Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A special thanks to The Lonely God With a Box for beta'ing my story.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 15

Albus walked back to his chambers. Yes, he remembered that conversation very well. The gargoyle to the entrance to his chambers still didn't have all the pieces. Slowly, he climbed the stairs. All while wondering who could have came onto the grounds, killed Fang, then came into the castle and taken Minerva. Now, not only Hagrid is missing, but Minerva as well. And Severus. Albus just shook his head.

Albus walked into his chambers and sat down behind his desk. He looked up at the closed door and remembered Minerva storming in that day.

“Albus,” Minerva said. “We need to talk.”

“Ah Minerva,” Albus looked up at her as she walked in the chambers and sat down in the chair across from him. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Minerva looked like she was trying to keep her temper under control. Albus looked at her. It was the start of a new term. She shouldn't be having problems with a student already.

“Would you like some tea?” Albus asked trying to lighten the atmosphere in the room.

“No, Albus,” Minerva said through clenched teeth. “I don't want any tea. I want you to start guardianship papers on Severus Snape.”

“What ever for?” Albus asked.

Minerva stood up and walked up to the desk and put a small piece of parchment down in front of Albus.

“I want guardianship of Severus.”

Albus looked at Minerva and then looked down at the parchment.

Severus Tobias Snape

Age 16

Birth date: January 9, 1960

Diagnosis

NEW WOUNDS

Skeletal

Fractured clavicle (right side)

Broken nose

Fractured ulna (left arm)

3 Broken fingers(right hand)

4 Broken fingers (left hand)

3 Cracked ribs (right side)

2 Broken ribs (left side)

Fractured ankle (right side)

3 Broken toes (left side)

Tissue

Contusions

Lacerations

Diagnostic Exam done

by

Madam Poppy Pomphrey

Certified Healer for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

and

St. Mungus Wizarding Hospital

Albus looked at the parchment and the color just seemed to slide off of his face as he read. There was no way this could be true.

“I want guardianship of Severus,” Minerva repeated after giving Albus ample time to read the parchment.

“Why?” Albus asked looking up at Minerva. “He's just a Slytherin.”

Minerva tilted her head to the side, looking at Albus as if he grown another head. She couldn't believe what she just heard.

“Did...did...”Minerva gasped, exasperated. “I know you didn't just....”

Minerva started pacing the office. She couldn't believe that Albus was that prejudiced with the houses like that. Trying to understand, Minerva rubbed her temples as she paced up and down the headmaster's chambers.

“No,” Minerva shook her head. “You can't tell me that you actually feel that way.”

“Why do you care so much about this boy?”

“MAYBE BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS!” Minerva yelled. “How dare you?” Minerva was now standing in front of Albus. “He is a student in this school. It should not matter what house he's in. He should be kept protected and felt safe because he's a student at Hogwarts. Not looked over because you felt he was in an undesirable house.”

“Now Minerva,” Albus sighed. “You know I didn't mean it like that.”

“There is only one thing I want to hear come out of your mouth.”

“Now, see here, Minerva...” Albus was cut off by everything, trinkets and keepsakes exploding one by one.

“Give me Severus,” Minerva's voice was calm and low. “You will give me guardianship.” Minerva was getting tired from the wandless magic she was doing. “Give me the papers. I will go and get them signed by his father.”

Albus pulled out the necessary paperwork for Minerva. He looked up at her when she said that she would go to Tobias' and talk to him.

“I will have to decline that. I don't think it would be wise if you see Tobias Snape.” Albus said.

“And why not?” Minerva looked at Albus. “I need those papers signed. Severus will not be going back to that man.”

“No,” Albus sighed. “No, he won't, but I don't think it will do him any favors if you're in Azkaban for his father's murder. It's one thing to destroy my trinkets that I have way too much of, but another to actually take it out on the man himself. I will get your papers signed. I promise, Minnie.”

Minerva narrowed her eyes at Albus, wondering if she should trust him.

“Alright, Albus,” Minerva said. “I will trust you, but if I don't get that signed paper back tonight, so I can perform a blood adoption, you will be next.”

Albus nodded and Minerva got up and left the Headmaster's office.

Albus sat back in his chair and sighed.

________0000____________0000___________0000____________0000____________0000________

Poppy was in her back store room going through her supplies trying to find something that could possibly help Severus recover faster. She found the potion that she was looking for. She knew that she had it. When there where one (now two) wizards that can just about deplete their magical core, she knew she would need to keep more than the hospital stores of the potion.

Poppy came out of the storeroom just to see Severus sitting up in the bed. She walked over towards him.

“Severus,” Poppy said. “I'm glad to see you are awake. How do you feel?” She walked over to the side of the bed and pulled out her wand and cast another diagnostic charm over the Potion's Professor.

Severus looked up at Poppy.

“Why am I in the Infirmary?” Severus drawled out.

Poppy's brow immediately creased at Severus' question.

“Severus,” Poppy said sitting down on the edge of the bed facing him. “Someone took your mother. You destroyed her chambers. I had to bring you here. You almost depleted your magical core. One more spell out of you and you would have been a squib.”

Severus took a deep breath. Everything was beginning to come back to him; the letter from mother, the coin, the note, Tami and Harry. Harry.

“Where's Harry?” Severus blurted out.

“Harry,” Poppy was confused. “You took Harry back to those blasted relatives.”

“No, I didn't, you foolish woman,” Severus sneered out. “Harry's been with me for the past few days.”

Severus swung his legs out of the bed and sat up.

“TAMI!”

A small pop and the elf was standing in front of Severus.

“Master Sev'us,” a small smile on her face.

“Where is the boy?” Severus asked rubbing his hand down his face. He was still tired and drained, but he knew there where things that needed to be taken care of.

“Master Harry's asleep. Master Harry's very worried about you.”

“Severus,” Poppy said walking up to the two of them and putting her hand on the little elf. “Albus knows that things are not going as planned for him. If Harry's with you, I have a suspicion that Albus knows that. And with the disappearances of Minerva and Hagrid, and you having Harry, he's coming back and won't be too pleased.” Put a phial in Severus' hand. A small smile on the medi-witch's face, “Take this. You know what it is. You know there isn't much you can do until you truly rest.”

Poppy turned to Tami and patted her shoulder.

“You take care of them,” Poppy said smiling. “You hear me. Take care of them.”

Poppy turned and looked at Severus one more time and cupped his cheek.

“Get some rest. Take care of Harry. Find your Mother.”

Poppy left the office. Severus just watched her leave then turned back to Tami. He drank the potion that Poppy gave him. He coughed. Even though he made it, the taste was still vile.

“Take me to Harry,” Severus gasped out.

Tami nodded once, grabbed hold of her mistress' son and they left the Infirmary in a small pop.

Poppy stood in the corner of the room and watched them disapparate from the room and thought back to the day Severus eased his way in her heart.

“Where's Minnie?” Severus whispered out.

Poppy looked down at the boy in her arms, and with a small smile, “She's about to fight for you, Severus.”

Those words played over and over in Severus' head. Someone cares. Someone's going to fight for me. The tears just spilled from his eyes. Poppy just held him as he cried.

It didn't take long for Minerva to return to the Infirmary. When she returned, she couldn't help the smile that graced her lips from what she saw.

Severus was asleep, looking very peaceful in the bed, the covers up to his chest. His hands laying on top of him.

My boy, she thought.

Poppy came out of her office and walked up to Minerva.

“How did it go?”

“Albus is going to get Tobias to sign the release forms,” Minerva said smile leaving her lips. Her eyes never leaving her sleeping ward.

“Do you really trust Albus to do something like this?” Poppy voice full of concern.

“He has until tonight to get me the papers signed,” Minerva said then looked at Poppy. “Or I go.”

Poppy nodded her understanding. Both witches turned back to the boy lying in the bed.

“How is he?” Minerva's voice much softer.

“He has a long recovery,” Poppy said. “Physically, I've healed him, but whatever happened in that house, that may take some time.”

Minerva walked closer to the bed and sat down on the edge of it and took Severus' hand in hers.

“How long has he been sleep?” Minerva asked.

Poppy stood on the other side of the bed. “He finally closed his eyes about ten minutes before you came. The boy is stubborn. He wanted to see you. But the Dreamless Sleep and Calming Draught were just a little bit stronger.”

Minerva smiled, but couldn't keep the hurt of her heart showing. Tears pooled in her eyes. Poppy saw the tears and sat down on the chair next to the bed.

“Minerva, what's wrong?”

“How long has this really been going on?” Tears began to flow from the woman's eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“He was headed to the potions lab. He didn't want to come here. I made him come.” Minerva sighed and looked over at her friend. “How many times did he come to school beaten to a pulp and just went to a corner and licked his own wounds.”

Poppy got up and walked over to the other side of the bed and embraced her friend.

“How many times?”

“He's with us now,” Poppy said over the large lump in her throat. “And we'll take care of him.”

Minerva just cried.

TBC

A/N: I can not express how much your reviews have made me feel. (good reviews or bad reviews) I love to know what you think of my story. Please leave a review.