After Slim had walked away, Minister Bagnold nodded to Alan, then took out her wand and lightly tapped herself, her body vanishing into thin air. This was the plan they had discussed: Alan would face Sirius alone.
Seeing this, Alan also nodded slightly and calmly walked toward the cell where Sirius was being held. When he arrived, he finally saw his old friend again after many years.
The cell looked fairly spacious, but the floor and walls were covered in grime. A figure with a disheveled beard, covered in dirt, was curled up in a corner where the light couldn't reach. Under the faint glow, Alan saw Sirius staring blankly at the ground. In this biting cold winter, he was wearing only a single layer of clothing, his figure thin and hunched. He looked nothing like a young man under thirty, but rather like an old man in his seventies.
"Sirius!" Alan looked at the haggard Black with a pang of heartache, calling out to him softly.
Sirius shivered, as if he had just realized someone was standing in front of his bars. He lifted his weathered face, his lifeless eyes focusing on the figure outside. Perhaps due to the many years that had passed, he didn't recognize Alan for a moment, only staring blankly.
"Sirius! It's me, Alan. Alan Wilson. Do you remember me?" Alan squatted down to bring his gaze level with the man's and called out softly again.
"Al… Alan?" Sirius used the meager light to finally see the face before him. Even after Alan introduced himself, he remained unsure. He examined him carefully for a long moment before finally recognizing the young man.
Upon seeing the change in Sirius's eyes, Alan knew he had been recognized. "Sirius, I've come to see you. Can you come a little closer? I have something to tell you."
However, contrary to what Alan had imagined, Sirius's expression immediately became distorted. He began to tremble all over and turned around, pressing his head against the corner of the wall. He covered his head with both hands, burying his face in his arms and chest, and began to scream.
"Go away! You go away! I don't want to see you! This isn't where you should be!" Sirius shouted in a hoarse voice, burying his head deeper, as if the person who appeared before him were a demon rather than a friend.
Seeing this unusual behavior, Alan couldn't help but frown. The man before him had completely lost the dashing, unrestrained demeanor he remembered. He looked like a street beggar, a pitiful wretch.
"Sirius, calm down! I'm here to help you!" Alan's voice rose slightly as he looked at the distraught man.
"Go away! I don't want to see you! I killed James and Lily, I killed them, I..." Sirius was extremely agitated, his voice a mix of pain and madness, completely ignoring Alan's words.
Alan tried a few more comforting phrases, but Black ignored him, simply repeating those words over and over. Seeing that communication was impossible, Alan felt at a loss. But he heard something unusual in Sirius's words. The pain he showed did not seem faked. If Black had truly and willingly betrayed the Potters, why would he be in such agony now? In this hellhole, there was no reason to maintain an act.
Alan helplessly tilted his head toward the empty space beside him where Minister Bagnold was hiding. The Minister could only shrug invisibly. She had already warned Alan that this was the reality of visiting Sirius.
However, Alan refused to give up. After years of investigation, he finally had the chance to see Sirius again. He had to find out the truth of that night. With Sirius in his current state, words alone wouldn't be enough.
Alan opened his hand, and a bottle of potion appeared in his palm. He looked toward Minister Bagnold and mouthed the word: *Sedative*.
Minister Bagnold, seeing this, understood the plan and nodded silently. She was also curious about what had happened that year—not because she believed Sirius was innocent, but because the revelation of the Potter residence remained a mystery.
After receiving the tacit approval, Alan gently uncorked the bottle and used his magic to drift the potion toward Sirius. Under the influence of the sedative, Sirius's emotions finally stabilized. He stopped mumbling, though he still refused to turn around, remaining curled in the corner with his head buried in his arms.
Alan felt a sense of relief, but he knew the key was getting Sirius to open up. Looking at him, Alan knew he had to avoid mentioning the Potters, Peter Pettigrew, or Lupin for now. He had to start with a memory that was peripheral yet evocative.
"Sirius, do you remember this?"
Alan raised his hand, and a metal plate appeared. On it lay a large, fragrant, charred lamb chop, thickly coated with crushed pistachios and drenched in a rich black pepper sauce. The aroma was powerful enough to stir anyone's appetite.
This was the first dish Alan had made for Sirius during his first-year Christmas at the Black residence. Since then, pistachio lamb chops had been Sirius's favorite. Of course, that might have been because Sirius wasn't very knowledgeable about food; every time Alan cooked something new, it became the new favorite. But this one remained the most memorable. Alan had prepared a portion specifically for this visit.
Minister Bagnold, watching from the side, was stunned. She hadn't expected Alan to suddenly produce a cooked meal. For a moment, she didn't understand the strategy, but the scent of the lamb was so fragrant that she couldn't help but feel her own appetite stir.