The Summer We Went Mental by Whitetail
Summary: Being sent to stay in a psychiatric ward at St. Mungo’s isn’t exactly the most enjoyable way to spend a summer, so naturally, Harry’s pretty angry when he finds out that’s his destination, regardless of whether or not it might be good for him. Facing a full summer of being cut off from the Order’s plans, Harry’s even taken to envying Snape, because at least Snape knows what is going on. But when Harry arrives at St. Mungo’s and discovers that a fire has changed his destination from the teen ward to the adult ward, everything is turned upside down. Enter his roommate - suicidal, depressed, and none other than Severus Snape. They are both willing to bet that their summer will be a total disaster, and maybe it will be, but even the surest of gamblers are not always right.
Categories: Snape Equal Status to Harry > Comrades Snape and Harry Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Dumbledore, Original Character, Remus
Snape Flavour: Snape is Depressed
Genres: Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Media Type: None
Tags: Hospitalization
Takes Place: 6th summer
Warnings: Self-harm, Suicide Themes
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 35 Completed: Yes Word count: 109245 Read: 221828 Published: 14 Feb 2014 Updated: 03 May 2015
Return to Hogwarts by Whitetail

The letter Harry finished to Stephen contained nearly everything from the point that he'd left Oak Tree, saying everything he hadn't been able to in the brief message he'd sent earlier. With all of the difficulties with the prophet, Harry hadn't even considered that there was a better way to get mail out to him. That evening, Harry talked to Richard, who, sure enough, agreed to send the more detailed letter to Stephen, who apparently had been released too now.

Harry felt vaguely guilty after Richard left, mostly because he totally forgot Stephen was due to get out soon too. He should have found a way to contact Stephen properly sooner, but being in Grimmauld Place had taken so much out of him. Somehow it had only been two weeks that they had been at Grimmauld, but it felt like years. And tomorrow morning they would be going back already. The Hogwarts express would be making a return journey to London to pick up some Hippogriffs, and then go to Hogsmeade. They would be going with it.

Severus was in a session with his healer still, so Harry wandered the house aimlessly. His heart felt full, and heavy. Part of it was joy creating the fullness, but sadness was part of it too.  It felt oddly like the end of an era, leaving Grimmauld Place, where he had seen the most of Sirius, and yet, departing from the house would be a relief. It was time to move on from this old place, lay memories of Sirius down with the memories of this summer.

With the prospect of leaving came the reminder of where Harry was going. The thought of returning to Hogwarts was terrifying, but it had to be done. Harry and Severus hardly spoke that evening, this same terror having fallen upon them both. The card game fell apart quickly, and the sleepless sounds of the two of them shifting in their beds filled the night.

Even with a whole night of imagining it, the station the next morning looked strange and empty. The train, even emptier. The whole morning on the train, he and Severus were quiet. Hardly any words to say after a summer like the one they'd experienced. So they ate their lunch in silence, only the sound of Snape flipping through the ragged Potions Monthly copy Daisy had sent.

At last, as if in a dream, the train arrived. The sun was setting out the windows, and Harry's eyes flicked nervously at Severus.

"We are going to be alright," Severus said to Harry as the train screeched and wailed, settling into the station with much hesitation.

It wasn't quite clear to Harry for whose sake Severus said it. Maybe for both of them. Snape shoved aside the paper cranes he had been folding, getting up from his seat. He lifted Harry's suitcase down for him, and then got his own. Harry stood in the corridor of the train, watching as Snape paused with his suitcase in hand, glancing down at those paper cranes, white, tender wings sprawled out on the seat. As if waking from a dream, Severus turned from them, leaving them there in the train car to ride back to London.

"Let us go, Harry," Snape said gently.

 

***

 

Severus was surprised by the flurry of movement when they got off the train, and he drew his wand in a flash, just in case. To his vast surprise, the man who had rushed forward was not a threat. It was instead, Remus Lupin. The half-moon was just rising, and instead of the devilish gleam in his eye Severus had often imagined, Remus' eyes simply twinkled.

"Harry," he said, and Severus dropped his wand.

"Sorry, Lupin. Can't be too careful."

Lupin simply smiled, as though he was holding back a comment on Severus' actions. Severus couldn't bring himself to care. Potter had already ran straight into Lupin, and had his arms around him.

"Thank you, Remus," Severus heard Harry mutter.

"You are welcome."

It was plain to see that Potter wanted to say more, emotion welling up in his eyes as he shuffled awkwardly back to his suitcase. It had been Remus who had brought him to Oak Tree after all, having gone to fetch him from the Dursleys'.

"What are you doing here?" Severus asked, although in a casual tone, and not a cruel one.

Lupin smiled happily. "I offered to see you two up to the castle tonight."

"You look terrible," Severus added, frowning.

"I've been working for the Order," Lupin said with a grimace. "Dumbledore's idea. That was why I could not visit, Harry, and I am sorry."

"I understand," Harry said, looking unconcerned.

Somehow that statement hurt Severus' stomach. Never once had he heard the boy complain that Lupin had not come to see him, although sometimes he suspected that Harry wished he would. It was just in his eyes when he talked of the wolf in passing.

Lupin's smile faltered too at Harry's words, but he took Harry's suitcase, and began to walk down the road with them. They walked in silence for a while, along the wooded road to the castle gates.

"How are you, Severus?" Lupin asked, in a voice that would have been casual under any other circumstances.

"Better."

"Good to hear." Lupin ran a hand through his hair, his steps slowing so that he was walking beside Severus instead of Harry. "I have been meaning to say thank you for brewing the wolfsbane for me as long as you did. It has been a great help."

"I will resume brewing it the moment I have the ingredients."

"That's alright - you really don't have to -"

"I am doing so whether you protest or not," Severus said rather impatiently. "It is a thank you."

"For what?"

"For getting Harry this summer."

Harry whirled around, staring. He nearly stopped walking, but with Severus and Lupin approaching quickly, he jerked slightly and kept going, staring straight ahead in a position that seemed to indicate he was trying to look like he wasn't eavesdropping. Severus knew quite well he was.

"Oh," was all Lupin could seem to say, which suited Severus just fine.

  By then they had reached a carriage, waiting at the gates for them. Severus' eyes flicked to the thestral, whose breath was creating great clouds in the cool, fall air.

"I had best get going," Lupin said to Harry as he lifted Harry's suitcase up into the carriage. "It is good to see you are doing well. Do not hesitate to send me a letter, about anything. Thankfully Dumbledore has me doing a less covert job after this, so I can keep in touch."

Severus stood around awkwardly as Lupin gave Harry another hug. He got up into the carriage, and grabbed Harry's hand to help him up once Lupin had gone.

 

***

 

The Great Hall doors loomed before them, closed. Harry swallowed hard. The roar of the school having dinner was leaking through the wood. Severus, beside him, had halted.

"I guess this is it," Snape said, and this time, his voice was shaking.

"I never ... never thought this would be how the summer ended," Harry said, stalling for time.

Severus wiped his hands on his robes, nodding and taking in a breath. "I suppose ... it is the start of a new year now."

"Yeah ... I guess, huh?"

"Some might make it hard for us, coming back," Severus said, glancing down at Harry. "You know that, right?"

"I know. And, Severus?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks ... for ... for everything. All that you've done ..."

"I admit it was a pleasure being proved wrong, Mr. Potter."

 Harry straightened his robes slightly, feeling his face go red. He smiled, though. "Er ... I think I'm ready to go in now."

"Yes ... it is time," Severus said with a sigh. Still, neither of them moved.

 "On three?" Harry suggested.

Severus swallowed, but he nodded. "One," he began quietly, as if to himself.

"Two -"

"Three."

Both Harry and Severus pushed, and the doors swung open. The Great Hall fell silent. Eyes fixed on them. And then, Harry and Severus began to walk through the hall. Together.

The End.
End Notes:
Second last chapter ... wow. Hard to believe. *goes cross eyed from shock*


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