Hermione huffed in frustration as the swirling liquid turned a dull silver once again effectively rendering the potion inactive . Brilliant witch though she was, Wolfsbane potion was proving exceedingly difficult to master and that did not sit well with her. How Severus produced such vast quantities of the stuff was beyond her – but then again he was a Potions Master, he could practically do it in his sleep. She would have to concede defeat tonight, this was her fourth ruined attempt and the ingredients were expensive and hard to come by.

She dropped the silver stirring rod onto the desk with a sigh before slumping into her seat and pushing a bunch of sweaty curls back from her face. Severus. A soppy, dreamy smile spread across her face as she leaned back and closed her eyes, her mind drifting back to the previous night as she recalled the exquisite gentleness of his touch, their confident skill as they played across her skin drawing pleasure from her as expertly as he brewed the most intricate potions, his breath dancing across her neck as he –

The door to the lab flew open with a crash and Hermione started violently from her daydream, jerking up out of her chair, drawing her wand in an instant and pointing it at the door, directly at –

"Professor McGongagall?" she gasped, her heart thudding erratically in her throat. "You startled me!" She lowered her wand with a shaky smile, before taking in the older witch's ashen face. "What on earth is the matter?" She moved quickly to her and took both of her hands in hers. They were as cold as ice.

The older witch offered her a watery smile, "Miss Granger, you need to come with me, quickly," she managed with an effort.

"Hermione, please Professor, and of course I will come but please what's happened? Is it Severus?" An uneasy feeling had settled in her stomach as she awaited confirmation that her new found happiness was about to be threatened. It wasn't often that Hermione Granger's intuition failed her.

Blue eyes met hazel as Minerva snapped her eyes to Hermione's and held them for a long moment, searching and failing to find the right words. In the end Minerva offered her a mute nod.

Hermione released the breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. "Where is he?" she whispered, dread beginning to creep through her like some insidious parasite.

Minerva took a deep breath, steadying herself as she grasped Hermione's shoulders in a vice like grip, "Albus has sent him on a fool's errand Hermione – for the very first time in all the years I have known him I truly fear that Albus is losing his mind! To willingly send him there now – of all places! We pleaded with him not to send him but he was insistent and Severus –"

"Minerva – where has he sent him?" panic was beginning to set in.

"The Shack. Albus sent Severus to the Shrieking Shack."

For a moment the words hung in the air like so many bubbles, refusing to form reason in Hermione's mind. She shook her head confused,

"I don't understand – there is no danger at the Shack for Severus – Remus is, Remus took –" the words died on her lips as reality came crashing down around her and she whirled to face the window where the full moon shone brazenly against the velvet black sky. "Gods, Minerva please tell me Remus took his potion?" she turned back to face the professor.

The stricken look in Minerva's eyes told her all she needed to know. With her heart thundering a frantic tattoo against her throat, she pushed past the older witch and dashed out of the room, praying she wouldn't be too late.