"Uh, sir?"

Severus looked around, wondering where Professor Slughorn was but he couldn't seem to spot him. Where was he? They were clearly in Potions class, but Severus couldn't for the life of him think of why he was up at the front of the room near the blackboard. He hadn't been sent up to do lines had he? People started murmuring and he looked around for his seat so he could sit down, but couldn't spot his book bag. In fact, aside from the classroom, he didn't see anyone or anything he recognized. Even the tables were in different positions than he remembered. Had he ended up in a different class or something? A class of fifth years?

"Professor?" A girl got up and walked over to him. He looked around for Slughorn again but couldn't find him. "Professor Snape?" He brought his eyes around to meet hers. She looked worried.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, "I'm not a professor."

"Well you were," she said. "When Teddy's cauldron exploded you got some potion on you. Now you're younger."

He looked down at his hands and realized suddenly that his arms were covered in slime. "Maybe you'd better go to the Hospital Wing?" When he didn't move, the Gryffindor looked around to her classmates for help and a blond boy that looked eerily similar to Lucius got up and came over to them. At least he was a Slytherin.

"Granger's right," he said, though it seemed like he hated to say it. "We'll take you up there sir."

"I know where the Hospital Wing is," he grumbled, but the pair seemed to be adamant about going with him. He gave one last look to the class full of students he didn't recognize and then made for the door. He didn't recognize anybody else on his way up through the castle either. Not until he got into the Hospital Wing and Madam Pomfrey came out of her office.

She stopped short and stared at him as though not believing her eyes. "Severus Snape?"

She looked to his escorts for confirmation but he raised his hands and said, "Who else would I be?"

"We were making an anti-aging potion in class," the girl said. "Teddy Knott's cauldron exploded and the potion hit Professor Snape. I think Teddy added too much fern saproling."

Madam Pomfrey nodded and then ushered him to a bed. "So instead of an anti aging potion he created a volatile de-aging potion."

She tsked and tutted for several moments before Severus grew irritated and said, "De-aging potion? How old was I before? They- they were calling me Professor."

"38 Severus. And yes, you are the Potions Professor and the Head of Slytherin house."

Severus let his eyes roam over to the Slytherin boy who escorted him and Draco took the opportunity to introduce himself. "It's me uncle Sev. Draco."

"Uncle?" Severus asked, feeling skeptical about all of this. He would bet a dozen galleons one of the older Slytherins had put them all up to this prank. Or maybe even James Potter and his cronies.

"Er, well you're not really my uncle," Draco clarified. "Father and mother made you my godfather."

"And they are?" Severus asked.

Draco glanced at Madam Pomfrey and then said, "Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy."

Severus scoffed. "Narcissa? She wouldn't give Lucius the time of day. She likes Terrance Taylor." Severus refrained from saying that Lucius was one of the older students that often picked on him and would never make him the godfather of his children. The boy did look like Lucius however.

Pomfrey ran her wand over Severus' head and asked, "How old are you Severus?"

"16."

"That matches what the diagnostic spell says. There's a strange reading though. It looks as though this won't be permanent but there's no telling how long you'll be like this. It could be for a few days but more likely a few weeks. Possibly even a month. We'd better fetch the Headmaster." She shooed Draco and the Gryffindor girl out of the Hospital Wing and told them to get to their next class and then went to the fireplace to floo call the Headmaster. It was sure to be an interesting discussion.

The Headmaster was still Dumbledore as it turned out and he was still barmy. Severus wondered what had happened between the two of them in the years that Severus had apparently been working there as the Head of Slytherin house. From everything he remembered of his last six years at school, the Headmaster was wary of him and often upset with him. He had come into the Hospital Wing however and given Severus first a look of surprise, and then of fondness. What was the doddering old fool up to now? What would possess him to look at Severus like he actually liked him?

"I think it would be best if you went back to school until you re-age."

"But I don't know anybody here," Severus complained. "Everyone I know is gone."

"As I understand it you've already met Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger. And I think you'll find that most of your professors are the same as they were before."

"I have my own quarters if I'm a Professor, right? Can't I just stay there and wait it out?" Truth be told, he wanted to see his quarters and see how well he'd apparently done for himself.

"As I understand it, Severus has several rare artifacts and expensive potions stored in his quarters. He would be very upset with me if he were to return and find that something has happened to them."

"But I am Severus!" he said with exasperation.

"So you are. I believe it would be best however, since we don't know how long this will last, for you to have something to do. Don't you Madam Pomfrey?"

"I can stay in guest quarters and read then." He didn't know how he was going to attend classes if he didn't have any school supplies or books, or clothes. He'd looked at his clothes under his robes when he'd gone to the bathroom while waiting for Dumbledore to appear, and had gagged at the adult clothing he was wearing. It wasn't terribly big on him, but it was awful. Really, who would wear all black?"

"The arrangements are already being made," Dumbledore said, as if to put a stop to any further complaints or pleading. "Professor McGonagall is on her way up to take you to Hogsmeade for clothing and supplies. We will simply deduct what you spend out of your pay for the month."

Severus grumbled. He did want new clothes, but why did the Gryffindor head of house have to take him?

"Was there something else Severus?" Dumbledore asked jovially.

"Why does she have to take me?"

"Since you are unable to fulfil the role of Slytherin Head of House currently, she as Headmistress will be taking over Slytherin along with her duties over Gryffindor. Therefore it's her responsibility to take you. Besides Severus, she's your friend."

He was going to snort and ask, ‘that old hag?' but stopped short as the door opened and Professor McGonagall came in. Dumbledore chuckled at the look on Severus' face however.

"Have a good evening Severus," Dumbledore said as Severus got up and stalked out of the Hospital Wing, but he didn't respond. He waited for McGonagall outside and she came out a moment later and gave him a smile, though it looked mischievous.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you remember anything of being an adult?"

They began to walk. "I remember standing in front of the class and writing on the chalkboard. And red-headed twins gluing me to my chair."

"Fred and George Weasley," she said. "You gave them a month's worth of detention for that."

"Since I'm technically older than I look, does that mean I can use my wand outside of school?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "The Ministry doesn't have a trace on your wand anymore, though you shouldn't have much need of it."

He had half thought about running away until he re-aged. He could camp out in the west wood and use his wand for fire and water. He rethought his plan as soon as they exited the castle though. It was clearly fall and it was cold out.

"We'll get you clothes, a coat, a book bag, and some school supplies," she said as they walked. "The Headmaster said you can use books from the library to take to classes."

"It's after Christmas though," Severus said, wracking his brain for details of the life he remembered living before suddenly waking up to this strange world with people in Dungeon classroom C staring at him. "I've already been through four months of sixth year."

"You'll earn some points for knowing answers then, won't you?"

"Isn't that a little self-serving if I'm the Slytherin head of house?"

She glanced at him and gave him a smile.

When they got to Hogsmeade McGonagall steered Severus straight into the most expensive clothing shop in the village. The one that had Quidditch team official shirts and hats and bags. The one Severus always avoided because he didn't have any money to buy the things they sold.

"Er... exactly how much is my pay for the month?" he asked.

"180 Galleons."

Severus stopped walking and looked at her. "180?"

"Well-" she said, "I know you've been angling for a raise but 180 should be sufficient to get you some supplies. And I heard the Headmaster say he was thinking of raising it to 190 for you at Christmas, but don't tell him I told you. It was supposed to be a present."

She really thought he was complaining? He'd never even seen 180 Galleons before. He turned to look at the racks of clothing in the store and let his eyes glaze over. He could buy a wardrobe for a whole year with that much! He moved about the racks picking out shirts to his two favorite teams, the Falmouth Falcons and the British National team, as well as other shirts and pants, a coat in the Falmouth colors of dark blue and silver, and a Falmouth Falcon's book bag. He didn't even bother looking at the price tag and he couldn't deny that he enjoyed not having to worry about the price. Usually his mother took him to a used clothing store in London and they spent a total of 20 pounds on his clothes for the entire school year.

"All done?" she asked, eyeing his finds. He also had a warm looking hat, gloves, and new blue and silver sneakers with black laces.

"Yes," he said with satisfaction, putting his new clothing up on the counter. Everything only came up to 20 Galleons, 13 sickles, and 13 knuts. It felt good to be rich for once.

Before they left Hogsmeade they also bought parchment, ink, a fancy quill with a tip that was always sharp, and several notebooks and journals for him to write things down in.

"Where am I gonna sleep?" Severus asked as they got back to the Entrance Hall after their shopping trip.

"In the Slytherin dorms. I believe the Headmaster added a bed to the sixth year boys dormitory and put a trunk in there for you to use. He's also already explained things to your house and the school during lunch while we were out.

Severus sighed, "What's the password?"

"Gnat Heads."

He stared at her. "That's a terrible password. Who made that up?"

"You did." She gave him a smile.

"What? Why would I make that up?"

"Slytherin House's passwords are always potions ingredients."

Severus grumbled, "Stupid," under his breath but McGonagall heard him and gave a chuckle.

"Put your things away before dinner. There's about thirty minutes."

He took his bags and left her there in the Entrance Hall and made his way down to the dungeons. Lovely. What a lovely mess he'd gotten himself into. He was going to find out who this Teddy Knott was who had bunged up his potion and caused this mess and give him a piece of his mind.

The common room was empty as Severus crossed through it and to the Boys Dormitory hall. He found the door that said 6th year on it and pushed it open. It felt wrong to be going inside because this was the room that was supposed to belong to the year ahead of his. He scanned the room until he found a bed that looked unlived in with a black trunk at the foot that said, ‘Severus Snape'. He quickly changed out of the horrible clothes he was in and into a soft blue t-shirt with the silver Falmouth Falcon's logo and a pair of jeans and then dumped the rest of his clothes into the trunk along with his school supplies. "It's only a few weeks," he told himself, but couldn't feel assured.

* * *

People stared at him as he ate at the very end of Slytherin table all by himself. The other sixth year Slytherins were mid way down the table, but had made no move to come and talk to him or introduce themselves.

"Sir?" asked a boy at the end of dinner. He looked like he was the Head Boy and Severus was glad he was a Slytherin.

"Erm... it's just Severus," he said.

"Oh," said the boy. "Ok, Severus. I'm Clancy Greenwood, the Head Boy. Professor McGonagall said to help you with whatever you needed."

"I don't need a babysitter. I'm 16."

Clancy sat down across from Severus. "The thing is sir- I mean Severus, everyone's kind of unsure about you. We don't know if you're still a Professor or just a kid."

"Professor McGonagall said I'm not Head of House anymore and I'm not allowed in my quarters."

"So- you can't take points or anything? Are you going to remember what happens now after you re-age?"

"I don't think I can take points and I have no idea."

"Do you remember being our Professor?"

Severus shrugged. "Not really. I remember standing in a classroom teaching but I can't remember any details."

"Huh." Clancy seemed to relax a little and Severus wondered if the other Slytherins had sent him to find these things out.

"Well, I'll be around if you need me. You know where the Head Boy's room is in the common room." He got up and left the Great Hall, followed by a lot of other Slytherins who seemed to want answers to questions they were too scared to ask. Draco got up and moved down the table to him though and sat down next to him.

"Uncle Sev," he said, "what are you wearing? The Falcon's are awful!"

Severus looked down to his shirt. "Clothes," he said, "did you want me to walk around naked? I don't think people would stare at me anymore than they already are. And will you please stop calling me uncle? It's weird."

"It's Hogwarts," Draco said. "Everything is always weird." He got up and left the table too, leaving just Severus and a few other students and staff in the Great Hall.

* * *

The other Slytherins were acting like they didn't want to touch Severus with a ten foot pole. He'd overheard several of them talking over the next few days about the possibility of Severus re-aging and catching them in some of their wrongdoings and getting them in trouble. Draco sometimes sat with Severus in classes or at meals, but it seemed to be some sort of duty he'd taken upon himself as Severus' supposed godson, not something he did out of friendship. Other than Draco however, no one sat with Severus or spoke to him.

Students from the other houses seemed to be treating Severus with kid gloves as well. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs for the most part seemed content to leave Severus alone (something he wasn't used to, because he was used to Potter and his friends always sneering at him or throwing insults across the room). Ravenclaw was a different case however. They'd left him alone for the first few days but after that they started throwing little insults at him, and one fifth year even had the audacity to push him over in the hall between classes. "Oh, so sorry Professor, I didn't see you there now that you're so small like us."

Severus hadn't said anything back to the boy, which might have been a mistake, because upon seeing this other Ravenclaws began to bully him too. They didn't do it when Draco was with him, but Draco was rarely with him unless it was at meals or during class. Finally, after several days of being bullied, Severus decided to do something about it. He was a Professor after all, he couldn't get into any real trouble could he?

A boy tied his shoes together with a spell as he was going down the steps into the Entrance Hall and he went sprawling down the last few steps to the bottom, face smacking the floor. Laughter filled the air above him and Severus looked up to see several Ravenclaw boys and a couple of girls. Enraged and face still smarting from hitting the stones, he said the counter spell to the shoe tying jynx, jumped up, and shouted, "100 points from Ravenclaw!"

The laughter stopped immediately and the Ravenclaws looked at each other nervously.

"You can't do that," one of them said timidly.

"I think I just did," Severus snapped.

The three boys ran down the stairs and one ran up to the Ravenclaw hourglass and watched anxiously to see if 100 blue rubies would disappear from the count, but they didn't. Damn. He turned and smiled at his friends.

"See Snape, we're so tired of you bullying us, we thought we'd give you a taste of your own medicine since you won't remember anything when you re-age."

"I've never done anything to you," Severus said as they advanced on him.

"Last year you took 50 points away from Ravenclaw because I was late to class because I was coming from the Hospital Wing after an accident in Transfiguration."

Severus scoffed. He wouldn't do something like that, would he?

"You think it's funny?" said another boy. "Last year my sister was a first year and you made her cry on the first day of school! She wrote home asking our parents to take her out and send her to Beauxbatons. They didn't, but she's still scared of you now."

"A lot of people are," said the third boy. "Look at Neville Longbottom. He can barely make himself walk into the classroom if you're in there."

"I don't remember doing any of those things," Severus tried, but the boys did remember. One of them lunged at Severus and took him back down to the floor. Severus was able to hold his own, but when the other two began punching him as well, he found himself outnumbered.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Severus heard someone shout from across the Entrance Hall but he couldn't see who. Suddenly there were more pairs of hands in the fray and one of his attackers had been pulled off of him, and then another. Finally the third one was pulled off of him as well.

"What's wrong with you guys?" a boy with black hair asked. He looked an awful lot like James Potter, only his eyes were green and he had a scar. Severus had seen him around the school but had avoided him wondering if he was related to James.

"C'mon Harry, we're just giving him what he deserves. Go on, hit him before a teacher comes by."

"Forget it," Harry said. Severus noted he was standing with his red-headed friend. The same friend he was always with. "This isn't the guy that does that stuff. Lay off. What's gonna happen when he's a teacher again? Just shove off."

The boys grumbled but left them alone and went back up the stairs to the first floor. Harry turned to his friend who looked irritated. The redhead was rubbing his jaw where he'd apparently been hit during the fray.

"I can't believe I just got hit for Snape."

"Well three against one isn't fair," Harry said.

"Still Harry- it's the bat of the dungeons!"

"And you would just let him get beat up like that Ron?"

"No, but it's over now. Come on, let's go back to the common room. Hermione is expecting us to get our stuff and go to the library."

"Wait a minute." Harry turned around to where Severus was still on the floor. Harry reached down and Severus flinched back as though he were going to hit him like the Ravenclaws had said, but Harry continued forward and then lifted Severus from under the arm to help him stand up. They stared at each other for a moment before they heard Ron scoff behind them.

"See Harry, he's not worth wasting the effort. He doesn't even say thanks."

"You ok?" Harry asked Severus, ignoring his friend.

"Fine."

"Madam Pomfrey can heal bruises pretty quick." He motioned to Severus' face.

"I'll be fine." He stepped back. Harry looked like he wanted to say something else but didn't and instead turned to follow his friend up the stairs to the library. He definitely looked like a Potter up close, so why hadn't he acted like one?

Over the next few days Severus watched Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione whenever he spotted them in the halls or at meals. Ron seemed to be boisterous, Hermione studious, and Harry quiet. Draco had confirmed that the boy's name was Harry Potter, but had said little else aside from to warn him that Harry was rich and stuck up. He also said that Harry had probably only helped him so that he could gain Severus' favor when he re-aged. "He's using you uncle Sev," Draco told him. Severus wasn't so sure however. In the halls one day he'd overheard Ron calling him names and Harry had told him to lay off.

"What's with you lately? You hate him as much as any of us. Why are you sticking up for him?"

"Look at him Ron, does he seem like the Potions Master to you? Or does he look like a guy who could use a friend?"

"Whatever Harry."

"Come on, why d'you gotta be mad at me for this?" Harry asked, and Ron turned back around to face him.

"I don't want to fight with you, okay? Let's just leave it alone. Look, he's only supposed to be like this for a couple weeks, right? And it's already been a week and a half. Why don't you go do your hero thing and when you're done, come and find me."

"I don't have a hero thing," Harry protested, but Ron just held up his hands like he didn't want to fight, and turned and walked away. Harry's shoulders slumped and he went in the opposite direction.

Severus found it interesting at lunch later that day that none of Harry's other friends were sitting with him. Ron and Hermione were sitting down the table by themselves and Ron's younger sister was at the opposite end. Maybe they'd all gotten in a fight. Was it all over him?

* * *

Severus was lonely. He was bored in his classes and he had no one to talk to. The other Slytherins had gotten up a game of house Quidditch, where they divided into three different teams and played with modified rules against each other all at once, but they were all still avoiding him so he hadn't been invited. He didn't want to just sit in the stands by himself and watch either. He wanted to go to the library to get something decent to read, but when he'd tried to go up there Friday evening he'd found that the Ravenclaws were holding some sort of mass study hall in there, and Ravenclaws were the last people he wanted to be around at the moment.

Not wanting to be stuck in the common room all day on a Saturday with the few Slytherins who hadn't gone out to play Quidditch, Severus let his feet carry him out onto the grounds and to the tree he used to sit under with Lily. He didn't mind being at Hogwarts, but he wished Lily was there with him to keep him company. She was one of his only friends. There had been a couple Slytherins he'd been friends with, but they weren't his best friends like Lily was.

He sat under the tree for a couple of hours bundled up in his coat as he watched the squid in the lake bask in the rays of autumn sun. It was nice to be out, but still very boring. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he looked over to see Harry wandering by the edge of the lake with his hands in his pockets. He looked cold, but it was his own fault for not bringing a coat out. Gryffindors never thought of things like that, he thought. Harry didn't seem to notice him there by the tree until he was almost to him.

"Draco says you're rich and stuck up," Severus said, and Harry looked up to see where the voice had come from. "I figured you'd have some fancy coat."

Harry sighed. "Yeah, that's me. Rick stuck up Potter." He kept walking, but Severus was so desperate for human contact that he cleared his throat.

"Yeah, well if you're not rich what about that racing broom you have? I saw you play against Hufflepuff last weekend. Draco said no one else at school can even afford that model."

"My Godfather bought that for me."

"Must be nice to have a rich Godfather."

"I don't have a Godfather anymore. He died in June."

"Oh." Great, now he felt like a jerk. If there was one thing he hated more than being stared at, it was feeling like a jerk. Lily had always been good about pointing out when he was being a jerk.

"Where's your friends?"

Harry shrugged. "Don't know. They're not talking to me."

"Because of me?"

Harry eyed him warily. "Something like that."

"I must have been a real jerk as a Professor if everyone in the school hates me."

"Not everyone hates you. Seems like the Slytherins like you a lot."

"They won't come anywhere near me."

"They think it's all a trick to find out everything they're doing so you can get them in trouble."

"I heard that too."

Harry sighed again and finally sat down, hugging his shoulders for warmth.

"Seriously, where's your coat? My mum'd kill me if I went out without one when it's this cold."

"Don't have one."

"Draco said-"

"Draco's a jerk," Harry cut him off, and Severus closed his mouth.

"That's what he said about you."

"Figures."

They were quiet for a few moments as they watched the squid.

"Why do you stick up for me? You're in Gryffindor and I can tell your friends don't like me."

Harry looked at him seriously and the next thing out of his mouth surprised Severus. He'd been finding himself surprised a lot lately. Being de-aged, having a huge monthly inflow of Galleons, Ravenclaws that were mean... "I am you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Everybody thinks I'm the reason Sirius died. He's my Godfather. My friends abandon me any time they don't like what I'm doing and leave me alone, just like now. Nobody sticks up for me. Ever. Most people don't like me, and I can list off a lot that despise me, including you. I'm tired of always being alone. I just thought maybe you were tired of being alone too."

Severus drank in all of his words. No one had ever compared themselves to him before. He'd always felt isolated, even when he was with Lily, like no one understood what it was like to be so disliked. Like no one had understood what that meant to be utterly alone.

"I despise you?"

"Yeah, pretty sure."

"I don't remember anything about you. I didn't even know who you were except that you looked like James Potter."

"He was my dad."

"Was?"

"He died when I was one. Both of my parents did." He looked at Severus skeptically then and said, "Didn't anybody tell you this?"

"Right, like I'm just supposed to know that Harry Potter is an orphan."

Harry looked back out at the lake. "Everyone else does. The Newspapers spread lies about it often enough."

"What are you on about?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Severus looked at Harry's shoes. They had holes in them and were scuffed up and stained. His jeans didn't look in the best shape either and neither did his shirt, which had begun to fray at the neckline and hems. If he was rich like Draco said he was, he wouldn't be wearing clothes like that, would he? And he didn't seem stuck up or pompous like Draco had said. Draco's other words came back to him about Potter only trying to get on his good side since he was a Professor, but at this moment Severus couldn't decide if he believed it or not.

"I wanted to live with Sirius," Harry said, not looking at the Slytherin. "He said I could go stay with him but he never got around to the arrangements before he died."

"What happened?"

"I killed him."

"Really?"

Harry shrugged. "I was really stupid. I went to a teacher for help but he didn't help at all, so I went to save Sirius because I thought he was gonna die, and in the end it was my fault that he did die. Everyone knows it's true." He teared up then and cleared his throat, and Severus felt uncomfortable. He barely knew this boy and he was sitting there crying. Severus didn't like it when people cried anymore than when they stared at him.

"Er... there's a Slytherin Quidditch game going on... some strange rules. It might still be going. Do you want to go watch with me?"

Harry pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes and wiped the tears off. "Sure," he said in a subdued voice. He got up and followed Severus to the Quidditch pitch where the game was just wrapping up. Severus gave several sideways glances at the Gryffindor, but they didn't speak anymore. He looked depressed and sad and thinking back over the last couple weeks, he'd looked like that for a while. He couldn't believe Ron and Hermione had just left him by himself when he was like that. He never would have left Lily or his other friends if they were upset like that, even if he did hate when people cried. Hadn't Harry said he was just tired of being alone? Well Severus was tired of being alone, that much was certain. If he had to be 16 and all by himself at Hogwarts, he might as well spend his time all alone with Harry.

* * *

Severus thought it was strange how unlike James Potter Harry was. He looked like James, but the similarities ended there. James strutted around the school, and Harry walked around like he was trying to be as drawn into himself as much as possible. James flaunted his talent on the Quidditch field, and Harry seemed to just exist.

While Severus thought about how strange Harry was in relation to his father, the rest of the school thought that Harry and Severus were both acting strangely. Severus had stopped sitting at Slytherin table altogether (Draco had practically had a conniption fit over it) and had started sitting next to Harry at the end of Gryffindor table. They'd also been seen studying together in the library (where the Ravenclaws did not bother them), and walking to classes together. Whispers followed them wherever they went and whenever Ron saw them he rolled his eyes at Harry. No one had cared when Severus had been friends with Lily, he thought, except James Potter and his friends who didn't want Lily to be involved with a Slytherin.

Severus had grown used to Harry's quiet companionship. Harry did speak, but he usually waited for Severus to strike up a conversation first. Otherwise he was quiet. Severus noted that Harry often pretended to study, but didn't look like he was studying at all. Instead his eyes often glazed over and he just stared at the page. Severus wondered if Harry was thinking about his godfather. It surprised Severus then when Harry asked him one day as they sat on the grounds by the lake, what his family was like.

"What do you mean what's my family like?"

"You know- how are things with them? Do you like it there?"

Severus opened his mouth and then closed it. Draco had just warned him again last night that Harry was playing at something. He could be fishing for information to use against him later, though he doubted it even as he thought it in his mind. He didn't want to talk about his family anyway. His dad was rude and always angry and his mother was quiet and withdrawn like Harry usually was.

"It's none of your business," Severus said.

"Oh." Harry turned and looked back at the lake. Most of the leaves had fallen off the trees now and were floating on the surface or had already fallen to the bottom to decay.

"What's your family like?" Severus asked. He'd rather that Harry talk instead of just sitting quietly. Severus liked quiet but he got bored with it far too easily. He wanted to do something fun or talk about something that would challenge him intellectually. Harry had mentioned wanting to live with his godfather but hadn't said why. If his parents were dead, then who did he live with?

Harry turned to look at him and blinked several times. "You don't remember any of your adult life do you?"

"Only standing and teaching."

"So you're probably not gonna remember anything from now when you age again."

Severus rolled his eyes. This was the only thing other people seemed concerned about and he was tired of having the same conversation over and over again.

"Come on," Severus said.

"Promise not to tell?" Harry turned to look behind him in the trees to be sure no one was around. When Severus gave a nod, Harry lifted the front of his shirt up to his armpits. Severus stared at his chest and sides. They were covered with old bruises and several scars. Harry was skinnier than he looked without his shirt and he could see the Gryffindor's ribs. He dropped his shirt back down. "I know it's my fault a lot of the time. If I could just be different- not be me, you know? Everyone would be better off if I wasn't me."

"I'd be all beat up if you weren't you."

"What?"

"Those Ravenclaws last week."

"Ron wouldn'ta let you get beat up."

"Yeah right. He hates me."

"He's a good guy. He's got a really good sense of right and wrong. He wouldn't just leave you to be beat up. He knew as well as I did that three against one wasn't fair. He's a Prefect because of it."

"If he knew right from wrong he wouldn't have left you all alone just for helping me out."

"He didn't want to fight with me about it."

"It's possible to not fight and still be friends."

Harry sighed and hugged himself for warmth.

"Potter, I swear, you're making me cold just looking at you."

"Sorry."

Severus scoffed. Harry had nothing to be sorry for. If his family or whoever he was living with had given him all those bruises they probably hadn't provided clothes for him either.

"You look about my size," Severus said. He was taller but their frames were both skinny. "I talked to Headmaster Dumbledore last night and he said I should age up again any day now. As soon as I do, I'll give you my coat."

"But you're not going to remember anything."

"Then when you see me age up, rip my coat off and run."

Harry laughed then. It was the first time Severus had seen him laugh since he'd appeared in this strange alternate reality of Hogwarts.

"You'd give me detention for months."

"Am I really that bad of a teacher? What am I like?"

"Well what kind of teacher do you want to be?" Harry asked.

Severus thought for a few moments. "Fun. Slughorn was kind of a fun Professor. And we had a Defense Professor one year who used to take us out on the grounds to practice. That was fun too."

"It might be kind of hard to be fun when you teach a potions class," Harry commented.

"How come you're not in Potions?"

"I didn't get a high enough grade to make it to NEWT Potions. You only take students who got an O on their OWLS and I got an E."

"The others make it seem like I'm a piece of work."

"You give a lot of detentions. People blow up a lot of cauldrons." Here Harry looked over at Severus and marveled at his age again.

"Ok ok, stop looking at me. I hate it when people stare."

"Me too." Harry thought a moment. "You always have us go to the supply cupboard for Potions ingredients. It might be fun sometimes to have us go out onto the grounds or into the forest to collect ingredients. Or have some kind of field trip. Field trips are the best. The Astronomy professor used to take us out to the other side of Hogsmeade at night to look at the stars."

"That does sound fun. Professor Slughorn always has- had us do brewing competitions. That's what made me like Potions so much. When I age up, after you steal my coat and I give you detention, you'll have to remind me about how to make classes fun." Severus pulled a parchment and quill out of his bag and began scribbling something down.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"A potion. It's NEWT level. If you're good enough to be in a NEWT level class you should be good enough to brew this potion."

"So?"

"I bet if you brew this for me when I'm a Professor again, you could get yourself into the NEWT class."

"Why would I want to do that? You're-"

"A jerk as an adult? Yeah, I got that."

Harry just stared at him.

"I'm not going to bother making classes fun if there's not someone there who will appreciate it."

Harry held out his hand for the parchment and Severus handed it to him. Harry started laughing as his eyes scanned down the ingredients.

"What?"

"You want me to brew polyjuice?"

"You don't think you can do it?"

Harry looked up, "Oh, I can do it."

* * *

Harry sat by himself at the end of Gryffindor table at breakfast. Severus wasn't there, but he wouldn't be, Harry reminded himself. He'd heard that he'd re-aged to his former self after dinner sometime last night. The entire school had heard, but Ron and Hermione still weren't sitting with him or talking to him.

Harry spent the day by himself. He was in classroom after classroom full of people, but he felt like there was no one else there at all. He actually missed Severus, but even with Severus he felt alone. He wondered how alone Sirius must feel being dead. Harry had half the mind to go and keep Sirius company so they could be alone together. He felt like doing something drastic, but he wasn't sure what.

Professor Snape, not Severus the sixth year who wasn't so bad, made an appearance at lunch and sat at the staff table. People whispered and stared, but Harry didn't look up there more than once. Severus hated to be stared at.

"He was pretty quiet in Potions today," Harry heard a third year from down the table say. "He didn't yell at anyone."

"Probably embarrassed that a bunch of fifth year Ravenclaws beat him up," another boy said.

Harry kept his mouth closed. He kept it closed at dinner too as he sat by himself. He noted that Ron kept looking up the table at him but never came down to talk to him.

The next morning Harry sat at Gryffindor table with his head down on his arms, trying to block all the noise of other students and bright morning light out. He was cold and he wished he could just go back to bed and cover up. He'd dreamt of Sirius falling through the veil all night. He usually had nightmares about it, but this time Severus, the adult Severus was in his dreams punishing him for letting Sirius go through the veil. He felt bad because he hated himself as he remembered the dream. His friends must hate him to still not be talking to him, and he knew the adult Severus hated him. He sighed. Maybe everyone had reason to hate him.

"Are you done saving people for now?"

Harry startled and looked up to find Ron. Breakfast appeared to be over and students were leaving for class.

"What?"

"Snape, are you done with Snape?"

"Does it matter?" Harry asked.

"Well yeah-" Ron started, but Harry startled him by standing up suddenly. "Where are you going?"

Harry felt like he should do or say something wild to rile Ron just then. "To Potions."

"What? You're not even in NEWT Potions. You have Divination with me."

"Just tell Trelawney that I died then. It's bound to come true if she says it enough anyway." He didn't look back to Ron as he grabbed his ratty book bag and left with the throng of students.

Severus had told him to brew Polyjuice hadn't he? He hadn't said when or how. He'd already told Ron he was going to NEWT Potions, so he might as well go and brew Polyjuice, if for anything than to show the Potions Master that he could. He doubted Potions class would ever be fun, or even that the man would let him into the NEWT class, but he didn't want to go to Divination and hear all about his death this morning, or have Ron sitting there with him pretending like he liked him again when he really hated Harry all the while. Harry didn't want to think about his own death and brewing Polyjuice would be just the thing to take his mind off of it.

Harry walked into the NEWT level Potions class with the rest of the 6th years. There were only 16 from the four houses.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked. He gripped the shoulder strap of his bag and wrung his hands around it nervously.

"Sitting in," Harry said. He passed her table where she was sitting with Padma Patil and went to an empty table at the back. He was aware that people were looking at him, but tried his best to ignore them. He was used to people staring.

Professor Snape walked in and went to the blackboard. When he was done writing out instructions his eyes roamed the faces of those around him and landed on Harry's. He didn't say anything however and began to lecture to the class about the dangerousness of class five potions. When he was done and had set the class to brewing potions he made his way to the back of the room where Harry sat apart from the others.

"I do not remember seeing your name on the roster for this class Potter."

"It's not," Harry said.

"Then where are you supposed to be?"

Harry noted that the Professor looked tired and wary. His voice wasn't sharp like it usually was when talking to him.

"Right here."

"Potter, I am nursing a hangover from the effects of re-aging. Today is not the day to test my patience." Harry wondered if today would be the day to push all of his luck and steal the coat since he was down here pushing his luck now. Get it all over and done with in one day, he thought, but then he decided against it. He didn't deserve a coat, and Snape had probably locked it up in his quarters or destroyed it when he'd re-aged.

"I want to be in this class," Harry said.

"Why pray tell would you want that? You have always been an abysmal Potions student."

"I got an E on my OWLs."

"I only accept O students."

"I can brew Polyjuice."

Severus stared at him and looked wary again. "Doubtful." He turned to walk away but Harry got up and followed him to the front of the room.

"I do not have the energy or the patience to deal with trouble making today Potter," he said when he found that Harry was standing behind him next to the blackboard.

"I want to brew the potion to show I can be in this class."

"Fine," he waved his hand towards the supply cupboard and then sat down at his desk and put his head in his hand. "If you mess up the potion you will not come back to the this class again." He didn't seem like he believed that Harry could brew it. Harry went into the cupboard and began pulling supplies down.

When he was back at his desk, Hermione came back and asked him, "Harry, what are you doing?"

"Brewing Polyjuice."

"What? Why?"

"Because."

She watched what he was doing for a moment and then said, "Well don't forget the-"

"Hermione." He stopped chopping up ingredients and looked up at her.

"What?"

"I've got this. Go back to your potion before we both fail."

She bit her lip and then turned and went back to her own cauldron. Snape watched the exchange from the front but didn't say anything in favor of rubbing his temples instead.

When the class ended an hour and a half later, Harry didn't leave to go to his next class. It was History of Magic and he figured he could skip it. Snape didn't say anything to him as he left the room to go to a larger classroom to teach his next class. Harry didn't go to lunch either because he wasn't done yet. When he was finally finished he stood back and looked at it. It looked like Hermione had brewed it. It would have to simmer for 30 days, but he was sure it was perfect.

The door opened and Professor Snape came back in.

"Potter, your Head of house is looking for you."

"I'm done with this sir. It just has to brew for 30 days."

Severus looked at the cauldron warily and then came over to it. "Do you know why it has to brew for 30 days Potter?"

Harry actually did know. The longer it was brewed the longer the effects would last when taken. 30 days of brewing would give you one hour of usability. 15 days would give you half an hour. "30 days gives you an hour in polyjuice form. The longer it's brewed the longer the effects last."

Severus looked at him and then into the cauldron.

"If the potion is brewed correctly and in this state, it will give you approximately 30 seconds of transformation. Test it now."

Harry looked at him. "I don't have any hair to put in."

Snape pulled a hair out of his head and dropped it into the potion, and Harry let his mouth hang open.

"30 seconds Potter. Not long enough for you to do anything in my form."

Harry dipped the ladle into the potion and then sipped off of it. He felt the uncomfortable and familiar sensation of transforming. He grew taller and felt his bones stretch. It left him feeling breathless because for a few moments it made his bruises feel like they were on fire. Then it stopped and he looked down at his hands. They weren't his. His clothing was uncomfortably tight on him and he was tall enough to look the Professor in his eyes. He barely had time to look down at his feet, which were ready to burst out of his shoes when the effects ended and he felt himself shrinking down to his normal size again.

"Be gone Potter."

"But it worked."

"You know when NEWT classes are. You will have to work out your schedule with your head of house."

Harry looked down at the brewing table he'd been using. He was into the class. He hadn't expected to be let in. He also hadn't expected this strange new Professor Snape. He wasn't yelling at him or putting him down, but he didn't seem to want him around either. Did he remember anything of their friendship? If he did it could explain why he was more calm, but if he did then why was he so eager to get rid of him?

Harry grabbed his bookbag and left the classroom. He went to Charms and sat by himself again. The rest of the class filed in and Ron and Hermione came and sat down on either side of him, but they didn't talk. Harry's chest felt tight. No one wanted to be friends with a boy who had caused his godfather to die.

He didn't pay attention through class. He had told Severus about his aunt and uncle, or at least, shown him. He'd never told anybody before. It had felt good at the moment to finally get it off his chest. To have someone know so he didn't have to deal with it all alone. Funny that Harry was glad to be telling someone who he thought wouldn't remember, but now that he was alone again and no one knew but him anymore, he felt the weight of it all come back down on him. It really would be better if he were someone else.

* * *

Severus watched the boy at meals, just like he had done when he had been deaged before they had become friends. Harry was definitely depressed. His friends were sitting with him again now, but Harry never seemed to talk to them. More often than not he sat at the table with his head down on his arms. Severus was surprised frankly that Minerva hadn't noticed him there yet, or hadn't spoken to him. He would have heard in the recent staff meeting if she had.

Everyone believed he didn't remember anything of his time as a 16 year old again. It was better if it remained that way. He'd decided to wipe the slate clean with the Ravenclaws who had bullied him because it would seem petty for him to take revenge on them as an adult. It seemed petty now that he had taken revenge on Harry for James Potter's wrongdoings. Harry clearly was not his father. He hadn't known his father or mother. Hadn't grown up with them.

Severus couldn't help but stare at Harry's back when he saw him at meals or at his chest when he was in NEWT Potions. He knew there were bruises under his shirt. And scars. Damn. He didn't know what to do about it. The boy would be 17 in the summer and wouldn't have to stay with his relatives anymore if he didn't want to. He was sure the boy didn't want to. He could pretend like there was nothing he could do about it, but he couldn't pretend he hadn't heard the words Harry had said to him. ‘I know it's my fault a lot of the time. If I could just be different... not be me, you know? Everyone would be better off...'

Draco had said the boy was doing it to get on his good side. A month ago Severus would have said that Potter had befriended him for attention. Well he certainly believed it now. It just wasn't the kind of attention he thought he'd been seeking before. Harry just wanted someone to see him. To listen to him and understand what it was like to be alone. Severus understood. That's why Harry had said he'd stuck up for him wasn't it? He was tired of being alone. He was alone now. Even if his friends had come back, Harry had isolated himself fully from them, and Severus wasn't there to spend time with him.

The boy still wasn't wearing a coat either. Severus had been wary when he'd come to class that day to brew Polyjuice, just like Severus had told him to in his younger form. He half expected Harry to break into his quarters to steal his coat so he could have something warm to wear, but he didn't. This was not the boy he thought he knew for the last 15 years. This was the boy he'd known for only a couple of weeks.

Harry was quiet in his NEWT class. He did what he was told, brewed acceptable potions, and never made trouble. Severus knew he wasn't happy to be in the class however. He probably would have preferred to just spend the time putting his head down on his arms like he did at meals. Severus wished he wouldn't do that because he'd seen how skinny the Gryffindor was to begin with. Hadn't anyone talked to him about Black's death? Clearly they hadn't if he thought it was his fault. Severus remembered that Harry had said he'd gone to a teacher for help that night, but that he hadn't helped him. That teacher had been him, and he wondered why Harry hadn't rubbed that in his face when he was a 16 year old. The other students had taken every opportunity they could to tell him how bad of a teacher he'd been.

Severus sipped his coffee as he watched Potter not eating dinner once again. When his friends got up and left, Harry stayed where he was with his head on his arms at the table. Deciding that he didn't want to see the boy waste away anymore, Severus decided to stay and talk to him. When the Great Hall had finally cleared out it was just the two of them left. He got up and walked to the far end of Gryffindor table. He wasn't sure what he'd say to the boy. He wasn't 16 anymore. He couldn't just sit down and strike up a conversation with him again. He thought about the blue Falcon's coat instead and waved his wand, silently saying the spell to call the coat from the wardrobe in his quarters. Coat in hand he approached Harry.

"I have noticed that you do not have a coat," he said, clearing his throat. He set it down next to Harry on the table.

"Don't need it," he said. He raised his head up but just stared across the table at the wall, not looking at Severus or the coat.

"I seem to remember giving you instructions to steal it bodily if you had to as it's a necessity to keep warm."

Harry looked over at him. "You remember."

"Yes."

He looked away again. "I knew it. I knew you wouldn't be nice to me in class if you'd forgotten."

"I have hardly been nice."

"No one is ever nice," Harry said, reminding Severus of the earlier conversations they'd had. Harry put his head down on the table again, this time without his arms for the comfort. Severus sat down next to Harry on the bench, his back to the table and sighed. Harry didn't move.

"You need help Potter."

"No I don't."

"Harry."

Harry looked up.

"You told me things I can't ignore."

"You ignored me when I asked for your help with Sirius. You ignored me for a really long time. And you came back like you are now, and you remembered everything, and you still ignored me. It's ok Professor, you're off the hook. Everyone does it."

"Not this time."

"You won't have to worry about what to do with me," Harry said. "I've got it all figured out."

"And how is that?"

Harry turned to look at the wall again. "No one will have to deal with me if I'm gone."

"Gone?"

"Like Sirius."

Severus paused. Was Harry really suicidal? "You've been thinking about that?"

"At first I tried not to," he said quietly. "There's not really any other options. This is never gonna go away... the way people treat me. The way I mess things up for everyone. I don't know what else to do."

"What are you planning?"

"I'm going to take my broom up really high and just let go."

"I don't think you want that."

Harry stared at him. "How do you know what I want?"

He looked at him seriously. "Because I am you," he said, echoing Harry's earlier statement. "I have always felt alone in a crowded room, like there is no one else who understands. Even when amongst friends. You want to not be alone. You want to feel wanted. Like you belong somewhere. You want someone to listen."

Harry's breath hitched as tears came to his eyes. "And how do I do that?"

"Start by taking the coat so you don't catch your death. You are making me cold by looking at you."

Harry reached forward uncertainly and pulled the coat towards himself. It was still practically new. "The Falcons are a terrible team," he said with a little laugh at the logo emblazoned on the back.

"Regardless, you will need a coat for when we go out onto the grounds to search for ingredients during class.

"We're going to do that?"

"A friend once told me it would make classes more enjoyable."

"I don't have any friends," Harry said. "People pretend to like me when they really hate me."

"I like you and I will not turn away from you as others have done."

"Why?"

"Because I care."

"I-" Harry paused. "I don't know what to believe."

"Belief is not a requirement for my friendship, you will have it regardless."

Harry stared at him. "I don't think I should go back to the tower tonight."

"Why not?"

"My broom is up there."

Severus swallowed. He must have wanted help if he had told him his plans. He must have still been considering it.

"Then you will not return to the tower."

"I- do you have to tell the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall?"

"They will wonder why you are not sleeping in your dormitory, unless you'd like to stay in the Hospital Wing."

Harry shook his head.

"Do I have to be in the room when you tell them?"

"I'd prefer to have eyes on you."

"Ok."

Severus stood up and then lead Harry out of the Great Hall. He did all of the talking in the Headmaster's office so that Harry didn't have to, and Harry for his part didn't look up once, probably not wanting to see the look in the Headmaster's eyes. Harry had enough sadness of his own to see it from others. When the Headmaster asked to see the bruises Harry turned away from him and allowed Severus to lift the back of his shirt up to reveal his back. They were fading now but they were still visible and they covered his entire back along with the scars.

"I'm sorry you've had to endure this Harry," the Headmaster said quietly. "And I'm sorry no one talked to you about Sirius. I never imagined that you had fallen through the cracks." Harry swallowed and continued to study his shoes.

"Take him and watch over him Severus," Dumbledore said quietly. And he did.

* * *

"Hey Harry, we miss you up in the tower," Ron said brightly one morning. Harry had been staying in the Dungeons for over a month. It was after Halloween now.

"Thanks," Harry said. "I'm gonna move back in this weekend."

"I still can't believe you're doing a Potions apprenticeship with Snape. I didn't know apprenticeships could be so short."

Harry shrugged. "I had to get caught up in NEWT Potions," he lied. The official story was that Harry had become the temporary ward of Severus under a short apprenticeship so he had to live in the dungeons. He was doing better and was ready to move back into the tower though. He didn't tell Ron and his friends that Severus was his guardian until he was 17. He would tell them eventually.

"I know what this really is," Ron said.

Harry looked up at his friend from under the fringe of his bangs.

"This is still a hero thing. You're still trying to save Snape."

"You've got it wrong," Harry said, grabbing an apple from the table and standing up. "Snape's the one who saved me."

Ron looked after his friend as he walked out of the Great Hall. They'd all been aware that Harry was unhappy, and Hermione had even suggested he'd been depressed about Sirius. None of them had known what to say or do for him though. He seemed happier now, more like the old Harry they'd always known. Maybe it was like Harry said. Maybe Snape had saved their friend. He couldn't be too bad anyway, not if Harry liked him so much.

* * *

Harry sat down in front of the room in NEWT Potions and Hermione sat down next to him. Professor Snape came in and Harry gave him a smile. Severus returned it but it wasn't noticeable to the other students. The corners of his lips upturned just long enough for Harry to see. He waited for the rest of the students to file in and they waited for him to start writing the day's potion on the board.

"We're not brewing today," he told the class, and they all looked at him expectantly. "We're taking a field trip."

The class began to murmur and talk to each other. At least they weren't staring, he thought. "I sent away permission forms to your guardians last week and have received them all back."

"Where are we going sir?" Draco asked.

"To the apothecary in Hogsmeade. He will be teaching us techniques to prepare and store potions ingredients. Techniques you will need for next week when we gather potions ingredients in the West Woods." The class began to chatter excitedly. "Leave your bags and bring your coats. If you do not have a coat you have exactly five minutes to retrieve one and meet us in the Entrance Hall."

People stood up and hurried out of the room. Hermione put her Potions text back in her bag and put her coat on. "I can't believe it Harry. A field trip! We haven't had one since Astronomy in first year."

He grinned. They were the only two left in the room aside from Snape, who was putting his winter cloak on.

"Thank Mr. Potter," Severus said. "The field trip was his idea."

She looked at Harry and then smiled. He returned it and they followed the Professor out, excited for the rest of their class.