Disclaimer: All characters are property of J.K. Rowling and are being used
without permission. No attempt has been made to copyright this work. This novel
is purely for the entertainment of the author and readers and is not being used
for profit of any sort.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
When Harry left Dumbledore's office he found his friends still waiting outside. They appeared to be deeply involved in a conversation that made them both look very uncomfortable. Ron was blushing rather fiercely and Hermione seemed to be very nervous about something.
"What was Malfoy doing in there?" Ron asked immediately when he saw Harry.
"Uh...nothing important." Harry replied. Although he hated keeping things from his friends, he knew it would be best to keep Draco's possible treachery a secret for now.
"O....kay." Hermione said suspiciously. "Well, uhm, we should go get something to eat right?"
"I'll catch up with you guys in the Great Hall." Harry said quickly. "I need to visit Dobby for a second."
Harry practically ran from his friends as he waved farewell, giving them no chance to argue or pry.
Harry had a little trouble finding his way to the kitchens, he had only been there once and that had been years ago. Eventually though, he found the portrait he was looking for and tickled the pear in the picture that hid the entrance to the kitchens under the Great Hall.
"Harry Potter sir!!" Dobby practically screamed, "Dobby is glad to be seeing you. Did Miss Granger enjoy the present that Harry Potter's Wheezy got for her?"
"Yes, she enjoyed it very much Dobby. How did you find that?"
"Bardo's book isn't very popular in these parts, sir. Some wizards said that it would give house-elves bad ideas. But Dobby has relatives that live far away. Dobby asked them to send it to him."
"That was very nice of you Dobby. I'm sure Ron appreciates it."
"Oh he was most thankful when Dobby gave it to him. Harry Potter's Wheezy promised to do a favor for Dobby."
"A favor?"
"Yes, yes." Dobby said as he lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Harry. "He promised Dobby that he would convince Miss Granger to stop leaving clothes around."
"I see."
"Hullo Harry Potter. You is not coming to see us in a long time." Harry recognized Winky's squeaky voice and enormous brown eyes.
"Yeah, sorry about that," Harry replied sheepishly, "I've been a little...busy lately."
"Oh Winky has heard about that. Harry Potter should be more careful." With that, Winky simply walked away and busied herself with some large copper pots.
"Winky is feeling better since the last time Harry Potter saw her." Dobby whispered to Harry. "Winky is still sad though, sir. Dobby wonders if Winky will ever be happy again."
Harry looked at Winky sadly. She had been through a lot with the Crouch family. He knew all too well how difficult it is to lose your family.
"What brings Harry Potter to the kitchens today?" Dobby asked, breaking Harry out of his thoughts.
"I need a little information about the Malfoys, Dobby. Draco Malfoy in particular."
Dobby's face turned into a bit of a sorrowful frown. "Dobby...still has trouble talking a lot about his old masters. Dobby finds some old habits hard to break."
"Please Dobby. This is really important. No one knows the Malfoys better than you. Your information could...could save lives." Harry knew he might be exaggerating a bit, but it could very well be true.
The trick seemed to work as Dobby's eyes grew wide and he straightened his posture. "Dobby will do what he can to help Harry Potter."
"Thanks Dobby. Alright, first question: Voldemort's diary, the one Lucius Malfoy gave to Ron's sister. Did Draco know about that?"
"Dobby does not think that the young Malfoy knew about that. Dobby does not think that Master...Mister Malfoy trusted the young Malfoy to keep his bad things secret."
"Did Draco ever help his father with other...bad...things?"
"Dobby never saw the young Malfoy help his father with his bad dark magic things. But the young Malfoy knew that Master Malfoy worked for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Dobby thinks he was even proud of it, sir."
Harry decided to ask a question that had lingered in the back of his mind ever since he found out that Dobby was the Malfoy's house elf. "Did Draco ever hurt you, Dobby?"
"No." Dobby said reluctantly. "The young Malfoy never hurt Dobby, exactly. Dobby would always get blamed for things the young Malfoy did, but he never hit Dobby. The young Malfoy might have even...liked...Dobby, a bit."
"You think I can trust him, then?" Harry asked, somewhat disappointed.
"Trust him? Oh no no no." Dobby giggled, shaking his head so much that his ears flopped from side to side. "Oh no sir. Harry Potter didn't say anything about that." Dobby could hardly contain his laughter. It was like Harry had told him the best joke he'd heard in years. "Oh heavens no. Harry Potter must not trust the young Malfoy."
"But...you just said he didn't have anything to do with his father's bad things."
"Yes, Dobby did say that. But the young Malfoy has his own bad things. The young Malfoy sometimes stoled things from Mister Malfoy and the other bad wizards that came to the house. He made Dobby promise not to tell Mister and Missus Malfoy. The young Malfoy is very tricksey sir, and very bad."
"Thanks, Dobby." Harry said quietly. "You've told me all I need to know."
Dobby escorted Harry back to the entrance to the kitchens. The short trip took much longer than it should have since they were swarmed by eager house-elves that insisted on stuffing sweets into Harry's hands and pockets. "I promise to come around here more often, Dobby." Harry said when they finally got to the door.
"Dobby would like that very much. Harry Potter is always welcome here."
***
Harry quickly walked to the Great Hall to join his friends. He drew all kinds of stares as he walked through the hallways. That was nothing new for Harry, but he still hadn't quite learned to be comfortable with it. As he entered the Great Hall, he ran into a group of first-years.
"Is it true, Mr. Potter? Did you do it all by yourself?" said one of the short students.
"Would you sign my Defense Against the Dark Arts book?" a dark-haired girl asked.
"Uh...no. I don't do autographs." Harry noticed the extreme looks of disappointment on the faces of the eleven-year olds. One of them looked like he was going to cry.
"Here, take these instead." Harry said as he handed them the sweets that the house-elves had given him. The younger students seemed to be pleased with that and they left Harry alone.
Harry found Ron and Hermione chatting at one of the long tables in the Great Hall. "People are acting awfully weird around here.", he said as he sat with them.
"Yeah," Ron said as he retrieved a folded newspaper out of his pocket, "you should probably read this."
The Daily Prophet was not one of Harry's favorite publications. As he read the article on the first page, he knew that dislike wasn't going to change anytime soon.
Special Edition! HOGSMEADE IN FLAMES
Last night the village of Hogsmeade was attacked amidst a blazing inferno.
Preliminary reports were spotty, at best. Many fled the scene before the
fires broke out, stating that a rogue goblin had threatened them.
Others reported that the Dark Lord was at the scene. In what is perhaps the
most shocking news ever to come out of the Ministry of Magic, Arthur
Weasley, a Ministry Official and candidate for the position of Minister of Magic, released this statement just moments before
this printing:
"Mr. Peter Pettigrew was captured in Hogsmeade and was the only one involved
in the attack...we think. Anyways, we have compelling evidence that shows that
Mr. Pettigrew has been helping Lord *edited for content* for many years
now. We expect his trial to reveal everything that the public needs to know."
As many of our readers will recall, Peter Pettigrew was a friend of Lily
and James Potter and was regarded as a hero fifteen years ago when he
supposedly publicly challenged the murderer Sirius Black. Many Muggles
and Peter Pettigrew himself were believed to have died in that encounter,
but apparently Mr. Pettigrew faked his death and is now in league with
the Dark Lord. The attack on Hogsmeade is the latest and boldest in an
increasingly violent string of events that have occurred since the Dark Lord's
apparent "re-embodiment" last year.
Mr. Weasley would not release further information on the capture of
Pettigrew and the charges against him. Witnesses at the scene, however,
say that Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, captured Pettigrew and saved the
town.
"I saw Harry Potter warning everyone in the streets." said Markus
Fairweather, a resident of Hogsmeade. "He was yelling that the Dark Lord was
coming, then he ran off and I followed him, thinking he would need some
help. When I got there though, he was already beating up some guy in black.
robes. I guess it was a Death Eater. It was kind of scary. I ran out of the
town after that."
So it appears that once again, The Boy Who Lived saved the day. Is he
more powerful than we imagine? Some speculate that Harry Potter will be
the next Albus Dumbledore. There is even a new faction pushing for
"Potter for Minister of Magic!"
"Alright, that's enough." Harry said as he tossed the paper back to Ron in disgust. "This is getting out of hand."
"I dunno about that," Ron said casually, "you've got a better chance of winning the election than my dad."
"Ron!" Hermione shouted with a look of shock and anger on her face.
"Oh no, Hermione!" Ron said, shaking his head vigorously, "I didn't mean it like that! Dad would make a great Minister. I'm not saying I don't want him to run...I just don't want to see him lose."
The trio didn't say much else as they ate their food. Harry continued to receive waves and stares throughout the meal, but few people actually said anything to him. When they had finished eating, Harry and Ron headed back to the dorms while Hermione set off for the library.
Harry entered the familiar dormitory he shared with his friends. Dean and Seamus were missing, but Neville was sitting on his bed amongst a disorderly arrangement of spellbooks. Neville had been doing very well in his studies recently. He was even earning better marks than Hermione in Herbology. Hermione, to her credit, continued to encourage him more than anyone else.
As soon as they had entered the room, Ron spoke up. "Hermione mentioned that you have something to tell me."
"Yeah...about that." Harry said, scratching his head and making a mental note to talk to Hermione about her timing. "It's kind of...touchy."
"Well, I think I'll head off to the greenhouse." Neville said, feeling that he should leave them alone.
"No Neville, stay." Harry beckoned. "You should hear this too."
Harry took a deep breath breath as Neville and Ron sat on his bed. He was surprised at how difficult this task seemed, after all he had already been through. Nevertheless, Harry recounted the story of the prophecy to Ron and Neville. Harry's friends sat silently as he spoke.
When he had finished the tale, Harry looked into Ron's face. He didn't need Legilimency to know that he was angry. "You should have told me earlier."
"I know. I'm sorry." Harry replied, looking down at his feet. "I...just didn't want you to worry any more than you already do."
"So now I have to worry about you keeping secrets from me?"
"Ron, it's not like that..."
"He's right, Harry." Harry looked up to see that it was Neville that had spoken this time. "It's not right for you to decide what's best for Ron to know."
Harry was shocked, to say the least. That was not something the Neville that he knew would say. Neville had spoken with conviction though, as if he was speaking from experience.
Regardless, Harry knew he had been wrong. He should've told Ron. In his efforts to protect him, Harry may have damaged their friendship.
Harry's fears melted away when Ron finally stood up and spoke with that familiar grin of his. "It's alright, Harry. I know you have some tough decisions to make these days."
"You're not mad?"
"I was, for a second. But I got over it. You just remember...you made me a promise."
"I remember."
"Good. Anyways, I gotta get going. Hermione and I are going to go check on Hagrid. Try to take it easy today, Harry."
After Ron left, Harry turned his attention back to Neville, who was still sitting on Harry's bed.
"I just thought you should know the whole story, Neville. You deserve that." Harry said softly.
"Thanks, Harry. It really means a lot to me that you...trust me with that sort of thing."
"Neville, you stuck by me in the Department of Mysteries when there was no one else left. If I can't trust you I can't trust anybody."
Neville's expression changed when Harry said that, and once again Harry was reminded of how much Neville had changed over the past few months. He seemed so much older, so much stronger.
"Yeah...the Department of Mysteries. A lot of things changed after that." Neville said.
"Yes, they certainly did." Harry agreed.
***
The atmosphere at Hogwarts for the next two days was somber and still. The students were still very nervous after the events at Hogsmeade. The loss of Madam Rosmerta, a favorite person of all the students, had stunned them all. The usual Halloween festivities at Hogwarts had not been canceled, but the celebration would not be as elaborate as it had been in previous years.
The first Quidditch match of the season was expected to be played on schedule though, despite recent events. The impending Quidditch season provided at least one shining beacon of hope that pierced the shadow of sadness around the school.
For now though, things were very depressing. Many of the older students were dressed in all black, for today was the day of Rosmerta's funeral. Professor Dumbledore had encouraged any student that wanted to attend to do so. Harry was surprised by how many of his classmates were planning to go, but he was very glad to see it.
Harry slowly walked through the halls of Hogwarts towards the main doors, mentally preparing himself for the difficult tasks ahead. Rosmerta's funeral wasn't the only unpleasant experience scheduled for today. He would have to deal with something else this afternoon, something that he was both dreading and looking forward to...
Peter Pettigrew's trial.
As Dumbledore had predicted, Harry had been officially summoned to be a witness in Peter's trial. Harry was sure that this would lead to even more public spectacle, but it would be worth it to see Wormtail receive justice.
The primary concern on Harry's mind at the moment was Rosmerta's funeral. Harry had never attended a funeral before, and he got the impression that this was the case for many of his classmates as well. Harry had heard Aunt Petunia talk about funerals before, but he was pretty sure that a witch's funeral would be different.
The burial place chosen for the funeral was not far from Hogsmeade. The students and Hogwarts staff that were attending were brought there by the Hogwarts carriages pulled by the thestrals.
Harry was amazed at how beautiful the place was when they arrived. There were pine trees dispersed throughout the large area, and the bright green grass had no traces of the October frost on it. There was a soothing breeze blowing and although the weather had been gloomy during the trip from Hogwarts, not a single cloud lingered over this area.
The mourners from Hogwarts were led to a small plot of land on the eastern side of the cemetary. Harry saw that a large crowd was already there. He saw many members of the Order of the Phoenix there. He also saw Minister Fudge wearing his usual bowler hat. There was an elderly couple that Harry guessed were Madam Rosmerta's parents. There were even a few goblins there with Professor Grok. Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked through the crowd, greeting the others as they passed. Beyond the crowd, there were many displays set up with wizard pictures and news clippings from Rosmerta's life. Harry perused these displays carefully. Madam Rosmerta had apparently won many talent contests in her youth, and she had been a Gryffindor prefect as well. Beyond the displays was the actual burial ground. There, set in a bed of rose petals, was a beatiful white casket that contained the body of Madam Rosmerta.
Harry walked to the open casket by himself, and was stunned to see Rosmerta's body looking as beautiful as the day he had first laid eyes on her. The superficial burns she had suffered in the attack had been healed. The face that Harry now saw was peaceful and elegant. Harry smiled, glad that his last memories of her would not be dark.
The mourners spent a considerable time viewing the pictures of Madam Rosmerta's life and talking with her family. After a while, they all gathered around her casket to say their last goodbyes. Harry found a spot next to Lupin, who seemed to be looking better now. Hagrid was wearing a very nice black suit instead of his usual hairy brown one. Hermione stood next to him, offering her support with her small hand enveloped in his. When they were done with their farewells Harry was mildly surprised to see Osiris Wiseacre, Max's father, step into the crowd and stand next to Rosmerta's body. The crowd fell silent as he spoke.
"Today we mourn the untimely loss of one of our brightest stars. Madam Rosmerta Pinsley was a source of merriment for many years in the village of Hogsmeade. The attendance here today serves as proof of just how important she was to us all. I am sure that everyone here has a favorite memory of Rosmerta. I myself loved her laugh, and the way she could brighten even the darkest room with merely her presence."
"But as I look into the faces I see before me now, I can tell that your minds are not set on memories of our dear friend. I see troubled faces here. I see in all of you the same fear that threatens to afflict me. The same uncertainty, the same doubts. But let us not succumb to such things. We must let our hearts and minds be free of restriction if we are to prevail over this new, yet familiar, threat that has taken our friend from us. Do not dwell on how Madam Rosmerta died, for few have the chance to choose the manner of their parting from this world. Instead, remember her for how she chose to live, and how those choices gave her everlasting life, in our memories."
When he was done, Mr. Wiseacre closed the casket. He brought out his wand and softly spoke "Requiem in terra pax".
***
Later that day, after Harry's usual Legilimency lesson, Harry took the opportunity to talk to Max about the ceremony.
"That was a beautiful speech your father gave today, Max."
"Thank you Harry." Max said as he busied himself with the Dumbledore Doppelganger. "He's been doing it for years. In some families, it's almost become sort of a tradition for him to speak at funerals. He's a Necromancer you see. He can sometimes speak to the dead, and he assists those that have met a violent end. Victims of murder can sometimes end up as very angry and dangerous ghosts if they have business left to do on this plane. My father helps them find their way to peace. Unfortunately, he has a lot to do these days."
"That couldn't happen to Sirius, could it?" Harry remembered Nearly Headless Nick saying that Sirius had probably "moved on", but there was still a lot that Harry wondered about.
"No Harry," Max said with a reassuring arm around Harry's shoulder, "I think that Sirius was sure that you would take care of the last task he wanted to see completed."
"Ready to go, Harry?" Harry turned to see Professor Dumbledore waiting at the door.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Harry said as he waved goodbye to Max.
Professor Dumbledore had insisted that he be the one to escort Harry to Peter's trial. As the two of them walked to his office, Harry asked a few questions that had been on his mind.
"How long is this trial going to be? Pettigrew is alive. He faked his death and lied to everyone. It's an open and shut case, right?"
"I'm afraid there are other forces at work here." Dumbledore replied. "Minister Fudge is determined to make sure that this is not some sort of trick to make him look worse. He has some influence with many members of the Wizengamot, and they insist upon a thorough trial to clear things up. There is also the fact that the people that will codemn Peter today praised and defended him years ago. There is some contradiction here that must be cleared up for the public."
"So there's going to be a full trial with barristers and all that?"
"No. Accused Death Eaters usually don't have defense counsel. The general belief is that no one in their right mind would want to defend a servant of Voldemort. The evidence is usually heavily stacked against them anyway. Due to the special nature of this case, the Wizengamot will question the witnesses and present evidence to the jury. Harry, I must remind you that the details of the events surrounding Voldemort's return are still not common knowledge. We will need to carefully present our answers or we risk exposing the Order of the Phoenix. Shacklebolt made Peter forget some things before we turned him over to the Ministry, so we don't have to worry about that. The members of the Wizengamot are aware of some of what has happened, much more than the general public knows in fact, but it is still best that you try to avoid any detailed descriptions of the matter. Especially anything regarding Sirius. Let me handle that."
Harry and Dumbledore arrived at the office and went in. Dumbledore stepped up to his grand fireplace and grabbed a tin full of Floo powder.
"Oh no," Harry whined, "not again."
"I'm afraid it's the quickest way Harry. Portkeys and apparition are no longer acceptable ways to gain entry to the Ministry of Magic."
Harry groaned as he took a bit of the powder and stepped into the large fireplace and shouted "The Ministry of Magic!". Once again Harry was subjected to a dizzying trip through the floo network. The Ministry was pretty far from Hogwarts, and the trip was the longest Harry had ever had to make through the odd means of transportation. Eventually, thankfully, Harry appeared in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic.
The last time he had been there, Voldemort had faced Dumbledore in a battle that Harry understood better now than he had then. The wide Atrium was much the same as he remembered it, but the statue that had been in the center of the fountain had been replaced with a beautiful stone phoenix, unfurling it's wings.
Dumbledore appeared behind Harry in a flash of green flame. "Come along now Harry, it wouldn't do for the star witnesses to be late."
"Witness...es?" Harry asked, noting the plural form.
"Yes Harry," Dumbledore replied as he led Harry to the elevators, "I cannot be both a judge and a witness. Given the choice, I would much rather be a character witness for Sirius than the judge of Peter's actions. Madam Bones will be serving as Chief of the Wizengamot for this trial."
Harry and Dumbledore continued along, going deeper into the Ministry until they finally reached the very same courtroom that Harry had been in last year for his own hearing.
Security for the trial appeared to be very tight. There were several people collecting wands at the entrance. Harry assumed that they were all Aurors. Each wand was placed carefully in a box inscribed with the name of the owner.
When Harry entered the courtroom he was shocked at the number of people that were already there. All of the benches in the large room were packed. Near the front of room was Cornelius Fudge and Ron's brother Percy, serving as scribe again. Next to them sat twelve people that Harry assumed were the jury. In the highest benches sat the almost fifty witches and wizards that comprised the Wizengamot, each with an ornate silver W on the left side of their purple robes. In the center of the immense room sat Peter Pettigrew, tied down with chains. Once Harry and Dumbledore had taken their seats behind Peter, Amelia Bones stood and spoke in her booming voice.
"The purpose of this trial is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused, Peter Pettigrew, is guilty of the following charges. One, the attack on Hogsmede and resulting death of Rosmerta Pinsley. Two, the murder of Cedric Diggory. Three, the willfull betrayal of James and Lily Potter to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Due to the...extraordinary...nature of this case, the use of Veritaserum has been approved by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Mr. Pettigrew has already been interrogated under influence of Veritaserum by members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, in the presence of the Wizengamot. All members of the jury have received the summarized transcripts of this interrogation. Veritaserum can only force a subject to divulge what they remember, however, and as we all know memories can change over time...or by force. The purpose of this trial is to publicly corroborate, or discredit, Mr. Pettigrew's confession."
"We will begin with the testimony of Harry Potter, concerning the events of the attack on Hogsmeade. Mr. Potter, please stand."
Harry stood up and instantly there was a buzz of chatter from the audience.
"Mr. Potter," said one of the Wizengamot, a middle aged witch with blonde hair, "is it true that you and Mr. Lupin captured Mr. Pettigrew?"
"Yes." Harry Replied simply.
"How did you find him?"
"I heard Parseltongue being spoken. I followed the sound and found him, but Lupin was already there."
"Ahh." the witch said as she leafed through some parchment. "Official reports of the incident state that Ashwinders were used as the source of the fires, so that makes sense. We have records that indicate that you yourself are a Parselmouth, Mr. Potter. Is that true?"
"Yes."
"Then you understood what was being said?"
"Yes. He said...'Come out. It is time. Come out'."
"Interesting." the witch said, rubbing her chin.
"We seem to have no record of Peter Pettigrew being a Parselmouth," continued a smarmy looking brown-haired wizard in one of the highest benches, "can you explain how he was able to speak the snake-language, Mr. Potter?"
"Peter was being possessed by Voldemort--"
The moment the word Voldemort escaped Harry's lips the crowd burst into an uproar. Madam Bones called for order and the room quieted.
"Mr. Potter," the commanding witch said, "I must ask you to refrain from using that term again. Please, continue."
"Er..okay. Like I said, Peter was being possessed by...the Dark Lord...at the time. I guess that he was speaking through him."
"Ahh. I see." the smarmy wizard said with a sly grin. "So, he was possessed by the Dark Lord. Would you say then, Mr. Potter, that Mr. Pettigrew was in...control of his actions at that time?"
Harry did not like that question, nor the tone that it was voiced in. It was demeaning, condescending. Despite his dislike of the situation though, Harry had to answer truthfully. "I...I don't know."
"Mmmm, you don't know. I see."
"Let us move backwards in time, Mr. Potter." This time it was a very skinny witch speaking. "Go back to the events of the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament. How did Cedric Diggory die?"
"He was killed by the Avada Kedavra curse. The trophy had been changed to a portkey that took us to a graveyard. Peter was there, with the Dark Lord. He told Peter to kill Cedric."
"Am I correct in saying that it was nightfall when the supposed incident occurred?" the witch asked.
"Yes."
"It was dark then?"
"Yes." Harry repeated.
"Could it be possible then, perhaps even probable, that it was not Peter Pettigrew that you saw?"
"No, there was no mistake. It was Peter. I saw Peter Pettigrew add his hand to the potion that gave the Dark Lord his new body. I saw him..." Harry almost spoke about the blood that Peter had taken from him that night, but he caught himself just in time. "I saw him clearly."
"Did you see Peter Pettigrew cast the Killing Curse on Cedric Diggory?" this time it was a male voice that came from somewhere Harry couldn't see.
"Er...no...not exactly. Vo...the Dark Lord...caused this pain in my scar. I closed my eyes for a moment, then I heard a voice cast the spell."
"A voice?" Madam Bones asked. "Are you sure it was Mr. Pettigrew's?"
"It certainly wasn't the Dark Lord's." Harry replied.
"Ah, and you would know, wouldn't you Mr. Potter?" the smarmy wizard said.
"Thank you, Mr. Potter." Madam Bones said sternly before Harry could reply. "We have no further questions for you."
Harry took his seat reluctantly. He was angry. This trial wasn't going the way he expected.
"The Wizengamot now calls Remus J. Lupin to testify."
Harry was a little surprised. He hadn't even seen Lupin in the dark corner of the courtroom he had been standing in. Lupin walked to the center of the room and looked up to face the Wizengamot.
"Mr. Pettigrew was a friend of yours during your school days, along with the Potters and Sirius Black. Is that correct?" a plump gray-haired witch asked.
"Yes." Lupin replied.
"And is it true, Mr. Lupin, that you and your friends helped him become an unregistered Animagus?"
"Yes."
"How would you describe Mr. Pettigrew, and your friendship with him?"
"Peter always needed to be around popular, influential people. We all knew that. But he was just trying to make up for what he himself lacked. We did our best to encourage him, to help him. We spent weeks helping him become an Animagus. Peter was our friend. We trusted him, we looked out for him," Lupin spared a remorseful look at Wormtail, "we loved him."
"When you left school, the Potters went into hiding, using the Fidelius charm. Why?" this time it was a wizard with closely cropped blonde hair and a goatee that spoke.
"The Dark Lord was actively looking for the Potters. We also had reason to believe that there was a spy in our group. We decided the Fidelius Charm was the best way to protect them."
"And who was chosen as their Secret-Keeper?"
"Peter."
The crowd in the courtroom once again broke out into gasps of surprise. This time Madam Bones simply waited for the noise to subside.
"We have you on record as saying that Sirius Black had been the spy, that he had betrayed the Potters as Secret-Keeper."
"Yes I did say that, back then. But when I saw that Peter was alive, I knew that I had made a mistake. Sirius and James switched to Peter."
"When you saw him alive," Madam Bones said loudly, "that would be when Sirius Black was captured, and subsequently escaped, at Hogwarts several years ago. We have record of your statement. However, the testimony of Mr. Severus Snape was far more convincing."
"Convincing, perhaps," Lupin sneered, "but it obviously wasn't true."
"Apparently not." Madam Bones said as she looked through a large book. "In your statement, you said that Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban when he saw a picture of Mr. Pettigrew in his Animagus form in the Daily Prophet. Later, in Hogsmeade, you and Mr. Black confronted Mr. Pettigrew, who was posing as the pet rat of the Weasley family. Is that true?"
Percy squirmed a bit and looked around nervously.
"Yes, it is true." Lupin said.
The blonde bearded wizard spoke next. "So, after years of believing that Black had betrayed your trust he shows up having just escaped Azkaban, Mr. Pettigrew appears out of nowhere, and you simply....changed your mind?" The man seemed to be genuinely confused.
"I had believed that Sirius was the traitor because I didn't know about Peter. It was the only thing that made sense at the time. When Sirius showed up with Peter and explained everything...like I said, I knew I had made a mistake."
"And why do you think that Black didn't tell you that they had made Mr. Pettigrew the Secret-Keeper?"
"He...thought I was the spy."
"Really?" the blonde wizard said with surprise. "You know, for gentlemen that were supposedly the closest of friends, there was certainly a lot of distrust between you."
"Sirius made a mistake," Lupin said loudly, "and so did I. They were rough times. We had to be careful. Vol...the Dark Lord's power was increasing. We couldn't be sure of anything."
"Thank you Mr. Lupin." Madam Bones said calmly. "You are dismissed."
Lupin returned to his spot in the corner of the room, sparing one last look at Peter.
"The Wizengamot calls Albus Dumbledore to testify."
Once again, the courtroom broke into a buzz of gasps and whispers as Dumbledore stood up and approached the Wizengamot.
"For the benefit of the court, could you give us a brief description of the Fidelius Charm?" Madam Bones asked.
"Certainly. The Fidelious Charm is an incredibly complex piece of magic. I would say only about half of the wizards in the world could cast it properly. The charm hides the location of a person or persons completely. The spell involves the concealment of the secret inside the Secret-Keeper's soul. The only way for the location to be revealed is for the Secret-Keeper to purposely divulge the secret."
"Is there any way that a Legilimens could bypass the spell?" the skinny witch asked.
"No, there is none."
"You have heard the testimony of Mr. Lupin." the smarmy wizard in the back asked.
"Every word of it."
"Do you support what he has said?"
"Every word of it."
"Perhaps then, you can explain why Sirius Black has not appeared before this court to testify against the man that apparently framed him?"
"That is not possible I am afraid." Dumbledore said softly.
"Why not?"
Dumbledore took a deep breath before he spoke. "Sirius Black is no longer living."
Another outburst from the crowd filled the dungeon courtroom.
"He's dead!? How?" the slick wizard continued.
"He was defending his godson against Death Eaters."
"And how do you know this?"
"I was there." Dumbledore said plainly.
"So you believe that Sirius Black was not in league with the Dark Lord?"
"Sirius Black was an impetuous and hot-blooded man," Dumbledore said loudly, "but he was no traitor. I feel priviliged to have been his teacher, and his friend."
"But for years now, like everyone else, you believed that Black was guilty!"
Dumbledore's posture seemed to slump a bit. "I had assumed that James would have made Sirius his Secret-Keeper. Sirius was a very strong wizard and one of James' closest friends. It seemed to be the obvious choice, which is exactly why it would have been the wrong choice. In retrospect, I see that I should have personally spoken to Sirius when he was captured. At the time though, I was rather...distraught. For years, the pain was far too close to my heart to face him. I made an error, as we all did. But an error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."
"And how can you be sure that Sirius Black was not the Potter's Secret-Keeper?"
"Harry and his friends told me what occurred when Sirius and Remus cornered Peter. After he was captured, I was able to meet Sirius and see for myself that he had not been the Secret-Keeper."
"And how exactly did you determine that?"
"I asked him." Dumbledore said with a shrug.
"We are all aware that you are a very capable and trusted wizard, Dumbledore." the interrogating wizard said with a smile, "But surely you don't expect us to accept Sirius Black's word as evidence."
"I certainly do not. Your question was how I determined the truth of Sirius' innocence, and I told you. Sirius' word was good enough for me. For others, I suppose the Test of Fidelity will provide sufficient proof."
"The Test of...Fidelity?" The interrogator seemed to be confused, along with some of the other members of the Wizengamot. Many of them though, including Madam Bones, were nodding their heads in agreement.
"Perhaps I should explain more about the Fidelius Charm." Dumbledore continued. "You see, although the spell is broken when the hidden location is destroyed, the magic involved remains in the soul of the Secret-Keeper until the spell is lifted by the one who cast it. There is a way to test the validity of the Secret-Keeper. It is a kind of safeguard against treachery. The test is quite simple really. All that is required is for one of the residents of the hidden location, in other words one of the subjects being hidden, to invoke the spell and ask the Secret-Keeper if they have betrayed them. If the Secret-Keeper replies truthfully nothing happens. If, however, the Secret-Keeper lies...well, there are some unpleasant results. There is a limitation to the test though. The Test of Fidelity, regardless of its result, breaks the bond of trust instilled in the Secret-Keeper, therefore breaking the Fidelius Charm. You must have very good reason to use the Test of Fidelity, for to do so will expose the hidden location. Still, the spell is very useful for discovering traitors in the most dire situations."
"But this test does us no good." the large gray-haired witch said. "The residents of the cottage in Godric's Hallow are dead."
"No," Dumbledore said as he turned to face Harry, "there is one left."
Amelia Bones' gaze followed Dumbledore's. "Harry Potter," she boomed in her strong voice, "please step forward. Will someone please retrieve Mr. Potter's wand?"
"Wait a minute," Harry said with surprise, "I don't know how to cast this spell."
"I can show you Harry." Dumbledore said kindly. "You should have no troubles."
One of the Aurors brought Harry his wand and led him around to the front of the courtroom to face a very nervous looking Peter Pettigrew.
"Now Harry," Dumbledore said quietly as he stood behind Harry, "all you need to do is point your wand at Peter's heart and say 'Do you, Peter Pettigrew, swear by your honor that you have not betrayed my trust?' You'll have to say it with force."
Harry braced himself as he lifted his wand and pointed it at Peter's chest. He was a little nervous, but he willed his voice to come out strong. "Do you, Peter Pettigrew, swear by your honor that you have not betrayed my trust?"
The courtroom was completely silent. Harry stood there, waiting. He hoped that Wormtail would lie. He couldn't wait to see what would happen to him when he did...
But once again, Peter Pettigrew took the easy way out.
"N..no. I have betrayed you."
The crowd let out a deafening uproar. Madam Bones once again called for order, threatinging to press charges against members of the audience.
"Thank you Mr. Potter." she said when the room finally calmed down. "You are dismissed. That concludes the presentation of witnessses and evidence. This court will now adjourn until the jury is ready with their verdict. I suggest that you all stay close, this probably won't take very long."
The members of the jury stood up and filed out of the courtroom. The audience filtered out as well, taking the opportunity to stretch their legs and talk about the proceedings. Peter Pettigrew remained chained to his seat, guarded by several Aurors.
Dumbledore and Lupin escorted Harry out after everyone left. In the hall outside the courtroom, four Aurors kept the crowd from mobbing them with questions.
"How are you feeling, Harry?" Lupin asked when they had finally gotten separated from the crowd.
"Nervous." Harry replied.
"Don't be." Lupin replied. "I think that last performance of yours sealed his fate. They won't let him off the hook for what he did to you and your parents."
"But what about the other charges?" Harry asked. "It didn't sound too good in there."
Lupin looked at Dumbledore, he was looking rather tired. "I don't know Harry. I don't know."
***
Madam Bones had been right. Merely forty-five minutes later word came that the jury had reached their decision. The audience hurredly filled the large dungeon courtroom again. Once everyone had been seated, the jury came back in and took their seats.
"Has the jury reached their decision?" Madam Bones asked.
"Yes we have." said a young woman in the jury who was apparently the one given the duty to read the verdict.
"Please, read your verdict to the court. I will take this opportunity to remind the court to please refrain from any...outbursts until the verdict is finished." Judging by the hard look on her face, Harry was pretty certain that no one would be foolish enough to ignore that suggestion.
The nervous young woman stood up and looked into the crowd. Her voice shook a little as she spoke.
"On the first charge, the attack on Hogsmeade, we have determined that Mr. Pettigrew was under the direct influence of the Dark Lord and is therefore not responsible for his actions. We find him not guilty."
Harry couldn't believe his ears.
"On the second charge, we find that there is not sufficient evidence to prove that it was Mr. Pettigrew that killed Cedric Diggory. We believe that the Dark Lord was responsible for this as well. On the second charge we find Peter Pettigrew...not guilty."
No...it's not fair.
"On the third charge, we find that while Peter Pettigrew did not directly attack the Potters, he willingly compromised their position. We believe that the responsibility for the deaths of Lily and James Potter..."
"Please...please...please" Harry thought.
"...rests with Peter Pettigrew. We find him guilty as charged."
At that the entire courtroom burst into yells and applause. Harry breathed a huge sigh of relief, and as he turned to look at Lupin he could see a single tear roll down his face.
Madam Bones rose to her feet. "The jury has given their verdict. The Wizengamot has already reached a decision on the sentence for the defendant. Mr. Pettigrew, the Wizengamot agrees unanimously that you are to live the rest of your days in Azkaban Prison. You should consider yourself fortunate that we no longer have the Dementor's Kiss at our disposal."
****************************************************************
Author's Notes:
Well, it's finally here. I hope it was the wait. This was a very very hard chapter to write and I've been REALLY busy with other stuff. I had to go back and check my facts A LOT. And conveying the right emotions in the scenes was difficult, to say the least. Anyways, I hope the funeral wasn't too much. I just wanted to address the fact that although Harry's seen a lot death, he hasn't been to a funeral yet. That first funeral is an important event in every person's life. I really felt it was important for Harry to go through it.
Anyways, next chapter will be much shorter, so it should come out sooner. Hope you're all still around. :-)
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
When Harry left Dumbledore's office he found his friends still waiting outside. They appeared to be deeply involved in a conversation that made them both look very uncomfortable. Ron was blushing rather fiercely and Hermione seemed to be very nervous about something.
"What was Malfoy doing in there?" Ron asked immediately when he saw Harry.
"Uh...nothing important." Harry replied. Although he hated keeping things from his friends, he knew it would be best to keep Draco's possible treachery a secret for now.
"O....kay." Hermione said suspiciously. "Well, uhm, we should go get something to eat right?"
"I'll catch up with you guys in the Great Hall." Harry said quickly. "I need to visit Dobby for a second."
Harry practically ran from his friends as he waved farewell, giving them no chance to argue or pry.
Harry had a little trouble finding his way to the kitchens, he had only been there once and that had been years ago. Eventually though, he found the portrait he was looking for and tickled the pear in the picture that hid the entrance to the kitchens under the Great Hall.
"Harry Potter sir!!" Dobby practically screamed, "Dobby is glad to be seeing you. Did Miss Granger enjoy the present that Harry Potter's Wheezy got for her?"
"Yes, she enjoyed it very much Dobby. How did you find that?"
"Bardo's book isn't very popular in these parts, sir. Some wizards said that it would give house-elves bad ideas. But Dobby has relatives that live far away. Dobby asked them to send it to him."
"That was very nice of you Dobby. I'm sure Ron appreciates it."
"Oh he was most thankful when Dobby gave it to him. Harry Potter's Wheezy promised to do a favor for Dobby."
"A favor?"
"Yes, yes." Dobby said as he lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Harry. "He promised Dobby that he would convince Miss Granger to stop leaving clothes around."
"I see."
"Hullo Harry Potter. You is not coming to see us in a long time." Harry recognized Winky's squeaky voice and enormous brown eyes.
"Yeah, sorry about that," Harry replied sheepishly, "I've been a little...busy lately."
"Oh Winky has heard about that. Harry Potter should be more careful." With that, Winky simply walked away and busied herself with some large copper pots.
"Winky is feeling better since the last time Harry Potter saw her." Dobby whispered to Harry. "Winky is still sad though, sir. Dobby wonders if Winky will ever be happy again."
Harry looked at Winky sadly. She had been through a lot with the Crouch family. He knew all too well how difficult it is to lose your family.
"What brings Harry Potter to the kitchens today?" Dobby asked, breaking Harry out of his thoughts.
"I need a little information about the Malfoys, Dobby. Draco Malfoy in particular."
Dobby's face turned into a bit of a sorrowful frown. "Dobby...still has trouble talking a lot about his old masters. Dobby finds some old habits hard to break."
"Please Dobby. This is really important. No one knows the Malfoys better than you. Your information could...could save lives." Harry knew he might be exaggerating a bit, but it could very well be true.
The trick seemed to work as Dobby's eyes grew wide and he straightened his posture. "Dobby will do what he can to help Harry Potter."
"Thanks Dobby. Alright, first question: Voldemort's diary, the one Lucius Malfoy gave to Ron's sister. Did Draco know about that?"
"Dobby does not think that the young Malfoy knew about that. Dobby does not think that Master...Mister Malfoy trusted the young Malfoy to keep his bad things secret."
"Did Draco ever help his father with other...bad...things?"
"Dobby never saw the young Malfoy help his father with his bad dark magic things. But the young Malfoy knew that Master Malfoy worked for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Dobby thinks he was even proud of it, sir."
Harry decided to ask a question that had lingered in the back of his mind ever since he found out that Dobby was the Malfoy's house elf. "Did Draco ever hurt you, Dobby?"
"No." Dobby said reluctantly. "The young Malfoy never hurt Dobby, exactly. Dobby would always get blamed for things the young Malfoy did, but he never hit Dobby. The young Malfoy might have even...liked...Dobby, a bit."
"You think I can trust him, then?" Harry asked, somewhat disappointed.
"Trust him? Oh no no no." Dobby giggled, shaking his head so much that his ears flopped from side to side. "Oh no sir. Harry Potter didn't say anything about that." Dobby could hardly contain his laughter. It was like Harry had told him the best joke he'd heard in years. "Oh heavens no. Harry Potter must not trust the young Malfoy."
"But...you just said he didn't have anything to do with his father's bad things."
"Yes, Dobby did say that. But the young Malfoy has his own bad things. The young Malfoy sometimes stoled things from Mister Malfoy and the other bad wizards that came to the house. He made Dobby promise not to tell Mister and Missus Malfoy. The young Malfoy is very tricksey sir, and very bad."
"Thanks, Dobby." Harry said quietly. "You've told me all I need to know."
Dobby escorted Harry back to the entrance to the kitchens. The short trip took much longer than it should have since they were swarmed by eager house-elves that insisted on stuffing sweets into Harry's hands and pockets. "I promise to come around here more often, Dobby." Harry said when they finally got to the door.
"Dobby would like that very much. Harry Potter is always welcome here."
Harry quickly walked to the Great Hall to join his friends. He drew all kinds of stares as he walked through the hallways. That was nothing new for Harry, but he still hadn't quite learned to be comfortable with it. As he entered the Great Hall, he ran into a group of first-years.
"Is it true, Mr. Potter? Did you do it all by yourself?" said one of the short students.
"Would you sign my Defense Against the Dark Arts book?" a dark-haired girl asked.
"Uh...no. I don't do autographs." Harry noticed the extreme looks of disappointment on the faces of the eleven-year olds. One of them looked like he was going to cry.
"Here, take these instead." Harry said as he handed them the sweets that the house-elves had given him. The younger students seemed to be pleased with that and they left Harry alone.
Harry found Ron and Hermione chatting at one of the long tables in the Great Hall. "People are acting awfully weird around here.", he said as he sat with them.
"Yeah," Ron said as he retrieved a folded newspaper out of his pocket, "you should probably read this."
The Daily Prophet was not one of Harry's favorite publications. As he read the article on the first page, he knew that dislike wasn't going to change anytime soon.
Special Edition! HOGSMEADE IN FLAMES
Last night the village of Hogsmeade was attacked amidst a blazing inferno.
Preliminary reports were spotty, at best. Many fled the scene before the
fires broke out, stating that a rogue goblin had threatened them.
Others reported that the Dark Lord was at the scene. In what is perhaps the
most shocking news ever to come out of the Ministry of Magic, Arthur
Weasley, a Ministry Official and candidate for the position of Minister of Magic, released this statement just moments before
this printing:
"Mr. Peter Pettigrew was captured in Hogsmeade and was the only one involved
in the attack...we think. Anyways, we have compelling evidence that shows that
Mr. Pettigrew has been helping Lord *edited for content* for many years
now. We expect his trial to reveal everything that the public needs to know."
As many of our readers will recall, Peter Pettigrew was a friend of Lily
and James Potter and was regarded as a hero fifteen years ago when he
supposedly publicly challenged the murderer Sirius Black. Many Muggles
and Peter Pettigrew himself were believed to have died in that encounter,
but apparently Mr. Pettigrew faked his death and is now in league with
the Dark Lord. The attack on Hogsmeade is the latest and boldest in an
increasingly violent string of events that have occurred since the Dark Lord's
apparent "re-embodiment" last year.
Mr. Weasley would not release further information on the capture of
Pettigrew and the charges against him. Witnesses at the scene, however,
say that Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, captured Pettigrew and saved the
town.
"I saw Harry Potter warning everyone in the streets." said Markus
Fairweather, a resident of Hogsmeade. "He was yelling that the Dark Lord was
coming, then he ran off and I followed him, thinking he would need some
help. When I got there though, he was already beating up some guy in black.
robes. I guess it was a Death Eater. It was kind of scary. I ran out of the
town after that."
So it appears that once again, The Boy Who Lived saved the day. Is he
more powerful than we imagine? Some speculate that Harry Potter will be
the next Albus Dumbledore. There is even a new faction pushing for
"Potter for Minister of Magic!"
"Alright, that's enough." Harry said as he tossed the paper back to Ron in disgust. "This is getting out of hand."
"I dunno about that," Ron said casually, "you've got a better chance of winning the election than my dad."
"Ron!" Hermione shouted with a look of shock and anger on her face.
"Oh no, Hermione!" Ron said, shaking his head vigorously, "I didn't mean it like that! Dad would make a great Minister. I'm not saying I don't want him to run...I just don't want to see him lose."
The trio didn't say much else as they ate their food. Harry continued to receive waves and stares throughout the meal, but few people actually said anything to him. When they had finished eating, Harry and Ron headed back to the dorms while Hermione set off for the library.
Harry entered the familiar dormitory he shared with his friends. Dean and Seamus were missing, but Neville was sitting on his bed amongst a disorderly arrangement of spellbooks. Neville had been doing very well in his studies recently. He was even earning better marks than Hermione in Herbology. Hermione, to her credit, continued to encourage him more than anyone else.
As soon as they had entered the room, Ron spoke up. "Hermione mentioned that you have something to tell me."
"Yeah...about that." Harry said, scratching his head and making a mental note to talk to Hermione about her timing. "It's kind of...touchy."
"Well, I think I'll head off to the greenhouse." Neville said, feeling that he should leave them alone.
"No Neville, stay." Harry beckoned. "You should hear this too."
Harry took a deep breath breath as Neville and Ron sat on his bed. He was surprised at how difficult this task seemed, after all he had already been through. Nevertheless, Harry recounted the story of the prophecy to Ron and Neville. Harry's friends sat silently as he spoke.
When he had finished the tale, Harry looked into Ron's face. He didn't need Legilimency to know that he was angry. "You should have told me earlier."
"I know. I'm sorry." Harry replied, looking down at his feet. "I...just didn't want you to worry any more than you already do."
"So now I have to worry about you keeping secrets from me?"
"Ron, it's not like that..."
"He's right, Harry." Harry looked up to see that it was Neville that had spoken this time. "It's not right for you to decide what's best for Ron to know."
Harry was shocked, to say the least. That was not something the Neville that he knew would say. Neville had spoken with conviction though, as if he was speaking from experience.
Regardless, Harry knew he had been wrong. He should've told Ron. In his efforts to protect him, Harry may have damaged their friendship.
Harry's fears melted away when Ron finally stood up and spoke with that familiar grin of his. "It's alright, Harry. I know you have some tough decisions to make these days."
"You're not mad?"
"I was, for a second. But I got over it. You just remember...you made me a promise."
"I remember."
"Good. Anyways, I gotta get going. Hermione and I are going to go check on Hagrid. Try to take it easy today, Harry."
After Ron left, Harry turned his attention back to Neville, who was still sitting on Harry's bed.
"I just thought you should know the whole story, Neville. You deserve that." Harry said softly.
"Thanks, Harry. It really means a lot to me that you...trust me with that sort of thing."
"Neville, you stuck by me in the Department of Mysteries when there was no one else left. If I can't trust you I can't trust anybody."
Neville's expression changed when Harry said that, and once again Harry was reminded of how much Neville had changed over the past few months. He seemed so much older, so much stronger.
"Yeah...the Department of Mysteries. A lot of things changed after that." Neville said.
"Yes, they certainly did." Harry agreed.
The atmosphere at Hogwarts for the next two days was somber and still. The students were still very nervous after the events at Hogsmeade. The loss of Madam Rosmerta, a favorite person of all the students, had stunned them all. The usual Halloween festivities at Hogwarts had not been canceled, but the celebration would not be as elaborate as it had been in previous years.
The first Quidditch match of the season was expected to be played on schedule though, despite recent events. The impending Quidditch season provided at least one shining beacon of hope that pierced the shadow of sadness around the school.
For now though, things were very depressing. Many of the older students were dressed in all black, for today was the day of Rosmerta's funeral. Professor Dumbledore had encouraged any student that wanted to attend to do so. Harry was surprised by how many of his classmates were planning to go, but he was very glad to see it.
Harry slowly walked through the halls of Hogwarts towards the main doors, mentally preparing himself for the difficult tasks ahead. Rosmerta's funeral wasn't the only unpleasant experience scheduled for today. He would have to deal with something else this afternoon, something that he was both dreading and looking forward to...
Peter Pettigrew's trial.
As Dumbledore had predicted, Harry had been officially summoned to be a witness in Peter's trial. Harry was sure that this would lead to even more public spectacle, but it would be worth it to see Wormtail receive justice.
The primary concern on Harry's mind at the moment was Rosmerta's funeral. Harry had never attended a funeral before, and he got the impression that this was the case for many of his classmates as well. Harry had heard Aunt Petunia talk about funerals before, but he was pretty sure that a witch's funeral would be different.
The burial place chosen for the funeral was not far from Hogsmeade. The students and Hogwarts staff that were attending were brought there by the Hogwarts carriages pulled by the thestrals.
Harry was amazed at how beautiful the place was when they arrived. There were pine trees dispersed throughout the large area, and the bright green grass had no traces of the October frost on it. There was a soothing breeze blowing and although the weather had been gloomy during the trip from Hogwarts, not a single cloud lingered over this area.
The mourners from Hogwarts were led to a small plot of land on the eastern side of the cemetary. Harry saw that a large crowd was already there. He saw many members of the Order of the Phoenix there. He also saw Minister Fudge wearing his usual bowler hat. There was an elderly couple that Harry guessed were Madam Rosmerta's parents. There were even a few goblins there with Professor Grok. Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked through the crowd, greeting the others as they passed. Beyond the crowd, there were many displays set up with wizard pictures and news clippings from Rosmerta's life. Harry perused these displays carefully. Madam Rosmerta had apparently won many talent contests in her youth, and she had been a Gryffindor prefect as well. Beyond the displays was the actual burial ground. There, set in a bed of rose petals, was a beatiful white casket that contained the body of Madam Rosmerta.
Harry walked to the open casket by himself, and was stunned to see Rosmerta's body looking as beautiful as the day he had first laid eyes on her. The superficial burns she had suffered in the attack had been healed. The face that Harry now saw was peaceful and elegant. Harry smiled, glad that his last memories of her would not be dark.
The mourners spent a considerable time viewing the pictures of Madam Rosmerta's life and talking with her family. After a while, they all gathered around her casket to say their last goodbyes. Harry found a spot next to Lupin, who seemed to be looking better now. Hagrid was wearing a very nice black suit instead of his usual hairy brown one. Hermione stood next to him, offering her support with her small hand enveloped in his. When they were done with their farewells Harry was mildly surprised to see Osiris Wiseacre, Max's father, step into the crowd and stand next to Rosmerta's body. The crowd fell silent as he spoke.
"Today we mourn the untimely loss of one of our brightest stars. Madam Rosmerta Pinsley was a source of merriment for many years in the village of Hogsmeade. The attendance here today serves as proof of just how important she was to us all. I am sure that everyone here has a favorite memory of Rosmerta. I myself loved her laugh, and the way she could brighten even the darkest room with merely her presence."
"But as I look into the faces I see before me now, I can tell that your minds are not set on memories of our dear friend. I see troubled faces here. I see in all of you the same fear that threatens to afflict me. The same uncertainty, the same doubts. But let us not succumb to such things. We must let our hearts and minds be free of restriction if we are to prevail over this new, yet familiar, threat that has taken our friend from us. Do not dwell on how Madam Rosmerta died, for few have the chance to choose the manner of their parting from this world. Instead, remember her for how she chose to live, and how those choices gave her everlasting life, in our memories."
When he was done, Mr. Wiseacre closed the casket. He brought out his wand and softly spoke "Requiem in terra pax".
Later that day, after Harry's usual Legilimency lesson, Harry took the opportunity to talk to Max about the ceremony.
"That was a beautiful speech your father gave today, Max."
"Thank you Harry." Max said as he busied himself with the Dumbledore Doppelganger. "He's been doing it for years. In some families, it's almost become sort of a tradition for him to speak at funerals. He's a Necromancer you see. He can sometimes speak to the dead, and he assists those that have met a violent end. Victims of murder can sometimes end up as very angry and dangerous ghosts if they have business left to do on this plane. My father helps them find their way to peace. Unfortunately, he has a lot to do these days."
"That couldn't happen to Sirius, could it?" Harry remembered Nearly Headless Nick saying that Sirius had probably "moved on", but there was still a lot that Harry wondered about.
"No Harry," Max said with a reassuring arm around Harry's shoulder, "I think that Sirius was sure that you would take care of the last task he wanted to see completed."
"Ready to go, Harry?" Harry turned to see Professor Dumbledore waiting at the door.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Harry said as he waved goodbye to Max.
Professor Dumbledore had insisted that he be the one to escort Harry to Peter's trial. As the two of them walked to his office, Harry asked a few questions that had been on his mind.
"How long is this trial going to be? Pettigrew is alive. He faked his death and lied to everyone. It's an open and shut case, right?"
"I'm afraid there are other forces at work here." Dumbledore replied. "Minister Fudge is determined to make sure that this is not some sort of trick to make him look worse. He has some influence with many members of the Wizengamot, and they insist upon a thorough trial to clear things up. There is also the fact that the people that will codemn Peter today praised and defended him years ago. There is some contradiction here that must be cleared up for the public."
"So there's going to be a full trial with barristers and all that?"
"No. Accused Death Eaters usually don't have defense counsel. The general belief is that no one in their right mind would want to defend a servant of Voldemort. The evidence is usually heavily stacked against them anyway. Due to the special nature of this case, the Wizengamot will question the witnesses and present evidence to the jury. Harry, I must remind you that the details of the events surrounding Voldemort's return are still not common knowledge. We will need to carefully present our answers or we risk exposing the Order of the Phoenix. Shacklebolt made Peter forget some things before we turned him over to the Ministry, so we don't have to worry about that. The members of the Wizengamot are aware of some of what has happened, much more than the general public knows in fact, but it is still best that you try to avoid any detailed descriptions of the matter. Especially anything regarding Sirius. Let me handle that."
Harry and Dumbledore arrived at the office and went in. Dumbledore stepped up to his grand fireplace and grabbed a tin full of Floo powder.
"Oh no," Harry whined, "not again."
"I'm afraid it's the quickest way Harry. Portkeys and apparition are no longer acceptable ways to gain entry to the Ministry of Magic."
Harry groaned as he took a bit of the powder and stepped into the large fireplace and shouted "The Ministry of Magic!". Once again Harry was subjected to a dizzying trip through the floo network. The Ministry was pretty far from Hogwarts, and the trip was the longest Harry had ever had to make through the odd means of transportation. Eventually, thankfully, Harry appeared in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic.
The last time he had been there, Voldemort had faced Dumbledore in a battle that Harry understood better now than he had then. The wide Atrium was much the same as he remembered it, but the statue that had been in the center of the fountain had been replaced with a beautiful stone phoenix, unfurling it's wings.
Dumbledore appeared behind Harry in a flash of green flame. "Come along now Harry, it wouldn't do for the star witnesses to be late."
"Witness...es?" Harry asked, noting the plural form.
"Yes Harry," Dumbledore replied as he led Harry to the elevators, "I cannot be both a judge and a witness. Given the choice, I would much rather be a character witness for Sirius than the judge of Peter's actions. Madam Bones will be serving as Chief of the Wizengamot for this trial."
Harry and Dumbledore continued along, going deeper into the Ministry until they finally reached the very same courtroom that Harry had been in last year for his own hearing.
Security for the trial appeared to be very tight. There were several people collecting wands at the entrance. Harry assumed that they were all Aurors. Each wand was placed carefully in a box inscribed with the name of the owner.
When Harry entered the courtroom he was shocked at the number of people that were already there. All of the benches in the large room were packed. Near the front of room was Cornelius Fudge and Ron's brother Percy, serving as scribe again. Next to them sat twelve people that Harry assumed were the jury. In the highest benches sat the almost fifty witches and wizards that comprised the Wizengamot, each with an ornate silver W on the left side of their purple robes. In the center of the immense room sat Peter Pettigrew, tied down with chains. Once Harry and Dumbledore had taken their seats behind Peter, Amelia Bones stood and spoke in her booming voice.
"The purpose of this trial is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused, Peter Pettigrew, is guilty of the following charges. One, the attack on Hogsmede and resulting death of Rosmerta Pinsley. Two, the murder of Cedric Diggory. Three, the willfull betrayal of James and Lily Potter to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Due to the...extraordinary...nature of this case, the use of Veritaserum has been approved by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Mr. Pettigrew has already been interrogated under influence of Veritaserum by members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, in the presence of the Wizengamot. All members of the jury have received the summarized transcripts of this interrogation. Veritaserum can only force a subject to divulge what they remember, however, and as we all know memories can change over time...or by force. The purpose of this trial is to publicly corroborate, or discredit, Mr. Pettigrew's confession."
"We will begin with the testimony of Harry Potter, concerning the events of the attack on Hogsmeade. Mr. Potter, please stand."
Harry stood up and instantly there was a buzz of chatter from the audience.
"Mr. Potter," said one of the Wizengamot, a middle aged witch with blonde hair, "is it true that you and Mr. Lupin captured Mr. Pettigrew?"
"Yes." Harry Replied simply.
"How did you find him?"
"I heard Parseltongue being spoken. I followed the sound and found him, but Lupin was already there."
"Ahh." the witch said as she leafed through some parchment. "Official reports of the incident state that Ashwinders were used as the source of the fires, so that makes sense. We have records that indicate that you yourself are a Parselmouth, Mr. Potter. Is that true?"
"Yes."
"Then you understood what was being said?"
"Yes. He said...'Come out. It is time. Come out'."
"Interesting." the witch said, rubbing her chin.
"We seem to have no record of Peter Pettigrew being a Parselmouth," continued a smarmy looking brown-haired wizard in one of the highest benches, "can you explain how he was able to speak the snake-language, Mr. Potter?"
"Peter was being possessed by Voldemort--"
The moment the word Voldemort escaped Harry's lips the crowd burst into an uproar. Madam Bones called for order and the room quieted.
"Mr. Potter," the commanding witch said, "I must ask you to refrain from using that term again. Please, continue."
"Er..okay. Like I said, Peter was being possessed by...the Dark Lord...at the time. I guess that he was speaking through him."
"Ahh. I see." the smarmy wizard said with a sly grin. "So, he was possessed by the Dark Lord. Would you say then, Mr. Potter, that Mr. Pettigrew was in...control of his actions at that time?"
Harry did not like that question, nor the tone that it was voiced in. It was demeaning, condescending. Despite his dislike of the situation though, Harry had to answer truthfully. "I...I don't know."
"Mmmm, you don't know. I see."
"Let us move backwards in time, Mr. Potter." This time it was a very skinny witch speaking. "Go back to the events of the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament. How did Cedric Diggory die?"
"He was killed by the Avada Kedavra curse. The trophy had been changed to a portkey that took us to a graveyard. Peter was there, with the Dark Lord. He told Peter to kill Cedric."
"Am I correct in saying that it was nightfall when the supposed incident occurred?" the witch asked.
"Yes."
"It was dark then?"
"Yes." Harry repeated.
"Could it be possible then, perhaps even probable, that it was not Peter Pettigrew that you saw?"
"No, there was no mistake. It was Peter. I saw Peter Pettigrew add his hand to the potion that gave the Dark Lord his new body. I saw him..." Harry almost spoke about the blood that Peter had taken from him that night, but he caught himself just in time. "I saw him clearly."
"Did you see Peter Pettigrew cast the Killing Curse on Cedric Diggory?" this time it was a male voice that came from somewhere Harry couldn't see.
"Er...no...not exactly. Vo...the Dark Lord...caused this pain in my scar. I closed my eyes for a moment, then I heard a voice cast the spell."
"A voice?" Madam Bones asked. "Are you sure it was Mr. Pettigrew's?"
"It certainly wasn't the Dark Lord's." Harry replied.
"Ah, and you would know, wouldn't you Mr. Potter?" the smarmy wizard said.
"Thank you, Mr. Potter." Madam Bones said sternly before Harry could reply. "We have no further questions for you."
Harry took his seat reluctantly. He was angry. This trial wasn't going the way he expected.
"The Wizengamot now calls Remus J. Lupin to testify."
Harry was a little surprised. He hadn't even seen Lupin in the dark corner of the courtroom he had been standing in. Lupin walked to the center of the room and looked up to face the Wizengamot.
"Mr. Pettigrew was a friend of yours during your school days, along with the Potters and Sirius Black. Is that correct?" a plump gray-haired witch asked.
"Yes." Lupin replied.
"And is it true, Mr. Lupin, that you and your friends helped him become an unregistered Animagus?"
"Yes."
"How would you describe Mr. Pettigrew, and your friendship with him?"
"Peter always needed to be around popular, influential people. We all knew that. But he was just trying to make up for what he himself lacked. We did our best to encourage him, to help him. We spent weeks helping him become an Animagus. Peter was our friend. We trusted him, we looked out for him," Lupin spared a remorseful look at Wormtail, "we loved him."
"When you left school, the Potters went into hiding, using the Fidelius charm. Why?" this time it was a wizard with closely cropped blonde hair and a goatee that spoke.
"The Dark Lord was actively looking for the Potters. We also had reason to believe that there was a spy in our group. We decided the Fidelius Charm was the best way to protect them."
"And who was chosen as their Secret-Keeper?"
"Peter."
The crowd in the courtroom once again broke out into gasps of surprise. This time Madam Bones simply waited for the noise to subside.
"We have you on record as saying that Sirius Black had been the spy, that he had betrayed the Potters as Secret-Keeper."
"Yes I did say that, back then. But when I saw that Peter was alive, I knew that I had made a mistake. Sirius and James switched to Peter."
"When you saw him alive," Madam Bones said loudly, "that would be when Sirius Black was captured, and subsequently escaped, at Hogwarts several years ago. We have record of your statement. However, the testimony of Mr. Severus Snape was far more convincing."
"Convincing, perhaps," Lupin sneered, "but it obviously wasn't true."
"Apparently not." Madam Bones said as she looked through a large book. "In your statement, you said that Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban when he saw a picture of Mr. Pettigrew in his Animagus form in the Daily Prophet. Later, in Hogsmeade, you and Mr. Black confronted Mr. Pettigrew, who was posing as the pet rat of the Weasley family. Is that true?"
Percy squirmed a bit and looked around nervously.
"Yes, it is true." Lupin said.
The blonde bearded wizard spoke next. "So, after years of believing that Black had betrayed your trust he shows up having just escaped Azkaban, Mr. Pettigrew appears out of nowhere, and you simply....changed your mind?" The man seemed to be genuinely confused.
"I had believed that Sirius was the traitor because I didn't know about Peter. It was the only thing that made sense at the time. When Sirius showed up with Peter and explained everything...like I said, I knew I had made a mistake."
"And why do you think that Black didn't tell you that they had made Mr. Pettigrew the Secret-Keeper?"
"He...thought I was the spy."
"Really?" the blonde wizard said with surprise. "You know, for gentlemen that were supposedly the closest of friends, there was certainly a lot of distrust between you."
"Sirius made a mistake," Lupin said loudly, "and so did I. They were rough times. We had to be careful. Vol...the Dark Lord's power was increasing. We couldn't be sure of anything."
"Thank you Mr. Lupin." Madam Bones said calmly. "You are dismissed."
Lupin returned to his spot in the corner of the room, sparing one last look at Peter.
"The Wizengamot calls Albus Dumbledore to testify."
Once again, the courtroom broke into a buzz of gasps and whispers as Dumbledore stood up and approached the Wizengamot.
"For the benefit of the court, could you give us a brief description of the Fidelius Charm?" Madam Bones asked.
"Certainly. The Fidelious Charm is an incredibly complex piece of magic. I would say only about half of the wizards in the world could cast it properly. The charm hides the location of a person or persons completely. The spell involves the concealment of the secret inside the Secret-Keeper's soul. The only way for the location to be revealed is for the Secret-Keeper to purposely divulge the secret."
"Is there any way that a Legilimens could bypass the spell?" the skinny witch asked.
"No, there is none."
"You have heard the testimony of Mr. Lupin." the smarmy wizard in the back asked.
"Every word of it."
"Do you support what he has said?"
"Every word of it."
"Perhaps then, you can explain why Sirius Black has not appeared before this court to testify against the man that apparently framed him?"
"That is not possible I am afraid." Dumbledore said softly.
"Why not?"
Dumbledore took a deep breath before he spoke. "Sirius Black is no longer living."
Another outburst from the crowd filled the dungeon courtroom.
"He's dead!? How?" the slick wizard continued.
"He was defending his godson against Death Eaters."
"And how do you know this?"
"I was there." Dumbledore said plainly.
"So you believe that Sirius Black was not in league with the Dark Lord?"
"Sirius Black was an impetuous and hot-blooded man," Dumbledore said loudly, "but he was no traitor. I feel priviliged to have been his teacher, and his friend."
"But for years now, like everyone else, you believed that Black was guilty!"
Dumbledore's posture seemed to slump a bit. "I had assumed that James would have made Sirius his Secret-Keeper. Sirius was a very strong wizard and one of James' closest friends. It seemed to be the obvious choice, which is exactly why it would have been the wrong choice. In retrospect, I see that I should have personally spoken to Sirius when he was captured. At the time though, I was rather...distraught. For years, the pain was far too close to my heart to face him. I made an error, as we all did. But an error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."
"And how can you be sure that Sirius Black was not the Potter's Secret-Keeper?"
"Harry and his friends told me what occurred when Sirius and Remus cornered Peter. After he was captured, I was able to meet Sirius and see for myself that he had not been the Secret-Keeper."
"And how exactly did you determine that?"
"I asked him." Dumbledore said with a shrug.
"We are all aware that you are a very capable and trusted wizard, Dumbledore." the interrogating wizard said with a smile, "But surely you don't expect us to accept Sirius Black's word as evidence."
"I certainly do not. Your question was how I determined the truth of Sirius' innocence, and I told you. Sirius' word was good enough for me. For others, I suppose the Test of Fidelity will provide sufficient proof."
"The Test of...Fidelity?" The interrogator seemed to be confused, along with some of the other members of the Wizengamot. Many of them though, including Madam Bones, were nodding their heads in agreement.
"Perhaps I should explain more about the Fidelius Charm." Dumbledore continued. "You see, although the spell is broken when the hidden location is destroyed, the magic involved remains in the soul of the Secret-Keeper until the spell is lifted by the one who cast it. There is a way to test the validity of the Secret-Keeper. It is a kind of safeguard against treachery. The test is quite simple really. All that is required is for one of the residents of the hidden location, in other words one of the subjects being hidden, to invoke the spell and ask the Secret-Keeper if they have betrayed them. If the Secret-Keeper replies truthfully nothing happens. If, however, the Secret-Keeper lies...well, there are some unpleasant results. There is a limitation to the test though. The Test of Fidelity, regardless of its result, breaks the bond of trust instilled in the Secret-Keeper, therefore breaking the Fidelius Charm. You must have very good reason to use the Test of Fidelity, for to do so will expose the hidden location. Still, the spell is very useful for discovering traitors in the most dire situations."
"But this test does us no good." the large gray-haired witch said. "The residents of the cottage in Godric's Hallow are dead."
"No," Dumbledore said as he turned to face Harry, "there is one left."
Amelia Bones' gaze followed Dumbledore's. "Harry Potter," she boomed in her strong voice, "please step forward. Will someone please retrieve Mr. Potter's wand?"
"Wait a minute," Harry said with surprise, "I don't know how to cast this spell."
"I can show you Harry." Dumbledore said kindly. "You should have no troubles."
One of the Aurors brought Harry his wand and led him around to the front of the courtroom to face a very nervous looking Peter Pettigrew.
"Now Harry," Dumbledore said quietly as he stood behind Harry, "all you need to do is point your wand at Peter's heart and say 'Do you, Peter Pettigrew, swear by your honor that you have not betrayed my trust?' You'll have to say it with force."
Harry braced himself as he lifted his wand and pointed it at Peter's chest. He was a little nervous, but he willed his voice to come out strong. "Do you, Peter Pettigrew, swear by your honor that you have not betrayed my trust?"
The courtroom was completely silent. Harry stood there, waiting. He hoped that Wormtail would lie. He couldn't wait to see what would happen to him when he did...
But once again, Peter Pettigrew took the easy way out.
"N..no. I have betrayed you."
The crowd let out a deafening uproar. Madam Bones once again called for order, threatinging to press charges against members of the audience.
"Thank you Mr. Potter." she said when the room finally calmed down. "You are dismissed. That concludes the presentation of witnessses and evidence. This court will now adjourn until the jury is ready with their verdict. I suggest that you all stay close, this probably won't take very long."
The members of the jury stood up and filed out of the courtroom. The audience filtered out as well, taking the opportunity to stretch their legs and talk about the proceedings. Peter Pettigrew remained chained to his seat, guarded by several Aurors.
Dumbledore and Lupin escorted Harry out after everyone left. In the hall outside the courtroom, four Aurors kept the crowd from mobbing them with questions.
"How are you feeling, Harry?" Lupin asked when they had finally gotten separated from the crowd.
"Nervous." Harry replied.
"Don't be." Lupin replied. "I think that last performance of yours sealed his fate. They won't let him off the hook for what he did to you and your parents."
"But what about the other charges?" Harry asked. "It didn't sound too good in there."
Lupin looked at Dumbledore, he was looking rather tired. "I don't know Harry. I don't know."
Madam Bones had been right. Merely forty-five minutes later word came that the jury had reached their decision. The audience hurredly filled the large dungeon courtroom again. Once everyone had been seated, the jury came back in and took their seats.
"Has the jury reached their decision?" Madam Bones asked.
"Yes we have." said a young woman in the jury who was apparently the one given the duty to read the verdict.
"Please, read your verdict to the court. I will take this opportunity to remind the court to please refrain from any...outbursts until the verdict is finished." Judging by the hard look on her face, Harry was pretty certain that no one would be foolish enough to ignore that suggestion.
The nervous young woman stood up and looked into the crowd. Her voice shook a little as she spoke.
"On the first charge, the attack on Hogsmeade, we have determined that Mr. Pettigrew was under the direct influence of the Dark Lord and is therefore not responsible for his actions. We find him not guilty."
Harry couldn't believe his ears.
"On the second charge, we find that there is not sufficient evidence to prove that it was Mr. Pettigrew that killed Cedric Diggory. We believe that the Dark Lord was responsible for this as well. On the second charge we find Peter Pettigrew...not guilty."
No...it's not fair.
"On the third charge, we find that while Peter Pettigrew did not directly attack the Potters, he willingly compromised their position. We believe that the responsibility for the deaths of Lily and James Potter..."
"Please...please...please" Harry thought.
"...rests with Peter Pettigrew. We find him guilty as charged."
At that the entire courtroom burst into yells and applause. Harry breathed a huge sigh of relief, and as he turned to look at Lupin he could see a single tear roll down his face.
Madam Bones rose to her feet. "The jury has given their verdict. The Wizengamot has already reached a decision on the sentence for the defendant. Mr. Pettigrew, the Wizengamot agrees unanimously that you are to live the rest of your days in Azkaban Prison. You should consider yourself fortunate that we no longer have the Dementor's Kiss at our disposal."
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Author's Notes:
Well, it's finally here. I hope it was the wait. This was a very very hard chapter to write and I've been REALLY busy with other stuff. I had to go back and check my facts A LOT. And conveying the right emotions in the scenes was difficult, to say the least. Anyways, I hope the funeral wasn't too much. I just wanted to address the fact that although Harry's seen a lot death, he hasn't been to a funeral yet. That first funeral is an important event in every person's life. I really felt it was important for Harry to go through it.
Anyways, next chapter will be much shorter, so it should come out sooner. Hope you're all still around. :-)