It was a frantic Draco that came through the Floo into the Lupin cottage shortly after Lily made her call to the Auror Department. Because he had never had any schooling whatsoever, he only had school with his uncle Remus three days a week. Draco didn't mind so much as this meant he got to play with his Rosie two days a week.

He had really enjoyed his times over at the Snape flat...until today. Draco had handled talking to his Aunt Lily and the Aurors well, but when Aunt Cissy sent him home through the Floo while she took care of the near hysterical Lily, he went into a near panic himself. He fell to his knees by the fireplace, struggling to catch his breath.

Tessa came into the living room when she heard the Floo, expecting it to be her mother as it was Cissy's early day at the clinic. When she saw her cousin, her eyes grew wide, remembering the way he had acted when he first came to them. "Papa!"

Remus ran into the room and stopped when he saw Draco. He scooped the boy up into his arms. "It's alright, little man. Take a deep breath...that's it. Now another." It took a few minutes, but Draco calmed down enough for Remus to ask him what happened.

"Harry's Dad came through the fireplace and he used bad magic on my Rosie n' Eric. I got mad an' pushed him back...and he took Harry too."

"James took Harry?" Remus asked the boy.

Draco nodded. "Aunt Cissy stayed with Aunt Lily. She said to tell you."

"What bad magic did James use?"

"He made it so that Aunt Lily couldn't hear them cry." He shivered and buried his face in his uncle's robes. "Mu...Mummy used to do that to me," he sobbed.

Gathering the boy close, Remus just let him cry, rocking him gently and rubbing his back.

--

Tom smiled. "I'm glad to hear you say that, James. Because that's what I will be to you for the next year if the Ministry agrees to my alternative measures."

James looked blank. "Huh? Sir, I don't get it."

Tom chuckled. "You will, son." Then he cleared his throat and began to explain his plan. "I will speak to the court on your behalf and get them to release you into my custody for the next year. After they have released you into my custody, we will return here and you take a de-aging potion."

James stared at the man in shock. "De-aging potion? You want to de-age me? To what age?"

"The same age as your son. If I remember correctly, that's about the time your own father took ill."

Sighing deeply, James nodded and dropped his head. He was an only child, born when his mother was almost past her child-bearing years and his father had been several years older than his mother. Theirs had been an arranged marriage, but they had both been very happy. By the time James had finally come along, they had been very much in love. When James was about the same age as Harry was now, his father had taken ill. Darius Potter died the summer before James started his first year at Hogwarts. The illness had been long and drawn out and his mother had spent many years focusing on her husband. Because neither of them had been able to spend time with James, they had bought him anything his young heart had desired. The habit had continued through James' Hogwarts years until his mother had died a few weeks after he had married Lily. "I was about six or seven. Why…" he sighed again. "Why should I agree to this, Tom?"

"It will give you a chance to experience some loving discipline like Harry is receiving with Sev and Lily. I really think it would help you become a better parent."

James stood and began pacing around the Headmaster's office. "I really don't think I need something like this, Tom. Can't you just use your influence with the court? Tell them that I made a stupid mistake? You know that I would never purposefully hurt Harry."

"I am not going to protect you from your own stupidity, James Darius Potter," Tom snapped at the younger man, his tone one that James had often heard during his own school days. "I'm not trying to get you off the hook for what you've done. What I'm offering you is an alternative to Azkaban, which is exactly what you'll get from the courts!

"Every action has a consequence. Surely you remember that from your Auror training? Kidnapping carries a long term in Azkaban. Kidnapping a child carries an even longer term. If the courts don't accept my alternative, then you'll be getting out of prison when Harry graduates from Hogwarts. Is that what you really want?"

James' knees buckled at the thought and he dropped into one of the chairs. "No. I don't want to lose my son. That's…that's why I did it."

Tom moved to sit in the chair next to him, instead of behind his desk. "James…look at me." It took a moment, but the younger man looked up at his old Headmaster. "You have to face the consequences of your actions. You hid a fugitive and kidnapped your son. The courts aren't going to let you off lightly. Now, I am going to do what I can to get them to accept my alternative, but I can't guarantee that they will.

"However, I can tell you that if they do accept my alternative, you will be treated the same way I was as a child. It's the same way that Sev and Lily treat Harry. We will have a system of rewards and punishments. Good behavior will be rewarded and bad behavior will be punished."

"What…what type of punishments?" James asked after a moment.

"Loss of toys or other privileges, early bedtimes, some time spent standing in the corner, and if you prove to be as much a scamp at six as you were during your seven years here, perhaps a spanking or three."

James made a face. "How negotiable are those punishments?"

"Non."

"But Tom…spankings…"

"…will cause no permanent damage." Tom finished for him. "It might smart or sting for a little while, but you'll be fine after a short time. Anything more is abuse. If you don't understand the difference, then perhaps you should talk to Severus. He could explain it to you."

James closed his eyes and nodded, thinking about the information that Peter had revealed in the article. Yes, as much as he hated to admit it, he knew that Severus Snape would be able to tell him the difference. "Tom…I…I still don't know…"

"Perhaps it will help if I explain a bit more about the de-aging," Tom said. "While you are de-aged, you will not remember being an adult. You will temporarily forget that you were ever an adult or had a son named Harry. You will consider me a surrogate father for the year that you are de-aged. When you are aged back, you will regain all your old memories, but you will also remember you time in my care, so that you can learn from your second childhood."

"I trust you, Tom, I really do, but I'm not sure that I can agree to this."

"Then you run the risk of losing your son forever, James. What do you think would happen to your relationship with Harry while you are in prison?"

"I don't want to lose him," James whispered brokenly.

Tom nodded. "Let's go speak to the Wizengamot."

--

The courtroom where the Wizengamot held their sessions was a large room of dark stone and dimly lit with torches. Tom had been unable to get the Wizengamot to hold the hearing for James that night, but they had agreed to meet the next afternoon to allow time to gather their members and to call witnesses. James sat at one table next to Tom with his head in his hands. He had spent the night in a holding cell at the Ministry and had taken the time to compose a letter to Harry, knowing that Severus and Lily would never allow him to get near his son now.

Severus and Lily sat at the other table with their solicitor, Harry sitting on Severus' knee. His head was resting on his da's shoulder as he stared across the room at his dad. Part of him wanted to go talk to his dad, but another part of him was still mad at him for taking him away from his family. Remus sat nearby with Draco on his lap. The little blond boy hadn't spoken again since he had come home the day before and told Remus what had happened. He also hadn't let go of Rosie's old teddy bear, Tony, since then. Because he had been a witness to the kidnapping, Draco was called to be a witness for the hearing.

When the last of the members of the Wizengamot took their seats, Tom stood and faced them. He recognized many of them who had once been his students or classmates…Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, his Undersecretary Delores Umbridge, the co-heads of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Bones and Bartemius Crouch. Many of James' fellow Aurors sat behind them watching the hearing, including Alastor Moody who had been James' trainer and Kingsley Shacklebolt who was James' current superior officer.

He glanced at James for a moment before turning back to face the court. "Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow witches and wizards…you have been called here to discuss the case of James Darius Potter versus Lily Potter Snape, on the breaking of their custody agreement regarding their seven-year-old son Harry James Potter, by taking him from his home without the permission of the Snapes." He paused for a moment. "I know this normally carries a heavy penalty including a fine of 1,000 galleons and a term of ten years in Azkaban. However, I propose an alternative form of punishment."

"This is the second strike against Potter regarding his son's health and safety and Wizarding Children and Youth are very upset and wish to give him the maximum penalty," Cornelius Fudge told him. "What is it that you have in mind, Tom?"

"I know, Cornelius, and Auror Potter is willing to accept the consequences of his actions. But I think my alternative would work better without completely destroying the relationship between father and son."

Delores Umbridge cleared her throat. "I think Mr. Potter is well on his way to doing that on his own. He is after all, the one responsible for his son's broken arm. And he has no one to blame but himself for kidnapping his son."

"He understands that he has done wrong, Delores," Tom replied. "But he loves his son very much..."

Cornelius Fudge interrupted him and gave a loud sigh. "What is your alternative, Tom?"

Tom stood a bit straighter. "I propose that Mr. Potter be de-aged for the term of one year."

Harry looked up at Severus. "What does 'de-aged' mean, Da?" He asked somewhat loudly.

Severus placed a finger over his lips, indicating to his stepson that he needed to keep quiet. "I'll explain later," he whispered to the boy."

"During that time," Tom continued, "I propose that he live with me as my child so that he may be shown proper loving discipline. His missed out on that in his own childhood and it would be beneficial for him to understand that concept now. It should help in how he relates to his son."

Barty Crouch Sr. spoke up. "Pardon me, Tom, but what would you know about raising children? Being Headmaster is quite different from raising your own brood."

"My wife died bringing my son into this world and my son only lived a matter of minutes, but that does not mean I know nothing of raising children, Barty. I helped my Muggle father and stepmother with my younger siblings and my nieces and nephews always spend most of their summer holidays with me. So you see, I do know something about raising children."

"I'm still not sure," Barty said.

"Why not give it a try?" Tom asked. "I know it's not the usual punishment for such cases, but if we can rehabilitate people without sending them to Azkaban, why not take that chance? If after a year, you still feel that Mr. Potter has learned nothing, then feel free to send him to Azkaban. But at least give him the chance of trying to understand how to be a better parent."

Alina Simmons, the solicitor for the Snapes, stood. "Members of the court, we object. Mr. Potter not only kidnapped young Harry, but he also hexed the youngest two Snape children."

"Do you have any witnesses to this?" Amelia Bones asked. "As I recall, the Snape children are rather young."

"We do, madam," the solicitor replied. "Draco Malfoy was there at the time that Mr. Potter hexed the other two children."

Tom turned to look down at James. "You failed to mention that, James," he hissed at the younger man. James winced, but didn't say anything.

Amelia Bones looked over at Draco. "Can you tell us what happened?"

It took some reassuring from Remus, but after a moment of hesitation, Draco quietly told the court how James Potter had come through the fireplace uninvited and then had proceeded to Silence Eric and Rosie when they had loudly protested his taking Harry.

"Thank you, young man," she told him with a kind smile after he had finished.

Draco buried his face in Remus' robes, closing his eyes tight against the memories flooding his mind. Severus fished a Calming Draft from his pocket and handed it over to Remus, who helped the blond boy to drink it.

"May I ask what you just gave him, Mister Snape?" Amelia Bones asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Severus replied. "I gave him a Calming Draft. Bellatrix Black Malfoy frequently used a similar hex to silence her son while she abused him in order to keep Lucius from finding out what she was doing."

Lily spoke up next. "When Draco came to the Lupins, he did not go a single night without a nightmare. He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't sleep and he didn't talk. He was never very far from where he is now. The Lupins have made great progress with him over the last few months, but Mr. Potter's actions have caused him to regress."

Amelia Bones turned to the other table. "How do you wish to explain that, Mr. Riddle?"

Tom took a deep breath before speaking. "Mr. Potter had no way of knowing that his actions would cause such a reaction in young Mr. Malfoy. He meant no harm to either Mr. Malfoy or the Snape children...he merely wished to speak to his son. Though he does admit that the way he went about it was wrong." He glanced over to the other table. "Why don't you ask Harry his opinion?"

Alina Simmons gestured for Harry to come stand next to her and the boy slowly slid from his da's lap and moved to stand beside her. She looked down at her young client. "Harry, do you understand what's being said here?"

He nodded. "My dad did something bad by taking me away from my house and they want him to go to Azkaban," he said, pointing at the members of the Wizengamot. "But Headmaster Tom wants to do something else so that he only has to go away for a year. I don't understand what that is though. Da said he'd tell me later."

"That's very good, Harry, but can you tell me what you think should happen to your dad?" She asked him.

Harry turned to look at his dad. "I'm still kinda mad at him for taking me and for not listening to me either...'cause I told him that I wanted to go home. But he's my dad and I do love him...I - I don't want him to go away forever." He looked back at his mum and da, before turning back to James again. "I wish you would listen to me, Dad, and do some of the things I want to do. I - I really liked the brewer's journal that you gave me for my birthday...Da and I have already started putting potions recipes in it.

"I love you, Dad...and I love Da too. And I don't want to have to choose between you...please don't make me choose," he said, tears rolling down his cheeks. He turned and ran back over to his mum, climbing into her lap and hugging her. Lily held her oldest son close and kissed the top of his messy head.

The members of the court stared at each other, not really sure what to say after listening to the boy. "Give us a moment to discuss the issue," Cornelius Fudge said after a moment. He cast a charm that would cut off sound between the members of the court and the two tables as the members of the Wizengamot convened.

Tom turned to look at James. "You failed to tell me that you cast a hex at Rosie and Eric," he hissed. "If they agree to this, lying is something that I will not tolerate."

"I didn't lie," James told him. "I just...left it out."

The Headmaster smacked the back of the younger man's head. "You didn't tell me because you knew that I would not be very happy with you. I had half a mind to tell them to forget the whole thing and send you to Azkaban."

"Tom..."

"You shut up and listen to me, James Darius Potter. There is never any call to hex a child. Never! Even you ought to know that."

"I guess I wasn't really thinking," James said with a sigh.

"You need to start thinking! Not thinking is what got you into this trouble. You didn't think before you put your son on that bloody hippogriff and that's why he fell and broke his arm, starting this whole thing in the first place. You not thinking is why you ended up kidnapping your son."

Cornelius waved his wand again and the barrier disappeared. "Mr. Potter." James stood and turned to face the members of the Wizengamot. "Normally the members of the court issues very harsh penalties to those who have done as you have done. And most of us were in favor of giving you those penalties. However, we took your son's words into consideration and have agreed to allow Headmaster Riddle to de-age you for a year. But, should these problems continue after that year is complete, you will go to Azkaban without another hearing."

"Thank you, Minister Fudge," James replied.

Tom put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Come, James. Let's return to Hogwarts."

James turned to stare at his son, still curled up in Lily's arms. "Can I..."

"I'm afraid not, son," Tom told him. "It's best we just leave."

Sighing deeply, he turned and followed the older man from the room.

Together they made their way to the Atrium to Floo back to Hogwarts. Once in the Headmaster's office, Tom stuck his head back into the Floo as James dropped into one of the chairs. After a moment, Tom walked over to him with a vial of potion in his hand. "Last chance to change your mind," he said, even though he knew that James would never choose to go to Azkaban.

"I have to do this for Harry," James replied, taking the vial in his own hand. He stared at it for a moment before slowly uncorking it. "I didn't...I didn't realize just how much I was hurting him. I..." he just shook his head and drank the potion.