Emily Potter- Book 4 - Goblet Of Fire

Snuffles

“What are we doing here?” Emily asked in a whisper to the three Gryffindors as they walked up their way to the High Street of Hogsmeade, past Dervish and Banges, and out toward the edge of the village.

They had never been in this direction before. The winding lane was leading them out into the wild countryside around Hogsmeade. The cottages fewer here, and their gardens larger; they were walking toward the foot of the mountain in whose shadow Hogsmeade lay. Then they turned a corner and saw a stile at the end of the lane.

Waiting for them, its front paws on the topmost bar, was a very large, shaggy black dog, which was carrying some newspapers in its newspapers in its mouth and looking very familiar...

Emily gapped at the scene, turning her eyes to her brother, “Is that who I think it is?” She asked as she kept her voice straight, trying hard not to tremble. Harry nodded a big smile on his face. She punched him in the gut before running towards the dog with open arms; Emily kneeled before it and snuggled into its thick black fur, “Hello, Sirius.”

The black dog seemed to have hugged her back with its front paws, sniffing at her backpack eagerly, wagging its tail at once, then turned and began to trot away from them across the scrubby patch of ground that rose to meet the rocky foot of the mountain. Emily, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed over the stile and followed.

Sirius led them to the very foot of the mountain, where the ground was covered with boulders and rocks. It was easy for him, with his four paws, but Emily, Harry, Ron and Hermione were soon out of breath. They followed Sirius higher up, up onto the mountain itself. For nearly half an hour they climbed a steep, Winding, and stony path, following Sirius’s wagging tail, sweating in the sun, the shoulder straps on Emily’s bag digging deep into her shoulders.

Then, at last, Sirius slipped out of sight, and when they had reached the place where he had vanished, they saw a narrow fissure in the rock. They squeezed into it and found themselves in a cool, dimly lit cave. Tethered at the end of it, one end of his rope around a large rock was Buckbeak. His bright orange eye flashing at them in surprise; Ron and Hermione rushed to the creature then, after being given permission by Buckbeak himself, stroked his feathery neck.

Harry and Emily however, were looking at the black dog, which had just turned into their godfather.

 Sirius was wearing a ragged grey robe, the same robe he had been wearing when he left Azkaban. His black hair was longer than it had been when he had appeared in the fire, and it was untidy and matted once more. He looked very thin. Sirius smiled at the twins, opening his arms for them, “Such a sight for sore eyes, you two are.” He said in a hoarse voice. Harry and Emily held him in embrace, catching a scent of grass and caramel. Sirius seemed to have noticed this and chuckled, “I may have gotten myself a treat before you lot showed.”

Emily smiled, still hugging him, “I’ve missed you so much.”

Harry took the liberty of unzipping Emily’s backpack, taking out a bundle of chicken legs and a load of bread and then handing them to Sirius. Emily let her arms fall down by her sides and sat on a nearby tree stump.

“Thanks,” said Sirius, opening it, grabbing a drumstick, sitting down on the cave floor, “I’ve been living her for quite some time, around the time when I heard Emily had gotten ill. I can’t steal too much food in Hogsmeade; I’d draw too much attention to myself.”

“As usual.” Emily said wistfully with a wink.

Sirius winked back, taking a bite of the chicken, “I have no idea what Professor McGonagall has been telling you about me, but I’m sure it’s probably...true.”