Chapter Thirteen: The Portrait of Mrs. Black:

The order meeting had taken much longer than Snape had expected and as such he was not happy. He had potions to brew and papers to grade and the only consolidation was the fact that the other heads of houses who had been at the meeting had their own work they had to do. Still he was not leaving until he saw his son one last time to make sure he was sleeping well. He looked in on the boy and saw him clutching the stuffed panther that he suspected but could not prove one Nymphadora Tonks had got the child. Max beamed up at his daddy as Severus took a seat by him and tucked him in lovingly.

"How are you lessons going with Lupin?" Severus asked his son.

"Very well daddy, he is a good professor." Max said smiling at his father. "Tonks got me this to sleep with, I named him Fluffy."

"A perfect name indeed." Severus said.

"I love you daddy." Max said getting sleepy.

"I love you to my little prince." Severus said.

He tucked in his son, kissed him good night and walked out and down the stairs to leave the house. He did not give any mind to the portrait of Mrs. Black as he was heading out of the house. However she was paying attention to him and not in a good way. She did not like him or those in her house, true she had not been shouting as of late as Dumbledore had warned her not to but she could give voice to her frustrations with this little pawn before her. His dark hair, common foreign features made her dislike him and his child that dare live her though she never could insult or speak to the child as she wanted to. Her own son made sure of that.

"Well, well, well if it isn't the little pawn." Mrs. Black said from her portrait.

"Good evening ma'am." Snape said trying to be polite.

"Oh always the polite one, the good boy I knew your mother boy, never thought she would marry who she did." Mrs. Black said. "A filthy muggle no less!"

"Do not speak ill of my father, he was a good man." Snape said his eyes glittering dangerously.

"Why not, look what he spawned, a weak little pawn who is too scared and too weak to do anything but go between two masters." Mrs. Black said. "Oh yes two great wizards, both using you, pushing and pushing you to see when you will slip up and punish you for it."

"Dumbledore is not like that." Snape said evenly. "He is a good wizard and good man."

"You can say that after how he treats your house?" Mrs. Black said. "I know how he treated Slytherin in the brat-who-lives first year, oh yes dear grandfather Phineas told me all about that."

"Trying to get me to side with you against the order are you ma'am?" Severus said turning to face her fully.

He glared at her, she looked so much older than what a woman of her age should have. Then again she had done many evil and horrible things that had aged her far beyond her years. She cared noting for her physical looks, she only wanted power and she had died, how had she died? That was a mystery even to Severus who had spent time talking to the house elf Kreacher in his visits here. He said he had found her dead but would not say what had killed her that is if he even knew what had. Severus had a feeling she had tried to create a Horcrux and that was how Sirius's father had died, Mrs. Black had killed him but there was no way to prove that even now.

"Trying to warn you, you are a smart man, pity you may not live through this war." Mrs. Black said. "Like my poor Regulus."

"I am sorry he was killed, I met him, he was strong, brave he realized his mistake before I did, he was a better man than I." Snape said quietly.

"Yes he was, you are weak you know pawn." Mrs. Black said.

Her words hurt Severus, he did not show it, he could not, he just scowled at the portrait and was going to retort when he heard a strange sound. It was familiar but he could not place it as a sound in the Wizarding world. He turned and saw Tonks walking up a can in her hand, she was looking at the painting anger on her face shaking the can and it was that can that was making the noise. Severus stared at it and knew what it was, a can of spray paint. This was going to get interesting as when Tonks got mad someone was going to pay dearly.

"If it isn't the half blood brat." Mrs. Black said.

"Oh put a sock in it you old hag." Tonks said menacingly walking up to stand before the portrait. "You do not treat my friends in this manner!"

"Friend?" Mrs. Black laughed nastily. "You would be a friend of this creature?"

"Yes I would, he is a good man, he does what he has to because he knows it will help bring down Voldemort, he has lost so much because of that evil wizard and those like you." Tonks said.

"How dare you little girl…"

"You know what this is?" Tonks said holding up the can. "It's a muggle paint remover, oh yes, you old hag are going to get taken down."

"Tonks are you sure Black would want you to do that?" Severus asked her.

"I am as much family as he is, besides I hate this woman, she poisoned aunt Cissy and aunt Bella away from my mum, I will not forgive her for that."

"You would not dare you little tart!" Mrs. Black said then screamed as Tonks shot the paint remover at the top of the painting. "You little whore how dare you!"

"Um Tonks what are you doing?" Came the voice of Sirius and he saw the top of the painting now gone. "Tonks that may not be a good idea…"

"Exactly what I said." Severus said.

"Shut up whore." Sirius shot at Snape and shut the curtains over his mother.

That was it, Severus thought, no-one called him a whore no-one. With a roar he tackled Sirius and an all out fist fight began. Tonks leaped back and watched as both of these men beat each other badly cussing and swearing violently, it was good there was a silencing ward for the upper floors so that Max was not woke up by this appalling fight. As the sounds of the fight wafted down to the kitchen Arthur Weasley looked up and was about to see what was up when Molly stormed out and up the stairs. He followed her up and watched her go to work at once. She showed no fear as she waded into the brawl and in an instant, with the practice of years of this kind of work had two men by the ear instantly.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" She snarled.

"Black called me a whore!" Severus snarled.

"SIRIUS BLACK THAT IS ENOUGH! YOU EVER USE THAT KIND OF LANUAGE AGAINST SEVERUS AGAIN AND YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD NEVER DID THAT AGAIN DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

"Um he started it…."

"I said-do-I-make-my-self-clear?" At each word she twisted his ear hard.

"Y-yes M-Molly." He said nearly crying at the pain.

"Severus, I know he has been a bully but you will not fight him again got that?" She was much more gentle on his ear, so much so the pain was hardly anything at all. "I don't care what he says, you come to me!"

"Yes ma'am." Severus said hunched over as she did not let go of his ear or Sirius'.

"Now I am going back to the kitchen, you start this fight up again and you both will be very, very sorry." She left with Arthur following her with one parting statement, "I mean it!"

Both men glared at each other and were about to speak when there was a sound that made them look around, startled. The source of the sound became clear as they looked down and saw Kreacher looking up at the damage to the painting and wailing in anguish. He had seen the damage to the painting and it was clear he was hurt by it. Tonks looked shocked, she had not realized her actions would cause the elf so much pain. At once she was on her knees by him concern on her face.

"My mistress!" Kreacher howled. "What have you done to my mistress!"

"I-I am so sorry Kreacher I didn't know this would upset you so." Tonks said looking very concerned as the elf began to beat his arms and legs on the floor in misery. "Kreacher please I, I will get it fixed I promise."

"Let me." Severus said and he had his wand out, "Repairo." At once the painting was restored and even Sirius was impressed by this.

"Wow you can be of use." He said.

"In more ways than one." Severus snapped back adding several more charms to the painting, then looking down at the tiny elf he spoke to him "I will make sure no-one will harm this painting, I put a charm on it so that it cannot be harmed."

"Good, I don't want to see Kreacher so upset and sad again." Tonks said meaning it. "I am so sorry Kreacher please don't cry."

"However, Mrs. Black you are an evil woman, you are safe from harm for Kreacher's sake only, I am sure you are aware you no longer can scream or shout." Severus said glaring at her.

"You, you!" She said and indeed she could not scream and Snape smirked.

"Worthless now am I, a pawn, a whore?" Severus said eyes glittering. "I think not, good day to you."

With that he left in a billow of robes and Sirius realized that every time, yes every time he tried to hate Severus he did something like this. Sirius really hated Severus for that ironically he thought. Tonks was very impressed and Kreacher? Well Kreacher became part of the small but growing house elf "fan club" that liked one Severus Snape. The only one who hated him at that time was the portrait of one Mrs. Black, but then did her opinion really matter? Sirius rubbed his still throbbing ear and wondered if it was safe to go into the kitchen. He decided Padfoot would visit as he was sure Sirius was not wanted. Soon a shaggy black dog made his home by the fire in the kitchen and fell asleep at once.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Yes the fight between Sirius and Severus has been long time coming. They were bound to do this and of course with Molly in the house well it would get both men in trouble. She has six boys and would be used to wading in and breaking up fights. Yes she would have used a bit of wand-less magic to help her with that.

So anyway thank you for reading and do review!