Silent tears trailed down Harry's pale cheeks. How could they put me alone in this room, HIS room? he thought. Harry bit his lip and twisted his hands into the duvet. Remus promised me that I'd never be alone.

Harry felt his thoughts drift back to the Department of Mysteries, again. He saw Sirius fall, again…again… again. Harry's eyes were drawn to the chest of drawers and the mirror above. He could picture Sirius in his mind, standing at the mirror and trimming his overly long mane of hair with his wand, a smile on his face. As the image of Sirius turned towards Harry, the young teen felt crushed by a deep, fathomless despair. Before Harry could stop them, sobs bubbled up from deep within his soul. Sirius! Harry looked away quickly, trying to banish those thoughts from his mind.

"I can't stay here! I won't!" Angrily wiping his tears away, Harry tried to sit up but could not manage it; instead he slumped back against the pillows once more. I will not stay in here! I won't and they can't make me! Steeling his resolve, Harry painstakingly inched his body toward the side of the bed, his legs dragging like a shackle, binding him to this room full of bitter memories. A thin sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead from the exertion. Gritting his teeth and growling low in his throat, Harry flung his body over the edge of the bed, face-first. A groan escaped his lips as his bruised and battered body collided painfully with the floor, sending up a cloud of dust from the floorboards and knocking his glasses onto the floor beside him. Head spinning and drenched in sweat, Harry lay still for a moment, his deep ragged breaths echoing through the tomblike silence of the room. He could see the blurry dark outline of the door from where he lay. I can't give up now, he thought. I'm so very close.

Fishing around for his glasses, Harry spied something covered with dust under the bed. As he found the glasses and placed them on his face he could now clearly see what it was under the bed…a box of dog biscuits. Harry remembered joking with his friends about getting Sirius dog biscuits as a prank. The joke had turned out to be on Harry because Sirius enjoyed snacking on the canine treats. Harry quickly looked away, biting his lip to prevent the tears from flowing again. Harry's heart ached anew as he sunk deeper into despair, feeling like he could drown in his loss.

Slowly, Harry began to inch his body across the floor, toward the door. The residual pain in his left shoulder from the car accident prevented him from using that arm, so he ended up pulling himself along only using his right arm. After moving only a handful of feet, he began to see spots dancing before his eyes so he took a quick break, putting his head on his arm. After the episode passed, he started the arduous task again, slowly dragging his useless lower body across the floor.

It wasn't until he reached the door that he realized he had no way of opening it. Harry's shoulders sagged and he shut his eyes tightly, tears threatening again. He was about to roll onto his back when the door opened and hit his left shoulder. Harry cried out in pain from the impact as his uncooperative body tried to pull away from the door.

"Harry? What in Merlin's name are you doing over here on the floor?" Remus asked in surprise as he quickly conjured a stretcher and knelt beside the boy. "Here, Harry. Roll over onto your back onto the stretcher."

Harry did as he was told, a pained hiss escaping his clenched teeth as he adjusted his body on the stretcher.

"It's okay, Harry. I'm sorry that there was a mix-up and that you were taken here." Remus saw the tear tracks and the puffy eyes of his fallen friend's son, making him feel the guilt more deeply. Lupin forced a small smile, saying, "I'm going to keep you downstairs with us for now, okay?" The lycanthrope reached out to brush Harry's hair from his forehead but Harry jerked away, the teen's green eyes glaring at his former professor.

Harry felt his anger flare up at Lupin. "You said you wouldn't leave me alone here!" Tears threatened to spill again. "You left me in HIS room!" he said, his anguished voice wavering.

Lupin cringed. "I'm sorry, Harry. There was a misunderstanding. I know what I promised you." The werewolf looked down at Harry, remorse in his eyes. "We couldn't foresee that Snape would be injured." Lupin swallowed thickly as Harry turned away from him. "I know that's no excuse. I'm very sorry." Hearing no response from Harry, Lupin levitated the stretcher into the hallway and down the stairs.

§§§§§§§§§§§§

Tonks glanced over her shoulder at Remus and Harry as they reentered the room. She was still applying pressure to Snape's abdomen and her arms were getting stiff. "Remus, Why did you bring him down here?" Tonks asked. When she saw Harry's glare she sheepishly added, "I'm sorry I put you in the wrong room."

"Not the wrong room, SIRIUS' room!" Harry spat. Turning his head away, he saw that Dumbledore and Healer Snape were bent over Snape on the other side, deep in conversation, peering under the woolen blanket every so often to check the wound.

Dumbledore straightened his back and turned to face Harry, nodding in greeting as he said, "Harry, my boy, nice to see you." Turning back to the Healer, the headmaster asked affably, "Did you try the Strigo charm?"

"Do I look like a dunderhead?" Her affronted voice rose an octave. "I've tried Strigo, Congelo, Integro and Percuro…" As she spoke, she ticked each charm off on her fingers. "None of them have worked!" Maia stopped for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose with her forefinger and thumb. Feeling calmer she then continued, "I've checked him for all of the most common poisons but none have shown positive. As you can clearly see, I've even got this pink-haired girl applying pressure like the Muggles do. Nothing is working!" Maia cried in exasperation. "I need to contact St. Mungo's!"

"I cannot let you do that, Maia," said Dumbledore placing a calming hand on her arm. "If you contact St. Mungo's our location may be compromised," Dumbledore said softly.

"I will not stand aside and watch my son bleed to death!" Maia jerked her arm away from the headmaster. "I've given him the maximum dosage of Blood-Replenishing Potions and I'm running out of options," Maia said, a slight hint of desperation lacing her words. The Healer looked again under the blanket then wrung her hands in frustration, her large brown eyes filling with tears.

Harry tugged on Remus' sleeve. "Why won't he stop bleeding?" the teen asked as quietly as possible.

Lupin shook his head. "We don't know. There was some poison or other on the blade." Remus smiled weakly. "It's not something you need to worry about. We'll sort it out."

Harry lay back deep in thought, his brow furrowed. A poison that could stop blood from clotting, it all sounds so familiar, he thought. Harry's green eyes grew wide as the realization struck him like a bolt from the blue. He grabbed Lupin's arm and tugged hard. "Remus, didn't Mr. Weasley's snakebite last Christmas cause the same symptoms? Maybe it's a venom instead of a poison."

Remus' eyes widened and he shouted, "Maia! Come here and listen to Harry for a bit! He may know how to help!"

"What?" Maia said irritably, wheeling over to Harry. She didn't think a teen could solve a problem that she, a trained and experienced Healer, could not. "What is it child?" she snapped.

"Snake venom! Mr. Weasley was bitten by a Death Eater's snake and they couldn't get his wound to stop bleeding until they found the correct antidote."

Eyebrows rising, Maia waved her wand in an intricate series of movements and a book popped out of thin air before settling gently onto her lap. With another wave of her wand, the pages began rapidly turning themselves before coming to rest on one page. She wheeled back over to her son and while waving her wand, began to call out strange words that Harry had never heard before. After each word she would wait and a wispy white cloud would rise from Snape's still body. Each time the cloud would fade away after a few seconds. After the fourth incantation the cloud didn't fade but became thicker and more substantive, slowly taking on the three dimensional form of a thick green snake. "That's it!" Maia shrieked then looked back to her book for the name of the antidote. "Poe!" The house-elf popped in and quickly wrote down what his mistress needed before vanishing again.

"It's going to be alright, son. You're going to be fine," Maia said soothingly as she stroked her unconscious son's hair.

Harry watched this tender side that Mrs. Snape was showing to her son, feeling a twinge of jealousy that even the ‘greasy git' had a mother who loved him and Harry had no one. Snape didn't deserve a mother like her, such a kind, intelligent and caring woman. Harry looked away, feeling surprised that he could feel envious of his most hated teacher.

Snape had only acted in Harry's best interests since the teacher had arrived at the accident scene. Snape had even taken Harry into his home, which was now overrun by Death Eaters.

As Harry looked away, he wished he could shake the foul mood he was in and go to sleep again, but the pain in his body was building. He knew that the Healer had more on her mind at this time than his pain but he could no longer think straight. He hated to be a burden but wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out.

Remus turned from watching the Healer with her son to view Harry. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"My legs really hurt." He swallowed hard, biting his lip.

"Healer Snape, can I give Harry a pain potion?" Remus asked.

"Oh, of course, dear." Maia wheeled over to Harry and placed her hand on his forehead. "Poor dear, of course you can have something for the pain. I hadn't realized it had been so long since your last dosage. All of the excitement probably hasn't helped either," she said, noting his puffy eyes. She had Remus get out a potion and watched as he measured out the amount. "That's good." She turned her attention back to Harry. "That should help you, dear." Before wheeling away she placed a gentle hand on Harry's arm, saying very softly, "Thank you for saving my son."

Harry watched as the Potion Master's thin chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Snape lay very still, his face chalky white, but he was still alive. If he could only stay alive until the antidote arrived. As Harry watched him the black eyes flicked open, startling him. The Potions Master said nothing; he looked at Harry for a moment with a clouded and feverish gaze before closing his eyes again.

§§§§§§§§§§§§

Severus moaned softly, caught in the throes of a dream.

Severus was seated in the dining room at Wildwood. He looked around at those assembled, his mother's most favored cronies. Mrs. Smythe-Bourke was there, he noted with a sneer. He had not forgiven her for putting one Agatha Thorpe onto his scent.

Agatha, the poor dear, had the looks of a basset hound and a temperament to match. Smythe-Bourke had continually manufactured reasons for Agatha to be at Wildwood and the girl had followed him around, stealing longing glances at him with mournful, puppy-dog eyes. It wouldn't have surprised Severus if she had sat at his feet panting. Severus found reasons to stay locked in the basement doing potions research, much to his mother's dismay.

The Thorpe's were purebloods with ties to the most prestigious families in Britain, but none of that mattered to Severus. It also didn't matter to him much that Agatha was rather plain, but she was frightfully shy and would never utter a word in his presence. Was she mute? Retarded, perhaps? He doubted it, but he had no interest in pursuing that line of thought any further.

With His sneer still firmly in place he looked to the other ladies, all of whom had either conspired to wed him to somebody advantageous to them or had attempted to marry him themselves, much to his mother's dismay. His mother had cut most of the latter off from her coterie. But, why would they be here? It makes no sense, he pondered.

Severus was feeling rather out of sorts, dizzy and nauseous. He raised his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened he found that Harry Potter was standing directly in front of him. "Potter?" Severus asked, astonished to see the child in his home. "What are you doing here?"

Potter stood glaring at Severus for a moment before the boy's eyes began to glow red and a feral grin split his face. Severus' eyes were drawn to the boy's hand, as the teen drew it out from a concealing fold of his Gryffindor robes. In Harry's hand was his wand, which pointed directly at Severus.

"Crucio!" Potter called.

§§§§§§§§§§§§

Severus moaned and thrashed on the table, almost falling off of it. Tonks shouted for help as she threw herself across Severus' legs. Remus came forward to grab Severus' shoulders.

"No! Stop!" yelled Severus, trying to get off the table and clawing at Remus' hands.

Maia leaned close to her son and tried to speak to him in soothing and reassuring tones. He did not respond and in his delirium he struck her across the face, the slap resounding in the quiet room.

Dumbledore drew his wand and pointed it at the Potions Master' writhing form.

"No!" screamed Maia. "He doesn't know what he's doing!"

"I understand that Maia, but he's going to hurt someone or himself if he's not restrained!"

"Just secure his hands and let me handle it!" Maia said, getting close to Severus again and taking his feverish face in her hands. "Shhh, Severus. Mummy's here, dearest. Shhh." She looked him directly in the eye. "Calm down, son." Maia let go of his face and, keeping her gaze locked with his, she began to stroke his ebony hair.

The frantic motions began to slow. Severus' head lolled toward his mother, his eyes confused. "Mother?" he asked, blinking to try to focus his eyes.

"Yes, dear, it's me," she cooed. "Just go back to sleep dear, you've had a bad dream."

Severus' black eyes drifted shut again and his steady, deep breathing was a relief to all in the room. Tonks quickly took up her previous duties, pressing on Snape's abdomen to stem the flow of blood.

Harry had watched Snape's face when he looked at his mother. His most hated teacher looked almost like a normal person, not Snape the ‘greasy git', but Snape the wizard who has a mother who loves him. Harry could see the love shining in the younger Snape's coal black eyes. As Harry began to relax he wondered if there was still some humanity left in his bitter teacher.

§§§§§§§§§§§§

Maia and Dumbledore looked at each other expectantly. The antidote had been brewed and they were hopeful that it would help. Maia looked again at her sleeping son, his face pale as death. Tonks stood at his side, continuing to apply pressure to the still seeping wound. The young Auror was beginning to look peaky herself.

"Albus, would you give it to him?" asked Maia. "I think my hands are too shaky."

Dumbledore smiled and took the proffered goblet. He gently tapped Severus' face to wake him. Severus briefly opened his eyes and moaned, turning his face away. "Wake up, my boy," said Albus.

"Leemealone," was Severus' slurred reply.

"I need you to wake up and take this potion, now," said Maia.

"Five more minutes," Severus said and attempted to roll onto his side. As he moved the pain in his gut brought him to full wakefulness. His eyes flew open and the Potions Master yelled, "Bloody hell! What are you people doing to me?" His black eyes darted around the room frantically, his pale face registering his confusion.

Severus saw James Potter! "What trick is this, Potter? Do you think you can stab me and get away with it?" Snape sneered. He wagged one long thin finger at his rule-breaking classmate. "I'll make certain you're expelled!"

"Severus, my boy, Harry didn't stab you," Dumbledore soothed.

"Who?" Severus turned his attention to Dumbledore. "Who… Who is Harry?" Severus looked to the other faces until he saw Lupin. "Are you Remus Lupin's' father? Because, if you are, I have a some things to tell you!"

"Severus, You've been ill," said Remus, coming closer. "I'm Remus."

"I…I don't understand." Severus ran a shaky hand over his pallid face.

"Everything's going to be fine, Severus. Albus has a potion for you to drink." Maia patted her son's hand.

Severus' eyes turned back to Dumbledore. "A potion?"

"Yes, my boy. You've been very ill and need this antidote for a venom with which you were poisoned," said Dumbledore.

"Venom?…Poisoned?" echoed the Potions Master softly, his eyes darting back and forth as he considered what was said..

Dumbledore nodded. "Take this potion and the bleeding will stop."

Severus looked confused, looking from face to face in the room. "Bleeding?" His befuddled mind began to process the information.

"Yes, from the stab wound." Dumbledore slid his hand under the Potion Master's head. "Drink up." As Severus drank, the headmaster encouraged him. "That's right, drink it all."

§§§§§§§§§§§§

Severus' bleeding stopped completely after a bit leaving everyone exhausted but pleased.

Maia, in high spirits, called for Poe who was set to the task of preparing them a meal, with Dobby assisting. While he did this, the Healer asked Dumbledore and Remus to move the patients upstairs. "I want them in the same room."

"What?" shrieked Harry.

"Yes, the same room," Maia huffed. "It will be easier to keep track of you two." The scathing look she sent Harry's way silenced any further argument. "You both need a lot of care. Are there any adjoining rooms?"

Remus answered, "Yes. The two at the head of the stairs on the right are connected by a door."

"Then it's settled. I'll stay in the one room, with Spencer, and the boys will be in the other."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose as she mentioned Spencer. "Who is Spencer? Have I met him?" His tone was light but a touch of jealousy laced the words.

"Spencer? Come down and meet our guests." The Healer's cat jumped down from the top of a bookshelf and leapt into his mistress' lap. "This is Spencer, my trouble-making, good for nothing, causing my son to be stabbed, cat." She frowned as she petted the pale gray fur. The cat purred contentedly. Her frown was quickly replaced with a small smile.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. "Well," he said, clapping his hands. "I think you'll need someone with you around the clock to help you with your patients." He grinned at Harry. "Members of the O—uh—group that we belong to, can take turns helping. I'll take the first shift." The headmaster felt younger than he had in years and whistled happily as he helped to set up the room for it's new occupants.