Harry was relieved when the bell finally rang to signal the end of their Defence lesson. He had a searing headache again. He had just got to the door when suddenly he gripped his head and groaned.
"Harry? Are you alright?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"Yes. Just a headache." Harry replied through gritted teeth. "It'll go soon."
"It's lunchtime now, do you want to go and ask Madam Pomfrey for a headache potion?" Hermione continued.
"No. It's going now. Thanks Hermione." His auntie in full healer mode was not something he wished to see for just a headache.
Unfortunately, luck had abandoned Harry that day. The three of them had practically walked into Poppy as they made their way to lunch. Only Hermione physically dragging Harry to one side avoided him walking straight into her.
"Sorry Ma'am!" Hermione quickly apologised
"No worries Miss Granger, I should pay more attention to where I'm walking as well!" She turned to Harry who still had a hand firmly pressing on his scar.
"Are you well Harry?" She was trying to treat him like his peers, only helping if he came to her. It took a lot of effort not to simply summon him to the Hospital Wing and run a diagnostic scan but she had promised Minerva that she would attempt to let Harry live his own life.
"Yes Auntie Poppy." His reply was barely more than a whisper and his smile was more of a grimace.
"Then why is your hand pressing your scar as if your life depended on it?" So far, so good. This was how she would treat any student.
Harry shrugged but didn't remove his hand. Hermione answered for him.
"He complained of a headache as we were leaving Defence and just as we got to the door he groaned and clasped his hand to his scar."
Harry glared at Hermione. It was Quidditch practice tonight.
"It's nothing. It's going as it always does." Harry tried to reassure the medi-witch.
"That's not for you to decide Harry. Either you show me that you are fine and remove your hand or we shall continue this discussion in the Hospital Wing." Poppy's tone brooked no argument.
Harry knew he had lost. His auntie had taken on her Healer Pomfrey face and voice. She was in full healer mode. Ignoring the pounding in his ears from the headache he still had, he slowly removed his hand from his scar, watching Poppy's face intently.
Poppy inhaled sharply but "right" was her only response. When she had recovered herself a little she said "Harry will not be in afternoon classes, please could you tell your professors?" Hermione nodded. Ron shared a sympathetic glance with Harry as Poppy continued "Harry. Upstairs. Now."
Poppy ran her wand over her nephew almost as soon as they entered the Hospital Wing.
"Whatever happened in your last lesson has given you serious concussion Harry. If I had not caught you when I did, the consequences could have been a lot worse." Poppy cleaned the dried blood off his scar as she spoke. "You need to tell me when this happens."
"I know. I'm sorry." Harry quietly replied "I just really really want to fly tonight."
"Well how about you drink these and sleep for a bit and then I'll see what you're like before dinner." She handed him two phials. "If you're fit, then I'll let you go to Quidditch practice."
"OK." Harry agreed. He drifted off to sleep shortly after.
xxxxxxxxxxx
"Good afternoon Poppy. To what do I owe the pleasure of this afternoon call?" Snape may have done some rather horrendous things but he was always chivalrous and gallant to his female co-workers.
"Good afternoon Severus" she replied. "I wondered if I might ask a favour?" Snape inclined his head, inviting her to go on. "Harry somehow managed to achieve severe concussion today as he was leaving his Defence lesson. His scar also split open and bled for quite a time, judging by the amount dried on his forehead. He cannot stay in those lessons Severus. It gets worse every time and he still doesn't come to me for help."
"Potter getting out of class on medical grounds. Well well. If only I could be so blessed."
"You don't mean that Severus I'm sure."
Snape summoned a crystal tumbler and a bottle of Ogden's Finest and took a deep swig before he spoke again.
"If he had even a sliver of the aptitude for Potions that Lily showed then maybe I wouldn't mind so much, but he is useless. As the rest of the first years are. I assume the favour you are asking is that I teach him Defence as well?"
"Would you Severus?"
"If the boy does have a piece of the Dark Lord inside him do you think I am the best person to be giving him private lessons? Have you forgotten about this?" He bared his left sleeve to show the Dark Mark. Its black branding stood out against his pale skin.
"You are the most qualified to teach him Severus. And I trust you. You will keep him alive and well. Maybe get to know him a little too, you enjoyed that snowball fight at Christmas did you not? You will see Lily in him Severus, she isn't as gone as you might think."
"Come tomorrow evening." Snape stated. "I will have a lesson plan done by then that you can look over before his next scheduled lesson."
"Thankyou Severus. Thankyou."
When Poppy returned to the Hospital Wing Harry was still sleeping but it seemed as if he were in a conversation with someone in a dream. His lips were moving and were forming words. His expression was pleading and she was just about to wake him when he shouted out "I can't do it! Why does it have to be me that saves everyone? I just want to be Harry!"
Harry's shouting woke him up and he sat up, rubbed his eyes and put on his glasses. Seeing his auntie by his bed he asked
"Is it nearly dinnertime? Can I go flying?"
"It's half past three Harry. There's still some time yet before dinner!" She ruffled his hair affectionately with a small smile on her face. "What were you dreaming of just now Harry?"
"I had to get Fluffy to move so I could go down the trapdoor. It was a test. Dumbledore and Flamel will be really angry if I don't."
Poppy could tell her nephew was still half asleep. She hadn't got that much information in a while. Especially without leading questions. Since he was being talkative she decided to take advantage before he fell asleep again.
"Why do you need to do that Harry?"
"Need to stop Voldemort being immortal. No-one else will. Has to be me."
"That's not true Harry, there are plenty of trained fighters if he ever should rise again."
Harry shook his head vehemently. "Dumbledore said so. Gotta be me." He fell back asleep after that line, so Poppy couldn't question him any more.
Harry obviously thought he had to save the world. Poppy had done everything she could to give him a normal life. She was not going to stop now! She would write to the Flamels, tell them what was happening and ask them to remove the Stone from the castle.
She looked down at her nephew as he was sleeping. She wondered what types of dreams he was having this time. Remembering her Christmas present she quickly fetched the Indicator and held it over Harry's head. It glowed blue meaning he wasn't unhappy in sleep.