Harry Potter and the Vulnerability Charm Part II

Chapter 4: You Are Insane

"You are insane," Lupin sighs, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He stares up at Snape who paces frantically around the room, looking out the windows into the black abyss. Lupin wonders what he expects to see exactly, the moon is just a sliver tonight. "It's impossible that boy is He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. The Dark Lord was defeated," he states with finality.

"He is... I don't know how, but he is..." Snape's stare is far-off, his eyes glassed over. Lupin, concerned, walks up and brushes some stray hairs behind his ear.

"Severus... there is no known form of magic that could make that possible. As a Potions Master, you know that,"

"I know," Snape sighs, rubbing his face in his hands. "I'm just being paranoid,"

"You're being a father," Lupin comforts in a soft voice, tugging on a loose pair of Snape's pyjama bottoms. "You have all weekend with Harry tomorrow - that should help with your separation anxiety,"

The tips of Snape's ears turn red, he stares at the floor with a glare. This is so embarrassing, it isn't like him at all tone so spooked. He's never been needy or clingy or anxious, he's never cared for someone like he does for Harry. A powerful paternal spirit warning him off from the Quidditch team. Even as he lies in bed and stares at the ceiling, his sleep is disturbed by this prospect. When he closes his eyes, he sees Voldemort. He remembers the Death Eaters.

*

"Morning!" Harry pokes his Daddy's cheek to wake him up. He shifts but stays asleep. Harry frowns - his Daddy must have been up late last night. Lupin isn't here, he must not have had a sleepover like he usually does. That's okay because Harry is a big boy and he can take care of himself and his sleeping Daddy!

He should make breakfast, he decides. Daddy will be so happy when he wakes up! He wanders into the little kitchen, which is just an offshoot of the bedroom. He finds bread in the cupboard. Usually Daddy makes toast but he doesn't know how to make the bread into toast with magic. So just bread it is. He places it on a tray, but there has to be something with it right? Harry searches the cupboards. Sprinkles are a good idea, he likes those and they aren't hard to put on with a knife like butter is.

He pours rainbow sprinkles all over one slice and puts another on top like a sprinkle sandwich. It looks super colourful. Next, cereal. He knows where that is and it's easy! He pours the sugary sprinkle cereal into the bowl and splashes in some milk. Is this what adults eat for breakfast? It doesn't look right.

On TV, adults replace meals with... fruit? Okay, he puts a plumb on the tray too. With shaking hands he carries it back through, careful not to let any milk spill. Daddy will be so proud of him, doing this all by himself like a bog boy.

Harry tentatively places the tray on the bed and this time, more forcefully wakes up Daddy. "Ugh - what times is it?" Snape turns to the clock, eyes blinking and squinting with the burning light. "Eleven - Harry, this is the one day I get to sleep in!" he whines.

"But it's wakey-wake time!" Harry protests with a cute pout. "And I made breakkie!"

Snape sits up and frowns at the tray. "You did this for me? Oh thank you baby!" he hugs Harry and lifts him onto the bed. Harry crawls under the covers and snuggles into Snape's side. Snape pulls the try closer to them. "It looks great, sweetheart,"

He picks open the bread realising that Harry made a sprinkle sandwich. "Eheh... why don't you have this..."

"But you like sprinkles, Daddy!"

"Yes but you like them more - and this is a bit too much for me," he eats a few spoonfuls of cereal and ignores the plumb, he isn't hungry in the mornings. But the look Harry gives him makes him eat the remainder of the cereal and a few bites of the fruit, sharing it between them.

"Well, that was lovely! Thank you," he smiles at his son. "What would you like to do today? Your pick, as a way to thank you for this,"

"Can us just cuddle in bed and watch Netflix?"

"Fine," Snape sighs. "But no Series of Unfortunate Events,"

"But Daddy!" Harry cries. "Uncles Remus-!"

"I know Uncle Remus lets you watch it. I don't,"

"No fair," Harry pouts.

"But you know what we can watch? Doctor Who!"

"Yey! Waana watch!"

"I knew you would,"