Remus Lupin stared at the man across the table. Gideon Mallory met his gaze and tried hard not to blink. Both men were swaying slightly and the table between them was covered with dozens of empty shot glasses. The patrons of the pub they were at were gathered around them, clutching in their hands bits of money and used cigarettes they had forgotten to discard.

"I know what your thinking." Remus dead-panned. "You're wondering how much more I can take because you yourself are wasted beyond words. You're hoping I can't take another drink because you know you can't."

Gideon responded by taking into his shaking hand another glass, filled to the brim with gold colored whiskey. "Ready?"

Remus lifted his drink with a similar trembling hand. He wasn't sure if he could do either. "Ready."

Just then the fire next to them, flared. The shock caused both men to jump from the seats but because of the excess of alcohol in their systems the leap turned more into a reckless tumble, bringing the table, glasses and booze included, crashing down with them.

"Never have I seen two alcoholics so buzzing." Remarked the cool voice of Chandra Firestone.

"You're in trouble." Remus stated calmly, as if falling off a chair and being showered with liquor was something customary for him. He glanced back at Chandra then to Gideon. "And you'll be sleeping on the couch, I fancy."

Gideon brushed away of few of his gentle locks of hair and smiled at his wife innocent. "I'm not an alcoholics, I'm a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings."

The woman glared at him for a moment before bending down and lifting him up. With another hand, she pulled up Remus. Remus was amazed at the incredible strengths her arms held, and how delicate her hands worked. She was a Potioner, he could tell by the way her arms were built. She appeared to be a beautiful woman underneath the sloppy exterior. Fire red hair cascaded in short curls around her narrow face; accenting her blue eyes and thin lips. Her robes were a nondescript color; she preferred to send more time working over a cauldron then shopping. But when she looked on Gideon, he could tell she was a good wife. In every way an Auror's wife too, she seldom asked questions about his job but was always there to pick him up from a pub or crime scene.

Remus loved her from the moment he met Chandra. Not romantically, no; she was Gideon's wife and he respected that. Remus loved her whole presence. It captured the room. Like Lily, he thought. Being with the Mallorys was like being with James and Lily all over again. The simple life. How he missed his friend.

"And you Remus, carousing about with my drunk husband. How do you expect to find yourself a good wife like this?" Chandra rebuked him, playfully. She loved playing the angry wife.

Gideon leaned over and kissed his wife's cheek. "Ah, lay off him. He's enjoying the nights before he takes ill."

Chandra elbowed her husband. "Hush up you."

"It's true, Chandra." Remus said in a low voice as she led them into the fireplace. "Full moon is night after next."

"Hogwarts!" Chandra announced, ignoring them. "Dumbledore's office."

Remus and Gideon sobered up as soon as they entered the office. If the Floo powder trip hadn't of helped them the people in the room certainly would have. Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody was leaning against Dumbledore's desk, looking as sour as ever. Sitting in one of the great chairs was Sean Aciman, an Auror Gideon knew by name only. Squatting down in front of Sean was Desmond Moody, proof that at sometime in his life, Mad Eye had been a normal man and had loved a woman. Desmond was looked up and nodded at Gideon, respectably. They had been schoolmates together, both Slytherins that carried that title with pride even as Aurors. Desmond stood and greeted both men with a careless nod.

"Tell em what you told us, Sean."

Sean had his head bowed. "We entered the Snake's Bite Pub, a little after ten p.m. We had just wrapped up the Sullivan case and all of us were a little tired and ready for a drink. When we came in, we all knew something was up. They way everyone, well almost everyone tensed up."

Mad Eye gave an angry snort, to which his son glared at.

"Anyways Tommy sees an old teacher of his, Snape was what he introduced him as. Professor Snape. The teacher invited us to sit, share a cuppa wine wit em. I tell you, he's the coolest one in the room. It was like he knew what was going on, then Tom tells em about Goody Sullivan and suddenly all these wizards start attacking us. Turns out Snape was one of them!" Sean's voice faltered. "He knew every thing about us, how we fought and how to stop us. But he saved my life too. Don't why but he did."

"What happened to him?"

"He was thrown back unto a wooden pike."

Remus sank into the nearest seat. Fawkes appeared by his side and began to brush gently against his side. "Is he...?"

"I don't know, a woman took him away." Sean looked up. "But nobody could have survived that wound I saw."

Gideon was silent for a moment. "What is it, Alastor? There's something more you're not saying."

Mad Eye regarded Gideon respectfully. "There was another attack half an hour ago, in Hogsmeade. No survivors as of yet and the body count is already a baker's dozen. The Death Eaters that lied their way out of Azakban and those new pups recruited couldn't have pulled this off. This belongs to the work of the vanguard of His forces." Mad Eye glanced at Albus. "I don't know if what Albus said about Snape was true, that he had turned spy. But this I do know, the Death Eaters that ratted him out placed him at his Master's right hand. If Severus was killed, then You-Know-Who's out for blood. He wants revenge."

"There's only a handful of Aurors that are up for the challenge if what you say is true." Gideon said, drawing out his words. "And our hands are tied till Minister Fudge decides he's ready."

"He can't see the forest for the trees." Desmond exclaimed bitterly.

"I want to see this attack." Gideon said, rising to his feet.

Chandra looked at him pleadingly but said nothing. She set her jaw like a good wife and turn her attention to straighten Dumbledore's papers. The Aurors left as abruptly as they had come, leaving Chandra, Remus and Dumbledore alone in the office. Once Chandra was certain Gideon was gone, she fell into a chair and hid her face in her hands.

"Have you sent anyone to his home..." Remus finally found his voice again.

Dumbledore spoke in a pained voice. "Severus wasn't there. However the person waiting outside my door was."

The door opened and a creature no bigger then Fawkes enters. Remus recognized Snape's House Elf. "Babbitt!" He exclaimed.

The little elf was overjoyed to see a familiar face and one her Master trusted. She threw herself on Remus' lap and began kissing his cheek. "Oh Master Lupin, Master Lupin! Babbitt did a bad, bad thing!" She continued to moan and in a sudden flash of what she must have considered the only thing a disgraced House Elf could do, she began to bang her head against the chair's arm. "Bad, Bad Bab-it. Bad Bab-it." Every syllable was marked by her bashing her head against the wood. It took a few moments before Remus could coax her into answering.

"Now tell us Babbitt, what happened?"

"The bad woman came. Babbitt never liked her, even when Master said, 'She's the lady of the House now, Babbitt.' She was never Lady Snape- she was evil." Babbitt spoke in a kind of disgusted tone, unusual for an Elf but understandable. She had been Severus' chief attendant since his childhood. She ran a tight house and disliked newcomers- especially ones that tried to steal her Master away. Babbitt tossed a fugitive glance at Dumbledore. "She use to work for You-Know-Who. She tried to make my Master work for him too." Babbitt paused suddenly, fearful to divulge her Master's secrets.

"It's alright Babbitt." Remus coaxed. "He knows."

Babbitt looked at the Headmaster again. "Master Severus came in really sick tonight...Lady Jack bid me bring her something. I broke Master's promises! Oh Master Lupin the Prince came back tonight!!!"

"Thank you Babbitt you may go." Remus allowed.

The Elf slipped off his lap and began to walk out. "Master Lupin?"

"Yes, Babbitt?"

"What will happen to Master Snape?"

"I don't know."