Beyond the Darkness - Chapter Eight
by Rainsong
A/N: Wow, 7 chapters in three days. I'm proud of myself. Hope this one is satisfactory! Thanks to Kay for reviewing again (I laughed out loud at the dialogue you posted, btw!)
~~~~
When Sirius looked away from Pettigrew, he noticed that Fudge had stepped back, and was grasping the front of his robes in shock. Ministry wizards had hurried over, and restrained Pettigrew, who attempted to make a run for it. Fudge hurried over to the broken shards of glass lying on the floor, and put all of the glass back into place with a charm. As he did so, Sirius caught pieces of the conversation the Ministry wizards were having now that Pettigrew was once again unable to escape.
"I don't know how he broke it!" "-the charm was so strong, too.."
"what'll the Minister do when-"
But Fudge suddenly barked at the group to leave the room, and soon he and Sirius were alone, aside from Pettigrew, who was still staring blankly in Sirius's direction, and the Dementors, who seemed to have become quite exhilarated by the recent events.
"Mr. Black, I hope you realize how thin the ice is that you tread on. Pettigrew could have escaped. Of course, his testimony would still stand, but he'd be back on the streets. Ripping more lives apart, like he did yours. Cause any more damage or create another hazardous situation, and I fear you will not have my protection." Fudge hissed angrily.
With that, he turned on his heel and exited out the door, which had reappeared
in the wall. Sirius took one last look at Pettigrew, who was still quivering in the
corner, and followed the Minister back into his office.
When he entered, Remus and Harry stood up, waiting to hear the details of
what had happened. "We heard a crash," said Harry, looking at Sirius. "What happened in there?"
But Sirius didn't answer. His eyes were glossy and unfocused, and he was lost in his own thought. Thoughts of Lily and James, and what Pettigrew had done. He had never felt such rage coursing through his blood. It had never hit him that hard before. Not since Hallowe'en of 1981. And at that moment, he wasn't sure it ever
go away. He only half-listened when Fudge answered Remus's question
for him.
"Sirius had a bit of an outburst of excess energy. He shattered the glass
guarding Pettigrew. He was apprehended before he could escape, but it was
narrow. We're just lucky he didn't decide to take on his Animagus form." Fudge
said, leaning back in his desk chair once more.
Remus sat back down, and stared, wide-eyed, at Sirius.
"You put a lot on the line just to blow off some steam, Sirius." he said.
Sirius still did not look up, or acknowledge anyone else's presence in the room. Remus shook his head, and turned back to Fudge.
"Minister, maybe we should get back to the trial. How soon can we expect to be in the courtroom?" he asked, hoping that a change of subject would bring Sirius
out of his silence.
"Well, Mr. Lupin, that was one of the many topics I wanted to discuss. When
Mr. Black feels he is able to provide a prepared explanation of all of the events surrounding this case, we can begin. It may take more than one day, but I am
quite sure it will be brief and precise on a whole." Fudge replied calmly.
"Sirius?"
"Tomorrow." Sirius replied.
"What do you mean, 'tomorrow?'" Fudge asked, looking questioningly from Sirius
to Remus and back again.
"I mean I want the trial set for tomorrow." Sirius said firmly, looking up at Fudge
for the first time.
Fudge sputtered, looking completely bewildered by Sirius's request.
"S-Surely you want time to prepare what you're going to say? You need to be
capable of defending you story, Mr. Black."
"I am. My story was played again and again in my mind while in Azkaban. Thanks
to you, I'm sure I won't forget it." Sirius said, standing up.
Fudge stared up at him, for once unsure of how to respond. His formal speech
failing him, he replied in a small voice, "Very well."
Harry and Remus stood up also. Sirius shook hands with Fudge, and led the way
back into the elevator cart, and Fudge watched them descend back to the first
floor.
When they were back outside, Harry turned to Sirius, speaking up for the first
time since entering the Ministry building.
"Sirius..are you sure about all of this? A trial tomorrow? The possibility of being
put back into Azkaban? You're taking a risk."
Sirius stopped walking and turned to face him. "I know what I'm up against. And frankly, its terrifying. But I think this is
something I have to do. I need my name cleared. I can't go on living like this..on
the run constantly, blamed for a crime I'd rather die than commit. I'm ending this
now." he said, looking back out at the horizon.
"We'd better get moving. We have a case to prepare." Remus called.
Harry and Sirius hurried over to the car, and began to prepare for the day ahead.
~~~
A/N: Short, I know. All of my chapters are short. I'll write a long, juicy one tomorrow, I promise. Please review, if you haven't already!!
by Rainsong
A/N: Wow, 7 chapters in three days. I'm proud of myself. Hope this one is satisfactory! Thanks to Kay for reviewing again (I laughed out loud at the dialogue you posted, btw!)
~~~~
When Sirius looked away from Pettigrew, he noticed that Fudge had stepped back, and was grasping the front of his robes in shock. Ministry wizards had hurried over, and restrained Pettigrew, who attempted to make a run for it. Fudge hurried over to the broken shards of glass lying on the floor, and put all of the glass back into place with a charm. As he did so, Sirius caught pieces of the conversation the Ministry wizards were having now that Pettigrew was once again unable to escape.
"I don't know how he broke it!" "-the charm was so strong, too.."
"what'll the Minister do when-"
But Fudge suddenly barked at the group to leave the room, and soon he and Sirius were alone, aside from Pettigrew, who was still staring blankly in Sirius's direction, and the Dementors, who seemed to have become quite exhilarated by the recent events.
"Mr. Black, I hope you realize how thin the ice is that you tread on. Pettigrew could have escaped. Of course, his testimony would still stand, but he'd be back on the streets. Ripping more lives apart, like he did yours. Cause any more damage or create another hazardous situation, and I fear you will not have my protection." Fudge hissed angrily.
With that, he turned on his heel and exited out the door, which had reappeared
in the wall. Sirius took one last look at Pettigrew, who was still quivering in the
corner, and followed the Minister back into his office.
When he entered, Remus and Harry stood up, waiting to hear the details of
what had happened. "We heard a crash," said Harry, looking at Sirius. "What happened in there?"
But Sirius didn't answer. His eyes were glossy and unfocused, and he was lost in his own thought. Thoughts of Lily and James, and what Pettigrew had done. He had never felt such rage coursing through his blood. It had never hit him that hard before. Not since Hallowe'en of 1981. And at that moment, he wasn't sure it ever
go away. He only half-listened when Fudge answered Remus's question
for him.
"Sirius had a bit of an outburst of excess energy. He shattered the glass
guarding Pettigrew. He was apprehended before he could escape, but it was
narrow. We're just lucky he didn't decide to take on his Animagus form." Fudge
said, leaning back in his desk chair once more.
Remus sat back down, and stared, wide-eyed, at Sirius.
"You put a lot on the line just to blow off some steam, Sirius." he said.
Sirius still did not look up, or acknowledge anyone else's presence in the room. Remus shook his head, and turned back to Fudge.
"Minister, maybe we should get back to the trial. How soon can we expect to be in the courtroom?" he asked, hoping that a change of subject would bring Sirius
out of his silence.
"Well, Mr. Lupin, that was one of the many topics I wanted to discuss. When
Mr. Black feels he is able to provide a prepared explanation of all of the events surrounding this case, we can begin. It may take more than one day, but I am
quite sure it will be brief and precise on a whole." Fudge replied calmly.
"Sirius?"
"Tomorrow." Sirius replied.
"What do you mean, 'tomorrow?'" Fudge asked, looking questioningly from Sirius
to Remus and back again.
"I mean I want the trial set for tomorrow." Sirius said firmly, looking up at Fudge
for the first time.
Fudge sputtered, looking completely bewildered by Sirius's request.
"S-Surely you want time to prepare what you're going to say? You need to be
capable of defending you story, Mr. Black."
"I am. My story was played again and again in my mind while in Azkaban. Thanks
to you, I'm sure I won't forget it." Sirius said, standing up.
Fudge stared up at him, for once unsure of how to respond. His formal speech
failing him, he replied in a small voice, "Very well."
Harry and Remus stood up also. Sirius shook hands with Fudge, and led the way
back into the elevator cart, and Fudge watched them descend back to the first
floor.
When they were back outside, Harry turned to Sirius, speaking up for the first
time since entering the Ministry building.
"Sirius..are you sure about all of this? A trial tomorrow? The possibility of being
put back into Azkaban? You're taking a risk."
Sirius stopped walking and turned to face him. "I know what I'm up against. And frankly, its terrifying. But I think this is
something I have to do. I need my name cleared. I can't go on living like this..on
the run constantly, blamed for a crime I'd rather die than commit. I'm ending this
now." he said, looking back out at the horizon.
"We'd better get moving. We have a case to prepare." Remus called.
Harry and Sirius hurried over to the car, and began to prepare for the day ahead.
~~~
A/N: Short, I know. All of my chapters are short. I'll write a long, juicy one tomorrow, I promise. Please review, if you haven't already!!