Marauder's Mistake
Chapter 2: A "Slight" Problem
Lily stormed through the halls with Severus in her arms, who was watching her face carefully and pouting. He didn't understand why his Lily was upset, but he knew he didn't like it.
"Lily?"
"Yes Severus." She said in a clipped tone. She was still seething over what James and Sirius had done.
"Are you mad at me?" he peeped, clearly afraid of what she was going to say.
Lily blinked and looked at him in surprise, he really was adorable at this age, his nose was still a bit large for his face but it wasn't bad looking or hooked yet. She also took in the little crease between his fuzzy black eyebrows.
"No Severus, how could I be mad at you sweetie?" she chuckled inwardly; the real Severus Snape would never consent to being called "sweetie".
But the little boy only shrugged his thin shoulders and sighed, still frowning down at the floor. Suddenly something struck Lily, how was it that Severus could remember her but not anyone else at the school? She stopped walking and looked closely at the toddler she now held, who finally decided to smile softly at her. "Severus, how do you know me?"
"I knows you from the park. I watch you sometimes." He said sweetly with a dreamy grin that almost melted her heart. Yet… he'd been watching her?
"Hey Lily, how come you gots so much bigger than me?" he asked, poking her chest innocently, surely meaning her height as well as her curvier attributes. Still, she could feel her face flush as he poked. Oh Merlin, please don't let him remember any of this when he re-ages.
"Um well you see Sev, I err… ate all my vegetables and got bigger. Do you eat all of your vegetables?" she asked him teasingly. His round little face turned pink and he shook his head so hard that his long hair flew around his head.
By this time they had arrived at the entrance to Dumbledore's office, but before Lily could begin guessing passwords the giant gargoyle swung out of the way and the stairs appeared. Severus goggled at this feat. "Wow Lily! You must be powerful to make stone monsters move like that!"
Lily chuckled, "Actually, I think Dumbledore is expecting us."
"Dumeldore?" he piped.
She tried to keep a straight face as she ascended the staircase. "Yes, he's the headmaster for the school."
"Wha's a headmaster?"
"Well, he's the one who runs the school Sev."
When they arrived she reached to knock on the door only to hear a "Come in please."
She walked into the amazing office with all of its shining whirling instruments and geegaws and bowls of sweets. Severus immediately began squirming. "Liiiiiilyyyyy! I wanna get dooooowwwwwn!" he whined in a very un-Snapelike tone.
"Okay okay! Don't make me drop you." She said sternly, putting him on his feet. She swiftly performed a shrinking spell on his robes so that they would fit him properly and then held him in place a moment, motherly instincts she didn't know she had coming to the forefront all of a sudden.
"Now Severus, you can look but you do not touch anything at all, understood?" she told him firmly, making him look her in the eyes.
"Otay Lily." He said innocently, even as his dark eyes sparkled merrily. The moment she let go of his hand he was off and scurrying around the office, peering at everything. Lily rolled her eyes and looked at the headmaster who had been waiting patiently. Oh, oops.
"Um, hello headmaster."
"Hello Miss Evans, am I correct in assuming that that is indeed Severus Snape?"
"Yes headmaster, Potter and Black messed with his potion-for a prank!" she shouted the last part and then blushed. "Sorry."
"No need Miss Evans, I understand and you have every right to be upset with the Marauders right now. This was a very dangerous joke."
Suddenly the office doors opened again and a tomato red and fuming professor Slughorn shoved James Potter and Sirius Black in ahead of him.
"Ah, boys, lovely of you to come and join us." Dumbledore said with his characteristic twinkle.
Suddenly Severus scampered to Lily and clung to her legs. "Mean boys Lily!" he said, tucking his face away and pointing at them.
"Why you little-!" James started before Dumbledore gave him a hard look.
"Now boys, I understand that you are the cause for these extremely unfortunate circumstances."
Sirius rolled his eyes sullenly. "Whatever, I don't see the big deal is anyway. It's almost Christmas so can't you just send Snivelly home until the cure is ready?" He began to regret his words as he felt both professors and Lily's eyes boring into him.
"Actually Mr. Black, Severus's parents are unable to take him for the holidays. That is why we are all here." Dumbledore paused, giving both boys a very serious look that told them to keep quiet. The fact that he had used Sirius's last name alone spoke of how disappointed he was in the boys.
"Mummy an Daddy don't want Sev'us?" the little boy pouted.
Lilly pet his raven hair gently, "No that's not it, I'm sure they're just… very busy sweetie."
"Evans for Merlin's sake why are you coddling him?!" James burst out. He was rewarded with a glare but, fortunately for him, before Lily could say anything Dumbledore spoke up.
"James, I assure you that Miss Evans is not behaving inappropriately. The Second Childhood potion does effectively de-age the mind as well as the body. Young Severus here will have none of his memories from after the age of four. Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable to treat him as though he were a toddler because, you see, he is one in every respect."
Now Dumbledore turned his attention to Lily, with the tiny black-robed figure at her knees. "Miss Evans, I am aware that this is a lot to ask of you; but would you be able to stay here this holiday to take care of your friend? Or possibly bring him to your home?"
At this suggestion Severus looked up at Lily with hope shining brightly in his dark eyes, Christmas holiday with his Lily?! It was almost too much to hope for!
"Err, actually headmaster… I can't. My parents and sister have a trip planned to the Caribbean, we can't take an extra person this short notice and, they simply won't let me stay behind." She said apologetically as she stroked the top of Severus's head, hearing him whimper. She felt just awful, her first friend in the magicing world and she couldn't even babysit him now that he'd been de-aged and really needed her. She felt the arms tighten around her knees as Severus fought the urge to cry.
Dumbledore, however, seemed to have been expecting this and merely nodded. "That is all right Miss Evans, I understand. Professor Slughorn, do you know how long the antidote will take to brew?"
"About a month Dumbledore, and only if I'm lucky mind. I'm no Snape."
James and Sirius began to shift from foot to foot uncomfortably. They did not like that it was taking so long to come to the reason for why they had been called up. It was obvious that they were there to be punished so why not get to it all ready? Suddenly they found Dumbledore's bright blue eyes glittering upon them.
"Well then, we shall just have to turn to… other people to tend to our, slight, problem. Won't we boys?"
"What?!" James squawked.
"Us?! Take care of Snivellus? By ourselves?" Sirius was clearly offended at the idea. There's no way we're taking care of that brat!!! They both thought simultaneously.
"I NOT a SNIV'US!!!" yelled a very angry little wizard who, unlike his shrinking teenaged self, stormed right over to Black and kicked his shin… hard.
"OUCH! You little bugger!" Black growled and tried to snatch the boy but he had found the safety of Lily's legs.
"I would suggest, in the future, that you and the other Marauders take care to use Severus's proper name. And Severus, we do not kick people. That was very naughty and I'm sure your new guardian did not appreciate it."
"Sorry Dumeldore." He apologized to the floor, then turned and stuck his tongue out at Sirius.
"Hey!!"
"Sevvy, don't do that." Lily said firmly, trying to hide a smile.
"Otay."
"Professor Dumbledore, surely you know that Sirius and I go home on the holidays too?" James reasoned. He didn't want to be stuck with a pint-sized Snape, no way!
"Yes, well, I'm certain that since you both caused this you would want to be of every service till young Severus is back in his correct condition. And since Remus is staying for the holidays surely you would want to keep him company? It would be terribly unfair if he had to take care of Severus by himself, especially since he is not the one who de-aged him."
"You wouldn't make Remus babysit! That's not fair!" James protested.
At this point Lily stepped in, "No James! What isn't fair is that you've harmed Severus again with another brainless prank because you were bored in potions! Taking care of him during the break is the least you two could do as punishment; it might even teach you to be more responsible."
There was a soft knock on the office door, and Remus Lupin sidled into the room. He ruffled his curling blondish hair and smiled gently at everyone. "Well headmaster, what have we gotten ourselves into this time?"
"Are you a Remus?" piped up Severus, he'd been behind Lily's legs before but now he poked around to look at this new boy. He decided, immediately, that he liked Remus and strolled over to him to tug on his patched robes a little. "Are you?"
Remus looked nonplussed at seeing such a tiny form of the Marauders least favorite Slytherin student. "Um, yes I am."
Severus tugged again, "You have funny eyes."
Lupin smiled, this tiny Severus seemed much less waspish than his older self, maybe the change would be nice? "Yes well, I always thought yellow was my color."
"I like green." Severus replied, then glanced back at Lily with a heart-melting smile.
James groaned and rolled his eyes, Sirius just looked disgusted. Remus, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow at both of them and they quickly stopped.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "It would seem that your friends thought it would be amusing to de-age Severus, however the re-aging cure takes at least a month to brew and his parents are unable to take him, also Miss Evans is unavailable to watch him."
"That's fine headmaster, I'm sure that the three of us are more than capable of watching Sev here." Remus said cheerfully, shooting the other two a glare that could have frozen an erupting volcano when they opened their mouths to protest. We are going to have a loooong discussion in the near future. That look told them. Both of them shivered, and Severus tilted his head at them quizzically before he was scooped up by Remus.
"C'mon you two, let's leave the headmaster and professor Slughorn to their business of righting your mistake."
Sirius and James shared a glance. Our arses are toast. Then they solemnly followed the third Marauder out.
Lily shook her head as they left with the little boy who was her best friend, hopefully Remus Lupin could keep those two in line around Severus. He did seem quite capable actually…
"Oh! Professor Dumbledore, before I forget I had a question about Sevvy- err-Severus."
"Yes Miss Evans?"
"Will he… remember all of this? His time as a toddler I mean?"
The wizened silver haired old wizard smiled twinklingly at her. "Oh yes, I daresay he'll remember every moment."
To be continued…