Chapter 3

Snape finished packing up his things and looked out behind him to where the one year old continued to walk around, poking at books and laughing giddily by what he found. Harry didn't seem fazed by the absence of his parents, as if they were completely wiped from his mind. Snape stared at the baby before he looked away almost shamefully. The boy was only one years old, and he already looked like his father. The dark hair, the same face, smile, everything about him was like his father.

All but the eyes, and Snape treasured that above everything. The eyes of his Lily.

"Harry," Snape voiced, calling for the child.

The boy looked his way, the same innocent smile plastered over his baby-soft face. Snape knelt down and opened his arms. "Come here," he murmured.

Harry released a high laugh and started wobbling towards Snape on uncertain legs. When he got within arms reach, Snape picked him up and swung him high. Harry laughed at this even more, greatly pleased.

"Okay," Snape grabbed his suitcase (Harry's as well) and Apparated to Hogsmede. The familiar rush of magic accompanied him, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself within the small village. From there he walked through the late summer grass towards Hogwarts, carrying Harry with one arm and dragging his suitcase along with the other. It didn't take very long for Harry to get squrimy rather quickly, demanding to be put down. Snape obliged, letting the child scamper through the warm grass and sunlight, smiling widely. Nobody paid much heed to the pair as they approached the castle. Standing outside, the once-student looked up upon seeing Professor McGonnagal waiting for him.

"Minerva," he addressed curtly.

"Severus," she replied quietly, distrust seeping in her voice. She glanced at the child, who was wriggling to get free on to his own feet as Snape scooped him back up. "Is this the child?" she asked, eyes sparking.

Snape held him a little closer. "Yes. This is he."

She blinked once, or maybe twice. "May I hold him?"

"If he'll let you," Snape muttered, struggled to hand the wriggling child to McGonnagal. She took him as he sat up, touching the rim of her hat and still smiling happily. "Well, he's quite an energetic little tyke isn't he?"

"Is he ever," Snape muttered, thinking of how he had to put a harmless sleeping charm on Harry to get him to settle down and rest when he put him to bed.

Giving up, she placed the struggling child on the grassy ground, and he immediately walked over to Snape, his small fists grappling the black robes. Harry gazed up at Snape, green eyes searching. Then when he looked over and saw the stone gargoyle that led to the entrance of the castle, he Smiled widely, wandering to the stone to gently pat it, eyes bright and smile blinding.

"I was sent here to bring you up," McGonnagal told Snape. "If you will follow me." with a regal swish of her own robes, McGonnagal led the toddler and Snape throughout the halls of the castle, up the stairways and through winding ways until they found themselves at the entrance of the office. A gargoyle stood in their way, waiting. "Password?" it asked in a deep, grating voice.

She turned towards the rock and addressed the gargoyle, "Fizzing Whizbee," she spoke clearly.

The gargoyle slid open and Snape stared at it as he reached down to pick up Harry once more. He turned his head and looked as Filch approached the trio. He took Snape's bags and looked up to meet eyes with him. "I'll take these to your room," he growled over yellowed, dirty teeth.

Snape nodded at him and turned away, following McGonnagal up the stairs, lifting Harry in his arms to carry him.

Dumbledore looked up from his writing as the two adults and the child entered. Harry cooed and laughed when he saw all of the objects twirling and spinning around in the room. "Ah, Severus!" Dumbledore beamed. "Thank you for coming. I assume you traveled safely?"

"Of course, Headmaster," Snape answered quietly. He flickered his eyes over to McGonnagal. She still came off as powerfully suspicious as she threw daggers at the new through her eyes.

Dumbledore understood. "Minerva, if you would please stop suspecting our newest professor. He's part of the staff now and I expect you to greet him warmly like he was family."

"Yes, Headmaster," McGonnagal stiffly muttered, continuing to look spitefully in Snape's direction. Distrust continued to linger in her gaze, which only bounced off the cold professor as he kept his eyes on Dumbledore.

The Headmaster chuckled as Snape struggled to hold Harry more firmly to keep him from wriggling out of his grasp, causing Dumbledore to laugh softly in amusement, "Oh go on and put the lad down, Severus."

"But won't he break something?" he asked, not wanting to be in the wizard's debt as much as he already was.

"Oh no. A child's happiness and pure joy is more precious than anything that I have in here," Dumbledore said, looking fondly down at the little boy. Fawkes the phoenix had grabbed Harry's attention as did the bird's. The phoenix, still youthful in this phase of his life, swooped down in front of the babe and moved his head forward to touch his beak to Harry's nose.

"Well, Fawkes seems to like him doesn't he?" Dumbledore smiled. "Minerva," he then said, addressing the professor. "Would you kindly escort Severus to his new living quarters?"

"Yes Headmaster," she grumbled, beginning to turn towards the exit.

"And Minerva?" Dumbledore called.

"Yes Headmaster?" She didn't need to turn to know what he would say.

"Be a kind, and gracious host. Severus will be staying with us for a while, and I expect you to treat him well."

Her upper lip twitched. "Yes, Headmaster."

"What Severus might have done in his past, is in the past. We are moving on from that. He has my complete trust." Dumbledore met eyes with Snape, and Snape nodded at him, a glimmer of thanks and sadness in his dark eyes.

"Of course, Headmaster."

Snape picked Harry back into his arms, letting Professor McGonnagal lead the way. As they went, Minerva led Snape to where he would be staying. "You're to be the Head of Slytherin," she informed.

"What?" Snape paused. "Why me? I haven't even-"

"You were in Slytherin, correct?" Minerva asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Harry doddled in to his new room and sat down on the floor, playing with some toys waiting for him. Snape glanced at Harry before looking back to McGonnagal.

"Well, yes but, I haven't even been here for an hour and I'm already-"

"The previous Potions Professor retired and he was our only teacher who had been a Slytherin," the experienced professor answered easily and swiftly.

"I'm the only one?"

"Yes," she said a little coldly. "So you must be an example for the students. You will be in charge of Slytherin's punishments and rewards for your house and you will be the main ring leader if something is to ever go amiss in the school from your students." She looked prepared to leave. "And. . ." She looked like she was struggling for words, "Dumbledore might trust you, but just because he does," she wrinkled her nose slightly, "that does not mean we do."

"I understand completely," Snape murmured frostily in answer.

"Nor do we trust you with the child," she growled. "You must have done something pretty persuasive for Dumbledore to be blinded by who you are and what you've done. So let me tell you this now, if you ever, ever lay a hand on any of the students or the child and harm them, or any of the teachers in any way, I will personally come here and expel you from this school."

"If I am to ever to do such a thing, I would hope that you would," Snape responded bitterly.

"I would," she clarified proudly, cat-like eyes slits.

"Good," he growled.

"Then we've come to an understanding," she snapped.

"Of course."

She looked him up and down, nodded and said, "Dinner is at six. Your first lesson starts in a few days. Dumbledore will introduce you to the students at the Great Hall on the first night when school begins."

"What shall be done with Harry while I'm teaching?"

McGonnagal paused. She looked at the child and said, "Lucky for you, the teachers all have volunteered to watch the child and switch him every hour throughout the day, including yourself."

"Very well," Snape nodded.

McGonnagal nodded at him again and prepared to leave when Snape's voice called her back. "M-McGonnagal?"

Again she had to pause. "Yes, Severus?"

"Thank you."

Once more, she nodded and left.

you'd think she'd hurt her neck or something nodding so much. xD