Book IV- Courthouses and Clearings
Contains:
Chapter 20 What If?
Chapter 21 Time Bought, Time Lost
Chapter 22 Mrs. Morgan Pettigrew is in the 'House
Chapter 23 The Trial of Sirius Black
Chapter 24 Veritaserum or Wormtail on Trial
Chapter 25 The Grand Finale- Reunion
Harry sighed nervously. He was explaining to his friends what had happened to Wormtail. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George were all to attend Sirius' trial the next day at the request of Professor Dumbledore.
The friends waited in a group, praying that Professor Gumtree would return with Wormtail, and soon.
The sun creeped into hiding for night, and Harry began to worry. At midnight, when all of his friends had gone to bed but him, his nerves were totally wracked. Wormtail had still not been returned.
Thoughts went through Harry's head. 'What if she doesn't find him in time?' Or, 'She's all alone, what if Wormtail get's to Voldemort and he kills her?' Harry shuddered. If that happened, then the boy who had lived fourteen years ago would have lost almost all those dear to him.
"Harry? Are you okay?" Hermione had come back down into the Common Room.
"Yeah. I was just thinking."
"What about?"
"About if things go wrong. I mean, what if she doesn't find him? And what if she does, and he's got Voldemort with him, and they kill her? Then not only will I lose Sirius, but I'll lose her, too."
"Harry, you can't think about the bad things. If she misses Wormtail, you still get her. If she gets him, you get them both. It's as easy as that. Don't even think about losing them both. There's someone up there making sure that everything turns out the way it should. You'll be fine, Harry. I promise."
Harry smiled.
"Thanks, Herm. That helped. It really did."
"Goodnight, Harry."
"Goodnight, Herm."
And Harry headed up to the boys room, ready to sleep.
~~~
The next morning, emotions were running high amongst the few that were attending Sirius' trial in London. Professor Gumtree had still not returned with Pettigrew, and no one had found any evidence to prove otherwise. Pettigrew was the only thing that could change Sirius' fate, and he was yet to be found.
Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape would be at the trial, along with Hagrid, Remus Lupin, Julie Montgomery, and Kristin Waters. The Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione were the only students that were to attend the trial.
Those who were attending the trial gathered in Dumbledore's office rather early in the morning. From there they traveled by Floo Powder to the sight of the trial. Melissa Gumtree had still not joined them.
There were so many people in the courthouse that it was unbelievable. Percy, Bill and Charlie Weasley, along with their father, greeted Ron, Ginny and the twins. Everything went quiet, and Sirius was brought into the courthouse. He looked desperate, and alone. Harry wished he could be with his god-father, but that was not allowed by the Ministry.
Fudge was seated next to Judge DeRosa. Judge DeRosa was a very respected judge in the wizarding world, and he was always very fair. Or so they had heard. But Dominic DeRosa was going to be very hard to convince. And still no Melissa.
"This court session is now in order. You are here to witness the trial of Sirius Black. He is charged with handing Lily and James Potter to the Dark Lord, killing twelve innocent Muggles and a very brave wizard by the of Peter Pettigrew, breaking out of Azkaban, invading Hogwarts, and......... Well, he is known for being one of the Dark Lord's most loyal followers. Shall I continues? No, because there is no need. Now, Mr. Black, please tell your story."
Sirius gulped, and then began speaking.
"As everyone in this courthouse knows, Lily and James Potter, who were two of my closest friends.............." Harry could tell that Sirius was stalling, buying time for Melissa to find his ticket to freedom.
"They were in grave danger, threatened by the dark lord, Lord Voldemort." Many people gasped. It bought him more time. Dementors were there, Harry could feel their presence. Sirius knew they were there.
"They were planning on performing a Fidelus charm to protect themselves. It was suggested to them by Albus Dumbledore. He wanted to save the Potter's from Voldemort." More gasps. More time.
"The Fidelus Charm is designed to hide the whereabouts is something, their location known by one person, and one person alone. That person is known as a Secret Keeper."
"Mr. Black, we all know about a Fidelus Charm and a Secret Keeper. Please, skip the technicalities and continue with the story." Judge DeRosa had lost his patience. And Sirius was losing time.
~~~
"All right. Well, Dumbledore himself offered to be the Potter's Secret Keeper, but they declined, saying that I would never betray them, that I would die before I let them die. Dumbledore told them that someone on our side was working for Voldemort........" Lots of gasps.
"People, it's just a name. If you don't quit gasping, this trial will never end," Judge DeRosa said. More lost time. Saying Voldemort was buying them time, but if the crowd was ordered to be quiet, then it would not buy them any more time. Where was Melissa?
"They insisted on using me anyway. And people believe that they went through with it, and that I killed them. But instead, their closest friends, including me, suggested a perfect bluff, since Voldemort" no gasps "would go straight after me. So we told them to use the weaker wizard, Peter Pettigrew, who wasn't the obvious."
Someone in the crowd yelled, "He wasn't weak, he was very strong and very brave, and you killed him!"
Sirius looked into the crowd, along with everyone in the courthouse, to find the source of the voice. Sirius gasped. The voice belonged to none other than the very last person on earth he had expected to see there, at his trial.
"You're wrong. You're wrong," he said.
"No, I'm not! He was killed by you. I hate you! You took away the two people that meant the world to me. You killed my husband and you brainwashed my twin!"
That's right. The voice belonged to Morgan Gumtree Pettigrew, Melissa's 'evil' twin. Sirius sighed, thinking about Melissa. Where was she now?
In the woods, she groaned. She had been following all night. Would she ever find the rat? Or, more importantly, would she find the rat in time?
All she wanted was to save the person she loved most in the world. Sirius.
~~~
"Honestly, people, that is quite enough. Mrs. Pettigrew, please sit down now. Mr. Black, please continue with your story."
"Well, they thought it was a perfect bluff, and they went with it. The night they were killed, I went to check on Peter, and there was no one at his house, he was just gone, and it looked like there had been no struggle. Something felt bad. I went to the Potter's house, and it was blown to bits."
Judge DeRosa nodded.
"And how do you explain the next morning? Even if that is true, you are still charged with the murder of 12 Muggles and Peter Pettigrew."
"Pete's alive."
"That's nonsense!" Morgan had butted in again.
"Morgan, would you please stop! Any more interruptions from you and I will be forced to ask you to leave." Judge DeRosa was furious. This trial was crazy.
"Your honor, the next part has to be explained by using previous events, but there is someone who would be better to tell you this next part than I am. I would like to have Remus Lupin come to the stand." Remus obeyed, and he stood up and came to the front.
"All right, Mr. Lupin, tell me your story," Judge DeRosa said, as calmly as he could. His courthouse was a mess.
"Well, your honor, it all started with the fact that I am a werewolf, as most of you in here know already." There were tons of gasps from the smalll court room. Judge DeRosa shook his head.
"Well, my very loyal friends, Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew discovered this fact, and instead of shunning me, they tried harder to help me, which led to them becoming unregistered Animagi in order to join me during my transformations."
More gasps, and then Judge DeRosa spoke, asking, "Is there any more you would like to say?"
Remus shook his head, and said, "No, it's all Sirius from here."
"Well, I tried to track down Peter. I was out to kill him for what he had done, but he was too quick for me. Little Peter killed all those Muggles, and then transformed into a rat and went down into the sewer. He framed me, your honor."
"And is there any evidence of this?"
"No."
"Well, you have not only failed to clear yourself, Mr. Black, but you have possibly made your punishment more severe by admitting that you were an unregistered Animagus." Sirius nodded sadly.
"Mr. Black, I find you g............"
But he never got to say it. The door was thrown open, and the Judge was interrupted.
~~~
Smiles spread across the faces of Fred, George, Ginny, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Arthur and Ron Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Kristin Waters, Julie Montgomery, even Severus Snape, but most of all, Harry Potter and Sirius Black.
Just as Judge DeRosa had been declaring Sirius guilty, the door had been thrown open, and no one had ever been happier to see Melissa Gumtree, rat in tow.
"I have proof that Sirius Black is innocent, your honor, and it comes in the form of this." She thrust the rat towards the judge.
"Young lady, that is a rat you hold there in your hands. Why is that rat going to make Sirius Black
"This is no rat, your honor. This is an Animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew. She stuck her wand at the rat, murmured something, and it transformed into a short, balding man.
"Peter!" Morgan shrieked, and she tried to run at her husband, but was blocked by the Judge, who was carefully examining Peter Pettigrew.
"Severus, you brought the Veritaserum as I asked, did you not?" Judge DeRosa asked.
"Of course, your honor," Snape said, and he handed the Judge a vile that contained a potion it it.
"Are you going to question Pettigrew?" Snape asked.
"First, I intend on finding out if this man here truly is Peter Pettigrew, and then yes, I will question him and Black both. Young lady, if this rat is who you say, and he tells us the same thing that Mr. Black has just told us, then you may have just stopped me from making the biggest mistake of my entire life, and mor eimportantly, saved an innocent man. Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome," she said.
"Not yet, I'm not. Wait until we have finished the questioning."
"Yes, sir," she said.
"Court is now back in order, and I have at the stand Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, both under the influence of the strongest truth potion known to wizards- Veritaserum. Proceed."
~~~
Under the influence of the truth potion Veritaserum, Peter Pettigrew admitted to all that Sirius had told the Judge earlier and more. He told of Voldemort, and Hogwarts, and the Judge was overwhelmed.
After listening to Pettigrew talk for what seemed like an eternity, the Judge said, "I declare the tried Sirius Black innocent on all accounts." Yells went from about the courtroom. Melissa ran to Sirius, and he held her close.
"You did it! You saved me, Liss!" The two were all smiles.
"However, in the case of Peter Pettigrew..............." Judge DeRosa continued, "He is sentenced to a Dementor's Kiss." Everyone cheered, for they were all so angered by what he had done they thought he deserved it. No one was happier than Harry Potter. His parents deaths had been avenged, for Pettigrew would suffer even more than they had.
An angel smiled down from heaven that day. Two angels, to be exact, by the names of James and Lily Potter.
Leaving the courthouse and returning to Hogwarts seemed like it took an eternity. That night, at the feast, Dumbledore made a speech, explaining about the trial and Sirius Black's innocence.
The next morning, there was a knock on the door of Melissa Gumtree's quarters.
"Come in," she called. The door opened, and in walked Morgan. Melissa gasped and dropped the letter she was writing.
"Lissy," she said, "I came to say I was sorry. To you and Sirius both," she said, nodding toward Sirius, who was seated in a chair, "I din't believe you, and you were right all along. I was so blinded by love for a rat that I stopped talking to you, and I lost the most important part of my life. You were more than just a sister to me, Liss, you were my best friend, and I'm really sorry for all that I've done. And Sirius, I am so sorry. For thinking you murdered Peter, for believing that you handed the Potter's to Voldemort, and for being such a pain at the trial today. I was wrong."
Melissa hugged her twin, who was crying for all the things she had done, and for how horribly she had treated Melissa.
"It's okay, I forgive you," Melissa said.
"I do, too," Sirius said.
"Thanks," Morgan said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the school year sped by quickly for Harry and his friends. He was so happy at the end of the school year to be going home to someone other than the Dursley's. He was so happy that he almost forgot about the fact that Voldemort was still out there on the rise.
That summer, Sirius and Melissa got married, and, with help from Dumbledore, they were given custody of Harry.
Remus Lupin was best man at the wedding, and Julie Montgomery was maid of honor. The two put their differences behind them and vowed to be friends again.
Melissa and Sirius had never been happier in their whole lives, and I know this sounds like cheesy, like a fairy tale, but they lived happily ever after.
Or maybe I should say, 'They lived happily for the time being.'
THE END
A/N That's the end, it's done. Finally. I really went into hyper drive these past few days, finishing it for your enjoyment. Thank you to everyone who stuck with this story to the end, whether you loved it or hated it. I appreciate it. Please review so that I can get an idea of what you thought.
P.S.- to whoever requested it, there may be an Uncle Matt fic in store for the future.