EEEK! Sorry for the delay, I got engaged and wedding prep has taken over my life since! However I hope this chapter has been worth the wait!
Dadda was angry when he left, he had shown this to the toddler by punching him straight to the face, breaking his button nose for the first time. Severus was never sure of the exact age this happened but had assumed he was around 14 months, as he had begun toddling at the time.
The force of the assault had knocked him back on to his bottom, and his head collided with the hallway wall. Stunned and seeing stars, the toddler didn't yelp or cry out. He remained on the floor until the front door slammed shut and his house quivered into silence.
His mumma was there as soon as it was safe, cuddling him and assuring him he was a good boy for not crying. She had fixed his nose as much as she could but told him it would be a bit crooked. That was ok because Severus knew his mumma still loved him. As a special treat, mumma gave him bread and jam, which he greedily ate in their parlour room.
Severus contented himself but sitting on the fireplace, watching his mumma sew closed a hole in one of the threadbare rompers he wore at night-time. His mumma had retrieved one of his special hidden treasures, a little tin soldier that mumma hid for him in the soot at the back of their fireplace. If dadda finds this, he won't be happy Severus, mumma had told him. It will be our little secret.
Severus sat on the fireplace playing with his little toy soldier, occasionally licking his little lips to enjoy the delicious strawberry jam taste that lingered there. He loved his mumma the most in the whole world, and right now he was a happy little boy.
Suddenly, the sound of his dadda drunkenly scraping at the door lock, missing his key repeatedly, rang through the parlour. Mumma looked to him in a panic, "He's home early" she whispered frantically, standing, and he knew he had to hide his treasure and run. Dadda didn't like to see little freaks like him as it ruined his day.
"Quickly Severus!" his mumma commanded. He threw his toy into the fireplace and scurried towards the rickety bare stairs, but it was too late. His dadda was in the doorway and had watched his little brat running from him, making him immediately furious.
Dadda's big boots stomped in the door, and Severus heard his mumma try to get between him and his dadda, only to be backhanded across the room, knocked out when she hit the corner table.
"Mama!" Severus had cried, stopping mid step on the third stair. His dadda had crossed the room in his brief pause and grabbed Severus by the braces of his too tight-dungaree strap. The dark navy corduroy shorts nipped sharply at his thin thighs and he gasped in pain and shock. This only spurred his father on.
His daddy spun Severus from the stair into the parlour again, throwing him by his garment strap and letting go mid-air. Severus flew, and let out a high-pitched yelp of pain when he hit the hard wood floor roughly. Severus' eyes were wet immediately, and he looked across to mumma. She was lying on the ground, a thin line of bright red blood snaked down her pale forehead. Severus instinctively moved towards her to help her, whispering "mama?" in a low broken sob.
He heard his father cackle and mimic him; "'Mama?' You pansy freak! Always running to your mother for everything. Never thankful for the roof I put over your ungrateful ugly head! I'll teach you some respective" he spat, advancing on Severus as she cowered on the ground, his skinny baby arms covering the thick black hair coating his head. He squished his eyes tightly and scrunched his little nose in preparation for the punishment, whimpering when the broken nose sharply caused him pain.
The smell of cheap liquor and strong cigarettes reached Severus' little nostrils and he clamped his lips shut to prevent him from retching. Dadda didn't like that at all, Severus recalled!
Severus waited tensely but nothing happened. He foolishly squinted his little terrified eyes opened to see his dadda was hovering over him, sneering at the toddler and slowly moving his hand to his bulbous waist, snaking the thick leather belt loose. Severus met his father's malicious sneer and immediately wet himself.
Nappies were expensive and Severus was being taught to use the toilet, but accidents happen for happy children, and Severus was certainly not a happy child.
His large black eyes widened in terror and he immediately looked down to see the puddle of urine he had created and was sitting in. His dadda followed his gaze and all fury broke loose; "You worthless piece of shit! You disgusting fucking maggot. I should kill you! You piss on the floor and expect me to clean you up?! You fucking ugly freak!". Paralysed in sheer terror, Severus watched as his dadda raised his belt in his hand and brought it crashing down on his cowering toddler. He heard the crash of the belt against his body before he felt the pain, screaming in agony and terror the sound woke Severus up from his nightmare.
Sirius was dreaming in his bed; he was remembering the night Harry had been brought home as a newborn baby. James had called him as soon as Lily went into labour, and then when Harry was born, and finally when they were coming home.
Sirius, Remus and Peter had ensured the Potter's received a befitting welcome back home, decorating the house and inviting Lily's friends Mary McDonald, Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadowes. Alice Longbottom, having went into labour around the same time, therefore missed the party.
Sirius had a lopsided grin plastered to his face while standing in the Potter's living room. He had enchanted nappies and baby bottles to chase Wormtail around the house to the tune of a mariachi band. Remus was standing in the far corner with his best longsuffering disproval, but Sirius knew Moony well enough to see the corners of his handsome mouth twitch. The girls were giggling as well. Sirius had set up confetti in red and gold to shower the newest addition to Gryffindor when he arrived home.
However, Sirius immediately found out that new-born babies don't like sudden loud noises and objects falling on them. And neither do new mothers.
The welcome Sirius had set up resulted in cheers turning to Harry's ear piercing screams and the occupants of the party turning on Sirius for pranking a new-born. Harry's cries still pierced his ears and the sleeping Sirius snorted uncomfortably in his sleep, bringing himself closer to consciousness.
27 minutes later, though likely only a minute or two in reality, Sirius was huffing on the picnic bench in the Potter's back garden. Feet on the seats and arse on the table, back to the door. He was so absorbed in his martyrdom that the sniffling and whimpering of the new-born didn't register until James and Lily were in front of him, blocking the view of the stars which the clear evening gave.
Sirius was sprawled across the table, leaning back on his elbows. Without moving a muscle, he arched a perfect ebony brow at the Potter's, maintaining a bored look.
Ignoring their dramatic pal, James cleared his throat importantly and Sirius moved to acknowledge his attention.
"Padfoot… come inside and enjoy the party you planned and ruined in one go" Prongs joked, earning an elbow to the ribs from his wife and Padfoot throwing himself backwards on to the table and sighing dramatically.
"Sirius, don't you want to hold baby Harry?" Lily queried, and the tone of her voice intrigued Black.
"Of course I do!" he muttered irritated "He needs to know his coolest and favourite uncle" he finished solemnly, his tone full of self-admiration.
James snorted loudly, "Not just his uncle mate" he stated, handing the baby to his best friend.
Sirius cradled the tiny infant awkwardly, taking Lily's advice on hand adjustments.
He looked at the mop of black hair, which the poor lad had inherited from his best mate, and then his eyes drifted down to the baby vest which was magically spelled with sparkling writing. Before Sirius could read the message, the letters morphed into an image of Padfoot, black and shaggy and unmistakable. He quirked an eyebrow at the couple, who nodded and urged him to look back down.
"Will you be my godfather?" was glittering up at Sirius. A little hand wrapped around his baby finger and his heart was immediately dedicated to the babe in his arms.
Eyes filled with tears, he pulled Lily and James into an awkward one-armed hug, holding Harry safely away. Moony had joined him on the side he was holding Harry and was proudly beaming at Sirius, resting a hand possessively on the seated man.
He was on cloud nine, such an honour and he was overcome until the smell hit him. His godson appeared to have made a present for him in his nappy, which he immediately tried to palm off to the parents.
His happy memory was clouded by the sound of a baby whimpering, louder and louder, a quick look at Harry showed the little lad sleeping soundly in his arms. He looked beyond his best mates into the dark corner of the garden, where a grey, skinny baby was whimpering on the ground. Naked, save for a pile of black robes, the baby screeched, and Sirius jolted awake instantly realising where he was, and that Snape was screaming like a banshee.
Jumping out of bed, Sirius ran across the hall, running into the door frame with a loud bang when he reached the temporary nursery. The loud bang followed by louder swearing of "bastard!" jolted Severus, who had awoken from his nightmare moments before.
"Oh no dadda is back and he's going to beat me for being a worthless freak" Severus thought, shouting "Please dadda I'll be good!". Sirius heard the frantic cries from the squawking baby in the crib and grumbled to himself.
He reached the crib and looked in to see Severus was beyond himself, he was pathetic looking in the centre of the large crib, his soft baby curls mussed up and his large black eyes red rimmed from tears and fearful.
Sirius patted the chest of the infant hoping to calm him down, but the tear stained face was looking beyond him.
"Please daddy I'm sorry I'll be a good boy" he chanted frantically, not knowing all Sirius could hear was terrified cries from his little mouth.
Realising the baby wasn't going to calm down without being held, Sirius sighed and shoved two hands under Snape's armpits, his movements hindered from his groggy sleepy mind.
Snape felt a sudden movement and the pain of being lifted roughly from where he lay and cried out in fear and pain. The terror of the nightmare and the darkness of his room combined confused his little baby brain and he reverted to his most embarrassing secret shame. He pissed himself in fear.
Sirius held the baby groggily, away from him and gently tried to shake Snape back into some sense. He was still in his nightmare.
Sirius moved the baby closer to him, settling one strong hand under the shaking bottom, only to receive a wet greeting. He cursed himself softly, realising he had likely attached the nappy incorrectly.
Severus heard Black call him an idiot quietly for soiling himself again. He was a grown man completely at the mercy of his sworn enemy and also his stupid uncooperative baby body. He roared in frustration and Black agreed with him "I know Snape, let's get you into a nappy you can't swim out of" he sneered, rolling his eyes at the baby.
Snape was wounded by the comment, more so because of his embarrassing habit of wetting himself as a child, particularly around older men.
"If you ever breath a word of this to anyone I will personally poison you and skin you alive you worthless mutt" Snape threatened tiredly, Sirius only hearing the quiet mumblings of a sleepy baby.
As he walked over to the changing table in the 'nursery' Sirius noticed that Snape's legs wouldn't straighten in the romper he slept in, and come to think of it, his forearms were bare due to the baby grow riding up them.
"This was bigger on you when you were put to bed Snape, what happened?" Sirius pondered quietly but aloud to Snape, who cocked his head slightly. Sirius thought the baby looked different, older maybe, but put this down to his memory of the new-born Harry so recently in his mind following his dream.
He took the saturated baby grow off Snape, noting the size was 6 – 9 months, and should have comfortably fitted him for a while longer (as it had done when he settled the brat last night!). Sirius half registered in his sleepy state that Snape's nappy was simply wet again, unusual for a baby to not have a dirty nappy in the 18 hours he had been here, but Sirius just thanked his lucky stars for a further reprieve and set about changing the brat.
Unbeknownst to Sirius, Snape was very aware of his toilet situation. He thought to himself grimly that shitting himself in Black's abysmal company was something he would avoid at all costs, and he was holding all control over his bottom until he could no longer!
Severus fought Sirius the whole time he changed his nappy, kicking and protesting a string of swear words at Sirius, who only heard angry mumblings from the baby.
"I know, I know, you're a big scary potions master!" Sirius smirked, watching the baby glare at him. He suddenly had the urge to tickle the little armpits lying in front of him.
Severus watched in alarm as Black sneered at him one minute and launched at him the next, a sure sign he was about to be murdered. However, his scream turned into a fit of giggles as Black mercilessly tickle- tortured him senseless.
Sirius laughed along with the baby, happy to hear a normal chime of a baby's laugh from the little brat. He looked at the little chubby cheeks of his former enemy and smiled at him with no malice, prompting a strange stare from the sprog in front of him. Sirius laughed to himself, summoning a 9 – 12-month baby grow to dress the child for bed. A quick tempus spell showed the time at 03:48, far too early for either of them!
"Right Snape, back to bed you go" Sirius chimed, holding the little one with one hand, noting he definitely felt heavier, but putting it down to Pomfrey's bloody medicine.
The baby stilled noticeably in his arms and looked panicked to be going back to his crib but made no attempt to stop Sirius or to cry out.
Severus definitely didn't want to be go back to that high crib he couldn't see out of, and it was so dark, he knew it was irrational, but he was so frightened and wanted to stay with Black. Wait, had he just really thought that?!
Embarrassed by his inner monologue's confession, baby Snape jutted a bottom lip out, but refused to make a sound. He allowed Black to lower him into the crib, something he feared due to the neglect he faced in his crib during his real infancy and settled in with a soft whimper.
He watched Black disappear and whimpered again, sobbing slightly and raising his baby fists up to his eyes. He rolled over and found he could push himself up to a sitting position and sat crying silently, unaware Black was standing in the darkness of the hall, struck by the heart-breaking scene.
Sirius had heard Snape's whimper when he left him into the cot, but ignored it, selfishly wanting to sleep. He thought Snape was playing ball and headed at speed to the exit. He was caught in his steps by a stifled sob and more whimpers. He turned to see the little baby struggle to sit himself up, to cry into the darkness as quietly as he could.
Snape was stunned when he found the shape of Black swiftly coming toward him, gently picking him up from the crib and cuddling him close to his naked torso.
Snape's rational adult mind was instantly overtaken by his stupid baby mind and he felt instant relief and affection for Black for lifting him, he unconsciously leaned into Black's embrace, putting a little baby hand on the man's neck and feeling the stubble which grew there.
Tears flowed down Snape's face and for a moment Sirius just seen him as a baby, a baby who had suffered terrible neglect. He instantly wanted to comfort the little tot and he wanted him close by.
"Ok, how about tonight you sleep in my big bed with me?" Sirius whispered to the baby. He didn't want to push his luck with the pup, after all, Snape clearly had his memories and was none too happy about the current arrangement. Therefore, he was pleasantly surprised when the baby looked at him with big cautious wet eyes and nodded deliberately, the little bottom lip still jutting out and wet from his tears. Sirius instinctively used a muslin cloth to wipe the child's face and nose, and cuddled him close.
The walk to his bed was short and he instantly felt exhausted, looking down at his little charge it appeared he felt the same way.
Snape was half asleep, his face squished against Sirius's shoulder, the little hand had slipped from his neck down his chest and was resting over his heart.
Sirius was careful not to jostle the baby and got into bed with the tot lying on his chest. He carefully cast the spells to protect Snape from rolling off the bed (or Sirius rolling over him!) and set a charm to alert him when the baby woke.
He looked down at the innocent face of his sworn enemy. Red rimmed eyes were rolling in tiredness and the baby had unconsciously cuddled into Sirius further, so he rubbed the little back soothingly and hummed a lullaby he remembered as a boy.
Snape made a sound which suspiciously sounded like a sigh of contentment and fell into a deep sleep where he had strange dreams of being loved by Sirius Black, any other night Severus swore they would have been nightmares.
Awwww poor Sevvy! He is having a horrible time at the moment isn't he? Things are going to get worse before they get better... Thank you all for the love on this story!xx
