Disclaimer: see Chapter One

Chapter Fifteen: Elation Elixir

Albus shut the door behind him, his mind still with Remus and his new mission. Seeing two pairs of eyes watching him brought him back to the task at hand. He schooled his expression; they did not need to know of the plight of the Malfoys because they needed to focus their minds completely.

"Is something wrong?" asked Severus perceptively.

"I'm just a bit tired, Professor Snape." Albus sat in the armchair that was beside a small table with two chairs. "I want you two to sit across from one another at this table and take hands." He waited for them to follow his instructions. "According to my research, if one party does not wish to return to his body the reversal of the switching spell may not completely take." Albus watched Ron's eyes slide to Severus. "I need you to focus completely on being in your own body with no hesitations, understood?" Both nodded. "Good. Now close your eyes." Albus recited the incantation that cemented each in his own body.

"Did it work, sir?" asked Ron hopefully.

"Let's try it out. Why don't you focus on Professor Snape and see if you can switch?"

Ron was wary of this test but was eager to see if the spell had worked, so he did as the headmaster had suggested. He felt nothing outside of himself and felt no dizziness. Grinning, he nodded to the headmaster. "It worked, sir!"

"I'm glad, child. Why don't you go along now to your dorm? Classes are about to end for the day and I'm sure your friends are eager to see you."

"Thanks, Headmaster Dumbledore." He glanced at Professor Snape whose eyes were averted.

"Go on then, Mr. Weasley." prodded the headmaster.

When the Gryffindor had gone Albus stepped out into the main area to see if the elixir had arrived. He did not see Poppy so assumed it had not. Turning back he almost collided with Severus who was leaving the room. Albus put out his arm, stopping Severus. "There's no hurry, Severus. I'd like to speak with you in private."

Black eyes bored into him. What did Albus see there, could it be fear? Albus smiled. "I just want to talk."

"I'm rather tired and wish to go to my rooms." Severus did not like the determined glint in his friend's eye. It set him on the defensive immediately.

"There is a bed here, if you wish to lie down while we talk."

"Are you daft?" Severus tried again to continue on to the dungeons and Albus again put up his arm to block his way, brushing his other arm against Severus' side. "What is this?"

"I said I wanted to talk to you. The sooner you acquiesce the sooner you may go."

Severus stared into Albus' eyes. He knew his friend well enough to know that when he got something into his head you may as well go along with it because you would eventually anyway. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine! Just make this quick!" He turned and crossed to the armchair, sitting and glaring at the headmaster.

Albus spared another glance back toward Poppy's office and then followed him, shutting and surreptitiously locking the door.

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Ron was sitting on his bed rereading the same passage in his book for the fifth time and still not really seeing it. Is Professor Snape okay? Will he be angry with me? I wouldn't be too thrilled in his place, I suppose.

The bell rang signaling the end of classes and shortly thereafter his roommates came bustling into the room dropping off their things. Harry was the last to arrive, muttering about the amount of homework they had been given. He smiled upon seeing Ron and plopped down on his own bed with a sigh. "You're back! Are you ready to go down and get some dinner?"

Ron shook his head, giving Harry a weak smile. "I'm knackered. I thought I'd just stay here instead."

Harry's eyebrow's rose. Ron's not hungry? "What's wrong?"

"It's just been a long day is all. You go on and eat." Ron went back to pretending to read, leaning back on one elbow on his bed.

Harry sat quietly, watching Ron through his sooty lashes. Slowly the room cleared as his fellow Gryffindors went down to the evening meal. When the last had gone he drew his wand and shut the door, using magic to lock it and put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the outside knob. "What's really going on, Ron?"

Ron glanced up from his book. "Harry, you don't have to stay here. Go on and eat."

"You seem different, not yourself."

Ron sat up quickly, his book falling to the floor. "Who do I seem like…Snape?" Ron felt an instant of concern that he wasn't himself. Ron, you're losing it.

Harry looked at Ron like he had gone nutters. "Snape? I…I just meant that you seemed upset, is all."

Ron, who had been running his hands over his face, fell back against his pillows with a sigh. "It's complicated, Harry." He was glad to be out of the hospital wing but so much had happened that he didn't feel quite comfortable here, either. A heavy burden of guilt had been weighing on him and he felt the need to unburden himself.

"You can tell me anything, Ron."

"This whole thing's my fault. Everything."

Harry said nothing but his green eyes encouraged Ron to continue.

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"If this is about those blasted magical ears—" Snape began.

"—It's not." Albus sat folding his hands in front of him at the table.

Snape looked unconvinced. "Then what is it?"

"I wanted to talk to you about your depression."

Severus sprang up from the chair. "WHAT!"

"Severus, calm yourself."

"Calm myself? I'm not depressed, Albus." He began to pace the confines of the room. "For Merlin's sake, it's simply been a rough patch, is all."

Albus waited until Severus glanced his way. "I know about your thoughts of self harm."

Severus stopped in his tracks. Weasley! His nostrils flared, "That little prat, he doesn't know anything."

"He saw your thoughts when you last exchanged and he felt the weight of it when he was housed in your skin. But it's not just Ron, the Healer elf also told me of his concerns."

"What Healer elf?"

"The one who healed your body after the fall. Some elves can sense emotions and some Healer elves can be taught to recognize disturbances in body chemicals. Hippocrates told me you needed help and suggested the Elation Elixir would be the best potion."

Severus began to shake his head, eyes wide. "Elation Elixir! Oh no!" He began to pace again, rubbing his temples. "You won't get me to take that again."

Albus rose and stood in his path. When he had Severus' attention, he continued. "I know you've been feeling very down. I was blind to have not seen how bad it had become." He placed a comforting hand on the Potions Master's shoulder.

Severus shrugged it off, sneering. "Go straight to Hell, the whole lot of you!" He went to the door and tried to open it. Locked! Glaring over his shoulder at Albus he reached into his pocket for his wand. Where's my wand? He fished in his other pocket, still no wand. I don't understand it! I had it a moment ago…Albus! Severus whirled, his black robes swirling around his feet.

Albus held Severus' wand in his hand. He slowly slid it back into the pocket of his blue robes. "I'm sorry to do that to you, Severus. I feared this would not go well so I took the liberty of taking charge of your wand while you were at the doorway before."

Severus remembered Albus brushing up against him. His jaw dropped and he brought his fist to his chest feeling betrayed. "Albus, return my wand to me."

Albus slowly shook his head. "We'll talk and then I'll consider it."

"You've no right!" He held out his hand and his cheeks blotched red as the anger rose inside him. "GIVE…IT…TO…ME!"

Albus calmly replied, "No." He pulled out a chair at the table and sat, motioning for Severus to sit in the chair opposite.

Severus strode over and slammed his hands down hard on the table. "Give me my wand and let me out of here! Do you expect to keep me prisoner?"

"I simply expect to keep you alive."

Severus drew up to his full height and crossed his arms over his chest. "I could take a chair and break down the door." he snarled.

"I would stun you before you could do that."

"I could forcibly take my wand from you."

"You know I keep my pockets charmed with a stinging hex, Severus."

He stood glaring at his old friend and then, deflated, Severus sunk into the armchair. "Why do you torment me?" he said softly, suddenly looking very lost and weary.

"You torment yourself. I only wish to help you."

"I will not take the Elation Elixir."

"I won't force you."

Severus' eyes narrowed. "Then what's this— " he angrily motioned to the door and around the room, "—all about?"

"I needed to keep you safe while we talked and to give you the privacy to say whatever you needed to say."

"I have nothing to say."

Albus pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket and began to set up a game of solitaire. "I suppose we'll be here a while then. I'm a very patient wizard, Severus."

Severus stood and began to pace again. Seconds drew into minutes as the stubborn silence remained. Severus flung his lean body into the armchair, glaring at Albus. Minutes stretched into an hour until Severus could take it no longer. "What do you want from me?"

Albus glanced at Severus from over his spectacles, continuing to play his hand. "Did you think of killing yourself?"

Severus snorted. "It is not an uncommon thought for me."

Albus played another card. "Did you have a plan for what you would do?"

"Yes." Severus rolled his eyes.

"What was that plan?"

"I fail to see how—"

Albus put up a hand to silence him. "We were doing so well, Severus. Please, simply answer the question."

Severus snorted. "Poison."

"Which poison?"

Severus gritted his teeth. "Styx. There is no antidote and a small amount is all that is needed."

"That poison is not legal to own for those very reasons. You have some?"

"Yes. A…friend…asked me to keep his supply when the Aurors were searching suspected Death Eaters' homes."

Albus nodded, playing his last card. "You had the thoughts, you had a plan and you had the extremely lethal poison with which to carry out your plan." He leaned forward and gently touched his old friend's arm. "Can you not see how your death would affect those who care about you?"

Severus looked down at his hands now folded in his lap. He swallowed hard. He answered Albus very softly. "It's out of my deep concern that I would do it." His eyes became misty and he looked off to the side. "You should not be wasting time like this."

Albus stood and moved his chair so that he and Severus were knee to knee. Seeing that he had Severus' full attention he continued. "I AM NOT wasting my time, child."

"People need you—"

"You need me."

Severus shook his head. "I'm of no use to anyone now. Let me go and put your efforts into the coming fight with the Dark Lord." A traitorous tear slid down his pale cheek as his head lolled forward, the dark curtain of hair hiding his face.

Albus leaned in and took Severus' chin forcing him to see his face. "I won't give up on you, Severus. I love you." Severus flinched. "It's true, child. I couldn't save your mother but I'll be damned if I'll stand by and watch you take the same path."

Severus jerked his chin out of Albus' grasp. "Leave my mother out of this!" he hissed.

"She's very much a part of this. Her emotions were always wildly erratic and you know that illnesses of this kind can be inherited."

Severus leaned close to Albus, eyes flashing. "My mother was not crazy!"

Albus leaned back. "I never said she was, but she did get very depressed and she did take her own life."

"She didn't kill herself, it was an accident!"

"I won't argue with you about it. Your mother would want you to get better. You know how she worried about you."

"I said leave her out of this!" He made to stand but Albus blocked his way. Severus tried to push him away but Albus pulled Severus into a strong hug, pulling his lean body close. Severus stood, stiff as a poker.

Severus' mind kept straying to his mother. He's trying to manipulate my emotions! Damn him! Slowly he felt the tension leaving his body replaced by weariness and he felt himself beginning to relax into the embrace.

He's right about Mother; she wouldn't want me to kill myself. Biting his lip he slowly brought his arms up and around Albus.

Albus smiled as tears of joy spilled from his eyes. You can do it, child. I know it's hard for you to accept help but you can do it!

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Remus, Dobby and Minky Apparated to a spot several meters from the rundown shack Lupin called home. Apparating two elves as well as himself had drained the already exhausted wizard but it was faster to Apparate them himself then take the time to explain where it was. He swayed a bit on his feet and Dobby came up close to him to steady him. "I'm fine," said Remus, shrugging off the help. He put his head back and sniffed the air, using his lycanthropic senses to pick up the scents of any humans in the vicinity.

"No one is here yet. I can smell Draco inside. Let's get him and get out of here as quickly as possible."

Inside the small room were a small bed, a shabby armchair and a small table with two chairs. The two elves quickly began to search for Draco.

"Draco, it's Remus Lupin. It's not safe here, we need to go to Hogwarts…Draco?" Remus caught the scent of the very frightened wizard who was hiding behind the armchair. "Draco, Minky is here. I can smell you behind the chair. We need to get moving."

Draco slowly rose from behind the chair, his wand held in his shaky hand. "Minky?"

Minky flung herself at the boy, hugging his legs tightly. "Master Draco. Please go now. Blood magic can find you again. Hogwarts is safe."

Draco looked into Lupin's eyes. "I can't go there!"

"It's going to be fine. I'll take care of you. You shouldn't have to run into any of the students."

Draco looked like a caged animal. He wanted to be safe but he feared going to Hogwarts again. What if someone did see him?

Multiple loud cracking sounds rent the air as the Death Eaters Apparated to outside the shack.

Remus flung himself at Draco; Disapparating them just as the door flew off its hinges.

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"You know what happened the last time I took the Elation Elixir." Severus said, tilting the small bottle in his hands, watching the shifting colors of silver and gold of the strong potion.

"Yes, I do. I'll keep you back here with me until the worst of it has passed."

"Promise me that no one will see me like that." Swallowing hard, he felt very close to tears again.

"I promise."

Severus took a deep breath. Uncorking the bottle with tremulous hands he upended it and drank the draught in two gulps.

Albus quickly moved Severus to the bed, which had taken the place of the table and chairs. He helped Severus to lay back and he sat beside him, holding his hand.

Severus had taken several deep cleansing breaths when the chill came upon him. His whole body began to quake and shiver. Albus covered him with a blanket and crooned softly to him and although Severus could not hear it he could sense that Albus was there. His teeth began to chatter and he groaned softly. As quickly as the chill had come upon him it was gone. He then felt a burning ignite in the pit of his stomach. Like lightning, flashes of pain began to shoot from the center of his body to his limbs. He gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. The heat began to intensify and suddenly his whole body was engulfed by it. He screamed loudly and arched his back before his body went limp.

He lay there trembling, his body covered in a thin sheen of sweat. His eyes flickered open and he saw Albus leaning over him, tears in his eyes. A slow smile spread across Severus' face and slowly he sat up.

Albus placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you well, Severus? Should I get Poppy?"

Severus threw his head back and laughed, his deep voice booming. "I feel fantastic!"

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Author's Notes: Thanks for all the kind reviews. They're greatly appreciated!