The sound of crying was the only thing that interrupted his surprisingly deep sleep. The child on his chest cried out, legs straining to move in the tight clothing. Snape peered down and could see the clothes no longer fit the boy. They were fit for a newborn, and like Madame Pomfry said, they would grow rapidly. He took action and stripped the child down to his diaper. That too was too tight, and we decided to change it diaper anyway. Trying to remember how Maisa had done it earlier Snape tried his best to figure out what was the front. After an embarrassingly long time later, he put a loose sleep sack on the child in case of more growth and Snape relaxed. It was obvious that a good amount of the night had passed. He had been under the impression young babes didn't sleep that long, and ate every 2 or 3 hours at this age. Maybe he should have read the book after all.
Child in arm, Snape made another bottle and fed him until both of their eyes drooped. He hated being awoken, that much would be clear in the morning to everyone else. This time, the child already slept, giving him the chance to place him in his bassinet. This time to himself have him the chance the proper change into more suitable night clothes and crawl into his own bed. The blanket had not yet warmed and gave him a chill. He slightly wondered if the baby not four feet away too was cold.
He felt colder, lonelier without that little leach on him. Plus what if something happened to him? What if's ran through his mind like a hurricane. So many horrible scenarios passed through his mind, and no mater how much logic he used to back himself up, they got the better of him.
He would not be able to sleep with his responsibility out of his sight, touch. Decision made, he grabbed the baby slowly and careful to not to wake him. Placing the babe near him, Snape put anti-suffocation and crushing charms over him before finally relaxing. His arm wrapped around the child's back, finger in hand. It was almost pleasant.
Morning came too early. The potions master had only briefly been woken up once more that night to a wet nappy, but otherwise slept soundly. Once again he noticed the child's appearance changed. He looked far more familiar now, but not enough to really tell who it was. The child's eyes had more of a darker, maybe green hint to them. This was not a prediction though. Eye color in infants were not forever until around 6 months or so. Wondering around his chambers reminded Snape of his job. That being a potions master and professor. He has to come up with book work for his students to do. That would be easy. Essay about this, essay about that. That should be good enough to inflict several unhappy groans and rather unquiet protests. An evil but friendly smirk danced on his lips and he got himself ready before helping the infant to do the same. By any guess, the child was anywhere from 2-3 months old now. and much more away. He was so curious, eyes big, lips moving like he was in awe.
" Good morning, I suppose you are hungry again?" Snape asked him expediting no response but surprisingly got a small coo.
" I am as well,"
It was awkward but it worked. He held the baby in his right arm, bottle in right hand, and his own fork in his left hand. Already he had mastered the skill of multitasking. He felt much better today, like he was worth something and doing right by that something. He felt useful and not just a pawn. He was tired of playing these sides, and now the only side he wanted to be on was the one his new responsibly was on. He felt like several months passed even though it had just been one night. This new revelation though enriching, hurt deeply. This being he helped to survive would not be this small much longer. This very concept both gave him dread and relief. Did he want to do this any longer? Was he tired? Yes. Does that matter now in retrospect? No.
What happens when he leaves this child in the infirmary to be watched by everyone else and he suddenly is no longer this small innocent being, but bigger. Will he miss when he starts to crawl? Walk? Talk?! He felt so foolish for feeling this way after one night with the child, but a bond like no other connected the two like a harmony. Breaking them apart would only cause pain.
" Breath Severus," He talked to himself and sorted through the box of clothes indicating 3-6 mos. He picked a cute, classical outfit that may not fit the era, but the mere soul of this small kid. Weird he knows, necessary? Still yes. Little legs and arms squirmed, fingers grasping his clothes as he made his way up to the infirmary where everyone else was taking turns watching the children. He had made up his mind.
" Aw Severus, alright are you?" Asked the Gryffindor head of house. She herself did not look alright. She looked exhausted.
" Looks like I should be asking you that,"
" Even with the help of Gertwin, I was up all night. I forgot how much children liked to scream." The woman looked older than her years. She clearly was up all night. Unlike her, Snape got a decent nights sleep. Yeah, he had only one, but from the sounds of it, a good one.
" Indeed." He said anyway.
" You seem to have gotten along well with your new room mate, have you positively identified him?" She asked, trying to spark a conversation, or more like trying to stay awake.
" No," In fact he hadn't thought all that much about it. It was weird that he was taking care of a child he already knew. This kid almost felt like someone he didn't know. Someone he couldn't put his finger on.
" I recon those two are Sophie Roper and Lisa Turpin," She said gesturing to the wide eyed infants who looked wide awake in severe contrast to their caretaker. They must have had a pleasant night.
Severus merely hummed in response and looked around at the many children, not being held but laid down and temporarily forgotten until they are in some need of attention.
Snape wasn't a big believer in coddling, or loving, but when he saw this he really didn't want his child to be like the others. He wanted to stay here and take care of him. He wanted this more than he has wanted anything in a long time. The warmth in his arms, innocents, it was too much to give up.
Coming out of no where Madame Pomfrey took the child out of his arms and urged him to leave.
" You may go supervise the older students in the great hall, now off with you," She said. His now cold arms plopped down to his sides, eyes staring at the wining infant. He didn't want to be with those snotty children who hated him, he wanted to be with this one, who wanted him; needed him. He could see the child did not like this new arrangement anymore than he himself did.
" Actually, I would like to stay here with him," Snape said, grabbing the child and setting his foot down.
" My my Severus, I have never seen you this way. You are being very protective," Pomfrey said, smirking to herself and glanced at McGonagall who was giving him a surprised look.
"Oh shut it you woman," He said and walked farther into the room, ignoring the screaming children, dirty nappy smell, and exhausted adults.
" Lunatics they are," He said to his babe and walked off to a little reclining bouncy seat. There, he would watch the child while catching up on some potions work. His large foot resided on the seat and he lightly bounced it rhythmically.
The looks he got were ever so annoying. People wondering why the most hated proffesor in the entire school wanted to stay with a crying, pooping, puking little human. He couldn't give them a good answer other than the fact that it was unexplainable.
His work lasted for while before his eyes drifted to the suddenly 'talkative' baby at his feet. Perhaps another developmental month had passed for the child, as he was bigger. Severus slipped his paper below his face to get a better look and felt butterflies flutter within him when seeing his babe smile at him. He didn't think, and just smiled back. A bouncy laugh emitted itself from the baby and the tall man of the dungeons really fell for this child. He put all work aside and put the rapidly growing child in his lap.
Getting the wriggling human to laugh was easy, apparently very distracting because a figure he had not seen coming approached him.
" A toy perhaps?" Asked the headmaster. Severus glared at the man whom wildly smirked like a mad man. He held out a bright colored butterfly with small pockets and different materials attached to it.
" You have gone soft,"
" And you have gone mad," Severus said boldly," Old age I presume to be the cause,"
" Now now my boy, I didn't mean this in a bad way. I'm proud." The twinkling eyes gazed upon the man he had seen grow up, rise and fall, rise and fall again. So many tragedies lace his personae, it was no wonder people found it strange to see him acting this way; strangely. Or maybe, that was simply normal. Seeing him act normal was weird. Unheard of. Dumbledore knew the history between Professor Snape and his family. He knows the cruel truth, the pain this man has gone through, and he couldn't express just how proud he was seeing Severus vulnerable. To a baby none the less. It was an unlikely sight. He had talked to Madame Pomfry before checking in with the teachers and gained some interesting knowledge. He didn't realize until then that the parental bonds were strong between these children and their caretakers. It was natural, and necessary to their survival in the real world. It made sense the same would happen here. Less obvious things became clear like bodily harm. Several of the children gained scars or harsh cuts over night. It was now clear that major events would still have an effect on them regardless of what actually happened now. This also made another, more concerning conclusion come to light. That being, if the child dies now, they will stay dead. This, he knew Severus has already overheard, and could help but notice his already chalk white face become platinum. He had almost looked sick, but had returned to his work a moment later.
Severus grabbed the toy his mentor hold out and waved it in front of the baby's face enthusiastically. Rewards came in smiles and small laughs. In secret, Dumbledore's breath stopped, though smile still stretched on his face. He recognized this child, as easy as recognizing the taste of lemon drops. Seeing him so innocent, it made his eyes water.
" What is with you old man?"
" Have fun with this one, you'll bring out the best in each other," Dumbledore said, then promptly got up leaving Snape to ponder this new quote of his. He brushed it off when another sound came from the happy baby in his lap.
By 4'o clock that night everyone parted ways and left to deal with, what some people think is a burden and others a gift, and relaxed. The greasy git of the dungeons was more than happy to get out of the eyes of everyone else. There was so much commotion today, he only got half of what he intended to get done.
Placing the child in a secure highchair, Severus ordered himself a meal, bottle, and some apple sauce from Maisa. She was very happy to help. Apparently young children were her care taking specialty, and knew exactly what to get. Plopping at his seat at the table, Severus faced the now six month old child with a slight frown. It had been a whole day, and Madame Pomfry had been right. Every day would equal six months worth of development. It hurt, a pain not physical, nor what he though was mental. It was spiritual. It was inside him, and it wouldn't go away no matter how much he reminded himself he hated children.
Eating some potato, Severus gave the bottle to the child so he could occupy himself a bit. His development had sky rocketed. The past few hours he has been rather whiny, come to find he was teething. That was accompanied by a slight fever Severus made sure to make noticed by Madame Pomfry. She reassured him, and even pointed out the small white tip of a tooth poking out of the boys gums.
Never had he felt so internally excited about a tooth.
" Ah," The baby smacked his hands against the highchair table and moved his legs around.
" Ah!"
" Want some?" Severus scoop some sweet potato onto his spoon and held it to the lips of the curious child before him. The sloppy orange mess slipped down the tiny chin and was accompanied by a nasty face.
" Not great huh? Never been a huge fan myself,"
He tried again and this time with a bit of squash instead, slightly peppered and sprinkled with salt. This got a better response and once it was taken away, the child wined.
" Patients, I will not stand for ignorant children," He said but it didn't change the actions of the little one.
Next Severus tried the apple sauce Maisa had left, and used the small plastic spoon that came with it. It's smaller form sit much better into the child's mouth, and the sweet food made him excited. And just like that, there was no going back to gross squash.
Night time again was a scary affair. Leaving the child in a crib by himself was a very conflicting action. Usually it was the child that was clingy, not the adult. Never the less, Snape found himself asleep in bed with an armful of child.
It was early when something woke him. There were no sound, crashed, voices, or anything. If it wasn't for the nagging feeling that something was wrong he could have just fallen back to sleep. His attention went straight towards the hot, tense child. The lights came on with a flick of his wand and he was horrified by what he saw.