Shaun Snape, Age 8

By Teacherbev

Summary: Part 3 in the Growing Up Snape series. Shaun is now 8 years old and dealing with his father Severus, loose Death Eaters, Merlin and magic.

AN: It is probably necessary to read the first two stories, Snape's Invisible Friend and Growing Up Snape in order to make any sense of this story. I appreciate all those who have read and enjoyed my stories, especially those who have taken the time to post a review.

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 who likes to twist plots and play with characters, so enjoy.

AN: Thank you to all the reviewers who pointed out that at one point I wrote the twins were two years younger than the group at Hogwarts, I would fix it, but I don't know how to do that without losing all of the reviews already posted for the chapter. I would appreciate knowing how to do that if anyone can tell me how?

Chapter 9: Back to School

The returning students noisily made their way into the Great Hall; calling to friends they hadn't seen all summer and looking forward to the sorting and especially the Beginning of the Year feast that would follow.

Minerva's chair was empty, she had just left to go and bring in the new first years for their first glimpse of the magnificent and awe inspiring Great Hall before they would be sat upon the rickety three legged stool, have the ancient sorting hat placed upon their heads and then be sorted into their new home for the next seven years.

All of the Professors were looking forward to the new students with both excitement and dread. This would be the first year with graduating students from the community day school and the implementation of the new curriculum that they were still madly trying to fine tune. Unlike other years though, they had detailed reports on each first year's magical potential, strengths and weaknesses and all of these students had received their wand when they had turned nine. Two years of almost daily practice using a wand would make a tremendous difference in the first year's abilities. And everyone, pureblood, half-blood, Muggle raised or Muggle born; had received two years of wizarding and muggle history, as well as courses in both Muggle culture and wizarding culture.

Everyone had been rather surprised that the reluctance to attend the day schools had come mostly from the purebloods. It seemed that most of the muggleborns had already been having unexplained and unexplainable episodes of accidental magic. Accidental magics small enough not to be noticed by the Ministry for Magic but large enough for families and friends to notice, and so the enrollment of half-bloods and muggleborns had reached almost one hundred percent rapidly. It had been a great relief to most parents and students to have an explanation for what had been occurring and everyone was anxious for the students to gain control and to stop having to try to make up excuses for their children's 'unusual' behaviors and accidents.

Among the purebloods, enrollment of the less traditional families had been greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Most parents were anxious for their children to meet other like them without the full stress of boarding school. But among the very traditional and the most virulent of the 'pureblood mentality' no child had been enrolled at any of the centers. It seemed they preferred to keep total control of what and how their children were educated.

And so this year, out of the 38 new first years to be sorted, fully 33 of them had two years of learning to control and harness their own magics. They had been taught meditation skills, rudimentary wandless magic, beginning herbology and potions safety and interactions of ingredients. They had two years of history of magic, physical fitness and very simple Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Magical theory and an extensive language course in Latin had been included along with the more muggle studies of reading, math, spelling, and penmanship (including how to write properly with a quill and ink).

Minerva and Flitwick were both very excited to begin to teach with a group that was already familiar with incantations, wand movements and accessing their own magics. Severus was hoping that since most of his incoming students had been thoroughly exposed to how potions ingredients interacted and why you stirred clockwise or counter-clockwise as well as safety issues that he could relax his teaching methods somewhat and actually get to teach rather than just watching like a hawk for potential disasters.

Sirius was in his element. Not only was he continuing to tell his 'stories' about wizarding history to the Hogwarts day school, and teaching the History of Magic classes for the first through seventh year Hogwarts students; he had been asked by the Ministry to write his stories out in book form to become the new textbook for the community day schools next year. His notes from what he had taught to Shaun's group were meticulous enough that he almost had the first two years of the book done and he was looking forward to his new project.


The staff had their wandering attention brought back as Minerva led the awestruck eleven year olds into the Great Hall. With their eyes wide and the heads turning every which way trying to take everything in, they looked like a flock of little ducklings following the mother duck as Minerva led them down the center aisle toward the waiting stool and hat.

Shaun always loved this part. He and his dad always tried to pick the House that each student would be sorted into, and Shaun always beat his father, every year. Of course, being an empath could give him an unfair advantage, but neither one minded. This year was no exception, so Shaun craned his neck to see the group waiting nervously and listened intently to the new song from the hat.

The ancient hat seemed to wiggle and stretch for a moment before a wide crack opened and eyes appeared. With a look around the Great Hall, the hat began singing:

Listen my children to a story from long ago,

About four people who thought to show,

That children should learn without fear or sorrow

For they are our hope, our faith for tomorrow.

They started this school, their plan was bold

They would take the brightest, the best in their world

And bring them together, their world to save.

For enemies abounded, all wizards to enslave.

So listen and heed my words of advice.

Cease with the turmoil, the hatred the strife.

By pulling together and working as one.

Our world with survive and bow to no one.

I'll sort you; it's what I am tasked to do.

But don't let a house divide you in two.

United we stand, divided we fail,

Learn that you must and so ends my tale.

"Well that one was different, wasn't it, Dad?" Shaun looked over at the perplexed faces of the staff members all up and down the table. Apparently the song had been even more unusual than he had thought. Minerva turned and glanced behind her at Albus who just nodded at her to continue the sorting. She pinched her lips together, a sure sign he would be discussing this with her later and turned, unrolling the parchment to begin reading the names.


Severus had placed Shaun into his uncles' care for the night and strode down the stairs towards the Slytherin dormitories in the dungeons. His face wore the deep scowl that had been his trademark before Shaun had so radically changed the man. 'What the bloody hell was going on?' his thoughts were dark as he swept through the echoing corridors, his footsteps making very little sound. 'Only six new Slytherins and only one of those from the day schools; Ravenclaw gets fourteen, Gryffindor ten and even Hufflepuff got eight! My snakes only get six and most of them I can guarantee have already been thoroughly indoctrinated with their parents' pureblooded superiority nonsense! Flint, Montegue, and Pucey were the only new boys. 'Might as well be running a junior death eater's boot camp with that trio! Of course Ariel Parkinson isn't going to be much better. I don't know much about the last girl or her family. I don't think they followed Voldemort, but I don't think they are on the light side either. Hm, what was her name? Ah, Glorianna Greengrass, well I will have my work cut out for me this year I can tell.'

He adjusted his sleeves, took a deep breath and pulled open the portrait guarding the entrance to the Slytherin common room. "All Slytherins, report at once!" His voice carried over the quiet conversations and everyone came and found seats, most of the younger years sitting on the floor. He began his usual greeting for the new year, emphasizing how Slytherin house worked. "We are a proud house, but not trusted much by the other three houses. You may disagree with a fellow House member, but that disagreement stays inside this dormitory. Slytherins stand together as one against any other house." He went on to stress the very harsh penalties that would be inflicted if any of the House rules, both those spoken and unspoken were broken.


Hogwarts day school officially began one week after the regular Hogwarts students began classes, so on the Monday after the opening feast, Shaun waited anxiously for everyone to arrive by their special portkeys. He was looking forward to having two new students but a little nervous since they were two years older. He really liked Charlie and Bill Weasley, though he hoped the twins weren't too much like their prat of a brother, Percy! He had not had much to do with the new second year, but if last year had been his normal behavior, the snooty redhead just liked rules way too much!

As each returning student arrived in the designated landing area and quickly moved away to allow others to portkey in, they all greeted each other with smiles, hugs and lots of excited chatter. They had been told that Shaun had been successfully rescued but they had all witnessed his sudden disappearance from his birthday party and were all a little anxious to make sure that he really was all right, and that they were not just being told that because they were 'too young' to understand.

The seven waited in a clump to see their two new classmates. With a thump and a muffled mixture of laughs and mild curses, the two redheads untangled themselves from the mass of arms and legs that they had landed in and stood up. Shaun noticed they were taller than Bill and Charlie had been, but their grins and flaming red hair dispelled any doubts that they were not like their brother Percy.

The two moved forward, hands outstretched and beaming grins to greet their new classmates. Any awkwardness about the age difference immediately disappeared as the twins' ready acceptance of the group was obvious.

The younger group rushed forward and with a cacophony of eager conversation, led the two on a tour of the classroom. Remus just smiled as he watched from his desk in amusement. This was going to be an interesting year!

Remus pointed his wand in the air and flashed sparks to get everyone's attention. "Okay, class, find your desks. As you can see, this year we have a desk for everyone and much more of your class work will be done sitting at tables. As you are all eight now," he nodded at the twins, "or ten, we are dispensing with the mats on the floor for the most part, though we will still use them for meditation and some other exercises that you will be doing."

The nine students quickly found the desk with their name on it and sat down eager to begin. Remus reviewed the material from the last month of school for the returning students and to make sure that the Weasley twins had covered everything that had been taught. Everyone seemed up to speed so he began with new material on ancient runes.


It wasn't until the group had moved to the indoor gym area for physical fitness training that the difference between the older boys and the core group really showed itself. The seven had a distinct advantage after two years of training at the hands of the taskmasters of Remus and Sirius. The redheads were panting and gasping while trying to keep up as the younger ones were still running laps. Sirius stopped and put an arm on each boy's shoulder, "Don't worry, you'll catch up soon enough. Just take it slow and easy to begin with. Shouldn't take more than a few weeks for you to be at the same level they are. Just think about being able to outrun your older brothers if you need more incentive!" Twin wicked grins appeared as the boys took off running after their classmates once again.


Severus wasn't looking forward to teaching the first potions class to the Hogwarts Day School. This year they would actually begin brewing potions, rather than just learning how ingredients combined and the magical properties of each ingredient and why and how each was used in specific potions. He also wasn't looking forward to having the Weasley boys in class with his son and his friends. He knew how each of the younger students thought, how they reacted to situations, and how they learned best, but the two new students were total unknowns. Of course he did know their reputation for being pranksters and very bright at potions and charms, he wasn't sure that Shaun needed to be exposed to any more people like Sirius Black.

He stood in front of the nine excited students, listed each ingredient they needed to fetch to brew the basic potion base he was starting them on, and then told them to open their textbooks to page 21 and begin. He strode up and down through the new potions lab they had added to the day schools rooms, keeping an eagle eye out for any mistakes.

"Careful, Luna, check your directions once more, yes, three drops not three drams, that's right."

"No, Neville, it says to stir counter clockwise, not clockwise, do you remember why you stir an acid counter clockwise?"

"Ah, to help it blend with base ingredients so the different magical properties don't cancel each other?" Two years had really help Neville build up some confidence but the constant harshness of his Grandmother's belittlements still showed when he wasn't completely secure.

"That's right Neville." Severus said with a small smile of encouragement as the boy began stirring with more confidence.

He turned to watch Shaun's brewing, feeling a deep pride in the boy's masterful and careful movements. He was sure that Shaun's abilities with potions would far exceed his own some day and couldn't help but smile tenderly at the boy, especially since Shaun wasn't paying any attention to him and wouldn't see it. He turned with a swirl of billowing robes as a poof of air and a loud thwump of noise alerted him to a problem. George and Fred stood over a cauldron, soot covering their faces as they looked sheepishly at their fuming professor.

"Oops, we shouldn't"

"have added the extra"

"day lily petals and the"

"moonstone, I guess, Professor!"

Severus was glaring down at the unrepentant duo, "And why exactly would you add those ingredients, gentlemen?" some of the old snarky Snape had reappeared in his anger.

"Sorry, sir, no idea"

"just seemed like a good idea"

"at the time sir!"

The rest of the class broke out in a fit of giggles before Severus snarled "Back to your own cauldrons, before they blow up also." Severus reached up and massaged his brow. 'Now what do I do, can't take house points, no house. I really don't want to have to watch them for a detention, hmm, what can I do?' he thought to himself as the two miscreants in front of him started to squirm. They had heard tales of the old Snape from their oldest brother and really didn't want to experience that first hand.

"I want a twelve inch essay on this potion and why it is not a good idea to randomly add other ingredients to it. And you will do it during free time this afternoon! If it is not completed to my satisfaction I will inform your mother that it is to be redone before class tomorrow." He waved his wand, making the still barely smoking mess in their cauldron disappear before sending them over to sit and just watch their classmates finish their brewing.

Both boys had turned white as ghosts at the thought of their mother's retribution if she got fire called by a professor about misbehaving on their very first day of school. They sat meekly and quietly for the rest of the period, wishing they had not decided to just add something to see what would happen.


At the first staff meeting at the end of September, everyone was too excited to settle down as they each chattered excitedly about the new first years. Severus twisted his lips in frustration. Unfortunately his new six snakes were not among the students the others were so excited about. Only Glorianna had been able to even keep up and he had had to find tutors for all of the other five for every subject. He sighed, how in the world were his Slytherins going to catch up for the two years head start the other students had? He had pondered the problem long and hard but had found no solution except to make day school mandatory and he knew that would never happen, the old pure blood families had too much political clout and were unwilling to submit their children's early learning to anyone else, especially anyone not espousing the purity and superiority of being a pureblood!

Albus sat beside Severus and put a hand on his knee to catch his attention. He had noticed his increasing frustration as the month had passed and knew what was probably bothering the usually taciturn man. Shaun may have broken the walls surrounding his heart and mellowed his moods, but Severus Snape was still in many ways a very private man.

"Worrying about how your Slytherins are going to be able to catch up?" At Severus' nod he continued. "I am not sure exactly what we can do at this point, and the problem will only become worse as each incoming graduate of the day school program has had more years of experience than their home schooled contemporaries. I admit I had not anticipated it being such a noticeable problem. I suppose I had assumed that the few still being home schooled would be taught many of the same things the day schools are, especially charms, transfigurations, and DADA."

Severus just looked at Albus' concerned face and admitted, "I am afraid in some of the homes, keeping the children isolated just means that the parents are feeding them lies about the superiority of being a pure blood and none of the parents can comprehend that their child wont be so far ahead simply because of them being a pure blood. It is inconceivable to some, especially those who swallowed the Dark Lord's propaganda that their child is such a genius, that schooling simply wasn't necessary."

Albus frowned and thought for a moment. "I can see how they would think that, but how do we change such beliefs without losing these children as they fail and see the students from the other houses excelling?"

Severus shrugged and admitted with frustration. "I don't know, and that's the problem! I have a group of sixth and seventh years tutoring them each night but most of them simply won't admit there is even a problem and simply don't see, or at least don't admit that the other houses are leaving them behind. Slytherin house has stood for cunning and ambition for generations, from its inception actually, but this group is so inbred and thick headed that they won't even acknowledge that there is a problem!"

Albus called the meeting to order and explained the situation to the other staff members. Each professor had noted the problem already but none of them had a ready solution. The meeting ended without any firm resolution, except to continue with the tutoring for another month and see if the problem eased. Albus finished by stating, "I am reluctant to even suggest such a radical solution, but we might have to separate the classes and teach them the curriculum from the younger years at the day school, perhaps at an accelerated rate and hope they have caught up by the end of the year."


A mysterious plague had seemed to strike the students at Hogwarts. The Ravenclaws started sprouting feathers and cooing at each other one morning, only to have their feathers molt just five minutes later, leaving a pile of bright feathers in piles around the floor, the table, and covering the food in an unappetizing fluff. Surprisingly no one took credit for the prank and none of the professors could find a clue about how it had happened.

Next, a group of second year Gryffindors, most notably Percy Weasley and his friends had found themselves reciting nursery rhymes instead of incantations in Professor McGonagall's transfiguration class. While she was secretly amused, she put on her sternest deputy Headmistress face and demanded to know who was responsible.

The fourth year Hufflepuffs in Professor Flitwick's charms class suddenly started squeaking when they spoke, just like the diminutive professor. He laughed and clapped his hands in glee, always appreciative of a good joke.

Sirius was beside himself as he retold the story of his sixth year Slytherins who had such bad gas that the cloud of noxious odors had made the torches flare as the methane gas of their flatulence reached them. He was laughing so hard he found it hard to tell the other staff that he had to move his next class down the hall to an unused classroom until the stench dissipated fully.

But no matter how hard they questioned the students, the culprits were never found and no one ever claimed responsibility. Severus had strong suspicions about who was behind the pranks but without proof, he could do nothing. He wondered if it was just Black, or Black and the twins, or Black, Lupin, and the twins! But he was wrong on all counts.


AN: Not much happening in this chapter, the action will begin again in the next. Thank you for all the suggestions for the name for Shaun and Snape's animagus form. I will tell you it is not a panther or a raven; they have just been done too much. But you are free to guess!