231So...some expectation management! This is unbeta'd and utterly unrealistic fluff. We're all one big happy family here...
He was scared. He was all alone in the house and it was starting to get dark now. Maybe his mummy was coming. His brows furrowed. He couldn't remember having a mummy. Maybe a Daddy? But he didn't remember having one of those either. He hoped someone was coming. It was cold. And he was hungry. And he was so scared. He didn't like it here.
He tried to be brave. He did. But it was dark. So very very dark. And somewhere he remembered a feeling, a feeling of home. But he couldn't grasp it. It wasn't here. He thought that maybe he had to do something with the fire. He couldn't be sure, but something told him that the fire would take him home. And there was a little jar with some powder that seemed familiar. Maybe he had to try it. Because he really didn't like the dark.
With slow cautious steps, terrified that something would creep out of the darkness and get him, he walked to the fireplace, picking up some of the powder. He wasn't sure what to do with it now. Did he put it in? That seemed like the best idea. Something told him that was right, so he followed that instinct, throwing the powder into the fireplace. Nothing happened and he whimpered. He was sure that was right. But the fire wasn't on, was it? Maybe it needed to be. But how did he turn the fire on?
He sat down with a thud, tears falling against his will as he let out a sob. "I want to go home! I don't want to stay here!" he called, wishing desperately that someone would hear him.
Seconds later a loud pop announced the arrival of someone else, making him freeze. "Master?" He looked up at the creature, not at all sure what it was, his heart hammering in his chest. Maybe this was one of the monsters in the dark. "Oh! Oh, Moxie's Master! What has you done!"
It didn't sound like a monster. It didn't look like one either. It looked like it was going to cry. "I want to go home," he whispered.
With a sharp nod, Moxie grasped his tiny hand and took him away from the dark, scary house.
They landed in a well-lit room filled with little spinning things and things that made noises. His eyes darted, landing first on a cross looking woman in a green hat. He wasn't sure he liked how cross she looked. She looked a little bit scary. Sitting across from her was another woman, this one looked sad and tired. Like she needed a cuddle. And well…he needed a cuddle too, didn't he?
"Oh my," the first woman exclaimed, "Moxie, who is this?"
Moxie wrung her hands as he took hesitant steps towards the sad looking woman. "It bes Moxies Master, Headmistress! Moxie doesn't know whats he's done!"
"Oh my god," the sad woman breathed, just as he reached her.
He looked up at her with pleading eyes, holding out his arms, relaxing instantly as she moved, pulling him onto her lap. He burrowed into her, revelling in the feeling of being safe. He didn't know how he knew, but he was safe here, with this woman and with a sigh, he closed his eyes. He could sleep now. It was safe.
Hermione's wide eyes met Minerva's even as her arms wrapped around the tiny boy more tightly.
"Is this…Sweet mother of Merlin. Minerva…is this Professor Snape?"