Harry waited, barely daring to breathe. There was only silence from the other side of the cupboard door. If he didn't know that Snape and Lupin were there, he would have thought himself alone.

"Where shall I begin?" Snape's voice made Harry jump. "This is your show Lupin, why don't you tell me what you so desperately desire to know?"

"Johannen's confession. . . is there any truth to it?"

"If I recall correctly, Johannen made his confession under Veritaserum," Snape's voice was cold. "Was that question necessary?"

"I asked you to tell me what you know!"

"Then you should have been more specific!" Snape snarled at him.

"I restate my question." It sounded like Lupin was struggling to regain his composure. "Please continue."

"What I know, is only what I saw," Snape seemed to take a perverse pleasure in drawing out the conversation. "And I saw her on four separate occasions."

"Never at meetings?"

"No. Never at meetings."

"Why was she there?" Lupin's voice betrayed his shaken emotions.

"I don't have the answer."

"Did you ever speak to her?"

"No."

"You promised me the truth!" Lupin's voice again shook with anger. "Your story already contradicts established facts!"

"What facts are those?" Snape demanded. "And may I ask how you came by them? I've read the interrogation transcript -- there is nothing in it from which to draw conclusions."

"Arabella Figg. She came to me, and told me her suspicions."

An angry sniff from Snape.

"I don't know," Lupin continued, "how you managed to drive her from Hogwarts. But you wasted your time. She didn't know much, but it was enough to lead me in the right direction. Sirius. He was already at Azkaban, and Johannen was questioned there."

"I was wondering when you would drag Black into this."

"He was there! He heard the confession himself!" Lupin's chair scraped across the floor as he abandoned it.

"There's no need to yell," Snape said shortly. "Sit down."

There was a silence before Snape continued.

"Suit yourself, if you are comfortable."

An angry grunt from Lupin.

"What was it that Black revealed to you? Surely you knew of the accusation long before that."

"I did," Lupin seemed to be pacing in front of the desk, his voice becoming louder as he got closer to where Harry crouched. "But the transcript lacked one crucial detail that Sirius was able to provide. Can you guess what that detail was?"

"Enlighten me."

"The time frame," Lupin paused, and seemed to stop his pacing. "From there I reached my own conclusions."

"Leapt blindly to them, more likely," Snape's voice dripped with scorn.

"I wish that were so," Lupin drew a ragged breath. "You claim you never spoke to her?"

"You asked for the truth, and I gave it to you."

"The truth? You were seen together!" Lupin was yelling again. "You deny it? It was said under Veritaserum as well -- or will you now tell me there is a loophole for that?"

There was no answer from Snape.

"You admit it?"

"No."

Lupin snarled with rage, his frustration reaching its peak.

"I've heard nothing but lies! You deny facts, you offer no explanations, and you think I will leave here satisfied?"

"How you leave here is not my concern!" Snape pounded the desk, making the cupboard door quake and something slimy fall from a shelf and land on the back of Harry's neck. "You asked me your questions, and I've given you my answers. I'm tired of this game. Make your accusation!"

The silence was deafening.

Harry, kneeling on the cupboard floor, was shaking with anticipation.

"I'm not here to accuse. . ." Lupin began, his voice so low that Harry had to struggle to hear.

"Coward," Snape said with biting scorn.

"Let me finish," Lupin continued. "I won't accuse. There is only one more thing that I need to hear from you."

"So you can dismiss that as a lie as well?" Snape laughed harshly. "Well, go on then, lets have it."

"When she left, was it by choice?"

"He took her away."

"Then she betrayed him?"

"No," Snape laughed again. "How easily you jump between extremes. There is a middle ground. He took her away, but it brought her to her senses. She stayed with him willingly."

"And the child?"

Harry's breath caught in his throat.

"Their child?" Snape repeated.

"Impossible by the time line!"

"Theirs."

"There is a test. . ."

"Not necessary," Snape interrupted, "in light of your facts."

"You admit. . ."

"He isn't."

There was a crash, the sound of breaking glass, and pounding footsteps. A minute later a door slammed somewhere above.

The room grew silent.

Snape sniffed irritably.

"There was no need to take it out on the paperweight."