It was a very tired and groggy Headmaster, who washed and dressed the children the next morning. Unfortunately, Severus’s memories had resulted in a few nightmares and Dumbledore had eventually taken him to his own bed, in the hopes of settling him. The disturbed sleep caused Severus to move around a lot. Albus had woken on two occasions, to find the child hanging off the edge of the bed. Harry, on the other hand, slept peacefully. His crying episode from the previous day seemed to have had a healing effect on him, to some extent.

Dumbledore sighed and gulped down some Pepper-up Potion. He felt he would need the extra energy. Severus’s lack of sleep had produced a very cranky and uncooperative toddler. He had screamed when Albus tried to wash his hair and splashed most of his bathwater over the startled Headmaster. Next, he refused to let Albus dress him in the blue outfit, which Dobby had carefully set out for him, the night before. The old man showed Severus five others before the boy chose one almost exactly the same as the first.

Luckily, Harry had been exceptionally calm, and had even managed to elicit a smile from Severus, by handing him a toy golden snitch. It flew around the room more slowly than a real one, so the children could catch it.

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Professor McGonagall appeared at the breakfast table, as usual, to find an exasperated Dumbledore cleaning cereal off his beard and robes.

“DON’T WANT CERAL!” Severus shouted and banged his spoon on the tray of his highchair.

“All right, young man. That’s enough of that nonsense,” scolded the stern Transfigurations professor, “Now, you can have some toast or some yoghurt. Which do you want?”

Severus looked at her carefully and decided she was not a good person to play up to.

“Toth,” he said sulkily and Minerva placed some on his tray.

“Hello, Harry,” she smiled, ruffling the other boy’s hair, “How are you today?”

“Hi ‘Nerva,” Harry answered brightly, “I pay with Seberus today.”

“Did you? Well, I am very pleased to hear that,” she answered.

Her discussion with the children gave Albus a chance to change his outer robe. He returned, looking ready to cast a few shielding charms on himself.

“It’s all right. He only has toast,” laughed Minerva.

“I am glad you find it so funny, Minerva,” grumbled Dumbledore, “Getting cereal out of one’s beard is no easy task, I can assure you.”

He sat down beside Harry and buttered some bread. “Well, young Harry,” he smiled, “You are going to have a visitor today. You know Remus, don’t you?”

“Moony,” Harry grinned, “Will he pay with me?” he looked at Dumbledore a little uncertainly.

“Of course he will,” Albus assured him.

Severus finished his toast and juice and allowed Minerva to clean him up, deciding that it was best not to make a fuss.

She set him on the ground and he toddled over to Dumbledore. In an uncharacteristic gesture of affection, Severus grabbed the Headmaster’s hand and kissed it. Dumbledore looked down at his innocent little face. His heart melted and he forgot his previous frustration. He reached down and lifted the child into his lap.

Severus put his arms around the man’s neck and laid his head on his shoulder. “I good boy now, Abus?” he asked softly.

“Yes, you are,” Dumbledore could not help but chuckle as he gave him a gentle cuddle. Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. “That boy has you wrapped around his little finger,” she said wryly.

“Really, Minerva,” Albus replied, though he grudgingly admitted to himself that she was right.”

“Weally, ‘Nerva!” repeated Severus, mimicking Dumbledore’s severe look.

Minerva almost choked on her tea. “There is a child who could be sorted at the age of two,” she muttered, shaking her head.

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After breakfast, Dobby appeared and announced Remus Lupin’s arrival. Professor McGonagall went out to the school gates to greet him. “I had the house-elves set up some rooms for you,” she told Remus, “Just in case you want to stay for a while. You could have Harry on your own sometimes, too.”

“That sounds good. Thank you,” the golden-eyed man smiled gratefully, “How has Harry been since yesterday?”

“Albus told you what happened, then?” Minerva asked.

“Yes. It has been very hard for Harry.”

“Hard for you, too.” McGonagall looked sympathetic.

“Albus seems to think that my spending time with Harry will help both of us. I hope he is right and that I can be some good to Harry. He is all I have, now.”

“Of course you will,” the old witch said reassuringly, “He was very excited when Albus told him you were coming. As long as you talk to him, play with him and show him that he is cared for, Harry will be happy. The poor child got precious little attention from those blasted Muggles.” She pursed her lips at the thought of Harry’s aunt and uncle.

“I trust that you can make your own way to the Headmaster’s tower?” she asked when they arrived in the Entrance Hall, “Something came up this morning that I must attend to.”

“Of course,” said Remus cheerfully. On reaching the stone gargoyle, he gave the day’s password, ‘Chocolate Creams’. The gargoyle sprang aside and soon he was on the moving staircase to Dumbledore’s office.

He found no one in the circular room, but, passing through to the room beyond, he saw Severus and Harry sitting on a rug on the ground, playing with some magical blocks.”

“No, I’m too big to go on there,” one block corrected Harry. The boy giggled and placed it on a larger one, instead.

“Hello, Harry,” Remus smiled.

Harry jumped up and ran to him. “MOONY!” he shouted happily, as Lupin swung him around in a circle.

He carried the boy over to where Severus was sitting, watching them warily. He had not seen Severus de-aged and he had to admit that he was very cute. “I wonder what Sirius would have thought?” he mused. “Hello, Severus. Having fun?”

Nothing prepared him for the resulting shriek from the child. Severus backed away and hid under a table, crying at the top of his lungs. The noise brought Albus running from the room next door.

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Little Severus did not trust strangers. . He certainly was not pleased that this strange man was sitting so close and talking to him. He had met many of his father’s ‘friends’ during his young life. None of these meetings had been pleasant. They had usually resulted in his father beating him for not behaving properly, with the men egging him on. Like Salazar, they enjoyed watching defenceless people suffer.

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“All I said was ‘hello,’“ Lupin threw up his hands in response to Dumbledore’s questioning look.

“Don’t worry,” said Albus, “He doesn’t take to new people easily and he’s not in the best of humour today.”

*Is he ever? * thought Remus.

Albus did look concerned when he saw Severus shaking with fear, under the table. Clearly, this was more than the reaction of a tired child. “Severus? Come child. Albus is here,” he coaxed in his softest voice.

Slowly, the crying boy crawled towards Dumbledore. The Headmaster gathered him up in his arms.

“It’s all right,” he cooed, “That is just Remus. He has come to visit Harry. He’s not that bad, you know,” his eyes twinkled with a touch of amusement over his half-moon glasses. Severus continued to cry.

“Oh dear me,” Albus crooned as he tried to soothe the shivering child, “I know, darling. I know. I think it is time someone had a little sleep, hmm? Shhh, child.”

Severus took great, shuddering breaths as Dumbledore rubbed his back gently.

“That’s it, love. Calm down. Take a deep breath for me. Yes, that’s a good boy,” the Headmaster quieted Severus and gradually, the toddler’s face became the right colour again.

“Now, Severus,” Albus repeated, “This is Remus. He has come to see Harry and I promise he won’t do anything to hurt you. Are you going to say ‘hello’?”

Severus just buried his face in the Headmaster’s beard.

“He will be a lot better when he has had some sleep, I think,” Albus said as he indicated for Lupin to follow him to the comfortable chairs by the fire, “Though I would be careful about approaching him. Probably best to let him come to you, if he wishes. I think we are seeing more of the effects of Salazar Snape on his son.” He sighed sadly.

“That would explain a lot of things about Severus,” Lupin frowned, “It wasn’t until we had all finished school, that I ever thought about why he was so angry and aloof all the time.”

“Yes, I made mistakes on that front, too, and I should have known better,” Albus began to slowly rock the child, who was now dozing in his arms, “Shouldn’t I? My little one.”

Severus responded with a sleepy sigh. Albus noted the heavy eyes and summoned the child’s blanket to them. Severus held it to his cheek as sleep crept over him.

Remus watched the old man with Severus. It was clear that he saw him as his own child. He was glad Severus now had someone who cared about him. He also knew Albus loved Harry and it heartened him.

“So, Remus?” Dumbledore’s voice was merry again as he jolted Lupin from his thoughts, “What are your plans for the afternoon?”