Disclaimer: None of the characters actually belong to me, most of them are J.K. Rowling's creation and the rest of them are Aylala's so I can't really take credit for it. I just wanted to expose this story to a larger public than just the French one.

I hope you have a good time reading this! Please review if you have any comments, it's always nice to know people read your work.

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What could have happened

Chapter ten: In My Place

The severe room was now full of people, whispering and gossiping on the rock stands. Lily turned around and stared at the people. Right behind her was Oceane, looking grave, her hands grasping her belly tightly and Remus, his face looking indifferent, the mask he usually put on when something was really bothering him. A bit further, Dumbledore was smiling at her, with professor McGonagall and Mad-Eye Moody on his side. She recognized Peter's mother, dressed in black, her eyes lowered. Down there, a young witch was sucking on a green quill, a long parchment on her knees. She had short blond hair and her dark red dress gave the impression that a drop of blood had fallen on the gray stones of the stands. She looked excited at the prospect of the audience. Lily thought it had to be a reporter. James' hand in hers made her turn around. He looked tense and grave, as if everything had just collapsed around him. He tried to smile but ended up with a grim and gave up. The young woman felt her heart tighten in her chest. She couldn't stand seeing him like that, it saddened her. In that moment, she would have given anything to comfort James. If it had been only up to her, she'd have hugged him tight, his head on her chest. She would have played with his hair, whispering soothing words, but she couldn't do that in here. With a heavy heart, she just stroke his cheek tenderly. For a few seconds, James closed his eyes. Then he opened them again and stared again at the two seats with chains on them that were at the bottom of the room, looking completely lost. How did they get here? When had the Marauders split up that much? Lily had no idea, but she regretted the amount of pain it caused. She sincerely hoped this trial would offer answers to all their questions.

- "Did you hear? The Crouch son... seems like he's a Death Eater!"

- "No!"

- "I swear it's true. Apparently Mad-Eye Moody discovered it. Word is, Crouch himself tortured the Longbottoms"

The women behind James talked so loudly that everyone could hear them, but they were gossiping and couldn't care less. How could Barty Crouch, the son of such a respected man get on the dark side? Rumor had it that an extraordinary trial would take place soon, in which the father would condemn the son.

Lily sighed, betrayals were certainly in right now.

- "Ladies and gentlemen, the court" a voice announced from nowhere.

Everyone got up and looked attentively on the judges' side. Bartemius Crouch, his face closed, took place and signaled for everyone to sit down. James took Lily's hand and held it firmly. Lily felt like she was his life buoy. She linked her fingers with his, and they exchanged a dark look before turning, fully concentrated on the trial before them.

- "Case n°175. Potter – Black – Pettigrew. Let the accused enter" the same voice announced.

Lily felt sick when she saw Sirius and Peter get in, both with their hands tied. Both had lost quite a lot of weight and had a very pale face, almost ghostly, it was quite a sight. Lily felt James' hand tightening on hers until it hurt. She tenderly tapped her husband's hand, and he relaxed, giving her an apologetic smile. Lily felt sad for him, she wanted to cry and take him away, far away from this court room, in a place where it would never be question of treason again.

Someone approached both men and showed them each a seat they had to settle in. Chains wrapped themselves around their arms, preventing them from moving. Sirius and Peter didn't look at each other at all. Sirius just stared at the judge, looking quite determined, while Peter was looking nervously around him. Lily felt in that moment a wave of pure hatred climb into her body, at the view of the man James and she had so blindingly trusted. A young wizard came close to Peter and asked loudly.

- "Are you Peter Neron Pettigrew?"

- "Yes" Peter answered in a shriek that strangely resembled a squeak.

The man then got close to Sirius.

- "Are you Sirius Perseus Black?"

- "Yes" the young man answered in a broken voice.

Lily shivered and heard behind her friend's weak moan. Oceane was in a frightful state.

- "You appear today before this court so we can decide which of you committed an act of treason, leading to the attack of the Potter family by the Dark Lord" Bartemius Crouch announced loud and clear.

He then started to tell precisely what had happened that night, from the depositions of James and Lily, and of the Aurors who had arrived later on the scene. It was an ordeal for Lily to hear that story again. She wasn't feeling well, her head was spinning and she just wanted all of this to be over.

Sirius listened to the story, still fixed on Bartemius Crouch. His jaw tightened and loosened as the story went on and his fists were trembling. Peter just stared obstinately at the floor, showing no reaction whatsoever. He just looked bored.

- "We will now let the accused speak for a while. Mister Pettigrew?"

- "I'm innocent. Everyone knows that Sirius was the Keeper. I didn't know anything" he squeaked.

- "And what do you have to answer to the testimonies of Mr and Mrs Potter, who certify you were their Secret Keeper?"

- "Those are lies they don't know what they are saying. They must have been submitted to the Imperius curse or to a memory charm of some sort. Why would they say that otherwise when we are such good friends?"

Lily sighed violently and grabbed James' hand. How could he do this? How could he tell such a blatant lie when he knew perfectly well that James and she were in this very room?

- "He is the one who has been submitted to a memory charm" James whispered tensely.

Lily watched him, quite surprised.

- "They must have given him Veritaserum to make him confess, then they modified his memory so he wouldn't remember anything... how do you explain the fact that he told the Secret otherwise?" he leaned towards her "He's a Marauder. And a Marauder doesn't betray one of his own"

Lily looked at him, flabbergasted. He really thought Peter had been manipulated, that he hadn't given them out willingly? He believed he was innocent! The young woman sighed. She wasn't convinced by her husband's arguments. She thought Peter had betrayed them and that was it. He had put their lives in danger, and most of all, that of Harry. He didn't deserve their friendship and she only wished to see him sent to Azkaban. But now wasn't the time to have this conversation with James. She concentrated on what was going on in the room.

- "How then do you explain the Death Eater hood we found in your flat Mister Pettigrew?" Crouch asked.

- "It's a conspiracy! Someone is out to get me" Peter exclaimed vehemently "I am not a Death Eater and I never was!"

Whispers could be heard in the room, and Lily could hear Oceane fidgeting behind her. She turned around and saw her friend staring angrily at the man who had once been one of her boyfriend's best friends.

- "Someone please make this rat shut up" she breathed, menacing, not taking her hand off her belly.

Lily turned around to Peter and saw that he was looking at them, silently begging.

Torn between disgust and rage, she glanced at James who was staring at his former friend with a mix of incredulity and sadness that worried her. She closed her eyes and hoped with all her heart that she would have the strength to survive this, there were so many thoughts in her head it made her dizzy.

- "Thank you for your testimony, Mister Pettigrew" Crouch said "Now to you, Mister Black, what do you have to say for yourself?"

- "Peter is lying. I wasn't James and Lily Potter's Secret Keeper. As I already told you, we changed plans at the last minute, thinking we could fool Voldemort. Had I thought for one second that this change wouldn't have benefited us, I wouldn't have suggested it. Mister Crouch, James is my brother, Lily is my sister and Harry is practically my son, I couldn't have done anything to hurt them"

- "What do you answer to the accusations of Peter Pettigrew about you using dark magic?"

- "They aren't true. I was indeed raised in a house where people thought Pureblood were superior and used dark magic, but they disowned me because they considered me a traitor. I never did anything related to dark magic"

- "Mister Black gave us the official document by which he was disowned by his parents, signed by his mother" a secretary said, brandishing a piece of parchment "Furthermore, Miss Oceane Ellen Daquaria assures in her testimony that Mister Black never performed any black magic"

- "Very well, but since the relation between Miss Daquaria and Mister Black is a close one, her testimony has to be examined carefully" Crouch answered, before turning to Sirius "Do you have anything else to say?"

- "Yes, I am innocent. Peter was the one who betrayed us all"

- "You do realize that your testimony is far from convincing compared to that of Peter Pettigrew?" Crouch warned him harshly.

- "I don't need to find excuses. I am innocent, and what I have told is exactly what James and Lily told you. There is no stronger proof for me" the young man declared firmly.

Other whispers were heard in the room. This time, Peter's mother hissed something Lily didn't understand. Sirius didn't look at them; he just stared ahead, determined.

Bartemius Crouch scribbled a few words on a parchment he gave to the other judges. They talked for a while, and Lily was wondering if this was a good sign, and she wasn't the only one. The whole room was whispering.

Crouch started speaking again.

- "The court asks for a moment to debate, the hearing will be postponed. We will reconvene in two hours"

The whispers got louder. The judges left the room while two men came in and took the prisoners out. The room emptied little by little. Soon there were only Remus, Oceane, James and Lily. The couple turned around to look at their friends. They were all pale and tense, and they said nothing, words were of no use at that moment. Lily looked around her. This empty room stressed her out, she wasn't feeling well. She tried to get up and walk a bit to clear her mind, when her head started spinning violently and she sat down again. Her lips had lost all color and her breathing was irregular.

Oceane was the one who realized that her friend wasn't feeling well.

- "Lily? Are you okay?" she asked worried.

- "No" the young woman whispered "I feel very dizzy"

James turned suddenly, very worried.

- "Merlin! You look scary. We should go out for a while, you could use some air" he declared.

- "Yes, it would feel good" the young woman answered while Remus helped her get up "Thank you, Remus"

She grabbed the handles of James' wheelchair, and leaned on it to keep herself steady. They slowly left the room. They were still inside the Ministry. The crowd was in the corridor talking loudly. Lily felt even more oppressed; she had trouble breathing and was sweating profusely. Oceane wasn't in really good shape either and Remus had to take her arm to lead her through the crowd.

- "Let's go into the Atrium, there won't be as many people" the young man offered.

They all climbed into the elevator and went into the Atrium. There were indeed much less people. Lily pushed James' chair to the fountain and sat on the edge. She took a bit of water and put it on her face. She instantly felt much better. Oceane sat on the floor, her back against the fountain. Remus stood up. They didn't speak at all about what they had just witnessed and remained silent for a while. James' eyes didn't leave his wife. She was a bit less pale but didn't look that good. He didn't like to see her like that.

- "I'm hungry" he declared, stopping their somber thoughts "I'll go grab something to eat"

He turned around. Lily started getting up to help but Remus stopped her.

- "It's okay, Lily, I'll go with him. Stay put"

Lily thanked him with a smile and watched them leave with a sigh. She felt incredibly weak.

- "Why are they making us wait? Why do they need two hours?" Oceane asked after a while, more for herself. She wasn't really expecting an answer.

Lily just sighed. She'd decided not to try to understand. She just slid next to her friends to put her head and her back against the fountain.

People were walking around her, casting irritated glances. Two women sitting on the ground, in the middle of the Ministry of Magic, there was reason to be irritated but Lily and Oceane were too worried to care.

That's how Remus and James found them when they came back.

- "In your state, you shouldn't be sitting on the cold floor like that" Remus said, giving Oceane his hand so she could get up.

- "Same for you, Lily. You're not well, I don't want you to get sick on top of that" James whispered while his wife got up, smiling feebly.

Remus went to say a few words to the wizard at the reception, who conjured three chairs the young man took to his friends.

They all settled down thanking Remus profusely.

- "There, Lily" James said, giving her a chocolate bar "Eat some sugar, it shouldn't hurt you"

Lily took the chocolate and took a tiny bite.

- "Do you want some, Oceane?" the young man offered, taking another bar out of his pocket.

- "Thanks James, but no. I don't think I could hold it in..." his friend answered, looking a bit sick.

James shrugged, put the chocolate away and turned to his wife, who was nibbling more than she was eating.

- "It's no use pretending, Lily, I won't leave you alone as long as you haven't eaten" he insisted tenderly, stroking his wife's hair.

- "You really don't look good" Remus underlined, worried.

- "Don't worry, boys, it's nothing. I'm feeling much better already"

And it was true, her cheeks had a bit more color in them.

They stayed like that for a while and got back to the hearing room after giving back the chairs to the reception wizard. Almost everyone was already there, and quite a lot of heads turned towards them when they heard them arrive. Lily saw James and Remus put on their indifferent face. She had quite a hard time not showing her stress, but James' hand on hers calmed her down a bit. They sat again, silently. Lily got a glimpse of the young witch in the burgundy dress robes she had noticed earlier. She had turned towards them and her quill was still writing under her owner's dictation. Lily tried to smile at her but she saw the contemptuous look the witch gave her before turning her head.

- "Ladies and gentlemen, the court" the same voice announced once more.

The crowd got up in an electrified, curious and apprehensive silence. The judges and Bartemius Crouch entered, followed by Peter and Sirius, who were sat in the chained seats once more.

Crouch cleared his throat before starting again.

- "After deliberation by the judges in the case n° 175 Potter – Black – Pettigrew, it had been decided, in sight of the complexity of the case, that the suspects would be submitted to the Veritaserum"

A great racket followed this news. In living memory, very few cases had required the use of Veritaserum. Lily thought she saw the reporter's quill explode with joy. She actually felt both relieved and anxious. James sighed next to her and smiled encouragingly.

- "That's good for Sirius!" Oceane declared.

Lily and James turned around, smiling slightly, she seemed so relieved.

- "SILENCE!" Bartemius Crouch exclaimed.

He was obeyed immediately. Everyone was expecting the reaction of the accused.

While Sirius had a curious smile on his lips and looked at the judges confidently, Peter was fidgeting, visibly uncomfortable.

- "But the use of Veritaserum is..." he started feebly.

- "Only for extremely important cases, exactly. And high treason is one of those cases" Crouch finished in his stead "The consequences of this trial are of the highest importance for Ministry business"

High treason? Lily was startled. Peter's treason didn't really concern the state, and she couldn't understand the importance the Ministry was giving to their story.

Ministry business? Apart from the war, Lily couldn't really see what other business could occupy them. Unless...

She turned towards professor Dumbledore, who was smiling at her. He just nodded and Lily understood that Dumbledore had told Crouch about the prophecy and Harry's role in the fight against the Dark Lord. That's why discovering the real traitor was such a high priority. James had visibly reached the same conclusion, because he just closed his hand on hers.

A wizard arrived, holding a tray with two glassed containing a very small amount of potion.

- "Does one of you volunteer to be the first one to go?" Crouch asked, certain that neither would accept.

- "I do" Sirius exclaimed "I want to be the first. I don't have anything to hide!"

Oceane moaned, while Bartemius Crouch stared at the young man, visibly stunned.

- "Very well..." he whispered, giving out one of the glasses to Sirius, who took it decidedly.

Before drinking the potion, Sirius glanced at Peter, who was trembling on his chair.

- "What do you fear, Pete? I thought you were innocent?" he said ironically, downing the potion.

- "I will ask everyone to remain very quiet so as not to interfere with the questions I will ask the accused" Crouch declared.

- "What's your name?" Crouch asked.

- "Sirius Perseus Black"

- "How old are you?"

- "21"

- "Do you know who I am?"

- "You are Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of Justice"

- "Perfect. We can now start. Are you James and Lily Potter's Secret Keeper?"

- "No"

Whispers could be heard in the room.

- "Do you know who the Keeper was?"

- "Yes, Peter Pettigrew"

- "When was the Fidelitas charm put on the Potter manor?"

- "On the 25th of October 1981, at around 8 in the morning"

- "Who knew that this charm was going to be performed?"

- "Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Lily and James Potter, Oceane Daquaria, myself, and on that very morning, Peter Pettigrew"

- "Are you a death eater?"

- "No"

- "Did you in any way give any information to the Dark Lord?"

- "Apart from allowing Peter to betray James and Lily by reversing our roles on the day of the ritual, never"

- "That will be all" Crouch declared.

The room was buzzing with excitement after Sirius' words.

- "Merlin! It was true" Remus exclaimed flabbergasted, while Oceane was smiling at him.

An antidote to the potion was given to Sirius who, as soon as he got control over his mind again, turned towards Peter, triumphing. He looked at him both with hatred and joy, a look that clearly said "How do you plan on getting out of this one now?"

A dead silence fell in the room. Everyone, from the person standing on the highest stands to the judge sitting closest to the accused, was staring at Peter, who seemed unable to react.

- "Your turn, Mister Pettigrew" Crouch declared, looking quite tired.

The young man fixed the glass that was given to him, horrified, but didn't move to take it. His body was violently trembling and he started looking around at the crowd despairingly, looking for a saving plank. His frightened gaze fell upon James.

- "James! James, my friend! You know I'm innocent. Tell them! Tell them I could never have betrayed you! Tell them we were good friends, we were brothers. We always shared everything. Remember our laughs, our jokes. I didn't betray you, James, I couldn't have! TELL THEM!"

Lily was disgusted and felt a nausea coming up. How dared he tell these lies? How dared he put James in this position? What right did he have to ever talk to her husband again? She stared at James, who was visibly hesitating. He wasn't going to do that? He wasn't going to defend this traitor? She put her hand on her husband's arm, bringing him back to reality and the doubt she read in his eyes torn her apart. She simply shook her head and James closed his eyes, resigned.

As he understood that James wouldn't do anything, Peter turned to Sirius.

- "Sirius... I never wanted to do that... You have to understand, they have very persuasive techniques... they... they put me under the Imperius curse... Sirius, my friend, what would you have done in my stead?" he wept miserably.

Lucky for him, the heavy chains were holding Sirius back, because he seemed ready to jump on Peter. Anger was transforming his face, he was seething and looked terrifying.

- "I would have DIED!" he spat "I would have died rather than betray my friends!"

The reporter's quill seemed excited all of a sudden and started writing frantically on the parchment. Apparently, this case would be all over the newspapers. The whole room was looking excited.

- "Silence!" Crouch exclaimed "SILENCE!"

The whispers ceased automatically. The only noise that could be heard was the quill still writing on the parchment.

- "I'll ask you once more. Did you betray James and Lily Potter?" Crouch asked, turning to Peter.

- "NO" the young man exclaimed with all the strength he could muster.

- "LIAR!"

- "Black was submitted to the Veritaserum. He's innocent!"

- "Pettigrew to Azkaban!"

From everywhere, the crowd screamed, disgusted by the evident bad faith of the accused.

- "Silence!" Crouch said again, angered "SILENCE OR THE AUDIENCE WILL BE DISMISSED!"

Silence fell immediately and Crouch tuned once more to Peter.

- "Pettigrew, I will ask this question for the last time. You should know that a confession could make me more indulgent towards you... did you or did you not betray James and Lily Potter?"

- "NOOOOOO! No! No! No!" Peter screamed, still crying "James! I swear to you they forced me, I never wanted to... Mother! Mother, please! Tell them I never hurt anyone! Tell them I couldn't hurt anyone! Mother, he would have hurt you if I had refused!"

He was staring at his mother, despite the heavy tears that fell on his cheeks. Peter's mother turned her eyes away from her son's; she didn't even dare to look at him in the face.

- "Let him be submitted to the Veritaserum" Crouch said coldly, losing his patience.

Three men were needed to force the potion down Peter's throat. They waited a moment for the potion to start working, while the whole room was holding their breath.

- "Let's start... What is your name?" Crouch asked, staring at him.

- "Peter Neron Pettigrew" the young man answered, visibly struggling not to.

He looked mortified.

- "How old are you?"

- "21"

- "Do you know why you're here?"

- "I'm accused of treason"

- "Good. Are you James and Lily Potter's Secret Keeper?"

Lily, James and Oceane held their breath.

- "Yes"

- "Did you divulge the details of their hideout to the Dark Lord?"

- "Yes"

The heart-wrenching cry of Pettigrew's mother was heard, accompanied by murmurs.

- "Did you give any other information to the Dark Lord?"

- "Yes" Peter squeaked, completely powerless.

- "For how long?"

- "A bit more than a year"

- "Have you been a Death Eater since then?"

- "Yes"

A heavy silence was now on the room. There was no doubt left. Peter was pale, but he had stopped trembling, he was now looking around with hatred.

- "Right. This court will now give its decision" Bartemius Crouch started.

- "WAIT!"

James had gotten up, yelling. He was instantly the center of everyone's attention. The journalist looked at him, looking very satisfied. As he was still weak, he faltered, but managed to remain upright. Lily looked at him, surprised.

- "Wait" James said "Let me ask him a question!"

Crouch stared at him for a while, his expression revealing nothing. He was very clearly hesitating.

- "Go ahead, but one question only"

James took a deep breath and started talking, as pale as a ghost.

- "Peter, did the Dark Lord or someone else, in a way or another, force you to do all this?"

Peter stared at him without lowering his gaze and answered in a strong voice.

- "No, I did everything I did willingly"