Fun with Mary sue
Chapter 25 – Walk the dog
…
A Hogsmeade trip was a rare treat. Time away from the castle. Time away from the teachers. Time to just relax. Even Harry with so many things he wanted to be working on could appreciate the down time. Of course it would have been much better if there wasn't a hungry Veela stalking him. He'd spent a good hour or better since coming into the village dodging her with limited success.
It seemed like every time he thought he'd lost her some other girl would pop up and start talking to him which would naturally draw her attention. He was beginning to wonder if they weren't doing it on purpose.
He'd just slipped past Paris and Neville snogging and ducked into a small alley when he came upon a surprise. A large black dog, the grim, stood staring at him with expectant eyes.
"Snuffles?" Harry asked.
The dog's entire demeanor changed as it barked happily and began to wiggle about in delight. Harry laughed at the over excited over sized puppy. Kneeling down he indulged the old mutt by letting him lick his face while scratching his head and telling him what a good boy he was. After a few moments however, certain they were alone he became serious.
"Did you come alone?" Harry whispered.
The dog shook its head and whined.
"Is she nearby?"
He barked and wagged his tail.
"Alright, just let me change and we can get going."
Glancing around one last time to make sure he wasn't being watched Harry shrunk from full sized wizard to cute and cuddly mascot. The flying squirrel climbed aboard the scraggly looking dog and with one last checking the coast was clear they were off.
Given the general attitude of wizards the flying squirrel riding the dog didn't so much as draw a second glance from the people of Hogsmeade. Advantageous for mount and rider as they headed on out of the village and into the hills.
It was a short trip by dog to the little cave. An attractive woman sat on a blanket next to a picnic basket as they strolled all nonchalant, just a flying squirrel out for a dog ride. The woman smiled then giggled as the approached.
"There's never a camera around when you need one" she said.
The flying squirrel hopped off his mount and as one the two animals became two men. The woman rose to greet them with great enthusiasm.
"Harry" she squealed as she flung herself at the young man.
"Natalie" Harry said catching the flying woman while his dogfather stood there and snickered.
"It feels like forever since I saw you" she exaggerated "how have you been, give me all the details."
"Well, where do I even start?" Harry wondered aloud.
…
"So she's still not talking to you?" said Natalie.
"Nope" affirmed Harry "the girl can certainly hold a grudge."
"Just because you told her the truth about house elves" said Sirius shaking his head.
"Unfortunately the truth challenged her very rigid worldview and since it only came from me and not a teacher she doesn't have to accept it" said Harry taking a bite of his last sandwich.
"What about the other one, what did they call her um…"
"Helen, Helen is the other Hermione" Harry clarified "and its actually best not to even think of her as a Hermione. Apart from their endless drive to learn EVERYTHING, they're really nothing alike."
"Crazy, I mean considering" said Sirius.
"Yeah I know, it's just one of those things I've gotten used to" said Harry.
"And what about your other friend um, Ron?" asked Natalie.
"Well I told you how he got all bent out of shape after my name came out of the cup, and up till the dragon he was just being a right berk. Since then he's been kind of hovering around trying to talk to me I think. I usually ignore him or leave the room when he does it."
"Not gonna take 'im back?" asked Sirius.
"Honestly, I've actually been a lot more mellow since I got away from him despite this whole tournament thing hanging over my head. Sad as it may sound I think the only reason I latched onto him in the first place is because he shared my compartment on the train to Hogwarts my first year. I was pretty desperate back then."
"Yeah" said Sirius with a dark look.
"Oh relax Padfoot, I got over it. Really in some ways this tournament is the best thing that could have happened to me this year. You wouldn't believe what I've gotten out of it."
"So when is the last task of this miserable fiasco?" Sirius asked not yet over his mood.
"Not sure. They haven't told us yet but I'm not overly concerned. If it's as easy as the last two were."
"Ha, easy he says" quipped Natalie giving Sirius a gentle elbow "I wasn't aware dealing with dragons was considered easy."
"Or going for a dip in the middle of February in Scotland" added Sirius.
"Well sure not for normal people. But we all know that is one thing I am not."
"Oh indeed" Sirius nodded.
"Never met someone more 'ab' normal in all my life" agreed Natalie.
"Very cute" Harry retorted his sour expression only making them laugh "well if you two are just going to make fun of me I'm going back to the castle."
"It is getting to be about that time" said Sirius catching his godson's drift.
"Oh but we didn't even tell him about our plans for the summer" Natalie protested.
"We have plans for the summer?" this genuinely surprised Harry.
Sirius nodded "Cycling tour of Italy" he declared grandly.
"Hey, that could be fun" he'd need to learn how to ride a bicycle of course but he could do that.
"Thought you might like that" said Sirius pulling a small box from his pocket "here, start practicing now so you won't crap out too fast when we do it for real."
"I assume it's just shrunken inside the box" said Harry given the container was about the size of a matchbox… actually it was a matchbox he realized upon closer inspection.
"The manuals with it in case you need to fix anything. Just don't try riding it down the stairs, not a good idea."
Harry looked at his adult role model "speaking from experience are we?"
"Never you mind" Sirius replied very pointedly not looking him in the eye.
"Right, well on that note" he said standing to leave.
"Oh Harry just one thing what with that Veela chasing you and all" said Sirius looking mildly guilty "you still have the um, ring I gave you right?"
"It's in my pocket" said Harry trying very hard not to look at his godfather.
"What ring?" Natalie asked innocently.
"Well must be off, can't stay out too long wouldn't want to get detention see you when school lets out" Harry rambled as he walked away very quickly.
"What ring?" Natalie asked the man that hadn't escaped.
"Um, well…" Sirius had the decency to look ashamed before he whispered in her ear.
Natalie turned bright red "Oh. You naughty boy" she said swatting her boyfriend.
"Just making sure the lads prepared" Sirius said in his defense.
"Oh really, and were you this prepared when you were his age?"
Sirius pointedly refused to look at her.