CHAPTER ONE- The Boy Who Lived Again

EIGHT MONTHS LATER
It was almost the start of the new school year and it was a bustling time across the whole Wizarding World as everyone prepared themselves for the new batch of young wizards and witches entering the dawn of their new magical careers. Therefore, it was puzzling to Albus Dumbledore when the representatives of the Council of Magical Affairs, the North American equivalent of the Ministry of Magic, chose now to request an urgent appointment with his most trusted underlings.

Nevertheless, Dumbledore gathered Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin in his office, with Sirius Black tagging along despite the fact he was not officially on the Hogwarts teaching staff. The American Auror assigned to the meeting was a young wizard by the name of Darien Storm, a sandy-haired man in his early thirties who apparently was making quite a name for himself across the Atlantic. Although he didn't seem at all intimidated by meeting the famous Albus Dumbledore, the great wizard largely responsible for the battle against the Dark Lord Voldemort, Storm did take a moment to scrutinise Sirius before evidently deciding his pardon and Dumbledore's blessing was good enough for him to be allowed to sit in.

"Nice place," Storm commented dryly. The young man had abandoned his chair beside McGonagall, Lupin and Black to stand by the window near Dumbledore's desk, admiring the view outside. "A bit morbid though, enough to give Muggle kids some damn good nightmares."

"Better than something more suited to some Muggle university student," Black muttered back, referring to both the American magic schools, which designs were much akin to one of the more modern colleges of the Muggle world.

"Bet it's not just the Muggle kids who would get nightmares here. What- you've got an ex-Death Eater, a werewolf, a former resident of Azkaban and this kid who, as a tiny infant, managed to defeat the most psychotic but powerful dark wizard- all these people wandering about? Hell, I bet your students are sure making a fortune for the shrinks."

Before Dumbledore could rein in him and put an end to the childish behaviour, Sirius shot back, "Well, you can't accuse us of being boring."

"Yeah, but at least the Academy is, for the most part, rather *normal*," was the quick retort. "Hogwarts is starting to be known in many circles as this great magnet of darkness what with all the 'extra-curricular activities' your kids seem to be involved in."

Sirius scowled but quietened when Remus put a calming hand on his shoulder and Minerva rolled her eyes at her former disruptive student and his perpetual habit for petty squabbling. Storm smirked at his little victory and, with more than a touch of moroseness, Dumbledore couldn't help but compare American wizard's irreverent attitude to that of Severus Snape's.

"Boys, if we could please get to the matter at hand," McGonagall sighed, probably weary of dealing with over-grown children in the one place she hoped to find a little peace and quiet.

"Yes, why have you called *us* here?" Dumbledore asked, specifically referring to the Hogwarts staff. "Normally, your people conduct your business with Cornelius Fudge."

Storm sobered instantly, his boyish face instantly gaining a maturity lacking during his little argument. "No offence intended, but Fudge is barely capable of finding a drop of water in the Pacific Ocean. If he's the best you have to offer than I'm not surprised the Voldemort issue has not be resolved." The fact the young man could bring himself to say Voldemort's name was a sign of his foreign status. Outside of Europe, many still saw the Dark Lord as a British problem and a certain baby boy brought the first wave of Voldemort's rising to an abrupt end before their ignorance could be offset. "The Council felt you would be best suited to handle this new situation."

That certainly sounded ominous to the elderly wizard. He inwardly sighed, wondering what else could befall his school. Perhaps, Storm was right; Hogwarts *was* some sort of charm for gloom and doom. It sometimes felt that way given the recent tragic losses and the school itself being the focal point of Voldemort's uprising.

Like a confirmation for Dumbledore's wary thoughts, the American began with the inauspicious words, "We've always assumed an attempt would be made on the Potter kid to claim him as Voldemort's chosen heir...what if we all were wrong?"

"Wrong? Whatever do you mean?"

For a moment, the younger man said nothing. Then he turned from the window, his eyebrow raised. "Missing something, Principal? Missing...someone?"

Everyone's eyes were suddenly riveted on the Auror as Dumbledore stood up in an anguished rush. "You know where Severus is? You've found him?"

Eight months...It had been eight months now since one of his dearest protégés was summoned to a meeting with the Death Eaters then disappeared without a trace, vanished off the face of the planet. There had been rumblings that this particular meeting had involved Portkey travel to America but little to suggest what fate had befallen Severus. Since then, Dumbledore carried himself with a heavy-heart and had to force himself to show an interest in school activities, guilt frequently cascading through him whenever his mind drifted back to Severus.

He was the Headmaster, he felt he should have put his foot down and never have allowed the Potions Master to turn spy and continue to do so when it seemed Voldemort was becoming increasingly doubtful of where his true loyalties lay. It had been all too easy to allow Severus to cajole him into letting him go, the younger wizard feeling he had to atone for his days as a Death Eater.

However, Dumbledore knew how dangerous it was to be so close in Voldemort's inner circle. He had always feared the day he would lose his friend, only he deluded himself into thinking it would never happen, that he could protect all his students- both past and present.

And he was proven wrong in the most harrowing way. One of his children was gone, not a clue as to whether he was dead or alive...until now.

To his annoyance, Storm did not answer the question. Instead, he gazed back out the window of the office onto the vast grounds of Hogwarts. "We have our spies too, Dumbledore, and when someone like Lucius Malfoy makes seven visits in three months to a Californian children's home we get suspicious, especially after the rumours we have heard."

"What has that to do with Snape?" Black demanded. He might not have cared much for Severus but Dumbledore could see he was making an effort for his mentor's sake.

Storm pulled a file from his robes and threw it down on the Headmaster's desk. Inside were two photographs of the same young dark-eyed boy sporting long dark hair; in one the child was dressed in black robes and stared forlornly back up with the occasional tear rolling down his cheeks, a stark comparison to the second photo which had been taken by a Muggle camera and depicted the child in Muggle clothing wearing a broad mischievous smile.

Holding the photos in bewilderment, Dumbledore gazed back up at American in askance. There was something oddly familiar about the little boy's bewitching eyes, and a vague wave of dread twisted at his stomach.

"Apparently, quite a lot," Storm replied with a grim smile. "We've found your boy alright, and he's now a guest of the Carrington Children's Centre, a home for abandoned and orphaned children, pending possible fostering and adoption."

And there it was.

As Dumbledore shook his head slightly in instinctive denial, the others began to vocally express their disbelief. "This child is no more than six years old," Minerva said. "There is no way that he could possibly be Professor Snape."

Of course, in truth there was no such thing as 'no way' in magic and certainly not in the awesome dark powers that had undisputedly been responsible for this, if in fact the child was Severus.

"Good God," frowned McGonagall, "why would You-Know-Who do such a thing? What is there is gain from doing this to Severus?"

"According to our sources," responded Storm, "there had been suspicions about Snape's loyalty. A gathering of the few of our own suspected Death Eaters were brought together to interrogate him, a chance for them to 'shine' for their lord. To begin with there was talk of Voldemort messing with his head the night of his disappearance, stewing his mind so he was left with the brain-damaged mind of a child then dumping him alone in America with Muggles who had no clue who he was." There were mirror expressions of disgust at this. "Then when Snape vanished, he was presumed dead. For the past eight months, there had been inexplicable use of magic in town near the Mojave Desert. We just assumed it was an undisciplined, gifted child until three months ago when Lucius Malfoy began making repetitive visits to the area."

When someone with as many dark connections as a Malfoy took up new habits, naturally the Ministry were put on the defensive, especially these days when the dangers of the Dark Lord's uprising was very real. Dumbledore was just grateful their American counterparts took the threat of Voldemort more seriously than Fudge seemed to.

"After some checks, we discovered he was spending a lot of time with this little kid, a boy who had been found wandering in the desert alone with no memory of who he was. It was only after the Muggles starting harping on about how the kid was branded by some cult with some kind of marking being burned into his left arm that we were able to link certain events. My guess is You-Know-Who underestimated his own powers when he set out to punish Snape. Not only did the curse affect the mind but also his body."

"Why doesn't Malfoy just snatch Severus then?" Remus questioned after the story began to sink in. "The Muggles wouldn't be able to protect him. Lucius is obviously interested in him; he doesn't do that kind of thing out of kindness, so why not just deliver Severus to You-Know-Who straightaway?"

"Trust," Dumbledore replied, "he's building up Severus' trust slowly so that he will come willingly. Harry is sixteen, he's too old now and firmly fighting for the light with the people he loves by his side. Voldemort knows this and I doubt if he could make any attempt to turn him. And now he doesn't have to..."

"There's a new prize on offer, a new heir easier to convince," finished Minerva. "We just can't leave him out there, Albus, not like this." He could hear the resoluteness in her voice, the determination to protect someone she still regarded as a schoolboy. And, apparently, he was just that.

"Of course not," the elderly wizard stated, firmly, "we're going to bring him back home, that I promise."

Storm sighed heavily. "Professor, I do have to inform you that when Divia heard, she felt the boy should be brought to the Academy. She thinks he would do better under a fellow Slytherin who'll understand him."

Divia Montliskard was the head teacher of the Lake Artemis Academy of Magic, one of Hogwarts' North American sister schools. Like Hogwarts and most magic secondary schools, Lake Artemis also sorted its students into the four Houses and, like Albus was once a Gryffindor in his schooldays, Divia was a Slytherin. To her credit, she lacked the arrogance and insidiousness stereotypically associated with her former House and prided herself on keeping her young Slytherins from also following that path and for having the fewest number of Slytherin children turning to the Dark Arts than in any other magic school across the world.

However, Severus was his responsibility now more than ever and while he knew Divia meant well, he was not going to give him up just because of something as trivial as House loyalties.

"We can take care of our own, Mister Storm," Albus stated, in a tone that was not to be argued with. "Severus belongs at Hogwarts with us."

"Anyway, what's so special about being a Snake?" Black muttered, as if disgusted at associating the word 'special' with the Slytherin House.

Storm regarded the five then rolled his eyes. "That's right, I heard you had this whole 'Gryffindors First, Last and In-Between' movement going here." The friendly rivalry in his voice dropped away into an almost melancholy. "There's more to Slytherin House than Death Eaters and evil..." He picked up one of the photographs, the one in which young Snape was captured in his misery. "As a Slytherin myself, I can tell you we fall firmly into three groups. First, you get your Death Eater juniors, y'know, the kids whose parents followed Voldemort and are well on their eager way to following in their footsteps. Then you get the more normal kids, like me, the ones who really didn't care which House they were sorted into. And then there's that last group of children...those poor kids who rightly belonged to another House but the Sorting Hat wouldn't want to play a party to abuse and murder. The kids who probably would have been given a good beating from Mommy and Daddy Death Eater should they not be in Slytherin."

At that, the young Auror held up the photo for his stunned audience to see. "Care to wager which group this miserable little mite belongs to? He's only a kid now, Professor, and maybe Divia Montliskard can give him the understanding you, as a Gryffindor and our greatest rivals, can't."

There was silence for a moment, Albus unable to comprehend the full implications of what Storm was saying. He did remember the painfully shy, withdrawn child that Snape was in his first year, the timidity giving way to repressed anger and sullenness as Severus grew up...But never once had Albus considered the boy was being brutalised by his own parents. While the late Cassius Snape had always been a hard, over-bearing man whose forbidding nature intimidated even the highest-ranked Ministry official, surely he wouldn't have harmed his only son just because the boy could have been destined for another House.

It was a sickening possibility and, the more Dumbledore considered it with hindsight, very likely.

"We'll take care of Severus." Dumbledore's stern voice broke no argument, his typically twinkling blue eyes hardening as he studied the Ministry agent.

Not surprisingly, Storm did not press the issue. He nodded curtly. "Then good luck...But find him, Professor, before You-Know-Who does. If this kid falls into the wrong hands, another generation will be blighted by evil because who of us today would be willing to kill a small child, not matter what abomination he was following."

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It was decided that it would be Dumbledore, McGonagall and Black who would Apparate to Muggle America and collect Severus. The Headmaster and his deputy were going undercover as child psychologists sent to treat the amnesic Severus, their credentials and notice of their arrival provided by the American Council, while Sirius would spend much of the time in his Animagus canine form that would provide him with more stealth around the Muggle adults caring for their wayward colleague. Lupin remained at Hogwarts as acting head teacher until such time Dumbledore returned, hopefully before the new school term began.

The trio were not quite sure what to expect of the children's home, perhaps something dreary and dilapidated, so they were pleasantly surprised to find the large, white-washed building situated on lush lawns complete with a well-equipped playground. Muggles may not have been the most responsible or astute of humans but when Dumbledore compared this place with the God-forsaken orphanage in Knockturn Alley, he wondered if compassion was the price the Magic world had paid for their abilities. After all, it was common knowledge that once dumped in the orphanage, few children found their way into loving homes in a world still dictated by lineage, talent and family loyalties.

It was one of the main reasons Harry Potter was placed with his hideous relatives rather than in an orphanage. They couldn't afford to have The Boy Who Lived arrive at Hogwarts suffering from suicidal thoughts and feelings of worthlessness. Perhaps, Harry would have been far more well-adjusted in a place like this than with people who saw him as a burden, certainly he was grateful Severus was brought here rather than condemned to a repeat childhood with a man as cruel as Cassius Snape.

Drawing his attention back from regrets he couldn't change, Dumbledore noted the children themselves were happy and well-kempt, all welcoming enough and eager to pet Snuffles as the Animagus followed the senior Hogwarts teachers up to the main office. There introductions were made with a beautiful fair-haired woman by the name of Jessica Roscoe, the co-ordinator whose fancy title basically meant she was the matron, den mother and head teacher within the children's home.

In the brief few minutes since they met, the Headmaster could deduce she was a vivacious woman, as fiercely protective of her children and he was of his own. She was more than willing to accept the two British 'psychologists' and their dog, the cover story Storm had compiled for them complete with credentials, yet the will of steel burning in her deceptively permissive blue eyes made it clear they wouldn't just be able to spirit Severus away without Roscoe drawing a great deal of attention to them.


No, they had to play it by ear and wait for the right moment to take custody of their defenceless friend.

"So, you're here to visit our mini celebrity?" Miss Roscoe smiled.

"You seem quite fond of Sev...Steven," Dumbledore commented with a warm smile of his own, hoping the Muggle wouldn't notice his slip.

The young woman nodded tenderly. "Yes, he's a sweet kid." She glanced in concern to Snuffles when the dog choked slightly. "He's settled in well after all he's been through. I...I do have some hopes of maybe fostering him myself in the near future. Steven deserves a good home with a family who loves him." Her features darkened. "One thing for sure, I will fight all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to should his parents turn up and claim for custody. If it's the last thing I do, that kid will not be returning to whatever hell-hole he came from." Suddenly, she broke off her tirade with a blush. "Sorry, I really need to learn to not preach."

"No need to apologise," Albus reassured. "I'm glad to hear you care so much for the children in your care."

It was comforting to know Severus had an advocate willing to fight for him in this strange new world in found himself in. Of course, this did make their work in reclaiming their Potions Master more awkward since Miss Roscoe would no doubt be watching them carefully when it came to her children.

Miss Roscoe sighed slightly. "Doctor Dumbledore, these kids have all had terrible starts to life, they've been through things from our worst nightmares...I just want to give them all a fresh start." She turned hopeful eyes to them. "Lord knows what Steven has been through, looking at that atrocious mess someone has made of his arm I'm guessing his parents were involved with some kind of mad cult or something." The woman would never know how right on the mark she was with that assessment. "I really hope you're able to help him though, either by jogging his memories or helping him just put the past behind him. He's a very bright little boy, he's got a great future ahead of him and I don't want his past holding him back."

What could they say? How could Dumbledore possibly explain that the past was an intrinsic key in bringing Severus back? A past, which was undoubtedly afflicted with more adversity and bleakness than a simple Muggle could understand, was the only way to ensure the professor could protect himself and would not be lured in by Voldemort's lies.

"We'll do our best," Minerva said, almost tenderly, "we only want what's best for Steven too."

Even if their goals diverged greatly.

"You Brits really do care for your kids, between you guys and Lucius, Steven will be spoilt for attention."

At the mention of Malfoy senior's name, the Hogwarts trio instantly jerked up. Obviously, Malfoy had used his natural charm and charisma well to slither his way into these people's lives and their trust. It was also quite apparent that Severus had little memory of his adult life lest he would have made his dislike of Malfoy known and thus Roscoe would have put an end to the visits.

"Lucius?" was all Minerva said in polite askance, exchanging a worried sideways glance to the Headmaster.

"Yes," Miss Roscoe replied fawningly, "Lucius Malfoy, he's a politician back in Britain. He heard about Steven and wanted to meet him, been here a few times and they get on very well. It's so sweet that Lucius has taken the time to spend with one of our kids. Next time he's planning on bringing his own son down and maybe taking the two out to meet his boss who really wants to assist Steven in whatever way he can. It'll be good for Stevie to get out a bit."

It was all Albus could do not to shake the woman to understanding, to ransack the building until he found the young Snape and transported him home to the safety of Hogwarts. It did not bode well that Malfoy had gained enough trust to be allowed to take Severus out and that he felt the 'boy' had reached a point where he was ready to meet the Dark Lord.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and a young boy trudged in. Dumbledore could feel Minerva and Snuffles stiffen next to him; all trying to conceal their collective astonishment, as they took in the child's profile. The boy was tiny, looked no older than four or so, although there was a strange knowing glint in his eyes which gave away a maturity lacking in a toddler. His hair was dark and silky, cut short and brushed neatly to the side. Understandably, he was dressed in Muggle clothes of blue jeans and a red T-shirt while a thin tell-tale band of bandage was wrapped around his left forearm.

Whether it was the eyes or the shrewd and reserved aura he exuded when he glanced at the supposed 'strangers', the three Hogwarts teachers knew without doubt the boy standing before them was Severus Snape cast into the body of a six-year-old child.

It was all Dumbledore could do not to pull the small child closer and hold him in the knowledge Severus was whole and healthy. His Potions Master would be mortified to realize that Albus saw him as a son he would never have, just as he looked upon Sirius, Remus and James as his own children. Severus may never have been in Gryffindor, fought everything the House supposedly stood for, yet the elderly wizard saw goodness in the boy.

"Hello, Steven," Miss Roscoe greeted, cordially although there was a mild tone of chastisement carried in her voice.

The boy (a part of Dumbledore still couldn't quite accept this was Severus; he was so small!) frowned dubiously. "Hi..." He obviously done something wrong and knew he had been caught. It was an expression familiar to many a teacher.

"What's this I've been hearing about you?"

"Me?" was the innocent reply.

"Yes, you. You and the old tree by the school."

"Don't know."

"Steven..." There was now a distinct edge of warning in the woman's tone.

Severus sighed. "I climbed the tree and that stupid, interfering teacher caught me. Was she the one who told on me? It's the summer holidays; you'd think she'd have better things to do than spy on me."

There was a slight American twang now carried in his cultured accent, another testament that eight months was a long time for the child Severus had become. Thankfully, he had yet to give in to using the atrocious slang his young American peers were so fond of. Albus' ears would have hurt to hear the so eloquent Severus mutilating his upper class English.

"Don't call your teacher stupid, and yes, she did inform me of your little adventure for good reason. That tree is old and rotten, what would have happened if the branches gave way while you were climbing it?"

"You'd have rather solid grounds for suing the county," smirked the boy, in a sarcastic manner which was so much like the Severus they knew that Dumbledore had to swallow back a gasp.

"This isn't funny, Steven. You break your neck, don't come running to me."

"If I break my neck, I don't think I'll be able to do much in the way of running," Severus calmly replied, a quip too smart for the average six-year-old.

Evidently, the boy did seem to have many of the adult Snape's personality traits and, from the way Miss Roscoe commented on his heightened intellect, most likely he also carried his knowledge. Dumbledore wondered exactly how accomplished the child was at magic and how much he retained from his adult memories as well how he attributed his wizarding talents when he was being raised for eight months to think as a Muggle. Whatever the answers were, the sooner they took him back to Hogwarts the better. Here Severus had the magical abilities of a powerful wizard with the immaturity and body of a primary school child; a very dangerous combination...

It seemed the young woman was used to Severus' sardonic attitude. "I'm glad to see you using that brain of yours; you'll need it for that for when you help Tiffany in math for the rest of the week."

"But Tiffany is a dunderhead," the boy whined.

Yes, this was definitely their Severus, only lacking the aloofness and perpetual sullenness he gained in adolescence.

"Where do you learn these words, I just don't know. Now that's been dealt with, I'd like you to meet Doctors Dumbledore and McGonagall. They're going to be spending some time with you, trying to help you with your amnesia."

The boy turned and the three wizards found themselves under the steady scrutiny of those vast opal eyes. Albus felt a wave of sadness when he saw nothing other than childish innocence and inquisitiveness, not even a hint of recognition. He had hoped Severus would feel a slight familiarity from them. Instead, in essence, the man who was his friend was gone and now he was entirely responsible for this helpless little boy albeit a very gifted helpless little boy. It was like an insane version of James and Lily Potter and their exceptional son, only this time this situation was far from a parent who had entrusting him with their son.

Oh Severus...As cherubic as he was, would they be able to return him to his thirty-six-year-old self?

"Are you shrinks?" Severus asked, head titled to the side as he regarded them.

"Excuse me?" Minerva queried, unsure of the question from her own lack of exposure to Muggle slang. Dumbledore himself recalled Darien Storm using the word but he couldn't remember in what context.

"Steven, the preferred term is 'counsellor'," Miss Roscoe corrected mildly.

The boy just shrugged at the rebuke, his solemn eyes brightening when his attention turned to Snuffles. "You have a dog? Is it a boy or a girl? What's its name?"

The excited questions were rattled off as he dived forward, smothering the shocked Animagus with pets and hugs. In sadistic amusement, Dumbledore would have given anything to see Black's human expression when Severus Snape of all people drew him into a loving embrace. He was also delighted that the boy had taken so quickly to Snuffles; at least he had made one connection to his life in Hogwarts, ironically with the one person he loathed most of all.

"He's a boy and his name is Snuffles," Dumbledore explained kindly, smiling when the child paid him only the slightest glance before turning back to his new four-footed friend. "Sometimes he likes to be called Sirius." He added the last statement to see if there would be any reaction to the name of his boyhood enemy.

There was a reaction but one of puzzled scorn. "'Sirius'? That's a daft name, Snuffles is much better."

The big black dog sniffed in insult but allowed the boy to continued petting him. The three other adults watched for a few minutes, giving Severus time to become used to the canine and in turn to Dumbledore and McGonagall.

Miss Roscoe then cleared her throat. "Stevie, honey, why don't you show Snuffles and his friends your room?"

Severus paused for a moment then nodded. "Okay, come along then."

As the boy lead Snuffles away, casting a glance to see if the Headmaster and his deputy were following, Miss Roscoe caught Dumbledore's eyes and she mouthed a 'good luck' to him. She didn't have a clue how much they would need that luck and all the luck they could receive...

End of CHAPTER ONE- The Boy Who Lived Again

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