Tricky Transformation – Chapter 7
An instant later, Madam Pomfrey entered the room, closely followed by Professor McGonagall. Harry sighed in relief at the sight of his Head of House.
"Hello Harry, Severus," McGonagall said, smiling at the sight of Severus, who had finally fallen asleep, nestled deep into Harry's pyjamas with his dragon under one arm and a thumb in his mouth. "Oh, he is adorable," she said softly.
"He has been running a fever today," Harry informed Madam Pomfrey, who pointed her wand at the child's head and nodded.
"It's down to a slight temperature now," she said calmingly, before she turned to the Gryffindor Head. "I offered to take them with me to the hospital wing several times, but they both refused. However, Mr. Potter's condition hasn't improved at all, and Severus will have to stay in his toddler form for at least two more days. Only when his hip is fully healed, you can change him back into his adult form."
Seeing that Severus stirred, McGonagall gently addressed her small colleague. "Severus, will you let me look after you until I can transform you back? Mr. Potter is very ill and should stay with Poppy."
"No, tay wif Hawwy!" Severus said indignantly, nestling deeper into Harry's side, causing Harry to throw Pomfrey a helpless look.
"I don't mind looking after him at all, but today I've been so dizzy and everything is blurry. I was lucky because he was sick and in bed the whole day, and Asclepius brought me a nutrient potion for him, but if I had to get up and make him eat breakfast and lunch, I'd have a problem," Harry explained softly, gently cuddling the child.
"I'm going to stay with you," Pomfrey promised, causing McGonagall to shake her head.
"No Poppy, you'll go back home and go ahead with your plans. You've wanted to do that for many years. It's all right. I'll stay here with Harry and Severus, at least until I can transform Severus back."
The adults agreed on McGonagall's plan, and the Gryffindor Head of House made herself comfortable in Severus' guest room to look after her de-aged colleague and her student.
HP
Harry woke up to Severus' crying. He tiredly opened his eyes, realising that the white fog that had been engulfing him since the previous day still lingered. "What's wrong, sweetie?" he asked as a well-known smell penetrated his senses. "Ah, all right, come here to me," he coaxed the child into his arms and slowly stood up, noticing in surprise that firm hands grabbed his arms, gently helping him through the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him.
Recognizing the blurry figure of his Head of House, Harry croaked a tired, "Thank you," as he placed Severus on the changing table and motioned the teacher to stand behind Severus' head to prevent the child from becoming embarrassed in case his older self's mind took over.
Ten minutes later, the teacher helped him back to bed, gently carrying the toddler for him. "Severus, what would you like to eat for breakfast?" McGonagall asked the boy as she eased the thermometer under Harry's tongue, nearly making him gag in surprise.
"Whatevew," Severus replied gruffily, causing Harry to chuckle as he realised that the teacher's mind was back to his usual adult self.
"Don't do that," McGonagall lightly scolded him as she quickly pulled the thermometer out and made Harry sit up to help him through his coughing fit. "Are you ready now? Can we try again?" she asked, when he lay back in exhaustion.
"Yes, sorry," Harry mumbled and closed his eyes, gratefully listening to the teacher's conversation with the toddler and her attempts to make him eat some breakfast. He blurrily registered that the icy thing was removed from his mouth and felt strong hands bring him in a slightly sitting position, swallowing automatically as something was pressed against his lips.
"What would you like to eat, Harry?" he heard Minerva's voice through the fog around his ears.
"Nothing," Harry mumbled tiredly, pressing his lips firmly against each other.
'Go to sleep and try to get better, so we don't need annoying Gryffindor witches fuss over us,' Severus' voice penetrated his mind as he drifted off to sleep, faintly registering gentle hands bathing his hot face with something cool.
HP
A few hours later, Harry woke up by Severus' angry shouting, "No! Hawwy!"
"Severus, you're very rude," he heard his Head of House complain, "stop kicking immediately. Your nappy has to be changed, and you need a bath."
"Wait a moment," Harry croaked. Even without opening his eyes, he could imagine the scene only too well. He slowly scrambled out of bed and dragged himself to the changing table, where McGonagall was trying to undress the toddler. "It's all right; I'll do it," he mumbled, tightly holding on to the changing table.
"Master Severus' bath is ready," Dobby announced, popping up behind them.
"Well, then we need to get Master Severus ready as well, don't we?" Harry cooed, tickling the toddler's small toes to make him giggle and relax, before he quickly took off his clothes and nappy, wondering if the child would allow Minerva to bathe him for a change. 'No, of course not,' he soon realised and proceeded to deal with the matter himself.
Only when Severus was fully dressed again and his brain had switched back to his older self's mind, he grudgingly allowed his colleague to pick him up and feed him his dinner, while Harry went back to bed. During the next two days, McGonagall did her best to entertain Severus and look after Harry, who remained very ill. Harry only had to change, bathe and dress the toddler.
Once, Harry woke up hearing the two colleagues having a verbal fight. "Severus, go back to bed. Until Poppy allows you to get up, you need to stay put," McGonagall said sternly.
"No, I'm fine. I wan sheck Hawwy," the toddler replied firmly, sticking the thermometer into Harry's half-open mouth, causing Harry to open his eyes in shock at the cold touch. "Cwose," the child instructed him, and Harry obediently closed his lips around the icy glass that made a shiver run down his body.
'Can you please tell your annoying Head of House that I'm fine and want to be back to my adult form,' Severus addressed Harry as he tried to arrange the cold cloth to Harry's forehead, failing miserably.
Harry gave the child a small nod, moving the cloth from his nose in order to be able to breathe.
"Sowwy," Severus apologized, causing Harry to smile and lightly shake his head. As soon as the thermometer beeped, Severus snatched it out and frowned as he handed it to Minerva.
"Severus told me he deems himself well enough to be transformed back into his adult form," Harry informed the teacher, who was watching him in concern.
"I'm going to call Madam Pomfrey for you anyway," the professor replied sternly and strode to the fireplace in the living room.
'Tell Pomfrey I need to brew a different and stronger potion for you, so she has to allow McGonagall to change me back,' Severus' voice filled Harry's foggy mind as Pomfrey bustled into the room and began to wave her wand over him.
Harry quickly relayed Severus' message, causing the Mediwitch to sit on the edge of the bed, throwing the child a concerned look. "Are you sure, Severus? Well, lie down and let me check on you anyway."
A few minutes and several diagnostic spells later, she turned to Minerva. "You may transform him back, Minnie."
"I'll go out of your way," Harry said quickly, scrambling out of the bed. 'Who knows what older Snape will say finding me here?' he mused as he held on to the night table, gratefully muttering, "Thank you," as Madam Pomfrey helped him to a chair.
McGonagall waved her wand at the child, who transformed into his usual self in the blink of an eye. "Thank you, Minerva," he said in his soft, silky voice, before he stood from the bed, reaching for his wand. "Lie down, Potter. I'm going to brew a stronger potion for you," he turned to Harry, who was shivering violently.
"Please do that, Severus. He needs something stronger. In the meanwhile, I'm going to take Mr. Potter with me to the hospital wing," Madam Pomfrey announced, just when the door opened, revealing the Headmaster.
"I heard I was missing a party," Dumbledore spoke up, glancing around. "I will, however, take Mr. Potter back to the Dursleys. If you would pack a small bag with the potions he needs, Poppy."
"Headmaster, Mr. Potter is ill and needs to be looked after," Pomfrey replied firmly, causing Harry to throw the Mediwitch a grateful look.
"Ah, but I'm sure his aunt will be well able to look after him," Dumbledore replied. I'll prepare a Portkey and be back in five minutes."
tbc...
Thank you so much for your many kind comments!
I'm not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes or help me to correct them.
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
