The excitement was almost too much for Sirius to bear. He’d been pestering you for weeks about showing him your Animagus form, ever since you’d finally mastered the transformation. And now, standing under the shade of a large oak tree by the Black Lake, you were finally going to reveal it.

Sirius was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Alright, love, don’t keep me waiting. I’ve been patient enough—well, patient for me, which is saying something. Let’s see it!”

With a grin, you took a step back, and in the next moment, you were gone, replaced by a sleek black cat with bright, piercing eyes. Sirius stared, his jaw dropping comically as he processed the sight before him. “No bloody way,” he murmured, crouching down for a closer look. “A cat? A black cat? Oh, that’s brilliant!”

Sirius barked a laugh, falling back to sit on the grass. “We’re a right pair, aren’t we? The great, menacing black dog and his sleek, cunning black cat. It’s like some sort of gothic fairy tale—or a really bizarre joke. ‘A dog and a cat walk into the Forbidden Forest…’”

He reached out a hand tentatively, and you rubbed your head against it, earning a soft chuckle from him. “There it is—the approval of the feline overlord. I’m honoured.”

Without warning, Sirius shifted into his Animagus form, the shaggy black dog appearing in a blink. His tail wagged enthusiastically as he lowered his head to your level, letting out a playful bark. You arched your back, feigning annoyance, but there was no mistaking the way your tail swished in amusement. He bounded around you in a circle, his paws kicking up little tufts of grass. He playfully nudged you with his nose, prompting you to bat at him with a paw, claws sheathed but swift.

When Sirius transformed back, he was lying flat on his back, gazing up at the sky with a contented grin. “Tell me, love, d’you think McGonagall’s going to make us sit together at the next Animagus meeting? Because I reckon we’ve got to be the best-looking duo there now.”