February 1990 – Chapter 6 – The Trial and Its Effects
Khadja sat in the trial room of the Ministry of Magic. Today was the sentencing day. She had been here far too much of late. She had come in here everyday during the week after her visit. She had been here when they had found Sirius guilty. She had not slept in nearly three days and it was taking its toll.
She was trying to be strong with Remus standing beside her. He knew she could not take much more of this. She had fainted at the guilty verdict after a great sob that even caused the judge to pause.
Sirius had leaned back and touched her face whispering to both Remus and Khadja that he was sorry. Khadja could not hear in her state, but Remus nodded softly as he held the inert form.
The judge watched Sirius rise before him. "Sirius Black. You have been found guilty of thirteen murders and being an accomplice in the murders of two more as well as the attempted murder of a child. It is only fitting that you be removed from the wizarding world..."
Khadja gasped and clutched Remus. Surely they would not kill him.
"You will be sentenced to live the rest of your days in the Prison known as Azkaban until which point you are dead."
Khadja closed her eyes and moaned. Remus gently held her and caressed her hair and her neck. "I am sorry Khadja." He whispered knowing how much the sweet girl loved her husband. They would have had a great life together. She was seven years younger and in many ways still a child blooming into womanhood. This was effecting her greatly. He kissed her brow gently.
Sirius turned around and then touched his wife's face with his hand. "Oh Khadja." He whispered trying to still her tears as she watched him. He bent and kissed her.
The guards had their wands ready should he do something drastic, but Remus waved them off.
He was then pulled away from her as he promised to always love her. Tears were in his eyes as well.
Remus held Khadja as she wept. "He will be alive. At least you can visit him." He said trying to make her feel better. He led her out and managed to shield her from the Daily Prophet cameras. He ushered her to an elevator where Albus Dumbledore was waiting.
"I am sorry." He told her
She nodded and moved to wipe her eyes.
"What am I going to do with Harry?" She asked. "I can not raise him by myself. I need Sirius."
Remus winced a little. The comment he knew was not meant to hurt him. She had no family now. He was her life preserver as she had been his.
"Can his family care for him?" Albus asked
She looked up sharply at him. "You mean Lily's sister and her Muggle family? Surely you are not serious." Though she could tell he was.
"Please Khadja think about it. He will do better if he grows up away from everyone who knows his name by his scar."
She knew the old wise man was right. She relented.
Dumbledore came for Harry the next day. Khadja kissed him goodbye and stepped back.
Remus held her. He had been through so much with her. He held her as Dumbledore disappeared into the sky.
He was starting to love her more than a sister he realized. He cared for her welfare and Sirius's betrayal had struck him to the core. He knew it hurt Khadja far worse for she was caught between her love for him and his betrayal.
He kissed her brow gently. "I know it is hard, but it is for the best." He told her. "You know that."
She looked up at Remus's sand colored hair. She combed her fingers into it and looked down to his gray eyes. "This is not easy. I love him so much. But what he did. How could he do it to James and Lily? He was their secret keeper. How could he betray them to Voldemort?"
"I do not know." Remus sighed. He closed his eyes and she touched the scars on his face. The claw marks would forever mar his face.
"The Dementors will kill him." She moaned.
"He is strong and he has you to think on." He said softly.
"But Remus. People go mad in Azkaban from the Dementors stealing their happy memories."
He winced and hushed her. "Shh...Don't think about that. You need rest."
He bent slightly and lifted her in his arms. He carried her to his room. He gently laid her on the blankets. She snuggled with his pillow and buried her head in it.
His heart began to ache as he watched her body quiver. He knew she was weeping again. Oddly he liked her crying into his pillow, but he caressed her shoulders until she stilled into sleep.
He closed his eyes. It was hard on him. The betrayal of a best friend, the murder of the other two...it made his heart ache. Khadja's pain paled his to nothing and he would stay by her.
He fell asleep next to her.
Khadja sat in the trial room of the Ministry of Magic. Today was the sentencing day. She had been here far too much of late. She had come in here everyday during the week after her visit. She had been here when they had found Sirius guilty. She had not slept in nearly three days and it was taking its toll.
She was trying to be strong with Remus standing beside her. He knew she could not take much more of this. She had fainted at the guilty verdict after a great sob that even caused the judge to pause.
Sirius had leaned back and touched her face whispering to both Remus and Khadja that he was sorry. Khadja could not hear in her state, but Remus nodded softly as he held the inert form.
The judge watched Sirius rise before him. "Sirius Black. You have been found guilty of thirteen murders and being an accomplice in the murders of two more as well as the attempted murder of a child. It is only fitting that you be removed from the wizarding world..."
Khadja gasped and clutched Remus. Surely they would not kill him.
"You will be sentenced to live the rest of your days in the Prison known as Azkaban until which point you are dead."
Khadja closed her eyes and moaned. Remus gently held her and caressed her hair and her neck. "I am sorry Khadja." He whispered knowing how much the sweet girl loved her husband. They would have had a great life together. She was seven years younger and in many ways still a child blooming into womanhood. This was effecting her greatly. He kissed her brow gently.
Sirius turned around and then touched his wife's face with his hand. "Oh Khadja." He whispered trying to still her tears as she watched him. He bent and kissed her.
The guards had their wands ready should he do something drastic, but Remus waved them off.
He was then pulled away from her as he promised to always love her. Tears were in his eyes as well.
Remus held Khadja as she wept. "He will be alive. At least you can visit him." He said trying to make her feel better. He led her out and managed to shield her from the Daily Prophet cameras. He ushered her to an elevator where Albus Dumbledore was waiting.
"I am sorry." He told her
She nodded and moved to wipe her eyes.
"What am I going to do with Harry?" She asked. "I can not raise him by myself. I need Sirius."
Remus winced a little. The comment he knew was not meant to hurt him. She had no family now. He was her life preserver as she had been his.
"Can his family care for him?" Albus asked
She looked up sharply at him. "You mean Lily's sister and her Muggle family? Surely you are not serious." Though she could tell he was.
"Please Khadja think about it. He will do better if he grows up away from everyone who knows his name by his scar."
She knew the old wise man was right. She relented.
Dumbledore came for Harry the next day. Khadja kissed him goodbye and stepped back.
Remus held her. He had been through so much with her. He held her as Dumbledore disappeared into the sky.
He was starting to love her more than a sister he realized. He cared for her welfare and Sirius's betrayal had struck him to the core. He knew it hurt Khadja far worse for she was caught between her love for him and his betrayal.
He kissed her brow gently. "I know it is hard, but it is for the best." He told her. "You know that."
She looked up at Remus's sand colored hair. She combed her fingers into it and looked down to his gray eyes. "This is not easy. I love him so much. But what he did. How could he do it to James and Lily? He was their secret keeper. How could he betray them to Voldemort?"
"I do not know." Remus sighed. He closed his eyes and she touched the scars on his face. The claw marks would forever mar his face.
"The Dementors will kill him." She moaned.
"He is strong and he has you to think on." He said softly.
"But Remus. People go mad in Azkaban from the Dementors stealing their happy memories."
He winced and hushed her. "Shh...Don't think about that. You need rest."
He bent slightly and lifted her in his arms. He carried her to his room. He gently laid her on the blankets. She snuggled with his pillow and buried her head in it.
His heart began to ache as he watched her body quiver. He knew she was weeping again. Oddly he liked her crying into his pillow, but he caressed her shoulders until she stilled into sleep.
He closed his eyes. It was hard on him. The betrayal of a best friend, the murder of the other two...it made his heart ache. Khadja's pain paled his to nothing and he would stay by her.
He fell asleep next to her.