Severus placed a hand on Potter’s heart, closing his eyes and concentrating on matching the boy’s heartbeat to his own. Meanwhile, his other hand was running his wand up and down the boy’s body, running diagnostics. He frowned when he saw them. Malnourishment and dehydration would have kept the boy ill, even if he hadn’t broken the majority of his bones. It was lucky that his broken ribs hadn’t pierced his lungs, though how that had been managed Severus wasn’t sure. Magical core again? Perhaps.

“Boy!” he snapped, turning to the fat one. “Who are you?”

“My name’s Dudley. I’m Harry’s cousin,” the beach ball muttered nervously.

“Dudley,” Snape repeated dispassionately. He hated using peoples first names. “Get some bandages, hot water, and antiseptic. Don't dawdle. You’re in charge of taking care of his minor injuries.”

Dudley’s eyes widened to the size of golf balls as he ran to do Severus’s bidding, but Severus didn’t bother to watch after him. He had to take care of the Potter brat, had to make sure he didn’t die. He sighed. He’d hardly trained in first aid, and although he knew the basics from assisting Pomfrey over the years, he didn’t really know enough to take care of injuries of this magnitude. He would be better suited, he knew, to get Potter stable and then bring him to an actual healer. Even doing that much was beyond his expertise, but he’d have to try.

Alright, he thought to himself, he’d gotten the boy’s heartbeat to a regular- or near regular- pulse. Malnutrition and dehydration… He’d have to wake Potter to get anything into him, and he didn’t want to even try that right now. What else? He sighed, trying to gather his thoughts. Severus Snape prided himself on being able to cope in serious situations, but he found himself at a loss…

The fat boy- Dudley- came in with the required materials, his piggy eyes shining worriedly as he took in the sight of his cousin. With a sigh, Dudley approached and began to cleanse his various abrasions with a little water and disinfectant. As he worked, he spoke in a worried voice, “He’s lost a ton of blood… And it’s hard for him to make up for it because he doesn’t have enough water in his system…”

“Hush, boy, I’m taking care of it!” Snape snapped at Potter’s cousin. Inwardly, though, he was thanking the boy for his train of thought. Blood replenisher potion, right. That was important… He would need to wake Potter up after all… Well, might as well kill two birds with one stone, then.

“Dudley!” he barked, the extra snarl in his tone making up for the fact that he was using the boy’s first name.

Dudley gave no verbal response, which would normally have had Snape ripping him a new rear end, but the haunted look in the boy’s eyes made Snape stop short. Dudley had been waiting all night for him to show up… He was clearly worried sick over his cousin. There was no need for Snape to impress the seriousness of the situation upon him, no need for him to use military like discipline. The boy would be helpful because of Potter, not because of Snape.

“Go get your cousin a bowl of broth,” Snape said, and this time, though his voice was by no means kind, it lacked its usual sting, “and some water. Lukewarm, both of them. Harsh temperatures either way could send him into shock.”

Dudley nodded, setting aside the cloth he had been using to wipe the blood from Potter’s brow, and got shakily to his feet. A moment later, he had left the room. Snape ran a hand through his lank hair before rummaging through his cloak, pulling out the potions that he kept with him most times in case someone wanted to sample his work. He quickly cast aside the more showy materials- Potter hardly needed Wolfsbane or- Severus made a face- a love potion… Ah, there… Blood replenisher… Bruise balm… Antibiotic balm… Bone Mending draught.

There was a light cough behind him, and Snape turned to see that Dudley had returned with the required food articles. He nodded an acknowledgement at the boy and motioned for Dudley to hand the food to him. Dudley did so with a slight frown, his eyes shaded and his concentration on his cousin.

“Here,” Snape said, thrusting the balms at the boy. “Finish cleaning him up, and then use the bruise balm- the purple one- on his bruises, and the antibiotic balm- the green one- on his cuts. And don’t put bandages on him after. The balms work best with exposure to the air.”

Dudley nodded that he understood and got to work. Snape knew that the small cuts and bruises were hardly his most important concern, but he figured that every little bit helped. Besides, he was sure it would be better for Potter’s cousin to feel like he was doing something than to stand on the sidelines, helplessly.

Meanwhile, Snape was sitting Potter up a little, leaning Potter against his chest to keep him upright and speaking in a far softer tone than would be expected. “Come on, Potter. I need you to wake up for me and take some medicine.”

Potter blinked weakly before closing his eyes again, leaning more heavily against Snape, but he had more patience than he let on, and didn’t even mutter at the behavior. It was as to be expected, really. Not bad for a first effort on the boy’s part, in any case.

“Come on, P-Harry,” Snape forced the word out, knowing that distancing himself from the boy at this point in time would be a mistake not worth making. “Come on, Harry, wake up for me, that’s it…”

­­­___

Harry opened his eyes, feeling as though they were crusted to his cheeks. He blinked, slowly, once… twice… three times… He hurt everywhere, he noted dully. That was no surprise, really. Actually, compared to what it had been, the pain was quite tolerable. He vaguely noticed that Dudley was nearby him, trying to clean him up a bit, but that was hardly new. Dudley seemed to have changed this summer. He was like Harry’s guardian angel…

No, the thing Harry noticed was weird was that he was leaning against something solid… Something that felt strangely like the frame of a thin, fit man. It made no sense. His thoughts were confirmed when a soft, soothing voice spoke to him, telling him to stay awake, matching perfectly with a little bit of vibrating behind him as the voice coursed through the body.

“M’wake,” he murmured blearily. How long had he been asleep for? Was it morning? Uncle Vernon was going to be mad when he came in and saw what a lazy ass Harry was being. At that thought, Harry tried desperately to get up. He wasn’t lazy… Wasn’t bad… He was good…

“Stop that!” the voice commanded sharply, and Harry recoiled as though struck. The voice continued on, softer now. “You’re going to hurt yourself. I need you to stay still, and try to drink some things for me.”

Harry felt himself begin to shake… His uncle played this game with him sometimes, when he’d been very bad. His throat was still raw from the last time they played this game, when he’d been told to drink Drain-O. And he had to sit still, no matter what. No matter how much it hurt. That was the worst part.

“None of that, now,” the voice reprimanded gently. “I promise you, it’s nothing bad. Just some medicine; it might taste funny but it won’t hurt you.”

Harry wasn’t supposed to question things. He knew better. He was supposed to take what he got and be thankful it wasn’t worse. Thus, he felt betrayed by himself when he said, in a small, weak voice, “Promise?” He cringed, waiting for the blow he knew was to come.

Instead, he heard the same baritone reply firmly, “I promise.”

His uncle had promised him many things in the past, and none of them meant a thing. Not one damned thing. Harry still didn’t know why he had risked a beating to ask for something as childish and meaningless as a promise… But, loathe as he was to admit it, hearing the promise made him feel safe. Even though he knew that promises only went as far as you could throw them… He opened his mouth obediently, allowing the person behind him to coax something into his mouth. It tasted like chicken broth…

__

Snape had finally managed to get the potions, and the food, into the boy. It was the most difficult thing he’d done in months, he mused, but he found that he was fairly proud of the way he’d dealt with Potter. He’d used more patience in dealing with the emotionally unstable child than he even knew he had. Of course, it was less difficult to show compassion towards the boy when he was looking so decrepit.

Severus had finally managed to stabilize the boy. It was time to get him to the hospital… and after that, he’d have to find a way to get hold of Albus. Until then, it would fall to him to take care of Harry. And after? Snape didn’t fool himself. It would likely fall upon his shoulders then, too. His home would be the only safe one at this point in time, until the Death Eaters were finally rounded up.

Snape stood, gathering Harry into his hands. He would have apparated on the spot, but he felt that he owed Harry’s cousin at least a word or two before he went. After all, it was only due to Dudley that Harry was even still alive, really.

“Thank you for your assistance, Dudley,” Severus said. “Harry and I are leaving now.”

“Wait!” Dudley cried out, slightly panicked. “You can’t leave me here!”

Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy, “Pray tell, why not?”

Dudley pointed at Harry’s still form. “If you leave me here, that’ll be me inside of a month. I sided with him. As far as Dad’s concerned, that will make me as bad as he is.”

Surely not? It had to be an exaggeration at the very least, Snape told himself… Truly, though, he didn’t believe it. The boy’s panicky voice said far more than his words ever could. Besides, hadn’t Snape seen Dudley’s father raise a hand to him earlier?

“What of your mother?” Snape asked suddenly. “I haven’t heard from her at all. What will she think of you?”

Dudley made a face. “She always sides with Dad. Always. And you didn’t hear from her because she’s not around right now. She’s helping Aunt Marge out- she isn’t thinking so well since your folk obliffidated her. And before you get any ideas, no, Aunt Marge wouldn’t be any better than Dad.”

Snape sighed. This was getting to be more complicated than he had hoped for. Still, he was hardly about to leave Potter’s cousin behind to suffer. It wasn’t right for any child to go through… And Dudley had been helpful when it came to his cousin.

“Grab my arm, then,” Snape said at last, wearily. “It seems I shall have two new wards for the summer.”