A/N: I give Severus some nice godparents and everyone freaks out! Like you all EXPECT me to be evil! pouts

The year progressed nicely, as Phoebe put it. She and Harry immensely enjoyed being a married couple, but daily life at Hogwarts didn't change all that much because of it. The two of them moved to new rooms, but Phoebe continued the administrative matters and Harry continued to teach.

Soon, Severus's second birthday rolled around. This year he actually understood that the contents of the bright wrappings were just as interesting. Albus claimed he got spoiled. Minerva, Molly and Phoebe denied these accusations vehemently. Harry just laughed and pointed out that Albus was responsible for at least half the spoiling going on, which made the old wizard blush.

Harry gave Severus a Muggle outfit, a toy Knight set. This earned him some raised eyebrows and strange looks.

"Next year, I'll be teaching Muggle history along with History of Magic," Harry explained, "I find that there are significant gaps in the knowledge of both purebloods and muggleborns. So we'll be re-enecting Muggle battles as well, and I thought Severus would enjoy it. Hermione's helping me with the curriculum, since she knows a lot about Muggle history."

"But you were Muggle raised," Minerva commented, holding Severus on her lap to dress him in his new outfit.

"Well, yes, but I wasn't allowed to get better grades than Dudley in school, so I didn't actually learn all that much," Harry shrugged, "I'm reading up on it now. There were wizards involved in many Muggle affairs, but overall the two worlds pretty much kept apart. That wasn't true in other parts of the world, but the Muggle attitude towards Wizards has varied a lot over time, that's why it's difficult to find much factual evidence of Wizards in Muggle history books…and here I go again. Going off on a rant when we're celebrating Severus's birthday."

"Severus is fine, playing with his new toys," Arthur Weasley said, "and you are still doing your level best not to mention your upbringing, or at least make us ignore it. I get the feeling that your passion to educate both muggleborns and purebloods has to do with it."

Harry bit his lip. "I just thought, that if the Dursleys had understood magic they wouldn't have treated me so badly. Or if Wizards had known more about Muggles and our joined history, Voldemort wouldn't have been able to prey on their fears."

At the other's ashamed looks he sighed. Severus climbed onto his lap and he pulled the boy to him until the child squirmed in protest. "No hug. Sev pay."

"No, young man, it's nearly time for a nap for you," Harry lifted the child over his head, but didn't throw him in the air anymore like he had done before. Severus didn't seem to mind. He screamed in delight, forgetting to protest against the nap.

"Mind if I take him, Albus?" Harry asked. Upon receiving a nod, he took the small hand.

"Say bye-bye to everyone, Junior. When you wake up, you get to demolish your cake."

"Bu-bye," Severus waved.

Harry quickly dressed the child in his pyjamas and changed his nappy.

"You know, the first time I did this you were just a little baby, and I had no idea what I was doing," he mused, tickling the child.

"Awy hug," Severus demanded, "stowy."

Harry smiled and sat down into the large chair with the child on his lap.

"Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Severus," he began, telling the story that he, Phoebe and Albus had designed and told Severus many times.

"Sev," the child nodded contently.

"The little boy was sad, because he was all alone. Nobody knew it, but little Severus was a very brave little boy."

A thumb travelled up to the mouth and a dark head nestled against Harry's chest.

"Little Severus went to school and learned a lot of things. He became a very good wizard. There also was a man named Voldemort."

Severus moved his thumb out of his mouth for a moment. "Ba' man," he said.

"Yes, Voldemort was a very bad man. Lots of people were afraid of Voldemort and his friends, because they were very mean. But little Severus wasn't afraid. He went to the Headmaster of his school and said he would fight Voldemort. There were many people who wanted to fight the bad man, but little Severus did the most difficult job."

Severus yawned unashamedly and snuggled closer.

"Little Severus did the job so well that the bad man lost. He and his friends went to prison, and little Severus and his friends told the people they didn't have to be afraid anymore."

Dumbledore peeked around the door, smiling as he heard the familiar story. Severus sleepily held out his arms. "Tiss, Dada."

Kissing the child's head and stroking the dark hair, Dumbledore told him to sleep well. Harry walked over to the cot with the child in his arms and gently lowered him in it.

"Sleep well, brave little Severus."

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October after Severus's third birthday.

Most of Severus's third year was spent peacefully living with his grandfather, visiting with Harry and Phoebe and occasionally Molly and Arthur. Minerva pretended to be a strict grandmother, but she never did fool anyone. The baby grew into a healthy, strong little boy who delighted in playing with Fawkes and drove Poppy to despair with the scrapes, cuts and bruises he got from his adventures all over the grounds.

"Dada, look! Me got sword!" Severus stormed into the livingroom, waving a model of a medieval Muggle sword about. "Harwy gived me sword!"

"It's 'I have a sword', Severus," Dumbledore corrected automatically as the boy clambered onto his lap, "It's a beautiful sword! Are you going to help Harry this afternoon?"

Severus nodded proudly. "Me help Harwy. Harwy isse tired."

Albus sighed. Harry was often tired these days, and in a good deal more pain than he cared to admit. The History teacher could not fool Albus and Phoebe, however. A brief stay at St Mungo's during the summer had revived him a little, but it was clear the Vanquisher of Voldemort's health was rapidly declining.

Severus looked up at his granddad. "Harwy sick?"

"Yes, sweetheart," Dumbledore stroked the black hair, "Harry is sick."

"Sev'rus give Harwy kiss, make it awl betta," the boy decided to use the remedy Auntie Min so often used on him, and ran out the door.

Harry was resting. He was now so often in pain that Phoebe had made sure he only taught in the mornings. Seventh year NEWT students had already taken over teaching first and second year. He wore his braces whenever he was on his feet. An additional charm devised by Flitwick gave his lower back the support it needed, but he paid for it when it wore off.

Severus entered their rooms, clambered upon Harry's bed, threw his little arms around Harry's neck and planted a wet sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"What are you doing, Junior?" the tired teacher managed a small smile as he moved the child to sit besides him, not on top of him.

"Harwy is sick, Sev'rus gived kiss. Awl betta now?"

"I'm much happier now that you are here," Harry tapped the boy's nose, "guess what Phoebe left with me?"

"Frogs!!" the child bounced, causing Harry to wince. Nevertheless, he pulled two chocolate frogs from a pile of books, parchments, Muggle pens and essays. He handed one to the boy and opened the other.

"Granddad," he said, showing the boy the moving picture of Albus Dumbledore.

"Harwy," Severus responded, showing his chocolate frog card.

Harry stared at the picture. It had been taken by Colin, just days prior to the final battle. It showed a tense, but determined boy, working out and training.

Then his eye fell on the chocolate covered child besides him.

"Can't dwell on what I've lost," a flash of the old determination returned, "I have a wife, students, family to live for now. That boy in Colin's picture was healthy, but alone."

When Albus knocked a while later to retrieve Severus, he found them both on the bed, Harry laying down and Severus sitting next to him, using coloring wax to paint a 'picture' of Harry on some parchment.

"Albus," Harry reached out his hand and the Headmaster took it, concerned.

"I can't go on like this. I'm worn out. I can't be there for my wife, I can't be there for my students."

Dumbledore squeezed the thin hand. "Is there nothing that can be done?"

Harry sighed. "Perhaps. The Healers aren't exactly sure yet, but even if they can help me, it will likely involve lengthy treatment. I need you to find a substitute for me. Phoebe and I discussed it at length already, and we've agreed that we have to get to the bottom of this. The curse that hit me wasn't well-known. You know the trouble with such wounds."

Albus nodded. "Many people have succumbed to injuries that had been healed months or even years before. I will take you and Phoebe to St Mungo's myself, and don't worry about your students. They will miss you dearly, but we'll look after them, I promise."

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Harry had been in St Mungo's for two weeks now. Phoebe spent her time at Hogwarts or by her husband's hospital bed, avoiding the empty rooms that were their home. Harry weakened rapidly now, and had lost the ability to walk completely.

The healers had explained what was happening. When Harry was brought in after the battle, they had immediately noticed the massive amounts of Dark magic lingering in the wound. Time was running out and they had to act quickly. Their solution was a testimony to their skill and power, as they had managed to contain the curse within the wound when they found they could not remove it. Once that was done, they had been able to stop the blood loss and, through many different procedures, reattach the spine.

They had been convinced that the curse would fade over time, so even though their container would not last for more than a few years, by the time it collapsed the curse would've dissipated as well. They had been wrong. The container was collapsing, and the dark curse was about to be released back into Harry.

A/N: Okay, so maybe I'm a bit evil.