SE chapter 9

Harry was his son! What were the odds that Severus donated his sperm only for it to be used by James Potter! And Lily, he reminded himself. Anything for Lily.  This news changed everything yet nothing of how Severus now thought of the raven-hair Gryffindor. The past several days had changed not only Severus’ opinion of the child but had slowly begun to crack the iron-wrought walls of his heart. No, he’d never would be considered cheerful, but perhaps less cruel.

Severus shock himself into the present. Harry needed him and his therapy was paramount. Truth be told, he didn’t know if he should ever break the news to the child. He couldn’t imagine that the most Gryffindor of Gryffindors would take well to the news that he was the progeny of the Slytherin snake. Little of that mattered now, it was past time the both of them to face the music as it were, and see what the immediate future was for the child. Steeling himself, he headed towards the door where the young boy sat awaiting his fate.

“Do Pardon me Madam, for the matter was unavoidable and could not be put until later.” Severus excused himself with a polite nod towards the woman.

“Oh, no matter dearie,” Severus cringed at that, “We understood perfectly, right poppet?” She smiled at Harry. The boy shyly bit his lip and nodded his assent.

“As I stated earlier, my name is Madam Linda but you are welcome to call me LeAnn if you so like.” She smiled at both wizards in turn. “I took the liberty of perusing your file earlier and have come up with some suggestions. I will say from the start that at eleven years old, I think that you should be given some say in your treatment. Some, mind, because you are still a minor, but enough for you to own it. Recovering from injury always does better when one is willing to do whatever it takes. Any questions so far?”

“No” Harry murmured as he glanced at Snape. The Slytherin shook his head and gestured for the witch to continue.

“First, my team and I think that while Hogwarts is an excellent school, it’s not conductive for long term healing-“

“You mean, I have to leave Hogwarts?!?” Harry cried out. Hogwarts was his home! He could not and WOULD NOT return to the Dursley’s! “Please, I’ll be quiet and not disrupt anyone! I can’t leave-“ His emotions were rattled from the different concoctions of potions he was drugged under.

Both LeAnn and Severus put an arm on the child while the Slytherin glared at the witch. She gulped as she rushed to finish, “Child, I didn’t mean that you had to leave it for good, just while we did therapy is all! You’ll get to come back! I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear.” She tried to appease the child. . .and the man currently trying to test his “Instant Death Glare.” 

“I, that is, my team and I, think that it would be better to have the therapy in a location that would provide peace, some relaxation for between therapies, and fun. While Hogwarts is definitely fun, we came up with a better place. And it’s not even at a hospital. Most if not all, your therapy can be set up to do where we scouted. But, as I said, we’ll only do this if you both agree.”

Severus pondered. It would be nice to get away from the daily frustrations of Hogwarts and get to know his son better. However to leave the school would mean a chance of Severus’ old “friends” resurfacing with no Dumbledore to intervene. Not to mention, the child needed his friends. If he hadn’t known that the child spent most days drugged to the gills, he’d had questioned why the boy had not asked for them to visit. Come to think of it, he wondered why his friends hadn’t sneaked off by now and tried to visit Harry. Then he remembered there had been guards and at one time an enchantment to keep the students at bay after the accident. He somehow did not think that would deter them for long. One thing that he had to admit about Gryffindors was that They. Never. Gave. Up. Ever. Most of the time this was to his annoyance but perhaps it would work in his favor now. No matter if he didn’t want to play babysitter to a bunch of snot-nose children, it was better to let them have some access willingly or try to stop a lot of effort relentlessly. And, if Harry and he did indeed depart Hogwarts, his son would need the support of his friends before he left.

“As I was saying-“damn, he’d been caught daydreaming, something that he rarely if ever did. “My team and I thought it best to have your therapy done elsewhere. We belong to a group titled “Healers United International” and have therapeutic homes all along the world. I have taken the liberty to make arrangements at two locales and you get to choose which one. With your understandable security needs, we have narrowed it down to one in Australia and the other in the United States. Neither country was involved in You-Know-Who’s reign of terror so they will be safe havens. I can give you a little time to decide, however the sooner the decision, the better.”

Severus was gob smacked, they would have to move far away for an undeterminable amount of time, an opportunity that could either be very good or devastatingly bad for the child. He studied Harry’s face, emerald eyes stood out on a pasty pale face. “Harry, it will be all right.” Severus was all too aware that the stress the child was under would traumatize an adult, let alone an eleven year-old. The Slytherin considered himself useless in emotional situations, but it was his duty, his honor to help Harry. That included his emotional needs, not just his physical ones. Right now, that included soothing him.

“I know it will.” His son had his jaw set, his blank eyes betraying his words. He was fooling no one but Severus well understood the need to build walls in front of others.

“There’s more I need to talk to you about, but all that can wait until your decision on the therapy locale.” LeAnn slightly smiled as she ran a tentative hand in the Gryffindor’s hair. “Severus, may I talk to you in the other room?” The Slytherin smiled at his son and followed the witch out.

“Professor, I will be honest with you. As you know, there is little to no chance that Harry will ever be cured-“Severus nodded, he already knew this-“but his therapy will make a huge difference in his quality of life. I know that you have taken over Harry’s care. I also realize that you are typically a private person but I ask that you seek permission from Harry’s mates parents to allow them a visit or two in which ever place you and Harry choose.” Severus nodded again, he had already decided to allow this.

“Well, with that, I’ll make my goodbye. Firecall me within a day to your decision, we need to confirm travel arrangements.”

Severus nodded again and turned on his heel to face his child again.

His son was laying in his bed, his eyes cast on the ceiling yet if Severus was to ask him what he was staring at, the head of Slytherin was sure he would not know.

“Child,” Severus rubbed his arm, “Harry, it will all work out. I know you are under a lot of pressure, and I know it will be hard to leave Hogwarts, but it’s only for a little while. Also, your diagnosis is not the end of the world. Is it going to be a lot of work, and hard days? Yes, but you will survive it. I have faith in you.”

Harry just nodded. Pain was radiating across his face so Severus silently dosed him with a pain potion.

“Thanks sir” Harry stammered, his voice slightly slurred due to the immediate acting potion.

“And Severus, if it’s ok with you,  where I want to go.”

SESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESE

The moon shone brightly in the hospital wing, creating shadows in the dark. Light thuds echoed almost inaudibly. “Harry!”

The raven haired child stirred. “Huh?” His foggy mind cleared, “Hermione! Ron and one of the twins…George?!?”

“What happened mate?” Ron asked as he looked sheepishly at his friend. “I’m very sorry for our fight. I’ll ask again, what the hell happened?!?”

“-Ron!” Hermione broke in over the language.

“Yeah, Ronnie, mummy wouldn’t approve would she?” George asked, smirking as he obviously tried to deflect the tension.

“Well, it’s like this-“ Harry told his story to the other Gryffindors. None of the four knew Severus was watching in the shadows. He’d forgive them of their out of bounds during the night, they were there for his son and that was paramount.

SESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESESE

Early the next morning, Severus kneeled at the floor. “Madam Leann Linda.”

A minute later he was connected, “We’ve made our decision.”