant the boy’s wish. A man had his limitations, and he had to use them in order to stay sane. Therefore, he just turned to glare at the boy, who just giggled slightly and started chewing Bibi’s horn.

It was at that moment that Snape stopped to examine the unicorn toy. The white unicorn had started greying due to the dirt it came in contact with every single day. The silvery colour of Bibi’s horn had faded and the tip of it had been chewed off. One of the unicorn’s black-button eyes has started hanging from a piece of white thread, threatening to fall off. And to conclude on Bibi’s ugly state, a hideous odour was escaping from it, probably a product of the spilled food that Harry had smeared the toy with.

Severus Snape’s nose wrinkled in disgust. That toy needed to be cleaned immediately. Only Merlin could know how many germs were multiplying on the toy the moment he was just thinking of it. His hand extended and touched the toy. Snape’s face contorted with disgust as his fingers got soaked from the boy’s saliva.

“GOOD GRIEF!” he thought. “Bibi has more germs than a puss-filled zit!”

Trying to ignore his inner need to let the toy, Snape tried to take Bibi from baby Harry’s hands. Baby Harry, however, felt that he had a saying to what the Potion Master intended to do. Therefore he clutched the toy protectively and shouted menacingly.

“Aaaaa!”

Snape blinked in surprise by the boy’s outburst, but he did not let the toy down. On the contrary, he continued pulling the toy towards himself.

“Graaaaaaahhhh!”

“Potter, I have to clean Bibi.”

“Aaaaaaaaaa!”

“Potter, let Bibi go!”

“AAaaaaa!”

“Oh. . . .”

“Graaaaaaah!”

“. . . give me. . .”

“AAAAA!”

“. . . That . . .”

“A! A! A!”

“. . . TOY!” he shouted as he, finally, managed to release the toy from the infant’s strong grasp.

Baby Harry stared at his professor and started whimpering. However Snape felt no sympathy for the boy.

“You can whimper Mr. Potter,” Snape stated mockingly, “but this Potion Master will not surrender on your . . . ahem . . . whimpering. Bibi is going to be cleaned!”

Concluding, Snape turned and hurried to the bathroom. Baby Harry’s eyes narrowed and darkened so much that the irises could not be distinguished from them. If Snape had not had his back turned, he could have been shocked from the infant’s expression. Baby Harry’s lower lip curled in anger as he saw his guardian retreating into the bathroom with his favourite toy. Suddenly a faint “plop” was heard and baby Harry started snickering.

Snape, however, noticed nothing. On the opposite, he was rushing to get into the bathroom and put the toy into the laundry basket. He even ignored the small yelp of shock that escaped from the magic mirror. Tossing the toy into the basket, he ordered.

“I want that in a perfect condition. Sew the eye and wash it with hot water until it turns purely white. I will be waiting for an elf to bring it back to me.”

He, then, turned around and moved towards the door. A small yelp was heard again and Snape turned to face the mirror angrily. Not only Potter was squealing in the nearby room, but his mirror had started squealing too. Yet when he turned around he stopped dead.

His eyes bulged, as if someone had punched him hardly into the stomach. His mouth hanged open forming as soundless scream. He felt the need to sit, as a hint of nausea rose towards his mouth. He gulped twice for that feeling to subdue and then it happened. The vein at his right temple throbbed terribly as his left eye twitched in anger. This was absolutely preposterous. Turning to his heels he rushed to face Potter.

“POTTER!” he shouted in a high-pitched scream, “What On Merlin’s Pet Dragon, Have You Done To Me? My Hair! It is . . . . PINK!”

-)-)-)

“I will just throw myself out of the window. I will probably faint before I would hit the ground, so it will be a painless death!” Snape said to himself, sarcastically, looking outside the window, downwards to the ground. He looked at Potter, who was staring at him smirking in satisfaction. He then turned towards the mirror and gazed, in horror, at his bright pink hair. Looking outside he continued, “But I can’t do that! I don’t want to be buried with pink hair! Merlin this is unbearable! Maybe I should try again.”

“Kara metista!” he mumbled, pointing his wand as his hair. His hair started glowing slightly and for a moment, Snape thought that it his hair would turn back to normal. When the glowing stopped, however, a small snap was heard and his hair turned rainbow-colour curly, before turning back to bright pink. Baby Harry, just giggled.

“From all the magical babies in the world, I had to take care of you Potter,” he stated in an irritated manner. “You; that you had strong magical abilities transferred in your blood, by accident, from an egotistical megalomaniac. So in conclusion, I can’t get my hair black again, until you decide to do so.”

“Oh Merlin, I am Doomed!” he thought as he realised what he had just said.

It was at that point that baby Harry started searching around, as frantically as he could. Then he looked at Snape as if he had just remembered something important. His eyes darkened and started to moisten, his lips quivered slightly before he would start crying loudly.

“Bibiiiiii! Bibi aga Bibiiiiiii!”

Snape took a deep breath and released the air slowly. He hated seeing tears, even if those tears belonged to Potter. He moved from the window and sat on the bed’s site. He took the boy into his arms and petted his small back. Baby Harry hiccupped but continued sobbing, calling a “Bibi” every now and then.

“It’s ok Potter . . .” Snape started in uncertainty “Bibi will be away for a while . . . I had to send him away. . . . No reason to cry your head off. . . . What if I play with you? Will you get quiet then?”

Baby Harry sniffled slightly as he looked at the pink-haired man. His sobs subdued and the man felt that he had sorted things out. However, and as if baby Harry had a weird revelation, the infant started screaming and kicking inside the man’s arms.

“Biiibiiiiii! Mi ma Bibiiiii!”

“I always wanted a quiet Sunday morning. Is it too much to ask?” Snape asked himself in despair as he watched the infant kicking inside his arms.

-)-)-)

After a considerate amount of shrieking, baby Harry’s wails subsided. Snape sighed in relief as he thought that the boy had, finally, forgot of what he was shrieking for. Letting the boy on the covered-with-mattress floor, he gathered some of his toys and sat near him. Yet the black-robed man was soon to discover that baby Harry could get ruthless. For getting quiet did not mean that the boy had forgotten about Bibi. It just meant that Snape was now in charge of an extremely angry, yet quiet infant.

At first baby Harry examined his toys carefully. Then, and as if a signal was given, he started throwing the toys around. Some of the toys hit the wall, while a rubber blue ball was thrown out of the window. The ball hit the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, who was flying near the window. The teenager turned around, wondering from where that ball came, while the rest of the team laughed.

“Oh Merlin, I am asking for this favour and please grant it. Make this boy stay quiet now, so that those Ravenclaw dunderheads will forget all about the ball and leave” Snape whispered to the skies.

Baby Harry, however, screamed and started wailing loudly.

“Why don’t you ever work with me?” the hook-nosed professor asked the skies in defeat, “I am not a bad man, am I? After all I have not killed the boy yet!”

Meanwhile the Ravenclaw Quidditch team that was flying nearby heard the squeals, and understood who was crying. Johansson, the Ravenclaw Captain hovered above the ground and caught the blue ball. Then sighing deeply, he turned to the team.

“Ah... I will just give the ball back to Potter and come back” he said and flew close to the castle windows trying to see baby Harry.

“SHIT!” Snape thought and stared at his pink hair in the mirror’s reflection, before retreating to the bathroom.

Johansson flew near the windows until he saw baby Harry, who silenced immediately and smiled back at him.

“Hello to you too Harry!” Johansson said plainly “Are you all alone here? Where’s Snape?”

“Professor Snape for you, Mr. Johansson!”

“Are you all alone?” the teenager asked playfully but then got serious. “Here I found your ball. I will put it here, on the floor, and go,” he said placing the ball on the floor and leaving.

Snape let out a sigh of relief and peaked out of the bathroom to make sure that Johansson was gone. He took his wand out and charmed the chamber so that no one outside the room could see him. Baby Harry started once again throwing toys around. Suddenly a plastic circle hit a bottle of Potion that shook for a couple of moments and, then, rolled, hit the floor and broke.

“Potter!” Snape exclaimed angrily “I had been brewing that Potion for seven weeks! That does it! No more Mr. Nice Professor Snape!”

With those words, Snape removed all the toys, away from the baby’s grasping area and then scooped him into his arms. Baby Harry, of course, started kicking in order to get free. His guardian’s grasp was stronger, nevertheless, and minutes later the baby boy was sitting still on Snape laps. The professor had grabbed the first story-book he would see from the library and opened it.

“Giggly the Pixie’s bad day!” Snape mumbled and let out a snort. “And I thought stupidity was finished with Silvy the Unicorn”

Baby Harry stared at the black, winged creature with interest and stopped squealing. Feeling satisfied, Snape opened the book.

“Giggly the Pixie woke up that morning feeling cranky” Snape read rolling his eyes “And then she destroyed the world! End of the story” he commented. However baby Harry scowled and started babbling.

“Re boo!”

“Ok I will proceed with the story Potter” Snape said turning the page.

“Giggly looked for her toy Flowie, but he was no where to be found! . . . Umm . . . Potter can I read you something else?” Snape asked in unease. However baby Harry stared him with an unquestionable “shut-up-and-get-on- with-the-story” look.

“Giggly felt really sad. Yet Giggly felt hungry . . . And that boy was a serious turnover to the whole story. Ok, ok I will proceed . . . Giggly the Pixie went into the kitchen to have breakfast . . . Does pixies have a kitchen? . . . And something bad happened . . . I bet that it is a volcano, what about you Potter?”

Baby Harry looked at the book and started shouting, “Gi Pi boom, boom!” while Snape turned the page.

“Giggly found out that there were no rose-petal cereals left for her . . . Oh the horror! The pixie had nothing to eat so she starved to death. . . The only thing to eat was mashed daisy-leafs . . . Who does ever thinks of these things? . . . And Giggly hated mashed daisy-leafs. . . Later on Giggly the Pixie played near the lake . . . Suddenly a big owl attacked her . . . Giggly hid behind a rock. . . Giggly felt angry that her playing was ruined . . . That’s weird! I always thought that you ought to be afraid if an owl attacks you, and you are the size of an ant . . . Near midday Giggly went back home . . . She was very unhappy. .. You see Potter? . . . Her mother saw her crying and asked her what happened . . . Well isn’t that sweet . . . Giggly told her about losing Flowie and being attacked by an owl . . .Her mother smiled and gave her Flowie . . . The toy was clean . . .And that is how Bibi will be later on . . .And Giggly the Pixie was happy. The End!”

-)-)-)

Snape had conveniently skipped lunch by asking for some tea and chocolate- chip cookies to be sent to his room. Baby Harry was still annoyed by the absence of his favourite toy, but he was more tolerable that he used to be in the morning. Snape woke up from his afternoon nap and watched the boy looking at his toys unhappily.

“Bibi?” he asked and at that moment a magical tone was heard from the bathroom.

Snape entered the bathroom and found Bibi clean and magically new. Smirking, he took the toy into his arms and returned to his bedroom. He gave the toy to baby Harry, who staring the toy in disbelief, started crying.

“Bibi, diret Bibi!”

It was after a lot of crying, and thinking, that Snape took the boy into his arms and unlocked the door of his secret room. Inside the room there was the painting of a woman he knew well. She stared at him with the crying boy in his arms and it took her a while to speak.

“Severus Snape, what on Merlin Fiery Spirit, have you done to your hair?”

“Potter is in a bad mood because I gave his toy for cleaning. So he transformed my hair to pink,” he answered in defeat.

“It seems so. The poor little one seems distressed”

“Unfortunately he hasn’t stopped crying until I gave him his toys back. Do you think you can sing him a lullaby?”

“Severus,” the woman in the painting commented seriously “I hope you did not give the toy, to a house-elf, in order to be cleaned.”

“I actually did that mother!”

“Severus Snape, what have I been telling you all these years?” she asked with a scorn that made the Potion Master lower his eyes.

“Umm . . . Always to gather my toys after playing?” he asked looking at Potter, who was sobbing inside his arms.

“Apart from that.”

“Always eat my vegetables?”

The raven-haired woman sighed in frustration, lowered her head and muttered something about men’s incapability to look after children under her breath. Baby Harry coped the woman’s movements and babbled:

“Ba ady!”

“Always clean your children’s toys along with them. I must say that I do remember you having a fit when I cleaned Zouzou, your stuffed Snitch, for the first time. It took you hours to relax. From then on, we just pretended that you were giving Zouzou a bath, in order to clean him. Oh and that time you lost him in the park. . . ”

“Mum, can you leave embarrassing details of my childhood memories out of the discussion. I don’t want Potter to hear them.” Snape interrupted her blushing.

“Nonsense” the woman said smirking “After all children have a memory after the age of three!”

“Not this particular one!” Snape though inside, not wanting to argue with his mother.

“Don’t worry Severus, dear. He will stop soon. See? He has already started chewing the toy’s horn.”

The boy looked at the boy man happily and Severus felt something hot on his head. Seconds later, his hair was back to their raven-black colour. Snape smiled to himself and turned to his heels.

“Ahem . . .” the woman coughed, stopping him.

Snape blushed and approached the painting. Leaning forward he kissed the painted woman’s right cheek and blushed when she heard her muttering:

“That’s my baby boy!”

-)-)-)

Snape placed the boy into his small cradle and tucked him warm. Baby Harry opened his small eyes for a couple of seconds and babbled lazily.

“Ni ady”

Snape sat on his armchair and took a book into his hands. Suddenly his eyes opened wide from realisation and he kept staring at the wall. He turned his head round and looked at the cradle in horror.

“Was it my idea or did Potter just called me daddy, twice?”

Madam Pomfrey had charted down on paper that baby Harry was supposed to attempt to stand and walk by the end of first the week of November, at the age of a nine-month old. However it seemed that baby Harry had no intention into doing that. Professor Severus Snape had to master all of his saved eloquence and persuasion skills, in order to convince Madam Pomfrey to allow the infant grow up that weekend. Of course, Madam Pomfrey resisted as much as she could into allowing Snape’s ‘stupid’ idea to pass. She even called for the Big Gun! It was Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, owner of Merlin First Class and once again Chief of Warlock of Wizengamot that was called into saving the Healer’s skin. Yet, the unexpected happened. Snape fought back. Snape fought back and resisted more than any other time before. Dumbledore was amazed by the young man’s act of resistance.

“Listen to me Headmaster” Snape snapped after a whole of two hours of negotiations, “If you agree with Poppy, and you allow her not to give Potter the Aging Potion, I vow to dismiss myself from both of my duties as a Potion Master and as the boy’s Guardian.”

Albus Dumbledore heard the man and realized that for the first time, and after a long period, he head lost a battle. Thus, he turned to Madam Pomfrey and asked her to bring Snape, Harry’s bottle. He then turned to look at Snape with the considerate amount of twinkle in his eyes. When Madam Pomfrey gave Snape the bottle, Dumbledore winked at her playfully, and she smirked. Snape looked at them and shivered unconsciously. He understood that soon enough he would be introduced to the embarrassing world of a ten-month old.

-)-)-)

Snape gritted his teeth as he gazed at the huge wooden door of the Great Hall. Though he was the winner, and he had managed to make Hogwarts’ Healer to let Harry grow, he was still at great loss. For from now on he had to act in a certain way; that was going to prove entertaining to the idiotic teenage dunderheads and highly embarrassing to him. Unfortunately Dumbledore had, in his sly way, ordered him that he could not skip any meal, unless in a case of an emergency. And that evening, Snape found himself wishing for a Death-Eater meeting. Yet, that Death-Eater meeting never took place and Snape found himself outside the Great Hall, alone and completely angry. He looked at the door and then at the infant in his arms. Boy, door, boy, door, boy, door . . . He then let out a grumble and entered the room.

They say that there are people that can make people notice them at the moment they enter a room. Severus Snape, of course, belonged to that unnamed category of people. It was universally acknowledged that the moment Severus Snape entered the Great Hall, which was most of the time full of people, all teenagers would stop talking for a couple of moments. In most of these cases, Snape felt extremely proud for his ability to make any ding-head teenager to stop whatever conversation he or she was into; and turn to look at his entrance. However that day he felt something close to embarrassment. Maybe it was the fact that he kept muttering stupid things to baby Harry, in a silly voice he never knew he had.

“Ok boy,” he started entering the room, “here we are. See all the kiddies eating? That is what we are about to do. Now let me place you on your high chair. Isn’t that nice?”

The word “light-stricken” was not enough to describe the amount of puzzlement that was drawn in every student’s face. Yet, seconds later some faint chuckles were heard. Snape felt anger rising inside his chest and he had to restrain himself in order of not hexing the chuckling students to the next dimension.

“Look at the nice porcelain bowl. Isn’t that nice? If you eat all your food, you will see a pretty picture.”

“Picar, picar!” baby Harry said in excitement.

“Yes picture. Now let’s take our spoon, shall we? Open your mouth wide . . .”

These words caused much laughter to the students. Snape turned to face them with a scowl but it seemed that nobody cared about it. The Potion Master sighed deeply and continued feeding baby Harry, giving him the golden spoon, to try by himself, every once and a while.

A couple of spoonfuls, and a smeared baby’s face later, Snape turned his attention to his own plate. Immediately the golden plate filled with some hot soup. He ritualistically picked the golden spoon up and rubbed its tip with his index. Then, he lowered the spoon down and dipped it inside the hot soup. As he lifted the spoon to his mouth, he was stopped by murmurs. Murmurs that were highly annoying.

“Was that an entrance or what?” a female whisper was heard from the Hufflepuff House table.

Snape’s eyes closed into slits and his irises turned to the Hufflepuff House table. Some girls were snickering slightly, covering their mouths with their hands.

“Note to Myself: Deduct Ten Points As Soon As You Have The Chance!” he thought and continued sipping his soup.

“Well he gave the term ‘Evil Bat’ a new meaning!” another girl from the table replied and more snickers erupted.

The Potion Master bit his lips in anger, only to realize that this caused them to bleed. He tried to ignore the comments that were buzzing around him and focused in the golden goblet that contained his pumpkin juice. A few giggles erupted from the Hufflepuff house and Snape felt his left eye twitching slightly. A vein started throbbing at his right temple as he heard the word ‘pathetic’ referring to him. And that moment it happened.

BANG!

An ecophantic noise that reminded many of a pistol shot echoed inside the room. Baby Harry, who was startled by the loud noise, started crying but no one moved. For they were all shocked, even Dumbledore.

Snape, who had lost control of his anger, to the ultimate level, had sent an unseen, yet powerful, magical block of power towards his golden goblet of pumpkin juice. The goblet was hit so hardly that it burst into pieces and caused the juice to erupt in every direction. Snape stared, in disbelief, at the havoc he had created. Yet, as he recovered first, he stood up and scooped baby Harry into his arms. The boy calmed down and whimpered slightly in Snape’s arms.

“Did the loud noise scare you boy?” he asked the infant, who hid his face against his chest. “No need to worry now. It has passed.”

Baby Harry sniffled and looked at the man into the eyes. Snape stared back and petted the boy’s head, causing the boy to smile. Then, he leaned sideways.

“BIBI!” he squealed out happily as the man gave him a white and, a bit, battered stuffed unicorn toy.

The Potion Master put the boy down and looked at the crowd of students, and some members of the faculty that were still looking at him in a speechless state. Smirking to himself he took his spoon and dipped it inside the golden bowl of soup.

“They would get over it,” he thought as he devoured his soup “Sooner or later, they will get over it.”

-)-)-)

Snape tapped his feet nervously as he waited for a knock on the door. It was Wednesday afternoon and he had a lot of work to do. Actually the work was a very complicated Potion that required no interruption by anyone. For the first time in his whole life, Snape found his soul split into two. One part of him felt really ecstatic for making this Potion, for it challenged his abilities to the extreme. Yet the other half of his self felt extremely disgusted by that ecstasy, since this Potion was brewed for Dark Lord’s use. Also there was a little problem. That problem was small, Merlin-Forbid ‘cute’ and was named Harry Potter. Where could he leave that boy? The boy’s friends were studying, McGonagall was preparing some tests, Hangrid was at an unknown mission and Filch, or Trelawney were out of the question.

Therefore Snape had no option but to ask for some help from Dumbledore. Snape had marched into his office and demanded for some help since, as he said, was “not in the mood to be violently tortured.” Dumbledore beamed happily and promised that someone would arrive to Hogwarts to help him with baby Harry. The raven-haired man, of course, never cared to ask who was going to come. The fact that Dumbledore promised to handle the situation was enough for him. Yet he was still troubled on why the Headmaster’s eyes twinkled so much.

A faint knock on the wooden door was heard and Snape assumed that help had finally arrived. He opened the door but when he looked at the person opposite him, his fingers sunk inside the wood. His eyes closed dangerously into two venomous slits while he examined the human being that stared at him uncomfortably.

“What are YOU, doing here?” Snape hissed menacingly at the man.

Remus Lupin looked at the man opposite him in disbelief. He was sure that Snape would literary explode from anger. He stared at him intensively and wondered on why on Circe’s Fiery Spirit he had agreed to help Snape, of all people.

“Dumbledore sent me,” Lupin said dryly and stared at the man “So will you let me pass or are you going to stand there all day long?”

“What are you doing here Wolf-boy?” Snape asked in mockingly sarcastic tone as he let a glaring Lupin enter the room.

“Dumbledore asked me to come here and help with baby Harry, Big-Nose! I will not tell it a third time” Lupin replied feeling unable to resist himself.

Snape however ignored the other man completely and took baby Harry into his arms. He, then, turned around and, looking at the other man, he addressed the baby boy.

“Boy, this . . .”

“You are calling him boy?”

“Yes Wolf-boy, I am calling him Boy. Do you have a problem with that? If you do, talk to the Headmaster.” Snape replied calmly.

“Well, shoot me for asking!” Lupin thought “Calm down Remus. Don’t bite him. Stay calm, for the boy’s sake at least.”

“Anyways,” Snape continued turning his attention to baby Harry, “Boy this is Remus Lupin that will take care of you, ok?” he mumbled as he gave him to Lupin.

Baby Harry stared at the man with the light-brown hair and the chestnut eyes for some moments. His eyes turned ink-green and he seemed as if he was in deep thinking. His brow furrowed for a couple of seconds and he turned to Snape in disbelief. Then his features were lit in a childish joy and he cried out happily, as he hugged the man’s face.

“Mooy, Mooy!”

“Mooy?” Snape asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Moony,” Lupin replied happily and kissed the infant’s forehead happily.

“As much as I do hate to interrupt this . . . ahem . . . scene that threats to make me throw out the limited food I ate today,” Snape interrupted, while he picked some potion ingredients from the store-room, “I must lock myself into that room. Now Lupin, pay attention. You are not to enter the room. I don’t even care if the whole school catches fire, you will not. Whatever happens, just knock the door thrice and if I can, I will come.”

“Yes Master and Commander. Am I allowed to lick your boots now sir?” Lupin thought but nodded in agreement.

“In that shelf over there you will find diapers, baby powder and clean clothes . . .”

“Is it my idea or does Big-Nose acts like a parent?” Lupin thought as he paid attention to the talking man.

“. . . Potter likes playing with that strange toy where the baby inserts plastic shapes through holes and if he asks for Bibi, just give him the unicorn toy. I have also prepared magically warmed bottles of milk, since I am sure you don’t have any breasts hidden inside this robes, you wear.”

“Ok, maybe he does it, in a weird sort of way!” the ex-Dark Arts professor thought, as Snape passed his hand over the baby boy’s head.

“Bye, bye ady!” baby Harry squealed waving at the tall man.

“Ady?” Lupin asked in shock looking first on the boy and then at Snape.

“Don’t ask Wolf-boy. It is really complicated” Snape sighed and entered the other room.

-)-)-)

Baby Harry was sitting on the floor and was staring at a line of plastic toys of different shape and size. Near him sat Remus Lupin, who had still not got over his shock. He just stared at the boy blankly and muttered incoherent words under his breath. He needed some time to process what had happened some moments ago. Harry had called Big-Nose ‘daddy’. And he did not seem happy about it. But he wasn’t acting angry either. It was as if the tall man had accepted the Thing that many people called Kismet, or fate.

Remus Lupin, of course, knew that Severus Snape had never ever referred to himself as daddy in front of the boy. The possibility of Snape doing that was as the possibility of him not transforming on a Full Moon. If he was a normal human being, Lupin would have wondered on why the boy had called Snape daddy. But Remus Lupin was not a mere human. He was a werewolf, a man that kept an animal inside. Over the years he learnt that every animal baby, including human babies learnt to distinguish his or her parents by the constant smell he or she came close every day. I The smell of the one, who helped to provide food and took care for it, was distinguished as a parent. It was instinct that led baby Harry into believing that Snape was his father. Lupin wondered on how James Potter would have reacted in he knew that his son was calling Big-Nose ‘daddy’ and smiled.

“Ook Mooy!” baby Harry cried out happily to the shabby-robed man.

Lupin turned around to look at the baby boy. Baby Harry was holding a star- shaped plastic toy on his hand and he was trying, unsuccessfully, to make it pass through a triangular shaped hole. The boy looked at the toy once again and tried to pass it through the rectangular hole. The werewolf chuckled uncontrollably. That boy could not get any cuter. Baby Harry turned to look at Lupin and blew a raspberry, causing the man to laugh even harder. The infant turned to the star-shaped plastic toy and then at the box’s lid that had the different size holes. Star-shaped plastic toy. Box’s lid. Star-shaped plastic toy. Box’s lid. Baby Harry’s brow furrowed in concern but his face lit soon enough. Moving his little hand forward, he removed the box’s lid and tossed the toy inside.

“By Merlin,” Lupin cried out “Harry you are definitely Jame’s son,” and started laughing once again.

“So, why is Snape so secretive about that room? What is in there?”

“Amy!” baby Harry shouted happily

“Amy?” Lupin asked in confusion “There is a girl named Amy. You mean Snape has a girlfriend?”

Baby Harry raised his eyes in desperation and shouted loud, “No Amy, Mooy! Amy!”

“I am sorry Harry, but this time I understand nothing”

The infant, however, did not insist. On the contrary he turned his attention, oddly, onto the bed’s covers.

-)-)-)

“So Severus dear, who is looking after that sweet little boy you take care of? Any of your ‘little friends’?” the lady from the painting asked.

“With all due respect, mother I am too old to have ‘little friends’, and even if I had, the man outside is not one of them.” Snape answered as he added three drops of moonflower extract into the cauldron.

“Nonsense honey you will never be too old for me. So who’s the man outside?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” the man answered back stirring the cauldron viciously.

“Ok,” the woman said. After a few seconds of silence, however, she said softly “But remember my son, you will catch more flies with honey. So try to be civil with the man”

Snape did not answer back. Yet a few moments later he looked back and realised that his mother had left the portrait. She had, probably, gone to visit some of the other painting’s residents. The man of course, stared at the babbling cauldron while he spoke under his breath.

“Try to be civil? As if! Maybe I should thank him for trying to kill me when we were students. Maybe I should feel honoured that Messed-Hair Potter and Twitching-Eye Black were praying pranks at me. Hell, at the next Death-Eater meeting I will be friendly with Smelly-Rat Pettigrew. The day I will be good and civilised with Wolf-Boy is the day Dobby will start talking grammatically correct for a couple of seconds . . . Aha! Finally, I finished the damned Potion!”

Snape took and iron spoon and put the Potion into a potion vial. He was about to magically seal the vial when he heard a set of anxious rapping against the wooden door.

“What do you want Wolf-Boy? Can’t you take a boy on your own even for a while? I thought . . .”

“Big-Nose can you please shut up and get the Hell out of that room?”

Snape opened the door and looked at the other man with a venomous glare.

“And may I know whatever thing possessed you to swear in the presence of a learning-to-talk-infant?” he blurted out coldly, not realising that he had asked about Potter’s welfare.

“The learning-to-talk infant has just turned the trying-to-stand infant.” Lupin commented answering back and pointing at the baby boy.

Baby Harry had grasped a bit of the bed’s covers with his tiny little fists and was, desperately, trying to stand up. Lupin stood near him, while Snape, who tried not to look very concerned had stood a bit further.

“Come on Harry, you can do it.”

“What are you muttering there Wolf-Boy?”

“It is called psychology Big-Nose. You encourage the infant by talking to him. Man, how can the boy live with you?”

“The boy is perfectly healthy with me, thank you very much” Snape answered back, while he motioned to baby Harry with his hand, behind Remus Lupin’s back.

Baby Harry pressed his left foot down hardly and with great effort, for a baby, managed to wobbly-stand near the bed, holding on the covers for dear life. Yet a couple of seconds later he lost his balance and fell on the mattress-like carpet. He turned around and looked at both Lupin and his guardian before starting to giggle.

“HE MADE IT!” both men cried out loud in unison and they pat each other’s back instinctively.

-----

Meanwhile in the Castle’s kitchens

“Pass me the salt please!” Dobby the house-elf said to Winky, while they prepared the evening’s feast.

-----

Snape realised that he was patting Lupin’s back and let out a growl while he turned away from him and looked at the boy. Lupin shrugged and, yet, kept looking at the Potion Master, who scooped baby Harry into his arms.

“Well I have finished brewing that Potion so you can get to. . . wherever you came from and leave me alone.” Snape said icily.

-)-)-)

A week and an aging-potion dose later, the black-robed professor caught himself enjoying baby Harry’s walking attempts. For though the little toddler was still wobbly in terms of standing up, he was getting more and more anxious of trying to walk his first steps.

“Why do I, enjoy watching this boy?” Snape asked himself, questioning his motives “After all I hate the boy, right? Right? Well . . . What do you mean well? You are destined to detest the Potters for all eternity. But the boy is . . . how to state it . . . nice.”

Snape however had not more time to converse with his self since he had noticed that baby Harry had stubbornly raised from the ground once again. The baby boy stood up and looked at his guardian with a hint of fear. The man did as usual. He looked the boy into the eyes and motioned with his hand. Baby Harry moved his miniature left foot forward but before he could do more he lost his balance and fell, or better sat, on the soft mattress- like carpet. The toddler gazed at Snape still in fear and his eyes moistened.

“Don’t worry Potter,” Snape blurted out, and in hurry “You have not fall, you have jumped.” And patter the sniffling boy’s head.

“Where did this excuse come from?” Snape asked himself, while he kept staring at the boy.

The blazes from the few dim lit candles flickered slightly, causing the shadows to dance on the old tapestry. The darkness mastered over the light in that room, something that the resident enjoyed. In the middle of the room there was an old wooden armchair. Years ago, when the house belonged to the old snobbish family of the village, that armchair looked glorious with its carved back made of old oak wood that formed a beautiful and royal ‘R’. Nowadays the armchair would still looked majestic if its whole back was not viciously scratched and destroyed. For now, the ‘R’ was almost invincible; as if it was a disgusting spot that a housewife had scrubbed but had not managed to eliminate entirely.In that armchair sat a human being that caused horror to anyone that laid his or her eyes on it. That person looked human; and yet he was no human at all. His tall, and extremely thin, a skeleton that was covered with scale-like skin that seemed horrendous. Inside his sockets there were no ordinary human eyes. On the contrary the eyes inside the sockets were red, snake-like and venomous. With a small, almost unrecognizable nose he reminded nothing of the wizard or boy he was many years ago. No one would associate now that man with the old Lord Voldemort or the young Tom Marvolo Riddle. His new appearance satisfied him, because now he looked really like the powerful Dark Lord everyone was afraid of. Previously no one dared to utter his name out loud. Now, no one was going to dare even cast his eyes upon him. There were only a few minor details, and then, none could stop him from becoming the sole ruler of the World. Those details were called Muggles.

Lord Voldemort rubbed his hand against Nagini’s small triangular head making the snake hiss in satisfaction. Then the long serpent slithered away from his master’s seat and outside the room. The man smirked evilly. Nagini’s haunting activities had caused much fear to the villagers. They would wake up in the morning to find their dogs, cats and chicken slaughtered and eaten, their skeletons glowing because of the sun’s beams. Many of those Muggle buffoons had started moving away causing the village to transform, slowly, into a ghost town.

That was what he, the Heir of Slytherin, intended to do. He was going to haunt the Muggles, suppress them and finally eliminate them. And as for those few traitorous, low-life wizards that dared to go against him, he was going to haunt them and, after winning them, humiliate them by degrading them lower than a house-elf. No one was ever going to be safe from his wrath.

He looked around the room and frowned, before he started chuckling evilly. The Irony of Fate was great when it came in terms with Lord Voldemort’s life. His father had dared to abolish him, even before he was born, because of his ‘Nature’. And now, he was going to haunt and destroy his father’s lot. The best part was; that he, Lord Voldemort, was forming his catastrophic plans inside the house he was deprived off as a child.

A faint knock was heard and Wormtail entered the room quickly. The powerful wizard looked the approaching creature with mixed feelings. He would have loved to kick Wormtail, something it would erase that expression of a vermin from the smaller man’s face. Yet he couldn’t. For, unfortunately, he owed a small part of His Existence to that vermin, who had in fear returned back and took care for him when he was close to death. He had once wondered why Wormtail hadn’t abandoned him the moment he had saw him. After all, he was hopeless; he didn’t even have a wand to use. Someone could say it was loyalty. But He knew it wasn’t. Deep down, they both knew that Wormtail had nowhere to go and even if he had, he still feared of his Master’s Return, something that was inevitable. Because Voldemort knew that it was written in Fate’s book that He was going to rule the Wizarding World.

“Master,” Wormtail said interrupting his thoughts. “Master, Severus Snape asks to see you.”

Lord Voldemort motioned for Snape to enter and Wormtail rushed out. Severus Snape entered the room and bowed. It wasn’t really a bow. It was more like a slight, forward move of his torso. It was the way the Snape family used to bow. He had seen Snape Senior bow like this many years ago, and he saw Snape, the son, doing it now. Severus Snape, however, was different. He immediately presented to him the Potion he had been ordered to made and then stood up and waited for orders. Unlike Snape Senior, who used to be one of his closest mates in both school and life, Severus Snape seemed to lack something.

“Snape,” Voldemort said looking at Snape seriously, “I believe that you have proved your worth and loyalty so far by making the Potions that I, need. Yet, you rarely take parts in battles against those Muggle-protectors and you speak of them even more rarely. I was wondering whether you are on my side.”

Snape looked at the Dark Lord straight into the eyes, before talking slowly but without hesitation.

“If my Master believes that I am not worthy of his trust, then he can punish me as he pleases. Yet I am ready, at any moment, to follow his wishes and throw myself in battle. If his wish is for me to make Potions, I will brew them. If his wish is to attack, I will follow.”

Lord Voldemort examined the younger man carefully. The thing that troubled him was the fact that Snape’s head was always clear of thoughts. And yet, he was always ready for an answer.

“Yet, sometimes I do believe that you choose the protection of a cauldron than the heat of battle. So different from your father, who was always ready to fight for the Cause.”

Voldemort felt a pang of annoyance coming from Snape’s head but almost immediately the younger man recollected himself and he could sense no more. Severus Snape fell silent and seemed to wait for any comments or orders from the Dark Lord.

“I need you no more for the time being,” Lord Voldemort’s deep ice-cold voice said, “but, soon enough you will have more to do than stay behind a cauldron.” With those words he motioned to the other man to leave the room.

As the door closed, Lord Voldemort’s red irises kept staring at the flickering blazes of the candles. Though not positively sure, he could still sense that feeling of uncertainty creeping inside his veins. Severus Snape seemed less willing, now, to sink deep in the Dark Arts. So unlike Snape senior who breathed and lived for the Dark Arts. For that man, the Dark Arts, and his devotion to Lord Voldemort, were much more important than his family. After all it was in Snape senior’s plans to drag his son in the same path he had followed. And he seemed to have managed it so. Or didn’t he?

“So everything went alright,” Dumbledore asked Snape, who was sitting opposite him.

The black-robed man motioned his head in a positive manner and was about to stand up to leave. Yet Dumbledore talked before he could move.

“Yet I think you are hiding something from me, young man.”

Severus Snape raised his head and he was about to protest, when he met the Headmaster’s eyes. The old wizard was looking at him with concern and he could do nothing more than fall silent. Snape was not used to talk about his problems to anyone. He was the kind of a man that would keep everything inside until he would die out of a heart-attack. He closed his eyes trying to calm himself, while he remembered his meeting with the Dark Lord. Yes he was hiding many things. He was worrying. The Dark Lord had probably understood that his luck of enthusiasm meant that he was not as loyal as he said he was. He had tested him and had called him a coward, trying to weaken his spiritual defenses. And seeing he had failed, he tried to tackle him by referring to Him. The worst part was that he, Severus Snape, had almost lost his concentration at that point. For a moment he felt the Dark Lord’s attempts to penetrate into his head, but luckily he could bash him away quickly.

Dumbledore knew. But how could he speak? He didn’t want Dumbledore, or anyone else, to get all jumpy about his safety. He wasn’t a teenager. He was a bloody grown-up. After all no one ever got jumpy when he was truly a teenager. Nor did he want to talk about Him now. He; was a subject that hurt and ached and he was not willing to get into that part of the discussion.

“No Headmaster, everything is alright.” Snape said at last and left the room, leaving Dumbledore looking at him from behind his glasses.

As he closed the door and paced down the corridor and up to the stairs to Madam Pomfrey’s Hospital Wing a new worry came to add with the others in his head. In shock Snape stopped. He had thought how bad it would be for Potter if something had happened to him in one of the Death-Eaters meetings.

“Since when I care so much about Potter?”

The Potion Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry entered his chambers holding a very annoyed 13-month old. One thing was definite for Snape that Saturday evening. It was, definitely, not his day and Potter hated him. He knew that, he experienced that; and he was sure that everyone enjoyed watching him suffer. But this Saturday, the first Saturday of December, was the most embarrassing day he had ever experienced in his entire grown-up life. And this was entirely Potter fault.

FLASHBACK

Due to Madam Pomfrey’s advice it was time for baby Harry to start eating something more solid that the mashed food he was currently devouring. It was just Snape’s luck. The boy finally decided that he loved mashed food and they had to change his diet once again. To sum up with the bad luck, it seemed that baby Harry had decided that it was ‘Mischief Day’. Since it was baby Harry’s first ‘solid’ meal Snape chose to mash some potatoes. After all how much havoc can a toddler create with mashed potatoes? Snape soon found out that Potter was creative enough to cause much catastrophe to be remembered for years. And it all started by baby Harry’s demand.

“Me wans spoo!”

It is a fact that with a silly demand; comes a silly result. Snape gave baby Harry the spoon. Of course he had to admit that at first baby Harry behaved himself. Yet after a while the little toddler came to the decision that playing with food is much better that eating it. Baby Harry had evil deeds to perform with it.

“Ady!” the boy shouted happily. After a whole week of hearing this, it caused no real effect to the students anymore. Yet most of them turned around awaiting to see their professor getting into an uncomfortable position. And they did.

Snape at that point was having a rather interesting conversation with Professor Sprout about the uses of a newly discovered plant in Potions. He was still speaking to her when the little boy called for him. He turned his head round, still speaking, and found himself being muffled by a spoonful of mashed potatoes that baby Harry had fed him. At that moment Snape discovered that the combination of eating, talking and swallowing at the same time is not a successful one. He felt a small piece of a potato going down his throat as he was verbalizing an ‘O’. The consequence of that was the piece of potato going up his throat and then immediately down causing him to choke. Snape placed his hand in front of his mouth as a combination of splutters and little high-pitched noises escaped from it. He continued coughing, paying no attention to the laughing students. When he stopped he rubbed his teary eyes and he could not believe his eyes. While most of the professors seemed to try not to laugh, the Headmaster had covered his mouth and seemed to have fallen into a hysterical chuckling fit. Fortunately he had pretended to have dropped his fork and luckily the only ones to have seen him were the faculty.

Yet the real catastrophe happened a few minutes later. Baby Harry, who took the advantage to the fact that his guardian had once again stopped paying attention to him, took his spoon and threw some of the food to the back of a Slytherin’s head. The boy, who sensed the potatoes on his head turned around. Thinking it was one of the Gryffindors for the nearest tables, he took the closest piece of food he could find and threw it to the Gryffindors. A sixth-grader, who was currently talking to her boyfriend, was hit by it and attacked back. Someone called “Food-fight” and the rest was history.

END OF FLASHBACK

Snape touched the back of his head and removed a thick layer of custard someone had hit him with. Baby Harry, who was also smeared with pudding traces, was now in his guardian’s arms shouting:

“Me town! Me town!”

“Oh no Boy!” Severus Snape said calmly raising the boy to his eye-level. “What you did today was very, very bad.”

“Bad?” the toddler asked. Through the week he learnt that when his guardian did not want something, it was bad.

“Little good boys do not throw food to other people. After we both take our bath, I will give you your punishment.” Snape said seriously as he moved through the bathroom.

Yet there was a small detail that Snape had not considered off. What kind of a punishment does someone give to a 13-month old? While Snape was combing his long black hair he kept thinking of that. As a professor, the only thing he knew about punishment, except removing points, was assigning detentions. For a moment he pictured the little ‘green-eyed havoc’ holding a duster and trying to help Filch clean the windows. Yet there were two small details. Potter was too small, and Filch was a very bad detail to a baby’s karma. Then again there was always the good, old, trusted, essay-writing.

“Severus, I doubt that Potter can write a summary of one of Silvy the Unicorn’s Adventures. Even if he wants to!” Snape commented sarcastically to himself.

The hook-nosed man let out a sigh and whispered to the skies.

“What did I do to deserve this Fate? I am not a parent! I am a professor for Merlin’s Sake!”

He looked forward and frowned. His magical mirror, probably the worst one in the whole Magical World, had been teasing him again. Snape’s mirror image was holding a comb in his hand and pretended to sing, while he shook his head and body to an unheard imaginary tune. Snape harrumphed and stared at the mirror venomously. His image stopped abruptly. It was probably the fact that Snape was wearing the ‘I-Will-Break-You-To-A-Thousand-Pieces-If-You-Don’t-Stop-Doing-That’ look. Severus turned to his heels and was about to leave the room when he heard the mirror whisper.

“Party-Pooper!”

It was the moment he saw baby Harry that Snape smirked evilly. He had just found the perfect punishment for the boy. It was going to be strict, painful and would inflict no damage to Potter. He leaned down and scooped the baby boy, who was currently searching around for something interesting, and placed him inside the playpen. Baby Harry examined his environment and frowned. His eyes turned deep ink green, something that showed his anger.

“Out!” he shouted at his guardian and blew a raspberry, “Out! Out! Out!”

“Oh no young man! You are certainly not going to get out of this playpen for the next fifteen minutes. I want you to sit there and think of your actions.”

Snape watched as baby Harry pouted and turned his back to him. He suppressed a smile, while he heard the toddler whispering something under his breath. He guessed that this was “Mean daddy. Mean, mean daddy” and chuckled faintly. Yes, he was truly mean. Because there is no bigger punishment for a hyperactive, I-Want-To-Search-Every-Centimeter-Of-These-Castle, baby than having to crawl into a limited space.

Ten minutes later however, Severus Snape understood that punishment has to be given after a certain age. For baby Harry seemed to be unaffected by the whole ‘punishment’ experience. It was true that at first he felt extremely annoyed but later on he fell silent and started babbling to Bibi, as if he and the toy had invented a language of their own. Snape, of course, was amazed. It seemed, though he was reluctant to ever admit it out loud, that the boy had outsmarted him in that situation.

“Don’t be ridiculous Severus,” his ego popped in, “He is a baby. He has no real knowledge of what he is punished for. No Potter will ever outsmart you!”

The Potion Master heard little Harry’s giggles and shook his head. He leaned down the playpen area and took the boy into his arms. Yet, Snape was about to realize that putting the toddler into a playpen area was the biggest mistake in his entire life. As soon as his little legs touched the floor Harry literary ‘sprinted’ across the room. At first Snape was shocked. Maybe it was the fact that he could never imagine that the miniscule infant, who had so recently started to walk, to run so ‘quickly. But then something similar to horror overtook Snape. He had just remembered something. Infants know how to walk but they don’t know how to stop. And baby Harry was sprinting towards his chamber’s open door. He rushed in front of the boy expecting him to collide on him and stop. Yet Snape had forgotten a minor detail. He stood with his legs wide apart causing the toddler to sprint between them.

“This is getting ridiculous!” he sarcastically said to himself as he snorted and turned to his heel.

At that moment he stopped dead in fear. Baby Harry was ‘sprinting’ towards the stairs. His mouth started moving as if he was trying to say something but his brain would not allow him to.

“Stairs Potter! Stairs!” he finally squeaked; only to receive baby Harry’s excited giggles.

“Great, just great!”

Taking a deep breath, and adding to the fact that he still could not move his legs form the shock; he took out his wand and shouted the first spell he could think of.

“WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!”

A white beam escaped from the tip of Snape’s wand and encircled the moving baby causing no effect.

“Oh Merlin, I am dead.” Snape thought instantly as he pictured himself trying to tell Dumbledore that the Boy-Who-Lived had turned to the Boy-Who-Tripped-At-The-Stairs-And-Broke-Every-Bone-He-Had. That, definitely, was not a nice Mental Image.

Yet at that moment baby Harry started flowing slightly. Snape, at that moment, felt his legs weaken from relief and found him self sitting on the floor, sighing in relief. He moved his wand and lowered baby Harry on his laps. He looked at the boy not knowing whether to thank Merlin, or put the ‘little menace’ into the playpen area once again as a punishment. Baby Harry looked at the man while his olive-green eyes shone in excitement The black-robed professor sighed. He was sure now. A walking Potter was threatening his sanity.

Sometimes life is not easy. Sometimes having babies was the worst mistake someone could ever do. Severus Snape, Potion Master of Hogwarts of Witchcraft and spy for the Order of Phoenix was in a dilemma. He wanted to turn the ‘Boy-Who-Lived’ to the ‘Boy-Who-Finally-Died’. Yet he suspected that the Headmaster was not going to be very pleased about such a thing. Killing the only hope for World’s Peace was unforgivable. On the other hand; a life-sentence in Azkaban did not sounded as bad as Snape may have thought. After all he was going to, finally, have some Peace and Quiet. It was official. Potter was driving him insane!

“Boy, come here this instance!” Snape shouted feeling extremely annoyed by the toddler’s behavior.

“No!” little Harry shouted while he ran away from his guardian.

No, no, no! That was everything he had been hearing the whole weekend. He knew that the Healer could not be trusted. Snape was sure; that Poppy was aware that baby Harry would turn from the ‘obedient’ 13-month old of last week to a 17-month old from Hell. But had she warned him about it? Of course she didn’t. So there he is, Severus Snape, stuck with the most irritating toddler of the whole wide World.

In the beginning Potter’s first ‘No’ was a huge shock for the raven-haired man. No one had ever dared to defy him. Apart from the Headmaster. . . Oh and McGonagall. . . And Flitwick. . . And. . . Ok, ok, many people would defy him. But those were the members of Hogwarts’ faculty. They were much older than he was; and they were allowed to do that. Students, on the other hand, were always obedient. Potter was not!

After baby Harry let out his first ‘No’ it was as if a curse had fallen on poor Snape’s head. For it seemed that baby Harry would let out this monosyllable word just for the fun of it. Snape would give Harry some pumpkin-juice. The boy would state ‘No’ so that he could ask for some juice himself a couple of minutes later. At first it was shocking, it then turned funny, but two days later it was devastatingly irritating.

“You are going to see Madam Pomfrey, if you get dressed” Snape said hoping that baby Harry would come closer.

“No!”

Snape frowned for a couple of moment. Yet he suddenly smirked. He had a devious idea that would, at least, make his day. Smirking slightly, he asked dangerously.

“Do you think you are cleverer that me, Boy?”

Baby Harry stared at his guardian for a couple of seconds. His eyes glinted mischievously and letting out a giggle he cried out loud:

“YES!”

“This is not what I expected,” Snape thought for a moment closing his eyes as a wave of defeat hit him.

He sat on his bed feeling exhausted. And the worst part was that the day had not even started yet. He lied on his back, closed his eyes for some moments and vowed to skin Potter alive when he would return to his normal age. When he opened his eyes, he saw a blur vision of an upside-down someone looking at him. As his vision got clearer he caught himself looking at two serious emerald-green eyes. Snape felt his face’s lines stretching to an unwanted two-second smile that he dismissed with a scowl. He, then, turned to the toddler and let out a sigh of defeat. Yet, at that moment epiphany hit him and Snape could not help but smirk. He had an idea. And the best part was; that he could not lose this time.

“What if I let you chose my clothes and you let me chose yours Boy? Would you, then, let me dress you up?” Snape asked baby Harry as he took him into his arms.

Baby Harry looked down as his eyes darkened to resemble the teenage Potter’s ones. Once again the raven-haired man was reminded of the sixteen-year old Potter’s way of thinking in Potions. It was as if the boy was weighing his options before answering to him. Finally the little boy nodded and Snape let him down as he waved his wand for his wardrobe to open.

While baby Harry was spending his time searching his guardian’s wardrobe, Snape was feeling satisfied with himself. At last, the Boy had lost a battle. There was nothing in Snape’s wardrobe that could make him feel highly mortified. The only clothing items he owned that was not black, was a set of grey robes that was used in very important occasions. And grey was the best option for him after black. He watched baby Harry crawling inside his wardrobe and smirked. Yet his smirk was erased when he heard a squeal of satisfaction coming from baby Harry. He had suddenly remembered about THEM!

“Oh Merlin’s Pointed Hat, I am doomed!” Snape thought in horror as he watched Harry crawling out of his wardrobe, drugging three packages with him.

“Potter, there is no power in the Wizarding World that will make me wear any of these robes!” Snape protested, cursing himself for not remembering Dumbledore’s annual birthday gift. Colourful robes. Baby Harry, however, stared at Snape with a ‘But-You-Promised!’ look that made him let out a sigh in defeat.

--------

Meanwhile in Hell

Devil: Is it my idea, or is it getting cold in here?

---------

-)-)-)

Madam Pomfrey was arranging some freshly clean towels in one of the Hospital Wing’s cupboards when she heard a faint knock on the door. As she was busy, she flicked her wand for the door to open; and then turned to greet her visitors. For a couple of moments she remained false-faced. Baby Harry was sitting on the floor and seemed to drag someone’s foot.

After a few seconds of a fight, Severus Snape entered the Hospital Wing, coughing a weak ‘Poppy’ in the process. The Potion Master pushed the toddler inside the room and stared at the Healer. His eyes lowered and feeling extremely embarrassed he rushed out of the room as quickly as he could. He moved down the stairs, while in the mirror of his head he saw Poppy’s expression over and over again. She was shocked at first, but soon enough, or it may was Snape’s idea, she was examining him in an appreciating manner.

-)-)-)

Ron Weasley was sitting, or better, half-lying; on his work-table in Snape’s classroom. By Circe he was bored to death! And the lesson had not started yet. He absolutely detested Monday mornings, since he started going to school. Potions was also not his favorite subject. Adding the factor of Potions in early Monday mornings made Ron’s first early hours unbearable. Not only was he forced to leave the warmness of his bed, but he also had to endure the most boring lesson when the only thing he wanted was to return back the comfort of the mattress. And the worst part of all was that he had no one to talk to. After all, Hermione was not as lesson-carefree as Harry was.

“Oh mate, you really had to turn into an infant!” he thought supporting his head with his hand.

He looked at Draco Malfoy, who was also in the same sitting position and was cutting small pieces of parchment, crumbled them and threw them to the floor. He, then, turned his attention to the door, expecting the ‘Greasy Git’ to enter in his usual abrupt way. He put his Sugar Quill into his mouth giving a mental order to himself to dispose it the moment Snape would enter the classroom.

That moment the door opened slowly and the Potion Master entered inside the classroom cautiously, as if he was afraid that he would cause someone a heart-attack. The effect would have been priceless to Dumbledore’s eyes. For everyone’s eyes; including Draco Malfoy’s, who was rarely taken by surprise, bulged and they all stared at their professor in a speechless shock.

The raven-haired man seriously believed that Albus Dumbledore was a sadistic old wizard. Every year he would give him a set of colourful robes just to irritate him. Five years ago, when Gilderoy Lockhart, Professor Vanity himself, was teaching at Hogwarts, the Headmaster thought that it would be a nice idea to gift him with a similar-in-style set of Lockhart’s robes, only in different colour.

Therefore, Severus Snape was now wearing a big-sleeved, silk shirt over a pair of ink-black trousers; and over it, a dark purple vest. Around his neck there was a disgusting frilly scarf-like thing that was kept tied with a round gold pin that had an onyx stone in the middle. And to conclude with that mockery of robes, he was wearing a dark purple vest cloak over the whole thing.

Snape stared at his students with venomous, glaring eyes. Each and every one’s eyes were transfixed on him as if he was a strange exotic animal. But, secretly admitting it to himself, the sight of him with colorfoul robes was even weirder than a mental image of the Dark Lord licking a scoop from an ice-cream cone. Shuddering slightly by the thought, he stared at his students. Miss Granger had gone pink, something that caused him to snicker and Mr. Weasley had covered his mouth but his eyes portrayed someone who was fighting a laugh and his bemusement. Mr. Malfoy, however, was the epitome of the entire class. His ice-grey eyes were fully open and his mouth was hanging loose from shock. Suddenly Snape felt unable to control himself. Turning to the blackboard he coughed, trying to mix up his faint chuckling. He, then, pointed his wand to the blackboard and the lesson begun.

-)-)-)

By noon every student of Hogwarts had learnt an important lesson. When your Potion Master wears coloured robes, then you must be afraid. Be Very Afraid! Those who believed that the Greasy Git could not get any merciless, in terms of homework, sarcasm and reduction of points, soon discovered that they were mistaken. Maybe the fact that he had been forced to teach with purple robes had burn a circuit in the hook-nosed professor’s head. This could only explain why he had took five House-points from Hufflepuff with the excuse that one girl’s glasses were ‘too round’ as he had said.

That day many students, even ones coming from the Slytherin house, wished the Greasy Git violent torture and a painful death. But no one could suspect what would happen that day during their meal.

It all started by the 17-months Harry’s explorations. The purple-robed professor, who was usually dressed in black, had come to the decision that a good meal was more enjoyable when the ‘green-eyes menace’ was already fed. Therefore, after baby Harry had devoured his mashed peas with carrots, Snape whipped the boy’s face from any trace of food and placed him on Great Hall’s floor. He, then, returned to his golden plate, which was instantly filled with hot soup; and mentally reminded his self of keeping an eye on the boy every once and a while.

Meanwhile baby Harry looked around with his olive-green eyes. His eyes searched the room and stopped at the Gryffindor Table. His eyes were light with happiness and he instantly squeaked in satisfaction.

“Wed”

It seemed that baby Harry had ‘curiously’ developed a love about the red colour and seeing the Gryffindor table, he became overly excited. He stood up and walked as quickly as his little feet would help him do so. Reaching the Gryffindor Table, he crawled down and stopped near a red-headed teenage girl, who was having a low, yet rather irritated, conversation with a tall red-headed boy.

“Ron will you leave me alone?” she hissed dangerously.

Ron fell silent for a couple of seconds before he would stubbornly ask.

“It’s that boy, Bobby, from Ravenclaw?”

“Not of your damn business!” Ginny said stressing each word dangerously, not looking at her brother.

“Tell me.”

“No!”

“Tell me!”

“No Ron! No! No! It’s not of your. . .”

Ginny Weasley was about to say something that would have made a sailor’s mother proud, but she stopped as she felt something soft and round between hers and her brother’s ribs. She turned her head sideways, as her brother did exactly the same thing. Looking down he saw two round green eyes looking both at her and Ron, while smiling. The red-headed teenage girl could not help but smile both to the little boy and to her brother’s bemused expression.

Ron Weasley looked at the small boy as if he had just heard Hermione Granger saying that she felt too bored to study. After all, looking at a smaller version of his best friend’s self was too awkward. Even for him that had the two, most eccentric, people of the Wizarding World as his twin brothers.

“Oh hello Harry,” Ginny said smiling, making the Gryffindors close to her turn to look at the boy, “what are you doing here?”

“Wed!” Harry said happily and touched the Gryffindor-table’s red tablecloth, leaving a squeal of satisfaction when his hands touched the soft velvet material.

“Is that so?” Ginny asked sounding interested “Have you learnt the rest of the colours?”

Harry’s little head nodded in agreement and pointing at Ginny’s head he shouted loud.

“Blue!”

Ginny blinked in surprise. “Blue? My hair is not blue!”

“No Harry dear,” she said sweetly “It is orange, not blue.”

“Blue!” baby Harry insisted stubbornly, still pointing at Ginny’s head. “No owaing. Blue!”

Ginny, who was still feeling confused, was about to insist on her hair-colour, but she was stopped. Ron, who was barely controlling his chuckles, put his hand over her head. Immediately Ginny felt something being pulled out of her hair.

“You are right Harry,” Ron said smiling, “it is blue.” Finishing his sentence he put something inside baby Harry’s hand. Ginny giggled when she saw her small blue star-shaped hair-pin.

When Snape saw Mr. and Miss. Weasley engaging themselves with the Boy and came to the decision that he could enjoy his meal. Having finished his meal, he marched across the half-filled room and stopped near baby Harry. The boy looked at him and frowned. Then, when the raven-haired man tried to catch his miniature hand, Harry jerked his hand away violently and shouted.

“No!”

Everyone turned around as the boy uttered this word. Some students gasped. No one had ever dared to say ‘No’ to Severus Snape. Snape on the other hand felt his patience packing her suitcases and waving goodbye to him.

“Here I am, dressed in the most hideous set or robes, with everybody looking at me since morning and hearing “No” for the zillionth time this week. I am certainly not going to. . . Ah I hate my life!” he thought in despair.

He made another attempt to grasp the boy’s hand, in which he was successful. Yet no one had prepared him of what was going to happen next. Baby Harry jerked himself free and running away from him; he fell to the floor and started screaming as if he was in mortal danger. Snape stood still watching the boy hitting his tiny fists and legs in the loudest tantrum Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had ever heard.

“Great! Just, Great!” Snape thought in embarrassment and covered his eyes with right palm, before he would sit down in the nearest chair.

“Professor,” Hermione asked in shaky voice, afraid that her professor would explode from anger “what’s wrong with Harry?”

Severuse Snape did not spoke. Ron, Ginny and Hermione looked at him as baby Harry’s shrieks echoed in the silent Great Hall. Finally, Snape spoke softly.

“It is nothing Miss. Granger. He will shout, he will kick and then he will fall silent.”

-)-)-)

“Is that so?” the woman from the painting said, as she placed her hand in front her mouth, trying to cover her chuckles.

“Mother this is serious,” Snape said sternly, “I had to endure all this screaming and kicking. Not to mention that I promised him to let him visit those Gryffindors on Friday, before they leave the castle. By Merlin this boy is such a disaster.”

“Well he is not worse than you, at his age!”

“There is no way I was like that mother!” Snape said defiantly.

“Oh but you were. You could be heard from miles away when you had a tantrum.”

“If they have to endure this situation, why do people choose to have children?”

“Oh I don’t know Severus dear. I guess that it’s the only way for humanity to continue.” Mrs. Snape joked.

“So what did you do with me? Don’t tell you had to wait for me to grow up enough to explain that what I did was not good.”

“Actually Severus, there is a way to stop him. If you are willing to do it, at least.”

For the first time in the entire Hogwarts’ history, and after the defeat of the evil warlock Grindewald that is, the whole castle was left empty. It seemed that in period of great danger the students rushed to visit their houses, as if it was their last chance they had to visit and say goodbye to their parents. Therefore, it was no surprise that all students had taken the chance to visit home. Since last year’s confirm, from the Ministry of Magic, about the Dark Lord’s return, every wizard studied the ‘Daily Prophet’ awaiting to know about his moves.

“This is preposterous! Why on Merlin’s Portion Vial would the Dark Lord wonder around that woman’s garden.” Snape thought in anger tossing ‘Daily Prophet’ away from him. “Stupid Rumours! No wonder people are getting all jumpy.”

Severus Snape stood up and looked outside the window. The Grounds were covered by a carpet of shimmering snow and the lake had frozen solid. The raven-haired man lowered his eyes towards the castle’s Main Entrance. The last carriages were waiting for the few students to embark, while the Thestrals moved their heads upwards trying to grasp the coolness of each snowflake.

Snape could not help but to think on the Irony of the whole situation. Every time there was great danger, the students would abandon Hogwarts so easily, forgetting that it was the safest place any wizard in danger could be in. He turned to look at the luminous clock. Granger and the Weasley boy and girl, who were about to depart, were with, the still, 17 month-old Potter. He turned around, opened the door and headed to the Gryffindor Tower.

-)-)-)

Some say children are a source of an endless happiness. Severus Snape seriously believed that anyone with such a perception had never seen a child in his entire life. The truth was different and he knew that. Children are the source of an endless chaos. Children are little monsters that they are going to eat you alive if you are not too careful. That was exactly what children were. Snape knew it well. After all, he was the guardian of the most ferocious one that ever existed.

It seemed that the empty castle made baby Harry very cranky. It was probably the fact that this place was very huge and extremely quiet, that made the boy feel extremely irritated. Snape, who was always affected by the castle’s ‘Deadly Silence’, as he would say, was also feeling much irritated and unfortunately baby Harry’s behaviour would not help at all.

“OUT! Me wants get out!” baby Harry whined and stomped his foot on the floor.

“I hate my life,” Snape thought in desperation. Why couldn’t the boy understand?

“Boy. . . Harry,” he said shrugging as he remembered Madam Pomfrey’s speech of having to address the boy by his name, “It’s snowing outside. We can’t go.”

“Me wants to get out!” baby Harry whined louder.

“Stupid blizzard!” Snape thought looking outside the window as the air was blowing dangerously mixing with the heavy snow. For nearly two whole days that the blizzard was taking place; Potter got more and more anxious to get out of the castle. The day before, he had managed to convince him into staying inside. But he suspected that the current day was not his lucky one.

To confirm his suspicions, baby Harry fall into a tantrum. Hogwarts’ professor stared at the toddler, who had started kicking and screaming at the top of his lungs. He suspected that a hint of headache was about to develop. Unless. . .

“There is a way to stop tantrums my son. If, you are willing to do it,” the voice of his mother echoed inside his head. Snape sighed in defeat, took his wand out, charmed the room so that no one could hear him from outside; and hoped that this incident would never escape his chamber’s walls.

He moved forward and lied next to the toddler. Then, and as if a signal was given; Severus Snape, Potion Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, started hitting his fists and legs on the covered-with-mattress floor and let out small yelps and screams as if he was having a tantrum himself. It was not for long when baby Harry started calming down and for a moment Snape was tempted into shouting a loud ‘Mean Harry! Mean, mean Harry’. Yet he instantly told himself to get serious, doubting however that pretending to have a tantrum was a serious action.

After pretending for some time, Snape turned his head and let out a pretended sniffle. Baby Harry was looking at him seriously and the man could not help himself but to thank Merlin about Potter’s ability to empathize.

“Sad” baby Harry stated and rubbed his miniature hand on his Guardian’s face, who nodded. “Sowwy” he said quietly, while the man made an effort to smile but not to smile.

“Umm. . . It is fine, Boy. . . Harry” Snape said quietly and sat up.

While he stared at the boy moving towards his toys, the man could not help but notice that pretending to have a tantrum was a rather stress-releasing experience.

-)-)-)

There are rooms in Hogwarts’ castle that no student knew about. They were undetectable on the Marauder’s map and only the ones who would know the password could enter inside. That day Dobby the house-elf entered one of those rooms and engaged into cleaning it. He opened the windows for fresh air and light to enter. Feeling the cold breeze entering the room the freed elf lit the fireplace and started rubbing a dustpan against the chairs’ wood to clean them. He first paid attention to the one that had Hogwarts’ emblem embroidered on it. Suddenly his eye fell on a small wrapped parcel that was under it. Leaning down, he took the wrapped package and in surprise he saw that it belonged to him. He unwrapped the package to find a pair of mismatched, hideous-to-any-other-eye of socks. The one was vivid pink and had little turquoise dots and stripes going vertically across it. The other one was strawberry-red with little bananas stamped on it. And around them there was a piece of parchment.

‘Dear Dobby

‘I would like to wish you Merry Christmas for tomorrow and a well rest. I hope that you will like my gift of socks, as I truly believe that no one can have enough of them.

‘Regards

‘Albus Dumbledore’

Dobby smiled happily and then placed his gift for Dumbledore under the chair and magically chanted it for only the Headmaster to see. Minutes later, having cleaned the whole room, Dobby retreated back to the kitchens. It was not long after Dobby’s retreat that many footsteps were heard approaching the room. The wooden door opened slightly and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry’s faculty entered the room and sat down.

-)-)-)

“Ha, ha, ha! Very funny!” Severus Snape commented sarcastically looking at the rest of the faculty who were all chuckling; except Dumbledore, who was laughing his head off.

It seemed that his ex-professors, now ‘fellow’ faculty members, had decided to joke with him on the present exchange. Minerva McGonagall had gifted him with a magical book named ‘Working Wizard and a Father: Looking after your Bundle of Joy’, while Flitwick had given him a potion-kit for little children. Yet Dumbledore’s present was once again the one to make Snape shudder. Dumbledore gave him a black t-shirt that had the sentence ‘Best Daddy Award’ shining, and magically stamped to change color, on it.

The hook-nosed man closed his eyes into slits as he looked at the rest of the faculty who were laughing at his expense. “Christmas! What a stupid holiday! If it wasn’t for the presents no one would care about it at all,” he thought in disgust.

“Oh come on Severus, it was just a joke!” Madam Hooch said chuckling as the real, and much better, presents were given to Snape.

“Now as you all know,” the Headmaster started while he shoved a tear away “there are no students staying here for the holidays. Thus tomorrow, you can enjoy your Christmas day with your family or wherever you want. Before you leave, Severus, I have a message from Sybil Trelawney. Be aware of the two-headed troll.”

Snape let out a snort, while Professor McGonagall raised her eyes in desperation. As the others were standing up to leave, Dumbledore gave Snape, secretly, a piece of paper. When Snape was finally alone, he unfolded the piece of parchment and read.

“Meeting at the Order’s Headquarters tomorrow morning.”

-)-)-)

o-o-o

“No, Quirinus, please don’t!” the woman inside the portrait pleaded over and over again as the tall hook-nosed man rushed towards the enchanted canvases, unchanged them and destroyed them.

A young, pale boy with black hair, big beetle-black eyes and a hooked nose peeked into the room and saw his father destroying all the enchanted canvases that his mother’s magical portrait used to inhabit. His mother’s death had hit his father hard. For some days he had fallen silent, as if his mind was in hibernation, but then, that day, his father woke up to be more fierce than ever. The boy listened to his mother’s screams and to his father’s cries.

“If I can’t have you in body, I don’t want you in soul either!”

The seven year old boy wondered why his father would want his mother’s spirit dead along with her body. He started in horror as the canvases were getting fewer and fewer. Three. . . Two. . . One. . .

Quirinus Snape stopped to look at the last canvas. The woman’s beetle-black eyes enlarged with fear. Her usually pale cheeks were flush-red and her long raven-black hair was messed up. The seven-year old boy looked at his mother’s state and thought that she was beautiful. His father grinned for a moment and with a swift movement he threw the last canvas into the fire.

o-o-o

Severus Snape shot up with a gasp. Sweat-beads rolled down his forehead as he strangled to make his heart-beats and breathe fall into the normal levels. He gulped and felt his sore throat moisten. That Dream! That. . . Memory! He shot out from his bed, walked in the dark across the room; and opened the door that was near his mahogany desk. His mother’s snoozes were barely heard. He approached the painting and looked at the woman sleeping peacefully. Sighing in relief, he turned around. Yet before he could reach the door, the woman’s groggy voice was heard.

“Severus? Honey is that you?”

Snape turned to look at her. His voice escaped soft from his lips.

“Yes mother. I just needed to get something. I am sorry to disturb you.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“Yes, I am; making a potion,” he lied.

The woman looked at her son in skepticism. She doubted on her son telling the truth. Though it was not the first time to have listened to that explanation, that particular night she could not believe to his words. Yet she held her tongue. After all it was useless to try making her son speak when he did not want to.

Severus Snape sat up into his bed thinking. He wondered whether he had seen a dream or whether a ‘particular someone’ had tried to enter his mind. He huffed to himself feeling worried and kept thinking until he doze off to sleep once again.

o-o-o

After Sirius Black’s death the Order’s headquarters had changed and; though Snape was never going to admit it out loud, the man felt relieved. The new headquarters were placed a little outside London and they were also undetectable due to the strong wards Mad-Eye Moody had placed on them. Snape stood in front of a two-storey, large, stone building that looked as if no one had taken care of it in years. There was an enormous garden, fully covered with a thick blanket of snow and only a small clean trail that led to a wooden door seem to stop the snow’s unity. Snape walked carefully in that slippery trail and knocked the wooden door. It was not for long until someone would open the door.

“Harry!” the red-headed woman cried out happily taking the toddler into her arms. “Oh Arthur, isn’t he adorable?” she asked her husband as she hugged the boy tightly.

Arthur Weasley stared at the green-eyed boy, who tried to move inside his wife’s grasp. He was about to say something to her when there was a rumble at the stairs. For a moment Snape thought that the old wooden house was about to collapse. Swift beating footsteps descended towards him and loud mixed-up voices were roaring. A loud hooting was heard and the black-robed man barely caught, with the corner of his left eye, a tiny grey ball of feathers swooping near the side of his head and flying outside the door.

“PIG!” a chorus of voices echoed as the sound of footsteps became louder and louder.

“This is entirely your fault!”

“Our fault?” two identical voices protested in unison, “Ron your stupid owl ate our latest prank invent...”

Ron Weasley, having forgot that an Order meeting was about to begin, had stop in shock seeing his professor standing in the headquarters’ doorstep causing the Twins to land on him. Luckily Ron had not lost his balance after his brothers’ abrupt stop, but he had fallen silent, as silent as his brothers were. Yet, this silence did not last for long. Suddenly the last Weasley son cried a ‘Pig’ of desperation and ran outside the old house immediately.

The Twins were about to follow Ron when they saw baby Harry in their mother’s arms. Maybe it was a Twin thing but they both looked at each other with gleaming eyes and nodded to show that they were thinking exactly the same thing.

“Oh mum!” they both exclaimed in a mocking desperation.

“Not another. . .” Fred started.

“. . . one of those!” George continued into finishing his twin’s sentence and looked at baby Harry in a mocking terror.

“At least you could have warned.”

Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to say something, but to her misfortune her two jokesters-of-a-sons had not finished.

“But wait!” Fred called out triumphantly, “There is something not quite right.”

George took the expression of a scientist that was examining something very strange. Baby Harry giggled as the Twins would move around their mother and examine him from every different angle.

“Alas, I found it my dear brother!” George cried out enthusiastically. “This outlandish specimen of his kind had black hair, not red.”

With those words they both turned to look at their mother, as if they were waiting an explanation for the infant’s ‘peculiar’ hair-colour. Molly Weasley looked at them sternly and gave the infant boy to one of them.

“Very funny boys,” she said seriously,” Now go upstairs and engage with Harry for a while.”

“Sure mum!” Fred spoke while George gave the toddler a funny face. Baby Harry giggled as Fred turned to face him.

“After all, young Harry over here is perfect for testing our new magical toy-invention. Ok Harry, let’s go upstairs”

Baby Harry waved to his guardian and giggled even louder to one of the Twin’s grimaces.

“Don’t worry Snape,” Arthur Weasley said bringing the big-nosed man back to reality; and making him realize that he had been staring at the old wooden staircase for some time, “you know the Twins. They wouldn’t hurt a fly. . .”

“I am not so sure that this rule applies to babies too.” Snape thought sarcastically.

“. . . and if anything happens to Harry, Molly and I will have something to say on the matter.”

Snape turned to his heels and was about to follow Mr. Weasley to the kitchen when he remembered something. He glowered at the balding red-headed man and stated:

“I do not care about the Boy’s welfare, Weasley.”

Mr. Wealsey just stated an “Uh ha” and entered the kitchen, followed by a slightly irritated Snape. A wonderful mix of different aromas struck the professor as he entered. Mrs. Wealsey had engaged herself with preparing the gravy, checking on the pudding and mixing lemon with oil for the turkey. Tonks, who, currently, had spiky short green hair and faint-blue irises, was vexing Mad-Eye Moody to help her decorate the kitchen with freshly-cut pine-tree branches and magical sparkling balls that changed colours.

“Oh come on Mad-Eye! It will not hurt you to gimme that ball yo’ know”

Moody growled and tossed a small ball at her, which she caught and put on the braches above the kitchen window.

“Oh and that big one now.”

“Nymphadora, I may was your mentor for the last couple of years, but some respect never hurt anyone.” he said to her grumpily, making her shudder in disgust as he uttered her name, and then tossed her the ball. “In my times. . .”

“In your times there was no Draught Potion” she snickered, “Oh and that one – please.”

Alastor Moody growled and turned to face the new-comer. His magical eye moved upwards and then downwards, scanning the Potion Master. A black wand was hidden in a secret inner pocket, insight the man’s shirt. It was the real Snape alright. Admitting to himself, though never out loud, it was good to see someone having a hold of his head, despite the so called ‘Christmas environment’.

Snape on the other hand felt uncomfortable to see Moody. The old Auror waked insight him a feeling of apprehension. Therefore he sat as far away from him, on the table, as he could; which it wasn’t much. Just three seats away. A quarter of an hour later, Albus Dumbledore arrived, accompanied by a very worn-out Lupin. And the meeting began.

-)-)-)

“The Goblins at Gringotts have started moving the treasures away from the tombs. More and more gold is ‘safe’” Bill stressed the word safe as if to tell something was bothering him greatly. The others looked at him in anticipation but he remained silent.

“Oh come on Bill,” Tonks said and looked at him with her new yellow irises, “no one is going to tell you off for sayin’ something you believe it’s important.”

“It’s just. . . Something is bothering me. . . Once – When I was searching for Lycos’ tomb, one of the wizards in king Medas’ court, in Greece, an old witch told me something. Translating her saying . . . Well it was something like – ‘Beware of not losing both the eggs and the basket in the end. You know, as if saying that we must be aware not to keep everything in one place because we might end losing everything. I know that Gringotts is regarded to be the most secure place in the wizarding world, after Hogwarts. But what if? What if You-Know-Who finds a way to enter insight our Main Vault? Everything is stored there. Gold – Silver – Copper – Gemstones – Everything.”

“The whole economy is going to collapse in a few hours.” Snape stated in a monotonous matter-of-fact tone.

The attention turned to him, waiting to hear more. Snape however shrugged his shoulders.

“As long as I know; He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has not called for a meeting for a long time.”

“Something. He is preparing something!” Moody grumped.

Snape was about to continue when it happened. A hot piercing pain spread across his left forearm making him let out a yelp of discomfort. Clutching his forearm he stood up immediately, opened the door and rushed out into the garden, crossing it as quickly as he could. The moment his feet touched the wardless soil, he apparated to thin air.

-)-)-)

Snape apparated outside the same old filthy-looking manor he always did when the Dark Lord called them for a meeting. He wore his cloak and mask and cleaning his head of thought he entered the building. Though it was still morning there was no light at all insight the rooms, which were only dim-lit by some candles. Some of the Death Eaters entered behind him and the all moved to meet the others in the room where the Dark Lord was waiting for them.

“Welcome my followers. I hope that I had not interrupted anything important” Voldemort sneered. “No, I think not. Now shall we begin?”

-)-)-)

It was a fact that Snape never liked too much attention towards his face. Yet he, somewhat, felt really good inside when he returned back to the Order’s headquarters. The moment he reached the doorstep of the old manor, he was greeted by Arthur Weasley, who led him immediately into the kitchen. Everyone turned to look at him as he sat down.

“Come on Snape, spill the beans out.” Moody grumbled impatiently.

“We are rather impatient aren’t we?” Snape said, while Moody looked as if he was about to kill him. “I am afraid I have no great things to tell. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had called for a meeting. Well not really a meeting. A lecture I would say. He wanted to lecture his followers, terrorize them and then send them back home. It’s a good method to keep everyone in perfect order.

“Perfect order?” Tonks asked in puzzlement.

“The Death-Eaters were formed many years ago. Almost during Tom Riddle’s last years at Hogwarts.” Dumbledore said softly.

Bill and Tonks kept staring at Dumbledore and Snape waiting for more.

“Let me explain,” Snape started.

“Hogwarts, as you know, was formed many centuries ago, a little after the Witch-Hunting in Europe. Salazar Slytherin, unlike the other founders, believed that children with magical abilities coming from Muggle families were not to be trusted, thus not to be taught. And it is true that he chose to teach the children coming from Magical families rather than from a Muggle one. This is source of all our problems. The children that worked under Slytherin’s guidance formed the perception that wizards coming from Wizard families are regarded to be better than the others who came from Muggle families.

“So one day Salazar Slytherin leaves Hogwarts and centuries pass by. The ‘so called’ Mudblood-Pureblood perception gets stronger and more exaggerated, like true stories turning into myths as they pass from mouth to mouth over time. Another problem appears. Some wizards marry Muggles, even though it is still risky, others marry, if I am allowed to say so, Mudbloods. They form something called a Half-Blood race. So what happens now? Of course for the matters of a good policy everyone is regarded to be equal by the Ministry. . . Even though wizards and witches that are Muggle-born cannot be easily hired in the Ministry, well they are equal. And then it happens.”

“Tom Riddle came to Hogwarts.” Albus Dumbledore whispered.

“A boy comes to Hogwarts that eventually proves to be the last descendant of Salazar Slytherin. He gathers some fanatics and forms the first Death-Eaters. He anagrams his name and gives himself a new one.” At that point Snape stopped and took a deep breath. “He speaks to his fans and convinces them that as the true followers of Salazar Slytherin they must destroy all the Muggles, so no Muggleborns can now be born, and try to control the Half-bloods and Muggleborns, so that true power will return to all Purebloods.

“And so it happens. The first, original, Death Eaters called their action the ‘Cause’ and did all those horrible things. Of course their children were obliged to follow, wanting it or not. One day Voldemort disappears. The new generation of the Death-Eaters is not as obliged to their ‘Master’ as the old one was. They do not look for him, most of the dangerous fanatics are locked in Azkaban and they eventually die. Those who are still wondering among us, try to forget You-Know-Who’s existence and their involvement to his plans. Yet two years ago He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named rises again. . . Don’t forget wizards or not; we are humans. You-Know-Who is still regarded to be the most fearsome wizard ever lived. As the Death Mark burns back to their forearm, a nightmare comes to life. If they do not return to him they risk their family’s death and their own.

“Now you must understand that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is aware of that. He feels that he is surrounded by people that are afraid of him. He knows that his followers are not as loyal as they say they are. Therefore every once and a while he calls for a meeting and throws hints at everyone about how unfortunate it will be if they fail him. He is also very careful. He tells us nothing of his plans, while he forms them, so that no one will spoil them.”

Snape took a deep breath and paced for a moment around the crammed room.

“I must admit that spying is much more difficult now. Before his first disappearance Voldemort felt secure and talked too much. Now he had very few loyal followers and trusts nobody. No, he trusts Bellatrix and Pettigrew, who never abandon him, not even for a second.”

Half an hour later the meeting came to an end and a new topic appeared. The ‘How-to-convince-Severus-Snape-to-stay-for-Christmas-Lunch’ topic. At first Snape was against the idea of staying for lunch. Yet after quite some vexing from Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley’s crystal-clear saying that she would not take “no” for an answer, Snape and Harry were forced to stay for Lunch. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley prepared the turkey, while Moody, Dumbledore and Snape, who was uncomfortably pinned between them, entered the big Dining Hall. Of course what they met made Moody smile faintly, Dumbledore beam and Snape stop in shock.

Fred Weasley was walking on four around the room having baby Harry on his back, who was giggling and shouting ‘horsy’ as Fred was imitating horse-sounds. George, Ron, Ginny and Hermione, of course, were sitting on a sofa and the couch and were watching them laughing their head off.

“Oh very funny,” Fred said sarcastically, “When it will be your turn, I will be the one to laugh. My back is killing me, y’ know.”

Moody and Snape coughed to get their attention, something that made Fred stop in shock and blush, something that was very peculiar for the Potions Master.

“And may I ask what you are doing?” Snape asked slowly.

“It’s a game sir,” Ginny said immediately, “Horse-ride. Harry was getting bored and we thought to entertain him. Children love it, sir.”

“Time to eat children,” Mrs. Weasley called cheerfully.

“Bummer” Ron whispered when he saw Snape sitting at the table with them, only to be nudged in the ribs by Hermione immediately that moment.

“Don’t worry Mr. Weasley” Snape said with a really small tone of enjoyment “I promise not to bite you”

-)-)-)

Snape pulled the end of a large magical silver-green Cracker that Dumbledore had offered him, making it erupt like a booming cannon and shot into the air spreading a silvery-gold glitter around the room. Baby Harry, who was currently sitting on his lap, let an ‘Aww’ of satisfaction that was followed by the word ‘Pweetty!” From inside the Cracker fell a hair-garland with bunny-ears that Snape wore to baby Harry, feeling shocked with the fact that for the first time in his life he was enjoying himself so much during a Christmas Feast. He mentally told himself to avoid drinking wine ever again, though deep down he knew that the wine was not to be blamed.

Harry himself, with his guardian’s aid of course, had tug the end of a red cracker won a bright gold ribbon that was currently trying to tie around the raven-haired man’s wrist. For a moment he stopped and turned at George and said happily “Babl”.

George comply the boy’s wish immediately and took out a small bottle from his pocket. Hermione had once described to his brother and he; about a Muggle toy that worked with soapsuds. Apparently someone used to put a stick with a kind of a ring in its end into the soapsuds and then blow at it causing many bubbles to erupt. Fred and George took the Muggle idea, experimented on different potions and, after many explosions, they discovered a liquid that created bubbles that changed colours and lasted even when someone touched them. Yet when someone imposed pressure on them, the bubbles would just disappear with a ‘plop’ refreshing the air with a fruit-scent.

Harry was immediately won by that game, something that made the Twins secretly promise to buy Hermione a book every Christmas and her birthday until the day they, or she, would die. As the place was filled with beautiful bubbles that plopped to leave behind the beautiful smell of strawberry, orange, apple and banana; Snape felt his defenses rising. He feared that if he stayed to that place for too long, he would start singing Christmas carols. Coughing slightly, he took baby Harry into his arms and announced his departure.

“Oh come on Severus. Just stay for the pudding.” Molly Weasley asked in euphoria, while her husband was holding her hand under the table.

“I am afraid; Harry and I will have to pass.” he said seriously as he stood up.

Mrs. Weasley nodded in agreement only when Snape had agreed to take a piece of pudding with him, and they both entered the kitchen while the teenagers were saying baby Harry goodbye.

“I must admit you are doing a great work with Harry Severus” Molly Weasley said as she put some pudding in a small plate. “I must admit I had my doubts, but you proved me wrong. But be warned, great things are yet to come. You are aware that when he turns eighteen-months old he will start remembering his life with those Muggles, don’t you?”

“I suppose so.”

“Just be patient, ok Severus?” she asked him kindly, but received only a deep sigh.

Snape leaned down, took Mrs. Weasley’s hand and kissed it softly. Praising her cooking, he took the covered plate that contained pudding and entered the living room. Harry ran to him, as fast as his little legs could do so, and showed him the “bubble-toy” the Twins gave him as a present. Lifting the toddler to his arms, he stepped outside the house, and taking an empty-can from down the street he was portkeyed back to Hogwarts.

-)-)-)

It was near dark and Severus Snape was enjoying the remaining of Christmas Day reading a book near the fireplace. Suddenly he felt someone tugging his left trouser and looked down to see baby Harry smiling wide at him, having his hands behind his back. Snape looked at the toddler in curiosity as Harry showed his a piece of paper covered in colours.

“Pwesent” the little boy said smiling as he gave him the picture he had made. Snape looked at the picture and let a somewhat happy-and-moved sigh and then, in the spur of the moment, he leaned down and gave baby Harry a hug. Baby Harry’s eyes enlarged for a moment, almost in shock, but then he let a giggle, that was followed by a small yawn.

Later that evening when baby Harry was tucked in bed, Snape moved to change into something more comfortable. Only then he realized that the small boy had managed to tie the golden ribbon with a knot on his left wrist.

Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was in a pretty uncomfortable disposition. He closed his eyes for a while, re-opened them and panted as he attempted to move forward. He stopped feeling exhausted and prayed to Merlin for his ordeal to finish soon. Yet he knew that he had a long way to go until everything would finish. Suddenly he felt a slight kick on the ribs and he growled as a bell-like childish laughter echoed in his ears.“HORSY!”

Baby Harry squealed in excitement as his Guardian, to whose back he was sitting and whose ribs he had kicked started moving once again. Snape on the other hand was not as excited as the small boy. He moved grumbled to himself about how he never really liked to play with the boy and how that little menace was destined to drive him crazy.

“I can’t believe how difficult this is,” Snape thought huffing in exhaustion, “How on Merlin’s triangular-shaped vial; do babies manage to stay in such a position for so long?”

Snape looked up as his head banged slightly against the wall. End of the line. Now it was time to turn back. “How on Earth am I ever going to turn back while I am standing on four?” he pondered as he cautiously moved his hands in order to move around. “Hand, hand, no don’t cross them together. Foot, foot. Oh my back hurts. Hand, hand. Foot, foot. I did it!” Having turned around Snape crawled back to where the starting point of this weird expedition had started.

“Ok Boy, end of the line. Get off my back now.” Snape growled as he landed on his stomach, in a rather ungraceful manner. Baby Harry giggled and moved towards his toys. The tall man stood up, feeling that his back has suffered a non-reversible damage for life. He paced quickly, yet weakly, towards the couch, sat down, and raised his hands up forming a diagonal line with his body. As he shuddered by the horrible ‘crack’ coming from his poor maltreated bones, he could not help but think that Mr. Weasley was worthy of a saint. After all he had carried the burden of seven children on his back. And Snape was perfectly sure that the Twins always rode together.

-)-)-)

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was empty of students, since they had all visited their homes during the Christmas holidays. The castle was quiet indoors but that Wednesday morning the Grounds were not. Madame Hooch was flying into the cold weather. Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick had just finished charming the castle’s entrance, which was damaged during a blizzard, and were chattering unaware of the position a certain hook-nosed man was about to be.

Far by Professor Snape was standing while holding an infant into his arms. The man seemed to be a huge contrast with the beautiful, almost unnaturally white scenery of the silver frozen lake and heavily snow-packed trees as he was dressed in black. Yet that day Snape was not wearing his usual set of robes but a rather elegant set of black ones. His pair of trousers was made out of expensive magical warm cloth. His cloak had a black fur around the shoulders, and though it seemed rather over-luxurious to him, it was keeping him comfortably warm. To conclude he was wearing a pair of black gloves and boots. Baby Harry, who was also dressed in the same style – only different colour – looked at the snow in excitement and squealed happily.

“Pwetty Cweam”

Baby Harry had tasted whipped creams during last week’s dinner and was so fascinated by it whiteness that cream and snow became one inside his little head. Snape let the toddler down, feeling dazed by the pure white of the scenery.

“Practically Bo. . . Harry, I can’t understand your fascination with snow,” Snape sneered as the boy attempted to walk on the snow. “You cannot move properly with this around. See what I mean?” he exclaimed as the boy sank inside the snow. Snape moved cautiously towards baby Harry.

“Not to mention that this white stuff is . . . aaarrggghhh. . .” Snape was not able to finish his words, since he slipped on the snow and landed on it with a ‘thump, “. . . slippery”

One hour, and a snowman, later a hook-nosed man entered the Castle feeling exhausted and being soaked to the bone. He felt that it was time for a long warm bath for both the little boy and him. Yet he had no time to turn his thought into actions as the Headmaster approached him.

“Ah Severus, had fun outside I guess? I think you ought to visit Poppy at the Infirmary. She has requested to see you, I think.”

-)-)-)

Madam Pomfrey sat at her chair feeling slightly nervous. Snape was never very patient when he heard bad news. And she could guess that these were going to be bad news for him. She sighed, waiting for the professor to enter the Hospital Wing. Some time later the door opened abruptly startling her. She turned angrily to see a sneering Snape, only to sneer to herself.

“My Severus, we should leave you outside in the snow more often!”

Snape looked at her, not understanding and then turned to the wall where she had pointed. His eyes met a mirror and he could not help but stare at the healthily flushed cheeks he was awarded, for being too much time in the cold. He snorted.

“You asked to see me I presume?” he asked coldly, as if the reddening of his cheeks were not important.

“Oh yes,” Madam Pomfrey said returning back to her Healer’s manners. “I am afraid I must ask you to escort young Harry, over here, to his child-doctor’s appointment tomorrow morning. He has a shot appointment”

Snape paled for a moment but regained his coolness much to the Healer’s surprise.

“I would have asked for the shots to be owled. . .”

“Owled?” Snape asked interrupting her. Since when do Muggle child-doctors have access to owls?

“Oh yes she is a Squib, didn’t I tell you. She has access to such things as owls. The fact that she could not do magic did not handicapped her for helping in the wizard society. Anyway - I would have asked for the shots to be owled but I am afraid that owling is not possible with all this upcoming blizzards. So I guess you should wear that Muggle clothes you own, take the subway and be at her office tomorrow morning at ten o’ clock.”

“Hey wait a minute, what about. . .” Snape interrupted and looked at Harry with emphasis.

“Do not worry Severus. Helena is a very trusted member of . . . you know . . . After all we managed to magic everything and everyone to protect Harry over here. A visit to the child-doctor is no difficult thing. Her office will be empty and no one will ever know you were there.”

Snape just sighed in defeat. Thursday was going to be one long day!

-)-)-)

It was a grey moody Thursday morning but no one could feel the cold as they waited for the train in London’s underground. Some people where conversing, while others waited patiently. Snape stood stiffly still, wearing a muggle outfit consisted of a pair of blue-jeans, a warm black woolen polo-neck pullover, a coat and a pair of squeaky clean black boots; and held a small green-eyed boy that was looking around in excitement. Snape felt the small hand’s warmness inside his palm and let a nervous sigh. He rubbed his free hand on his head and waited. Suddenly his thoughts were disturbed by a loud approaching noise. He looked up as he felt the small boy cowering behind his leg.

Baby Harry was surprised by the new outside-the-castle’s-walls world he was experiencing but all these loud noises were making him nervous. From behind his guardian he gazed as a big white thing entered for the hole on the wall. He looked up and stared at his ‘daddy’ expectantly. He looked back at him, raised his shoulders and then took his into his arms. Harry looked over his ‘daddy’s’ shoulder as he carried him inside the train.

Snape sat down and place baby Harry on his lap, as the train started its monotonous journey. The raven-haired man’s eyes wondered around and then rested on the little boy. Baby Harry was holding Bibi, the stuffed unicorn toy, in his hands and was half-babbling, half-speaking to it in excitement.

“You have no idea on how lucky you are Boy.” Snape thought as Harry hugged the unicorn-toy affectionately. “You have nothing to worry about, yet”

“Aren’t those two cute?” asked a soft whispering voice that reached his ears, bringing him back to reality. He looked up, but instead of turning his head; he looked with the corner of his eyes for the source of speaking.

A few seats away there were two old women, who were looking at him, and baby Harry, fondly. He did not look up towards them. For a weird reason he wondered of what they were about to say.

“Yes, dear. And how sweet this little one is!” her companion said “Look at how he plays with that unicorn toy!”

“Precious like a piece of freshly-baked bread,” the other said nodding in agreement.

“And his father,” the old woman said while Snape suppressed a snort, “Such a handsome young man. Reminds me of my Jonathan, God rest his soul.”

“It is so good to see the younger generation taking care of its children. When we were young, men never paid attention to children.”

“Never knew how difficult it is to raise a child!”

“You are telling me.” Snape thought in agreement, “Especially this little menace over here” he added looking at baby Harry who was banging Bibi against his lap.

“Oh look at how much he looks like his father. Has his hair I presume.”

When Snape heard that comment it was as if someone had slapped him across the face. He looked at the women in bewilderment and standing up he rushed towards the open doors.

“They were old. Don’t panic, they were old. No one except them will ever think you are Potter’s father. You are not turning soft and caring,” he kept muttering to himself as he walked towards the exits.

-)-)-)

Severus Snape strolled down the wet streets of London seeking for the correct address. Every once and a while he would stop and explain something to baby Harry, who kept asking of what everything was. Thinking it to himself he wondered whether it was healthy for a small child to be secluded on a castle for such a long period of time. Yet he immediately scolded the question and gave himself a mental order of not to worry about the Boy’s welfare.

He finally stopped and looked at the address on the paper before looking at the building that stood before him. It was a tall, dirty-white one with green window-sills and a red roof that was packed in snow. It looked like a normal old house. There was nothing to indicate that there was a doctor’s office there.

He paced carefully on the slippery footpath that led to the door and hoped that Madam Pomfrey had not made a mistake on the address. He dreaded the mere idea of being answered by an old lady, who would kindly demand the reason he stood on her doorstep. He stopped at the door, looked around and reached his hand to knock the wooden white door. Yet, before his knuckles would touch the wood, the door opened inviting him inside.

Snape, who was still holding baby Harry by the hand, entered cautiously inside the house. The door closed slowly behind him making his neck’s hair rise slightly as the chill breeze faded. In front of him there was a small staircase that led to a corridor, which turned right. He looked at the staircase and, taking baby Harry to his arms; he started climbing the steps. Reaching the top he turned his head and met a freshly painted door with a glass-sill that had the words ‘Helena Stewart. Child Doctor.’ Snape pushed the door and heard the twinkle of a small bell as he entered.

“Doctor?” the pale man said quietly as he entered inside. He looked around only to discover a piece of paper that had the words ‘Gone out for a while. Please wait in the lobby’ scribbled on them.

Snape paced inside to what it seemed to be the lobby. It was a room that was full of toys, had two huge covered-with-teddy-bears sofas and many small chairs of different colours. He felt baby Harry leaving his hand and moving at the toys slowly. He looked around. The walls were full of magical pictures of kittens that were playing, running happily and snoozing peacefully. Snape moved towards one of the sofas and removed some of the stuffed toys. Seeing that most of them were also feline-shaped, he could not help but to comment with a sneer.

“Oh another cat-lover Squib!”

“Yes, but unlike others,” a crispy voice said behind his back startling him “I find they are also tasteful when they are eaten with chips.”

He turned around to face her feeling slightly embarrassed. For Snape may was sarcastic when it came to people, but he rarely talked ill behind people’s back. He saw her. Helena Stewart was a woman at her late thirties, had medium height and was wearing a white doctor’s blouse. Her slight plumb face was adorned with a sneering smiling and two cunning eyes that were hidden behind two rectangular spectacles of her glasses. Seeing her face Snape immediately understood on why Poppy had warned him to ‘act civil’ before she would say goodbye to him that day. That woman’s eyes clearly stated that she would not anyone make her feel bad about being a Squib, powerful wizard or not.

“Professor Snape I presume,” she said slowly and turned her attention to baby Harry who was now standing near his guardian. “And who this lovely boy might be?”

Baby Harry hid his face behind his guardian’s leg and clutched his unicorn toy tighter before looking at the doctor with his big olive-green eyes.

“This is Harry” Snape said bringing him forward, “Say hello to the doctor Harry.”

“Aloou” baby Harry said sheepishly.

“Nice to meet you Harry. Oh and who is your friend?” Dr. Stewart asked enthusiastically pointing at Bibi.

Harry’s face beamed. That lady seemed to care about Bibi also. “Bibi” he cried out enthusiastically.

“Nice to meet you too Bibi” she smiled shaking the unicorn’s face leg and showed her way to the office.

Doctor Stewart first examined Bibi to show Harry that he had nothing to worry about. Baby Harry which had the ‘If-she-is-good-with-my-toy-she-must-be-good-with-me’ mentality that every child his age had, allowed her to examine him as well. Having assured her self that Harry was of perfect health, Dr. Stewart knew it was time to speak to the boy about shots.

“Harry do you know what a shot is?” she asked kindly, while Harry nodded in denial. “Well shots are given to both children and grown ups, so that we will not get sick. They are a little stingy, but. . .”

She was not able to conclude. As soon as baby Harry heard the dreadful ‘S’ word, he turned to look at Snape, who was sitting next to him, in horror while he slightly shouted “No pain! No pain.”

“Harry,” Snape intervened trying to bring reason at the little boy, “It’ll only hurt for a few seconds, and then you’ll be all better. You don’t want to get sick, do you? Be a brave little boy. I know you can.”

Baby Harry looked at Snape still feeling a little afraid. Snape gulped and stuttered slightly as he spoke “D-d-d-do it f-f-for me. Please?”

“OH HELL I CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT ESCAPED MY MOUTH!” he immediately thought in horror. Yet the message was taken and the toddler nodded in agreement.

Dr. Stewart smiled and reached for the shots and the medicine. Seeing the needle, baby Harry started shuddering slightly. He was in the verge of tears when the doctor suggested something.

“The needles are a bit scary aren’t they? I have an idea. Why don’t you give your

daddy,” in the word ‘daddy’ he received a venomous glare from the Potion Master, “one big bear-hug.”

Snape’s eyes enlarged in shock as he was immediately ‘attacked’ by a small toddler who was wearing a small sleeveless t-shirt. Two small hands circled around his neck as he was squeezed into a strong hug. He was kept there stiffly immobile, hoping unsuccessfully that he was not blushing, as that doctor rubbed some cotton with antiseptic on the boy’s shoulder and then pierced its skin with a needle. Having finished the doctor reached for her magical Band-Aids. She presented them to Harry, who immediately selected a red one with golden snitches.

“And now, as a reward for being so brave, choose a lollypop,” she said smiling giving Harry a bag full of lollipops. Harry chose a banana-flavoured one that he started sucking immediately. Snape stood up to leave, when he was cut off by the doctor.

“I am sorry Professor Snape. I am afraid we are not done yet.”

Snape looked at her in anticipation as she spoke.

“Along for the request for giving this little boy’s his shots, Professor Dumbledore asked me to give you a shot for Influenza. He wrote to me that you currently suffer from flues. . .”

“Nothing a good Potion cannot cure” Snape said icily giving a mental order to himself to murder Dumbledore slowly and painfully.

“Yes, but” the doctor insisted “I am perfectly sure that the Potion does not help you with your blocked nose that it is an outcome of such a sickness.”

Snape looked at the woman venomously. She knew too much about sicknesses.

“And I bet that this causes you severe headaches”

“What I cannot understand doctor,” Snape snarled looking as if he was about to murder someone. “Is how on Earth you know all these? I am perfectly sure that the Headmaster has not written my whole Patience’s past to you. He is not aware that I suffer from headaches.”

“Well I am a doctor Professor. And I might say that you have a very interesting shape of nose. It indicates a very narrow inhaling passage. When it blocks it causes you severe headaches and migraines. Am I correct?”

“You are, damn you!” Snape thought and nodded.

“So having assured me that you are perfectly healthy now, Professor Dumbledore asked me not to allow your departure before you have a shot yourself” she said in a matter-of-fact tone as Snape looked at her in horror.

Severus Snape worked as a Potion Master, was an ex-DeathEater and a current spy for the Order of Phoenix. Many wizards believed that he was fearless. But in reality he wasn’t. Severus Snape was afraid of Shots. This was a result of a traumatic experience he had when he was three years old, the last time he had a shot in his life. His doctor at that time was not as modern as Dr. Stewart was, and the worst of all a Muggle. That day, which was also the last time he ever saw a doctor, resulted to a very panicked child, himself, his very panicked mother, a small explosion and a memory-modification spell that made his doctor feel extremely disoriented. Therefore the mention of the dreaded ‘Snots’ word was expectantly not taken well.

“Doctor Stewart, there is no power in the world that would convince me to allow pierce a needle inside me,” he said so dangerously that the threat seemed touchable. “After all how do I know that you will not insert something dangerous inside my blood?”

“Professor, in case you haven’t notice I am a Squib,” she said crisply, “I have no idea on how to make potions. And even if I had, there is no potion in the world that is pierced through skin.”

Snape growled slightly. That woman was well informed. She immediately thought of hexing her but then his eyes fell on the little boy who was standing near him, still sucking his lollipop. Doctor Stewart looked at baby Harry with a pleading look and as if the boy had immediately understood he looked at his guardian and asked in a pleading voice.

“Me no wants you sick! You bwave! Pweeeaaaasseeee?”

“Traitor” Snape immediately thought feeling his defences collide by the toddler’s pleading look. “Uh I am spending too much time with this boy,” he thought in defeat and rolled his right sleeve up exposing his naked arm.

Doctor Stewart hummed to herself as she prepared the injection shot. When Snape felt his arm get moistened by the antiseptic, he turned his head away from the doctor in disgust.

“I am not going to panic. I am not going to cry. I am not going to cry. I am definitely not going to cry!” Snape repeated over and over while the injection was pierced his skin and released the stinging liquid inside his blood.

Snape took a deep breath of release when the needle was finally removed from his skin. He opened his eyes as the doctor removed a green Band-Aid with little Potion Vials from their package and stuck it on his shoulder.

“Bwavo!” Harry exclaimed enthusiastically clapping his hands and then offered him a brown lollipop.

Snape looked at the lollipop and then at the small boy, who was still sucking his own one. Unwrapping it slowly he put it into his mouth and to his surprise it tasted like chocolate.

-)-)-)

Days passed by very quickly and two days before the return of students at Hogwarts, Madam Pomfrey announced that it was time for Harry to have his new Potion Dose. Harry, who was about to turn to a twenty-two month old boy waited for his cup of ‘magical’ juice. Taking the cup from Madam Pomfrey’s hands he started gulping happily. Yet with the last drop it happened.

FLASHBACKS

“Lilly, take Harry and get out of here now!” a male voice echoed inside his head and the blurry vision of a man kissed him in a hurry before he would go away.

---

“No, not Harry! Not my baby! Please!” a woman pleaded as her red hair shone near his face. A terrible cold laughter was heard and then a green light filled his vision.

---

A scream woke him up as someone grabbed him ungracefully and entered the house.

“Vernon! That boy! Here! No!”

“How did this happened?” an angry voice questioned the female shrieking voice.

“They died. That’s what the letter says! Oh my God Vernon we are stuck with him. What will we do?”

---

“My toys! Mine! You no toys!” a shrieking voice screamed near him and pushed him down, making him feel in pain. “Mummy Harry tries steal my toys!”

“Harry you are a bad boy” a woman said gripping him and locking him in a cold dark room. “You stay there and think of how bad you were.”

---

“Ha! Your parents were irresponsibly driving drunk. Always rebel. Never cared about you. They gone get killed and we are stuck with useless you,” the harsh male voice said in pleasure as he let him into the small dark room under the stairs.

END OF FLASHBACK

Baby Harry’s eyes flickered and looked around the room in surprise. Snape looked at the Boy’s behaviour and tried to catch his attention. Harry looked at the hook-nosed man. His eyes stared back at him with an earth-shuttering look that could make even the stones weep. His lips quivered and his eyes waterd.

“No Ady” he said in devastation to his guardian and clutching Bibi; he let his tears fall and roll down his cheeks.

The sky looked majestic that night. Millions of stars shone making people believe that the sky was covered with an endless piece of silk fabric decorated by twinkling diamonds. A white feminine owl’s figure covered the luminous almost-full moon and then dived down to catch her prey. Inside one of the castle’s walls another living creature was awake as well.

Severus Snape was lying on his back and with eyes grant open he was staring at the bewitched ceiling. He took a lock of his coal-black hair and brought it forward to touch the bridge of his nose, a sign that he was in deep thinking. Sighing heavily he turned to his right, kicking the blankets that covered him in the process. His left leg, which was covered with nothing, started cooling. He looked at the cradle that stood a few meters away from his bed. His eyes narrowed and he let out an uncomfortable grumble.

He shivered slightly and covered himself, bringing his blankets over his head. Snape, for the first time in a very long time, felt extremely confused. His chest was in pain. Not really in pain. He felt like someone had placed a heavy rock on top of his chest, making feel uncomfortable and disoriented. He closed his eyes, while his mouth curled into a scowl.

‘No Ady’

The small boy’s sad voice echoed in his ears. Snape’s eyes opened slowly as he let a small and angry sigh. No, he refused it! He did not care about Potter. Or did he?

-)-)-)

The man raised his beetle-black eyes from the piece of parchment to which he was writing. He could not believe himself. For the first time in five months he was spending a quiet day. A very quiet day! Yet, instead of feeling at least happy, he could not work. He let a faint grumble and turned his attention to the little infant.

Baby Harry was sitting quietly near one of the chamber’s corners and he was clutching Bibi tightly on his chest. Since the Potion Dose was given to him, the small boy was holding the unicorn-toy as it was the only thing to which his existence depended. Harry turned his head towards the Potion Master, looked at him for a couple of seconds and then lowered his head in the sense of total abandonment.

Snape sighed in desperation and to his amazement he realized that his legs had forced him to stand up. He tried, unsuccessfully, to force himself back to his seat only to see that such an action was unavailable. His legs moved as if they had a mind of their own.

“One of these days Severus,” he thought as he approached the toddler, “You are going to end up in St. Mango’s. You are spending too much time with this boy.”

He knelt near baby Harry and looked at him silently for a couple of moments. Inside his mouth he chewed his words. He calculated every single vowel knowing that if he uttered something inappropriate he was going to regret it for a lifetime. Harry turned to him but he did not look at his face. He continued looking at the mattress-like carpet’s colorful pattern. Snape inhaled sharply and then opened his mouth in uncertainty.

“Ha-Harry?” he whispered softly as the boy’s head shot up. The boy gazed him in wonder and then let his head sunk into his shoulders.

“No Ady.” Baby Harry said again sadly.

A small silence ensued as Snape bit his lower lip slightly, and unconsciously. He closed his eyes and then opened them. He pressed his lips together and then started.

“You . . . you are correct. I am not your father. He . . . Well. . . Your parents died a long time ago.”

Baby Harry’s eyes were now fixed on him. They seemed to ask him for explanations. How it happened and at one moment he felt happy and then he had pictures of those three horrible people around him? And most importantly, how did it happen that his guardian was never there to protect him? Snape let out an uncomfortable grumble. He rubbed his temples with his fingers.

“You went to live with your aunt, uncle and their son. They are your only relatives.”

“You. . .” baby Harry blurted out in confusion.

“I know. It’s confusing. Oh, I am not even sure you understand what I am talking about.” Snape exclaimed in frustration. Having to explain such a situation to an infant was similar to the act of collecting skin from Blast-Ended Skrewts without the use of gloves. “Let’s just say that you live your childhood with me, while you also live it with your relatives at the same time.”

“Argh I don’t think he got it!” he thought while the infant kept staring at him in disbelief. Snape reached out and brought Harry into sitting on his right leg. He exhaled slowly and gathered all his strength to continue.

“I just. . . I want. . . Ha-Harry. . . Argh. . . Ok, let me put it like this. . . I want you to know that I am not like your aunt and uncle . . . Well. . . What I want to say. . . ‘Phew’. . . Is it hot in here? Oh damn! I ca-care for you Ha-Harry and . . . . And. . . . And . . . I hope . . . that . . . well . . . you know.”

Baby Harry stared at the Potion Master’s pale face and then gave him a nod. Or what Snape thought to be a nod.

“Good. Now, these toys there are for you,” he said pointing at the infant’s pile of toys. “Feel free to play now ok. I will be back before you know it.”

Snape stood up and paced towards the bathroom. The moment he closed the door behind him, he magicked the room soundless. He, then, let out a scream that would make a Banshee jealous, fell to the floor and started banging the back of his head against the bathroom-wall’s tiles. He could not believe himself. He had actually admitted that he care about Potter. Out Loud!

The black-haired man got out of the bathroom only to find baby Harry still sitting at the corner of the room; clutching Bibi. Thinking that the infant was not in the mood to play he retreated back to his desk. It was three essays later that he raised his head to check Harry only to understand that the Boy had got the expression ‘Be Quiet’ too seriously. Baby Harry was using his hands to imitate animal faces and he was giggling quietly when he caught the Potion Master staring at him from behind a huge mountain of parchments.

FLASHBACK

“Silence is a virtue boy. But it seems to me that you are not virtuous at all.” a man’s voice spat inside his ear.

END OF FLASHBACK

The little boy’s face paled ashen while he kept staring at the black-robed man with eyes that reminded Snape of a unicorn that was hunted down by a very ferocious, hungry dragon. Harry remained froze fearing that Hell was going to break lose any moment. He stared as his guardian lowered his head, hissed something to himself and then rose from his seat. Harry watched with his green eyes as the man mumbled something to himself while moving to his direction. The tall man towered over him and Harry shuddered when he saw the piercing look that his guardian had granted him with. He, then, closed his eyes and waited, expecting his guardian to lift him up and toss him into a quiet, cold and silent space. Seconds seemed like eternity and baby Harry could not help but open his left eye. To his amazement, his guardian was now sitting next to him and was looking at him quietly.

Meantime, Snape was once again in a difficult situation. One speech for a day was bad enough, two were a nightmare. Someone had placed a curse on him. That was definite now. He gulped down and felt himself unable to articulate a single word. Lucky for him, the Boy started first.

“Sowwy.”

Snape’s eyes opened in surprise. Had the infant said sorry? Why? He had done nothing wrong this time. He watched baby Harry’s lip tremble slightly for some seconds, but then the boy raised his green eyes up and proceeded.

“Me was bad boy. Made noise. You punish me?”

“Potter,” Snape said with a slight tone of bewilderment in his voice, “I am certainly not going to punish you. . . Ha-Harry, you were very quiet. Too quiet in fact. I came here to ask you why you are not playing.”

It was Harry’s turn to look his guardian in surprise. He was allowed to play? And make noise? Even when the man opposite him was working?

“You wok. No play when Ankel Vewnon wok. Me never play. Ant Petunia no likes it.”

Snape was sure that the vein on his temple had appeared because Harry had started looking at him with a worried look. He tried to calm down, while he had the urge to throttle a pig; for a reason he could not clearly define.

“Potter . . . I mean Ha-Harry . . . For as long as you stay with me, I want you to know that . . . well . . . I am not like your aunt and uncle. What I mean to say . . . is . . . that you are allowed to play, you know . . . have fun when I work. Even if that means that you will make noise. I will never punish you if there is not a good reason to do so. So as long as you are a good boy, and listen to me, there is not going to be any punishment.”

“Argh, why don’t I try to kill myself? It will be much easier. The things I do for Potter.” Snape thought while he was speaking. He could not believe that such words escaped his mouth.

Harry nodded in agreement but did not touch his toys. Snape sighed in desperation. This was going to be very difficult. He shrugged for a couple of moment and hissing to himself that he was ‘going nuts’, he leaned towards the toys and grabbed a stuffed dragon. The dragon was a blue, Chinese one and for a strange reason it reminded Snape of Dumbledore. It was probably the fact that it had a white beard under his mouth and it wore a pair of gold rectangular eyeglasses. Snape looked at the dragon for a moment and then placed it in front of Harry.

“Hello Harry Potter. I am Gilleon the Ancient Magical Dragon,” Snape said moving Gilleon the dragon and using a slightly high-pitched, yet older voice, “and I want to play with you. Why don’t you grab one of my friends from the pile and play with me!”

“Merlin, I hope this never leaves my chambers walls” Severus Snape thought in unease.

Harry giggled slightly and grabbed a staffed lilac pixie and a yellow phoenix from the pile.

-)-)-)

“I am bad and I am going to defeat you, you goody-goodies” Snape snarled imitating that the stuffed grey teddy-bear he was holding was threatening Gilleon the blue dragon, Droxie the lilac pixie and Floozy the yellow phoenix.

“Oh no you don’t!” Snape said in Gilleon the dragon’s voice and ‘attacked’ the stuffed grey teddy-bear. “Now Droxie and Floozy help me.”

Harry looked at Snape. They were both playing for some time, absorbed to notice anything else that was happening around them. The boy hearing Gilleon’s word of encouragement flanged himself forward, holding Droxie and Floozy tightly. The stuffed toys hit Snape’s hands and caused the grey teddy-bear to escape his grab and fall from behind his back. Harry moved forward, past Snape and ‘attacked’ the teddy-bear with the aid of Droxie and Floozy.

Snape turned around smiling and was prepared to throw Gilleon into the battle as well. Yet his hand stopped to mid-air as his face turned crimson red. His mouth hanged open and he let the stuffed toy down in embarrassment. In front of him stood a very chuckling Albus Dumbledore that only Merlin could know for how much time he had been watching him.

“H-h-headmaster this is not what it seems to be.” Snape stuttered immediately while Dumbledore kept covering his mouth with his hand, unable to stop. “Headmaster I will appreciate it if you stop chuckling.” Snape said in annoyance.

“I came for the calming Potion you promised” Dumbledore said while he kept tittering slightly.

Snape collected himself into a more serious face and moved to the cupboard where he had stored the Potion Vials. Taking the potion he had prepared for the Headmaster he closed the cupboard and turned to the older wizard with a frown.

“Oh it seems it is time for lunch!” Dumbledore exclaimed looking at the luminous clock. I guess it is time to move ourselves in the Great Hall.” Dumbledore said with two very dangerous twinkling-eyes and left the room quickly.

“Darn!” Snape thought and was left there to look at the door in a transfixed manner.

-)-)-)

The soft continuous ticking of the luminous clock echoed inside the chamber. Its ‘hands’ moved and a eight soft ‘dings’ ensued. Snape raised his eyes from the book and looked at the boy, who was whispering something to Bibi. He closed the book slowly and placed it on his mahogany-desk.

“Boy, its time for bed,” he said tonelessly stating the obvious.

Hearing this Harry’s face fell. He let a deep sigh, and to Snape’s amazement, he took Bibi and a blanket that was resting nearby; and moved towards the wardrobe.

“Ha-Harry, what are you doing?” Snape asked softly.

“Me goes to sleep” Harry said sadly.

A quarter of an hour later, baby Harry was wearing a soft set of red pajamas and was looking at them in adoration. Snape had realized, in the past fifteen minutes that Harry had no pajamas when he was living with his relatives. The raven-haired man let out a growl. What kind of relatives did that boy had? Snape let the youngster down and was about to bring a children’s book from the library when he saw Harry, once again, moving towards his wardrobe. The tall man, who had not yet realized that the boy associated the wardrobe with his cupboard under the stairs, thought that baby Harry wanted to look for something inside the closet, a strange habit he had developed the previous two weeks. Therefore he opened the wardrobe and let baby Harry step inside. To his amazement the boy put the blanket over him and lied there quietly. Snape remained motionless for a couple of moments and then leaned down and caught the little boy into his arms. Baby Harry looked at him in puzzlement as he sat on the bed, while he grabbed the first story-book his hand had reached. He, then, opened the drawer that the little table near his bed had and took out a small cot. Placing it on the floor he took his wand out and magicked it to his normal size.

“Wow!” baby Harry exclaimed and turned to look at his guardian. Yet, he frowned quickly. “Ankel Vewnon said no magic.”

“Well, magic exists. Or my name isn’t Severus Snape.” Snape exclaimed feeling the urge to throttle someone once again, “Bed-time story”

Harry looked as the cover and saw a small, yellow dragon with red wings flying around the page.

“Ling the Yellow Dragon takes a bath.”

“I am not even going to dignify that.” Snape thought and turned the page.

“Ling the Yellow Dragon was a very good dragon . . . ‘You mean that? Noooooo’ . . . He listened to his mum’s advices and always licked his plate clean . . . ‘So this is what a good child does these days!’ . . . Yet, Ling the Yellow Dragon hated baths . . .’Evil. The dragon is evil because he hates baths’ . . . One morning Ling the Yellow Dragon woke up and saw his mother preparing a hot bath for him . . . ‘Can someone please Avada Kadavra me? Because I cannot picture a grown up dragon filling a bathtub’ . . . Ling the Yellow Dragon was angry . . . He did not want to have a bath . . . He looked outside the window and saw his friend Henry the Green Toad playing outside . . . “Hello” Henry the Green Toad said. “Do you want to come out and play with me?” . . . “I can’t. I am going to have a bath.” Ling the Yellow Dragon answered. . “Oh how nice. I love water.” Henry the Green Toad answered happily. . . “Do you want to switch places?” Ling asked . . .’What a devious child! Mrs. Dragon will never know the difference” . . . Henry the Green Toad said yes . . . When Mr. Dragon came to Ling’s room he found Henry the Green Toad sitting there . . .She smiled . . .She knew what to do . . . “Since my child, Ling, is not here; you will take his place. . . Ling watched as his mother put Henry into the bathtub, bathe Henry and then made him wear Ling’s best outfit . . . ‘The damn dragon has an outfit? Ok that is officially insane’ . . . Ling got jealous that his mother did that . . . He climbed the window and filled the bathtub with hot water. . . He had a bath and then wore another outfit. . . He ran down the stairs and shouted . . .”Look mummy, I had a bath and dressed by myself!” . . . Mrs. Dragon hugged her son and placed his breakfast in front of him . . .And Ling the Yellow Dragon was very happy . . .The End”

Snape let a faint snort and looked at baby Harry, who was calmly dozing off on his lap.

“Ok, Ha-Harry time for bed.” He said and placed the boy inside the cot. As he leaned down to cover the baby boy with a blanket, the boy hugged his head tightly.

“Goo nigh Sevvus.” Baby Harry said and closed his little eyes, leaving the Potion Master smiling faintly, and then scowling to himself, in the darkness.

At the owlery of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry a young woman, at the age of sixteen, was scribbling furiously on her piece of parchment. She stopped for a moment, placed her quill on the small table and looked outside the window. The sun had sunk completely half an hour ago, leaving to school in twighlight. She started proofreading her letter, as she tried to put her thoughts in order. She had so many things to do, such as: studying for the upcoming Transfiguration test, practicing her Charms work, and other work she could not recall. The Christmas holidays had finished a week ago, and all the professors were getting more and more vicious on homework and test terms. She felt panic rising upwards in her chest, she signed her parchment in a hurry, tied it on her owl’s leg and assigned the receiver. Having done so, Pansy Parkinson examined her robes for dirt; she properly aligned her sliver-green tie and headed for the Slytherin common room. The moment she entered, she sat down and opened her book. Hours later, when she was going to lye on her bed, Pansy Parkinson was going to realize that she had forgotten to mention Potter’s condition, to her family, once again.)-)-)

“Ok Po – ahem – Harry, hands up!” Snape said indifferently as the small boy raised his hands upwards, allowing the Potion Master to dress him with a warm white sweater.

Having helped Harry to dress, Snape turned to his wardrobe’s open doors. He was wearing a pair of black trousers; a white simple shirt that he had buttoned to the last button; a grey vest that no one would ever know he was wearing it; and his pair of shinning, squeaky-clean black shoes. His hands passed over each one of the hangers that his black and simple work-robes were hung on. He took each one out, examined them carefully, and hung them up again. Feeling satisfied, he chose one of them, wore it and started buttoning it carefully. Having done so, he looked himself in the mirror.

Severus Snape loved to have everything in perfect order, and though his life was disturbed by having Potter around him, he still expected himself to appear in his lessons in the perfect dressing condition. He raised his head up and checked his robes for distasteful wrinkles or stains that his eye may had missed. At last he glared at a tiny spectacle of dust that was lying on his left sleeve, and tossed it down with the aid of his fingers. He turned around to reach for his comb, when he saw the little boy, standing near him and facing at the cupboards left door, which had a mirror as well.

Baby Harry stared at his image intensively, as his guardian has done, and then passed his little hand over his chest, imitating that he was tossing dust off himself as well. Snape just raised his left eyebrow to the scene and took his comb and started combing his hair passing his hand after everyone of the comb’s stroke, trying not to pay attention to the boy that stood next to him. If that morning someone had entered the chamber of Severus Snape, he would have started giggling, for he would see both the man and the boy doing exactly the same movements as one was combing his hair and the other pretended to do so.

)-)-)

It was a very unusual day for Snape. His Potion lesson was proceeding in a very quiet, harmless manner. No one had melted a cauldron, or blew up a Potion, or shouted, or done anything to disturb the lesson. And such lack of action was very unusual; if someone would take into consideration that he was teaching the, as he would refer to them, ‘Menacing’ second-years of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. He had assigned the class to brew a fairly easy potion and then concentrated to his own businesses. As a Potion Master and a researcher; Snape spent his free time, when he was not spying and looking after babies that is, to do some research in the Potions’ field of study. Since it seemed that it was going to be one awkwardly silent Tuesday morning; Snape focused himself on his research. He did not brew a potion, that was a very irresponsible thing to do inside a classroom, but he rather spent his time reading an extract from the ancient manuscripts he had discovered in an old, wooden door at a shop in Western Scotland.

Snape’s fingers touched the old parchment very carefully. The man was very proud of his discovery of those valuable manuscripts as he had spent three whole years seeking for the box’s lost traces. He looked at the wooden box that had a carved diamond and the letter ‘F’ inside.

The box was a legend in the wizarding world. A witch named Alicia Farren had spent her life researching the effects of many different plants on potions. In her will; she demanded that the box, to which it was rumored that she kept all her observations hidden, would pass to her closest female relative. She also added that the box could be passed to her female relatives only, for men were not to be trusted. When Snape had heard about the box, seven hundred years had already passed since Alicia Farren’s death. The box had changed so many hands and families that it had caused Snape many headaches and valuable time. To his frustration Snape discovered that the box’s traces were lost after the seventh family that got hold of it. Yet, it seemed that Snape was a lucky man. When he was so close to giving up, it happened. He discovered the box hidden in a trunk at a shop in Western Scotland and he bought it, giving away a huge amount of galleons, in fear that someone would grasp it away from him. Only when he arrived at Hogwarts he realized that there was a possibility that the manuscripts may not be inside the box. With trembling hands he searched for the switch that opened the wooden box’s secret case, and to his satisfaction the parchments were still inside.

The raven-haired professor brushed some of his stray hair away from his face as he scribbled on the parchment. He was involved into his work so much that he realized too late that Miss. Bliss of the Ravenclaw house had a added a pinch of pixie-cells too much. Snape heard the ‘awws’ of amazement as the girl’s potion turned from ceramic-pink to vivid orange. He turned his gaze upwards and looked in horror as the whole class was looking at Bliss’ cauldron, which had started rumbling and frizzing dangerously. He turned even paler when he remembered that an overdose of pixie-cells in the given potion turned it to something highly dangerous. In fact, the given potion enflamed when it touched clothing.

“Everyone under your desks immediately!” he barked out and launched forward to Bliss, who was staring her cauldron like a deer caught in headlights.

The cauldron blew up sending vivid orange drops to every direction and Snape, who was now pushing the young girl out of the potions way, felt his back poured with tiny drops. In a flash he removed his work-robes that were immediately emblazed and rushed to his mahogany desk to find his wand. Swishing his wand he froze the cauldron and looked at the mayhem around him. Potions were starting to burn, while their brewers were hiding under their desks too afraid to move.

“QUIET!” he ordered the panicked classroom as he cleaned every cauldron with a movement of his wrist. With his gaze he examined his students who started emerging from under their desks. Assuring his self about his class’ health, he opened his mouth.

“The pile of ashes over there,” he said pointing at his burned robes, “used to be my work-robes. This proves that mistakes in Potions can be lethal.. I expect this classroom to have a one-thousand words essay on what happens if we overdose every one of the fifteen given ingredients of this potion.” Snape eyed Bliss in a menacing manner. “As for you Miss Bliss, I hope you have a lot of free time for you have earned detention for a week, with me. Class Dismissed!”

“I never thought this day would come, but I think I just discovered a student that is more dangerous than Longbottom” Snape thought in disgust, as he realized that he had no time to return to his chambers and wear another set of work-robes.

)-)-)

The hook-nosed professor stared the green-eyed toddler with an expression that screamed ‘FEAR’. He had never realized that taking care of a toddler could cause such an embarrassment. Now he realized that. He had to go through the most humiliating speech a parent could ever give.

“At least parents chose to create a child. I, on the other hand, I am forced by a be-damned twinkling-eyed old man.” Snape thought while he exhaled sharply, knowing that he could not avoid the conversation after all.

“Harry, do you know what potty-training is?” he asked, only to receive an answer by a little sarcastic voice from the back of his head. “Of course he doesn’t know what it is, you imbecile. If he knew, you wouldn’t be in such a position right now.”

Baby Harry nodded negatively.

“Well. . . Ok how do I put this . . .? Let’s see. . . Harry, have you seen how grown-ups do some things different from you? You will also learn all of those things one day. Umm. . . You remember when you used to have your bath in the plastic bathtub?”

Harry shook his head to confirm.

“And where do you have your bath now?” Snape asked.

“Gwon-up bathab!” Harry squealed happily as he remembered the day before, when his guardian had bathed him in the bathroom. “Harry big boy now!”

“See? One of the steps into becoming a big boy is to learn how to go to the toilet. . . You know how I go into the bathroom sometimes and there is this seat…”

“Sevvus makes poopies and wee-wees there” Harry said immediately.

“Yes, as you said, poopies and wee-wees” Snape said in discomfort, feeling himself blushing for a reason he could not yet define. He coughed to calm himself and continued, “I want to teach this to you too. I mean how to go to the toilet.”

“But me likes nappy!” Harry protested slightly.

FLASHBACK

“You will do as I say, boy”: a shrieking female voice said to him. “I will not take care of useless you forever”

END OF FLASHBACK

Harry lowered his head as he remembered what happened when he protested at the Dursley's. His attention turned to the Potion Master.

“I know that you like nappie. It is so easy to use. It’s there. Yet, wouldn’t be nice if you could go to the toilet like a big boy? Like, your friend Mr. . . . . I mean your friend Ron Weasley does.”

“Wuon no wears nappy?” Harry asked admiringly.

“No he doesn’t” Snape commented. “It will not be easy at first, but I know that you will be able to learn. And then, you can be truly a big boy”

“But bowl big,” Harry hesitated “What if me falls?”

Snape twitched an eye as he tried to suppress a giggle that threatened to escape from his lips. Giving himself a mental note that the situation was not funny at all, he spoke to Harry as if his fears were perfectly valid.

“The seat is indeed big, that is why you will use a potty at first. A potty is perfect for you. . . . It is small. . . . When you are ready, I will let you use the toilet-seat, just like I allowed you to have a bath in the grown-up bathtub.”

It took a lot of time for Harry to agree to even see his potty. Snape had decided to let Potter feel safe around his potty. Therefore the next day, after Harry’s bath, he left the boy naked on the mattress-like carpet and brought the potty inside the room. The potty was a plastic white replica of a toilet seat, which was exactly at Harry’s height. The boy, who was enjoying the freedom nakedness was providing him with, looked at ‘the bowl’ intensively, but he did not approach it. Snape knew that the boy needed time. It was ten minutes later that Harry went near the potty and Snape knew that in a few days, he was going to be allowed to proceed.

)-)-)

Meanwhile, it seemed that the early stages of potty-training was not going to be Snape’s only problem. It is a fact that during the age of two to six; children have a wonderful ability to learn new words almost immediately. In fact, as Snape was about to find out, even though children do not know what a word means, they know in what situation to use it. Baby Harry was bombarded with many words every day. He heard them in the Great Hall, in the castle’s corridors, in the Hospital Wing, almost everywhere, for the castle was full of teenagers and grown-ups. Yet, Harry was to find out that not all words were good.

Everything had started when baby Harry had refused to eat during lunch. Snape was slightly surprised as the toddler would eat nothing he was given even though he was not used to having a choice to refuse when he was in the Dursley's. Yet, it seemed that baby Harry was determined to keep his mouth shut. Snape had retreated to every solution he could master. He protruded the spoon and held it there. Nothing. He used the ‘here-comes-the-Hogwarts-Express’ trick, to the students’ amusement and snickering. Nothing. He vexed. Nothing.

“Harry you are not leaving this high-chair, if you don’t eat.” Snape said in a silky, but threatening, manner.

The boy pouted but, seeing that he could not avoid it, opened his mouth and started eating his spaghetti. By the time they would arrive at Snape’s chamber, the black-robed professor was seriously thinking the possibility of throttling baby Harry. The baby boy seemed to turn back into a menace. Apart from refusing to eat his food, Snape had to drag him all the way to his chamber since he did not want to have a nap.

“No, no, no, no!” Harry protested and freed himself from Snape’s grasp.

“Harry, please stay where you are.” Snape said trying to control his anger, and then moved towards Potter.

“LE ME AWON YOU, YOU, YOU, BATAWD!” he screamed. Immediately he felt silent, as he observed his guardian’s reactions.

Snape felt as if someone had slapped him hard across the face. He had never expected that he would hear a young boy swear into such a hideous manner. Actually, he never expected Harry to swear ever. He was not naïve, he knew that Potter as a teenager must have sworn a couple of times, but he still could not believe it.

“Harry Potter,” Snape said seriously “that was a very, very bad word. I am going to leave you alone for a while and then we will discuss what happened just now” he concluded and entered to the little room where his mother’s portrait was hanging.

)-)-)

“I can only say one thing son. Welcome to the club,” Snape’s mother said smiling slightly at her son, who had just described the event with the toddler. “Every parent, or guardian in your case, has to face this one day.”

“But bastard? Where on Circe’s Potions had he learnt such a word?”

“Son,” Mrs. Snape said in desperation, “you are in a school. Do you know how many words the boy hears every day? The word and tone of a person’s voice grasped his attention and he simply learnt it. He does not know what it means, though I can guess he understood now that it is a bad word. What I believe is that something triggered him into using that word to you.”

“So what do you propose mother? Oh I know, maybe I must talk to him about it,” Snape said sarcastically.

“Actually Severus, that is exactly what was I to propose. And many things more,” Mrs. Snape said in triumph as her son paled.

)-)-)

Severus Snape emerged from the room. In his eyes there was a slight spark of anguish that he immediately dismissed when he sat near the boy. Baby Harry was looking at him seriously.

“Harry . . .” Snape started seriously. “You hear new words every day. Not all of them are necessarily good. These words must not escape your mouth. Like the one you said before.”

“Batawd?”

“Yes . . . That one. This was a very, very bad word.”

“You. . . Be me?” Harry asked looking at his guardian in fear.

“No, no, I will not beat you. I will just say that you should not do it again. . . You know, you said this word because you are angry. What made you that angry?”

Baby Harry looked at Snape. He actually wanted to know what had caused his anger. No one before had ever asked him such a thing.

“You . . . you . . . were bad to Bibi. You mean him” baby Harry protested, his lip quivering slightly.

“I did? When?”

“Mowning.”

Snape let his memory travel to the morning’s events. He woke up, dressed himself and then tried to dress the boy. Baby Harry refused to let Bibi from his grasp, something that made the procedure very difficult. Snape, who lacked the typical amounts of patience due to morning grogginess, absent-mindedly took the toy away and tossed it aside. Now he remembered.

“Harry. . . I am sorry I took Bibi away. It seems that I am not very patient in the mornings.” Snape said with a hidden guilt. “But I think it is good that you talked about it. You must say what you feel. Don’t you just feel better now?”

Harry nodded.

“When you are angry, talk of what troubles you. It is better than bad words.” Snape commented trying to keep indifferent.

)-)-)

The next two weeks passed fairly quickly. Baby Harry had started consuming the idea of sitting on a potty one day soon. Though he had not yet tried it, he seemed to view the potty, which was now placed near the toilet seat, as something normal. Snape had asked the baby boy to announce him when he would ‘do his job’ inside the diaper. Then he would proceed by removing it, and throw its context inside the potty.

That afternoon Snape was reading an article about the side-effects of mandagora in the cases the plant was not stewed properly. His lip curled slightly as he read about the case of someone called Quartet. The ripe, and not properly-stewed, mandagora root had caused the man to bloat up like a huge balloon. He was transferred to St. Mango’s hospital where he was kept bloated for three days. When the potion’s effect seized, the Healers examined him and gave him a potion in order to mend his three broken ribs. Snape looked at the photograph of a bloated man lying on one of St. Mango’s hospital beds. He sighed. Why couldn’t people be careful when brewing potions?

He was thinking about this when a little hand tagged his right trouser. The man ripped his eyes from the picture and stared at the little child.

“Sevvus, wan to play whymes?”

“Damn the day I taught him this things,” Snape cursed inside, feeling uncomfortable. When he had agreed to teach the boy a few nursery rhymes in order to stop him from swearing, he could never suspect that the boy would construct a game of his own. It was the most outrageous thing he could ever do.

“Pweeeaaaassseeee!” baby Harry asked pleadingly, yet in some uncertainty.

Snape looked at the boy’s pleading eyes and sighed. He could not believe himself, but he was actually thinking of accepting.

“No you cannot do it. It is preposterous,” a stubborn voice echoed inside his head. Snape, however, sighed in defeat as he mumbled a weak ‘yes’. He, then, stood up and moved towards the centre of the room. There, he took Harry’s hands in his own and muttering to himself that he was doomed; he started moving. Harry started singing.

“Lonon Bwid is foying down,

“Foying down,

“Foying down.

“Lonon Bwid is foying down,

“My faiw lady.”

“Come on Sevvus!” Harry said merrily as he skipped. “You tuwn”

“Ok, ok!” Snape though in annoyance “I can’t…”

“Take a key and lock her up”

“. . . I simply can’t . . .”

“Lock her up,”

“Lock her up.”

“. . . Believe . . .”

“Take a key and lock her up,”

“. . . I am doing this right now. . .”

“My fair lady.”

“It’s totally insane!”

)-)-)

“Ahem, this is all for today Harry” Snape said when the song finished, trying to recollect himself from the embarrassment. He wondered for a while on how Harry, as a teenager, would react when he would learn that they were singing nursery rhymes together. He had no time to contemplate on that thought, however, since he felt another tug on his right trousers.

“Sevvus. I need go wee-wee.”

Snape raised an eyebrow.

“So, do so Harry.”

“No, I want to wee-wee on potty!” baby Harry said in determination.

In his wildest and most optimistic dreams, Snape imagined Harry doing ‘his work’ in the potty quickly without trouble. Yet it seemed that this was not going to be the case. Snape found himself staring at a half-naked Harry Potter, who sat on his potty, for over fifteen minutes. Snape had tried every possible mean to help Harry release himself. He produced soothing sounds, they talked and he even read him a story. Nothing helped. At last Snape found himself sitting on the bathroom tiles and whistling to himself.

“Maybe me no wanted to go.” Harry muttered in uncertainty and stood up.

Unfortunately it seemed that Harry wanted to go, for as soon as he stood up he felt a warm sensation spreading down his legs. Snape looked down as a small pool of liquid spread on the bathroom tiles. For a moment, he felt the urge to laugh on the irony. Harry, however, felt in no position to laugh at all.

FLASHBACK

“INCOMPETENT, USELESS BRAT!” a female voice shrieked in his ear and then a hand slapped the back of his head. “LOOK THE FILTHINESS ON MY FLOOR! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE! GO TO THE CUPBOARD! NOW! AND DON’T LET ME CATCH YOU OUTSIDE!”

END OF FLASHBACK

Snape watched baby Harry. His eyes stared at him in horror as he paled in an almost ghostly white. Breathing heavily he let a wail and run outside the bathroom as quickly as he could.

“Shit!” Snape thought immediately, as he summoned for a house-elf to appear in the bathroom. The house-elf looked at the small pool on the floor and started cleaning it, while Snape hurried outside the bathroom.

Snape heard some sniffles and tried to find Harry’s hiding place. A small wail was muffled as he leaned down and looked under his bed. He was not there. He looked under his desk, before noticing that the wardrobe’s door was barely open. He opened the door and saw Harry. He had bared his head into the Bibi’s soft body, while he was trying to muffle his whimper. That moment, Severus Snape wished the wardrobe was larger, so that he could enter it, sit next to the boy and comfort him. He sat near the wardrobe’s opening and placed his trembling hand on the boy’s head. The boy flinched, but remained still as the man kept patting his head. Snape stroked the boy’s soft hair in uncertainty. It was the only thing he could think of doing at that moment. He stayed at the same spot, while Harry wails turned louder. Finally they subdued.

“So-sowwy Sevvus. Me – me no waned to be ooseless.” Harry said sniffing and hiccupping.

“It’s fine Harry. Every child makes a mistake at his first time. I did too.”

“You did?” Harry asked while he let another hiccup.

“Well, you can say so. You know, you were very brave today. You decided to try in your potty. This is as important as achieving it.”

“Weally?”

“Really. Now come on, it’s time for a bath” he said and offered the boy his hand.

Harry looked at Snape for a moment and then raised his hands up to allow his guardian to take him into his arms. Snape did so and moved to the bathroom, while he felt baby Harry’s moist cheek against his.

Severus Snape barricaded himself inside his office. He sat on his chair and let out a sigh of disgust. That horrible day was approaching soon. Every year he hoped that when that day came, he would be far away from the school. Yet he was always there. February the Fourteenth was approaching, and he was not happy at all.Snape was a man that could not tolerate nonsense. That muggle holiday was the worst thing that Dumbledore ever allowed to be celebrated inside Hogwarts’ walls. He could not understand why such a brouhaha should ever take place inside a descend school. Yet, students always decorated the place with paper hearts. Some of the professors helped too! Nobody cared what he wanted. He wanted only one thing: Peace and Quiet!

He let a sigh of exhaustion and opened his desk’s drawers. He took a piece of parchment and started scribbling some essay-questions for a higher N.E.W.T test. The seventh year students were going to have a test soon. Suddenly he felt a tag on his right trouser. He ripped his eyes from the parchment and looked down.

“Sevvus, me wants to go walk,” Harry said timidly.

Snape had realized by now that two-year olds seek for a constant environmental change. When Harry lived his childhood with the Dursleys, he would spent some time to Mrs Figg’s backyard. Petunia Dursley had told Mrs Figg that “It would be best if the little monster spent as much time away from her Diddy-darling as possible.” Therefore, during Petunia’s and Dursley’s every-day walk to the park, Harry would spend his time taking care of Mrs Figg’s cats in the backyard. Baby Harry, who seemed to remember that detail, found his restriction inside the castle quite unbearable. He constantly moved around the room he was in, usually following the Potion Master to everywhere he would go. This, of course, annoyed Snape. Greatly.

Snape did whatever he could. On Saturday and Sunday mornings or afternoons, he would take the boy for a walk around the castle’s Grounds. Luckily the Grounds were very big and Harry always found a way to satisfy his need to walk, jump, crawl, run and explore. During school-days however, Snape was facing a problem. As a professor, it was in Snape’s duties to have office hours during the afternoons. Therefore, it was not easy for him to abandon his office and take baby Harry for a walk. There was always the case that a student would come.

Harry looked at his guardian with pleading eyes. Snape mumbled something under his breath and then he stood up and took Harry’s little hand. He opened the door and then looked at Harry.

“Harry, I cannot take you for a walk now, but you can do something else.” Snape looked Harry into the eyes and then pointed with his index at the end of the long corridor. “See the end of the corridor Harry? You can go there by yourself and come back.”

“Me go all awon?” Harry said in amazement.

“Yes, you are a big boy. If you need some help you can call me, or ask someone to bring you back here. But, you can go only at the end of the corridor. Do not turn at any corner.”

“Ok Sevvus,” Harry said happily and started walking away from him.

Snape turned around and for the first time he realized that someone had decorated his office’s door with a pink paper heart.

“When I catch the brat who did this…” he thought and ripped the heart from his door, before retreating behind his desk.

)-)-)

Hermione Granger had her patrol on Hogwarts’ eastern wings. She stared the hearts that decorated the paper walls for the upcoming Valentine’s Day on Sunday and then sighed. This seemed to be the most boring patrol she ever had. Nothing ever happened in Hogwarts’ eastern wings. Though Hermione always did her duties without questions, she could not understand the reason of patrolling the corridor where the professor’s offices were. After all, who would misbehave in front of a professor anyway?

“’Aloou Mimoni!”

The childish squeal startled her for a second. Hermione looked down and saw Harry’s big green eyes staring at her happily.

“Oh hello Harry,” Hermione said smiling to the boy. “What are you doing here all alone?”

“Me goes walk. Awone.”

“Really? Where is Snape?”

“Sevvus is his wid woom . He says me big boy now,” Harry exclaimed proudly and then pointed at Snape’s office-door.

“Is that so? Well done Harry!”

Harry beamed and turned around. He looked at the paper-heart decorations and then stared at Hermione in puzzlement.

“Mimone, why the castle is full of hawts?” Harry said in puzzlement. “Me asks Sevvus but he goes vouzou-vouzou.”

“Vouzou-vouzou?” Hermione asked raising an eyebrow in question.

“Yes vouzou-vouzou,” Harry said and started imitating a very grumpy Snape that walked and muttered under his breath.

Hermione let a chuckle and then covered her mouth as she tried to suppress her giggles. Oh, Snape went vouzou-vouzou alright! He was the only professor in the entire school to look at the hearts as if they were the insides of a Hippogriff.

“In two days, people celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is a day that you give the ones you love a present to state your love for them and…”

“Aw you go to giv a pwesent to Wuon?” Harry interrupted her.

Hermione blushed crimson red and pretended she had not heard the question. “As I was saying, the hearts symbolize love. You know, the heart means love.”

“Mimone aw you go to giv a pwesent to Wuon?” Harry demanded once again.

)-)-)

Severus Snape entered his chamber feeling exhausted. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had achieved a new record. Twenty-two love-potions were constructed for the given Valentine’s Day. Twenty-two love-potions were drunk that morning. All twenty-two love-potions were not brewed correctly. Twenty-two couples had ended in the Hospital Wing. Result: Severus Snape had one exhausting Sunday.

The first call came from Madam Pomfrey at ten o’ clock in the morning and disturbed his calm sleep. Snape could not help but think that this year the teenagers had started too early. He dressed up, left baby Harry at McGonagall and then rushed to the Hospital Wing. He was busy asking a pair of students that had ended up with feathered tails, when two other pairs of students were hurried in the Hospital Wing. Snape had spent his entire day questioning students, as he attempted to discover which of the three hundred love-potions they had brewed, which ingredients did they use, and the reason the potion’s brewing resulted to a havoc.

He growled slightly. The worse case of bad love-potion brewing came from a Slytherin couple. The couple had drunk the potion and was possessed by a fit of lust so strong that they attacked everything that was moving. They were carried to the Hospital Wing after they had been stopped by a Petrificus Totalus spell. Unfortunately, for Snape, he had to lift the spell in order to speak to them. He had no time to utter a word, yet, for both the boy and the girl attacked him. In a reflex movement he took out his wand and tied them in a binding spell, before they would both rip his robes apart. He then sat down as the couple quivered and Madam Pomfrey shook her head in disbelief.

Snape sat on a high-chair and rest his head. He closed his eyes and let out a couple of deep breaths. He felt his headache subduing slightly and counted to twenty before opening his eyes. He let another grumble and moved towards Minerva’s McGonagall’s chamber. He had a baby to receive.

)-)-)

As soon as he entered the room he saw the small little boy that his was assigned to guard running towards him. Baby Harry stopped in front of the Potion Master and smiled faintly.

“Hello Harry. Were you a good boy?” Snape asked simply lowering his eyes to see the boy.

“He was the most well-mannered little boy I have ever took care of Severus,” McGonagall said, making baby Harry beam in pride. “Wait a moment,” she said and moved to the bathroom to bring Harry’s potty.

“Abus came!” baby Harry said in excitement. “And we payd fami - y!” Harry motioned to Snape to bend and when Snape did so, he whispered into his ear. “Me said Abus give Minnie a kiss. And Abus kiss!”

Snape felt his mouth stretching, involuntarily, to a grin as he imagined McGonagall’s resistance to the whole idea, the Headmaster’s twinkling eyes and then the peck on the cheek. He covered his mouth with his hand as a silent laughter escaped from his mouth.

“Why are you two laughing?” Minerva McGonagall inquired, seeing the amusement in Snape’s eyes.

“Oh it is nothing important. I was just informed about today’s activities,” Snape answered cheekily.

Two red blotches appeared for a few seconds on McGonagall’s cheeks. She then grinned evilly at the black-robed man. She opened the door to let the boy and the man to go.

“Oh by the way Severus,” she said with a mischievous tone, “next time we agreed to allow you to be our baby.”

She closed the door, not allowing Snape to answer back.

“Sevvus,” the toddler said shyly, when they entered the chamber, while he kept his miniature hands behind his back, “Mimone say today is day of love. So, me made this for you.”

Harry brought his hand forward and gave him a folded piece of paper. Snape took it carefully and unfolded it. A sloppy childish picture of a pink heart was drawn in it. Baby Harry stared at his guardian, who kept his eyes transfixed on the piece of paper.

FLASHBACK

A long-necked woman with blond hair stared at the picture he had presented her and silently torn it to pieces, before throwing it into the waste basket.

END OF FLASHBACK

Baby Harry started shivering slightly, while his guardian kept looking at the picture.

“I think it is a very nice picture Harry,” Snape said faintly, “Than-”

Snape had no time to thank the boy, for Harry moved forward and hugged him burying his head inside his robes.

“On, no, not another hug” a voice whispered inside Snape’s head.

)-)-)

Baby Harry reached the age of twenty-six month old at the middle of March, without the aid of the ‘Growth Potion’. The reason was that Madam Pomfrey refused to let Harry grown if he was not properly potty-trained. Snape, who had tried every possible mean to help Harry over the past two months, was very pleased when Harry started going on his own.

As it was assigned, Madam Pomfrey was going to allow Harry to grow to a twenty-eight month old at Friday afternoon. Snape, however, had a worry shriveling inside his head. He wondered whether Harry was supposed to talk in such an ungrammatical manner. He decided at the end that it was abnormal and ordered himself to do something about it at first chance.

The opportunity came during their lunch on Thursday. Harry was eating quietly when suddenly the spoon slipped from his hands and fell to the floor. Harry looked down at his golden little spoon and then at the new golden spoon that appeared near Snape. He turned his attention to his guardian.

“Sevvus, me wants othew one spoon”

Snape looked at baby Harry seriously and taking a deep breath and corrected.

“You mean, you want the other spoon, Harry”

Soon, Snape would find out that this answer was going to lead to one long conversation.

“Yes, me want othew one spoon.” Harry said.

“No, no, no, the correct phrase is ‘I want the other spoon’. Can you say it Harry?”

“Sevvus, me wants othew one spoon!” Harry exclaimed feeling extremely irritated by the conversation. The only thing he wanted was to eat.

“Harry, please listen…”

“AAAARRRRGGGGHHHAAAA!”

Harry had started screaming and kicking in frustration, while the entire school, faculty included, kept staring at the conversation with much anticipation and interest.

“Harry calm down,” Snape said. While he tried to sooth the toddler, he kept thinking on how to proceed. When Harry finally stopped screaming, Snape opened his mouth once again.

“Harry, say . . . Other”

“Othew”

“Good, now say . . . Spoon”

“Spoon”

“Other . . . Spoon”

“Othew . . . Spoon. Me wants othew one spoon please.”

Harry’s last statement filled the air with faint giggles. Sighing in defeat, Snape gave Harry the golden spoon. The little boy squealed happily and put the spoon into his food.

)-)-)

“Yummy joos” Harry said happily as Madam Pomfrey gave him a little cup of juice into which she had added some drops of ‘aging potion’

The boy started sucking his juice happily, while he was sitting on Snape’s lap. Snape watched as the boy was covered with a shiny aura. Harry’s body started growing, his eyes got deep green and for a second his scar glowed on his forehead. The boy blinked for a moment and rubbed his scar with the back of his hand, muttering something that Snape thought it meant ‘stingy’.

“Sevvus, me sleepy” Harry said and let his head rest on Snape’s shoulder.

)-)-)

Peter Pettigrew opened the wooden door that screeched. Pettigrew felt his neck’s hair rising, while he blinked his eyes. The room was dark and smelled as if it no fresh air had entered inside for days. A scarred hand touched his right shoulder, making him flinch and sprint slightly away from it. Peter Pettigrew paced towards the lit fireplace, the only source of heat and light inside the abandoned manor. Behind him followed a man. He was walking with his head proudly high, as his mask seemed in perfect condition.

A man sat in front of the fireplace. His red eyes narrowed when he saw the man that followed Wormtail. The nostrils in his small, snake-like nose twitched in satisfaction, when Wormtail brought the man to him, bowed and left the room immediately.

“My Lord,” he said falling into his knees and touching Voldemort’s feet with his fingers, “I have managed to return at last. I am ready. . . ”

“. . . to give your life for me,” lord Voldemort hissed, in satisfaction, as his mouth curled into a hideous smirk.

The man lowered his head so that it would touch his hand, never leaving his fingers away from his lord’s feet.

“I am glad to have you back, my loyal servant,” the red-eyed man and removed the man’s mask.

)-)-)

Many thousands of miles away, a small boy woke up with a startling yelp. He looked around with his big green eyes and looked at the figure of the man that was sleeping to the bed near him. With much effort he climbed down his new bed and moving as quickly as he could, he entered his guardian’s bed, covered himself with the warm blankets and curled himself near the man, who kept sleeping.

Snape exhaled and as he did so he started coming out of his deep sleep. His mind started adjusting for another day, while he debated on whether to open his eyes or not. He moved his toes and fingers, an everyday ritual that allowed him to regain vitality and body-function, something that was weakened because of the heavy sleep he had. Through his grogginess; his mind told him that something was not quite right. He could not define what was wrong, but he knew it was happening. As his senses became clearer, he realized that something was pressed against his ribs. He let out a sleepy grumble, and was about to move his left hand, when he realized that something soft was wrapped around his neck. He counted to three and opened his eyes.

“GALLOPING UNICORNS!”

His eyes opened in surprise and horror. It turned out that the ‘something’ that was wrapped around his neck was baby Harry’s left arm. He cast his gaze to his left and saw the toddler’s tranquil little face snoozing in his ear. The boy was sleeping in a fetus position, which explained the other ‘something’ that was pressed against his ribs. Harry’s little feet were pressed his ribs and hip, as if the boy was prepared to jump in his sleep. Snape kept staring the boy in horror. He could not believe that he had slept in a ‘Merlin-forbid’ hug. He moved cautiously, trying to disentangle himself from the boy, without waking it up. Such an action, however, done when a person lays at the edge of the bed, usually results to something unpleasant. Snape felt himself losing his balance and fell from the bed with a faint ‘thump’. He blinked, while he lay on his back.

“Ouch!” he stated to himself sleepily and moved to the bathroom.

Snape was busy applying some shaving foam on his face when the little boy’s voice echoed inside the chamber.

“Sevvus! Sevvus whewa aw you?” he chirped in apprehension. He remembered faintly last night’s dream. He remembered a pair of two malicious-looking red eyes and a very scary hissing voice. He could not remember the other man’s face, but he knew it was a scary one too. “Sevvus!” he cried out once again, since he had received no answer.

All of a sudden a face appeared from the bathroom door. It was covered with a white paste, while tangled black hair covered the eyes. A small red bruise could be seen at the right corner of the face’s forehead.

“AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!” baby Harry screamed immediately and covered himself with the blankets.

“Harry. Harry, it is me.” Snape said in a slightly panicked manner, as he hurried to the bed with a towel on his hand. He removed the soapsuds with the towel and started ‘wrestling’ with the blankets in order to find the screaming little boy. Seconds later he found baby Harry, who covered his face with his hands.

“Look, it’s me,” he said soothingly. Baby Harry opened his left eye to see. He saw the Potion Master’s clean face. Though Snape’s hair was still tangled and covering his eyes, he looked less frightening than when he was covered in shaving-cream. He leaned towards his guardian and touched his unshaved face.

)-)-)

“Sevvus,” baby Harry said while Snape helped him to dress up, “me saw bad dwim.”

Snape looked at Harry in surprise and let him sit on his lap.

“Do you want to tell me what it was about Harry?” he asked in concern.

“Me saw a man . . . He was scawy.”

“Scary? Do you want to say how he looked like Harry?”

“Me no we – wemme – wemmember,” Harry strained to say the word ‘remember’, “good. Me saw his eyes. Thew aw wed.”

Snape’s hand stopped in mid-air for a couple of seconds, but he managed to keep his voice neutral.

“Oh is that so? What else do you remember?”

“Othew one man with him. They . . . meanies.”

)-)-)

Snape was pacing around his room feeling unable to stay still. The Headmaster had just adviced him to start giving baby Harry ‘Occlumency’ lessons as soon as he could. This would ensure baby Harry’s good sleep and would prevent Voldemort from finding out their secret.

“But, how am I going to explain to the boy the importance of Occlumency lessons?” Snape wondered. Talking about the lessons should include the reason the boy was going to have them.

“Well here is a nice thought. Hey Harry, there is a dangerous wizard that wants to take over the magical world, destroy all those that are not wizards and kill the ones, whose parents are not wizards. Your friend Hermione Granger is a most-likely victim. Yet, at the time being, he wants to kill you. This is because you are the only one that will be able to stop him, so he wants you dead. In order for you to be protected, I have to give you Occlumency lessons. By the way, do you want me to read you a story about Silvy the Unicorn?” Snape thought sarcastically.

“Sevvus, you alwight?”

Baby Harry’s sleepy voice brought him to his senses. He had given Harry some warm milk with a few drops of dreamless potion, hoping that it would limit any possibly connection with the Dark Lord and had started thinking the severity of the situation he was into. Troubles never stopped. Snape stared at the toddler and tried to smother his characteristics into a nothing-that-should-worry-you look.

“No, no, Harry. I am fine.”

Snape, to his surprise, received a look of disbelief from baby Harry. “Aw you soow?”

“Yes, I am,” Snape replied, lowering his gaze for a second nevertheless. He stood still for a while. He, then, sat down and allowed baby Harry to sit on his lap.

“Harry . . . you remember last night dream, right?” he asked, wondering how he was supposed to explain the unexplainable.

Harry nodded silently and asked something that made Snape freeze in shock.

“Was the man wil Sevvus? Me fil know him.”

“You will never guess how well you know him.” Snape thought and decided that a version of truth had to be said.

“Yes he is real.” Snape finally replied in defeat.

For the first time in his entire life, Severus Snape felt in total loss. He could not bring himself to tell the boy about how the Dark Lord rampaged in the Wizarding World for years, how he had attacked the boy’s parents and killed them. It was impossible. How could he say to a three-year old that he was that lunatic’s main target?

“He wants to ert me.” Harry stated in a moment of epiphany as his little eyes turned deep green and came to resemble the teenage Harry’s eye-color. “He meanie.”

“Harry,” Snape said seriously “I wish, I could tell you that you are wrong. But, unfortunately . . . you are right. Yet, I want you to know, that Professor Dumbledore, your friends Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley – Ron and Hermione – and all those people we met at Christmas - You remember where we went at Christmas? – Good. All those people want to protect you.”

Harry nodded while tears started rolling down his cheeks. He let his little head rest against Snape’s black robes and started crying quietly. Snape started rubbing his hand against baby Harry’s shoulder, as he felt his robes getting soaked. Finally baby Harry let a small sniffle and turned to face his assigned guardian.

Snape inhaled sharply. Harry’s eyes, though puffy, were mirroring a determination he had never seen. Not even the teenage Potter could have ever looked so determined in his entire life.

“Me no wants see bad man again.”

Harry stood up and moved towards his toys, as if the Voldemort-chapter of his life had been officially closed. Snape sighed inside knowing that in real life the ‘Dark Lord issue’ had a lot way to go before it could be completed. He watched the little boy petting Bibi’s head. Suddenly the boy turned to face him and asked him.

“Sevvus, aw you going to potet me?”

Snape remained silent for a couple of seconds.

“I will try Harry,” he uttered finally. Harry saw his gaze change. Harry was immediately reminded of a fox that is about to attack.

“In fact, I know a way to stop him from entering your dreams.” Snape said cunningly.

)-)-)

“Now Harry, listen carefully,” Snape said when the night fell. He had read him a bedtime story and he was currently sitting at the edge of Harry’s bed, staring at the laying infant. “As I had explained, this bad wizard tries to connect with you through magic. When you sleep, it is much easier for him since you cannot defend yourself with Occlumency.”

“O-occu-occumesy”

“Yes, so all you can do is to clear your mind of any thought. Therefore he cannot find a way to enter.”

“How me clean mind?” Harry asked yawning.

Snape lounged near Harry and touched Bibi’s soft material.

“I want you to look at Bibi really carefully.” Snape said and let the boy examine Bibi for a while.

“Now, I want you to close your eyes,” Snape said and Harry complied. “Take a deep breath and try to concentrate on every detail Bibi has. Think about his silver horn, its white colour and its wings. I want you to think only of Bibi. You must think of nothing else.”

Harry did as he was told. He kept envisioning on how Bibi looked like, trying not to think of anything else. A couple of minutes later, he was snoozing peacefully.

Snape sat in a relaxing position on his bed and started reading a book. Minutes later, he looked at the sleeping boy and wondered on why he had never introduced the Occlumency lessons like that the year before.

“It seems that Dumbledore was correct to tell; you did not show enough concern. Maybe you were really discriminating Potter because he looked like his father,” a little irritating voice echoed inside his head, making him feel a pang of annoyance.

“This is ridiculous,” he protested, “the boy never respected rules and annoyed me greatly with his arrogance.”

Snape yawned. He took the t-shirt that was lying under his pillow and re-treated into the bathroom to change clothes. Having done so, he lay comfortably in his bed and covered himself with the blankets.

“I pray that the Dark Lord’s vision will not be filled with stuffed unicorn’s toys,” he thought sarcastically trying to hide the apprehension he felt inside.

He closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all thoughts.

)-)-)

Draco Malfoy knocked the door. At his hands he held many parchments that contained notes. The Easter Holidays were only three days away and Draco knew that with his N.E.W.Ts approaching, every minor question had to be resolved. Snape was not giving any extra lessons to any student. Yet, the boy knew that during Snape’s office hours any student could knock the professor’s door and ask for help. If they had the nerve to do it, that is.

“Enter,” the deep voice of his professor came from inside.

When Draco Malfoy opened the door baby Harry, who was sitting at the floor, let a snort of annoyance and grasped the leg of the chair to which his guardian sat. By turning to a twenty-eight month old, Harry became more protective of his possessions. It was true that he was keen to share his toys. Living with the Dursleys had taught how it feels to have no toys at all. Yet, baby Harry had decided that he would share his most valuable possession with nobody. His most valuable possession was Sevvus. Baby Harry knew that the blond boy’s appearance would shift Sevvus’ attention away. He threw Draco a look of annoyance and started playing with Bibi.

“How can I help you, Draco?” Snape said and pointed at the chair that was opposite his desk.

Draco closed the office’s door and sat down. He placed the pieces of parchment on the mahogany desk and took the one that lay at the top of the pile. He re-read the questions he wanted to ask about and then opened his mouth.

“Sir, I was wondering about this question. How does bezoar affect the body of a man that takes it as an antidote to the Sicarius Potion?”

“As I hope you will remember, the Sicarius Potion is one of the most deadly potions ever created by the wizarding race. The victim, twenty minutes after he has drunk it, starts feeling a sharp pain inside his nose. . .”

Baby Harry let the toy down and looked at his guardian that explained in detail the question he was asked. He felt annoyed because Sevvus was not paying any attention to him whatsoever. He narrowed his eyes at the blond boy that was looking at his pieces of parchment and nodded. Mumbling something to himself, he looked at Bibi and then tugged Snape’s right trouser.

“. . . therefore the bezoar’s powder should be inserted into the. . .”

The repeated tugs caused him to stop abruptly and he turned at the toddler that looked at him innocently.

“Sevvus, me and Bibi want cwawons to dwoou.”

Snape did not spoke. He just opened his desk’s drawers, took a box of “Lila’s Magical Crayons. They turn to fruit paste when the child tries to eat them” crayons and many pieces of parchment. He turned his gaze to Draco when another tug came.

“Teink you,” Harry said seriously.

“You are welcome,” Snape said and turned his gaze to Draco once again.

Harry looked at Draco angrily, once again and turned his attention to his picture. How dare that boy steal Sevvus from him? It was not fair! He came first! He let himself wonder what Dudley would have done in that situation.

While Harry was thinking and drawing, Snape was imposed with another question. The reason on why some really common non-magical plants were used at some potions.

“As I said many time before, some common non-magical plants are the ingredient that can cause a potion to be a success or a failure. Take daisy petals for example. They look common. You may say that they are worthless. But let me say that daisy-petals are the ingredient that causes the Fanged Geranium to release the water from its leaves, when someone stews a Confusing Potion. Do not forget now that if the water is not properly release, you may end up with the boil the size of an egg at the tip of your nose. Also, take the pine-tree leaves for example. . .”

Snape stopped abruptly in a silent ‘o’. His eyes bulged open to the point Draco thought that they were going to pop out of their sockets. He lowered his gaze for a second and then looked at Draco as if he had seen him for the first time in his entire life. And then it happened. He slammed his hand on the desk’s surface so abruptly that Draco almost had a heart attack.

“That’s it! Pine-tree leaves! They are the key-ingredient I wanted for my research,” he thought to himself and stood up. He hurried to the door. He stopped. He looked at Draco Malfoy and when he opened his mouth he found out that due to his excitement he could not speak properly.

“Draco – look – Potter –for awhile. Goodbye!” he said quickly and got out of his office as if he was chased by an angry goblin.

Draco stared at the shut door, trying to figure out what had happened. Baby Harry stared at him menacingly, for he believed that it was the blond prefect’s fault that Snape had gone. Draco stared at baby Harry horror-struck. The last time he was forced to look after him, Potter had caused him a severe headache.

“Maybe now that he is older, he will behave,” he muttered to himself and decided to make an attempt to engage Potter in a conversation.

He stood up and sat on the floor. Harry blew a raspberry and clutched Bibi closer.

“Hey Potter, what is this nice little toy?” Draco said trying to act pleasant around an infant Potter. He leaned down, trying to touch the unicorn-toy.

Baby Harry, who was already angry with Draco, saw red. He grabbed Malfoy’s hand into his two small ones and gave him a bite that made Fluffy look like a toothless old dog.

“YOUCH! Hey Potter that hurt!” Draco flanged himself backwards and looked at his hand.

On his white skin there was imprinted a series of teeth-marks. A red marking appeared, showing that baby Harry had managed to bit off some flesh. Draco took out a small cotton handkerchief that had the ‘M’ of the family embroidered on it, and pressed it against his wound. Unfortunately, for Draco, he was about to find out that biting was not the only thing that baby Harry was going to use against him.

)-)-)

Snape stretched upwards as he tried to climb a pine-tree. He had to collect freshly cut pine-tree leaves in order to use them on his research. For two whole years had been trying to create a potion that would allow broken bones to be healed easily.

The potions that existed so far were limited in small injuries like noses. When an arm or leg was broken, the Healer had to bound it and give small doses of a mending potion for a week and a half. Snape knew that with an upcoming war, no time could be waster in injuries. Therefore he tried to make a potion that would heal the injured in a few hours, and could be taken either by mouth or be rubbed on the bone in case someone was unconscious and could not wake up.

Though he seemed to have discovered something good, a stabilizing ingredient was missing from the potion he had created. This caused the bones to heal for some time. Yet, before the healing procedure would finish, the potion reversed taking the bones to their earlier broken form. Snape knew he needed a stabilizer, but what could that be? For two years he had been searching on stabilizers but nothing seemed to work. When Draco Malfoy had asked him that question, he suddenly remembered pine-tree leaves. Though not commonly used, the pine-tree leaves were known to provide stability and mend ingredients together. Snape was shocked when he realized that the answer was under his nose for such a long time.

Having collected many pine-tree leaves he headed to his chamber.

)-)-)

Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy was in an uncomfortable position. He had tried to be good to the boy. He swore he did. Yet, that green-eyed monster of doom was too much to handle. Baby Harry had thrown stuffed toys at him when he attempted to speak to him and bit him, while he was studying and tried to ignore his impulses to hex the boy to oblivion. After all, Draco was of the idea that no one should hex, or hit, a baby. Babies were defenseless for they knew no magic. His father had never raised a hand to him when he was a child. So why would he?

“Ok Potter that is enough. I am the older one and you are supposed to listen me,” Draco said strictly, as he leaned to meet baby Harry’s eyes. “Now stop opening Snape’s cupboards.”

Harry looked at Malfoy and pouted. How dare he drive Snape away? How dare he try to steal him? He glared and then kicked Draco hard on the leg. Draco yelped in pain and lost his balance as he landed with his butt. Harry launched forward and grasped a lock of Draco’s hair and started pulling them really hard.

“YOUCH, POTTER THAT HURTS!” Draco shouted.

Suddenly something clicked. He remembered the only way to make even the angriest child happy. His father had used it on him many times. It was not dangerous and it would make Potter sorry for ever dealing with Draco Malfoy. He moved his hands upwards and started tickling Potter.

Harry started giggling happily and forgetting all about his grudge against the blond boy and ‘attacked’ back, not knowing that later on their action would cause his teenage self to wonder.

It was in a tickling fight that Snape found them later on. For a moment his eyes enlarged in shock to see such a picture. Yet, his eyes softened. If the two greatest enemies in the school could put aside their differences even for a moment, this showed that there was still some hope for Gryffindor and Slytherin. He shook his head, however, and coughed.

“Draco, I am back. I hope Harry did not give you much trouble.”

Draco looked at the toddler and then at the black-robed professor. Baby Harry lowered his eyes expecting to hear Draco giving a detailed description of what he had done to him.

“No sir, he was no trouble at all” Draco stated finally and moved forward to collect his notes that lay forgotten on his teacher’s desk. “It’s late, sir, and I must get to my dormitory.”

“Draco,” Snape said before Draco would open the door. “Please drink this before you leave. We wouldn’t want your hand to swell.”

Draco looked at his hands, while Snape gave him a goblet full of potion. At the point where baby Harry had bit him, the markings were turning red and swelling.

“Such deep bites cause infection,” Snape pointed simply while Malfoy drunk a potion that had the taste of banana and cheese. “Harry, what have I been telling you about biting?”

”No good.” Harry said lowering his eyes.

“So, what are you going to say to Mr. Malfoy?”

“Me sowwy Dwaco.” Harry said in determination.

“Apology accepted Potter,” Draco said indifferently and left the office.

Baby Harry looked at his guardian and said in excitement.

“Look wat Dwaco tich me.”

He moved his hand upwards and tickled Snape on the ribs. The response was immediate. Snape let a very weird giggle that reminded Harry of a bleat. Snape covered his mouth.

“Harry, stop doing that” he ordered.

Harry did not comply. Instead, he stood up on tiptoes and continued tickling.

Snape inched away as his weird giggle, something he had never used for many years turned to a normal one and then to laughter.

“Ha – hehehe – Harry – hahahaha – Oh darts!” he finally exclaimed and started tickling the boy back.

)-)-)

“Ok Harry, time for bed,” Snape said and put the toddler to his bed. He covered the boy’s body the blanket. “Now, do you want anything else before you clear your mind of all thought?”

Snape knew that baby Harry had mastered cleansing his mind. It was time to start Occlumency lessons.

“Sevvus,” baby Harry said looking at him seriously, “Me knows biting bad. But – but if anynoona twies to stil you, me does it again.”

The sun was shining above Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Grounds smelled of freshly grown grass and the lake had lost its glassy-ice surface. Inside his chambers a tall black-robed man worked alone. Snape took a small mouse out of its cage and practiced a spell on it. The mouse ceased to move and Snape took it into his arms. He un-wrapped the bandage that he had placed around the animal’s broken leg. He traced his finger on the mouse’s leg and to his satisfaction he found out that the potion had performed his work. The pine-tree needles were the key-ingredient indeed. He put the mouse back to its cage and looked at the clock. To his surprise he realized that the time was almost two o’ clock. He had been working non-stop for six hours without noticing a thing. He mentally noted that McGonagall was going to kill him, since he was supposed to receive the boy three hours ago, and hurried to her chambers to get baby Harry.When he opened McGonagall’s door he saw a picture that he was going to remember to his deathbed. At the floor sat Albus Dumbledore. He wore a miniscule bib around his neck, and beard, and was ‘goo-ing’ to baby Harry. Baby Harry was holding an empty little bowl in his right hand and with a little spoon he was pretending that he was feeding the Headmaster. McGonagall had her back turned and from the high-pitched voice she was using, it seemed that she pretended to be cooking something.

“I am not even going to try to explain that,” he stated with a false-faced expression, making all here of them turn to face him.

McGonagall turned red from embarrassment and she was about to comment about the importance of knocking a door before entering, when baby Harry run towards the Potion Master.

“Sevvus, Abus, Minnie and I, payd family. I am dad. Minnie mum and Abus son. Me like it. Want to pay too?”

“Yes Severus,” Dumbledore exclaimed cunningly, while his eyes twinkled more mischievously than both the Weasley Twins combined, “I would love having a brother.”

“Yes,” Harry exclaimed happily, “Sevvus becomes Abus lill broder!”

“Wait a minute; I am certainly not going to play family or pretend that I am the Headmaster’s little brother.”

“Aww, pweeeeeaaaasssseee!” baby Harry pleaded.

“No, there is no possible way to convince me. After all it is two o’ clock and it is time for you to eat and have a nap,” Snape said and took Harry’s hand. He moved out of McGonagall’s chamber quickly, while the boy pouted. Snape knew, nevertheless, that the pouting was going to stop before Harry’s nap.

-)-)-)

“Sevvus why is the gwass gween?”

Snape turned his attention away from the lake and looked at baby Harry, who was sitting near him. Since most of the students were away for the Easter holidays, Snape took the opportunity to take baby Harry for a walk in the Grounds.

“Sorry?”

“Why is the gwass gween Sevvus?”

“Why the grass is green? Why in Merlin’s name am I supposed to know that?”

“Well, umm . . . the grass is green . . . because it is a plant . . . and all plants are green. I mean their leaves are green.”

“Good save Severus!”

Baby Harry remained silent for a second.

“Yes, but why gwass gween and flo-ou-ers are othew one colouws?”

“Flowers have a different colour so that they can differ from the grass.”

“Why?”

“For the bees will know the difference between a flower and grass.”

“Wow, such a clever answer Severus!” he commented to himself sarcastically.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why bees must know the diffewence?”

“The bees must collect the flower’s pollen.”

“Why?”

“They have to make some honey with it,” he said feeling slightly irritated from the too many ‘whys’.

“Why?”

“Because, if they don’t make honey, you will not have anything to eat your toast with,” he finally snapped.

“Ok, teink you,” baby Harry said happily and turned his attention to Bibi.

“Oh for Pandora’s Box what happened now?” Snape wondered. “Where did all those questions came from?”

“Sevvus . . .” baby Harry said once again, making the hook-nosed professor turn to look at him.

“Why is the watew blue?”

“Actually Harry, the water is not blue. It has no colour. It just reflects, shows, the sky’s colour.”

”Aww,” baby Harry said in understatement, “Why? Why sky has colouw blue?”

“Argh I Hate My Life!” Snape thought and let himself lye on the grass.”

-)-)-)

The fact that baby Harry had started asking questions was the least of Snape’s problems. One of the greatest problems that Snape had to deal with was the beginning of Occlumency lessons. It seemed that baby Harry had managed to empty his head from all thought and had not seen any nightmares that involved a certain red-eyed man. Snape realized that it was time for them to start Occlumency lessons. The Potion Master was aware that he could not introduce the lessons as a game. Therefore he decided to bring the ‘Dark Lord’ issue back to baby Harry’s life.

“Harry, there is something important I need to tell you,” he said and sat opposite the boy, who was drawing with his crayons.

Baby Harry looked at Snape’s serious expression and noted apprehensively. He wondered if he had done something wrong and whether he was going to be punished for it. Uncle Vernon an aunt Petunia needed no reason to punish him, and in most cases they would not even talk to him and explain what he had done wrong. They simply shouted and tossed him into the cupboard without dinner.

“Boy . . . ahem . . . Harry, do you remember the bad dream you saw? The man with the red eyes. . .”

Harry nodded.

“Mean man.”

“Yes. Now you know that I said that this man wants to enter your dreams? Well, sometimes he might try to do it while you are awake.”

“I no wans to see him!” baby Harry protested immediately in a nervous tone.

“I am aware that you do,” Snape stated seriously, “And this is one of the reasons I want us to start practice Occlumency lessons together.”

“Me do Occ-u-mency before sleep.”

“Emptying your head from all thought is very important in Occlumency, but it is not the only thing you should know. You must be aware of what to do when someone tries to enter your head even when you least expect it.”

“No uwt me?” baby Harry asked in a trembling squeaky voice.

“I promise I will do my best not to hurt you while doing Occlumency,” Snape tried to assure him and took out his wand. “Let us start now, shall we?”

Baby Harry nodded and clutched Bibi closely.

“Now listen carefully,” Snape said seriously. “I am going to try and enter your head. You must try and repel me from entering and seeing your memory. Now, I want you to do what you do every night before going to sleep.”

Baby Harry nodded and closed his eyes and tried to focus on Bibi’s every single detail. He felt the toy’s softness against his skin, he thought of the unicorn’s gleaming set of feathers and the fun they were having every day. Snape pointed his wand near Harry’s head and said softly.

“Legilimens.”

Snape inhaled sharply as he was presented with many pieces of baby Harry’s memories.

FLASHBACKS

“Not to mention that this white stuff is . . . aaarrggghhh. . .” Snape was not able to finish his words, since he slipped on the snow and landed on it with a ‘thump, “. . . slippery”

Snape saw the image of himself falling on the ground while baby Harry laughed happily. His eyes narrowed and he tried to find access to another one of the boy’s memories, while he heard himself saying apprehensively.

“No Potter, not. . . There was no need to throw snow at me Potter.”

---

“HOW USELESS CAN YOU BE? LOOK WHAT YOU DONE TO MY CLEAN TABLECLOTH!”

A long-necked woman screeched at the twenty-nine month old Harry who was looking at the floor in embarrassment. It seemed that the boy had caused a glass full of water to spill over the white table-cloth. The woman looked at the small boy as if he was a pile of dragon-dung and grabbed him by the arm before pulling him towards a small door under the stairs. She opened it and, practically, threw the boy inside the room. She then locked the room and left.

“You are going to be here until tomorrow morning. No tea or dinner for you!”

Snape turned his head towards the wall and in abhorrence he realized that it was still three o’ clock in the afternoon. That meant almost eighteen hours without food.

END OF FLASHBACKS

Snape was so busy watching the small boy’s memories that paid no attention to the baby Harry. The boy started whimpering not only due to the bad memory he was seeing but also to the fact that his scar was hurting very much. He finally let out a cry of agony and found the strength to throw himself forward. Snape felt someone hitting him hard in the stomach and to his dismay he was presented with a memory that did not belonged to baby Harry, but it was rather his own.

FLASHBACK

A small boy, whom Snape recognized as himself, walked quietly down the long house’s corridor. He clutched a stuffed toy-snitch into his six-year old hands and tried to act as quietly and seriously as he could. His father had returned home after four years of traveling around the wizarding world. For the first time in his entire life, he had the chance to meet his father. Yet, he was shocked to discover that his father was very different from his mother. He had, indeed, smiled at him and brought him a present but neither the smile nor the fact that he had a new toy could help the boy not to feel that his father was not a warm and affectionate man.

“So how is Severus, dear?” a soft silky male voice, whose traits Severus was meant to inherit, said.

The boy halted and sat near the door. His mother had said that eavesdropping was bad but he wanted to know what his father thought of him and if he cared.

“Oh he is doing just fine. He is a clever little boy. He has started practicing on writing the alphabet letters, three days ago and he has almost perfected himself on most of them. He has started to deal with addition in arithmetic and he is very bright on the subject as well.”

“Yes, yes,” the man stated blankly and motioned his hand to end the subject, “What happens with his magical abilities?”

“Well he has not showed any magical abilities yet, but he is too small to do that Quirinus.”

“No one is ever too small to perform uncontrolled magic. He must have done something by now. Or else . . .:”

Severus looked at his father's shadow approaching his mother.

“You are certainly not implying that he might be …” the woman said slowly.

“Yes, a Squib! What if we have passed no magical traits on him?” the man stated angrily, as if he had discovered a conspiracy planned against him.

The woman remained silent for a moment.

“Well, what if he is a Squib! Such things happen. His children may become wizards or his grandchildren . . .”

“I do not want any Squib in my bloodline, do you listen? He would know nothing, understand nothing . . .” he stated coldly.

“Oh for Merlin’s Potion Vials, Quirinus! He will not be able to perform magic. It is not as if he will be unable to process information.”

“Squibs are worthless. They are parasites.”

“Listen to yourself! Who has planted all those ideas in your head?”

“It is of no matter. I am only telling you this. If the boy is a Squib, you should start thinking of his future. He will certainly not live under my household or my family’s name!”

END OF FLASHBACK

Snape forced his memory to halt and turned his look at baby Harry with a mixture of anger, sadness and surprise. Baby Harry stared at him accusingly.

“Youw liaw!” he said finally and lowered his gaze.

“What?” the man asked feeling dizzy.

“Youw liaw! You said Occ-u-mency no uwts!” baby Harry said angrily. “It ewted! Badly! It ewted hewe,” he said and touched his chest. “It ewted hewe too,” he said sadly and touched his scar.

“Harry . . .”

“No! Occ-u-mency uwts! I no does it again!” baby Harry screeched and moved towards his toys.

Snape let his back touch the wall and closes his eyes. His head throbbed from pain and he wished he could close his eyes and disappear into oblivion. He opened his left eye and stared at Potter who had retreated away from him.

“How could I be so stupid?” he wondered, “I should had suspected that something prevented Potter from performing in Occlumency lessons.”

“Yes. Yet you preferred to follow your ‘James-was-a-total-prat-and-so-is-his-son-so-because-of-this-he-will-not-listen-and-he-will-not-try’ explanation,” a little irritating voice echoed in his head making him glare.

“Oh shut up. The boy always seeks for a reason to irritate me”

“The Headmaster was correct in his assumptions.”

“SHUT UP!”

-)-)-)

The sun had set hours ago. Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat and waited. He was worried. It was a night that some of the Order’s members were risking their life against Voldemort’s forces. He looked at his cup of tea and to his amazement he realized that his palms were sweaty. He could not recall the last time his palms were sweaty, a sign of extreme worry. He usually managed to keep himself composed even through the most dangerous situations, a result of having battled Grindewald fifty years before. He raised his head and stared at his friend, who growled at him.

“You are going to be angry with me for the entire evening, won’t you Alastor?” Dumbledore commented quietly.

“I am not angry Albus,” Moody growled. “I just wish I could be there. Sitting here makes me feel old and useless.”

Dumbledore sighed. Snape had informed him that the Death Eaters were going to attack the place where a rich Italian wizard currently stayed. Mr. Vicente visited London for economic purposes, bringing his Muggle wife with him. Vicente during his visit had been granted with some threats that he was going to be punished for ‘his treason against the wizard race’. Snape having told what was going to happen, informed Dumbledore that in order to halt any whisper around his Death Eater loyalty he had offered to be a part of the party of Death Eaters in the raid. This, immediately excluded Alastor Moody from taking part in the team of Aurors that secretly protected Vicente’s apartment. Moody’s magical eye could see behind masks and this could destroy the black-robed man’s spy cover. Tonks and Kingsley were a part of the Auror’s team and Bill Wealsey had conveniently arranged a meeting with Vicente for a Gringotts’ business deal.

Molly entered the room, holding a warm kettle in her arms. She placed some cups, sugar and sandwiches on the table and sat down. Dumbledore examined her face. Her eyes were lit in anticipation and worry, and every couple of minutes; she would stretch her head towards the entrance’s direction. Dumbledore wished he could say to her not to worry. Yet, he knew that in the given situation everyone taking part in the raid could be seriously hurt or die. He rubbed his sweaty palms against his robes and took a sip from his tea.

Suddenly the door opened and Arthur Weasley came into the room with baby Harry in his hands. Snape had left the toddler in the headquarters knowing that if something happened to him, he would be with a group of people that would protect him.

“He has waked and looks for Snape,” Arthur Weasley mouthed slowly and silently, before letting Harry down.

Moody grumbled and stood, leaving the room. He could not help but feel awkward around small children, maybe because he had ceased trying to reach their mentality years ago.

Baby Harry moved near Molly and allowed her to sit him on her lap. He looked at the ones around the table, as if he was trying to remember something. Suddenly, his eyes focused on Dumbledore and a serious expression formed in his face’s features.

“Abus, wewa Sevvus is? Why we not back home?” he demanded in a serious tone.

The old man was almost caught off guard from the serious tone in the boy’s tone. He looked down his cup and then back at the boy.

“Severus had something to do Harry,” he said finally, “but he will be here soon.”

“Aw you suw?” Harry asked seriously, “I have bad fee-i-ng hewe,” he concluded and touched his tummy. Tears started rolling down his cheeks. “Sevvus no come back?”

“Aww pet, of course Severus will return,” Molly exclaimed quickly and brushed the tears from the boy’s cheek. “Why don’t you go with Arthur and play until he returns ha?”

Harry nodded involuntarily and took Arthur Wealsey’s hand. The door closed behind him and seconds later Moody returned into the room. They all remained silent, listening to the tick-tack of the grandfather clock, until a faint knock was heard. Moody rose immediately and approached the door with his wand on his hand. He saw Tonks and Kingsley outside. The female Auror was wincing and holding her hand, while Kingsley was holding his nose and had a sickening look. Moody let his eye scan them. Every one of the Order’s members had the tendency to place his, or her, wand in exactly the same place inside their clothes, whatever they were wearing. Having assured himself that it was the real Tonks and Kingsley he opened the door.

Kingsley sprinted inside still clutching his nose and run towards the bathroom, while something escaped from his hand. Tonks entered the house. Her legs trembled as she walked. From her palm upwards her forearm a red swelling was developing slowly. She winced and sat down. Meanwhile Kingsley was coughing inside the bathroom. Moody leaned on the floor to see the slimy thing that had fallen from Kingsley’s hand. To his amazement it was bogies. He moved quickly to the door and started banging it.

“Kingsley, open up before I blast the damn door,” he ordered in an angry firm manner, “The last thing I want is to carry you at St. Mango’s while you are drowned to death by liquid, troll-bogies.”

A muffled sound escaped from behind the door.

“I don’t care if it is bloody ugly. We are not in a beauty contest, we are at war,” he barked.

The door opened a couple of moments later. Moody let out a grumble of disgust and entered the room. Tonks shook her head and let out a low ‘men’ before looking at Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley.

“Don’ you worry, Bill’s fine. He’s escorting Vicente to a safer place,” she immediately told them. Mrs. Weasley let out a sigh of relief and poured some tea into her cup. Moody came out of the bathroom and whispered something into Dumbledore’s ear. The long-bearded man stood up and followed Moody into the bathroom. The two women heard Dumbledore groan in desperation and enter the room.

Moments later someone was thumping the door. Moody hurried outside the bathroom and, after checking, opened the door to Bill. The man had a deep cut running down his cheek. He sat down and winced while his mother attempted to wipe his face clean. Dumbledore, Moody and Kingsley returned moments later. Moody and Dumbledore had managed to stop the Troll-Bogies hex and Kingsley had charmed his robes clean. Yet Kingsley’s nose was sore red and made him wince from the pain every once and awhile.

Dumbledore stared at them. One was missing. Snape had not returned yet and to his fear only Tonks seemed to have seen him during the battle, or she thought she did. No one could ever knew with the all the Death Eaters wearing masks and dark robes. She simply mentioned that she saw Haridson, the third Auror that was assigned to keep an eye with them on Vincente, hex a tall slim man. She could not be sure, nevertheless. Kingsley and Tonks were describing the battle in detail when a faint knock was heard on the door. Moody stood up to open.

Severus Snape entered the house, but did not manage to say a single word. He was granted by two small hands that circled his waist and hugged him with all their strength. Snape tried hard not to wince and looked at baby Harry.

“Sevvus, I scawed you no come back!” Harry exclaimed immediately.

Snape said nothing, but he rather let his had rest on the boy’s head. Then he took a deep breath and spoke.

“Ok Harry, will you do me a favour? Can you go and prepare Bibi for our trip back at Hogwarts, until I finish my talk with Professor Dumbledore?”

Harry nodded in happiness and disappeared into the living room. Snape entered the kitchen and sat on the nearest chair, trying hard not to wince. His face was slightly whiter than usual but his features were kept neutral of whatever it was bothering him.

“I beg your pardons for being late, but I had to announce to the Dark Lord,” Snape heard Moody growling, but he felt too exhausted to think the Dark Lord with a more neutral name, “that the Death Eaters had failed their mission. Let me just say that he was not pleased.”

Snape sipped his tea, while the others started chattering about the night’s events. He gulped and winced involuntarily. He was jinxed not only by that other Auror. Kingsley and Tonks had jinxed him as well. And whatever Kingsley had thrown at him, it hurt very much. He drunk another gulp from his tea and called baby Harry, who came inside in a half-asleep, half-awake state. He mentally gritted his teeth and was about to lean down and grasp the boy into his arms, when he saw Albus Dumbledore leaning down and getting baby Harry into his arms.

“I am going to carry the boy back to Hogwarts, ok Severus?” he said with a tone that would take no disagreement and looked at him with a scornful look.

Snape said nothing but he followed the Headmaster in front of the house, to where they Apparated. When they appeared in front of the castle, Snape felt the pain in his ribs slightly more intense. He dismissed the feeling of pain, not feeling it was necessary to complain about it, and turned to see at Dumbledore, who held the sleeping baby Harry. The man was still staring at him with a scornful look.

“I will take care of baby Harry for tonight Severus. You must go immediately to Poppy in the Infirmary and check at your wound. I know you have a wound. Moody has told me so,” he said immediately and turn his back to the raven-haired man. “I will meet you in the Hospital Wing in ten minutes.”

-)-)-)

Though his ribs were not severely hit, it took Snape a couple days to sit on a chair without the aid of a pillow to support his back. He spent many sleepless nights, wincing and gritting his teeth in bed, and internally he felt happy that this incident took place during the Easter holidays. What he was not feeling happy about was the constant interference by the Healer, McGonagall and Dumbledore in his every day routine. His troubles had begun at the very first moment, when his injury was diagnosed. Madam Pomfrey recommended that he ought to stay in bed for a day or two, after she had applied some Healing Charms on him, in order for his wound to be entirely cured. Yet, he chose to ignore her advices by brewing a potion, and he was caught red handed by Madam Pomfrey herself. In anger she ordered both McGonagall and the Headmaster to keep an eye on him and prevent him from acting like a stubborn three-year old, something to which they complied with zeal.

Two days after the pain on his ribs subsided baby Harry returned back from McGonagall’s room in the foulest mood.

“Sevvus, I feel bad,” he said softly. “Me no wans to eat. I wans go to sleep.”

Snape examined the toddler and could not help but notice that baby Harry seemed slightly whiter than what he did in the morning. Yet, since the boy had not let a single cough all day long, or the previous days in the matter, he dismissed any idea of worry. He vexed the boy to drink a few gulps of tea and prepared him for bed.

“Ok, bedtime story. Which one would you like to hear this evening?” he asked as he approached the library.

“No stowy tinigh Sevvus,” baby Harry said and covered himself with his blankets.

“No story? The boy never says no to stories,” an apprehensive little voice said in his head.

“Oh he is just tired,” he told himself with a scorn and returned to his reading.

It was two o’ clock in the morning when Snape’s peaceful sleep was disturbed by someone shaking his shoulder. He slowly opened his eyes to meet baby Harry, who shivered slightly.

“Sevvus, can me sleep wit you? I feel bad.”

Snape uncovered himself from his cocoon of blankets and sat up, taking the boy into his arms. Baby Harry was clutching Bibi near him as he shivered more intensively. The man touched the toddler’s forehead with the back of his palm and to his surprise he realized that the skin was hot.

“Sevvus, I am cold,” baby Harry complained as a fit of coughs overcame him. He stopped and started whizzing. “My neck sowe”

Snape let the boy lye on his bed and started looking for an ordinary thermometer. Seeing that such a thing was nowhere to be found, he took the boy and hurried to the Hospital Wing.

-)-)-)

Madam Pomfrey woke up as someone hit the door with all his might. She rubbed her groggy eyes and proceeded into wearing her night-robes, while she muttered incoherent words about not having a proper night sleep. She opened the doors and was granted with a surprising image. On her doorstep stood Severus Snape, wearing a t-shirt with the sentence ‘Got Potions’ imprinted on it and a pair of green-white striped boxers , holding a pale Harry Potter.

“He is sick,” Snape said in a-matter-of-fact tone and gave her the boy.

“Baby Harry has fever Severus,” Madam Pomfrey told him fifteen minutes later, after she had examined baby Harry. “He needs to be kept cool until morning, when I will conduct Helena about it.”

Snape stared the boy in horror. What was he supposed to do with a sick child all night long? Baby Harry coughed hardly and started whimpering in his arms. Snape rubbed the boy’s back and headed back to his chambers. There he put baby Harry on his large bed and sat near him. He brought some cold water and wet towels. He placed one on the boy’s forehead. The boy shivered more and turned to find comfort in the man’s warmer body. Snape covered the boy with the blankets, while Harry let his little head rest on the pillow. Cold sweat started running down baby Harry’s forehead and he started tossing while he was fighting not to sleep and fall in a land of horrific dreams.

The tall man watched the boy for some time as he tried to force himself to stay awake. Suddenly baby Harry inhaled sharply and opened his eyes to see him. Snape tried hard not to look worried as the boy sat up and started coughing hard. Baby Harry stopped and felt the man’s hand rubbing his back in a comforting manner. He lay back and turned his gaze towards the hook-nosed man.

“Sevvus, why you cawe me?” he asked curiously, yet sadly. “Aunt Petunia and Unkel Vewnon – cough – my fami-i-y but no cawe. You stranger, why you cawe?”

Snape froze when the question was imposed. Did he look after the boy because he had a duty to the school or did he really cared about Harry Potter?

“No, I cannot care about James Potter’s son. Both father and son, are egotistical law-breakers that care of no one unless he or she belongs to their lot,” a stubborn voice echoed inside his head.

“Yes, but you cannot deny that your life has changed since you took Potter under your protection. Your attitude towards others may have not changed but the small boy has made you care about him. Look at yourself, you would have never allowed yourself to give Potter Occlumency Lessons if he had not been de-aged. And whatever happens, you hate to see the boy crying. Doesn’t it remind you a bit of yourself?” another voice asked in demand.

“Well, what will happen when he grows up? Will I hate him when he stares me back like James Potter used to stare at me? I probably will. The fact that I do not like to see him crying is because I cannot tolerate tears at all. This does not necessarily mean I like the boy. Am I reminded of myself? I am not sure about it. There is something in him. . .”

Moments later his thoughts came to an end.

“Potter I want you to become well because –“

His words stopped. Baby Harry was snoozing peacefully. Snape stared at the boy for some seconds before he would remove the towel from his forehead, wet it with cool water and put it back to his head. He touched the boy’s head. The fever seemed to have gone. He yawned and let his head rest on his pillow.

-)-)-)

Snape gurgled as he emptied the contents of his stomach inside the toilet. Baby Harry’s sickness caused him to get sick with Stomach Flue. He could not swallow anything, except water and tea, for it caused his stomach to become nauseous. He let himself sit up, exhausted from the ordeal of emptying his stomach. Stomach Flue had to be cured by itself. Neither potion nor medicine could help. He took a few deep breaths and could not help but think that it was all Harry’s fault.

“Severus, are you alright in there?” a female voice asked him.

“Oh fine! I just emptied my stomach and now I am going to sit up in my bed feeling useless. Thank you for asking Minerva,” he stated in sarcasm and proceeded to stand up.

He wore his night-robe and got out of the bathroom and into his bed. McGonagall, who had promised baby Harry a walk in the Grounds, approached the bed, holding baby Harry by the hand. The, three-year old boy let her hand, stood on the tip of his toes and hugged the man’s head before waving goodbye and leaving the room. Snape sighed. He felt lucky that those exhausting Easter holidays were coming to an end.

Snape marched down the castle’s corridors towards the Hospital Wing. On his hands he carried a box full of Potion Vials. He had assigned the sixth-year’s students to brew a N.E.W.T’s level potion that had been assigned two years ago in the given exam. He stopped in front of the wooden door, and being unable to release his hands from the burden he held, he kicked the door thrice. The door creaked open seconds later, causing the man to snort in despair.In front of him stood Albus Dumbledore, discoverer of the twelve uses of dragon blood. His eyes held a merry twinkle that would scare a goblin and, probably, cause it to die from a heart-attack. Snape shuddered. If Madam Pomfrey had asked Dumbledore to join on Harry’s next potion dose, then he suspected he was going to hear something that would make him regret of his agreement to become Potter’s guardian.

“Severus, do sit down,” Madam Pomfrey said in her matter-of-fact tone and pointed at one of the empty beds.

The black-robed man sat on the bed, while he stared at the Headmaster and the Healer apprehensively. He could feel it in his bones that something was not right, and he could tell in certainty that this ‘something’ had a lot to do with a green-eyed toddler.

“So Poppy, can I know the reason for this little gathering?” Snape asked in annoyance.

“Certainly,” Madam Pomfrey replied in her business-like tone and swished her wand.

On the wall behind her a huge piece of parchment unfolded. On it many diagrams and figures were drawn. Both Snape and Dumbledore eyed the Healer waiting an explanation of what they were seeing. Taking a deep breath Madam Pomfrey pointed her wand at the charts.

“After the potion doses are given to Mr. Potter, I always spent some time with him into which I record of how much weight and height he has gained. In this parchment I have a projected composite field diagram of Harry’s expected physiological growth from the age of twenty-four months to the age of seventeen years old.”

Her words halted. Snape was looking at her silently, an eyebrow raised in question and uncertainty, while Dumbledore had a dead-pan expression written all over his face.

“Poppy, is there a possibility we can have a translation of what you have just said; in simple and understandable English?” Snape said smirking at her.

“Ha ha, very funny Severus,” Madam Pomfrey in an irritated tone and pointed her wand on the parchment. “In the parchment I have drawn many charts that show how Harry would look in his future ages. The ages are constructed from the age of 24 months old to the age of seventeen years old.”

“This is important because. . . ” Snape voiced.

“At the same I have recorded Harry’s behavior as well. Now, Harry’s psychological readings are in conjunction with those that are projected in the mental capacities of a three-year old.”

A long silence ensued. Madam Pomfrey threw her hands up into the air and granted the Headmaster and Snape with an icy glare.

“Oh for Merlin’s name, Harry acts and looks like a normal three-year old. Buy a dictionary, will you?” she huffed.

“The point is. . . ” Snape said impatiently.

“Since Harry is looking, and acting, like a typical three-year, I guess I can try and raise the amount of potion dose he receives. For this week I will allow baby Harry to grow up to a three-and-a-half year old. I will pay special attention onto how he acts. If, it is proven that he acts exactly like a three-year old, I will allow him to grow up to seven months each week. As you can remember Severus, when Harry will reach the age of seven, I will be able to give him the final potion dose that will allow him to become sixteen again. I can assure you that this will take place before the beginning of the summer holidays.”

Snape remained silent, while his left eyebrow remained arched and turned to face Dumbledore. He pursed his lips for a couple of seconds, before turning to Madam Pomfrey, who had opened her mouth once again.

“As Harry is going to get older by six months this time, this instructs for some changes to be made. First of all. . .”

Snape let out a smirk of satisfaction. He loved proving, even to himself, that he was right in his assumptions. His smirk, however, was erased immediately. At that particular moment it was not in his interest for him to be right.

“. . .the location of your chambers will be currently changed…”

“My chambers?” Snape blurted immediately as he forced his self to focus on the conversation.

“Yes Severus, your chambers,” Madam Pomfrey said simply, “Harry is going to turn to a three-and-a-half year old boy. At this age he must have a bedroom of his own, since it will help him build self-confidence and understand the meaning of privacy and personal space. I can only ask you to start preparing yourself, and the lad, for moving to a new chamber in a few days from now. I was having a conversation with the Headmaster before you arrival on your new chambers.”

“I understand that everything had been already arranged then?” the man asked, feeling slightly irritated. He felt annoyed with the Healer’s and the Headmaster’s tendency to take decisions in his expense. He let an irritated sigh. “And may I ask about the location and appearance of my new chambers?” he asked wearily.

“Your new chamber is located at the eastern wing, as it was your previous chamber. It consists of two rooms that are connected with a common door. I have made sure that there will be enough room for your potion-ingredients’ cabinets, your desk, library and your small living room. Bathroom and bed are obviously included,” Dumbledore said slowly and, in Snape’s surprise, almost official manner. Yet, to Snape’s dismay, Dumbledore gave him a smile and an infuriating twinkle, before continuing. “I have also made sure there is an extra small room for your. . .”

Dumbledore smiled and made with his fingers the invisible shape of a square, implying the door that was near Snape’s desk.

“Since you mentioned it Headmaster,” Snape said scornfully, while he tried to prevent himself from blushing, “I do not want any house-elf. . .”

“. . . Opening, touching or even breathing near that door,” Dumbledore concluded for the Potion Master while he kept looking him with the same infuriating, affectionate smile that he granted Potter every time he would see him.

-)-)-)

Severus Snape looked up from his ‘Daily Prophet’ and tossed it aside. He felt unable to concentrate. Of course this was all Potter’s fault. And the Headmaster’s as well. He eyed the, still, three-year old Harry Potter that was playing quietly. He could not believe that the Headmaster had forbidden Madam Pomfrey to give baby Harry his potion dose. According to Dumbledore’s words, Snape had to convince baby Harry to start Occlumency lessons before the boy would turn three-and-a-half.

“There is the possibility; that as the lessons are postponed, it becomes easier for Harry to refuse. The more you delay something, the more you learn to live without it.”

Snape contemplated on the old wizard’s words. A small part inside him admitted that the old wizard was perfectly correct in his words. Yet he could not help but feel irritated with the Headmaster’s decision. For in order to convince Harry to start Occlumency lessons once again, he had to go through the only thing he dreaded the most. The man cringed at the thought. In a way he was surprised with himself as well. For the only thing he dreaded the most was expressing emotions.

Severus Snape was not a man that could easily express himself on how he felt. In most occasions he managed to stir conversations away from subjects that would force him to show any sign of emotions. And when this seemed too difficult to be accomplished, he always found an excuse to leave the room. Up to now the only way for Snape to show emotion was of him to be overtaken by anger. He had realized that the year before, when in a fit of rage he threw a jar containing pickled ingredients at Potter.

Ah Potter, a little thorn in his sides, he always managed to be. He eyed the boy once again and let out an exasperated sigh, before moving and sitting near him. Baby Harry seized playing with Bibi and stared at his guardian timidly.

“Harry we need to talk about Occlumency lessons,” Snape finally opened his mouth. Yet when the word ‘occlumency’ was articulated baby Harry clutched his guardian’s hand.

“No it uwts! It uwts!” he cried out and shook his head over and over again.

Baby Harry felt Snape’s strong hand on his shoulder and stopped shouting at once. He immediately remembered his uncle’s reaction when he had once caught him shouting, after Dudley threatened to hit him. He clutched his ears with his hands waiting for a hand to give him a blow on the head and then clutch around one of his ears in a violent attempt to rip it from his head.

“Harry, shush!” Snape said slightly, while he rubbed his palm on the boy’s shoulders. “I know that Occlumnecy lessons have caused you pain, here,” the man touched the boy’s scar, “and here,” he continued by touching Harry’s chest. “I have to admit that,” - the man gulped and shuddered with himself, - “I was mistaken. Now, I can give you something to eliminate the pain in your scar, but I cannot prevent your heart from aching.”

Baby Harry stared at Snape for a couple of moments. The man seemed to be looking at the wall as if expecting many colorful flowers to erupt from it at any second. Without turning his attention from the wall the black-robed man, opened his mouth once again.

“Harry, it is essential for you to learn Occlumency now. When you are older you will see the usefulness to it.”

“Argh, why am I having this conversation right now? Why on earth am I not shouting ‘You are doing it because I said so? It will be surely more effective,” a voice inside asked impatiently.

“I want you to learn Occlumency in order for you to be safe – because in a way I wish you to be – ahem – you know. . .”

Snape halted and motioned his hand in a circular manner. Baby Harry remained silent.

“. . . Oh you know – phew – safe. I am ready to do anything if it will make you accept start Occlumency lessons once again.”

Snape had no time to conclude. His eyes caught the boy’s gaze. Harry had an expression of pure delight, and cunningness. He finally asked, “You do anyting Sevvus?”

-)-)-)

“Sevvus youw no twying!” baby Harry protested and gazed at the Potion Master, a hint of annoyance spread across his features.

“One of these days, I must really learn to consider twice before opening my mouth.”

Snape’s eyes narrowed into slits as he looked at baby Harry with an expression that clearly stated ‘I-Must-Be-Crazy-For-Doing-This’. The green eyed toddler stared back and motioned with his hand, as he has seen his guardian doing a lot of times, a gesture that mirrored the man’s wish for someone to continue. Snape let out a deep sigh.

“Goo,” he, finally, said blankly.

Snape could only see the animosity of the entire situation he was currently experiencing. There sat him, Severus Snape, on the floor of his chamber, having a bib tied around his neck. Baby Harry, the-toddler-who-was-destined-to-drive-him-insane had bargained the beginning of Occumency lessons for a game of ‘family’ as he has named it. Now, the green-eyed toddler stood opposite him and frowned with his guardian’s inability to adapt at his new role as the baby.

“Come ow Sevvus, twy!” Baby Harry whined once again, coming near him, “An smiw,” Harry exclaimed.

“Smile? I d –“

Snape had no time to contemplate on the thought, as baby Harry shoved a pacifier inside his mouth. It was at that moment that Snape knew the answer to his mother’s unanswered question, not that he would ever be able to answer her that is. Mrs. Snape always wondered why her son never liked pacifiers as a child. Snape knew the answer the moment that pacifier was shoved in his mouth. It made him feel nauseous. He immediately spat the rubber item out of his mouth, much to baby Harry’s dismay. Seeing the boy’s disappointment, Snape decided to pretend for awhile.

“Daddy I no likes this!” the man whined, pointing at the pacifier.

Baby Harry’s eyes lit as he saw the man’s attempt to play. He approached the man and rubbed his back with his miniature palm. Snape sniffed.

“You cwyd befoouw. You no calm. Is youw nappy wet?”

Snape frantically moved his head in negativity, shuddering with the idea of what the result may was if his answer was positive. Baby Harry stared back at him skeptically.

“Hmmm . . . Aw you miam-miam?” he questioned.

Miam-mian was the ‘baby word’ Harry had created for hunger and Snape could do nothing but nod positively. Baby Harry smiled and turned towards his magical toy-trunk. That toy-trunk had the ability to magically produce some basic toys according to the child’s preferences and it was bought by professor Dumbledore himself, for the boy. Little did Snape know that this trunk was going to cause him a lot of trouble.

Baby Harry, at that moment, opened his toy-trunk and took out the plastic bowl and spoon that popped instantly. He turned to Snape, who was looking at him quizzically.

“Me go prepare foo. You play wit youw toys,” baby Harry said seriously as he pretended to pour something into the plastic bowl. Snape took Gilleon the dragon in his hand and stared at it, before he would press his index against its soft fabric.

Ten minutes, and a bowl of imaginary food, later baby Harry wiped Snape’s mouth and moved to his toy trunk. Suddenly he stopped and turned around and gazed his guardian with a gleeful expression that made the raven-haired man tremble.

“Sevvus, youw giwl now!” the toddler exclaimed enthusiastically.

Severus Snape’s eyes bulged, as his left eyebrow arched in puzzlement. He looked at his chest for a moment and then at baby Harry as if the toddler had sprout an extra head.

“I am a what?” he blurted out.

“Youw a giwl! My dowter, Vinnna!”

“Vinna?”

Severus Snape was about to clutch the bib and rip it away from his neck. He was about to shout that he was not going to tolerate such a nonsense as him pretending to be a girl. Yet he had no time to do such a thing, for baby Harry gazed him with a look that clearly stated ‘But-You-Have-Promised’. He sighed as baby Harry let out a triumphant squeal and opened his toy-trunk. Seconds later Snape realized that Harry Potter was going to dare mess with the only thing no one should ever mess when it came to a Slytherin. Reality was that no one messed with a Slytherin’s hair.

Twenty minutes, and many locks of hair later, baby Harry gazed Snape with an expression of that clearly meant he was pleased and asked Snape to stand up and close his eyes. Harry led his guardian to the nearest mirror, while Snape shuddered to think of what his eyes were going to meet when he would open his eyes.

“Ok Vinna, open youw eyes.”

Snape opened his eyes slowly and was granted with an image that represented him but it was not him at all. His eyes bulged and his mouth hanged open to a silent ‘O’, as he examined his image. His hair was caught to thirty separate pigtails, each one tied with a rubber band of a different colour. Snape blinked twice, while baby Harry exclaimed happily.

“Vinna, youw so be-o-tiflu!”

Baby Harry hugged Snape tightly and then stopped. He touched his tummy with his right hand.

“Sevvus, I am hungry!”

“Uh ha,” a noise escaped from the depths of Snape’s throat, who was unable to rip his eyes away from the bathroom’s mirror.

“Ok, me go pwepawe Bibi fow lunkh. Aw you comin?”

“Uh ha,” the noise said once again. Baby Harry left the bathroom. Snape blinked out from his trance. To his surprise his image was still staring back at him with eyes bulged and mouth hung open.

“What is up with you?” Snape asked feeling highly irritated as he ripped the rubber-bands from his hair and rubbed his scalp, since his action caused his pain.

His mirror-image blinked and stared back at Snape, who was still fighting to let his hair loose from the bands.

“For the first time since I was created, I am speechless,” the mirror finally mumbled, and for the first time that day Snape had the urge to laugh.

-)-)-)

Baby Harry stared at his guardian, who was browsing through the cupboard with the potion ingredients. He took out a jar that was filled with something that reminded of the toddler of not properly set jelly. Snape opened the jar and the aroma of freshly-cut mint filled the room. Snape took two spoonfuls from the jar and put them in a bowl. He proceeded by opening a small square box and took a tea-spoon of something that reminded Harry of miniscule marble-like orbs, and if Harry was in his teenage-self he would have recognized them as water-beetle’s eyes. Smashing the water-beetle’s eyes, Snape added the powder into the jelly-like substance and mixed it clockwise three time and then seven times anti-clockwise. Feeling satisfied, he took the bowl and sat near baby Harry.

Baby Harry looked at the bowl’s content and grimaced in disgust. He, sincerely, hoped that Sevvus was not going to force him to eat that mush, for it looked no attractive at all.

“Ok Harry; it is time for Occlumency. This,” he said and presented the bowl, “is something that will prevent your scar from hurting.”

Having said so, he took some paste from the bowl and applied it on Harry’s forehead. A chilling sensation spread inside baby Harry’s scar.

“Cold!” Harry exclaimed.

“Yes, it will help the pain in your scar numb, while we are having our Occlumency lesson,” the man stated, hoping that the mixture was going to work long enough for them to make some progress. He then turned his attention to the pensieve he had borrowed from the Headmaster, collected some of his memories inside it; and placed it on the top shelf of his library. He sat near baby Harry, who had closed his eyes and was trying hard to relax.

“Sevvus me scawed,” baby Harry mumbled trying not to whine, “I no like what I see in Occ-u-mency.”

“Harry, I know it is difficult but I really want you to try. When you see those images, I want you to try not to pay attention to them.” Snape said seriously, “but I rather want you to try and find me in the background. Like when we play ‘Find the Niffler’. You do remember that game, don’t you Harry?”

Baby Harry knew that game well. His guardian had presented him with a book that contained pictures. In every one of these pictures a Niffler was hidden, and they both spent time trying to find it. The boy nodded.

“When you see me, repel me. Relax now. Leglimiens.”

FLASHBACK

A booming thunder echoed inside the cupboard under the stairs. The boy stood up and covered his ears in fear. Silence filled the room, but it was replaced by Dudley’s screams soon enough. He heard the shuffle of feet and then Aunt Petunia’s soothing voice. Harry covered himself, up to the head, with his blanket and let a squeal as another thunder filled his cupboard. Whimpering he stood up and took his blanket with him and climbed the stairs as quickly as his little feet would permit him to do. He stood in front of his uncle’s and aunt’s bedroom, and plucking up the courage he knocked their door. The door creaked open and Aunt Petunia’s face appeared. She looked down at him and narrowed her eyes.

“What do you want?” she demanded, crossly.

“Me scawed fwom boom-booms. Can sleep on the floow, in the woom wit you?”

“Sleep with us?” Petunia Dursley sneered and eyed the boy mockingly, “What makes you believe that I would let you sleep in here? What if you have another accident like the one last night?”

The toddler lowered his head in embarrassment as he remembered his little ‘accident’. Dudley’s scream was heard once again as a rumble boomed so hard that shook the house’s walls. Petunia, immediately, turned around and closed the door leaving the other toddler alone. Baby Harry let out a sniffle and dragged the blanket downstairs.

END OF FLASHBACK

Snape watched Potter’s memory carefully and he was about to search for another one, when he felt a slight hit on his shoulder. Another hit and then nothing. Snape wondered whether baby Harry was actually trying to repel him from seeing more. Suddenly he felt himself dragged outside the memory as a suffocating pain spread down his stomach.

He found himself into his own body, clutching his abdomen. Baby Harry was lying on the floor near him, breathing heavily. He whimpered and shook his head dizzily, before breathing out.

“Sevvus I saw you.”

Severus Snape could not help but feel amazed. Potter has not only managed to find him, through that dreadful memory, but he had also attempted to repel him. The boy, of course, in the end had hit him with his body, but Snape had felt those small hits on the shoulders. Those hits were not physical but mental. And Severus Snape could not help but feel proud for the boy.

“WAIT A MINUTE!” Snape protested as he realized of what he was thinking, “Why am I feeling proud for Potter? I do not care about him. I think. No, no, I do not care about him, it is certain. Yes, it is definite. So, why am I feeling proud for him? Nonsense! I do not feel proud. I am pleased. Yes that’s it! I am pleased because the boy will be given his Aging Potion dose.”

Snape fell into a self-debate, before he could control himself.

-)-)-)

Snape could never know on how Potter was going to react to them moving to new chambers. He had expected to hear baby Harry’s disagreement on the idea of a new room, but he could never suspect that he was going to face one great outburst. The Potion Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry announced the toddler that they were going to be transported to another chamber in three days. Baby Harry, now three-and-a-half-years-old, shrugged his shoulders and asked whether he could see their new room. Snape, who could not see any wrong to such a request, led the boy to the empty from furniture chambers.

The boy stepped inside the big room and looked around. He moved into the bathroom that was identical to the one in Snape’s chamber and then turned to his guardian.

“Sevvus, arw we going to sleep on floorw?” he asked curiously, pointing out at the lack of furniture.

“No,” Snape smirked and looked at the boy. He, then, pointed at the room showing where his library, mahogany desk, bed, wardrobe and his cupboard with the potion’s ingredients were going to be placed.

“Finally, a small coffee-table with two armchairs will be placed there,” he pointed at one of the room’s corners, “There we will be having our tea.”

Baby Harry nodded and then noticed the two doors on his left. He pointed at the one at the far end of the wall.

“Is this wherwa yourw mummy will tay?”

Snape mumbled an uncomfortable ‘yes-my-mother-certainly’ as quickly as he could, while he placed his hand in front of his mouth, as if he was covering an imaginary cough. In reality, he felt highly uncomfortable to know that Potter was aware of his mother’s hidden portrait.

“Two doorw. What forw?” baby Harry asked pointing at the extra door.

Snape opened the door to reveal an empty room. Yet, where his new room’s tapestry was dark green with silver square patterns, this room’s was light blue decorated with small golden snitches that flattered their wings every once and awhile.

“Harry, you are a big boy right? You can use the toilet, you have your bath in the grown-up’s bathtub and you eat, most, of your food by yourself. So, I thought that you must have something that only big boys have. Your own room.”

The man watched as baby Harry’s facial expression changed from indifference to horror. His eyes looked back in disbelief; and to Snape’s utter shock, he run towards him, sat on his knees and clutched his guardian’s legs in a begging position.

“No Sevvus no, I dono wan rwoom. Please, please no rwoom!” Harry exclaimed rapidly, screeching like a mouse.

Snape stared at the hysterical boy, while he was trapped in a leg-locked position that prevented him to move.

“No new rwoom . . .”

“Boy –“

“Me prwo-ou-mise be good boy. . .”

“Harry – “

“I be quiet . . .”

“Harry – “

“No make noise. . .”

“Potter be quiet!” Snape hissed, in a slightly dangerous manner, making the toddler stop immediately and shoot his head to look at the man.

Snape sighed.

“Can you please release me from your grasp, Harry?” he asked calmly and the boy released him immediately, as if he and touched hot iron. Snape sat down. “Harry, what could be possibly wrong with a new room?”

“I – no – sniff – wan – new –rwoom,” baby Harry sniffed over and over again, “bekioz – bekioz – “

Harry shivered as if he had a fever.

“Bekioz – YOU FORWOOGET ABOUT ME!” he finally cried out and covered his face as he was overcame by a wail.

“Forget him?”

“Aunt Verwnon - and - Aunt Petunia fowooget me when gave me rwoom. They no let me out - of - it durwin storwms, they put me thewa all time and when - people - arw coming, they no let me out,” Harry hiccoughed through his sobs. “Please Sevvus, no rwoom. Me tay wit you and prwo-ou-mise no make bad noise.”

The man looked at the distressed child, which sobbed and hiccupped as he spoke. Snape felt once again the unnecessary need to throttle someone and wondered about this. Yet, he dismissed the thought quickly and caught baby Harry into his arms. He felt the boy’s new weight more difficult to carry. In a few weeks he would no be able to pick up the boy at all. That thought made his stomach sting for a couple of seconds.

“What is wrong with you today Severus?” he contemplated in annoyance, before he would turn his attention to the toddler.

“Harry your cousin has a room of his own does he not?” he asked, thinking how ironical it was to use the boy’s family as an example.

Harry nodded in agreement.

“Does that mean that your aunt forgets him in his room?”

“No, Aunt Petunia likes Dudley,” Harry said softly and sniffed.

“Well. . . I . . . no . . . ahem . . . I promise you not to forget you. In fact, I am going to leave that door open in the night, so that you can come inside the room when you need me.”

“Even durwin boom-booms?”

“Yes, I guess so,” the man replied shrugging his shoulders in indifference.

-)-)-)

The following two days kept Snape busy. He spent his afternoon packing his potion ingredients, scales, measurers, vials and cauldron in boxes. He preferred dealing with his personal ingredients on his own, rather than letting the house-elves move them to his new chamber. Most of his possessions, including the portrait, had been moved already by him and the house-elves were busy decorating the boy’s and his’ chambers. There was no carpet in the room anymore. His shoes echoed in the naked floor. That evening they were going to be moved to their new chamber.

“Sevvus, you wan help?” baby Harry asked, “Bibi and I help.”

Snape eyed the boy from behind a tower of boxes. Admitting it to himself he needed some help. At the small coffee-table there were many unbreakable Potion Vials full of rose-water that could harm no one even in the case of an accident.

“I could use some help,” he finally answered, “Can you see the four blue vials on the coffee-table? Bring them to me please. One at a time.”

Baby Harry went at the coffee-table and lifted the much-bigger-for-his-hands potion vial. He had barely moved two steps towards his guardian when the vial slipped from his hands and fell onto the naked floor. The toddler watched in horror as the vial landed on the floor with thump and opened. The rose-water spilled on the floor and the faint fragrance of the rose spread into the air.

FLASHBACK

“INCOMPETENT LITTLE BRAT!” a woman shrieked and he was hit by the big wooden spoon she was holding. He covered himself as another blow landed on his shoulder.

“I am sorwy!” he said, trying hard not to whine and cause her wrath.

“Your ‘sorry’ will not bring my fresh cream back! Go to your room quickly. No tea!” she screeched as he stood up as quickly as he could and hurried to his room.

END OF FLASHBACK

Baby Harry stared from the pool of rose-water to the black-robed man and back. The man had already ‘emerged’ from the chaos of boxes and hurried to him. He immediately clutched his head waiting for the man to hit him. He deserved to be hit for destroying Sevvus’ things; at the time he was so busy to put them away. The blow never came, nevertheless, and he could do nothing to look at the man. He had kneeled on the floor and was staring at the spilled rose-water.

“Se-Sevvus, I am rwe-rweally sorwy!” he stuttered, but the man did not spoke. He remained silent, staring at the rose-water pool.

“At least you manage to spill rose-water nicely,” he said slowly letting a puffing sigh and smirked. “Oh well, no reason crying over spilled potion. Since the damage is done, you can play with the liquid if you want to,” he continued and placed his finger on the pool of liquid and created a circle with the string of it.

The boy placed his finger in the liquid and in a couple of moments he was playing with pleasure, while Snape had retreated back to his boxes. When he finished with his playing, Snape had finished and came near him.

“Every time a mess is created, it can be fixed. I have with me some napkins, a sponge and a towel. You can choose any material of them; and we can clean the mess together.”

Baby Harry chose the towel and minutes later the floor was clean and dry. Snape looked at baby Harry, who seemed relieved that the problem had been solved.

“You know Harry, the reason the vial slipped is the outcome of you having two small hands while the vial is too big. Let us take the boxes in our new chamber and then we will go outside. There, we will find a way for you to hold the vial without it slipping.”

-)-)-)

Snape entered the new chambers, with a very happy Harry Potter following him. The boy had learnt that if he held the vial firmly from its neck, it will not slip from his hands. Snape’s new room was in perfect order, as well as Harry’s. The boy ate quickly, wore his pajamas and was placed in his bed with Bibi. After the bed-time story was finished, Snape knew it was time for him to leave.

“Ok Harry, this is all for today. I will go out and leave the door open for you, ok?”

Harry nodded and let out a loud yawn. Snape was about to blow out the candle, when baby Harry lifted his hands, hugged his guardian and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“What was that for?” Snape asked touching his left cheek.

“Goodnight kiss,” Harry said yawning and Snape blew out the candle and stood up.

“Sevvus, you no kiss me back goodnight?”

“Well . . . umm . . .” Snape mumbled.

“OH DARTS!”

-)-)-)

o-o-o

The seven year old boy wondered why his father would want his mother’s spirit dead along with her body. He started in horror as the canvases were getting fewer and fewer. Three. . . Two. . . One. . .

Quirinus Snape stopped to look at the last canvas. The woman’s beetle-black eyes enlarged with fear. Her usually pale cheeks were flush-red and her long raven-black hair was messed up. The seven-year old boy looked at his mother’s state and thought that she was beautiful. His father grinned for a moment and with a swift movement he threw the last canvas into the fire.

“NO MUMMY!” small Severus Snape shouted aloud and burst into the room. He eyed at his father, a mixture of horror and hatred in his teary look, and it happened. A wave of a power beyond imagination overtook him and he released a wave of uncontrolled magic so strong that it caused Quirinus Snape to smack on the wall behind him. The boy lost his balance and sat on the floor panting.

Quirinus Snape shook his head to abolish the dizziness and gazed at his offspring. Finally he let out a sneer that made the boy to shudder in fear.

o-o-o

Severus Snape shot out of his sleep abruptly and sat up immediately. He placed his hands on his knees that were now, almost, touching his torso. He brought his right hand on his forehead and then to his mouth. He gulped twice and turned to gaze at the window that was, now, near his bed. First night at his new chambers and he was not enjoying it at all.

Sevvus, I have pain,” baby Harry complained.Snape, who was currently searching his cupboard for pixie-jell gazed at the boy. The toddler touched his temples with his fingers.

“Pain herwa. My eyes stingy.”

“Is that so? For how long have you been in pain?”

“Yeteday little pain. Today morwe but no all day.”

“Does your scar hurt as well?”

“No, I pain only herwa,” the boy whined slightly.

-)-)-)

‘Sevvus I have pain.’

It was amazing how a five-word sentence could cause him so much trouble. Snape cast his eyes towards the open door. The room was dark and if someone would stay really quiet, he would hear the rhythmic breath of a sleeping person coming from it. Snape let out a snort. Sometimes he thought that the powers of the universe hated him. If this was not true, then why all those things happened to him?

A few hours ago he had taken baby Harry to the Healer, hoping that she would give something to the boy in order to prevent him from whining. She listened to the symptoms carefully and asked baby Harry to follow her to her office. She returned minutes later with the same twisted glint of satisfaction Moody’s normal eye had when he talked about the Azkaban prison. He, of course, shuddered.

Snape looked at the door and shook his head in disgust. Then his eyes fell on the wooden wardrobe. His clothes for tomorrow hang on the wardrobe’s handle. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at them.

“I hate my life.”

Snape hated his life, indeed, since the clothes on the hanger were for muggles. When the morning would come, he had to escort the boy outside the castle and into a muggle area. The reason was simple. Baby Harry needed eye-glasses once again.

-)-)-)

He passed the comb through his hair forcing a strand of stray hair to be properly set on his head. He glowered at his image as the corner of his mouth rose slightly upwards. A pair of black jean trousers were wore by him, reminding him once again of Miss Weasley’s belief about his buttocks. He let a growl and mumbled to himself that low levels of self-centrism instructed not to pay attention to teenage women and their hormones. He passed his hand over the warm grey jumper and checked his shoes for the last time. Having assured that his clothes were in perfect condition, he turned to see the boy.

Baby Harry sat on the couch, wearing a pair of blue-jeans and a whitejumper. Snape narrowed his eyes to the state of Potter’s hair. They were messier than ever. That morning he had attempted everything in his power in order to force the boy’s hair to look, at least, messy. Yet, the neither magic nor water could help. Baby Harry’s hair stuck out from every direction of his head, reminding the Potion Master of an old overused mop. He had accepted defeat that morning and reminded himself that Potters and their hair were destined to kill him.

Baby Harry stood to his feet and approached his guardian with Bibi in his hands. The man noted to himself that the boy was getting more and more attached to the stuffed unicorn toy. He suddenly smirked as he envisioned a seventeen year old Potter taking that toy everywhere he would go.

Dumbledore welcomed a sprinting little boy, who rushed to his office to give him a kiss and a hug. The black-robed man entered seconds later, walking into the office very cautiously. He scowled as the Headmaster granted him with a look that seemed to say ‘What-no-kiss-and-a-hug-from-you’ and took his seat cursing the older wizard’s merriment to his expense.

“So Severus ready?” Dumbledore asked with a smile and the man nodded grumpily, “I took into consideration your worry about the new situation of young Harry’s eyesight. I do agree with you that Harry, and you of course, cannot be subjected to the ‘ordeal’ of traveling every two weeks to have his eyesight checked and his eye-glasses’ lenses re-adjusted so to match the problem. After all, this would draw the Muggle’s attention. Therefore I have conducted a young man that offered to help us. In fact, he was delighted to hear your name. His name is Alektor Bibblymiwibly. Does it ring a bell?”

“A queer surname certainly, but no. If I am not mistaken, which I am not, I have never heard of him,” Snape answered sincerely for it was the first time he heard such a name.

“He is an ex-Hogwarts student and the creator of a project called Ever-fitting lenses’. These lenses can adjust to the person’s eye problem. He had completed his discovery, with perfect results three years ago.”

“Yes, yes,” Snape said motioning his hand dismissively. “Where does he live and most importantly can we trust him?”

“I am assured that we can trust him. Alektor is of a quiet nature but has wrote me a letter the moment the rumors of Voldemort’s - will you stop doing that?” he asked when Snape flinched. “As I said when the rumors started he send me an owl offering his help if I would never need him. The fact that he conducted immediately when the rumors begun, and not when the return was entirely confirmed, assures my trust. I am afraid, however, that the location of his residence will slightly displease you.”

“Where?” Snape questioned laconically.

“Yorkshire?”

“AT YORKSHIRE?” Snape heard himself screech slightly. “Yorkshire? It is at the end of the bloody world,” he hissed.

“I always thought Hogwarts was at the end of the world. No one, except its students and stuff, knows of its existence or whereabouts,” Dumbledore said calmly as he put a Lemon Drop into his mouth.

“It’s a place full of Muggles. And how am I supposed to go there?”

“Portkey,” Dumbledore said simply and gave him a box that contained the portkey. “You can use this portkey to go to Yorkshire. You can apparate to Hogsmeade when you decide to leave. I have arranged so that the portkey will transfer you outside Alektor’s house. Do not worry of Muggles; he has placed wards.”

Snape stood up to leave, when Dumbledore added.

“I would advice you to give young Harry a haircut. His hair is beyond the boundaries of properly set.”

Minutes later the man and the toddler exited from the castle’s entrance. Snape looked at the sky with worry. It had a grey, almost black-like colour as the clouds seemed to cram together; covering every inch of it. The clouds had been filling every centimeter of the sky for the past tow days and Snape knew that a violent downpour threatened to start at any moment. He sighed, grasped the boy’s miniature hand and started walking.

-)-)-)

Snape’s feet touched the ground and he fell down as the green-eyed toddler tumbled over him. Snape was definite that this was the longest portkey trip he had ever experienced. He rubbed hid neck, a result from the tugging effect, and wondered why the Headmaster did not just tell him the exact whereabouts of that man. And then it struck him. That man, Alektor Bibblymiwibly, was of a shy and quiet nature and did not wish for anyone to know his residence.

“Sevvus,” baby Harry said delighted, tugging Snape’s left trouser, “liten. Sheep.”

Snape tilted his head. From a couple of meters away he could hear the bleats coming from a flock of sheep. Baby Harry looked at him excitedly.

“Sevvus, can we see sheep?” Harry asked, showing his curious he was to see live sheep.

“When we are done, we will go and see them, ok?”

Baby Harry nodded in excitement. Snape turned to see at the old cottage. Nothing indicated that a wizard could be living there. Just like Helena Stewart, Harry’s child-doctor, the man that was going to help them had taken an extra safety measure to keep himself, and themselves, undetected. He knocked the cottage’s door.

A man opened the door shortly afterwards. He was tall, yet not as much as to reach Snape’s extraordinary height. The roof of his head, Snape could guess, reached his own chin. He had a slightly dark complexion, a squashed little nose and thin lips. He had his long, auburn, curly hair tied in a loose ponytail, and behind a pair of rectangular-lens eye-glasses; two honey-brown eyes rest. Snape guessed that the man opposite him was a couple of years older than him, and for a strange reason the man’s irises looked awkwardly familiar. He shook his head and protruded his had forward very slowly.

“Good morning, I am professor Severus Snape. Alektor Bibblymiwibly I presume?”

To Severus Snape’s surprise the other man’s features lit up and a wide grin spread from one ear to the other. Alektor Bibblymiwibly took his protruding hand firmly with both his hands and shook it violently.

“Severus Snape, long time to see! How are you? I always knew that something good will come out of you!” the man said and chuckled heartily.

Severus Snape could only arch an eyebrow in question. That man, and his happiness, was disturbing. He felt himself pulled through the cottage’s door, while the man let out a cheerful ‘do come in, do come in’. Snape opened his mouth when the man closed the door behind him.

“Excuse me, but I do not recall having the pleasure of your acquaintance,” Snape admitted in a slightly confused manner.

Alektor Bibblymiwibly was not taken aback by that statement even a bit. He smiled at the man in front of him and Snape, for a strange reason, was reminded of Albus Dumbledore, in a very young version. Baby Harry and he were led to a sofa. To the tea-table in front of them there was warm tea; and cucumber sandwiches.

“Of course you wouldn’t remember me. The last time I saw you, your head could barely reach the middle of my hips. Who could guess a little short boy like you could get so tall?”

Snape scowled to be reminded that he was once short. In his first year at Hogwarts he had arrived to discover that he was the shortest in his entire year.

“I was shorter than James-I-Am-Better-Than-Everyone-Else-Potter,” he thought bitterly as he remembered that in his first and second year his height was an extra reason for taunting.

In his third year he returned back to school after a severe case of growth sprout and he discovered that he was the tallest, and skinniest, boy in all his year. Yet, there was no hope for him as a certain group was not impressed but started comparing him with a scarecrow.

“Let me give you clue. It was during your first year, in the library. I forgot my books. . .”

Snape remembered.

FLASHBACK

At the far end of the library a boy sat. The light was little and the dark-haired boy was barely visible as he was writing, engrossed in his own work. He checked his essay twice and having satisfied himself he put the parchment in his bag and returned the book to its shelf. He, then, moved to the Dark Arts section, hoping to find a book that would keep him engaged for awhile and teach him a hex that would satisfy his father, if that was ever possible.

Young Severus Snape had entered the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry knowing more hexes than any boy of his status would ever know. His father was deep into the Dark Arts and when he had ensured that his son had magical abilities he started coaching the boy in a daily basis. The boy shuddered involuntarily, but composed himself very quickly. Now that he was at Hogwarts, the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson seemed so trivial to him, the he went to the library almost every day, wishing to find something to keep him interested. His index slithered across the books’ titles. Suddenly a ’thump’ drew his attention.

A Hufflepuff student, probably in his seventh year, was scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment and had caused his open book to fell on the floor. He leaned down and picked up the book and got back to his work. Snape watched as the young man shot his head, gazed at the clocks that hang on the wall and started packing his back frantically. He stood up and hurried outside the library, not noticing that he had left a book on the desk. Snape shook his head and went near the desk. Snape noticed that the boy had forgotten his Charms N.E.W.T textbook.

“Hufflepuffs!” young Snape thought with a snort, “Always walking on pink clouds.”

He knew that he was not obliged to return the book back to his owner. He could always pretend that he was too busy to notice the young man had forgotten anything. He returned back to his reading the books’ titles. He let his finger rest on one of the books and looked at the forgotten one that lay on the desk. He let another snort, picked up the book and hurried outside the library.

Alektor Bibblymiwibly was leaning against the wall outside the Charms classroom, waiting for Professor Flitwick. He wanted to discuss his idea about charms on the lenses he was currently developing. Soon enough, Professor Flitwick was going to finish his lecture. Suddenly he felt someone poking his hand shyly. He looked down and saw a little boy, looking at him seriously. Snape cursed the fact that the boy was too tall and he so short. He guessed he looked like a three-year old near that ‘gigantic’ boy. The man stared at him curiously.

“Here, you forgot this on the library,” the raven-haired first-year said simply and showed him the book.

Alektor took the Charms book and thanked his luck. He could not imagine his embarrassment if it would have turned out that he had forgotten his book during the meeting with Flitwick. He ripped his eyes from the book’s title and turned to thank the boy. Yet, the boy had left, not waiting to be thanked.

END OF FLASHBACK

“You left before I could thank you. I did not know your name but I inquired about it before my graduation. Severus Snape, they told me. First year. Serious little bugger you were! Some of the seventh year girls found you adorable,” Alektor chuckled to Snape’s discomfort, “As that adorable as that little one over there,” he finished and eyed at baby Harry, who was holding a small cucumber sandwich and was ‘feeding’ Bibi.

“We all start as adorable,” Snape let out sarcastically, “Then we grow up, have our heart broken and develop a scalp condition. It is so sad.”

After that comment Alektor Bibblymiwibly stopped his cheerful ranting. He drunk his tea, gazing at Snape, who drunk his own scowling at his cup. When the hook-nosed man turned to gaze the man opposite him, he met in Alektor’s eye the same look the Headmaster granted him with.

Snape shook his head as baby Harry, who had cuddled near him, much to his dismay, had finished his sandwich. The boy had smeared his face with bread crumbs and butter, therefore Snape took out his handkerchief. Having cleaned the boy he stared back at Bibblymiwibly

Alektor had drawn his attention to Baby Harry, who noticed this shift of attention and stared back shyly. The boy snuggled closer to his guardian, who sat now in discomfort.

“Hello Harry, my name is Alektor,” giving his hand to the boy.

Baby Harry looked at the man’s hand and then he turned his head to his guardian. Snape eyed him with an expression that could be translated as ‘give-your-hand-to-mister-Alektor-Harry’ and then looked at the man.

“Hello, I am Harwy,” the boy chirped and gave him the hand.

“Harry, a little dragon told me that your eyes are stingy lately and your head is in pain. Is that so?” Alektor asked slowly and Harry nodded in agreement. “Well, I am here to help you solve that. We will go into my office and I will examine you. Will you let me?”

Baby Harry remained silent for a moment and then turned to see the man near him.

“Wiw Sevvus come wit me?” Harry asked in uncertainty.

“Of course he can come with you.”

Harry nodded and he was let, along with Snape, in Alektor Bibblymiwibly’s office. It was a big, luminous-white room that was divided to a working area and an examining room. A showcase full of eye-glasses’ skeletons was behind a mahogany desk and on a table a queer machine rest. Baby Harry looked around, clutching Snape’s hand not daring to let it even for a moment.

“Harry, I have to examine your eyes to see what is wrong with them. Will you let me do that?”

“Wiw I pain?” baby Harry asked looking at the floor.

“No Harry it will not hurt at all,” Alektor smiled reassuringly.

He took the boy near the strange machine and helped it sit on a chair.

“You see this machine Harry? It has a case for you to rest your chin and forehead. Will you do that for me?”

Harry complied and found out that he was looking into a kind of glass. A blurry picture could be seen.

“Ok Harry, I want you to keep watching inside the glass and stay still.”

Harry obeyed. Suddenly the picture moved and he realized that only his left eye could see it. The picture suddenly became clear. It represented a tree. Then the picture became blurry again and moved to his right eye, where it became clear once again.

“That was all Harry. Did it hurt?” Alektor asked beaming at the boy, who smiled at him shyly and shook his head to say no.

“Glad to hear that.”

“What wong wit my eyes?” Harry asked seriously.

“Well Harry, you are short-sighted. This means that your eyes cannot see things that are far away clearly. This is what causes you the headaches and makes your eyes stingy. In order to stop your headaches and your eyes from stinging, you will have to wear eye-glasses,” Alektor concluded and pointed at his eye-glasses.

Harry looked at the man opposite him, as his features darkened. He turned to look at his guardian. He marched to the Potion Master, grabbed his hand and tried to pull him towards the office’s door.

“Come on Sevvus. I need no glasses. My eyes no stingy anymorw,” he said in determination as he unsuccessfully tried to make Snape stand up from the chair he was sitting.

“Harry,” Snape spoke softly, scooping the boy and making him sit on his lap, “your eyes are not well. You do need eye-glasses.”

“No, no need no glasses!” Harry cried out in the verge of tears.

“What is wrong with you lad?” Snape exclaimed feeling slightly alarmed at Harry’s outburst.

“I no want no glasses. Glasses too many money. Aunt Petunia said so. She said I contant trwoble,” Harry whispered slowly in embarrassment.

“There is nothing wrong at wearing eye-glasses,” Snape pointed indignantly, “The fact that you are going to wear a pair of those does not make you a trouble. As for the price, you must not worry. Now stop worrying and let’s look for a pair.”

Harry nodded immediately, as Alektor Bibblymiwibly presented him many pairs of eye-glasses’ skeletons. While Harry took his time examining them, Snape could help but ask some questions that had arose.

“Tell me Mr. Bibblymiwibly, why creating eye-glasses’ lenses that are going to last a life-time? This is not good for their creator. After awhile, no one will buy new lenses, because they will be performing their work effectively by resizing themselves.”

“Ah, there is always a drawback in a situation. First of all the lenses are by no mean indestructible. Like ever-fitting clothes time slowly destroys them. Take ever-fitting boots, for example. They do fit on your feet forever but the leather’s lustrous colour fades as the year pass by. Same thing with the lenses. They get full of scratches and this makes the one that wears them feel as if he or she is walking into thick haze. Also there is a limited amount of spells you can apply on enchanted items. Examine this.”

Alektor took an everlasting lens and put it on his desk. To Snape’s surprise he lifted a small wooden hammer and hit the lens with all his might. The lens broke into many small pieces that scattered from the hit’s impact. Snape could only but stare.

“Try to Reparo it,” Alektor suggested with a smile.

Snape eyed him, an eyebrow raised in question, and he slowly took the wand out of his pocket. He pointed it at the scattered pieces of glass and said ‘Reparo’. Nothing happened. He looked at the pieces of glass, then his wand and said another ‘Reparo’, that was slightly more intense. The piece remained pieces.

“As you can see once the lens is broken, it cannot be reparoed. I have also tried to apply spell to protect the lenses from breaking. It does not work as well. I mention this to my clients, but there are many cases when someone gets his eye-glasses broken. That is always I suggest for them to have a second pair. The ever-lasting spell does not wear off. Another thing is that the lenses are designed only for one person’s eyes. You cannot give them to your neighbor if his pair is broken. Finally, I am the only one that can transfer the lenses to a new skeleton. And eye-glasses are an accessory. Most people want a modern and new design of eye-glasses every two years. They want to be stylish. So I sell them the glass skeleton and get something extra for adding the lenses on it.”

Severus Snape was honestly impressed. For a Hufflepuff that man had a lot of cunningness. He turned his attention to baby Harry, who shook his shoulder with all his might. The boy was wearing a pair of black, oval-round eye-glasses.

“Sevvus, I like them,” he beamed at his guardian.

“Excellent selection Harry,” Alektor beamed, “they are made of bones coming from a three-hundred year old Hippogriff. Powerful and wise selection.”

“. . . Well at least they are not totally round. Ah, but why do all Potters have to be so fond of round glasses?” Snape wondered, not paying attention to Bibblymiwibly’s ranting.

“Two pairs of glasses. Now that would be thirty-three Galleons.”

Snape not could help but whistle at the price.

“They are not as expensive as you think,” Alektor smiled, “When I was sixteen; I had such a terrible eye-problem that special lenses had to be made for my eye-glasses. They had to be thin enough to fit on the glasses’ skeleton but good enough for me to see with them. A pair of muggle glasses cost me fifteen Galleons at the time. The same pair costs twenty-five Galleons in today’s prizes. And I am giving you two pairs for thirty-three. I would say it is a very good deal, wouldn’t you? After all, if someone is careful on how he handles his lenses, he has no need for new lenses for at least twenty years. If he chooses to change his eye-glasses’ skeleton, he will pay no more than five Galleons.”

Snape nodded in agreement as Alektor turned to baby and asked him to come close. The boy complied and the man placed an odd pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose. Harry twitched his nose as a rubbing sensation spread through it. Alektor removed the strange pair of glasses from the boy’s head.

“The eye-glasses will be ready at five o’ clock in the afternoon. The nearest town is a thirty-minutes walking from here. I guess that you can spend your time there, until I have the glasses ready.”

-)-)-)

Snape exited the cottage and took a look at his surroundings. The black clouds had almost covered the sky completely and if it wasn’t for the dim sickly sun, Snape could swear that it would be dark. Baby Harry got close to him instinctively. The man saw the path that lead to the town and started walking. It was not long when Harry stopped in awe. A shepherd was walking towards the path, while his sheepdogs circled a large flock of sheep. Baby lambs were running and bleating towards their mothers, while they followed the dogs and their master stoically. The boy remained still, as if he was afraid that one move would cause the man and his flock to change their route. When the shepherd’s feet touched the path, baby Harry gazed his guardian with a look that seemed to ask for the permission to approach the animals. Snape shook his head, let out a small cough and approached the old shepherd.

“Excuse me sir,” he said catching the old man’s attention, “This little man seems to be enthused over your sheep. Would you mind if we take a closer look?”

The shepherd looked with his grey eyes from the man to the boy. The green-eyed lad stared back in expectation. He shook his shoulders to show he had no problem and Snape let the boy go near the animals. One of the sheepdogs came near his master and to Snape’s surprise one of them came near him and raised his head as if waiting to be petted. The man looked at the shepherd, who nodded and passed his hand over the dog’s head a couple of times.

“Nice dogs you have here,” Snape commented as the dog turned his head and then run towards a lamb that seemed to have found it fit to leave the flock.

“I see you have a sheepdog as well,” the shepherd joked, comparing Harry’s messy hair to his dogs’ fur.

“Don’t remind me,” Snape whispered with a faint grumble, “I always say to myself to take him for a haircut but I always keep forgetting. Adding the work factor, I never have the time.”

“You are not from here, are you?” the shepherd said as they now all walked together towards the small town’s direction.

Snape shook his head in denial and spoke no more. After minutes of silence the old shepherd spoke.

“I know you big-city comers have all those fancy hair-dressing studios and things like that but if you really want to give him a haircut while you are in town you can go to Alice’s. She and her husband have the hairdressing and barber shop of the place. Not something fancy but they do a pretty good job. So in case you want to give it a try, it is opposite the park. Easy to spot. One park, one barber shop.”

-)-)-)

Boy and guardian arrived at the small town twenty minutes after noon. Having forty minutes until lunch time, Snape walked in the town looking for the park and the barber-shop. He found it quickly and pushed the barber-shop’s glass door open. A small bell dinged and a nice-looking woman emerged from behind a counter. She smiled at the couple of them and gave her hand to Snape, who shook it gently, giving her one of his nods.

“Hello, I am Alice. How may I assist you?” she asked cheerfully.

“Hello. I think this young man over here is in desperate need for a haircut. His hair is by itself is too difficult to handle and now that they are long it makes it extra difficult. Can you do something about it?” Snape asked politely.

“Of course sir. And who this young man might be?” she said turning her attention to Harry, who clutched Bibi protectively.

“I am Harwy,” he said softly.

“Nice to meet you Harry. Why don’t you follow Jenny?” she asked showing a teenager with vivid orange hair, “She will wash your hair and then I will cut it a little. You will look so handsome!”

Harry turned to look at Snape and motioned for him to lower his head, as if wanting to ask something. Snape kneeled to the floor and Harry pressed his lips against his guardian’s right ear.

“Sevvus, wherwa will meet you?” he whispered.

“Meet me?” Snape hissed in Harry’s ear, cursing himself on how ridiculous he must have looked at that moment.

“Yes, Unkel Verwnon leaves me at barwberw shop and me waks back home. You no leave?”

Snape was dumbfounded. That man, Durlsey, had let a three-year old go home on foot. He let a three-year old cross a road full of traffic, full of careless muggles with cars. The Headmaster was lucky that the boy ever managed to live long enough to enter Hogwarts.

“I will stay here,” he announced coldly and sat on the nearest armchair. The boy followed Jenny.

“Oh are we angry?” an irritating voice marked.

“I am not angry,” he pointed sternly. “No, I am angry but not of the reason you believe me to be. I do not care about the boy. It is not the reason I am angry. I am angry at that great prune, Dursley, for letting a three-year old boy wonder in the street all alone. If it is one thing I detest is irresponsibility. I don’t like the boy . . . yes I am sure I do not . . . but I am responsible for him.”

“I never asked why you are angry,” the little voice commented with a hint of triumph.

“Oh Shut Up!”

“And how can we assist you sir?” Alice asked with a pleasant smile, bringing him back to reality. “A shave and a trim can be quite refreshing you know.”

“I am not sure,” Snape said with a voice of uncertainty.

“Well it will be awfully boring to stay sited for the remaining thirty minutes,” she smiled and before Snape could think it more, he found himself following Alice to the wash-basins.

Three minutes later, he found himself sitting in a barber’s chair with baby Harry sitting on the one near his. Alice had taken her position behind the boy and he was combing his hair with the same calculus look he used when he was measuring potion ingredients. A man came behind him and to Snape’s guess it must have been Alice’s husband.

“Trim sir?” he asked and received Snape’s nod.

The man started combing Snape’s hair with the same calculating look. Suddenly he muttered to himself.

“Excellent colour . . . thick hairs . . . healthy root . . .”

“And very prone to greasiness,” Snape murmured sarcastically, commenting on his hair nature.

The man chuckled, while he continued combing and cutting.

“Surely you are doing something about it.”

“Constant baths. But let’s just say that I work in an environment that helps it become oily very easily. I work over fire.”

“Makes Potions!” Harry exclaimed happily, making all three of them turn to him in surprise.

Snape tilted his head and pressed his index under his nose, covering his lips, as if he was in thinking. Yet baby Harry knew otherwise. This was Snape’s way to say ‘secret’. He stopped speaking and started talking to Bibi.

“Potion eh?” the man over Snape said raising an eyebrow.

“That was what his mother used to call them,” Snape said thinking quickly and looked down with a sad look.

Alice looked at him and gasped an ‘oh’ of apology, believing that the man’s wife had died. She looked at the little boy in sympathy and then at his father, who granted her with a sad, yet full of courage, smile.

“So you’re a cook?” the man over him asked.

Snape felt a jab of annoyance. He hated it when others thought Potions were equivalent to cooking. When someone cooked he could improvise or forget to add something. When you dealt with Potion a single mistake, no matter how trivial it may seemed, could cause pain and even death. He had often asked muggle-born students, who idiotically compared Potions to cooking, if they would like to try a messed up Potion.

“Let’s just say it is something more important than mere cooking,” he finally grumbled. “By the way, you seemed to have settled a nice shop here,” he spoke at last, stirring the conversation to another topic.

Thirty minutes later, Severus Snape had enjoyed a wonderful shave and a haircut. Seeing himself in the mirror, he saw that his hair were almost the same length. Only a person with very good observation skills would notice the difference. Yet, his hair seemed healthier for a reason he could not define. Baby Harry’s hair, though messed, seemed much better. He stood up, helped the boy to his feet and turned to Alice, who had retreated to the counter.

“Seven pounds sir,” the woman said with a smile.

Snape took the muggle money from his pocket, hoping that he would not make a mistake.

“Stupid Muggle Money,” he thought gritting his teeth as he tried to find one paper bill with a five and another two with a one. He caused his features to look slightly dismissive as he searched. When he finally found them, he paid the woman and exited the shop.

“Poor man,” Alice said as she saw the pair of two crossing the street, “Poor little one. Losing his mother at such a tender age. Mark me Anthony,” she told her husband and pointed at the Snape, who had helped Harry cross the street, had put him down and gave him his toy, “that man must have the patience of a saint to look after a child by himself.”

“Saint or not, he seemed a bit of distracted to me. Took him time to count the money. Silent man isn’t he?” Anthony commented sweeping the floor.

“Of course he would be distracted, love!” Alice exclaimed hotly, “He has lost his wife, his love. And probably recently. I would say in a car-crush. Have you seen the boy’s scar? Where do you think he must have got it?”

Anthony shook his head and continued sweeping.

-)-)-)

Time was passing slowly. Too slowly, in fact, for Snape’s liking. He had bought two sandwiches from the park’s canteen and munched the one, while he gave the other to the boy. Savouring it to the last bite, he let himself lie on his back and looked at the packed-with-black-clouds sky. The toddler lied near him, clutching Bibi with his left hand, and soon enough he was snoozing peacefully. Yet, the Potion Master had no option of sleeping, so he lay motionless; enjoying the grass’ coolness. He wished he could do something productive. He had not brought a book for he feared that the title might draw attention to his face. He huffed and hummed unconsciously, tapping his foot on the ground. He, suddenly, felt his eyelids drop and he mentally ordered himself to stay awake. He stared at the skies as he brought to his memory all the ingredients he needed for Potions. He then remembered that he was in need for Trout’s Tears.

Severus Snape let out a sigh. He had to conduct the Veela in the Irish area of Glen-car. The Veela were not regarded entirely as a magical creature but mostly as equal to the wizards. Those female creatures used their seducing abilities to ensure their position in the wizard community. Beautiful but vengeful they were respected by most of the political leaders. There was no surprise the Bulgarians had used the Veela as their mascots in the Quidditch World Cup two years ago. Their dancing and provocative manner had given the team of Bulgaria many chances to form a strategy under the Irish’s noses. For a moment, he wondered what made the Veela agree to become Bulgaria’s mascots for those female entities were not lured by money. He imagined what kind of beautiful artefacts the Veela possessed now.

Severus Snape let out a sigh of satisfaction. Fortunately the Veela had never refused what he had offered them as a trade for the Trout’s Tears, the thing only a Veela could collect. Snape would create body-lotions made of cinnamon, honey and cream, oils extracted from jasmine and frog-spawn for their hair and herbal jells that would revive the face’s skin just for them. It may was Snape’s perspective but it seemed that the Veela anticipated his order as well for they always complied to his wishes the moment he promised them all those things. They would send him an acceptance letter immediately and days later he would meet one of them for an exchange. Trout’s Tears for his creations.

-)-)-)

Snape arrived outside the gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at six o’ clock in the afternoon. As both he and Harry, who was now wearing a pair of ever-lasting-lenses glasses , crossed the path that lead them from the gates to the Grounds and to castle; the man could not help but observe the environment.

Everything had got still. The breeze seized its gentle coolness and the trees, even the Whomping Willow, stood imperially still like soldiers ready for inspection. Not a single sound could be heard; for neither animals, nor birds, not insects seemed to be around. As Snape marched towards the castle, he felt a shiver running down his spine. Nature was ready for an outburst.

He saw that the castle’s wooden entrance was close and he thought that he was lucky enough to arrive at school without getting wet. Yet, he had not managed to finish his thought for it was as if a bucket full of water was thrown at him. Rain had started so abruptly and strong. It got stronger and stronger by the second and Snape let out a ‘Shit’ that was not heard as the drops hit him like hexes. He grabbed baby Harry into his arms and ran towards the castle. The rain became frenzy casing him feel as if he was whipped.

He closed the doors behind him and stood still, trying to catch his breath as water dripped from his long coal-black locks of hair and clothes forming a puddle of water. Snape turned and looked at baby Harry, who was in the same state.

“I better take the boy to the chambers before we both end up with a cold. Not that I care, mind you. I just do not want to get sick when O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts are approaching.”

-)-)-)

The man shot out of his sleep as a strong booming sound echoed inside Hogwarts. He rubbed his right eye with his palm and let his head rest on the pillow. Another rumble shook Hogwarts’ walls and everything got still. A faint ‘tip-tap’ of footsteps was heard in the dark and the figure of a small boy appeared on the door.

“Sevvus can me sleep wit you? Scarwy!”

Snape let out a groggy grumble and tried to sit up, but he changed his mind because in his state of sleepiness he could not do even that. Therefore he grasped the bed’s covers, tossed them aside and invited the boy into his bed. The boy climbed in quickly and snuggled near Snape. In another occasion Snape would have tried to push the boy aside, but he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep before he could even think about it.

He woke up approximately two hours later with the sense that something was not right. Suddenly he realised that the bed sheet were wet. Snape was now fully awake with the realisation that the boy had wetted the bed. He grasped the wand and let out a soft ‘Lumos’, as he got outside the bed. The light from the wand and the wet feeling woke up Harry, who looked at the state of mess he had done to his guardian’s bed.

FLASHBACK

“You. . . Worthless. . . Pile . . . Of Trouble! Another One Of Your Accidents!” Petunia Dursley spat out menacingly, hitting Harry on the head in the process.

Baby Harry stared at the floor in embarrassment, mumbling a sorry in the process.

“LOOK AT THAT MESS! You think a sorry is worthy for that? You are going to change the bed sheet and wash them with your hands! You hear me?”

Harry nodded in embarrassment, while he heard his cousin skipping outside the room, chanting in all his might ‘Hawwy wets ‘is bed! Hawwy wets ‘is bed!”

END OF FLASHBACK

Baby Harry gazed his guardian with abhorrence. The man was staring at the spot where ‘the accident’ had happened.

“Me sorwy Sevvus. I prwomise me cleans it,” Harry exclaimed frantically, getting out of the bed as quickly as he could.

He waited for an outburst but the man simply grasped the blankets and started undoing the bed.

“Harry, please help me undo the bed,” he said simply and Harry hurried to comply.

When the bed had no bed-sheet, Snape asked for a house-elf to prepare the bed and took the boy into the bathroom. Harry watched as the man filled the bathtub with water and started shivering. Would he punish him like aunt Petunia did when he would wet his bed? Would he force him to bathe on freezing cold water or would he be harsher like uncle Vernon, who forced him to endure steaming hot baths?

Snape undressed the boy and helped him into the bath. To Harry’s surprise the water’s temperature was normal. A loud rumble was heard and Harry shuddered but did not speak. He did not want to cause another reason for punishment. When Snape had bathed the boy, he made him wore clean pyjamas and led him to the bed. Harry froze.

“Sevvus, you no punish me? I wet bed. This verwy bad,” he asked, refusing to be led on the bed.

“Do you remember when I told you that some mistakes can be fixed?” Snape asked while he carried the boy on the bed and tucked him in, “Well lad, this was fixable and it happens to all children your age. There is no need to be punished for that. Now go to sleep. I will come as soon as I get cleaned.”

Harry gazed at the man and flung himself forward, grasping the man by the neck and into a bear-hug. Snape froze as the boy gave him a peck on the cheek and put his head on the pillow.

Snape remained still for a couple of seconds and then shot up and harried to the bathroom as quickly as he could.

The black-robed man staggered and fell on the floor with an ungraceful ‘thump’. He watched as the spectacled boy drew long breaths, trying to find his pace. Through the constant Occlumency lessons Snape had realised one thing. The fact that Potter was younger helped him succeed. The boy had gained the ability to trace Snape in his memory, however painful the surrounding might was. On the other hand, the boy had not yet managed to control himself when he would repel his guardian. Instead of using his mind’s power, baby Harry would still react physically; hitting him. In fact, Snape was feeling happy that he had not started developing a back-problem as he was often struck hardly on the ribs.Baby Harry, though he did not look like a baby anymore at the age of three-and-a-half, drew a final breath and relaxed. Snape moved near him.

‘That was good Harry, but not good enough. You do an excellent job finding me in the background, but you are still unable to repel me with your mind. Let us try again, shall we?”

Harry motioned his head in agreement. Snape pointed his wand at the boy and whispered a ‘Leglimiens’. This time a memory of the week before appeared.

FLASHBACK

The man watched himself sitting on the grass, watching carefully as the toddler climbed on a slide. When the boy reached the op, he sat carefully and let himself slide. Snape stood up, when the boy run towards him. Suddenly soft music disturbed the park’s quietness as a small ice-cream truck appeared and stopped. Baby Harry looked on the ice-cream truck longingly and then shook his head. He knew he was not allowed any ice-cream and he had no intention to ask for any. After all, as aunt Petunia said, only little boys with real families deserved ice-cream.

“Do you want a scoop Harry?” Snape asked, craving the sweet taste of a chocolate scoop into his mouth.

Harry turned to stare his guardian in amazement. Was he allowed to have an ice-cream? Never in his life was he allowed such a pleasure. He nodded immediately, fearing that Sevvus would change his mind.

Harry received the ice-cream cone and started licking it happily, savouring the taste of strawberry that he had asked for. He loved the taste this cold sweet thing left at his tongue. He eyes his guardian for a moment, and watched as the older man bit his scoop. He did the same as well, only to discover that the coldness intensified, making his eyes watery.

“Sevvus.”

Severus Snape was sitting on the grass and was eating his ice-cream, absent-mindedly. It seemed queer but when it came to ice-cream, his thoughts would halt and he; would just enjoy the cold taste.

“Yes,” he mumbled absent-mindedly, turning his head to see the boy. He was once again caught in surprise.

“Wan to trwy?” the boy asked enthusiastically and pushed the ice-cream against Snape’s face.

Snape found himself muffled by the ice-cream cone as the lower part of his face was smeared with the strawberry-flavoured scoop. His eyes enlarged in shock as he realised how dirty and sticky he was going to look after that encounter. The boy withdrew the ice-cream from his face and looked at him joyfully.

“Teink you forw the asi-krem.”

END OF FLASHBACK

Snape watched the entire scene, waiting for the boy to act. Yet nothing seemed to be happening. It took Harry a long time and he wondered what was preventing the boy from an attempt to repel him. He drew a long breath and retreated from the boy’s memory. He found himself in his chambers while Baby Harry looked around with a dazed expression.

“Harry, why didn’t you repel me?” he asked immediately.

Baby Harry lowered his eyes as he seemed to realise something.

“I – I – I – forw-gooet. Sorwy.”

“You forgot? But how did this happen?” Snape enquired in puzzlement.

“I . . . like what I see. Nice. I saw and I forw-gooet,” he said shyly.

“This is all for today,” Snape said softly trying to process what he had just heard.

Harry rose and moved towards his toys. Snape felt his skin tremble when he finally realised what had happened. Baby Harry would ignore unhappy memories but he would be distracted by happy visions, like every human being. Snape thanked his stars he had found out. Harry’s happy memories involved both him and the boy. If he wanted to protect this part of his life until the summer vacation, he had to start training the boy soon enough.

-)-)-)

Minerva McGonagall sat behind her desk and scribbled in the corners of the parchment as neatly as the limited space would allow her to do. The ‘tick-tack’ of the clock showed that it was almost nine-thirty and she was expecting her visitor any moment soon. A single knock echoed in her office and she looked up leaving a rather bored ‘come in.’

“Hello,” a child squealed happily and run towards her, followed by a rather indifferent black-robed man.

“Good morning Harry.”

“Sevvus says I spent all day with you.”

“So it seems,” the woman said, smiling at the boy.

“I have learnt a new song!” baby Harry exclaimed enthusiastically.

“That is wonderful Harry dear,” McGonagall said, eyeing Snape with a smirk of sadistic joy, “You can sing it to me when Severus will leave.”

The young man curled his lip to his ex-professor’s expression and turned his attention to the stuck of books in her library.

“So Severus, do you think your house will be able to cope with Ravenclaw? McGonagall asked, drawing his attention.

“Of course they will. What kind of a silly question is that?” Snape answered back immediately.

“Weird year for the school’s Quidditch Cup don’t you agree?” McGonagall sneered. “The Hufflepuffs are, for the first time in a century, the undisputed Cup Winners, the Ravenclaws come next and our Houses are only with a two point difference. If Slytherin win today’s final match we share the third place together. On the contrary if your house loses, it will be for the first time in two-hundred and twenty-two years that Slytherin will be on the bottom.”

“You draw pleasure from the entire situation, don’t you Minerva McGonagall?” the younger man, said narrowing his eyes.

“Yes Severus, in fact I do,” McGonagall answered back with a cat-like smile. “After all you and your Slytherins must decide whether you will share the same position with the Gryffindors or lose and find yourself on the very bottom. You do not have much of an option, I believe.”

Snape felt annoyed with the whole situation. His house would never share a thing, especially with the ‘always-saints’ Gryffindors. On the other hand, the Slytherins were not the ones that would accept to suffer a humiliating defeat. There was not an option indeed. As much as the idea made him, and every other Slytherin, shudder; the only option was for them to win that day’s match, a match that he was going to attend to.

Minerva McGonagall came to him the week before and offered to look after baby Harry, so that he, Snape, would be able to attend the Quidditch match. Snape, who had missed the previous three games, because of too much workload and baby-load, accepted her offer and thanked his lucky start that she had done so, for he would never, asked a Gryiffndor’s help; even if he was dying to watch that match.

“It’s time to go Harry,” he said to the boy, while he profoundly ignored the Transfiguration professor’s intense gaze, “Now remember what we said?”

“I will liten to Mierwa,” Harry said.

“And?”

“I will do all she says.”

“And?”

“I no touch anyting before I ask forw perw – perw – I must know it is good to touch.”

“Good boy. I will see you later then.”

“Bye-bye Sevvus,” the boy said and wrapped his miniscule hands around the man’s hips in an attempt for a hug.

Snape let out a low uncomfortable grumble and brushed his hand on the boy’s head before turning to his heels and exiting the room.

-)-)-)

The black-haired professor descended the stairs, heading towards the Dungeons, where the Slytherin common room and dormitories were situated. He was on the second floor when he stopped. He usually passed this floor without a second glance. In the northeast wing of the second floor was never occupied by students or teachers. Therefore unlike a Gryffindor, if Snape had no reason to go there, then he would simply pass the place. Yet, that day he stopped. He stopped because he had an abrupt whisper, followed by the sound of footsteps.

Snape titled his head to the direction the whisper, or was it a set of two different ones, were coming from. Who was in the northeast wing and most importantly, what was doing there? He tapped his foot and turned towards the direction he had heard those whispers. A muffled squeal was heard and he narrowed his eyes as he moved towards the direction the noise came from.

Severus Snape was man that was not taken by surprise easily. Yet, as he turned the corner he found himself taken by surprise and extreme discomfort. Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor and a know-it-all, and Ron Weasley, a Gryffindor and the last son of the Wealsey family, were embraced in a passionate hug. The redhead’s face was buried in the girl’s bushy hair, while the girl face covered as she had placed her head on the boy’s chest. Snape was pretty sure that his face was flushing red and he caught himself wondering if he was ever hugged like that. He scowled at the thought and tried to make his flushing submerge as he let out a very loud tat.

Granger’s head shot up and looked at him in embarrassment, while the Weasley boy kept stared dizzily at the wall, a smile transfixed on his face.

“And may I ask what is going on here?” Snape whispered slowly.

The bushy-haired girl kept looking at him in embarrassment while her work started moving as if she tried to find the perfect words to explain this.

“We . . . emm. . . we were . . .”

“No need to answer that Miss Granger,” Snape smirked, “I simply imposed a rhetorical question. I can clearly see that you two were not practising on Potions, though Mr. Weasley does seem to need some extra help on them,” he continued, “I have perfectly seen what was happening. For such a performance I think it would be appropriate to take out five points from Gryffindor. After all that is why the school has provided you with the Grounds and your Common Room. “

With those words, he turned to his heels and turned around, feeling slightly annoyed that despite his words and points-take off Mr. Weasley had not dismissed that silly grin from his face.

-)-)-)

Professor Severus Snape braced himself as he stopped in front on the wall that encases the door leading to Slytherin Common Room. The Dungeons were the only place in Hogwarts that despite the warming charms and the ever-lit fireplaces was always wet and cold. In fact, there was a myth between the Slytherins that this was Godric Gryffindor’s doing. It was believed that when Salazar Slytherin abandoned the castle; Godric Gryffindor cursed the Dungeons, where Slytherin passed his time teaching his handful of students, into ever-lasting coldness.

Snape could never know if that myth was true. From what he had experienced, it might as well as be true. It was a fact, however, that the sunlight never reached the Dungeons; giving the Slytherins the feeling that there night-time was always present.

“No wonder Slytherins students are always so cross,” Snape thought bitterly.

The man seriously believed that anyone would be grumpy if he was forced to live in the Dungeons, never seen by the sun, because of a stupid idea that instructed that a House’s Dormitory would be at the area where its founder used to teach. No one seemed to care about it, even though the Slytherins looked unhealthily pale throughout the year.

“Comitiatus Dignosco.”

The stone door in the wall slid open and the man entered the Common Room. The long, low underground room was semi-dark and cold as usual. Green lamps hanged from the chains and gave the room this queer green luminous environment. A huge fire was blazing happily inside the ornamented fireplace and around him there were many carved armchairs, study-tables and chairs.

Usually the Common Room was quiet at Saturday mornings as most students would be out in the Grounds enjoying the sun, or studying in the much more luminous library. That Saturday morning, however, the room was filled with a wave of euphoric liveliness. The first years and second years were carrying a huge rolled banner, which Snape guessed would cover the front of the Slytherin seats. Most girls were scattered around the dormitory holding silver-green flags, while the boys mumbled their wand incantations, so that they would not cause the room to burst into decorations, over and over again.

The moment he entered the room fell silent. The Slytherins hurried into two lines, boys on the left and girls on the right, their own way to greet their Housemaster. The first years were in the front and the years continued until the seventh years would stand at the end of the line.

“Good morning. Ladies. Gentlemen,” he said bowing his head towards each of the line.

“Good morning professor,” most students said in unison. Yet others kept looking at the floor grimly, remaining quiet as if they had not heard his greeting.

Snape knew those students. They were the ones that had taken the fact that he had taken Potter under his protection as an outrageous insult. They were the ones that wanted to owl their parents and inform them about the Potion Master’s actions. Yet, they could not since they were under constant supervision by their classmates that would never leave them get close to an owl, in Hogsmeade. As for Hogwarts owlery, most Slytherins had understood that the faculty had placed a ward so strong that they could not even scribble the situation down. In fact, Draco Malfoy had once tried to write it in a coded message, just to see if he could. He was, nevertheless, overcome by a state of panic so strong that Snape was called to the Owlery by Crabbe and Goyle, in order to revive the trembling student. Needless to say it was the last time a Slytherin student attempted to scribble Potter’s situation in the owlery, or the castle.

“Is the team ready?” he asked eyeing around.

“They headed to the dressing rooms from before breakfast.”

“Good. All right now, let’s get going shall we?” he said and turned to his heels.

The two lines followed him in the Quidditch pitch.

-)-)-)

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen to what seems to be a very exciting game!” the voice of young Henry Getriewaller, of the Hufflepuff house filled the stadium, “Today it is the final game for this season. RAVENCLAW VERSUS SLYTHERIN!”

Loud cheers erupted from both Houses to the announcement.

“For the Ravenclaw house we have the Quidditch captain Gerald Johansson in the position of a Chaser. Coming behind him is Daniela Tristan and Dante Tristan, our twin Chasers! Following up is Okoth Aguji their Keeper and close behind him the Beaters Sergio Bloom and Cassio Poof. And last, but not least the Ravenclaw Seeker Cho Chang!”

The Ravenclaws clapped furiously as their team zoomed into the Quidditch pitch.

“And here it is the Slytherin team. For the three chasers we have Adrian Pucey, Federico Fadey and Maximus Novem. Coming up next is Paulette Sun, the first female Keeper and an excellent selection after the graduation of Marcus Flint. Eugene Bole and Laurence Roseplum is the Slytherin Chasers ladies and gentlemen. Now last but not least, the Slytherin Quidditch captain and seeker, Draco Malfoy!”

Loud cheers, equivalent to roars, escaped from every Slytherin’s mouth as the players in green robes zoomed into the stadium and formed their half of the circle.

“MISS ROOKS TAKE YOUR SEAT IMMEDIATELY!” Snape shouted due to noise and shock, as he brought his hand foreword and grabbed a first year’s robe, who had half-hanged herself from the edge of the wall in over-excitement.

The girl was forced to her sear with a fake pout. She suddenly smiled mischievously and cried out.

“Nice scarf, sir!”

Indeed Snape had tied a silver-green scarf around his neck, like every time Slytherin game had an important match to play. Unlike the common belief that Severus Snape enjoyed nothing, the reality was different. Severus Snape enjoyed watching Quidditch. In fact he never missed a chance to watch a game. He also enjoyed watching Slytherin’s important games, for during those occasions he could sit with his students and shout in excitement without feeling he was acting inappropriately. The bad thing with those situations, nevertheless, was that Slytherins loved to throw teasing comments, not that he would remain quiet to them; that is.

To Miss. Rooks comment, Snape just smirked.

“Thank you Miss. Rooks, but flattery will get you nowhere. I still expect better Potion results.”

“You got me there, sir!” she replied smirking.

“I taught you well,” he simply said and turned his attention to the game.

Pucey had thrown the ball to Novem and he was zooming towards Aguji’s hoops when Poof sent a Bludger to Novem’s direction. Someone cried out ‘Bludger’ and he threw the Quaffle towards Fadey, before sending his Nimbus Two-Thousand-And-One upwards. Johansson zoomed in front of Fadey and grabbed the Quaffle before the latter could react. It seemed to be double bad luck for the Slytherin Quidditch team as Novem collided into one of the huge posts that held the stadium.

Snape winced. That must have really hurt. In the meantime Sun speeded from hoop to hoop waiting for an attack. The Tristan sister threw the Quaffle to her brother, over and over again. Snape could only but watch their constant exchange, for they hoped to confuse his Keeper. They threw the Quaffle. Snape drew a breath.

Sun saved it!

“Yes!” his voice connected with his students, “I did not chose her for nothing you know!” he cried to the Ravenclaw team.

Snape turned to the crowd of Slytherins and motioned them to start cheering.

“WHICH TEAM HAS COLOUR GREEN?” the seventh years shouted.

“SLY-THE-RIN!” everyone chanted in unison.

“WHICH TEAM RULES THE PITCH?” the seventh years insisted.

“SLY-THE-RIN!”

“WHICH TEAM THE RAVENCLAWS THINK THEY WILL WIN?”

“SLY-THE-RIN!”

“BUT WHICH IN THE END WILL GET THE SNITCH?”

“SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN!”

Snape smiled to himself. There were some recites that were from the time he was a student. In fact some of them were created by him, when the Slytherin team was preparing for a match. The one they were chanting at that moment was one of his. Yet, this was not his favourite creation. In fact one was, but he usually told the Slytherins off for using it. Yet, that day he would loved to hear it.

He could only turn his attention to the game. Draco Malfoy seemed to be teasing Cho Chang. He flied in front of her and seemed to lead her to different areas of the pitch. He would zoom around her and then dive down, making her follow him. Snape knew of such a strategy. Draco Malfoy was constantly pretending to have seen the snitch in order to catch her attention and make her follow. He would seem serious and determined, as if he had seen the snitch for real. Then, he would stop, smirk at her, or even blink and change direction. In fact, this reminded Snape of the old Muggle story of the ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf’. The tactic was simple. Cho Chang would follow him so many times, that at one point she would stop. And that would eliminate her possibilities to follow him around and spotting the snitch herself.

“The score is currently fifty for Slytherin, forty for Ravenclaw,” Getriewaller’s voice got his attention. “Let me remind that if Slytherins wins, it will be the first time in Hogwarts’ history that two houses will tie up and there will be no fourth place. Tristan to Tristan – Dante Tristan has been hit by a Bludger directly sent from Bole. Oh that’s going to hurt tomorrow morning. Pucey has got the Quaffle! Pucey to Novem to Fadey. They throw the Quaffle to each other so fast, that you can barely see it. Oh, something is happening between the two Seekers.”

Everyone turned to see the Seekers. Malfoy had seen the Snitch and was whooshing with all his might. Cho Chang, proud owner of a new Shooting Star Two-Thousand-One, was trying to catch up. Malfoy had an earlier start but Chang was much lighter. They passed one another in circle following something that glinted at a second and then disappeared. The agony made his hold his breath.

“SING HIM THE SONG!” Goyle shouted in a moment of inspired wickedness.

Snape saw everyone rising up. Then a roar of booming, sonorised voices filled the Quidditch pitch.

“STAND UP AND CHEER FOR SLYTHERIN HOUSE!”

It was The Song, indeed. The same one, which Snape, the Potion Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had created in the age of sixteen. He suddenly felt embarrassed.

“WE WILL HEX YOUR DOG AND SEDUCE YOUR SPOUSE!”

Draco zoomed even more. Snape could almost smell the adrenaline coming out from the Slytherins. And for the first time in his entire teaching career, Severus Snape could not control his mouth.

“STAND UP AND CHEER FOR SLYTHERIN HOUSE!” he found himself screaming with his students.

Draco Malfoy was first. Then it was Chang. He could guess they were both perspiring like mad.

“WE WILL HEX YOUR DOG AND SEDUCE YOUR SPOUSE!”

Draco Malfoy reached out to get the feathered ball.

“STAND UP AND CHEER FOR SLYTHERIN HOUSE!”

Hand outstretched, fingers ready to wrap around the ball.

“WE WILL HEX YOUR DOG AND SEDUCE YOUR SPOUSE!”

Hand closing to a palm and Draco Malfoy rising up into the air with a cry of success.

“HE DID IT! HE BLOODY DID IT!”

“MISS ROOKS DO YOU WANT TO KILL YOURSELF? GET DOWN THAT WALL OR I WILL DO SOMETHING DRASTIC ABOUT YOUR TENDENCY TO CLIMB WALLS LIKE AN INFERNAL SPIDER!”

-)-)-)

The usually quiet Slytherin Common Room was filled with loud cheers. A wave of black robes entered it, holding six figures dressed in silver-green robes. For the last fifteen minutes the Slytherin Quidditch team was carried around Hogwarts, while the carriers were cheering. Wanting it, or not, everyone ought to knew that Slytherin was the winner.

“THE FATE YOU WERE ALL AFRAID OF,

“YOU COULD ONLY MEET!

“FOR DRACO MALFOY GOT THE SNITCH!

“SLYTHERIN COULD ONLY WIN!” they all chorused as they entered. Yet what their eyes met made them fall silent.

Draco Malfoy, who was sitting in Crabbe’s and Goyle’s shoulders and was carried around, looked at the Common Room in surprise. The walls were covered with what it seemed to be a glass surface that projected images of the match. He climbed off his mates’ shoulders and watched in satisfaction himself waving to Chang as he had managed to trick her once again. On the study tables huge serving plates were scattered that were full with piles of sandwiches, chocolate-fudge, cheese-scones and éclairs. At the sides of each table there was a vast amount of bottles full of butter-beer, and Draco could not help but think that their number was equivalent to the entire stock of the ‘Leaky Cauldron’. He turned in amazement to see the ones responsible for such an arrangement only to find out that every Slytherin wore the same expression.

“I find you liked my surprise,” a deep voice said.

They all turned to find their Housemaster sitting on an armchair in the shadows. He had his fingers knitted together and wore an expression that reminded most of them of a panther that had just enjoyed a jovial meal.

“Excellent game team,” he commented. “It was more than enjoyable I must say. Pucey, Bole that was a very good last game. You have my deepest admiration. Now, now do eat. I know you need it. Especially you Malfoy.

Draco was indeed in need for food. The night before was a complete nightmare, as his sleep was often disrupted by queer and highly worrying images. He firstly dreamt that his broomstick went missing and that he was given a toy-broomstick to ride for the game and then he saw a dream that the Snitch went vicious and started chasing him and biting him. He could also recall two other dreams but the details seemed to disappear. By the morning he felt that even the aroma of food could make him vomit, so he missed breakfast and retreated in the team’s dressing rooms, feeling that being a Quidditch Captain was one thing too stressful. Needless to say he found the team there in the same state as he was.

“You won’t stay to celebrate, sir?” he asked as he saw the black-haired man rising from his seat and moving towards the door.

“I would rather not mister Malfoy. I have too much work to spent valuable time with teenagers, whose hormones left them with no sense of mind. Yet in the case someone needs me I will be at my office.”

-)-)-)

Snape brushed a strand of stray hair away from his face as he leaned over the fumes of a babbling cauldron. He had to be extremely careful. He had to squeeze a piece of green lime in such a way so that only five drops would land inside the bubbling mixture. A drop more could result to an explosion towards his face and the very painful procedure of the removal of skin, similar of being skinned alive.

“One drop, two, three, four, five,” he counted inside really slowly as the juice fell drop by drop.

He rose to full height and started stirring the mixture very quickly. Suddenly there was a knock on his door. He let out an annoyed grumble and let out a hasty ‘Enter.”

“Sit down, sit down,” he said quickly not looking at his visitor as he placed a spell on a pewter vial. He placed the steaming potion inside, sealed it magically and turned to see his visitor.

“Draco, you finished partying early,” he commented as he sat down.

“We need to talk sir. It is a matter of severe importance,” Draco said looking towards the door as if he was worried that someone was going to burst in.

Snape stood up, opened the door and made sure that no one was near by. He locked the door with the aid of his wand and chanted a spell that would make it impossible for someone to eavesdrop. He then sat on his chair and waited for the younger man to speak.

“I am here, about the discussion we had. About choosing sides. We were talking, and the others chose me to come and find you,” the blond boy said and with a nervous movement he reached inside his pockets and took out a piece of parchment that was folded equally many times.

Snape took it into his hands and unfolded it carefully. On it, with green ink, there were many of the sixth-years names. He read them carefully and looked at Draco’s name, which was the first on the list followed by Vincent Crabbe’s and Gregory Goyle’s and many other ones.

“Those are the names of the students that have decided that they want to avoid recruitment from the Dark Lord this summer and seek for protection as their parents are his followers. Most of us will turn seventeen during the summer holidays and none of us is keen into follow He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and get killed in an unnecessary bloodshed.”

“I see you did not manage to make McNair and his gang to change their mind,” Snape commented looking at the parchment glumly.

Draco did not respond. Silence spoke better than words.

“I only hope that your errand will be finished soon. It is getting difficult for most of us to control them.”

Snape kept looking at the list, his eyes transfixed on the green ink. He raised an eyebrow.

“That is strange. Where is Miss. Parkinson’s name?” he said in interest.

It was Draco’s turn to become glum. He turned towards the wall as his features darkened, not daring to look at his professor.

“She does not want to write her name there. But, she does not want to become one of his followers either,” Draco whispered looking at the wall. “We got into a fight about it and we are not in speaking terms.”

“Oh,” Snape uttered feeling slightly uncomfortable. Draco was the closer he had to care for, in years, but he was never good with words of comfort. “Are you – well – are you . . .?”

“Well . . . I simply cannot understand why she will not explain her decision,” Draco said narrowing his eyes and keeping them transfixed on the wall. “I – don’t – understand – women at all!”

Snape knew he ought to remain silent.

“I don’t understand myself. I am such a rational person and yet, when I am around her, I make a – I act strangely. In my third year – I would never grab someone’s broomstick even if that person would irritate me and yet, I did grabbed Potter’s broomstick. Just the idea of her watching me made me do it. She was furious with me for doing that. She almost blinded me when she attacked me with that talons she calls fingernails. And now – that she will not speak to me – I feel like – Well you wouldn’t understand. You are too old anyway!” he said in annoyance.

“Excuse me? I swear I have given this boy too much freedom of speech,” the man thought letting out a tat of annoyance.

Draco Malfoy stopped speaking, in embarrassment. He felt such an idiot. He should not have talked about personal things so easily.

“What do you seek from me Draco?” Snape asked, closing his eyes.

“Is it not obvious?” Draco asked going back to his normal way of behaviour, “Everyone in this list seeks protection for this summer. After John Winterhipp’s disappearance it seems clear what is going to happen of us if we refuse.”

Snape thought of John Winterhipp. He was a rather quiet Slytherin, for Slytherins’ standards that is, which often mentioned that he would try to avoid recruiting. Yet, he was very skilful with ward spells and their elimination, something that made him a fine specimen for recruitment. The ‘Daily Prophet’ reported his disappearance shortly after Christmas.

“Most of the people in this list turn seventeen in the summer, a perfect opportunity to be approached. I think we are both aware that what will happen is bound to happen soon,” Draco said seriously.

They both fell silent. Snape let out a rather abrupt exhale and frowned.

“I will see what I can do,” he said after a long time of silence.

“Thank you,” Draco whispered. The boy stood up to leave when he was stopped by Snape’s voice that ordered him to seat down.

“Draco, why did you come to me? I have his Mark on me. How did you know I was to be trusted?”

“Ever since my second year, when I called Granger a – you know – I remember your fury when Professor McGonagall told you, of what Hagrid . . .”

“Professor Hagrid.”

“. . . What he told her. I remember your words, the lecture you gave me in this very office. You told me that the Hat had not chosen me because of my family’s bloodline, nor for their habits, but because of my cunning self and what I would be able to perform.”

“I am a school’s professor Draco. I was supposed to say things like that for McGonagall would say what had happened to the Headmaster.”

“That is what I told myself that day. Yet, last year – I heard you talking to Dumbledore . . .”

“Professor Dumbledore.”

“I heard you talking to him after Umbridge left, through the fireplace. When that girl Weasley hexed me with that Bat-Bogey Hex of hers, I run towards the empty classroom. It seems that you have forgotten to place a Silencing Charm.”

“So I had indeed!”

“Therefore I figured out that you were a double spy.”

“So I am. But how could you know which side I am loyal to? Shall I remind you that a double spy hides a minimum amount of information from the side he is against? If I had not informed the Headmaster he would had known I am not at his side. My cover would have been destroyed when I would mostly need it.”

“Yes, but you could have always inform him a quarter of hour too late,” Draco answered back confidently. “Even if that was the case, I know you. If you had not been the Headmaster’s spy, you would never manage to stay in Hogwarts for so many years. Your success as a spy lays on the fact that you lie as less as you can. Eleven years of lies will be unbearable.”

“By Merlin Draco Malfoy, your abilities in deduction will never seize to amaze me,” the man said with a raised eyebrow.

“I had a great teacher.” Draco answered back as Snape opened the door to him.

“Draco, trust nobody, unless you are fully sure.”

“So I will. And you sir,” the blonde boy whispered looking at him seriously, “try to be careful. There are more people that need you than just Potter.”

-)-)-)

The Potion Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry entered the Deputy Headmistress’ office to find a very exhausted woman that half-sat, half-sprawled on an armchair. Agony was drawn on her features as her hand clutched her ribs.

“Minerva, all you all right?” he asked approaching her with a hint of worry he could not hide.

“Oh Severus, I am quite all right, thank you,” she said as he rubbed her eyes, “It is of no importance, so there is no need to worry.”

“It is probably the fact that Gryffindors are terrible liars for I do not believe you,” he answered back seriously.

“I am going to be fine. It is just a leftover from my little incident with those ministry officials last year,” she said flinching. “It seems that one of the hexes was meant only for giants. As I am human, it caused some damage that could not be fully healed. It pains me every once and awhile.”

“Stay here,” Snape ordered and got outside her office.

He returned minutes later, holding a potion vial with a liquid of aquamarine colour. He conjured a table-spoon, filled with the liquid and gave it to the woman, which swallowed the content immediately.

It was as if a huge burden was lifted off McGonagall. The pain immediately crumbled to non-existence and she found herself breathing normally.

“Instant pain-killer,” Snape said simply. “For how long have this been happening?”

The older woman remained silent.

“That long huh? Does the Headmaster knows?”

“I am a grown-up woman Severus,” she huffed. “I do not need everyone knowing my business.”

“Oh, what does this conversation reminds me.”

“Your case was different. You could not run after a child while your ribs were damaged. You could end up paralyzed. This should not happen to you.”

“And it should happen to you?”

“My ribs are fine Severus. It’s the hex inside them that causes them to pain every once and awhile. I don’t need help.”

“Why?”

“Because, I said so.”

They fell silent.

“Even if the Headmaster find out about it, this does not make you useless,” he commented.

“It makes me feel so,” she admitted in exasperation. “Oh Severus, I am old! We are entering a war – my students are entering a war and I feel like I might fail them because my stamina was not as it used to be. You don’t know how I feel. You are so young. I can remember you in your first year.”

“Ah so now I am young.”

“Nonsense. The Headmasters is so much older than you and he is full of life.”

“Dumbledore is full of vitality and this come from his inner power Severus. I am just a typical witch.”

Snape did not spoke.

“You are a good boy Severus,” she spoke at last, satisfied with his grumble of annoyance. “I will come to you when in pain.”

-)-)-)

“So did you have a nice morning?” he asked the toddler, while putting him in his bed for his nap.

McGonagall was lucky enough to have Ginny Weasley in her office, when the pain had started. She hid her pain from the girl, who had inquired about some Transfiguration OWL questions, answered and asked if it would be possible to take baby Harry with her. Luckily the girl was enthused over the boy and accepted immediately.

“I had fun wit Mimone and Rwuo and Nevlin and Ginny! Mimone and Rwuon make picturwe wit me and I helped Nevlin give waterw to plants. I like Ginny sooooo much!” the boy continued opening his hands and stretching them. “When I gwoou up, I marwy her!”

Severus Snape could not help but smile. Most children believe that they grow up but the world around them remains the same. So did Potter. And weirdly, this was the first time such a situation could apply.

“Why don’t you marry her now?” Snape asked trying to remain serious.

“Bekioz at sleep I wan my bed. When I gwoou up I will want another bed.”

“That is good Harry.”

“Umm Sevvus?” baby Harry asked in uncertainty, “When I gwoou up, I will wok. I give some money to Ginny and some money to you. Can I have enough to buy toys as well?” he asked letting a yawn.

“I think you would,” he said seriously, tucked the boy and got outside the bedroom.

When he sat on his armchair, he could not but smile to himself.

The Monday of April’s third week proved, from very early in the morning, that the week was going to be very exhausting. Professor Severus Snape had started preparing himself for a period of time full of teenagers with jumbled nerves, for it was true that the NEWT examinations schedules had arrived. He, therefore, entered the Potions classroom that morning holding two packs of parchments that he placed on his desk. He approached the front-row seats, grasped a potions textbook from a student, raised it up so everyone in the classroom would see it and gave a rather loud ‘tut’ to draw everyone’s attention to his face.“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a book. If you want to pass your NEWT exam, I suggest you open the book,” he proceeded by opening the book, “and start copying all the potions’ instructions I have asked you to mark from the beginning of the year until now. Such an action will ensure that you will be aware of how to brew every ‘essential’ potion required in order to pass the first part of your NEWT exam.”

He swished his wand in a halting movement and the parchments flew forward and placed themselves, one on each student’s desk.

“This is your NEWT exam schedule. As you can all see, the exam will take place in the second week of June – ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger. Squealing is not allowed in my classroom. And ten points from Gryffindor Mr. Weasley for such an improper use of the English language. Now, where was I? Ah yes, for the next seven weeks, I expect you to sleep, breath and savour potions – Miss Patil that was metaphorical, there’s no need to look disgusted.”

He paused for some moments to make sure that everyone’s attention was focused on him.

“A NEWT exam is a total of five hours, unlike the OWL exam which is three. But like the OWL exams, two hours are for essay questions and the other three are for you to brew potions. There is an hour-and-a half break between the written examination and the brewing one, for you to eat some lunch and then you can head straight back to the room assigned. Any questions? Yes Miss Bulstrode?”

“Why is it sir, that our NEWT exam is in two parts? Some NEWTs are linear, why not Potions as well?”

“It was, indeed, a fact Miss Bulstrode, that Potions NEWTs were linear some years ago. Yet the Ministry decided that Potions studies were too complicated, which resulted in a two-part exam to complete your NEWT. Now, you can’t complain that you are not spoiled, can you? To put an end to this chit-chat, I expect from everyone at least an ‘E’, unless you want to suffer my displeasure. Now for the last weeks, I have created mock Potions examinations that will help you practice.”

He drew a breath and swished his wand. The second pile of parchments zoomed forward and landed neatly on each student’s desk. Snape watched them raising the parchment to their faces and could barely control himself not to raise his eyes and snort as some students let out a giggle.

“As titillating and amusing as the thought of Combination Potions must be, I suggest you all start to act your age, at least while in my classroom. You shall practice on Combination Potions for the first hour.”

-)-)-)

Draco Malfoy was having a perfectly normal morning. It was the same, boring Monday morning until the numbers were drew out of the goblet. He controlled a sigh of unhappiness as his number landed with the number of the one person he really did not feel like working with. He kept staring at his cauldron full of steaming water, as she sat near him, without sparing a look for him.

Both Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy were very uncomfortable, but also very thickheaded. Stubborn as they were, they did not speak much, throwing halting orders to one another when they found it necessary. For a whole forty-three minutes they seemed to be at least able to co-operate, until it was time for the powdered Kneazle’s talons to be added. Draco, who was stirring the cauldron’s contents as quickly as needed, reached out for the box of Kneazel’s talons and found his palm touching a rather delicate hand. Both hands retreated as if the box was burning hot. The blond teenager continued stirring.

“Oh come on Parkinson, we do not have all day. Powder those talons before we have an explosion,” he whispered with a huff.

Pansy glared at him, tossed the talons in the mortar and started powdering them.

“I need them now,” Draco ordered as he continued looking at the bubbling mixture.

“Here,” she spat out and threw the mortar’s contents into the cauldron.

Draco started stirring the liquid clockwise and as he did so he eyed Pansy, who had turned her back on him.

“Why haven’t you chopped the dragon’s spleen yet? What are you waiting for? A personal invitation?” he spat out.

“No, I am waiting for the one-who-is-not-a-proper-gentleman to pass it over, because it is on his side,” she whispered caustically.

Draco took the dragon’s spleen with his right hand and tossed it in front of Pansy. The spleen landed with an abrupt ‘splat’ and the girl wrinkled her nose in disgust. She took her dagger and started chopping it in equal small strips. She huffed as soon as she finished and placed it in the cauldron, making sure that she would step on the blond boy’s left foot in the process.

Draco Malfoy jumped up high from the pain and glared at the teenage girl with the corner of his eyes.

“You-Are-The-Most-Disagreeable-Woman-I-Have-Ever-Met,” he said in slow anger.

“And you are the most rude. A mountain troll is more polite than you,” she said coolly.

“Oh really? If that’s so, then you never should have accepted my offer to go to the Yule Ball together.”

“I was young and innocent back then,” she reasoned.

“Young and innocent? You?” he sneered. “Please, don’t offend my intelligence.”

She turned to face him. Her eyes were full of rage and her hands clenched tightly into fists.

“Were we out of this classroom, I would have given you what you deserve, Draco Malfoy,” she whispered angrily. “I am so happy we had that fight. Now I know who you really are!” she said slightly louder, not being able to control her rage.

“I am thrilled to have YOU out of my life!” he felt himself saying in the same tone.

“I AM MORE THAN THRILLED! I AM ECSTATIC!”

“AND I AM ANGRY BEYOND BELIEF!” Snape’s angry voice echoed inside the dungeons.

“BOOM!”

“I hate Combining Potions!” Snape thought as a smelly brown liquid sprayed around the room. The other students, who for the last two minutes had been watching the two Slytherins’ verbal fight, got under their desks. Snape cast a spell on the room for the liquid to disappear and turned his attention to the two Slytherins. They were both dyed in the brown liquid which had started emitting a strong stench. Snape found himself sitting on the nearest seat and looked at everyone in exhaustion.

“Everyone, get out of the room this instant,” he said so slowly and dangerously that every student stood up immediately, grabbed their books and hurried outside. Only Pansy and Draco remained, looking at him.

“Mr Malfoy, your detention is postponed for another two weeks. Miss Parkinson, I want you in my office today at three. Now get out before I bite someone,” he growled and they both shot out of the room.

Snape looked around in exhaustion

“This NEWT exam will be the death of me!”

-)-)-)

The small clock in Snape’s office dinged three times. A knock was heard that caused Snape to murmur a faint ‘Enter’. The black-robed man looked up as Pansy Parkinson entered his office.

“Miss Parkinson do sit down.”

The girl sat down opposite him. She sat still, waiting as her housemaster placed the piece of parchment he was correcting in a pile next to him. He looked at her and spoke softly.

“Tell me Miss Parkinson, what is the first rule for a properly behaved Slytherin?”

“Never letting emotions interfere with his or her work.”

“What did you, and Mr. Malfoy, do in my classroom?”

“We let our emotions interfere with our work.”

“And may I say it ended nastily.”

“Yes Professor, it did,” she said. Her voice could barely be heard.

Silence filled the room for a couple of moments.

“Miss Parkinson - Pansy. Are you all right?” he asked.

Pansy looked at the man she had spent so many years with, the man that for many months replaced her parents while she was at school. Every once in a while Snape would ask a student if he or she was alright, but he had never asked anyone in the manner he had asked her that afternoon. His usually cold, indifferent eyes had the tint of concern they always lacked and, for the first time in such a long time, Pansy Parkinson could not simply say the same old answer that had the phrases ‘I am all right’ and ‘Thank you.’

“No sir, I don’t think I am.”

Snape remained silent, looking at her with interest.

“You know Draco and I had a fight,” she let out a bitter chuckle. “The whole school knows we had a fight. I said I will not sign my name on the list because my parents are not Death Eaters. He got angry and we had a fight. But it is impossible for me to do it. There are more things at stake than he is aware of.”

She looked at the floor for a second but then she spoke as if she had recalled something important.

“Did you know that the Patil twins used to be my closest friends before Hogwarts? Our houses were next to each other. It was either me at their place or they at mine. And then, I was sorted to Slytherin. I was the first in my family line to ever be sorted into Slytherin. It took my parents two weeks to decide to send me a ‘Congratulations Dear’ letter. Even now, when we talk about school progress and my life here, I always have the feeling that the fact that I am a Slytherin sends shivers down their spines.”

She let out a sigh.

“My parents could never be followers of You-Know-Who and they were never courageous enough to go openly against him. I, on the other hand, might be a recruitment target. They know that! And I know that! I thought that if I return home, I will give my parents a chance to think of what to do if they approach us.”

“Miss Parkinson - Pansy, there are limited chances, hardly any chances, to refuse the Dark Lord and survive. I must also warn you that you have an extra reason to be in danger outside Hogwarts. You belong to a group of close friends that plan to refuse the Dark Lord and their families in a rather radical way. You are the perfect instrument for the Dark Lord to avenge them.”

“So if I leave Hogwarts, I will probably die along with my parents. If I stay, my parents die,” she whispered. She let out a hollow chuckle. “It might seem un-Slytherin to many but I just can’t stay here and let my parents die, sir.”

“I can promise you nothing Pansy, but I will talk to the Headmaster about your dilemma. If he finds a way to protect your parents, will you stay with us?”

Pansy gazed her housemaster with a mixture of apprehension, uncertainty and fear before giving a nod of agreement.

-)-)-)

“Ouch! It stings Sevvus,” the four year old Harry whined and then clasped his nose, “Poof! It smells bad too!”

“Now, now Harry there is no need to complain,” Snape said as he carefully rubbed the wound on Harry’s knee with a piece of cotton cloth coated with a pale violet colour and an acidic smell. “I told you that it was not wise to hop around a stone corridor, but you would not listen to me. Now you’ve got hurt and we have to disinfect it. It will be alright when I finish.”

“Okay,” the boy said in defeat as the man passed the cotton cloth slowly over his wound.

Snape finally lifted his left hand up, found the box of Band-Aids that rested on the sink and gave it to little Harry. The small boy looked at the package, opened it and took out the Band-Aid he wanted and gave it to the man. Snape looked at the big, rectangular band-aid that had a little owl painted on it. He was about to place it on the boy’s wound when the boy stopped him.

“Sevvus, you not kiss it better?”

“Kiss it better?”

“Aunt Petunia always kiss Dudley’s hurt to feel better,” little Harry said seriously as if Snape was violating a rule he was supposed to be aware of.

“Oh shit!” the man thought as the boy looked at him with a gaze which showed his expectation of a kiss. He let out a sigh, leaned down and brushed his lips on the boy’s wound, before sticking the Band Aid on.

It was, approximately, five o’ clock when Harry shook his guardian’s elbow, causing him to look up from the papers he was grading.

“Sevvus, the little hand on the five and the big one is on twelve,” Harry said pointing at the luminous clock on the wall. “You said I have to tell you when this happened.”

“Thank you Harry” Snape replied simply. His look changed to serious, nevertheless. “Harry – I need to pay a visit to Mr. Filch this evening. Do you remember Mr. Filch?”

“He is the angry man that makes vouzou-vouzou when it rains,” Harry defined Filch, causing Snape to control a smile.

“Yes, the angry man – ahem – Mr. Filch is very sad and I thought of paying him a visit.”

“Why is he sad?” Harry asked with interest.

“Because his cat is very, very sick and this makes him sad.”

Harry looked at the man and asked curiously, “Will his cat go to the sky like my parents?”

“Well, she might. That is why Mr. Filch is sad. It is like having a wound on his heart and he needs someone to keep him company. Anyway Harry, do you want to come with me or shall I ask Madam Pomfrey to look after you?”

“I want to come with you Sevvus.”

“Okay Harry, but you have to promise me to be really quiet around Mrs. Norris and Mr. Filch, alright?”

“Okay Sevvus.”

-)-)-)

Snape knocked on the door of Argus Filch’s office but received no answer at all. He knocked once again. Nothing.

“Filch – Argus, it is I, Professor Severus Snape. Can I come in?”

He heard a scrabble from the room and shortly after the door creaked open to reveal an Argus Filch that had two puffy, red eyes that matched a long red nose. He rubbed his left eye for a moment.

“Sorry for not opening Professor. Some obnoxious children found it appropriate to knock on my door and leave, today,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “Do come in, do come in.”

Man and child entered the small, windowless room. The lamp over the office shone dimly and the room smelt strongly of warm milk. The cabinets were all closed and the usually untidy desk was clear of all papers. On it, a little basket was placed and inside it laid Mrs. Norris. The cat had her eyes closed and she breathed heavily. She opened her yellow eyes slowly and looked at Filch with a gaze that, it was Snape’s impression, described her regret.

The caretaker sat on his chair and placed his hand on the cat’s skeletal body. The cat kept breathing heavily.

“She is dying Professor,” Filch said hoarsely, not moving his eyes from the animal. “I’ve feared for her downfall for the last two years. She is, after all, so old. Do you remember her when you first came to Hogwarts to teach? Such a beautiful little kitten she was.”

Mrs. Norris, Snape knew, was never a beautiful kitten. She had always looked skeletal and ugly to everyone, except Filch. But Filch had always been fond of her to the extreme. The professor knew that every single shred of love Filch could ever have in his heart rested on that cat. He eyed the boy to see whether the environment saddened him, but he found Harry sitting on the floor next to him and petting his toy.

The cat let out a sad meowing.

“Shhh my dear, it’s alright. It will end soon,” Filch petted the animal. “She was my closest friend, Professor. So bright and ready to find me. When she dies, I will leave this castle.”

“Where you will go?” Snape whispered, “Hogwarts is a steady place to live -”

“- Filled with too many people that simply tolerate me, but would love to kick my face. I don’t trust humans, Professor. They are all too cruel. My parents were cruel enough to disown me and throw me out of their house when they discovered I had no magical abilities. I struggled in the streets and I would not have survived if it wasn’t for Aberforth Dumbledore, who took me into Hog’s Head and then asked his brother to take me as a caretaker’s apprentice. I always wanted to leave Hogwarts. It was the place I always longed to attend, but fate wouldn’t let me. And a cat was always my only companion to help me survive the taunting of wizards. First it was Mr. Gluescome and then it was Mrs. Norris. Every time a cat dies, I go for a trip. I will return eventually – Now, now love, don’t you worry. Argus will not leave your sight,” he turned his attention to the cat, which let out a yowl of pain.

It wasn’t a visit Snape would love to do every day. Frankly, he would soon wish he had never visited. He sat in Filch’s office listening to Argus Filch’s gloomy ranting; feeling helpless to say a single word of consolation, for Snape was never good with words. He finally stood up to leave, gave Mrs. Norris a last petting stroke, patted Filch’s shoulder and mumbled that he would await his return to Hogwarts, even if no one else did.

He took the boy’s hand, but Harry left it softly and approached Filch. He put his hand in his pocket, and took out something that he had squeezed in his little fist. He placed it delicately in the caretaker’s hand. Argus Filch opened his hand slowly. In his open palm there was a Band-Aid with a cat.

“Sevvus says you have a hurt on your heart. This is for you to feel better,” he said shyly as he took Snape’s hand.

Argus Filch looked at the Band-Aid and then at the little boy. He gave a small nod, the first sign of thanks he ever gave to a magical child.

-)-)-)

“Come on Harry, time for bed,” Snape said and placed down the book he had been reading.

The boy, who was wearing his pajamas and playing on the floor near him, stood up and collected all his toys. He was, then, led to his bedroom, placed in bed and covered up.

“Sevvus,” the boy said as the Potion Master made sure he was covered with the blankets in the proper manner, “Mr. Filch – will he okay?”

The raven-haired man sat down on the edge of the bed. He knew it was a bad idea to take that child into Filch’s office. The visit had upset Harry.

“Not that I care for Potter’s welfare now,” he immediately reminded himself, annoyed by the fact that the statement had started sounding more and more like an excuse after mischief.

“He will be all right, Harry. Maybe not soon, but one day he will be,” he whispered.

“Sevvus, do you think Mrs. Norris – she meets my mum and dad in the sky?”

“I don’t know. It might be possible.”

“Oh,” little Harry said, a little disappointed that Snape could not give him a more certain answer.

“Is that all?”

“No, Sevvus I want to ask. Did you knowed my mum and dad?”

Snape was taken aback by the question. He knew the boy’s parents of course but not in a way the boy would have liked.

“Yes, I knew who they were,” he finally answered.

“Can you talk to me about them?” the little boy asked in excitement.

Snape thanked Merlin the room was dark, for he was sure he had turned pale white with that question. He drew a deep breath.

“Harry – I am afraid… that I am not the proper person to talk about your parents, because…erm because…because I did not know them well.”

“Oh, okay,” little Harry said half-heartedly as he lay back. “I hoped you could say to me. Ankl Vernon and Aunt Petunia never allow me to ask about them.”

Snape left the room. He opened his book but seconds later he tossed it away from him. That boy caused him so much frustration and he could not understand why.

“So much for me having inner peace,” he thought with a growl. He looked at the moon outside and scowled. He drew the curtains abruptly, as he let out a desperate huff.

-)-)-)

“With all due respect Headmaster, but I think everyone in this room is biased,” Snape protested, almost loudly, as he hit the table’s surface with his open palm.

“I am sorry Severus, but there is nothing I can do,” Dumbledore said trying to calm the Potions Master, who glared at the rest of the Order’s members. The others stared back at him, a glint of superiority in their gazes.

Snape let out a snort of disgust.

“As you will then. I will give all of my students Veritaserum to ensure that they are all telling the truth, and they are not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s spies.”

“You have to understand Severus,” Arthur insisted, “that we have to be absolutely certain about…”

“The discussion is over, Weasley,” Snape snapped in irritation. “I will do what you all require if it is to ensure my students’ safety. But I will not like it and neither will they.”

“As long as you do it,” Moody spoke, and eyed him in suspicion.

“Now, now,” Dumbledore interrupted before the younger man could answer back, “to another thing. How are things in Romania, Charlie?”

Charlie Weasley, who was called from Romania by Dumbledore, looked at the old wizard in uncontrollable satisfaction.

“Professor, I am glad to announce that your assumptions were correct. Hagrid is enthused with Norbert and the dragon obeys him. Imagine that! The dragon obeys him!”

Snape drew a breath of amazement as some cheers were let out by the younger Order members. Dumbledore had send Hagrid to Romania a week before Easter to see how Norbert reacted around him. To Charlie’s amazement the dragon not only remembered Hagrid, but he also responded as a dragon would do around his mother. He had let out a screech and lowered his head to see the half-giant’s eyes.

Norbert the dragon, of course, was by no means a pygmy-puff. He was vicious and uncontrollable around most wizards but it seemed that Hagrid could draw his attention with his voice. After some time Norbert would follow Hagrid’s orders to breath fire and in the direction the half-giant indicated. Hagrid learnt how to be stricter, but he could not help to defend the dragon and scold Charlie and his team for being ‘too strict’ with the poor animal and his ‘little friends’ as he would say.

It was magnificent to know that a dragon could take part in the battle against the Dark Lord. This would be very interesting indeed.

“…And you can expect Hagrid anytime this week. He promised to return after he finishes knitting that scarf for Norbert.”

“Poor dragon, that is going to ruin his style,” Snape thought.

-)-)-)

Remus J. Lupin sat on the couch and held his cup of tea. He took a sip and raised his head to look at the man opposite him, hoping that he could do it in a discreet manner. Lupin had been sitting opposite Severus Snape for the last seven minutes. Molly Weasley had insisted no one would leave the meeting without having dinner, Snape included. As most members were engaged here and there, Lupin had found himself in the same room as Snape, both drinking cups of tea.

Their eyes met and Snape scowled. Lupin looked at his cup before taking a sip.

“Lupin –“

Lupin looked at the other man, not sure whether he had actually heard his name in reality or if it was a product of his imagination. Snape seemed to be passing his tongue over his teeth, inside his closed mouth. He bared his teeth for a second and then shot Lupin a piercing gaze.

“Lupin – I was wondering – “

He stopped. Lupin thought he saw Snape shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

“I was wondering whether – “Snape drew a breath and for a moment it seemed as if he was going through a painful ordeal, “Whether you – “

“Oof why is it so difficult? I must like that boy a lot to ask – oh dammit, I can not even say it to myself,” the man thought desperately.

“CanIaskyouafavour?” Snape asked quickly.

“Circe I hope he heard the question because I am not asking again.”

Remus Lupin would have been less surprised if Snape had entered the room and declared his endless, undying love for Umbridge. He shuddered with the thought. He remained speechless, looking at the black-robed man as if he had sprouted an extra head, until Snape could stand it no more.

“What!”

“Oh – I am sorry Severus – I was taken aback” Lupin commented sincerely, “What for?”

“Ahm… Potter – Harry had been wondering about his parents and I was…”

“I will be glad to!” Lupin replied immediately, “It will be truly my pleasure.”

“Well… emm… all right then. I’ll just go get him now, shall I?” Snape said slowly and got outside the room.

-)-)-)

“You are really my mum’s and dad’s friend?” Harry asked.

“Yes. Your father was one of my closest friends, and your mother was a dear friend of mine as well,” Lupin replied, allowing the boy to sit on his lap.

“How did mum and dad meet?”

“They both met at Hogwarts and we were all in the same house, Gryffindor. At first your mum and dad were not friends, but then they started to like each other and they got married.”

“Can you say a story of them?” Harry asked enthusiastically, “Bibi would love to hear one.”

“Oh yes, in fact I can…”

The man started to tell stories to Harry. Most included the boy as well, while others described funny incidents from their years in Hogwarts. Harry would listen in excitement and throw questions one after the other. Suddenly, however, the boy’s eyes darkened.

“Unkl Remus,” he said, making Lupin feel proud of this new nickname, “mum and dad love me?”

“Of course they did Harry. They loved you very much.”

“Them why do no take me with them in the sky?” he asked “Did they no want me with them?”

“Harry, your mum and dad loved you very much,” Lupin answered seriously and looked the little boy in the eyes, “And I am sure that now, in the sky, they watch you and miss you very, very much. The reason they did not take you with them is because they loved you too much.”

“Ah?” Harry asked in confusion.

“Well Harry, think of this. If your mum and dad had taken you with them, you would have never met Ron and Hermione, or me, or Bibi…”

“No Sevvus too!” Harry added immediately.

“Yes. And now you will have all those friends that you will never lose.”

“Even if I go to the sky one day?”

“Even if you go to the sky one day.”

Harry looked around to make sure no one else was listening to him, aside from Remus.

“Ankl Remus. I like Sevvus thiiiiiissss biiiiig” he said and stretched his hands “He is plays at me and takes care at me and he is very smart, but you know answers more easily,” he said with a smile. “But do no tell him. He might get sad,” he added seriously.

The raven-haired man remained still, letting a wave of euphoria and self-satisfaction overcome him. He was utterly convinced that only a Slytherin could compose such a brilliant idea. He looked at Harry and pulled the boy into his arms.

“By Merlin lad!” he exclaimed in satisfaction, “You just gave me a wonderful idea about Occlumency!”

Little Harry did not respond immediately. He kept quiet, perplexed over his guardian’s queer behaviour.

“Me?” Harry asked uncertainly, reminding Snape of the teenage Potter’s habit of asking the obvious.

“Yes you,” he answered immediately and moved to his bedroom.

-)-)-)

“This is it Harry, do you understand?” Snape asked having spent the last fifty minutes explaining on how little Harry would respond during Occlumency.

The boy nodded and looked at the man.

“Legilimens”

FLASHBACK

Harry Potter stood in front of the gigantic mass of Vernon Dursley. It was the beginning of spring and young Harry found himself already in trouble.

The kindergarten teacher had called his uncle immediately after school had ended. Apparently young Harry had ended up sitting on the school’s gigantic emblem, which was built at the top of the school’s buildings. The school teacher had called for the fire brigade to help get the boy down. Harry refused to explain how he had ended sitting on the school’s emblem. In fact, he could not explain. The last thing he remembered was running, chased by Dudley and Piers, and jumping on a swing in order to move swiftly forward. He remembered jumping from the swing but how he had ended up on the emblem he could not explain. He suspected that this was a result of being too skinny. The air must have lifted him and led him to rest on the emblem.

The teacher had a long talk with his uncle and now the little boy stood in front of the man, shivering slightly with fear. The man kept looking outside the window, in an awfully quiet manner. Little Harry gulped, an unsuccessful attempt to sooth his dry throat. His uncle had not cuffed him nor shouted at him, nor did he toss him into the cupboard under the stairs. He just remained so awfully quiet that Harry knew he was in a lot trouble.

“Boy, get over here,” Uncle Vernon ordered softly and Harry rushed to stand near the man.

“Look outside the window. Can you see that man?”

Little Harry looked outside. On the pavement across the street sat a man. He had long wild hair and a matted beard. His clothes were rags that hung loosely on him; evidence that even those were not his. The man appeared to be dazed from the sun. He stood up and opened the garbage can.

“That man,” uncle Vernon whispered softly, “takes bad children from their home, kills them and then eats them.”

Harry looked outside the window in horror. The man looked up from the garbage can and stared at Harry in hunger. Harry’s breath caught.

“If I hear, ever again, that you misbehaved,” uncle Vernon hissed in a low, threatening tone, “I will give you to that man and I will let him eat you. I will not tolerate an attitude like today’s ever again.”

Harry looked at his uncle in terror and he saw that the beefy man was very serious about this.

Snape, in the meantime, felt the vein in his temple vibrating with anger. That man, that Muggle, was a monster. He did not, however, manage to conclude his thoughts as the whole memory started to shake as if there was an earthquake. The man understood that the little boy was experiencing an emotional turmoil and retreated in haste.

END OF FLASHBACK

Snape found himself in his chambers with the little boy sobbing near him. Little Harry had drawn his knees to his chest and had buried his face against them. Snape reached out to touch the boy, whose shoulders were shaking. The boy shot at the Potion Master’s touch and looked at his Guardian in bewilderment before grasping the man’s hand as if his whole world depended on it.

“Please Sevvus,” he pleaded through his sobs, “Don’t give me – to – to – sniff – scary man. I promise – hic – be – be – good,” he let out a distressed sob as he buried his head against the man’s chest, “I promise – sniff- always be good.”

Snape let the boy sob, unable to think of a word of comfort. He remained still, waiting for the boy to stop, while murmuring silly words of promise that he would never let anything hurt him. His inners self was scolding him for giving himself to a boy like Potter. Another part of him, however, dreaded the decision he had just made. He had to find a way to convince Potter that the half-giant was not going to eat him.

-)-)-)

o-o-o

Severus Snape, age sixteen, crept outside Hogwarts castle. The night was bright and a small silvery orb hung in the sky illuminating it. He braced himself for a moment as he felt the chilly breeze passing though his hair, making the hairs on his neck stand on end. He snickered to himself. Black had not even noticed that he had been standing nearby when, near sunset, he had seen Madam Pomfrey near the Whomping Willow with Remus Lupin.

“Prod the willow’s trunk with a stick and you will find where Lupin goes,” he had heard Black muttering to himself with a sly grin.

He felt lucky. He had followed Obnoxious-Potter to find out his whereabouts on Tuesday, when the first game of the season for the Gryffindors would take place. That potion he had brewed would be the ultimate revenge on Potter’s hideous prank on him. For months he had brewed this potion. He would find out where Potter stored his Quidditch robe and when the clothes were left unguarded he would strike. He would apply the whole vial to Potter’s Quidditch robes. And Merlin be his witness, Potter would need a skin-removal treatment and a skin-replenish procedure to heal himself. Then maybe Potter and Black would join Lupin that evening and they could get detention. That will cause them to be expelled from the Quidditch match. And the potion he had brewed? Well then, the potion would be used another time.

“Wake up.”

He moved near the Whomping Willow and the tree attacked him with its huge branches. Snape dodged the first few swipes but couldn’t avoid getting hit by one of the branches. He gritted his teeth in pain as a soaring burning sensation spread down his back. He backed away quickly and avoided a branch and another, and another. He saw it then. A long stick. He moved to grab it. THWACK! The teenager closed his eyes and suppressed the tears of agony that had welled up. He saw a knot, and pressed it with the stick with all his might.

“Wake Up!”

The young man of Slytherin crawled inside the tunnel and moved slowly towards what seemed to be the exit. His chest hurt slightly as he was crouching and walking at the same time. He let out a gasp of suffocation and then he realised the tunnel was becoming wider and wider.

And at the end he saw two eyes, of amber colour and a long jaw full of sharp teeth. Snape froze on the spot, touching the wall behind him, wishing he could just disappear. Then he understood. The monthly disappearances, Lupin’s frailty and the constant sickness. Lupin was that werewolf!

“Come on wake up!”

He was dumbstruck as he remembered. Black muttering to himself – the werewolf was coming closer – no he must have seen him! – The jaws that made this terrible snapping sound – Potter stood near him smiling – a horrible yowl – Lupin winking that evening to his friends. They were all in on the joke! He was going to die!

For that brisk little second, when Snape thought he was about to die, he found himself pondering a peculiar question, whether he had changed underwear or not. And then, at that moment, when the werewolf had focused his eyes on him and he was certain that these were his last living seconds, another hand tugged on his.

“Snivellus, you brainless twit!”

He found himself dragged out by a hand, soft and slippery at the same time. He looked as he was dragged forward, outside the tunnel. The pain in his shoulders and leg was unbearable, both his shirt and trousers were sticky and smelled of blood. Could it be his blood?

They stepped outside the tunnel and the hand became James Potter’s hand. He let it go as if it was burning fire. He moved backwards, stumbled and fell on the ground.

“Come on Snivellus, we must see Dumbledore,” the other boy muttered and tried to get hold of Snape’s hands.

Snape batted the hand away.

“Your friend Lupin is a werewolf. And you knew that!” he said in bemusement “Jolly good! And then Black and you and Lupin decided of me having a meeting with him, when fully transformed” he said chuckling nervously.

“Don’t be sill-“

“I AM NOT BEING SILLY!” the boy screamed and then raised an eyebrow at Potter.

“Wake up, you are dreaming.”

Snape fell on his back and started laughing uncontrollably.

“Come on, you are bleeding. Madam Pomfrey would want to see you.”

“Ah no I’m okay – hahaha – Let Me – hahahaha – Die In this Field! No – ha – Need – ha – To Spoil Your – hahahaha – Evening Plans,” he kept laughing and hitting the other boy’s protruding hand away from him.

James Potter lost his patience and tried to grab Snape by the shoulders, who threw a punch at him before stopping his laughter and throwing himself on the other boy with all his might.

“WAKE UP!”

Suddenly Potter punched him hard to the side of the head and Snape lost all consciousness.

“Severus . . . Severus . . .” a concerned deep voice he knew well said.

“WAKE UP YOU BLOODY FOOL!”

o-o-o

The hook-nosed man’s eyes opened wide as a terrible headache spread inside his skull. He had forced himself to wake up. He lay crouched on his bed, knees so close to his chest one would think he was trying to transform into a ball. He gasped feeling a sense of hopelessness and pity. He squeezed his eyes shut.

“Don’t think of it, just go back to sleep. Don’t duel with bad memories; don’t wallow in your dreams. Control your emotions, go back to sleep, go back to sleep, just let it be!” he ordered himself as his insides ached. He let out a hoarse sob. “Control your emotions, your emotions, your soul. Don’t be weak, don’t be weak,” he repeated sternly, refusing to shed a tear or even acknowledging the pain he was feeling.

He just kept repeating that until he fell asleep.

-)-)-)

It was Wednesday afternoon and Snape found himself walking with Harry on the Grounds. The man was not in a very good mood, not even to his own ‘Snapish’, as his students called it, standards. The Veritaserum was ready and he had to do the one thing that completely disgusted him. He had to give it to his Slytherins, and the worst part was he had to give it to them secretly and in a vile manner. For Snape knew the Slytherins’ pride. They would rather leave Hogwarts and run away than take Veritaserum, as the potion was mostly used for criminal interrogations. They, Snape knew, were not criminals.

He felt Harry stop abruptly and squeeze himself next to him. The man looked up and saw that the boy was looking at Hagrid, the half-giant, sitting outside his hut.

“Harry look at me,” Snape ordered immediately and the boy took his transfixed, panicked eyes from the half-giant very slowly, “Hagrid is not dangerous and there is no reason to be afraid of him. I can assure you he does not hurt or eat children.”

“Or he would have eaten all Slytherin by now.”

Little Harry looked at Snape in disbelief. The huge man was like Uncle Vernon said. Strange-looking people were bad. And that man was huge, wore strange clothes and smelled strange.

“Uncle Vernon says all strange is dangerous and bad,” Harry pointed out with a trembling voice.

“Well, if that is the case,” Snape commented, “then McGonagall is also bad.”

“No, she isn’t bad!” Harry protested immediately.

“Oh yes she is. She turns into a cat, haven’t you seen her? And professor Flitwick. He is too short for his own good and has a strange squeaky voice. And what about professor Dumbledore? I am not sure if you have noticed but he has a strange bird for a pet,” Snape concluded so seriously that if another one was present he or she would have the urge to laugh.

“But – but – they are good to me and I love them,” Harry said in determinedly.

“So, what make you think that Hagrid is bad apart from his strange appearance?”

Harry remained silent. Hagrid stood up and disappeared behind the pumpkin patch. He reappeared later, holding two unicorn foals in his arms. He let them down and struggled to hold one of them in his left arm. To Harry’s amazement he took out a big baby bottle and started feeding one of the babies, while he tried to keep the other one from leaving his side.

“Every person is unique because she or he differs from everyone else. Yes, Hagrid is different, but he is the only one that cares for those two orphan unicorns,” Snape commented as the boy watched the sight of the half-giant feeding the unicorns in amazement.

Three days, and three evening walks later, Harry approached Hagrid slowly and introduced himself. Snape, for his part, remained seated far away and was determined not to approach the hut. He would have succeeded if it wasn’t for Fang, who bit his robes and was determined to drag him to the hut, if he insisted on remaining seated.

-)-)-)

The week passed fairly quickly with a note of slight boredom. Snape was busying himself with two essential things. The first was the creation of all the cosmetics he had to make for his little Veela trade. The other was Harry’s advancing steps in Occlumency.

“Legilimens.”

FLASHBACK

The doorbell rang and echoed in the house. Little Harry cringed knowing who was at the door. Aunt Marge and her new dog. He took a sip from the bitter tea he was allowed to have for breakfast and the doorbell rang once more.

“Boy, open the door!” Uncle Vernon said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

Little Harry gulped, not that the attempt could manage to sooth his dry throat, but stood up nevertheless. He walked to the door and opened it.

“It was about time!” a woman with the same beefy stature as his uncle shouted and threw a handful of luggage into his arms. The four-and-a-half-year old boy stumbled under the weight of the luggage and fell.

“Useless,” Aunt Marge tutted and looked at Harry as if he was a large slimy slug. “Diddiiiiii!” she shouted, “Come and see what Aunt Marge brought for her little boy. Oh and you,” she said to Harry, “Give Ripper some water. He is tired from the trip.”

Snape watched Harry stumble once again in his overlarge clothes and stare at the dog in fear. It was the same bulldog, a younger version of it at least, that Snape had seen a year ago during the Occlumency lessons. In that memory the dog was larger and Harry was nine. In the memory he was seeing, the dog was a one-and-a-half-year old puppy. The dog growled at the boy, but Snape did not manage to see more. Suddenly a wall made of colourful blocks was built in front of him. It rose up, covering what was happening from the man’s eyes. He tried to raise his head but the wall kept building higher, way past Snape’s head.

END OF FLASHBACK

The man exited the memory with the euphoria of someone who for the first time in a very long time had not had his ribs struck. Harry sat on the floor, slightly giddy and disoriented and kept looking at his right leg.

“Harry, I am very, very pleased with you,” Snape commented not believing he was uttering such words to Potter. Had someone told him he was going to say such a thing to the boy at the beginning of the school year, he would have recommend a room-booking at St. Mungo’s.

Harry gave a quick shy smile to Snape but focused back on his right leg. He looked at his guardian as if he remembered something and rolled up his right trouser. The mark where Ripper, the bulldog, had bit him was there and he finally understood what Sevvus meant when he said that he, Harry, was living two childhoods at once. And suddenly he felt lucky that with Sevvus he could be a normal little boy. Severus Snape never understood why little Harry hugged him so abruptly.

-)-)-)

Snape placed the kettle on the fire and then concentrated on the bowl in front of him. The bowl contained white, fresh yogurt into which he broke some lavender seeds. The strong aroma of the purple flower soothed his agitated nerves and he opened a jar full of honey. He took a spoonful of honey, opened the kettle and added the honey into its boiling contents. He kept stirring the yogurt that had started turning mild purple and contemplated the morning’s events.

FLASHBACK

He had walked to class, thinking of the bad dreams he had been experiencing for the last few nights. He wanted to relax, to not think of them but he could not help but do so. For though Snape was never a man that believed in predictions or instincts; he had had a strange feeling of unease and alertness these last few days. As if something terrible, but great at the same time, was about to take place.

He had reached the classroom when he heard all the noise coming from inside. Movements, halting footsteps, shrieks, yells, all jumbled together in an increasingly temperamental environment.

“No, they wouldn’t,” Snape thought, dismissing the whole idea of such behaviour as ridiculous.

He opened the door, however, and to his surprise he saw what he had suspected taking place.

Paulette Sun, the third-year quidditch keeper of his House was standing over Stewart Ackerley of Ravenclaw and was shouting her lungs out while she attempted to scratch out the boy’s eyes. Ackerley was shouting and trying to cover his face, while the other Slytherins were trying, in vain, to make the young girl stop hitting the boy and lift her off him.

As Snape watched the fight, after those few seconds of disbelief, he once again remembered what an unfortunate mistake it is to anger a woman. He regained his composure very quickly, nonetheless, and hurried to break up the fighting bundle.

“Split up, split up!” he cried out twice. Seeing that his students, well the Slytherin girl to be precise, had no intention of doing that on their own; he sonorused his voice to shout ‘Silence!’ and grabbed the girl’s forearm, pulling her to her feet and forcing her to sit on the nearest stool.

“Would someone be kind enough to explain the reason why I found Miss Sun trying to rip Mr. Ackerley’s eyes out?” he inquired coldly and crossed his hands in an impatient pose.

The class remained silent. Miss Sun was glaring at the Ravenclaw student, who kept looking at the floor with a grim scowl. The girl rubbed her eye and huffed. The rest of the class remained awkwardly silent, though the Slytherins had the expression of someone who was trying to digest a huge chunk of dreadful information. Snape huffed.

“Nothing to say? Mr Ackerley?” he asked, examining the Ravenclaw from head to toe.

“Ackerley said a great lie!” a Slytherin boy cried out when the Ravenclaw remained silent.

“I DID NOT!” the Ravenclaw screamed back, glaring at them, “I bet all of them know!” he said pointing at Snape.

Paulette Sun kept rubbing her eye and huffing.

“My parents owled me, telling me that Hogwarts will not open next year,” the boy shouted. “The Ministry said so and so we are not coming back in September.”

Snape, for the first time in a very long time felt his legs betraying him and sat on the nearest stool. Great Merlin, parents were the stupidest people in the world.

“Paulette said she wouldn’t believe it and he insisted and he showed her the letter –and – and –“a miniscule Slytherin girl said nervously, “and-“

“And he told me the school would be better off without us Slytherins”

It was Paulette, who had spoken. She rubbed her eyes and to Snape’s surprise he saw them shining with tears.

“He said it was – Slytherin’s fault the school will closed be-because He – He – sniff - You-know-Who was Slytherin. So – Hogwarts would be…” the girl sobbed, mostly as she was overwhelmed by anger and kept rubbing her wet eyes.

For some seconds Snape was trying to digest what he had heard. He, once again, felt the unfairness of being a Slytherin and how much that angered him, how those beliefs, such as those of Ackerley, made him want to curse and shout and hex the ones that espoused them.

“Ackerley,” he finally said coldly, “You are dismissed from the classroom and I will have a very long talk with professor Flitwick.”

He looked at the door after the boy had left and then turned to the young girl that kept crying in the corner.

“Miss Sun, do stand up,” he finally said in exasperation and grabbed the young girl lightly from the wrists, helping her to her feet, “Now, now let us go to Madam Pomfrey. She can give you a nice dose of a Nerve-Calming potion and then you can be excused to your dormitory.”

He grabbed the girl softly by the shoulders and led her forward, towards the door. As he opened the door, however, he turned his head and hissed dangerously.

“Now all of you turn to page one-hundred-and-seventy-four and brew the potion we discussed two days ago. Oh and believe me, if you misbehave in my absence I will know; and I will not be pleased.”

Still glaring, he opened the door and led the young girl outside.

END OF FLASHBACK

The whistle of the boiling kettle echoed in his empty office and he poured the hot mixture of diluted bubotuber puss, honey and Witch Hazel into the bowl. The contents of the bowl, now lilac in colour, emanated a soft soothing aroma. He placed this cream into small packages and let it cool off. After this happened he would close the packages, magically seal them and have them ready for the exchange with Leanne at the lake near Hogsmade.

A knock on the door disrupted Snape’s thoughts and for a second he felt the blood drain from his face. Students were to ‘visit’ today. One by one he would greet them and offer them a cup of tea. Snape had told his Slytherins that he was to have a meeting with them and ask them a handful of questions that Dumbledore had required him to ask if he was to provide them with a safe place to stay over the summer. The thing was that their tea-meetings would also include Veritaserum.

“Enter.”

Draco Malfoy entered the office, reluctantly and sat down opposite his House Master. Both boy and man remained silent for a few uncomfortable moments before Snape clapped his hands and ordered for sandwiches to appear. He put the kettle with the tea-leaves in the fire to boil. Having prepared tea, the man poured the hot liquid into his cup and Malfoy’s.

“Sugar?” he asked.

“One lump please,” Malfoy said sceptically. He saw Snape putting two lumps in his cup.

“Milk?”

“Just a bit, thank you,” Malfoy answered slowly and Snape complied before adding some milk to his own cup as well.

They both stared at each other expectantly, before Snape took a long sip from his cup and bit into his cucumber sandwich

”My name is Gregory Smith,” Snape said to the blond boy’s surprise, “This is to prove I put nothing in the tea Draco,” he smirked.

The blond boy blushed, “I am sorry sir, I just . . . “

“No need to apologise Draco. I would be hesitant as well,” Snape commented slowly.

The black-robed man felt a jab of guilt when the teenager took a sip from his tea. It was true. He placed nothing in the tea, or the sugar, or the sandwiches, but he had coated the inside of his students’ cups in Veritaserum very carefully. He let the boy drink for awhile while he took long slow slips from his cup as well.

“Now Mr Malfoy, let us get to business shall we? I find the questions quite unnecessary to be honest but as they are insisted on, I will comply. Feel free to answer with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ if you want to,” he spoke with tone of boredom.

“Okay sir.”

“Why do you seek protection?”

“I find the bloodshed You-Know-Who wants to perform unnecessary.”

“Have you ever been asked to join the Dark Lord’s followers?”

“No, but my father hinted that my last year at Hogwarts would be very different and full of glory.”

“Do you think that this summer you will be in danger of recruitment?”

“Yes.”

Snape fell silent and looked at the piece of paper with the questions he was to ask.

“That is all Draco,” he concluded, “ever understood the purpose of such questions really. You can go to your dormitory, if you wish to.”

Malfoy stood up and looked at the door for a second, before turning to his House Master.

“Sir, I want to say - I mean – It is really important for me that – you believe me sir and – and – I trust you that you will help us.”

Draco Malfoy left the room, letting the man float in a pool of guilt. Those children placed their hopes and trust at his feet and he had to continue to be a liar around them. He huffed and sipped his tea.

-)-)-)

A month passed. The boy, Harry, reached the age of seven quickly and had made a great advance in Occlumency by building the imaginary wall stronger and higher day by day. Yet Snape could not feel happy about it as every afternoon he was caught in a web of deceit and lies, all from his part. All of his Slytherins that had asked for help were speaking the truth. And he continued to lie, force-feeding them the darn Veritaserum. He felt like the vilest man that had ever existed in the afternoons, for all of his students shyly thanked him for trusting them and declared in their own Slytherin way how important he was to them. He felt sick with himself, he caught himself many times ready to tell them what was going on and he had gather every little fragment of self-restraint to prevent himself from doing so. Now, this evening, he would visit the Headmaster and declare, with much pride, that his Slytherins were seeking genuine help.

Albus Dumbledore was exhausted. He stepped outside the fireplace and tried to relax. The Ministry officials were a bundle of coots that did not know left from right, and he would have loved to say that to them this evening. It was one of the few times, after so many years, that he felt his patience getting short with people.

The gargoyle moved aside, letting Severus Snape enter the room. Had Snape arrived a few minutes later, he might have allowed Dumbledore time to relax and some of the upcoming events would have never taken place in the office. But he did not.

“Headmaster,” Snape said proudly as Dumbledore pointed at the armchair, “I have just concluded the inquiry you have asked me to perform. All of my Slytherins, under Veritaserum,” he grumbled at this,” are genuine in their quest for help.”

The announcement, however, did not remove the grim look from the Headmaster’s face. For some seconds Albus Dumbledore appeared to be very old, almost twice his age.

“Severus I have just returned from the ministry. . .”

The young man fidgeted in his seat. It was probably Dumbledore’s grave voice that had given Snape a sense of foreboding.

“I am happy to say that the school will reopen, in the upcoming September, but only for the sixth and seventh years, only for them. No other years will be allowed in the school.”

Snape did not know how to react to this. A part of him felt relieved that some of the students would be safe in September, while another part of him felt grief that not all of them, the students, would be safe.

“I am afraid, however, that I do bear bad news. The Ministry has prohibited students from remaining at Hogwarts for the summer. They ordered all of them to return home for the summer holidays.”

Snape felt his heart drop. He felt anger, anger beyond belief.

“Did you know this would happen?” he accused coldly, “Did you know that the Ministry would take such action?”

“Severus, don’t be ridiculous,” Dumbledore tried to say.

“I am not ridiculous,” Snape hissed angrily, “Did you ask me to question my students under Veritaserum while you suspected this would take place?” he spat out accusingly, shooting out the words slowly one after the other.

“No Severus, I did not,” Dumbledore answered back, a hint of irritation in his ancient voice.

“The, the Hell with the Ministry. You never had a problem going against its decision when it came to your ‘precious’ Gryffindors. Or are my Slytherins not worth it?”

“You know I cannot do that,” Dumbledore answered back, the hint of irritation remaining in his voice; “if I make such a decision they might decide to cut us off. We will be cut off from the rest of the world.”

The black-robed man lost every bit of patience he possessed. He never understood both of them did not, how he started shouting at the Headmaster.

“SO MY SLYTHERINS AREN’T WORTH THE TROUBLE? I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN IT! IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME WITH YOU PEOPLE! BUT YOU! YOU ARE WILLING TO LET THEM RETURN HOME WHEN YOU KNOW THEY ARE DOOMED! YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE LIKE THEM! YOU HAVE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME YOU LET A PARENT COME CLOSE IN SUCH A CASE!”

“NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE LIKE YOU SEVERUS!” Dumbledore’s angry voice boomed into the office as the old man was unable to restrain himself.

If Dumbledore had slapped Snape across the face, it would have caused less shock to the Potions Master. The raven-haired man turned pale and he remained stiffly still in his chair. For a second a pained expression was drawn on his features but he ordered himself to control his emotions. Dumbledore, in his part, stopped glaring as he suddenly realised what he had just shouted to the young man. He turned pale as well, his shoulders hunched and no one would suspect, at that given moment, that the old little man in the seat was the most powerful wizard in the world. The both remained silent, seconds passed and seemed like centuries as they both sat transfixed in their seat, and then Snape stood and moved to the door.

“Severus, I am sorry,” Dumbledore shot out grimly, remaining seated in his chair.

Snape stopped, lowered his head but did not turn back to see the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

“So am I, Headmaster, so am I,” he said grimly and moved outside the office, rubbing his left eye feverishly and hoping that he would meet no one on the way to his office.

Whatever kind of relationship or friendship Dumbledore and Snape shared seemed to have been utterly destroyed. Snape avoided the Headmaster as much as he could. Even in the morning, while they shared the same breakfast table, Snape would be seen sitting with his seat’s back turned towards the Headmaster, as if his vision would not tolerate the sight of the old man. The students, of course, sensed the change in the school environment and did their best not to the Potions Master.

Snape was a man that refused to show emotion. He found the expression of sentiments highly inappropriate. In extreme cases where he let his deepest and innermost emotions go forth he had found out that they had a nasty result. The man had constructed over the years his own way of thinking and showing emotions. He resolved mostly to play the violin to ease frustration. During the days that followed his argument with the Headmaster the violin was played more hours that it had been played in all of Snape’s life. Swift tones rose like twittering birds and filled the room with melancholic music. Yet not even the violin could provide a solution to Snape’s setback. He could not help his Slytherins no matter how often he played in order to find a solution. All ideas, the few he was able to consider, seemed to reach a dead end.

He stopped, bow remaining in mid-air. That week his Slytherins would conclude their exams and then – Snape closed his eyes and gritted his teeth – he would have to announce that they had to return home for the summer. He let out a heavy sigh and continued his playing.

Little Harry, now age seven, looked at his guardian in sadness. He heard the music and he knew that the man was sad. He opened the door of his bedroom slowly, peeked out and entered to find the man playing the violin, lost in his thoughts. When the music subsided, Harry found the courage to speak.

“Sevvus…”

Sevvus. It was strange really but ‘Sevvus’ never became ‘Severus’ into Harry’s head. The queerest thing was the fact that Snape discovered he did not mind. He did not correct the boy on the change inflicted on his name and clearly showed no annoyance with it. He, a man that could never endure nonsense, discovered that he had a soft spot for that call.

Snape turned to see the boy. For a second he caught himself thinking that the boy looked adorable in his green pyjamas with the yellow snitches. Then he mentally slapped himself and wondered where the Hell that thought came from.

“Sevvus please don’t be sad,” Harry pleaded unhappily.

“Oh Harry, I am not sad…” Snape started to say but he was cut off by the boy’s serious expression.

“Sevvus, it is not good to tell lies,” the boy pointed out. “You play sad music, don’t you?”

The man remembered again the boy’s ability, his musical ear. For a second he could not help but feel embarrassment. He could not even trick a small boy anymore.

“I am sorry lad, I should have… Yes, I am unhappy,” Snape sighed in defeat.

“Why?” Harry asked in concern.

“My Slytherins are in danger and they cannot return home for the summer if they want to remain safe. But there is no place for them to hide.”

“Don’t worry Sevvus, I am sure you’ll think of something,” Harry said with a tone certainty.

Snape seriously believe there was nothing he could think of, or do, that would help the Slytherins. Yet he could not bring himself to say such a thing to the little boy. It was soothing for the man, though he would never admit it out loud, to have someone near him that still believed that everything was going to turn out all right.

“So, let us do some work shall we?” he said, changing the subject conveniently.

-)-)-)

“Bee.”

Harry wrote down the word slowly. He looked at his guardian in expectation. The man continued.

“Orange.”

Harry looked at the ceiling. Then he looked at his parchment. He closed his eyes and finally wrote down the word.

“Finally, newspaper,” Snape said seriously.

Harry’s eyes narrowed. He remembered studying that word. He started writing, stopped in uncertainty and then finished.

“Take a minute to check your writing.”

Harry studied the parchment for some seconds before giving it to his guardian. Snape took his quill and gazed at the words on the parchment.

Bird

Apple

Forest

Hand

Frog

Bee

Milk

Orange

Flower

Newspaper

Snape experienced a great feeling of happiness when he realised the boy had written all the words down correctly. It seemed that the boy was listening to him and was able to perform excellently. He also believed, although he would never admit that in front of the Transfiguration Mistress, that McGonagall was also doing excellently when it came to teaching and checking the boy’s efforts herself.

He took a piece of parchment that lay on his desk. He had asked McGonagall to help the boy choose a picture and glue it on the parchment. Then the boy would attempt to write sentences relevant to the picture he had chosen. He had asked McGonagall to offer help only when the boy had too much trouble. Snape compared the passing of knowledge with eating. It would be of no use if the food was chewed by another before one swallowed it.

The picture on the parchment had a unicorn. Snape started reading the paragraph and correcting it.

‘This is a younicorn. A younicorn is a horse. It has wings. It has a horn. The horse is white. It is pretty. I have a toy. It is a younicorn too. His name is Bibi. I love Bibi. Bibi is soft. It has wing too!’

Snape guessed that McGonagall helped with the essay but he was nevertheless happy with the boy’s progress. He wrote down the correct spelling for the word ‘unicorn’.

“Well done Harry,” he said as the boy stood near him, in expectation. “You wrote the words correctly and your essay has only one mistake. After you write two lines of the word ‘unicorn’ down, you can choose your reward”

Harry beamed, grasped the parchment from the man’s hands enthusiastically and rushed to write the two lines down. Sevvus always gave the best rewards. Better than Miss Corset who gave a toffee to the students that answered everything correctly. In the meantime, Snape started to magically transform the size of furniture inside the room and placed it in his desk’s drawers. By the time Harry had finished writing, Snape had reduced almost all the furniture and the room was empty.

“So lad, what is it going to be this time?” Snape asked, though he had already guessed the answer.

“Helicopter! Helicopter!” Harry cried out full of enthusiasm and jumped up and down.

“So helicopter it will be,” Snape remarked in consent.

Harry backed away from his guardian as much as it was possible. He opened his arms wide, like a bird spreading his wings ready to fly. Then he sprinted towards his guardian. In a swift movement, Snape caught him by the armpits and raised him high, high above his head and started moving. Snape twirled around the room, revolving around his axis and moved in that manner until he got dizzy while Harry’s excited squeals and laughter echoed, Snape thought, throughout the castle.

-)-)-)

The two days passed fairly quickly and it was Thursday, the day for the Potions N.E.W.T and the meeting with Leanne had arrived. The Potions Master woke up early and dressed in almost the same agitation his students had. He made sure that his working robes were crisply clean, left Harry with Madame Pomfrey and hurried to the Professors’ Common Room, where the Potions examiners would arrive and meet him, as was customary on these occasions.

He sat down in his armchair but quickly changed his mind, as his feet seemed to have taken control over him, and started pacing inside the room. It was exactly nine o’ clock when the examiners started to enter the room. The first that entered was a short, stout man with a beard that went down past his feet and swept the floor with each of the man’s steps.

“Mr. Brownstacklem,” Snape bowing slightly, “It is such a pleasure to meet you again sir. I was not informed that you joined the examiners’ group. I must admit it is a pleasant surprise,” he added with a soft smile and extended his hand.

“Severus Snape,” Mr Brownstacklem exclaimed with a voice which reminded Snape of a bleating lamb, full of satisfaction. “It has been long since I last saw you. It is six years, isn’t it? I have read your research on why we should use trimmed unicorn hair over pulled unicorn hair. You gave some of these stubborn old coots a lesson, my boy. Congratulations.”

Snape nodded and turned his attention to the other examiner that entered. She was a tall woman, almost as tall as him, with short spiky hair and a pair of rectangular gold glasses. She was close to his age and responded to his stare with a nod.

“Matilda,” he said shaking her hand. “So good to see you. How is Larry? After the exam you must tell me how your research in Northern Bulgaria went. I cannot believe you are an examiner this year, such a splendid surprise!”

“I am afraid I am here only for the written exam,” she stated sadly. “My daughter, Kimmy, is sick at home and I will return there after the exam.”

“Sorry to hear that Matilda.”

The third of the party joined slowly. It was a miniscule old woman, probably twenty years older than McGonagall, who moved slowly with the aid of a walking stick. Snape hurried to her.

“Madame Foster it is such a pleasure,” he took her hand and kissed it.

Madame Foster giggled and patted Snape’s hand.

“Oh Severus, it is so good to know young gentlemen such as you exist even in these modern wild times! How is Professor Dumbledore? He used to be my Transfiguration tutor when he was your age. I still haven’t had the pleasure of seeing him. It has been so long,” she chattered.

“I am sure he will arrive soon Madame,” Snape stated, trying to suppress his grim voice. “Ah, speaking of him here he is!”

Dumbledore entered the room. His eyes stopped at Snape, who returned the look coldly. The older man continued staring at the young man, who then turned to the examiners.

“Honourable examiners, as the Headmaster has arrived I must follow the protocol and allow you to discuss. I hope the exam results will satisfy you. Farewell,” he concluded with a bow. He opened the door and left the room.

-)-)-)

Snape found himself in front of the exam classroom. He stood impatiently on one leg and then moved to the nearest turn in the corridor and hid in the shadows. He stood there not knowing what he really awaited. It was strange to him, and secret to his students, but during his teaching career he had developed the queer habit of watching the N.E.W.T. examination room until the exams start. He could never define the anxiety he felt when this day came.

He watched as the students started to slowly enter the room. First some Ravenclaws entered, and then came Granger: dragging Weasley and scolding him for making her late. Shortly afterwards came Pansy, Draco and Blaise. More and more students arrived and Snape found himself staring at the door intensely, almost agitated. He hoped all of the students would arrive on time.

“Severus,” a soft voice startled him, making him jump high from shock. He whirled around.

“Minerva, you scared the frogspawn out of me!” he hissed, cursing the Transfiguration professor’s tendency to walk soundlessly behind others.

“Can I have a word with you?” she asked, sounding almost stern.

Snape could only follow her. It was amazing, but when the woman had that expression he would forget that he was in his mid thirties and not a child. They sat down in her office; and it was ironic as Snape found himself sitting on the same chair where he sat when she reprimanded him as a teenager.

“I wish you would tell me what could cause such damage between you and Dumbledore,” she asked in concern, “It pains me to see you like this.”

“Minerva,” Snape started with a huff, “the Headmaster and I – we had an argument I do not wish to discuss.”

“Oh Severus, why do you two have to be so bloody secretive on that matter,” McGonagall scoffed. “The argument is…”

“Minerva, do not worry about it. It is of no importance,” Snape lied, interrupted her. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have to prepare for my little transaction in Hogsmeade,” he concluded and stood up.

“Severus…”

Snape turned to look at her. McGonagall’s expression showed that she wished to say something but she weighed her options carefully.

“Never mind,” she said tiredly, “Do get to your business.”

-)-)-)

It was three o’ clock in the afternoon and Snape sat at Hogsmeade’s lake trying to cool off. It was a hot day for the area’s standards, and he sat down on the hard pebbly ground waiting for Leanne to arrive. He admitted to himself he was nervous because however hard he tried, he could never control himself around a Veela. Every time he met a Veela he felt his hormones raging, and he started thinking of things he had not thought of since he was a teenager. He always vowed to himself to control his thoughts, and he always failed.

“Harry, stay there where I can see you,” he called as the boy played near the lake. The boy had to accompany him that afternoon as Madam Pomfrey had other business to attend to. Snape passed through Hogsmade around midday, when almost all had retired inside to cool off from the unbearable heat. He felt lucky that they passed unnoticed, or so he believed.

Harry smiled and moved closer to his guardian.

It was then that Leanne arrived. She wore her white tribal robes and carried a small sack with her. Snape blushed. In addition to her Veela magical beauty, Leanne had also an additional distraction in the area under her neck. It was that which caused Snape much discomfort. When she was near him, he would think of those two things the whole time. He stood up.

“Mr. Snape,” the Veela said happily. “It is so nice to see you again.”

Snape bowed and took her hand to kiss it. He raised his eyes and tried to ignore her torso, unsuccessfully.

“Is that your son?” she asked, noticing the boy with interest. “Mr Snape?” she asked when she received no answer.

Snape’s head shot up, and he tried to control his blush. He felt like a child caught stealing marmalade from the top shelf.

“I beg your pardon?”

“The boy,” she emphasised, not noticing the man’s behaviour.

“Oh – he is – my nephew,” he lied. “My cousin is an examiner – and today – we –Hogwarts has exams and he came – and I brought him here for a walk.”

“Ah I hope I did not cost you two your lunch Mr. Snape,” she commented apologetically for the earliness of their meeting. “Did you have anything to eat?” she asked, leaning closer to the man.

“Boobies – COOKIES! Cookies – and – and milk!”

Snape flashed red and mentally slapped himself over and over again.

“I cannot believe what you just said,” he scolded himself. “Now concentrate and do not act like a buffoon.”

Leanne giggled, much to Snape’s relief.

“Let us return to business Mr. Snape, shall we?” she smiled and retrieved four small glass vials out of the sack she carried. Through the transparent glass, a liquid like water shone. Snape raised the vial and to his satisfaction the colour of the liquid at the bottom changed to red. As the vial moved upwards the red changed to orange, then yellow and finally green. He then lowered it to his eye-level and the liquid became transparent again. He proceeded by checking all four of the vials and then opened the small sack he had carried with him.

Leanne let out an “ahh…” of satisfaction as he spread on the ground jars full of creams; some labelled for hair, others for skin and other for face care. She opened the jars and felt the contents before nodding in agreement.

“Excellent merchandise as always,” she approved. “I hope to meet you again. It is always a pleasure for us to work with you,” she smiled to Snape’s embarrassment.

She stood up, Snape followed. He bowed once again, kissed her hand and watched her disappear into the woods from where she had appeared.

Snape remained gazing at the forest for a few seconds. He then turned to the lake. The water was tranquil but it seemed something was amiss. He could not define what was wrong until it struck him. Harry! He was missing!

“Harry!” he barked, only to receive no answer. “Harry!”

Snape could not identify the reason, but he felt a long sharp stab inside his chest. Worry coloured his features and he started marching into the woods, looking for the boy.

-)-)-)

Harry watched the blond pretty woman with Sevvus. He was bored but he knew Sevvus was working and his uncle hated it when he was around visitors. So he waited, he watched and talked to Bibi. Suddenly a little bird landed near his feet. Harry smiled as the bird flapped around; pecking the crumbs from the cookies he had eaten. He stood up to follow it and the little bird rose high and landed a few steps away. He let out a soft giggle and followed it. The bird flapped and Harry followed.

Suddenly Harry stopped. He looked around. There were trees everywhere so he must have entered the forest. He clutched Bibi to his chest.

“Don’t worry Bibi,” he assured the unicorn. “I will find Sevvus, I will protect you.”

He walked around carefully. Some twigs broke under his soles, making him cringe. He tried to remain calm. Sevvus had said that Hogsmeade was full of magic people, so he would find a grown-up and ask him to take him back to Hogwarts. That would work.

“It is all right Bibi, I know what to do,” he told his stuff toy and walked slowly.

Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived was by anyone’s terms a very lucky boy, or so he thought at this moment, because he emerged out of the forest to find himself at the lake once more. He looked around but Sevvus was nowhere to be seen.

“Sevvus,” he mumbled and sat down, on the grass, hoping the man would return.

It must have been ten minutes later when little Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. He let out a scream and turned around. Green eyes stared at a face. There was a man, with long black hair tied in a ponytail, two icy-grey eyes that reminded him of cold granite and a smirk that send a shiver down his spine. He looked at him, transfixed for some seconds and then he remembered. A man with red eyes sitting on a chair. A man wearing a mask kneeling next to him. The mean man smiled in satisfaction and removed the mask. Grey eyes met the red eyes.

Harry screamed while the man grabbed him from the waist.

-)-)-)

Snape walked in the forest in desperation. He wished, first of all, for that weird pang in his chest to stop. He also wished to find the boy unharmed. He felt angry beyond belief, especially with himself for letting the boy out of his sight. He promised to himself that he would give the boy a whole year of detention when he turned back into a sixteen year old. And a good spanking as well. For a second the thought of him spanking the teenage Potter amused him. And then he heard the scream of a child.

Snape never knew he could run so fast in his life. He stopped and hid behind a tree, observing the lake carefully. He saw a man, with long black hair fighting to hold Harry still. He froze to the spot as Harry cried and yelled for him.

“Shut up you brat!” the man shouted. He raised his hand and landed it on the boy’s face. The boy stopped from shock and fear and then kicked the man hard on his knee. The man cried out and let the boy go, who sprinted away, letting out a growl.

Snape saw red when the man hit Harry and did the one thing he never dreamt he would do. Instead of using his wand to hex the man to oblivion, he ran to the lake, grabbed the man and shoved him to the ground. He seized the man’s grey robes and was about to punch him in the face when he heard the man chuckling.

“Snape, you filthy traitor.”

Snape’s hand stopped in mid-air. His eyes bulged from shock and he muttered.

“You, no, it cannot be. You are dead.”

The hook-nosed man’s surprise halted as the man laughed horribly and punched him hard in the stomach. Snape doubled over from the pain and rolled on the ground.

“I am alive Severus, and kicking,” the man laughed horribly and kicked Snape over and over in the ribs.

Snape knew the man that was now savagely kicking him. He was the most dangerous follower of the Dark Lord, after Bellatrix Lestrange that is. Jackomo Rancid was a lunatic. He enjoyed the pain of others, even of his fellow Death Eaters. When Snape had joined the Death Eaters, his father had insisted on him training with Jackomo. He said that Jackomo was the kind of man that would help his young son to overcome all kinds of hesitation. And it was true, for when training with Jackomo he had to fight for his life. Jackomo did not only use his wand but his physical strength as well. Snape always knew when to stop, but Jackomo was the kind of person that did not. He knew, Snape knew, that if it wasn’t for the Dark Lord calling for Jackomo to stop, he would have died a long time ago during their ‘training’. Yes, Jackomo was ruthless. Aurors said he fell off a cliff, after he was seriously injured by them, a week before the Dark Lord’s downfall. His body was never found and he was never heard of again. Snape was true to himself. He never thought that the murderer’s death was a loss.

Snape’s ribs made a horrible noise as the man threw another kick and knelt near the body. Snape coughed and spat blood.

“Imagine my surprise to learn you are teaching at Hogwarts. Imagine my greater surprise when I see you today, marching through Hogsmeade with that – AAAARRGGHH!”

Jackomo screamed as little Harry landed on his back and bit his right shoulder so hard it started bleeding.

“FILTHY BRAT!” he screamed angrily and fought to throw the boy off him.

Snape did the only thing he could think of at that moment. He grabbed Jackomo’s front robes as if his whole life depended on it and threw a header on the man’s face, low at his mouth.

“RUN HARRY! GO TO HOGSMEADE AND ASK FOR HELP!” Snape ordered and heard the boy’s feet moving away in quick footsteps.

Jackomo spat blood and a tooth from his mouth. His chin dripped with slobber and his eyes still shone maliciously.

“Snape, Snape, you will never learn,” he shook his head. “You were nothing compared to me.”

The man seized Snape by the front of his robes and slammed his head to the ground. Snape felt his head zooming and the unbearable pain as his head hit the rocky soil. He knew one thing. Harry’s safe return to Hogsmeade was a priority. He had to give him time to do so. Therefore he grabbed Jackomo’s robes as if the whole universe would collapse if he let them go.

“I Was the Strongest One – THUD – I Was The Most Loyal Of All – THUD – And I Am Going To Be The One To Kill You, You Traitorous Slug – THUD – And then, then, I will kill that precious hero of yours.”

THUD! Snape’s face paled as he heard a horrible cracking sound inside his head. The pain became unbearable. He wanted to cry. He wished to die, he wanted to beg for death to come, but he wouldn’t. He knew it was only a few minutes since Harry had left and he had to keep himself going for a few more minutes in order for Harry to reach Hogsmeade.

“How many more can you stand Snape? Jackomo snickered, holding the man’s head high up. “Three? Two? One?”

To Snape’s relief, Jackomo let out a scream and fell on top of him, unconscious. Snape’s head landed on the ground with a last ‘thud’. He felt dizzy and tired, tired beyond belief. Everything was blurry, his eyes were wet.

“Snape release yourself from that beast,” he heard a barking voice from above. He saw a blurry image above him and felt the body of Jackomo raised from him. Snape panicked.

“Harry, I must allow Harry more time,” he thought. His mouth was filled with saliva and blood. He held the man as he let some slobber fall, but he did not release the robes from his clutch.

“Snape, let go,” a soft male voice echoed in his head and he felt fingers trying to disentangle his hands from the robes. “It is I, Lupin. And the other man talking to you is Moody.”

“Ha-,” he coughed. His throat felt hoarse, as if he had been screaming non-stop for hours. “Harry.”

“He is alright. He is at Hogwarts with Tonks,” Lupin assured him.

Snape felt calm. Harry was alright. There was nothing to worry about. The pain in his head made him feel numb. He closed his eyes and knew no more.

Severus Snape, age seven, looked at the scene in front of him. He was overwhelmed by horror and shock. His father stood still to the ground, his cheeks and forehead painted by the blood that had rushed to his features after that frenzied outburst. He was breathing out heavily, wildly, like a dragon ready to attack. Opposite him, his target. Severus looked at his mother. She was so majestic. Her eyes shone, her cheeks were red, her hair was tangled from her meaningless attempts to escape. She was beautiful, riotously beautiful! Severus watched as his parents stared at each other quietly, panting but not making a single move. It was as if time had frozen inside the Snape manor. And then his father grinned and threw the last canvas into the fire.

“NO, MUMMY!” young Severus shouted and burst into the room.

He glared at the man, not without horror, but the hatred he felt was amazing. His chest was burning hot and this fire spread inside him, uncurled, circled him, covered him and he looked at the man. Severus felt like he was suffocating. And then, it was as if a train rushed out of him, making his veins and temples throb so uncontrollably he thought he would break into a thousand pieces.

The man looked at him in amazement. Severus saw him lift up, as if made out of paper and smack on the wall. The boy felt his legs wobbly and fell on the floor, gasping for fresh air. He gazed at his father, who shook his head. Quirinus gazed back at his offspring and let out a sneer so horrible that the boy shuddered.

Severus found his feet immediately and ran to his own room as fast as he could. He closed the door and opened his drawers. He searched frantically, tossing things on the floor until he found the locket. It was a small, oval one that held a portrait of his mother. She had given it to him the year before but he found it too girly to wear, therefore he had hid it in one of his drawers. He opened it but the picture was white, the woman was not there anymore. He started to cry non-stop. She was not coming back, not anymore. He cried himself to sleep.

Severus woke up in the middle of the night called by a female voice. He rubbed his eyes groggily and looked at the small oval locket in his hands.

“Hush my child, my precious boy, or your father shall hear us and I will be doomed!” came from the empty picture.

“Mum…” he stated groggily.

“Darling, listen to mummy. Another picture of mine exists. It will come to your possession when the time comes.”

Little Severus fell back on his pillow and slept deeply. When the morning came, he convinced himself it was all a dream and hid the pendant gravely in the depth of his boxer’s drawers.

o-o-o

It was two days after that fateful evening when his mother had left his life forever. Severus sought consolation to the one toy he adored and trusted, Zouzou. So far he had no encounter with his father, not even during lunch or dinner and he was happy about it. Yet, that evening Severus Snape’s life was going to take a serious turn.

Quirinus Snape entered his son’s bedroom having conducted his Master about his son’s magical abilities. He had constructed a plan to get him to their side. And it was all going to start with a single step, the transformation of the boy’s current state of living. He took the stuffed toy from the boy’s hands.

“You are too old to play with toys.”

“Zouzou is my friend,” Severus stated meekly, not knowing what to do.

“A friend?” the man snickered, “Live people are friends, and not any of them can be. Only worthy people can be your friends. This,” he said looking at the toy, “is useless.”

To little Severus' horror Zouzou exploded into shreds. He looked at the man in shock as his toys, some Muggle and other wizard, were shredded and broken to pieces by his father’s wand. And suddenly, he found his legs and made them move. He hurried to his drawer, opened it and took the violin into his hands.

“Not this!” he warned, wondering how he had found the courage and how he was ever supposed to defend the musical instrument from the grown wizard.

Father and son stared at each other. The first one secretly impressed. He had set the gyres in motion. He finally lowered his wand.

“Fine, but you will have a wizard tutor for its playing. Now rise and come with me. It is time for your real education to begin. You will no longer deal with muggle trivialities.”

Severus looked at the man. He understood that courage helped him that moment. Yet, his fear was to return.

“I expect the maximum of your efforts when with me boy. Or you shall know my displeasure,” his father said coldly and stepped out of the room, waiting for the boy to follow him.

o-o-o

“We are leaving tomorrow boy,” Quirinus Snape announced during dinner and took a sip from his soup.

Young Severus looked at his father and stirred the contents of his bowl with his spoon.

“Yes sir,” he answered back meekly, not certain on what he was supposed to say.

Quirinus gulped down his soup.

“You will not ask for our destination?”

The young boy remained silent.

“Two good friends of mine, Abraxas Malfoy, and his wife Adeline, has invited us to their manor for the summer. I believe they have a son around your age.”

The raven-haired boy remained silent. His father had stated their destination and he was clearly not asking for his opinion on the trip. He nodded.

“Try to be civil,” the man stated softly and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He tinged a little bell and the bowls disappeared, being replaced with two plates of beef stew and rice.

o-o-o

The carriage slowed down and Severus Snape met the most beautiful scene. A little road led to a huge house that was surrounded by a vast area of green grass. The carriage stopped and father and son dismounted to meet their hosts.

"Severus went near his father, who was standing in front of a tall man with a heavy, neat, blond moustache, short hair, and two icy-cold blue eyes."

“Abraxas, my son Severus,” his father presented him to the blond man and Severus offered him his hand.

Abraxas took it and squeezed it hard.

“Hello Severus. May I present my wife, Adeline,” he said.

Severus looked at the handsome young woman with the grey eyes, took her hand, bowed and kissed it.

“Very well-mannered,” she pinpointed looking at Quirinus.

“…And my son, Lucius.”

Severus looked at the boy. He was slightly taller, pale, with his mother’s eyes and his father’s blond hair. He looked at Snape and offered his hand. Snape felt the boy squeeze his hand and resulted to try and squeeze back harder. Lucius seemed perplexed for a second before trying to squeeze harder. Severus smirked and did his best to squeeze more. Suddenly they let go of their hands as the three grown-ups entered the house.

“Hello, I am Lucius,” the boy said,” and I believe you have a big nose.”

“I am Severus,” he answered back not losing his nerve, “and I believe your ears are as big as plates.”

Lucius stopped to contemplate. Snape smirked. And then, Lucius smiled broadly and genuinely.

“No one has ever replied back to me. They all blush and cry like babies,” he smiled.

Severus smiled softly. The boy surely seemed clever.

“I will lead you to our rooms,” Lucius said and let him inside the house.

o-o-o

The cold breeze touched the eleven year old boy’s neck making him shiver. Severus looked at Hogwarts Express and all the students that entered it. He felt the wand on his right pocket and for a second he felt a soothing feeling spreading in his stomach. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Hi mate,” Lucius greeted, “let us go and find a compartment before all the good ones are taken and we have to sit with the muggleborns.”

Snape complied and they mounted on the train. They walked to the corridor that was asphyxiating from the large amount of people. Suddenly a burning sensation spread on his left foot as someone stepped on it.

“Ouch, watch it!” he glared, turning around to meet a pair of brown eyes hidden behind a pair of round spectacles.

“I am sorry,” a slightly taller boy said with a snicker and got out of sight as he moved with the crowd.

Snape huffed and continued making his way through the crowd. Suddenly Lucius’ hand pushed him into a compartment.

“Rosier, Lestrange, good to see you!” Lucius exclaimed, making evident that he knew the two boys. “This is my friend, Severus Snape.”

Rosier nodded but Lestrange, who was a year older as it was evident from his green Slytherin badge, raised his eyes with interest.

“Snape? What is Quirinus Snape to you?” he enquired in interest, examining Severus’ small figure.

“He is my father,” Severus replied softly, sitting down, next to Lucius.

“My father speaks highly of him at home,” Lestrange said enigmatically and smiled at Severus, “I am Rodolphus by the way.”

Severus nodded, wondering inside what his father could be doing to be known among these families. He smiled back nervously. That moment the compartment door opened. A girl peeped inside. She was around Severus’ age with short brown hair, brown eyes and dressed with a pair of jean trousers and a long colourful t-shirt. Rodolphus placed his legs across his seat.

“Sorry, we’ve got no room,” he sneered imperially and the girl’s face dropped. She stared at them for a second and left.

“Mudbloods,” Rodolphus snorted and then chuckled, “Let them sit with their unworthy lot.”

Severus did not speak. Lucius just chuckled.

“So, how about a game of Exploding Snap?” the older boy asked warmly and took out a package of cards from his robes.

Three games of Exploding Snape and some pumpkin pastries later, Severus had the need to stand up as he felt his legs getting more and more numb by the second. He excused himself from the company and strolled down to the end of the carriage. He opened the door and stopped to the small outside area, only to find out that another boy was there. It was the same boy that had stepped on his foot and apologised with a sneer. Severus chose to ignore him.

“’Lo, I am James, James Potter,” the boy introduced after a minute of silence, not looking at the other boy.

Severus nodded with his head.

“I am Severus Snape,” he mumbled indifferently.

“Snape?” the boy asked, “Well Snape, I think you should revise your choice of friends.”

Snape turned to see the boy, thinking that he could not get more irritating. It was his manners that clearly shouted ‘look-at-me-I-know-everything’ that made him seem more and more distasteful.

“I mean their families engage themselves with the Dark Arts. That is what my father says. Not to mention that they are biased against muggleborns.”

“I think it is rich to talk of bias when it is clear that you are prejudiced only by the mere mention of their names,” Severus answered back, his voice dripping with irony, “I thank you for your advice but I believe I can make my own choices,” he concluded and turned to his heels, leaving the boy glaring at him.

o-o-o

Severus Snape, age fourteen, entered his bedroom at Slytherin’s Dormitories feeling not only exhausted but also in pain. Potter and Black had caught him ‘alone’ in the Grounds. He sat on his bed and closed the curtains around his four-poster bed. Five minutes had barely passed when the curtains were pushed aside and someone sat on his bed.

“Severus…”

“It took you some time,” Severus scoffed icily, “Thanks Lucius, for everything.”

“I am sorry Severus but…” Lucius Malfoy started in slight guilt but was immediately interrupted by the raven-haired teenager.

“Do you know how it feels to see your friend, the one that you believe him to be your best friend, pretend not to notice that you are in trouble?” he asked coldly and swished his wand. “Accio Healing Balm.”

A small jar that was half-empty zoomed to Severus’ direction. He opened it, wincing in the process, and started applying it on his arms. He took out his shirt and Lucius saw that the knut-size welts spread from the boy’s hands to his shoulders and down his back. Silence filled the room. Snape applied the soothing balm in his shoulders and tried to spread it down his back unsuccessfully. He winced as he tried harder and harder to reach down his own back when Lucius, who stared at him glumly, reached to take the jar from his friend’s hands. Severus protested but Lucius managed to take the jar from his hands and started applying the balm on the boy’s back.

“That is the only way I will be able to help you, Severus” the blond boy stated softly, rubbing the balm down the boy’s back, “I cannot assist you in your other troubles anymore. You are in the Slytherins’ Black List.”

Severus winced from physical and mental pain. He gritted his teeth.

“And why is that?” he asked behind his teeth.

“I think it is obvious,” Lucius said softly. “You refused to call ‘them’” – in the word ‘them’ he hissed as if he was talking of something foul – “mudbloods, but most of all, you helped that girl last week.”

“Merlin’s Spectacles Lucius! I just mumbled to her not to put that unicorn’s hairs in her cauldron! She had taken five and she was supposed to add three of them. If she had added them, she could have been seriously injured!” Severus said in shock. He remained silent for some seconds and then asked, “Do you think it was a wrong judgement?”

Lucius remained silent but Severus felt the boy’s hand stop on his back for a second and then he started again more intensively.

“You do not think me as erroneous, but you won’t aid me again. Why?”

Lucius remained thinking from some seconds.

“Rodolphus…He... His family will be… when I get a job…”

Severus did not need to know more. The Lestranges were powerful; and could influence many of the Ministry’s officials. And though the Ministry would never admit it in the open, the Malfoy’s reputation, in addition with the Lestranges’ influence ensured a secure position for the young blond Malfoy son. Therefore Lucius preferred to be in good terms with the Lestranges even if that meant he would give his oldest friend a cold shoulder. That did not make Severus feel better at all.

He turned around angrily and grasped the jar from the blond boy’s hands.

“No need to say more Malfoy,” he spat out coldly, “I will make sure I will never trouble you again, nor I will place you in an uncomfortable position,” he concluded caustically.

“Severus, if you just…” Lucius mumbled in uncertainty.

“I got the point,” Severus hissed, “Now if you will excuse me, I need some sleep,” he exclaimed and opened the curtains for Lucius to leave.

Lucius exhaled in defeat, stood up and got outside the dormitory. Severus gulped, trying unsuccessfully to sooth the lump in his throat, and tossed the closed jar of Healing Balm away. He closed the curtain angrily, almost ripping them down. He lay down, feeling the soft pillow under his head.

“You are pathetic,” he growled and placed the sheets over his head.

o-o-o

It was morning at Hogwarts. Snape walked slowly towards the Slytherin table and before he could scan the room for an empty seat, he heard the voice of a certain sixth-year Slytherin.

“Oy Snape! Here!” Rodolphus Lestrange cried out.

He looked up and saw Lucius smiling as he showed him the seat he had saved for him. Severus Snape had been enjoying the last week of school. After the incident between him, Potter and Black at the lake; the Slytherins had weirdly changed their attitude towards him.

FLASHBACK

“Who wants to see me taking Snivelly’s pants off?” James Potter snickered mockingly.

Severus tangled upside down, wanting to sob from embarrassment, wanting to crawl to the nearest hole and die. He tried, in vain, to keep his robes from hanging loose over his head. And suddenly, with his upside down vision he saw James Potter, from whose wand he was held, thrust sideways and falling down, on top of Black. Severus fell with a last hurtful ‘thump’ that made his head zoom. He rubbed his eyes and his vision met a sight unbelievable.

Lucius Malfoy, Wilkes, Rosier and Lestrange were all pointing their wands on Potter and Black. And for a second Severus thought they would hex the two boys, but Lestrange turned to his heels to face the crowd that had started to form around them in interest.

“Go away, there is nothing more to see,” he shooed them away, dissolving the crowd.

He looked at Potter and Black, who were now sitting on the ground, all the Slytherins’ wands pointed at them. Pettigrew had scattered away when the Slytherins had interrupted Black and Potter. Lupin looked up from his book, rose from the ground slowly and moved to the Slytherins’ direction trying to sooth the environment. He walked to Lestrange, who was a prefect as well, but before he could speak, Lestrange spoke.

“I believe your friends have seen how it feels to be outnumbered by too many wands. This time, as a Prefect, I will not allow my friends to attack. That would be inappropriate, wouldn’t it?” he asked coldly, “But be assured, next time I will also pretend not looking at them.”

Lupin’s cheeks were painted red. Lucius helped Severus to his feet and the Slytherins lowered their wands, formed a circle between the blond and his friend and they all marched together to the Slytherin Common Room.

END OF FLASHBACK

From that afternoon, the Slytherins seemed to have created a protective coil around him, not allowing certain Gryffindors around him. Severus, after a very long time, felt happy.

“Okay let’s hurry up and eat. We must rush to the train,” Lucius started.

“Or all the good seats will be taken and we will have to sit with the muggleborns,” Severus laughed.

They hurried to their dormitory and carried their trunks to the carriages. Severus put his trunk into the train and was about to help Lucius with his.

“Lucius – Lucius – Hey mate!” he said to the boy and turned to see what his friend was gazing so dumbly. He saw a group of girl and in the middle, a girl with long beautiful gold hair. “I see Miss Black has grasped your attention,” he smirked.

Lucius coughed and put the trunk into the compartment with a non-truthful glare.

o-o-o

They arrived at Kings Cross near nightfall. Severus dismounted from the train and waited for Lucius to get his own trunk. They both goodbyed their friends and looked around, trying to spot Lucius’ parents. Yet, Severus was about to have one of the biggest surprises of his life.

With Lucius’ parents, his own father awaited. His father had never stepped a foot into the Platform Nine and Three-Quarters or King Cross. He hated ‘the smell of muggles’ as he would say. Therefore it was Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy that escorted him to their house, from where he would be flooed to his own house. Yet, that evening his father was there.

To Severus’ greater surprise, his father passed his hand around his shoulder into a brief hug and patted the shoulder affectionately. Quirinus goodbyed the Malfoys and turned to his son.

“Hold my hand son,” he said offering his hand. Severus took his hand and they apparated home.

To Severus’ greatest surprise, his father turned to him the moment they apparated outside the manor with a smile. The teenager was puzzled.

“Son, Mr. Malfoy had informed me about how you called that girl a mudblood as she deserved. Lucius has written to him about that incident. Now I am not very good with words son, so listen carefully. I am very pleased with you,” he concluded with a smile and, much to the boy’s bewilderment, he gave him two affectionate slaps on the cheeks.

By bedtime Severus had sorted everything out. This word, ‘mudblood’, was not as bad as it seemed to be. Not only had it given him the Slytherins’ acceptance, but his own father’s as well. If that was how he was expected to act, then he would comply.

o-o-o

“Severus, Severus,” a worried male voice he knew well woke him up.

The sixteen year old teenager tried to open his heavy eye-lids. His back and leg throbbed painfully and he wondered for a second where he was until he realised his surroundings. He was at Hogwarts’ Hospital Wing and then he remembered the previous evening’s events. He, Potter, Lupin. Lupin was a werewolf! He jerked backwards, at the hand that touched him, covering his face with his hand.

“Severus, don’t worry son. It is I, your father,” the deep voice said soothingly.

He froze still as the cool hand of his father patted his forehead and head affectionately. No, it could not be! His father was never affectionate and he never cared of anyone.

“Father?” he asked groggily, “I…”

“I know, son, I know. I am so sorry,” the man soothed him; “I came the moment I read that owl’s letter. Oh Severus, I was so worried.”

Severus thought his heart would burst. His father was worried about him? That man of rock-hard heart was worried and left his business just to see him?

“What were you thinking?” the man scolded, “Don’t you ever take such a foolish action ever again, you hear me?”

“Father,” Severus interrupted groggily, “You shouldn’t have come. What about your businesses?” he asked, secretly enjoying the attention.

“There is not business of mine that can replace you Severus. I know after you mother died – I have never showed affection. I just… Weill I don’t know how to express my worries to you son. … Nothing, nothing is more important to me than you. I want you to know that.”

Severus felt the need to rub his left eye but controlled himself. He almost wanted to laugh with his father’s ranting.

“And when I though you with that werewolf…”

“Father, please stop,” Severus interrupted.

“No, no,” the man protested, “I realised how neglectful I was and I really hope one day you will forgive me son.”

Snape remained silent. Then he spoke.

“We could try father. What happened to the Gryffindors? Are they expelled?” he asked wanting to hear the Headmaster’s judgement.

“No.”

“What? But father, they played a prank that could have killed me! They should be expelled! I could have died!” he said hotly.

“Severus,” Quirinus said trying to calm down his son, “I believe the werewolf boy had no involvement in this. I believe he had no consciousness on what was happening.”

“No father! He…” Severus protested with a high-pitched voice, but to his surprise Quirinus said softly.

“I want to ask you to trust my judgement on that. It is better if this is kept a secret of the boy’s safety, okay?”

Severus pouted for a second and then asked coldly.

“And Potter and Black? Why aren’t they expelled? Black intended me to go out that night, father!”

“I know he did son and I assure you I was severe when talking with Dumbledore. But, he says that since Potter has saved you, there is no harm done. So, they got detention for the remaining of the school year.”

“No!” Severus shouted, “THEIR PRANK COULD HAVE KILLED ME! IT IS SO UNFAIR! IT IS SO UNFAIR!” he screamed and was muffled by a sob. “It is so unfair. If a Ravenclaw…” he started but he held his tongue. No, it could not be.

“What son? What if a Ravenclaw? I know what you are thinking Severus. The same thing I was thinking when I was your age. If a Ravenclaw was in the same position, the punishment would have been stricter. Isn’t that what you thought?” his father asked softly.

Severus stayed silent. Finally, he nodded in agreement.

“It has always been like that Severus. I tried to change it, I still do! The ministry in order to appear just to those ‘mudbloods’ it unjust us, and then blames us for their treatment,” Quirinus said in pain, “ I want to change things, but sometimes in order to make an omelette you need to break some eggs, if you understand what I mean.”

Severus understood his father perfectly. He remained silent for some minutes and when he, finally, spoke his voice was determined.

“I want you to allow me to help you father.

o-o-o

Snape walked into the dark manor in exhaustion. Four years had passed since that afternoon in the Hospital Wing, when his father had visited him. He was now, one of the Dark Lord’s followers, helping his father to succeed in their cause. Severus Snape had changed over the last four years. His features had become harsh; his hair hanged loose and dumb making him look like a dead man. His eyes were hollow. As a boy, he tried to hide emotions, but him irises would reflect his outmost feelings. Now they seemed empty, dark, like two endless pits. When one would see them, he would shudder without a second thought. Severus had also learnt how to become one with the shadows, he could sit at a position for hours and it seemed no one would pay attention to him after awhile. It was as if would become one with the chair he would sit on.

He had spent his day with one of the Dark Lord’s missions and he also heard Lucius’ worries. He heard the blond man rumble without uttering a single word. Yes, he had become an excellent listener. The young Mrs Malfoy had gave birth to the Malfoy heir, a small boy that looked like his father. Lucius was proving to be the kind of father that would spoil his child, non-stop, a father that cared deeply for his son’s welfare. And Lucius had also started to worry on whether he would remain alive to see his boy grow up. Snape listened, did not talk and let Lucius depart with the comfort that he had at least shared his worries with someone. How could he, Snape, have helped anyway?

He walked soundlessly into the house, wondering if his father was awake or whether he had fallen asleep. He walked towards the library, where his father usually waited for him. Yet, he stopped dead when he heard his father mentioning his name.

“Severus was not an easy case my friend, I can tell you that. Yes, he had possibilities but his mother was soft-hearted. So when she died, I destroyed all her portraits. Then all I had to do - ah I was astonished to see all that power coming out of him – was to set the gyres in motion. I destroyed his bedroom’s content and he defied me. And when a child defies the authority in his house, he can sure defy all kinds of authorities when he will grow up. Then I formed a new environment and I got in conduct with you. So Lucius and Severus met.”

Severus heard Abraxas Malfoy’s voice.

“Well, he gave to my son some spirit. Lucius always followed everything we said, he believed it was his duty to do so. But when the time came, Severus taught him all about spirit, even without being aware of it. By rushing to his aid, Lucius proved in his background that he indeed followed orders but he was no one’s lapdog.”

“Yes, and Severus had started taking positions because of Lucius’ aid. But I had to find a way to make him follow the Cause,” Quirinus spoke, “Severus is like his mother, hard-headed like a mule. He would not act if he felt that the Cause was not of his morals. And then, well that fool Dumbledore made a mistake. When Severus was confronted by that Gryffindor boy that turned to a werewolf, I rushed to the Hospital Wing to visit him. I told Severus all those idiotic sensitive stuff a parent is expected to say, things he did not expect to hear from my lips. I lured him to me. And then I broke the news that those Gryffindors would not get expelled. Dumbledore sent Severus to me by doing what he always did, by favouring the Gryffindors over a Slytherin student.”

“I must admit, I would ask the werewolf boy to be thrown out of Hogwarts if such was the case with my son,” Abraxas spoke and took a sip from his wine.

“Fools that wear their heart proudly on their sleeve would do so, Abraxas. I wanted to convince my son, not to get in bad terms with the werewolves that are, may I remind you, our Master’s supporters,” Quirinus smirked.

Severus felt sick in the stomach as he was hearing the conversation between the two men. A wave of nausea hit his throat, a sour taste spread in his mouth and he rushed to the nearest bathroom where he emptied his stomach’s contents. He sat on the floor panting from exhaustion, wishing he could cry and scream but he had not managed such an action for so long, he was sure he had forgot how to perform that. He walked into his bedroom and found the violin case. He cast a silencing charm on the room and started to play. Three hours later he had come to a decision.

o-o-o

Severus Snape felt trapped. He was trapped in his own dreams, having to watch his life all over again. All the dreadful mistakes appeared to him.

“IT IS NOT FAIR!” he shouted to the images, “MY LIFE WAS ARRANGED BY THAT MAN SINCE I WAS SEVEN.! HOW COULD HAVE I KNOW!” he shouted and suddenly, he started sobbing in desperation.

“It is not fair,” he stated to himself, “I wish to die.”

He heard a laugh of achievement and ridicule echo around him and suddenly he stood up in determination.

“No, I will not permit myself to die. I will not be defeated,” he gritted his teeth and to his surprise he received an answer.

“Don’t be ridiculous Severus,” Quirinus Snape spoke, “Do you believe that you will be able to redeem yourself? This is who you will always be. A Death Eater! It doesn’t matter how hard you try.”

“Or do you believe that you will manage to escape my wrath for having an alliance with Dumbledore?” two red eyes questioned, “No, please do die and spare yourself from the agony you will receive from my followers if you remain alive.”

“I will make sure you die a painful death,” Jackomo said, “I am all of his faithful followers. We will make you regret your betrayal.”

Snape looked at the red eyes, his father and Jackomo, all surrounding him. He moved forward, trying to break their coil but the figures followed him. He was trapped, he wanted to run away. And then he took a deep breadth and moved forward, the three of them restrained him and he pushed forward fighting, hitting harder and harder. He took a deep breadth, he felt like suffocating in their coil. And then, he saw a dot of light and he reached out to touch it. When his fingers grasped it, it became bigger, stronger and stronger.

o-o-o

Severus opened his eyes, flickering his eye-lids as he was annoyed by the strong morning sun. Then the horrible smell of the Hospital Wing hit his nostrils. He was at Hogwarts.

Severus Snape woke up feeling as if a dragon had decided to use him as a chewing toy and had complied in doing. His whole body felt stiff and as if thousands of ants had decided to walk on it. His eyelids flickered to the sun and the horrible stench of the Hospital Wing invaded his nostrils. His temples throbbed and when he touched them he discovered his head was bandaged all around. It was then that he noticed that he was not alone. The silver head on Albus Dumbledore lied on the edge on his bed, as the old man slept on the chair next to him. It seemed that the Headmaster found it more comfortable to half-sit and half-lye on the bed rather than sleep only on his seat. It was at this moment that Snape realised how thirsty he felt.

He looked at the table near his bed but to his disappointment the jar and glasses of water were not there; but they rather rested on the table opposite his bed. Snape let out a faint groan and then moved the Headmaster’s hand, which was currently residing on his belly. He tried to move really slowly, hoping that he would not awake the old wizard, but a terrible pain spread down his back and he let out a yelp.

Albus Dumbledore, shot up startled. He looked at Severus intensely for some seconds, an action that caused the young wizard some discomfort.

“Headmaster…” Snape said hoarsely.

Dumbledore arose abruptly, much to Snape’s surprise and rushed to the closed door near the man’s bed. He opened it and looked inside.

“Poppy, he has awakened!” he announced quickly.

Madam Pomfrey entered the room without delay, approached Snape’s bed and grabbed the Potion Master’s hand.

“Poppy…” Snape said hoarsely, trying to think, as his temples throbbed painfully.

Madam Pomfrey gave an impatient ‘shush’ and raised her wand, flashing a blue beam. She saw the number that appeared for some seconds, and then grabbed the man’s bandaged chin.

“Mouth wide open,” she ordered.

Snape opened his mouth as much as he could, regarding his bandaged position and Poppy flashed her wand, gazed at the man’s larynx carefully and then stared at the Headmaster in amazement.

“Healthier as ever,” she announced seriously.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely sure, Headmaster.”

“Headmaster…” Snape said hoarsely.

“No signs of fever?”

“Fever?” Snape asked.

“None. This man’s health system will never seize to amaze me.”

“His scull?”

“Perfect, I am amazed.”

“Headmaster,” Snape insisted weakly.”

“However the case, he will remain here for another four days, I esteem.” Poppy explained.

“Shall I conduct Minerva?”

“Headmaster!” Snape said as loudly as he could, and in much impatience. Both the Healer and Dumbledore turned to see him, “A glass of water if you please.”

“Certainly,” Dumbledore answered and filled a goblet with water.

Snape sat up cautiously, growling slightly when Madam Pomfrey attempted to help him and drank the water with little slow gulps. He remained quiet for a second, with discomfort drawn on his features. He finally drew a big breath.

“What happened to Harry? How long am I here?” he asked softly. He wiped his palms under the bed covers and, secretly, wondered why he felt so anxious inside his chest.

“Severus, first things first. You have been in a coma for a week,” Dumbledore said softly.

“A week?” Severus shot up, something that caused him much pain, “The exams – my students – What happened to my students?”

“Severus, all to their time,” Dumbledore said softly, yet pushing the man with his hand back to restrain him.

Snape stopped rambling and looked at the Headmaster in embarrassment. He regained his composure fairly quickly, nevertheless, and asked calmly.

“What happened after I passed out that evening?”

“I think,” Dumbledore started, “I should tell – No I think it is better you see it with your own eyes,” the headmaster said with a faint twinkle and produced his pensive, an action that reminded Snape of someone that was anticipating the moment he would be asked. Dumbledore took out a small vial that held a silvery substance he knew well and poured it into the Pensieve. Touching Snape’s shoulder gently, he touched the tip of the silver liquid with his wand.

Beginning of memory

Snape was half-lying on the bed, watching the Hospital Wing. The room was empty, the beds were all made up with clean sheets and Poppy was checking her medical cabinets. Suddenly the door burst open and there was Minerva McGonagall. She was red in the face, her breadth was unstable as if she had climbed five floor running and her hair were loose from their bun, something that seemed very peculiar to Snape.

“Poppy – Severus – He… is … hurt,” she breathed out.

Madam Pomfrey stared back at McGonagall in pure disbelief. The idea of Severus Snape getting injured, in the level the Transfiguration professor’s behaviour implied, seemed totally unrealistic.

“What?” was her response “How?”

“Severus – A Death Eater – he attacked Harry and Severus tried to stop him – I don’t know, I just don’t know,” McGonagall said quickly and in so much loss that made Madam Pomfrey seize her by the shoulders and shake her.

“I don’t know. Remus and – and Alastor are going to carry him from Hogsmeade as quickly as they can. They send me an owl for Dumbledore – I talked to him - Fifteen minutes perhaps?”

Poppy rushed to her drawers, taking out bowls, goblets, potions, sponges and many bottles of herbs. It seemed to Snape, the watcher, that everything went to speed motion until the Hospital Wing opened abruptly and he saw Lupin and Moody entering quickly, with him levitated horizontally at the tip of their wands.

Snape was placed on a bed quickly. Madam Pomfrey froze. He was covered in blood, his face matted and bloody and his hair was tangled and pasted on his head from what later proved to be a mixture of sweat, blood and mud. Madam Pomfrey took a deep breadth and leaned over the unconscious man. She touched his black robes and winced as she felt the ribs move with an unheard ‘crack’. The robes were moist and she tried to unbutton them, to find out that her hands were slightly trembling. Losing her patience in the second button, she took her wand and severed the robes and shirt, undressing the man, giving the clothes to no one in particular.

For a second, Madam Pomfrey thought she would faint. In all her years as a Healer she had cured welts the size of galleons, regrown bones and healed boils caused by dragon burns, but she had never seen such a state of damage in a human being before. His ribs were broken, she could picture the bones broken and tangled together under the skin, while the skin itself was taking a nasty yellowish colour. Suddenly Poppy realised that the room was not quiet but it was filled with voices, some loud, some sobbing, some eager and some soothing.

“Silence!” she ordered slowly and silence spread in the room like a wet blanket that made her feel as if she was suffocating, “I don’t need all this racketing in here. All of you get out! No, Lupin and Tonks,” she eyed Tonks that had entered the room quite enraged, “stay here I will need some help.”

The room emptied with a soft murmur and nods. At last Madam Pomfrey was alone with the body of Severus Snape and two anxious helpers. On that moment of silence in the empty room, Madam Pomfrey found herself wanting to cry from desperation, since at that moment the burden of healing that man seemed unbearable. She controlled herself, nevertheless, and took out her wand.

“Aquasi.”

Water poured out of her wand and cleaned the body throughout, before she would dry it magically. She became calculating then, seeing what needed to be healed magically and where muggle healing should applied. She run to her office and searched her drawers frantically for a vial that Severus had given her. It was supposed to contain a potion that would heal broken bones quicker whether taken by mouth or applied to wound. She had meant to use it to smaller bone damages but, ironically, that was the first case she needed it. She got out, she saw the body and she immediately knew that the potion had to be applied on the wounds. That would be slightly difficult.

“For how long is he unconscious?”

Lupin looked at her, then turned around and stared at the clock in the wall. He closed his yes, opened them and spoke.

“I would say approximately fifty-five minutes.”

Madam Pomfrey closed her eyes and exhaled. She rubbed her forehead as if there was something troubling her.

“I think it is essential for you to know what you ought to do and what needs to be done,” she said with a tone that foreshadowed that the next hours would be tiring. “Severus created a potion that heals broken bones much quicker and can be both applied and taken by mouth. Severus is in no condition to drink the potion; therefore I will open small slits on the broken areas; put the bone to its place and then apply the potion on it. I will bandage him quickly and we can all hope it will work.”

Both Tonks and Lupin looked at her, slightly pale, and nodded.

“Now your purpose in this room. Remus, I need Severus to be conscious during the process. I will wake him up and I need you to keep him awake. I will numb him, so he won’t feel pain. He will probably not remember your conversations when he awakes. Tonks, I need you to conjure fresh water and sponges with which you will clean the wounds from extra blood.”

The man and the woman nodded in uncertainty and stared at the body. Lupin was sceptic. It seemed impossible to him that the man would wake up and he, Lupin, would be able to keep him awake. Madam Pomfrey stared at Snape for a second, drew long breadth, raised her hand and slapped the unconscious wizard so hard across the face that made every watcher, Snape and Dumbledore included, wince.

Severus Snape’s eyes flickered open, and Madam Pomfrey murmured the spell to numb him. His eyes were glassy, he blinked and he growled softly before closing them.

“Severus,” Lupin spoke hastily, fearing the man would fall asleep again, “Severus.”

“What do you want?” Severus grumbled groggily, “I want to sleep.”

Lupin watched as the wounded man drifted to sleep, so he seized him by the arm and shook him. Snape’s eyes opened.

“What?” he grumped in annoyance.

“I need to talk to you,” Lupin said in uncertainty.

“Can’t it wait until later?” Snape whispered, drifting out. Lupin shook him, “You torture me when awake. Is it necessary to torture me in my sleep as well?” Snape whimpered,

“Yes it is,” Lupin answered swiftly, “It is really important.”

Snape snorted groggily and stared at the ceiling with an empty stare, “Ok, I am listening.”

“Umm, what I want to say is – um”

“Lupin get to the point,” Snape snapped groggily.

“Umm- Severus I am really jealous of you,” Lupin blurted out.

“WHAT?” Snape, the watcher cried out in unison with his injured self.

End of memory

The memory started dissolving quickly, the place shrivelled and a second later he was outside the Pensieve in the Hospital Wing.

“Hey, I was watching that!” he shouted in annoyance.

Then, realising what he said he frowned; and turned his head away from the Headmaster. At that second the Hospital Wing opened and the aroma of hot tasty chicken soup hit Snape’s nostrils. His stomach let out a loud growl that he suspected was heard up to Hogsmeade and he let out a moan as he saw the bowl with the hot thick soup left on the table opposite his bed. Madam Pomfrey went near him and carefully cut the bandages and removed them from his face. He opened his mouth slowly, causing his jaw to crack as he did so. He touched his cheek wondering on how he must look unshaved. A small bed-table was conjured on his bed and the bowl was placed in front of him, along with a plate of crackers.

-)-)-)

He ate the first bowl of soup silently, gulping, dipping the crackers and munching. He asked for more and he kept eating focused for a moment.

“Then what happened?” he asked between his gulps, not caring much into following the rules of propriety, “What happened after whatever Poppy did to me?”

“You went into a coma. Just like that,” Madam Pomfey said, “I was not worried about it. There are many cases of wizards that fall to a small coma. The body takes charge of everything, food, water and the patient sleeps until all magic is replenished and all damage is healed. What worried me was that in twenty-four hours you developed a high fever. You body was fighting hard and your fever was causing further damage. I could give you nothing for the fever.”

Snape gulped down and looked at Dumbledore who was watching him eating, while drinking some hot tea.

“What happened to your eye Headmaster?” he asked suddenly realising that the old wizard’s right eye was purplish black.

“Umm last night,” started Dumbledore smiling, “your temperature got really high and it seems you were hallucinating. Madam Pomfrey called me to help her restrain you and at a point you punched me straight into the eye.”

Snape’s cheeks painted red.

“I am sorry Headmaster,” he said uncomfortably as Madam Pomfrey got out of the Hospital Wing.

“Don’t worry Severus,” he said patting his shoulder, “Between you and me, I deserved a good punch lately.”

Severus restrained from letting his jaw fall by taking a few more gulps from his soup.

“I was horrible. I put the future of an institution much higher than human lives and I will never forgive myself. I did that, almost repeating the mistake I did in the past with you, Severus, I am terribly sorry for what I said to you in my office,” the old wizard said slowly bowing his head. “If I hadn’t done that you wouldn’t be in that position right now.”

“You should not blame yourself of what happened to me Headmaster,” Snape said seriously, still gulping down his soup, “I acted hard-headed and would not talk to you. Ah you can not un-boil a boiled newt’s eye! So what are you going to do about my Slytherins?”

“They will remain hidden in Hogwarts. It was something Harry told me that gave me the solution?”

“Harry. Harry?” he remembered abruptly. “What happened to Potter?”

“We aged him to sixteen of course, after we calmed him down and assured him of your welfare, and we send him back - Minerva, Filius, Alastor and I – by performing a Chorochronos spell. The reason we did this is for not having all those memories erupt in his head immediately. There was the possibility of this crazing him.”

The old wizard fell silent in order to allow the man to digest what he had heard. Snape filled his third bowl of soup and ate quietly.

“As you are aware Severus, a person sent back with the Chorochronos spell must not meet his or her self as it will cause severe damage to the time continuum. Therefore Harry was hidden away to avoid any conduct with you and his younger self.”

Snape felt lightheaded. He wanted to ask many questions but he felt so exhausted, as if he had run a very long tiring race. He was stifling a yawn when Madam Pomfrey entered the room and announced that the Headmaster had to leave. Dumbledore rose slowly and said that he was going to pass by in the afternoon. As the door closed, Snape closed his eyelids and fell into deep sleep.

-)-)-)

Later that same day Albus Dumbledore walked into the Hospital Wing to meet a very strange sight. Severus Snape was sitting up holding the bed sheet up his torso with all his might while Poppy Pomfrey was trying to take it away from him. Dumbledore stopped dead to his trucks in uncertainty, staring at the scene before him.

“Headmaster can you put some sense in this man head?” Madam Pomfrey said in exasperation turning to look at him.

“She wants to see me naked!” Snape shouted immediately - a blush spread across his face - making the old wizard gulp down the lemon drop he was sucking.

“Oh, don’t think I am doing it out of pleasure Severus Snape,” Madam Pomfrey huffed in annoyance, “You had been out for an entire week and you need a good wash. I am the only one in this place that is capable to do so.”

Both the wizard and the Healer turned to see Dumbledore, each waiting for his aid. Dumbledore, of course, took the wisest decision. He turned to his heels and left, closing the door behind him. Madam Pomfrey let out a snort and turned to look at the Potion Master with a dangerous look.

“Snape,” she whispered dangerously, “if you don’t put that bed sheet down this now, I will Petrificus Totalus you and have my way with you.”

Snape gazed at the Healer for a moment, let out a sigh of defeat and let the bed sheet drop.

-)-)-)

A sponge bath and a clean set of underwear later, Snape had his hair combed by the Madam Pomfrey. Though he would not admit it out loud, the sponge bath and the combing of his hair made him feel completely relaxed.

“So what happened to Jackomo?” he asked softly.

“Who?”

“Jackomo, the Death Eater that attacked me.”

Snape felt the Healer’s hand stop.

“Oh that monstrous man,” she mumbled angrily, “Well he was brought to Dumbledore’s office. I must tell you, we had never seen Dumbledore so angry in all the time he is in Hogwarts. Even Fawkes took leave when he saw him entering the office and this must be saying something. Anyway from what I know that dreadful man was sent to Azkaban with a huge chunk of his memory erased.”

Snape stifled a yawn as the Healer let him lye back and covered him with the bed sheet and the blanket.

“Oh in another tone,” Madam Pomfrey said, “Harry Potter passed by while you were asleep and asked me if he could visit you tomorrow afternoon. I said it was alright,” she concluded and closed the door behind her.

Snape remained looking at the ceiling.

“Oh great, now I am unable to sleep,” he finally exclaimed with a snort.

-)-)-)

It was almost tea time. Snape, who was staring at the clock on the wall for the entire day, tried to hide his fixation by looking outside the window. And the door was knocked.

Snape looked at the door for a few seconds, rubbed his palms on his bed sheets and said asked from his visitor to enter. Young Harry Potter, currently at almost seventeen years of age, entered the room slowly. Snape was amazed to notice that the boy looked the same and yet entirely different. He seemed healthier and a bit stronger. The boy sat down and silence fell between them. A tray of tea with biscuits appeared seconds later.

“I am sorry professor,” Harry blurted out suddenly, causing Snape to almost spit out his tea. The man looked at the teenager. “I was confused as I remembered what was happening during the year. Agh I put you in so much trouble.”

“I must admit,” Snape said slowly, “that I wasn’t fair to you. I held my grudges and gave you such a hard time since you started attending Hogwarts. No wonder you hate me. I am such a bitter idiot.”

“No you aren’t” Harry protested, “I never saw things as you did. Not even after I looked at your Pensive. I am so sorry I did that. I am the idiot one.”

“No, no, you were a kid I picked on, I was the idiot,” Snape insisted hotly getting irritated.

“Oh for the love of Merlin!” Madam Pomfrey’s irritated voice echoed in the room, “You were both idiots. Now shut up I am losing the potion count.”

Snape and Harry looked at the direction where the voice was heard. Harry stifled laughter of amusement. They started chatting, Harry explaining what he was doing while hidden, when Snape looked at him in epiphany.

“You were hidden at the second floor! So that day with Weasley – and Granger!” he blushed as he remembered that embrace.

“You almost found about me. They weren’t careful and you heard them. So when they realised you were coming that way – well Hermione panicked and so Ron decided to ‘protect’ my hideout. Anyway then they spent the next week not talking to each other and avoiding each other and then Ron spoke to me and then Hermione spoke to me – and – and – WELL IT WAS ABOUT BLOODY TIME! THEY HAD BEEN DRIVING ME CRAZY THESE LAST TWO YEARS!” Harry exclaimed loudly.

He looked at Snape then, who seemed to go under a terrible ordeal. He squinted his eyes and pierced his lips together. Finally, unable to control himself longer, he tossed his head back and started laughing hard, while letting out some yelps of pain at the same time.

-)-)-)

“I almost got you killed,” Harry said glumly some time later, as his features darkened, “I am sorry I left your side sir.”

“It wasn’t your fault Harry. Jackomo was a twisted dangerous man and you couldn’t know he was there.”

“You don’t understand,” Harry said hotly, “People die because they try to protect me. My parents, Sirius and you, almost. I don’t want people at risk because of me.”

“Harry,” the wizard said seriously, “we all have our ideologies. We want to vanquish this danger from our lives and yes, we do want to protect you, but we are also ready to die for what we believe. Though I do want to survive this war, I know there is a possibility I will not. I am prepared to face the consequences, and all I want is to know that you understand and accept the dangers we face. It doesn’t have to do entirely with you.”

Harry shook his head slowly, not uttering a word. Madam Pomfrey entered to tell them that it was time for Harry to leave. As Harry stood up, Snape did something he never believed he would do. He asked for Harry to visit him again and the boy accepted.

-)-)-)

Three days later Snape was allowed to leave the Hospital Wing. He was still in some pain and his knees were weak, though he would not admit it out loud. When Harry offered him to escort him to his chambers, Snape told him to stop being ridiculous for he was no damsel in distress. Harry, who could recall some of the Potion Master’s foulest moods when assisted help, escorted him and hoped that the man would grab his shoulder in case he needed support.

By the time they arrived to where their chamber once was, Snape was heaving in pain as a caustic sensation spread in his ribs. Harry opened the door quickly and the Potion Master sat on the sofa immediately. The room was as he had left it, though many of the toys the little boy had left in their living room were missing. Harry stood opposite him in silence.

“Well – ahem – I better get going now,” Harry said slowly, as if expecting something from the Potion Master.

“Alright then do so,” Snape said indifferently as he accioed a book from his library.

“I am going to drop by tomorrow to take you to the Slytherins’ hideout,” Harry said with a tone of disappointment and got out of the room.

-)-)-)

Snape walked into the boy’s bedroom. The bed and toys were as the boy had left them. He sat on the bed slowly and took Bibi the unicorn toy into his hands.

“Here it is my friend,” he said slowly, “he is grown up now and he does not need us. Neither of us.” He looked at the unicorn’s bead eyes and with a huff he tossed it on the pillow. “Oh what do you know, you are a stuffed toy anyway,” he growled at it.

The door was knocked and Snape shot up, causing much pain to his ribs. He walked slowly to the door and opened it to find young Harry Potter. They silently looked at each other for a second.

“Harry – em – nice weather we are having,” Snape said and immediately slapped himself mentally as a rumble echoed inside the castle.

Harry looked at the man in puzzlement as a horrible storm was going on for the entire day.

“Well, yes, if this is a weather of your taste sir,” he answered back. “Umm – I –I came to escort you to the Slytherins’ hideout.”

They both walked slowly, they both shot trivial questions to each other that the other answered very briefly. Finally Harry stopped to what it seemed to be a girl’s restroom. Harry opened the door and Snape followed him realising immediately where the hideout was located.

“Well professor I see you are recovering well,” Moaning Myrtle said grimly as if his recovery was the worst thing that could have ever happened to him.

“Yes an unfortunate situation my dear,” Snape answered back so comically that Harry had to suppress a laugh.

Snape saw Filius Flitwick in front of the sink, the entrance to the chamber of secrets. He appeared to be exhausted yet completely satisfied and excited. He hurried to Snape and Harry and called them to see his work.

“Salazar Slytherin’s magic was old and hard to break, but I finally did it after two weeks of hard work. Come, come and see.”

Harry and Snape looked at the sink, where Flitwick was pointing. Snape looked carefully and spotted the little snake that was behind the tap. The snake, then to Harry’s and Snape’s surprise, tilted his head and asked for the password in simple English.

“There is no password yet,” Flitwick said cheerfully, “It is after all your privilege Severus, as the Slytherin House Master. Now do follow me and see what else I have done.”

The chamber’s entrance was a big pipe that one could slide and land into a very long tunnel that was big enough for the average man to stand and walk properly. Snape, on his behalf, was left staring as Flitwick jumped into the pipe and wondered how they expected him, an injured man, to do so himself. Harry remained staring at him, waiting for him to jump in. Snape let out a scoff and jumped inside while he thought that if he was damaged further he would let Harry and Flitwick suffer Madam Pomfrey’s wrath.

As Snape fell down the pipe, which twisted and turned, he felt a weird sensation spreading in his body. It was as if he had no real weight and after many twists and turns he shot out of the pipe, high in the air and landed down softly as if he was as light as a feather.

“So what do you think of my spell?” Flitwick squeaked enthusiastically, “Pretty impressive don’t you think? I wanted to put it into practise for years now.”

Snape confirmed how much he was impressed as Harry landed softly next to him. He, then, followed the Charms Professor and the boy into the tunnel, with much discomfort as he was taller than the average man. The tunnel was clean from the gruesome skeletons of animals now and when they walked into the Chamber of Secrets; their eyes met a totally different sight.

The big chamber reminded very little of the horrific place Harry Potter entered years ago. A big green carpet had decorated the floor while at each side, where the snake pillars were, one could see square cubicles, each with its big four-posted bed and curtains. The middle of the room was now transformed to a big living-room with its sofas and tables and at the very end the statue of Salazar Slytherin stood, old and ancient, with the house’s tabards on each of his sides.

What seemed peculiar to young Harry Potter was the fact that the room did not seem threatening anymore but was rather warm and full of light, something he had not experienced when he was in the Slytherins’ common room. Snape saw professor McGonagall with the group of his Slytherin students. He was about to go near and greet when someone called out a “sir” full of delight and he found himself surrounded by his students.

“Sir, you are finally out of the Hospital Wing!”

“You got us so worried.”

“Hey the man is injured. Give him some space. Let him sit down,” Draco Malfoy’s voice of authority declared and Snape found himself sitting on a sofa while his students stared back in expectation.

“So how are you all doing?” he finally asked them causing a mixture of jumbled voices to narrate how they spent their time preparing the Chamber of Secrets as a hideout for the summer. In the case the Ministry decided to search Hogwarts for them they would hide in there. Luckily, Dumbledore had conveniently forgotten to mention where the Chamber of Secrets were located. Now only one little detail was left to deem their plan successful. And that was where Professor McGonagall would help.

The plan was easy. The Slytherins had to be seen entering Hogwarts Express so that the Ministry officials would think they had run away when they departed from Kings Cross. To do so, advance Transfiguration was needed. Professor McGonagall would create replicas of the students that would last until the end of the Hogwarts Express’ journey. Then they would turn back to their previous form which was stones. Professor McGonagall spent the last days measuring the Slytherins and then working on the replicas to the most minor detail until their features, height and colours were closely to the original. Then, half an hour before their supposed departure, the Slytherins would pass some magical energy, each one to his or her replica, barely to give them speech and movement until they would reach Kings Cross.

Harry watched grimly as Snape was dragged around by the enthusiastic Slytherin. He watched as the man shared their excitement and a pang of jealousy sprang into his chest. The Potion Master seemed to show no interest to him anymore. Maybe it was because he had grown up; maybe the man had only done it out of duty. He sighed, expressed his goodbyes to Professor Flitwick and left the chamber sadly.

-)-)-)

The days passed swiftly and the day when the students would leave for the summer came. Snape looked sadly from his window. The Leaving Feast that took place the evening before was not cheerful but glum. He recalled what had happened when he retired from it to his chambers.

FLASHBACK

He sighed in exhaustion as the room was knocked and he opened slowly to see the boy standing outside. He invited Harry in and they both sat on the sofa. They looked at each other silently.

“I am leaving tomorrow to go to my aunt and uncle,” Harry said softly. “Once again, thank you for taking care of me. It was very kind of you.”

Snape lowered his head.

“It was my duty, Harry,” he said slowly, calculating his words, “you don’t need to thank me. Please don’t feel obliged to me.”

Harry nodded and after a few moments of silence he wished the man good night and left the room. Snape remained looking at the door feeling extremely angry on the pain that had risen inside him. He reminded himself that he was no longer needed and retired to bed.

END OF FLASHBACK

A knock was heard and he opened it with nervousness. At his doorstep stood none but Remus J. Lupin, tired and very uncomfortable. Snape invited the man to enter and offered him tea and sandwiches. The werewolf looked at the offerings in amazement, as if he expected them to have poison. He contemplated on the idea as ridiculous and took a bite and a sip.

“Lupin,” Snape said in hesitation, “th-th-thank you for what you have done for me that night in the Hospital Wing.”

Lupin looked at the man in discomfort. He was not really sure why he had invited him to his rooms that day, or why he had accepted.

“Lupin,” Snape asked suddenly, “why did you say you were jealous of me?”

The werewolf froze, his fingers clenched on the cup. He drew a deep breadth and let the cup rest on the tea table.

“I was jealous,” he started slowly, stopping for a second, “because – because – you had the chance to see Harry growing up. I was the next in line to take care of him after Sirius was arrested. But at the time I was not given permission because I was a werewolf. So he was sent to his mother’s relatives.”

Snape stared as the man turned in enragement to see him.

“You can’t possibly understand how useless I felt. I would give my legs to have the chance to look after James’ and Lily’s child. He was such a sweet boy. I wanted to be a part of his life and I was denied that. And you,” he said in anger, “you make him feel he is nothing to you.”

It was Snape’s time to be taken aback. His eyes narrowed in anger.

“How do you know? How could you possibly now? He does not need me,” Snape exclaimed hotly.

“He does, he conducted me through the firework to tell me you don’t care enough. He was distressed” Lupin said hotly, baring his teeth.

“He does not need me. He is a grown up now,” Snape insisted with a growl.

“Oh for Merlin’s...” Lupin shouted, “He remembered your attack! He was devastated when he thought you were killed by that man.”

Lupin closed his eyes and rose from his seat.

“Snape that boy is leaving with the train in half-an-hour and if you don’t show him you care, then you will do a mistake you will surely regret. Just open your heart dammit!” he said and in anger he stormed out of the room.

Snape remained sitting for some seconds as if he was trying to swallow a huge piece of information and suddenly he sprang from his chair and shot outside his room.

Remus J. Lupin stood outside the castle’s entrance and sighed in resign. He was about to walk to Hogsmeade for some Firewhiskey when he was turned around. He saw Snape looking at him intensely and for a moment he thought that the Potion Master would punch him. Yet the big-nosed man clasped his hands in his and shaking them he hurried towards the Hogwarts Express platform.

Lupin smiled and walked to Hogsmeade. A butterbeer seemed to him a nice drink right now

-)-)-)

Harry put his trunk in the compartment and sat down with Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville. The train would start in fifteen minutes, taking him back to his uncle and aunt for one last summer. He sighed to the thought of his ex-guardian and turned his attention to his friends that were chatting in excitement.

Suddenly he heard a knock on his window and to his surprise he saw Snape waving his hands at him, motioning that he wanted to speak to him. Harry stood up and hurried outside.

“Harry,” Snape started immediately when the boy approached him, “I have a house.”

Harry stared at the man in puzzlement, not really understanding the purpose of this announcement.

“It is not a great house,” Snape continued quickly, “It has two bedrooms, a kitchen, two studies, two bathrooms, a living room and a small library. You could call it decent I suppose.”

The man stopped, drawing a breadth and stared at Harry expectantly.

“I am sorry sir,” Harry said puzzlement, “but are you trying to sell me your house?”

Snape let out a snort of desperation. Why was it so difficult for people to understand what he was trying to say? Sighing he said.

“ I know I am not as great as Sirius was but I – what I want to say – well I know you are going to be a grown-up soon – ummm – when this bloody war is over would you mind visiting me in my house for a week or so and spending some time with me?” Snape finally asked in embarrassment.

“I’d love to!” Harry exclaimed immediately and to much Snape’s, and Harry’s, surprise he grasped Snape to a tight hug, “It would be my pleasure sir.”

“And for Circe’s blazing hair Harry, stop calling me sir,” Snape mumbled uncomfortably, “Call me-“

“Sevvus?” Harry asked playfully, “I like that one.”

Snape could not suppress the laugh that escaped his lips. He grabbed Harry and squeezed his shoulders affectionately.

“Oh go you silly teenager or you will miss your train,” Snape said in mocking annoyance and gave the teenager an affectionate slap in the cheek.

Harry hurried in the train, which started moving away. Snape remained looking at it until it disappeared in the horizon. He then turned and walked towards Hogsmeade. A butterbeer was in order now.