Chapter 5: Distraction

Severus tried to keep his contempt from his voice, holding Harry closer as he gazed at the two adults grinning in front of him. While they had grown warmer to each other since the end of the war, the potion's master still found the two irksome.

"I recall that the two of you are good with children. I want to get him some treats, non-threatening or pranking, treats!" He added the end as an afterthought, not a fan of the products sold. His main goal was a distraction for the little boy in his arms.

"Forge and Gred, at your service!" One of them saluted, before turning to try to meet the child's eyes in Severus' arms.

"Hello, what's your name little one?" His voice was cheerful and sweet, luring little Harry to smile at the sound.

"I'm Harry!" He chirped, hands still clutching Severus although he had turned his head to glance at the new individual.

The twin paused, searching the little boy's face as if he could dissect what he was looking for. It was no longer a secret that Harry Potter had been fathered by Severus Snape. In fact, most people had learned about what Dumbledore had done to the child, and grown anxious to find the boy.

Severus had never given up his hope to find Harry.

"Are you now?" Asked the male, his hand reaching forward and booping the little nose. "Well, Harry, I'm George and my brother's Fred, we run a joke shop!"

The words got a positive reaction from the child whose smile grew wider at the concept of a joke shop. "We also have some good 'ole treats that are pretty harmless here. Would you like to explore some candy with me?"

At Harry's quick nod of excitement, Severus set the boy on his feet. "Be careful with him," he warned as the twins reached forward and took the little boy's hands. When he noticed the hesitation quickly start to consume the boy because he was no longer holding him, Severus felt a tug in his chest. "I'll be right behind you Harry, follow the twins."

"Twins!" Harry cried, his face going into wondrous delight as he was whisked away from his real father.

"We look exactly alike, although mum told me I'm much more handsome," Fred joked.

The child giggled, enjoying the different things he could sense in the store. There was laughter from customers, bubbles sizzling from products, the sweet smell of candy that was more dangerous than it looked.

"I know what you'll like Harry, how about an Aviatomobile!" George reached forward and placed a little toy car in the child's hand. "It flies!" He cast a quick spell so that the little toy would only go from one of the child's hands to the other.

"Let it go and open your other hand." George suggested, watching as the child did as he was told. Immediately there was a gasp of delight and Harry hugged the toy to his chest.

"I also think we have some candy that won't do anything, don't we Fred?" He was glad to see his twin nod, knowing that Severus would kill them if something were to happen to the little child. The man was already looming over them, not once speaking but his eyes had remained fixed on the boy.

Reaching behind the counter, he grabbed the stash they'd gotten for themselves, and handed the filled bag to the little boy. "You can have it all Harry, it seems like you'll enjoy it."

"Thank you!" Harry giggled, bouncing slightly as he hugged both the toy and candy. He didn't know why they were giving him so many goodies, but he was glad that he was allowed to have them. In fact, Harry didn't realize that he was walking directly into what Severus had wanted.

Distracted by the delights that the twins were showing him, Harry completely seemed to stop obsessing over his missing 'father.'

After an hour of playing with the twins, Severus' deemed the two worthy of watching the child as he made a visit to the bookstore next door. He'd buy some wizard children's books that Harry might enjoy, ones with dragons and fanciful tales.

He also took the time to find a book on ancient potions, any new material he might not have in the library was always good to have on hand when brewing something so life changing. It seemed that with time things would work out, considering he'd found everything he'd needed.

Shrinking the bag to fit his pocket, the potions master thanked the seller before pivoting back towards the joke shop. It was only when Severus had taken a step into the store that he even realized that things had just gone from great to terrible. The people in the shop were frozen, all staring at the two twins that had started to frantically search the area.

"Where is he?" Severus demanded without pause.

Fred looking up, paling as he realized that the professor had arrived halfway through their search for the child. Harry had appeared scared after the former professor had left, and had demanded to be taken to his father.

"He apparated!" George finally chocked out. "He was ranting about his father, and then he was just, gone!"

Severus snarled, turning on his heel and all but running from the store. Harry couldn't have gone far, he barely knew where he was. Nonetheless, even if he wanted to go home, the muggle place was too far and destroyed. Destroyed!

Harry had once been an older wizard, his powers could have potentially taken him home. With a growl Severus apparated to his home, he needed to know where Harry had been taken when he had been stolen from them.

"Tom!" He screamed the minute he got home, hoping his husband had beat him there. He was glad to see that the man was indeed home, rushing towards the library in which he had landed.

"Get Draco or Hermione, now! Harry is missing!" He was already throwing floo powder into the fireplace, calling for Hermione before the witch could even think of politely answering.

When the panicked face of both his godson and the muggle born appeared, he demanded they step through immediately. He could not take any risks, not when Harry was out in the open where the old coot could simply grab him.

Hermione looked dazed, although both Draco and Tom looked worried as they listened to the rapidly spit explanation of the child's disappearance. Without even thinking about it, Hermione and Draco explained the location before all four adults disappeared with a pop.

Hermione was the first to move when they arrived at the wrecked shop, her feet throwing her through the wreckage of what had obviously been a fire. They had truly destroyed the place. "Harry!" She didn't bother to hide from curious neighbors, having emerged from a previously empty alleyway would have garnered the looks as it was.

"Harry Evans!" She cried again, feeling the men slowly catching up at her back.

Draco grabbed a hold of her arm, pausing the pursuit as he motioned for silence. And when it fell, they could hear a faint crying from behind the barely standing register.

Without waiting for anyone to indicate that it was a good idea, Severus immediately rushed forward. His heart almost leaping from his throat as he saw the spot of blond hair peeking up from shaking little shoulders. Reaching forward the man immediately hugged the dirty child to his chest, squeezing as Harry started to openly sob.

"It's okay Harry," he murmured gently as he rocked the child.

The little boy, seeking comfort, immediately grabbed onto the man and buried his face into his shoulder. "Sev'us!" He cried, "I want my daddy!"

Severus threw a desperate look at the others that had come around, not knowing anymore how to explain to the little boy that Albus was not his father. To explain that his father was hugging him, even if Harry didn't know him. A little piece of his heart broke again as he looked up at his husband.

It was then that he noticed the look on Tom's face, before the man held the wand to his throat and spoke, the voice that came out of his mouth sending shivers down his spine.

"Harry, my boy." It had been years since any of them had heard that voice, but Tom was mimicking it perfectly.

Immediately there was an effect on Harry, who stopped crying, hands reaching up as if asking the phantom of a man to pick him up from Severus.

"I can't child," Tom leaned down so that he was next to the child, ignoring disapproving looks from Hermione. "Did I ever tell you about mommies and daddies Harry?"

The little boy frowned, "no. You said that I came from a wish, that I didn't have a mommy."

Severus didn't know whether to smile or frown at the explanation, seeing similar expressions on everyone else face as the stared at the blind child in front of them. Dirt smeared across his face from his apparition into the destroyed store.

"That's because I didn't want to hurt your feelings Harry," he explained gently. "When you were just a baby, your real daddy asked me to take care of you."

The blond child shook his head, "no!" He screamed. "You're my daddy! Why are you saying that daddy?"

"Because Severus is your daddy, Harry. And he is taking you home. I can't take care of you anymore." He watched as the little boy started to wail, distress over his features. "I'm sorry, Harry. Goodbye."

Tom took the wand away from his throat, watching as Severus struggled to keep the now hysterical child from escaping. He stood, reaching into his robes and pulling out a potion from his Severus' robe pocket. The dose was less for a child, calming draught.

It took a few coaxing moments before Hermione simply spelled it into Harry's stomach, gathering his discarded toy that had been on the ground next to the bag of treats. They waited until the little boy had started to fall asleep before returning to the alley and disappearing from the muggle world.

I'm writing this as I go, I have no idea where we'll end up. Had a hard time with this chapter but hopefully it gets better again. Thanks for reading! :)