Alex stared at him, completely at a loss. 'How can someone be so stubborn?' he thought. Sirius was innocent, yet he had absolutely no desire to leave this wretched place.
But if Sirius refused to step out of Azkaban willingly, then even if Alex proved his innocence to the entire world, it wouldn't matter. The promise Minister Bagnold had made about setting him free would mean nothing, Sirius had to want it too.
So Alex kept trying. He brought up the world outside, how much things had changed, and even talked about Lupin, the only friend Sirius had left. He reminded him that he still had people who cared. But none of it got through. Sirius kept his head low, gripping it tightly with both hands, as if physically trying to block out Alex's words.
In the end, Alex sighed in defeat and turned helplessly to look at Minister Bagnold, who had been quietly standing to the side the whole time.
The Minister still seemed dazed by the bombshell he'd just heard, Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black, had been the Secret Keeper. Peter, thought to be a hero and martyr, had actually been the traitor. The Ministry had even given him a First-Class Order of Merlin after his so-called death.
The weight of that revelation was staggering. Overturning it wouldn't just mean freeing Sirius, it would shake the entire foundation of a major part of the war's history.
But when he noticed Alex looking at him, Bagnold gave a small nod of support. Whatever the consequences, the truth mattered.
Alex realized he had one last card to play, something that might just break through the walls Sirius had built around himself.
"Sirius," he said quietly, but with purpose, "what about Harry? Have you given up on him too? James and Lily are gone. That's a tragedy neither of us can change. But you... you're his godfather. It's your job to look after him. Are you really going to leave him to grow up without any real family? Without anyone who truly knew his parents?"
As he spoke, Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out a magical photograph. He held it up so Sirius could see it clearly. It was a picture taken five years ago, during Christmas at the Potters' home, a rare moment frozen in time. James and Lily stood smiling together, with baby Harry nestled in Alex's arms.
Sirius visibly flinched at the mention of Harry's name, his whole body trembling as if the words had struck something deep within him. His eyes locked onto the photo, and his hands reached for it almost without thinking. He grabbed it and stared, his gaze glued to the smiling faces of his best friends... and their son.
For a long moment, Sirius said nothing, his eyes filling with tears as the silence wrapped around them. "Harry? Is he alright now?" Sirius asked, unable to hide the worry in his voice.
"He's with Dumbledore right now," Alex replied. "But I don't know the exact situation. What I do know is that raising him is your responsibility, Sirius. You're his godfather. That obligation hasn't changed." Seeing that his words were starting to sink in, Alex pushed harder.
"But I can't forgive myself… Harry… no…" Sirius let out another broken sob. Then he looked up at Alex with tired, haunted eyes. "I don't have the right to see him. I failed him. Alex… maybe you should take care of him. You've held him, you've bonded with him. Maybe it's better if he stays with you."
Alex's expression darkened instantly. "Hmph!" he scoffed, clearly angry. "That's your godson, Sirius. Why are you trying to dump him on me? Unless you're willing to clear your name and walk out of this damn Azkaban yourself, don't expect me to keep looking after him."
"No… you can't do that," Sirius said with a shaky voice. He was a mess inside. Part of him couldn't face the guilt, but another part clung to the memory of Harry, Harry, who was the only thing keeping that tiny spark of hope alive in him. And now, he was stuck, drowning in his own doubts.
Alex could tell that even Harry wasn't enough to shake Sirius out of his hopeless state, and that realization hit him hard. His old friend's will had been crushed long ago, and maybe by his own hand.
The cell fell into heavy silence. Sirius sat in tortured indecision, and Alex stood there, racking his brain for another way to reach him.
'If the living can't move him... what about the dead? Or better yet… the enemy? 'That thought lit a spark in Alex's mind. Maybe it wasn't about reminding Sirius who he loved, but who he hated. A dangerous idea took shape. He leaned forward slightly. "Sirius… are you absolutely sure Peter Pettigrew, the one who betrayed James and Lily, is really dead?"
Sirius flinched at the name, his face twisting with pain. "Why are you bringing that up again? That bastard blew himself up with a Blasting Curse before I could get him. There was nothing left, no way he could have survived that spell."
But this time, Sirius didn't explode in rage like before. His voice was steadier, more reflective. He wasn't lashing out, he was thinking.
Alex seized the moment. "Then tell me this," he said carefully. "What's the address of the Potters' old home?"
Sirius blinked, confused. "Why?"
"Because if Peter's dead," Alex said calmly, "then according to the rules of the Fidelius Charm, everyone who knew the address should automatically become a Secret-Keeper. If you can say the address now, it would prove Peter's really gone."
Sirius opened his mouth. Then stopped. Tried again. Nothing.
No matter how many times he tried, the words just wouldn't come. It was as if something unseen was stopping him, like a force wrapping itself around his throat, silencing him.
"I… I can't say it," Sirius muttered, stunned. His face went pale as realization dawned. Then his eyes widened with fury. "That bastard… Peter Pettigrew is still alive!"
Alex nodded. "I had a feeling," he said darkly. "Looking back, it never made sense. Peter was always a coward. Why would he kill himself so suddenly instead of trying to talk his way out of it? It didn't sit right with me. And now… we know the truth."
The spark in Sirius's eyes was no longer grief, it was fire. Hatred. Determination.
"Alex," he said, his voice firm and sharp, "we can't let him get away with this. He betrayed James. Lily. He let Voldemort find them. That traitor must pay. We have to find him."
"This is something you should do once you're out of here," Alex said firmly, watching Sirius's face shift from despair to fury. He could tell the man was no longer drowning in hopelessness. Seeing that fire return to Sirius's eyes, Alex released his grip on the man's arm and slowly stood upright.