He couldn't remember when last he had felt this cold. This wet. This utterly chilled. Oh hell, of course he could remember. When had it ever been different? But he was nearly there. Time to deliver the sparse scraps of news that he had managed to collect. And to endure the smell of wet dog, of course. There was no saying, which would be the hardest to endure,
Finally there. Some small, merciful light. He quietly entered the large mansion, the Most Noble House of Black, trying to avoid the portrait. The shrew seemed to be asleep, thank heavens for small favours. He was sick of it all. The cold, the loneliness, the hopelessness of his situation. He longed for some warmth, some food, and if he was entirely honest with himself, some of the coziness that sometimes surrounded him in the kitchen like a warm blanket. He never acknowledged it to himself, but sometimes he managed to disappear in a dark corner and enjoyed the company that surrounded him. So long as they didn't find him out, of course. Or Black started to be rude. He stood still for a moment. He vaguely heard the sounds of merriment and laughter come out of the kitchen. He sighed and swept in. The room fell deadly silent.Then, "Hell, Snape, shut the damn door. I'm freezing. What do you need anyway?"
"Welcome back," Snape thought. And something inside of him froze.
"Well, at least I did something useful with my time, Black," he sneered back. "Unless some fugitives I could name."
"You dirty son of a bitch," Black yelled back, red faced, fishing for his wand.
Remus Lupin sighed and tiredly asked Snape what he wanted.
"Speak to Dumbledore," Snape answered curtly, stepping in front of the fireplace.
After having made his call, he rose and turned to the stove in the hopes of finding something left to eat.
"Sod off, Snape," growled Black, who was trying to shake off Lupin's hand. "That smell of rotten fish is nauseating."
"I can imagine that it is hard to get used to one's personality, Black, especially if it is one of your variety."
With a growl that sounded like a rottweiler, Black shoved Lupin away and pointed his wand at Snape. He managed to curse him before Lupin jumped at him.
It was a small consolation that he was immediately captured by Lupin. A very small one, considering that fact that Blacks curse had made Snape's clothes transparent and that nothing kept the other occupants in the kitchen from admiring Snape in the nude. Or to ask themselves who might have given Snape that little red heart that hang on a chain around his neck.
A powerless, blinding anger ran through Snape, he balled his fist and disappeared out of the kitchen, surrounded by the uproarious laughter of the entire Weasley family.
"I will make you pay for this Black, oh yes I swear I will."