Chapter V

The Trial

The trial of Sirius Orion Black caused a great commotion in the magical word.

In every streets, the Gazette and even the least popular wizard papers were entirely liquidated. People fighted to see their covers adorned with the face of one of the greatest criminal and death eater of the twentieth century. The places for the trial were bargained at an insane price, and some were even negociated and sold in the black market.

When the great day came, the entire Black family made the travel to the wizard ministry's justice room in their luxurious, entirely black and silver carriages. As soon as they arrived, they were surrounded by journalists and Altair was blinded by the flashes of lights and deafened by their questions shouted in a random order. But he wasn't afraid, for his father was beside him, his presence grounding, his dignity almost unsettling as he advanced silently through the smoke of spitted by the wizard cameras.

Altair didn't really see much of the travel from the carriages to the tribunal as he was pressed flat against Alphard's right leg, his face brushing against the quality tissue of his throusers and hidden by his great uncle's firm hand. But he clearly heard the silence, that heavy and sinister silence that marked their entrance to the trial room.

When his face was uncovered, he finally saw the faces of his father's persecutors. They were old faces and surprisingly ordinary. The room in itself was grand, with its dark and high pillars, its circular and oppressive architecture and the mass of people it welcomed, all sitted on high seats, surrounding the lonely chair of the convicted, standing in the middle of the place in its poor wooden material. And in the highest seats, seating in these ingraved wooden chairs, with so much power in their hands, were perfectly plain men, no kings like his father, no surnatural beauties like his mother, nor noble lords and ladies like every member of his family but simply old men.

The boy furrowed his brows as he looked around him. He thought that greatness was a common measure in the wizarding world, but as he saw the faces that surrounded him, he quickly understood that it wasn't case. This world was like any other, unfair, with men gifted and others ignored, needing to climb to the sky by the sole strenght of their arms.

From a high table, dominating the rest of the wizards, the head of departement of magical law enforcement, Justus Pilliwickle was sat, observing from his austere brown eyes the new head of the Black family. He was a fair man, a lover of justice and order to the point of gaining a reputation of uncorruptibleness. But he was also a hard man, obstinate in his search for truth, denouncing the ministry enough times to be dismissed from his job, but his image much too loved and trusted by the public for the government to make such an attempt. He narrowed his eyes for a moment before saying in an cold voice :

"I declare the second opening of the Black's affair."

Sirius advanced slowly until he was standing close to his designated seat, the sinister and crumbling black wooden seat at the center of the room. He looked at it with a smile before choosing to stay standing up next to it, giving the trial room a circulator look. He assured himself that the press was present, discretly sat in the public side, before finally turning to face his judges.

Altair was guided to the public seats, condemned to leave his father's side, but as he looked one last to time to his profile, his previous anxiousness melted and as he saw the regal posture, and the slight smile adorning this characteristic handsome and confident face. Before the crowd, the convict Sirius Black didn't seem to exist and in its place was a young lord with such dashing face that it seemed revolting to see it in such a place. When he smiled, the people in the crowd held their breath and they didn't released it until his low and warm voice was heard.

"I regret that I already have to disagree with you." he said calmly.

Justus furrowed his brows behind his small glasses but Sirius immediately continued. "Two things are wrong in this statement : first, there cannot be a second opening of the affair, since I didn't received a trial the first time, the affair being classified before having a chance to be opened. Second, it is not Sirius Black anymore but Lord Black and I would appreciate it if my current position with the law wasn't an excuse to strip me of my title and dignity."

Several whispers made themselves heard in the room and Justus looked the others members of the court for a confimation. Their embarassed expression spoke for themselves and the judge looked infuriated before this shameful error, before proceeding through the usages. " The chief of accusations are : the murder of thirteen muggles and of the Potter family on the night of the 31st october 1981, affiliation with a criminal organisation under a known criminal and pureblood supremacist and finally evasion from the prison of Azkaban. Do you plead innocent or guilty of theses charges ?"

"I plead innocent and ask for an interrogation under Veritaserum to prove my future declarations."

A rumble ran through the crowd once more as the Justus hitted the wood of the table in front of him with his wand, re-establishing silence. "By asking for Veritaserum you deny yourself the right to have a lawyer, to call for witnesses's testimony, and engage yourself to answer each and every question until the court comes with a verdict and this without the permission to withdraw yourself from the examen without the permission of the court or to negate your statements afterwards. Do you still wish to proceed, Lord Black ?"

"I do."

Whispers grew louder as Sirius answered. Veritaserum wasn't something asked by guilty wizards, mostly they tried to convince the court with a string of witnesses and known lawyers, and in fact this method was almost never used, because too risky for the pleading. So when the known criminal and convict took the glass flask and drank all of its clear liquid, the public couldn't believe the scene acting before their eyes.

The judge started the interrogation with the traditionnal questions. "Who are you ?"

The words flew out of his mouth. "Sirius Orion Black the third, born on the 3rd november 1959, current head of the Black family. Son of Walburga Black and Orion Black, brother of Regulus Actarus Black, all deceased. Hogwarts graduate in the house of..."

"That will be enough." cutted Justus looking at the file in front of him before slowly raising his eyes towards Sirius and asking. "Did you commit the murder Lily and James Charlus Potter on the 31th october 1981 ?"

"No, I didn't."

This simple statement caused an uproar in the public side. From everywhere people turned to their neighbor, incredulous. Justus raised his wand again before saying in loud voice. "If the public keep disrupting the trial, they will be banned from the justice room for the rest of the cession !" Immediately the silence was re-established and Justus turned to Sirius again, himself furrowing his brows before commanding silentely to see the flask of Veritaserum. Smelling the empty flask, its characteristic scent confirming its authenticity, he turned again to face the ex-convict. There was a moment of silence, where the judge simply looked at the Black head, before he continued the interrogation.

"Did you participate or were simply present during the murder of Lily and James Potter ?"

"I didn't participate to the murder in any way and I wasn't present during it either."

"Did you knowingly shared informations concerning the location of Lily and James Potter that night ?" insisted Justus.

"No, I didn't."

"Did you participate, finished, were present or planned in any way the murder of thirteen muggles that night ?"

"No, I didn't."

The public was crazed, but everyone kept as silent as they could for nobody wanted to miss what looked like the trial of the century. The court room was silently buzzing and the flask of Veritaserum passed through the hands of every member of the court who inspected and smelled it, each more incredulous than his neighbour.

Justus took of his glasses, stunned, before pursuing the interrogation in a dazed tone.

"Then how do you explain that when the aurors arrived, you were 'on the crime scene, wand in the hand, out of breath and laughing madly' ?" he asked, reading the sentence out of the report before his eyes.

"I led an investigation on my own and found out that the death eaters had planned to attack that night. I came running to the Potter's house to warn them and take them in a more secure place, but I arrived too late. When I saw the corpses of my best friends on the ground, I thought I would go mad with grief." said Sirius in the flat tone the Veritaserum gave.

"Were you questionned by the aurors then ?"

"No, I wasn't. They had orders to arrest me. They wanted to get rid of me."

"Why would they ?"

"Because in my auror's years, I collected informations on the ministry and the auror's service but also on several politicians. I knew things that could cause the fall of many men, and was about to dilvuge the wrongdoings of this government."

Justus was almost curious to ask what theses informations were but he prevented himself from doing such a thing. Journalists couldn't already be taking notes in an hungrier way, and divulging theses informations in such a place could be a very dangerous thing to do. The judge cleared his throat, focusing on the trial once again.

"Did you make a premedited evasion from the prison of Azkaban ?"

"It wasn't premedited." corrected Sirius in a flat tone.

"Did somebody help you in your evasion ?"

Sirius clenched his throat, closing his eyes and saying slowly. "My wife did."

Quiet whispers ran through the crowd again as all the eyes turned to look at the corner where the Black family was sat. They immediately fixed themselves on the only unknown and most beautiful face orned by the most unnatural blue eyes. Lumena Black didn't let any emotions transpire from her, her eyes fixed on Sirius.

"Did you ask her to do it ?"

"I agreed to it. I wanted to see my son. I couldn't for six years."

From the public seats, Lucius Malfoy had to contain the laugh building in his chest. This man was really intelligent...He alrealdy divulged informations which would make the wizarding world doubt the judgement of its government, and maybe even ask for an investigation which would lead to an epuration. The pureblood families would only have to pull some cards to put the most annoying politicians on the side for discrimination.

And now...The card of the devoted wife and caring father was brillant and won the affection of the public in no time, already the blond man saw compassionate expressions appear on the face of the public.

Lucius raised his right hand toward his mouth, hiding his smile. Making affairs with the new Lord Black promised itself to be very interesting.

The judge looked toward the Black family and as soon as he caught the eyes of Lumena Black, he understood how the convict could escape. He touched his mustache before saying, thoughtful "You are married to a dark creature and have a seven years old son, but I don't see a marital act in your file, Lord Black."

"We didn't marry through wizard's administral conventions, but through the Black's pureblood ones, and the one of her race."

At this sentence Lumena raised a single eyebrow, letting a mocking sound escape her. Yes, as trickery was a common convention for the Blacks, after all it was a tradition of theirs to trick her species into marriage.

"I see..." Justus let himself fall in his seat and passed a hand through his hair before asking looking a last time to the file. "Did you ever affiliate yourself in any way with the known dark wizard called Lord Voldemort ?"

"No, I didn't."

A deafening silence followed theses words. That was it, all the accusations attributed to Sirius Black were cleared. In only several minutes, the mad and treaterous convict Black became this wronged and magnificient king, in only several minutes a legend was born. Justus sighed before raising a hand "I declare the interrogation of the Lord Sirius Orion Black the third closed. The court has now all the informations needed. Please free Mr. Black from the effect of Veritaserum."

The crowd was still completely thunderstruck, and followed the events in the same dazed manner as it did at the beginning of the interrogation. Justus himself couldn't believe the judgement he would write under name of Sirius Black : innocent. There was something off, something very off. As the effect of the Veritaserum wore off, Justus still couldn't take his eyes off the ex-convict. "I ask for the court's members final judgement."

Each time the word "Innocent" rang, Justus furrowed his brows, unable to contest it, but feeling as if it was the wizarding world's sentence confirmed with every court's member's voice. Massaging his eyes behind his closed lids, he tapped his wand against the desk before saying, almost regretfully. " The court members have spoken. The results of the Veritaserum being indisputable, I declare Sirius Orion Black innocent of his crimes and victim of the court's errors."

As if confirmed in this strange dream, the public's side broke in applause, and Justus saw Lord Malfoy and other's pureblood's family head politely applauded, contentement speaking on their face. Furrowing his brows, he felt the strange atmosphere becoming heavier and heavier and as he met the eyes of the new Lord Black his worses fears became reality. Sirius Black winked in the direction of the judge and Justus thought that, just like he always thought, Kings and Lords could be free of charges but that they were never innocent.

§§§

"Dear child..."

Sirius rose his head and his eyes found similar ones, older but just as bright and far more vicious. He smiled and advanced towards the opened arms of his grandfather, accepting the embrace before the flashes of the numerous cameras. It was even noisier than before, and aurors had to come and make way for the Blacks to be able to have a way back to their carriage.

The ex-convict almost wanted to laugh before the situation, the same men who spitted on him and had wanted to break him were now the most devoted guards. Pulling himself from the embrace of Pollux Black, he heard the old man quietly say "How you must have suffered my boy...You should have told us from the beginning that you became an auror to infiltrate the ministry. You are too secretive, son, you even let the family in the dark about your adorable wife and son. We have much to discuss, too much time has been lost."

Just in one sentence in the trial, Sirius knew that his reputation in the pureblood world was as clear as his name in the common wizarding one. By this embrace before the eyes of all, every young lord and noble blood saw that the pratriach of the Black, highly dark and conservative Pollux was behind the new head and that the Blacks were as tightly linked as they should.

Sirius Orion Black was no longer a pariah but this blessed king, with the face crafted by heavens and with the purest blood the wizarding world could offer. In front of their eyes was the almost divine son of Orion and Walburga Black, but he was no longer this cherubic boy who made the girls and women sigh but a man who with only one look, one smile stole their breath altogether. And he knew it.

"Let's have a big meal tonight, grandfather. With everybody." offered Sirius, looking at the elder through his dark and silky hair. The Black patriarch patted the head of his grandson, a satisfied light burning in his dark, dark eyes.

Just for the show, Sirius then ran toward his wife and raised her from the ground. The mermaid looked at him with a surprised look that became more and more human as he soundly kissed her lips. Letting her fall back he kept his arm around her waist he carried his son on his left arm, offering him to the eyes of the world.

The flashes were even brighter than ever before, capturing every look, every smile from the Black family. But none of them were shining brighter than Altair Black ocean eyes.

§§§

Grimmaud Place seemed to have gained a new life. All the domestics and house elves alike pressed themselves in the corridors, heavy tapestries and silver plates in their hands.

The manor had a new lord, and for the first time in years all the Black and the family's relatives would be gathered for a dinner. Their lord supervised everything, looking with a bored but sharp eye as everything was dusted, the chandelier lighted and the best tableware put with precision on the dark wooden table of the autumn dining room.

Lucius Malfoy entered the corridor and a smile adorned his face as he saw Sirius Black commanding for the golden tapestries to be put on the walls. The blond stopped his procession and started to clap in a loud and calm way.

Sirius slowly rose his eyes and responded with a smile to the clapping of his relative by alliance and blood. Lucius approached while speaking in a more than satisfied tone "It is a pity that we were in different years in Hogwarts, had I known how positively vicious and calculating you could be, I would have suffered your company years ago."

"The company of a Gryffindor ?" answered Sirius, raising a mocking brow in the direction of his cousin.

"Had I known you before, you certainly wouldn't have been tricked by that Potter boy into going in that shameful house. Why choose to be a pathetic guard dog when you could have put the wizarding at your feet as soon as you hitted fifteen ?"

"Then I am happy not to have known you before, dear cousin." Sirius calmly said, examining a golden fork as he continued. "For it is not the Blacks, but the treason of this house that has made me who I am today, and as...positively vicious as you praise me to be. This is this house which gave me this...anger against the ministry and thanks to her, I am more motivated to reign than ever. The rabid dog that they put in a cage will soon be sat on the throne of this world. How ironic."

The eyes of the blond seemed to shine even brighter and he sincerely laughed, he let a heavy hand fall on the shoulder the new Black head. "Good ! Very Good ! I am liking you more at each word you utter, cousin ! And I have never anticipated working with you so much...The purebloods will be sat on this forgotten throne, and I will see it before I pass, I swear this to the heavens !"

Lucius passed an elegant hand in this light and sliky hair "You know...I have a son who has the same age as yours. We shouldn't do the same mistake with our sons and make them grow apart. A prince becomes much stronger and doesn't have a risk to take the wrong path if he has an equal to be his friend and stand beside him. And after all the wizarding world is big enough to have several kings, a sole leader proved to be too...precarious to take on such a huge role by himself. What do you think of it ?"

Sirius offered an amused smile to Lucius. "My charming cousin decided to use his sweet talk with me ? Has he decided to forget his alliance with Voldemort to forge a new one ? The dark lord wasn't so successful to grasp the power you desire, was he ?"

The blond contained a rictus and said in a tight tone "Yes...Well, you made an error of jugement in the past, let's say that I have done the same. Ambition run in our blood, but sometimes it can misguide us...I am not a man of blind loyalty, dear cousin and I would not have you believe this, I am indeed a man of interest and I have few principles. Still one of them is to never turn against blood or heavens, both have made you. Or...How did great Walburga said it ? Oh yes...Blood doesn't lie."

The smile on Sirius's face had disappeared as the words continued to escape Lucius's mouth. This man knew how to speak, he was eloquent and well versed in manipulation. The Black silently appraised him, he didn't know what value he could give to theses words...

"He isn't lying, if this is what you are asking yourself."

Both men turned to the melodious voice who had just spoken. The glorious new Black wife was there, her cold and luminous eyes fixed on Lucius, her silver and white dress making her skin glow in with an almost unnatural glow, her dark hair still wet from the bath pressed closely against her perfect face, pressed against her hips and body like the most enticing veil.

"Madam Black" intervened Lucius with a gracious sign of head "I didn't know you were here, I am..."

"But I know who you are..." cutted the mermaid with an amused smile. "We have sharks like you in the sea. Always hungry, always attracted by the scent of fresh blood...This hunger is what conducted you to have this cursed mark on your arm, isn't it ?"

The blond seemed to become more pale as the creature spoke, her bright eyes never leaving his. "How did you know ?"

"Dark magic like this one leaves traces...It stinks. I could get rid of it for you...if I wanted to."

Lucius recovered his smile and said in his sugary voice. "And what would make my dear new relative want to get...rid of it ?"

Lumena smiled, but it looked more like a teeth barring than polite turn of lips. "What would indeed...You are an intelligent man. And sharks are good creatures, useful, strong. But sadly, they are too cold blooded for alliances and have this tendency to eat each other when there isn't anymore food..."

"I assure you my lady, that I don't fancy cannibalism. What a loss of time...Did you know, my lady ? On the Malfoy emblem, there is no shark, but snakes and mostly dragons. You have to know dragons, my lady, after all your race and their's are known to have the same love for tresors. And they make amazing protectors toward the wizarding realm and in the past toward its king. Ho...Now that I think about it, this is the exact name of my son...Draco. What a marvelous match he would make to the ruling future of your darling son..."

The mermaid frankly laughed, her head going backwards before fixing her eyes on the man again. "You really are an amazing man, Mr. Malfoy...I have seen my fair share of interested, vain and power hungry creatures, but you are the only whose mind was as bright as his desires were abyssal." She approached the blond man, her smile slowly disappearing from her face as she said in a voice so quiet that it almost seemed threatening. "You are right, I am a collector and I have a great love for treasures. Like every good collector, I can see the worth of something with just one look. And I can see you...Your greed could rise you and your name as high as the clouds in the sky or take you down to an empty pit to a pathetic and shadowy fate. You know my weakness, Mr. Malfoy, you know what my cold heart feel for my darling son and you know how precious is my husband for me. But I am not afraid...Or should I ?"

The blond man stayed silent for a moment, his eyes resting for a moment on Sirius who looked at the exchange between him and his wife with an extreme attention. His lips twitched before his pleasing mask came over his face once more. "Of course not, the simple suggestion of it would be preposterous. After all, you are a Black now, and this makes you a lady of my blood, this is for sure."

"Is it ?" she susurred. "Then I don't have anymore hesitation. I am glad to share blood with you, Mr. Malfoy."

§§§

Altair had assisted at dinner before, in little commities, surrounded by his uncle, father and mother, but with a great share of luxuries and etiquette. But this night seemed so extravagant, so well orchestred that it was as of it was his first one.

The attention that he and his father have been receiving since the morning didn't seem to lessened. In fact it seemed to be even worse. His grip on his father's throusers got stronger, as he raised his eyes to look at the faces that were surrounding them. They were similar faces, they all had theses characteristics features, the same aristocratic nose, jet black hair and clear eyes.

His eyes stopped on the face of a man whose cold grey eyes seemed on fire with greed and ambition. As his unnatural blue eyes encountered his, the face of the man almost seemed transfigured with glee as he said in a shaking tone "Prodigeous...Absolutely prodigeous." He approached carefully, as if Altair could disappear at any moments, he crouched in front of him, raising an almost hesistant hand. "I am Cygnus Black. I was the older brother of Walburga, your grandmother. And you...You are a miracle alive. Do you know what you do to our name ?"

Altair furrowed his brows before thinking of the words Alphard always repeated to him before starting his lessons. "I am Altair Sirius Black, the first. I bring glory to our name...The sky will open for me and I will rise higher than any before." he added confidently.

A heavy silence followed his words, and the eyes on him seemed heavier and heavier. The women looked at him with a surprised expression hidden behind their fan and the men seemed stunned with the sheer guts of the child who had said theses words as evidence. They thought that this child had been vaguely educated, sharing his childhood with a dark creature on the shore of Azkaban, discovering civilization late in the form of the renowned Black's hermit, Alphard Black. But never would they have imagined the sheer intelligence, power and the eloquence modulating his soft voice.

This child was indeed the son of Sirius Black, just like him, he was cherub like, as if each age came to perfection as they passed on him. But the brillance with which he expressed himself and which shined into theses eyes...Oh, theses eyes...It seemed that a whole world was hiding behind theses eyes, a world of crazed sea, typhoons and raging skies.

"I think it is time to go to the dining table." said Sirius as he was looking at his son, a strange light shining in his eyes. It was as if as the new head was lost in his thoughts as he absentmindedly passed a hand through the silky black hair of his son, so similar to his.

"Yes we should, Altair, my dear, seat next to me for dinner...I mean, if you don't mind my dear Acturus" continued Pollux, looking at his cousin and step-brother with fake concern. The other man didn't stop the rictus from appearing on his face before responding in a sugary tone "Of course not. I accord you this priviledge as the last official patriarch of the Black."

The pleased look on Pollux face faded, as he looked at his brother-in-law with a raging look. His cane tapped drily on the ground as he approached the dining table. It was covered in gold, with fine embroided tablecloth, lightened by flauting white candles and decorated with unperishable flowers, plants and fruits.

Altair was going to sit before his own golden plate and fork but stopped as his hand encountered the pale one of an equaly pale child who was reaching for the wooden seat at the same time as he was. The young black turned his head to look at the pointy and aristocratic features of the child before him, his blond hair were almost white and glowing close to the candles, and everything from his clothes to his bearing seemed to scream nobility. He knew who was this child, after all Alphard made him learn his entire family tree...It was his cousin, Draco Lucius Malfoy.

But what attracted his attention was his blue eyes, theses eyes...they weren't the eyes of a child, they spoke of a loneliness he was too familiar with. Far too familiar...

A rictus curved the pale pink lips of the boy as he said in a slow tone. "So I am before my oh so amazing new cousin... I don't think you know who I am yet, even thought I already know of you and of your previous savage life in the north's sea..."

Altair almost wanted to smile. Of course, the boy wanted to cut him with his words and maybe a green eyed boy would have been wounded, but Altair only looked at the boy straight in the eyes, fixing him to the point where the blond one became uncomfortable. "What are you looking at, Black ?" the pale child asked, squinting his clear eyes. 7

"I am looking at you. You and I, we really look like each other, don't we Draco ?"

The boy seemed surprised, by the knowledge his cousin seemed to have of his name just as much as by the words he chose to pronunce. They didn't look like each other, of course they didn't. The hair of his cousin were as black as his were blond, as wavy as his were straight, his features lacked the angularity of the Malfoy, and he was also less pale than he...But at the same time, there was a familiarity in the shape of their face, in his way to cock his head to the side, both of their eyes were blue...

Blue...

Draco's eyes were of a pale blue, the blue of a winter's sky, piercing and wide at the same time, shining like two stones in the snow. But the eyes of the child in front of him, they were this amazing colour, this tone which shouldn't exist, who seemed dark, alive and moving. While looking into his eyes, it was as if he was naked, as if he had always knew this person, as if he would believe anything coming out of the red mouth of his cousin.

"What...?" the pale boy only said. He didn't have the time to develop before he was cutted once again.

"Now, that we know each other, we won't ever have to play alone, will we ?" continued Altair, his eyes still fixed in his.

"I didn't agree that..."

"We will be good friends, we are suited to be the best friends, you'll see."

And just saying that, the black haired child went to choose another seat, responding to the calling of his grandfather, his gracious smile never leaving his full and red lips. Dumbfounded, Draco sat on his choosen place. This encounter wasn't what he thought it would be. Definitely not.

He furrowed his brows thinking of his cousin's words. Friends ? He scoffed. Right, friends. Even as a child he knew that his family on his mother's side was bat shit crazy. His aunt was the perfect example, and now she was in jail. This boy's father was in jail only several weeks ago, for Salazar's sake !

But this boy...Draco raised his suspicious eyes to him. He looked as he came from the union of two far too beautiful creatures to even exist. As if his birth was a miracle, or the worst thing which could ever happened. And his eyes...Theses eyes weren't crazy...only dangerous. They made you want to believe anything their owner said, and for a moment, he thought that he was...understood. Just understood.

No one liked to be alone. And accepting loneliness was much more tiring than casting it off. As his cousin send him a smile from across the table, Draco scoffed and looked to the side but inside of him, he knew that there was nothing for him fight against.

Maybe he was really understood in that moment. Maybe they would really be friends.

Maybe...

To be continued...

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