It took a few more days for both Harry and Draco to be able to move around normally. They still felt some small pains of discomfort but nothing compared what it was a few days ago. Today would be the day that Draco would return to classes and Harry would accompany Severus to his classroom.

Draco was trying to put the little robes over Harry’s head while Severus was getting ready but Harry would have none of it.

“As much as all the females of Hogwarts would love to see you in only your nappy I don’t think Severus will let you leave these rooms without other clothes. Now come on, stop wiggling.” Draco huffed in irritation before sitting himself down on the bed and leaving Harry on the ground.

Harry, now that he was free of Draco, got up to move over to a set of toys that were in the corner of the room. It was just as he was to take that first step though that he was lifted up into a pair of strong arms. He let out a whine and wiggled fruitlessly to be put back down.

“Draco I thought you were to get Harry dressed?” Severus readjusted the toddler in his arms to get a better hold on the wiggling child.

Draco threw his arms in the air before lying back on the bed, “I tried! The little runt wouldn’t be still!”

Heaving a sigh he told Draco to go get his school stuff ready while he faced off with the rambunctious toddler. “Enough Harry, you can play when you are dressed and in the potions room, until then you will be still and allow me to dress you.”

Not taking any chances of making this process even harder he sat Harry down onto his changing table, hoping to dissuade the boy of wiggling with the prospect of falling from such a high height. Without hesitation he pulled the robe over the boys head without putting on under clothes. He managed to get the robes on the boy so fast that he didn’t have anytime to complain about the process.

“Was that so hard Harry? Now no more whining it’s time for breakfast.” He placed Harry on the floor and took his hand to direct him to the dining area making sure he didn’t go straight to his toys.

Harry sat pouting in his chair refusing to eat much of anything. “Harry James Potter if you don’t want to be put down for an early nap you will stop whining and eat your breakfast.”

With a small sob of, “No, daddy, no nap!” he picked up his breakfast and proceeded to eat all of it.

Severus was at his wits end currently. He hadn’t been getting much sleep for the past week or so due to the boys’ nightmares and Harry choosing now to try and test some boundaries was not good. He tried to contain his temper by taking some deep breaths. It wasn’t fair to be snapping at the boy, he was trying to help him for Merlin’s sake not trying to traumatize the boy more.

He looked over to Harry who was now crying softly while mumbling about “be good boy, no daddy be mad.”

“Harry,” he waited to see if he got the boys attention, “Harry, baby, stop crying I’m not mad at you.” He lifted the child into his lap. “I didn’t mean to yell at you either. Come on now child dry those tears.” He summoned a cloth and wiped Harry’s face dry, “there we go all better Harry. That’s right calm down, Daddy’s sorry.”

Harry sniffled pathetically, “Daddy no be mad?”

“No Harry, I am not mad at you. Come on and finish your breakfast then we must leave.”

Draco had been watching the proceedings with interest. He knew Severus was short of temper but Harry didn’t know nor understand why he would be. Draco would have said something smart allic here but decided he valued his life more than that; besides he wasn’t a cute two-year-old who could get away with everything, he was supposed to know better.

When finally breakfast was finished Severus ushered Draco out the door following him with Harry in his arms. The halls were starting to fill with people and Harry didn’t like seeing all the people; he was afraid that they would take him away from his Daddy again.

Curling in his Daddy’s arms, Harry let out a whimper and clutched tightly at the warm robes he was pressed into. He flinched slightly when he felt a warm hand on his back lightly rubbing but quickly relaxed again when he heard his Daddy’s voice, “Hush Harry, it’s all right I am still here. That’s it child calm down.”

Severus moved quickly to his classroom bidding good-bye to Draco at the stairs with a warning to take it easy as he was still not in perfect shape. Once inside the room Severus flicked his wand lighting up the torches and placing instructions on the board. When the room was properly prepared for the brats that would be entering soon he went to his high backed chair and sat both himself and Harry in the chair with the boy on his lap facing him.

“Harry, I want you to listen to me now, you listening?” He waited a minute while Harry nodded in acknowledgement, “Good child. Now, there will be a lot of people coming in today but I want you to remember that I will not be leaving the classroom without you. When you become scared you just look for me okay child, do you understand?”

Tears silently ran down the boys cheeks still as Harry gasped for breaths, still trying to overcome his terror from the hallway. “Daddy…no want no people…stay wif Daddy!” He gave a hiccough and clutched the robes again burying his face in Severus’ chest.

Severus heaved a sigh and clutched Harry to his chest, “Harry I am not going anywhere, you are staying with me, I just have to teach and you have to stay in your area for safety.” He would take the boy around the room with him but some of the fumes could damage a child’s lungs if they were this young. “Besides wouldn’t you rather play with your toys? You wouldn’t have any fun watching the older kids work you will be much better back here Harry.”

“Daddy no comes to Hawwy’s awea?” Innocent eyes peered up into obsidian ones begging for what he wanted to hear. Severus gladly gave in to his plead.

“Of course I will come back to your area child! I never said I was going to you leave you back here alone. Now come on, I see some toys that want their boy to play with them.” He gently placed Harry into his area picking up a toy and handing it to the child hoping to distract him while the other children entered the room.

His tactic only worked part way, he had Harry interacting with his toys but when he saw a person enter the room he tensed up begging for his Daddy to be held. Severus didn’t want the child attached to him and unable to get him down when he was teaching so he settled with giving the boy a half hug and prompting him to pick up his toy again to play.

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Draco was making his way to his first class, History of Magic, thinking about the irony of having to wake up early only to be put back to sleep by the professor. He was making a point of ignoring everyone else around him in an effort to avoid questions about his whereabouts this past week. While many knew about Harry being turned into a child and Draco’s involvement in caring for him, most did not know about the on goings at the courts.

He entered the classroom and took out some parchment, quills, and an ink well to make it look like he was taking diligent notes even when he wasn’t. He was seated in the back right corner of the room nearest to the door in the hopes of most over looking him due to the slight shadows that the corner caused. He wasn’t that lucky.

Pansy Parkinson walked into the room after a few other Slytherins and looked around. When she spotted Draco she smiled brightly and made her way to the chair next to him causing Draco to groan. Pansy wasn’t a bad person, she had sworn off Voldemort as many others had, but she had this infatuation with Draco, something that he didn’t share in return.

“Hi Draco! Where have you been this past week? I was looking for you hoping to spend some time with you since you spend most of your free time with Potter now.” She may have sworn of Voldemort but she still held a small amount of animosity towards Harry, something that didn’t bode well with Draco, since she thought the child was stealing him away from her.

“I was sick Pansy and stayed with Professor Snape, as he is my godfather, since Harry was ill too. We kept each other company.” He was quite pleased with himself. Not only did he explain his absence with a white lie but also managed to explain Severus’ absence as well.

“Oh, well, I am glad to see that you are well again Draco. It must have been some illness to have both you out for a full week.” She gave him another bright smile and opened her mouth to say more but someone interrupted her.

“Give the bloke a break Pansy! He just told you that he was ill for a week and here you are talking his ears off! Give him some space.” Draco gave a grateful smile to his mate Blaise thanking him for the interruption.

He saw Theodore sit down next to Blaise before turning out to give a level look at Draco. “Well you do look like shit, must have been something bad.” Theo, as most called him (friends that is), laughed before giving him a teasing smirk.

“You would look worse Theo if you had been the one ill; I can just make anything look that much better.” Well that was the best Draco had, he would have to work on that.

Pansy gave an indignant snort on Draco’s behalf, “He looks wonderful Theo! You just don’t know good looking people when you see them.” She gave a sniff and turned her attention to her book bag to get her things ready. The boys gave a chuckle before turning their attentions to the professor as he started his monotone monologue on some goblins.

It took not ten minutes before Draco’s mind started wandering, unintentionally, to thoughts about Harry. He knew that Severus had wanted to turn Harry into a child, two to be specific, but he didn’t know what Sev wanted to do now. Draco didn’t know if this potion was supposed to regress Harry’s age for a small while or to have Harry start the aging process all over again? And if this was for only a little while, how long was Sev going to leave him this age? Would this be how they were to help Harry, by giving him the feelings of want and care so that when they aged him back he would know there were people that wanted him around, that would help care for him? He would have to ask Sev as soon as he could, he was sure he was not the only one with these questions.

His attention was caught when he heard silence in the room; Bins must have ended class finally. Draco poked Pansy in the ribs to wake her up and proceeded to gather all his belongings to take to his next class, Horology with the Gryffindors, bleh he was not looking forward to that class.

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This is not going to work for much longer. This one solitary thought kept repeating itself in Severus’ mind. His first class, he thought anyway, was going to be the hardest seeing as Harry was being reintroduced to a large number of people again. Though sad to say not only was the first class an utter disaster with the boy but the second and third did not fare any better.

Harry starting crying, rather hard, when Severus left him with his toys to order the class to gather their ingredients and get moving on their potions. If he taught any class, omitting Defense against the Dark Arts, he would have just held the child throughout the classes but alas he taught potions and the fumes would harm the child more than anything. Severus could do no more than to spend most of the class period in the front of the room with Harry and only occasionally, accompanied by many tears from Harry, make his rounds through the room.

Oh he heard the students’ mutters about him being an evil man to the child for not giving into what the child wanted and needed but they simply did not understand the dangers. He had the front of the room warded from the fumes and any explosions that would happen; it was better that way than to risk Harry’s health.

So it was at this time after his third class and now lunch time. Gathering the whimpering child into his arms he walked to his rooms and sat heavily onto his couch cuddling the child to his chest.

“Harry, child, we’re back in our rooms, calm down.” For the record, Harry did not really calm down, he relaxed a bit, but continued his whimpering. Any and all relaxation that the child managed was ruined when the doors to his rooms opened admitting Draco.

“What’s wrong with the kid?” Unceremoniously, Draco dropped into the other side of the couch flinging his bag to the floor.

“He’s been like this all morning, he cannot get used to the other kids again, and he is terrified. I spent most of my classes in the front with him.” Taking a deep breath Severus turned to Draco with the meaning to turn Harry to face Draco to help calm him down. He paused though, “Draco, you look horrible! What in all of the magical world have you been doing?”

“Gee thanks Uncle Sev, just what every person wants to hear.” Scowling he continued, “I have not done anything only gone to my classes.”

Turning his attention back to Harry, Severus noticed that the boy had finally calmed himself to the point of small gasps and hiccoughs. “There Harry see, you’re fine and now that Draco is here we can eat a little something.” Standing he gave a hand to Draco and proceeded to usher them to the table where there was already food waiting for them. Not even bothering to set Harry down, Severus sat himself with Harry on his lap placing the cloth around the boy’s neck.

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“No, Uncle Sev, I am already too far behind, I will never be able to catch up!”

“Draco putting it as lightly as I can, you look like you’re about to keel over. Now you are going to spend the afternoon in these rooms resting. I am going to put Harry here down for a nap so you will have quiet for at least two hours, after that all you need to do is watch the boy. This will work better for all parties involved. You and Harry can relax and I can teach without problems. Even if Harry wasn’t having a hard day, Draco, I still would have had you staying in these rooms, you really do look like you need the rest. Enjoy it, sleep a bit, relax and if you really want to work on some of your make up work then do so.” With that Severus went into the bedroom taking Harry with him.

Sitting heavily onto the couch Draco muttered about mean Uncles and harsh words that are undeserving. He never looks bad. He prides himself on his looks as well as brains; he couldn’t help it if his looks were just that good! Grumbling he heaved himself over to the mirror to take a good look. Needless to say that was not a good idea.

He did look horrid! Dark circles under his eyes, extremely pale (worse than normal) skin, tired eyes and a slouched posture. Oh he knew he felt like he was run over by the Hogwarts Express he just didn’t honestly think he looked like it. Exhausted he hoisted himself back onto the couch and lay down, already half asleep before he knew it.

Severus, instead of relaxing on the couch, was doing his best to keep his temper. A scared and tired child was never easy to put to sleep, especially when said child was having separation anxiety.

Currently Severus was pacing the rooms hoping the motion would calm the child enough to sleep while muttering soothing words to the boy, “Go to sleep, child, Draco is here, I am here and you need sleep ever so badly Harry. That’s right close your eyes and sleep.”

Glancing at his watch, Severus swore in his head, if he didn’t get this child to sleep soon he was going to have a problem on his hands. He was not going to put the child through another class this day and he desperately needed to rest. He was sure that even now Draco had fallen asleep and he was unwilling to wake him to help put Harry to sleep.

While he was in thought Harry had drifted off into sleep still clutching his robes. Quickly and quietly he placed the toddler into his cot and left the room in a hurry. Glancing at the couch he was pleased by the soft snores of Draco, thankful that he managed to fall asleep. He was worried about the boy and he’d make a point of watching him to be sure he wasn’t over doing anything. Summoning a blanket he placed it over Draco and then left his room, ready (to his standards anyways) to teach his next class, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws sixth year, and boy was he ready to let out some frustrations.

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He almost felt bad for the sixth years, almost, for his horrid temper. If he was a person to do so Severus would have retracted the amount of points he had taken and the numerous detentions that he might have wrongly given out but he wasn’t so he left everything the way it was.

To think that the class had not been that particularly bad as compared to some of his with Slytherins and Gryffindors. He was very fortunate that he did not have any over those students that day. Taking a deep breath he cleared the board and spelled new instructions on it, he had first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs next and he hoped for them that they had read the material and were ready for a rough time since he was not in a lenient mood, not that he ever really was, but he was admittedly worse today.

They should be prepared even if I was a person to be in good and bad moods. With that in mind he set a scowl on his face and strode to the back corner in the shadows to watch the students coming in. He always made it a point to watch the students approach, it gave him a sense of each one, how certain pupils would immediately look at the board and get their materials ready (he’d be sure to ease a little on those few individuals; those were the students he didn’t mind teaching) and those who simply loitered around the room talking.

Once the last student had taken their seat he moved out of the corner and into the spotlight, though no one had noticed him.

“What are you all sitting there for? The instructions are on the board so get to work.” Ah, now that got everyone’s attention. He gave a smirk and strode around the room watching as this Ravenclaw added too much toadstool and that Hufflepuff was stirring counterclockwise instead of clockwise.

Taking a deep breath he started on his first victim. “Mr. Rouse are you completely incompetent? The directions clearly indicate that you add the Cornish Snouts after the Newts’ Eyes, not the other way around! Ten points from Hufflepuff!” He watched as the boy flushed and immediately retracted his hand from where he held the Cornish Snouts and immediately picked up the Newts’ Eyes instead. Satisfied Severus moved on trying to locate his next victim.

He would admit to those he was familiar with that he did have a very different teaching method with Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs compared to his Slytherins and the Gryffindors. Whereas with the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws he stopped their mistakes before they were applied, with Gryffindors he waited for them to completely ruin their potion then reprimanded them. He felt that the Gryffindors received far too much leniency from all the other professors that he would have t be the one to bring them back to earth before their egos floated them away. Though now admittedly he did have an exception for one Gryffindor, Harry, but he was hoping to install a little bit of Slytherin in the boy.

“Ms. Steins your incompetence astounds me! I thought Ravenclaws were to have more intelligence than what you are showing today! 10 points from Ravenclaw.” There he was starting to feel better already. A couple more points taken off here and there and I will be in a much better temper to deal with Harry tonight.

He smirked as he saw another Ravenclaws potion start to smoke, yes, just a few more points added with a detention!

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Draco awoke with a start at first confused at what had awoken him in the first place, that is until he heard the whimper and small noises coming from the other room. He slowly got to his feet trying to regain his equilibrium before stiffly making his way to where Harry lay. Argh he still felt absolutely horrible, he was completely stiff, though whether that was from sleep on the couch or from who knows what else he didn’t know, and he still felt completely exhausted.

Easing the bedroom door open he walked into the room and straight to the cot where a toddler was standing holding onto the edges calling to be let out of his prison. Harry smiled upon seeing Draco enter the room and lifted his arms up high to be lifted up which Draco did settling the boy against his chest before going back out to the couch and sitting down heavily.

“Harry,” he looked at the clock, “it has only been forty-five minutes kid, and we need more sleep than that! Do you see these bags under my eyes! And my complexion looks completely tacky with my light hair. Thus I have come to the conclusion that we need to sleep more.”

He found Harry wasn’t listening to him anymore but instead trying to reach for one of his stuffed animal that lay on the floor while still sitting in Draco’s lap. Oh well, can’t say I didn’t try.

“All right fine runt, I get it, you don’t care about looking good like I do, some of us have to put a little effort into looking the way we do, we don’t have that natural baby cuteness like you do anymore.” Draco leant down and retrieved the stuffed toy placing it next to Harry where he slid the boy onto the couch. “There, how about this, you play with this toy and I will go back to sleep. Sound good? Yeah I though so.”

Scooting up to the other end of the couch Draco lay out with every intent on falling back asleep. Eyes shut he felt himself being pulled into dreams just too feel himself being poked rather hard in his stomach. Peeking one eye open he saw the little miscreant that had dared to awake him once again.

“Harry, go play kid, I am trying to sleep.” He closed his eyes trying to ignore the talking toddler.

The next thing he knew there was a large weight on his stomach and hands touching his face, slightly wet hands that is. “Ew Harry!” It seems before touching Draco Harry had been sucking on his fingers as he was prone to do, something Draco didn’t seem to appreciate as Harry did.

“Dwaco pway?” Harry held up the stuffed toy and pushed it into Draco still lax hands. “Pway wif Hawwy?”

“No Harry, sleep, you know where you shut your eyes and don’t move.”

“Pway? Pwease?” This time Harry banged the toy don onto his chest to emphasize his point.

“No Harry, sleeeeeeep!” He hoped drawing out the word would help Harry to understand what he wanted but alas it was not to be as the toddler didn’t seem to care about what Draco wanted. “Fine! Play it is.”

It was only ten minutes later when Harry became bored as toddlers are prone to. Stopping his play Harry looked around the room, “Daddy?”

“Sorry Harry, Daddy is teaching potions. Remember potions Harry? He will be back soon.”

“No Daddy comes now!” Draco was going to answer in the negative again when he saw the tears building up in the boy’s eyes. Sighing he lifted the boy into his arms and held him to his chest.

“He will be back soon Harry. No need for tears he will come back.” He tried to stopper the tears but Harry was working himself up. While Draco knew Harry was going to notice Severus wasn’t around watching from a corner of the room, he was hoping he would have longer than ten minutes till he finally took notice to it. Harry was extremely insecure without Severus near by. While he could stand to be left with Draco for a little while, Harry felt completely safe with Severus especially after the fiasco with the ministry.

“He’ll come Harry, I promise you, he will come.”

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Severus was getting all ingredients and equipment back into place when there was a knock on his door.

“Enter!” He was in no mood to be kept any later. He knew Harry would have awoken from his nap a while ago and he didn’t want the boy in any more distress than he had to be. Separation wasn’t really an option at this point for the boy.

He scowled when he saw the intruders.

“We need to talk sir.”