SNAPSHOT ONE: NEWBORN

"Does it have a name?"

The Headmaster sneered down at the squalling bundle of blankets, which was held by a policeman.

"Yes, I believe so… Ah, here it is!" He looked amongst the bundle to see the small note pinned to the top blanket. "Yes, his name is Harvey-"

"Harvey?" The Headmaster's lip curled, his sneer more pronounced. "An awful name. Take it away."

"It? You mean, the baby?" The policeman shook his head. "I'm sorry, Headmaster, but he was left on your property-"

"He was left on school property and was clearly intended for one of the parents to pick up. Was he not found near the bins?"

"Well… sort of, but I think he was left for you."

"How do you know this? What proof do you have?"

"Well… well, there's the note-"

"It simply states the child's name. That is all. Now, if it has no family to be taken to, dump it in an orphanage."

"But Sir! You look after children all of the time! Maybe you can take the little one in?"

"Looking after children as Headmaster is entirely different to actually raising one. I do not have children of my own, and I do not intend to start raising one now. Please, take the baby away."

"Sir… I believe the baby has no family to go to… Maybe look after him until we can locate his parents?"

The Headmaster growled. "Why can't social services deal with this?" But he reluctantly allowed the officer to hand over the mass of blankets. The Headmaster peered at the baby's face, and sneered:

"Seems that I am stuck with you, Harvey. We shall see how many months this lasts."

Ten months later, and the Headmaster sighed to himself. It was three in the morning and after analysing his paperwork for four hours straight, he had forced himself to settle down into sleep as he had to attend school in a couple of hours' time. Unfortunately, five minutes after he had drifted off to sleep, he was awoken by the shrill cries of a ten month old baby and was now finding himself getting out of bed and heading into the nursery.

It had been a spare room in his house, intended for non-existent visitors, which had now been converted into a nursery for his new 'ward.' The baby had seemed to like the room. The crib was padded, with a big blue blanket which the ten month old could wrap himself in. The Headmaster had gladly purchased a dummy the first day the baby was in his possession, and was reaching for it as he stepped up to the crib. The soft brown teddy bear he had purchased for the boy lay at the bottom of the crib, and the baby squalled as he picked up the bear.

"You are crying because of this?" The Headmaster rolled his eyes, sliding the dummy into the baby's mouth. "Small children are useless."

He handed the bear over to Harvey, who snuggled up to the toy, sucking on the dummy calmly. Glad that the baby had stopped crying, the Headmaster turned the mobile dangling above the crib and watched as Harvey turned his eyes up to the mobile, the small aircrafts lazily swirling round. One chubby hand reached up to try and snatch one of the plastic aircrafts, but the Headmaster gently pushed the hand down and leant over the crib.

He placed a kiss on the baby's forehead to soothe him completely and trailed a hand through the small tuft of fair hair sticking up on Harvey's head.

"Sleep now."

Hoping that the police soon found the boy's parents so that he could hand the baby over, the Headmaster hummed softly, waiting for Harvey to lull into sleep before taking his hand away and silencing his humming. He straightened up, allowing a small smile to twitch his lips, and turned away towards the door.

The silence was shattered by an ear piercing shriek, the Headmaster swiftly turning round to see Harvey writhing under the blanket, dummy sliding down his chest and his cheeks glowing red.

The Headmaster sighed. This baby was going to be a nightmare to handle.