Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter 3

Amelia immediately started announcing the charges against Antares. It brought a sour mood throughout the chamber as the crimes that were committed by the person on trial, were once again brought back to mind. The chances of him being sent through the veil were still very high, but with Daphne fighting for him, he now had hope that he would not end up with such fate.

The announcement of the charges eventually finished, and Fleur was just about to stand up and speak when she was beaten to it by Daphne, much to the prosecutors annoyance.

"Esteem members of the Wizengamot, my client wishes to be allowed to stand up from his seat, and to be granted the permission to say a few words before the prosecutor starts questioning him,"

Antares gave Daphne a sharp look, immediately realising why she had requested this. He wasn't expecting to reveal this so soon, but he went along with the plan because he believed in the fact that he knew what Daphne. The raised eyebrow that he had also just received may have played a contributing factor as well.

After receiving this request, the wizengamot members immediately started conversing with each other and shortly came to a conclusion. One of the members then motioned to the minister to accept Antares request as they were all curious on what he wanted to say.

Antares slowly got up from the chair he was sitting and took a few steps forward. He then took one look around those who he had requested to say a few words too. "Thank you Minister Bones and the members of the Wizengamot for allowing me to stand up and to say a few words."

"I would first like to express my thanks to Minister Bones and the members of the Wizengamot for allowing me to say a few things before this trial may commence.

Ever since I was first introduced to the public, by the Potter Family, I have been known as Harry James Potter, son of the Lord and Lady Potter and now the disgraced Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble house of Potter. However, this is not true. I am not Harry James Potter"

Immediately, noises escalated throughout the chambers. Some in confusion, some in fear and some in outright anger. They had allowed this criminal to say a few words on his mind, only for him to immediately start lying. As for the Potters, they were too confused to say anything. Many looked towards them, looking for an explanation but they received none, due them being just as knowledgeable as they were in this matter.

Antares however pushed through the loud noises and continued on, "I think it is now prudent that I reveal to the world who I actually am because I was never born a Potter and I will never be a Potter. I am in fact a Black, a very important Black at that."

Their voices had quieted down when Antares pushed on his speech, however they rose to new heights to what happened next.

Antares, after finishing his announcement, looked down at his hands and more specifically to the black band that was wrapped around the middle finger of his right hand. It was a pretty simple plain black band, however if you looked closely, you'd notice the markings of a Raven indented on it. However, the reason he was wearing this had far to do with anything relating to the way it looked. No. This ring served a very important purpose and it had been servicing this purpose ever since he first wore it.

With his left hand, he grabbed the ring and slid it off his finger, while everyone watched on with baited breath. At first nothing happened after the act was done but then suddenly, his entire body seemed to be covered in some sort of glass that radiated magic. The ominous glass then proceeded to crack noiseley before it shattered and plummeted to the ground with speed. Instead of hearing the cracking noise associated with glass hitting the floor but instead no noise was made as the glass seemingly vanished.

All eyes had been on the magic that had just been displayed, and not on the man who had caused it. But when their eyes returned on him, exclamations of shock rang throughout the chamber.

No longer standing in front of them was the man that looked like a Potter. No. His appearance had changed drastically. This man was a few inches taller and broader. Moreover, the well known Potter hair had gone and was replaced with silky black hair that was pulled back into a small ponytail. The features on his face no longer had any connection with the Potters, but instead could easily be made out that they were well known features of the Black family. He had high cheekbones and thin lips to name a few of the well known features of the said family. A hint of a tattoo could be seen poking out the collars of the silky black robes that he now wore. His lips were currently turned upwards in a smirk while his eyes remained shut as if he was relishing the moment.

Amelia sat there, like many others in complete shock. However, her shock was not just because of the sudden revelation that had just fallen on them but also what she noticed on the man's face. There were distinct features that she could easily identify that belonged to the Bones Family. The look that her niece wore, also confirmed that she too had noticed it.

The feeling of dread only intensified as she banged her gavel and attempted to calm down those present in the chamber. However her attempts were in vain when the criminal in front of them spoke his next words.

"My name is Antares Sirius Black and I am the Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. I was born on 18th July 1977."

Pin drop silence. Nobody moved nor did anyone speak. Even the reporters had stopped scribbling down on their scribbled pieces of parchments. But then, as if a switch had been flipped on, everyone started speaking, shouting and muttering all at once.

"LIES! LIES! HE IS LYING! SEND HIM THROUGH THE VEIL! shouted numerous people.

The Minster had a hard time trying to calm down the riot that was forming as not only was she too in shock but the noise that was coming from the hitting gavel was nothing compared with the noise coming from those seated.

Sirius Black sat uncomfortably on his seat after Antares had revealed who he was. He was currently on the receiving end of some very uncomfortable accusing stares courtesy of those around him. Especially from one of his best mates, James Potter.

"He is your child, isn't he Sirius," came James matter-of-fact. It wasn't a question.

Sirius was the only Black capable of having a child. His brother Regulus had died during the earlier stages of the first war. Then there were the three Black sisters, who were his cousins, Andromeda, Bellatrix and Narcissa Black.

Since Andromeda had run off with a muggleborn, it was a safe assumption that Antares could not be their child since he had pureblood dominant features. As for Bellatrix, it was quite commonly known that she was unable to have children after the birth of her first child and only son, who was the same age as Antares himself. Narcissa had 3 children, but considering that she was the epitome of pureblood wives, the chances of her cheating were also very slim, plus he had none of the facial features that would make Antares the child of any of the three since his facial features could only be travelled via the male line.

Sirius could feel everyone leaning into his direction, wanting to hear what he would say. However, at the current moment of time, he did not trust his voice, so all he could do was look forward and merely nod.

He immediately felt the looks of shock that those around him expressed; however he did not see the look of anger and betrayal that spread across James's face.

Antares then opened his eyes which gave an insight to everyone around him, how magically powerful he was. His eyes were stormy grey and they glowed with power. To those who looked at his eyes, it looked like there was a raging storm happening within them.

"I've got to say, it feels great to finally remove that glamour charm off me. It was starting to feel like I was carrying something heavy on my shoulders!" Antares said with a somewhat indifferent tone in his voice.

He then clapped his hands together, resulting in a loud bang, making everyone slightly jump in their seats. This was then followed by him looking towards the person who had prompted him to reveal his identity with a raised eyebrow. Upon seeing his look, she also raised an eyebrow in response before rolling her eyes.

"Show off," she muttered loud enough so that only Antares could hear her.

She knew perfectly well that Antares had enjoyed every single moment of the display that he had just put one and that he had made it look much more majestic than what removing the ring would have actually looked like.

Returning her attention back to the present, she cleared her throat and then directly spoke not only to the Minister, but also to those sitting on the raised plush seats of the wizengamot.

"Since the implementation of the law which did not discriminate against who could and could not be given veritaserum during trials, every single person who has been charged with war crimes, no matter which type of blood they had or which family they came from, have been given veritaserum. This has led to more effective sentences and a safer country.

The same will happen today. My client is up against a serious amount of war crimes, so he, like everyone before him, will be administered with veritaserum. However due his status as an inner circle death eater, and Voldemort's right hand man to boot, there will still remain doubt within all the members within this chamber on the validity of his statements."

No one expressed any debate over what Daphne Greengrass had just said. They all knew that they were all dead set on what they wanted the result of today's trial to be. However, they all wondered why she was saying all this and were curious what she was to say next

"For these reasons, my client, Antares Sirius Black, will be giving the vow that will go a long way in negating the feelings of doubt and hatred."

The reveal of the name caused voices to rise again and all eyes turned to Sirius who looked straight ahead towards his son and his lawyer, pointedly ignoring the mixed looks he was receiving.

Not wanting for things to quickly get out of control, Daphne continued. She had a trial to win after all.

"This vow is rarely given as only a few people are capable of doing it, and if my facts are correct, this vow has always been given behind closed doors."

Many eyes of the Lords of the Ancient Houses, opened significantly and quickly. They immediately realised what vow was being spoken of, as they had all been taught of the old ways. Even behind closed doors, saying this vow was seldom done. Most of the lords present had never actually seen it happen and they unconsciously made their ways onto the edge of their seats, in anticipation of seeing it take place. Their actions however, went unnoticed as all eyes were on what was happening in front of them.

"Antares will be giving the Lord's Oath to quench all of the doubts that most of you are harbouring but to also add an additional layer of security and truthfulness over his words throughout the duration of this trial. For those not knowledgeable about this oath, if it is broken, it will cause the death of the taker and the end of the family line."

Many exclamations of shock broke out like waves through the chamber, however Daphne did not pay them any heed, and instead turned away from them and set her eyes on Antares, prompting him with her eyes to take over.

As soon as Daphne mentioned the rareness of such vow being taken, Antares immediately latched on what she was on about. His eyes hardened as he revisited his knowledge on the consequences that this vow could cause if he slipped even once. However, he immediately resolved on doing it because his fate was in Daphne's hand, and he trusted her.

As her eyes prompted him to begin, he immediately cleared his throat and stood up. The aurors around him in a glance, moved their prominent hands to their wands just in case he did anything unjust but he didn't. The eyes of everyone around him felt like they were burning massive holes through his skull as they sat there full of curiosity and impatience.

Not seeing the need to drag this longer than it needed to be, he clasped his hands together tightly and forcefully. The resulting sound caused the aurors to immediately draw their wands and point them towards him. This however went unnoticed by him as he concentrated on the act he was doing and the words he started to proclaim.

"I Antares Sirius Black, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black hereby call Mother Magic as witness and Lord of the Black Family to declare that I am who I say I am and that I will tell the truth when asked during the duration of this trial. So I say, So mote it be!"

As he spoke those words, his hands started to glow white. This glow all but disappeared once his oath was said before blinding everyone around him as it burst out his hands and spread throughout his vicinity. Wisps of Magic came out of thin air before gravitating towards him and forming the Black Coat of arms in front of him. The Coat of Arms glowed green once it was formed, signalling that the oath was spoken with true intentions and that it had been put into motion.

No one uttered a word as they were once again mesmerised by the magic on display. And it remained quiet for a good few moments after that as they all processed or attempted to at least, what just happened. The Lords and Ladies, who knew what had just happened, had happy expressions on their faces, completely the opposite of what you'd find on occasions and settings like today.

The prosecutor, Fleur Delecour, looked like she had swallowed a lemon, as this did not play to her advantage and she certainly didn't like the smug smile that adorned her rival lawyer's face. She had come here to win the trial. She had been ignored far too many times in favour of Daphne Greengrass, whenever such a trial was to take place. Being someone not from Magical Britain and for being a Half Veela, life had been difficult for her and this was finally her time to prove everyone wrong.

It took a while for everyone to gather their wits but once they did, they immediately started demanding for the trial to continue. There were so many questions that needed answers and they weren't going until they, and the rest of the wizarding world, were satisfied with the answers that they were given. Even if it took days for all their questions to be answered satisfyingly.

No one wanted the trial to continue more than the Lord and Lady Potter. Their faces were red with confusion and anger, furthermore, the looks that they were giving to Sirius spoke volumes. Nothing could compare to the betrayal, anger and hurt they felt. Absolutely nothing, and Sirius knew that. The look he wore when he dared to look at them expressed that. However, you could tell that at this current moment, he had other thoughts going through his mind, and those thoughts were obviously related to what was currently happening.

As for the Potter siblings, Alexander felt his mouth go dry. He didn't know how he felt after what everyone had just been told. Yes, he had never been close to his brother, but he had always felt a brotherly connection which was albeit not a strong one. However, his 'brother' had also become a Death Eater, and that disgusted him to no end.

Rose on the other hand was very upset. The person she looked upto, her hero, despite the choices he made, was not her brother by blood. Her favourite brother, who she undoubtedly cared for, was in fact not what she had grown up hearing. She could feel tears pool up in her eyes, threatening to spill out as these thoughts continued to repeat through her head again and again.

The reporters were having the time of their lives as they scribbled furiously across their roles and roles of parchment. They could just tell that this trial was going down in the history books as one of the biggest trials ever. In addition to this, they could taste the rough taste of gold on their tongue, which only made them increase their writing speed even more. Afterall, they didn't want to miss a single thing.

The two Bones women sitting in the chamber felt something very familiar as they stared at the newly proclaimed Antares Sirius Black. There was something very similar about that man but neither of them could point out what it actually was. They could feel something familiar stir within themselves however they couldn't catch what it actually was. And this feeling was really frustrating them to no end.

In a moment of rare brashnesses, Susan shot from her chair and immediately demanded in a loud clear voice, "Just who are your parents? We all have a pretty good inkling on who your father is," all eyes went on Sirius as she said this, "but who exactly is your mother?"

The entire chamber had once again become quiet after the Lady Bones had asked her question.

Amelia did not reprimand her niece for speaking out of turn in such a way but instead kept her eyes focused on the person on trial, as well as his lawyer. Her questioning gaze that she gave them, wasn't one that could be left unanswered.

Daphne, ever the smooth and calculated lawyer, immediately responded by saying, "I do not see how any of this has got to do with the nature of this trial. We are not here to talk about my client's heritage but instead what he is being accused of."

Herself and Sirius had spoken extensively about how the trial should be played out. The two of them agreed that they should keep Antares parents a secret if possible. They however also knew that if the question was brought up, which was very likely, they would have to answer the question. The reason being that not answering the question would cause unnecessary speculation which could harm them in any way, shape or form. Another problem was that if the parents' names were to be released, they would have to release a lot more information; however, if it came to that, they would do it. Afterall, their end goal was to save Antares.

"Daphne, let me tell them." said Antares from her side. "It's better if we do it now, when we have the chance, rather than later. If we don't, it could potentially stab us in the back."

Daphne saw no reason to complain and nodded her head in encouragement. She had tried to get rid of the prying information about his parents but considering the current situation, she had to accept that there wasn't much they could do. The information needed to be given.

After clearing his throat, Antares stood up with his back straight. People were still adjusting to the new looks that he now had, and how he was in fact the Lord Black. "Most of you have already figured out who my birth father is but for those who don't know, my birth father is Sirius Black."

The curiosity-filled eyes of the observers, quickly swept back and forth from the Black father and son duo.

"As for my mother, from what I have heard and seen, she was one of the strongest and kindest person anyone could have had the pleasure to meet. She, like my father, was part of the grand plan of putting me with the Potters. However, she died when I was four.

Her name was Rachel Sophia Bones."

Author's Note

So here is the third chapter to the revival. I hope you all enjoyed it just as much as it was for me to write it. As you can see, the further we delve into the story, the more differences compared with the original are visible. I did say that the rewrite would harbour some key changes and this chapter revealed one of many. I have also made a slight change in chapter 1, so you people might want to check that out as some confusion is bound to arise.

I would also like to give a thank you to a good friend of mine Wish_ for beta reading this. The input they provide is always appreciated.

Moreover, many of you may have thought that this story may have been abandoned since it has been around a month since the last update but that is not the case. Unlike the original where I was writing and releasing chapters every few days, this time, I will be writing at a more sedate pace. Therefore, there will be gaps between chapters of various time lengths.

I have also been reading the reviews that many of you have left on this story, so I have decided that instead of just reading them, I will go one step further and reply to the reviews regarding the most recent chapter, that being the second one. (Feel free to leave as many reviews as you want. I'll be happy to answer all questions and criticisms that you readers may have.)

Skellefte: I'm glad that you loved the chapter!

drew1998: Thanks!

TurtlesTales: I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long xD.

Guest: In answer to your question, no, this will not be like the old story. I'm going to assume that you haven't been reading the previous ANs because I have mentioned this. There will be key differences that will ultimately change the story in more ways than one.

Romedov: I must disagree with you, cliffhangers are great, and thank you! :)

Michael: Thanks!

Furthermore, if you wish to interact with me, or anyone else, who loves the Harry/Daphne ship or just in general, feel free to join the Haphne Discord Server. There is chaos, mayhem, murder, game nights, author and general discussions and much much more! You can also meet some of your favourite authors and bully them into writing more chapters! If that has gotten your attention, just join anyways! :)

Discord Server Link: discord dot gg/pKSdvJQvhU (just remember to replace 'dot' with '.')

Finally, feel free to leave a review as I'd love to hear what all of you have to say. Also make sure to follow and favourite so that you are notified when the next chapter is posted.

Until next time, have a good one!

Hydra