Wrath of Lord Voldemort… Part 11
The night before Sirius's trial…
The front oak door's opened. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin emerged from the door. "I can't do this! I'm going to get sent back to that awful, horrid, Azkaban." He shouted, and walked down the front steps. Remus just looked down at him, and followed him down the steps. "You can do this. Think about Harry, and what he's counting on. He's counting on his godfather to get his name clear." Remus shouted. Sirius sighed. "I know. But this isn't going to work. The only to people that can vouch for me, are dead. James and Lily." Sirius said. "Calm down!! If you're worrying this much today, then I'll hate to see you tomorrow." Remus said. "I know. I'm going to be a wreck tomorrow." He sighed. "I guess, I better calm down."
Remus was just about to say something else, when the front oak door's sung open. This drawed their attention, to the person that was standing on the top of the stairs closing the door. The person turned and looked across the grounds. Sirius and Remus went and took cover in a nearby patch of bushes, because they couldn't be seen, not just yet.
The person walked down the stone steps and onto the grass. The person sighed, and walked across the grass, past Sirius and Remus. Sirius looked after the person. "It's Hermione." He muttered to Remus. "What?" He said. He looked at the figure, and realized it as Hermione too. They came out of the bushes and walked over to her.
"Hermione." Sirius hissed, walking up to her. Hermione stopped walking and looked over at them. "Hi." She mumbled. They came to a stop in front of her. "What's wrong?" Remus asked, seeing the tears on, her face. "I was just talking to Dumbledore. I'm leaving Hogwarts. My parents want to live as muggles and are re-signing as a witch and wizard. They are also making me re-sign as a witch as well." Hermione muttered, wiping the tears away.
Hermione sighed, looking across the Hogwarts castle grounds. "God, I'm going to miss this place." She muttered. Hermione turned and ran off into the darkness. They looked after her, and sighed. "Poor girl." Sirius said, shaking his head. "Right." Remus replied.
The front oak door's burst open once again. They drew their attention away from the spot where Hermione was once standing, and to the figure standing on top of the stone steps. They looked closely at the figure. Sirius knew who it was right away. "Harry." He called. The person looked in their direction, and walked over to them.
"Hi." He said, when he reached them. "Hey." They replied. "Are you ready for your trial, Sirius?" Harry asked, looking up at him. "Sort-of." He replied. "Sort-of?" Harry questioned. Remus looked at the two. "He's nervous. He still thinks that he going to be going back to Azkaban." Remus said, shooting a glance at Sirius. He smiled. "Have you seen Hermione? She has to leave." Harry asked. "She ran off into the distance, about two minutes ago." Remus said, pointing to the forbidden forest.
Harry looked to where he pointed too. He then looked back at them. "She ran into the Forbidden Forest!" He shouted. Sirius and Remus looked as well. "Aw man." Harry muttered. "I have to get her out of there." Harry said, and ran off into the forest after Hermione.
*
"Maybe, I should stay in this forest forever." Hermione muttered, walking to, who knows where, in the forest. Hermione stopped and looked around. She realized something. "I-I'm off the path." She stuttered. "Now, I am stuck in here, forever." She wailed. She dropped to the ground, letting her tears fall out.
Hermione? Hermione? Are you in here?" A voice called, into the darkness. Hermione looked up from her spot on the ground. She stood up. "Harry? Ron?" She called, back into the darkness. Nobody answered. Hermione sighed, and sat back down on the ground. All the sudden, she heard footsteps. Footsteps, crunching on the dead leaves on the ground. She saw a light coming through the leaves. She stood up. Harry then came through the leaves.
Hermione walked over to where Harry was standing, and Harry walked over to where Hermione was. They met half-way. Harry grabbed her shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. "Hermione? Don't be sad. I'm always going to be your friend, magic, or no magic. Same with Ron." Harry assured her. Hermione stifled a cry.
"Come on. We have to get back. We have a big day tomorrow." Harry said. Hermione sort-of nodded. "Harry! Wait. Since, I'm not going to be in the magical world anymore, I have to tell you this. I have liked you since the third year." Hermione mumbled. She looked up at Harry. He didn't look mad or angry, at her. He grabbed her shoulders again, and brought her close to him. "I feel the same way about you." Harry muttered. He brought her even closer, and finally they kissed.
It was like heaven had come early. It was like bliss to the two teens. After a few minutes, they let go, of each other. They looked into each other. Harry had lipstick on his check. "I'm been wanting to do that for such a long time." Hermione said. Harry put an arm around her waist. "We better get some sleep, for tomorrow." Harry said. Hermione nodded. Harry drew her closer, he lit his wand and they walked back to find the path out of the forest.
The day of Sirius's trial…
It was still dark outside. It looked like no one was moving around in the castle, but there was. In the Gryffindor, boys dorm. Someone was already up, and moving around. Harry Potter. He flung his robes on, and put his glasses on, knowing that today was Sirius's trail. After he was ready, he drew his curtains. He looked around. No one was awake. He sighed, and walked over to Ron's bed. He flung the curtains aside.
"Ron." Harry hissed. Ron rolled over. He opened his eyes, to see Harry standing there. "What, do you want?" He asked, looking up at him. "We have to get down to Dumbledore's office. Today is the trail." Harry hissed. Ron then was wide-awake and snapped up in his bed. "I'll be there in a second." He replied. Harry nodded, and walked down to the Gryffindor common room.
"Is Ron coming?" A voice asked. Harry turned around, and saw Hermione sitting in her bright red robes. "He'll be here, in a second." Harry replied. "I hope that Sirius is going to do ok. Because, when I saw him last night, he was a wreck, that's what Remus said." Hermione said, looking at him. "Sirius will do fine, I think. He knows that he's innocent, if only he can remember it." Harry said. Hermione nodded.
"I hope that you're right." Hermione sighed. "I'm still so tired." She muttered. Harry looked at her, and sat down beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder. Hermione looked up at the boys dorm. "Oh. Hello Ron." She called. Harry looked up as well. Ron just closed the boy's dorm door, and walked over to the two. "Come on, let's go. We can't be late." Ron said. "Right." Hermione muttered. They got off the couch, left the common room, and walked down the corridors towards Dumbledore's office.
After what seemed like hours, they finally found their way, in the dark, to the stone gargoyle, bearing Dumbledore's office. They knocked on the stone gargoyle. They waited in the dark, for about five minutes, until they heard footsteps coming down the steps.
The stone gargoyle sprung to life, when the footsteps stopped. The gargoyle sprang aside. The three looked up at the person. They came, face-to-face with none other then Snape. "Uh…" They trailed off. "The headmaster, has been waiting for you." He sighed. He stepped aside, (rather reluctantly) and let the three in. He was just about to close the statue up, when a voice rang out through the corridors.
Ginny was running down the corridor, waving her arms. Snape looked at her, running closer and closer, until she skidded to a stop, in front of Snape. "What do you want, Miss Weasley?" He barked. "I'm with Harry, Ron and Hermione." She puffed. Snape smirked, then reluctantly let her in, as well. Ginny smiled, and raced up the stairs to catch up with the others.
Ginny raced up the two flights of stone steps. She finally, cam to a door at the end of the stairs. The door had a griffin on the door handle. She knocked on the door. She heard shuffling inside the room. "It's only me. Ginny." She shouted. The shuffling stopped, and the door opened. She came, face-to-face with Hermione. She let her in. She sat down in one of the chairs.
She looked around the room. Everyone that would be involved in this matter was here, in Dumbledore's small office. Sirius, Remus, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, and McGonagall. So this must be a very big matter, bigger then Ginny would have ever thought.
"So, lets just go and get this over with. We all know that Sirius is innocent, and let's hope that things turn out for the best." Dumbledore said. The little gang, assembled in the office all nodded, in agreement. Dumbledore went over to his fireplace and grabbed what looked like a normal flower vase. But inside of it was powder. Floo Powder.
He put the vase like thing down on his desk. "I guess that you all know how to use this, and you know where you're going." Dumbledore said. They all nodded. Hermione grabbed a pinch of Floo powder, and threw it into the fire. She stepped into the fire, as well, and shouted; "Emperors Courtroom." Hermione was then disappeared with a pop. The others grabbed a pinch of Floo powder, stepped into the fire and disappeared with a pop.
The group landed with a thud on the ground, in front of the Emperor's Courtroom. The group got up, and brushed the dirt of their robes. They looked around. They couldn't see Hermione anywhere. Hermione then came out into the street, through the big white doors. She looked down at the group. "They're announcing your case, Sirius. I hate to break it to you, but it doesn't look to promising." She smiled, sympathetically. Sirius muttered something, and stormed up the front steps, through the white door's, behind Hermione.
Hermione stopped outside the door's, leading to the courtroom. "Sirius! Do you have a lawyer?" She asked, looking at him. Sirius stopped, and looked at her. "Damn! I knew, that I forgot something." He muttered. "That's ok. I know your case. I'll do an aging spell, and be your lawyer." Hermione said, grabbing her wand. Sirius nodded.
"Wait here." Hermione commanded. Hermione then walked around a corner. You could see white and silver sparks, coming from around the corner. A few minutes later, Hermione came back out around the corner. She looked nothing like the old, childish Hermione, but an older Hermione.
She no long had the messy hair. It was now red up in a loose bun. She had on baggy green robes with bright yellow rimes. She now also had brown glasses on. "Alright, I'm ready, when they announce your name, we'll walk out. And remember, don't call me Hermione, call me, um… Miss. Smith, and my first name is Mandy." She said. Sirius nodded, and they walked off, down the corridor.
The door to the courtroom opened. All the chatter in the room came to a stop. Ron looked over at Harry. "Where's Hermione?" He asked. Harry shrugged. The Judge made his way, to his chair. He looked down at his papers. "Mr. Sirius Black, versus Mr. Cornelius Fudge." The Judge said. Fudge came through the door, in bright green robes, and his phony smile. Sirius came walking down the other side. Fudge and Sirius, shot dirty looks at each other, and made their way up to the podiums.
The Judge looked at the two, guys. He looked like he still thought Sirius was a murder. Ron whispered to Harry, that he thought that Sirius would lose, because of the look, the judge had. Harry didn't want to believe it, but he thought so do. "Where's Hermione?" Ginny asked. "Dunno." Harry replied. Ginny nodded, and went back to watching the scene below.
"Do you, have a lawyer?" The Judge asked Fudge. He shook his head. "Alright then." The Judge said. He turned and faced Sirius. He sighed. "Do you have a lawyer?" He asked. Sirius nodded. Yes sir." He replied. Right then the court room door opened. Everyone turned to look at the person that came through the doors. Ron and Harry gaped at the person that came out the door. Ginny looked over at them, and said; "Is that Hermione?" They nodded. Hermione walked past Harry and Ron, smiled, and stood beside Sirius.
Hermione put her silver briefcase down on the podium and looked up the Judge. "Alright, so who are you?" He asked, looking down at Hermione. "My name is, Miss. Mandy Smith." She said. "Very well. We are here today to come to an agreement, about Mr. Black being in Azkaban. Cornelius Fudge thinks that Sirius Black should be in Azkaban, and Mr. Black and Miss. Smith think that Sirius should be free, to be with his Godson, Harry Potter." The Judge read, off the sheet in his hands.
"Cornelius Fudge, why do you want Sirius Black back into Azkaban?" He asked. Fudge shot a dirty look over at Sirius and Hermione, a.k.a. Mandy. "He has broken out of Azkaban twice. He killed twelve people fifteen years ago, in the muggle street. He has also been working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Cornelius Fudge, rambled on about Sirius and why he should be in Azkaban. Sirius and Hermione stood there, glaring at him. Hermione rolled her eyes.
She shouldn't take his rambling's anymore. "Would you just shut-up. He's innocent." Hermione hollered. The Judge glared at her. "Please Miss. Smith, we will get to you." She said. Hermione nodded, and went silent. "Thank you." Fudge said, and continued rambling on. Hermione looked up at Harry, Ron and Ginny. She rolled her eyes, and mouthed 'it's hopeless' Harry shrugged, and mouthed back, 'it's not over until it's over. You're a great girlfriend, and a great lawyer. You can do it' He mouthed back. Hermione nodded, and went back to the scene, unfolding.
10 minutes later…
"Alright, Cornelius. We'll see what the outcome is. Thank you for your bit." The Judge said. He sighed, and turned his chair to look at Sirius and Hermione. "Miss. Smith? What do you have to say to this, matter?" He asked. Hermione smiled. She looked down at her briefcase. She opened it and grabbed some papers. Then looked up at the Judge.
"My client, Mr. Black here, is innocent. He didn't murder all those muggle's fifteen years ago. He had simply went to the Potter's house, after Voldemort had been there. Then he went to find Mr. Pettigrew, who is supposed to be dead. Once they confronted themselves. That's where we come in. Once they had drawn their wands out. Mr. Pettigrew, chanted the charm, that would blow the street up. He quickly used a severing charm, cut his finger off and turned into a rat. Since he is an Amigius. When the wizards came and took Sirius away. They had caught the wrong man. Mr. Pettigrew ha--" She was cut off.
"I don't think so Miss. Smith!" Fudge roared. The whole courtroom looked at Fudge then at Miss. Smith. (I'm just going to call her that for now, until this scene is over, k?) The Judge looked at the two of them. "Mr. Cornelius Fudge. You have had your side of the story told, so give Miss. Smith, a chance." The Judge said. He turned and looked back at Miss. Smith. "Continue." He said. Miss. Smith nodded, and continued.
"As I was saying, before I was interrupted. They had gotten the wrong man. Sirius Black is innocent. Mr. Pettigrew, has faced his life as a rat. Trying to get back to his master, Lord Voldemort. He has succeeded, and Voldemort is coming back to full strength. How did Sirius Black, keep sane in Azkaban? Easy, he kept saying that he was innocent, and he knew that he was. So the Dementors couldn't affect him. So when he escaped two years ago, he finally had what was rightfully his; freedom. He went all over, hiding from the Ministry. When he was cornered in a muggle street. He was taken back to Azkaban. Two weeks ago, he escaped again, to clam what was his; freedom. That's where I come in. He hired me, sure, I thought that he was a murder, but that didn't matter. He told me his story. I've reviewed it every night, non-stop. So now that we're here, I think that you owe Mr. Black an apology and take Azkaban, off his record." Hermione said, slamming her briefcase closed and slamming her hand into the podium. Looking from Fudge to the Judge.
The whole courtroom was silent, and looking at Miss. Smith. The Judge looked at the two. "Ok." He said, breaking the silence. "We'll take a few minutes off, and come back to the problem." He said, getting off his chair, and walked back through the door he came in. All the people in the stands started to get up, and left, while Harry and the others were making there way through the clouds, to where Hermione and Sirius were.
Hermione sighed, and leaned up against the podium. Sirius looked at her. "Hermione! You were right." Sirius cheerfully said, thinking about getting out of Azkaban. "I know what you mean, but our problem is just beginning." Hermione said. Sirius never got to ask her, what she meant, because the others came over to them. And babble broke out.
"That was great Hermione." Ginny said. Hermione smiled. "This is going to be great, I'm going to be leaving the Dursley's." Harry yelled. Sirius nodded. "This is going to be the best, 'Mione. You definitely, know what you are doing." Ron said. Hermione just looked at them McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Lupin didn't say anything, and Hermione knew why. She knew what would be coming, when the court re-started. Dumbledore finally spoke up. "You do know what's happening now, right?" He asked, stepping forward. Hermione looked up. She nodded. "I know." She replied.
The door's to the courtroom opened, they didn't look up at the person. The person had bright, red, flaming hair, blue eyes, black robes and a red trim. She walked over to them, and stood behind them. She cleared her throat. The babble stopped, they turned around and looked at the person. She was around the size of Ginny.
"Who are you?" Harry asked, looking at the girl. "Harry." Dumbledore said. Harry looked at him. "Yeah?" He asked. "This is your little sister. Molly Potter." He said. Harry sighed. "Really?" He said. "Yep. I'm your little sister, and I know all about you. I read you about in my book." Molly stated. Everyone looked at her. "What book?" McGonagall asked. "It's a muggle book." She said. She grabbed the books and showed them the Philosphers Stone, Chamber of secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and Goblet of Fire. They gasped. Harry grabbed them. "Cool. I'm famous is both worlds." He said. "Not surprising." Ron muttered.
Molly peered through the crowd. She gasped at Ron. He looked at her. "What?" He said, looking annoyed. "You're Ron Weasley. You're famous as well." She said. Ron looked startled. "Really?" Molly nodded. Lupin then cut in. "You do know what you're doing, right Hermione?" He asked. "Yep. I know that they are going to call up witnesses, so that's where you guys come in." She smiled. "Alright." Lupin replied. "Hold it!" Molly shouted. Everyone looked at her. "What are we doing?" She asked. Hermione explained to her about what they were doing. Clearing her godfathers name, and then she could live with him and Harry and not in the muggle orphanage. Molly nodded.
"Call me up as well. I have a lot to say on this. When we were at Hogsmeade, I've found a few picture's that will do well." She muttered. They nodded. "Call me up, right away, and I'll put them straight." Hermione nodded. The Judge then came back into the room and sat down in his chair. "ORDER!" He yelled. Everyone went back, and took their seats. Cornelius Fudge, Sirius, and Miss. Smith went back to the podiums.
"Miss. Smith? Do you have any people, you would like to call to the stand." He asked, looking at her. Miss. Smith looked up at him, and nodded. "Yes I do." She replied. She turned to the crowd. "I want to call, Miss. Potter to the stand." She said, pointing at Molly. Molly nodded, and walked down past Miss. Smith and sat in the stand.
Hermione looked around the room, and walked up to where Molly was standing. "Now? You said that you had prove that Sirius Black was innocent?" She said. Molly nodded. "Yes I do." Miss. Smith looked at her. "Would you please tell the courtroom, what you know?" She asked. Molly nodded.
"It was three years ago, when I was still living in the muggle world's, orphanage. The lady finally told me, what happened to my parents, and she even told me about the magical world. So then she took me to the leaky cauldron when I was thirteen, and she left me there. I was walking down the street, when I heard about Sirius Black. After the news about him, and why he was in Azkaban, when I was at home, I found out about Azkaban, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. I did a spell that would have taken me back in time to see what happened. When I came back to this time, I knew that Sirius Black was innocent. I started to make a plan. It took me a whole year. When I was ready, I escaped from Hogsmeade and went to Azkaban. Once I got there. I managed to get Sirius Black out of Azkaban, two years ago. How did I get in? I dressed up like a Dementor. Ever since then, I have been helping Sirius, on the run from the Ministry. And I, I have been there, with him the whole time. As his partner." Molly said.
Everyone looked at her. Fudge then spoke up. "Be quiet little girl. You didn't help him, only a man could get out of there, if he tried. He used Dark Magic!!" He yelled, at Molly. Molly glared at him. "Shut-up. I think, that you, should back down, old man!" She yelled. The court gasped, and looked from Molly to Fudge. Everyone knew that she had gone to far.
"Alright." The Judge said, looking from one to the other. "So, do you have any other witnesses, Miss. Smith?" The Judge asked. Miss. Smith looked at him. "Yes. I do." She replied. "Alright, bring him or her up." Miss. Smith turned back to the crowd, behind her. She looked up at her friends. "I want to call… Remus Lupin to the stand." She called. He looked down at her. He sighed, and walked down the aisle to the stand.
Three hours later…
"Alright. I think that this has come to an end." The Judge said, looking at the courtroom. He turned his chair around and faced the Jury. "Jury. What do you say, Guilty or innocent?" The Jury looked at him, and scribbled an word down on their paper, and handed it to the Judge. The Judge looked through all the papers. He called out; "10 innocent's and 2 not innocents." The crowd sighed. Miss. Smith looked around the crowd, then over to the Jury.
It looked like she had Fire in her eyes. Then she scanned the crowd, looking for the Malfoy's. Then she saw them, laughing at what was going on. She sighed, and started to walk towards the jury. "What are you doing?" Sirius muttered. "Hang on." She replied. She walked over to the jury and looked over at them all.
The Jury stopped talking and looked at her. "Yes?" One said, that looked like a snob. "Did Mr. Malfoy threaten you, with curses and crap?" She asked. Everyone nodded. Except for the snob and the person beside her. She knew that they were the 'not innocent' ones. "It was you! You're the two who find Mr. Black not innocent." She said. They smirked. "He won't do anything. Listen, that guy. He's a jerk. You work for the Ministry! You can threaten him." She shouted. The two looked at her, to the laughing Malfoy's. They glared, and then whispered, something to each other. They nodded, and got up, and walked over to the Judge. Miss. Smith, smirked, and walked back over to Sirius.
"What'd you do?" He asked. "You'll see." She replied. The Judge nodded, and slammed his little hammer on his desk. The chatter stopped and everyone went back to their seats. Miss. Smith, Sirius and Fudge all looked up at the judge. "Re-count." He said. The court went silent. Hermione had her fingers crossed behind her back, with her eyes closed. Fudge was looking around in triumph. Sirius was looking like he was going back to Azkaban, and his hands were white, from gripping the podium.
The Judge looked down at the little papers in his hand. "And the re-count numbers are…
To be continued…
Is Sirius innocent of guilty? Will he be going back to Azkaban? What are the Malfoy's up to? And Hermione has to re-sign as a witch and be a muggle again!! PLEASE R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!