Sirius Black's Story is a Lot More Tragic Than We Used to Think

He's one of the most adored Harry Potter characters of all time, and that's a fact: even those who aren't exactly in love with him sympathize with the amount of pain he's gone through in his life.

But you've likely never truly, fully realized just how terrible his experience in life has been. It's not just the imprisonment: his entire existence was filled with pain and grief. If you don't quite grasp what we mean by that, let us explain.

Childhood

Born an heir to the Black family, Sirius never knows any love from his parents. They are cold and cruel people who abuse and punish him severely.

His beloved younger brother is brainwashed and separated from him, and all Sirius hears is how disappointing he is for his family. There is nothing good in his childhood.

School years

During his first school years, Sirius is still living with his parents; later, he moves to the Potters.

For his utter disregard for the Blacks' values, he is excluded from the family tree and banished, completely losing contact with his brother, Regulus. Still, in Hogwarts, he makes some amazing friends who love him and care for him.

First War

Immediately after graduation, while still a teenager, Sirius joins the Order of Phoenix and goes to war with Voldemort. He sees his comrades die around him all the time.

A few years later, his best friends, Lily and James Potters are murdered, and he learns that they were betrayed by their other friend, Peter. Sirius tries to kill him.

Azkaban

Sirius is framed for the murder of his best friends by his other best friend. At the age of 21, he is sent to Azkaban, the worst prison in the world.

For twelve years, he's being drained of positive emotions, helpless, and burning with pain and hatred. One day, he manages to escape — now he's a hated and feared outlaw on the run.

Outlaw life

After the escape, Sirius is on the run, sleeping in caves and eating rats. At the same time, he's trying to find the traitor who killed the Potters and framed him.

As soon as he succeeds and explains the truth to Harry, his godson, Peter manages to escape, leaving Sirius bitter and empty-handed. At least Harry now knows the truth.

Second War

For a couple more years, Sirius lives in hiding until Voldemort resurrects. Immediately, Sirius joins the new Order of Phoenix, but they just keep him locked in the childhood house he hates.

It drives him insane: after all these years he's still not avenged his friends or himself, and he's locked in another prison, helpless again.

Death

Spent many more months locked up, Sirius finally gets some action: he rushes to the Ministry of Magic to rescue his godson.

There, he fights his one final battle and feels alive again for the first time in many years… And gets killed in front of Harry, forever losing his chances for revenge and his found-at-last family.

His life ended before it even began. He lost everyone he loved and spent his best years in prison, framed for a crime he didn't commit.

He was hated and hunted, living on the run. He never got a chance to take revenge for the Potters or for himself, or to build a new family, or do anything but suffer.

This is how Sirius Black's life was. Can you imagine what's been going on inside of him all these years?