Sirius was walking. Just walking. Nothing unusual, unless you think a 17-year-old boy, who looks like a dog at this moment, walking down a road he's never known is unusual. Well, here he was. Sirius was a dog at the time. In fact, he was a dog with a temper.

So after his fantastically brilliant row with his entire family (and that includes portraits), he decided that catching the Knight Bus to the next random stop would be a very good idea. Which, it turns out, he was a bit wrong about.

Now, you see, he was stuck in a village full of muggles, with none of his stuff apart from the clothes on his back and his wand. And to top it off, he hadn't the faintest what part of the country he was in, and calling the Knight Bus was a bit out of the question when he had been on there already once tonight, (if you'd ever rode the Knight Bus you'd know why!) So here he was, walking down this quiet road, as a dog with nothing to do…

Just as he was wishing for SOMETHING to do, he heard a commotion in front of him, only a few houses down. Running now to see what the problem was that caused this house to sound so much like his own, he noticed a youngish looking girl, about his age, storming off in floods of tears.

He felt for this girl, sympathised with her, empathised with her. He wanted to make sure she was ok, so following in the shadows, he stayed close, until she stopped opposite a park, sat on the curb and wept.

Only then did he recognise her fiery red hair. Lily. Her hair, usually dazzling was limp. In fact, she looked totally different. Perfect-Prefect Lily walked with an 'air' about her, not uptight or snobbish, but confident and strong. Here eyes, as Sirius had heard James say very often, usually sparked with passion (on James' part, usually anger), were dull and sad.

As he was lost in thoughts, another girl, thinner, with brown hair, and (though he didn't like to class girls so much) generally uglier, walked up, unbeknown to Lily.

"Oi! Freak!!! Hello? I'm talking to you freak!

"What's the matter? Can't stand the truth? That you're an abnormal freak and no one loves you?!"

That was too much for Sirius. Not only was this girl treating Lily-most popular girl in Hogwarts-like the scum of the earth, but also she had said that no one loved her. This annoyed Sirius most of all, James love her, and, though Lily might not know it, there had to be a reason for that. James didn't just love someone, he wasn't the sort of person who would love her for no reason, and he was loyal. He didn't even make friends without reason. It took something special for James to love you. Something Lily had.

So he did what he thought best, leaping from the shadows, he separated Lily from the other, and barked like he'd never barked before. Proper barks, loud, short and snappy. It would have frightened Dumbledore if he had heard it.

Advancing on the unknown girl, his barks became mixed with snarls and snaps, threatening to bite. Finally, as she ran away, he stopped. Turning to Lily, he saw she was not afraid; she looked as if she had no emotions other than hurt at what the girl had said. She looked Sirius straight in the eye, as if daring him to do something.

With that look, he knew that she felt as he did in his house, and he was himself again. As he transformed back into his human self, he saw that Lily was shocked, maybe because he was an animagus, maybe because he stuck up for her, he wasn't sure, but he was sure that what he did was a good thing.

He sat next to her on the curb, watching the swings in the park opposite.

"Bad day huh?" he asked lightly

Lily laughed, "Could say that"

"Well" Sirius began

However, at the same time, Lily countered "Sirius"

"You first" Sirius ventured after a pause where neither would start.

"Umm…well I was gonna ask why you did that…"

"Oh, that's easy…I like you"

Due to Lily's confused expression, he decided he should explain himself.

"You're funny, and smart, you stick up for your friends, and even those who aren't your friends. Plus James loves you, and he doesn't just love anybody. And no one should ever be treated like that. Ever."

"What?"

"No one-" Sirius started.

"No the bit about Ja-Potter"

"He loves you"

"Really? Wow. Really?"

"Umm…yeah, I'd have thought that someone as smart as you wuld have figured it out after six years…"

Embarrassed, Lily tried to find an answer.

"Oh, um yeah. So what are you doing here?" She changed the subject as fast as she could.

"Family hate me. So I left."

"But, I thought you were Pure-Blood? One of the 'Noble' lot"

"Not anymore, well not to my family. I'm a 'Blood Traitor'"

"A what?"

"A blood traitor. I hang out with 'Half-Blood Scum' as my Mother so fondly put Remus. I like muggle-borns, I don't believe in any of this 'Pure-Blood Only' stuff. Of course it never helped that I hang out with James and stay at his house"

"What's that got to do with it?"

"Wha-Oh, James' whole family are blood traitors, have been for years…"

"So your family treat you badly?" On Sirius' nod she added "But I've never seen you upset, or even angry"

"Yeah, it's a good job James is good with a silencing spell huh? Plus he always lets me stay at his in the holidays whenever I want, so I don't get too down…"

"Wow, I never knew he was so…nice…"

"Well, you've only ever seen him when he's around you…he always knows when your there, and he can't help but show off, trying to impress you…"

There was a silence as they both kept to their thoughts.

"Look," Lily said, "It's getting really late, you should go" at Sirius' confused expression "To James', go have fun."

Hailing the Knight Bus, she stood up, when it came, she turned, and was about to leave, when she turned again,

"Sirius. Thanks."

"Anytime Lily. See you in school. Final year!"

And with that, he was gone. Feeling better with knowing she was not alone in the fact she was hated by her family, and knowing the fat that James did love her, and it wasn't just a game, she went home, and eagerly awaited the end of the holidays, so she could return to her true home. Hogwarts.