shades of black

The walls of Azkaban whispered despair. The cold seemed to crawl beneath Sirius Black’s skin, burrowing into his bones, a constant reminder of where he was and why. The Dementors glided past his cell, sucking the warmth from the air, leaving nothing but a void of memories Sirius would rather forget. He stayed in his Animagus form most days—a great black dog, ribs visible beneath matted fur. The dog couldn’t feel the full weight of grief or guilt. The dog didn’t dream of James, Lily, or Harry’s cries as Voldemort struck them down.
But even in this form, he heard the voice. “You’re pathetic, you know that, Black?” The dog’s ears twitched, but Sirius didn’t move. The voice belonged to the man across the corridor: Barty Crouch Jr., one of Voldemort’s most loyal followers. “You sit there, hiding as a dog, like that’ll make the memories go away.” There was a laugh—a sharp, brittle sound that carried down the stone halls. “Or maybe you’re just afraid to be human. Too much guilt, huh? I can’t blame you. You did kill your best friend.”
Sirius shifted back into his human form with deliberate slowness, his gaunt face illuminated by the faint light filtering through the cracks in the stone. He didn’t rise, didn’t approach the bars, but his voice was low and dangerous when he spoke. “Shut up, Crouch.”“Touchy,” Barty drawled, leaning against the bars of his own cell. He looked worse for wear—sunken cheeks, hollow eyes—but his voice was as sharp as ever. “They say you can’t run from the truth, but I suppose you’ve found a way.” Sirius ignored him, his eyes drifting to the cracks in the ceiling where the faint sound of crashing waves echoed from outside.
Barty’s tone shifted, quieter now. “What would your brother say, I wonder? About all this. ”The words hit Sirius like a punch to the gut. He froze, his mind dragging him back to memories he had buried: Regulus’s sneering face at the Black family dinner table, his cold words when Sirius stormed out of Grimmauld Place for the last time. “Don’t,” Sirius warned, his voice tight. But Barty didn’t stop. “You think he hated you, don’t you? That he was just another perfect little Death Eater, following Mummy and Daddy’s orders. You’re wrong.”
Sirius finally stood, his hands gripping the bars of his cell. “What the hell do you know about Regulus?” Barty smirked, but there was something darker behind it—a shadow in his eyes. “I know he died trying to bring down the Dark Lord. And I know why.” Sirius’s breath caught. For a moment, the freezing air seemed to vanish, replaced by the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears. “You’re lying.”“Am I?” Barty leaned closer, his voice a whisper now. “Regulus wasn’t a coward. He wasn’t a pawn. He died a hero. And if you get us out of here, I’ll tell you everything.”

The plan was madness, but Sirius had nothing left to lose.For days, they whispered across the corridor, planning their escape in hushed tones. Sirius had spent twelve years in Azkaban, and though the Dementors had drained much of his strength, he had observed. He knew the guards’ routines, the crumbling parts of the prison where the wards were weakest.“ I hope you’re not planning to screw me over,” Barty said one night as Sirius transformed back into a man, his ribs heaving after hours spent in Animagus form. Sirius shot him a glare. “If I wanted you dead, I’d leave you here to rot.” Barty chuckled, leaning against the bars. “Touché.”
The night of their escape came during a storm. The guards were distracted, the howling wind masking the sounds of their movements. Sirius led the way, his dog form silent on the stone floors, while Barty followed, his stolen wand hidden beneath his ragged robes. They reached the crumbling section of the prison just as a Dementor passed by. Sirius froze, his canine form bristling, but Barty didn’t falter. He raised his wand, a twisted grin on his face. “Don’t,” Sirius hissed, shifting back to human. “It’ll attract more of them.”“And what’s your plan? Bark at them?”The two glared at each other for a tense moment before Sirius turned back to the wall. With a jagged piece of enchanted metal he had hidden in his cell for years, he began prying at the stones. The moment they broke through, icy seawater rushed into the passage, soaking their legs.
Sirius transformed again, leading the way into the freezing ocean. For hours, they swam. The water was like knives against Sirius’s skin, but he forced himself onward, Barty’s gasping breaths behind him a constant reminder of the stakes. When they finally reached shore, Sirius collapsed onto the rocky beach, coughing and shivering. Barty crawled up beside him, his hair plastered to his face. He rolled onto his back, laughing breathlessly. “I’ll admit, Black. I didn’t think you had it in you.”Sirius didn’t respond. He lay there, staring at the stormy sky, Regulus’s name burning in his mind.