Chapter 11: The Trial of Sirius Black

As the mangy, black haired man strode towards the chair, Harry took the time to observe him. Sirius Black looked far older than his 30-some years. Azkaban had aged him.

Once he reached the chair, the chains rattled and secured him in place with a loud clang.

A round man wearing a lime green bowler hat, who Harry assumed was Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, announced, stumbling slightly over his words, "Criminal hearing of the 5th of October, into offences committed under the International Statute of Secrecy and the Wizengamot Charter Laws of 1684 by Sirius Orion Black, resident of unknown location. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Chief Warlock. Court Scribe, Dolores Jane Umbridge, Junior Undersecretary to the Minister."

The entire Wizengamot was motionless and quiet. Quieter than they ever had been in those halls. Finally a slimy voice exclaimed, "This is preposterous! Sirius Black is guilty! He murdered all those muggles. He betrayed the Potters! Why are we even having this farce of a trial?"

"I must agree with Lord Nott, Cornelius. Why are we having a trial that we already know the results to?" asked Dumbledore, gazing over the tops of his glasses with a disappointed frown, "Our precious time could be spent doing far more important things."

Amelia Bones' authoritative voice decreed, "Sirius Black never had a trial. Whether he is guilty or innocent at the end that is of no matter, but he must receive a trial. This is by the Wizengamot charter."

The members of the Wizengamot grumbled. However, no one else objected.

"If that is all," Cornelius Fudge muttered, "I would like to get on with this trial,"

He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and exhaling it through his nostrils. "The charges are as follows: that the accused was part of a criminal organization led by You-Know-Who known as the Death Eaters, that the accused betrayed the location of the Potters leading to their subsequent murder by You-Know-Who, that the accused murdered Peter Pettigrew, that the accused murdered 12 other muggles, that the accused caused a severe breach of the International Statute of Secrecy by performing magic in the presence of muggles, and that the accused is an illegal animagus and failed to register himself on the animagus registry."

Harry was surprised at the final charge, but went with it anyway. He stood up. "Members of the Wizengamot," he said, projecting his voice throughout the stone chambers, "As the victim of Sirius Black's crimes, I would like to demand the use of Veritaserum."

"Hem hem," a saccharine girly voice came. Harry ignored her in favor of staring down the minister of magic and Albus Dumbledore.

"Now, now, Harry, my boy, surely Veritaserum is unnecessary? We all know the truth of what happened. Surely we need not waste precious resources in order to pander to your whims?" Albus Dumbledore asked, with a benevolent-seeming smile.

"I disagree, Chief Warlock," Harry replied, opening his mouth to continue before a voice interrupted him.

"Hem hem," the voice said, "Who are you to speak to the esteemed members of the Wizengamot this way? The only living victim of Sirius Black is Harry Potter. Surely you're not alleging that you're Harry Potter?" At this, she gave a high pitched giggle.

"And who are you to question me?" Harry snapped back, "But for the record, I am Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter."

Mutters broke out once again, the members surprised that the Boy-Who-Lived was here. That wasn't the only topic of conversation, though. One voice rose loud above the rest, "But if we allow the use of Veritaserum now, then how will we be assured that we can't be brought up on trumped-up charges, forced to reveal our family secrets?"

Madam Bones floundered for a moment, clearly not having expected to be questioned. Harry, however, spoke up, "Under the Pureblood Families Rights Act of 1754, Veritaserum can be used in trials with the consent of the family head. Questions would be approved in advance by the family head."

Madam Bones looked at him gratefully. Harry smiled back at her.

"I consent," Sirius said croakily, voice ragged from disuse.

"But the family head is the one being tried! How do we know he won't choose questions specifically benefiting his purpose?" an angry voice shouted. Harry recognized his signature blonde hair. Lucius Malfoy.

"If you know the laws as well as I do, which you should, Lord Malfoy" said Harry, unable to resist the slight verbal jab, "You would know that in such cases, it is the heir who gives approval."

"Of course I know the laws!" Malfoy exclaimed, reddening.

"Then I'm sure you wouldn't object to the questions that I have set forth?" Harry asked, passing a roll of parchment with the Black family seal to Madam Bones.

"Wha- what? I mean, you can't possibly be the Black Heir! I would know! My own son is the heir!" Malfoy was clearly flustered. His knuckles turned white with the pressure he was gripping his cane with.

"Oh?" Harry asked with faux innocence, "Then, kindly explain this." He tapped his pinkie finger with his wand, and the Black heir ring shimmered into view.

The courtroom gasped as one. Mutters broke out, exponentially growing in volume.

"Quiet!" Madam Bones boomed after half a minute of this, "As Lord Potter is both the victim of this man's crimes and the heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, I am inclined to honor his request," she continued, making sure to emphasize his status.

"All in favor?" Almost everyone raised their wands.

Madam Bones nodded, gesturing towards the auror standing against the wall. He stepped forward and put three drops of Veritaserum onto Sirius' willing tongue.

"What is your name?" Madam Bones asked.

"Sirius Orion Black," came the monotonous reply.

Madam Bones nodded. Then, the questioning began in earnest. She glanced down at the parchment in front of her, "Were you the Secret Keeper for the Potter cottage in Godric's Hollow?"

"No." Mutters began. Harry smiled to himself.

"Who was the Secret Keeper for the Potter cottage in Godric's Hollow?"

"Peter Pettigrew." The Wizengamot debated furiously amongst themselves.

"Did you betray The potters?"

"No."

"Are you or were you ever a death eater?"

"No."

"Did you murder the muggles?"

"No."

"Did you murder Peter Pettigrew?"

Back and forth the questions went, Madam Bones reading off the list that Harry had given her. The mutters from the Wizengamot grew louder with each successive question. She had to call for silence multiple times, and many tried to interject.

Finally, she reached the end of the list. "Does anyone have any more questions for the accused?" she asked.

The entire chamber was completely silent. A quill drifted down to the floor with a thud that seemed to echo around the silent chamber. Everyone turned to face the owner of the quill, who blushed, the color of her face matching the pink of her cardigan.

Cornelius Fudge puffed his chest out importantly, "I believe that clears the accused of all charges," he declared, "He is free to go."

"Wait one moment, Cornelius," Madam Bones said, putting her hand up to forestall stop gavel's downward path, "We still have the charges of being an unregistered animagus to deal with."

"Yes yes," Cornelius blustered, "You're quite right, Amelia."

"If I may," Harry interrupted, "As Mr. Black has already served 10 years for crimes that he did not commit, I suggest that he is to be released effective immediately and pronounced a free man. If it is the technicalities you're worried about, the time that he has spent in Azkaban will be credited towards his sentence of being illegal animagus, which I believe carries a maximum prison sentence of 1 year."

"Great idea, my boy," Cornelius Fudge exclaimed jovially, "Yes, yes, we'll just go with that. Mr. Black, you are free to go." The chains holding Sirius sprang open with a clatter. He sat there, still in shock.

"Am I right to presume that you will have the result of this trial sent to the daily prophet immediately?" Harry asked.

"Of course, of course," Cornelius Fudge agreed easily.

"Then," Harry said. "I believe that all we still have to deal with is the matter of recompensation."

"Wh-what recompensation?"

Harry smirked nastily, "Well, considering that Mr. Black spent nine unjust years in Azkaban, I think that 1 million gallons per year is fair."

"B-but Sirius Black's imprisonment is not my administration's problem. It was the previous administration's. Millicent Bagnold signed off on it not me."

"Yes," Harry agreed amiably, "But it is your administration's fault for ignoring the inquiries from the goblins regarding the lordship of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. Had you paid attention and even investigated slightly, the truth would have came out far before this."

"The Wizengamot has not received any inquiries from the goblins. I would know," declared Dumbledore with a smirk.

"Of course you wouldn't have," Harry responded, "They were sent to the Minister's office."

All eyes turned to face Cornelius Fudge. He floundered under scrutinizing gaze of so many pairs of eyes staring at him, waiting for an answer, "I never received any such inquiry," he said, still trying to sound official.

"A few years ago you had all messages from the goblins redirected to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, "Harry reminded him with a sneaky smile, "And seeing that the Chief Warlock has said that he has never received anything regarding Sirius Black, let me say this: it is by the order of the Chief Warlock that the late Lord and Lady Potter's wills were sealed. In those wills, there contained evidence that Sirius Black was innocent. It was not until that I claimed my family rings and unsealed the wills myself that I discovered the truth. I immediately brought it to Madam Bones' attention, and she called for this trial that due to your dilly-dallying took almost two months," Harry paused for a moment, "And by the way, guess who was the witness and executor for their wills? Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

The Wizengamot burst into uproar.

Harry's passionate voice carried over the crowd, "I would say that I expect that the Wizengamot will investigate this accordingly, but I do not have much faith in the Wizengamot right now. Instead, I will say that I hope you all do the right thing." He made eye contact with each member of the Wizengamot as he said this.

Harry sauntered down the stone steps of the chamber, he shot back one last parting remark, "Let this be a reminder that it will do you well in the future to see that not just goblin inquiries, but all other inquiries, are taken seriously, and not just rerouted to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

With that. he approached Sirius and give him a hand up. The two of them embraced, Sirius crying tears of joy that he was finally freed. After nearly 10 years, godson and godfather were reunited.

"I expect that the Black Family vaults will be receiving an influx of gold quite shortly," Harry called behind him, as he guided Sirius out of the chamber.

Fudge called after them, "Wait, what about the charges of being an illegal animagus?"

Harry smiled, "I think you need to check your memory. it seems to be that your memory is deficient. Perhaps because of old age?"

"Harry, my boy," Dumbledore called down. It seemed that the members of the Wizengamot were intent on hindering their departure.

"What is it?" Harry snapped.

"You do not have permission for being out of school. That will be a detention for you."

"On the contrary," Harry smirked, "Professor Flitwick gave me permission."

"Then in that case you should head back to school nonetheless. Your godfather will be safe in my hands," Dumbledore said with a grandfatherly smile, approaching Harry.

Harry smiled back dangerously, "Thank you for your kind offer, Headmaster, but no thank you. "I will be escorting him to medical facilities before heading back to the school. Don't worry, I will be totally safe."

Finally, he pulled his godfather out the door and into the hallway. Once outside, they made their way out of the ministry, keeping out of sight of both Ministry workers and Dumbledore, who was trying to chase them. When they reached the atrium, Harry activated the portkey that took them to Gringotts.

-o-o-

A/N: Happy holidays all! Thanks for reading!

Chapter posted: December 23rd, 2019

Tentative update date: December 30th, 2019