Yup.

Chapter 6-

Remus all but ran up the hall to his rooms. When Dobby had appeared and told them what had gone on, Remus left Harry with the house elf, to try and cheer him up a bit, and quickly left to Sirius. When he got to the right hallway, Remus slowed down a bit. He stood for a minute, getting his breath back to normal and walked toward the door. It was cracked open, but Remus could see that Sirius was on the floor. He started forward but then stopped.

He watched as Sirius slowly but surely scooted himself across the room. He watched the struggles, the physical and emotional torture Sirius was going through. When Sirius had reached a side table, Remus watched him with pride as he sat up on his own. Sirius was feeling the desk, Remus thought it looked like he was seeing how sturdy it was.

It clicked.

If he walked in now, Sirius would be embarrassed above all reason. Though Sirius had just completed an extraordinary feat, given his condition, Remus knew that if he didn't wait until Sirius was done, it wouldn't be good.

Remus saw that Sirius kept hoisting himself up and down a little, as if testing something. Remus shifted positions. What's he trying to do?

Sirius reached down and scooted his legs closer to him. He had to try at least, he had to.

Remus frowned. He was more confused. He had no idea what Sirius was trying to do. He was so caught up in the moment that when a hand tapped him, he jumped. Remus turned around to find Harry, watching the scene inside the room with interest and concern.

"How'd he get over there?" Harry whispered so softly Remus barely caught it.

Remus bent to Harry's ear. "He crawled, well scooted over there. I watched it."

Harry grinned. "Knew we couldn't keep him immobile for long."

Remus looked back in the room. "What do you think he's doing?"

Harry looked to the room then back to the werewolf. "It looks like he's going to try to stand."

Remus' face filled itself with concern. "He can't do that, he won't be able to. He'll just hurt himself."

Harry kept quiet. He didn't know what to do. Should they intervene or play it out? He watched Sirius prepare himself and wondered why Sirius would want to try such a dangerous stunt. For some reason he began to feel very uncomfortable about the situation. Sure it would wound Sirius' pride, but..

Harry pushed Remus a bit ahead. The werewolf got the message and opened the door. It creaked and Sirius instantly stopped and looked toward the door.

"Who's there? Remus? Harry?"

"Yeah, love. It's us."

Sirius stared back straight ahead. Remus walked over there and knelt down. He ran a hand through Sirius' black hair and leaned near the man's ear.

"I'm proud of you."

Sirius gave a small smile and wrapped his arms around Remus' neck. Remus put his own arms underneath Sirius' legs and lifted him up.

"I brought dinner.." Harry began awkwardly. Remus looked and sure enough there was dinner floating behind Harry.

"Great, I'm actually starving."

Remus gave Sirius a kiss on the forehead. "Good, well it looks like we have plenty of food."

Harry grinned sheepishly. "I ddin't know what to bring, so I brought a bit of everything."

Remus sat Sirius on the bed, making sure he could sit up on his own before helping pass the food out.

Remus watched Sirius determined to feed himself. At first it was a bit rough, but as the meal went on Sirius became accustomed and pretty soon had the feel of it.

Harry looked at Remus. Things seemed to be going just fine.

The next day found Sirius and Harry playing Wizards' Chess, waiting for Remus to get back with some muggle information about paralysis. Sirius' pieces, knowing that their player was blind, had fully given themselves up to "help" him win by shouting out millions of places to move.

"Um..knight to..H8," Sirius said weakly.

The pieces at once began arguing amongst themselves and Harry shook his head.

"This is hopeless."

"Yeah, you're telling me."

Harry quickly immobilized the whole game board, finally getting some quiet in the room. He put the pieces away and put the game back on the shelf. They were in Sirius and Remus' room, Sirius had woken up with a pounding headache and by Dr. Remus' orders, he was to stay in bed.

"Sirius?"

Sirius opened his eyes and looked toward where Harry's voice had come from. Harry quietly moved, he still felt unerved by the dullness in them. He moved toward the chair but then decided to sit on the end of the bed. Sirius didn't move his dead gaze and Harry was secretly grateful.

"Yes, Harry?"

"What's it like? Being blind?"

Sirius was thrown off the track for a second. Of course he had..well he had thought someone somewhere down the line might ask him, but he didn't know what to say.

"It's..I..well..er...it's like.."

Harry thought to smile, but it wouldn't matter if he did or not. His godfather couldn't tell anyway. He suddenly felt a wave of sadness crash into him.

"It's being in the dark all the time. It's like never waking up, it's like the world with no sunlight. It's like being empty."

Harry knew what it was like to feel like you were empty. He had felt it all summer long when he realized Sirius was dead. Also the summer before that when Cedric had died. Both times, his fault. He felt like..he felt empty. also when he was young, being stuck in the cupboard at night, there was no light. The Dursley's never gave him a nightlight. So he knew what it was like to be in the dark.

Sirius had looked down now. He heard a small sniff and tensed up. His godfather was crying.

"It's like being in Azkaban. Only instead of emotional and mental torture it's physical and emotional torture. I can't do anything, even more so because I'm paralyzed. I won't be able to see the world anymore. I won't get to your wedding, I won't get to see you, I won't get to see the children you have. I won't ever be able to see Remus, see his smile. It's all fading, Harry. My memory of what everything looks like, it's all fading..."

Sirius stopped as a small sob wrenched forth. Harry stood up and wrapped Sirius into a hug. Sirius returned it fully and after a few seconds Sirius pulled away. Harry stood up straight and noticed Remus there, eyes reddened. Harry knew he had been standing there for a few minutes, not making a sound, listening to where this conversation headed. Harry looked the werewolf in the eyes for a moment then looked down.

"I'm sorry Sirius. I didn't mean..I didn't mean anything by the question. I was just.."

"Curious. I know Harry...you're father would've done the same. How do we finally figured Remus' secret out?"

Remus came in with a small smile. "Yes they curiously annoyed the hell out of me until I finally gave in."

Harry looked at Sirius who was grinning. He wondered whether Sirius remembered it fully. Again he felt saddened and angry. Sirius had done nothing at all in his whole life to deserve all that he had gotten. Azkaban, this, what else was there to dish out?

"Have you found anything new?"

Remus sat down on the bed right next to Sirius. "No," the werewolf replied bluntly.

Sirius nodded. He hadn't expected anything.

"But I may have found something for your eyes. It's called..it's a muggle surgery. It's called Artificial Retinal Implants."

Harry raised an eyebrow as Sirius opened his mouth a little. Remus smiled and cleared his throat.

"Alright I'll explain a little better. Although it's a bit confusing, even to me. Basically they replace your eyes with new synthetic ones that contain a camera of sorts. Then with sound you decode what it looks like and you can see. Well something along those lines. I'll have to read over it better, of course."

Sirius had closed his mouth and was now looking at Remus expressionless. Harry didn't like the sound of that and was beginning to say so when Sirius cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it right now." His voice was sort of bland, dull like his eyes.

Remus grasped Sirius' hand. "Of course, love. Are you alright?"

"Fine." The reply was whispered and Harry looked down. This was his fault. It was always his fault. With anger he hdan't felt in a long time he stalked out of the room ignoring Remus calling his name. He waited until he got down the hallway and began walking faster, until he was almost at a run. He passed by someone, but put his head down so he couldn't see who it was, but no suck luck. The person caught his sleeve and he was forced to look at them, falling tears and all. It was dismayed to see it was none other but Snape.

"I do believe Potter, that this is a walk only zone."

"Never heard of the rule. Who died and made you boss?"

Snape narrowed his eyes and with a quick movement was pulling Harry along down the stairs toward Snape's dungeon. Harry knew better to jerk away but couldn't resist trying a little. His feeble attempts failed and he relunctantly let the Potions' master lead him into the classroom. Snape led him to a chair where he forcibly pushed Harry into it.

"Now Potter explain yourself."

Snape stepped a little aways to lean against the desk. Harry glared up at him. Snape showed no outward emotion, which was a bit rare when he looked at Harry. It was always with anger and resentment.

"Explain what? Why would you care? Oh don't start pretending to be my best friend now, Professor. Just to blab all my news to your pitiful friends like you did to Remus," Harry spat out bitterly.

Snape didn't move an inch, nor did his expression change. Harry grew angrier. He wanted someone to yell at him. To tell him it was his fault. He didn't know where this sudden change in mood came from, but Harry was feeling so much right now, he didn't care. He began to feel that Sirius should've never came back.

"Why not Potter? After all, he is your godfather and am I right that you were depressed to know he was gone."

Harry blinked. He hadn't realized he had said the last line aloud. Wait, did he? He stared at Snape.

"No Potter, you dimwit. You said nothing aloud."

Harry stood up. "Get out of my head, I can barely deal with me in my head. Much less a greasy git like you!"

Snape merely raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. He opened his mouth then closed it looking toward his right.

"I suggest Potter, you calm down."

"I'm not taking orders from you, you're not my father."

Harry heard the sound of something groaning and he looked to where Snape was looking. He felt everything vanish as shock ran through his body. Glass vials were cracking and the table bending upward as if something were underneath it pushing it like it was rubber.

"Am I doing that?"

"Harry?"

Harry turned toward where he had Remus' voice. The werewolf suddenly appearred in the doorway and was looking at where Snape was. Harry looked back and saw that the table had gone back down but the vials were still cracked and leaking. Snape waved his wand and ther repaired.

"Severus, what's going on?" Remus asked mildly.

Snape looked at Remus. "Nothing that requires help. Potter get out of my sight."

Harry, trying to urge up anger to spit out a good retort, couldn't anymore. He looked up at Snape.

"Gladly," Harry said quietly and quickly walked out of the room.

Remus watched after the boy. "Did he mess anything up? I can repair it if need be."

"I'm perfectly capable of it myself, Lupin and no, he didn't. You kindly stopped that."

Remus looked back at the old gang rival. "I know what you did, but I don't know why."

Snape turned and stalked away deeper into the classroom, leaving Remus there in the doorway puzzled. Finally Remus headed back up into the castle. He decided that Harry needed time by himself.

Remus stopped short of his bedroom and leaned against the wall.

Oh, Sirius.