Unspoken
by Teddylonglong
Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.
"Oh Merlin, Albus will be in for a rough awakening, when Harry comes to Hogwarts." Minerva smirked after hearing Harry's and Connie's story from Rebecca.
Artemis smirked. "Don't worry, Professor. We'll teach him to play the innocent eleven-year-old in front of the headmaster."
Harry inwardly grinned, when a sudden thought pressed itself to the front of his mind. "Eh, Professor? Will I be able to bring Lucy to Hogwarts with me?"
"She is your familiar, isn't she?"
"Yes."
"Then you may of course bring her with you, although we usually don't accept dogs, considering that there are several cats living in the castle."
"Lucy is used to cats. She sometimes visits with Mrs. Figg, and she has lots of cats."
Rebecca nodded. "Yes, Lucy always exchanges kisses with some of them."
HP
During the adults' conversation following dinner, while the children took a nap on the sofa in the living room together with Lucy, the topic of Harry's parents and their friends came up.
"I really don't believe that Sirius did what he's said to have done." Rebecca said, letting out a deep sigh.
"Unfortunately, we don't have a way to prove it," Artemis added.
"Oh right, you were in the same year as the Marauders," Minerva recalled, sighing. "As much of a mischief maker as he was at Hogwarts, personally, I don't think Sirius would murder anyone, let alone give Lily and James away to Voldemort. Did he even receive a trial?"
Rebecca shook her head. "No. Dumbledore was so fast to force his theory of Sirius' guilt upon everyone that he was simply sent to Azkaban without any trial or whatever."
Minerva shook her head in apparent annoyance. "Is there nothing that the Unspeakables can do about it?"
"As of tomorrow, Amelia is going to be the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Perhaps, we could ask her for a trial for him, but I don't know her well, even if she was in the year before us."
"I know her quite well, even if I wasn't aware of her new position." Minerva nodded in apparent eagerness. "I shall contact her and ask for a trial for him."
Rebecca nodded. "Thank you, Minerva. That's all we can ask for. Please do not alert Dumbledore to the matter, and if Amelia needs the Unspeakables' assistance, please tell her to contact Whisker or Felina."
"I will," the professor promised, smiling.
HP
Amelia Bones entered her new office with trepidation. 'I hope I'll mange to be a good department head,' she thought. In fact, the main reason why she had volunteered to become the head had not been because she was what people might think of as a career woman, but because she wanted justice. Her predecessor had allowed for people to be thrown into Azkaban without as much as a trial.
This had, for example, happened to Sirius Black, her co Auror and fiancé a few years ago. Even to this day, she was fully convinced of his innocence, but as a young Auror who had just only finished her Auror training, there had been nothing that she could do about it.
'Time to remedy some things,' she resolved, as she settled down behind her new desk, uttering an absentminded thanks to the house-elf, who brought a cup of tea along with a couple of scones for her. She almost chocked on her first bite into the scone, however, when the fireplace flared.
'Who is going to visit at seven o'clock in the morning on the second of January?' she thought in disbelief that turned into surprise upon seeing the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts step out of the fireplace.
"Minerva," she greeted the older witch and motioned her to take a seat. "Would you like some tea along with a scone?"
"I'd appreciate it." The woman seemed strangely excited. "I came here before breakfast to speak with you, before everyone else might want to congratulate you." A rare smile played on the older witch's lips, as she accepted the tea from the house-elf.
"On New Year's Eve, I had the opportunity to spend the evening with two Unspeakables. They pointed out to me that Sirius Black never had a trial. I still don't believe that he did what he is accused of. Therefore, I'd like to ask you to see to it that he gets one. You're now in the position to grant him as much. Sorry for coming this early on your first day in your new position, but I didn't want to alert Albus to my absence. As you might know, the students are going to return to Hogwarts tonight."
Amelia nodded in understanding, before she smiled at the older witch. "I believe in his innocence, too, which is the main reason why I accepted this position. I will see to it that he gets a trial as soon as possible. Can you tell me the names of the Unspeakables you have been in contact with?"
Minerva nodded. "Felina and Whisker. They offered to support you if there was anything they could do."
They spent a few more minutes talking about this and that, while they finished their tea and scones, before Minerva took her leave, thanking her profusely.
HP
'Now, that was interesting,' Amelia thought, deciding to head to the Unspeakables' office right away.
Five minutes later, she knocked at the door to Croaker's office, relieved, when she was called in swiftly.
"Good morning, Croaker, I am sorry to disturb you so early in the morning."
Croaker chuckled. "Good morning, Amelia. In fact, for me, it's not early, as we have two energetic Mini Unspeakables who often arrive as early as five o'clock, apparently before their guardians have even realised that they're gone."
"At five o'clock?" Amelia's eyes widened in surprise. "May I ask how old they are?"
"Five."
"Oh Merlin," Amelia replied in disbelief. "That's Susan's age, and she would never get up as early. I am glad that we have a very responsible house-elf, who wakes her up to be on time for school and still have breakfast before leaving. But sorry, I don't want to keep you longer than necessary. I'd like to speak with Felina and Whisker concerning a trial for Sirius Black."
Croaker nodded in apparent understanding. "They will be happy to hear that. Let me call them here."
"Thank you, Croaker."
A few minutes later, two Unspeakables bustled into the room. They sounded happy to see her and to hear that she was going to set up a belated trial for Sirius. However, they did not have any more information than herself but could only encourage her, stating that they deemed Sirius uncapable of murder.
HP
"Whisker," Felina sighed, when they returned to their team room. "What can we do to prevent Sirius from becoming Harry's guardian? He and Regina have become a family now, and we can't take that from them."
Whisker nodded in apparent understanding. "It's not only him and Regina, but you and I and above all Connie and her parents belong to his family now. There are two things you need to do. First of all, fetch Regina and take her to Buckbean. He will help her to officially adopt Harry. Secondly, ask Buckbean to make it impossible for anyone, even the godfather, to take Harry away from the family."
He remained pensive, while they had already reached the door to the team room, before he continued, "Let her try to take the ladyship over the Lestrange family. Even as a Squib, it might be possible if she has a magical heir, if the ring won't accept her anyway, considering that even a Squib has a certain amount of magic, even if only up to about two percent. If the ring won't accept her, you can become the head of the family and put Harry under the protection of the Lestrange family. It shouldn't be a problem, considering that your brothers are in Azkaban after being convicted in a proper trial. Once one of you is the head, kick your brothers and sister-in-law out."
"Thanks, Whisker, you're the best."
They quickly entered the team room and lowered their hoods, before Rebecca pulled Artemis into a much deserved, passionate kiss.
They only parted, when Nicholas cleared his throat. "Am I disturbing something?"
"Ah, sorry for that, Nicholas. I'll be away for an hour or two." Pulling her hood over, Rebecca popped right into Regina's living room, turning invisible on the way, only to make herself visible upon confirming that Regina was alone.
HP
"Rebecca!" Regina greeted her sister, smiling. "What a nice surprise. Or did something happen to Harry?"
"No, Harry is fine after having breakfast with Croaker at five o'clock in the morning." Rebecca chuckled.
"He what? Oh, sorry, I didn't even realise… When I woke up and went to his room, he was already gone. Too bad that I can't do magic and put a spell on him that would alert me the instant he woke up."
"Now, first of all, we've got other things to do. Are you free for an hour or two?"
"Yes." Regina stared at her sister with a strange kind of foreboding. "What do you want me to do?"
Rebecca gave her a detailed explanation about Harry, Sirius and their relationship, before she suggested that Regina should adopt Harry.
"But I don't even know if Harry wants me to adopt him." Regina felt extremely uncertain. Even if the boy had become a son by all but blood to her, she didn't know what he felt.
Rebecca had the gall to chuckle. "Regina, do you remember what he called you, when you woke him up shortly before midnight on New Year's Eve? He called you Mum."
Regina rolled her eyes. "Oh, believe me, I know that, and I felt very happy about it, but still. He's only five, and he was fast asleep at that time."
"Still, he wouldn't have called you that if he didn't see you as his mother now. Anyway, are you coming?"
Regina shook her head. "No. Please let me speak with Harry first."
HP
Rebecca inwardly groaned at her sister's stubbornness. 'In spite of being a mind healer, she is horribly insecure herself,' she thought, before she telepathically contacted Harry, even though she knew that he would not be able to reply.
'Harry, can you please excuse yourself from Lorenzo for a minute and pop home quickly? Your Mum urgently needs to ask you something. You can leave Lucy and Connie there; you'll be back right away.'
They waited in silence for a moment, before Harry arrived by his Portkey.
"It's good that you didn't turn yourself invisible, as that would be magic, which you're still not allowed to do," she commended the five-year-old, before she looked at her sister in expectation.
A small smile crossed the child's face, before he, too, looked at Regina.
"Rebecca, will you please explain?"
Rebecca nodded and told Harry everything about his godfather and about Whisker's suggestion of having Regina adopt him.
As she had expected, Harry nodded in apparent delight.
"Harry, would you like to officially become my son?" Regina cast him a sharp look.
"Yes, Mum. I'd love that." Harry grinned broadly.
Rebecca smirked. "Thanks Harry. You may return to the Unspeakables' office then. It might be that Buckbean will call you over to Gringotts in a short while. In that case, either a goblin or I will come to fetch you."
Regina shook her head. "It's hard to believe that he's only five years old. The Unspeakables have really taught him well."
"I don't think anyone has ever received such thorough training as Harry. If it wasn't Artemis and I who are trying to invent a method of time travel, I'd say he has spent two or three years in a different time being trained by either very experienced wizards and witches or Unspeakables."
Regina stared at her, wide-eyed. "But his body is that of a five-year-old."
"Have you ever heard of aging and de-aging potions? Easy, Regina, relax. I don't think that it happened, I just pointed out that it would be a possibility, because he seems so understanding and in a way grown-up. Perhaps, it's only because of his treatment by the Dursleys. Anyway, let's go to see Buckbean."
Receiving a nod from her sister, Rebecca turned them both invisible, before she popped them right in front of Buckbean's office. Knocking at the door, she made them visible again.
HP
"The Lestrange sisters," Buckbean greeted them, "may your gold always flow and your enemies shudder under your intellectual superiority."
Rebecca chuckled. "Touché. May other humans cower before you. Now as to the reason for our intruding into your office, my sister wishes to adopt Harry and to try if the Lestrange ring might accept her as the Lady Lestrange in spite of being a Squib."
If Buckbean was surprised, he did not show it. He pressed a barely noticeable button on his desk, causing another goblin to swiftly enter the office. Buckbean gave a couple of instructions, which Rebecca did not understand. 'Oh, that's something that Connie could study if she was bored,' she thought. 'The various languages of the creatures in the Unspeakables' office.'
Before she could further pursue the idea, the goblin returned and placed a thick folder as well as a small box in front of Buckbean. He nodded at his colleague, before he pushed the box over to Regina.
"Ms. Lestrange, please try the ring on to see if it will accept you first."
Noticing that Regina looked at her, Rebecca nodded, reassuringly. "Do it."
She observed, patiently, how Regina slowly pulled the box over and hesitantly took the ring and slid it over her ring finger, almost as if she expected that it would blow up into her face if she did so. However, a faint, golden glow surrounded her, as the ring adjusted itself to the correct size. It was weak, but it was clearly there.
'She did it. Wow,' Rebecca thought in amazement.
"Congratulations, Lady Lestrange." Buckbean cast her sister a toothy smile. "You are now the head of the Lestrange family. If I may suggest something?"
"Yes please. While I've grown up in the magical world until the age of eleven, I am still a Squib."
Buckbean nodded. "I suggest making your sister your regent for the Lestrange seat on the Wizengamot."
"Yes please."
"Buckbean, I haven't used my real name, ever since I finished Hogwarts."
"Isn't it time to remedy that now, considering that your sister is the head of House Lestrange, that you have a magical nephew and a fiancé?"
Rebecca sighed, but nodded, quietly.
"Secondly, I suggest removing your brothers and your sister-in-law from the family."
"Yes please."
"Thirdly, I suggest putting Harry and Connie as well as her parents under the protection of the Lestrange family."
"Yes please. I also wish to adopt Harry as my son."
Buckbean let out a sigh. "I'm afraid that this is not possible."
Regina cast her sister a grateful nod, when she asked, "Buckbean, are you joking? Why can't Regina adopt Harry?"
Buckbean let out a deep sigh. "In the British magical world, you can only adopt minors. However, the magical world recognises Harry as an adult, even if he has not taken up the lordship of House Potter yet."
"Buckbean, he is five! Five!" Rebecca all but growled.
"Magic recognises him as an adult due to his marriage bonding to Connie Potter, née Cox."
"Oh Merlin." Regina let out a deep sigh. "That means, however, that Sirius Black won't be able to take him from me, doesn't it?"
Buckbean nodded, smiling. "Yes, Lady Lestrange. You can add him and Connie to the Lestrange family as your son and daughter-in-law in any case. You just can't adopt him, because magic considers him an adult."
"Thanks, Buckbean. You're the best." Rebecca let out a sigh of relief.
They spent a few more minutes talking about this and that, during which Buckbean suggested that either the goblins or the Unspeakables should check out the Lestrange vault, before Regina should even consider entering it. "Knowing your brothers and sister-in-law, I can only imagine what kind of dangerous artefacts they might have stored in the family vault.
"Let's make it a task for Team 13," Rebecca replied, "whenever Ninja will be available."
"I'll see to it," Buckbean promised.
'Who in the world is Ninja?' Regina wondered, however, deducted from the conversation that it had to be the Unspeakable name of either Buckbean himself or one of his colleagues.
HP
A few days later, Sirius Black's trial was announced for Saturday morning. Minerva feigned innocence, when Albus asked her about it.
"I wonder why Sirius Black is going to have a trial all of a sudden. He's already been in Azkaban for more than four years."
Minerva shook her head, feigning confusion. "That is strange indeed. Did he not have a trial four years ago?"
Albus shook his head. "No, he did not, as it was evident that he was the Potters' Secret Keeper and killed Pettigrew as well as the muggles. The Aurors caught him in flagrante, when he blew up the street."
"I've asked Filius to guard the school for us, as I will take my own seat on the Wizengamot for the trial."
"Ah but I don't think that is necessary," Albus had the gall to reply in his grandfatherly voice.
"Oh, it is. He was in my house, and he is Harry Potter's godfather. This very well concerns me."
"Harry will have to remain with his relatives in any case," Albus replied, strictly, before he explained something about Lily's sacrifice and blood wards, which Minerva did not want to hear at all.
While she had been good friends with Albus for almost fifty years, his actions concerning young Harry had made her think a lot during the last months, especially after meeting Harry on New Year's Eve.
"I will attend, and that's my last word on this matter," she replied, clearly showing him her character as the Scottish lioness she was.
HP
While Wizengamot meetings were often boring, this time, Minerva followed the events with interest. The trial began delayed, because Amelia Bones had introduced a new member to the Wizengamot. Rebecca Lestrange had taken up the Lestrange seat as regent for Regina Lestrange, the new Lady Lestrange.
At first, Albus as the head of the Wizengamot had tried to question the claim, stating that the Lestrange seat had been empty ever since the Lestrange brothers had been convicted and sent to Azkaban. "I have never heard of a Regina Lestrange."
"Albus, in my capacity as head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I assure you that their claim is valid. Now, without further delay, I open the trial for Sirius Black. Aurors, please bring him in."
Minerva inwardly shuddered upon seeing Sirius. The always happy and mischievous student, who had caused a fair share of her grey hair – about that she was certain – seemed unkempt and dirty. 'The poor boy,' she thought, relieved when it was Amelia herself who lead the trial.
Before she could even begin to question Sirius, however, he spoke up. "Meli, please question me under Veritaserum. It wasn't me. It was Peter. He was their Secret Keeper, and he killed them all, before he transformed into his rat Animagus form and fled."
Amelia turned to the Wizengamot. "Dear members, will you allow me to question the convict under Veritaserum?"
"Ah, but Amelia, I don't believe that is necessary."
Ignoring Albus' comment, Amelia asked for a quick and open vote, and Minerva happily raised her hand together with eighty percent of the members.
During his questioning, it became quickly evident that Sirius was innocent and had wrongly been sent to Azkaban. The trial was a quick affair, and Sirius was told he was free to go and received a compensation of fifty thousand Galleons, roughly one thousand for each month of his unjust imprisonment.
Amelia even offered him his former position as an Auror back.
"Thanks, but I'm not sure if I wish to work in such a corrupt system that allows innocents to be sent to Azkaban without as much as a trial."
"Sirius." Minerva approached her former student.
"Minnie." He cast her a broad smile.
"The system is not corrupt anymore. Amelia has been installed as head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement two weeks ago, and her first action on her first day in office was to see to it that you'd get your trial."
"That's true." Amelia smiled. "Thank you, Minerva."
"Thanks, Meli. Now, where is Harry? Where is my godson? And where is Remus?"
Minerva smirked. "Good luck finding them. Concerning Harry, Albus will have to answer to you. I suggest that you make yourself presentable and visit him after dinner tonight."
'I'll make sure to be there, as I'm not going to miss that conversation,' she thought in amusement.
HP
'Dumbledore,' Sirius growled, as he stepped through the fireplace into the small cottage he owned in the North of Scotland. 'He should have known that I wasn't the Secret Keeper, as he cast the Fidelius charm himself.' He glanced around, noticing in relief that everything looked as he had left it more than four years ago. 'Oh well, I really need a shower, and then I'm going to pay Remus a visit,' he resolved.
In fact, after finishing Hogwarts, he had bought two adjacent cottages right behind the dunes on the Scottish coast, one for himself and one for Remus. There was no street leading to it, and the area was surrounded by forest and of course, the sea, absolutely safe for a werewolf to roam. 'I hope he's still living there,' he thought, when he put on proper clothes for the first time in years. 'Perhaps, he even knows where to find Harry.'
"Sirius!" his remaining best friend exclaimed with a combination of surprise, horror and hope clearly written in his face.
"Remus, don't fret. I had a trial this morning, and I'm free."
An instant later, they were lying in each other's arms.