Hiding at Hogwarts

~ by Healer Pomfrey ~

All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.

8 – Awareness

"The truth?" Harry asked horrified. "No..."

"Be quiet for a moment, Mr. Potter," Severus said sternly, raising an eyebrow at the Founder of his House.

"He can't send Harry away from here," Salazar growled. "Point one: Although the basilisk venom is gone by now, it remained in his body for several months. Therefore, it had enough time to damage his immune system and other parts of his body. I knew two cases in my time, and both persons used to became sick every now and then after their poisoning. Therefore, he has to stay at a place where he can require medical help at any time. Don't you agree, Helga?"

"I agree completely," Helga replied, smiling at her husband.

"Point two: The boy was abused by his relatives, and no child should be abused in his own home. He is my many times great grandson, and I insist that he remains here. Hogwarts is his rightful home."

"I understand, sir," Severus replied. "However, the Headmaster will demand that the boy stays with a relative, who is alive. Apparently, he has set up blood wards in the assumption that his aunt's blood would save him from danger due to her relationship with his mother."

"Rubbish," Salazar barked. "Point three: You are his uncle. Feel free to make a blood test if you don't believe me. You are related to me as well as to him and his mother. There is no reason why you couldn't become his guardian. You wouldn't even have to take him in, because he can stay here in his own quarters. And now go and tell the Headmaster to let go of Harry and let him live his own life."

Severus turned to Helga. "Professor Hufflepuff, are you sure that your husband is not delirious?"

Helga chuckled, playfully placing her hand on Salazar's forehead, before he slapped it away in annoyance. "He doesn't have a fever," she said to Severus, "and I know for a fact that everything he explained is true."

"Potter and I are related?" Severus asked incredulously, glancing at Madam Pomfrey.

"If I understood it correctly, you are not related to James Potter, but to Harry through his mother Lily," Poppy replied gently. "Why don't you just take a drop of blood and perform the test?"

"Very well. If you don't mind, Mr. Potter," he said, turning to Harry, who had followed the conversation with interest.

"Of course not," Harry replied quickly.

Severus magically retrieved one drop of blood from the boy and excused himself. "I'll do the test and then go to speak with the Headmaster."

"I'll go and visit my portrait in Dumbledore's office," Godric suddenly spoke up, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. So far, he had been slumped in his seat as if he was fast asleep. "Just in case you need my support."

"Severus, I'm going to join you as well," Pomfrey said thoughtfully. "We're going to take Salazar's mini portrait with us. Helga, if Harry has any problems, call me immediately please."

"Of course," the Founder promised, smiling.

Severus gratefully inclined his head and left Helga's quarters together with Madam Pomfrey.

~ Headmaster's office ~

"Albus, what exactly did Severus say?" McGonagall queried, glaring at the Headmaster, who was calmly sitting behind his desk, slowly unwrapping a lemon drop.

"Minerva, I already told you that Severus was still asleep when I entered his quarters. He said he'd come here and speak with us as soon as he was dressed and ready. You're worrying too much. Of course I also want to know where Harry is, but Severus probably doesn't know anyway, and at least the alarm has stopped several hours ago," Dumbledore replied calmingly.

"Excuse me, Albus, but of course I'm worried about the child," McGonagall replied in a very angry tone. "Lily was like a daughter to me, and do you remember how often I babysat Harry when he was a baby? Ten long years I was concerned about him, and now that he is finally old enough to attend Hogwarts, you make him go back to that place every summer. Albus, I'm sure that they don't treat him well. Look at him. Did you notice how small he is? And how thin he was when he returned after the last summer? Poppy spoke with you about the matter, didn't she?"

"Please don't shout, Minerva," Professor Dippet threw in from his portrait, covering his ears with his hands.

"Oh, but I believe that she has every reason to shout at the current Headmaster," Godric Gryffindor spoke up, causing McGonagall and Dumbledore to turn their heads in surprise at the sight of two Godrics in one painting.

Just an instant later, Severus stepped out of the fireplace, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey. "Good morning, Minerva, Albus. I'm sorry for the delay," Severus greeted his colleagues and explained the truth about what had happened during the night.

"Harry is here at Hogwarts?" Dumbledore queried in surprise. "Where is he?"

"Albus, leave the child in peace. Thank God he was here, so that Severus was able to help him," McGonagall replied in an upset voice.

"Severus saved his life, Albus," Pomfrey pointed out. "If he had returned to the Dursleys, he wouldn't have survived the night."

"Albus," Severus began to speak calmly, "I want to become the boy's guardian. Through his mother, who is a direct descendant of Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin, I am related to Mr. Potter and I can provide the same blood connection as Petunia Dursley." He quietly placed a parchment in front of the Headmaster that showed the exact relationship of Harry, himself and the Founders.

"Harry is the heir of all four Founders?" Dumbledore realised in surprise. "Where did he spend the last weeks by the way?"

Salazar suddenly began to speak from the mini portrait in Madam Pomfrey's robe pocket. "Poppy, take me out of here," the Founder demanded grumpily, causing the Healer to chuckle and pull the portrait out, holding it so that Salazar faced the Headmaster. "Thankfully, Harry found my wife's quarters and wisely decided to spend his holidays there, where no one can find him, because no one is able to enter her quarters without a direct invitation. Since Harry is our heir, he is the rightful owner of Hogwarts, and no one, not even the Headmaster, can throw him out of his home. I strongly suggest that you accept Professor Snape's offer to become the boy's guardian." He looked at the Gryffindor Head. "Professor McGonagall, my wife instructed me to tell you that you're welcome to visit your little lion at any time."

While McGonagall thanked the Founder profusely, Professor Dumbledore slumped down in his seat with an expression of defeat on his face that all of a sudden looked old and wrinkled, and his eyes were void of his usual twinkle.

"Minerva, are you willing to take over my position and become Headmistress?" he asked tiredly. "I wish to retire. I am too old for this post. I wanted to remain here to help Harry achieve his full potential in order to fulfil his destiny. However, I see now that he is in good hands and I'm not needed anymore."

"A very wise decision," Godric Gryffindor commented, glancing at the Gryffindor Head of House. "As much as I loved you as Head of my House, you'll make a brilliant Headmistress."

McGonagall looked around in shock. "No Albus; we still need you. Please..." She interrupted herself when Helga Hufflepuff suddenly appeared in Salazar's mini portrait.

The ancient Haler pushed Salazar to the side and said urgently, "Poppy, please come to my quarters and check on Harry. I think that he is not well."

"Of course," Pomfrey replied sternly and hurriedly left the room with the Potions Master on her heals.

tbc...

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