Characters not mine.
(Originally written for a free-for-all challenge on comment_fic. Prompt was "Albus Severus, His first encounter with his namesakes' portraits didn't go well.")
Severus Snape had been headmaster, even if it was only for one of the darkest years in Hogwarts history, so there was a portrait hung of him in the headmaster's office, even if he spent more of his time in the one that hung in the dungeon, near the Potion Master's office, reading essays over the new professor's shoulder and making snide remarks about the state of education now that he and Dumbledore were dead.
And Albus Severus Potter, despite his namesakes, was the grandson of James Potter and half-Weasley with a brother, so it was not surprising that he wound up in Professor McGonagall's office sooner rather than later.
McGonagall wasn't there at the moment, and James had simply slumped into a chair in front of her desk, muttering about how the flying cat had been his fault in absolutely no way. Ablus ignored his brother and wandered around the portraits of former headmasters, moving slowly up from the seventeenth century. Most of them were taking a midafternoon doze. Albus Dumbledore was awake, watching the entire scene with amusement.
He nodded cheerfully at Albus Severus when the boy got to his frame, but when he read the nameplate, Albus just flushed an embarrassed shade of red and moved on.
Severus's frame was empty, as usual. He had been in it, for once, when James and Albus had come in, but he'd disappeared the moment he'd realized that he would have to deal with students rather than get to snark at Minerva.
Albus stared at the nameplate for a moment or two, and then at the green-and-silver cloth that provided Severus's background.
Dumbledore moved into his successor's portrait. "Would you like me to introduce him to you, Mr. Potter?" he asked.
Albus blinked. "Um . . . I don't know."
James looked up from the chair. "Would he behave himself?" he demanded. "I'm the only one allowed to teach Al the kind of language Snape uses with me."
Dumbledore smiled. "I think it could be arranged. And I must confess, I think it might be amusing."
There was a paused, just long enough for a smirk to spread over James's face. "Yeah. Yeah, it would be."
Dumbledore slipped out.
***
He found Severus lurking, bored, in his other portrait a few moments later, with a painted book he'd probably stolen from one of the portraits by the library. "Severus, there is someone in Minerva's office who would like to meet you."
Severus's eyes flicked from Dumbledore back to the book. "Who is it, then, Albus?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Someone who has been curious about you for a long while, I think. But nervous about seeking you out on his own."
"Oh?"
"Come. Say hello." Dumbledore turned to head back to his old office, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Severus close the book, because he rarely ignored Dumbledore even now.
***
"Potter?"
"I'm over here!" James exclaimed, looking up just long enough to shoot Severus the evil eye. "That's my brother."
"There are more of you?" Severus said, almost plaintively. He looked back at Albus Severus and raised an eyebrow. "And why on earth did you want to meet me?" he demanded. "I suppose your father and brother have regaled you with many exaggerated tales about how horrible I am."
Albus Severus flushed. "Well, James has said a few things. But Dad not really."
Severus raised the other eyebrow. "Oh?"
Dumbledore leaned against his own frame, watching the two.
Albus Severus reached up to fiddle with his spectacles. "Well, I'd met the portrait of the other headmaster I was named for."
"What?" Severus was not being particularly well-spoken today, clearly. He ought to meet students more often.
Albus flushed again. "I'm Albus Severus Potter."
Severus's mouth worked for a moment or two, but not a sound came out. Then, abruptly, he disappeared back to the dungeons.
Albus blinked and looked back at Dumbledore. The older portrait sighed. "Severus never did take shock very well, I'm afraid. Perhaps I should have have warned him."