Chapter 31*~~
What Could Be Lost*~~
Harry bit his lip. Remus was up now. He was one of the last. All that was left for Sirius's defense was Ginny and Harry himself. Ginny was nowhere to be seen and it was four in the afternoon.
"You are a werewolf, correct?" asked Karl.
"Yes," said Remus a slightly defensive edge to his voice.
"You taught at Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
"You attacked a student during your last full moon there?"
"No."
"It is said that you attacked Mr. Draconias Malfoy."
"Than it is a lie. I'm sorry but how does my being a werewolf have anything to do with this trial. I have the bite, not Sirius."
"You are one of Mr. Black's close friends, correct?"
"Yes. He was one of my three best friends when we were in Hogwarts."
"And you often got into trouble?"
"Yes, we pulled pranks all the time. No one was ever hurt... except for the time Snape thought Lily did it and Lily gave him that hook nose because he wouldn't move. But none of us predicted that one."
"Was he violent in school?"
"No."
"Was he one who would beak the rules."
"Yes."
"And he befriended you and knew you were a werewolf?"
"What I am is not important. Who I am is what makes the difference. When I first came to school I was afraid of losing the three friends I had made, terrified of them knowing what I was. But when hey figured it out after a few months they taught me something. Sirius said something to me I will never forget. 'What someone is is not decided by wether they're human, giant, werewolf, muggle, or wizard but by who they are. For there is really only good and evil. And which you fall under is decided by what's inside you, not what's on the surface.' Sirius befriended me, Remus Lupin, Moony. He didn't befriend a werewolf be befriended someone who was good."
"O-offense has no further questions." Dumbledore stood up.
"Remus, you and Sirius have been friends for how long?"
"Since I first ran into him in Diagon Alley before my first year at Hogwarts."
"And you know him well?"
"Better than any living person, including his fiancée."
"Do you think he did it?"
"No."
"Do you have any evidence?"
"All I have to give is my word and my heart. I love Sirius like a brother. We've been friends for a long, long time. Sirius Black is a Marauder not a murderer."
"Defense has no further questions." Remus stood and before he was seated he gave Sirius (whose hands are clamped down to the chair) a salute.
"You were always there for me Padfoot. Time for Moony to repay you," he grinned and flicked his wand at Snape sitting in the defense box.
"LUPIN!" Remus grinned at the Gryffindor color decked man.
"The Marauders are back!" Remus sat down.
"The last person here to take the stand is Harry James Potter as Miss Weasley has gone missing. Mr. Potter, take your seat." Harry took a deep breath and walked up to the seat Remus had just vacated. "Offense begin questioning."
"What role does the accused have on you life?"
"Sirius," Harry said with force. "Is my godfather and the only thing I have that resembles a parent."
"Is it correct you live with your aunt nad uncle? Wouldn't Vernon Dursley be your father figure?"
"In a universe were Volemort wear fluffy pink dresses and skips around singing and picking pretty flowers and Sirius was actually guilty."
"Is it true he was in your dorm with a knife?"
"Like Ron said, he was trying to kill Ron's rat who happened to be Peter Pettigrew in his Animagi form."
"So we've heard."
"Should have, it is the truth."
"This man is being accused of selling your parents to the Dark Lord."
"So I've heard. Not exactly my fault we couldn't get Wormtail's bloody ass back here. His big bad master is protecting him. Damn Voldie. Has this way of ruining my life. Can't really say why."
"The accused-"
"The accused has a name. Look, I'm not here to answer stupid questions you've asked a million times. No matter how often you ask what happened the night I found out Sirius was one of the greatest guys alive you'll get the same damn answers. I'm here because I love Sirius.
"Sirius Lee Black is an amazing person. He's nice and funny and brave. He puts up with so much shit he doesn't deserve. Sirius was always there for me, no matter what. He hid out in Hogsmeade during the Triwizard Tournament because he cares about me. He could have been caught but it didn't matter to him.
"This trial will hold not only my godfather's fate in it's verdict but mine and everyone seated in this room. What we could lose is more than an innocent man. It's something so great words can't describe it. As best it can be put, it's his heart. Something very few people in this world have. He cares and when he does it's real and genuine. What we could lose is someone great."
Silence held in the room. "O-ofense has no f-further questions."
"Defense has no questions. Mr. Potter seems to have answered anything I could have asked. Any last words, Harry?"
"Yeah, something Sirius once told me. 'There is a time when things may not be right or fair but they just simply are. And when they are as they are there is nothing we can do about it. It just is.' Can anyone tell me that sounds like a murderer?" Harry stood abruptly. He hugged Sirius and then walked calmly back to his seat.
"The Neutrals now will take a few moments to reach a verdict," stated Orderman Honeycomb.
The defense talked quietly as the Neutrals came to a decision. Harry gave Sirius and thumbs up. His godfather smiled. About forty five minutes later the Orderman stood at the front of the room and called silence.
"The Ministry Court's randomly selected Neutrals orders that Sirius Lee Black be found
Harry bit his lip. Remus was up now. He was one of the last. All that was left for Sirius's defense was Ginny and Harry himself. Ginny was nowhere to be seen and it was four in the afternoon.
"You are a werewolf, correct?" asked Karl.
"Yes," said Remus a slightly defensive edge to his voice.
"You taught at Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
"You attacked a student during your last full moon there?"
"No."
"It is said that you attacked Mr. Draconias Malfoy."
"Than it is a lie. I'm sorry but how does my being a werewolf have anything to do with this trial. I have the bite, not Sirius."
"You are one of Mr. Black's close friends, correct?"
"Yes. He was one of my three best friends when we were in Hogwarts."
"And you often got into trouble?"
"Yes, we pulled pranks all the time. No one was ever hurt... except for the time Snape thought Lily did it and Lily gave him that hook nose because he wouldn't move. But none of us predicted that one."
"Was he violent in school?"
"No."
"Was he one who would beak the rules."
"Yes."
"And he befriended you and knew you were a werewolf?"
"What I am is not important. Who I am is what makes the difference. When I first came to school I was afraid of losing the three friends I had made, terrified of them knowing what I was. But when hey figured it out after a few months they taught me something. Sirius said something to me I will never forget. 'What someone is is not decided by wether they're human, giant, werewolf, muggle, or wizard but by who they are. For there is really only good and evil. And which you fall under is decided by what's inside you, not what's on the surface.' Sirius befriended me, Remus Lupin, Moony. He didn't befriend a werewolf be befriended someone who was good."
"O-offense has no further questions." Dumbledore stood up.
"Remus, you and Sirius have been friends for how long?"
"Since I first ran into him in Diagon Alley before my first year at Hogwarts."
"And you know him well?"
"Better than any living person, including his fiancée."
"Do you think he did it?"
"No."
"Do you have any evidence?"
"All I have to give is my word and my heart. I love Sirius like a brother. We've been friends for a long, long time. Sirius Black is a Marauder not a murderer."
"Defense has no further questions." Remus stood and before he was seated he gave Sirius (whose hands are clamped down to the chair) a salute.
"You were always there for me Padfoot. Time for Moony to repay you," he grinned and flicked his wand at Snape sitting in the defense box.
"LUPIN!" Remus grinned at the Gryffindor color decked man.
"The Marauders are back!" Remus sat down.
"The last person here to take the stand is Harry James Potter as Miss Weasley has gone missing. Mr. Potter, take your seat." Harry took a deep breath and walked up to the seat Remus had just vacated. "Offense begin questioning."
"What role does the accused have on you life?"
"Sirius," Harry said with force. "Is my godfather and the only thing I have that resembles a parent."
"Is it correct you live with your aunt nad uncle? Wouldn't Vernon Dursley be your father figure?"
"In a universe were Volemort wear fluffy pink dresses and skips around singing and picking pretty flowers and Sirius was actually guilty."
"Is it true he was in your dorm with a knife?"
"Like Ron said, he was trying to kill Ron's rat who happened to be Peter Pettigrew in his Animagi form."
"So we've heard."
"Should have, it is the truth."
"This man is being accused of selling your parents to the Dark Lord."
"So I've heard. Not exactly my fault we couldn't get Wormtail's bloody ass back here. His big bad master is protecting him. Damn Voldie. Has this way of ruining my life. Can't really say why."
"The accused-"
"The accused has a name. Look, I'm not here to answer stupid questions you've asked a million times. No matter how often you ask what happened the night I found out Sirius was one of the greatest guys alive you'll get the same damn answers. I'm here because I love Sirius.
"Sirius Lee Black is an amazing person. He's nice and funny and brave. He puts up with so much shit he doesn't deserve. Sirius was always there for me, no matter what. He hid out in Hogsmeade during the Triwizard Tournament because he cares about me. He could have been caught but it didn't matter to him.
"This trial will hold not only my godfather's fate in it's verdict but mine and everyone seated in this room. What we could lose is more than an innocent man. It's something so great words can't describe it. As best it can be put, it's his heart. Something very few people in this world have. He cares and when he does it's real and genuine. What we could lose is someone great."
Silence held in the room. "O-ofense has no f-further questions."
"Defense has no questions. Mr. Potter seems to have answered anything I could have asked. Any last words, Harry?"
"Yeah, something Sirius once told me. 'There is a time when things may not be right or fair but they just simply are. And when they are as they are there is nothing we can do about it. It just is.' Can anyone tell me that sounds like a murderer?" Harry stood abruptly. He hugged Sirius and then walked calmly back to his seat.
"The Neutrals now will take a few moments to reach a verdict," stated Orderman Honeycomb.
The defense talked quietly as the Neutrals came to a decision. Harry gave Sirius and thumbs up. His godfather smiled. About forty five minutes later the Orderman stood at the front of the room and called silence.
"The Ministry Court's randomly selected Neutrals orders that Sirius Lee Black be found