Chapter 22
Out of Danger
Snape looked at Harry, who was just removing his Invisibility Cloak, then turned his head to face Dumbledore on the other side of the bed. He then closed his eyes again, a wheezing sound coming with every breath he took.
'Will he be all right?' Harry asked quietly, his voice trembling slightly with the effort to conceal how worried he really was.
'He is still very ill,' said Dumbledore, 'but yes, Harry, his condition has improved considerably.'
Harry gave a slow, quiet sigh with relief. He looked at Snape. 'What will happen now?' he asked.
At that moment, Healer Smethwyck came in with a phial containing a violently turquoise potion. Seeing that Snape had his eyes closed, he put it on the bedside table.
'Well, Professor Snape has definitely taken a turn for the better now,' he said reassuringly. 'He should still be staying in Spell Damage, of course, but ...'
The door opened again and Tonks and Mrs Weasley entered. 'How is he?' said Mrs Weasley, going over to stand next to Dumbledore. They all turned to look at Healer Smethwyck.
'As I was saying, he is over the worst now,' Healer Smethwyck repeated, looking tired but considerably less worried than he had been when Harry first arrived. 'From now, he should be improving steadily. He still needs rest and care, however,' he went on, looking reprovingly at the crowd of people standing around Snape's bed as if to say that there were far too many visitors in the little room. They all looked at each other guiltily.
'Yes, well, I know it's too early,' said Dumbledore, 'but I think it would be best if Professor Snape could be moved from St Mungo's as soon as possible. He should be at a safe location.' He looked at Snape, who was now opening his eyes again.
'When you're quite finished talking about me as though I weren't here,' said Snape, still wheezing, 'would someone please tell me how long I have been unconscious.' His eyes looked slightly glazed and feverish.
'You were brought to St Mungo's about sixteen hours ago,' said Healer Smethwyck.
Snape said nothing at hearing this, but looked at the crowd surrounding him, his eyes coming to rest on Harry for a second before he closed them again and went on breathing wheezily.
'Where do you want to take him, Professor Dumbledore?' said Tonks.
Before Dumbledore could answer, Healer Smethwyck said, 'He is still in need of professional care. Wherever he goes, I shall have to see him at least once a day to begin with, preferably twice. And he will need someone to look after him the rest of the time.'
Dumbledore looked thoughtful. 'I'm afraid he can't go to Hogwarts. I know that Madam Pomfrey would be the person best suited to take care of him, but I don't want to take the risk. It's impossible to keep a secret at Hogwarts, and it is imperative that no Death Eaters find out that Severus is injured – Molly, if you could –' he turned to look at Mrs Weasley.
'Arthur and I would be more than pleased to have Professor Snape stay at The Burrow,' she said. 'I'd be able to look after him, and if you want, Madam Pomfrey could come and stay too, Professor Dumbledore.'
Dumbledore smiled at her. 'That's very kind of you Molly, but it might arouse suspicion if Poppy went away for any length of time. But perhaps she could look in on you every now and then, just like Healer Smethwyck.'
'Yes, of course,' said Mrs Weasley.
'And then, when Severus is feeling better,' Dumbledore went on, 'I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind a visit either ...'
'Harry knows he's welcome at The Burrow any time,' said Mrs Weasley, turning to Harry and smiling.
Tonks was looking slightly confused, and Harry realised that she didn't know yet that Snape was his father. Well, he supposed she'd realise soon enough if she hadn't already guessed, as would the other members of the Order.
'Well, I think Healer Smethwyck is right,' said Dumbledore, 'Severus needs peace and quiet now. I think it's time you all left. I am afraid that before I leave, I shall need you to give me a report, Severus – if you feel you're up to it.' Dumbledore looked down at Snape, adressing him directly for the first time.
Snape nodded without opening his eyes.
'You had us quite worried there for a while, Severus,' said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.
Snape opened his eyes again and snorted contemptuously. 'I daresay you managed well enough. Who's taking my classes?'
'Professor Lupin and Professor McGonagall have agreed to take them while you are away.'
'Lupin!' Snape snapped. 'Can't make a potion to save his life.'
Dumbledore smiled. 'Seems to me like you're already feeling better, Severus.' He turned to Harry. 'I know you want to stay here, but you must return to Hogwarts now, Harry. I have instructed Professor McGonagall to tell your classmates that you were called away because your great-aunt was dying. The next time you leave Hogwarts it will be to "attend the funeral." Please stick to that story, except of course with your closest friends.'
Harry looked at his father. He didn't want to leave him now that he was conscious again. What if he took a turn for the worse, and he wasn't there? But he knew that he must do what Dumbledore wished, for Snape's safety, if nothing else. Dumbledore had made it very clear that it was important that no one find out that Snape had been injured – why, Harry didn't know. But he realised that he might already have jeopardised everything with his behaviour during the Potions class. Harry looked at Dumbledore again and nodded.
'Miss Tonks will take you back to Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore calmly.
Harry nodded again and turned to Snape, not quite knowing what to say. Snape was looking at Harry, his eyes still glazed and slightly unfocussed.
'I'll see you soon, Harry,' he said.
'Yeah ...' Harry said nervously. 'Hope you'll feel better soon.'
'Thank you.' He closed his eyes and went on breathing labouredly.
When he walked down the stairs to the reception area together with Tonks, Harry almost turned around and ran back to Snape's room. After days of worrying about him, after hours of sitting by his side, thinking that if only he didn't die things were going to change from now on, all he'd been able to say to his father was I hope you'll feel better soon. Harry wanted to kick himself.
He didn't know quite what he ought to have said instead – something that didn't sound so stupid, so lame, so cold. This wasn't some common acquaintance, after all, this was his father. But then again, the room had been full of people, and both Healer Smethwyck and Tonks had no idea that Harry was Snape's son. Or did they? Harry shot a quick glance at Tonks, who was still in her middle-aged witch disguise, but they had reached the fireplace and it was time to travel back to Hogwarts.
When they arrived in Dumbledore's office Harry took off his cloak and looked around. It felt odd to be here with Tonks, and Dumbledore not present. Tonks transformed into her usual appearance, her hair tomato red today. Someone cleared his throat right behind Harry, and he turned around to see Phineas Nigellus's pale face.
'How is my great-grandson?' said Phineas, still looking as concerned as he had done that day – was it only yesterday? – when Harry had been summoned to this office to accompany Dumbledore to St Mungo's.
'He's all right,' said Harry, smiling for the first time in ages.
'Well ...' said Phineas, taking a deep breath and leaning casually against the frame of his picture again. 'Dangerous, working for the Order, isn't it?'
'I suppose it's better being a Death Eater, Phineas?' Tonks said sarcastically.
'Not at all, my dear Nymphadora!' Phineas gave Harry a sly look. 'Certainly not when one is so intimately related to The Boy Who Lived himself ...'
Harry looked at Tonks. How would she react to this?
'Sorry to disappoint you, Phineas,' she said sweetly, 'but I already know that Harry is Professor Snape's son.'
Phineas did indeed look disappointed.
'You know?' said Harry.
Tonks turned to him. 'Molly told me. It was a bit of a surprise, I must say. Although most of us had been suspecting something since last Christmas, to tell you the truth.' She looked at Harry scrutinisingly. 'How are you feeling, Harry? About ... everything?'
Tonks was certainly taking this well, Harry thought. 'Well, I ... I've only just got used to the idea of him being my father.'
Tonks nodded. 'I guess it was a bit of a shock for you when you first found out.'
'Yeah, a big shock.' Harry thought back, with some embarrassment, at the time when he'd seen Dumbledore's memories in the Pensieve. He found it difficult to believe, now, that his reaction had been so strong ... Thankfully, everything was different now. And, most important of all, Snape wasn't dead, but recovering, so Harry would get the chance of putting things right ...
For some reason Harry felt much more comfortable talking about this with Tonks than with anyone else, he suddenly realised. On the one hand, she was quite close to his own age, but on the other she wasn't at Hogwarts together with him. 'I'm really happy he's OK.' Harry went on. 'I'm actually looking forward to getting to know him better ...'
'Well, of course you are,' said Tonks, as though there was nothing odd about anyone wanting to get to know Snape, of all people. 'I'm sure he wants to get to know you too.'
'I just hope he'll be all right now,' Harry said fretfully.
'He'll be fine, Harry,' Tonks said reassuringly. 'Dumbledore wouldn't let him go to the Burrow if he didn't think it was safe. And then, when you visit him, you'll have all the time in the world to get to know each other. Meanwhile, just keep your head down and pretend as though everything's as usual. I know it's difficult, but it has to be done.' She looked at her watch. 'I'd better get back to St Mungo's now. And you should get some sleep, Harry. Is there anything you'd like me to tell Professor Snape?'
This was it. This was his chance to tell his father something more important than I hope you'll feel better soon. Harry hesitated. 'Er ...' He was at a loss for words.
Tonks smiled understandingly at him. 'I'll tell you what, why don't you talk to him yourself at the Burrow instead?' she said, knocking the jar of Floo Powder off the mantelshelf as she spoke.
Harry nodded.
When Tonks had left, Harry walked slowly back to Gryffindor Tower. He was feeling very tired, and he knew that he would have to get up in a few hours and go to all his classes, acting as though nothing important had happened, except that his great-aunt had died. It wasn't going to be easy.
When he got up to the dormitory, however, he didn't go straight to bed, but instead went to stand in front of the mirror.
He looked scrutinisingly at his appearance. It hadn't changed in a long time now. In fact, Harry looked almost exactly the same as he had done at Christmas. He looked down, and to his surprise noticed that his robes were several inches to short. This meant that he was growing again. The effects of the Polyjuice Potion must finally have worn off completely. It was odd that this should have happened right now, when he didn't mind being Snape's son anymore. He wouldn't even mind if he changed to look even more like Snape.
He looked back in the mirror. So this was the way he looked – the way he really looked. Harry wasn't displeased with what he saw. His hair was far too greasy, of course, but his nose wasn't nearly as hooked as Snape's, and his skin wasn't as sallow. And his eyes were still exactly the same as they had been – his mother's eyes. He didn't look like a carbon-copy of Snape, and yet the person looking back at him from the mirror wasn't a stranger either. It was still Harry Potter – only a different Harry Potter.
Author's Note: Again, thanks for all the really nice reviews! Many of you said they were looking forward to some father-son interaction, and I apologize that there was so little of it in this chapter. But it's coming, I'm looking forward to it just as much as you are. The only thing is, I'm having a hard time making sure it won't be too fluffy, and I also want to keep them as much in character as possible. But I'm working on it as I said.
Finally just a few things about height in this fic.
1. Snape's height: A lot of people seem to believe that Snape is tall. However, Snape's height is never mentioned by JKR, with the exception of the quarrel scene in chapter 24 in OotP, where Sirius is described as being 'rather taller than Snape.' Now this doesn't mean that I think Snape is short, I just think that he is not as tall as James Potter. Particularly since James is described as 'tall' in chapter 12 of PS. In this story, therefore, Snape is slightly shorter than James, which is why Lupin sees him shrink in the telephone box in chapter 3 of Changes. If I'm wrong, and there is a place where JKR describes Snape as tall, please give me the quote! :)
2. Harry's height: At the beginning of this story, Harry was the height that he would have been at this age, had he really been James's son. As the effects of the Polyjuice Potion begin to wear off, Harry shrinks to the height he is actually supposed to be at this age, being Snape's son. However, as Harry is only 16 he still hasn't reached his full height, and now that the effects of the potion have worn off completely he has started growing again. One might of course argue that Harry shouldn't have been very tall in the first place, due to being malnourished for ten years at the Dursleys', but I personally think that after five years at Hogwarts he has caught up. Also, in chapter 1 of OotP he is described as looking like he has 'grown a lot in a short space of time.'
Comments:
Ezmerelda: You're right, this isn't a parody. I only wrote that in the summary because some parts of the story are rather exaggerated and make me laugh hysterically when I write them. For instance, Dumbledore's lines are often like that. (Not in this chapter, though.)
Aelita-Fan-426: Oh dear, would you think it was that bad having Snape for a father? :)
I'd also like to say thanks to George's Brother Fred, RandiWeasley, Chibidaima, aikidobrat, Ebony Potter, Lady Lily 3, Leggylover03, iccle mousie the potions ingredient, Climhazzard, Padawan Jan-AQ, lillinfields, Anna Taure, SmellyCat-190, aljake, texasjeanette, Dius Corvus, Dollface786, GoddessMoonLady, SammyBlack80, Queen-of-Gondor, Hakkai – Gojyo – Goku – Sanzo, HecateDeMort, 5464, Volleypickle16, Sierra and ShadowedHand. Your reviews mean a lot to me! :)