Silver Lining • Harry Potter X Blaise Zabini •

Chapter 17: Hidden Ambitions

In the months that followed the meeting with Voldemort, Harry continued to meet with Karissa. Each meeting seemed to help the young teen, however the Healer left each meeting with a scowl on her face as she went to report to Dumbledore, the old git. Karissa Wentworth was beginning to truly fear that as Harry improved, Dumbledore plotted to toss him back into the proverbial ring with He Who Must Not Be Named, he'd spoken about it enough. Trying to coax Karissa into signing the papers that would state Harry had finished treatment. As far as Karissa was concerned, Harry Potter would be in therapy for a very long time, however Albus didn't need him healed or whole once again, he just needed him mentally competent to take on the Dark Lord. Karissa suspected Albus didn't intend for Harry to survive his encounter with You-Know-Who, and she had shared these fears with Severus. Until the end of the school year though, neither Severus nor Karissa could do anything more then prolong the therapy to keep Harry safe. Harry of course, was completely unaware of the fears of both his father-figure and his Healer and continued to attend therapy, no longer reluctant to speak to the woman.

HP/SS

Silver yawned and stretched out on Severus' couch, his green eyes flickering upwards as the tall man paced the room. As exams approached, Severus had gotten more and more frantic, muttering about incompetent dunderheads and preparing his exams for his younger years. As Severus continued to mutter, Silver let his mind wander to earlier that day when he had joined the fifth year Slytherins for their frantic OWL study session, they had nothing on Hermione of course, but Draco tended towards obsessive about his grades, especially his OWLs. A knock on Severus' hidden doorway startled both man and kitten out of their musings and mutterings and Severus hastily opened the door, revealing a beaming Albus Dumbledore. Quickly schooling his face into the typical Snape sneer, Severus allowed Dumbledore to enter his quarters, one didn't refuse entrance to the headmaster of the school, even though Severus wanted nothing more then to slam the door in Albus' face.
"Yes?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as Albus settled himself on the couch next to Silver.
Albus, knowing better then to beat around the bush with Severus, immediately launched into his speech (well prepared obviously).
"I have just been speaking to Madame Wentworth" Albus said, summoning his personal house elf and asking the squeaking creature for tea. Silver was fascinated by the elf and attempted to pounce on it, only for it to disappear and leave the poor kitten tumbling to the ground in confusion.
"Oh?" Severus asked, eyebrow arching impossibly higher as he waited for Albus to reveal his hand.
"Yes and she mentioned how far Harry has come since we began this treatment just months ago" He said, twinkling eyes landing on the kitten, whom was rolling around on the floor now.
"Yes he has progressed well, however we both know he still has a long way to go before he recovers Albus" Severus said, his tone stern. He now knew what this visit was about and he would not allow Albus to force Harry into anything.
"Yes yes" Albus said, waving his hand carelessly, "I understand he does have some way to go before he is truly healed, but his growth in such a short period is remarkable, is it not?" The man asked, eyes twinkling like mad at the dark-haired potions' master.
"Perhaps" Severus allowed, "But we can't assume he is better, the human mind is a fragile thing Albus, you should know this" Severus reprimanded the man.
"Relax Severus, we are just speaking after all. I am, after all, the Headmaster of this school and have a vested interest in the health and wellbeing of all my students" Albus chide lightly. "Harry has been through so much and I just want to make sure he is doing better"
"More like want to see if he's on track to fight the Dark Lord" Severus hissed, hands clenching into fists.
"My word Severus, what sort of monster do you take me for?" Albus asked, looking faintly upset, though Severus could see through his mask, "I am merely the Headmaster of a school who is concerned for one of his students, a student who has been through far too much in his young life" Albus added.
"Harry will be fine Headmaster, I will make sure of it. He has me now, and his animagus form and Slytherin house and we will make sure that he recovers at his own pace. Make sure that he is not forced to do anything that will cause him harm" Severus hissed, hands still clenched into fists.
"Oh Severus, working for that madman has truly warped your mind if you think that I only see young Harry as a means to an end. Perhaps I was a bit remiss in allowing you to adopt Harry" Albus said, slowly rising fro his seat, as if his joints were bothering him in his old age. "Goodnight Severus, Silver. I shall see you both later" He said, inclining his head and disappearing out the door.
Severus gaped for a moment, before scooping up his son-turned-cat and cuddling him to his chest. He just needed to finish the school year and then he could take Harry and run, protect the lad and continue allowing him to heal, away from Hogwarts, away from everything. Blaise and his mother had extended an invitation for Harry and Severus to spend the summer with them in Italy, which Severus was very keen to accept. As much as he wanted to keep Harry for himself and get to know the intriguing young man better over the summer, he was not a wealthy man and couldn't afford to flee the country. He also needed to speak to Lucius, if his conversations with Draco were anything to go by, Lucius may see the benefit in breaking away from the Dark Lord, if only to save his own hide (and that of his family).