1 month ago…

Inside his Azkaban cell, once proud teacher Severus Snape was huddled with his knees up to his chin, leaning his weight against the wall. The Dementor before him reached up to its hood, bringing it down with one graceful movement. It was then reveleaed that the Dementor was not a Demetor at all, but Lucius Malfoy.

"Oh," Snape grunted, unimpressed. "It's you."

The taller, more handsome man with the striking long blond hair linked his fingers together quietly and gazed down at the wreck of a man.

"You've served the Dark Lord and I most well, Severus," Lucius began in a soft but menacing tones. "You shall be greatly rewarded."

"I know you haven't snuck all the way in here just to tell me that drivel again, Lucius," Snape replied unappreciatively.

Lucius pressed his lips together. "Very well. I just thought that you might be interested to hear that the first stage of our plan has gone ahead."

This caught Snape's attention, and he very nearly leapt to his feet. Instead he gazed up at the more powerful man with great intent.

"You mean-" he blurted, but was interrupted with a short nod.

"Yes," Lucius said proudly, a wide smug across his face. "My son has escaped. He left just this morning, as I am to believe."

"At last!" Snape sighed with great relief. "Now I can stop this ridiculous charade!"

"Ah, not just yet, I'm afraid," Lucius corrected him, wagging a finger.

"What?" Snape snapped, his face falling back into despair.

"Draco has reached his target, as far as I know, but he has not begun acting on his intentions," Lucius explained as he slowly paced the floor of the cell. "For now, he must still believe that he is alone, and that you are a madman."

Snape didn't appear to be happy with this plan. "But Lucius, we have told him nothing about the seconding coming. What if he should-"

"We've been over this many a time, Severus," Lucius sighed impatiently. "Believe me, I know my son. He must carry on knowing what he knows, and nothing else."

"Very well," Snape sighed, brushing a hand through his lank black hair.

"Cheer up, Severus," Lucius said with cool sarcasm, putting up his hood to leave, the strong magic within the robe instantly making him look like a convincing Dementor. "The Reunion shall be taking place very soon."

"The Reunion," Snape nodded, mentally reminding himself. "Yes. That's the only thing that's keeping me going."

"I shall return within a few weeks," Lucius explained as he left the cell. "Hopefully with good news."

And Lucius disappeared out of sight, Snape silently watching him leave.

Remus Lupin was standing in an area of white nothingness. He didn't feel like he was floating, but when he looked down at his feet, there was no floor. Neither was there any shadow anywhere to hint that there were any kind of walls or doors in this … well, whatever it was.

Lupin apprehensively took a few steps forward and noticed that his footsteps made no sound. He took a few more steps forward but didn't appear to be going anywhere. This white space was so eerie it sent a shiver down his spine. How was it possible for something like this to even exist, a possibly endless space contained in that narrow arch? Even in the always surprising magic world, it was astounding.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all…Lupin thought with a gulp, and wiped his sweaty palms down his robes. He glanced over his shoulder but was horrified to see that the door, archway, bit of curtain, whatever it was – had disappeared.

"No!" he cried out desperately, hurrying over to where the door had been. He stuck out his hands and felt around, but there was nothing there. He was trapped in an infinite space of white and nothing else.

Don't panic, he told himself. Sirius is in here somewhere. Keep moving and you're bound to find him.

So Lupin began to walk.