-1Harry went directly down to the infirmary after getting ready. He didn't stop in the Great Hall to eat or see any of his friends. He was eager to see how much better Severus had gotten after a good nights rest. When he walked into the infirmary he stopped dead in his tracks. Professor Moody was standing next to Severus' bed. They both stopped talking when they saw him and looked directly at the nervous teen.
"Come in Harry," Severus commanded in a stern voice.
Harry felt as if his feet were made of cement as he walked towards the adults. He wished he hadn't taken such a big dose of that pain potion before heading down here now. He looked nervously at Moody then back at his father as he ran a finger along the collar of his school shirt.
"Harry, it seems we have a problem," Severus said as he looked his son over. The boy was definitely nervous about something; he just hoped Moody wasn't right in his accusation.
"Yes, sir," Harry said in the steadiest voice he could muster.
"Professor Moody is concerned that you have been taking Obsedic pain potion. I will ask you directly, are you taking pain potion?" Severus leveled at his son. He watched as the boy walked to his side and placed a hand on his arm. His son looked him directly in the eye before he spoke.
"No sir," Harry said while shaking his head.
Moody made a derisive sound, "Potter you've been acting oddly. I don't like the look of your bloodshot eyes and shaky hands."
Harry held tighter to his father's arm and ignored Moody by turning his back and speaking directly to Severus, "I haven't taken anything, I promise. I've just been sleep deprived since I didn't want to leave the infirmary… I didn't want to leave you." Harry's heart was racing.
Severus was offended when Moody came to speak to him about his son and now the boy just confirmed his innocence. The Potion Master looked at Moody with contempt, "Your suspicions are groundless. Next time you choose to accuse my son of anything you best have proof."
Moody grunted, "You're just going to believe the boy? You're not going to demand Pomfrey to assess him?"
"Yes Moody, I am just going to believe my son and no, I will not have Poppy assess him. I trust his word whole heartedly," Severus said with disdain towards the ex-Auror.
"Fine," Moody spat. He grabbed hold of Potter's shoulder and forced him to turn around, "I want to see you in my classroom today at ten o'clock."
Harry staggered towards the bed when Moody let go of his shoulder, "Yes sir."
Moody left the infirmary with another backward glance at the boy.
Severus scowled, irritated that Moody had the audacity to accuse Harry of anything when the boy was obviously distraught. He looked at his son's downcast eyes, "Do not give the Professor any notice, just do well in Defence today."
Harry nodded his head, fearing the worst. He ate breakfast in the infirmary with his father before heading off to class.
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Potions with Professor Flitwick turned out to be a disaster when Harry accidentally added two wrong ingredients. The explosion forced everyone out into the hallway. Harry begged Professor Flitwick to not tell Severus. The tiny man agreed since he did feel rather sorry for the boy. Everyone realized the strain Potter was under with Severus still in the infirmary and so close to death.
Defence class was even worse with Moody still angry over the morning's conversation. Harry tried with all his might to hold up shields to block the hexes coming his way but the shields were always weak. After an hour of being pummeled with various hexes Harry finally begged for the lesson to end.
The only reason Moody relented was because the boy was obviously in pain. Moody still thought Potter was on some potion or another and decided to talk with Poppy and Minerva regarding the boy. He had seen plenty of Wizards high on potions and Potter was definitely acting strange. If Severus needed proof then he was going to get it.
By the end of the day all Harry wanted to do was climb under his covers and go to sleep. He had piles of homework and found concentrating nearly impossible. He was supposed to meet Malfoy for tutoring but decided to skip out and go visit his father instead.
When Harry walked into the infirmary he was surprised to see the room empty. He ran down to the dungeon. When he walked into the dungeon apartment he saw Severus sitting at his desk, rifling through piles of unanswered mail.
Severus looked up and Harry could see the man still looked tired and weak.
"Hello son. What brings you down here? I presumed you would be in a tutoring session with Mr. Malfoy."
Harry stood at the entryway deciding how best to answer that question. "I can't concentrate. Do you think I could just hang out in here … with you?"
Severus furrowed his brow, trying to decipher Harry's unsteady demeanor. The boy looked positively on edge, ready to break at any moment. "Harry, you do not look well. Come here son," The Potion Master said as he pulled his wand out.
Harry could barely move for fear of being discovered. He looked at the wand in his father's hand wearily.
Severus narrowed his eyes, "I said come here."
Harry wasn't exactly sure what he should do. He was on the verge of being discovered but he just couldn't disappoint his father like that, not after all the man had just gone through.
"Um, I think I better go find Malfoy," Harry stammered out and turned around. He grabbed the handle to the door as a bolt of lightening shot past him. The door knob wouldn't turn, Severus had locked him in.
"Come to me this very instant Mr. Potter," Severus said in a firm voice. He watched as his son walked towards him slowly.
In desperation Harry spat out, "You don't know what I've been going through Dad. You don't know how afraid I was … you died! You left me and you promised you wouldn't. Everyone leaves me, everyone!"
Severus' eyes grew big with shock over the way his son was acting. The boy was pleading desperately, making Severus nervous over what the assessment would reveal. He ignored his son and waved his wand down the length of the boy's body. Right away a cloud appeared with letters proving that the boy was indeed filled with the toxic pain potion. Severus' hand shook as he tried to control his anger.
Harry stood with his hands down at his sides, shame washing over him in giant waves. His father looked at him with disappointment and anger clearly written on his face.
"I'm sorry Dad, I'm so sorry," Harry pressed his forehead into his hands with shame and dropped down to his knees.
Severus couldn't move, he sat motionless as he took in the situation. He blamed himself for the entire state of affairs his son was in. He should have done more to help the boy through his tortured life. He should have forced the boy into talking, even taken him to a healer of the mind.
"How long have you been taking that potion?" Severus asked in a near whisper as he watched his son sit back on his feet.
"Not long," Harry said in a raspy voice. "I swear, it hasn't been long."
"Where did you get the potion?"
Harry stood up, holding onto Severus' desk and stepping away from his father. "Um, well I took it from the cabinet in your office."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "You mean you stole it from my stores," he stated flatly.
Harry looked everywhere but at his father, "I won't take anymore, I promise."
Severus leaned forward and grabbed Harry by the chin, forcing the boy to look at him, "You lied to me, you stole from me and worse yet, you hurt yourself by drinking that potion."
"Please dad, please don't be angry. I swear I just took it because of Vespa and the bad memories I had," Harry begged. Severus abruptly let go of his son's face and watched as Harry staggered back.
Severus thought of the offer Moody had made this morning. The ex-Auror wanted to take his son to the secret location and train him with a host of other Order members offering their help as well. The Order thought it best to remove the boy for his own protection. It was obvious that Voldemort was becoming desperate to get his hands on Harry. The boy would be safe, hidden away and not have access to any sort of pain potion.
But Severus didn't think he could stand to be away from his son or send him away after what the boy had just endured. Nevertheless, he didn't think he could keep a close eye on Harry and it was obvious the boy would need constant supervision at this point.
But, how could he send his son away? Maybe the boy was telling the truth and he really was finished taking that pain potion? Harry did look remorseful after all.
"I need time to think about the situation," stated Severus without emotion. "Go into your room and begin your studies. I will be in shortly to speak with you."
Harry obeyed without question. He went into his room, closing the door softly. He remembered hiding a vial of the pain potion under his mattress and made his way to the bed. He ran his fingers along the bottom of the mattress until they bumped into the vial. He held the vial in his fingers, twirling the green substance around. It would feel so good to just have one final drink. There was enough in there to give him a good stretch of euphoria. After all, this would be the last time he ever had the stuff.
He sat down on the floor in front of fire. He wasn't sure how long he sat there before deciding that he would take the last of the pain potion. Uncorking the vial, a waft of the strong potion hit his nostrils making him yearn for the substance. He had just tilted the vial up to his mouth when his bedroom door flew open.
Severus had decided to give his son another chance. He thought he would give him a detoxifier that would clean his blood of the pain potion, then watch over him carefully. Maybe even have the boy watched by a few other professors until he regained his strength. Harry had been through too much to fathom sending him away. The boy needed him, that much was obvious.
Severus made up the potion and went into Harry's room. Upon opening the door he shocked over what he was witnessing. Harry had a vial tilted into his mouth. The Potion Master had to force himself to remain standing as he could feel the small amount of energy he had leave him.
Severus leveled his wand at his son yelling out, "Petrificus Totalus!"
The boy went rigid and the vial fell to the ground. Severus levitated Harry onto the bed ignoring the boy's tears. He forced Harry's mouth open and poured the foul tasting detoxifier into his mouth. Harry gagged but Severus rubbed his throat, forcing him to swallow.
"Finite Incantatem!" Severus said and grabbed hold of his son's shoulder's before the boy could bolt.
Harry scrambled to sit up, pushing his father's hands away from him. "What the hell did you give me!"
"Exactly what you needed," stated Severus. "Dobby!"
The tiny house elf appeared, his ears pressed flat against his head when he saw Harry Potter with tears.
"Go get Moody. Tell him Harry will be ready to go in an hour," Severus said unemotionally. He ignored his son's pleas and started to pack a trunk for the boy. When Harry made a run for the door Severus whipped his wand out and locked it from the inside.
Harry grabbed the door knob shaking it with anger, "Let me the hell out! I hate you!"
Severus ignored his son and searched Harry's belongings for more pain potion. He found two more vials hidden in the book bag, one empty the other full. Harry ran over and grabbed his arm, trying to get the vial.
"Give it me! It's mine! You have no right to go through my stuff!" Harry yelled frantically. Suddenly he was overtaken with a wave of nausea. It roiled through his body fiercely, causing him to fall to his knees. Harry grabbed his stomach panting in pain, trying to stop himself from vomiting on the floor.
"Just relax son. Let it come out," Severus offered and knelt on the floor next to his son. He rubbed his son's back until the boy pushed his arm away.
"Get the hell away from me! You're a liar and I hate you!" Harry spat before he threw up violently. He felt his father hold his head and whisper out words of comfort. Unconsciously he leaned into his father, letting himself feel comforted, perhaps for the last time.
He knew where he was going; he knew he was being taken away. Another wave of nausea came upon him. He threw up until his sides ached and his head pounded. His father had called forth a magic bucket making the vomit disappear when it fell into the bucket.
Harry held onto his father's arm, yelling out horrible words one minute and clinging onto him the next. Why was this happening to him, hadn't he been through enough? He lay on the bedroom floor panting and glad for a moments reprieve.
"Don't send me away Severus. Please don't make me go Dad," Harry pleaded as his father pushed back his wet hair.
Severus looked down at his son, grief over taking him over what the child had lived through. But he had to stay strong; he had to keep his son safe at all costs. He had already failed the boy in so many ways, now was his chance to fix this mess he had put his son through. He vowed to himself to become stricter and to never let himself be ruled by emotion again, no matter how much the boy pleaded.
"Harry, I do not want to send you to train but it may be your undoing to stay with me. I have failed you son, I have failed you in every way possible," The Potion Master said with grief.
"You'll be failing me if you send me away! Don't you see if you make me leave then you will be failing me?" Harry yelled. He was so exhausted, so spent. Another wave of nausea hit him and he lurched forward onto his hands and knees.
Severus watched as Harry became free from the harmful effects of the noxious potion. With the detoxifier he was sure his son would not feel anymore longing for the potion. It broke his heart to send him away but now he was more certain than ever that it was the only option.
Just then Moody knocked on the bedroom door. Harry tried to stand but was so exhausted he fell back down to the floor. Severus stood up and grabbed Harry's cloak from the closet. He gently wrapped his son in the cloak and helped him to stand.
"Please dad, please don't do this," Harry pleaded. Severus hardened his heart as he mustered the strength to unlock the door. He felt as if he was barely holding onto consciousness, ready to pass out at any moment. He had left the infirmary against Poppy's orders and had promised to go straight to bed. Now he could clearly see why she did not want him to leave. He held onto his shaking son, partly for comfort, partly for balance.
Moody walked into the room and straight to Potter. The boy looked worse for wear barely able to stand. He also noticed Severus looked pretty bad himself. "The wards are down Severus. We have to make this quick."
Moody didn't wait, he yanked Potter away from his father and before the boy could protest they apparated away.
The last thing Harry saw was his father crumble to the ground.
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Schools out, I'm free!
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