It takes two | Sirius Black

43.

Sirius sees the house up ahead as he lands on the field, he's not quite sure how Harry and Hermione pulled it off- he was minutes away from being killed and they saved him. Got him a ride to freedom too, Remus was the one who told him where to go before he transformed. It had been a long night.

He didn't know what to do. The house was right there, but it had been twelve years. All the excitement and anticipation of seeing her again had gone. He was dreading it instead. How much can one person change in twelve years? He certainly didn't look the same. He wasn't twenty anymore, he had started to get fine lines and wrinkles. He also had to accept the fact that twelve years is a long time, she could've moved on for all he knows.

Sirius continues to stare at the house, his feet unmoving and his heart racing. She was so close. This is the closest they had been in years. He wanted to see her but he wasn't ready for reality just yet. He had imagined the moment he reunited with the love of his life repeatedly during his sentence, it kept him going and kept him from fully losing his mind. He had never had a thought of her having someone else until this very moment.

He ducks low as the front door opens, a big dog bounces out of the house. He trips over his own feet as he wags his tail excitedly. Kate follows behind. Sirius' heart stops, she looks the same. She hadn't changed much. She looked a little older. Her blonde hair was significantly shorter, she had a shoulder length cut- that's the first thing he noticed. She held the dog lead in her hand, swinging it aimlessly as she watched the dumb dog.

"BOWIE!" She calls as he runs to far ahead, "Chill out!"

Sirius heart drops at the dogs name. They had planned this together. She had remembered. He looks around at the empty field, no people for miles- just them. Bowie starts running straight towards him, Sirius can't move fast enough as the heavy German shepherd jumps on top of him and growls down at him.

"Bowie!" Kate rushes forward, tugging at the dogs collar. She stops in realisation, "Sirius?"

Sirius stiffens, "Y-yeah..hi."

"Hi." She says back, staring down at him.

Bowie continues growling, getting Kates attention as she pulls the dog, "Bowie!"

The dog relents with a strop, marching off towards the house. Kate holds out her hand and pulls Sirius to his feet, he's nervous and twitchy. He brushes down his ripped filthy Azkaban uniform like being trampled on by a dog had caused it.

"Erm I have some clothes in the house." Kate says with uncertainly, "They're R- they should fit you."

"Thanks." Sirius mumbles, following her.

When they step inside, it feels like home. Kate feels like home, Bowie the dog feels like home and seeing his kids stuff everywhere feels like home. He looks at the fridge door, numerous drawings cover the fridge and he takes his time admiring them. There's several of the dog, some when Bowie was a puppy and some more recent ones. There's one of Kate too and Nix with his friends- Sirius recognises Harry immediately and smiles to himself.

"Nix is a little artist." Kate smiles, "He spends hours painting to get the details right." She opens a drawer and takes more drawings out, "He paints and draws Harry a lot."

Sirius hesitates taking a closer look at one of the more recent ones, "He looks like James."

"Yeah.. they're identical. He has Lily's eyes though."

"Got James prescription though." Sirius smirks, putting the drawings back, "What about Zion, what does he like?"

"Pranks." Kate rolls her eyes, "Him and his friends remind me of a certain group of boys I went to school with."