Severus' eyes widened at the feeling of Harry curling closer to his side. Interesting...He rubbed the boys shoulder, but started to move away. "Potter you need to let me go it seems my presence is upsetting your godfather." The potion's master glared up at Lupin, as he stood still favoring one of his legs. His wand was still in its sheath on his arm, he didn't draw it though just stood glaring at the raging werewolf. "Lupin, I think it would be best if you were to calm down. Clearly you're to dense to see you're upsetting the boy." His voice held an edge of venom, "Or are you letting the beast dictate your actions."

Lupin's fist came out of nowhere flooring Severus. Blood dripped out of his nose and down his face. "THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH!" The booming voice of Dumbledore stopped any further movement from Lupin. Severus brushed off Poppy as she tried to help him up. Lupin's face fell till he resembled beaten puppy. Snape wiped his still bleeding nose while Poppy waved her wand over it. The head master stood a calm but, disappointed look on his face.

"Remus, if you cannot act like a logical adult I will have to ban you from the grounds. If not for Severus, there is no telling if we would have found Harry in time." The older wizard approached the two, "You owe him at least your thanks, if not your respect."

"Albus, that won't be necessary. I can see I am not wanted...I'll return to my quarters."

Harry reached out, grabbing Severus' hand before he could get away. When the man turned back, he looked up pleadingly. "Don't leave..." He said softly, trembling, scared from Remus' reaction. It was obvious Remus was mad. And when a person was mad, they were unpredictable. Which scared Harry even worse. "Please..."

Severus looked down at the boy holding his hand. The eyes pleading with him were the same green. The potions master nearly felt his heart shatter. "Alright." He sat down in his previously vacated chair without another word. He still held Harry's hand in his own rubbing the back of it with a thumb. Severus could still feel the anger pouring off of Lupin at the sight of him trying to comfort the boy. Then the wolf actually looked at the young man and saw how much comfort Sev was bringing him. The other adults couldn't help but notice it too. Albus silently nodded in approval before taking a seat of his own near the boy and Sev.

"Oh before I forget Harry. There is something here for you." Dumbledore pulled a small package out of his pocket before enlarging it with his wand. Soon the full sized cage and Hedwig were sitting on the floor. Dumbledore popped the lock on the cage and the owl immediately flew over to Harry landing on a bed post and cooing at her master. "She missed you dreadfully Harry." Hedwig started to groom the boy's hair and rubbing her face affectionately on Harry's. Snape nearly smiled at the action. When finished the bird slowly hopped over to investigate the man holding her master's hand. Soon she landed Severus chair and fluffed out settling down. Severus scratched a finger under her chin. Remus frowned at the action, but said nothing.

"Now that's settled I think that we should all let these two have their rest. Remus, please follow me to my office." Albus gave Harry a fond smile before turning to leave.

Remus stopped for a moment, "I'm glad your alright Harry. And I-I'm sorry I'll come visit later when your more up too it. Alright?"

Harry grinned, so glad that Albus had saved Hedwig from the Dursley's. "What of my trunk, and everything in it?" He asked, curious to know where the rest of his belongings were. He smieldat the snowy owl, petting her downy feathers gently. He looked up when Remus spoke to him. He gave a small, nervous smile to the man and nodded. "Remus?" He said, motioning the man to approach. When he did, Harry knelt, and wrapped his arms around the man. "Thank you for coming, Remus..." He said softly, then released him. The man had calmed, so Harry wasn't nearly as scared as he had been.

Severus watched the two interact and felt a bang of jealousy at the sight of Harry hugging Remus. Where did that come from? Snape shook his head trying to jangle the feeling in his chest. How could he feel something like that over Harry Potter? The boy had been nothing but trouble since he walked into the great hall.

Remus finished giving Harry his hug then turned to follow Albus out. Poppy came forward and deposited Harry's shrunken trunks in his hand. "The Headmaster gathered all your things here and whenever your ready you can make them full size." She stood back clapping her hands together once, "Alright you two, what do you want me to bring you from the Kitchens? And Severus so help me if you say nothing...your as thin as Mr. Potter here."

"Tea would be welcomed Poppy and maybe a marmite sandwich." Severus turned to the boy beside him. "And you Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm not very hungry, Poppy... Just apple juice and something light that I'm actually going to be able to keep down..." Harry said softly. "Porridge, or toast, or maybe some eggs... And maybe a strip of bacon or two for Hedwig?" He asked, reaching over to stroke her feathers lightly.

Poppy smiled and bustled out of the room to get the house elves to get their food. Severus found the silence awkward as he watched the young man beside him. He had many questions for the boy...but Potter was still fragile. The most pressing question on his mind was 'Why?' Why did Harry find comfort in his presence? Why did he feel happier every time the boy smiled? He decided with something simple.

"Pott-Harry," God I'm not good at idle chatter "I was going to have a house Elf bring me a few books. Would you like them to bring you something?"

"Um, no... That's alright. I have a few in my trunk..." Harry said, placing said trunk on the ground and enlarging it.

"Alright." Severus sat quietly. Waiting in the silence...which was thankfully interrupted by Poppy and their food. He thanked her with a polite nod. Then tried to pull his hand out of Harry. "If you would be so kind Pot-Harry, I do need both of my hands."

Harry blushed lightly and released Severus hesitantly, afraid almost that the moment he did, the man would disappear forever. He sighed softly when he didn't, and took his plate, thanking Poppy for the food. He nibbled at his toast with blueberry jam, and fed Hedwig small chucks of the bread, and some bacon.

It was amazing the feelings that light blush stirred within the potion master. He took his hand back still watching Potter silently. Severus saw the fear flicker across the boy's face, on instinct he leaned forward catching the boy's eyes. It was completely understandable, the boy had been through more than anyone ever needed too. He sipped his tea thoughtfully in between bites of the marmite sandwich and tried to figure out how things had changed so much.

Unconciously he started to rub the dark mark through his sleeve. The mark ached constantly after a particularly violent summons.

Harry ate his food slowly, unsure if he'd be able to keep it down at all. His eyes kept flickering up to the potions master in the chair beside him. "Umm, Professor? W-why are you here?" He asked, hesitant to ask in case it got him in trouble, but his damn curiosity made him ask anyways.

Severus' eyebrows raised a fraction as he sipped his tea. "Why do you think I'm here Potter? You asked me to stay." It came out a lot sharper than he intended. And as the Potion Master watched the young man's face fall, Severus regretted his words immediately. Sipping his tea Snape tried to come up with something to soothe the child in front of him. Sighing he set his tea down. "I-I was brought here after reporting to the Dark Lord."

Harry looked a little disappointed at Severus' first answer, worried at his second. "He wasn't pleased, was he..?" He asked, knowing already if Severus was here, then of course Voldemort had been angry. "And you didn't have to stay with me, when I asked..." He said softly. He knew normally Sev would have scoffed at the prospect and left anyways.

"No he was not. Though I doubt that the Dark Lord is ever truly pleased." The smirk in the potions master's eyes was hardly noticeable as he spoke. Severus finished his tea puzzled at the look of worry on the Gryffindor's face. Why did Potter care? The young man had spent the last five years loathing Snape's presence. "Poppy would have my head if I left the infirmary before she deems me healed. Besides your company is not intolerable for a Gryffindor."

Harry nodded slowly, trembling a little. "I do not hate you, Professor... However, my Gryffindor courage and loyalty is what has made me dislike you, always picking on my friends and myself." He told the man, knowing he was confused as to why he cared.

((Hmm... I've been thinking back to fourth year... The graveyard scene... *smirks* Perhaps Vernon wasn't the one who stole Harry's innocence?))

Severus was surprised at the boy's statement. Then he noticed the trembling racing through Harry's frame. Without another thought The potion's master stood and pulled another blanket from the bed carefully draping it over the boy's too thin body. He let a gentle hand linger for a moment on Harry's shoulder, before sitting back in his chair. He leaned back rubbing his eyes with two fingers. Setting his elbows on his knees Severus looked, really looked at the young man next to him. He may have James' face, but the bravery, the fire and passion was all Lilly. "I did not pick on you, Potter. I am not some grade school yard bully. I corrected your impulsive and at times dangerous behavior." His voice had risen in pitch and volume as he spoke.

Severus felt himself getting angry as he remember all the times he watched the boy nearly die. Then a flash back of the cowering young man laying broken on the muggle's floor and his heart started to ache. Swallowing the bile rising from his gullet, the potion's master took a calming breath. "Forgive me Harry. I didn't mean to yell."

Harry could sense Severus' anger. He cowered away slightly, but relaxed when the man seemed to calm. "It is fine..... But are you trying to say the constant taking of points and the trouble for not correctly brewing was all our faults? When if you ever actually believed your Slytherins capable of being the bad students, you would have noticed that so many times Neville's potions or mine had gone awry it had been caused by Draco, Crabbe, or Goyle, usually, dropping something into them on purpose, or knocking them over." He said.

Severus shook his head, "Potter is it really any different then when Minerva or any other professor ignores and punishes my snakes for mistakes caused by a Gryffindor? Can you even see for a moment past you own worries and see who your talking about. Most of Syltherin is filled with children who were outcasts their entire lives, some were even violently abused. And yes there are those that inherently evil, but those who are broken and dead inside and I vowed when I had to come back here that I would do all in my power to watch over them." His fingers were digging into the arm of the chair turning the potions masters knuckles white. Severus realized he was yelling again. The boy pushed all his buttons, then he saw the still dark bruises on Harry's neck and let the guilt wash over him.

Harry flinched slightly when the man started yelling at him again. "Th-they get abused?" Harry said, shocked. He knew that most of the parents of the Slytherin students were sick-minded, cruel bastards, but to harm your own child? He couldn't believe it. He could believe his aunt and uncle doing it to him- he wasn't their child, after all, not truly of their flesh and blood.

"Yes, sadly it is more common than naught." Severus flinched as he sipped his cold tea, before waving a wand over it. The boy was upset again.Damn... The potions master put down his tea and leaned closer to the boy. "I am sorry for how my godson has acted towards you. Lucius, may not have abused the boy, but in giving into his every whim has ruined the boy. He was at times the ferret Moody turned him into." A smile touched Severus' lips for the briefest instant.

"Things have changed though..." Severus' voice was dark and soft as he spoke. He looked at his potion stained fingers for a moment, seeing the Draco of the previous evening.

"Potter...Harry, I'm going to tell you what I tell my snakes. Abuse can dictate your whole life, make you angry and broken or you can use the pain to gain strength. You are not just a victim. You are Harry Potter, wizard, Quiditch seeker extraordinaire, and one of the bravest young men I have ever known."

((Dang that was hard to write!))

Hearing those compliments coming from none other than Severus Snape shocked Harry. "Th-thank you, professor... That... it all means a lot, especially coming from you..." He said softly. Hesitating briefly, he suddenly reached out, wrapping his arms around Severus tightly, refusing to let go of the man who had saved him, and that he found himself falling for more every minute he was near him.

The feeling of Potter's arms going around him in a hug was shocking to say the least. The potions master returned the hug slowly, letting his arms come around the boy. Severus could count on one hand the number of people that had ever hugged him; his mother included. He hugged the young man tighter to him before pushing him back to look into Harry's eyes, but still keeping him close with one arm. "Your welcome Harry. But I will have to deny every word I do have to have an image to keep up you know." A true smile split the potion masters face as he spoke.

From the door Albus smiled at the sight of the two interacting. A plan started to form in the old man's head.

Harry looked slightly disappointed, but nodded. He knew what Severus meant. Imagine the looks on everyone's faces if the feared potions master of Hogwarts suddenly went soft towards the boy-who-lived? The thought made him chuckle a bit.

Severus returned the chuckle with one own, though it came out more as a husky growl. He rubbed a gentle hand up and down the boy's back. The knot of guilt that had formed in his chest was easing slightly as he comforted the boy. Memories of Lily, their summers together enjoying the sun and the warmth that filled his chest every time she smiled at him. Potter had that same smile, but there was also something that was purely Harry in the light that filled the boy's eyes. The atmosphere was calm and quiet in the infirmary and Severus was barely able to contain a yawn.

"Alright Potter. I need a bit more sleep as do you." He helped the boy back to his bed. Before Severus turned back to his his own bed he put a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "If you need any, Potter. Anything at all I or Poppy are here." He patted the bony shoulder before turning back to his bed. The potions master was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.