After a too long battle with beaurocratic obstacles and other silliness, I am finally here.

Azkaban.

I have no doubt that it needs no other introduction. I am here for a personal visit. A rarity, I was told.

A guard escorts me to one of the deeper levels. I convince him to leave the vicinity, but I know I am carefully observed. I ignore that fact as well as I ignore the attention of the other prisoners. I am here only for a single person. A friend.

He has already noticed me. He has not been here long enough to get that vacant, preoccupied look that some inmates have, I suppose.

I stand in front of his cell observing him. At some other time, I might contemplate the inanity of war, but I have come for other reasons. For him. For myself.

He observes me as well. I think he is a bit desperate, but that may be just my imagination. He has always been so good at concealing what he wished to, even from me.

Eventually, the false tranquillity is broken.

»Lily,« he rasps. So a voice gets that rough quality so soon? I feel detached.

»Severus,« I answer calmly. I am not sure whether I managed a smile. Probably not. I do not feel like smiling.

We watch each other a moment longer. Then I take a few steps closer to his cell, until I am right next to the bars, barely not touching them.

Unobtrusively, I wave my wand. I would like a few moments of privacy with my friend. I do not think that is wrong.

Severus notices and comes closer as well.

I extend my hand to him, through the bars.

He watches me and my hand as if I were a spectre. I think I understand the feeling. Sometimes, I wonder if all of this is real as well.

He grabs my hand eventually with both of his. He looks at it quite intently, so much so that I begin wondering what he sees there.

»I am sorry, Lily,« he whispers, caresses my hand, still watching it.

I tighten my grip on him briefly. »So am I, Severus,« I murmur in answer.