Dumbledore sat with Severus in his lap, the boy having been washed and dressed in clean pajamas.

“…and we went to see some really boring old rocks but Uncle Harry liked them, and then we went to the playground and I played on slides and there was a boy and he had a little sister and we played with the water and the sand and made a sandcastle, and it was really huge and grandpa…”

The dark eyes looked up at him solemnly, pausing a little in the rant to catch a breath so the next important piece of information could be blurted out, “he said I was his friend!”

“That is wonderful,” Dumbledore enthused, “so you had a lot of fun.”

Severus nodded happily. “I like camping. And the bike. Next time, I want to steer, too!”

“Of course. And did you mind Uncle Harry?”

“I was good!” Severus pushed his little nose up in the air as if to say ‘aren’t I ever?’

“He even went to use the facilities all on his own,” Harry let them know from the other room, where he was doing something vague.

“’Cause I am a big boy, Uncle Harry,” the child sounded almost condescending, “I know how to go potty.”

The near-sneer on his face reminded the Headmaster so much of the adult Snape that he laughed in shock. When the child eyed him quizzically, one eyebrow raised, looking even more like his adult self, he could only cuddle him.

Very much unlike his adult self, Severus snuggled close to him. He had gotten very little affection in his life, and if the Headmaster was willing to provide it, he certainly would not turn it down.

Plus, a cuddle or a hug at strategic times could often get him what he wanted. Large eyes and a tiny hand on Dumbledore’s knee made it absolutely impossible for the old man to deny the child the extra biscuit he asked for at tea. Or the ‘jus’ five more minutes, grandpa!’ when it was time for bed and his knights were still in the middle of a major battle.

Uncle Harry was all too aware of it, but it only made him laugh and tease grandpa. Severus sighed deeply. Most of all, being held felt good and safe.

Dumbledore looked down on the little Slytherin in his arms. How much time he had wasted, first when the boy came to Hogwarts, and also once that boy had become an adult. He had had to face over the past weeks that despite his claims in the past that he cared for and trusted the Potions Master, Severus’s interests and well-being had always been shamefully low on his priority list.

He focussed on the child again and smiled when he noticed the boy had fallen asleep. He carefully stood up, drew back the covers and settled the sleeping child in his bed.

“Sleep well, my little adventurer,” he whispered, stroking the soft cheek.

ssssssss

“What on earth are you doing?”

Harry stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by all kinds of metal contraptions. He looked a little sheepish.

“I managed to enchant them,” he said, “and now I’m putting it back together. Look.”

A few waves of his wand, and a bike stood in the middle of Dumbledore’s office.

“It is a present for you and Severus,” Harry explained.

This bike did have a little seat up front, but it had a steering wheel and if Severus wanted, he would be able to peddle along with his grandfather – and help a little in moving the bike.

“It is enchanted, so you won’t get saddle sore, and it is easier to ride than a Muggle bike – you are a bit older, after all…” he ducked the sparks the Headmaster shot at him playfully.

“Severus enjoyed the bike so much, but he needed a little more to do. What do you think?”

Albus was enchanted by the contraption, and called an elf to babysit Severus for an hour or so while Harry taught him how to ride a bike in the emptied Great Hall.

Once Albus go the hang of it (Harry did not tell him he had also enchanted the bike to aid the rider in balancing) they walked back up to the rooms in an excellent mood.

“How long will Severus remain a child?” Harry asked suddenly.

“I do not know exactly, but aging and de-aging potions are notoriously unstable. A permanent de-aging is almost impossible to accomplish by even the most skilled Potions Master. There is rarely a need for them. Severus could brew it, I suppose, but I very much doubt he had reason to. My guess is this was a beauty potion.”

Seeing Harry’s confused look, Dumbledore explained further. “Severus takes on orders from some London shops during summer, to supplement his income. He often brews for a beauty shop. De-aging potions are commonly used by women who wish to look a few years younger for an evening or such – a few drops is all it requires, and the effects last only for a very short time. The explosion probably caused Severus to somehow be exposed to the whole batch – St Mungo’s Potion Ward assured me that it is not harmful to overdose.”

“Not even if it is combined with other ingredients?” Harry asked, trying to dig through his memory for any useful information Snape may have mentioned in class long ago.

“If it was contaminated it would not have worked,” the Headmaster said simply, “as I said, such potions are notoriously unstable. It is a miracle, on one hand, that it still worked after the explosion. On the other hand, it might have been better if the explosion had destabilized it, then Severus would probably still be an adult. Either way, I doubt it will last much longer. Unfortunately there is no way of knowing exactly how much longer – he might be a child for a few more weeks, or he could turn back into an adult any moment.”

sssssssss

When Severus saw the bike the next morning, he was ecstatic.

“Can we go ride it? Please, grandpa? Pleeeeeeeese?”

Dumbledore nodded dutifully, having expected this already. He was not quite ready for the child’s next demand, however.

“Can we go ride to the town where we got my clothes an’ toys?”

The idea of riding into Hogsmead on Harry’s contraption made the old man pale a little.

“I am sure Uncle Aberforth would be delighted to see you,” Harry grinned evilly at the Headmaster.

“Have you no compassion?” Dumbledore muttered, glaring at him. But then Severus pulled on his robes and looked up at him with a small face beaming in joyful anticipation, so full of hope and confidence that grandpa would take him out, that he did not have the heart to say no.

“Very well. We will ride to Hogsmead,” he allowed, and felt himself warm at the smile the child gave him. Fortunately for him, he could not see the cheeky smirk the child had on his face.

“You spoil him rotten,” the young DADA professor shook his head.

Albus did not even bother to deny it, and ordered Severus to go dress and put on his shoes.

“I am unsure if he will accept any kindness from me once he is grown again,” he excused himself, his voice a little thick, “I am unsure about many things. There’s…what harm is there in spoiling a little boy who had far too little of that thing in his life, and will be grown up all too soon?”

Severus rushed back into the room, shoes hastily pulled on, his favourite Kappa shirt and jeans placed in random places on his body. Albus bent down to help the boy button his jeans and put both his arms in his shirt instead of one in, and out.

“Here, Sev,” Harry fished a few coins from his pocket, “so you can buy yourself some candy or a small present.”

“I am certainly not the only one who is spoiling him,” Albus winked, “just take care Arthur does not have to arrest you for misuse of muggle artefacts!”

“The bike is new,” Harry waved his concern away, “it’s far too new to be counted as an artefact. It’s not like I cast a Featherlight charm on Stonehenge to build a tower with the blocks again.”

sssssssss

Aberforth Dumbledore was not a man easily surprised. Nor was he a man easily shocked. But when his brother rode into town on a Muggle bike, desperately trying to hold down the skirts of his robes to prevent indecent exposure, and with a small child in front of him who was making ‘vroomvroom’ noises and turning a little steering wheel in all directions, he had to admit defeat.

Fortunately for him, but a little less fortunate for his brother, he also possessed enough sense of humour to find the entire situation hilarious. So he did the only thing he could. He grabbed the nearest upright thing he could find – Rosmerta – and howled with laughter until his muscles no longer cooperated enough to remain standing even with the witch’s help. He sat helplessly on the ground, wiping tears from his eyes as his brother descended from the bike, looking indignant.

Little Severus merely stared at the crazy man who looked so much like grandpa. Considering the man was laughing, he was unlikely to get angry and do anything to hurt him, so he was probably alright. Grandpa however looked less than pleased, and Severus winced a little when he was lifted from the bike with a little less care than he was used to.

“Enough already, Abe!” Albus snapped. He adjusted his robes, and as he did so, noticed the fearful look on the child’s face. Immediately regretting his annoyance, he pulled the child to him.

“Shhh, Severus, I am not angry with you. I am sorry, did I hurt you?”

Severus shook his head, face hidden in the folds of grandpa’s robe. “I didn’t know people would laugh at you,” a small voice.

Aberforth recovered and narrowed his eyes at the sight of the boy.

“Severus Snape, eh?” he said, remaining on the ground, “Sorry for laughing so much, Al, but you must admit it was a sight one does not get to enjoy often.”

Severus turned to look at the old man and the witch. He knew Rosmerta from last time they were here, and she beamed kindly at him, mirth dancing in her eyes as well.

“Hello, dear. Will you be by for a drink later on?”

Severus looked up at the Headmaster and upon receiving confirmation, happily nodded yes.

He then turned his attention to the still sitting wizard.

“It’s not nice to laugh at grandpa,” he said, clutching a fist full of material still.

“I expect you are right,” Aberforth chuckled, “but a pretty sight it was. Who made that thing?”

“Uncle Harry did! Uncle Harry can make lots of things!” Severus sent a child-glare at the old man.

“Good job he did, too,” Abe finally got up to inspect the bike a little closer, “Fine spellwork, that. Do you think Uncle Harry could make me one, as well?” he asked Severus.

“Maybe. But you have to ask an’ say ‘please’,” Severus instructed sternly.

“I will remember that,” Aberforth gave his brother a wink, “now, what can I do for you two fine wizards today?”

“Keep us company,” Albus said, “and meet your nephew.”

Aberforth ruffled the child’s hair. “Very nice to meet you, little one,” he said kindly, “so you are my nephew. That means I shall have to take you to Honeydukes and give you too much candy. That’s my job, as an uncle, you know.”

“Well, that means you can keep your pocketmoney for the toystore,” the Headmaster laughed, “let’s go there first, then.”

As Severus browsed the store, after careful inquiries as to how much money he had and how he could see which toys he could buy and which were too expensive, Aberforth turned to his brother.

“This won’t last, Albus,” he said in concern, “what are you doing?”

“The de-aging was an accident,” the elder Dumbledore explained, “I – made some grave errors at first, Abe. I have started to make amends, and I do hope, that somehow this time will generate some trust between us.”

“You do not plan to abandon him, then, when he grows up again?”

The sceptical question made Dumbledore wince, but he granted he had earned that kind of mistrust.

“Not at all. These weeks changed my perspective on certain things as well, Abe. If Severus will accept me, I intent to be much more attentive to him. That means you might remain his uncle, as well.”

His brother shrugged. “You’ll forgive me for being sceptical, Al. I will believe it when I see it…but I have no objections to remaining available to that boy, child or no.”

Severus returned at that moment with a small stuffed animal, a black panther or puma or something of the sort, Dumbledore supposed. It had very soft fur and a few minor enchantments on it to help a child fall asleep and have good dreams.

“Do I have enough?” Severus asked anxiously, fearful that the answer would be ‘no’. He liked this one so much!

“You do indeed, and you should have two sickles left, even,” Dumbledore informed him after very seriously counting the money. After this important transaction, they moved on to Honeydukes and drinks at Rosmerta’s bar.