A/N: I'm thinking of seeking help for this problem.

O.K., it's long. Happy?

All right! All right! I'm sorry!!!

The computer is still sick, folks. It had a major virus and we haven't quite solved all the problems that created yet. In fact, we may be headed for a data dump and rebuild. So, my usual Sunday/Wednesday postings will be a bit sporadic for a little while. I do hope we have everything settled in about a week. O.K.? I'll still try to give you two chapters a week.

And by the way, yes, this is the result of a V-I-R-U-S. Some sixteen year old with too much time on their hands. So, the next time someone proudly tells you that they created a virus and sent it out on the web, remember the result and tell them how great you think their efforts really are.

Just a quick word of future plans. P.A.R. is planning to take a little time off during the holidays to work on some new stories. As you know, I don't post as I write, only when I'm finished. I hope to post at least three while I'm on vacation. But they will probably only be once a week. First, I'm going to finish you guys up with Fever, then once that's done I'll be posting a short Sirius story called A Dog's Day, (it's very cute), and a Snape story called Diamond, (also very cute).

A brief word on another subject brought up in the last reviews and I'm sorry to bore you with it, but apparently it needs to be said. People, if you don't want to read the Author's Notes, just skip to the chapter heading. Don't criticize me for something I enjoy doing, please. This is basically a bunch of thank you's and Q&A. Yes, I may start doing general thank you's and only personalize the Q&A's when I get more reviews than are reasonable to answer individually. But until then, bare with me, O.K..

Hermione Gulliver: Hmmmm, first last time, first this time......, I'm sensing a pattern. As always, I'm glad you like the interaction between Harry and his godfather. I try very hard to keep it realistic as well as not let it slip over into over-sentimentalism.

I really like the scene you wrote in your review and I'd like permission to use it in a story I'm working on called The Bonds That Tie. Are you good with that? I will give credit, of course.

Demeter: Sirius is probably pretty close to one major break-down, this is true.

Yes, poor Remus does seem to get the short end of the stick more than the rest of us. But he always seems to handle it with such dignity you can't help but applaud him.

Yeah, sweet is a bit strong. Think of it more as someone whose more concerned about a friend then he wants to admit, even to himself, and is trying very hard not to let it show.

Leandra: Hey, do I lie? I said 'short'.

I don't think of myself so much as fast as 'consistent'. At least I try. But with a sick computer, it can be hard sometimes.

Rupert Grint or Ronald Weasley, Etc.: Let me guess. You have a small Ron/Hermione obsession? Really, I'm working on it. Hang in there. I can't promise you'll like it, But I'll try.

On your second review, no, I don't count it as a flame. That's O.K.. But really, I'm seeing what I can do for you.

Oh, by the way, yeah, Mrs. Weasley probably could help. Can that woman solve problems or what?

Juliana Black: OH! NICE! Boy! People will turn on you like that! It's not my fault. The computer is sick. Forgive?

Yeah, I know. The author's note was longer than the story. Sad, isn't it?

Yes, P.A.R. stands for something. They are the initials of the nom de plume that I write under.

You got the bullet thing? Way to go! Ten points for your house!

Sorry. No H/D.

You.....ahhhhh.....got somethin' 'gainst Ron?

P.A.R. loves long reviews, by the way.

Now, you HAVE to tell me something!!! HOW, I mean HOW did you manage to post so fast? I put the story up. I went to dry a few dishes. I came back maybe fifteen minutes later (or less), and there you were with a paragraph long review. HOW did you do that? I have got to know! Really! (P.A.R. is impressed!)

007: So pleased you liked the interaction between Snape and Lupin. Most people have so far.

Yes, you're right, they needed to come down. The individual chapters were posted when I first started before I got the chaptering thing down. So, as not to clog up the site, I am removing them. However, I hope the people of FanFiction.Net will grant me clemency to leave up Chapter One of Family Life . It was my first post and I'm sentimental that way.

Geowocky: As you know, computer got sick. Didn't post. Still a problem. Sorry.

She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named: (I just love it!) Warned you 'bout that Mountain Dew, child. I suppose we need to be thankful you haven't discovered Jolt Cola yet.

As to answers to the review, I know how you feel. The computer I use has been sick now for almost a week. Seems more like a year from my POV.

I usually post anywhere between 6PM-10PM EST.

I can't tell you that! Honestly! Ten points from your house for asking silly questions. (Yes, I can do that.)

From your Family Life reviews, Fever is currently twelve chapters total. From Family Life's 49, that would be...*does some math*...37 chapters shorter.

Family Life is being sequeled. But don't expect it soon.

I'm glad you like Family Life and Fever. But I will say I myself think that Prongs is a very good writer in their own right.

And yes, I do read all of my reviews beginning to end.

Lin-z: You're reading Family Life? P.A.R. loves you. Thank you.

Glad you liked the twist. But trust me, we're not done yet.

Ummmmm........, P.A.R. does not mind you reviewing Family Life by chapters, or groups of chapters, hmmmm?

VMR: I know I shouldn't, but people complaining does bother me. I like to be fair to my readers and short chapters are a bit of a tease. So I try not to do it too often. But thanks for the review as always.

Silverfox: Sorry. I just totally misunderstood your review. P.A.R. needs to get a little more sleep. I completely misread it.

Personally, I think Dumbledore is a frighteningly good liar.

I'm glad you support the Remus/Snape relationship. I'm a huge supporter of this relationship despite the context of the books. However, like they say, you can't hate someone you never cared anything about.

Dumbledore's True Love: I'm very glad to have you still with me.

Yeah, yeah. I've been told.

Ummmmm, those are your answers.

Yes. Hurrah for spell checker.

Eight is long. Enjoy.

Unicorn Whisperer: OK, maybe, like with Silverfox, I misunderstood. P.A.R. is a little sleep deprived this week.

Not smart enough to say so? I tend to look at it more as courteous enough to keep it to yourself and 'wait and see'. I am sure the other readers appreciate your not posting guessed-at story plot lines until they are proven true or not. At least I do. Thank you.

Sick of it!? Ha!!! Lay it on me! I defy you to make me sick of reading about it! Go on! Try!

Well, you don't have to wait until Sunday. Enjoy.

Kiara L. Black: Hey! You got an 'L' in your name now!

Thank you. I'm glad you thought it was creative.

Actually, we do need to post stories. We have image issues and need our egos stroked.

If I can ever find the story I'll tell you which one it was. I'll look next week. But I remember seeing the review and thinking 'Hey, she reviews my stories!'.

As for Family Life, PLEASE, review every chapter. Write a book report. Long reviews. Well, yours was actually. Thank you.

Marie Potter: O.K., I don't want this to come off sounding critical, but you brought up a point I think I need to address for the general public, because a lot of people are starting to see the plot here and I don't want any misunderstandings to arise. Fever is a completed story and is about three months old on my computer. I wrote it during the time I got bored working on Family Life. So, I'm not stealing anyone's ideas, some people are just making some very well thought out, educated guesses as to where the story is going. But I do not steal ideas or plots. I don't want it done to me and I won't do it to anyone else. If you present an idea I like, I will ask permission to use it.

As for your assumption, welllllll........., you're on the right track, but your train left the station without all the passengers on board.

Meaning? You're still missing one vital piece of information about the poison that makes your conclusion wrong.

Aside from that, no, that wouldn't work because the original poison stays as it is. Think about it. You're trying to make the original poison the cure to itself. I like the concept and wish I had thought of it. I might have changed the direction of the story if I had. I mean, great plot twist there, huh, if the very thing that poisoned Harry, saved his life? But theoretically, it isn't feasible. The original poison can't cure itself. Is that making sense? If not, let me try this. If you gave someone the poison, and they got sick, you can't give them the same poison to cure them because the poison is meant to do one thing. It can't reverse itself because the second dose would be doing the same thing as the first. A friend of mine who I put the problem to explained it like this. You take a number, say one, and add one to it. Now you have two. Two separate parts of one. Now, add two to that. Now you have four. Still one, just four times. Add four to that. Now you have eight. Still one, just eight times now. All you're doing is adding to what you started with. Working with this median, you can't change what you have by anything more than the amount. Make sense? Anyone?

Hayleyhedwig11: I'm not. Several more chapters to go.

Coqui: That's exactly what it is.

Reviews as of 12-13-2001.

Thank you one and all. One with the story.

Chapter Eight: Between Friends

Lupin woke up to someone gently brushing a bit of his brown-gray hair away from his face. He tried desperately to open his eyes, but when he did, even a little, the world tilted, and then began spinning. So he chose to simply keep them shut.

But in the brief seconds he had chanced a look, he thought he saw a familiar dark, brooding face leaning over his bed.

"Severus?" He asked in a tired whisper of a voice that sounded very unlike his usual cheerful tone.

"How do you feel, Remus?" Snape asked, pulling back.

Lupin managed a very small, weak smile. "Like I've been shot."

If Lupin had had his eyes open he'd have seen Snape's smile, equal to his own, and his expression full of concern.

"Why are you here, Severus?" Lupin asked wearily.

"You promised to show me all your battle scars, oh mighty wolf."

This time Lupin could hear the smile in Snape's voice.

"You'll have to come back. Show closes at three."

"It's two."

"Damn!" But suddenly Lupin raised his eyebrows. "Wait. Two 'what'?"

"What?"

"A.M. or P. M.? We were at the Dursley's in the late afternoon." Lupin stopped to take a haggard breath. "I'm willing to bet you're here after hours."

Snape said nothing.

"Go home, Severus."

"Fine way to greet those standing vigil." Snape huffed.

"Harry is the one who needs people standing vigil."

"And Potter has his over-zealous godfather sitting by his side day and night who won't let so much as a germ get by to the boy." Snape lowered his tone to a confidential whisper. "You deserve someone looking out after you too, Remus."

"So I get you?" Lupin opened his eyes in mock disappointment, then immediately regretted it as he snapped them shut again. "Short stick." He grumbled.

"You won't get rid of me that easily, Remus. I'm here until you show some improvement."

Lupin shook his head slightly. But a thought came to him suddenly. "Did you find out anything more about the poison?"

"Very little. We know what it is....."

"And that would be?"

"It a Cavera poison."

"Cavera? That's very rare. The ministry thought that some of the main ingredients for that poison didn't even exist anymore."

"Well, Voldemort either had what he needed, or made some variations in the poison. Whichever he did, the results seem to be the same. The poison is reversing the effects of anything we give to Potter to try and cure him."

"Reverse? Then every time we gave him fever reducing potion...."

"It simply helped the fever to continue."

"So how are we going to stop it?"

"I'm not sure yet." Snape admitted. "It won't be easy. And I'm afraid we have very little time."

"What do you mean?"

"The fact that the poison reverses the effects of any 'cure' you try to give the patient is one of its more insidious qualities. By itself, the poison isn't really that strong. Certainly not enough to kill the victim. It depends on those around the victim to try curing them, as they would. As each 'cure' turns itself into a poison, the victim is weakened. In the end, the victim is so weak that the poison eventually can finally kill them. However, to those who were administering the cures, if they realize, and usually too late, what the poison was......"

Lupin paled a little more. "They're left with the realization that they helped kill the person."

"Unfortunately, yes."

"And Sirius has been giving Harry fever reducing potions by the cupful." Lupin shook his head slightly. "Poor Sirius. That would kill him, Severus. To think he had a hand in killing his godson."

"As I said, the poison is quite insidious."

Lupin failed to stifle a yawned right into Snape's face. "Oh. Sorry, Severus."

Snape pulled back, giving Lupin the smallest, courteous smile. "You're obviously tired, Remus. Go to sleep."

"Only if you go home." Lupin yawned again.

"Do you honestly think you'll win this one?"

Lupin frowned as a thought hit him. "Doesn't anyone wonder where you are?" He asked.

"Dumbledore knows." Snape answered matter-of-factly.

"Knows?" Lupin asked in alarm, nearly pulling off the bed, but quickly fell back against the pain in his side.

"You honestly think we could have hid this from him, Remus?"

Lupin paused, but finally shook his head. "And Sirius?"

"Thinks you're in the library trying to second guess me."

Lupin managed another small, tired smile. "Very good, Severus. Padfoot won't question that one for several days at least."

"After that we're sending you on a mission to some remote pacific island." Snape gave him a brief smile.

"That's nice of you. One with lots of girls, I hope."

"Hundreds. Nice sunsets, too."

"Very decent of you." Lupin yawned again.

"Just go to sleep, old wolf. The faster you heal, the faster I'll go away."

"Not much of an incentive." Lupin replied in a low, barely coherent voice.

Snape smiled again. The things people would say when they weren't paying much attention to themselves.

"Don't get smug." Lupin spoke up suddenly. "I just meant that since no one knows I'm here, I'm not likely to get many visitors, hey?" Lupin stated, trying desperately to achieve his usual cheerful tone, but barely managing to sound even coherent still.

"Whatever you say, Remus." Snape agreed. "Can I get you anything?"

"Water would be nice."

Snape shook his head. "Your doctor said to give you a bit more time before giving you anything to drink. Even water. Said you might still be queasy from the sedative. And then," Snape's voice suddenly dropped to its most sinister tone, "then its potion, Remus."

For the third time Lupin opened his eyes and for the third time regretted it.

"Potion? What potion? I don't want any potion." He had a bad feeling he knew what potion Snape was talking about.

Snape smiled at Lupin's obvious disquiet. "Teltrin potion, Remus."

With a surprising amount of energy, Lupin managed as far as to pull himself up in the bed and swing his legs towards the edge of the mattress. Only the steel bar there stopped him from making his escape. That and the fact Snape doubted he could have gone a foot on his own. Two feet with help.

Snape quickly pushed him back down on the bed. Lupin could offer little resistance.

"It's not that bad, Remus." Snape insisted. "Take it like a man."

"I'd rather take it like a troll, since they're the only ones who can stomach it." Lupin nearly shouted back. "Oh wait." He quieted down as he thought. "The last one I saw take it threw up."

"You're suppose to, Remus. That's the point. To draw the sedative out of the bloodstream faster and expel it from the body."

"Do you have any idea what that stuff is like?" Lupin asked wiping a bit of sweat off his face from his exertion. "It's like having your blood siphoned clean from the inside. Why can't they just let my body do it the normal way?"

"The doctor's want you up and coherent as soon as possible, Remus. In case there are any....complications."

Lupin thought for a minute, fighting sleep every inch of the way as he caught onto Snape's meaning.

"The full moon was days ago."

"And lycanthropes have been known to spontaneously transform under sedation, Remus. Even light sedation. You should know that."

Lupin frowned deeply, then turned to the other side of the bed as he decided a good sulk was in order.

"That won't help." Snape informed him.

"Yes it will. It makes me feel better."

"It makes you childish. Look," Snape offered, reaching into his robes as Lupin turned back to him, "I brought something for it."

Lupin opened one eye just a crack and stared at the small blue glass bottle in Snape's hand. "What is it?"

"Flavoring."

Lupin frowned again. But Snape could tell he was interested. "What flavor?"

"Mint. Everyone likes mint."

Lupin gave him a disgusted stare. "You're in this with Sirius, aren't you? To torture me. I know it."

Snape sighed to himself as he re-pocketed the bottle. "You'll be glad to have it when the nurse comes with that cup of potion."

Lupin turned back to the side of the bed. "Go home, Severus. I'd rather suffer in peace."

"I have no intention of disturbing your peace."

"Then you have the intention of watching me sleep. Because that's what I'm going to do."

"That's what I've been telling you to do for the past five minutes." Snape stated as he drew a copy of the Daily Prophet out of his robes. "I'll just sit here quietly. You can go to sleep."

Lupin didn't answer, but sifted slightly under the covers.

For the next half hour Snape sat reading the paper, occasionally glancing up to see what the body in the bed was doing. But for the most part, Lupin seemed to do exactly what he had said he would. Sleep. For which Snape was grateful.

"Severus." A soft voice suddenly cut through the dimly lit room.

"You're suppose to be sleeping." Snape growled at him.

"I've been thinking instead."

"About what?"

"This poison."

Snape sighed and got to his feet. Slowly he walked back over to the bed and leaned over the rail.

"Remus, you should be resting, not....."

"And thinking takes so much energy?" Lupin asked as he rolled over to face him.

"All right. What about it?"

"You said it reverses the properties of everything you give the person who took it, right?"

Snape nodded. "Yes. So?"

"Severus." Lupin stated with a genuine smile. "This is so easy. I'm surprised at you for not seeing it."

"What?"

"If the poison reverses all the supposed antidotes, then why not give Harry a poison? The original poison should take it and turn it into a cure."

Snape sighed quietly, glancing at his watch. "And I'm surprised it took you thirty minutes to see that one, Remus."

Lupin stared back at him, his smile quickly fading. "What?"

"In order for the poison to be completely neutralized, the body it's in has to be dead. Otherwise it simply will become dormant under the other poison, now a 'cure', and return eventually."

"You didn't tell me that part." Lupin replied, sounding like a student who hadn't been given sufficient information by a teacher to solve a problem correctly.

"I didn't think you'd be lying here trying to problem solve." Snape raised his voice slightly.

Lupin gave no notice to Snape's tone as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How is Harry now?"

Snape paused. He didn't want to lie to Lupin, but he didn't want to worry him either. But Lupin himself saved him having to answer.

"Never mind." He said. "I know that look too well. I'm either going to be lied to or we're going for a lot of rounds about the proverbial bush. I'll concede that Harry's state isn't good."

"It could be better. But Potter is in no immediate danger."

"All right." Lupin offered. "What about this? You said the body has to be dead for the poison to neutralize. Correct?"

Snape nodded.

"But no potion can interact with a dead body, Severus. Therefore, it would seem more likely to me that the poison neutralizes at the point of death, rather than when the body is already dead."

"What is your point, Remus?" Snape asked. Why didn't the man just lay back and get some rest?

"What if we could find a spell that would freeze the body at that point? Fool the poison into thinking the body is dead and then, when it neutralizes, revive him?"

"Black would never go for that, for starters. It would be to risky for his beloved godson."

"What exactly are his choices, Severus?"

"He'll think I'm lying. He won't believe me."

"But he'll believe me."

"And you're not going anywhere and Black can't come here."

"Wrong."

"He'll be arrested."

"I mean wrong that I'm not going anywhere."

Before Snape could protest, a nurse came in carrying a cup of potion.

Snape turned to Lupin with a challenging, sinister smile.

"All right, Remus. Lets see how eager you are to go on a trip after about ten minutes."

Snape was wrong. The flavoring did little to help the potion go down any easier and Lupin had now completely sworn off using mint in anything ever again.

For the next hour Lupin lay in his bed not making so much as a sound unless it was the occasional ridding of his body of the sedative. But once the potion had done it's work, Lupin was quickly pulling himself from the bed and easing himself into a wheelchair.

"Remus, this is insane!" Snape stated firmly, leaning with both hands over the front arms of the wheelchair, keeping Lupin from moving forward.

"Get out of my way, Severus." Lupin warned with his characteristic pleasant smile. "I'll run you over if I have to."

"You are too sick to leave the hospital. For heavens sake, Man! You've been shot! You just got out of surgery a few hours ago."

"Minor surgery, Severus. The bullet was in my side."

"It was still a bullet and it was still 'in'. Which means it had to be taken out. Which means surgery. You need time to allow your body to recover."

"Werewolves heal very quickly, Severus, no matter what form we're in. Now out of the way."

Snape fumed at his friend. But one look in Lupin's eyes and Snape knew he had made his mind up.

"All right. But I'm coming with you."

"Somehow I thought you would."

Lupin ditched the wheelchair at the front doors. He was all for trying to sneak his condition past Sirius. And for how he had done on the trip back to Hogwarts, Snape had to concede he stood a better than average chance.

But what neither of them had considered was Sirius's reaction at seeing Lupin. The larger man immediately ran up to him and grabbed him anxiously by the arms.

"Remus, tell me this old crackpot isn't right. That you found...." But Sirius stopped abruptly as Lupin winced in pain as Sirius squeezed his arm against his injured side.

Sirius immediately let go, unsure of what was wrong. "Remus? What is it? What's wrong?"

Lupin waved his concern off as best he could. "It's nothing, Sirius." He assured him past a forced smile that did nothing to hide the pain in his expression. "A slight twinge. It's really nothing."

"Nothing a few hours of surgery at St. Andrews didn't help." Snape put in coldly.

Sirius turned quickly to Snape, who was staring at Lupin, who was in turn giving Snape a very nasty look.

"Surgery?" Sirius asked, sounding like a beater who'd been hit by one too many Bludgers during the game. "What did you have surgery for?"

"Because it would have been awfully difficult to take the bullet out himself." Snape answered quickly.

"Bullet!" Sirius cried in a sudden panic, grabbing Lupin by the shoulders, causing him to wince again at the sudden movement. "What bullet?"

"It's nothing, Sirius." Lupin managed to get out past his pain, the strained smile barely back in place. "Honestly, you're worse than my mum."

Sirius loosen his grip a good bit when he realized Lupin was in obvious pain from it. "Remus?" He asked a good bit calmer. "How did you get a bullet in you?"

"Honestly." Snape spat. "Is it really that hard to figure out, Black? Someone put it there."

Sirius turned his face to Snape. "Put it there?"

"Shot him, I believe is the muggle term for it." Snape offered. "Just like the dog...or the 'wolf' they thought he was."

Sirius's face paled as he turned slowly back to Lupin. "Sh....shot?" He stammered. "You were shot? Why? By who?"

"Sirius, it was an accident."

"Accident? Someone accidentally shot you?"

"Aimed the rifle right at him and accidentally pulled the trigger. Of course." Snape put in.

"Severus!" Lupin stated through gritted teeth. "Would you kindly butt out!"

Snape shrugged and stepped back.

Sirius pulled his friend back a few steppes as he stared him in the eyes. "Remus? What happened?"

"Sirius, I swear I'll tell you all about it later....."

"Now!" Sirius demanded.

"Later!" Lupin countered, meeting his stare with the same fierce expression. And so the stare down started. A hold-over from their canine natures, each challenging the other to look away first.

Suddenly a hand interposed itself in between them. Sirius was the first to look up and see the Headmaster standing next to them.

"Any problems, gentlemen?" He asked with a kind smile.

Lupin quickly recovered himself to get his information in before Sirius had a chance to start back on the who, what, and why of the shooting. Particularly the 'who' part.

"Professor Dumbledore, Severus and I believe we might have come up with a way to help Harry."

"And Remus was shot." Sirius put in quickly.

Dumbledore turned to Sirius, eyeing him for a moment, then turned his attention back to Lupin.

"Remus, I don't think we're going to get very far until Sirius has the situation explained to him."

Lupin sighed to himself, then turned an exasperated stare to his best friend. "I got shot. End of story." Lupin quickly turned back to Dumbledore. "Severus explained to me about the poison....."

"Hold on!" Sirius pulled Lupin back to face him. "What do you mean, 'end of story'? What kind of explanation is that?"

"It's not a very interesting story, Sirius."

"Try me."

Lupin sighed heavily. "Harry's uncle got a little exci........."

"Dursley!" Sirius shouted. "That pompous little.......DURSLEY did this to you?"

"It was an accident!" Lupin stated firmly.

"Snape said he pointed a weapon at you!"

"He was afraid, Sirius. You know what Harry's family is like."

Sirius pointed a shaking finger in Lupin face. His voice matching it. "Don't you ever mistakenly call those sorry excuses of muggles his family. I am his family now. He is never going back to those.....those lunatics. First they try to kill Harry. Now you."

"They were afraid, Sirius." Lupin replied, standing firm in the face of Sirius' venting rage.

"And you are too kind hearted, Remus. You always have been. You think the world is made up of nothing but good, kind-hearted people. Well, I know better. I've seen the people the world is made up of. And most of them are no better than that uncle of Harry's. Why can't you see that? Why don't you ever think to protect yourself? People are going to continue to hurt you, Remus, unless you learn......"

"That is enough, Black." Snape stated, stepping behind Lupin. "Lupin knows well enough how to take care of himself." Snape gave Sirius a small smile. "As for Potter's loving relatives, there's plenty of time to worry about them later....when we've had some time to think about it properly."

"There'll be no 'thinking about it', Severus." Dumbledore stated, stepping up to the two. "You and Sirius are both to stay away from the Dursley's. Do you understand?"

"They shot Remus." Sirius fumed.

"And Remus says it was an accident."

Snape huffed.

Dumbledore turned a warning stare to Snape, then turned his attention back to Lupin. "Remus, you said something about having found a way to help Harry."

"Yes." Lupin replied, turning to Sirius for a moment. But little of the anger had left his expression. Sirius in turn was glancing at Snape, who had a pleased smile on his face. That worried Lupin, but he would have to think about it later. "Severus explained the poison to me and how it works. If we might sit down in your office, I'll explain our plan."

Dumbledore quickly noted how unsteady Lupin looked. Indeed the man looked like he was about to pass out.

"Oh!" Dumbledore conceded. "My goodness, excuse me. Of course. Just follow me."

Sirius was quick to offer Remus an arm for support as the four started down the corridor. Snape obligingly stood aside. It was always the same rule Snape was expected to bend to. Lupin now had his friend beside him again. There was no longer a place for Snape there. It was a seemingly unwritten rule in their lives, softened slightly by the small, appreciative smile Lupin turned and gave to him as Sirius ushered him towards the stairs to the headmaster's office.

A few minutes later the four sat in Dumbledore's office as Lupin explained his idea. When he finished Dumbledore silently stared at him over the top of his spectacles for several moments before speaking.

"But you don't actually have the spell yet." He asked finally.

"No, sir." Lupin replied in a tired voice.

Dumbledore turned to Snape. "What would you say is Harry's condition, Severus."

"The boy needs time to recover from the potions he's been given. In a few days he will likely be coherent. But it won't last long. Eventually the body will weaken again due to the constant fever. As the body weakens, it will become more susceptible to the poison until eventually he won't be strong enough to fight it any longer and he will die."

"How long?" Sirius asked uneasily.

Snape considered. "Three days. Four at the longest."

"Then gentlemen," Dumbledore stated, getting up from his chair, "I would say we have very little time to waste. Remus, we'll all meet in the library in thirty minutes and begin looking for your spell."