During the next two days, Harry's condition remained unchanged. He was almost always asleep. Other times, he was in the 'twilight zone' - half awake, half asleep. Then there was also the rare occasion that he was completely and fully conscious.
Every day, Snape would wake him and give him a potion.
That day, a half conscious Harry saw the Potions master entering his bedroom.
"You are awake," stated Snape. "You look better. Perhaps today you would be able to sit up and eat some real food."
Harry's eyes widened. Sitting up seemed a Herculean task. To be alive again! He was almost afraid to try it.
"Wingardium Leviosa," incanted Snape, making Harry's body levitate some feet off the bed. Then the professor adjusted the pillows to support the boy's neck and back and downed him slowly, holding the upper part of his body and helping him to sit down.
Harry felt a dizziness overcoming him and closed his eyes, grabbing Snape's arm. Snape held his shoulders firmly.
"It's normal that you feel this dizziness. You have been lying on this bed for almost one week. This was necessary; your bones weren't solidified yet."
"Have you used Skele-Gro?"
"Naturally."
"And I... Er... If I can't get up to go to the bathroom..."
"I've put a cleaning spell on the bed and on the sheets. There's no need to worry about that."
Harry's pale face flushed to deep crimson. The green eyes searched the black ones.
"Why are you taking care of me? Why aren't you giving your classes? Why aren't you spying Voldemort now?"
Snape unhanded him and retreated slightly, straightening up.
"Classes have been suspended due to the war intensification. All of the students have been sent to their homes. It was too dangerous to keep them here. Hogwarts is a probable target for an attack. And I am playing the role that was assigned to me."
"Dumbledore told you to take care of me?"
The barmy old codger is really getting barmy, thought Harry. Why choose Snape, among all persons, to take care of him?
"Potter, I was the only person that could fulfil this task. No one else possesses the required knowledge about the potion that can heal you. And Madam Pomfrey is overloaded. She's at St Mungo's, taking care of all the injured victims of the Order."
"Oh! Are there many injured people?"
"Yes, there are many, and more keep arriving there every day."
"And I'm here, doing nothing! When will I be able to go back to my normal life?"
Snape smirked.
"Did you ever have a normal life?"
Harry gave him a sad smile.
"No, it's true. But won't you answer my question?"
"I don't have to answer your questions. I am not your slave."
"Er... Excuse me. It's just that... Yeah. I know. You hate me, and you were forced to take care of me all this time. You must be very angry with Dumbledore for having asked you that... But I want to know when will I be able to go back and fight Voldemort."
"If I knew the answer, I would tell you. I am doing my best."
Harry sighed and kept quiet. Snape crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"I am going to ask the house elves to bring you a soup."
"A soup?"
"We have to reintroduce food slowly. I have been nurturing you with injected potions during this whole week," explained Snape.
"All right. Soup is not so bad."
TBC...
Author's Notes:
Er. Thanks Mandi for warning me about the anonymous reviews being turned off. I'm a dorky.
Thank you all for the feedback. Hey, I need more reviews!
Yeah, the chapters are short, but this way I update sooner.