Growing Up Snape

By Teacherbev

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher with a bizarre sense of humor, who likes to twist plots and play with characters' minds, so enjoy.

AN: I am excited, my very first story, Harry Potter and the Guardians of Power, has been nominated for a Quills Harry Potter Fan Fiction contest under the action/adventure heading at http/ www. geocities. com /dragonhidequills/main.html (Just remove the spaces, for some reason ff will not download a link here). Please read it and vote for it. And thanks for all of those who have added my stories and my author name to their favorites and their c2 groups! Makes writing much more meaningful and fun when I know people like it.

AN: To download any of my stories, click on my author name at the top of this page and then click on homepage. You may read messages, leave messages, and take the poll without signing in, but you must sign into Yahoo to download the stories. In the sidebar that says members only, just click on files and it will lead you to all three stories, each is available in PDF, e-book and mobipocket formats. Enjoy and please review!

'Italics' is mental speech.

Chapter 14: Summer School

School began in earnest for the seven children, three girls and four boys, the following Monday morning. At nine, in the classroom that the elves had provided next to Remus and Sirius' suite, there were six distinct plops and squeals as the day school students used their new portkeys, landing in various attitudes of ineptitude around the edges. Blaise and Susan landed almost on their feet, but they were the closest ones. Remus, Sirius and Shaun were quick to help each one onto their feet, while the two adults were praising each child on their very first solo portkey and promising more practice on landings later in the day.

The children looked around the classroom with varying degrees of wonder and anticipation on their faces. The room had seven short but comfortably large desks set around in a semi-circle with a large magical blackboard in one corner, each with its own comfortable looking leather desk chair; a very large open place with a thick mat and a plethora of large soft cushions scattered around invitingly. Under the back windows, various tanks and cages held a tempting variety of magical and mundane animals, and a child sized but apparently well stocked potions lab finished up the last area. The fourth wall had three doors that were all closed but promised more areas to explore later.

Remus called the children over to sit at their desks and they shuffled around until each found the one with their name in letters carefully displayed prominently across the top. They had been situated boy, girl, around the circle, starting and ending with boys since there was one more boy than girls. Remus spent the next half hour going around the group, showing how to properly hold a quill, the right way to get just enough ink on the tip and how to correctly form the letters of the alphabet. Sirius helped, but his handwriting wasn't nearly as good as Remus' neat strokes so he mostly just encouraged as much as he was able to.

Shaun thought his right hand would fall off if he wrote the alphabet one more time, so he switched to his left hand and found his illegible chicken scratches were much clearer and easier to read. Remus stopped beside him, saying gently, "Feel free to decide which hand is easier for you to use, Shaun, it's all right to switch off now, but it will be much easier to learn if you decide which hand to use soon." He ruffled the boy's messy hair and turned to Luna who was making up new letters with beautiful curlicues and swirls on her parchment.

Everyone was happy to move to the center of the room and sprawl out on the comfortable pillows as Sirius began telling them stories about the ancient wizards and the beginnings of the magical community. Shaun thought that when he grew up History of Magic might be his second most favorite class, behind potions of course.

As the students lost themselves in Sirius' captivating stories of wizard kind, Severus was losing himself, or at least losing his temper, in the intricacies of the adapted Wolfsbane potion. 'There's no purpose in using all of the original ingredients to control the wolf, as the wolf is being expelled by the phoenix ash, but if I remove the boomslang skin, the aconite becomes unstable and I need it to keep the human mind in control until the change from werewolf to animagus is complete…if I add oil of chameleon will that let the person become something other than a wolf animagus…perhaps, if I remove…' His mind focused completely on the task at hand as he mentally added and subtracted ingredients.

Severus had been so focused on his task that lunch time had long since passed and it was almost dinner time when he raised his head, stretched making several vertebra pop in complaint and looked with bleary eyes at the muggle style clock on the wall. Muttering several choice words that he hoped Shaun didn't know yet, he quickly banished the mess, cleaned his instruments, removed his potions robe and placed it into the vat of neutralizing solvent for the elves to deal with, then he scrubbed his hands with the same neutralizing potion he had used for the past ten years before sweeping out of his lab, a last series of wand flicks extinguishing the torches, locking the cabinets of supplies, and warding and locking the room against all intruders.

He didn't run, but his long legs allowed him to walk quickly at a pace that would have most others scurrying to keep up as he climbed up to Remus and Sirius' suite, just now aware he was over two hours late in reclaiming his son from his tutors. He opened the door to the suite and stopped, bewildered at the chaos he was witnessing. Every door to every room was open, including the one that connected to the adjoining Snape quarters. Remus was flinging open every cupboard in the small kitchen area, Sirius' feet could be seen just poking out from under the large bed in his bedroom, Minerva was using her wand to sweep around the room, calling out for Shaun, and Albus' bright neon blue robes were just visible disappearing into Shaun's bedroom through the open doors.

He couldn't see Filius or Poppy but he could hear their voices, "Shaun, come out, come out wherever you are!"

He slammed the door behind him; making the inane pictures that decorated the lounge rattle against the stone walls. Everyone froze, eyes unwillingly drawn to the tall, imposing figure now standing like a stone statue, one eyebrow raised almost to his hairline in question. "What in bloody hell is going on?" His voice was deceptively soft but no less menacing for its lack of volume.

Remus stood up, seeming to have shrunk under the other's intense glare. "Well, we…um…sort of lost Shaun…again."

"And, how pray tell, did you 'lose' Shaun…again?" Both eyebrows were now down and almost meeting in the middle in consternation.

"We were playing 'hide and seek' and it was Shaun's turn to hide and well, he sort of…well, Sirius sort of said…" the former werewolf's voice tapered off to nothing.

Severus turned to glare at Sirius, "You said what, exactly?"

Sirius swallowed, tried to speak, but only a croak came out so he swallowed again, "Well, I kind of told him he couldn't hide anywhere that I couldn't find him." He bent his head down in shame, not wanting to look at the man's irate face.

"What blithering idiot thought it would be a good idea to teach a child to play 'hide' in a magical castle with disappearing rooms, moving staircases, and Merlin only knows how many alcoves and hiding places? A child who can apperate anywhere and has a bad habit of disappearing from sight at will!" Severus' voice had started out deafeningly loud but had gotten softer and more deadly until it ended in a menacing snarl that was almost a hiss of menace.

A moment of silence was followed by every head swiveling so quickly that several necks were heard to crack. An innocent giggle was audible before a small pop of sound heralded the reappearance of Shaun, sitting cozily in the corner of the couch, mere feet away from all of the frantic searchers.

With an angelic smile of innocence, Shaun answered, "You did Daddy, when Neville and Blaise spent the afternoon, remember?" He giggled again at the astonished faces looking at him. Severus was opening and closing his mouth, face even paler than usual. Remus and Sirius went from ashamed, to surprised; to gleeful in a flash and everyone else just looked very relieved before beginning to smile. Sirius tried hard not to snort, swallowing his own saliva wrong, he started to choke and splutter. Remus reached over and slapped him on the back hard enough to make the poor man trip forward a step before catching himself by falling on Severus who wasn't expecting to be pushed from behind. He wound up just managing to twist enough to fall on the couch beside his son instead of flattening the poor boy by falling on him.

Severus recovered his composure first as he pulled the small boy over his lap before Shaun could even understand what was happening; pulled back his arm that was so strong from years of stirring cauldrons, and applied his hand to the boy's unprotected backside in three swift spanks. "That's for hiding by being invisible" swat one hit, "that's for not answering the adults calling for you," the second swat made contact, "and this one is for scaring everyone half to death!" the third swat was harder than the other two. Severus then pulled the sobbing boy up by his arms and crushed him against his chest in a fierce hug. "And this is because I love you, no matter how mad I get or how naughty you get." But when he went to bend down and kiss his son's tears away, Shaun disappeared with a shouted, "I HATE YOU! YOU PROMISED NOT TO HIT ME!" and a much softer, "you promised…"

Shaun reappeared directly in front of Nippy and fell into the startled but open arms of the small elf, sobbing incoherently. Nippy just led the boy over, snapped his fingers to make a comfortable child size couch appear, and sat down, pulling the hysterical child up into his lap. Nippy rubbed his gnarled hands up and down the shaking frame, murmuring soothing nonsense sounds as he had heard Master Snape do so many times in the last year. Shaun's sobs decreased in volume and then frequency as he finally calmed down enough to tell Nippy his story.

Nippy shook his small head at what the boy had done. "Master Shaun, did Master Snape leave bruises? Did he break bones? Is Master Shaun really hurts now? Or is his pride hurts too much?" The elf asked gently.

"But he…he…spanked me!"

"Yes, Master Shaun, Master Snape did spank you. He spanked you. He does not hit you with fist or belt. Did Master Shaun deserve to be spanked?"

The small boy took a shuddering breath as he thought over what the elf had said. He bent his head down and sniffled softly. "Yes." He whispered very softly. "I guess I scared them and I should have come when they called. But…"

Nippy put one finger under the small chin, "No but. You knew how they felt, you are an empath. Why did you make them so scared?"

Shaun just shook his head, now looking bewildered, "But I didn't feel them at all, well maybe just a little bit, but not like before!"

Nippy looked at him puzzled. "You couldn't feel they is sad and scared because they is not finding you?"

Shaun got a far away look and his eyes went out of focus as he searched within his mind. 'Merlin, why didn't I feel them? I thought they were still playing because I couldn't feel them.'

He was suddenly sitting on the couch in the cottage, leaning his tired body against the old man's chest as he fiddled with the long beard. Merlin laughed at his tickling touch and explained, 'Remember, child, we told you, we would bind some of your powers until you were old enough and trained enough to handle them. Your empathy awoke much too early because of the constant exposure to harm at your aunt and uncle's and then the daily overload of ambient magic here at Hogwarts. If you had been raised in a normal, loving family, the only feelings you would have been exposed to would have been caring and supportive so your empathic abilities would have grown gradually and not been noticeable to you until after you had been at Hogwarts for several years. But they awoke too early to help you protect yourself and then last year was too much and they just exploded into full power instead of gradually like they should have.'

Green eyes still red and bloodshot from crying met the twinkling green eyes of the old wizard, 'I guess I understand. But what do I do now; I can't feel what people around me are feeling anymore.'

'Well, child, I think it's time for you to return and tell your Daddy that you are sorry for yelling at him and then all of the others that you are sorry for scaring them by hiding. And then I think it's time for your Daddy, Grandpa Albus and Grandma Minerva to meet the Founder's and plan what we all need to do, don't you?'

With a deep shuddering sigh, Shaun nodded and reluctantly hugged the old mage goodbye. Merlin hugged him back, and said, "Remember, I am always a thought away. Perhaps next time you might think of talking with me before doing something like this, hmm?' He just raised one eyebrow in question and Shaun nodded in agreement before opening his eyes to find himself asleep against Nippy's chest. Shaun and Nippy talked for several more minutes before Shaun reluctantly said goodbye and popped home to face his father.

Severus had alternately paced and then sank down into the couch in despair before standing to pace once again. He understood what Albus was trying to explain to him but in his mind he could only see the look of pure hatred on his son's face as he shouted. 'How could I betray his trust like that? He'll never forgive me. My son hates me!' Albus finally just grabbed Severus' upper arms and forced him to sit down before leaning down and getting right into his face.

"Stop beating yourself up, Severus. Shaun doesn't hate you. And in fact, this is a good sign." Albus' eyes had almost regained their full sparkle as he soothed the distraught man in front of him.

What Albus had just said finally penetrated the fog that clouded Severus' brain with its absurdity. "What? You are barmy, you old coot! How is this good?"

Now that he had the black haired man's attention, the aged wizard pulled an armchair close and sat down, his gnarled hands on the younger man's knees, both in support and to keep the man from escaping "Yes, he finally feels secure enough and comfortable enough to risk saying something that you don't like. Think, child, he would never have stood up to you just a couple of months ago. He trusts you enough to openly defy you."

Severus was silent as what his mentor was trying to convey made its convoluted way though his brain to finally make sense. He looked wonderingly at the older man, "You're right. He never would have said anything that he didn't think would please me. And that, bloody hell, was about as 'displeasing' as he could get!"

Albus patted a hand on the younger man's knee and sat back in satisfaction. He pulled out his wand and conjured two cups of strong tea, handed one to Severus and sat back in his own chair, sipping his own absently. "Now, we just have to find where he went this time and hope it's not the Whomping Willow again."

Severus had half risen to his feet, once more in sheer agony of worry about his son when a soft pop caused him to drop his teacup, his drink forgotten as a small sobbing form clung to him for dear life.

"I'm sorry, Daddy, I'm so sorry. I love you, Daddy, I'm sorry…" was repeated over and over as Shaun sobbed, his face buried into his daddy's robes, his hands fisted into the soft material as if he would never let go.

Severus unconsciously patted the sobbing child as he rained soft kisses on the black haired head that fit so naturally just under his chin. He leaned his head down, relishing the feel of the small head against his cheek as he murmured sounds of forgiveness and love to the precious burden on his lap. "It's okay, child, I know you don't hate me. But you did disobey Uncle Remus and Mr. Black. And then you scared Grandma and Grandpa and the others when you didn't answer and they couldn't find you. Why didn't you just come out when the game was over?"

Shaun screwed up his face, still unseen as it was buried, and shrugged his shoulders. A tiny voice was filtered through the material as Shaun admitted, "Don't know Daddy. I can't feel them anymore so I guess I didn't know how scared they were."

Albus had been quietly leaving but stopped at the boy's confession in confusion. Severus had picked up on the boy's confession and questioned him further. "What do you mean, you couldn't feel them anymore?" He had put his hand under the boy's chin and lifted his head so they were looking eye to eye once more.

"Merlin said the Founders would tell you and that it was time for you and Grandpa and Grandma to come and visit them." He touched a small hand to the golden torque around his small neck, "This limits my magic as I learn to use it and get more older so I guess it makes it so I don't feel everyone else so much. I kinda like that; I don't like to feel everyone all the time. Especially when everyone's here."

Albus' blue eyes met Severus' coal black ones over the small head and wordlessly communicated. Two skilled Legilimens could place distinct thoughts into another's mind, especially with direct eye contact and the two had used it as an effective and completely secure means of communication over the years. Severus nodded at his mentor as the old man turned and left the room. Severus fed Shaun a light supper, and then the two climbed slowly up to the headmaster's office where Albus and Minerva were waiting for them.

Shaun was sucking on a lemon drop and talking to Fawkes while the adults talked over the events of the afternoon behind him.

'Fawkes, where's Niveus? I thought she was my familiar and had to stay with me all the time like you stay with Grandpa?' Shaun was stroking the phoenix' feathers in just the right spots to make him trill softly in approval.

'Ah, hatchling, she had to return to her nesting place to retrieve her ashes so that she can live with you from now on and not have to return there each time she needs to burn. We like to have our old ash in the place that we call home so that if we must burn away from home we are called back there to be reborn. Otherwise we must be reborn wherever we have burned and it's not as safe or comfortable for us. So by moving a small amount of ash from her first burning place to Hogwarts, she transfers her instinctive home to here with you. She will be back soon; ahh, here she is now, child.'

A glorious bright white flash with streaks of brilliant blue flames appeared in the Headmaster's office, momentarily causing the three adults to stare speechless at the small boy with the large swan like phoenix on his boney shoulder. Her tail feathers dragged the ground and she almost caused Shaun to fall down before she magically adjusted her weight and length to a much smaller form.

Shaun squealed with delight, reaching up to first hug and then stroke the bird, his small feathers combing and preening her feathers almost as well as her cruelly hooked beak would be able to. "Niveus, I missed you. Are you here to stay now?" In his excitement, Shaun's word tumbled out of his mouth.

A long happy trill was all that the adults registered but it seemed that Shaun was fully able to understand her meaning. He listened intently and then turned to the three staring at him. "Niveus says that she will take Daddy and me and that Fawkes will take Grandma and Grandpa. It's time to go meet the Founders." Niveus dug her long talons into the fabric of Shaun's robes, being careful not to catch his tender young skin. Severus reached over and gently held onto a long tail feather but at his son's indignant snort, he grabbed it tightly. Albus and Minerva each grabbed one of Fawkes' glorious crimson tail feathers and with a flash of crimson and gold followed almost simultaneously with a second white and blue flash, the Headmaster's office was empty. Except for the excited chattering of the portraits that had been pretending to be asleep.

AN: Next an historic meeting followed by a glaring contest between Severus Snape and Salazar Slytherin. Who do you think will win?