A/N: Most characters and the main plot belongs to J.K Rowling.
Harry woke up quite nervously, today was the day of his Godfather's trial. He had prepared a few lines in defence of him, he just had to hope some of the subjects came up. He knew that it shouldn't really be a problem, seen as he would be questioned under Veritasyrum, and that should be proof enough that the man was innocent.
He knew the former Death Eaters who had claimed to be under the Imperius curse would try going against the man, they'd probably come up with a bunch of things to say against Sirius, Harry just hoped that people would be logical, and not believe them, besides, the things they would undoubtedly accuse him of would be able to be verified as part of his questioning under Veritasyrum.
He had made it his future mission to lock up all the Death Eaters that had claimed to be under the curse, well those who were lying at least, he just hoped that Voldemort didn't come back before then, because that would mean some of his most loyal followers would be with yet again. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he had to try, just to put away some of the people that had followed the man responsible for the death of his parents.
At this point, Harry decided that it was time for him to get up. He got up quietly as to not wake Ernwhistle up, he had said just last night that he had heard Harey wake up early quite a few times, he obviously wasn't a very heavy sleeper. Next, he went on with his normal morning routine, as he got out of the shower, he made sure to put on his formal robes as it would only be the proper thing to do, as Neville had pointed out. When that was done, he made his way down to the common room. Hermione wasn't there, but she wouldn't be long he guessed looking at his watch.
Turned out that he was right, as Hermione came down the stairs just a few seconds later. When she saw him, she sent him a smile. "Good morning Harry, how did you sleep ?" she asked, the smile never leaving her face. Harry took a guess at it being out of nervousness, he knew she was just as nervous as him, even though she didn't even know the man, but she wanted him free for her friend who she considered her brother.
"It was okay I guess, woke up a bit earlier than expected, but that doesn't matter, Sirius will be free later" he responded with a smile of his own. Hermione nodded at this, she understood what this would mean to him. "Wanna go get some breakfast ?" he asked her, while his stomach grumbled out of hunger.
She let out a little chuckle, and responded "You're always hungry aren't you, come on, let's go"
They both left out through the door to Ravenclaw tower, and headed off to the Great Hall. The journey was made mostly in silence, the only noise was the clicking of their shoes against the stone floor, and Hermione's persistent question of how he was holding up. He made sure to tell her he was fine every time, but he knew she saw the nervousness in both his moves, and his voice.
The Hall was nearly empty, there were only two other students in there, and Professor McGonagall. They both sat down at the closest end of the Ravenclaw table, normally they would be down in the middle of it. Harry piled some food onto his plate, as much as he would eat on a normal day, but today, as he was going to start eating, he felt like he couldn't eat. He was hungry, that was sure, but his nervousness overtook his hunger, and he didn't eat much. "Eat Harry, I know you're not in the mood for eating, but it'll keep you in good shape for the hearing" Hermione said, Harry nodded and began eating, not much, but he ate nonetheless.
Students had started to pour into the Great Hall, and it was beginning to get quite loud. Harry had to be in Dumbledore's office for 9.40 A.M again, there he would meet both Remus and Dumbledore, they would all head to the Ministry together. The Headmaster being Chief Warlock had to be there, and Harry and Remus were going to be in the visitors section, they knew they would be called upon by Amelia Bones, so they had both prepared a few things.
Neville came over to offer his support, but Harry wasn't really paying attention to what the boy was saying, he knew he should have, but he was too distracted. Hermione shrugged at Neville who understood why Harry wasn't very concentrated, he didn't blame him, if his gran was in something like this he would be the same, even if she was stern about every aspect of his life, she was still his Gran.
9.30 had never come slower, Harry had barely spoken to anyone since he left the common room, he was twirling his fork in his hands because his nerves didn't allow him to stay put. He got up, and began his trek to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle leading to the office was there in no time, he didn't think he had ever gotten there in so little time, he had probably done it in the same amount of time, but he just didn't see the time fly. He said the password which was currently 'Mars Bar', it seemed the headmaster liked muggle chocolates too.
He walked up the stairs, and knocked on the door. Remus was the person to open the door. He too wore extremely formal robes, well especially for him, Harry remembered the clothes he'd worn on their first encounter. The money his parents had left the man in their will was going to good use.
"Hello Harry, how are you ?" the man asked while giving a hug to Harry. They had grown quite close since they had met, it had come as quite the surprise to Harry, he wasn't usually the sort of person to warm up to people quickly. Well he guessed he had done with both Neville and Hermione, so that must have changed this year, although he didn't exactly have the chance before Hogwarts because of his whale of a cousin.
"A bit nervous, but apart from that, I'm fine, what about you ?" he asked pulling away from the hug.
"Well I'm fine, also a bit nervous, I'm just a bit on edge, the full moon was two days ago, I can still feel the effects if the transformation, I've still got pains all over my body. But that doesn't matter, not today anyways, right now we have to go to the Ministry." The two of them began making their way to the fireplace, but was stopped by Dumbledore, who thought it was necessary to say 'Hello'. Harry of course, responded to the man, he didn't dislike him, he didn't like him either, but he needed him in his life if he was to reach his full potential.
After a quick conversation, Remus urged them to continue when they reached the Ministry, they didn't want to be late. The other two agreed, and made their way through the blazing green fire.
They once again stepped out at the Atrium to the Ministry, and waited for each other. Remus was last to appear, he waved his wand over his suit, and got rid of the soot, Dumbledore had already done it to both his and Harry's suits, well a funny coloured cloak in Dumbledore's case. His cloak was a midnight purple with sickly yellow stars loving around him, it was like he was aiming for a muggle depiction of a Merlin look.
Harry, Remus and Dumbledore all went through the Ministry, down to the courtrooms. They were in courtroom 6, Dumbledore had informed them. The trip was mostly done in silence. As they went down each floor in the elevator, a feminine voice would call out the level they were on, and the offices on each floor. As they reached their destination, she called out "Level Ten: Wizengamot Courtrooms". Together, the three men made their way to the selected courtroom. This level was much darker than the other levels, sure all the floors were all tiled with black, but at least they had other colours too, down here, it was pure black with a few lights lining the walls. Harry made sure to keep close to the two adults.
He had just realised that as an eleven-year-old boy, he was involved in quite a few things, if you told him a year ago that he would have done everything he had this year, plus all the things that had happened to him, he would have called you mental, he would have said that he would forever be a freak, and that he didn't deserve anything, that was the sort of thing the Dursleys had imprinted into his head. He was glad to never having to go back there, he knew Dumbledore would try to make him go back, but he wouldn't, he had people who cared for him now. Plus, he already owned a few properties, so he could go there anytime he wanted, he was sure that he would be able to lock Dumbledore out if he tried.
The three of them entered the courtroom, around half the expected people had turned up. Harry looked up at the Wizengamot, and he could clearly tell the different factions apart, to the left, there was the dark faction, there weren't many people there for now, but he could clearly see Lord Malfoy, he was talking to the minister, it seemed like he was trying to convince the man to throw Sirius straight back to prison. Harry knew why, the Malfoys believed that they were next in line to claim the Black fortune, of course they were wrong about that, Harry would make that clear during the trial, he planned on using his political influence, and his fame to get Sirius' innocence. He knew he shouldn't, but he didn't really care.
More people started coming in, Harry noticed Amelia Bones walk in, she looked over at him, and gave him a nod, which Harry returned. His leg started bouncing up and down of its own accord out of nervousness. "Calm down Harry, it's all going to be fine, you'll see" Remus said in a reassuring voice. Harry closed his eyes, and took deep breaths, he needed to seem serious here, this was his chance to begin changing the world, to get rid of all the prejudices.
There were some reporters who appeared around the whole courtroom, ready to make the most out of this story, they all knew it would be big if Sirius turned out to be innocent, especially considering the fact that they had locked up one of their own Lords, a highly important one at that. The courtroom seemed to be full now, and when everyone noticed this, they all went silent.
"Greetings prestigious members of the Wizengamot." Dumbledore began, power radiating off of him, it seemed to silence the few who were still talking. Harry was amazed at this display, he wished he could do that. "We are all united here today, on the 18th of May 1992, to conduct the trial of one Sirius Orion Black, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. It has come to lights that he may have been wrongfully imprisoned in a high security cell in Azkaban for the past 10 years." A load of people shivered just from imagining the place, Harry shivered remembering it, if he could avoid it for the rest of his life, he would.
"Bring in the prisoner" Amelia Bones said loudly, in a strict voice. Two men dressed in red robes left the courtroom out of the back door. The talking resumed for a bit, until the two men returned with a third, the third being Sirius Black. He looked much healthier than he did the last time Harry had seen him. He had a smile coated on his face, although he did try to keep it Sirius, ehm serious, Harry reminded himself. The two men place him on the chair that was in the middle of the room, and chains locked themselves around his wrists. Sirius looked down at his wrists, and let out a small sigh.
"Lord Black, do you agree to questioning under Veritasyrum ?" Madam Bones asked.
"Oh, skipping pleasantries are we ?" Amelia sent him a glare that clearly said 'Shut up, or I'll drag you back to Azkaban without a trial'. "Fine, yes I do." A few people chuckled at Sirius' response, some of them had known him at school, and they were glad that Azkaban hadn't removed his sense of humour. One of the men in red pulled out a small vial out of his pocket, and poured three drops of the liquid into Sirius' mouth. A few seconds later, his eyes glazed over, and he stopped moving.
"What is your name ?" Amelia began with the questioning, these were just warm up questions.
"Sirius Orion Black"
"When were you born ?"
"The 3rd of November 1959" At this Amelia looked over at her assistant who nodded, Harry assumed she was just making sure that what Sirius had said was right.
"What was your house at Hogwarts ?"
"Griffindor"
"That'll do for the test questions, now, were you the secret keeper to James and Lily Potters house ?" Everyone sat on the edge of their seat at this, they didn't want to miss a word which was said, especially the journalists.
"No, it was meant to be me, but then we switched to try and fool Voldemort and his Death Eaters." Some gasps were heard in the room at this, they knew that things were about to go downhill at this
"Who was the secret keeper then ?"
"Peter Pettigrew" more gasps were heard at this, some of them now understood why the man had killed him, well that's what they believed for now anyways.
"Are you, or were you ever a Death Eater ?"
"No."
"Did you kill the 13 muggles and Peter Pettigrew ?"
"No, I was going to kill Peter, but then he blew up the street, cut off one of his fingers, and escaped through the sewers" There weren't even gasps at this, most peoples' mouths were gaping open as it was, some however, had faces white as a sheet of paper.
"How did he get into the sewers ?"
"He used his animagus form to escape."
Amelia looked at her assistant again, looking for confirmation on something, and the assistant shook her head. "Mr Pettigrew wasn't an animagus, how do you explain this ?" Amelia of course knew the whole story, Sirius had told her at the same time as he had told Remus and Harry, but this was just for formality.
"He was unregistered, along with me and James, we used it to help out a friend" Harry noticed Remus relax at this, Harry knew that he didn't want his condition to be known to the world.
"Very well, are there any other questions ?" Amelia asked looking around at everyone. "Good, now is there anything someone has to say against Lord Black. Several people on the left side lifted their hands. Amelia pointed at Malfoy first.
"Members of the Wizengamot, we would not send a man away to Azkaban for no reason in the first place, no less Lord Black, surely there must be a reason behind his sentencing." Lucius had a smirk on his face as multiple people began speaking to the people around them about what he had just said. At that point, Harry decided to intervene, so he stood up, to show that he was ready to speak on behalf of Lord Black.
"Please sit down Lord Malfoy, There is someone in the visitors section who wished to defend Lord Black." Malfoy looked annoyed at this, and it didn't go unnoticed by the large majority of the courtroom.
"Esteemed members of the Wizengamot," people looked surprised to see the Boy-Who-Lived walking down from the spectator's section "I am Harry Potter, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Peverell, and Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black" Malfoy was just about ready to pounce on the boy, it was his family's right, not the right of some half-blood scum.
The rest of the members of the Wizengamot had their eyes popping out of their sockets at this, it was rare for someone to hold so many titles. Whispering broke out all through the courtroom about the boy who had killed the Dark Lord.
"Order !" Dumbledore shouted out pouting his wand at his throat to magically enhance his voice.
"Thank you Professor. I am just here to inform you that, opposed to what Lord Malfoy said, Lord Black did not receive a trial before being sent to Azkaban, so what Lord Malfoy previously said, is incorrect, he was sent to Azkaban without proof, in a high-security cell at that. As proof, I'm sure nobody here can say that they were at Lord Black supposed trial before being sent to the Prison." Harry waited for a response, but none came "I thought not. In light of what has been revealed here today, I move that you all take a vote on Lord Black's sentence, but I assure you that he is innocent." He went back up to the spectator's area, and sat back down.
"Does anyone else have something to say on the matter ?" She looked around the whole courtroom, and noticed that nobody had anything to say, she did notice however that Malfoy was burning with rage, and she could just about see the gears turning in his head, searching for an answer. Before he could say anything however, Amelia spoke up.
"I call for a vote, those who agree to clear the accused of all charges, raise your hands." Most hands in the room lifted their hands, even most of the Dark faction had, only after seeing that it wasn't possible for them to win it over though. "Those who wish to sentence the accused ?" No hands went up, those who hadn't raised their hands on the first call, didn't bother, as it would just paint a bad picture upon them.
"Dumbledore banged his gavel three times, and called out "Cleared of all charges ! However, I believe that lord Black should be compensated for his time lost. I propose 500,000 galleons." Everyone quickly nodded at this, they knew that it was pointless going against that, even if they wanted to.
Everyone started getting up and leaving, Harry and Remus however, made their way down to the seat where Sirius was currently being unlocked from. As soon as he was in reaching distance, Sirius pulled Harry into a hug. "We did it pup' !"
A/N: Thank you for the reviews, follows and favourites, I appreciate them greatly.Replies:About there being punishment against Dumbledore, you will see it in the next chapter I don't want to spoil, but it will help further Harry's knowledge, that's all I'll say.