What do we do now(Harry Potter/Severus Snape

Chapter Two: What Happened?

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Chapter Two: What Happened?

Severus felt his legs give out from underneath him and he collapsed into a nearby chair. "Why can't he hear? I swear to God that if it is because those damn muggles then there is going to be hell to pay!" Severus said venomously.

Albus looked down at the sleeping child and a thought hit him, "Poppy, why did your wand black?" He knew that black meant that the injury was caused by dark magic. Could Harry's condition be a result in being hit with the Killing Curse he wondered.

Poppy understanding what the Headmaster was thinking said "My wand turning black means that his injury was an end result from the Killing Curse being cast on him. Which means that he has been like this since he was a little over a year old." She stated looking at Albus. When she looked at Severus she was surprised to see tears streaming down his face. Yes this was upsetting but for the Potions professor who was notorious for his hate of James Potter to cry for Harry Potter was incredible.

Albus followed Poppy's gaze and saw why she looked so shocked. "Severus, you could not have stopped it from happening. It is not your fault. You need to let it go, there is a little boy who undoubtedly is going to need your love and support." Albus looked back at Poppy, " Is there any way that his hearing can be corrected?"

Poppy looked down at Harry before she answered. "Over time with proper care and better nutrition there is a slight chance that he will regain some of his hearing back. But that is a very slim chance and even if he did it would not even be close to how you and I would hear." She said not wanting to get their hopes up. At this time Poppy suddenly realized something and gasped out loud.

"Albus, no one can know about this. Can you imagine how the Wizarding community would react to this? Plus they would want to send him back to his relatives seeing that they are the only family that he has left." She shuddered at thinking about how he would be treated.

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong Poppy. Harry does in fact have other family that would be more than willing to take Harry." Albus said trying not to laugh. "Isn't that right Severus."

Severus looked at Albus and rolled his eyes. " Yes I am going to take him. I imagine that you have had the house elves set up a room for him in my quarters. Now if it is all right with the two of you I would like to take my 'son' down to our quarters. It has been a long night for the both of us."

Severus looked at Poppy's open mouth and waited for her answer. She nodded her head 'yes he could take him'. Not wanting to stick around to answer any questions he bent down and scooped Harry up in his arms and walked briskly out of the Infirmary.

Poppy and Albus watched as Severus disappeared into the darkened hallway. Poppy then looked at the Headmaster who by the looks of it was trying desperately not to laugh.

"Well Albus, would you care to explain what exactly happened this evening?" she asked glaring at the esteemed Albus Dumbledore.

"Ah yes, I would tell you but I think that Severus should be the one to tell you about this 'situation'." He said refraining himself from laughing at the look on Poppy's face. " I do believe that I am going to go and look in on our dear Severus. I bid thee good night Poppy, and thank you for your help this evening."

He stood up and made his way slowly out the door. He walked slowly toward Severus's quarters. Poppy was definitely right about keeping Harry's condition a secret. Albus smiled when he remembered the blanket that Harry had clasped in his small hands when Severus laid him on the infirmary bed. It was the one that Severus had wrapped him in when he had brought him to his office on that dreadful night. A sad sigh escaped his mouth when he thought back on that night. It had been a mad house.

Ministry officials were everywhere and when they had seen Severus carrying Harry in they had jumped to conclusions, all because of that damnable mark. Cornelius Fudge had actually had the gall to accuse Severus of killing Lily and James. If only they knew the truth. But of course as ignorant as Fudge was there was no way that he would have listened to the truth. The truth isn't as black and white as people would like to think; Lily
and James were not married.

It was a cover in order to protect Lily and Harry. Lily and Severus had been married for only one short year before it had became clear that it wasn't safe for her. Only after she had gone in hiding did they found out that she was pregnant with Harry. It was a bittersweet time for Severus, to know that he was going to be a father but knowing that he could never acknowledge his son or his wife for as long as Voldemort was on the rise. And then to have Harry ripped from his arms that night. It had been a shocking blow for Severus.

Albus had tried everything to get Harry back but the ministry was adamant that Harry stay with his 'relatives' saying that it was for the best and that only a blood relative could
offer the kind of protection that he needed. If only they would have listened, but instead they threw Severus into Azkaban without a trial. It took him almost three months to get him released. In the end the two of them decided that it would be safer for Harry to stay with his aunt and uncle. That was until Albus found out that he was not safe there anymore.

He was at a total loss at what to do about Harry's hearing loss. If he remembered correctly he had a book on sign language somewhere, he needed to find it and make sure
that he gave it to Severus. He also needed to call for a staff meeting; they needed to be informed about Harry and Severus as well. Albus was snapped out of his thoughts when he realized that he was standing at portrait entrance to Severus's quarters. He raised his hand and knocked on the wooden frame.

Severus had just finished getting Harry into some nightclothes and was fighting with him to go to bed when he heard someone knocking on the other side of the portrait guarding the entrance to his room. He sighed and made Harry look at and made sure that he had his attention when he pointedly said, " Stay on the bed."

Harry looked at him and frowned but nodded his head saying that he understood.

Severus stood up and walked quickly to the entrance. He yanked it open revealing Albus standing on the other side..