Remus surveyed Severus through half-lowered eyelids as he and Minerva entered the room. Although the Potions Master's face was thinner than usual, he seemed alert and sober, if not happy. "So, Lupin," he sneered as he sat down. "What thrilling information has your murderous friend Black dug up? Statistics on the number of Death Eaters who are also werew-"

"Still drunk, are you, Snape? I'm hoping Sirius announces that he finally gave up and threw Chance off a cliff. He'd be doing us all a favor," opined Alastor Moody, until now silent as he huddled in a corner of the room.

"Enough," said Dumbledore. "Viviane and Sirius are doing a fine job, despite their, er, differences in outlook and I would think, as we face a common enemy, we could keep civil tongues in our heads. If the Death Eaters could hear us now, they would rejoice. Remus, would you like to impart the information that Sirius has sent to us?"

Remus looked around the room, allowing a hint of amusement to glitter in his eye as he caught Minerva's glance. Her exasperated expression mellowed a bit as she smiled back at him with a small sigh.

"It appears that there is a prison break being planned sometime within the year at Azkaban. Viviane managed to get the information out of one of her sources." An audible snort sounded from Moody's corner. "Meanwhile, Sirius has heard that there is…dissention in the Death Eater ranks about the timing and the advisability of making the attempt at all."

Remus watched, amused as everyone in the room sat up. "As Dumbledore recently noted, dissent in the ranks of your enemy gives you a distinct advantage - and it gives us a chance to divide their united front before Voldemort reaches his full power. Sirius reports bitter infighting among the most powerful Death Eaters."

"Do you have any details about why the Death Eaters are quarreling over this issue, Remus?" asked Dumbledore.

"Apparently Malfoy, along with his pals Crabbe and Goyle, are afraid of what their positions will be once the LeStranges are back in Voldemort's fold. They were considered his strongest and most favored supporters, remember, and so once they reappear Malfoy takes a step down. Not something Lucius wants to promote."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, thoughtfully placing his fingers against his chin. "Better news than I could have imagined. Is there no more specific time mentioned for the attempted breakout?"

"No." Remus got up to gaze out of the window. "But if we could somehow play on Malfoy's discontent. Bolster his feelings of fear and jealousy regarding the LeStranges, and split the Death Eaters into factions. Reuniting them would keep Voldemort busy for some time." He turned away to stare at Snape, finding that everyone else in the room was already doing so. The Potions Master was gripping the arms of his chair so tightly his knuckles were white.

"Do you really expect them to believe I've changed sides yet again?" he whispered.

Moody got up and stood over him. "Come on, Sev my boy. You're head Slytherin, known to dislike most of us, and your Dark Mark has been revealed to everyone. Why not rejoin your own kind?" His blue eye spun wildly as he slapped Snape's shoulder in mock heartiness.

Snape flinched and shook him off, turning away from everyone and standing to face Dumbledore. "Is this truly required of me, Headmaster?" he asked quietly. "Or is Black just sending me into a deadly situation again for his own amusement?"