Chapter 4 – Healing Harry (Physically, at least)
Hey there, this is chapter 4. Sorry I haven't been posting anything recently, I've got bronchitis and have been really sick, but I've still been writing as much as possible. Thank you to Max and ElizabethAnneSoph for commenting, it means a lot to me! Anyway, this is chapter 4.
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Severus still couldn't believe how wrong he had been about Dumbledore's 'Golden Boy'. He thought The Boy Who Lived was a spoilt, pampered, attention-seeking brat, but Merlin had he been wrong. Harry wasn't arrogant like his father, like Severus had once believed, he was just an innocent boy with no parents, who was abused and starved by relatives who hated him. Severus remembered the cupboard under the stairs; the rusty, dusty single bed, broken lamp and the broken toys. And the picture. To think that Petunia Dursley would allow her sister's son, her nephew, to sleep under the stairs was sickening to Severus.
As he reached his potions cabinet he collected all the potions he could find to heal Lily's son. He grabbed a calming draught, blood-replenishing potion, a pepper-up potion and a jar of bruise removal paste and made his way back to Harry's room. Harry's room. Severus snorted at his mistake. As he sat the vials down on one of the side tables, Severus noticed that he had a lot of dried blood on the palm of his hand. That's odd Severus thought that wasn't there when we first arrived at the castle. Severus' eyes widened. He realised that he must have been grabbing the boy's back when he had carried him down to the dungeons.
"Mr Potter, were you experiencing any pain when I carried you down here? Don't try and lie to me, I require an honest answer." "Well, umm…yes sir, my back was hurting a little." "Why child, did you not tell me? I might have been able to make it easier for you." "Well, you…told me not to speak, and I didn't want to make you even angrier," Harry replied honestly, his crimson face staring intently at the floor. "Harry, I only wished to cease your arguing. From now on if you are in pain, even if it is only a headache, I want to know. Even if I am angry at you. Understand?"
Harry took a moment to answer. "Yes, sir." "Here, drink these" Severus handed Harry the potions. "It's a calming draught, pepper-up potion and a blood-replenishing potion. You need them," he explained, noticing the look on the boy's face. "Thanks for the potions, professor." A stool was summoned. "Remove your shirt and sit on this Mr Potter so I can take care of your back." Harry didn't move. He didn't want Snape to get any closer, he had already seen enough. Harry was so humiliated at this point that he just bowed and shook his head, not wanting to make eye-contact.
"Mr Potter…" Snape gestured once more to the stool, once again receiving no answer. This was frustrating and Snape was close to losing his temper. You can't Severus he told himself you know exactly what the boy is experiencing, it was you in this position, all those years ago. Severus knelt down in front of the boy, being careful not to frighten him. When he was close enough he gently grabbed the boy's chin and tilted it upwards so they were looking into each other's eyes.
"Harry, I know this is extremely difficult, but you need to let me help you, you have already lost enough blood. Trust me, I know exactly what you are going through." Severus was completely honest with the boy. He shocked himself. "No! You don't know what I'm going through or how I feel. Why do you even care, you hate me for Merlin's sake! Why didn't you just forget or ignore what you saw at the Dursley's and just leave me there?! Harry knew he shouldn't have yelled at Snape, not after everything the man had done for him. "Sorry," he mumbled.
Severus sighed. "Harry…do you honestly think that I would turn a blind eye to an abused child? Look at me…I couldn't…and wouldn't do that. And I do not hate you, although I understand why you would think that. My judgement of you was clouded by my dislike of your father, and for that I am truly sorry. Believe it or not, I was in the same sort of situation when I was your age, and I know it must be hard for you, which is why I need you to trust me to help you. Please Harry." Severus let his emotions seep into his words. He needed the boy to understand that he was not alone.
Harry was speechless. "Father?" Harry whispered. His jaw dropped at what Snape had just admitted. Harry felt the need to say something. "I'm sorry." Snape shook his head. Do not worry yourself with my past Mr Potter, we need to focus on you. I refused help at your age. It was part of the reason for who I am now, and I do not want to see you make the same bad choices that I did, not when I can prevent it. Shall we?" Severus raised an eyebrow and pointed to the still empty stool.
Harry reluctantly made his way over and sat down, removing his bloodied shirt. Severus cast a bubblehead charm on the boy before moving around to his back. He sensed the confusion emanating from the boy "I'm just making sure you're getting enough oxygen. You need it after that last encounter with your uncle," he explained carefully, grateful for Harry's understanding nod. "Oh I almost forgot, drink this," Snape said, retrieving a pain reliever from a pocket inside his robes. "Thanks." Harry gave Severus a small smile. "This still might hurt a bit unfortunately." Harry just nodded.
Severus cleaned the blood off Harry's back and pulled out his wand to heal the welts. After successfully closing all the open wounds, Severus applied a bandage to his ankle and changed the bandage and sling on the boy's broken arm. "Episky," Snape whispered, wand aimed at Harry's nose. "Ow…that hurt. I mean thank you." "There's no need to thank me, Mr Potter." "Yes, there is sir, you've just completely healed me!" "You deserved to be healed." That really surprised Harry. "That's not what they said," he whispered, so quietly that Severus nearly missed it.
"Harry look at me." He waited until the boy looked up. "Your relatives are horrible human beings that did something terrible and unforgivable to you. Do not believe for a second that you do not deserve medical attention. Because you do!" "Why are you being so nice to me sir, honestly?" "Because Harry, even though you probably won't believe it, I care about your health and well-being and want you to do the same." Severus began gently applying the bruise removal cream to Harry's face, making sure he covered it all, before applying it to his torso. Finally he mended Harry's ribs and guided him back to the bed before leaving the room.
Minutes later he returned with more potions for Harry. "The first is a nutrient potion, seeing as you don't feel like eating. The others are a fever reducer and a mild sleeping draught. If you need anything else just call out, otherwise I will see you at breakfast at 7:30." "Thank you sir, goodnight!" Harry called out as Snape left the room.
HP
Suddenly feeling extremely tired, Harry laid down. The bed beneath him was so soft and warm, unlike anything he had slept in before. The day's events replayed through his head, and he wondered what would happen to him now. If he returned to the Dursley's he would probably be killed, but he had nowhere else to go.
Harry wished he had a family, he really needed one right now. He didn't want to be alone anymore, he didn't want people trying to kill him and hurt him, he just wanted a normal life. Harry noticed his trunk sitting by the end of the bed. When did that get there? He wondered. Harry opened it and retrieved the photo album that Hagrid had given him at the end of his first year and flicked through the photos on his bed.
His favourite three were the ones of his mum and dad holding hands and smiling, the one of his dad and Sirius play fighting with Remus watching on, looking amused, and the one of his parents and himself. Soon Harry was tired enough to sleep, he rolled over and put the photo in the draw beside his bed. As Harry slept, he was plagued by nightmares. He woke abruptly. Harry had been dreaming about the Dursley's, being beaten and shoved into the cupboard under the stairs, then of Voldemort and Quirrell and the dementors. It was enough to make him want to be sick.
His stomach was hurting and his body was still aching from the day before. And his ribs were causing him tremendous pain from shooting upright as he woke. Harry knew he was about to be sick, and began clawing at the sheets. His sprained ankle got caught he moaned out in pain. As, he freed himself he fell to the floor, landing on his broken arm. The pain shooting through it caused him to cry out. Harry was sick on the floor, and collapsed onto his side.
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Severus' eyes snapped open. He grabbed his wand and checked the time. It was 2:42 in the morning. Something wasn't right. He noticed as he left his room that there was a light on in the guest room. What would Potter be doing up at this hour? He made his way over and knocked on the door. After receiving no reply "Potter, I'm coming in!" The sight that greeted him was terrifying. Shivers were running down his spine and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end.
The bedside lamp was on, illuminating an unconscious Harry Potter, crumpled on one side beside a pile of his own vomit. Severus quickly approached the boy, his long legs and fast pace had him at the boy's side in seconds. "Scourgify." Severus carefully scooped Harry into his arms and placed him back on the bed, his black orbs taking in the boy's appearance. He looked very ill, he was pale and had dark circles under his eyes. Was Harry having nightmares?
"Harry can you hear me?" He gained no response and proceeded to squeeze the boy's right shoulder. "Harry," he said a little louder. This time, the boy heard him, instantly pulling away. "No! Stop! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sleep in. I'm sorry Uncle Vernon, I don't feel well, please don't hurt me!" Harry pleaded, still caught up in his previous nightmare. "Harry, it's Professor Snape, you're at Hogwarts, remember?" "I'm sorry, oh Merlin I woke you up! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Harry's breathing was rapidly increasing and Severus knew he had to calm him down.
As he moved a hand to Harry's shoulder, the distraught teen flinched. "Harry, look at me!" As he looked up, Snape continued. "I will NEVER hurt you Harry, not with my hand and not with my wand. You didn't wake me up, and even if you did it wouldn't worry me, okay child? It was clear that Harry wasn't going to speak. "I came in to see if you needed another pain reliever and found you on the floor." A look of confusion crossed Harry's face, but his eyes widened. "What happened Harry?" "I don't really want to talk about it sir, I'm fine, really. You should go back to bed."
"Are you in pain, is it your fever…nightmares?" Harry suddenly broke eye-contact, taking an interest in a thread on his blanket. Severus decided to try a different approach. "Why were you passed out on the floor Harry, are you in pain. I need you to tell me so I know how to help you, would you like another pain reliever?" "I woke up feeling sick and I tried to get up but my sore foot got caught in the sheets, so I freed it and fell onto my broken arm. I'm sorry I was sick on your floor professor, you probably think I'm a baby."
Harry was looking straight ahead now, a look of pure helplessness trapped on his face. Severus' heart constricted. He was ashamed that he once took pleasure in bullying the boy. He was so wrong about the child. Harry was not like James Potter, or Lily, for that matter. James was rude and arrogant, and a bully, and Lily was an independent bookworm, who spent most of her free time studying and brewing potions. Harry was quite a withdrawn and quiet young wizard, Severus realised. Although he spoke to most of the Gryffindor's, he really only had two close friends, Weasley and Granger.
"Professor Snape?" whispered Harry, startling Severus. "What is it Harry, do you not feel well, are you in pain?" "No sir I'm fine. Do you mind if I have a shower? Please?" "No of course not Mr Potter, I probably should have asked you before I sent you to bed." "Thank you professor, I won't be long!" Harry tucked a set of old, baggy pyjamas under his arm and hobbled to the shower.
Severus made his way out to the study and sat by the fire.
And that's chapter 4. Sorry its still really boring, I'm trying to make it more interesting but I feel the Snape/Harry bonding is important. The next chapter will unfortunately be similar, I've already started writing it. A secret about Harry will be revealed in the next chapter though, so please keep reading and reviewing! Thank you all!
