Chapter 7: Overdue Justice
When Severus Snape and Alastor Moody returned from the 'sabbatical', they were wondering if they entered some alternative universe. They certainly didn't expect to learn that Sirius Black would somehow be declared innocent and that Peter Pettigrew was alive all this time. They even went to Professor Dumbledore for confirmation and still were reluctant to believe. "It's the first time I tell you both." Dumbledore commented. "What else is needed to make you believe?"
"I'm sorry, Headmaster, but I'm having trouble accepting that we let an innocent man rot in Azkaban all those years." Moody commented.
"Black is no innocent!" Snape exclaimed. "Not after what he did to Draco!"
"The Malfoy kid had it coming." Moody replied.
Dumbledore then decided to change the focus of the conversation. "Severus, Alastor, did you bring what I asked you to?"
Snape then delivered a jar containing Lord Voldemort's wraith form. "Here it is, Headmaster." He declared. "Did you really need to have Moody tailing me?"
"I'd tail you anyway, Snape." Moody grunted.
"Thank you both." Dumbledore said. "I'll have the Department of Mysteries learn the secret of Voldemort's immortality. Meanwhile, Severus, are you willing to resume your duties as Hogwarts' Potions Master?"
"Yes, Headmaster." Snape answered. "What about my position as Head of Slytherin?"
"I'm sorry, Severus, but Professor Vector caused so much of a good impression the other Heads are barring me from returning the title back to you." Professor Dumbledore replied. "Even Minerva is against you. She said something about you being biased towards the Slytherins."
"It's all Black's fault!" Snape exclaimed. "Everything bad that happens to me and isn't Potter's fault is Black's fault!"
"Severus, you can't blame your former school rivals for everything that goes wrong with you." Dumbledore admonished.
"Either way, I won't forgive Black for what he'd done to Draco." Snape replied. "Will the Auror stationed to teach Defense stay or leave now that there's no reason to fear that Black, Pettigrew or whoever betrayed the Potters will break in to harm students?"
"Rufus agreed to stay until I can get a replacement." Dumbledore answered. "Are you willing to take the post, Alastor?"
"And risk my life in that curse?" Moody scoffed. "It'd be easier to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament. Now, if you excuse me, I have a former pupil to apologize to and hopefully convince to resume being an Auror."
Meanwhile, at the Ministry building, the first accused Death Eater (after Sirius Black) sent to Azkaban without a trial that was still alive was being treated by a mind healer. Amelia Bones would have brought all of them at once but considered it too much of a risk, so she's checking one of each time while the others had to wait in cells with less dementors. Feeling some foul play when she learned that Mr. and Mrs. Crouch visited their son right before his death in Azkaban and that Mrs. Crouch died soon after without anyone other than Mr. Crouch being allowed to attend the funeral, she ordered the Auror Department to perform tests on Barty Junior's remains. As soon as it was reported that what were supposed to be Junior's remains were actually the remains of Mrs. Crouch in polyjuice, she ordered for Mr. Crouch to be arrested for helping a convicted man to escape from prison and murdering Mrs. Crouch. She wasn't sure of the last part but was sure he did something to her.
Meanwhile, Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall was explaining to Harry Potter about Sirius Black. "As you see, Mr. Potter, your parents named Sirius Black your magical guardian and his wrongful imprisonment was the only thing that prevented him from doing so."
"Do you mean I don't have to see the Dursleys ever again?" Harry hopefully asked.
"Well, Professor Dumbledore insists you need to live with them to stay safe from Death Eaters but, with Sirius Black free to fulfill his duties as your magical guardian, it's his call and not Dumbledore's." Professor McGonagall explained and then handed him a piece of parchment. "In fact, Mr. Black signed this for you."
"My Hogsmeade permission slip?" A surprised Harry asked. "Can his signature be accepted?"
"It always could, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall answered. "Because no Wizengamot trial had ever pronounced Mr. Black guilty of any crime, he was always your magical guardian despite being until now unable to act as such. In fact, had you brought a permit signed by him while he was on the run, there'd probably be a huge argument about the validity."
"When can I meet my godfather, Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked.
"Right now, Mr. Potter." She answered as a dog came from behind her desk and then turned into a man, shocking Harry. "I've always wanted to do this ever since I became an Animagus."
"Are you Sirius Black?"
"Yes, Prongslet. Nice to meet you." Sirius said.
Meanwhile, Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and John Dawlish arrived at Bartemius Crouch's residence. Shacklebolt knocked at the door. "Who's there?" Crouch asked.
"Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and John Dawlish on official duty." Auror Dawlish announced. "By order of Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, you're under arrest for helping an Azkaban inmate to escape and murdering your wife. Surrender your wand and keep your hands up."
Crouch was shocked his son's escape was discovered and offended someone would accuse him of murdering his wife but recovered soon enough to cast a 'Stupefy' at Dawlish, who blocked it with a 'Protego' while Shacklebolt stunned Crouch. "Let's add resisting arrest to the list of charges against him." Dawlish stated.
"Agreed." Shacklebolt said and then picked Crouch's wand. "Priori Incantatum!" Crouch's wand then revealed not only the spell he used while resisting arrest but also a trace of the Imperius Curse. As the trace indicated the victim's shape, it clued the Aurors to the fact Crouch Junior was likely to be somewhere inside the house. Their musings were interrupted by the sound of an elf apparating. "What's you doing with Winky's master?" The elf, whose name the Aurors believed to be Winky, asked.
"Elf, this man is under arrest and we have orders to search this house for Azkaban escapee Bartemius Crouch Junior." Auror Dawlish formally announced. The house-elf was quite shocked. "Lead us to him."
"No!" The elf sobbed. "Winky can't!"
That was when Kingsley Shacklebolt intervened. "Elf, we understand if you can't reveal his whereabouts. However, we'll still look for him and you'd better not to hinder us or you'll disgrace your master. Auror Dawlish, watch the prisoner so he'll not escape while I search for the escapee."
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Headmaster Dumbledore announced the return of Professor Snape, which made several Slytherins happy until it was announced Professor Snape wouldn't resume his role as the Head of Slytherin Dorm. Dumbledore also announced that, with the capture of Peter Pettigrew and the revelation that he framed Sirius Black, the restrictions imposed to the students that year had been lifted.
At the Department of Mysteries, they legilimized Voldemort and figured out the secret of his immortality. It took them a long time to recover from the disgust.
Back at the Crouch household, Auror Shacklebolt saw some feet and figured out Crouch Junior was hidden under an Invisibility Cloak. Knowing he was under an Imperius, Shacklebolt cast a Finite to release him and then stunned him.
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