What Is and What Should Never Be | Sirius Black

18. Padfoot

WITH EXAMS coming up next month, Remus decides to get a head start in studying and invites me to the library with him, reminding me that his roommates don't enjoy buckling down and preparing for tests. However, as he and (surprisingly) James are invited to a Slug Club picnic in the afternoon, I'm told to hang out in his dorm until they return.

I pack my textbooks, quills, and parchment in my bag to head to Gryffindor tower. The Lady greets me, letting me in when another student gives the password and I climb the stairs to the sixth year dorms. As I open the door, I hear an odd sound - or, rather, not odd but odd for the circumstances. A shaggy black dog sits in the middle of the floor with a short whine and I check to make sure I'm in the right room.

The Quidditch posters and my sister's drawing tell me that I am, but I look wearily at the animal as it seems to watch me with a lot more intent than one would think.

"Hello, there." I say cautiously, walking between Sirius and Remus' beds. I keep my eyes on the dog and drop my bag to the floor before looking around the room once again. "Anybody here? Sirius? Peter?"

There's no answer and I sit down on Remus' bed, only for the dog to growl at me and I stand straight up. He stops and starts to pant. I make a motion with the intention to sit again and I'm growled at once more, the dog taking my pants between his teeth and tugging me away.

I'm smart enough to listen when a dog bares it's teeth, and I comply, stepping over to Sirius' bed where the dog lets go of my pants. I sit down and the dog is fine as it stares at me. While I'm smart enough to know to listen to an angry dog, I'm also smart enough to know that dogs don't act like this, and I give the animal a distrustful look as it rests its head on my knee.

"You're a good dog, aren't you?" I say in a soft, monotone voice, knowing these animals react more to tone than words. Its tail thumps gently against the floor which only makes me more suspicious.

I move to rest my hand on its head, and when it makes no effort to turn away I give it a pet. My initial thought is that this will turn out to be some kind of prank done by the boys, but I can't possibly fathom a way this will end so I doubt it. As I take yet another look across the room, I decide to test something.

"You are a good dog." I confirm for it and catch my stuff a few feet away in my peripheral vision. "Can you fetch my bag?"

I make no motion towards my things, but the dog turns around regardless, goes to my bag, grabs it with its teeth, and brings it back to me. I immediately take out my wand and point at the animal, standing on my feet.

"What are you?" I ask, not necessarily menacingly, but more curious.

The creature stares at me, bag still in its mouth.

"You're no dog." I reason. "So what're you? Why're you here?"

My stuff drops to the floor when the dogs jaw goes slack. It moves its way to Sirius' trunk and my wand follows it, just incase it decides to jump at me. After rummaging through, it carries a piece of denim fabric in its mouth and turns around to trot into the bathroom. I'm utterly confused.

Not a minute later, I'm still standing with my wand at the ready when Sirius walks out in a pair of jeans. My wand lowers cautiously and I take a step to the side to peer into the room.

I'm not sure what's taken me back more: Sirius, who materialized out of no where, or the fact that there's no more dog.

"What-" I start but am interrupted.

"Don't you knock?" He says, arms crossing and not looking too pleased.

"Where's the-" I take a couple quick strides to his side and look into the bathroom but there's no trace of the dog anywhere. "What just happened?"