The 7th Child

A/N: Thank you so much for the response! I kinda think I've wrote the characters too OOC but hey ho lets keep going. Also it's a slightly longer chapter with a couple more POVs than I usually use (I say usually, when I've only done about two chapters)

Realised that I forgot a disclaimer so here it is: I don't own any of the characters or places in this they belong to the great JK Rowling.

Thanks for reading! - Eve x

Chapter 2: Pettigrew

"So you were all animagi? That's so cool! I really want to be one, McGonagall as cat was amazing, and I really wish I could do it…" Ginny rambled on to a half aware Sirius as they waited for the next guard patrol. This day of the week was 'Prophet day' as the guard on duty felt they had a right to know what the outside world was up to. Ginny was absolutely terrified. Last month, she'd been exposed to the fact that she no longer has a family, and from there it just got worse. Articles about how awful it was for the poor Weasleys, public condemnation from several people, and still nothing from Dumbledore and Harry. The fact that these two individuals in particular had not spoken out had shaken Ginny to her very core, but at the same time given her hope that they didn't believe the lies. Every Prophet day, Ginny prayed that they wouldn't be in it, she didn't think she'd survive if Dumbledore or Harry also thought her evil.

As if on cue, the footsteps of the guard marched through the cell, but this time, they were accompanied by someone else. When the guard and the mysterious visitor came into view, Ginny's entire chest tightened and she felt a deep well of hate rise up within her. Fudge. This was the man who had torn her out of her mother's arms and not listened to Dumbledore. This fool had sentenced her to life in Azkaban without stopping to ask about the whole story. She glared at him so heatedly that he actually took a step closer to Sirius' cell, although that was his only reaction.

"Well Robards, everything seems to be under control here, I best be off. Not good to linger around dementors you know." Fudge looked anxious to get off the island and Ginny couldn't blame him. Between her death glares and the dementors' draining presence, Fudge must be feeling very out of place. "Ah Black, you look bored, here have my copy of the Prophet. Well, must be going now, good day!" As Fudge thrust the paper through the bars of Sirius' cell he scuttled off down the corridor. Robards turned and began to follow the bumbling Minister of Magic and a more sedate pace, but not without shooting Ginny an amused look. Ginny smirked back, before slipping back into her usual despondent disposition that Azkaban had generated. Her bit of fun had ended when she felt the cold, deeply disturbing feeling that always accompanied Azkaban creep across her mind. About to lose herself in the pit of despair that dementors tended to generate, Ginny started when Sirius gave a sudden shout.

"IT'S HIM! IT'S THAT BACK-STABBING TRAITOR! THAT WEASEL!" Sirius looked wild, his face was furious, and Ginny was absolutely terrified, given this was the most emotion she'd ever seen him express. Still, she mustered her Gryffindor courage and asked him the question.

"Who?"

"It's Pettigrew the little rat! He's been living with a wizard family the last 11 years the little bastard."

"In his rat form?"

"Obviously Ginny, he's meant to be dead" Sirius rolled his eyes. But all Ginny could think of was that she'd only known one rat to live that long, and with a wizarding family.

"He's Scabbers isn't he? Pettigrew is my brother's rat." Sirius nodded in response and chucked the paper across the small corridor separating the cells. Ginny grabbed at it and looked. To her horror, her family were on the front page, with Scabbers on Ron's shoulder. She looked to see what they were doing in the Prophet, only to be surprised that they had won the Ministry lottery and gone to Egypt. "Bit weird they're not in the paper because they've talked about me isn't it?"

Sirius let out a loud bark of laughter, which was completely at odds with his previous demeanor. "Now I know where he is, how he's hiding, I have to go after him. I want him dead. I want to tear him apart for what he did."

"Well, that's all very good isn't it, but unfortunately you appear to be stuck in a prison that no-one has ever escaped from."

"I'm getting out of here Ginny. They'll need to kill me to stop me." Ginny swallowed back a reply and took a minute to really look at Sirius. For the first time since she'd been in this place she saw a purpose in his eyes, a wild fire that couldn't be contained. And she realised that she wanted that as well. A purpose. Something to live for. That fire that had been torn away a week after being in Azkaban slowly began to burn again.

"Okay then. But if you get out, you have to take me with you." Sirius looked shocked, and then began to chuckle.

"All right kid, when I get out, I'll break you out too, how's that sound?"

"Absolutely perfect to me." Ginny leant back, satisfied and watched as Sirius changed into a dog. She couldn't wait to feel the sun on her skin again.

- The 7th Child -

Dumbledore strode through the ministry, looking extremely purposeful. After reaching the conclusion that Sirius may actually be innocent, he decided to attempt to see the records kept from Sirius' arrest and the evidence that had actually been deemed sufficient enough to avoid a trial.

Finally arriving at his destination, Dumbledore flicked through the pages of the document that he had been looking for. Horrified, and yet unsurprised, Dumbledore realised that most of the evidence had been circumstantial, and would have required questioning under veritaserum to corroborate. 'How many people in Azkaban are innocent?' he wondered, before making a copy of the document and heading on his way. He would need to find some of the supposed witnesses to the crime, and view their memories before making a decision. But if he could release Sirius, then maybe Ginny Weasley would be able to go free as well. By exposing the mistakes of a similar situation, Dumbledore would have necessary grounds to call for a full trial of Ginny Weasley. A small seed of triumph started to bloom in Dumbledore's chest. After all, he wasn't called one of the greatest wizards in living memory for no reason.

- The 7th Child -

Harry Potter frowned at the piece of parchment in front of him. He was about to write a letter to Ron (in the dead of night, because he did not fancy annoying Uncle Vernon right now) but couldn't think of anything to say. The normally inseparable pair had had a massive argument the day the article was released, and things had been slightly frosty since. Harry couldn't believe that Ron and his family had so readily discounted the truth, especially since Harry had been there and had seen what truly happened with his own two eyes. Only Dumbledore, and surprisingly Neville, had said that they believed him, but Harry could tell that Hermione also was on the fence.

"How could they turn their backs on their daughter and sister?" Harry angrily demanded of Hedwig, before throwing the parchment aside. He could write to Ron later. He was still too angry about the unfairness of the entire situation. "It's my fault anyway, if Ginny hadn't stood up for me in Flourish and Blotts, then Malfoy wouldn't have slipped that stupid diary in her cauldron."

Hedwig looked at Harry like he was an idiot for blaming himself, and turned away. Muttering something about judgemental owls, Harry reached for the letter Hermione had sent, which he had been far to afraid to open before. If she admitted that she believed Ginny had properly done this…

Dear Harry,

You mustn't blame yourself for this situation, which I am certain you are doing right now. I decided to take a look at the information for Ginny's trial (which is able to be accessed by the public!) and found none. They can't not try someone! Does the concept of innocent until proven guilty not apply anymore!

Therefore, I have decided that something must be going on, so I owled Professor Dumbledore. He explained what he believed had happened, which matched your series of events almost eerily. Now, I do understand that you two could have worked together on this story, but why would you? It seems very odd that the ministry discounted your version of events without further examination.

With regards to the behaviour of the Weasleys, I suspect that they may have been confounded or something similar. You said that they believed you initially, correct? Well, then I'm very confused as to the speed with which they changed their tune! I'm going to keep researching Harry, because we'll have to try and find a way to get Ginny out of Azkaban, I've read some horrible things…

On a more positive note, how are you? Are you eating enough? Have you done your summer work yet? I've already completed mine, I wanted to get it done, to give myself more time to read, but also to relax. I've not written to Ron yet, but I plan to soon! I hope you will write to him soon, because, if my suspicions are correct, then he is not at fault for the Weasleys' sudden change of tune! Also, you should probably write to Neville, he was so supportive that last week!

Love from,

Hermione

Harry smiled. Hermione believed him! The mothering letter had been so stereotypical of the bookworm, but he couldn't stop smiling. This type of letter usually left him feeling smothered, but right now he felt as light as a bird. He grabbed his discarded parchment and began to write. 3 letters he would send tonight, but one would be very different to the others.

"Sorry girl, you're going to have a long night tonight!"

Hedwig hooted softly in reply.

- The 7th Child -

Peter Pettigrew sat in the sun feeling very satisfied. For 11, nearly 12 years now, he had been treated like royalty by this family, especially by the youngest boy, Ronald. He'd had comfortable life here and with the Dark Lord and Sirius gone nothing could find him. Yes, he knew he was a coward but he was alive and safe. Out of all the marauders, he was the only one that had survived and was safe. 'It pays to be afraid' he thought smugly.

To add to his good mood, the youngest Weasley, Ginevra, was now in Azkaban. He had always hated that girl, she never liked him, not like the rest of them. Life couldn't get any better for the rat previously known as Wormtail.

Squirming around, he settled and went back to sleep in the Egyptian sun, completely unaware that Sirius Black was plotting his murder half a world away.