Chapter 22: Justice At Last
With the news that Peter Pettigrew has finally been caught and exposed as a Death Eater, Sirius Black and his family were finally relieved. Their biggest joy was Headmaster Dumbledore having to admit he made a mistake. "That'll teach the old fool." Harry commented. "I'm still not certain he genuinely fell for Pettigrew's trickery but it's already good enough he acknowledges your innocence, Godfather."
"I feel sorry for Uncle Regulus." Acquila commented. "Just when he planned to have his engagement announced.
"He'll get over it." Sirius replied.
"Do you think Moody will try to get away with my Godmother's murder by accusing Pettigrew, Godfather?" Harry asked Sirius.
"Honestly, I'd rather believe the rat did it." Sirius commented. "I don't blame you for wanting Veritaserum confirmation before being certain. The rat had already faked his death by that point so even I find it hard to believe he'd reveal himself just to kill someone who knew he was the real Secret-Keeper."
"To Moody's credit, father did say mother knew Pettigrew was the Secret-Keeper." Acquila commented.
"Let's just wait for the trial, okay?" Sirius suggested.
As the trial took place before the students had to return from the Easter holidays, Harry and Acquila decided to watch it. "Lord Black, is it really wise to have children watch this?" Andromeda asked Sirius.
"As the current Lord Potter and the future Lady Black, they'll need the Wizengamot experience and all of us need the closure from this specific case, Andromeda." Sirius explained.
"Yes, Lord Black." She formally replied.
At the courtroom, Minister Cornelius Oswald Fudge started the trial. "Esteemed members of the Wizengamot, based on the seriousness of the case and all blunders caused by previous administration by refusing to consider the possibility of the culprit being someone other than Sirius Black, I propose that the other defendant is forced to answer questions under Veritaserum."
Sirius then raised his wand. "I, Sirius Orion Black, Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and Regent of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, second that motion."
The motion was passed with a nearly unanimous vote. "Motion approved." The Minister declared. After the serum was tested and implemented, he started asking questions. "Peter Pettigrew, did you betray the Potters to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"
"Yes." Pettigrew answered.
"How could you do it if Sirius Black was the Secret-Keeper?" Fudge asked.
"Because we switched." Pettigrew answered.
"Why did you switch?"
"Because Sirius thought no one would suspect me." Pettigrew explained.
"Then why did you accuse Sirius Black back when the two of you met in November of 1981?"
"Because I wanted to mislead the bystanders and whoever listened to them." Pettigrew answered.
"Did you cause the Blasting Curse that caused the deaths of twelve muggles and was presumed to have caused yours?"
"Yes." Pettigrew replied.
"Did the Weasleys know you're not a real rat?"
'It depends on the definition of 'real rat'.' Sirius thought.
"No." Pettigrew answered.
"Back when you faked your death, was there anyone other than you and Sirius Black who knew you were the real Secret-Keeper?"
"Sirius' wife." He answered.
"Did you kill her to protect your secret?" Fudge asked the question Pettigrew feared the most.
"Y-y-y-y-y-yes." Pettigrew answered while sobbing.
"YOU MONSTER!" Sirius shouted in anger.
"Lord Black, your reaction is understandable but this neither time nor place for it." Dumbledore admonished like Sirius is still a student at Hogwarts.
"And I probably should apologize to all monsters I know." Sirius commented.
"Is there anyone else in the Wizengamot wishing to interrogate the accused?" Fudge asked and Sirius Black once again raised his wand. "Lord Black?"
"You had already faked your death." Sirius said. "Was it necessary to kill the one person who knew you were the Secret-Keeper?"
"I couldn't risk you'd be allowed a chance to explain under Veritaserum that I didn't die and either way my Mum would've known I was a Death Eater." Pettigrew explained.
"Did you try to kill my daughter?" Sirius asked.
"No!" Pettigrew answered.
"No more questions." Sirius declared. Since nobody else in the Wizengamot wanted to ask questions, they voted on a verdict and Peter Pettigrew was unanimously declared guilty.
"Given how dangerous the accused is, I propose he's thrown through the veil unless Lord Black asks us to be merciful." Fudge declared.
"Please, Sirius." Pettigrew begged. "My old friend. You didn't forget the good and old days, did you?"
"I have no objections to your proposed punishment, Minister Fudge." Sirius coldly declared. The motion was approved.
After the execution, Sirius, Harry and Acquila were about to leave the Ministry building when Headmaster Dumbledore approached them. "Sirius…"
"Call me 'Lord Black', Headmaster." Sirius replied.
"Lord Black, I'd like to apologize for not believing you." Dumbledore said.
"That I might be able to forgive over time, Headmaster." Sirius stated. "My real issue is the fact you faked my daughter's death and placed her in some muggle orphanage. Couldn't you have at least placed her with Andromeda?"
"Or Narcissa." Acquila suggested. "Someone who was just pretending to have fallen for Pettigrew's trickery would likely have raised me to see my father's fate as a reason not to trust the Light."
"I didn't think I could have broken the law regarding guardianship options, Acquila." Dumbledore explained.
"But you thought you could get away with denying me a trial." Sirius commented.
"You must be more biased against the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black than you admit if you really failed to see the grounds to doubt my Godfather's guilt, Headmaster." Harry suggested.
"It might be true." Dumbledore acknowledged.
End chapter.
Author's Note: Originally, I intended to stop at the point where Pettigrew was exposed but now I'm entertaining the possibility of adding more on occasion.
Omake 4: Sirius' Trial
"Don't be so cocky, Black." Cornelius Oswald Fudge told Sirius Black. "You're only having your trial because your brother tricked Harry Potter and his muggle relatives into seeing the lack of a trial as a reason to doubt your guilt in spite of how obvious it is."
"The law that says that every accused criminal must be allowed a trial exists for a reason, Minister." Sirius replied.
One day later, Harry, Acquila, Regulus and the Dursleys were about to enter the Ministry courtroom when Andromeda Tonks stopped them. "Please keep the children out." She asked. "Seeing Black's conviction will bring them pain."
"Good to see you again, Andromeda." Regulus sarcastically replied.
"It'll be the Ministry's fault as I believe Harry already told your daughter, Mrs. Tonks." Vernon added.
"Well, Nymphadora and I will be around to comfort them when their false hopes are dashed." Andromeda said.
"Don't call me 'Nymphadora', Mum." Tonks demanded.
"And I will be around to rub my brother's innocence on your face once he's acquitted, cousin." Regulus replied.
"Bring in the defendant!" Cornelius Fudge demanded once all spectators were sat. Sirius was chained at a chair. Looking around, he noticed Harry and wondered who the girl with his godson was. "Sirius Orion Black, you were accused of accessory to the murder of James and Lily Potter; accessory to the attempted murder of Harry Potter; the mass murder of twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew; and conspiracy to commit the murder of your wife Athena Black nee McKinnon and the attempted murder of your daughter."
"Attempted?" Sirius asked in confusion and then once again looked at the girl with Harry. "Acquila?"
"Yes, Dad." She answered.
"Young lady, please be quiet or you'll be escorted out of the premises." Fudge warned Acquila and turned his attention back to Sirius. "What do you plead?"
"I plead innocent and I want to prove it with Veritaserum." Sirius furiously replied.
"Normally, it shouldn't be necessary because your guilt is obvious but, thanks to your brother, the Boy-Who-Lived questions your guilt so we have no choice." Fudge begrudgingly replied. "Bring in the truth serum."
After the serum was tested, Sirius was interrogated and he not only confirmed his innocence but also denounced Peter Pettigrew as the real traitor and the real mass-murderer. "Black must be obviously able to resist Veritaserum." Fudge commented.
"Nonsense!" Amelia Bones declared. "The most someone is capable of resisting Veritaserum is by refusing to answer questions." She said and everyone else agreed.
"It is an unusual case." Fudge commented. "While his Veritaserum-induced statements prove him innocent of every crime he was arrested for, it also proves him to be an unregistered Animagus. I propose Sirius Black's time spent in Azkaban waiting for his trial counts as served time and that any compensation he seeks for wrongful imprisonment must be over the time he spent there after being there long enough to have fulfilled his Animagus sentencing."
After all legal issues were settled and Sirius was released, Regulus stood up. "Do you have anything to say, Regent Black?" Fudge asked.
"Yes, Minister." Regulus answered. "As the Regent to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, I, Regulus Arcturus Black, request for Alastor Moody to be arrested for the murder of Athena Black and the person whose body was passed as Acquila."
Everyone was shocked. Fudge was the first to speak. "I'm terribly sorry, Regent Black, but my predecessor granted immunity for everything done to hide the fact your niece wasn't killed with her mother."
"The death of my sister-in-law isn't covered by that." Regulus argued.
"And what motive would Alastor Moody would have to kill your sister-in-law, Regent Black?" Dumbledore asked in worry.
"The inheritance my niece was supposed to receive upon her mother's death." Regulus explained and most people at the Wizengamot accepted his reasoning.
Like Sirius, Moody could have ended this by requesting a trial with Veritaserum but Moody is too paranoid to drink a potion he didn't brew himself. He was arrested.
End omake.
Author's Note: Don't worry. Moody will be released.