Marauders - Always - Part One

CCXII: The First Time I Have Gotten to Speak To You Properly

"Oh I know exactly who you are - Declan Alectric," Sirius growled the moment his face had transformed from dog to man, the snout disappearing into his face still even as he leaped up to his feet from the bed, Oliver sliding gently onto the pillow, muttering incoherently as he plopped down.

Declan's face was something between awe and amusement as he popped his stance, one hand on his hip, and gesturing with the other as he talked, "I had no idea my name preceded me."

"It certainly does. Oliver has told me all about you." Sirius said, "And I'm rather sure he's convinced himself that I'm a hallucination - no one talks so candidly when they think they're actually talking to a person, he just goes on and on as though he still fully believes me a dog, even though he's seen me in my human form..."

Declan grinned, "I mean, Sirius Black with a hair out of place - certainly that must be a hallucination. No one ever saw you so disheveled before, have they?" Declan raised an eyebrow and gestured at Sirius's wrinkled attire.

"You try living a life shrouded in secret and see how fine your fashions become, little one," Sirius retorted.

Declan's eyes lit with merriment. "Oh honey you've no idea."

Sirius snorted and shook his head. Declan watched Sirius mutter and turn to pace the room, an almost studious expression on his face, his eyed following Sirius's motion.

"You know, in all the years I've known of you and followed you about, this is the first time I've gotten to speak to you properly?" Declan said.

Sirius looked up, "Me?" he asked in surprise. "What in Merlin's bleeding nutsack are you wanting to talk to me for?"

Declan shrugged. "The notorious Sirius Black," he said loftily, "The iconic legend of mischief-making at Hogwarts, turned traitor and follower of the Dark Lord, murderer of his best friends, first ever convict to escape Azkaban prison. Great romancer and tamer of the werewolf Alpha, Remus Lupin... Who wouldn't want to talk with you?"

Sirius answered, "Anyone sane." He paused, then added, "Besides that, I'm only about half of those things in reality."

Declan drew his wand and waved it, appearing a chair directly behind himself. He dropped into it and crossed his legs so that his right ankle rested on top of his left knee, which was hitched over the arm of the chair as he sat slightly crookedly. He grinned up at Sirius.

"So tell me, Sirius Black," Declan said, stretching his arms back and folding them behind his head. "What is Azkaban like? Is it as dreadful as they all say?"

Sirius stared at Declan. "Conducting some type of survey, are you?"

"A survey?" Declan laughed.

"For one of your little news stories?"

Declan grinned, "Oh. No. No this is strictly off the record, you could call it a personal interest of mine."

Sirius swore and turned back to pacing, wondering why he'd even transformed for this little fucker. He wouldn't for anyone else - why this blue haired weirdo of all people? But even as Sirius thought it, he knew why. He turned around. "Why do you smell like my husband?" he asked.

"Your husband?" Declan echoed.

"Yes. You smell so much like him..."

He kicked his foot in time to a song he heard only in his head. "What does your husband smell like? I'd like to know if I'm being insulted."

Sirius answered without pause, "Warm jumpers and old, dusty books. Hot chocolate on a cold Autumn night. And just a tiny bit of birch bark or the first snow."