Disclaimer – Anything you don't recognise from canon is mine.

Chapter 8 – Laying Blame

Harry smirked inwardly at the look on Fudge's face before turning back to the Council and beginning.

'Ladies and Gentleman of the Council, thank you for allowing me to speak to you today.' He began politely. 'I understand that you have questions for me regarding the conduct of the Minister of Magic of the United Kingdom over these last years, and its effect on both the protracted war with Voldemort and the Treaty of International Magical Co-operation, but I do ask you to hear me out first as hopefully it will all save us some time.'

'Go on, Mr Potter.' Anthony gave him a nod to continue and Harry took a deep breath and began sharing some of his life that only those closest to him had ever heard him speak about.

'Over ten years ago I stood tied to a headstone in a graveyard in England and watched as my blood was used to resurrect what had been the greatest Dark Lord of the age. I was fourteen and it was the most horrifying thing I had even seen.' Harry took several more deep breaths as images of Cedric Diggory's lifeless eyes flashed before his and he glanced down momentarily and blinked several times to clear them.

'After escaping Voldemort again I returned to Hogwarts to be branded a liar, an attention seeker and a murderer. The core of these accusations began at the highest level with Cornelius Fudge. Not because he didn't believe me, but because if he had said aloud that he did, it would have destroyed the image of a free and peaceful world he had spent so long carefully cultivating. It was a decision that would cost many their lives.' Harry said sadly. This time it was Sirius' face that haunted his thoughts.

There wasn't a sound to be heard in the entire room as Harry spoke once more. 'After I graduated I completed Auror training and was immediately seconded to the Minister's private detail. Why he wanted me, I can only guess. Originally I figured it was so he could keep an eye on me, later I figured he needed me. The people he was meeting with and the things they were carrying were not things he would have wanted falling into the wrong hands and he needed a guardian stronger than any other to ensure their safety. I could have spoken out, should have spoken out, but I stayed quiet. After the resurrection of the Dark Lord, and what happened after it, I never spoke out publicly about anything again.' Harry stopped for a moment and swallowed a vial of pain potion.

'Are you alright, Mr Potter? Do you need a few minutes?' Antony asked politely.

Harry shook his head. 'No, thank you.' He said roughly. 'I'm fine. Sorry.' He shifted his weight, hissing softly before going on. 'The secret meetings Minister Fudge had with certain individuals over the last eight years were not communicated to any in the British Ministry but a select few. They were not approved of by the Ministry or in any way what one would expect of someone in such a position. They were a result of an insecure man horrified at the thought of losing his position and who would stop at nothing to keep it. The incident of a week ago was not so much a diplomatic confrontation as much as a man who had spent his whole life attaining his position, and keeping it by various means, desperately trying to hold on to the last threads of that life by whatever means he could.'

Harry took another deep breath and looked each of the Council members in the eye. 'I ask you not to hold the Ministry of the United Kingdom responsible for the actions of one man. The Treaty of International Magical Co-operation between Britain and the rest of the world is too important to our way of life. Without it the wizarding community of the United Kingdom would be left virtually in isolation. Unable to trade, travel, or even just ask for international assistance they would be left at the mercy of any magical person or creature that would wish them ill.' Harry stepped around the dais, limping forward until he was only yards from the Council benches.

'I ask you all to listen to my plea, not as Harry Potter, or as the Boy-Who-Lived, or even as the man who defeated Voldemort, but as just Harry, a wizard born and bred in the United Kingdom who just wants the best for the country that he will always call home. Cornelius Fudge has a lot to answer for, but the answers, and the responsibility, should come from him, not from the United Kingdom. I beg you; do not punish the entire country for the actions of one man. Thank you.' Harry limped slowly back to his seat to complete silence; the Boy-Who-Lived having stunned the entire chamber with the force of his final plea. As he collapsed gratefully into it, swallowing the last full vial he had, clapping broke out around the room, led by Severus and the others until the amount of sheer noise was deafening.

Harry looked up at his friends and loved ones, all of whom had tears streaming down their faces as they clapped madly, even Severus. Harry blushed brightly and smiled before ducking his head.

It took almost five minutes before Antony could get control of the chamber and that was only by threatening to clear it. Harry felt the normally stoic Davies murmur well done before giving his shoulder a squeeze. Harry smiled up at the Auror knowing the man was doing just what he knew Severus wished he could. He couldn't believe just how similar the two men were in so many ways. He looked up at Severus again as Anthony, after conferring with the other members of the Council, finally got control of the audience.

'Mr Potter, in the light of your words we find that all the questions we had have actually been answered and we wish to convey our gratitude for coming to speak before us today. As for the question of nullifying the Treaty of the United Kingdom please be assured that it is no longer of any consequence. Unfortunately, as an internationally unbiased body, we cannot refuse to co-operate with the leader of any member nation, however our recommendation to the British Ministry of Magic is that Cornelius Fudge be suspended, at least until such time as your courts of justice can rule on his culpability in the matters addressed previously.' Antony said firmly, looking straight Fudge who in turn was glaring at Harry with undisguised hatred.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. His work here was done. Harry looked back at Severus as Anthony spoke once more.

'The Wizarding Council of the United Nations has parleyed and is in accord. Let it be noted that the Treaty of International Magical Co-Operation between the United Kingdom and the rest of the world is still in force and as such any and all diplomatic channels are to remain open. This session of the Council is now considered closed. Thank you.' Antony tapped his wand on the bench and purple sparks shot into the air as once more the room erupted into noise.

Harry leant forward and buried his face in his hands as people began pouring from the room. He could hear Severus and the others calling to him as they tried to get past the hoards of people and down the steps. He finally lifted his head and stood as his lover came towards him, just in time to feel an agonising pain above his left ear before everything went black.

Severus had barely moved for twelve days, only eating when Hermione physically forced the food into his mouth. He hadn't let go of Harry's hand except to use the bathroom and had slept in the chair beside Harry's bed.

Almost two weeks had passed since that fateful session at the United Nations and Harry showed no sign of waking. He had been shot, of all things, with a muggle gun fired by Cornelius Fudge. How the Minister had managed to shoot Harry from such a distance having barely fired a weapon before had most people baffled. Some said it was just luck, others said it was Wish Magic. Fudge wanted Harry dead so badly he actually willed the bullet to Harry's head.

The uproar afterwards had been unimaginable. More than a hundred people had been trampled in the rush to get away from the sight of their saviour lying on the ground in a large pool of blood. The last three injured wizards had only been released just yesterday. Thankfully no one had been killed.

How Fudge even got the weapon into the building was still being investigated but most thought it was probably a case of a rather liberal use of the Obliviate hex. Fudge had always been good at that. Plenty of practice, some said. The papers on both sides of the Atlantic had gone into meltdown as the days passed and Harry didn't wake. The American wizarding hospital in Washington, where Harry had been Portkeyed within minutes of being shot had been inundated by reporters from all over the world. Fudge had been taken back to England under guard and was awaiting trial, the Kiss being the most popular vote of punishment.

Albus had Portkeyed over, heedless of the continuing school term and had yet to return to England. Ron and Hermione had spent everyday at Harry's bedside leaving only at night to tend to the huge amounts of owl mail that came for their friend. Carmichael had Aurors guarding the Boy-Who-Lived around the clock, visiting himself at least once a day.

And Severus continued his silent vigil.

'Harry please, I'm begging you. Please wake up.' Severus whispered as he gently caressed the pale cheek. It was late, very late, the next morning practically and the single candle at Harry's beside gave off the only light in the room, although the sun was trying desperately to peek over the horizon. Severus would have dearly loved to card his fingers through Harry's hair but his head was still swathed with bandages. As with his leg, magic was unable to heal everything and while they had managed to grow the bones of his skull back so that they were in one piece again, the skin around the wound had just disintegrated and would need to heal the muggle way. Naturally. Thankfully the pullet had missed his brain by millimetres, just grazing past and exiting again, destroying the skin and shattering the bone but any damage to the brain from the small bits of bone had been repaired with another potion

While the doctors had said Harry would probably wake, they were uncertain of when and Severus couldn't help but draw parallels between this time and the last time he had sat by Harry's beside after he had defeated the Dark Lord. The only difference was he now knew he couldn't live without the younger man. There was no guessing, or hoping. It was true. Without Harry his life wasn't complete.

'Oh god, Harry.' He whispered hoarsely. His voice breaking with emotion as he leaned down to place soft kisses on his lover's face. 'Don't leave me alone much longer, I'm going mad. Please just wake up.'

For the first time in almost two weeks Severus felt Harry's hand move within his own and started so suddenly he almost toppled from the bed.

'Harry, Harry, can you hear me?' he called urgently. 'Come on Harry, wake up.'

There was no response and Severus bolted for the door to the room and flung it open. 'Get a Healer.' He yelled at the startled group of Aurors standing guard outside the door before rushing back to the bed and taking up Harry hand once more.

'Harry, come on. You can do it. Squeeze my hand again. Show me you can hear me.' he pleaded softly.

Nothing.

'Harry, please.'

The next moment the room was flooded with Healers and Davies was taking his elbow and pulling him gently away. Severus watched as the Healers worked on Harry, casting numerous diagnostic spells as they tried to see if there was any change in Harry's condition.

'No response, Sir.' A medi-witch told the senior Healer.

'He moved.' Severus insisted. 'He squeezed my hand.'

'There is no change Mr Snape.' The Healer said firmly. 'You must have imagined it.'

'I didn't bloody imagine it!' Severus exploded. 'He squeezed my hand. I know he did.'

'There is no change.' The Healer said imperiously. 'Sometimes when a patient's family want something so badly they can really believe it happened.'

Severus eyes turned icy and his face had such an expression of imminent death on it the elderly medi-wizard actually stepped back. The tone of voice alone spoke volumes. 'Listen here you insignificant little cretin.' Severus said darkly. 'I have been sitting here for almost two weeks doing nothing but holding his hand, and I am telling you now, he heard me and he responded. Now I don't care what you think, but if you even murmur that I imagined it again I will remove your brain through your nose with a ladle, do you understand?'

'Sev, leave the poor man alone.' Came a croaky voice from the bed.

Everyone in the room stopped and looked at the bed to see a tired but happy Harry looking back at them.

'Harry?' Severus breathed incredulously.

Harry's face softened. 'Hi.' He whispered.

'Oh god, Harry.' Severus cried, darting across the room to the bed and sending the Healer flying in the process. 'Oh, Harry.' He whispered, carefully gathering the slight figure in his arms and hugging him tightly. Tears were streaming down the older wizard's face heedless of the people gathered in the room. 'I love you so much. I was so worried. I thought you wouldn't wake up. Please don't do that again.' Severus babbled, quite out of character for his usual demeanor, which went to show just how unhinged he really was.

'Shh.' Harry said softly, lifting his arms to hug the other man tightly in return. 'It's alright, Sev. Everything's alright.' Harry said soothingly, unused to being in a position to comfort the other man. Severus had always been so strong, particularly since the final battle and Harry could feel him shaking with emotion. He caught Davies eyes and the old Auror understood, immediately clearing the room, over the Healer's protestations, by force, before closing the door behind him.

'Severus.' Harry whispered, cupping the man's cheek and lifting his head from where it had been buried in his shoulder and placing a soft kiss on the still trembling lips. 'I'm sorry, Sev. I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry.'

Severus shook his head, his lips kissing gently down Harry's jaw before he sat back up and stared down at Harry in amazement. 'Don't apologise, Harry. For Merlin's sake, it wasn't your fault.'

'What happened?' Harry asked as he gently pushed some loose hair back behind the older man's ear.

Severus shook his head. 'Fudge shot you, of all things.'

Harry eyes widened. 'What?

'Shot you. With a muggle gun.' Severus said wryly.

'Fudge. Used a muggle gun? Smuggled a muggle gun into the UN?' Harry seemed to be having some trouble in processing the news. 'How on earth did he manage that?'

'Rather abundant with the Obliviate hex, they think.'

'Good god.' Harry breathed. 'Was it really two weeks ago?'

'Almost.' Severus admitted, staring down at the face of the man he loved.

Harry sighed, closing his eyes and reaching up to rub his eyes. 'Bloody hell, what a fucked up life I have. It does, however, explain the feeling of almost fifty hippogriffs rampaging through my head.' He said wryly. Severus reached over to the table beside the bed and plucked a vial out of the drawer before handing it over, waiting as Harry downed it before handing it back.

'Oh thank you.' Harry sighed as the pain receded.

Severus watched as his lover drifted back off to sleep. The black eyes studying the younger man's face intently as if to commit it to memory. He was startled as Harry's arms came up and pulled him to lie down next to him.

'Love you, Sev.' Harry murmured.

Severus felt his eyes fill with tears as he pulled Harry tightly to him. 'I love you too, Harry.'

That was how Ron, Hermione, Neville and Carmichael found them the next morning. Cuddled together, if one could use the word cuddled in regard to Severus Snape, but that was certainly what it looked like. Both were still asleep as Davies and the other Aurors had stopped the Healers from entering the room since forcibly removing them the night before, knowing the potions master would call them if they were needed.

'Harry.' Hermione whispered and Harry blinked sleepily up at her before smiling.

'Hey Mione.' He whispered back, glancing down to find Severus still asleep and pulling him closer.

'How are you feeling?'

'I'm okay.' Harry said simply.

'Harry, you've been in a coma for two weeks, you can't possibly be okay.' Hermione scolded. 'Did Severus tell you what happened?'

'Yes Hermione, I did.' came Severus' sleep filled mumble. 'Now would you kindly shut up, we're trying to sleep.'

Harry and Ron snorted as Hermione glared at the potions master, not that it would have mattered as he had yet to open his eyes. Finally he cracked one open and eyed her contemplatively.

'Haven't left yet then.' He said dryly. 'At least your quiet I suppose, which is a change.'

It was too much for Harry, Ron and Neville, all of whom burst out laughing.

'Oh, my head.' Harry moaned; Severus almost immediately reaching over and plucking a vial off the table and holding it up to Harry's lips.

'Sorry.' Harry gasped, squeezing his eyes closed once more.

'I'm glad you though it was so funny.' Hermione said sarcastically. 'Next time you get hurt Harry, I'll just let him fade away to a shadow, shall I.'

Harry glanced back at Severus. 'What did you do?' he asked with a frown.

'I didn't do anything.' Severus insisted.

'Exactly.' Hermione said triumphantly.

Harry looked quizzically between the two before shrugging and snuggling further into his lover's arms.

'Whatever.' He said simply. 'Thank you to everybody who did something.'

Hermione threw up her hands. 'Harry, you're impossible.'

Harry pouted. 'I didn't ask for all this, you know.' He growled. 'It's not my bloody fault people keep trying to kill me.'

'Finally.' Ron burst out before blushing brightly.

Harry looked at him in confusion. 'What?'

'Finally you admit that it isn't your fault.' Carmichael offered as Ron glared at his friend.

Harry turned to glare right back at him. 'Have I ever said it was?'

The words were said so innocently that the others in the room could do nothing but gape at the young man, even Severus.

'Harry, that's all you've ever done.' The potions master said finally.

'No I haven't.' Harry insisted.

'Yes. You have.' Severus murmured. 'You blame yourself for everything.'

'I don't remember doing that.' Harry muttered.

'Then you must have amnesia.' Neville murmured causing Ron to snort softly.

'Does the Ministry raid in fifth year ring any bells?' Hermione asked. 'You blamed yourself for that.'

Harry eyes dulled and he glanced down at his shaking hands. 'Oh, I remember that, alright.' He whispered hoarsely.

'See you do blame yourself; even still.' Hermione insisted.

Harry looked up, his expression terrifyingly blank. 'That's because it was my fault.' Harry said painfully before closing his eyes and turning on his side away from them, hissing softly as his leg made itself known once more.

'Hermione.' Ron hissed. 'Now look what you've done.'

Hermione was saved from justifying herself as Albus slipped in the door and greeted them all cheerfully. He frowned at the flat replies and looked curiously at Harry who hadn't even moved. 'I thought he was awake.'

'He is awake.' Severus sighed. 'He's just not talking right now.' He explained as he sat up, sliding backwards until he could lean against the headboard and reaching down to pull the limp figure onto his lap.

'Harry.' He murmured, gently rubbing his lover's back. Harry seemed to almost burrow into the potions master's arms. The others watched as Severus continued whispering quietly in Harry's ear. Again they couldn't hear what was said but eventually Harry let out a small whimper and his shoulders began shaking.

'Shock.' Carmichael mouthed to a wide-eyed Ron and Neville. Severus kept murmuring and Harry kept sobbing softly until he eventually fell back to sleep. Severus cast a localised silencing charm around the sleeping figure in his arms before turning blazing dark eyes on a certain bushy haired witch.

'What on earth possessed you to bring that up?' he spat.

'I…I…' Hermione trailed off.

Severus had no sympathy. 'You know how he feels about it, and it was partly his fault.'

'How can you say that?' Ron yelled, forgetting the sleeping figure.

Severus glanced down to check Harry was still asleep before looking up and raising an eyebrow at the redhead. 'Because it was partly my fault too.' He said quietly. 'It is something we have both thought about many times, even if it has only been mentioned once or twice, and it is something I will regret for the rest of my life.'

'What will you regret?' Neville asked curiously.

Severus glanced down at Harry once more, gently running his fingers over the soft cheek. 'That I let my hatred for James get in the way of teaching Harry Occlumency properly, and that in the end it cost him the one person he really needed.'

Carmichael look confused but Neville just shook his head, gesturing that he would explain later.

'You do know that Harry doesn't blame you for that, don't you?' Albus said gently.

Severus sighed. It was a sound of someone with far too much to deal with. 'I know, he has told me.' The potions master admitted. 'But he still blames himself, and for that alone I will never forgive myself.'

'You two have way too much baggage.' Neville muttered.

Ron and Carmichael snorted and Severus smiled. 'Why do you think we ended up together.' He said, still looking at Harry fondly. 'No one else could have coped with the hell we both live.'

'Ain't that the truth.'

This time they all chuckled. 'You, Mr Longbottom, have spent far too long over here. You're grammar has definitely taken a turn for the worse.' Severus mock scolded.

'Hey.' Carmichael said indignantly.

'No offense, Secretary.' Severus added politely.

'None taken, Mr Snape.' Carmichael added with a wicked smirk.

Severus rolled his eyes as Ron and Hermione laughed. Albus joining in, even though he had no idea what was going on.

'What are you all doing here so early anyway?' Severus asked after they had settled down. They all exchanged nervous glances that had Severus instantly on alert.

'We actually came to move you and do the Fidelius Charm.' Carmichael told him. 'There are six full teams of Aurors spread throughout the hospital until we can leave.'

'Six?' Severus eyebrows shot skywards. He could think of nothing short of a battle that would require the presence of that many Aurors. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he looked at Dumbledore.

'What happened?' his voice could have frozen fire and Albus swallowed, glancing once at Carmichael before speaking.

'Fudge.' Albus said softly. 'He's disappeared.'