Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, never has been mine, and never will be mine. The only thing I own in this story is Colette Villons. Get the picture?


A/N: I have found almost no time for me to be able to work on this story...man, school is hard! Finding time, inspiration, and my writing-Out-of-the-Night-mood all at the same time is not easy. This took forever to get out, didn't it? Now you're all going to come attack me with a kitchen knife...



Chapter Fourteen-Meetings and More Meetings




For the next hour, Harry sat out in the waiting room with Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione as Colette interviewed Sirius. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Percy were still out looking for each other and Professor Dumbledore.

When Harry told them all about how Colette was going to try and help Sirius, their reactions were the same as Harry had expected that they would be, even though they were all exhausted after sitting in the waiting room for hours. Hermione and Ron especially were ecstatic, because they knew Sirius best. Fred, George, and Ginny were all very happy, but since they didn't know the entire story they couldn't fully appreciate everything.

They didn't know everything...Harry suddenly looked up from where he had been staring at the floor, grinning, his eyes shining as he looked at Fred, George, and Ginny. Ron had informed Harry earlier that he had only told his parents everything that was in Sirius's story, and the rest of the Weasley children didn't know that Sirius was an Animagus, or anything about the Marauders. All of a sudden, Harry couldn't wait to tell them, and he imagined how Fred and George would react when they heard that Harry's godfather-plus his father and their old professor-were the former mischeif makers of Hogwarts.

"Fred, George, Ginny," Harry began slowly. "I think it's about time I tell you something."

Ron and Hermione looked their friend curiously. Harry looked back at them, carefully choosing his next words.

"*We* tell you something," Harry corrected himself, nodding at Ron and Hermione. "About Sirius." Although Ron was looking more perplexed by the second, Hermione's eyes were bright with recognition.

"What about him?" All three of them asked together. Harry grinned again, and then he plunged into the story (with help from Ron and Hermione) of how Remus Lupin's lycanthropy had caused him and his three friends to become Animagi, how they had become the Marauders, and made the Maruader's Map. Also about how Peter Pettigrew escaped that one Halloween, how he had been Scabbers, and about Sirius's recent year at Hogwarts.

By the time they had finished, Ginny was staring at her brother with her mouth hanging open, and Fred and George had expressions on their faces that were clearly of disbelief.

"Are you saying that *Peter Pettigew* was *Scabbers?*" George asked incredulously, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"And that your dad and Sirius are Animagi?" Fred added, his expression identical to his twin's.

"And that *they* were they the Marauders?"

"And *Professor Lupin* was one of the Marauders?"

"*And they made the Maruader's Map?*"

"Yep," Harry said, grinning. He was about to go into the details of the Marauder's time in Hogwarts-namely, all the pranks that they played-and also maybe pull Ron aside and tell him about Colette, when Hermione timidly spoke up.

"Harry?" She asked quietly, and a bit shyly. "Can Ron and I...er...see Sirius? If that's alright?"

Harry looked at her, and a lightbulb seemed to light in his head. Of course...Ron and Hermione...they had known Sirius as long as he had, and they have been really patient all day...they should see Sirius, they have a granted right, after all...

Harry raised his eyebrow at his friend, and then at Ron who had sat up in his chair a little and was watching Harry expectantly.

"And who am I to say that you can't?" Harry said slowly, watching them with a small smile on his face. "Of course you can. We'll just go see if Colette is finished interviewing him yet... you guys can come too, if you want." He added to Fred, George, and Ginny. They glanced at each other.

"No, I'll think we'll wait for the time being," Ginny said firmly, although the twins looked very anxious to meet one of the Marauders. "You guys go ahead."

Harry smiled at her, and once again felt his insides squirming. He couldn't help notice how her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. In fact, he couldn't imagine how he had never noticed how pretty her eyes were before...a bright and sparkly blue...that brightened when she smiled...

Harry quickly turned away as the blush rose in his face so that Ron wouldn't notice. Ron, however, seemed to notice that something was going on-whether it completely processed inside his brain or not-and he staring at his sister with a little frown on his face. Harry swiftly reached forward, wrapped his hand around Ron's wrist in a single movement, and gently pulled him towards the waiting room door where Hermione was already waiting.

"Well-I guess I'll see you guys later-um-bye-" Ron spluttered as Harry began to pull him more forcefully out of the waiting room.

"Bye!" Fred and George called in unison. "See you," Ginny added before Hermione closed the door after Harry and Ron. Ron yanked his wrist out of Harry's grip, giving him a strange look.

"What's up with you?" He asked, raising his eyebrow and glancing at Hermione as if for support. "You act like there's something in the waiting room that you wanted to get me away from."

"Yeah, well, you wanted to see Sirius, didn't you?" Harry said cheerfully, and turned to walk towards room 521.

"Yeah, I know, but-"

"It doesn't matter, Ron," Hermione said briskly. "Just...come on." She nodded at Harry, who was already halfway down the hallway. Ron gave her a scrutinizing look and hurried to catch up with his friend. Hermione brought up the rear, shaking her head slightly and smiling. Unlike Ron, she had begun to interpret the glances Harry and Ginny had been giving each other.

Meanwhile, Harry was standing outside Sirius's door, waiting for his two friends to catch up with him. When they did that, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," Sirius's voice called.

Harry opened the door just a little bit and poked his head into the room, then opened it all the way and walked in, with Ron and Hermione coming in cautiously behind him.

"Where's Colette?" Harry asked, looking around the room.

"She left just a few minutes ago," Sirius answered from where he was sitting up in his bed. He looked around at the two people behind Harry, and his face broke into a grin. "Ron! Hermione! Long time, no see!"

"Hi, Sirius," Hermione said, smiling. She came forward from behind Harry and sat down in one of the chairs near Sirius's bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright," He answered, giving her a small smile. Then he looked from Hermione to Ron, then back to Hermione. His smile turned into a teasing grin. "I was wondering if you two forgot about me."

"Of course we didn't forget about you!" Hermione chided him playfully. "We...just...well...we just..."

"Uh-huh. Right," He turned to Harry and said in a very loud mock whisper to him, "They forgot about me!" Harry grinned, and then Sirius began to talk to Ron over Harry's shoulder.

"Hey, Ron," He said, tilting his head slightly so that he could see the tall redheaded boy. "How are you doing?"

"How am *I* doing? Your asking *me* how *I'm* doing? I'm not the one who's lying in a hospital bed, Sirius, and your asking me how I'm doing?" Ron asked incredulously, raising his eyebrow at Harry's godfather much in the same way he had done to Harry. Sirius laughed out loud, a sight that made Harry's face brighten considerably.

"Right you are, Ron, right you are," Sirius said, winking at Harry and Hermione. "Now, aren't you guys going to ask me what happened with Colette?"

"I was just about to get to that," Harry said, moving to sit down next to Hermione. "So, what did happen, Sirius? And also, how do you know her in the first place?"

"Let's see..." Sirius said thoughtfully, leaning back against his pillows. "How do I know her...well, I met her shortly before your parents died, Harry. Through my work at the Ministry of Magic."

"You worked at the Ministry?" Harry interrupted in surprise, staring at Sirius.

"Yep," Sirius said, glancing at Harry. "Colette and I were both working our way up in the Departement of Magical Law Enforcment. I never told you that?"

Harry slowly shook his head, still staring at his godfather. "Magical law enforcment?"

"Yeah," Sirius nodded, and then he grinned grimly. "Ironic, huh?"

There was a short pause. Ron and Hermione gave each other slightly uncomfortable glances before Sirius continued.

"Anyway, we both worked together in the months before Voldemort's downfall. We became friends, though we never really saw each other outside of work...she's a few years younger than me, you know," Sirius added. "And there were so many things going on at the time...well, you guys already know about that."

All three of the teenagers nodded in unison.

"Well, that's how I know her. Now, onto the other part of your question: What happened."

Harry unconsciously leaned forward in his seat with his eyes fixed intently on his godfather.

"Apparently, Dumbledore pulled her aside only this morning to ask if she could investigate my case, and see if she wanted to help prove my innocence. To be honest with you guys, she wasn't really sure about anything. She didn't know whether to trust me or not," Sirius's eyes flickered for a moment, but the only one who noticed was Hermione, who gave him a slightly puzzled look before focusing again on the story. "So she gave me an interview just to make sure, to prove to herself that I am innocent." Sirius paused, and sighed.

"Well?' Harry and Ron prompted him together. Sirius grinned again.

"Well...she believes me."

"*Yes!*" Harry gasped, jumping to his feet. Hermione clapped her hands together and jumped up as well, but Ron just stared at him from where he was leaning against the wall.

"You mean it? She's going to try and prove your case?"

"Yep," Sirius said proudly.

For a fleeting instant, Harry suddenly had the urge to hug Sirius as tight as he could. It was a feeling that he had only had a few times before-the most recent example was when Dobby had helped him before the second task of the Triwizard Tournament-and sometimes directed to Ron and Hermione, but never to Sirius. It was a strange feeling, something that Harry was unaccustomed to, and he didn't know how to react to it. For a moment he paused, unsure, but the moment passed, leaving him feeling very confused.

"It took a little work on my part, I can tell you that much," Sirius admittedly continued. "I had to tell her everything, the whole nine yards-and obviously, that took a while-and then we just talked about the case, and she decided that I was telling the truth."

"So what is she going to do?" Harry asked excitedly, for since the moment had passed he was feeling more like himself. "How is she going to do this?"

"Well, first she's going to tell Dumbledore her decision. Then, she's going to ask around the Ministry to see who might be interested in working with her on our case. All the while, she's going to try to tackle the Fudge issue. We'll just have to see what the outcome of those things are, then we'll build on what happens after that. You three are going to have to be witnesses for the trial, you know," He added.

"So there is going to be a trial?" Ron asked him, looking a little confused. "Not just a hearing, or an investigation into the case?"

"Oh no, Ron, there is definitely going to be a trial. This is *big*, no doubt about it. There is definitely going to be a trial. Colette confirmed it."

"I expected that," Hermione nodded knowingly.

"You did?" Ron looked at her, half of his expression showing surprise and the other half basically saying, "*Why* am I not surprised?"

"Of course," Hermione said, visibly regaining her superior attitude, making Sirius grin again. "There would have to be a trial. This is huge, like Sirius said. There's no way that this would get a mere hearing."

Sirius nodded. "She's right, you know. And, Hermione..." He looked at her thoughtfully. "I have a feeling that you are going to play a big part in this, somehow. You seem to have the habit of reading between the lines, and that can become very useful when it comes to things dealing with the law, and seperating truth from lies. You're going to do something, Hermione. I can feel it."

Hermione looked half surprised, half flattered. After a moment, she had just opened her mouth to speak when the sound of three surprised yells from somewhere on the floor filled the air. She, Ron, Harry, and Sirius all froze, Hermione's mouth still open. A few seconds later, there was the sound of feet pounding down the corridor, and muffled yells were filling their ears. Hermione slowly closed her mouth and looked around nervously.

"What on Earth...?" Ron whispered, staring around at them all. "What's going on? Sirius, do you know..."

But Sirius only shook his head very slowly, staring with his eyes fixed on the door.

There was a pause, and they could all hear a muffled voice speaking, but although they couldn't make out the words, they recognized the voice very clearly as Albus Dumbledore's. Then there was more shouting and the sounds resumed. Ron, who was closest to the door, began to back away from it uneasily.

Suddenly, it happened, although so quickly that for a second no one could figure out what was going on. All Sirius, Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew was that the door had been blasted open, and the room was suddenly filled with people: Albus Dumbledore, Colette Villons, Remus Lupin, Arthur, Molly, and Percy Weasley, and-the person who had first entered the room-Cornelius Fudge.

There was a short pause of silence, in which everyone stared at one another. In that moment, it was only Hermione who noticed that the door to Sirius's room was practically hanging off its hinges. In his obvious rage, Fudge had broken down the door.

Three people tried to break the silence at the same time. Sirius asked, "What's going on?", Dumbledore began to clear his throat to speak, and Fudge said hotly and loudly, "He's not getting one!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't need to ask what "it" was. Harry paled considerably, and Ron glared at Fudge. Colette, however, narrowed her eyes at the minister.

"Cornelius," She said in a soft and dangerous voice. "You must reconsider. This man-"

"-is not getting a trial!" Fudge finished for her. He didn't look too good, like someone who was plainly dead tired, but at the same time trying to stay awake. His eyes were bright and darting, and his face was rapidly changing from his normal skin tone to purple. "What you fail to realize, all of you-" He glared around at everyone in the room, although Harry noticed that he was carefully avoiding Sirius's gaze. "-is that this man is a murderer-"

"No," Colette said, her voice beginning to rise. She was trembling slightly from anger. "What *you* fail to realize is that by not giving him a trial, you will be condemning an innocent man to a lifetime in Azkaban-"

"Mom! Dad! Percy!" Came the sudden and unexpected cries. It was Fred, George, and Ginny. Ginny, leading the way, burst into the room and rushed to her parents and brother.

"Mom, what-"

"Shh," Mrs. Weasley shushed her softly, giving the twins a reproving look as they stared at Sirius, who payed them no attention in the least. He was staring at Fudge, who was looking around in distaste.

"What is this?" He said, his eyes widening at the sight of the Weasley family, as if he had never seen anything like them before. "*What* are you all doing here? I don't know exactly what your playing at, Dumbledore, Lupin, Villons," He added to them, while making an obvious effort to look dignified. "Sirius Black is not going to receive a trial. Why try an already convicted murderer? He's not going to get even the merest hearing, not while I'm minister long enough to prevent it."

"Then maybe you *shouldn't* be minister long enough to prevent it," Remus Lupin said softly, and everyone looked at him in surprise-everyone except Dumbledore, who was looking at hims old student in quiet approval. He had been wondering if someone was going to say that. Harry, meanwhile, started at the sight of his old professor. With all the commotion centering around Colette and Fudge, he hadn't even noticed the man, who was partially hidden behind the Weasleys.

"What?" Fudge sputtered. His skin tone changed from bright purple to ashen white remarkably fast as he stared at Lupin. "What-what are you talking about? How dare you suggest such a thing?"

Remus's eyes narrowed slightly, but he met Fudge's stare. "I'm *suggesting* it because it seems like the right thing to suggest," He replied cooly. "You've already made one enormous mistake during your time as minister, Fudge, and that is denying that Voldemort is indeed rising to power again. Are you going to make yet another by sentencing a man who never has followed Voldemort and never will follow Voldemort to a fate of Voldemort followers?"

Fudge stared at Remus, looking appalled at how someone could say such things. He wasn't used to being defied so openly and clearly, by anyone, and he looked strangely baffled as he spoke.

"What does You-Know-Who have to do with this? Nothing at all! Nothing! Just because I refuse to acknowledge an event that never occurred doesn't mean that I am a horrible minister, and by sentencing a guilty man to Azkaban doesn't mean that I have no heart! Dumbledore, you can't possible believe this..." Fudge turned, half pleading, to the old man who had stood unspeaking in the corner of the room.

"You know very well, as I do, what I believe, Cornelius," Dumbledore said smoothly, peering at everyone in the room over his spectacles. "Sirius is as free of murder as you or I, and Voldemort has indeed returned to power."

"Preposterous! Insane!" Spluttered Fudge, looking very taken aback. "Absolutely insane! Your all off your rockers, all of you!" He stared, wide and wild-eyed, around everyone at the room. "Imagine what the rest of the magical community would think of you-"

"The rest of the magical community's negative impression of us is due, no doubt, mainly to you!" Colette said, her eyes flashing. "Let's just say that you haven't made it a secret that you disapprove of us and our beliefs."

"And why should I make it a secret?" Fudge demanded. His face had resumed from white to purple once more. "Believing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned, and Sirius Black perfectly guilt free-"

"I didn't kill those people, okay?" Sirius interrupted Fudge suddenly, speaking up for the first time. Everyone looked at him, and Fudge backed up a step. "I didn't, Pettigrew did! And now he's off, with Voldemort-"

"How dare you accuse an innocent man-rest his soul-of working for the Dark Lord?" Fudge demanded. He had regained his composure, but still refused to meet Sirius's eyes.

"Innocent man!" Sirius's eyes flashed dangerously. "Innocent man...I don't think I've ever known a less innocent man in my life..."

"Except yourself, of course!" Fudge raged. "You're not innocent, never have been, never will be-"

"Cornelius, that is quite enough!" Dumbledore said sharply, as Harry took a protective step closer to his godfather. "I think that you have made your point very clearly."

Harry couldn't have agreed more, and he also felt very thankful towards Dumbledore for breaking up the tension that had been building up between Fudge and everyone else in the room-even him, Hermione, and the Weasleys, who had not said anything at all. Both Fudge and Sirius were very powerful men, stubborn in their beliefs, but now wasn't the time to go on a raging debate between the two. Everyone looked at Dumbledore expectantly after his statement, who was studying Fudge carefully.

"Cornelius, if you are not going to take steps to ensure that Sirius gets a fair trial, I assure you that the rest of us will," He said, and Harry doubted that anyone would have argued with him just then. He had spoken very calmly, but there was a finality and a power in his voice that Fudge obviously didn't feel like challenging-for he clenched his teeth very tightly together. Then he took a long, deep breath and, without waiting another moment, stormed out of the room.

Everyone stared at the broken door as Fudge closed it noisily behind himself, the door hanging off its hinges. Percy was looking appalled, Ginny shocked, Colette infuriated, Ron furious, Hermione nervous, Fred and George uncomfortable. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were looking at each other anxiously, and Remus was shaking his head at the door. Harry and Sirius, however, were staring at Dumbledore, who was staring at them back.

"Professor..." Harry said slowly. "You said that we are going to get Sirius a trial ourselves. How are we going to do that, if the Minister of Magic doesn't allow it?"

"Oh, the Minister of Magic will allow it," Dumbledore said, a small smile on his face.

"But, you know Fudge, he definitely won't-"

"Oh, Fudge will not allow it, but the new minister will," Dumbledore said calmly.

Now, everyone in the room was staring at Dumbledore. As realization to what he was saying dawned on them, their expressions all turned from what they previously were to surprise.

"Wait, so you're going to try to knock Fudge out of office? By electing someone else as minister?" Ron asked bluntly, looking at Dumbledore with growing admiration. Dumbledore nodded.

"But no one will follow us..." Harry said hopelessly, sinking down onto the edge of Sirius's bed in despair. "Even if you do get someone else elected, Professor, he won't believe us..."

"It would not be a 'he', Harry," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "It would be a 'she.'"

There was a short silence, as everyone stared at him in uncomprehension.

"Albus," Colette said sharply, staring at him, her face slightly anxious as she began to suspect what he was implying. "Who's going to run against Fudge?"

"Why, you are, my dear," Dumbledore smiled.

Now the whole room was staring at Colette, who's face quickly turned from anxiousness to knowing, and then lit up as she began to grin.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


"Wormtail!"

Peter Pettigrew looked up, startled, at his master from where he had been huddling in the corner of the living room of the Riddle House, nibbling on a piece of stale bread.

"Y-yes, Master?"

"Get ready, Wormtail," Voldemort said softly. He was standing near the window, staring out over the countryside.

"For what, my lord?" Pettigrew asked, looking around nervously.

"We are going to do it tonight, Wormtail. Tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes. Tonight. Tonight, we will change history."





A/N: Man, I've been working on this chapter for forever...your probably all extremely pissed at me, I'm sorry! I'm going to try and be better about getting the chapters done sooner. I made Hermione very observant in this chapter, didn't I? Does she seem too observant, more than she was in the books?

I'm sorry if I got all luvey-duvey in that little part between Harry and Ginny. I was listening to the soundtrack to Moulin Rouge at the time. I've been listening to that a lot recently, and I think it's corrupting my mind. :)

Where are all the reviewers that disappeared? Abby, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, wellduh..., Lily of the Valley, all of you people? Did you fall of the face of the planet? Because if you did, that would be bad... Also, a special shout out to Star Light, wherever you are! Thank you sooooooooo much for putting me on your favorite author's list! I'm so happy! And a big thanks to celestial princess: Go Dena! Mucho thanks for the idea of Fudge breaking down the door! Hehe...


Alexa Black: Don't worry I know exactly what's going to happen in the story...I've got it all worked out.

ActaDrama: Wow that was loud and clear! Thank you, thank you, thank you...you get the idea.:) Like the name, does it mean that you like acting and drama? I do, I love all that stuff actually...I was thinking of auditioning for Hermione in the HP movie (I'm the right age, right type, etc.) but they only wanted British kids ::sniff, sniff:: Although I've had tons of people tell me that I freak them out by doing a scaringly perfect impersonation of the actress...okay that was incredibly off subject. :)

Yuffie-Girl: Evil cliffhanger, huh? Hmm...I seem to be more secure about how a chapter went if I leave it on a cliffhanger...yeah I'm demented, I know. :) Thanks-I'm not really sure what Colette and Sirius's realationship is going to be, I haven't decided yet. About Remus...well, I had originally decided to pair him up with someone, but I was thinking of maybe doing that in a sequel that I've been considering...yes, you read that right! I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, but I've been thinking about it. Shh, mum's the word!
If I were you, I wouldn't believe 100% what I said was going to be in the story in the first few chapters. My idea has changed drastically since then...things are in the story that weren't in the original idea, and vice versa...one major example: In my original outline, Colette never existed! Yeah, that major...and new ideas are popping up left and right, so be ready for surprises!
I'm glad that at least someone will continue reading this migraine-causing story, no matter how long the chapters take to get out!

Celestial princess: New computer for you? Yay! My parents have been talking about getting me my own computer...which would be WONDERFUL!!!
Volders? Hmm that's an interesting nickname...ha! Superman! Love that! Hey, did you like how Fudge broke down the door to room 521? It was solely your idea! Merci beacoup...on a completely different note, do you have the camp directory? Cause I lost Nadia's address and I want to send her something.
I'll review Draco's Story one of these days...