Poppy Pomfrey had seen a lot of patients. A lot of children. Even many abused children (although none with quite so extensive a list of past traumas as Harry, thank Merlin). But this was the first time she'd ever seen someone react so badly to a bone-mending spell. The child writhed on the bed, mouth locked open in a rictus of pain. For a moment, she froze, unable to comprehend what was going on, until Severus pushed her aside, bending over the boy and muttering something. She couldn't hear it properly, but noticed the child's countenance smooth out, the harsh lines of agony subsiding into a slightly fretful yet calm repose.

"What on earth?" she murmured, half in a daze. She felt Severus's hand on her elbow, guiding her into a chair, and let herself sag into it.

"No idea, honestly," Severus said quite bluntly as he Summoned his own chair. Harry was now sleeping, a soft red glow around his arm the only indication the spell was still working. "You did it properly. There's no reason it should have caused that much pain."

"I feel dreadful," Poppy said, taking in every detail of the boy's face again. What a marvel he was, she thought, faintly awed. How he'd lived through his guardians' abuse, she could scarcely fathom, and yet here he was, defiant back-talk, scruffy hair, and all.

"Don't," Severus's voice gentled as he took one of her hands in his own, warming it. "No one could have known Potter's reaction. You have nothing to blame yourself for."

"Well," Poppy sighed. "I guess now would be a good time to talk about what's going to happen after all this, then, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Severus sat back, his expression more guarded than Poppy had seen it in a long while.

"You know exactly what I mean," she retorted. "You don't want Albus to know he's here. You're inquiring after his guardians. Taking proper care of him. What's next, Severus? Guardianship? Formal adoption? I have the necessary paperwork somewhere in here..."

"What?" Severus said, blankly. He looked stunned, utterly gobsmacked, and Poppy had to stifle a laugh.

"Well, you are planning on retaining custody of Harry, aren't you?" she asked. Severus just sat there, blinking like an owl. Poppy couldn't help but feel internal amusement. Apparently the Potions Master hadn't thought this through at all, and the natural consequences of taking in the Boy Who Lived.

"I...yes?"

"Is that a question or are you telling me?" Poppy said sternly. "It's a big deal, Severus. Becoming a child's guardian isn't an easy task and if you don't feel up to it, I'd rather you didn't."

Severus nodded and sat there, feeling like he'd just been thwacked in the head with a very large, unwieldy brick. Guardianship? Adoption? Of Harry Potter? James would roll over in his grave. Then again, he couldn't be a worse choice than Harry's present guardians, could he? Albus had never stated who they were, citing safety reasons. Ironic, wasn't it, that the greatest enemy Potter had to fear wasn't the Dark Lord's stray followers but his own caretakers?

Obviously they were grossly unfit, and if he had his way, they'd meet a very unpleasant Cerberus. But could he take care of an eight-year-old boy? He wasn't very...fatherly. Impatient, short-tempered-look at how many times he'd already frightened the child! And yet...

Potter certainly seemed to trust him. Severus hadn't the faintest why. He knew he wasn't a pleasant sort of man. He even looked foreboding. Yet Potter had even let him carry him up to the castle. A gesture he doubted Harry would allow anyone else to make. He hated to admit it, but the brat was growing on him.

"Yes," he finally told Poppy, more firmly, and nodded. "Yes, I want to retain custody of Potter-Harry." After all, if he was going to be the child's guardian, he'd have to call him by his first name sooner or later, now wouldn't he.

"In that case.." Poppy waved her wand in a complex privacy spell, cloaking the two of them from both casual prying eyes and more dedicated interlopers. Severus watched her with interest. He hadn't seen this side of her in quite a while. She always played up the slightly plump, overly cheerful nurse, and he sometimes forgot that she'd been in Slytherin House for a reason.

"You've got to do something about Albus," she stated. "I know there's a reason you don't want him told about Harry being here. He's not going to stand idly by and let you take custody of the Boy Who Lived."

"I know," Severus sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Honestly, I can't put my finger on why. But something's got my back up. The fact that he's told no one at all who Harry's staying with-well, supposed to be staying with. Some of the things he's said over the years. I don't know for sure, but I have suspicions that he knew something was off at Harry's house and never did anything."

Poppy's mouth dropped open.

"Well," she managed. "I can see why you wouldn't want him to know. I'll do my best to keep him hidden while he's here, but you're still going to have to come up with something for guardianship, Severus," she warned as she checked on her patient, smoothing the sweat-slimed hair back from his forehead and monitoring his temperature.

Severus knew. Unfortunately, he hadn't the faintest.