And now we're getting into the meat of the story, finally. There's going to be some non-face-to-face contact between our puppies soon :)
Sirius arrived in Hogsmeade about two months after Hogwarts term started, based on the calendar he could see through the window at Honeydukes. He'd run into some trouble getting around as any quick forms of transportation didn't allow unaccompanied animals on board.
There weren't any students in the town as it wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend, and, as far as Sirius knew, only 4 students were ever able to get to Hogsmeade when they weren't meant to be, and none of them were still at Hogwarts.
So Sirius was shocked to see two boys who looked about the age to be attending Hogwarts walking around. He quickened his step to get within earshot of the two boys, trying to see what they were saying.
"Fred, I say we give it to him." one said. "He's miserable all alone when everyone's down here. Did you see him when McGonagall told him he couldn't come?"
It was then that Sirius realized who they were. The hair really should have given it away. These were the two Weasley twins, Fred and George. They were 12 years older, but it was them, no doubt about it. The last time Sirius had seen them, they were below his waist. Looking up at them was incredibly strange.
"George, can't we just show him how to get there? We're giving up a very useful object when it comes to the pranks."
"The Map is useful, yes, but Harry could use it just as well as we do, probably towards better ends. Come one, it'll make his year."
The map? They couldn't possibly mean… Filch had destroyed the map years ago… But, then again, Filch has a habit of holding onto things. That cat, for instance, is unbelievably old.
Fred sighed, his shoulders rising and falling. "Well, then, will you be the one to tell him that he won't be able to have tea with Professor Lupin again?"
George's happiness and "thank you"s were lost on Sirius, taken over by the fluttering in Sirius' chest at the name that had slipped so carelessly from Fred's lips.
Lupin. Was Remus at Hogwarts? A professor? Sirius couldn't believe it; or, rather, he could, and he couldn't be more proud. Remus had always wanted to teach at Hogwarts. It was the first place where Remus felt truly accepted, and to help create that experience for every other child that stepped through the doors was his dream ever since he left school. Remus was always the smart one of the group; it was only fitting that he would end up a teacher.
What Sirius couldn't believe was his luck. The year he breaks out and makes his way to Hogsmeade is the year that Remus is teaching at Hogwarts.
Sirius was now a lot more nervous than before. Before, it was just Harry. Sirius knew that as long as Harry gave him the chance to explain everything that happened, Harry would forgive him. As long as Harry believed that Sirius was telling the truth, there was nothing for Harry to be angry about. Well, except maybe leaving him with the Dursley's, but Dumbledore will have already explained that to him.
Remus, though… Remus had a lot to be angry with Sirius for. There had been a time, before Peter's betrayal that Sirius had suspected Remus had been the spy. While Sirius knew, deep down, that it couldn't be him, not his Remus, but some part of Sirius kept him from telling Remus everything. It wasn't only the fact that Remus may have been passing information to Voldemort – it was that Sirius had wanted to protect Remus.
But Remus might not see it that way; he might see it as a lack of trust, something Remus was very serious about in relationships. Remus and Sirius told each other everything, ever since Hogwarts. It was harder that Sirius could say to keep his status as Secret Keeper from Remus. There were times when Sirius felt like he was going to implode from the effort of refraining from just yelling it out. But he knew that any person with even a basic knowledge of legilimency would know that he couldn't' tell them where James and Lily were. Sirius would do anything to protect Remus. Anything. And if keeping things from him was the only way to keep him safe, then so be it.
Sirius could only hope that he and Remus could go back to where they were.
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