A/N I'm sorry! Don't hurt me! I know it's been ages since I last updated.

Harry and Phoebe came back a few days later, and dropped onto the couch in Dumbledore's rooms exhaustedly. Severus, who had been sitting on Dumbledore's lap being read to, pouted when the door opened and large tears formed in his eyes.

"What is it, sweetie?" Phoebe softly said, "are you still so scared?"

"He is,"Albus confirmed, "and Poppy said he'll be clinging to me for a while and will probably only be comfortable with us because he knows us best. She advised me to slowly re-introduce the others."

He kissed the dark head. "You'll be fine, won't you, sweetheart?"

Severus smiled and clambered off Albus's lap. He toddled over to Phoebe, who caught him and engulfed him in a hug.

"I'm so happy you're alright," she covered the small face in kisses. Suddenly she realized something. "You WALKED!"

For a moment the world seemed to stop. Then Harry began to grin and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly for the first time in days. Harry took Severus out of Phoebe's arms and threw him in the air, catching him again. Severus squealed happily.

"Who's our big boy?" Harry held him over his head, "who's our big walking boy?"

"AWY, AWY," Severus shrieked, drooling all over the History professor.

Dumbledore sighed in contentment. "That's the first time he laughed since…you know."

Harry handed Severus back to Phoebe and sat down a bit depressed.

"I'm sorry, Albus. Arthur and I escorted them to the States. It wasn't pretty."

"You were such good friends at school," the Headmaster mused.

"Most of the time, anyway," Harry absentmindedly released a toy snitch for Severus to catch, "The jealousy was always in them, I guess, but it got worse and brought out the worst in them. Maybe if I hadn't stubbornly refused to contact them…"

Phoebe smacked him lightly. "Their choices, their fault, Harry," she scolded, "they had issues with you and me, not with Severus. They chose to kidnap an innocent baby when they could simply have come by to talk to us, even if it was just to argue."

Albus nodded in agreement. "It's true, my boy. They could have reacted in many different ways. I am very angry with them, but I very much regret that you lost your friends."

Harry shrugged. "I gained a lot too. Phoebe, and you…my students. And Severus," he added, "who'd have thought I'd learn to love him?"

His eye fell on an album on the table.

"What's that, Albus?"

The old wizard handed it to him. "My picture album. I made it in the interbellum, when Severus was teaching here and we grew closer."

He lovingly stroked the spine. "His portrait stopped moving. I noticed it yesterday. I don't even know exactly when it happened."

With a sad frown, he shook his head. "So many wasted years," he muttered, "In many ways, his de-aging provides me with a second chance as well. To gain new memories, of a happier boy."

Severus's unsteady legs brought him to his Granddad's knee. "Dada?" he asked, holding out his arms. Dumbledore obliged, picking him up for a cuddle. Severus proceeded to tie knots in the long beard.

"Fiona is coming over to play this afternoon," the Headmaster freed the white mass from the child's fists, "I explained to her Severus might be frightened, but if it's just the two of them playing, it should be alright. I want to invite her to Severus's birthday party next month."

"Eph," said Severus, recognizing his name.

Then he bounced up and down on Albus's lap and pointed to the floor. The ancient mugwump blushed fiercely.

"What does he want, Albus?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"Hewansplayor," Dumbledore muttered.

"He what?"

With a deep sigh, the eldest professor gave in. "He wants to play horsey," he admitted, as he lowered himself to his knees, carefully put his grandson on his back and held him with one arm while crawling around the room on his hands…well, hand and knees. Severus clearly loved the game, kicking his little feet in an attempt to urge his 'horse' to go faster.

The two young staffmembers couldn't help it. They collapsed in helpless laughter at the sight, unable to respond to the glares that the Headhorse sent their way.

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While it took some time for Severus to heal, Dumbledore was pleased that he seemed to easily overcome his shyness.

The Twins had visited fairly soon and Severus, after an initial bad reaction to their red hair, apparently remembered that they were the ones that had delivered him from his ordeal. Of course, Fred and George had such a different temperament that any likeness between them and their younger siblings was in looks only. Albus invited them to Severus's birthday party, and they promised to supply some party-goods. Safe ones.

"He should be around children his age more," the old wizard mused while signing some documents that Phoebe had brought by, "he's always surrounded by adults. The students, even Fiona, are still at least ten years his seniors. That's going to be one of my projects for next year, finding him playmates."

Phoebe sent the old man an affectionate glance. "You do that. Would you like me to check with the Ministry to see if there are wizarding families with children his age? Or maybe some of the Muggleborn students have younger relatives. It would be good for his development if he came into contact with Muggles. You could go on playdates."

Dumbledore nodded. "I'd be much obliged if you would. Oh – did Rosmerta call about the cake yet?"

"She did, it'll be ready and delivered early tomorrow morning. Honestly, Albus. Don't be so nervous. He's a year old, he'll probably be more interested in the wrapping paper than in his presents."

Phoebe's prediction turned out to be absolutely accurate.

Severus's first birthday party was a happy affair, if small. Harry and Phoebe were present, the Weasleys (Molly, Arthur and the Twins), Minerva and Fiona. The baby, in his highchair, enjoyed all the attention immensely. His eyes went wide when he was allowed to completely demolish a cake that had been baked just for him. With two little hands full of cream and a face full of cake there was no doubt whatsoever that he appreciated Rosmerta's cooking skills.

After he had been cleaned up, presents were brought out. The brightly wrapped packages peaked Severus's interest, but that the parcels actually contained something eluded him. Turning to his Granddad for help, he did tore at the paper enthusiastically until a toy emerged. He studied it carefully, tested it, and returned to playing with the wrapping paper.

Harry and Phoebe handed Albus a present. "We hope you like it," Harry said, "we don't mean to replace the old one."

"Just make room for new memories," Phoebe added as the Headmaster unwrapped a brand new photo album. Inside were a few photographs of Severus that had been taken in the past year.

"Thank you, childen," the old wizard swallowed the lump in his throat, "I'll be sure to add to it frequently."

"We have another request," the two said much later, when Severus was sitting on the floor, accompanied by Fiona and the Twins to test his new toys.

Albus turned to them. The rest of the room listened curiously.

"We were wondering, Albus, if we could borrow Severus around Christmas," they exchanged a smile, "to be our pageboy."

Severus looked up from his game when shouts and cheers erupted in the room and his playmates abandoned the game to hug Harry and Phoebe.

Grown-ups!