Remus had put up the flyers 3 days ago. To be honest, it was a last-ditch, desperate effort to find his friend. It wasn’t unusual for Sirius to be gone for a few days at a time, but he had been missing for over 2 weeks. He and James had already filed a Missing Wizards report with the Ministry, but the Ministry official had muttered it was the 13th report he’d taken just that morning. It just wasn’t all that uncommon for a wizard to go missing these days.
It was Lily’s idea to make the flyers. James privately told Remus that he didn’t think it would work, that Lily’s “pregnancy brain” wasn’t letting her think clearly. “We’ve been Animagi for years, mate,” he had said. “Getting ‘stuck’ is a rookie mistake. You know I’m just as worried as you are, but I don’t think Padfoot is just ‘stuck.’ I want him to be okay, mate, you know, but let’s not get our hopes up here…”
Remus almost didn’t make the flyers; it was Wormtail who encouraged him. “It c-c-cant hurt, Moony...m-m-maybe he is just stuck. M-m-maybe the muggles have s-s-seen him?”
Maybe the muggles have seen him. So, Remus scrawled, as neatly as he could, across the top of a piece of parchment:
LOST DOG
Very large (50 kilos) black dog. Mutt.
Answers to “Padfoot”
Last seen June 12
If found, please call RJ Wolfe.
Under these words, he printed the phone number for the pay phone outside the Leaky Cauldron, and asked Tom to get in touch if anyone called asking for an “RJ Wolfe.” He couldn’t, of course, put his real name on these. Just because he was posting them in muggle London didn’t mean a Death Eater wouldn’t see them. He didn’t want to potentially compromise Sirius’s perfect disguise.
Lily was kind enough to sketch a realistic drawing of Padfoot (they had never thought to take any photos of their Animagus forms), and Remus took the parchment to a copy shop in London. Armed with a muggle staple gun, Remus posted about 100 flyers a short while later.
Now, he stood outside a cookie-cutter house in Surrey, double checking the address Tom had written down for him. Mr. and Mrs. Davies had apparently found Padfoot about a week ago, and were thus far unable to track down an owner. They were happy to keep him, in fact, but Mr. Davies had seen the flyer when he had been in London on business yesterday. He couldn’t bear to keep such a sweet dog away from an owner who was surely missing him. Mr. Davies did ask, however, that when Mr. Wolfe came to claim Padfoot, he bring some proof of ownership.
It had taken Lily, James, Peter, and Remus all night to think up some “proof of ownership” that a muggle would believe. Finally, James forged a rabies vaccination certificate and Peter had managed to find an old photo of Padfoot from a few summers ago. As it was a moving photo, Lily had to charm it to stay frozen, at least for awhile. Remus thought to stop at a muggle pet shop for a leash and collar before he went to Surrey, and stopped to rub the collar in the dirt a bit so it looked worn. The story was that Padfoot had slipped his collar one day and taken off.
A man of about 40 years answered the door. He was tall, lanky, and his hair was thinning and greying. His eyes, though wrinkled at the corners, were quite kind. Remus began, in his rehearsed lines, “Hello, I am RJ Wolfe. I got a message that you’ve found my dog?”
“Oh! Mr. Wolfe, of course! Yes, come in, come in.” He stood back and ushered Remus into the house. “Honey, Mr. Wolfe is here!”
Mrs. Davies came out of the kitchen. She was a small, slight woman with honey brown hair and bright blue eyes. Her smile was genuine. “Oh hello dear. Can I get you a cup of tea?”
“Oh, no thank you, ma’am. I don’t want to impose any more than my dog already has.” Remus smiled. He knew these people had been taking care of Sirius for a week already; he didn’t need to take advantage of their kindness any further.
“Right, well, Padfoot, is it?” Remus nodded. “He’s just through here.” Mr. Davies showed Remus through to the living room, where Sirius was barricaded in with a baby gate. Remus took one look at him, and knew for a fact it was indeed Sirius. Was he actually stuck? No matter, the point was that now he’s been found. Remus was certain that Lily, James, Peter and he could figure out how to put him right again. First though, he had to get him home.
“Padfoot! C’mere boy!” Remus put on his best dog-owner voice, patting his knees to call Sirius over to him. But Sirius just looked at him. “Padfoot! Buddy!” Sirius cocked his head from side to side.
C’mon Sirius. Now is not the time. Honestly. What was wrong with him?
“Er, I mentioned to the gentleman on the phone...er...if you could bring proof of ownership. We don’t want him going to just anyone, you see…” Mr. Davies clearly looked uncomfortable asking, but Remus could tell he was a good hearted man, and he just wanted to make sure this dog got back to his rightful owners.
“Of course, sir, right here…” Remus pulled out the rabies certificate and the photo out of his back pocket. Mr. Davies looked them over.
“Well...everything seems to be in order here… Funny though your dog doesn’t seem too excited to see you. How long have you had him?”
Remus thought quickly on the spot. “He’s a rescue...bit of a special case, really. He was badly beaten by his former owners.” Remus glared at Sirius, to let him know he would be badly beaten if he didn’t get his act together and come home with him just now. “I’ve only had him a short while.”
“Well, perhaps that explains it then. Poor pup isn’t sure where he’s meant to be!” Mr. Davies stepped over the baby gate. “C’mere boy!” Sirius bounded across the living room and rolled over at Mr. Davies’ feet. The man leaned down and rubbed Sirius’s belly.
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind...I was just making him a snack when you arrived...do you mind if he eats before you go?” Mrs. Davies had brought a plate through to the living room with 3 slices of bacon on it.
“Er...no, go ahead,” Remus replied, astonished. Sirius had leaped up and sat at the baby gate, his tail wagging so fast Remus thought it might fall off. He watched as Mrs. Davies giggled and fed Sirius the strips of bacon, one by one.
Remus shook his head. No wonder Sirius had been staying here. These people clearly adored him. “Alright, Padfoot,” Remus said when Mrs. Davies had finished. He stepped over the gate and held out the leash and collar. Sirius huffed, but hung his head so Remus could fasten the collar around his neck. “Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Davies, for taking care of him. We were worried sick, but I’m so glad he was well taken care of while he’s been gone.
“Oh, it’s no trouble, Mr. Wolfe. In fact, I think I have my husband convinced that it’s time we get a dog of our own!” Mrs. Davies smiled and glanced at Mr. Davies.
“Well, it was certainly a pleasure, Miriam...maybe we shall.” Remus smiled at the couple. If anyone deserved to have a dog, it was these people. He hoped they found a nice, actual dog to share their love with.
“Thanks again,” Remus said as he and Sirius walked out the front door. He led Sirius up the sidewalk and around a corner. “You know, Padfoot, we’ve been so worried about you...but don’t you worry, I’m sure Lily is already researching how to reverse your transformation.”
Sirius gave an unmistakable doglike laugh. When they had crossed into a deserted alleyway, the dog grew into a young man in an instant. “Sirius!” Remus half-shouted. “You’re not stuck! But why— how— WE’VE BEEN WORRIED SICK!” Remus hit Sirius with the handle of the leash.
Sirius doubled over in laughter. “Relax, mate. I was planning to sneak out tonight after they went to bed.”
“Why did you stay so long without contacting us?”
“Because, mate, use your nose...Mrs. Davies’s bacon is delicious!”