Hindsight

Summary: "Ten years," James whispered to his wife. "We've been dead for Ten years… how is this possible?" Ten years after the tragedy at Godric's Hollow, James and Lily come back to life and find their world turned upside down.

AN: So if anyone saw my emergency Author's note, it said that my sixteen-chapter, 130 page document of this story was corrupted and I had to jump through hoops to fix it/retrieve a passed saved version of it and good news!

I got the story and we're back on track and I've saved the document to every feasible platform I possible could so as not to lose it again haha. I was so happy that I took some time right now to upload the next chapter. Happy reading all!

Chapter 4

"Peter?"

Remus nearly laughed at them.

"Peter? We're talking about our Peter? You think he was in league with Voldemort?" They didn't appear to be joking. "But... he would never do it on purpose! Voldemort must have tortured him until-"

"How else would you explain him causing that scene?" James cut in. "Blaming Sirius? Accusing him of selling us out when he was the one that we picked as our secret keeper?"

"We really didn't want to believe it either," Lily added sadly. "There's really no other explanation for why he would so publicly blame Sirius."

Remus stared at them with wide eyes. "No… no, Peter wouldn't have… but I didn't think Sirius would have…" His hands fell limp in his lap as he took in the information they gave him. "But Peter! He was so… meek, so-"

"I know," James sighed. "I… I know, Moony. But what other explanation is there?"

"The imperius?"

"Remus, you know how secret keeping works. We all do. As much as Lily and I refused to believe it, we can't deny the truth. It can't be tortured or forced out of you. Not even Voldemort could've gotten around that magic... but I guess anything is possible. We won't truly know until Sirius' trial tomorrow."

Remus felt as though a great weight had settled on his chest. If everything they were saying was true… "I abandoned him. I abandoned my best friend in the worst prison imaginable. Oh God, I believed him to be a criminal. I should have fought for him, said something! How could I have even thought he would have crossed us?"

"It's our fault too, mate," James said remorsefully. "We shouldn't have pushed you away and kept things from you. You have to believe us, we didn't even want to consider you would be the spy, but you were a far safer guess than Peter. We would have never suspected… mate, I'm so sorry. If we had just told you the truth."

"No, James," he said, waving off the apology. It did hurt to know they kept it from him, but James was far too noble to mistrust his friends. Knowing that was enough for Remus to feel better about himself. "I understand, of course I do. Of all the people, Peter? But Sirius… he'll never forgive me."

"Don't think that way," Lily chided. "Of course he will. Besides, I'm sure with how distant he was becoming with you, you began suspecting he was the spy? He won't blame you for believing it. He'd sooner blame himself than you."

He could barely even listen to her kind words. Remus was sure he would drown in his guilt.

How could he even have thought Sirius capable of committing such a crime? He ran away from his family because of their belief in blood purity. It wasn't like he would just suddenly turn around and realize he wanted to be Voldemort's most loyal follower.

"He'll never forgive me…"

"T-trial?" Sirius stuttered out. "I'm getting a trial? After ten years?"

"New evidence has come to light," Dumbledore answered simply.

"New evidence?" he deadpanned.

A hushed murmur buzzed through the visitor's box. He could hear them calling his response ungrateful. In the middle of being given a second chance, he decided to sass the Chief Warlock. Sirius straightened immediately. "Sorry, Albus- I mean Dumbledore- ah sir?" Albus appeared to be having much trouble keeping a straight face at the man's display. "I didn't mean for that to come out as rude as it did. I'm just… confused."

"Are we to assume that you don't want this trial?" another member asked.

"No!" he nearly wailed. "No, I do! I do! I just wasn't expecting- I never thought this day would come, I-"

"Shall, we continue then?"

Albus cleared his throat and began again. "This trial is unprecedented in two ways. First, that you had not received a trial before your imprisonment, and second, that this has been the longest stretch of time before a case has been reopened. It has caused much dissent, but with a vote of twenty-six to twenty-four, this trial was passed and is now being held before the entire Wizengamot. You understand the crime you were imprisoned for on the thirty-first of October, nineteen eighty-one?"

All eyes were on him, and through his amazement, he realized he needed to give them an answer. "Y-yes."

"And how do you plead?"

Sirius' jaw dropped. Even the guilty would deny a crime after being caught, wouldn't they? "Not guilty!"

Another wave of angry whispering took over the crowd, Wizengamot included. The Court Scribe was scribbling away furiously. Dumbledore banged his gavel loudly, ordering silence and drawing attention back to him.

"Not guilty?"

"Yes. Not guilty," he stated confidently. He wouldn't appear intimidated by these people any longer.

"You have evidence?"

"Maybe not physical, but it appears you might. Otherwise, you wouldn't have called for this trial."

A smirk threatened to stretch Dumbledore's lips. It seemed even a decade in Azkaban couldn't destroy Sirius' wit.

"Despite the controversy of using such a means in court, the members of the Wizengamot, with the permission of the Ministry, have passed another majority vote for the usage of Veritaserum in this trial on the basis that your imprisonment has left you far too weak to resist it, nor did you have the access to retrieve Veritaserum's antidote. Do you assent to being given Veritaserum?"

Sirius nodded fervently. His answer would have been enough to judge his guilt if he was foolish enough to refuse it. "I do."

This was it. The entire Wizarding World would know of his innocence. Remus would probably pry him out of the cage. He'd be able to take Harry away from those wretched Dursleys.

He'd have his family back…

Dumbledore nodded. "Allow the defendant some water while the Wizengamot takes a moment to deliberate."

As a witch approached him with a small glass of water, Sirius wondered how soon they'd allow him to find his godson. He took the water from her gratefully as he continued his ponderings. He figured he'd need time to find a house first. Surely, James and Lily had left him something, anything, in the event that Voldemort was able to find them. His heart beat faster at the thought of his dead friends and he wondered if they'd ever be able to forgive him for acting so rashly and hunting Pettigrew down instead of taking care of their son. He swore he'd fix it once he was freed. If James possibly left him a house, all he'd need to do is clean it up with Remus and move their things in. Then he could find Harry and take him home, tell him all about his upcoming year at Hogwarts and bring him to Diagon Alley to shop for his school supplies, his wand. Hell, he'd buy the kid a broom, damn the rules. He'd show Harry how to hide it. Maybe Remus and he could make the boy his own Marauder's Map, to use with the friends he'd be making.

Albus turned away from the member that were speaking to him in hushed tones and waited for Sirius to finish drinking. He took a few hungry gulps before passing it back to the witch.

"The Wizengamot has come to a final decision on the usage of Veritaserum and has decided it will not be used in this trial."

Sirius' heart fell. How were they to believe him strictly on word alone?

"This trial can now commence. If you would start by telling us your name, year of birth and age."

"Sirius Orion Black," he answered mechanically, though rather downtrodden from the verdict. "Nineteen fifty-nine and I'm thirty-one. Thirty-two in two months."

"Who were you to the Potters?"

"A close friend."

"And to their son Harry?"

"Godfather."

"Godfather," one of the reporter's exclaimed. "He betrayed his own godson to You-Know-Who?"

"I did not!" he shouted in outrage before Albus or any of the Wizengamot could hush the man.

The judging members of the court swiveled around in their seats, murmuring zealously to each other at his outburst. Sirius was sure he'd done himself in this time, but they settled and nodded at Dumbledore, telling him to continue.

"Were you James and Lily Potter's secret keeper?"

"No."

The courtroom exploded. Reporters were standing in the visitor's box, shouting questions at the top of their lungs. Members of the Wizengamot were stuck between debating Sirius' testimony and demanding the removal of the press.

"QUIET!" Dumbledore bellowed. "Quiet!" He waited for everyone to stop talking. "Now. Mr. Black. Who was the Potters' secret keeper if it was not you?"

"Peter Pettigrew," he growled, and Dumbledore lost control of the courtroom once more. This time, he waited for everyone to calm themselves instead of ordering them to stop, allowing the Wizengamot to argue back and forth until they were satisfied and the reporters to discuss what they heard with each other.

"And did anyone know about this switch in secret keeper?"

"No."

"What happened the night the Potters were murdered?"

Sirius glanced behind him at Remus, who nodded at him encouragingly. "I went to visit Peter's safe house to make sure he was doing all right. When I arrived there, the house was empty but there was no sign of a struggle. I knew something was wrong. Peter was told never to leave; it was too dangerous for him to be wandering about. I went to Godric's Hollow as fast as I could and found I was too late. The house was destroyed, the door blasted off its hinges, and James and Lily…" He trembled in his spot, his chains rattling. "My friends were dead."

Albus looked down at him somberly. "And you found their son?"

Sirius felt a lone tear trail down the side of his face. "I found him in his crib, crying. I wanted to take him with me, get him away from the place, but Rubeus Hagrid appeared and told me he had strict orders to bring him to his aunt's house. I only gave Harry to him when I realized…" He choked up at the memory of Hagrid taking Harry away from him.

"Give him some more water," Albus suggested to the witch still standing in front of his cage. "It's been quite a while since you've spoken for so long, hasn't it? I apologize for not having you better prepared for the trial."

He expected to hear scoffs or disagreements from the others, but they remained oddly quiet, even acquiescent. Sirius took the glass of water and kept it with him, figuring he could continue sipping from it as the interrogation continued. Dumbledore was right. His throat was starting to feel scratchy from all of the talking he'd done in the past few minutes.

"You gave Harry to Hagrid when you realized what?"

Sirius gripped the glass so tightly he was surprised it didn't shatter. "When I realized exactly what happened. Peter had betrayed them. There was no struggle, no fight at all. The only explanation was that he was the spy we were all fearing was in our ranks, and I was foolish enough to trust him. I handed Harry over because I wanted to find the traitorous rat and kill him myself."

"And you did kill him when you found him that night."

"No, I didn't," Sirius confessed.

He looked upward in exasperation when the trial was interrupted again with the yells and screams of the crowd he continuously seemed to be shocking. This would never be over if this kept happening. Albus, himself, had had enough. "We continue this trial without the reporters incessant disruptions or you will all be forcibly removed from this courtroom! Members of the Wizengamot, you will wait until the trial is finished to deliberate. That is final."

Minister Fudge, who was sitting in his own box just below Dumbledore, finally had something to say. "You all heard the Chief Warlock!" He boomed, sitting up in what Sirius figured was his best authoritative posture. "There will be no more disturbances until this trial is done or I will handle you myself!"

Sirius forced himself not to snort derisively.

"Now, Sirius. What exactly happened with Peter?"

"Well, I left Godric's Hollow to go find him. When I finally did, he was in the middle of a muggle street. He wasn't hurt, wasn't scratched up or bleeding, which only confirmed my suspicions. He'd betrayed us willingly. I was just about to grab him and… strangle him? Ask him how he could do this to our friends? I don't know, but before I could even move he bloody well screamed his head off, saying that I was the one to kill James and Lily. I was so stunned, so shocked at what he was doing, that I didn't even notice him raise his wand to blow himself up."

"When the aurors arrived at the scene, they said you were laughing… can you tell us why you were laughing?"

The question surprised him. "I was laughing? Why would I be laughing?"

"That's what we want to know!" Minister Fudge cut in, unable to stop himself. "What were we supposed to think? Everyone thought you were the secret keeper and we find you laughing after a mass murder had been committed! What were we supposed to-"

"Minister, please," Albus said politely. "Sirius, you don't remember laughing?"

Sirius' jaw dropped. "No! My brother in all but blood and his wife had just been murdered! They were two of my best friends! Why would I be laughing?!"

Dumbledore's brow furrowed. "You don't remember laughing at all?"

He let out a breath of dismay. "I- you must realize I lost my mind that night! I was nearly going insane from everything I saw. James became my only family from the moment I became a Gryffindor! And Lily and Harry… I loved them just as much as I did James! I can barely even remember what happened between the time Peter killed himself and the aurors showing up to arrest me, let alone laughing like some kind of maniac!"

"So you weren't celebrating a near successful mission on behalf of your master, the Dark Lord?" one of the members asked him.

He reeled back, disgust clear on his face. "No! Of course not! And he isn't my master!"

"Are you now or have you ever been a death eater, or been loyal to You-Know-Who?" another asked.

"No! I just said I wasn't!"

"You did not betray the Potters to Voldemort?" Albus asked, ignoring the reaction he received to hearing the dark wizard's name.

Sirius brought himself up to his full height. "No. I would have rather died than sell them out. I'd spend my whole life in Azkaban if it meant keeping them safe from him!"

Dumbledore smiled, looking around him at the Wizengamot. Sirius followed his gaze wearily. What were they all thinking? Were any of them on his side?

"Next witness to plead the defendant's case, then?" he asked them.

Next witness? Sirius could hardly believe it. Someone was there to speak on his behalf?

"Mr. Lupin? If you would please?"

Sirius started in his cage, pressing himself against the bars again as he watched his only friend stand and walk over to the seat next to him. "Remus?" he whispered when the man was within hearing distance. "Remus, you're here to speak for me?"

The werewolf rolled his eyes. "No, Sirius, I thought I might invite you for a spot of tea," he joked, hoping the man would relax if he knew someone in the crowd of naysayers was fighting for him. Sirius gave him a beaming grin, reaching out as far as his cuffed hand would allow him. Remus took it immediately and squeezed it. "I'm going to get you out of here a free man. I promise."

"Mr. Lupin, your evidence is the reason the Chief Warlock and the Ministry decided to reopen this case," Minister Fudge announced for all the court to hear. "If you would please present it to the rest of the Wizengamot."

Remus cleared his throat and he brought his hand back to his side, fumbling with his coat pocket as if he was searching through a chest full of items. "Yes, I regret to say it's taken so long and I can only hope my dear friend can forgive me. You see, James and Lily left me a considerable amount of money in their will, but I couldn't even stomach touching it, looking at it even. There was no way I'd use them after everything that happened but… funds were running dry and I was having trouble making rent this month. I was desperate enough to dip into the vault they gave me."

Sirius damn near felt his heart tear in two at his friend's story. So Remus had had a hard life too. He hoped he wouldn't be foolish enough to refuse the Potters' funds. If James were alive, he probably would have throttled the man himself. "Well, I visited my vault two days ago and found this…" Finally, he pulled something out of his pocket, a near triumphant smile sneaking onto his face. "It was lying in the vault, all these years, James and Lily's last goodbye to me. It told me the truth about everything. How they switched secret keepers and hid it from everyone because they weren't sure who they could trust. It said that they hadn't even told Dumbledore about it, and that they were sorry to have kept it from me."

"May we see the letter, Remus?" Dumbledore requested. The man brought it up immediately, passing it to his old headmaster. Albus took his wand out and waved it above the page. "It appears to have no enchantments on it, and is truly a document written by James Potter. You may preform your own tests once you have the chance to examine it." Dumbledore read it over before handing it over to the Minister, who read it then passed it to the Wizengamot member sitting closest to him. As the letter made its way around the room, Sirius could hear excited chatter getting stronger and stronger.

"It's true! Look at it!"

"Dear Remus, if you're receiving this letter, then Lily and I have passed…"

"No enchantments, hasn't been forged… I am with Dumbledore. This letter is real."

"We are sorry to have kept the truth from you, but in these dark times, it was hard to know who we could trust. Lily and I decided to reassign our secret keeper to Peter. He won't be suspected, not as much as Sirius will be."

"Look at what they said here! 'Our only hope is that Peter did not die because of us. Please tell him we love him and that we don't blame him for You-Know-Who forcing him to give up our location. We can only imagine what kind of torture the Dark Lord must have put our dear friend through.' They never had a clue that he was the true spy!"

Sirius felt happier than he ever felt in the last ten years. They believed him… They actually believed him.

"A vote to end the trial?" Dumbledore inquired once the letter finished its round. Sirius gulped down the rest of his water to calm his nerves when he saw them pass a unanimous vote to end the trial. "Sirius? Any last words you would like to leave us before we come to a verdict?"

Sirius nodded slowly. "Just that… just that I'm thankful you allowed me to give my side of the story this time around and that I hope you come to the right decision. I'd like to find Harry, you see. I haven't been the best godfather." Some laughed at his attempt at humor. "I would have never betrayed my friends. Never. I hope this evidence Remus has given you is enough to prove that."

Dumbledore smiled for the second time in the middle of very severe looking witches and wizards. "A vote. All those who believe him innocent of the crimes against the Potters, as well as collusion and loyalty to the Dark Lord?"

He wasn't sure how many hands went up in the air, but it certainly had to be more than twenty-six.

"All those who believe him guilty?"

The rest raised their hands, but to his relief, the disparity between the groups was staggering.

"Sirius Black, as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, on this day, the twenty-third of June, nineteen ninety-one, with clear physical evidence as well as your testimony given while under the influence of veritaserum, I herby clear you of all charges. You are free to go."

The chains unlocked and fell to his feet and the steel cage swung open.

Sirius stared ahead in wonder as he took a cautious step out and into the room. It was the first time he wasn't restricted our bound in ten years. He looked to Remus, ignoring the reporters that were calling him, begging for him for an interview or a statement. With a sob of joy, he threw himself at the werewolf and clung onto him like his life depended on it. Remus hugged him back just as tightly, the two of them nearly toppling over. "This is a dream," Sirius muttered. "A dream."

"Sorry to disappoint you, mate," Remus laughed. "But this is really happening, and you really stink. Didn't think it important to take a shower before showing up in court?"

He sniffed himself and grunted indignantly. "That's what you have to say to me? After leaving me to rot in Azkaban for ten years because you were too bloody idiotic to accept James' help?" Remus immediately lost his smile and looked down despondently. "Oh, come on, Moony, don't do this now. This is a happy moment!"

"Sirius, you have no idea how sorry I am. I will live with the guilt of abandoning you for the rest of my life. I don't know how you could even look at me right now."

"You're my best friend, Remus," he retorted tiredly. "You have no idea how long I've waited to see this ugly mug again."

Remus laughed through his sadness. "I'll fix this, Sirius. I swear it."

"You already have. I mean it. I'm not angry. Hell, if anything, this is my fault. If I had just told you the truth- no. If I had just stayed the secret keeper-"

"Black! Black! Daily Prophet, if you could just answer a few questions!"

"We've been waiting longer! Black, how do you feel?"

Sirius glanced at the reporters and shook his head. "We should get out of here. We'll never have a proper conversation with those dogs around."

"A splendid idea, young Sirius."

The pair turned to see Dumbledore standing behind them. "Albus," Sirius greeted. He hugged the old man. "I knew you'd come through for me eventually."

"I'm only sorry it wasn't sooner," the gray wizard told him regretfully.

"What did you mean when you said I was under veritaserum? I thought the others voted against it?"

Dumbledore pointed to the glass of water he had dropped to hug his friend. "A white lie. Legally, we needed your consent to use it, but we also needed to be sure you wouldn't outsmart the potion."

Sirius' eyes gleamed with realization. "So, you said I wasn't going to have it so I would be completely vulnerable to it."

He merely smiled at the correct conclusion. "Now, shall we head to my office? Our happy tidings are not yet at its end."

Sirius perked up. "Is it Harry? Does he know about me? The truth, that is?"

"Better," Remus told him.

Dumbledore carted the two out of the room and towards the lifts. The Minister had apparently made sure that no one would disturb them because the main hall was nearly empty. They hurried to the fireplaces, wanting to escape before the reporters found them again. "I'm sure you remember where to go?" Sirius nodded, grabbing some floo powder out of a pouch Remus plucked out of his seemingly bottomless pocket, and stepped into the fireplace.

"Albus Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

In less than a second, he stepped out into the headmaster's office. "Ah," he sighed. "I wondered if I'd ever see you again. It's been a while since we last met, hasn't it?" he asked the desk, remembering all the times James, Remus and he had been pulled into the office after another prank or classroom disruption.

"I've never seen anyone so happy to see a table before."

Sirius whirled around so fast in his spot he nearly fell over. He didn't know anyone else was in the room with him.

There, standing near the door, was the blond couple he had spotted sitting next to Remus at the trial. "Oh, sorry… I believe you're friends of Remus? He didn't tell me you were coming."

"Oh we're more than friends of Remus," the woman answered.

He pulled a face. "… A polygamous trio, is it? Didn't know the bastard had it in him."

The man barked with laughter. "Please. He wishes."

"So then who-"

He was cut short when the flames came alive and Remus appeared, Dumbledore coming in just a second behind him. "Ah! I see you've reintroduced yourselves, then?"

"Not yet, Moony."

"Moony?" Sirius exclaimed. "Remus, how could you? Our nicknames are reserved for-"

"Family?" the woman asked.

With a wave of her wand, she and the man began to change before his eyes. Her hair turned red from root to tip and her blue eyes became a vivid green that he recognized instantly. He didn't need to see the rest of her facial features shift and reform. Sirius brought his gaze to the other, and found a ridiculously messy black mop. The square face was now longer, thinner, and round, wired frames sat on the bridge of his nose.

"James… Lily?"

The redhead beamed at him. "Hello, Sirius."