EPILOGUE
Severus returned home the next day in better spirits than usual. Fortunately, Salazar and Jasmine seemed too busy to bother with him most of the time and they just told him to work. Salazar was shrewd enough to suspect that Dumbledore was keeping an eye on Severus and he was very careful not to lay a hand on his son lest he be brought before the Ministry of Magic for child abuse. He used verbal abuse instead to ease his frustration.
The following year Severus stayed at Hogwarts as planned. He had never been allowed to stay for Christmas before and he really enjoyed the presents and the decorations. His parents did not care for such things. He worked very hard on his Potions and the following June received the highest grades possible in his exams. IN fact no wizard had received such high marks in a century and Dumbledore wasted no time in telling him this with great fatherly pride.
Unfortunately, he had to return home that summer. Not yet eighteen he could legally leave his parents. He went to Snape manor with a great feeling of despair. He no longer had the safety of Dumbledore and Hogwarts. He also suspected his parents had plans for the use of his potions expertise, he was right.
Dumbledore too was frantic with worry. He had only helped Severus temporarily. What could he do for his child now? What would become of him?
Dumbledore's answer came on a cold November night of that year. A loud banging on his office door awakened him and he rubbed sleep out of his eyes wondering who could be here at such a late hour. Opening the door he saw Hagrid with a dark haired young man in his arms. The man was bruised, battered and barely conscious.
"Severus, Child!" exclaimed the headmaster in horror.
"Fang found him at the edge of the forest." Hagrid explained.
Dumbledore bade him lie Severus down on the couch and gave him blankets to wrap around him while he called for Dr Sara Winter.
She arrived in minutes and together they stripped and washed Severus in a warm bath and she scanned him and healed his internal injuries. Thankfully these were few. They then rubbed lotion into the bruised skin.
"Albus!" she exclaimed, "Look!" she showed him the young man's left forearm where the fading dark mark was visible.
"Oh Merlin! This is all my fault. I should never have let him go back to his parents. They must have forced him to join the Dark Lord. His potions skills would be of great value to him."
Dumbledore looked very old and tired at that moment.
"Not your fault Albus." a thin voice croaked. They both looked down at Severus who had regained consciousness.
"Child, how do you feel?" Albus stroked his cheek.
"Sorry Albus, I tried. They made me. Only wanted to please them. They never cared about me."
Severus had difficulty forming the words.
"Shhh Child. I know. I know." Dumbledore carefully gathered him into his arms, "It is not your fault love. You did the best you could."
"No. I've done wrong. I'll go back. I can spy for you."
"No Severus!" Dumbledore gasped.
"Have to Headmaster!" Severus became agitated, "Please let me, please?"
The doctor sent some calming energy into him.
"We will talk about this when you are feeling better." Dumbledore consoled him as he helped the doctor put him into his bed under warm covers.
Severus looked up at him with dark, sorrowful eyes.
"Sorry Professor Dumbledore. I always fail and ruin things. You should just leave me. I am no use to anyone, I'm bad."
Albus took him back into his arms and held him close as his eyes filled with tears.
"Child you are not worthless or bad. You have not failed. You have had a very difficult and painful life. I know your parents hurt you but you never deserved it. I love you. You are like the son I never had. I will never leave you."
He pressed a kiss to Severus's dark head and began to rock him back and forth just as he had done when he was two.
"Go to sleep now like a good boy." he whispered and began to hum a lullaby.
The doctor left instructions and medicines with him and promised to return in the morning. Severus fell asleep cradled in Albus's arms. He had vague but pleasant dreams. He was small and sitting up at Albus's desk, swinging on a swing, listening to a story, being rocked in warm loving arms and for the first time in his life he felt peace.
FINIS-Hope you liked it.
I was a bit nervous about posting this story here. It was the first one I ever wrote. Thank you for taking the time to review. I really appreciate it. Lastly, if you haven't already done so, I strongly advise you to read Ankha's wonderful "Gold and Silver. Fire and Ice". You won't regret it.
Severus returned home the next day in better spirits than usual. Fortunately, Salazar and Jasmine seemed too busy to bother with him most of the time and they just told him to work. Salazar was shrewd enough to suspect that Dumbledore was keeping an eye on Severus and he was very careful not to lay a hand on his son lest he be brought before the Ministry of Magic for child abuse. He used verbal abuse instead to ease his frustration.
The following year Severus stayed at Hogwarts as planned. He had never been allowed to stay for Christmas before and he really enjoyed the presents and the decorations. His parents did not care for such things. He worked very hard on his Potions and the following June received the highest grades possible in his exams. IN fact no wizard had received such high marks in a century and Dumbledore wasted no time in telling him this with great fatherly pride.
Unfortunately, he had to return home that summer. Not yet eighteen he could legally leave his parents. He went to Snape manor with a great feeling of despair. He no longer had the safety of Dumbledore and Hogwarts. He also suspected his parents had plans for the use of his potions expertise, he was right.
Dumbledore too was frantic with worry. He had only helped Severus temporarily. What could he do for his child now? What would become of him?
Dumbledore's answer came on a cold November night of that year. A loud banging on his office door awakened him and he rubbed sleep out of his eyes wondering who could be here at such a late hour. Opening the door he saw Hagrid with a dark haired young man in his arms. The man was bruised, battered and barely conscious.
"Severus, Child!" exclaimed the headmaster in horror.
"Fang found him at the edge of the forest." Hagrid explained.
Dumbledore bade him lie Severus down on the couch and gave him blankets to wrap around him while he called for Dr Sara Winter.
She arrived in minutes and together they stripped and washed Severus in a warm bath and she scanned him and healed his internal injuries. Thankfully these were few. They then rubbed lotion into the bruised skin.
"Albus!" she exclaimed, "Look!" she showed him the young man's left forearm where the fading dark mark was visible.
"Oh Merlin! This is all my fault. I should never have let him go back to his parents. They must have forced him to join the Dark Lord. His potions skills would be of great value to him."
Dumbledore looked very old and tired at that moment.
"Not your fault Albus." a thin voice croaked. They both looked down at Severus who had regained consciousness.
"Child, how do you feel?" Albus stroked his cheek.
"Sorry Albus, I tried. They made me. Only wanted to please them. They never cared about me."
Severus had difficulty forming the words.
"Shhh Child. I know. I know." Dumbledore carefully gathered him into his arms, "It is not your fault love. You did the best you could."
"No. I've done wrong. I'll go back. I can spy for you."
"No Severus!" Dumbledore gasped.
"Have to Headmaster!" Severus became agitated, "Please let me, please?"
The doctor sent some calming energy into him.
"We will talk about this when you are feeling better." Dumbledore consoled him as he helped the doctor put him into his bed under warm covers.
Severus looked up at him with dark, sorrowful eyes.
"Sorry Professor Dumbledore. I always fail and ruin things. You should just leave me. I am no use to anyone, I'm bad."
Albus took him back into his arms and held him close as his eyes filled with tears.
"Child you are not worthless or bad. You have not failed. You have had a very difficult and painful life. I know your parents hurt you but you never deserved it. I love you. You are like the son I never had. I will never leave you."
He pressed a kiss to Severus's dark head and began to rock him back and forth just as he had done when he was two.
"Go to sleep now like a good boy." he whispered and began to hum a lullaby.
The doctor left instructions and medicines with him and promised to return in the morning. Severus fell asleep cradled in Albus's arms. He had vague but pleasant dreams. He was small and sitting up at Albus's desk, swinging on a swing, listening to a story, being rocked in warm loving arms and for the first time in his life he felt peace.
FINIS-Hope you liked it.
I was a bit nervous about posting this story here. It was the first one I ever wrote. Thank you for taking the time to review. I really appreciate it. Lastly, if you haven't already done so, I strongly advise you to read Ankha's wonderful "Gold and Silver. Fire and Ice". You won't regret it.