Sirius Black was Harry Potter’s godfather, James Potter’s best mate, loyal member of the Order of the Phoenix, and all-around good wizard. So, why in the name of Merlin’s beard did he slash the portrait of the Fat Lady in The Prisoner of Azkaban?
The wizard Sirius Black first showed up in the wizarding world of Harry Potter in the third instalment of the series, The Prisoner of Azkaban. And while later in the novel Sirius was able to prove that he was actually a courageous and loyal wizard who had been framed for crimes he didn’t commit, the initial depiction of him was that of a wanted fugitive.
But if Sirius was actually a good wizard, and not a feral murderer, why did he act so violently early on in The Prisoner of Azkaban? In particular, why did he slash the portrait of the Fat Lady that guarded Gryffindor Tower?
Read on for answers to these questions and more!
Everything We Know About Sirius Black in The Prisoner of Azkaban
Who was Sirius Black?
Sirius Black was a British wizard who attended Hogwarts at the same time as Harry Potter’s father, James. He was sorted into Gryffindor, which was an anomaly for a member of the Black family. Almost every other witch or wizard from the House of Black has been sorted into Slytherin.
But Sirius did not subscribe to his family’s prejudice beliefs. Instead, he was a loyal wizard who loved his friends, regardless of their blood status. He even learned the difficult magical skill of becoming an Animagus—a wizard who could transform into an animal counterpart—in order to support his werewolf friend, Remus Lupin.
Yet, in 1981, Sirius was sentenced to life-imprisonment in the wizarding prison of Azkaban.
Why was Sirius sent to Azkaban?
Before Sirius was convicted of his crimes, James and Lily Potter had asked him to be their Secret Keeper in an effort to hide from Lord Voldemort. Believing he would be too obvious a choice, Sirius suggested the Potters choose another friend, Peter Pettigrew, instead. They did. Peter then betrayed the Potters.
Sirius was wrongfully accused of Pettigrew’s crimes and was convicted for the betrayal of James and Lily, as well as the murders of Peter and a group of Muggle bystanders.
How did Sirius escape from Azkaban?
After spending an entire decade in Azkaban, Sirius was able to escape in his Animagus form as a dog. This is because Sirius was an unregistered Animagus. This meant that the Ministry of Magic and the Dementors who guard Azkaban were unaware that Sirius had this ability.
As a dog, he was able to slip by the Dementors undetected.
But why did he slash the Gryffindor portrait?
When Sirius slashed the Fat Lady’s portrait, this act appeared to be proof that he was a dark wizard guilty of his accused crimes. To most people, it looked like he was trying to hunt down Harry and kill him—just like he’d supposedly killed Peter and others.
But as it turns out, Sirius was actually looking for Pettigrew—not Harry. He knew that Peter hadn’t died and that he’d been hiding in HIS Animagus form as a rat for a decade. Peter’s betrayal of their friends, and of himself, had him understandably enraged.
He had also been held prisoner in Azkaban surrounded by soul-sucking Dementors for the last ten years. So, he likely wasn’t in the best frame of mind.
Believing Peter to be hiding inside Gryffindor Tower, Sirius went to look for him. As a former Gryffindor, he knew that the entrance to the tower was behind the Fat Lady. But not being a current student, he wouldn’t have had the password. And the Fat Lady wouldn’t have let him in without it.
Feeling frustrated, somewhat feral, and thoroughly angry, Sirius probably just lost it on the Fat Lady, slashing her portrait and forcing his way inside.
