Chapter 3 - The Child Who Saw Him

It was during an Order of the Phoenix member meeting of all places. James and Lily attended the meetings when they could - and seeing as the only people that we had regular contact with were also Order members and couldn't babysit me, they decided to start taking me with them. I sat on Lily's lap the entire meeting and it was then that I first saw Severus Snape. He was standing in a dark corner of the meeting room, trying not to bring attention to himself. I guess he already told Voldemort about the prophecy and contacted Dumbledore - I mean we were about to go into hiding under the Fidelius Charm soon after all.

It was a month after my 1st birthday, meaning it was two months until Voldemort.

I tried not to pay him any notice (and failing at it), when I saw him walk to the door, making his exit. I looked up at my mom and dad - they were completely focused on what the meeting was about. I looked at Snape again and then at my mom.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

I started squirming a bit, making it known that I wanted down. Lily looked at me with a small smile and since I was known to be a good baby, she let me down thinking I wanted to stretch my legs and explore a bit.

I mean, she wasn't wrong. But I had other ideas in my mind besides stretching my legs. I wobbled around a bit, trying to be as inconspicuous as I possibly could be at making my way towards the doors where Snape had just walked through. When I finally managed to squeeze myself through those doors I saw him standing in the middle of the corridor just breathing deeply.

Was he okay? Was he anxious? Was he trying to take a breather to himself? I, myself, was often overwhelmed when in the presence of too many people - it's why Lily let me go since she understood that I also needed some time away from people. I always returned to either hers or dad's laps after a few minutes away.

He hadn't noticed me yet since he hadn't closed the doors behind him.

I looked at him for a few moments. He looked young. I remembered that he was the same age as my parents, which meant he was 21. He looked thin and tired as if he didn't take care of himself. His hair was stringy and looked unkempt. It reached his shoulders. He wore all black of course.

I made a decision then that would, hopefully, change things for the better.

I ran at him, pretending not to notice him, and bumped into his knees making myself fall to my bum.

Only, I didn't.

Instead of feeling the pain of my butt touching the ground, two thin arms caught me around the shoulders and stopped me from falling. I looked up and smiled at Severus Snape.

"Thank 'ou,' I told him as he made sure I had my balance. He was about to let my shoulders go but I had other plans. I made grabby hands at him and made a cute baby squeal of "Up p'ease!"

I don't think he expected me to do that since I saw his face twitch a bit and he looked at me more closely. I saw exactly when he realized who I was when his lips opened a smidge, but then his face closed off. I kept my arms up and after a few significant moments, he sighed and picked me up - one of his hands safely under my bum as he put me on his hip.

He didn't say anything and made his way back to the meeting room with me clinging to him with a triumphant smile.

"Potter, you lost something," Snape announced to the room as he entered.

The Order members looked up and took note of who entered the room. I saw the moment my mom realized just who exactly it was that I was clinging to. I took notice of the way she and Dad looked at each other in silence. I saw Sirius' mouth drop open in shock and Remus' eyebrows shoot up.

Because the way I looked so comfortable in Snape's arms was a very significant thing.

I didn't like being held in anyone's arms but those of my parents, my dog-father and Uncle Moo'y. I squirmed and made uncomfortable noises if I were in any arms other than of those four. The fact that I looked happy being held by Severus Snape when I threw temper tantrums whenever they tried to make me get closer to Peter Pettigrew. The fact that I looked calm instead of uncomfortable and nervous if anyone else held me.

The room went silent as Snape made his way towards Lily and deposited me in her lap without a word, then exited the room again swiftly.

I realized after a few days that Snape being in the Order of the Phoenix was probably not a widely known fact. In fact, no one was supposed to know he was there - so how was it that I saw him, noticed him? No one else in the room noticed he was there or gave him any attention. Was he under a Notice-Me-Not spell or something? If so, how did I see him? There was also the fact that my Mom did not know Snape was a spy and still thought he was a Death Eater when she died in the books and now she and Dad had serious discussions with Sirius and Remus about the man.

I met Severus Snape again at the next Order meeting. And the circumstances were almost identical - Snape stood in a dark corner of the meeting room, near the doors and no one even noticed he was there. I focused my eyes on him and just observed him in silence. I enjoyed the look of surprise on his face when he saw me looking at him a minute or so later. I almost giggled at the way he checked if his spell was working and then gave me a consternated look when apparently it was. Instead, I gave him a happy smile and waved at him.

He rolled his eyes at me. Then his face went blank and he turned his attention back to the meeting.