When Severus awoke, he found himself in a soft, comfortable overstuffed armchair that felt like it was swallowing him up in and oddly comforting way. There was a warm quilt draped over him with a design he didn't recognise, but looked homemade. With a weary hand, he rubbed his eyes as he realised he'd made another debt. Severus opened the door to his memories an inch, just enough to recall a bitter master and collapsing before his own hearth as the apparition home had sapped the last of his strength. The word 'Crucio' floated through his mind.

So he'd been home... but where was he now? His weary eyes narrowed at the sight before him. Was that a... painting?

The wall before him was a mural of what looked like another room, but when Severus outstretched a hand, he touched the hardened result of an artist's brush. Baffled, he realised that the room was only big enough to fit the armchair he was in comfortably and allow him to reach out from his seat and touch the painting, but no more. The other walls had a fresh coat of paint and the top of the room was about seven feet high, making for a bit of a claustrophobic sitting room in probably the most literal sense. But, one could easily and comfortably fit four men in the space, were it not for the chair.

Severus unwrapped himself from the quilt and while doing so, he heard the crinkle of parchment and turned to accidently knock a note off the armrest onto the floor. Finally putting the covering aside, he bent over to pick it up, only to regret the movement as his mind stormed and his eyes saw red. Wincing, he sat back, his eyes squeezed tight as he used his Occlumency skills to shut out the pain that flooded his head relentlessly.

After a few moments of painful silence, Severus allowed his bloodshot eyes to once more open and look down at the piece of parchment, just beyond his reach, tauntingly watching him from afar. He reached into his robes and found his wand, still hidden where he'd left it - apparently he wasn't captured by foes, though he couldn't think of a foe who'd wrapped their prisoner in a quilt before - and took it out slowly, taking care to not make sudden movements, lest the pain surprise him once more. He took a breath as he held the ebony wand before him and cast a spell, summoning the note. He caught it deftly in one hand, and he felt his heart catch in his throat at the sight of the writing there.

It had been folded loosely in four, and the writing within read:

Sev, you're safe. You're at Lupin's. You were right about his lycanthropy, but that's not important right now. What matters is your well being. If you can manage to get yourself out of there (I know you enjoy puzzles) stay upstairs, but holler down - you'll see what I mean. If not, I'll come in to check on you very shortly, so don't worry.

You're scaring me, Sev!

Lily

Suddenly, his mouth was dry. He was in a werewolf's house, trapped in a bizarre room, confined to unfamiliar territory, and under the supervision of a known Mudblood and Half-Blood. He was the Dark Lord's second hand man. They had deep connections with Albus Dumbledore.

He was in deep trouble.