A/N: THIS IS THE SEQUEL TO WHEN A STRANGER CALLS – PLEASE READ THAT FIRST.

Alright! I'm back! I know this has taken forever and I know that this is only the prologue, but bear with me. Even this wasn't easy to write. The first real chapter of this will be posted sometime tomorrow, so stay tuned for that. Don't forget to review! The last chapter of On the Other Side will also be posted soon for those of you who are concerned. I want to say thank you in advance!

NOTE: If you're leaving an anonymous review, please leave a name IN YOUR REVIEW so that I know how to address you (if you want a response at all). For some reason the site isn't letting people post up names. So that's sad.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated with it. This is not making any profit and is only for personal enjoyment.

WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT, VIOLENCE, COARSE LANGUAGE, SCENES OF A SEXUAL NATURE, AND SITUATIONS THAT MAY NOT BE COMFORTABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

PROLOGUE: ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

It was storming again, the rain pounding against the already crumbling building, eroding away at the sides of the desolate island. The air was gloomy, shrouded in grey – it was always gloomy, and it was always some shade of desolate colour – and the thunder only added to the depressed atmosphere. It was obviously to the liking of the Dementors that presided over the island that housed Azkaban, the wizard prison. Moreover, it was especially to his liking.

Yes, Xenophillius felt at home.

Azkaban was just another grimy building, after all. In fact, his accommodations were rather nice compared to what he'd been crawling through the past several long, long years of his life. This place was not any filthier, no more depressing than he was used to.

In fact, it was positively cheerful, comparatively. He could hear the moaning of the other prisoners, and that made him slightly gleeful. He could hear the fellow in the cell next to his digging his already bloody nails into the stone again. It wasn't the most delightful sound, but he enjoyed hearing the demented screaming that the pain was obviously causing. Yes, he was home. This was home.

He was slightly on the surprised side that he was still here. His execution date had been set and then set again, only to be moved another few weeks down the road. He knew exactly why of course, though that had no consequence on his plans, but it was nice. Some time to soak up the monstrosity that was the wizarding world.

Oh, yes. Yes, he'd soak it all up and then they'd all perish.

A spatter of rain made its way through his prison window, landing on his face and chest. He contemplatively licked his lips, soaking up the water on his extremely parched tongue. It was almost disappointing, he suddenly decided. He was no worse than he was before he'd come here, no crazier, no more vindictive, and he'd had quite high hopes for a place like this.

In fact, he was quite normal. It was almost boring. He wished the dementors would come and play with him a little, but that wasn't happening, not any time soon. They were afraid of him, not that they would tell anyone except to whisper it amongst themselves. He could hear them sometimes, hear their magic whispering about him. They didn't like to come anywhere near him, lest he soak up some of their happiness.

It was disappointing, yes. Very, very disappointing. Especially since one little blonde brat had made sure he couldn't feel any of it.

He heard a crack and figured the man in the cell next to him had snapped his fingers again. If the screaming and spitting was anything to go by, the man had snapped his whole wrist. Xenophillus smiled. That was good. It would make the suicide attempt that much more entertaining. It wasn't as if the man had any other use to fulfill except entertain him. His life had been well spent thus far.

Perhaps he ought to encourage the man to snap the other wrist. That way, when the man finally did attempt to kill himself, it would be twice the hilarity. Yes, it would be fun, quite fun! And then Xenophillus could soak up the man's misery as his own. And then Xenophillus could laugh and be entertained, if only for a couple of minutes. Perhaps he could imagine that the prisoner looked like Draco Malfoy.

And that would be gratifying to no extent.

Oh, yes. Yes. How had he not revisited that subject in his head already? It had been too long. Much too long. Hours perhaps? Yes, he shouldn't be so forgetful lest the little prince get away. But of course, Draco Malfoy had nowhere to run because Xenophillus owned the world. Of course the little Malfoy would figure that out soon enough. Of course he would. It was only a matter of time.

Xenophillius had planned it brilliantly, after all. It was going to be beautiful. Savage, dark, and beautiful. Yes, yes. Yes. It really was only a matter of time. And then the little Malfoy would wonder why he had ever deigned to rise up against the likes of a Lovegood. No one stood up against him and survived. He would learn and then Luna would be avenged. Yes, his daughter would be so proud.

The manic smile on his face dimmed a little as he realized the beautiful music of sobbing and nail scratching had stopped. The prisoner in the cell next to him was just sitting there like a fool. Did the man not know his place in life? Did he not know his existence was purely for entertainment? Xenophillius sighed.

"Dig," he whispered in his most polite voice. People always responded to his polite voice. Always. "Go on, little man. Dig! You're almost there. You can make it. And then you'll be free. Free!"

There was more sobbing. "I can't. I can't!"

"You must," Xenophillius said, amused. "Don't you want to see your little baby again?"

The man became frantic, muttering, and bolstering his own courage. Of course he wanted to see his stupid fucking baby again. That hardly mattered. Whatever worked to get the imbecile's mind in the right place was acceptable for the moment. Xenophillius waited, his smile widening. It was a twisted, grotesque sight.

The sad little prisoner began to attempt to dig his way through the impenetrable fortress that was Azkaban with his bare hands. Xenophillius was pleased, glad that his entertainment had resumed. He leaned back in his corner, his thin arms folded behind his head for comfort. Yes, this was home.

When he heard a loud crack for the second time that night, and a bloody howl accompanying it, Xenophillius laughed. He laughed so hard he couldn't breathe. It was a truly sickening sight, maddening laughter mingling with screams of pain.

The Dementors stayed clear, worrying that the madman would somehow force them to open his cage so he could run away.

Hundreds of miles away, Draco Malfoy bolted up in bed, drenched in sweat with ringing ears.

Yes. Yes, it was only a matter of time.

A/N: So, what did you think? Please let me know in a review if you have the time. Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter (at reply murtagh799), which is where I post all updates and extra spoilers. Here is a spoiler for tomorrow's chapter:

"Those in favour of declaring the marriage between Draco Lucius Malfoy and Astoria Malfoy nee Greengrass, raise your hands now," the speaker of the house said in his loud, booming voice.

See you all tomorrow! X

M.