Chapter 4: Hearing
Knowing those who wanted Sirius Black to stay in Azkaban would stoop as low as to start the hearing hours earlier to make his brother Regulus and their Grandfather Lord Arcturus Black late, they arrived earlier as well. "The Wizengamot is now in session." Minister Bagnold declared. "Is there any pending matters from the last meeting, Chief Warlock?" She asked.
"No, Minister." Dumbledore answered.
"Any new requests?" She asked in spite of knowing the answer.
"Yes." Dumbledore reluctantly answered. "First order of the day: Lord Arcturus Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, requests the Wizengamot to dismiss the pending charges against Sirius Orion Black on grounds of insufficient evidence."
The murmurs soon started. Several people protested against the notion of Sirius Black's guilt not being obvious. Once they calmed down, Bartemius Crouch stood up and was granted the word. "Preposterous! His guilt is so clear I won't even waste the Wizengamot's time with a trial."
Amelia Bones quickly stood up with a frown. "Do you have anything to say, Madam Bones?" Minister Bagnold asked.
"The law is clear about that." Amelia stated. "Every accused criminal should be allowed a trial and being certain of Sirius Black's guilt is no reason to make an exception."
"Amelia, you're not considering the chance of Sirius Black being innocent, are you?" Dumbledore asked.
"Every case must be properly investigated and anyone who believes the evidence against the accused isn't good enough to confirm their supposed guilt must be allowed to argue their case." Amelia declared. Most people, even those who seemed to be certain of Sirius' guilt, agreed with her point.
"In that case, I'll list the charges against Sirius Black." Dumbledore stated. "First, he's accused of being accessory to the murders of James and Lily Potter and the attempted murder of their son Harry James Potter by revealing their whereabouts to Voldemort. Second, he's accused of the mass murder of Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles by causing the Blasting Hex that killed them. Third, he's accused of conspiracy to commit the murders of Athena and Acquila Black by ordering Death Eaters to kill them. Those crimes, while bad by themselves, also serve as evidence that Sirius Black is a Death Eater. You may present your defense now, Lord Black."
"Thank you, Chief Warlock Dumbledore." Arcturus replied with fake politeness. "First of all, I must point out that the only thing linking my grandson to the deaths of James and Lily Potter is the unproven assumption that they were hidden under a Fidelius Charm and he was their Secret-Keeper."
"It's not unproven." Dumbledore argued. "I gave testimony to confirm it."
"Your testimony only confirms that James and Lily Potter expressed the intention to ask my grandson to be their Secret-Keeper." Arcturus argued. "It doesn't tell how Sirius reacted to it."
"There are other witnesses establishing Sirius Black's status as their Secret-Keeper." Dumbledore stated.
"They merely overheard Peter Pettigrew accusing my grandson." Arcturus argued. "Just because he thought Sirius was the Secret-Keeper, it doesn't mean Sirius was; and just because Pettigrew accused Sirius, it doesn't mean Pettigrew really believed it. How do you know he wasn't the real Secret-Keeper?"
"How convenient." Crouch sneered. "Shifting blame to a dead man."
"Presumed dead man, Director Crouch." Arcturus corrected. "It's merely assumed that Peter Pettigrew died at the explosion my grandson was accused of causing."
"There was only one finger left of Pettigrew at the crime scene and the witnesses saw Sirius Black pointing his wand at Pettigrew." Bagnold said. "What other proof do you need?"
"As much of his body as left by each muggle or at the very least enough of it Peter Pettigrew can't live without and a wand check done on both Sirius' wand and Pettigrew's." Arcturus answered. "For all I know, Peter Pettigrew caused that explosion and left that finger behind to fake his death."
The hearing was once again interrupted by screams of protest. Once they stopped, Minister Bagnold said, "What comes next? Are you accusing Pettigrew of killing Athena and Acquila Black?"
"I don't have to accuse anybody." Arcturus argued. "The Ministry has to present proof against my grandson."
"Who else would do that?" Crouch asked and Amelia rose again. "It doesn't work like that. You cannot just decide Sirius Black is guilty because you assume nobody else would be."
"Alastor Moody has a good reason to believe Black guilty." Bagnold argued.
"A reason he refuses to divulge." Lord Arcturus Black argued. "For as long as he refuses, I'll take it as a reason to believe he's pretending to think my grandson is guilty."
"How dare you?" Moody asked in outrage. "Why would I kill them?"
"For the McKinnon fortune and title." Arcturus answered. "Since you're talking about motives, why would Sirius have his own wife and daughter killed?"
"As the Black Heir, he wouldn't let a child whose mother was a blood traitor represent your family's next generation." Moody argued.
"That's speculation on your part and it disappoints me you'd have this opinion of him after training him to be an Auror." Arcturus replied.
"It's not hard to believe he did it considering what else he did." Moody said.
"What else he was accused of doing." Arcturus argued.
"And, either way, the evidence presented against him for the crimes he was originally arrested for doesn't say anything regarding the deaths of Athena and Acquilla Black." Amelia added. "Unless you have further proof, I'll have no choice but to vote for the dismissal of this charge."
"Amelia, what happened to your sense of justice?" Dumbledore desperately asked her.
"It's telling me there's no real proof that Sirius Black ordered the deaths of his wife and daughter, Headmaster." Amelia bluntly answered.
Since Moody wouldn't present any other proof (he didn't have any, after all), a great majority voted for the dismissal of that charge. The others were also dismissed but they were a close call.
At Azkaban, Sirius Black was anguishing over the fact he'd never leave when an Auror interrupted him. "Sirius Orion Black, the Wizengamot decided by a vote majority to dismiss the charges against you." The Auror said in disgust. "You are free to go."
Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. The best he would expect from Dumbledore was to finally get a trial. Unless… "Did somebody find the rat?" Sirius eagerly asked.
"Rat?" The Auror asked in confusion.
"Peter Pettigrew." Sirius explained. "Was he located after faking his death?"
The Auror angrily pointed his wand at Sirius. "Black, your Grandfather might have used some technicality to get you out of your deserved punishment but don't you dare to defame your victims?"
"Technicality?" Sirius asked in confusion. "You said the Wizengamot deemed the evidence insufficient."
"Because Lord Arcturus Black tricked them." The Auror explained. "Did you already have it planned with him? Because he did come up with the Pettigrew-isn't-dead scenario."
"He has more brains than Crouch." Sirius commented.
"Whatever." The Auror dismissed Sirius' commented. "Just get into the boat."
One boat ride later, Regulus and Lord Arcturus Black welcomed Sirius back. "It's good to see you again, Sirius." Arcturus commented.
"And it's good to be free again but, why would you free me, Grandfather?" Sirius asked.
"Because you're my heir." Arcturus said like it's obvious.
"Only because even you cannot disown me." Sirius arrogantly replied. "You could have left me to rot in Azkaban so Regulus would become the Heir."
"No, Sirius." Regulus argued. "That was mother's idea."
"Now that makes sense." Sirius grumbled. "No way she'd help me out unless she thought I was guilty."
"Or if she decided implicating Moody in the deaths of Athena and Acquila was worth having to figure out another way to get rid of you." Regulus replied.
"Moody?" Sirius asked in disbelief.
"He's the next in line for the McKinnon estate and a more likely suspect that you, Sirius." Arcturus stated.
"Makes sense." Sirius grumbled. "Where are my friends?"
"They're not coming." Regulus answered. "They think you're guilty. Even Andromeda saw nothing wrong with you rotting in prison without a trial."
"Impossible!" Sirius exclaimed. "She knows the law and she knows me."
The conversation was interrupted by reporters. "Let's get out of here!" Arcturus declared and his grandsons agreed.
End chapter.