Elves' Child
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Completely AU, partly OOC.
When Harry opened his eyes, he found himself in a very bright room. 'This is one of the small rooms behind the hospital wing,' he realised, knowing his surroundings very well. Nina and Misty were sitting on the edge of his bed, talking in hushed voices. He wanted to speak with them, tell them that he was awake, since they apparently didn't notice that he had woken up; however, he wasn't able to speak. As much as he tried to address the elves, his voice just didn't obey. 'Why can't I speak?' he wondered, terrified. After a few tries, he felt that his head began to hurt and tiredly decided to go back to sleep.
The next time he woke up, Hermione and Millicent were with him. They were talking about their Defence class with Professor Quirrell. 'When did we have class with Quirrell?' Harry wondered, before he realised, 'I must have missed the first class. Oh no! I feel fine, and I want to attend classes. The school year has already begun. I wonder how long Aunt Poppy kept me here.' He attempted to slowly move his legs over the edge of his bed, but they wouldn't obey. He tried to pop himself home to no avail.
"I just hope Harry will wake up and be all right soon," Hermione said sadly, looking at him in obvious concern.
"I'm fine, Mione. What's wrong?" Harry tried to ask in vain, and Hermione couldn't only not hear him; she did not even notice that he was awake.
Every time Harry woke up, someone was with him. However, everyone seemed to think that he was asleep. Sometimes, Misty and Cicero were there, cuddling with each other. 'I love for them to be together. They're such a sweet couple,' Harry thought happily, only feeling sad that he couldn't speak to them to congratulate. At other times, his classmates were there, but he soon noticed that it was Severus, who regularly spent many hours with him during the night. Apparently, the professor was unaware of the fact that Harry could hear everything, because he often told him about Lily, Harry's mother, who had been his best friend during their childhood, and about their time at Hogwarts.
All of his friends and family seemed to assume that he wasn't able to understand anything. Neville told him about his parents, who were at St. Mungo's, Hermione spoke about the fact that he was the first real friend she had, and Misty and Cicero admitted that they loved each other but didn't find the courage yet to ask Poppy and Severus if they would be allowed to marry.
One day, Severus was at Harry's side when it was still light, and he seemed to be more talkative than normally.
'Did Mum really say that?' Harry once asked Severus, unaware that due to his inability to voice anything, the question was transmitted as a thought.
'Harry, are you awake?' Severus thought back in surprise. 'You just used telepathy, didn't you?'
'Telepathy? Yes, I'm awake, but I can't speak nor move,' Harry thought to his guardian.
'Oh Harry, I'm so glad that we at least can communicate with you. That's the best Christmas present I could have wished for.'
Harry looked at the professor in shock. 'Christmas?'
'It's Christmas day,' Severus informed him. 'You have been in a coma now for nearly four months.'
'But I'm awake,' Harry replied, 'and I have been for quite some time.'
'You're awake?' Severus gasped. 'How are you feeling? Are you in pain?'
'No. Sometimes, but it always goes away eventually.'
Severus called Misty, who waved her hand over Harry and sighed. "Well, since a few weeks ago, he hasn't been in a deep coma anymore but in a light coma. However, he is still in a coma, and I have no idea when he is going to wake up. I'm sorry, Master Severus."
"Misty, is there anything we can do to wake him up, considering that we can communicate with him?" Severus queried, slowly running his right hand through his hair. He looked at Harry. "Harry, can you hear what we say?"
'Yes, but I can't talk too much. My head hurts.' Severus translated for Misty, who pulled Harry into a bear hug.
Harry sighed contentedly as he felt his mother's healing magic cure the headache; however, not a single sound left his lips.
"Be with him and talk to him as much as possible," Misty finally replied to Severus. "That's the only way, in which you can help him. That is also the reason why Poppy is allowing his friends to visit whenever they can. He needs as much contact with his normal surroundings as he can get. You can also try physical contact. Touch his face or squeeze his hands, and maybe once he will react."
From that time onwards, Severus began to speak to Harry about potions ingredients. He knew when Harry was awake, because the boy always thought a small 'Hi' to him when he saw him. Sometimes, he also told him about his newest research, which was to find a potion for lycanthropy. He explained that he had charmed several rats to show the features of lycanthropy, so that he could test his inventions on them. From time to time he asked Harry for his opinion, and Harry tried to come up with useful ideas.
'What about using two spoonfuls of new moon dew? Insert them after the wormwood and stir a few times clockwise and then anti-clockwise. I'm not sure,' Harry thought to Severus in excitement.
"That might work," Severus said thoughtfully. "In fact, it's a brilliant idea, and I believe that I have some new moon dew in store. Will you excuse me for an hour? I have the potion in several cauldrons at several stages, so that I can try your version quickly."
'Of course, Severus. Good luck,' Harry thought back and decided to take a nap. He woke up later, when he felt someone forcefully squeeze his hand. 'Severus,' he thought without even opening his eyes, not even realising that he was suddenly able to feel the man's touch and sense his distinctive smell of herbs and potions.
"Harry, it worked!" Severus said, sounding uncharacteristically excited. "Of course I don't know if it is a permanent cure, but I called Misty and Poppy, and both of them couldn't find any traces of lycanthropy."
'Oh Severus, I'm so happy for you. I really hope it works out,' Harry thought back excitedly.
"Harry!" Severus suddenly exclaimed.
'Yes sir?'
"Your hand! Look at your hand. It's moving!"
Harry glanced at his left hand. Severus once again squeezed his hand, and Harry replied to the touch, only now realising that his hand really moved. He tried to move his arm, but it didn't work. 'I can't move anything else,' he informed his guardian, suddenly feeling very disappointed.
"It's all right, Harry. Everything will come back with time, and even the slightest movement is a great progress," Severus said softly, gently patting his hand.
It was on Valentine's Day that Nina lay next to him on the bed and told him, "Happy Valentine's Day, Harry. Please wake up soon. I love you, and I miss you terribly. Even if you're in Slytherin, we can somehow meet every day. Wake up please." With that she pressed a kiss onto his cheek and curled up next to him, nestling into his arm.
"Love you too," Harry mumbled sleepily, causing Nina to jerk upwards.
"Harry! Are you awake?" she asked in excitement, causing a small smile to play on Harry's lips.
"Misty, Misty, come quickly," Nina shouted, and Misty popped into the room in a blink. "Harry spoke to me and he smiles," she said enthusiastically.
Misty waved her hand at her son and smiled as well. "Yes Nina, he is not in a coma anymore; he's only asleep. Just stay here and talk to him quietly; maybe he'll wake up soon."
"Yes Misty, sorry Misty," Nina replied and once more nestled into Harry's arm.
Harry only woke up a few hours later due to a huge commotion going on in the corridor that led from Poppy's office to his room.
"Minister, you cannot see Mr. Potter at this time," he heard Poppy say in a very upset voice.
"I don't care if Mr. Potter is sick. I want to see him now!" a voice, which Harry didn't know, replied, sounding equally angry.
Harry lazily opened his eyes, finding that he could move his limbs for the first time in ages. Nina was lying in his arms, fast asleep.
"Nina," Harry said, causing the small elf to jerk awake.
"Harry! I'm so glad to have you back," she said happily as she hurriedly brought herself into a sitting position.
"Shhh," Harry whispered, "someone is outside and wants to see me. Aunt Poppy sounds very angry. Let's just pop home."
"You pop home right into your bed in the dormitory," Nina instructed him firmly, "and I'll inform Mistress Poppy."
Harry agreed and popped himself away, not a second too early, since the Minister of Magic chose that very instant to enter the small bedroom, his wand trained at the healer. Nina looked at the scene in horror, while she feverishly searched her mind for an action to take. Not daring to pop into the headmaster's office, she popped herself straight into Severus' classroom, where the Potions Master was just teaching a class. Severus hurriedly dismissed his students and called Twinkle and Malcolm, instructing them to pop Dumbledore and McGonagall to the hospital wing, before he asked Nina to take him there.
An instant later, the three professors entered the small bedroom, in which Minister Fudge was throwing a temper tantrum, threatening Poppy to send her to Azkaban if she didn't allow him to see Harry.
"Minister, as I already told you, I have no idea where he is," Poppy replied firmly, sighing in relief when her colleagues came through the door.
"Minister Fudge," Dumbledore said in a calm but firm voice, "in my position as the Head of the Wizengamot, I herewith deny you the access to Hogwarts. You are not welcome here anymore. Leave instantly."
"But Dumbledore," Fudge objected, "you can't do that."
"I can and I will," Dumbledore replied firmly, "and if you ever attempt to get to Harry again, you'll have been minister for the longest time. Good bye, Cornelius." With that he pulled the upset minister out of the room.
"That was impressive," Severus said dryly. "However, where is Harry?"
Nina quickly filled the adults in, making a collective frown appear on their faces. Poppy was the first to speak up. "Well, I trust Misty to look after him. She is a fantastic healer and Harry's adoptive mother after all. Maybe if he stays in the elves' quarters for the time being, Twinkle, Cicero and Malcolm can teach him everything that he missed."
"That's a good idea," Minerva agreed warmly. "I'll provide Malcolm with the material. Harry has a lot to catch up if he wants to finish his second year this summer."
HP
During the following months, his guardians made him study everything that he had missed while being in the coma. Only in time for dinner did they allow him to pop into the humans' part of the castle and join his house mates. Sometimes, Harry spent the evenings in the second years' study room to study and talk with his friends; at other times, he chose the quiet of Severus' private lab to assist the Potions master.
HP
It was a few weeks before the end of the school year that Dumbledore stepped through the fireplace, when Severus and Harry were just sitting in the living room, discussing a potion that they were going to invent.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, my boys," the headmaster apologized, taking the offered seat. "Only now I was informed why Minister Fudge wanted to see Harry a few months ago. In fact, he wanted to speak with both of you, because the two of you have been awarded the Order of Merlin first class for your wolvescure potion."
"Headmaster, that must be a mistake," Harry countered immediately. "I did not invent anything. It was only Professor Snape, who developed the wolvescure."
Severus smirked. "No Harry; do you remember that I told you that you gave me the essential suggestions for the success?" he asked in his soft, baritone voice. "Anyway, I published the potion under both our names. I am sorry; I should have told you again after you were awake, but I thought you knew about it."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I didn't do anything," he protested, sounding slightly annoyed.
"Harry," the headmaster addressed him in a stern voice, "I appreciate very much that Professor Snape brought your name in as well, and you should accept the Order of Merlin, not only because it is doted with one million Galleons. Anyway, there will be a ceremony at the Ministry of Magic on Saturday evening, and I'd recommend that both of you attend and receive the Order of Merlin."
"Professor," Harry responded thoughtfully, "I'll only attend under one condition." Seeing that the two professors looked at him with interest, he explained how he intended to spend the money, causing the headmaster to let out a long sigh.
"This is more difficult and complex than you might imagine, Harry," Dumbledore replied slowly.
"Well then I won't attend," Harry said quickly, quirking an eyebrow at Severus.
"Albus, I'm not going to go there alone," the Potions Master spoke up, smirking. "Actually, I believe that Harry's idea is very well thought through and reasonable."
The headmaster, who seemed to become more unnerved by the minute, rose from his chair. "Very well then, yes Harry, you have my permission. Now I trust that both of you will attend the party on Saturday evening."
HP
On Saturday evening, Misty insisted that Harry had to wear the green dress robes, which other elves had made for him for this occasion. 'I really look as if I was wearing a dress,' Harry mused, feeling very uncomfortable in his outfit, before he popped himself into Severus' quarters and noticed that Severus was equally dressed up, although his robes were black as usual.
"Very well, Harry," Severus said gently, "shall we take the Floo, or do you wish to pop us to the Ministry?"
Harry decided to pop them, glad that his guardian didn't have any difficulties with his elven method of travel. They arrived near the public fireplace in the Ministry and just followed everyone else to a huge hall.
"Why are so many people here?" he whispered to Severus, terrified.
"I have no idea, Harry," Severus responded. "Maybe others are going to receive the Order of Merlin as well."
However, the two wizards realised soon that the crowd had only assembled to thank them. As the Minister, who was sharing a table with Severus and Harry, explained, around three hundred former werewolves were gathered to see the Potions Masters, who had cured them and allowed them to work and to live in freedom just like everyone else.
Severus merely inclined his head, while Harry shrugged and said, "You're welcome. We're glad that we could help, although I didn't really do anything. It was Professor Snape, who developed the wolvescure."
The Minister officially awarded them the Order of Merlin, handing each of them a golden medal, which was decorated with a fire phoenix like Fawkes and the inscription 'Order of Merlin First Class'. The plate felt very heavy, and Harry wondered if it was real gold plates that had been used for the medal. However, before he could quietly ask Severus, dinner began, and Fudge introduced the lady in the green one-piece, who was sitting next to him, to Severus and Harry as Ms. Skeeter from the Daily Prophet.
"Mr. Potter, how does it feel to be the youngest wizard, who has ever received the Order of Merlin?" Skeeter queried, while a light green quill automatically moved over a parchment next to her plate.
Harry merely shrugged as he guided a fork full of carrots into his mouth.
"But you must be very proud of yourself," Skeeter continued, apparently disappointed because of his lack of reaction. "Not many children of your age have received any award at all."
"I didn't want it," Harry replied darkly. "It was forced on me by the Minister for something, which I didn't even do. As I said earlier, it's Professor Snape, who invented the potion and cured the werewolves. I merely shared a tiny idea with him, nothing more."
"Ah, you're so sweet and humble," Skeeter cheered, trying to move closer to Harry, who backed up, leaning against Severus' robes.
"Very well then, a boy of your age will have many ideas how to spend one million Galleons. Will you enlighten us?"
Whilst inwardly rolling his eyes in annoyance, Harry smirked. 'Oh yeah, I'll tell you, but you won't like it at all,' he thought, swallowing a mouthful of curry chicken, before he set to speak.
tbc...
Thank you very much for your kind reviews for the previous chapter.