AN: Again, thank you for all those who followed, favorited and reviewed, it means a lot to me. The following chapters are co-written with hpella394.
Chapter 4:
Chapter 4, September:
Sirius Black was crouched in the corner his cell when all the dementors left. This only happens when someone important comes. He stood up shakily and walked over towards the cell. He heard muffled voices as he leaned forward, then he saw a white beard.
"Professor Dumbledore," He greeted, "It has been a long time."
"Yes, it indeed has been a long time," Albus said gravely. "Sirius, can you ever forgive me?"
"What do you mean, Headmaster?" Sirius asked.
"Why did you stay in Azkaban all these years when you know you aren't guilty? Why did you admit that you are guilty?" Albus asked.
"I am guilty," Sirius whispered, "I thought making Peter their secret keeper would keep them safe," He said.
"How could he?" Sirius shouted, "HOW COULD HE!" Then, after he calmed down a bit, Sirius continued,
"Please Headmaster, you need to believe me. Peter is an animagus, he's a rat," Sirius pleaded, "I swear I didn't, I persuaded James and Lily to change their secret keeper to Peter because I thought people would not suspect him. I didn't know he would betray them," Sirius said.
"I believe you, my dear boy," Albus said. "Peter is locked in an animagus proof cell right now. There will be some Aurors coming to get you for your trial in 2 hours."
—
Remus sat on the benches staring at the man sitting in the middle. It's been 6 years since the night James and Lily died, it's been six years since Sirius has been wrongfully placed in prison. Although there were still traces of the handsome schoolboy he once was, the person sitting in the middle is no longer the cheerful prankster he was friends with. This man was pale and his skin hollowed.
"The case that decides the innocence of Sirius Black. The honorable members of the Wizengamot, led by Cornelious Fudge, the Minister for Magic," Amelia Bones said. She then turned to Sirius,
"I would like to request the administration of Veritaserum. Does prisoner have any objections?" Amelia asked. Sirius didn't say anything, just lazily raised his hand gesturing for them to get on with it.
After Sirius drank the potion Amelia started questioning: "Please state your full name,"
"Sirius Orion Black" Sirius replied easily,
"You have been charged with the following: While you were the secret keeper of James and Lily Potter, you gave their whereabouts to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, leading to their deaths and their son, Harry James Potter, being orphaned, along with proceeding to track down Peter Pettigrew and killing him along with 12 other muggles. All this done as a Death Eater, which we call the servants of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Amelia stated, "Does the prisoner have any objections?"
"Yeah," was the response, "Did anyone ever cast Priori Incantatem on my wand? Because if you did, you would see that I had not cast anything that would blow up the streets or kill thirteen people," Sirius said.
Whispered broke out in the court as they processed this information.
"Quiet!" Fudge called out.
"Furthermore, although the Potters trusted me as their secret keeper, they did not keep me as the secret keeper as it would be too obvious. We transferred it to Peter Pettigrew," Sirius said.
"Peter Pettigrew has been dead for over 5 years," Fudge growled out.
"Peter Pettigrew is an unregistered rat animagus," Sirius replied easily.
"In fact, we have him here," Amelia added in, Sirius turned towards her with a shocked look on his face.
"You found him?" Sirius asked in disbelief, "You found him?" Repeated again, louder.
Amelia motioned for the Aurors to bring the petrified body in. Gasps and whispers were heard as soon as they saw the body.
"How could this happen?"
"I thought he was dead."
"Peter Pettigrew!"
"So that means Black didn't kill him?"
"Look! He's missing a finger."
"Silence!" Fudge shouted.
"Please put him on the chair next to Mr. Black," Amelia said. The Aurors obeyed.
"Finite Incantatem," One of the Aurors said. Pettigrew looked up and saw looked around his surroundings, then at Sirius, and shouted: "Sirius Black! You killed James! How could you!"
Sirius ignored him. "Madam Bones, please supply Veritaserum to Pettigrew," he said calmly.
"No, you cannot give me that, I'm innocent, Sirius is the one guilty, he betrayed my dear friends James and Lily," Pettigrew said.
Sirius smirked, and turned to the Aurors. "Just give him the Veritaserum" The Aurors looked confused, and turned to the Head of the Department of Magic Law Enforcement and the Minister for Magic, from whom they received stiff nods.
"No, you cannot give me this. I'm innocent" Pettigrew continued pleading.
"If you are really innocent you would take the potion for you have nothing to conceal," Sirius said.
BOOM! A large sound was heard, and Pettigrew got thrown back into his chair. unconscious.
"What happened?" Sirius asked.
"It appears that Pettigrew attempted to transfigure into his Animagus form, but he did not know that the chair was charmed against any transformation," Amelia said. "Aurors," She said, gesturing to Peter Pettigrew.
The aurors then proceeded to pour the potion into the now conscious man's mouth, forcing him to swallow.
"State your name," Amelia said.
"Peter Pettigrew," He replied.
"You were presumed dead by the entire Wizarding World. Where have you been hiding?" She asked.
"I changed into a rat and lived in the undergrounds for a couple of years, and then I went to a Wizarding family so I could keep up with the news," Pettigrew answered.
"Were you or were you not the Potter's Secret Keeper?" She continued questioning.
"I... I was," He answered as the whole court gasped, Fudge began looking highly uncomfortable.
"It was you who gave He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named the Potters whereabouts?" Amelia questioned.
"Yes. He told me that I would be rewarded greatly," Pettigrew answered looking proud.
"Well, it seems that we have enough information and evidence to make a decision," Amelia said, smiling.
"This is outrageous!" Fudge shouted. "It is obvious that he is faking it!" He said pointing to Sirius. "The Blacks are known to be dark wizards, he is probably using some dark magic to influence Pettigrew."
Sirius merely raised an eyebrow. "Faking it Minister? Did you or did you not see me drinking the Veritaserum? Are you saying that the Ministry is providing fake Veritaserum?" Sirius questioned, "that someone under your influence managed to change the Veritaserum into a fake?"
Fudge turned red with anger, "No, How dare you suggest that? I was merely pointing out a possibility." He growled out.
"Okay. All those in favor in clearing Sirius Orion Black of all charges?" Amelia said. Most hands went into the air. "All those in favor of Azkaban?" A small group of people, including a ministry worker named Dolores Umbridge, raised their hands. "Well, it is clear. Sirius Black has been cleared of all charges. Congratulations, Sirius. We just need to finish sorting out some documents and give you back your wand."
Sirius grinned.
"Padfoot!" He heard a shout from behind him, he turned around and grinned even wider, if that was even possible. He practically knocked over the man standing behind him.
"Moony! Oh, how I missed you!" He said as they hugged.
"Oh Sirius, you idiot," Remus replied. "Let's go get your wand and then we can go to Hogwarts. I'm sure mum and dad missed you."
"Your mum and dad or mine?" Sirius replied, laughing.
—-
Sirius walked on the path that led up to Hogwarts with the wind blowing in his face. Six years. It has been 6 years since he had last been outside. Sure, he thought it was a bit unfair that he needed a guardian even though he is a 27-year-old man, but the ministry demanded it. Something about him not being "emotionally stable" enough to live by himself. But at least now he had a proper family, and not like his parents before who only cared about blood-purity. He rolled his eyes at the thought.
Remus saw his eye roll and asked: "What are you think about, Padfoot?"
"We are going to be brothers! I will finally have a family who doesn't care about blood purity and the dark arts!" Sirius answered.
As they reached the door to the headmaster's quarters, Remus turned to face Sirius and started to say "Padfoot, there's something I need to tell you, Sev-"
"C'mon moony, let's talk about it inside!" Sirius said excitedly. Remus didn't have time to respond as the door opened revealing a messy living room where an adult was reading to a messy-haired child.
"Harry?" Sirius asked, not noticing the other adult in the room as he ran over and tried to hug the boy. Startled, Harry tried to hide underneath his cloak. Only then, did Sirius notice Severus in the room.
"Snivellus," Sirius spat, "Why aren't you in Azkaban rotting with your other death eater friends?" He growled out.
Severus ignored him as he continued to try to relax Harry.
"Sirius," Remus warned.
"How dare you touch my godson Snivellus?" Sirius continued saying, annoyed by the lack of response.
"For your information Black, you godson is currently on the edge of having a panic attack, so if you could please, shut up," Severus snapped. Sirius went quiet for a few seconds, and they sat there in silence. The only sound heard was Harry's slowly calming breathe. "Are you okay now? Do you want to go rest?" Severus asked. At Harry's nod he carried the child to his room and laid him on the bed.
When he re-entered the room he turned to Remus and said, "You couldn't even bother to control the mutt before bringing him in here werewolf?"
"Shut up! It was your grown-bat look that scared him," Sirius said, trying to defend Remus.
"You imbecile, even a baby could have realized that you startled that child. How bloody stupid could you be Black?" Severus growled out, "Ow," He turned back and glared at the women who just cuffed him.
"Watch your language, Severus Snape," Minerva replied.
"Aunt Minnie! How can you be so calm! He's a known death eater. Why isn't he in Azkaban?" Sirius whined.
In one stride, Minerva went over and pinched his ears.
"Sirius Orion Black, what did I tell you about calling me, Aunt Minnie?" She started lecturing. "Severus is MY son and you will do well to remember that."
"He-he what? No, that's not possible. He's a death eater and a Slytherin. How can he be your son?" Sirius said.
Minerva turned to Remus, "You didn't tell him?" Remus shook his head and looked pleadingly towards Severus. He seemed to get the message and said "Remus is my brother," before turning away and going to Harry's room.
"HE'S WHAT?!" Sirius screamed, "How could that slimy, no-good, evil Slytherin be your brother?"
"Owwwwwww" Sirius whined as he rubbed his pinched ears.
"You will do well to remember who you are talking to Mr. Black," Minerva said.
"I think spending some time writing lines may help you remember that," Came to the voice from the door.
Sirius looked dumbstruck. "But sir!" He whined to the respected headmaster.
"You will remember that the minister has transplanted your guardianship to us, which means that as guardians, we have permission to punish you. And you will be punished if you make another remark like that against Severus or any other Slytherins," Albus said as Sirius gulped. The usually kind headmaster was not smiling. His eyes were piercing blue instead of having the usual twinkle in them. "Now I suggest you apologize to Severus."
"This is going to be a long year," Minerva said, shaking her head and sighing.
One of the reviews mentioned that this story is too "make everyone friends". I don't want it to be that way, I know how boring it is. There will be a change in a character in later chapters. Hopefully, this chapter changed made up for it.
