Strength of a Child's Mind
Summary: Disaster and Harry Potter does not bode well… at all. And this particular disaster is determined to change both Harry's and the greasy potions master's lives!
Pairing/s: None.
Warnings: Severus!Father, Child!Harry. Spoilers up to the fifth book? Sirius not dead. Maybe something else but you'll see that.
Disclaimers: I don't own Harry Potter.
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UPDATED 2011-01-02
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Chapter Three
A new day came, and students dragged themselves from their warm beds to tackle the day.
However, the mood in the Gryffindor Tower was a bit down. Harry Potter was not there. No one seemed to know where he was. Well, except for four students and a few of the teachers but no one knew that they knew.
"Wonder if he's alright with Snape?" Ron said as he and Hermione walked to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"I'm sure of it, Ronald," she said as she checked her bag one last time to make sure she had all the books she needed. "Harry wouldn't have chosen him otherwise."
"I guess you're right…"
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Fred and George actually looked forward to Potions class. Everyone would have declared them nuts if they had told their friends so they did not say anything.
But they were the first ones to arrive to the classroom to await Severus' usual intimidating entrance. Students began to file into the corridor, chatting away and waiting for the professor.
When the door opened by itself they all was a bit confused. He usually came to the classroom to open it. Nonetheless, they got in.
And was promptly left staring towards their professor. Fred and George hid their snickers.
Harry was happily doodling away on a parchment, sitting in Severus' lap while the man himself was grading essays. He appeared to not even notice the child sitting on his lap, and had even leaned his head to rest in his hand.
He looked up and noticed them staring. Harry, to his credit, did not even flinch as he barked out:
"What are you staring at you dunderheads? Get into your seats, read the instructions on the board and don't mess up! By the way, this is my cousin's child Coran who will be with me from this day on. Hurt him, and you will find You-Know-Who to be a very, very kind man compared to me."
They all but ran to their seats and hurriedly began taking notes on the instructions before going over and getting the ingredients they needed, all trying to ignore the man's evil glare. One of his arms tightened protectively around Harry's middle. Said boy was blissfully unaware of it all.
After a while, Harry grew bored with his drawing and slid off from the man's lap. Severus kept a watchful eye at the boy who wandered down between the desks. Some of the students could not help but stare at the child who ignored them. To their surprise he stopped by the Weasley twins and held up his arms at Fred.
"Hi there Coran," Fred said and lifted him up. He settled the child on the chair next to him and continued, "I'm working on a potion right now, and it's really important to let me concentrate. It's also really important that you don't touch any of this stuff because it could be dangerous for you. Ask me first before touching anything. Is that okay?"
Harry nodded and Fred continued with his work. George only smiled.
"Have you guys met professor's Snape's cousin-child?" Lee could not help but ask. The other students listened intently.
"Once, yesterday. He had just arrived," the redheads said with a shrug.
"Keep on working!" Severus barked.
They went silent immediately.
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Harry seemed to have had a good day while Severus wanted to bang his head into nearest wall due to all the whispers and subtle glances he received in class by his students. He had declined eating dinner at the Great Hall, and had eaten it with the child in his quarters. Harry did not complain.
Severus watched as the boy fought to keep his eyes open early at night. It appeared that being up a whole day was a bit too much for the child, considering his body seriously lacked the strength to keep on going. And dinner seemed to have made him very sleepy.
Harry yawned as Severus carried him to bed. There he was changed into a pyjama and the potions master magically brushed the boy's teeth. Harry gagged a bit at the taste but did not say anything; however he made a small pout as he did not like it. Severus only chuckled at the boy. Harry snuggled down amongst the pillows and blankets and looked up sleepily at Severus. The man tried to fight off the smile but it managed to come out. Harry smiled back before falling asleep. Severus groaned and let his head bang into the wall, albeit carefully.
The child was turning him soft for the love of Merlin! What was his trick? The potions master decided not to dwell too deeply on that and moved to grade some essays. Anything to get his mind off the fact he was turning soft. No, don't even think about it! Treacherous mind!
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Severus shot up from bed before the first wail had stopped. He was out in the hall within a moment, and opened Harry's door. The boy was crying, his face scrunched up and he had his hands over his ears. His wailing sounded like vague cries of 'forgive me uncle' and it made the hair on Severus' neck to stand up. This was most certainly not normal behaviour for a six-year old child, even the potions master was aware of it.
The potions master quickly brought the child to his chest. At first, Harry fought against the embrace, getting panicked, but then he smelt the man's unique scent and instantly calmed down. Severus held the boy's head in one of his hands, and his other arm kept Harry close to his chest as he rose up. There was no way he was letting the child sleep alone for the rest of the night. Try as he might, he had completely fallen for the boy and was feeling awfully protective.
"Sev'rus?" The voice sounded sleepy yet his breath was ragged.
"Yes child, it's Severus," the man said quietly as he got up and walked back to his own bedroom, Harry tucked safely in his arms. He did not even get annoyed at the mispronunciation of his name.
"Who was the big man?"
"He was just a nightmare, child. There is no big man here, don't worry. Only Severus here with you."
Harry, too sleepy to fully comprehend the nightmare (or memory), yawned and nodded. He felt Severus lie down on the bed and turning to his side before tucking the covers up around them. Harry fisted one hand into the man's sleeping shirt and succumbed to sleep quickly enough. However, Severus was awake for a long time. He would have a talk with Albus about this.
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The next day Ron and Hermione would have Potions and they nervously waited to see Harry again. Severus had declined all meals in the Great Hall, probably preferring to eat in peace. They did not find any suitable argument to make him eat in the Hall with Harry and actually felt a bit of sympathy for him. They had heard all the whispers concerning the potions master and his mysterious cousin-child so it was no wonder Severus did everything in his powers to escape the noises.
As they entered the classroom in the dungeons, once again opened with magic, Ron's and Hermione's eyes unwillingly searched out for Harry.
Who was seated in Severus' lap and looking at all of them. His wide emerald eyes barely blinked. Severus barked out orders and they all scrambled to do as the man told them. They all were aware of their potions master's cousin-child and did not say anything about the child seated in Severus' lap although they all stared. Talking was for later, or rather the moment they had left the room after class and was certain the potions master could not hear them.
Ron and Hermione had a hard time as they knew it was their friend at the front with the potions master. The redhead nearly choked when Harry showed the sunniest of smiles… directed towards said man. Severus' lips twitched, his control fading against the boy's charm. Harry continued with whatever he was doing on a parchment while Severus glared at them all between essays. Once again he clutched the boy to himself, daring anyone to try taking Harry away.
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Draco Malfoy stayed behind when the class ended, both curious as well as furious with his godfather.
"Is there something you want, Draco?" Severus asked.
"Two things. Why you suddenly have a cousin-child and why you gave me a Poor on my last essay."
"No sneaking-around Slytherin talking today?" Severus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It doesn't work with you," the blonde replied sourly. "Come on, I didn't do that bad on that essay. I might have deserved only an Acceptable on that one, but no less."
"Consider it a punishment for always making me clean up after you," the potions master said.
"Is it because of what I did with Potter's cauldron?"
"Perhaps. Something else?"
"The boy."
"He is the child of my cousin. She died, and now he is with me."
"He doesn't look like he grieves his mummy very much," Draco said. Said boy was drawing something on a parchment, using a quill in a way neither thought was possible. Well, anyway, back to the argument; wonders about what a quill can be used for is for later.
"They were never close to each other," the potions master said, moving his thoughts away with an irritated mental shove. "Now will you please remove yourself from my classroom?"
Harry looked up from his paper and looked between his 'uncle' and the blonde teen. Draco was glaring, and Severus was also glaring. At each other if you did not catch onto that. Harry looked back at Draco, and decided the teen was not going to stare or glare for that matter at his Sev'rus.
Draco yelped when an ink bottle connected with his head. He fell down on his behind, staring with wide eyes at Harry who looked far too smug to be a six-year old boy.
"I believe I neglected to mention Coran has a very good control of what he wants to do with accidental magic," Severus said with a grin. "Want him to throw a book at you wandlessly?"
"Go away!" Harry said to the blonde. "Bad person!"
"Bad?" Draco said. "What the hell is he talking about?"
"He appears to not like people who don't like me," Severus said. 'And I might be the same about him', Severus thought reluctantly.
Said boy stuck out his tongue. Enraged, Draco did something he had never done before; he stuck his own tongue back, not about to be outclassed by a boy nine years younger than him. Harry was shocked over that gesture (no one had done that to him!) and leaned back to Severus' chest.
"Maybe not so bad," Harry mumbled. "He doesn't stare."
"Doesn't stare?" the potions master said.
"Everyone else stares," Harry said and looked up at his guardian. "But he doesn't."
"He is called Draco, and Draco is not as bad as he seems to be at first glance," Severus said. "Why don't you say hello to Draco?"
Harry slid off the man's lap and walked up the blonde teen hesitantly. Draco had to admit he was not really angry with the boy. Maybe a bit irritated over the fact a child had been able to throw an ink bottle on him but that was mostly irritation directed towards himself.
"Hello," Harry said timidly. "I'm Coran."
"Hello Coran," Draco said and held out a hand. He knew he was still sitting on the floor, but ignored the fact like only a Malfoy could do. "I'm Draco, and Severus is a very evil man."
"Draco!"
Harry giggled and the blonde teen grinned at his godfather. Said godfather groaned in misery and hit his head onto the desk.
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Ron nearly choked on his food when he saw it. Hermione turned to Ron and looked over to see why he was acting like a fish on land. Her eyes widened.
Harry was sitting with Draco by the Slytherin table, happily babbling away and looking up at Draco with a bright smile. Said Ice-Prince of Slytherin just smiled back before seating him correctly and loading food to the child on a plate.
"He's gonna poison him!" Ron hissed at the girl.
"What? Draco believes that's professor Snape's cousin-child," she hissed back, quiet enough so only Ron heard. "He would never hurt someone taken care by professor Snape."
Severus himself was slightly nervous. He had had Harry by his side constantly ever since Harry was turned into a child and suddenly the boy was no longer there. He was sitting just a bit away with Draco, Severus knew that, but he felt it was too far away for his taste. Harry seemed happy enough though, and completely comfortable with the blonde teen so the potions master forced himself to calm down.
Harry looked around the table with his eyes as wide as they could get, trying to take it all in at once. The hall was noisy though and after a few days with Severus' company only at meals the boy felt his ears were ringing. He managed to get underneath Draco's arm and then pressed his head into the teen's chest before putting a hand over the ear still exposed to the hall.
Draco looked down and blinked. He gently strokes the black hair and Harry peered up at him.
"Too loud?" he asked the child who nodded. "Don't worry; you'll get used to it soon. Come on, a few more bites for me okay? Severus is going to kill me if I starve you."
Harry considered this and then took the fork Draco offered and ate the food. He managed a bit more before the noises were too loud. He curled up next to the blonde teen who sat him in his lap. Pansy cooed to him from the other side of Draco and Harry peered up at her this time. She smiled and strokes his cheek gently. The boy blinked and then looked up at Draco.
"That's Pansy, little one," the blonde said. "She won't bite you."
"Draco!" Pansy said and smacked him on the arm. "Don't you care about little Dragon, Coran."
"Don't call me that!" Draco hissed. Pansy only snickered at him and the blonde soon lost the furious expression and shook his head helplessly. Harry giggled at their antics.
Tbc…
Chapter four: Harry sees Sirius and Remus again, is babysit by Fred and George and Severus meets the Dark Lord!
Until later,
Ja,
Tiro