Chapter 3: Meeting Padfoot

Two days later, Harry sat at breakfast talking with his best friends. Just as he was about to get ready for class, the mail came. An owl dropped a letter onto Harry's plate. Harry opened it to find that it was from his healer.

Harry,

I will not be meeting with you today. There is someone who would like to see you. I will see you in a few days. Have fun with your visitor!

Scott

Harry was relieved. He needed a day off from talking about his feelings. He turned the letter into print so he could show his friends.

"Who do you think will be visiting you?" Ron asked when he finished reading.

"I don't know, but we are about to find out!" Harry said excitedly.

"Well, that will have to wait until after class," said Hermione. "We're going to be late if we don't get down to the dungeons soon!"

Harry gasped as he checked his talking watch, which told him they only had 10 minutes to get to Potions. The trio quickly ran out of the Great Hall to see who could get to Potions first.

After classes that day, the Golden Trio went outside to sit by the lake, enjoying the nice breeze. Hermione pulled out her textbooks to start reading, while Ron whispered to Harry, "I will never understand her!" Harry laughed.

Suddenly, something jumped on him and almost made him fall over. Ron was quick to react, and he kept Harry upright.

"What in the world?" Harry gasped out. He felt the thing lick him on the face.

"It's a dog!" said Hermione. "What is a dog doing here at Hogwarts?"

Harry thought back to the conversation in Dumbledore's office about a dog. "Sirius Black is a dog!" he exclaimed in excitement. Harry burst out laughing. "Sirius!" The dog turned into a man.

"Harry," the man said. "As I am a dog animagus, I will become your guide dog and your support animal when needed. You will still have Scott as your healer and counselor, the Weasleys will be your guardians, so I'm just an addition."

Harry felt his hands being lifted and placed on Sirius' face. He felt a pointed chin, high cheekbones that were filled out nicely after a stay at St. Mungos', long, thick luxurious hair was felt, as well as a long, slightly upturned nose, and warm, full lips. His hands were put down and in the next moment, he was being hugged.

"I've missed you, Pup!" he said.

Harry allowed him to take a moment, but that made him realize that he could not see the man that had stayed faithful to his parents, only the memories of the photo in the album gave him an idea of the person Padfoot used to be.

"I'm sorry that I can't see the person that you are; I only have an image of the person you once were before my parents died," the thirteen-year-old said.

"Don't be sorry, for soon all will be well," Sirius said as he transformed into Padfoot once more.

Ron and Hermione laughed as they started heading back to the castle.

"Now that was funny!" Ron said. "You have a guy dog?"

"It's a guide dog, Ron!" Harry said. "They help blind people navigate."

"Cool!" said Ron. "Now come on! I'm starving! Do you think Padfoot knows the location of the kitchens?"

"Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed. "That dog is to help Harry, not you!" From beside Harry, Padfoot yipped in place of laughter at the little exchange.

Harry laughed as they walked into the Entrance Hall. "Padfoot? Where are the kitchens?" he asked. Padfoot bounded down the stairs as the trio burst out laughing before following him to get some food.