The growling doesn't stop, Remus edges towards the room it's coming from, "Padfoot, it's Moony." The growling stops, a black dog head poking around a door, looking uncertain yet hopeful and also heartbroken, Remus smiles sadly, "I know you're innocent Pads. We told Moody, and we captured Pettigrew. Moody and Albus are planning a trial now to prove you innocent." The dog, looks around shiftily, Remus kneels down, opening his arms, "Come here old friend, it's safe, I promise. Trust me, trust me as I should have trusted you." The dog whimpers slightly before it runs forward, launching itself into Remus' arms. Remus chuckles, petting the dog as said dog licks his face, "Ugh, gross, you know I hate it when you do that, no, Padfoot stop it, Sirius!" the dog steps back, arching his front half down in a playful position, jumping around slightly, Remus sighs, "It's not time to play, we have to prove you innocent first." Sirius whimpers, then catches sight of Tonks and growls slightly.
"Don't worry, I'm only here to help as well," She promises, the dog looks from Remus to Tonks and back again a few times.
"She's on our side, Padfoot." The dog walks over, sniffing at her slightly, she lets him. When he nudges her hand with his head, she scratches behind his ears, he leans into it happily, "Come on, we best get up to the castle. You should probably remain in that form until we get to Dumbledore's office."
"How awkward would it be if we somehow managed to get the wrong dog," Tonks comments, snickering slightly, Remus shakes his head fondly at her.
"It would be positively dreadful." Tonks glares at him, he laughs as he starts walking back to the tunnel.
"Lupin! I swear to Merlin, Old Man, you aren't funny!"
"Oh, old, am I?"
"I'll stop calling you old when you stop making Dad jokes." The dog snorts like that's ever going to happen, "Hah, Padfoot here agrees with me, dontcha boy?" Sirius' tail wags happily.
"Really Pads? Ganging up on me? Unfair."
As they walk through the castle, Tonks and Remus continue bickering with the occasional non-verbal input from Sirius that Remus always understands, they come across Ginny Weasley.
"Professor Moony!" She greets happily.
"Hello Ginny," He replies, seeming, to her, lighter than she's ever seen him, if not exactly happier.
"Oh, cute dog! Is it yours?" She asks, Padfoot walks over to her, she kneels down, petting the dog.
"Yes, his name's Snuffles." Sirius turns and snuffs at him, Ginny chuckles.
"He doesn't seem fond of his name."
"What a shame."
"How come he hasn't been here before?"
"Uh…"
"I brought him in for a visit," Tonks tells her, Remus nodding.
"Oh," Ginny replies, then looks at them both, "Oh! You two are together then?" The two look awkwardly at each other.
"Yes," Tonks replies, Remus taking her hand and smiling at Ginny who grins.
"We're all really glad your boyfriend is teaching here, he's amazing."
"That he is," Tonks replies, completely believably, Remus can see Sirius laughing at them through Padfoot's eyes.
"Yeah, we all care about him a lot. I'm quite sure some bad things would happen were anything to ever upset him. We're a protective bunch. Have a nice day Ma'am, Professor, Snuffles." With that Ginny walks off.
"Did I just get a shovel talk from one of your students?" Remus sighs, facepalming as he nods.
"Why did you say we were together?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to explain what's really happening?"
"Fair point," Remus concedes as they begin walking again, Remus flicking Sirius' nose, "I saw the laughter." Padfoot huffs.
"I've never known a kid that age to be so frightening, and while petting a dog!" Tonks says as they enter Dumbledore's office.
"Well she's got six brothers. She had to learn to stand up to people far bigger than her pretty early on. Everyone who messes with her brothers is always going to be older than her after all. Those Weasleys stick by each other."
"Black?" Moody asks the dog who barks once in the affirmative, Remus shuts the door behind him before nodding at the man who transforms back into a human.
"Bloody hell, you look like crap Sirius," Remus can't help but say.
"Spend twelve years in Azkaban Remus, we'll see how much beauty sleep you get."
"What a shame, even your luscious locks didn't make it out," Remus says with a sigh.
"Yet still, I'm not the one going grey."
"Well there's no doubt it's him," Moody drawls, Sirius then hugs Remus who hugs him back.
"It is good to see you again, Sirius," Albus tells him, Sirius doesn't seem to know how to deal with that.
"I…thank you, Sir," He finally says, eyes swimming with unshed tears, "How did you know?" Sirius asks Remus.
"Harry told me."
"What?" The entire room asks.
"What what?" He asks, internally laughing just because he's making this unnecessarily difficult for no reason and damn but he's missed this.
"How did Harry know?"
"Well he was there, why wouldn't he?"
"How can he remember that?"
"What did you just say?"
"Um, how can he remember that?"
"How did you remember that?"
"What do you mean, I'm the one who said it!"
"And he's the one who was there. I don't really have to explain what a memory is, do I?" Sirius' face twitches at him, Tonks laughing into her hand.
"He's right, you are dreadful," He tells Tonk who laughs harder, Remus smirking too.
"Harry remembers quite a bit of us and his parents. Mainly me, but only because I've been around and triggering memories. It's rather remarkable really. But it's thanks to the dementors we know you're innocent. They brought back the memory of his parents being killed."
"Oh no, how's he doing, is he all right?" Sirius asks, Remus nods, placing a calming hand on his shoulder.
"He's just fine."
"So, what happens now?" Sirius asks after a few moments of silence.
"Now, we prove you innocent," Albus declares.
"I'll have to go back to Azkaban until the trial, won't I?" Moody shakes his head.
"Not necessarily. I can have you released into someone's custody, but not in the school so it can't be Lupin's. Have any other friends?"
"Ones who don't think I'm an insane murderer and aren't dead? No."
"Maybe no friends, but I know a cousin of yours who would quite happily take you in once she's been told you're innocent," Tonks says with a grin. Dumbledore activates the floo.
"The home of Andromeda Tonks."
