Ron, Harry and Hermione were sitting at a table in the Gryffindor tower
working on a paper for History of Magic class. Hermione already had 10 out
of the 12 inches written. Ron and Harry however had only 5 inches.
"I don't see how you can manage to write so quickly," complained Ron.
"Yeah," said Harry, "This is going to take forever."
"Well, if you would read the chapter when he tells you to, you would already know everything you need to finish the assignment. You would not have to keep looking up more," explained Hermione.
"I need a brake," said Ron, "Harry do you want to play a game of chess?"
"Sure," said Harry.
They went over to one of the couches and set up the game on the coffee table. Neville was sitting on the chair across from the couch. He put his book down to watch the game.
"You know you really do need to get this assignment done," said Hermione.
"Oh come on," said Ron, "It is Friday night. It isn't due till Tuesday."
"Fine," said Hermione, "but don't complain to me and midnight Monday night." She put aside her finished paper.
She pulled her radio out of her bag and turned it on to a country station. George Strait was singing, "Daddy, this could be the best day of my life I've been dreaming day and night about the fun we've had Just me and you doing what I've always wanted to I'm the luckiest boy alive This is the best day of my life"
A well amid pillow from Harry knocked the radio on the floor. Then he ran up to the boy's dormitory.
"Hey," yelled Hermione.
"I'll go check on him," said Ron. He followed Harry up the stairs closely followed by Padfoot and Neville.
They found Harry crying on his bed. Ron and Neville started to enter the room, but they were pulled back by Padfoot. Ron looked down at the big black dog. The look that the dog gave him told Ron to leave Harry alone.
"Come on," Ron said to Neville.
"What's the matter?" asked Neville.
"I'll explain," said Ron leading Neville back to the common's room. Padfoot went into the room and shut the door.
In the common's room Ron told Neville about how close Harry was to Sirius. Then he explained how the Marauders and Lily were stuck in their animal form.
"You think he got so upset because he didn't have a father to do anything with?" asked Hermione.
"Most likely," said Ron.
"He was hiding his emotions so well," said Neville.
"Yes," said Hermione, "Well, he would probably be embarrassed if he knew you saw him crying."
"He's being such an idiot," said Ron, "If he would just realize that they are not dead everything would be so much easier."
The big black dog approached Harry's bed and put his front feet on it. Harry looked up wiping a tear from his eye.
"It's all my fault, you know," Harry said.
The dog shook its head no, and then jumped up on the bed next to Harry.
"It's my fault that Dad died. He was trying to protect me," said Harry, "Mom was also trying to protect me. If I would have studied occlumency harder Sirius would also still be here. Remus was also trying to protect me. It is all my fault."
The dog wiped another tear from Harry's eye with its nose. "Sirius never even had a chance to be free." Harry's eyes all of a sudden got a determined look to them. "I am not going to let Sirius be remembered as a convict. I'm going to get his name cleared if it's the last thing I do." Harry gave the dog a hug. "How can talking to you make things so much better?"
The dog gave a little bark.
"It's almost like you really were Sirius."
"I don't see how you can manage to write so quickly," complained Ron.
"Yeah," said Harry, "This is going to take forever."
"Well, if you would read the chapter when he tells you to, you would already know everything you need to finish the assignment. You would not have to keep looking up more," explained Hermione.
"I need a brake," said Ron, "Harry do you want to play a game of chess?"
"Sure," said Harry.
They went over to one of the couches and set up the game on the coffee table. Neville was sitting on the chair across from the couch. He put his book down to watch the game.
"You know you really do need to get this assignment done," said Hermione.
"Oh come on," said Ron, "It is Friday night. It isn't due till Tuesday."
"Fine," said Hermione, "but don't complain to me and midnight Monday night." She put aside her finished paper.
She pulled her radio out of her bag and turned it on to a country station. George Strait was singing, "Daddy, this could be the best day of my life I've been dreaming day and night about the fun we've had Just me and you doing what I've always wanted to I'm the luckiest boy alive This is the best day of my life"
A well amid pillow from Harry knocked the radio on the floor. Then he ran up to the boy's dormitory.
"Hey," yelled Hermione.
"I'll go check on him," said Ron. He followed Harry up the stairs closely followed by Padfoot and Neville.
They found Harry crying on his bed. Ron and Neville started to enter the room, but they were pulled back by Padfoot. Ron looked down at the big black dog. The look that the dog gave him told Ron to leave Harry alone.
"Come on," Ron said to Neville.
"What's the matter?" asked Neville.
"I'll explain," said Ron leading Neville back to the common's room. Padfoot went into the room and shut the door.
In the common's room Ron told Neville about how close Harry was to Sirius. Then he explained how the Marauders and Lily were stuck in their animal form.
"You think he got so upset because he didn't have a father to do anything with?" asked Hermione.
"Most likely," said Ron.
"He was hiding his emotions so well," said Neville.
"Yes," said Hermione, "Well, he would probably be embarrassed if he knew you saw him crying."
"He's being such an idiot," said Ron, "If he would just realize that they are not dead everything would be so much easier."
The big black dog approached Harry's bed and put his front feet on it. Harry looked up wiping a tear from his eye.
"It's all my fault, you know," Harry said.
The dog shook its head no, and then jumped up on the bed next to Harry.
"It's my fault that Dad died. He was trying to protect me," said Harry, "Mom was also trying to protect me. If I would have studied occlumency harder Sirius would also still be here. Remus was also trying to protect me. It is all my fault."
The dog wiped another tear from Harry's eye with its nose. "Sirius never even had a chance to be free." Harry's eyes all of a sudden got a determined look to them. "I am not going to let Sirius be remembered as a convict. I'm going to get his name cleared if it's the last thing I do." Harry gave the dog a hug. "How can talking to you make things so much better?"
The dog gave a little bark.
"It's almost like you really were Sirius."