The Marauders: Year Four

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I'm used to losing things, he'd said...

Regulus thought that was quite possibly the saddest thing he'd heard in his entire life.

It had taken some time for everyone's attention to be diverted enough for Remus to get Sirius out of the hospital wing. Sirius begged Remus several more times to help him leave, and even went so far as to threaten to just turn into Snuffles, secrets be damned, and curl up right there on the little cot if Remus didn't get him out of there immediately. So Remus had told James and James had faked a sharp pain to get everyone's attention on him for a few moments, and Remus had shouldered Sirius's weight and hurried him from the room while they were turned away.

They made their way down the stairs and through the Trophy Room passageway to the little alcove. The moment they'd made it there, Sirius didn't wait even a moment - he threw himself to the floor and changed instantly into a dog. Remus sighed and sat down on the couch, leaning into the cushions. Sirius followed, jumping up beside Rey and curling into him, pressing his nose into Remus's stomach and burying his face as Remus gently stroked the soft fur behind his ears. The silence was absolute, not a sound beside their breathing broke it for hours as they sat... and eventually fell asleep.

When Remus woke up it was to the sound of Snuffles whimpering whining and he rubbed his eyes, sitting up to find Sirius was pacing the floor one end of the alcove to the other and back again, his tail between his legs as he walked. Remus leaned forward, scooting to the edge of the couch and held out his palms, "Padfoot." The dog kept pacing. "C'mere, Pads."

Sirius walked over slowly, his eyes sad and dark and Remus ran his hands over his doggy cheeks into the thick of his pelt, scrubbing deep against his skin with his fingers, "You can't be blaming yourself for it, mate; you never would've done if you weren't under the Imperius... Voldemort killed Eileen Prince, not you. Don't you dare take this personal."

The dog whimpered and pressed his face into Remus's knee.

Remus bent forward and kissed the top of the dog's head, his fingers scratching along the dog's spine so that he kicked at the floor as a reflex and he said, thickly, "You're a good person. Well, right now you're a good dog, but in general, you're a good person. You're nothing at all like your parents, whatever anybody says. They dunno you, they dunno what you're like the way that I do. I know an awful lot of you, too. Kissed an awful lot of you just last night at this time, remember?" Remus's face turned a shade of red and he looked away.

Snuffles licked his face.

"Well thanks, but if I'm being honest I prefer your Sirius kisses over Snuffles kisses. I generally prefer the man over the dog anyway."

There was a pause and Sirius turned back to himself... kneeling between Remus's legs before the couch. He stared up at Remus, "Do you now? Why? Is it because I'm better looking as a person?"

Remus smirked. "I dunno about that."

"I have better hair at any rate."

Remus reached down and ran his hands through Sirius's thick black hair, his fingers creeping over Sirius's scalp. "It is very fine hair," Remus agreed.

"Is it the tongue thing? Do you just not like Snuffles's tongue?" Sirius asked.

"I don't mind your tongue, really," Remus said.

Sirius's eyes went very playful and he leaned up and quickly licked Remus's face.

"Oh Merlin!" Remus laughed, pushing him back, "You're nutters."

Sirius wiped the excess spittle that had ended up on his chin from lapping Remus away with his palm, a smile playing on his face. "You always make me feel better, Moony."