"Hey Mr. Snape what are you doing are you making soup because I don't think I’d like to eat bats and hair in my soup or are you making a really weird candle my mummy makes candles she melts stuff to make them only she puts pretty things like shells in them not bats and hair and they smell nice except for when you light other things on fire with them like once when-"

"Hermione, I am making a potion. Some potions, like this one, help people get better," I said, thinking on how much better it would be once the children were re-aged and I could brew in peace. A part of me said that I might just miss the little idiots. I ignored it.

"Mr. Snape sir, what’s in this?" Harry inquired, pointing at a box full of jars on one of the shelves.

"The box of jars that’s got a blue label on it?" I asked, taking a sideways glance.

"Yeah."

"That one would be full of frog innards," I answered smoothly as I poured a drop of bat’s blood into the potion. Dang, turned pink. I figured I’d need to examine Potter’s potion further to see exactly what he did wrong.

"What’s innurds?" Harry asked.

"Guts!" Hermione spouted enthusiastically. Impressive vocabulary for a four year old. Mind you, this was Granger we were talking about. Though it did stand to question where exactly she heard the word innards.

"Eww…" Harry groaned, pulling a face. That’s right kid, you had to disembowel just about the entire contents of that box during detention. Funny how his expression hadn’t changed a bit when it came to frog guts.

***

That day I decided to brave the Great Hall for lunch, seeing as all of us were getting quite restless. Once Harry had gotten his shoes on the right feet (Hermione of course had no trouble with that. She did however need help tying her shoes.) I led them both out of my office and into the corridor.

Thankfully there were not many students staying for the holidays. Just a few Hufflepuff girls and a Ravenclaw boy. They had been sworn not to say a word of the whole fiasco. So I was able to escape the dungeons (contrary to popular belief I do get tired of them) and burn off a bit of energy, mainly in Granger.

"Wow did you see that picture it moved this is so fun look at the pretty trees up ahead is Christmas coming I didn’t know it was-"

"That is the Great Hall up ahead you two," I said. "We are eating lunch there. I want the both of you to stay close to me as we go in all right?" Harry nodded quietly.

"Yes sir I will can we go check out those trees I love Christmas it’s great because Mummy and Daddy let me eat more biscuits than normal and I get new books to read and I love decorating Christmas trees can we decorate one with you Mr Snape do you even got a tree-" Hermione bubbled. I rolled my eyes once again.

When we entered the hall Hermione fell silent. I paused a moment in the doorway. It really did look spectacular. Those beautiful trees had always been the only good part about Christmas for me as I didn’t really have anyone to spend it with.

Within a moment Hermione was back at it, and I continued down the room toward a little table for the few people left at Hogwarts. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Harry’s eyes widen as he took in the splendor of the decorations. He looked slightly frightened, and I could see him withdrawing into his shell. Harry slipped his hand into mine while Hermione skipped ahead. I was a little touched. But just a little,mind you. I didn’t say a lot!

"Hello, you must be Hermione," one of the Hufflepuff girls said. "I like your dress. Purple is my favourite color."

"Mine too I love purple but blue is pretty good too can I sit next to you you’re really nice-"

"I’d love for you to sit next to me," the girl said, patting the chair beside her. Hermione smiled and jumped up.

"Oh, and here’s Harry. How are you?" said the Hufflepuff. Harry looked at me and hid his face in my robes. I fidgeted as the girls broke into a wave of 'Aww isn’t he cute!'s.

"Why don’t you sit here Severus?" Dumbledore suggested, waving his hand at the two seats next to him. I was very thankful because I did not by any means wish to sit next to a bunch of giggly Hufflepuffs.

"Come on Harry, you have to let go of me so you can sit down," I said in a whisper only he could hear. Harry hung on to me tighter. I wracked my brain for an idea, which came quite quickly after glancing at the food selection. Thankfully it was a cold day, meaning that the food reflected on that. "There’s beef stew. I know you like beef stew."

"Beef stew?" Harry asked hopefully.

I nodded and he let go of me. While picking him up and setting him on a chair I congratulated myself on recalling the things Potter most frequently inhaled at mealtimes. Among the things to disappear the fastest were treacle tart, beef stew, and toast with peanut butter. It certainly paid to watch troublemakers like Potter for signs of mischief. Although I never thought it would help me out in this way. 

Within a few minutes both Harry and I were happily munching on warm beef stew and marvelling at how Hermione was better with a fork and knife than half the boys and girls in Ravenclaw. Why however, she decided to cut her beef stew with a knife and fork was anybody’s guess, but one could not deny that she was good at it.

"Severus, I would like to inform you that bath night will be tonight," Minerva said to me, matter of factly toward the end of lunch.

"What the devil are you going on about?"

"Well, I went down to the kitchens this morning to deliver a message for Albus, and out of curiosity I asked what the menu was for today. They’re making pasta and meat sauce for dinner."

"Oh no," I groaned. Minerva patted my hand sympathetically, grinning like the devil incarnate all the while. This made the Hufflepuffs look a little worried.

***

Minerva was right to tell me that bath night would be that night. By the end of the evening meal both Harry and Hermione were covered head to toe in tomato sauce. The rest of the staff present of course found this hilarious and took to giving me advice on which soap brands worked the best. Filch even suggested I say to hell with it and just dunk them both in Mrs. Skowers all purpose magical mess remover, which is actually quite corrosive. Needless to say I was the only one who found that funny. In fact Minerva found it so not funny that she smacked me across the back of the head for laughing. And naturally the students found that funny. That woman sure did relax during the holidays, and I bloody hated it. It was the number one reason for me getting a scolding in public at least once every Christmas. Barmy old Witch ... 

"I don’t wanna have a bath," Harry protested, shaking his head.

"I’m sorry Harry but you are covered in tomato sauce, I cannot let you go to bed like that!" I pleaded, almost at my wits end. "Besides, Minerva got some nice bubbles for the bath and even a few toys."

"Toys for the bath?" Harry asked, eyes widening. Hah! I’d found a weak spot.

"Yes, toys! If you get in you can play with them," I bargained. Harry looked from me to the bath, where Hermione was splashing and playing.

I had figured it would take way too long to bathe them separately and I was definitely not leaving one of the alone when they could easily get into my private lab and destroy everything. Besides, they were four. Okay, and it would be hilarious when they were re-aged and they looked at each other and said in horror: “Oh gross I had a bath with you!”

"'Kay," Harry smiled, letting me help him out of his clothes and set him in the soapy water.

"Look Harry it’s a rubber ducky and the bubbles are really pretty aren’t they and they must be magic because they are really big and some of them are in funny shapes and colors-" bubbled Hermione.

"Wow Mynee, lookit, lookit!" Harry said, pointing at a little toy tug boat ploughing through foam.

"Hey Harry look at this I have a beard!" Hermione giggled, smearing her face with foam. Harry burst out laughing with her. I found myself joining them in laughter; she really looked a mess with her face still covered in sauce and the foam just about everywhere but her eyes.

"Mynee, Mynee I have funny hat like Dumledoor!" Harry giggled, piling bubbles on top of his head. This set them off into another wave of laughter.

"Alright, giggle boxes I have to shampoo your hair. How you got sauce in is beyond me…" I said, chuckling at the children’s antics. Feeling rather mischievous myself as I scrubbed shampoo into Harry’s hair, I decided to smooth it up into a spike. I whistled innocently while Hermione laughed and pointed.

"Lookee Harry Mr. Snape made your hair all funny!" she cried as I held up a little mirror for Harry to see. He promptly burst out laughing as well.

Finally they were all clean and wrapped in towels, standing on a very wet bathroom rug. I do believe I was just about as wet as soapy as the rug.

I herded the sleepy kids out of the bathroom and into their room so they could get their pyjamas on. With a little help from myself Harry was all buttoned up in a fuzzy blue sleeper and Hermione had her nightdress on the right way.

"Now both of you go back to the bathroom and brush your teeth." I said.

"’Kay!" Harry said, dragging Rexy with him.

"I will brush my teeth really well and then we can read a book and-"

I chuckled and sat down at the table.

"You know, they are kind of sweet," I said to myself quietly as Hermione began singing a song about clean teeth.

"That you are correct in my boy," said a voice.

"Wahg!" I exclaimed, nearly falling out of my chair in surprise as I fumbled for my wand. I swung around to face the intruder, arm outstretched and ready for battle.

"Oh. It’s you," I grimaced, lowering my wand. "If you ever do that again Albus I will personally hex you into next week!"

"Be nice, Severus," The Headmaster warned, chuckling.

"I’d be nicer if you would knock first! How long have you been here for?" I growled.

"Oh, not too long," Albus said casually, eyes twinkling.

"Define not too long," I told him.

He did not get a chance to answer however, as a certain bushy haired girl came out of the bathroom to see what the commotion was.

"Hey you’re interrupting story time Mr. Dumblebore and I don’t think you should be here shouldn’t you be getting ready for bed and brushing your teeth-"

"I am so sorry, I did not realise it was story time," Albus apologise, eyes laughing at me. I scowled, making him laugh out loud. It was a moment before he recovered.

"I suppose I should go then. I just dropped by to give you the special ingredient for your potion Severus," He finished, setting a little package on my table before going heading toward the door.

"Goodbye brush your teeth it’s a good idea you know and don’t let the sugar bugs bite!" Hermione spouted as he opened the door.

"Thank you Headmaster," I said rather stiffly.

"You are most certainly welcome. Oh, and Severus?"

"Yes?" I drawled, wondering what it could possibly be.

"You have bubbles in your hair."

And with that he was off, giggling like a ninny.

"That man …" I scowled.

"Can we read now Mr. Snape?" Harry whispered, tugging at my cloak.

"Yes," I said, taking his hand and leading him to the sofa along with Hermione.

***

The next morning found myself and Minerva in my quarters, helping two wiggly children into mittens and shoes.

"Hermione dear, come over here, you need to wear a woolly hat," Minerva said as Hermione bounced up and down.

"We’re going Christmas shopping we’re going Christmas shopping-" she sang happily, obediently dancing over to Minerva so she could have a hat put on her.

"No Harry, that mitten goes on your right hand," I corrected patiently while tucking away a lose string on his rather lumpy jumper.

Minerva and I had shrunk a few of the children’s clothes in order to fit them, as Dumbledore was unable to provide too much money from the school. Besides, we could easily resize the clothing again. Among the items we shrunk were their mittens, woolly hats and jumpers. Harry’s jumper looked as if Molly Weasley had made it, as I had seen her numerous children sporting one each during the holidays. I could only assume she had knitted one for Harry, seeing as Petunia was hardly one to knit.

"Okay, is everybody ready to go?" I inquired, running one last check to see if each child had all their clothes on the right places.

"Yes yes yes come on I can’t wait let’s go-" gushed Hermione, pulling the chords on her hat.

Harry, being the calm one, just smiled and nodded. Who would ever have imagined that he would be the calm one? The thought made me shake my head in amazement. He sure had changed. Perhaps it is you that has changed, I wondered to myself.

"Now has everyone gone to the bathroom?" I asked sternly once I had put my thoughts aside. Both children nodded.

"She didn’t," Hermione stated, pointing to Minerva. The corner of my mouth twitched.

"Minerva is a big girl, and she can decide if she has to go or not," I said, trying my best not to laugh at Minerva’s embarrassed expression.

"Time to go kids," Minerva rushed, opening the door and herding the children out.

I grabbed her arm before she could follow, making her turn around.

"You know Minerva, it is a long way to Hogsmeade; perhaps you should go to the bathroom," I said in my most serious voice.

That comment earned me a nice smack over the back of the head. She scowled as I began to laugh despite the pain. The children stared for a moment before continuing.

"’Nerva, why did you hit Mr. Snape? And how come he laughed?" Harry asked in a whisper, tugging at her sleeve as we walked down the corridor.

"Because he wasn’t acting his age and is laboring under the delusion that he’s funny," Minerva said rather louder than necessary, forgetting to use simpler words in her anger.

"Um, 'Kay," Harry said slowly, eyes widening at the word usage.

"Christmas shopping Christmas shopping yay yay yay-" sang Hermione as we passed a couple of Hufflepuffs.

Harry looked at the students warily. He shifted closer to me and slipped his tatty grey mitten into my green one. For some reason, I did not mind that the students saw. For my mind was focused entirely on the skittish little boy next to me, whose small hand I gave a squeeze of reassurance. I was rewarded with a shy smile, and for that short moment, it felt like I had been given the world.