~*~

Albus just nodded. "I have to accept this decision, even though I would hate to see Severus not being taught here at Hogwarts. If you ever need my help, you know where to find me." With that, he stood up. "I will inform the rest of the staff at seven. Please join us in the staff room if possible."

"Of course we will be there. They are old enough to look after themselves for an hour, but I'm not sure when the Healers from St. Mungo's will arrive. The Ministry insists on an examination of Severus and Harry by an official Healer," Poppy said and accompanied the headmaster to the fireplace.

"I hope everything will work out for the best. If the Ministry or the Healers make any problems, call me for help," Albus said.

"It won't be a problem. I already asked two Healers that I know very well to take this job, and they are very high ranked. I'm sure they will be the two coming over this evening. I will try to have them come around eight. The staff meeting will be over then, won't it?" Poppy asked.

"Yes, I don't think it will last longer than thirty minutes. I will see you two at seven," Albus replied and left through the Floo.

~*~

Severus went to Harry's room when his guardians and the headmaster released him. "Hey," he greeted Harry insecurely while stepping into the room.

"Hey, how are you?" Harry asked, worried.

Severus shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I hated being thirteen the first time, and I hate it again." Sadly, Severus let his head hang.

Harry sighed. "I know you don't want to hear this, and it is really selfish, but I'm glad that I'm not alone in this shit," Harry said.

"Language, Harry," Severus scolded, but it sound crazy, even to his own ears. Harry smirked.

"Oh, stop smirking!" Severus commanded, frustrated, while sitting down beside Harry on the bed.

"I think I like you even more now. You are funny," Harry stated, amused.

"Oh, great, exactly what I wished for. Entertaining Harry Potter," Severus said sarcastically.

Harry grinned even wider. "Yes, I definitely love you more as you are right now. The last few months were really depressing, you know?" Harry said, becoming more serious.

"Yes, I know," Severus said, sighing.

"We will manage going to school," Harry said not very convincingly.

"You have been going to school. What is the difference?" Severus asked, puzzled.

"Are you crazy? Look at me!" Harry exclaimed, angered. "I'm a small kid, and have to go to class with other small kids."

Severus snorted and let himself fall backwards onto Harry's bed. "You are only four years younger, Harry."

"Four years is an eternity," Harry said, letting himself fall down beside Severus with a sigh.

"It's not. Oh, and you don't have to attend second year classes. You are allowed to jump a year and join me in third year," Severus explained.

"Really?" Harry said, excited, and turned on his side to look at Severus. "That's great. We will be in the same classes."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, fantastic."

"Oh cheer up," Harry said and poked Severus in his ribs.

"Hey!" Severus protested and poked back. That was the signal for a battle, and soon they landed, fighting on the floor.

"What's going on here?" Alastor thundered, entering the room.

Immediately, both boys let go of each other and stood up. Severus' normally plain hair was ruffled, and Harry's looked even worse than it normally did. "Ehm...we were just playing."

"Playing?"Alastor looked skeptically from one boy to another.

"Yes, we were just playing." Severus pulled a face about the word 'playing' as if it was below his pride to even say such a word, let alone actually do it.

"If you two want to play, you could have played cards or chess or whatever, but fighting isn't a game I want you two playing. Is that clear? Fun or not, fighting is prohibited in the house and outside," Alastor said sternly.

"Yes, sir," Harry said immediately.

"Severus?" Alastor asked when the boy did not reply.

"Yes, sir," Severus mumbled.

"Good. I came to speak with you two about some things." Alastor pulled a chair close to the bed and indicated for the boys to sit down.

"Has Severus told you about Albus' decision to let you jump a year, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry answered, nervous about what Alastor wanted to talk about.

"And is that okay with you?" Alastor asked.

"Sure," Harry said, beaming. "I'm glad I can go to classes with Severus. I wish we were in the same house."

Severus snorted. "Potter in Slytherin."

"Hey, the hat almost sent me there, you know," Harry protested. "And I wasn't thinking about me being in Slytherin but you being in Gryffindor." Harry grinned at the shocked face.

"I would rather to go to hell than being a Gryffindork," Severus said, pulling a face.

"Severus," Alastor said warningly, which earned him a scowl from Severus. Alastor sighed. "There are rules Severus, and whether you like it or not, you will have to learn to follow them."

"Why? Why can't we just pretend that I am still adult?" Severus said, agitated.

"Because you aren't an adult, and you won't be one again for a while if what I know about potions is correct," Alastor said harshly. He regretted it immediately. "I'm sorry, Severus. I shouldn't have said that. The situation is something I have to get used to as well," Alastor said gently.

Severus looked down sadly, and Harry put an arm around his shoulders. "Hey, it's not as if there weren't rules before, right?"

"But it was different," Severus said sadly. "I always had the chance to leave," Severus said softly.

Alastor felt a stab in his heart, but tried to not show it. "Severus, you are right. There is a big difference, but it can't be helped. You are stuck with us for at least four years, but I would like you to remember that it was you who decided a long time ago to move in with us. It was you who still stayed when we set rules. That hasn't changed now. There will be other rules, and yes, there will be more rules now that you are a teenager. I'm sure you and Harry will be capable of handling them. There are also a lot of good things besides the rules, Severus. We will buy you two toys, magazines, or whatever you would like. We will make trips to Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, go out for ice cream, go flying and camping, play games, and whatever you two deem to be fun. There is no work to worry about, no Ministry, no St. Mungo's stressing you about brewing for them, and no Death Eater meetings or Voldemort anymore."

"Yes, but there is homework, rules, and...." Severus shuddered. "Punishments."

Alastor chuckled. "The last one can be avoided by following the rules, Severus."

"I'm not good with rules," Severus muttered.

"Yes, I know," Alastor said, grinning. "I promise to be lenient the first time so that the two of you can adjust to your new life."

Severus looked up skeptically. He knew that Alastor was a very strict man. He got into a lot of trouble with Alastor and Poppy for not following the rules the first time he lived with them. Especially the eating rules. Nevertheless, he stayed and even let Alastor and Poppy punish him with early bedtimes and timeouts in his room. They had even grounded him from brewing, and Severus had obeyed because he felt safe with them and knew that they would look after him when he unable to do it himself. Severus was very certain he would get in trouble with Alastor as a thirteen-year-old even more than as an adult, and a lenient Alastor was nothing Severus could imagine.

"Don't look so skeptical, Severus. I promise to try to remember that there are still some of your old memories in your head." Alastor became thoughtful again. "It's hard, you know? When I look at you two I just see two small kids, and you behave like you're twelve and thirteen."

"Poppy said they will go away," Severus said sadly.

"Not completely," Harry said, determined. "They will just go to the back of our minds, and we will need to search harder for them when we want to recall them."

Severus sighed.

"Let's just wait and see how everything develops. Maybe you two will even enjoy being young again," Alastor said, more cheerful.

Poppy came in and sat beside Severus on the bed. "What have I missed?"

"We just talked about rules in general, but we didn't go into detail yet," Alastor explained.

"Ah, okay. Of course, all the old rules stay intact. That means you will attend all meals with us on weekends, and during the week we will eat supper together. Our family hour is still at eight. The normal rules like 'no lying,' 'no hiding illnesses,' 'no hurting yourself,' and so on are still set as well." She paused and waited for the two heads to nod, which they did.

"In addition, there will be new rules. Number one is no fighting or rough playing," Alastor said sternly, and Poppy looked puzzled. When both boys nodded, Alastor went on, "There will be a bedtime set for you two. What would you suggest, Poppy?"

"I would say nine for Harry and nine-thirty for Severus during week and eleven for both on the weekend," Poppy said strictly.

"What?" both boys protested.

"I'm not a baby," added Severus rebelliously.

"You are thirteen, young man. You need more sleep than you needed at thirty-five," Poppy stated in her no-nonsense voice.

"I cannot sleep at nine-thirty," Severus said stubbornly.

"We will see," Poppy stated, smiling. "This is new for us as well, so it is possible that we will add new rules from time to time. But that's enough rule discussion for today. I would like to talk about next weekend. What would you two like to do?"

Severus looked blankly at Poppy, and Harry had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Ehm...maybe we could just go somewhere outside Hogwarts. Only the four of us," Harry suggested.

"That sounds good. What would your like to do or where would you like to go?" Alastor asked curiously.

"Hmm, maybe flying?" Harry looked questioningly at Severus. The adult Severus did not like flying, but maybe the young one did.

"I don't have a broom, but you can fly with Alastor. He is really good," Severus said in a neutral voice.

"Severus is very good at flying as well, Harry. You should have seen him in the last teacher's Quidditch match. He is a good Chaser," Alastor said cheerfully. "And the broom problem will be solved as soon as we visit Diagon Alley. Tomorrow is Sunday, but we will try to contact someone we know that has a clothing shop. We should be able to buy your new clothes."

Harry's face lit up, but Severus paled.

"I can buy my clothes myself, right?" Severus asked, already dreading the answer.

"Severus, your vaults are closed until you are of age again," Poppy explained. "We are your guardians now, and that means we will pay for whatever you need." She held up her hand when Severus opened his mouth to protest. "And we will love to do it."

"I will pay you back when I'm of age," Severus exclaimed, determined.

"Severus, really," Poppy said reproachfully, but Alastor held up his hand to silence her.

"If you still feel like paying us back then, you can do it, Severus," Alastor said diplomatically.

"Good, I will," Severus said, determined.

Poppy sighed. "Now that the plans are settled, I need to inform you about something else."

Both teens looked curiously at her.

"At eight, some officials from the Ministry will come over. They will most likely be accompanied by two Healers," Poppy explained. Seeing Severus' pale face, she quickly added, "There is nothing to be worried about. The Healers will just check you two through for any problems caused by the de-aging."

"I don't want to be examined by them. You already did so," Severus said miserably.

"Yes, me neither," Harry said pleadingly.

Poppy sighed. "We have no choice in this. I contacted two of my friends who are high Healers at St. Mungo's. They are very kind and you two will like them. Severus, you already know Healer Meyers and Alastor's Healer."

Harry relaxed a little, but Severus still looked shocked at Poppy.

"We will stay with you while they examine you if you want," Alastor explained. No damn Ministry worker will stop me, he thought, determined, when he saw the worried expression on his wife's face.

"Oh, my, look at the time," Poppy exclaimed and jumped up. "We need to eat supper. At seven, Alastor and I have to leave for a staff meeting."

________

"I won't let them touch me," Severus said, determined, and scowled at the ceiling of Harry's room. After supper, Harry and Severus had gone back to Harry's room. It was more comfortable for the two teenagers than Severus' meager room.

"You heard Poppy; there is no way around it," Harry said, sighing. "Just cooperate and then they will leave."

Severus snorted. "You are so naive, Harry."

"Why?" Harry asked, puzzled, and looked sideways at Severus.

"They won't leave us alone. If they find even one thing wrong, they will put us in St. Mungo's," Severus said bitterly.

"Alastor won't let them do that, and Poppy said the Healers are friends of hers," Harry said, determined. He was sure Alastor would keep them safe.

"Like I said, you are just naive," Severus stated.