======Sirius Black III======
=====Introduction=====
Sirius Black III was a [[pure-blood]] [[wizard]], the elder son of Orion and Walburga Black, and the godfather of [[Harry Potter]]. Rejecting his family's belief in [[pure-blood]] supremacy, he was sorted into [[Gryffindor]] House at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. His closest friends were [[James Potter]], [[Remus Lupin]], and [[Peter Pettigrew]], and together they formed the group known as the [[Marauders]]. An unregistered [[Animagus]], Sirius could transform into a large black dog known by the nickname **Padfoot**.
A member of the original [[Order of the Phoenix]], Sirius was framed for the betrayal of [[James Potter|James]] and [[Lily Potter]] and the murder of [[Peter Pettigrew]] and twelve [[Muggles]]. He was sentenced to a life term in [[Azkaban]] without a trial. After twelve years, he became the first person known to escape the prison unassisted. He proved his innocence to Harry and his friends and spent the remainder of his life as a fugitive, eventually rejoining the [[Order of the Phoenix]]. He was a crucial paternal figure for Harry until his tragic death at the hands of his cousin, [[Bellatrix Lestrange]], during the [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries]].
=====Biography=====
====Early Life and Family====
Born into the ancient and wealthy [[Black family]], Sirius grew up at [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]]. From a young age, he disagreed profoundly with his family's obsession with blood purity and their affinity for the [[Dark Arts]]. This defiance led to his sorting into [[Gryffindor]], breaking a long-standing family tradition of being sorted into [[Slytherin]]. At sixteen, he ran away from home and was taken in by James Potter's family. As a result, his enraged mother, Walburga, blasted his name off the [[Black family tree]] tapestry. He had a younger brother, [[Regulus Arcturus Black]], who initially followed the family's path and became a [[Death Eater]] before turning against [[Lord Voldemort]].
====Hogwarts Years====
At [[Hogwarts]], Sirius was popular, clever, and handsome, but also known for his arrogance and bullying of students he disliked, particularly [[Severus Snape]]. He formed an inseparable bond with [[James Potter]], [[Remus Lupin]], and [[Peter Pettigrew]]. Upon discovering that Lupin was a [[werewolf]], Sirius, James, and Peter secretly became [[Animagi]] in their fifth year to provide Lupin with companionship during his transformations. Sirius's form was a large black dog, earning him the nickname Padfoot. The four friends used their knowledge of the castle's secret passages, aided by their transformations, to create the [[Marauder's Map]].
====First Wizarding War====
After graduating from [[Hogwarts]], Sirius and his friends joined the [[Order of the Phoenix]] to fight against [[Lord Voldemort]]. He was the best man at James and Lily's wedding and was named Harry's godfather. When the Potters went into hiding under the [[Fidelius Charm]], Sirius was their initial choice for [[Secret-Keeper]]. However, fearing he was too obvious a target, he persuaded them to switch to [[Peter Pettigrew]], a decision that would prove fatal.
Following Pettigrew's betrayal and the Potters' murders, a grief-stricken Sirius tracked Pettigrew down. Pettigrew created a massive explosion that killed twelve [[Muggles]], cut off his own finger, and transformed into his rat form, framing Sirius for the entire crime. Sirius was arrested by the [[Department of Magical Law Enforcement]] and imprisoned in [[Azkaban]] without a trial, as [[Bartemius Crouch Sr.]] believed the evidence against him was overwhelming.
====Imprisonment and Escape====
Sirius spent twelve years in [[Azkaban]], surrounded by [[Dementors]]. He maintained his sanity by focusing on his innocence and by transforming into his dog form, as the [[Dementors]]' emotional perception was less acute towards animals. In 1993, he saw a picture of the [[Weasley family]] in a newspaper, where he recognized Pettigrew in his rat form (as [[Scabbers]]) on [[Ron Weasley]]'s shoulder. This knowledge gave him the strength to escape, slipping past the [[Dementors]] in his emaciated dog form.
====Reunion and Fugitive Life====
Sirius made his way to [[Hogwarts]] to protect Harry from Pettigrew. His gaunt, frightening appearance led to a school-wide panic. The truth was finally revealed in the [[Shrieking Shack]], where Sirius and Lupin confronted Pettigrew. With the help of [[Harry Potter|Harry]], [[Ron Weasley|Ron]], and [[Hermione Granger]], they exposed Pettigrew, but he escaped before his guilt could be proven to the [[Ministry of Magic]]. Sentenced to the [[Dementor's Kiss]], Sirius was saved by Harry and Hermione using a [[Time-Turner]] and escaped from [[Hogwarts]] on the back of [[Buckbeak]] the [[hippogriff]]. For the next two years, he remained a fugitive, communicating with Harry through letters and the [[Floo Network]].
====Second Wizarding War and Death====
Following [[Lord Voldemort]]'s return, [[Albus Dumbledore]] reinstated the [[Order of the Phoenix]], and Sirius offered his childhood home, [[12 Grimmauld Place]], as its headquarters. Confined to the house due to his fugitive status, Sirius grew frustrated and reckless. His relationship with the family [[house-elf]], [[Kreacher]], who was loyal to Sirius's mother, was one of mutual contempt.
In 1996, [[Lord Voldemort]] exploited Harry's connection to him by planting a false vision of Sirius being tortured in the [[Department of Mysteries]]. Though Snape tried to verify Sirius's safety, Kreacher lied to Harry, confirming his master was not at home. Harry and his friends rushed to the [[Ministry of Magic]], falling into a trap. Members of the Order, including Sirius, arrived to rescue them. During the ensuing [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries]], Sirius duelled his cousin, [[Bellatrix Lestrange]]. While taunting her, he was struck by a spell (an unspecified red jet of light) that sent him staggering backward through a mysterious, veiled archway, leading to his death.
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
In his youth, Sirius was described as tall and handsome with long, black hair and striking grey eyes. His twelve-year imprisonment in [[Azkaban]] left him with a gaunt, skeletal face, waxy skin, and yellowed teeth. After his escape, with proper care, his handsome looks began to return, though he retained a "shadow of prison" in his eyes.
Sirius was fiercely loyal, brave, and deeply affectionate towards those he loved, particularly James and Harry. He acted as a loving and protective godfather. However, his years in [[Azkaban]] stunted his emotional maturity, leaving him bitter, reckless, and prone to volatile moods. He could be arrogant and cruel, as shown by his lifelong animosity towards [[Severus Snape]] and his mistreatment of [[Kreacher]], which ultimately contributed to his own demise. He often treated Harry more like a peer or a substitute for James rather than a godson, encouraging him to take unnecessary risks.
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
  * **Animagus:** Sirius was a highly skilled wizard, capable of becoming an unregistered [[Animagus]] at a young age. His form was a large black dog, resembling a "great, bear-like" creature. This allowed him to resist the [[Dementors]] and escape [[Azkaban]].
  * **Duelling:** He was a formidable duellist, able to fight multiple [[Death Eaters]], including skilled opponents like [[Antonin Dolohov]] and [[Bellatrix Lestrange]].
  * **Non-Verbal Magic:** Sirius was proficient in casting spells non-verbally, a sign of a powerful and skilled wizard, as demonstrated during the battle in the [[Department of Mysteries]].
  * **Charms and Transfiguration:** His ability to become an [[Animagus]] demonstrates advanced skill in [[Transfiguration]]. As a co-creator of the [[Marauder's Map]], he possessed an exceptional understanding of complex, innovative [[magic]] and [[charms]].
=====Possessions=====
  * **Flying Motorcycle:** An enchanted motorcycle large enough to fit a half-giant like [[Rubeus Hagrid]]. Sirius lent it to Hagrid the night the Potters were killed. It was later used by the [[Order of the Phoenix]].
  * **Two-way Mirror:** A magical mirror that allowed two users to communicate with each other. He gave one to Harry so they could speak while Sirius was on the run, though Harry forgot to use it before Sirius's death.
  * **Wand:** The specific wood, core, and length of his wand are unknown.
  * **[[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]]:** As the last of his line, Sirius inherited the [[Black family]] home, which he detested but offered to the [[Order of the Phoenix]] as their headquarters. Harry inherited the house and all its contents after Sirius's death.
=====Relationships=====
  * **[[Harry Potter]]:** As Harry's godfather, Sirius was the closest thing he had to a father. Their bond was deep and loving, providing Harry with a connection to his parents and a source of support. Sirius's death was one of the most devastating losses Harry ever experienced.
  * **[[James Potter]]:** His best friend and partner in mischief. Their relationship was described as being closer than brothers.
  * **[[Remus Lupin]]:** One of his three closest friends. Their friendship was strained after James's death when Lupin, along with everyone else, believed Sirius was a traitor. They reconciled fully after the events in the [[Shrieking Shack]].
  * **[[Peter Pettigrew]]:** A former friend whose betrayal led to the deaths of James and Lily and Sirius's wrongful imprisonment. Sirius harboured an intense and justified hatred for him.
  * **[[Severus Snape]]:** The two shared a mutual and profound loathing that began during their school days. Their animosity continued into adulthood within the [[Order of the Phoenix]].
  * **[[Black family]]:** Sirius hated his family's pure-blood ideology and ran away from home to escape them. He held a particular animosity for his mother, Walburga, and his cousin, [[Bellatrix Lestrange]], who ultimately killed him.
  * **[[Kreacher]]:** The relationship was one of mutual disdain. Sirius's cruelty towards the [[house-elf]] pushed Kreacher to betray him to Narcissa Malfoy and [[Bellatrix Lestrange]], and to lie to Harry, which was instrumental in luring Harry to the Ministry and causing Sirius's death.
=====Etymology=====
  * **Sirius:** The name of the brightest star in the Earth's night sky, known as the "Dog Star." It is part of the constellation Canis Major (The Great Dog), a direct and significant reference to his [[Animagus]] form. Many members of the [[Black family]] are named after stars or constellations.
  * **Black:** A surname that reflects the family's dark reputation, association with the [[Dark Arts]], and the name of the star Sirius B, which is a white dwarf but was once part of the "dark" or unseen component of the Sirius star system before its discovery.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations of the *Harry Potter* series, Sirius Black is portrayed by actor Gary Oldman.
  * The films depict Sirius with a body covered in tattoos, which are meant to be [[Azkaban]] prison tattoos. This is a film invention and is not mentioned in the books. (film)
  * J.K. Rowling has stated that she always intended for Sirius to die. She felt it was an important part of Harry's emotional journey into adulthood, forcing him to stand on his own and face the harsh realities of war and loss. (J.K. Rowling interview)