George tore off down the hallway after his brother and the tiny Professor Flitwick, who stopped to watch him as his brother went out onto the grounds.

"Fred!" George called as his brother continued down the path towards the lake, "Fred! Wait up!"

George sighed when his twin kept going towards the Black Lack and the memorial. George knew Fred was mad, well royally pissed off with him, but he would not let his twin run from this. Fred had been what held him together during the summer and the months before that and now he would make sure Fred turned to him for help.

George stopped next to Fred as he traced their mother's name on the wall.

"I miss her," Fred said quietly and he dropped his arm, "I never thought she would be gone, you know?"

"I know," George said looking at his brother's and sister's name as well as their parents. "Was it really Charlie who told them? Are you sure it was him?"

"George," Fred sighed, "I wanted to tell you I did, but I couldn't, not until we got to the school where Charlie couldn't get to us." Fred took in a shaky breath, "But as the school year got closer you had more nightmares, and they were more frequent, and you would always be rubbing your arm, and I couldn't tell you then. George, you were always tired or you were upset. I won't hurt you."

"But that's the thing, Fred," George said hotly, "It is not your job to keep me from getting hurt. Besides, when have you ever hurt me?"

Fred looked away from his brother and moved away from the memorial and towards the Black Lake. George watched as his brother gazed over the water, with unshed tears in his eyes.

"I couldn't stop them," He said almost as quiet as the breeze, "Every time those… those bastards came into that damn cell, they took someone away, or they hurt you. I had to watch every time that bastard Malfoy did that to you, and then when that prick Nott did as well, George." Fred turned back to his twin, "I couldn't stop them from hurting you."

"Fred, look at me," George said as his brother turned away again, "It was not your fault. None of it was your fault. I'm getting better Fred, really, I am. My nightmares aren't as often and Professor Snape helped me with my arm, that word is gone. We'll get through this, together." He reached out for his brother, "You can cry Fred, its okay."

And for the first time since they had buried the gnawed bones of their family, Fred let his tears fall for George to see.

Severus decided that after the two students and Remus were gone that it was time to give Harry the Stomach Enlarger Potion.

"Harry," He called from the door, "Can I come in?"

"One minute!" Harry yelled as he pulled his pajamas on in more of a hurry now, "Come in."

Severus took a step into the room and noticed that the boy was standing stock still against the wall.

"Come here," He said sitting on the bed, "I have the Stomach Enlarger Potion for you. It will be a little painful but I'll stay until it passes."

"Thank you," Harry said softly, sitting next to his professor and taking the potion from him and pouring it down his throat. "Do you mean it? About the deaging?"

"Absolutely," Severus said, pulling the blankets up, "You deserve this chance, along with the twins."

"I think it will be nice," Harry yawned and closed his eyes, before the potion had started taking effect, "To have a regular childhood."

Severus smiled as the child fell asleep before the pain could start and he was grateful that he wouldn't feel the stabs of pain as his stomach grew. Severus also knew that Harry would be ravenous tomorrow morning and he was glad that they had house elves at the school and were going to see Poppy as well.

"Sleep well, child," Severus whispered as he left the room only to see Albus Dumbledore's head in his fireplace.

"Severus, do you mind if I step through?" Albus asked his Potion Master.

"If you can keep it down and not wake up Harry," Severus said quietly stepping away from the door.

"Of course, Severus," Albus said and stepped through the flames into the fireplace. "How is Harry?"

"Tired, he had a busy day," Severus said and sighed, "I'm worried that he hasn't totally freaked out yet. There was only the time after you left."

"Minerva told me he said that he remembered a visit from Lucius," Albus said, "Tomorrow Poppy will know for sure?"

"Yes, Poppy will run the test so we know for sure," Severus said and sighed, "Has the Ministry contacted you about the other Weasley?"

"I have heard from Cornelius," Albus sighed, "I also know young Fred was the one to turn him in. Has he told his brother?"

"George found out tonight," Severus said putting his head in his hands, "Albus, I know you know about the transfer of guardianship and I think you deserve to know what we are planning." Severus took a deep breath, "Harry and the twins will be taking a deaging potion tomorrow morning."

"Pushing my earlier feelings aside," Albus said, "I think that that is the best road for them. I believe the temporary potion is all we have in stock in the infirmary, but have you considered making the change permanent? To let them have a normal childhood?"

"We'll decide that when that comes around," Severus said and watched as Albus' eyes twinkled as he suppressed a yawn.

"I think Severus," Albus chuckled, "I'll allow you to get some rest before you become the proud father of three young boys."

"Not father, Albus," Severus said quickly, "I will not replace Arthur and James in their lives. Arthur was one of the best fathers I have ever seen and, I loath to admit it, so was James. I will not replace them."

"Well, you had better find a suitable title for them to call you by, Severus," Albus said, heading back into the fireplace, "Severus is quite a mouthful for young children, goodnight."

"Goodnight Albus."

Severus sighed and turned to return to his own room when a whimper from Harry's room stopped him. He quickly made his way into the smaller room and over to the bed.

Harry was curled into a tight ball with his hands firmly clasped around his stomach. Severus went over to the bed and put his hand through Harry's hair and the boy leaned into the touch.

"'Fessor?" Harry slurred through his sleepy mind, "Hurts."

"I know," Severus smiled at the small boy, "But remember what Dobby is making for you tomorrow and it will be worth it"

"Is Fred okay?" Harry yawned and flinched as another spark of pain went through his stomach. "He was angry with George."

"I am sure they fixed everything," Severus whispered, "George has been through enough, and Fred wouldn't want him to hurt over this too."

"I know," Harry whispered in reply and closed his eyes, "Voldemort made me… made me watch it." He added in a yawn before he had drifted off to sleep.

Severus stared at the young man sleeping on the edge of the bed. He had watched what Lucius Malfoy had done to George and not said anything. Probably out of loyalty to the red head, but what if George had asked him not to say anything? Severus was happy that the three boys would be going through the deaging tomorrow.

They hopefully wouldn't remember anything. Severus sighed and left the room and headed towards his own room. Tomorrow would be a long day.

When Severus woke up the next morning he found Harry sitting at the table with Dobby bringing him, what looked to be his third plate of breakfast.

"Hungry are we?" He snickered at the young man, "You should listen to me more often, Mr. Potter."

"I'm starving," Harry said around a bite of sausage, "And I only know one person who can cook better than Dobby."

"Molly was a great cook," Severus agreed and scowled as Harry stuffed half of a waffle in his mouth, "You are beginning to act like your friend, Ronald."

He mentally berated himself when Harry looked down and set his fork down and pushed his plate away. Severus should have known better than to bring up the boy's best friend, along with Granger and this summer.

"I'm not hungry," Harry whispered and Severus shook his head.

"You and I know that is not true," Severus said and groaned when there was a knock on his door, "Eat and I will see which idiot is here."

Harry nodded and silently picked up a piece of toast and a small smile slipped onto his face when he heard the voices drift towards him from the entrance.

"Ah, the king idiots," Severus said dryly.

"Ah, Professor you wound us with your words," Draco cried making Harry snort into his pumpkin juice, "Besides you know we are two of your best sixth year potion students you have."

"You are the only sixth years I will have in class," Severus said and Harry could see the smirk on Severus' face, "But both of you have gained skills in class, particularly you Neville."

"I am just happy I don't blow my cauldrons up anymore," Neville said quietly.

"Was there something the two of you needed?" Severus asked and Harry pushed his plate away again, empty this time, and nodded to Dobby for another.

"We wanted to see Harry," Draco said and looked around the taller man, "You know, before he was all cute and tiny and drooling all over everything."

"Be nice Draco," Harry called as Dobby brought him some toast, "Or I may have to drool on you."

Draco laughed and Severus let him and Neville into the rooms. Harry smiled between pieces of toast.

"Merlin, Harry," Neville said and laughed, "Are you trying to clear out the Hogwarts kitchen?"

"What?" Harry said through a bit of sausage, "I'm hungry."

"Leave him alone," Draco said from the couch, "He took that potion last night, he should be hungry."

"Thank you Draco," Harry said, placing a piece of eggs in his mouth, "But I think I'm done now."

"Good," Draco said and motioned him to a seat near him, "We have things to discuss."

"Like what you will be calling Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Malfoy?" Severus said clearing away Harry's plates with a flick of his wand. "They will after all, be your and the twins' babysitters."

"I get to be Uncle Draco!" Draco laughed and Severus shook his head, "Neville is Uncle Nev! Now that that's settled, what are your three new sons going to call you, Daddy?"

"You're pushing it Draco," Severus said sending a glare at the blonde as they heard a crash in the hallway outside of the rooms. "I can guarantee that that was the twins."

"I thought they were meeting us at the infirmary," Harry said as he sipped at his pumpkin juice, "They will probably say they were bored."

Harry, Draco, and Neville watched as Severus went to the portrait hole and opened it.

"Papa!" Fred yelled and threw himself at the professor, and Harry, Draco, Neville, and George laughed at the look on the professor's face.

"I told him not to Professor," George said from behind his brother, "He got bored, we were going to go to the infirmary but he decided to come here."

"Unfortunately," Severus said, still attempting to get the red head away from him, "I am seriously beginning to rethink my decision, at least regarding this one."

"Fred, leave him alone," George said shaking his head in amusement, "When are we going to see Madam Pomfrey?"

"Now, before I change my mind," Severus said and Draco jumped up and smiled.

"I'm going to be an uncle!" Draco cried and Fred and George stared at him.

"Uncle Ferret?" Fred asked and Harry snorted.

"Be nice, Fred," Harry laughed.

Severus shook his head and began to lead the five boys up the four flights of stairs to the infirmary. He didn't know if he could handle raising three young children, especially if two of said children were the Weasley Twins. He didn't even know if he could raise a family, but the boys did deserve this chance.

"Ah, Severus," Poppy smiled at him and then at the boys, "Adopting another two are you?"

"Absolutely not," Severus said quickly, "Will we be able to give Harry the deaging potion and then run the test?"

"We should be able to," Poppy said, thinking quickly, "Yes we could, it shouldn't cause any problems."

"Alright," Severus said and turned back to the boys, "The three of you will have your memories of the year you are being deaged to," Severus stopped when Harry's eyes widened. "What is it?"

"I am going to…to be one?" Harry asked and he started to shake, "I was at the Dursley's for a little while that year and… and Halloween."

"We will deal with it, don't worry about it," Severus said and then looked at the twins, "Lie down and let's get this over with. Two years is going to fly by."

"Are we ready?" Poppy asked coming over with a tray with three potions and her wand. She smiled when they all nodded, "This will take about three hours, and the potion will put them to sleep. I will ward the infirmary, and you three will leave them alone. Harry I will run the test once you are under the power of the potion. Alright?"

Severus watched as the three took the potion and closed their eyes as their faces began to look younger. He nodded at Poppy and she waved her wand over the boy and a parchment and quill appeared. The quill danced across the parchment and when it stopped he snatched at the paper.

With the parchment in hand he guided the two other boys out to the hallway as Poppy began to ward the infirmary. Bidding the boys goodbye he began the trek to the seventh floor to Minerva's office.