Revised: March 18, 2022

I'm keeping the previous author's note below because it's iconic.

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I DID MY WAITING...

TWELVE YEARS OF IT...

IN AZKABAN...

... for this chapter because Sirius makes his debut appearance

"... broke into Gryffindor..."

"But Potter's a Ravenclaw..."

"You think Black would know that?"

"Surely he's heard about it now that he's not in Azkaban anymore."

Harry refrained from sighing. It had been three days since Sirius had broken into Gryffindor and everyone was still talking about it. Harry, though, had something else on his mind: What was in Gryffindor that Sirius wanted?

It had been Neville's list of passwords that Sirius had used to get in, which earned him a Howler from his grandmother. Even after he had run out of the Great Hall, Harry could hear her voice amplified in fury.

"For the last time, Ron, he didn't mean it!"

Hermione's voice, high-pitched in anger, broke into Harry's thoughts.

Ron was staring straight ahead, glowering. "Didn't mean it? What's that supposed to mean? How could he accidentally eat Scabbers?"

"He's a cat! What do you expect him to do?"

"Eat something that isn't someone else's pet!"

Harry quickly turned away. He did not need to get involved. Still, he reflected, Hermione could make sure her cat wasn't around Scabbers.

On the day of Hogsmeade, Harry went to see Remus again. "Any idea what Sirius is up to?" he asked after greeting him.

Remus shook his head. "Not a clue. Get out the map, Harry, and let's see if we can spot him."

Harry pulled out the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Remus felt a pang of sadness as he remembered James first uttering those words all those years ago. Together, he and Harry peered at the map. They could see Albus Dumbledore in his office, students leaving for Hogsmeade, Professor Snape stalking through the corridor —

A sharp exclamation from Remus made Harry jump. "What is it?" He followed Remus' line of sight and gasped. Peter Pettigrew's dot was moving around not far from them.

Remus growled. "He's here, of course he is."

"Pettigrew's Animagus form is a rat, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I overheard Ron and Hermione arguing earlier," Harry said. "Hermione's cat ate Scabbers, according to Ron."

"You think Scabbers is Pettigrew?" said Remus. "It could be."

"That's why Sirius was in the Gryffindor Tower," Harry realized. "Because Pettigrew was in there."

"He's gonna get himself killed if he keeps doing stupid things like that," Remus grumbled, though his words held a trace of warmth that belied his annoyance.

"There's no sign of Sirius," Harry said.

"He could be hiding in the Shrieking Shack," Remus said. "It doesn't appear on the map."

"Then we should go there. Tonight!" Harry said, jumping up excitedly.

"I will be going there," said Remus, giving Harry a stern look. "You, Harry, will be sleeping. Understand?"

Harry grumbled under his breath. "All right, fine."

Remus smiled. "Good, now off you go, Harry. Go finish your homework or something."

"I'm already done with my homework," Harry muttered as he left.

The bedroom within the Shrieking Shck looked just the same as always. The difference was the skinny man sitting on the bed. When he saw Remus, he slowly got to his feet, shock etched on his face.

"Well, well, Sirius," said Remus. "Looking rather ragged, aren't we? Finally the flesh reflects the madness within."

Sirius grinned. "Well, you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?"

Before Remus could react to that awful joke, he was grabbed and pulled forward into a tight embrace. Remus pressed his nose into Sirius' neck, uncaring that his hair, which was matted and filthy from years of neglect, was in his face.

"I found him!" Sirius whispered as he pulled away.

"I know."

"It's him!"

"I understand. We'll figure it out, okay?" Remus looked into Sirius' bright gaze. "We'll get him."

"I don't think so."

Both men whirled around. Snape stood at the entrance, his wand pointed at them.

Remus swallowed, all too aware of how badly this looked. "Severus, listen —"

"I've just been to your office, Lupin," Snape said. "You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did... lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

Remus inwardly winced. He had forgotten to close the map in his haste to see Sirius. "Severus —" he tried to speak, only for Snape to interrupt again.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"

"You're making a mistake," said Remus. "I can explain — Harry and I —"

"Oh, yes, Harry." Snape's eyes gleamed and he looked almost pitying. "What will he say when he hears the very man he trusts has been working against him the whole time?"

"Harry?" Sirius spoke up. "Since when did you refer to him as Harry?"

"Sirius, be quiet," Remus hissed. This was not the time for old grudges.

"Be quiet yourself, Remus!" Sirius retorted.

"Listen to you two, quarreling like an old married couple," Snape drawled. "Dumbledore was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf —"

"You're a fool, Snape," said Remus, daring to take a step forward. "If you would just listen instead of letting a schoolboy grudge cloud your judgement —"

BANG! Thin cords shot out from Snape's wand and wrapped themselves around Remus' mouth, wrists, and ankles, causing him to fall to the floor.

Sirius made a move to lunge at Snape, only to stop when the wand faced him. "Give me a reason," Snape whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Remus craned his neck to give Sirius a warning look.

Sirius met his gaze, then, with a visible effort tried to calm down. "You — you've got to hear me out," he said to Snape, a hint of pleasing in his voice. "There's a rat — it's Pettigrew."

But Snape wasn't about to listen. He brought the ends of the cords that bound Remus in his hand. "Come on," he said. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too —"

Coldness settled in Remus' stomach as if there were dementors in the room already. No, no, no... Not now when they were just beginning to uncover the truth.

At that moment, footsteps pounded from beyond the door. Two figures burst inside. "Professor, wait!" shouted one of them.

"Harry!" Sirius rasped, taking in the sight of his godson for the first time in twelve years.

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When I first joined the fandom, I shipped Remus with both Sirius and Tonks. I still do ship Wolfstar, but only during the Marauder era. I see Sirius as aroace (like myself), but he's not completely against being in a relationship (again, like myself). Hope that makes sense.