Please note that I do not own Dungeons and Dragons,their relevant editions, Pathfinder or Harry Potter. Dungeons and Dragons are owned by Wizards of the Coasts, Pathfinder is owned by Paizo and Harry Potter and its franchises are owned by JK Rowling. The following story is just for my enjoyment and hopefully yours as well.
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Chapter 8: Crouching Dog, Hidden Rat Part 2
After a quick rundown of the series of events, Dumbledore gave his grandfatherly grin while Snape was staring death at Draco. The young Malfoy looked like he was about to wilt at any moment.
"So a quick interrogation then?" Albus quipped and Fudge sighed. He could not gainsay the Headmaster and both of them knew it, but if Albus pushed too far, Fudge would have to put his foot down. He was the Minister after all.
Ira nodded and approached Black, "You don't owe me anything but to this boy, your godson," and Ira said that with extra emphasis, "you owe him at least your explanation, no matter how cowardly it may seem"
Sirius Black looked at Harry, the haze of madness finally lifted and felt ashamed, but not guilty. Never would Black feel guilty because he did not do anything wrong and he told his story, the same one he had told the courts before they threw him into Azkaban. Harry's face looked contorted like he was going to cry but he just nodded.
"Then what about this Pettigrew? Are you sure he is dead?" Ira addressed Black. Sirius turned to the professor and shook his head, "Frankly I don't know what happened to him. Maybe he is dead but maybe not"
The assembled sorcerers seem to collectively rolled their eyes except for the Hogwarts faculty, they just stared impassively or tried to. Ira nodded at something, "Well that shouldn't be too hard to prove or disprove eh?"
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The image before him was a rather fat rat trying to evade a cat. With swift motions, Ira cast the same series of spells onto the rat, a rather corpulent human in actuality. Through his double, Ira realized the rat as the pet of Ron, and he felt a hot anger within him.
There were many things that the arch-necromancer had done in his quest for power but always Ira believed in a sense of honour, a code and ethics to live his life by and children was one of them. This rat had been on Ron's lap, slept in Ron's bed and probably watched the boy in more private moments. With a rage that he hardly felt, Ira spoke to the spell-frozen rat through the double, "You might not know this but I see you for what you are Pettigrew. I know you and can easily discern your true form, animagus! Pity that the others will not know of this but I will get my kicks where I can eh?"
With brutal movements, Ira hurled the rat against the rocks but light enough that only some of the bones would be broken. It would not do to deliver a dead body.
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"And here we have our real traitor," Ira said, depositing the rat onto the floor. Despite his magical bonds, Sirius tried to hurl himself at it, shouting all the while, "It's him! He's alive! The bastard!" and other worse expletives. Lupin looked like he wanted to do the same but was held back by Snape who held a wand to him.
"Another unregistered animagus?! How?!" Fudge said, exasperated. Ira removed the spells and Pettigrew reformed, naked and vomited blood all over the floor, causing the party except for Lupin and Black to flinch. Pettigrew groaned and looked bruised all over, his body covered with welts, fresh cuts and deep gouges in his flesh. Peter Pettigrew's one good eye looked at Ira with fear.
"You will accept the facts now, Cornelius?" Dumbledore calmly asked. Fudge looked flabbergasted but slowly nodded. The Aurors gathered the naked Pettigrew and the rest avoided him like the plague. Bones released Black from his magical bonds.
Sirius still looked like he wanted to kill the fat man but turned to Harry instead. Potter looked bewildered by all that was happening but caught his godfather's eye clearly. Slowly and with tentative steps, the two embraced and Ira supposed some deserved a happy ending.
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"And full compensation for all that you suffered," Fudge grudgingly said but it had to be done. With all that Black had gone through, nothing the Minister could ever do would wipe the trauma of dementors and prison away but at least clearing his record and giving the man a clean slate would be a start.
Sirius nodded, as there was nothing left to say. Fudge left, readying himself for the inevitable trial for Pettigrew, the real culprit who murdered so many and who had hidden under the very noses of a government official and his family. Ron had already vomited several times but Ira supposed the boy would never get over it.
Draco and Hermione had returned to the castle to begin their punishments, the young Malfoy had already gotten a harsh one from Snape, the details of which were unknown. The young Malfoy had left pale though, so Ira supposed it was very harsh.
Black hugged Lupin and gave an even tighter hug to Harry who looked over the moon and stars at the exoneration of his godfather. From what Ira knew, with the proven restoration of his sanity and the substantial compensation coming in from the Ministry, Black was able to take care of Harry, since he had been made legal guardian before Harry's parents death or something like that.
"I'll see you soon Harry. Don't you worry about a thing. I'll have a home for the both of us before the end of the school year" Black whispered to Harry but the boy only smiled. The home wasn't necessary as he had someone who genuinely cared for him. But never having to live with the Dursleys ever again was an added bonus.
Dumbledore approached Ira and they went to a corner to talk, "Quick resolution wouldn't you say? Harry's godfather and the true traitor in the ranks, all done so quickly"
Ira nodded, "My methods worked. Can't argue with the results and I have to say they are somewhat pleasing"
Albus smiled, "Will I be assuming that you will be returning to Hogwarts then? All affairs in order and such?" the Headmaster's eyes seem to twinkle with an inner light.
Ira gave the old man a warm smile, "Soon Headmaster. Just a few more errands and I will continue on"
Albus patted him on the shoulder and prepared to leave with Harry, Minerva and Lupin in tow, "Never doubted your word for a second, Ira. You're a good man"
Ira mulled over the words and wondered if he was. Good men did not deal with demons, forged proto-devils or bring the dead back to life. They certainly did not have demonic-inclined associates and bloated sorcerers for allies. Despite it all, Ira wondered and decided to take it all with a bit of salt.
Harry left with the teachers and that just left Ira and Black in the private room, who now had a long tab courtesy of the Minister, "Thank you Professor. I cannot tell you what it means to be free, or have my godson look at me without fear in his eyes"
Ira nodded, "You don't owe me anything Sirius. But a word of caution though," at that, Black looked suspicious, "I dealt with a traitorous professor who was said to be possessed by a wizard called Voldemort and dealt with a book containing the ghost of the same wizard. It would seem like he did not exactly die, as tales suggest"
Black gulped, "Harry, you protected him?"
Ira absently nodded, "And I can't protect him all the time, contrary to some belief. However his godfather should be able to keep a better eye on him, considering your animosity towards Voldemort"
Black nodded and gave a fierce grin, "I have never felt clearer in all my life. I will do what needs doing and if the Dark Lord is still around, he won't be. I swear my life on it"
Ira smiled at the man. This one was honest and sincere, not to mention foolishly brave. A Gryffindor if Ira ever saw one, "Another thing. If you need allies, Lucius Malfoy is one. He's one of my close associates and you can give this to him" Ira took out a few folios and handed it to Black.
Sirius blanched, "Malfoy?! I understand his son is Harry's friend but the elder Malfoy is a die-hard blood loyalist and Death Eater. I can't go and ask him for support" but Ira was already prepared to leave.
"You can and you will. You will find that the world has changed and everything you thought you knew is much more different. Speak to Lucius and you will find a strong ally and don't forget the books, I did promise him after all" the books offered theoretical improvements and innovations to their wand magic and Ira hoped Malfoy would be able to make use of it. It seemed that times were changing in this world but that was only a small feeling.
Black nodded slowly, turning the books over but as he lifted his head to talk to Ira, the professor was already gone. Ira Gold had to see a lich about a stone.
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