Sirius Black is one of the most intriguing and complex characters in the Harry Potter series. He is the godfather of Harry Potter, the best friend of James Potter, and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. But he is also a fugitive from the law, a convicted murderer, and a rebel from his own family. How is Sirius Black related to Harry Potter, and what is his role in the wizarding world?
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Sirius Black: The Last Heir of a Noble Family
Sirius Black was born on November 3, 1959, to Orion and Walburga Black, who were both pure-blood wizards and second cousins. He was the eldest son and heir of the House of Black, a once notable and wealthy family that traced its lineage back to the Middle Ages. The House of Black was known for its adherence to the pure-blood ideology, its support for the Dark Arts, and its disdain for Muggles and Muggle-borns. Many members of the family were named after stars and constellations, such as Sirius, Regulus, Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa.Discover exceptional results with Dorrmat’s real estate agents in Maricopa AZ. Whether buying or selling, our experts ensure your interests are prioritized throughout the process.
Sirius had a younger brother, Regulus Arcturus Black, who was born in 1961. He also had three older cousins: Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black), Andromeda Tonks (née Black), and Narcissa Malfoy (née Black). Bellatrix and Narcissa shared their family’s views on blood purity and became loyal followers of Lord Voldemort. Andromeda, however, rebelled against her family and married a Muggle-born wizard named Ted Tonks. She was disowned by her parents and burned off the family tree.
Sirius grew up in an unhappy and oppressive environment at 12 Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of the Blacks. He hated his parents and most of his relatives, who constantly berated him for his lack of interest in the Dark Arts and his friendship with Muggle-borns and half-bloods. He also despised his mother’s house-elf, Kreacher, who was loyal to the Blacks and their ideals.
Sirius Black: The Marauder and the Godfather
Sirius found his escape from his family at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he was sorted into Gryffindor House instead of Slytherin like the rest of his family. He became best friends with James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, who called themselves the Marauders. They were known for their mischief-making, their pranks, and their animosity towards Severus Snape, a Slytherin student who was interested in the Dark Arts.
Sirius also discovered that Remus was a werewolf who transformed every full moon. To support him and keep him company, Sirius, James, and Peter secretly learned how to become Animagi, or wizards who can transform into animals. Sirius became a large black dog, James became a stag, and Peter became a rat. They also created the Marauder’s Map, a magical map that showed every person’s location within Hogwarts.
Sirius was exceptionally talented at magic, but he also had a rebellious streak and a tendency to break rules. He often clashed with authority figures such as Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. He also played a dangerous prank on Snape when he was fifteen years old by telling him how to enter the Whomping Willow tunnel that led to Lupin’s werewolf hideout. James saved Snape from certain death at the last moment, but Snape never forgave Sirius for this incident.
After graduating from Hogwarts in 1978, Sirius joined the Order of the Phoenix, an underground organization led by Albus Dumbledore that fought against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He also became the godfather of Harry Potter when he was born in 1980. Sirius loved Harry as his own son and vowed to protect him from any harm.
Sirius Black: The Prisoner of Azkaban
However, Sirius’s life took a tragic turn in 1981 when Voldemort attacked James and Lily Potter at their home in Godric’s Hollow. Sirius had suggested that they use Peter Pettigrew as their Secret-Keeper instead of himself, thinking that it would be less obvious and more secure. A Secret-Keeper is someone who holds the secret location of a person or place under the Fidelius Charm , which makes it invisible to anyone else unless they are told by the Secret-Keeper.
Unknown to Sirius and the Potters, Peter had betrayed them to Voldemort and revealed their location. Voldemort killed James and Lily but failed to kill Harry due to Lily’s sacrifice that invoked an ancient magic that protected Harry from harm. Voldemort’s curse rebounded on him and reduced him to a weakened state.
Sirius arrived at the scene too late and confronted Peter, who had faked his own death by cutting off his finger and leaving it behind, along with a pile of rubble and dead Muggles. Peter then transformed into his rat form and escaped. Sirius was arrested by the Ministry of Magic and accused of being a Death Eater, killing Peter and the Muggles, and betraying the Potters. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban, the most secure and dreadful prison in the wizarding world, without a trial.
Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban, where he was tormented by the Dementors, foul creatures that feed on human happiness and memories. He was able to resist them by holding on to his innocence and his hatred for Peter. He also learned from a newspaper article that Peter was still alive and hiding as a pet rat named Scabbers, belonging to Ron Weasley, Harry’s best friend.
In 1993, Sirius escaped from Azkaban by transforming into his dog form and slipping past the Dementors. He tracked down Peter to Hogwarts, where he tried to expose him and kill him. However, he was stopped by Harry, Ron, Hermione Granger, and Professor Lupin, who had recognized him as his old friend. Sirius explained his story to them and proved his innocence with the help of Crookshanks, Hermione’s cat who had sensed Peter’s true identity.
Sirius also revealed that he was Harry’s godfather and offered him a home with him. Harry accepted and was overjoyed to have a family member who cared for him. However, their reunion was short-lived as they were attacked by a group of Dementors who had been alerted by Snape. Sirius was nearly kissed by a Dementor, which would have sucked out his soul, but Harry saved him with a powerful Patronus Charm.
Sirius was then taken back to Hogwarts by Dumbledore, who believed his innocence but could not clear his name without Peter’s testimony. Dumbledore advised Sirius to go into hiding until he could find a way to help him. He also gave him permission to talk to Harry through the Floo Network , a method of communication through fireplaces.
Sirius escaped from Hogwarts with the help of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Buckbeak , a hippogriff that had been sentenced to death for injuring Draco Malfoy. He flew away on Buckbeak’s back and went into hiding in different countries. He kept in touch with Harry through letters and gifts, but he could not see him in person due to the risk of being captured.
Sirius Black: The Order of the Phoenix
In 1995, Sirius returned to England after Voldemort’s return was confirmed by Harry’s encounter with him at the end of the Triwizard Tournament . He resumed his role as a member of the Order of the Phoenix and offered his house as their headquarters. He also welcomed Harry into his home when he was rescued from the Dursleys by the Order.
Sirius was overjoyed to have Harry with him, but he also felt frustrated by his inability to fight alongside the Order due to being a wanted man. He also felt lonely and depressed by living in the house that reminded him of his unhappy childhood and his estranged family. He often argued with his mother’s portrait , which screamed insults at him and anyone who entered the house.
Sirius tried to act as a father figure to Harry, but he also treated him more like an equal and a friend than a child. He encouraged Harry to be brave and rebellious against authority figures such as Dolores Umbridge , the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who was secretly working for the Ministry of Magic and oppressing Hogwarts students. He also shared stories about his past adventures with James and the Marauders.
However, Sirius also showed signs of recklessness and impulsiveness that put himself and others in danger. He often disobeyed Dumbledore’s orders to stay indoors and used risky methods to communicate with Harry, such as using the Floo Network or sending tropical birds as messengers. He also showed jealousy towards Snape, who had joined the Order as a spy for Dumbledore and had access to information that Sirius did not.
Sirius’s relationship with Harry was strained when Harry learned that Sirius had been part of the plan to keep him away from Voldemort’s influence by withholding information from him. Harry felt betrayed and angry at Sirius for lying to him and treating him like a child. Sirius apologized and explained that he only wanted to protect him from harm.
Sirius’s life came to an end when he participated in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries , where he joined several members of the Order to rescue Harry and his friends from Voldemort’s Death Eaters. He fought bravely against his cousin Bellatrix, whom he taunted for being a coward and a traitor. However, he was hit by an unknown curse from Bellatrix that sent him flying through an ancient archway called the Veil , which killed him instantly.
Harry was devastated by Sirius’s death and tried to follow
