Alan held the iron tray up to the cage, using his magic to guide the aroma of the lamb chops toward Sirius.
As expected, the man in the cell reacted to the familiar scent; he slowly lifted his head, his nose twitching incessantly, and his eyes darted toward the tray. Sirius had suffered greatly during his years in Azkaban, enduring hunger and cold every day. To have a hot, delicious meal—his favorite dish—suddenly appear was a temptation his instincts couldn't resist.
"Sirius, these are your favorite lamb chops, and they're still hot. Don't you want to try them?" Upon hearing Alan's voice, Sirius instinctively tried to retract into the darkness again.
Seeing this, Alan pushed the tray closer. "I just came to reminisce with you. You don't need to be so nervous. I'll send the food in; you can eat them or not."
Alan controlled the tray and the plate, making them stand upright to squeeze through the iron bars. Under his magical control, not a single drop of juice spilled as the meal was placed in the center of the cell.
Sirius initially recoiled, still resistant, but the aroma was overwhelming. He glanced frequently at the tray. Alan remained patient, squatting outside the cell without speaking. Finally, Sirius broke. He crawled to the center of the cell on his hands and knees, grabbed a lamb chop, and stuffed a piece into his mouth.
After that first bite, a switch in Sirius's memory seemed to flip. He began to gobble the food down, though he still avoided eye contact.
"Cough, cough!" Sirius hadn't eaten a proper meal in years, and he swallowed too quickly, beginning to choke.
"Have something to drink." Alan immediately poured a large cup of butterbeer and handed it into the cell. This time, he didn't use magic to float the cup; he simply held it out with his hand.
Sirius, choking, didn't suspect a thing. Alan hadn't said anything to provoke him, so he crawled toward the door to take the drink. But just as Sirius grasped the cup, Alan quickly extended his other hand and grabbed his arm!
Sirius panicked. He let go of the cup, allowing the drink to spill onto the ground, and used both hands to desperately try to break free.
"Black!" Alan shouted sternly.
At such close range, Sirius was startled into looking up, making eye contact with Alan for the first time. Seeing his old friend's solemn expression, Black's face filled with sorrow, and he tried to look away.
"Why do you choose to escape?" Alan exerted more force, pulling Sirius toward the bars until his face was pressed against the iron.
"Don't force me, Alan. I am guilty. I harmed James and Lily. I know what you want to do, but staying in Azkaban is my destiny. Only this way can I atone for my sins," Sirius pleaded bitterly, unable to break free.
"You finally want to talk to me," Alan said with a cold smile. "I thought you had gone mad in here. So, are you confessing your guilt?"
Alan's tone shifted, his eyes sharpening. "Since you say you killed the Potters, then that proves you betrayed them. It proves you revealed their whereabouts to the Dark Lord and that you were abusing the trust of James, Lily, me, and the Order of the Phoenix. Were you a loyal Death Eater from the very beginning?"
"No!" Sirius's eyes turned bloodshot, and his expression became distorted. He screamed hysterically, "Even if you kill me, I will never betray James and Lily! I will never collude with those parasites!"
His struggles intensified, fueled by a sudden burst of immense strength. Alan had to exert himself to maintain control over him.
"You didn't betray James and Lily?" Alan frowned. He could sense from Sirius's reaction that he wasn't lying. "If it wasn't you who revealed their location, then why were they found? What are you hiding? Why won't you tell me the truth?"
Alan used a touch of mental magic to ensure his voice penetrated Sirius's fractured mind.
"Don't torment me anymore! I never intended to reveal their whereabouts, and I couldn't have, but I am guilty! I let them down!" Sirius broke down into sobbing.
"You didn't? And couldn't? What does that mean?" Alan was confused. "You know they were protected by the Fidelius Charm. As the Secret-Keeper, if you didn't reveal it, no one could force the secret from you!"
Alan constantly analyzed Sirius's incoherent words. Even Bagnold, watching from the shadows, was frowning. Sirius, however, continued to wail, unable to escape the shadow in his heart.
"If what you say is true…" Alan's voice echoed deeply in the corridor. "If you didn't reveal their address, and you *couldn't* have revealed it, then there's only one possibility."
Alan's eyes widened as he stared at Sirius. "That is, the Secret-Keeper of the Potter family was not you, but someone else!"