-II-

"I know. I'm sorry. Please stop being mad at me. You already spanked me. Now it must be forgiven, right?"

Alastor groaned and pulled Severus in a hug. "Yes, it is all forgiven, but you need to think before you do something like this again. And you need to learn to come to us when you have a problem or a question. We could have easily told you that the article was wrong."

Severus nodded into Alastor's chest.

"That was not my idea of getting you clean, Severus."

Embarrassed, Severus pulled away, but when he saw Alastor grin at him, he felt much better.

"Let's go to the bathroom."

Severus let Alastor wash his face like a good boy. He even let Alastor guide him to the living room by his hand.

-II-

He held Alastor's hand until they got to the living room, where he quickly felt embarrassed and let go. His face was burning, and he did not dare to look up.

"Everything cleared up?" Kingsley asked.

Severus nodded. "Shouldn't I apologize to the shopkeeper?"

"He was very understanding and won't press charges against you," the old Auror said. He must have come over while Severus and Alastor had been occupied.

"Minos," Alastor greeted the Auror and went over to him. "Thanks for taking care of him."

"There was not much to take care of. With the Minister himself as his friend, your boy will get himself out of anything."

"I don't think so," Kingsley and Alastor said in unison.

Minos laughed. "I need to go. Don't make his life a living hell. Or am I already too late to ask that?" The old Auror looked from Alastor to Severus and back.

"I'm fine," Severus said softly.

"Good to hear," Minos said, chuckling. "Getting old, Alastor?" he teased his ex-coworker and patted Alastor's shoulder.

"Don't count on it. I'm more lenient with my sons than I was with my former trainees and coworkers."

Minos laughed. "Take care, Severus."

"I should go as well before I get it from my boss," Tonks said and ruffled Severus' hair. She leaned over to whisper in Severus' ear. "It's over now, Sev. Stop looking so gloomy. They have forgiven you."

Severus looked up into her smiling face. "I will try to come over this weekend." Tonks hugged him and then said good-bye to the others.

"Stop trying to solve everything by yourself, Severus. It's not safe out there for you at the moment," Kingsley said and placed a hand on Severus' shoulder. "You need to get that into your head. There are still too many Death Eaters out there who are waiting for their chance to make you pay for the role you played in Voldemort's downfall."

Severus flinched hearing the evil wizard's name. "I'm sorry."

Kingsley shook his head. "I don't know what to do with you, Severus."

Severus let his head hang. "Don't be so harsh, Kings," Charlie said and laid a calming hand on his partner's shoulder.

"I'm not harsh, Charlie. We all know what kind of scum is waiting out there."

"Kings, he's twelve. Maybe you should choose your words a bit more carefully before you go on."

Kinglsey sighed. "I know. I'm just worried. He doesn't seem to realize what this all means."

"No, he doesn't, and I'm quite glad about that," Charlie said through clenched teeth. "He's had enough trouble adjusting. He should worry about the outside world now. We should take care of that."

"You are right." Kingsley leaned over and kissed Charlie.

"They said I was responsible for the accident. I read it in the Prophet. I'm in quite a bit of trouble. They will bring me in for an investigation and then I'll have to go to Azkaban, right?" Severus tried to be strong, but the thought scared him a lot.

"There will be a questioning, but just for the papers, Sev. I made them give you some time to adjust, and Alastor and I will be present. Don't worry. It has been scheduled for this Friday. It's not to find out who is guilty, just to get the story of the accident on paper. Harry will be heard as well." Kingsley looked at the silent black-haired boy on the couch. "You, of course, have nothing to worry about either, Harry. It's just a formality."

"But the Prophet-" Severus protested.

"-Wrote a bunch of crap, Sev," Charlie said and pulled Severus into a hug. "You need to forget what was in that article. Your Healers will tell you anything you need to know about your health. You should leave everything else to us and your guardians."

"But it also said that there was an investigation."

"If you were still able to remember everything," said Alastor, "you would know that I seem to be a magnet for investigations. Have they ever found me guilty of anything? No. This time, it is even more of a joke than ever before. They have nothing against me or Poppy. We told you that first day that we immediately took custody of you and Harry. The Ministry can do nothing against us."

"But they said that I should be locked away and that...that...that I'm suicidal, and so you should-"

"Nobody tells me what I should do except your Healers, Severus," Alastor said. "And they have never said anything about you being suicidal or that you should be locked away."

"Of course we didn't! What's going on here?" Maria said as she stepped out of the fireplace.

"Oh, no," Severus said miserably. And then he did what he had promised not to do again. He ran. Severus could hear footsteps behind him, but he did not stop until he was in Harry's and his room. Relieved, he realized that it was Harry who had followed him.

"Are you all right, Severus?" Harry asked, out of breath.

Severus threw himself on his bed. "No."

"What? They all said you were forgiven. Ehm...or...does it hurt?"

"He only spanked me twice. I thought he would beat me until I couldn't sit anymore after what I did."

"So it's okay, right? What is it if it's not that?"

"Are you dumb?" Severus turned around to look at Harry who sat beside him on his bed. "Now I will get a tongue lashing from our Healers, and then she will torture my hands. I just want this damn day to be over."

Harry looked sympathetically at him.

"Healer Meyers said it will become less painful over time."

"Great," Severus said sarcastically and hid his face in his pillow. A moment later, someone knocked at their door and both Healers came in.

"Hello, boys," James said cheerfully. Maria smiled at Harry and winked. James pushed Harry's hair out of his face. "Everything all right, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "School was okay."

James smiled. "How about we go over to your bed and I have a quick check-up with you?"

Harry nodded after patting Severus' shoulder one last time and stood up to follow James.

Maria, meanwhile, sat down beside Severus. "Come on, sweetie, turn around."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize to me or James, Severus. We are here to check if you are okay."

Severus turned around. "Do we really have to do the hand thing?"

Maria sighed. "Yes, we have to, but I will cool them this time so that you won't feel it so much. You know I can't give you a painkiller; the danger of overdoing it while you can't show me any signs of pain would be too high."

Severus did not look convinced.

"How was your day? You can leave out the last part as I have already heard from your family about it and I think you have already been scolded enough about it. If you have any questions as to what was in the article, I will be here to answer them."

"There were a lot of things in that article that-" He looked over to Harry, but he was occupied by James. "-scared me. They said I have severe brain damage. The Slytherins implied that I will never be a real wizard again."

"You are a real wizard, Severus. Can you still remember how the magic system works?"

Severus nodded. "Every witch and wizard has a magical core where all magic is stored. When you use it, it will be produced again from that core. The size of the core and how quickly it can reproduce magic is different for each wizard. People like Albus have a huge core that reproduces magic very quickly."

"Exactly. And what do you need besides the core to cast spells and charms?"

"The channels. They are everywhere in the body. Like a net."

"That is also correct. It's like your nerve system. Both those systems have been damaged by your former experience with Voldemort and the potions accident."

Severus looked fearful. They had already told him that, but maybe she would tell him now that it was actually much worse.

"Your core is capable of holding the same amount of energy as it was before Voldemort tortured you. However, its ability to reproduce magic has been damaged severely by Voldemort. You don't notice that handicap yet, and we will help you to get used to it when the time comes. Right now, you aren't able to use your magic correctly because the net of magic channels has been destroyed by Voldemort and by the potion. The potion only caused a very small amount of that damage. It damaged your nerve system quite a bit more. But back to the magic problem. Your channels have been about 60 percent destroyed, but that is not as big a problem as you might think. Imagine how a net consists of many small junctions between the threads. Those junctions are mostly still fully intact within you; only the channels between them have burned or ripped. As your body is still growing now along with your magic core, you will build new connections. The magic will never flow as easily, but you will only loose a minimal amount of magic flow. You will learn to accept that. If you listened carefully, you have already heard me say that your magic core is growing as well. That means you will have an even bigger core than before. That should help you to balance out your limitations because of your scarred channel net."

"And the reproducing magic problem?"

"It can't be helped. No therapy has been found except for regular energy transfer, but if you learn to control the amount of magic you use for each spell, you will be able to do anything you want. If you ever go over your limit, there are a lot of people able and willing to supply you with magic from their core."

"You lose magic permanently during brewing."

"We will worry about that when the time comes. Your last potions class went well, didn't it?"

"It was only an hour and a half of brewing. When I want to work as a Potions Master again, I will need much more magic."

Marie looked thoughtfully at Severus. "Can we make a deal and talk about that when we have reached a point where we can evaluate how much it will affect you? There are a few years of school in front of your, and maybe you would like to become something else besides a Potions Master."

Severus felt the first tears roll down his face. He knew exactly what Maria was saying in a roundabout way: he would never be able to work as a Potions Master again.

"Severus, stop crying. There is still a chance that your will learn to use your magic perfectly, and with a regular magic transfer, you could even be a Potions Master again."

Severus wiped the tears away. He wanted to be strong. He nodded even though it was so terrifying to know that he would be depending on others for the rest of his life.

"Will you let me check you through now?" Severus nodded.

After the diagnostic spell, Maria smiled at him. "Everything like expected. Nothing to worry about."

"That's easy for you to say."

"I know, Severus," Maria petted Severus hair and looked over to James.

/

James led Harry over to his bed. He knew Maria would take care of Severus; she knew him much better.

"So how was your day at school, Harry?"

"It was okay. I still don't like my classmates, but I made friends with Severus' friends. They are great, and they like me." Harry beamed. "And I met with Hagrid."

"That sounds like a fun day. Any problems during class?"

Harry blushed. "Have they told you something?"

"Should they have?" James asked innocently while he pulled a small, coin-like membrane out of his pocket.

"I got in trouble with Professor Flitwick," Harry whispered in hopes that Severus would not hear him.

James smiled. "There is a Silencing Charm on your bed and on Severus'. You don't need to whisper."

Harry smiled shyly. "Yeah, I got in trouble because I pretended to not be able to cast a charm. Severus was so frustrated, and I feared he would be even sadder if I was able to do it."

"Severus must accept that it will be much easier for you to learn and do magic, Harry. Pretending to fail isn't helping him."

"I know. Professor Flitwick told me so. He said I should study with Severus. That would be more helpful."

"That was very good advice. So you have no problems memorizing or casting spells?"

"I have trouble remembering the school stuff, but I have no problem after a few attempts. I think it will be even easier this time around than the first, and I don't have a maniac breathing down my neck this time either."

"That's the correct attitude, Harry," James said, chuckling. "I would like to listen to your heart and your lungs now. Poppy said you still have some conditional problems."

Harry's face fell. He, of course, had also noticed that he was quickly getting tired and out of breath, but he had hoped it was just because of his short legs and smaller body.

"Don't make a face before I even have the chance to check you." James ruffled Harry's hair and then helped him out of his robes and shirt. "Breathe in deeply." James listened to Harry's lungs and frowned.

He had to breathe several times for James while the Healer moved the membrane over his chest and back. "What's wrong?" Harry asked, scared.

"No, I'm sorry, Harry. I would like to have Maria listen before we talk about it. I fear I will need another blood sample as well."

"No," Harry said, miserable. Not in real protest, just to make his discomfort known.

"I know, Harry. I will ask Poppy and Alastor to come in for it as well. A bit more support will help, right?"

Harry still looked very sad but nodded.

"Lie down and let me scan you. Then I will get your guardians and ask Maria to listen to your lungs." Five minutes later, James stood up. He could feel Maria looking at him already and hoped she was finished with her diagnostic as well. "No tears before we know for sure what's wrong, and I promise to make the blood removal as quick as last time, Harry."

Harry nodded and fought hard against his tears.

"Maria, could you please check Harry's lungs. I fear we may have a problem. I will get Alastor and Poppy as we will need another blood sample from Harry."