𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑻𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑶𝑹 || 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟑.

It was late. But the only time Snape ever had alone with his thoughts was when it was "late". Even then, Harry interrupted plenty frequently. He was still teething. Snape was tempted to look up a spell that would hurry the process along – something along the lines of regrowing bones but instead of bringing in teeth for the first time.

He had been researching the idea halfheartedly earlier that week, but after finding some truly horrifying results – most producing children with teeth like those of a beaver or a horse – Snape dropped the idea.

Now he was working. He'd received an owl from Lucius that morning which had bothered him all day. Normally when he was in a foul mood his students knew it. His ever frequent "ten points from Gryffindor" would usually increase on a day when he was feeling agitated, but not today.

Today it had been all he could do to give the instructions clearly – an explosion or injured student would hardly lessen his stress levels – and then monitor them halfheartedly.

Now as his teaching day was done, Harry was asleep in his crib, and Snape had firmly washed his hair, chastising it for getting even oiler due to stress he sat in his study with Lucius's letter.

Severus. I'm aware of your many duties and obligations and feel no desire to pressure you. Others disagree. If you don't provide some news of the diary soon, you may find yourself in danger.

The letter was short. The smaller the note, the quicker it could be delivered, meaning less chances of anything being intercepted.

Lucius was clearly risking himself here. If the other Death Eaters were murmuring against Snape, they wouldn't wait long to turn on the Malfoys as well.

Heaving a sigh, Snape bent over the diary. He wished the stupid thing had never been recovered. He had plenty on his plate without trying to break Bellatrix's crazy spells and enchantments. Maybe if she'd hexed the thing like a normal witch he could work this out quicker, but her insanity was manifest in her spells, and Snape felt he actually had to forgo logic to discover its secrets.

Luckily, Harry slept soundly that night. Working undistracted through the long hours that Severus could claim as his own, he finally set his wand down at 4:38 precisely. That was something. The book lay open on the table in front of him. Certain pages still refused to turn. Magical inkblots were still appearing over large passages. Snape knew his task wasn't done, but this would hopefully be progress enough to keep him in the clear for at least the rest of the term. The Death Eaters, while violent and generally ruthless, surely couldn't be so unreasonable as to expect him to completely blow his cover by failing to carry on his day to day routine.

Grabbing a scrap of parchment and a quill he scrawled a quick note to Lucius. His normally careful, meticulous handwriting was sloppy and betrayed his exhaustion.

Lucius, I've opened the diary. Please report that at your earliest convenience. The secrets aren't all available yet – many hexes still in place – but I've got it open. Be safe. Severus.

He looked at the note for a moment, debating whether or not he should have omitted that last line, but decided he was glad it was there. He rolled it tightly, and was about to make a quick trip up to the owlery before any students would be there, when a cry from Harry's room made him turn back.

Harry was standing in his crib, tearstained and wet.

Snape winced. Of course he was wet – he hadn't been checked on all night. Snape refused to feel guilty – Harry hadn't cried so he hadn't checked on him. Besides, he'd been awfully busy with important matters. Harry's momentary discomfort had absolutely zero, repeat NO, effect on his conscious.

Soon Harry was dry and changed, and Snape knew he didn't have long if he wanted to get the owl off quickly. Harry couldn't very well be left alone now that he was awake – he already had enough abandonment issues – so Snape carried him up to the long, spiral stairs to visit the owls.

Harry, sitting on Severus's left hip, was very excited by this little adventure. He hadn't left the dungeons in three days. Nape had been busy and tired, and so they went on no trips, but now, here they went! Up, up, up!

Every window they passed was exciting. The sun was only barely, barely beginning to rise, peeking tentatively above the horizon. Its most bold rays played on the surface of the lake where the giant squid lived, and kissed the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, which, this fall morning, didn't truly look so sinister.

Finally they reached the top of the tower. Snape thought it a little ridiculous, the amount of stairs in this castle. He wasn't one to extol the virtues of Muggle technology, but they really had something going with the elevator idea. It struck him that perhaps this wizarding world of his was just a bit archaic. Muggles could even send mail or correspond more quickly than by sending owls.

Snape frowned as he considered the lack of advances the wizard society had taken on that front since...ever, but had no way of confronting the issue at present, and therefor pushed it aside.

"What?" Harry said, eyes wide, "What?" His little face was bright and excited and he couldn't turn his head fast enough to see all the owls around him.

"Owls, Harry," Snape said calmly, finding the correct owl out of the dozens perched all about in the somewhat crowded space. "Like your stuffed toy."

Harry nodded and reached out his arms, wanting to snuggle up to one like he did with the owl in his crib.

"Owly, owly, owly" he sang, wiggling slightly as he reached for the nearest owl, a huge black thing who was holding out its foot patiently for Snape to tie the scrap of paper to its ankle.

"Harry, this 'owly' will not hug you, I promise. Please stop provoking it." Snape said, his attention focused on affixing the note to the owl's leg will still holding Harry. It wasn't easy and it brought Harry uncomfortably close to the irritable bird.

"Owly, owly, hugs!" Harry sang.

As the bird nipped Harry on his fingers, Snape was prepared to have a screaming, fussing child to coddle who had just been told the hug wouldn't work out. He was rather surprised when rather than crying Harry's nose wrinkled in frustration and he angrily bopped the owl on the head.

The owl ruffled its feathers, turning its large eyes from the baby and flapping its wings for take off, the message securely tied now.

"Bad owly!" Harry proclaimed as the bird vanished out the window. Then turning his big green eyes on Snape said sincerely, "No owly hug. Nape hug."

With that he nuzzled Snape's shoulder with his head, his already messy hair getting even more sticky-uppy and hugged him tight.

"No bite," he instructed sternly, continuing his hug.

"Only if you're very, very naughty." Snape said with a wry smile and started back down the long flights of stairs.