Chapter 28 – The Trial of Sirius Black, Part 2
Fourth Year
"Next, I would like to call Remus Lupin."
Remus came limping into the chamber, doing his best to stand up straight as he walked. Sirius could tell he was hurting. From what he remembered; the next full moon was only a few days away. He had to be in immense pain now. He was glad Remus was willing to fight the pain to be here for him today.
"How's it going in here?" Remus asked Sirius as he sat down.
"It's looking pretty bleak, mate."
"Let's try to fix that," Remus said before looking back up at Dumbledore.
"Let's begin, shall we. Mr. Lupin, how do you know Sirius Black?"
"We have been best mates for over 20 years now."
"Even though he has been in Azkaban for so long, you still consider him your friend?"
"Absolutely. I've never doubted his innocence."
"Tawny briefed us on how Peter Pettigrew was the one that actually gave up the Potters. However, I would like you to talk about Sirius's character. Does that work for you?" Remus nodded in agreement.
"Very well. Mr. Lupin, everyone here now knows that not only are you a wizard, but you are also a werewolf." Werewolf. Hearing it out loud almost made Sirius cringe. They had been protecting Remus's secret for so long that hearing him referenced as one was difficult. He felt as though he should be defending Remus.
"Yes."
"Prior to this past year at Hogwarts, who knew your secret?"
"Other than you and Madam Pomfrey sir, the only people alive that knew were Tawny Lovegood and Sirius Black."
"When did Sirius learn of your lycanthropy?"
"Sirius has known since we were twelve or thirteen years old. Our second year at Hogwarts."
"How did Sirius react to this information?"
"Oh, I didn't have to tell Sirius. He figured it out all on his own."
Gryffindor Tower, 1972
"I've been doing research, James! I know I'm right!" Sirius exclaimed, nearly throwing his hands up in the air.
The boys had just returned to their dormitory from setting a prank for Tawny: changing out her inkpots with ones that would gush ink the moment she dipped a quill into them. When they returned and noticed Remus and Peter were not in their room, Sirius had decided to finally share his suspicions about Remus's behavior.
"Stop being ridiculous, Sirius. He would have told us."
"He was probably scared. Come on, would you want to tell everyone this?"
"My best mates? Yeah, I would." James huffed, crossing his arms and leaning back against his bedpost.
"That is a big secret, one that he has probably kept his whole life."
"Do you think he kept it from Dumbledore? Please, Sirius, no one can keep anything from Dumbledore. He wouldn't let one into our school."
"Why the hell not? With someone as smart as Remus! Come on James he's a bloody genius. Dumbledore wouldn't deny Remus into Hogwarts just because he's-"
"Sirius," James said, cutting Sirius off the moment he saw Remus standing in the doorway of their bedroom.
"Just because I'm a what?" Remus asked, closing the door behind him carefully.
"Just because you're a werewolf." The moment Remus heard those words his body grew weak. He felt as if he was going to throw up, but at the same time, he couldn't move. He had been keeping this secret since he was six years old. How in the world did Sirius find out?
"What?" Remus said, the words barely escaping his lips.
"Look, Sirius, you're scaring him. I'm sorry, Remus."
"You look, James!" Sirius said, reaching for his journal. He tore through it until he found a select page and threw it wide open on his bed. "I've marked every date Remus has been sick this term. Every date aligns with the full moon. He's ill for a few days before, and one or two after. And every night of the full moon, he's supposedly in the hospital wing. But Madam Pomfrey never lets us visit on those nights." James picked up the journal, studying it carefully.
"You- you've been tracking me?" Remus asked as he let his schoolbooks fall from his hands. They crashed on the floor, but Remus didn't bother to pick them up. It was as if he didn't notice. He was so focused on Sirius, that nothing else in the world mattered at the moment. Including folded corners on old textbooks.
"I was worried. You've been ill so frequently all term and I wanted to know why. You're one of my best mates, Remus. I just wanted to see what was wrong."
"It really has been every full moon this term…" James whispered, not looking up from the journal.
"You're also sneaking off to have tea with Dumbledore right around those times. Why else would he want to see you that frequently? It's not like you're the one getting in trouble that often. That's my job." That was true. Remus only got in trouble a handful of times when he helped out with Sirius's pranks. Normally, he would help plan and then let Sirius be the showman. That way, Sirius was the main one getting detention.
"Tell me I'm wrong, Remus. Tell me I'm wrong and I'll never bring it up again."
"You're not wrong," Remus whispered, as he fell back into the door. James immediately dropped the journal on the floor, in shock.
"I bloody knew it!" Sirius yelled, fist-pumping the air. "See James, Remus isn't the only genius here." Sirius stopped his chanting the moment he noticed Remus had slid down on the floor, looking paler than either of them had ever seen him. "Oh, Merlin. Remus are you okay, mate?" Immediately Sirius ran over to the boy, sliding down on to the floor right next to him.
"You-you're not afraid of me?"
"Afraid of you? Seriously, mate? You may be a werewolf but you're not going to bite me. At least not right now. The full moon isn't for another couple of weeks."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. So, what's it like being a werewolf? What's the full moon like? Do you run free all over the forbidden forest? Have you met another werewolf? Are there lady werewolves? I mean, of course, there are, but can you tell? Is there some strong carnal attraction?"
"Are you asking him if there are sexy lady werewolves, Sirius?"
"Not all of us are hopelessly in love with Evans, James. Don't you think Remus deserves to find someone? That someone could be a sexy lady werewolf."
"I'd throw this pillow at you if I didn't think it would hit Remus."
"Nothing will stop me throwing this one!" Sirius said, reaching for the pillow on the floor next to Peter's four-poster bed and immediately chucking it at James's head.
Just as James was about to throw Sirius's pillow, Remus shouted, "Wait! You are both okay with this? You're not mad, or scared, or going to try to get me kicked out of here?"
"Why the bloody hell would we do that?" Sirius asked, turning to face Remus directly. "Remus, you're our mate. You being a werewolf doesn't change anything."
"It doesn't?"
"Of course not, right James?" Sirius asked, looking back at his messy-haired friend.
"I mean, it's a little weird. I've never met a werewolf. Well, I didn't think I had. But Sirius is right. You're still Remus. I mean you're not planning on eating us, or turning us, right?"
"No, never! I wouldn't wish this on anyone."
"See, there is nothing to worry about. You're still the same Remus. Except once a month you get a little… moony."
"Moony?" Remus chuckled at the name "Did you just make that up?"
"Yeah, I like it. I think I'll call you that."
"I thought when I told my mates about me being a werewolf that they'd leave me. That they'd fear me. But Sirius was anything but scared. He reminded me that I am more than just a werewolf. I'm a human, too. I'm a wizard and a friend." Remus said as he reached out, laying a hand on Sirius's arm. Sirius flashed him a soft smile and attempted to move his hand to touch Remus's, but his chains kept him secured.
Sirius never realized just how important his reaction was to Remus. He thought everyone should react the same way as he did. But he knew that wasn't the case. He thought back to how Tawny originally reacted to the news. She definitely didn't take it as easily as Sirius did at first. At the time, she didn't know Remus the way he did. She came around. Not everyone would've.
"What you're saying is that Sirius saw the best in you. He looked past the fear of your lycanthropy and saw you for who you are, not for what you could become." Dumbledore clarified.
"Yes. Sirius made every effort to make sure that I felt comfortable being a werewolf. He took care of me before and after the full moon when I felt ill. He carried my books around when I felt weak. He'd walk me all the way to the shrieking shack and stay with me until right before nightfall. He did extensive research on werewolves and treatments for my pain. He-"
"Became an animagus to keep you company during the full moon." Dumbledore finished for him.
Taken back, Remus began, "How did you-"
"Tawny revealed that information during her testimony."
"Oh…Sirius was there for me in a way that my own family wasn't. My father feared what I become. But Sirius did everything to be by my side during the darkest moments of my life. He didn't have to. He could have easily ratted me out and gotten me removed from Hogwarts. But, he didn't. He made sure I was safe, at the risk of his own life buy becoming an animagus. I don't know that I ever really thanked him for that."
"You don't have to, Moony," Sirius whispered just loud enough for Remus to hear, earning him a smile.
"Are you the only one Sirius treated like this? Helped at their darkest hours or supported unconditionally?"
"Of course not. Anyone that Sirius has ever cared for experienced this. Hell, why do you think James and Lily named Sirius Harry's godfather? They had experienced the same love and support from Sirius, and they knew that he would do anything to help their son if something were to happen to them. There was no one else in this world they trusted more. You know, besides Tawny." Sirius looked up at the members of the Wizengamot, their frowns softening at Remus's words, a few of them even smiling. It was working.
"Thank you, Remus I believe you may step down-" Just as Remus was about to stand up, Fudge cut him off.
"Not so fast Mr. Lupin. I have a few questions to ask you as well." Sirius felt a lump in his throat upon hearing those words. This couldn't be good.
"You told us that the only people alive that know of your… condition… are Albus Dumbledore, Poppy Pomfrey, Tawny Lovegood, and Sirius Black. Correct?"
"Yes, good job listening, Minister," Remus replied.
"However, there is someone else alive that knows: Severus Snape." Sirius's stomach dropped at the mention of his name. He knew exactly where this was headed. And with one look at Remus, Sirius could tell he too knew what was coming.
Even though Sirius's stomach dropped, Rita Skeeter's head shot right up. While she had been temporarily dozing off before, she perked up at the sound of new, exciting information. Her quill was armed and ready to start writing at a rapid-fire pace once more.
"Yes… I'm sorry, I forgot about Severus's knowledge. You see, I was only thinking of my friends. Severus and I have never been close."
"Is it true that the reason Severus Snape knows that you are a werewolf is because you nearly killed him your fifth year at Hogwarts together?" There it was: anything Remus had said prior was about to go down the drain. Sirius could feel it.
"That was an accident."
"An accident? Is it not true that the reason Severus Snape found you on the full moon was because Sirius Black sent him to the Shrieking Shack that night? Surely, he knew that if Snape found you, that the werewolf version of you would kill him."
"Sirius was only trying to scare him, not get him killed. The prank went wrong. James came and saved Severus. He wasn't hurt, just shaken up."
"It sounds to me that Black tried to have your fellow classmate, Severus Snape, murdered by your hand. All at the age of 16."
"No! Aren't you listening?" Remus yelled, growing annoyed. "It was a prank gone awry. Sirius would never try to kill Snape."
"But he did hold a grudge against him, correct?"
"Yes, but we all did. James more so than Sirius. They were vying for the same girl."
"But Black fought alongside James Potter in taunting and bullying Severus Snape."
"Sirius and James did nothing more than respond to what Severus threw at them. He was just as bad to them. They bullied each other. They were in a constant feud. It was very mutual."
"If Snape was bullying Black as well, then Black had reason to trap him in with a werewolf correct? A trap that would inevitably lead to his death."
"As I said before, it was just a prank-"
"You said James Potter saved Severus Snape's life that night?"
"He did."
"In turn, James Potter ruined Black's plot to kill Snape."
"There was no plot to kill Snape!" Remus screamed, rising from his chair and immediately winching in pain.
"Is it possible that Black was furious at Potter for foiling his plan and stopping him at finishing off their enemy? I could see this creating a rift between the two boys. A rift that could have easily led to Sirius turning on James for someone that would let him kill Severus Snape, eventually: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. All he had to do was give up the Potters in exchange for Severus Snape!"
"This is preposterous! If you're going to accuse someone of murder Minister, then you should have more than a string of ridiculous theories." Remus spat.
"I wouldn't call them, ridiculous-"
"Haven't you ever made a mistake in your life? A horrible mistake that you'll never make again?" Remus asked, turning away from Fudge and addressing the Wizengamot. "After that night Sirius knew that he messed up. He begged all of us to forgive him, especially me. It took me weeks to agree to it. But during all that time he never gave up on trying to earn my trust back. He did the same with James. James knew Sirius had gone too far by inviting Snape there. He knew just how lucky Sirius had gotten had he been there to save Snape. James knew that if I had actually killed Severus that I would never forgive Sirius for putting me in that position. Sirius was incredibly grateful to James for making that happen. For saving our friendship. There was no room for a grudge or a hatred, Minister. Just thankfulness." With that, the only sound in the room was the scratching of Rita's quill.
"Do you have any more questions for Mr. Lupin, Minister?" Dumbledore asked, trying to cut through the tension in the room with a wave of his hand.
"Not at this time." Fudge responded through gritted teeth.
"Then I believe you may be excused. Ah, Remus, when you leave, will you please send in our next witness? Thank you."
"We're going to keep fighting for you, mate," Remus whispered to Sirius before exiting the room.
"Next, I would like to call Harry Potter." Dumbledore cheered, as he waved towards the chamber door.
As Harry entered the chamber Sirius couldn't help but notice the gasps of the members of the Wizengamot, and even Rita Skeeter. Many of these people had never seen the boy who lived in person before. They had just heard the stories of the baby that defeated Lord Voldemort. This boy, the wizarding world's biggest celebrity would have everyone in the room hanging on his every word.
"Hullo, Sirius," Harry said, sitting down right next to his godfather.
"Thanks for coming, kid," Sirius responded.
"Anything. Now let's get through this nightmare and bring you home."
"Mr. Potter, if you are finished with your personal conversation, can we go ahead and begin?" Fudge asked, with a death stare plastered on his face.
"I'm ready whenever you are, Minister. Headmaster, I believe you have some questions for me."
"Indeed, I do," Dumbledore replied. "What was your first memory of Sirius Black?"
"My first memory of Sirius isn't even of me being with him… it's from the stories that Tawny and Uncle Remus would tell me. They told me of a man that laughed in the face of fear, that was wild and adventurous, a prank-master, and someone that lived by faith that everything would turn out how it was supposed to. A man that fought for the people he loved more than anything in the world. A man that somehow stole Tawny's heart, which is quite the feat because I know that she keeps it locked away deeply. A man my parents loved and trusted enough to make my godfather. A man that I have looked up to my whole life, but who I only just met recently."
"When Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, were you scared?"
"Yes, but not for my own safety, but his. I knew that if he was to get caught, they'd locked him up and give him the dementor's kiss. I was worried because whatever he was doing risked ending his life as he knew it."
"Did you grow scared as time went on, including when he came to Hogwarts?"
"I would be lying if I said no. Eventually, I grew concerned. What I was seeing unfold didn't remind me of the stories I had heard my whole life. I let my friends and classmates get to me. I let their opinions cloud my judgment and make me question if Sirius was there to kill me. I should have known better."
"What changed your mind? What made you trust Sirius again?"
"That night at the shrieking shack. You see when I found Sirius nothing made sense anymore. I just discovered he was an animagus, one that I had seen lurking around the castle more times than one. That made me even more confused. I was afraid and angry and demanded answers, so I attacked him."
"You attacked Sirius?"
"Yes. The whole time we were wresting on the floor and I was punching and hitting him he took the punches. Not once did he strike at me, he let me hit him."
"He didn't strike back?"
"Not once. When Tawny came and broke up our fight, Sirius was finally allowed to tell us why he was actually at Hogwarts. It wasn't because he was trying to kill me. Instead, he was trying to find Peter Pettigrew the man that actually betrayed my parents."
"The attack on the fat lady was just him trying to get into Gryffindor tower on the one night that the students wouldn't be around, but pets might: Halloween. The attack on Ron wasn't him trying to kill Ron, but rather get to Ron's pet rat, aka Peter Pettigrew."
"When I still wasn't completely sure that I believed him, he proved to me that Peter was alive. That brought everything together. It completely explained what had been going on. He confirmed that he wasn't after me all along, just Peter. In fact, he wasn't trying to take my life but save it. Getting Peter meant that the person who tried to kill me, wouldn't be able to anymore."
Get. Sirius could tell that Tawny and Dumbledore had clearly worked with Harry to work around the world 'kill'. There was no doubt about it. That was why he went to Hogwarts. Save Harry and kill Pettigrew. He guessed it was best to try to paint him in a better light rather than a potential, reformed, attempted murderer.
"What if getting Pettigrew wasn't about keeping you safe?" Fudge cut in. "What if it was about silencing a partner?"
"A partner?" Harry laughed. "You think Peter and Sirius were partners?"
"Mr. Black's defense seems to be claiming that Pettigrew was the secret keeper that turned you and your parents over to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But if Sirius chose the replacement secret keeper, then maybe he chose Peter because he knew that he worked for the Dark Lord and it would keep suspicion off of him. If the plan failed, and they needed an undercover agent to finish the plan, Sirius Black would be a perfect choice. The Potters would never see him coming. So maybe that night your parents were murdered, Sirius Black went to kill you. And when he couldn't, he knew that the only next step he could make was to find Pettigrew and finish the job. He must have been heartbroken to have learned that Pettigrew was still alive. Maybe his breaking out of prison was to silence Peter, and then finish what he started all those years prior: killing you, Mr. Potter."
If Sirius didn't know any better, he'd say Fudge's story was convincing. The Wizengamot seemed to be playing right into his hands. And Rita Skeeter was at peak entertainment. Her quick-quotes-quill was moving non-stop taking in every word that Fudge spoke. This couldn't get any worse.
"Do you know what the truth is? If Sirius Black wanted me dead, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Minister." Harry snapped back. "He was in my room with a knife and didn't even come close to me! He had me at wand point and didn't use the killing curse. He let me win when we fought, let me beat him up so he wouldn't hurt me trying to defend himself! He jumped on a werewolf during the full moon to keep me safe! He could have easily just let me die right then and there. When he had every opportunity to kill me, he didn't. When he had everyone opportunity to save me, he did."
Sirius couldn't help but think: Bloody hell! Tawny and Remus really taught Harry right about how to make a powerfully convincing speech.
"You, Minister, are trying to manipulate the facts to become your own narrative. You can't face the fact that you have had my godfather wrongfully imprisoned for too long. Don't take away the rest of his life because you cannot admit that you are mistaken." If Sirius could clap with his arms shackled, he would, and he couldn't help but notice members of the Wizengamot looking to Fudge for an explanation, or a defense. But one wouldn't come.
"You are excused, Mr. Potter." Fudge growled.
"I hope I helped, Sirius," Harry whispered.
"More than you know. Thank you." After Sirius's response, Harry gave him a brief nod and then ran for the chamber door.
Meanwhile, outside the chamber…
Harry came running through the door and straight into Tawny's arms. Tawny enveloped him completely, holding him as tight as she could without suffocating the young boy. "How did it go?" Tawny asked, still clutching onto him.
"I think it went well. I really do."
"Thank Merlin." Remus cried, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder.
Before he could say anything else the chamber door creaked open, revealing Kingsley. "Professor McGonagall, you're up."
"My pleasure." She replied, standing up.
"Minerva," Tawny said, reaching for her hand, "thank you for this. Thank for everything you've done to help us."
"You know I'd do anything to help Sirius," McGonagall said before sweeping through the chamber door with Kingsley.
"What did you say to them, Harry?" Remus asked as Harry let go of Tawny.
"I basically told them the truth. What all happened the night of the full moon and the entire reason Sirius was at Hogwarts. And, I… I, uh," Harry paused, scratching the back of his head, "called out the minister for being a manipulative arse."
"Harry!"
"Oh, Tawn, don't pretend like you're not proud of him. He only said what we were all thinking. From the moment we walked into that chamber Fudge and his goony Umbridge have been doing everything they can to twist our words and write their own story of what happened. They don't care if Sirius is innocent. They want to see him go down for this." Remus responded.
"Umbridge tried to make it look like Sirius had a grudge against Lily because she threatened him about putting me in the hospital wing. And then, Fudge tried to make it seem like Sirius and I forced Peter to confess." Tawny agreed.
"Fudge tried to twist it so that Sirius had a murderous streak and that he intentionally tried to kill Snape with his ill-timed prank. And then he had the nerve to say that Sirius was angry at James for saving Snape's life and he gave up James and Lily in exchange for Voldemort giving him the right to kill Snape."
"That's ridiculous! He would never!" Tawny screamed, as she nearly pulled her hair out.
"Fudge tried to convince everyone that Sirius and Peter were working together to take out my parents. He said that Sirius made Peter the secret keeper to take away suspicion off him so that he could sweep and kill me if something went wrong. When it didn't and he couldn't kill me, he went after Peter who faked his death and put the blame solely on Sirius."
"What? Sirius would never work together with Peter. Even in school, they didn't work together unless is was marauder's plans." Remus replied.
"Then he said that Sirius escaped Azkaban to find Peter and kill him for revenge, and then finish me off."
"What have I done?" Tawny asked herself, sinking down towards the floor of the corridor. "Sirius wanted to leave, to wait until we found Peter, but I convinced him to make this work. I convinced him that we had enough evidence. But no matter what we do they're going to twist our words."
"We'll keep telling them the truth. That's all the matters, Tawny." Harry said, trying to comfort his godmother.
"It's not about what we say, Harry. It's about what the Wizengamot believes. If they believe Fudge and Umbridge Sirius doesn't stand a chance." Tawny cried. "I should've let him go. Maybe he'd still be alive by the end of the day if I did."
"Tawny, stop!" Remus said, cutting off her tears. "Sirius would never give up on you so don't you dare give up on him! I know we thought with our evidence we've presented so far that we'd have plenty to free Sirius. And even if it hasn't worked, the day is not over. We still have a few more witnesses to call. We can do this."
"Are you sure about that Lupin?" Remus immediately looked up at the sound of his name. Sweeping down the corridor with his long black robes and his greasy hair was none other than Severus Snape.
"Severus? What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Remus asked.
"The minister asked me to testify at Black's trial. I should go on after McGonagall finishes singing Black's praises." Snape sneered; his eye rolls incredibly apparent.
"You're going to go in there and spread false information about Sirius."
"Actually Lovegood, I am going to tell the truth, not the brainwashed bullocks you have been spreading. When I'm finished, there is no way Sirius Black makes it out of here without the dementor's kiss."
All Tawny could do now was beg that Minerva walked out of that courtroom with a smile, signaling potentially the last successful testimony of the day. If not, Sirius didn't stand a chance.
