Thank you for reading! Please let me know if you enjoy! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Updates every Saturday!
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Soon after the need for Severus's dismissal was announced, his nurse returned with his discharge paperwork and a pamphlet that she handed to Harriet.
Harriet blinked as she reached out and took the documents and the pamphlet while the nurse explained to her and Severus, "Mr. Snape, you really shouldn't sit up or stand for at least a week. The healer said that eating and drinking will put too much pressure on your wound, so you two will need to use the listed caregiver charms for the next seven days, alright? After that, sitting up and swallowing should be feasible."
"When will he be able to speak again?" Harriet asked the nurse.
While she and the nurse conversed, Severus's black eyes flickered back and forth between them.
The nurse shrugged, "That depends on how long his injury takes to heal. It may be two weeks, it may be two months."
Severus's heart sank.
Harriet nodded with grim acceptance, "Alright then, thanks."
The nurse nodded at Harriet and glanced over at Severus as she added, "I'm terribly sorry, but we really do need the room. Would you like me to bring a wheelchair for him?"
"I thought he shouldn't sit up?" Harriet questioned.
"He can sit or stand for a moment while you transport him, just not for long periods of time." The nurse nodded.
"Oh….." Harriet replied as she looked at Severus then back at the nurse, "Can you give us a moment? We'll be on our way, but we need to decide where that is first."
"Of course." The nurse said with a tense, polite smile which silently conveyed her annoyance that Harriet and the injured alpha weren't leaving immediately.
The nurse left the room and Harriet turned to Severus.
The expression on his face was unreadable as he gazed back at her from his hospital bed.
"I know that I'm the last person you want to look after you, headmaster…." Harriet said very seriously, "...but I believe I'm the only option you have."
Severus blinked at his former student.
Harriet was right and he knew it.
The Malfoys were probably his only remaining friends and they were too busy trying to avoid Azkaban at the moment to care for him.
Severus Snape had no family.
Severus Snape was largely alone in the world.
That was one thing that he and Harriet had in common.
"...The only problem is that I don't know where to take you." Harriet continued, "The castle's in chaos…….I don't have an apartment. I don't think the Weasleys are in the mood for a house guest…...since they've just lost a son."
Harriet noticed the questioning remorse that crept into Severus's dark eyes when he heard that one of the Weasley boys had been killed.
The anguished look on Severus's face surprised her.
"...Fred." Harriet nodded.
Severus pursed his lips and for a moment, Harriet was certain she saw sadness darken his face, but she changed the subject.
"Do you have anywhere we could go, headmaster?" She asked.
As Severus began to rustle around in his bed, Harriet raced over to his side.
"Don't move, don't move!" She cautioned him, placing a hand on his shoulder to steady him.
Once Severus stilled, Harriet withdrew her wand and let him hold it in one hand while she grasped his other.
"Go ahead." Harriet nodded at him, "I'm ready."
Mentally, Severus focused on the place he wanted to go and with a flick of his wrist, he apparated himself and Harriet out of St. Mungo's and straight to his shabby childhood home in Spinner's End.
They arrived with Severus lying on the grass of the front yard and Harriet crouching beside him.
She looked up at the dilapidated dwelling and then down at Severus.
The deep frown on his face was almost startling.
Severus Snape was mortified that Harriet Potter was about to see the conditions in which he had been raised. After he had inherited the house, he had made it a personal choice to go there as infrequently as possible. Sometimes he wished it would just burn down, but there it stood, defiantly in front of him and his former student.
"Right, then……" Harriet nodded at Severus, "Let's get you inside."
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A little while later, Harriet had managed to levitate Severus into the house after carefully guiding him through the doorway and placing him on the tattered sofa.
The inside of the house looked better than Harriet had anticipated. It was dated and it was worn, but it was decent. The conditions were not deplorable.
During each of Severus's infrequent visits, he did give the property a thorough cleaning. He had grown up in filth but that didn't mean that he had to live by the same standards in his adulthood.
Severus fell asleep on the sofa and Harriet took advantage of that time to prepare for her new job as a caregiver. Harriet owled Ron and Hermione to let them know where she was and what she had committed to do so they wouldn't be worried about her. Not wanting to leave Severus alone for long, she quickly found a nearby market and purchased some groceries. When she returned to the house and found that he continued to sleep peacefully, she read through the pamphlet that the nurse had given her at the hospital.
Charms for caregivers, intended to aid the ill, wounded, and otherwise incapacitated:
Hydration Charm - Provides the body with enough water for twenty-four hours. See instructions below.
Nutrition Charm - Can be used as a sustenance substitute in patients who cannot swallow or digest meals. See instructions listed on the next page.
Bathing Charm - Will leave all skin on the body fresh, clean, and dry, especially useful on the bedridden. See the back of this pamphlet for instructions.
Lavatory Charm - Assists those who are unable to visit the toilet on their own. Also see the back page of this pamphlet for instructions.
Please note that these charms are not intended to be used longer than a week, unless otherwise approved by a healer. For long term care, please contact St. Mungo's for assistance with finding a suitable facility.
Harriet felt a little anxious as she read over the instructions under each charm's description.
What if she made a mistake casting them and ended up causing her wounded headmaster further harm ?
Perhaps Harriet was a little too brave or too foolish, but while Severus slept, Harriet took out her wand and decided to practice the charms on herself.
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The charms worked and for that, Harriet was very glad.
After Harriet cast the hydration charm, she watched her veins swell and any lingering thirst disappear.
After Harriet cast the nutrition charm, her hunger vanished and her stomach felt pleasantly full, as if she had just finished eating.
She could feed Severus and help him drink if he was more recovered but she had to find an alternate way to help him get his water and nutrients since the nurse had forbidden swallowing for the time being.
Although Harriet could look after Severus and make him comfortable, there were a couple things about his basic care with which she was certain that he would never allow her to assist.
Severus Snape would rather die than have Harriet Potter strip him naked and bathe him, and he would rather die twice than have her help him to the lavatory.
Harriet's kindness did not dissolve those boundaries between her and her abrasive potions master.
Fortunately, Harriet had the promise of the pamphlet's tips.
The bathing charm cleansed her skin thoroughly even while she still stood dressed in her clothes.
Harriet was wise enough to cast the hydration charm after the lavatory charm, in case of a mistake.
The lavatory charm, that one required an unfortunate amount of research to test if it would be successful or not.
Harriet walked into the bathroom of Severus's home and prepared for a disaster as she stood in front of the mirror and closed her eyes.
It was actually harder to urinate on herself than she thought it would be, but with a little concentration, she managed it.
Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Harriet cast the lavatory charm. She blinked as she realized that it too was exactly as described. She was instantly cleaned from her mess and all traces of her purposeful accident were gone.
Harriet's confidence soared as she looked into the cracked mirror.
Harriet Potter could do it, she could take care of Severus Snape.
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The first week was easier than she had imagined.
Harriet allowed Severus to show her which room was his in the house and she helped him settle in there.
Although he had survived, his wounds had been stitched, and Nagini's poison had been stopped, that didn't mean that his recovery would be easy.
Severus had lost a frightening amount of blood and that, along with the side effects from his body trying to detox itself made him weak and frail.
Harriet had moved into the bedroom across the hall from his. She rose early each morning to check on Severus and after he woke, she performed the hydration and nutrition charms on him, fluffed his pillows, and then usually, he fell back asleep.
Severus slept the majority of the time that first week as his body focused on healing.
Every few hours, Harriet gently changed the bandages on his wound.
Every evening, Harriet performed the bathing charm to keep him clean. It may have been the way that the nutrition and hydration charms were processed in the body, but to Severus and Harriet's joy, there were few instances where the lavatory charm was needed. However, when it was, Harriet performed without a word or a glance so that she could preserve Severus's dignity as much as possible.
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By the second week, Severus had made a small but definite amount of progress.
He could sit up if Harriet propped the pillows behind him. He was able to swallow a bit if he didn't have to chew too much. Harriet was careful to bring him enough water and with the help of a wizarding cookbook she found in the kitchen cupboard, she made smoothies and soups so that he could sip his meals through a straw.
Harriet still cleaned Severus with the bathing charm each night and she still changed his bandages, but he could tolerate the pressure on his throat that standing and walking brought long enough to take himself to the bathroom.
By the third week, Severus's voice had not returned. He hadn't made many more obvious advancements in his healing, but Harriet could tell that he was starting to feel better because was starting to regain some of his attitude.
Besides, Severus Snape was usually a busy man. He was accustomed to keeping a hectic schedule and he had actually come to enjoy it more than he thought.
The third week, he was awake more than he was asleep as his energy levels started to recoup.
Lying flat on his back and staring up at the ceiling all day was miserable for Severus. Whenever Harriet noticed that he was up and moving around in bed, she came in and sat beside him quietly. Sometimes Harriet read to him, but if he didn't like the story, he'd scowl at her until she stopped and chose another.
Severus was growing vexed with his debilitated condition and that started to show by how irritable he was with Harriet.
Severus was an alpha. Alphas did enjoy being cared for and tended to, especially by omegas.
Just because Harriet hadn't presented as an alpha or an omega yet didn't prevent Severus from becoming spoiled by her.
If Harriet didn't bring Severus his water exactly when he decided he wanted it, then he would refuse to drink. He would then make her come back every few minutes and try again until he eventually gave in and reluctantly took a few sips from the straw, glaring at her with his dark eyes the entire time.
When Severus was ready to be alone for a few moments, he'd rudely turn his back to Harriet. She would stand with a sigh and walk out of his room, but when she did, he would change his mind and start thrashing around until she came back with a scowl of annoyance on her fair face.
If Severus's meals were later than he imagined they would be, he would fume silently at Harriet and push the straw away until she apologized profusely for her tardiness.
Then and only then would Severus finally agree to consume his sustenance.
The fourth week of Severus's recovery arrived and with it came Harriet's menstrual cycle. She hadn't presented as an alpha or an omega yet, that was true, but she had a feeling that she wasn't going to end up as an alpha.
Alpha females usually didn't struggle with their cycles, but every month, Harriet fought the onslaught of nagging, deep cramps that twisted her womb and pulled violently at her guts.
That morning, she spent the first two hours of her day on the floor of her bedroom, rocking back and forth on her knees until the pain eased enough that she could stand and prepare Severus's breakfast.
Harriet looked at him tersely when she finally walked into his room sometime later with a tray in her hands that held the cup with the straw.
She was unpleasantly greeted by the ominous glare that Severus threw her from where he sat in his bed.
Severus had still not regained the ability to speak, at least not to Harriet's knowledge, but she knew that his ears hadn't been compromised and so, she began to explain the reason for his inconvenience.
"I'm sorry that your breakfast is late." Harriet apologized as she walked over and sat the tray down on the nightstand beside Severus's bed. She went on as she eased herself into the chair beside him, "I didn't forget about you, headmaster…..it's been a trying morning."
Harriet took the cup from the tray and offered the straw to Severus.
When he dodged out of her way with a furious scowl, she sighed and tried again to let him swallow the smoothie she had made.
After several moments of chasing Severus around on the bed and attempting to get him to take his meal, Harriet scowled at her headmaster and sat the cup back on the tray with firm defiance.
"I'm sorry that I'm not perfect at this, sir, I know how much you love perfection." Harriet said to Severus as she boldly stared at him, allowing her emerald gaze to bore into him for a change, "I've never taken care of anyone before and I'm doing the best I can. I appreciate everything that you've given up for me. I appreciate how hard you've fought for me, but I'm not your mother! And I'm not your wife! If you won't let me help you, then there's nothing I can do!"
Severus's menacing glare seemed to become even more foreboding as he stared at Harriet, but she didn't back down. Weeks of dealing with his petulance had exhausted her and the pain that lingered in her own body was shortening what little patience she had left.
The cramps were still rolling through her lower belly and that, along with her annoyance at Severus's reluctance pushed her to the edge. Harriet stood up from the chair, turned her heel, and took a step towards leaving the room.
As soon as Severus realized what was happening, his hand shot out and clutched Harriet's thin wrist, just as he managed to croak, "...Don't!"
Severus's vocal cords were still mending and as a result, his voice sounded strangely rough and gravelly, not at all like his usual low, purring tone.
Harriet wasn't sure what surprised her more, the urgency with which he grabbed her, or that he actually didn't want her to leave?
She stopped in her tracks and faced him again.
Severus didn't release her wrist, but his black eyes narrowed at Harriet as he inhaled. Holding onto her skin directly as he gazed at her allowed him to notice a faint scent in the air, and that was when Severus knew…….
She was menstruating.
He could feel it as he gripped her.
She was in pain, but she didn't have to be.
Harriet watched as Severus let go of her wrist and raised a trembling hand to point at a small black box behind her.
Harriet glanced at the box, then back at Severus.
"You want that? That box?" She asked as she too pointed towards the object.
Severus looked at the box again in silent confirmation and Harriet walked over, picked up the small box, and brought it back to Severus. She was careful to sit it beside him on the bed so he could access it without any trouble.
Severus glanced at the chair again and Harriet decided to obey his wishes and sit down.
She watched as her bristly former potions professor opened the black box and dug through several small, glass vials.
Harriet furrowed her brow in curiosity as Severus opened two of the vials and emptied their black, crushed contents into his hand.
"What is that?" Harriet asked as Severus opened his hand and offered what he held to her.
Severus made a noise of frustration.
Why was she asking him what it was?
She could see what it was for herself, she knew he couldn't talk!
"...Help." Severus managed to grunt.
Severus had given Harriet dried chasteberry and black cohosh to ease her pain. They would have gone down better in a potion, but their effects would be experienced if they were chewed as well.
Harriet looked at Severus with a bit of hesitation but she placed her hand under his and allowed him to pour her new medication into her palm.
Severus watched as she placed what she held in her hand into her mouth and swallowed, which was a struggle since she had no water in the room to drink.
"Thanks." Harriet replied with a curt nod.
It was all Severus could do not to nod back as she blinked at him with her emerald eyes.
A quiet pause lingered and Harriet flashed Severus a small, slight smile. Instead of smiling back, he looked as if he were very concerned about something.
"...Shall we try again?" Harriet asked as she picked up the cup from the tray once more.
Severus moved forward slightly, Harriet bent the straw towards him, and the reluctant alpha finally ate his breakfast without any further complaints.
Harriet noticed that while Severus drank his smoothie down, her cramps eased.
She did wonder how he had known what was the matter, but she was grateful for the relief.
What amazed Severus was that as Harriet felt better, he could sense it…….her body relaxing, her pain leaving.
Severus wouldn't have told her even if he could speak, but comforting Harriet made him feel almost……..happy.