As soon as he saw Steelclaw in his father's private office, Harry Spellforged knew that he was in trouble. The presence of Cuthbert Mockridge, the current Liason to the Goblin Nation, told him just how badly he had underestimated the Black family Accounts Manager.

"Ah, Harry, come in, come in." Ragnok said, amiably. OK, Now I'm worried, thought Harry as he entered.

The three were sitting near the hearth, sipping their drinks and speaking quietly. The office would not have been out of place as a Lord's study in an old manor house, with its wood paneling and over-full bookshelves. This was the Director's working office, where he handled paperwork and correspondence and simpler matters - and, frequently, where he fielded questions from his adopted son on any number of topics. Harry had fond memories of this room, which left him ill-prepared for this meeting.

Steelclaw handled the introductions, as was proper for the junior goblin official in the room. "Mister Spellforged, may I present the honourable Cuthbert Mockridge, Head of the Goblin Liaison Office of the Ministry of Magic. Mister Mockridge, this is Harry Spellforged, of the Clan Ragnok, Heir to the House of Potter."

Harry shook the man's hand. "Greetings, sir. Pleasure to meet you."

Mockridge smiled pleasantly at him, and Harry got the impression that the smile had been precisely calculated ahead of time - just friendly enough to greet the son of a foreign head of state, then dial it back because that son is a student, but add 10% for the boy-who-lived.

No wonder the man was in the Liaison office, Harry thought. He'd fit right in around here.

"Steelclaw tells me that we've stirred up a hornet's nest at the Ministry, Harry." Ragnok began. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" Ragnok wasn't angry - far from it, he was impressed that Harry had caused this much trouble with a single meeting lasting less than fifteen minutes. What surprised him was Steelclaw's tenacity in defending his client's assets.

Rather than go through channels at the DMLE, sifting through records and hunting for parchment, Steelclaw invited the Goblin Liaison to his office for tea. Once Mockridge found out what they were looking for, and who the victim was, he got his office to handle the inquiry.

"I wanted to know where I stood, Father. I did not know it would cause trouble." Spellforged could say little else. He had not known about the trouble this would cause, but his hopes were another matter.

Ragnok nodded. "I know it, Harry, but trouble it is nonetheless. We do have our answer, though, but it brings with it more questions." He looked over to Mockridge.

"Apparently," the liaison began, "Sirius Black remains the Lord Apparent because he was never convicted. And the reason he was never convicted, Mister Spellforged, is because he never received a trial."

Spellforged blinked at the man, digesting that information. No trial?

Rose's voice filtered into his mind - his emotions must have let the thought filter into the link. Spellforged? What happened?

Not much, really. Just learned that my Sirius never went to trial. Internally, Spellforged sighed. This changes everything.

No doubt. He could tell she was troubled by the revelation. Keep us posted, we'll discuss this tonight?

Of course, he agreed, closing the link again.

When Spellforged refocused himself on the room, he saw that Steelclaw and Mockridge were talking over their options. Ragnok, meanwhile, was watching him with narrowed eyes. I'll have to tell him about the link, someday.

Mockridge was taking a hard line. "The Wizengamot will not hand over the pureblooded Lord of an Ancient and Most Noble House for an execution in the dueling pits. Even for a murderer."

"He attacked one of our own." Steelclaw replied. "That he was adopted years later is irrelevant. If a wizard murdered a goblin, we would demand justice." He leaned forward, looking the liaison in the eye. "And we would get it."

Mockridge was not to be intimidated - nor did he think Steelclaw was trying to be intimidating. He knew how zealous the goblins could be in their pursuit of justice, as they saw it. Any way this goes, Black's a dead man, he thought.

"So," interjected Ragnok. "Either we leave Black to the tender mercies of the Wizengamot, who will probably see him kissed rather than tried, or we demand that he be handed over." He looked at Harry, as if to prompt him. "I like neither option, to be honest."

Harry shrugged. "Do both, then." Off Mockridge's shocked look, he explained. "Demand that the Wizengamot conduct the trial, under their rules and with their procedures. Insist on Veritaserum. Agree that once the guilty verdict is in, you'll take him into custody and dispense proper justice." He smiled. "If I were older, I'd sit behind the accused in the visitor's gallery and sharpen a knife during the trial."

Mockridge paled. "They'd hate that."

Harry laughed. "Yes, I believe they would. A goblin might do such a thing. Harry Spellforged would do such a thing. But the Heir Potter, who may have to sit on the council with these same witches and wizards? No, that would be a bit too much." He looked to his father, who was nodding approvingly. "I believe the Boy-who-lived should attend the trial on behalf of the victims, don't you?"

"I will have to argue on behalf of the Nation," replied Mockridge. "The treaties do not allow goblins on the floor of the Wizengamot without a vote."

"Ah, but Harry holds a dual citizenship, Mister Mockridge." Ragnok's eyes showed his amusement at the situation. "It was the Wizengamot's own vote that allowed it, when they ratified his adoption."

Steelclaw looked to Harry. "As I said, young sir - explosive." Harry could only nod in reply, before looking to Mockridge.

"If I do speak, as a victim, I have one additional request." When he explained his plan, all three readily agreed.

oOoOoOoOo

"Chief Warlock, I have one additional item of business to bring before the Wizengamot."

The January meeting of the Wizengamot had moved through the planned agenda at a brisk pace, and the members were beginning to gather their papers in preparation for the meeting's adjournment. One more item from the Goblin Liaison office would not be a problem. Albus Dumbledore nodded to the Liaison, his expression taking its usual kindly mein.

"Mister Mockridge, the floor is yours."

Cuthbert Mockridge rose from his seat among the undersecretaries and department heads, adjusting his robes as he stood. He had always thought of himself as more of an ambassador than a ministry official, and Ragnok and Spellforged's plan placed him firmly in that role. Today, instead of speaking on behalf of the ministry to the Goblin Nation, he would be speaking for them.

In his mind, it was a distinction without a difference. Though a Ravenclaw in his school days, he was Slytherin enough to realize how valuable a bridge could be when it was the only bridge that crossed the river. And a good bridge let traffic flow in both directions. As long as the plan worked, of course.

Mockridge very carefully avoided looking at the hooded figure of Harry Spellforged, sitting in the visitor's gallery next to a glamoured member of the Auror corps - who, much to Harry's disappointment, had ensured that his traditional Goblin knife had not been brought to the Ministry.

"Chief Warlock, Minister Fudge, Members of the Wizengamot. Today it is my sad duty to ask this body to convene an emergency trial." The whispers began with that, as members tried to divine just what was going on. Mockridge let the mood grow before continuing. "A wizard has betrayed one of the Goblin Nation, causing a child's mother and father to be slain, bringing ruin and pain to the child's life and home." He looked at the membership, fighting the urge to smile when he saw that no one understood, yet, of whom he spoke.

Almost no one. Only one wizard, a younger man sitting among the Ancient houses, was smiling. As their eyes met, the man nodded in approval. Who is that? Mockridge wondered.

"Once the Goblins became aware of the situation, they reached out to Madam Amelia Bones, in her capacity as Director of the DMLE, only to learn that the alleged betrayer was already in the custody of the Ministry of Magic." This generated an even louder rumbling from the members. "As the man has yet to be tried for his crimes against this young Goblin and his family, the Goblin Nation itself, and specifically Director Ragnok of the Clan Ragnok, demand that this wizard be given over to Goblin Justice."

Pandemonium. It took Madam Bones and Dumbledore together to restore order.

"Ragnok acknowledges, however, that giving a wizard to Goblin custody is not to be done lightly. He has spoken with the victim, and the two propose a compromise." Mockridge scanned the room again. "The Goblin Nation asks that you, the Wizengamot of Wizarding Britain, conduct the trial under your own rules. They demand the use of veritaserum, or such other wizarding magics as may be appropriate, to determine the truth of the matter. And if this coward is found guilty?" Mockridge let his anger come to the surface as he spat the words. His anger was for the accused, though, rather than against him, but they didn't know that, did they?

"If you find the coward guilty, then - and only then - do the Goblins demand the right to punish his offences." Mockridge paused. "The veil, in the eyes of the Goblin Nation, is far too quick and painless for their tastes." He let a sneer cross his features. "This man is believed to have destroyed an entire family. Would we, the Ministry of Magic, allow such a man to escape justice?"

He looked squarely at Minister Fudge. "So requests Ragnok, of the Clan Ragnok." He glanced up at Dumbledore's podium, and saw the Chief Warlock busily trying to work out who was about to go on trial. He had not made the connection. Mockridge looked back to Fudge. "Minister, in my official capacity as the Goblin Liaison, I must formally recommend that the Wizengamot grant the request of the Director."

Fudge stood, waving a hand to quiet the members. "Madam Bones?" Mockridge could hear the uncertainty in his voice - this was a play for time.

Amelia Bones was already standing, and had been since a trial had been mentioned on the floor. "Minister, the Goblin Liaison's account is accurate." More rumblings. "We have an accused criminal in custody, but have no record of a trial. The victim is indeed a citizen of the Goblin Nation. The other facts listed in the Director's statement are accurate, as far as we can tell. We have the accused in an antechamber, awaiting the approval of the membership." She looked to Mockridge. "And we have veritaserum on hand. Just in case." He nodded to her in thanks - this would not have gone anywhere without her cooperation.

Fudge shot the briefest of glances to his left. Mockridge followed his gaze, and saw an expressionless Lucius Malfoy looking back. There would be no direction coming from the darker families today.

"Chief Warlock!" A voice called. Mockridge saw the young wizard from earlier rise.

Dumbledore looked at the wizard. "Lord Hillyer is recognized."

The Lord nodded in acknowledgement. "Chief Warlock, I thank the Goblin Liaison for bringing this matter before us today, and move that we accept the recommendation of Director Ragnok without amendment, and without delay."

Before the members could work themselves up at the motion, another wizard rose. "House Greengrass seconds the motion, Chief Warlock." said Daniel Greengrass. Mockridge noticed Lord Hillyer nod in thanks to Lord Greengrass.

"Madam Bones," said Minister Fudge, raising his voice over the growing noise from the members. "What is the name of the accused?"

Before the Director of the DMLE could respond, Lord Hillyer leaned forward, his hands on the desk in front of his seat. "Minister Fudge!" He nearly shouted, and the Minister seemed to cower slightly. "Do you mean to tell this body that the identity of the accused matters here? The man could be Lord Merlin of House Emrys, if you like, and I would still demand that he answer the charges before him." He stabbed a gloved finger at the Minister, and Fudge cringed as if the hand held a wand. Hillyer continued, angrily. "A boy has been orphaned, Minister! I don't give a good goddamn who did the orphaning. I just want them to answer to the law."

Another cannon blast from Dumbledore's wand brought order once more. He turned to Lord Hillyer. "The members will remember to obey the rules of decorum, if they wish to continue to speak, are we agreed?" He did not turn a disapproving glare at the young Lord, for who could argue against justice here? But such outbursts distracted from the main issue. Hillyer, for his part, bowed his head slightly in agreement.

"Very well, then," continued Dumbledore. "We have a motion. Will the members signal their votes, please?" Wands were placed at the corner of each seat's desk, and magic tallied the votes. "The ayes have it, the motion is carried. Madam Bones, please bring forth the accused."

The great doors opened, admitting four aurors. Between them, shambling forward, his chains rattling in the now quiet chamber, was Sirius Black. His ragged, prison-issued robes were frayed and caked in filth, but his eyes were alert. Madam Bones has done her part, then, thought Mockridge, as a chair was prepared for the accused. He's been out long enough to be lucid. Good.

Dumbledore was shocked at the identity of the criminal, but then he made the connection. He turned to Lord Hillyer, who was watching the procession with uncharacteristic intensity, or so Dumbledore thought. On any other day, Dumbledore would have found Lord Hillyer to be quiet and unassuming - today, he had been neither.

Lord Hillyer looked up as Dumbledore spoke, his voice quiet and understanding. "This crime can have but one victim, Joseph. Are you sure about this?"

Hillyer's eyes went back to Sirius, as he was secured to the chair. "Albus, I've never been more sure." He spoke quietly, but with conviction that once more surprised the Chief Warlock.

Madam Bones convened the court proceedings, dispensing with the preliminaries rapidly. Finally, she addressed the accused.

"Sirius Black, you stand accused of the betrayal of House Potter, said betrayal leading to the deaths of the Lord and Lady of that house, and the attempted murder of the Heir and last scion of that house." She leaned forward at her podium. "If convicted by this court, you will be remanded to the custody of the Goblin Nation, where you will face justice under their laws. Do you understand?"

Sirius looked her in the eye. "Why the goblins?"

"One of your victims is a citizen of the Goblin Nation."

The Wizengamot watched as Sirius Black nodded. "I deny the charges." he said, simply. Shouts of anger fell quiet under the steely gaze of Madam Bones, who turned back to the accused.

"Do you plead not guilty, then?"

"That's what I said, is it not?" Sirius replied. Amelia nodded, and the scribe made a notation in the record.

"The Director of the Goblin Nation has demanded that you be given veritaserum." It was not a request, but Sirius' chuckle was answer enough.

"Finally!" was his reply, surprising many - but not all. Mockridge caught Lord Hillyer nodding again, as if he had expected that. Aurors came forward to administer the truth potion, and Madam Bones took up the questioning.

After the innocuous questions about his name, his age, his profession, and so on, Madam Bones got to the meat of the accusations.

"Did you betray the Potters?"

"No. I swore an oath to protect Harry Potter at all costs."

"What oath?"

"It was the Godfather's Oath, bound by Lily Potter."

"Were you the secret keeper under Fidelius for the Potters when they went into hiding?"

"Yes," and here, amidst a gasp from the members, Mockridge and Harry Spellforged both felt their hearts nearly stop dead, before Sirius continued. "I was the secret keeper at Potter Manor."

Amelia nodded. "And when the Fidelius was cast at the cottage in Godric's Hollow?"

"No."

"Why did you switch secret keepers?"

"It was known that I was their secret keeper, so we let it be known that I remained so when they moved to Godric's Hollow. In this, I served as a decoy. If the Death Eaters learned that I was the secret keeper, we would know that we had been betrayed, while the true secret keeper would remain safe."

Amelia took a deep breath. "And who actually was the secret keeper under Fidelius at Godric's Hollow?"

"Peter Pettigrew." More gasps of shock from the members, enough to almost drown out the next question.

"Was Peter Pettigrew a Death Eater?"

"I don't know. But seeing as he was secret keeper, he had to be the one to betray the Potters. No one else could have done so."

Amelia closed her notebook, as she asked the final question. "Are you now, or have you ever been, a Death Eater?"

The veritaserum had worn off just enough, at that point, to allow some freedom of movement in the accused. His eyes lost some of their glaze, and he looked around for a moment. Seeing one of the auror guards, he nodded, and watched as the burly auror ripped the sleeve of his robes. Though pale and dirty, the forearm was clearly unmarked.

"Nope." Sirius said, proudly.

Amelia Bones looked at the Minister for Magic, who stood stock still, his eyes focused on Sirius Black as if wishing intensely enough would make the man disappear. "Minister?"

Fudge, grasping for any option, took the only available choice. He stalled. "Does anyone speak for the victim?" Dumbledore's eyes went to Lord Hillyer, and so he missed the hooded figure in the visitor's seats. The gasps around him caused him to turn back, where he found Harry Spellforged staring back at him with an intense gaze. Before he could say anything, Harry spoke.

"I Speak as the victim, Minister Fudge." The boy stepped into the aisle, walking forward to the rail, before an auror let him onto the floor of the Wizengamot. He did not wear the purple robes of the Wizengamot, nor did he wear his school robes. Instead, he had chosen to wear black robes with three crests - House Potter and Clan Ragnok, with a smaller crest for House Black. Apart from that crest, there was nothing on the boy that said 'Goblin', and yet every movement and every word was almost intensely Goblin in manner.

As Harry began his set piece, Mockridge thought that, if he closed his eyes, he might envision a Goblin speaking.

"I am Harry Spellforged, the son of James and Lily Potter, adopted son of Clan Ragnok, Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black, and Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter." He walked calmly, slowly, almost pacing the floor, daring one of the members to challenge his right to speak. He pointed a finger at Sirius, who sat stunned at the vision of his Godson before him.

"This man is my sworn Godfather. He was given home and hearth at Potter Manor in his sixth year, taken in by my grandparents, brother in all but blood to my father, James Potter. " He turned his eyes to the membership. "My adopted father, Director Ragnok, promised that the betrayer of the Potters would see Goblin Justice. In this, he spoke truth - but thankfully, today is not that day." He turned first to Madam Bones, then Minister Fudge, and giving both a deep bow. "We thank you, Director Bones, Minister Fudge, for helping to correct this travesty of justice." Harry gave Sirius a wink before resuming his seat.

Lord Greengrass rose. "Madam Bones, given what we have heard…" His voice trailed off as Madam Bones stood. This was the tricky part - for Ragnok had not been at all certain that a vote would go their way, even with veritaserum. But the DMLE could simply drop the charges entirely, if the Director saw fit to do so.

"In light of the testimony given today, all charges against Sirius Orion Black for the betrayal of the Potters are hereby dismissed." It took seven minutes to bring the room back to order, or at least enough order to adjourn the session. Harry Spellforged ignored the members congratulating him as he walked to the center of the room, where Sirius Black still stood in shock.

They stood in the center of the chamber, facing each other. Sirius saw the boy he had held as a baby, grown to a proud…. Goblin? Harry, meanwhile, stood facing the man he had hated as long as he had known his name. After a moment, almost as if Spellforged had been talking himself into it, the boy whispered.

"Uncle Padfoot?"

Then the two men hugged, and the chamber stopped mattering.

oOoOoOoOo

"Auntie, we owe you one."

Madam Bones sipped her tea, waving off the notion. "I was just doing my job, Harry."

Harry nodded, taking a sip of his own tea before setting the cup on the Director's desk. "I know. But answer me this, Madam Bones - if you had found the empty trial record, the misfiled paper, the false documents that kept Sirius in Azkaban? Just, you know, stumbled across them during an unrelated search. Could you have gotten him a trial?"

Amelia Bones considered her Godson. He had had such a long day, but had handled it well. Tea in her office had been the least she could do for her Godson, after that performance.

"Harry, even with a wizard as a victim instead of a Goblin, I think I could have justified a trial here. And once the facts were out, getting Sirius free was simple. Did you notice that no one objected? Not even Lord Malfoy."

Harry nodded. "I think my claim of being the Heir Black shocked him - which is why I mentioned it. Father was convinced he'd object to that."

Amelia smirked. "How much does he owe you?"

Harry shrugged innocently. "10 Galleons." They both laughed at that - the side bets between father and son had grown their own legend over the years.

After a moment, Harry took another sip of his tea. "There is one question I had, though, Auntie."

"Of course."

"Lord Greengrass, I understand his support, his house has voted with House Potter and Longbottom in the past, and his wife was friends with my mother."

"True so far. Don't forget to thank him for that, by the way."

"Of course, Auntie. But who is Lord Hillyer? He seemed pretty adamant about supporting us, and I don't recall anything about him or his house."

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"No," replied Harry. "Sirius is getting checked out at Saint Mungo's."

Madam Bones rolled her eyes. "No, I mean you don't know Lord Hillyer?"

Harry shook his head. "I've studied the ministry, but we figured I'd have several years before needing to get involved in anything dealing with the Wizengamot. Who is he?"

Amelia Bones set her cup down. "Harry, Lord Hillyer votes as the Proxy for House Potter." She looked at him intently. "He votes for your house."


A/N: If the Potters switched secret keepers, it stands to reason that Sirius was at one point a Secret Keeper. Amelia and Sirius prepared quite well - perhaps there is a bottle of scotch in her future, as well.

This is one of the chapters I've had in my head for a while, and part of why I kept writing and writing this week. Lots of moving parts here. Theories and Wild Speculation are both welcome in the reviews, as always.