A Little Help from a Snake // Tomarry

Part 29*

Revised: November 23, 2021

Quick note: There was already very little Tomarry in this chapter percentage-wise, but with the extra scene I added, there's even less. I apologize, but there'll be more in the future. So hang in there!

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Severus snapped out of his stupor and summoned a potion. He turned Lupin over and carefully poured it down his throat, massaging it to ensure it went down. Gradually, the shaking ceased, though his breathing remained heavy.

"Bad Dumby hurt Master Harry's wolf," said Dobby, wringing his hands.

"Should we wake him?" Harry asked uncertainly as Severus levitated Lupin and set him on the couch. Lupin looked so small and helpless; Harry didn't know what to think.

"Not yet," Severus answered, checking Lupin over for any other injuries. "He'll be out for a while. You should leave. Fretting won't speed up the healing process."

"But —"

"Harry," Severus said sternly, "I will stay with him. Go." He looked up and met Harry's gaze until Harry started for the door.

"Send Dobby if anything happens," he said, closing the door behind him.

His mind still whirling, Harry headed straight for the Chamber, where he shakily took a seat on the couch.

Tom sat down next to him, a concerned frown crossing his features as he observed his mate. "Harry? What happened?"

"Dumbledore hurt Lupin," Harry said numbly.

Tom's eyes widened. "How badly?" he demanded, hand automatically combing through Harry's hair.

"Pretty badly," Harry replied, immediately beginning to relax under the movement. "Severus is tending to him right now."

Footsteps made him look up. It was his friends, who quietly took a seat opposite of Harry.

"We just saw Professor Snape," Draco told him. "Lupin was with him, but he wouldn't say what happened."

"The headmaster happened," Harry said shortly. He was beginning to feel drowsy from Tom's fingers as they gently moved over his scalp.

Draco swore under his breath. "Will Lupin speak up? Dumbledore can't get away with this."

"He shouldn't," Harry agreed, "but he'd probably find a way. The fact that Lupin's a werewolf would be enough reason to lessen or even avoid punishment."

And that sickened him. It was like Tracey had stated: It wasn't as if Lupin or any other werewolves asked to be bitten. The Ministry went on about needing to protect its people, yet they turned their backs on those that needed it the most.

Vaguely, he heard Tom say something to the other third years before letting his eyes drift shut.

Only minutes seemed to have passed when Harry jolted awake. For a moment, he looked around, disoriented, before remembering where he was. And why he was here.

"Anything?" he asked hopefully.

"No," Tom responded.

"Where are Draco and Pansy?" It was just him and Tom, Harry realized.

"I sent them off to the dorm. It was almost curfew."

"What?" Harry tried to get up, only for Tom to pull him back down into his arms. "You should have woken me up."

"I didn't want to disrupt you," said Tom. That was true, but he also liked the feeling of his mate snuggled against him, not that he'd admit it out loud.