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“Look sir! It’s flying around all on its own!”
If someone told Severus a month ago he’d be with a six year old boy at Tanner and Jeeve’s Children’s Shop, he would have had them carted off to St. Mungo’s. He suspected the boy currently taking in the sights of what was likely his first Wizarding toy shop might be part Fae, or possibly Siren, since although he’d been in his charge less than two weeks, all it took was a longing look at the colorful stuffed animals in the window, before Severus led them both inside.
Where was the stern schoolteacher who frightened students into silence with a look? Whatever he’d been doing at Hogwarts the last several years he was fundamentally unable to do with the boy.
“Yes, Harry. Wizarding toys move and talk and roar. You’re used to the still and quiet plush animals, I’m sure.”
“Kinda. I never had one before,” Harry replied. “I saw Dudley’s toys though, he had a whole room full.” Harry approached a table piled high with small plush figures and looked at it wistfully, without touching.
“You’ve--you’ve never had...a toy before?” Severus asked, attempting to keep the horror out of his voice.
Harry just shook his head.
Severus was suddenly seized with the desire to purchase the entire table, if only to get that sad half smile off the boys face as he looked at everything around him and made no attempt to grab a single thing. He’s not even going to ask for one, Severus thought to himself.
He cleared his throat. “Well, Harry, you’ve been very good today while we ran our errands. Why don’t you pick out something for yourself.”
Harry gaped at him, his eyes wide. “Really, sir? I can have one?”
Severus grunted in acknowledgement, and gestured to the wall of creatures, animated a bit with magic. The charms could be enhanced or removed at home, depending on the age and temperament of the child.
Harry cautiously looked the selection, all sizes and colors and type of creature, before finding a small dragon, curled on the very edge of the display and forgotten. “This one,” Harry said, lifting him gingerly up with a reverence Severus had never seen a child approach a toy with before. “He was lonely, in the corner by himself.”
“Good choice,” was all Severus managed to say, before taking him over to the clerk to check out.
“I wish dragons were real.” Harry said, tucking the miniature Hungarian Horntail under his arm as they walked out of the shop together.
“Dragons are real,” Severus replied.
“No...no they’re not?” Harry said, though he seemed hopefully uncertain.
Severus sighed, already deciding they had time to stop by a Wizarding Zoo later that afternoon. “Come along Harry, if you’re good you might get to see one today.”