Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, and do not own Harry Potter. I make no money from the writing of this fan fiction.
Chapter Sixteen
The morning of the third of August began as usual for Albus Dumbledore. He dressed in his favorite robes, of a dark purple with silver stars scattered over the robes, and matching hat. He had breakfast in the Great Hall, although Minerva was still glaring at him, and he tried to think of a way to get the Dursleys released from jail so they would be able to take care of Harry Potter when he was able to find him. If the boy was to grow up humble and easily led, then Harry must, by Albus' thinking, be raised by the Dursleys. He really felt it was for the Greater Good.
He had just returned to his office after breakfast, when an owl delivered a letter. Judging from the red border on the cream colored envelope, it was from the Wizengamot. Reluctantly, he opened the letter, wishing he could ignore it.
An emergency session of the Wizengamot is called
On this day, the third of August, nineteen eighty-nine
For Nine in the morning.
Albus cast a quick tempus charm to determine the time. On seeing the time was only fifteen minutes before nine o'clock, he hurriedly sent a message to Minerva that he would be away from the castle before leaving. It seemed his usual routine was about to be changed.
OOO
The Wizengamot chamber was close to chaos. Almost everyone there was speculating on the reason the emergency session had been called. All of the members were attempting to speak to their allies as a way to determine if anyone knew the reason behind the session. After they had taken their seats a few minutes before the session would open, Albus Dumbledore walked in next to the Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold. From the gesturing and facial expressions that could be seen, the discussion between the two was heated. After a moment, both took their respective places in the chamber.
"Seal the doors!" Albus called. The sounds of locks engaging was heard, signaling that the chamber was secure.
"This is an emergency session of the Wizengamot. Who has called for this session to be convened?" Albus asked.
Lighting her seal as Head of the DMLE, Amelia Bones stood.
"I did, Chief Warlock."
"And for what reason did you call an emergency session, Madam Bones?"
"For the purpose of giving a dangerous criminal who has just come into our custody in the past few days a trial Chief Warlock. I thought it best to convene quickly to see justice done."
"I see. Are there any objections from anyone about hearing this case now and not in one of our regular sessions?"
After looking around, and seeing no lighted wands or seals, Albus nodded.
"Very well, Madam Bones, you may proceed."
"Before the prisoner is brought in Chief Warlock, I'm afraid I must ask you to recuse yourself from this case. There is a connection between the prisoner and yourself. In the interests of a fair trial, it would be best if you have no part of this trial."
"What? That's absurd; I am certainly able to maintain impartiality, so recusing me isn't necessary."
"I'm afraid I must insist, Chief Warlock. Surely you don't want to give the appearance of delaying justice?"
"And just who would take my place should I recuse myself, Madam Bones?"
"I'll sit as Acting Chief Witch," a voice said from the far right. Amelia turned her head toward the direction of the voice.
"Ah, Lady Griselda Marchbanks, thank you. Chief Warlock, if you would please recuse yourself and sit in the visitor's gallery, we can get started by bringing in the prisoner."
With a huff, Albus stood and went to the visitor's gallery while Lady Marchbanks took the seat he had just vacated.
"Madam Bones, you may begin by bringing in the prisoner," Griselda stated.
"Thank you Acting Chief Witch. With the Wizengamot's indulgence, this is someone who until quite recently, had been believed to be dead, however, the DMLE have managed to verify the prisoner's identity," Amelia began, and then touched the rune to bring the prisoner on trial into the cage.
Slowly, the Wizengamot grew silent as Peter Pettigrew was raised into the cage, already chained to the prisoner's chair. For three slow breaths, not a sound was heard in the chamber, and then the tension broke. Chaos ensued.
OOO
Azkaban Prison, North Sea
Sirius Black woke up early on the morning of the third of August. While he never slept very well in Azkaban, he normally only woke just before the guards would bring what passed for food in the prison. That morning was different somehow, he could sense it. It took him a moment, but he finally realized what was different…the depressing chill of the Dementors was gone from the cell block he was in. Sirius decided to make the most of the Dementor-free time, however long it was, and stretched his arms over his head before standing up from the straw covered boards that he used as a bed. He closed his eyes and pictured everyone who meant anything to him: James and Lily, his baby godson Harry, Remus, and his Grandfather Arcturus.
One more day; just one more day and I can finally prove I didn't do anything wrong.
He cocked his head to the side and listened, thinking he'd heard something in the corridor outside his cell. He'd been doing his best to keep his head down and not draw attention, and the last thing he wanted was to give the guards a reason to isolate him when he was so close to getting out of the prison.
"Come to the bars of the cell, Black. It seems you're going somewhere today, so I need to put these cuffs on you."
Sirius stayed silent and walked slowly to the front of his cell before putting his hands between two of the bars. The guard put the magic suppressing cuffs on his wrists and after Sirius pulled his arms back, opened the cell.
"No tricks, Black. I have no problems putting a full body bind on you and dragging you out of here."
Sirius nodded in understanding and slowly walked out of the cell, standing still as the guard placed a medallion around his neck to ward him from the effects of the Dementors. Staying quiet, he followed the guard through the corridors and out of the prison. Once outside the prison, Sirius looked up at the sky, smiling a bit at the deep blue, and closed his eyes. He then took a deep breath, enjoying his first breath of air outside of the prison in nearly eight years.
"Over to the boat Black, I have other things to do today beyond ferrying prisoners everywhere."
Taking a few more steps, Sirius stepped into the boat and quickly took a seat. He didn't like being this docile, he was a Black after all, but if there was one thing Grandfather had taught him, it was if people believed they could control you, they would underestimate what you were capable of doing. So he could act the docile, browbeaten prisoner for now.
OOO
"Peter Pettigrew is supposed to be dead! Everyone knows that Sirius Black killed him years ago after he helped kill the Potters!" a voice came from the left. Amelia focused in the direction it came from and found the source.
"Obviously Lord Abbott, Mr. Pettigrew is not dead. He has been in hiding since the Potters were killed presumably, and I would assume, based on evidence gathered since his capture, is here to stand trial," Arcturus said calmly from his seat, before Amelia could speak.
"You are quite correct in your assumption Lord Black. Shall we get started?" Amelia said.
"Amelia, I really don't see…" Albus began, only to be cut off.
"Mr. Dumbledore, you have been recused from this trial, and thus have no say in what happens during these proceedings. Also, please remember that within a session of the Wizengamot, those seated within this body are to be addressed using their titles, so it would be Madam Bones. Please sit down so we can continue. Your opinions and suggestions are neither required, nor asked for by this body," Griselda Marchbanks snapped.
"Thank you Acting Chief Witch. The prisoner, Peter Pettigrew, is being brought before the Wizengamot to face charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, violation of the Statute of Secrecy, multiple uses of an Unforgivable, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to commit infanticide and being an unregistered animagus."
"The charges are accepted by the Wizengamot. Peter Pettigrew, how do you plead?" asked Lady Marchbanks.
"Not Guilty."
"Very well; due to the nature of the charges the use of Veritaserum will be employed. Please administer the dosage now," Lady Marchbanks instructed.
Amelia watched as the required three drops were placed on the tongue of the prisoner. She knew the first few questions would need to verify his identity for the Wizengamot. She only hoped that the interruptions Albus Dumbledore appeared to be insistent on making were kept to a minimum. After a moment the Auror nodded, indicating the Veritaserum was taking effect.
"Please state your name for the record."
"Peter Alexander Pettigrew."
"What House were you Sorted into while at Hogwarts?"
"I was Sorted into Gryffindor."
"And who were your friends there?"
"I was friends with James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black III. We called ourselves the Marauders."
Everyone in the chamber heard the flat tone Peter was speaking with and nodded. His identity had now been verified for the Wizengamot; however more than a few were now questioning why the widely accepted story of this man's death at the hands of Sirius Black had begun in the first place.
"How have you been able to keep anyone from knowing you were still alive?" Amelia asked.
"I'm an animagus with the form of a common garden rat. I shifted into my animagus form and used my form to hide."
"Why did you want people to believe you were dead?"
"I didn't want anyone to continue looking for me after the Potters died."
"Why didn't you want anyone looking for you, Mr. Pettigrew?"
"I needed for Sirius Black to be blamed for the deaths of James and Lily Potter. It was why I accused Sirius of betraying them before blowing up the street behind me and shifting into my form to escape."
"Was Sirius Black the Secret Keeper for the Potters?"
"No."
"Do you know who had been Secret Keeper for the Potters?"
"Yes."
"Who was Secret Keeper for the Potters?"
"I was at Sirius Black's suggestion."
"Why did Sirius Black suggest you be Secret Keeper?"
"Sirius said he would be the obvious choice as James Potter's best friend; he said no one would ever think I would be Secret Keeper."
"Did you betray James and Lily Potter while acting as their Secret Keeper?"
"Yes."
"How did you betray them?"
"I told Lord Voldemort, my Master, the Secret of where they were hiding."
"Are you saying you are a Death Eater, Mr. Pettigrew?"
"Yes. I took the Dark Mark shortly after graduating Hogwarts."
"Did anyone beyond Sirius Black and James and Lily Potter know you were Secret Keeper?"
"Yes."
"Who knew you were Secret Keeper?"
"James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black, and Albus Dumbledore."
Silence fell over the Wizengamot chamber for a moment before excited whispers and murmurings broke out. Amelia looked toward Albus Dumbledore, a look of incredulity on her face.
"How did Albus Dumbledore know you were Secret Keeper for the Potters?"
"Albus Dumbledore set the Fidelius Charm for the Potters."
Before Albus could fully rise from his seat in the visitor's gallery, he was hit with hexes from three different directions. The hexes combined saw him silenced, bound, and stuck to his seat in the gallery.
Lord Arcturus Black watched silently as there was now Veritaserum evidence his grandson hadn't betrayed the Potters, from one of his alleged victims no less. Evidence that also implicated Albus Dumbledore had known the identity of the Secret Keeper, yet had done nothing when an innocent man had been accused and sent to prison.
Just a bit more information Albus, and I can put the final nail in the coffin you've made for yourself.