It was after twelve and James decided to bring the kids in for some lunch. Making his way over to the play pen, he could see the pair were engrossed in the my first potions book, that Lily had bought for Harmony the week before.

James unlocked the gate of the pen and the pair looked up at him in unison. One with curiosity, the other with wariness. James held out his hands for the pair to take.

"come on you two, it's time for lunch".

Harmony beamed at the mention of lunch and shoved the book aside to grab his hand. The snape boy remained sitting, still giving James a wary look. Clearly he didn't want to go anywhere with James.

The feelings mutual, thought James

Harmony sent Severus a confused look, why isn't he taking daddy's hand?, "sevus, unch, come".

James watched the Snape boys eyes go back and forth between him and his daughter; before gently placing the book on the floor.

Instead of taking his hand, (as James expected him too) the Snape boy skirted around it; reaching instead for Harmony's unoccupied one and grasping it tightly in his small thin fingers.

Ookay.

Deciding it was best not to make a fuss over something so insignificant; James led the pair towards the back door.

Just as he was about to go through the door, there was an indignant sounding screech from just behind him. He could see that Harmony was looking down, at her now; light pink shirt, in disgust. The colour charm had worn off at last.

Damn it.

Trying to stop his daughter starting a tantrum, James knelt in front of her in order to pick her up. Hopefully he could change the shirt back to green again, before she started.

But before he could grab her under her arms and lift her in to the air; the Snape boy, (who was still holding her hand) pushed her behind himself and stood glaring at James.

Harmony didn't notice this, (she was still looking at the shirt in disgust)

For one so young he could funnel a lot of anger in to that glare. Thought James.

Before James could ask him what he thought he was doing, the Snape boy started to shout at him.

"No, No, No Hurt Harm-knee, She Friend. Harm-knee Not, No, Magic Bad".

His daughter wasn't scowling at her shirt any longer, but was instead looking at the boy with scrunched up eyebrows. James felt as confused as his daughter looked.

where the hell had he got the idea that magic was bad? Or that I'm going to hit Harmony?.

The boy had stopped shouting at James; but he was still standing protectively in front of Harmony; and the glare James was getting could melt copper.

Definitely too young to be able to glare that well, wonder where he learned it.

While James was contemplating how a three year old could naturally came about such a menacing glare, a light went on in his head. He suddenly realised; he might know why Snape thought he was going to hit his daughter for the display of magic.

As Lily said that morning. The boy had been badly mistreated by his father a few days prior, and it had obviously had something to do with magic, (The boys muggle father apparently hated it). This was most likely where the boy had got the absurd idea that magic was bad.

Oy, I'm not cut out for therapy sessions with a surly three year old.

Deciding that the best action would be to make his self none threatening; James held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, and spoke to the boy in a soft tone. Though somewhere deep down he felt anything but calm, and wanted to shout at the boy for what he'd insinuated.

How dare he think that I would hit my precious fawn.

"I'm not going to hurt her Severus. She's done nothing wrong, magic is good. In fact for people like us it's the most normal thing in the world".

James ran a hand through his messy hair. Looking at the boy, he could see he still didn't believe what James had said; so he tried a different tactic.

"How about this, you walk with Harmony, alone, in to the kitchen; and I'll grab you both your lunches, does that sound reasonable?"

Severus didn't know what rease-on-able meant, but when he looked back at Har-mon-knee; she just smiled and said "ood?".

Severus continued to look at James as if he was unsure of his motives, and that he might strike at any moment.

With wary eyes and a reluctant posture, he eventually moved around James; tugging Harmony closely behind him and in to the kitchen. When James followed them in a few seconds later he saw that Harmony was attempting to climb in to her high chair; using the side like a ladder. While the Snape boy watched her worriedly.

James shook his head at his daughters antics and grabbed her before she could fall (I don't care if he doesn't want me touching her. I'm not letting her get hurt, just to placate some surly beaky nosed toddler), and placed her in her in the seat.

The boy was still looking at James like he was about to lash out, and James wondered how he as going to get the child in to the high chair.

But apparently seeing that Harmony hadn't been hurt by him. The Snape boy, grudgingly let him pick him up, and put him in the other chair.

Though the boy made getting him seated, a much more difficult task than it needed to be. He remained stiff as a board in James's hold, and wouldn't sit down at all; even when James tried to fold his legs through the holes. James soon got exasperated with the boy, and set about making some ham sandwiches, with a side of strawberries for the pair instead. Leaving the boy standing rigid in the chair.

If the little brat falls, it's not my fault.

As he was making the food, he wondered where Padfoot had got too. He certainly wasn't under the table any more, he hoped he wasn't moping in the pantry. Lily was going to skin him if she found any more dog hairs in the flour.

After cutting off the crusts for his daughter and cutting both sets of sandwiches in to triangles.

He set them in front of his fawn and the Snape boy. (who, infuriatingly, had sat down properly while James was busy). His daughter beamed at him and the boy scowled suspiciously down at the food.

Doesn't he have a different expression other than scowling?, it's not like I've poisoned them!.

"Ank, you daddy!", "you're welcome fawn".

The Snape boy glanced over at Harmony and seeing that she was eating her sandwiches with gusto reluctantly picked up his own and slowly started to chew.

James really felt like rolling his eyes but refrained, he needed to find out where Padfoot had gone to while the two children where distracted.