A/N Yes, Dumbledore was drugged. I couldn't make him all evil, sorry. But don't worry, I'm not letting him off easy…(very evil grin)
"That's the trouble? The ink?" Minerva asked.
Severus shook his head. "Not the ink, the quill. This is a Rogue Quill. They were outlawed ages ago, and even Voldemort has never attempted to use them."
He rested the quill on one glove covered hand and sniffed it.
"Rogue Quills are hollow, of course, like all quills, but they have a secret compartment, just at the place where they are held to write. They are spelled to look like a really fancy everlasting quill. The inner compartment is filled with poison or potion, and then the tiny, sharp needles inside are pressed into the skin every time the quill is picked up to write. The needles don't penetrate enough to be felt by the owner, but the potion makes its way in and poisons the user on a daily basis. That's why I'm wearing gloves. The needles can't penetrate the dragon hide. The compartment needs to be refilled about once every three to four months. Where did he get this quill, Minerva?"
The witch had paled. "It was a birthday present from Alastor four years ago."
Harry sighed. "Just as we thought. What potion is in it, Severus?"
"I don't know for sure yet, I'll have to examine it properly. But from what you told me before, Minerva, I would guess this isn't a standard healing draught."
"Best to examine it first before we tell Albus," Harry said.
"Tell what to Albus?" the voice of the man in question came from the door.
They jumped. All. Severus could have remained out of sight in the invisibility cloak but unfortunately he was still holding the quill.
"Care to explain what is going on?" The headmaster said, stepping inside.
Severus didn't say anything and retreated into the shadows. He saw the pained expression on the man's face.
"When was the last time you used that quill, Albus?" Minerva asked.
"I don't know. I usually reserve it for official letters. A couple of days ago, I'd say. Why?"
Harry sighed and started to explain their suspicions and how they had come to search the office.
"Alastor? You think Alastor had anything to do with this?" Dumbledore said, astonished.
"Do you have more evidence?"
"You didn't need evidence to throw me away," Severus mumbled, stepping into the light. "I have brought several revealing potions. If we can all go to the potions lab, I will find out what potion is in this thing."
"I would like Bill Weasley present as well," the headmaster said, "let's go to the lab then."
Bill Weasley was, quite truthfully, astonished when the group entered his office. He immediately accompanied them to the private lab, where he and Severus started to work on the quill.
Harry picked up a book. Minerva tried to figure out what the two men were doing. Dumbledore sat on the couch, apparently in deep thought.
Over an hour later the two approached, looking grim.
"Well, there was potion in that thing. A very rare potion. It has a fancy latin name, but it's mostly known as Traitor's Liquid," Bill said.
Severus took over. "Traitor's Liquid is a potion that, apart from a couple of months to brew, also requires a drop of blood from the victim."
Minerva looked up. "From Albus?"
Severus shook his head, anger flashing in his black eyes. "No. From me."
He paced the room.
"The potion was created by an evil witch who had married a Maharadja. She was his second wife, and he had already one son with his first wife, who he loved more then life itself. The witch also had a son with the Maharadja, but as his second son, he would not inherit the title. So she invented Traitor's Liquid. She took a drop of the boy's blood as he slept and added it to the base. She then did the exact same thing as in this case. She put it in a Rogue Quill, which was easy for her to replenish every four months. The effect was that the Maharadja, when the potion began to work, grew colder towards his eldest son. He was more inclined to believe the worst of him. This happened gradually over the course of several months. When the Maharadja hadn't used the quill for more then a day, the potion's effects lessened and he became attached to his son again. But after a few months, the potion had taken such a firm hold that he was hardly ever free from its effects. Then the evil witch carried out the second part of her plan. She accused her stepson of trying to murder his younger brother, a child still at that time. The Maharadja immediately ordered his son's execution."
His audience were now all a sickly green color. He continued.
"After the boy was dead and her own son declared heir, the witch no longer needed to give the Maharadja the potion. He suffered severe withdrawal symptoms that took several weeks to clear up. After that, he was free of the influence of the potion and the grief of what he had done overcame him. He committed suicide."
"His youngest son grew up under his mother's evil influence, but by some miracle was actually a good and fair ruler. When, during an argument, his mother threw the truth of his brothers and fathers death at him, he had her executed, and restored his brothers good name. It was too late, however, to destroy the recipe of the potion. The witch had given it to several of her acolytes over the years, and that is how the recipe came here."
Bill Weasley shivered. "Is there an antidote?"
"No," Severus replied, "the only way to get the potion out of the Headmasters system is to have him go to the withdrawal period. Harry, I believe you are familiar with the Muggle phrases of 'detox' and 'cold turkey'?"
Harry nodded, covering his eyes. "That is what it will be like?"
"Yes. Multiplied by a factor three, I'd say. It's quite vicious and it's been in his system for four years already," Severus replied, looking coldly at the Headmaster.
Dumbledore stared at him. "Why would Alastor do something like this?"
Severus shrugged. "Because he hates me and wants me dead. It was very convenient when he found out about Voldemorts plans to get rid of me by having Lucius impersonate me. Those plans were known to him weeks before he ever told you of them."
The headmaster stood up. "I will have to lock myself somewhere. Minerva, you will have to take over for a while."
Bill Weasley looked alarmed. "You cannot be by yourself, Headmaster. I've seen a bit of what you are about to go through, and you will need help. You cannot stay at Hogwarts. If you were to escape your rooms, you would endanger the students."
Severus turned around and leaned against the fireplace. "I agree," he said, voice slightly muffled, "There is no other option if we want to keep Moody in the dark about this…development…for a while. He will have to stay with us, Harry."
The move was made quickly. Dumbledore was taken to the mansion. Dobby was briefed and asked not to harm the man.
Harry and Severus installed him in a rather bare room in the guest quarters.
"The withdrawal symptoms start about a week after you last touched the quill," Severus said, "but since you don't remember when you last used it, we don't know exactly when that is."
"You are not to leave this room," Harry said, "I will provide you with reading material while you are not suffering the symptoms yet, and we will take care of you, but you will stay here. The bathroom is behind that door. The door to the hallway will remain locked and warded. Give me your wand."
Dumbledore handed it over with a sigh. "Nothing else? Good. Dobby will bring you sleepclothes. I suggest you start wearing them permanently and have him keep your robes for you."
The headmaster nodded. "Erm…Severus? What exactly are withdrawal symptoms?" He asked tentatively.
The Potions Master, who had been about to leave the room, turned around to face his former mentor.
"At first, trembling, dizziness, headaches, muscle aches. In the second stage also nausea and sweating. In the final stage the muscle aches change to cramps and spasms. Migraines, vomiting, diarrhoea and delirium are unavoidable. I will brew potions to ease the worst of it, but it's gonna be hell, I can tell you that."
The old wizard sighed. "Don't bother with the potions. I deserve every bit of pain I'm going to suffer." He turned around and stared out of the window.
The Potions Master's face showed a wide range of emotions, from anger, hurt and fear to something akin to hope and longing. Harry looked at him and hoped Severus would be up to this. If not, he'd bring in a healer from St Mungo's, secrecy or not.
It was going to be a very long couple of weeks.
Three days after his move to the mansion, Dumbledore felt the first dizziness and trembling setting in. He asked Dobby to inform Harry and Severus. As the symptoms gradually worsened, he stared out of the window from his bed, the only piece of furniture in the room. Three days of solitary confinement had given him lots of time to think about his actions. Even with the knowledge that much of them were potion-induced, he finally felt the guilt overwhelm him.
Harry entered.
"How are you?"
"Dizzy and trembling, like Severus said. Headache starting. No muscle pains yet," the headmaster reported, still staring out the window. Harry hesitated before he walked into the room and sat on the end of the bed.
"Severus is brewing some potions. He will take care of you once the symptoms increase. Should he not be up to it, however, I will send for a healer, no matter how much we want to keep this a secret."
Dumbledore nodded. "Perhaps you should, anyway. Severus should not have to deal with me on a regular basis."
Harry frowned. "Maybe not, but he insists. And he is the best one for the job, as he knows which symptoms are normal, and what potions he can give you that do not react with the Traitor's Liquid."
"And what after that, Harry? Is there any hope at all, for me and him?"
"I don't know, headmaster. I really don't. That depends on many things. Your conduct after this is over, his own feelings and problems after three years in Azkaban, his ability to accept that much of what you did was due to a potion. Just remember that you, even though you were set up, still have no right to demand anything from him."
The headmaster sighed. "I know. I love him, Harry. In my heart he will always be my son, but I've done too many horrendous things to him to ever expect anything from him again. All I want now is for him to be happy, and if that means that I have to disappear from his life forever, I will do it. And this time there won't be any potion encouraging me to break my promises."
Harry stood up. "Concentrate on what lies ahead first, headmaster. You will need your strength to overcome this, worry about the future later." On that note, he left.
Harry sought out Severus in the lab, where he was brewing three different kinds of potions.
"Potions against the headaches, muscle cramps and nausea, and a dreamless sleep potion," the potions master said as an explanation, "extra strong. I also ordered some muggle equipment. An IV. He will loose a lot of fluids and will need to be given saline solutions intravenously. And we should be prepared to clean up a lot of messes."
Harry shrugged. "Magic does wonders on dirt. Is it dangerous?"
Severus cast a sideways glance. "The symptoms? Yes. He is old, even though in good shape. He will need to be monitored constantly."
"Are you ok with this, Severus?"
A deep sigh. "I don't know, Harry. For now, I'll just have to focus on getting him through this. I don't want him to die, no matter what he did to me. After that…we'll see. It's been a lot to take in."
"Warn me in time if it becomes too much for you, Severus. I will find a trustworthy healer somewhere should the need arise."
"Thank you, Harry. If you don't mind, I would like some help. I'm not strong enough yet to monitor him constantly. Can Dobby and one of the other house elves help as well, so I can eat and rest properly? Or else you can carry us both to St. Mungo's before the week is out."
"Goes without saying, Severus. Dobby will help, and I will be around to help too."
Severus smiled. "Thanks." His eyes became distant. "Molly would have been much better at this then I am. She and Arthur helped me a couple of times when I was hurt during summer and had nowhere else to go. Arthur isn't cut out to be a nurse, but Molly was a natural."
Harry's eyes softened as he remembered the woman who had been like a second mother to him.
"She helped me get back on my feet a lot too," he admitted, "she's the one that taught me the proper way to feed myself up again after returning from the Dursleys."
Dobby appeared.
"Harry, the headmaster is doing much worse now. Big headache."
"Close the curtains and keep the room as dark as possible," Severus instructed, "and give him a sip of this potion, but no more then a sip."
He looked at Harry.
"Looks like our job has begun."