“Alright, Harry,” Severus said, pulling away from the child slightly so he could look him in the eye. “We’re going downstairs now, to my room.”

He couldn’t tell if Harry understood or not. The boy sat there, twirling his long, filthy hair in his hands, looking at Severus solemnly through wide green eyes. Severus sighed, scooting forward a bit, and scooped the little boy into his arms. He was a lightweight, Severus thought with a sigh. Not much could be done about that at this time. The nutrient potion would help.

“I have to go talk to some people,” Severus said softly. He still felt strange talking to Harry when he wasn’t sure the boy could understand anything he was saying. Then again, he thought with a smirk, most of the dunderheads he taught didn’t understand what he was saying to them. At least Harry had an excuse not to. “You just turn away if you get scared. I won’t leave you alone with them, I promise.”

Harry said nothing, but he clutched a little tighter at Severus’s robes. Severus sighed, rubbing Harry’s back in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. He really had no experience with comforting children. With a sigh, he opened the door to the hospital wing and stepped into the corridor beyond, thanking his lucky stars that it was August and there were no students about. Even if he wasn’t going to be teaching here any more, he wasn’t particularly keen on his reputation being ruined.

“Albus!” he said, his voice loud enough to call the man but not enough to scare Harry. “Poppy!”

To his immense relief, they both came almost immediately, emerging from Pomfrey’s office a little up the hall. Harry’s eyes widened when he saw that and he let out a little growl, tightening his grip on Severus. Severus gave him a warning look and Harry sighed before ducking his head into the nape of Severus’s neck, shaking a little with restrained emotions. With a weary sigh, Severus patted Harry’s back again, and the boy nuzzled further into him.

Dumbledore smiled lightly at Severus, his eyes bright with amusement. “He seems to have taken to you, Severus.”

“It’s not hard to win the affections of a child who’s never heard a kind word in his life,” Severus dismissed, bitterness tingeing his voice. As he said it, his grip tightened on Harry slightly, and he looked for all the world as though he were trying to hide the boy away.

Dumbledore turned serious now. “I’m not sure you understand the gravity of that, Severus. He’s not apt to put his trust in many people. He has taken to you; likely you are the only one he will look to for some time. It’s quite a responsibility.”

“I am aware, Albus.”

Dumbledore gave him a searching look before nodding once, satisfied. “Now, what did you need us for.”

“I want to know what you did to him in my absence,” Severus replied sharply. “He’s still filthy, so I assume you didn’t bother with a bath…”

Pomfrey frowned angrily at him. “I hardly let him go filthy, Severus. I did what I could with scourgify’s, but the grime is so deep at this point… But you’ll notice he’s not as bad as he was.”

“Yes, I’m so glad you managed to wipe the dung off of him,” Severus sneered. “That’s quite an accomplishment.

Pomfrey pursed her lips, “I was going to attempt a bath, Severus! That’s why we woke him, actually. I couldn’t attend to most of his wounds until he was cleaned up, so after making sure he was stabilized and his breathing was regular we roused him…”

Severus glared, “So not only have you left him filthy, but you haven’t managed to heal him either? It’s a wonder our students don’t leave here maimed for life.”

“Severus! That was out of line!”

Harry whimpered slightly at the sharp tone. Severus looked down at the boy with a frown before pulling his expression into a bland mask of indifference. “I apologize for my outburst, Headmaster. Harry and I are retiring to my chambers where I shall look after him. Good day.”