Bond of Love

Chapter 1
In the Hospital Wing


Poppy was in her office filling in students’ charts and filing them away. At the moment she was busy with Harry Potter’s. The only one who came as close to ending up in the wing as badly damaged as him was Severus Snape. Poppy couldn’t help a small smile thinking about young Harry. The boy was so thoughtful and caring to those around him. She wondered what this next year would bring. After all Harry never went a year without some serious injury. Still despite all he had been through he was always there when someone needed him.

Out in the main room of the hospital wing Severus suddenly materialized next to one of the beds. In his arms he was still cradling the broken body of Harry Potter. He bent down and gently placed him on the bed at the same time casting a spell on his voice so he could be heard in any corner of the castle. He quickly yelled for Poppy and Albus and then as an after thought called Minerva too before removing the charm and trying to step back from the bed.

Harry who for the first time in a month felt safe whimpered and clung to Severus. A year ago had anyone told him that he would feel safe in that mans arms he would have had him committed but last year had changed so many things for Harry. Severus realized he wasn’t ready to release his hold on the boy either and so sat on the bed rocking him gently and whispering in his ear that he was safe now. Severus couldn’t stop the tears falling as he thought of all that Harry had been through. Most people would have broken down. Not his Harry. No instead the boy was even more determined to take care of those around him. Severus knew that Harry had never been very physically affectionate and now he could understand why, but here he was clinging to him when most people would be cowering in a corner begging to be left alone.

As she walked into the room to see what on earth Severus was yelling about Poppy gasped. She had to fight back tears at the sight before her eyes. Few would understand how rare it was to see either of these men hug anyone let alone to see them hugging each other. Add to that the fact that what she could see of the younger of the two was covered in cuts and bruises. Of all the students who had ever walked through the doors of her wing the two before her were her favorite. Not only because they had been in here so often but also because she understood them. Yes young Harry often pretended to be a happy easy-going kid and Severus was always playing the part of the hated potions professor but they were really both so alike. Both of them were brave and cunning brilliant and loyal. Both were affectionate even if only those closest to them ever saw it and both were in constant danger from the same madman. What is more where most believed the two hated each other she knew that they respected each other and would not think twice before giving their life to save the other. Of course Harry would give up his life to protect anyone even if he did hate him or her.

As Poppy stood watching Albus joined her and she watched sadly as the ever-present twinkle in his eyes was extinguished. Poppy was one of the few along with Minerva and Severus who understood just how much Harry meant to him. After all Harry’s Grandmother had been his daughter. Albus had been devastated when she and her husband died and even more so at the loss of James and Lily and then he had been forced to send his Great Grandson to live with Lily’s sister. Poppy wondered just when her old friend was going to tell Harry that he had a family.

Albus had always been so calm when there was an emergency but now, seeing his broken grandchild in the arms of a man he had adopted as a son when he turned spy, he was unable to stop the tears from falling. He could not see much of the boy as he was buried in Severus’ robes, but what he could see made his blood boil. He could see the bruises covering Harry’s arms and could only imagine the wounds on the rest of the boy. Stepping closer he placed a hand lightly on Severus’ shoulder. Severus nodded to let his mentor know he understood they were there before leaning down to whisper in Harry’s ear.
“Harry I need you to lie down and rest now. Poppy and Albus are here.” Harry whimpered and tightened his grip. “Harry I am right here I am not going anywhere. You are home now Harry no one is going to hurt you.”
The realization that he was safe at Hogwarts and that his Professor wasn’t leaving seemed to calm Harry who eased his grip on the man as he was lowered to the pillows. Severus winced a bit at the gasp Harry gave when his back touched the bed. Sitting back Severus ran his hand through Harry’s hair whispering over and over that he would be alright before finally standing and moving into the chair beside the bed and taking Harry’s hand in his as soon as the boy reached out to him.

As Poppy and Albus finally caught a glimpse of the boy they were both shocked. Poppy let out a gasp, which for her was unusual. Albus was radiating power, which seemed to rock the room. Neither could believe what they were seeing. Nor could Minerva as she stepped in the room having run from the other side of the school at the unusual summons from Severus. She let out a soft scream as she ran to the side of her student. Minerva did not often show any emotion around the students but this one was her favorite. From the moment he had walked into the Entry Hall she had loved him. His father had been a favorite of hers and not just because of his relation to Albus. Seeing Harry was like seeing James again but it was not long before she realized that Harry was nothing like James. Oh he did some of the things his father did but he was different. Harry never broke rules because he was bored; normally someone’s life was at stake when he dared to do something. Now all four of the adults could not help but stare at their brave boy. Not one of them was able to stop the tears falling down their face.

Poppy finally shook her self and went into work mode. One of her children was hurt and she had to heal him. Moving closer to the bed she began casting spells to tell her what exactly was wrong. As the words began to form above the bed she could feel the anger of the other three growing. All of Harry’s ribs were broken as was his jaw and one arm. He was covered in bruises and cuts other then the words that had been carved into him. However it was the end of the list that had her once more letting out a gasp. Not only was the boy so malnourished that it had stopped him from growing but he was bleeding internally and had been raped multiple times. Albus looked over at Severus as those words appeared noting the murderous look in the man’s eyes and the tension in his entire body. Albus knew in that moment that his spy had not needed to see the words to tell him what had happened to his mate. Albus was one of three who knew that his great grandson was the soul mate of the potions master. After all Albus had cast the spell to bind them to each other only days after the boy was born.

Poppy began casting spells and watched as Harry’s jaw snapped back into place and the bruises began to fade. Some of the minor cuts healed but the boy’s breathing was still labored and the words carved into his skin remained. Rushing to her cabinet she took out several potions. One to knit his bones, one to heal the internal injuries one to heal the rest of the bruises and cuts on his body and one to instantly correct his malnourishment and allow him to have a growth spurt over the next few days. She also grabbed a set of the itchy hospital pajamas that the students wore in the wing. For once she wished they were more comfortable. When she returned to the bed Harry’s bright green eyes were open and he was watching as she bustled around the room. Seeing this she gave him one of her rare smiles as she approached the bed and decided to ease some of the tension around him by joking with him as she prepared to feed him his potions.
“Honestly Mr. Potter. I am going to have to have a private room added just for you. In the hospital wing before school has even started. I swear child I believe you have set a new record.”
Her teasing had the desired affect on the boy. He let out a soft laugh before groaning.
“Madame Pomfrey please don’t make me laugh. I don’t think my ribs like that. As for the private room you know I like the hospital wing too much not to end up here several times a year. I just thought I would get a head start this year.”

Soft chuckles escaped the other three adults around the bed. Minerva bent down kissing Harry on the forehead as she realized that Harry’s returning the joke was his way of trying to dissolve the tension of his Professors. Harry was always more concerned with the happiness of others. She had often seen him laugh when he didn’t really want to just to ease someone’s worry for him. Harry tightened his fingers on Severus’ hand. He didn’t really understand it but sometime last year he had not only stopped hating his Potions professor but also had began to be attracted to the older man. It was thanks to Professor Snape that Harry was finally able to let go of his guilt over the deaths of Cedric and Sirius. He and Remus had been training him for most of the last year and both had taken the time to meet with him once a week just to talk about things that were bothering him. The only thing the two had never been told about was Harry’s life away from the wizarding world. Severus moved to sit on the bed pulling Harry up so that he was resting against his chest. Knowing Harry as he did he knew that despite the laughter the boy was hurting in more ways then one and that he didn’t have the strength to sit up long enough to swallow the potions. Poppy began handing Harry vials of potion. One of the things Harry had improved at over the last year was potions probably because Severus had turned his weekly chats into potions tutoring. The two would spend sometimes as long as four hours talking and brewing potions. Thanks to all the extra lessons Harry could now tell what the potions were just by looking at them or smelling them.

Severus smiled when he realized that the usually cautious young man didn’t even ask what he was being given. As Harry drank the last vial he slipped out from behind him and eased the boy back onto the pillows knowing that by morning Harry would be back to normal physically. He was startled from his thoughts as he felt the bed changing and looked up to see that Albus was transfiguring the bed into a very soft comfortable looking canopy bed hung with midnight blue curtains and a duvet to match. The curtains and blanket were in rich velvet decorated by silver threads in the shapes of stars and moons. Minerva meanwhile had transfigured the itchy pajamas to a very soft cotton material that would keep Harry comfortable. With a wave of her wand Poppy put the newly transfigured garments on Harry.

Albus leaned forward kissing the scar that marred his grandson’s head. Harry looked up at him in shock. He was not used to affection from the adults around him. Mrs. Weasley had been the only one other then Sirius to ever even hug him. Over the past year he had gotten used to Remus or Severus placing a hand on his shoulder when he had done something they were proud of but to have both the headmaster and his head of house kiss his forehead on the same day was a bit overwhelming. Oddly he didn’t mind Severus holding his hand or hugging him it just felt right somehow but the others had never really been affectionate though he could tell Dumbledore and McGonagal care about him. He felt Severus brush his hair out of his face before he heard his soft voice whisper in his ear.
“Sleep now Harry. You will feel better tomorrow and then we can talk. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

As his eyes drifted shut he heard Severus telling Dumbledore that someone needed to inform Remus and that someone would have to see if Harry’s belongings were still in the house.