Title: Hush, Sweet Harry

Author: Gold-Snitcher

Chapter Three: I See

Pairing: SS/HP

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Poppy gasped and stared incredulously at the boy who lay on the bed, seemingly oblivious, staring at the ceiling. "How can you be sure?" Poppy asked.

"I cannot," Severus admitted. When he saw the two incredulous and shocked looks he was receiving he explained. "It is a test I performed," he elaborated.

"But I performed all of those tests!" Poppy insisted; she had run-through every test she had known of twice over, just to be certain. "The results were all the same."

"I do not think you performed this test. It is classified as a dark spell, a bit more thorough than standard tests. These were the results," Severus said as he withdrew a piece of parchment from his robe pocket and handed it to Poppy.

"But – how – I don't understand," she said as she scanned it over. Remus simply stood there, looking lost and stunned and out of place.

"We have to take this to Albus," Remus suggested. "He will at least know someone who we can contact who can work with Harry." Remus and Poppy, discussing between them, hurried out of the hospital wing.

Severus snorted deeply at the behavior. "Try not to strain yourself, Potter," Severus said, though his tone had no real bite in it. The boy continued to stare at the ceiling. With a smirk, Severus turned on his heel and followed the others out.

.................

"Very interesting," Albus said as he read over the results. "He is already starting to make a recovery." He tossed the parchment onto his desk and smiled contentedly at those who were gathered in his office.

"Albus, it seems more likely that the boy was always aware. This test is a far more advanced spell than those that I was using. Besides, the treatment Harry received at his relatives would have spurred his retreat from the world," Poppy explained.

"Poppy. Harry has always been a very powerful individual. As such, it is always very difficult to understand. I have complete faith that he will make a full recovery." Dumbledore stroked his beard and looked off, lost in a distant thought.

"Albus, the boy needs proper treatment," Minerva pleaded.

"I do not think it wise to remove Harry from familiar surroundings at this crucial juncture in his healing," Albus offered. Severus scowled. It sounded like rubbish to him. "If he is sent to St. Mungo's it will not be long before the press are pounding at the hospital doors harassing the boy and preventing his recovery. But I agree that the boy will need help."

"If Potter cannot be permitted to leave Hogwarts, then I offer to look after him." There was silence and everyone gaped at him, but Severus could not see what was wrong with his suggestion.

Albus turned and smiled at him, his blue eyes sparking, but Severus ignored it and continued to make his case, "I have all the necessary potions at my disposal, and I am aware of several charms and spells which may be of service as the boy recuperates." Severus thought it best to speak to Albus as if it were certain that the boy would do exactly that even if it was still uncertain.

"Potter needs constant attention, Severus. At least, if he is kept in the hospital wing," Minerva protested.

"I am aware of the attention that the boy needs. Mr. Potter's hatred of the hospital wing, however, has already been discussed, and I believe keeping him there will be detrimental to his recovery. It would be better for him to have his own surroundings. While I have classes, perhaps Poppy would be so good as to look after him," Severus stated.

"Of course," Poppy offered eagerly.

"Yes, I see the merit in this suggestion. Very well, Severus; Harry will be brought to your rooms before lunch." Severus nodded his thanks to the headmaster and made a hasty exit.

...................

Remus Lupin stood awkwardly in the large room.

It wasn't that it was the dungeons; he had been there before, but the dank chill of it didn't help soothe his nerves. And it wasn't that Severus Snape was watching him keenly. What made it so difficult was the thought that there was nothing that he could do; he didn't know what Harry needed. He didn't know any spells or charms, had no pertinent information, and could provide no comfort.

It was easier to see Harry there in the bed, though. Lying, tucked away under the thick blankets, curled up on the large four-poster. It made him look as if he were merely asleep.

"You have a strategy?" he asked after a moment. Severus' eyes darted quickly over to the sleeping form of the pale boy before returning to look at Remus. "Tell me," Remus demanded.

"A contact who I hope will know more about the situation and be able to provide some insight into it." Remus marveled at how the man could make knowing some kind of healer sound like some underground resistance activity. "He is very busy, and I'm not sure if he will be available to make the journey," Severus added.

"Then what is your plan?" Remus asked. He could not imagine Severus deciding to keep Harry with him if the man did not have some understanding of what could be done for the boy.

"It strikes me as very odd – Lupin – that you should choose this moment to become interested in the boy's fate," Severus said in a slow drawl.

"I have only ever wanted what was best for Harry," Remus defended. Severus answered this by quirking his eyebrow and looking back at the slumbering youth, Remus couldn't help but follow the direction of those eyes, and he saw Harry lying very still, with the trace of bruises on his pale skin. "I am offering you my help," Remus tried.

Severus nodded vaguely. "Then help, Lupin, if it will make you feel better." Remus was about to retort when Severus turned back to him. "You will be here when I have my classes." Remus nodded vaguely, happy to be able to do something, however small. He would think about what he could do later, for surely there was something more, other than just being there. Surely there was some better strategy than the one that Severus had proposed.

.......................

Life fell back into a strange routine.

Severus slept on the sofa which he had transfigured into a missionary bed. He would rise early, check on Potter, dress and renew the spells that he had cast on the boy.

The spells were varying in purpose, some to feed nutrients into still body, others to monitor heartbeat and the physical state of the youth. He would refresh them every morning, because he wanted to make certain that the boy knew he was being looked after, and it was the only way – well, the only acceptable way, in Severus' mind, to do that.

Beyond that things were not much different from his usual routine, except that whenever he left his rooms to teach a class, he ran into the werewolf on his way into the rooms to look after the boy. And if Severus' free time was spent in the small lab in his chambers, working on potions that might prove useful, or reading by the fire in his bedroom where the youth was resting, then so be it. And if Severus took up the habit of murmuring to himself as he worked or read, well, it was simply to keep his mind focused on his task, and not in ay way to let the boy know that his presence was noted.

As for Harry, sometimes he slept; sometimes he stared at the canopy that hung above the bed, or at Severus. He never moved or made a sound, but Severus knew that the boy was aware because each time he happened to glance up from whatever task he was doing, there was always a strange glint in those green eyes, as if the boy were working on some intricate puzzle, assembling it slowly, piece by piece.

Sometimes Severus wondered what the finished product of Harry's puzzle would look like, but most of the time, he was just content that the boy had something to occupy his mind.

.....................

Remus sat on the sofa in Severus' chambers. He was impatient and frustrated and uncomfortable. Severus always made him nervous, and the man was looming by the fireplace, looking stern and serious, and watching the door to the bedroom that had become Harry's room, with a strange look. Not quite curious, not quite suspicious, Remus couldn't really interpret it.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the door opened and a stout man bustled out. He had a thick moustache and large, heavy glasses and dark hair. When Remus had first met the man, his impression had been that he was very friendly, and Remus had not been disappointed. How this man could know Severus, Remus did not know, but he was thankful for it.

"Doctor Herz, what were your findings?" Severus asked, not moving from his position near the fireplace.

"He is a marvelous young man. Extraordinary," Doctor Adolf von Herz said in a robust voice, tinged with a faint accent. "Yes, Severus, to answer your previous question, he is quite aware of his surroundings. Currently, however, he cannot do anything but process what he sees and what he hears and feels and tastes. Think of it as if a freezing spell has been cast on his brain. Part has melted? You agree, yes?"

Herz paused and when Remus nodded in understanding, Herz beamed. "Yah, it's melted. Because he can process the information his senses give him. But most is frozen still. No movement, no voice, no magic."

"No magic?" Remus asked, somewhat aghast.

"Yah," Herz said. "Ze brain is frozen, after all. Mr. Potter knows some wandless magic?" He looked between Remus and Severus for confirmation,

"He does," Severus drawled.

"It's very strong in him, the magic. But magic is like a part of the body, yes? Like blood or fingers or feet."

"Will his state improve?" Severus asked.

"It is very hard to say. Normally I would say no, but zis is not normal, is it?" Herz chuckled. He clasped his hands together, behind his back, and rocked back on his heels, his belly sticking out as he rocked back and forth on his feet.

"I will say this. Mr. Potter did not suddenly gain ze ability to understand. That's not how zese injuries work. He would have woken up with ze ability still in tact. Ze question is, what is keeping everything else frozen?" He stopped his rocking and stroked his chin before shrugging. "It is something zat will be revealed with time. He must rest, he must be cared for; he is bordering on malnourishment and zat is unacceptable if he is to recover. You watch, though, watch for little things zat show improvement. His eyes, zey watch you, yes?" Herz asked.

"Yes, Harry always watches me," Remus agreed.

"Make sure you talk to him and make him feel zat he is included. If he is bored, then the mind is not working, and if the mind is not working then the gears up there won't be heating up and it won't get hot enough to melt the frost," Herz said. Severus quirked an eyebrow and Herz chuckled. "I know, old friend, I know," he said without elaborating. "I trust you with ze potions. Don't use magic on him, keep him calm, but test his patience some, ya? Healing might be helped it you light a small fire under him. Not too much, he is still tender. Exercise him regularly, I'll show you how, so he stays strong. If he shows improvement, I want to hear."

Remus thanked the doctor and went into Harry's room while Severus spoke with the man, going over the necessary potions and exercises and saying good-bye. It was hopeful, a relief, to know that there was a chance that Harry could improve.

"Hey, Harry," Remus greeted, as he settled down on the young man's bed and brushed a stray strand of hair out of the boy's eyes. "Doctor Herz says you're doing just fine. He says you're a pretty powerful wizard." Remus stopped, because at this rate he was going to start crying out of the sheer relief and sense of love that he had for this young man, his last link to his happier days. "Do you want me to read you something?" Remus asked, he rose from the bed and randomly snatched up a book that was resting on a table by the fire. It was a potions book, and it was book-marked.

Frowning at the poor choice of material, Remus brought it over to the bed and settled down once more. He flipped the book open to the first page, and began to read.

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TBC

Hello, I'm sorry it took so long to update. Just to let everyone know, this fic will be one of the few which can be updated. Unfortunately, 'Life' is saved on my computer hard drive which is fried and in getting repaired, so it will take a while to update that. Please be patient. I'll update as soon as I get my computer back.

This chapter dedicated to Jewelclaw Lady of Wind. Yes there will be retribution to all. Well ... I mean ... at least Draco. But ... I don't want to spoil anything now, do I? Thanks for the review!