Potions Class Gone Wrong -Harry Potter Fanfiction-

Chapter Seven-Catching Wind

      Draco and Severus watched Harry mutely walk out of the room, a look of wonder flashing across his face before he disappeared into the room. Draco turned again to face his Godfather, his features almost grim and his face expectant, eyebrow raised. 

     Severus' face was equally grim, a hand coming up to rub his chin. 

     "This is worrying." He said a moment later, breaking the silence efficiently. 

     "Indeed. Sev, what could be causing the memory loss?" 

     "I assume the potion had more side effects than we first thought. The bruises, you said, appear randomly and from seemingly nowhere?"

     "Yes. I woke up and he had that one on his face. He was sleeping. He couldn't have hurt himself." Draco said, worrying his bottom lip. 

     Severus nodded slowly, expression intense. "His memory seems to be fading quickly. It shouldn't be more than a week before all he knows is his time here." He murmured. 

     "A week?" Draco asked, voice strangled. "Sev, he can't forget everything! The potion wont be ready for another month, I assume." Draco waiting for his Godfather to nod before continuing. "What if he doesn't regain his memories when he is changed back? He'll be a six year old that behaves like a twenty year old, talks like an eight year old in a sixteen year old body!" Draco said lowly, voice tinged with frustration and a hint of desperation. 

     His Godfather raised an eyebrow. "You sound as though you care for Potter. It has been hardly a day. Surely your opinion doesn't change that quickly, Dragon?" 

     Draco blinked, and straightened, expression that of defeat. "Severus, he's a little kid who's been abused. I'm not heartless." He said, shaking his head. Severus frowned at the topic change. 

     "The abuse is worrying. It would make it harder to earn trust, especially that of adults. He seemed frightened of me." Severus murmured, searching his memory to the depths, and coming up with little. "My memory is little but I can see signs of this abuse in my experience with him during classes and other times." He said slowly, shame creeping into his frame. 

     What if the abuse had continued as the boy grew older and went to Hogwarts? He was always deathly pale, abnormally small, flinched easily and was very loyal to those he trusted, worryingly so. Always to tentative around adults. Being abused as a child as well, Severus could easily sympathized. It hadn't ended until his father Tobias had died when he was nineteen, only years after he had forced his only son to take the Dark Mark. 

     What if the abuse continued in such a similar path as his own? Getting worse and worse over the years, to the point of being on the brink of death more often than naught. He remembered walking in on Potter discussing whether he could stay at Hogwarts for the duration of the summer, and had assumed that Potter just wanted to use magic and have a great big castle all to himself, but now he realized that it was more likely than naught that Potter had merely wanted to escape his family, if they could be called that. 

     "I need to take my departure. I need to add somethings to the cauldron shortly. If all goes to plan it found be prepared in three and a half weeks. Watch him, Draco." Severus warned, waiting for Draco to nod before he walked out, robs flapping behind him. Draco sighed, shaking his head. He slowly walked to the room Harry had entered, opening the door equally as slowly. He smiled upon seeing Harry asleep in the bed, cuddling one of the plushies. 

     He sneezed in his sleep, waking himself up for a moment, eyes fluttering, before falling back to sleep once more, sniffling. Draco frowned, putting a hand on Harry's forehead. 

     Harry didn't stir, and Draco was worried to find that he was burning up. Draco straightened, fixing the pillows around Harry and wrapping him up snugly in a blanket. 

     He left the room quietly, going to his own rooms which he had yet to see. The bed was made up of dark wood, grey sheets and dark green blankets. He snorted, and instead sat at the stationary, penning a letter to Pomfrey asking for a few Pepper Up potions. 

     Minutes later his owl was flying and he was snuggled into his own bed.

     When he woke up it was too the sound of a tapping sound. He opened his eyes blearily, blinking rapidly at the annoyed bird, a small parcel tied to his feet.

     Soon Draco was walking out of his room with a Pepper Up potion in hand. He was in the doorway when a loud clang was heard, and Draco changed his course abruptly, going to the kitchens instead of Harry's room, his original destination.

     He had hardly looked at the scene before he had scooped up a started Harry in his arms and had placed him on the counter. It appeared Harry had tried to make breakfast himself, but he couldn't even manage to get the pan on the stove, which was now on the floor. 

     "Harry, why are you awake? You should still be resting. You aren't nearly well enough to be cooking." Draco fretted, absentmindedly putting the pan on the stove as he checked a startled Harry for injuries. 

     "I thought you left me," Harry murmured, sniffing, and Draco's nose twitched in mind disgust as Harry wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve. "So I tried ta make breakfast," He said shrugging, sniffing. 

     Draco sighed, brushing Harry's fringe away to feel his forehead, noting the fever seemed to have risen. 

     "Raven, you're sick. I didn't leave. I just slept in my own rooms. I'm not going to leave you. Now let's get you back to bed. You're going to rest, I'll have the House-Elves bring something." Draco said, leaving no room for argument as a stunned but happy Harry allowed himself to be picked up and carried to his rooms. 

     "Drink." Draco ordered, pushing a bottle into Harry's hands as he worked on fluffing the pillows. Harry's nose scrunched at the smell, and his whole face sneered at the taste, but he didn't complain as he downed it, filling Draco with an odd mixture of relief and worry. 

     An hour later Harry had eaten all that he could before he had fallen asleep again. Draco sighed, noted he was feeling rather down himself and took another of the five Pomfrey had sent. He didn't want to be sick, after all. Settling himself down to start his homework, he set about the boring task. Harry seemed to just have a minor cold. Nothing to worry about. 

     Meanwhile, the Potions Master paced in his private chambers, steps agitated. The Dark Lord had summoned him sometime in the night, forcing him to put a stasis charm on the potion while in a important part of the potion. 

     The Dark Lord had gotten wind. He knew something had happened to Potter. He didn't know what had happened, however. It was only a matter of time before he found out, and Severus knew it. 

     Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. His life was very complicated at times, boarding on pointless back and forth.