Sirius Black's Bio, updated
What do you need to know about me? I was born in London in January of 1960. Thank you, Mother and Father, for bringing me into this world. Thank you, Cousin Bella, for helping me depart it in June of 1996.
I'm not going to talk about what it was like being dead. Don't ask me.
Anyway, I'm back. I don't know how. I've sort of figured out why. After twelve years in Azkaban, don't expect me to embrace life. I'm just not quite ready to embrace death yet, is all.
In school I had the best mates I bloke could wish for. I miss James Potter like I would miss my soul if someone tore it out of me. His son -- and Lily's -- is my godson. I've been a pretty crap (and absent) godfather for most of his life, but I'm going to make it up to him. Somehow. Anyone who so much as thinks about hurting him will have to get through me, first.
He's one reason I have to keep living.
The other reason is Remus Lupin.
I love Remus John Lupin. He is my soul. If that disgusts you, so be it. If that makes me a poof, a homo, a bleeding fairy, so be it. If you feel the need to keep your sproglets away from me and my nasty influence, so be it.
Actually, keep them away regardless.
I bite.
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What else? I'm six feet even. I have black hair that I should probably cut. I have blue eyes. I can do the crossword in under five minutes, in ink. I like the Caerphilly Catapults. I have a weakness for Russian literature, hot young werewolves, and every kind of Asian food you can name.
I hate the dark. And curtains. I'm redecorating 12 Grimmauld Place. There will be no more curtains in this house, and if you love me you'll do the same for your own.
What he's reluctant to tell you:
Sirius is the elder son of Rigel and Lavinia Black. As the first male Black in his generation (brother Regulus came along two years later, and Uncle Alphard only had daughters) Sirius was spoiled and coddled a bit at first. His parents took pride in the fact that their noble and ancient name would continue for another generation.
Sirius showed signs of rebellion early on. He chafed at nearly every rule and restriction, asked questions, and when he didn't like the ones his parents gave him, he went out in search of his own. At first his parents thought this was a phase. The boy was young, after all. (Never mind that Regulus always did as he was told and never asked questions.) He would grow into his heritage.
At 11 Sirius began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and was Sorted into Gryffindor. At first Rigel and Lavinia wondered what they had done wrong. They swiftly decided it was the boy's fault, and not theirs. They'd done everything they could to beat the proper Black mindset into their eldest. At least they had a spare.
It took Sirius a while to get used to Gryffindor. While he'd been happy at first for the chance to disappoint his parents (just imagine their faces when they heard!) the moment he reached his dorm it was made clear to him by the older Gryffindors that he was unwanted. Never one to be browbeaten into submission, Sirius fought fire with fire and in doing so won the admiration and friendship of James Potter, another boy in his year.
His seven years at Hogwarts were the happiest of Sirius' life. He made other people miserable sometimes, but he was happy. In addition to James, his best friends were Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. The four of them made all sorts of mischief, usually at the expense of the Slytherins, particularly one Severus Snape, toward whom Sirius and James were especially nasty.
Highlights of Sirius years at Hogwarts include:
-along with James and Peter, becoming an Animagus at the age of fifteen so that Remus, a werewolf, would not have to be alone on full moon nights.
-the creation, along with James, Peter, and Remus, of the Marauder's Map.
-receiving excellent marks despite being rather lazy about studying and forgetting his homework half the time
-shagging or at least getting off with most of the beautiful girls at Hogwarts (he tended to target halfbloods and Muggleborns, with hopes that the news would reach his parents)
-with the help of his Uncle Alphard, getting his own flat at seventeen and being allowed to live as he pleased
Lowlights include:
-various unprovoked attacks on Severus Snape (enjoyable -- for Sirius -- at the time, though in the long run these were probably bad moves)
-at sixteen, mouthing off to his parents about the Dark Lord, being hexed within an inch of his life, and fleeing to James' house (Actually, living with James and his parents for a few months was a highlight)
-betraying Remus to Snape in a fit of anger and frustration with the world in general and his parents in particular.
-being ostracised from his little group for a while, as a result
-Humbling himself to Dumbledore, James, Remus, and Peter (Sirius has problems with humility)
-realising that all the pretty girls in the world weren't going to change the fact that he fancied blokes...one bloke in particular.
-watching his younger brother fall under the influence of the likes of Lucius Malfoy and feeling powerless to do a damn thing about it.
After leaving Hogwarts, Sirius and his friends joined Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix and fought in the first war against Voldemort. The war came to a close when Voldemort lost his powers (and body) at the hands of one-year-old Harry Potter, Peter Pettigrew successfully framed Sirius for the betrayal of James and his wife Lily, and Sirius was thrown into Azkaban prison without a trial.
Azkaban was one long nightmare for Sirius. Locked away from the sunlight in a tiny, filthy cell with only his bad memories, Sirius would have gone mad if not for the fact that he was innocent. While a part of him believed that he deserved to be punished for trusting Peter and distrusting Remus, the fact that Harry, his godson, lived gave him a spark of hope that the Dementors could not extinguish. Sirius also had his Animagus form as a haven.
In late 1993 Sirius learned of Peter Pettigrew's whereabouts, and, in dog-form, broke out of prison. With the Dementors on his trail, he went first to Surrey to get a glimpse of the godson he hadn't seen in twelve years. Unfortunately the boy saw him, panicked, and fled via the Knight Bus, leaving Sirius to make for Hogwarts where he intended to catch Peter.
When his attempts failed -- though he was able to convince Harry, Remus, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Albus Dumbledore of his innocence -- Sirius fled to the South Seas, where he stayed until September of 1994, when Harry needed him again.
When Voldemort rose to power a second time -- following the debacle of the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts -- and Dumbledore re-established the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius offered 12 Grimmauld Place as headquarters. (His parents had died sometime in the early 1980s.) Because the Ministry still believed Sirius to be guilty of betraying the Potters and murdering 12 innocent Muggles (and Pettigrew) and Voldemort's forces were aware of his Animagus form, Sirius was forced to spend nearly a year in his parents' old house. Haunted by memories of the abuse he'd suffered at his parents hands and frustrated with his inability to help Harry and his companions, Sirius already dubious mental stability began to shake. He became increasingly moody and restless, and when Harry was tricked by Voldemort into breaking into the Department of Mysteries, Sirius followed his godson without a second's thought for his own safety.
In the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Sirius was blasted through an ancient archway by his cousin Bellatrix, and died.
A month later he was brought back to life by Remus Lupin and brought to the island...
Sirius now intends to live the rest of his life as posthumously as possible.
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Just a few other details...
-Sirius is brash, reckless, impolite, childish, rude, and sometimes cruel, though rarely intentionally. Though his actions often belie this, he's extremely clever, well-read, and creative. His redeeming quality, however, is his capacity for love. He isn't sure where this capacity came from, but sixteen years under his parents' roof couldn't beat it out of him, and twelve years in Azkaban couldn't do it, either. Neither could one month of death. His ability to love is much stronger than his ability to hate. He loved James Potter like a brother. (He loved his real brother, Regulus, and one of his many regrets is his inability to save the boy. He knows Regulus died at the hands of one of his fellow Death Eaters. He suspects Bellatrix.) He loves Harry, and he loves Remus. He isn't sure how Remus feels about him (their history's been rather rocky to say the least) but Sirius is devoted.
-He won't talk about it, but his death was...traumatising to say the least. It's helped him appreciate life a little more, but it's also made him a bit more reckless and impudent because hey, the worst has already happened, hasn't it?
-He has very little respect left for Dumbledore, whom he considers responsible for his incarceration in Grimmauld Place, and therefore a contributor to his death. In fact, there are very few people to whom he'll listen. Rather, he'll listen, but there are very few people whom he'll obey.
-His Animagus form his an enormous black dog with pale eyes.
-As a young man, Sirius was very handsome. He was tall, broad-shouldered, pale-skinned, black-haired, blue-eyed. He had a wicked a smile and a filthy wit. He lost his looks after Azkaban (twelve years in that place will take the casual elegance out of one's hair), but got them back after his resurrection. He's still on the thin side, but he's gotten some colour back in his face and some lustre back in his hair, which he continues to wear long. Because he rarely gets out these days, he tends to dress casually, in plain wizard robes or in Muggle jeans, T-shirts, and jumpers.
-Ah, sexuality. Sirius doesn't identify as anything in particular. He used to sleep with girls, and he enjoyed it for the most part, though he generally saw them as conquests. He's only ever been in love with one person, who happens to be a man. If that makes him gay, he's fine with that. He just doesn't like restricting himself with labels.