In the short time we get to see him in person, Sirius is alternately sympathetic and scary. (11.1.11)įinally, though, we actually meet Sirius and learn the truth – he's really a tragic hero, betrayed by a friend and stuck with the guilt of playing an unintentional role in his best friend's murder. He could see Black laughing at him through the darkness, as though somebody had pasted the picture from the album over his eyes.

He's suddenly this real person who chose to go over to the dark side.Ī hatred such as Harry had never known before was coursing through Harry like poison. Black becomes simultaneously more outrageously evil and more human here, which is a scary combo. Harry then discovers that Black was his father's best friend, was named Harry's godfather, and betrayed the Potters to Voldemort. However, a marked shift occurs after Harry overhears a group of adults discussing the 'real' story of Sirius Black. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee Ern? Inee mad?' (3.75) An' when reinforcements arrived from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv 'em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'head off. As the novel progresses, though, we get more and more details about the man himself, not just the legendary murderer and Voldemort crony.įor the first section of the novel, Black is the terrifying and insane murderer who is now on the run and gunning for Harry. So, it makes sense that our first exposure to Sirius is through the lens of nightmare figure. Black is the wizarding world's Jack the Ripper or Ted Bundy – the terrifying, real-life killer that's become larger-than-life and nearly mythical, in some ways.

And like Voldemort, Sirius is a public figure of evil – an entire legend has sprung up around the man and his improbable escape from Azkaban simply fuels the fire there. It seems like every other chapter, we get a new version of the man. But we spend most of the book asking if the real Sirius Black will please stand up. (Click the character infographic to download.) Shape-ShifterĪs the Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius is kind of the star of the show here.

Sirius black azkaban