Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Little Harry, Big Change

Molly was right about the rain. Severus knew, because he'd been standing outside in the afternoon downpour for over twenty minutes. He stood on the hill he was so fond of, and turned his head upwards to face the rain with his eyes closed.

He was cold, as he only had on a pair of jeans and a shirt, but he felt even colder inside.

He'd seen Harry's eyes staring up at him with confusion and worry, only the bright emerald of Lily was gone, replaced with his own brownish obsidian. He had tarnished the last of her, and now Severus had nothing left of the woman he loved.

He stood there, wishing the rain would wash away his sins and pain, as he tried to get a grip on himself. Severus felt guilty every time he saw the boy's eyes, which had reflected Lily's, but at the same time they'd kept him going, knowing he was protecting the Potter brat for her. Seeing her eyes was a reminder of how important his duty was, and how he had not lost Lily completely. And now, all Severus had was a confused little boy who belonged to no one. Not Lily, with the emerald gaze gone - and not Potter, with the messy hair and need for glasses erased.

Three-year-old Harry had changed more than just his age and eye colour. His hair was much wavier, though a little bit lighter, and resembled Severus' as well. In fact, if anyone asked if Harry was his son, and Severus denied it, he was certain not a single person would ever believe him.

Harry looked like his child, and it only made things so much worse.

'Why?' Severus groaned.

He sank to his knees, andfelt the moist material of his jeans soak the water from the ground below him. His hair hung about his face and stuck to it. His nose dripped, as he bent his head, and kept his eyes tightly closed. He let out a wail of despair; fate had once again wronged him.

'Why did you take her from me?' Severus asked miserably. His voice wasn't loud enough to carry to the burrow, but he could easily hear himself over the rain. 'Is my life a joke to you?' He demanded to know, from fate itself, if everything that happened to him was just for someone else's sick entertainment.

He swore at fate, saying how twisted it was, and right after he'd said the last and most worse description he could think of, he felt a jolt of pain spear through him.

'I do not appreciate such disrespect!' An enraged woman's voice burst into his ears.

Severus opened his eyes.

The rain was no longer touched him, even as the downpour continued around where he was crouched. In front of him stood a tall witch with long silvery hair, and intensely bright blue eyes. She was dressed in a deep turquoise gown, which flowed downwards to reach the blades of wet grass. She had a simmering aura of transparent gold – Severus knew this was in indication that she was extremely powerful.

She did not take kindly to being insulted.

'Severus Snape.' She mused, taking a step closer to him. 'You poor, pathetic man.'

Severus was on his feet at once.

He barely inhaled a breath before he sank back onto his knees with a jerked motion. He glared, knowing her magic had pushed him back against his will, and reached for his wand. He aimed it at her, though no spell immediately came to mind. His hand slackened to release the object, letting it drop onto the damp grass.

Severus growled.

'I am Fate, Severus.' She chuckled. 'You can't harm me. I am immortal. You can't even touch me without causing yourself agony; a sensation I am sure you're quite familiar with already.'

'You did this to me.' Severus spat.

'Did what?' She asked. 'Cause your childhood to be filled with darkness and suffering? Lead the Marauders after you time and time again, until you lash out and lose the only friend you ever had? Not intervene when Tom Riddle murdered your previously beloved and left you with nothing more than her son, who resembled your enemy?'

Her face took on a sad expression as she spoke.

'No, Severus. I did none of that. My job is to change fate, not create it.'

'What?' He snarled.

Severus was furious because he couldn't move, and saw her as a representation of the blame - the figure responsible for all his pain. How could she not be? He believed she was much more powerful than he could ever imagine; what he'd seen and experienced so far solidified that assumption.

'Everyone determines their own fate one way or another. There's destiny, sure, but fate is not quite the same.' She said. 'I was a witch once, about a thousand years ago. I am immortal now, charged with a very important task. It takes years to gather the magic I need for each major change of fate I perform. The sort of alteration that affects quite a large number of people, and perhaps even the course of history. The last time was Eric Burnan. Do you remember him? His was a Gryffindor you went to school with.'

'No.' Severus said. The name didn't sound at all familiar to him.

'Of course not.' Fate smiled. 'He would have been the 5th Marauder. Did you never wonder why the Gryffindor boy's dormitory of your class grade only contained four boys instead of five? Eric was sorted there, but I could see a lot of trouble in his past that would lead to even more self-destruction in his future. I changed his fate, as I now have yours.'

'The lightning?' Severus realised, his eyes wide with shock.

He'd heard myths of the magic, which had de-aged himself and Harry, but no one ever knew who or what had caused it.

'Yes.' Fate nodded. 'I had to lure Harry outside, and ensure you would see him. Once you were both where I could reach you, I struck. I am the reason you were fifteen again. I'm the one who changed you, and who changed Harry. You asked me why I took the last part of Lily from you, because his eyes no longer reflect hers, but I didn't. Everything I have done has been to help you, Severus.'

'Help me?' He snarled angrily.

He glanced at his fallen wand, wishing he could grab it and hex her.

'How is any of this considered to be helping?'

'Before I struck you, what was your life like?' Fate frowned. 'You were known as a dark man with an even darker past. You were a Death Eater, and someone filled with more sorrow and guilt than I have seen in a long time. I gave you a chance to start over.' She explained.

'I saw the Weasleys capacity for unconditional love. I knew they could be led to you with very little effort. I made you younger because you needed to be a child, even if just for a moment, to remember what it was like at that time. Not that I expected you to have forgotten. I am placing you on a new path of life, not pushing further along the one you were trapped on.'

'And the boy?' Severus narrowed his eyes.

'Harry was my original target.' Fate said sadly. 'I couldn't pick between you or him, so I struck you both, but at a cost. Harry is lucky to be alive. In fact, had it not been for you than he would have died. I cannot explain, but your magic bonded with his when I struck you both. It caused quite a substantial rift. Somehow, in a way not even I can understand, Tom Riddle was also destroyed.' She confessed.

'The pain you felt was not my doing; it was your two cores ripping at each other, then mending. You magic was older and more experienced, which was why you woke the next day, and Harry did not.'

'Why would saint Potter need a second chance?' Severus demanded, unable to think of anything more than the fact the child had been an orphan. But he was not the only one, or did the brat receive special treatment even from Fate herself?

'I cannot say.' Fate told him. 'You need to figure that out on your own. I assure you, he has earned this as much as you have. You need to realise there is more of Lily in him than the colour of his eyes, that is why I changed them.'

'Change me back.' Severus insisted. 'I decline this arrangement!'

'It is quite irreversible. It would take fifty years to reverse the magic, by which time you and Harry would have aged beyond what you had once been. You have a family now, and a son, why don't you make the most of it? Why are you fighting a chance to finally be happy?' Fate stared at him with a gaze of intense blue. 

Severus felt a prickle in his mind that no amount of Occlumency could prevent.

'It's not going to disappear, Severus. When you've touched the heart of a Weasley, you're loved forever. The same goes for Harry because he is Lily's son. Now he is also yours.'

'Fine.' Severus hung his head.

He'd rather be alone in the rain, not talking to an all-mighty witch who was to blame for the situation he was in.

'I shall try.'

'And so you shall.' Fate nodded. 'Oh, and it would be easier if you stopped battling for your obsession of composure and dignity.' She rolled her eyes. 'I have ensured you can no longer hide behind your ironclad shields. When you're upset you will show it instead of hiding it. The defences were necessary for survival in the past, but now it's only going to hold you back.'

Her words dawned on him and made complete sense. It had bothered him how hard he struggled to retain his habits of his built composure. It had saved his life countless times, as well as enabled him to put on a front he was comfortable with, and now she had taken it from him.

She stripped him of his greatest weapon, and there was nothing he could do about it.

'Farewell, Severus.' Fate whispered.

She began to fade into the rain around them, which was pelting down against him once more.

'Enjoy your new life, and try not to make a mess of it this time.'

 --

'Severus!'

As Fate disappeared, Severus heard someone else call his name from the backward distance.

The rain was heavier than before; he couldn't make out many shapes or sounds. He hunched there, holding his reclaimed wand tightly in his hand, and didn't move. Someone wrapped a soft blanket around him, and cast a warming charm over it, as they tried to pull him from the ground.

Reluctantly, Severus rose and allowed himself to be led back to the house.

Once inside, Severus glanced briefly at his rescuer, then headed upstairs to have a warm shower and change into dry clothes. He was surprised it had been Arthur who'd retrieved him; his face had showed an unwavering concern and determination to pull Severus from the chilling rain.

Dressed in a pair of brown trousers, a blue shirt, and a thick red sweater, Severus slowly made his way back to Harry's room.

It felt like weeks since he'd seen the child wake and look up at him with those darkened eyes, before Severus fled the room and stepped out into the rain. He peered cautiously inside. Molly sat with the boy, and had finished saying something to him when Severus reached the doorway.

Clearing his throat, so they would notice his entrance, Severus did not expect what happened next.

'Daddy!' Harry squealed.

He jumped from the bed and avoided Molly, hurrying across the room on his small, bare feet. He clung to Severus' legs, and buried his young face against him, tears clouding his view.

'You came back.'

His innocent voice of relief and joy caught Severus off-guard. He had not expected the child of Lily to have reacted so profoundly to someone like him, in any form other than anger and rejection.

Severus said nothing.

He stared down at the three-year-old and wondered what to do. He looked at Molly, who was watching Harry with adoration, and decided to lift the child into his arms. He had not held the boy since he'd been a toddler, marred with the scar on his tearful face. Harry wrapped his small arms around Severus' neck, as he was carried back to the bed.

Molly had an empty soup bowl on her lap, which she took with her when she rose from the bed, and quietly left the room.

'Where'd you go, Daddy?' Harry asked, as Severus carefully placed him onto the bed. 'You were gone a long time.'

'I had to get some fresh air.' Severus sighed.

'But it's rain'in.' Harry frowned.

He looked towards the window over his bed, where the rain continued to obscure the view beyond.

'You'ed get wet.'

'I did.' Severus wasn't sure what to do or say now the boy was awake.

He had vowed, so many years ago, to protect the child and watch over him. And now, Harry was supposed to be his sole responsibility.

'Are you hungry?' He asked. The boy had been asleep quite a long time, even if he'd been tended to.

'No.' Harry shook his head. 'Grama gaved me soup.'

'Do you remember anything?'

'I 'member wake'in up.' Harry frowned. 'You left and Grama tolded me I had an ac'ident.' He said, while Severus tried to translate what the three-year-old was saying. 'Grama said that's why I don't 'member nothing 'til now.'

'Nothing at all?' Severus felt cheated.

He still had all of his memories – the useful and the horrible - and Harry had a completely blank slate. The boy had no idea that, under a month ago, he had been eleven-years-old. No previous knowledge or recollections plagued the child, as it so often did Severus.

'Nope.' Harry shook his head. He started to squirm anxiously. 'I need to pee, Daddy.'

'Oh, Merlin.' Severus exhaled.

He picked up the child and carried him up all the stairs to the bathroom. He realised the boy was too small to reach the toilet, so he conjured a wooden step-stool for him. Turning his back, to give Harry privacy, Severus could not believe this is what he had been reduced to.

'I'm finished!' Harry declared.

Severus turned when he heard an ear-splitting scraping sound.

Harry pushed his stepping stool over to the sink, so he could climb up and reach it. He washed his hands and held them in the air. The boy looked around for something to dry them on, dripping water onto the floor in the process. Severus waved his wand, and the boy's hands dried themselves. Harry was surprised by the display, and kept turning his hands over to get a closer look, his eyes wide with amazement.

'Why are my clothes too big?' Harry wondered. He looked down at his black pants and white shirt, which were shrunken versions of his school uniform - except they were still several sizes too large for him.

Severus didn't offer an explanation; instead, he summoned a simple pile new clothes for him to wear. He carried Harry back to the bedroom, since he thought it would take too long for the boy to effectively walk down them all on his own.

Severus, against the child's protests, changed his clothes from the former ones to a set of new attire recently bought especially for Harry in Diagon Alley. He was nicely dressed in a pair of jeans, and a light blue long-sleeved shirt with a silver hippogriff face on the front. Checking the time, Severus realised dinner would be ready soon, but he had no idea what to do with the three-year-old until then.

He'd been a professor for about ten years, and yet it provided him with no knowledge, nor clue, as to how to deal with a child as young as Harry was now.

'Have you met the rest of the family?' Severus asked.

'I only sawed you and Grama.'

'I shall introduce you to the rest.' Severus decided.

He reached towards the boy, who raised his hands up in acceptance to being held once again. He held his new son against his hip and carried him downstairs.

They found the other Weasleys in the living room, though Severus didn't remember seeing them when he'd returned inside. Ron played chess with Percy over in a corner, where a grey cat's tail stuck out from under his chair, while Ginny and the twins talked about Quidditch near the empty fireplace. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and looked over at the pair, when Severus joined them with Harry in his arms.

'Harry, these are your aunt and uncles.' Severus told the boy.

Most of the Weasleys were curious about Harry, though a bit unsure how to react, yet they all waved and smiled at the cute boy. The child himself suddenly turned shy and tried to hide his face against his father's shoulder. Severus, not tolerating the action, put the boy on the ground and nudged him towards Ginny, who had already approached her little nephew.

'Hello, Harry.' She said with warm acceptance. 'I'm Ginny.'

Harry slowly lost a little shyness, as he looked at her, then walked around the living room to meet the rest of his other family members. He asked every one of them for their name, though Severus doubted he'd remember them all that easily. Harry was a bit confused by the twins, until they spoke their names and caused an amused giggle from the boy, before he ran back to Severus to hide behind his legs.

'Daddy?' Harry tugged at Severus' clothes. 'Why do my aunt and uncles have diff'ent hair?' He frowned, pointing to their red hair with one hand while using his other to tug at a handful of his own dark hair, which shared a strong likeliness to Severus'.

'It is not typical for each person to have the exact colouring of hair.' Severus answered. 'Not even within the same family.'

He didn't want to have to explain adoption and non-blood relatives to a three-year-old, or why some people have one colour of hair and others don't.

'Why not?' Harry wondered.

'Because, that's the way it is.' Severus said. He wished the boy wouldn't ask him questions that were hard to explain to toddlers.

'But why?'

'Harry, I think the rain is stopping.' Ginny came to the rescue.

She pointed outside a nearby window, as though it was very fascinating. She often played with four-year-old Ivy Lovegood, therefore she was a bit more comfortable with the situation than the rest were. Severus was thankful for her intervention because Harry was already starting to annoy him.

'It is?' Harry, forgetting his shyness, ran over to the window.

Ginny lifted him up, with some difficulty; there was only seven years difference in their ages.

'Daddy, look! Now you won't get wet.'

Severus grunted in response, and turned towards the sound of a door opening nearby.

Looking into the kitchen, Severus saw Arthur coming inside, but couldn't overhear what he was saying to Molly. Arthur must have heard Harry's chatter nearby because he instantly looked towards the boy, and went to the living room to meet his new little grandson. Ginny saw him approaching, and put Harry back on the floor, seeming glad to be relieved of the weight in her arms.

'Hello, Harry.' Arthur crouched to greet the child.

He beamed at the adorable child, who he thought looked a lot like Severus, despite being adopted.

'Who're you?' Harry asked, standing firmly beside Ginny.

'I'm your grandfather.' Arthur told him proudly.

'I've got a grama AND a granpa?' Harry thought this piece of information was very exciting, which made Arthur chuckle with amusement.

Severus watched their exchange for a moment, then glanced around to see how the other Weasleys were reacting to their first official meeting of their nephew. Ginny and Arthur were pleased and had easily adapted to the boy they were already fond of. Percy looked curious and thoughtful as he watched, while the twins were whispering to each other as though the entire situation was very entertaining.

Severus dreaded to think what they could find so funny, and planned to keep a closer eye on the mischievous pair.

Then there was Ron.

The youngest red-haired boy was still sitting in front of the abandoned chess game he'd been playing with Percy. The twelve-year-old looked very unsure. Not that Severus could blame him, as Ron had come home to discover not only did he have a new older brother, but for the first time he was also an uncle to a little boy. He didn't seem to outwardly dislike Severus or Harry, but Ron clearly needed more time to adjust and come into terms with the dramatically altered home situation.

Leaving his enthusiastic son to become familiar with the new family, Severus headed into the kitchen where Molly almost had dinner ready. He was glad Harry was distracted by Arthur and hadn't noticed his father leave the room, because Severus did not want to have a three-year-old stuck to his leg all night.

'He's such a darling boy.' Molly said to Severus. 

He moved to assist her with placing the food on the table, witholding his own comments and opinions about the boy. Severus wondered how Molly Weasley, the mother of Fred and George, could be so deceived by the Potter brat. He was certain she'd realise the truth soon enough, once Harry overcame his shyness and showed his true colours as a trouble-maker and general nuisance.

'Din-' Molly went to say, but was halted by Severus' raised hand and alarmed expression.

'Are you insane, woman?' He growled at her. 'Harry will be trampled! Allow me to get him before you summon the herd to the table.' Severus shook his head and stomped from the room.

He was beginning to understand how the Weasleys were all Gryffindors, if they had to bravely survive getting to the dinner table in one piece every night.

'Harry.' Severus caught the boy's attention. He was sitting on an armchair, avidly watching the cat's tail still visible under Ron's chair. 'Come along.'

He lifted the child into the air, and protectively held his son against his side, as he returned to the kitchen.

Molly called the rest for dinner. 

As predicted, there was a loud scramble for chairs.

Severus sat on his own at the end of the table at a section he knew Arthur didn't sit at. Harry was placed on his lap; there wasn't a chair specially for the boy yet. Severus didn't mind, as he preferred to keep an eye on the kid. He wasn't sure if Harry would be hungry, as it hadn't been long since he'd woken and Molly gave the boy soup.

However, the need to restrain the child from grabbing a handful of mashed potatoes revealed otherwise.

'Wait.' Severus said, though he kept an eye on the food in fear of it all vanishing under the hungry gazes of the Weasleys. He worried about his son's well-being, when the entire household seemed to be a battle of endurance and a competition for their share.

'But I'm hungry, Daddy!' Harry whined and squirmed to get out of Severus' strong hold around his middle.

'Your manners are poorly lacking.' Severus lectured. 'You wouldn't want to seen as a rude little boy, would you?'

'No.' Harry sighed with defeat and sat back down.

He watched, as Severus piled food onto a large plate and a smaller one. He guessed the smaller one was for him, because Harry didn't think he could eat all the food on the other one.

Severus served himself several selections he wanted, whereas Harry received a small portion of everything - he had no idea what the child liked. It was very difficult to eat his meal with a kid wriggling on his lap, but he managed.

Harry didn't eat at first.

He picked up his fork, and looked at the food on his plate. He scooped some mashed potatoes, since that's what he had originally wanted, and ate it slowly to test the selection. Deciding he liked it, the boy happily ate some more. He loved the chicken as well, and enjoyed smothering each piece with gravy before he ate it. Molly, who sat to Severus' right, thought the meal was a success; children as young as Harry were often very picky.

She had thought too soon, however.

When most of the food had vanished, Harry moved on to his vegetables. The boy took a mouthful of beans and promptly spat them back onto the plate - narrowly missing Severus' own, which he decided he was now finished with.

'Harry!' Severus grimaced.

'Yuck.' Harry pulled a face at his beans. He eyed the other green vegetables warily, and reached across the table for more mashed potatoes, but the bowl was pushed away from him by Severus.

'You cannot have second helpings until you have eaten the food you already have on your plate.' He told the boy.

'But I don't wanna!' Harry whined again. 'It's yucky.'

'Harry.' Severus growled.

The nearest Weasleys looked at Harry's returned beans and decided they weren't as hungry anymore either. Only Ron and Arthur weren't the slightest bit bothered by the display.

'Your grandmother put time and effort into making this delicious meal for the family. You apologise to her this instant.'

'Sorry, Grama.' Harry said with shame. 'I liked the other stuff, but your beans are yucky.'

'Merlin.' Severus breathed with exasperation and placed a hand over his face.

The others seated around the table laughed.

'That is quite alright, Harry.' Molly said, hiding a chuckle. 'There are other vegetables you might like. Why don't you try the broccoli?' She encouraged and pointed to the mentioned item.

'I don't eat trees, Grama.' Harry said, frowning at the way the vegetable gave the appearance of tiny trees.

He had a reason for every other vegetable as well, until Severus wanted to shove something into the kid's mouth and tell him to just try it.

Finally, with Harry contently munching on his carrots, the others excused themselves from the table and returned to the living room. Severus could still hear the twins laughter. He wished the glare he'd aimed at them was as effective as it had been when he was the mean dungeon bat Potions Master, instead of their brother.


With the incident over dinner, Severus hoped there was little else the boy could do to annoy him that night. He was sadly mistaken, when it came time for Harry to go to bed.

Severus had no idea what was coming, as he picked out a navy blue set of pajamas printed with golden stars.

'It's time for your bath.' Severus told to boy.

The child was sitting on the bed, staring out the window, even if it was too dark outside to see much. Harry turned around when he was spoken to, and slid off the bed. He walked to the door and made a dodge to avoid Severus.

'No.' Harry insisted. 'I can do it.'

After passing Percy and Severus' bedroom (which was shut as Percy was working on an essay for school), he started ascending the stairs, taking his time as he walked. Harry didn't notice how much slower the process was when he did it on his own, compared to when Severus carried him. Harry was very proud when he reached the landing where the twin's room was, which also had the door shut. Strange zapping sounds were coming from within.

Severus decided, for the sake of his sanity, he would not investigate.

Harry turned and went up more steps until they stood outside Ginny's room, where she could be seen sitting in the window seat and staring out the window, not yet dressed in her pajamas.

'Hi, Ginny.' Harry waved. 'I'm clim'ing the steps by myself!'

'Well done, Harry.' Ginny clapped, struggling not to laugh.

'Keep going.' Severus nudged the boy.

They only had a few more stairs to go to reach the landing with the bathroom, then Ron's room. Past the bedroom door were the stairs to the attic; Severus had never seen up there yet, as he felt no need to.

Harry, thankfully, failed to notice its existence.

'I made it!' Harry declared as he hurried into the bathroom. 'That's a lot of steps.'

'Indeed.' Severus sighed.

He shut the door for privacy and didn't allow Harry the chance to say he'd undress himself. The boy squirmed and was determined to be independent, so Severus let the boy take off the last of the clothes while he prepared the bath. Making sure it was warm, he dropped in three toys Molly had brought out of storage that were still in good condition. There was a brightly-coloured fish, a squid he thought resembled the one in the lake at Hogwarts, and basic brown “wooden” boat.

'Wheee!' Harry declared as Severus picked him up under his arms and lifted him into the bath.

The man stepped back quickly, when the boy started splashing about, and narrowly missed being drenched by the water.

'Enough!' Severus instructed. 'You may play after you're clean.'

Harry didn't like that idea, and pouted accordingly.

He sat there to let his dad wash him with a soft purple cloth, which made him ticklish, and then scrub his hair with a nice smelling shampoo. When he was announced to be clean, Harry dove for the toys and spilled water over the edge of the bathtub in his eagerness. Making noises and a mess, Harry was oblivious to the decreasing temperature and water level.

-- 

After a while, Severus got bored and thought the boy had played long enough.

With a wave of his wand, the water drained. Harry was firmly told to put away his toys, which belonged in a hanging net on the wall near the small, curtained window. Once he was dried, and dressed in his new pajamas, Harry fled the room. Severus glared after him, but had to stay a moment longer to clean up the bathroom and hang the towel on its rack.

Severus dumped the boy's clothes in the hamper, then followed the runaway child, not thinking Harry could get very far - if his last trip on the stairs was an indicator. He was right. Severus effectively caught a startled Harry, who had just reached the landing outside Ginny's room.

'Daddy!' Harry squealed with laughter, thinking his father was playing a game with him, and allowed himself to be carried to his bedroom. He was placed on the bed, but rolled over to climb off it, only to be put back on.

'No.' Harry whined and squirmed again.

'Stay put.' Severus commanded.

His words fell on deaf ears; the three-year-old was determined to escape. He spun around quickly and spelled the door to slam closed, moments before Harry wriggled free and ran for the door.

'Daddy, open the door!' Harry pleaded.

He wasn't tall enough to reach the doorknob, so he slid against it and sat moodily on the floor.

'It is time for bed.' Severus told him firmly.

'I don't wanna to go to bed!' Harry said loudly. 'I'm not tired!'

'Harry.' Severus growled, beginning to lose his patience with the child. 'It is time for bed.'

'NO!' Harry shouted, shaking his head and crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest. 'I won't!'

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, and calmed his breathing, to stop himself from yelling back or throttling the little brat. He took a step towards the boy, who was less rebellious when he saw the glare on his towering father's face.

'Harry Liam...' Severus said very seriously. 'Get. Into. Bed. Now!'

Harry, his eyes wide with worry, hurried around his dad and jumped onto the bed. He pulled the sheets over himself and watched Severus carefully.

After a moment, the three-year-old thought he wasn't in trouble anymore because he was sitting in his bed.

'Read me a story, Daddy!' Harry requested. 'Grama gaved me lots of books. Please?'

Severus inhaled a long breath and turned to the toddler, thinking he might be able to get the child to sleep if he negotiated rather than deal with a tantrum.

He glanced towards a pile of books the boy had pointed to, which showed a variety of age-appropriate storybooks. Swallowing some of his dignity, as he saw the bright covers displaying fuzzy animals with unrealistic grins, too many colours, and other decorations he wanted to cuss at Molly for buying because he had to be the one to read them.

Picking the darkest and smallest one he could find, Severus walked to the bed and sat on the edge. Harry tossed the sheets off himself and scurried close to his dad, so he could look down at the book and see what was going on.

'In a far, far away land...' Severus began, feeling his dignity shedding with each page.

It was a story about a lonely bat who lived in a dark part of an otherwise magical forest. Severus quickly wished he'd picked a different book. Honestly, he was certain he'd hate every one of them, though Harry seemed to enjoy the selection immeasurably.

'The tiger opened his mouth wide, showing all his sharp teeth...' Harry read, which caused Severus to pause and stare at him. 'And roared!' The boy continued the sentence, giving a roar of his own to accompany the story.

Severus couldn't believe it, as he sat there reading a story to the three-year-old in effort to get him to sleep, only to realise the child could still read! Harry didn't seem to have any of his former memories, but his reading skill was apparently intact.

When the story was over, Severus returned it to the pile and lifted another.

'What does this say, Harry?'

'Milly's Secret Owl.' The boy read it aloud. 'Are you gonna to read that one too, Daddy?'

'No.' Severus dropped it onto the pile and returned to the bed. He nudged the child into the bed, covering him with the sheet. 'It is time for you to go to sleep.'

'Can I have a drink?' Harry asked.

Severus narrowed his eyes at the boy's delaying, and sighed. He left the room, and spelled it shut as he went. As predicted, the moment he was out of the room, Severus heard the boy's attempts to escape. Walking to the kitchen, hoping the child would go back to bed and fall asleep before he returned, Severus fetched a glass of milk.

When he got back to the bedroom, Harry sat crossly on the single bed. Severus handed him the milk, which the boy drank very little of, and fixed the blankets once more. Accepting the returned cup, Severus watched as Harry lay down against the pillow.

'I'm not tired.' Harry said, shortly before releasing a wide yawn. 'Really, Daddy.'

'Very well.' Severus played along. 'If you are not tired, than you can close your eyes without going to sleep.

'Yeah.' Harry sighed again, closing his eyes slowly. 'Not...sleeping.' 

Severus stood there for another five minutes, making sure the child was finally asleep.

He backed out of the room and exhaled with relief on the landing outside. Leaving the door partially ajar, Severus headed to his own room and stepped inside. Percy was no longer doing school-work; he sat on his bed with a magazine, and looked up when Severus entered.

'Did you finally get Harry to bed?' Percy asked.

He was amused when Severus walked to his own bed, and lay face-down on it, despite still being dressed in his day clothes. Percy had heard some of the commotion, since there was only a wall separating the two rooms, and felt a bit sympathetic for his brother.

'Yes, finally.' Severus' voice was muffled by the pillow. 'Parenting is hard.'

A silence filled the bedroom.

Percy left to have his shower, and Severus contemplated never moving again. He was at peace, to leave the brat asleep in the next room, and be able to focus on himself. He planned to shower when Percy was done, and then go to bed to sleep the entire day away.

His plan worked well; Severus was soon comfortably resting in his own bed, with Percy asleep across the room. He closed his eyes, blissful to be able to rest, when a yell startled him and probably everyone else in the house as well.

Percy had nearly fallen out of bed in shock.

'Blast!' Severus growled furiously.

He threw back his blanket, and stomped to the door. Flinging it open, Severus marched to the next room in a state of immature irritation.

'What?!' He demanded, glaring over at Harry, except the bed was empty.

'Daddy!' A wail came from underneath.

Severus, casting his dignity aside in favour of sleep, crouched awkwardly on the floor to look under the bed. The boy was huddled in a corner.

The three-year-old was scared, and glad his dad had come to save him.

'What happened?' Severus asked. Though he was nowhere near calm, his anger ebbed away at the sight of the vulnerable child.

Harry had never looked so small.

'It got really dark.' Harry whimpered. 'And scary.'

Exhaling, Severus spent the next half an hour convincing the child to leave the “protection” of the underside of the bed. He conjured a no-burn blue flame and placed it inside a lidded jar. Resting it on the bedside table, which he didn't recall being there earlier, Severus put the boy back into bed and covered him up.

'Stay.' Severus ordered.

He left the bedroom and was glad the boy didn't follow. Severus collapsed onto his own bed again, seeing it was nearly midnight, and yawned. Closing his eyes, and not bothering about the covers, he finally fell asleep.

Percy had been re-awoken by Severus' return. He looked around with a contained chuckle when he heard the patter of little, bare feet on the floor. Severus had forgotten to close their bedroom door, Percy noticed. The teenager lay still and discreetly, at the aid of moonlight streaming into their room, watched as Harry crossed the room.

The child jumped onto Severus' bed and scurried closer to his father. Severus grunted, and moved over to Harry could curl up beside him, allowing the little boy to steal most of the blankets in the process.

'Keep still or I will feed you beans.' Severus' mumbled response was barely audible from where his face was buried against the pillow.

Too tired to even realise his actions, or bother to acknowledge the boy beyond his half-asleep threat, Severus fell back to sleep with Harry snoozing comfortably beside him. 

Chapter End Notes:
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