AN: Okay, I'm back sooner than expected. Break, Schmake, out of town company can entertain themselves for a bit. Once I get an idea it's hard to let it go without writing it down.

Setup:The universe to this fiction is different than I've done before, but it is related to some of the same ideas. So if you've read some of my Snape raising Harry stories, this is not a sequel, but the universe is similar. This is a different direction than I've done before, so please give me some feedback on what you think. Is this believable? What do you think should happen? I'm sure there are stories of Harry raising Snape like this out there, but I've never read any. This story started from an idea from reader Chrissysmiles, who pointed out that so much of canon is so sad, and that Snape really never gets a fair shot at life. It sparked me the idea of Harry parenting Snape – how fun would it be seeing Harry apply what he learned from Snape onto Snape? And I didn't want to deal with the complications and paradoxes that come from time travel, so I went with making Snape younger.

Warnings:This story is alternative universe (AU) in that Harry has been raised by Snape previously and Snape survives the final battle. However, my goal is to keep the characters as close to their canonical personas as possible given the changed circumstances. There will be spanking (CP) of a minor in this story, if you don't like it then read something else. There will also be discussion of past abuse, strong language, and perhaps a scene or two with violence in it. One of my greatest joys in writing fanfiction is in interacting with readers, reading reviews, and getting constructive feedback; so please let me know what you think about what I write. I have little patience, however, for people who flame, I simply roll my eyes, call you an idiot, and pity the pointless life you must lead to think abusing people online anonymously is a fun time. Also, I am not JK Rowling, nor do I intend to become her at any point in this story. I do not profit from this writing other than encouragement and reviews from my readers. Please enjoy responsibly.

"Where is he?" Harry demanded, entering the room of the Headmistress. She had floo called him as his working day at the ministry was nearly over, and told him that he needed to come to her office immediately about a matter with Severus Snape.

"He's with Madame Pomfrey," the Headmistress replied, ignoring the youth's rudeness. "I wanted to talk with you first."

"If he's injured, I must go to him!" Harry exclaimed, without thought to proper address and manners. Turning to leave, he found the door closing and locking behind him.

"You will wait and you will listen to me first," she told him firmly, invoking her best head of house voice. Harry found his body responding to it as he had when he was eleven – instant fear and respect. This was a Professor that brooked no shenanigans nor disobedience. "Professor Snape needs you calm and in control before you see him."

"What happened?" Harry asked, nodding to her authority and trying to calm himself. The grown-up part of himself tried also to save his dignity, he didn't really want to know if he could force himself through those doors or not. McGonagall was a formidable witch. Then, remembering his manners, he added, "Headmistress."

"You know he was working on his off time to develop an anti-aging potion," McGonagall told him, nodding at his remembering to include her title. "He has become much in demand for creating new potions, and in fact was considering leaving Hogwarts to become an experimental brewer full time. Well, there was an accident two days ago."

"Is he alright?" Harry asked, clearly beginning to panic. "Is he alive? What happened? Why did nobody tell me sooner?"

"He is alive and physically healthy, just . . . altered," the Headmistress told him. "We did not tell you sooner because we wanted more information first, as if this was treatable it would be a vastly different situation than if it isn't. It appears that the aging potion has made Snape significantly younger. We believe that his current age is now around nine years old."

"Nine years old?" Harry asked, aghast. "What can be done about it?"

"We have had the top healers from St. Mungo's examine him," the Headmistress explained. "It is possible that something will eventually be discovered that could remedy this situation, but for right now there is no cure. Unfortunately, one of the best Potion Masters for this project would have been Professor Snape himself. So now, for all intents and purposes he is nine years old, and likely to remain that age."

"Does he remember anything from his adult life?" Harry asked, trying to grasp the implications of what was being said. "Does he even remember me?"

"From what we can tell he only remembers his life up until age nine," she explained. "He has no memory of becoming your guardian and raising you, but he does have some memories of your mother which happened before his current age. He has been told what happened, but to him it feels as if he were transported forward in time and everyone he knew is gone. He doesn't even remember Hogwarts."

Harry was silent for a moment, taking in this information. The father who had raised him since he was nine was now gone, and he had the unsettling feeling of being an orphan once again. It was a lot to take in.

"My father is gone," Harry said softly, and the Headmistress looked at him in sympathy. "I know I'm an adult now and don't really need a parent . . ."

"You need a parent at twenty as well," McGonagall told him softly. "You are over-young to be without him, Harry. I lost my father when I was sixty and I felt that I was over-young to be without him as well."

"I can't believe that just like that he could be gone."

"He is, but he's also not," she told him gently. "Your grief will be complicated, and also incomplete until we know for sure whether or not we can bring him back. And this is also why I wanted to talk to you first; we need to talk about what is going to become of that nine-year-old boy."

"Oh," Harry said, confused. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Well, it bears thinking, because Severus Snape is now a minor with no living relative besides you," McGonagall told him. "I know you are quite young to be burdened with parenting, as you are barely out of school yourself. But I'm afraid that you are the most suitable for such a situation."

"Suitable as his guardian?" Harry asked, incredulous. "Headmistress, I'm only twenty! Ginny and I are supposed to marry this summer!"

"I know all of that," the Headmistress confirmed. "And Professor Snape hasn't been told about you yet. If you would like to not take on this responsibility, then we will search out a suitable foster home for him."

"Surely a stable, loving two parent home would be better for him," Harry argued. "What do I know about raising kids?"

"You seem to have a great deal of belief in the foster system," McGonagall told him. "I believe that you were once part of a stable, two-parent household."

"What if he gets someone like the Dursleys?" Harry asked, suddenly realizing.

"Exactly," the Headmistress answered. "I have heard it once said about marriage that it is better the right person at the wrong time than the wrong person at the right time. I think that can apply to guardianships as well."

"Do you think I can do it?" Harry asked. "I know that I, well, I want to be there for the Professor as he was there for me when I needed him. But, I mean, well, I don't really know how to do this."

"How old were you when you were placed in Professor Snape's custody?" she mused.

"Nine," Harry admitted.

"Hmm, poetic justice," she answered. "I believe that Professor Snape had the same questions that you have. He was a confirmed bachelor with what many believed was an unsuitable temperament to raise a child, especially one so important to the wizarding world and one that had been removed from his relatives for abuse. But Dumbledore thought that it would be good for both of you, and I believe he rose to the occasion."

"He did," Harry admitted. "I mean, he wasn't perfect, and things were a bit rough at first . . . but in the end I knew he loved me and I knew I was safe with him. I think that made the difference."

"Nine-year-old Severus needs the same thing," McGonagall told him. "You are your father's child, and I believe you can rise to the occasion as well. And while I do not expect you to be perfect, and I assume you will make mistakes, I also think that you can do as good of a job as Professor Snape did helping an abused boy feel safe and loved."

"He was abused," Harry acknowledged. "Professor Snape spoke of it so rarely; I didn't even think of that."

"I think it's about to come to the forefront," McGonagall told him. "Would you like to meet your new ward now?"

"I suppose now is as good of time as any," Harry acknowledged. "But could I have a few minutes to floo Ginny first? I just want her to be prepared."

"I will give you some privacy," she told him, gesturing to her fireplace. "I will be back in ten minutes to escort you to the infirmary."

"Thank you, Headmistress," Harry nodded, suddenly nervous about the call. What young woman wanted a nine-year-old snarky Potions Master to begin a marriage?

Harry was surprised to learn that Ginny was just such a young woman. "Of course you have to take him," she told him after he explained the situation. "He's family."

"Are you sure?" he asked her, surprised she was more confident then he himself felt.

"Of course," she told him. "Isn't this what he did for you?"

"Are you ready to be a mum to Snape?" he asked her, incredulously.

"No," she admitted. "But Harry, what is the alternative? He should be with people that love him, and right now that looks like us."

"I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you," Harry smiled, surprised at how easy Ginny made the decision for him.

"Don't forget it," she told him with a laugh. "I'll come round tonight for supper, how does that sound? I'd like to meet this new Severus myself."

"Can you let Hermione and Ron know? Hermione might be able to set up one of the spare rooms for him maybe, I think she's off this afternoon."

"I'm sure they'd love to help," Ginny confirmed. "I'm sure my mum has some kids things lying around that she can donate too. She'd probably be pretty good at setting things up too, do you want me to ask her?"

"That would be amazing," Harry replied, feeling relieved to realize that there was a whole group of people to help him. "You're the best."

. . .

"Remember Harry, he will take a lot of patience and care," McGonagall told him as she walked him to the infirmary. "He is not going to immediately grateful and want to bond with you; it will be your job to care for him and to earn his trust. Don't be discouraged if it takes longer than you expect."

"The man was a father to me," Harry smirked. "I think I know what I'm getting into."

"You knew Severus Snape the man," she corrected. "Severus Snape the boy was a whole different person. You have to remember that I knew him as a child, although admittedly I met him when he came to Hogwarts at eleven."

"Did he cause much trouble at eleven?" Harry asked, curious.

"What I am trying to say," she answered, ignoring his question. "Is that alongside patience and care you will also need to have clear boundaries and a firm hand; he needs to be able to respect you."

Harry paled. "I guess I would be like his father, then," he admitted quietly. He hadn't really thought of it that way. Would he be tucking Snape into bed? Making him eat vegetables? Scolding him?

"And all that entails," McGonagall agreed. "For all intents and purposes you will be the only father he knows from here on out, and you're not going to do him any favors if you come in apologizing for everything and trying to be too nice to him either. He will feel safer with firm boundaries."

"Something tells me he's already been testing those boundaries," Harry stated, looking at the headmistress to confirm his suspicion.

"A bit," she admitted. "Poppy has had difficulty keeping him in the infirmary, and he has been, well, less than polite when questioned. But I'm sure a stable and loving father will help cure him of that."

"Are you sure I can do this?" Harry asked, feeling daunted.

Stopping, the Headmistress turned and looked Harry full in the face. "We both know the misery that he endured as a child," she told him with a sad voice. "The fact that he faced continued torture at Hogwarts after a childhood of abuse is one of my deepest personal regrets. And then when it came out after the war of his heroism and selfless actions to save the war and to save you, well, I felt such admiration for the man that I had wished he'd been a Gryffindor. I visited him as he healed from Nagini's bite, and included my friendship with him in subsequent years to be very valuable indeed."

"I understand that, Headmistress."

"What you don't seem to be understanding is that this could be a whole new chance at life and a childhood for Severus," she continued. "The same chance you had when Severus agreed to become your guardian. What if he were to trust and love you even as you did him? What would that do to change his life?"

"My life would have been completely different without him," Harry admitted.

"Then let's not tell him too much about himself as an adult," she briskly confirmed, beginning her quick pace again. "Let's see what he could have become in different circumstances. Let's give him a chance at happiness."

Harry found himself agreeing with the Headmistress as they walked swiftly along the stone hallways, but also found himself very daunted at the prospect? Could he possibly parent well at his age? To the boy that had been his father? And with that, he began to feel the pangs of missing his father. Always he would have gone to Snape for advice in just this circumstance, and now there was nobody to go to. He was truly on his own, just as he realized Snape must be feeling right now.