Tragedies of War - Marauders Era

Sirius Black - It Is a Wonderful Thing To Be Trusted

Sirius Black

Azkaban

November 5, 1981

What is Moony doing now? Sirius thought to himself, Probably all alone... Alice and Frank will look after him though.

Sirius was interrupted from his thoughts when shrill screaming filled the quiet walls of Azkaban, joined by laughter Sirius recognised easily. It had been the laughter he had heard as a small boy and his cousins were visiting. It was Bellatrix's laughter.

'NO! I DIDN'T- IT WAS A MISTAKE! FATHER! FATHER!' The screams echoed as a group of four was dragged into separate cells. Bellatrix's eyes glinted maliciously when the dementors threw her into the cell next to Sirius'.

'Who's the boy?' Sirius asked, pointing a thumb towards the still screaming boy.

'Barty Crouch,' Bellatrix answered, rolling her eyes at Sirius' raised eyebrows. 'Junior.'

'That was unexpected,' Sirius sighed.

'I'm glad to see you here cousin,' Bellatrix confessed, looking sincere for once. 'I'm glad you finally saw sense and betrayed those filthy blood traitors.'

'I didn't!' Sirius hissed through gritted teeth, 'I didn't betray them!'

'Then why are you here?'

'I was framed, anyway, how'd the Great and All Mighty Bellatrix Lestrange get caught?'

'Wouldn't you like to know?' Bellatrix licked her lips as she moved closer to the bars separating them.

'Yeah, I would, that's why I asked.'

'Just getting rid of some blood traitors.' Sirius' head shot up to look at her with wide eyes.

'Who?' he growled. Bellatrix stroked her chin mockingly.

'Who was it? The highlegs? The tallbottoms? Oh, I know!' she smirked over at a white-faced Sirius, 'The Longbottoms!'

'WHAT?' Sirius shrieked, leaping to his feet, 'WHAT THE FUCK?'

'Don't worry, the itty baby wasn't there,' Bellatrix grinned.

'Frank- Alice- Are they?'

'Dead? No, I don't think so. Just disfigured.'

'Disfigured? What the fuck do you mean disfigured?' Sirius whispered menacingly.

'Crouch Senior said, and I quote, 'A fate worst than death, it was. A dementors kiss would've been kinder,'' Bellatrix whispered back in clear glee.

'YOU FUCKING-' Sirius began, lunging forward to grab Bellatrix's throat through the bars.

'PROTEGO!' Sirius was flung backwards and hit his head on the opposite wall as a spell stopped him from strangling Bellatrix, who was cackling in delight. He leapt back up to go again when the voice stopped him from doing so. 'Incarcerous!'

'LET ME GO!' Sirius shouted as he struggled against his binds, 'I'M ALREADY FUCKING LOCKED UP! LET ME KILL HER! SHE'S A FUCKING MONSTER!'

'Black, you have a visitor,' the guard huffed, obviously displeased.

'I'M GOING TO KI- what?' Sirius croaked in surprise. 'W-what do you mean?'

'Someone is here to see you,' the guard elaborated, rolling his eyes. Sirius gazed at him in shock as Bellatrix glared at her cousin.

'Who?' Sirius asked, 'Is it Remus?' immediately he tried to seek out Remus' scent, but was disappointed when he couldn't find it. The guard didn't reply but instead levitated Sirius' still bound body out of his cell and into a small room. Sirius gazed around with wide eyes, which only widened when the guard unbound him. Sirius searched the room with his eyes, trying to find his visitor when he spotted the cat.

'Oh fuck...' Sirius mumbled, backing away slightly as the cat stalked closer, glaring daggers at him, before it transformed. A witch stood in front of him, looking broken but trying not to show it. Minerva McGonagall swiftly stepped forward and slapped him on the cheek, causing him to gasp softly but not say anything.

'I would never have thought you to be like them, Black!' Her voice quavered slightly, and Sirius cowered. 'I thought you were better! You're just like your family!' Sirius' head dropped and he blinked back tears. Being insulted by the wizengamot was one thing, but for Minerva McGonagall - the witch he had looked up to like a mother - to suggest he was like his family stung.

'I'm sorry,' Sirius whispered.

'Why did you do it?' McGonagall asked, closing her eyes to keep calm, 'Why did you betray them all?' Sirius looked up into her face, trying to decide whether or not she would believe him.

'I didn't - I would never,' Sirius assured her.

'But you did!' She hissed, clenching her fists. Sirius had never seen her so angry and wondered if she actually would believe his story.

'No, I didn't,' Sirius said firmly, 'I wasn't secret keeper.' The way McGonagall's eyes flew open and her jaw dropped would've been funny in different circumstances.

'You- you weren't?'

'No.'

'Then who was - Was it Lupin?' Minerva turned angry, and Sirius' heart tightened because not too long ago, he had thought Remus was the traitor also.

'No. It was P- Pettigrew,' Sirius let out an angry growl at the name and McGonagall nodded in sudden understanding.

'That's why you killed him.'

'I didn't bloody kill him. I was so fucking close!' Sirius yelled suddenly, 'he blew up the whole street then framed me with murder! The ministry probably wouldn't care if he hadn't "died"!'

'He escaped?' McGonagall swore a couple of dark words before continuing. 'The greasy rat!' despite himself, Sirius laughed.

'Yeah, a rat he was.'

'What?' McGonagall blinked in confusion.

'He is quite literally a rat. He transformed into a rat.' Sirius explained, 'He's an animagus.'

'What?'

'We're all animagus, me, Pettigrew and J-James,' Sirius broke off for a moment, wiping his eyes, 'We were trying to help Remus.'

'How did you become animagi?' McGonagall wondered, brushing over the fact they had done it to accompany Remus the wolf.

'Trial and error.'

'And the nicknames - they're for your animagus forms? I got Remus as Moony... and Pettigrew as Wormtail - that makes sense - but Padfoot and Prongs?'

'Prongs was a stag,' Sirius admitted, smiling sadly, 'I was a dog.' He transformed quickly to show her, before transforming back.

'I- that explains so much now I think about it. Besides the point - So Pettigrew was the traitor?'

'Yes.'

'Okay,' Minerva nodded to herself. 'I'm going to get you out of here, Sirius. I'm going to the Wizengamot. I'll be back, I promise.' She started to leave but Sirius had grabbed her, a desperate look in his eyes.

'Don't go,' He whimpered, 'Please don't leave me here.' She offered him an apologetic smile as she gripped his shoulders tightly.

'You are strong, Sirius. The whole world is against you right now, and I'm sorry for being one of those people, but you need to remain strong. I will come back for you, even if it takes twelve years.'

'I can't survive here for another month, let alone years!' Sirius was openly sobbing now, gripping her robes as though they were his life support, 'Please don't leave me here! Take me with you...'

'I'm so sorry Sirius,' she whispered, 'Be brave. Be brave like the Gryffindor you are. Be brave like Lily and James, and have hope that I will come back.' Sirius nodded and hesitantly let go of her.

'Wait!' He called before she left the room, 'H-Harry - where's Harry?'

'He's with his Aunt and Uncle,' McGonagall replied, frowning slightly. Sirius looked enraged but calmly nodded again.

'Look out for him will you?' Sirius gazed at his former teacher, and she nodded. 'Thank you.' He watched her disapparate before dropping to the floor, screaming as the Dementors appeared.