Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Chapter 16

Poppy walked down the alleyway. It had been a long time since she had to use this entrance going to Severus' place. At first when Severus offered, she was completely shocked. But after everything he had done for her, it didn't really seem all that surprising.

Once she got to the street, it didn't take her long to get to Severus' door. As she walked closer to the door, old fears soon began to creep back in the back of her mind. She hadn't been back to her house since her attack. Now walking towards the door, old feelings began to take over. When she walked over to the door, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew she needed to be strong for everyone on the other side of the door.

Putting her hand on the door, she waited for the house to recognize her magical signature. The wait wasn't long as the latch magically clicked opened. A small smirk graced the matron's lips as she twisted to knob to enter. She was just about to walk in when she heard it. It wasn't faint. It was actually rather loud. She gave an audible gasp and looked up.

“Where have you been?”

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The first thing that Ron noticed was that he was on the floor. It took him a second to remember what happened. The first thing that came back to him was that he wasn't at home. Then he remembered where he was. Pushing the confining cloak off of him, Ron sat up, leaning against the wall. His head felt like it had been stampeded by a herd of centaurs. Groaning, as he rubbed his head. The last thing that he remembered was the way Harry looked. As long as they have been friends, he had seen what he thought was Harry at his worst. Tears burned his throat as that was obviously not the case.

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Poppy walked into the house and looked around. The first place she checked was the sitting room. The fireplace was still green. Albus told her that Severus left it open. Walking out of the room, she headed up the stairs. She knew she didn't know what room Severus put Harry, but she thought it shouldn't be hard to find out. As she climbed the last of the stairs, the first thing she saw was Ron sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. The first thing that she felt was anger. Why was he here?

“Mr. Weasley,” Poppy barked.

Ron winced at the tone, or maybe that he was caught, she didn't know. But she was going to find out. Ron groaned.

“Why are you here?” Poppy asked, taking out her wand, casting a diagnostic charm. When he didn't answer immediately, she asked again.

The scan showed that physically he was fine. Just a headache from a bump on the back of the head, probably from him hitting the wall. She looked at the door across from them. It was quiet. That worried her but she knew she had to deal with what was in front of her at the moment.

“I will ask you again,” Poppy said. This time her voice was calm but serious. “Why are you here?”

“I wanted to see my best mate,” Ron groaned, rubbing his temples with his hand.

“I'm positive that you were told that Harry wasn't to have visitors yet?” she asked, as she handed Ron a headache potion from her satchel.

“But he's my best mate,” Ron said, as if that was reason enough to excuse what he did. He took the potion and downed it in one gulp. He sighed as the headache he was feeling slowly stopped.

“You were told to stay away,” Poppy said, getting up from the floor. “Get up.”

Ron recognized the tone and did not hesitate getting off the floor.

“How did you get here and no one saw you?”

Ron didn't answer. He just knelt back down and picked up the cloak off the floor. Poppy had heard that Harry had an invisibility cloak, but she had never seen it. Snatching it out of Ron's hand, she forcefully put it in her satchel.

“Go downstairs and wait for me,” Poppy ordered.

“Harry needs me,” Ron said.

Poppy tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. Taking a deep breath to calm down her anger, she looked at the red-headed child.

“You have done enough damage being here. Harry has blocked off the floo. Imagine how your parents felt when they couldn't come through. Did you ever think there was a reason why you were suppose to be here? Did it ever cross your mind as to why you were told not to see Harry? To wait until he was ready? No, you didn't.” Poppy took another deep breath for she felt herself on the verge of yelling. “Now, I have to see if I can get inside that room,” pointing to the closed door, “and see what damage Harry and Professor Snape are in because of his magical outburst. Now, go. Down. Stairs.”

Ron sighed as he turned and headed back downstairs. She watched him leave the hallway and then turned to the door. Placing her hands flat against the door, she could feel the magic coming off of it.

“Severus,” she called out. “Severus, can you hear me?”

She put her ear closer to the door, trying to hear the other side.

Silence.

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Severus groaned as he opened his eyes. He realized that he was sitting on the floor by the far wall. He didn't even remember getting basted back. The first wave of magic, he remembered, he was able to keep standing. But he wasn't ready for the second.

Standing up, Severus could see Harry still in the bed, unconscious. He walked over to the boy. He didn't want to scare the child, but he knew he needed to wake Harry up. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he slowly put his hand on the boy's shoulder. He was happy that Harry didn't put the shield around himself again, that he could still touch him.

“Harry,” Severus calmly said, slightly shaking the boy's shoulder. “Harry wake up.”

“No, please,” Harry whimpered. “Stop, please.”

“Harry, wake up,” Severus said. His voice was a little louder, hoping that he voice could be louder than the child's nightmare.

Harry's eyes popped open as he took in an audible gasp. His first recognition was that he wasn't in the room. He turned his head and saw his Professor and a small smile as he recognized where he was.

“Harry, are you alright?”

Severus watched as Harry turned his head and looked up at the ceiling. He could see tears pooling in those green eyes.

“Harry.”
“Ron was here?” Harry whispered. “He saw.”

“Yes,” Severus said.

He was about to say something more when he heard a faint sound coming from the door. He got up from the bed and walked over towards the door.

“Professor?” Harry said, when he felt Snape leave the side of the bed.

Severus ignored Harry for a second. When he walked over to the door, he felt it. He was worried that Harry would put his shield up again. Severus turned and looked at the child laying in the bed.

“Harry,” Severus said. “Do you not feel safe?”

“He saw,” Harry sobbed. “I didn't want anyone to see me.”

Severus rushed back to the side of the bed as he saw Harry beginning to panic. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Severus placed his hand on Harry's chest.

“Harry,” Severus soothed, slightly patting the child's chest. “Harry, calm down.”

“He saw me. I didn't want anyone to see me. Why did he come here? How did he know I was here?”

Severus could see that he wasn't getting through to the boy, so he got up and sat at the head of the bed. His back to the headboard and one leg hanging off the bed. Severus reached under Harry's armpits and lifted the child off the bed and brought him to his lap, wrapped his arms tightly around Harry, and held him. Severus knew he would not get through to Harry until he calmed down.

Harry made no acknowledgment that he was being moved. When he felt arms wrap around him, he sagged against his professor.

“I didn't want anyone to see me,” Harry sobbed, muffled in Severus' shoulder.

“I know,” Severus soothed, slightly rocking.

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Poppy, after trying several times calling out Severus name, headed back downstairs to the sitting room. There she found Ron slumped on the couch, Harry's owl sitting on his knee, his head on the back of the couch, absentmindedly rubbing the owl's feathers. Not wanting to deal with the teen just yet, she walked over to the fireplace. Knowing that no one could come through, she did hope that they could at least talk.

Ron watched the matron walk in the room and towards the fireplace.

“Albus,” Poppy called out, hoping that she could at least talk to them. “Can you hear me?”

“Poppy,” Albus called back. “I hear you. I'm happy you were able to make it inside.”

“Yeah, I'm inside,” Poppy responded back.

“Poppy.” Both Poppy and Ron recognized Molly's voice. “Is Ron there? Is he alright?”

“He's here,” Poppy replied. “He's fine. Just a bump on the head, but he's alright.”

“RONALD WEASLEY,” Molly yelled. “JUST WAIT UNTIL -”

Poppy and Ron could hear mumbling after Molly started yelling and was abruptly cut off, then Albus' voice came through the flames.

“Poppy, what about Severus and Harry?”

“I can't get through,” Poppy said. “Harry's warded it off. Until he feels safe the door and the floo will not open.”

“Were you able to speak with Severus?” Albus asked.

“No,” Poppy said, shaking her head. “But I do have other news. Harry's owl is here.”

TBC


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