Through the Dark

Chapter 11: Assurance

All of a sudden, just like how he imagined, based on what his teacher back in Muggle school had said it would be when the world was made, Harry was assaulted by an almost blinding white light.

His ears started tingling like he had been listening to some kind of Celestina Warbeck song Hermione and Ginny had taken a liking to.

Then, Snape. Harry saw Snape hurrying towards his bedside over and over again. The man's hand had tightened its grip on his own, and like he was some lost little boy, Snape's other hand caressed his forehead. Harry found himself relaxing under the touch as he adjusted his eyesight towards the white walls of St. Mungo's.

Although his eyesight was as bad as  ever, Harry can still make out the shapes of people bursting into the room. He found himself being surrounded by Healers and Snape, the Healers taking turns murmuring some spells and Snape murmuring nonsense that Harry found soothing.

"Welcome back, Mister Potter!" A short man, who must be Healer Rubbards, exclaimed happily at Snape, then at Harry. Snape only nodded.

The Healers were also beaming down at Harry. Later, he had learned he was five days straight under a Healing Sleep, as they call it. Harry went pale as they told him that he couldn't do Magic for now, although the Healers assured Harry that it was not permanent, just some sort of defensive mechanism his body did when it was assaulted by the suddenness of his ailment, and the exposure on Blood Quill.

Beside him, Harry felt Snape seeth as the Blood Quill under Umbridge's numerous detentions was mentioned.

It did not go unnoticed by Harry that his hand was still carefully held by the  Professor throughout the time the Healers, especially when Healer Rubbards was explaining things.

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Severus felt relief by the moment that Harry's eyes snapped open. The boy was currently looking at him and Snape took the time to ask Harry, "Are you really fine now, Mister Potter? Please be honest in answering."

Harry nodded mutely, although he knew Snape was waiting for a verbal one.

"Do you need anything then?"

The boy answered this time, his voice hoarse and small, "Water, sir. May I please have some?"

Snape quickly waved his wand, and since he knew Harry was watching, did so in a blink of an eye. "Here."

A glass of water was handed to Harry, although he did not hide the envy in his green eyes at the sight of someone using Magic. He felt bare without his wand, much more not having the familiar thrill and pulse of his Magic inside himself. He drank the water greedily and Snape admonished him as he choked at his third glass.

"That was refreshing!" Harry said, taking delight as his former voice returned after the few glasses of water. "Thank you so much, Professor Snape."

Snaoe nodded at him. Harry felt the man's stare, and quickly looked down.

"Look at me, Mister Potter." Severus was satisfied when the boy obeyed, although the hesitance was present in his body language, "Yes. That's good. Now, tell me, what made you think that hiding such a terrible thing as being under a blood quill is a good idea? Do you have little to no regard towards your well-being?"

Harry bit his lower lip, and Snape, in the back of his mind, mused at how much Lily's son was like her when both of them are pressured. After a few moments of thinking, Harry Potter found the courage to speak again.

"Can I have a trade?" Snape almost toppled over at the boy's bold inquiry.

"A trade? Of what, Mister Potter? Just a few minutes of being conscious and already being impudent, I see," Snape remarked. When the boy closed his eyes for a moment, Snape sighed mentally. Harry was easily affected by little remarks such as this, he observed. He wondered why, but the conversation for that was to be for another day. For now, he needed the boy's explaination for things-- important ones-- like the blood quill and concerning Umbridge.