Chapter 5

Severus had gotten down to the dungeons and immediately sat at his marking desk, he used his letter opener and pulled the small letter from its enclosure.

He read and then re read the letter.

She's gone…. With that he flipped the table he was sat at and in a rage began smashing anything he came into contact. Cleared sides with his hands kicked over chairs pulled pictures off the walls with angry tears streaming down his face he was beside himself, he'd lost her again and this time he'd driven her away himself.

Breathing like he'd just run a marathon he burst into his bedroom and like a child flung himself face down into the bed and screamed into the pillow. He'd known pain before hell, he'd been near death countless times hex'd and tortured within an inch of his life. But this. This was different, this was another level of pain. He'd lost her by his own hand.

Minerva rushed as quickly as her old legs would carry her. She reached the door to his rooms and knocked, but got no answer.

She knocked louder, but still didn't get a response and with no time to lose she must speak to him. Using her right as headmistress and held her hand over the lock and it bent to her whim and it opened.

Never before had she needed or wanted to evoke this right, but she needed in and Severus rathe be dammed.

As soon as she entered she knew, he knew.

The place had been trashed. Pieces of furniture and belongs lay in tatters all over the floor. Even the bookcase had been renched from the wall, It looked like nothing had been spared.

"Severus" she called gently… nothing.

She bravely entered a bit further "Severus it's Minerva" not a sound, she looked over to the open doorway of his bedroom and moved to go in.

There laying face down was a man laying motionless "Severus" she saw his shoulders tense, so without further a-due she rushed to him and lay a motherly hand on him.

" I'm going to go back into the living area and I want you to come out to me, we need a wee talk"

She knew he would have hated her seeing him like this and to be honest it wasn't her place to command him to do anything, but desperate people do desperate things and we needed to find Hermione.

Minerva padded back out to the living area and flicked a chair back to rights and sat.

A few minutes later in walked the shell of Severus Snape.

Minerva got up and offered him her seat and uncharacteristically Severus allowed her to seat him.

"Did you also get a letter? He nodded, "Did she say where she was going?"

Slow shake of the head.

"Severus what does she mean that she hasn't spoken or seen anyone?" His blood shot eyes rise to meet the old woman's and with a broken strained voice "it means, I've let her down in the worst way possible."

He swallowed loudly. "I am a fool".

"I don't understand, she seemed ok last night a bit on edge maybe. Bit she looked well, a little under weight maybe" she pondered out loud.

"You've been seeing her regularly yes?"

Severus just bent his head in shame.

"I think I might speak to Harry, see what she sent to him and maybe Ron or Molly, Severus nodded again.

"Right not a minute to spare", taking charge

"Severus you clean yourself up and meet me back in my office in 10 minutes, I'll pop through the flue and catch Harry and speak to both Molly & Ron"

He nodded again and the old witch placed a hand on his shoulder "we will find her Severus, have faith" she grabbed a handful of flue powder and was gone in a flash.

Severus stood silently and walked back into his bedroom and closed the door.