A/N: From now on I will be posting the Azkaban Interludes separately from the regular chapters. They were originally written as fillers, and most are not very long. For those who are re-reading this from my posting at different sites, there are several Azkaban scenes and other moments I did not include that I will hopefully be able to put here.
-------NOV. 2, AZKABAN PRISON-------
Sirius sat slumped against the wall in the holding cell. He clutched his head in his hands and tried to shut his mind
to everything. Unfortunately, nothing was working. Visions of his life's worst memories ran thru his head: the day
back in his first year when he was sorted into Gryffindor and his mum sent him a Howler screaming of the shame he had
cause the family for not being good enough to be a Slytherin. The time he stole a bar of Honeyduke's chocolate on a
dare and got caught. When he ran away from home and spent the night sleeping under an interstate turnpike in the rain.
James' face when he heard he'd kissed Lily. Graduation, looking out into the sea of happy parent's faces
and his own not there. James and Lily . . . James and Lily . . . and Remus . . . and Wormtail. . .Wormtail. Just the
thought of his name sent the familiar anger thru Sirius' shivering body. The horror of the betrayal, and the
idiotic reasoning behind it all!
As if he thought he could ever be good enough for my Lily Sirius thought furiously. Never mind that Lily had
married James and borne him a son. In Sirius' mind, she was and would always be his Lily.
His rambling thoughts were interrupted when the door to the holding cell swung open. Sirius looked up to see Barty
Crouch and Alastor Moody (and member of the Order of the Phoenix) enter. Seeing Moody filled Sirius with a small bit of
hope. Moody served in the Order with Sirius. Moody's presence possibly meant that maybe Dumbledore.
"Peter Pettigrew and 12 Muggles died in that little stunt you pulled yesterday, Black." Crouch's voice
was harsh and held no sympathy.
"I didn't-"
"QUIET!" Crouch roared. "Don't you dare speak to me, Death Eater!" Crouch practically spat the
last to words out of his mouth and glared at Sirius with hatred Sirius hadn't seen since he lived at home.
"Death Eater," Sirius stammered. "I'm not a Dea-"
"I said be QUIET! Petrificus Totalus!" Sirius was frozen in the Full Body Bind, unable to move, unable to
speak. He could, however, see and hear just fine. Crouch leaned over him to make sure Sirius caught every word.
"I know what you did to the Potters," he hissed. "And now Pettigrew, plus a dozen innocent Muggles! What
a lasting tribute to the memory of your fallen master you performed. You'll have ages to remember it. You're
not going anywhere, ever. I hope you like your new home." Crouch straightened and turned towards the door.
"What about his trial Barty?" Moody's hoarse voice came from Sirius left, though he wasn't in his
line of vision.
"You honestly think filth like that deserves a trial?" Crouch sniffed. He swept out of the cell and the door
banged shut behind him. Moody and Sirius were alone.
"I never would have believed it, myself," Moody said. "I honestly thought you loved James and
Lily." There was a long silence and the cell door slowly creaked open again. The cold swept into the room as
though it were alive.
Oh God, don't leave me here, please don't leave me here, I didn't do anything it was Wormtail not me oh
god somebody please don't leave me here with them to be forgotten please help me help me. . . Sirius tried to
throw off the curse that bound him, but nothing worked.
Moody shifted so Sirius could see him. He walked toward the doorway then stopped on the threshold and looked back over
his shoulder at Sirius.
"I hope you rot here," he whispered. Moody was gone, the order of the Phoenix had abandoned him. Two tall,
hooded dementors glided into the room. Sirius would have screamed if they could. Their clammy, rotted hands reached out
for him. They grasped his arms and Sirius felt his very flesh try to crawl away from where they touched him. He closed
his eyes and gave the last coherent thought he would have for thirteen years.
Lily. . . . .