Chapter One

Professor Remus Lupin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. While getting ready for bed, he heard a noise… He turned to see a shadow flit across his bedroom wall. He cautiously followed, drawing out his wand. Suddenly, something heavy came crashing down upon his head… Lupin fell to his knees, blood flowing from his head. Just before he passed out, he looked up to see the shadowy figure of Peter Pettigrew bringing a small club down over his head. There was a sickening crack and Lupin knew no more.

Professor Alana Sinistra was sleeping soundly up in her room when she was suddenly awoken by a clatter coming from somewhere in her room. She pulled back her blankets and slowly got out of her bed, pulled on her robes and grabbed her wand off her bedside table. She saw a shadow and another sound coming from behind her.

"Who's there," she called into the darkness. No reply… Before she knew what had happened, a voice rang out through the darkness.

"Stupefy!" He yelled.

Sinistra fell to the ground and lay motionless.

Professor Severus Snape was sitting at his desk grading essays. He sighed. "What a long day." He thought to himself. As he dipped his quill into the fountain, he felt a sudden surge of pain in his forearm. He pulled up his sleeve and felt another surge. It was the Dark Mark that had been put there so many years ago. He rubbed it, wincing. He continued with his corrections. He stopped… He heard a something coming from somewhere in his office. He dropped the quill down onto his desk and slowly rose from his desk. His mark seared with such pain that he dropped to his knees.

"Who's there," he called out. "Show yourself."

He looked around frantically trying to see in the dimly lit room; finally setting eyes on Peter Pettigrew. Before he could do or say anything he felt a sudden surge in his arm and he collapsed from the overwhelming pain.

Sirius Black was in his cave on the mountain at the end of Hogsmeade. He was just getting ready to go into the town for his usual midnight search for food and old newspapers. He was just about to transform when he heard the sound of shuffling feet and saw…

"Peter!" Sirius growled angrily.

"Hello Sirius," Pettigrew answered.

"You . . ." Sirius sneered.

"Come now Sirius, it's me you're talking to. Your old friend." He replied.

"My friend!" He said in fury. "Peter, I am not your friend and you are definitely not mine!" He replied angrily.

"Come now Sirius, come join me. I think I might have a few things you'd want." He said as a sinister grin spread across his face.

"Wha- . . . what are you talking about?" Sirius asked.

"Why don't you look and see for yourself." Peter replied.

He removed a small glass ball from inside his robes and held it out in his hand for Sirius to see. Sirius moved toward the little man. He gazed imploringly into the ball; in it he saw three, lifeless figures.

"Remus, Alana… Snape?" he thought aloud.

He looked up and saw Pettigrew watching him. "What have you done to them?" Sirius yelled. He began to move towards Peter, ready to fight.

"They are at my Master's Castle." Peter replied. "You wouldn't want them to get hurt, would you?" Peter said menacingly.

Sirius stopped and looked at him in confused horror.

"Just that, it would be a terrible shame if they… let's say… died, all because of your lack of cooperation." Peter said.

"What?" Sirius replied anxiously.

"If you don't come with me, I'll have to kill them."

"I'll come." Sirius replied helplessly after a moment of silence.

"I thought that might persuade you." Peter said coldly.

Professor Lupin finally came to later that night. He awoke to see two blurry figures standing over him. He threw his arms out in front of him.

"Stay away Peter!" He yelled. "Don't hit me anymore! Please!" He could feel the long gouge in the back of his head bleeding.

"Shh, Remus, it's all right!" whispered a gentle, female voice.

"So, he's awake..." whispered an icy, cold male voice.

"It's okay, Remus, it's alright, I'm here to help you…"

The blurry figures began to get slightly less blurry. He could just make out Sinistra and Snape standing over him.

"Oh Alana, Severus!" he yelled, his eyes watering from the terrible pain. He tried valiantly to get up but Sinistra held him down.

"Don't move," she said. "I'm fixing you up, it'll be alright."

"Where are we?" Lupin asked.

"We're in You – Know – Who's Castle." Replied Sirius.

"Sirius, you're here to?" Lupin replied.

"Yeah..." Sirius said with malice in his voice.

"But why, Sirius?" Lupin asked.

"How's your head Remus?" said Sirius trying to change the subject.

"It feels better than it did before." He winced.

Snape wasn't in a talking mood. He wasn't very happy to be in the same dungeon, let alone, the same castle, as Sirius Black.