Prologue

Where do I begin? The beginning is the usual place, I know this. However, I was not there at the beginning. I only have the testimony of others. People that are supposed to be dead, aren't. Lies all my life, secrets and betrayals. I never truly understood what he told me that day. My hope is to figure it out by writing this, this story.

Before I begin, please know this may or may not be true. I haven't seen or heard from the person who told me all of this since he left right after his confession to me. I only have his word to go on, and he's an alleged escaped convict. Well, until recently that is, when he was cleared.

I never figured that one out, seeing as the only person who knew the truth, Peter Pettigrew, was dead 3 years now.

Unless of course... Sirius was telling the truth.

******

Chapter one

"Five years, four months, and eighteen days," Sirius muttered to himself. "However have I managed it?"

Sirius Black, was a tall dark and handsome specimen of a man. Well, he used to be before he was thrown into Azkaban, five and a half years ago. Accused of killing 13 people with one curse, and betraying his James and Lily Potter to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he was left to rot in a closet of a cell with no trial.

"Throw him in, and lock him up!" Sirius mumbled sarcastically. He did that a lot. "You didn't do anything Sirius Black. You didn't betray your friends to Voldemort; you didn't kill 13 people. Wormtail did. That stupid rat bastard did. What I'd like to do to him right now...." he trailed off. "I'll get my chance. I'll get my chance for revenge. I will avenge James a Lily. I'm innocent. I'm innocent..."

Night fell, and what little light they had was extinguished. The screams always got worse at night. The prison, full of murderers and villains. They all screamed into the night sky, praying for relief. Childhood memories, friends, all the good things in life are all gone. The people are left with nothing but withering hopes and despair.

Sirius was only an exception because he never screamed. He didn't kill Lily and James. He didn't betray those thirteen people... wait that was backwards. He shook his head, and looked up at the night sky. Through he cracks in the clouds, he could see the full moon. Sirius wanted to think about Remus and the fun they had at Hogwarts, but the happiness would be sucked away, leaving him feeling even more hollow and empty than before.

"There is plenty of time to think of those things after you get out of this place," Sirius scolded himself.

As the next morning arrived, so did a new inmate. Sirius could hardly wait. He derived a sick pleasure, one that couldn't be taken by Dementors seeing as they had caused it, in seeing how long it took before the "new guy" went crazy.

"He'll be placed with you, Black. One wrong move and you'll be kissed. Understood?" The caretaker, Miles asked him with a sneer.

Sirius muttered his approval and lay back down on his bed.

No one said anything that night. No one moved the next morning.

"Five years, four months, 20 days," Sirius muttered, marking it down on the wall.

"What?" The voice from the other cot asked softly. He was covered head to toe, in a black robe. His face was hidden beneath the hood.

"That's how long I've been in here. I didn't do any of the things I was accused of either. I supposed though, that's not the point. I'm in here for the rest of my life," Sirius was pacing by now, feeling like a caged animal. Then he barked a laugh, "I'll probably die in this cell. 5 galleons it'll be by your hand."

"I'll hold you to it," the other man replied.

Sirius just raised an eyebrow. "You sound familiar. Do I know you?"

Slowly the man stood up and pulled his hood down. "Surely you remember me, Sirius?"

He took a step away from the man. "This... you... joke. Lie." Sirius shook his head, trying to clear the image, but still the man in the robes stood before him.

"James?"