Severus Snape tucked a blanket around the shoulders of Harry Potter and then turned off the lights and shut the door. After eating and playing on the mat, the boy had fallen asleep. Snape had no idea what to do. What first? Supplies, of course, but how in the world was he going to get them? How would he know what to do? Dumbledore really had overdone himself this time. This was the limit.

Snape sighed and sat on the living room sofa, accioing his Potions book towards him and trying to read. He had turned a few pages when the doorbell rang. Sighing, he got up and went to answer it. It was the Headmaster.

"Oh, Headmaster," Snape moved aside to allow the man room to come inside. "Come in."

"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said.

Snape led him into the living room, where they sat. He waved his wand and summoned a mug of coffee. It flew over to Dumbledore.

"Well, Severus-" Dumbledore sipped some coffee politely and asked, "How's it going with Harry?"

Snape winced. He had so many worries and questions and didn't quite know where to start. "He doesn't really do much. He's rather quiet for a child. I have no idea what to buy for him. I don't know what he'll eat if he has teeth already and I have no idea what to do with him in my free-times, I mean, I won't exactly entertain a son of Potter-"

"Severus," Dumbledore cut through him, eyebrows raised. "Calm down. Firstly, where is the boy?"

"I've put him in my room for a rest." Snape said, tensely. "But-"

"You need to buy him a crib, I suppose. And I'm sure if you go to the grocery store, you'll find something suitable to wear for a small child. And then toys, Severus. Yes, very essential. Toys are vital to the upbringing of an intelligent child-"

"And you actually want me to fork out all my earnings on him?" Snape snapped. "And you want me to go shopping? You expect too much from me, Dumbledore!"

"Now, now, Severus," Dumbledore said, reprovingly. "That's not a very good attitude to take to a small boy. You must remember, you will be caring for him for the next few years in the least-" he stopped because Snape looked suddenly mutinous.

"Severus." Dumbledore prodded on, sternly. "You mustn't forget that he is Lily's son. And she died to keep him aliv-"

"Don't." Snape whispered.

"Severus?"

"I'll be right back," Snape stood up.

"Severus, wait. My purpose was not to upset you. But you must understand what I mean."

Snape did not show any sign that he had heard and walked to the kitchen. Dumbledore heaved an exasperated sigh.

XXXXX

Snape brought back home bags and bags of groceries and other goods. He had just went to the corner shop and had had a truly embarrassing and degrading experience, but life wasn't fair, after all. Harry had remained sleeping all the while. Snape had bought a blue crib and some toys for Harry-stuffed animals and blocks-and some Koko Krunch cereal and-(Snape had almost died of shame buying it) Johnson and Johnson baby bath products. He also bought some new baby clothes.

"He better be grateful," Snape growled as he took the contents out. In the middle of taking out the cereal boxes, he suddenly heard a small cry. Harry was awake.

Walking to his room he saw Harry sitting up on the bed, looking frightened. His eyes were darting around, frightenedly. When he saw Snape he cowered and crawled under the covers to hide.

Snape strode to the bed and scooped him up. Harry looking very scared.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Snape said dryly and took him into the living room. He put Harry on the mat. Harry still looked wary and scared. Snape took out all of Harry's new toys and put them on the mat.

Then he went to prepare a small Koko Krunch meal for Harry. He didn't add milk, but just poured dry cereal into a bowl and took it to the child. When he came back to the living room, he saw that Harry hadn't moved. The boy was just holding a small stuffed cat in one hand and was sniffling.

"Well, don't you like them?" Snape demanded, seating himself on the mat. "Spoilt brat. Just like your father."

Harry didn't reply and Snape sighed. The man took out a small bouncy ball from the toys and rolled it over to Harry. "There, Potter. That's a ball."

Harry picked the ball up and examined it. He tried putting it into his mouth, but Snape said, "No! Don't eat it you stupid boy!"

Harry looked reproachful and his big green eyes filled with tears again. Snape was getting annoyed by now. He put Harry on his lap and thrust the ball into the chubby hand.

"Bounce it, Potter." Snape ordered.

Harry threw the ball, moodily. It hit a wall and came zooming back, hitting Snape on the nose. Snape scowled but stopped himself from minding too much by an act of will.

"Good throw," He approved, handing the ball back to Harry.

Harry was smiling slightly, his eyes squeezed in joy. He threw it again. The ball hit the wall and this time Harry caught it. He giggled profoundly. It was a wonderful sound. The first nice sound from Harry. Snape was just about to smile, just a little, when he stopped himself just in time. What was he doing?

THIS WAS A POTTER. How could he do this? He set Harry down on the carpet and said, "Alright-I am going to feed you, and then you will amuse yourself while I go do my normal jobs. Is that clear, Potter? I'm not wasting my time on you." With that, Snape picked up the spoon, scooped some cereal into it and tried to get Harry to eat it.

At first Harry looked confused, but then he opened his mouth joyfully and ate the cereal. Snape suddenly had a nagging worry that the cereal was too hard-but Harry bit down on it easily. He munched delightedly.

"Mmmm!" he said, like he had earlier. "Mmm!"

Snape resisted the urge to find this 'cute.' He fed Harry until hardly any cereal was left. The baby beamed and smacked his chocolate-stained lips. Snape ruffled the unruly black hair, but stopped himself after a second, shook himself inwardly and got up. Harry looked troubled. He raised his arms.

"Nape!" he said.

Snape was rather surprised that Harry still remembered his name and also slightly pleased, but he remained firm.

"I'm going brewing potions. You will remain here." he said, pointedly.

"Nape!" Harry persisted, trying to get up on his wobbly legs. Snape needed him to obey. He strode away from view, but then peeked from behind the wall to see Harry's reaction. Harry's lip stuck out and his eyes went all watery, but then with a hiccup, he began to explore the toys and look around. Satisfied, Snape went to his Lab.

He was just about to look for a recipe, when he heard a ringing cry of "Nape!"

Snape rushed to the living room worriedly-but he just saw Harry sitting with the bouncy ball in his hand, looking unharmed.

"What is it? You're not letting me work," Snape admonished, trying to look cross.

"Ooo!" Harry threw the ball against the wall hard, almost catching it. He sucked in his cheeks and looked at Snape, as if expecting him to look impressed.

"Wow." Snape said, flatly.

"Ooo," Harry threw the ball again. The ball bounced back and rolled under the sofa. Harry crawled to get it and then again looked at Snape. "Nape. Ooo!"

Snape sighed and sat down on the living room carpet with Harry, watching him play.

Harry got so happy that his cheeks flushed and he actually started giggling again. He crawled to Snape on his hands and feet and reached out to snuggle, while murmuring, "Nape! Oo!"

Snape hesitated, and was just about to move away when he felt that that would be mean-so he just stopped, just to see what would happen. Harry climbed onto his lap and began smiling for real.

Snape looked at him. Half of him wanted to puke at the way a James Potter look-a-like was sitting on his lap, grinning...and half of him wanted to embrace the poor little orphan child with eyes so like Lily's.

Eyes that whenever saddened, made him jerk as if Lily herself was upset. But these eyes were now big and gleaming after having such a good audience.

Snape hesitated and then carefully pushed the hair out of Harry's lightning scar. Harry shuddered a little but did not move.

Snape whispered. "It must of been bad loosing your family like that, huh Potter?"

Harry just looked at him, still smiling.

"You don't need to be frightened of the Dark Lord any longer, Potter. I'll be here to protect you. It's all I can do for Lily," Snape sighed and rumpled Harry's hair unconsciously.

"Liwy!" Harry repeated, his eyes suddenly screwing up as if he recognized the word.

"What?" Snape asked, startled.

'Harry, mama loves you. Papa loves you. Don't cry. He won't hurt you...He won't get you...Be safe, Harry, be strong...' the words still raced around in Harry's head at night, said so passionately by his mother.

His father had always called her Lily. He had said that so often that Harry had learnt it too. The last time Harry had imitated James's 'Lily', there had been a rippling laughter and a kiss on his cheek. Now there was only shock in the wide black eyes which reminded him of night-only shock-and Harry felt rather disturbed.

The child looked crestfallen at the response but Snape quickly patted him on the back to calm him down. But in his heart he felt a terrible plummeting.

XXXXX

While Harry slept in his brand new crib, which he approved of, up in the living room, Snape looked around his house for a spare room for Harry. He finally decided to make one. He waved his wand and a new room was immediately added.

Going inside, Snape waved his wand again and painted the walls a bright blue. Then he dragged the crib inside the room. He charmed the toys and the new red rug he had bought to come inside the room. He then quickly installed a wardrobe, and stuffed in Harry's shirts and T-shirts and shorts and trousers. He also put in Harry's tiny shoes and a new orange scarf he had liked. They weren't lots of clothes but they were enough.

There. That was super thoughtful of him. He deserved an award for his services. Snape then heard Harry fidgeting in his crib, maybe awake from all of the noise. He scooped the child up and rocked him. "No, Potter. I'm going to concentrate on my work now. You will sleep and remain sleeping until the evening,"

Harry yawned and buried his head in Snape's black robes and soon fell asleep again. Snape laid him down in the crib, wrapped a small quilt around him and said, "Have a nice sleep."

Then he went to his lab to work on his potions. Strangely enough he could not concentrate on them, and did not make his draught as expertly as he used to. Sighing, he hoped that tending Harry would not change him.

XXXXX

Harry struggled in his crib and clutched at the quilt as he rolled over. "Mama," he whimpered. "Dada!" He writhed for a while and then began to cry. He was having a bad dream. That terrible masked man was leaning over him and pointing his wand at him, while his parents lay dead on the floor. The man was smiling a terrible, sadistic smile. "Avada-" he was saying.

"WAAAAAH!" Harry cried, his face red, thick tears streaming down his face. He struggled against the quilt and cried openly.

A few minutes later Snape rushed into the room urgently.

"Potter?" he asked.

Harry kept on crying.

Snape sighed. One of the troubles of child-caring. There would be plenty of crying fits. He'd better get used to it. But when Snape leaned over the crib to pick Harry up and console him so that he could get some sleep, he heard terrible words.

"Mama! Dada! Waaah! Mama!"

Snape stood stock-still.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to feel. Gulping, he picked Harry up and said in a choked voice. "There, there, Potter. You're safe. Don't-don't cry..." Harry's cries quietened down a bit as he clung to Snape, sniffling and hiccuping.

When he opened his tear-filled eyes and saw the man, he whimpered softly, "Nape."

"I'm here, I'm here," Snape said. "Good boy, don't cry."

Harry gave a huge shuddering breath and his cries stemmed down a bit. Snape conjured up a huge, leather chair and sat down on it. He began to rock Harry.

Harry may have eventually fallen asleep in Snape's arms, but Snape stayed awake, thinking most of the night, cradling Harry unconsciously.