Severus sat at the table, at his now self-designated place on Ginny’s left, and played his food. He swirled his potatoes around with his fork, slowly causing them to merge with the cheese that covered his broccoli. He had already decimated his chicken strips and they were under the emaciated mashed potatoes that were not merging into the cheese.

He had not taken a bite regardless of the fact that he knew he was supposed to eat at least one chicken strip and half of the potatoes and broccoli. His adult side decided, wholeheartedly, that it was his choice and how dare either Potter or Weasley dare to tell him that he had to eat or that he was in trouble because he had been brewing a potion in the lab. He was a Master Potioneer for Merlin’s sake!

The child in him, however, was quite upset at the fact that he had disobeyed his Ginny and Harry. It was odd, to him at least, that he had started to refer to them as ‘his’ in his mind over the last week. That was, when his adult memories and ideas weren’t being obnoxious and interfering.

Severus continued to stir his food around, oblivious to the conversations around him. The older boys, while knowing that Sev had done something he wasn’t supposed to by going down into the basement, did not know that he had tried to brew something. They pitied him, even Sirius to some extent, because they knew that he was in major trouble.

Alby, not so much. He was used to being the only one who Sev would give his individual attention to, and the fact that he was not at the moment was starting to irritate the two year old.

“Sev. Sev. Sev. Sev. Sev. Sev. Sevvvvvvvvyyyy!” Alby shouted across the table from his high chair that was off to Ginny’s right.

“Shh.” Ginny said, placing another cut up piece of chicken on his plate.

“Sevvvvvvvvvvvvyyyyy!” Alby continued to hiss out.

Sev continued to play with his food, and was startled when Ginny placed her hand on top of his to stop his fork from moving. Sev looked up at her, his eyes glowing from unshed tears.

Ginny leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Sev, I realize that you are upset, but you have to eat. I am not going to make you eat what is on your plate this time, and I will give you more food. However, the next time that you do that to your plate, I will make you eat it as is. Understand?”

Sev nodded his head lightly.

“Are you ready to eat?” She whispered again. This time he shook his head.

“How about I fix you a plate and cast a warming spell over it. That way you can eat after Harry and I talk to you. Just this once, mind you.”

Sev nodded. He knew that if he tried to eat right then that he would not be able to keep the food down.

“Sevy!” Alby screeched.

Sev finally looked up at the boy, a tear sliding down his cheek much to his horror.

“No cwy, Sevy, no cwy!” Alby, concern written all over his baby face.

At that moment Severus did the unthinkable.

In his head, his adult mind screamed, “Don’t you dare! No! Don’t you dare!”

But, as a child, he could not help it. He climbed down from his chair and somehow worked his way onto Ginny’s lap, placing his head snuggly against her neck and let his tears fall.

Ginny acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary, and simply wrapped her left arm around the boy’s small back and continued eating. This seemed to satisfy Alby, who stopped whining the instant that his Mummy was taking care of his new brother.

Harry looked longingly at the little boy. He wanted Severus to be as comfortable with him as the other four boys were, but so far he only seemed to gravitate towards Alby and Ginny. The fact that he had to punish the boy soon for his misadventures caused even more grief in Harry’s heart.

Oh the trials of being a parent.

~~sdrawkcab~~

Harry sat in the study with Severus beside him while Ginny put the other four boys down to nap. Once they were all down, she was going to come in and talk to Severus as well, and, hopefully, they would be able to get through to him.

Severus sat deep into the corner of the couch, his body stiff and still. Harry looked at him and sighed. This was going to be hard.

“Severus, would you like to tell me what you did that was wrong and why it was dangerous?”

Severus shook his head. No, he didn’t want to talk. He didn’t like that he was in trouble and he knew that if he opened his mouth then he would get into even more because the adult would speak. Even though he did now that he shouldn’t let that part of him speak, there was a tiny part of him that did want it to.

It was safer to simply keep his mouth shut.

“I know that you do not want to discuss, Severus, but you have to understand that you are no longer thirty-nine years old, nor are you a potions master. Your adult memories are there, yes, but even you must admit that they are not in control. Your adult side is no longer who you are.” Harry told him gently. Severus grasped his hands and placed them in his lap. He didn’t want to listen to Harry, didn’t want to hear him talk about him as if he hadn’t a clue in the world about what was going on.

Harry stood up from the couch and then went and kneeled in front of Severus. He placed his hand under the boy’s chin and lifted his face so that he was looking him in the eye.

“Severus, tell me what you are thinking.” Harry demanded. Severus looked into those green eyes. Lily’s eyes. Harry’s eyes. Alby’s eyes.

“Severus, until you talk about it, neither Ginny nor I are able to help you. You have to, not necessarily forget your memories, but perhaps shove them to the side. It is the only way that you are going to be able to let us in. You are not the old Severus Snape, the git of the dungeons, death eater, spy…that is not who you are anymore. You are Severus, Sev, Sevy…”Harry trailed off, deep in thought.

“You are five, you have a home, family, and most importantly, Sev, you are loved.” Ginny said from the doorway.

Severus cried. They were trying to trick him, he was sure.

“Yes, Severus, you are loved. Ginny loved you the minute she laid eyes on you. So did Alby. Teddy and Jamie love you, you just have to let them in. Sirius is getting the hang of this family just like you are, and I have no doubt that soon he will forget past transgressions and love you as a brother also. Severus,” Harry moved a bit closer to the boy and made sure that he was looking him in the eye, “I also loved you the minute I laid eyes upon you, and even before that. This is a second chance for you and for Sirius. We, Ginny and I, want you to embrace that chance, not hide behind it.”

Severus sniffed.

“Now Severus, do you want to tell us why you were brewing Dreamless sleep? Especially since you know that you are not allowed to be in the potions lab unless Ginny is with you.” Harry said to the child.

Ginny, who had moved to a chair that was directly in front of Severus’ place on the couch, leaned over so that she could look at the boy closely.

“Severus, why did you need the Dreamless Sleep?” Ginny asked him. She had her wand in her hand and cast a simple diagnostics charm on him as she talked.

“No! Weasley! Stop this instant!”  Severus said, jumping up.

Harry grabbed the boy and smacked him lightly on his bum.

“Severus, stop. Ginny, what is it?”

“Drop the glamour, Severus. If you don’t, I will. You know how uncomfortable it is to have someone else undo a glamour charm that is on as heavily as yours is.” Ginny told him quietly.

Severus did know. He was so indecisive with himself. He knew, however, that one way or another, he was going to lose his glamour.

Slowly, he let them drop.

Ginny gasped. Harry looked startled. In front of them was not the child that had a healthy hue to his skin. No, this child looked withdrawn and had deep, dark circles under his eyes.

“You’ve not been sleeping.” Harry stated.

Severus shrugged.

“Severus, I looked at the Dreamless Sleep that you brewed. It was perfect, but it would have harmed you. Do you know why?” Ginny asked.

Again, Severus shrugged.

“Because, Severus, you are no longer thirty-nine years old and Dreamless Sleep is not given to children. It would have done you more harm than good, honey.” Ginny told him lightly.

Both Harry and Ginny watched as realization spread across the boy’s face.

Yes, indeed, he had forgotten that tiny detail. One had to be a certain weight to take Dreamless Sleep, and, unfortunately, he was far from that weight.

“Severus, do you know why you are in trouble? Do you realize what you did wrong?” Harry asked him.

This time, Severus nodded.

“Can you tell me? Out loud?” Harry prompted.

Severus sighed. Of course he could. But he didn’t really want to.

“Go on…”

Again, Severus sighed.

He did, however, speak, “Obviously, I should not have brewed Dreamless Sleep with the intent of taking it. Apparently, despite the fact that I am a Master Potioneer, I am not allowed in the potions lab without Weasley.” Severus recited.

This time, it was Harry and Ginny’s turn to sigh.

“I hope that you realize, Severus, sooner rather than later, that your adult memories no longer mark who you are. Things will be so much easier once you do. Now, the punishment for breaking the rules you broke, as you well know, is a spanking. You put your life in danger, and that is simply not something that we can allow, so let’s go ahead and get this over with.” Harry said.

Tears instantly filled Severus’ eyes again. He had never, even in his first childhood, cried this much. It was repulsive.

“No.” Severus whispered, although it was futile, as Harry had already picked him up and was placing him over his lap.

“Severus, you are five years old; therefore, you will receive five swats for your misbehavior.” Harry told him, holding the five year old’s hands so that he could not cover up his bum.

Harry then smacked the child’s rear. Once on each side, once on each sit spot, and then once on his entire bum. The whole process was over in less than fifteen seconds, but to Severus, who felt as if there was water rushing in his ears, felt as if it had been an eternity.

Tears leaked down his face. It wasn’t so much that those five smacks had hurt…yes, they had stung and were still stinging…but Severus’ pride was hurting much more than his bum.

Harry picked the child up and started to place him on his lap to comfort him. However, Severus had other ideas. He wriggled free from Harry, who had had a firm grasp on him but let him go to see what he was going to do.

Severus ran to Ginny and threw his arms around her neck, much as he had done earlier.

Ginny looked at the pained expression that crossed Harry’s face. He was simply not used to being left out when it came to comforting his children. Harry and Ginny had decided early on that they would have an equal household. They would both discipline their children together, so that their children always knew that they were together. This was something entirely new for Harry, and it pained him greatly.

“Shhh, Sev. You know that you deserved that. You were naughty. But, now it is all over and you are forgiven. Remember, Harry and I love you.” Ginny said, hugging Severus tightly to her chest.

As his crying slowly subsided, Ginny stood up, and, in his ear, whispered, “Are you hungry?”

Severus nodded into her shoulder.

“Okay, we’ll sit down so that you can eat, and then you will lay down for a nap, okay?”

Again Severus nodded.

Ginny walked over to her husband, leaned over and, above Severus’ head, pecked her husband on the cheek and whispered in his ear, “We will talk tonight, after we get the boys in bed. No worries, Love. I am going to get Severus settled, and then we have to finish packing.”

Harry looked at her and smiled. It was a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless.

It just really hurt him that Severus was still refusing to let him in.