All persons places or things that you recognize are not mine. I am drawing heavily from J. K. Rowling's Potter-verse and I'm NOT making any money AT ALL!

Sunna (a loyal reviewer and advisor) has drawn some awesome pics based on this fic. She also has a ton of other awesome pics not based on this fic. If you want to see her work (and what I think are the best Snape pics out there) then go to her side7 gallery: (http:// www .side7. com /cgi-bin /S7SDB /Archive .pl?ANO =7113) Just take out the spaces. I'll also link pics with the chapters. But you will most likely still have to take out the spaces.

'Italics are thoughts'

(Parentheses) (are background)

3~~~'s are writings that are being read i.e. book excerpts or letters ~~~

1~ is a time lapse, I'll tell or give clues as to the length.

@--'---,----------- means Meanwhile-in-another-part-of-town or something like that.

CHAPTER 1:

Trying to stifle another wracking cough, Snape took his seat at the head table with as much of his usual decorum as he could manage.

"Not sick are we?" Minerva asked with as much apparent concern as she would give to the probable fate of a dust bunny.

Without waiting for a reply, that probably never would have come anyway, she scooted her seat over to make a few centimeters of extra room between herself and Snape. Turning to Lupin, seated on her right, she continued the conversation they had been having. "As I was saying," she momentarily flicked her eyes in the general direction of her left side. "I think it is wonderful to have you back with us again."

Severus, having regained control of himself, was busily attempting to ignore both the nausea that breakfast was inspiring and the headmaster's intense gaze. After holding out as long as he could Snape rose, careful to avoid touching Minerva's robes, and started the long trek to the dungeon.

"Severus? A moment if you please."

'Drat the old man's caught me.' "Yes, sir?"

"Maybe this would be easier if…" At this point all that Albus could manage was to wave a hand in the direction of the corridor and accompany Severus on his way.

The professors' early departure from breakfast did not go unnoticed at Gryffindor table.

"What do ya think's up with that?" asked Ron, who felt that it was always advisable to keep at least one eye on Snape whenever he was around.

"What, Ron?" asked an annoyed Hermione.

She had been talking to Harry about the importance of actually doing his homework instead of copying from the oldest book he could find. (This idea happened to be straight from Fred and George.)

"Professor Snape just left, -"

"So?" interrupted a putout Hermione.

"So," continued Ron, getting more worked up, "then the Headmaster got up and went with him."

Not seeing anything to get excited about she pointed out that Professor Snape often left meals early.

"Yah. But the Headmaster doesn't," countered Harry, picking up Ron's point (and seeing it as a way to get out of the lecture from Hermione.)

"Well, what do you suggest we do about two professors who skip a meal?" Hermione challenged.

"Follow them!" said Harry and Ron, in unison.

"NO!" she cried, as quietly as her horror would permit (they were in the middle of the dinning hall and breakfast after all.)

As Albus walked down the corridor, next to Severus, he lost even more of his nerve and could not think of a suitable opening for the conversation. They both knew it was coming; though neither of them noticed the three figures following them.

Severus, realizing that he was not going to escape the conversation, stopped suddenly and turned to face a startled Dumbledore. "I have been back to Mungo's as you advised and the tests came back positive," he said with a detached voice. 'There! it's said. Now LEAVE ME ALONE!'

His sudden revelation caused several different reactions. Ron and Harry's eyes got very large. Hermione's curiosity was piqued. And Albus went very pale. "No," was all he could whisper.

CHAPTER 2:

*are alternate internal voice*

'I have to tell him the rest. I owe him that much.'

*No, you don't! Giving false hope to him would be cruel, and you know it! *

'But –'

*No! It's worse than cruel to make him hope. *

'And as long as I keep it to myself, I'll be the only one suffering. Right?'

*Yes! *

"They- " Severus started, with uncharacteristic uncertainty, but failed to finish with anything more than a harsh laugh. 'I can't lie to him, but I can't tell him the truth. I can't keep this to myself and get the time off I need.' His internal conflict continued. But, feeling another cough coming on, he rushed to continue before it, or his subconscious, won out. "They found an anomaly- actually a whole series of them- and I'm going to see a specialist…" 'I never should have said anything,' was all he could think seeing the desperate hope glittering in the older man's eyes. Not able to bear his mentor's gaze any longer, he dropped his eyes to the stone floor. As a coughing fit overtook him, Dumbledore guided Severus down the stairs to the privacy of the dungeon.

The three friends exchanged questioning glances. Both boys were surprised when Hermione was the one to urge them forward. "Oh come on!" She whispered, "We all want to know what's up. Besides, its not like we can't just… claim to be early for Potions." At Ron's disbelieving snort she quickly added, "just in case we're caught."

They carefully crept down the granite stairs.

Finally in his classroom Severus shakily made his way to the cold empty fireplace, and spit a wad of black phlegm into its depths. His pet expunge immediately surrounded it and began to dissolve all traces of this latest symptom he had developed. "Albus I-" he began but was suddenly overcome with the lingering nausea from breakfast. 'Oh no. I can't vomit again. I haven't eaten yet-' was all he had time to think, he could feel the bile rising in his throat, and leaning once again into the hearth he vomited up a thick black ooze, obviously the same substance as what ever it was he had just coughed up.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked into each other's startled eyes and decided there were things going on that they could get into serious trouble over. Backing away from the insufficiently closed door the three silently made their way up to Gryffindor tower.

In the dungeon the great Albus Dumbledore was trying to lie to himself about what he had just seen. The man he regarded as his own son was kneeling in front of an unused fireplace, trying to catch his breath after his ordeal. 'No, Severus, I won't let you go without a fight. You said there was some discrepancy in the test results, and I have to stand by you through this.' Reaching out he gently placed a comforting hand on Snape's shoulder. He frowned when he received the usual response Severus had when being touched. Instinctively a violent flinch jerked the shoulder free, followed by apologetic eyes begging forgiveness.

"I'm-"

"Severus," Albus interrupted, "I understand." His eyes once again became filled with wisdom and compassion. "Just tell me what you can."