Sirius Orion Black was a dog with a mission. He dedicated all his life to raising and protecting his beloved godson, the child of his deceased best friend and brother in all but blood. Well, almost all of his life, taking into account his little adventure in Azkaban. Definitely not one of his best moments.

A little over four years after his imprisonment, he ran away from this hell of a place. The first thing he did was to make sure that his godson was safe and sound as he should be. He was a little surprised, and not in a positive light when he discovered that Harry was placed with Lily's sister Petunia and her husband. In that moment he was sure that Dumbledore had gone completely bonkers. Snooping around, he found out that Harry was, in fact, neglected and abused. Sirius' wrath didn't see an end.

He beat the living daylights out of the Dursleys and saved little Harry from this hell house. As soon as he did that, with his godson in tow he found Remus Lupin and, with some miracle managed to not get completely ripped by the angered werewolf. Only with the help of little Harry, he convinced his childhood friend about his innocence.

After the living condition of little Harry has been told to Remus, the two last marauders went to Dumbledore and McGonagall. Sirius would never forget the face of the old wizard as he was being scolded endlessly by the head of the Gryffindor house. They determined Harry's living arrangements and agreed that the boy's tutoring had to start.

Sirius was by Harry's side for all of his life. He was present at his birth, when he lost his parents and even as he finally killed Voldemort. He cared for him, fed him, tutored him and fathered him. In other words, Harry was his little puppy, his cub and he couldn't love him more.

Never in his life he was more enraged with him, but at the same time more proud, when Harry sacrificed his life for his little godson Teddy.

Sirius was very happy that Harry finally had found someone, Merlin knew he was, but couldn't help but be concerned. Of course, Harry was a capable and responsible adult but he still hadn't had enough experience, at least not as much as Sirius had, with dealing with women. And for Godric Gryffindor's dirty pants, that woman he has fallen for could be using him for his body, money or some other evil reason Sirius was scared to think of. Merlin forbid if she was a death eater undercover. Or a human organ dealer. He heard that it was a thing in a muggle world.

And then Harry announced that his girlfriend was moving in with him.

He HAD to make sure that she had good intentions, he had to spy on her and determine if she was a good catch for his godson. If she is worth him.

For the first time in two years, Sirius Orion Black had a goal. For the first time in two years, Sirius Orion Black wanted to do something more than wallow in the misery that his little godson had grown up and left their comfy nest.

He couldn't let that lass be with his Godson unless he met her and assessed her sincere intention.

Yes, Sirius had a goal. He had to spy on her and, if needed, rescue the boy he loved as his own son. No. Matter. What.


Ron Weasley didn't have the best relationship with his only sister. For some time, one could even tell that the two despised themselves. No one in the Weasley family could predict that the two of their youngest children and siblings would be so conflicted and competitive. For Ron, his sister always got what she wanted, getting all of the attention because she was the only girl. He had five older brothers before him that already achieved something. That's why he was so competitive with his sister, always trying to be better than her. The sister in question didn't back down and fought with all her might to not be worse. This led to many fights and arguments, often leaving them hurt and resentful.

It would be a lie, however, if he said that he didn't love her. Of course he loved her, she was his little sister after all! And she loved him, or so he hoped. Their dynamics were just… different.

He desperately wanted one of his mates to date and later marry his sister, so they could be his brothers. That was unlikely, however, looking at how Ginny couldn't forget about this whole fairy tale of The Boy Who Lived. Really, how long a girl could have a fictional crush? Thankfully, it help with dealing with some unknown to him gits that wanted to date his sister; she rejected them as well as his best mates.

And then this whole Harry Evans has come. Some muggle bloke whom he or his brothers didn't know or could even approve of. Unfortunately, his sister seemed totally smitten with him, so there was no chance of them breaking up anytime soon. This left Ronald Weasley with no nothing to do but meet this guy and see if he is worth Ginny.


Hermione Jean Granger never had many friends. Since she can remember, she has been the type of bookworm, which caused the other children to mock her. Even at Hogwarts, the other Ravenclaws treated her as not one of them. Up until her fourth year, she didn't have any friends. Then she met Ginny Weasley. Even though they had different types of personalities, they quickly made an acquaintance which soon turned into a friendship.

She owed a lot to Ginny. She quizzed her before the exams, she helped her through the first heartbreak and kept her company when no one wanted. in other words, Ginny helped her greatly.

She was excited for her when her relationship with this whole Harry Evans came to light. And she was excited that Ginny seemed to abandon this stupid crush on some legend. Ginny deserved someone trustworthy, good and real, not some hero from a fairy tale.

But one could never know. The guy could be some charmer that deluded Ginny just to use her. Being a good friend, Hermione decided to determine if this Harry is a good person.

The rest of the Christmas and New Year's Eve they spent with their families. They went back as soon as it ended because they had to go back to work. They missed each other a lot and this whole week without each other helped them appreciate more their time together.

Not too long had passed when Ginny brought up the topic of moving in with Harry. At first, he felt shocked, but then the excitement came. When he announced the news to his family, Sirius called him mental that he agreed willingly to such an imprisonment.

Today, on this absolutely nasty Saturday, at the beginning of February Harry was leaving for work. He hated leaving like this, especially when he had to abandon a nice, warm and very ravished redhead in their bed all alone. She was lucky that she didn't have to work on Saturdays. Ginny wasn't an early riser so he ate the breakfast all by himself. The weather was bad, on the outside was still dark and cold. He would most gladly just come back to Ginny. He got to the car and went to the place he was slowly starting to despise.

Ginny awoke a few hours later, feeling a sense of discontentment as she found herself alone without her boyfriend beside her. Following her usual morning routine, she proceeded to have the breakfast that Harry had prepared earlier. Cooking was not one of her talents, and she couldn't even manage it if her life depended on it. Thankfully, she had no trouble heating the meal, she could do this just fine.

After breakfast, she decided that it was time to do some shopping. When she bought everything they needed, a small boutique caught her eye. Curiosity got the best of her, and she couldn't resist stepping inside to explore even though she wasn't the biggest fan of buying clothes. The boutique was filled with unique and stylish clothing, accessories, and home decor items. She spent some time browsing through racks of clothes, trying on different outfits, and admiring the intricate details of the accessories. The friendly staff offered their assistance, making her shopping experience even more enjoyable. Eventually, she found a few items that she absolutely loved and decided to make a purchase. Leaving the boutique with a satisfied smile, she continued her day, excited to incorporate her new finds into her wardrobe and home.

As she was heading back home, she noticed an enormous black dog straying around. It approached her cautiously as if it was expecting her to attack. She took a few steps back feeling distressed; she hoped the dog wasn't aggressive or had rabies.

As she looked at it more closely, she noticed how bad the dog looked. It probably didn't see a brush or something to eat for some time. Her heart soared for the poor animal, she always was very sensible when it came to their wellbeing.

She may be stupid for doing this, it may be dangerous but she couldn't help it. She took out from one of the bags full of groceries ham and reached it out to the dog. It walked slowly and ate from her hand, its rough tongue irritating her soft hand. After it ate, the animal sat patiently and looked at her with big, puppy-like eyes begging her for help. She couldn't leave this poor creature alone, could she?

With utmost tenderness, she gently reached out and caressed the dog's head, lovingly scratching behind its ear. The dog's face lit up with pure pleasure as it instinctively tilted its head, savouring every moment of the delightful sensation, its eyes blissfully shut.

Much to her displeasure, she could now confirm how bad the state of the dog's fur actually was; extremely tangled and dirty.

"Oh boy, what on earth did happen to you?" Ginny gushed, her voice filled with genuine concern. "Do you have a name? Are you lost?" She didn't notice a collar so she supposed it was just a poor stray.

The dog let out a pitiful whine when she stood up and stopped petting. Ginny looked at it forlorn. She couldn't just abandon him like that, could she? The mare thought of leaving him like that was breaking her heart. No, there was no way in hell that she would not take him with her, no matter what Harry will say.

"Okay, do you know any commands? Down!" She said sternly to which the dog reacted almost immediately. "Good boy! Now, sit!" Again, he obliged dutifully. "You are a smart one, aren't you? C'mon' now, we've got some shopping to do."

She took the dog to the vet first much to his dismay, but she had to. If she was going to adopt him, he had to be vaccinated and dewormed. She was amused however by the dog's antics; it drooled all over the vet who was a nice woman in her early 30s.

Then, they went to the pet shop to buy the dog all the necessary things. She bought him a nice, new collar and leash, a brush, shampoo for animals and lots of toys. And not to forget, enough dog food until Harry could pick up more.

As they were walking back to their flat, people were shooting her weird glances. Apparently, a small redhead carrying more full bags than she was worth and leading an enormous black dog at the same time wasn't a common sight.

At their flat (in Ginny's mind it was theirs, as the doggy was hers and she would fight anyone who questioned that fact. And who in their right mind would want to fight an angry redhead anyway?) she bathed the dog carefully, with the attention she took care of its tangled and dirty fur.


Ron Weasley apparated near the restaurant where Ginny's boyfriend apparently worked. He overheard her talking about this with their mother. He hoped he would stay calm while seeing this git who was, as Ron suspected, stealing his sister's virtue. Ginny certainly wouldn't appreciate it if he had beaten the face his sister was finding so pretty.

Before he stepped into the restaurant, he caught sight of something that caught him off guard. With her unruly bushy hair and an air of arrogance, there she was - Hermione Granger, his long-standing rival from their days at Hogwarts. Their relationship had always been strained, as she consistently carried herself with superiority, believing herself to be better than everyone else.

As she sensed someone's gaze fixed on her, she began to scan her surroundings. Ron, in a hurry, ducked behind a bench and crossed his fingers, hoping that she hadn't seen him.

"Hm-hem. I can see you, Ronald. You should stop acting childish in public places. I would think that after starting an adult life you would stop being so childish." Ron clenched his fist upon hearing her annoying voice. He hated it and he hated her whole attitude. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Nothing you should know about. That's my business and my business only!"

She looked at him calculative, "You are here to spy on Ginny's boyfriend, aren't you?"

"What? No, err, of course not. I would never!"

Hermione raised her eyebrows, "Uh-huh"

"Wait, what you are doing here?"

"Apparently, the same thing as you. Only I'm much more subtle with it. You look like you're going to punch someone."

Ron huffed angrily and crossed his arms, "How do you know where to find this git anyway?"

"Ginny wrote me. People tend to write to each other in order to communicate, you know? Not that you would know much about it. And I think it's too early to say those epithets about the man your sister is in love with."

Ron gaped at her incredulously, "No she doesn't love him for sure. She's just strongly infatuated," He waved his hand dismissingly.

Hermione sighed deeply and shook her head, "You really are hopeless." She turned away from him and started marching to the restaurant's entrance.

"Huh? Don't turn your back on me!"

Hermione took place at one of the tables inside and Ron quickly joined her.

"As for someone who constantly talks about appropriate behaviour, you are rather rude!" Ron accused.

"Tells who? The one who insults and makes fun of me and others all the time! If you had more emotional range than a spoon you would be more bearable! Now, would you please go away from my table?"

"No! That's my table as well as yours!"

"I was here first!"

I don't care! If you want, you can go! I certainly won't miss you!"

"I should go? I'm not going anywhere!"

"Fine!"

"Great!"

Before they could continue arguing, the waitress came. "Hello, are you ready to order?"

"Yes." They answered simultaneously.

"I'll have the chef's special with beer, thanks," Ron replied happy at the perspective of food.

"I would like to order stuffed salmon with Greek salad and a cup of red wine."

"Of course!"

A heavy, almost palpable silence settled in the room, stretching out into what felt like forever. The minutes seemed to drag on.

"So… how it's going in life?

"Great, thanks for asking. I've got a promotion in DMLE. And what's been up with you?"

"Oh, I've got a job in the Department of Magical Games and Sports in the section of Quidditch."

"That's nice."

"…"

"…"

"How's Lavender?"

"Oh, err, we broke it off."

"I'm sorry…"

Ron waved his hand dismissingly, "It's all right. We haven't got much in common anyway. And how's this… Corner bloke?"

"Oh, we've never been together. It was just a few dates."

"…"

The awkward silence returned with full source, each second was filled with unspoken tension waiting for someone to break the stillness. Thankfully the waitress seemed to rescue the both of them with the arrival of their meals.

Both of them couldn't believe how incredible their food looked. Ron was practically enchanted by the enormous steak with sauce and many additions. Hermione's order looked quite good as well.

Without waiting Ron started eating, enjoying the perfect taste and delicateness of his meal. He never tasted anything so good ever before. Even his mother couldn't reach that level. With good mood and drinks, they slowly started breaking the silence and even conversing, something they never did.

Sometime later, when their meals were almost done, Ron came up with a brilliant idea. He came here to meet Ginny's boyfriend, not to eat (not that it interfered with anything).

He called the waitress trying to sound as angry as he could muster ignoring Hermione's strange looks. She came a minute later.

"How can I help you?"

"The food you brought is terrible and cold and I even found a hair in it! I want to speak with the chef immediately!"

The waitress looked at him strangely as if he lost his mind. "Of course."

"I thought you enjoyed your food!" She whispered.

"I did. It's all the plan."

Harry had almost reached his breaking point for the day. The burden he carried was far more than what should be expected of a cook. His skills and dedication had, in many ways, become the lifeboat of the restaurant, despite the lack of recognition and financial reward. Harry had a genuine love for the culinary arts, and it was this passion that had initially drawn him to the restaurant.

However, over time, the relentless demands and the manager's refusal to acknowledge his contributions had eroded his enthusiasm. The pride he took in his work, as well as the sense of responsibility he felt towards the restaurant's success, had become both his strength and his Achilles' heel. Despite the hardships and frustrations, Harry remained committed, torn between the desire for fair treatment and the fear that leaving might lead to the restaurant's downfall. He understood that his dedication had become an integral part. Despite his dedication and hard work, the restaurant manager persistently piled on responsibilities without any increase in his pay.

Day in and day out, Harry wondered about the scenario of him quitting. Would the restaurant even survive without him to handle all its ongoing issues? He really doubted it.

And now, someone was calling him because they found some issues with their meal. He really had enough. With a last bit of patience, he followed the waitress to where the pretentious customer was.

As Ron laid eyes on Ginny's new boyfriend, he was taken aback. The man was not only tall, but he exuded an air of confidence and power that was impossible to ignore. His mere presence seemed to command attention and respect from everyone in the room. Ron couldn't help but admit, if only to himself, that the guy was undeniably handsome. Even though he wasn't attracted to men, Ron couldn't deny the charisma that radiated from the bloke.

Ron glanced over at Hermione and noticed a similar expression on her face. It was a look of subtle admiration, one that Ron had never seen directed at anyone else. Hermione, too, seemed captivated by this charismatic man. Suddenly, a strange mix of emotions overcame Ron. He felt a pang of jealousy and an irrational sense of hate for the man.

"Hello, how can I help you sir?" Harry asked trying to sound as nice as he could at the moment but failing miserably

Even his voice made Ron feel insecure and less masculine, leaving him feeling smaller and less sure of himself than before.

Ron waged his finger, "My food is cold, it was absolutely disgusting and there is hair in it! I want an explanation, apology and refund!"

Harry's expression remained as impassive as a stone wall, his gaze fixed firmly upon the dissatisfied customer before him. With deliberate and measured steps, he moved towards the table where the nearly empty plate lay, the remnants of the contentious meal still clinging to its surface. The customer's discontent had clearly struck a nerve with Harry, but he maintained his composure.

In a calm and collected tone, he addressed the accusations that had been hurled his way. "I can assure you," he began, his voice carrying an air of certainty, "the meal couldn't be cold as it was served straight from the pan." Harry's words held a touch of pride, as though he took personal responsibility for the culinary perfection that had been achieved in the kitchen. He continued, "As for your accusations about the taste, I don't think it was a problem for you." His words were pointed, suggesting that even though he claimed the food wasn't good, he ate it anyway.

Unfazed by the customer's discontent, Harry maintained his professionalism. "And sorry," he added, a false note of regret in his voice, "we do not refund for not enjoying the food." It was a firm but fair response, reminding the customer that the restaurant upheld its standards and that personal taste couldn't always be guaranteed.

Ron turned beet-red either from anger or embarrassment, "How do you explain hair in it then?"

Harry looked closely, "The hair is ginger. I can assure you that I'm rather blacked-haired."

"I don't care! I want to speak with your manager!"

Harry closed his eyes praying for patience and sighed deeply. The waitress looked at him with pity and compassion. "I will go get the manager," she said.

For a few minutes, there was the most awkward silence the three of them ever experienced. Hermione never before felt so embarrassed at what Ron had done. Harry was just standing still and staring emotionlessly out the window, thinking of a million better places to be in right now.

The manager finally came, "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes! This man," He almost shouted pointing at Harry, "is extremely rude, he's the most awful cook I've ever seen and he clearly doesn't care about OHS!"

Harry started opening his mouth to defend himself but he never had a chance to do that. His manager turned to him, Harry couldn't ignore the discreet flash of glee in his eyes that he had another chance to make Harry's work hell.

"What is the meaning of this?! How dare you to be rude to our customers? They deserve your kindness and warm welcome! But of course, you are good for nothing as always, Evans! You are asking to be fired boy!"

Something in Harry snapped. The man looked very close to Uncle Vernon who terrorised Harry when he was a little boy. The word 'boy' was etched in his memory as a souvenir from the abuse he went through.

Harry closed the distance that separated them in just one step and poked the man's chest strongly with his finger, "You know what? You're right," Harry's voice was quiet but strong and dangerous, "I'm bloody good for nothing, lazy bastard trying to just use the kindness and generosity of the poor, poor you."

Harry took a step back taking off his chef's apron and throwing it before his boss' legs, "I'm done. I'm leaving and never coming back."

"What? But…but you can't leave…"

Harry laughed humourlessly at the panic in his boss' voice, "Ironic, isn't it? Not even a minute ago you were dreaming about firing me, and now you want me to stay? I will gladly look at how this whole place is collapsing without me." To emphasise his words he grabbed the tablecloth from Ron's and Hermione's table and swept it away with all the dishes. Almost all of the inhabitants of the restaurant were looking at him with absolute shock

"And you," Harry said to Hermione, "shag your boyfriend already so he is not so unbearable." With those words, he stormed out of the restaurant. When he finally sat in his car, he smiled a little that he was finally free.


Finally, after a whole day of shit, he came back home. Stepping into his flat he heard barking. Very familiar barking.

"Gin?" Harry called.

"I'm here!" Ginny's voice came out of their living room.

He went there and saw something he would never suspect. Ginny was playing with an enormous black dog who was waggling its tail excitedly. When it looked at Harry it had a decency to look a little guilty.

"Harry! This is Snuffles," Ginny announced proudly making Harry snort, "from now on, he will be living with us and we will love him with our whole hearts!"

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose thinking of a quick lie, "Gin, do you remember this older lady living a few streets from us?"

"Yeah?" Ginny answered confusedly.

"A week ago or something her dog ran away. A giant, black dog."

Ginny looked at Snuffles heartbroken.

Harry continued, "We've got to give him back, Ginny. I'm sorry."

She looked away from both of them with quivering lips and blinking rapidly. For a while, Harry thought she might burst into tears. Ginny quickly regained her composture sniffing from time to time. She hugged Snuffles tightly and whispered, "I'm gonna miss you, boy. I will never forget you." She wanted to keep the dog with all her might, but she knew she couldn't. She wasn't so cruel to take a friend from some old lady.

Harry walked to her and gave her a hand, "I'll take care of everything. Maybe it would be best if you go to bed?"

Ginny only nodded absently and let Harry lead her gently to their bedroom.

When Harry got back, the dog couldn't look him straight in the face. Without any words, Harry took a leash and accosted it to the collar. They walked outside without making any sounds up to some isolated place.

"Are you done playing?"

The dog whined pathetically and turned into his Godfather.

Harry crossed his arms, "What do you have as an excuse?"

"Concern about you obviously! You suddenly find some lass I and Remus don't know anything about and declare you're so much in love! I had my right to be suspicious."

Harry wanted to argue more, but to tell the truth he didn't have the strength for it today. Someday he would take his revenge, maybe even with Ginny's help if she would still want to be with him after finding the truth.

"So what's your conclusion?"

"This girl is absolutely awesome! She's kind and gentle and nice and fun and pretty and good and-"

"Okay, okay, that sounds about right," Harry smiled despite himself.

"What I wanted to say before you so rudely interrupted me is that you need to marry this girl! She's so perfect for you!"

"Sure. Now shut up or I will take you to the vet to castrate you."

"You would never!" Sirius said horrified.

"Watch me. Now, go."

A/N: Thanks for reading and all of your positive feedback! There are still three chapters plus an epilogue to go so I hope this story will be done by the end of October. As always I encourage you to share a piece of your mind, no matter what it is.