A/N: Ok I decided to be nice and update. Heh. You all have Alex to thank for this. Since she handles the yahoo group posting I can concentrate on updating as opposed to my usual fighting with the bloody thing to work right.
A/N 2: Please read my original fic, either on the Yahoo group or on Screen name is the same. Thanks a bunch.
Disclaimer: If you've seen it before, I don't own it.
Chapter 28: Children's Antics
Remus activated the map and put his hand to his head. Draco was in the dungeons, alone. That boy was a troublemaker. Remus thrust Harry into the round faced boy's arms and stated simply, "Watch him will you?" before running out the portrait hole.
'What I wouldn't give to have Sirius' animagi form right now.' Remus thought as he ran as fast as he could to reach his young charge. The werewolf gasped in shock at the scene he came upon.
Draco kicked as hard as he could, trying to get away from his captors. The Slytherins snickered evilly and one of them raised his wand to stun the small child.
"What may I ask are two Slytherins doing in the halls when they should be in class?" a silky voice asked from behind them.
The two boys froze, then spun to face the Potions Master.
"We heard a noise and came to investigate, sir. We found the kid here and we were just going to take him to a teacher Professor." One of the Slytherins lied quickly.
Snape looked suspicious. Draco was fighting to get away. Snape raised an eyebrow at the two boys. "Well you have found a teacher. Hand him over and get to class."
The Slytherins hesitated.
"Did that sound like a request? Fifteen points from Slytherin for not obeying. Another ten for being out of class."
The boys dropped Draco into the irritated man's hands and ran towards the main class. Draco began crying and trying to get away from the creepy man.
"Potter. Stay still. I will take you to the Headmaster just as soon as you calm down." Snape tried to calm the boy.
Draco yanked on the man's greasy hair as hard as he could. "Yuk!" he yelled as he pulled his hand away when Snape loosened his grip on the boy.
Draco jumped down and kicked the Potions Master in the leg as hard as he could.
Just as Snape let out a string of curses, a voice sounded from behind him. "Watch your language in front of the boy Severus."
Snape glared at the werewolf, biting his lip to refrain from saying something that the boy would most likely repeat to the headmaster.
Draco ran and clung to the patched robes. "I sowwy Moony. I no hate you. I sowwy. Peas no make me go wit dem."
Remus picked the boy up. "Go with who Draco?"
"dos boys. Dey said dey take me to Maswer. Me no want to leave Moony and Hawwy." Draco began to cry into the front of Remus' robes. "Me wan stay wit Moony and Moony Girl." Draco whispered into the cloth.
Remus looked up at Snape. "Master. Do you know who he's talking about Severus? What boys?"
"Not here Lupin. Get the two boys and bring them to the headmaster's office. We will talk there. You do know where the other one is right?" Snape snapped at Remus.
"Of course. Meet you there as soon as I get Harry." Remus smiled as Draco snuggled into his chest.
Ron and Hermione ran into him on the way there and he sent them to Gryffindor tower to get Harry from Neville while he went to get Tonks. He arrived at Dumbledore's office just as Ron, Hermione, and Harry came around the corner, Harry giggling like mad in Hermione's arms.
When Harry noticed Draco he smiled. "Hi." He said sweetly to his brother who was still snuggled against Remus.
Dumbledore ushered everyone into seats and conjured a play mat and toys for the two toddlers. They played happily while Snape told the others about what had happened.
"So this wasn't just a joke on the boys. It was actually a plot to hurt them." Tonk said more to herself than anyone. "That heartless bastard. Recruiting children to hurt each other."
Dumbledore seemed deep in thought. "For now, we won't expel them. Watch them closely Severus, find out who their accomplices are. I have a feeling there is more at work here than we know. Now then, we must keep a better watch on these two. How is the question."
Tonks raised her hands in the air. "I'm not watching them again. They are way too moody for me." Tonks began to shake her head violently.
Remus looked up. "I have no problem watching them but I still have to do patrols. If we could split the duties between all the staff on their off periods...we could probably keep a better eye on them."
Snape's head shot up. "No. Absolutely not. I will not baby-sit golden boy potter and his newly acquired twin for any reason. They are babies. I don't know anything about babies. You will not volunteer me."
"No don't touch that! Don't color on that Potter! Potter! Put that down!!! Blasted old man and his twinkling eyes. How does he always manage to talk me into these things?" Snape muttered as he grabbed a trophy out of Draco's hand.
Harry meanwhile was entertaining himself by coloring on one of Snape's potion books and happily singing a song he picked up from somewhere.
Snape glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes and they would be gone. 'Thank Merlin.' Snape thought, 'its almost over.'
Finally Snape got an idea. He picked up a child book from the toys that had been laid in the floor and spoke loudly. "If you sit down and be quiet I'll read this to you." Snape figured it would be worth it if he could spare his office more destruction.
Harry ran to the man and looked up at him wide eyed. "You wead fow us?"
Draco heard this and joined his brother.
"Only if you will be good little boys and sit to listen." Snape said as he led them to a couch in the corner of his office.
Both boys nodded and climbed onto the couch next to him. Ten minutes into the story, Harry had fallen asleep snuggled against Snape and Draco was still listening intently to the story.
'This isn't that bad. There is no way for anyone to ever find out so I guess it is acceptable. At least my office is not still being torn to pieces." Snape thought as he continued to read the story.
A flash went off. Then another. This one was followed by a laugh and a familiar one at that. "NYMPHADORA TONKS!!!" Snape yelled as he stood waking poor Harry who began to cry at the raised voices. Draco joined his brother also afraid of the yelling and Tonks went running. She had to get away as soon as possible.
Snape went after her. Remus, who had come with Tonks, went to comfort the two boys.
"Shh. Its ok little ones. Would you like some dinner? Then we can play hide and seek in Gryffindor Tower. Would you like that?"
Draco immediately brightened and smiled innocently as if he was an angel. (We all know he's not) "M'k Moony." Draco said, almost bouncing off the couch in excitement.
Harry was still crying. Remus hugged him. This was the third time in the last few days that he had done this. He would cry because of raised voices and wouldn't stop until he was completely sure that he was not the reason for the yelling.
"Harry, Severus is mad because Tonks did something mean to him. He didn't like that so he yelled. He didn't mean to wake you or frighten you. Its not your fault. I promise." Remus tried to reassure the boy. The crying slowed to a stop.
"Weally? I not trouble?" Harry asked looking at the man with a glimmer of hope in his green eyes.
"Not at all." Remus assured the boy.
Harry smiled and jumped out of the man's lap. "Eat now." He said reaching for Remus' hand.
The boys joined Hermione and Ron at Gryffindor table. Snape came in sulking and sat next to Remus at the head table.
Harry struggled to get down from the bench and made his way towards the head table. Hermione and Ron watched him carefully as he made his way over towards Remus.
Harry pulled on Snape's robes.
"What do you want Potter?" Snape snapped.
"Was I bad?" Harry said, the clearest statement anyone had ever heard.
Snape rolled his eyes. "No Potter you weren't too bad for a horrible monster."
Harry thought for a minute. "You mad at me an Dwaco?" he asked the grumpy man.
"No Potter I'm not."
A pause, then, "Why awe you so cwanky? Did you no get a nap? Did me and Dwac stop you nap?"
"I don't take naps Potter." Snape looked a bit angry that the boy had said he was cranky.
"You should. Moony say people get cwanky if dey no get nap. Dat why you so cwanky all time." Harry nodded in agreement with himself and headed back to Gryffindor table.
Harry didn't notice the chaos he had caused. Remus was trying to keep from laughing so hard that he was turning blue in the face. Dumbledore was recieveing death glares from Snape. Hagrid and McGonagall were trying to hide their smiles behind their glasses. Everyone else couldn't seem to hold it and were either giggling quietly (Professor Sprout) or laughing so hard they had fallen out of their chairs (Tonks being the main one of these).
Harry climbed back up onto the bench and continued eating as if nothing had happen. The students closest to him leaned over and asked him what he had told Snape.
"I toad him dat he need a nap. Den he whont be so cwanky all de time." Harry continued eating as the Gryffindor table burst into laughter. Soon, the whole Great Hall knew and even Dumbledore giggled a little.
Draco finished eating and went to talk to their latest baby-sitter as well.
Snape glared at the boy as he came near. "What do you want Potter?"
Draco raised his arms at the man and said "Up."
Snape looked at the boy in shock.
"Up." Draco demanded. Snape picked him up.
Draco snuggled against the man. "Will you wead anoder stowy?" he asked innocently.
Snape turned red. "No I will not."
Draco's eyes began to water.
Snape looked on the verge of panic. Here was a choice. Get a reputation for making small children cry or ruin his current reputation by reading a children's book to the child.
Snape looked for a way out.
Remus was shaking with silent laughter.
"You put them up to this didn't you Lupin?" Snape accused.
"Nope. I wouldn't have thought of something so clever as to have little kids embarrass you. It was all there idea." Remus defended as he tried to regain control.
Draco began crying. Not only was the man not going to read to him, he was ignoring him, and yelling at Moony.
"Fine! I will read you the bloody book!" Snape said unable to stand the crying. He wasn't that evil.
Draco smiled and stopped crying. He stood on Snape's lap and hugged Snape's head. "Yuk!" he yelled all of a sudden. "Yuky hair. You need bath. Yuky hair bad. Moony girl aways tell us dat we need clean hair. You need clean hair." Draco pronounced rather loudly.
That was it. No one could keep control anymore. Tonks, who had just recovered enough to get up off the floor, fell down laughing once more.
"Shut up Moony's girl." Snape snapped at her as he dumped Draco into Remus' lap and stormed off with his robes billowing.
Draco looked at everybody laughing. "What so funny?" he asked bringing more laughter.
A/N: somehow Snape baiting is fun. Don't you agree?