A/N: Sorry this has taken so long. Trying to devote myself to three stories AND a bootleg Harry Potter tape is quite hard. But I'm trying the best I can.

      Voldemort? Risen again? Had Sirius been delirious? Remus wondered. It just wasn't possible for Voldemort to have risen again. He needed to hear the whole story. Quickly. However, Sirius was prone to taking an immense amount of time in the bathroom, because, as he so interestingly put it,

"I was a dog from fifth year on. And dogs hate baths. Therefore, it takes me more time to screw up my courage to take a bath, then it would to screw up my courage to battle Voldemort."

Remus was not quite sure he completely understood this train of thought, but then again, he never completely understood Sirius, either. It all balanced out in the end. Oh…he just hope he had heard Sirius wrong…

~**~

      Sirius was having a bit of trouble in the bathroom. Making himself presentable was never the easiest of jobs, even under the best of circumstances. He always resembled in a way, what he was. A dog. Which is why he was often object to be cuddled. And why all the girls at Hogwarts could never keep their own paws to themselves. Not that Sirius really minded all that much…

He went through three razors and a comb, before he came to the intelligent conclusion that perhaps he should cut his beard before attempting to shave. Which worked just fine, and Sirius didn't kill himself…just got a few cuts. All over his face. He broke the scissors while trying to cut his own hair, and then decided that it was time to go downstairs, and have Moony do it. He was much better at that kind of thing anyway.

~**~

Remus took one look at Sirius, and had to sit back down in a chair, he was rendered so completely helpless by laughing.

      "What?" Said Sirius indignantly, feeling his face. "What's wrong?"

      "I…I…I…Never thought…" a short burst of laughter, "That you could…look any worse…than…" More laughter, "you did when…you came in…but…good lord Sirius, what did you… use to shave with…a lawnmower?" Hysterical laughter. Remus fell out of the chair.

      "No, three of your razors, actually, and a pair of scissors, all of which are broken." Said Sirius grumpily sitting down in the chair that Remus had fallen out of, and staring at him, who was still lying prone on the floor. "And you can get up now…instead of grovelling on the floor."

      "You're one to talk," said Remus between laughs. "Who was the one, in dog form, rolling about on the floor looking for dropped crumbs?"

      "At least I was a dog then, not a human," said Sirius shortly.

      "You look better as a dog, then," said Remus, straitening up.

      "Sod off, Moony," Said Sirius. The smile was wiped off Remus's face as he stood up.

      "Sirius, what's this about the Dark Lord rising? Is it true? I don't…"

      "Yes, it's true," Sirius sighed. "The minister won't believe it, and Harry…at the Tri-wizard tournament, Harry fought Voldemort. That's right, duelled with him, and came out alive, no one knows how. And now Dumbledore…well…there's a whole story to it, but Harry, apparently, is the only one who can kill Voldemort…and so he needs to be trained as an auror. But…because he is only 15…"

      "That's not possible. Only someone's parents can train an auror at 15. And Lily and James are, well, just about as dead as you can be, Sirius."

      "I KNOW!" Sirius shouted. "I never wanted Harry to do this. I wanted him to have a normal school year…like we had…"

      "Getting 6,809 detentions while at Hogwarts is not considered normal, Sirius." Sirius allowed himself a grin.

      "I realize THAT. But do you know, for three of the four years that Harry has had at Hogwarts, he's encountered Voldemort, and during the one year that he didn't he encountered Peter instead, which is almost worse."

      "Not quite."

      "All right, not quite as bad. But…oh…he needs some peace, Remus, especially to get over this school year. A student died during the tournament, Harry is blaming himself…what the boy really needs is a good muggle physiologist."

      "I can just see that session. 'Voldemort killed my friend and parents…' it would scar the poor doctor for years." Said Remus.

      "Well, anyway, Dumbledore wants us to go up and talk to him, then gather the 'old crowd.' I think he wants to tell us the entire story."

      "All right then," said Remus, "come on, Snuffles, you don't have a wand, no Apparation for you…" He grabbed a leash that was hung up on a hook by the door.

      "What a revolting development," said Sirius, changing into a dog.