ss"parseltongue"ss
Severus was giggling like mad.
"Stop that!" Harry glared.
That only made Severus giggle more.
Harry looked in the mirror and couldn't hold back a chuckle.
They had decided they would pose as father and son, but to pull that off, Harry had to look a bit older.
So he had aged himself with an aging potion that worked only for a day. He now looked like what he supposed his father would've looked like had he been alive.
His hair was still unruly and thick, but it was graying at the temples and there were a few streaks down his head too. He had decided to use Muggle methods of disguise. Those could not be dispelled.
He had used colored contacts to change his eyecolor to brown, and his face was wrinkled.
His scar was hidden underneath both a glamour and Muggle make-up. Severus had snickered through the entire make-up application phase of the disguise.
Harry scowled at him, and then lifted him to put him on the table.
"Yes, laugh. It's your turn now."
Using temporal, easy-to-wash-out hairdye, he colored Severus' hair to brown and then hesitated.
"I really should…"
Severus nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, yes, cut it off!"
A few deft cutting charms later, Severus' hair was about ear length and a little curly at the ends; he looked even more adorable.
"Well, son," Harry said, grinning at Severus, "Let's go."
Diagon Alley was crowded, and Harry made sure to keep Severus's hand in his.
They first went to Flourish and Blott's. Harry rolled his eyes when the youngster went wild at the sight of all the books.
Harry picked up some books on advanced defense, battle techniques and wandless magic, and several others he thought he could use.
After paying for them and having them shrunk, he went to look for Severus, who was sitting at the children's corner with a serious expression on his face.
"Found any books you like?" Harry asked.
Severus hesitated. "Ha…Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"I don't…don't have any money. I can't go to Gringotts either, can I?"
Harry smiled.
"I'm taking you on a day out, son. Don't worry about money. Today is for fun, ok? Go get the books you like."
Severus looked at him solemnly.
"I don't think your professor would agree," he said.
Harry sighed. "Probably not. Tell you what," he bent over so he could whisper in the boy's ear, "If you get changed back and decide you want to repay me, you can. Deal?"
Severus nodded happily and collected a pile of books. Harry held back a snort when he saw they were not entirely children's books; they were appropriate for someone about 3rd year at Hogwarts.
Paying for them and adding them to the shrunken collection, they then entered Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Severus moved carefully, reverently almost, looking at all the displays but never daring to touch. Harry watched him in amusement.
"I want a Nimbus 2000," he said to the man behind the counter, "With some extra charms."
"For the little one, eh?" the man winked.
Harry grinned self-consciously. "It's a surprise for him," he confided in the man, "But I wouldn't get away with it if I didn't have extra safety charms on it. He's a fearless flyer, and I don't want him to take a bad fall; he might well try out for a House team one day!"
The man listened with a small smile, used to parents bragging about their children's abilities. If only they all bought Nimbus 2000's for their offspring, he would be a happy man.
Harry paid for the broom and had it shrunken.
Taking Severus to Florean Fortescue's for some well-deserved ice cream, Harry smiled at him.
"I have a birthday present for you," he said.
"But my birthday is in January!" Severus protested his eyes wide with anticipation.
"Did you get anything?" Harry casually inquired.
"N…no…"
Taking out the small box with the broom, Harry handed it to the boy.
"It's shrunken, of course. My first broom was one of those; I really loved it."
Severus opened the box and gasped. "A..A Nimbus 2000?"
He turned beetroot red. "A real broom?"
Harry chuckled. "Of course. How else are we going to play Quidditch together if you don't have a real broom?"
To Harry's surprise, he suddenly found himself with a lapful of excited six year old hugging him around his neck until he feared he would choke.
Awkwardly petting the small back, he smiled. He remembered the joy he felt over his very first present, and wanted to make Severus just as happy.
He shook his head. All thoughts of revenge that went through his mind when he first encountered the now young potions master had gone in the weeks that Sevvy spent with him. And after the stories he heard from the boy, although he was sure they barely scratched the surface of what really had happened, he found himself feeling sorry for the adult Snape, and even detected, to his chagrin, a growing understanding for the man.
Meanwhile, he had learned to love the boy. He hugged him close to his chest.
"You're welcome, kiddo," he whispered, unconsciously using the endearment Sirius had used for him.
"Now…I have a plan for the rest of today, and you will need to tell me if you like it."
Severus looked at him, his eyes wide. "What?"
"How would you like to visit the Zoo?" Harry asked.
Harry enjoyed the Zoo even more then on the one occasion he had previously visited a Zoo. This time, no Piers, Dudley, or Aunt and Uncle were around to spoil his fun.
Instead, Severus walked beside him, practically skipping with joy.
The animals were well cared for, Harry saw, and some sophisticated programs were underway, but he couldn't help but wonder if the animals felt the same as he had, locked in Privet Drive and later at Hogwarts.
Severus tugged at his hand.
"Wanna go see the snakes, Ha…Dad, please!"
"Slytherin," Harry scolded playfully.
Severus stuck out his tongue. "Parselmouth," he retorted, and ran ahead before Harry could retaliate.
Their Slytherin hearts however, were not up to seeing so many snakes in so many cages. Harry chatted briefly with each one, while Severus was on lookout duty in case someone approached, and Harry passed the snake's clever remarks to him.
Someone at the back was demonstrating holding a large snake, and Harry looked at Severus.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked.
Severus smirked mischievously. "I think so."
ss"Hello there, mate, would you do us a favor and slither over here, if you please?"ssThe handler panicked when the first docile snake suddenly seemed to spring to life and slide down his arms, his legs and unto the floor.
Spectators screamed and jumped aside, reminding Harry forcefully of the events of Dudley's eleventh birthday.
Severus was enjoying himself immensely. This day out was wonderful. Harry had bought him a really cool gift, and now he let him join him in some of his famous mischief. The Muggles did scare easily, he thought as he sat down to pet the snake.
ss"Thank you," Harry hissed, "we wanted to make your acquaintance, and inquire if there is anything we can do for you lot."ss
The snake curled around Severus, but did nothing but nuzzle his hair.
ss"You speak our language. We honor you, Speaker. These humans take good care of us, but we are not free. Some of us wish to be free."ss
ss"That can be arranged, but escaping the Zoo, much less England is more difficult," Harry hissed
ss"There are only three of us, Speaker. Take us with you, and send us on our way."
Harry grinned and looked at Severus, while the rest of the crowd had fled.
"What about it, kid? Up to some breaking and entering?"
Severus nodded eagerly. Harry pointed at two glass windows, behind which were VERY excited snakes.
"Vanish the glass," Harry said.
ss"Come to me," he hissed at the snakes.
Severus Vanished the glass, and while Harry was busy getting the snakes to properly curl around various bodyparts so they could all portkey back, he saw a small garden snake in a tiny box. It looked very unhappy, and Harry did say they were going to make mischief and free the snakes that wanted to be free...
He quickly took off the lid and pocketed the snake carefully just as he heard Harry call him over.
"Ready?"
Severus nodded, and soon they were back at the Bungalow, in a tangle of snake, human, and packages of shopping.
Harry doubled over in laughter and high-fived Severus.
"Well done, Sevvy," he grinned, "did you see the faces of those people?"
Severus' eyes shone as he managed to get up without crushing the small snake.
Harry sat down on the floor, discussing the next course of action with the three large snakes. Severus curled in a corner, petting the tiny snake that had curled around his arm.
"Severus, I'm going to ask Griphook to help me relocate our guests. I'll be at the floo for a while, ok?"
Severus nodded quietly, shielding his strange bracelet from view.
After half an hour, Harry returned, happy.
"All three are off. Griphook knew a couple of people in the parts of the world where they came from…Severus! Is that a snake around your arm?"
Severus bit his lip, looking at his feet and nodding.
"He…he looked so lonely, and I couldn't leave him, I mean, we were setting them free…please don't be mad," he looked up at Harry in fear.
Harry shook his head and slung an arm around the thin shoulders.
"'Course not. I put you up to it, after all. But let me talk to your new friend."
Taking the snake from Severus, he talked to it for a while. Then he gave it back with a smile.
"First of all, 'he' is a 'she'. Secondly, you were absolutely right. She did feel lonely. She likes you, but she would like to be able to go outside to hunt too. Don't keep her in a cage," he warned the boy.
Severus smiled brightly as he patted the little head.
"Are you going to come play with me sometimes?" he asked.
The snake clearly nodded.
"I'll build you a shelter in the garden," Severus promised as he put her on the floor.
Harry hissed at the snake, which nodded again before moving slowly towards the back yard, where she found a spot in the sun, near the wall of the house.
"Now, Severus," Harry said, "How about we try out that new broom of yours?"
Somewhere in the far north, Arthur Weasley rushed to his wife excitedly.
"We caught Severus' magical signature somewhere in London. It was too brief to pinpoint the exact location, but we are sure it was him. He is alive!"