Author's Note: THIS IS A DOUBLE POST! Welcome hapyyfoam, SilverNightmares, and SpiralsawsGirl! For this chapter, I've taken some of the visuals from Harry's trial at the beginning of OotP.

Thanks, Worthfull1

P.S. I own nothing, anything recognizable belongs to the lovely Ms. Rowling.


Chapter 43: The Trial

Remus was in the kitchen on the morning of Sirius' trial having a cup of coffee and trying to eat a piece of toast without getting crumbs all over his nicest (least shabby) robes when the floo activated. Jeannie stepped through first, moving to the side and dusting herself off. Next came Tonks who moved to the side as well. The third woman who came through the fireplace startled Remus. He hadn't seen her since the first time he'd visited Tonks in the hospital, but this seemed to be a different woman. The confidence and breeding that she'd exuded during that first meeting had all but evaporated, and Remus could almost taste the anxiety rolling off her.

"Good morning, Andromeda," he greeted politely, giving her a small smile. She looked up distractedly and seemed to take a moment to place Remus while brushing soot off her expensive-looking formal robes.

"Remus," she said quietly. "Good morning. Where is my cousin?"

"Upstairs getting ready."

Andromeda nodded. "His old bedroom?"

"Yes. Shall I show - "

"No, thank you, Remus," she cut him off. "I remember the way." Andromeda took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, then walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to find her favourite cousin.


Hermione finally finished pinning the majority of her hair out of her face and told Ginny she was going to head downstairs. Receiving a nod from the redhead, she exited their shared bedroom and proceeded down the hallway only to stop in front of Sirius'. The door was open and the man himself was standing next to the window, looking out at the world. Something in his posture made her stop and knock on the open door. When she didn't get an answer, she moved into the room towards Sirius, only stopping when she was right next to him.

Sirius sighed heavily and hung his head for a moment before casting her a side-long look. "Would you think any less of me if I told you I was scared shitless?" he asked quietly, only half-joking.

"You know I wouldn't," she answered, smiling softly and looking him over.

He hadn't finished dressing yet. Well-shined black dress shoes peeked out from under pressed black trousers, but he hadn't gotten around to putting a belt on yet. A white sleeveless undershirt was tucked in and a crisp white button-down was on a hanger laid across his bed along with a red and gold waistcoat, a black formal robe and a cravat. He'd shaved very carefully that morning, his goatee trimmed neatly, not a hint of stubble anywhere it didn't belong and his long hair was tied back from his face in a ponytail at the base of his neck. He was dressing to impress, trying very hard to not look like the madman people would recognize and Hermione thought that if there was a single woman on the jury, it would probably work.

"What if I lose?" he whispered, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"You won't," she said firmly. "That's not going to happen, Sirius. We're all on your side this time. It's not going to happen." She stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head on his chest and smiling when she felt his arms go around her shoulders. They stayed that way for a while until Hermione looked up to see a woman she didn't know standing in the doorway, Jeannie and Tonks standing on either side of her.

"My mum," Tonks mouthed at her and Hermione's smile grew. Pulling back from Sirius, she looked up at him and flicked her eyes towards the door, telling him to look over that way. He did and went rigid.

"Andy," he breathed as the woman stepped into the room. Hermione detached herself from him in order to watch the reunion.

"Hello, cousin," she said, stopping in the middle of the room with that same closed-off look Sirius got when he was highly emotional. "My daughter and your girlfriend have been telling me some... interesting stories, but I'd like to hear it from you."

Sirius swallowed hard. "What do you want to know?" he said in a shaky voice.

"Tell me you didn't do it," she whispered.

"I didn't do it," he whispered back. "I didn't do it, Andy. I could nev- oomph!" he was cut off by Andromeda charging him, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing into his shoulder. Sirius caught her and held her close, burying his face in her hair to hide the tears making their way down his own cheeks. Finally, Andromeda composed herself and sniffed, pulling back from him a bit. She took a few breaths before speaking.

"I'm quite cross with you, you know," she said without heat.

"I know, I know," Sirius nodded. She had every right to be mad at him.

"I'm going to yell at you later," she added, and Sirius nodded obediently again.

"That's fine. You can yell at me all you like, I don't care," he said, still holding her around the waist as though afraid she was a mirage that was going to disappear on him.

She ran her hands up and down his bare arms, looking sadly at the lines of ink that were clearly prison tattoos. "Come on, then," she said, "let's get you dressed." Moving over to the bed, she took the shirt off the hanger and held it out so he could slip his arms through the sleeves, then grabbed the vest as he did up the buttons. Hermione, Jeannie and Tonks left to let the cousins have a few minutes together as Sirius tucked the shirt in.

"I can't believe you're here," Sirius said quietly as Andromeda helped him into the vest.

"Well, we wayward Blacks have to stick together, don't we?" she said, repeating what he'd said to her years before when he'd insisted on keeping in touch, despite her being disowned.

He chuckled at the memory as she circled around him, picking bits of fluff off his robe and watching him fasten his cuff-links and his cravat. When he finished, he stood straight and tall, cocking an eyebrow at her as if waiting for her approval. She looked him over one last time and nodded, pleased with the result. Sirius Black was still quite a handsome man, perhaps even more good-looking now that he'd matured. He looked like Lord Black, not his wanted poster, and that was the whole point of the fancy clothes.

"What're you looking at me like that for, Mrs. Tonks?" he asked, a teasing smirk on his face.

Andy's smile turned sad as she reached up and fondly ran her fingers along his jaw. "You're so old," she answered. Sirius' eyes flashed.

"Old?" he cried, incredulous. "Old?! I'm on trial for my life today and the best you can do is call me 'old'? What the fuck, Andy?!"

"Oh, calm down! I didn't mean that as a bad thing - it was just an observation. I haven't seen you in nearly fifteen years!" she shouted back, their matching Black tempers happily butting heads as though no time had passed.

"Well, this is just great! All the things I have to worry about today and you're calling me old! You're not so young anymore yourself, you know!" Sirius swept past her and made his way down the stairs to the kitchen where everyone was gathering before heading over to the Ministry.

Some things never change, Andy thought to herself as she rolled her eyes and followed.

"Everything okay, Padfoot?" Remus asked quietly as Sirius entered the kitchen looking a little pissed off. He'd heard the raised voices, but hadn't been able to make out the words.

"Just fine, Moony," Sirius answered, scowling.

Remus opened his mouth to say something else, but Kingsley cut him off. "Alright, everyone, listen up," he said, his deep voice cutting through the chatter of everybody who had gathered in the kitchen. "This is how it's going to work - Sirius, you will 'surrender' to me and Mad-Eye, we will floo into the Atrium, and everyone else will follow. Dumbledore will meet us there."

"'Surrender', how?" Andromeda asked.

Kingsley reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a set of Auror handcuffs. "I'm sorry, Sirius," he said apologetically, "but I'll have to put these on you here, before we floo to the Ministry."

The sight of the handcuffs sobered Sirius instantly and the anxiety from earlier came flooding back. Remus moved to stand beside him and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"It'll be alright, Pads," he said. "We're going to win today."

Sirius nodded. "I know."

"You do?" Remus asked, not expecting such optimism.

"Yes. Hermione said so," Sirius explained, "and she hasn't called it wrong, yet." He turned to wink at the young witch who replied with a nervous smile of her own. When Sirius looked away from her, however, she sent a panicked look to Remus, but calmed when Jeannie slung an arm around her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly.

Sirius took a deep breath and stepped forward, extending his arms to allow Kingsley to shackle him. The tall, dark-skinned Auror slipped the cuffs on him with a frown and an air of reluctance, then lead him to the fire. Taking a pinch of green powder, he tossed it into the flames and took hold of Sirius' arm, calling 'Ministry of Magic Atrium', and the two men disappeared.

Mad-Eye went next, then the rest of the group followed suit, arriving in the Atrium to flashing camera lights and a horde of reporters, each trying to push the other out of the way to get an 'exclusive' quote from Sirius Black before the trial of the century. Finally, Mad-Eye erected a shield and pushed his way through the crowd, shouting that the prisoner had no comment at this time.

The group moved swiftly and efficiently through the Ministry, wanting to get Sirius down to the Wizengamot Chamber as quickly and painlessly as possible and, once everyone was inside, Mad-Eye and Kingsley sealed the door and escorted Sirius to the accused's chair. Sitting in the middle of the room, it was tall-backed and bare, with shackles at the wrists and ankles - clearly made for interrogation rather than sitting and Jeannie could see the discomfort on Sirius' face as the two Aurors removed his handcuffs and strapped him in before taking their places on either side of him. His breathing was quicker, too, and his eyes darted around the room, occasionally lingering on someone he recognized from last time.

The room looked the same. Ceiling so high you couldn't actually see it, no windows as they were way too far underground for natural light, and the lamps around the room did little to shed light on the space because of the darkness of nearly every surface. The floor was multi-coloured marble in geometric designs, but the benches and desks were all dark wood and even the robes the Wizengamot wore were black. A secretary witch sat off to the side with a small desk in front of her and a quill in her hand, ready to record the session.

Sitting in a half-circle in front of Sirius were the witches and wizards of the Wizengamot. Three rows high, their seats were raised above the accused's chair in the center of the room so the person on trial had to look up to see the people who were judging him. Behind him were his witnesses - Jeannie, Andromeda (Tonks was hovering behind Mad-Eye and Kingsley as her status as an Auror prevented her from publicly supporting Sirius at the moment), Remus, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys - more there for moral support than actual testimony since nobody but Peter, Sirius and the Potters knew exactly what happened in 1981.

After a few minutes of letting everyone squirm, the new Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, who had replaced Fudge not two weeks before following Fudge's announcement that Lord Voldemort had indeed returned, stood from his seat at the center of the judge's area and began to read from a scroll of parchment that was hovering in front of him.

"Honored Witches and Warlocks of the Wizengamot," he began. "We have gathered today, the fifteenth of July, 1996, at the request of Chief Warlock, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to hear the case of one Sirius Orion Black. The accused shall stand to hear the charges against him."

The shackles around Sirius' wrists and ankles unwound themselves and he stood.

"Sirius Orion Black," said Fudge. "You are charged with belonging to the criminal organization led by Lord Voldemort, also known as the Death Eaters. How do you plead?" Jeannie saw, out of the corner of her eye, Harry and Hermione's nearly identical looks of surprise as the new Minister appeared ot have no problem saying Voldemort's name.

"Not guilty," Sirius replied in a clear voice despite his slightly pale face.

"You are charged with aiding and abetting the aforementioned organization. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

"You are charged with feeding information to the aforementioned organization, thereby assisting in the deaths of James and Lily Potter on October 31, 1981. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

"Lastly, you are charged with the murder of Peter Pettigrew and twelve Muggles in the early hours of the morning of November 1st, 1981. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty." From her seat, Jeannie could see several judges sneer as Sirius claimed innocence.

"The accused shall be seated." Sirius obeyed and the shackles immediately resumed their place.

Jeannie had never been to a trial before, and since only Sirius, Kingsley and Mad-Eye had been privy to Dumbledore's plan of action for today, she was quite nervous sitting there, unable to do anything. Part of her wished it was still the night before when she'd held Sirius, running her fingers through his hair and telling him that it would be okay. He'd laid there silently, arms wrapped around her waist and head resting on her chest, listening to her soft, empty promises. Neither had gotten much sleep, but they hadn't really needed it - the energy levels were too high, and Jeannie knew nobody would relax until this day was over.

The row of seats behind Jeannie was taken up by the Weasley family - all eight of them (since Percy was still estranged) had been able to make it as Charlie had called in a few favors and gotten an international portkey the previous night. Sitting to her right was Hermione and Harry, the latter looking very nervous about the whole situation. Jeannie could understand that; he'd almost lost Sirius just a few weeks ago and was clearly unhappy about even the possibility of losing him again, not to mention his understandable distrust of the Ministry. On her right sat Remus, with Andromeda next to him. The anxiety was palpable and Jeannie hoped this wouldn't take all day. Unfortunately, this was the Ministry, so there was every possibility it would.

"Chief Warlock Dumbledore," Scrimgeour called. "You have seen fit to bring this case to us. Please proceed."

The Minister sat down and Albus stood and moved to the center of the room to plead Sirius' case. He was not dressed in black like the other members of the Wizengamot, rather he had opted for light blue formal robes with silver edging. His long, silver beard fell past his belt buckle, and his hair was loose down his back. What caught Jeannie's eye, however, was his left hand. The appendage was withered, black and necrotic-looking as though it had died. Dumbledore himself was looking old and frail, but he was an old man, and she wondered if he was just showing his age or if whatever had damaged his hand was affecting him.

"Thank you, Minister," Albus said.

Dumbledore began by summarizing the story that everyone was familiar with - the one where Sirius turned on the Potters and killed Peter Pettigrew, then launched into a 'hypothetical' alternative theory of what may have happened. Using a series of 'What if...' questions rhetorically posed to the Wizengamot, he weaved a tale that could rival Beedle the Bard. What if a switch occurred at the last minute? What if Sirius didn't know who to trust, and so, went with the one person he thought he knew he could rely on? What if Sirius was as much in the dark as everyone else? What if Sirius had been framed? What if he was innocent?

"These are questions that need to be asked and answered," said Dumbledore. "Sirius Black was never given a trial and, therefore, never allowed to tell his side of things. I ask that you allow him this chance. I ask that, for the sake of the wizarding justice system if nothing else, you right the wrong that was done to him all those years ago. Even the worst criminals deserve their day in court, and that is why I requested this hearing."

Scrimgeour snorted at the word 'requested'. He'd been briefed on Sirius' case when he took over the position of Minister and, as the former Head of the Auror Department, had been the one to appoint Kingsley and Tonks to the hunt for Sirius Black. It was safe to say he was not thrilled at having to play along today with what he clearly thought was a charade.

"Minister, Mr. Black has agreed to the use of Veritaserum. I request that some be brought."

"Weasley!" Scrimgeour called, and Jeannie heard Molly gasp as a tall, red-headed young man stood from some hidden spot behind the Minister's podium. "Give the vial of Veritaserum to Auror Shacklebolt."

"It's Percy," Hermione whispered, also having heard Molly's reaction to the Minister's assistant.

"Ah," Jeannie breathed. Percy had been a couple of years behind her and Tonks and Charlie in school and she'd never really had to deal with him, so there was no reason she would have recognized him now. Apparently, Fudge's job hadn't been the only thing Rufus Scrimgeour had inherited. Behind them, Arthur could be heard whispering comforting things to Molly who sounded like she was trying to hide sniffles, and Jeannie suddenly had a vision of herself and Sirius at that age, although preferably without the crying. Whoa, where the fuck did that come from? she thought, shaking herself and turning her concentration back to the scene in front of her.

Without even a glance towards his family, Percy walked up to Kingsley and handed him the small vial of clear liquid, then returned to his place behind the Minister's podium. Scrimgeour, for the sake of the secretary recording the proceedings, made a statement about the Veritaserum being Ministry-approved and brewed by a Ministry-appointed Potions Master. Kingsley walked over to Sirius and put three drops on his tongue, then placed the vial on Scrimgeour's podium.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore, clapping his hands together. "Now, I have a few questions for Mr. Black, and then I will invite my esteemed fellow members of the Wizengamot to make their own inquiries."


Author's Note: This chapter and the next took me a while to write because I wanted to be careful about re-hashing everything again. I did enough of that for Skeeter's interview and didn't want to be just explaining what we all know actually happened between Sirius and Peter, etc. all over again. Let me know how I did!

Thanks, Worthfull1