Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The characters belong to J. K. Rowling

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

A/N:  Enjoy

Chapter 4

Minerva walked into the office. “Albus.”

“Ah, Minerva,” Albus' voice was cheerful, trying to be oblivious to the rage that was swelling inside the witch in front of his desk. “Would you like some tea?”

“No, Albus,” her voice was very stiff. “We need to talk.”

“If you wish,” Albus said with a curt nod ignoring what he was working on when she walked in his office. Sitting back in his chair, he waved his hand for her to sit in the chair across from him while simultaneously casting a wandless protection charm on all his trinkets around his office and personal chambers.

Minerva sat down. She took a few calming breaths. The last thing she wanted to do was start a yelling match with Albus about Harry. Albus looked at Minerva with slight trepidation. What could have happened that had worked her up into such a state. The last time he saw her this upset was right before she announced that she was going to adopt Severus, and there were still cracks in the wall from her magic.

“How could you Albus!,” Minerva yelled slamming the door as she walked in.

“What has happened?,” Albus said standing up from behind his desk and walking over to his friend.

“If they weren't in my house...,” she trailed off. “I'm so angry. There are really no words that I can say.....”

Albus could feel the magic rolling off of Minerva in waves. He wondered what could have happened for her to be in such a state.

“Minerva,” Albus tried to wrap his arm around her shoulders, but there was an invisible force keeping him back. “Why don't you come and sit down and tell me what has happened.”

“That Sirius!,” Minerva said walking towards the chair. “I could just.... No, I will,” she took a deep breath trying to calm down.

Albus sat down in the chair next to Minerva. He figured it was best to let her try and calm herself before he got any explanation as to what was wrong.

After a few moments of quiet, the only noise that was heard was from the small items that Albus had around his office. Little trinkets that he collected in the past, Minerva spoke. One word that totally surprised Albus.

“Severus,” Minerva shook her head.

“Severus?,” Albus was now confused. Wasn't she talking about Sirius. “What has Severus done?”

Her head popped up and looked at Albus with such disdain.

“Why would you immediately think that Severus has done something wrong?,” Minerva said incredulously.

“Well, you were talking about Sirius, and I figured....”

“Well you figured wrong.” cutting Albus off. “Sirius is the one that has done something wrong, and Severus is the one that was hurt by him, again.”

Albus sat back in his seat as if he was slapped across the face. He never would have thought that his Head of Gryffindor would worry herself with a Slytherin boy.

“What has happened?,”Albus sounded drained.

“That bloody boy and his cruel pranks!,”Minerva yelled. One of Albus' prized trinkets on the far wall shattered at her yelling.

“Minerva,” Albus admonished, but quickly quieted from the look she gave him.

“Do you know what they have done to Severus?”

“I've heard some, but...really Minnie,” Albus said trying to placate his friend. “It was just boys being boys.”

Minerva couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'Boys will be boys.'

“Boys...boys will...,” she couldn't form a clear thought with the anger rising in her so fast. Just as fast as the anger was coming, waves of magic were rolling off of her. One by one things started exploding around Albus' chambers and office.

“THEY NEARLY KILLED HIM, ALBUS!,” Minerva yelled as Fawkes' perched exploded sending the bird flying across the room. “Boys will be boys,” she admonished. “That's your way of excusing what they did.” Minerva took a deep breath. “I understand why you don't want to expel Sirius for what he did for fear of what will happen to Remus, but something must be done.”

“You know I've given Sirius detention,” Albus said.

“And what about James,” Minerva asked.

“What about him?,” Albus asked. “If I know the facts right, he saved Severus.”

“Yes, yes he did,” Minerva's voice was calm again. “But he waited until the last minute. He could have gotten himself as well as Severus killed.”

“Minerva,” Albus tilted his head at his friend. “Why so much interest in Severus Snape?”

Minerva was a little shocked by the question. She really hadn't thought why she cared so much for the quiet boy, but she just knew that someone should.

“Have you seen him, Albus?,” Minerva's voice calmed again. “He's so withdrawn. And after his mother died last year, he's become more and more a recluse. He needs someone on his side.”

“How can I help you, Minerva,” Albus asked.

“It's about Harry.”

Albus blinked at his friend sitting across from him. Now, what has happened?, he thought.

“What about Harry?,” Albus asked.

“He's in the Infirmary now,” Minerva started. “Severus went to Surrey.”

“Why did he do that,” Albus said cutting her off. “You know Harry is not to leave his relative's house.”

“There were two Dementors in Surrey. They attacked Harry.” Minerva's voice gradually got louder. She really didn't want to start yelling before she got to the real reason she wanted to talk to Albus, so she took some calming breaths and began again. “Severus' coin heated up earlier today. He thought something was wrong with me, but when I informed him that I had given mine to Harry, I told him to go and check on him. Once arriving there he told me that Harry was about to be Kissed. He banished the Dementors and went to check on Harry. His findings showed that Harry had been abused. Several broken bones old and new, and slight pneumonia. It took both Severus and Poppy to administer everything that poor Harry needed. Now he's asleep in the infirmary. Severus is watching over him.”

“I would like to see him, myself,” Albus said standing up from his chair.

“Not just yet,” Minerva raised her hand to halt Albus' movements. “There is something that has to be cleared up that my boys need not hear.”

Albus hated hearing that. When the cat would start to become possessive about someone, it was never good for anyone to be on he receiving end of her wrath.

Sitting back down in his chair. “What needs clearing up?”

“Arabella,” Minerva said.

“Arabella Figg?,” Albus asked. “What about her?”

“How could you?”

“How could I what?,” Albus' brow creased. “What is it that you think I've done?”

“Just watch the house?,” Minerva asked. “How could you? You knew why I wanted her there. I didn't trust those Muggles. Your wards and the Blood ward would have taken care of anyone coming to the house to cause him harm. Arabella was there for Harry and Harry alone. How could you change her orders like that?”

“Don't you understand,” Albus started, but was cut off.

“No, Albus. I don't. Please enlighten me. Please explain to me why you would allow Harry live like a house elf. Please explain the treatment that he had to endure. This is Severus all over again.”

“Now Minerva.....”

“Don't 'Now Minerva' me, Albus,” Minerva stood up. “I promise you Albus, if you do anything that would hurt my boys, either of them, your little warding you have on your trinkets will not save you from my wrath.”

Minerva walked to the door.

“Oh by the way, Albus,” she said standing by the door. “Harry will not be going back to those Muggles again. Ever.”

With that, Minerva walked out of his office and lightly closed the door with a soft click. Which was much more ominous than if she had slammed the door loudly. Albus shook his head. How would he ever get Minerva to understand? This was how things were going to be. Severus had his job to do, and so did Harry. With the fact that Minerva is now being protective of both Severus and now Harry, it's going to be that much harder to get them to do what they are suppose to do. Albus took a deep breath and sighed.

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Severus sat in the chair next to Harry's bed thinking about what has occurred in the past couple of hours. Not four hours ago, he thought of Harry with pure loathing and disdain. But now - now, he was just a too small boy who weighed too little, who was just attacked by two vile creatures. He didn't want to believe that Harry would want to end his own life, but he surely looked like he was giving up when the Dementors attacked.

Poppy walked up to Harry's bed, bringing Severus out of his thoughts.

“What's wrong, Poppy,” Severus asked.

Pulling a phial from her pocket. “This is for his pneumonia.”

Severus' brow creased together then remembered from the parchment that Harry did have slight fluid in one of his lungs. He shook his head. How could he have overlooked that?

“Don't fret over it, Severus,” Poppy said. “We had to wait before I could administer this potion since we'd given him so much earlier. Severus nodded.

A small smile graced Poppy's lips. She leaned down to move the blanking from Harry's stomach so that she could magically put it in his stomach. The instant her hand touched Harry's shoulder, he began to buck under her hand. Quickly, Severus was at Harry's side trying to hold him down to the bed. Harry griped the front of Severus' frock coat, trying to make himself into a small ball cowering against Severus. He and Poppy both looked at each other in utter shock. Never did Severus think that the 'Boy-Who-Lived' would cling on to him like he was some teddy bear. Severus knew Harry had to be dreaming. He even doubted that Harry knew where he was. To solidify that thought, Harry had not once opened his eyes. Since there were no other children in the ward, the adults in the room began to hear the muffled cries of the boy who had plastered himself against Severus' chest. Instinctively Severus wrapped his arms around the shaking boy.

A mantra of 'I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon', 'I'm sorry, Aunt Petunia' were muffled in Severus' chest. Harry's arms encircled Severus' chest so tightly he felt that the small boy would surely break his ribs. Severus just held the shaking boy in his arms and just rocked him trying to calm him down. Poppy just stood by the bed with tears in her eyes. Harry's heart-breaking mantra filled the infirmary.

TBC

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Mandancie :)

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