A perpetual insomniac, Severus was up and about the next morning long before the sun began to rise.
He got his classroom ready for his first lesson: Lily and Evan's Class, the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff first years, and then just as the first glimmer of light began to peep over the horizon he began to make his way upstairs to the hospital wing to check on his Godson.
Draco was sleeping peacefully; he checked his chart to ensure there hadn't been any worrying developments during the night but all looked good.
Alerted to his entry, Madame Pomfrey appeared and confirmed that the patient was now in full health before eagerly suggesting he take the boy the boy down to breakfast with him.
Severus laughed before casting a privacy bubble around them "I take it our young Master Draco kept you busy?" he asked sympathetically, taking in her unusually tired appearance.
"Like you wouldn't believe," She replied shaking her head, "I don't think I have ever had such an imperious patient, not even when Lucius himself was here."
"If he was rude, I will speak to him about it." Snape said with a frown but she shook her head again, "No, it's okay, he wasn't rude really, just demanding, and he seemed to need the attention as much as anything; he seemed quite anxious about the whole thing and it probably hurt him that his father would chose family reputation over avenging his injury – let it go."
"If you're sure," he said solemnly.
"I'm sure." Then casting another spell over Draco to ensure he remained asleep, she began manipulating his arm forward and back to demonstrate that it was fully healed.
" Good as new!" she said smiling before removing the spell and gesturing for Severus to wake him.
Severus sat on the bed and shook him gently.
The boy woke with a start; it seemed to take him a minute to work out where he was. "Uncle Sev." He said blinking in surprise until he remembered that he was in the hospital wing and why.
"Professor Snape." Severus corrected sternly, before asking him how he was feeling.
"Sore" He groaned, reaching out for the water on his bedside locker.
"Where is the pain?" Poppy asked professionally as she passed him the goblet.
"My arm!" he snapped, groaning again.
She repeated the movements of a few moments ago but was this time met with resistance. She performed a final diagnostic scan just to make sure they hadn't missed something but again it was clean so clearly he was putting it on. The mediwitch shared a knowing look with Severus, then tenderly patted the injured arm and continued with the discharge procedure. "Physically Mr Malfoy your arm is healed, Use it normally and any residual pain should disappear in a couple of days. Take care though, i don't want to see you playing Quidditch or anything like that until the pain is completely gone. Do you understand?"
Gripping the formerly injured arm, Draco nodded reluctantly.
Carefully concealing how impressed he was with the Slytherin-like way Poppy was handling his Godsons dramatics, Severus rose from the bed and gestured toward the pile of freshly pressed clothes one of the elves had dropped up. "Get dressed please," he instructed before following Madame Pomfrey back to her office to follow up on something else.
A few minutes later he returned to escort him down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
The boy walked slowly, each step carefully measured as he cradled his arm close to his chest. He felt a pang of guilt, he didn't think he had ever seen the child looking so forlorn; Lucius's lack of sympathy had obviously cut deeper than he thought.
Gesturing for him to stop, Severus called Poppy back and suggested she fit the boy for a sling until the discomfort abated. It had the desired effect, Draco was looking much more like his usual little lordly self again now, though he was still markedly quiet as they made their way downstairs.
He soon perked up once they entered the Hall however and Miss Parkinson leapt up to help him to his seat. Rolling his eyes, Severus reminded his Godson of Madame Pomfrey's advice then leaving him to Pansy's fussing, made his way to his own seat on the dais and did a subtle sweep of the Gryffindor table in search of his Son.
There was still no sign of him, it was still early yet though so forcing his anxiety down Severus helped himself to a bowl of porridge and was still savouring the first bite when Lupin appeared and took the seat beside him.
"Good Morning Severus!" he greeted, with a sickening cheeriness.
"Is it though?" He sneered back, enjoying the momentary look of puzzlement on his colleagues face before seemingly unperturbed by his disinterest, Lupin made efforts to continue the conversation by remarking on his absence the previous night.
"As much as would have loved to assist you Remus, I was otherwise detained." He replied sarcastically, just as he spotted Harry and his friends enter the Hall.
Following his glance, Lupin flashed him a wolfy grin and remarked on what a helpful young boy Harry was.
"It's not help when one is forced to do it." Severus replied harsly, thinking of the Dursleys and the list of responsibilities that they had pressed upon his son from a very early age.
Lupin had assumed the comment was directed at him though and quickly reminded him that it was Professor McGonagall who had set Harry the detention. "Not that i wasnt delighted to have him of course, the other boy kept getting awkwardly underfoot but young Harry was genuinely useful, you should be proud of him you know."
"I am!" Severus replied gruffly, then pushing aside the still steaming bowl of porridge, rose from the table and stalked off down to the Dungeons, despearate for a few moments peace before lessons started.
The class filed in eagerly and quickly took their seats: Hufflepuffs on one side and Ravenclaws on the other as he stood, arms crossed, at the blackboard paitently waiting for them to settle before beginning the lesson.
A Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff class was almost always easier than the Slytherin/Gryffindor one; they didnt have the same intense rivaly between them and they were generally far better behaved but while that undoubtely made the atmosphere more conducive to learning, he often found it somewhat dull. Scanning each little face before him this time though he sensed, it might be different this time round. Try as he might to prevent it, his being both father and teacher was bound to affect the status quo.
"Wands away please." he instructed before launching into his usual, well rehearsed, introductory lesson.
The students shifted in their seats as he made his way around the room, some to sit a little straighter and others to shy away. he made a mental note of these reactions before returning to the front to begin quizzing them on the basics of the first chapter of their book.
Lily raised her hand for every question but he made a point of not calling on her. He knew the twins were already familiar with the content. They had gone over it together over the summer but he was loath to bring attention to this fact.
He was tempted to call on Evan though, he had sat there still and silent for the entire lesson, looking desperate to fade away into the background. Bringing attention to the boy might only have made things worse though so he decided to let him be. Hopefully he would become less reserved as he became more at ease in his new surroundings.