"POPPY!" Severus screamed as he ran into the Hospital wing of the school.
"Yes, what is it?" Seeing the boy in his arms, she beckoned him to a bed. "Who is he? How old is he? And who did this?" Frowning at what her wand revealed as she passed it over the small, frail body.
"Harry Potter, five and his relatives." Severus scowled at the thought. He could NOT believe they had done this to Lily's child. HIS Lily. And by her own sister no less!
"Right can you get me a mild healing potion, several nutrient potions and a dreamless sleep potion." Madame Pomfrey said quickly as she tried to wake the boy up. "Harry? Harry can you wake up for me please?" She asked softly.
"Mmmmm." Was her response as he opened his eyes a fraction, flinching away from the sound slightly.
"Ssshhhh, it's ok you're safe now, but I need you to swallow these to make you better. Could you do that for me?" Taking the vials out of Severus' hands she gave them to him to swallow one by one and was asleep within a couple of minutes.
"Tell me, Severus, that those so called relatives have been punished for this?" Madame Pomfrey asked in an angry whisper.
"I left Albus with them so you will have to await his return for us to get the answer to that." Severus told her in an equally angry whisper.
There they stayed quietly thinking about the boy in front of them for an hour before Albus Dumbledore walked into the hospital wing.
"How is he?" He inquired as he conjured a chair and sat down with them.
"He'll be fine once we can get some food into him at least but it's a start of a long road 'til he'll be at a healthy weight." Madame Pomfrey told Dumbledore.
"What happened to his relatives? Please tell me they've been punished." Severus said while looking at Harry, still fast asleep on the bed.
"Yes, my friend, they have been arrested by the Aurors and taken to the Ministry. Their trial is set for next week by veritaserum. The Winzengamot thought it best if we proceed as quickly as possible so as not to prolong Harry's suffering and fear. I just hope they go to Azkaban after this, but we have no idea how many free Death Eaters there still are in the Ministry ranks." Silence fell over the room once again as they all contemplate everything that has happened over the years and what still has yet to come.
Several days later.
Harry groaned as he opened his eyes.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, you're awake. How are you feeling?"
Harry looked over at the black blur at the side of his bed. "I guess I'm ok-ish, but I need my glasses. Are you the one who saved me?" Harry asked the figure in a small voice. Still weary from the past few days and kept thinking it was all a dream or hallucination of some kind.
"Yes, my name is Severus Snape and you are at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And I'm sorry you weren't wearing you glasses when we collected you so we do not have them. Though I'm sure Albus Dumbledore will be able to do something for you."
"Oh. But, wait, magic doesn't exist. My aunt and uncle told me so!" Harry said, his voice rising. 'Clearly this was some kind of dream or someone's idea of a joke!' he thought his mind racing to keep up.
"Yes it does, and the reason your relatives told you that is maybe they don't like magic because they are not magic themselves but you are, as were your parents."
Harry's head lifted suddenly at the mention of his parents. "What? They died in a car crash but I survived."
"Let me guess your 'relatives' told you that too!" Severus was starting to get frustrated. Not with Harry but with the boy's relatives for what they had told him. "Lily and James were good and very powerful together. Trust me I knew them. It was because of this that they were killed when you were fifteen months old. But it is Albus who should be telling you this as I do not know if you can handle the information. Just know that they loved you." Severus had to stop himself as he realised that Harry was only five years old. "Anyway, your aunt and uncle have been arrested and their trial is in two days. Do not worry because no matter what happens you will never have to go back to them or even see them ever again." He stood up and went to leave. "I will be back in two days to escort you to the trial, I will be there with you to make sure you are safe." And with that he left.
Harry didn't know what to think but he was relieved to know he wouldn't have to face his family alone and that the person going was the man who saved him. 'Maybe, just maybe' he thought, 'this could all be real somehow. Either that or I'm going mad.'
He was left to his thoughts as Madame Pomfrey came, checked him over and gave him some food then bustled away again.