Innocence

Chapter-3

Naughty

Severus rubs his temple and wonders if he will suffer from a constant headache until Harriet has accomplished what he wishes to. Draco could have made all this much simpler by simply using his mind and refusing to get marked. But no, the brat had to make it difficult and Harriet Potter, of all people, had to be the one to fall in love with his godson. Harriet Potter who thinks like a gryffindor and doesn't care about the fact that Draco could very well betray her.

Severus has not slept a wink for three days now. Dumbledore had asked him to let her stay with her relatives for three days at least.

Three days hence, Severus finds himself in front of the front door of the Dursleys. Sighing deeply, he rings the door bell twice. He is about to ring it yet again when the door opens and Petunia's horse like figure greets him, her face twisted in a scowl.

"Where is she? What did you tell her?" He asks, getting straight to the point.

"She is in her room. I won't raise her again. Take her away from my home." The woman barks at him. He towers over her, his cold eyes boring in her terrified ones.

"Stay in your limits Petunia. You don't want me turn your husband and son into elephants that they are. If I realize that you hit her, I-"

"I did- I didn't even touch her. I didn't enter her room except to give her food. Take her away from my home. She keeps on wreaking havoc all over. Take the menace away. That's all I want." She whimpers pathetically and Severus storms inside, heading straight towards Harriet's room. He will have to get accustomed to call her by her first name if he must raise her.

He slams the door open fully expecting a pacing or crying or glowering teenager standing in front of him. When he opens the door and a bucket full of water falls on his head, he is so astonished that he can barely stop himself from shrieking.

The biggest thing is that Potter is nowhere to be seen. He can hear soft chuckles that belong to a five year old Harriet but can't see her anywhere. He scowls at no-one in particular. His robes are wet and he hates cleaning clothes magically. Elves do a better job. Magic always spoils the quality of the cloth.

"Harriet where are you?" He scowls and the child keeps on chuckling. There is one bed, table and chair in the room. Where can she be? The room is silent other then her soft voice. He treads inside, his steps cautious and looks around himself when someone's "BOOOOOOOOO" startles him so much that he yelps. He literally yelps and whirls around to be greeted by a five year old child who is doubled over, her small body shaking with laughter.

He stares at her naughty green eyes. They are gleaming with mischief. Bloody hell. She is a perfect mix of Lily and James. His hair are still dripping wet and he glares at her. She stand upright and tries to school her features into innocent and guilty ones.

"Sorry professa Snape." She manages to whisper before she starts laughing again. He keeps on the staring at the child. Never in his entire life a child has been so amused after being glared upon by him.

"Why did you do it, you brat?" He snaps at her and she grins, "Aunt Siri says that you look cute when you are startled."

Severus's mouth open in utter shock. Firstly, how does she even remember Black telling anything to her. Does she remember anything else and secondly why will Black find him cute. She is always making fun of his nose. Earlier it was his hair so he started paying monthly visits to a magical saloon and now she won't stop about his nose.

Lost in his thoughts, he forgets that he is standing in front of James's naughty five year old daughter until she tickles his ribs with her soft, small fingers, standing on her tip toes.

A weird sounding giggle escapes his mouth and the mischievous little menace starts laughing again.

He kneels down in front of her and looks into her glowing eyes. He had been so mistaken. She is not even close to what he had expected.

"You are a brat." He grumbles and she nods studiously, "I know professa."

"Professor." He insists and she grins, "That's what I said. Professa."

He scowls at the child, "Professor."

"Professa. Professa. Professa. That's exactly what I am saying Professa Snape."

He stands up, having already given up. Black has rubbed off on her. She has suddenly made it her goal to annoy Severus as much as possible for her.

Her small hand wraps around his larger one and he stares into her innocent eyes hoping against hope that Draco doesn't ruin the gleam and happiness he can see in them.

He summons her things quickly and apparates right inside Gremmauld place. After being proven innocent, Black transformed it into a a proper manor that rivals Lucius's magnificent mansion. It is not protected by fidilious and has a lot of windows and no dark artefacts, The portrait of Walburga is rotting in the storeroom.

"Aunty Siri." Harriet squeals as soon as they land inside the place. Black was waiting for them, dressed in blue muggle shorts and a white shirt. She grins and kneels down to pick little Harriet up.

"I pranked Professa Snape aunty." The child whispers as if sharing a secret, her green eyes wide and impossibly mischievous.

"You did?" Black whispers back, staring at Severus in surprise. Severus stares heavenward, wondering what pranks the child has in store for him.

"Yes, he came inside my room and the bucket full of water fell on his head. He was wet and startled and cute. It was so funny."

Black chuckled and met his eyes.

"He is nice though. He didn't scold me at all. You were right about the other thing too. He-"

"Shhhhhhh." Black suddenly murmured, her cheeks tinged red and Severus froze as the woman stared into the child's eyes before mumbling, "That's a secret."

"Okay. Top secret." Harriet nods vigorously, placing her finger on her lips.

"Let's get you settled down in your room."

"But Draco. I want to play with him. You pomished that he will play with me."

"Well, we will meet him. You can ask him yourself." Black replies sullenly, staring with her round and sad eyes at Severus.

"Don't worry." He mouths at her, wondering what else Black was right about. The woman nods and retreats towards Harriet's room and Severus apparates back to Howgarts to get some of his clothes. He will have to stay here for a few days.

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