12 Grimmauld Place appeared out of nowhere, looming in the darkness against the starry sky. Severus knocked at the door and was let in by Mundungus Fletcher.

"Where are the other members of the order?" Severus asked, removing his cloak and walking into the meeting room. Mundungus came in after him, whiskers aquiver as he offered Severus a seat. He seemed a bit nervous. He always did around Severus, it had something to do with Severus threatening to slip Veritaserum in to his drink one time if he didn't keep guard properly when he was ordered. It pleased Severus to see that this warning had affected the other man.

"Ahhh, they're out." Fletcher said after a time. Severus had seated himself but at these words he sprang out of the chair.

"Out?" Severus bellowed. "What do you mean, out? I was supposed to be telling you about my latest dealings, wasn't I? Is Black out too?" He scowled as he thought of the most hated of men.

"Well, uhhh, yeh. They're all out. That's where they are... out walking Sirius. Molly reckoned a small walk couldn't hurt him. I'm 'ere to keep guard."

"Confound it. Doesn't anyone care that I've spent the past week gaining information to tell this evening. Dumbledore is gone too?" Severus asked, feeling highly annoyed. He had risked being seen for this? To be guarded by this ridiculous Fletcher fellow. Damn it all!

"Yeh. Look, calm down." Fletcher said, waving his hand towards Severus's chair in a plea for the other man to sit down.

"Calm down." Severus repeated bitterly, his top lip curling in disgust. He sat down again.

"Yeh, they shouldn't be too long!" Mundungus said twitching in his place. After five minutes sitting he fished in one of his pockets and brought out a pack of cigarettes. His hand shook as he brought one to his mouth and lit it.

"I don't suppose you're going to offer me one?" Severus asked, his eyes glittering menacingly. Fletcher gave a quick start.

"Uhhh, ahhh, you smoke?" The tatty man asked with a raised eyebrow.

"How do you think I got these?" Severus asked leaning forward slightly and baring his yellow teeth. He was quite enjoying menacing the thief, who had moved back in his chair agitated.

"Alright then. 'Ere." Fletcher said, giving Severus a cig and lighting it. Severus inhaled deeply. It had a slightly odd inflection, not his usual brand of tobacco. He relaxed slightly, though. On duty he rarely partook of his bad habit, but it didn't seem like the rest of the Order were coming any time soon, and he had been dying for a cigarette all day.

Ten minutes passed as Severus puffed slowly on his cigarette. He was beginning to feel more and more relaxed, his mind was clearing, and he was less annoyed about the rest of the order coming back any time soon. In fact, he was starting to feel quite happy indeed. Fletcher was still twitching in his seat, but looked less furtive now, and was playing with some cards in his hands.

"Want a game of something?" Severus asked, staring at the cards.

"Uhhh, sure." Fletcher said after a time, and started to deal.

Twenty minutes and two cigarettes later Severus was grinning as he took up all his winnings.

"You lose again, Dung!" He exclaimed before chuckling and taking another swig of firewhiskey. He was in a great state of disrepair. He had brushed his hair back from his face with his hand, and on account of the grease it was staying up, over his head, and flicking off at all sorts of angles. He had taken off his coat, undone the top three buttons of his black shirt, rolled up the sleeves and his shoes were lying nearby.

"Gah, Sevvy, you're too quick for me!" Fletcher said as he started to deal again.

"Yeah, I'm the quickest of the lot. Even Malfoy agrees. He was questioning me the other day so I said to him, I said, 'Lucius, you know what's best, don't you?' and he said 'Severus, you're the quickest of the lot. I should have listened to you sooner.' And I was right, wasn't I? I was quick." Severus giggled insanely as he looked at his cards. He grinned as he knew he was going to win, he already had three jacks and two kings.

Another ten minutes and another cigarette later they had given up the card games, Fletcher having lost every time, and had decided to go explore the house. They stumbled down the hall with their arms around each other's shoulder.

"Shut up, you old bat!" Severus crooned at the matricarchal Black portrait as it screamed "Blood traitors!" at them.

"You tell 'er, Sevvy! Knees up mother Black, knees up mother Black..." he trailed off, unable to remember the next bit.

"Knees up, knees up, never let the breeze up, knees up mother Bla-aaaaak!" Severus concluded stamping the floor with his foot and laughing. Suddenly the door opened and Molly Weasley came bustling in. She gasped in shock as she beheld the two mens' disheveled appearance and obvious intoxication.

"What is going on here?"

Fletcher looked instantly concerned and walked forward saying, "Now, Molly, don't get too concerned. Nothing a small sobriatus charm won't fix! We're fine, right? We're just fine. In fact, why don't you join us."

Meanwhile, Severus was laughing raucously, putting a hand against the wall for support. "Oh you caught us, oh no! What are we to do now?"

"Oh, Dung. You have not been giving Severus any of your special tobacco have you?" Molly interrogated. "You have, haven't you? Hasn't Dumbledore said you were not to use that on duty, and especially around others? You have no idea how lucky you are that I came back before everyone else to make tea!"

"Sorry, Molly. Couldn't help it. The stress, yeh know!" Fletcher was saying. He was a lot less intoxicated than Severus, who was now dancing around in the hallway.

"Oh for goodness sake! Sobriatia!" Molly said, pointing her wand at Severus angrily. Severus slumped to the ground immediately. "Once again, I have to sort out your mistakes, Dung. Severus will never forgive us for this!" She walked over to Severus and lifted him up.

Another twenty minutes later Severus stood in the meeting room, tightening his cloak around him and looking extremely angry. Molly was handing him a comb.

"There, no-one need know. We'll just keep this between ourselves!" Molly said, looking for all the world intensely bewildered in anticipation of Severus's reaction but to her surprise he didn't bark at her, but instead took the comb.

"Thank you, Molly. I'm sorry you had to see that." He looked down to the ground as Molly went out of the room to fetch some tea. The order would be back at any moment. Fletcher came into the room next and Severus's expression changed immediately. His lip curled and his whole body tensed up.

"You!" He snarled. "Why didn't you tell me it was enchanted relianus tobacco you were giving me? An illegal substance no less?" Mundungus simply bowed his head, but his eyes were twinkling. Severus continued, "if you tell a soul about this, I swear I'll..."

"You'll what? Put Veritaserum in my tea?" Fletcher asked with a grin, before whipping out something from his pocket. "If you ever threaten me like that again, I'll just show Sirius these pictures!" The pictures showed Severus grinning, half undressed and dancing around the meeting room. Fletcher wheezed slightly from laughter. Severus looked mortified before he snarled, grabbed his wand and looked ready to curse Fletcher into a billion pieces, but just then the door opened once more and the order were standing there.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Severus, we didn't realise how late it was!" said Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Severus immediately checked himself and replaced his overwhelmingly sour expression to his normal restrained contempt.

"So you should be. Next time you want me to deliver a report you could at least have the decency to be here." Molly came in with the tea next, looking at him rather worriedly.

Severus delivered his report before hurrying out of 12 Grimmauld Place as fast as he could. He would get Fletcher back somehow. But before then, he'd give up smoking.