This is the end of year four! We made it. I really appreciate the input and I'm glad you all seem to be so invested. I've got very definite plans for future chapters. Please try to trust me on this. As for typos and such... My bad guys. This story is mostly written on my phone, and you know what auto-correct is like. I try to catch it all, but stuff gets by me. As always, thanks for the reviews everyone.
Harry, Draco and Hermione stood near the lake, watching as Sirius stumbled toward the water on the other side. He'd transformed back into a man, his close more ragged and dirty than ever. Dementors were gliding forward, intent on crossing the lake and getting toward their prey.
They could see the other Harry and Draco running toward Sirius.
"Okay, so whoever used the patronus charms was about there," Harry said pointing toward a spot further ahead. "I couldn't see who it was."
The other Harry and Draco had collapsed and one of the dementors was grabbing Harry. Any minute now.
"Nobody else is coming," Hermione said, sounding slightly hysterical.
Harry and Draco shared a wide eyed look of understanding. Rushing forward, they both lifted their wands. "Expecto Patronum!" the shouted together.
White light burst from their wands. It was nearly blinding. Harry squinted and his breath caught in his throat at the sight.
Wolves. There was a pair of large wolves radiating light that illuminated the lake. They charged forward with silent howls, forcing the dementors back.
"Harry..." Draco whispered. "We did it."
Once the dementors had fully retreated, the wolves loped back toward them. Harry reached out but the wolves disappeared.
"How did-" Hermione hurried forward looking stunned. "You both conjured corporeal patronuses. That very advanced magic..."
"We knew we could do it this time," Harry said, smiling at Draco. "Now lets get ready to save Sirius again."
Dumbledore, the Minister and the executioner came running toward the lake and found the unconscious forms of Draco, Harry and Sirius. They began levitated the bodies to take them back to the castle.
Harry and Draco kept Hermione between them on Buckbeak's back as they flew back toward the castle. Draco and Hermione were dropped off near the front door to hide and wait. Harry flew Buckbeak to the window of Flitwick's office and opened it with a hasty spell.
Sirius leapt to his feet, his eyes bright with hope. "How did you-"
"Just hurry!" Harry exclaimed.
Sirius climbed through the window and onto the hippogriff. They flew back to Draco and Hermione, exhilerated.
"You've got to take Buckbeak and go," Harry told Sirius. "We're going to clear your name, but for now you have to survive."
"I'll be nearby," Sirius said, looking exhausted. I'll get Buckbeak to a safe place and I'll come back."
"Just be careful," Harry nodded.
Sirius' expression was pained. "Tomorrow," he insisted.
"Quickly," Draco hissed, waving Sirius off and pulling Harry toward the castle.
Sirius climbed back onto Buckbeak and flew off into the night. The three students took off running toward the infirmary. When they got there, they saw Dumbledore walking away from the doors.
"Sir!" Harry called out, drawing Dumbledore's gaze. "We did it."
"Did what?" Dumbledore asked, feigning innocence. "Good night," he said, winking.
"Nutter," Draco chuckled softly as they pushed open the infirmary door. Blaise was still sitting on Ron's bed, looking worried.
"How did you do that?" Ron blurted out when he saw them.
Blaise leapt from the bed and ran toward them, surprising them we with a hug. Blaise didn't usually hug people. "Thank Merlin," Blaise sighed, releasing his friends to look them over. "To me you've only been gone a moment... But I knew what happened tonight. You could have died."
"There was just one really awful moment with the werewolf," Draco said, making Hermione wince. "But we mostly stayed out of the way."
"Does somebody want to explain what's going on?" Ron demanded.
Blaise smiled. "You need to rest," he said, returning to Ron's side. "We'll explain tomorrow."
"You're all going to rest," Madam Pomfrey chided, coming out of her office. "All of you. In the beds this instant."
The students gratefully settled into the beds, eager to rest. The following day was going to be busy indeed.
Remus returned to the castle in the late morning. He had a few scratches on his neck, but was mostly unharmed. He refused to stay in the infirmary, insisting that he would rest in his private rooms. Of course, speaking to the minister was a higher priority, so that would come first.
Minister Fudge had been furious that the prisoner had escaped. That was two in one day.
"He shouldn't be a prisoner," Remus said tiredly, accepting a cup of tea from Dumbledore. They were all crowded into Dumbledore's office. It seemed like the best location for their discussion. Minerva had been invited to sit in on it as the Deputy Headmistress.
"You were his friend in school," Fudge said, shaking his head. "You are understandably-"
"Peter Pettigrew isn't dead," Harry insisted. Draco, Hermione, Ron and Blaise all nodded their agreement.
"I cannot simply take the word of five underaged wizards," Fudge said with a sigh.
"And what of my word?"
The room grew quiet as everyone turned to look at Snape. His body was tense and he looked rather irritated. "I saw Peter Pettigrew with my own eyes. He is an unregistered animagus. I saw him turn into a man and then back into a rat when he escaped," Snape said, scowling. "Black cannot be imprisoned for the murder of a man that lives. No matter how much I'd prefer it," he added in a grumble. "And he clearly had no interest in harming Potter."
Remus quickly explained the story of Peter's betrayal. Fudge listened with a look of horror on his features.
"There you have it," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "I'm sure we can offer memories for the Wizengamot. I'm sure you wouldn't mind clearing Sirius' name as quickly as possible?"
Fudge looked dazed, but he nodded. He hurried away with a promise to be in touch very soon.
Remus sighed heavily, rubbing at his face. "Severus," he said quietly. "Thank you. I can't tell you how grateful I am."
Severus scowled. "Just keep your dog on a leash," he snapped. He turned to Harry and Draco. "Your behavior tonight has been reckless and not fitting for Slytherin. However, I have heard that your Patronus charms were... impressive."
"Really?" Remus asked, turning to the two boys with wide eyes. "You managed it?"
"Corporeal Patronuses," Dumbledore put in, smiling proudly. "They got rid of at least a hundred dementors. We could see them clearly as we ran to the lake. Of course, I could only guess at who had conjured them, but I thought it was probably you two."
"That's brilliant!" Blaise cried with a wide smile.
"Indeed," Snape agreed. "Fifty points to Slytherin."
"What form did they take?" Remus asked.
"Wolves," Harry replied quietly, feeling rather embarrassed.
"Both of you?" Remus asked, surprised. "You each have a wolf patronus?"
Dumbledore was smiling broadly. "They were quite a sight," he said. "Beautiful animals."
"Hold on," Minerva said, rubbing at her temples. "Albus, am I to understand that you told students to illegally use a time turner to go back and save an escaped convict?" Her tone made the teenagers flinch.
"And a hippogriff," Dumbledore added, looking a bit sheepish. "Sirius is innocent, we couldn't allow the dementors to take his soul."
"They're children!" Minerva snapped. "One of them is my Harry. Have you lost your mind?"
"She's getting a bit shrill," Snape muttered. He quickly headed for the door. Remus followed, herding the five students out with him.
Remus sent the students to their dorms and returned to his own rooms. He was exhausted and his body ached. He opened his door and stepped in, only to gasp in shock.
Sirius was standing next to the couch. He looked nervous and tired.
"How did you get in here?" Remus asked, his voice hoarse.
"Crookshanks," Sirius replied simply. "I hoped you wouldn't mind."
"Of course," Remus said hastily. "Let's- Er, let's get you cleaned up. "Go take a shower. Bathroom is through there. I'll get some food for you."
Sirius followed the command silently. Once he'd left the room, Remus called for Dobby in a shaky voice.
Remus explained the situation to the house elf requested plenty of food. Dobby complied quickly, bringing more than enough food for several people.
"Master Remus will be happy now?" Dobby asked tentatively.
"I- Yes. Why do you ask?" Remus questioned.
"Dobby comes to look after Master Remus and Master Harry Potter at night," the elf explained. "Master Remus calls out for Sirius in his sleep. Every night."
Remus blushed.
"Dobby hasn't worked for you for very long," Dobby went on, giving Remus a knowing look. "But Dobby knows a broken heart when Dobby sees it." Then he disappeared, leaving Remus to dry his eyes in private.
Sirius came out back into the sitting room wearing a shirt and trousers that Remus had set out. His long black hair was damp and still a bit tangled. He sat down and accepted a plate of food from Remus. He didn't hesitate before starting to eat quickly. It had been so long since he'd had a decent meal.
Remus ate a little bit, but mostly he watched Sirius. How much had Azkaban changed him? Twelve years was a horribly long time in such a wretched place.
A knock on the door made Sirius jump and nearly drop his plate. Remus went to the door and opened it cautiously. He sighed in relief when he saw Harry, Draco and Blaise.
"Dobby said you needed me," Harry said.
Remus smiled and allowed the boys to come in. He grinned when they greeted Sirius excitedly.
Feeling a little too full, Sirius set his plate aside. He eagerly looked Harry over, marveling at how much he looked like his father. He frowned when he focused on Harry's robes. "You're... You're a Slytherin?" Sirius asked, looking worried and disappointed.
"Harry and his friends are changing the way people see Slytherin," Remus said quickly, wincing at Harry's hurt expression. "There are a lot of good, caring people in Slytherin. I'm very proud of Harry."
Sirius looked at the other two boys, noting their green and silver ties. He recognized them from the night before. The blond had helped to rescue him. Sirius drew in a deep breath and relaxed a little. "Thank you for getting me out of here last night," he said sincerely, looking between Harry and Draco. He turned to Blaise. "How's that other boy?"
"That's Ron," Blaise said with a nod. "He's sore, but Madam Pomfrey healed the dog bite and mended the fracture. More concerning is the emotional scarring. He's horrified that he's had some bloke sleeping in his bed and the twins never mentioned it while they had that map," he laughed.
Sirius let out a barking laugh. Remus looked ready to weep with joy at the sound. Oh how he'd missed Sirius' laugh.
"I never even thought to look," Harry admitted. Not until that night that I saw Pettigrew on the third floor."
After a little while, Sirius swallowed hard and looked at Harry. "I don't know if anyone told you, but your parents made me your godfather," Sirius said.
"I'd heard," Harry said with a little smile.
"Well, if this all works out, I'll be free," Sirius went on. "If you wanted to a new home..."
"You want me to come live with you?" Harry asked, shocked.
"Well, I am your godfather-"
"I don't want to leave Moony and Minnie," Harry blurted out.
Sirius gave him a startled look and then turned to Remus.
"Moony..." Blaise muttered to himself. "Now I get it." He'd heard Harry call his guardian Moony. It made sense knowing the Remus was a werewolf.
"Minerva realized that the Dursleys were abusive and neglecting Harry," Remus explained. "Just before his sixth birthday, she took him in and called on me to help. He stayed with me while her teaching duties kept her away."
"You and Minerva McGonagall raised Harry?" Sirius asked, completely gobsmacked.
Remus smiled fondly at Harry. "We're not a traditional family," Remus admitted, "but it works for us."
Siriud nodded slowly, his shoulders sagging. Draco looked at him with a frown. "That doesn't mean that there's no room in that family," Draco suggested softly.
"Of course," Remus agreed, turning to smile at Sirius.
"I've missed you," Sirius said, abruptly pulling Remus into a hug. "I've hated myself for so long for doubting you. Never again."
Remus lifted one hand to cradle the back of Sirius' head, feeling his shoulder grow damp from the other man's tears. "It's alright Sirius," Remus murmured. "All is forgiven. Your name will be cleared and everything will be alright."
There was a knock at the door and Draco hurried to answer it. He opened it wider to allow Dumbledore and Minerva to come inside. "I'm happy to inform you that the charges have been dropped," Dumbledore said brightly. "The Ministry is pursuing Peter Pettigrew for his crimes. You are a free man."
Sirius laughed again, lifting his face from Remus' shoulder. He looked a bit like his old self for a moment. He smiled at Minerva. "Decided to sweep Remus off his feet so you could raise a child together?" he asked her.
"Hardly Mr. Black," Minerva snorted. "And I suppose now I'll be dealing with you as well?"
Sirius' smile fell slightly and he shot Harry a hopeful look. "I do have a house," he began. "It'll take some work but... I was hoping that Moony would be willing to stay with me?"
Remus hesitated, looking over at Harry and Minerva. "We can arrange something so that we can all see Harry during the summer," Minerva said reasonably. "During the school year, you don't have to worry about that." She smiled at Remus. "You and I both know that you couldn't continue teaching while your friend is recovering from his ordeal."
"We'll find someone for next year," Dumbledore agreed.
"And I'll be fine," Harry nodded. "We'll be together for holidays."
Remus gathered Harry into a hug. "Thank you Pup," he said softly.
Then Harry hugged Sirius, making Remus, Minerva and Draco tear up. Blaise shook his head at Draco.
Rumors flooded the halls of the school until the Daily Prophet arrived to confirm the stories. Sirius Black was cleared off all charges and Peter Pettigrew was a wanted man. That meant that Sirius was free to stop hiding in Remus' room and go to his own house. But he seemed reluctant to leave.
Solitude was the last thing that Sirius wanted. There was only a few days until the students would be leaving for summer anyway. So, he spent what time he could learning about his godson's friends.
Harry had gathered a strange group of friends. Vince and Greg looked brutish and stupid, but they seemed quite protective of Harry. Hermione and Ron were the Gryffindors of Harry's inner circle, but they didn't seem to mistrust the Slytherins at all. It was a little hard to understand, but the strange dynamic worked for them.
Blaise and Draco were very close to Harry, especially Draco. Actually, Draco showed a level of affection that made Sirius nervous. Sirius was just getting to know Harry- He wasn't ready for that! Plus, Draco was the son of Lucius Malfoy.
"You really should do something about that before you leave here," Draco said, catching Sirius' attention.
"About what?" Sirius asked. While Remus was dealing with paperwork, Harry and his friends were having tea with Sirius.
Draco gave him an impatient look before waving vaguely at Sirius. "You can't go anywhere looking like that," Draco said primly.
"Rude," Ron muttered.
"I'm not being rude-"
"It was a bit rude, Draco," Harry said, giving Draco a little nudge.
"I'm just trying to help," Draco pouted. "Don't you want your godfather to look nice?"
Harry sighed. He was rather helpless against that pouting face.
"What do you suggest?" Sirius asked curiously.
Draco grinned. "Dobby!" he called.
Dobby appeared, eyeing Draco warily. "Dobby doesn't belong to the Malfoys," Dobby reminded the blond.
Draco frowned, turning to Harry for help. Harry gave him a pointed look but said nothing. Draco sighed. "I hoped that you would help me with something," he said politely.
Dobby nodded. "Dobby is happy to help Harry Potter's boyfriend," the elf said.
Harry and Ron choked on their tea. Draco blushed. Hermione and Blaise clapped their hands over their mouths to suppress their laughter. Sirius was having trouble containing his laughter as well.
"Oh, Harry and I aren't..." Draco trailed off, quite embarrassed. "We're best friends."
"Perhaps Dobby misunderstood," Dobby said, though Sirius saw the elf wink at Blaise. "Dobby can wait another year."
Blaise was wheezing into his teacup.
Draco did his best to brush past the awkwardness. "Dobby, now that Sirius is a free man, I thought he should clean himself up a bit," Draco said, wishing that his fair skin didn't make his blushing so obvious. "Could you bring us some of his clothes? They might need to be altered to fit him better."
Dobby nodded and disappeared.
Draco sat back down next to Harry, wanting to hide his face.
"That was bloody awkward," Ron chuckled. The scowl Draco gave him only made him laugh harder.
Luckily, Dobby returned just a moment later with a pile of neatly folded clothes. "Mr. Black should go change now," Dobby instructed shooing Sirius toward the bedroom. "Mr. Black's boyfriend will be back soon."
The students all giggled as Sirius whirled around to face Dobby with wide eyes. To Harry's surprise, a blush spread across Sirius' face.
"Did Dobby make another mistake?" Dobby asked innocently, though he sounded amused.
"Best house elf ever!" Blaise crowed. "Well done Dobby."
When Sirius was done dressing, Draco shoved him into the bathroom to do something with his hair. Sirius allowed himself to be situated on the toilet lid and Draco set about brushing out the long dark hair. "You ought to consider a hair cut, but this will do for now," Draco said, securing the hair at the back of Sirius' head.
Sirius relaxed and let Draco work. It had been a long time since he'd been able to take care of himself. These days he was so tired that he spent most of his time sleeping. Remus didn't seemed to mind, and encouraged the extra rest.
At night, Sirius was plagued by horrific nightmares. It was no surprise after so long in Azkaban. That first night, Remus woke him up and calmed him down. Remus had insisted on Sirius taking the bed and had situated himself on the couch. But after the nightmare, Sirius couldn't stand to be alone and had begged Remus to stay. So, for the last three nights, they'd gone to sleep in each other's arms.
It had seemed a little strange at first, but resting with Remus curled up against his chest had felt wonderful. Sirius couldn't help wondering if Remus would ever consider moving beyond their friendship. The thought had occurred to him a few times when they were in school, but now Sirius couldn't escape the thought. After twelve years in Azkaban, he had no desire to find a woman to warm his bed. His mind was far too busy pondering what it would feel like to kiss Remus.
But could Remus feel something more for Sirius? Until recently, he'd thought Sirius was a murderer.
"Much better," Draco announced, taking a step back. He watched as Sirius looked in the mirror and smiled.
Sirius looked like much more like his old self. His facial hair had been carefully trimmed and a cream applied to his battered skin. Draco had even gotten his teeth to be white again. Sirius still looked too thin, but that was to be expected. Sirius looked young and handsome again.
Sirius returned to the sitting room to find that Remus had returned. Remus gasped softly when he saw Sirius.
"Oh, well done Draco," Hermione said. "He looks so handsome."
Draco grinned. "I just had to wipe the Azkaban off him," he laughed.
Sirius smiled. "Thanks Blondie," he said.
Blaise looked delighted but Draco scowled. "Don't even think about calling me that Blaise," Draco snapped.
"He's like an angry kitten," Sirius said with a mischievous grin.
"Kitten," Ron giggled. "That's even better."
Draco growled. "Let's go to dinner," he grumbled, sweeping out of the room with a huff.
"Oh, he's adorable," Sirius cooed, making the others laugh. Harry hurried to catch up with Draco. The other teens quickly followed.
Remus rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't torment Draco too much," he warned. "He and Harry have been very close since they were children. You'll be seeing a lot of him."
Sirius grinned and followed Remus out.
After dinner, Sirius was relieved to return to Remus' room. The end of year feast has been a little overwhelming. The students were loud and excited. The teachers hadn't much better.
Sirius climbed into bed with a weary sigh. He forced a smile onto his face as Remus joined him. He held his arms out, feeling himself relax further when he was permitted to hold Remus close.
"Are you feeling better?" Remus asked quietly. "I think it was a little too soon."
"I'm alright," Sirius responded.
"Padfoot, I know you better than anyone," Remus chided, breathing in the clean scent of Sirius' skin. "I know when you're overwhelmed. And it's fine. I just want you to feel comfortable."
For a long moment, they were silent. Then Sirius glanced down at where Remus was snuggled against him. "Moony?" he asked quietly.
Remus tipped his head back to look up at Sirius in the glow of the moonlight streaming through the window. His breath caught as Sirius dipped close and pressed their lips together. For a moment, he didn't move. And then Remus was kissing back.
They pulled apart, staring at one another. Sirius brought one hand up to brush his thumb over Remus' lips. "I always wondered what that would be like," Sirius said quietly.
"You did?" Remus asked uncertainly.
"I did," Sirius confirmed. "Didn't want to risk our friendship though. But now I-" He bit his lip, his gray eyes seeming to glow in the moonlight. "I had to try it, at least once. If you're not interested, it's fine. I'm... Well, I've been in prison for years. I'll just be happy to have you around. You and Harry are all I've got."
Remus responded by pulling Sirius into a deeper kiss. Sirius moaned softly and held Remus more tightly, as if he never wanted to let go.
Sirius broke the kiss again. "Does this mean you're interested?"
Remus giggled, feeling rather giddy. It had been years since he'd felt so happy around someone that wasn't Harry. He sighed happily, resting his forehead against Sirius'. "I missed you so much Padfoot," he said softly.
Sirius kissed Remus' nose. "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere," he said. "And I was being serious before... I do hope that you'll move in with me."
"That offer sounds a little different now," Remus admitted, glad that it was likely too dark for his blush to be seen.
"I suppose it is," Sirius nodded. "We could share a bedroom. Unless you'd like to have your own room. We can see how it goes."
"We're really doing this?" Remus questioned, swallowing around a lump in his throat.
"God I hope so," Sirius pronounced. He paused. "Is this not what you want?"
Remus made a sound that was half laugh, half sob. "Of course it is," he managed to say. "I'm just shocked. I never imagined-" He cut himself off with a quiet, happy sigh. "I'm really happy. We'll need to speak to Harry though."
"Agreed," Sirius nodded, coaxing Remus to roll over and face the other direction. He wrapped himself around Remus, nuzzling the back of the werewolf's neck. "Harry seems like a great kid," he noted.
"He's been amazing," Remus mused with a smile. "He was an adorable little boy and so sweet. I wish you could have seen him back then. He and Draco were so funny. Draco was a snotty, spoilt little thing, and he wanted to be Harry's friend so badly." He paused, remembering watching the two little boys play so carelessly and talk so seriously. "Draco learned to put someone else ahead of himself, and Harry found himself a friend that would never hesitate to run to his side."
"Sounds familiar," Sirius grinned, softly kissing Remus' cheek.
Remus hummed softly at the sweet gesture. "Their friendship has been amazing to watch," he went on. "I've watched Draco become a thoughtful generous person. And Harry... He just seems to make everyone better. That kid has so much love in him. And I'm so proud."
"Part of the reason that Harry is so great is because you became his father," Sirius said. "You and Minerva have done a great job."
"I'm not sure I can accept any credit for that, but thanks," Remus chuckled.
"You're a great dad Remus," Sirius insisted. "That boy loves you so much." There's was a moment of silence and then Sirius spoke again. "Do you think... Maybe I could be like his father too?"
Remus' breath hitched at the question. Sirius sounded vulnerable and anxious. "Padfoot, Harry is going to love you," Remus assured gently.
"I hope so," Sirius responded. "He's all we have of James and Lily. James was like my brother. I'd love to be family to Harry."
"We've got the summer for you to build a relationship with him," Remus reminded him. "It'll be great."
Sirius nodded, hugging Remus closer. They fell asleep feeling more content than either had been in well over a decade.
The next morning, Sirius woke up rested and full of child-like joy. Remus was still sleeping soundly. Grinning in delight, Sirius began kissing all over Remus' face. Remus scrunched his face up at the feel of Sirius facial hair scratching lightly at his skin.
"Wake up," Sirius sang, pressing a warm kiss to Remus' mouth.
"Padfoot," Remud groaned, but a smile was tugging at his lips.
Sirius grinned, rolling Remus onto his back. Sirius shifted to pin Remus under him, dipping his head for a deeper kiss.
"Oh sweet Salazar!"
Remus yelped and Sirius rolled off and looked toward the bedroom door. Blaise was standing in the doorway with his hands clapped over his eyes. Harry and Draco were laughing as they leaned against the door frame.
"We didn't hear you come in," Remus said, his voice much higher than usual, which made Sirius laugh.
"Slytherins don't go stomping about all the time like Gryffindors," Draco said with a smirk.
"Er- Well, we just-" Remus looked horribly embarrassed.
"We'll let you, er- finish," Draco said, grinning and pushing Harry toward the door.
"No!" Remus cried, bolting upright. "We just... I- Oh my god, why are laughing Padfoot?"
That just made Sirius laugh even harder. "Calm down," he chuckled. "Boys, we are fully dressed. We just..." The laugh died in his throat as he met Harry's green eyes.
"You want to be together," Harry said simply.
"With your blessing, Harry," Sirius said quietly. "I certainly don't want to come between you and Remus. I hoped that I could be, you know, part of it." He looked down at his own hands, feeling uncomfortable with his own insecurity.
"Of course Sirius," Harry responded, smiling at his godfather's relieved expression. "I want you both to be happy."
Sirius climbed off the bed and hugged Harry. Harry returned the embrace without hesitation. Remus and Draco shared a smile.
"This is very touching," Blaise said. "But, we should probably have breakfast before we have to get on the train."
Sirius pulled back to cup Harry's face in his hands with a fond smile. "Come on then, Pup," he said. He paused when he saw Harry and Remus exchange grins. "What?"
"Remus calls me Pup too," Harry explained.
"Which is weird considering your animagus form," Blaise added.
"You're an animagus?" Sirius asked, delighted.
"Since he ten," Remus confirmed. "Draco even gave him a name- Orion, for the constellation."
"Brilliant!" Sirius enthused. "What do you become?"
Harry smirked and transformed. Orion stood before them, finally appearing as a full grown cat. Draco had the urge to scoop him up for a cuddle, but restrained himself.
Sirius quickly transformed as well. The big black dog barked excitedly. Orion crouched as if to pounce but turned and sprinted away. Padfoot gave chase. The door to the hall sprang open and the two animals ran out.
"Crap, we're never going to get breakfast," Draco sighed.
"They'll pass out eventually," Blaise said with a dismissive wave.
As they went into the hall, they were startled to see the animals charging back toward them. Orion jumped straight into Draco's arms. Draco caught the cat and cradled him protectively.
In the next instant, Padfoot leapt gleefully at Draco as well. Draco yelped as he was knocked backward. Remus cast a hasty charm to cushion the fall.
"You idiots," Draco laughed. Orion purred and nuzzled his neck. Padfoot, not to be outdone, eagerly licked a very wet stripe from Draco's chin to his hairline. Draco shrieked and shoved the dog away.
Blaise had to sit down on the floor as he laughed just so he wouldn't fall over. Remus was shaking with laughter that rang out through the halls.
Draco sat up, scrubbing at his face and scowling at the stupid dog. His expression softened when he saw how happy Remus looked. Draco kissed Orion's furry head. "Anything for you," he murmured, smiling at Orion's answering meow.
"Alright, let's get moving," Remus said shaking his head.
Sirius and Harry returned to human form and they all walked towards the Great Hall together. Remus smiled to himself as Sirius eagerly chatted to the three Slytherins about the benefits of the Marauders Map.
As Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express later that morning, he heard a voice calling his name. It was Marcus Flint. Harry turned and accepted a firm handshake.
"It's been brilliant coaching you," Marcus said sincerely. "You're one of the best Seekers out there, and the sort of bloke that's nice to be around." He glanced around and stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Not everyone in the snakes den is trustworthy. But if it ever comes to it, I'm on your side, Potter. Remember that."
Harry nodded, accepting another handshake. As Flint walked away, Harry frowned pensively. The years ahead weren't likely to get easier. It was good to know that he had allies.
As if to reinforce this point, Draco hurried over and led Harry toward the compartment he'd selected for them. Blaise, Hermione and Ron were waiting for them. Remus and Sirius joined them, making Harry feel like his heart could burst with happiness.
