Hello!

Here is another fic. Even if my other stories are still in progress, I can promise quick updates on this story.

The plot is basically an excuse to write de-aged Severus Snape and Harry Potter acting as his guardian.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not make money out of this story.

I hope you will enjoy.

OOO

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."
― Oscar Wilde

Chapter One

Severus Snape was a proud man. He took pride in his potion skills, intelligence and cunning. The man had seen and felt a fair share of suffering and cruelty in his life. The recent situation, however, proved that fate had a very dark humor.

The damned Golden-Boy had managed to bring him out from the edge of life and death. How thrilling- especially that for the first week the less skeptic Order members had to guard his hospital bed- day and night- against revengeful wizards and witches. As a Headmaster, he did his best to prevent children from suffering, but there were those who didn't let go of anguish easily.

As he read the Daily Prophet, Potter had spoken for him and given proof of his innocence. Once again, he had been cleared of all accusations. Fantastic.

The recovery was slow, and as soon as Poppy's excuses to make him stay on her watch became less life threatening, Severus left the public view in the favor of his more personal chambers. For all the comfort the familiar walls gave, the Potions professor had started to work quickly on resupplying the hospital wing, Mediwitch-stores, and the Ministry. For all the hate people had for him, they still bought his potions without a second thought.

Idiots. Severus thought to himself.

He stubbornly ignored the press… and an annoying Molly Weasley who had somehow made it her new mission to drown him with inviting owls to the burrow for a friendly tea. Yes, as if he cared.

Nevertheless, when the stocks in Great Britain were slowly refilled, the Potions Master started to wonder upon his future. He couldn't go back to teaching; he had neither the will nor courage to look at the first years who had been Cruciated under his watch. He followed more or less accurately the Malfoy's trials- and once again- felt frustrated when the damned boy vouched for Narcissa, Draco, and even by extension Lucius. The entire wizarding community was in outrage at first, yet once again the boy proved how much political power his actions had when he invited Narcissa Malfoy officially back to the Black House together with Andromeda Tonks.

For all his sympathy toward Narcissa and his godson, Snape just could not summon himself to visit or even write to them. He felt relieved that his long time colleagues, the closest thing he had to friends today, were spared.

Slowly, the Potions Master had worked on a disguise powerful enough to let him start a new life. He needed a permanent glamour of sorts that wouldn't be identified by the Ministry.

That was where fate was cruel; for during the long white nights of his research, he had stirred his experimental potion anti-clockwise rather than clockwise. The explosion which resulted had currently imprisoned him in his seven-year-old-body.

To top it all, Minerva and Poppy had agreed that this had to be kept a secret; for there was half of the wizarding word that would definitely use his weakened position to let out their grief.

As he sat in the empty hospital wing- with legs too short and emotions too wild- the black haired boy tried to think of a plan for the next five weeks in which the potion should wear off. Snape cursed his young childish body that was threatening to release disgusting fluids out of his eyes due to the uncertainty of the situation.

''Why in the bloody hell do I have to live with Potter? Can I not stay in the castle until the potion wears off? It is not like I am a foolish child!'' Snape tried to argue his point but Minerva would have none of it.

''Severus, be reasonable. You are a child, far younger than those we guest here at school. The Malfoys are being watched too closely by both the Ministry and the public for them to be of any help at the moment. Harry had made plans a long time ago to leave for a remote place on the countryside in order to regenerate after the past years. We are lucky that he offered to take you in.'' The old witch explained in her teacher voice, yet there was compassion in her gaze.

''Lucky? More like a twisted sense of fate! I am not going to live with a stupid teenager who despises me.'' Minerva was about to protest, but the seven year old cut in first with his high but firm voice, ''He might have saved me, but those are his ridiculous Gryffindor tendencies at its fullest. Minerva, I had suffered enough humiliation in my life. Do not put me at his mercy.'' Once again, his irrational young body threatened to let angry and humid tears fall from his dark eyes.

''Severus, Harry is a good person. I am sure you will be perfectly safe with him.'' Snape shook his head in disbelief. It was as if she was deaf to his pleas.

''As sure as you were about me following the Dark Lord.'' The words were out before he could think them through, and he didn't want to see Minerva's expression as she fell silent. ''Fine. You don't care, then leave me alone.'' He snapped at her with his head glued to the pillow on the bed. The little Potions Master didn't give in even when he felt Minerva's gentle touch on his shoulder as she massaged it in comfort.

She spoke softly, ''Severus, for all your memories, you are a child. A child in need of a guardian and a protector when you have so many enemies. You had protected Harry for many years, let him repay that debt. Do you honestly think that he is the kind of person to take revenge, especially on a child?''

Severus wanted to yell at her. Perfect Potter, wasn't it? What was the point of answering when it was clear that Minerva had made up her mind? When the small boy with thin shoulders didn't respond, the Headmistress sighed before continuing, ''How about I promise to floo every other day to check if you are alright?''

Snape was not satisfied with this offer in the slightest. He didn't want to go. End of conversation. It would be horrible- being at the mercy of the Savior of the Wizarding World- in a location that was safe for few individuals but was unknown to anyone else. However, he nodded his agreement.

Minerva's comforting touch vanished as she stood up and returned to her strict voice. ''Now, Harry will arrive in the next half-hour. I had asked the elf's to pack your new and old materials as you had requested. I need to go to my office for a moment. Please Severus, stay in here.''

She seemed to realize that a reply wouldn't come for she immediately left. Once alone, Severus turned away from his pillow, realizing with mortification how childish his position must have been. He hated it! Absolutely loathed his current situation. The child sat up on the bed, and he wondered if he could try and escape from the hospital wing and then out of Hogwarts. He still remembered many spells, therefore he should be able to make it alone for a while; but then the reality hit that Minerva, and even Potter, were capable of tracking him down. He truly needed to plan how he was going to act in the next few weeks, and escaping was probably not the best move possible. If Minerva believed he was prone to be troublesome, then she would be less inclined to listen to his protest when Potter would start to show his true colors; he was just like his father after all… even if he had seen his blasted memories and had saved him.

The seconds dragged on as he listened for anyone to enter. The dark haired boy slid off from the bed and went to stand in front of a mirror in the corner of the room. He slowly examined his young and slightly thin face. His black hair went almost to his neck, but the damned nose he had inherited from his father wasn't as pronounced yet. His features were amazingly softer, and when he tried to glare, to test the intimidation he had used for many years, it looked ridiculous on the childish face.

Snape exhaled in resignation. He had managed to clothe himself before calling for help a few days before and with resignation, he lifted his shirt to reveal the healed yet pronounced scars his father had given him. His back was covered with them, and he pulled the shirt down again with a grim expression as he realized that he needed glamour. If Potter found out, he would mock the breath out of him.

From the corner of the room, Snape didn't notice when two wizards entered the hospital wing until a loud voice boomed around the room, ''Severus Snape! Where are you?'' Minerva's voice called in a strange tone.

He didn't have the time to even answer back when she walked forward and finally noticed him, ''Severus! What are you doing out of bed?''

Snape schooled his expression in the most neutral he could master, ''Standing. I wasn't aware, Minerva, that I was a prisoner on that bed.''

The old witch exhaled in obvious exasperation as continued on, ''The de-ageing has taken a lot of energy out of his body; therefore he should try and not use his magic as well as take physical exercises easy for the next few days.'' Snape boiled with anger when she looked at Potter during that time. He hated when he was treated as a child!

''Of course, Minerva. I'll make sure that he recovers quickly.'' Potter replied in the annoyingly calm tone.

''Alright, I will leave the two of you to chat for a moment while I will go find Poppy.'' Minerva ignored his betrayed expression as she exited the room.

The boy was not sure what to do from that moment; however he decided that making himself look vulnerable was never good with people like Potter. He squared his shoulders and held his head high as he met the eighteen year old's gaze. The green gaze was painfully reminding him of Lily, but he fought off the urge to relent.

To Potter's credit, he didn't laugh immediately at his silly seven-year-old body.

The emerald eyed man seemed to look older then eighteen. It wasn't so much that he looked old than that he looked more mature, with eyes that had seen more then he should have ever seen.

''Professor, how about we take a seat?'' Potter asked in that damned polite and calm tone.

Not wanting to show off his high voice that made him groan, Snape silently took a seat on his bed while Potter helped himself to a bed opposite from him. They sat for some time in the awkward silence until Potter spoke again.

''I know we had never had… the best relationship between us, but today- now- when I know how much you have helped the light to win… I am very thankful for the help you had given me in the past years. I want to put our past difference behind us. I am going to take you to the Potter Manor. It had been abandoned for few decades but my friends and I managed to restore it. '' The older wizard seemed to be waiting for some form of response, maybe even for Snape to apologies for the poor treatment he had given him.

Either way, the boy kept silent, until Potter spoke again in his annoyingly calm voice, ''Do you have any questions?''

The boy bit his lip before he could stop himself and looked away in embarrassment of his childish emotions. Potter was not oblivious to this, and it was clear that Minerva had informed him that he was currently a child with a profound knowledge of the events from the past forty years. His mannerisms were childish again, which he hated, yet his curiosity pushed him to speak.

''Why did you offer to take me in?'' The Little Potions Master asked quietly.

Potter was silent for a moment before answering, ''Because I think you deserve to take some vacation from the wizarding world. Other than few people who know of its location, we will be away from the press and gossip. I realize that you don't like me, and I am not asking you to, but I promise that you are going to be safe with me.''

''But you didn't let me choose if I wanted to go with you or not.'' The dark haired boy argued. ''You don't like me either, and I don't see why you would want me around other than to exhibit-'' Severus stopped himself for he already felt like he spoke too much.

He watched Potter exhale as the young man knelt in front of him to be at his eye level. ''I am not James. And I am not you. As I said, you're safe with me and I am willing to put the past behind us. I guess you'll have to give me a chance, though. If after few days you honestly hate being with me, then I'll look for some alternate arrangement. All I am asking is for you to give it a shot for some time. Alright?''

''Will I be able to use the floo connection or an owl?'' The seven year old asked with a defeated grimace.

''At any time.'' Potter promised.

The little potion master still felt a heavy knot in his stomach, but he knew that logically this was the best offer he could hope for.

OOO

This chapter was betaed by chronos-girl