eccedentesiast || severitus

chapter twenty-five | alright for now

Severus winced as the boy's piercing screams continued on in his ear. He'd been unsuccessful for the past ten minutes in trying to calm him down enough so that he could take care of Poppy and...him so that he could then focus on Harry, but the boy was not giving up. He seemed determined to let Severus know everything he was feeling without using words.

"Alright," Severus said once more, patting the boy's back awkwardly, not sure what else he could do to calm him down. "It's alright, Harry. It's over now. I've got you, I'm not leaving you."

Harry just continued to cry, and Severus knew the boy had to be exhausted. He'd gone through so many emotions the past few days and he just seemed completely overwhelmed and exhausted at this point. Severus knew some of these tears were probably from being overtired even though he'd slept for quite a while earlier.

Severus softly pushed Harry's head into the crook of his neck, shushing him all the while. He continued to rock the boy as he moved him to one arm, the other pulling his wand from where he'd hastily stored it in his robes when Harry had asked to be held. Muttering the counter charm on Poppy first, he watched as the woman became aware that she was free from the spell and immediately she sat up, rage evident all throughout her face and body.

Before she could start to yell, Severus snapped his fingers to get her attention and then moved  his hand to put his finger in front of his mouth to silence her. He looked at Harry and then back to her, watching as she seemed to understand.

She nodded, silently communicating that she wouldn't yell.

Offering his hand down, he somehow managed to pull her up while still holding on to the wailing child shaking in his arms.

Once she was standing, he wrapped his other arm back around Harry, and mouthed 'alright?' while he leaned his cheek down to rest against the boy's soft locks. He continued to rock side to side as he tried to communicate with Poppy without using words.

Poppy nodded, barely able to contain her rage at seeing what the man did to the poor child. She'd heard every word that vile man said to the boy, and she wanted nothing more than to leave him unhealed and allow him to be in pain. But she knew that Severus would hate for Harry to see what he was capable of, knowing it would most likely cause the boy to be scared of himself. 

Taking a deep breath, she went over to the man, unable to hide her disgust as she pulled her wand out and angrily cast a levitation charm on him. She looked back at Severus, watching as he spoke lowly to the slightly calmer boy in his arms, and felt herself lighten just a bit.

Harry would be fine, as long as he had Severus.

Without another word, she opened the door and left with the man floating behind her underneath a concealment charm.

Wouldn't want any of the students to know what happened, now would she.

Once she left, Severus exhaled deeply, blowing the raven locks underneath his nose. He closed his eyes as he thought about what he just caused this child to endure. He wasn't even aware of what the man did to him, but he was sure Poppy would inform him all about it later.

Whatever it was though, left the boy more terrified than Severus had ever seen him. Even the time in the loo paled in comparison to what he was witnessing now. Harry had only ever broken down in silence, shutting down at the first glimpse of danger. This was somehow worse than Harry screaming for Snape to let him die, because now Harry was screaming purely out of fear.

"Harry. You must calm down. It is alright. He's gone, he's not here anymore. Poppy took care of him, alright?"

Harry shook harder in his arms, shaking his head so forcefully that he hit Severus in the chin. He didn't care though, it barely even hurt. Harry was hurting way more, right now.