Summer 2006
Harry was stressed. He'd been in communication with healers all over the world, looking for something that would cure Severus or at the very least, give him more time. Nobody had any advice for him except to make Severus comfortable.
Andromeda recommended a counselor for the both of them and they found someone in Seattle willing to see both of them. Severus conceded to go; he'd become so much more agreeable at the ripe old age of 46. And wasn't that a slam to the chest. Severus hadn't lived half his life yet.
Harry would side apparate them both to Seattle and back once a week for their appointment. They met with a nice older woman named Margaret. She was one of the few mental health professionals treating gay people in the country. She helped them process how they were feeling and prompted them to know what needed to still be done.
They decided to remain together, but for Harry's safety, they would be celibate. Even condoms could fail. Margaret also helped them draft a will. That day made Harry sob, he just couldn't hold it together.
Meanwhile Severus was growing thinner and more frail weekly. He could keep down bland foods but his digestive system was wreaking havoc on him.
One day in early August, Severus spoke to Harry.
"I want you to reach out to your friends…back in England, I don't want you to be alone."
"I won't be alone. I've got Andy and Teddy. Maggie, Anne and Rose. We have so much support here."
"It's not the same and you know it. I think you'll need someone else who knows you to help manage things. And who better than your other thirds?"
"Severus…I just…I'm already struggling that I have to lose you. I haven't seen or heard from them outside of letters in four years. I like the family we've built here in Montana. But I'll reach out if it makes you happy."
He smirked, the familiar expression on his gaunt face looking discongruent. He looked so smug when he won an argument. Harry rolled his eyes and kissed his cheek before going to pick up Teddy from school.
Their idea of taking in queer youth was still proceeding but slower. Currently they were housing two teenagers: Chrissy a seventeen year old and Luke a fourteen year old who was being abused at home.
Chrissy and Luke loved Severus and would sit with him when they weren't at school. But how fair was it to allow the kids to get attached when they didn't know how much time Severus had left? Harry didn't know but was determined to love everyone in his house as much as he could.