"Speaking"

'Thinking'

"Parseltongue"

Writing/Reading

"YELLING"

To say that the outcry of the citizens of Magical Britain over Cuffe's article about Sirius Black would be upsetting, was an understatement. Hundreds, if not thousands of letters, among them being several Howlers, managed to make their way into Cornelius Fudge's office, which technically shouldn't have been possible. The Minister had a special ward that was supposed to prevent negative letters and Howlers from getting through to him via the standard magical correspondence system, which was why he suspected that someone in his staff was making sure that the letters got through. Each of the letters said nearly the same message.

How dare you not listen to the Boy-Who-Lived?!

Is Harry Potter being honest about Sirius Black?!

Is it true that Sirius Black is innocent?! Is anything being done to prove it?!

Is Sirius Black going to receive a trial?!

'A trial?! I can't afford to allow Black a trial!' Fudge thought to himself, as he paced in his office. 'If Black is given a trial, I'll be blamed for the fact that he was chucked into Azkaban in the first place, even though I had nothing to do with his incarceration!

'No, there is no way in Merlin's name, that Sirius Black will be given a chance to prove his innocence because he is not innocent!' Fudge's thoughts continued, working overdrive in his exasperation. 'The man was a secret Death Eater, he was the Potter's Secret Keeper, thus he turned them over to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, killed those Muggles, and destroyed Peter Pettigrew, and that's that!'

Unfortunately for Fudge, the article was throwing everything he said, into question. He had immediately tried to smooth things over by giving a statement reaffirming Black's guilt, but even that didn't work out as he had hoped. The general populace was still demanding to know the truth about how Black was incarcerated, and if he had indeed received a trial. Fudge turned to glare at the Daily Prophet article that started the whole issue for him, as he picked it up and read it for the tenth time.

Sirius Black, A Guilty Man, or An Innocent Victim of A Crime He never Committed? Minister of Magic Covering Up The Truth and Refusing to Listen to the Boy-Who-Lived When The True Culprit Was Discovered!

By Barnabas Cuffe, Editor-In-Chief

Expecting my day to be another rather dull one, I was not expecting to receive a visit from Lord Cyrus and Lady Elizabeth Greengrass, as well as their eldest daughter, Heiress Daphne Greengrass, but also the Boy-Who-Lived, and Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Harry Potter himself. As such, I did not expect to be given such a fantastical story to release in this edition of the Daily Prophet, and I, myself, am still having a hard time believing it. Immediately after the interview began, Harry Potter went into great detail about what happened the previous Hogwarts year, in regards to the escaped fugitive, Sirius Black, the last direct living male heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Black. Furthermore, Harry Potter had even revealed to me how Black was given a serious miscarriage of justice, both on November 1st, 1981, and just recently on June 7th, 1994.

Heir Potter, accompanied by his two best friends, Ronald Bilius Weasley, the sixth and youngest son of the Noble House of Weasley, and Muggleborn Hermione Granger, all Gryffindor Third Years at the time with Heir Potter, found himself in the Shrieking Shack, a decrepit house on the edge of Hogsmeade Village just outside of Hogwarts, with the convict Sirius Back himself. Heir Potter explained how he and his friends had tried to fight Black to make sure he couldn't use a wand to harm them, until Remus Lupin, the Defense Against the Dark Art professor at the time and a werewolf, came, in and disarmed the Potter heir of the wand he had. Potter then explained how Lupin began to calm Black down enough, so that they could explain the true events that transpired, on November first, nineteen eighty-one, a story that Heir Potter, and myself, could hardly believe. I can assure you, readers, that this story is true, and I have no doubt, that when you read what happened, you will be demanding answers for what's happened.

Heir Potter went into great detail, about how his parents, the late Lord James, and Lady Lily Potter, had decided to go into hiding under the Fidelis Charm, and thus decided to choose Sirius Black as their Secret Keeper. This would not have been too much of a surprise, as it was well known that Black and Lord James were the best of friends back in their schooldays of Hogwarts, to the point that they were brothers in all but blood, and so afterward, when James Potter married Lily Evans, Black was chosen as his best man and as Heir Potter's godfather on the day of his birth. This, however, led to Black reasonably understanding that he would be immediately sought after by You-Know-Who, and thus convinced Lord and Lady Potter to instead choose a different Secret Keeper, and have Black continue serving as a decoy, to lure He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers away from the true Secret Keeper. Understandably, based on how equally close to the Potters as Lupin was, he would have a second close choice, had he been present at the time, but wasn't, and thus Black and the Potters turned to someone else who was a friend of theirs to be their Secret Keeper, someone they hoped would be seen as the last choice for them to turn to, someone that no one would suspect: Peter Pettigrew.

Yes, readers, that is correct, Peter Pettigrew was chosen as the Secret Keeper for the Potters, and no one, not even Lupin or Dumbledore, was aware of the switch, because Black, the Potters, and Pettigrew believed that it was best that the fewer people who knew of the switch, the better. Black and the Potters believed that since Pettigrew was not the strongest wizard of their friend group, no one would suspect him as The Secret Keeper, and thus would be the perfect person to trust. This, unfortunately, would be the beginning of the end for the Potters, and Black's misfortune, as unknown to James and Lily Potter and Sirius Black, their friend Peter Pettigrew, was a secret follower of You-Know-Who, a Death Eater, and a spy, and so immediately informed his master of where the Potters were hiding in Godric's Hollow. After You-Know-Who dealt with the Potters on October thirty-first, nineteen eighty-one, Black knew the only way that the Dark Lord could find Lord, Lady, and heir Potter was through the Secret Keeper willingly telling him, and thus went to find Pettigrew to confront him, and bring him into justice. This would be Black's downfall, as Pettigrew was quick to frame Black for his crime, shouting how he betrayed the Potters and then used an overpowered Bombarda to blow up the Muggle gas line which blew up and killed twelve Muggles, knocking Black off his feet, and then Pettigrew faked his death by cutting off his finger.

However, you dear reader are probably wondering, how could Pettigrew have managed to escape, before the Aurors arrived and arrest Black instead? Because as it turns out, Pettigrew is an illegal Animagus, as is Black and the late Lord James Potter. During their third year at Hogwarts, James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew, along with Cyrus Greengrass who was included in the group of friends found out that their friend Remus Lupin was a werewolf, and so instead of turning him away, the four chose to become Anamagi, and by their fifth year, completed the transformation: James Potter was a stag, Sirius Black a large black dog nearly resembling the Grim, Cyrus Greengrass a green anaconda (which point of note, Lord Greengrass is the only member of the group of friends to register his Animagus form), and Peter Pettigrew was a common garden rat. This was how Pettigrew managed to escape before the Aurors arrived, by transforming into his rat Animagus form, after he had cut off his own finger to fool everyone into believing that his body was destroyed by the blast. After that, Pettigrew went deep into hiding, remaining as a rat for twelve years, but he didn't stay away from the Magic World, oh no, he hid within a magic household, so that he could stay up-to-date on everything that happened within the Magic World.

For twelve years, completely unknown to a wizarding family close to Harry Potter, who asked that their identity remained anonymous, Pettigrew inserted himself as a normal garden rat, cared for and taken in as a pet to one of the children. During that time, he remained in his rat form, until he was finally revealed by Black and Lupin in front of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger, sniveling and cowering in the words of Harry Potter. Why was Pettigrew cowering when he was a Gryffindor alumnus from Hogwarts, alongside Black, Lupin, and the late elder Potter? Because he knew he was found out and was about to be killed by Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, for justice for his betrayal of his friends James and Lily Potter, who trusted him with their lives and their son. However fortunately for Pettigrew, said son stopped Black and Lupin from killing the coward, and instead insisted that he was to be brought to Dumbledore, so that the Hogwarts Headmaster and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot could use Pettigrew's continued living status to give Black a special trial to exonerate Black, and send Pettigrew to Azkaban where he belonged, with the Dementors.

Unfortunately, this was not to be, as the night this all fell upon turned out to be that of a full moon, and in the excitement of helping a childhood friend, Remus Lupin had not taken his wolfsbane potion and transformed into his werewolf form. During the entire event, Heir Potter explained how Sirius Black held the transforming Lupin, yelling for the three Hogwarts children to run and get away, and how Pettigrew had taken advantage of the confusion, to turn into a rat again, and made his escape. After that, well to make that, well to make things short, Black turned into his dog form to protect Potter, Weasley, and Granger from his friend, and afterward, he and Potter were set upon by the Dementors, who were driven away by a powerful wizard that conjured a corporeal Patronus, and Black was then taken away by a Hogwarts professor back to the school, where Black was taken to be locked away for the Dementors, and the children to the Hospital Wing.

However, shortly after waking up, Potter and his friends learned of how Black was set to be given the Dementor's Kiss, and immediately tried to explain what had truly happened to Minister Fudge and that Pettigrew was still alive and that Sirius Black was innocent. Unfortunately for the three students, Fudge did not believe what they were saying, explaining to them that they were still recovering from a stressful and terrifying moment and that they were in shock at what happened to them. Despite all of their attempts to help Black, Fudge refused to hear what they had to say, and went ahead with the plans to give Black to the Dementors, had Black not managed to escape again, from under Fudge's nose. Heir Potter then went on in detail, about how Fudge was more concerned about how he would appear to the Wizarding World for losing Black again, rather than the safety concerns for the student of the school, or himself. Imagine readers, not only did the Minister refuse to hear a potentially influential testimony from Harry Potter, but he was also more concerned about himself, and thus proceeded to not bother informing anyone of what truly occurred that night.

Allow me to ask you this readers: Is it possible that Sirius Black is innocent? Is there more to the story than what the Ministry wants us to know? Why won't the Ministry give Sirius Black his right to a trial, to prove whether or not he is truly guilty, or innocent? It is in the opinion of this reporter, that the Wizengamot should rescind Minister Fudges's Kiss On Sight order, and give Sirius Black, his right to a trial, and find the truth.

Cornelius had been drinking his evening tea when he read the article, and literally spat it across what had to be a good three feet in shock of what he read. He honestly couldn't believe that this was happening, and now everyone within Magical Britain was sending letters and Howlers, demanding to know what was going on, and whether or not it was true that Sirius Black was innocent. Fudge, for his part, didn't care if Black was truly guilty or not, the evidence against the man was good enough for him, and so it should be good enough for everyone else. Now, however, thanks to Harry bloody Potter and the Greengrass family, everyone was questioning the evidence, and Fudge was left holding the bag, no thanks in small part to Harry Potter.

'How could that blasted boy do this to me?' Fudge angrily thought to himself, as he paced in his office. 'How could he just go and speak to the Daily Prophet, and tell them these lies, and make me out as the bad guy? Especially after what I did for him, the ungrateful brat, after I convinced the Improper Use of Magic Office to let the boy go after he blew his aunt up, and this is how he repays me?!'

Fudge stopped in his pacing when he heard the door to his office open and close. Turning, he saw that it was his Senior Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge, a rather short and squat woman with the face of a toad, who always dressed in anything pink. Umbridge was one of Fudge's closest allies, and ironically it was her who urged Fudge to not let the Potter boy off the hook in regards to Fudge's earlier thoughts about the boy's recent misuse of magic. Perhaps if Fudge had listened to her, then he would not be in this situation, but he had hoped that helping the boy out of trouble, considering the danger that was presented to him at the time, would allow Fudge to one day have access to the Potter family influence. Especially since it was apparent that the boy was largely unaware of just how truly influential his family was, Cornelius thought that he could use that to his advantage once the boy turned seventeen; he would offer the boy his political knowledge, say that he would teach him everything he needed to know to survive in the political world, only to use the influence of the boy's long ancient family to his advantage for specific topics that he would want to be allowed, or not allowed, to ensure the longevity of Fudge's office as Minister of Magic.

"I should've listened to you Dolores," Fudge said to his Undersecretary, recontinuing his pacing. "I should've listened to you when you told me not to interfere and let the Improper Use of Magic Office expel Harry Potter from Hogwarts last year. I mean, I just don't understand it, I offered him a chance to stay at Hogwarts, and THIS is how the ungrateful boy thanks me?!"

Dolores watched Cornelius with whatever sympathies she could muster. She was loyal to the Minister, there was no doubt on that, but her loyalty only went so far as long as he was useful to her, and with what was now happening thanks to the no-good pathetic Potter brat, there was a very good chance that Fudge might be forced out of office. This, in turn, was not good for Umbridge, as Fudge was her primary power base for her own political ambitions, such as making sure that unworthy werewolves like Lupin or disgusting half-breeds like the Centaurs that dwelled in the Forbidden Forest on the Hogwarts grounds knew their place, and stripped of whatever "rights" they had entirely. None of which she could do, so long as Fudge was removed from office.

"I'm sure that things will rectify themselves soon, Cornelius," She said to her boss, her voice possessing a sweet girly tone. "After all, we both know that the Potter boy is nothing more but a lying attention seeker and that there is no chance in Merlin's beard that Sirius Black is innocent, at all!

"Once the people realize this, they will forget all about it," She continued, grinning as she watched Fudge start to lessen his pacing, indicating that he was calming down. "Besides, the Quidditch World Cup and upcoming Tri-Wizard Tournament at Hogwarts will make them forget about these pathetic lies about Black being innocent completely."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Madam Umbridge." Said a stern and professionally toned voice.

Fudge and Umbridge turned to look towards the door to the Minister's office and saw Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcementstanding in the doorframe. Madam Bones was dressed in a combination of robes, and a muggle law enforcement officer uniform, complete with a monocle over her right eye, her auburn hair pulled up into a tight bun on the back of her head. It was a well-known fact that she was a strict but fair woman, who highly valued the importance that the law was performed properly, and while Fudge respected her for her principles, he knew that he couldn't risk allowing Madam Bones to put those principles into action, as it would risk her finding out certain truths about certain "donations" he received from individuals like Lucius Malfoy.

"What do you mean, Amelia?" He asked nervously, unsure if he wanted to know her answer.

"An emergency session of the Wizengamot was called just a moment ago, Cornelius, debating on what to do in regards to the shocking article by the Daily Prophet," She replied, hocking both Fudge and Umbridge. "They finally made a decision, to rescind your Kiss On Sight order, and through Barnabas Cuffe, issued an offer to Sirius Black for the chance of a trial, in return that he turn himself into me, and a team of Aurors selected by me."

As soon as she said that, Fudge dropped into his chair, surprised by what he learned. Umbridge on the other hand was outraged.

"This is outrageous!" She shouted incredulously. "It's obvious that the Potter brat is lying, and why was Cornelius not informed about this emergency session?!"

Amelia looked at Umbridge with a contemptuous look, as it was very well known within the Ministry that the two heavily disliked each other, and had argued on many occasions. Where Amelia believed that everyone had to answer to the law, Umbridge on the other hand, believed that those within the Minister's office, and those connected to the Minister's office, were above the law and didn't have to answer to those enforcing it. Amelia also didn't like how Umbridge unfairly persecuted people afflicted with lycanthropy and got laws passed to limit, or more specifically take away, the rights of werewolves, making their lives miserable.

"For what it is worth, Dolores, you'd best watch your mouth, when you accuse the last remaining male heir of an Ancient and Noble Family like the Potters of lying," Amelia said, as she walked into Dolores' face, using her taller height to intimidate the shorter woman. "As well as calling him a brat. After all, I don't think I need to remind you, that my family, the Noble House of Bones, is an ally to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and I could easily use that to my advantage, and call you into a feud to right the slight you made against my ally."

Amelia grinned in succession, as she watched Umbridge's face pale, as the toad-faced woman backed away, only to stumble into a spare chair. Turning to look at Fudge, she looked at the Minister with an impassive face. Just as she was about to say something, a messenger Patronus in the form of a lynx appeared, and the voice of one of Amelia's best Aurors, Kingsley Shacklebolt, spoke through it.

"Madam Bones, Sirius Black has just arrived in the Ministry to turn himself in," The deep baritone voice said, as it reported the events. "He is being escorted to the Wizengamot chambers now, where his trial is going to be taking place. I have informed Lord Greengrass per your instructions, to have Heir Potter and his friends, along with Remus Lupin to come to Wizengamot chamber ten, to provide witness testimony."

The occupant watched as the Patronus faded away, each with different reactions. Amelia with satisfaction that a massive miscarriage of justice would be righted, Fudge with nervousness about what would happen to him should Black actually be found innocent, and Umbridge with anger that a wanted fugitive was being given a pointless trial when his guilt was clearly obvious. Deciding to try and stop this, Umbridge got back up to her feet, and walked into Amelia's face to try and intimidate the DMLE Head; though thanks to her short stature, this was unfortunately lost.

"There will be no trial Amelia," She snarled, her teeth being bared in a last-ditch attempt to intimidate the taller woman. "Sirius Black is guilty, and will be given to the Dementor's Kiss at once!"

Amelia rolled her eyes at Umbridge, as she scoffed at the woman's attempt to override the Wizengamot's decision before she turned and walked away. She was, after all, needed to preside over the overdue trial of Sirius Black, not only because she was the Head of the DMLE, but also because she was an ally of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and therefore was given the chance to try Sirius Black for his alleged crimes against an ally House. Umbridge and Fudge, on the other hand, watched the DMLE Head walk away, both of them going through different emotions as the thoughts of what would happen as a result of the trial ran through their minds.

"There must be a way we can stop this!" Umbridge raged, as she felt insulted by the way that Amelia walked away.

"Unfortunately there isn't, Dolores." Fudge sighed in defeat, as he rubbed his face.

Umbridge however, refused to give up, as a sinister thought passed in her mind.

"Perhaps there is, Cornelius." She muttered, drawing the attention of the Minister.

"What do you mean?" He asked his Senior Undersecretary, slightly concerned at what she may suggest.

"What if two rogue Dementors from Azkaban made their way to the Wizengamot chamber where Black's trial was being held?" She started, looking at Fudge with a sinister smile gracing her toad-like face. "One attacking Black, to put a stop to this farce of a trial, and the second going for the person who caused all of this to happen in the first place?"

Cornelius paled at the thought, as while one Dementor going rogue and breaking into the Ministry just to attack an escaped fugitive was one thing, but to have two go rogue and the other one attacking an heir of an Ancient and Noble family? If anything happened to the Potter boy, it would be a political nightmare, not to mention political suicide. He may not like it, but he knew that he had to put a stop to it before things got worse and out of hand.

"No, Dolores, absolutely not, do you hear me?" Fudge said, his face still pale from her absurd suggestion.

"But Cornelius..." She started until Fudge held his hand up.

"If it was just one Dementor, then perhaps, but two?" Fudge reasoned, shaking his head. "Not to mention that you are suggesting to have the second Dementor attack an heir of an Ancient and Noble House that is already at risk of going into extinction should anything happen to the boy.

"Should Harry Potter get killed by a Dementor, and the attack was traced to this office," Fudge explained, bringing his argument to an end. "It would cause a massive fallout among the community, worse than what it is due to the Black situation, not to mention suicide to our political careers. No, listen to me and listen good, Dolores, there will be no Dementors going "rogue", and attacking both Black and Potter in the middle of a Wizengamot trial, understood?"

Umbridge had no choice but to concede to Fudge's reasoning, as she knew he was right. Still, she wished she could go through with the plan to save Fudge and the Ministry the humiliation of Black's pointless trial. Nevertheless, Fudge gave his orders, and she followed Fudge's orders without question.

"Yes Cornelius, as you wish." She muttered, not liking the potential outcome of the trial.

Author's Note: I know I said that I would be posting a chapter for my Harry Potter and G.I. Joe story next, but after all the feedback about the last chapter, I couldn't resist doing a chapter dedicated to the article, and Fudge's reaction to it. Furthermore, I just can't resist doing a trial chapter, which was originally going to be included in this chapter, but I decided to give it its own chapter, so expect that soon, oh and minor spoiler alert, Hermione will learn who her true father is in that same chapter.