declaration: The world of Harry Potter and its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

Notes:Hello, guys! I am posting this story also on archiveofourown under the same name.

I am not sure about the warnings yet, but this story is not going to be graphic in terms of violence or sexual relations. All the same I have rated the story "M" because I think some of the context may not be suitable for the younger audience.

I hope you like this fic. Please let me know what you think.

Chapter 1: Mothers Know Best

Severus woke up with a start and looked about frantically, panic clenching at his heart. He couldn't remember what his dream had been about but he knew he had been falling. He took a few shaking breaths and tried to calm his nerves before putting a finger on his neck to check his pulse. His vein was hammering against his skin as if trying to break loose. Feeling even more panicked, Severus got out of bed and dragged himself to the bathroom. He fumbled with the tap and managed to get the water running with some effort. As he splashed the cool water to his face, his pulse finally settled and he lifted his head to look at his reflection in the mirror. He blinked and got the wet hair out of the way to get a closer look. His face was flushed, did he have a fever? Why was he shivering then?

"The flu." he whispered to himself in disgust. He had caught the flu a few weeks ago, he had had a fever and sever nausea but his symptoms had subsided. It was just his luck, catching the flu twice in a year.

Severus sighed in relief as he found a few leftover potions in the cabinet above the sink and took a swallow of the anti-fever and headache potion. He stood there for a few more minutes before stumbling back to bed. His clock showed four thirteen and he desperately wished he could go to sleep. It had taken him some time to fall asleep the night before and he felt bone deep tiered. He laid there, counting the minutes, cursing the clock, cursing his brown nosed brat students that were nothing but clusters of germs and virus, cursing himself. At four forty two, he had finally had enough. He tossed his duvet aside with a huff and got out of bed, going about his morning routine.

He thought once the day started things would get batter, but he was dead wrong. He tried to busy himself with work but he couldn't for the life of him concentrate on anything. Then there was a Quidditch match to go to, Gryffindor against Ravenclaw. He had done his best to sit upright during the game and keep himself from grimacing, thinking that was the worst of it but then that arrogant boy Malfoy and his idiot friends had come up with the insane idea to scare Potter dressing like dementors. The whole thing had been a disaster. Not only had they put Potter in danger but they had managed to lose fifty House points.

Not to mention Gryffindor had won the game, which meant Minerva spent the whole dinner gloating and taunting him.

After all that he once more found himself lying awake in bed. He was about to give up and take a sleeping potion when Albus' patronus appeared before him.

"Sirius Black has been seen at the Gryffindor tower. Come to the entrance hall at once!" the old man's words ringed in Severus' ears for a few minutes as he stared at the silver bird in confusion. It wasn't until the patronus disappeared that Severus came out of his trace. He put on his boots and pulled his teaching robes on before getting to the entrance hall as fast as he could.

"What's going on?" he asked the other teachers.

"Black was inside Harry Potter's dormitory. He slashed one of the boys' bed curtains with a knife and disappeared when he started yelling." Flitwick informed him.

"He cut Potter's bed curtains?"

"No, it was Mr. Weasley's I believe."

Severus felt his eyebrows raising. "Black got inside the castle, went all the way to Gryffindor's dormitories, only to attack Mr. Weasley's curtain and then ran away." he said incuridously. "Are we sure it was not the boy's imagination?"

"I wouldn't have gotten all of you out of bed if I wasn't sure!" snapped Minerva. "The portrait let him in."

"The portrait? He had the password?"

"Forgive me Severus but we do not have time for this. We need to search the castle." Dumbledore cut in and started to pair up the teachers to form search parties.

Severus pursed his lips in displeasure as he was partnered with Lupin.

"Ready Severus?" asked the insufferable man.

Severus simply pulled his wand out of his pocket and turned on his heels to make his way upstairs. Lupin fell into step beside him, trying to keep up with his long strides. At any other time he would have found that amusing but he was too weary to care.

"Are you feeling alright? You look out of breath." asked Lupin as they got to the third floor.

Severus ignored the question. "I take the left side and you take the right." he ordered.

"Fine. Call me if you find anything." said Lupin, frowning.

Severus watched him leave suspiciously before going the opposite way and started searching the corridor. He was almost at the end when he halted suddenly, clenching his chest in pain. His heart was racing, his breaths were coming out raged and he could feel beads of sweat running down his back. His vision started to blur as he collapsed to the floor. He couldn't remember where he was and what he had been doing.

"Severus, have you been taking your potion like you were supposed to?"

Severus looked up to see his mother looming over him. "I did." he answered. "I take it every month."

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not lying, mom. I know I need my potion." he whispered.

"Then how do you explain this?" asked Eileen, holding out a roll of parchment.

Severus stared at the parchment in confusion. It was a letter from Professor Sprout. Why was she writing to his mom? He had already graduated.

"I've been taking my potion, I swear! I don't know why she would write to you." said someone in a small voice. Severus and Eileen both turned to look at the boy who had appeared next to them.

"It says you show exceptional abilities." Eileen told the boy, her tone harsh. "What does that mean?"

The boy took a step back. "The plants … they like me. They grow faster when they see me. They … they do what I tell them to and they never hurt me, not even the poisonous ones." he explained, getting excited in spite of himself.

"What did I tell you when you first went to Hogwarts? I told you to act natural and to tell me at once if something unusual happens. I've been telling you that your entire life!"

"Don't yell at him. It's not his fault. He can't help it." said Severus as he saw the young boy burst into tears.

Eileen turned to him. "It IS all your fault! I've showed you a hundred times how to make that potion and you still haven't learned."

"I know how to make the damn potion!" he snapped.

"No you don't." hissed Eileen and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him.

"You're not doing it right, Severus … Severus? … Can you hear me? … Severus?"

Severus blinked and tried to focus his eyes. His mother was no longer there, it was Lupin shaking him. The man was crouching in front of him and he had a worried expression on his face. "Severus? Do you know where you are?" he asked.

"I …" he started, looking around. "Of course I know, we're at Hogwarts. Get off me Lupin." he snapped, glaring at the hand resting on his shoulder.

"You're fine then." mumbled Lupin with a hint of irritation in his voice and got to his feet.

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"For one thing you were yelling something about a potion."

"Must have fallen sleep." said Severus, raising to his feet shakily. His sweat drenched clothes were sticking to him.

"That would explain a lot."

"Excuse me?"

"If that's how you always sleep then … never mind. It was just a bad joke."

Severus narrowed his eyes but didn't comment, eager to let the issue drop. "I searched my half of the corridor, are you done with your half?"

"Errr … yeah. I didn't find anything. We should go to the Headmaster's office … or perhaps we should get you to the infirmary first."

"I'm fine. I just need to rest. I have the flu." said Severus. He knew now that he didn't have the flu. "In fact I think I should go to my rooms and rest."

"Of course, Severus. I'll handle the report." said Lupin. The man stayed close to him as they made their way down to the ground floor and Severus could feel his eyes on him as he continued to the dungeons.

Once he reached his rooms, he picked up a piece of parchment and sat behind his desk. He wrote down his symptoms, starting with hallucination. Once he was done he stared at the list in horror. His mother was right, the potion was not working right. He was going through withdrawal.