Never Too Late by Rosaleen
Past Featured StorySummary: The Hogwarts Headmaster enlists some help to give Harry and Severus something they missed out on.
Categories: Big Brother Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Dumbledore, Hagrid, McGonagall, Molly, Original Character, Remus
Snape Flavour: None
Genres: Angst, Drama
Media Type: None
Tags: Child fic, Deaging
Takes Place: None
Warnings: Abusive Dursleys, Alcohol Use
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 26 Completed: No Word count: 42164 Read: 168301 Published: 31 Jan 2005 Updated: 10 Aug 2007
Good Advice by Rosaleen
Author's Notes:
DISCLAIMER: JKR owns all.

The next morning, Albus awoke to the sound of Severus singing in his cot. The thought of the expression on an adult Snape’s face if he told him how he’d loved to sing as a toddler amused Dumbledore for a moment before his thoughts turned to the worrying issue about Harry.

The child in question was still sound asleep and the Headmaster thought it best to leave him that way a while longer, at least until he had time to ready Severus for his day with McGonagall.

Fortunately, Severus was in very good spirits and didn’t even complain at having his face washed, a task which normally caused protest. Albus was about to put a nappy on the child when Severus stopped him.

“No, I go to toyet like big boy.”

Albus smiled and set the child on the toilet. Severus got a lot of praise and cuddles when he’d finished.

Minerva was very proud when she heard the news. They had recently been given some instructions from Madame Pomfrey on potty/toilet training and knew to keep a relaxed atmosphere and let each child take it at his own pace. Minerva told Severus that he could wear his “big boy pants” and only wear the nappy for his afternoon sleep. She knew to take him to the toilet regularly to let him get used to it.

Somehow the two managed to get the now rather excited child dressed and ready to leave.

“Well, I think that’s everything, little one,” beamed Albus, “Be a good boy for Minerva, won’t you?”

Severus nodded and leaned into Albus for another kiss and cuddle before Minerva took his hand and they left.

Meanwhile Harry had been left in the bedroom, still fast asleep and under the watchful eye of Sparkle, the Headmaster’s house-elf. Albus went to wash and dress for the day and had just finished when he heard a crack, which made him jump.

“Sparkle is sorry for scaring Headmaster Dumbledore but Harry Potter is very upset. He is crying for you, Headmaster sir”.

“Oh dear,” said Dumbledore and rushed back into his bedroom.

Harry was sitting up in bed crying with his small hands covering his face.

“Harry, Harry?” called the old wizard as he approached the child, “Come here. It’s all right child. I’m here. I’m here”.

At the sound of the Headmaster’s voice Harry threw himself forward, almost falling off the bed, in an attempt to get to him. It was only Dumbledore’s quick reflexes which prevented this.

“Shhhh,” soothed Albus, “Shhhh. It’s all right. I didn’t leave you. I am not going to leave you I promise. Shhhh, little child”.

As the old man spoke in his softest and warmest tones, he rocked Harry back and forth and stroked the messy raven locks. It took several long moments of comforting before the little boy relinquished his death grip on Dumbledore. Only then were the matters of dressing and breakfast suggested. Sparkle brought a tray to the bedroom and Harry ate a little.

It became clear to Dumbledore that he was not going to get far that day without a little wizard clinging to his robes. He made a mental note not to turn around or step back too quickly. He simply picked Harry up as he indulged in some pacing and thinking, one of his habits. Harry didn’t seem to mind. He found the closeness reassuring.

As a direct result of the pacing and thinking, Dumbledore made up his mind to write to Madam Pomfrey and ask her advice on dealing with an extremely clingy, frightened toddler. He sent Fawkes with the note, feeling that he’d get a faster response.

He did. By mid morning he had received an answer telling him to let Harry cling for now and gradually try to distract him with toys and activities. There was great emphasis placed on neither adult breaking Harry’s fragile trust and always to return when they said they would.

“Easier said than done,” Albus was uncharacteristically glum as he watched the toddler sitting at his feet. The child was holding a handful of Dumbledore’s robes and sucking the thumb of his free hand. Dumbledore had never seen Harry suck his thumb before, even when he slept. He surmised that this was what Muggle mind healing books called “regression”. It did not lighten his mood but it caused him to pen another quick note to Minerva about possible mind healers for the children.

“Would you like to go outside, Harry?” Dumbledore finally asked in a bid to regain the boy’s attention. For the first time that morning he saw the glimmer of curiosity in those anxious green eyes.

“We could play a little Quidditch and use that wonderful Gryffindor kite Minerva got you. We could go and see Hagrid, too!”.

Harry agreed and allowed Albus to dress him in a warm outdoor robe.

The outdoor trip was relatively successful. Harry did enjoy zooming around on his toy broom as long as Albus was in his sights. The two-year-old demonstrated incredible skill in staying upright on the broom. It was a clear indication of his future Quidditch talent. Albus briefly wondered if James Potter was smiling down on his young son as he flew.

The kite flying was not quite as successful, however. Harry refused to leave the Headmaster’s side. At one point, Dumbledore had moved out to give the red and gold lion room to take off and was almost bowled over by the hysterical toddler gripping him around the legs.

“Child, it’s all right. I’m not leaving you. I just needed to let the kite go up into the sky. Look at it up in the air. Isn’t it pretty? Come on, darling, shhh”.

Somehow, after many soft platitudes, Harry finally calmed a little. Albus decided to postpone their trip to Hagrid’s hut for the time being.

“Come on, my sweetie. Let’s go back inside and have some lunch and then a little sleep for you, I think,” Dumbledore carried Harry back to his tower.

Harry slept fitfully that afternoon, in and out of bad dreams. Albus finally conjured a desk in the bedroom to attend to his paperwork when he was not comforting the baby.

As often happens when a young child’s sleep is upset, Harry awoke still anxious. He lay in Albus’s arms while the old man sang to him and read him stories in an effort to relax him. By the time McGonagall returned with a rather sleepy looking Severus, Albus was extremely worried about Harry.

Severus ran to Albus and reached his arms up to be held. Harry, who was sitting beside the old man, one hand still clutching his robes, began to cry.

“Harry, it’s fine love. I’m just going to hold Severus for a while. I haven’t seen him all day. I am not going anywhere, all right?”

Severus cuddled into Dumbledore’s embrace and this upset Harry more.

“Harry, come to me, darling. I haven’t seen my green-eyed baby all day, have I? Come here, pet,” Minerva cooed.

It took a lot of persuasion but McGonagall was finally able to hold Harry, though he still kept a watchful eye on Dumbledore.

“Minerva, we need to have a chat later,” Albus said, his face grave.

“Don’t fret, Albus. We will work something out. I got your note and have been thinking about it. Let’s just get the children settled into bed first.

It took a little while to accomplish this task but soon, they were both sitting by the fire with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate.

“I am beginning to feel a little out of my depth, Minerva,” Dumbledore confessed, “As terrible memories return to the children, the nightmares get worse. We’ve seen it with Severus and now Harry. They are too young to explain the dreams fully and I cannot use Legilemency on babies. It would damage their developing minds”.

McGonagall looked thoughtful, “I read something in one of your childcare books, Albus. I think it might be the answer. It is a Muggle, idea, I believe, “Play Psychology” or something like that.”

“Play Therapy,” corrected Dumbledore, “Yes, I remember reading about that. Let me just check.” He called his books to him and began to flip through them.

“Children use play to face their difficulties and cope with their lives,” he read, “As they play, they try things out, as they are, as they were and as they WANT them to be. Through play, children begin to get a sense of control over what happens to them.”

“Hmm, I had never realised how important play was for children until you de-aged Severus and Harry,” Minerva interjected, “Then I heard Harry say to his teddy not to be naughty or he'd be thrown into the Big Dark.”

“I take that to mean the cupboard the Dursleys made him sleep in,” said Albus, “He has been having a lot of bad dreams about it and he wakes up begging me not to out him in the Big Dark for being noisy, the poor child.”

“Albus, I think what you said in your note was right. It is time we got some professional help for the children,” McGonagall said carefully.

“Yes, I agree, Minerva,” he responded, “However, I don't know of any Healers who specialise in Play Therapy. It is too dangerous to check at St Mungo's, besides, if it is a Muggle treatment, it may not be used in the wizarding world at all. We need Healers who are prepared to mix magical and Muggle treatments and who will keep the children's identities a secret.”

Minerva looked lost in thought for a moment and then her face brightened, “Well, what about the Healers in Hogsmeade, James and Jeffrey Barnes? They cared for Severus a few times when he came back from spy missions, didn't they? I'm sure they would be more than discreet. We could make plans for the children to see them after Harry’s birthday”

“Of course!” Dumbledore clapped his hands, “Well done, my dear! You are always one step ahead.” he leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek.

“A good thing Severus is in bed,” she said dryly.

To be continued...
End Notes:
Jeffrey and James Barnes are the wonderful creations of Raven Dancer. I hope to do them justice later in this story :)


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