April - Harry, age 11
Harry grinned as he left the final class of the day. Despite earlier that morning, he had been shocked that Snape hadn't sent a note to him at any point. Maybe Flitwick hadn't told Snape what had happened; maybe his apology and the promise to have an essay done by their next class within two days was enough.
Maybe it was all enough.
He descended down the stairs towards the dungeons, adjusting his bag strap as he did so. Now he was looking forward to dinner with his guardian.
Snape sat in his armchair with a small pile of exams he was grading in his lap. His eyes moved from his work to the clock on the mantel. He was sure that Harry would be arriving any moment for dinner.
When the child had started Hogwarts back in September, the pair had decided that Harry would come down for dinner every Friday evening.
Snape typically looked forward to it immensely. This evening, however, he was not.
Harry stepped onto the bottom floor of the dungeons, moving over to the door of Snape's quarters and muttering the small password to be able to open the door.
He stepped into the parlor, placing his satchel down near the door before stepping further into the room. "Hey Snape," he hummed.
"Harry." Snape's eyes remained on his work as the man silently counted backwards from ten. He was sure that it had been quite some time since he had been so disappointed in his child.
From what he understood, Harry knew that he had been caught and the child's nonchalant attitude was only angering the man further.
Harry paused as he watched Snape continue to work, not even looking up at him. He frowned, biting his bottom lip. Maybe he was annoyed at some answers of his own exams. "What are we gonna have tonight?" He tested, moving over to the couch.
"Roast with vegetables." Snape's eyes moved from his work to his child as he moved towards the couch. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing?" Harry blinked, pausing in his steps over to the couch. Had he done something wrong? He instead fell still and stared over to the man. "What's wrong?"
Snape looked up from his work, his eyes settling on his child. "You are moving to sit on the couch when you should be walking yourself right over to the corner, little boy."
Harry felt heartbeat increased tenfold at the words, fingertips becoming cold. Snape knew. He had to. This wasn't right! It was supposed to be a good night! He swallowed heavily, remaining still. "W-why?"
Snape's eyes narrowed on the child as he forced himself to remain seated despite how tempted he was to walk the child to the corner himself, landing a swat to his backside with every step. "Are you honestly going to stand there and act as if you do not know what I am cross about?" Snape frowned. "Perhaps the slipper needs to make an appearance this evening?"
"No!" Harry jumped into movement at the words, quickly crossing the room without bothering to remove his school robe. He stared at the wall as he stepped into the empty corner, his breathing coming quick. Snape had never sent for him, yet he knew. He cringed, arms wrapping around himself as he stared down to his shoes.
"Why are you in the corner, little boy?" Snape asked sternly, his eyes remaining on the back of the child's head. "And may I remind you that omission of the truth is still a lie."
Harry's mouth went dry, swallowing heavily as he tightened his arms around himself. Did he do something else wrong? Was it the exam? His mind raced. After a quiet moment, his voice broke out just above a whisper. "The exam?"
Snape raised an eyebrow as he debated getting up. Why did the child sound like he was asking him? "Is there something else? Some other misbehavior that I am unaware of?"
"Not-not that I know of." Harry shook his head, blinking as he stared at his shoes. This wasn't right at all. It was supposed to be a good night.
Snape stood, walking towards the corner. "Not that you know of?"
Harry glanced up as he heard the footsteps, glancing over his shoulder to Snape as he shook his head. "Just the test... it was a good day besides that," he uttered softly, sighing as he looked back to the wall.
Snape moved to the side of the child, stopping at his desk and opening the top drawer. "Just the test?"
Harry swallowed as he heard the drawer, blinking as he felt tears start to burn at his eyes. "I'm sorry," he breathed, raising his right hand to rub under his glasses before repositioning it across his middle.
Snape pulled the child's Charms exam from the desk drawer before closing it loudly. "You most certainly will be sorry before we are done here."
Harry took in a breath, blinking as several tears fell and he quickly raised a hand to rub them away.
With the exam in his hand, the man walked back over to his armchair and sat down. Snape sighed loudly as he glanced up at the clock attempting to determine how long he would make his child stay where he was.
Harry's shoulders slouched as Snape walked away, rubbing under his nose with his sleeve before dropping his arms to his sides. He should have known Snape would know. Snape always knew!
"I sincerely hope that you have some reasoning for your behavior," Snape said sternly as he glanced up at the clock once more.
"I don'," Harry whispered softly, resting his forehead against the wall as he sighed. His left hand moved to rub at his sleeve of his left slowly.
"Stand up properly! You are being punished, not relaxing!" Snape snapped in a stern tone.
Harry instantly did so, blinking as his chin quivered. Snape hadn't been mad at him for some time. He raised a hand, taking in a shuddering breath as he rubbed under his glasses. After a moment he took them off and rubbed freely at his eyes.
Snape's eyes moved to the clock once more as he sighed softly. He found himself thankful that it was Friday and his child did not have classes in the morning. He still needed to make sure that the boy ate dinner and got to bed at a reasonable hour on top of dealing with his misbehavior today.
Snape cleared his throat loudly, his eyes moving to his child once more. "Bring your naughty self over here, little boy."
Harry turned, holding his glasses within his left hand before he slowly stepped over to the man. He spoke rather quickly, giving Snape a pleading look. "I already apologized to Professor Flitwick. And he took house points and I have to write a three-foot essay for him too due on Monday."
"Are you telling me that you find those consequences to be unfair?" Snape raised an eyebrow as he pointed firmly to the space between his knees.
"No!" Harry quickly shook his head as he took the final step up to the man. "No, I don't."
"What made you cheat on an exam?" Snape's hand tapped the boy's rear end firmly. "What were you thinking?"
"I don't know," Harry sighed softly, looking down to Snape's knee for a moment before backing up to the man. "Was just being dumb…I forgot an answer."
"You forgot one answer and made the decision to cheat?" Snape raised a stern eyebrow.
The child frowned, only offering a silent nod. Hearing it from Snape made it sound even worse.
"Have you any idea how disappointed I am in your behavior?" Snape's hand tapped the boy's rear once more. "How embarrassing it was to have Professor Flitwick come to me and tell me you had done so?"
Harry shifted at the tap, whispering a soft, "don't," as he raised his right hand to rub at his cheeks.
"Do not tell me what to do." Snape's hand tapped once more, a bit more firmly. "You know better than to cheat!"
"I'm sorry!" The child whined as he blinked, tears blurring the bottom of his eyes before finally spilling over. "I r-really am!"
"You can walk your sorry backside to the kitchen and fetch the wooden spoon." Snape's hand moved to tap the boy's chin firmly. "Now."
Harry's chin quivered before a half sound of a sob broke past his lips. "N-no," he moved his head, shaking it slowly. "Don't."
Snape felt his annoyance grow at the child's response. His hand moved to gently take hold of the boy's wrist. He turned him to the side, easily bending him over his left knee before his right hand came crashing down twice. "What did I just say? Do not tell me no!"
Harry yelped before he was rightened, a much harsher cry passing as he raised both his hands to rub at his face. He turned and tossed his glasses on the table before moving away from Snape before the man could make another move.
He didn't care just how loud his sobs were from within the kitchen as he rubbed idly at his bum. With a sniff, he tightened his school robe around himself for a brief moment before opening up the drawer. No, it had been a very long time since Snape was this upset. Picking up the spoon, he slowly made his way back into the parlor.
Snape felt a small amount of guilt creep up as he heard the child's sobs coming from the kitchen. The man swallowed hard, forcing his heart to harden as Harry reentered the parlor. Cheating was wrong and he was not about to let such behavior off lightly.
"Absolutely unacceptable behavior Harry." Snape's eyes narrowed on the child as he crooked a finger to him once more. "You are lucky I did not tell you to fetch the slipper."
"J-just as b-ad," he sniffed, holding the spoon out with a glare down towards his shoes. "I'm sorry."
Snape raised an eyebrow at the words but otherwise refrained from commenting on them as he took the spoon out of the child's hand and placed it on the table beside him. "If I ever hear of you cheating again..." The man's words trailed off as his hands moved to unfasten the boy's trousers. "Take that school robe off."
Harry's shoulders hitched as he removed the robe, allowing it to just fall next to his feet as he rubbed his cheek with the sleeve of the grey sweater. "You w-won't. I'm sorry!"
"You have known that doing so is unacceptable since you were six." Snape pointed a finger at his child. "Why you would think for a moment that I would ever allow such behavior is beyond me."
Harry blinked at Snape, his eyes already red from rubbing at them with his sleeves. "'M sorry."
"You are only sorry that I was made aware of it." Snape's took hold of the child's hand as he began moving him to his side.
"No! I am s-sorry!" Harry pulled his hand away as Snape tugged him to his side.
"You walked into this parlor without a care in the world." Snape's hand moved, tapping the boy's chin firmly. "If I had not said anything you would have never told me what had happened today."
"Well…I-I was just hoping what he had done would be okay." Harry shifted his head at the tap, his frowning remaining.
"When you cheat on an exam your parent is notified. Even if I was not a Professor here you would be facing me for this behavior." Snape tapped the boy's chin once more before his hands moved to loosen the child's trousers.
"But-but I…" the child rubbed at his face before closing his eyes tightly. "You k-know it won't happen again."
"It should not have happened this time." Snape's hand reached around the boy to tap his rear end firmly. "You know better."
Harry winced, attempting to shift away and take a step back. "And I said I'm sorry!" He sniffed, rubbing away a stray tear. "It was a dumb thing."
"An extremely dumb thing." Snape's took hold of the boy's hand, carefully yet firmly pulling him back the step closer to him. He let go of his grip on the child and quickly lowered the boy's trousers. "Step out of these. You will be putting on your sleep clothing when we are done here."
Harry's frown, if possible, deepened even more as he kicked the pants off after removing his shoes as well. He stared down to his sock covered feet, arms tightening around his middle.
Snape's eyes settled on the top of his child's head before they drifted over to the boy's test. He picked it up from the table beside him, looking at the large red T on the top of it. "Which question was giving you trouble?" Snape held the exam out for the boy to take.
He blinked at the question, raising his head up to look up at the test. Reaching out, he took the test and stared at the large 'T'. Shoulders slouching, he looked over the questions before pointing to one mid-way down the page.
"What incident caused the spell 'Reparo' to become well known." He sighed, staring down to the parchment. "I couldn't remember…I mean, I know now. It was when Nuttley repaired the Colosseum." His shoulders slouched as he looked at the rest of the test—less than half was empty. A clear indication of when he had been caught.
Snape nodded as he held a hand out for the exam. "Would it not have been a far better idea to get that question wrong and continue this exam without cheating?"
"You know when you do something…and then realize right after it was really dumb?" Harry sighed, looking up to the man as he held his test out. "I—I thought about that like right after."
Snape hummed softly with another nod as he took the test from the child and placed it on the table once more. "Unfortunately, I am going to make certain that you think about it a bit more." The man took a gentle hold on the boy's hand once more, pulling him a bit closer yet.
"You don't have to." Harry once more tried to pull his hand away, fresh tears starting to blur his vision as he blinked. "Honest."
"I disagree, little boy." Snape easily tipped the child over his knee, carefully adjusting him. "Cheating on a test earns you a tanned backside."
Harry took in a sharp breath as he was moved, his right-hand gripping at Snape's pant leg. He stared down to the floor, blinking as tears blurred his vision before closing them tightly. His left hand rested on the floor, head tucking into his elbow.
Snape's fingers hooked into the boy's shorts, lowering them as far as need be as he sighed softly. His left arm wrapped firmly around Harry's middle. "This had better never happen again, Harry."
Harry shook his head faintly, his head moving to rest into part of Snape's cloak. He didn't trust his voice then, hold tightening slightly.
The man reached over, picking up the wooden spoon. He raised it up slightly and brought it down in a stinging smack, not once but twice, on his target.
The child jumped, a leg kicking up as a surprised yelped escaped him; muffled by him hiding his face away. The tears forced past his closed eyes, slipping freely down to his chin before falling to the floor.
"Tell me Harry, was cheating worth it?" Snape began spanking in earnest, allowing the wooden spoon to pepper the child's rear end.
"N-no!" He started to squirm, attempting to move against Snape's hold across his middle. A hard sob broke past as he soon stopped his wiggling, attempting to blink but finding it pointless as his vision remained blurred by the hot tears. "I'm sorry!"
Snape paused for a moment, adjusting the boy over his lap slightly before his grip tightened around Harry's waist once more. The man raised the spoon and allowed it to fall several more times. "Are you ever going to cheat on your schoolwork again?" The man landed a particularly hard swat to the boy's right sit spot.
At the hard swat, Harry kicked a leg up and coughed on a sob. "No!" He shook his head rapidly, rubbing his face into the crook of his elbow.
"We are nearly done here." Snape's tone was soft as he tightened his hold slightly on the boy's middle, concentrating his aim on the child's sit spots.
Harry sobbed heavily, his bottom burning as his sit spots were focused on. A broken, pained sound passed his lips as his body stopped attempting to move away. "S-stooop." He coughed into his arm.
Snape ignored the boy's protest as he landed several more swats to his target before he finally stopped, setting the spoon down on the table beside him. "Okay," he said softly. "Just breathe, Harry. You are okay."
The child pushed himself up, righting his shorts before hiding his face within his hands. His shoulders shook with his loud sobs, moving his hands up in an attempt to clear away the steady tears.
Snape reached out, taking a gentle hold on the boy's arm. He pulled him a step forward, before letting go of him and wrapping his arms tightly around him. "Okay," he breathed. "You are okay, Harry."
The child tangled his hands within Snape's cloak as he sobbed heavily into the man's front. "I'm s-sorry!" He coughed, pressing his face into Snape's cloak and rubbing his tears away against the cloth.
"I know." Snape carefully lifted his child, placing him on his knee. "I forgive you." His arms wrapped around the boy once more. "You are okay."
Harry hissed as he was placed on Snape's knee, shifting slightly to try to get more comfortable. His shoulders hitched as he rested his head on Snape's shoulder, keeping his eyes closed tightly.
Snape looked down at his child, guilt at how hard he had been on the boy quickly consuming him. "Are you okay?"
The child only shrugged, raising his right hand to rub at his face as he took in a shuddering breath. He didn't want to speak, only focusing on his breathing as he took in a much deeper breath and slowly released it. He repeated that a few more times before whispering a soft, "yeah."
Snape bent his neck, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on top of the boy's head. "I love you very much." His hand moved to gently rub Harry's back. "Very much indeed."
"L-love you," Harry whispered, bowing his head forward as he felt Snape press a kiss to the top. His arms moved to wrap around his guardian's middle, taking in a shuddering breath and forcing his shoulder to relax.
"Just take a few deep breaths." Snape's tone was soft as he continued to rub the boy's back. "You let me know when you are ready to talk."
He remained that way for well over five minutes, at some point nearly drifting off from the soothing touch across his back. "Kay," Harry muttered, adjusting his legs as he rubbed at his face.
"Were you afraid that I would be upset with you if you did poorly on the exam?" Snape adjusted the child slightly so that he could see his face better. It was a subject that they had addressed more than once in the past.
"I mean…I guess." Harry shifted his head to sit up, sniffing much softer as he shrugged. "I just—just wanted to prove I knew it."
"We have discussed this a time or two in the past, haven't we?" Snape's fingertips tapped against the middle of the boy's back. "I will never be cross with you over a poor grade as long as you tried your best. Furthermore, you did not prove that you knew it. You proved that you know how to cheat."
Harry's shoulders slouched at the words, looking down to his knees as he sniffed softy. "I'm sorry." He hiccupped before properly coughing and resting his head into Snape's neck.
"I know and I forgive you. However, this had better never happen again Harry," Snape spoke seriously. "The outcome will be just the same if it does."
"Never." The child quickly agreed as he sighed. "I swear, Dad."
"I am going to hold you to those words." Snape waved a hand causing the boy's pajama pants to appear on the arm of his chair. "Perhaps we should see about some dinner?"
"I'm not hungry at all." Harry shook his head as he adjusted his legs before standing and going over to the pajama bottoms.
Snape waved a hand causing a fire to roar to life. "Something small? You cannot skip dinner completely, Harry."
"I'm really not. My stomach feels sick," he slipped on the pants, frowning as sat on the couch carefully.
"You feel sick?" Concern took over Snape's features as he eyed the child carefully.
"I just don't feel well now," Harry muttered softly as he curled up on the couch and looked to the fire.
"You feel ill or you are upset about your punishment?" Snape's tone remained gentle as he stood and moved towards the couch.
"Guess just upset." He watched Snape approach before he sighed deeply. "I'm not hungry." Harry rested his head on the back cushion.
Snape lowered himself to sit on the edge of the coffee table, across from his child. "Why are you still feeling upset?"
"Guess from cryin'." Harry curled himself up on the couch, turning just slightly away from Snape.
Snape hummed softly in response as he watched the child turn away from him. "Are you cross with me?"
"Hm?" Harry turned his head slightly to look back at Snape before shaking his head. "No. I just don't want to sit up…and my stomach hurts." His head turned back and rested against the back of the couch.
Snape's hand moved to rest on the boy's back. "I will get you something for your stomach." His fingertips gently tapped.
"No." The child rolled over and looked at Snape properly, frowning. "I'll be okay. I'm just not hungry."
"If your stomach is bothering you, a potion can only help." Snape's tone remained gentle as he gave the child a serious look.
Harry lowered his gaze away, shrugging a shoulder as he sniffed softly. "I don't want one." He rolled over onto his stomach, resting his head into his arms.
"Are you still feeling guilty?" Snape questioned in a concerned tone. "Is that what this is about?"
He felt his shoulders slouch slightly from his position, looking down to Snape's knees. Maybe he was. "I dunno," he admitted softly.
Snape frowned at the words. "Although I am not pleased with your behavior, I do forgive you." The man's hand moved to gently tap Harry's chin. "I am not cross with you."
Harry only nodded faintly, closing his eyes after a moment. "Okay," he muttered, raising his head up and grabbing one of the pillows on the couch before resting his head down on it.
"Okay." Snape's hand moved to gently tap the boy's hip. "Would you like to go lie in your bed?
"Can I just lie out here? Please?" Harry rolled onto his side once more, facing the back of the couch and nestling his forehead into the cushion.
"You may." Snape waved a hand causing the child's pillow and blanket to appear. "Sit up a bit." The man waited for Harry to move so he could slip the pillow under his head.
Pushing himself up on his elbows, he allowed Snape to replace the couch pillow with his actual pillow. With a small smile, he rested his head back down with a small "Thanks."
"Do not fall asleep." Snape gently tapped the boy's chin. "You will be up all night if you do."
"I'll try." He grinned slightly as he blinked and looked to Snape. "I love you."
"I love you too." Snape's hand moved to gently ruffle the teenager's hair for a moment before he pulled the blanket up over him.