Silent Compassion

Chapter 2

It was six days later that Harry finally woke up, several days of Severus being near on frantic with worry, not sure if the boy was supposed to be sleeping so long.

Severus had made an appointment with the Goblins, with the agreement that they wouldn't meet until the boy had woken up and could speak his own part, he'd requested a home visitation even though that wasn't done too often.

Many things could be said about the goblins but they were sticklers to free will and their clients making their own choices free of manipulation, which included letting them make their own mistakes.

In his off time Severus had been reading potions texts and wizarding fairy tales to the boy, he'd read somewhere that those in a coma were rumored to be able to still hear what was happening around them and hoped that included magic-induced comas too.

Today was no different.

Severus was reading the Fountain of Fair Fortune from a well-loved version of the Tales of Beadle and Bard when the boy gave a small uncomfortable groan. Severus quickly closed the book, set it to the side, and watched with nervous anticipation thrumming through his veins, although he didn't let it show.

He observed how the boy's whole body started to tense up with awareness, the boy slowed his breath and tried to even them out again. He would be imitating sleep convincingly enough if Severus hadn't been watching him for nearly a week now, waiting for exactly this sign.

Quietly Severus pulled his wand out of his sleeve to summon his patronus, the doe dutifully leaping forwards to accept its task. He quickly sent it to Nick as their pre-arranged signal for the boy waking up while he wasn't around, then quickly hid his wand back in its sheath on his arm once again. He didn't want to startle the boy if he didn't know about magic yet, for all he knew this could be a muggle-born with no knowledge of the magical world.

"I know you are awake, but I do not want you to start panicking. My name is Severus Snape, I found you in the woods very injured. Try not to move around too much, you are still healing from your injuries," Severus explained in the quietest, calmest timber that he could manage.

The small boy's head turned towards the voice slowly and cautiously, whimpering quietly at the movement when it tugged at still healing wounds. The child's mouth opened to try to speak but he quickly closed it again, licking at his lips to try to bring forth some moisture.

"I am going to prop you up with some pillows and then help you drink some water okay?" Severus explained softly so the blind boy wouldn't panic at his touch, being very slow and deliberate where he placed his hands on the child as to not startle him too badly or cause any unnecessary pain. He still flinched a little at each touch but allowed Severus to move him up into a semi-sitting position so he could drink without choking, Severus used silent and wandless spells to conjure a cup and also fill it with some water. Guiding the boy into drinking slowly from the straw he'd quickly transfigured and praising him softly for his cooperation and trust as he obediently drank without trying to gulp it down all at once.

"Can you tell me your name? Or give me something I can call you?" Severus asked after setting the empty glass aside on the nightstand.

"They called me freak or boy ..." The child managed in a quiet, raspy voice.

Severus had to hold in his anger and disbelief at the resigned expression the boy had on his face regarding the supposed names he had been assigned by whoever he used to be with, it both horrified and disgusted him to think the child had gone so long without knowing or having a name.