-II-

"A double name is stupid. It's as if I'm married to you," Severus said and screwed his face.

Alastor grinned. "What an idea."

Severus glared at his guardian. "Why not just Moody, Alastor?"

"Because I think you are trying to run away from something, Severus. It's not healthy. Like I already said, it would make me very proud if you would choose my name, but I still want you to remain a Snape as well because you can be proud of being a Snape. A combination will be the best solution." He looked seriously at Severus.

"Fine, you win. Then it will be 'Snape Moody,' but you need to tell all the teachers to address me as 'Moody' when the adoption is through."

"Now I see. You just want to annoy your teachers." Alastor grinned.

"No, but it is a welcome side effect," Severus said, smirking.

Severus sighed. "Yes, Poppy."

-II-

"Are you all right, Harry?"

"Hmm."

What about your hand?"

"Fine."

"And your lungs?"

"..."

"Harry?"

"I don't like this, Sev. I hate that others can just stick a syringe into my stomach."

"It's not a syringe, Harry. It's just that small stick with a very small needle, and it will help you when you are too far into an asthma attack."

"How would you feel if you were me and I had to run around with that stick to push it into your stomach as soon as you have problems?"

"I don't know. It sounds bad the way you say it. I don't run around and wait for you to have difficulty breathing. You have the applicator, and I will try to remind you to use it as soon as you sound strange or are out of breath. James and Maria explained that all. Maybe I'll never have to use the emergency stick."

"Yeah."

"Come on, Harry, I was once a Potions Master, and James said I was very good with the stick. I promise to try to help in time for you to use your applicator. Stop worrying so much about it."

"Okay," Harry said and sighed. He turned around to look at Severus. His eyes had gotten used to the darkness, and so he could see Severus looking back at him. "How are you? I mean, what do you think about the adoption?"

Severus shrugged. "I don't really know. My head hurts, and it still feels as if it is stuffed with cotton wool. I think I...I like the adoption. I asked Alastor to change my name."

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised, and sat up.

"You sound as surprised as Alastor. Why is it so surprising?"

"Because you always were so proud to be...Snape. I cannot imagine you with any other name."

"I can. Very easily. I'm sick of Professor Snape and Snape, the Death-Eater, and Snape, the git of the dungeons."

"What about Snape, the war hero, or Snape, who invented a lot of helpful potions?"

Severus groaned and turned on his back. "That's over. I'm a stupid student again, and I will never be able to be a Potions Master again. All my education and my titles have been taken away from me. I have to start anew."

"But your potions are still your potions. Nobody can take them away from you, Severus. And who says you won't become a Potions Master again? You just have to study Potions again."

"Let's stop talking about it, Harry. I'm tired," Severus said sadly and turned away from Harry.

"Is there something you haven't told me, Sev?" Harry asked, worried.

Severus did not answer.

"Severus, please don't do that. You ask me to accept your help with my asthma, but you just ignore me when I ask you a question?"

Severus sighed. "Maria said something about my magic, Harry. I just don't want to talk about it. It hurts, and I would like to forget it." Tears came again, and when Harry crawled behind him and hugged him, he let them free and told Harry everything Maria had told him.

"They don't even know for sure how things will develop. Maybe your magic core will become really big now that you are still growing. And even if your core has problems reproducing magic, it can balance it out. Don't worry so much."

"Potions are my life, Harry. Even now I can feel it, and I still think about a potion anytime I see a plant or a flower."

"Then we will find a way. I could give you magic when you need to refill your core and maybe later there will be someone else to give you magic without making a big deal out of it. Someone like Jessica."

Severus could feel Harry grin behind him and elbowed him. "Very funny, Harry."

Harry chuckled. "The whole school is talking about the two of you."

"Fantastic."

"Kingsley and Remus are coming over tomorrow after they sign the papers at the Ministry. Isn't it cool? I'm so glad that Remus will be my godfather. What do you think about Kingsley?"

"I think he will be a good godfather. I mean, Charlie is too young, and he always was more like a younger brother. He isn't like Kingsley, more carefree and funny. Kingsley is more serious, sometimes even too serious for my taste, but I feel safe around him. He is the Minister himself, I mean. He will get me out of anything."

"What about Tonks?"

"Tonks? Are you mad? She is even more childish than Charlie."

"To me, they are not a bit childish at all. Funny, yes, but childish?"

Severus sighed. "Maybe that wasn't the right description, but they are just not Kingsley. It's different with him."

"I think I know what you mean. He radiates power like Alastor and Professor Dumbledore. Charlie and Tonks are more fun, but they still look out for you. It must be odd to be so much younger when you are around them."

"It's odd but...it's as if it had never been different. I feel that I can trust them and that I know them very well, but it's as if I've always been younger than them. I can't remember how it feels to be the same age."

"Hmm."

"You are tired. We should go to sleep."

There came no reply, and Severus groaned. "Great, a living teddy bear."

/

"It's so unfair that he can still sleep. I want to have a free period in the morning as well." Severus looked grumpily at Poppy after he had downed his nutrient potion.

"Therefore you only have two classes tomorrow, Severus. Since when do you want to sleep in?"

"I don't want to. It's just not fair that he doesn't have to go to class now."

"You make absolutely no sense, Severus. You need a hot chocolate to wake up completely."

"Hmpf."

"Why the long face again, my son?" Alastor asked.

"Harry gets to sleep in."

"Ah, I see." Alastor lean over to his wife and kissed her. "Remember, from tomorrow on you can torture your teachers with your new name."

Severus blushed. He had not told Poppy yet, but of course Alastor would have spoken with her already.

Poppy smiled. "Yes, it will be quite troublesome for them to call you 'Mr. Moody.'"

"You haven't changed your mind, have you?" Alastor asked.

"No, I haven't. I need to go. Bye." He was out of the room before anyone could say something else.

/

"Hey, Severus, wait!" Harry ran over to Severus. "How...was...Potions?" Harry gasped.

"Your applicator, Harry. Use it now. You shouldn't have run," Severus scolded.

Harry fumbled for his applicator and breathed deeply after he had used it.

"So, how was Potions?"

Severus shrugged. "Okay, but Charlie must have spoken with Oliver because he did almost all the work. It's as if I'm an invalid. I don't know why they even force me to go to school if they know I'm useless."

"Stop that. You aren't useless. You just need time."

"Lie to someone who doesn't know it better," Severus said grumpily and climbed up the ladder to the tower.

/

"Next week a new professor will arrive. He will take over your Tuesday Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. He is an expert from India and knows a lot about Defense Magic. He will be able to teach you some methods that Professor Moody and I aren't able to. He may even teach you some offensive magic if you show respect and study hard. Your work ethic and your enthusiasm will decide about how much he will teach you. Professor Montanasi will come to Hogwarts next Monday, and he might stay for the rest of the year. The fact that he has offered to teach you is an act of good will towards the school. He is coming primarily to teach at the College of London. As his student, Hamid, is your age, he wants him to attend school here during his stay in Great Britain. I hope you will all give him a warm welcome."

"A new professor? I hope he isn't as scary as Professor Moody," Lorenzo said to his neighbor.

"Yes, it's bad enough that we have Moody each time around the full moon," Jason answered.

Both threw a short glance over to Harry, who glared at them. Harry disliked his classmates. They were so immature.

Harry loved Defense Against the Dark Arts, no matter if it was with Remus or Alastor. He just hoped the new professor would not be a problem like so many of his former Defense teachers.

/

"Neville will be here in a minute, Severus. Please come with me to greenhouse three." Pomona led Severus out of greenhouse one were his classmates and he had taken care of the moonflowers for the last two hours.

Severus was nervous. Neville Longbottom was a pain in his...for the last few years. He did not know how to feel about meeting him now that he was younger than the other boy. Would Neville use his advantage to pay him back for all the hours Severus had made his life miserable?

"What's wrong, Severus?" Pomona asked, turning him to face her. He was pale, even more pale than normal and he looked scared.

"I...Neville..."

"Neville is a very mature boy, Severus. He will not judge you for your behavior against him. I spoke with him about it. You are a different Severus now, and he promised to see you just as Severus the new club member, not Severus Snape the former Potions Master."

Severus gulped. He wished he could believe her, but it was hard. They could hear steps coming closer over the wet grass as they stood outside greenhouse three. "Ah, Neville, there you are, my boy," Pomona greeted the brown haired sixth-year.

Neville nodded to the professor and then fixed his eyes on Severus.

Severus gulped and did not dare to move. He hated himself for being so weak.

"Hello, Se...Severus. I heard you wanted to join our club. I lead the club when Professor Sprout is busy. I thought it would be better if we talked a bit before you join us tomorrow. It would help to know how much you remember so I know how much I have to watch and help you. In our section of greenhouse three we have plants that are normally not allowed to be handled by second years. Therefore, I need to know how good you are in handling them."

Severus stared at Neville. Pictures of a clumsy boy, shivering in fear ran through his mind and were not matching the image of the boy-no, young man-that was standing in front of him now.

"Maybe we should go inside and I'll show you our section. You can tell me if you remember the plants and how to handle them." Neville gestured to the entrance of the greenhouse.

Severus looked at Pomona, but she just smiled reassuringly at him and gestured with her head to follow Neville. So Severus followed.

After half an hour, Severus was feeling much more relaxed around Neville. It seemed the boy really was trying to forget their past and was even a bit excited about Severus' enthusiasm to learn more. In the end they both parted, looking forward to the next day's Herbology Club meeting.

/

"Hey!" Harry said cheerfully from the coffee table on which he had spread his Charms homework.

"Hey," Severus said and slumped down on the couch. "Charms?"

"Yes, we still need to write the essay about Cleaning Spells."

Severus groaned. "I was in a good mood."

Harry grinned.

"Do you know when Kingsley and Remus are coming?"

"Remus said around four, so we still have an hour for homework."

"Someone home already?"

"No, I think they are still at the Ministry. Some strange nurse was in the infirmary when I came home and checked if Poppy was there."

"Oh, blonde hair, around thirty, with high heels?"

"Yes," Harry said suspiciously.

"Poppy hates her. That was Cindy. She is always flirting with Alastor when she is around."

"But she's...young!"

"Yes, but maybe she fancies old, dangerous men."

"You are making fun of me."

"No."

Harry frowned. "Then why is she here?"

"Because she is the only one St. Mungo's will send here. I think they are glad to be rid of her for some time."

"It's good that Alastor isn't here then. Let's do homework."

"I just came back from classes." Severus leaned back.

"And? We need to do it now, Sev. Our godfathers are coming in an hour, and James and Maria are coming in two hours."

"You definitely spend too much time around Poppy. I won't do the homework. Why should I? It's useless. I only go to school here until Christmas. I don't care if Flitwick is mad if I don't have my homework."

"Maybe you don't care if Flitwick is mad, but I'm sure you care if Poppy and Alastor are mad. I'm sure they will be informed if you refuse to work in classes and do no homework."

Severus glared at Harry. "I don't need another person to tell me what to do. You are still younger than me. I'm going to sleep. Bye." Before Harry could protest, Severus was out of the room.

Forty minutes later, Harry came into their room. "I'm done."

"Fantastic. They will be so proud of you," Severus said, annoyed.

"You are a git."

"Nothing new."

Harry threw himself on his bed. "Remus said we are getting a new teacher next week."

"New teacher? Why? Which class?" Severus turned to face Harry.

"For Defense, of course. Remus said the new professor will teach in London but will teach us once a week. I'm sure he will teach your class as well. He will come with a student who will go to school at Hogwarts."

"A student? Wait, what was the name of the professor?"

"I can't remember. The name was weird."

Severus held his head. It was hurting again. A picture of an old man with dark skin and white hair was forming in his mind. He had a pointed beard and many wrinkles. "Damn, it hurts."

"Shall I call someone?"

"No!"

"Severus, you are in pain."

"It's getting better already. I just think I remember him. It's an old friend of Alastor's and they spoke about him coming eventually this year. I...I once met him. He is very mysterious. He does not speak much, but he always eyes you oddly."

"He doesn't sound very friendly. Do you think he will be trouble?"

"He is one of Alastor's friends, so he can't be too dangerous, but it will be odd around him and if he brings a student with him, the guy will be even odder, I guess. I just hope they won't stay here like last time."

Harry shrugged. "I will worry about it when the time comes. You should worry about Flitwick."

"Phew."

The door opened and Kingsley and Remus stepped in. "Mr. Potter, Mr...Moody." Kingsley grinned teasingly at Severus.

"The adoption is complete?" Harry asked, excited.

"Yes. Did you have any doubt?" Remus asked as he ruffled Harry's hair. He turned to Severus. "I fear I'll have to try hard to remember to call you Mr. Moody from now on."

"You'd better try, because I won't listen to anyone calling me 'Snape' from now on."

Remus chuckled.

"How was school?" Kingsley asked Severus.

"Bad, as always. But it will only be a few more weeks until Christmas and then it is all over."

"You will still have to go to school after Christmas, Severus. Alastor just said he would look for another way to teach you."

"It's useless. I won't ever be able to use magic correctly, Kingsley. I hate that you all always have to pretend that everything will be all right. Nothing is right. I will never be able to become a Potions Master again and I won't even be able to finish school," Severus yelled and the hid his face in his bed covers.

Kingsley did not know what to say and looked at Remus for help.

"Severus, you just need time. It's normal that you have problems during the first weeks. You need to be patient. Your magical system needs to rebuild itself."

"Then you should all leave me alone and not force me to attend classes."

Remus shook his head sadly. "But attending classes will help you to learn to use magic and that helps your magical system to rebuild quicker."

"I don't care. I hate going to school."

"I think we will leave you to alone now, Severus," Remus said. "Try to not think too much about it. Things will become easier in a few weeks." He turned to Harry. "I'm glad to be your godfather, Harry. Come over this weekend. We could go flying."

Harry smiled and nodded.