Child's Play by libertineangel
Past Featured StorySummary: When Draco accidently uses a black curse on Harry and turns him into a baby, Dumbledore appoints Snape as his carer. Follow Harry's slow, strange journey back to fifteen - accompanied by Snape ...
Categories: Parental Snape > Guardian Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Draco, Dumbledore, Hermione, Lucius, McGonagall, Arthur, Molly, Remus, Ron, Sirius, Tonks, Voldemort
Snape Flavour: None
Genres: Angst, Drama, General, Hurt/Comfort
Media Type: None
Tags: Baby fic, Child fic, Deaging
Takes Place: 6th summer
Warnings: Alcohol Use
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 29 Completed: No Word count: 98036 Read: 169324 Published: 08 Aug 2006 Updated: 02 Sep 2008
Severus Railroaded by libertineangel

Harry was laying in a cot surrounded by high bars. The woman with the white hat, which now he knew was ‘Pomfy’, had spent ages prodding around at him and tickling him with various funny objects. Harry had thought she was playing with him at first – but then she had tricked him by distracting him with the spring-thing and putting some nasty medicine in his mouth. He had spat it back out again, wailing as loudly as he could, but she had repeated the process till it had gone. The funny thing was that Harry had fallen for the trick every time. Eventually she had put him down for a nap but Harry wasn’t tired. He lay looking up at the ceiling, trying to remember exactly what he was doing in such a funny place. He slurped on his hand as he was trying to remember and then kicked and punched at the bars in frustration when he couldn’t.

‘Settle down Harry,’ Madame Pomfrey said, though not unkindly. She had run every test she could think of on Harry but she still had not been able to come up with even a suitable plan for changing him back to himself. Harry blew a raspberry at her in response. ‘That’s enough of that, young man,’ she said. ‘You are very tired, go to sleep!’

‘Ga – doo – tie,’ Harry spat. He wasn’t tired! Madame Pomfrey had let him toddle around a bit before and he was desperate to revisit the cupboard where he had found lots of interesting bottles. Unfortunately Hermione, or ‘Mwione’, the bushy-haired girl, hadn’t been too keen on letting him grab any of them and it was at this point that a cot had been conjured and he had found himself put in it. Hermione had left to let him get some sleep. Effectively, Harry thought, ‘Pomfy’ was holding him prisoner; he began to scream again.

‘What am I going to do with you Harry?’ Madame Pomfrey said wincing at the loud screams of the boy-who-lived.

‘Ga – doo – tie’ Harry insisted as thought it was the most obvious thing in the world.

***

Later than evening Dumbledore was holding a very grave meeting with his potions Professor. He had also invited Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall in the hope that they would be able to back up the request he had had to make Severus Snape.

‘I have asked you to do a lot worse things Severus,’ Dumbledore said, ‘and you have always carried them out just as I have requested. I know I can rely on you.’

‘Headmaster,’ Snape snapped, with the desperate sense that he was being railroaded, ‘this is different. There are many people much more capable than me of taking care of Potter - his Godfather for example.’

‘Severus,’ Dumbledore said patiently, ‘you know as well as I do that Harry must not leave the safety of the castle, and there is no question that Sirius could leave headquarters. I do not even think it advisable at this stage that he be informed.’
‘Professor McGonagall then?’ Snape suggested. In any other circumstances he would feel triumphant at getting one up on Sirius Black, but as far as Potter was concerned he wouldn’t care if the insufferable pair ran away with each other.

‘Albus, you know that I would be happy to look after the boy until he is changed back,’ McGonagall said.

‘Excuse me Minerva – but if he’s changed back,’ Madame Pomfrey said tentatively. ‘It is becoming increasingly clear that Harry is under a very powerful curse.’

‘You don’t mean to tell me, Albus, that the boy may remain a child for the rest of his life?’ McGonagall said horrified.

‘I am hoping, Minerva, that Severus will be able to help us with that particular problem,’ Dumbledore said gravely. ‘This is magic of an extremely dark nature.’

Snape could not even bring himself to grimace at the unflattering insinuation in Dumbledore’s words. He had known almost from the moment he had heard that it had been Draco who cast the curse that he would be called upon to help Potter. Had it been a simple immaturing spell then Potter would have already been re-transformed and causing trouble back in Gryfinndor. As it was, it was some kind of tailored spell that would take a great deal of uncovering. He grit his teeth.

‘Headmaster,’ Snape said. ‘Whilst I am more than willing to help Potter’ – he almost choked on the words – ‘to transfigure back to his original self, I fail to see why being appointed as carer of the child would help …’

‘Come now Severus,’ Dumbledore said lightly, ‘you know as well as I that every minute spent with the subject is vital in the case of dark magic.’

‘Send him to a healer then,’ Snape said impatiently, ‘there are plenty capable at St. Mungos.’

‘If I do that then the ministry will be come involved – they will not hide Harry’s condition from the world, nor will they allow him to remain under the protection of Hogwarts. Harry would be too vulnerable to attack. Aside from that,’ he added carefully, ‘Draco would be questioned.’

Snape let Dumbledore’s words hang in the room. He knew that Dumbledore was right (when was he ever wrong?). He had seen the fear in Draco’s eyes when he had been questioned over the curse. There was no doubt in Snape’s mind that he had gained the spell from Lucius. If he had, and if it was discovered, the consequences for Draco could be terrible – particularly if Voldemort was made aware of it. The Dark Lord relied on Lucius’s position at the ministry and would not be pleased if he was sent to Azkaban for composing illegal magic.

But caring for Potter? Especially a screaming baby Potter? Even the thought was enough to make his stomach break into convulsions. Snape was not one do to something half-heartedly, and he knew if he was to find a cure he would have to spend every possible moment with the boy – true magic was not only about the ingredients in a potion, it was about the senses and finer symptoms, particularly when attempting to counter such a black curse; he would have to become close to the subject and his mind.

‘I won’t do it,’ Snape said stubbornly.

‘Severus,’ Dumbledore said, his voice just low enough to initiate the first pangs of guilt deep in Snape’s heart. ‘I know I have asked a lot of you in the past but think about the predicament we are in. Voldemort’ (Snape winced) ‘has come to power just as Harry has weakened. We cannot entrust anyone outside the order with such an important task and there is no-one better equipped than you within it to help him. Put aside your personal feelings and …’

‘I have no personal feelings about Potter,’ Snape interrupted sharply. He thought he heard a little snort escape from McGonagall. ‘I simply find him disobedient and insolent.’ Just like his father, he wanted to add.

‘Very well,’ said Dumbledore, the hint of a twinkle in his eye, ‘then you will agree?’

Snape wondered how he had been pushed to this point. ‘I know nothing of caring for children,’ he said. This was the absolute truth.

‘We will of course help you,’ Dumbledore said, sensing that the potions master had at last crumbled.

‘Of course we will,’ Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey agreed instantly.

‘Though Harry will stay with you until such a time as he can be cured, we will give you all the help you need to care for him,’ Dumbledore said. ‘I think you’ll find Miss Granger and Miss Weasley most obliging babysitters.’

Snape grimaced. ‘I am hoping, headmaster, that Potter will not remain his current age very long,’ he said. In fact he was going to make damn sure that Potter aged as quickly as humanly possible, particularly out of the stage where he either cried like a tortured grindylow or spoke complete and utter nonsense. He had a sudden thought. ‘How are you planning on keeping Potter’s state a secret?’

‘Yes,’ said McGonagall, ‘if we are to keep it from the ministry then we must also keep it from the students.’

‘The students from Slytherin, with the exception of Draco – whose input we may or may not need at a later date - have had their memories modified. In Gryfinndor the memories of all but Hermione and the Weasley children have been changed. The story that will be told to the rest of the school is that Harry has contracted a contagious muggle disease and has been quarantined for the foreseeable future. I leave it to you, Severus, to ensure that Mr Malfoy will not disclose our little secret.’

‘I will make sure of it,’ Snape replied wryly. He made up his mind to have quite a few words to say to Draco Malfoy when he finally had the chance to get his hands on him.

‘Very well then,’ Dumbledore said. ‘Poppy if you would be so kind as to get Mr Potter ready for Severus and then deliver him to his chambers.’

‘Yes headmaster,’ Poppy said, turning on her heel to leave.

‘And Minerva – would you be so good as to fill Hermione and the others in on what will occur from now?’

‘Of course, Albus.’

McGonagall, Snape noticed, had an annoying amused smile playing at her lips. He felt his bony shoulders tense as he realised that he was most probably at the end of it. When they were alone Dumbledore smiled at Snape.

‘I truly appreciate this Severus,’ he said. ‘Though Harry may not realise it this is not the first time you have come between him and disaster.’ Snape folded his arms unimpressed. ‘Perhaps,’ Dumbledore went on, ‘it may be what you both need to put the feelings of the past aside. In time Harry will be grateful as he realises the true extent of all you have done for him.’

Snape did not trust himself to respond. He did not want Potter’s ‘gratitude’, nor did he care anything for what may or may not happen to him. As far as he was concerned he was simply carrying out more of Dumbledore’s orders for the Order – rather like the way he might go to a death eater meeting (which he thought, at that moment, would be preferable).

‘If that is all, headmaster, I will go and make my chambers ready to receive the patient.’

Dumbledore nodded. ‘That is all Severus,’ he said a little sadly. As the potions master left his office and Dumbledore absentmindedly stroked Fawkes, his phoenix, he found himself wishing more ardently than ever that this time Harry and Severus may really be given the opportunity to lay aside their differences – for the good of them both.

***

‘Is there a purpose for all this – paraphernalia?’ Snape asked with a raised eyebrow. He surveyed his once sparsely decorated dungeon quarters. In one corner of the room was a huge wooden box filled with toys - or, in Snape’s opinion, the totally unnecessary and over-indulgent debris that Professor McGonagall had purchased from Hogsmeade earlier that afternoon. On his shelves his carefully arranged spell-books and potions had been replaced by baby wipes, some kind of white muggle powder, bottles, plastic cups and plates, towels for nappies, safety pins, romper suits and every other type of clothing a toddler of fifteen months might require. In fact the only things that Snape approved of were the playpen and cot, both of which had very high and unbreakable wooden bars.

Poppy Pomfrey smiled. ‘I’m sure you find it all has its uses Professor,’ she said. ‘Now is there anything you would like me to go over again?’

‘No thank-you,’ Snape said, ‘I’m sure I’ll manage.’ He had just spent the last forty minutes (or forty hours) listening to Madame Pomfrey’s instructions for looking after Potter and he was not about to let her start up again. In his opinion Harry was already being too coddled. He was sure that having children could not have ever been this much trouble for anyone before. From what he remembered from his own childhood, children were there to be seen and not heard and were definitely not there to be fussed or pandered to.

‘Remember Professor, Minerva and me are only a floo away if you should need us.’

Snape was just about to retort that he most definitely would not need anyone’s help dealing with Potter when Hermione Granger entered the room, the boy at her feet. She had been guiding Harry up and down the corridor after having found he was on the verge of walking, and she smiled as he toddled his way slowly into the chambers with only one of her fingers for support.

Harry was, for probably the first time that day, smiling. He had enjoyed finally being able to wander around with Hermione and had had fun half-tottering, half-crawling through the winding corridors. He was feeling very proud of himself as he was sure he had never walked so far before and Hermione had been telling him what a clever boy he was. As he entered the unfamiliar chambers, however, his smile faltered. He saw that the ‘bat-man’ stood at one end of the room looking down his hook nose at him. Harry didn’t know why but he had a funny angry feeling in his belly every time he looked at the greasy man. It was as though he had some reason to hate him.

‘Hello Harry,’ Madame Pomfrey said brightly, ‘how do you like your new rooms?’

‘Na – Da,’ Harry said bluntly, or Not at all. There were cobwebs hanging from the rafters and it appeared to him very dark and cold. He was just about to start bawling again when he spied a box of toys in the corner. After that he got very excited.
‘Mwione, Mwione,’ he managed, tugging her hand viciously and pointing in the direction of the toy-box.

Giggling slightly, Hermione followed Harry over to the toys. She was beginning to get used to ‘baby Harry’ and now that she knew he was not in any danger (at least for the time being) she had started to enjoy herself - after all he did make quite a sweet toddler.

Snape, however, was not impressed. ‘Shouldn’t Potter be going to bed soon?’ he said irritably. He wasn’t about to let the precious boy-who-lived be spoiled right under his nose.

‘No!’ shouted Harry, his ears pricking up at the word ‘bed’. ‘No’ was one of the few words he had mastered and he saved it mostly for the words ‘bath’, ‘bed’ and ‘nap’.

Snape was slightly taken aback at the forceful way Harry managed to spit out this word. Still it was Potter. He was just about to respond that he would do as he was told when Madame Pomfrey tactically intervened.

‘All babies of his age say “no” to everything,’ she said dismissively. ‘He’s been fed and bathed in the hospital wing but I would let him tire himself out a bit more. If he goes to bed now he will probably wake in the night.’

Satisfied that he was not about to be put back in prison Harry turned his attention back to the toy box. Snape decided for the moment to hold his tongue.

‘I’ll play with him for a bit, Professor,’ Hermione said, ‘if you have things to do?’ Harry had grasped a squawking stuffed canary from the toy-box and was in the process of strangling it with his small but vice-like fingers.’

‘Very well Miss Granger,’ Snape said through pursed lips, unwilling to show gratitude but glad of the opportunity to put off any interaction with Potter for longer, ‘I will be in my study for the next hour.’ With that he turned on his heel and left leaving Madame Pomfrey and Hermione to grin at each other.

As he sat at his desk trying to make a note of each and every black spell book he had ever laid eyes on, Snape couldn’t help but think that was going to be the longest term of his life.

To be continued...


This story archived at http://www.potionsandsnitches.org/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=1196