Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter 10

Severus remained at the hospital overnight. Although it added to the appearance of how hurt he could be if Dumbledore had lengthened or intensified today's session of legilimens, Severus didn't know what Potter was doing. He could be doing nothing. It was Dumbledore, and Dumbledore did whatever he wanted. Would Potter's need to be a hero overcome that, or would he simply react every time Severus arranged some misfortune for himself?

He picked at his hospital breakfast for an extended time, waiting for Potter to show.

His tray was taken away before Potter arrived. Perhaps the berk overslept without having Severus poking him in the side all night. A person who thought may have transfigured a bed for the boy. Obviously, Severus had overestimated Potter's mental prowess. The idiot seemed to prefer elbows to the ribs.

After receiving his own prodding from a healer, Potter finally showed at half past eleven.

Severus noticed his current father, in the legal sense, looked stern. He was no Tobias Snape, but Potter looked more likely to spit on Severus than tut over his injuries.

Harry pulled up short as Severus's eyebrows drew together over his sunken eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered. Harry had been to Hogwarts and Dumbledore stopped a smidge short of accusing Severus of faking. He admitted he hadn't seen any of Snape's adult memories and rattled on about how Snape's occlumency was like a pillar of stone. The old headmaster did show a little guilt over landing Severus in the hospital, but didn't go as far to say he'd never cast any spells on him again. Even though McGonagall had been shocked, Harry doubted she'd be able to do anything if Dumbledore snuck around doing … whatever he did. Harry was puzzled about what Dumbledore was up to. It seemed that a young Snape was not part of his scheme, and the Severus in front of Harry now was not up to task of ruining Dumbledore's plots.

Harry could see a parallel between Severus and himself because as children they were expected to fend off a grown-up powerful wizard. Though in Severus's case, Dumbledore had not murdered his parents. Overall, the comparison was a stretch. Everyone knew how evil Voldemort was. Dumbledore was the opposite; Dumbledore could do whatever he wanted and people thanked him.

Harry plopped into the chair next to Severus's bed. "How you feeling?"

"Better."

He looked paler to Harry. The hospital pajamas may be making him look thinner too. "You don't have to say that if you're not feeling well."

"Yesterday I was really sick. Today, I'm not that sick."

"Okay. Do you want to play a game or something?"

"A game?"

"I thought you liked playing make believe games."

"I do, but not with … you'll think them silly."

He admitted Severus had a point. Pretending about Godric Gryffindor in a Roman bathhouse getting hit with a meteor was bizarre. The next crop of writers and illustrators for The Quibbler were sitting in that orphanage.

"Okay. I have something to tell you that might sound silly too," Harry said.

Severus only looked at him, rather than falling into Harry's clever trap. Dumbledore was an idiot if he thought Harry was living with a boy with adult Snape's memory for weeks without receiving any good insults.

"I'm going to tell you this because not knowing could put you in danger."

"They told us about you at the orphanage," Severus said.

"Oh. Well not that. It's about you."

Harry kept looking into Severus's eyes. Even though they were as black as they were when he was adult, Severus didn't have the same intensity.

After taking a deep breath, Harry continued, "You're special too. In fact, you're going to be a powerful wizard."

Severus's face twisted. "Is this about me being good at school?"

"I'm not sure. I think you've probably always been smart. No, it's … um … this is going to sound weird, but I have your wand." Harry took out the black wand and extended it to the boy.

The boy's eyes looked at the wand, up to Harry's face, back to the wand, and then returned to Harry's face. He looked confused.

"Yeah, it's going to get more complicated. But this is your wand. You were really born in 1960, and a really great wizard, and saved my life a lot, and when we thought Voldemort killed you, you sort of came back as a kid."

Severus's face scrunched more before his face relaxed and his mouth opened slightly. He didn't say anything though.

Harry decided to try to explain it another way. "Uh … I'm really skipping over bits, but I think you should know because some people didn't like you as an adult and could try to do things to you if you don't know any better."

"Is this a pretending game?"

"No."

Severus gave him a blank look again.

"Really," Harry said. "You taught me at Hogwarts. This is your wand. That man who attacked you yesterday doesn't believe you're really only a child. He's suspicious and I bet a lot of other people are too."

"What about you?"

"Me? Um, I don't think you'd think hanging around in an orphanage, surrounded by children, would be something you'd do. And you certainly wouldn't want me to adopt you."

Severus tilted his head. "I didn't say I wanted you to adopt me."

"Huh? I mean you would have stopped it, rather than letting me adopt you. You're smart."

After a few quiet moments, Severus frowned. "Is this why Mrs. Weasley keeps telling me I'm bad?"

"What? When? Uh, I don't … you shouldn't … her son died." Harry's brain finished processing what Severus said, and he added, "She hasn't hurt you, has she? I mean the only bad spell that's been cast at you was by the wizard with the red beard? The one from yesterday?"

"She hasn't done anything like that."

How many times had Molly told Severus he was bad? What else had she told him? Was the Burrow comparable to the Dursleys for Severus? No, not that bad even with the Lockhart books.

Harry muttered, "Okay." He needed to think. Ginny didn't want Severus around, and if Severus hurt Mrs. Weasley's feelings by being at the Burrow, then maybe Harry had to move somewhere else.

"If I'm really an adult, where is my family?"

"Uh, um, I think they're all gone. Your house, where you grew up, is yours. No one lives there."

"Spinner's End?"

"Yeah. When I was looking for you, I tried there."

"What do you mean looking for me? I haven't left the house since you adopted me."

Harry felt a pang over that. True, he hadn't taken Severus anywhere, but there was time for that later. He explained, "I didn't realize you were at Hogwarts after the battle, and then no one could find you, and I've been looking for you for months."

"Didn't you know I was a child?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you look at the orphanage?"

"Uh, I asked people at the Ministry to look for you, but I guess they didn't do a very good job of it."

Harry didn't need Severus to raise an eyebrow at him to know how lame that sounded. Sometimes the truth sounded kind of stupid.

"Do you have any questions?" Harry asked.

"You want me to ask more questions?"

"Um, not about me doing a rubbish job finding you, but about you when you get older."

"What else do I need to know? I have no one and people want me dead."

"That's kind of harsh. And you got me."

"You just admitted you do a rubbish job."

Harry sputtered. "That's different. And I'm telling you what's going on so you know."

"You're giving an eight-year-old a wand."

"Once you relearn everything …" Harry didn't know what to do or what to say. "You're a brilliant wizard."

Severus muttered, "As long as we're in agreement you're rubbish."

Harry put Severus's wand in his hand.

Severus switched it to his other hand, turning it about. "At least I know which end is the handle."

"Sorry –" Harry started.

Severus's wand must have missed him because it shot out a bright light that momentarily blinded Harry.

Young Severus gave him a Snape-like look. "That wasn't a real spell, you know."