Ch 7
Severus paid no attention to the kind words being spoken to him. He gazed out of the window, focusing on the glaring rays of the sun. With a derisive scoff, he dismissed the words spoken by the old man in front of him. "You are gravely mistaken, my dear sir. Your eyes and tongue have deceived you," he snapped with a hint of irritation in his voice.
Dumbledore kept a friendly smile and shook his head at the potion wizard. He walked over to the sleeping boy and gently patted the cloth on his forehead. Harry made a soft moan in response. Then, Dumbledore made his way to Severus, who was standing behind him, and heard Severus mumbling angrily. This made Dumbledore chuckle again.
"My dear Severus, you have always been stubborn and unwilling to confess the truth about the feelings hidden within your heart. However, I believe that we have finally found the person who is breaking down those walls," he said, his gaze fixed on Harry.
Severus stood facing the window, his reflection glaring back at him. Seeing Harry lay in the bed behind him, still unconscious. As he turned away from the boy, Severus' frustration rose to the surface. He couldn't help but feel that he was wasting his time caring for the child, especially considering the circumstances that had brought him here.
He directed his anger towards Albus and Minerva, who had assigned him to take care of Harry. In his eyes, their decision was foolish and unnecessary. Severus saw himself as nothing more than a nuisance, tasked with the burden of tending to the boy's every need until he woke up and could continue with his life. He wondered why he was the one who had to shoulder this responsibility.
"You are mistaken, old man, I do not and never will care for the boy. I am here because you and Minerva assigned me to do this foolish waste of time. And I sit here impatiently waiting for the brat to heal from his sickness and I can return to my merry way while he go back to his", Severus' tone was cold and unfeeling as he expressed his frustration. He couldn't wait to be done with this task and move on with his life.
"Is that so? Well, when we all waited for him to wake up you not only joined us waiting for the 'brat' to wake up you sat on his bed, and from my circumstances, you looked like you were genuinely concerned, especially when Ron and Hermione brought me and nurse Pomfrey you just stared at him in that emotion of concern", Dumbledore said wisely with a fatherly smirk and Severus growled with an angered scoff.
Dumbledore behind the potion wizard, his eyes fixated on him with a concerned look. The room was silent but for the sound of Harry's steady breathing as he slept soundly in his bed. The wizard's face was twisted in anger as he spoke through clenched teeth, "I repeat..., you are deeply, sadly mistaken, old man. I didn't show anything at all for the boy. And I never will show anything for the brat boy."
The words were sharp and filled with a venomous hatred that sent shivers down Dumbledore's spine. He couldn't fathom why the wizard felt this way about Harry, who had done nothing but show kindness and loyalty towards him. As he looked at the sleeping boy in the bed, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sadness for the young wizard who had become a pawn in their game.
The potion wizard's eyes slowly rose to meet Dumbledore's gaze, and at that moment, he saw a glimpse of his true feelings. The wizard remembered when he was truly struggling to hide the pain and fear he felt when he saw Harry unconscious in Hermione's arms and remembering how cold he was and pale, nearly out of anger made both Ron and Hermione face the consequences for letting Harry roam when he needed help, and him sitting by his side, and it was clear to only Dumbledore that he was in a great deal of emotional turmoil.
The wizard's emotions were in turmoil as he spoke, his voice laced with bitterness, anger, hatred, and regret. He desperately wanted to disappear into the darkness, away from everyone, including Harry, whom he had grown to love as his own, yet refused to reveal it. The wizard spewed venomous words, declaring that Harry meant nothing to him, a statement he knew was far from the truth. He couldn't help but many times wish that Lily had chosen him over James, for he harbored anger towards her for the decision she made. Despite his animosity towards her, she still held a place in his black and cold heart, just like Harry. Dumbledore could see the pain etched on the wizard's face, and he knew that it was time to intervene before the situation spiraled out of control. "He...means...nothing...to...me", he weakly snarled with his teeth gritted and eyes closed tightly.
Dumbledore frowned and rested his hand on the potion wizard's shoulder, his touch gentle but firm. He smiled sadly, but with a hint of wisdom and understanding, as he said, "I know that you're hurting, my friend. But we cannot let our emotions cloud our judgment or our hearts. We must do what is right, even when it is difficult"
Severus slightly gritted his teeth with cold eyes locked on the floor and he felt a firm gentle squeeze and pat on his shoulder from the headmaster. "After all, my friend, yes he may be born from James' blood but he is still Lily's son, my boy. And I know you can see her within his eyes", he said and turned away from him and made it to the bed tucking Harry and gently patting his head. "Get well, boy. I, and your friends, are not the only ones who need you, son", Albus stared at Severus who just stood motionless at the window as he smiled and left the room.