Snape slowly waved his wand around his laboratory several times.

He watched as the bits of broken glass vanished from the shelves and the floor.

The cauldron that had flown across the room returned to its original resting place. The potion that had exploded quickly evaporated.

Snape gave a satisfactory nod before returning his wand to its holder.

It had been nearly two hours since he had said goodnight to his grandchildren. He was sure that all three of them were long asleep, but as he climbed the staircase to the second floor he decided that he would check on them just once more.

He peeked into the guest room to find Lily curled into a small ball and fast asleep. He smiled softly to himself as he resisted the urge to ruffle her hair and place a kiss on her forehead. He knew that she was a light sleeper and it was near midnight.

He slowly crept down the hall to wards Harry's old room to check on the boys. Unlike their sister, Snape was quite sure that if a goblin riot took place in their bedroom they would sleep right through it.

He pushed open the bedroom door expecting to find the two of them sound asleep. James was as he expected, Albus however was laying on his side his eyes wide open and full of worry.

Snape quickly walked into the room and over to Albus' bed. He sat down on the edge of it placing a gentle hand on the child's back. "What is it?" He asked in a concerned voice.

Albus shrugged. He instantly realized his mistake. His grandfather absolutely hated when people shrugged instead of answering properly. "I can't sleep," he quickly said.

"You aren't feeling ill again are you?" Snape asked in an anxious voice.

Albus shook his head as he rolled over onto his back.

"Well then what is it?" Snape asked. "I can tell just by the look on your face that it is something."

"Are you still mad at me?" Albus asked in a soft voice. He could feel a large lump forming in his throat and he swallowed hard trying to force it back down. The last thing he wanted was to start crying like some blubbering baby.

"Heavens no," Snape responded. "I told you hours ago that I wasn't."

"But I ruined your laboratory and your supplies."

"It's already been cleaned and supplies are just things. I can buy more supplies. I was never angry with you for those reasons," Snape said gently. "I do not forbid you children from going into my laboratory because I am afraid you will knock something over. I do so because it is dangerous in there. I was cross with you because you put yourself in harm's way. That is why I punished you Al, not because a few glass vials broke but because I want you to remember to never go in there and try to brew a potion again unless I am by your side."

Albus was silent as he mulled over these words.

"Aside from that I could never stay cross with you despite what you did. If I was going to harbor ill feelings over a child's misbehaving, your father and I would likely never speak again."

A small smile spread across Albus' face at his grandfather's words. He knew that his dad had been a handful as a child - he had heard all of the stories.

His smile quickly faded though.

He was going to have to tell his parents.

"I am going to talk to them," Snape said as though he was reading the boy's mind.

"They are going to be really mad at me," Albus replied in a soft voice. "Dad always says that we have to behave for you or we'll be in big trouble when we get home."

Snape resisted the urge to smirk at these words. He had told Harry the same thing on numerous occasions when he was going to the Burrow. There had only been one instant in which Harry had gotten into trouble with the Weasleys and of course Snape had made well on his threat. That had been different though. Harry got into trouble much more frequently than his son did.

"I will talk to your father," Snape promised. "Things will be fine, you shall see."


"He did what?" Ginny asked in a shocked voice.

When they had arrived to pick up the children and Snape had asked if he could speak to them privately she had known that something had happened.

When the man had set a silencing spell on his study she had gotten the sneaking suspicion that one of them had gotten into trouble.

Her first guess was James, despite his being sick. Her second guess would have been Lily. Never in a million years would she have guessed Albus.

"He was trying to brew something to cure his siblings of their illness," Snape explained.

"I will have a discussion with him when we get home," Harry promised. "I'm sorry that he misbehaved for you."

"I've already had a discussion with him," Snape replied.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at these words. She wasn't upset that Snape had punished her child, she was shocked. She had always known that Al was the apple of his grandfather's eye. She would have guessed that Snape would have given him a light scolding and sent him on his way.

"You did?" Harry asked in a skeptical voice.

Snape nodded. "A discussion quite similar to one I would have had with you had I found you in the same situation. That being said, I hardly think it is necessary to repeat the lesson as Albus has assured me that he will never set foot into my laboratory without me again."

"You spanked him?" Harry asked in the same skeptical voice.

"I did," Snape nodded. "Quite thoroughly."

Ginny couldn't help but smile at the dumbfounded look on her husband's face. It was no secret that Snape had changed over the years. Harry had caused him to learn to love again but it was her children that without a doubt had helped him to loosen up the most. It was the way with grandparents. She often suspected that Snape loved her children more than he did himself.

"Thank you for disciplining him," Ginny said. "And as Harry already said, I'm sorry that he misbehaved for you."

"Children misbehave at times," Snape responded in a calm voice. "However, I do not see the need to discipline him further for this."

"If it was me you would have-"

"You were an unruly cheeky brat," Snape cut Harry off, "who was in trouble more often than he was not."

"I was not cheeky," Harry replied.

"You were and you still are," Snape said in a bored voice.

"He has a point though," Ginny said softly. "Al doesn't get into trouble often. Perhaps just a real discussion with him, one that doesn't involve punishment would suffice."

Harry nodded in agreement.

"We should get going though it is getting late," Ginny declared. She walked over to Snape and gave him a hug. "Thank you for watching them. We really do appreciate it."

"Anytime."

Harry waited until Ginny left the room to gather the children.

"Thanks for watching them," Harry said as he too gave Snape a hug. "Come over for dinner on Friday."

"I'll be there at six," Snape smiled as he followed Harry out of his study.

Snape said his goodbyes to James and Lily before taking Albus into his arms for a tight hug. "All is well," he whispered into the boy's ear.

Albus smiled widely as his grandfather released him. "I'll see you Friday grandpa. Love you."

"I love you too."