Hey friends,
As always, I continue to be inspired and incredibly thankful for your continued reviews/follows/faves on this story. I know I've not been updating frequently, and I'm sorry about that.
To the guest who left the long, lovely review re: Kavanaugh, Assault, Narcissa/Harry, etc. THANK YOU. That seriously made my day when I read it, and I've gone back to it a few times to just remind myself that I'm not alone in all of it. Thank you.
Hope you all love this next chapter!
Enjoy :)
Daily Prophet
June 24, 2002
Special Evening Edition
Wizengamot Holds Posthumous War Trials!
House of Black Renewed! War Hero Lives!
Padma Patil, Journalist
You've heard it here first, Ladies and Lords!
The Daily Prophet brings you the exciting news that Lord Sirius Black is alive and well!
Sirius Black, Born to Walburga and Orion Black in 1959, most notoriously known for his role in the First Wizarding War, including his internment in Azkaban for the death of Peter Pettigrew and a dozen muggles, LIVES.
Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, held a press conference this morning, inviting reporters and journalists to meet in the Wizengamot chambers, where the entire Wizengamot was also summoned.
The Minister, whom some may have argued had lost the plot, sealed the chamber and began a hearing for one Sirius Black, to plead the case that the man was innocent of his accused crimes, wrongly interred in Azkaban for 12 years, and should be posthumously pardoned for the charges leveled against him.
Young Harry Potter, the savior of the Wizarding World, testified on behalf of Lord Black, who was also Mr. Potter's legal guardian through the will and testament of Lord James Potter and his wife, Lily Potter. He shared memories of Mr. Peter Pettigrew, alive in the boy's 3rd year, admitting to sharing the secret-kept location of the Potter family, and to murdering those muggles to frame Sirius Black. He also shared memories of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's resurrection, which Pettigrew played a most vital role, and memories of the death of Pettigrew, choked by his own metal hand, a gift from the mysterious Dark Lord.
Miss Hermione Granger, commonly known as the brightest witch of our age, was also in attendance, testifying to the events of Sirius Black's escape from custody in 1993. Shockingly, Miss Granger assisted in the freeing of Lord Bthe lack, via the use of a Ministry-issued time turner, and the help and guidance of deceased Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.
The Wizengamot voted unanimously to pardon Lord Black of accused crimes. (see page 12 for more on the accused crimes and testimonies were given.)
Minister Shaklebolt continued the session to hold another posthumous war trial for Hogwarts Potions Professor and Headmaster Severus Snape, a known Death Eater.
The chambers were chaotic with the announcement of this trial, but Minister Shaklebolt quickly brought the room to order.
Harry Potter once again testified, and the emotional testimony rang heavily with the occupants of the room. The young man spoke of his Professor rather admirably, spinning the story of a man who grew up loving a girl that would turn him away in the end, and that girl was Lily Evans, who would go on to become Lily Potter.
Harry Potter told the gathered crowd that Severus Snape had worked diligently as a spy for the Order of The Pheonix for the course of both wizarding wars. His work as a spy saved hundreds of lives, including that of Mr. Potter and his young friends.
On hand to give testimony to this fact were high ranking members of the Order of the Pheonix, Minerva McGonagall, and Arthur Weasley.
Most shockingly, however, was the appearance of Albus Dumbledore, through Wizarding portrait. Of all the crimes charged against Mr. Severus Snape, the most heinous was the murder of Headmaster Dumbledore.
Dumbledore spoke reverently of Mr. Snape and his duties as a spy for the Order. He wove a tale of heartache, loss, fear, and grief. This reporter was not the only person in the room who was openly crying as Albus Dumbledore spoke for his friend. Yes, his friend. You've heard it here first. Albus Dumbledore told the Wizengamot of his order to Severus Snape, under an existing vow of fealty, to have Mr. Snape commit the murder of Albus Dumbledore to save the eternal soul of one Draco Malfoy.
Called to testify in this matter were both remaining members of the Malfoy family. Narcissa Malfoy told the gathered audience of her plea to Mr. Snape to protect her son, Draco, and the unbreakable vow that Mr. Snape made to do just that. Young Lord Malfoy spoke of Mr. Snape's continued support before and after his orders to kill Headmaster Dumbledore, including Snape's pressure to have the Malfoy family hidden by the Order of the Pheonix to protect them.
After hours of pensive memories and testimony were presented on behalf of Mr. Severus Snape, the Wizengamot voted, once again unanimously, to posthumously pardon Mr. Severus Snape of all crimes related to the Wizarding Wars.
But the story continues, dear readers. As the crowd gathered their belongings to leave, Minister Kingsley Shaklebolt called us to order, indicating that the day's events were not yet complete. He allowed a short break (for we'd been interred in the chambers since the early morning) and after a quick lunch, we gathered again in the stone rooms of the Wizengamot.
If you thought the trials of Lord Sirius Black and Mr. Severus Snape were shocking, wait until you hear the rest!
Minister Shaklebolt told the story of the two men's passing. Lord Black, passed through the veil right here in the Department of Mysteries in June of 1996, when Harry Potter and his classmates battled Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters for the prophecy regarding Lord Potter. His death was not well documented at that time, because of his status as an escaped Azkaban convict.
Many of us were already aware of the circumstances that led to the death of Mr. Severus Snape, attacked by Lord Voldemort's familiar, Nagini, and left for dead on the floor of the Shrieking Shack at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, during what is commonly known as the Final Battle, occurring on May 2, 1998. His attack was witnessed by Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Mr. Ronald Weasley.
Minister Shaklebolt created a wave of chaos when he told the gathered crowd that both men were alive.To say that shock was rampant in the chambers would be an understatement.
While the circumstances surrounding their return-to-the-living have not been made public, the Wizengamot was briefed and agreed that the means were not dark nor necromantic, and the pardons held.
Lord Sirius Black will be claiming his rightful title, and the Black Estates, which had passed to Lord Harry Potter, was returned to Lord Black by Lord Potter, with the exception of Grimmauld Place, the home that Lord Potter resides.
Both men currently hold positions within the Department of Mysteries, working as researches for the Unspeakables. Neither were available for comment.
For more information on these men, their histories including employment, political stances, and comments regarding their lives made by the Wizengamot, members of the Order of the Pheonix, including Mr. Harry Potter and Miss Hermione Granger, please turn to page 13!
We're expecting much in the coming days from these men! Why have they waited so long to come forward? Why are they coming forward now?
Stay tuned to the Daily Prophet for all your news!
Severus, Sirius, Draco, and Hermione had gathered in Hermione's small cottage in muggle London. They'd decided her home was the most reasonable place to meet to preserve their privacy within the Wizarding World, as the only people who were aware of the location of the flat were Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood.
When the Daily Prophet arrived, moments after they'd stepped through the floo, the four were anxious to read the story published regarding the hearings in the Wizengamot that day.
Severus snatched the paper from the owl, before quickly scanning over the article and handing it to Sirius, who did the same, and the paper made it's round, finishing with Hermione.
She sunk into the well-worn couch with a small sigh. "It could have been worse." she said quietly, "Thank Merlin it wasn't Rita."
"Rita?" Sirius asked, "The one who wrote that bull about you and Harry during the tournament?"
"HA!" Draco snorted loudly, startling Hermione and the others in the room.
Hermione tried valiantly to hold her chuckle, but it burst from her as a loud guffaw, and soon she and Draco had dissolved into a fit of laughter, while Severus and Sirius looked on in confusion.
"Care to explain, kitten?" Sirius asked when the two had settled down again.
"Well, in fourth year, it was Draco and Pansy feeding Skeeter all those rumors about Harry and me!" Hermione laughed.
"And you're... not hexing him?" Snape questioned, knowing the girl had a penchant for revenge.
"Well, no," she said, looking gently at Draco. "We talked about this already, when I represented him after the war. His Father was pressuring him to make an impact in Harry's life. To distract him during the tournament. In the end, it was rather harmless. Besides Skeeter got hers, didn't she?"
This set the two to laughing again, while the older men just looked on quietly, enjoying the feeling of joy that was radiating from Draco and Hermione.
"You have to tell them" gasped Draco, holding his side where a stitch was cramping him.
"Oh lord," Hermione moaned. "I still can't believe I did that!"
"What!" Severus demanded, tempted to hex the both of them still to get some answers.
"I found out that year that Skeeter was an unregistered animagus, and not the fun or noble kind like you Sirius," she explained. "I didn't like the articles she was writing, so I demanded that she stop. She refused and tried to escape Hogwarts by shifting. She wasn't expecting me to capture her in an unbreakable glass jar and keep her there."
"FOR FOUR WEEKS!" Draco nearly shouted, before dissolving into laughter again.
Sirius and Severus could only smirk as they watched the two laugh and smile.
The shared a glance, and in it was the promise of a happy future, something neither man would turn down.