Recap: Harry, still dazed from this kiss, turned about dizzily and saw... Snape. The potions master was out of breath and his robes were more disheveled than usual. "Yes sir?" "Potter." He growled. "You need to come with me." "Now? But professor –" "Yes now!" Harry got a sinking feeling of dread. He whispered: "Why?" Snape glared at him. "Lupin's dying."

Chapter Nineteen

Harry froze.

"There is no time, Mr. Potter. Lupin was in critical condition when they brought him to St. Mungo's. We don't know…"

Snape, the potions master, trailed off. Harry sprung into action.

"I assume we're flooing from Dumbledore's office, professor?"

"You assume correctly."

The two of them started off down the hall without a word and looking remarkably similar. Draco was forgotten. Most Slytherins (along with a great many Ravenclaws and some Gryffindors) are incredibly resourceful, however, and so Draco was able to realize, in the space of about two seconds, that the best thing for him to do would be to follow the two dark-haired figures and, if he wasn't allowed to go with them to St. Mungo's, stay in the headmaster's office and comfort Harry when he returned.

Draco Malfoy knew his Potions master well, they had spent many afternoons together bottling rats brains and brewing complicated potions. They had talked an awful lot and, in the process had learned a great deal about each other. Draco knew the tone of voice Severus had used when he spoke the words "Lupin's dying". It was the tone of voice he'd sometimes used on Draco, that tone of voice meant that, whatever it was, it was final. Nothing could be done to change it, it would happen. What ever was wrong with him, Lupin would die from it.

Draco walked faster.

…….:::::::::::::::::.:::::::::::::::::::::……..

Harry was experiencing an odd combination of shock and denial. He was stunned by the news that Remus Lupin, his substitute godfather and last link to his parents, was dying. Every time he tried to emerge from the shock and accept what was happening, the denial kicked in. He was stuck. He couldn't move, couldn't breath, and yet here he was, calmly stating:

"St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, fifth floor, Charles De Lint ward."

A moment later, he'd passed through the fireplace and he and Snape were moving briskly down the hall. Stopping at room eight, Snape gave a quick double knock and left Harry to it. Gee thanks…

Opening the door quietly, Harry entered. He gasped when he saw the state of his former Defense teacher.

"Surely I don't look that bad, Harry."

Harry shook his head hurriedly.

"N-no, professor."

Lupin gave a sort of half-laugh.

"Harry, I haven't been your Professor for nigh on three years. Please call me Remus."

Harry couldn't believe they were having this conversation.

"Please, Harry, sit down, I haven't got much time left."

The dark-haired youth sat down quickly. He, the werewolf, certainly looked the part of "dear-friend-who-is-about-to-die". Remus Lupin had never been fat, by any stretch, but now he was positively starved. Gaunt and pained-looking, Harry wondered who had been taking care of him. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was leaning against the pillows, his pale and drawn face showing the strain of keeping his eyes open.

"Sir," the bed-bound man glared, "Remus, what happened?"

Remus sighed.

"It's a long, long story, and I'm afraid I haven't the time to explain it all to you. Suffice it to say, this is in no way your fault."

"But-"

"Harry," The werewolf groaned, "I'm going to leave, we just don't have time."

"But-"

"Look," He closed his eyes, "I don't want to make this more difficult than it already is, If I tell you the whole story, you will only blame yourself." Harry looked pleadingly into his former-professor's face. "Alright. I am a Werewolf."

Harry didn't get it.

"So?"

"Hasn't Hermione had you do any reading?"

Harry still didn't get it.

"The basics, then. Werewolves, like wolves, mate for life. While the non-werewolf can live on after death, the werewolf cannot. If it's mate dies, the werewolf will not long outlive them. The dead mate will call to the werewolf. They, like many other magical part-humans, share a very special bond. When the mate dies, the werewolf wastes away, deep, deep in depression. Often, they end up killing them selves. The dead mate drains the Werewolf's magic."

Harry sort of understood.

"Your mate… died?"

Remus nodded sadly.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. I was once mated to one of the finest Human beings to ever grace this earth. I can feel him calling to me."

"Him?"

"Yes. Didn't you know?"

Well that was unexpected. Who would've thought?

"That you're gay? No, not until just now."

"Oh. You don't mind?"

"No, not particularly."

Remus smiled.

"That's good. I was a little bit worried for a moment. I know I shouldn't have, you being James' son and that. But still, you were raised by some very intolerant muggles from what I hear."

"Yeah. No, I don't know. Did my parents know? And Sirius?"

Remus barked a laugh.

"Of course Sirius knew!"

Something clicked for Harry.

"Oh. Oh no! He was your mate!"

"Who?"

"Sirius was, wasn't he? Oh god, I'm so sorry! Oh god, that's gotta be… And I…"

Harry was replaying that night in his head. He was watching as Sirius fell. He only now realized the depth of the strength in this werewolf. That he could hold Harry back when his own mate was dying… And Harry… Damnit! His fault! Again!

"Yes." Moony looked sad. "This is why I didn't want to tell you. I know you blame yourself for his death at the ministry, and I know that nothing I can say or do will change your mind."

Harry didn't say anything.

"So, yes. Sirius was my mate." Moony closed his eyes for a moment, weakly gesturing with a scrawny hand towards the bed stand where a deep read leather-bound book rested. "That is my Diary. In our wills, Sirius and I both stated that, were we to die, everything we owned would be left to you. You can have that now. God James teased us. You were about two months old when we first wrote that up. James was the proudest father you'd ever find and Lily, she was just beaming. We were so envious, you know, they were going to live forever and all, they were gonna have kids who, should they choose to, would do the same. Prongs offered to bind us, of course, but we declined."

Remus was exhausted.

"Harry, cherish the good times. I know you've got the potential to live until, well, until Armageddon if you're of a mind to, but still."

His breathing was short and ragged.

"Remus? Are you all right? Should I call someone?"

He Grimaced.

"There's nothing they can do. Didn't you wonder why I was on the fifth floor? Visitor's tearoom, gift-shop, and Hospice care. This is where they put us when they know there's no hope."

"Remus…"

"Harry, if you find someone, don't let her go. Or him, if you wind up swinging that way. Hell, it isn't the gender of the one you love, it's the love part. Don't ever let them go, Harry, never let go."

Harry knew he was loosing. The Werewolf was giving up, letting go.

"Moony! I need you!!"

The dying Werewolf smiled.

"No you don't. You'll get along all right in a bit. I won't. I can't heal from this. I can't…"

"Wait!" Harry cried, but Moony wasn't paying attention.

"Sirius." He whispered. "Oh gods above, Sirius!" Remus had gone insane; he was talking to a patch of air above Harry's left shoulder. "Sirius!"

Harry lunged forward and grasped Moony's hand.

Then he gasped in shock.

The entire room was bathed in a white-gold light. It blanketed everything like… like some sort of snow. With mounting astonishment he turned, maintaining contact with Remus, and looked on in wonder.

Sirius Black was standing in the middle of the room. Harry jerked back in recognition, loosing Remus' hand in the process. The room returned to normal.

Harry turned back to Remus. Said werewolf was now crying silently. Harry reached out again and grabbed the hand lying on the bed rail.

The gold came back. Sirius came back.

Harry was speechless.

Padfoot beamed.

"Yup."

Harry cautiously reached out to touch him, but his hand passed straight through. He gasped in shock.

"Don't be afraid, Harry."

Another voice spoke from behind the apparition.

"There's nothing to be afraid of."

That voice. He recognized that voice. But no, It couldn't be.

"Surprise, surprise." whispered James Potter as he and Lily stepped out from behind their comrade. James had his arm about Lily's shoulders.

Words failed him. Harry simply stared.

"There, now. That's not so painful, is it?"

Harry turned slightly, and saw Moony had two heads. Actually, moony had two torsos, but the wasn't the point. The point was, there was a mortal Moony, lying pale as death upon the bed, not really breathing, and there was another Moony, sitting on top of, part way in, actually, that Moony. The sitting Moony held out a hand and Sirius pulled him off the bed.

"Took you long enough." grumbled Padfoot.

Immortal Moony blushed.

"Sorry."

Padfoot grinned.

"'S all right. You've got eternity to make it up to me."

"Are we allowed to have sex in heaven?"

The three original immortals laughed.

"You can do anything you like!"

The light began to dim.

"Harry!" James yelled, "Take care of yourself! You can see us anytime, if you know how. Just look really hard!"

"James! Cut it out!" Lily laughed, slapping her mate lightly. "Spilling secrets! You're lucky you don't get thrown out!"

"Awe," James gave the puppy dog eyes, "You wouldn't let them do that to me!?!"

Lily grabbed the Immortal Prongs and kissed him, hard. The two of them laughed and waved a final time before disappearing.

The light was dimming faster.

"Goodbye, Harry." Said Moony. "Padfoot? You coming?"

"Two seconds." Sirius turned to Harry. "It wasn't your fault. I'm in a better place now. It wasn't your fault I died; my cousin gets all the credit for that one. Do me a favor, will you? Slap her, hard, right across her ugly mouth and tell her it was from me, Alright?"

Harry nodded, tears now streaming down his face.

Sirius stepped back and linked hands with his mate.

"You ready?" Moony nods. "Here we go then."

One more wave.

One final fare well.

The light winked out.

Harry just sat and stared for a very long while at the spot where they had been.

…….:::::::::::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.::::::::::::::::::……..

When Severus Snape opened the door, there were a number of things he was expecting to find. A broken Harry Potter desperately clutching a dead hand was one of them. A dazed Harry Potter creepily smiling off into space while lightly grasping a dead hand was not one of them.

"Potter."

The dark-haired teen turned towards him.

"Yes Professor?"

Snape was uneasy.

"You can let go now."

Harry looked down at his hand. He rotated the wrist.

"Other hand."

Harry turned his head slightly. He rotated Lupin's hand. It was really stating to affect Snape.

"No I can't. If I let go, I'll never know." His voice was soft. "If I never know, then I will have missed. I can never feel what they do. But they did it once, I can do it."

The dead hand fell softly to rest against its rail.

Harry turned to look up at his professor.

"Can we leave now?"

Wordlessly, Snape nodded. As he opened the door and gestured for the Gryffindor to precede him, there was a sudden tremor through the floor.

"What the-?"

Snape was knocked to the side as another, stronger tremor swept through the building. And his forearm began to burn.

"Not again!"

He stood and attempted to get his balance, but he was knocked aside again! This time, though it was not the floor.

"Potter! Get back here!"

But the boy was disappearing down the hall.

"Bloody imbecile."

…..:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::….

Outside, Tom riddle was thoroughly enjoying himself. Torturing people was always so much fun.

Unfortunately for him, the hospital had wised up. From back behind the wrecked receptionist's desk emerged one then two then four pink and purple clad figures. As they advanced on his deatheater minions, they linked arms with each other. Pretty soon, a wall of purple was blocking his view of the main floor, and, of course, he couldn't just blast through, his minions would turn on him and he'd be forced to kill them, leaving him minion-less.

But it wasn't all that bad, certainly he had expected this.

It was part of his plan.

And there was the other part of his plan, standing on the stairs and firing off stunners.

Wait for it, wait for it…

Now!

The spell raced away, a streak of yellow light hurdling headlong towards the lone figure on the stairs. The figure quickly constructed shields that would repel harmful spells, and when the yellow light hit them, it disappeared.

Yes.

"Back!" Voldemort yelled, voice magically magnified. "Back! Now! Back!"

And as quickly as they arrived, they disappeared.

Harry potter, still standing on the stairs, was completely in the dark.

…:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::…

A/N:

Apologies for the lateness of this chapter, but I have an excuse! I have had NO internet access since Christmas day. See, we got a new computer and switched our internet connection to that one and disposed of the other one, which is a problem as the new computer has no floppy drive, which is the only drive my writing computer can access.

It's been bloody boring.

At any rate, my dad is intending to find a floppy drive that can plug into the USB port. Once he does, I'll be able to post somewhat regularly again.

I had to type this chapter a second time in order to post it on the internet.

Awful.

I got a review from someone who only read to chapter eight (the sorting hat song), and though I strongly doubt, based on the review, that that person will continue reading, I'm responding anyway. This person said that my fic moved too fast and I could have expanded and added a great deal more detail, only they were kinda mean about it. At any rate, I'd like to say that this IS my first fic, those chapters towards the beginning were my first ever attempts at writing other than for school. They are in need of work, and I understand that, but I'd like to think I've gotten better since then, and I do plan to, after I finish this fic, take it down and Edit and re-write it and such, but I already take long enough to post chapters, you guys don'' need me doubling the time in between post so that I can re-write.

Please&ThankYou,

-Leif

PS: Eternity's longer than forever, count the letters.