Author's Note: Welcome back to the world of Raising Snape. If you haven't read the previous two stories you may be a bit lost, but as a recap (spoilers ahead for the previous stories) Severus Snape adopted and raised Harry starting when he was nine years old, and survived the takedown of Voldemort. A few years after the war he created what seemed like an accident where he was transformed into a nine year old, whom a twenty-year-old Harry was then left to raise. Through the antics of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and George Weasley they figured out that the accident was no accident but rather an attempt by Severus Snape to escape the overwhelming PTSD he suffered from after the war. Harry then made the commitment to raise Severus as a son as Professor Snape had done for him. In the second book young Severus survived an abusive nanny arranged by Professor Snape in order to help young Severus bond with him and Ginny, and also managed to begin a relationship with Draco Malfoy as well.

I have missed writing; life circumstances around me writing a book where I get paid for it has cut into my time of writing for pleasure. When this plot persisted in my head I couldn't resist (and with the encouragement of a few readers - thanks guys!). I see this as a short little sequel, just one little plot point I was sad to never resolve in the previous story that has bothered me for a while that I've finally decided to resolve. I think you can tell where I'm going to go with this one – please let me know what you think! One of my favorite parts of writing fanfiction has been interacting with readers, so please drop a review or send me a message. The title is a nod to one of my favorite characters outside of Harry Potter, anybody know who it's talking about?

My standard warnings apply here: there may be parental spankings of children in this story without chapter warning, discussion of past abuse, and certainly plenty of Slytherin dealings. But honestly, if you feel the need to troll me at this point I feel more sorry for you.

Draco looked at the boy across the desk from him thoughtfully, steepling his fingers. He was impressed with how swiftly his charge had improved, it was easy to see how this half-blood from nowhere had ended up as head of Slytherin House – his mind was sharp. But how was he going to help him adapt to the new reality of the world while still keeping the cunning that made him great?

"The work you did with the situation with your father was adequate," Draco acknowledged. "I do not think he suspected your manipulations."

"He did not, sir," Severus confirmed with a self-satisfied smirk. "Everything went according to plan. Teddy escaped punishment for his misbehavior and I came across as the loving older brother."

"And your mum?"

"Kissed me for my chivalry," Severus blushed. "And I told Teddy that if he got in trouble like that again I was leaving him to our father and not bailing him out next time, he might deserve a few swats if it keeps him from antics like that."

"Excellent work," Draco nodded, actually impressed. In truth, Severus had blossomed in the year since Draco had met him. Though there had still been plenty of bumps on the road to him being parented by overly young and eager Gryffindors, he was actually beginning to feel safe and secure in their home. And as Andromeda had moved to the convalescent ward at St. Mungo's, he had also secured a younger brother. "I believe we shall have you ready for Hogwarts in time."

"I only have a year to go," Severus told him, his dark eyes gleaming in his eagerness for the school.

"A lot can happen in a year," Draco demurred. "So let's focus on the task at hand. What will be your next assignment? As a reward for a job well done, I will take any request you have into consideration."

"George Weasley, sir," Severus replied immediately, eyes flashing.

"Wasn't he the Professor's confidant?" Draco asked with mock shock. "Whyever would you want to do a project involving him?"

"It's that self-satisfied smirk he always gives me," Severus admitted with a growl. "He even patten my head the other day! He needs to be brought down a peg or two."

"It's been over a year since his machinations under the direction of Professor Snape," Draco objected.

"Tell that to him!" Severus nearly shouted. "I think he's just so happy that he helped out Professor Snape and got one over on everyone that he's wallowing in it."

"I concede your point," Draco nodded, his white-blonde hair gracing his shoulders as he nodded. "A peg or two sort of a project. And there is another, deeper issue you might also care about."

"What is that?"

"He knew your pain from your childhood and set you up with a family to help that pain heal," Draco told him matter-of-factly. "How about you return the favor? Seems like then maybe you could pat his head."

"What do you mean?"

"Think, little one," Draco told him with a smirk.

Severus hated when Draco called him that, but he also knew that any disrespect would be dealt with directly and with very little leeway, so he didn't protest. It was embarrassing to explain to everyone back home why Draco was bringing him home early and putting him in the corner. It happened more often than he cared to admit.

"His twin," Severus realized after a few moments. "I even shouted something at him once about it. I told him he was so sad about his twin that he was scared to love again, and so he never married his girlfriend."

"And they are unmarried still," Draco observed. "That woman has the patience of a saint."

"So are you thinking that my revenge would be to get him to get married?" Severus asked, incredulous. "That sounds like a reward, not a punishment."

"Are you interested in punishment or taking him down a peg or two?" Draco inquired. "Those are not the same things. Punishment is quite pedestrian really, and I'm sure you could hatch a plan with no real challenge to it at all. Maybe some of those foolish dungbombs involved?"

"That doesn't sound so bad," Severus stubbornly protested, though they both knew the protest was hollow.

"But the challenge of getting a man to face his demons and overcome them – well, that's a task worthy of a goal," Draco continued. "But I can understand if this is too hard of a task for you."

"It's not too hard," Severus objected, his eyes snapping in objection.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked. "This project will go beyond anything we've done before. It will involve much higher level subterfuge, and probably a lot of rule breaking. And what I'm talking about isn't going to be causing something bad for him, but rather something good. Are you ready for that?"

"I'd rather do something bad," Severus grumbled, tucking a lock of inky hair behind his ear. "He deserves it."

"It won't get you what you want," Draco told him, leaning back in his chair. "What happens if you do one of those pedestrian pranks you're longing for?"

"He is vanquished!" Severus insisted.

"He is annoyed," Draco corrected. "He learns nothing, and perhaps retaliates. Seeing as you're a child, he perhaps even requests you punished."

That checked Severus at that moment, he could visualize that sequence of events happening all too well. His Uncle George was playful, engaging, insane, but also would absolutely tell his father about misbehavior he thought needed his attention. Or perhaps take care of it himself and retaliate. Draco was right, a simple prank would not get him what he wanted.

"You think it would bring him down a peg or two to have him marry his girlfriend?" Severus asked, confused.

"I think it will get you a lot more of what you want than a simple prank," Draco told him. "But it takes a great deal of self-discipline to choose what you truly want rather than the impulse of the moment. Are you ready for this?"

"I'm ready for anything," Severus answered stubbornly.

"So what needs to happen before he can marry her?" Draco asked patiently. He knew that this was the part that Severus needed as much as learning how to do the subterfuge – the logic behind the human interactions. This was where Professor Snape had excelled, he could play the game of human chess five moves ahead of everyone else.

"He is afraid of getting hurt again after losing his twin," Severus thought aloud. "But wouldn't getting married fix that?"

"He's afraid if he commits to her he will lose her too," Draco told him. "By staying in this stage of non-commitment he stays not getting hurt. He is right now a perpetual adolescent, and therefore a pain in your side."

"Ron Weasley is married and he hasn't grown up!"

"Marriage doesn't necessarily make people grow up," Draco conceded. "And many people grow up without it. But you are right in that our George Weasley is entirely too smug for his own good, and I think a full relationship with a woman like Angelina is exactly the fix for it. She has been a patient woman, has she not?"

"I like her," Severus confirmed. "And you're right, married to her he would be much better."

"Then let's make some plans," Draco told him.

Severus returned that afternoon to his Grandmother's house, deep in thought. He took the biscuits she offered him without so much as a second thought, and he half-listened to Teddy prattle on about the play date he had had that day.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Grandma Weasley asked him as she refilled his tea. "It must have been some meeting with Draco today."

"Are you happy you're married?" Severus asked her.

Whatever she was expecting, this wasn't it. "Of course, dear," she answered. "Grandpa is my best friend. I mean, there of course are some bumps in any marriage, but I would much rather be with him than without him."

"Does everyone get married?"

"Not everyone," she told him.

"Why not?"

"Well, I suppose it's different for different people," she told him with some thought. "Whatever reason really is fine. Some people have no interest, some people never find the right person, and some people have a person in mind that they would like to marry but the person they like might not like them back in the same way."

"Would some people like to marry but something stops them?"

"Of course," she told him. "I think Dumbledore was too distracted with all of his machinations. Teddy, can you run these down to the cellar for me?"

"Sure Grandma!" he agreed, grabbing the jar and bounding down the stairs.

When Molly was sure that he was gone, she continued. "And Remus Lupin, Teddy's father, was too worried about his being a werewolf to want to marry, though his beloved eventually overcame his resistance."

"How did she do that?"

"We weren't really sure," Molly admitted. "They grew to be such close friends in the order you see, and everyone knew how they felt about each other. And then we knew that they must have had the talk where he said he couldn't marry, because she grieved and was so sad. I think he realized that they couldn't live apart, and so they came together. They loved each other so much."

"I said hello to Harry the spider," Teddy announced as he returned.

"Do you think it's really okay he names the spider Harry?" Severus asked. "I mean, isn't it disrespectful?"

"Not at all," she assured him. "He likes spiders."

"Uncle Ron said that he started liking Aunt Hermione when he saved her," Severus mused. "I think it was from a Troll."

"Do you like a girl, S'vrus?" Teddy asked, curious. "Should we save her?"

"No," Severus quickly corrected him. "No. It's a project I'm working on with Mr. Malfoy."

"That Draco has sure taken an interest in you," Grandma said approvingly. "He has become such a nice young man."

"It is helpful having someone of a Slytherin background around," Severus acknowledged.

"I'm Slytherin!" Teddy insisted. "Just like S'vrus!"

"We could always use more diversity in the family," Grandma winked at him. "Any of the houses are fine, Teddy. You would make a fantastic Slytherin, and you would do well there. And who knows, maybe Severus will be a Ravenclaw this time? We need to keep our minds open."

"I'm a Slytherin," Severus insisted, his face darkening. "Draco Malfoy makes more sense to me than the lot of you."

"So what is this project you're doing for him then?" she asked with a bemused smile. She agreed, he was nothing if not a Slytherin, though his adult self had the brains of a Ravenclaw and the bravery of a Gryffindor. "Finding him a wife? I heard that the Parkinsons are expected to make a formal offer, but Harry doesn't think he's very excited about it."

"They would want him to marry someone he doesn't like?" Severus asked in surprise.

"Draco Malfoy is one of the sacred twenty-eight," Grandma explained. "He is expected to marry a pure blood. I believe he dated Pansy Parkinson for much of his later years of Hogwarts, but has not had much use for her since. But as the Malfoy heir it is expected that he would marry well and produce an heir himself."

"I don't think he would ask for help from a ten year old in help finding a wife," Severus told her.

"I'm sure you're right," Grandma smiled at him. "He's rich, polite and good looking, I'm sure he doesn't need help."

"But if he did need help, then what would you do?" Severus asked.

"Adults that are suitable to be together really don't need much more than an introduction," she told him. "Usually they can take it from there."

"But what if they have been introduced, but maybe need encouragement to do more?"

"Most of the time when people need encouragement, they really just need assurance," she told him honestly. "Nobody wants to propose if they don't think someone's going to say yes. Relationships are vulnerable."

Severus nodded, seeing the wisdom in what she said. This project was going to take a lot of work.