Summary : For Snape Day 2014. Raising a kid is not easy. Perhaps it’s time to accept others’ help.

Disclaimer : Harry Potter doesn’t belong to me.

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Snape panicked. He frantically thought about his son’s possible whereabouts. The man tugged his hair again and again until it frizzled and his fingers got stuck in it.

“Where are you, Harry?” he whispered mournfully.

Harry had been giving him constant headache. The boy was very active and liked moving here and there. He didn’t mind it when Harry explored their quarters or wandered around Hogwarts if he was with Harry.

Unfortunately, Harry also gave troubles to his school.

Harry’s school was located in the busiest street in Hogsmeade. There were magical markets and shops around the school. Harry liked to go out of school during recess and explored them. Snape was fond of Harry’s curiosity but loathed the problems that followed.

The small boy had visited food courts, vegetable sections and husbandry market. When break time came, Harry darted to the markets. His teachers searched him frantically and even desperately firecalled him. That had already happened twice. Snape had to apologize repeatedly and promised that he’d have a talk with his son about his constant disappearance.

This time Harry was lost again.

Albus entered when he was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, considering where to floo in the first place. “Severus? Something’s wrong?”

“I’m afraid so, Albus,” Snape answered quickly.

“Tell me, my boy.”

“I don’t know if it’s the right time. I should hurry—“

“Please spare me a minute. Tell me briefly about what’s bothering you. Perhaps I can help.”

Snape inhaled and exhaled loudly. He stared at his headmaster. Somehow Albus’s calm aura made his worry subside.

“I lost Harry. The school and I, I mean,” Snape told Dumbledore.

“So why are you here now?” Dumbledore asked curiously.

“I just came from Harry’s school. I intended to pick him up but when I got there, Harry was already gone. I searched for him in the markets, ice cream parlor, pet shops, and anywhere but I didn’t find him.” Now Snape was shaking. He spoke faster. “Then I thought maybe Harry was already in the castle, somehow managed to be here I don’t know how. But no, Harry is nowhere. Not inside Hogwarts or Hagrid’s Hut.”

Dumbledore was alert. “But I believe Harry is not in danger. He’s a smart boy.”

The word ‘kidnapped’ hung in the air, unspoken. Although Snape was sure that Harry was safe now somewhere, he couldn’t erase the uneasy feelings about his son.

“Didn’t you put a tracker in Harry?” Dumbledore queried.

Snape staggered. “No, I didn’t,” he answered weakly. “I thought he wouldn’t need it. I thought I could keep him safe, Albus.”

Dumbledore reassured his employee. “Try to remember, maybe Harry said something about going somewhere.”

Snape clutched his robes. He rummaged his memories, carefully sorting the conversations between him and Harry. “I remember Harry saying about going home by himself this morning.” Snape closed his eyes. “But I didn’t think he would do it today.”

Dumbledore was ready. “Let’s comb every way to Hogwarts. Maybe we will cross path with him.”

“Thanks, Albus.” Snape couldn’t refuse the headmaster’s offer. Whatever would help him find his wayward son, he would gladly accept them.

The floo flared just when the two men almost reached the fireplace. They were startled.

Sirius Black’s head appeared. His handsome face looked angry. “Snape!” he growled.

“Black. What do you need?” Snape nearly jumped.

“I need to punch you and hex you to the next year!” Sirius spat.

“The feeling is mutual, Black, but now is not the appropriate time for childish bickering.”

“Harry’s at my place.”

Sirius’s cold tone successfully silenced Snape. “What?”

“You heard me, unless you’ve lost your hearing.”

Snape sank to a cushion in relief. “Thanks, Merlin.”

“We’ll come and get Harry,” Dumbledore interrupted. “Please let us in, Sirius.” He grabbed Snape’s arm and a handful of floo powder.

The moment Snape saw Harry, he hugged his six year old son tightly. “Merlin, Harry. You frightened me.”

Harry patted his father’s back, surprised. “Why should you, Daddy? I’m alright.”

“I’m not alright when I don’t know where you are.” Snape tenderly looked at his adoptive son. He was relieved when he saw Harry was smiling cheerfully, not knowing how Snape nearly dropped to his knees crying.

“I told you I would go home by myself,” Harry defiantly stated. His little face looked determined.

“You should be glad I strolled around my land this afternoon. I thought he was lost,” Sirius growled. He stood menacingly before Snape.

“Oh, I met Uncle Sirius, Daddy,” Harry cheerfully said. “He asked me to come to this cottage. I was thirsty so I followed him.”

Unconsciously Snape tightened his hold on his son. It took some time from Harry’s school to Sirius’s small cottage there, so it’s no wonder if Harry felt tired and thirsty.

“Don’t do that again, Harry,” Snape whispered. He ignored Sirius’s glare. The most important thing at that moment was his son.

“But I want to be a big boy, Daddy,” Harry replied quietly. He wiggled in his father’s arms. “Besides, sometimes I went home alone when I was at my old school.”

Snape was enraged. How could the Dursleys let a young boy like Harry wandered on the street alone? He was glad that he had taken Harry from that horrible family three months ago.

The young Potions Master knew Harry’s intention to be independent. The boy had used to be, but Snape didn’t want Harry to grow up so fast, or too mature for his age. “I’m worried, Son.”

“I’m sorry.”

Snape still hugged Harry. He got up and reluctantly faced Sirius. “Thank you, for taking Harry in.” If it’s not for Harry, Snape would never stoop so low as to thank his former nemesis.

Sirius narrowed his eyes. “You do know that James appointed me as Harry’s godfather, don’t you?”

Snape nodded his head. He didn’t like where Sirius led this conversation.

“Suppose something happens to Harry, because of your recklessness, I have the right to take him away from you and protect him under my wings,” Sirius continued heatedly.

“I won’t let you take him away,” Snape hissed. He rubbed circle on Harry’s back. The boy had fallen asleep, probably because of exhaustion.

Dumbledore chose that moment to interfere. “Let us understand that Harry’s at the stage where he has much curiosity. It’s normal for him to act on impulse. Running away from school, wanting to make his father proud,” he shot a look in Snape’s direction. “Quarrelling will not solve problems.”

“I can’t just keep Harry at Hogwarts while I am working.” Snape let out a breath. His frustration started to show. He hadn’t thought that having a child would be so taxing, exhausting and sometimes he’s worried sick about Harry. But he didn’t regret it. He had come to love the boy. He was certain that Lily would have been happy that her beloved son now was in the right hand, unlike he had been before.

Dumbledore nodded in understanding.

“How about this?” Sirius impatiently gave his opinion. “When you can’t pick up Harry at school, I will do that. That way Harry is taken care of. No one will be worried.”

Snape contemplated. He didn’t like the idea but knew Sirius was right. “But he will always be my son,” he stated firmly.

Sirius, despite his age, rolled his eyes. He couldn’t have done much for Harry when he had been imprisoned in Azkaban. Now that his name was clean and he was free, he’d do anything for his late best friends’ son.

Dumbledore smiled. “You don’t have to do this alone, Severus,” he said softly. “Harry loves you very much. It’s obvious so you shouldn’t get worried somebody will steal his affection away.”

“I know,” Snape said quickly. He was embarrassed that Dumbledore revealed his trouble in front of Sirius.

“Raising a kid is not easy. It’s okay for others to help you,” the bearded man continued.

“Especially when others are sincere,” Sirius grunted.

Maybe it’s alright. Inwardly Snape agreed. Perhaps it’s time to accept others’ help.

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