Fifteen days of peace and quiet
Title: Fifteen days of peace and quiet
Summary: Christmas holidays 1981. Hogwarts should be a peaceful place, free of children. Except Severus shows up, baby Harry in tow, to wreak havoc.
Characters/Pairings: Harry, Severus, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Trelawney, Filch, Slughorn and Hagrid
Genre: Humor
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 3561
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: No
December 19, 1981
“Explain to me what went on through your damn mind, Severus!”
I lower my eyes, sheepish. I’ve never seen Dumbledore this furious, pacing angrily around his office, from the big fireplace to the window, through which we can see the snowstorm raging outside.
“Do you even realize how worried we were about him?!”
As if he knows we’re talking about him, the little package I’m carrying starts to squirm, and brandishes a little fist though the blankets wrapped around him.
“Explain it to me, Severus.”
The old headmaster is standing in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest, his piercing eyes fixed on mine. So I sigh, move the sleeping baby to a more comfortable position, and start talking. As I do, I see the scenes replaying in front of my eyes.
I’m at home, in my kitchen, when I hear about Lily’s death. I don’t hesitate one second, I don’t even think of what might happen to me, and I Disapparate to where the rat told us she lives. I see Potter first, on the living room floor. I throw him a single cold glance before climbing the stairs.
On the second floor, a single light is on, in a bedroom at the far end of the hallway. I walk towards it noiselessly, as if I were suddenly afraid of making a sound.
Then, I don’t know how much time went by. I feel like I spent hours on the floor, Lily’s head on my knees, my hands in that long beautiful hair I’d always longed to touch. But maybe it was only a few minutes. It’s still night when I figure I’d better not be found here.
I get up, but before I reach the door, I hear a hiccup. That’s when I notice I’m not alone in the room. A little boy is staring at me, in his crib, his big eyes full of tears.
His big green eyes.
Once again, I don’t think about what I’m doing, and I pick him up, with all his blankets. I leave the empty house at a run and hide behind the neighbours’-in the nick of time, since Aurors are starting to Apparate in the neighbourhood. After silently saying goodbye to Lily, I go back home.
“… And then I hid with him. You-Know-Who had disappeared, and I knew it wasn’t safe for me to go out in public. Or for him, not while there were still Death Eaters roaming about. When I heard about the Longbottoms… I didn’t leave the house for ten days. Would’ve been longer, but mister was out of cookies…”
Dumbledore sighs. “I had it all planned, you know. I was going to leave Harry with his aunt…”
I grimace. I remember Lily’s sister very well. Unfortunately.
“He would have been protected,” says the headmaster before I can peep. “But now…” Another sigh. “Oh well, no use crying over spilt pumpkin juice, I guess.”
He waves his wand towards a cauldron, which transforms into a crib.
“Leave him here for tonight at least, we’ll figure it out later. Meanwhile, go on over to the Three Broomsticks, Rosmerta always has a room or two to rent out.
I nod sadly, placing Harry in his temporary cot. But as I leave the headmaster’s office, I can’t keep from smiling widely: I’ve finally managed to get rid of this terrible child!
***
December 20, 1981
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I slump down in a chair and drop my head in my hands. One hour! That kid has been screaming, crying, drooling, gesticulating, for one hour. I don’t know what to do anymore!
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Sometimes I wonder if I regret having been celibate my whole life and never having had children. Well, now I know: no, I do not regret a thing!
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Almost all the paintings in my office are empty, the old headmasters having spontaneously decided to go visit other rooms, or even other buildings if they were able to flee that far. Believe, I would have done the same if I could.
“Did you check his diaper, Albus?”
I don’t realize immediately that it’s not another scream I just heard, but a question. I raise my eyes and look at the empty frames for a few moments, before spotting a bearded old man in a blue and bronze portrait, between my bookcase and Fawkes’s cage, looking at me as calmly as if we were discussing the latest Quidditch game.
“Of course I checked his diaper, Basil! I’m not a complete idiot!
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
“Maybe he’s hungry? Did you burp him?”
I wipe my brow, tired. I just asked for a special order from the house elves, and Harry devoured everything-as if Severus hadn’t even fed him these past two months.
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Automatically, I reach out and grab a couple of lemon candies. I pop one in my mouth, then look curiously at the second one. After thinking about it for a minute, I throw a quick spell making it impossible to choke on, and place it on the kid’s tongue-an easy enough feat, since his mouth is wide open.
“WAAAAAAAAAAA -”
He opens his eyes wide and closes his mouth, surprised. I see him give the candy a few wondering sucks, testing the taste… before smiling widely as me.
I heave a sigh of relief. Maybe I’ll finally be able to hear myself think!
***
December 22, 1981
It’s still early, it’s the holidays, but I’m already at my desk, mountains of papers in front of me. I hope to be done with these corrections soon, so I can take advantage of Christmas…
Someone knocks at the door and I raise my eyes in surprise. Who else could already be up?
“Come in!”
Oh, Albus, of course! Who looks like he hasn’t slept in days.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Only then do I notice the little black-haired boy in his arms.
“I have a meeting with… somebody today. Can I leave Harry with you? Thanks Minerva, you’re a dear!”
And before I can make a sound, he’s nearly run out of my office. I lift a shoulder and look at the little boy, who is staring back at me curiously.
“We’re going to have lots of fun, you and I, aren’t we? Well, not right now, because I have work to do, but later.”
I grab a few brushes off my desk and transfigure them into little wooden cars, which I give to the child. A little trick I learned back when I still thought I might have children someday…
An hour goes by peacefully. I correct some third-year homework and Harry calmly plays with his cars, until…
“Harry, no! How did you open my bottle of ink? You… uh oh…”
Holding it between the tips of two fingers, I lift a parchment covered in bright green baby hands, the ink still wet. The student’s name is still legible-Gilderoy Lockhart-, but the text is lost.
I sigh. Let’s look at the silver lining: at least I won’t have to read Gilderoy’s pretentious prose this time!
***
December 24, 1981
A little more to the left… there. I just have to make sure I don’t drop anything. It’s almost ready, almost -
“Ah, Filius, there you are!”
I jump and the glass fairy I was levitating crashes to the ground, exploding every which way. I throw an annoyed glance towards the interruption.
“Oops, sorry, wait, let me clean this up.”
She puts a little boy, fast asleep, under the big Christmas tree, and with a smooth wand gesture makes all the glass debris vanish.
“Thanks, Minerva. Tell me, who’s -“
“Filius, I have a lot of work to do right now, it would be great if you could watch Harry for a bit. Thanks so much, I owe you one!”
And then the Transfiguration professor leaves in a hurry, leaving me alone with trees, tinsel, glass fairies and a sleeping baby. I spend a few moments gazing tenderly at him, a soft smile on my lips. My Polly passed away last year, and our children, all adults and out of the house, haven’t started giving me grandchildren yet. It’s been such a long time since I got to play with a baby…
But for now, he’s fast asleep. I’ll let him finish his nap, and keep decorating. I turn back to the trees the headmaster asked me to prepare for tomorrow, and raise my wand. “Wingardium Leviosa,” I say softly, so as not to wake up the sleeper at my feet.
This time, the glass fairy takes her place on the top of the first tree. Her sister goes on the second one, and the third one also quickly finds her place.
I take the fourth one out of her box and raise her to the correct height. A little to the right, a tiny bit higher, and -
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I jump, and a second fairy explodes on the Great Hall floor. I lower my eyes, but the boy is no longer in his blankets. Aghast, I turn around, and eventually notice that the pile of sparkling tinsel I haven’t used yet is moving. While I’m looking at it, a little head emerges from it, and when the eyes meet mine, the cheeks turn bright red, the mouth opens wide, and…
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I sigh and climb down from the stepladder to free the little joker.
***
December 26, 1981
I’m throwing news logs onto the fire when Minotaur starts barking, causing me to jump and bash my head against the chimney.
“Ow! Idiot, what’s wrong wi' ye?”
That’s when someone knocks on the door, explaining what got my stupid dog so excited. I cross the cabin to answer, cursing Minotaur under my breath and rubbing the back of my skull.
When I open the door, nobody’s there.
“Excuse me, Rubeus?”
I lower my gaze.
“Ah, Filius, good evenin’! How can I help ye? Want to come in, grab a cup o’ tea? It’s -“
“No, no, I can’t stay, I just wanted to ask if you could take care of Harry.”
He presses a little bundle of blankets against my stomach and, by reflex, I put my hands under it before he drops it. I see the face of a little child, who opens his eyes wide. He moves his head and his hair moves on his forehead, revealing a lightning-shaped scar.
“Oooooooooooooooh, but that’s -“
But nobody is there anymore. Filius has already gone back to the castle, his tiny figure visible only by the path he left behind in the snow. I nibble my lip for a moment, before deciding to follow him. I need to speak with Albus, only he will be able to tell me what to do with Harry Potter. Kids are adorable, I’ve always wanted some of my own, but… this is Harry Potter…
So I pull on my thick coat, make sure the boy is nice and warm-he looks like it, according to his smile-and order my dog not to move, before setting off across the fresh snow.
Once inside the Main Hall, I wait a few moments for the fire to warm me up, and peek inside my coat to check on my passenger.
“All good in there?”
“Aga!”
I’ll take that as a yes.
“Hagrid?”
I jump and pull my coat closed. The Ravenclaw prefect is leaning against the ramp, looking at me suspiciously.
“Everything all right, Hagrid?”
I don’t know why, but I think it might not be the best idea to tell everyone I’m hiding Harry Potter underneath my coat.
“Yeah, yeah, everythin’s fine, Quirinus. I jus’ came to talk to Dumbled-AAAAAARGH!”
The young man’s eyes open wide while mine fill with tears of pain. I hear a giggle coming from the area of my chest. Oh, so he thinks pulling on my beard is funny, does he?
“Uh… Are you sure?”
I nod with a cramped smile, and hurry towards the headmaster’s office. I definitely need to talk to him…
***
December 28, 1981
When somebody knocks on my trapdoor, I’m ready. Make-up on, glasses cleaned, my prettiest shawl wrapped around my neck. Last night, my tea leaves said I’d meet my soulmate today, you see. They said a prince charming would come to my office and give me flowers.
“Come in!” I call in my most melodious voice.
A few seconds later, the Hogwarts groundskeeper is standing on my Persian rugs.
“You’re not a prince charming,” I say in an accusing tone.
“Um… no.”
“And those aren’t flowers.”
He lowers his gaze to the blankets he’s holding. No, definitely not flowers.
“I thought he’d prob'ly be happier here, it’s warm an’ comfortable an’… smells good, yeah. My cabin is small, an’ there’s a dog, an’… right, well, I’ll leave 'im with ye, I appreciate it.”
He leaves the blankets on a pillow and disappears as fast as he showed up. How unfortunate, I didn’t even have the time to tell him I saw his death approaching in my crystal ball this morning. Oh well, next time.
With bated breath, I walk towards what I established is not flowers. After three steps, it starts to move. After five, it sits up. After seven…
“Aga!”
I let out a shrill scream when a small hirsute head pops out from between the blankets. When a few seconds go by and it doesn’t move, just looks at me with a toothless smile, I slowly come closer, until our noses almost touch. What is it? Is it a child, as it appears to be, or a well-camouflaged beast? One can never be too certain…
“Aga!”
I sidestep quickly, just in time to avoid his chubby hand aiming for my nose.
My crystal ball! Yes, my crystal ball will be able to tell me what’s going on. I leave my visitor behind me and sit down, lowering my face to the transparent ball that quickly fills with mist.
“O, crystal ball, tell me what you know about my visitor’s identity…”
Here, that’s a dog… and there, a spider… and behind that… a platypus?
CLIC! CLAC! CLANG!
“Aga!”
With another shriek, I turn around to see the creature moved on it small legs and has viciously attacked my incense collection, throwing hundreds of sticks to the floor.
“Sybil?”
I’m going to faint if people don’t stop startling me like this! This time, it’s a ghost who poked her head through my trapdoor.
“Madam Pince asked me to tell you the book you borrowed from her last month is overdue.”
Her message delivered, the translucent young woman disappears, probably to go back to the Ravenclaw Tower. I watch her go, a hand on my heart, waiting for it to calm down.
“Aga?”
I throw the creature an irritated glance. One thing at a time!
***
December 30, 1981
“Bloody ghost,” I utter between clenched teeth, pushing my mop. “The castle is so rarely this calm, she could take the time to rest-and let me rest-but no, she has to have a tantrum and flood the entire second floor! Bloody ghost…”
I dry the floor as best I can, keeping up a muttered monologue under Mrs. Norris’s watchful gaze. She’s watching me calmly from as far away from the puddle as she can get.
Suddenly, she sits up straight and her ears swivel. She gets up energetically and trots to the end of the hallway, always keeping at least a metre between the water and her delicate paws.
“Mrs. Norris, what did you see?”
But I have the answer to my question as soon as I turn around. My cat is coming up to a small boy, maybe eighteen months old, walking clumsily towards her. One of his hands is fisted around a blanket trailing behind him, his other is extended in front of him. He is smiling widely and his big green eyes are trained on the animal coming near.
“What the…”
I notice a furtive movement a bit behind him, and look towards the end of the hallway. I see a tousled head, two bulging eyes behind thick glasses, before this strange apparition disappears, leaving the child behind.
I lower my gaze and see he sat down comfortably in a puddle and is still observing my cat interestedly-and so is she. Judging they’ll keep each other busy for a while, I go back to cleaning and complaining.
“As if I didn’t have enough children during the school year, they have to saddle me with one over the holidays too. I’ll have to ask for a raise, I never signed up to be a babysitter…”
“MEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!”
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I jump and drop my mop in the water, which splashes all over the walls. Behind me, the situation has taken a turn for the worse: Mrs. Norris is in a position of attack, hackles raised, ears flattened. In front of her, the kid is holding his chubby arm crossed by four claw marks. He turns his tear-stained face towards me and howls once again.
“I hate kids…”
***
January 1, 1982
Knock knock knock.
Knock knock knock!
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKBLAMBLAM…
“All right, all right, I’m coming…”
When I finally decide the knocks on my door aren’t part of my dream and seem to have no intention of going away anytime soon, I get up, put on my thick slippers and cross my cold living room, holding my head.
“Argus,” I croak after having opened the door. “Why in the name of Merlin are you waking me up at the crack of dawn?”
The caretaker raises an eyebrow. “It’s two in the afternoon, Professor.”
I glance over my shoulder at the clock resting on the chimney. Oh yeah…
Meanwhile, Argus keeps talking and I turn back just to hear his parting words. “That’s very nice of you, thanks.”
“Pardon me?”
“I’m sure you two will get along swimmingly,” he says, placing a baby in my arms before getting away as fast as he can, his cat hurrying after him.
I stare at the little face looking up at me. A shock of black hair, two big green eyes, a lightning-shaped scar.
“Oh, I know you! You’re Lily Evans’s son, Harry!”
Recognizing his own name, the boy starts to flail, stirring up my headache. I set him on the floor, where he immediately starts to crawl around my thick carpet. As long as he’s having fun…
All right, first things first, I need a good anti-hangover potion. If only I’d thought of replenishing my stock before the party last night…
“You know, your mother was my favourite student,” I tell the boy sitting under my table. “She was excellent in my classes, and she was a charming young lady. I was so sad when I heard about her death. She would have been a wonderful mother, I’m sure of it.”
I set down the ingredients for the potion on my table, and check on little Harry. Still sitting on the floor, he found my photo album and has it open in front of him, making faces at the little moving figures.
“Ah, you found my collection, nosy boy! You know, one day, I’d love to add you to it. When you’re older, of course, because a baby wouldn’t really go with the others, right?... Ah yes, the one sticking her tongue out at you, on the right, that’s Millicent Bagnold. She was a Ravenclaw, that one, very intelligent. She’s Minister for Magic now, she probably doesn’t stick her tongue out at kids much… No, Harry, what are you doing? No, put that down, that’s whisky, you can’t drink that… Well, yeah you can, but you can’t. I… Yes, that’s it, set it down right… No Harry, it’s not to pour on the photos either! No, boy, no! You…”
I sigh, watching a little boy laugh shrilly while pouring out my best bottle of whisky. The year 1982 is not off to the best start…
***
January 3, 1982
I stretch like a feline, appreciating the rays of sunlight waking me up for the fifteenth time in a row. No screams drilling my eardrums, or cries wearing on my nerves. Just the sunlight tickling my eyelids.
Ah, there’s Rosmerta at the door with my breakfast! I tie my heavy black robe and cross my small but comfortable room. When I open the door, however, I am not greeted by a platter of food carried by a pretty young lady, but by a round old man carrying a baby.
“’Evus!” the child cries when he sees me.
I wonder if I’m still sleeping and having a nightmare.
“Ah, Severus, what a pleasure to see you again!” My old Potions Master puts Harry down in front of me. “Dumbledore tells me he offered you my place in September when I retire.”
“Uh… yeah… but I…”
“Well, you’ll see that professors don’t have the time to take care of a child. Well, have fun, I have to go prepare my classes for tomorrow!”
And just like that, my fifteen days of peace and quiet come to an end. I lower my gaze towards Harry, who is hanging on to my leg and staring up at me adoringly. I sigh.
“Think it’s too late to give you to your aunt Petunia?”
Elise | Ravenclaw | 119 pts
** This was originally written in French for a contest on a forum I was a member of. For a summer (3 or 4 months), we got challenges every week or so, and had to write for them. I wrote a total of 13 fics (this was my longest one bye far, don't worry!), a total of over 20K words, and came in 8th out of 50 participants \o/ This theme for this one was to use this fanart as inspiration (I kind of ran away with it XD) and include at least one flashback. Also, as I wanted a general theme to all my participations, I used all Ravenclaw characters as MCs, except here obviously, but you'll still find some. See if you spot them all, I have one Claw per day ^^
Summary: Christmas holidays 1981. Hogwarts should be a peaceful place, free of children. Except Severus shows up, baby Harry in tow, to wreak havoc.
Characters/Pairings: Harry, Severus, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Trelawney, Filch, Slughorn and Hagrid
Genre: Humor
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 3561
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: No
December 19, 1981
“Explain to me what went on through your damn mind, Severus!”
I lower my eyes, sheepish. I’ve never seen Dumbledore this furious, pacing angrily around his office, from the big fireplace to the window, through which we can see the snowstorm raging outside.
“Do you even realize how worried we were about him?!”
As if he knows we’re talking about him, the little package I’m carrying starts to squirm, and brandishes a little fist though the blankets wrapped around him.
“Explain it to me, Severus.”
The old headmaster is standing in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest, his piercing eyes fixed on mine. So I sigh, move the sleeping baby to a more comfortable position, and start talking. As I do, I see the scenes replaying in front of my eyes.
I’m at home, in my kitchen, when I hear about Lily’s death. I don’t hesitate one second, I don’t even think of what might happen to me, and I Disapparate to where the rat told us she lives. I see Potter first, on the living room floor. I throw him a single cold glance before climbing the stairs.
On the second floor, a single light is on, in a bedroom at the far end of the hallway. I walk towards it noiselessly, as if I were suddenly afraid of making a sound.
Then, I don’t know how much time went by. I feel like I spent hours on the floor, Lily’s head on my knees, my hands in that long beautiful hair I’d always longed to touch. But maybe it was only a few minutes. It’s still night when I figure I’d better not be found here.
I get up, but before I reach the door, I hear a hiccup. That’s when I notice I’m not alone in the room. A little boy is staring at me, in his crib, his big eyes full of tears.
His big green eyes.
Once again, I don’t think about what I’m doing, and I pick him up, with all his blankets. I leave the empty house at a run and hide behind the neighbours’-in the nick of time, since Aurors are starting to Apparate in the neighbourhood. After silently saying goodbye to Lily, I go back home.
“… And then I hid with him. You-Know-Who had disappeared, and I knew it wasn’t safe for me to go out in public. Or for him, not while there were still Death Eaters roaming about. When I heard about the Longbottoms… I didn’t leave the house for ten days. Would’ve been longer, but mister was out of cookies…”
Dumbledore sighs. “I had it all planned, you know. I was going to leave Harry with his aunt…”
I grimace. I remember Lily’s sister very well. Unfortunately.
“He would have been protected,” says the headmaster before I can peep. “But now…” Another sigh. “Oh well, no use crying over spilt pumpkin juice, I guess.”
He waves his wand towards a cauldron, which transforms into a crib.
“Leave him here for tonight at least, we’ll figure it out later. Meanwhile, go on over to the Three Broomsticks, Rosmerta always has a room or two to rent out.
I nod sadly, placing Harry in his temporary cot. But as I leave the headmaster’s office, I can’t keep from smiling widely: I’ve finally managed to get rid of this terrible child!
***
December 20, 1981
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I slump down in a chair and drop my head in my hands. One hour! That kid has been screaming, crying, drooling, gesticulating, for one hour. I don’t know what to do anymore!
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Sometimes I wonder if I regret having been celibate my whole life and never having had children. Well, now I know: no, I do not regret a thing!
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Almost all the paintings in my office are empty, the old headmasters having spontaneously decided to go visit other rooms, or even other buildings if they were able to flee that far. Believe, I would have done the same if I could.
“Did you check his diaper, Albus?”
I don’t realize immediately that it’s not another scream I just heard, but a question. I raise my eyes and look at the empty frames for a few moments, before spotting a bearded old man in a blue and bronze portrait, between my bookcase and Fawkes’s cage, looking at me as calmly as if we were discussing the latest Quidditch game.
“Of course I checked his diaper, Basil! I’m not a complete idiot!
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
“Maybe he’s hungry? Did you burp him?”
I wipe my brow, tired. I just asked for a special order from the house elves, and Harry devoured everything-as if Severus hadn’t even fed him these past two months.
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Automatically, I reach out and grab a couple of lemon candies. I pop one in my mouth, then look curiously at the second one. After thinking about it for a minute, I throw a quick spell making it impossible to choke on, and place it on the kid’s tongue-an easy enough feat, since his mouth is wide open.
“WAAAAAAAAAAA -”
He opens his eyes wide and closes his mouth, surprised. I see him give the candy a few wondering sucks, testing the taste… before smiling widely as me.
I heave a sigh of relief. Maybe I’ll finally be able to hear myself think!
***
December 22, 1981
It’s still early, it’s the holidays, but I’m already at my desk, mountains of papers in front of me. I hope to be done with these corrections soon, so I can take advantage of Christmas…
Someone knocks at the door and I raise my eyes in surprise. Who else could already be up?
“Come in!”
Oh, Albus, of course! Who looks like he hasn’t slept in days.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Only then do I notice the little black-haired boy in his arms.
“I have a meeting with… somebody today. Can I leave Harry with you? Thanks Minerva, you’re a dear!”
And before I can make a sound, he’s nearly run out of my office. I lift a shoulder and look at the little boy, who is staring back at me curiously.
“We’re going to have lots of fun, you and I, aren’t we? Well, not right now, because I have work to do, but later.”
I grab a few brushes off my desk and transfigure them into little wooden cars, which I give to the child. A little trick I learned back when I still thought I might have children someday…
An hour goes by peacefully. I correct some third-year homework and Harry calmly plays with his cars, until…
“Harry, no! How did you open my bottle of ink? You… uh oh…”
Holding it between the tips of two fingers, I lift a parchment covered in bright green baby hands, the ink still wet. The student’s name is still legible-Gilderoy Lockhart-, but the text is lost.
I sigh. Let’s look at the silver lining: at least I won’t have to read Gilderoy’s pretentious prose this time!
***
December 24, 1981
A little more to the left… there. I just have to make sure I don’t drop anything. It’s almost ready, almost -
“Ah, Filius, there you are!”
I jump and the glass fairy I was levitating crashes to the ground, exploding every which way. I throw an annoyed glance towards the interruption.
“Oops, sorry, wait, let me clean this up.”
She puts a little boy, fast asleep, under the big Christmas tree, and with a smooth wand gesture makes all the glass debris vanish.
“Thanks, Minerva. Tell me, who’s -“
“Filius, I have a lot of work to do right now, it would be great if you could watch Harry for a bit. Thanks so much, I owe you one!”
And then the Transfiguration professor leaves in a hurry, leaving me alone with trees, tinsel, glass fairies and a sleeping baby. I spend a few moments gazing tenderly at him, a soft smile on my lips. My Polly passed away last year, and our children, all adults and out of the house, haven’t started giving me grandchildren yet. It’s been such a long time since I got to play with a baby…
But for now, he’s fast asleep. I’ll let him finish his nap, and keep decorating. I turn back to the trees the headmaster asked me to prepare for tomorrow, and raise my wand. “Wingardium Leviosa,” I say softly, so as not to wake up the sleeper at my feet.
This time, the glass fairy takes her place on the top of the first tree. Her sister goes on the second one, and the third one also quickly finds her place.
I take the fourth one out of her box and raise her to the correct height. A little to the right, a tiny bit higher, and -
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I jump, and a second fairy explodes on the Great Hall floor. I lower my eyes, but the boy is no longer in his blankets. Aghast, I turn around, and eventually notice that the pile of sparkling tinsel I haven’t used yet is moving. While I’m looking at it, a little head emerges from it, and when the eyes meet mine, the cheeks turn bright red, the mouth opens wide, and…
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I sigh and climb down from the stepladder to free the little joker.
***
December 26, 1981
I’m throwing news logs onto the fire when Minotaur starts barking, causing me to jump and bash my head against the chimney.
“Ow! Idiot, what’s wrong wi' ye?”
That’s when someone knocks on the door, explaining what got my stupid dog so excited. I cross the cabin to answer, cursing Minotaur under my breath and rubbing the back of my skull.
When I open the door, nobody’s there.
“Excuse me, Rubeus?”
I lower my gaze.
“Ah, Filius, good evenin’! How can I help ye? Want to come in, grab a cup o’ tea? It’s -“
“No, no, I can’t stay, I just wanted to ask if you could take care of Harry.”
He presses a little bundle of blankets against my stomach and, by reflex, I put my hands under it before he drops it. I see the face of a little child, who opens his eyes wide. He moves his head and his hair moves on his forehead, revealing a lightning-shaped scar.
“Oooooooooooooooh, but that’s -“
But nobody is there anymore. Filius has already gone back to the castle, his tiny figure visible only by the path he left behind in the snow. I nibble my lip for a moment, before deciding to follow him. I need to speak with Albus, only he will be able to tell me what to do with Harry Potter. Kids are adorable, I’ve always wanted some of my own, but… this is Harry Potter…
So I pull on my thick coat, make sure the boy is nice and warm-he looks like it, according to his smile-and order my dog not to move, before setting off across the fresh snow.
Once inside the Main Hall, I wait a few moments for the fire to warm me up, and peek inside my coat to check on my passenger.
“All good in there?”
“Aga!”
I’ll take that as a yes.
“Hagrid?”
I jump and pull my coat closed. The Ravenclaw prefect is leaning against the ramp, looking at me suspiciously.
“Everything all right, Hagrid?”
I don’t know why, but I think it might not be the best idea to tell everyone I’m hiding Harry Potter underneath my coat.
“Yeah, yeah, everythin’s fine, Quirinus. I jus’ came to talk to Dumbled-AAAAAARGH!”
The young man’s eyes open wide while mine fill with tears of pain. I hear a giggle coming from the area of my chest. Oh, so he thinks pulling on my beard is funny, does he?
“Uh… Are you sure?”
I nod with a cramped smile, and hurry towards the headmaster’s office. I definitely need to talk to him…
***
December 28, 1981
When somebody knocks on my trapdoor, I’m ready. Make-up on, glasses cleaned, my prettiest shawl wrapped around my neck. Last night, my tea leaves said I’d meet my soulmate today, you see. They said a prince charming would come to my office and give me flowers.
“Come in!” I call in my most melodious voice.
A few seconds later, the Hogwarts groundskeeper is standing on my Persian rugs.
“You’re not a prince charming,” I say in an accusing tone.
“Um… no.”
“And those aren’t flowers.”
He lowers his gaze to the blankets he’s holding. No, definitely not flowers.
“I thought he’d prob'ly be happier here, it’s warm an’ comfortable an’… smells good, yeah. My cabin is small, an’ there’s a dog, an’… right, well, I’ll leave 'im with ye, I appreciate it.”
He leaves the blankets on a pillow and disappears as fast as he showed up. How unfortunate, I didn’t even have the time to tell him I saw his death approaching in my crystal ball this morning. Oh well, next time.
With bated breath, I walk towards what I established is not flowers. After three steps, it starts to move. After five, it sits up. After seven…
“Aga!”
I let out a shrill scream when a small hirsute head pops out from between the blankets. When a few seconds go by and it doesn’t move, just looks at me with a toothless smile, I slowly come closer, until our noses almost touch. What is it? Is it a child, as it appears to be, or a well-camouflaged beast? One can never be too certain…
“Aga!”
I sidestep quickly, just in time to avoid his chubby hand aiming for my nose.
My crystal ball! Yes, my crystal ball will be able to tell me what’s going on. I leave my visitor behind me and sit down, lowering my face to the transparent ball that quickly fills with mist.
“O, crystal ball, tell me what you know about my visitor’s identity…”
Here, that’s a dog… and there, a spider… and behind that… a platypus?
CLIC! CLAC! CLANG!
“Aga!”
With another shriek, I turn around to see the creature moved on it small legs and has viciously attacked my incense collection, throwing hundreds of sticks to the floor.
“Sybil?”
I’m going to faint if people don’t stop startling me like this! This time, it’s a ghost who poked her head through my trapdoor.
“Madam Pince asked me to tell you the book you borrowed from her last month is overdue.”
Her message delivered, the translucent young woman disappears, probably to go back to the Ravenclaw Tower. I watch her go, a hand on my heart, waiting for it to calm down.
“Aga?”
I throw the creature an irritated glance. One thing at a time!
***
December 30, 1981
“Bloody ghost,” I utter between clenched teeth, pushing my mop. “The castle is so rarely this calm, she could take the time to rest-and let me rest-but no, she has to have a tantrum and flood the entire second floor! Bloody ghost…”
I dry the floor as best I can, keeping up a muttered monologue under Mrs. Norris’s watchful gaze. She’s watching me calmly from as far away from the puddle as she can get.
Suddenly, she sits up straight and her ears swivel. She gets up energetically and trots to the end of the hallway, always keeping at least a metre between the water and her delicate paws.
“Mrs. Norris, what did you see?”
But I have the answer to my question as soon as I turn around. My cat is coming up to a small boy, maybe eighteen months old, walking clumsily towards her. One of his hands is fisted around a blanket trailing behind him, his other is extended in front of him. He is smiling widely and his big green eyes are trained on the animal coming near.
“What the…”
I notice a furtive movement a bit behind him, and look towards the end of the hallway. I see a tousled head, two bulging eyes behind thick glasses, before this strange apparition disappears, leaving the child behind.
I lower my gaze and see he sat down comfortably in a puddle and is still observing my cat interestedly-and so is she. Judging they’ll keep each other busy for a while, I go back to cleaning and complaining.
“As if I didn’t have enough children during the school year, they have to saddle me with one over the holidays too. I’ll have to ask for a raise, I never signed up to be a babysitter…”
“MEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!”
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
I jump and drop my mop in the water, which splashes all over the walls. Behind me, the situation has taken a turn for the worse: Mrs. Norris is in a position of attack, hackles raised, ears flattened. In front of her, the kid is holding his chubby arm crossed by four claw marks. He turns his tear-stained face towards me and howls once again.
“I hate kids…”
***
January 1, 1982
Knock knock knock.
Knock knock knock!
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKBLAMBLAM…
“All right, all right, I’m coming…”
When I finally decide the knocks on my door aren’t part of my dream and seem to have no intention of going away anytime soon, I get up, put on my thick slippers and cross my cold living room, holding my head.
“Argus,” I croak after having opened the door. “Why in the name of Merlin are you waking me up at the crack of dawn?”
The caretaker raises an eyebrow. “It’s two in the afternoon, Professor.”
I glance over my shoulder at the clock resting on the chimney. Oh yeah…
Meanwhile, Argus keeps talking and I turn back just to hear his parting words. “That’s very nice of you, thanks.”
“Pardon me?”
“I’m sure you two will get along swimmingly,” he says, placing a baby in my arms before getting away as fast as he can, his cat hurrying after him.
I stare at the little face looking up at me. A shock of black hair, two big green eyes, a lightning-shaped scar.
“Oh, I know you! You’re Lily Evans’s son, Harry!”
Recognizing his own name, the boy starts to flail, stirring up my headache. I set him on the floor, where he immediately starts to crawl around my thick carpet. As long as he’s having fun…
All right, first things first, I need a good anti-hangover potion. If only I’d thought of replenishing my stock before the party last night…
“You know, your mother was my favourite student,” I tell the boy sitting under my table. “She was excellent in my classes, and she was a charming young lady. I was so sad when I heard about her death. She would have been a wonderful mother, I’m sure of it.”
I set down the ingredients for the potion on my table, and check on little Harry. Still sitting on the floor, he found my photo album and has it open in front of him, making faces at the little moving figures.
“Ah, you found my collection, nosy boy! You know, one day, I’d love to add you to it. When you’re older, of course, because a baby wouldn’t really go with the others, right?... Ah yes, the one sticking her tongue out at you, on the right, that’s Millicent Bagnold. She was a Ravenclaw, that one, very intelligent. She’s Minister for Magic now, she probably doesn’t stick her tongue out at kids much… No, Harry, what are you doing? No, put that down, that’s whisky, you can’t drink that… Well, yeah you can, but you can’t. I… Yes, that’s it, set it down right… No Harry, it’s not to pour on the photos either! No, boy, no! You…”
I sigh, watching a little boy laugh shrilly while pouring out my best bottle of whisky. The year 1982 is not off to the best start…
***
January 3, 1982
I stretch like a feline, appreciating the rays of sunlight waking me up for the fifteenth time in a row. No screams drilling my eardrums, or cries wearing on my nerves. Just the sunlight tickling my eyelids.
Ah, there’s Rosmerta at the door with my breakfast! I tie my heavy black robe and cross my small but comfortable room. When I open the door, however, I am not greeted by a platter of food carried by a pretty young lady, but by a round old man carrying a baby.
“’Evus!” the child cries when he sees me.
I wonder if I’m still sleeping and having a nightmare.
“Ah, Severus, what a pleasure to see you again!” My old Potions Master puts Harry down in front of me. “Dumbledore tells me he offered you my place in September when I retire.”
“Uh… yeah… but I…”
“Well, you’ll see that professors don’t have the time to take care of a child. Well, have fun, I have to go prepare my classes for tomorrow!”
And just like that, my fifteen days of peace and quiet come to an end. I lower my gaze towards Harry, who is hanging on to my leg and staring up at me adoringly. I sigh.
“Think it’s too late to give you to your aunt Petunia?”
Elise | Ravenclaw | 119 pts
** This was originally written in French for a contest on a forum I was a member of. For a summer (3 or 4 months), we got challenges every week or so, and had to write for them. I wrote a total of 13 fics (this was my longest one bye far, don't worry!), a total of over 20K words, and came in 8th out of 50 participants \o/ This theme for this one was to use this fanart as inspiration (I kind of ran away with it XD) and include at least one flashback. Also, as I wanted a general theme to all my participations, I used all Ravenclaw characters as MCs, except here obviously, but you'll still find some. See if you spot them all, I have one Claw per day ^^