Author's note.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
It's time for another installment of 'Raising Harry Black'! In this chapter... no I'm not telling what will happen in this chapter but I will say that I will be bringing a few characters in (They may be OCs or it may be canons or both, but I will not say which). Oh and Harry will be four years old in this chapter. And italics with underline equal written mail.
Anyway, stop reading my note and start reading the chapter! I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
Harry Black was not known as Padfoot Jr. for nothing, oh no, he was the biggest prankster in Clarion. Even as a four year old, he had managed to get pranking potions from the potions professor, Ariana Painter, and had pranked every one of the students at Clarion (and some professors), making his father proud (and all the teachers furious).
Anyway, when he started getting mail from everyone is wizard Britain, he was flattered by some and furious because of others. One was from a certain professor at Hogwarts, and as soon as he saw it, he went to Ariana (whom he called 'Auntie Ari') and got a pranking potion that she had invented and that only she knew the antidote to. Not even the smartest of potions masters could undo the affects of the potion without Ariana's help.
Harry then poured the potion onto the letter that he had written back that wasn't all that nice and sent the letter off after he included a small listening device inside the letter as well. He couldn't wait to hear what the reaction was going to be.
Professor Dumbledore was not expecting the letter back a day after he sent it. He had sent the letter to check up on the boy and on how he had been doing (or if he was still alive) but he hadn't been expecting the letter back so quickly. Dumbledor opened the letter and read it's contents.
Dear Dumbledore,
First of all, how on earth do you expect a regular four-year old to read your crazy handwriting? You're lucky that I'm smart and have my daddy to read the letter to me if I have trouble with some words.
Second of all, you have no business interfering in mine and my daddy's lives so quit it!
Third of all, I would go to your potions professor if I were you, your hair has just turned purple (I think, it could have been some other odd color).
Harry Black
Dumbledore stared at the letter for a moment and then he stood up and looked in a mirror. His hair had turned purple but it had also turned blue, orange, and yellow. Not a very good combination. He tried to change it back but he failed miserably. Finally he had no choice to go to Severus.
He slipped out unseen and almost ran to the dungeons where Severus was going over some students essays (it was during the school year after all). When he burst in, Severus looked up and started chuckling when he saw the headmaster's hair.
"Did you fall victim to a color-changing charm, Headmaster?" Severus asked still chuckling.
"No, I have reason to believe that this was done by a potion and was wondering if you could reverse it?" It was almost like Dumbledore was begging for him to reverse it.
"A potion, you say?" Severus asked.
"Yes, I believe that it was on a letter that someone sent to me." Dumbledore replied.
Severus looked almost thoughtful as he recalled the only known potion that could change someone's hair color.
"I'm afraid, Headmaster, that it may take me at least a day to get the required potion as I know that the potion did this to you can only be brewed by one person and the antidote can only be brewed by her as well." Severus told him, smiling.
"Why is that?" Dumbledore demanded.
"Because she has never shared the ingredients, directions, or anything to do with that potion with anyone else. I'll have to floo over to Clarion Academy to speak with her." Severus replied. "And honestly, no one even knows how long it takes to brew the potion other than her so it may take longer than a day."
"Fine," Dumbledore growled. "I'll have someone take over your classes while you go talk to her."
Severus nodded before putting his papers down and going to grab a small bag. Once he had his bag, he went to a fireplace and took out some floo powder before yelling.
"Clarion Academy, potions' labortory!"
He stepped into the fire, and came out to see Ariana Painter watching a four year old child. She looked up and smiled when she saw him.
"Sev!" She said smiling. "I can't believe you're here!"
Severus smiled back at her and said.
"Nice to see you too, sis."
Yes, Ariana Painter was Severus's sister. She was his older sister by eight years to be exact. She had married a man named Timothy Painter and moved to America. Severus hardly ever saw her but he still kept in touch with her.
"What brings you here, little bro?" Ariana asked curiously.
"Well someone poured your special hair color changer potion onto a letter sent to Albus Dumbledore and I need the antidote for him." Severus replied and Ariana turned to the child.
"Harry Black! I gave you that potion to play pranks on the students not on headmasters!" She said angrily.
"But, Auntie Ari, he wasn't exactly nice!" Harry Black complained. "Besides, daddy says to prank people who are annoying and he was being annoying!"
"There are no excuses, Harry, and I will be talking to your father." Ariana said sternly.
"Would it help if I helped you with potions?" Harry asked.
"No, knowing you, you'll find out the secret to my secret potions." Ariana said and Harry pouted before asking. "Can I go find daddy?"
"Sure, if you can't find him, talk to the ghosts, they always know where he is." Ariana told him and the four year old ran out. After a minute, she turned to Severus and said. "He's one of my co-workers' child, Harry Black. I offer to watch him most days while Sirius teaches."
"Wait Sirius Black, the wanted criminal?" Severus asked looking both shocked and terrified.
"He's not a wanted criminal, he was cleared of all charges here three years ago." Ariana chastised him. "He never did anything to the Potters, or those muggles. That was confirmed at the actual trial that we had. So don't go accusing him, bro."
Severus was still in shock but he nodded, not wanting to argue with his sister (she could be scary). Then he asked.
"Auntie Ari?"
"Hey the whole staff is like that to him. I'm an Auntie, the headmistress is known as Grandma, the rest of the teachers are a mixture of Aunties and Uncles, and the students are known as his cousins and/or brothers and sisters." Ariana replied. "He's a good kid and pretty much everyone likes him except for a couple students, one teacher, and a few people in Britain, which is strange since he hasn't been there in three years."
"Why don't they like him? Other than him being the son of a marauder?" Severus asked curiously.
"That's the main reason, that kid is a pranking machine. He's managed to prank every single person in the school, including his own father and me!" Ariana replied and Severus whistled. It was impossible to prank Ariana, she would sense it and then she would not only avoid it but she would kill you.
"I feel bad for everyone he has pranked." Severus said sympathetically.
"You shouldn't, everyone got back at him twice as hard." Ariana replied before she seemed to realize something and walked over to her desk and grabbed a vial. "I knew that I would have to brew this for someone, so I did it in advance."
"Thanks, Aria." Severus said before he added. "You know, I told Dumbledore that getting the potion would take me at least a day as no one ever knows how long it takes to brew the antidote except for you."
Ariana grinned and grabbed his arm before saying.
"You're spending the rest of the day with me, Sev, I never see you anymore."
"I have a lot of work to do." Severus said before adding. "But that can wait, I want to know everything that you didn't tell me."
"What haven't I told you?" Ariana asked raising an eyebrow.
"Oh I don't know, that Sirius Black is not a criminal, he has a kid which I still don't believe-" Severus began.
"Harry is his adopted son, in reality, Harry Black is actually Harry Potter but Sirius adopted him as his own son and heir." Ariana filled in for him.
Severus eyes narrowed and then he said.
"That makes much more sense."
"Stop being mean to Siri." Ariana chastised him.
"Siri?" Severus asked increduliously.
"He's like my other brother who is much more annoying. And besides that, his name is way too long." Ariana replied.
"Lazy." Severus drawled in his usual tone.
"Don't call me lazy, Severus Mark Snape, you may not be lazy but you've fallen behind on your potion making." Ariana said sternly.
"I haven't had much time between teaching and keeping an eye on Dumbledore." Severus said defensively.
"And yet, I've had time to make new potions when I teach, watch a child, and have to keep an eye on all seven of the school pranksters." Ariana said. "I think that Hogwarts is way too much for you, little bro."
"Oh it is, is it? And where else would I work that I could teach potions and not be too annoyed?" Severus asked.
"Here." Ariana replied smiling at Severus's reaction. "Headmistress Carter wants someone to help me teach the first through fourth years since I am far too busy with just the fifth through ninth years. She's been trying to find someone to help me but so far, we can't find a suitable teacher. And if you get too annoyed, I'll prank our local pranksters."
Severus considered the request but he shook his head and said.
"Who would keep an eye on Dumbledore?"
"Severus, Harry and Sirius both already have put hidden camera's all over Hogwarts. He's more than covered." Ariana told him before adding. "You could just take the antidote to him, resign, and accept the position here. I'll be able to spend more time with you and you won't miss your niece's birth in August."
"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" Severus yelled in shock.
"Yeah, so niece in December." Ariana said smiling.
"Ok I'm definetly going to work here, I do want to see the little... hey how do you know it's a girl? You couldn't have had her for more than a month." Severus asked.
"Don't question me, I won't take care of another boy!" Ariana replied and Severus pouted. "Boys aren't that bad."
"Harry is though! He may be well behaved most of the time and be a huge bookworm but I swear he's a nightmare!" Ariana objected.
"And you'll keep him away from me right?" Severus asked.
"Yes, now I'll show you around Clarion and then you'll go turn your resignation in." Ariana said before grabbing his arm and dragging him out of the room.
Dumbledore was not happy. Well he was happy that he had the antidote but he was not happy because Severus had turned in his resignation and left. Now he had to find a new potions teacher and a new spy. No Dumbledore wasn't happy, not one bit.
Meanwhile, Severus had accepted the position that was offered at Clarion and was about to meet the rest of the staff and students at dinner. He waited for his cue.
"Students, may I have your attention please?" Headmistress Sue Carter asked gaining everyone's attention. After a minute, she said. "We have a new teacher here who will be teaching potions for the first through fourth years. I would like to welcome Professor Severus Snape."
Severus walked in, smiling at Ariana and smirking at Sirius's shocked expression. He took a seat next to his sister and then dinner continued almost normally.
After a few minutes, Ariana got tired of the shocked look on Sirius's face and told him.
"Please stop staring at my little brother, Sirius, I know that you're shocked to see him but if you don't eat, then I'll call for some healers."
"Wait, Severus is your brother?" Sirius asked in shock.
"Yeah, we have about an eight year difference between us, that's why you never saw me at Hogwarts, so yeah he's my little brother. Now eat before I do go to Madam Roxene." Ariana replied.
"But..." Sirius tried to argue but the DADA teacher, Mandy Doe, interupted him. "Are you insane, Sirius? Don't you remember the last time anyone argued with Ariana? Do you want to deal with the ultimate prank of the century because you couldn't listen?"
"No." Sirius muttered before starting to eat.
"Thank you, Ms. Doe, I was afraid that I would have to hit him to get him to stop staring at him." Ariana told her.
"Well it's not every day that we meet your brother that somehow knows Sirius and he comes to work here." Mandy replied before asking. "Is everyone in your family a potions expert?"
"Mostly everyone." Ariana said and then she said. "Why else do you think I alerted him to the open position? Do you think I would let anyone, that I didn't trust, teach my first through fourth years?"
"Considering how long I've known you, I'm going to go with no." Mandy replied.
"Good to know you trust me, sis." Severus joked.
"I've known you since you were a baby, Sev, I'd have to be crazy to not trust you." Ariana said putting and arm around him. Then, after a minute, she said. "Well actually, I don't trust you with food. You pranked me to much growing up so I will never trust anything you actually cook."
"Fine, but I have the same reason not accept any food from you." Severus reminded her.
"Fair enough." Ariana laughed.
"Oh so we have another Ariana?" The Transfiguration teacher, Ally Brown, asked smiling. "Let's hope that he's not as bad as her."
"Not even close, though he could give Randy McKinnon a run for his money." Ariana said laughing, but then she realized something and told Sirius. "Tell Harry not to prank Severus, I'm told that he will prank anyone twice as bad if they prank him."
"No that's what you said, Aria, I simply asked you to keep his pranks away from me after you called him a nightmare." Severus corrected.
"Hey don't look at me that way, Sirius, you know it's true... he just pranked you again, Sirius." Ariana laughed as Sirius's hair turned blue.
"Oh that little scamp! Where is he?" Sirius said looking around. After a few minutes, he got the bright idea to look under the table and found a giggling child. He grabbed Harry and pulled him up onto his lap.
"Hi daddy, you look blue." Harry said and Sirius growled before asking. "And who did this to me?"
"Auntie Ari is the one who gave me the potion." Harry replied defensively.
"And you know that it's only to be used on students." Ariana told him.
"Which means that you've started something you can't handle, Harry." Sirius said smirking and his son smirked right back.
"I don't know, daddy, you forget that I have the back of the whole of the school as my brothers, sisters, and cousins. And that I've been taught by Auntie Ari." Harry said still smirking.
While the father and son continued bantering, Severus leaned over to his sister and asked, whispering.
"What are they talking about?"
"Prank war, we may want to stay away from those two for the next... two weeks I would assume." Ariana replied.
Severus nodded, though he was already dreading the next two weeks.