Harry walked for what felt like hours. He saw Neville, Ron, and Hermione walking together a few times but Harry darted away before they could see him. He didn’t really want to talk to them right now. They probably wanted to know how someone as smart as Harry could write so terribly. How he had gotten such low grades despite everything. He had to delay that for as long as he could.

Eventually, Harry found himself at the entrance to the great hall. The doors were open and people were filtering inside for dinner. The food was already at the tables, and there was a soft murmur of voices as people casually chatted over their food. Harry’s stomach rumbled and his feet turned and he walked inside.

He sat alone on one of the far corners of the Gryffindor tables with almost no one nearby. He usually restricted himself to two plates of food per meal. He didn’t want to look any more like a freak, and Harry thought that was a lot but not enough that other people would think it was too unusual. But Harry suddenly didn’t feel like restricting himself anymore. Everyone would know soon about his stupidity anyways, right? He should just let loose and just stuff himself for once. So he reached out and began to eat.

And this time he didn’t stop, no matter how silent the room became. He ignored it when the only sound in the room was the clatter of his plates and the wet squelches as Harry tore through the food. Whenever a container was emptied, a new set of food would appear in the empty vessel. Harry let go of all rational thought and just let his body do its thing. It was relaxing, and his chest loosened. This was amazing. He wished it would last forever.

— — —

Near the end of the hall at the Professor’s table, Severus Snape looked up from his food as the great hall began to grow silent. The students were all staring at a singular boy in particular.

Harry Potter again.

The boy was ravenous, eating plate after plate of food without seeming to stop. He had just finished his third plate even as Severus watched him, and showed no sign of slowing. Severus cast a quick spell under his table to alert the Headmaster of the situation. It would carry the quick note he had written up to the headmaster’s office where the man had chosen to take his meal today.

Severus was sure Dumbledore would wish to be informed of Harry’s…

Harry was going for another plate, having finished another. The looks of the students were a mixed batch of wide eyed respect and wariness at the feat. Severus wasn’t even sure how this was possible. Had the boy ingested a weight loss potion? How was he even fitting all that food in there? He had to have eaten at least his body weight if not more by now. Severus sent a temporary order to the house elves to stop refilling the food on the Gryffindor table near Harry.

The boy reached to refill his plate again only to blink to see the bowl was empty. He looked up, juices dripping down his chin, and seemed to blink as he noticed everyone staring at him. He stood, and his muttering rang loudly through the hall as he left.

“Well, I could eat more. But I guess it makes sense there’s a limit to the food. Don’t want to be too greedy. I… I guess I’ll go do something else now.”

Severus frowned as the boy left the hall and the rest of the students began muttering amongst themselves. Had that been genuine emotion in the boy's voice? What was happening that the muted boy would react this way? And the amount of food he had eaten… There was magic at work there. Potter hadn’t even been full at the end. This was far more serious than the literacy curse, this could be a sign of a more malignant curse in the boy or…

The Headmaster came striding through the doors and casually strolled to the professor’s tables. Professor Quirrell quickly looked away. He had been staring at Harry with an intensity that was unusual for him these days. Dumbledore sat in his headmaster’s chair and turned to Severus who was sitting to his right.

“Well, Severus. What did I miss?”

“Quite the show Headmaster. It seems that Harry Potter is quite the glutton. I must have watched him eat his own weight in food just now.”

Dumbledore’s eyes sharpened and Severus felt two hard knocks against his occlumency shields. A sign to covertly leave and reconvene in the Headmaster’s office as soon as possible where they wouldn’t be overheard.

Severus nodded and stood. “Well have a good dinner, Headmaster. I was just finishing up.”

With that Severus left the great hall and proceeded to enter the Headmaster’s office using a password unique only to him. The gargoyle deployed the staircase and Severus continued upwards until he was standing just in front of the two wooden doors leading to Dumbledore's actual office. He waited for twenty minutes or so before Dumbledore arrived and opened the doors with a flick of his wand, walking past Severus into his office. Severus followed behind him to go inside.

“Tell me what happened, Severus. What is your opinion on the situation?” Dumbledore said seriously.

“There are a few options to explain the unnatural appetite. There are weight loss potions to do so, but that is unlikely. The boy is skinny enough as it is. Otherwise, maybe it is a second malignant curse in addition to his other one. The hunger would be a side effect, and whatever the true purpose of it would be far more dangerous. This is what I find most likely considering the boy has already been cursed once without our knowledge. Finally…”

Severus hesitated.

Dumbledore waved his hand. “Don’t hesitate, Severus. No matter how likely it may be.”

Severus swallowed. “Well, it is well known that when one’s magic reserve grows rapidly that their appetite increases… But for him to be eating that much…”

Dumbledore’s eyes widened. “You’re not saying… Such a thing would be unprecedented. He’s only been a wizard for two weeks, his magic could not be increasing that suddenly.”

Severus cleared his throat. “It would explain his accidental magic. The growth of his magic could be outpacing his connection with his wand. The excess being uncontrolled and leaking out when he was angered…”

Dumbledore stroked his beard. “That would be extraordinary. But also dangerous, imagine what he could do with all that power… He may be able to defeat Voldemort on his own if we give him enough time to grow uninterrupted.”

Severus cleared his throat. “I still think it is unlikely for that to be true. It is far more likely to be some sort of withering curse. We should have the boy checked at St. Mungo’s. Who knows what effects it could have on his health…”

“Nonsense, nonsense! The boy seems healthy enough. I think your third point regarding his potential is the most likely. And the governor’s meeting is Sunday, any checkups can wait until after then.”

“But the risk…”

“But nothing, we must wait!” Dumbledore snapped, seeming to run out of patience.

Severus sniffed. “And why is that exactly? I thought you were supposed to be protecting the boy? What could possibly be more important than that if he is under a withering curse?”

“I’m under too much scrutiny at the moment, I can’t act freely to ensure things go well at St. Mungo’s once the boy leaves the castle. We should wait until he’s cleared by the governors before he proceeds, then I can ensure he’s seen by the right people.”

Severus controlled his expression. ‘Seen by the right people?’ So the headmaster did have a reason for all of this. Something the boy would say or do that would harm Dumbledore.

“Are you sure of this, Headmaster? Young Harry would be right to be furious if he ever found out about you possibly sacrificing his health for these deep plans of yours.”

“Yes, I’m sure Severus. I don’t like it either, but the boy will come to much harm if he reveals too much to the wrong person. And I don’t believe he will be angry for long, he seems logical enough he will understand if I explain things to him.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Severus stiffened. “Very well, Headmaster. I will take my leave then.”

“Severus…”

— — —

Severus Snape left the headmaster's office without another word and started making his way to the Gryffindor Tower. It had been a mistake to not tell Minerva about all this originally. But this was too far for Severus to let go even on the headmaster’s orders. She would be able to interrogate Dumbledore and get some real answers and perhaps convince him to change his mind.

He knocked on the door and walked in when he found it slightly ajar. She looked up from grading her assignments and put her quill back in its inkwell.

“Severus? It’s not often I see you up here. Is anything the matter?”

Severus Snape took a deep breath. Dumbledore wouldn’t like this, but this had gone far enough.

“Minerva, I have something very important to discuss with you regarding one of the members of your house.”

She frowned and gestured to the chair opposite before closing and locking her office door with her wand.

“Hmmm. Was it the Weasley twins again? Absolutely no discipline those two…”

He shook his head. “No, this is regarding Harry Potter. It is rather serious.”

McGonagall looked confused. “Harry Potter, What has he done now? He seems so well behaved in my classes at least.”

“No, no one is in trouble at the moment. I just wish… Let me put it this way. How was his most recent homework assignment? Did his writing seem amateurish despite the knowledge displayed in class?” Severus said.

McGonagall frowned. “Yes, I did think it odd. But he was clearly in a rush when he did, the boy just needs to put some more effort into his assignments.”

He cleared his throat. “Well, it is more than that. The headmaster wanted to keep things quiet due to the upcoming governor’s meeting, but I thought you should be informed of what is happening with the boy. Especially what I have witnessed today means it may be part of something larger.”

She leaned forward. “More? Isn’t he a member of my house, why were you informed while I was not?”

“Well…”

Severus explained how he had learned of the possible illiteracy curse and what had happened today. He left out his illegal use of legilimency obviously. And he also told her his theory that the boy’s appetite may have been caused by a withering curse. And how the Headmaster had dismissed his concerns. He didn't mention the third possibility to her, he could see the value in keeping that theory secret at least.

Minerva leaned back in shock as he finished his story.

“This is quite a tale, Severus. If what you are saying is true, then I see no reason why the boy shouldn’t be brought to St. Mungo’s immediately. Even ignoring the boy himself, showing that he had been cursed would be an advantage in making him sympathetic to the governors, I would think. Now that I think of it, I never did see the boy take notes in class. But I will have to talk to him myself to see if what you’ve told me is true.”

Severus nodded. “Very well, let’s summon him here and he will likely tell you himself if you ask.”

'And maybe more if you investigate further. Whatever it is that Dumbledore wishes to hide.'

“Very well. Remain here and I will fetch him from the common room.” Minerva said before she left.

— — —

Harry was wandering the hallways, not sure what he was going to do. He would be forced to return to his dorm at the end of the day and be forced to explain himself to them. And then Hermione would mock him just like how everything had gone before at his last school.

A ghost floated through the wall. Nearly Headless Nick. “Harry Potter?”

He looked up as he replied, “Yes?”

“Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office.”

Harry glanced around the unfamiliar hallway. For some reason, he was having difficulty dredging up his memories of what turns he had made.

“Right now? I think I’m rather lost.” Harry said.

The ghost nodded. “Yes, follow me and I’ll show you the way.”

“Alright,” Harry said.

She was probably there to berate him for his poor transfigurations essay. Always more of the same.

— — —

Harry was quite surprised when he saw that Professor Snape was also in the room when he entered along with a standing Professor McGonagall. A spark of hope lit in his heart, but he tried not to get himself get too excited. His shoulders stopped slumping quite so much.

Professor Snape turned and spoke, “Potter, I was just discussing your difficulties with Professor McGonagall. She wished to observe the exact symptoms herself.”

Harry looked between the two of them in confusion.

“What? But I thought you two were working on this for two weeks. Why am I only doing this now?”

McGonagall shot a sharp look at Professor Snape.

“Weeks? How long has it been since Professor Snape determined you might be cursed?”

Harry’s brows raised slightly.

“Since the first day? It was after my first class. He said you and the headmaster would discuss it. I assumed since I didn’t hear anything that you were working on it.”

He glanced between the two of them.

“Weren’t you?”

McGonagall was stony faced.

“No, Potter. Professor Snape just told me fifteen minutes ago about this.”

Harry felt the hope in his chest die again.

“Oh, I guess I’m doomed then. Hermione already hates me. All my friends just found out about it today, and I’m sure they’re just waiting to jump me when I get back. Call me names and beat me up and everything. Do wizards hit people with wands? We don’t really know real spells yet so it seems like a wand would hurt more. The headmaster did say they would be hard to break…”

The teachers were staring at him aghast. What had he said? Were they annoyed he was telling them his problems? Harry had tried telling his teachers about how he was bullied a few times, but they had just brushed him off and been annoyed at him.

“Well, anyways I guess I had hoped you two would have a solution to the curse ready. But it’s too bad, I was beginning to like it here. I’ll just go and stop bothering you two.”

McGonagall was blinking while Snape was staring at him intently as Harry went to leave.

Snape spoke over Harry’s shoulder as he began to walk away.

“Did we say you could leave, Potter?”

Harry stopped. They didn’t, did they? His actions were becoming very erratic recently. He turned back around.

“Right, I had to demonstrate my writing first. Do you have parchment?”

Professor McGonagall pushed forward a blank parchment and her mouth worked as she handed him a quill. It seems she wanted to say something to him. Telling him her time was valuable and to stop wasting it no doubt.

Harry began to write, even if it was very difficult to concentrate properly right now.

“My nname is Harry Pottir and thiis is a fulll and complete Senntence.”

He let out a breath when he finished, and he handed it to Professor McGonagall. She glanced between him and the parchment for a few moments.

“Harry Potter… ”

Harry braced for it.

“...why did you not ask for more help with this? This would… I can’t believe you had such a curse placed on you. How long did it even take you to write the essay for my class?”

Harry thought about it.

“The essay took about two and a half hours to write spread over two days. I can’t focus for that long to do it in one sitting, and I had to do my other assignments that were due the next day as well.”

She put the paper in her hand down, staring at him.

“Two and a half hours. And you never thought to inform me of your difficulties? I could have accommodated you with an oral exam if I knew the extent of your curse. There was no need to struggle so much, silently, for the last two weeks.”

Harry blinked.

“You would do that? You’re not going to just tell me to stop bothering you with my problems?”

Now she was the one to blink.

“Goodness no, Potter. What are the muggles these days up to? If you have any problem in class you are free to come to me. Or any of your other professors. That’s what a teacher is for after all.”

“Huh. Sorry Professor, I never considered that.”

Harry began to calm down and his chest loosened a little for the first time in all day. Maybe he could get good grades even if he couldn’t write properly. His former friends wouldn’t be able to mock him as much.

She continued speaking,

“And why in the world would you think your friends would attack you? From what I’ve seen you four are practically inseparable. And you were cursed, it was hardly your fault now was it?”

Harry slowly nodded.

“You don’t think they’ll hate me?”

Snape snorted and the two turned to him. They had both briefly forgotten him standing there as they spoke.

“Do you doubt them so much? In fact, I think we should bring them here now. I despise wasting everyone’s time with misunderstandings. May as well get it over with either way, right Potter? Minerva?”

McGonagall was glaring at Snape, but Harry nodded.

“I suppose so, Professor. At least it will be over quickly.”

“Boys,” McGonagall muttered, shaking her head as she waved her wand. The ghost from before came back and she spoke to it.

“Call Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Ron Weasley to my office. I have something to discuss with them.”

The ghost nodded.

“I thought I was done with the drudge work when I died, you know. But I suppose this is at least somewhat interesting compared to normal.”

The ghost turned and phased back through the wall. Going back to bring Harry’s former friends here. Harry sat down in a chair to wait. He felt all sorts of changes come over his facial expression under the strong emotions surging within him as he sat there. He should calm down.

Deep breaths...

Deep breaths.