"Potter!"

"Lance!"

Two voices each called their runaways as two dark haired figures hurried across the expanse of green that was one of the main lawns in the park.

Snape caught up with his quarry and swung a protesting little boy into his arms.

"Pup-Pup!!" Harry squealed as he struggled to get free, reaching toward a large brown dog with a red collar that had now been captured by a young woman in blue jeans and t-shirt, her long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Stop the fuss, Potter. That is not Pup-Pup and you know it," Snape scolded. "And you do not take off like that. What are our park rules?"

But Harry was too busy squirming and trying to get down to worry about rules at the moment. "Pup-Pup!!!" he yelled again, this time with a hint of desperation in his voice.

The young woman, who looked to be in her early twenties, had snapped a matching red leash to the dog's collar and apparently the animal had had it's own slight scold if the drooped ears were anything to go by. Looking over at the man and toddler, Morgan stood up and led the dog toward Snape and Harry.

"I'm sorry if this rouge scared your little one," she apologized. "He tends to love kids and doesn't stop to think his size bothers some of them. Not to mention the fact he wasn't supposed to have slipped off while I was reading anyway." The pup whined slightly as if he knew he was being reprimanded.

Snape held Harry firmly and reassured the young woman. "Oh he's not scared by any means. Quite the opposite. . ." he got no further as Harry gave a sudden kick and wiggle and nearly pitched out of Snape's arms in his attempt to reach the dog now sitting so close.

"Stop that at once, young man!" Snape ordered as he rested a hand against the boy's bottom meaningfully.

Harry gave his captor an indignant look, but settled down with a pout.

Morgan laughed. "Ah yes, I see now. Well if you aren't opposed to letting him play a bit, I don't mind. And I know Lancelot would love it."

"Pup-Pup?" Harry queried.

Barely avoiding rolling his eyes, Snape attempted to explain. "He has a stuffed dog at home that very much resembles your dog. I'm afraid he thought it was his toy come to life and probably will insist on calling your pet Pup-Pup now."

Chuckling, Morgan shook her head. "My big boy will answer to about anything so long as he gets plenty of attention," she commented. "But his real name is Lancelot."

"Lance'lot?" the little voice asked making it sound like two words.

Morgan smiled and nodded. "Close enough. And what might your name be, since you know Lancelot now. I'm Morgan, by the way." She commented looking at Snape as she introduced herself.

The professor nearly smiled. Morgan and Lancelot. Now there was a combo. Before he could answer, Harry did the honors. "Harry," he announced and then pointed at Snape. "'Nape."

"'Nape?" Morgan couldn't quite keep back the grin.

Snape flushed and cleared his throat. "Snape he means. Severus Snape."

Harry nodded and grinned. "'Nape!"

Fighting not to laugh outright at the man and little boy, Morgan bit the instead of her jaw and nodded. "Well it's nice to meet both of you. I don't remember seeing you around before."

"We only started coming recently to the park," Snape answered, thinking to himself, like today being the start.

A squirm alerted them to the fact that Harry was still not thrilled about his confining position. Then the little boy gave voice to his wishes. "Down, 'Nape. Play with Lance'lot." Glancing up at the stern man, Harry added quickly, "Pwease?" and threw in a sweet smile to seal the deal.

Sighing, Snape gave Morgan a questioning look and at her nod he relented and set the child down. "Stay right here on the grass so I can see you," he directed.

Morgan unsnapped the leash again and added her own instructions to her pet. "Same goes for you, you pest. No teaching Harry to chase the ducks." She looked up at Snape with a sheepish smile. "Another of his favorite past times."

Snape chuckled. "You should try a rolled up newspaper," he suggested as he watched carefully as Harry launched himself onto the dog and received a thorough face washing from the pup's tongue which immediately set off the giggles from the child.

"You sound like my older brother," Morgan shook her head. "Lance is still just a pup for all his hulking size."

"Perhaps, but it's best to train animals and children from a young age. They have to be taught proper behavior," the professor stated as he headed toward a bench under a tree a few feet away. No need in standing around. He could sit and watch Potter and the dog just as well.

Morgan quirked an eyebrow as she followed and asked, "Are you a teacher, Mr. Snape?"

Smiling, the Potions Master nodded. "Yes, I am. Why?"

"I thought so. That was typical teacher comment," Morgan laughed. "So my pup and your son need more training, hmm?"

Snape blinked at the young woman's assumption. His son? Hardly! As if he would have that little. . .

"'Nape!! Look!!" Harry had managed to climb onto Lancelot's back and was sitting proudly.

"Potter, get down. That is a dog, not a pony!"

"Close enough to one that small," Morgan laughed. And then to help out she ordered, "Lancelot, sit!"

The chocolate colored canine responded and sat on command and a gleeful Harry slid down the pup's back and off with an excited, "Wheee!!" only to promptly try to scramble back up.

Snape shook his head. "And that was supposed to help?" he questioned.

Morgan grinned and shrugged.

Young people these days, the Potions Master thought to himself and remedied things by ordering, "Play with the dog, Potter. Do not climb on it again."

Giving Snape a scowl that clearly said he thought the man spoiled all his fun, Harry nodded and begin to run and play chase with Lancelot instead.

Morgan gave the man a curious look. "Your son said his name was Harry, yet you call him Potter. Is that like a nickname?"

"No, Potter is his last name," Snape answered. "And he is not my son."

"Oh." Morgan looked even more confused than ever. "Nephew?" she guessed. "You look alike."

Oh Merlin that was just great, Snape thought to himself, she thinks we look alike and must therefore be related. Still he wasn't going to go that route. "No, I'm his temporary guardian."

The young woman looked from the man to the little boy running and laughing on the grass. "His guardian? The poor little mite's got no folks?" When Snape shook his head, she went on, "Well it's plain to see it's not a major concern. He seems to adore you and is very happy and well adjusted. I suppose being so little it helps."

Snape blinked at the young woman's comments. But as he thought about it he realized that her insight wasn't far off. Potter was a well adjusted child. A bundle of mischief and stubbornness, but one that was learning to obey rules for a change, unlike his older self. "Yes, I think being little does help," he answered truthfully.

After allowing Harry and Lancelot to play for about half an hour, Snape announced that they needed to go. At first Harry wanted to protest, but a stern look made him stop. Morgan tried to ease things by telling the little boy that she had to get back to her home and take care of Lancelot and study.

"But I am here every Friday afternoon if the weather is nice," she informed them. "My classes are over at lunchtime on Friday's and Lancelot and I like to start the weekend with a romp in the park and some fun."

"I come play!" Harry promised.

"You do that, sweetie," Morgan smiled and ruffled the little one's hair. "Lance and I will look forward to it." After stating again how nice it was to meet them, Morgan jogged off down the path, her ponytail swinging and Lancelot bouncing along at her side.

Once they were gone, Harry held up his arms to Snape. "Up, 'Nape," he directed.

"Not tired are you, Potter?" the man questioned.

"No, no bed," the little boy asserted, just in case Snape had any ideas. But the dark head was laid on Snape's shoulder as they started back through the park.

Chuckling, Snape, held the little boy in his arms. "No, it's not bedtime just yet, Harry." No, first we have dinner and then the fun of a bath, the professor thought to himself, holding back a slight groan. Still, the first foray to the park had been a success.

oooooooooo

"And she had a doggie like Pup-Pup only bigger and named Lance'lot," Harry was explaining to Professor McGonagall as he sat at the table in Snape's dining area, little legs swinging excitedly and a cookie held in his right hand. The toddler was still thrilled about the happenings of the afternoon before and when his Aunt Min had shown up for tea, Harry hadn't missed the chance to relate his latest adventures to the witch.

"Well that is a good name for a good guard dog," McGonagall smiled as she looked at the animated little face. "It sounds as though you made some nice new friends on your outing."

"We did!" Harry asserted, taking a bite of his cookie and chewing it for a moment before talking around the mouthful. "We sawed ducks too."

Shaking his head, Snape reached over and wiped up the crumbs. "Manners, little boy," he reminded. "Finish chewing and swallow before anymore talking. And the word is simply saw, not sawed."

Harry gave Snape an apologetic little smile but did as he was told.

"It would seem that a trip to the park was a good thing," Minerva stated calmly, glancing over at Severus and sipping her tea even while her look was clearly saying, 'I told you so.' As the younger wizard narrowed his eyes slightly, Minerva looked away before she gave in to a laugh.

Having fulfilled the requirements set out by Snape, Harry burst forth with another announcement. "And we're going every Friday now. Aren't we, 'Nape?" Green eyes turned to the Potions Master as if never doubting the agreement to what was obviously such a fun time.

"We will see, Potter," Snape remarked dryly, ignoring the soft chuckle from his colleague and tormentor.

ooooooooo

"Hurry, 'Nape!! We be late!" Harry tugged on the man's hand.

"Settle down, Potter, we will not be late. We have no scheduled time to be there," the Potions Master stated. It was their second visit to the park and his young charge was just as eager to go this time, if not more so, now that he knew he would have a four legged friend to play with.

"Wanna see Lance'lot!" the little boy declared emphatically. "Hurry up!!"

An eyebrow arched at the last comment and Snape stopped. "We will be going back to school instead of on to the park if you do not control your impatience and remember your manners," he warned sternly. "You do not tell me to hurry up."

Harry pouted but nodded. It was yet another thing that didn't seem fair to the toddler. Snape told him to hurry, why didn't it work both ways? Still the little boy wasn't about to risk not seeing his new friends so when Snape begin walking again, Harry behaved himself and didn't tug on the man's hand again. In fact he was so good that he didn't even yank free and take off across the grass when he spotted Morgan and her dog a few minutes later. Instead he yelled.

"Lance'lot!!!"

Morgan turned at the child's cry and smiled as she saw the man and boy headed their way. Lancelot gave a welcoming bark and pulled on his leash, but his mistress made him wait until Harry and Snape were much closer to their bench before unsnapping the restraining strip of leather.

Pup and little boy met each other in excitement, Lancelot bowling Harry over in greeting. Morgan laughed at the happy squeals and friendly woofs and then looked at Snape. "Hello again, Mr. . .hmm. . .Professor Snape," she corrected herself with a smile.

Snape nodded at the young woman as he took a seat on the bench. "Hello."

"I wondered if you would come since it was cloudy and cooler today," Morgan commented, smiling as Harry, dressed in his cape and warmer clothes, gave her a wave as he and Lancelot streaked past.

"It was debatable," the wizard answered. "But I agreed since we will soon be forced to stop coming once winter makes its presence known."

"Aw, that's a shame," Morgan lamented. "It's fun to play in the snow here. I bet Harry would love to build a snowman or throw snowballs for Lancelot to chase."

"I am sure he would. But what a child wants he does not necessarily get," was the response.

Morgan shook her dark head. "You are one tough and strict guardian," she observed.

"You have no idea," Snape returned, but there was a hint of a smile playing about his mouth.

Spotting the trace of amusement, Morgan laughed and teased. "So unless it's totally freezing, one of us is sick, or there's a blizzard, we'll see you during the winter?"

Snape looked at the young woman for a long moment. "Probably," he conceded, causing Morgan to laugh more.

The two adults spent the next bit of the afternoon chatting and watching Harry and Lancelot play until the shadows started to lengthen.

Snape was about to call a halt to the fun when Harry came over voluntarily. Surprised but pleased at the little boy's willingness to leave, Snape noted a slight flush to the child's face but attributed it to all the running until a small finger beckoned him to lean closer. The man couldn't help but smile as the little boy whispered the problem in his ear. "Don't worry," he whispered back. "We'll fix it."

Harry bit his lip and hid his face against Snape for a moment, not wanting Morgan to think he wasn't a big boy.

Seeing a slight dampness on Harry's trousers and knowing that neither boy nor pup was allowed near the duck pond, Morgan guessed the possible reason for the little boy's distress. The young woman reached over and patted Harry gently on the top of the head. "Thank you again for playing with Lancelot, Harry. I know he enjoyed it as usual. We will see you boys next week." With a smile she hooked Lancelot's leash to his collar and took her leave, giving Snape and Harry their privacy.

"I not mean to, 'Nape," Harry stated tearfully. He was worried about being scolded but also the fact of looking like a baby weighed on his little mind.

"I know you didn't, Harry," Severus responded and took the little hand in his. "It was just an accident. Next time you and I will have to remember to stop sooner or make very sure you go to the bathroom before we meet Morgan and Lancelot. Let's go home now."

Feeling a bit better now that Snape wasn't upset with him, Harry allowed himself to be led through the paths in the park and back to the apparation point.