A/N: I tried to get this to you as fast as I could. It’s amazing what childhood pleasures you resort to when you’re feeling down and I can’t even express how happy I am that Harry Potter is my go-to feel better thing J

Ad Hominem

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The next morning passed as uneventfully as the night. Poppy had ushered Severus away from the Hospital Wing with the promise to alert him if necessary. But nothing had happened and the day passed smoothly, as well as the following night, and before Severus knew it Saturday had arrived.

The woosh of the fire had woken Severus just as sunlight was beginning to peak over the horizon. Madam Pomfrey’s silhouette was moving around the bed.

“What are you doing back so early?” she asked; her voice was quiet.

Severus blinked a few times to bring his surroundings into focus and looked around. Poppy was apparently in the process of finishing up her usual morning check and Remus hurried forward looking frazzled. “How is he?”

“Improving slowly.” Her tone was soothing but Remus did not seem to be any calmer. He paused in his approach, seemingly stunned at the sight of the bruised and mottled body in front of him.

“He looks worse.”

“I said slowly.” Poppy clucked at him.

“He is no worse than when you left.” Severus, who had decided to switch to the bed next to Potter’s, turned to the side and pushed himself up on his elbow. Having been woken by Poppy’s midnight check, she had relayed the fact that Harry had slipped from unconsciousness and was now sleeping normally. Severus now passed this information over to Remus.

“He should be awake soon.”

“How soon?”

 “When he’s ready.” Poppy chided. She replaced the blanket over the boy’s prone figure and bustled away.

Remus watched her go and then leaned over the bed, smoothing the hair way from Harry’s pale forehead, and whispering quietly. Severus glanced at his watch. It was just nearing five in the morning; he could do with a few more hours of sleep. Leaning back in the bed, Severus crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed deeply.

“You don’t have to stay.”

Severus opened his eyes and raised his head. “Excuse me?”

Remus had conjured a chair on the opposite side of the bed and was now sitting in it, his hand tightly gripped around the boy’s. “I said that you don’t have to stay up here anymore, you can go back to your quarters.”

“While I appreciate the sentiment Lupin, I know what I can and cannot do and I obviously chose to stay here.” He raised an eyebrow at the smirk on the other man’s face and closed his eyes again.

Before drifting off to sleep once more, Severus sent a quiet order to Remus. “You’ll wake me if he does.”

“Of course, Severus.”

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Remus watched as the potions master shifted around on the bed next to Harry’s. While he knew that Severus was a man of his word, Remus had to admit he was pleasantly surprised to see him sleeping in the Hospital Wing.

Taking a hint from the man resting opposite him, Remus leaned back in his chair, hand still tightly wrapped around Harry's. Exhaustion poured through his body, joining the worry that had taken up residence in every cell. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of what Remus could only call 'chaos'. Harry's return from capture should have been a moment of celebration, but it seemed problem after problem rained down on them. The confusing rush of the last four days was etched on Remus' mind- from the panic that had ensued at Grimmauld Place, to Healer Dalton's arrival, the Horcrux possession, and Albus' death.

Murder. A small voice in the back of Remus' mind chided him. Suicide. Remus did not know what it was. Lailie had explained everything to him and Poppy, but Remus could not fully understand what she told him. The plan had apparently been in place for weeks; even before Harry had been found.

His anger towards the Headmaster was misplaced; Remus understood that. If there was anyone besides himself who wished no harm on Harry, it was Albus. Or at least that is what Remus wanted to believe.

It bothered Remus to think that Albus knew something like this was going to happen and had done nothing to prevent it. Lailie had tried to reassure him that that was not what had happened; that Albus had known there was a very strong possibility that Harry could be a Horcrux and had in fact been trying to sort it all out before anything could happen to Harry.

Harry...Remus moved forward again, one hand still clasping Harry's, leaning on the other's elbow and stroking the hair off the sleeping boy's forehead. What to expect when he woke up? A pit of dread wormed its way into Remus' gut. Would he even remember anything that had happened over the last weeks? They had yet to ask him about his time with the Dark Lord, how the Death Eaters had even managed to get to him- so many questions remained unanswered but would Harry be able to satiate their curiosity? And what to tell him about Albus...

All these thoughts rushed through Remus' head, causing his already tired mind to run its course. Exhaustion was closing in on him and Remus let his head drop onto the mattress, unaware that he had fallen asleep.

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It was around an hour later when Remus stirred. Unsure why, he blinked blearily in the bright light of the sun now shining in through the windows. He knew his cheek was probably creased from the sheets and he could feel the imprint of a hand against his flesh. Caught unaware for a moment, Remus could not remember where he was and the movement of the hand under his head had no affect on him. Thinking it was his own hand moving out of restlessness, Remus rolled his head to the side and started awake. He had been laying on Harry's hand and he jumped up from the chair as it twitched.

“Harry?” His voice sounded a too high pitched in his ears. “Harry, are you awake? Come on, Harry...”

Over in the next bed, Severus was once again woken up. He rolled over and groaned at Remus. “What is it, Lupin?”

“It's Harry. I fell asleep on his hand and I think I felt it moving. I think he's waking up. Harry, can you hear me?” Severus was up and standing next to him so fast, it seemed like he had never gone to sleep. 

“Potter?” Leaning over the bed, Severus could see the small movements under the boy's eyelids. There was another small twitch of his hand. “We should get the Matron.”

“No need, Severus.” Poppy called as she exited her office and walked down the middle of the room towards them. “I'd expect you to know by now that I'd know when my patient wakes.” She chastised. “I should've known you two would be awake as well.”

She reached them and Severus moved a little to let her stand next to the head of the bed where she leaned forward and brushed the hair that always seemed to fall over Harry's face away, leaving her hand momentarily resting on the smooth skin of his forehead.

Poppy called softly to the boy. “Harry dear, can you hear me?” She rubbed the back of his hand gently. “It's time to wake up, Harry; can you open your eyes?”

The fluttering under Harry's eyelids became more pronounced. Remus was practically bouncing on his heels as Harry fought his way to consciousness. Ignoring Remus' excitement, Poppy continued to coax Harry awake, pausing to flick her wand at the windows, dimming the sunlight pouring in.

“Open your eyes for me, Harry. That's a good boy...”

The moment they had been waiting for arrived and Harry slowly peeled his eyelids apart. Lacking any amount of energy, he barely managed to widen them enough to take in his surroundings before they fell shut again.

Remus suddenly stopped his fidgeting. “His eyes are going to be green, right?”

Poppy looked at Severus, seeming to shrug her shoulders uncharacteristically Severus frowned at them; he was as unsure of what to expect as they were. “They should be.”

With Poppy's continued litany Harry managed to pull his eyes open again and they all breathed a sigh of relief when the familiar emerald peered up. Unfocused and glassy as they were, those green orbs swiveled around, trying to figure out where he was.

“Harry.” Remus squeezed the hand he was holding and Harry rolled his head to look at him. Remus smiled when a look of recognition flitted across Harry's face; his eyes were still unfocused, but they could see Remus' general outline and had recognized it.

Remus looked at Poppy across the bed. “Do we have his glasses?”

Harry turned to look where Remus had directed this question and as he caught Madam Pomfrey in his gaze, a look of confusion settled on his face. Noticing it, Poppy did not answer Remus right away, instead directed a few questions at the boy in the bed.

“Harry, do you know where you are?”

He blinked at her, looking dazed for a moment, but then nodded slowly. “H'wrts.” He was breathing hard as if the mumbled scratchy answer had taken more energy than he had.

Poppy nodded. “That's right, and do you remember what happened?”

Harry's gaze darkened for a moment, looking slightly guilty as he mumbled his answer again. “Vol'mort.”

Poppy looked across the bed at Remus. Harry followed her and looked at Remus as well. He pointed at the side of Remus' head where there was a rather long gash on his temple. Dropping his hand onto his stomach, Harry forced out his question.

“W't hap'ned?”

Remus exchanged a quick glance towards the other two and Severus took over the questions. “Do you remember what happened after you came back?”

It took a moment, but when Harry's eyes focused on Severus, the look in them quickly traveled from confused to terrified and then widened discernibly as memories crashed down on him.

None of them were ready for the burst of energy that seemed to flow through the boy as he launched himself up in the bed, attempting to get away. Before he could so much as shift to the side a cry of pain tore itself from his throat and Harry grabbed his leg, his knuckles white.

“Harry!” Remus exclaimed in alarm. Both he and Poppy had sprung forward, grabbing the boy's shoulders to restrain him. His face took on a greenish hue and he pushed a hand against his stomach, which was apparently revolting against the sudden movement and pain from the fracture in his leg. Poppy pushed him gently back down.

Harry's eyes were closed now and his breathing labored as he tried to calm the nausea. Poppy reached into the bedside cabinet and retrieved a small bottle. She made to lift Harry's head a bit so as to allow him to drink the contents, but Harry turned away, moaning softly.

“It's for the nausea, dear. I promise it will make you feel better.” With another moan, Harry wrenched his eyes open and Poppy showed him the bottle. He raised his head, Poppy quickly moving to support it and she directed the bottle to his mouth so he could drink. 

As Poppy laid his head back down on the pillows, she reached for the hand draped across his stomach and pressed against his wrist, feeling his pulse.

“That's it, just relax. The potion will begin to work in a few seconds...” She smoothed his hair back again and then moved down to the end of the bed to check Harry's leg. Severus moved to the head of the bed, out of her way.

Remus had apparently not seen how badly Harry had been injured for when Poppy moved the blanket out of the way Severus heard a sharp intake of breath from across the bed.

“I thought you were going to heal it?”

“I explained to Severus the other day that I wanted to wait. I didn't want to overtax Harry's body while he was recovering from the binding potion. I set it yesterday but I want to know the extent of the injury before I heal it. Harry?” She called to the boy gently.

His face no longer contained the greenish hue and was back to its white pallor. “Can you tell me what you feel?” She held her wand and ran it down Harry's thigh. “Does that hurt, or is it numb?”

Harry looked down towards his leg. “Numb...'n tin'ly.”

“It's tingling?” Harry nodded. “It's cool to the touch as well.” Poppy frowned down at the broken limb, pressing lightly against Harry's thigh with her palm; he winced slightly. “You've broken your femur, Harry. The tingling and numbness you feel are from blood loss caused by the break. Severus, can you get a blood-replenisher out from the cabinet?”

Severus did so and Harry's eyes followed him the entire way. When Severus moved to help Harry drink it, the boy jerked away from his hands. Severus leaned forward to try again, but Harry tried to fling himself to the side again and bit his lip tightly, cracking the dry skin as he jostled his leg again.

“This is ridiculous, Harry. I've immobilized your leg, but I need you to stay still. Your body is in very rough shape and I do not want to have to put you in a body bind to make sure you heal properly.” Poppy 'tsk'ed loudly as she took the blood-replenisher from Severus, who retreated to the end of the bed.

Exchanging a glance with Severus, Remus steadied Harry and lowered him back to the bed, keeping a firm hand on his chest while Poppy helped him drink the second potion.

“Perhaps you should explain everything that has happened to the boy. I'll return when he has calmed down some and is in no danger of worsening his injuries.” Severus directed his words to Remus, who stared back at him with a look of helplessness. Glancing to Poppy and then down at Harry, seeing she was settling him back properly into the bed  and discussing the extent of his injuries with him, Remus moved towards Severus.

“I think it would be better if you stay.”

“I am obviously aggravating him.”

“He's confused, Severus. He doesn’t know what's going on. I don't think he really remembers what's happened.”

“You don't understand, Lupin. He knows I am a spy, he associates me with them.” Severus spat out the term. He had assumed before that Potter would make the association between himself and the Death Eaters but it stung just the same. Remus placed a hand on his shoulder which Severus managed to brush off with just a sharp glare.

“I cannot comfort you and tell you that he doesn't, but you need to give Harry the benefit of the doubt right now. Remember what he's gone through the last month; it's only natural that he might react strongly.”

Severus scoffed at him. “I do not question Potter's reaction, nor do I deny him his feelings. I will deal with that later after the gaps in his memory are filled in.”

“Don't you think you can stay and help us explain to him?”

“You were there, the same as I and you've been appraised of everything else necessary to tell the boy; everything he needs to know.”

Remus looked put out and Severus continued. “I know you do not want to do this, but if you would like to strengthen your relationship with Potter and help him recover, it is best that you relay the story to him.” Severus turned to leave. “I will return later to-” A smirk graced his lips “Make amends.”

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