Air

When Harry woke up, the first thing he felt was the mask over his mouth and nose. The strings that were attached to it were cutting into his cheeks as he began to pull off the mask from his face. 

"Leave it be," a gruffy, male voice demanded. "I don't like it either, but it is mandatory." 

The boy's heart dropped to his stomach at the voice. Of course, it had to him. The one teacher who loathes him more than people themselves. He turned towards the man and found his hair appeared like the man had run it through his fingers a dozen times and his eyes looked as he hasn't slept in a week. 

"What happened?" The boy asked, his voice cracking. He winced in pain as he spoke. 

"Don't try to talk," Snape said. "Let your throat heal." 

The boy glanced over to the nightstand and found some a quill and some parchment, so he decided to do the next, best thing. He wrote slowly before handing the parchment over to his professor. 

What happened? 

The man let out a small sigh before answering, "You suffered a severe asthma flare up. You're currently diagnosed with Pneumonia."

Harry took back the parchment and wrote some more then handed it back to the man, who grabbed it gently after seeing his face. 

I'm sorry, sir.

"Potter, you do not need to do such a thing," Snape replied. "The only thing you need to focus on is getting better, so you can go back to tormenting me in my classroom." 

The boy nodded and noticed the man's shaking hand. 

Snape seemed to notice the same thing. "Don't fret. It's just from lack of rest. But we will have a discussion about your medical records and set them straight. Is that understood?"

Harry nodded again and leaned his back against the pillow. His eyes began to droop from sleep. 

"Sleep, child," Snape said. "I will be back soon." 

"Severus, there's no need to visit the Dursley house," Albus said. "I'm sure it's a misunderstanding--"

"A misunderstanding?" Severus scoffed, "His medical records haven't been updated since he was nine. He's thirteen, Albus. He nearly died during my lecture because he didn't know a damn thing. I promised her."

"Severus, I'll send someone."

"Fine, but he's not to return to those horrid muggles. Even the Weasley clan would be better for the boy." 

"I'll see to it that something is done," the headmaster said. "I sense you're beginning to care about the boy." 

The dark-haired man didn't reply to the older man, afraid the old man may have read his mind. He shook his head and excused himself out. 

Meanwhile, a full moon was rising...