Sirius changed the subject outright, tapping his fingers on Douglas's desk.
"Douglas, your Defense Against Dark Magic Interim Practical Assessment and Scientific Textbook Feedback Report, along with your Lesson Plan Budget for the second half of the term, are already half a month overdue."
Douglas's smile stiffened. "Well... Hermione's been busy sorting through the Wizengamot's Legislative Materials lately, so there's been a slight delay."
He might have come up with plenty of the rules himself, but this sort of work was what he hated doing most.
"I knew you were planning to have Miss Granger ghostwrite them again. I want those two reports on my desk before five this Friday afternoon, and they must be in your own handwriting. If I recognize so much as a punctuation mark belonging to Granger or Longbottom again... you may have them sent back for a rewrite, with a public notice posted at Hogwarts."
Douglas squeezed the words out through gritted teeth. "Director Black, your high-handed manner really is becoming more and more reminiscent of Umbridge."
"All right, let's leave the accounts until tomorrow. I'm not staying up with you two night owls."
With that, Sirius picked up the half-full bottle of whisky and tactfully took his leave.
He had noticed it the moment Dumbledore walked in. That rejected asset report might have been a headache, but it was nowhere near enough to bring Dumbledore to the Defense Against Dark Magic Office late at night to complain. Clearly, the two foxes had something to discuss.
"Good night, both of you."
"Good night, Sirius," Dumbledore said gently.
With Sirius's departure, the office fell quiet.
The two drank their tea in tacit understanding, neither speaking.
"He's grown very quickly at your side. He knows to take responsibility on his own initiative, spare a friend embarrassment, and