Mourning Dove

Chapter 3

Severus awoke the next morning with a pounding hangover, his head throbbing like a drum. The events of the previous day flooded back to him, and he could feel anger bubbling up inside him at the injustice of it all. After hearing the heartbreaking news of what had happened to Harry inside the Dursley household, Minerva, Severus, and Kingsley drowned their sorrows in an excessive amount of alcohol while Albus was off tending to the Order's affairs.

As he stumbled to the bathroom, Severus desperately searched for one of his infamous hangover cures to alleviate the throbbing pain in his head. He knew he needed it if he wanted to avoid snapping at any of the students who dared to speak to him once he finally left the solace of his rooms. Fortunately, it was Sunday and he could take some time to gather his thoughts and plan how he could help the boy who suddenly was no longer among the living.

Unfortunately, the day was not going to give Severus a break.

As he pulled on his robes and straightened his hair, Severus couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. He knew breakfast in the great hall would be chaotic as usual even if breakfast hours were almost over, and the thought of facing all the rowdy students before venturing to Hogsmeade later made his stomach turn.

Stepping out of his bedroom and into the living room, Severus immediately noticed he wasn't alone. Sitting in front of the crackling fire, illuminated by its flickering light, was Lily's son. A mix of surprise and shock colored Severus' features briefly before he regained his composure.

"Good Morning, little one," he greeted in a calm and welcoming tone, trying not to scare the poor abused child. "Where are the Grey Lady and the Baron?"

Harry seemed to pause for a moment, his stillness unsettlingly in a way that only the truly dead could do, before simply shrugging his shoulders. The action caused Severus' eye to twitch in annoyance, but he quickly suppressed his urge to correct the child's lack of manners.

"Did you run off little one? They will be quite worried about you disappearing I would think." Severus' gentle voice held a tinge of disapproval as he addressed Harry.

Harry's silence only added to Severus' concern. Was it selective mutism, a result of the trauma and abuse he had endured? Or perhaps it was something physical that was preventing him from speaking. Though typically wounds sustained during death did not affect those who became ghosts, perhaps Harry was an exception. It wouldn't be surprising considering his troubled past.

"Harry, can you speak?" Severus asked directly, determined to get some answers. Harry tilted his head in a way that could almost be considered adorable if Severus were one to use such terms. But he kept any such sentiment to himself as he awaited the boy's response. After a moment, Harry shook his head in a negative reply, causing a frown to form on Severus' face.

Severus then sat across from Harry, his dark eyes boring into the boy's blank expression. Severus leaned forward, his voice low and cautious. "Have you ever spoken, Harry?" he asked, hoping for a response.

But Harry only shrugged a frustratingly unhelpful gesture that left Severus even more exasperated. Before he could press Harry for more information, there was a loud knock on the front door to his rooms. Startled, Harry disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Severus alone to deal with whoever was interrupting them.

With an irritated sigh, Severus rose from his seat and stalked over to the door. Swinging it open with force, he scowled at the visitor before him – none other than Dumbledore himself, wearing his usual cheerful smile as if he had forgotten that his beloved boy hero had been brutally murdered just days ago.

"Headmaster," Severus bit out, his tone sharp with annoyance. "What brings you here so early in the morning?"

"My dear boy, it is nearly 9 am!" Dumbledore exclaimed in a falsely cheerful tone, his bright blue eyes twinkling with what Severus suspected was barely concealed amusement. "I must admit, when you didn't appear at the great hall for breakfast this morning, I was quite worried. And I know Minerva was in a rather rough state as well. So I thought I would come check on you."