Disclaimer: We all know how these work, I acknowledge that J.K. Rowlings, Warner Bros. and Scholastic own Harry Potter and all other characters and settings from cannon, and I get to write whatever I please and even add in characters of my own as long as I don't get any money. The no money sucks but there you go, at least I don't get lawyers knocking on my door. Addendum: If you recognize a name of a character from elsewhere it isn't mine.
A/N: I've gotten reviews about Staurt-Cavanaugh being a tough school. It is. I designed it that way. This is meant to be a prep school for the elite. No average students accepted. Harry chose this and likes the challenge. S-C's goal is the turn out individuals that understand they need to be both independent and inter-dependent, with a well rounded education that emphasizes the inter-connected nature of life. They have support networks in place so that while difficult it's not impossible. In case you hadn't noticed Harry is very, very type A. He's not content unless he's pushing the envelope, and while if push comes to shove he can draw on Voldie's memories. Harry infinitely prefers his own untainted experiences.
Sirius' Savior
Chapter 63 The Trial
Amelia Bones had sent a recently promoted Kingsley Shacklebolt to the U.S. as the official auror in charge of Sirius's custody. Kingsley was uncomfortable with the looks Sirius' team sent him as they gathered at the Magic Castle before the transfer. The portkey came to a rest in Grimauld place's entry hall. It had been decided that the House would act as home for the magical delegation.
"Master is here!" Came Keacher's excited exclamation. As they came to a stop chaos ensued there were the Blacks, the Stevens, and seventeen security people who immediately spread out to check the house. Two additional elves popped in and started sorting the luggage.
Three days later, Sirius and his legal team entered the largest courtroom in the Wizengamot. The room's gallery had been magically expanded so now it could now seat two thousand, instead of it's normal five hundred. The ICW representatives were seated on the also magically expanded floor of the room. As he made his way through the crowded room Sirius greeted his international friends. Finally he, Smith, and Baracas got to the defendants table at the front of the room. He looked up towards the judges box and was half surprised to see Albus sitting there.
"International Confederation of Wizards emergency conference now comes to order. Supreme Mugwump Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore presiding."
The conference started. Rick was the appointed spokesman for the U.S. He let the usual formalities take place It was quickly sorted out that the reason behind the international crisis was the question of the guilt or innocence of Sirius Orion Black. But when Albus went to start the judicial proceedings for Sirius, Rick stood up."I wish to lodge a protest."
"The basis of this protest?'
"Albus Dumbledore should not be allowed to preside in this matter because of bias. He has an intrinsic bias as one of the charges being judged is a kidnapping of a minor charge, he claims he's got guardianship of said minor."
Albus frowned. "I suppose you wish to preside?"
"OF course not I freely admit to being biased in this matter. I, Roderick Stevens of the United States, move that Gunner Drealovich of the Russian Confederation, being a neutral party, should preside in these proceedings." Rick had met the Russian before but knew Sirius hadn't. Drealovich was a stickler for law. Rick was completely confident that if he was appointed to run this trial, within two days the pertinent laws of English law would be looked into as well as the international statutes.
"Very well," Albus frowned. "Is there a second."
"I, Surya Kusnadi of the Magical Republic of Indonesia, second the motion."
"Discussion?" The room was quiet, or at least as quiet as a room filled with two thousand people ever got.
"Very well, we'll vote then. All in favor? Opposed?" Albus watched as the counter turned blue. The majority felt he should not be presiding. Stupid idiots.
Sirius smiled when pretty much as expected a recess was called by Drealovich so he could review the statues both international and British. They would meet again in the following Monday.
Sirius used the weekend to take care of some long overdue business.
"Hello, Narcissa I imagine it's been hard to keep up the family reputation on Malfoy money alone. I've allowed you to avoid this for years but it's decision time. So do I dissolve your marriage or is that whiny little Death Eater crawling worm you married going to toe the line I set."
"You can't do this Sirius. I was your favorite cousin you can't.."
"The hell I can't, Cissy I was fond of you especially when like Andie you continued to speak to me after I got into Gryffindor, but I can't let Black family resources go to people who use it for terrorism and the sort of black magic that even Father disapproved of." Sirius felt badly for his beautiful cousin but he wouldn't bend.
"What about my son?"
"He can choose. I'm willing to take him into the house of Black provided he's not been hopelessly spoiled by his father and his father's teachings."
"Will he become the Black heir?"
"No. No chance of that. Draco wouldn't even be considered."
"Who then your half blood godson? I can't believe you would do this, a half blood ahead of my son?"
"Oh it gets even worse Cissy, you see I married a squib and you will be respectful of her as Lady Black or you can kiss any hope of staying a Black goodbye."
"Aunt would be rolling in her grave."
"Yeah, her portrait gave me chapter and verse, right up until I silenced it and told her I would burn it out of the frame if she said one more word against Beth or our children.
"So what is it going to be Cissy?"
"Lucius became a death eater at sixteen because of Abraxas. Everything he's done as a death eater was to protect me and Draco."
"Not quite sure I buy that load of bovine excrement, but if so then I'll see to it he's protected. I want proof Cissy. Your husband was given a school journal by one Tom Marvolo Riddle the first part of your husband's proof comes when he hands that over, the rest will be in the form of a magical oath that he will never raise his wand to attack anyone except in defense. If he does both of those I will allow your marriage to stand, I will reinstate a quarter of your dowry, and I'll protect house of Malfoy."
Narcissa laughed sarcastically. "You, protect the House of Malfoy that is rich. Sirius, you're being tried as we speak."
"The case was a set up by Albus Dumbledore to get control of Harry. In three weeks, he'll be lucky to maintain his role of Headmaster. His power base has been being undercut for the last two and a half years. There are certain things that will come out during and after the trial. My power base is quite secure."
Narcissa Malfoy nee Black looked at her cousin. He seemed totally confident and there was a ring of truth in his words. "I'll speak to Lucius."
"Twenty four hours, Cissy no more."
Monday the trial commenced. The weight of proof fell to the British Ministry led by Albus Dumbledore. It only took Smith twenty minutes to make the prosecutions case look like swiss cheese. He then brought out the Potter wills, once they were read any question of Sirius being guilty in the matter of the Potters death was gone as was any question of him being guilty of the kidnapping charge.
The fact that the wills clearly stated who the secret keeper was, who their son's guardian was to be, and that Albus Dumbledore knew these details prior to the Potter's death left Albus with next to no credibility in the international community.
Sirius didn't even take the stand. All that remained was the question of what price was the British Ministry of Magic going to pay to re-establish itself in the International Arena. The rest of the week was spent deciding that.
One of the first things Sirius' legal team asked for was the resignation of Albus Dumbledore from all his Public Offices on the grounds the man had tried to railroad Sirius into Azkaban to get hold of his godson, disregarding what was morally right and wrong. Even disregarding the whole morality issue there was the whole issue of the legality of the situation.
One of Albus' cronies accused "Black you're trying to misrepresent the situation and to disgrace a national hero. It's obvious you don't care about the country because you took a national treasure and left."
Smith had called Amelia Bones to the stand. "Auror Bones would you tell us where your department gets it's funding?"
"Eighty-five percent of out budget comes from taxes, ten percent from fines, the remaining five comes from donations from private individuals."
"Who are some of the biggest contributors?"
"The Longbottom Family, the Potter Family, the Duc du Sable and the Foundation for Law and Order."
And approximately how much do each of those contributors donate?"
"The Longbottoms and the Potters both donate about a third of a percent of the total budget. The Duc donates a full percent and the rest comes from the consortium of the Foundation which is made up of witches and wizards all over Britain."
"Thank you, no further questions." Albus saw no reason to drag this out with more questions. But when Smith prepared to ask yet another group after asking similar questions of diverse groups such as St. Mungo's, an orphanage, and even Hogwarts. He objected. " I fail to see the relevance of these questions?"
"Well this new accusation is that my client deserted his country and disregarded its welfare. I was merely trying to bring out the fact that he did nothing of the kind. My Client did his duty by his godson by removing him to safe shores, and he continued to do his duty by his countrymen despite they were hunting him, through his donations to groups here in the UK."
"I failed to hear the name Black mentioned in any of those narratives. Mr. Smith."
Sirius spoke for the first time. "Didn't anyone inform you all, I inherited the DeSable Dukedom about six months after I left England. I've since made sure to help my fellow Brits where and when I could. Mostly anonymously of course."
Albus felt a wave of nausea. He knew to give up. Now the only question was would he be able to maintain his Headmaster position at Hogwarts.