Title: Past, Present, Future

Summary: The past will come back, the present will change them, now what will the future hold?

Disclaimer: I do not own them, sad but true

A/N: Yes this is an AU fic. Reviews are welcome, flames are shared with friends for amusement.

Chapter 15

Ron's eyes opened to mere slits, and he slowly turned his head and saw Remus sleeping with his head on the side of the bed. "Professor Lupin," Ron tried to say, but his mouth was as dry as the desert, and it came out in a squeak.

Remus heard the effort to speak and raised his head off the bed. "Mr. Weasley, you have woken up finally. How do you feel?"

"Like I have been in a battle with a troll and lost, but otherwise I feel okay. How is Harry?"

"I am afraid Harry doesn't fare as well. He has not woken up, and it was a tough battle keeping you both alive last night. Do you know what has brought this about?"

Ron chewed his lip and thought of his promise to Harry. "No, Professor Lupin. I haven't a clue."

"Very well, I want you to lay back down and get some rest. You are still sick, and I will not have your relapse on my head. Your mother is already beside herself with worry."

Across the room Severus stirred and opened his eyes. Beside him Harry still lay still, unmoving except for the erratic rise and fall of his chest. Severus pulled the covers up on Harry and slowly pushed himself off the bed.

Remus saw this and motioned for Severus to follow him out of the room. Walking into the kitchen, he conjured himself and Severus each a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. Severus stood glancing at the door, not really wanting to leave Harry. "Come on, Severus, if you do not sit down and grab a bite to eat, you will be no good to anyone, least of all Harry. We will be able to hear him should he awaken."

Severus, realizing that Lupin had a point, sat down and began sipping his coffee. With an exasperated sigh, he spoke. "I don't understand, I have tried every potion I can think of and nothing seems to be helping either one of them."

"If it helps, it seems Mr. Weasley has woken up and his fever is almost gone. I told him to go back to sleep and to rest."

"That further boggles my mind. How can his be almost gone, and Harry's still raging?"

"That is an answer I do not know. Ron told me he had no clue either, but I think he is holding back something. Perhaps when he wakes again, we can ask him."

Severus and Remus sat in the kitchen having a quick lunch of sandwiches, but Severus merely picked at his. "Severus, were one to look at you, they would think you had lost your best friend. I have never seen you act this way. What has come over you?"

"Look, my son is laying in there possibly dying, and I am supposed to fix him and don't know how. The thought of losing him is tearing me up inside. How can I lose him, Lupin? I love him."

Inside the room Harry could not hear his father admitting he cared, but Ron, who had woken up, could. He was now struggling with whether to keep his promise to Harry or to tell Snape the truth.

After both had finished their coffee, Severus and Remus headed back into the room. Hearing them coming, Ron closed his eyes and feigned sleep. He felt Snape place his hand on his head and held his breath as Snape turned to Remus.

"Mr. Weasley's fever seems to be going down. He should be well by morning. Now if only I could get Harry to do as well."

Almost as if Harry had heard his name, he started to moan in his sleep. Severus rushed to his side in seconds, hovering over his son and tucking the covers in, while rubbing his temples to fight off the oncoming headache from lack of sleep.

Harry's face was scrunched up as he fought to keep from yelling out in pain. It was as if his insides were boiling. Every bone felt like it had been broken, every muscle cramping at the same time. Nothing had ever hurt this much before.

Ron lay on his bed and listened to Harry's struggle. He knew how he felt after only one dose of the potion, and he had seen Harry take numerous. He wondered if Harry could take anymore, if it was worth it to keep his secret, and the guilt of watching Harry suffer was eating him up inside. He was still trying to figure out what to do when he heard Harry begin to groan. Sitting up in his bed, he was about to go over and see what was the matter, but Remus put his hand out to stop him.

"There is nothing you can do, Ron, and it is best if you lay down and recover yourself."

Ron lay back down, but he knew he could not rest, the guilt was too strong, the need to tell growing with every passing minute.

Severus watched as Harry fought some unseen foe. He watched as he twisted in agony, and he bit back the sob in his throat when Harry began to call out.

"Make it stop, please! I can't take it anymore; it is killing me. Someone please help me."

Severus picked Harry up from where he lay and held him in his arms. He wanted to take all the pain away, wanted to make Harry well again, but that seemed impossible. He flinched when Harry began to wheeze and placed him back on his side, rubbing his back in circles, trying to soothe him. It seemed not to be working, and he yelled for Remus when Harry began to convulse. Again he had to watch as Harry's body writhed about on the bed, being able to do nothing but hold him down to keep him from falling. Minutes ticked away like hours, and it just when it looked like he would not stop, he did.

Severus sat down on the bed to relax, but that is when the screams began. They were bloodcurdling screams that echoed off the walls and made his hair stand on end. Harry screamed for mercy, begged for the pain to end, and then his body went rigid.

Harry's hand went to his throat, and he seemed like he was trying to force in air that would not come. Remus opened his eyes and saw them rolled back in his head, and that was all it took for Severus to lose control.

"Harry, for Merlin's sake, breathe for me. I love you, and I cannot lose you now," Severus pleaded, the tears rolling anew down his pale face. His cries went unheard as Harry was lost in his own world, one where the precious breath of life eluded him. Clawing at the bed, he tried to suck in just one wisp of air, just one to keep the world from going utterly and completely black.

Remus saw Severus and knew he was beyond reasoning. As quick as a flash he began to beat Harry on the back, trying to force air in, and when that would not work, he pried the boy from Severus' grasp. "Severus, he will not be saved right now by any magic. If you want your son to live you are going to have to trust me."

Severus nodded, his grasp on Harry's hand firm as he watched Remus push on Harry's chest. Agonizing seconds crept by, until at last Harry drew in a breath, and a tired Lupin collapsed on the floor.

Ron had watched all this unfold, and he stood from his bed. Wobbling on two unsteady feet, he made his way over to Harry.

"Ron, you should be back in bed, before you fever spikes again."

If it had been any other circumstances, Ron would have choked at hearing Snape call him by his first name, but this was not a normal situation.

"I know what ails, Harry," he said meekly.

"How could you know? We have searched every book and tried every spell and potion we could think of. Please, go back to bed and rest."

"Listen to me!" Ron yelled, his voice dying out as he spoke. "Harry and I found this man in Knockturn Alley, and he gave us this potion. You were only supposed to take one drop, but Harry has taken several. If you want to know what it is you are going to have to find him."

Severus turned around and stared at Ron, and Ron backed up, seeing the look in his eyes. "When were you in Knockturn Alley again, and why would you go and do a stupid thing like take a potion you did not know about? Don't you listen when I speak in class?"

Ron was angry -- at himself for not speaking sooner and at Severus for yelling at him. "Look, it is not my fault that Harry overheard you and Malfoy saying how he didn't matter. You're the reason he took it in the first place. He thought you didn't care about him, and that the only way you would is if he were sick. Now look at him! He is dying," Ron choked out as the tears streamed down his freckled face. "I should have told you, but I promised Harry. It's all my fault." Ron crumpled to the floor, not able to catch his breath between the hiccupped sobs.

Severus did something in that moment he had never done before, and would not do again. He picked Ron up and held him. "It is not your fault. I have been a bastard for too long and am only learning now that some things are more precious than life itself. You are a good friend to Harry. Now get back into bed, as we do not know the nature of this thing, you are also at risk."

"Wait, you don't know where to go and look," Ron protested as he crawled back into the bed. "It's the shop you and Malfoy were in that day."

Severus looked down at Remus, sitting on the floor, mouth agape in shock. "Lupin, stay here and watch over Harry and Ron. I am going to have a little talk with a certain shop owner. Owl Mrs. Weasley and tell her do not come until after we have made sure everyone is all right."

Remus stood and straightened his robes. "Hurry back, Severus, and don't do anything foolish."

"Foolish was the man who tried to harm my son. He will pay for his lack of judgment." Looking down at Harry, he placed a kiss upon his brow. Ron's fever had spiked a little from crying so much, and now he was sweating again. "I will return within the hour, Remus. Please get Ron another cloth. It seems his fever has returned," and pulling his wand, Severus went to the fireplace and stepped in. In a flash of green, he was gone, and Remus knew he was a man hell bent on revenge.