The mayhem in Hogwarts, mostly in the headmaster's office, settled down at the end of January. Harry received mails from Steven whenever there is some progress. Steven met Arcturus Black twice in January. According to Steven's letters, the Black patriarch fumed at his grandson's illegal imprisonment and promised that he would solve this injustice. Steven expected that Sirius Black would be released from Azkaban in February or March. In addition, Steven also confirmed that Harry's file was hidden in the Magical Child Care Service Department under a concealing charm and Confundus Charm. So no staff in the department had visited Private Drive but thought they checked it. Steven guessed it was also Dumbledore's work, and so did Harry.
And the statements from Gringotts was delivered to Harry safely in mid-January though there was no significant change from the one he saw last December. He realized that his life was not interrupted by Dumbledore anymore. And it felt good.
What made Harry delighted most was Remus's letters. Remus agreed that Dumbledore and McGonagall could never dream to receive a howler in the Great Hall at breakfast and Mrs. Klein's howler must have been a nightmare for them. Remus also gave him a hint where the kitchen is so he could find and visit there whenever he wanted a snack.
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McGonagall really started meeting with first years early in February. And she understood why Mrs. Klein blamed her for not to having a meeting earlier. She had never known how her first years had difficult time to adjust to Hogwarts. Hermione asked for a quiet place to study in the Gryffindor dorm room or any place near the Portrait hole because common room was too noisy. Ellie apologized to her mother's howler first and then bombarded her with questions, mostly why Hogwarts could not provide something Salem Academy or No Maj schools could do. McGonagall was really embarrassed because of the half-American witch's dissatisfaction at Hogwarts as the best British Magic School lacked many valuable subjects like magical culture and estate managements, not to mention a student's association. But she was alarmed when Ellie informed her of two suspects of Harry's attack. She couldn't believe that Snape or Quirrell seemed to curse Harry's Nimbus last match but promised to report Ellie's suspicion to Dumbledore. Neville also told her that Snape had bullied Harry and Neville in Potion classes instead of teaching. Moreover, his grandmother already knew it and requested the Board of Governors to put Snape's unprofessional attitudes right. McGonagall noted to contact Madam Longbottom later inwardly.
In case of Harry, McGonagall made an apology first that she didn't protested enough to stop Dumbledore letting Harry raised by Dursleys. She also admitted that didn't cared him as a Head of House and asked whether he had the Introduction books. When Harry answered yes, she sighed with relief. But Harry asked her whether Dumbledore started investigation about Snape and Quirrell. McGonagall had to tell the Gryffindor's seeker that he should wait as Dumbledore's a busy man. Before finishing the meeting, she gave Harry photos of James and Lily Potter and recommended him to visit Flitwick if he wanted to know more about Lily.
Last Gryffindor's first year was Ron. As McGonagall was expected, Ron didn't have much complaint except Snape. But he surprised her by asking whether he could make a Wizard Chess Club. The stern Head of House answered that he could, but she couldn't sponsor his club because she's too busy. Ron was recommended asking the Astronomy teacher, Prof. Sinistra.
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Harry received good news and bad news together at the end of February. The bad news was that Snape became a referee of the next match with Hufflepuff. Oliver and other Gryffindor teammates suspected that Snape volunteered to be a referee to sabotage themselves not to win. If Gryffindor won the next match, they would overtake Slytherin in the House Championship for the first time in seven years. But what furious for Harry was that Snape became a referee when he didn't get the investigation results. So Harry rushed to the office of his Head of House after Quidditch practice. McGonagall showed embarrassment and anger when she heard Snape's refereeing of the next match. "It's really absurd to make him a referee of our match!" She promised to go to Dumbledore's office and request to overturn this arrangement. However, McGonagall said that the headmaster believed that Snape's not the culprit. Moreover, it's Snape who kept an eye on the movement of Quirrell under order from Dumbledore. Harry was really disappointed with the news and left the office.
In the common room, Harry told his friends Snape's refereeing and what McGonagall said. Ellie was furious that Dumbledore didn't have a mind to investigate Snape and Quirrell. She dashed to her dorm room to write a letter to her mom. Hermione was also angry at Dumbledore's inaction, but she started to worry if Snape would attack Harry at the next match. Ron worried about Harry's safety too and suggested not to play the game. Hermione agreed to it. "Say you're ill." "Break your leg." However, Harry refused their suggestion as there's no reserve seeker in Gryffindor's team. At that moment, Neville toppled into the common room. Hermione dashed to Neville and performed the counter curse. Neville lamented that Malfoy put Leg-Locker Curse on him for practice when he left the library. Harry, Ron and Hermione urged Neville to report Malfoy's bully to McGonagall, but he said he didn't want more trouble. Harry thought his parents stood up for their friends when they were bullied. So Harry suggested Neville the revenge on Malfoy, and Ron agreed to help Neville. Hermione rolled her eyes, but she knew she couldn't stop them. After writing a letter to her mom, Ellie joined Neville's revenge plan too.
Two days later, Neville caught Malfoy outside of the library and made him hang upside-down in the air. Harry, Ron and Ellie helped Neville by performing body-bounding curses to Crabbe and Goyle. 5 Gryffindors, even Hermione, returned to the common room with smiles from ear to ear.
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The good news arrived the next morning. Harry received the Daily Prophet and a letter from Steven. The Prophet's headline was "SIRIUS BLACK BECAME FREE" So Harry read the magical newspapers first. As Steven informed before, Arcturus Black actually attended the Wizengamot after long seclusion. He declared that his grandson should be released immediately as the imprisonment was illegal. He disclosed Sirius's lack of an official trial and basic investigation. According to the law, no suspect is allowed to be held in holding cells in the Ministry or Azkaban more than 30 days without trial no matter what evidence. Therefore, Sirius Black should be discharged as the previous director of Department of the Magical Law Enforcement Crouch sent Sirius to the Azkaban after the capture of Manchester massacre in 1981, and the previous Minister Bagnold and Chief Warlock Dumbledore didn't request a trial for him. The Black Patriarch even emphasized that the heads and heirs/heiresses of the Pureblood families should have a trial within a week after capture under the law, like Crouch's son and the Lestranges. So the Wizengamot decided to release Sirius Black immediately though some Light fraction members opposed it vehemently. In addition, Arcturus Black sued Barty Crouch and Albus Dumbledore for the Black Heir's illegal imprisonment and deliberate negligence. The article ended with the mention of Amelia Bones, the current DMLE director, "The Ministry would investigate whether there is more illegal imprisonment soon."
Harry couldn't hide a wide grin, so he covered his mouth with the Prophet and looked around Great Hall. Most students and staff seemed to be shocked at the news of Sirius Black. Ron and Neville expressed disgust against the fact that the right-handed man of You-Know-Who became free. Hermione was confused because it's really illegal that a suspect had been in prison without a trial, but she also worried about the possibility of this criminal's revenge. However, Ellie criticized the Ministry's arbitrary actions of ignoring the legal system and insisted that Crouch and Dumbledore should be punished. Harry was pleased to hear Ellie's criticism of the Ministry. But most Gryffindors didn't agree with Ellie's opinion.
"Sirius Black should be rotten in Azkaban even though he didn't have a trial." Ron grumbled.
"Nonsense! He hadn't been tried, so nobody knows whether he killed 13 people or not! It's the Ministry's fault not to give him a trial and toss him to Azkaban without basic investigation. I can't believe the British Ministry of Magic committed this kind of a great injustice. I'm sure the American or German Ministry won't do this kind of crime." Ellie snapped back.
"Everybody knew Sirius Black was a dark wizard like his other family members. That's why the Ministry didn't give him a trial!" An older Gryffindor boy shouted to Ellie, and Harry didn't know who he was.
"That's ridiculous! Everybody has a right to have a trial and tell his or her side of story by law! If you allow Sirius Black be thrown to the prison without trial because of his family, then you can be thrown to the prison without trial without rational reason too!" Ellie shouted back. Suddenly, the tension of the Gryffindor table rose. Fortunately, McGonagall approached the table of the lions at that time.
"What's happening now? Why are you shouting at each other, Miss Klein? Mr. Ferguson?" Under the sharp eyes of the stern professor, two Gryffindors chorused "Nothing, Professor." So McGonagall returned to the High Table, and the lions returned to eat without more argument. When Harry saw Dumbledore, he thought Dumbledore didn't seem to be jovial as usual.
After breakfast, Harry ran to the loo and confirmed what Steven said in his letter. Steven informed him that Sirius Black's grandfather contacted Amelia Bones in secret and gave all evidence of his grandson's innocence and lack of trial. The current director of DMLE was a fair person, so she examined all records in the Ministry and found out that Sirius Black actually didn't have a trial and basic interrogation. So she secretly visited Azkaban and questioned him under the truth potion. Therefore, she got to know that Sirius Black didn't kill Peter Pettigrew and 12 muggles. So Amelia Bones agreed to discharge Sirius Black from Azkaban. Then, Steven sat at the guest block of the Wizengamot meeting room and saw everything. He explained how Arcturus Black blamed the Ministry and stimulated Pureblood families to sympathize that Sirius's case was an offense to Purebloods' privilege. Dumbledore looked awful, but he couldn't overturn the release of Sirius from Azkaban. Sirius Black would stay with his grandfather at Black Manor in Cornwall and have a treatment by the best mind healers in Europe who his grandfather hired himself. He added what happened after the Wizengarmot session. As soon as the meeting was over, the Minister invited the head of the Black Family to his office and offered him a huge reparation for Sirius Black's illegal imprisonment to divert the Black Patriarch's rage. What Harry blissed out about was that Arcturus Black demanded to return Harry's custody to Sirius Black, and the Minister accepted it. So Harry didn't have to return to the Dursleys anymore and live with his godfather next summer. Steven promised to update Sirius Black's condition as soon as he arranges next meeting with his grandfather. Harry had to suppress the laugh of joy.
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Harry was so happy that he wouldn't go back to the Private Drive. Therefore, he almost forgot the next match and Snape until the day before the match day. However, when Ron and Hermione asked whether he would play, he realized that the next day was a match day. Harry answered them that he should play because the Gryffindor team didn't have a reserve seeker. Ellie complained that Oliver Wood's an idiot who didn't have a mind to have substitutes in the team. So Ron, Hermione and Ellie practiced Leg-Locker Curse hardly in case of Snape's attack on Harry during the match.
On match day, Neville didn't understand the reason for Ron, Hermione and Ellie's determined looks. After the match started, Malfoy appeared near them and tried to turn them and Harry into ridicule. At first, Ellie tried to ignore him and focus on Harry. However, she lost her temper and knocked Malfoy flat to the ground by kicking straight to his stomach area. Ron and Neville also gave embarrassed Crabbe and Goyle a punch on their noses. Malfoy couldn't say anything or move due to severe pain in his stomach so Crabbe and Goyle helped him to his feet. At that time, Hermione screamed. "Ron! Ellie! Look! The game's over! Harry's won!"
Harry was very nervous when he was in the changing room. But when Fred said Dumbledore was in the crowd, Harry could laugh out loud because he knew he was safe. He was not completely happy because Dumbledore didn't question suspects and allowed Snape refereed the match. When the match started, Gryffindor's worry turned out to be true. Snape awarded Hufflepuff penalty for no reason at all. So Harry tried to find the snitch as soon as possible. When he found a glimpse of gold under the Snape, he dived without hesitation. Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to avoid a collision and saw Harry pass him very nearly. Harry rose to the sky again and raised his arm triumphantly. The snitch clasped in his hand. He finished the match within five munities.
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Harry's happy mood didn't last long when he saw Snape went to the Forbidden Forest. It was dinner time and everyone was at Great Hall for supper. Harry smelled something fish on him and rode on his Nimbus Two Thousand and followed him. He witnessed that Snape threatened Quirrell something about the Philosopher's Stone, Hagrid's beast and loyalty. Harry couldn't understand what they meant, but decided to research them.