Just as the students finished their breakfast and headed for their first class of the new term, a man appeared in the Gryffindor dormitory for the third years.
He was wearing dark, shabby, ragged clothes.
His hair was disheveled, and there was a... dog-like sll about him that didn’t seem to bother him in the least.
He was Sirius Black — who, these days, went by the na of Uncle Black.
Sirius had spent days as a dog many tis, but this was the first ti he had assud his dog transformation at length after escaping prison, making him feel... odd.
When he was in Azkaban, he hadn’t dared to assu his Animagus form so as not to let anyone know of it. When the Death Eaters attacked Azkaban and the Dentors revolted, his Animagus form was the only thing that had allowed him to avoid getting killed on the spot.
At that ti, he didn’t even know what was going on.
Twelve years of Dentors constantly draining him of his every happy thought had befuddled not only his mind, but also his spirit.
If it weren’t for his heart, which kept telling him that he was innocent, he wouldn’t have survived this long among those detestable creatures.
After escaping, when Sirius reached the mainland, it took him so ti to learn the overarching situation of the world.
But it wasn’t the search for knowledge that had brought him to London.
It was revenge!
Sirius wanted to search for Peter Pettigrew and destroy him for betraying Jas and Lily.
The only thing that kept him from doing so was that he had no clue where to find the man.
And, if there was any place on earth where he could get so intel, it was in Knockturn Alley.
But, for that, he would need money.
For that, he would need to go to Gringotts and access his family’s Vaults.
And that’s exactly what he had been heading toward, resisting the urge to approach Harry, when the boy from his distant muggle relatives had caught him.
Sirius chuckled, rembering the humorous episode.
He stumbled his way to the window next to Harry’s bed and looked out at the vast green plain, his heart longing to go out. He opened the window and took a deep breath, the scent of morning rain filling his lungs.
Suddenly, a purr rang behind him.
Sirius’ heart gave out.
He slowly turned around in dread, but, in the very next mont, his shoulders relaxed.
It was Crookshanks, eyeing the slly man with judging eyes as he sat on Harry’s bed.
Sirius saw more in those judging eyes, though — intelligence and... familiarity.
"Are you really the kitten Lily adopted?" Sirius asked, smiling with his yellow teeth. "... Or... am I mistaken?"
There was an uncanny resemblance, he noticed.
It had been so long — over twelve years. If the cat had belonged to anyone else, then he wouldn’t have even considered noticing any resemblance. But that kitten hadn’t belonged to just anyone else. It had belonged to Lily.
Sirius slowly, but confidently, reached out with his hand.
Crookshanks hissed, but only for a mont.
Then, to Sirius’ relief and joy, the cat allowed him to pet him, rubbing his hairy head against his fingers.
"I knew it was you..." Sirius mumbled. "I knew it!"
He lifted Crookshanks and held him in his arms, caressing his back. "You are one intelligent cat, huh?" he remarked. "It’s hard for even people to rember soone after twelve years..."
Crookshanks purred, as if in agreent.
Then, he shook his body and jumped off Sirius’ arms, rolling on Harry’s bed before hissing at the wizard.
"... I don’t sll that bad..." Sirius complained.
He leaned his head down and took a whiff of his armpits and almost belched.
"Alright, alright," Sirius said. "You win. It’s ti — for a bath!"
After half an hour, a handso, well-dressed gentleman looked back at Sirius from the mirror, almost unrecognizable.
The children were still too young for their clothes to fit him.
However, his master, Arlen Black, had accidentally packed his father’s clothes in his trunk, which he had complained about many tis.
In a rich fur coat and black pants, Sirius almost rembered his youth as he looked at himself in the mirror.
Then, slowly, all the joy began draining off him, as if a Dentor were sucking it out.
His eyes glead in the mirror, his face twisting in anger and revenge.
"... We are looking for a rat, Crookshanks," Sirius said, facing the cat. "A rat nad Scabbers."
Sirius had thought of running away after the boy had adopted him as a pet many tis.
However, with the boy and Harry being such close friends, he had realized that remaining with him was the best he could hope for if he wanted to find his enemy and ensure Harry’s safety.
And his guess had co true when he had heard Ron complaining about his pet rat, Scabbers.
The sa rat that had remained in the Weasley family for twelve years. The sa rat that was missing a toe — just as Peter Pettigrew had cut off his finger to put the bla for his death on him, Sirius rembered.
Also, not many knew that Peter Pettigrew was an Animagus, too, taking the form of a rat at will.
The coincidences were just too much to ignore.
"I can’t approach Dumbledore," Sirius said, talking to Crookshanks. "He has changed too much. If I go to him without any evidence, he might throw back into prison. I can’t search Hogwarts, either. Common Boggarts might not be a problem, if I keep myself in the crowd, but the enchanted ones... No."
Sirius stopped and once again looked out the window.
The thought of revenge was sweet, he knew. Nothing felt more enjoyable than imagining Peter Pettigrew begging him for his traitorous life. But... he couldn’t help but think of afterwards as well.
"A war is coming..." Sirius mumbled, his eyes gaining rare clarity as he buried the revengeful thoughts within. "I can’t just waste all my ti searching for that rat... Killing Pettigrew wouldn’t matter if I fail to save Harry... With Voldemort on the loose, he is bound to co for the boy sooner or later. I must think of a way to help Harry..."
Sirius looked at Crookshanks, carrying a smile.
"For that, I need a Wand and..." he said, petting the cat. "... a friend."
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