Postal

Nine

When Sirius spoke, his voice was low and gruff, almost a growl. "You're an even bigger fool than I thought you were, Severus, for bringing her here."

Snape's eyes flew open, as if jolted, and he swung round, noticing Sirius for the first time. "YOU!" Snape drew himself up to his full height. Harry suddenly wondered if it had been a good idea to let Sirius come with them. A tense silence followed as Snape and Sirius glowered at each other, pacing the circumference of the little room, like two wolves preparing to fight.

It was Snape who spoke first. The usual silk had gone from his voice. It was controlled. But only just. "This is of no concern to you, Black. Leave others to their own business."

Harry saw Sirius's eyes flash. He laughed sardonically. "What-like you did by interfering in the Shrieking Shack? Letting Pettigrew escape?"

"I didn't let Pettigrew escape, Black," Snape growled. "I was unconscious." His black eyes flickered accusingly at Harry, Ron and Hermione who shifted a little guiltily at the side of the room (although Harry and Ron were trying not to smile).

But Sirius continued, not listening. "Or by following us round the school and at night, snooping into our private affairs, hoping to get me or James or Remus expelled? Or could it all be due to your overbearing arrogance or some pathetic loneliness that you can portkey a Ministry spy-in-hiding to satisfy A WHIM?!-"

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances. They hadn't discussed with Sirius their conclusions about Snape's relationship to the woman. Harry's eyes swiveled toward Snape. Normally, Snape would have been shouting derangedly by now. Or brandishing his wand. Or something. This meeting was definitely not going the way they had planned. Sirius was not so much taking charge as charging.

"-Have you gone mad!" he snarled, whipping his wand at a glaring Snape. "Did you know that that woman is DUMBLEDORE'S SECRET KEEPER?! If Voldemort manages to extract the information he needs, she's as good as dead! DEAD!-THAT OCCURRED TO YOU, DID IT?! Or perhaps, you don't care about Dumbledore's secrets any more than you cared about Lupin's! And your arrogance proves you sure as hell don't care about HER LIFE!!"

"GET OUT!" spat Snape. The Potions Master was shaking with rage now, his fingers tightly gripping his wand, so that Harry was sure it would break at any moment.

But Sirius's eyes had a fire in them that Harry had not seen since his confrontation with Snape in the Shrieking Shack. His tone was that of thinly veiled loathing.

"Not until I'm ready. You. Selfish. Interfering. Prat. How could you, after knowing how this could jeopardize all our efforts in the war and her life and Dumbledore's as well?! What were you thinking, just because of some schoolboy crush and you thought she stood you up for Remus-"

Three mouths dropped open in surprise, unnoticed by either Snape or Sirius.

"-YOU SAD, SELFISH, PRESUMPTUOUS BASTARD," he continued. "WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT-"

"She's my wife," said Snape quietly. Making that four open mouths.