Panthera

Disclaimer 1: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Warner Bros, Bloomsbury. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Once again many thanks to Periculum for her beta work. Without her I’m sure everyone would be out for my head.


Chapter Seven

Three hours later, Severus’ quiet contemplation of the day’s events were interrupted by the soft tones, alerting him that the Wards surrounding Potter’s workroom had finally been removed. Muttering under his breath, he allowed himself to curse the fact that he needed the brat’s help, and slowly made his way to the room in question. Seeing the door open slightly, he took a deep breath and pushed it open the rest of the way. “Mr. Potter?”

Receiving no answer, he stepped into the room, and had to shiver at the heavy feel of magic lingering in the air. “Mr. Potter?” He asked once more, looking around the room. Hearing a faint moan, he turned in the appropriate direction and spotted the small lump curled up in one corner. Forcing himself not to rush, Severus moved towards the teen, cursing the fact that he was once again left to clean up the mess caused by this young man. Shaking one shoulder, Severus was surprised to get no response other than limpness. Checking for a pulse, he was relieved to find it steady but weak. Cursing his luck once again, Severus gently picked up the limp body, and went in search of the young man’s room, wary of using any more magic in or near a room already saturated in raw magic.

It didn’t take long to find the right room, when you consider that they now shared more than half of their living space. Entering the room proper, he laid Harry gently on the bed, and searched through the drawers to find what would pass for sleepwear, quickly and efficiently changing the teen out of the magically charged clothes. Stepping out of the room, he paused to figure out the next course of action, and decided finally against calling the Medi-witch for a simple case of exhaustion. Instead he summoned an elf and ordered a pot of tea, and placed an order for a simple but hearty meal to be ready in a few hours, knowing that the young man would need to eat when he woke. Moments later had him sitting in a comfortable arm chair, with the newest potions journal, keeping a silent watch over Harry Potter.

~~OoO~~

Checking his watch for the tenth time in two hours, Severus rubbed his eyes and sighed. “What am I going to do with you, Mr. Potter?” He asked softly.

“Love me to pieces,” came the weak reply from the bed.

“That, Mr. Potter, is a matter of great debate. Unfortunately for you, I just don’t see it happening,” Severus replied with a touch of amusement. Walking over to the bed, Severus cast a quick charm, checking the young man’s vitals. “Well that is a great improvement from earlier; tell me, Mr. Potter, how do you feel?”

“Better than before, although I am hungry,” Harry replied, struggling to sit up.

Helping Harry settle against the headboard, Severus nodded his head. “That was to be expected, so I made sure that elf of yours left some stew for you. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Harry waited quietly for the return of his professor, trying to figure out what happened, but kept coming up confused. When Snape returned, Harry let his eyes do the begging for him. “What happened?” He asked his voice calm.

Severus studied the young man for a few minutes, watching to make sure that Harry did eat. “What is the last thing you remember?” He asked finally.

“Stepping into my magical core before I lost my temper completely, and letting the steady flow of magic soothe me,” was the prompt answer, although not the complete truth.

“Indeed, and that would explain everything,” Severus replied, being careful to keep his shock from showing. “It took three hours before your door opened, and I found you magically exhausted in the corner of the room.” Pausing while the young man tried and failed to stifle a yawn, Severus sat back down in his chair. “Do try to finish your meal before going back to sleep. I wouldn’t be surprised if you managed to sleep most of tomorrow away as well.”

“Yes, Sir,” was the barely audible answer.

A few minutes later, Severus looked up at the sound of a slight snore, and had to bite back the urge to laugh. Harry had not quite finished his meal, but had fallen asleep with the spoon still in his hand. Good thing there was nothing on it.

~~OoO~~

Knowing he was safe, Severus allowed himself to drift his way awake one sense at a time, right up until the moment he realized that he was not in his own bed. Sitting up in the bed alert and ready for just about anything, he realized that he was in his own sleepwear, in Harry Potter’s bed. Flushed more from anger then embarrassment, he swung his feet over the edge and stalked into the kitchen, from there to the rest of their shared rooms, and finally into his own room. Getting ready for the day, anger still pulsing though his body, Severus made his way back to the kitchen and for the first time noticed the note waiting for him on the table.

~Snape.

I woke up this morning feeling recharged and rested. Thank you for your help last night.

I know right at this moment you are more than likely livid with the way you woke up, but please don’t blame me. I requested from Dobby that he make you comfortable once I realized that you had fallen asleep in the chair. When I returned to my room after my shower, I found out that his idea of comfortable and my idea of comfortable are two totally different things. For not giving Dobby the direction to take you to your own room, I apologize.

I’m heading down to the kitchens for breakfast as I don’t really feel like facing a certain Professor this early in the morning. I will be in the Great Hall for lunch though. Hopefully I will be more forgiving at that point.

I promise not to do anything more dangerous than study, until the time you are more aware of yourself. After that I cannot speculate on my danger levels.

See you in a few hours.
Harry. ~

Sighing as he felt the last of his anger drain away, Severus sat down to the waiting cup of tea. ~I’m not sure if I should curse the elf for placing me in that position, or the boy for actually seeing it and realizing just how angry I would be about it, ~ he thought to himself.

His contemplation of what exactly he should do about this situation, if anything at all, was drawn short when he heard the floo in the sitting room flare to life. “Severus?” He heard Poppy call out.

Not hearing any urgency in the nurse’s voice, he strolled in and took a seat in his favorite chair, with a refill of his tea. “Good morning, Poppy, how may I help you this morning?” He asked pleasantly

“Oh, good morning to you as well, Severus. I hope I’m not disturbing you this morning?”

“Not at all, I was just plotting on how best to torture a certain student,” he replied politely. It always paid to be polite to those who healed you.

With an amused glint in her eye that told him that she knew exactly what the potions master was doing, Poppy grinned. “Well that would be one of the reasons I was calling on you this morning. It seems young Harry has an idea, which he brought to me this morning, and not being able to help him myself, I figured that you would be just the person.”

Sighing, Severus nodded his head. “Alright. I’ll be up shortly with the new batch of Calming Draught that I have for you. Then we’ll see about tor…helping the young man in question.”

Poppy laughed slightly, before bidding Severus goodbye and pulling out of the fire. “I was trying to avoid him for as long as possible this morning, you know,” Harry pouted from behind her.

“Whatever for, dear?”

Harry blushed slightly. “Dobby may have taken one of my requests the wrong way this morning. I don’t think Professor Snape would have appreciated it at all.” he mumbled.

“Was it a bad request, or anything that Professor Snape may take as a prank?”

“No, definitely not a prank and nothing bad. Just err…misunderstood?”

“Indeed.” Severus stated, coming up behind Harry.

Harry spun around, his eyes growing wide. “Um…Professor Snape…I …Um…”

“Clearly you are not a day person either, Mr. Potter. If you cannot come up with anything better to say, perhaps we should start teaching you articulation?”

“No, Sir. Um, I’m sorry for this morning, Professor,” Harry finally managed to say.

“Yes, well, hopefully we shall never come across this problem again, and if we do, I’m sure you will remember this mistake clearly.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Very good. Now what was Madam Pomfrey trying to tell me this morning?”

Glancing at the Medi-witch and receiving a reassuring nod, Harry took a deep breath. “I was wondering if it was possible to take a standard dose of a healing potion and perhaps make it in a concentrated form or as a powder,” he stated, doing his best not to blush.

“What kind of healing potion, exactly? What works for one, may not work on another, after all.”

Taking a deep breath once he realized that he was not going to be laughed at, Harry seriously thought about that question. “The most common ones I believe would be best. A simple pain potion, a general healing potion, perhaps Skele-gro, or something else that could mend bones. Burn salve, a generalized antidote for poison and another for the more common of snake bites. Blood replenishing potion, bruise healing paste, though I guess that would not really matter if that was in a concentrated form, calming draught, Pepper-up Potion, maybe a Strengthening Solution, a wound cleaning potion or a sterilizing potion…” Harry finally trailed off.

“I see, and the reason you would need these potions in either a concentrated form or as a powder…?” Severus asked, with a sneaking suspicion.

Harry paused for a moment before answering. “I just thought it would be a good idea with the war heating up the way it is. This way no one would really be caught unawares while hurt.”

Severus gave Harry a look that promised a more thorough explanation would be needed at a later date. “I suppose it may be possible to look into it. I trust you will be doing some of the research on this on your own. I suppose maybe a nutrient potion may not be amiss either.”

“See, I knew Severus would be the right person for the job, Mr. Potter. I don’t know why you felt that you couldn’t go to him with this question,” Madam Pomfrey beamed at the two of them.

“I figured since I was here anyway about healing the Muggle way, I would just ask,” Harry replied, fighting down another blush.

“I understand, Harry. Did you want to start the research into those potions now, or would you rather have another lesson in healing first?” Poppy asked, turning away and moving towards the main ward, and therefore missing the look passing between Harry and Severus.

“I don’t want to be a bother, if you’re busy, Madam,” Harry finally answered. “We still have time during the term.”

Poppy hesitated for a single moment. “I admit, Harry, that today is probably not the best time to go over those spells with you. It would more than likely be better to continue these lessons in a few days.”

“Of course, Madam. I do appreciate your taking the time to teach me as you have,” Harry replied with a smile and a short bow. “Let me know when you once again able to spare a few minutes for my humble self,” he added with a slightly teasing grin.

Poppy’s cheeks tinted slightly. “Oh get on with you, young man. I’ll let you know in a few days when I can start your lessons once again.”

“Thank you, Madam,” Harry replied, giving her another bow, while Snape gave her a nod of the head in farewell.

Turning on his heel, Harry followed after the billowing robes of his professor, trying desperately to find a way to postpone the conversation he knew was coming. Finally coming to the conclusion that nothing he could do other than running would help him now, he remained silent as they entered into their rooms.

Settling down on the sofa across from his professor, he waited for tea to be served before looking up. “What would you like to know, Professor Snape?”