Albus sighed, shifting Harry in his arms. It was unfortunate, the way Dursley’s had refused to house little Harry after a bout of accidental magic, granted it had ended with Vernon Dursley turning purple from head to toe, but Petunia was the child’s only living relative.

A smile crept up on his face. He had a perfect solution for little Harry’s problem. He had no doubt that Harry would be loved and well taken care of. He just had to be a little creative.

With a plan in his mind Albus put Harry down and set to packing the boy’s belongings.


**


Severus plopped baby Potter on the dinning table, his dinning table, in his home, where he came during the summer, to get away from snot nosed brat like the one currently staring at him. Severus crossed his arms across his chest and glared at the boy when little Potter crossed his own arms.

“You will be staying with me today, tomorrow you will go back to Headmaster Dumbledore first thing in the morning and stay with him while your relatives are on a highly important trip.” he said, rolling his eyes.

Potter tried to roll his own eyes but ended up rolling his head around. Severus frowned, looked like baby Potter wasn’t very smart.

“I expect you to be on your best behaviour, Potter.”

“Potta” baby Potter giggled.

So the boy can talk, mused Severus.

“You will address me as Professor Snape.”

Potter garbled, like the unintelligent baby that he was.

“Pro-fess-er Snape” Severus said trying to dumb it down for the clueless baby.

“Poooo.” The baby beamed at him.

“No, I am not Poooo.” He said seriously, Severus would not tolerate any nickname. “Since, it is too hard for a not-so-smart baby like you, you can call me Severus.”

“Seb!” shouted Potter, clapping happily.

Severus groaned.This was going to be hard if Potter insisted on being such a baby, he thought looking at the boy and frowning at the stuffed wolf Potter was chomping on.


**


Severus configured a chair into a high chair for Potter. Picked up Potter from the couch and sat him on his high chair, and pushed a bowl of spaghetti in front of him.

“Eat, and then you are going to take a nap.” He said, sticking a plastic fork in Potter’s bowl before turning back to his own food.

Potter threw the fork on the floor and started eating with both of his hands.

Severus let him, because the only other option was feeding the baby himself, and no way Severus was going to feed a baby. He was the youngest Potion master in history! He would not feed a baby.

By the time they were done eating, most of Potter’s lunch was on his face.

Severus cleared the table with a flick of his wand. Then picked up Potter and stood him on the table, to inspect him. Potter had managed to smear his food on his face, hands and his t-shirt.

He could wash Potter’s hands and face, then change his t-shirt, no need for a bath.


**


Severus lowered his book to watch Potter struggling to climb on the couch, next to him. He had his face pressed on the couch, his hands beside his head and his little butt sticking in the air. His whole body wiggling.

Severus had tried to put the boy down for a nap, but Potter had wailed and screamed, refusing to lie down. So, Severus had given up and sat Potter down on the floor in front of him with the stuffed wolf, while he read a book.

Severus sighed and picked up the boy and sat him on the couch.

Potter immediately stuck two fingers in his mouth and grinned at Severus.

Severus grunted, and picked up his book, ignoring the boy, he was not going to fall for the Potter charm, the baby did not look cute with his fingers stuck in his mouth, absolutely not.

He could feel Potter edging close to him. Severus ignored the boy and then he was looking at the boy’s face. Severus tried to push the boy off his lap, but the boy held on to Severus’s cloak with his slobbery hands.

“Potter, get off me.” Severus said unclenching the boy’s hands from his robes.

“nooo! Seb.” Potter shrieked.

“Fine.” He huffed, turning the boy around, so he was facing the book in Severus’s hands.

As Severus was reading, Potter put his slobbery hand on the page in front of him.

“No, Potter don’t touch the book. Babies aren’t allowed to touch books.” He told Potter seriously.

Potter immediately took his hands off the book.

“Good boy.”

Potter knocked his head back on Severus’s chest and settled down.


**


Severus startled awake when a wet hand touched his face. He looked down where baby Potter was sleeping on his chest, the book they were reading forgotten on the floor. He must have fallen asleep while reading.

He gently picked Potter off his chest and laid him down on the couch. He froze when Potter blinked and looked at him with his eyes wide open. His lower lip pushed out in a pout, face crunching up and that was it, Potter started wailing, little legs kicking in the air.

Severus hovered over the boy. Maybe he will calm down if I ignore him, thought Severus. As if hearing the man’s thought Potter started crying louder.

Severus grimaced, what was he supposed to do with a crying baby?

When Potter showed no sign’s of settling down, Severus picked him up, holding the baby half a foot away from him.

Potter stretched his arms and tried to get near Severus.

“ No I will not cuddle with you, Potter. You shouldn’t cuddle with stranger’s that you just met today.” He said, giving the boy a stern look.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because the boy tried to kick him, his legs almost touching Severus’s chest.

“Fine, come here you ridiculous child.” Severus pulled the baby close to his chest. Potter clutched his robes in his little fists.

“ We need to change your diaper” Severus wrinkled his nose at the boy.


**


Severus glared at Potter, after the boy threw his ball at Severus for the sixth time.

“Potter, I am not playing with you. I have a very important matter to attend to.” Severus said, throwing the ball back at Potter.

Potter just lobbed the ball at him again, hitting Severus square in the face.

“If you insist on throwing it, I will be confiscating it. You will get it back tomorrow.” Severus informed, grabbing the ball and slipping it in the pocket of his robes.

Potter looked at Severus with wide emerald eyes, his cheeks puffing, lower lip pushed out in a pout.

Perhaps, he could play with Potter for a little while. He could make the headache potion some other time, there was still a month left for summer vacation to end. Besides, Potter would be gone by the morning anyway.


**


Severus blew on spoonful of leftover spaghetti as he fed Potter, making sure it wasn’t too hot for the boy, before threatening the boy not to tell anyone about it. He even burped the baby.

Then he changed the baby’s diaper and put on his nightclothes, which he found in the bag that Albus had left along with Potter.

Then he brushed the boy’s teeth which took a lot more effort then it should, considering the boy only had two of them.

Then sat on the couch with Potter on his lap. He read the boy a whole chapter on Anti-Aging potion, feeling generous, until the boy fell asleep on his lap.


**


He lowered Potter in his crib, though why Albus had insisted on bringing a crib for a short overnight stay, he had no idea, Potter looked small enough to sleep in a microwave. Potter could have managed without the crib for one night.

Then went to his own bed which was a foot away from Potter, which would be helpful if Potter needed him in the middle of night. Not that he was worried about the boy, he wasn’t. He wasn’t thinking about the baby having a nightmare or getting cold or waking up in the middle of night, he wasn’t!

He would check on Potter after an hour just in case.