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It had been a nice morning for Severus Snape, things were going well and he had made plans to do some restocking for his store and if everything went well, then he would finish early and be able to come home to relax with a good book. His wife, Harriette Potter, kissed him goodbye as she left for Hogwarts to teach another set of unruly brats and made him glad that he retired as a professor to start his own personal business. It's not that he that he hated children, but more that he couldn't see the point of them but he knew that starting a family was important to Harrie, so he agreed to having one child with her, preferably years later in the future. Naturally, though, since things had been going well, the universe had to go and throw a wrench into his plans.
That wrench was three year old Teddy Lupin, his father Remus came knocking on his door and looking slightly frantic and asking for a favour.
"Tonks went into labor this morning," Remus said. "Is Harrie still here?"
"She just left for work," Severus said. "Besides I thought your youngest wasn't due for two more weeks."
"They don't always follow your plans," he said, and then was practically thrusting Teddy into Severus's arms. "I have to go, Teddy likes to nap at around two but no more then one hour or he will never get to sleep in the evening. He eats everything and his bedtime is 7.30pm. I will send you a patronus when you can bring him back home."
Before Severus could protest, Remus was apperating away and Severus was still holding Teddy and not quite sure what to do with him. Teddy stared right back and looked just as confused.
"Where's Autie Harrie?" Teddy asked.
"At work," Severus said, and wondered who would be willing to watch the little boy in his arms.
Severus put Teddy on the floor who still looked unsure and Severus wondered what he was going to do. He knew it would be selfish to take him to Hogwarts and ask Harrie to take him, and she would rightfully hex him for being selfish. He considered Ms Granger but she was a workaholic and her partner was useless with children, he then considered the Weasley twins but their joke shop was no place for a little boy and their parents were holidaying in some new country now that they had no children to look after, which meant that he was truly alone with the young boy standing in the entryway of his home.
"I'm hungry," Teddy suddenly said.
"I suppose your father skipped your breakfast?" Severus found himself saying.
Teddy mumbled something back that Severus didn't quite catch but could only assume was a yes. So he led Teddy to the kitchen and dining area and tried to think about what to prepare for him before deciding on eggs and bacon. Teddy watched Severus cook in silence, and Severus served it to him with a small cooling charm, so that it wouldn't burn him when eating. Teddy looked happy to see the food and proceeded to only eat the bacon but leave the sunnyside up eggs untouched on his plate, it was something Severus used to do when he was young and didn't quite understand the value of food and his mother would beg him to eat more.
When Teddy declared that he was finished, Severus didn't comment about the untouched eggs. Instead he put the plate aside to wash and clean itself, so far Teddy seemed not to be too much of an annoyance and he wondered if he could still get his work done whilst also watching the young boy, and supposed there was only one way to find out.
"I have important work to do today," Severus said. "I expect you to behave and do not touch anything without my permission."
"Where are we going?" Teddy asked.
"To the apothecary," Severus said.
Teddy didn't say anything and just followed Severus, who grabbed his hand and then apperated them to Knocktown alley and immediately regretted it, there were all types of unsavory people in Knocktown alley but was also the best place to source potions ingredients. So Severus picked up the little boy and glared at anyone who stared a little to long at them, normally he would ignore the stares, but holding Teddy it felt different. When they entered the store he placed the boy on the floor and held his hand firmly and then charmed a small basket to follow them as he went about picking potions ingredients.
Severus wasn't sure why, but that was when Teddy seemed to become less shy and proceeded to ask Severus different questions about the ingredients. At first it was annoying and he wondered if it would be inhumane to hex the boy's mouth shut, but then Teddy's questions became different. To Severus's amazement it was as if the young boy was actually learning something each time Teddy asked why and Severus tried to answer patiently, that Severus couldn't help but try and test him with questions of his own.
"So if you wanted to make a healing potion, what would be a key ingredient?" Severus found himself asking.
Teddy seemed to seriously consider the question before answering.
"Ditnay," Teddy said excited.
"Dittany," Severus said, correcting his speech. "But you are correct, and do you remember why?"
"It fixes things," Teddy said.
"It heals people," Severus said. "You are doing better then most of the students I used to teach."
"What did you teach?" Teddy asked.
"Potions," he said simply.
"Cool," Teddy said, catching Severus by surprise.
Not once in his life, did he ever here potions be described as 'cool'. He had always considered the subject fascinating as he was growing up but no one ever seemed to share his fascination with the subject or seemed so excited to learn the subject like young Teddy seemed to be. Severus always believed education was important and so if young Teddy was interested in the subject, then he saw no reason as to why he couldn't teach Teddy everything he knew, within his capacity of understanding of course. So Severus led him to another isle and picked the young boy up, so he could see over the bench.
"Which Dittany leaves would be best?" Severus asked.
Teddy looked carefully and handed Severus some leaves that were attached to a small twig, but Severus shook his head and put them back and instead picked up a larger twig with green leaves.
"Dittany is most effective when attached to twigs that are large," Severus lectured. "The twigs also have juices that can be useful in other potions, as a lot of dittany is stored in the twigs as well, albeit diluted with other things, so you can use them for healing pastes instead."
Teddy looked confused and Severus tried to simplify it.
"You want green leaves stuck to big sticks," Severus said.
Teddy smiled and picked a new twig that was much bigger with lots of green leaves and Severus approved of. For the better part of the hour, Severus slowly completed his shopping and found himself enjoying the usual mundane task and once they were done, Severus apperated them to his potion shop, Teddy dragged a chair to stand near Severus and insisted on helping Severus brew, which he happily allowed. The boy followed all his instructions to the letter and laughed and giggled as he helped stir a cauldron and was very focused as Severus carefully helped him chop potions ingredients, all of this while asking many questions.
As the hours passed by, he offered the boy lunch and was amused by the stories Teddy told him whilst they ate, and really did try to put the young boy for a nap but didn't seem to manage. In the end, he decided that Teddy wasn't going to nap and the two of them went back to brewing potions. After that, Severus brought him back to his home where Harrie was waiting, and greeted the two of them with a hug.
"I learnt about potions," Teddy declared.
"That must have been fun," Harrie said. "Would you like to help me make dinner now?"
"Can Severus help too?" Teddy asked.
"Of course," she said.
For the rest of the evening the three of them had fun cooking and eating, when a patronus came for Severus. It was Remus, declaring that he could bring Teddy home, and Andromeda would take over. Harrie gave Teddy a hug goodbye and Severus apperated Teddy and himself to the Lupin residence, where Remus greeted them with a big and happy smile. Severus still had the boy in his arms and for a split moment he did not want to hand Teddy back but he seemed so happy to see his father, so Severus handed Teddy to Remus. Teddy smiled and cuddled up to his father and looked more sleepy by the minute.
"I could not get him to sleep for a nap," Severus said.
"That's fine," Remus said. "At least, he will sleep very well then."
"How is your wife?" Severus asked.
"She doing well," Remus said. "Little Charlotte, was born a little less then an hour ago and seems to be adjusting well."
"I am glad to hear it," Severus said.
After that Severus apperated back to his potions store and grabbed a specific potion before apperating back home to Harrie, who was waiting for him in the living room.
"Take this," Severus said to her and handing her the potion.
"What is it?" Harrie asked.
"A fertility potion," he said, and making her eyes widen in surprise. "I want a child."
Harrie looked surprised but then shrugged her shoulders and took the potion in one sip. Severus didn't hesitate to pick her up bridal style and then take her to the bedroom.
***
9 Months Later
Harrie felt exhausted but as she watched Severus hold their newborn son, and couldn't help but smile. When he had come home, wanting a child, she was surprised but at the same time it wasn't unexpected. Watching him and little Teddy cook that evening Charlotte had been born, she saw how at peace and happy he looked, it was something she wanted to give to him but had never managed to quite do it, she came close a few times, like when she said yes to his proposal or on their wedding day but it wasn't quite the same feeling. She knew that she made him happy and he had agreed to having a child with her to make her happy but he always seemed to be missing something in his life.
She straight away knew what it was, when she saw him spend time with Teddy, and naturally she had been a little jealous. Teddy had just come along and in one day, manged to make him happier then she ever could and gave him (even if temporary) something he had always wanted, even when he didn't know it. So when he asked her for a child, who was she to say no and happily gave it to him, and seeing him hold their tiny newborn, made her feel all the more happier. She had finally made his life complete, and although pregnancy was awful, it was worth it, especially after what they had both been through.
Over the years, Severus had been many things, death eater, spy, professor, and a husband. Seeing how content he looked holding their child though, she realized that he was born to be a father.