Early morning sunshine woke Snape up. He felt much stronger at that point than he had the night before. He was also fairly confused when he woke up. How had he gotten into this wheelchair? Scenes from the night before flashed through his mind, causing his heart to race. The sight of Harry makes his heart slow to normal. Harry had lived through that, thank god.
Snape could see his invention on the floor. He remembered being angry when he learned he had nerve damage, but he was not able to wear the thing. It didn't have to be strapped tight around the chest to work, so he could still wear it. The moment Snape remembered that fact, he slowly began to wheel himself over to the invention. It took him awhile because of the nerve damage not allowing his fingers to curl over the rim of the wheel or allow his arms to extend all the way.
When Snape got there, he was sweating buckets. He clamped the invention between the heel of his hands and placed it on his lap. Now that he had it, how was he going to get it on? He was in a wheelchair and he could barely use his arms.
"dammit." He hissed softly.
"Is everything alright, professor?" He heard Harry's voice ask softly.
Snape turned his head before he turned the chair around.
"Yes, everything is fine, Harry. How are you feeling?" Snape questioned as he slowly wheeled backto the boy's bedside.
"I feel fine, sir. Just a little light-headed."
"Of course you are, seeing as you lost a lot of blood last night. You will also have a nice scar across your body. You can thank Lucius for that."
"Why are you in a wheelchair, sir?"
"A spinal injury may keep me here for a while, Potter. I have yet to flesh out the details with Healer Anderson."
"I'm glad that you're awake, Professor."
"I would say the same about you, Potter, but I knew that you would be fine."
This was a complete lie, but Snape wouldn't let Harry know that.
"May I ask you something, Potter?" Harry nodded in reply. "What...?"
But Snape was interrupted by Anderson.
"Professor, How are you feeling? And you, Harry?"
"Fine." Both men answered in unison.
Anderson approached Harry and did a diagnostic scan. Then he did one on Snape.
"This is good. Harry, you're blood levels are back to normal. You can be discharged. Professor, I want to keep you here for a couple days. I need to make sure that the burns on your chest heal properly and you need to start physical therapy."
"What is wrong with my spine?"
"You have multiple compressed vertebrae, which have been additionally damaged. It is fractured down your spine. The first is the one that we were most concerned with. It stretches from C-2 down to T-7. The second is much smaller. L-1 to L-3."
"How long will I be in this chair?"
"To be honest, there is a small chance that you will walk again and an even smaller chance that if you do walk again, you will walk again as you once did. Physical therapy may increase that chance, but not by much."
"There is a chance though, correct?"
"there is. Harry, I am going to file your discharge papers. When I get back, you can get out of that bed. Professor, I want you in there after Harry had vacated it."
"Really, Anderson?"
"Yes. It's doctor's orders."
"Of course." Snape whispered under his breath. "Your enjoying this, aren't you Anderson?"
"Very much so, sir." Anderson laughed as he walked out of the room.
Snape didn't speak to Harry for the next few minutes. His concentration was focused on putting his contraption on.
He managed to get it on his back but had a problem tightening the straps. The nerve damage in his arms had been very serious, apparently.
"Damn." Snape swore under his breath.
"Do you need help, Professor?" Harry asked as he started forward.
"No, don't. I will get it myself."
He continued to fight with the chest straps for several minutes, but he made no progress. He let out a sigh of resignation and anger. Suddenly, someone was standing in front of him
"I don't need help, Potter." Snape growled as Harry fumbled with the chest straps.
"Just let me help you, sir." Harry whispered back to him.
Snape just gave up. He admitted defeat because he knew that the boy wasn't going to change his mind. Harry stepped away after finishing with the straps.
"Thank you." Snape mumbled as he reached forward and picked up his silver coin.
"You're welcome, Professor. You know that coin actually works."
"What do you mean?" Snape asked as he rubbed the coin between his thumb and first finger.
"You didn't have that coin when you were captured. When the headmaster brought me here, I put the coin i your hand and that was when he saw first signs of brain activity. It does actually work."
Snape was about to answer when Anderson walked back into the room.
"Harry, please help me get the Professor into the bed." Anderson said after he waved a wand over the bed, changing the sheets. With the two of them working together, if took little time to get Snape into the bed. "I just received a message from Headmaster Dumbledore. He said that he was going to be here shortly. He has something that he wishes to discuss."
"With whom?" Snape questioned.
Anderson raised his hands, palms facing the sky.
"No idea." He commented before leaving the room.
"Wonder what he wants to talk about." Harry said.
"We'll just have to wait and see." Snape responded.
Just as he spoke, Dumbledore walked into the hospital room.
"Good morning, you two. How are you feeling, Harry?"
"Fine, sir."
Snape didn't speak at all. He was watching Dumbledore intently, looking for any hint of what could be coming up in the conversation. A silence fell in the room. Both Harry and Snape were waiting for Dumbledore to get to the main, important, conversation.
"I've been thinking since this all started forty-three days ago. I've come to realize that life is a very special thing and that it can be taken away quickly. When a man of my age had lived for so long, he come to realize that he's taken much for granted and how much he regrets. I am no different. I've made many choices in my life and I've come to regret many of them. I've made one choice, in particular, that I have come to regret the most. At the time, I thought it would be better for all parties involved." Dumbledore pulled out a large book and two letter from his robes. "I want you to read these letters, and, before you get angry at me, please allow me to explain."
He handed their letters to their intended recipient. Harry and Snape took their letters and studied the envelope. Together, they tore the envelope open.
Dear Sev,
When you read this, you will have heard that James and I are dead. There is nothing more than I've enjoyed in my life than spending time with you. The day you asked me to marry you was the happiest day of my life. I know how distraught you will be when you hear of my death, but you need to stay strong for Harry. You can not blame yourself for my death. I know that you wanted to run, but I would not allow it. My death is You-Know-Who's fault and his fault alone. You tried to protect me and Harry by having us live with James and I understand what you were trying to do. I didn't agree with that decision and to my dying breath, I will continue to disagree with that decision. This was a time that families needed to stay together. I didn't enjoy your absence from my life, but I understand why it had to happen.
You're a much better man than your father. You have been the best father to Harry and I know that you will continue to be an amazing father. Harry needs you in his life more than ever. I overheard Albus saying that if James and I did perish, Harry would end up living with my sister. You need to stop that plan as soon as you read this. Harry must stay with you, his rightful father. I don't think that Albus understands how my sister treated me when we were young. She's even worse now that she's married that discriminatory oaf of a muggle. You can't let Harry stay with them.
I love you and I will always love you. You were the greatest man in my life and you will be a great father to Harry.
With all my love,
Lily Evans Snape
My son, Harry.
By the time that you read this, you'll have found a new home at Hogwarts. I'm so proud that you have made it to Hogwarts and you will do so well. You will have regular contact with your father, who will be teaching potions. Make sure that you treat your father with respect when you are in his class. Potions is a dangerous subject and he had rules for a reason. Also, you may have inherited your father's temper, so please be careful.
Harry, I am so proud of you and I know that you will make your father proud too. I understand that you may be confused about my death, but one day you will understand what I did and why. I love you and don't forget it. One day, we will be together again as a family.
Until we meet again, and with all my love,
Your mother, Lily.
Both men finished reading their letters with a confused expression on their face. When Snape had finished reading his letter, he was fuming. this letter had to be a cleverly concocted hoax. Snape was never married to Lily. He would have remembered being married to the love of his life, and Potter was definitely not his child. He looked like James way too much to be Snape's son. He saw Harry lift his head up and the boy's eyes dart toward the ring on the older man's left finger.
"I know it's confusing, but here is more proof." Dumbledore says as he places a large book on the bed between Harry and Snape.
"Let me see your wand, Albus." Snape whispered.
"Severus, you are not completely healed. Your magical core..."
"Your wand, Albus." Snape said in a voice that made the hairs on the back of Harry's neck raise in fear.
Dumbledore reluctantly handed the wand to Snape. He waved the wand over his hand, looking for any signs of magic. He had tried many times before to take the ring off of his finger, but to no avail. Now it made sense because there was a spell keeping the ring on his finger and that spell had come from this wand. He flicked the wand at the ring, put the wand on his lap, and pulled the ring off. He turned it this was and that, trying to see if there was anything inscribed on the inside. There is was written in tiny cursive, ‘The last enemy to be conquered shall be death. Remember, I love you, Lily.' Snape put the ring back on his finger.
"What the hell is going on?"
Harry took the large book and he put it in his lap. He was curious to see what was inside. The cover of the book was green, with the middle square red. He began flipping through the book. There were pictures of Lily and Snape. Wedding pictures were the first ones that he saw. His mother looked stunning in her simple wedding dress.
After it was pictures of the family. Lily with Harry, Snape with Harry. It didn't make any sense to the boy. James was his father, not Snape. What was going on?
The End.