Fic rec: "The Care of Infants"

Wait, wait. Hear me out before you run away in droves at the phrase, "Harry magically becomes a baby..." Because this fic is good. stellahobbit has excelled, taking a silly cliche to realms of earnestness and emotion it had previously never dreamt of. This is good stuff!

I admit that I had to force myself to read the first bits; babies are not my thing. Even descriptions of babies leave me scrubbing invisible drool off my hands. But I persevered-- and it was worth it! Snape is so very much himself, gloating that even he has done a better job than the Dursleys--that competitive spirit that makes a contest out of everything, even things he was forced into doing in the first place, is very much how I see Snape. It's always about being better than anyone else, about being respected. Furthermore, the relationship between Snape and Harry is delightful; the way Harry's growth both furthers and interrupts it is exactly the sort of unsteady beginning one expects of such a pairing. And the ending made me smile like a loon; it's so sweet and so gently perfect I couldn't help it. Put aside your doubts and read it: you can find the entire story at Skyehawke here, or read it in parts here and here, in her LJ.