Chapter Four

Severus wasn’t sure he wanted to live with this Sirius guy…his house wasn’t very nice to look at…and the inside reminded him a lot of his own home. Paint fading and grey, and looking like it belonged to Dracula. It was not a happy home to live in at all...so there was a slight possiblity that Sirius was sad too. If that were the case then all Severus had to do was try and make him happier and maybe help him clean his house a little bit. He was sure he would be able to make him happier if he were to dust, there was too much coating everything. Clutching Harry’s legs he hid his face behind them as they continued through the old home.

“Harry?” he asked sweetly. “Will you hold me? This house is scary.”

Reaching his little arms up at Harry, he smiled gratefully when he little feet left the ground and were able to wrap around Harry’s middle. That was better, and now he could get a clearer view of the house. Being short had its disadvantages; he never could really see what was coming.  And in his house that was never a good thing.

“Professor, are you certain Sirius is in? I don’t-

-BLOODY HELL REMUS, LOOK HOW HUGE AND HAIRY IT IS!” he heard a loud voice boom, rattling the dusty rafters. “KILL IT! KILL IT! NO, DON’T BRING THE EIGHT LEGGED THING HERE!! KILL IT!”

Severus whimpered and hid his face in Harry’s shoulder. He didn’t like loud voices and that man’s voice boomed through the house like a cannon. He was scared, he didn’t want to live here! Not with another Tobias Snape! No…no not with father!

“Sevvy? You’re shaking…hey…what’s wrong?”

Gently prying Severus from him so that he could get a better look at him, he stroked his little nose. He had never seen Snape so scared before. Loud voices clearly did not put his mind at ease, another thing they both had in common. Yelling wasn’t an effective tool when it came to anyone, so why did people insist on thinking it was.

“I…I don’t…like it here Harry…” he whimpered softly. “Those loud voices…they are scary.”

Harry frowned with Severus and gently rubbed circles into his back. He didn’t like the idea of Severus being scared for some reason; it just seemed to unnerve him. He really wanted his new friend to be a happy child… and he would be sure to talk to Sirius about his vocal level before Dumbledore forced him back to Privet Drive.

“They will stop Sevvy, and I promise that they are not directed at you…I think Sirius caught a spider or something.”

“I love spiders!” Severus beamed. “They are so cool!”

Harry shuddered, after his second year at Hogwarts he was pretty sure that he was off spiders for life. It didn’t matter the type, they all could just burn in bloody hell for all he cared. Ugly things they were, but he wasn’t completely surprised that Severus liked them. He was a potions master after all, even in childhood that passion and talent was still there.

“Do you think so?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “There are a lot in my old room…mummy told me they were protecting me from Father…I don’t think they were…they just liked my socks.”

Harry got a mischievous glint in his eye and reaching down he removed one of Severus’s shoes and began tickling his foot. And no sooner than a minute later had the sound of laughter filled the house. He tickled and tickled to the point that Severus was gasping and squirming in his arms, flailing around like a little fish that had been pulled from the water.

“Hahaha-Harry!” he squealed.

“But you have such cute little feet, Sevvy…no wonder spiders love your little socks! Do they nibble your toes, Sevvy?”

Severus laughed, unable to answer any of Harry’s questions! It tickled so much that he could just barely stand it and he felt close to sicking up…but before it got to that point two men appeared at the bottom of the stairwell they were passing. Breathing a bit heavily for a moment, Severus hid his face in Harry’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure if these new men would like them…but they didn’t look nearly as scary as father did. The one man actually looked kind of sick and he had boo-boos all over his face and towards the nape of his neck. Poor man, he hoped that he was taking medicine and using potions on those scars…they made him look sad. Then there was the man next to him…and he looked a bit mad…had Severus already done something wrong? His eyes were dark and he had rather long hair…kind of like Sevvy’s only his curled a lot more and Severus’s was just straight and lanky.

“Sirius!” Harry said, beaming.

The man turned and smiled warmly at Harry, and for a moment Severus almost felt his fear disappear…that was until Sirius went from being happy and smiling to his first expression…one of disgust and loathing. Severus felt his chin quiver a bit, but he quickly looked away in an attempt to hide it.

“So, Sirius,” Harry said, prodding his God-father a bit further. “This is Sevvy…”

“Snape…” Sirius said coldly. “I do not need an introduction Harry…I know who he is.”

Severus didn’t like the sound of that, by that tone Sirius sounded like he wanted to have him disappear. Was Harry really going to leave him alone with this man? Someone that didn’t like him or want him even in the same house as him? There just had to be some type of mistake.

“You-You do?” little Severus squeaked.

However just as Sirius was about to reply Remus moved forward and shook his head. He would not let his friend alienate a small child…he did not care who the child was in the present or who he had been in the past. Judgment was not meant to be pressed down into the innocent souls of children, they were supposed to live life loved and wanted. And for Sirius to try and do anything else, because of a school grudge, well…that just was not happening. Not under his watch…and Remus would be watching quite thoroughly.

“He does, little Severus,” Remus said gently. “He knows you because Albus has told him all about you! Isn’t that right, Padfoot?”

Sirius wanted to snort but he refrained from doing so and just nodded. Remus would kick his ass through London and back if he misbehaved, and although Mooney didn’t look like the type it didn’t change the fact that he would do it. His friend could be very brutal when he needed to be, which was what made him such a great teacher and best friend.

“Padfoot?” Severus repeated, tilting his head a bit to the side. “I thought your name was Sirius?”

Remus smiled.

“That’s his nickname…mine’s Mooney.”

“Oh! Harry gave me a nickname too!” the little boy announced. “Sevvy…because my name is mean.”

Remus’ eyes softened a bit at hearing Severus say such a thing. He thought that his name was mean? He supposed that was somehow the Maurader’s doing. They had often teased Severus of his name back in school and perhaps this was just something repressed coming to the surface now.

“Well, Sevvy is a wonderful name.”  Remus praised.

“What’s your real name, though?” the little boy grinned. “Does it begin with an M?”

“Close…I’m a few more letters down though,” Mooney teased, playfully. “My name is Remus Lupin.”

“You have a nice name too.” Severus said, though his words were muffled a bit by a small yawn.

Harry smiled, Severus was experiencing something many children went through after eating candy, and that was sugar withdrawal. Sevvy was no doubt ready for a nice nap…finding his room without Sirius biting his head off though, that was the challenge.  He really wanted his God-father to be nicer to Severus, after all Dumbledore had made him Severus’s keeper, he just had to be nice!

“Would you like a nap, Severus?” Albus asked, he could see his young lad beginning to doze against Harry’s shoulder.

“Am I allowed? S’not bedtime yet…” he said softly.

Albus shook his head; he did not like the idea of Severus going without a nap and trying to force himself to remain coherent. That would make for a grouchy little boy, and Albus was sure that everyone wanted to avoid a grouchy Severus Snape.

“No, but you are allowed to have a nap…I’m sure Sirius has a room already made up for you.”

Sirius sighed, and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You will have to ask Remus about that, he’s the one that picked out the room and cleaned it.”

Remus nodded.

“It’s the first room on the second floor…right across from mine and beside Sirius’s.”

Harry nodded and adjusted little Severus in his arms once more.

“I’ll just tuck him in then…” Harry said, dismissing himself from the group of men downstairs.

“Harry?” he heard a little voice coo. “I hafta go potty first.”

Harry felt his cheeks flush a bit but he nodded, of course Severus would eventually have to use the loo. It was only natural, it was just something that Harry didn’t expect to have to deal with when it came to Severus Snape. Then again, Harry also needed to remember that this small boy wasn’t Severus Snape: Potions Master at Hogwarts…he was Sevvy Snape…a very sweet little boy with a large heart that was still intact and uncrushed by the sins of his past.

“Okay, Sevvy,” he said gently patting his back. “I’ll take you to the loo.”

Closing his eyes and resting his head on Harry’s shoulder he felt himself begin to drift away. He was just so tired and he knew that sleep would be a nice reprieve to such a long day. He could not wait to snuggle down in his cool bed sheets and just dream the day away. Only rather than waking up in bed, he found himself being put down on a cold tile floor.

“Okay Sevvy, I’ll wait out the door while you go and do your business.”

Severus nodded and yawned once more before closing the bathroom door behind him. Harry leaned against the wall beside the door and yawned himself. He was starting to feel a bit tired as well, chasing after Severus for even a little bit had worn him out. He was sure that he would sleep tonight, nightmares be damned. Listening as the toilet flushed and the sink turned on he could not help but smile. Severus really was a precious little kid…how could his parents ever stand to mistreat or abuse him? The door opened and Severus knuckled his eyes and yawned once more.

“M’sleepy Harry,” he yawned. “I wanna go to bed.”

Scooping down so he could pull the little tyke into his arms he yawned as well.

“Hey,” he said, gently poking Sevvy’s tummy. “Don’t do that…it’s contagious.”

As a pair of small arms wrapped around his neck he chuckled and continued to his new bedroom. He supposed he could get used to carrying a little Sevvy around. He wasn’t all that heavy and in all reality he was a child that just attracted love and tenderness.

“You can take a nap too Harry,” Severus whispered, his words starting to heavy with sleep. “I’ll share my room with you.”

Harry smiled as he continued down the hall to the door Remus said would meet them. Gently pushing the door open he smiled and had to roll his eyes a bit. Of course Remus would want to decorate the entire thing in Slytherin memorabilia…to keep Sevvy as close to home as possible. Still, it was a nice room…winter green walls and a nice hard wooden floor. He wondered how long this had taken his past Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor to do all this. With magic, probably mere minutes…but it was still an impressive feet none the less.

Walking past the large fireplace he pulled back the deep green comforted on Severus’s bed and helped him snuggle down into a set of warm, clean, sheets. The bed was fairly large compared to Sevvy’s size and it looked almost as though it might swallow him whole! That poor little boy, so tiny…just like Harry had been at that age

“Harry?” Severus whispered, groggily. “Don’t leave me…I’m still scared.”

Smiling Harry brought a chair over and gently took Severus’s hand. He wasn’t going to leave until he was sure his little buddy had fallen asleep and was off in dreamland chasing unicorns or something. Gently stroking his hair so it was out of his face, Harry smiled as Severus yawned once more and snuggled deeper down into his pillows. Remus had really done a good job, he would have to get Headmaster Dumbledore to come up and see as soon as he was free with whatever it was he was doing.

“You aren’t going to leave…are you?”

Severus hated being alone at night, or whenever he was supposed to sleep. He had bad dreams about scary men and his father. He did not like them at all and they made his tummy feel all gurgly and roll around uncomfortably. If Harry left he knew he would have another bad dream and nothing would bring him back. Even when he had a bad dream, his mummy couldn’t come and help him. She was too busy taking care of daddy…now that Severus had someone that was willing to stay he didn’t want them to leave him…not ever.

“I will be here Sevvy, I promise.”

“Cross your heart?”

Harry smiled and took a little hand.

“Over and over again, Sevvy.”