Wonderful chapter 19
First Encounters
Guests always created interest at Hogwarts, but the strange woman and her son created more than usual. Students wondered who they were as they followed Dumbledore to his study. More than a few of the young witches said something like, "Awe what a cute little boy." The headmaster could keep a smile from crossing his face. He said to Eileen, "Looks like we will have a lady's man on our hands when Severus is old enough to be a student." The mother beamed. The boy blushed. In fact the little boy looked like a large version of the Beatles dolls that many of those girls had hanging on their dorm walls. This attention made Severus walk as close to his mother as one could without stepping on her, until they stood before a gigantic gargoyle phoenix. "Crystal Ginger," Dumbledore said to it. Severus jumped back as he had been about to pat the creature before it moved and a staircase appeared. Dumbledore gestured to those stairs as he asked, "Shall we?"
Oddly, little Snape got a burst of courage and left his mother's side and led the way. Before they went through the door, Eileen and Albus heard the high voice of Minerva McGonagal asking, "And whom might you be?"
The other two stair climbers entered the room in time to see the boy boldly answered, "I'm Severus Snape. Who are you?"
The Deputy Headmaster stood behind the Headmaster's desk making an impressive sight to the six year old. "I am Professor McGonagal."
"Fessor, My-Gone-gal - - " the boy tried to say, so as to remember.
"McGonagal child," the middle-aged witch corrected.
"Mc - - " the boy didn't even attempt it. The funny thing was that he could pronounce spells that many grown wizards could not speak, but names seemed to give him trouble.
"I suppose you could try Minerva."
"Nerva?"
"Close enough." McGonagal turned to the adults to say, "I see your mission was a success."
"As you see," Dumbledore replied. He turned his attentions to the boy. "Severus, do me a favor and hop up here." The old wizard patted the desk with his palm. Only until the boy was next to it did the headmaster realized the desk was taller than the boy. "Oh, I'll give you a hand." The hand was rather a wand. He levitated the boy to a sitting position on top of his desk. It seemed to amuse the child. Severus was smiling, but he was also shivering. "Accio blanket," Dumbledore called out and the wanted item flew to him. The boy was wrapped in it without magic. "That's better." Another wave of his wand and Dumbledore produced a mug of hot chocolate that floated towards the boy. "Try that."
Severus took the mug in both hands and drank the sweet milk without lowering the mug from his face. The blanket hung around him like little wings. This may have been one of the first times Snape resembled a bat, because this is the first thing McGonagal thought. "That was good," the boy said after draining the mug dry. "Thank you very much Fessor Dumbdoors."
The headmaster coughed choking on a suppressed laugh. "Articulate little fellow aren't you?"
The boy wasn't paying attention to Dumbledore's words; he was looking around the study. "You've got lots of books."
"You like books?"
Severus nodded. Then he began to play with the bells hanging from the old wizard's beard. "Why have you got bells in your beard?" It being a curious thing didn't stop the child from making them jungle.
"I think they are rather fun." This didn't seem to register with the boy. "And they keep my beard from going all over the place." The boy kept thumping his fingers on the tiny bells.
It was Eileen that told him, "Sev, stop that."
"It's not bothering me."
The boy still obeyed his mother. He went back to looking at all the books. Wanting to know how intelligent the future student might be, Dumbledore said, "Why don't you read me something?" The headmaster's shelves had a section of children's books every once in a while he found some that struck him and he added it to the collection. He thought Eileen's son would go for one of those, instead Severus reached up for one entitled, 'Tree Lore, What Your Wands Are Made Of.'
Snape opened to the middle of the book, in a clear voice he began to read to the three adults the properties of the Elder tree, "Folklore holds that it is unlucky to use Elder wood for a child's cradle, which should always be made out of Birch for a new start and inception." (Celtic Tree Oracle – Liz and Colin Murray) The two Hogwarts professors were giving each other knowing looks. Snape didn't hesitate at one word of it. The fact that Severus looked even smaller than his age, made it seem even odder. The boy went on to read about how the Elder tree in the Celtic tradition was related to Halloween. This is where the headmaster interrupted. He had heard enough to know this boy was exceptionally bright.
"You know it's getting close to Halloween," Dumbledore announced. He waved his wand and a candy apple appeared hovering in front of Severus. That made the boy put down the book. "You go ahead and enjoy that while your mother and I have a chat."
Before that chat took place crisis arrived. When Severus grabbed hold of the stick that held the treat and took a bite, there was a small cry of, "Ouch!"
"Oh dear," the old wizard muttered.
"It hurt my teeth"
"I'm sorry little one." Dumbledore made the candy apple disappear. "Foolish of me. I didn't think - - " He asked Eileen, "Do you mind if I had a look?"
"I - - " Eileen was afraid of what her old teacher might see, but she agreed. "Sev let Professor Dumbledore have a look."
Severus became defiant and clamped his mouth closed.
"Sev," Eileen said in her I am your mother and you'd best do as I say voice. "Open up."
His little face scrunched up before he obeyed.
Dumbledore's eyes widened when he saw the condition of the boys teeth. "Dear me. Perhaps we should take a walk to see the Matron."
"Sir you have already - - "
As if he knew she was about to protest, Dumbledore held up a hand. "Do not give it a second thought. I imagine living in the muggle world has not been easy. If we here at Hogwarts can assist a future student as well as a past one, I will see it done."
Suppressing the feeling that she was going to be condemned as a neglectful mother, Eileen nodded her consent. "Thank you." She had learned a lot of pride swallowing in the muggle world.
Before they left the headmaster told the boy, you may borrow that book until you return. His mind taken off of his hurting teeth for a moment he picked up the book as if it were made of something precious. "Thanks."
Severus couldn't remember ever being poked and prodded so much. Nor had he ever had as many potions slid down his throat; One to strengthen those loose teeth, one for growth, and other ones to help make the child healthy as possible.
"I must say," the Matron huffed. "I have never seen a child in such a condition." This was at a time when young Snape wasn't that bad off.
Eileen burned with embarrassment again. She held back the words she wanted to say, 'things cost money in the muggle world.' Of course things cost money in the wizarding world as well, but it was different. "I've done my best," was what came out of her mouth instead.
A look from Dumbledore stopped the Matron from reprimanding, 'well your best isn't that good.' Instead she cleared her throat. She did however say, "Better get some food into both of them."
"We have not had our breakfast yet," McGonagal informed. "I believe we can just make it."
The headmaster wondered if letting the child see the great hall now would spoil his first day. The idea of first years going across the lake in the boats from the train was to add to the impressiveness of the great hall when they arrived. Maybe he would forget in those years. Either way, that was where they went. As expected the boy's eyes widened on seeing the ceiling look like it was the sky. "Coooool." That was before he got a look at all the food on the tables. His attention to the roof was gone. "Look Mum." Sev pointed to the first table in the rows. "Slytherin." He pointed up to the green and silver banners. "Can we sit with them?"
McGonagal wondered out loud, "Why don't you sit with the Gryffindors?"
She was greeted with a scrunched up face. "Mum was a Slytherin, I'm going to be a Slytherin."
"I see. And what if the sorting hat has something else to say about that?" She assumed the boy had been told about the hat.
"I don't think so."
There weren't many students left at breakfast. It was mostly the slow risers still there, so it was mostly empty.
"Well then," Dumbledore said. "In honor of our little guest, we'll sit with Slytherin today."
McGonagal wondered how she got roped into this part of the visit. This was a first, and a last.
"Hello Slytherin," the headmaster called out.
"Hello Headmaster," the Slytherin students called back.
"A former student of your house and her son are visiting us for a few hours today. We would like to join you for breakfast."
It wasn't so odd for the headmaster to sometimes sit at different tables, but the head of Gryffindor? That was monumental.
"Be our guests, Headmaster," one of the prefects still remaining offered.
The two professors and the two guests sat and began to dig into breakfast. The Gryffindor table looked at the head of their house and wondered what was going on.
One of the Slytherin girls asked the little boy how old he was.
Between bites of bacon, Severus held up five fingers on one hand and one on the other.
"Your six?"
After swallowing he said, "in a few months I'll be - - " He held up the same five with one hand and used the pinky and the ring finger to make his two. He made the hands dance in front of his face as he intoned, "Seven. One more year closer to eleven." The boy took a raisin scone and took a bite. Then he asked the girl, "Will you be here when I'm a first year?"
"I'm afraid not," She said. "I'm a seventh year now."
This seemed to disappoint the boy. Not having grown self-conscious yet he said to the seventeen-year old, "your pretty."
Several of the other Slytherin's laughed. "Shady Bleak 'as got a boyfriend," another older girl with black hair teased. Maybe you can bring the squirt to the Halloween dance."
"Hush Bella," a much younger blond girl said. "I think it's cute."
"What does my little sister know about cute?"
"She thinks I'm cute," a boy with long blond hair said.
"That's not saying much is it Malfoy?"
The table erupted in laughter again and people went back to their breakfast. Severus was working on a second scone when he pointed to something behind Dumbledore that seemed to frighten him. "Wha - - what's - - who's that."
Dumbledore turned to see the grounds keeper. "That is Hagrid."
"Hello there, Eileen," Hagrid said. "I heard that your little one was here." The half giant sat next to Sev. "I'm Hagrid."
"So Dumbdoors said," Snape timidly said.
"It's proper to now tell me your name."
"Severus."
Hagrid held out his hand. It was as big as the boy's entire head. "How do you do Sev'rus?"
The boy's hand, the size of one of Hagrid's fingernails was held out for shaking, "Very well thank you Hagrid."
"I thought if your Mum had some talking to do with Professor Dumbledore, maybe you'd like to come and see some the new creatures in my hut."
Severus wasn't sure what to think. He wasn't about to just go off to something called a hut with this man who could squash him with an eyelash.
"That might be nice," Eileen told her son. "Finish up your breakfast and you can go see some of the magical creatures."
Severus still looked like this was a dubious prospect. "I suppose."
"You suppose now," Hagrid put in. "But once you've see them, you'll be glad you went."
"We'll see."
tbc
