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When Harry’s godfather first appeared in The Prisoner of Azkaban he launched a thousand ‘siriusly’ memes, but there’s more to Sirius Black than that.
While we love the symbolism of his name (Sirius is the dog constellation and he turns into a black dog!), it was the sad backstory of his life in the Black family and loss of his best friend that made Sirius the character we got to know in the films.
While he didn’t last very long after coming back into Harry’s life, he still managed to impart plenty of fatherly advice to his godson and gave viewers some great lines to remember him by.
While many of them are sad, this brave Gryffindor also had some funny and wise quotes, which we’ve rounded up for your reading pleasure. These are all the best Sirius Black quotes from all the Harry Potter films – and books!
Want more Harry Potter quotes? Check these out:
- Here are the 100+ Best Harry Potter Quotes (from the Books & Movies!)
- Here are the Funniest Quotes from Harry Potter
- Here are the Most Inspirational Quotes from Harry Potter
- Here are the best quotes from Albus Dumbledore
- Here are the best quotes from Hermione Granger
- Here are the best quotes from Ron Weasley
- Here are the best quotes from Severus Snape
- Here are the best quotes from Sirius Black
- Here are the best quotes from Luna Lovegood
- Here are the best quotes from Dobby
The Most Famous and Iconic Sirius Black Quotes
Of course, Sirius’s most memorable lines are probably also the most menacing and slightly scary, as we all thought he was still a deranged killer at the time. But these famous lines by Sirius Black can be (and are) also used in more amusing instances…
“Sirius Black: Enough talk, Remus! C’mon, let’s kill him!
Professor Lupin: Wait!
Sirius Black: I did my waiting! Twelve years of it! In Azkaban!” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“No, only one will die tonight.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The Wisest Lines from Sirius Black
Once the whole murder thing was sorted out, Sirius became an excellent godfather to Harry, looking out for him and dispensing excellent advice. These are the best wise quotes from Sirius, most of which he spoke to Harry while trying to help him in any way he could.
“It’s cruel that I got to spend so much time with James and Lily, and you so little. But know this; the ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them [puts his hand on Harry’s heart] in here.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Harry: I’m not ready for this, Sirius!
Harry: You don’t have a choice” Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“Sirius Black: Look, Harry, the Death Eaters at the world cup; your name rising out of the Goblet of Fire; these are not just coincidences! Hogwarts isn’t safe anymore.
Harry: What are you saying?
Sirius Black: I’m saying the devils are inside the walls. Igor Karkaroff. He was a Death Eater and no one, no one stops being a Death Eater.” Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“I want you to listen to me very carefully, Harry. You’re not a bad person. You’re a very good person, who bad things have happened to. Besides, the world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“Sirius Black: The latest intelligence is that Fudge doesn’t want you trained in combat.
Ron Weasley: Combat? What does he think, that we’re forming some sort of wizard army?
Sirius Black: That’s exactly what he thinks. That Dumbledore is assembling his own forces to take on the Ministry. He’s becoming more paranoid by the minute.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Best Funny Sirius Black Quotes
After spending so long in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, it’s not surprising that Sirius was a rather grouchy character. He still managed some brief moments of levity though, and these are the funniest Sirius lines that made us chuckle.
“Peter Pettigrew! And he’s in this room, right now! Come out, come out, Peter! Come out and play!” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Sirius Black: Sorry about the bite, I reckon that twinges a bit.
Ron: A bit? A bit? You almost tore my leg off!
Sirius Black: I was going for the rat. Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, more than once, James suggested that I make the change permanent. The tail I could live with. But the fleas? They’re murder.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Sirius Black: [in a letter] Harry, I couldn’t risk sending Hedwig. Since the World Cup the Ministry has been intercepting more and more owls, and she’s too easily recognized. We need to talk, Harry, face to face. Meet me in the Gryffindor Common Room at one o’clock, this Saturday night. And make sure you’re alone. Sirius. P.S…? [the bird bites Harry’s hand]
Harry: AH!
Sirius Black: The bird bites.” Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“Harry Potter: Sirius, what are you doing here? If somebody sees you…
Sirius Black: I had to see you off, didn’t I? What’s life without a little risk?” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“Get away from my godson. [punches Lucius Malfoy in the face]” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Saddest Sirius Black Lines
A lot of Sirius’s story was sad, from losing his best friends, going to prison and then having to live in hiding after escaping. It’s no wonder that he had some very sad quotes as well.
“Harry: But you’re innocent!
Sirius Black: And you know it. And for now, that’ll do.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“This is my parent’s house. I offered it to Dumbledore as headquarters for the Order. It’s about the only useful thing I’ve been able to do.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“[looking at the tapestry with the Black family tree] I hated the lot of them. My parents, with their pure-blood mania… my repulsive cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange…[he points to a scorched hole in the tapestry over his name] My mother did that after I ran away. Charming woman.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“When all this is over we’ll be a proper family. You’ll see.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“[to Harry] It’s been 14 years, and still not a day goes by that I don’t miss your dad.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Best Insults and Burns by Sirius Black
One thing about Sirius Black, he was good with a clap-back! Most of these are directed at just one other person (his arch-enemy Snape) but that doesn’t make them any less witty and cutting. Here are the best insulting lines from Sirius Black.
“Professor Lupin: [commenting on Sirius’ ragged looks] Finally, the flesh reflects the madness within.
Sirius Black: Well, you’d know all about the madness within, wouldn’t you Remus?” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Brilliant, Snape – once again you’ve put your keen and penetrating mind to the task and as usual come to the wrong conclusion.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Professor Lupin: Severus, don’t be a fool…
Sirius Black: He can’t help it. It’s habit by now.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Why don’t you run along and play with your chemistry set?” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Kreacher: Nasty brat standing there as bold as brass. Harry Potter, the boy who stopped the Dark Lord. Friend of Mudbloods and blood-traitors alike. If my poor mistress only knew…
Sirius Black: Kreacher! That’s enough of your bile. Away with you!” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Best Inspiring and Brave Lines by Sirius Black
Sirius was a Gryffindor after all, so of course he was brave. These are all the best brave (and some inspiring) quotes by Sirius Black that reminded us why he was originally sorted into the most daring house at Hogwarts.
“Peter Pettigrew: The Dark Lord. You have no idea the weapons he possesses! Ask yourself, Sirius! What would you have done? What would you have done?
Sirius Black: I would have died! I would have died rather than betray my friends, as we would have done for you!” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“[about Hogwarts] It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I’ll never forget the first time I walked through those doors. It’ll be nice to do it again as a free man.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“You know the man you truly are, Remus! This heart is where you truly live! This heart! Here! This flesh is only flesh!” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“Sirius Black: I want you to take the others and get out of here.
Harry Potter: What? No, I’m staying with you!
Sirius Black: You’ve done beautifully. Now let me take it from here.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“Lord Voldemort: I need that prophecy.
Sirius Black: You’ll have to kill me.
Lord Voldemort: Oh, I will.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Bonus: The Best Sirius Black Quotes from the Books
If you only see the movies and haven’t read the books, then you’re going to miss out on a lot of what makes the Harry Potter story so good. Here are the best Sirius Black quotes from the books that didn’t make it into the films, but should have!
“Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it,” Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. “I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they’d use a weak, talentless thing like you… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn’t a happy thought, so the dementors couldn’t suck it out of me…but it kept me sane and knowing who I am…helped me keep my powers…” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Sirius shook his head and said, “She’s got the measure of Crouch better than you have, Ron. If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“Personally, I’d have welcomed a dementor attack. A deadly struggle for my soul would have broken the monotony nicely. You think you’ve had it bad, at least you’ve been able to get out and about, stretch your legs, get into a few fights…. I’ve been stuck inside for a month.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“Well, as everyone thinks I’m a mad mass murderer and the Ministry’s put a ten-thousand-Galleon price on my head, I can hardly stroll up the street and start handing out leaflets, can I?” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Did We Miss Any of Your Favourite Sirius Black Quotes?
Let us know in the comments below!
