Chapter Text
At four o clock in the morning three limp bodies where transported from black lakes shore to the hogwarts castle.
At four fifteen the whole hospital wing was filled with professor mcgonagall’s crying from disbelief and horror.
At four forty five Minister fudge and the headmaster were in the latter’s office discussing the nights events.
At five A.M. the protocol was finished and signed by the aurors.
Harry James Potter was officially gone. Just a body without a soul.
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The boy was lying in a hospital bed. Apart from face drained from natural colour and swelled hands he looked calm, like in deep sleep. Almost serene.
By one of his side clenched his head house. She was wearing a night gown,hair in total disarray. Her face was all red, eyes puffy. She couldn’t leave Potter’s side, even though she painfully knew, when she was useless here. Couldn’t help him recover couldn’t even alleviate his pain or console him.
Thirteen. She couldn’t save a thirteen year old student, her lion. Even tough she knew he was at risk,even though he suffered enough for a child.
He was less than dead. His soul had been sucked on a schoolgrounds.
Logically she knew there were people far more responsible for this.
First and foremost Black. Of course the fortune had been so ironic him, the serial killer, responsible for Harry’s parents deaths, now responsible for his own godson demise -well, more or less- was safely sleeping in a guarded room. She was cursing herself she once again she used to trust the man, thought he would have a bright future. How misguided had they all been?
Then people who put the blasted dementors on the hogwarts grounds bin the first place. Bloody Cornelius Fudge. His prospects of another term of office more valuable than the well-being of young witches and wizards. He had already extend his condolences and simply moved on to the formalities.
Right now in the headmaster office. Well, Albus himself was not without fault here. Minerva along with Filius, Severus and strangely Sybilla had, from late August, loudly, over and over again reminded him, pleaded and demanded sending the monsters away.
She personally had on various occasions expressed her thoughts and visions of what could have happened to the students. And well, here they were today.
On a day like one of her frequent nightmares.
But she never had visualised that one of her actual student would be left without a soul.
But before her laid a proof. A skinny preteen with messy, intangible raven hair and sickly drained, usually warmly brown complexion. Sentenced to exist but to live no more.
She turned her gaze to the man sitting in the other chair. He had his face hidden in his palms. Clearly,not able to leave the hospital bed nor to look in the eyes of the truth.
”Severus” She started “It’s almost six in the morning” The only answer she got was an intelligible groan.
“I gather we should inform and bring here his guardians,don’t you think?” Her younger colleague opened his eyes and turned to her with a sight.
“Yes,that would be in order . Now, do you want me to go fetch them ,or should-“
“I shall retrieve and bring them” She jumped in the middle of his sentence, but Severus looked quite pleased with that.
“Thank you,I will-I will stay here” He added.
Minerva sent him a bitter smile and walked through the fire place,already bursting green flames.
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Severus had wronged many people in his life. Made terrible decisions and had to leave with the consequences. He was no stranger to greave choices but this…
He honestly thought that the line of people who lost their lives because of him was final. He now stood on the right ,lightside,tried to make up for his actions,was a changed man. Why was he once again responsible for another lost soul. Quite literally.
If he had not gone to the shrieking hut,would this happen? What if he killed Black the moment he saw him? If he hadn’t been such an idiot to get disarmed by a blasted child?
Yes,of course Blacked maimed Potter spawn and his friends in believing in his story, and Lupin turned out to be a traitor and run to the feet of his criminal boyfriend the moment he appeared.
”Lily ,what would you think of me now?” He moaned more to himself,than to anybody else.
Not only did he not save her but he didn’t even deliver on his oath. Her precious son hadn’t have a chance to grow up. Her sacrifice in vain.
As he was about to spiral deeper and deeper in his sorrow thoughts the fireplace lighted up in yellowish green flames and Minerva accompanied by a grotesque looking couple stepped on the cold stone of the hospital wing.
Severus casted a slight disillusionment and sat in more shaded corner. Didn’t want to have to talk to whoever Potters guardians might have been.
The couple approached the bed with still unstrung Minerva. It was really out of character to see her like that. Severus couldn’t blame her, of course but it was rather baffling to observe this state.
What was even more stranger the two newcomers didn’t show any emotion. Snape would expect hysteria, crying, rage and accusation. But nothing, they just stood there in pyjamas and fluffy bathrobe looking annoyed if anything at all. And, hell no, didn't the tall woman looked as someone who Severus knew?
The large man cleared his throat.
“So the boy is dead or isn’t?” Asked McGonagall in a matter of factly tone.
“No, Mister Dursley, as I explained earlier his soul has been vanished but his bodily functions are still-“ At this moment she has been rudely interrupted
“ And what do you exactly want us to do? If that boy decided to be stupid and soul sucked in your school that should be your burden.” A high voice announced, and Severus instantly knew from where he recognised the woman. That statement earned a chimed nod from her husband.
“That sounds fair,doesn’t it miss MacQuarie?”
“Professor McGonagall and if you mean that Mister Potter should reside in the hospital wing and afterwards in the Saint Mungos Hospital,then yes. It can be arranged.” Minerva's expression was somewhere between pained, shocked and frustrated.
“So we won’t have to deal with whatever freakiness, then yes.We would like that very much.” Mister Durseley said in enforcing tone.
“If that’s all, can we just come back to our house? It’s nearing seven I must start breakfast for my Dud- “ Tuney stopped herself in that statement.
Really? Breakfast for her other kid was more important than saying goodbye to Potter? They were already abandoning him for Merlin know how long, couldn't she put her priorities straight?
Professor McGonnagall still looked confused and speechless at the Durseleys’ reaction.
“Yes Mrs Dursley we can. But don’t you want to -“ Again interrupted now by the husband.
“You yourself said the freak isn’t in his right mind and heavens knows when he will wake up. So it’s better for.. everyone if we just come back home ,rather than stay in you … school and wait for a miracle , right?” He neared his wives side and both looked certain they didn't want to spend another minute at Hogwarts.
“If thats the case, then follow me.” The transfiguration professor walked towards the fireplace accompanied by the pair.
As they disappeared Severus sighted deeply.
What the hell? Petunia? Really ? She was chosen to be the-boy-who-lived guardian? Lily would be so disappointed he thought. But which part of the situation wouldn’t she be? Sirius Black again responsible for the hardship of her family, her ex-best friend unable to protect his own students, her vicious sister and her ogre-resembling husband as her sons adoptive parents, and lastly her firstborn son being nothing more than a soulless body. Severus looked at the thirteen year old who looked like a death mask of himself. How could he had allowed this?
Minerva returned looking more damaged than before. She caught eye contact with her younger colleague and said nothing.
They again sat at the opposite sides of the hospital bed and kept wordlessly looking.Severus didn’t count time by that moment. Maybe it was hours maybe minutes before on of them spoke up.
“Severus, you had an exhausting night, don’t you want to go to your quarters?” Minerva asked in a quiet dry voice. By that moment Severus seeked out fresh tears on her face. He simply shook his head, he couldn’t leave, just couldn’t.
“Do you want to?’” To that Minerva too shook her head.
So they sat there, and the sun risen to its pinnacle. Nothing happened, no one distracted them. Severus was more grateful than ever for the silencing and guarding charms put on this side of the hospital wing.
In all honesty, he had no idea for what he was waiting for. There were few texts about victims of dementors kiss and 100% of them landed immediately in azkaban conditions. So there was no telling how ones body would process in mor habitable places. Most of said sufferers survived a year or so as soulless dolls and then succumb to common flu or such matter. He glanced over to Potter.
Would that be his fate or would he live on like a unanimated object for decades at st. Mungo's? Severus really didn’t know what to wish that boy.
He decided it would be safer to just stare at the wall and let himself circle in his thoughts.
Minerva probably was doing the same thing, neither of them spoke for some time.
As it was clearly past noon Severus caught a slight movement on the hospital bed. Potter looked as he was waking up from a nightmare. He opened his eyes and looked around in a confusion.
”Professor, what happened, where am I?” Young voice asked and neither Minerva nor Severus could hold back their mouths gaping .