Harry Potter and the Dark Lord's Castle
Dangerous Escape
"That will happen anyway if we don't attack" Harry said, "I don't see another way to hold out until Dumbledore comes."
"Remus, he's right, this is our only chance." Sirius said after a moment.
"I know...I know. I just wish there was another way." Looking at Harry, "Count off to the attack."
"O.K., 3...2...1...Go!"
All four of them jumped to their feet; they started cursing the Death Eaters with every imaginable curse. The Death Eaters were so surprised that it took them a while to fire back, they didn't even notice when the rest of Sirius's group showed up behind them and started attacking them. Four Death Eaters were down when Voldemort ordered them all to retreat, the last thing Voldemort said was to Harry.
"Feel safe now because I have chosen you to be the first prisoner of my new castle" Voldemort Disapperated with a loud 'pop', the sound of his laughing still ringing in Harry's ears.
Harry surveyed the situation and was amazed at what he saw. On the ground were four Death Eaters that Voldemort abandoned. As Harry watched Sirius and Lupin starting wrapping chords around them tightly, and taking their wands.
"It's time to find out who these are." Sirius said calmly but his face looked quite excited.
Sirius removed the first mask and saw the face of Lucius Malfoy, the father of Harry's nemesis at Hogwarts Draco Malfoy.
"Lucius!" Sirius exclaimed venomously "I knew he would return to the dark side the second they were in power."
"Take off the next mask Sirius." Lupin said calmly
Sirius removed the next mask and saw the face of...Crabbe. The next Death Eater was Goyle; these two were also fathers of Slytherin students at Hogwarts.
Sirius removed the last mask and the face he saw made Harry's heart leap with joy. It was the face of Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail. The capture of Wormtail meant that Sirius would be cleared of murder and Harry would be able to live with him.
"Remus, do you know what this means? What the capture of Wormtail will do for me?" Sirius asked, the excitement in his face growing.
"Yes Sirius, I understand." Lupin said wearily.
They continued their conversation until Harry heard a couple of 'pop's behind him and a moment later Professors Dumbledore, McGonnagall, and to Harry's intense displeasure Snape.
"What has happened here Sirius?" Dumbledore asked sharply
"Isn't it obvious?" Sirius answered sardonically, "Voldemort found a way to get past your ancient magic. He attacked and almost killed all of us."
"But that's not possible, the ancient magic is only one of many protectors that Harry has while he is in his relation's care." Snape said suspiciously
"What are you saying then, Professor Snape?" Sirius replied with contempt
"Sirius! Severus! I insist that you stop this bickering at once, Harry has been attacked and it looks as though he was saved by Sirius, Remus, and Arabella."
"It does look that way sir but appearances can be deceiving." Shooting a look at Black, "Aren't I correct Sirius."
"Of course you are, but look at the bodies we captured and see if one of them might be able to change your opinion of me."
Sirius examined the bodies and when he came to Wormtail's he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Great Merlin's ghost it can't be, you killed him fourteen years ago." He said eyeing Black
"Severus it is time you learned the truth," Dumbledore said coming up behind him. "Black is or was not a murderer, he was set up by Pettigrew who had been working for Voldemort for some time. Pettigrew was also the Potter's secret keeper; he didn't corner Black in the street it was the other way around. Pettigrew blasted the street apart and because he is an animagi he transformed himself in to a rat."
While Dumbledore was explaining this, several witches and wizards were disapperating around him. When Dumbledore was done they same out of the shadows. The wizards present were Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic. Bode and Croker, two members of the department of mystery that Harry recognized from the Quidditch World Cup. Behind them were Percy Weasley, Ron's older brother and the new head of the department of International Cooperation and last was a man that he didn't recognize.
"What is it Albus? Let me warn you if this is another story by your staff and Harry Potter about Voldemort coming ba..." He stopped suddenly when he noticed the damage to the Dursley's house and the four Death Eater's on the ground.
Fudge examined the bodies and was muttering to himself the whole time. "Lucius...Malfoy...generous donations...good...imperious...controlled...you-know-who...Crabe...friend of Malfoy...renounced...dark arts...Goyle...controlled by...you-know-who...Pettigrew...impossible...killed by Black...14 years ago...single curse...not possible...Black innocent?"
Dumbledore who had been listening in to Fudge's whisperings cut in, "it's true Fudge, Voldemort is back and Sirius Black is innocent."
Fudge looked at him as if he was crazy but with the proof in front of him he could hardly argue. Black came out from the shadows of the house and started speaking
"It's true Minister, I was framed and now there is proof that I am innocent, will you renounce the charges and declare me a free man."
Fudge looked outraged at the very idea but at that moment a Daily Prophet reporter disapperated in to view. Took one look at the fallen Death Eaters, Peter Pettigrew's still alive body and Sirius Black and took out her magic quill and said
"Is Sirius Black a free man now, Minister?"
Harry grinned at the irony that the Daily Prophet, who had made a mockery of his life, would now the one to force Fudge to let Sirius go.
Twenty minutes later, having all of his possessions packed he said a final farewell to Number 4 Privet Drive and used floo powder to transport to Hogwarts with his free godfather Sirius Black .