Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters they belong solely to J. K. Rowling an amazing writer. Truly brilliant. I only have the honor of playing with them for this story and hopefully others. Please read the real story of Harry Potter from J. K. Rowling's amazing books. For they are truly worth every read. I have read them so many times I have lost count.
Summary: Severus Snape survived the war against Voldemort. After the Light won Severus devised a plan that would keep him both out of the Ministry's hands and allow him to have the childhood he's never had a chance to have. Albus Dumbledore is not dead and Severus Snape will choose to deage himself.
Author's Note: This story is OOC. This story is just a fun little thing I did for shits and giggles and the characters will be OOC. If you do not like the story, please do not feel you must read it. If you choose to read this story I hope you will enjoy it. Severus is Deaged in this story. There will be a lot of Harry and Draco in this story, but they are not together, they become close like brothers. United by the end of the war and a unique three year old child.
I welcome all reviews, just please do not flame. Constructive criticism, comments, questions and reviews are greatly appreciated.
Chapter 1: Endings and Beginnings
Harry was utterly confused by the note he held in his hand. He was sitting on the edge of his bed in the Gryffindor Dorms. Everyone else was either on the grounds, in Hogsmeade, or enjoying their day in some other manner. It had been four months since the battle of Hogwarts. The school was fully restored, classes had resumed and exams had just finished. This was the last week before students were to return home. Life for most people had returned to normal. Well for most people. The Death Eater trials were just about to begin. Harry had been informed that he would be remaining at Hogwarts. Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore had offered Harry the Defence Against the Dark Arts post. Harry had accepted as he didn't want to be an Aurror anymore. He had seen enough of war and fighting.
Harry had many things he was trying to come to terms with. For one Albus Dumbledore was not dead. As it turned out Severus Snape and Albus had come up with an elaborate plan that would make it seem like he had died. Albus would go into hiding until the final battle. It was in fact Albus's Phoenix familiar that had saved Severus from death during the last battle.
Harry remembered the memories that Severus had given him. The long conversations they'd had. The realization that Severus never hated him, that it had all been an act. He understood the man in a way he'd never had before. There was so much more to Severus then just the Greasy Dungeon Bat of a Git for a Potions Professor everyone loved to hate. Harry couldn't find it in him to hate Severus. He respected the man too much.
Harry regarded the letter again. Re-reading the too simple words. Harry, tonight you will discover that things have changed for the better. By the time you get this note it will be to late to reverse what has transpired. I ask that you respect the choice I have made. I have one last request to make of you and that is that you should come to my quarters tonight at six. Severus.
Such simple words, Harry thought, so deep a meaning. He sighed and regarded the clock. It was going on five thirty now. He might as well head down to the dungeons. He knew the way to the Potions Master's quarters easily, though he had never been inside. The walk was a slow one and the castle was deserted. He sighed and soon found himself facing the portrait of Salazar Slytherin seated on a large rich seat and facing the Slytherin Common Room.
"Young speaker, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" Salazar said in his smooth baritone voice.
"Professor Snape asked me to come down, I don't know the password to enter his quarters," Harry explained to the portrait.
"That young speaker is easy. I have been expecting you. First place your hand over the symbol of Slytherin house in the left corner of my frame, then in parseltongue speak the name of your mother," Salazar instructed.
Harry looked for the small snake that adorned the four corners of the frame and placed his hand over the snake. It squirmed under his palm. His eyes focused on the snake on Salazar's lap and he spoke softly, "Lily," in a clear and steady voice. Salazar gave him a smile then swung open to admit Harry into the large spacious pallor at the entrance of Severus's quarters.
Harry looked around. The room was large and circular. The walls were blank stone where not covered in tapestries that depicted various scenes out of the history of Salazar's life. A single table that was large and made of solid oak with intricate carvings down the legs and sides sat against the far wall. A fireplace on the left caused the room to be basked in a gentle glow and warmth. There was a shimmering wall of green, clearly a ward of some sort about a foot from the fire. On the right was a large oak door that stood open. No doubt leading out towards the rest of the man's quarters.
Harry took a step forwards and froze as he heard a strange noise that sounded like something dripping onto the stone floor. He turned away from the open door towards the source of the sounds and gasped at what he saw. A small child wrapped in a bundle of green and black cloth lay sleeping on a chair. As Harry approached he figured out the source of the dripping. It was clear from the wetness on the floor and the cloth wrapped around the child that the child had had an accident. A quick spell took care of the mess and left Harry free to look around. Confused since the child looked like he was a three year old version of his potions professor. On the desk was a stack of books. A pensieve. Two jars filled with memories and one empty jar. A note sat in the centre of the table. Nothing else was laid out. Blinking at the oddity of the scene Harry lifted the paper. He read the note.
Harry, by now you've no doubt discovered the pensieve along with the vials of memories. I presume you've also discovered my three year old self. I advise you to call Albus Dumbledore via the floo. The powder is located on the mantle in the metal container. The wards will allow only four adults besides yourself access. They are: Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey, and Draco Malfoy. The later three will all receive letters notifying them to come to these chambers at a later time. You have two hours to review the memory left in the pensieve for you and to contact Albus. Severus.
Harry set the parchment down and regarded the sleeping child. No longer certain if the child was asleep or not. Deciding that it would be best to call Albus first before he looked into the pensieve he walked over to the fireplace. Grabbed some floo powder and made the call.
"Harry, what are you doing in Severus's rooms?" Albus asked in a worried tone.
"Would you mind stepping through Head-Albus," Harry said correcting himself after receiving a frown from Albus.
"Of course my boy," Albus said and Harry rose out of the way. A moment later Albus stepped through and Harry told him what he'd found out. Albus went to Severus lifting the small bundle up into his arms and cradling the little child. The boy shifted and settled against the elder man and resumed sleeping almost without waking. Albus settled in the chair reassured that the child was well. "Maybe you should go into the pensieve Harry. It will no doubt have answers. I will stay and watch over Severus."
Harry nodded and slowly lowered his face into the pensieve, whatever he expected it was not what he found. He found himself standing in the exact same room facing an older version of the Potion Master who was seated at the table. As Harry rounded the table their eyes met and Severus began to speak. As though speaking directly to Harry. It was unnerving.
"By now you must be wondering what is going on? Yes I knew you would. I also knew that certain things needed to be conveyed by words rather then simply in writing. Thus I have made this memory for you Harry and for Draco when it is time for him to discover the truth. I wanted you to witness this first as it is going to impact you far more then it will Draco. That is why I have asked you here prior to anyone else being present.
"I wish first to explain a few things before I allow you to make the ultimate decision if you will grant me my request. By now you are more then aware that my life was not what it aught to have been, having witnessed a few of my worst memories and those I gave to you as I believed I was dying. No doubt you realize that some wounds never healed, that most of my actions towards you over the last seven years was an act to maintain my cover.
"We have spoken many times over these last few weeks. I know that I have been bitter and at times hurtful towards you and Mrs. Granger for saving my life. The honest truth is that I lived the last sixteen years knowing that I would be allowed death when my vow was finally fulfilled. I had wanted to let the next journey in my life begin that day, but I realize now that the two of you were not ready for me to move on. I am grateful that you both saved my life, even without knowing the whole complete truth that you do now know.
"However, that doesn't mean that I desired to continue this solitary existence. I cannot simply change a life time of paranoia and loneliness ingrained in my battered soul. There are too many sins weighing heavy on my mind. I knew it was only a matter of time before it all caught up to be and I self destructed.
"I did not desire to waist the precious gift the two of you had given me, nor see my Godson loose another loved one as he had lost his father. Draco has suffered too much loss and his mother is still suffering for that. Neither could bear the loss that my destructive nature would bring about. Nor do I believe could you Harry. You have lost too many you consider family, now knowing how close your mother and I were. Closer then blood born siblings, you must surely understand that you were more my nephew then anything. Her loss shattered me, much as Sirius's loss shattered you. I could not bear the knowledge that I would shatter you this way as well after having allowed you to grow close to me in these last weeks.
"That is why when I made the choice to erase all my memories and deage myself before the trials that would force me to face the horrors of my past and bear them to the whole of the wizarding world I could not leave things half done. The spell and potion combination is my own invention, but I have left not only detailed notes and formulas in the journals on the table before you."
There was a pause as Severus moved his hand to indicate the stack of journals and books that Harry had seen on the large table in the lab before. Then he pointed to single glass vial with a nearly scripted label on the desk where soon another two would stand. He took a long pause and several deep breaths before Severus resumed speaking.
"Within the vial you will find the memories of the spell and how it works, along with how to counter it. The spell and potion combination have a very specific antidote that can be administered up to forty-eight hours after the initial transformation process. Anytime after that and it cannot be undone. There is one more thing I wish to explain to you, before I make my request.
"I was able to invent a spell that would allow the full transference of all memories without a time delay of several years to view them all in a pensieve. It is a simple procedure, one must simply drink the potion here," Severus indicated the six vials sitting on the table in a neat row. All glittering a deep blue with sparkles of white flashing through it from time to time.
"Then decanter the memories into an empty pensieve. Point your wand to the surface of the memories and say anima vinctum then bring your wand down to touch the surface of the memories. It will take a total of ten minutes for the full transference process to happen, and it will be very painful, but all the memories of my life will be transferred over. This will grant you full understanding of why I have chosen this path. Though you will not receive my emotions, it will be a clinical transference as if you had read it in a memoir.
"Now onto my request," Severus paused here and looked down at the desk for a long moment, as if troubled or worried by what he would say. When their eyes met Harry was shocked to noticed tears were coating the black eyes. Though none fell, Harry could see the deep torment and pain radiating from the other man.
"I ask that you follow the instructions that I have written in my will that can be found if you open the first journal on this desk. I ask that though I have given you the knowledge to reverse the process that you do not. At present my three year old self knowns nothing, not even my name. I am a clean slate and can begin again. I ask only that if you and Draco cannot or will not accept the responsibility I have given you as my guardians, that you would reverse the process so I cannot live through the pain and sorrow of a second bad childhood. I know that I ask for a lot, and I hope it is not too much.
"Goodbey Harry and thank you for being Lily's treasured son. You really are a lot like your mother. Goodbey Draco, know that I love you as if you were my own son child. I have since I first held you two hours after your birth. I am sorry I could not stop your father from making you suffer the branding, but I am glad I was able to shelter you from the worst of the Death Eater life. Live free Draco and never forget what it means to be your own person. You are more then just a Malfoy, you are Draco. Always remember that no matter what, you make your own path child. Your own choices. Whatever those choices are I will be proud of you, now and forever."
Without another word Harry was thrown back out of the pensieve and stood blinking with tears freely running down his face. He drew in a deep breath and turned to see Albus sound asleep on the chair. Startled he realize that Severus wasn't with him. He gasped aloud which startled Albus awake, but also made the other three people who'd just made their way into the room spin to look at him in concern.
Harry looked at the source of the sound, blinking as he realized that Draco Malfoy, Poppy Pomfrey and Minerva McGonagall had all come in while he was in the pensieve. He drew in a deep breath. "The four of you need to view the memory, do not ask me questions. I cannot answer them, but Severus can. Albus..." He hesitated a moment and drew in another deep breath, "go with them. I'll find Severus."
"Harry what's going on?" Draco asked confused, "where's my Godfather? What do you mean find him?" The worry in Draco's tone made Harry meet his gaze, but before Harry could answer Albus spoke.
"Severus has been deaged Draco, and I lost him," Albus whispered out the last his aged face lined with worry and concern.
"What do you mean LOST him?" Poppy demanded darkly glaring at Albus.
"I must have fallen asleep and he must have woken up. He can't be far?" Albus said softly rising slowly to his feet.
"The four of you need to view the memory. I will find Severus," Harry repeated again. His voice steel. He hated making demands of those he considered closer then blood, but he also couldn't afford the waisted time. He had to find Severus and they needed to see that memory, he wasn't making this decision alone. It was clear from his note that Severus intended for the five of them to make the choice together on whether or not they could accept his choice.
"Very well," Albus said resigned. He could see in Harry's eyes that there was more to it then this. Harry nodded and was about to walk towards the open archway in the darkened back of the room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Draco looking at him.
"Check the library first. Mother says even as a first year Severus was always surrounded by books," Draco told him. Harry nodded and Draco drew away. Harry watched as the four drew into the pensieve before he went in search of the small three year old child. It didn't take him long to locate the library Draco spoke of. He'd just stepped into the archway when he noticed the floor to ceiling bookshelves. The small boy sitting with his head bent over a book propped in his lap on the floor. Next to the glass coffee table. A piece of parchment with Severus's neat script sat on the table. Harry approached the table intent on the piece of parchment. The boy looked up briefly before returning his black eyes to the page. Harry noticed with wry amusement that the boy was reading a rather huge tomb on potion ingredients. Interesting. Drawing the parchment into his hand Harry read quickly.
By now you will have found that I have retained my ability to read at an advanced level. This is a by product of the transference process I underwent to insure my memories would not remain with me when I deaged. By now I will have located the library. Do not fret. Anything that is dangerous is behind an age line that only one who is 17 years of age may cross. The books are also higher up on the shelves way out of any child's reach and most adults to be quite frank. Thus even if the age line refused to recognize my deaged age then I would still be unable to reach them without magic. My intellectual capacity and skills such as reading, writing and natural talents will all remain as they were prior to my deaging. Though I will not remember anything I have learned before or any memory what so ever. It will be startling at first, but there was no way to properly deage myself and retain zero memories of my prior life. Not in a permanent nature. It is not ideal, but as you will soon learn if you have not already, I have always had a higher then average intelligence and draw towards books.
Harry gave a wry chuckle at what he read. Yes he could well remember the shock of seeing Severus's penchant for books in the past. Not to mention the one time he was in Severus's home and noticed that the walls of Spinners End was essentially books. He set the note back down and regarded the child. Wondering if the little boy had read the note himself. Sighing Harry went back to the main room leaving the child to his reading. Knowing from the closed doors at the end of the library that he couldn't get past the wards. Severus was paranoid of everything and Harry was well aware of the wards in this place. It would take decades for the future occupant of these rooms to unravel even half the wards Severus had set up. Let alone figure out how unravel the wards around Slytherin house, the potion laboratory, and Severus's office. Harry did not envy Minerva the task.
Harry picked up the journal which held the will that Harry had mention and flipped it open. Setting the will down for now and reading the entry. Knowing it would be a brief entry.
Journal Entry
There are fourteen varying forms of the deaging potion. However as I have quickly discovered none of them are permanent. Though I am certain the blood deager is. It is rather illegal, then again theoretically most of my research in this field will be considered either illegal or dark magic. Not that has ever stopped me in the past. If it had I would never have made the advances on the Wolfbanes potion that I have. Nor would I have invented Veritaserum. Which if truth be told are both dark potions, even though they have been used and sanctioned by the ministry. It is a fine balance between researching a field considered dark or illegal by the ministry and utilizing a potion that is used in blood rituals that are far from ever being able to be considered grey magic.
My point in all this is simply that in order to achieve my goal I must discover a way to alter the most commonly used deaging potion in order to not only deage my body and emotional state back to infancy and make the change permanent. I must find a way to eradicate all my memories. Not simply block access to them.
Fifteen days of research have proven that this in fact can be done with a combination of a revised Deaging potion along with a spell of my own devising. The use of the spell is similar to a complete Obliviate, however, unlike Obliviate which can be reversed by a powerful Legillimans cannot be reversed without the specific counter spell. There are some serious drawbacks to my recent discoveries. They are explained bellow.
The subjects mind, while being erased of all memories leaving the subject without a single memory what so ever, not even an emotional response to triggers of place, people or things that would otherwise trigger emotional responses in an Obliviated person. The subjects mind will retain the abilities and skills it possessed prior to the procedure being undertaking. Meaning that the subject is able to read, though they do not remember what they had previously known and must therefore relearn everything, at the same level they had been able to prior to the procedure. For some reason the language centre of the brain is not affected meaning the subject is able to speak and write, though they may not remember all of the terms and words they used to know. It is rather a complicated mess to explain. Therefore I will not even attempt it as it would prove quite improbable that I would be able to formulate the correct explanation on paper.
The emotional and physical state of the subject remain unchanged by the removal of the memories and the releasing of the ties to emotional responses. This then allows for the deaging process to be undertaken and renders the child, around the age of three, to be of the physical and emotional capacity of an average three year old child. Though some emotional development will be lacking for the subject will have no attachment to family, or memories of any family, nor will the subject have any emotional response to remembered stimuli. The subject will have to relearn what triggers irrational fears. The subject will also need to learn it's name. As it will not remember nor react emotionally to the name assigned to the subject.
Harry stopped reading after that as the next pages were all lists of ingredients and formulas far outside his skill level. He was by far not a potion master or really even strongly competent in potions. He would not kill himself with his incompetence, but he would certainly never understand what the rest of the journal went on to describe. He sighed and set the journal aside as all four adults were spit out of the Pensieve. Draco spoke to no one as he gathered the memory into the empty vial and found the vial that contained the memories of Severus's life.
"I am going to do the transference, Harry did you wish to perform the spell first?" Draco asked Harry as their eyes met.
"I think you should Draco. He was your godfather," Harry said gently. Not ready to face the horrors he knew lay in Severus's memories. Albus regarded the vial in Draco's hand and shook his head. He knew he could not bear to witness all that the other had lived through. He knew enough. Minerva also declined, having witness enough of his childhood the first time to know she did not wish to see the truth or the extant he had suffered. Poppy on the other hand nodded. She would perform the transference, she had been closer to Severus then Albus and Minerva had.
Harry picked up the will deciding he would allow both Draco and Poppy to perform the transference before him. He silently turned to reading the will.
The Last Will and Testament of Severus Tobias Snape
I Severus Tobias Snape being of sound mind and body record these as my last will and testament to be witnessed by Narcissa Adeline Malfoy nee Black. A copy of this will has been filed with Gringotts Wizarding Bank and the Ministry of Magic Property Affairs Devision.
Executioner of my will is Draco Lucius Malfoy.
I leave all of my estates to my son and heir Severus Dracaenas Prince along with the Prince family Lordship. His Godfathers Draco Lucius Malfoy and Harry James Potter are to have full custody of the child until he is of age. A trust fund has already been set up for him to insure that he will be well provided for.
The libraries of books at my family home on Spinners End, Prince Manor and my quarters at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are to be stored in my sealed library vaults, which already contains a vast majority of my precious texts, attached are the lists of who is to have access to the library vaults along with procedures to be followed should any book be removed from the sealed vaults: 896, 897, 898.
All artifacts currently in residence in any of my estates are to be left. Instructions are to be given to the house elves who reside on each property to either seal the property until such time as my heir decides to access them or one of his two Godfathers has need of the residences. Responsibility for the estates are to be handled by either Draco Lucius Malfoy or Harry James Potter.
All artifacts currently in residence at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are to be brought to one of my family vaults. Caution is to be taken while handling all artifacts as many are heavily warded. Access to these artifacts should be limited.
All other property found at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is to be sorted out by the executer of my will. He will decide what is to be donated to my charitable foundations, a list of which is attached to this document, and what is to be kept with my heir or stored in a family vault.
All material relating to my deaging, including the journals, books, vials of potion and pensieved memories are to be stored in a separate sealed vault, 899, which can only be accessed by Narcissa Adeline Malfoy in the presence of my Heir. Their two combined magical signatures are the only way to access the vault.
The wards I have set about Slytherin House, the Potions Laboratry and the Potions Office have all been keyed into Hogwarts and will transfer automatically to the next Head of Slytherin House and the next Potions Master. Should they be separate persons the castle will recognize this and adjust accordingly. The wards about my personal quarters can be removed with ease by the Headmaster or Headmistress. Or the wards could be transferred to the next occupant of the space if they desires it.
Harry sighed and set the will down. If they reversed the process and returned Severus to an adult it would void the will, if they did not then the infant was listed as Severus's son. Meaning he would inherit everything that Severus owned and there was nothing the Ministry could do about it. Harry gave a wry smile as he contemplated the fact that Severus had three vaults of books. Somehow that didn't surprise him at all. Laughing lightly he regarded Draco's shocked and hurt expression. He handed him the will mutely as a weeping Poppy pulled away from the pensieve. Draco started to read the will as Harry drew closer to the pensieve. With a deep breath he drew his wand and pointed it at the memories.
"Anima Vinctum," Harry spoke the spell clearly and then lowered his wand to touch the surface of the pensieve. The rush of memories slammed into him and left him reeling as he realized that Severus's life had not been what he'd thought at all.
Ten minutes later with tears in his eyes Harry drew back and met Draco's gaze. With one mind both boys nodded. They knew there was no way they could refuse Severus's request. They would give him the childhood he deserved and the second change he'd more then earned.