It was very hard to remember that this was a potion-induced vision. Usually Severus was a lucid dreamer. He always knew he was dreaming and he could wake himself, when his dreams turned to nightmares. It was part of his skill at Occlumency. There were usually signs that it was a dream. Gaps, jumps and quick cuts between scenes. People said odd things. If nothing else, he would look for a light source. In his dreams, light never cast shadows.

This was something else entirely. Here, there were no gaps in the fabric of reality, as there would be in a normal dream. All his senses were involved. The scent of the floo, the hard landing at the end. Potter holding the small body that Severus was currently inhabiting. Everything about it told him it was real.

His mother had held him like that, when he was small, but never his father.

Severus willed that thought away, before it really formed.

Potter put him down carefully, as they emerged from the fireplace. It resembled the kitchen in Grimmauld Place only vaguely. The furniture was the same, but it looked as if someone had scrubbed it within an inch of its life. The place was filled with the scent of scones in the oven.

"Ok, now?" Potter asked solicitously, bending his head to look Severus in the face.

Severus gave him a tight nod, although there was nothing about this that was all right. The Dark Lord himself couldn't come up with a vision as dreadful as this.

Potter stared down at him with a worried frown. He put his hand on Severus' shoulder, drawing him further into the room, moving away from the floo so that the other children wouldn't tumble out onto them. Lily appeared first, bounding out of the fireplace, "Oooh! Kreacher's been baking!" she cried, sniffing the air.

"Is that you lot?" called a woman's voice. Severus heard someone running down the steps. He turned to see a woman come into the room. Startled, he realized that it was Ginny Weasley, whom he'd protected from Amicus just last week. SHe, like everyone else he'd recognized, was twenty years older. She had grown into a lovely woman, her face lit up as she took in the sight of them.

Lily threw herself at the woman, "Mum!"

The floo flared again. Stepping out was the older child, Al. He brushed himself off, turning to hug his mother, when she was done hugging Lily.

Potter's hand was still on Severus' shoulder, when the Weasley woman turned to kiss Potter and then opened her arms to embrace him. Severus flinched and backed up a step, unable to help himself.

Confused, she glanced up at Potter and then back at him, but at least she didn't insist on the embrace, "Tim?" she asked, uncertainly.

"He gave his head a pretty hard thump." said Potter softly, in answer, "He's having some trouble remembering things. He knew Lily and he called me 'Mr. Potter', but he didn't seem to know Al."

The Weasley woman...no, she was Mrs. Potter Severus realized, frowned in concern, "I'll owl Ernie, then. I was afraid when Poppy owled us..." She stopped and gave Severus a worried smile, "Never mind, Tim. I've had bludgers that hit me so hard, I couldn't remember my own name for days. We'll sort it out."

If the child he was currently inhabiting (possessing? That was a disturbing thought) usually called Potter "Dad", then she must be his mum. For some reason, Severus felt moved to comfort her the same way he'd felt about the Lily girl earlier, "I'm sure I'll be all right, Mum." he told her, hoping that didn't come out too differently from how the child spoke normally.

Although, he reminded himself, it hardly mattered, since this was a dream.

She smiled broadly and reached out to clasp his hand, rather than invade his space again. It was then that he noticed that he still held his wand in his hand. No one had said anything, but Severus felt awkward suddenly. He tucked it into the inside pocket of his robe.

"Do you think you could eat something?" the woman asked, "Kreacher's just taking some scones out of the oven and I'll make some tea."

Severus nodded, cautiously. Potter's hand steered him to sit at the bench by the table. The elderly elf that had served Black was there. Severus wondered why. He would have never imagined that Potter would actually keep the thing after it's part in Black's death.

THere were other house elves that Severus knew. Perhaps, Kreacher was here because Severus' imagination failed to imagine a different one serving in this house. One would think that in a dream or vision or whatever-this-was, the house elves would be invisible, as they were at Hogwarts.

Perhaps, Black was going to come haunt Severus, as well.

Kreacher placed a plate with two scones and a jar of rasberry jam in front of Severus, "Thank you." Severus muttered.

The house elf jerked, looked up at Severus, "Master Tim is not himself, today." he said.

Potter, sitting next to him, nodded, "No, he's not, Kreacher. He got a potion in his face and hit his head."

Kreacher's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he made no more comment. Perhaps no one in this house had ever thanked the house elf before.

Severus kicked himself mentally.

This. Was. A. Dream.

There was no past or future, here. The people around him weren't real. He had to keep that in mind. It may be that he would never escape, if he forgot that. They were Poppy's idea of torment. To show him what he wouldn't and couldn't have. How could he have been so stupid?

The room seemed to tilt dangerously. He shut his eyes against the suddenly too-bright light.

"Tim?" Severus snapped his eyes open. Ginny Potter was sitting across from him, now.

"What?" he demanded, curling his mouth into a sneer. He was glad, suddenly that he hadn't eaten yet. He would have brought it up right then. He lifted his hand to his aching head.

"Love, you're shaking." She said. She reached out to place the back of her hand on his forehead, "You should be in bed." she announced.

He would have snarled at her, but it was much harder to be intimidating when one was four foot tall.

"C'mon, then. You heard what your mum said." Potter scooped him up.

Severus ground his teeth. Of course, it didn't help that the small body he was stuck in actually did seem to be suffering from the after effects of a blow to the head. The trip up the stairs was too much. Halfway up, he contorted in dry heaves.

Potter sat him on the step. Both of the Potters were there, each had a hand on his back. He waved them away, because the contact made him feel more nauseated. Much to his surprise, they actually backed off. Severus sat there with his head on his knees.

"I'll go fire call Ernie." said Ginny, "Will you stay with him?"

Potter must have nodded, because Ginny hurried back down the stairs.

"Hey, Tim?" Potter sounded as if something had just occurred to him, "Where's your wand?"

Severus felt around in his robe, as soon as he grasped the smooth wood of the handle, the nausea began to ebb.

The hand was back, but it didn't make him sick this time, "That help?"

Severus nodded, carefully.

"You really did hurt yourself. I think your magic needs your wand to focus itself." Potter said, "Let's see if I can get you to bed." Potter picked him up again.

They came to one of the bedrooms. Severus was curious how the Potter's looked after their apparently adopted son. So far, they'd been the picture of parental devotion, but that meant nothing. He'd seen plenty of families who were hiding unpleasant secrets.

Again, Severus shook himself. This wasn't real.

And, at last, Severus saw the proof that this was some highly realistic dreamscape. The room was so like what Severus would have wanted at eleven years old, that it had to be drawn from Severus imagination.

The room was very neat, with floor to ceiling bookshelves on one wall. A broom was propped in the corner. Pictures sat on top of the dressing table, waving at him. Some of the people Severus recognized. There were one or two Muggle pictures that didn't move, sitting there.

The bed had a green and silver bedspread. The real Potter would not have had it in the house, Severus was sure. A large stuffed dragon also sat in the corner, as a testament to younger days.

Tacked to the wall, was a young boy's chocolate frog card collection. On the bedside table was a rock that was enchanted to give off light. The ceiling was a light blue with clouds. As Severus watched, the clouds drifted across the painted sky and a small bird darted this way and that.

The headboard of the bed was also a book shelf. Potter put him down onto the bed and turned to pull some pajamas out of the dressing table drawers. He gave them to Severus and asked, "Need any help?"

Severus gave the man a glare.

Potter just sighed, "I'll just go down and see if Mum's got through to Healer Ernie, shall I?" He got up and half closed the door behind him.

The bedspread felt new under his hands. The books on the shelf were a mixture of Muggle and wizarding titles. Severus recognized some from his own childhood, but not others.

There were some books that he wouldn't have thought would hold much interest for an eleven year old boy, however.

Severus pulled off his robes and put on pajamas. He was careful to keep his wand in hand as much as possible.

Instead of climbing into bed though, he went to peruse the bookshelf, curious at what his own mind would conjure for an eleven year old's room.

One of the Muggle photographs was a young blond woman, looking happily at the camera. Next to it was a picture of what had to be Tim, Ginny and Harry Potter. They were cutting a huge cake and laughing together. As he watched, the small boy wrapped his arms around Potter, who lifted him up so they could wave at Severus.

In another picture, the two children Severus had already seen stood with another boy who looked a a few years older than Al. The eldest one was kneeling next to Tim, as though sharing a secret. The portrait people saw him looking and they all stood to wave, as well.

"Looking for something to read?" Severus jumped. It wasn't often that someone could sneak up on him.

But, that was in his old body...or rather his own waking body. This dream body didn't have the benefit of reflexes honed by years of spying. Then too, perhaps that was another tell; Potter could never move so silently.

"Sorry." said Potter, "Didn't mean to startle you." he came into the room and turned down the bed covers, "What do you want to read? I'll get it. Healer Ernie will be here soon, but he wants you in bed."

Severus nodded, climbed cautiously into the bed. Potter drew the covers up, "Hope you like the bedspread." he said smiling a little, "Your Auntie Roz is going to drown you in green and silver."

"Auntie Roz..?" ventured Severus, slowly, wondering who Potter meant. There wasn't a Weasley with that name. An aunt by marriage, perhaps?

The concerned frown again, "She was in Slytherin too, remember?" Potter tucked the blanket down around Severus.

Severus just shook his head, getting a little bewildered. This dream kept going in different directions from where he thought it should, "You don't mind, that I'm in Slytherin?" He knew that many children had trouble at home for being sorted into the wrong house. He would have thought the Weasleys and the Potters would have both thrown almighty fits about a son of theirs (even an adopted one) being sorted into that hated house.

Potter reached out and brushed the hair out of Severus' eyes, he smiled, "We've been over this. I rather like having the set."

Severus shook his head, "But...but everyone thinks Slytherins are all Dark Wizards." he blurted, befuddled.

Potter nodded somberly, looking as if something was making sense, suddenly, "Has someone been giving you a hard time?" he asked.

"I...don't know..." Severus sputtered.

Potter frowned some more, "Listen, if someone gives you a hard time, tell your brother or sister, right?"

"I-I don't..." Severus decided he'd best shut his mouth. This was getting too fraught and confusing.

"If they do, tell Professor Bulstrode, right? Or, like I said, you can tell Al, if you don't feel like you can talk to the prefects in you house." Potter shook his head, "I won't have you worrying about this, all right?" Potter leaned forward again to grasp the hand that wasn't holding a wand, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with Slytherin. Dark wizards have come from every house, it's only that the last one happened to be in Slytherin. One of the greatest heroes of the War also came from Slytherin. And you have his wand. "

Severus nodded, feeling an unaccustomed weight of emotion in his chest. He tried to will it away, reminding himself of his dreaming state. This dream was getting away from him. It was so damnedreal. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he was trapped here. Every second he spent here convinced him of the reality and his former life, with the War and the Dark Lord, began to feel like the dream.

The Chinese wizard, Chuang Tzu, had written about taking Heart's Ease, Severus remembered suddenly. Something about dreaming he was a butterfly and being unsure, when he awoke, which was the reality.

Severus could sympathize.