GOOD DOG || Sirius Black

(Two: Waving Through a Window)

Sirius sniffed at the ground, his canine senses lighting up. There was another scent mixing with the natural forest greens and browns that usually lit up his vision. It was almost orange in colour, and appeared like smoke in his nose. Something about it was different. Human, definitely, but there was some emotion tied up in it that didn't fit with the buzzing fizz of most kids on the first day.

Sirius dug his nose into the ground and sniffed again. He followed the scent trail all the way around the castle until he saw her: a figure, slightly hunched, with her camera cradled to her chest. Mousey brown hair swung forward, obscuring her face from view. The school uniform she wore was obviously tailor made, the sort of thing pureblooded Slytherins would wear, but the insignia over her heart told him she was a Gryffindor. It was all very strange. Sirius considered his knowledge of his fellow Gryffindors to be above average, and yet he was struggling to place her.

Before he could decide what to do, the girl's head jerked up. She hadn't been crying. Just, kind of... Sitting. Very dramatically. While everyone else was at the feast. Sirius thought she was probably not one of the normal kids. He did, however, recognise her now: Alex Fawley, from the train. Life had a way with coincidences.

She instantly relaxed when she saw that it was just a dog. She smiled slightly- a sun after rain smile- and stretched out a hand towards Sirius, making a reassuring noise with her teeth.

"Hey, Doggie." She crooned.

Sirius, who very much enjoyed being admired, padded over to her and nudged her hand with his head. She began rubbing his back.

"Who snuck you in, then?" Alex asked gently.

People looked at you differently when you were a dog. People spoke to you differently. They feel less like they have to hide their emotions, more like they can let whatever they're feeling pour into their voice as long as they say something reassuring, like:

"You're handsome aren't you?"

Sirius barked his confirmation, and rolled over onto his back, scuffing around in the dirt. Alex laughed, but it was a hollow, I'm-still-thinking-about-heavy-shit-and-this-will-only-distract-a-small-portion-of-my-brain laugh. He cocked his head at her upside down, as if to say; Am I not adorable enough for you, you ungrateful human swine?

Alex sighed, "So, gender-neutral dog, what brings you out here?"

Sirius jumped up and licked her face, once. She was grinning when he pulled away, not quite a proper smile, but something nonetheless. Sirius felt a spurt of triumphant victory shoot through him.

"The people, huh?" Alex asked, inferring her own meaning from his meaningless gesture, "Arthur's Giant Worm, I hate people."

Sirius pawed at her knee.

"That makes me sound like a weirdo." Alex shook her head, and then paused for a second in thought, "I guess I am. Just... being around people is confusing. All that pressure to be whatever they want you to be and then most of the time you don't even know what that is but you can't try too hard because then you're needy so you need to be subtle about it because no one really means it when they say be yourself."

It took Sirius several moments to comprehend all of that. He blamed it on his dog brain.

He whined reassuringly and nudged Alex's arm until he could worm his way under it and sit down with her arm slung around him. He felt it when Alex laughed again and felt immensely proud.

"You're brilliant, you know that?" Alex said, shaking her head. Sirius let out a bark, "I guess you do."

Sirius licked her face again.