Remus was sitting alone in the common room, it was the night before the full moon and pain and anger coursed through his veins. As it always was the night before the full moon, Remus found it best to be alone. Although Sirius had long since found out about his lycanthropy sometimes he wished he hadn't. Sirius hardly ever left him alone anymore and he lived in constant fear that one day approaching the full moon he would lose both his temper and Sirius forever. He was glad it was dim in the room; the soft amber light didn't hurt his eyes.

Suddenly the portrait hole swung open. Remus jumped, it was after curfew, everyone, he assumed, was in bed. He saw the shaggy black hair first. His heart both sank and leapt at the same time. Sirius came in, tripping in his haste. Remus laughed in spite of himself and rushing to help him up. Sirius grinned crookedly at him, took his hand and pulled himself to his feet.

"I've got something to show you."

Remus sighed inwardly. He wished Sirius would just go to bed; he wasn't in any mood to talk now, but Sirius' excited open face calmed his tense mood as it always did.

"What is it Sirius? Did another Valentines card find its way to you?" Remus said sarcastically. Sirius' face fell and Remus immediately felt bad. "Sorry." He muttered looking down. "What did you want to show me?"

Sirius flashed an uncertain smile at Remus and stood in the middle of the common room. He took a deep breath then shrank where he stood. Remus blinked in surprise and when he opened his eyes again he was staring at a huge black shaggy dog. He stared in shock at the animal before him till it came forward and bumped his thigh with its muzzle. Remus found his voice.

"Sirius!" he chocked.

The dog bumped its muzzle again on Remus' leg, he figured it meant yes.

He crouched down to look closer at the dog, now he saw Sirius' familiar features. The shaggy black hair, the tall, lean bone structure, but mainly the dogs open, excited, happy face. His face broke into a grin that quickly disappeared as he realised the lengths his friend had gone though to achieve this complicated piece of magic.

"Have you any idea how dangerous this is?!"

The dog blinked at him.

"There can be all kinds of complications. What if you get stuck like that and can't get back to human!

The dog growled in a manor Remus somehow understood to be, "Shut up." Remus complied, returning to his chair by the fire putting his head in his hands.

Truth be told he had no idea Sirius cared for him so much as to be prepared to go to such lengths to help him. Truth be told Remus cared more for Sirius than he cared to admit. He had always been there for him. Sirius was the only one who knew he was a werewolf and although he came from a wizard family and knew all about them he didn't care. He was his friend, his best friend.

The dog padded over and snorted softly, blowing Remus' hair out of his eyes. He looked up.

"I'm sorry I shouted at you, it's just I couldn't bear it if you got hurt or if something went wrong and you got stuck. I need you Sirius, the real you, not the dog, though you are kind of cute."

Sirius bared his teeth and growled at him.

"Okay!" said Remus, laughing, "You're not cute." "Just promise me you'll not use this magic okay." Remus sighed as the dog huffed and flopped down before him. "Please."

In response Sirius put his paws on his friend's knees and looked at him, then licked him behind the ear.

"EUGH" Remus yelled. "Get off!"

The dog cocked his head considering, then licked his other ear.

"Sirius, stop it!" he yelled again, wiping his ears with the sleeves of his robes. This time though Sirius could hear he was trying not to laugh.

He licked him once more on each ear and Remus cracked up laughing. Sirius sat and concentrated for a moment and soon Remus could hear Sirius laughing along with him. He looked up and saw his best friend, tall, lean, with scruffy black hair and a happy open face, laughing back at him. He stepped forward and seized his friend in a hug, still laughing.

"Thanks." He said simply.

Sirius grinned. Happy he had made his friend happy.

"You smell like dog." He said wrinkling his nose at his friend.

Remus through a cushion at him and Sirius ran for the dormitory laughing as he ran up the spiral staircase.

Remus watched him go and realised just how much Sirius meant to him. He would not, could not, ever forget how much Sirius had done to help him feel loved and welcomed. He knew he could never find anyone else who meant as much to him as Sirius.

He collapsed back into the chair by the fire, his pains nearly forgotten and fell deeply asleep, still smelling of dog.