This isn't something a younger Remus ever would have thought he'd feel, but his parents are a godsend. Ever since he took in Harry, they have been unobtrusively there, quietly sweeping in to help with the little boy. Remus tries to let them help without much comment; their relationship is definitely one they all consciously work on. Remus grew up independent to the point of fault, determined not to be more of a burden to them than he already was. He also, of course, learned brutally and early on that parents are failable. He thinks sometimes that their devotion to Harry is an apology for his own childhood.
This dynamic could be hard to swallow, but Remus has too few people in his life now to hold any bitterness toward the ones he has left. So when his mother shows up two days later with the Prophet clutched in her hands, looking terrified and wordlessly showing him the headline blaring SIRIUS BLACK FRAMED, he lets her takeover Harry's lunch and throws himself into helping Dumbledore secure a trial.
Walking into the chambers of the Wizengamot with Madeye a month later, Remus has to be careful not to trip over his own shoes. Dumbledore has assured him that this is a formality. Sirius is virtually guaranteed to get off, given Peter's confession and the evidence in Sirius' favor. Remus tries not to feel too much anger that this evidence might have been turned up years ago if anyone had listened to his doubts. His anger about that particular injustice won't do Sirius any good now.
Dumbledore has asked if - assuming Sirius gets off - Remus has space for him to lie low for a little while, until he gets back on his feet. The thought makes Remus' mind reel but he has nothing else to suggest. Sirius has no family, no other friends, and it seems cruel to set him up at some faceless hotel. Surely he will need help. But just as surely, being around Remus, and even more so Harry, would be hard. And Remus doesn't want to expose Harry to Sirius until he knows what he's dealing with. Remus also can't really make himself believe that any of this is a possibility - this is all happening so fast - so for now he just has an agreement with his parents that they can stay with Harry at home (less disruptive for Harry) and Remus could take care of Sirius at their house in Lowestoft until they can figure out next steps.
The thought that he is the one responsible for Sirius makes Remus uncomfortable. It suggests a level of possession he never felt. Yes, he and Sirius had been together for nearly five years, starting in their seventh year at Hogwarts. That relationship was his first and remains the only one Remus has had that lasted more than a night, but it has been so long since then, and he feels himself to be a very different person.
And he and Sirius had broken up. Or at least Remus had left. He just had it after one too many arguments, after one too many nights of frantic worry that ended in Sirius coming home without any answers, either smelling of spell fire or muggle liquor. Remus had left in the August of 1981 and hardly seen Sirius after that, let alone spoken to him, though he'd never told the Potters how bad things had gotten between them. He hadn't been able to disappoint them like that. Looking back, he's still not sure if he ever seriously considered that Sirius was the spy before the events of Halloween. That night cast everything in such a different light that it's a little difficult for Remus to remember what it looked like before.
The chill of the chamber drives these thoughts from his mind. Madeye drags him down into his seat amidst the spectators, of whom there are many. This case has garnered a great deal of media coverage, all of which Remus has been trying to ignore. He's redoubled the warding spells at the house, determined to keep the reporters away from Harry.
"Order!"
Remus' stomach swoops as the quiet murmur of conversations fades. This morning all he could choke down was one cup of tea and a few pieces of toast but now he's regretting even that.
Most people in the room look toward the Chief Warlock, Elmira Waals. She's a fairly new appointment, brought in after Crouch's extreme conservatism finally prompted some push back. She looks exactly like the photos Remus has seen of her - petite and neat, with a sleek black bob. The members of the Wizengamot, arrayed behind her, watch with varying expressions of interest and boredom. Dumbledore catches Remus' eye as he looks at him, and nods.
"I have called this meeting to order," Waals says in a ringing clear voice, "to reexamine the case of Sirius Black. I trust all members have read the case brief concerning Black's original charges, arrest and the new evidence brought forth by member Albus Dumbledore. The trial of Peter Pettigrew will take place tomorrow." She pauses, looking around for questions. When no one speaks, she says: "Please bring forward the prisoner."
Two dementors emerge from a dark passageway, dragging a thin figure between them. Remus has been close to dementors before - he loathes them - and cannot imagine their impact when they have you by the arms. The man between them is barely keeping his feet, and collapses in apparent unconsciousness when they drop him in the chair in the middle of the room. Chains, clearly unnecessary, immediately wind around his wrists and ankles.
Remus stares across a mere ten yards at the ravaged face of the man he loved and knew for ten years. He's so thin. Remus didn't know it was possible to get that skinny and not die. His hair is matted and lank, a ragged, unfamiliar beard obscuring his face. Remus grips the edge of his own chair, holding himself still. He reaches out with that other set of senses, the ones tied to the wolf, and realizes with a lurch of nausea that he can't find Sirius' scent. The wolf in his head finds this intensely disorienting, though Remus is sure it's just the effect of some magical barrier between prisoner and audience. He feels like his heart's about to burst.
Waals tsks disapprovingly. She looks around the echoing chamber until she spots a man in the uniform of Azkaban's human staff.
"Mr. Stevens," she says, "what exactly do you call this?"
He blinks nervously. "Ma'am?"
"I have made several complaints about prisoners being brought here in this state," she says impatiently. There is a mixed murmur of support and disapproval from the court behind her. "It's not exactly conducive to questioning, is it?"
"No, Ma'am," Stevens mutters.
Remus guesses that this is the sort of behavior that is getting Waals vilified by the more conservative members of the press, but he is deeply grateful to her. She can only accomplish so much; she banishes the chains at Sirius' wrists and summons him a glass of water. She orders someone to volunteer and cast a patronus and an older wizard obliges. It's a little one - a sparrow - but it glows brightly and perches on the back of the chair.
With a deep, shuddering breath, Sirius comes around, sitting up a little straighter. There's no light in his eyes, no fear or curiosity as he takes in his surroundings. He only looks up at Waals when she says his name.
"Mr. Black, are you aware of where you are?"
Sirius looks up at her, squinting slightly as though the dim light in the room hurts his eyes. He says nothing.
"State your name, please," she says instead.
Sirius is silent so long that Remus starts to wonder if they're too late. If grief and solitary confinement have scrambled his mind. But he does speak, finally, his voice creaking and quiet.
"Sirius Orion Black."
"And where are we?"
Sirius is blinking now, as though a fog is lifting. He looks around again and down at his hands, flexing his wrists when he realizes they're not manacled.
"The prisoner will answer the question," Waals prompts.
"I… the ministry," Sirius answers slowly.
"Have you been told anything about why you were brought here?"
"No."
Waals nods. It is unclear what she makes of this information.
"New evidence," she says, "has emerged in regards to the events for which you were imprisoned, namely the destruction of a muggle street, massacre of muggles, murder of one wizard, Peter Pettigrew, and the betrayed of Lily and James Potter to He Who Must Not Be Names, resulting in their deaths."
Sirius closes his eyes and sways slightly at this recitation. When he opens them again, they are terrible to look at, black pits.
"Albus Dumbledore has offered to act as your counsel, Mr. Black," says Waals. "Do you accept?"
Sirius has to be prompted again before he gives a nod so shallow Remus silently thanks Waals for accepting it. As Remus understands it, Dumbledore can now argue on Sirius' behalf, act as an intermediary between him and the court. This is a good development, but anger is pumping through Remus' veins. He has heard of the cruelty of Wizengamot trials, but has not witnessed one before. To call anything like this just, with a prisoner so plainly compromised, is a travesty.
Dumbledore climbs down the stairs from his seat among the others and makes his way to Sirius' side. His approach seems to draw Sirius back to himself a little. Dumbledore sweeps in front of him and then stands behind him, gripping the back of the formidable chair. Sirius looks up at him warily.
"As the court knows," Dumbledore says, "we are here to reexamine this case. Sirius' incarceration in Azkaban without trial represents a grave miscarriage of justice and I do not desire to further compound his misery by dragging out this process. I believe with a few questions and the evidence you all have before you, we can render a quick judgement. With your permission, Sirius, I will continue."
Sirius nods again and Dumbledore moves, coming to stand slightly in front of Sirius, where he can see him comfortably.
"Sirius Black," Dumbledore says. "You know who I am?"
"Albus Dumbledore."
"And how do you know me?"
"I… went to Hogwarts," Sirius answers slowly.
Remus realizes what Sirius is struggling with. Sirius has no sense for how things are now, doesn't know what the implications would be of saying something about the Order, isn't sure if that might get him in more trouble. Luckily, Dumbledore moves on.
"You understand the charges leveled against you?" Dumbledore asks.
Sirius' face goes dull again, a mask that Remus realizes is defensive but fears will look like evasion to the court.
"Yes," he says flatly.
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Waals asks.
Sirius stares at his hands, folded in his lap.
"Mr. Black," Waals says more sternly, "please understand that this court is willing to reconsider the previous ruling on this case, but you really must speak."
Remus' finger nails are digging into the wood of his chair. He can see fear and hurt walling Sirius in as though there was an actual physical barrier. He wills Sirius to climb over it.
"I didn't do it," Sirius finally grinds out. "I didn't do it."
"Please elaborate."
Sirius drops his head back, lets it fall against the high back of the chair. He looks at the ceiling like there's a script written there for him to follow.
"I didn't kill all those people," he says flatly. "I was trying to kill Peter, but he - he got away from me. Blew it up and… got away." He glances sideways at Dumbledore, face a little more animated. "The-the kid, he's not-not safe…"
"The kid?" Waals echoes. "The Potter boy, you mean?"
"He's quite safe, Sirius, I assure you," Dumbledore tells Sirius gently. "He's alright."
The kindness in Dumbledore's voice undoes Sirius like nothing else has. He shakes his head and looks at the ceiling again. There's a little color rising in his sharp cheekbones and his breath is getting faster, uneven.
Remus realizes that Dumbledore's kindness now is likely the first kindness Sirius has encountered since before that Halloween. It is the first time anyone has expressed anything like sympathy for what Sirius has gone through. How long has that intervening time felt to Sirius? A century or a matter of moments since he found Lily and James dead on the floor?
"Lad." A harsh whisper. "Sit."
Madeye's voice awakens Remus to the fact that he's half-risen out of his chair. He follows the hand tugging at his elbow and lowers himself with an effort. The rest of the room is taut with silence.
"You admit to seeking out Mr. Pettigrew with the intent to murder him," Waals presses. "Why?"
Enough, Remus thinks. This is enough, leave him alone.
"Because he-he betrayed all of us," Sirius manages to say. He looks tortured, is twisting himself up, one hand starting to pull through his hair. "He'd been spying for Voldemort for - I don't know - a year. About. He - I was supposed to be the Potter's secret keeper, but I thought I was too obvious so we… Used him."
Waals lets silence hang for a moment. Sirius, for once, fills it without prompting.
"I didn't know," Sirius groans. "I didn't know until I - I went to check on him. That-night. He wasn't at his place, it wasn't right, I… I was scared, I should have gone for help, but I went to...But J-James, Lily…"
Remus is completely unaware he's rising to his feet again until Madeye yanks on his elbow. Madeye has overestimated Remus' stability, though, and Remus lands unevenly, rocking the sturdy wooden legs against the hard stone floor. The noise is like a firework in the silent room.
Sirius looks right at him.
The fear and grief in his eyes takes Remus' breath away. The small, wounded sound that escapes Sirius when their eyes meet makes Remus want to tear the whole building down.
Waals is reprimanding him, calling for silence, but Remus can't think, can't process anything. He needs - needs - to do something to ease the pain in Sirius' face, and his inability to help sets off panic that feels like drowning. Sirius has folded in on himself, both of his arms over his head, and Waals calls for a recess, tries to make it sound like that was her plan all along. Sirius disappears with the dementors again - at least, this time, accompanied by Dumbledore, too - and Remus stumbles through the dispersing crowd, blindly seeking air and space.
He just barely makes it around a corner in the hallway outside before his meager breakfast reappears, thrown up into a potted plant.
"Oh, sweetheart. Oh, Remus, love."
Molly. Molly Weasley is stroking his back, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, just like he'd do for Harry. He'd forgotten that she'd come. Forgotten she'd insisted on coming to sit in the hall with the reporters who didn't rate a press pass. He spends perhaps 30 seconds trying to pull himself back together before collapsing to sit on the floor in tears.
Elmira Waals wouldn't let him back into the courtroom for the second half of the trial, saying he was a distraction. Remus is ashamed not to have fought her harder, feels like he's not supporting Sirius, though he's equally aware that his presence clearly upset him. So he's at home with Harry and his parents, trying to eat dinner, when the news arrives that Sirius has been found innocent. The letter is from Dumbledore, and includes a note that Sirius will be kept in the holding cells at the Ministry overnight, and Remus can come pick him up in the morning.
This is the outcome Dumbledore had expected. Remus has already had many thoughts about this ranging from fierce joy to deep anger and hot, painful guilt. At the moment he is just exhausted and very aware that Harry is watching him, that Harry is confused to see he doesn't look happier. Harry has been told only that Sirius was a friend of his parents and that he was in jail and shouldn't be.
"So he's free and everything?" Harry clarifies, leaning from his chair toward Remus, attempting to read the letter. "That's good, right?"
Remus finds a smile to offer Harry. He nods. "It's very good."
"He's gonna come stay with us, like you said?"
Harry has, in the way of children, immediately hit on the crux of Remus' current problem. He has to take care of Harry. He has to take care of Sirius. He wonders if these two things are compatible.
"He's going to stay at Nanny and Granda's for a little while. Nice and quiet there. Sea air will do him good," his mum answers for Remus. "And we'll stay here with you, love."
"Yeah, I'll go back and forth for a bit," Remus says. (Remus doesn't particularly like this fact, but Harry is used to being handed off every few weeks, a necessity of Remus' condition.) "I have to… Sirius is... he's sick. He just needs to get a little better before he comes here."
Harry nods and Remus wishes any of it was that simple.