Severus Snape had a conundrum.

In the past, an invite to a weekend of conferences at the International Potions Convention in Germany would not have posed any form of problem for him.

But that was the in the past. Not now.

Now, he had an entirely new set of considerations when it came to such travel.

Namely, Harry.

Glancing up from his desk, he glanced across at the almost-seven-year-old boy, who was content to lay in front of the fireplace in his office and draw.

Yes, there was the small matter of his adopted son and whom might take responsibility for the boy in his absence.

Severus’ brow furrowed. Since Harry had come into his care over a year ago, the child had, seemingly, grown very attached to him. And though Severus was loathe to admit it, the feeling was fast becoming mutual.

He and Harry had not spent a night apart in that time. Let alone two.

Yet Severus could go, he knew. It was simply a matter of choosing the most appropriate caregiver.

And therein lay the problem.

Dipping the tip of his quill into the inkwell, the potions master began to write a list of possible contenders.

Albus Dumbledore.

No sooner had he written the name down, he immediately struck a line through it. The old man would talk in nonsensical riddles to the child all weekend and fill him full of sugary treats which would no doubt ruin his teeth.

No.

Severus did not wish to return to find his son had become an unstoppable ball of energy. Or worse, a raving lunatic.

Albus Dumbledore was definitely not an option.

Minerva McGonagall.

Severus sighed. A perfect solution under normal circumstances, but he quickly remembered that the deputy headmistress had left the castle that weekend, to visit family.

Filius Flitwick.

He pondered it for a moment but rapidly ruled it out – Harry was already taller than the charms professor, and knowing the boy’s penchant for finding trouble, it was likely a recipe for disaster.

He didn’t even bother to add Pomona Sprout’s name to the list. Last time he had entrusted Harry to her for less than half a day, the boy had ended up alone in the Forbidden Forrest.

Setting down his quill, he sighed.  Perhaps he should ask the boy where he’d like to go?

With a shake of his head, Severus swiftly dismissed the idea. He would only end up having to make not one but two trips to The Burrow, where copious amounts of tea and rock-hard cakes would be forced upon him as he sat surrounded by those snot-nosed Weasley brats. He simply did not have time for such atrocities.

It really was a conundrum – at this rate, the Dark Lord might be a serious contender for the title of babysitter, Severus thought bitterly.

There had to be another choice. Somebody he hadn’t yet thought of.

Who would Harry be happy to stay with? And most importantly, who could he trust?

And then, it dawned on him.

He left early the following morning. He would, of course, travel by floo to the convention, but Severus Snape had never been one for tardiness.

And as he walked back across the ground of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he cast a glance over his shoulder at the caretaker’s hut.

Albus Dumbledore may have been an eccentric old fool who talked in nonsensical riddles most of the time, but there was one thing he often said which Severus found himself agreeing with.

He would trust Hagrid with his life.

In memory of Robbie Coltrane 1950 – 2022