I swear my professors get together and plan to make sure all my tests are scheduled at the same time. I think they want to turn me into a braindead zombie, or drive me insane. One of the two. Anyway, thank you all for being patient, and I really will try to update more regularly...

Again, I do not own any of the characters, except the ones I made up entirely myself. :) All credit for Harry Potter and friends goes to J K Rowling.

Happy Reading!

Snape stared down at Lupin in shock. The man looked awful. His prematurely lined faced was bruised, and his whole body was trembling slightly. What on earth had happened? Snape bent down and carefully took Lupin's pulse. It was thready. Making a snap decision, Snape gingerly slid his arms under Lupin's shoulders and knees, and picked him up. Snape's eyebrows furrowed at how light the man was. Turning on his heels, Snape quickly made his way back to his office. Lupin needed immediate medical attention.

Kicking his door open, Snape carried Lupin over to the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder, and tossed it in the fire. Stepping inside, he tried not to hit any part of Lupin's damaged body on the bricks.

"Spinners End!"

As he began to spin, Snape realized that Lupin was coming to. He barely had stepped out of the fireplace before Lupin suddenly flailed against him, hitting him and kicking out. Snape lost his footing and fell back, dropping his passenger in the process. Lupin landed in a crouch on the floor, his normally pale blue eyes a feral gold. Snape scrambled to his feet, warily pulling out his wand. Lupin charged at him, a growl rumbling in his chest.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

The hasty spell hit Lupin hard in the chest, slamming him against the wall behind him. He hit his head for a third time, and started to sink to the floor. Before he could fall, Snape cast a sticking charm on him. Immediately he was lifted off the floor an inch or so as his tattered robes fixed themselves to the wall. Trapped, Lupin lowered his head, refusing to look at his captor.

Snape moved forward slowly, shaking his head. While it was true that the two of them had never really gotten along, Lupin had never tried to attack him before. He studied Lupin, noting that the trembling from earlier had become a hard shaking.

Lupin was starting to panic. He didn't know where he was, and Snape had him cornered. He was shaking with uncontrollable fear, and his head was ringing from the three hard hits it had taken. The only things he could focus on were his fear, and the fact that Snape musn't find out what was going on with Dumbledore.

Vaguely, Lupin noticed that Snape was moving towards him, his black eyes fixed on Lupin's chest. Lupin silently cursed when he realized that being stuck to the wall in this awkward position had revealed the deep cut Albus had made across his torso. Snape was getting close, much too close. Frantically, Lupin tried to think of an explanation for the wound, but Snape had reached out to probe it, his face etched with concern. At his touch, Lupin's head snapped up, and his pale blue eyes met Snape's black, and he felt himself being pulled into them.

Snape blanched as Lupin's memories flooded into him. He couldn't stop the flow, and was bombarded by image after image.

Lupin, a tiny boy, screaming in pain on the ground outside a small house. His father cursing the beast that had attacked his only child. His mother weeping hysterically as she tried to tend to her son.

Lupin, 11 years old, on the train to Hogwarts. His worry over the Full Moon coming closer was making him feel sick. How was he going to make friends? Who would want to be friends with him? James Potter appearing, shaking his hand and smiling, introducing Sirius and Peter.

The Sorting. Lupin's great relief that he had been sorted into Gryffindor, grateful that the beast in him hadn't forced him into Slytherin.

After Hogwarts, James suddenly turning on him, ordering him not to visit Lily and Harry anymore. Lupin's anguish at having to leave the tiny boy with his angry and easily influenced father. His sadness for Lily as she watched her precious son get bullied.

Albus's insane anger that James and Lily had been murdered. Albus took it out on Lupin for the first time, resulting in several broken ribs.

The sessions with Albus getting progressively worse as the old man gave in to his madness.

The session that had brought Lupin into Snape's path.

Finally, the memories stopped forcing themselves into Snape's head. He collapsed to his knees, and if not for the sticking charm, Lupin would have too. He hung limply from the wall, dread consuming him. How had Snape done that?

Reeling from the bombardment of information, Snape had a vague feeling that something about the memories had been slightly off. But a more pressing situation grabbed his attention. Forcing himself back up, Snape looked at Lupin, who was steadfastly avoiding his eyes, waves of fear and confusion rolling off of him. Worried that the extreme emotions Lupin was feeling would cause a panic attack or worse, Snape summoned a calming draught and managed to coax the other man into drinking it. As it took effect, Lupin's shaking slowed into a barely noticeable tremor, and his tense muscles relaxed just a little. Feeling safe enough to do so, Snape removed the sticking charm and steadied Lupin as his feet touched the floor. He looked utterly exhausted, and was having a hard time maintaining his balance.

Lupin flinched just a little when Snape raised his wand to heal the wound on his chest, but the relief of the wound closing was amazing.

"Are you alright? What on earth happened? How did you get in this state?"

Lupin turned his head away, not wanting to talk. He was so tired it hurt. Fortunately, Snape realized this, and didn't press for answers.

"Come on, you need to get some sleep. I have a spare room you can use."

Lupin followed in a daze, wondering what the heck was happening. But he didn't have the energy to do anything but sink onto the bed, and fall immediately asleep.

Snape moved out of the room quietly, shutting the door and magically locking it from the outside using a spell that he had made up years ago, to keep his abusive muggle father out of his room. Then he retired to his own room, to plan how he was going to retrieve and keep Harry safely.

I know this story is taking some time to really get going, but I have so many ideas it just takes a while to get them straight, and make them all tie in with each other. Harry's story line will be picking up soon!