Mornings began early in the small town in East London. The sun had barely raised over the rooftops of the small houses but the town was already full of life. Streetlights went out, people were walking like ants to all directions, hurrying, pushing each other, dragging their children behind them. It had rained last night and little boys and girls splashed their colorful rain boots through the puddles, giggling cheerfully and earning a scolding from their parents. The traffic lights changed from red to yellow to green all the time and cars honked impatiently, sleepy drivers cursing at bikes that sneaked in every space they found on the road. Light wind shook the branches of the trees, causing the wetness from the leaves to fall down all over someone who was walking under the tree. The autumn morning was chilly, clear and beautiful.
In all this rush no one paid attention to a black dog that was sitting on a lonely bench, watching everyone keenly. Aside from the slight raising of its chest that signified breathing, the dog was motionless. It didn't have a collar or a name tag and obviously didn't belong to anyone. It almost looked like the dog was waiting for something special.
A little boy walked by, holding his mother's hand. Noticing the lone animal, he pulled his mother towards the bench.
" A doggy! Mommy, look, a doggy! " The child reached his tiny hand to touch the dog.
But the dog didn't seem to want any love. It pulled away the same moment the boy's mother jerked him back by the sleeve of his raincoat.
" What are you doing? Stay away from stray dogs, they might be ill! "
She walked away, dragging her son with her. The next moment, when the little boy looked back to take one last look at the dog he didn't manage to pet, it was gone. The lonely bench was empty.
So far Sirius hadn't seen any members from the Ministry of Magic. But one could never be too careful so he had decided to spend this day as a dog to check his surroundings. Although there wasn't much to check, to be honest. It had been 12 years and this town had stayed pretty much the same Sirius remembered it. Memories were everywhere he looked. He walked through the park and immediately recognized the oak under which Evelyn and he spent so many romantic moments. He turned around the corner and found the old movie theater where they kissed for the first time. Now, 12 years later, it was renovated, and Sirius, overwhelmed with nostalgia, wished to take look inside but the sign in the front of the movie theater warned that animals are not allowed inside. Muggle nonsense, he thought and jogged away after a tall guy, probably from the staff of the theatre, walked outside and mumbled something that sounded like " dog catchers " and " rabies" to Sirius, noticing a dirty dog prowling around the building. The wizard wasn't intimidated by either of these things. He wasn't intimidated by anything Muggle, but there was no need to attract unnecessary attention. And he saw the small summer cafe where Evelyn announced her pregnancy to him. What a fool was he back then, what a coward! Ridden with guilt and remorse, Sirius made his way to the part of the town where Evelyn's house was. Even after all these years, he was unmistakenly sure about the address. How would she react if she saw him in front of her? Would she ever recognize him or would she take him for some filthy homeless? Maybe she had already completely forgotten him...if a woman could forget a man who had left her with an infant on her arms.
However, a surprise awaited him once he reached his destination. Evelyn's house was still there but it seemed to be totally abandoned. Some of the windows were boarded shut and some were just empty and glassless. A wooden sign " For sale "was stuck into the ground. The fence around the house was half broken and Sirius hopped over it to take a closer look. The grass in the garden had grown so tall that Sirius, being the big dog that he was, could easily hide in it. The front door was closed but not locked, and Sirius slipped inside.
The house was empty and it was obvious that no one was living here for a long time already. Dust had piled up in all the corners of every room. Some lonely, knocked over furniture were still there – a broken chair, a closet with no doors and a lamp with a shattered glass lampshade. On windowsills, there were some withered houseplants. Sirius walked up the stairs to the second floor, the steps squeaked under his weight. There, in one of the rooms, he found an old, rusted baby crib and rotten baby clothes. He whimpered quietly. His child was born. They were here. Where did they go? How will he find them now? Sirius took an old teddy bear in his teeth and left the house. He had an idea who might know something about Evelyn and his child.