“Here you go, sir. So sorry for the inconvenience.”

Severus’ entire face hurt from trying not to scowl, and his muscles protested violently as he forced a smile at the young attendant. “Thank you very much.”

Bloody Muggles, he thought, dropping his charming exterior the moment she had left. Albus’ technique of sweet-talking people rather than shouting at them had proven itself useful, though. Of course, Severus hadn’t needed to resort to any mind magic in this case; all it had taken was the (politely phrased) pointing out of the blatantly discriminatory and impractical facilities, and he had been directed to the toilets off the motel reception, in the next building. Where, he was relieved to discover, the baby changing was a completely separate room.

“Come on then,” he said to Harry, noting that it had worked out well in the end—it was less crowded and noisy here. “Let’s get this nasty thing off you.”

Harry didn’t seem to quite understand what was happening, but kept relatively still as Severus removed the revolting nappy, cleaned him up and got him into a fresh one. The bin was overflowing; Severus tried to breathe in as little as possible throughout the process, and was about to cram the dirty nappy on top when he was struck by an idea.

After a check for Muggles and security cameras, he conjured a small box, cast an odorproofing charm and sealed the nappy inside before packing it up with the rest of the changing things. It would make a nice ‘present’ to be left in the Dursleys’ car, assuming Albus didn’t wreck it completely.

By now Severus was exhausted, hungry and his mouth was painfully dry. Harry was quiet, just watching him from the changing table, but Severus figured the boy needed respite as much as he did.

“Better?” Severus asked, picking Harry up again. Harry buried his head in Severus’ shoulder in reply. “Back to the car we go, then. I do hope Albus has got some water …”

Severus and Harry arrived back at the car at the same moment Albus did. “Where did you two go?” Albus asked in surprise.

“Nappy changing,” Severus said shortly.

They got back in the car, keeping the doors open, and Albus handed Severus two bottles of water, and a child’s bottle he had obviously just bought. Severus filled it and gave it to Harry, who after being shown what it was for, guzzled noisily while Severus and Albus drank their own water.

“I bought food too,” Albus said after a few minutes, rummaging inside the bag. Harry seemed quite curious to see the source of the rustling noise. “Are you hungry, Harry?”

Harry made no response, but Albus handed Severus a jar of baby food and a plastic spoon.

“Pumpkin, potato and chicken,” Severus read off the label.

“I have a couple of others as well,” Albus said.

Severus unscrewed the lid. The contents looked like orange gloop; not particularly appetising. It didn’t smell so bad, though.

The moment he had taken the lid off, Harry stilled, and stopped sucking his bottle. Rather awkwardly, as Severus still had Harry on his lap, he filled the spoon.

“Severus,” Albus said, “maybe it would be best if one of us were to hold him and the other feed him?”

“Get back here, then,” Severus replied.

Albus got out of the car and slid into the back seat the other side of the car seat. Harry didn’t flinch; Severus supposed he must have got used to Albus’ presence now. Still he wasn’t sure which way around would be best.

“Harry?” Albus addressed the child gently. Harry ignored him. “Would you let Uncle Albus feed you?”

Severus gave a soft snort at the ‘Uncle’ bit. Severus handed over the baby food and spoon, Harry’s eyes following them.

“Here we are … here comes the Quaffle!” Albus made a whooshing sound and Severus rolled his eyes. Honestly, the man didn’t need to get Harry’s attention. “Open wide, Harry!”

The spoon drew nearer, and finally seeming to realise that the food was definitely for him, Harry opened his mouth.

“Goal!” Albus said happily as Harry swallowed eagerly and opened his mouth for more before Albus had even reloaded the spoon.

It didn’t take long for Harry to polish off the entire jar, though by the end he looked a little queasy. Severus made a silent wish that his charge wouldn’t bring his lunch back up, but Harry just settled back down with his bottle, now refilled, his eyes starting to close.

“Sandwich, Severus?”

After a hurried lunch, they began driving again. Severus was tempted to just doze off for the last hour or so of their journey, but didn’t dare, just in case. Harry went back to sleep quite quickly, and the silence fell again as neither man wanted to disturb him.

Finally, they turned into Bath, and Severus began to recognise the passing surroundings. It took a while for Albus to navigate to the right neighbourhood, but it was with the utmost relief that they came to a stop on Belfry Road.

It was only mid-afternoon, but all Severus wanted was to crawl into bed and go to sleep. Unfortunately, there was a lot to do until that luxury was possible.

“You do have a second bedroom, don’t you, Severus?” Albus asked as Severus let them all in.

“Yes, but I think I would be happier if he were to sleep in my room for the time being.”

“He’s going to need a bed,” Albus pointed out. “And more clothes, and toys, and other things … I could see to that if you don’t want to drag him round the shops.”

“Would you, Albus? Thank you,” Severus said gratefully, looking down at the sleeping boy. “To be honest, I hadn’t really figured out what I would do once we got here.”

Albus smiled. “Make him feel at home, is all I can suggest. I’ll make a start on getting you some provisions.”

“Oh, Albus,” Severus said as his words reminded him. “I don’t have any food here—nothing fresh, at any rate. You couldn’t …”

“Of course I will. See you in a few hours, Severus … Harry,” Albus added, looking fondly at the boy.

Once the front door closed behind Albus, Severus sighed. His charge was asleep, but he didn’t want to wake him by trying to put him down, so he sat on the brown leather sofa and stared into the fireplace, beginning to make plans in his mind.

There was so much to do. Albus at least was getting supplies … but it was gradually dawning on Severus that he was facing many years of raising a child, and he was beginning to panic at the thought.

How could he do this? He was no good with kids. He was Snape, the scary Potions Master, ex-Death Eater, and known locally as the Bat of Bath. When he passed the park around the corner, the younger ones ran away from the fence, occasionally shrieking, while the older children whispered and giggled to each other. He’d heard some of the tales told about him: that he was a vampire; that he liked to eat little children; that his long disappearances during term time were spent plotting to take over the world in a secret laboratory.

Muggle nonsense, naturally, but still, it didn’t say much for his natural ability to interact with anyone younger than eleven (and let’s face it—his abilities to interact with over-elevens were questionable).

Besides, merely interacting with a juvenile was one thing. Actually raising one …

Merlin, what had he been thinking?

It was at this moment, almost as if Harry had read Severus’ mind, that the little boy stirred and blinked slowly at his new guardian. Severus’ dark eyes met trusting green, and his doubts vanished. Other children didn’t matter. Harry was what counted, and judging by the boy’s continued desire to stay with him, Severus was obviously not doing too shabby a job so far.

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. Even raising a normal child was difficult; Severus didn’t have to know a lot about parenting to know that. But to complicate the task further, the child now dependent on him had suffered cruelty beyond belief; was a werewolf; and to top it all off, the Boy Who Lived … the prophesied one.

Severus’ stomach turned at the thought of Voldemort ever getting near the boy again. He knew it was more than possible. He forced himself to put the fear out of his mind—it wasn’t the most pressing problem to deal with. No, firstly, he needed to help Harry overcome the months—or more—of abuse suffered at the Dursleys’ hands. Severus had to admit, he did not have much of an idea where to start.

Desperate to take his mind off his whirling thoughts, Severus looked back down at Harry and tried to analyse his behaviour. Harry was just resting contently in Severus’ arms, one hand closed over Severus’ robe, still watching Severus’ face as if wanting to make sure he was still there.

“Harry,” Severus said. Harry started slightly, but Severus was sure it was more reacting to the fact that he was talking, than the use of his name. “Would you like a story?”

Harry nodded shyly, and then to Severus’ utter astonishment, finally spoke. “Ye plis.”

Severus smiled broadly, and, assuming that ‘ye plis’ meant ‘yes please’, cast his mind around for a story, suddenly realising he didn’t have any books suitable for someone of Harry’s age. He remembered some fairy tales, but not very well. He would have to make it up.

Albus returned a long while later, to find Severus improvising a very peculiar mesh of Sleeping Beauty, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, and a Muggle novel he vaguely remembered from his childhood, with a couple of dragons and a talking penguin thrown in for good measure. Harry giggled every time Severus made the penguin talk, and it took him a while to realise he had been putting on a silly voice. The realisation came to him at the same moment he took notice of the elder wizard, who had entered the room unnoticed.

“Oh, don’t stop on my account,” Albus said with a smile bordering on a smirk while Severus felt his face heat up.