AN: There will only be two chapters left I think. Thank you for reading and reviewing. - means a change of scene.

Chapter Twelve

"You look for Filch, I'll look for Mrs. Norris," hissed James as they stole across the corridor.

"According to the map, they're nowhere near here," Sirius whispered back.

"Still, you know how they just suddenly appear out of nowhere sometimes. If Filch wasn't a squib, I'd say for sure he could Apparate."

"You can't Apparate inside Hogwarts..." Sirius muttered as they approached the doorway to the Slytherin common room. "Now what?"

"Now we wait until someone comes in or out. Wands at the ready. Just be prepared to suffer a large loss of house points. We won't get away with this. A Slytherin will tell a Professor, I guarantee it."

"I don't doubt it. Come on, no one's here. Open up!" he hissed in annoyance at the warded door.

"It is late. We shouldn't just expect someone to come along into or out of the common room, everyone will be settling down for the night or maybe even in bed already," said James.

-

Everyone gaped. What on earth was Remus Lupin doing in their common room? Remus didn't look as if he was fit to answer their questions. His breathing quickened and threatened to hyperventilate, as a silence fell over the room as everyone tried to take in the bizarreness of the sudden situation. Then Rosier and Lestrange stood up, heading the position. The other Slytherins watched as the two leaders walked forward, ready to deal with the new state of affairs. A younger Slytherin moved to the common room door, barring Remus' escape.

Lestrange addressed Remus. "What are you doing here, Gryffindor?" he snarled.

Rosier walked past his friend, right up to where the shaky intruder stood. He didn't ask any questions, taking a different approach. All Rosier did was land a heavy punch to Remus's stomach. That's when the beating began. Remus was dealing with kicks to his head and body, punches dispersed intermittently alongside abuse and spit thrown at him. It was not long before he was on the verge of unconsciousness.

"Stop."

Everyone looked up, to see Severus Snape standing on the bottom of the staircase. Everyone stood back from Remus as he walked over, emanating fury. He looked over him, taking in the blood streaming from his nose and mouth, the protective way in which he curled himself, the amber eyes looking at him dazed and unfocused. Severus sneered. "Leave him. He will only go to Dumbledore, telling tales of how we have mistreated him." A silence in the room. "He is not worth our time." Saying this, Severus held out his hand, and dropped something onto Remus. The room gasped as the middle part of Remus's body became invisible. The message to him was clear, reinforced by Severus' hard black eyes boring into him. He was giving him a chance to leave, to get out.

Remus' mind didn't think twice, but his body hurt abominably. Severus muttered something, and suddenly his body felt fine, numb. Remus staggered upwards, horribly aware of his audience, and looking at Severus a final time, covered himself in the invisibility cloak and left the room. Once outside, he noticed James and Sirius, who had prepared themselves to attack whoever came out. He lifted the cloak off his head, and their looks of confusion turned into relief.

"Remus! What...your face..." James started.

Sirius came forward, moving the cloak so that it covered Remus' head again. "Come on," he growled. "Lets get you up to the hospital wing before anyone comes along and finds us."

-

The atmosphere that had allowed Severus so much power over the Slytherins in dealing with Remus dissipated as soon as the door leading out shut. The silence became awkward, and Rosier moved forward. "Explain," he said harshly.

Severus's angry gaze moved to Rosier, looking him over as if he were frogspawn. "I explain myself to no-one," came the retort. Severus turned round, and saw Lucius standing where he had only moments before. Severus moved up, looking to see Lucius' reaction. When their gaze met, nothing was passed between them, except an intensity, which unsettled neither of them. Severus moved past Lucius, growing bored, and up the stairs to his room. He got half way up when his arm was pulled back and his body was forced against a wall. Severus did not flinch, knowing Lucius' tactics of old.

"Why?" Lucius asked impassively.

"Why what, Lucius. Do we need to get so close to have this out?"

"You haven't minded being close to me these past few days. In fact, I'd say you rather enjoyed it. Then I walk in, next thing I find is you curled up against, of all people, Remus bloody Lupin."

Severus' head resumed its aching. Everything seemed suddenly too confusing, too much effort. He shoved Lucius away from him. "Never mind what he was doing there! What's been wrong with you the last few days? You've been in an awful mood, and I've hardly seen you! Where's the rest of that potion, Lucius? My head will explode soon if I don't take some more."

Lucius was not to be averted. "What were you doing under Remus Lupin?" he asked again, his voice cracking slightly. He blanched, shocked at betraying emotion like this. But he couldn't help it. His anger was fast giving way to deep shock and hurt.

Severus stared at him, suddenly realising how much he had hurt Lucius. "Come on, let's take this into my room. This is no conversation for the hallway. Someone could hear us."

"No-one would dare," was his reply. Still, Lucius followed him up the final few steps into Severus' chambers. Severus didn't know what to do, whether to sit, or to stand. It was so awkward.

Lucius eventually filled the silence. "We have run out of the potion. I had an accident with it.. It was irreparable. I am afraid you will both have to just let the side effects take their course. There is nothing I can do, but they will not last for longer than a few days more."

"What happened?"

"It's not something I want to discuss now," Lucius snapped. "You have yet to explain yourself."

"He got in here using an invisibility cloak, I don't know where he got it. He said... he said..."

"What did he say, Severus. Out with it."

"He asked me whether you and I were still together. He said if we weren't he'd like to start seeing me himself. I laughed at him. He got angry. We argued. He went to punch me... and we kissed."

"And it just happened? For fuck's sake, Severus!"

"I don't know how it happened! Looking back I don't understand how I could have touched him. It's my head, Lucius. I don't know where I am without that damned stuff anymore."

Lucius looked at him, snorting. "What did you tell him then?"

Severus looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Are you and I still together?"

"You mean you'd still want me after all this?"

"Don't count on it."

"Then I fail to see how that question is relevant."

"What did you tell him?" Lucius tone was final, and Severus could not avoid it this time.

"I...side-stepped the question," he said at last. "I did not give him an answer."

"Then give me one now."

"My feelings for you are mixed up, confused. In truth I have too consumed with the side effects of going cold turkey with that dratted potion. Next time you have a brilliant idea using anything similar, try it with someone else." Severus attempted a smile, but it did not get far. The silence lengthened. Eventually he continued. "My feelings for you are not what they were a few days ago, Lucius. In truth.. I am a little confused as to why I acted the way I did anyway."

Lucius looked away. He felt cold inside. It was over. He would have to put a memory charm on Severus, tell him something more suitable to remember. Only problem was, he couldn't permanently make Severus fall for him. The truth was, his friend did not love him. And never would. Severus observed Lucius closely. He got the distinct impression his friend wasn't being entirely open with him.

"Lucius? What are you not telling me?"

"I have not told you nothing you do not need to know, Severus. Explain something to me. Why did you let him go?"

"Because I could not see the point of breaking his ribs," Severus said irritably. "It only would have raised awkward questions. Now, what are you not telling me? Do you know why I acted the way I did? Did you do something to me?"

"You think fast, Severus," Lucius snarled. "Obliviate."

-

Remus lay in the hospital wing, alone. James and Sirius had been shooed out by Madam Pomfrey as soon as they had arrived, ducking incriminating questions by the young starched matron. She had fussed over him, mended his cracked ribs and bruising, given him some vile medicine, which he did not actually need but she had done on purpose just to teach him a lesson, he thought. He had been ordered to rest, along with the information that she would report him to Dumbledore for breaking so many rules. However, Remus found he did not care. He knew he would not be expelled, and frankly the events that had taken place that evening were far more important. He had kissed Severus. And bad things had happened. James and Sirius had not questioned him; he was too injured to have answered them. He kissed Severus. Lucius Malfoy had found them. Remus was not stupid. He knew Lucius Malfoy would not let him get away with touching what was his. It would not be long before maybe he wouldn't need to be in the hospital wing – he'd be dead and buried before the week was out. But he'd kissed Severus.

And Severus had kissed him back.

The way Severus had been with him when he found him in the common room. He had sent him a look of disgust, sure enough. But he had also saved him from who knows much more pain from the rest of his house, and even given him pain relief. Perhaps the look was just a show. Maybe Severus would consider –

No guarantee that he would. None at all.

He was best getting some rest and not dwelling on this too much. Tomorrow he would see Dumbledore. Tomorrow he would have to face both his friends, and the Slytherins in school. The news of him visiting Slytherin house would be all over the school, tales of invisibility cloaks included. He did not doubt that Dumbledore would have James's cloak confiscated. Then what would he do next full moon?

-

"Would you like to explain to me the events of last night, Remus?" he was asked gently, perched on the edge of a chair in Dumbledore's office. The man held out a box of sweets, and when Remus shook his head, he chose a round yellow one and plumped it in his mouth.

"I went to Slytherin house. I needed to talk to Snape."

"And you could not do this in normal school hours? In a part of the school where both of you could have talked without breaking boundaries or hours?"

"I know. I'm sorry Professor. I just needed to talk to Snape. I borrowed the cloak and went to see him. But I was discovered by Lucius Malfoy."

"Yes, Master Malfoy has already put in a complaint about your conduct," Dumbledore said offhandedly. Remus gasped. "Remus, what I do about this depends entirely on how much you choose to tell me."

Remus got the horrible feeling that Dumbledore knew everything anyway. He continued regardless. "I left Snape's room, but I'd left the cloak behind. I couldn't get back in because he'd warded the door. I ran into Lucius Malfoy, but I thought he was going to hex me so I hexed him first. I went into the common room. Then... everyone hit me."

"This is a very serious matter, Mr. Lupin. Mr. Malfoy is saying you tried to send several very nasty hexes at him, entirely unprovoked. He says that you started an argument with the Slytherin house, and that half the injuries you obtained were from people using self-defence."

Remus gasped again. Did the headmaster really believe him? Dumbledore looked at him. "However, I do not believe him. But I need you to know that you have disappointed me in this, Remus. School rules and boundaries are there for a reason. I shall need to confiscate this cloak. You are also confined to school with no outings to Hogsmeade for the remainder of the term. You are not to do this again."

Remus's head dropped. "Yes, sir."

"Now, I'm sure we both have better things to do than to sit here and discuss matters such as this. Explain to whomever lesson you have missed ten minutes of that it was I who kept you."

Remus quietly slipped away, feeling awful. How was it Dumbledore could make him feel worse by telling him he had disappointed him than if he had stormed and shouted? He went to his lessons, they passing in a blur. He vaguely remembered half-convincing James that he was fine. Sirius was not talking to him.

They went to lunch, Remus waking up as he realised he'd have to face everyone. As soon as he walked in his eyes connected with Lucius Malfoy's. Severus looked impassive, neither avoiding or seeking his gaze. He noticed they still sat together, but not with the closeness of a couple they had displayed previously. The look he was given was venomous. If looks could kill he would have died within a second.

Oh yes, Remus thought. He had not heard the last of this from the Slytherin.