Severus awoke the next morning in his child-sized bed in the bedroom he now shared with Alby.

He blinked, puzzled.

He didn't remember going to bed last night.

In fact, the last thing he remembered was being at the Burrow listening to George tell amusing stories about his and Fred's earlier exploits.

All the children had sat in the floor, except for him, Rose, Alby, and Scorpius.

The Weasley and Potter four year olds had automatically crawled into their mother's laps, while the Malfoy scion had crawled into his father's...

He remembered Harry-Potter-picking him up at one point and sitting him on his lap, as well.

Something about not wanting him to get trampled or some such foolishness...

He'd tried to squirm down, naturally, but eventually complied and simply sat there to listen.

And then...

Oh, no! Surely not!

Severus' black eyes widened in horror.

No! ... NO! ... NO!

Surely...surely he hadn't actually fallen asleep on Potter's lap!

Even worse...surely the annoying boy--uh, man--hadn't actually carried him home!

And...worst of all...surely he hadn't...hadn't...hadn't tucked him into bed!

But how else could he have gotten here? And in his pajamas, as well!

Severus groaned silently in mortification, clutching Mimic even harder.

Hadn't he suffered enough indignities yesterday for one lifetime?!

Hadn't he had to relive his schooldays?

Gotten into a bloody brawl with Black? (Humph, try saying that ten times fast!)

And been given a lecture-of all things!-by his former student!?

Then, to top it all off, he had been made to actually apologize to that miserable, flea-bitten mutt!

Severus felt tears prickle his eyes as he remembered the heinous words that had spewed from Black's mouth.

Despite what Harry-Potter-had said, he still didn't trust the mutt as far as he could throw him...

But he couldn't deny a part of him wondered if he was right?

If-when-Lily returned, what was to stop things from going in the same direction this time?

He did not see his interests in the Darks Arts waning anytime soon, especially given his new guardian was the Defense Professor at Hogwarts.

James Sirius Lupin was, indeed, James Potter reborn.

He'd liked the Lily the moment he saw her all those years ago, though he would have never coped to it in a million years.

What was to stop him from fancying her this time? And if Black had anything to do with it...he would!

A lone tear prickled down his cheek. No, he'd lost her once...twice...he would not lose her a third time!

But he needed to be sure!

Absolutely, one hundred percent, beyond a shadow of a doubt, sure things would be different.

Potter’s words notwithstanding, he still didn't quite trust the man, in fact he didn't quite trust anybody living at the moment.

Which meant he would need the reassurance from someone not living at the moment...and there was only one person he trusted most in all the world.

Lily.

He would go see Lily...or at least her grave.

She'd appeared to him once, maybe, somehow, he could get her to appear before him again.

Getting up out of bed, he tip-toed over to his dresser and quickly got himself some clothes, clean underwear, and socks.

Then, with Mimic in hand, he made his way down the hall to the loo.

Knowing that a shower would no doubt awaken the Potters, and not to mention he could not quite reach the knobs to turn it on, he opted for simply washing his face with a wet cloth.

Using the step-stool that he had been told was specifically for his and Alby's use ("We don't want you climbing," Potter had told him. "You could fall and break something.") he reached the sink without difficulty.

After washing his face, he brushed his teeth, and then brushed his hair.

Hopping down, he took off his pajamas and old underwear and tossed both into the hamper.

Putting on the clean boxers and socks, he put on a pair of blue jeans and a green t-shirt.

Unfortunately, he realized too late, he'd left his shoes in the bedroom.

"Damn it," he muttered, and then winced.

He glanced up, almost expecting Potter to be there with a frown on his face.

He breathed a sigh of relief when no sound of footsteps was heard, and quickly tip-toed back out of the bathroom and to the bedroom.

He had to hunt for one of his new tennis shoes, as it had somehow been kicked under the bed.

Probably by Potter last night, he thought as he climbed under the bed to retrieve it, when he tucked me in. I swear, he lives to torment me!

Managing to get it, he scooted out from under his bed...unfortunately, not without managing to bump his head a good one.

His hissed with pain, biting back an epitaph.

"Sev'rus?" a small voice asked, and he looked to find Alby's emerald orbs staring at him.

Severus bit back another curse.

He hadn't meant to wake the four year old, knowing he needed his rest.

"Shh, Alby," he said, quickly putting on both his shoes. "You'll wake your mum and dad."

The Potter child sat up, his black hair as dishevelled as his father's usually had been, and continued to stare at him in puzzlement.

"What'cha doin', Sev'rus?" Alby asked him, curiously.

"I'm going to visit a friend, Alby," Severus told him gently. "Just lie down and go back to sleep."

"Mummy and Daddy don't like me goin' places 'lone, Sev'rus," Alby told him, seriously. "Not supposed to wander off..."

"That's you," Severus reminded him, rolling his eyes. "You're their son. I'm...I'm just their charity case."

"Huh?" Alby said, clearly not understanding.

"Don't worry about it," Severus said, resisting the urge to sigh. Alby was only four, after all.

"Y-You're not runnin' away, huh?" Alby blinked back tears. "Jamie said he thought about runnin' 'way afore. I don't want'cha to run away, Sev'rus! I like havin' a brudder!"

"Shhh," Severus hissed at him again. "I'm not running away, Alby. I promise. I have nowhere to run to. I'm just going to visit an old friend down the street."

"O-Okay," Alby said, swallowing. "Daddy will probably be mad, though."

Severus snorted.

"Turnabout is fair play," he muttered, and then picked up Mimic. "I'll be back in just a bit. I swear."

With that, he exited the room and made his way downstairs.

Being as quiet as he could,  he used his magic to open the locks and then quickly opened the front door.

Dashing out of it, he shut it with great care and then headed out of the front gate and down toward the cemetery.

He wasn't really sure what he'd find when he got there, but he was sure there must be a way for him to speak to Lily again.

There had to be.

Arriving at the Potters' graves, he glanced to the one beside Lily and shuddered a bit.

It was strange to think he had been dead only yesterday.

Something sparkled in the corner of his eye and he glanced back to James and Lily's combined graves.

Narrowing his eyes, Mimic clutched tightly to him, he stepped forward to see what it was.

A small green stone sat upon it--a stone he recognized all too well.

The Resurrection Stone!

But...how had it gotten there? And why would it be here of all places?

Reaching out, he picked it up in his small hand and grasped it tightly.

Closing his eyes, he thought only of Lily.

Opening his eyes, he smiled.

Standing before him was the woman he had loved since he was just a child...the first time.

Lily frowned at him.

"Severus Tobias Snape, you do beat all!" she scolded him, familiarly. "Harry and Ginny are going to be out of their minds with worry, I hope you know."

"Over me?" Severus snorted. "Highly doubtful."

Lily sighed. "Sev," she said, kneeling down. "I know why you wanted to speak to me."

Severus' eyes widened. "You do?!" he asked, amazed.

Lily smiled, and nodded.

"I do," she told him, "which is why I arranged for the Stone to be here. I can't keep using Harry...it drains him."

"Then, you know what Black said," Severus told her. "You know what he said would happen."

"I also know what Harry said to you, too," Lily told him. "Why did you lie to him?"

"I didn't!" Severus exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Didn't you?" Lily asked him, shrewdly. "You told him you wouldn't believe Sirius as far as you could throw him...and yet here you are."

Severus glanced down at the ground.

"I just needed to know for sure," he told him, glancing back up into her emerald gaze. "Please, Lily, tell me things will be different this time."

"Oh, Sev," Lily said, softly. "Of course they will. Things have been arranged so that they will."

"I don't understand," Severus told her, honestly.

"James won't love me this time, Sev," Lily assured him. "There's another love for him now."

"And you'll...love me...as much as I love you?" Severus asked, hopefully.

"I've always loved you, Sev," Lily reminded him, "but if you mean will I marry you this time when we're ready again...then, yes."

Severus felt tears well in his eyes. "T-Thank you," he whispered.

"But that is for when we are grown again," Lily reminded him, gently. "We'll be the best of friends, as children."

"We always were," Severus said, smirking.

"But, Sev," Lily told him. "You must let go of the past. And I don't just mean this stupid war between you and Sirius. You have to start trusting Harry, Sev. He cares for you. He wants to love you. Please, let him."

"He loves me?" Severus asked, stunned.

"He wants to love you just as much as he loves Alby," Lily told him, gently. "But it works both ways, Sev. You must care for him, too. You must let him love you."

"I, uh, I will...try," Severus said, swallowing. "I swear, Lily. I'll try."

Lily smiled.

"That's good," she told him, glancing past him. "Remember that in the next few seconds. All right?"

"I don't understand," Severus said, frowning.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" a sharp, male voice called out, causing him to jump about a foot in the air.

The Resurrection Stone slipped from his grasp and, with one final smile for him, Lily faded away.

Severus spun around.

Standing not more than a few feet away was a very, very unhappy Harry Potter.

...

Early morning was when the Lupin household was at its quietest. This morning was no different.

Laying in his new bed in-between Teddy and Jamie, Sirius stared up at the ceiling.

"S-Siri," Jamie whispered beside him. "A-Are you awake?"

Sirius turned on his side.

His bottom, much to his dismay, was fine by the time bedtime rolled around.

How was he supposed to hold onto his righteous indignity at what Moony had done if his bum didn't cooperate and stay sore?!

"Yeah, mate," Sirius whispered back, not wanting to awaken Teddy.

Jamie bit his lip, something he did whenever he wasn't sure what to say or do. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Sirius frowned. Getting up, he quickly dashed from his bed to the younger boy’s.

Climbing in, as he and James had often done whenever he'd stayed at James house, he propped himself up on his elbow.

"What for?" he asked Jamie, curiously. He didn't remember Jamie doing anything to him last night.

"For not defendin' ya ta Dad," Jamie told him.

"Oh, that," Sirius said, snorting. "Not much good it’d have done, mate, your dad was sure determined to wallop me."

"Yeah, he really doesn't like bullying," Jamie told him, quietly. "Said no sons of his are gonna pick on people just cuz they can."

"He has changed," Sirius said, shaking his head. "Not the old Moony, at all."

"Huh?" Jamie asked, clearly puzzled.

"Oh, uh, well," Sirius said, thinking things through. "Your dad and my dad were old school friends. My dad told me how your dad didn't mind if him and a couple other mates played pranks and things."

"Dad says that we're supposed to give everybody the benefit of the doubt," Jamie said, "even if we don't like them much."

Sirius smirked. "That’s 'bout what he told me last night after he walloped me," he told him.

"Does it still hurt?" Jamie asked, curiously.

"Nah," Sirius said, smiling. "I'll be right as rain today."

Jamie giggled at that. "You’re funny, Siri," he told him. "I'm really glad you’re going to be my brother, too."

Sirius had always considered James like a brother, so this sentiment he could relate to all too well.

"Me, too," he told him, gently.

"Me, three!" Teddy exclaimed, pouncing on top of them all of sudden.

This, naturally, caused a small wrestling match that ended up on the floor.

"Must you lot always wake up like a pack of wild heathens?" a voice asked, causing them all to look up.

Remus stood there, in his bathrobe, smiling down at them.

"Mornin', Dad," Teddy and Jamie called out while Sirius said, "Mornin', Moony!"

Disentangling themselves from each other, the three boys stood up.

"Has Mum gone to work, Dad?" Teddy asked, his hair turning bright purple (which was his 'curious' look.)

"Yep, it's just us fellas today," Remus told him, winking. "What would you three like for breakfast?"

Teddy and Jamie both smiled brightly and said at the same time, "Flap-jacks!"

Sirius smiled. He LOVED Moony's flap-jacks.

"Yeah, yeah!" he chorused his new brothers, nodding excitedly.

Remus laughed.

"All right," he told them. "Teddy, Jamie, run on down and start getting the stuff ready. I want to talk to Sirius a minute."

"Sure thing, Dad," his two sons hollered and then rushed down the stairs for the kitchen.

Remus knelt down. "You okay?" he asked him, curiously.

Sirius reached back to rub his bum. "I may never sit down again," he told him, groaning dramatically.

Remus snorted.

"You little whelp!" he told him, ruffling his hair and tickling his belly. "You’re such a ham and always have been!"

Sirius giggled, smiling. "But you love me, anyway," he said, glancing hesitantly. "Right?"

"Always," Remus told him, pulling him into a quick hug.

Sirius enjoyed the hug, but then remembered he was still supposed to be miffed at his 'unjust' treatment and squirmed 'til Remus let go.

"You know the only reason I did what I did last night was because I love you, pup," Remus told him, seriously. "I know you didn't have the most orthodox childhood the first time around..."

Sirius snorted. "No kiddin'," he muttered, sourly.

"And I want better for you this time," Remus told him. "But with that comes things like rules, pup. Rules you have to obey and when you don't..."

"I know," Sirius said, rubbing again. "I know."

"Now, I know I told you what would happen if you disobeyed me about Severus," Remus told him, "but I think I need to go into a bit more detail about what our rules are around here."

Sirius sighed. "Can't it wait 'til after breakfast?" he asked, hopefully.

Remus smirked. "I suppose it can," he told him, gently. "But we will be discussing it. Okay?"

Sirius nodded, smiling. "Sure thing, Moony."

Remus laughed. "C'mon, Scamp," he told him, standing back up. "Let's go make those flap-jacks!"

Sirius nodded, and together they both headed downstairs to join the other Lupin boys in the kitchen.

...

Harry knew he must look quite the sight.

Dressed in only his pajamas, his bathrobe hastily thrown on and hanging open, with a pair of fuzzy slippers on his feet, his hair uncombed, and his glasses hanging half off his face, and standing in the middle of a cemetery in the wee hours of the morning.

Yep. He bet the neighbors were just loving this.

He'd been awakened by the wards around the house, alerting him to the fact that somebody had just left it.

Rushing into the boys’ room, he'd found Alby sitting on his bed with one of his favorite picture books open and looking at it.

The other bed was empty.

"Alby," he'd said, swallowing the wave of anxiety that threatened to cause him to spew. "Where's Severus?!"

"He said he was gonna go visit an old friend, Daddy," Alby told him, "but he's not runnin' away. He promised."

Harry frowned. "Old friend?" he asked, perplexed.

"Uh huh," Alby nodded, seriously. "He said it was right down the street. I told him you'd be mad 'cuz he left without you or Mummy and I'm not supposed to..."

Harry nodded, understanding.

There was only one 'old friend' that was just down the street...at the cemetery.

Now, why would Severus be going back to visit his mother's grave?

"Daddy?" Alby's voice had interrupted his thoughts and he'd glanced up at his son.

"Yes, son?" he asked, blinking at him.

"What's a ch...charity case, Daddy?" the four year old had asked.

"A...charity case?" Harry asked, frowning. "Why do you want to know, son?"

"Sev'rus said he was yours and Mummy's charity case," Alby told him. "What's that?"

Harry's frowned deepened, but he quickly looked up again.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, son," he told him. "Will you do me a favor?"

Alby smiled. He liked doing favors for his daddy.

"Course, Daddy," he said, hopping up on his knees. Bucky, of course, was beside him.

"Mummy is gonna get cold," Harry told him, "would you like go keep her warm for me?"

"Yeah," Alby said, grabbing Bucky and hopping off the bed.

Harry smiled.

"That's my boy," he told him, ruffling his hair as he rushed past him and down the hall.

Once Alby was in his and Ginny's bedroom, he quickly cast a quick locator spell just to make certain he was correct in where Severus had gone and then he Apparated himself right to the cemetery.

He found Severus, as he thought he would, in front of his parents' graves.

He appeared to be talking to someone, but Harry couldn't see anybody there.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" he called out, sharply, causing the boy to jump and spin around.

Making his way over to him, his first impulse was to give him a good smack on the bottom for scaring him out of ten years of his life.

He would have, too, if he had been dealing with Alby, Rosie, Cory, Jamie, or Teddy.

Possibly even Sirius, too.

But he was dealing with Severus and Severus had to be dealt with differently.

So, the first thing he did was pull the boy into a tight hug.

Setting the startled boy back on his own two feet, he held him firmly by the shoulders and glared at him.

"Don't you ever run off like that again!" he scolded him, sternly. "Do you hear me!?"

"It's not like I went to China, Potter," Severus snorted, squirming out of his grasp. "I'm fine."

"You still left the house without telling me or Ginny," Harry told him, firmly. "That is not acceptable, Severus. Not by a long shot!"

Severus glared at him stubbornly.

"I am quite capable of taking care of myself!" he told him, firmly. He added a little stomp, for good measure.

Harry again resisted the urge to give him a swat. One...two...three...four...five...

"Whether you like it or not," he told him, firmly, "you are only physically five years old! Anything could have happened to you and I wouldn't have known about it!"

"Humph," Severus muttered, "now you know how I felt all those years when you were at Hogwarts."

Harry smirked. He'd been waiting for that one.

"Yeah, guess I do," he told him. "Guess you felt like walloping me good, huh?"

"You have no idea," Severus told him, smirking. He then frowned. "Are you...gonna wallop me good?"

Harry sighed.

"I should," he admitted. "I really should...but I won't. However..."

Spinning the boy around, he delivered a smack to his jean clad bottom that was just a tad bit harder than the token one he'd given him the night before.

"...don't ever let it happen again," he told him, sternly. "Or else you will get a spanking."

His bottom lip poking out slightly, Severus said, "Yes, sir." He clasped Mimic even closer.

"Now, why did you come here?" Harry asked him, curiously.

"I needed to speak with Lily," Severus told him. "I needed to be sure."

Harry frowned. "I thought we talked about this," he told him, gently.

"I needed to hear it from her . . . Harry," Severus told him firmly, deliberately calling the other wizard by his first name. "And I did. She assured me everything was going to be fine."

Harry smiled.

"Good," he said, standing back up.

Only then did he realize Severus had finally called him Harry. He concealed a grin.

Now that was progress. But he remained quiet about it, hoping it was not a fluke.

"Now then," he told him. "Can we please head home before I get arrested for indecent exposure?"

Severus cocked his head at him, a small smirk stealing over his face. 

“Indecent exposure? You seem pretty well covered up to me . . . unless you have a hole in the back of your robe that I can’t see. Do you?”

Harry found himself blushing.

“No, I...hey!...you cheeky brat!” He coughed.  “Come on, before Ginny wakes up and sends out a search party of Aurors.”

"Very well." Severus said, reaching out to take a hold of his hand.

Harry wondered if he realized he'd done it, but didn't say anything for fear the boy would pull away.

Maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to earn Severus’ trust.

Whatever you said to him, Mum, he thought silently to himself. Thanks.

Together, the dark haired man and the dark haired boy walked out of the cemetery and headed for home.