Another HP fic I've found....(how many do I have?!!)
Anyway, I think it's a little SS/HP, DM/HP.
Probably more towards DM/HP???
No graphic violence, angst, or anything depressing. (Very odd of Lilinpo.... Hmm...)
But Harry will be showing lots of his..... maternal(!?) instincts.
It's sweet. And funny.(well, I try..)
Raising A Slytherin
Part 1:
Day of his arrival
"Well Harry...... It seems I have no choice but to agree with Professor Snape....."
Albus Dumbledore laced his fingers and sighed. Though his lips were smiling.
"But Professor!!"
Harry yelled, which caused the infant in Madame Pompfrey's arms to cry. She rocked the baby and tried to shush him.... with no avail.
"Oh, here Mr. Potter! He will not listen to me."
Madame Pompfrey gave up and move to hand the baby to Harry, who tried to back away.
"He won't listen to me either! I can't hold-"
Harry waved his hands but the baby ended up in his arms. To everyone's amazement, the baby stopped crying in a snap.
Harry stared at the baby's calm face and looked up at the headmaster. He was smiling and very amused.
Oh no.....
"You see, Harry? He is very fond of you already.... You would have to be his caregiver until Professer Snape comes up with a cure."
Dumbledore turned to Snape, who watched amusingly as the baby tried to reach for Harry's glasses.
"And since you are his godfather, Severus, you will aid Harry..... won't you?"
Harry laughed when he saw Snape's smile fade and that familiar 'don't talk to me or I'll kill you' face reappeared. He was glad Professor McGonagall giggled louder, or that dark glare would have been towards him instead of her.
"Of course, Dumbledore...," Snape turned to Harry, "...since yet again, our young celebrity cannot take care of his own mess..."
"It's not my fault that he--!"
Harry started to shout angerily but stopped when the baby was about to cry again. He quickly swinged his arms to soothe him.
"Be careful, Mr. Potter..... Babies are very sensitive.. They know when their mommies are at distress."
Madame Pompfrey laughed. McGonagall joined her.
"I'm glad some of us finds this humorous..." Harry thought.
"Where is he going to stay? What about my classes?"
Harry asked as he shifted the baby to a more comfortable position.
"When Professor Snape isn't teaching his class, he'll look after him.... And when you're not in class, Harry, you will take care of him..... When you two are both busy, I am sure the other staff members will gladly babysit for you."
Madame Pompfrey and Professor McGonagall nodded in agreement. They looked a little too excited... to Snape and Harry's horror...
"As for the room,...... Severus....."
"No, Albus."
Snape shot back. It sounded as though he knew this was coming.
"Oh come on, Severus. You barely use that room anymore!"
McGonagall sharply pointed. If looks could kill, she'd be dead gone by now. Harry was a little uneasy by the tensions between the two rival head of houses, but Dumbledore just smiled.
"Then it's settled."
Snape looked at Albus as if to say something, ....but sighed in defeat. As for McGonagall, she smiled with triumph.
Harry blinked at the three professors and laughed. Snape and McGonagall were like brother and sister, and Dumbldore their father.
"I don't see this as any laughing matter, Potter..."
Snape glared. Harry swallowed.
"Sorry professor..."
Right then, the baby boy gave a cute little yawn. It seemed to be contagious since Harry followed soon after.
"You should rest, Harry. You had a very long night. I am so happy to see you safe and unharmed... You too, Severus......... Both of you will have a very busy day tomorrow."
"And the days after that....." Harry thought as Dumbledore escorted him and Snape to the stairs. Snape went first and before Harry could take his step, Dumbledore whispered in his ear.
"This was supposed to be a surprise, but our new DADA teacher is Remus..." Harry looked up at Dumbledore in disbelief. "Shhh... don't tell the professor..." Dumbledore's eyes seemed to be sparkling more than ever.
Harry gave him a wide grin and nodded.
"Well, Potter.... I am not waiting all day.."
Snape hissed from below.
"Coming, sir."
Harry quickly but cautiously descended the stairs with the baby sleeping in his arms.
".....What did Dumbledore tell you?"
Harry looked up surprised, since he wasn't expecting to have any conversation with Snape. They entered the dungeons and were headed to the room next door to Snape's.
"...Nothing......important, sir..."
Harry gulped. He waited for some sort of a sarcastic remark, but sighed when none came.
As they walked deeper in the hall, the temperature decreased even more. Harry wondered if he could get back to his dorm without getting lost.
Then, Snape came to an abrupt halt, making Harry almost bump into him. He turned to the wooden door.
"You may think he is a gentle, naive old man," Snape started, "but he can be cunning as a fox...."
Harry didn't know what he was talking about at first, but he smiled inwardly as he remembered the glittering eyes of the headmaster.
Snape muttered the password and the door opened.
"......Sometimes I wonder why he wasn't a Slytherin..." Snape rambled.
Harry secretly agreed.
"Place him on the bed, Potter. Then you're excused for the night."
Snape pointed at the single bed in the middle of the room. He waved his wand and every object in the room; beakers, cauldrons, and books, floated high above the ground. The beakers and cauldrons neatly stacked themselves on the desk, as the books slid in the shelf.
He turned and narrowed his eyes as he saw Harry just standing there, not even attempting to do what he was asked to do...
"Are you deaf as well, Potter?"
Harry turned to him.
"I said put him on the bed."
Snape tried desperately not to yell. What the hell was this imbecile doing?!
Harry looked at the bed again.
"...He's going to fall."
"He will not fall."
The potion master snapped. Harry shook his head.
"He needs a crib..."
"Well it's a little too late for that now, isn't it?"
Snape gritted his teeth. Since when was he so protective of the baby?
"Mal-... Mr. Malfoy is still alive somewhere, professor..... I don't want him to kill me when he finds any bruises on his child..."
"Damn..." Snape thought. The boy had a point...
He levitated the bed and placed it in the corner wall.
"..There... happy now?"
Snape hissed. Harry shook his head.
"He could still fall from this side, sir....... Could you place some pillows and cushions on the ground?"
Fumes were ready to steam out of Snape's head. He mumbled something under his breath and the pillows on the bed dropped on the ground, and small cushions on the sofa came flying by, barely missing Harry.
As they formed a little barrier around the bed, Harry nodded in approval and gently placed the sleeping baby on the bed. But, as soon as Harry back away from the bed, the baby awoke and started to cry.
"Professor! What should I do?!!"
Harry panicked. He had no idea why the baby was crying.
"I don't know, Potter! Just pick him up again!!"
Neither did Snape. Harry knelted down beside the bed and placed his hand on the baby's chest. The crying stopped and large silver eyes stared into green ones.
"Shhhhh..... Go back to sleep...... okay?"
Harry began to tap his hand gently on the baby's chest. He was mimicking what Madame Pompfrey was doing earlier. He didn't know the logic behind it, but it seemed to be working. The baby's eyelids looked as though they were getting heavier...
"You're quite good at this, Potter.... You'll make a fine nanny..."
Snape snorted. Harry rolled his eyes but kept his eyes on the baby. His mouth moved as thought he was trying to mumble something, and the tiny hands slightly opened and made a fist again. His tapping hand slowly dropped its pace and stopped. Making sure he wasn't going to wake up, Harry stared at the sleeping figure.
"Wow....... I never thought I'd say this....... but he's kinda cute when he's all quiet....." Harry smiled....... but it quickly turned to a frown as he thought about tomorrow.
"What am I going to tell Ron and Hermione....."
Harry whispered.
"Just tell them the truth, Potter."
Harry turned to the voice in surprise. Snape was now standing right behind him. The man was a pro when it comes to stopping Harry's heartbeat.
"What is it, Potter?" Snape smirked, "Afraid to admit to your Gryffindor friends that you were saved by a nasty Slytherin?"
"Good night, professor..."
Harry glared, but stood up without any argument. He was too tired to do anything right at the moment.
-------------What to do when Professor Snape wants to start a argument-------------
by Remus Lupin
1.) Ignore him.
2.) Hex him.
3.) Remind him he was saved by James.
4.) When all other fails, just call me(or Sirius... But call me first, for Professor Snape's sake.)
Harry giggled as he remembered one of Remus' letters. Tomorrow seemed... a little brighter, remembering the fact that their long awaited DADA teacher was arriving.
"What are you smiling about, Potter? Have you been listening to anything I said?"
Snape growled. Harry shook his wonderful thoughts away.
"No.... Sorry, sir.."
Harry bit his lip.
"Figures," Snape hissed, "..... I was saying that my schedule for tomorrow is full in the morning.... But I will be able to watch him from noon."
"Uhhh.... I guess I can watch him in the morning...... I only have two classes in the afternoon...."
Snape snorted.
"Classes boring you, Potter? .......At this rate, it would be a miracle if you took enough electives to graduate...."
"No...... It's just that double potions with you and your beloved Slytherins seemed to take enough out of me....." Harry sighed to himself.
"We'll discuss our weekly schedule tomorrow, Potter. You may go rest."
With that, Snape turned away from Harry. Harry slowly walked to the door when Snape called again.
"The password is 'responsibility.' Let it be a reminder every time you enter this room."
Without responding, Harry quietly exited through the door. He watched as Snape gently placed the comforter on the baby before he closed the door.
"......Responsibility? What responsibility???"
Harry hissed as the anger slowly sank in.
".............Dumbledore said Snape's his godfather.... right? I don't know why he can't just take care of him!....."
Harry muttered as he walked through the damp hallway.
"I've never taken care of babies before!....... How could they expect me to take care of him??...."
Harry continued to complain until he reached the fat lady.
"What are you complaining about, young man? Do you know what time it is?!!"
"Very long story..... Professor McGonagall knows...."
Harry sighed.
"Very well. Password?"
"Responsibili- I mean... Prominence."
The door opened. Harry sluggishly entered.
"I must be more tired than I thought...."
Harry sneaked in his room and sighed when everyone was fast asleep. He barely had enough strength to pull his glasses off. He fell on the bed like a falling tree.
He closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep when a familiar odor tickled his nose. He sniffed like a dog and brought his sleeve to his face.
"Oh yeah...." he muttered without bothering to open his eyes, "Snape's cloak...."
Just before he dived into his dreams, he remembered that he was wearing Snape's black cloak.
It smelled like his potions class.
Raising A Slytherin
End: Part 1
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I wonder how Harry managed to walk without tripping on Snape's cloak...