Chapter 10:
Hermione led the way down the corridor of the carriage car on the Hogwarts Express. She was looking for any empty cabin. Finally locating one, she went in with harry and Luna following. Once the three were inside, she set about putting put wards and such so that no one could bother them.
Luna, meanwhile, conjured a table between the two seats. Then sat down next to the window. Harry sat opposite of the blonde. Once Hermione was done, she joined Luna. The trio said nothing as they waited for the train to set off. A slight jerk and the train was off. Once they were truly under way did Harry start to talk.
"Now that we had a few minutes to actually talk and plan, what do we do?"
Both girls started thinking, deeply. As he knew it would be a few minutes, Harry pulled out a notepad and biro pen, to write things down as they brainstormed.
Hermione went first. "Well since you took up your Heirship, you're entitled to a private dorm and as Vassals, Luna and I can have one as well. So do we do so?"
"Yes. It's just another safety point. We already know that we're sleeping in the trunks but this way we have a little bit more leeway in coming and going without being noticed." answered Harry.
"Then, you'll have to speak with McGonagall tonight."
Harry wrote that down. "I don't want us eating at the school at all."
"We assumed as much when you brought the kitchen trunk."
"But I mean no meal, Opening Feast, Closing Feast, all of them. The meals that we are required to be at, we sit and do nothing. If someone asks tell" them the truth. You don't trust the food not to be potioned."
"Which is the absolute truth" replied Luna.
Harry wrote that down. Luna went next.
"How long are we going to pretend that we don't know anything?"
This had Hermione' sighing. "I don't know. I'm really not looking forward to redoing everything, but one change I did do was drop all the electives but Rune and Arithmancy because I just couldn't bring myself to care."
"So, no time turner?"
"I doubt it."
"I say we wait until we know what's going on to discuss with Sirius." stated Harry.
"Why?" Hermione sounded perplexed when she asked.
"Remember Abe saying that he didn't want to be our guardian for any longer that he had to?"
"Yes."
"Once Sirius is free, we get him to get it and then discuss tutors or something."
Both girls perked up at that idea. Harry added that to his list. Plans were continued to be hashed out through out the train ride. No one bothered them thanks to the charms. He sent a message to Professor McGonagall request the Heir Quarters for himself and a separate room for his Vassals. Fakes delivered it which had McGonagall believing that the Headmaster approved of it since she didn't know about Fawkes abandonment of said Headmaster. Thanks to a portkey ring like the one his love Hedwig wore, he could always return to her. Crookshanks could do the same with the special collar that Harry had done.
After several hours Harry noted that they should arrive at Hogwarts within an hour and a half, so he cleared off the table and placed the picnic basket onto it. A tap of his wand had the basket opening from all sides so that no matter what surface the basket was placed on it would layout the food onto it.
Steam was rising off some of the dishes. Tell the other two that the food was warm. Smells assault the senses, making their mouths water in anticipation.
"Harry?"
"Yes dear?"
"Is that curry I smell?" asked a breathless Hermione.
"Yes dear, Dobby and I went to a few places this morning before I came back."
"Is that Italian?" asked an equally breathless Luna.
"Why I do believe that it is" smirked harry. He was loving this.
"There's also a couple of Greek, French, Chinese and a Thai one that I wanted to try."
"How did you get all this this morning when nothing was opened that early?"
"Who said anything about getting it in London?" asked a grinning Harry and with that comment they tucked in.
HLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHHLHH
Sirius Black sat in front of the Wizengament grinning like a fool. His grin seemed to disturb several people, most of whom didn't want The Head of the Black family out, let alone for him to know that he was said Head. Too many had used his absence to their advantage. No best to get things back to the way they were.
To Sirius Dumbledore looked like he was constipated, which worked well in his favor. Heads were going to roll, and he was going to enjoy the havoc that today would bring.
He thought back to his escape. He ha tried to stay on the outskirts of most villages but had snuck into Hogsmeade. He had been hungry for food and information. It was Aberforth Dumbledore who gave him both.
He found the prank that the younger Dumbledore had played was a masterful one. It was he who told him to contact Ted, which he did.
Ted had informed him of the conversation that he and harry, with the two girls, had. Even with just a general of what was covered, Sirius would be forever in the debt of Miss Luna Lovegood. He thought it was hilarious that the traitor had been brought down by a twelve-year-old girl.
Ted had also gotten him into Gringotts. That had been another set of revelations, the biggest one being that he was Lord Black, Head of the Black Family. That took a few minutes to sink in but with Ted's help unholy havoc was going to take place. That was why Sirius was grinning like he was.
Albus Dumbledore slammed the gavel down." The emergency meeting of the Wizengament."
Everyone settled down and the room grew quiet.
"Thank you. Now what is this all about?"
Amelia Bones stood and went into the center of the chamber so that everyone could see and hear her.
"Members the Wizengament, Members of the Ministry, I call this emergency meeting to right a wrong."
"What wrong?" someone shouted. "everyone knows that Black betrayed the Potters and was sent to Azkaban for it!"
"Actually, Sirius Black was never given a trial." The room exploded. It took Dumbledore ten minutes to get everyone to be quiet again.
"As Head of the Department of Law Enforcement, Sirius Black's barrister came to me and asked me to look into this. I did and too my shock I discovered that the former administration didn't give him. They just chucked him into Azkaban and left it alone."
Murmurs were heard.
"Even Bellatrix Lestrange received a trial, One where we knew that she was guilty. But not Sirius Black? Why? What did someone want to hide? That is why we are here. We are going to give this man a fair trial."
Dumbledore had no choice and couldn't see his way out of this mess. He motioned for the witch to continue.
"We know that someone betrayed to Potters on Halloween night in 1981. It had been 'leaked' right after this the Sirius Black had been the Potter's Secret Keeper when he was caught after 'murdering' Peter Pettigrew and the muggle that had been nearby. So, everyone assumed that he was guilty. But what if this wasn't true? I have a witness who change what we think we know."
Another round of exploding shouts. There were some that were starting to look afraid.
Dumbledore didn't look too good himself. "And who is this witness?"
"Peter Pettigrew"
As chaos descended within the Wizengament chamber, Albus Dumbledore closed his eyes. Today was just getting worse and worse and he still needed to get to Gringotts before the Opening Feast at Hogwarts. No matter that Sirius Black was going to be free, so now he was going to have to keep Black and Potter separated as much as possible. It wouldn't do for Black to get custody of Potter from whomever had it. He still needed to find out how that was accomplished.
Banging the gavel hadn't gotten the group to quiet so he went with loud noise makers from his wand.
"Now that order is restored, we will continue. A word of warning anymore outburst like before will result in a fine." He waited for that statement to sink in. "Now please continue Madam Bones."
"Thank you, Chief Warlock. I call Peter Pettigrew to the stand!"
From the floor rose a small, rat like, man inside a cage that had been re-enforced with serval runes to prevent escape, prevent someone from attacking him, and from him transforming back into a rat. They also had a truth sequence inscribed on the floor where the prisoner's bare feet would stand. This eliminated the need for Veritserum.
"Peter Pettigrew, tell us in your own words what took place on Halloween night of 1981 and the three nights following."
Thus began the testimony of Peter Pettigrew. Most grew horrified at what they were hearing but a few grew worried and afraid. Soon names began to fall from the traitor' lips. A few of those names were in the room with no place to go. As soon as a name was given, Aurors were dispatched, through a linked parchment to the main Law Enforcement Office maned by one Mad-Eye Moody. Three of the Aurors found themselves arrested by their co-workers.
Lucious Malfoy found himself having to surrender his wand. He wasn't worried as he knew that he would be free be days end with a donation to Fudge in exchange for his freedom. Little did he know that Sirius had revoked the marriage contract between the Houses of Black and Malfoy. That meant that everything that was given to the Malfoy family was now returned the Black's, including the family home. As Narcissa was seated in the audience, she, too, had no idea that all was gone. Their personal items had been packed and set outside the ward line, minus all the dark artifacts that were discovered and sent to the Law Enforcement office.
Once Peter was done talking, Albus Dumbledore askes, Amelia Bones of she had anything else to add. Peter, in the cage, was lowered below the floor.
"Mr. Tonks, do you have anything to add?"
"Just one. One that I will have to show you." Ted stood up and with an opened book began to walk slowly in front the rows of the Wizengament members. Those who had read it were gasping at what was written there.
Once Albus saw what was written, he knew without a doubt that Sirius would be free. He had to wonder where Ted had gotten his hands on the Potter Family Bible. He, himself, had search for it but could never find it.
Ten minutes later, Sirius Black was a free man and Albus Dumbledore had left the building.