Charlie gets half volunteered, half press-ganged into being Black's pseudo-guardian during the questioning that is about to take place. Both Tonks and Lupin adamantly refuse to leave him alone in a room without anybody on his side, and Charlie ends up volunteering more because he doesn't want his best friend to lose their job than because he actually believes Black.
When he opens his bedroom door to fetch him though, he comes face to face with his pet dog. Merlin's beard, it's a lot harder to distrust him like that.
Seeing him, Black transforms back and hangs his head. "Sorry." He whispers. Charlie can't think what for, and doesn't ask.
"Come on, the minister wants to question you." He holds out a hand to help Black up. Black stares at it like it's a foreign object; after a moment Charlie drops it and watches uncomfortably as Black pushes himself up from the floor.
Black doesn't speak again as he trails behind Charlie through to the front room, which has been made into a temporary interview room, complete with blacked out windows that Charlie frowns at. What will the neighbours think? Oh hell, he's turning into Aunt Muriel. Fantastic.
Inside, the three new arrivals react to Black much the same way they had previously reacted to Pettigrew: suspicion.
Charlie wants to look at Black to see how he's reacting, but in the interest of looking like a united front he doesn't move from beside Black's side.
Eventually, after what feels like a very long silence, Black raises his head and scans the room.
"What do you want to know?" He asks in his low, rasping voice.
The minister seems shocked that he's – speaking? Sane? Compliant? - but Professor Dumbledore rallies easily from whatever surprise he may have had.
"Before we go any further with the authorities, we'd like to hear what you have to say. Think of it as a mock trial. Do you understand?"
Black nods.
"We won't be using veritaserum on you at this moment but -
"You can." Black interrupts. "I consent to it."
Dumbledore smiles a little. "We've already discussed it and decided not to for now, but your consent is noted and appreciated. Are you willing to answer any questions asked you by the three of us?" His arm sweeps out to encompass Fudge, Moody and Snape. (Why is Snape here? Has someone explained that yet? Charlie feels very out of the loop.)
"Yes." Black says shortly. "I understand."
"Good." Dumbledore smiles at him, though Charlie doesn't think it has it's usual reassuring effect. "Well then, can you tell us what happened on the night that James and Lily Potter died, and the following morning?"
"I went to their house to check up on them and -
"Why?" Snape interrupts. "Why would you check up on them when they were safe and protected by your trusted friend?"
Black shudders, and Charlie reaches out and places his hand on his arm, hoping that the contact will help.
"I checked in on Peter. He wasn't there and there weren't any signs of a struggle."
"And why did you check in on Mr Pettigrew?"
"We'd arranged it beforehand. Which days I'd visit him and give him news."
"And yet he picked this day to betray the secret? One where you'd be sure to catch on to him?"
Black shrugs. "I guess Voldemort wanted to do it on Hallowe'en. He was always a dramatic bastard."
Charlie, as well as Snape and Fudge, flinch at You-Know-Who's name. Dumbledore only smiles.
"Hmm. Well go on, Mr Black, what made you go to the Potters' instead of looking for Pettigrew?"
"What?" Black grunts, finally raising his head to look them in the eye. "Why would I go after Peter first? He might have just gone out. I didn't want him to be a traitor. I went to J- to Godric's Hollow because I knew the address and I wouldn't be able to give it to anyone else so they could go."
"And you flew there did you?"
"Yeah."
"Why not apparate?"
Black's head falls back down, his momentary anger overshadowed. "Stupidity. I'm not a good apparater. I always splinch."
"And what happened when you arrived at the house?" Dumbledore prompts, when he doesn't continue.
"Nothing happened." Charlie can clearly hear the scowl in Black's voice. "I was too late."
"What did you find there, Mr Black?" Charlie's impressed; he's never heard Dumbledore get clearly irritated so quickly before.
"The house had fallen in, all down one side, the bedroom – Harry's bedroom, I could see even before I got inside, that it was the only part still standing. It looked like a miracle, with all the smoke, that there could be anything left." His voice is cold and flat. Almost dead. "I thought –. I found J-James first. I wasted time dragging him out of the rubble, checking his pulse. Shouting at him to wake up." He chokes on a sob but this time doesn't need prompting to carry on. "When I gave up," His voice twists, as though he still believes that if he'd tried a little harder he could have brought James Potter back from the dead, "I went up to Harry's room."
"Where you found…"
"I saw Lily's body first. She must have been hit with her arms stretched out like she was being crucified, the way she'd fallen, trying to keep as much of Harry covered as possible. She looked – it was a painful position to be in. I wasted so much time…"
"Mr. Black!" Dumbledore snaps as they fall into another long silence. Charlie shoots him a look of disbelief, and squeezes Black's arm again.
"Harry called out to me." Black says with a tired finality. "His forehead was split open but the blood had already dried up when I cleaned it off. I didn't recognise the mark left behind – I mean, it's the movement of the killing curse and I know people say that's what it was but that's not possible, so I was going to take him to St. Mungo's and then Hagrid turned up."
"At which point you changed your plan and abandoned your godson?" Snape interrupts.
"Hagrid's a good person." Black mutters, guilt pouring off of him. "I knew he'd take care of Harry, and I wanted to hurt Peter. I didn't want to stick around Harry when I was so angry."