Chapter 2

An hour later, Kingsley, Madam Pomfrey, Hermione and Harry were staring at each other in front of the fireplace, unsure of how to start the story of finding Snape, when Madam Pomfrey suggested they sit down and have a cup of tea, while she moved Snape into the guest bedroom and saw to his injuries. Flushing at the implication that she and Harry hadn't thought to pull him out of the bath and make him comfortable, Hermione stuttered and stammered as she showed Madam Pomfrey where the guest room was. Patting Hermione on the arm, Madam Pomfrey had said that shock did strange things to people and that Hermione and Harry had both done the best that they could. Running her hands through her hair, thinking about it, Hermione was unaware that Kingsley had called her name several times, until Harry nudged her in the ribs.

"What? Oh, sorry about that, Kingsley. What did you want to know?"

"Well, I suppose the most obvious question is, why did you go back to the alleyway this evening?"

"Ron's away at the moment, and he doesn't like what I do, so I thought I'd use the opportunity to find out where, 'Have a Chat' was sleeping. I can't…I don't go out when Ron is home."

"'Have a Chat'," both Kingsley and Harry said together.

"It's the nickname the local plod gave him. He keeps an eye on me when I'm out observing someone new, just in case they become agitated or aggressive."

"What's a plod?" Kingsley asked.

"Oh, sorry, I forget sometimes. A plod is a policeman. It's a muggle word, and I suppose they're basically a muggle version of an Auror. Because I have clients that are mainly muggle, well, plod is a word they understand," Hermione added with a shrug.

"Fair enough," Kingsley said, leaning forward to get himself another biscuit off the plate in front of him.

"How long do you think it will take Madam Pomfrey to heal Snape?" Harry asked, not really wanting to know, but understanding that it was a question Hermione wouldn't ask.

"It will take as long as it needs to take, Mr Potter," Madam Pomfrey said in a stern voice.

Harry turned suddenly, opened his mouth to apologise and stopped when he saw Madam Pomfrey simply nod sagely in his direction.

"Mrs Weasley," Madam Pomfrey started to say. "Could you come upstairs with me for a moment? I need a few supplies and I didn't want to go 'niffling' through your personal things."

Hermione stood wearily, nodding several times as if to clear her head and walked over towards Madam Pomfrey as she stood in the doorway.

"What is it you need, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Well, I'll need some more blankets, and some clothes for him would be good."

"Of course," Hermione muttered around a yawn as she and Madam Pomfrey walked out of the living room. "I'll have a look through some of Ron's things for clothes, but you're more than welcome to anything else you need for him."

"Mrs Weasley," Madam Pomfrey tugged Hermione on the sleeve, making her turn once they were out of earshot from Harry and Kingsley. "I've actually got a few questions for you and I didn't want to ask them in front of those two." Madam Pomfrey inclined her head back towards the room they'd just left. "Good men though they are, they're still Aurors."

Hermione looked quizzically at Madam Pomfrey then, and noticed the mischievous smile gracing her face. Taken aback, Hermione couldn't think of a suitable reply, other than to say, "What is it you need to know?"

"I need to show you some diagnostic spells as well as a few other things," Madam Pomfrey said cryptically.

Following her up to the guest room, Hermione could only wonder why the Medi-witch didn't want either Kingsley or Harry to know what was going on with Snape. When they'd reached the closed door, Madam Pomfrey placed a hand behind her to stop Hermione's progress, and then cracked the door to have a look at the supine figure on the bed. Judging it safe to proceed, Poppy opened the door more fully, ushered Hermione inside and then closed and warded the door with both a silencing charm, as well as a ward to prevent unauthorised entry. Hermione cocked her head to the side wondering why the Medi-witch was taking such precautions, but any further questions were stilled as Madam Pomfrey walked directly over to the bed and called Snape by name.

"Severus? Severus, can you hear me?"

Receiving no response, other than a grimace, Madam Pomfrey turned and faced Hermione again.

"Good, that's one less thing to worry about."

"I don't quite understand, Madam Pomfrey. He was unconscious when Harry and I found him earlier this evening."

"He's not actually unconscious, Mrs Weasley. I've placed a stasis charm on him deliberately. He's really not quite himself at the moment and I didn't want him to hurt himself or anyone else if he tried to escape."

"I really don't understand," Hermione started to say, but Poppy Pomfrey cut her off."

"I need you to understand, but that might take longer than this evening to achieve, and before you ask, I will have an explanation for you."

Rummaging around in her carpet bag, the Medi-witch removed a small leather case with a series of vials and small round topped bottles in the small pockets inside the case. Hermione looked at it, and guessed; rightly, that these were the potions and tinctures for Snape.

"Yes, you're right. They're for Severus and I've charmed the pouch to deliver the proper potions as they are required. The tinctures and salves aren't so important, but I can label those for you if you've forgotten more than you learned?"

"How…how did you know what I was thinking? Are you a Legilimens as well?"

"Nothing of the sort," Poppy said shortly. "It has more to do with being able to read people's facial expressions than any of that other nonsense. Severus never could understand how I could read him so well, and I never chose to disabuse him of the notion that he was not the only Legilimens in the castle. Anyway, enough of that, Miss…my apologies, Mrs Weasley."

"Why don't you just call me Hermione given that we'll be in contact for as long as it takes him to recover?" Hermione pointed to the figure of Severus Snape lying quiescent on the bed.

"As you wish, and I suppose you should call me Poppy, if you'd like."

Hermione nodded once, then turned and looked more fully at Snape.

"So," she started, "what couldn't you say in front of Harry and Kingsley?"

"Do you understand the concept of a stressful event triggering a series of behaviours directly opposite to how someone would behave without the trigger?"

"Are you talking about someone surviving something catastrophic, only to go off the rails? I think Muggles call it Post Traumatic Stress Disease, or something like that," Hermione finished quietly once she realised she was waffling.

"It's Disorder, not Disease, but you've got the essentials of it at any rate. It is my belief, and I've seen it often enough after the war, that Severus is suffering from it – and a rather more complete version."

"Is there a cure?"

"Time and rest, with familiar things around him, and if possible, some counselling later to help him put his experiences into perspective. He certainly isn't going to get the support he needs if he ends up in Azkaban."

"That's why you wanted to talk to me without Harry and Kingsley being alerted. I take it you have somewhere he can go to rest?"

"Of a sort, but he'll need to be watched constantly for the next few weeks at least. After he starts talking more fully, rather than the foolishness he's been sprouting, he'll need to be watched even more closely, to make sure he doesn't hurt you, or himself."

Mind reeling at the idea of Snape saying anything, Hermione said as much to Madam Pomfrey.

"You're going to have to start listening to him more closely, Hermione. I can only make out one phrase, but you should be thankful he didn't have a wand on him. He's retreated into himself to try and deal with Albus' death, as well as every other grubby thing he's had to do in the past. I'll pop back in the morning, but for now, I'll ensure he remains quiet overnight for you."

Moving her wand over the supine wizard, Madam Pomfrey assessed his level of pain from the healing wounds, reinforced the stasis charm, and pulled up the blankets more fully so that he didn't get a chill. Reassured that he would rest overnight and not waken, Poppy turned to Hermione, looked at the door and used her right hand in a shooing motion. Hermione, irritated and tired after such an exhausting day, chose to cede to Madam Pomfrey's unspoken order to leave. Once Hermione had reached the door, she stopped and waited for the Medi-witch to reverse the wards she'd placed on the door. Both of them turned one last time to look at Snape and then left him to sleep. Poppy reversed the wards she'd placed on the door, and then reinstated them once the two of them were back in the hallway.

"I know this is going to be hard, Hermione, but I need to know that he can stay here for at least the next couple of weeks. I need to sort out a few things before he can be moved safely out of reach of the Ministry."

"Of course he can stay here, Poppy. Ron is actually away for the next three weeks, but I will need to move him before he comes home. I really don't think Ron would understand Professor Snape taking up the spare room."

Hermione yawned, nodded her head downstairs to the lounge-room and added," So, what are we going to do about Harry and Kingsley?"

"Leave them to me, Hermione. I know you trust them, but Severus is very vulnerable right now, and though I think they do have his best interests at heart, they might not have a choice if push comes to shove in the Ministry itself."

Unsure of exactly what Madam Pomfrey meant, Hermione followed her downstairs to where they'd left Harry and Kingsley. As they walked into the lounge-room, Hermione had to stifle a laugh as the pair of them stopped their heated discussion, almost mid sentence, over the gossip about which player was being drafted by what team for the coming Quidditch season. Both of them cast an askance look at each other and smiled. 'Boys' they both thought at the same time.

"We wondering how much longer you were going to be, Hermione," Harry said, sitting back in the armchair.

"We had a few things to sort out," Madam Pomfrey replied, looking over both Harry and Kingsley as she said it.

"He's resting, Harry, but he can't be disturbed for the next two weeks at least. Do you think you can erase the monitoring files, Kingsley?"

"Why would I want to do that, Hermione?"

"Well, as he's still wanted for a murder he was forced to commit, I really don't want any witches and wizards showing up to finish him off whilst he's defenceless," Hermione huffed, now understanding more fully why Madam Pomfrey wanted to limit the knowledge of his whereabouts.

"Hermione, settle," Madam Pomfrey placed her hand on Hermione's left arm. "I'm sure both Kingsley and Harry will submit to a wand oath to protect Severus, until other arrangements can be made?"

"Isn't that going a bit far? We won't say anything," Kingsley replied defensively.

"It isn't the pair of you I'm worried about, and don't you dare take that tone with me, Mr Shacklebolt. You're both Aurors, employed by the Ministry to uphold the peculiar brand of law and order that the Ministry dictates. My first responsibility is to Severus – and I will Obliviate both of you if I have to, to protect my patient."

Hermione turned sharply at Poppy's tone. "I'll do the same to you as well, Mrs Weasley, make no mistake."

Hermione opened her mouth, but closed it once she saw the Medi-witch's face harden, her lips thinned. Nodding once, Hermione looked back at Harry and Kingsley as they debated Madam Pomfrey's words.

"I…I'll submit to your request, Madam Pomfrey," Harry shrugged his shoulders and removed his wand from the sheath on his left arm.

"I don't like it," Kingsley scowled fiercely, but removed his wand from his own harness nonetheless.

Poppy Pomfrey said nothing further as she touched her wand to Harry's, then signalled that Kingsley should place his wand so that it was touching the other two. Hermione took a deep breath, retrieved her own wand and completed the quartet of wands, joined to facilitate the wand oath. The blue spark of colour that accompanied the joining of the wands sealed the oath, without the need for an incantation as was the norm. Both Harry and Kingsley pulled their wands back as soon as possible, sheathing them without saying another word. Hermione watched as Madam Pomfrey also moved her wand away and Hermione then watched the Medi-witch sheath her wand before she followed her example.

"Well, now that that's sorted, you two gentlemen should be leaving. I'd like word when the files have been destroyed if that's possible?"

Both Harry and Kingsley nodded once and stood. Harry turned to Hermione rather than following Kingsley immediately towards the fireplace, and hugged her close. Harry cast a sheepish look at Madam Pomfrey and then made his way to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of Floo powder from the pot next to the mantle clock. Without a further word, the two wizards called out their destination and left Madam Pomfrey and Hermione standing staring at the hard look on Kingsley Shacklebolt's face.

"Why?"

"Why treat them like that, Hermione? Well, I needed to safeguard Severus and I don't trust the pair of them to be a little more flexible in carrying out their orders."

"That's part of it, but why would you do all of this for Snape?"

"Because, Hermione, Severus Snape has paid for his mistakes for the last twenty or so years. I suppose I could ask you a similar question. Why would you and Mr Potter take the trouble to bring him here to safety, and wash him? I was surprised when the pair of them," Poppy said, looking at the fireplace, " appeared in the grate and wanted me to come to a patient immediately. Neither of them told me who I was to look after, but their nervousness should have been enough of a warning for me."

Hermione laughed nervously at the thought of Harry trying to appear calm, whilst also trying to get the help he'd promised Hermione.

"Now, I think you'd best get to bed. Tomorrow will be a very full day for you. I would suggest that you apply for some leave in the morning, so that you can stay and help Severus. He shouldn't be left alone for at least the next week. I'll pop back in the morning to wash and dress him, and I'll show you the size of the portions you should be serving him. As far as I can tell from my diagnostics, he hasn't eaten more than once a day for the last several months."

Hermione could only nod her head, not fully understanding what Poppy was saying, but aware that after such a long and tiring day, she would need to be up early to open the Floo connection to Hogwarts.

"Hermione," Poppy said softly, "thank you for your help and thank you for finding Severus and bringing him here. When he's able, he won't be happy about being 'rescued', but I'm grateful to know he's alive, rather than in some unmarked grave somewhere."

Without saying anything further, Madam Pomfrey walked over to the fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floo powder and called out, "Hogwarts hospital wing," in a firm, clear voice.

Looking over at the dirty cups and plates, as well as the spray of ash in front of the fireplace, Hermione simply shrugged and decided the mess could wait until the morning.

**~**

Clinical Notes:

Client: Have a Chat aka Severus Snape

Observations: Found unconscious near Leaky Cauldron. No idea of how he ended up in condition found. Healed yesterday evening of numerous wounds, including several old fractures, with trained Medi-witch to administer more complex healing charms and ensure client settled. Has slept overnight due to medication, and has not moved. Medi-witch to return this morning to assess client's condition and assist in care. Need to research and find out why client unknown to me, until several weeks ago. Need to find information on his movements prior to observing 'Have a Chat' in most recent location. Also, need to find information from MOM files about possible criminal investigations pending. Need to do this with help, as do not want to expose client to probable arrest and imprisonment.

Conclusion: Need help with MOM files, as well as finding suitable accommodation for client, though can look carefully instead of moving too quickly. Need to research PTSD, from both a muggle and magical perspective, and question Medi-witch more fully re client's past history.

**~**

Despite the tiring and stressful day, Hermione found no trouble sleeping, though she did wonder just what had caused Snape to find himself living on the streets, with no ability to defend himself from whatever had caused such extensive injuries. The idea that someone could beat him up without care also worried her, as Hermione knew she would be going back to observe and help her clients with vouchers and other practical things, once she'd sorted out the mess surrounding Severus Snape. Waiting for Madam Pomfrey, Hermione had showered and dressed early, before notifying the Ministry that she would need to take some holidays – for personal reasons, was the excuse she used. Not having taken holidays for well over two years, Hermione found her request automatically approved by the relevant department and though she knew she would miss some of her clients, and they her, Hermione was actually looking forward to not going to work each day.

Madam Pomfrey arrived early the next morning in a spray of ash, which she banished easily. Hermione was just sitting down to her second cup of tea when the Medi-witch arrived, and so the pair of them sat companionably for some time sharing a pot of tea. Madam Pomfrey explained further the idea of why she thought Snape was reacting to some of the things he'd had to do in the past, and though Madam Pomfrey couldn't offer any real concrete ideas of how to proceed, she was of the opinion that Hermione would have to shelve any schoolgirl grudges and call Snape, Severus. As she explained patiently, Severus needed to feel safe, cared for and able to express the emotions he had bottled up so tightly. Hermione, curious as to some of the details of Snape's past, listened intently as Madam Pomfrey catalogued all of the injuries she had treated him for over the years. With the discussion stalling, partly due to Hermione's horror at what Snape had suffered over the years, Madam Pomfrey excused herself to go and see her patient. As Madam Pomfrey explained gently once she was standing, she needed to wash him, feed him and dress him, though not coddle him too much. Severus might be fragile in some ways, she said, but he would not enjoy the feeling of being trapped and smothered by the attention. Walking slowly up to the spare room, Madam Pomfrey worried about his total disregard for his own hygiene. She knew both Hermione and Harry Potter had washed him as best they could, but the dirty water he'd been lying in bore testament to the fact that it was quite some time since Severus had taken care of his own personal hygiene. . She mentally made a note to owl her colleagues at St Mungo's for some general and anonymous information on how she should proceed. Poppy also thought that a few discreet enquiries about available healers trained in counselling would be a good idea as well. It would give her time to quietly vet the available healers to ensure Severus' safety and recovery was not compromised.

Hermione sat on the lounge watching as Madam Pomfrey made her way up the stairs towards the spare room. Madam Pomfrey had made it absolutely clear that she didn't know how the wizard would react to the news that he'd been rescued and she also made it perfectly clear that his level of awareness would play a large part in how the pair of them treated him for the next three weeks. Worrying about him would not help in the slightest and as Hermione thought back to her years at school, her experiences of Snape as a teacher were now clouded by the litany of injuries he'd suffered as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Taking a deep breath, Hermione decided that the first item on her list of 'things to do' was to find out just what his records at the Ministry might reveal. Requesting the files would be difficult, but Harry would probably be able to request them. If they both were refused access, Hermione had no idea how she could petition the Wizengamot to expunge the charges of murder posthumously from Snape's record, without some idea of the sort of record the Ministry was holding. Sighing audibly, Hermione stood and walked over to the fireplace to call Harry.

Finishing her conversation, stilted though it was after the events of the previous evening, Harry had promised to try and remove the necessary files on Snape. Hermione had just turned away from the fire when she heard the door to the spare room closed and an annoyed Madam Pomfrey coming into view at the top of the stairs.

She did not look happy.

"Are you all right, Poppy?"

"That man" Poppy gesticulated wildly towards the door behind her, "is impossible. No thanks, no gratitude. You do realise he thinks we should have left him to die in that alleyway?"

Hermione really couldn't think of anything worthwhile to say, though the fact that Snape was talking was something she counted as a plus.

"Has he given you any idea of how long he's been living rough?"

"No, he didn't. He was too busy feeling sorry for himself and asking me for a wand so he could finish himself off properly."

Hermione blanched at the bald statement and the idea that Snape felt that his only recourse was to top himself. Shaking her head, all the while thinking of her next question, Hermione started and then stalled several times.

"Ask it, Hermione," Madam Pomfrey said with an edge of despair. "As it stands at the moment, I could do with any suggestions of how to proceed, particularly if those ideas do not involve me hexing him every other which way before I can heal him properly."

"Well, I was wondering if I could see him. After all, he must know I've been watching him for the last few weeks, and I'm intrigued as to why he didn't disappear again when he must have known I was a witch. Maybe he doesn't remember me from school, but wouldn't he have been able to detect a frisson of magic around me?"

"Did you realise he was a wizard, Hermione? Did his magical signature resonate with yours? There's no need to answer, Hermione. The look on your face says it all. You just thought he was another poor soul living on the streets."

"You're right, but I did ask Harry to instigate the stealth monitoring because I wasn't sure. I don't know what made me ask him, but I'm glad I did, even if the result was one I never would have expected."

"I'll come with you, if you don't mind. It's not that I don't think you can handle yourself, but he's unpredictable and I really don't know what he'd do if he felt trapped."

"Of course, Madam Pomfrey. Should I bring up his breakfast tray at the same time?"

"That might be a good idea, though if he up ends it, you have to promise me you won't hex first and ask questions later."

Hermione nodded her head and then made her way into the kitchen to finish off the porridge and place the breakfast Madam Pomfrey had requested onto the tray. Poppy followed her into the kitchen, tutted and then banished half of the portion. At Hermione's annoyed look, Poppy apologised.

"Hermione, he hasn't eaten well for months, if not years. If you place such a large meal in front of him, it will make his recovery even more perilous."

"But, there wasn't that much there. I mean, I made sure I only put out a small breakfast for him – something along the lines that I'd eat."

"He's in a precarious position at the moment and there is a very real danger that we could cause him irreversible harm if we feed him too quickly. His metabolism isn't used to eating more than once a day and I'm worried that if we don't feed him very small portions initially, we might just kill him with kindness."

Madam Pomfrey sat wearily at the kitchen table, and motioned for Hermione to have a seat. Hermione cast a warming charm over the tray of food and pulled out her chair to sit opposite her.

"Hermione, when someone doesn't eat properly, and by that I mean three meals a day, they can have difficulties if they suddenly start eating the same portions that they ate prior to whatever caused them to miss meals. My diagnostic spells last night showed me that if we feed him, it has to be in small portions or his body will reject the food and, aside from being violently ill, his electrolytes will go into flux. He could die if we feed him too much, too quickly. That's basically what I'm trying to say."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"I know you're only trying to help, but though he'll grumble about the small breakfast, it's far better that he do that than the other alternative. I daren't move him to St Mungo's whilst his status is so…undefined and if I did need outside help, well, it wouldn't end well for any of us to be associated with Albus Dumbledore's killer."

"No, I suppose not. Actually, I've already started working on getting his files released." Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth to interrupt, but Hermione continued on undaunted. "I know how you feel about Harry and Kingsley, but Harry is going to try and access Snape's files at the Ministry. I…we really need to know what his status is before we can sort out how to have his old charges either dismissed or decided on, one way or another."

"That's a dangerous game to play, Hermione and I hope for Mr Potter's sake that he can retrieve the files without having to answer any uncomfortable questions. Now, if you're ready, I suggest we take Severus his breakfast, before he gets in a right snit."

Hermione laughed then, if only to release some of the tension she knew she was trying to hide from the altogether too perceptive Medi-witch. Holding the tray firmly, Hermione took a deep breath and nodded in the general direction of their destination. Poppy preceded her as they made their way across the flat to the stairs leading up to the spare room. As they reached the top of the stairs, Poppy turned one last time and reminded Hermione not to take any of Severus' comments too personally. He was, after all, merely trying to protect himself in the only way he knew, and if she felt the urge to hex him, then she would have to leave the room. Hermione had nodded gravely one final time, as she took another deep breath whilst Poppy removed the wards on the room. Opening the door gingerly, Hermione walked into the room itself and stood just inside the door until the wards were re-instated by Madam Pomfrey.

"Just bloody wonderful," came the croaky voice sitting next to the bed. Behind him the blinds had been closed and he was sitting in the darkened room directly facing the door.

Hermione forgot herself for a moment and blurted out, "You can talk!"

Isn't it amazing, Poppy? Seven years…oh, my mistake, six years of a magical education and all the little swot can say is that," Snape spat the words derisively. "I would have thought you'd have something far more interesting to say, but I was obviously wrong."

"Severus, enough of that! Without Hermione's help, you'd be a home for maggots by now."

"And that is a problem because…"

"Good morning, Severus," Hermione started to say, but Snape cut off the rest of her greeting. "I did not give you leave to call me by my first name, Miss Granger."

"Very well, Professor," Hermione countered smoothly, though she was aware that Snape flinched at the honorific. "I've brought you some breakfast. It's nothing much, just some porridge and toast, but I thought you might prefer to eat here, rather than downstairs."

"Did you have to teach her to say that, Poppy? Really, the pair of you are pathetic. I much preferred the streets. At least people just tended to ignore me…most of the time," Snape looked at his fingernails as he spoke.

"And they were ignoring you yesterday as they kicked the shit out of you?"

Hermione noisily placed the tray on the small table in front of Snape, and then stepped back to stand next to Madam Pomfrey. Hermione did not need to look at Poppy to see the look of annoyance on her face.

"I'd be at peace without your interference. I'd be at peace…"

"Nonsense! You'd have taken the easy way out instead of facing your demons."

"Hermione, that isn't really fair and you know it," Poppy started to say, but Hermione held up her hand in the dimness of the room and said, "no, it probably isn't fair, but he's going to have to start thinking about everything that's happened in the past and reconcile himself to some of the less palatable aspects of it."

"You have no idea of what I've lived through. You don't know me at all and a few weeks watching me hasn't helped you in the slightest. Get out! Get out now!"

Hermione blew a stray stand of hair away from her face, and glared at Snape in the vain hope that he would melt into a puddle. She then turned slightly to see the look of anger of Madam Pomfrey's face. Hermione said nothing, leaving the room abruptly as soon as Poppy had released the wards. The door shook on its hinges as Hermione pulled it closed forcibly.

"I think that went rather well, Poppy. Any more old 'friends' you'd like to trot out to help me?"

"You're stuck here Severus, and both of you are going to have to start behaving like adults. Don't look at me like that. One of the people who helped Hermione move you here last night is an Auror and though I've managed to extract a wand oath from Harry Potter and Kingsley Shacklebolt, they may well be the least of your worries."

"Ah, the Ministry, I knew they'd come into it sooner or later. Don't tell, me Granger is going to see if she can get me cleared of the charges that I'm guilty of?"

"Hmph! You are going to have to start somewhere, Severus and being a bastard isn't going to help." Poppy ruined the words somewhat as she went over to the small table in front of Snape and opened the napkin, passing it to him as she cracked the boiled egg.

"I can feed myself, woman. I'm not a complete invalid."

"Well, stop acting like a toddler who has had his broom taken off him and I'll start treating you like an adult."

"I don't want to be here, Poppy. Why couldn't she have left me there?" Severus said in a voice that was half whine and half despairing.

"Because you wanted to be found, Severus." His head shot up at that statement and as he opened his mouth, Poppy continued, "no, don't interrupt. You knew she was watching you, and you had plenty of opportunities to just…disappear. Only you can tell either Hermione or myself just why you decided to stay so close to the Leaky Cauldron. Now, eat your breakfast before the warming charm wears off."

Severus sighed then, recognising that the only way to get rid of Poppy was to eat the food in front of him. He wasn't hungry, but he surmised that he could get rid of it at a later stage, if that scenario presented itself to him. Poppy watched him suspiciously, and then reached into her pocket for a small vial that she felt might be needed. Pulling it out and rolling it between her fingers, Poppy moved to open the blinds and the window, extending the wards at the same time. Standing slightly to the right of Severus, Poppy watched him take the smallest possible mouthfuls of the porridge in front of him.

"Now, isn't that better, Severus?"

"And if I say no, does that mean you'll dose me with whatever you have in your hand?"

"Hmm, I'm thinking about it, but I may just leave it to Hermione to dose you, as you so eloquently put it."

"I do not want her here. It's bad enough to be stuck in her home, but that doesn't mean I have to put up with her pity at the same time."

"You're doing her a disservice, Severus. Oh, don't get me wrong, she'll never make a Medi-witch, but she does care about you, whether you do or not. She washed and healed you last night, though how she could stand the smell is beyond me."

The affronted look on Severus' face was priceless and the spoon he'd been holding clattered noisily into the bowl of porridge in front of him.

"Now, Severus, it's up to you how these few weeks proceed. I can move you back to Hogwarts, though I really don't want to do that. You might find it difficult to believe, but we, Hermione and I, want you to get better." Bustling around the room, Poppy pulled up the covers on the bed and then moved in front of Severus, who had still not picked up his spoon.

"I have to go now, and Hermione will be here to look after you. I've got a school full of children to look after, but if I hear of you being a prat to Hermione, I will make good on my threat to move you, even though I don't think it will help your recovery in the slightest. This is your chance to heal safely. Use it wisely."

Severus mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, 'over my dead body', but Poppy chose to ignore it, giving him a steely look instead.

Walking over to the door, Poppy turned slightly with her hand on the door handle. "When you have proved that you can behave yourself, Severus, I'll remove the wards so that you can come and go as you please." At Severus' hopeful look, Poppy continued, "but I will place a tracking charm on you if I think you are going to leave before you're ready." With a small smile, Poppy added, "it's good to see you Severus, whether you believe it or not."

Poppy left then, reinforcing the wards on the door so that Severus was left in no doubt that she would ensure his compliance. She was under no illusion as to how irritated and annoyed he was to find himself virtually imprisoned, but Poppy knew instinctively that if she and Hermione could help him, then these next few weeks would be crucial. Hearing the sound of pots and pans being banged about downstairs, Poppy took another calming breath before she went off to soothe Hermione's ruffled feathers.

Hermione heard rather than saw Madam Pomfrey come into the kitchen, as she was too busy tidying up the cupboards under the stove the muggle way. It was far more satisfying to bang the pots and pans herself than watch them crash together if she used magic. She'd discovered the satisfaction of making lots of noise after one of her arguments with Ron. He'd forgotten her birthday – yet again – and Hermione had been determined to let him know just how annoyed she was. As helpful as it had been for her, Hermione only realised later that Ron had decided that a nice quiet pub was a far better option. She'd called him a coward when he'd finally stumbled home, and it was one of their most spectacular arguments to date. Hermione rather thought that if Ron found out that Snape had been in his house for the three weeks whilst he'd been away at the training camp, that that argument could well outdo any other disagreement they'd had to date. Sitting back on one of the kitchen chairs, her anger expelled to a degree, Hermione turned her head and looked at Madam Pomfrey as she stood in the doorway with her arms crossed and her lips pursed together tightly.

"He deserved it, Poppy. I know what you said about treading lightly, but he still deserved it."

"He didn't deserve it actually. He baited the hook and you leapt willing into the fray. I would have thought you'd have had enough experience to realise that it's not what Severus says, but what he doesn't say that's important."

"I don't understand, Poppy."

"I gathered that," Poppy said sarcastically. "If he is to heal, and I don't just mean physically, you'll have to learn to ignore some of his less endearing traits. Severus has always operated on the maxim that if you can annoy the stuffing out of someone so that they leave you alone, then it's worth doing. You'll find though, that the only people he has ever listened to simply refused to play his game. Albus might have played the doddering old man to the students as a whole and the faculty when it suited him, but he was anything but a fool. Severus knew that and I gather that Mr Potter had worked it out by the end of it all. It's your turn to let Severus bark away to his heart's content, but in the end, you'll find that if you put up with the nastiness, he'll eventually give it up as a lost cause."

"How long do you think it will take?"

"That all depends on you, Hermione. If Severus thinks he can pick away at you until you bite back, he will. You'll simply have to learn to hold your tongue in his presence. Oh, don't get me wrong, a few barbs now and then will actually do him the world of good. He's always enjoyed a conversation that was more barb than banter, but it won't work at the moment. Severus has convinced himself that the world would be better off without him, and that his current fate is his punishment for his past deeds. It's our job to show him how wrong he is. Now, as I said to Severus, I have a school full of children to look after. I'll be back in the morning to make sure he's washed and dressed, but the rest of his care is up to you, Hermione."

Without waiting for Hermione to say anything else, Poppy turned on her heel and Flooed back to Hogwarts without a backward glance. Hermione gave the pots in front of her a half hearted kick of annoyance, before she waved her wand and placed them all back in the cupboard.