jharad17: Whelp II The Wrath of Snape

There was a scatter of applause, mainly from the Slytherin table, but Harry barely heard it. His face was held close against Father's chest, and the arms around him were strong, as he let Father hold him, in front of everyone. Father half rose from his seat and gave a short bow, before pulling Harry fully into his lap as he sat back down.

"Hush, now, Harry. I'm here," he kept murmuring. "I will always protect you."

His hands tightened their grip in Father's robes, though, and after only a few moments more, like he promised, Father lifted him up and carried him through the door nearest the head table.

Father was the only in the world who had ever saved him.

Harry had to trust him to keep him safe.

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A/N: Whelp II -- The Wrath of Snape is finally here! This tale will follow Harry and Snape as they both start life at Hogwarts, with lots of exciting explorations, achievements, and tons of things that can go wrong when you throw a magically gifted 7 year old into a super magic playhouse.

Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed through out Whelp's development! I hope you enjoy this book, too.

*Chapter 2*: Chapter 2

Whelp II -- The Wrath of Snape

By jharad17

Chapter Two

Disclaimer:None of this is mine. Honest. She's rich, blond and British. I'm not.

A/N:If you haven't read "Whelp" before reading this story . . . well, why not? Really, you should, 'cause otherwise, you're gonna be plenty lost.

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Severus paced his quarters, waiting impatiently for Albus to arrive. He'd told the Headmaster to meet him here almost an hour ago, and though he realized Albus probably had plenty to do on the first day of school, Severus was not going to let this incident slide. What had the man been thinking?? To introduce Argus Filch so casually, as if the man's presence would have no effect on Harry? To even let that filthy squib within a hundred leagues of Severus' son, after what he'd done . . .

Severus was not pleased.

And he still had to meet with his Snakes; the first night was crucial, to his way of thinking, and would set the tone for his relationship with the Slytherins for the remainder of the year. For the new first years, it would likely set the tone for their Hogwarts career. Remembering his own first night here, sixteen years ago now, he knew how important tonight was, especially since it was his first time doing this. And yet . . .

And yet, he could not leave Harry alone. He had finally calmed the boy down – needing to resort to a calming draught after soft words and gently rocking the boy had not helped – after an hour of his weeping and shaking, made all the more heartbreaking as Harry was rarely so undone. He had, in the midst of caring for the boy, promised he would not leave him, and so he would not. Besides, if his last interaction with Filch was any standard, Harry's nightmares tonight would be ferocious.

Finally, Albus' head appeared in the fireplace, surrounded by green and yellow flame. "I'm rather busy just now, Severus. Can this wait till morning?"

"It cannot. If you recall, I told you I would deal with Filch if you did not. Is it your intention to leave the matter to my discretion?"

"Now, now, Severus my dear boy—"

"Don't you 'my dear boy' me , Albus. I want you to come and see for yourself the result of your inaction."

With a gusty sigh, Albus' head disappeared, only to be replaced a moment later by his whole body, stepping through the Floo. He spelled the soot from his bright yellow robes with a wave of his hand and then held Severus' gaze. "Argus is a special case, as well you know." His blue-eyed twinkle was more muted than Severus had seen it in recent memory. "There are very few places where he could make an honest living, with his background."

"As there are few for me, Albus," Severus snarled. "And yet, I do not make it a habit to torture young children."

"Now, now, Argus did not actually harm Harry—"

"Do you truly think so? Come in here, then." Severus gestured down the hall to Harry's room, then strode through the partly open door, waiting for Albus to follow him. The boy was curled in a fetal ball, pressed into a corner of his bed against the wall, eyes squinched shut and arms clasped around his knees, head down. Tremors shook his tiny body as he rocked himself, and his sweat soaked hair was plastered to his head.

Severus gathered the boy in his arms once more, lowering himself onto the edge of the bed. Even asleep, Harry flinched at the touch, but then curled in against Severus, wrapping tiny fists in his father's robes and pushing his face into Severus' chest.

Glaring at Albus, Severus lowered his voice to a whisper, but his tone was no less harsh for that. "He finally fell asleep, after taking twice the recommended dosage of Calming Draught for a child of eleven . Prior to that, he was inconsolable." He cupped the boy's head against his chest with the palm of his hand. "Pray, tell me again that he was not harmed."

Albus' face was unreadable, but Severus tried to gauge his reaction anyway. After a long moment, the Headmaster nodded. "I cannot send Argus away," he murmured. "But I will give him explicit instructions regarding Harry."

"That will not do!" Severus hissed. The boy whimpered in distress, and Severus hushed him again, rocking him quietly.

"It will have to, Severus. Unfortunately, I have little choice in the matter."

"Spare me your theatrics. You're the Headmaster; you could let him go."

"To what end? He is, unfortunately, better served under my watchful eye than not."

Severus fumed, in silence, for several long minutes. It was obvious that Albus was not going to bend on this issue, and just as obvious that he would not allow Severus to do as he pleased and rip the caretaker into tiny pieces and feed them to the squid. And so, he decided on a third alternative. "Then I will brew a Fidelity Draught for him to take. It's the only way I will stay here while he is also on the grounds."

"Severus!"

"No, Albus. That man is a danger to my son, and I will not have it ."

"At least consider other options."

Severus was surprised to hear the pleading note in Albus' voice. He frowned. "I will give you until Friday, noon. The potion will be ready by then. If at that time, you have no better solution to offer, he will be bound to the utter protection of Harry. Else you will need to find yourself a new Potions Master."

Albus sighed again, and slowly nodded. "Very well. Let us hope it does not come to that."

Severus seconded the sentiment, wholeheartedly.

---

In the end, regarding his Head of House duties, Severus did the only thing he could. With Harry swaddled in a blanket, Severus clutched him close to his chest, and went to the Snake den as planned. Harry was far enough under the effects of the potion that he barely noticed, though lines of tension still creased his face in his sleep. The Slytherins, however, never ones to pass up a perceived weakness, watched them both with close scrutiny.

To compensate, Severus increased his scowl by a factor of ten, at minimum, and added extra menace to his voice. By the end of his speech on their responsibilities, his expectations, and the list of rules they needed to follow to escape his wrath, they appeared sufficiently cowed that he expected little in the way of problems from them, at least not in the near future.

One of the sixth year girls approached him afterwards, though, and offered to baby-sit Harry, if he ever needed the help.

He looked the girl up and down. "Miss Parkinson, correct?"

"Yes, Professor Snape. Rose Parkinson."

Though his instinct was to refuse her offer, with the excuse that familiarity bred contempt, he was all too aware that, currently, only a Gryffindor – in the person of Charlie Weasley – exerted any influence on his son, and he would be shortsighted to dismiss aid from one of his own House. Thus he spoke in measured tones, "I will consider it. I appreciate your interest."