Chapter 7 – The Trial

There is no such thing as justice – in or out of court. – Clarence Darrow, 1936

The war. Sirius hated what it had done to them, what it had taken away. He would never escape the memories of some of the things he'd seen. Some of the things he'd had to do. He shivered. All because of one maniac and his thirst for power. But he was gone now. Sirius didn't know how or why, but he knew that he was gone. The thought brought Sirius comfort. He felt like maybe his efforts in the war hadn't been a complete waste. Though it had been a waste; far too many good people had died for it not to be. The McKinnon's, the Prewetts, the Bones and the Potter's. They were just some of Voldemort's victims. There were too many for any one person to remember.

The door in front of him opened, revealing a long dark corridor. He was confused, the door was never opened. Unless Remus had come to visit again? But that surely meant that he'd caught Peter? His heart filled with joy at the thought that he would soon be free. The smile slid of his face though when the dementors entered the cell. There were two of the dark terrors today. Sirius knew what they wanted, but he couldn't physically do it. He couldn't move. It was like all the muscles in his body had just given up. The dementors swooped forwards, each grabbing one of his arms and pulling him into a standing position. His knee was trembling badly, he could barely stand or walk as they pointed him towards the door.

Sirius staggered into the cold hallway, cringing as he felt the dementors hover behind him. The screams of the other inmates were almost deafening out here. They had just been background noise before, horrible, heart-breaking background noise. He managed a few steps before his knees gave in and he fell to the floor. Pain shot through his right knee as it smashed into the stone floor. The dementors dragged him back to his feet, seeming to relish the pain that it caused him. He couldn't help it, he whimpered as he tried to limp on. One of the dementors swooped in front of him, completely ignoring the fact that Sirius nearly lost his balance as he recoiled from the foul creature. They led him down the long corridor, toward the light.

He screwed his eyes up in an effort to defend himself from the cruel rays of light that were jabbing at his eyes. He winced when two large men grabbed his arms and they literally dragged him forwards. He didn't understand, he didn't have to do this last time somebody came to speak to him. A crack appeared in the wall and widened, giving the two men more than enough room to drag Sirius outside. Outside. That was a word he hadn't thought about for a long time, knowing that its elusiveness would drive him mad eventually.

Sirius took his first breath of fresh air after three years of being stuck in Azkaban. It was like nothing he had ever experienced. He felt like his nose was on fire with the strange smells. Not that there was much to smell. They were on a small, rocky island in the middle of the sea. The sea. He had never before appreciated how beautiful it was. So much so that he couldn't stop staring at it. The men dragged him to a particular spot and disapparated.

Sirius wasn't sure where they were, but he was keeping his eyes shut in an effort to stop his head spinning. He felt like he was going to be sick so he clamped his mouth shut. The men dragged him through a long corridor and into a lift. He still didn't really know what was happening, but for the first time in nearly three years he allowed himself to hope. It wasn't nearly as cold here as Azkaban was, but he still felt weak and shaky. They dumped him in a chair and Sirius let his eyes flicker open. The sight in front of him took his breath away. He was in the Wizengamot chamber. And it was full to bursting with people.

"Sirius?" A whisper sounded from next to Sirius. He whipped his head around to see a tall man with a waist length beard. Sirius grinned broadly. Sirius would have recognised his voice nearly anywhere. It filled him with a feeling of peace. Nothing would go wrong if the headmaster was here. He smiled. "Pettigrew was captured a few days ago, this is your acquittal"

A grin spread over Sirius' wasted face. He was going to be free. The feeling was unbelievable. Before Sirius could open his mouth to answer, a loud voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Sirius Black, you have been brought before us today to answer the charges of murder and of being a death eater. How does the defendant plead?"

Sirius stared. He was actually getting a trial. Strange. Before Sirius could open his mouth to respond, a deep voice spoke behind him. "Not Guilty"

"The Wizengamot would like to hear your story Mr Black, all of it. Starting from when the secret keeper was chosen up until the events that led to your arrest"

Sirius looked up. He gulped and started the story. He told them about James and Lily's choice to go into hiding and how everyone had been there when they asked him to be secret keeper. He explained how he'd made them change their minds and how he'd thought that he could trick Voldemort (he ignored the gasps) by using Peter. He described how he'd gone to see Peter that night and that nobody was there. He told them how he'd gone to Godric's Hollow and found James and Lily. He explained how in his fury he'd gone after Peter and tried to kill him, but he'd never got the chance because Peter blew the street up and escaped. He didn't need to say anymore.

"Very well, are there any questions for Mr Black?" the Chief Warlock sounded suspiciously like he didn't believe Sirius' story. He would have given nearly anything to be able to go up and wipe the smug smile off his face.

A woman with curly hair raised her hand, "If what you say is true about the change in secret keeper, why did you pick Pettigrew? Why not Lupin, or Dumbledore?"

Sirius closed his eyes. There was no way of getting round that question without hurting Remus. "Because we thought the fewer people who knew the better. And we thought that Remus was the spy"

Sirius braced himself for the gasp that would surely follow. Nothing. Remus had obviously already worked that out. Bugger. A resounding silence followed his words. Sirius almost felt indignant for him, people seemed to think that was a logical assumption to make given that he was a werewolf. A tall black man raised his hand.

"You say that Pettigrew escaped. How do you propose he did that?"

Bugger. He hadn't wanted to divulge that secret. But if it meant his freedom then he would. "He's an animagi. He cut off his finger and fled into the sewers"

"I wasn't under the impression that he was particularly clever. Besides, he's not on the registry"

"James and I helped him. We were all animagi" Sirius tried to ignore the angry mutters coming from the Wizengamot. Which was precisely why he hadn't wanted to tell them about that.

"Quiet! Are there anymore questions?" Nobody made a sound. "Well then, bring in the first witness" Witness? That couldn't be good. He looked at Dumbledore in alarm, but the old man merely shook his head.

The door opened and Sirius understood. They meant Wormtail. Sirius glared at him as he was led into the room. Sirius was so furious that he missed most of what the rat said, quite content to glare at him with utter hatred. The last time he'd seen him he was running for the sewers, leaving Sirius to pay for the crimes that Peter had committed. Dumbledore laid a calming hand on Sirius' arm. He understood what the he meant. Sirius glared furiously at the floor in front of him.

"What about the charges of being a death eater?" A cold voice asked from the top of the stands. Dumbledore stood up next to him and smiled lightly.

"That is easy enough to prove or disprove" He raised both of Sirius sleeves to the elbow, revealing nothing other than sickly white looking skin and wasted muscles. Sirius smiled bitterly. It still hurt that everybody had thought that he was a death eater. Almost over night he'd gone from a decorated auror to a mass murderer, supposedly Voldemort's right-hand man.

"The Wizengamot will deliberate," announced the Chief Warlock. He cast a bubble of silence around the assembled members, and they began a furious debate. He knew there were probably still people who thought that he was guilty, but he didn't care. As long as he was free he would be happy. Though, he did want to see justice done on the rat.

Sirius could honestly say that he'd never been more nervous in his life as he watched the Wizengamot deliberate. He wasn't sure if his story and the evidence would be enough to overcome the dark reputation of his name. Dumbledore placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and Remus smiled reassuringly at him from where the witnesses were sat. Sirius gulped audibly, his patience threatening to snap.

The Chief Warlock removed the bubble of silence and rose to his feet, looking like he'd just been forced to swallow something bitter. "We find the defendant not guilty. He is hereby cleared of all charges"

Sirius' eyes widened. He was free. The chains around his arms and legs began to withdraw. Tears began to form in his eyes. He found that he didn't care in the slightest. He didn't think he'd ever felt so happy before in his life. He couldn't really believe that after three years of hell that it was over. It could finally be laid to rest. His thoughts were interrupted as Remus Lupin practically threw himself at him. They hugged each other fiercely, relishing in the thought they were not alone. Finally, they could move past this mess. Mourn James and Lily in peace. They were free.

AN: I really hope you guys like this chapter; I found it really hard to write. The next chapter is already written (from Sirius' POV again) and I am currently working on the 9th. I did try to write it last night, but I was watching the deathly hallows premiere and I'm not ashamed to say that I cried like a little girl at their speeches at the end. Anyway, enjoy and please leave a review