Severus wasn't sure he could control his temper adequately once he arrived at his quarters with his rebellious child, and so he ordered Harry to go to his room until he managed to quit feeling like he wanted to beat his son senseless.

Harry entered his room, feeling as if he'd received a stay of execution. But for how long? He wished Rosie were here, it always comforted him to snuggle with the lovable beagle, but she was still out and about with Hagrid and Fang, having herself a wonderful time, no doubt. Harry wished like hell he'd been smart and gone with them for the afternoon, instead of being a juvenile delinquent and sneaking into Hogsmeade. He had the sinking feeling he was going to regret that bit of stupid recklessness for a long time.

He threw himself down on his bed, chewing his nails and upper lip in a frenzy of nervous anticipation. A part of him wished that he could just get his punishment over and done with right away, the waiting was nerve wracking. Another part of him wanted to delay facing his father's wrath for as long as possible.

The clock seemed to tick by at a monotonous pace as he lay there, wondering what his father would do. What was he waiting for?

It reminded him a little of when he lived with the Dursleys, when Petunia used to throw him in his cupboard to await Vernon when he came home, but then he'd always known what awaited him when his uncle opened the door-a sound thrashing with the business end of Vernon's belt.

Severus had promised he'd never whip him, but perhaps this had been the last straw and his dad had gone to fetch a belt, Harry thought in despair. He had thought himself safe from such things forever, but perhaps that was no longer so. Harry had inherited Severus's flashfire temper and no one knew better what that temper could drive you to do in anger.

More time crept by, agonizingly slow.

Then the bedroom door opened and Severus entered.

Harry darted a swift glance at the man's hands.

They were empty of any kind of stick or strap.

Harry breathed again. Until he recalled that Severus could spank him if he wished. But in that case, he'll only use his hand and that I can handle. It'll be embarrassing and all, but I've had much worse and well, I earned it.

Severus moved to stand before his son, noting the boy's sharp intake of breath when he entered the room, the darting glance at his hands, and then the attempt to reconcile himself with what might be forthcoming. If Harry had been a dog, his tail would've been between his legs and he'd be looking right at the ground. Yes, the child definitely knew he was in trouble, there was no trace of defiance as Severus had expected when Remus had told him what Harry had done this afternoon.

This eased some of the anger the Potions Master felt towards his offspring, a repentant child was always easier to deal with than a defiant one. But that did not mean he was going to go easy on the boy, not by a long shot! He had reined in his temper enough so he needn't fear being overly harsh with his son, and now he would teach Harry the error of his ways.

"So. I leave to help out your cousin with a family problem and you think it means you are free to disregard my rules and go wherever you want, is that right? Using items of forbidden magic, no less, that bloody Invisibility Cloak of Potter's and the Marauder's map! Where did you get them, Harry?"

Harry licked his lips before replying. "Uh, Dumbledore gave me back the Invisibility Cloak. He said an old friend had sold it back to him. It-it was lost when the Death Eaters captured me back in August."

"And you didn't see fit to inform me of its return?" demanded his father. "No, of course not, how stupid of me, because you knew what I'd tell you to do with it! Put it away or let me hold it, for such an object is an invitation for mischief. And I was right, for it allowed you to slip into Hogsmeade unnoticed just as you wished." Severus put his hands on his hips and fixed Harry with one of his dreaded Snape glares. Inwardly he cursed Dumbledore for giving the blasted thing back to his son, sometimes the Headmaster was more of a child than his students, allowing them to run about with magical artifacts they didn't have the maturity to use properly. "What about the map, young man? Who did you find to give you that little bit of Marauder history?"

Harry bit his lip, not wanting to rat out the twins, but not wanting to lie to Snape either. That would definitely earn him a spanking, according to his father's disciplinary policy. So he tried being honest. "Uh, I'd really rather not say, sir. But the map was a gift."

Severus snorted. "A gift? Say rather an invitation for mischief. I had thought you more responsible than this, Harrison Remus. I thought that you understood the reasoning behind my orders, but I was mistaken, it seems. Because the minute my back was turned, you went and ran into Hogsmeade without stopping to think once of what could have happened. What the bloody hell were you thinking, boy?" Severus roared, and Harry jumped. "Did it ever occur to you that might have been just the opportunity Black was waiting for? To catch you unaware and grab you, kill you, or drag you off somewhere and hold you prisoner until the return of his dark master? Or was the only thing in your mind how you'd pulled a fast one on your stupid trusting father?" Severus's voice became cutting with scorn. "Oh, look at this, dad's gone and now I can skive off to Hogsmeade and have myself a good old time stuffing my face with sweets and my pockets with joke products and he'll never know. I'm so clever, you were saying to yourself while you used the cloak and the map, weren't you?"

His eyes bored into Harry's emerald ones, penetrating and knowing.

Harry dropped his eyes after a long moment and nodded miserably. Severus knew him far too well.

Severus shook his head in disgust. "I had thought you were smarter than that, Harry, that you had learned to think first and act later, but again I was mistaken. You are just like every other teenager your age, an impulsive hell raiser. You can't be trusted, you will do whatever you can get away with."

"No, Dad!" Harry cried, Severus's harsh words cut him deeply. "I can be trusted, I just was going stir crazy and I thought with the cloak on it'd be impossible for Black to find me, and I didn't think it would hurt for me to visit for an hour or so. I wasn't alone either, Aria was with me, and Ron and Hermione," he blurted, and instantly regretted it. He hadn't meant to mention that. Merlin, when will I ever learn to control my blasted tongue? He thought in dismay.

"Oh, so you dragged them into your little escapade as well? How very sporting of you! And if Black had somehow managed to penetrate your disguise, would you have sacrificed yourself for them, Harry? You put them in danger as well, you foolish child! For they would have tried to help you if you were in trouble and well you know it! And then you would have had their deaths on your conscience as well, young man. Was that what you wanted? Was it worth it?"

The only thing Harry could think of to say to that was, "I'm sorry, Dad."

"Sure, you're sorry now." Snape growled. "Because you're in trouble. Do you have any idea how worried I would have been if something had happened to you? Goddamn it, Harry, when will you start using your head? What do I need to do to make you consider the consequences before you act?"

Harry didn't answer, he knew Severus was not really asking, it was a rhetorical question. Whatever punishment he would get had already been decided on before Severus had ever set foot in the bedroom.

Severus paused, then walked away and back before he answered his own question. "You broke my trust with your actions today, Harrison Remus Snape. And you're going to have to work damn hard to win it back, boy. Starting tomorrow night with Remus's detention. After that, you'll be grounded for the rest of the term and the conditions of that are as follows: I confiscate your broom, that means no Quidditch-"

"But Dad, I'm Seeker, and the final is next week, I have to play, Wood's counting on me . . ." he trailed off hopelessly when he saw Snape's face, it was set in stone and no amount of words would change his mind.

"Well, you should have thought of that before you went on your little jaunt, shouldn't you?" demanded his father silkily. "I will inform Minerva of my decision and she will have to find a replacement. The second condition is that you are to do nothing without my permission, except go to class, homework, take care of Rosie, and use the bathroom. Socializing with your friends will be strictly limited and supervised by me, no longer than two hours after all your assignments are completed. Third, you will be cleaning my classroom each evening without magic. Four, you now have a new bedtime, nine-thirty sharp."

"Nine-thirty! Dad, that's like bedtime for an eight-year-old."

"Which is about how old you've been acting, mister. Shall I make it eight? Keep protesting."

Harry shook his head rapidly. "No sir. Nine-thirty is fine."

"Finally, since your behavior was more like a two-year-old than a thirteen-year-old, I'm going to punish you the way I did then, and hope it makes an impression."

Harry stared in alarm. Surely his father wasn't going to . . .?

He had known his father could move like a snake striking when he wished, but he'd never witnessed it until then. One minute Severus was across the room and then next he was beside Harry, who had been sitting on his bed during the entire lecture.

In one smooth movement the Potions Master sat down and took the startled boy over his knee. Before Harry could panic or protest, Severus said evenly, "Five swats only," which was the same punishment he'd delivered when Harry had played with James's wand.

Harry shut his eyes, more embarrassed than afraid.

Severus dealt the promised five smacks with swift finality, hard enough to sting sharply for a while, but no more.

It was over in ten seconds. Harry blinked back a single tear, but really the punishment hurt his pride more than his rear end.

Severus stood him up and said, "I regret that was necessary, child. I hope you've learned your lesson for tonight, young man. Because if you step out of line again before the end of this term, I promise you I won't be half so lenient. Next time, I'll take a leaf from your godfather's book and give you a true spanking and see if that won't cure you of your need to test boundaries with me. Understood?"

"Yes sir. I'm really sorry. I'll behave from now on."

Severus looked skeptical. "I find that difficult to believe, son."

Harry winced, for that comment hurt worse than the spanking. Severus did not trust him and his disappointment was worse than anything he'd done to Harry yet.

His father stood up and drew the boy into a brief hug. "Finish your homework and then you can eat dinner with me, no sense in letting you skip meals too." Then he was gone, like a dementor melting back into the shadows.

Harry made sure the door was locked before he rubbed his stinging behind, wondering as he did so if his father would ever trust him again.

* * * * * *

Professor McGonagall was understandably upset when Severus spoke to her the next morning about Harry being banned from Quidditch because of his forbidden excursion into Hogsmeade. But she did not argue with Snape's decision, he was Harry's father and had the right to discipline his son as he saw fit, though it was going to be hell trying to find a substitute Seeker this late in the season. She silently cursed Harry's impulsive streak and muttered in Severus's hearing that the boy had picked up some of James's worst habits when he had lived with the man for three months. Severus grimaced and replied that she was right, sometimes Harry did behave just like his late stepfather.

Harry and Aria served their detentions with Remus later on that evening, and discovered that the Defense professor was no slouch at assigning boring and arduous tasks. He made them sort through an enormous pile of slender sticks, they were intended for making wands eventually, but Remus was making them identify the kind of wood and the magical properties of each kind and what relation the type and properties had when casting defensive spells. For example, ebony-hardwood, extremely magic absorptive, offers unlimited protective capabilities, but very rare. Harry knew that Severus bore an ebony wand, with a serpent scale core, it had been made by Ollivander's grandfather and had never found a master until young Severus had come for his wand.

Since Harry and Aria were novices at wand making and had no clue what the types of wood looked like, Remus generously allowed them to look at a page from a book on beginning wand making, which had illustrations of the types of woods used in creating a wand.

Even with the book, the detention took the full two hours and the box was still partially full. Remus then told them they could finish the task tomorrow night. Both of them groaned.

The werewolf said only, "Next time, don't get in trouble. Dismissed."

As they left the classroom, Aria asked Harry if his dad had totally lost it when he found out his son had been in Hogsmeade. "Since you're here, I know he didn't kill you, but what did he do?"

Harry told her, even the last part, for some reason, which he hadn't even told Ron or Hermione.

Aria winced. "Merlin, he really wasn't happy with you, was he, Snape? Then again, you did deserve it, but grounded for the rest of the term! That's harsh."

"Tell me about it. Not to mention all the other stuff that goes along with it." Harry made a face. "And then he goes and gives me five swats too, as if the rest weren't enough."

"Ow! Hard enough to make you cry?" she queried sympathetically.

"No, they just stung for a bit," he answered, flushing. "But still . . .I'm too old to be spanked."

"Guess your dad doesn't think so. Neither does my uncle."

"Oh, my dad agrees with me, but he was making a point. If I act like a two year old, he'll punish me like one," Harry sighed.

"Then you'd better act your age, huh, Snape?"

Harry glared at her. "Funny, Lupin. You ought've been a comedian."

"I try," she grinned at him.

"Hey, did you ever find out what Moony did to Malfoy?"

Aria smirked. "Lectured him into next week according to the Slytherin grapevine, made him write some three foot essay on respecting other students and extract starmist pods too." Starmist pods were a stimulant from a magical tree that when eaten gave the wizard heightened senses and reflexes for a short time, like the duration of a duel. Many wizards in the East used starmist. The pod was inside a very hard shell that required a hammer to crack open, making harvesting them very difficult indeed.

"Good for Uncle Moony!" cheered Harry. "Gotta run, Aria. If I'm late Dad will probably lecture me into next year." He paused beside the entrance to the Slytherin dorm.

"See you around, Harry." She waved once before disappearing inside the Slytherin portrait hole.

Harry returned to Snape's quarters and tried to get some studying done, but he was so tired Severus told him to put his books aside and go to bed. It was before nine-thirty, but Harry was too tired to protest. He fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

* * * * * *

The following week was just before the full moon and Remus began to grow very tired and achy, as was his wont, just before his curse expressed itself. That was when Severus brewed the Wolfsbane for him, and it was also when he substituted for Remus in Defense. Even with the Wolfsbane, Remus was sometimes too tired to lift his head from his pillow, and he could barely get out of bed to relieve himself, much less teach. During those times he shut himself in his quarters, allowing in no one save the Headmaster (very infrequently), Poppy (he couldn't keep her out), Severus, and Aria (those two were the only ones he really allowed of his own free will).

Aria often came and read to him from newspapers and magazines and got him lunch, he found her voice very soothing to his sensitive ears. Being a shifter, she knew how to pitch her voice so it didn't grate on his ultra sensitive ear drums.

Poppy and Severus came to make sure he was eating and drinking, often spelling Nutrient Potions and muscle relaxants directly into the werewolf's stomach, so he was made comfortable and had something in his stomach. The imminent change often resulted in a loss of appetite, save for rare meats. Severus also assisted Remus to the bathroom, or performed a quick elimination charm if the werewolf was too exhausted to manage even that.

Remus was beyond feeling awkward or embarrassed around those two, they behaved with complete professional decorum, treating him with a minimum of fuss, and often joking lightly with him. Severus also massaged him when he developed cramps in his back and legs, which was another sign that the curse was active once more.

But other than those few, and now Harry as well, no one else at Hogwarts knew why Professor Lupin vanished around the full moon each month. The story Dumbledore gave out to the rest of the staff and the students was that Remus suffered from bouts of chronic fatigue and needed complete quiet and bed rest to recover from them.

No one ever thought to question that explanation.

Until Draco Malfoy, that is. Draco had it in for that wild beast of a girl, Aria, and by extension Remus as well, whom he had never forgiven for giving him a detention over what he considered as speaking the God-honest truth about Aria and her beastly talent. He was determined to make her pay for her arrogance in rejecting him and then humiliating himself in front of his friends and especially Harry, who was still his major rival.

He had written to his father asking if there were any way he could get Aria expelled for being a shape-slipper, but Lucius had regrettably said no, that being a shifter wasn't cause for expulsion by Ministry standards. Angry at being thwarted, Draco began to search about for some other bit of information he could use against her, and it was then he took notice of the fact that Lupin tended to disappear every month during the full moon.

It was odd behavior, and Draco was suspicious. "There's something not right with Lupin, something very odd, but I can't accuse him of anything without proof," he told friends one day just before the onset of the full moon. Lupin had been absent as usual, and Snape had been covering for him.

Lucius had been adamant about that, and had told his son that he must have evidence before he accused a teacher and an adult wizard like Lupin of anything improper.

"The whole family's blazing freaky, is all," commented Goyle.

"Maybe you just ought to forget about whatever you've got planned, Draco," suggested Crabbe. "Lupin'll be gone by the end of the term and not be back again, just like every other Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had."

"Not good enough, Crabbe, you stupid lump! I want revenge on that bloody girl and if I can't get it with her," he suppressed a shudder, for despite his insistence that Aria was trash and he wasn't scared of girls, she frightened him awfully, making his insides turn to absolute mush, Of course, he'd die before admitting that to anyone. "Then I'll get it on her uncle. Who knows, if I can find out what Lupin's been hiding, maybe it'll be bad enough for him to get declared an unfit guardian for the Beastly One and they'll put her in an orphanage or ship her back to America."

"I dunno, Draco," whined Goyle. "What makes you think Lupin's hiding anything? He could just be really sick with that chronic whatever it is like Dumbledore said."

"Don't be so thick, Gregory! You really believe Dumbledore will tell the truth if there really was something wrong with Lupin? Look at how he hid Snape's secret all these years." That was a sore point with Draco, for he had thought Snape was just like his father, a pureblood supremacist supporter of You-Know-Who. Finding out that Severus had actually been a secret agent and spy for Dumbledore had been a rude awakening. But the worst thing had been discovering bloody Harry Potter was actually Snape's son! It was almost enough to make him puke. To add insult to injury, Severus now defended Harry and punished Draco and he did the same with bloody Miss Lupin.

"Well, what secret do you think old Lupin's hiding?" asked Crabbe.

Draco looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure just yet, but I have an idea. I just need more proof. Guess it's time to do some snooping." He rubbed his hands together and smiled his toothy sly ferret-like grin.

"Can we help?" begged Goyle, looking like an overeager Labrador.

Draco cast him a disgusted look. "Goyle, you couldn't sneak about if you were spelled invisible, you great oaf. You trip over your own feet."

"Oh."

"Leave the snooping to me," his friend ordered haughtily. "You just back me up when it comes time to expose Lupin, all right?"

The other two nodded, willing and eager to do whatever the brains of their trio said.

Draco whistled happily as he made his way to potions class. It used to be his favorite, until the Snapes had returned from America and Severus wasn't playing favorites anymore with the Slytherins. Still, perhaps he could manage to scare the snot out of Longbottom again and make him blow up another cauldron. Snape would have to take points and give out detention to Gryffindor then.

* * * * * *

By the end of three days, Lupin was back in the classroom, and Draco resolved to observe the man closely and so figure out just what was wrong with him. There was only a month and a half remaining until the end of term and Draco wanted Lupin to be drummed out of Hogwarts by then. At first, his attempts were unsuccessful, for Lupin was wary and cautious and knew better than to allow information relating to his condition to slip and so endanger the first decent job he'd had in over a year.

The frustrated Draco was just about to give up when a set of unfortunate circumstances occurred just before the onset of the next full moon.

During that entire time, Harry had been practically under house arrest in the Snape apartments, as per the conditions of his grounding, and though he accepted his punishment, it was beginning to wear upon him as the weeks went by. McGonagall had managed to find a replacement Seeker to play in the Quidditch final, and to everyone's relief, the dementors did not appear and upset that game, but Gryffindor lost to Slytherin.

Afterwards, whenever Draco chanced to see Harry inbetween periods, he would gloat about his victory until Harry longed to drown him in his next potions class. Only the fact that his father would be furious with him kept Harry's temper in check. No way was he going to let Malfoy make him get into trouble so near the end of term and endure a spanking from Severus.

The Potions Master was not unaware of the tension between the two and knew Draco was probably shoving the Slytherin victory in his son's face, but since he never caught the blond boy, he couldn't reprimand him. He did, however, praise Harry for controlling his temper and rising above certain people and their petty insults. Harry basked in that compliment, for it showed him that Severus was paying attention to him and noticing that his behavior had changed for the better. Perhaps he was slowly regaining the trust he had lost.

Harry was also busy trying to study for all of the end of the term exams, normally he'd not have studied much until the week before the exams were given, but that option was a thing of the past with Severus keeping a strict eye on him. Now he had to study for at least an hour a night after homework, or else!

He and Aria still had lessons with Remus one night a week on casting the Patronus Charm, but so far neither of them had managed to make a visible one, only swirls and clouds of white mist. Remus told them not to be discouraged, it was a difficult spell to master, and some wizards never could cast it. But both Aria and Harry were stubborn and very talented magically, they refused to give up until they had mastered the charm. Remus was pleased with their determination.

In the midst of all of this, Severus, who was usually healthy as a horse, managed to contract some kind of flu. The first Harry knew of it was when he awoke early one morning for class and discovered his father was not sitting in the little kitchen area, sipping his morning cup of tea and reading the paper. It was a rare day indeed when Harry managed to rise before his early bird father, and he was at first delighted to have beaten Severus to the table this morning.

Until he glanced at the clock some ten minutes later and discovered it was almost time for class and his father still was not up. Concerned, Harry padded across the den and tapped on Severus's bedroom door.

"Dad? Uh, are you awake? ‘Cause it's time for class."

It felt very strange, he thought, him calling his dad to get up.

He heard a muffled groan from within the bedroom, then a thump, followed by a long hacking coughing spell.

"Dad? You okay?" Harry cried, alarmed. That cough sounded bloody awful.

There was silence, then the sound of footsteps and the door was opened. A pale yet flushed Snape leaned on the doorjamb, his dark eyes bright with fever, wearing a pair of soft flannels and a large shirt, his hair limp with sweat.

"Don't come too close, Harry," he warned, coughing sharply. "I've caught some kind of flu, I think, and I'm probably contagious, so stay away." He sneezed sharply into a handkerchief.

Harry stared at his parent in alarm. Severus was sick? Impossible! His dad was never sick, he was Severus Snape, the indomitable Potions Master and former spy. He was the one who always took care of me when I was sick, his son thought in consternation. How can I take care of him now? I don't know anything about healing.

"Uh, Dad, d'you want me to call the Headmaster or Madam Pomfrey? Let them know what's going on and all?"

Snape shook his head. "No, I've already contacted the Headmaster, he's getting a substitute for me as we speak. As for Poppy . . ." Another long wracking cough shook the Potion Master's tall frame. It was a moment before he could speak again. " . . .I can dose myself as well as she can, and I already have."

"You have?" Harry repeated in alarm. "Then why d'you still sound so terrible?"

Severus grimaced. "Because this flu is not responding as well as I'd hoped to my potions yet. But it will," he stated firmly. "Now, you've got class in about ten minutes, Harry. Have you eaten breakfast?"

Harry nodded. "I ate some toast and bacon. Have you, Dad?"

"I'm not very hungry."

"How about some toast and tea? You can eat a little, right?" Harry urged, recalling the way Snape used to force him to eat when he was sick or recovering from an injury. "If you don't eat, you'll never get well," he reminded, using one of his dad's favorite sayings.

Severus scowled. "Trying to play Healer now are you?"

Harry gazed at him innocently. "I'm just doing what you would if it were me sick."

"Bloody impudent brat!" he heard the wizard mutter, before Snape said, "Fine. Bring me a cup of tea and some toast. But put honey and lemon in the tea, not cream and sugar, please. That will soothe my throat."

"Do you need anything else? Like maybe some water and a fever reducer?"

"Water is fine, but I just took a fever reducer a half-hour ago, so I won't need another dose for four hours." Severus sneezed multiple times before turning on his heel and making his way back to bed. Of all the times for him to get sick, why did it have to be now, when he still had so much work to do?

Harry asked Dobby to bring him some buttered toast and tea with honey and lemon in it for his dad and also a glass of ice water. He carried the items inside Severus's room, and placed the tray on the nightstand, after first enlarging it with a charm, so Severus could eat while in bed without getting anything on the sheets and quilt. His father hated crumbs all over, and was always yelling at Harry for eating on the sofa or in his room.

Also on the nightstand were several vials of a blue potion and a deep yellow one, Harry assumed they were a fever reducer and a cough suppressant, or the wizard equivalent of such.

"Here you go, Dad. Is there anything else I can get you? Another blanket? You're shivering."

Severus waved off Harry's offer. "That's the fever, son. I'll be fine. Go to class and don't worry about me. Thank you." He picked up a piece of toast and nibbled it half-heartedly. Then he drank some of the tea.

"Okay, I'll see you later. Feel better," Harry said cheerily, then cast a warming charm on Severus's sheets as he was leaving.

It felt even odder to go to Potions and not see his dad's familiar black cloaked form pacing up at the front of the room, giving out stern looks and making sarcastic comments to those who deserved them. Harry couldn't seem to concentrate on his potion, he was too worried about his father. He just barely managed to finish it in time and brought it up to their substitute, a sweet faced woman name Dania Breckenridge.

In Divination, Trelawney pronounced that a disaster loomed in his future, and while normally Harry would've shrugged away her prediction, today it only made him more uneasy. At lunch he picked at his food and told Hermione, Ron, and Aria he was going to check on his dad.

When he returned to the Snape quarters, he found his father sleeping, but he was restless, tossing and turning. Harry felt his forehead, it felt too warm, so he wrung out a washrag and placed it on Snape's forehead. He seemed to recall his dad doing that to him when he was very ill last February. The cool cloth seemed to help a bit, for the professor stopped moving and relaxed.

Harry stayed there for his entire lunch period, and it was only towards the end of it that Severus woke, accepted a glass of water from his son and swallowed another two potions before lying back down.

"Harry, I told you, don't come too close," he scolded quietly, his voice was very hoarse from coughing.

"Dad, you're sick, I have to help," argued his son.

"No. I can take care of myself, now please leave. The last thing I need is for you to come down with whatever this is too."

Harry thought it best to humor him, and left quickly. But once class was over for the day, he returned and found Severus looking much worse. His cough was deep and racking, thick with mucus, and his fever was higher.

"Dad, I think we should call Madam Pomfrey. You're getting worse, not better."

Severus gave him a muted Snape glare. "No, she'll only fuss over me like a blasted mother hen and I'm not that sick. I just need some stronger drafts, that's all."

Harry shook his head. Snape looked awful, flushed with fever, his eyes burned holes in his head, shivering with chills despite the two blankets and the warmed sheets. He barely drank the second cup of tea before setting it aside and falling back to sleep.

Harry went into his room to start his homework after eating a sandwich and soup, which he prepared himself from the small amount of groceries Severus had on hand. He had just finished his potions homework and his Transfiguration chapter when he heard a bang coming from somewhere nearby.

He leaped to his feet and ran out the door. "Dad?" He went into his father's room, fearing Severus had fallen out of bed or something.

Only to find he was not there. Nor was he in the adjoining bathroom.

There came another muffled bang from the door leading to Severus' personal potions lab.

"Dad? What are you doing?" Harry cried, throwing open the door and peering into the lab.

"What's it look like-cough cough!" sputtered his father, standing before a cauldron. "I'm brewing a potion, of course."

"Dad, you should be in bed. You're too sick to make potions."

"I need a stronger fever reducer," the Potions Master said stubbornly, leaning on the table next to the cauldron. "Don't have it in my stores, so I've got to make it."

Harry was aghast. "Dad, you can't brew a fever reducer like this. You can barely stand up."

"Go away and let me be, Harry," ordered the professor crankily.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "No. You look bloody awful, Dad, and I'm not going anywhere until you get back in bed."

Severus eyed him mutinously and turned back to chopping up some roots. "I've slept enough. I need two tablespoonfuls of powdered ginger," he muttered foggily to himself. He began to cough again, the spasm nearly bringing him to his knees.

Seeing his father so ill terrified Harry and he yelled, "That does it! If you don't get back in bed this instant, Dad, I'm calling Poppy!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Watch me," answered his son.

"You impudent little brat!" snarled Severus, only it came out a whisper. "Think you're a Healer now, do you? I know how to treat myself."

"No, you don't. You're so sick you can't even see straight."

"I am not. What would you know anyhow?" Severus quarreled.

"I know that you look like you're about to pass out, and you should be in bed."

"I will go to bed, impudent wretch, as soon as I've done with this potion."

"Dad, you're delirious, how can you brew a potion right?"

"Are you saying I can't remember how to brew potions?" repeated Snape angrily. "How dare you insult me like that, boy?" He attempted to stare Harry down, but his famous death glare was lukewarm and lacked true power. "If I wasn't so sick, I'd take you over my knee for that comment."

Harry sighed exasperatedly. "Dad, please! Just go lie down. I'll finish the potion. You can spank me when you're well if you want, I won't say a thing," his son persuaded, hoping to God Snape did not recall this little conversation when he was better.

"No." Severus said, reminding Harry of a stubborn three-year-old. "You don't know how. Now leave me alone!"

"Fine!" Harry stormed out of the lab, but then he firecalled Poppy, fearing Severus was going to collapse if he didn't get some rest.

Three minutes later Poppy arrived and said, "Don't worry about a thing, Harry dear. I can handle him."

Harry hid a grin. This he had to see.

Poppy strode into the lab wearing her sternest expression. "Severus Snape, what in Merlin's name do you think you're doing? You're running a 103 degree fever now get back in bed."

Severus glanced up, startled. "Poppy? What are you doing here?"

"Preventing you from making an utter fool of yourself, Sev," she scolded, walking over to him and casting a diagnostic on him. "You were my apprentice for three years and yet you act like a first year. You need to be in bed, you're out on your feet, dear."

"I need to finish this first."

"Don't play Spartan with me, Severus," Poppy said severely. "You can barely stand up, much less brew a reliable Extra-Strength Fever Reducer. Now get yourself back in bed this instant, young man."

"I'm fine, I don't need you fussing over me, Poppy. It's only a cough."

"A cough that could develop into pneumonia if you're not careful. You ought to know better than that. Bed, Mr. Snape, or shall I drag you there by the ear and cast a Sticking Charm on you?"

Harry had to fight back a laugh, for the diminutive medi-witch was glaring right at his father, her hands on her hips, for all the world like a mother with a disobedient child.

"Poppy . . .I swear . . ." Severus began, then coughed sharply.

The medi-witch took him by the arm and tugged on it firmly. "Come, Sev. It's back to bed for you, my boy. I'll finish here, now let's go. No arguments."

"Okay . . ." Severus acquiesced, for he truly did feel terrible, all achy and hot and for some reason he couldn't breathe right. He meekly followed the Healer back into his bedroom and allowed her to put him to bed. Poppy gave him a pain reliever, which she knew he would never admit to needing, and another stronger fever reducer.

"There! Now let's see about that cough." She opened her satchel and produced a vial of Class Five Decongestion Syrup and poured it out on a spoon. "Here."

Severus shot her a vile look, but he took the medicine without protest.

"Good. You should breathe easier soon, son." She took the cloth Harry brought her and wet it in a basin of cool water, then gently sponged the professor's face with it.

Severus closed his eyes, too weary to protest being fussed over like a child.

"Will he be all right, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Oh eventually yes, Harry. Don't fret. This flu will have run its course in four days or so, I should think. Then he'll be right as rain." She went on to detail instructions to Harry on how much potions Severus was to be given, how often, and to make sure he drank plenty of liquids, ate some food, and rested. "And if he gives you any problems, Harry, call me and I'll straighten him out."

Severus opened one eye and snorted derisively.

Harry smothered a giggle at the way Poppy bullied his father like he was a first year.

"You behave yourself, Sev, you hear?" Poppy warned. "I'll be back in two hours to check up on him," she told Harry.

Then she Flooed back to her infirmary.

Harry turned back to his dad and caught Severus giving him a severe frown. "Traitor. You're in big trouble, mister, when I get out of this blasted bed."

"You wouldn't listen to me," Harry protested. "What was I supposed to do, let you pass out cold in the lab?"

"Yes!" snapped Severus peevishly. Then he closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.

* * * * * *

Under Poppy's care and Harry's assistance, Severus recovered slowly but surely. Much to Harry's relief, Severus recalled very little of the conversation he'd had with his son in the lab before Poppy arrived, so Harry didn't have to worry about getting a spanking for his impudence the way Sev had threatened. After three days he was well enough to be allowed out of bed for short periods of time and could sit in the recliner wrapped in his warmest velvet robe and sheepskin slippers in front of the fire, drinking ginger tea and reading.

It was then he recalled he hadn't yet given Remus his monthly dose of Wolfsbane. "Harry, I need you to do me a favor," he said to his son, who was sprawled on the couch, reading a Quidditch magazine. "Since you and Madam Dragon won't let me out of my apartment yet, I need you to deliver the Wolfsbane to Moony. Can I count on you to do that?"

"Yes, Dad. Where is it?"

"In the third cauldron to the right, on a slow simmer. Put some in this goblet here," Severus indicated a pewter goblet on the mantle. "And then give it to Moony. Don't spill any, it's too costly to waste a drop."

Harry did as he was told, pouring the precious potion into the goblet and then Flooing directly to his godfather's office, after Severus had removed the scramble charms over the fireplace.

Inside, he met Aria, who was just leaving after getting a missed assignment for Mandy Jones, who had been sick too this past week. "Something must be going around," she said to Harry when he asked. "Everyone's getting sick now."

"Yeah, looks that way," he agreed. "Uh, where shall I put this?" He indicated the goblet with the smoking potion.

"That's the Wolfsbane, right?"

"Yeah, Dad had brewed a batch before he got sick. He told me to bring it to Uncle Moony."

"Set it down there and I'll tell him it's here."

"Okay." Harry set down the goblet and settled down to wait.

Unbeknown to him or Aria, Draco had been loitering in the hallway beside the office door, waiting for someone to say something pertinent to his smear campaign. The Slytherin recognized Harry's voice and Aria's too. He caught the words, " . . .sick . . .Wolfsbane . . ." and gasped.

He knew from the lessons on werewolves that the only way a werewolf could be safe was to drink that potion, which rendered the curse harmless. But it was expensive and required a master to brew, which was why most werewolves could not obtain it.

But why in Merlin's name would Remus need that potion? Unless it was because he truly was a werewolf.

Draco began to think hard then. The odd absences during the full moon, the way that Remus kept to himself during that time, all of that pointed to a curse. And the fact that the Defense teacher was taking the Wolfsbane Potion, which was specifically imbibed only by werewolves as a means of controlling their deadly rages, was the final sign that Lupin was indeed a werewolf.

Draco put an ear to the door and heard Lupin's voice calling, "Aria, can you come in here and help me a moment? One of the grindylows escaped and I need you to help me search for it."

"Sure, Uncle Remmy. C'mon, Harry."

"Harry's here too?"

"Yes, I brought your potion, Uncle Moony."

"Thank you, I shall drink it in a few minutes. How is Sev doing?"

"Much better. He's actually able to sit up now and his cough is finally going away," answered Harry.

Draco heard them go into the connecting inner room of the office, where Lupin kept cages of various creatures for examples in his classroom.

Only then did the sly boy slip open the office door and go into the room.

There on the desk was a smoking pewter goblet. Draco wrinkled his nose. It smelled terrible and he could just imagine what it tasted like. He recalled one of Snape's lectures last month about some potions being very delicate, one wrong ingredient and they were rendered useless. The Wolfsbane Potion had been on that list.

Draco pursed his lips in a diabolical smirk. I wonder what would happen if I added a little pumpkin juice to this? Just a few drops, enough to throw off the composition of the potion, but not enough to be noticed. Father said not to accuse without proof, but if Lupin really is a werewolf, I'll have all the proof I need on the night of the full moon, when he transforms.

Malfoy quickly summoned a cup of pumpkin juice and carefully added two drops to the smoking Wolfsbane. The potion hissed and bubbled, but otherwise remained unchanged. To all appearances it was normal. But appearances could be deceiving, as Draco knew only too well. Beneath his pretty boy exterior lurked one of the most cunning and cruel minds in Hogwarts.

Now we'll see once and for all if this is the secret you've been hiding, professor, thought Draco in satisfaction. Then he ducked out of the office and was gone just as the door to the inner office opened and Lupin stepped out, picked up the goblet and drank it down.

Ugh, nasty stuff. But it did taste a bit different this time. Must be me, I'm not feeling good right now. He set the goblet back down and went back into the inner office, unaware that he had been unmasked.