A/N: This chapter pretty much wrote itself, hence the quick update. Many thanks to Snapeswidow for assisting with Demetri. If you feel a bit dizzy after reading this, I assure you that it's purely intentional. Enjoy.

Madness

Something was tickling his nose. He scrunched up his face before he brought a hand up. A quick squeak of surprise instantly alerted him to the fact that it hadn't been something but rather someone. He opened one eye and found a pair of hazel eyes staring back at him. Harrison.

"Attaboy," chuckled a semi-gruff voice off to Severus's side.

"Dad," the young wizard said with a soft sigh. Well, at least he wasn't alone this time.

"Yeah. Yer mother wanted to be here, well, sorta." Tobias rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "She wanted me to relay a message to you."

"I bet she did." Severus sighed heavily before he tried to sit up. He frowned when his dad instantly pressed a hand against his chest to force him back down. "Fine. What's her message?" He regretted asking it almost immediately afterwards when his father gently cuffed him upside the head. He should have known that'd be her message.

Harrison's giggles immediately filled the room.

He was glad the brat found that funny. Rubbing the side of his head, Severus pulled the boy closer. He had missed him. He smiled when the little boy kissed his cheek.

"So, are ya gonna tell us? Did ya find her?"

"What?" He glanced at Tobias.

"This lass yer all hung up about. Did ya find her?"

"I saw her, but . . ." He frowned wondering how much he should divulge. "She brought me back here after I was attacked."

"No, Demetri did, son," Tobias replied.

"What? No. It was Aurora."

"Uh, hate to argue with ya, but it was Demetri, Severus."

"It couldn't be. Aurora found me in London and . . ."

"London? No. Demetri found you and brought you here."

"She's lying!"

Harrison's head moved side to side as if he was watching an intense tennis match between his father and grandfather. He clearly didn't understand most of the words, but he did understand the emotions. Biting his bottom lip, he sniffled.

"The hell she is!"

"Dad, she didn't save me! I don't know what her deal is—"

"Deal?" Tobias growled before he scoffed loudly. "Ya make it sound like she's the one who attacked you."

"She could have. She could have ordered—"

"Oh, please! Not everyone you meet, son, wants to hurt ya. When are ya gonna get that through yer thick skull?"

"You may buy her entire act, but—"

"Act? What act? That she's just as lonely as you are? That she ain't got a friendly face around her except me? Nah. Come on, son. You can't really be this foolish. I mean, shit, son. She ain't some mastermind out to get you. She's just tryin' to fit in."

"You don't know her. You've only met her once."

"Twice thank you, but for the record there, you don't know her either. So, how about ya get to know her before ya start chuckin' stones at her house, yeah?"

Severus opened his mouth to snarl something particularly nasty at his father, but closed his mouth the second Harrison buried his face and started to cry into his side. He hadn't meant for the boy to get upset. Actually, truth be told, he had forgotten the boy was still there. He had been so used to being by himself, so it was still taking some time to get used to having another human depend on him. He rubbed gentle circles on the boy's back and sighed. His father might be able to afford to be naïve where the witch was concerned, but he couldn't be. He needed to keep his family safe.

"Judging by how yer first meetin' went, yer lucky she even brought ya up here, ya know?" Tobias said quietly. "Cause ya acted like a downright bastard to her."

"I was forced to stare into her eyes, Dad."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, she got a defensive with me first. What was I supposed to do? Stand and take her abuse silently, Dad?"

"Her abuse?" Tobias scoffed. "Ya ever think that maybe she didn't appreciate all that attention either? Shit, I mean, see it from her point of view. She gets hired into a foreign school. So not only is she the only new kid on the block, she's also the foreigner. And instead of gettin' a welcome, she gets some git snappin' at her because he's all anti-social and hung up on a lass who ain't even around."

"Anti-social?"

"Well, it ain't like ya make an effort to go meet other people, son."

The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "Yeah, because I lose them once I get close, Dad." He watched his dad's eyes soften, and he turned away.

"Yer mum and me are here now."

"Keyword is now, Dad. You weren't around when I was growing up, though. And Mum, she had enough on her plate with Roger."

"Well, ya got Harrison then. The boy's been with ya for a year now. And he ain't leavin'."

Frowning, Severus rubbed the side of his head where a dull ache was starting to rear itself. The boy was only there because his future self had wanted the boy to have a better life this time. If he knew the truth . . .

He wondered how his future self had done it. A lifetime of loneliness. It was worse than any Cruciatus Curse or sentence in Azkaban in his mind. Though, perhaps that thinking was because Severus was starting to let others in again. If one didn't know any better, then it wouldn't hurt as bad.

"So, this witch of yers . . ." Tobias said, regaining his attention. "Pretty shitty of her to drop ya off and just leave ya for anyone to find, defenseless, don't ya think?"

He turned back to his father. "I'm sure she had a reason for leaving."

Tobias scoffed, shaking his head. "Just once, I wish ya didn't lie to yerself just to excuse the pretty girl ya like treatin' ya like shit again."

"Aurora didn't treat me—"

"She left ya, Severus, bleedin', injured, half-dead, for someone else to save ya. Pretty shitty in my book."

"She had to leave, though."

"Yeah? Why? She on the run from the Aurors? Or forgot she left the oven on? What, son? What pathetic excuse are ya gonna give her?"

"I don't know, but she wouldn't have just left me without a reason. I know she wouldn't." He winced as another surge of pain shot through him before it quickly vanished again.

"Yeah? And how do you ya know that? Cause the way I've seen it, ya didn't really know that much about her until ya got that letter and, ya know, that stranger showed up ruinin' yer future."

"He didn't ruin my future," Severus shot back.

"No? Then everythin' happened exactly as it should have? All the events fell in the right place, right time? Yeah?"

"Some have changed, but—Dad, you don't understand. I just know she wouldn't do that."

"You just know?" Tobias repeated slowly, his eyes holding Severus's.

"Yes. I don't know how to explain it, but I know it's true."

"I hope for yer sake then that it doesn't end up bitin' ya on yer ass, son."

So did he.

It wasn't long after that he found himself alone again in the hospital wing with nothing but time to dwell on all that he had learned from his father. Pomfrey, the matron from hell as he was going to refer to her from now on, had decided that he needed to be kept overnight for observation. Of course, that was easy for her to declare, seeing as how she had others to distract her. But for him, that was a lifetime of boredom, and that was always a dangerous thing for him.

His mind went through every possible explanation of what had occurred, dismissing the far-fetched ones. He couldn't help but alternate between anger and sadness. He was alone. Again! Alone in his misery. Alone in pain. Alone and left for dead. Alone to be found by Demetri Le Fey who spouted lies of her heroism to anyone who would listen. Alone to wallow in his feelings. Alone. Always alone.

Perhaps Sinistra had left him there because she had come under attack herself. Or she was called away. It was possible, he supposed. And McGonagall had said that Sinistra had claimed she'd never return to England again, and yet he knew she had. So, why didn't Sinistra want others to know she was there? A mission? No. She wasn't an Order member. Or maybe she was on second thought?

He frowned and rubbed his temple where the familiar ache flared to life again. It was strange. He didn't think she was, but yet . . . a part of him believed she was. Knew she was an Order member. He couldn't recall ever seeing her when he was on a mission for the Dark Lord, yet in his mind he knew she was. As the ache faded, he sighed. It was maddening. Utterly maddening.

Throwing off the blanket that Pomfrey had placed over him, he swung his legs to the side. He drew in a deep breath before he pushed himself up. He needed answers or he was going to go mad. Everything came back to Demetri. She knew. He just needed to get her to talk.

As he limped up to the office door in the Astronomy Tower several minutes later, he found himself clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides. Partly due to his pain that was increasing with each step, and partly due to his anger at not knowing the answers.

Would Demetri lie again? To his face this time? Or would she come clean and explain what the hell was going on? He hoped for the latter, but he was fairly certain from his brief interaction with her that it'd be the former. He brought his hand up and knocked against the heavy oak. If he had to, he would use every possible means to get his answers from her.

With her wand still in hand, he watched Demetri nearly knock her chair over as she jumped to her feet at seeing who had knocked. "Christ on a cracker, Professor! You look like hell." She smoothed the front of her skirt then—she was nervous . . .good—before moving around her desk and conjuring a chair for him. "Shouldn't you be in bed or something instead of coming all the way up here? You were nearly dead when I found you earlier. "

He stared at her and felt his frown deepen. So, she had chosen lies. So be it. "I merely wanted to thank you, Miss Le Fey, for saving me. I've been told that had it not been for you, well..." He forced a smile to his face, feeling his anger bubble up inside. How dare she spout that lie to him. She didn't save him. Sinistra had! He kept his voice even and calm. "It's strange, though..." He let his voice trail off.

Demetri stopped short at the man's tone, keeping the chair between her and the obviously angry wizard. If looks could kill, she was long dead. "Is sarcasm another British custom, or are you an exception?" she replied, crossing her arms defensively across her chest. It was clear a part of her wanted to throw up a shield, expecting an attack from him at any moment. "Your mouth said thank you, but your tone suggests a four-letter word beginning with F."

He snorted and inclined his head. "As you wish." If she wasn't going to play, neither was he. He appreciated her brutal honesty of the situation, though. "You didn't save me, and you know it. So, why are you spouting that ridiculous lie to everyone? You weren't there in London! Aurora Sinistra was!"

Demetri lowered her arms and slipped a hand into her pocket to grip her wand at the professor's tone. He was upset clearly and looked like he was two seconds away from snapping. "You're either high on whatever Poppy gave you, or you're suffering from some sort of head injury." She spoke softly as if speaking to a spooked horse. If she could only diffuse the tension, then maybe she had a chance. "I never said I was in London. I found you at the gates half dead and brought you up to the castle."

He stepped back and stared at her. He hadn't expected her not to argue. "What?"

Demetri sighed and perched on the edge of her desk. "I was leaving the castle to head for the village when I saw the silvery panther rushing up to me with a frantic message saying you were attacked and needed medical attention." She shrugged. "I couldn't just leave you there."

Silvery panther? It was a Patronus clearly. His eyes moved back and forth as he chewed on this for a moment. Dumbledore had taught all Order members how to use their Patronus to send messages. It was in case an Order member was being attacked. It made it so the others could assist. So, it was an Order member. But Aurora had found him in London. She had been the one to fight off his attackers before they killed him. So, then he was right. She was an Order member. She had to be.

"So, you . . .then you know?" He winced as he took a step towards her. This familiar headache was becoming a serious thorn in his side. "You do know then what's going on." Demetri could shed light on this entire thing. He could stop focusing on the who, what, why, how, etc, and just on what needed to be done next. "Why do they believe she's not in England? Why is that a secret?" The questions poured from him. "Why did the Aurors attack me?" She only stared at him, though, as if she didn't know what was going on. No. No she couldn't lie now. She had to know. "What the fuck is going on, Le Fey?" The last question he couldn't help but yell.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Severus." She had drawn her wand when he stepped towards her, keeping it at her side. "You need to calm down and go back to the hospital wing."

"No! Not until you answer my questions! You know each other. I heard her words. She stated if I left again, she'd tell you to hex me. You know her, Demetri!" He caught her brief look of confusion before it flickered away.

"Aurora Sinistra? Yeah, I know her. Seeing as we how both studied astronomy to become professors, we took a class or two together in university." She snorted and shook her head. "And, trust me, Snape. I don't need her permission to hex you where you stand, especially seeing as how you've come into my office and started screaming like a raving lunatic."

No. No! Why wasn't she answering? Why was she trying to distract him from the truth? If he were a different man, he might have reached towards her and shook her. Didn't she see how her not answering was only upsetting him more?

"She was supposed to be here, not you," he declared bluntly, brushing off her flinch at his words. "Is that her fixing what happened? Not being here this year, or is it something else?" It was maddening not knowing the answers and having the person with all of them refusing to divulge. He considered drawing his own wand, but decided against it ultimately. They weren't at that point quite yet. "Why are you here and not her? You're working together, correct? You and Sinistra?"

"You need help."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Clearly, Le Fey, you're missing the point. I'm asking you for help. In working all this out. You have answers. Answers I need. Now, we can continue to debate if I should still be in the hospital wing being fussed about, or you can be useful."

Her eyes flashed before she scoffed. "If you'd stop screaming at me like the petulant child I accused you of, I may be inclined to help you. But seeing as how so far you haven't . . ."

"Very well." He hadn't wanted it to come to this, but... "Have it your way." His eyes locked onto hers, and his fingers curled around his hidden wand. He needed to know. And if she wasn't going to cooperate, then he'd get the answers from her without her help.

"What?" Her face fell before the realization of what he was about to do occurred to her. Blinking and turning away from him to break his gaze, she stepped towards him. The dagger from her corset immediately was pressed deep against his chest. "You asshole!" she spat before she briefly glanced at him. "You think you can just root around in my head, violate me, just to get these answers you stupidly believe I'm hiding from you?" Her eyes flashed.

He smirked, though, withdrawing from her mind. She had acted exactly how he had predicted. He grabbed her upper arms to pull her closer. "No. But it had the desired effect I required." His nostrils flared, and his voice was low but steady. "Aurora contacted you. Not Minerva. Not Poppy. You. So, clearly, she trusts you for some reason. Some reason I haven't discovered yet." He inhaled slowly and exhaled, keeping himself calm.

She tensed as he grabbed her, bracing for an attack that didn't come.

"I wish to know what is going on, Demetri. You may think of me as a raving lunatic as you so eloquently stated earlier, but I assure you I am only this way because the answers I require, the answers I believe you have, evade me."

Her eyes narrowed but she said nothing.

"I was attacked by Aurors. Now, for all intents and purposes, I can't find a single reason why that'd be. I switched sides long before the Dark Lord was vanquished. Professor Dumbledore, in fact, had the Ministry grant me immunity, as everything I did, was for the Order." He drew in another deep breath and winced when the pain surged again. "Now, if it was just the attack, I'd be a bit upset. But there's then the whole mystery of Sinistra. McGonagall believes I'm mad and states I couldn't have seen her. Yet you and I both know I did. And it seems for whatever reason you left that quaint detail out to her and everyone else. So they think I'm mad."

Her eyes darted away but he continued.

"On top of that, I have the questions of why her mother strangely left St Mungo's not long after giving my father a file about his family. But the cherry on the top of this very bad day was you showing up." Her eyes flashed angrily. "The wrench that time has thrown me to keep me off track. It's not your fault, of course. I'm certain you're competent and all, but you should not be here, Miss Le Fey. And yet, here you are."

He frowned, idly realizing that he was acting like a complete and utter dunderhead. He never was like this. Letting all the secrets pour out of him like a raging river. But he continued, needing to get it out. The emotional volcano inside him had blown its top finally.

"This whole summer, the entire blasted time," he stated, "I kept repeating to myself how it would get better. That I wouldn't be alone anymore. When I saw you, though—do you understand? All of these things, all of them, have pissed me off royally. I mean, shit, how am I to keep my son and I safe, my family safe, when I'm focused on everything that's changed?" He sighed before he released her finally. "My father claims you are trustworthy. So, I will have to trust you. Won't I?"

Demetri rubbed her bare arms after he let her go and frowned. "I can be trusted. That is if you'd stop assuming I'm part of some sinister plan to royally fuck you over." She then moved back behind the desk, half-expecting him to attack her from behind.

He snorted before he sighed and glanced away. Most everyone he had ever met had tried to screw him one way or another. It was no wonder he had trust issues really.

When he remained where he stood far from her, she pulled open a drawer, withdrawing a bottle of Absinthe. She glanced at the dark-haired man before her before pulling the cork and drinking straight from the bottle. He was driving her to drink.

He watched her take a swig of Absinthe and then walked towards the window. His eyes glanced upwards at the stars. They were beautiful, he supposed. If one stopped and took the time to see them.

Wincing at the undiluted taste of the fermented herbs as she swallowed, Demetri recorked the bottle and left it on the desk. As if nothing had happened. "I can't answer your questions, Severus, because I don't know all of the answers."

He sighed softly, closing his eyes. She knew Astronomy so perhaps she could . . . It was getting harder to concentrate for some reason. He rubbed the back of his head and inhaled slowly. She could tell him what he was missing. Or maybe he'd go to the library. He had always done that in the past. No. It was better to test her. To hear it firsthand. A book couldn't carry on a conversation like a person could.

"What do you know about some event that occurred back in the late 1890s?"

Demetri cocked her head. "I remember Sin saying something once in a study group that some idiot screwed with time and caused an entire Thursday to last a few hours." She shrugged. His question had thrown her, it seemed, because she continued. "She was always asking the professors about time travel. Studied nearly all ancient star charts and journals she could get her hands on. All for evidence of people actually going back in time further than a time turner would allow." Demetri snorted. "She even asked to speak with my Great-grandmother's portrait once for a side project she was apparently working on. Though, no one could figure out what project it was for, as she didn't make friends you can imagine with the whole time travel thing."

"Interesting." He then shook his head. He couldn't be focusing on that attention-to-detail Aurora had displayed yet. "Without going into unnecessary details, suffice it to say, the timeline has been altered." Why was he trusting her? Honestly. He didn't know this woman. And yet he was betraying everything to . . . Had he drunk a bottle of Veritaserum and not realized it? "I realize that—or actually I don't..." He then sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't making any sort of sense anymore. Even he could tell that. Though, the pounding in his head was probably the main reason for that. "Do you remember anything about that? As in—could the reason the Aurors attacked me be because of the timeline being altered? Or..." He groaned, reaching out to the wall to steady himself.

"Are you serious?!" Demetri blinked at the thought of her old friend's late-night ramblings coming true. Sinistra actually had found a way to time travel, and it seemed had somehow ended up screwing up this poor young professor's life so much he was paranoid about everything and anything he felt was off. Well, she supposed that explained a few things on second thought. "You being attacked could be a byproduct of messing around with time, I guess. I'm not really well-versed in that sort of stuff. It was always her thing." She then looked over at him to find him swaying on his feet. She jumped off the edge of her desk and grabbed his arms. "Okay, you need to sit down before you fall down." She maneuvered him into the chair in front of her desk and bit her lip, thinking of what to do with him if he passed out on her. "Severus?"

He glanced up at her and groaned. His vision was blurring once more. Closing his eyes, he inhaled slowly. He could almost smell raspberries... and... A soft chuckle left his lips before his head lulled back. He could welcome the darkness this time because he knew what he was coming to.

"Fuck," Demetri swore as he slumped against her. Sliding an arm around his shoulder to keep him from falling over, she drew her wand and cast a levitation charm on him. She then concentrated on the door behind her desk that led to her private rooms to wandlessly open the door. When she heard the click from the lock and saw the door open a moment later, she thanked the Gods. Finally she was able to get that right. It figured that it'd be with him that'd happen.

Gently and carefully, she used her wand to levitate Severus onto her couch in her rooms before she pocketed her wand. She glanced at him before her gaze went to the fireplace. Should she call Poppy? Maybe Tobias even?

"When I said you needed to find a man," a haughty voice spoke from above her mantel, "I didn't expect you to bring one back unconscious."

Demetri glared up at the portrait instantly. That was not helping. "Fuck off, Morgana."

The older witch scoffed before exiting the frame in a huff.

Demetri then grabbed a handful of powder before she threw it into the flames. This was not what she had agreed to!