Harriet Potter and the Alpha in the Dungeon

Chapter 1 - Thank You

He had thought that he would have bled out by then also, but he had been wrong.

Harriet had been wrong.

Severus Snape had made his peace with his death, but as he closed his eyes, a part of him was even more content. The last thing he saw before his vision went black was green eyes, Harriet Potter's eyes truthfully, but that was alright, they were of such a similar color and shape that Severus could pretend they were Lily Evans' eyes instead.

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To his great dismay, Severus Snape did not die.

After he lost consciousness, Harriet apparated them both to St. Mungo's, since she didn't have the strength or the time to carry him back to Hogwarts.

Not to mention that the Great Hall was overflowing with the wounded.

The emergency department of the wizarding hospital was plunged into chaos as Harriet appeared in the middle of the room, clutching Severus and shouting for help.

The nurses and healers responded quickly. Harriet looked on while a team of healthcare practitioners lunged at Severus, placed him on a gurney, and whisked him away.

Numbly, with her body feeling heavy as lead, Harriet raced alongside them. She had no obligation to stay, but she couldn't bear to leave her injured headmaster alone again, this time in a strange place surrounded by strange people.

The medical team pushed Harriet aside as they stitched Severus's wounds with healing spells and called in a specialist to quickly administer a combination of various antidotes designed to stop and reverse the poison's effects.

There was little time for analgesics. Although Severus no longer had the voice or the ability to protest, he writhed on the bed in discomfort as the treatment necessary to preserve his life was given.

Through the crowd of white robes and white, pressed dresses, when Harriet noticed Severus squirming in pain, she reached past the doctors and nurses and clutched his hand.

It surprised her that Severus clutched back and squeezed hard.

Even in Severus's debilitated state, Harriet had expected him to stubbornly push her away.

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Harriet didn't leave Severus's side.

When it was all over and Severus's wounds had been sutured, his medications had been given, and he had been cleaned, he slept in his hospital bed with a tense frown on his face.

Next to him, Harriet respectfully sat and silently watched.

Severus slept for the majority of the day, but Harriet only moved from her chair to visit the women's lavatory every once in a while.

That evening, a nurse entered the room with a chart in her hands and Severus's black eyes finally opened.

"Severus Snape," The nurse announced, reading over his chart, "Looks like you're doing quite well, considering things."

Severus very, very gently nodded and Harriet realized that with the tight bandages on his throat and his healing wound, he probably hadn't recovered enough to speak.

"Give me a moment and we'll have your discharge paperwork ready." The nurse said with a tense smile.

"Discharge paperwork?" Harriet asked with a scowl before she could stop herself.

Surprise came over Severus's face as his gaze flickered over to Harriet.

She was looking at the nurse and she didn't see it, but a softness graced the stern features of Severus's face as he realized that Harriet was sitting at his bedside.

"Yes, Miss Potter." The nurse blinked at Harriet, "I'm sorry, but we're already overcrowded. We've received loads of injured patients today that desperately need care. There's not enough beds as it is, and currently, there's nothing else we can do for Mr. Snape, he just has to rest and recover at this point. That could take months.....Sorry, but he's got to go. We need the room."

"But how's he supposed to take care of himself right now?!" Harriet protested, "He can't even speak, he probably shouldn't move at all, really!"

The nurse shrugged, "You're right. He'll need some help for a while. Does he have any family we can contact? I'll arrange for them to come and collect him."

Severus felt his heart clench in his chest.

No, he had no family, and now, he had no friends.

"No need." Harriet replied confidently, "I'll........I'll look after him."

Severus's black eyes almost bulged out of his head at that statement.

"Oh? Are you related to him?" The nurse asked as she scribbled a note down in Severus's chart.

Harriet silently wondered how the nurse didn't know who she was but she didn't take the time to explain or press the issue.

"No." Harriet said firmly, "But I'm the only one he's got."

The nurse nodded, noted that down, and left the room.

Harriet looked over at Severus and Severus gazed back at her with sad, narrowed eyes.

The air was thick with nervous tension as the two of them looked at each other and thought.

It would be a difficult summer for Harriet, taking care of her prickly Headmaster.

Her prickly, alpha Headmaster.

Just because Harriet hadn't presented as an alpha or an omega yet didn't mean that she couldn't sense one.

Severus didn't know what to feel, but he knew that for Harriet Potter to come back for him, take him to get help, and volunteer to care for him, she must have already viewed the memories he had shared with her.

Harriet Potter was expressing her gratitude to Severus Snape through her actions and he understood that.

The abrasive alpha wanted to clench his jaw but the injury to his throat prevented him.

No one had ever said "thank you" to Severus Snape before.