Disclaimers and Notes: Good Gad, you get it by now!

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Okay, I'm really sorry for taking so long, but I have a VERY good excuse. Ever heard of Windows XP? Ever heard how ridiculously intolerable it is of being pirated? Did I tell you that my sister's friend upgraded my computer, put in Windows XP (in which NONE of us really knew that it was unregistered) and within days the system had locked me out and all files I'd ever had saved lost?

Yeeees… I hate Windows XP, but luckily, I managed to find an only slightly older file of this chapter and I'm just getting to work with it. For over a month I haven't had a computer, and I don't have time to run to the computer labs everyday just to do this sorta thing… with at least 50-100 people to either side of me at all time, typing away… I hate the lack of privacy.

Now since it's Winter Break, fanfiction here I come!

Note to all. Beware Windows XP. Windows 2000 may suck, however it's a whoooole lot nicer (and safer) than the alternative possibility of your system EATING YOU!!!

Geuna~

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Author: Lady Geuna

Official Editor: Giesbrecht

Sub Editor: crazyForJames

Sub-Sub Editor: Geuna, myself, if worse comes to worse

This Chapter Rated: PG

Recent Summary: See earlier chapters

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"..." - speech

'....' - thoughts

/..../ - with italics means a part of a flashback.

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The Trial: Part 2 of 3: To the Rescue?

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"TAKE IT AWAY! TAKE IT FROM HIS HAND! LOOK AT HIM, YOU IDIOTS, HE CAN'T LET GO!"

~ James Potter, Fanfiction "Charmed Curses", The Trial: Part 1: Friend on the Line, by Lady Geuna

A werewolf should NEVER touch silver, much less for so long…

~ Sirius Black, Fanfiction "Charmed Curses", The Trial: Part 1: Friend on the Line, by Lady Geuna

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Ron nearly jumped out of his skin and Hermione let out a small squeak surprise. Neville simply turned ghastly pale at the sight.

"SNAPE!"

Professor Severus Snape had just entered the room behind them, dressed in a flowing black traveling robe, glaring down at them imposingly. The robe looked to be much stiffer that that Ron was used to Snape wearing, and it didn't flutter of bellow about him when he walked.

Ron, like his friends, was stunned… that was certainly unexpected! When had the vampire gotten here...!? And calling him a vampire at the moment didn't seem so far off from the truth. In the bright lighting of the room the professor's skin was so pale it was practically luminous... Sorta gross, in a way...

After flapping his jaw soundlessly a few times –which was pretty embarrassing, actually…-- Ron snapped out of his own thoughts of Snape sprouting fangs and batwings, managing to point and blurt out, "What the blazes are YOU doing here!?"

The man gave him an odd look before tossing his head, throwing a loose lock of oily-looking hair from his face. With his big nose it made him look horrifically aristocratic, which made Ron internally seethe in repulsion.

"I thought it would be obvious," Snape drawled nastily, "that all those present at the time of Black's capture were considered witnesses... and requested to be available for questioning if need be." Snape paused for a moment, as though thinking to himself, before grunting and continuing in a totally different direction. "And because of such, it would seem that class is once again postponed." A slow smirk appeared on his lips... "By the end if this school year I'm afraid the class will have to work overtime in order to cover all the material necessary for your O.W.L.s..."

This man was truly evil itself…

"And how do you all know this man?"

All four of them looked to the nurse, who had just stepped out from behind the white screen were Lupin lay. She focused on them each carefully, opening scrutinizing them before repeating, "How do you know Mr. Lupin? Why are you all here and what is your business? If you aren't family I will have to ask you all to leave."

'Rather cold young bird, isn't she...?'

Then the nurse asked Snape, "Are you the charge of these three?"

Snape frowned, sending Ron, Hermione and Neville equally cold glances, then said smoothly, "These are my students, his as well," he gestured somewhat rudely in what he assumed was Lupin's direction, toward the screen. "Lupin and I are... co-workers, I should say..." Ron didn't think it was possible for Snape to say that without a sneer and a growl in his voice... And he could've sworn that Snape's eyebrow twitched!

The nurse paused, taking this information in, before asking, "And do any of you know if Mr. Lupin has any known family whom should be contacted?"

Ron and his friends exchanged a quick, curious glances with each other. Did Lupin have any family at all…?

"The man's a werewolf," Snape said cruelly, "even if he did have any relatives, I don't think they would want anything to do-"

"HEY!" Ron yelled out before he had a chance to stop himself, and he felt Hermione grip his sleeve in a vice-like grip. Ron also received a horrible chill when Snape's eyes snapped toward him, starring at him...

The room was dead silent for who knows how long... it was a wonder that Snape hadn't tried to yell back, or rain all sorts of nasty punishments upon them.

When Ron glanced back to look at Hermione, he saw her eyes flashing with a sort of anger. That kind she got when talking about S.P.E.W. or whatever, her cheeks slightly flushed (It made her looks rather attractive, actually…). But in this case Ron didn't know if she was angry with Snape or himself, but with the heavy silence upon them Ron wasn't sure if he should open him mouth to ask.

Even the nurse had failed to speak up since the silence began, and all that could be heard was the sound of Neville's heavy breathing (Or was that his own...?) and the nurse as she removed a watch on a long chain from her pocket, glanced at it, and then put it away again.

At some point the nurse had left, giving them all suspicious looks before quickly going to the back of the room and disappeared through a door there.

After she was gone Snape stepped forward with an air of authority and easily pushed the white screen away, giving them all a clear though unnerving view of Lupin's hand… "What happened here?" The question was spoken casually, as though Snape were an uninterested observer watching an accident from very far away, and was able to see some humor in it because it had nothing to do with him.

Hermione, of course, never held back if she knew the answer to anything. Ron could have almost sworn that her hand twitched as though she was going to raise her arm first before answering. "Apparently after Professor Lupin closed his hand over the coin, he held it… a coin... a silver coin, as a test…"

"Why did he hold onto it," Ron asked, still feeling unbelieving. He shivered, unable to take his eyes off Lupin's hand... it was like something you see in one of those books… what was that one… "Most Miserable Magical Misfires"? Yeah, something like this... It had some pretty nasty pictures in it, too. But even in reality that sort of thing just seemed to send Ron into a daze... "If I were a werewolf, I'd 've dropped it in a second…"

"Like an allergic reaction," Hermione said suddenly, as though the term of comparison had just come to mind. "He seized up. Maybe he couldn't let go if he wanted to?"

Snape snorted, stepping next to Lupin's bed. "'Allergic reaction' indeed…" He reached down and picked up Lupin's arm, dropping it once as though experimentally (the action alone made Hermione squeak in disgust), then picked it up again, examining the redness. He ran his fingers along Lupin arms, where the sleeve of his shirt and robe had apparently been cut away. 'What was he doing!?' Lupin didn't even stir under the rough treatment even as Snape's figures continued to poke and prod. "Please don't use trivial Muggle terms in such a situation, Miss Granger," Snape said almost absentmindedly, completely focused on what he was doing, "they hardly apply..." Then he asked, "And may I inquire as to why at least you two are here?" He glared at both Ron and Hermione. And of course Neville was here because of Lupin...

"That's our business," Hermione said evenly. "But then, why aren't you in the courtroom? As a witness, you might be needed to say something in Sirius' defense. You report could be invaluable to the case."

Snape didn't even turn to look at her this time when he replied. "Seeing as the Minister would rather have witnesses available and within the vicinity rather than actually present during the trail, he would also rather go without my version of Black's dramatic capture. And I am not inclined to give it either way if it means helping Black's case."

"Aren't you ever going to get over that," Ron asked, annoyed. He knew perfectly well that Snape and Sirius had something in for each other, but they must get tired of it by now! "He might go to Azkaban!"

Snape snapped his head toward Ron and said flatly, "If you knew half of what I've been through because of that man I doubt you would be asking that question, Mr. Weasley. And in the future I would hold your tongue when it comes to issues you know nothing about, or your house points might suffer for it."

"He is sort of right, Ron," Hermione whispered to him. "After all, we don't really know, do we…?"

Silence…

There was then the sound of what seemed like wind and the sound of sand and pebbles raining again stone, all of which came from the room into which the nurse had disappeared only minutes ago. Not long after the sound was heard, the nurse did return, her uniform blackened slightly at the lower hem.

Another woman, one who certainly didn't look like any medi-witch Ron had ever seen before, followed after the nurse almost immediately. She looked Chinese like the Ravenclaw, Cho, of a rather large build, though her hair was light brown… or possibly dyed. She had an almost comically large amount of dark brown make-up around her eyes, making her solid black eyes stand out dramatically. The woman was dusting soot from her crimson and brown robes, looking tired and frustrated. In her left hand she was barely carrying some sort of large black case/trunk that scrapped along the floor as she walked.

"I don't see why they can't make the floo network a little more clean," she said nasally before sneezing harshly into a handkerchief, her body nearly doubling over and her case smacking into the stone floor with a hard THWUNK! When she straightened she let out a content sigh, thrusting the handkerchief into her robes, then continued in a clear voice, "Now, who is the patent here?"

Hm, she seemed nice, at least...

The woman was ushered over toward Lupin's bedside, where the nurse rudely shooed Snape away. After setting down her case, the woman took the position where Snape had been standing moment before and bent over to look directly into Lupin's unconscious face.

"Ah ha! So this is the man, hm? Really can't tell unless it's full moon, after all!"

Hermione eyed the woman's case thoughtfully. "Who are you," she asked politely.

The woman smiled proudly... a little too proudly, actually. "Anko Abridger, Potions Master."

At this Snape stood so straight and so suddenly you'd think someone had shoved a pole up his-erm... robe. "Indeed?" he said, almost to himself, his lips barely moving when he spoke. Snape almost looked as though he was trying to contain himself from laughing.

That thought didn't settle will with Ron…

Abridger didn't seem to notices the nervous looks she was getting or Snape's expression of amusement, having already set her case on the table next to Lupin's bed. As the panels of the box swung open it looked as thought it continued a whole potions set! Even a medium cauldron on a burner.

Abridger instantly went to work, unloading what she needed as she spoke. It was as though she were trying to make a show of it.

"The minister had someone send for me, of course! Surprised of course, after last time, though I hardly consider myself to blame." With that she pored two different liquids into one container, with resulted in a small "bafoom" sound and a cloud of blue smoke. "I can't be blamed for side affects."

And for some reason Ron felt very, very worried by the woman's words.

This could only be a bad thing...

In fact, maybe it couldn't be any worse.

Who sent for this woman, anyway!?

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The nurse watched the group for a moment after loading up her tray full of supplies. She had been asked to deliver them to Courtroom Ten, and therefore she would have to leave the room for a while. Those four people –Professor Snape and those students—certainly seemed like odd people... but what harm could they do now, after all.

Now, that Abridger woman, on the other hand... she was to be watched out for.

She'd come here to the Ministry before, when someone suffered from Wormwood poisoning, or some other odd plant. The patent had barely made it out alive, and went without sight for weeks after that. The potion Abridger had given him curd the effect of the poison, but blinded him as well... he was lucky he got his sight back at all.

What had Mr. Malfoy been thinking when he sent for that woman...?

But nevertheless, she wasn't getting paid to complain.

And with that thought in mind she took her tray and left...

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Ever since… however long ago it had been since Remus had been rushed away, the room was still in an uproar. James had been repulsed by most of the reactions to the incident –or distinct lack thereof. Right now, numerous arguments were going on along the room even though it was supposed be a recess.

"If he is not in the werewolf form then he couldn't have been attacked. And how could he have done anything during the evening, with the full moon days away?"

"Yes, it was a quarter moon last night, wasn't it? Or something like that. There was nothing to influence his primal behaviors. It doesn't seem logical at all!"

"It doesn't matter!"

"And why should it not? I say that is the whole point of this argument and you have nothing of value to use as a rebuttal!"

James was tired of listening to all of this...

It had taken him long enough to fight his way through the crowd to the front of the room in the first place. James wasn't as much concerned with the argument going on at the moment as he was about Remus and Sirius.

Remus had been carried off long before, no report had been given, nor was he sure where the werewolf had been taken. The latter was quite possibly what worried James the most. Depending on whom he got handed off to, who knows what sort of treatment Remus was going to be given, and knowing form experience that the majority of the Ministry and those employed there on a regular bases are against Werewolf Rights, then…

Merlin, he might never see Remus again…

Sirius had been magically chained to a chair, again surrounded by wizard guards. But after being hit by a hex earlier, his best friend hardly seemed aware of what was going on around him.

When Remus had been removed from their sights Sirius hadn't taken it quietly, and despite being hexed from when Remus first arrived earlier, and has gone simply mad with rage when his friend was carried off in such a grotesque state. He wanted to go with them, demand to know is Remus was safe, but then he'd received no answer he had tried to take matters into his own hands and follow after them despite the odds against him.

In the end, he'd been hit with another curse, and seemed far worse off than he'd started with.

But if Sirius wasn't able to get an answer, James was going to damn well going to get one himself! He'd been too occupied with getting a good look at what was happening and trying to keep Harry from running off before. James didn't trust anyone around here, if this was what the Ministry had become. And if they really believed what the press had been saying about his son then there was NO way he would allow Harry to go off alone. James couldn't leave, either, he'd promised himself, for Sirius…

It was only a stroke of luck that one of the Aurors who had taken Remus returned, and as he had no luck with addressing anyone else, James took that opportunity to corner him. "Where did you take him!?"

The blonde man stared at him strangely before asking, "Who, the werewolf?"

"OF COURSE!! Where is he!?"

Suddenly the man seemed to recognize just whom he was talking to, eyes widening in wonderment. "Oh! Mr. Potter!"

At the mention of his name, eyes turned in their direction. Well, now that he had some people's attention… James yelled out, "What became of Lupin! Remus Lupin!" He looked around, then glared back at the Auror. "Is he okay? Is-"

"I-I'm sorry, sir. I don't know, we simply took him most of the way to get some treatment, and the medi-witch took him the rest of the way. None of use would know what became of hi-"

"That's not good enough," James hissed, outraged, causing the man to shrink back slightly. James had no pity for the man, though. Had Remus been a regular human, his condition would be a main focus for concern, and someone would have come in by now to announce his statues, what had happened to him. Reassure to everyone that things were all right, and he was safe, if he-

"If you would please state why you require this information, Mr. Potter, I'm sure we maybe able to help."

James looked up to see Prime Minister Fudge staring down at him. Well, certainly he would be able to help. "He's my friend." 'Idiot.' "If you please, I'd like to know what became of him."

"Oh…" He looked over to Sirius, then commented, "you have certainly make… interesting choices in 'friends'."

James didn't like the underlying tone in the Minister's voice… as if Fudge had meant to corner him. He also didn't like the fact that Fudge had fail to answer his question, or even acknowledge that'd asked it. But James' response to Fudge's comment came so clearly, so smoothing, and was so full of conviction that it left many speechless.

He was smirking when he responded… The very presence of the expression on his own face made him feel like he was back in school again, boasting about Quidditch to a watching audience and knowing that he had full control of them if only for those few moments of time.

"I haven't made many choices I've ever regretted in my life, Mr. Fudge," he said, "but very many I stand by even today with an even greater assurance... And be certain that my choice to become friends with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin is something I have and never will regret, and will probably have been the best decision I will ever make in this lifetime, and that's more than I can say for some…."

It doesn't matter what you do for them, it doesn't matter what you go through. If they see even the slightest flaw in you, if they saw the slightest flaw in James like they had in Harry, then they were sure to exploit it. And now they knew who James' friends where, and they were more than aware of who his son was as well… If this sort of thing got to the press, which no doubt it already was, then James' name was as well as dragged in the dirt. He would receive no sympathy, and if anything people would be out to get him, just like they were with his son...

How easily they turn against you.

"Either we can deal with you now, Mr. Potter," Fudge said, eyes glinting as though he knew he'd won this "round", "or we may move on with this trial. It's your choice."

Feeling at a lose but deciding to trust in the reassuring look Dumbledore gave him out of the corner of his eye, James said nothing…. Fudge could wallow in his own ignorance for now, but once he found out the truth about Harry and Voldemort there was no saving him or his reputation.

His silence was taken as an answer and Fudge nodded.

"Fine then, Mr. Potter, so let us being again!"

'One of these days, Fudge…'

And he turned to go back to his seat, though his mind hadn't slowed down for a minute. He wasn't about to let this go, he wasn't about to get Fudge or anyone else get away with hurting his friends.

Never.

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Hermione nervously adjusted her skirt as she looked over to Ron at her right. The redhead wasn't looking at her though, but instead staring very intently off into space. To her left, Neville looked so bored he appeared ready to doze off.

The three of them were seated in chairs along the wall across form Lupin's bed. No one had bothered to replace the white screen to shield Lupin from their sights after the nurse had left them alone, and it gave them a clear view of what was happening. At first Hermione had been compelled to watch every instant of Abridger mixing her potions, but she was taking so long that Hermione had actually lost interest.

Snape, however--for every moment since Abridger had arrived and gone to work--was hovering. Honestly hovering over the woman! She didn't seem too pleased about it either, and had in fact asked him to move away repeatedly.

Snape had yet to listen.

But then for the first time, just as she was adding another ingredient from a clay jar, Snape spoke up.

"What is this you're doing? What sort powder is this?" But he was already reaching for the jar.

"Excuse me?" Abridger looked like she was about to elbow Snape out of the way if she had to, but held herself back. Snape had grabbed a hold of the jar she was still holding and managed to bring it up to his especially large nose before Abridger took it away. Nevertheless, Snape had apparently gotten a whiff of whatever was in there.

"Wolvesbane? You're using Wolvesbane?" He was looking at Abridger as though she were a dirty slug smashed under his boot. "Pardon me for being so bold, but are you stupid?"

Abridger did a double take, as though she couldn't believe what the man had said, she mouth gapping like a fish. "I-I beg your pardon!"

Hermione felt probably as shocked as Abridger looked. Maybe it was Snape, after all, but she could believe he would be so bold!

Ron had his full attention on the two adults now, his eyes wide and interested. Neville looked a bit dazed as though he's woken up from a deep sleep.

"Hmm, and by the looks of it you plan on him ingesting this as well," Snape continued, picking up another bottle that Abridger had used earlier. "It's certainly not meant to be applied externally to the skin or-"

"Of course," Abridger said snappishly, taking the bottle from his hands harshly, "this potion can only be ingested."

"But wait," Hermione spoke up suddenly, a memory coming back to her as suddenly as a lightening bolt. She'd read about this! "Wolvesbane in its powdered form is no different from using the whole plant."

Snape nodded. "Using it in either fashion, Miss Granger, would be just as lethal as using pure silver."

The woman bristled. "It's the perfect solution for a silver reaction in werewolves, and once he's conscious-"

"He won't ever be conscious again if you are applying ingredients that are just as harmful as silver itself. An idiot would know that any amount of undiluted Wolvesbane in a potion is likely to poison him."

Hermione paled at the mention of poisoning and Ron glared at Abridger, disgusted. "You putrid old bat!"

Hermione couldn't help but agree with Ron totally on that one. "I bet you do know that, don't you!?"

Neville seemed to understand what was going on enough and stood, his arms stiff at his sides as he glared at Abridger. "You won't give that to Professor Lupin!"

Abridger sighed, exasperated, ignoring Hermione's comment and Neville's demands, and went on heavily as though there were a great weigh on her shoulders. It's sounded pretty false, really. "It's a risk that is needed to be taken."

"No, it doesn't."

Abridger looked to Snape as though he'd slapped her. And maybe he had, figuratively speaking. "Excuse me?"

Snape huffed. "And you call yourself a Potions Master, Miss. Abradger-"

"Abridger."

"Whatever. Now let me show you your error." He placed a hand on her shoulder, and Ron, Hermione and Neville watched in awe as he physically moved her out of his way, ignoring her as Abridger nearly tripped over her own robes, and he stood over her supply case.

Abridger gapped at him but didn't do anything to stop him anymore, instead saying warningly, "Professor Snape, this is highly irregular…"

Snape ignored her. Then he sneered, obviously displeased with what he was seeing. "These are your supplies? They hardly suffice."

"Sir, let me assure you-"

"Assure me nothing, if you please. Now move aside before I move you."

Abridger's mouth snapped shut as though in shock, jaw clicking audibly. But the threat wasn't taken lightly, and in the end the woman moved aside, her hands balled and trembling at her sides. Even as Snape swept past her she was muttering oaths to herself.

"Fine," she snapped, "if you honestly think you know what you're doing." Then, after taking a thoughtful glance toward to her supply case, she shook her head sharply and marched away. When she reached the door, however, Abridger nearly collided with the nurse on her return. "I think my business is done here, thank you very much," she snapped coldly.

The nurse blinked at her, confused. "What? What do you mean? Miss?" She didn't receive an answer as Abridger walked around her and out the door. Looking confused and panicked, she looked from the retreating back of Abridger, to Snape, to the three men and woman sitting/standing toward the wall, then back to Abridger, hastily following after her. "Wait!"

They didn't know where Anko Abridger had disappeared off to, or the nurse right after her, but… Snape…

"Don't believe he did that," Ron muttered to Hermione in awe, keeping his voice low to Snape couldn't hear.

Neville, who had taken his seat again next to Hermione, had a very similar look. "I don't, either… Glade I'm not her…" He shivered visibly.

"We should thank him, you know," Hermione said softly to both boys, her eyes on Snape. He apparently couldn't hear a word they were saying, either, though she wasn't talking nearly as quietly as Ron or Neville. Perhaps he was too absorbed in his work to notice?

"Why," Ron asked. "I won't appreciate it."

Hermione gave him a disappointed look. "It's proper. He might be a horrible old man but he just did something nice for once."

When Ron and Neville didn't give a reply, Hermione stood and walked a few paces toward Snape's turned back. Hermione couldn't see what he was working on, though she would see his arms moving quickly under his heavy robes. He hasn't bothered to take off his traveling robe at all. She cleared her throat carefully, nervously, before she spoke.

"Sir… Professor Snape, thank you for helping Professor Lupin, he-" They all straightened and stiffened at Snape rounded on them, looking accusing and… well, he looked bloody vivid!!! Hermione suddenly wished she wasn't standing so close to the man.

"Understand this," he hissed, pieces of froth flying form his mouth, "and understand me well. If any of you--any of you, say a word of this…"

Snape looked at each of them, and when he looked at Neville the poor boy let out an incoherent whimper. Ron looked like he had the urge to whimper himself, actually, and if Hermione's throat weren't contorted the way it was, maybe she would have as well.

"A word of this to anyone at all, then I swear, I will hex you. I will hex each and every one of you with a curse so fulminating, and so fierce, that birds will fall from the heavens and candles will instantly combust into hellfire and yours very grandchildren... will feel its sheer and unspeakable wrath… Do I make myself undeniably clear?"

The three of them could only manage to nod. Ever the nurse, who had reappeared at the door, was pale with fright, and didn't say a word as to attract the Potions Masters attention.

Hermione, as she backed up toward her seat, would remember never to thank Snape for anything, ever--never ever--again…

Even if he deserved it for once.

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Sirius was dizzy, nauseous even. The curse… whatever it was it'd been horrible. Obviously not meant to injure but certainly meant to disorient, and it had worked marvelously. He wished he were still able to participate in the ongoing argument that was going on around him, as everyone else, even James, shouted and screamed in his defense. He wished to hear what his friend had been saying before James had been sent back to his place with Harry in the back row, for the young man looked particularly riled.

But the headache Sirius was experiencing didn't allow for the concentration needed to make sense of anything. He knew, however, that the court was yelling again, at each other, and Sirius thought Dumbledore was in on it, too. So hard to tell… Perhaps this was the Confucius Curse, because he hadn't felt this puzzled since... since.... Oh, he couldn't think of an example...

He had a suspicion that someone used this hex on purpose, just so that he wouldn't know what was going on, so he couldn't do anything for himself, couldn't argue his own case.

It seemed like everyone was against him now, and while that was just dandy, it was also made him seem abandoned by the whole world… and maybe that wasn't very far from the truth.

He was to remain where he was, chained and silent, just the way they wanted him…

It seemed like an eternity before the pain and dizziness was all at once lifted from his mind and Sirius started from the sudden change. He all at once felt that was in the middle of the chaos instead of watching and listening from a long distance. The change in sight and sound was almost earth shattering, in a way.

He'd been disenchanted, but how…?

Sirius looked to his right and caught sight of… Shacklebolt… when the bloody blazes did he get there!?

Shacklebolt had obviously taken his place as one of Sirius' guards. When the man saw Sirius watching he winked inconspicuously, his hands behind his back, though he could just barely see Shacklebolt's wand where it poked almost shyly into view. Why that sly devil… Not the lost clever trick in the book, but still a clever one, non the less, and with all that potential the Ministry hardly deserved him.

But at the same time, there seemed to be Bludger beating of words going on.

"Again, I say it doesn't matter!"

"Again, I say ALL of it matters! What is wrong with you, sir!? Isn't one life worth the effort? Just as any other man's should be!?"

"ENOUGH! It's obvious that this trial will have to wait until next week!"

Sirius tensed.

'NEXT WEEK!?'

"And why should we wait so long," Dumbledore asked.

"I agree with the Minister," a woman toward the middle spoke up. "It would give us enough time to think over what we've heard."

"But we have yet to hear anything of value," Dumbledore protested. "Sirius himself hasn't had a chance to be questioned."

"And you expect HIM to tell the truth," a man asked incredulously. "You expect that we should believe him so easily? And we all know that some Dark Wizards are beyond the influence of Truth Potions, how are we to ever know!"

"What is a trail when a man isn't given the opportunity to defend his own innocence-"

"FUDGE!"

Fudge blinked as though in surprise, looking down at the man who had addressed him before pulling a face. "Mr. Black?"

Sirius couldn't take it anymore.

"If you want this trail over-with and SOON, Fudge, then let's get to the real reason this case was brought up! You're talking to ME now, leave everyone else out of it! You really want to know what happened that night? I'll tell you what happened!" He turned and yelled out to the audience, where James and Harry were watching him, and for a moment Sirius and James made eye contact. "I'll tell all of you what happened!"

And soon either the Wizarding World would know the truth, or will be once again left in the dark…

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To be continued in...

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!! A MERRY BELATED-CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! WAHOOO!!!

Geuna~