Harry was taking the boys to see their new sister, yet none of them were especially happy. Harry had, for the first time ever in a single day, to get on to each of the children. Alby, though, was by far the worst. He had been misbehaving since he had run away from Harry earlier that morning, and had even hit Severus, who he normally got along with no matter what. He had been put in a five minute time out, but even afterwards the child was still misbehaving. For now, Harry decided to turn a blind eye to the angry glares that Alby was sending his way and get the boys ready to visit their mother. Andromeda was going to go as well so that she could help Floo the boys…and so that she could see her newest grandchild.

Getting all of the boys dressed was another thing entirely. While Harry had done it before without Ginny, this time seemed more trying than ever. The boys all had a shirt that was based from a muggle story book he had heard as a child. Sirius’ shirt said Thing One, Teddyis Thing Two, Severus’ Thing Three, Jamie’s Thing Four, and Alby’s Thing Five. Lily had one that said Thing Six, all according to their ages. The shirts were bright red and white, and, according to Ginny, were “absolutely adorable!” All the boys were supposed to wear them to the hospital.

Harry first went into Teddy’s room where the child was sitting on his bed tying his shoes. While Teddy didn’t look upset or sad, he did not exactly look happy either, and that bothered Harry, as Teddy was usually one of his happier children. Even Teddy’s hair was a mousy brown color, the same color Tonks’ used to be when she was upset about something and trying not to show it. Harry silently thanked Tonks, the biological mother of his son, for allowing him that bit of insight. He wanted his son, the only son of Remus and Tonks Lupin, to be a happy child. Teddy was his and Ginny’s son now, but he owed it to Remus and Tonks to make sure that their only child was loved and taken care of. Most days, Harry didn’t even think about it that way, as Teddy was his and Ginny’s. No one ever disputed that. Teddy knew no other live parents. They simply made sure to tell him many stories about his deceased parents, and if he needed a break from his siblings to hear more stories about them, Ginny and Harry usually arranged for him to go spend some alone time with Andromeda, his grandmother.

“Are you just about ready, Teddy?” Harry asked him, sitting beside the boy. That was when Harry noticed that Teddy was actually his tallest child. He was even a couple inches taller than Sirius who was about a year older.

“I’m fine, Daddy. I’m just not sure about all this.” Teddy said. He looked up at Harry and that was when Harry noticed that Teddy’s eyes were also an odd, dull color.

“What are you not sure about, Teddy? You know that you can tell me anything. I will always listen to you.”

Teddy sniffed.

“Dad, it just isn’t like Alby. He hit Severus. He loves Severus. I mean, the two of them are just like each other. They both like books, they both like to be quiet. They even have the same attitude most of the time. But, now that the new baby is here, it seems like Alby is afraid or something and he wants to be different. I don’t know how to explain it, Dad.” Teddy said.

Harry looked at his son, astonished. Out of the mouths of babes indeed.

“Look, Teddy, I do not want you to worry about Alby, or Severus, or Sirius, or Jamie. Your Mum and I will worry about them. How about you tell me how you feel about the baby. I thought that you were excited to have another sibling.” Harry asked his young son.

Teddy swallowed and looked down. He had to think a minute. How did he feel about the new baby? When Jamie had come he had been excited. Then Alby, he had been excited for the most part. There had been a few days when he had detested both of his younger brothers, but usually his Dad or Mum would take him aside and give him some alone time. Then it was okay.

But what about now? Sirius and Severus had come along, but they were older and for some reason it was different. Maybe because they had fit into their routine so easily, and their Mum and Dad had still spent time with them individually whenever they wanted or needed it.

“You’re not going to have any time with us anymore, Dad. There are six of us now. You and Mummy both work and now there is a baby. You aren’t gonna wanna even fly with me and Sirius and Jamie anymore! Or read with Sevy and Alby!” Teddy, at that moment, burst into tears. Something he very rarely did.

Teddy jumped up from his bed and went to run towards the door, but Harry, used to the antics of Severus trying to run whenever he got into trouble or didn’t want to do as he was told, grabbed Teddy in midair.

“Le’me’go!” Teddy cried and kicked. Harry held tight, even as Teddy kicked and cried out.

Finally, after a few moments, Teddy just stopped and leaned back into his father.

Harry wrapped his arms around Teddy and held the boy against his chest and listened to his sobs.

“I love you, Teddy, more than you will ever now.” Harry said, placing his chin on Teddy’s head and then moving his hand to his wand so that he could summon a tissue.

Tissue in hand, he gently wiped away the tears from Teddy’s face and then gently wiped the little boy’s snotty nose.

If only his children could understand just how much he really did love them.

He would do anything for them.

Once upon a time, Harry Potter had died to save the wizarding world.

He would do that and more for his children because they meant more to him than anything.

~*~sdrawkcab~*~

Severus had a sudden childish urge take over his entire body. He was dressed. He had on a pair of jeans and his Thing Three shirt that his Grandma had set out for him. He didn’t have on shoes or socks, but he currently didn’t need them.

He was in the bathroom. In Mummy and Daddy’s bathroom because Sirius was in the other one.

He wanted bubbles. To get bubbles, one needed soup. Liquid soap was best.

Like Mummy’s shampoo. Severus went over to the bathtub (which was large enough for him and his brothers to play in if they wanted) and turned on the water.

He then proceeded to grab his Mummy’s shampoo (there was one bottle by the bathtub, one in the shower, and two under the sink) and poured them into the running water.

Severus leaned over to shake the last bottle into the tub, but he leaned over the edge to far and went splashing into the water.

The water was warm (automatically spelled to the temperature of Severus when he touched it, as all of the faucets in the house were for each of the children because Teddy had turned on the hot water once when he was three and burned himself. Harry and Ginny had taken precautions since then to assure that each of the children were spelled to the water in the house so that it would be neither too hot nor too cold. Severus’ water was always warmer than the other boys water tended to be because he chilled easier), but falling in had shocked him.

The water was only up to his waist as he sat down, but  the bubbles were way above that, nearly to his chin.

The best thing about it, though, was the smell. It was like a bit of coconut and lime with just a hint of strawberry.

Just like Mummy.

Immediately, Severus started to cry.

“Severus Harrison Snape-Potter! What the bloody hell?!”

Severus jerked and looked towards the doorway.

There stood his Daddy.

And he did not look happy.

This merely made Sev cry all that much harder.

Harry stared at his son. The bathroom was a mess. Bubbles were covering the floor, water was fixing to overflow the tub, shampoo bottles were on the floor and then there was Severus. He was looking up at Harry and was crying.

Harry was definitely not sure what had happened here, but it was obvious that something was bothering Severus, and it was obviously the same thing that was bothering all of his children.

He was literally at a loss.

“I want my mummy!” Severus wailed, big, fat tears rolling down his face.

Harry sighed, then waved his wand around the bathroom.

First the bubbles vanished, and then the water disappeared down the drain. All that was left was a very wet Severus.

Harry walked over to the tub and picked Severus up out of the tub. He stood him up and then kneeled in front of him.

“Severus, what were you thinking?” Harry asked him.

“I want Mummy. Please, Daddy. I want my Mummy.” Severus cried, his shoulders heaving up and down.

“Severus, I want you to tell me why you made such a mess in here.” Harry asked him as he dried him with his wand.

Severus stomped his foot and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I. Want. My. Mummy.” Severus deadpanned, his tears no longer flowing, his eyes glaring with a glimmer of the old Snape.

Harry raised his eyebrows at his child.

“Severus. Go put on your socks and shoes. We are leaving in ten minutes. You and I will talk about this later.” Harry said, gently guiding Severus to the door.

“Don’t touch me!” Severus said, jerking away from Harry. For the second time that day, Harry had to grab his child.

Harry sighed. Was his day really going to be like this? Thankfully, he heard Andromeda getting Alby, Sirius, and Jamie rounded up. He had a feeling that she had heard his discussion with Teddy earlier and was leaving Teddy for Harry to get.

Harry sat on his and Ginny’s bed with his back against the backboard and Severus in his lap facing him.

“Okay, Sev, here is the deal. I know that you boys are all having a hard day. I know that Mummy missing is not something that any of you are used too. However, something has got to give, Son. You made a huge mess in the bathroom. You wasted Mummy’s shampoo, and you were sitting in the bath with your clothes on. What is going through that head of yours?”

Severus scowled at him. He didn’t want to discuss this with his father.

“Severus.”

It was the tone. The tone Severus dreaded from his Daddy. It was the tone that Severus knew meant that he was going to be in trouble if he didn’t do as he was told.

“Alby hit me! And you are going to forget about me. And you are going to forget about all of us because of the baby. I know what is going to happen! I know!” Severus said.

Tears. Harry had seen more tears from his children in the last few hours.

Harry didn’t know what to do, so he wrapped his arms around Severus and let his son cry.

What surprised Harry was that the tears Severus cried were not his normal sobs. They were not sobs of hurt, or anger. They were sobs of utter loss and confusion.

Harry held Severus close and let him cry.

~*~sdrawkcab~*~

Ginny knew that something was wrong the moment her children and husband walked her hospital room. Her Mum was there, sitting beside her bed with Lily. Thankfully.

Andromeda herded in Sirius and Jamie, and was holding Alby who had his arms crossed and looked angry.

Teddy was walking beside Harry, his eyes rimmed red. He had obviously been crying. Severus was on Harry’s hip. He looked ill, his hair had not been combed, and he too had been crying recently.

“Mum, I forgot a stomach soother for Sev. You wouldn’t happen to have a child soother with you, would you?” Harry asked Molly. Sev had thrown up as soon as they had Floo’d into the hospital.

“Of course, Harry.” Molly said, walking over to Andromeda to hand her the new baby, who had just placed Alby on the floor beside Harry.

Molly dug through her purse and pulled out her emergency kit that she carried around with her at all times. It was mainly for her grandchildren, and had child soothers and child pain remedies, along with the potions needed for Sev’s allergies.

Molly took Severus from Harry and went over to a corner chair and gave him the stomach soother. She knew from many years experience that there were a few jealousy issues among her grandsons.

Ginny looked at her mother knowingly. Despite being the youngest of so many children, and the only girl, Ginny knew what it was like to be jealous.

“Go over to Grandma and look at your sister, guys.” Ginny said lightly.

Sirius went over to the baby first and peered over the covers.

She had red hair. She was absolutely perfect. Sirius, while feeling a bit intimidated by this small creature, was actually excited to have a little sister. It was a new adventure.

Jamie went next and climbed up on the chair beside his Grandma.

“I wanna hold her!” Jamie said cheerfully. He had been less and less distressed about the whole thing since his Daddy had come home that morning. Now if his Mummy would come home he would feel fine with though whole thing. What did it matter if there was another kid? It was just someone else to play with in his eyes.

Teddy walked slowly over to look at the baby, but did not sit beside his Grandma to look at her for long. Instead, he went over to his Mum and crawled into her bed. Harry went to stop him, but Ginny sent him a look that told him not too.

Alby sat on the floor until Harry bent down to pick him up. 

Alby hit him.

Ginny’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. That was not her baby. Her baby did not just hit his Daddy!

“Harry!” Ginny whispered when Harry merely picked Alby up and placed him on the bed.

“Gin, I know. It’s been a rough morning with the kids. I’ll tell you about it when Mum and Dromeda take the boys back to the house.”

“Noooo!” came a wail from the corner.

Severus.

Harry looked over at him, he was getting off of Molly’s lap and  then ran over to the hospital bed Ginny was on and climbed up the opposite side of Teddy.

“Severus!” Harry said.

“No! No! No! I want my Mummy!” Severus said and threw his arms around Ginny’s neck.

“When is Mummy coming home?” Sirius asked.

“Tomorrow, Baby. I’ll be home tomorrow.” Ginny told him, smiling at him.

“I want you to be home tonight!” Severus wailed in Ginny’s ear.

Ginny and Harry exchanged glances. It looked like this was going to be a whole different adventure than they had expected.

They both merely smiled at each other.

Sometimes all a family had was love because even when the kids weren’t happy  they usually wanted a cuddle and loving whispers in their ears.