Dog Park

Remus sighed as Padfoot scratched at the front door for the umpteenth time that afternoon. He took off his reading glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed the book he had been studying for the past few hours.

"No, Padfoot," he said, his voice raspy. "You know what Dumbledore said about going outside."

The dog glared at him, padded to the staircase, and raced upstairs. Remus put his book down and went over to the foot of the stairs. He sighed and laid a hand on the banister.

"Sirius?" he called, one foot resting on the bottom step. "What are you up to?"

Padfoot reappeared at the top of the stairs and Remus could see something bright yellow clasped between his powerful jaws. Padfoot set whatever it was at the edge of the top step and pushed it down the staircase with his nose. He crouched, his front paws hanging over the step, and watched as it bounced on the stairs. Remus followed the ball with his eyes and deftly snatched it as it reached the bottom.

He arched an eyebrow, raised the tennis ball to eyelevel, and stared up at Padfoot. "Isn't it a little early to start practicing for Wimbledon?"

Padfoot half-barked, half-whined, jumped up, and thundered down the stairs, tail thumping against the wall. He stopped at the bottom, almost tripping over his massive front feet, and stared up at Remus. In a flurry of movement, he changed back and kissed Remus with bruising passion, his arms snaking possessively around his waist.

Sirius grinned when he pulled back. "Moony, if I have to stay inside this hell house for one more minute, I'm going to go mad."

Remus looked at the tennis ball in his hand and said quietly, "And what do you expect me to do about that?"

Sirius kissed him again. "Padfoot wants to go to the dog park."

Remus chuckled. "And what'll Dumbledore say when he finds out?"

Sirius frowned. "I don't care what he thinks." He paused. "So, what do you say? Please?"

"You know I can't say no to you," Remus whispered. Sirius smiled like he hadn't since before Azkaban and kissed Remus again.

"I love you, Remus," he said and, with a small "pop," transformed back into Padfoot.

Remus laughed as the dog barked and spun in place before running to the door. Padfoot scratched at it and, throwing his head back to look at Remus, whined.

"If you don't calm down, you'll have to go on a lead," Remus said as he grabbed his threadbare coat from the hall closet and slipped it on.

Padfoot sat, his tail beating a rhythm on the hardwood floor, and Remus could have sworn he raised one doggy eyebrow at him.

"I didn't mean it like that," Remus said as he slipped the tennis ball into his pocket and laid a hand on the doorknob, "so you can stop giving me that look."

Padfoot made a noise that sounded too much like a laugh and jumped to attention, ready to bolt out once Remus opened the door.

"Promise you'll behave?"

Padfoot nosed Remus' free hand affectionately and whined softly. Remus smiled and opened the door. Before he could even begin to step outside, Padfoot bounded into the grey mid-afternoon, trundled down the stoop, and jumped into a pile of leaves.

Padfoot climbed out of the leaves and shook as he waited for Remus to lock the door behind them. When the man turned around and tucked his wand into his inner coat pocket, Padfoot ran over to him, jumped up, and licked him. With a few quick barks, he ran to the edge of the pavement.

"I'm hurrying, Padfoot," Remus laughed and pulled his coat tighter against the crisp autumn breeze.

The dog waited until Remus caught up to him before darting ahead, his nose to the ground and tail wagging. Remus lagged behind, happy because Sirius was happy, and angry at the world for locking him away in a virtual prison once again. Lost in his musings, he paid little attention to where they were going and let his mind wander.

As they reached the intersection across from the dog park, Padfoot sat in front of Remus, keeping him from stepping into the street as a lone car passed. Remus scratched him behind an ear before they hurried across the deserted street.

Remus opened the gate and waited for Padfoot to sidle by before closing it on its weathered hinges. He took the tennis ball from his pocket and tossed it up a few times, teasing the great black dog.

"Ready, Padfoot?"

Padfoot barked and sat, eagerly waiting for him to throw the ball.

"Alright," Remus said with smile and hurled the fuzzy yellow orb as hard as he could. Padfoot watched the ball sail through the air for only the briefest of moments before darting after it.

Remus ran after him, stopping as Padfoot reached the ball's resting place and grabbed it. The dog lumbered back, ball clasped loosely in his powerful jaws. He dropped it at Remus' feet and shifted his weight from paw to paw as he waited for him to pick it up.

Remus reached down and took the ball. He smiled, pretended to throw it, and chuckled as Padfoot started after it. The dog growled playfully at him and pounced, sending Remus sprawling on the ground.

Remus laughed as Padfoot licked him and quickly scrambled to his feet as Padfoot bounded away in an impromptu game of tag. They loped around the park, trampling brown, fallen leaves and upsetting the foul-tempered geese who called the park home. The birds honked their indignation and chased the pair of them, nipping at their heels, until Padfoot playfully snapped at their long necks. When Remus, exhausted, finally flopped down on the dying grass, Padfoot collapsed onto his lap with a great doggy sigh.

"Are you happy now?" Remus asked, softly running a hand through Padfoot's thick fur.

Padfoot wagged his tail in response and stared up at him.

"Good." Remus checked his watch. "We should probably be heading back before anyone notices we're gone."

Padfoot whined but climbed off of Remus none-the-less. As the man got to his feet, Padfoot went to hunt for the tennis ball, and once found, fell into step with Remus as they left the dog park. The dog's pace slowed as they got closer to Twelve Grimmauld Place, occasionally stopping to sniff a light pole or to make Remus scratch him behind the ears.

When they finally reached the old house Padfoot stood near the road, staring up at his childhood home with haunted eyes. Remus jogged up the stoop and held the door open for him.

"I'm sorry, Padfoot," he called, "but you've got to come back inside."

The dog looked back in the direction they'd came before grudgingly trotting inside. Remus smiled as Padfoot passed him and followed the dog inside, pointedly ignoring Mrs Black's shriekings someone had inadvertently set off.

Sirius changed back and quelled his mother's portrait with a quick spell and a few choice words Remus could never imagine saying to his own mum. Once sure they were alone in the entranceway, Sirius turned and embraced Remus in a bear-like hug.

"Thank you, Moony," he said.

Remus smiled. "Don't mention it."

Sirius grinned wickedly and leaned in for a kiss. "What do you say we go upstairs and I make it up to you?"

"I'd like that," Remus said, lacing their fingers together and drew Sirius towards the stairs.