By the time we’ve finished Prisoner of Azkaban we’re meant to believe that Sirius Black was INNOCENT of the crimes for which he was accused.

For those who might be a little fuzzy on the details, Sirius wasn’t just some random fugitive — he was Harry’s godfather, a loyal member of the Order of the Phoenix, and once the closest friend of Harry’s father, James Potter. 

And as we get closer to the end of the book/film, it’s finally revealed to Harry that the true traitor was Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius.

It was Pettigrew who had betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort.

It was Pettigrew who had faked his own death.

And it was Pettigrew who had framed Sirius for the murder of twelve Muggles in broad daylight.

Before we as readers — or Harry — learned the truth, the version of Sirius we were given was that of a dangerous, half-mad fugitive: the first wizard to ever escape from Azkaban, a man believed to have murdered thirteen people with a single curse, and someone whose very name could strike fear into the Wizarding population.

And after these initial revelations of Sirius’ innocence come to light, Harry’s relationship with Sirius blossoms almost overnight — I’d argue, a little too quickly. In a matter of pages, Sirius goes from “the man who betrayed my parents” to “the godfather I never had,” with Harry seemingly almost immediately ready to drop the Dursleys behind and go and live with him (although we know, he couldn’t do that).

But here’s my question: if Sirius was truly innocent, why didn’t he act like it? Why did so many of his choices — from the moment of his arrest to his escape and eventual return — seem to confirm the image of a dangerous, unstable man?

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