Title:
A few days more

Sequel to:
Twenty-one days

Author:
evil minded

Date:
November, 6th 2010

Timeframe:
Fourth year at Hogwarts

Summary:
"A few days more" is the sequel to "Twenty-one days" – read and review this first or you wouldn't understand all that happens in this story.
The fourth year Slytherins and Gryffindor have survived their imprisonment in the potions classroom situated in the dungeons. How will they go on in all-day life after their survival? How will they manage to reintegrate into the castle's routine and their classes? How will they be able to go back to life at all? Watch how those who survived fight for their lives and for their peace.

Disclaimer:
Did you see Severus alive at the end of 'The deathly hallows'? no?
Do you think I would have had him died if I had written those books? no?
Then you know that 'Harry Potter' does not belong to me … nor does Severus … regrettably …
But Hereweald Hrothgar does …

Rating:
M – Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16

Author's Notes:
Uhm … alright … I have to admit … English is not my language by birth … so … please do not kill me while reading … neither for the – perhaps – sad language, nor for the subject of my writing …
Also, this is a story written for NaNo, a story written within thirty days only and even though I go over the chapters before uploading them – I do apologize if it might not have the same quality at one point or another than those stories of mine you are used to by now … thank you …

Warning:
Story contains bad language and swearing.
Don't ever use such, it's neither good manners nor proper use of language and never mind how 'cool' it might sound, it surely isn't a sign of intelligence. It won't get you anywhere and people will think less of you if you are unable articulating properly.
Story contains references to child neglect.
Child neglect is a really, really serious thing, and there are a lot of children in our world that are neglected, children that lack food, clothing, often love, and perhaps even a roof over their head – and closing our eyes, and pretending it does not exist – is no solution …
Story contains references to child abuse.
Child abuse is one of the most evil things, and there are a lot of children in our world that really would need help but have to live without hope – and again, closing our eyes and pretending it does not exist – is no solution … instead show sympathy, and understanding … and handle people, children as well as adults, which are showing any signs – whichever – of once having been abused … with understanding and with help …
What does not mean I am not as evil as I pretend to be … ^.~ … believe me – I am …

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

A few days more
Chapter six
Day six – twenty-eighth of September – Saturday
First time meetings

"Are you ready?" Severus asked when coming into the room from having visited Poppy's office for a few minutes, looking over at the children that sat on the beds and looking as if they felt all dressed up and nowhere to go – simply lost – and he could see one or another headshake, Harry's being amongst them.

"I thought you wanted to go." He said, picking up the cardigan he'd had Zilly getting him just the day before, after realizing that Harry had nothing in his trunk that was even close to being called proper clothing, reaching the piece of cloth at his son.

"I do, but I ... it's ... well, it's just that today it's warm outside and I'm wearing a long-sleeved pullover and a cardigan. No one else does." The boy said and he sighed, knowing what the child meant.

"Draco does, and Theodore, too, as well as Parvati, and Tracy, and even Adrian does wear warmer clothes than the remainder of the student body would during a warm day such as this, Harry." He said, looking over the child's clothes, a pair of blue Jeans, a black hoodie with long sleeves and pockets, knowing that the boy wore a T-shirt beneath as well as warm undergarments and socks – most likely mixed socks again – and shoes that rather reminded at hiking boots than the shoes that were required at Hogwarts, clothes that – even if hanging on the skeletal frame a little bit – were well-fitting, and Severus had ordered them for the child, an emergency-wardrobe, as he had called it, and the boy liked them – but they were winter clothes.

"Adrian is younger and Parvati and Tracy are girls, they're bound to freeze." The boy said and it was clear that he kept himself from sounding whining. "And Draco and Theodore don't wear a cardigan, not even their pullovers are as warm as is mine."

"With a reason, Harry." He said, holding out the cardigan for Harry to slip into the sleeves. "None of the two have been as close to death as have you, and none of them have lost as much weight as have you. You are a fourteen-year-old boy, and your average weight should be between 110 and 115 pounds, Harry. Do you want to know your current weight? No? I will tell you nevertheless, because you have to realize how very dangerous it would be to gamble with your health right now. Your current weight is 50 pounds, that would be the average weight of a seven-year-old child, Harry, and even if we go below average, as much as humanly reasonable below average, then it would still be the weight of a very light nine-year-old child but surely not of a fourteen-year-old, and I fear it won't be even possible to get you up to 110 pounds, ever. I fear we will be very happy if we can get you up to 80 or 90 pounds what will be the weight of a very slight twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy – if we are lucky. Do you start to understand my worries now? I personally will not risk anything, Harry, because you could still die."

"Yes, sir." The boy said, chewing on his lips. "Sorry, sir."

"Stop that." He said, reaching over to pull the boy's lips from beneath his teeth. This child was one of the most fidgety students he had ever taught at Hogwarts.

Except for Emma.

Flashback

"Stay behind, please, Miss Black." He said while the students collected their things to leave his classroom.

The girl looked over at him with a look he couldn't name for a moment, but before he could, his first-year student looked away, gathering her things and stuffing them into her bag that clearly was in a chaotically disarray. A few moments later the children had left his classroom, the Gryffindors with much noise, clearly being angry about the loss of points he'd taken from Creevey for trying to take photos in his class, the nerve of the boy.

"I have noticed you missing breakfast this morning, Miss Black, on the very first day of term already." He then said when the girl stood in front of his desk, nervously fidgeting with the strap of her book bag while shuffling her feet. "After I have explained the rules of this house just last night, amongst them, the rule that you are not to miss meals – any explanation to that?"

"Jus' didn' wanna eat with 'em." The girl answered in a terribly growled dialect, blue eyes blazing with something he realized was self-defense, the girl – rightfully so – fearing she was in trouble for missing meals.

"I do not care what you want or not, Miss Black, you will partake in all meals provided at Hogwarts." He said, knowing that he had to make his point before he could move on to any reasons the girl might have. "And for any future conversations, I would prefer it if you used a more proper speech. You are not three anymore but a young girl with eleven years of age, and I expect no less."

"Yes, sir." The girl answered, even if clearly unhappy, but he nodded his approval.

"Now, if I might ask, what is your reasoning for not wanting to eat with them?" He then asked.

"Dunno." The girl answered. "They don' like me."

"Any idea as to why not?" He asked, frowning, but this time the girl only shrugged her shoulders.

"Don' care ..." The girl then mumbled, her face angry.

"I don't think that this is the truth, Miss Black, or you would not miss meals because of it." He said, lifting his eyebrow, but again the girl only shrugged her shoulders.

"I have noticed that you have written more than the required foot of homework about the chapter I have appointed to read during class – while you have not even read the chapter to begin with. May I have a look at your work as I am curious about your day's work?"

End flashback

Well, if he had thought that the girl had not written anything about the chapter on healing abilities of some potions, but one or another nonsense, seeing that she hadn't read the chapter after all, then he'd been very wrong, because the child had written a sixth year essay about the healing abilities of not just some potions in general but with examples of several different potions – and not only concerning the content but concerning the eloquence of her writing too, which clearly was very much more eloquent than her speaking abilities. Not so her handwriting – that, had rather been the handwriting of a six year old who had just learned how to write simple letters.

"Would you rather wear something else?" He asked the boy, already going through the child's wardrobe and what of the atrocious clothes he could transfigure into something more appropriate for the great hall.

"No, sir." The boy then sighed, defeated. "I'd only freeze then, and everyone would see that I'm a scarecrow, too. I hate it!"

"I know that you do." He softly said. "But we will be able changing it, if we work hard on your eating habits. It won't be easy, and it won't change from day one to day two, neither will we be able undoing the damage done to you by your relatives completely, do not make mistakes on that, but it is possible to undo some of the damage to begin with."

Flashback

"I will have you tested by a healer from St. Mungo's as soon as possible, Miss Black." He said after having had a discussion with the girl about the essay she had just written, a discussion that was worth one with any Potions Master. "I start to see the problem here, but I will nevertheless have a healer in this, too. After that we will decide how to continue with your education."

"You'll have me in a higher-grade class?" The girl asked, seriously, hopefully, and he sighed.

"No, Miss Black, I won't." He then answered, the girl's face already getting dark again.

"But I don' see a reason why I should reduce my learning to things I've learned years ago already!" The girl whined, clearly upset. "I don' understand! It's like going back to being a baby! It's ... it's ..."

"It is frustrating, am I correct, Miss Black?" He asked, trying to sound friendly instead of annoyed.

"Yeah ..." The girl made, clearly close to tears.

"In keeping you in your class, I clearly do reduce your learning when it comes to your knowledge, yes, but at the same time it will give you the chance to learn how to interact with your classmates, and to learn how to interact with other human beings, because I am sure – that is your initial problem. You are over-intelligent, Miss Black, clearly a genius, and I am sure that I could ask you any question and would gain a correct answer, but you clearly show signs of autism, and I would do no good in getting you off your class now. You will have to learn patience, you will have to learn to take a step back, and you will have to learn how to rest your brain as well as how to handle other people – you have the chance doing so while you are here and you will have my help in this, if you are willing."

End flashback

Well, he'd had the girl tested and the healer from St. Mungo's had confirmed his suspicions – Emma Black clearly did bear signs of autism. The girl did have a very high IQ, but a very low EQ, and together they had made a timetable for the girl, one that had her keeping her familiar habits, while at the same time, it dared her to leave her accustomed things in life.

She, for example, partook in all of her regular classes, but only for thirty minutes out of forty-five and during her prolonged breaks she had to leave her school supplies alone, only listening to the teacher's lecture if there was one, or resting if possible, resting her mind as well as resting her body because she had to learn how to rest her brain – and he knew, any break was just as strenuous for the girl as was any lesson to the normal student body.

"Come now." He finally said. "The headmaster and the other teachers are waiting. The students are not at the great hall yet, and so it will be peaceful enough for you to have your breakfast there. It is important for you to get used to the routine at Hogwarts again, Harry, and I promise you, that none of the teachers will remark your appearance."

Frowning he wondered if Harry didn't have one or another trait that was bordering on autism too, the boy clearly being highly intelligent and talented when it came to his spell-work, never mind in which area, but – apparently – inept in his more practical lessons, except for Quidditch where he could act out his need for movement while at the same time the boy was unable to read a clock if it was not digital, to tie his shoes, to tell his right hand from his left hand and to read music, he had tested that already – which were all things that were connected with each other in one's brain.

Getting the child to try something new – during the past few days he had learned the hard way that it was nearly impossible, though the boy had soon been getting used to the new routine in the dungeons, seeing that after his summer holidays and getting abused, and starved by his relatives, the child would of course settle into any routine that was not theirs, but then Harry had stuck to that routine – as well as to his own bowl, his own glass and even the spoon. He had always used the same one, refusing to use any other if one of the other children had taken this particular spoon already.

Added to that came the child's habit of pulling back into himself at times, so deeply that even his friends were unable pulling him out of it, and he could remember something Minerva had mentioned in the staff room at the beginning of the child's first year.

Flashback

"I swear, that boy lay in the back of the classroom on the floor, playing with pieces of chalk he used as people, and I can only guess that he had forgotten about being in class at all!" Minerva said the moment he entered the staff room and he frowned, wondering which imbecile it had been this time, surely none of her lions or she wouldn't be so annoyed and surely not one of his Slytherins as they wouldn't pull such a stunt.

"Why didn't you remind him then, Minerva?" Filius asked.

"I did, but I was unable to pull him out of his playing, he didn't even notice me, or what I said to him, nor anything that happened around him." Minerva answered and he frowned. That clearly sounded as if it were an attention deficit disorder, and one that already bordered on autism.

"You should have summoned the chalk then, Minerva, that would have gotten the imbecile's attention." He huffed at the woman, not ready to share his concerns yet.

"I did." She said, sounding strangely upset. "The result was anything than pleasant, and next time I'll just let him have the chalk to play with."

End flashback

Back then he hadn't asked who the "he" had been, but in later months and years he had often thought that Minerva might have been talking about Harry, about the Potter boy, as he back then had still thought, because he, too, had seen signs of autism in the child's behaviour, some movements being always the exact same, as if following a hidden routine, while he knew that it wasn't actual autism when it came to Harry – he just would have to take a closer look into the matter, perhaps ask a healer at St. Mungo's. What he however definitely could say was, that it was not something he'd been born with but something that had been caused by the abuse the child had lived with at the Dursleys' household, because he knew that in neither James' nor in Lily's family was any such disorder he could have inherited.

The others so far had left Harry alone when he was so unresponsive, but now he had ordered them to get him, Snape, if that happened and he would then decide if it were better to pull him out of it – and he meanwhile knew how – or to allow him his moment.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"Good morning." Albus greeted them and he grimaced at the bright happiness in the older wizard's voice.

It was too early to deal with an overenthusiastic headmaster right now and he sighed while leading Harry inside the great hall where Albus had banished the four house tables and had placed one large table in the middle of the hall so that they could all sit together comfortably and without worries, and he was glad that for once the old wizard had heeded his suggestion. "I'm so glad to see all of you up and well, really, we've ..."

"Good morning, Albus." He said, falling into the headmaster's words. The last thing the children right now needed was feeling guilty because the headmaster had been worried together with the entire staff. "Perhaps you allow the children to have their seats before you startle them to death, and breakfast before that would not be amiss either. If you'd please move over, Minerva, so that I can have some of the children sitting opposite me so that I can easily watch them and their eating habits, thank you."

He knew that they would have troubles the moment they arrived at the great hall with the entire student body, and all four house tables in place, and he was glad that he didn't have to deal with that right now.

Right now, it was only one table, and the teachers present. He placed Harry into a comfortable chair on the right side of Albus and then he sat to the right of the boy where he could make sure the child ate enough while he would also be able to judge if the boy became too tired. The child was not well to begin with, having had a fever in the evening for two days now, a fever that was gone in the morning, just to come back in the evening hours, and he was sure that it wouldn't be any different today – or rather tonight.

He had Theodore sitting at his other side and Adrian sitting opposite him with Draco beside him and Emma on his other side, so that he had those with the most problems in close view.

"Harry, my boy." Albus immediately lunging at the boy, not realizing that he startled him. "Care for a lemon drop?"

Harry smiled at the old wizard after pulling himself together, after nearly giving away a startled yelp, but politely he declined the lemon drop he was offered, knowing that the thing would just upset his stomach, and he really didn't want to puke out his innards here in front of all the teachers, he felt out of place enough as it was without such an embarrassing incident. Not to mention that he had soon learned from Snape's ramblings about 'the old coot' dosing his sweets with calming potions, or with truth potions, and he really didn't want to find out what kind of foolish things he would do or say should he accept one of the laced sweets, for once glad that his relatives had taught him better than to accept any sweets offered to him or he would have accepted those 'blasted sweets', as Snape called them, years ago already when he had come to Hogwarts.

"And here the celebrity arrives."

It was a sneer so much alike his own that he could even feel the boy in question looking up at him startled, but the comment had come from a man clad in dark grey clothes, a young man with a suntanned face, blue eyes and short blond hair, a man that might be considered good-looking by some, but whose angular face was hard and cold.

"If you happen to speak of my son, then I suggest using a different tone, Creighton." He said, calmly, regarding the man with a cold stare of his own dark eyes. "As well as choosing different words."

"Of course, Snape." Creighton said, sneered, but nevertheless he knew, that he would have to have an eye on that man.

"May I introduce Carl Creighton, the new history of magic teacher?" Albus said and he huffed. He had already heard of the man, and seeing that there were only three new teachers here, of which he knew two already, this one had to be Creighton. "I think that no student will fall asleep during History of Magic from now on, at least the students are already doing homework in that particular subject."

"What is no proof of any interest on the students' side." He drawled, unable to keep silent. He didn't know why, because what he had heard of the man was nothing that was a really tangible thing, nothing like – 'Creighton threatened students' or 'Creighton manhandled students' or 'Creighton killed students' – it just was what his Slytherins told him about the man, that they were scared of him, that they had a bad feeling concerning the man, and normally he trusted the gut feeling of his students.

Flashback

"Attention, please." He called upon entering the Slytherin common room, softly, but even though a moment later the room was as silent as it had never ever been before, as silent as if it were empty, and he smirked at the knowledge that he had not lost his touch, that Harry had not made a complete emotional fool out of him.

A moment later, however, hell broke loose.

"Professor!"

"Sir!"

"Professor Snape!"

"Severus!"

"Merlin!"

"Professor!"

And another moment later he had more than just a handful of students surrounding him, some of the younger ones even throwing their arms around his stomach in their enthusiasm, some even nearly crying, and looking around he noticed pale faces, faces that had clearly not been laughing for a long time on the younger students' side and tired faces that had not had enough rest for some time on the older students' side, and sighing he lifted his hands and placed them on the shoulders of those children that dared hugging his stomach.

They were just relieved that he was still alive, and they were Slytherins, students of his house.

"Mr. Warrington, Mr. Montague, a moment please." He said, waving the two over before he gripped the most clingy child, Miles Granary, a small second year now, below his armpits to lift him up, knowing that the boy wouldn't release his stomach anytime soon, and then he went towards one of the sofas which were free now, seeing that all the children were surrounding him anyway.

He didn't even mind that they followed them, surrounding them there then, some of the other second and third years climbing on the sofa and leaning against him on either side while he had Miles on his lap, the boy leaning against his chest, crying and he ran his hand through the light brown hair of the child.

"A few words on the past three weeks, please, Mr. Warrington." He said, addressing his prefects.

"Nothing too bad happened, Professor." The boy said. "The younger children had trouble coping with your absence and I think we older students had all hands full with keeping them in line concerning meals and rest, but we managed – more or less. The studies didn't suffer as most of us knew that you would be disappointed if we allowed any lack in this area, while you were not here. No student was caught doing something stupid, but they nearly panicked when Adrian went missing and later Emma. We were informed about them being safe and cared for by Professor Hrothgar, but it hadn't been easy as we weren't allowed informing the others about their clear whereabouts."

"I see." He said, seriously. "There are some new Professors this year, any troubles with them so far, Mr. Montague?"

"No, sir." That boy answered. "Professor Hrothgar is not so different from you, and so we get along with him well. Professor Moody is – in his own way – alright, too. Openly he seems to prefer the Gryffindors, always giving the Slytherins detention, but I think that he just plays a role that is expected of him as a teacher of the light, because the detentions he gives the Slytherins are – nothing than going over homework or spell-work. It is different with Professor Creighton."

"How so?" He asked, his eyes narrowed while trying to classify the man but not remembering having heard his name ever before.

"I cannot answer your question, Professor." The boy said, frowning. "It is nothing I could say specifically, only my gut feeling. He is strict, he has a misbehaving student standing in a corner, and he doesn't care if it is in front of the class or during detention only, he has the students cleaning his classroom or something like that, but ... it's just strange – he is just strange, and even though I cannot name a reason, I do not trust him, and some of the students are even scared of him. At least, I made always sure that none of the younger Slytherins were alone with him for detentions."

"That was very well done, Mr. Montague." He said. "I see that you have acted very reasonably in a dire situation, and I will make sure that you are rewarded for your efforts. Well done, indeed."

End flashback

"I'm so glad that you are all back." Minerva said, getting him out of his memories, and he could watch her eyes going over the Gryffindors.

That would be the next problem, he realized, Minerva noticing that her fourth-year lions clung to him more now, and mentally he already prepared for a battle he would have to fight at one point or another during the next few days.

"Yes, Ma'am." Harry politely answered and the other Gryffindors nodded at their head of house but none of them really showed too much enthusiasm, and he could already see Minerva's face falling.

"You are no fourth years, Miss Black and Mr. Pucey." Albus threw in and he knew that it was meant to distract Minerva from her worries. "Nor are you, Misters Baddoc and Prichard. How come that I find you in their presence?"

All four children looked up at him, startled, Adrian clearly because he was not used to being addressed by the headmaster, clearly still wanting nothing else than being in his, Snape's presence, and Emma clearly startled at being addressed at all and not knowing how to deal with this kind of human contact as it was no school related question – and the other two boys just not knowing what to answer to a question such as this, it hadn't been their decision, after all. They had been pulled from their house, due to health reason.

"Seeing that none of the present teachers have looked out for the Slytherins and their needs during the absence of their head of house, I have taken those students who had worried enough so that their worries had taken an impact on their health concerning meals and rest, out of their house to integrate them into this group." He answered the headmaster's question, unable of keeping a hint of accusation out of his voice but he did keep himself from adding a scathing comment about his thoughts, knowing that an argument wouldn't do any good to the children now. They were here to have breakfast together with the other teachers so that they got used to the crowds that would await them tomorrow. "You will soon learn that they will have enough troubles with being re-integrated into the all-day life of this school, Albus, and I fear that we will have to discuss a few things before they are back to classes on Monday."

"Such as?" Moody asked, frowning at them.

"Such as the children being allowed to have a small snack between classes as they are unable of eating an appropriate amount of food during one meal, they will need several small meals until they are used to food again, and such as taking a rest if they so need, even if it is in the midst of a class."

"You don't expect me to allow them sleeping in my class, Snape!" Creighton called out, shocked. "If so, then you can get back Binns to lull them to sleep, I won't allow them drooling off and over the desks!"

"Then perhaps you should give your subject over to a more understanding teacher for the time being, because those children will need rest and it actually might be that they fall asleep in one lesson or another. They have nearly died, Creighton, you seem to have not noticed that little fact, yet!"

"A more understanding teacher!" Moody huffed. "And such a request from you, Snape!"

"Bear in mind, Snape, that I won't allow any student to fall asleep in my lessons, no exceptions." Creighton called out, outraged.

"I will make sure of that, Creighton." He hissed back at the man. "I just cannot promise your class being visited regularly by all the students in that case, and you better be silent, Moody, because I do know what you are doing to my students during detention!"

Harry beside him chuckling caused him to growl at the boy but at least Moody chose to not answer his comment – contraire to Albus.

"They are not your students right now, Severus." The blasted man said, causing Harry – and some of the other children in their presence right now – to look up at him, startled. "They are Professor Hrothgar's students at the moment."

Well, he would have chosen a different time to tell them, but well, be it as it may – it was now then.

"Actually, they are Severus' and mine, Albus." Hereweald chose this moment to get a word in. "And seeing that Severus has enough at his hands with these children here, until they are back to health, I still think that it has been the wisest decision."

"Dad?" Harry unsurely asked in his small voice, the small hand gripping the hem of his robes below the table and sighing he reached over to place a reassuring hand on the child's shoulder.

"Professor Hrothgar and I have decided that right now you are my first priority, all of you, until you are well, and surely I would not manage having a close eye on you imbeciles and all you could have in your idiot minds, while I have the head of house duty added to classes over my head." He growled. "Therefore, the headmaster has allowed two heads of houses for the Slytherins for the time being so that they can seek the help of Professor Hrothgar generally and mine if they are uncomfortable with him or – encase of Adrian, Miles and Emma – pulled out of their house and added to our group by me. I do hope that you will be not too disappointed and unhappy about the fact that you will have me breathing down your neck for a while longer, Mr. Snape."

Well, a moment later he had a very emotional Harry Snape clinging to his neck, in front of the entire staff, in front of Moody even, and Creighton, and he growled unhappily.

What had this child thought? That he would abandon them the moment they were out of there? But then – yes, of course the child had thought just that and with a defeated sigh he wrapped his own arms around the child that hang on his neck.

"Will they be alright with that, Professor?" Draco asked, his pale face worried, and he nodded over to the boy, reassuringly.

"The Slytherin house has gotten used to Professor Hrothgar very well, Draco, and they trust him." He answered. "It has not been easy to accept my retreat when we talked to them yesterday evening, seeing that I have been their head of house for many years now, but as they like Professor Hrothgar, they have accepted the change, knowing that I am still there and not gone completely, knowing that I will be back one day sooner or later."

Flashback

"I would like to talk to you about something else." He then said, producing a patronus and sending it away with a message for Hereweald.

A moment later the door to the common room opened and his old friend came in, already knowing the subject and the man's own face was a mixture of sadness and seriousness, sadness over the necessity of his presence, and seriousness because he knew that the children wanted Severus back.

"I am sure that all of you can imagine the poor health of those who has been locked away at the present time, mentally as well as physically." He started the talk he knew would be very hard on them. "And I am sure that all of you will understand that they cannot be left alone right now. Therefore, Professor Hrothgar and I have decided it best for me to keep an eye on them until the situation is back to normal, meaning they are back to health, all of them, the Gryffindors as well as the Slytherins."

"You mean ... you're leaving us." The boy in his lap asked, turning halfway to look up at him, startled.

"No, Miles." He seriously answered. "I am not leaving you. I just give part of the head of house duty over to Professor Hrothgar whom I trust unconditionally. I am still here, Miles, I won't really abandon you, but you will have to understand that I cannot abandon those children either and at the present time I cannot stretch myself thin to be there for you as well as for them."

"But why you, Professor?" Hester, a second-year girl who had tried to get close to him, too, piped up, sounding desperate. "Why not another teacher?"

"Because Severus has been with them, child." Hereweald said, taking the child beneath her armpits and lifting her from the sofa, sitting down himself before setting her onto his lap. "He does understand their needs best right now, and that is very important."

"But we're important, too!" The girl said, unconsciously leaning against the other wizard's chest. "We've needs, too!"

"Of course, you are important, too, Hester." Hereweald answered, chuckling. "And of course, you have needs, too, and that is why I am here. Severus has a different duty for the time being and we have to accept it, but the moment he has finished his duty, never mind when that will be, then he will be back with you. In the meantime, we all will have to give our best, you as well as I. Do you think you can do that for your two heads of house now?"

"None of you will be left alone, I promise you this." He said. "I will visit your common room every now and then, and then you will be able annoying me with your idiot little questions."

Well, if nothing had elicited a smile, this comment did, and he gave one of his own rare smiles himself.

"I won't be gone." He softly reassured. "And I won't abandon you, I will be just a bit farther away than you are used to, but I will be here."

End flashback

Well, it had been a conversation that had gone easier than he'd had expected and he had been glad for the children's understanding while at the same time he could understand their disappointment and would be there for those who needed him despite Hereweald's presence.

A startled scream got him out of his thoughts and looking up he groaned in frustration and annoyance.

Of course it had to be Sibyll, making a scene, the woman standing there, close to the entrance of the great hall and pointing at them, her eyes behind her ridiculously large glasses fixed on Harry, who looked back with just as wide eyes, startled, too, and leaning back a bit when the idiot woman came closer, still pointing at the child.

"Mr. Potter ..." Sibyll gasped and he sighed. Another death, and of course it had to be his son.

"I know, I'm going to die soon." Said boy sighed the moment he had recovered from the shock, and for a moment he wasn't sure if he should take the situation lightly and laugh or if he should be worried and interfere. "And here I thought that with becoming Professor Snape's son and friends with Draco and Theodore, I had avoided every danger at Hogwarts and should survive a bit longer."

Well, he couldn't help his lip twitching into a smirk at his son's words now, while Albus and Minerva chuckled and the children burst into laugher, causing Sibyll to turn with a sullen "you'll see" on her lips.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"Any idea whose essay that has been?" Harry asked, frowning, while sitting on his bed, Indian style, his blanket laying over his legs and running his fingers over the letters on the parchment like blankets.

They all had taken the transfigured blankets with them.

He had thought that they would be tired of seeing them after those three weeks, had thought that they were tired of anything that had to do with their imprisonment, but they all had kept their transfigured blankets, even after Poppy had offered them other blankets, warmer blankets, larger and softer blankets – they had declined, all of them.

Well, it was warm here, in the hospital wing, overly warm even, and so the children didn't freeze, not even with those thin covers, and after their stubbornness and their refusal of letting go their 'cuddle blankie' as he called it, he simply had cast permanent warming charms on them as well as softening charms and refreshing charms.

Frowning he looked over at the child, not really satisfied with the raspy question, the child's throat clearly getting infected again and approaching the boy's bed he sat down at the edge, placing his hand at his boy's forehead.

"You are getting warm, again." He said, frowning. How was it, that the fever was gone in the morning and came back every evening? "Considering the amount of red ink however, and concerning the unrecognizable scrawl, I think it is Ronald's essay you have here."

The boy looked over at the red-head, unsurely.

They had made their truce, down in the dungeons, while they had been locked up, but now, that they were free, Harry was unsure about the Weasley boy and he wasn't sure if it was general fear, or if he just feared that he might have lost his friend, or the closeness of their previous friendship they had shared for years.

"Wanna have it back?" Harry asked the boy who shook his head while looking at his own essay.

"I think I have yours, Harry." Draco said. "At least I think it's your scrawl."

"And this is yours, Draco." Hermione said. "If I give you yours, then you could give yours to Harry and Harry could give his to Ron."

"Well, this here has barely any red on it." Tracy said. "Guess that's yours then, Hermione." The girl stood, simply giving the blanket to Hermione without a word and Hermione, after a second of hesitation gave her blanket to Draco who smiled at the girl before giving his blanket to Harry, and Harry without hesitation handed his blanket over to Ronald.

At the same time Pansy had exchanged blankets with Daphne, and Gregory has given his to Vincent, while Ronald reached his over to Theodore – barely half an hour after the initial question all the students had ... 'their' ... 'cuddle blankie' ... and with a suffering sigh he shook his head.

"Happy now?" He asked in a growl, trying to sound annoyed, but well, if it had ever worked with them, it didn't work anymore now, because they all chuckled and he huffed at them. "I suggest you take out the charms notes Professor Flitwick has copied for you and read through them before lunch, so that you have something to do that actually makes sense instead of behaving like small children – because if you think that I will read you a story, then you will be very much mistaken."

Well, it was heavenly quiet for some minutes after that, the imbeciles actually doing as they were told and reading through three weeks' worth of charms material – until Harry broke the silence.

"If you're digging a hole from the north pole to the south pole, and then throw a stone into it, how far does it fall?" The boy asked and he frowned.

"What nonsense." Draco huffed. "If you'd actually be able to dig a hole all the way from the north pole to the south pole, then the earth would spin out of the orbit to begin with."

"Wouldn't the lava run out of the hole before that?" Neville asked and he huffed at the two boys who apparently didn't realize that this surely was another one of Harry's stupid questions that didn't need any intelligent answer. "And then the planet would get cold, and we had a new ice age."

"There's a muggle movie called ice age." Hermione said. "It's a funny one."

"Dunno." Adrian said, climbing up on Harry's bed and leaning against the small frame, carefully but clearly looking for the other boy's comfort and he narrowed his eyes at him. "How far does it fall?"

He would have thought that there would be a rivalry between Harry and Adrian, and not only over him, Severus, but over Harry's weight and height too, the older of the two clearly being very annoyed about the fact that the second year was taller than was he.

"Just twenty-five yards." Harry answered Adrian's question. "Because there, the big, blue stone eater is sitting."

"You're an idiot, Harry." Adrian chuckled, trying to get comfortable.

"I know." Harry said, shifting the younger boy's form until Adrian lay with his head in Harry's lap. "Sleep, Adrian, you look tired." Harry then said and obediently Adrian closed his eyes.

"You look tired, too." Severus said, eyeing the boy, clearly not pleased with the situation. "Why don't you lay down, too?"

"I have only a few lines to read, then I'll lay down a bit, I promise." The boy said and he nodded, frowning.

He was glad that on one hand Harry was able to tell him what he needed or planned, namely reading a few lines to finish the copy Filius had made of his students' notes, but he was not really happy about the 'I promise' at the end of the boy's sentence, it sounded a bit too much like the boy trying to reassure him in order to get out of any punishment if possible. He would have to work on that habit of the brat, fearing he would be punished for minor things while at the same time he wondered – did the boy have a relation of what were minor things even, seeing that with the Dursleys apparently everything that had happened had been a big thing that had warranted a punishment?

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Yawning Harry lay down on the sofa in their room with a blanket – with his blanket – having only a short nap after lunch in his mind before working some more on his charms notes, but it seemed that he had only just closed his eyes and dozed off, when the next thing he knew was his father shaking his shoulder and calling his name and tiredly he opened his eyes, just to see his father crouching in front of the sofa and watching him concerned.

"It is time for dinner, Harry." The man said when he had his attention and he frowned, because he actually must have slept for several hours if it was already time for dinner and shivering he tried to get back down under the blanket.

"'m not hungry." He mumbled, rasped, his throat hurting with the whispered words and a moment later he had to fight for air while he fought with a coughing fit.

For several long moments Harry was shaken by dry and harsh coughs while he, Severus, held the painfully thin frame, the coughs making it clear just how weak the child was and when they finally subsided the child lay weakly in his arms, clearly feeling exhausted despite the nap he'd taken earlier and even if he knew that his face was still calm, he knew that he couldn't hide the worry in his eyes. Yet, he didn't care.

"Call Poppy please, Neville." He said to the child sitting closest and the boy immediately got up while he looked into the pale face with the red cheeks, caused by the fever that had – yet again – taken hold.

Flashback

Lily took a few steps back after dumping the baby into his arms – a Lily-like action, really – and he felt more than just awkward while holding the boy, trying to remain as motionless as possible when the infant blinked up at him in curiosity, green eyes blinking up at him with a trust that only a small baby could show, a creature that had not made any negative experiences in its tiny life yet, and he didn't know how to handle the situation.

A moment later he was shocked by something only a spawn of Potter could do – or a child of Lily – and still looking into the green eyes, while Potter Junior gave him a wide and toothless smile, squealing softly with delight while trying to cuddle deeper into his robes – he wasn't so sure if he should see the small thing as Potter's spawn or Lily's child.

The nerve of this boy! Merlin!

Did that blasted brat not know that he didn't like children? Did this blasted little thing not know that he would use him in one or another potion? Cut into small pieces? Limb by limb? The nerve of that boy indeed!

Steeling himself he refused to be bothered by the small baby's actions, only shifting the strange thing in his arms so that he could hold him more comfortably and giving away a deep growl – that only had the bloody thing squealing in delight again, green baby-eyes shining happily in a rosy baby-face.

End flashback

The small little thing had soon fallen asleep in his arms, not bothering his discomfort at holding a newborn baby, and seeing that Lily had fallen asleep on her own bed, too, while he had watched the little imp, he'd had no other choice than sitting down with the strange little creature in his arms, waiting for the mother to wake if he didn't wish to leave the baby elsewhere and unprotected.

He had looked so peaceful back then, unbothered by anything that happened around him, unbothered by any emotion he might elicit out of people, out of him, Snape, unbothered by the world itself.

This child here, this same child, just older, he didn't look so peaceful anymore and he knew that he was not unbothered, not by the world around him, nor by what he might elicit out of the people around him, and he couldn't help worry while he tried to wake the boy to give him a fever reducer and a coughing solution – without any success this time.

Well, during the past few weeks he had learned that the child was always hard to rouse from a deep sleep, no matter how long he had been sleeping and sometimes Severus thought that the boy would sleep for days if he were able to, knowing that most likely this need for sleep was caused by lack of sleep because of either nightmares or because of pain caused by beatings and being hungry, and then even more nightmares keeping the child awake at his relatives' house.

Sighing he decided to leave the child sleeping, spelling the potions into the child's stomach, even if he didn't like doing so, and then he pulled back the blanket to – again – run a cold cloth over the child's calves, shaking his head over the – again – mixed socks the boy was wearing while he wondered how this would end.

They were released by Poppy, free to go, all except of Harry – but none of the other children was ready to leave while Harry was still admitted to the hospital wing.

Well, he would see what the next day would bring.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

To be continued

Next time in A few days more
A place for my head …

Added author's note
thank you for reading - and yes, I would be glad if you took the time to review this chapter, thank you
also, of course I have re-installed the house cup – with each review, please state your house, so that your house can get a point. There won't be loss of points, only gains … may the best house with the most reviews win …

House Cup:
At the present time it looks like this:

Slytherin 94
Gryffindor 53
Ravenclaw 27
Hufflepuff 14
Hogwarts 21
Durmstrang 04
Tennessee Institute of Magic & Technomancy 01