Note: I'm disappointed at myself. I hoped to last it through all seven years before Sirius Black's innocence is finally revealed.
Chapter 14: It's About Time
The Imperiused Bartemius Crouch Senior reluctantly entered the Department of Mysteries to retrieve the orb containing the prophecy that led Lord Voldemort into wanting to kill Harry Potter. No matter how much Crouch hated the idea of working for Voldemort, he had no choice because of the Imperius Curse. 'No wonder so many Death Eaters got away by using that excuse'. He thought. Fortunately, one thing that neither him nor Voldemort knew about those orbs was the fact only the people the prophecy in question was about could retrieve the orb and Crouch was about to experience first-hand what happens to anybody else. The orb's magical defenses disturbed Crouch so much he was sent to St. Mungo's mental ward.
"WORMTAIL!" Voldemort angrily shouted.
"Y-y-y-yes, my Lord?" Pettigrew reluctantly responded.
"Crouch the Elder has been caught and sent to St. Mungo's as a mental patient." Voldemort stated. "Go there and kill him before he reveals me or I kill you for causing this trouble in the first place!"
"Y-yes, Master." Pettigrew then turned into his rat form and left. Voldemort then addressed his most loyal Death Eater. "Junior, with your foolish father getting caught, I'm afraid we'll have to russsssh our plans to resssssscue our friendsssss in Azkaban."
It didn't take long until the Order of the Phoenix held an emergency meeting. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the latest development puts us into a delicate situation." Headmaster Dumbledore announced. "With Bartemius Crouch Senior being at St. Mungo's for treatment away from Voldemort's influence, we can finally get a witness to confirm not only that Voldemort is back but also that Sirius Black is a Death Eater. Hopefully, there's still time to send Harry to the Dursleys and activate the protection his mother left behind."
"Assuming that Crouch will live long enough to testify." Snape snorted. He needed a way to vent out his frustration for being unable to denounce Pettigrew.
"Which brings the delicate part of the situation. Thank you, Severus." Dumbledore gravely stated. "Voldemort will want to be sure Bartemius will die before having a chance to testify and someone needs to protect him."
"I will!" Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody volunteered. "He deserves this protection after everything he did against Death Eaters during the previous Wizarding War."
As a Rat Animagus, Peter Pettigrew was used to sneaking into places without being noticed by anybody so he thought it'd be the same at St. Mungo's. Nobody noticed him entering the hospital. Nobody noticed him entering Crouch's room. However, while he waited to be left alone with Crouch, a nurse noticed a rat and quickly pointed her wand at him, immobilizing the rat. Upon noticing the rat missed a toe and remembering the tale that Sirius Black told to get away from Azkaban, she took the rat to a safer area for spell checking. Alastor Moody had been called as a safety measure just in case the nurse was right about the rat.
Albus Dumbledore was not surprised when Moody's patronus showed up at his office to deliver a message. It was the message itself that shocked him. "Peter Pettigrew has been caught breaking into St. Mungo's. Black was telling the truth all this time." The Headmaster of Hogwarts might have reached the age of one hundred by the time Voldemort turned Harry Potter into an orphan but only now he felt like an old man. He then directed his attention towards the portrait of his immediate predecessor. "Armando, please inform Minerva that I need to handle an emergency outside grounds and she needs to fill in."
News also went fast to the Ministry. "Amelia, where do you think you're going?" The Minister of Magic asked the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"I'm going to St. Mungo's to confirm the capture of Peter Pettigrew, Minister." She explained.
"Amelia, do you know what'll happen to the Ministry once Pettigrew is confirmed to be alive?" The Minister asked since he was more concerned about appearances than justice.
"Everyone will realize we were right to release Sirius Black and offer a reward for Pettigrew's capture." Bones stated as a matter-of-fact. She was amazed at how stupid Cornelius Fudge must be to fail to notice the positive on his own.
"But that might restore Crouch's reputation." He argued.
"Assuming he can explain what he was doing at the Department of Mysteries, Minister." She restored his hopes.
"Minister! Madam Bones!" A ministry worker screamed in desperation. "Azkaban is reporting a mass breakout!"
"Send our remaining Aurors there!" The Minister quickly ordered during a rare moment of intelligence. "Amelia and I will join Auror Moody into interrogating Peter Pettigrew!" He then noticed the worker's confused look. "Yes, Peter Pettigrew has been captured… alive."
When the Aurors sent as reinforcement arrived at Azkaban Island, they realized the ones who could cast the Patronus Charm should go as front line because, as Dumbledore predicted but Fudge ignored, the Dementors joined Voldemort. Seeing that something drove the Dementors away, Voldemort lead the Death Eaters personally, shocking the Aurors. "Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted, trying to kill an Auror but she dodged. In his arrogance, Voldemort didn't ready himself on time to defend or dodge when Kingsley Shacklebolt shouted "Avada Kedavra!". Yes, that's one thing that Dumbledore got right about Voldemort: he was too arrogant for his own good.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore, Bones, Moody and Fudge were questioning Peter Pettigrew. "Pettigrew, what're you doing here?" Amelia Bones asked.
"I had no choice." Pettigrew pleaded. "The Dark Lord ordered me to."
"HE'S DEAD!" Fudge angrily shouted.
"No, he's not." Pettigrew pleaded. "B-Barty and I helped him to fully restore himself."
"Bartemius Crouch?" Fudge asked in confusion.
"Junior." Pettigrew explained. While Amelia Bones was shocked at this new development, Cornelius Fudge was giggling like a schoolgirl. His biggest fear ever since Peter Pettigrew was revealed to be alive was that Bartemius Crouch Senior would regain the reputation he lost by officially believing Sirius Black. Barty Junior being revealed as a Death Eater negated this.
With Voldemort being vanquished again, the Death Eaters tried to flee. However, since it was impossible to disapparate from Azkaban, they had to either fight or, in the case of those who broke in to rescue Azkaban inmates, plead Imperius. Lucius Malfoy was the first one to drop his wand and try the second option. The other non-convicted Death Eaters followed suit, shocking the other Death Eaters long enough for the Aurors to stun them.
After the already convicted Death Eaters were escorted back to their cells, the Aurors took the other Death Eaters to the Ministry for proper prosecution. Minister Fudge, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge, Director Bones and Chief Warlock Dumbledore were reunited to discuss what to do with them. "These upstanding purebloods were obviously under the Imperius Curse and should be released." Dolores Umbridge arrogantly suggested.
"And who would cast the Imperius Curse on them with You-Know-Who being long dead?" Fudge asked. With Voldemort being temporarily gone again, Dumbledore and Bones didn't mind letting Fudge say he was never back in the first place if that's what it took to prevent Death Eaters from using the Imperius excuse again.
"Peter Pettigrew would." Umbridge suggested. "Unless, of course, you'd rather accuse Barty Junior."
"Just prosecute them all, Minister." Amelia Bones suggested.
"What if they say You-Know-Who was behind this?" Fudge asked in worry.
"We may ask them to explain why they're sure it wasn't an imposter pretending to be Voldemort, Cornelius." Dumbledore said with a smile.
Dolores Umbridge didn't like the idea of "upstanding purebloods" being sent to Azkaban like mere criminals. "Minister, are you…"
"Excellent idea, Albus!" Fudge was glad to find a scenario that'll keep the Wizarding World in peace. Sure, he'll lose several friends but at least he'll retain his post as the Minister of Magic and perhaps be able to win an eventual reelection without their donations. He then thought of a way to increase his popularity with those willing to vote for the image he's cultivating. "Let's order Aurors to raid their homes in search for illegal artifacts!" He suggested to the approval (and hidden surprise) of Dumbledore and Bones. "Sirius Black suggested searching Lucius Malfoy's manor and sending Mad-Eye to find the best hiding spots."
The next day, at Hogwarts, Headmaster Dumbledore announced the recent developments. "Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!" Harry shouted in joy. "It's about time you realized that!" Harry then pointed at his table. "What do you have to say about that, you jerks? Who's stupid now?"
"Mr. Potter, please contain yourself." Professor McGonagall stated. "Sure, you might have been proven correct about Peter Pettigrew but it doesn't give you the right to brag."
Sorry about anticipating the revelation of Sirius' innocence. I grew tired of critics and was running out of time and ideas. Perhaps I'll write more of this someday.