A/N: I keep getting questions on whether or not Harry knows Severus kept his adult mind. The answer is, no, he doesn't. But, where Albus is an idealist and treats Severus like a baby, Harry is more realistic – He knows how the adult would have felt about what was happening. And while he doesn't know that Severus still has that adult mind, he has no idea if Severus will remember being a child. Albus just assumes that this time as a child will 'fix' everything for Snape as long as he is cuddled enough. Harry, after having spent five years in class with Snape, has no illusions as to what the Potions Master reaction would be if he finds out he was a baby, and looked after by Harry and Albus, no less.
This won't be a terribly long story. I have too many other fics on my hands to start another lengthy story.
Albus looked over at Harry and Severus, who were both sitting on the floor of the office, playing with building blocks. That is, Harry kept building towers, and Severus kept pushing them over. He smiled.
"NO, Potter, I will NOT bear watching Gryffindor colors for one moment longer!"
Potter kept building gold and red towers to try and get him to play in his silly little-child games. Annoyed, Severus tried to strike the tower. Satisfied, he watched the blocks come down.
An owl flew in. Not concerned as many dozens owls flew into the office each day, Severus tried to grab the blocks before Potter tried to rebuild the tower.
"Odd," Dumbledore muttered.
What was so odd? Severus wondered.
"What is odd, Headmaster?" Harry asked.
"The Board of Governors wants to meet and it wants to use Hogwarts as the meeting place," the Headmaster replied, "They don't usually meet during Christmas break. I can't deny their request."
"Should you?" Harry asked, "is it so bad if they come here for a meeting?"
"Not as far as I can tell, it's just a rather peculiar occurance."
Dumbledore picked up Severus. "And you, my boy, need a bit more fresh air."
He studied the small face with obvious affection.
Albus doted on him. There was just no other word for it. Albus enjoyed walking around, just holding him in his arms, talking quietly, cooing, rocking him. It was annoying and embarrassing, and part of him just wanted to jump out of the old man's arms. And part of him relished in feeling wanted, adored, cared for.
Rubbish. He couldn't give in to such feelings. Albus obviously liked infants. He never cared for an older Severus.
That thought struck fear into his heart. What if Albus never changed him back into an adult because he preferred the child? No – he needed his spy. But this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. What if he felt he could 'rehabilitate' Severus by forcing him to grow up again? What if he didn't WANT the adult back?
…
what would he do if he ever found out that it was only the body that had turned into an infant?
"Well, the whole group is coming this afternoon while Severus naps, so as long as you stay out of sight, Harry, things should be fine," the old man said, bouncing him.
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Harry walked the grounds, on his way to Hagrid's hut. The half-giant was off into the Forest mostly now that the school was out, but his hut would be open and perhaps Fang would be there.
Voices suddenly caught him off-guard.
"Imperio!"
Eyes widening, Harry crept around the hut to see Lucius Malfoy cast the Unforgivable on one of the Board members.
"Now go, bring Snape to me. He is a ten month old boy, probably in the Headmaster's quarters. Do not return until you find him."
The man, his eyes glassy, moved away.
Harry's hands itched to get his wand and curse Malfoy well and good, but he knew there was too much risk. He slowly crept away, and raced towards the castle as soon as he was out of sight. He had to make sure Severus was safe and warn Albus.
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Severus was lying in his crib, eyes wide open. Albus didn't care for him. He'd very nearly fallen into the trap. Albus only cared for the infant he resembled now, as did Potter.
He'd expected it from Potter, though. In fact, he had been pleasantly surprised with Potter. No taunts, not even when they were alone. The boy had cared well for him and showed him a respect he never got as an adult. Or maybe he never saw it.
Remaining a baby would be horrible. He was beginning to get over his embarrassment whenever Albus changed his diaper or bathed him, but it still was shameful and he wanted control over his body back. The cuddles and…well, babying hadn't been so bad, if he was honest with himself. Since neither of the two knew he had his adult mind, he could let himself indulge in the bit of warmth he never had in his life.
It had all been a lie. Albus didn't cuddle and care for him because he loved him. He did that because he enjoyed infants. Or perhaps because he hoped to change him into a better person. He would be very disappointed once he found out the adult was still in there. Merlin, he would never be good enough, would he?
Annoyed with himself for crying, Severus started to pile the stuffed toys Albus had given him. He pulled himself up on the bars and climbed on the pile. With some effort, he managed to get a leg over the side of the crib. Now for the landing. Rolling his body over the edge, holding on with both hands, he hit the equilibrium point and dangled from his hands for a moment before he let go, and landed on his diaper.
Finally, a use for those infernal things.
Walking wasn't going to work. No matter how he tried, he just couldn't get his balance to work out. This body was small, and had different proportions. So he just decided to crawl.
He left Dumbledore's office, glad that there was no password required to get OUT of them, and crawled through the corridors.
Where to go? Outside? But there was nothing there. He could hardly crawl all the way to Spinner's End. The dungeons, then. He would be able to hide in his own rooms until he had figured the walking and magic thing out.
Bloody hard stone. Why had they never thought to carpet the whole castle? The rock hurt his hands and legs. He paused a moment.
It was then that he felt the shadow loom over him, and he crawled as fast as he could. Before long, though, he was swept up. He cried out, but a hand was held over his mouth and prevented any sounds. His small body couldn't fight the strong arms.
The Forest. He was being taken to the Forest! At least the centaurs wouldn't harm a child, but the other creatures WOULD. He'd make a nice Acromantula snack.
"Ah, I see you succeeded," a very familiar voice said, "Good. Give him to me."
He was transferred to Lucius's arms.
"You may be useful another time, so you escape death for now," Lucius said, leaving the man standing there without orders as he Apparated with the baby.
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Oh Merlin. The bloody Dark Lord's throne room no less. A full assembly of Death Eaters.
"Lucius Malfoy! You know better than to hold a baby like that!"
Now that she mentioned it, Lucius DID hold him rather awkwardly. He gave a whimper. Narcissa rushed over and took him from her husband's arms.
"Did I teach you nothing when Draco was small?" she scolded, "Even Bella here knew how to hold him when he was a month old."
Bella nodded, and came over, curious. "Oh, who knew Snape would make such a cute baby?"
Lucius just stood there, dumbfounded.
"Oh, yes, he is a dear," Narcissa cooed. Merlin. The woman was worse than Albus. But Albus didn't have nearly as nice breasts. And his head had never been pressed against Narcissa's enticing figure so closely.
Well – he might as well enjoy this for as long as it lasted.
Snuggling closer to the woman, and watching her crazy sister with large, dark eyes, Severus wondered what was going to happen. Wormtail inched over, offering him a small stuffed snake that he graciously accepted. In no time at all, a large number of Death Eaters was cooing over the infant. Severus giggled, snuggled against Narcissa's breast and neck, pulled Lucius's hair and 'accidentally' punched Wormtail in the eye.
Voldemort was taking in this display with a mixture of bemused disgust.
"ENOUGH!" he hissed, "Narcissa, give me the child."
The woman held him tighter. "You aren't going to hurt him, are you?"
The Dark Lord rolled his eyes. "Give him to me."
Bellatrix now joined. "He's cute this way. Can't we keep him?"
"NO! No, no, no!" the hysterical snake-man yelled, "He's going to be restored to normal soon. Lucius, get the spell ready. Narcissa, hand him over. Now."
As he was transferred, Severus considered crying. That wouldn't go over well with the Dark Lord, but would surely trigger a protective streak in Narcissa and Bellatrix. And Lucius wouldn't go against his wife. Ever.
"Now, while Lucius works on that, we return to business."
What on earth was happening this couldn't be real good thing there were no cameras around he would have to kill everyone in the room now.
He was sitting on the Dark Lord's LAP. Being held in his arms.
Severus looked up. The Dark Lord looked down.
It was now or never. He would never get away with it any other time.
He blew a wet raspberry in the Dark Lord's face as he had done with Potter.
The whole room went quiet.
"Narcissa…." Voldemort said, calmly.
"Yes, My Lord?" her voice sounded a bit nervous.
"I think it's best if you take him again."
"Yes, My Lord," Narcissa quickly took the child in her arms. Severus grinned inwardly.
"Now, where were we. Ah. The Potter situation."
Potter?
"As you know, I have offered Potter to join me once before, when he was eleven. He turned me down."
Of course. The Good Gryffindor Golden Boy.
"However, now that he has been sent back to that abusive home several more times, perhaps he is ready for a change now. He may well have become bitter. Broken bones when you know they could have easily been prevented are rumored to make one somewhat bitter."
Potter had been abused?
Suddenly things made sense. The thin boy, the overly adult way of behaving when he wasn't in school, the no toys thing, babysitting and having to contribute to the household money reserves at age ten…
Potter had been abused.
"Are we somehow to extend the offer, my Lord?" Bellatrix enquired.
"We are. I'll have to think on how. I cannot touch the boy at his relatives' house. There are bloodwards in place there."
He doubted it. Bloodwards, however strong, had a few weaknesses. While the Dursleys had granted Harry a roof over his head, they had not granted him 'houseroom' in the full sense of the word. He had not been a member of the household. That would have weakened the wards. Combined with the Dark Lord using Potter's blood to be reborn, he would have little trouble marching straight into Privet Drive if he so desired.
But fortunately, Voldemort, like Albus, was completely convinced of the infallibility of those wards.
Good thing Lucius would be changing him back soon. He would have to check up on the wards, and throw the evidence in Albus's face that the boy would be better off elsewhere.
Speak of the devil…
Lucius returned, a book in hand and the overly confident air about him that told Severus that he was, in fact, extremely unsure. Just great.
"Place him on the floor, Cissy," Lucius ordered.
Severus sat quietly, his eyes closed.
Spell. Come on, spell. What's keeping Lucius?
Something warm and tingly hit him, followed by gasps and groans.
"I'm not growing. Why am I not growing? What went wrong?"
Still ten months old, Severus's desperate wails echoed through the room.
"I'm sorry, my Lord, I'm so sorry! The spell alone should have been countered by this one, but the combination with the other spells changed it somehow!"
Voldemort hissed in annoyance. "Is there no one who can?"
Lucius cowered on the floor. "Filius Flitwick is the only one who stands a chance, Master, since he has the skill and the access to all information."
"Very well. Send him back then, let the old fool spend resources on curing him."
Narcissa and Bellatrix looked a bit put out at this.
Severus struggled and cried.
"No, no, I don't want to go back to Hogwarts! Lucius, unhand me this instant!"
It didn't help. He was Apparated back to the castle, where Lucius left him on the doorstep of Hagrid's hut before getting out as fast as he could.