Chapter Four – The Meeting of Foes

The order meeting was in full swing by 4:00 that day. Everybody had turned out, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Moody and Kingsley sat up one end of the table. While Bill, Charlie, Emmeline, Molly, Arthur and Mundungus sat at the other. Hagrid sat on the couch next to the fire; as it was just about the only seat that would hold his weight, while Tonks and Remus sat suspiciously close to one another in the middle of the table.

Snape was the last to arrive, and took a seat in the corner of the room closest to the door.

Everything was discussed; from werewolves to whereabouts, giants to galleons, death eaters to duels. Yet two people seemed preoccupied in their own thoughts.

Snape was staring off into space, as if he had taken some sort of daydream potion and Sirius was busy leaning back on his chair at the furthest possible angle and throwing particularly slimy spit balls in Snape's direction when he wasn't looking.

As the meeting ended, people rose and left, others stayed behind and talked. It took Snape a minute to come back into the haze of the room. Feeling vulnerable and separated from the rest of the group, he hurriedly made for the exit.

Walking down the long dark corridor he realised how much Grimmauld Place gave him the creeps. It reminded him to much of the house he grew up in, proud, empty and lonely practically reeking of bitterness. It was as if there was some noxious gas seeping through the house, oozing under doorways so that all of them became infected by gloom.

At the end of the hall, a man stepped out of the shadows, Sirius Black. Instantly Snape froze, it was just like school. The silence between them was heavy as if neither man knew how to act. Sirius removed a letter from his pocket.

"Snape" he muttered.

"Black" replied Snape.

Sirius stood up taller, higher than Snape and spoke "I heard you've been giving my godson a hard time". Slowly he began advancing down the hall.

"How touching" sneered Snape, his lip curling "and you being such an expert in our educational system would know the best methods for teaching children".

Sirius balled his fists in his pocket and clenched his jaw. "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed Snivellus" he almost whispered threating "I know better".

"Well why don't you tell him so, or are you too afraid that he might not take the advice of a man who has been hiding in him mother's house for the last six months very seriously?" said Snape, his calculating eye darting from his wand to Sirius's face. "I think I know best for Harry" he muttered under his breath, face framed between a curtain of greasy black hair.

"I'm his godfather" Sirius flushed.

"I'm his father" Snape replied.

There was a short moment of confusion, where neither person seemed to know what to do. Snape was shocked that he had finally admitted it out load while Sirius seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle trying to decide if he believed it or not.

In one quick fluid motion Snape's wand was up against Sirius's neck, who was looking murderous. "If you say one word" began Snape as the grip on his wand became tighter.

Suddenly the door at the end of the hall opened and Mr and Mrs Weasley walked out hand in hand. Molly giggled as Arthur happily stroked her cheek. Both froze on the threshold gazing at the scene in front of them, which also suspended in mid action. By this time Sirius too had his wand at Snape's chest.

"Merlin's beard" spoke Mr Weasley first breaking the silence "what's been going on?"

Both men instantly lowered their wands. Each wore an expression of the utmost contempt as the unexpected entrance of witnesses seemed to have brought them to their senses. Snape pocketed his wand, turned on his heal and sweeped across the corridor without comment. At the door he turned back and eyed Sirius one last time, almost threatening him to secrecy. And then he was gone.

"What's been going on?" asked Mr Weasley again this time directing his question to Sirius.

"Nothing Arthur" Sirius replied, breathing heavily as though he had just run a long distance "just a friendly chat between old school friends". With what looked like an enormous effort he smiled toward Mr and Mrs Weasley and retreated back upstairs to his room to hide his outrage.

Authors Note – Thanks for all your lovely reviews. Let me know what you think of this chapter

PrincessDreamGirl