16

Severus Snape felt as if he may loose consciousness as he applied spell after spell to keep the boy from dying. He could feel his magic depleting with each spell cast now that he'd been at it for the past two hours. He could see that Professor Dumbledore was also starting to falter as his spells became less powerful with each one cast. Even still, Snape wasn't about to stop casting spells lest the boy die right before his eyes. Potter hadn't yet moved as his internal bleeding continued to leak out from every internal organ surrounding the stomach.

The bullet had exploded and ripped apart the boy's entire insides. The only reason Potter hadn't died yet was due to the potion Severus had given him whilst they were still at Malfoy Manor and the continuous spells being cast upon him by the battery of medi-witches and the professors including Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey. They were all healing Harry's internal organs methodically as he continued to bleed out. It was with great relief that Severus was finally able to take a rest for just a few minutes when two more Medi-Witches had come through the flue. They were quickly ushered to the bed and took the place of Severus.

As much as Severus wanted to sit down and rest, he opted to gather more pepper-up potion and return to the bedside of the boy who was hanging on by a thread.

He handed the Headmaster a vial along with all other people helping to save the boy. He took over for Dumbledore as he could see the man was beginning to become very unsteady on his feet. Dumbledore tipped the potion into his mouth then conjured a very un-Dumbledore like chair to recline in. The old wizard stumbled towards the hard straight-backed wooden chair, gripping at the wooden arms before leaning back and closing his eyes.

Severus kept one eye on the headmaster and the other on the teen. He did notice that Potter was beginning to look a bit less grey overall and the blue around his mouth was slightly less blue. That was the best that he could say about the condition of the boy who was meant to save them all. He continued casting healing spells until he could no longer stand.

Severus woke up in one of the infirmary beds as the sun was beginning to rise. He could see a handful of medi-witches in the other beds. Madame Pomfrey was standing next to Potter's bed now. Slowly, he sat up, taking a moment to gather his energy before standing. A dizziness swept through him but he fought against it, swallowing deeply as he closed his eyes to get his bearings. He slowly walked over to the bed looking down at the boy who still lived against all odds.

Potter's coloring had improved. He was breathing on his own, which was a huge improvement. Severus reached a hand out, placing it on the boy's forehead to check for fever. Madame Pomfrey took in a sudden breath.

"His vitals have just improved exponentially!" The medi-witch said, in a shocked tone. "Perhaps his magical core is healed?"

Severus knew that it was due to his touch. He had no doubts that his own magic was now being used to help heal the boy. He could feel something from deep within himself being siphoned out of his core. He left his hand on the boy's forehead for as long as he thought he could before he passed out again.

He sat down heavily in a chair next to the bed as Madame Pomfrey assessed Potter again. The medi-witch was simply shocked at how quickly Potter was recovering. Dumbledore joined him sitting in a chair next to Severus.

"I have yet to hear how and where you found Harry?" The headmaster said, waiting patiently with his hands folded on his lap.

Severus knew that he wouldn't be able to talk about anything regarding Malfoy or Voldemort's plan. He had taken an oath to keep everything a secret. He simply shook his head and placed a hand to his heart, a sign that he had taken a blood oath. A long moment passed before Dumbledore nodded as if he understood.

"Very well then," Albus said, "I suppose I will need to talk with Harry when he awakes."

Severus simply nodded again. He stood up and excused himself then headed for the door. He needed to go down to his laboratory and begin some advanced potions to help Potter recover. Just as he was stepping out the door, he was stopped in his tracks by a blood curdling scream.

Harry let out a scream that filled the large room, reverberating off the stone walls. His agonizing screams didn't stop or taper off. The boy clutched at his stomach, rolling into a tight ball and screamed so loudly that it sounded as if his voice was being amplified! Severus turned and ran back to the bed, robes billowing as he pushed through the medi-witches now standing next to the bedside all with wands out as they assessed what was causing the boy to scream so.

Harry's magic pushed through his skin, causing everyone surrounding the bed to be blown backwards. Everyone except Severus had fallen onto their backs. Severus braced himself as another wave of magic poured from the boy along with the agonizing screams that tore at Severus. The windows in the infirmary blew out as the room began to shake.

Severus reached out and gripped the boy's shoulders, pushing him back as he tried to uncurl him.

Harry fought against Severus as his magic continued to poor out and his screams seemed to gain momentum. Severus sat down on the bed pulling the boy against his side.

"Harry! Calm down," Severus shouted.

The magic in the room suddenly wavered.

Severus sat more fully onto the bed leaning against the headboard before pulling Harry closer to him, pressing the boy's head against his chest. Harry still hadn't opened his eyes, so Severus wasn't even certain that Harry was conscious. He placed a hand on Potter's back and the other against the side of the boy's face. Potter's cries soon began to calm and then the magic stopped altogether.

The medi-witches began to come back to the bedside. They all watched as Severus patted the boy's back.

Severus suddenly looked up at the crowd surrounding the bed with a sharp look that spoke volumes. The Headmaster quickly ushered everyone out of the room stopping to fix the windows before leaving himself.

The boy gripped him tighter, when Severus tried to adjust himself more fully on the bed. The truth was, Severus was exhausted and felt light headed as the boy siphoned his magic from him unwittingly so. Potter needed his magic to heal so he had to allow it.

"Calm down, Harry," Severus admonished, "I'm not going to leave." He put his feet up on the bed then pulled the boy along his side. He wrapped his arm around Potter's shoulder. "You are safe. We are home," he said, remembering how Potter thought of the castle.

Harry opened his eyes. He looked up at his professor. "It really hurts," Harry said, pulling his knees up as he squeezed his eyes shut. Severus reached over and took the pain reliever off of the bedside table. He used his thumb to uncork it before handing it to Harry.

Harry leaned up on his elbow as he drank down the potion. He handed the vial back to his teacher before putting his head back on his teacher's chest.

"Better?" Severus asked.

"Why does it hurt so much," Harry asked.

"It will be painful but I will do my best to concoct a potion to help with that," Severus said, He tilted Harry's face up, "Open your eyes, Harry." Harry stared back at him with bloodshot red eyes, the bright green standing out. Severus narrowed his eyes, studying the burst capillaries and iris. "It looks as if we may need a potion for your eyes as well. Can you tell me why that burst of magic occurred?"

Harry shook his head. He rested his head back on his professor's chest.

"I don't know what happened," Harry said in a scratchy voice. "It felt like my stomach was on fire," he added in a barely audible voice.

"And now?" Severus asked.

"Getting better," Harry said, tucking his head down as if he was ashamed. After a long moment he added,"You saved me again."

Severus breathed in deeply, then let out a growl. "I almost killed you. If I had had more time …" the sentence trailed off.

"We didn't have more time. Mulciber would have taken me to Voldemort. I'm so ashamed of how I acted, the things I did … the way I acted with Malfoy."

"You were under the influence of an extremely potent drug," Severus said. "There is no shame in how you acted or what you were forced to do. You are alive and that is all that matters now."

Long moments of silence passed, with both lost in memories of the terrifying experience.

"Professor?"

"Yes?"

"My scar doesn't hurt." Harry rubbed at his scar and still didn't feel anything.

"Perhaps, the Dark Lord is concocting another plan. It will be imperative that you not fall for another trap," Severus said, gripping the boy's shoulder until he heard the boy wince. "Should the Dark Lord send you any further visions you must come to me immediately, no matter if I am in class or it is the middle of the night. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Harry said. "I promise."

Snape squeezed his shoulder once more, "Now that I am your legal guardian I have the authority to punish you should you make plans of your own or leave the school without my permission."

"I won't," Harry said, pulling his shoulder out of his teacher's grasp. He suddenly realized that Snape actually had the power to punish him in anyway he wanted and that scared him. There were so many ways that he could keep Harry in line but the worst would be if he humiliated him with how he had acted while at Malfoy Manor. Would the professor stoop so low? Maybe he could see that happening before but Snape had acted differently towards him, even before he had been kidnapped. But it still scared him that Snape had seen him at his very worst.

"Please don't tell anyone about how I acted,… the things I did." Harry swallowed loudly, then shook his head as he gripped the professor's shirt.

The professor stilled before saying, "I will not divulge your time spent away."

"I-I can't believe the things I did… the way I groveled…"

"I won't tell anyone about your experience," Severus repeated, knowing that he couldn't talk about any of it, even if asked. "However, you will need to talk with the headmaster. He still does not know what happened to you."

Harry leaned up on his arm so that he could look at the professor. "You didn't tell him?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I can't. Do you know what an unbreakable vow is?"

"Oh," Harry said, resting his head back on his teacher's chest. He suddenly stilled before moving off his teacher and rolling onto his back. "Sorry," he whispered, his face heating with shame as if he just realized the position he was in.

Severus looked at the boy, clearly aware that the pain was coming back now that his touch was no longer present. Harry's eyes were clenched tight as his breath hitched. Severus reached an arm out and rolled Harry back to him, tucking his head on his shoulder.

"Relax, try to sleep so that your body can heal," Severus said, wrapping his arm over Potter's shoulders.

"Do you know what happened to Sirius?"Harry asked.

"No. I can assure you that the headmaster is doing everything possible to find him. He does know how important Black is to you."

Harry didn't say anything further.

Snape thought that the boy may finally have fallen asleep but then he felt warm tears drip onto his shirt. He couldn't help but to feel awful for what the boy had gone through and now with his godfather missing … he didn't have anyone left. He instinctively tightened his arm around the boy while running his fingers through the messy black hair with the other.

"Hush now, things will be better soon," he gruffly said, knowing that wasn't the most comforting of words but having nothing else to offer.

….

Harry couldn't believe how much his stomach ached, but even so he wanted to get the hell out of the infirmary. He'd already spoken to Dumbledore and told him everything that he could remember from his time at Malfoy Manor, leaving out how he had cursed the elf and how he'd groveled at Malfoy's feet. However, he did let him know about the potion he'd been given and how Snape had saved him and that Malfoy was taking him to the ministry to hand over another prophecy from the Department of Mysteries. The headmaster's eyes had flashed with fear for just a second but Harry had caught the look.

The headmaster had informed him of the search for Sirius and how they'd yet to find the location he was being held at. After reassuring Harry that they were doing all that they could, the headmaster finally left.

Harry had spent the day sleeping and taking loads of potions to help heal his insides but still, he felt such a terrible pain in his stomach. It would take time to heal, he was told. Snape hadn't made an appearance yet which Harry was somewhat relieved with after his embarrassing behavior last night. He didn't know who he was anymore when he thought of how he'd acted these past days. Hugging his professor, groveling at Malfoy's feet, cursing a house elf for Merlin's sake!

He sat up, gripping his stomach as it flared with pain. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and used the wooden chair to help steady himself to stand. It was at that moment that professor Snape came into the infirmary.

"Who told you that you could get out of bed?" Snape snapped at him.

Harry watched the man approach with a trepidation that made him waver from his plan to leave. The professor had a tray filled with vials, some were smoking while others bubbled but one in particular released a foul smelling noxious fume. Madame Pomfrey came out of her office to join him.

Harry remained standing, as he watched them both approach.

"Mr. Potter, you are not allowed out of the bed yet!" Madame Pomfrey declared.

Harry knew he didn't have a choice at this point and sat back down.

"I'd like to leave," Harry said, reaching towards the bedside table and grabbing his glasses. "My friends must be worried."

"Your friends have been informed of your return," Madame Pomfrey said. "They have been pestering me incessantly to visit, however your sleep is much more important than having visitors."

Harry looked up at Snape, noticing how thin and sallow he looked, almost as if he too were in need of potions. "What is that stuff?" He asked, pointing to the tray of potions.

"It is a potion that should enable your internal organs to heal," Snape said, raising an eyebrow when Harry groaned.

"I don't know if I can take anything else. Just the thought makes me want to sick up," he said, gripping his stomach tighter.

"It has taken the better part of my day to brew these so you will NOT vomit, Mr. Potter," Severus sternly reprimanded.

"I'll try not to sir, but …"

Harry groaned again as he watched the medi-witch take the vials from Snape's tray and begin to magically mix them together into one big glass beaker. The mixture smoked and bubbled then turned a bright purple. She handed the beaker to Harry. He sniffed it, then reared his head back with a sour expression, "Eww, Merlin that smells like dragon dung! I'm not drinking that stuff!"

"But you will," Snape darkly informed him, sitting in the chair that Harry had just been using for support. They were knee to knee, essentially rendering Harry from going anywhere now. He eyed Snape warily when the man took out his wand, remembering that Snape could do whatever he wanted to him now. He'd have to ask Hermione to investigate just how much authority Snape now had over him.

"I can't," Harry said in a panicked voice, holding the beaker out to his professor. "I'm gonna sick up just from the smell!" Snape snatched up the beaker just as Harry leaned forward and threw up onto the professor's shoes and onto his own bare feet and the floor.

Harry wiped his mouth on his pajama sleeve, noticing that it was a bright red.

Snape placed a hand on his shoulder immediately lessening the intense pain that vomiting had caused his stomach. The medi-witch cleaned up the mess with a swish of her wand, tut-tutting as if Harry had done that on purpose.

"Sorry," Harry said. A sudden memory of his time spent in the dungeon at Malfoy Manor came to him, causing him to flush with shame. "I'm sorry," he repeated as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Snape sat back while still holding onto his wand in one hand and the beaker in the other. He studied Harry through narrowed eyes in a way that made Harry nervous.

"Perhaps if I spell the potion into your stomach," Madame Pomfrey said.

Snape shook his head. "No that will essentially bypass the organs leading into the stomach which would negate half the potion."

"Why couldn't you just make it so it doesn't smell so bad?" Harry asked. "Maybe make it taste better too."

Snape's expression soured at that. "You are not a child, . I expect you to drink this potion without further theatrics, is that clear?"

Harry's eyes widened when the potion was placed back in his hands. He looked up into the professor's eyes and nodded. He did want to leave, almost desperate at this point to not have to stay another night and humiliate himself further. He closed his eyes and stopped breathing to avoid having to smell the concoction. He tried to drink it quickly just to get it over with, but the slimy potion burned as it slid down his throat, almost making him panic as he couldn't escape the pain.

The professor quickly gripped the hand that was holding the beaker and guided it back to his mouth.

"You can do this, Harry," Snape said in a very un-Snape like way. "Come now, you are almost half through." Harry felt the professor grip the back if his neck and hold him steady as the remaining potion slid down his throat.

Somehow that did help. Harry kept his mouth clamped shut, his teeth pressed together so hard he thought they may crack from the pressure. He refused to allow that potion to come back up, lest he have to do this again.

It was with great effort on his part that the potion remained down. The release of pain that had gripped him was suddenly lessening in such a way that he let out a hum of relief. "Merlin, that stuff really works," he declared.

The professor gave him a sardonic look that spoke volumes.

Harry immediately added, "Thank you, professor." The man nodded at him, while still gripping the back of Harry's neck. He squeezed once before releasing him.

The medi-witch did one more assessment before leaving them to talk.

"The Headmaster has informed me that the castle is secure. Port keys will no longer work while on the premises and there have been extra precautions put into place to keep you safe. Therefore, you may go back to Gryffindor Tower."

Harry gave a whoop of satisfaction along with a fist in the air.

"However," the professor sternly continued, "you must be accompanied by at least two other students whilst out of your room … preferably Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger."

Harry nodded enthusiastically,"Okay!"

"I am not certain how long this potion will last so you must inform me should you begin to have pain in your stomach again, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Harry nodded.

"And now that I am officially your guardian, I expect you to check in with me daily as to your recovery and to keep up with your studies," Snape said. "I'll not put up with bad behavior whether you are in or out of the classroom, Mr. Potter."

"Okay,"Harry snapped out, feeling offended that he was being accused of being bad when he was normally pretty good. He wanted to say that Snape should keep a closer eye on his own Slytherin considering that Draco Malfoy had almost killed him, … but then suddenly his time spent at Malfoy Manor came rushing back to him. He ducked his head down in shame. He'd never forget the look on the house elf's face nor the feeling of dropping to his knees when Malfoy entered a room or the other dark hexes that Malfoy had taught him. He shook off the professor's hand when it was placed on his shoulder.

"Harry," The professor said. Harry looked up at him before the professor said, "You did nothing wrong."

Harry was shocked that the professor had essentially read his mind. He shook his head, knowing that he indeed had done many things wrong.

He couldn't help but ask, "Do you think Malfoy knows?'

Severus looked down and shook his head. "I don't know. Please resist from seeking revenge against Draco Malfoy. It will just exasperate the situation."

Harry couldn't promise anything. His anger towards Lucious ran deep and he still hadn't been able to get Draco back for casting that hex on his back. But the truth was, if Draco hadn't cast that hex then Snape wouldn't have been called to Malfoy Manor to cure him. He really felt such a tangle of emotions over this whole mess. And then adding to his deep regret was bringing Sirius into this. That part alone was weighing heavily on him. If they could just find Sirius …make sure that he was okay … alive.

Harry shrugged.

Snape let out a sigh. He stood up and used his wand to accio over Harry's clothes. Thankfully it was a set of school robes and not Draco Malfoy's fancy robes. He wondered what had happened to those. Snape didn't say anything further but he did make sure that Harry made it to the bathroom safely. Harry turned to shut the bathroom door. He stopped and looked up at his professor's face. The man looked extremely tired and ill to Harry, making him wonder how long it had been since the professor had a real night's sleep.

"Professor, thank you for everything." Harry waited until the man looked up at him. "I'm sorry you got dragged into being my guardian."

Snape inclined his head. "I really don't know why she chose me. I'm clearly not equipped for the job."

Harry leaned his head against the partially opened door. "If it makes any difference, …you've really helped me." He shut the door before the professor could see his reddened face.