It was a sunny afternoon and I was walking through Hogsmeade when I saw a black, shabby dog crossing the sidewalk, heading directly for me. It rubbed against my leg, looking up at me with eyes I instantly recognized. I gave him a small smile and he nudged my leg forward. I chuckled, trying to look inconspicuous as I began following Sirius down a long, winding lane, toward a small cave. He quickly transformed back into his human form and engulfed me in a hug.
"Y/n! Merlin, I missed you so much! I'm sorry about our fight! I never should have reacted that way! Of course you would have moved on after 12 years! I'm so sorry! I don't want to lose you. Can you ever forgive me?" he asked, his words spilling out quickly.
"Of course I forgive you, Sirius. We've been friends for way too long to just forget all of that over a fight," I replied, trying to ignore the goosebumps on my skin where his hands had been. "What are you doing here, though, Sirius! Do you have any idea how risky this is?!"
"I had to see you and Harry! He's been having insane dreams lately about You-Know-Who returning and needing a woman to complete the spell."
My eyes widened. "What did you just say?"
Sirius looked at me curiously. "What is it, darling?"
"Sirius, don't screw with me... who told you about the dreams?"
"Harry... he told me he was having these dreams... Darling, what's going on?"
"Sirius... I-... I'm having the same dreams."
His eyes searched mine. Several emotions were running behind his eyes as my words sunk in.
"How is that possible?"
"Just trust me... for right now... you don't want to know."
"Darling, what aren't you telling me?" He grabbed my hands, searching my eyes, as he waited for my response.
"Nothing, Sirius... I'm not ready to talk about it, yet. Just... just trust me."
"I trust you, pup," he whispered and I tried to ignore the fluttery feeling in my stomach. "Just... tell me when you're ready."
I nodded, grateful that he wasn't pressing the matter, knowing that once I told him who my father was everything would change.
"Who do you think the woman is in the dream? Who would be so important that he would need her to complete the spell?" he asked, trying to change the subject, though only making the situation worse. I didn't want to lie to him but I couldn't exactly tell him who the woman was without raising a bunch of questions.
"Y/n?" he asked when I didn't respond.
"Can we just change the subject?" I asked, growing nervous.
He nodded, though I could tell he was hesitant. We began conversing about the upcoming task and a feeling of dread settled within me. I knew something was coming but there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't explain the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach as we discussed the third task. The maze had a tendency to change people and I've known people to never come out the same but this feeling felt different.
"What's on your mind, love?" he asked me, though I carefully avoided the fact that he had just called me another pet name.
"Nothing, Sirius. I'm fine."
We quickly changed the subject and began discussing life over the last 12 years, though he carefully avoided the subject of Severus and I, which I was grateful for.
The sun was beginning to go down and I knew Severus would be getting worried.
"I should probably get going, Sirius. It's getting late."
"I understand. I hope I'll see you again soon," he said, pulling me into a hug. I tried to ignore the fluttering sensation as he held my body against his. We pulled away, parting ways as I followed the winding road back toward Hogsmeade village and back toward the castle.