Author's Note: I'm also going through and deleting outdated authors' notes by the way.

In case you were wondering, Harry's in third year in this fic, so he's thirteen. I know it might seem kinda old but...that's how old I made him. And thirteen year olds are still really kids. We all act like kids when we're sick anyway.

-SQ

Disclaimer: Shockingly (note the sarcasm), Harry Potter does not belong to me.

Chapter 2: The Things You Find

He's not stable enough to be moved," Poppy proclaimed in an agitated voice. "His fever is very high and I'm not at all sure what is ailing him. I'll have to do several more tests. For the time bing, Potter will have to remain here, Severus."

Severus ground his teeth in aggravation. The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Cause-Him-Grief would be staying in his office while he was ill? What had Severus done to deserve this. No, he told himself, don't answer that.

Sighing in exasperation, Severus perched himself awkwardly on the arm of the sofa as Poppy and Albus left the room. Potter really did look dreadful, Severus thought. Not that he was concerned about the boy; Potter would pull through. He always did.

*****CTC*****

Severus must have fallen asleep at some point, because he awoke to Potter thrashing and crying out in his sleep.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter!" cried Severus, as he attempted to control the boy's wild flailing. "You are going to hurt yourself!"

Cursing teenagers who had to fall ill on his watch, Severus finally quieted the boy, only to find, much to his disquiet, that Potter was clinging to his robes. Severus tried to disentangle his robes from the boy's clutches, but stopped when Potter began to whimper.

Not believing what he was doing, Severus pulled the sleeping boy onto his lap and leaned back against the couch. He was unnerved to realize that he could feel the heat of Potter's fever through his robes.

*****CTC*****

When Severus awoke the next morning, it took him a few seconds to remember why he was sitting on his couch, holding a sleeping Harry Potter in his arms. Groaning inwardly, he placed Potter onto the sofa and stood up, his muscles protesting with every movement.

Looking down at Potter, Severus realized that his robes were drenched with sweat. Rolling his eyes and grimacing, he conjured up pajamas and began undressing the unconscious teen. He smirked at the thought of what Potter would say if he know that he most hated professor was changing his clothes as though he were a baby. The smirk was wiped right off of Severus's face, however, when he saw what was under the boy's shirt.

Old scars and bruises mottled Potter's chest and back, making Severus feel slightly queasy; not an easy feat considering what Severus dealt with as Potions Master.

"Who did this to you, Potter?" whispered Severus, gently touching some of the marks. They reminded Severus unpleasantly of his own childhood.

The boy shivered, and Severus quickly dressed him again, being as careful as possible as he pulled a clean, dry shirt over Potter's head.

Sitting down next to him, Severus found himself stroking Potter's messy black hair, which was also drenched with sweat.

Severus pursed his lips. Potter looked no better than he had yesterday. If anything he looked worse. Severus tried to suppress the pang of worry that thrust at his heart, but he wasn't entirely successful.

Why hadn't Potter told anyone that he was feeling ill? And how had he gotten all those cuts and bruises?

*****CTC*****

"I'm afraid that Potter is suffering from a mixture of blood poisoning and a very bad case of pneumonia," said Poppy, looking into Severus's tired face.

"You can cure him though?" said Severus, forcing the anxiety out of his voice. He did not care about James Potter's son. He did not. But he had promised to look after the boy, and look after him he would, no matter how distasteful he found the job.

"Well," Poppy said hesitantly, " because of the blood poisoning there's no way for me to just cure him as if this were a regular illness. There are certainly things I can give him to aid his recovery. But he'll need constant care."

Severus swore under his breath. "Alright then, I can see that I'm still going to have to play babysitter for Potter. Tell me what potions he needs and I'll brew them up."

"Are you sure, Severus?" Albus asked with some concern. "You're not looking too well yourself. I think maybe you'd better rest."

"And send Potter to the hospital wing in this condition? Not only would the move do him even more harm, he'd probably infect the whole school! No, Albus, I'll keep him here."

Albus gave Severus a knowing smile that Severus didn't like at all. "As you wish, my boy," he said, and he and Poppy left the room.

Severus looked down at the sleeping teenager huddled on his sofa. Severus had to admit that Potter looked pretty pathetic like this, and not pathetic in an obnoxiously incompetent kind of way, pathetic in a vulnerable, pity-invoking kind of way. Severus knelt down next to the boy's prone form.

"Potter?" he said softly. "Potter, can you hear me?" As usual, he got no response.

Severus brushed The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Confound-Him's hair back from his burning forehead. Potter's fever was higher than ever. Cursing, Severus went over to his shelves and brought over a vial of fever-reducing potion. He didn't have much hope that it would work, but he had to try something while he brewed the potions that might help Potter recover.

*****CTC*****

Severus spent the next few days in a nearly constant cycle of tending to the boy's ill-healed wounds, brewing potions, and forcing said potions down Potter's throat, along with water and fruit juice to keep him hydrated and nourished. In the few odd moments he had free, Severus caught snatches of sleep on the couch beside the boy. He could only be glad that it was the Christmas holidays and that he wasn't missing teaching any of his classes.

Severus noticed that the lack of sleep was causing the chill in his chambers to get to him; despite the constantly boiling potions, Severus found himself building up the fire in the fireplace larger and larger every day. Shaking his head in disgust at what the Potter boy had gotten him into this time, Severus added another log to the fire and went over to Potter to give him his latest does of potion.

"Potter," said Severus for what felt like the thousandth time. "Potter. Can you hear me?" The boy whimpered in his sleep, but gave no indication that he was aware of Severus's presence.

AN: I know my chapters are really short, but my story isn't really all that long. And I think the places where I end my chapters are good chapter ends. If you like this story I have other fics too. And there's a sequel in progress now.

If you like Albus Severus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy you should read my fic Turn To Gold. It's really different from this one but I think it's pretty good. It is slash, just so you know. I also have another Harry/Severus sicfic, a Lily L. P./OC eventual femslash, and an Albus Severus/Severus's portrait oneshot sicfic thing. I'm working some other stuff too.

Sorry, that was kind of long...