Chapter Fourteen: Letters
'Dear Dad,' I wrote
'The article you sent me really caused a stir at school. The reason the army was able to find the school was because the wizard Voldemort's attacking the school. He's lowering our defenses, so the castle showed up on radar, but now onto other things. We need your help. The head master of the school Dumbledore runs a league called the league against Voldemort. Since Voldemort is surely soon to start attacking non-witches and wizards the league would like to alert the most powerful countries, this of course includes the US. They were planning to just walk in and tell the pentagon. I told them that they couldn't do it that way, that they needed connections. You and mom are the connections. We need you to please help two people Victoria and Shea get in to see some kind of head of state. I know you can help, so please do. It might just save the muggle world.
Love Forever,
Aphi Black'
I looked over the letter twice before I gave it to a school owl to take over the ocean.
I got a reply back three weeks later.
'Dear Aphi,
Your mother and will of course help your cause. Tell Victoria and Shea to board a plane on February 12 to come to Washington DC. They should get hotel reservations at the Radisson hotel across from the White House. Tell them they'll be seeing the Vice President of the United States. I wish you good luck.
Love,
Dad'
(a/n-lets pretend that the election hasn't taken place yet so Bill and Al are still in the white house. It makes thing a lot less complicated. Thanks, now back to the story).
I smiled and immediately wrote to Vic and Shea who were back in Australia.
'Dear Vic and Shea,
My dad came through. You'll need tickets to Newark airport in New Jersey. Then you'll travel by cab to Penn Station in New York, and take a train down to Washington DC. The hotel you'll be at is a Radisson. You'll be speaking to the Vice President.
Good Luck,
Aphi Black'
I got a letter back from them about three weeks later.
'Dear Aphi,
Thanks for the info. You've been a big help. We sent this just before we left, so we're probably there already (just in-case you need to write us). Now you can have a normal life again, I bet you're glad. Good luck through out the rest of the school year.
Your Friends,
Vic and Shea'
I smiled to myself. My job was done and knew that I had done it well.
Chapter Fifteen: March
March was a very good month. I learned that the talks between Vic, Shea, and the Vice President had been successful, Maxis came, back and I got to meet someone new.
"Come on, she's down in Hogsmead." Said Maxis. She was excited about something and was dragging Harry and I down to the little village.
"Who is it?" Asked Harry after being violently jerked by Maxis.
"You'll see, she doesn't know we're coming though."
We walked down the slope into Hogsmead quickly, when we got to the edge of the village Maxis told us to stay. She transformed into a dog and ran ahead. She was gone for about two minutes before she came running back.
"Ok she's there come on."
She led us down the street, and into Zonkos Joke Shop.
"Callisto!" she said slyly to a woman's back. The woman jumped and turned quickly, wand raised.
"James?" she whispered looking at Harry. "Maxis? Less? No wait Aphi and Harry." She grinned. "Where'd you two come from?"
"Maxis bought us." Said Harry. "You're Sirius's sister right?"
She nodded. "It's so good to see you two again. Sirius should have bought you sooner, and how've you been Maxis?"
"Fine. I'm teaching."
Callisto laughed "that's a good one, what are you really doing?"
"Teaching, well that and stuff for the league, but I do teach."
"What are you teaching them, how to blow up toilets?" Callisto was still laughing.
"No," Maxis grinned "though that would be fun, maybe I'll suggest that at the next staff meeting. No I'm actualy teaching Illusions."
"You were good at those. Where's that brother of mine? I haven't seen him."
"Some top secret mission."
"Top secret?" said Harry and I together "he told us."
Maxis rolled her eyes. "Well there you have it. But anyway, Callisto will you come up to the castle with us?"
"Sure I'm done here. I was just checking some of this stores stock. Let me grab a cloak."
Callisto decided to stay at the castle until dad and Remus got back. They got back about a week later.
I was out riding with Fleur. She was on her horse and I was on one we'd found in the stables. We were riding around the edge of the school grounds when we saw two tired looking men walking up to the school. Fleur said we should go try and help them. It turned out it was dad and Remus. Dad looked about ready to faint, but Remus caught him as he fell. The words he said before he closed his eyes were the best I'd ever heard.
"We got the traitor." Then he'd closed his eyes.
(A/N-three guess's to whom that traitor is. No prizes for figuring it out. I can't wait to write the next part. I can say one thing; there'll be a lot of celebrating.)
Kendra Black (A.K.A- Aphi Black- who's very happy that her father can now be proven innocent)
Chapter sixteen: The Rat
Fleur and I took Remus and dad back up to the castle on our horses. Then we had to sneak dad up to the hospital wing.
"What's he been doing now?" asked Madam Pomfrey laying him on a bed.
"Fighting death eaters." Said Remus softly. "We caught him Poppy."
"Caught who?" Madam Pomfrey started to try to revive dad.
"The rat."
Madam Pomfrey chose not to dive into the subject, and continued her work. I ran to get Harry, Ron and Hermione, and bought them to the wing. When I bought them back Dumbledore was already there, and Remus was holding up a squirming rat by the tail. Dad was awake and had this deadened look in his eye, I knew he wanted to kill the rat right then and there.
"I'll alert the ministry right away." Dumbledore was saying. "They'll of course want to know about this."
Remus looked very happy. Just then Callisto rushed in along with Maxis, and Saraan.
"I just heard. You got him." Maxis looked close to tears.
"Thank god." Said Callisto "heaven knows I've worried about you Sirius."
"I'm fine," insisted dad "just glad we got him. Voldemort taught him a lot."
"I 'ought you 'ere looking for 'agrid and Madam Olympia." Said Fleur.
"We were," explained Remus "but we detected Wormtail traveling just ahead. We couldn't let him get away, but he almost killed Sirius."
"Did not," said dad "I was fine. He was using dark magic that was the problem. Didn't want to fight fair."
At the word fight the rat squirmed violently trying to escape.
"Nope," muttered Remus "not like the last time. You're staying right here."
Dumbledore walked over to the fire, and through some powder in.
"Minister Fudge!" he said sharply. In a few second the minister's head appeared in the fire. I jumped a bit.
"Ah, Dumbledore. How nice to see you." Fudge seemed quite cheerful for a man that had so many problems on his hands.
"You'll want to come here right away." Said Dumbledore. His normal smile was not on his face. His face now said 'I dare you to disobey me.'
"Ah, but for what?" asked Fudge. I could tell he was slightly afraid.
"The faster you appear here that faster you can have your explanations."
"Of course," murmured Fudge "I shall Apparate to Hogsmead right away. Expect me at the school in about twenty minutes."
"Good." Said Dumbledore and then he extinguished the fire. "Remus please give me Peter." Dumbledore asked Remus. Remus handed him the rat carefully so that it could not escape. Dumbledore seemed to be concentrating on something, and the there was a bright flash of light, and a fat man with a metal arm appeared in front of us. He said nothing, and was tied up immediately, so he could say, or do nothing.
We all looked at each other. Life was good.
(A/N- Yay! My daddy's free. Yay!!!!!!! *People look at Kendra like she's insane* I'm very happy now as sit here writing from Hogwarts. He's free!!! Well actualy not yet. I'm thinking big trail. Lot's of news coverage, and more problems, and of course we still don't know if Hagrid and Madam Olympia (sp?) are dead or alive. I'm thinking that Sirius will find a house somewhere, and Harry and Aphi will go live there with him. Or is that too happy? Also I'll need to put in some Saraan/Remus romance too, and hmm…maybe Maxis will fall in love, with the wrong person…oh well. Toodles.)
-Kendra Black (aka- Aphrodite Driscord Black- my full name hehe)
Chapter Seventeen: The Trial
In late May I walked nervously up the steps to the Ministry of Magic Court Hall. Reporters were swarming me, and I felt crowed. I just wanted to get away. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing behind me. Remus, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Maxis, Callisto, Saraan and a few other witnesses were already inside. As I reached the top step I waited for my friends and ignored the reporters. When my friends caught up with me walked inside together.
Inside the hall dad was sitting up front wearing new robes. He'd finally got around to shaving and cutting his hair, so he looked human. We took seats next to Remus, Maxis, Saraan, and Callisto, and waited for the trial to begin.
"All rise for the honorable Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge." Said some one
"Honorable. That's a joke." Muttered Maxis, but she stood.
Fudge walked up to the podium where he'd be for the whole trial.
"We are here for the re-trial of Sirius Black vs. the Ministry." Anounced the person (a/n- J.K was very vauge on whether Sirius had had a trial or not. She said two different things, remember? So lets say that he did have a trial, just not a very fair one. Also I now warn my readers that I love court. I want to be a lawyer, so this chapter could get long.)
"We will now begin the proceedings. With the defendants lawyer."
(a/n-yeah I know the prosecutor usually starts, but I thought it would be interesting to do it this way.)
Peter Pettigrew's lawyer stood. It was Lucious Malfoy.
"figures," Murmured Hermione "that he'd have a death-eater supporting him."
"I would like to call my first witness to the stand," said Malfoy. He looked in our direction, his upper lip curled with hatered.
"I call Aphrodite Daphne Black to the stand."
'where'd he get the Daphne from' I wondered as I walked up to the stand. I looked at Malfoy's face again and groaned to my self.
"Now Aphrodite," said Malfoy "you are Sirius's daughter correct?"
"yep.' I said showing no emotion.
"well then you know what your father did fifteen years ago?"
"well he obviously didn't do them if…" I couldn't finish because I was inturupted.
"answer the question." He said
"yes I do know what happened."
"good. Now can you tell me why if Sirius Black is innocent that your mother is dead. He killed her fifteen years ago you know."
"you know that's not what this trial is about." I said stifly.
"just.."
"yes," I said hastily, because I saw Malfoy was getting angry "Peter Pettigrew killed my mother when he also falsely accused my father."
Malfoy sighed seeing that I would be of no use to him.
"Prosecutor you may cross examine the witness."
I was glad to be rid of Malfoy, and ready for a new face. Dumbledore was the prosecutor.
"well Aphi, would you tell me what you think or know happened fifteen years ago."
"yes," I said "When my mom and dad found out that James and Lily Potter were dead they went off to find Pettigrew, because they new that he was the tratior. When they found him he was cornered and couldn't escape, so he blasted a hole in the street killing 13 people including my mom. Behind the smoke he cut off his finger, and transformed into a rat. Then he ran down the sewer with all the other rats. Pettigrew left my dad to be put in jail for his crimes." During my explination I looked streight at Peter the whole time. I could feel the anger bubbling up inside me. I wondered if new how many lives he'd ruined in those few seconds when he blew up the street.
"Aphi one more question. Is that the real Peter Pettigrew sitting in the court room?"
"that's the rat all right." I answered still looking directly at Peter.
"Thank you Aphi. You can return to your seat now."
I nodded and walked down off the stand and back to my seat. Malfoy stood back up.
"I now call Peter Pettigrew to the stand."
Pettigrew stood up and walked over to the stand.
"Peter can you tell me in your own words what happened on November 1, 1981."
"yes, certainly," said Peter. I still noticed he was a bit jumpy, so to make him even more so I made sure my eyes bore right into his. "yes well I walking down the street on the other side of the Leaky Cauldron when Sirius and Leslie Black came running at me. I took my wand out, but Sirius was faster. He blew up the whole street killing his wife too. I was lucky enough to be-able to transform and run. Sirius was luckily caught and made to pay the price for what he did."
I stared more into Peters watery blue eyes making sure he saw me.
"thank you Peter, and also what happened in shrieking shack about two years ago?"
"well, a boy named Ron was holding me. two other children were there too. Harry Potter, and a girl named Hermione. Remus Lupin was there also. Sirius Black took me from Ron and he and Remus forced me back to human. They fed the chidren some cock-bull story about me being guilty, but every one knows that that isn't true."
Malfoy smiled "thank you Peter. Dumbledore you may cross-examine."
Dumbledore's eyes weren't as kind as they had been for me. he walked up to Peter.
"Peter if you were innocent why would you hide as a rat for fifteen years?"
"fear." Said Peter lamely
"of what?" asked Dumbledore "You could not have been afraid of Sirius until a few years ago, because he was in Azkaban, and you couldn't have been afraid of Death-eaters because they were not active again until last year, so Peter what were you afraid of, and even if any of those things were for you to fear you could have found a witness safe house, or some establishment like that."
Malfoy's face went white, he knew he was loosing.
"I was just afraid."
"hmm…" said Dumbledore, obviously not convinced. "you may go."
"Sirius Black." Called Malfoy, when Dumbledore had sat down.
Parts of the audience gasped when dad walked up to the stand.
"if," started Malfoy "I asked you to tell me what happened in November of '81 would you tell me the same thing every one else except Peter has?"
"yes."
"if you don't posess dark powers how on earth did you escape Azkaban. It's impossible."
"obviously it isn't." retorted dad "I did it."
"how?"
"as a dog." He said it so simply that it was funny.
"uh oh." Muttered Callisto "he'll have to spill every thing now. Every thing. Watch what the next question will be."
"how were you a dog?" asked Malfoy, obviously confused.
"I'm an animagus." This caused quite a stir from the crowd, and in the jury.
"you see," Malfoy turned to the jury "if he's capable of that law breaking who knows what else he's capable of."
"order, order!" yelled Fudge. "Please continue Mr. Malfoy."
"How, when, and why did you become an animagus?"
all of us sitting in our row of benches groaned.
"here it goes." Whispered Ron.
"in our fourth year…" the total explination was about 20 minutes long. At the end every ones eyes were wide.
"I didn't know my mum was an animagus." Muttered Harry.
"I just didn't know most of that period." I said back.
"Order!" yelled Fudge again banging with his hammer (a/n-I keep forgetting what that thing is called!) "this court will have order!"
"I'm finished with this witness." Said Malfoy. He obviously thought he'd struck something big in that testemony. I really didn't think so. Dumbledore stood to cross examine.
"Sirius who killed the thirteen people 15 years ago?"
"Peter Pettigrew."
"who was the potters secret keeper?"
"Peter Pettigrew."
"who turned the Potters over to Voldemort?"
"Peter Pettigrew."
Dumbledore turned to the jury. "we now know that Pettigrew was not just resonsible for thirteen deaths, but fifteen. Those of Lily and James Potter. I'm finished with the witness."
"he's trying to get Pettigrew prosected for more than the thirteen murders!" I whispered "he wants the court to recognize that he turned the Potters over to Voldemort also."
"I call Remus Lupin to the stand." Called Malfoy.
Remus smiled at us wearily and went up.
"You are a good friend of Sirius Black, correct?"
"yes."
"is it true that Sirius Black showed signs of being murderous at age 16?"
"objection!" yelled Dumbledore "un-relevent."
I could tell that Fudge was trying to decide who he was more afraid of, Malfoy with all his power, or Dumbledore with his blazing blue eyes."
"Mr. Malfoy how is this relevent?" he asked shakely.
"I'm simply trying to find out if Mr. Black commited and murder attempts before he murdered the thirteen people in the street."
"objection sustained. Dumbledore is right. It has nothing to do with the trial." I noticed before he said this he looked once more into Dumbledore's blazing eyes.
"Fine, Mr. Lupin. Did Sirius Black commit the murders."
"no."
"is it true that Mr. Black theatened a Hogwarts student by standing over him with a knife?"
"he wasn't threatening Ron, he was trying to get Pettigrew from him."
"I'm finished with the witness."
"no further questions to the witness." Said Dumbledore.
"I call Maxine Johnson to the stands." Said Malfoy. He was staring at her with pure hatered. She returned the stare.
"How long have you known Sirius Black?"
"ever since Lily, and Less introduced him to me one summer. It was about 20 years ago."
"who's this Less?"
"don't act like you don't know her," said Maxis in disgust "after all you were the one planted a rather large kiss on her face one day. Got a cracked rib for that if I remember."
The courtroom laughed.
"order!" called Fudge, though he was chuckling himself.
"any way," continued Maxis "Less was Leslie Black. Sirius's wife."
"Did Sirius kill her?" asked Malfoy. I really don't know why he kept going, we were all after all going to say the same things.
"no he didn't. Peter Pettigrew did!" she practicly yelled.
"done with this witness, and all my other ones." Said Malfoy.
"no need to cross examine." Sid Dumbledore smiling "but I'd like to call my first witness. Severus Snape."
Snape walked up to the stands. Malfoy gave him a look that would have had me running in the other direction.
"Severus Snape," said Dumbledore "are you good friends with Sirius Black?"
"No!" he said very forcefuly. Saraan held back a giggle.
"well then would you tell us, if Sirius Black is innocent?"
"he is." I could tell that he hated every second of saying that.
"who is guilty?"
"Peter Pettigrew."
"I'm finished." Said Dumbledore. "no more witnesses your honor."
"no need to cross examine." Muttered Malfoy.
"the court is in recess until 3:00 pm." Announced Fudge "we will report back then to hear the verdict.
"well I think we won." Said Hermione bluntly.
"I didn't even see the point of the trial," said Maxis annoyed "I mean Wormtail's there, so obviously Sirius is innocent."
I smiled. It was about and after the trial and we were in our rooms at the leaky cauldron. We couldn't go out with out being hounded be press people, so we chose to stay in. the only thing was that dad wasn't with us because he was being held at the ministry until the verdict arrived. I was using the time to catch up and some of the home work assigned to us via owl post.
"I do think we won." Said Hermione again "I mean every one said basicly the same thing right?"
"yeah. That's why Malfoy stopped calling witnesses, and Dumbledore too. He had enough evedince. He had a couple of death eaters too. They'd have said that dad was never a death eater."
"I can't believe it'll take them until three to come up with a verdict." Said Callisto "it's kind of easy."
Just then there was knock on the door.
"good it's the butterbeers." Sighed Harry, as he got up to open it. He opened the door, but there was no waiter. She was wearing jem studded emerald green glasses, hot pink robes, hand had long increadably fake nails. She help a pad and had a quill that was floating in the air.
Harry and Ron, groaned. Hermione yelled.
"you!" she yelled "you promised you wouldn't write another thing for a year."
"Silly child," the woman laughed. "you think that would stop me. you're far to trusting. I'm here, because I'd like to talk to Aphrodite Black."
"are you Rita Skeeter?" I asked dryly.
"yes, pleased to meet you. Can I have few words about the trial from your point of view.'
"yes," I cleared my throat. "If you don't get out of this freakin' room I'm going to throw every thing I've got at you, and that's a lot. I know how you write, and I know that you're extreamly bitch-like, so leave now!"
She glared at me, but left.
"well said." Commented Maxis "but I bet you five galleons that there'll be a big article about you having pent up stress in tomorows paper."
Walking back up the marble stairs into the court room was eaiser for me this time. I ignored all the questions being thrown at me and slid into the court hall.
Through out all of the time when we were standing for the 'honarable' Fudge and listing to the guy read off the minutes I squeezed Fleur's hand. She'd slid into the seat next to me after I'd walked in. I sqeezed her hand and bit my lip until I felt blood beneath my tounge.
"we are here to hear the verdict for the case of the re-trial of Sirius Black vs. the Ministry. Will the jury please tell the court the verdict."
Some one from the jury stood up. I reconized her from the League Aginst Voldemort Meeting we'd gone to. She looked very soleom as she got up to say the verdict. I began to worry. I could see the rest of us were to.
"we the jury be of sound mind and state," she said sadly "delclare that based on the eveindence we've heard that Sirius Black is" a smile broke out on her face "not guilty of any of the charges placed against him."
I screamed for joy, and tears ran down my face. I hugged Maxis tightly, and then Harry.
"no more Dursley's." I whispered grinning.
He smiled back.
"yes!" I could hear Callisto saying.
Saraan and Remus were kissing.
"well they're back together." Said Maxis happily. Then, "we won! We won!"
I screamed again, and jumped into Ron's arms.
I was to busy celebrating to notice the beatle that had landed on my shoulder.
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ
I was up until about 3:00 in the morning that night. Professor Dumbledore treated us all to dinner at the Firelight Resteraunt in Diagon Ally that night to celebrate. While we were there we found out about Peter Pettigrew's sentence.
"He'll be stripped of all of his magic." Reported Dumbledore "and since Azkaban is of no use any more with out the dementors he will be put in a muggle jail for life. No parole ever."
"I should hope not." Said Saraan briskly.
"Should have died." Muttered Maxis then more loudly, "oh, that's fine."
"it's fine with me." said dad "what about you four?" he looked at us kids. We nodded.
"he's never coming out, right?" questioned Ron.
"correct. He'll have no magic." Said Dumbledore.
"then it's fine."
(a/n- I'm sorry that this chapter was this long, it's just I love the court system, and wanted to add detail. Notice I didn't add open or closing statements. This part then would have been oh about 50 pages long. I take a law class after school and when ever I'm a lawyer they make me cut my speeches short. But anyway I hoped you like it. I know that a lot of you probably didn't want to see Sirius let off the hook, but seeing as he's my father *ducks out of sight as the loony bin van goes down her street* I had to let him off. So now I'll need your opinions should Sirius be civil when I make him talk with the Dursley's or should he do something outrageous? Hmm… such a hard choice. And also should there be an article in the paper about Aphi written by our favorite gossip columist (well that's basicly what she writes!), and how should Minister Fudge leave office, and should Sirius find a house quickly or should he be delayed? These are all things I need help with! Well please read and review, also if this appears up very late it's because my server isn't working. I wasn't working today *tries to kick the computer but misses and stubs her toe on all of her Hogwarts books*)
-Kendra Black (aka- Aphi Black- who's now very happy that her dad is free. *people are looking at Kendra weirdly again. her friend Maxis calls the nut house*. and yeah I do nave a friend named Maxine who we call Maxis, but she's nothing like this Maxis. More like a Hermione type.)