The headlines were rather impressive, this morning.
MINISTRY SCANDAL
PETER PETTIGREW FOUND ALIVE AND MASQUERADING AS A FAMILY PET
SIRIUS BLACK INNOCENT
CROUCH SUSPENDED: INVESTIGATION INTO POST WAR TRIALS PENDING
Sirius Black, renowned criminal and mass murderer, accused of the homicide of Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles has been found innocent of all crimes! The handsome Lord of the Black family tells all in exclusive interview to this privileged reporter, me; Rita Skeeter! Black was also believed to be the Secret Keeper for the Fidelius Charm surrounding the Potter's house in 1981, and the one who betrayed them to You Know Who, resulting in their murder. (For more information on the Fidelius Charm turn to page 12.)
"It was that piece of vermin, Peter Pettigrew who was the real Secret Keeper! I was just a decoy." Black's stunning blue eyes fill with tears. "He betrayed my best friend and his wife. When I discovered they were dead I gave my godson, Harry Potter (the Boy Who Lived) into Hagrid's safe keeping, and chased after him." He pauses, shaking with emotion. "I found him, but he got the better of me, and blew up the street, yelling that it was me who had betrayed them." Black's eyes flash with righteous anger, and this reporter grips the edge of her seat in anticipation. "He then transformed into his animagus form, a rat, and disappeared into the sewers, and that was when the aurors found and arrested me." A thrilling tale!
Luckily for Black, Pettigrew, who had been masquerading as a pet rat for the eleven years while Black resided in Azkaban was found by none other than the Boy Who Lived: Harry Potter, who discovered that Pettigrew was an illegal animagus. Potter brought this to the attention of his Head of House, who brought said rat to the aurors. Our young hero strikes again for justice! Black has been freed, and Pettigrew imprisoned, to the relief of all.
One can't help but wonder how the Ministry could have failed so badly? What other injustices have occurred?
Black is currently residing in medical facility to help his recovery from years of incarceration. A Wizenmagot meeting will be held on the 14th to determine Pettigrew's sentence, and reparations for both Black and the Weasleys, with whom Pettigrew hid.
Currently under investigation is Bartemius Crouch, whom was responsible for Black's long stint in Azkaban without a trial. All post war trials are to be reviewed and evaluated. Questions are being raised about the competence of both the current and last administration.
"Who else may be residing in Azkaban without cause?" Lucius Malfoy asks. "Sirius Black is the Head of an Ancient and Noble House, yet he was tossed away as if he was trash. It is discomforting to consider that I could be in his very position."
Arthur Weasley, whose son Percy first owned the rat before it was passed onto Ronald, claims ignorance of the rat's true form. "It is very worrying that he's lived in my house all this time. I am very grateful to Mr Potter for discovering his deception."…
Harry glanced around. The Hall was hushed as each person read the paper. Those that didn't own their own copy were reading over other's shoulders. Percy looked like he was going to be sick, and the twins were comforting Ron, while Ginny… Ginny was absent. Harry frowned. He'd hardly seen her at all this year. Every time he did she seemed to be getting paler and paler.
"Baneofallrodents would you mind keeping an eye on Ginny Weasley. The ginger one."
"There are many ginger ones."
"The female."
"Of course master." Harry frowned. It seemed that some of his Boy Who Lived persona had rubbed off on him.
"Mr Potter." Percy said pompously. "You have my gratitude for uncovering this deception."
"Thanks. But really it was Baneofallrodents. She saw him transform from rat to human, and then informed me." Baneofallrodents hissed her appreciation. Percy eyed her nervously.
"Thank you hisssss." He said, still pompous. Harry chuckled.
"Sorry. Her name is Baneofallrodents. It just sounds like a hiss when I say it in parseltongue."
"Ah. Thank you Bane of all rodents. An apt name indeed." He nodded to them both, and retook his seat.
"Pompous prat." Harry muttered to himself. The Weasley twins, although still pale, grinned, and gave him a thumbs up.
A few weeks later Harry was sitting in the Headmaster's office, and Sirius Black tumbled out the floo.
"Harry!" He cried.
"Sirius." Harry said with a nod. Sirius scoped him up into a hug and Harry froze. Right. Affectionate caregivers. Harry was going to have to get used to that.
"So nice to see you again." Sirius said, looking like he was going to start crying. "I can't thank you enough for discovering Pettigrew and uncovering the truth." He squeezed Harry's shoulder, eyes bright but clear and sharp.
"Headmaster." He greeted cordially. Harry hid a smirk. One of the many things they'd discussed over letters was the fact that Dumbledore, as Chief Warlock of the Wizenmagot, had had ample opportunities to get Sirius a trial. Another was Harry's treatment at the hands of the Dursleys, which he'd hinted at carefully. Suffice to say, Sirius Black was not a fan of Albus Dumbledore. He was not the naïve follower that had existed twelve years ago.
"Splendid to see you again my dear boy! And once again I must apologise for not realising the truth and getting you a trial sooner." Dumbledore hadn't been told until the day of the trial. Why should he be? He was only Chief Warlock, and therefore required to preside over trials to ensure justice, not interfere with them.
"Hmm." Said Sirius. Harry resisted the urge to ding. He was saving it for later.
"Yes, well I asked you to come through my office before having your chit chat with young Harry to explain a few things to you. You plan on taking his guardianship?" Sirius nodded. Dumbledore affected a saddened look. "I see. As it stands at the moment, with Voldemort already having tried to attack Harry, I must tell you that you need to leave Harry as he is, with his family. I'm sure he'll understand."
"Ding! Ding ding ding!" Harry cried. Dumbledore sighed.
"What?" Sirius asked.
"It's my bullshit detector." Harry explained. Sirius grinned, then chuckled, then coughed, obviously trying to hold in his laughter. "I do not understand! I hate my family, and they hate me, and don't even try and tell me the wards there are better than anywhere else, because they're not." Dumbledore frowned.
"Now Harry, I'm sure that's not true. They're you're family." Harry scoffed.
"They loathe me! Family don't lock you into a cupboard for ten years of your life. Only an imbecile could have missed the signs of abuse when they came to deliver my Hogwarts letter, so of course you sent Hagrid, who wouldn't know abuse if it sat on him. There is no way I'm staying with the Dursleys now I have a caring and competent guardian, one whom my parents originally intended me to live with." Sirius was bristling beside him.
"My dear boy, I understand that you are not happy with them, but they are your mother's blood, and I'm sure they love you. There are blood wards around the house that power the protection granted to you the night your mother died."
"Ding. The wards around the house are barely there. Check." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, and pulled a device from a drawer. He tapped it, and it span once, then puttered out.
"What? That cannot be possible. The only way for them to fail would be if…" He stared at a device in his hand.
"If they don't love me?" Harry asked. "Well done. They don't. Never have, never will." Sirius patted Harry on the shoulder.
"It seems to me, Headmaster that you've been interfering where you shouldn't have. I will be applying for Harry's guardianship, and he will never see the Dursleys again. Frankly, you're luckily I'm not bringing both you and them up on charges. Now, will that be all?" Sirius asked. Dumbledore nodded, still staring at the device. Harry and Sirius left the office, and found an empty class room. Sirius smirked.
"Bullshit detector? I like it." Harry shrugged.
"Would you like to meet your saviour?" Harry asked. Sirius frowned, and Baneofallrodents poked her head out of Harry's shirt.
"This is Baneofallrodents. This is Sirius. She's the one who noticed Pettigrew was not just a rat."
"Nice to meet you." Sirius said, a bemused expression upon his face. "A snake? And I didn't realise parseltongue was a Potter trait." Harry grimaced.
"I have a sneaking suspicion it's from Voldemort. I have a strange connection to him. He possessed a professor last year, and every time I was near him my scar hurt." Sirius frowned.
"Strange. I'll look into it. So, tell me about this year. There's a monster loose in the school petrifying people?" Harry grimaced.
"It's a basilisk I think. It fits the criteria. Every time it kills only I can hear it talking, and a basilisk's gaze turns people to stone, or petrifies them if they see it in a mirror, or through something else. I've no idea how it's getting out though, but it's definitely something to do with Voldemort again." Sirius ruffled his hair.
"Be careful then. Hopefully the Headmaster will sort it out soon. Now, how's your year going? Pulling some Marauder worthy pranks?" Harry grinned.
"Everyone thought I was the Heir of Slytherin, so I told them that it was too obvious, and that it had to be Dumbledore, because he was powerful and was here last time it opened. He's been having some trouble since them." Sirius laughed.
"Good job Pronglet." He ruffled Harry's hair. "Mischief managed indeed."
"I know. Hey, I perfect the stupid little Gryffindor act for over a year, I'm practically one of you." Sirius looked affronted.
"Stupid Gryffindor? I don't know what you mean." Harry laughed.
"You will take over my guardianship though, won't you?" He asked, trying to hide his anxiety. Sirius' face soften.
"Of course pup. I've got a clean bill of health, and the entire Ministry running around trying to make amends. I've already lawyers working on it." Sirius made a face. "I'm taking up the mantle of Lord Black. I'll probably need it I'm going to be protecting such a scrawny thing as you." Harry pouted.
"Meany." Sirius flicked him on the nose.
"Squirt." He retorted.