Safe Room

He felt empty. 

Everyone was worried for him. But he didn’t know how he felt about it, angry? Probably, he was angry about everything this days. Sad and worthless of the attention? That sounds right. Disgusted by it? Disgusted by himself, yes for sure. 

He was the reason why he had been there that night after all. 

‘Don’t feel guilty Harry, it’s not your fault.’ Yeah right, who’s fault was it then? 

‘Things have got out of hand my boy, what happened isn’t your fault.’ Yes it was. And he knew it was. Because he had been there. He had run his life to the ministry not trusting Snape, not trusting the order. 

And Sirius died trying to protect him. He died because Harry had been too proud to actually listen to Snape during the occlumency lesson. He died because Harry couldn’t tell the difference between a lie and reality.

Now the Order was a mess. With Fudge leaving, the whole ministry changed now that they couldn’t deny Voldemort's return. Yes, seeing a teenager, the boy who lived on top of that, pathetically laying on the ground with Tom standing beside him, was a pretty convincing proof apparently. But Mister Weasley, attacked by a snake in the ministry and multiple ministry officials disappearing without a trace in the last 2 years, this didn't ring a bell. 

No wonder the Freak had been able to start a war with such a ministry. Harry was actually quite impressed that the wizarding community was still a secret to the muggles. 

So yes. 

He felt empty, or at least he tried to feel empty. Because if he doesn't, it just hurts.

The man never felt so grateful for the Dursley for giving him too much work. At least he could clear his thoughts for pretty much the whole day. His aunt had gave him a weird face when Harry comes to her for new chores. 

It was when Harry was busy repainting the front fence that professor Mc Gonagall appeared in front of 4 Privet drive. ‘Professor?!’ Harry exclaimed, standing up and trying to wipe as much paint off his hands with an old rag. ‘Holidays started only 3 days ago, what are you doing here?’ His head of house was wearing muggle clothes, probably to not drown attention to her on this very sunny afternoon. And as weird as it was to see her without her usual robes, it was pretty elegante. ‘Hello to you too, Mister Potter. The Headmaster asked me to come get you as soon as possible.’ Harry frowned as he opened the fence to her and let her in. 

But before he could ask anything, Petunia opened the front door with the anger obvious on her face. ‘What can I do for you Madam?’ The way she was standing on the door frame only meant no entry . With Vernon still at work and Dudley out with his friends, Harry was very grateful for his teacher’s timing. He was way too tired to deal with the whole Dursley family being… well being themself. 

‘Madam Dursley, I am your nephew’s head of house, I’m afraid I'll have to bring him back to the school for the holidays.’For the whole break? ‘Can we go inside to talk about it?’ Still looking very pissed by a abnormale human being standing on her grasse, Petunia took some seconds to give the head of house her so-called pissed face before, finally, standing aside, silently inviting her inside.

She hated the whole conversation, it was obvious and expected really, but it wasn’t like Professor Mc Gonagall was the type of woman who would lower her head to a nasty woman. 

And to be honest, Harry finds it quite funny to see his aunt being so uncomfortable in front of his teacher. Leaving his jacket on the entry and taking off his outside shoes, Harry arrived in the living room in sleepers and his dirty tank top. He knew he was disheveled by working outside all day long, but right now he didn’t care. 

Obviously Petunia didn’t invited the woman to seat on the couch, and seem very unpleasant when the teacher did so anyway. 

‘Say what you have to say, and leave my house’ The older woman didn’t react to the harsh tone and words given by Petunia. 

‘The situation has changed, I’m afraid you won't be able to protect Mister Potter as efficiently as before.’ Standing beside his aunt Harry frowned again with a question mark in his eyes. ‘To insure Mister Potter and of course, your security, we have to take him under our care for this holiday. We are sorry for the inconvenience.’ Giving a look at his aunt's side, Harry thought really hard about his last couple of nights. Did he give information to Tom without even remembering having him in his mind? 

‘That was it?’ Petunia asks very harshly again. ‘Yes, again we’re sorry for any…’ Petunia didn’t let her finish and turned to Harry. ‘Go fetch you things and get out!’ Harry almost laughed watching his aunt leave to continue whatever she was doing in the kitchen. And seeing his teacher faintly lost in the couch he exclaimed. ‘I’ll go get my things Professor.’ 

If Petunia never told him she was a muggle, Harry would have figured that out now. Never a student that would have been in Professor Mc Gonagall’s class, would ever think about talking to her that way.

‘Have I done Something wrong again?’ Harry asks, walking alongside his teacher in the corridors. ‘…Nobody thinks of you as responsible for anything mister Potter.’ Harry couldn't stop himself from laughing a bit. ‘Everyone is too kind.’ He responds quietly.

She gave him a glance before sighing. ‘Either way, you're not responsible in any way about this situation.’ They arrived in front of Dumbledore's office, and for once the gargoyles were wide open. Probably thanks to the lack of students in the buildings. She signed Harry to go first. 

As he walks the stairs trying his best not to think too much, he hears voices. Quite heated voices actually. When he stepped into the office, getting out of the stairs, Harry could see Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore and professor Snape arguing around the headmaster’s desk. ‘What I don't understand is why are you even waiting!’ Apparently it has been Madam Pomfrey’s voice Harry had just heard. 

‘My dear, please calm yourself down. I promise you we won't have to wait any… Harry, my boy!!’ Harry tried to genuinely smile at the headmaster in return as everyone's attention was drawn to him. And with Professor Snape angry and lost expression, Dumbledore didn’t inform them of his presence. ‘What is he doing here Albus?!’ Snape asks anxiously. Harry was probably dreaming but the man seemed… slow somehow. 

Dumbeldore ignores his teacher’s question and turns to the 2 newcomers. ‘You were quick Minerva thank you.’ Still silent, Harry walks to them silently seeing very clearly Snape's angry sighs. ‘It’s all thanks to Madam Dursley,’ the Woman answers ironically. 

Albus obviously pointed him to the seat beside Professor Snape, and even if Harry wasn’t very delighted by it, he still sat without any complaint. Turning a look at his teacher to say hello, Harry got distracted as his teacher started to hide his naked left forearm. ‘Don’t!’ Startled by Madam Pomfrey's harsh voice Harry stood stunned as the woman smacked Snape in the back of the head. ‘You don’t have any bandage idiot!’ 

Sending death glare to his colleague Snape took some seconds before putting his arm back on the armrest only to show Harry a very ugly injury. Harry’s breath got stuck for a moment as he lay his eyes on the wounds. The man’s forearm had been slythe open, the skin around was wearing a weird shade of purple black. In the cut his muscles looked like eaten by tiny parasites until it showed the bones. The wound was swelling, holes of flesh bleeding around the cut, the whole festering horribly. 

‘Stop looking at it Potter you’ll feel sick’ Said Professor Mc Gonagall, and again Harry didn’t wait any longer to follow her words. That was pretty disgusting, the view didn’t take long to disturb Harry’s stomach, but weirdly enough he wanted to look at it again. ‘Could you make it quick Albus! The curse is still ongoing’ Said the mediwitch still looking over Snape’s arm. 

A silence took place in the office while the older man gave looks to his two female colleagues. Harry was pretty sure he could try to read the silent message the man was giving them, but really all his thoughts were given to the disgusting bloody wound on Snape's arm. Something has to be wrong with him. 

‘Good now that we have a bit of privacy’ Harry gave a look behind his back to see that Madam Pomfrey and Professor Mc Gonagall had left the place. ‘I’m gonna be straight forward my boys, you two are going to live together for the vacation.’ 

What? 

‘I hope you’re joking Headmaster?’ Snape finally broke the painful silence. And for a second Harry though that, yes, the man was exhausted, no doubt because of the gaping wound on his forearm. But very quicly the information made his way to his brain. 

Spending the holiday with Snape?! ‘It’s to keep the both of you safe.’ And Harry laugh at that, finally showing emotion on his face after Albus drop the bomb. ‘Can we know what exactly you find so hilarious, mister Potter?’ Ask Snape as harsh as his condition allows him to be. ‘Sorry, I guess I'm tired…’ Harry only says, in truth, what made him laugh was the whole keeping you guys safe things, because them together was everything but safe. ‘My boys please…’ Dumbeldore says, sensing the tension starting to build himself up. 

‘As you could have seen Harry, your Professor is injured.’ Harry turned a look to Snape's arm without really wanting to. ‘And I'm gonna stop you right there, it’s not your fault.’ Harry turns a look to Albus trying his best to look unemotional before hearing Snape giving a laugh. ‘Yeah i forgot he is so self centered he thinks everything has to do with him.’ 

Harry couldn't respond to Snape’s games, not now. But the man’s words hurt, and really after so many years they shouldn’t. But after all, holding your emotion on a leech was far from easy. So Harry let out a bitter laugh before looking away. ‘Severus please, now is not the time.’ That wasn’t true actually, now was the best of time, because after they both be locked up and Harry having to face his thoughts and memories, Harry will not be in the mood to be civil. Now was the only time Harry could get a hold on his emotions and not go crazy with only the man being here. 

‘As I was saying. Severus' injury is caused by Voldemort.’ It wasn’t really a secret that Snape wears the dark mark. It comes with the whole spy for the order things. But with that on his arm, especially in this place, the man couldn't really hide it anymore. Lost your cover already have you? Harry thought very loudly in his mind. And it seemed to be too loud, because the man turned to give him a heated glare. 

‘And if we don’t find a way to have him out of reach, the curse will continue to spread.’ Harry tries very hard not to picture what might be the outcome of this ugly curse on another part of a human body, and turns to the headmaster. 

‘I understand sir but if I am not responsible, what I’m i doing here? Professor Mc Gonagall said to my aunt she couldn't protect me as efficiently as before. I don’t understand.’ 

Albus smiled at him. ‘I’m getting to it, Harry.’ The man quickly gave a look at Snape’s arms starting to swell very badly giving the man spasms. ‘To make it short, Severus' Secret wasn’t the only thing that had leaked to Tom’s side. You’re not in security anymore. Moreover Poppy is quite sure that if you’re close to Severus the curse could be stopped more efficiently or even reversed. That’s why the two of you will be placed in a safe place for the vacation while we all try our best to get the situation in our avantage again.’ Was all this ever in our avantage? Harry asked himself. It was all very lovely, but Harry still didn’t want to spend his holiday with Snape. The man was an atrocious being that Harry couldn't even tolerate for his average 2 hours a week. How could he deal with having him in the same house 24/7? 

‘Can’t you find another arrangement Albus?’ Snape asks, sounding a bit more tired than before. ‘I’m afraid not my boy…’ Harry felt scared as his professor face paled abruptly to almost look transparente. ‘Severus are you feeling alright?’ Ask Albus worries way too obvious for Harry not to be scared. ‘Yes of cour...se’ But Snape didn’t have time to finish his head drop barely caught by Dumbledore's impressively quick reflexes.

The room became a mess of worried adults. Poppy and Minerva enter the room hurriedly as Harry stepped away to leave them some place. He hates to see that man defenseless. Snape as much of an asshole he was, was someone powerful and always looking harsh, and cold no matter what could ever happened in the outside world. 

Harry hated seeing him as human. 

OoO

Turns out Snape had hid how the spread had infected his left shoulder. Leaving Poppy to think he still got 5 or 6 hours before dropping to the floor unconscious and feverish, when in fact he only got 2 hours before his blood pressure drop to a very dangerous point. 

Harry didn’t want to stay around, it was bloody, stressful, disgusting and weirdly frightening to see that man soo heal. 

But Pomfrey was sure of it, him being here was helping keeping Snape away from the curse. And really Harry couldn’t say anything about it, because of course if just staying close was helping to help someone, of course Harry would stay as long as it was necessary. But it doesn’t mean he felt in any way good about it. 

The state of the man’s arm was really alarming. The whole things was  mix of mashed flesh full of blood and yellowish liquid. Never Harry wants to see holes in one of his teacher's arms, not to mention his BONES! But being Harry Potter comes with its whole lot of inconveniences. Seeing bloody things on human beings is one of them apparently. 

OoO

‘Next time you do something like that to me, I will, let you die on the spot! Got it!?’ Said Madam Pomfrey as Harry and Snape were waiting to go. Now that the man was up they couldn't wait any longer to go to this safe place . ‘You’re being dramatic, I just faint a little bit…Awo Awo awo awo awo!!’ Harry tried his best not to laugh as Pomfrey harshly grabbed the poor man’s arms, Snape turning himself painfully finally appologize. ‘Ok I’m sorry!’ She let go of him with a smirk in the corner of her mouth.

With his luggages waiting close to his right foot and his arm tightly wrapped in bandages, Snape was once more clothed from head to toe and ready to go. Which was one more thing to add to Harry’s trauma of seeing Snape in bad shape. The man had been undressed of all his tops to give the medicitch easier access. And Harry hated the fact that this image will probably never leave his brain.

They both didn’t want to go in that safe place, but now it wasn’t like they got any choice. So when Dobby arrives a big sunny smile harmed on his lips with Dumbledore, they only sighs defeated. 

‘Harry Potter sir, Dobby is delighted to see you again.’ Harry forced a smile to him ignoring Snape snorting on his right. ‘Nice to see you too, Dobby.’ Professor Dumbledore gave a quick glance at the man’s arm hidden under his cloak and jacket. 

‘During your time in this safe place Dobby will be your only link to the outside world. He’ll come once a week to give you food, groceries and the news. I want you two to be civil with each other, and I'm not joking about that. Severus don’t forget that during holidays you are not his teacher anymore, so no points taken or promise detentions.’ Severus made an angry sound at that. ‘And Harry, it doesn't mean you can forget all manners in front of him.’ Now it was Harry’s turn to make an angry sound as Severus smiled mockingly. ‘If there is any emergency, call Dobby.’ The house elf stood on his tiny legs with all his pride. ‘Oh and one last thing. The location is deep within the earth with quite an impressive amount of runes to hold it together and keep you away from anything. So it means, Harry, that you can use magic.’ Dumbeldore said with a sheepish smile for his younger friend. 

Well finally, good news.

OoO

‘It has to be a joke…’ Yeah for once Harry agreed with Snape. ‘Dobby, please! Tell us there is a hidden door somewhere.’ Harry implores the elf looking around the place desperately. ‘Dobby is sorry Harry Potter sir, Professor Snape Sir, but this place had been created in one night deep within the earth, we couldn’t make it bigger. Dumbledore Sir said it would have collapsed on itself otherwise.’ 

It seems like quite a reasonable reason to be honest. And Harry really liked the place, it was pretty cosy, the main room was tiny, yes but still two times larger than his room with the dursleys. There was a bookshelves, a big wardrobe, a desk and bunk beds. The whole in a very warm color palette in which the runes all around the wall, give a bit more decoration to the place. Giving a very nice witch vibe to the room. The bathroom was a tiny bit smaller than his room in private drive, with a shower a sink, a mirror and some shelf for the towels. 

And that was it. 

There room for the next 2 months. 

Turning to Dobby again Harry took a deep breath before talking. ‘Sorry Dobby but I see nothing for us to cook.’ And Snape didn’t seem to come to this problem yet because the man started to sign painfully realising the question. ‘Dobby will come once a week and deliver the meal already made, Dobby will then place them here.’ Said the elf pointing to one of the four wardrobe drawers and opening it. Inside was a fridge apparently. ‘Since Harry Potter sir can use magic here you will be able to heat it up again.’ 

Harry thought going crazy as he watched the interior of the fridge.

Was it bigger than outside ?? Or was the other drawer fake? But Snape pushed the elfe a bit and opened another drawer before closing it shut violently just after. ‘You can’t make this place bigger because of the runes, but you're able to monstrously expand these wardrobes?!’

While Harry thought the elf was about to have a heart attack with how harsh and angry the man was, he found himself quite proud when Dobby didn’t react at all to the man’s criticism. ‘Dobby is sorry. Sir, Dobby wasn’t in charge of creating the place. But Dobby heard that Pikky and Flish didn’t have any more time to make it bigger. They were about to expand the place when your condition started, so Dobby heard they had to rush it.’ A bitter scoff left the man as he held his forehead with his valid hand. 

‘And of course it’s gonna be my fault now, is it?!’ Dobby’s ear made a little cute flip into the air as the elf never looked away from the potion master. ‘Of course not Snape sir, if it’s anyone’s fault it would be from the wizard who blew up Mr Snape sir’s cover to you-know-who.’ Wow!! Dobby really did learn how to talk. That was quite impressive. Never the tiny creature use any inappropriate tone in front of the man. Always patient and polite. 

And as professional as it was, it seem to piss Snape even more. 

OoO

Dobby had left for quite some times now, leaving them alone with each other. And until now none of them really talk to the other more than ‘You take the upper bunk bed.’ Or ‘apparently the left side of the wardrobe is your side.’ 

It was awkward to say the least. 

Playing with his wand perched on the edge of his bed Harry landed a glance to his teacher seated on the desk working on some probably very boring stuffs. ‘How’s your arm?’ Snape straightens in his seat before giving the other man a side glance ‘The attention you feel toward my arm is inappropriate Mister Potter!’ Harry tries not to react too much. ‘I’m trying to be nice there.’ The man turned back to his work with a very enerving gesture. ‘Your obvious disdainful attention is not at all welcome Mister Potter, please feel free to keep all this nonsense to yourself!’ 

Severus didn’t need to turn around to know the brat magicly close his curtain and install a silencing charm around his bed in frustration. 

With a long and painful sighs he pinch the bridge of his nose feeling suddenly very tired. 

He only got 20 very short minutes to actually appreciate hiswhole new freedom. Because yes ok, he lost his cover for the order, that wasn’t a good things, but it also means no more, playing death eater but not entirely death eater because he isn’t supposed to be a death eater but it needs to be convincing enough for Tom not to doubt him.

No now he was free of his mark, even though the thing was still stuck to his arm and currently eating him alive. But now everyone, well not everyone but the witch and wizards that matters, knew where his loyalty lay. 

But once more, Albus had crushed his freedom with the power of a nuclear bomb by forcing him to live during 2 month with Harry James Potter. 

20 minutes of pure heaven…. 

Looking through the fake window of their room Severus sighs again. Would he had a better time agonising in his bed alone at Hogward if he never went to Albus to tell him about his arm? 

Yeah probably not, not that he never had any proof of it, he never really stopped believing that people that killed themself spent eternity paying for it as they work as reapers. And letting yourself die was suicide, not really a good plan then. 

That was his mother who had told him this story when he was a kid, and ever since then, all those tales the woman had spent so many nights telling him about, stayed with him.

His arm hurt, really bad actually, Poppy had forbidden him to take any painkillers until 10 pm to let the potions she gave earlier do their job. But even if his whole arm hurt to the point it started to ache in his neck, it still felt better than when he was at Hogwarts. The moment he entered the place he had felt an amengous amount of pressure leave his arm, and dear it felt great. He didn’t really pay any attention to himself but he was pretty sure he let out a moan at this moment. And the brat seems to have summoned a bit of his brain cell to stay alive because he didn’t say anything about it.

It cost him to admit it, but it was pretty obvious Potter's presence was helping his recovery. It felt like the boy’s magic was channeling itself to his arm and gently pop his mark away from his skin. It was odd, but refreshing somehow.  

With a new sighs leaving his body Severus got up on his feet and went to grab a glass and some lemonade in the Fridge/wardrobe.