“Sirius — it’s me . . . it’s Peter . . . your friend . . . you wouldn’t . . .”Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.“There’s enough filth on my robes without you touching them,” said Black.”

“What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!""You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!""THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!”

“Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!”A bearlike black dog had appeared at Harry’s side as Harry clambered over the various trunks cluttering the hall to get to Mrs. Weasley.“Oh honestly,” said Mrs. Weasley despairingly. “Well, on your own head be it!”The great black dog gave a joyful bark and gamboled around them, snapping at pigeons, and chasing its own tail. Harry couldn’t help laughing. Sirius had been trapped inside for a very long time.”

“He's not a child!" said Sirius impatiently."He's not an adult either!" said Mrs. Weasley, the color rising in her cheeks. "He's not James, Sirius!""I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Sirius coldly."I'm not sure you are!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!”

“If you made a better rat than a human, it’s not much to boast about, Peter.”

“I think they ought to know. You do them a disservice by not confiding something this important to them.”“I didn’t want —”“— to worry or frighten them?” said Dumbledore, surveying Harry over the top of his half-moon spectacles. “Or perhaps, to confess that you yourself are worried and frightened? You need your friends, Harry. As you so rightly said, Sirius would not have wanted you to shut yourself away.”