Summary: see chapter one
Disclaimer: see chapter one
A/N: I'm back! I am sooooo sorry for the ridiculously long wait! My only defence is that I've been really busy and out of school for almost a week. So here's the extra-long chapter six (yay!) and look for chapter seven in a few days (hint hint wink wink nudge nudge cough cough) Enjoy! And for those who haven't seen my profile lately, I have made a Yahoo!group It can be found in my profile and is: www (dot) groups (dot) yahoo (dot) com (slash) group (slash) fallenshadowedangelsrealm. Please join! Also, please expect chapters to become longer, and either once or twice a month. I'm trying to get enough done so I can balance Driver's Ed, required summer reading, Village Band, writing fanfiction, reading fanfiction and practising my clarinet.
Change of an Icy Heart (Repost)
Part the Sixth: Calm Waters Run Deep / Someone Comes For A Visit
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When Harry awoke, it was to utter pandemonium. Sitting up sleepily, everything blurry, Harry reached for his glasses, tilting his head lightly as the argument outside the room he resided in escalated. "I absolutely refuse! The boy is still recuperating from his relatives 'loving care'! He is not ready to testify against them!" the unmistakable voice of his Potions teacher surprised Harry. Sure Snape had been nicer since taking him from his relatives, and the revelation that he was his godfather had shocked Harry, but he hadn't expected Snape to take his side with anything.
Creeping to the doorway, Harry crouched in the shadows, listening the rapidly escalating confrontation. "I agree completely with Severus, Cornelius. Harry is not yet strong enough to testify, nor will he go into Ministry custody-" "Yes, he will, Dumbledore! The boy has no godparents or living relatives!" Dumbledore's calm voice floated in, followed by the Minister for Magic's angered voice. Harry froze, eyes wide as this was spoken. Go into Ministry custody? He'd be dead within a week. But would Severus claim him as his godson? Harry held his breath as the soft, yet commanding voice of his recently-found godfather floated in. "He does have a godfather, Minister." Severus said, Harry relaxing slightly. "Who? Sirius Black? He is a convicted felon and Azkaban escapee!" Fudge ranted, Harry imagining the smirk Severus must be wearing. "On the contrary, Minister, if you check the Ministry records you will see that the Potter's followed Wizarding tradition and named separate godparents and guardians. As Sirius Black is a felon, the responsibilities fall to the godfather chosen by Lily- me." He said, Harry relaxing slightly as he heard Fudge spluttering. "I demand to at least see the boy!" He demanded, Harry jumping up and hurrying silently to the bed, diving under the covers, flinging his glassed on the bedside table, and feigning sleep. "Very well, Cornelius." Dumbledore said, the door creaking open and footfalls nearing the bed.
Keeping his breathing even, Harry forced himself to relax and not flinch when his godfather lade a hand on his shoulder, the bed dipping as he sat behind him. "Harry, wake up child." Severus murmured, Harry murmuring unintelligibly as he burrowed deeper into the covers. Severus chuckled lightly and Harry felt hands creep under his shoulders and lift him into strong arms, cradling him against a muscular chest. "As you can see, Minister, Harry is perfectly fine. He is simply sick with pneumonia and influenza, as well as recovering from the injuries inflicted upon him by his previous guardians." Severus said, Harry's head lolled against his chest. Albus led a spluttering and purple Minister from the room, leaving Harry with Severus.
"I know you're awake, Harry." Severus said softly, gently carding his hand through the ebony locks against his chest. Opening his eyes, Harry blinked owlishly as Severus settled his glasses on his nose. "First off child, you weren't breathing as you normally do when you sleep. Secondly your eyes were moving quite a bit more, and normally you would've flinched and awoken when I touch you." Severus explained, keeping Harry cradled in his arms. "Oh," Harry said, falling silent, which filled the room for a few minutes. "It's fairly late in the evening, Harry, so I'm going to retire to my room, alright? Come and get me if you need anything." Severus said, Harry nodding, half-asleep in Severus' arms. Gently depositing the teen in the middle of his bed, Severus tucked Harry in, brushing the ebony locks off the heated forehead before moving to his room.
Harry jerked awake hours later, tears coursing down his face as he shuddered, curling in on himself. He'd had another horrible nightmare where his parents, Cedric, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, his friends, and Severus all blamed him for their deaths and Voldemort's resurrection. The Dursley's' would come in and everyone call him worthless and a waste of space; a burden.
Too scared to stay alone in his room, Harry remember the many times Severus assured him that he could come into his room if anything was wrong. Shivering lightly in fear, Harry stumbled out of his bed and room, moving down the hall to Severus' room. He stood at the door for quite a while, contemplating whether or not he should enter his godfathers room and seek comfort or resort back to what he'd been forced to do at the Dursley's- comfort himself. Deciding the former was better, Harry cautiously turned the doorknob and slipped into Severus' room.
Padding silently to his godfathers bed, Harry hugged himself, pausing at Severus' bedside. "S- sev. Severus." He stammered, tears still falling unknowingly down his face. Severus stirred, jerking into a sitting position and the lamp on his bedside table flaring to light the room dimly. "Harry? What is it? Why are you crying?" Severus asked in a rush, gathering a distraught Harry into his arms, hugging the shaking teen tightly. "Ni- nightmare." Harry whispered, tears falling faster and soaking Severus' nightshirt. Severus gently pushed Harry back, wiping his tears away gently. "It's alright, Harry. Tell me what it was about." He soothed, rearranging himself and Harry so that he sat against the headboard and Harry was tucked against his side.
"M- mum, D-dad, and C- Cedric all blamed me for their deaths. A- and you, a-and Sirius, aa-an Remus and everyone blamed me for their deaths and Voldemort's return and told me I was worthless and a burden. I don't' deserve to live- I shouldn't exist! I'm nothing but a freak and unwanted burden who should know my place!" Harry sobbed hysterically, jerking away from Severus and falling off the bed in a heap. Sobbing and curling into a ball, Harry quieted his cries, the only way that Severus could even tell he was crying by the tears coursing down his face. Throwing the duvet and sheets off him, Severus swung his legs off the bed, kneeling beside the hysterical child and laying a hand on Harry's shoulder, the child jerking back violently. Throwing caution to the wind, Severus gather the hysterical child in his arms, standing and cradling Harry like a small child. Murmuring soft nothings and calming words of affection into the wild raven locks, Severus struggled to calm Harry, assuring him that nobody blamed him for Lily, James, and Cedric's death, Voldemort's return, and that he wasn't worthless, a burden or freak, deserved to live, and would always have a place with him.
It took quite a while, but an exhausted Severus finally managed to calm Harry, who was now asleep in his arms. Much too tired to take Harry back into his own room (and figuring if he did Harry would never come to him again) Severus set Harry in his own bed, lying beside him and pulling the duvet and sheets up before cradling Harry against his chest, quickly giving into the welcoming embrace of sleep, noticing how Harry curled into him, as though he'd never been held with after a nightmare.
To be continued….
Okay, I have a question/survey for everyone. I'm considering quote a few options, and with your review, please, please, please leave you're choice (A, B, C, D,E, or any combination, if you want AD for example) for what should happen:
A) Harry is de-aged to a toddler to have a second childhood
B) This becomes a Severitus / Sevitus
C) Harry/Severus slash
D) "Harry" goes into hiding and Severus' "son" comes to Hogwarts, either younger or older than Harry
E) You really don't care as long as I update regularly (no one month unintentional hiatus) :D