"Hey Sirius!" Harry said as he and Hermione sat in the Kitchen, Butterbeers already half gone. "What took you so long?"
"Well, I was about to come down here when I got an extremely interesting owl" He held out the parchment to Harry and Hermione and watched in satisfaction as their mouths dropped open in surprise.
Hermione was the first to recover. "So, how young are you going to be?"
"I'm taking off the about 23, I was only a fugitive for 17… but the war forced us all to grow up too damn fast, so I'm making up for it."
Hermione did the math. "But, you're 40… if you take off 23 years you'll be"
He cut her off "17, I know… it might be a little weird teaching when I'm 17, but I still know the stuff and got an O on my DADA NEWT, so I think I'll still be capable."
Harry regained the ability to speak coherently, "Sirius! This is GREAT! Come next summer, it'll be the two of us, as teenagers, raising hell at Grimmauld place!"
Sirius grinned, he had already thought of that. "First order of business when we get there… take down my godforsaken mother's portrait! I will tear down and rebuild the bloody house if I have too!"
"Agreed! Let's toast to it!" Harry said
"To Summer!" Sirius said happily as they clanked their glasses together. It was then they realized Hermione was unusually quiet. "Hey 'Mione, what's the matter?"
"Nothing… just thinking… this is our last year here. In 19 days, I'm going to be 17… it feels like just yesterday that we were getting on the train for the first time, and now we're here for the last…it' just kind of a surreal feeling." She said. "Hell, I'm not even sure what I'm going to do after school, and with the war still going on, I don't even know if I'll live to see my graduation, not that I'm unhappy for fighting, it's just kind of scary."
"Wow Hermione, dreary much" Sirius said "This is why we have to be happy and take advantage of the time we have… like why I'm going back 23 years."
"I see your point I guess… but it was you who asked me what was wrong, so I'd appreciate not receiving the optimism lecture." Hermione said.
"Fine fine. Now how about we get Dobby to fix us some ice-cream?" Harry suggested, and within moments, 3 large bowls of ice-cream materialized in front of them, Dobby came out from underneath the table and smiled at them, he loved working for people who appreciated him.
At breakfast two days later, Percy Weasley showed up at Hogwarts, he was assigned to de-age Sirius. He sat and ate breakfast with the head table then was summoned to Dumbledore's office.
"Hello Mr Weasley, How are you this fine morning?"
"Alright professor" he was about to continue but Dumbledore cut him off.
"Please, call me Albus."
"Alright Professor" Percy said. Dumbledore rolled his eyes.
"I suppose you are aware of why you've come here today." He asked
"Yes, to De-age Mr Black. Where is he, I'm on a tight schedule… I am running my fathers campaign you know."
"Right, Arthur is running for minister, I had forgotten that. Well tell him I with him luck. If he needs any endorsements I'd be happy to oblige. I don't know why but for some reason people seem to follow what I do"
"Thank you for your offer, I'll be sure to hold you to it. Now where is Black?"
Sirius stumbled in the door panting, "I'm here. Headmaster, you need to get those stairs fixed! They used to rotate!"
"I thought I could use the exercise." Dumbledore said smiling.
"Well a warning would have been appreciated." Sirius was still panting heavily. He looked worse than he usually did those days. (The students had a running bet as to who would wash his hair first, Sirius or Snape.) His dirty Hair was matted and dishevelled, much like it had looked in his wanted posters. And his robes were unkempt from the laboured climb up the stairs.
All in all, Percy was in a minor state of shock when he saw him. When he regained composure, he spoke up. "So… let's get on with this then," he said raising his wand. "Mr Black I need you to remain perfectly still."
Hermione knocked on Remus' door. She was there for their usual Saturday afternoon tea, a ritual they had begun the last year staying at Grimmauld place.
Remus opened the door. "Hello Hermione, come in!" He said enthusiastically. She walked in and he motioned for her to sit. He then set to work in getting the kettle boiling.
"So how are you today Remus?" She asked.
"Just fine, thank you. Have you seen Sirius yet?"
"No, why, should I have?"
"Well you noticed Percy at breakfast today; he's here to de-age him."
"Well I guess I can see why you're so anxious."
"You would be too Hermione."
"Why do you say that?" She asked.
"Because he was quite the stud when he was younger, if I do say so myself."
"Remus, just what are you suggesting?"
"Nothing, just that you will not be able to recognise him. He had women at his feet as a student… and I don't think many things will be different, even after over 20 years."
"Like I believe that… He may have been attractive by the old standards, but I doubt he'll still be considered attractive."
Remus grinned; he had the most evil of ideas… "So how about a little wager then?"
"What kind of wager" She asked interested.
"If Sirius is still as attractive as I remember, you have to kiss him."
Hermione laughed so hard, she nearly sent tea flying out her nose. 'You've got to be kidding me!"
"I'm not." Remus said, trying his best to keep a straight face.
"Fine, but if I loose, you have to kiss Madame Hooch! Hermione challenged.
Remus shuddered, but tried not to be phased. He extended his hand. "Deal"
Hermione shook it "Deal"
Sirius awoke later that day, he noticed he was in his rooms and wondered what had happened to him. He looked outside and saw it to be evening, he guessed he had missed lunch and that dinner was just over an hour away. He felt like he had to pee, so he went to the washroom and relieved himself. When he went to wash his hands, he looked in the mirror above the sink. He was greeted with his 17 year old self as he had not seen before… ungroomed. He needed to sit down, so he lowered the lit of the toilet, sat himself there and allowed himself to think, it was all coming back to him now…
"OW! Bloody hell Percy that hurt!"
"I'm sorry, I should have anticipated this. The reverse aging process allows you to slowly travel back through the emotions you felt at that time… we're back to about 35 am I right?"
"Yes… but why does it hurt?" Sirius asked.
"Because that year you had just escaped from Azkaban… this should hurt for the next 12 years… Do you want to be put into a sleep; it will not hurt you as much then."
"Sleep, or face the horror of Azkaban again… pass me a pillow!" the vision began to fade out…
Of course… he really was 17 again, he was not seeing things… he cradled his head in his hands… he had the worst headache imaginable, but that's not the worst part of this… he was DIRTY! As a teenager he had NEVER allowed himself to be dirty, it was just… not right… Well, it was still not right! And with a newfound resolve, Sirius stripped of his old clothes and stepped into the shower…
(A/N Wow! Just think… wet, naked, 17 year old Sirius Black… CRAP! I got drool on my keyboard!)
He noticed that while he was younger in body, there were some differences. He still bore the tattoos of a Prisoner of Azkaban; however they took on a whole new light with this new body of his. He was filled out, not a figure of starvation, and fairly muscular.
After his shower, he found his wand and blow dried his hair and then, he took to cutting it. Rather than being the unkempt mane of hair it once was, he had transformed it into a shorter style; it was in layers and went to about his ears, falling in a straight but almost wavy fashion. His dull, black hair was now shiny and a rich shade of brown. He quickly shaved and then transfigured his old tattered grey robes into some more suitable dark blue robes then changed and made his way down to the great hall.
Hermione was at dinner when suddenly a carrot was thrown at her. She looked in the direction of her attacker. It was Remus. He was pointing at the door of the great hall, she turned to look and her jaw dropped. There was Sirius, well dressed, clean shaven, clean PERIOD!
Lupin was smiling, he had seen her reaction, and she HAD to go through with it now! She looked to Remus for conformation and he was grinning madly, gesturing for her to go up to him. She shook her head and threw his carrot back at him; on it she had attached a small note. "You win, I'll do it later"
there you have it, an update not only within the week, but within 24 hours! I'll post again soon, but remember, reviews make Squeak write faster!