golden ball in his hand. Padfoot turned his attention to the edge of the pitch where four
Slytherins were fumbling out of a set of long black cloaks, disguised as dementors.
Padfoot's attention was drawn away from the crowd when the kneazle beside him
nudged his hind leg. The cat opened his mouth, and a crumpled ball of paper fell out.
Curious, Padfoot nudged the parchment open with his muzzle, and excitement grew in his
chest as he saw written at the top of the parchment: Passwords.
Tonight, Wormtail, Sirius thought. You're dead.
Trying to keep his composure as he approached the portrait late that night, Sirius
shifted into human form, glad to see that the Fat Lady was nowhere in sight. Instead, a
knight in armour stood waving a sword as Sirius approached.
"Come to fight me, you mangy cur?"
Sirius raised an impatient brow but let the irritation fade and amusement take its
place. It was nice to not be recognised. "Fight you, sir? I dare not. I come seeking entrance
to your fine tower this good eve."
"Entrance to the tower you say? 'Tis a dangerous place," the knight whispered.
"Only the very bravest dare to enter."
"You are, then, very brave to guard such a place," Sirius commented thoughtfully.
"I suppose you need a password, good knight?"
"You suppose right, sir!"
"Very well," Sirius said and reached into his pocket, retrieving the list. "Caput
Draconis, Pig Snout, Wattlebird, Fortuna Major, Flibbertigibbet, Oddsbodikins, Scurvy Cur,
Braggart."
The knight laughed. "All the passwords?"
Sirius grinned. "I'm very thorough."
"Then enter, my brave comrade, and good eve to you." The knight welcomed him,
and the portrait opened.
"And to you," Sirius said darkly as he entered the old familiar common room.
Once inside, he made his way straight to the stairs of the boys' dormitories, but a
short inhale had him stopping in his tracks. Forest after a rainstorm. He turned toward the