Albus' wand started shaking on the table and it woke him from the light slumber he had fallen into, having given up on the paperwork. He sighed, it was time to wake the boy and do his duty as a father. He wondered for the millionth time if it ever got any easier.
He walked to the boy's room and knocked and predictably not getting any answer opened the door. He called out, "Sev, it's time to get up." On getting no answer, he went closer and shook the boy's shoulder, "Wake up, Sev."
His hand was pushed away with, "let me sleep."
He tried again, firmer this time. Severus groaned, "Dad I'm really sleepy. Please, whatever it is, can wait. Please for the love of God let me sleep."
"Up. Now. Or I can always wake you up with swats."
That got Severus' attention and he sat up, glaring at his father. "Such a lovely start to the morning."
"That's what happens when you choose to go on middle-of-the-night adventures. Go freshen up a bit. Back here in 5." Severus obeyed.
When Severus walked back into the room, Albus was sitting on his bed and that filled his head with the image of him over his father's lap and he took a step back.
"Front and center." When Severus did not move, he continued, "You do the crime, you do the time, son." That got him moving, but his eyes seemed glued to the floor.
"Eye contact. And tell me what happened last night."
When Severus didn'ts seem to be making any move to start, Albus let his hand fall into a hard swat. Severus jerked, his father was really angry, time to do some damage control.
"Dad, I'm sorry that you found out this way but I was going to tell you. I discovered a really cool way to help people with necromancy. You know how the moon…"
Albus loved the sparkle in Sev's eye when he spoke about potions, but he also knew that now was not the time.
"Where did you get the ingredients? How did you get the book from the restricted section? Why were you out of your dorm after curfew?"
"Can I just tell you about this potion first?" Albus answered with two hard swats to Severus' backside. Severus' hand immediately went to rub but Albus held it and moved it back to his side.
"Some fathers would be proud of their kids' intellect."
"Some fathers would hope that the same intellect would help their kids stay safe and out of trouble. I won't ask again. You are out of warnings. The next penalty will be a full spanking."
Severus, being the cunning slytherin, hated when he ended up in a situation where full disclosure was the best policy and the many years with Albus had absolutely drilled that into him, if not into his head then certainly into his backside.
"Slughorn's stores, I used slughorn's signature to get the house elves to deliver it and I was finishing and bottling the latest version of this experimental potion."
"That's Professor Slughorn to you. And that was extremely disrespectful of you. You will apologize to him, pay him back for what you stole and accept any punishment he deems fit besides what I mete out, understand?"
"But Dad, he will make me do something dumb like drink tea with him."
"Then I would say you would be getting off very lightly."
Severus realized there was no point arguing. "Dad, I don't have the money to pay him back."
"And what happened to all your pocket money?"
"I might have spent it on the potions that I could buy and some books." Severus looked down and scruffed his toe on the floor. In distress, childhood habits came back to him.
"Eyes up." Albus waited for Severus to lift his head then continued, "Well then you have lost your pocket money for the next year."
"But Dad, the ingredients wouldn't cost that much!"
"There's always an interest and penalty to stealing. Let this be an incentive to try to save up for what you want next time?"
"Of course, other kids just need to mention a toy in their letter and it is in their hands the next morning whereas I can't even get money to spend on my education."
"I am not raising those kids and I will never allow you to grow entitled and greedy who knows the value of nothing."
"Trust me growing up the way I did, drilled those lessons hard enough. I still cherish every meal I eat."
"I wish you didn't have to go through that but that is not an excuse for your current behavior."
When Severus did not respond, Albus decided to continue, "Next, about the book. What made you think that taking a book from the restricted section would ever be okay?"
Two swats from Albus got a screech and Severus started, "Well, necromancy is treated like a dark thing and for me to be able to fix it, I need to understand it. So I needed the book."
"And you couldn't ask me?"
"You wouldn't have allowed it."
"You'll never know now, will you?"
When Severus was about to look down again, Albus held his chin and proclaimed, "six of the best with the cane, on each hand."
"But.. but… how will I write? And how will I brew?"
"Oh trust me you are grounded from brewing outside potion class till I'm convinced that you can act responsibly. And for your school work, that pain is the consequence of your actions."
Severus shut his eyes and one tear leaked out. It broke Albus' heart but he knew that if he wasn't strict with his boy, the child could go down a really dark path.
"For being out of your dorms after curfew and wandering the halls, you are grounded to quarters and will go to bed with lights out at 9pm for a month."
Albus could see that Severus's eyes were pointed at his, but he wasn't really looking. He seemed to have resigned himself to whatever would happen. Albus wanted to get this over with so that he could comfort his son and so forced himself to say, "And for putting yourself in danger like that you will get twelve of the best with the cane on your backside now and another twelve after fifteen days, half way through your grounding."
When there was still no response, Albus said, "Severus? Are you listening?"
"Yes Sir. I'm sorry Sir."
Albus sighed and tried to pull Severus into a hug. When Severus resisted, he let go but continued rubbing his back, "We'll be okay, son. We'll get through it."
"Yes sir."
Albus felt at a loss when Severus became like this so he decided to get on with it.
He dreaded giving his child such a harsh punishment but knew that it was his duty as a father. Severus started out trying to be stoic but when the third strike of the cane on his palm intersected with the first one, he lost it and bawled throughout the rest of the ordeal.
When it was finally over, Severus lied on his spot on the bed and just sobbed. Albus went to rub his back but Severus just shook his head no.
Albus knew the answer but held some hope as he asked, "would you like me to stay or leave?"
"Leave, please."
Albus sighed, took the transfigured cane and walked out of Severus' room.
When it was time to leave for breakfast, Albus just stood at Severus' door. Severus nodded, got up from the bed and went to wash his face.
As they walked to the great hall together, Albus tried, "You okay?"
"No sir."
"I hope things only get better from here." Severus did not respond.
Albus saw Severus sit far from any of his friends and barely put any food on his plate. He didn't want to have an argument but knew that the kid needed more food and so spelled more food onto the kid's plate. Severus did not even look up in acknowledgement. But he did finish all the food.
And then promptly threw it up. Albus was worried but decided that it was best if Poppy checked on him and gave him what he needed. He quietly told her that she may heal some of the effects of the caning and give the kid something for his stomach. And to let him know if Severus did not visit her by lunch.
Severus got an owl before class started with a letter informing him that his earlier version of the necromancy potion and his work in general had won him the Young Potions Master award. He snorted and politely declined the invitation to the award ceremony, making sure to subtly ask if they could send him the cash prize some other way. The pain distracted him for the rest of the day but he did his best to occlude it and be a model student.