The End of Sixth Year, 2006

It had been a long day and the dark mark on his arm was throbbing. Severus had just reached for his scotch when a knock thudded on his door.

Severus groaned, planning on ignoring the sound. It was probably a student trying to ask a question and he did not have the patience for that at the moment.

"Severus!" He paused with his glass to his lips. Without hesitating he waved his wand, the locks coming undone from the door. His friend strode through the door with a worried expression covering his face. Remus's hair was sticking out in patches like he had been running his hands through his hair. His clothes were disheveled and looked as if he had rushed to button them.

"Did you just have sex?" His friend stopped walking abruptly, looking at Severus as if he had multiple heads.

"I wish." Remus stated, sighing before he walked to the same chair he had been seated in when he first caught whiff of Hermione. "That would just make this harder."

Severus was quiet as he watched his friend, slightly concerned that he had gone mad.

"Make what harder? Your descent into madness?"

A hollow laugh escaped Remus's mouth, "I made that descent the moment Hermione Granger walked into my life."

Ah, it was starting to make sense.

"I know you can't disclose much, Severus. I just need to know.. How bad."

Snape was silent, the silence more thoughtful than poignant. "She'll be hunted, Remus."

A growl escaped Remus as he hung his head.

"The war's not ending anytime soon."

The statement held truth to it, although the hope was he was wrong. One never knew how long a war could take to end. It could be years, or days. If Voldemort won, it would be longer; Hermione would never be safe.

Remus felt the tap of a cool glass being pressed against his hand, and he automatically wrapped his hand against the glass, realising Snape had poured him some whisky.

Severus walked away and went to stand at the bookshelves lining his walls. "What is the point of this Remus?"

"She will turn eighteen in September." a breath he was holding released as he spoke, "If the war isn't over within the year, she'll turn nineteen. She'll know without a doubt that she belongs to me, that I belong to her."

"She could die, then." Remus nodded and although Snape still had his back towards his friend, he knew the answer was correct.

"So you need to stay away from her." Snape answered bluntly, a feeling of protectiveness for the young girl flashing inside of him.

"I love her, Severus" His friend turned to him quickly, his eyes turning towards him with anger.

"If you love her, Remus you will protect her."

"I am trying, damnit!" Remus growled at his friend, anger coursing through his veins.

The anger Remus was expressing towards Severus did little to deter him. He knew how he felt, he could imagine the pain he and helplessness his friend felt.

"Does the girl love you?"

"She does"

"Then she will never leave you."

"I know."

Severus went back to his desk and calmly sat in his seat as he spoke, "You came to me for help."

It wasn't a question, the look of desperation was clear on his friends' features.

"That potion you were working on, to help you when you lost lilly. The memory potion."

Severus nodded once, understanding which potion he was working on. He hadn't perfected it, as it was only temporary. After a while he lost the desire to get rid of his memories, and thus he lost the desire to complete the potion.

"I have it but it requires an ingredient to complete it, as well as two nights to brew."

"What do you need?"

"Remus, you have to understand, this won't fix her pull towards you or the fact that you are both mates. She will just not remember you."

Remus nodded in agreement. His heart was breaking, but he needed her safe. He didn't want her to forget him, or them. "Do you need hair? Blood? Memories?"

Severus sighed and stood, reaching into a drawer of his desk and pulling out a blade.

"Blood will do, blood shed by a silver blade. You won't die, you know you'll probably just have a headache. We will seal the cut with dittany, like your bite was. You'll have it forever."

Remus turned his hand over, palm upwards as he extended his arm towards his friend
"Take what you need."