A/N: Again, I don't have much to say. But at least this time I didn't hit any small animals either. Other than that I would just say please understand I didn't have a lot of time to proof read this too carefully. There may be spelling errors.

Enjoy.

Tried And Convicted

CHAPTER FIVE: THIS WON'T HURT A BIT

Remus hated going back to the ministry. It wasn't just the fresh memory of the trail. Or even his memories of the last time he had been to the ministry jail. Something about the building had always made him feel uneasy. A feeling that every time he entered it, he would never find his way out. And so he walked behind Snape, practically burying himself in his tattered old robes as Snape constantly tried to hurry him along.

Although it was only a few hours before Sirius' trial verdict was to be read, Dumbledore had made arrangements for Remus and Snape to be allowed a last visit with Sirius. He hadn't wanted to alert the ministry that they were suspicious of anything being wrong, and so Remus and Snape had been presented as simply as friends coming to visit Sirius. Once at the jail, however, Snape, with a small business card in hand, had presented himself as Sirius' solicitor, a role that would allow them to see Sirius alone, without a guard standing watch. The guards at first had questioned what Sirius needed to see his solicitor about, since his trial was already over and the verdict would soon be handed in. But Snape had aloofly stated that Black had a considerable estate that needed to be seen to and he was there to help the man settle his affairs.

Inside the jail cell Sirius sat on the floor, staring at the wall in front of him. Remus could never once in his life remember his friend's expression ever looking so haunted or his face quite as drawn and pale.

"Sirius?" Remus called, trying to keep the apprehension out of his voice. "How are you?"

Sirius made no move to even look at the two men outside of his cell.

"Sirius?" Remus called again. But after even so short a time, Snape had lost patience, pulling Remus back as he stepped up to the bars of the cell.

"Black!" He stated firmly.

Sirius made no move.

"So," Snape said in a low, slow drawl, "they've finally put you where you belong and you're just going to sit there and feel sorry for yourself. And you expect anyone to care? Maybe the werewolf. Maybe even Dumbledore. But you think I feel any sympathy for you? As far as I'm concerned, you've ended up right where you belong. In a cell. Headed for Azkaban."

"Severus!" Remus stated sharply.

"Well, what is the point, Lupin?" Snape shot back. "Look at the man. He's practically catatonic already. Not much of a meal for the Dementors. But I'm sure a small one will like him."

Remus shoved Snape aside as he quickly crouched down next to the bars. "Sirius, listen to me. What about Harry? What's going to happen to Harry if you're convicted?"

The statement got a small laugh out of Sirius. A response that surprised Remus completely.

"Convicted?" He asked, turning slowly to Remus. "They don't need to convict me, Remus. I've done that for them. I've done that to myself."

"Sirius!" Remus stated sharply. "Listen to me. You did not kill James and Lily. I know that and you know that."

"Remus, I confessed to it." Sirius replied quietly. "How much more proof do you need than that? I confessed to it under Veritaserum. So I must have done it. Maybe....maybe the Deatheaters placed some spell on me to make me forget what I did. Maybe I wasn't suppose to remember it. Maybe that was part of Voldemort's plan to keep anyone from finding out."

Remus looked stunned at Sirius' reasoning. "Sirius, if you were a Deatheater, I think you would know it."

"Maybe they made me forget that too."

"Sound reasoning." Snape offered, earning himself an elbow in the shin from Remus.

"Sirius, listen to me." Remus said.

Sirius turned back to his friend.

"Sirius, you did not betray James and Lily."

"How do you know? I admitted to it, Remus."

"Because I know you. And you would never have done that, Sirius. James was your friend."

"Oh, honestly." Snape stated, pulling Lupin away from the bars. "If you're going to rely on sentimentality to solve this matter, we'll be here until Black is too senile for any Dementor to want him. Even the little ones." Snape took Remus' place at the bars, staring intently at the man before him. "Black!" He stated directly. "Did you betray James and Lily Potter?"

Sirius looked at the man for a moment. "I...."

"Don't think about it!" Snape snapped at him. "Listen to me. Just answer each question. Don't sit there and think about it. Answer it the way you first feel. Did you betray your friends to the dark lord?"

"No." Sirius only hesitated a second before answering. Giving Snape the answer he believed deep within himself to be the truth.

"Did you knowingly have anything to do with James and Lily's murderers?"

This time Sirius answered almost immediately. "No."

"Would you ever have betrayed them?"

"No!" Sirius answered the last question with a sharp determination in his voice.

"Are you a Deatheater?"

"No!" Sirius stated again with the same conviction in his voice.

Snape stood back up, facing Remus with an overly pleased smile on his face. "And that, Lupin, is how you know if the man is telling the truth or not."

"Just like that?"

"You might have actually learned something if you'd have paid attention in potions." Snape replied. "A man who is under the effects of a potion, or a spell, to make him forget something, will hesitate in his answers. Not so much that a common person would notice. But a trained ear will hear it." Snape turned back to Sirius. "There's no spell on you to make you forget any of your past, Black. If you don't remember being a Deatheater, or betraying your friends, it's because you didn't do it."

"But I admitted to it. Under Veritaserum."

"You lied."

Sirius thought about that one for a moment. "But.....but that's not possible."

Snape sighed and turned back to Lupin. "I can't convince a man he's innocent if he's just going to fight me the entire way."

"Sirius," Remus pleaded, "Snape feels that maybe something isn't right. That maybe the ministry is up to something.....unscrupulous. But he needs to asked you some questions. Please, listen to what he asks you...and try to remember. All right?"

Sirius sighed quietly and turned back to the wall. But he nodded to Remus' request just the same.

Snape took Remus' place again, although this time he remained standing. But he asked the questions in a low voice. Speaking just loud enough that Sirius could hear him.

"I want you to think back to when you and Lupin went to the ministry that morning, Black. You came to the ministry. Then what happened from there? And be detailed. Even the smallest thing could be important."

Sirius sat for a few moments as he thought back.

"We came into the ministry building," Sirius replied quietly as he continued to stare vacantly at the wall before him, "and they told Remus to go wait in the courtroom. That they had a seat reserved for he and Harry. Harry got upset when I handed him over to Remus. He hates my giving him to someone else."

"Touching." Snape replied in a bored tone. "Go on."

"They took me to a small room just down the corridor, and told me to wait there. That a man would come shortly and would give me the Veritaserum. Then I would be taken to the courtroom."

"That's not right at all." Snape replied. "Are you sure they said one man would come?"

Sirius thought for a minute. "No. They said.....several people would come."

"Then why did you say 'one'? Details, Black! Make sure your details are right."

"I....I thought that was right. That they said one man would come."

"Why?"

"A few minutes later just one man came in." Sirius paused again for a few seconds as he thought back over the series of events in his mind. "I asked him where the others were, and he told me that they had been delayed and he was to go ahead and give me the Veritaserum and take me to the courtroom."

Remus started to say something, but Snape waved him off.

"Then what happened?"

"The man took me to the courtroom....."

"Before that!" Snape stated impatiently. "It's very important."

"I told you. The man gave me the Veritaserum."

"No. You only said before that he told you he was going to give it to you. Then you skipped right to the courtroom." Snape crouched down by the bars, staring intently at Sirius. "Now listen to me." He said in a low, measured voice. "I need you to go step by step. I need to hear every detail from now on. It is very important, Black. If you stubbed your toe on the way to the courtroom, I want you to tell me. Do you understand?"

Sirius stared back at the man, then nodded slightly.

"All right then. You were in the room with this man. Then what happened?"

"He pulled out a vile and gave it to me."

"A vile? Not a cup?"

"No. A vile."

"What color was the potion inside?"

Sirius thought for a long time. "It was clear. It had no color at all."

"What did it taste like?"

"It.....it was tasteless. Like water. And the same consistency."

"What happened then?"

"I drank it."

"And?"

"I handed the vile back to him and he told me to wait a few minutes and he would take me to the courtroom then."

"And what did the man do with this vile?"

"He put it back in his robes."

Snape stood back up, his head resting against his long, pale fingers as he seemed to think things over for a few moments.

"Tell me what this man looked like."

"He was a short man. Maybe five foot six. He was balding on top, with brown hair. Clean shaven. He wore a black robe, with a tailored suit underneath."

"Did he wear any jewelry? Anything at all you remember?"

Sirius thought for a moment. But a sudden look of surprise came over his expression.

"He wore a ring. A large gold one. I remember it because he kept tapping it against the vile while we waited for the Veritaserum to take effect. I remember.....wondering what was making the clicking noise. And I looked up and saw that ring. I was going to ask him about it, but.....that's the last thing I remember. The next thing I knew I was in the courtroom, answering questions."

Remus glanced over at Snape.

"Do you know who the man was?" He asked.

"Oh yes." Snape replied with a small, tight smile.

"And?"

"Avery Trennerson. Voldemort's Potions Master."

"What!?" Remus shot back. "His......Voldemort's potions master....walked right into the ministry without anyone questioning it?"

"I doubt that." Snape replied calmly. "A more likely scenario is that he works here."

Remus stood for a moment staring at Snape. "Works here?" He asked flatly.

"Well what did you think, Lupin?" Snape asked. "That every Deatheater is independently wealthy? Or that Voldemort supports the whole lot of them? Most of them, like a great many people, work for a living. Just because they're Deatheaters doesn't make them suddenly immune from needing food and shelter. Or did you think they ran about the streets, waving the Dark Mark in peoples faces, and proclaiming their affiliation to the dark lord? You could have a half dozen of them standing next to you at a bus stop and not know it. And since potion brewing is one of his strong points, and no one seemed surprised to see him about, my guess is that Avery Trennerson works for the ministry as a potions brewer."

Remus still looked stunned as Snape crouched back by the bars and turned back to Sirius.

"What happened next?" He ask.

"I told you, the next thing I remember was I was in the courtroom answering questions."

"You don't remember anything between the time you saw the man's ring and then being in the courtroom?"

Sirius shook his head.

"Think!" Snape stated in a low, sharp hiss. "It's very important. Do you remember anything? Anything at all?"

Sirius had taken to staring at the wall opposite him in silence again. After a few moments he shook his head again. "Nothing. It was like.....I closed my eyes for a second, and when I opened them again, I was in the courtroom. I can't remember anything inbetween those two events."

"What about when you were in the courtroom. What was going on as you saw things?"

Sirius thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I...remember this man...Avery....asking me questions. But....they weren't right."

"What do you mean, 'not right'?"

"He would asked the questions and I would answer them. I've never had Veritaserum before, but I've seen it used on others. And I've heard what it feels like. It's like.....you answer the questions, but you aren't really in control of it. You're more like a spectator sitting there watching yourself. You have no control. No will of your own."

"That would be correct." Snape replied.

But Sirius looked up at him. "But that wasn't what it felt like."

Snape suddenly looked very interested. "Then what did it feel like to you?"

Sirius gave a slight shudder as he turned back to the wall. "The man asked me the first question, and I just tried to relax and let the Veritaserum answer for me. I was that sure of the answer I would give. I could even picture myself in my mind saying it. But then this other answer came into my mind, and I felt myself saying that instead. I was....so utterly taken off guard, I couldn't even begin to think to try and stop myself. And then, before I could even register what had just happened, the man asked the second question. And then the third. He was going too fast for me to stop and think."

"He didn't want you to think, Black. That was half the point." Snape put in quickly. "Then what happened?"

"After a few questions, I still didn't know what was happening, but I knew I had to stop it. When he asked the next question, I fought with every ounce will I had left to give a different answer. To give the one I wanted to. The one I was thinking. But that didn't work."

"But it did." Remus spoke up suddenly.

But Snape waved him off again. "Then what?"

"The man asked a series of questions in rapid succession. I couldn't think fast enough to try and force out a different answer. But then he stopped in the questioning. He was talking to someone else. It gave me a little time to gather my senses back about me. And I thought, since I couldn't seem to will myself to answer the way I wanted to, I concentrate instead on simply not answering at all. I would concentrate on staying silent."

"And did you succeed?"

"Yes!" Remus piped up happily from behind Snape.

Snape turned an irritated look at Remus. "Well?"

"The man asked Sirius a question, near the end of the trial. And Sirius paused. He hesitated in answering it. He started to say something, but then he just stopped. He just sat there and didn't answer."

"And what was Trennerson's explanation to this?" Snape questioned, his sneer growing by the moment. "It should be fascinating."

Remus thought for a moment to remember. "He said that the question hadn't been phrased right. That questions under Veritaserum have to be phrased a certain way or the person will become confused and won't answer them at all. He offered to try again, but the judges didn't seem interested."

Snape's sneer only deepened. "Do try to imagine my surprise." He drawled.

"Well?" Remus asked.

"Whatever they gave Black," The Potions Master replied, as he stood back up, a very satisfied smile on his lips now, "I would bet everything I know about potions that it wasn't Veritaserum."

"How so?" Remus asked.

"From what the both of you are describing, Black was fighting whatever he was given. No one can successfully fight Veritaserum that I have ever heard of. Maybe an extremely powerful wizard might be able to hinder the effects a bit, but Black hardly falls into that category."

Remus looked a bit worried that Sirius didn't rise to the bait, but only continued to listen to Snape.

"What Black was doing," Snape went on, "was effectively fighting whatever the potion was. By the end of the questioning, he was successfully fighting it. My guess would be that Trennerson had a whole list of questions he never got to use. Most likely by the time he got done with Black, he'd have had the whole courtroom believing the man was the dark lord himself. But Trennerson was likely as stunned as everyone else when Black started to refuse to answer and abruptly cut off the questioning before things got any worse and the judges started to actually think about things."

Sirius looked as stunned as Remus. "Are you sure?" He asked, a tinge of hope in his voice.

"I would stake everything I know about potions on one thing, Black. Whatever you were given, it was not Veritaserum. But," Snape added, "just to be safe, let's make sure."

Sirius looked up to see Snape pulling a long, thin knife out of his robes.

"Give me your arm, Black." Snape stated.

"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked, making no move to give Snape any part of his body.

"I need a little of your blood to run some tests on." Snape gave him a sadistic smile. "I swear, it won't hurt a bit."

Sirius eyed the knife for a moment, then slowly inched his arm through the bars. As soon as it was clear enough of them, Snape grabbed his wrist and quickly cut a deep gash in his lower arm just above the wrist. Sirius yelped in pain and tried to pull his hand back. But Snape held onto it until a red line of blood appeared in the skin. He then ran the blade of the knife through it before releasing Sirius' wrist finally.

"Keep it covered and don't let anyone see the cut." Snape advised. "I'd prefer it was healed completely. But since they don't allow wands back here, just do what you can that no one sees it. Otherwise they may get suspicious as to what we're up to."

"If they don't allow wands, how did you get a knife past them?"

Snape gave him a shallow smile. "I could have brought a hippogriff back here if I had wanted to, Black. It really isn't hard when you know how."

Remus tapped Snape on the shoulder. "The verdict reading is in an hour. We have to get to the ministry." Remus quickly leaned down towards the bars. "Don't worry, Sirius." He told his friend. "This is going to work out, you'll see."

Remus pulled back and headed quickly down the hallway. Snape paused for a moment outside Sirius' cell as the man looked up at him. His expression spoke of anything but his belief in Remus' last statement. But just as quickly he turned his head and laid it on his arms over his knees. Snape paused for a few more seconds, but Sirius didn't look up again. Finally he turned and headed down the corridor after Remus.

Q&A (Yeah!)

See, P.A.R. makes a little rhyme again.

Nagini: AGAIN?!

Oh well.

Harry plushi? They have Harry Plushies? Where? (Personally, I want a Sirius or Remus plushie. THAT'D be fun to squeeze!) (Or an Alan Rickman Plushie! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!)(Where'd all this droll on my computer desk come from?!)

Actually, yeah, watching Querrill in The Sorcerer's Stone, that thought did come to mind. Interesting though, since, if I'm not wrong, didn't the first Harry Potter come out before The Mummy? I'm not sure. I'm bad at time lines. The book, by the way, not the movie. And the effects did look somewhat familiar.)

Sailor Sol: Well, he's being as sociable as Snape can be.

Well, I'm still a bit apprehensive about how Enemies will be received. I've never done a totally OC story that I've posted before. But I suppose we'll see.

I agree with you. Cliffhangers are nail biters to the bitter end. But they're also a lot of fun. After all, waiting is half the fun.

Mayleesa: Well, currently not everyone is happy about Harry language skills. Especially poor Remus.

So glad you liked the chapter.

Storyspindler: Well, I really thought the flares and thirty piece orchestra I hired to announce my return would do it for everybody. But.........oh, well.

P.A.R. is sorry she made you cry, Dear. But I think The Bonds That Tie did come with some sort of major warning about that. It was, after all, an anguishy story.

Very happy your computer is fixed. I know how crazy I go when mine is on the fritz.

If your wondering, I post every Sunday and Wednesday, between 6PM and 10Pm EST, Internet permitting and no upsets in my schedule.

RavenLady: Harry was very cute in the last chapter, no doubt about it. But I do think you'd have trouble attaching that tag to Snape in any of my stories to date.

Nicky: Well..........., maybe it wasn't quite the confrontation you had pictured. But then, Sirius isn't quite up to par either.

I'm glad you liked the closing line. I was having a bit of trouble ending that chapter. And that was the only place I could find to stop that suited me at the moment.

Silverfox: You're indifferent to him!? How can you be indifferent? *Sniff.* How can anyone be indifferent to Sirius. Poor Sirius.

Indeed, if I go on with this story arc anymore, James and Lily can only 'reveal' themselves to Sirius and Harry. But they can influence objects in the mortal world. But they can't speak directly to or appear to anyone else. (Boy, is that ever an overused plot device.)

I see old Dumbledore as knowing people a little better sometimes than they know themselves. And I reasoned in this story that he felt that if he just left everyone alone that they would eventually work things out. Besides, it was very unlikely that Snape would just sit back and watch Sirius go to Azkaban without trying to do anything to help.

Fire Spirit: I'm glad you enjoyed The Bonds That Tie. It isn't necessary to read that to read Tried And Convicted, but as you found out, it does help understand it a little better.

purple water: *P.A.R. grabs her computer screen.* Nooooooooooooo! Don't stop posting theories. I love them!

As for the theory, quite possibly Sirius would have gone with Katlin (said Deatheater) to make sure Harry was safe. But would having let the Deatheaters have Harry been 'safe'? Even though Katlin swore Voldemort wasn't going to hurt Harry, would you have honestly believed a Deatheater?

Indeed! Who is more competent that Snape when it comes to potions!

Your theory is interesting. Wrong. But interesting. It has potential though. I might incorporate it somewhere someday. You will, of course, be fully credited for the idea.

I think you are too hard on yourself saying your writing isn't that good. Do you ever re-read your comments? Your reviews are so well thought out I'm amazed most of the time. Some of these things show more time going into them than most stories I see. They are also very well articulated. I can, for the most part, follow what your trying to get across. Which is occasionally a bit of a challenge, not because the writing is bad, but because your theories get so complicated, I can't believe you came up with some of this stuff. A lot of this would really make a good story. Especially this last one. But please, don't keep your theories to yourself. I really enjoy them.

I'm glad you liked the tree explanation.

Harry's language skills (or lack thereof) is sort of a running joke in this story arc. Most of my stories have some sort of a running joke in them. In Family Life it was the fact that whenever Sirius and Arabella ever got into some good snogging, Harry would walk in on them. (Well, almost ever time.). And yes, I'm the first one to say that things were a little over done the last time.

Sorry. The Dell solution is only for Dell's. It was one of two things. Either you had to light up all the keyboard keys and then do I think a VCache erase, or replace your motherboard if that didn't work. But it was a very common problem with Dell laptops at the time.

Mr. Happy Java Man: You want me to forgive you because you were on vacation? Go read lilahp's answer. Honestly! *Sighs.* What I wouldn't give for a vacation. But all right, yes, I understand.

Actually, Snape and Lupin (in the universe according to P.A.R.) remained friends after the joke. The break-up of the friendship didn't come until they graduated. And then it was for different reasons.

lilahp: If I'm in it, Dear, you got the right line for The Fountain of Smart.

First of all, you were on vacation. You want me to feel SORRY for you?

P.A.R. does feel sorry about the Laryngitis thing. P.A.R. has had that. And as a singer, let me tell you, it is not fun. And a bit scary. You have no idea how your voice will come back.

I understand about the medication thing, Dear. Believe me. I am quite tired of hearing 'well, maybe you have 'this', so that this medication and see if it clears up'. I'm sorry. I am not a white lab rat and I do not randomly take medication.

Anger is usually a very good motivator. However, I'll clue you into something. I've used it in this story arc. And I hate to repeat myself in stories. I like to think one of things that keeps you guys coming back is that I try to be original. And I think instead you'll see that Sirius has learned a little from his experiences and how he handles things.

Harry is, unfortunately, not a major player in this story.

The ministries current feeling about Sirius is they need a warm body. And his is (currently) warm.

Yoda and Dumbledore locked in a room together? Hmmmmm? *P.A.R. digs into her wallet and pulls out some cash.* O.K.. Yeah. I'd pay to see that.

My father is doing very well. Thanks for asking.

My job situation is so weird, I think few people could follow things right now without a score card.

Ah, no. Sorry. Orion isn't in this story at all. And the reason this one went up before Enemies is because that story is turning into a bugger to write.

As for 'Larger Matters', I'm afraid I'm playing pretty straight with you guys on this one. It's kind of a 'what you see is what you get' sort of story. Everything is eventually explained. But hang on to hope for 'Larger Matters' theories and plots with Enemies. That story has so much going on behind the scenes, it's driving me nuts. And is a large part of what is making writing it so hard.

Writers Conference, Huh? I'll give you some advice here. Writers Conferences are fun. They are, in fact, a blast. I've been to a lot of them. But you know something? By the third one, I was hearing the same advice over and over. They can only tell you so much and give so much help. However, as a 'meet and greet' they can't be beat. It's a wonderful opportunity to network with other writers and editors and agents. P.A.R. learned very early the power of the words 'Can I buy you a drink?'. But still, for starting up a relationship with an agent or editor, nothing beats those Science Fiction conventions! That's where I met my editor!

I would gladly do almost anything asked to be the person in charge (editor) of the business deals to put out fanfiction books of Harry Potter! Come on, Warner Brothers! Opportunity is practically knocking your door down here! Think of the money!

But in all fairness, I believe the situation is that, while Rowling sold the rights her books, she did not sell the rights to the characters. Smart woman.

Let me see..........money, fame, people adore you everywhere you go except a few fanatics from the stone age who are criticizing books they haven't even read, and a few life problems verses my life...........hmmmmmm? Yeah! I'll trade!

A Harry Potter convention in Florida? That could be interesting for P.A.R.. And I'll tell you why. You see, in Florida, since I live there, P.A.R. is VERY well known at Science Fiction conventions. I knows the people who go to them. I knows the people who run them because I used to be a guest 'way back when' quite a bit. I've partied with both for YEARS! The problem evolves out of this. A lot of people who go to Science Fiction conventions would also go to a Harry Potter Convention. (Not a lot of difference there.) A lot of those people not only know me, they know me as P.A.R.. That could be interesting. Someone walking up to me at such a convention and saying 'Ohmagosh! YOU'RE P.A.R.?' could have you witnessing the first muggle able to disapparate on the spot. But thanks for the information just the same. I'll probably think about it anyway. Depends a lot on where it is.

Karla: Oh, rats! That's right. P.A.R. remembers now! I was very surprised I was being read in Brazil. You must forgive P.A.R., Karla. She's old-er. Mind going and all that.

Actually, I am as pleased as pleased can be with my hit count. It's now over 13,000. Yeah, P.A.R.!

Someday I'll have to look back and see whose got the most gold stars. You or Whisp.

Yup. Sirius' fate is very much in Severus' hands. Scary, huh?

Don't base Sirius' reaction to the situation on what's happened in this chapter. That relationship has got a lot more turns to go through before this is finished. Also, Sirius is still in a bit of a state of shock. He's been through an awful lot. And consider that the passage of time here has only been about 24 hours. That's a lot to take in in so little time. Poor Sirius.

P.A.R. loves writing about Severus and Remus confrontations. There's so much history there in my universe.

Heeheehee. The question, Dear, isn't 'will Severus recognize Trennerson?'. But that comes up later. So, darn it, I can't say anything. But think about it, and the position it would put a certain someone in.

Reviews are as of 08242002.

I'm only wearing black until they make something darker.