Fledgling and Shadow (a HP fanfic)

This is a new story and is not a sequel to anything! NOT FOR SIRIUS LOVERS! Main characters: Harry and Severus. Not a Slash!

Chapter 1

The fireplace flared to life as a wizard stepped out of the fireplace. He wore a dark blue cloak and he had shoulder-length hair.

"Ah, Sirius, welcome," said an ancient man sitting behind a desk. His name was Dumbledore and Sirius knew him rather well.

"Sirius, I have called you here to ask your help," said Dumbledore.

"How may I help?" asked Sirius.

From behind Dumbledore's desk came a small boy. He wore a black cloak and had black hair, that hadn't yet reached his shoulders.

To Sirius the boy seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"Sirius, this is Severus," said Dumbledore. "A potion of his went wrong and apparently it exploded, de-aging him."

Sirius realised what Dumbledore was going to ask from him and he said firmly "No."

However Dumbledore had other plans and in one hour Sirius had found himself in charge of a 5-year-old boy.

***

Severus had no idea what had happened. He had been pulled through a fireplace into a strange kitchen and seated on a chair.

Snape however knew precisely what was going on. He had screwed an experiment and it had exploded. He was now stuck in his 5-year-old self with no control of his body at all. He could hear his younger self's thoughts and felt everything his younger self did, but had no control over it.

Black seated him on a chair and leaned over him.

"Listen here, you little brat! I don't care what Dumbledore said, but you do not deserve kindness. Therefor you will call me Mr Black and my godson who will be coming here in a weeks time, Mr Potter. Is that understood?"

Severus nodded, afraid.

"Also, you will stay in your room and not come out other than to do chores. Every day you will get a list and you'd better finish them before the end of the day or there will be consequences!" said Mr Black, a strange glint in his eyes.

"I have no wish to spend a Knut on you, so I will find you some cast-offs and shrink them. Be grateful that I am willing to waste my magic on you. You will only eat once a day. If you don't like what you're given you do not eat at all. Am I clear?"

Severus nodded again and Snape felt sick of himself at being at Black's mercy.

Then Mr Black showed him to his 'room'.

The walls were plain and grey, the floor dusty as was the window. There was a bed with bedposts where hangings should be. The curtains were moth-eaten, the mattress on the bed was filled with holes and seemed very lumpy. On the bed was a thin sheet and no pillow and in the corner of the room were some shrunk useless rags, that were to become his new 'clothes'.

There was a click behind him and Mr Black locked the door. Severus sank to the floor, miserable as ever. When the small alarm clock showed midnight, tired and hungry he climbed into the pathetic excuse of a bed and fell into a restless sleep.

Severus woke from a loud banging noise coming from his door. He was forced to sit on the floor and eat a piece of bread, a glass of water and an apple.

Then Mr Black dumped a list of chores on him and left to his study.

Severus sighed as the house-elf Kreacher sneered at him.

***

A week had gone by. It was Saturday and Severus was warned that Harry was coming to stay for the winter holidays. All rules were clear to him. Severus shivered at the thought of Mr Black's punishment.

At seven o'clock the fire turned green and a black-haired boy fell from the fireplace.

As the boy straightened his robes he caught sight of Severus and his eyes showed confusion.

"Harry!" said Sirius welcoming him with wide arms. Harry smiled and gave the man a hug back. Snape felt that he was going to gag.

Sirius turned to see where Harry was looking and at the sight of Severus an annoyed look passed his features.

He told Harry what had happened, leaving out his own treatment of the boy.

Snape and Severus were/was startled to see the boy give him/them a kind smile.

"Hi, I'm Harry," he said gently.