Enjoy!
Snape climbed the stairs as the Headmasters words ran through his mind. He nearly snorted at the thought that eight was a difficult age. With absolutely no responsibilities and not a care in the world, he was quite sure that the age of eight was likely delightful.
Snape mentally listed Harry's infractions as he stepped onto the second floor. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't doubt for even a moment that punishment was deserved; however, given the situation he was struggling with how to proceed. He certainly didn't want to dole out a punishment. Still he couldn't allow Harry to act like a brat until he was done with the potion either. He absolutely would not stand for that.
He walked into Harry's room expecting to find the child playing. What he didn't expect was to find Harry sitting on his bed, hugging his pillow to his chest, while he cried.
Snape was overcome with concern. He opened his mouth ready to question what had caused the tears but Harry spoke before he could.
"You smacked me," Harry said in an accusatory voice as he wiped the tears off of his cheek with the back of his right hand, "For no reason."
"It certainly was not for no reason," Snape replied in a dumbfounded voice. Harry hadn't shed a tear downstairs. Snape honestly hadn't even thought that he had smacked the child that hard. "You know better than to behave how you did. Do not for a moment act as if you don't."
"I just forgot," Harry sniffled loudly as his tears stopped. "And now you're going to spank me."
Snape raised an eyebrow at the child. In the five months that he had been Harry's guardian he had never once heard the boy utter that word. In fact, he went to great lengths to make sure he avoided it. "I don't recall saying that."
"Yes huh," Harry replied as he rubbed his left eye with a balled up fist. "You said I need proper punishment."
"If my memory serves me correctly I believe what I said is that I would decide if you need proper punishment," Snape said. He was fighting between wanting to be stern with the child for his atrocious behavior earlier and wanting to pull him into a hug and comfort him until his tears stopped.
"I don't," Harry quickly shook his head as his tears began to fall once more.
"Are you going to start listening?" Snape asked in a voice he hoped was sterner than it sounded in his own ears.
Harry nodded earnestly as he sniffled once more.
"No more cheek?" Snape asked in a serious voice.
"None," Harry replied. "I promise!"
Snape was silent for a moment before he nodded once. The boy's tears were nearly breaking his heart. He was sure that he couldn't carry out a punishment when Harry was already so upset.
"Really?" Harry asked in an excited voice as he smiled through his sniffles.
"Yes. However, this is your last chance. You will do as I say and you will take your potion without putting up a fight about it or I promise you Harry you will go over my knee." Snape silently prayed that the child would obey, that he wouldn't have to make good on his threat.
"I'll be good," Harry promised as he brushed the remainder of the tears from his face. "Really I will!"
"Then as I said downstairs, you will have a bath and a nap."
Harry nodded in agreement despite the fact that he looked absolutely miserable about the plan.
Snape turned on his heel and walked across the room retrieving a pair of the child's pajamas from the tall oak dresser before walking out of the room. "Follow please."
Harry quickly scurried off of his bed and out of his bedroom.
He followed Snape into the upstairs bathroom and watched as the man started running a bath.
"Wash your hair," Snape instructed. "And be sure to clean behind your ears. If you don't do so properly, you will take another bath and I will assist you."
Harry resisted the urge to scowl at these words. He knew how to take care of himself.
Snape went into the closet and pulled a large fluffy towel from the top shelf. He placed both the pajamas and the towel on top of the counter.
"Make sure you dry yourself completely before you put on the clean pajamas. "
Harry nodded before Snape turned and walked past the boy and back towards the door.
"Do not make a mess in here," Snape said in a serious voice. "Keep the water in the tub and off of the floor and be sure to pick up your dirty clothes and put them in the basket."
"Okay," Harry agreed in a small voice.
Snape felt a fleeting pang of anguish for his child. It was obvious that Harry was miserable at best. He walked into the hallway before pausing for a moment. "If you are able to behave yourself perhaps after you wake from your nap we can do something a bit more entertaining."
"Like what?" Harry asked unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"We could possibly play that game that you like," Snape offered despite the fact that he had a stack of papers to grade that was nearly as tall as his child.
"Exploding Snap?" Harry questioned with a wide smile.
"Yes," Snape nodded in agreement. "But only if you behave. Now into the bath with you."
He waited until he was sure Harry was going to obey. It was only when the child began pulling off his sweatshirt that he pulled the bathroom door, leaving it cracked slightly open. He knew that at thirteen Harry was more than capable of bathing himself but he wasn't sure that a child with the emotions of an eight year old would do so without incident.
Snape strode down the hallway. He paused at the top of the staircase, smiling softly as he heard the sound of water moving. Harry had obviously has gotten into the tub. He was quite proud of himself for how he had been dealing with the child. Despite his earlier thoughts, he was beginning to feel as though he could have easily handled Harry at eight years old.
He made his way down the staircase and walked into the kitchen. He retrieved a vial of Harry's potion from the top cupboard and slipped it into his pocket before snapping his fingers. A moment later Minka appeared at his feet.
"Harry is currently in the bath however he should be done shortly. I would like a warm lunch for him on a tray in his room."
Minka bowed deeply before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Snape glanced out the window to see a fresh blanket of snow falling on the already snow covered ground. He was sure that at this rate he wouldn't be taking Harry to see the lake. He sighed sadly at this thought as he realized that it would likely need to wait until the summer holiday.
Pulling himself from his thoughts he turned on his heel and headed back towards the staircase.
If he knew Harry at all, the child was likely already close to being done with his bath. He was not one to stay in the tub any longer than he had to.
Snape walked into the young teenager's room to find a tray containing a piping hot bowl of chicken soup as well as a large piece of warm bread and a cup of hot tea with milk just as Harry liked it. He smiled softly at Minka's work. It was no secret that the small elf was quite fond of Harry. Snape made a mental note to stress that fact to Albus when discussing keeping her for the summer.
He opened Harry's closet and pulled a large heavy quilt from the top shelf. He quickly spread it on top of the quilt that was already on Harry's bed. It was quite cold outside and that last thing he needed was for the child to get sick on top of his regression.
He waved his hand causing the temperature in Harry's room to increase.
"Oh good, lunch," Harry said in a cheerful voice as he walked into his room. He sat down on his bed, leaning his back against his pillows. He reached for the tray that was sitting on his bedside table but Snape shook his head in response. The man gently tapped Harry's leg before motioning for him to pick them up. Once the boy did, Snape covered his legs with the blankets before picking up the tray and placing it on his child's lap.
A moment later Harry picked up the spoon on the tray and helped himself to a heaping spoonful of soup. He swallowed before looking up at Snape. "Are you still mad at me?"
Snape shook his head as he sat down on the edge of Harry's bed. "No."
"Can I take my broom out when I wake up from my nap?" Harry asked before eating another large spoonful.
"No," Snape repeated the word. "It's snowing and it isn't supposed to stop until the morning."
Harry debated arguing that he had flown in snow before but he decided against it. He had a feeling that it wouldn't change the outcome of taking his broom out.
He ate another mouthful of his soup as he watched his guardian reach into his pocket and withdraw a small vial. Silently Snape placed it on the tray.
"Snape," Harry said the name with just a hint of a whine.
"I believe you made a promise that you would obey me," Snape reminded the boy in a serious voice.
Harry sighed in defeat as he picked up the vial. He didn't really believe that if he argued just a bit more Snape would punish him, however he also didn't believe that his arguing would change his guardian's mind about his taking the potion. It wasn't worth the row. In the end he would be taking it anyway.
He quickly brought it to his lips and swallowed the contents before picking up his teacup and taking a long drink in an attempt to rid the horrid taste from his mouth. He was absolutely convinced that this particular potion should be illegal.
Snape resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the child's dramatics. He knew that the potion was bitter but he didn't think it was nearly as bad as Harry was making it out to be. Then again, it had been years since he had to take it.
"Do I really have to take a nap?" Harry asked a moment later, the dreadful taste of the potion already long forgotten.
Snape nodded. "Absolutely."
"But I'm really not tired," Harry replied before picking up his bread and taking a bite.
Snape was tempted to point out how exhausted the child looked but he refrained. "Tired or not you will rest for at least an hour," Snape instructed. "Some rest will do you good."
"No one makes you rest when you aren't tired," Harry dared to say.
"They did when I was a child," Snape replied in a bored tone.
Harry looked up at the man. "Who did?" He couldn't help but ask. "Your mum?"
Snape nodded silently.
Harry pondered his guardian's reply as he ate another bite of his bread. He knew that Snape had told him some about his childhood but he never really imagined what he must have been like as a child.
"Did you get in trouble?" Harry asked before he could stop himself. "When you were a kid I mean?"
"Not nearly as much as you do," Snape answered him after a moment. "As I told you before Harry, my father wasn't the nicest person so I tended to get in trouble with him quite frequently. In reality he never actually had a reason to punish me. As a result of that I tended to behave myself because I never wanted to add fuel to his fire."
Harry nodded softly. He could understand Snape's reasoning. It was the same reasoning that Harry had used when he still lived with his relatives. He had always been sure to keep himself out of trouble because he didn't want them to have another reason to treat him horribly.
"Finish your soup," Snape instructed.
Harry obediently picked up his spoon and ate another mouthful before speaking once more. "I was like that with my relatives too. Real careful not to get into trouble I mean."
"And yet now we are so reckless," Snape mused.
"It's different with you," Harry explained in a truthful voice. "I mean it's wasn't at first. At first I just wanted to prove that I didn't have to listen to you but not anymore. Now it's really just accidents. But it's different than my relatives were. You care about me no matter what."
Snape felt his heart skip a beat at the boy's words. It was true – he had grown to love the child unconditionally despite his past efforts to refrain from such feelings.
"Accidents," Snape huffed trying his hardest to keep his emotions at bay.
"Mmhmm," Harry nodded earnestly. "I never honestly mean to get into trouble. It just sort of happens sometimes I guess."
Snape eyed his young charge as he suddenly realized that in the past few moments Harry hadn't whined once nor had he argued or complained.
A smile tugged at the corner of Snape's mouth as he realized that the potion Harry had just taken had almost certainly caused him to age a bit.
"Eat your last bite of soup," Snape instructed. "You need to lie down now."
Without a moment of hesitation Harry spooned the last mouthful into his mouth. He gently placed the spoon in the bowl before Snape stood up and then picked up the tray.
Harry yawned loudly as he laid down on his back and then rolled onto his side.
Snape placed the tray on Harry's bedside table and then pulled the quilts up tightly around the child's shoulders.
"Sleep well," Snape said softly as he gave into a whim and gently ruffled the boy's unruly hair.
"Wake me for dinner?" Harry asked through another yawn.
Snape nodded causing Harry to smile before his eyes shut.
His hand lingered on Harry's head for a moment before he gently pulled it away and waved a hand causing the room to darken.
He picked up the tray and walked out of the room smiling softly. It appeared they were going to survive this week after all.
Sirius paced the small room.
He was alone and he was thankful for it.
He appreciated Remus' company of course but he had grown used to being alone. It was familiar to him and he missed it. Remus' presence also prevented him from planning.
He had debated sketching out a map on the old spare piece of parchment he had found under the mattress in the corner. Remus had forgotten his quill when he had brought the stack of papers with him to grade. He decided against in though. He knew where he was going like the back of his hand. He had snuck around it so many times in the past that he had the upmost confidence that he could move through completely undetected.
Now it was just a waiting game.
He continued to pace as he thought about what he knew of his godson. Remus had said that the child was smart, highly skilled in certain areas even. He knew that he was the youngest seeker in over a century as well, a trait that he obviously inherited from his father. Remus had said he had a knack of mischief, another attribute from James though Lily was no angel herself. He was a good friend too. Those words had caused Sirius' heart to swell. James had been such a good friend to him throughout the time that he had had the privilege to know him. He hoped that Harry was just as loyal and just as kind to his friends.
Harry also saw him as a monster.
Sirius knew how the papers had made him look over the past few months. He knew that without the facts, people tended to believe what they had been told despite the truth. He also knew that the man who was currently the guardian of his godson hated him. He did not believe for a moment that the overgrown bat would not tell Harry ever horrible thing about him that he could think of and then some.
Sirius stopped pacing as he caught a glimpse of himself in the large cracked mirror on the wall.
The one thing working in his favor was that Harry was the son of James and Lily. If the boy had any of his parents in him, and it certainly sounded as though he did, he would be open to hearing Sirius' side of things. And once he heard the truth, he would not dismiss it. He would believe it. Sirius was absolutely positive that this was all it would take. Harry would know the truth and then he would surely pick his godfather over anyone else.
Sirius felt his heart race at the thought of taking Harry to 12 Grimmauld Place. He could share stories of his parents with him. He could teach him how to sneak in and out of Hogwarts undetected and how to pull off the perfect prank. The two of them could stay up until the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing.
As far as Sirius was concerned it sounded like the perfect life. He was sure that Severus was boring and strict with the boy. He intended to be the exact opposite. He would never make Harry follow another rule again.
The thought of having Harry with him calmed him, the anxiety exiting his body at a rapid pace.
Slowly he sat down on the large armchair in the corner.
Christmas was practically here. Remus had said that Harry would be back before the other students. Sirius was sure it had been an accidental slip of information but he had taken it without acting as though it mattered to him. He knew that Albus was scheduled to return after the new year. Remus had promised him that he would talk with the Headmaster and explain things the moment he was back in the castle. Sirius was certain that he had to get to Harry first though.
He had to be certain that the boy heard his story and understood it long before they met in front of anyone else.
"Do you want to go out and build a snowman tomorrow?" Harry asked in a hopeful voice.
He was standing in the kitchen, his face nearly plastered on the window watching the snow fall.
"No," Snape replied. "In fact I can give you a list of mundane tasks that I would rather complete before doing such a thing."
Harry playfully rolled his eyes at these words. "Well I am going to," he declared. "And it's going to be the best snowman you've ever seen."
"Delightful," Snape replied in a bored tone. "However if you don't come sit down and eat your dinner, you'll be spending your day inside tomorrow on punishment."
Harry made a face at these words before pulling himself away from the window and walking across the room to the table. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve," he pointed out as he slid into his seat. "You can't punish me on Christmas Eve."
"I can if you give me reason to do so," Snape retorted as Harry picked up his fork and ate a bite of his chicken. "Take your potion."
Harry wrinkled his nose at the small vial next to his plate but made no other remarks and did not attempt to argue before picking it up and ingesting the contents. A repulsed look over took his face as he placed the now empty vial back on the table and then quickly picked up his glass of pumpkin juice in an attempt to wash the taste out of his mouth.
Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy's actions. He was now completely convinced that Harry had aged – likely at least two years – with his afternoon dose. He only hoped that this evening's doses as well as the morning dose would hurry the process along.
"How many days do I have left of that?" Harry asked as he placed his now nearly empty glass back on the table.
Snape tapped the table with his index finger causing Harry's glass to quickly fill back up. "I can't be certain."
"Can you guess?" Harry questioned.
Snape nearly told the boy that he didn't want to try and make a presumption about something so uncertain. Harry's expression was so distressing though that he couldn't bring himself to do so. "An educated guess," he replied. "A day – maybe two; I don't suspect that it will be needed after that."
Harry grinned at these words.
"As I said Harry that is only an educated guess, it is not a definite timeline."
"I know," Harry replied as he picked up his fork once more. "But you're hardly ever wrong. And even if you are, it probably won't be by a lot of time, not weeks or anything like that."
Snape smirked at these words. "I'll remind you the next time you are arguing with me that you think I am hardly ever wrong."
Harry made a face at these words as he ate a forkful of his green beans. He swallowed before changing the subject completely. "Can I ask you something?"
"I believe you just did," Snape replied in a dry voice.
"Snape," Harry nearly whined the name in an exasperated tone.
Snape sighed softly, "If you must."
"Promise that you won't go mental?" Harry asked before eating another bite of his chicken.
Snape shook his head. "I will do absolutely nothing of the sort." Harry now had his full attention. Typically when the child asked him such a question he was about to confess misbehavior. Snape prayed this was not the case. He was quite enjoying the boy's company and he didn't want anything to destroy the peace they had found.
"Can we get a pet?" Harry asked in a hopeful voice before eating another bite of his vegetables. The thought had really only occurred to him about an hour prior. He quite liked being at Snape's house with him, but he had to admit that at times it could be a bit boring. He couldn't really imagine Snape ever going for a fly with him or exploring the yard with him nor could he really even imagine Ron, Hermione or one of his other friends ever visiting him here. A pet would be nice company and Harry was sure that they would cure all of his boredom.
"A pet?" Snape questioned.
Harry nodded as he swallowed his mouthful of food. "Like maybe a dog?"
Snape shook his head forcefully, "Absolutely not."
"But why?" Harry couldn't help but ask. "I'll take care of it. I'll walk it and feed it and play with it and-"
"And what would you suggest we do with this dog while we are at Hogwarts? It certainly is not going to live in my quarters there." Sometimes he really wondered where Harry got his ideas from. He had never heard the child mention a dog in the past and now here he was practically begging for one.
"Kermy could take care of it then," Harry suggested. "It would probably even be good company for him."
Snape shook his head once more. "The answer is no. Kermy does not need company and I do not need the headache of looking after a dog when you forget to do so."
"I won't forget," Harry promised. "If I forget you can-"
"I won't have to do anything," Snape abruptly cut him off, "Because we are not getting a dog."
Harry frowned. "Can't you just think about it before you say no?"
"There is absolutely no reason for me to do so," Snape replied. "Now finish your dinner and stop pestering me about this."
Harry ate a large forkful of his chicken as he fought the urge to attempt to prove his point further. He knew it was a waste of his time. Snape wouldn't cave – he never did.
Snape eyed the child across from him. He was obviously disappointed by the answer. As far as Snape was concerned the boy looked absolutely dejected. He sighed softly to himself already regretting the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
"If you get excellent grades at the end of the school year and manage to keep yourself out of trouble until then," Snape said in an even tone. "Then perhaps when we come back here for the summer holiday we can revisit the topic of you getting a dog."
"Really?" Harry asked in an delighted voice.
Snape nodded. "If you do well in your classes and behave as I said."
"I will," Harry promised without hesitation. "I swear I will."
Snape shook his head as he ate a forkful of his dinner. What on earth was becoming of him? He was supposed to be the feared Potions Master and yet here he was giving in to a whim and practically promising the child a dog simply because he seemed sad. He quickly tried to rationalize with himself that Harry never asked for anything. He also promised himself that the moment his young charge became lazy with caring for the animal he would give the dog to Hagrid regardless of whether Harry cried a river over it.
"Good. Now eat," Snape instructed sternly. "Before I change my mind and you wind up with no pet at all."
Harry quickly ate another forkful of chicken followed by one of vegetables.
Snape nearly rolled his eyes in response. It was nice to know that despite his annoying habit of giving into his child, he could still produce results with a stern voice when needed. He ate a bite of his own supper as he thought about the possibility of having a dog in the house. He had to admit, it wasn't the worst idea.
TBC...
