The Other Snape

Chapter 35

"Hermione, do you know where Harry is?" Ron asked.

"No, I thought he was with you...?" she answered. "For, like, the past two days?"

"I thought he was with you."

They looked at each other. "Hospital Wing."

It took approximately six minutes and thirty-seven seconds to get there.

"Harry!" Ron shouted and bolted into the room, "Where is he?"

"He's resting," Madam Pomphrey snapped, "But if you must know, he's there." She pointed to a bed that was hidden by curtains.

When they pulled it open they saw—

"Bill?" Ron said.

"...Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

"Well...I think that would be toeing the boundaries and don't think many people would be okay with it," Bill answered.

"What?"

"He's sleeping, shut it!" Hermione whispered.

"Sorry, Harry," Ron whispered. Years of trying to sneak around trained him to be quiet, and those same years of trying to be heard trained him to have a loud voice. He could use either perfectly fine.

Harry finally woke up. After a week. He'd been in a coma for a week and a half. Not many people knew or cared, really.

"Harry, finally!" Hermione said, "You need to tell us what happened!"

"Tell you what—" he stopped and closed his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut. When he opened his mouth again, all that came out was a heart-wrenching scream.

He doubled over in pain, convulsing on himself, as if he was subject to the Cruciatus Curse. When he finally opened his eyes again, they shone with tears.

"Sorry about that," he rasped, "I just— never mind. There's a whole lot of sh— stuff I have to tell you both."

"So let me get this straight," Ron said slowly after Harry finished his explanation, "Your godmother is Amelia Snape and she came to rescue you from your abusive relatives—"

"Don't just forget to tell us these things later, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"So Amelia rescued you but left you there for about a minute, and then you were obliviated by Dumbledore. You knew about most magic from a book, we were friendly with Malfoy until he found out that we thought he was the heir of Slytherin, breaking his trust. You lived with Amelia for two whole years, Sirius half a year more..."

"You never participated in the Triwizard Tournament like we thought, but you still witnessed V-Voldemort rise again. So, you, Amelia, Sirius, Severus—"

"Snape had kids!" Ron moaned, "I feel so bad for them!"

"Well," Harry said, "You all pretty much summed it all up."

"And Snape— the Potions professor— isn't even teaching you Potions anymore!" Hermione pulled at her hair, "Amelia is!"

"Yes," Harry's voice dropped to a whisper as someone opened the door to the Hospital Wing. he didn't say anything more, the trio was too busy listening in.

"Madam Pomfrey?" It was Malfoy, "Do you have blood-replenishing potions? And do you know how to cauterize a wound? I don't want to hurt her."

Harry's eyes widened. Did Malfoy stab someone? Why was he so calm?

"Merlin!" Madam Pomfrey gasped, "What— what happened?"

Malfoy sighed, "This cannot be the first time a Slytherin's been targeted like this, Ma'am, can you just heal her?"