Echoes from the past looped inside Sabine's head as she sat alone in her Manor. Her daughter wasn't going to be home for another few hours or so, and Remus was sleeping finally, up in a guest room.

When the Tonks had brought Remus back to her unconscious, feverish and weak she had been to embarassed to ask that they place him in her bed. She figured that when he awakened she could help him to their bedroom. A letter had been sent to her from her brother giving her a terse reply; Jill would be there soon and that he had better come with her to discuss certain goings-on the previous night. Sabine felt terrible that she hadn't sent Jill her birthday presents because of all that had happened, but she could make it up to her when she returned.

"Happy Birthday Artemis..." Warm breath caressed her cheek awakening her from her comfortable slumber.

"Sirius, oh...it's too early. Go back to sleep."

"Oh but that would ruin the fun I have in store for us."

"Sirius, what exactly-" She was cut off by a kiss that was playful but darkness hid somewhere behind the kiss, passion being restrained.

"If you comply you will see what I have in store for us, this glorious day, your birthday." Sabine had no choice but to follow his commands, when he wanted to, Sirius could be quite forceful.

He led her blindfolded down the stairs of the familiar path, a hidden staircase that connected their old bedrooms onto the second floor landing. He released her and undid the binding across her eyes and said in a light tone.

"Open your eyes my love and see to what to lengths I have gone." Sabine opened her eyes and let out a gasp, upon every inch of the landing, celing, and the banister of the spiral staircase was crystalized icicles. But the house was warm, not cold, then how...?

"Sirius. This is amazing, how...how did you do it?" Sirius grinned wolfishly, the way he did when he had completed a prank or was flirting with a beautiful girl.

"That is my secret my little Artemis, Magicians never divulge their secrets, but maybe if you beg I will tell you how I did it, so that maybe you could do it someday."

"I'm not going to beg!" She said half indignantly, the truth was she really wanted to know but a part of her worried about what this "begging" would entail. She had known Sirius for a long time and she also new him on a very intimate level and she knew what an insatiable lover he could be, not to mention experimental. It wasn't as though she didn't enjoy the positions and interesting array of love making but now was not a day she was looking for something new to "play".

"Have it your own way my love, but let us continue on our quest." He winked at her and she melted in his arms, he had that affect on her, and on most women.

Sabine opened her eyes and looked at the doorway that led out of the Library and gasped when she saw a tall dark figure striding into the doorway, the man looked like,

"Si-Sirius?" She cried out in fear tears welling up in her eyes and falling as the figure walked towards her, in a familiar stride, but as he go closer, the illusion ended. It was not her long lost husband that walked up to her and grabbed her arm roughly, pulling her from the chair and into his arms for a tight comforting embrace. It was her brother.

"Sabine what the bloody hell is going on with you? Sirius? You thought I was Sirius?" He whispered gruffly, slightly hurt at this.

"Oh, Severus! Sweet Magick I was so frightened!"

"Frightened? Whatever for little sister? Why would you be frightened of?"

"I-a little while ago I thought that I heard Sirius's voice say my name and say that he missed me. Then I was sitting here, remembering this-this thing with Sirius and I...that's when I saw you in the door way and I thought I was looking at Sirius. Oh Severus, I'm so afraid that he'll come and find out about Remus and I!"

"That's ridiculous Sabine. Sirius is in Azkaban, never to be released." Sabine gasped and tried to pull away.

Dammit. He thought to himself. Stupid tactless git! He chided himself. He decided to take this a different way.

"Sabine, I- I am sorry for how that came out. I meant to say that there was no way he could come looking for you okay? Your re-you and Lupin are safe." Severus gagged nearly at the end, somehow the idea of his little sister sleeping with the man made him seriously ill.

"It's okay Severus, I know that you never were exactly to most tactful person, even as a boy." Severus found himself chuckling for the first time in a very long time, it felt nice, natural, it was a wonder why he didn't do it more often. Oh that's right, Severus Snape had an image to protect. Being a laughing idiot did not fit his profile.

Severus stepped back from his sister and made her sit down as he made some tea. When he brought it back to her he was happy to see that she was already starting to look better, this was a good sign.

"Severus, not that I don't appreciate us having time together after so long but I thought you were supposed to be here a few hours from now with Jill."

"Sabine, I sent that owl 6 hours ago, Jill should be her in a few minutes."

Sabine looked startled, had she been sitting there that long?

"Oh...I see...I suppose that the time just slipped by me."

That's not the only thing that slipped by you. A voice told her a flash of moments just barely passed, her brother limping towards her.

"Severus, What happened to you? You were limping when you came up to me."

"That is what I wished to discuss with you but I believe it would be better to tell you when Jill gets here so that she can tell you her side of the story."

"What? What happened? What did Jill do?"

"Yes, Severus, what did Jill do?" Severus and Sabine looked to the door once more and out of the shadows and into the doorway stood a very tired looking man.

"Remus!" Sabine exclaimed dropping her cup of tea and running to him placing a hand on the small of his back and one on his stomach. Severus repaired the tea cup and stood as his sister and her lover struggled to the fireplace, where the chairs were.

"Lupin, I see that you once again have no regard to your safety or your health, or that of my sister." Severus snapped but Remus ignored the remark as he panted and spit out painfully.

"What happened to Jill, Severus?"