Sirius Black was in pain. He felt it with each step he took. But he was no
stranger to pain. For twelve long years he had been in constant pain while
at Azkaban, the dementors stealing his life away. Now he was free. A pair
of headlights appeared on the road ahead of him and he trotted off to the
side. The driver glanced at him as a little girl in the backseat cried out,
"Daddy, look a doggie."
Sirius barked at the cars retreating back and trotted on. A few hours later, the sky had darkened enough so that he could transform back into his human form if he had wanted too. But he did not. For as much as his feet ached, traveling as a dog was faster. He had taken too long already. It had been a week since he had left Hogwarts for Remus Lupin's. A week in which anything could have happened.
Slowly the sun rose and a stone cottage soon came into view. Sirius stopped a hundred yards away from it and transformed back into his human form with a slight Pop. He strode towards it, biding his time and generally looking uninterested. The cottage's wooden door opened and a tall, thin man with light brown hair appeared in its frame. The man was clearly confused and started towards Sirius.
"Hello Sirius," he said in a even voice.
Sirius stopped two feet away from him. "Lo, Remus," he said, fighting back a grin. The two men stared at each other for a few seconds before Remus ran and embraced him.
"Why are you here?" he said as he pulled away. "Your supposed to be in hiding." He glanced nervously around.
"Aw, Moony. I come back to see you and all you can say is why are you here?" Sirius pouted. "Besides, you live miles away from any muggles."
Remus sighed and led Sirius inside the cottage. He motioned for him to sit down and then took a seat himself. Sirius glanced around the cottage. It consisted of two rooms, the first being a kitchen/living room and the second being a bedroom.
"Nice place you've got here, Moony."
"I like it. And its removed from the village so I can transform in peace." A tired look flooded Remus' face but quickly vanished. "Tell me, why are you here?"
Sirius's grin faded. "Voldemort has come back, Moony," he said looking away. Remus gripped the edge of his chair.
"What!?!"
Sirius pulled a letter wedged in his shoe. "This is from Dumbledore. It explains everything." He stood up but a wave of dizziness hit him. Remus looked startled.
"Sirius, you need to get some sleep." He grabbed his friends arm and dragged him to a small, beaten couch. Sirius smiled weakly and plopped down onto it. Within seconds he was dead asleep.
Remus shook his head and picked up the letter, which lay on the floor by his chair. He sat down and unfolded it. As he read his eyes grew wide. His let out a number of short gasps, and when finished, put head in hands. "Poor Harry," was all he could manage. He reread the letter again, trying to figure out what to do. He took a deep breath and stood up.
He tucked his wand in his pocket and wrote a short note to Sirius on a piece of parchment before pulling on his cloak and disapparating.
Sirius barked at the cars retreating back and trotted on. A few hours later, the sky had darkened enough so that he could transform back into his human form if he had wanted too. But he did not. For as much as his feet ached, traveling as a dog was faster. He had taken too long already. It had been a week since he had left Hogwarts for Remus Lupin's. A week in which anything could have happened.
Slowly the sun rose and a stone cottage soon came into view. Sirius stopped a hundred yards away from it and transformed back into his human form with a slight Pop. He strode towards it, biding his time and generally looking uninterested. The cottage's wooden door opened and a tall, thin man with light brown hair appeared in its frame. The man was clearly confused and started towards Sirius.
"Hello Sirius," he said in a even voice.
Sirius stopped two feet away from him. "Lo, Remus," he said, fighting back a grin. The two men stared at each other for a few seconds before Remus ran and embraced him.
"Why are you here?" he said as he pulled away. "Your supposed to be in hiding." He glanced nervously around.
"Aw, Moony. I come back to see you and all you can say is why are you here?" Sirius pouted. "Besides, you live miles away from any muggles."
Remus sighed and led Sirius inside the cottage. He motioned for him to sit down and then took a seat himself. Sirius glanced around the cottage. It consisted of two rooms, the first being a kitchen/living room and the second being a bedroom.
"Nice place you've got here, Moony."
"I like it. And its removed from the village so I can transform in peace." A tired look flooded Remus' face but quickly vanished. "Tell me, why are you here?"
Sirius's grin faded. "Voldemort has come back, Moony," he said looking away. Remus gripped the edge of his chair.
"What!?!"
Sirius pulled a letter wedged in his shoe. "This is from Dumbledore. It explains everything." He stood up but a wave of dizziness hit him. Remus looked startled.
"Sirius, you need to get some sleep." He grabbed his friends arm and dragged him to a small, beaten couch. Sirius smiled weakly and plopped down onto it. Within seconds he was dead asleep.
Remus shook his head and picked up the letter, which lay on the floor by his chair. He sat down and unfolded it. As he read his eyes grew wide. His let out a number of short gasps, and when finished, put head in hands. "Poor Harry," was all he could manage. He reread the letter again, trying to figure out what to do. He took a deep breath and stood up.
He tucked his wand in his pocket and wrote a short note to Sirius on a piece of parchment before pulling on his cloak and disapparating.