A/N: Good news, I finally know, how to go on with this thing. Well, at least for some more chapters. This one here, brings in a potion and some information, which only fuels the confusion. As always, please, let me know what you think and REVIEW, please. Thankies to those who reviewed.

Inca: James is Minerva's nephew, the son of her older sister. I have no clue, if I send you those chapters. Dazed and confused – that's me. And no, AD doesn't know of the lab, he met old McGonagall just after this one finished his Hogwarts' career.

Jestana, Petriebird18 and SilverWitch: Severus and Melina might end up together, but if they do it won't be easy for them.

Chapter 8 – A Potion, some Information and even more Confusion

Four days later, Severus Snape breathed a sigh of relief. The potion was ready. And almost as far was his resolve to do the same thing as Minerva had done: disappear. During the last days he had aged almost 10 years due the tension of brewing this potion, the constant wariness of the Dark Lord's behaviour and his continuous brawling with Melina.

Melina – how that woman grated his nerves. Her openly displayed distrust made his temper boil and brought out the worst in him. Not that she didn't match him notch for notch. Her temper was almost as explosive as his. More than once, Minerva had to play peacemaker. And it was taking its toll on her. That, however, only seemed to enhance her beauty…

"Stop it, Severus." He scolded himself. "This is neither the time nor the place for such feelings. Besides, she is still in love with Albus. That much is obvious." Still, there were so many times when he just wanted to take her in his arms and make all her worries go away in his embrace.

The fluid in the large cauldron had taken on a baby-blue colour, signalling that the potion was ready to be poured into flasks. Severus looked around for an assortment of them in the spacious lab. Horus McGonagall had named this place his "Professional Kitchen" – an appropriate name. It was a fully equipped potions lab, full of cauldrons, scales, flasks and potions ingredients. The stock of ingredients was not only unbelievably extensive, but also

re-stocked itself automatically. The old man had sure known his magic. It was a paradise for brewing potions.

If only the fear of being caught would go away. Melina's sneaking in every night to fetch him for his daily – and much anticipated – visits at the cottage certainly didn't help. He knew the entrance to the "kitchen" was well hidden, but still…

"So, is it ready?"

Severus jumped. Once again, Melina had managed to sneak up on him. Either she was really a brilliant auror, or he was losing his edge. Neither one was a pleasant thought. Out of his uneasiness he only responded with a sneer.

Melina was much too excited to pay any attention. "Is the potion done?"

"Yes, I only need too fill it up. If I ever find a set of flasks."

She looked around and with one swift motion pulled a set of a dozen crystal ones from a nearby shelf. "Here you go."

Severus stared at her somewhat dumbfounded. She only smiled, and he forgot the snide remark that had been on his mind. Instead, he turned to the cauldron shaking his head.

Melina stepped around the worktable and asked: "Do you need any help?" Before he could reply, she caught a glimpse of the content of the cauldron. "Eeeek... A blue potion." She scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Are you sure that this is going to work?"

He bristled, "I followed the recipe to the letter. There is no need…"

"Relax Severus. I didn't mean to imply that you made a mistake. Baby blue is just a rather unusual colour for a potion. And since it has never been tested before, I'm just a little sceptical."

Snape was confused. The woman sounded civil – almost as if she was trying to be nice. Looking at her he had to admit she was attractive, especially when she wasn't treating him like dirt. Women! Especially the two he was dealing with right now. They were fascinating, but so confusing too. Pulling himself together, he said: "Well, I cannot guarantee anything. As I said, I followed the recipe with utmost care. Still, I don't know if it really works, how or for how long…or…if there are any side effects. The parchment didn't say anything about it."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to hope for the best."

He looked at her in surprise. Melina caught that look and explained: "If you had seen Aunt Minerva trying to change her animagus form during the last few days, you would agree. It's exhausting…and painful. Very often she just screams in agony. It must be horrible. And even worse, there is absolutely no progress." She looked worried. "I really wonder what did the trick in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"What made her cross the line when she became an animagus in the first place. I mean, back then Dumbledore was her teacher. And…" she made a face, "we cannot really ask him, can we?"

Severus almost laughed. No, to ask Dumbledore was certainly out of question. "You mentioned that you know somebody who could help your aunt? Who is it? Maybe he could really help."

Melina looked at him blankly for a moment. "Oh, you are talking about Baldur?" Snape's face was a mask of confusion. "Baldur Nipps. You know, the man, who invented the justimentors. He is a specialist in Charms AND Transfiguration. He could be a real help. So I called him yesterday."

Severus swallowed nervously. "Nipps? Isn't he a bit mad?"

The woman grinned. "Not more than other people I know. As a matter of fact, the only difference between him and Dumbledore is the fact that Baldur likes to make a show out of his so-called madness. He is a genius. But, yes, he does like to shock people."

"How do you know?"

Melina shrugged. "I have been protecting him and his work for almost 3 years." She corked the last flask. "Let's tidy up here and go. Aunt Min is waiting."

They cleared away any signs that this room had been used and left. Melina uttered a quick spell to seal and hide the chamber and they started to stealthily make their way to the Potions classroom.

It took them about half an hour to reach their destination. The hallways had been almost crowded. Hooded figures were running busily through the school, as if they were looking for something.

Hiding in the shadows of a suit of armour near the Great Hall they waited for a group of ten people to pass. The group was whispering and obviously very agitated. The two in the shadows couldn't make out lots of the conversation, but one thing they understood clearly. "She must have hidden it somewhere…It must be here"

Melina and Snape stared at each other wide-eyed. Once the group had disappeared they tried to run as much as possible, but only got around the next corner, when a new group came into view. McGonagall pulled them both into the shadows again, pressed her index finger to her companion's mouth to silence him and performed a quick hiding-spell on them. Breathlessly, they waited for this group to disappear too.

Again, they heard the hushed conversation about *it*. "Where could she possibly hide it? We have turned everything upside down."

Another figure suggested: "What if she has taken it with her? And hidden it somewhere else? I mean, it isn't exactly big."

The others hushed him. "True, but the full effect can only be achieved here in school. Dumbledore said, it is somewhat tied to Hogwarts. And… he made sure that she wouldn't bring anything with her, when she went to the Ministry."

The first figure wasn't convinced. "I still don't understand, what kind of power could possibly be in this thing. It isn't like she could create a massive weapon or call magical creatures into play with it."

The others quieted him. "The Dark Lord ordered us to find it. Dumbledore has told him that if McGonagall had free reign here and this thing to use, she could turn over our plans. That's why he and the Dark Lord wanted to remove her from Hogwarts. And that's why we are searching for it."

And gone they were.

The two hidden people swallowed nervously. This didn't sound good. Not good at all. Looking at each other they found a shared seriousness. Without uttering a word, Melina set up a moving invisibility spell around them and they made their way as quietly as possible to the Potions classroom.

Inside they stepped into the fireplace and with the use of the special floo powder travelled to Albany House instantly…