Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe was created by J. K. Rowling.

No monetary profit is being made from this writing

Summary: Hagrid brings a small, shy orphaned witch girl to Hogwarts, fearing for her safety, though she is far too young to start studying. Professor Snape is at a loss when the little girl begins to follow him wherever he goes.

Author's note: I picture the girl looking a little like Chibi Chibi from Sailor Moon.

Rating PG

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~

CHIBI

Cynthia and Howard Livingston-Pratt were about as muggle as they come, strange that Cynthia was born from Wizarding parents and was indeed a witch, though she wanted nothing to do with anything remotely connected to magic, and wasn't unlike her best friend Petunia Dursley, much to her parents' dismay. Cynthia had never told the Dursleys or even her husband, in fear of utter ridicule and refused to even tell herself and vowed to keep her deepest darkest secret long past her dying day.

On this particular bright Sunny day, the Livingston-Pratts enjoyed a family drive with their three old daughter, whom to their embarrassment had not learned to speak and to their greater embarrassment, seemed to be able to move things without touching them. At one point in the journey, the child began to wail incessantly, much to her parents' annoyance.

"Be quiet, child!" Howard hissed, but this only made the infant howl louder.

"Quiet this instant!" Cynthia snapped. "You're spoiling the scenery."

But the child didn't stop, for she knew this would be the last drive her parents would take.

As if on cue, a gigantic Mack truck swerved around the corner, the Livingston-Pratts, wide eyed did not have time to scream. Howard, in the driver's seat, killed instantly, Cynthia, trapped, half the dashboard cutting into her, knew she would not survive. With great pain, she turned to see her daughter, still crying and knew her child had somehow sensed the incident before it happened. Trapped, almost suffocating between the back and driver's seat. The look of despair and hopelessness in the child's eyes brought tears to her own and Cynthia knew she would not survive until help arrived. The older woman took a breath and did something she never thought she would in a million years, and prayed to whomever was listening that it worked. She whispered single word, an her child disappeared, reappearing in a heap on the roadside, knowing both her parents were dead and wailed long into the night.

The little girl's ears perked up when she saw a light in the distance coming closer. She did not seem afraid of this gigantic purple triple decker bus, quite the opposite.

Stan Shunpike, the conductor stepped out, looking distraught.

"S'okay l'il 'un."

The girl looked to him and hurried to him in little, clumsy steps. Stan looked sympathetic, and then her saw something that shocked him. "I don' think this was an accident, Ern ... look."

Ernie, the driver looked out to what Stan pointed at, the number plate of the truck, left behind after the collision.

VOL - MOR

The colour drained from Erin's face and a shiver traversed his body. "Hurry ... get the girl."

Stan looked down at the tiny child. "Don' y' worry, l'il. We'll take y' to Diagon Alley and don' worry about payin'. Y' can have some hot chocolate too."

Ernie grunted, but it wasn't without a smile.

"What yer name?"

The little girl looked up at him and made an unintelligible noise, before finding a spot on the bus, nestling in and falling asleep.

* * *

As the Knight bus crew had hoped, Hagrid was only too happy to take her to Hogwarts.

"Yer have my word, Stan. the little 'un's safe with me."

He held her in his enormous arms, the child almost getting lost in his forest of a beard.

* * *

TRIPLE MURDER

The muggles treat it as 'a Sunday tragedy,' an

Accident but unfortunately we know better. Yesterday

afternoon A truck with the number plate reading VOL - MOR

smashed into Cynthia and Howard Livingston-Pratt's

vehicle. Unbeknownst to most, Cynthia Livingston was

one of us, and to our greatest dismay, renounced

all things magic, choosing to live as a muggle,

but we must not speak ill of the dead. The body

of their three year old daughter was never recovered

from the smash. We can only hope and that

You-Know-Who did not get his evil hands on her ...

Harry Potter stared at the Daily Prophet.

"Is your scar hurting?" Hermione asked, very concerned.

"Wha ... No... it's just that..."

"Harry, if it is, you should go and tell Dumbledore."

"It's not that ... The people if the article ... they were *friends* of the Dursley's ..."

Hermione and Ron stared.

"You didn't know she was a witch?"

Harry shook his head. "She was just as bad as my Aunt ..."

"Did you see the child?"

"No, she couldn't have been born then. the last time I saw them was three years ago, before I started my second year at Hogwarts."

Harry as clearly distressed. "He killed her parents ... just like..."

Hermione took his hand, he couldn't finish the rest of his sentence.

* * *

Although she seemed to miss her parents, somehow the small girl knew they were not coming back and had sadly accepted that.

Hagrid fussed about her like no one would believe, and hid her when anyone came to his dwelling.

Today he regaled Harry, Hermione and Ron about the time in his youth he'd saved a baby Cockatrice from drowning, and was close to tears when he came to the part in the story when his mother told him that he wasn't allowed to keep it.

Harry thought he heard a noise from under Hagrid's table. Hermione heard it too. Ron heard it again and assumed it was some other helpless and horrid thing that Hagrid had saved.

Hagrid coughed loudly to conceal it.

"What've you got under there?" Harry asked with a smile.

"Nothin ... Absolutely nothin yer need concern yourself about."

"Hagrid ... You'll just get yourself in trouble again ... I mean it's not the first time you've hidden illegal creatures."

"'An what makes yer think that-"

Harry's eyes twinkled. Hagrid tried to look annoyed.

"We won't tell," Ron promised. "What hideous things are you hiding this time?"

"It's nay hideous!" Hagrid bellowed.

The 'creature' whimpered.

Harry lifted up the course table cloth and stared. Both Ron and Hermione were left speechless.

"It's .... It's ... it's a ..." Hermione couldn't finish her sentence.

"Aye, it's a little girl."

"But Hagrid ..."

The large man sighed. "Ah s'pose yer would'a found out eventually ... this is little Miss Livingston-Pratt."

Harry stared. "But ..."

"Aye ... Ah thought he was dead too, until Stan, the Knight Bus conductor gave her to me. Hogwarts is the safest place in the world, it is ... most of the time."

"Hagrid, we've got to tell Dumbledore..."

"Ah was going to ... But the less people that know about her, the better."

Harry nodded.

* * *

"I'm glad you came to me, Hagrid. this is good news indeed, but it must not leave the school walls."

"Aye," Hagrid agreed.

"But neither can she stay in one place all the time. She's not a prisoner."

Hagrid harrumphed.

Dumbledore smiled. "Of course you know I meant no offence, Hagrid, but someone is bound to find out eventually, or soon, as Harry and his friends did. We will not tell the other students who she is. We will tell them that her parents were called away on urgent business and will not return for some time and we are to take care of her until they return."

* * *

The news was taken with interest. Some students seemed annoyed, that Hogwarts was not a day care centre, but Dumbledore ignored any such comments.

Harry was sure Snape would protest, but when he looked over to the long-haired Potions Master, he was surprised to see Snape seemed completely nonchalant.

* * *

Harry sat before Cornelius Fudge the Minister of Magic.

"Did you ever meet the Livingston-Pratts?"

"Yes, once, they were invited to my aunt's."

"The Dursley's?"

Harry nodded.

"Did you pick up any indication that Cynthia was..."

Harry shook his head. "No ... She's just like my aunt Petunia... I don't mean to speak ill of the dead, but they both abhor anything magic ... to them it's abnormal."

Fudge looked sympathetically at Harry for having such awful muggle guardians, if they could be called that.

"Did you know they had a child?"

"Not at first ... but I've been thinking since I read the article... I hard my aunt on the phone, this must've been about three years ago now, on the phone to Cynthia congratulating her on her pregnancy. That's the last I heard."

Fudge nodded. "Did she give any indication of a name?"

Harry shook his head.

"The Muggle police have interviewed your aunt also ... they couldn't find anything either..." Fudge pause for a few moments. "Traces of magic were discovered at the scene of the murder, and a far as we can tell, Cynthia used *magic* to get her daughter out of the car..."

"She used magic?"

Fudge nodded. "She did, to save her daughter, but the child is still in danger. Voldemort will do anything to get his hands on her when he discovers she's alive."

Harry shuddered.

Dumbledore placed his hand upon the boy's shoulder. "Don't fear, Harry, as a rotting carcass draws flies, fear draws Voldemort."

Potter nodded.

"In the meantime, I believe Hogwarts is the safest place for her." Dumbledore eyed Fudge, who reluctantly agreed.

* * *

The Hogwarts students, teachers, paintings and ghosts had gotten used to a having little girl in their midst, even the ones who didn't particularly like having a child about seemed to have grown used to her. She was the victim of various pranks, but nothing serious.

Alaric Declan Roberts, the new Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain suggested that she be allowed to watch the practice match between his house and Slytherin. Some of the Slytherins didn't seem wonderfully impressed.

"I don't see why not," Snape said, looking down at the tiny child. "Some fresh air may do her some good."

* * *

Harry and his friends sat and watched the match, hoping for a Hufflepuff victory. Sitting by herself, the little girl seemed fascinated by the game, watching the players and the balls zoom about in the air, until one point in the game, a stray bludger came zooming toward her, hitting her in the leg. The impact knocked her off her seat, and she began to wail at the sudden pain. Snape stopped the game and the players landed, with some annoyance. To Harry's surprise, however, Snape didn't look annoyed at all.

"Take her to the hospital wing," he said to one burly Slytherin player.

The girl whimpered, stood and limped as quickly as she could to Snape.

"Well?" Snape said to the large Quidditch player. "What are you waiting for?"

Holman stepped forward, the girl clutched onto Snape's robe. Snape realised Holman didn't look too friendly to this tiny girl and by the looks of him, he had more on his plate for dinner last night.

Snape turned to one of the Hufflepuff Beaters. "Roberts, you take her then."

But the girl didn't seem to like him either, hiding under Snape's outer robe, and much to his embarrassment refused to come out. He sighed. "All right ... I'll take her. Call Filch to referee the remainder of the game."

"But Filch has never-"

Snape's icy glare stopped Alaric mid sentence, as he picked up the injured girl and took her to the hospital wing.

When there, he carefully placed her on a bed, and both of them were immediately set upon by Madame Pomfrey.

"What's the matter?" she asked, looking at the tiny girl.

"Ahh ... I see ... Quidditch indeed ... She's far too young!"

Pomfrey scalded Snape.

"She was just watching," Snape protested.

Pomfrey healed the little girl's bruised shin in an instant.

"There. All better?" She rubbed it and the girl smiled.

She turned to Snape. "No more Quidditch!"

Snape scowled, then looked back to the little girl. "You've had enough excitement for one day, I'm sure you could do with some rest."

He turned and left the hospital wing.

Professor Snape stopped halfway to his room, sensing he was being followed. "Potter, if that's you or any of you friends, I'll take one hundred points from Gryffindor." He turned around. "Oh, it's you. I thought I told you to get some rest ..."

The little girl looked up at him with big blue eyes.

"Go and find Hagrid," Snape said. "I'm sure he's got many a weird and wonderful creature for you to play with."

Snape walked on, aware the girl hadn't gone to find Hagrid. He reached his door and turned around to see the little bright red haired girl almost on top of him.

"I told you to go and find Hagrid," he said. "Oh, and if you're hungry, dinner is at seven o'clock."

Snape entered his room and closed the door. The girl looked upset, but in a while chose to go off exploring.

* * *

Much concern was given when she did not show up for dinner.

"I told her to go to Hagrid's," Snape told Dumbledore.

"And you honestly thought she would?"

"Well, I ..."

"Severus, she's a three year old girl, prone to curiosity ... Talking paintings, moving suits of armour, poltergeists ... "

"Well now come to think of it ... she may have become a little distracted... perhaps we should go and look for her?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, and let us hope she hasn't gotten herself into trouble."

By eight o'clock, the whole school was looking for the girl, feeling rather silly calling 'little girl...' as no one knew her name.

"I'm pretty sure I heard someone up in the third floor corridor..." A first year student volunteered.

"And you didn't think to report it?" Snape looked imposing.

"I ... I thought it was Peeves, Sir..."

Snape turned on his heel and hurried to the third floor corridor. Taking a breath, he entered and stared. Very little amazed him, and this was one of the few things that did. There she sat, *playing* with Fluffy, the dog who guarded the schools treasures. Fluffy looked up and his three heads growled. Snape held a hand up, hoping the dog realised he came in peace. Fluffy sniffed, then turned his attention again to the little girl, as she tickled him. Slowly Snape edged closer. Fluffy growled again. The little girl rubbed him and Fluffy seemed to tolerate Snape's presence. The girl indicated for him to pet the dog. Snape folded his arms. The girl patted Fluffy again. Snape hated her to think he was afraid, so he gingerly reached out to pat one of Fluffy's noses. The dog suddenly lunged, throwing Snape backwards. Fluffy landed almost on top of him, teeth baring, then he proceeded to lick the Professor. The hound leapt off him and emitted a noise, which Snape realised as laughter. He glared at the hound, but by the same token was exceedingly grateful that he had not become Fluffy's late night snack. The girl gave Fluffy a mock annoyed look and tugged on Snape's robe.

"I'm fine," Snape said. "Which is more than I can say for my robe." (Covered in dog slobber.) "Of course this means I will have to shower again." He tried to sound annoyed.

The little girl ticked Fluffy again before leaving with the Professor.

"You could have been hurt," Snape scalded.

She looked a tad upset, but somehow Snape sensed that she knew Fluffy would not harm her.

* * *

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape said, "playing with him."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Playing with Fluffy ... Up until now Hagrid's the only one who has ever played with him."

"He's the only one who cares about the thing."

"And it appears the girl does too."

Snape nodded. "I believe she sensed Fluffy would not harm her. Perhaps the dog was lonely and she sensed that too..."

"If you're right, Snape, we must protect her at all costs. If she can sense such things at her young age..."

"Voldemort will stop at nothing to use her..."

Dumbledore nodded. "Let us hope she will be safe here, but it will be best if she didn't go wandering about on her own."

"Yes, Headmaster."

* * *

Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker had called suggested calling little girl 'Chibi', explaining that it meant 'small' in her native language and the name stuck.

Little Chibi loved to explore, usually accompanied by other students or teachers to the various places of interest at Hogwarts, even the Whomping Willow seemed to like her, though everyone else stayed well out of the tree's way.

A special trip had even been arranged to take Chibi to Hogsmeade.

She was quite the talk of the school, most of the students who opposed her staying here had come to like her, even the Slytherins.

But as far as she went as much as she explored, she was most often seen around Professor Snape, much to his chagrin, and try as he might, he could not seem to get rid of her.

* * *

Harry sat unenthusiastically in class for another Potions lesson. The only thing he hated more than Potions was double Potions.

"Glad to see you're all on time, unlike last lesson," Snape said, flashing Harry, Ron and Hermione an annoyed look. "I trust you've all done your homework." It was not a question.

Harry and Ron wanted to whimper, but they daren't attract attention to themselves.

Malfoy grinned at Harry and Ron as he handed in his homework.

Snape took it from him and began collecting papers from the other students. Finally, he snatched Hermione's and walked over to his desk.

"Ten points each from Gryffindor," he said, without even bothering to look at Harry or Ron.

"But ..."

"Fluffy ate it, I suppose?"

Harry glared at Snape.

"Both of you, have it in by this afternoon or it will be twenty."

Harry and Ron glowered and began to count the seconds as they ticked away.

Snape began to teach the class how to mix protection potions and as usual sneered at Neville's attempt.

"You couldn't protect a pot plant with that."

Neville peered miserably into his murky orange potion, which should have been oriental blue.

Harry wanted to tell Snape just where to go, but the Professor didn't look to be in a good mood, not that he ever was... And something caught potter's attention. A movement behind Snape's desk.

//Oh no ... please don't let it be one of Hagrid's creatures...//

Hagrid's creatures couldn't be further from what it actually was. Harry stared as he saw her first. Somehow 'Chibi' had gotten into the classroom. Harry hoped Snape didn't see her and motioned for her to get back behind the desk. Besides him, Ron and Hermione, the other students were paying attention to Snape. To Harry's dismay, Malfoy caught a glimpse of her and stared, motioning to Crabbe and Goyle.

"Looks like Snape's girlfriend wants to join in," Crabbe whispered.

But Snape heard him and glared at him, and was loathe to take points off Slytherin, so he 'accidentally' dropped an acne potion into Crabbe's cauldron, before retreating behind his desk.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, looking down at the girl.

The girl looked contrite.

"Maybe we should try Neville's potion on her and see what happens," Draco grinned.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Snape snapped.

Malfoy stared at him, then glowered. Harry, Ron and Hermione also stared at him, though in surprise. Snape took no notice. Chibi climbed onto his chair and reached for a shimmering green potion.

"Don't touch that," Snape said, stopping her.

The little girl reached for some wormwood leaves. Snape grunted, took her from his chair and addressed the class.

"I will be back in a moment. Carry on with your potions, and Longbottom, try and at least get it blue this time."

Snape left with the girl. Some class members burst out laughing. Malfoy was still glowering. Harry saw a brief flash of rage and hatred in his eyes. It seemed now even Professor Snape was on Malfoy's hate list. Harry and Ron took to opportunity of Snape's absence to catch up on their homework.

Much to Snape's dismay, Professor's Dumbledore and McGonagall were busy so Snape reluctantly took her to his room.

"I'll be back after class. Don't touch anything," he snapped.

Much to Harry and Ron's disappointment, Snape made it back to class before it was over.

* * *

Snape dreaded returning to his room, in fear of finding it a frightful mess, and was relieved to find it remained how he left it, bar Chibi excitedly jumping on his bed.

"Wheeee eeeeeeee .....!!!!"

"Stop that!" Snape snapped.

The little girl bounced onto her bottom, then sat on Snape's ruffled bed. The Professor sighed.

"What am I going to do with you?"

The girl looked at him. Snape felt somewhat uncomfortable.

The students and teachers sat around the common table.

"Oooh, look!" Malfoy said loudly, "Snape's bringing his *girlfriend* to dinner."

The other students around the table were too afraid to laugh, but many a stifled smiles ensued, even from the other teachers.

Snape glared at Malfoy so hard, Harry thought he would burn a hole through him. Not that he would have minded.

"I'll take points off Slytherin next time," Snape glowered.

"If it was Gryffindor, he would have taken a hundred points off," Ron huffed.

Chibi stuck her tongue out at Malfoy. Draco made a contorted face.

"That's an improvement," Harry said.

Malfoy glowered.

Chibi's appetite seemed to have increased.

"She's so cute..." Cho said, waving. "I hope I have a daughter like that someday."

Despite himself, Snape wiped chocolate from Chibi's face. He tried to give her to Dumbledore to look after, but halfway down the corridor, he sighed to himself, as he heard her little footsteps hurrying after him.

"Merlin knows what she sees in him..." Harry shook his head.

"Scary, isn't it?" Ron said. "Snape with children."

"I think she'll be good for him," Hermione said.

The boys stared at her.

Much to his annoyance, Chibi refused to leave Snape's room that night. He gave in and conjured a spare bed for her and some warm milk. much to his relief, she was able to bathe on her own.

"You'd better not snore," he warned, though not harshly.

The girl seemed to laugh before pulling her covers up as Snape muttered magic words to turn out the lights.

Professor Snape woke with a start when she leapt into bed with him.

"What do you want?" he snapped, annoyed at being woken well past the middle of the night. "Lumos..."

And he saw she was crying. She clutched his hand as though there was no tomorrow, looking terrified.

"It was just a bad dream," Snape explained, realising the reason for her distress. He tried to put her back into her spare bed, but she squealed hysterically. Obviously it was a very frightening dream.

"It was just a dream," he said again, but Chibi wasn't budging.

Snape sighed inwardly as she buried herself inside his robe. He felt her shivering and she only seemed to calm down when he placed his arm around her and tried to get some sleep. He thought it best for her if left the lights on.

The next morning both Chibi and Snape looked like hell and Snape had a doozy of a time brushing her hair.

"You can't stay with me all day," he said. "Professor McGonagall's promised to look after you."

Chibi looked indignant, but Snape wasn't going to be argued with this time.

Chibi sat in Professor McGonagall's classroom, looking amazed at the transfigurations. Despite herself, McGonagall rather liked Chibi and even allowed her to pat her in cat mode.

But after the school day was out, she found her way back to Professor Snape.

"All right, but no jumping on the bed."

"She's quite taken with you, Severus," professor Dumbledore said, coming to him.

"What did I do wrong?" Snape asked with a small smile.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Often children see in us what we do not."

Snape nodded.

"Take care of her, Severus."

"Yes, Headmaster."

Chibi tugged on his robe. "Se..vee..us! Se..vee..us.."

"My word!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Her first word! She said your name!"

"Se..vee..us!"

"So she did." Snape hid how touched he truly was, but he had a feeling Dumbledore already knew.

"Se..vee..us!.."

Dumbledore smiled. "Good night, Se..vee..us."

Snape managed a small smile. "Good night, Albus." And he entered his room with little Chibi in tow saying his name over and over again, leaving a smirking Dumbledore.

* * *

In the wee hours of morning Chibi awoke. The air was crisp and cold. She saw Severus Snape was fast asleep, the covers falling off him. Gently she pulled them back over him. He stirred, but did not awaken.

"Little one ..." The ghostly voice seemed to come from nowhere. Chibi looked around. "Come outside, Little One ..."

The enchanting voice spoke to the girl's heart as she climbed out of bed in her night clothes and left Snape's room, following the magical voice.

The girl stopped feeling the cold, as she walked outside the school. She looked ahead to see her mother standing on the grass, about twenty meters away.

"Come to me, my darling ..."

Snape awoke, feeling uncomfortable. The first thing he noticed was the girl was gone. A cold shiver traversed his body and when he saw his door as ajar, it intensified and his dark mark began to throb. He leapt from bed, not bothering to get changed and fled after her.

"Come to me, little One ..."

Snape ran outside, and almost crashed into Harry in his invisibility cloak.

"Your scar hurting?"

"Like hell."

"Mine too. We've got to find her.

The two set their differences aside as they honed in on Chibi.

"That's it. Come to mummy ..."

Chibi walked to the glowing form in the centre of the field as if in a trance.

"Stop!" Snape yelled, finally arriving, Harry not far behind.

The little girl turned to see them, and became puzzled.

"Come here," the ghost-like form of her mother said. "You'll be safe with me."

Chibi continued to walk toward her.

"That's Voldemort!" Harry yelled. "Not your mother! He's trying to trick you!"

"You're too late ..." the 'ghost of Cynthia' resumed its true form.

The little girl looked terrified. A flash of garish light surrounded both Voldemort and the girl. Snape drew his wand and aimed it at the Dark Lord, as did Harry.

"I have what I desire," he said, his voice a growl.

The little girl began to cry.

"Silence!" Voldemort aimed his wand at her.

"NO!!" Harry screamed.

Snape aimed his wand and cursed Voldemort. The Dark Lord screeched in agony, but managed to blast the little girl.

Both Harry and Snape cursed him again, and again, not letting him get a spell in edgewise. Voldemort screamed in frustration.

Harry and Snape knew he had lost.

"I will destroy you ..." he snarled as his form disappeared into the cold winter's mists.

Snape and Harry rushed to Chibi and knelt beside her. Snape held her limp body.

"She's unconscious, right ... professor ..."

Snape's silence told Harry what he desperately did not want to hear.

"NO!!!"

He looked at the girl's pale face, gone was the cheer, the childlike innocence, her expression blank, cold, a void.

"No ..." Harry's voice shivered, his tears like a fountain. "Voldemort won!" he screamed.

"No, he didn't," Snape said, his voice controlled. "He did not get her soul..." Gently he held Chibi's body in his arms.

Snape looked away and Harry caught a solitary tear glistening under the moonlight.

* * *

Dumbledore stood sombre in the great hall.

"A great tragedy has befallen us. In the early hours of the morning, a life was taken from us ... A life so young and innocent..." he had to stop.

Minorca McGonagall took his hand for support.

"Yes, Voldemort lost," Dumbledore continued, "but at a what cost?" Never again will the happy face of young Chibi grace the school halls."

Even Peeves looked heavy.

"We shall now and forever more upon this day partake in ten minuets of silence to honour the memory of the delightful, spirited child, known to us as Chibi. It was recently discovered that the name her mother had given her was Alicia."

Tears streaked down Cho Chang's face, feeling as though she had lost her very own. She was far from the only dry eyes in the school. Harry sat down and cried into his serviette. Ron gently robbed his back. Hermione, tears streaking down her cheeks, held his hand.

Professor Snape looked at no one, but failed to stop a tear escaping.

 * * *

In the mood to see no one, Snape made his way to his room to grieve in silence.

"Professor..."

He turned to see Harry, the boy's and eyes cheeks red from crying.

"I want you to know I don't blame you ... You cared for her as much as anyone could have."

"That obvious, was it?" Snape said quietly.

Harry managed a small smile as he nodded. He began to walk with the Professor, sending he needed some comfort.

Snape entered his quarters.

"Wheeeeeeeeee! Se..vee..us!!!"

He almost collapsed at what he saw. Little Chibi's ghost jumping on his bed with Peeves...

"Isn't it marvelous!" Peeves exclaimed. "I found her shortly after professor Dumbledore's eulogy... I mean being dead is part of life, isn't it, I mean look at me! Wheeeeeee!!!!!"

"Se..vee..us..."

Harry smiled, then he laughed.

Somewhat reluctantly, Snape joined him.

"I must be off! Peeves sad. Gotta spread the good news! Maybe Moaning Myrtle will stop moaning for once! Heeeeee!!!!"

And Peeves left through the ceiling.

"Se..vee..us ... Hawwy!" Chibi exclaimed.

"She said my name!" Harry exclaimed.

"She did at that," Snape said.

"Professor, if you'll be needing me, I'll be in Gryffindor tower."

"All right."

Harry began to leave.

"And Potter..."

Harry half expected Snape to take points off for something.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure, Professor. Does that mean I can redo my potions final?"

"Not likely."

Harry chuckled. "Worth a try."

Snape smiled as he turned back to Chibi's incandescent form.

"And you ... can jump on my bed whenever you like."

"Tankoo Se..vee..us!"

And Snape chuckled to himself.

*

Snape carrying "Chibi" from the Quidditch match.

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