Sirius Black
Encyclopedia
Sirius Black is a fictional character
in J. K. Rowling
's Harry Potter
series. Sirius was first mentioned briefly in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a wizard who lent Rubeus Hagrid
a flying motorbike shortly after Lord Voldemort
killed James and Lily Potter. His character becomes prominent in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
, in which he is the titular prisoner, and is also revealed to be the godfather of the central character Harry Potter
In contrast to his home life, Sirius greatly enjoyed life at Hogwarts, where he was inseparable from his best friend,James Potter. Sirius and James were immensely popular and known for their exceptionally good looks. Students liked his biting humour, and teachers respected his intelligence, though not his behaviour. His popularity was not universal, as a mutual hatred sprang up between James and Severus Snape.(Harry's Potions teacher at Hogwarts and in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher) Sirius actively supported James, leading to Snape developing an equal and lifelong loathing of Sirius. Sirius and James often went out of their way to bully Snape, whom they despised for his great interest in the Dark Arts. They also became best friends with another student, Remus Lupin, whom they later discovered was a Werewolf. To support Lupin, Sirius, James, and another friend, Peter Pettigrew, secretly became Animagi, which allowed them to safely accompany Lupin during his transformations and keep him under control. After mastering Animagery, Sirius's form took the shape of a huge black dog, from which his nickname Padfoot was derived.
Sirius left home at the age of sixteen and took refuge with James and his parents. His outraged mother burned his name off the family tree. Sirius's Uncle Alphard left him a large inheritance, causing sirius' mother to also remove Alphard's name. He was left financially independent by his uncle's generous bequest. After leaving school, Sirius fought against Voldemort, eventually joining the Order of the Phoenix. He remained close friends with James and eventually attended James and Lily Evans' (now Lily Potter) wedding as their best man. When their son, Harry, was born, Lily and James named Sirius Harry's godfather. Sadly, Sirius Black is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Dumbledore refers this as "a brutal ending to what was going to be a long and happy relationship."
, Sirius is portrayed as a dangerous murderer and supporter of Voldemort who had escaped Azkaban, the wizarding prison, to kill Harry, who believes Sirius betrayed his parents and develops an intense hatred of him. However, later chapters of the book reveal that he was actually innocent, and that he escaped Azkaban to take revenge on Peter Pettigrew, the real traitor and murderer.
The truth is exposed
during dialogues between the characters. When the Potters became aware that their son was Voldemort's specific target, Albus Dumbledore
advised them to go into hiding using the Fidelius Charm, a highly complex spell allowing a secret to be concealed within another person (the "Secret Keeper"). Trusting Sirius above all of their other friends, Lily and James wanted him to be their Secret Keeper. Sirius, however, worried that Voldemort would immediately suspect him of being the Potters' Secret Keeper and would target him; so he convinced the Potters to reassign Pettigrew as their Keeper because he didn't believe Voldemort would ever suspect a “weak, talentless thing” like Pettigrew. Eventually, Lily and James were betrayed by Pettigrew and murdered by Voldemort.
Sirius then tracked down Pettigrew, determined to kill him in revenge. However, Pettigrew outwitted him: confronted by Sirius on a city street, he created an explosion, faking his own death (leaving a severed finger behind as evidence) and killing twelve Muggles in the process. Sirius was arrested, accused of murdering Pettigrew and the muggles and of serving Voldemort. He spent the next twelve years in the prison, brooding over his friends' deaths and obsessing over Pettigrew's betrayal. Sirius states that unlike most other Azkaban prisoners (who often became insane during their terms of imprisonment), he was able to keep his sanity because he knew he was innocent.
Twelve years later, Sirius saw a picture of the Weasley family on the front cover of the Daily Prophet, in which a rat stood perched on the shoulder of Ron Weasley
. This served as a turning point in the series and set the events of the third novel, as Sirius immediately recognised Pettigrew in his Animagus form. He realised that stationed at Hogwarts, Pettigrew would easily be able to deliver Harry to Voldemort if Voldemort ever regained power. This knowledge cleared his mind and gave him the mental strength to escape Azkaban. He is the first person known to have escaped the wizard prison, accomplishing this feat by transforming into his Animagus dog form. The dementors' inability to perceive unsophisticated canine minds, along with his severe weight loss from malnutrition, allowed him to slip through his cell bars. After his escape, Sirius took refuge in and around Hogsmeade, intent on exacting revenge upon Pettigrew and on remaining near Harry. Knowing that the dementors were stationed around Hogsmeade and at Hogwarts, Sirius remained in his Animagus form during this time, and was able to enter the Hogwarts grounds without being recognised by the dementors. Harry catches several glimpses of Sirius in his dog form and mistakenly believes him to be the Grim
. Harry befriends Hermione Granger
's cat Crookshanks, who recognised that Sirius was not actually a dog, and who recognised Pettigrew for what he really was.
Towards the end of the novel, Harry, Ron, and Hermione confront Sirius and Harry nearly kills him; however, Lupin's timely intervention prevents Harry from doing this. Lupin, who has learned that Sirius is innocent, is reunited in friendship with him. Pettigrew is unmasked, and, most importantly, Harry stops Sirius and Lupin from murdering Pettigrew, arguing that his father would not want his friends to commit murder. Harry begins to view Sirius as a surrogate father, although events swiftly turn against him again – Pettigrew escapes, and Sirius is captured by the dementors at Hogwarts and sentenced to the "Dementor's Kiss", a fate worse than death. Harry and Hermione help him escape with Buckbeak, a hippogriff
who had also been unjustly condemned. Sirius is once again a wanted man.
's jurisdiction. There, he slowly recovers from his years in Azkaban and regains his health. Although he can only communicate sparingly with Harry by owl post, he gives Harry reasoned and sensible advice. Harry grows closer to Sirius and relies on his help. Sirius, worried, returns to Britain when Harry tells him that his scar has began hurting him again (a signal of Voldemort's presence), and when there were reports of Death Eater
activities at the Quidditch World Cup. He sacrifices some of his regained health to help Harry: by the time he reaches Hogsmeade, he is once again gaunt and dishevelled, hiding in a cave with Buckbeak and surviving mainly on rats (with occasional gifts of food from Harry, Ron, and Hermione). He has little influence on Harry in this book; his presence cannot prevent the disaster at the Triwizard Tournament, and he mostly gives Harry advice on how to complete the Triwizard Tasks. He is later summoned to Hogwarts by Dumbledore and listens to Harry's re-telling of Voldemort's rebirth. He is then assigned the task of alerting Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, and some of the other members of the Order of the Phoenix, and is instructed by Dumbledore to lay low at Lupin's for a while. Sirius reassures Harry, who does not want him to leave, that they will see each other again soon and then departs.
, Sirius takes refuge in his ancient family home at 12, Grimmauld Place. As the last Black, Sirius inherits the property and allows it to be used as the Order headquarters, although it had fallen into disrepair. Due to the ongoing manhunt, Sirius is confined there. His confinement causes depression, and he is frequently withdrawn and antagonistic – especially so by Snape's increasingly important role within the Order. The hostility between himself and Kreacher, his demented house-elf, also affects him, and he is consistently hateful towards Kreacher. When he briefly leaves the house to see Harry off to Hogwarts, his Animagus form is recognised by Draco and Lucius Malfoy, resulting in more threats and warnings. Harry and Sirius stay in touch through owls and the Floo Network, a system to communicate through fireplaces. Sirius is nearly captured by Dolores Umbridge, a Ministry official who is monitoring the Network and the owl mail in and out of Hogwarts. Near the middle of the novel, a large number of Death Eaters, including Sirius's hated cousin Bellatrix, break out of Azkaban. The Ministry, which refuses to accept that Voldemort has returned and that the dementors have joined him, tries to place the blame on Sirius, stating that Sirius helped the prisoners escape and is leading them.
Sirius acts as a father figure to Harry throughout the book. Fun-loving, bold, and reckless, he encourages Harry to oppose Umbridge and her reforms and strongly approves of Harry starting the secret defensive tutorial group for students, Dumbledore's Army
. He also demonstrates a high-level of trust in and respect for Harry, willingly answering the latter's questions about the Order and Voldemort. Lupin and Molly Weasley express disapproval for Sirius's behaviour around Harry, stating that Sirius treats his godson like if he is James, Harry's father, and that this is inappropriate.
With his growing power, Voldemort implants a false vision into Harry's mind that Sirius is captive and under torture at the Department of Mysteries. Harry tries to contact Sirius at Grimmauld Place through the Floo Network, in order to determine whether he is at the Ministry or not; however, he discovers that the house is seemingly deserted apart from Kreacher, who tells Harry that Sirius will not return from the Ministry. Convinced that Voldemort is torturing Sirius, Harry and his friends enter the deserted Ministry and gain access to the Department of Mysteries. When they are ambushed by Death Eaters, Harry realises Voldemort lured him into a trap. It is Snape, however, who saves them; after confirming that Sirius is safe at Grimmauld Place (it is later revealed that Sirius had been upstairs tending to Buckbeak the Hippogriff and therefore had not been in sight when Harry tried to contact him), Snape alerts the Order that the students are missing and have gone to the Ministry. The Order immediately sends a rescue team including Remus Lupin, Tonks
, Alastor Moody, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Sirius, desperate for any time out of his confinement, comes along too.
The Order battles the Death Eaters in the "Death Chamber." During a frenzied duel with Bellatrix, Sirius taunts her for failing to harm him. Bellatrix strikes Sirius with a curse, sending him backwards into the veil and to his death. Overcome with grief and rage, Harry tries – and fails – to get revenge on Bellatrix, only to be interrupted by Voldemort's arrival. After a short duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore, Voldemort flees, but not before being seen by the Minister for Magic and other Ministry officials. As a result, the Ministry abandons its stance that Voldemort has not returned, and Dumbledore is trusted once more. He, in turn, persuades the Minister that Sirius is innocent. By the following book, Sirius is exonerated; unfortunately, it is far too late. Harry is left to mourn Sirius, reflecting that, despite his flaws, he was a loving and protective godfather
, and the closest thing Harry had ever had to a real parent. Harry
inherits all of Sirius's possessions, including the house at Grimmauld Place, the house-elf Kreacher, and Buckbeak the Hippogriff.
to rescue Harry.
Sirius makes his final appearance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when Harry discovers the Resurrection Stone
within the golden snitch. Appearing as a ghostlike figure alongside Lily, James and Lupin, Sirius supports Harry's walk into death and assures him that dying is "quicker and easier than falling asleep." He also promises Harry that the four will always remain a part of him.
Rowling revealed a family tree in the J. K. Rowling Documentary on ITV concerning all of the Grandchildren of the Weasley family. In this family tree, it is known that Harry named his first son James Sirius, after his father and godfather.
set three years before Harry's birth. The two friends are riding Sirius's motorbike and are chased by two Muggle policemen for breaking the speed limit. The policemen attempt to arrest them when three Death Eaters on broomsticks fly down towards them. Sirius and James use the police car as a barrier and the Death Eaters crash into it. In the end, they escape from the policemen flying on the motorbike.
first portrayed Sirius in the film adaptation of Prisoner of Azkaban
. Oldman revealed that he accepted the part because he needed the money, as also because he had not taken on any major work in several years as he had decided to spend more time with his family. The actor compared Sirius to John Lennon
, and also said he was "surprised by how difficult it was to pull off", comparing the role to Shakespearean dialogue. Oldman suggested Sirius's hairstyle, while Alfonso Cuarón
, the director of the third film, designed his tattoos. He had read the first book, and his children were fans of the series. The part made Oldman a hero with his children and their schoolmates. Oldman said about his work in the Harry Potter films that he has "...done so much R-rated work, it's nice to have a job you can show your kids". Oldman was said to bring energy to the character of Sirius, and the actor stated that this energy came from Cuarón and described him as having "such enthusiasm and a joy for life".
Though Sirius appears several times during Goblet of Fire, the character appears very briefly in the film adaptation
, in an expository
scene in the Gryffindor common room's fireplace, with Oldman providing the voice. The actor appears again in Order of the Phoenix
. It has been stated that Oldman and Daniel Radcliffe
became very close during the filming of the series.
Sirius as a teenager also made a brief appearance in Order of the Phoenix, and was played by James Walters.
Unlike his parents and brother, Sirius detested the Dark Arts and did not believe in the so-called purity of blood. Rowling has said that Sirius has also proven to "be very good at spouting bits of excellent personal philosophy, but he does not always live up to them." This primarily has to do with his treatment of Kreacher the house-elf; because Kreacher was a reminder to Sirius of the home he had always hated (and also due to Kreacher's parading of the attitudes and views of Sirius's parents), Sirius is hateful to Kreacher and consistently mistreats him. This in turn comes back to haunt him, as Kreacher eventually betrays Sirius to Voldemort, leading to Sirius's death. Rowling has also stated that unlike Lupin, who is the same age as Sirius and appears more mature in nature, Sirius never really grew up, as he was placed in Azkaban during his early twenties and therefore had not had a very normal adult life. Despite all of this, Rowling states that Sirius's "redeeming quality is the affection that he is capable of feeling. He loved James like a brother and went on to transfer this attachment to Harry."
Sirius became an Animagus at only age fifteen, and was able to turn himself into a large black dog. As he is unregistered, he is able to take advantage of his ability to continually elude the Ministry of Magic
. In his Fifth year, Sirius held his own against Severus Snape
, who "knew more jinxes in his first year than most seventh years". During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries
, he survived a duel against Antonin Dolohov
. However in the following fight against his cousin Bellatrix, he underestimated his opponent and even openly mocked her, before being hit by an unknown spell that blew Sirius backwards and he disappeared through the Veil
.
, contains many artefacts of dubious origin and/or dangerous ability. The family motto is Toujours Pur, which is French
for "Always/Still Pure," because the Black family is one of the few remaining completely pure blood lineages.
The Blacks intermarried with several other pure-blood families, including the families of known Dark (or at least, malicious) wizards such as Flint, Bulstrode, Malfoy, Crabbe, Rosier, Yaxley, and Lestrange, but also non-Dark families such as Potter, Crouch, Longbottom, Macmillan, Prewett, and Weasley. This was done to ensure that pure-bloods would last in the years to come. That is why most of the pure-blood families are interrelated; because their ancestors married other pure-bloods. The last several generations of Blacks all trace their ancestry back to Phineas Nigellus Black and Ursula Flint. The Blacks believed in Voldemort's idea of "purifying the Wizarding race", but many, such as Sirius's parents, refrained from outwardly supporting him once they saw what he was willing to do for power. Sirius's brother, Regulus Black, was a Death Eater
, but later reconsidered after Voldemort tried to kill the house elf Kreacher. Although there are several living Black family members throughout the series, all are either female, female-line distaff Black descendants, or descendants of disowned family members, and none of them has the name of Black. The last known surviving bearer of the family name, Sirius, is murdered by his cousin Bellatrix in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
.
The family tree is described in the fifth book, but it came more directly to public attention in January 2006 when the author donated a version she had hand-drawn to a Book Aid International charity auction. The tree shows the members of one of the oldest magical
families, and their links by marriage to a number of other families whose members also appear in the books. The tree described in the books extends back some seven hundred years, but the version drawn by Rowling only covers approximately one hundred fifty years. Exact details of the tree were kept secret during the charity auction by publishing only incomplete or partially blurred images of the item for sale. However, a number of people attending the auction made notes that were used to confirm the details upon it, and a compilation of the details was published. This was later amended by further information from another copy of the tree incorporated into the film set for Order of the Phoenix where the tree appears displayed in the Black family house, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. The tree caused a considerable stir amongst fans as it provided new information about elements of the plot of the series in between publication of volumes six (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
) and seven (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows). It was eventually purchased for £30,000 on behalf of British actor Daniel Radcliffe
, who plays Harry Potter
in the film series.
The following names are members of the family who have been stricken from the family tree tapestry chronicling their common blood for various reasons:
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
's Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series. Sirius was first mentioned briefly in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a wizard who lent Rubeus Hagrid
Rubeus Hagrid
Rubeus Hagrid is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. Hagrid is introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a half-giant who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, the primary setting for the first six novels...
a flying motorbike shortly after Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort is the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series written by British author J. K. Rowling. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997...
killed James and Lily Potter. His character becomes prominent in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. The book was published on 8 July 1999. The novel won the 1999 Whitbread Book Award, the Bram Stoker Award, the 2000 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and was short-listed for other...
, in which he is the titular prisoner, and is also revealed to be the godfather of the central character Harry Potter
Character background
Sirius Black is the last heir of the House of Black, a once notable Pure-blood Wizarding family. His parents, Orion and Walburga Black, were both Blacks by birth and second cousins. Sirius had a younger brother, Regulus Black(R.A.B) and three older cousins: Bellatrix Lestrange, Andromeda Tonks (his favourite cousin and mother of Nymphadora Tonks), and Narcissa Malfoy (mother of Draco Malfoy). "Sirius" is a traditional Black family name, recurring in at least three generations and following a family tradition of naming children after stars and constellations. Sirius's early life proved unhappy; he had come to hate most of his relatives, in particular his mother. He rejected his family's pure-blood elitism and reverence for the Dark Arts. At Hogwarts, the Black family were all sorted into Slytherin, where as Sirius was placed in Gryffindor.In contrast to his home life, Sirius greatly enjoyed life at Hogwarts, where he was inseparable from his best friend,James Potter. Sirius and James were immensely popular and known for their exceptionally good looks. Students liked his biting humour, and teachers respected his intelligence, though not his behaviour. His popularity was not universal, as a mutual hatred sprang up between James and Severus Snape.(Harry's Potions teacher at Hogwarts and in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher) Sirius actively supported James, leading to Snape developing an equal and lifelong loathing of Sirius. Sirius and James often went out of their way to bully Snape, whom they despised for his great interest in the Dark Arts. They also became best friends with another student, Remus Lupin, whom they later discovered was a Werewolf. To support Lupin, Sirius, James, and another friend, Peter Pettigrew, secretly became Animagi, which allowed them to safely accompany Lupin during his transformations and keep him under control. After mastering Animagery, Sirius's form took the shape of a huge black dog, from which his nickname Padfoot was derived.
Sirius left home at the age of sixteen and took refuge with James and his parents. His outraged mother burned his name off the family tree. Sirius's Uncle Alphard left him a large inheritance, causing sirius' mother to also remove Alphard's name. He was left financially independent by his uncle's generous bequest. After leaving school, Sirius fought against Voldemort, eventually joining the Order of the Phoenix. He remained close friends with James and eventually attended James and Lily Evans' (now Lily Potter) wedding as their best man. When their son, Harry, was born, Lily and James named Sirius Harry's godfather. Sadly, Sirius Black is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Dumbledore refers this as "a brutal ending to what was going to be a long and happy relationship."
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
In the first part of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. The book was published on 8 July 1999. The novel won the 1999 Whitbread Book Award, the Bram Stoker Award, the 2000 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and was short-listed for other...
, Sirius is portrayed as a dangerous murderer and supporter of Voldemort who had escaped Azkaban, the wizarding prison, to kill Harry, who believes Sirius betrayed his parents and develops an intense hatred of him. However, later chapters of the book reveal that he was actually innocent, and that he escaped Azkaban to take revenge on Peter Pettigrew, the real traitor and murderer.
The truth is exposed
Exposition (literary technique)
At the beginning of a narrative, the exposition is the author's providing of some background information to the audience about the plot, characters' histories, setting, and theme. Exposition is considered one of four rhetorical modes of discourse, along with argumentation, description, and narration...
during dialogues between the characters. When the Potters became aware that their son was Voldemort's specific target, Albus Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore
Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a major character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts...
advised them to go into hiding using the Fidelius Charm, a highly complex spell allowing a secret to be concealed within another person (the "Secret Keeper"). Trusting Sirius above all of their other friends, Lily and James wanted him to be their Secret Keeper. Sirius, however, worried that Voldemort would immediately suspect him of being the Potters' Secret Keeper and would target him; so he convinced the Potters to reassign Pettigrew as their Keeper because he didn't believe Voldemort would ever suspect a “weak, talentless thing” like Pettigrew. Eventually, Lily and James were betrayed by Pettigrew and murdered by Voldemort.
Sirius then tracked down Pettigrew, determined to kill him in revenge. However, Pettigrew outwitted him: confronted by Sirius on a city street, he created an explosion, faking his own death (leaving a severed finger behind as evidence) and killing twelve Muggles in the process. Sirius was arrested, accused of murdering Pettigrew and the muggles and of serving Voldemort. He spent the next twelve years in the prison, brooding over his friends' deaths and obsessing over Pettigrew's betrayal. Sirius states that unlike most other Azkaban prisoners (who often became insane during their terms of imprisonment), he was able to keep his sanity because he knew he was innocent.
Twelve years later, Sirius saw a picture of the Weasley family on the front cover of the Daily Prophet, in which a rat stood perched on the shoulder of Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley
Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger...
. This served as a turning point in the series and set the events of the third novel, as Sirius immediately recognised Pettigrew in his Animagus form. He realised that stationed at Hogwarts, Pettigrew would easily be able to deliver Harry to Voldemort if Voldemort ever regained power. This knowledge cleared his mind and gave him the mental strength to escape Azkaban. He is the first person known to have escaped the wizard prison, accomplishing this feat by transforming into his Animagus dog form. The dementors' inability to perceive unsophisticated canine minds, along with his severe weight loss from malnutrition, allowed him to slip through his cell bars. After his escape, Sirius took refuge in and around Hogsmeade, intent on exacting revenge upon Pettigrew and on remaining near Harry. Knowing that the dementors were stationed around Hogsmeade and at Hogwarts, Sirius remained in his Animagus form during this time, and was able to enter the Hogwarts grounds without being recognised by the dementors. Harry catches several glimpses of Sirius in his dog form and mistakenly believes him to be the Grim
Grim
Grim may refer to:* Archibald the Grim, 14th century Scottish Magnate and Warlord.* Grim trigger, a strategy in Game Theory* Grim , a fictional character from the television series The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy...
. Harry befriends Hermione Granger
Hermione Granger
Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...
's cat Crookshanks, who recognised that Sirius was not actually a dog, and who recognised Pettigrew for what he really was.
Towards the end of the novel, Harry, Ron, and Hermione confront Sirius and Harry nearly kills him; however, Lupin's timely intervention prevents Harry from doing this. Lupin, who has learned that Sirius is innocent, is reunited in friendship with him. Pettigrew is unmasked, and, most importantly, Harry stops Sirius and Lupin from murdering Pettigrew, arguing that his father would not want his friends to commit murder. Harry begins to view Sirius as a surrogate father, although events swiftly turn against him again – Pettigrew escapes, and Sirius is captured by the dementors at Hogwarts and sentenced to the "Dementor's Kiss", a fate worse than death. Harry and Hermione help him escape with Buckbeak, a hippogriff
Hippogriff
A Hippogriff is a legendary creature, supposedly the offspring of a griffin and a mare.- Early references :...
who had also been unjustly condemned. Sirius is once again a wanted man.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Following the events of Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius flees Europe – to somewhere tropical, Harry believes – beyond the Ministry of MagicMinistry of Magic
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the fictional Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. First mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Ministry makes its first proper appearance in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...
's jurisdiction. There, he slowly recovers from his years in Azkaban and regains his health. Although he can only communicate sparingly with Harry by owl post, he gives Harry reasoned and sensible advice. Harry grows closer to Sirius and relies on his help. Sirius, worried, returns to Britain when Harry tells him that his scar has began hurting him again (a signal of Voldemort's presence), and when there were reports of Death Eater
Death Eater
In the fictional world of the Harry Potter series, the Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Muggle-borns...
activities at the Quidditch World Cup. He sacrifices some of his regained health to help Harry: by the time he reaches Hogsmeade, he is once again gaunt and dishevelled, hiding in a cave with Buckbeak and surviving mainly on rats (with occasional gifts of food from Harry, Ron, and Hermione). He has little influence on Harry in this book; his presence cannot prevent the disaster at the Triwizard Tournament, and he mostly gives Harry advice on how to complete the Triwizard Tasks. He is later summoned to Hogwarts by Dumbledore and listens to Harry's re-telling of Voldemort's rebirth. He is then assigned the task of alerting Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, and some of the other members of the Order of the Phoenix, and is instructed by Dumbledore to lay low at Lupin's for a while. Sirius reassures Harry, who does not want him to leave, that they will see each other again soon and then departs.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
In Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, and was published on 21 June 2003 by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic in the United States, and Raincoast in Canada...
, Sirius takes refuge in his ancient family home at 12, Grimmauld Place. As the last Black, Sirius inherits the property and allows it to be used as the Order headquarters, although it had fallen into disrepair. Due to the ongoing manhunt, Sirius is confined there. His confinement causes depression, and he is frequently withdrawn and antagonistic – especially so by Snape's increasingly important role within the Order. The hostility between himself and Kreacher, his demented house-elf, also affects him, and he is consistently hateful towards Kreacher. When he briefly leaves the house to see Harry off to Hogwarts, his Animagus form is recognised by Draco and Lucius Malfoy, resulting in more threats and warnings. Harry and Sirius stay in touch through owls and the Floo Network, a system to communicate through fireplaces. Sirius is nearly captured by Dolores Umbridge, a Ministry official who is monitoring the Network and the owl mail in and out of Hogwarts. Near the middle of the novel, a large number of Death Eaters, including Sirius's hated cousin Bellatrix, break out of Azkaban. The Ministry, which refuses to accept that Voldemort has returned and that the dementors have joined him, tries to place the blame on Sirius, stating that Sirius helped the prisoners escape and is leading them.
Sirius acts as a father figure to Harry throughout the book. Fun-loving, bold, and reckless, he encourages Harry to oppose Umbridge and her reforms and strongly approves of Harry starting the secret defensive tutorial group for students, Dumbledore's Army
Dumbledore's Army
Dumbledore's Army is a student organisation in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series that is founded by the main characters, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, in order to stand up against the regime of Hogwarts High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge, as well as to learn practical Defence...
. He also demonstrates a high-level of trust in and respect for Harry, willingly answering the latter's questions about the Order and Voldemort. Lupin and Molly Weasley express disapproval for Sirius's behaviour around Harry, stating that Sirius treats his godson like if he is James, Harry's father, and that this is inappropriate.
With his growing power, Voldemort implants a false vision into Harry's mind that Sirius is captive and under torture at the Department of Mysteries. Harry tries to contact Sirius at Grimmauld Place through the Floo Network, in order to determine whether he is at the Ministry or not; however, he discovers that the house is seemingly deserted apart from Kreacher, who tells Harry that Sirius will not return from the Ministry. Convinced that Voldemort is torturing Sirius, Harry and his friends enter the deserted Ministry and gain access to the Department of Mysteries. When they are ambushed by Death Eaters, Harry realises Voldemort lured him into a trap. It is Snape, however, who saves them; after confirming that Sirius is safe at Grimmauld Place (it is later revealed that Sirius had been upstairs tending to Buckbeak the Hippogriff and therefore had not been in sight when Harry tried to contact him), Snape alerts the Order that the students are missing and have gone to the Ministry. The Order immediately sends a rescue team including Remus Lupin, Tonks
Tonks
Tonks may refer to:*Benjamin Tonks , New Zealand politician*Dick Tonks , New Zealand rower*Greig Tonks , English rugby union player*Henry Tonks , English surgeon and artist...
, Alastor Moody, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Sirius, desperate for any time out of his confinement, comes along too.
The Order battles the Death Eaters in the "Death Chamber." During a frenzied duel with Bellatrix, Sirius taunts her for failing to harm him. Bellatrix strikes Sirius with a curse, sending him backwards into the veil and to his death. Overcome with grief and rage, Harry tries – and fails – to get revenge on Bellatrix, only to be interrupted by Voldemort's arrival. After a short duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore, Voldemort flees, but not before being seen by the Minister for Magic and other Ministry officials. As a result, the Ministry abandons its stance that Voldemort has not returned, and Dumbledore is trusted once more. He, in turn, persuades the Minister that Sirius is innocent. By the following book, Sirius is exonerated; unfortunately, it is far too late. Harry is left to mourn Sirius, reflecting that, despite his flaws, he was a loving and protective godfather
Godfather
A godfather is a male godparent in the Christian tradition.Godfather may also refer to:*A male arranged to be legal guardian of a child if untimely demise is met by the parentsPeople:* Capo di tutti capi, a Mafia crime boss...
, and the closest thing Harry had ever had to a real parent. Harry
Harry
Harry is a male given name, the Middle English form of Henry. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive form of Harold and Henry....
inherits all of Sirius's possessions, including the house at Grimmauld Place, the house-elf Kreacher, and Buckbeak the Hippogriff.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
As stated by J. K. Rowling during the BBC Paxman interview, 2003, Sirius is "definitely dead." She has created further intrigue, however, by making a cryptic reference to the communication mirror Sirius gave to Harry before he died: "The mirror might not have helped as much as you think, but on the other hand, will help more than you think. You’ll have to read the final book to understand that!" In the final book, Aberforth Dumbledore uses the two-way mirror - which he bought from Mundungus Fletcher a year prior - to see Harry in the Malfoy Manor cellars, which enables Aberforth to send DobbyDobby
Dobby may refer to:* Dobby , a character in Harry Potter* Tag , a children's chase game* Dobby loom* Dobby, a character in the Peep Show TV series- People :* Dobby Dobson , Jamaican reggae singer and record producer...
to rescue Harry.
Sirius makes his final appearance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when Harry discovers the Resurrection Stone
Resurrection Stone
A Resurrection Stone is a stone of immense weight which was hired out to prevent newly buried corpses from being stolen.-List of Resurrection Stones in the United Kingdom:* St Laurence Church, Lurgashall* Llantrisant * Dean Row Chapel, Wilmslow...
within the golden snitch. Appearing as a ghostlike figure alongside Lily, James and Lupin, Sirius supports Harry's walk into death and assures him that dying is "quicker and easier than falling asleep." He also promises Harry that the four will always remain a part of him.
Rowling revealed a family tree in the J. K. Rowling Documentary on ITV concerning all of the Grandchildren of the Weasley family. In this family tree, it is known that Harry named his first son James Sirius, after his father and godfather.
Harry Potter prequel
Sirius and James are the protagonists of an 800-word storyHarry Potter prequel
The Harry Potter prequel is an 800-word story written by J. K. Rowling, and was published online on 11 June 2008. Set about three years before the birth of Harry Potter, the story recounts an adventure experienced by Sirius Black and James Potter....
set three years before Harry's birth. The two friends are riding Sirius's motorbike and are chased by two Muggle policemen for breaking the speed limit. The policemen attempt to arrest them when three Death Eaters on broomsticks fly down towards them. Sirius and James use the police car as a barrier and the Death Eaters crash into it. In the end, they escape from the policemen flying on the motorbike.
Portrayals within films
Gary OldmanGary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, voice actor, filmmaker and musician.A member of the 1980s Brit Pack, Oldman came to prominence via starring roles in British films Meantime , Sid and Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears , with his performance in the latter bringing him his first BAFTA Award...
first portrayed Sirius in the film adaptation of Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman and Mark Radcliffe...
. Oldman revealed that he accepted the part because he needed the money, as also because he had not taken on any major work in several years as he had decided to spend more time with his family. The actor compared Sirius to John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, and also said he was "surprised by how difficult it was to pull off", comparing the role to Shakespearean dialogue. Oldman suggested Sirius's hairstyle, while Alfonso Cuarón
Alfonso Cuarón
Alfonso Cuarón Orozco is a Mexican film director, screenwriter and film producer, best known for his films Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Y tu mamá también, and A Little Princess.- Early life :...
, the director of the third film, designed his tattoos. He had read the first book, and his children were fans of the series. The part made Oldman a hero with his children and their schoolmates. Oldman said about his work in the Harry Potter films that he has "...done so much R-rated work, it's nice to have a job you can show your kids". Oldman was said to bring energy to the character of Sirius, and the actor stated that this energy came from Cuarón and described him as having "such enthusiasm and a joy for life".
Though Sirius appears several times during Goblet of Fire, the character appears very briefly in the film adaptation
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
, in an expository
Exposition (literary technique)
At the beginning of a narrative, the exposition is the author's providing of some background information to the audience about the plot, characters' histories, setting, and theme. Exposition is considered one of four rhetorical modes of discourse, along with argumentation, description, and narration...
scene in the Gryffindor common room's fireplace, with Oldman providing the voice. The actor appears again in Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
. It has been stated that Oldman and Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....
became very close during the filming of the series.
Sirius as a teenager also made a brief appearance in Order of the Phoenix, and was played by James Walters.
Outward appearance
Sirius is described as a tall man with long, black hair and gray eyes. Several times during the series, Sirius is stated to be very good-looking and "carelessly handsome" prior to his imprisonment; Harry also noted that as a teenager, Sirius always had a slightly spoiled, haughty look on his face. His long years in Azkaban made his face gaunt, and lack of grooming resulted in long, dirty hair and yellow teeth. Harry's first impression of Sirius is of a corpse.Personality
As a student at Hogwarts, Sirius was well-known for being a troublemaker, and once mentioned to Harry that he, James, Lupin, and Pettigrew "were all idiots." He once stated that he had never been appointed a prefect as he always spent too much time in detention with James. Sirius is protective of Harry, but also encourages him to take unwise risks and sometimes - inappropriately - acts with him as he used to with James. On this, the author commented that "what Harry craves is a father." Rowling has stated that though she likes Sirius, "I do not think he is wholly wonderful." According to her, despite being brave and loyal, Sirius is also reckless, embittered, and "slightly unbalanced by his long stay in Azkaban." When asked if Harry has a godmother, Rowling replied that "Sirius was always too busy being a big rebel to get married."Unlike his parents and brother, Sirius detested the Dark Arts and did not believe in the so-called purity of blood. Rowling has said that Sirius has also proven to "be very good at spouting bits of excellent personal philosophy, but he does not always live up to them." This primarily has to do with his treatment of Kreacher the house-elf; because Kreacher was a reminder to Sirius of the home he had always hated (and also due to Kreacher's parading of the attitudes and views of Sirius's parents), Sirius is hateful to Kreacher and consistently mistreats him. This in turn comes back to haunt him, as Kreacher eventually betrays Sirius to Voldemort, leading to Sirius's death. Rowling has also stated that unlike Lupin, who is the same age as Sirius and appears more mature in nature, Sirius never really grew up, as he was placed in Azkaban during his early twenties and therefore had not had a very normal adult life. Despite all of this, Rowling states that Sirius's "redeeming quality is the affection that he is capable of feeling. He loved James like a brother and went on to transfer this attachment to Harry."
Magical Ability
Sirius was described as a powerful wizard by Minerva McGonagall, his former teacher.Sirius became an Animagus at only age fifteen, and was able to turn himself into a large black dog. As he is unregistered, he is able to take advantage of his ability to continually elude the Ministry of Magic
Ministry of Magic
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the fictional Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. First mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Ministry makes its first proper appearance in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...
. In his Fifth year, Sirius held his own against Severus Snape
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J.K. Rowling. In the first novel of the series, he is hostile toward Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and...
, who "knew more jinxes in his first year than most seventh years". During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, and was published on 21 June 2003 by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic in the United States, and Raincoast in Canada...
, he survived a duel against Antonin Dolohov
Death Eater
In the fictional world of the Harry Potter series, the Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Muggle-borns...
. However in the following fight against his cousin Bellatrix, he underestimated his opponent and even openly mocked her, before being hit by an unknown spell that blew Sirius backwards and he disappeared through the Veil
Veil
A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space...
.
Family
Most of the members of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black were advocates of blood purity, and many were involved with the Dark Arts. The Black family home at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, contains many artefacts of dubious origin and/or dangerous ability. The family motto is Toujours Pur, which is French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for "Always/Still Pure," because the Black family is one of the few remaining completely pure blood lineages.
The Blacks intermarried with several other pure-blood families, including the families of known Dark (or at least, malicious) wizards such as Flint, Bulstrode, Malfoy, Crabbe, Rosier, Yaxley, and Lestrange, but also non-Dark families such as Potter, Crouch, Longbottom, Macmillan, Prewett, and Weasley. This was done to ensure that pure-bloods would last in the years to come. That is why most of the pure-blood families are interrelated; because their ancestors married other pure-bloods. The last several generations of Blacks all trace their ancestry back to Phineas Nigellus Black and Ursula Flint. The Blacks believed in Voldemort's idea of "purifying the Wizarding race", but many, such as Sirius's parents, refrained from outwardly supporting him once they saw what he was willing to do for power. Sirius's brother, Regulus Black, was a Death Eater
Death Eater
In the fictional world of the Harry Potter series, the Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Muggle-borns...
, but later reconsidered after Voldemort tried to kill the house elf Kreacher. Although there are several living Black family members throughout the series, all are either female, female-line distaff Black descendants, or descendants of disowned family members, and none of them has the name of Black. The last known surviving bearer of the family name, Sirius, is murdered by his cousin Bellatrix in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, and was published on 21 June 2003 by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic in the United States, and Raincoast in Canada...
.
The family tree is described in the fifth book, but it came more directly to public attention in January 2006 when the author donated a version she had hand-drawn to a Book Aid International charity auction. The tree shows the members of one of the oldest magical
Magic (Harry Potter)
In the Harry Potter series created by J. K. Rowling, magic is depicted as a natural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures sometimes exhibit new magical properties in the novels' world...
families, and their links by marriage to a number of other families whose members also appear in the books. The tree described in the books extends back some seven hundred years, but the version drawn by Rowling only covers approximately one hundred fifty years. Exact details of the tree were kept secret during the charity auction by publishing only incomplete or partially blurred images of the item for sale. However, a number of people attending the auction made notes that were used to confirm the details upon it, and a compilation of the details was published. This was later amended by further information from another copy of the tree incorporated into the film set for Order of the Phoenix where the tree appears displayed in the Black family house, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. The tree caused a considerable stir amongst fans as it provided new information about elements of the plot of the series in between publication of volumes six (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth and penultimate novel in the Harry Potter series by British author J. K. Rowling...
) and seven (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows). It was eventually purchased for £30,000 on behalf of British actor Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....
, who plays Harry Potter
Harry Potter (character)
Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...
in the film series.
The following names are members of the family who have been stricken from the family tree tapestry chronicling their common blood for various reasons:
- Isla Black of the first generation shown was disowned for marrying Bob Hitchens, a Muggle.
- Phineas Black of the second generation shown was disowned for supporting Muggle rights.
- Marius Black, third generation son of Cygnus and Violetta Black, was disowned as he was a Squib.
- Cedrella Black, also third generation and cousin of Marius, was disowned for marrying a blood traitor, Septimus Weasley.
- Alphard Black of the fourth generation shown was posthumously disowned for leaving gold in his will to his "runaway nephew", Sirius Black.
- Sirius Black of the fifth generation shown, ran away from home and was subsequently removed.
- Andromeda Black, cousin of Sirius, was disowned for marrying "Muggle-Born Ted Tonks".
External links
- Sirius Black at the Harry Potter LexiconHarry Potter LexiconThe Harry Potter Lexicon is a fan-created online encyclopedia of the Harry Potter series.-Overview:The site was created by school librarian Steve Vander Ark. It contains detailed information for all seven published Harry Potter books...
- Sirius Black at Harry Potter Fan Zone
- Rowling on Sirius Black