The full moon was the next Tuesday so Remus was unavailable to teach until Thursday. Severus, who had the most experience of core healing, having been married to a Roger who had made a profession out of it, ordered David to refrain from using magic until Wednesday. This led to DADA lessons on theory rather than practical knowledge. There were a few mutterings of 'Umbridge' from some of the students but most felt sympathetic towards their teacher who was shuffling around the school with the aide of a walking stick. The rumour mill had him injured by one of Hagrid's pets or having wrestled the giant squid.
Hermione's absence had been noticed, but all anyone would say was that she had been taken ill and was expected to be back by the end of the week. The staff were on the look out for rumours of her supposed suicide attempt but whoever cursed her was too clever to start any. David put the hours of his enforced rest, since Severus had ordered him to stay in bed outside lessons, to good use by setting his mind to work on the magical repression diagnosis problem. At the weekly staff meeting that Friday he was able to announce that he had solved it.
"This," he said holding up a glass sphere the size of a tennis ball, "will show whether a person is suffering from magical repression or not. The person to be tested holds it in his hand and tries to make it glow red." An indigo light filled the ball. "The more blue the ball is the more magic the holder is repressing," he handed the ball to Remus who made it light up red, "however, if it is red then the holder is able to access all his magic."
The staff passed the ball around lighting it up and David was unsurprised to find that they all made it glow red. "I have tested it on Neville Longbottom and Tara MacDonald," said David as they did so. Tara MacDonald was a first year muggle born witch who had had great difficulty getting any spells to work so far. "It went blue for Miss MacDonald and purple for Mr Longbottom. I would like to test all the students, although I do not want the ones who don't get a red light to be looked down on because of it. That would be counter productive, so I don't think I can tell them why they are being tested."
"Why wasn't it red for you?" Sibyll Trelawney asked David tactlessly.
"I am still unable to access all my magic," said David quietly. "I can access a lot more than I could as a child, but I doubt I will ever be able to use it all. Despite my own failure I know a lot about combating magical repression so I can still help these students."
"I will announce that you are going to be teaching a select inter-year group a new subject," said Albus preventing further discussion. "You can test those who take DADA during their next lessons and for those in the upper years who do not we can arrange a time for them to visit you."
The trial of Sirius Black took place during the next week. David visited Sirius before it started to present him with a set of robes which indicated his position as a member of the Crimson Fellowship for him to wear during the trial. David covered classes while Remus went to give evidence.
"How'd it go?" David asked Remus that evening at supper.
"Not so good. I told them about what happened when I met Sirius and Peter the summer after Sirius escaped. Hermione and Ron gave evidence about that night too. I believe Albus has got some of the Death Eaters who are in Azkaban to testify as to Peter being alive too. The problem is the prosecution is insinuating that just because Peter is alive and a Death Eater does not mean that Sirius isn't one. They have Sirius's statement under veritaserum that he was not and did not betray James and Lily but as you know veritaserum is not counted as conclusive. The prosecution are saying that Sirius's mental state after twelve years in Azkaban makes his testimony unreliable."
"Surely we can get a mediwizard to make an assessment of his mental state?"
"It's been done, but Sirius's incarceration did take its toll and his time on the run hasn't helped. Albus said that the mediwizard who examined Sirius admitted that it is possible that he has convinced himself of a version of events different to what actually happened."
"Even so, they should accept the evidence of Lily's journal so all is not lost."
"All of the Potters' papers were destroyed with their house."
"All the ones they had in the house yes," agreed David. "But Lily used her own version of the gemini charm to enable her to write her research papers in the house but have them stored in the linked books in their Gringotts vault. She set it up so that she could still be of use to the Order whilst in hiding. She could do her research and if anything happened to her all her notes would be safe and if anyone did get into the house they would not find them. Sirius inherited her papers on her death, including her journal."
"I didn't know that. Sirius didn't mention it either."
"I think Sirius knew, but as you said Azkaban took its toll and he might have forgotten that detail. He has hardly been able to visit Gringotts and access his vault to examine his inheritance."
"Do you think Lily's journal would contain information on who their secret keeper was?"
"Definitely, along with their reasons for choosing Peter and her own thoughts on the matter."
"Once we've finished eating we're going to see Albus to tell him about this. Hopefully it's not too late to submit new evidence."
"I hope so too, it did not occur to me that Sirius would not have mentioned the journal. I assumed he was in hiding because he did not believe he would get a trial, not because he did not have the evidence to exonerate himself."
After the meal David and Remus joined Albus in his office and David explained about the existence of Lily's journal and its likely contents.
"How do you know about it?" Albus asked David.
"I knew the Potters," claimed David. "It was James who taught me to be an animagus and Lily tutored me in charms. She told me about her version of the gemini charm when she was explaining how to modify spells."
"Will the journal help?" asked Remus.
"Possibly," said Albus, "It will be difficult to verify that it was written by Lily since it was done remotely but not impossible. That said, Lily was a very shrewd witch, I would not be surprised if she took measures to ensure that her journal could be authenticated in the event that it was needed for just this situation. The Potters prepared for the possibility of their death to the extent of ensuring that their son would have a fund to see him through school so they probably envisaged the situation we find ourselves in where Sirius needs to prove he wasn't their secret keeper. I had better go and get Sirius's permission to access his vault and retrieve the journal. Is there any other information that you know that could be of use David?"
"I believe along with the journal there are some photo albums but since they were illegal animagi I doubt there are any incriminating pictures of Peter changing into his animal form. Thinking about it, it is probable that Lily's journal will only be readable by Sirius and possibly Remus and me. Will that be a problem?"
"Since doubts are being cast on Sirius's testimony due to his mental state, and Remus's due to his physical state, I think we might need you to testify as to the journal's contents. Hopefully it will not just be Sirius who can read it."
"I am willing to do so, but I have no credentials. Will it be enough? I would have thought the argument that since the Potters appointed Sirius as Harry's guardian they knew that their death could not be from his betrayal, was conclusive. Surely had Sirius been their secret keeper they would have appointed a different guardian. Also there is no evidence that Sirius was their secret keeper. I believe you yourself informed the Ministry that he was when he was originally arrested, but you were reporting hearsay. You did not witness the charm being performed, nor did Sirius personally tell you the Potters' location. So your original statement is not valid."
"That makes a lot of sense," mused Remus. "We can show that they were prepared for Harry to outlive them and hence they were prepared for the possibility of being betrayed by their secret keeper therefore as Harry's guardian it couldn't have been Sirius."
Albus's eyes were twinkling merrily. "I should have spotted that," he complained. "I think I am becoming slow in my old age." Remus hastily assured him that was not the case.
"David, in the hope that you can read the journal and since it would be best not to let Sirius be accused of tampering with the evidence by giving it to him, would you accompany me to retrieve it and then to the Ministry tomorrow?"
"Certainly." David was pleased with the turn of events despite not wanting to give evidence personally. While he had expected Sirius to know of the journal and had not kept quiet on purpose, he had only realised during their conversation that the journal probably explained Harry's true heritage which he definitely did not want revealed at this time. Hopefully the journal would still be readable to him despite the fact that his adoption charms had worn off. If not he would have to allow Sirius to read it and warn him not to read out anything irrelevant to the trial.
Sirius was surprised when Albus, who was acting as his senior defence witness since he no longer held a position in the Wizengamot anyway, visited him and requested he sign a form allowing Albus to access his vault. When he was told about the journal it brought back a faint memory, enough for him to readily agree to Albus's request. Albus's companion who explained the existence of the journal was simply introduced as David and after they left Sirius was left to wonder whether he was the same David who had arranged for the trial.
The trial resumed the next day with Albus introducing the journal as new evidence. He claimed since the journal was charmed not to open to most people he was unable to give it to the court to examine, but instead would use a witness to present the information it contained. Cornelius Fudge who was presiding, he had pushed through a change in the law a couple of years previously to enable him to do so, grumbled but was forced to accept this method; it was established procedure when dealing with privacy charmed writings.
First Albus introduced a charms expert to witness the spells that were present on the journal. The expert testified that the journal had been keyed to open to only four people. He had managed to identify two of them as Sirius Black and David and suggested that the other two were probably James and Lily Potter. He went on to explain that the journal had once been set to allow three other people access, but those permissions had been revoked in April, August and then October 1981. The expert gave his opinion that Mrs Potter had been both an expert in charms and extremely thorough. The prosecution did not dispute any of the evidence but did check whether the expert could determine that the journal had actually been written and charmed by Lily Potter; which he could. Then Albus thanked the expert and turned to David.
David gave his name simply as 'David.' Unsurprisingly Fudge protested.
"Section twelve of the code of court etiquette requires witnesses to inform the court of 'the name by which they are most widely known," David reminded the Minister. "While this is normally taken to be the name on the witness's birth certificate, in my case 'David' is the name under which I have been published in 'Beastly Advances' which is an international journal. I submit that entitles me to ask the court to call me simply 'David."
Fudge looked about to concede the point, it was hardly important after all, but his assistant Percy Weasley handed him a hastily scribbled note which prompted him to continue the argument with the prize of showing this upstart who was in charge. "According to Bagnold amendment seventeen the Chief Warlock is entitled to insist on full disclosure on any given subject."
"Ah yes," David agreed looking up at the purple robed Chief Warlock, "Do you require full disclosure? It might take a while; I have been called many names at different points during my existence and I will have to ask the court's indulgence since stating the majority of them could land me in contempt of court. I was surprised by the definition of several of them when I looked them up, in my innocent youth I had not imagined such methods of fornication were possible let alone intended to be a participant in the manner the names implied."
"I think 'David' will be sufficient," said the Chief Warlock glaring at Fudge who in turn glared at Percy.
"Mr David," said Fudge distastefully. "Why did Mrs Potter include you on the list of people able to access the journal?"
"The journal was intended to provide information relative to Harry, and so the people she thought would be an influence in his life, particularly if he were orphaned, were given access to the journal."
"Do you know why the additional three access permissions were revoked or who they were for?" asked Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"Yes, I have searched the text in anticipation of your question. Remus Lupin lost access in August 1981 which was when it was rumoured that he had become a Death Eater. I hasten to add that he hadn't. Heather Grover was removed after her murder. And Peter Pettigrew was removed the day before the fidelius charm was performed which was the last day the journal was physically accessed. Which to my mind means…"
"Objection; this is speculation," declared Fudge.
"David, as the person who knew of the existence of the journal is the expert on it; thus his thoughts on the subject are similar to the professional opinion of an expert witness," countered Albus.
"Actually I don't need to speculate," interrupted David as he flipped through the journal "As I said I was drawing my answers from the journal; Lily explained Peter's removal herself." He waved his wand at the selected page.
"James and I visited Diagon Alley for the last time today before going into hiding. I went to our vault and changed the spells on my journal to prevent Peter from accessing it since if we die after tomorrow he will have betrayed us," read a disembodied voice.
"I trust that would be sufficient?" asked David.
"Thank you Mr David," said Bones, "would you read to the court the entry from the night the fidelius charm was performed?"
"Certainly," agreed David turning over the page. "Here it is." He waved his wand at the book.
"Peter came over this evening and we performed the fidelius charm. He was very nervous and it's a good thing that I was doing the actual charm and he just had to stand there and formally agree to conceal our location because charms are definitely not Peter's strong point. Afterwards he wrote out our address for Albus and Sirius and went to give the pieces of parchment to Sirius so that he could deliver Albus's and keep up the appearance that Sirius is our secret keeper. It's not that we don't trust Albus, but there is a spy in the Order and we need to make sure that everyone believes that it is Sirius who is hiding us."
While he was speaking Fudge received a memo, "Mr David is it true that you are not a British national?" he asked.
"I fail to see how that is relevant," objected Albus.
"Merely attempting to establish the reliability of the witness," defended Fudge. "As a foreigner he might have a hidden agenda and wish to disrupt this country by setting a murderer on the population. He refuses to tell the court his surname."
"That is preposterous," protested David. "And extremely xenophobic. Were you intending to declare a war or will you retract your remarks?"
Fudge spluttered; this was not the answer he wanted. While Fudge blustered Albus quietly took charge.
"We have presented to the court witnesses to Peter Pettigrew's admission of being the Potters' secret keeper and causing the explosion that killed twelve people in 1981 and to him being alive afterwards. Now you have also heard that Pettigrew was the Potters' secret keeper from Lily Potter's own words. I think the Potters' actions speak loudest. They made preparations for the event that their son was orphaned and appointed Sirius Black as his guardian. They knew that if Voldemort killed them whilst in hiding that their secret keeper would have betrayed them or died himself, so they would not have made the guardian of their son the same person as their secret keeper. On the evidence that has been presented I think the court should be in agreement with me that Sirius Black was wrongfully imprisoned and is not guilty of all the charges."
"I believe it is time for the vote," agreed Bones.
Sirius tried to sit calmly in his chair. He had been extremely grateful to David when the trial had started and on seeing his robes the court scribe (Percy Weasley) had explained to an indignant Fudge that it would be an insult to the Crimson Lord were Sirius to be chained to his seat. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Albus sitting calmly in the chintz chair he had conjured for himself. The vote was close but Sirius was declared innocent of all charges. Bones assured him that her department would be looking into some form of compensation for his ordeal and measures would be put in place to ensure no one in the future was condemned without trial.
"Sirius this is yours," said David holding up the journal as they exited the court room. "But I would appreciate the chance to read it. May I hang on to it for the present?" Distracted by the news of his long awaited freedom Sirius agreed but whispered in his ear, "Your surname wouldn't be Antirrhinum by any chance?" and was pleased with the wink he got in reply.