Professor Severus Snape frowned as heard the sobs of someone sounding fairly young. He of course had to deal with homesick eleven year olds and depressed and hormonal girls who had just broken up. ("I loved him SO much Professor!") But is was still bloody annoying. Potter Brat had just started his first year too! Where was his break? Severus had a job so, unfortunately, he had to check who it was.
A brisk but quiet walk took him towards the crying. The frown deepened as he saw a small figure curled in on their self. The tiny body was smaller than a Firstie! So a rather small student. Three came to mind, two Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff. Well if he counted Potter but the little bugger had nothing to cry about.
Taking a few more steps Severus saw the red robes. No. No. NO. Gods be damned what was wrong with this child? Probably wanting more attention. Severus had seen the small size and large flinches ( Malnourishment. Abuse. His head voiced.) at the beginning of the year but refused to acknowledge anything.
He was about to announce himself when he caught the look on the Gryffindor's face, the eyes were glazed -lost in the mind, and tear filled- his body was shaking and jerking with sobs and chokes, but his eyes remained unseeing.
Severus had seen a look like this before, from a Seer who was in a fairly strong vision. Merlin, but it was the eleven year old's muttering that really caught him. Quiet and filled with sorrow and the horrors beyond even the oldest soldiers and warriors. He couldn't interrupt, it was better to live it out.
He let himself fade and imagine the horrors the boy was seeing by listening to the mutters.
They were disturbing. Descriptions manipulation and a man who had hidden. There were never really names but the few there were Weasley, Granger, Dumbledore… and ones that urked him were Black, Lupin, and himself.
When his own name was spoken it was such sadness and Greif that he didn't know what to think. Black's was drenched in sorrow, guilt, and PAIN to the point I was wondering how Potter hadn't drowned in it. Lupin's was also in guilt but there was this sad happiness, like the tone you would speak when remembering a lost friend.
What the hell was this boy Seeing?
The mutterings stopped. The sobbing slowed. The teared quit. Gone.
Severus quietly picked up the boy, too light. Potter was too expanded to complain or do.. Anything. The walk to the infirmary was silent. Potter was obviously still mulling over whatever he had seen, and Severus didn't dare speak.
When a Seer Sees, its like a river map. They can see the destination and a few obstacles but not everything. So when the Seer Awakens they have to choose which path to take. Somewhere along the path they may See again. In this map smaller rivers come off the one he's already on, and so there's another prayful path choosing. In and on until you make it to the end. That's when you find out where or not the right choice was made.
An eleven year old burdened with something so…. Heart breaking. Devastating.
Pushing open the Hospital Wing door, The Potion Master ignored when Poppy tried to take the Boy-Who-Lived from him. He placed the much too light child on a stark white bed and forced him to drink a Dreamless Sleep Potion, it was easier to keep his mind together without nightmares.
The whole time he had been silent, turning around he gave a look at Poppy.
"Seer." He finally said.
The MediWitch gasped with her eyes wide.
Now only one thing. Which path would Harry James Potter choose?
