Chapter 14

(A/N: )

July 4, 1995 9:36am

In the first room on the second floor, where Ron and Harry would be staying, there was furniture; lots of it. Beds, chests, tables, and chairs were crammed into the room, stacked on top of each other and covered in cobwebs.

"Yay, more cleaning," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Well, at least we don't have to go out and buy furniture now," Remus said, trying to be cheerful.

"I wish we could, it would be so much easier," his friend grumbled, tugging at a king sized bed that was at the bottom of the stack.

"Sirius, don't—" Remus said as all the things on top if the bed came crashing down.

"We could use this for Molly and Arthur, don't you think?" Sirius asked. "After we clean it, of course."

They worked up until lunch time, cleaning pieces of furniture that they needed and testing them out to make sure they weren't cursed. Quite a few of them collapsed when somebody sat down, and some even attacked.

"My bum hurts," moaned Sirius as Remus set a sandwich on the kitchen counter for him. "That bloody chair—why did it even have teeth? Chairs aren't supposed to have teeth..." he shoved the whole sandwich inside his mouth and attempted to continue talking.

"Have some manners would you, Padfoot?" Remus sighed.

"Mph? " Sirius said around his food.

"What?"

"I said, why? No one's around," he said after swallowing.

"I'm around, and I find talking with your mouth full disgusting. "Besides, you don't even taste—"

"Filthy blood traitors, invading my beautiful house! Out, out!" screamed a voice from upstairs.

"Hey. Bill," Sirius greeted the long-haired Weasley as he came down the stairs.

"Hey. Sorry about setting your mum off, I must have been too loud with the door," Bill replied as Remus went upstairs to close the curtains around Mrs. Black's portrait. "Anyway," he continued when Remus returned, "as you know, Hermione Granger will be staying here soon, and we need a safe way to bring her to Grimmauld Place. She has been told the location of the house by Dumbledore, but her parents, being Muggles, have not. We are going to pick her up at a Muggle restaurant in London the day before my family moves in here."

"Okay. Why do we need to know this?" Sirius asked. "It won't be dangerous, surely."

"Well, it's the same thing as getting Harry. We don't think Death Eaters are going to try to attack, but we can't be sure. They might think Hermione knows something about The Order, so they could try to kidnap her for information," Bill explained. "It's not really a big deal, but we're going to need a few people to escort her here. Kingsley's already volunteered."

"I'll come," Remus said.

"Me too," Sirius chimed in.

"You're not allowed to leave the house, Padfoot," Remus reminded him.

Sirius made a face. "Fine. Tonks will go, she has off that day."

"Okay, I'll tell Mum," Bill replied, then headed back up the stairs.

"Moony, I want to go out," Sirius whined after Bill had left. "I'm sick and tired of being stuck in the house every single day. Can't we go for a walk or something?"

"No, it's too dangerous," Remus answered.

"I'll go as Snuffles, no one will recognize me!" Sirius pleaded. He turned to look out the grimy kitchen window; at the trees and sunlight.

Remus sighed. It was beautiful weather, but even in his dog form Sirius would be in danger. But still...

"Go get your leash, Padfoot," he told his friend. "This is the only time I'm letting you out of the house, so don't ask again."

"What? You're going to take me for a walk?" Sirius exclaimed. He hadn't really expected Remus to say yes. "Yay!" He ran upstairs to find his leash and was back in less than two minutes.

The weather was perfect for a walk; it was warm, but not to the point where it was uncomfortable. There was a pleasant breeze that messed up Remus's hair, but watching his friend being so happy more than made up for it.

They walked to a nearby park, where Remus let Snuffles off his leash so he could run around and chase butterflies and all the things dogs love to do. Children rushed over to pet him, and he nuzzled their hands affectionately.

By the time they made it back to Grimmauld Place it was late; the sun had started going down, and Tonks was home.

"Tonksie!" squealed Sirius. "I got to go outside today! It was so much fun..."

Remus smiled as Sirius described the children and the sunshine and the butterflies. He went up the stairs to his room without the others noticing and got out his sketchbook. He drew the outline of a big black dog chasing after a butterfly; there was sunshine illuminating the puffy clouds in the background, and grass so green it hurt his eyes to look at. He meant to add more detail to the sky, but he ended up falling asleep, happy that he had been able to provide such a wonderful day for his friend.