Letters

He had to tell him. Whether Remus would listen or not, he had to try. Sirius Black sat cold and alone in his dark Azkaban cell, with nothing but sad, tormenting thoughts flooding his mind. Images of his best friend, the one and only James Potter, flashed in and out, then Hogwarts and their years as the Marauders...everything...his life...their life...all gone.

His eyes were dry, his lips were parched. He had no tears left, for he had cried them all. He wept for the life that James and Lily would never get to live.... But most of all he wept for all that Harry would never know, for all the things and special moments James and Lily would miss in Harry's life. He wept for Remus, who was now alone with no friends. And he wept for himself, for he was the cause of it all.

Sirius looked around the almost empty cell, his eyes burning with dry tears that he could not cry. He spotted some parchment, a quill, and a bit of ink. He took a deep breath, and felt a lump form in his throat; this was so hard for him. It was so hard to accept that this was now his life. He would never again see the people, or feel the love and happiness that he had come to know and love so dearly. Everything had gone in a second it seemed. They were dead, and he was dying inside.

Sirius flattened out the piece of parchment, dipped the quill in ink, and began to write what would be one of his last letters to the outside world.

Dear Remus,

I am writing you this letter because there is something you must know. And will hopefully believe. I am innocent. That is as simply as I can put it. What happened that night I have still yet to really understand or figure out... but I can tell you that I am innocent of betraying James and Lily. I would have died for them. As I would die for you. I know you are angry and hurt, but I cannot change what happened. Please know that I am not a traitor. For I have wept for them.... And weep I still shall. I am still your friend. Forever a marauder I shall be. Forever your brother in the wild. Forgive me.

-Sirius

He reread the letter many times before rolling it up. He then went to the window and waited. Within minutes a large snowy owl, perched itself next to the bars, waiting for the letter to be attached.

"Take this to Remus Lupin," he said in a low and grief trodden voice.

The owl took flight, and Sirius watched it go until it was far from view. He hung his head once more and slowly walked over to his bed, limply sitting down on it. The will to live was diminishing quickly, but he still sought to be strong. He was innocent. And his innocence would be the only thing that kept him alive.