The next day, after having breakfast and then making themselves presentable, Severus began preparing his small charge for venturing out into the castle proper. Although he would deny it—he did have a reputation to uphold, tiny boy or not—he was actually quite aware that Christmas was quickly approaching. Furthermore, he knew that the castle would be made up in preparation for the overly cheerful holiday, and would most likely be a treat for his younger counterpart to witness.

In addition to that self-sacrificing activity, he also needed to pay a visit to Madam Pince. He knew that the child had not reacted well to Minerva's presence, but he believed that with the right amount of training and explanation as to what the lad could expect, there was no reason for why this experience could not be a positive one.

The child was sitting next to him on the couch; legs not even long enough to dangle off the edge. Severus felt huge next to the small boy, and didn't like the feeling that he was looming dangerously over him, as it reminded him too much of his father. Thus, it was without further ado that he reached out and pulled the lad into his lap; using his arms as rails to prevent the child from falling. The last thing he needed was to have Dumbledore's smug all-knowing face looking at him and telling him he was no better than expected.

The small child was now curled up comfortably in Severus's lap, his bear held tightly in his own tiny arms as he waited with rapt attention for him to speak.

"Harry, do you know what a castle is?" He asked, looking down into expressive green eyes.

"Somewhere's big?" Was the innocent response.

"Correct," he allowed himself a small smirk as he reached out and touched the boy lightly on his tiny nose. "But this isn't just any castle; this is a magical castle. Can you guess what that might mean?"

He watched the small boy shake his head in the negative.

"It means that magical beings created this castle; making the very walls—as well as everything inside—magic, and capable of doing things that are unusual," he said slowly, trying to use smaller words in the hopes that the lad would understand.

"Like what?" The boy chirped excitedly.

"For example, the people in the paintings on the walls will talk to you. There are such things as moving staircases and even ghosts that inhabit this place."

The child's eyes were wide with wonder.

"And while most of the castle is harmless, that does not mean that everything will treat you nicely," he warned.

"Like Auntie?" The boy's voice was hushed and Severus could see fear in the green eyes that were still staring up at him.

"I should hope not," he replied, narrowing his eyes at the thought. "And if anyone or anything does treat you like that, you are to come to me immediately. Do you understand?"

A tiny nod.

"We are going to visit a friend of mine today. While we are out, you are not to leave my side at any time, for any reason. Can you do that?"

A small nod.

"My friend is a woman whose job is to take care of the castle's books. She takes her job very seriously, so you need to make sure not to touch anything without my express permission. In fact, that rule goes for wherever we are, castle or otherwise."

The child was nodding his head energetically at him.

"My angel told me to do what you says," the small child said, looking earnestly up at Severus.

"Your angel?" Severus asked, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.

"She brought me to you! She has red hair and—and eyes like mine!" The lad nodded his head excitedly, squeezing his bear tightly around its plushy middle as he did so.

Oh Lily, Severus thought with a sharp pang of emotion.

"What else did she tell you?" He asked carefully, wondering how much—if any—he should say regarding the identity of the lad's 'angel.'

The boy's face scrunched up tightly as he thought.

"She said—she said to listen, an' do what you said, an'—," the boy trailed off for a moment, briefly looking away for a moment. "And she said that she loves me." He was already curled up in Severus's lap, but after uttering this final statement, the small child brought his knees to his chest and put his arms around himself.

"Why don't no one alive love me?" The tiny boy asked timidly after a bit of silence.

Severus swallowed painfully; overly aware that he was far out of his field of experience when it came to the subject of love. The best he could do was to tell the lad the truths he knew about the child's abominable relatives and hope that it would be enough.

"You're referring to your relatives?"

The lad shrugged one small shoulder and laid his head tiredly on Severus's chest.

"I do not know them, but I do know that they are wretched excuses for human beings who ought not to be allowed to raise a head of lettuce, let alone a bright and creative child such as yourself."

Green eyes blinked up at him in surprise.

. . .

"Come," his Tall Man said, standing them up and pulling Harry up to rest on his hip. "Enough talk for now; we have things to do today."

As they went down the hallway, Harry watched in trepidation for signs of unknown magical danger that might somehow ambush him and his Tall Man. His bear looked at him worriedly and he tried to put on a brave face for his friend.

Around them, the portraits whispered to each other about the mystery child that was cradled within the Potions Master's arms. One portrait, featuring a man and a large boa constrictor, paid particularly close attention to them, watching them in what normally would have been an unobtrusive manner. However, in the sea of gawking faces and whispering parties, his silence and stillness resulted in quite the opposite of intended results; quickly drawing the small boy's attention and soon after, Severus's as well.

"It's not polite ta stare," Harry said softly, daring to speak to the portrait with the dark haired man and his snake.

Harry could feel his Tall Man stop mid-step and turn towards the painting that the tiny boy was currently conversing with.

"I believe that I could say the very same thing," the man stated slowly, curling a lip at them both in obvious disdain.

"Ardous, what are you complaining about now?" Severus asked in a voice that said he had dealt with the cranky man at least once before.

Oddly enough, Harry was not frightened by this man, even if he did seem to be rather unpleasant. After all, it's not as though a flat canvas could reach out and hurt him, could it?

And besides, he told Cap'n in private, my Tall Man said he'd keep me safe.

Truly, Severus's hold on him was a protective one; something that the small boy could feel as well as see. Perhaps he had only known his Tall Man for a few days, but since Severus was the first in his memory to actually treat him with care and honesty, it seemed almost natural that he already found himself unusually comfortable and trusting towards him.

"You should train your boy to have better manners. Children are to be seen and not heard," the man said, eyeing the child with a critical eye.

Harry waited for his Tall Man to argue that, 'no, he's not my boy,' but the man didn't say it. Curious, he looked away from the portrait and back up into the dark amber eyes of his Tall Man.

Huh, he thought to himself, looking down at his bear with a questioning look. The Dursleys jumped at every chance they had to renounce him as their own, but his Tall Man didn't. He gave the man a hesitant smile and dropped his head back on the dark robed shoulder that had started to feel somewhat familiar to the small child.

"Ardous, I would appreciate you keeping your comments to yourself," his Tall Man replied with a scathingly harsh glare.

They continued on down the hallway at a rather fast pace. Harry was glad for his soft perch against his Tall Man's chest. He knew all too well how easy it was to potentially lose one's guardian when they were walking quickly ahead. The Dursleys had nearly done it to him on more than one occasion back before he had become steady on his feet. Those memories still frightened him, and unconsciously he tightened his grip on both his bear and his Tall Man.

In turn, as though his Tall Man had noticed his sudden burst of anxiety, Severus's arm came up higher around him, and he felt a long fingered hand begin rubbing soothing patterns on his small back.

"That man has no kind words for anyone Harry. You are not the only one that has been harassed by his bitter tongue," his Tall Man told him when they were another floor above where the portrait had spoken to him.

"Who is he?" Little Harry asked with big eyes towards his guardian.

"Ardous Ogsworth."

"Who's dat?"

"Hogwart's Potions Master from over two hundred years ago. His portrait was painted about ten years into his tenure here; a decision that ultimately had turned out to be a very good thing, since man completely disappeared during a random potions' explosion during his seventh year advanced potions making class, only a few months afterwards."

"Where'd he go?" The small boy looked up in amazement at his Tall Man.

"According to the legend, the man had been gone by the time the smoke cleared, yet no one in any of the surrounding hallways had seen him leave," his Tall Man told him solemnly.

A chill went down the tiny lad's backbone and he shivered within his guardian's warm hold.

"That won't happen to you, will it?" He asked in trepidation, blinking fearfully up at the man.

"I am much more careful than that," the man said reassuringly, stooping to press a light kiss onto his permanently tousled head.

. . .

"I was wondering if I would ever see you again, Severus," the thin woman said by way of greeting to them.

Harry was more than a little awed by the sheer number of books present around them, and that combined with the anxiety of meeting someone new meant that he was currently hiding his face against his Tall Man's shoulder.

"Irma," his Tall Man responded, nodding his head with a smirk towards her.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"He's a bit shy, Irma," Severus warned.

"So am I," the woman replied with a sniff. "What's that he's got in his arms?"

"It's his bear," Severus answered with a small smile down at little Harry.

"What's his name?"

His Tall Man looked down at the small boy in his arms and asked in a soft voice, "Can you tell her yourself? Or do you want me to do it?"

The tiny boy looked back up hesitantly before stealing a glance over his shoulder at the patiently waiting woman standing beside them. He looked down at his bear and imagined that his friend was scowling at him. "I'm YOUR bear; not his!"

"His name is Capt'n," he said in a very quiet voice to his Tall Man's friend.

"A lovely name," the woman smiled a bit at him and he ducked his head shyly at the unexpected praise.

"My Tall Man named him," he whispered.

The woman's smile became more genuine at his admission and he felt himself relax a tiny bit.

. . .

Severus was proud that the child had found the courage to speak to the austere and imposing figure that was Hogwart's librarian. True, his cheeks had pinked a bit when the lad had referred to him as his, "Tall Man," but he had not had the heart to object to his terminology, given the boy's level of insecurity.

The visit had gone as well as Severus could have hoped, and they were heading out the door towards the Great Hall when a house elf appeared in front of them, successfully blocking their path.

At its sudden appearance before them, the small child in his arms let out a small cry and buried his face in Severus's robes once more.

At least the lad's not screaming this time, Severus thought with a glare down at the elf that had surprised them.

Severus rubbed a hand down his face wearily. House elves—especially ones that did not belong to him—tired him out to no end with their constant hand wringing and anxious fretting.

"Masters Snape sirs!" The creature squeaked in dismay from the sight of the professor's angry visage standing above him. "The Headmaster is requesting you and young master in his office!"

What could the old fool possibly want this time?

"Now?" He asked in a testy voice, rubbing a hand through his small charge's hair in a soothing manner that was in direct contrast to his angry tone of voice.

"That's what he be saying, sirs!" The creature gave a hasty bow and then retreated with a small pop of displaced air.

Severus sighed and then turned his small boy.

"The headmaster—the man you met yesterday with the long beard—has asked that we meet with him in his office. Can you manage a visit with him or shall I request for the meeting to be postponed until later?"

Green eyes blinked at him uncertainly.

"Will you be there wit' me?" The child whispered around bear that he had clutched tightly to his chest.

"Of course I will. I won't leave you."

"Not even for a little while?"

"Not even for a minute," Severus said, determined to show this boy that he could be trusted.

"Okay then," the lad nodded before putting his head back down on Severus's shoulder comfortably while they made the walk to the Headmaster's office.