Remus settled down on the ground, at what he judged to be a relatively safe distance from the Whomping Willow. It seemed to be in a mood tonight, tetchy and uncooperative, and he'd long since given up.

Sirius, however, was a little more determined.

"For the last time, Sirius, that's not the right root!"

Padfoot whined at him, then turned back to the tree. It alternated between lulling Sirius into a false sense of security, and taking swats at his unprotected back. Sirius, as Padfoot, seemed not to be picking up on the operative word there, it being false. He went back to prodding at the base of the tree with one paw.

"Just leave it," Remus muttered, and then when Padfoot pricked his ears back, he yelled, "Just give it up!"

The tree made a particularly nasty lunge at Padfoot.

He made a noise, then padded sullenly over to Remus and dropped down next to him. Just as Remus went to pat his head, Sirius transformed and Remus jumped, nearly poking Sirius in the eye in the process.

"Watch where you're going with those things," Sirius said. "I didn't just square off with that bloody tree to have you stab me in the face."

"I told you it wasn't the right root," Remus said.

"And I told you I would find it," said Sirius. He rubbed the back of his neck. "That thing's just mean."

"Do you know, Sirius," said Remus, "I think it might have been designed for that purpose."

"Oh well," Sirius said. He lay back on the damp ground and grinned up at Remus. "So we won't get in tonight. But still." He reached up and pulled at Remus' collar, bringing Remus' head down, so that his mouth was barely a breath away from Sirius'. "I think we can make up for it, you think?"

"Maybe," Remus said, bracing his elbow on the ground alongside Sirius. "But I also think that if you gave me back my wand I might be able to get us past it."

"Really?" Sirius asked. He wriggled around a bit, and pressed his nose against Remus'. "Because that's not your wand."

 

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