Snape was furious as he walked to the headmaster's office. He had received a patronus informing him that Draco, a member of his house and his godson, was in trouble, again. And that too with the golden boy Harry Potter. He had thought he had made his opinions about Draco engaging with the boy purely out of anger and bullying clear the last time but apparently not. He let out an angry huff and gave the password to the gargoyle.

He entered Dumbledore's office to find the headmaster, McGonagall, Harry and Draco. Draco was glaring daggers at Harry. He began, "Yes, headmaster?"

"Hello Severus. Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you. What's going on with Mr. Malfoy?"

McGonagall responded, "Mr. Potter was caught in the trophy room and they claim they were challenged to a duel by Mr. Malfoy here."

"And what does Mr. Malfoy say?" Snape turned to the boy with a raised eyebrow.

Draco tried to appear nonchalant and said, "I have no idea what he is talking about. I worked on my Potions essay and was about to go to bed."

"You're already beyond the 11pm curfew for first years."

"The potions assignment was hard!"

Snape sighed and turned to McGonagall, "Do we have any proof about Mr. Potter's claims?"

"Not really."

"Then why are we even having this discussion?"

"Severus, I'm sure you understand…"

"No, I do not understand, headmaster, why your Gryffindors always get the benefit of the doubt while Slytherins are assumed guilty until proven innocent."

"Are you done with your rant? I was going to suggest taking a look at their memories if they are willing to share."

"That will be acceptable." Snape should have looked behind him towards Draco. The way his face paled would have told him everything he needed to know.

Harry volunteered to share his memory and with some coaching was able to pull it to the front of his three professors saw the memory together and when Snape lifted his head, he glared daggers at Draco's bent head.

"So what is their punishment, headmaster?"

"I trust you two to come up with something appropriate as their heads of house. Mr. Malfoy, duelling challenges are not something to be taken lightly and you should have told a professor about this instead of breaking school rules and endangering your life. I do not want a repeat of this. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir." They chorused.

"Alright then, please follow your heads of house out."

As Snape reached the door, the last one out of the group, Albus called out, "Severus, I understand you have to take care of this now but do drop by my quarters once you finish."

Severus mentally cringed and tried, "I may be long, Headmaster."

"Doesn't matter. I have a long ministry manuscript to keep me company till you arrive."

"But headmaster…"

"It wasn't a request, Severus."

"Yes headmaster." And with that Snape left.

Severus didn't say a word to Draco on the way to the dungeons. When Draco tried to speak, he hissed, "Silence!"

Draco was surprised when he was led to the entrance to the Slytherin dorms instead of Snape's office or his quarters. "Go to bed. Detention at 7."

Snape walked away, not even checking if Draco had followed his order.

Snape went into his own quarters and sat on the couch with his head in his hands. He had to strategize. The stupid, foolish, idiotic child. He tried to defend his snakes and his house and landed himself in trouble! He cursed himself for the stupid mistake of trusting the child instead of finding all the facts first.

He sighed and considered just going to bed but self-preservation won and he made his way towards Dumbledore's quarters.

Dumbledore greeted him with a raised eyebrow and he explained, "it's late, dealing with it right now would only create conditions conducive to more trouble. He needs his sleep."

"I trust your judgment but make sure that he understands the error of his ways."

"Certainly headmaster. Will that be all?"

Dumbledore was about to say 'what do you think' but remembered how Severus tended to respond to sarcastic questions with defiance and settled for, "No, front and center."

Severus almost rolled his eyes but made his way to the spot in which he had stood more times than he cared to count.

"I'm going to run a diagnostic. Stay still."

"What? Why? You can't!"

Severus' protests fell on deaf ears as Albus recited the chant.

"As I had suspected. Why are you skipping meals and sleep again? Was our last discussion not thorough enough to get through to you?"

Severus cringed at the thought of the last 'discussion' which had happened with him appended over Albus' lap willing to make any promises to make the spanking stop.

"I'm sorry for my outburst earlier today, headmaster. It won't happen again. And I will rectify the meal and sleep situation too."

"And pray tell why you didn't rectify it before I had to run a diagnostic?"

Severus groaned, he did not have a good enough answer. At least not one that Albus would find acceptable. So he settled for, "I'm sorry."

Albus nodded, accepting the apology then continued, "I appreciate that but you still need to be punished."

"I am an adult, not a child. I understand interventions for my benefit and can be trusted to act on said interventions without juvenile punishments."

"All evidence says otherwise."

Severus couldn't help the eye roll and so lowered his head at the last moment to hide it.

"Eyes up." Severus complied.

Albus sighed, then said, "Against my better judgment, I am going to give you a choice. Option 1 is that I give you a thorough spanking, mind you this will hurt as this is not the first time we are discussing the importance of food and sleep and then I will let the sting be a reminder to you to do the right thing or option 2, I will set up charms to monitor your food and sleep. If you don't follow my expectations to the letter, you will receive the same spanking, but for every day of a week. I want to give you another chance to do better and I hope the threat of that harsh treatment does the trick."

Severus' brain was working overdrive. Giving up his privacy would be hell for the reserved potions professor but his backside blocked his brain from even contemplating other options when there was one where it wouldn't be in immediate danger.

On Albus' prompting, Severus responded, "I choose option 2."

"Alright then, hold out your wand please."

Severus did as instructed and Albus set up the charms.

"Are we clear about the expectations?"

"At least 6 hours of sleep and 3 filling, balanced meals."

"That about sums it," Albus nodded, "And what are you going to do about dinner tonight?"

"It is fairly late headmaster."

Albus raised an eyebrow, "do you already want that spanking? It being fairly late is all the more reason for you to eat something!"

When Severus didn't object further, Albus asked the house elves for a bowl of fruit.

"This will be acceptable for tonight but from tomorrow morning, balanced, filling meals. If you are ever unsure, err on the side of more, am I clear?"

"Yes sir."

Albus nodded then continued in a much lighter tone, "Come, sit with me while you eat your fruit. How have you been?"

Severus wanted to scowl but found himself soaking up the comfort that his adoptive father was so willing to give.