The first thing Harry was aware of was a hand resting lightly on his brow, its strong fingers softly rubbing back and forth across his temple. Then almost at the same time, he realized that he was lying on a bed, with warm blankets tucked around him, and that there was a low voice speaking close by. Harry couldn't quite make out the words, but the tone was soothing. And familiar.

Severus' voice.

The gentle drone was almost enough to lull him back to sleep, but he wanted to see Severus even more, so he forced his eyes open and turned his head to look for the professor. Severus was sitting in a chair pulled close to Harry's bed, and was reading aloud from a book that was leaning against the arm of the chair. It didn't look too stable, but Harry supposed that there must some magical means of making it stay propped up and open to the right page.

"Severus?" He said, his voice coming out raspy and hoarse.

The professor jumped slightly, then immediately set the book aside and leaned close to Harry. Without his glasses, everything was a little blurry, but even so, Harry could see the relief on Severus' face.

"You're awake," Severus took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "How do you feel?"

Harry considered. "Like a herd of hippogriffs have trampled over me," he admitted. He tried to say it with a wry grin, but it was hard. He really did feel bruised and sore and achy.

"I can give you a pain-killing potion, but you shouldn't take it on an empty stomach," Severus told him. He took Harry's glasses from the night table and handed them to him. "Let me order you some lunch and then you can have the potion."

He rested his hand on Harry's cheek for a moment, before clearing his throat harshly and hurrying over to the fireplace to order some food from the kitchens.

He'd probably be back to having soft foods, Harry supposed as he slid his glasses on, since it seemed that he'd been ill or hurt or something. It was no surprise when Severus came back to the bed with a bowl of vegetable soup resting on a tray.

Severus' bed, too, Harry realized. He was back in Severus' bedroom again. He looked about, and felt a warm glow in his heart when he noted a cot to the other side of the bed. Severus hadn't even gone to the other bedroom to sleep. Obviously, he'd stayed right at Harry's side while Harry had been hurt, just like this past summer.

But what in the world had happened?

He started to ask, but Severus said, "Eat your soup, Harry, and I'll explain what we know. First, though, what is the last thing you remember?"

Harry thought about that while Severus helped him ease into a sitting position and settled the tray on his lap. "Umm, I think Ron and Hermione and I were exploring the castle, right? Instead of going into Hogsmeade? And then Peeves was chasing us...he'd been throwing water balloons at us...and we ended up in this little side hallway. There was a little girl, and she gave me a package for Dumbledore..." He leaned back against the pillows, feeling worn out.

Severus nodded. "Yes, her name is Elizabeth Stone, and she's a first-year Slytherin. As it turned out, Harry, that package contained a cursed object. A very deadly cursed object, an opal necklace. We believe there must have been a tiny rip in the paper, and as you held it, your fingers must have brushed against the necklace. We're very, very fortunate. If you had had any greater contact, you would have died, and even with our considerable skill, Albus and I couldn't have saved you."

"Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Professor Dumbledore. And yes, he returned to Hogwarts just before your...incident, and thank goodness he did. I don't know if I could have saved you alone." Severus ran his hand over his face, suddenly looking pale and tired himself.

"Harry, eat, before your soup gets cold," he went on. "Anyway, your friends called me with the mirror...the one you always roll your eyes at taking with you," Severus felt he had to point out. "Albus was down here, and we managed to save you."

Harry took a bite of soup and swallowed. "How?"

"We expelled the Dark Magic with spells of our own. Since then, Albus has been attempting to figure out how the necklace was smuggled into Hogwarts. We think Miss Stone was put under the Imperius Curse, but we still don't know who did it, because whoever did also tampered with her memories."

Harry took a few more bites of his soup, trying to absorb the information. "But how did the necklace get inside Hogwarts? I thought there were supposed to be all kinds of safety precautions this year."

"There are," Severus answered grimly. "We don't know how the necklace was smuggled inside yet. But we're going to find out."

"This girl, Elizabeth Stone,...she doesn't remember anything about the necklace?" Harry asked.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "If she did, we'd be well on the way to figuring this little puzzle out, wouldn't we?"

Harry flushed and looked down.

Severus reached over to gently pat his arm. "I apologise, Harry. I didn't mean to sound like that. I suppose I'm more tired than I realized. You've been unconscious for eight days, and I've been sitting up with you most of the time."

Harry almost dropped his spoon. "Eight days? I've been unconscious for eight days? You know, I've spent more time this year in a coma than I have awake."

"A slight exaggeration, but it does demonstrate the need for even more drastic precautions." Severus hesitated, and Harry thought he looked as if he were going to say more, but then decided against it.

He'd already said enough to get Harry worried, though. ‘Drastic precautions' didn't sound good at all.

"What kind of drastic precautions are we talking about?" He wanted to know.

"It's nothing so terrible, Harry, so relax and finish eating," Severus said. "I still don't know everything myself. Albus and I are just trying to decide how to make sure that nothing like this happens again."

Severus waited and when Harry continued to stare at him, looking half worried and half intrigued, he motioned to the soup bowl. "Go on, then. Finish eating."

Harry did so, and then yawned. "That was good. I guess I was pretty hungry. Course I should be, after eight days without eating."

Severus set the tray on the table beside the bed. "Don't be silly, child. I gave you nutritive potions, you know. I'm not going to let you starve." He carded his fingers through Harry's hair before he took his wand and Summoned a bottle filled with a light blue liquid.

"Here, drink this. You'll feel better."

Harry took the vial and swallowed the potion. Almost at once, all his aches and pains vanished, but he could feel himself growing drowsy again, and he couldn't help frowning in exasperation. He'd just woken up. He didn't want to sleep again.

"It's all right, Harry. You're still weak from being cursed and you need the rest." Severus took Harry's glasses and set them on the table beside the empty soup bowl; then tucked the bedcovers around his shoulders.

"I'm going to lie down as well," Severus said, and for the first time Harry could hear a weary note in his voice. "But I've got a cot over there just beside the bed, so I'll be right here if you need anything."

Harry reached out from under the covers to take Severus' hand. "Thanks, Severus, for sitting with me while I was out. You didn't have to."

Severus gave his hand a light squeeze. "I wanted to. Now rest; we'll talk more later."

Harry nestled back under the bedcovers, closing his eyes and listening to the sounds as Severus lay on his cot and adjusted his own blankets. A sudden thought occurred to Harry. Severus had said he'd stayed with him for eight days.

"What ‘bout your classes, Severus?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Shh, Harry. We'll talk about it later." Severus' voice was a soft rumble, and Harry smiled a little. It was just so...wonderful to have someone who cared about him. It was wonderful to feel so warm and safe and happy.

Harry let himself drift off.

***

When he next awoke, he was alone, but he could hear voices in the living room. Severus and Dumbledore. Harry started to call to them, but before he could, there was the rush of the Floo, and then Severus came back through the doorway.

"Harry, I didn't realize you were awake," he commented.

"I just woke up," Harry told him.

Severus nodded. "Yes, if you'd woken up fifteen minutes ago, you'd have seen Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley. They've been sitting with you when I meet with Albus, but I sent them up to the Great Hall for dinner. I'm sure they'll come again tomorrow, though."

At Harry's concerned expression, he added. "And I let them use the Floo to go straight to the Hall, so they're fine, Harry. There's no need to worry about them."

He studied Harry thoughtfully. "How do you feel? Do you need another pain-killing potion?"

"I think I'm all right for now," Harry said. "A little achy, but just barely."

Severus nodded again. "Right then. I'll order dinner, and afterwards we can discuss some of the plans Albus and I have come up with."

Dinner consisted of grilled salmon, rice, and vegetables. It was delicious, of course, and Harry thought gratefully that at least he could feed himself this time.

"You missed the Halloween Feast," Severus remarked while they were eating. "But I'm sure we can persuade the house elves to send you some cakes and other sweets to make up for it."

Harry shook his head. "S'okay. I don't care for Halloween very much."

For a second, Severus looked puzzled. Students didn't often turn down sweets from the Hogwarts' kitchens. But then his expression changed, and Harry knew he understood. Halloween was the anniversary of James and Lily Potter's deaths.

"Oh, yes, of course," Severus murmured. "I'm sorry, Harry." He was sitting beside the bed again, and he reached over to pat Harry's arm.

Harry just nodded, and they finished the meal in silence.

Once Severus had sent their plates back to the kitchens, he sat back down, facing Harry and said soberly.

"Earlier today, Harry, you asked me about my classes. I'm presuming you wanted to know if Potions classes had been cancelled or if there was a substitute while I cared for you."

"As a matter of fact, neither. Albus and I feel that to keep you safe, we're going to have to make some changes in our lives. Well, in yours and mine, that is," He paused, but Harry was quiet, just watching him intently.

He reached over to take Harry's hands in his own. "Harry, I don't know if you realize it, but you came very, very close to dying last week. In fact, you've come close to dying several times within the past six months. We simply have to be more careful. We cannot lose you."

"I know. I'm the only one who can beat Voldemort," Harry said.

But Severus shook his head and answered fiercely, "No! Not because you're the only one who can beat Voldemort!" He took a deep breath and squeezed Harry's hands. "Because we care about you. You. Not the prophecy. Not that it isn't important. Of course it is. But, Harry, even if there were no prophecy, I would give my life to keep you safe."

Harry wanted to turn away, to hide the rush of emotion he could feel welling up inside, but Severus' gaze was so intent, he couldn't tear himself from it. But a moment later, the professor's next words brought on a whole different feeling.

"So we think it's best for you to stay down here and not go to class or wander the school grounds anymore," Severus finished.

Harry just stared at him for a long moment, wondering if he'd really heard right.

"Not go to class anymore?" He finally sputtered. "But how will I learn..."

"I will tutor you."

"But your classes..." Harry began.

"Fleur Delacour is the new Potions professor," Severus said evenly. "I'm now your private tutor."

"My private tutor?" Harry repeated blankly. "And Fleur's teaching Potions?"

"Yes," Severus arched his eyebrow and added in a dry tone. "The students were quite broken up at the news, but they are endeavoring to carry on bravely in spite of my absence."

At another time, Harry might have laughed at Severus' humor. He could just imagine how broken up the students were...no doubt all the Houses besides Slytherin had scheduled all-night parties. But he was still reeling at the implications for himself.

"And I can't wander the school grounds? I can't eat in the Great Hall, or go to the library, or go to Quidditch matches, or..." He broke off, feeling rather desperate. "But I don't want to just stay down here all the time!"

"Harry, it won't be like..."

"It's not fair! I didn't do anything wrong! How come I'm the one being punished?"

"You're not being punished, Harry. It's to keep you alive," Severus sighed. "Listen, we can..."

"It's not fair!" Harry shouted again. He knew, better than anyone, that life wasn't fair, and a part of him knew that he was acting childish and was sorry about it. But mostly, he was just angry. It wasn't fair! Why did he always have to be the one singled out? Why couldn't things ever work out for him?

First Voldemort had murdered Harry's parents, taking away the people who loved him and consigning him to a life of misery with the Dursleys. Then Voldemort had plagued Harry all throughout his years at Hogwarts, but Harry had survived. And he'd often thought that the only reason he could keep going was because of all the good things Hogwarts had given him.

But now everything good about Hogwarts was being taken away from him, too. He might as well go back to living in the cupboard at the Dursleys.

"It'll be horrible! It'll be like prison!"

Emotion flashed in Severus' dark eyes and when he spoke, his voice was cooler. "I'm sorry you feel that way. But keeping you alive is our top priority now, not catering to your whims. Now I have a Potion to brew. I think you'd best stay in here until you're done sulking."

He swept off to his office and shut the door behind him, almost, but not quite, slamming it.

Harry glared and started to throw his pillow at the door, but then he just pounded it once with his fist, and lay down, burrowing his face against it and taking deep gulping breaths.