It was a cold, cloudy day in June, and Sirius Black gazed up at the sky,
filled with a sense of foreboding. Hiding from danger was not an action
that came easily to him, yet right now, he was packing for that exact
purpose. He withdrew his head from the window, and returned to his packing,
which was almost finished.
He went to the fireplace, and removed the photos from the mantelpiece- an old school photo caught his eye. He laughed briefly, remembering his days at Hogwarts fondly. There, in the front row of the picture, waving cheekily, was James Potter, his black hair as untidy as always. Next to him was a slightly qieter looking boy, with fair hair and a friendly smile. He was looking at James, and laughing: Remus Lupin. Sirius sighed. It was months since he had seen Moony-whenever Sirius was away on business for the Order, Remus was holding down the fort in England, and vice versa. He wondered if there was any truth in the newly circulated rumour that Remus Lupin was the mole within the Order of the Phoenix. Hurriedly, he discarded this thought, feeling guilty fot even contemplating it.
Sirius smirked as he caught sight of a greasy-haired, hooked- nosed boy with a sneering expression on his face, in the middle row. 'Snivellus', he muttered, feeling a surge of loathing fill him. He grinned as he noticed himself, seated next to Lily Potter (then Lily Evans), chatting to her animatedly. His eyes rested finally on Peter Pettigrew-a small, pathetic-looking teenager, with watery eyes and a sharp nose.
Sirius tossed the picture into his suitcase. There was no time for reminiscence. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at each of the torches in turn, and they were extinguished. He locked his suitcase, and dumped it in the hallway. He returned to the dark front room for one last check. Satisfied that no evidence was left behind, he placed a hand on the doorknob, and made to leave. 'Sirius!' Sirius leapt a foot in the air, and accidentally cast a very potent Stinging Hex, blasting a hole in the door. He spun around, and his sharp eyes picked out a round shape in the fireplace. 'Lumos' he muttered, and his wand began to glow.
'Eva!' He hissed, hurrying over to fireplace and crouching down in front of the head of a pretty, dark-haired witch, who was currently looking very anxious. 'I was about to leave, what is it?'
'Dumbledore asked me to give you a message', whispered the witch, 'he said they know you're the Secret Keeper-they're coming for you.' 'Well I'm about to go into hiding', Sirius told her, 'they won't find me.' 'Have you got a Secret Keeper yourself?' Eva asked curiously. 'No', Sirius replied, 'but I don't need one. Because I'm going to hide in the one place they won't expect me to go.'
'Where?' Eva glanced nervously over her invisble shoulder, and swallowed hard.
'I'm going to hide at home.' Sirius told her simply, grinning widely at the look of amazement on her face. 'I know it's like torture, but it's better than being caught by Voldemort's lot.'
'But still, Sirius', Eva insisted, 'it won't be absolutely one hundred per cent safe, will it? I mean, nowhere is, unless you have a Secret Keeper. And even then, well...you've heard about the traitor in our midst?' Sirius grinned cheekily at Eva and winked. 'Always concerned for my welfare, Eva Cleansweep.' 'Now is not the time for flirting, Sirius!' snapped the witch, although a smile played about her lips. Sirius thought for a moment. Eureka! He had an even better plan! A smile spread across his face. 'Don't worry. I'll sort it all out.' Again, Eva Cleansweep turned her head slightly, looking into the room behind her. 'Alastor is telling me to hurry up', she told Sirius, rolling her eyes. She gazed at him, and smiled sadly. 'Until we meet again.' Sirius again felt that horrible sixth sense nagging him. 'Until we meet again', he echoed, blowing the witch a kiss. And Eva was gone.
Sirius gathered all his belongings together and disapparated. He reappeared seconds later in another, considerably more grotty room halfway across the country. His eyes settled on a small, overweight man, with thinning hair, and torn robes. He was muttering to himself in a feverish manner. Sirius took a deep breath and counted to ten to control his temper. Sometimes even looking at his old school friend drove him mad.
'Wormtail', he greeted the man. The man let out a squeak and whirled around, his wand at the ready. His eyes bulged when he saw Sirius towering over him. He still held his wand in a threatening manner. Sirius looked from the wand to the man, and raised an eyebrow. Wormtail lowered the wand.
'What do you want?' asked Wormtail, rather snappishly. Sirius collapsed into the nearest chair and rolled his wand between the palms of his hands. 'Is that any way to speak to an old friend, Peter?' Sirius asked casually, 'you're very jumpy these days.' 'I'm sorry', Peter Pettigrew recovered, 'I'm just so...w-worried about e- everything...a-about who the t-traitor c-could be.' Sirius eyed Peter Pettigrew with some pity. He always had been a wimp. For the life of him, Sirius could not understand why Peter had even joined the Order of the Phoenix in the first place. 'I have a proposal for you, Peter.' Sirius explained. 'You'd like to help James and Lily, wouldn't you?'
'Of course!' Peter cried eagerly. Sirius, who was still fiddling with his wand, did not see the hungry look in the other man's eyes. Sirius leaned forward. 'I'm their Secret Keeper, as I'm sure you know. But they're onto me. They'll come after me, and while I will never tell them where the Potters are of my own free will, I cannot vouch for their safety if I was given Veritaserum. So, Peter...I want us to switch. I want you to be Secret Keeper.' 'W-what?' Peter gasped. 'W-why me?' Sirius bit back all the answers he might have given if there hadn't been so much at stake: Because nobody in their right mind would trust Peter Pettigrew with a secret, and he would, therefore, not be targeted by Voldemort; Because he was the world's biggest wimp and would run to the ends of the earth rather than endure torture, and so would probably never be found. Instead, he sighed and said 'because a last minute switch like this will throw Voldemort off the scent-at least for a while. Oh get a grip, Wormtail! You should be able to say his name by now!' For Peter had cowered at the mention of Lord Voldemort. 'So?' Sirius prodded impatiently, 'will you do it?' 'Yes', Peter answered, somewhat breathlessly, 'I will. I will do it!' 'All right, all right, keep your pants on', Sirius was surprised that Peter was so willing. 'Okay, get your wand ready.' And Sirius cast the spell.
A tall man with untidy black hair and glasses gazed out his living room window. He shivered, and sighed heavily. In the kitchen, a baby began to cry. Lily Potter entered the room, clutching a tiny, wailing baby to her chest. 'Shhh', she crooned calmingly, smiling at her husband over their son's head. 'What time did he say he'd be here, James?' James Potter glanced at his watch. 'Five minutes ago', he replied tersely. 'Don't worry', Lily replied, 'we'd know something was wrong if Sirius was actually on time. Shhh, Harry, please!' James laughed. 'What's everyone laughing about?' Sirius demanded, appearing next to Lily with a tiny pop. His expression softened as he noticed Harry. He held out his arms for his godson, who gurgled happily. 'Well? What's going on?' James asked anxiously. Sirius looked from Lily to James, and back again. 'They were on to me. I've switched with Peter Pettigrew.' 'What?!' James roared. Lily looked alarmed, and Harry started bawling crying again. 'Yes', Sirius interrupted impatiently, 'I know, he's a snivelling little idiot, but he's always been loyal, and let's face it, who would expect us to trust him with information?' James looked from his wife to his best friend. Lily sighed. 'What's done is done. James, it doesn't sound like that bad an idea to me. I mean, Voldemort will never think we'd use Peter.' James bowed his head. 'I s'pose you're right', he mumbled. 'You always did hate that phrase', Sirius said lightly, in a vain attempt to inject some cheer into the conversation. He glanced at his watch. 'I'd better leave.' He remarked. Now came the awkward part. Sirius hugged Lily tightly. 'Be careful. Control that husband of yours, don't let him do anything stupid.' He murmured to her. Tears shone in Lily's eyes, and she smiled gently. 'You be careful too, Sirius!' James and Sirius stood a few feet apart, hands by their sides. 'Well, I guess I'll see you...' Sirius mumbled. James grinned, and embraced his best friend. 'You're like a brother to me, Padfoot. I'll see you when all this over.' 'Look after yourself, and Lily and Harry', Sirius replied gruffly. Emotional situations were not his forte. Lastly, he bent over Harry's cradle, and kissed his godson on the forehead. Harry smiled up at him, and Sirius bid him a silent farewell. 'Your motorbike's in the garage', Lily told him. Sirius nodded, and gave a small wave, before disappearing, with another pop. Moments later, the Potters heard the tremendous roar of an engine, and looking out the window, saw Sirius taking off on his giant motorbike, suitcase and broom attached. Within seconds, he was out of sight.
Sirius was half way across the sea (he was going to go for a short trip before flying to his parents' home, in the hopes of shaking off any would- be stalkers or assassins) when he heard a terrible scream. It came from inside his head. It was Lily Potter's voice. 'No!' He bellowed in anguish, immediately turning his motorbike around, and retracing his path across the moonlit sky. Horrible images of James and Lily, lying dead in the ruins of their home, filled his head. He could not tell if they were premonitions, or just his wild imagination. He flew faster than he had ever flown on his bike before, urging it on, whacking it with his wand. He had to get back...he had been so stupid...this was all his fault...Peter... Sirius was within a mile of Godric's Hollow. He could see the rooftops of all the houses...his stomach, he was sure, dropped out through his feet. His mouth went dry and his heart broke in two. Hanging above the half-ruined roof of Number Eighteen, Godric's Hollow, was a skull, with a snake for a tongue. Voldemort had been here. Sirius' turned off the engine, and stumbled off the bike. He feel to his knees, and was sick. 'Young Sirius?' He leapt up, his wand in his fist, ready to curse anybody who came near him into oblivion. He looked to where the voice had come from- the front door. Relief filled him-it was Rubeus Hagrid. 'Hagrid!' Sirius stumbled up the path, hoping... Hagrid was shaking his head. Huge, fat tears were sliding down his beard. He clutched a tiny bundle to him. ' But 'Arry's okay', he whispered, 'little 'Arry survived.' 'What?' Sirius' brain was refusing to take in this information. 'Lily...James...' 'Dead', Hagrid sobbed, 'but this little 'un lived.' Sirius gasped for breath. This was impossible. They were dead. Lily and James. Gone. Dead. But Harry was alive! 'Give him to me, Hagrid', Sirius ordered, 'I'm his godfather. He's my responsibilty.' Hagrid eyed him warily. 'Dumbledore said he's to go to his aunt and uncle. I have to bring him there.' 'Please', Sirius begged, 'James...and Lily, wanted me to look after him if they...' 'Dumbledore told me to take him to him', Hagrid replied stubbornly, but not unkindly. 'I'm sorry, Sirius.' Sirius backed away, his blood beginning to boil. 'You're right', he murmured, 'Harry's not my responsibility...yet...I have something else I'm responsible for...here, Hagrid, take my bike, it'll be quicker. I have something to do.' And he hurried back down the path and disapparated, leaving a thoroughly bewildered Hagrid still clutching the wailing, orphaned child.
Sirius appeared in Peter Pettigrew's dingy old flat, and here transformed into a dog. He followed the scent of the traitor carefully. He had not gone very far. Sirius morphed rapidly back into a human, after a mile or so of tracking the scent, and discovered he was at the exit from Diagon Alley. He crashed through the little pub, nocking customers and tables flying as he moved. He charged down the Muggle street, letting his own human senses guide him. There he was. Scurrying along, glancing around every now and then, behaving in a throughly guilty manner. 'YOU SCUM!' Bellowed Sirius, almost ripping his voicebox out with this scream. Peter turned, saw him, and ran. Sirius took a backstreet, and emerged in the traitor's path. The dog had cornered the rat. 'You', snarled Sirius, fury filling every part of his body, 'you're a rat! That's all you deserve to be!' Several Muggles stopped their business to watch. 'Sirius', squealed Pettigrew, 'I-' 'TRAITOR!' Sirius roared, pulling out his wand. But Wormtail was faster. All Sirius heard was 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' There was a blinding flash of light, and Sirius was thrown off his feet. He heard screams of pain. He scrambled quickly to his feet, just in time to see a rat disappear through a manhole. 'No!' He shouted, throwing himself at the mahole. Somebody pulled him roughly to his feet. 'Sirius Black. Who would have thought it.' Growled a contemptuous voice in his ear. Sirius looked around for the first time: carnage met his eyes. Dead bodies littered the street, wounded people lay groaning in the gutters. And a circle of aurors and Hitwizards was closing in on him. And for the first time, he realised how this must look. 'No', he said hoarsely, 'no, it's not how it looks. Please...' He saw a few members of the Order. Alastor Moody spat on the ground and shot him a look of loathing. The rest merely glared at him, as though he were a piece of filth on the ground. 'I didn't do it!' he cried desperately, 'they were my friends!' Two more wizards strode forwards and pointed their wands at his heart. Sirius burst out laughing. Worry, guilt, pain, fear, anger, and loss caught up with him at last. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He was hysterical. He didn't know whether he was laughing or crying. They stunned him. Sirius Black awoke to find himself being thrown into a filthy cell in Azkaban. He clung to the bars, begging for mercy. His captors strode away. The Dementors stepped forwards. And Sirius Black gave in to the darkness.
He went to the fireplace, and removed the photos from the mantelpiece- an old school photo caught his eye. He laughed briefly, remembering his days at Hogwarts fondly. There, in the front row of the picture, waving cheekily, was James Potter, his black hair as untidy as always. Next to him was a slightly qieter looking boy, with fair hair and a friendly smile. He was looking at James, and laughing: Remus Lupin. Sirius sighed. It was months since he had seen Moony-whenever Sirius was away on business for the Order, Remus was holding down the fort in England, and vice versa. He wondered if there was any truth in the newly circulated rumour that Remus Lupin was the mole within the Order of the Phoenix. Hurriedly, he discarded this thought, feeling guilty fot even contemplating it.
Sirius smirked as he caught sight of a greasy-haired, hooked- nosed boy with a sneering expression on his face, in the middle row. 'Snivellus', he muttered, feeling a surge of loathing fill him. He grinned as he noticed himself, seated next to Lily Potter (then Lily Evans), chatting to her animatedly. His eyes rested finally on Peter Pettigrew-a small, pathetic-looking teenager, with watery eyes and a sharp nose.
Sirius tossed the picture into his suitcase. There was no time for reminiscence. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at each of the torches in turn, and they were extinguished. He locked his suitcase, and dumped it in the hallway. He returned to the dark front room for one last check. Satisfied that no evidence was left behind, he placed a hand on the doorknob, and made to leave. 'Sirius!' Sirius leapt a foot in the air, and accidentally cast a very potent Stinging Hex, blasting a hole in the door. He spun around, and his sharp eyes picked out a round shape in the fireplace. 'Lumos' he muttered, and his wand began to glow.
'Eva!' He hissed, hurrying over to fireplace and crouching down in front of the head of a pretty, dark-haired witch, who was currently looking very anxious. 'I was about to leave, what is it?'
'Dumbledore asked me to give you a message', whispered the witch, 'he said they know you're the Secret Keeper-they're coming for you.' 'Well I'm about to go into hiding', Sirius told her, 'they won't find me.' 'Have you got a Secret Keeper yourself?' Eva asked curiously. 'No', Sirius replied, 'but I don't need one. Because I'm going to hide in the one place they won't expect me to go.'
'Where?' Eva glanced nervously over her invisble shoulder, and swallowed hard.
'I'm going to hide at home.' Sirius told her simply, grinning widely at the look of amazement on her face. 'I know it's like torture, but it's better than being caught by Voldemort's lot.'
'But still, Sirius', Eva insisted, 'it won't be absolutely one hundred per cent safe, will it? I mean, nowhere is, unless you have a Secret Keeper. And even then, well...you've heard about the traitor in our midst?' Sirius grinned cheekily at Eva and winked. 'Always concerned for my welfare, Eva Cleansweep.' 'Now is not the time for flirting, Sirius!' snapped the witch, although a smile played about her lips. Sirius thought for a moment. Eureka! He had an even better plan! A smile spread across his face. 'Don't worry. I'll sort it all out.' Again, Eva Cleansweep turned her head slightly, looking into the room behind her. 'Alastor is telling me to hurry up', she told Sirius, rolling her eyes. She gazed at him, and smiled sadly. 'Until we meet again.' Sirius again felt that horrible sixth sense nagging him. 'Until we meet again', he echoed, blowing the witch a kiss. And Eva was gone.
Sirius gathered all his belongings together and disapparated. He reappeared seconds later in another, considerably more grotty room halfway across the country. His eyes settled on a small, overweight man, with thinning hair, and torn robes. He was muttering to himself in a feverish manner. Sirius took a deep breath and counted to ten to control his temper. Sometimes even looking at his old school friend drove him mad.
'Wormtail', he greeted the man. The man let out a squeak and whirled around, his wand at the ready. His eyes bulged when he saw Sirius towering over him. He still held his wand in a threatening manner. Sirius looked from the wand to the man, and raised an eyebrow. Wormtail lowered the wand.
'What do you want?' asked Wormtail, rather snappishly. Sirius collapsed into the nearest chair and rolled his wand between the palms of his hands. 'Is that any way to speak to an old friend, Peter?' Sirius asked casually, 'you're very jumpy these days.' 'I'm sorry', Peter Pettigrew recovered, 'I'm just so...w-worried about e- everything...a-about who the t-traitor c-could be.' Sirius eyed Peter Pettigrew with some pity. He always had been a wimp. For the life of him, Sirius could not understand why Peter had even joined the Order of the Phoenix in the first place. 'I have a proposal for you, Peter.' Sirius explained. 'You'd like to help James and Lily, wouldn't you?'
'Of course!' Peter cried eagerly. Sirius, who was still fiddling with his wand, did not see the hungry look in the other man's eyes. Sirius leaned forward. 'I'm their Secret Keeper, as I'm sure you know. But they're onto me. They'll come after me, and while I will never tell them where the Potters are of my own free will, I cannot vouch for their safety if I was given Veritaserum. So, Peter...I want us to switch. I want you to be Secret Keeper.' 'W-what?' Peter gasped. 'W-why me?' Sirius bit back all the answers he might have given if there hadn't been so much at stake: Because nobody in their right mind would trust Peter Pettigrew with a secret, and he would, therefore, not be targeted by Voldemort; Because he was the world's biggest wimp and would run to the ends of the earth rather than endure torture, and so would probably never be found. Instead, he sighed and said 'because a last minute switch like this will throw Voldemort off the scent-at least for a while. Oh get a grip, Wormtail! You should be able to say his name by now!' For Peter had cowered at the mention of Lord Voldemort. 'So?' Sirius prodded impatiently, 'will you do it?' 'Yes', Peter answered, somewhat breathlessly, 'I will. I will do it!' 'All right, all right, keep your pants on', Sirius was surprised that Peter was so willing. 'Okay, get your wand ready.' And Sirius cast the spell.
A tall man with untidy black hair and glasses gazed out his living room window. He shivered, and sighed heavily. In the kitchen, a baby began to cry. Lily Potter entered the room, clutching a tiny, wailing baby to her chest. 'Shhh', she crooned calmingly, smiling at her husband over their son's head. 'What time did he say he'd be here, James?' James Potter glanced at his watch. 'Five minutes ago', he replied tersely. 'Don't worry', Lily replied, 'we'd know something was wrong if Sirius was actually on time. Shhh, Harry, please!' James laughed. 'What's everyone laughing about?' Sirius demanded, appearing next to Lily with a tiny pop. His expression softened as he noticed Harry. He held out his arms for his godson, who gurgled happily. 'Well? What's going on?' James asked anxiously. Sirius looked from Lily to James, and back again. 'They were on to me. I've switched with Peter Pettigrew.' 'What?!' James roared. Lily looked alarmed, and Harry started bawling crying again. 'Yes', Sirius interrupted impatiently, 'I know, he's a snivelling little idiot, but he's always been loyal, and let's face it, who would expect us to trust him with information?' James looked from his wife to his best friend. Lily sighed. 'What's done is done. James, it doesn't sound like that bad an idea to me. I mean, Voldemort will never think we'd use Peter.' James bowed his head. 'I s'pose you're right', he mumbled. 'You always did hate that phrase', Sirius said lightly, in a vain attempt to inject some cheer into the conversation. He glanced at his watch. 'I'd better leave.' He remarked. Now came the awkward part. Sirius hugged Lily tightly. 'Be careful. Control that husband of yours, don't let him do anything stupid.' He murmured to her. Tears shone in Lily's eyes, and she smiled gently. 'You be careful too, Sirius!' James and Sirius stood a few feet apart, hands by their sides. 'Well, I guess I'll see you...' Sirius mumbled. James grinned, and embraced his best friend. 'You're like a brother to me, Padfoot. I'll see you when all this over.' 'Look after yourself, and Lily and Harry', Sirius replied gruffly. Emotional situations were not his forte. Lastly, he bent over Harry's cradle, and kissed his godson on the forehead. Harry smiled up at him, and Sirius bid him a silent farewell. 'Your motorbike's in the garage', Lily told him. Sirius nodded, and gave a small wave, before disappearing, with another pop. Moments later, the Potters heard the tremendous roar of an engine, and looking out the window, saw Sirius taking off on his giant motorbike, suitcase and broom attached. Within seconds, he was out of sight.
Sirius was half way across the sea (he was going to go for a short trip before flying to his parents' home, in the hopes of shaking off any would- be stalkers or assassins) when he heard a terrible scream. It came from inside his head. It was Lily Potter's voice. 'No!' He bellowed in anguish, immediately turning his motorbike around, and retracing his path across the moonlit sky. Horrible images of James and Lily, lying dead in the ruins of their home, filled his head. He could not tell if they were premonitions, or just his wild imagination. He flew faster than he had ever flown on his bike before, urging it on, whacking it with his wand. He had to get back...he had been so stupid...this was all his fault...Peter... Sirius was within a mile of Godric's Hollow. He could see the rooftops of all the houses...his stomach, he was sure, dropped out through his feet. His mouth went dry and his heart broke in two. Hanging above the half-ruined roof of Number Eighteen, Godric's Hollow, was a skull, with a snake for a tongue. Voldemort had been here. Sirius' turned off the engine, and stumbled off the bike. He feel to his knees, and was sick. 'Young Sirius?' He leapt up, his wand in his fist, ready to curse anybody who came near him into oblivion. He looked to where the voice had come from- the front door. Relief filled him-it was Rubeus Hagrid. 'Hagrid!' Sirius stumbled up the path, hoping... Hagrid was shaking his head. Huge, fat tears were sliding down his beard. He clutched a tiny bundle to him. ' But 'Arry's okay', he whispered, 'little 'Arry survived.' 'What?' Sirius' brain was refusing to take in this information. 'Lily...James...' 'Dead', Hagrid sobbed, 'but this little 'un lived.' Sirius gasped for breath. This was impossible. They were dead. Lily and James. Gone. Dead. But Harry was alive! 'Give him to me, Hagrid', Sirius ordered, 'I'm his godfather. He's my responsibilty.' Hagrid eyed him warily. 'Dumbledore said he's to go to his aunt and uncle. I have to bring him there.' 'Please', Sirius begged, 'James...and Lily, wanted me to look after him if they...' 'Dumbledore told me to take him to him', Hagrid replied stubbornly, but not unkindly. 'I'm sorry, Sirius.' Sirius backed away, his blood beginning to boil. 'You're right', he murmured, 'Harry's not my responsibility...yet...I have something else I'm responsible for...here, Hagrid, take my bike, it'll be quicker. I have something to do.' And he hurried back down the path and disapparated, leaving a thoroughly bewildered Hagrid still clutching the wailing, orphaned child.
Sirius appeared in Peter Pettigrew's dingy old flat, and here transformed into a dog. He followed the scent of the traitor carefully. He had not gone very far. Sirius morphed rapidly back into a human, after a mile or so of tracking the scent, and discovered he was at the exit from Diagon Alley. He crashed through the little pub, nocking customers and tables flying as he moved. He charged down the Muggle street, letting his own human senses guide him. There he was. Scurrying along, glancing around every now and then, behaving in a throughly guilty manner. 'YOU SCUM!' Bellowed Sirius, almost ripping his voicebox out with this scream. Peter turned, saw him, and ran. Sirius took a backstreet, and emerged in the traitor's path. The dog had cornered the rat. 'You', snarled Sirius, fury filling every part of his body, 'you're a rat! That's all you deserve to be!' Several Muggles stopped their business to watch. 'Sirius', squealed Pettigrew, 'I-' 'TRAITOR!' Sirius roared, pulling out his wand. But Wormtail was faster. All Sirius heard was 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' There was a blinding flash of light, and Sirius was thrown off his feet. He heard screams of pain. He scrambled quickly to his feet, just in time to see a rat disappear through a manhole. 'No!' He shouted, throwing himself at the mahole. Somebody pulled him roughly to his feet. 'Sirius Black. Who would have thought it.' Growled a contemptuous voice in his ear. Sirius looked around for the first time: carnage met his eyes. Dead bodies littered the street, wounded people lay groaning in the gutters. And a circle of aurors and Hitwizards was closing in on him. And for the first time, he realised how this must look. 'No', he said hoarsely, 'no, it's not how it looks. Please...' He saw a few members of the Order. Alastor Moody spat on the ground and shot him a look of loathing. The rest merely glared at him, as though he were a piece of filth on the ground. 'I didn't do it!' he cried desperately, 'they were my friends!' Two more wizards strode forwards and pointed their wands at his heart. Sirius burst out laughing. Worry, guilt, pain, fear, anger, and loss caught up with him at last. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He was hysterical. He didn't know whether he was laughing or crying. They stunned him. Sirius Black awoke to find himself being thrown into a filthy cell in Azkaban. He clung to the bars, begging for mercy. His captors strode away. The Dementors stepped forwards. And Sirius Black gave in to the darkness.