Disclaimer: I receive no money for this. I am simply doing this for fun.
J. K. owns everyone. Shame I didn't think of it first.
Author's Note: Some child abuse (hitting) and a curse word or two.
-Another Note: The reason the previous chapter was *cough, cough* short, is to get you hooked so that you come back.
"There, you've seen her. Now it's bedtime for you, little one." Four-year- old Severus D. Dumbledore pouted as his father picked him up off the floor.
"I'll be right back, Tammi," Dumbledore informed the babysitter as Severus fidgeted in his arms. Tammi, a pretty girl of fourteen, set her bag on the floor and took out a book.
"Sure Mr. Dumbledore," she replied brightly. Severus made a face at her over his father's shoulder and she laughed.
"Good night, Severus," she called as she made herself comfortable on the couch with the novel.
Tammi Calison often babysat Severus when Dumbledore had to go to a meeting. If it was a Hogwarts staff meeting it would be earlier in the day and her job would include playing with, feeding, and putting Severus to bed. If the meeting was Ministry business there was a chance Severus could already be asleep before she even arrived.
Dumbledore carried Severus upstairs to the third level and to the wing that belonged to the boy. Severus looked unhappily at his bedroom door that they were steadily approaching and then up at his father.
"A little longer?" He begged as they stopped outside his room. Dumbledore laughed. How many times had he heard this? It was almost routine now.
"No Severus. It's your bedtime now. Not five or ten or fifteen minutes from now." Severus scowled even though he had been expecting that answer. It never hurt to ask. Or complain, for that matter.
"Not fair."
"I know, child," Dumbledore replied as he pushed the door open. It was a lovely little room that they entered. The walls were a vanilla blue this month. Pushed against one wall was the bed with just enough space for small things to slip between it and the wall.
On the other side of the room was a wardrobe that held the boy's clothes; mostly robes in various shades of blue and green. And at the foot of the bed was a toy chest inscribed with the owner's name.
Speaking of toy chest, one of the House Elves must have already been by. The mess that Severus had made earlier was picked up and the dark blue covers of the little bed had been turned down. Dumbledore smiled and made a mental note to tell Haley to stop putting away Severus's toys, he needed to start doing that himself.
As tempting as it was to give Severus whatever he wanted, Dumbledore knew that it could spoil him. And he had seen enough spoiled children come through Hogwarts to know that he was not going to let that happen to Severus.
Gathering nightwear, Dumbledore dressed Severus for sleep and then placed him under the soft flannel sheets.
"Daddy?" Severus asked, turning over to look at him. Dumbledore sat down on the bed next to his son.
"Yes Severus?"
"Don't go." Dumbledore smiled as he smoothed the auburn hair out of his child's face.
"I have to, Severus." Severus shook his head stubbornly.
"No."
"Why not?" Dumbledore asked gently. The blue eyes that were like mirrors of his own clouded in uncertainty.
"It feels bad," Severus finally decided. Dumbledore chuckled lightly and hugged him.
"I'll be fine, child."
"Promise?" Eyes wide and innocent. Dumbledore kissed his son's forehead and nodded.
"I promise." Straightening, Dumbledore made sure the blankets were tucked around his child and placed a warm hand on his forehead.
"Goodnight, Severus. Be good. Tammi is downstairs if you need anything." Severus smiled sleepily and nodded. Then he yawned and curled up on his side like a little puppy.
"Nite Daddy." Dumbledore waved off most of the candles that illuminated the room and paused at the door to look back at his child; such a simple joy, watching his son sleep. Then he closed the door and went downstairs to give Tammi instructions before he left for the Ministry meeting.
Tammi smiled to herself as she shut the floo behind her employer. Unlike some people she knew, Tammi liked babysitting. Had she not been born a Squib she would have been sorted into Hufflepuff; she loved looking after children. Oh yes, Severus could be a handful at times, but he was really a sweet little boy.
Anyway, she had watched worse. One particularly called to mind was the Malfoy brat. Tammi grinned ruefully at the thought of the blond haired child who insisted rather rudely that she call him 'Sir.' Thank the gods he was old enough to stay home alone now.
Tammi settled herself comfortably on the couch to read the book her Muggle teacher had assigned. She opened the book to its marked page and looked around the room. She liked it here at the Dumbledore Estate. The house had a friendly, welcoming feeling about it that put her at ease. It seemed like nothing bad could ever happen there; a sanctuary if you please. Laughing, Tammi turned her attention back to the novel on her lap and quickly became engrossed in the story.
Charley Darnay had just decided to return to France despite the warning Mr. Lorry gave against it when Tammi's head shot up from her book. Something was bothering her.
Disentangling herself from her warm seat, she went up a flight of stairs and cocked her head, listening for any unusual sound from Severus's room. She heard nothing.
Then she shivered. It suddenly felt so much colder. She was a Squib, yes, but her grandmother had been a highly respected Diviner. Sometimes Tammi thought she had inherited some of that natural instinct. And that instinct was screaming that she was not alone.
Tammi whirled around to see two tall wizards dressed all in black moving toward her. She screamed once and fell dead in a flash of bright green light.
"Stupid girl," the taller of the two laughed, kicking the lifeless body. "Who does she think will hear her? The boy?" The other glanced around and grimaced. The 'goodness' in the magic that penetrated the very air he was breathing made him feel ill.
"Come on Aries," he snapped irritably, "Let's just kill the kid and get it over with." Aries smiled cruelly, ignoring his compatriot's lack of appreciation for the glory of their task.
"Let's."
Severus was yanked awake by a scream. His heart beating fearfully, he sat up in his bed and listened to the darkness. Footsteps, loud and heavy. Not light and happy like Tammi's or smooth and calm like his father's. He heard a loud crash like shattering glass and tumbled out of his bed.
Running to the door, he peaked out and saw two black figures moving down the hall, the taller smashing anything he saw with manic like glee while the other moved at his side like a shadow of death.
Frightened, Severus stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. Crawling quickly he slipped under his bed and curled up in the furthest corner with his back pressed against the wall. The door to his room creaked open and he saw thick black boots approach his hiding place. He heard an angry yell.
"He's not here!" Severus cringed at the harshness of the voice.
"You must have woken him up with all that noise, Aries," another voice countered flatly.
"Shut up, Jaques! Start looking for the brat, he couldn't have gone far." Severus shivered in his thin sleep-clothes and pressed himself further into the dark recesses, hoping it would keep him hidden.
There was the sound of things being thrown about and then the man called Jaques called calmly to his companion, "I can't find him."
Aries growled in frustration. Where the hell could the Dumbledore brat have gone? And gave the bed in front of him a fierce kick. Then he paused and looked back at Jaques. The other man nodded, he had heard the surprised yelp too.
Severus placed his hands over his mouth quickly. He hadn't meant to do that. But when Aries kicked his bed the frame had moved ever so slightly and one of the posts had bashed his hand. The room was suddenly silent. Removing his hands he listened carefully. He didn't hear anything. Maybe they had gone.
The heartening idea was abruptly crushed as a large, black gloved hand latched onto his shirt and hauled him up. Severus cried out in fear as he was thrown fiercely onto his bed.
"Daddy!" he screamed even though he knew his parent could neither hear or help him. He was rewarded for his outcry with a hard slap across his face that made him fall over.
"Shut your trap," Aries snapped. Severus looked up at him through teary blue eyes. No one had ever hit him before. Aries smiled evilly.
"Poor little thing. Are you hurt?" Severus shook his head and began to inch away from him, hopping to slip back under the bed to his hiding place. Aries grabbed a fist full of the auburn hair and dragged him back painfully.
"I don't think I said you could go." Again Aries hit him as Jaques watched, disinterested. He could care less about what Aries did to the boy. But he was beginning to loose his temper. Playing with a little boy was one thing. Hanging out at second most powerful Wizard's house longer than needed just so that you could take advantage of a child was another.
"Will you just kill him already? Riddle doesn't care how much you make him bleed, he just wants him gone." Aries glanced away from his capture and narrowed his eyes.
"No," he corrected in a low, silky tone, "He wants Dumbledore to hurt. The best way to do that is through his kid. I think he'll be more heartbroken to know his only child died slowly in pain rather then quickly." Jaques shrugged, uninterested in Aries' twisted logic.
"I want my daddy," Severus whimpered, not fully understanding what was being said. All he knew was that these two were wrong. The wrongness, the dark feelings, swirled around them in an almost tangible aura. But all he got for his comment was another slap, this one causing his nose to bleed and the blood to dribble down his face.
"Such a pretty little boy," Aries commented, wiping the blood away with his thumb. Severus flinched and Aries laughed.
"Don't like me, do you?" Jaques sighed in exasperation. That's it, he was sick and tired of Aries wasting time.
"Aries," he snapped, "I have a bad feeling about this place. Just get rid of him. Now." Aries stepped back from his young prisoner and nodded. He noticed his friend had run out of patience. Jaques was slow to anger but dangerous when he had reached the end of his tolerance. Pity though, now he wouldn't get to play with the boy before they finished him off.
"Do you want to kill him or shall I?" Aries asked, acknowledging the other's control of the situation. Jaques smiled thinly and looked at the trembling little boy watching them with large, teary blue eyes.
"Together, I think." After all, he didn't want to deprive Aries of all his fun. Each took out a wand and leveled it at the child. Together in perfect harmony the wands rose in the air and began to fall.
"Avada Keda-" The spell was suddenly interrupted at the door flew open. Aries stared in surprise.
"Stupefy!" The spell caught Aries before he had even begun to raise his wand at the intruder but Jaques's mind worked faster. He would finish the task they had been sent to do. He whirled back around to the child.
"Avada Kedavra!" Then he too was hexed into unconsciousness.
***
Albus Dumbledore sat at the table with the members of the Ministry. It was just a routine meeting, not even very interesting topics were being discussed.
Cornelius Fudge, a rising politician, was giving a rather dull speech on something or other when he heard a cry resounding through his mind.
'Daddy!' Dumbledore froze in his seat. The scream was so afraid; his child, what was wrong with his child? Especially if he had been terrified enough to send the call using the wandless magic that young children were prone to using without knowing they were doing so.
Dumbledore stood quickly and Fudge frowned at being interrupted.
"Albus?" the Minter asked, concerned at the abruptness the younger wizard was uncharacteristically displaying.
"What is it, my friend."
"Severus," Dumbledore replied anxiously, "Something's wrong with Severus." A few seats over Roodwood smiled tolerantly.
"Can't it wait until the meeting is over?" He asked. Dumbledore shook his head and turned beseechingly to the Minster of Magic.
"I must get to him at once." The Minster of Magic thought for a second. It seemed like a silly reason to interrupt the meeting but the look of the panic in his friend's eyes was enough to sway his decision.
"Go to the boy," he announced, "Check to see if he's alright." Dumbledore nodded his thanks and hurried out to the dissipating site. From there he reappeared in front of his own door. (He had been unable to use the floo, Tammi always closed it after his left) He unlocked the door with a sweep of his wand and hurried inside.
"Tammi?" he called, "Tammi, answer me." But he was only met with silence. His fear spiked as his heart began to beat faster. He hurried up the first flight of stairs and gasped. There was Tammi's lifeless body sprawled on the floor, her eyes wide in horror and a scream frozen on her lips.
"Severus." Dumbledore ran up the stairs as fast and as quietly as he could, praying to whatever higher power existed that his child was alive.
As he got closer to Severus's room he heard, to his terror, two harsh male voices arguing and then caught the word 'kill.' Heart pounding, he fairly flew the last few feet, yanked the door open and cast the stunning spell.
But two people meant two times the spell had to be cast. Just as he cast the hex the second time he heard the other man cast the killing curse and saw a bright green flash of light. Then his spell found its mark and the other man fell lifelessly to the floor.
Dumbledore stepped over the bodies and looked around. His child was no where to be seen. Surely the killing curse didn't vaporize its victim. He shook just thinking about it. Where was Severus?
"Severus?" he called, his voice shaking with emotion. "Severus! Child where are you?"
TBC…
AN: Don't you hate when I do that?
Author's Note: Some child abuse (hitting) and a curse word or two.
-Another Note: The reason the previous chapter was *cough, cough* short, is to get you hooked so that you come back.
"There, you've seen her. Now it's bedtime for you, little one." Four-year- old Severus D. Dumbledore pouted as his father picked him up off the floor.
"I'll be right back, Tammi," Dumbledore informed the babysitter as Severus fidgeted in his arms. Tammi, a pretty girl of fourteen, set her bag on the floor and took out a book.
"Sure Mr. Dumbledore," she replied brightly. Severus made a face at her over his father's shoulder and she laughed.
"Good night, Severus," she called as she made herself comfortable on the couch with the novel.
Tammi Calison often babysat Severus when Dumbledore had to go to a meeting. If it was a Hogwarts staff meeting it would be earlier in the day and her job would include playing with, feeding, and putting Severus to bed. If the meeting was Ministry business there was a chance Severus could already be asleep before she even arrived.
Dumbledore carried Severus upstairs to the third level and to the wing that belonged to the boy. Severus looked unhappily at his bedroom door that they were steadily approaching and then up at his father.
"A little longer?" He begged as they stopped outside his room. Dumbledore laughed. How many times had he heard this? It was almost routine now.
"No Severus. It's your bedtime now. Not five or ten or fifteen minutes from now." Severus scowled even though he had been expecting that answer. It never hurt to ask. Or complain, for that matter.
"Not fair."
"I know, child," Dumbledore replied as he pushed the door open. It was a lovely little room that they entered. The walls were a vanilla blue this month. Pushed against one wall was the bed with just enough space for small things to slip between it and the wall.
On the other side of the room was a wardrobe that held the boy's clothes; mostly robes in various shades of blue and green. And at the foot of the bed was a toy chest inscribed with the owner's name.
Speaking of toy chest, one of the House Elves must have already been by. The mess that Severus had made earlier was picked up and the dark blue covers of the little bed had been turned down. Dumbledore smiled and made a mental note to tell Haley to stop putting away Severus's toys, he needed to start doing that himself.
As tempting as it was to give Severus whatever he wanted, Dumbledore knew that it could spoil him. And he had seen enough spoiled children come through Hogwarts to know that he was not going to let that happen to Severus.
Gathering nightwear, Dumbledore dressed Severus for sleep and then placed him under the soft flannel sheets.
"Daddy?" Severus asked, turning over to look at him. Dumbledore sat down on the bed next to his son.
"Yes Severus?"
"Don't go." Dumbledore smiled as he smoothed the auburn hair out of his child's face.
"I have to, Severus." Severus shook his head stubbornly.
"No."
"Why not?" Dumbledore asked gently. The blue eyes that were like mirrors of his own clouded in uncertainty.
"It feels bad," Severus finally decided. Dumbledore chuckled lightly and hugged him.
"I'll be fine, child."
"Promise?" Eyes wide and innocent. Dumbledore kissed his son's forehead and nodded.
"I promise." Straightening, Dumbledore made sure the blankets were tucked around his child and placed a warm hand on his forehead.
"Goodnight, Severus. Be good. Tammi is downstairs if you need anything." Severus smiled sleepily and nodded. Then he yawned and curled up on his side like a little puppy.
"Nite Daddy." Dumbledore waved off most of the candles that illuminated the room and paused at the door to look back at his child; such a simple joy, watching his son sleep. Then he closed the door and went downstairs to give Tammi instructions before he left for the Ministry meeting.
Tammi smiled to herself as she shut the floo behind her employer. Unlike some people she knew, Tammi liked babysitting. Had she not been born a Squib she would have been sorted into Hufflepuff; she loved looking after children. Oh yes, Severus could be a handful at times, but he was really a sweet little boy.
Anyway, she had watched worse. One particularly called to mind was the Malfoy brat. Tammi grinned ruefully at the thought of the blond haired child who insisted rather rudely that she call him 'Sir.' Thank the gods he was old enough to stay home alone now.
Tammi settled herself comfortably on the couch to read the book her Muggle teacher had assigned. She opened the book to its marked page and looked around the room. She liked it here at the Dumbledore Estate. The house had a friendly, welcoming feeling about it that put her at ease. It seemed like nothing bad could ever happen there; a sanctuary if you please. Laughing, Tammi turned her attention back to the novel on her lap and quickly became engrossed in the story.
Charley Darnay had just decided to return to France despite the warning Mr. Lorry gave against it when Tammi's head shot up from her book. Something was bothering her.
Disentangling herself from her warm seat, she went up a flight of stairs and cocked her head, listening for any unusual sound from Severus's room. She heard nothing.
Then she shivered. It suddenly felt so much colder. She was a Squib, yes, but her grandmother had been a highly respected Diviner. Sometimes Tammi thought she had inherited some of that natural instinct. And that instinct was screaming that she was not alone.
Tammi whirled around to see two tall wizards dressed all in black moving toward her. She screamed once and fell dead in a flash of bright green light.
"Stupid girl," the taller of the two laughed, kicking the lifeless body. "Who does she think will hear her? The boy?" The other glanced around and grimaced. The 'goodness' in the magic that penetrated the very air he was breathing made him feel ill.
"Come on Aries," he snapped irritably, "Let's just kill the kid and get it over with." Aries smiled cruelly, ignoring his compatriot's lack of appreciation for the glory of their task.
"Let's."
Severus was yanked awake by a scream. His heart beating fearfully, he sat up in his bed and listened to the darkness. Footsteps, loud and heavy. Not light and happy like Tammi's or smooth and calm like his father's. He heard a loud crash like shattering glass and tumbled out of his bed.
Running to the door, he peaked out and saw two black figures moving down the hall, the taller smashing anything he saw with manic like glee while the other moved at his side like a shadow of death.
Frightened, Severus stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. Crawling quickly he slipped under his bed and curled up in the furthest corner with his back pressed against the wall. The door to his room creaked open and he saw thick black boots approach his hiding place. He heard an angry yell.
"He's not here!" Severus cringed at the harshness of the voice.
"You must have woken him up with all that noise, Aries," another voice countered flatly.
"Shut up, Jaques! Start looking for the brat, he couldn't have gone far." Severus shivered in his thin sleep-clothes and pressed himself further into the dark recesses, hoping it would keep him hidden.
There was the sound of things being thrown about and then the man called Jaques called calmly to his companion, "I can't find him."
Aries growled in frustration. Where the hell could the Dumbledore brat have gone? And gave the bed in front of him a fierce kick. Then he paused and looked back at Jaques. The other man nodded, he had heard the surprised yelp too.
Severus placed his hands over his mouth quickly. He hadn't meant to do that. But when Aries kicked his bed the frame had moved ever so slightly and one of the posts had bashed his hand. The room was suddenly silent. Removing his hands he listened carefully. He didn't hear anything. Maybe they had gone.
The heartening idea was abruptly crushed as a large, black gloved hand latched onto his shirt and hauled him up. Severus cried out in fear as he was thrown fiercely onto his bed.
"Daddy!" he screamed even though he knew his parent could neither hear or help him. He was rewarded for his outcry with a hard slap across his face that made him fall over.
"Shut your trap," Aries snapped. Severus looked up at him through teary blue eyes. No one had ever hit him before. Aries smiled evilly.
"Poor little thing. Are you hurt?" Severus shook his head and began to inch away from him, hopping to slip back under the bed to his hiding place. Aries grabbed a fist full of the auburn hair and dragged him back painfully.
"I don't think I said you could go." Again Aries hit him as Jaques watched, disinterested. He could care less about what Aries did to the boy. But he was beginning to loose his temper. Playing with a little boy was one thing. Hanging out at second most powerful Wizard's house longer than needed just so that you could take advantage of a child was another.
"Will you just kill him already? Riddle doesn't care how much you make him bleed, he just wants him gone." Aries glanced away from his capture and narrowed his eyes.
"No," he corrected in a low, silky tone, "He wants Dumbledore to hurt. The best way to do that is through his kid. I think he'll be more heartbroken to know his only child died slowly in pain rather then quickly." Jaques shrugged, uninterested in Aries' twisted logic.
"I want my daddy," Severus whimpered, not fully understanding what was being said. All he knew was that these two were wrong. The wrongness, the dark feelings, swirled around them in an almost tangible aura. But all he got for his comment was another slap, this one causing his nose to bleed and the blood to dribble down his face.
"Such a pretty little boy," Aries commented, wiping the blood away with his thumb. Severus flinched and Aries laughed.
"Don't like me, do you?" Jaques sighed in exasperation. That's it, he was sick and tired of Aries wasting time.
"Aries," he snapped, "I have a bad feeling about this place. Just get rid of him. Now." Aries stepped back from his young prisoner and nodded. He noticed his friend had run out of patience. Jaques was slow to anger but dangerous when he had reached the end of his tolerance. Pity though, now he wouldn't get to play with the boy before they finished him off.
"Do you want to kill him or shall I?" Aries asked, acknowledging the other's control of the situation. Jaques smiled thinly and looked at the trembling little boy watching them with large, teary blue eyes.
"Together, I think." After all, he didn't want to deprive Aries of all his fun. Each took out a wand and leveled it at the child. Together in perfect harmony the wands rose in the air and began to fall.
"Avada Keda-" The spell was suddenly interrupted at the door flew open. Aries stared in surprise.
"Stupefy!" The spell caught Aries before he had even begun to raise his wand at the intruder but Jaques's mind worked faster. He would finish the task they had been sent to do. He whirled back around to the child.
"Avada Kedavra!" Then he too was hexed into unconsciousness.
***
Albus Dumbledore sat at the table with the members of the Ministry. It was just a routine meeting, not even very interesting topics were being discussed.
Cornelius Fudge, a rising politician, was giving a rather dull speech on something or other when he heard a cry resounding through his mind.
'Daddy!' Dumbledore froze in his seat. The scream was so afraid; his child, what was wrong with his child? Especially if he had been terrified enough to send the call using the wandless magic that young children were prone to using without knowing they were doing so.
Dumbledore stood quickly and Fudge frowned at being interrupted.
"Albus?" the Minter asked, concerned at the abruptness the younger wizard was uncharacteristically displaying.
"What is it, my friend."
"Severus," Dumbledore replied anxiously, "Something's wrong with Severus." A few seats over Roodwood smiled tolerantly.
"Can't it wait until the meeting is over?" He asked. Dumbledore shook his head and turned beseechingly to the Minster of Magic.
"I must get to him at once." The Minster of Magic thought for a second. It seemed like a silly reason to interrupt the meeting but the look of the panic in his friend's eyes was enough to sway his decision.
"Go to the boy," he announced, "Check to see if he's alright." Dumbledore nodded his thanks and hurried out to the dissipating site. From there he reappeared in front of his own door. (He had been unable to use the floo, Tammi always closed it after his left) He unlocked the door with a sweep of his wand and hurried inside.
"Tammi?" he called, "Tammi, answer me." But he was only met with silence. His fear spiked as his heart began to beat faster. He hurried up the first flight of stairs and gasped. There was Tammi's lifeless body sprawled on the floor, her eyes wide in horror and a scream frozen on her lips.
"Severus." Dumbledore ran up the stairs as fast and as quietly as he could, praying to whatever higher power existed that his child was alive.
As he got closer to Severus's room he heard, to his terror, two harsh male voices arguing and then caught the word 'kill.' Heart pounding, he fairly flew the last few feet, yanked the door open and cast the stunning spell.
But two people meant two times the spell had to be cast. Just as he cast the hex the second time he heard the other man cast the killing curse and saw a bright green flash of light. Then his spell found its mark and the other man fell lifelessly to the floor.
Dumbledore stepped over the bodies and looked around. His child was no where to be seen. Surely the killing curse didn't vaporize its victim. He shook just thinking about it. Where was Severus?
"Severus?" he called, his voice shaking with emotion. "Severus! Child where are you?"
TBC…
AN: Don't you hate when I do that?