"The whole thing's completely preposterous." Cornelius stammers obstinately. "He's clearly lying."
Severus nods in agreement. At least Alastor appears to be keeping a clear head.
And Albus thinks he might be the only one here doing so – clear isn't exactly what he's feeling; he knows that whatever happens this isn't going to end here. There's going to be a real trial, with real consequences, and he isn't going to be able to put it off forever. He's lucky for whatever Alastor is thinking, that his old friend hadn't insisted on doing things by the book immediately.
Twelve years ago, Albus is starting to believe, they all made a terrible mistake.
And as unkind, as cruel, as it is to say, things would be much easier if it hadn't been a mistake.
Albus had been perfectly happy, before this year, to never have to think about Sirius Black again. He knew it wasn't so easy for everyone – he knew that Remus would never recover from what had happened to his friends, he knew that Alastor doubted himself and his students as he never had before, – but it was easy for him and it would have been easy for Harry.
Albus had only seen Harry's face for a few seconds earlier but it would have been impossible for anyone – especially someone accomplished at legilimancy – to miss the hope in his expression. There wasn't going to be an option where Harry let this go. Let Sirius go.
It isn't even entirely because of the prophecy that he's worrying about this. No, he knows himself too well to pretend he's making Harry's mental health a priority but he doesn't think Sirius is capable of being what Harry wants. Harry's a child; he won't have noticed the same things Albus has, he'll be too busy imagining a family to recognise that Sirius can't be one for him.
And then there's Sirius himself. He'd barely shown any feeling throughout his confessions but there'd been times when he'd been angry – and had he been angry at Albus because he was the questioner, or because he was Albus Dumbledore? He had reason enough Albus understands, but it just wasn't a state of affairs that could be allowed to continue.
Oh Sirius, why couldn't you just have been evil?
He realises that he's been silent too long and Cornelius and Severus are about a second away from joining forces to destroy democracy. He'd expected better from Severus at least.
"Truth or not, I think we should continue questioning people while they're all gathered together."
"Pettigrew's alive." Alastor grunts. "No denying that."
No. There isn't.
"And we shall question him in good time. I don't think anyone wants to wake him up here and now, do they?"
Alastor meets his eyes and makes it clear in his expression that he does want that actually but he's willing to follow Albus' lead for now.
"Why don't you fetch your auror Alastor? He says with a thin smile. "We'll start with them."