Dumbledore's guilt with Sirius is vastly different than his guilt with Harry. We'll see why later.
There's a lot of time jumps but they're marked so hopefully it's not as confusing

July 4th, 1991

Sirius Black: Is He Innocent or is This a Trick from Voldemort's Right Hand?

Rita Skeeter

Greetings, esteemed readers and fellow residents of Wizarding world. Today, I have some news that may surprise you all. I'm certain of it. Sirius Black, the famed death eater suspected of betraying James and Lily Potter as well as murdering 13 muggles and Peter Pettigrew, will have his trial tomorrow, according to an unnamed source. That's right, people—my source claims that Sirius Black was imprisoned in Azkaban without being given a chance to defend himself. For this article, I was granted access to the arrest records from that fateful night. Based on the accounts of the Aurors who apprehended Black after he killed Pettigrew, he was laughing hysterically as cried out "I did it," repeatedly. As a result of his confession, he was promptly condemned to life in prison. The question today is, "Why didn't Black get a trial when legendary Death Eaters like Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband Rodolphus, and brother-in-law Rabastan all did?"

(For information regarding the trial of Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, please see page 42.)

Given Black's history, this comes as a great shock. Sirius Black was disowned when he was sixteen for refusing to conform to his parents' expectations. According to rumors, he went on to spend the rest of his Hogwarts years living with James Potter until graduation. Sirius received a financial cushion from his Uncle Alphard at that point, which led to Alphard's eventual disownment as well. Sirius then fought alongside Albus Dumbledore's Order during the war. (For a complete list of participants, please see the next page.) Given that Sirius spent the most of his life rejecting pureblood beliefs, it begs the question of how he came to represent Voldemort's camp?

Following the death of his younger brother Regulus Black, Sirius Black's parents reinstalled him as the Black heir a few months after he was imprisoned. For most, this cemented Black's role in Potter's death, yet it is now actively pushing his release. While illegal imprisonment isn't pleasant business, the illegal incarceration of a Lord of a Noble and Ancient House is unfathomable. Might this be one of the reasons the Potter's will was discovered? If that's the case, how long has our legal system been attempting to get Black out of Azkaban? All of our questions will be answered tomorrow when Sirius Black testifies for the first time in nearly a decade.

However, I have been allowed to give what is perhaps the biggest news of my career. According to Amelia Bones of the DMLE in an exclusive interview which I was granted permission to publish, the process to exonerate Sirius Black began when the Potters' will was discovered. This exposed the identity of their secret keeper, who was, to my astonishment, Peter Pettigrew rather than Sirius Black. The will goes on to state that the switch was made privately in order to create a distraction which would allow the Potters enough time to escape should Black be captured. Sirius Black was a target simply because he was a pureblood and refused to comply. When He Who Shall Not Be Named began to target the Potters, Black became a target due to his connection. Pettigrew was chosen in private while Black was named the secret keeper in public. Since then, Director Bones and the Department of Wills and Estates have initiated an inquiry into why the Potter's will was purposely concealed.

Unfortunately, at Black's request, the trial has been closed to the public, and only members of the Wizengamot are permitted in. All but your dependable reporter—me, myself, and I. It gives me great joy to present the complete depiction of events and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a significant contribution to Wizarding history.

Until then, Ta-ta!

The trial will be held at 2 p.m.

June 30th, 1991

Amelia was taken aback when Arabella Figg, a well-known squib, marched into her office. Amelia had previously dealt with Figg after her husband was assassinated a few years before the First Wizarding War. She became a key source of knowledge on muggle safehouses, aurors, and Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. So when Mrs. Figg entered her office with a determined air, Amelia knew something was wrong. She simply didn't anticipate how wrong things turned out to be. She was ashamed to admit that she didn't trust a single word she spoke at first. Dumbledore abandoning Harry Potter, the Savior of the Wizarding World, with abusive muggles? Nobody in their right mind would believe the defeater of Grindelwald would condone such a thing, but after witnessing her memories, Amelia had little choice but to accept it as reality once she got over her disbelief and disgust.

Harry Potter was practically a spitting image of his father with the exception of the long hair and vibrant green eyes; it would be impossible to deny whose parentage he came from. Seeing firsthand the treatment his aunt forced on him was enough to almost make her want to break multiple laws just so she could bring her to court.

If the knowledge of what young Harry was currently suffering from was shocking, Arabella's revelation the next day was enough to cause her to completely lose faith in the Wizarding legal system. The Potters not only left a will, but it explicitly specified that Pettigrew was the secret keeper. Again, Amelia questioned the truth of her words, especially since they came from Black himself, but a trip to the Department of Wills & Estates was enough to prove his claims. For whatever reason, Pettigrew was chosen and not Black, which just opened up an entirely new can of questions, and the only thing she could think of was that they switched keepers in an attempt to outsmart Voldemort.

It was admirable and smart, if not for the fact that one of their best friends was the traitor in their midst. Amelia was absolutely livid the moment she learned that the will had been sealed by the former minister along with Chief Warlock, Dumbledore. She became incensed when she learned it was resealed again when Fudge took over the ministry position as it required the renewal with his signature. With Black in Azkaban, no one who knew of the will was able to release it considering one was a squib, the other sealed it in the first place and the last was in prison.

Even though the evidence would be enough to free Black, Amelia knew that she would face opposition from everyone on the Wizengamot, especially from Dumbledore and Fudge, both of whom stood to lose their positions if this were ever known. Not to mention she would most likely face strong opposition from Lucius Malfoy, who, as a Black by marriage, was the only one available to vote on behalf of the house. Still, Amelia decided to open an investigation, knowing that the news that a Lord from the House of Black was illegally imprisoned was more than enough to cause an uproar with the rest of the Pure-blood houses and she wanted to be on the other side when it did. Amelia wondered just what Dumbledore was planning to accomplish with this.

July 3rd, 1991

"Mr. Dumbledore, as a witness to Potter's will, you are well aware of its contents. You knew Lord Black was innocent, and yet, with both the former minister's and the current minister's help, you allowed him to be imprisoned for nearly a decade without a trial," Amelia said. "Voldemort's most prominent followers, including Crouch's son and Bellatrix Lestrange, were subjected to trials, but Lord Black, who was innocent, had nothing!" Amelia shook her head as she tried to contain her anger and disappointment.

"You've allowed him to be vilified and villainized all while knowing he was completely innocent, and you've denied Harry the chance to grow up with the person his parents chose for him. Sirius is Harry's godfather; how could you?"

Albus was taken aback; he had no idea how Amelia knew about the Potters' will unless she spoke with Black himself, but who would have gone to her with that information? Everyone else truly believed Black was guilty of selling out the Potters, he'd made sure of that so Albus couldn't understand how Amelia was standing in his office with a glower on her face. Placed on unequal footing, Albus knew that this would only spell trouble for him. If Sirius were free, he would immediately claim guardianship of Harry and given his own participation in Sirius's imprisonment, it wasn't likely Sirius would allow the boy to be anywhere near him, and that wouldn't do.

Albus had carefully planned everything out from the moment the prophecy was given. He knew exactly how Voldemort thought and how he would act. He was his professor for seven years after all. He knew things about the Dark Lord that had he had the time and power, Voldemort would have tried to do away with him as soon as he could. Albus knew quite well that Voldemort would have chosen Harry solely on the basis of his parentage, and while it resulted in the deaths of James and Lily, it was a sacrifice Albus needed to make. Sirius being anywhere near Harry would ruin everything, and this close to the boy coming to Hogwarts? However, Albus was not perceived as a great wizard merely because of his magical ability.

Eyes twinkling, Albus walked toward Amelia, a look of concern plastered on his face. "I was under the impression they made a switch at the last moment, that the will. After all, Sirius was the only one at the scene, and witnesses heard the confrontation between Pettigrew and Black before the street was blown up." Albus replied, sorrow laced within his words.

"All of that paired with the single finger, I am sorry to say Amelia but I simply could not believe that Black was innocent."

It would be best to remove himself from a position of all-knowing knowledge this time and let people think he was completely fooled as well. His reputation would take a hit, but it would lend credibility to the status the Black name held. For a short moment, there was a feeling of guilt that encompassed him as he spoke, but unfortunately, it was a feeling Albus had become quite acquainted with over the years. As annoying and uncomfortable as it was, it was easy to ignore.

Huffing, Amelia just shook her head and said, "Be that as it may, you still knew who the secret keeper was even if it was originally. It would have been impossible for Lord Black to reveal the location of the Potters since he wasn't supposed to know it in the first place! He should have been afforded a trial in which he would have been able to confirm the contents of the will and changes made in-between the will and Potter's deaths. In addition, the will clearly indicated that Harry should never be put under the guardianship of Petunia Dursley. A fact you were well aware of." The twinkle in his eyes dimmed a bit. Dumbledore knew Amelia was stubborn, but he had hoped she wouldn't continue this crusade. Her love of justice and right vs. wrong didn't always align with what Albus needed, and this was definitely one of those times.

"It was tough times Amelia," Albus said gravely. "It was the best course of action and I stand by that decision especially after the Longbottoms were tortured."

"Placing him in the muggle world in order to protect him is commendable," Amelia agreed with a grimace. "However," she continued. "Deliberately ignoring the will of the parents and placing him in an abusive home is not, regardless of how you saw it. The will made note of the fact that James has squibs in America and India, respectively, and stated that Harry would be placed there if Lord Black was unable to take him on. You had plenty of options and you purposefully chose the wrong one."

Amelia's eyes narrowed further and further the longer she talked, and Dumbledore knew then that this was not something he could fight head-on.

"Very well," Dumbledore agreed grudgingly, "I suppose this means there will be a trial?" At her nod, Albus gave an apathetic grandfatherly smile, and Amelia took that as her cue to head back to the floo.

"The trial is set for July 5th," she said as she disappeared into the flames not waiting for a reply.

Albus sighed once again before taking a seat at his desk. He'd have to make arrangements with Fudge to try to stop the trial from moving any further before his entire body tensed. July 5th? How many days... Albus's eyes widened once he realized. July 5th was a mere two days away. In order to request a trial, even from the head of any department, it took about a week, and it had to be signed off by the minister. How long has this been in the works? How long had both Amelia and the minister planned this Albus wondered? When was he betrayed?

July 5th, 1991

Dumbledore was worried the moment he stepped into the courtroom. He was concerned before when she confronted him in his office but since then, his concern slowly turned to worry. He read the packet Amelia managed to put together and while she didn't explicitly place him as the one who sealed the will, she did reveal that he knew Sirius was not the secret keeper. It was safe to say that judging from the stares he received, no one was happy with how he allowed Sirius to be imprisoned. Regardless of the fact that he wasn't a Lord at the time, he's one now, and that's all that matters to them. Albus could only sigh, he was frustrated but that's the way Pureblood politics worked. They protect their own, not out of genuine concern but rather out of what he felt was a sick sense of honor. The entire Wizengamot was already seated, and Amelia headed down to her seat as the Aurors led Sirius to the chair in the middle of the room and chained him down.

Albus was somewhat taken aback upon seeing Sirius. He looked nothing like the young man he used to be, and while Albus had an inkling of the damage Azkaban could wreak, seeing it firsthand was different. Sirius was always a gorgeous boy; it was one of the House of Black's trademarks. Despite the inbreeding, you couldn't tell by physical appearance, and Albus had heard enough murmurs from young ladies in the Hogwarts corridor to know that Sirius was regarded as pretty.

Looking at him today, one could see the Black characteristics, but they were disguised beneath a layer of grime and muck. He was skin and bones, and Albus couldn't help but wince as the prisoner robes dangled off his body, revealing the bony collarbone. Unable to stare at him any longer, Albus diverted his gaze to Amelia, who gave a curt nod to Dumbledore from his position as Chief Warlock before standing once more.

Casting a small, amplifying charm, Amelia addressed the room: "Seal the doors." She waited until the doors were shut with a sharp hiss, indicating they'd been sealed before she spoke again.

"On this day, July 5th, 1991, the honorable Wizengamot court is officially in session for the trial of Lord Sirius Orion Black."

Various murmurs were heard around the room, and despite knowing the information beforehand, none of it was positive. Dumbledore banged on his gravel briefly.

"On the counts of Treason against the Ministry of Magic, Aiding and Abetting in the First Degree, and the Unlawful Murder of 13 Muggles, how do you plead?" he asked. Through it all, Sirius's head was bent, seemingly ignoring everything around him. It took a moment before he replied.

"Not guilty."

The room was in an uproar after that, and it took Dumbledore shooting sparks from his wand to quiet the room this time. "I'm more than certain that a room full of adult wizards and witches could act more maturely than a bunch of screaming children." He chided. Once the room had settled down, he turned towards Amelia again and said, "Madam Bones, you may proceed." Dumbledore gestured for her to take the lead. Nodding, she made her way to the floor and turned to address the members.

"Please make a note in the record that the defendant has pleaded not guilty," Amelia said before taking her place in front of Sirius in the middle of the courtroom. She turned to face the members of the Wizengamot, a look of annoyance clear on her face.

"As you have all been made aware of my notes on this investigation, I hope you have acquainted yourself with the information presented to you. As this trial is under special circumstances and there are no witnesses, Lord Black will be questioned under the use of veritaserum. Once the command has been turned back to Chief Warlock, the members of the Wizengamot will be allowed to address any questions and concerns you may have."

"Sirius Black, as you may know, your parents reinstated you as the Lord of House Black during your stay in Azkaban. As a result, you are granted the right to use a solicitor. Do you agree?" Amelia turned to Sirius. Amelia found it hard not to look at the face of Lucius Malfoy, who had been assigned proxy of the seat during Black's incarceration. She didn't have to announce it to him in front of the Wizengamot; she could have informed him privately, but she knew it would help him in the long run if everyone was reminded that Black still held a considerable amount of power, both politically and financially. She felt that the less Malfoy had, the better the wizarding world as a whole would be. It was like killing two birds with one stone.

For the first time since being brought into the room, Sirius looked at her. "Yes," his voice took on a hard tone. Nodding, she quickly turned away from his face, feeling vastly uncomfortable. Despite the glint in his eye that told her he knew exactly what she was doing, his eyes were dead. The deep, vivid yellow that surrounded the gray of his eyes was already unsettling; it spoke of the horrors he experienced, and combined with the lack of life they emitted, it made the hairs on the back of her neck prick. She could tell from the expressions of various members that they felt the same way she did. She motioned towards the doors, and a court-appointed solicitor made his way toward Sirius's side.

Leo Evander was nervous, to say the least. As a young man, fresh out of law school, this was his first major court date, and despite not having to formally defend his client, he was sure he would be in for the ride of his career when his business with Mr. Black was finished.

"This is Leo Evander; he will explain the results of the proceedings to you once your verdict is reached. If you have any concerns, please make sure to inform him before the court is adjourned. Are you in agreement with the use of veritaserum?"

During the time she explained the solicitor, Sirius had bent his head once more but nodded his consent. Motioning to an auror, she watched as the potion was administered. Turning back to the crowd, she addressed them once again: "I will determine if the potion works correctly."

"State your name and date of birth for the record."

"Sirius Orion Black-Potter, born November 3rd, 1959," his voice was emotionless, a dull monotone that made Amelia grimace. She would never be a fan of the truth potion, no matter how necessary it would be. Nothing would ever make Amelia happy about people losing their right to free will, but she couldn't help but notice that his voice didn't sound much different from when they were still in Azkaban. Still, she and the rest of the room were shocked into silence at the name Potter.

"Please explain why you have the added last name of Potter, Lord Black."

"Fleamont and Euphemia Potter blood-adopted me when my parents disowned me at the age of 16."

The entire room was silent with shock at the revelation. Not only was Sirius the Lord of House Black, by blood-adoption, it made him Lord Apparent to House Potter. Slowly but surely, everyone in the stands came to the same conclusion that Amelia did. If Sirius was indeed found innocent, this court would be responsible for the illegal incarceration of what was the most politically powerful individual to date.

Clearing her throat, Amelia continued on with her questioning. "Why is this the first time we are learning about this?"

"It was sealed in with the Family Services and Records department until I, Fleamont, or James released it to the public."

"I see." Amelia trailed off. This changed things in ways she could not foresee. As of right now, Sirius is the Lord of two houses, and Harry is now his biological nephew. She glanced at Dumbledore and narrowed her eyes at his look of anger. It was well hidden but it was there, in his eyes, and she managed to see it all before he wiped his face clean. This, however, was something that she could not dwell on.

"Let it be known the potion is working. Please make a note of it in the records. In addition, please make note that Lord Black from now on will be known as Lord Black-Potter." Turning briefly toward Leo, she said, "We will now begin the official questioning; if you wish to object to any question, please raise your wand before doing so." Amelia turned her attention back to Sirius.

"Now, Lord Black-Potter, were you the Potter's secret keeper?"

"No."

"Who was?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Were you ever a follower of Voldemort?"

"No."

"Did you kill Pettigrew or any of the 13 muggles?"

"No."

"Did you see how Pettigrew escaped?"

"He turned into his Animagus form after blowing up the street."

Amelia paused, disbelief clear on her face. She turned a suspicious gaze to Dumbledore but dismissed her suspicions when his own shock was clear on his face. Amelia looked around briefly before her gaze finally landed on Minerva McGonagall, and her suspicion faded even more when she saw a similar expression of disbelief on the Transfiguration professor's face. With that the fact that neither of them knew of Peter's animagus ability confirmed, Amelia turned her attention back to Sirius. She only had 30 minutes until the potion wore off, but she was eager to learn more.

"What is his form and is he registered?"

"His form is a rat and no.."

"How do you know this?"

"Because I helped him with his transformation."

Amelia sighed briefly; while she didn't want to derail the trial any further, it would be easier to get this information out of the way now. "Are you or anyone else you know an unregistered Animagus?"

"Yes. James and I also transformed with Peter when we were 15. Lily became one later as well after we graduated."

Amelia motioned toward the recording scribe for him to make a special note about Pettigrew's and Black's Animagus forms. She was tempted to learn why they decided to transfigure and how they managed to do it without either Dumbledore or McGonagall knowing but time was running out and she had a job to do. That information could be gathered at a later date.

"Very well, let's continue. Can you tell the court what happened the night of October 31st, 1981?"

"I went to check in on Peter at the safe house, and he wasn't there, but there were no signs of a break-in or struggle of any kind. He didn't appear to be there at all; there was no furniture, no sign that he'd ever stepped foot in the apartment at all but I was under the impression that the apartment was set up from the times I floo-called him. I wasn't sure what was going on until the location of the Potters' home returned to my memory, and I raced there as soon as I could. About a block away from their home, I saw smoke in the distance. The closer I got, the darker the sky became; the top of their house was blown to bits, and Voldemort's symbol was hanging above it."

Sirius abruptly came to a halt, and the room filled with quiet whisperings and murmurs. Sirius's arms were shaking with what Amelia could only guess was sorrow. He was fighting the potion or maybe the potion was wearing off quicker than she anticipated.

"Lord Black-Potter, are you okay?"

Silence reigned for a few more seconds before Sirius finally replied.

"No."

For the first time since being questioned, Sirius lifted up his head, and while Amelia was closer to him and could see the tears that ran down his face, she was more than sure everyone could hear the pain laced in the single word.

"I'm sure this is difficult for you, but please, we have limited time."

"I ran towards the house, and the front door looked like it had been blown open. The entire bottom of the house was undisturbed, there was only the broken door and splinters of wood. That was the only way to tell that something was wrong. I could smell the pie Lily had been baking in the oven; it was burning, the stove was smoking, and right by the door at the bottom of the stairs lay James. His wand was on the couch, so I knew they had been caught off guard. James never would have kept his wand away from him otherwise. I hoped he was knocked out; it was wishful thinking since his eyes were wide open. " Sirius chuckled darkly here, and the sound sent shivers down Amelia's spine. The potion wasn't wearing off, the monotone voice he used to describe the events clearly ruled out that possibility but somehow Sirius was fighting against it. The emotions he was portraying, dark as they were, shouldn't have been possible.

"I closed his eyes and then ran up the stairs when I heard crying, and there I saw Lily lying on the floor in front of Harry's crib. The room was completely destroyed; the top of the roof was blown apart, and there was debris everywhere. Once Harry saw me, he lifted up his arms; I picked him up and headed back outside, where I was met with Hagrid. Harry was lucky he wasn't killed by any of the debris; he was hardly hurt except for a single scar on his forehead. Dumbledore also received memories of the Potters' address, and he sent Hagrid to retrieve Harry. I don't know why, considering he knew that James and Lily wanted Harry in my custody should anything happen to them. I argued with Hagrid for almost an hour before giving up and going to find Peter. It took me two hours to track him down, mostly by his scent and onc-"

At this point, Amelia interrupted with a small sigh and asked, "I'm guessing you meant in your Animagus form?"

"Yes."

"Would you mind stating for the court what your form is?"

"I'm a black dog. James has said I closely resemble the grim." As if on cue, various gasps and whispers of surprise filled the room. Amelia herself could not stop her eyes from widening in shock and fear. She had a theory that Sirius didn't just resemble a grim but rather his form was one. It was extremely rare, with only a handful recorded in Wizarding history, and none of them happened to be in England. Oddly enough, Amelia thought his form fit him quite well.

"Please continue," Amelia replied a little louder to be heard over the noise.

"Once I found him," Sirius spat. He was slowly showing more and more emotion as the questioning continued. Everyone wondered how he managed to do it—how he managed to switch from monotone to emotions so thick at the flip of a hat.

"He immediately accused me of killing James and Lily but before he could continue accusing me, I asked him why he did it—why he betrayed us when we would have done everything to protect him. He stated it was because Voldemort gave him a place in the inner circle."

"Why would that be important enough?"

"The inner circle had a different dark mark. It gave them direct access to him at all times as well as a power boost."

"Did he tell you how?" Amelia frowned slightly. Why would Peter reveal so much? Even if he got Sirius arrested, she couldn't imagine the Dark Lord being happy about that information being disclosed to Sirius or anyone he didn't allow for that matter.

"It drew magic from lower-ranked members. It wasn't enough for them to notice or hurt them, but it was enough for him to cast a Bombarda Maxima that killed 13 muggles."

"Impossible," Someone in the stands muttered, and Amelia couldn't reprimand them. She was having a hard time believing it herself. The area where the muggles were killed spanned roughly 2 blocks. It was pure luck that more muggles weren't killed or harmed. A Bombarda Maxima could take out a wall, a single wall, but two blocks? However, the longer she thought about it, the more sense it made. No one ever managed to subdue any of Voldemort's closest fighters; most aurors that fought them were lucky if they left unscathed. The fact that Bellatrix, her husband, and her brother-in-law were in custody was because of sheer dumb luck, not on any part of the ministry.

Amelia cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to the questioning, but she couldn't hide how shaken her voice had become. "When the Aurors found you, they said you were laughing. Why is that Lord Black-Potter?"

Sirius merely shrugged; his entire body stiffened up. "Laughing was easier than crying," he choked out. "None of us ever expected Peter to be capable of doing what he did." Amelia wondered whether it was because Peter was a friend or because he was known for not being the most powerful of the group. It could have been both.

Soon enough, Sirius gave a full-body shudder, signaling the end of the potion's effects, and let his head fall back down.

Amelia didn't automatically turn it over to Dumbledore; instead, she let silence reign for a few moments. Like herself, she knew that others needed to take a moment to digest everything they heard. Finally, as she turned back towards Dumbledore, Amelia nodded, saying, "I believe that is all we will be able to retrieve with the use of the potion. I now give the command to Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore," and made her way back to her seat.

Clearing his throat, Dumbledore adjusted in his seat. "I believe this opens up for any further questioning a court member may have." All at once, every single member lit up their wands, and Dumbledore could only sigh. "Not every question will be answered, and we don't have much more time. Lady Longbottom, you may go first."

Standing up, Augusta Longbottom gave a very brief nod toward Dumbledore before turning her attention to Sirius. "Why was Peter made the keeper instead of you?" Several wands turned off at her question; it was undoubtedly the one everyone couldn't understand. James and Sirius were well-known for their friendship, and if Sirius was blood-adopted, he was biologically and legally James' brother. It made no sense to anyone why he wasn't chosen.

"Originally it was supposed to be me, but I convinced James and Lilly to switch to Peter because I was the obvious choice. Everyone knew about our relationship and how close we were. If I were ever captured during the war, it would give them enough time to escape to another location. I didn't think anyone would suspect Peter, and if they did, he'd be last on the list." Sirius said he still refused to look up, and his voice once again took on a dull tone.

"I'd like to know why you became an Animagus and how." This time, Sirius slowly lifted his head, not because of the question but rather because of who the question came from. Looking around, he stopped when he saw the one he was looking for; he recognized that voice everywhere.

"Professor…"

"Hello, Lord Black-Potter." came Minerva McGonagall's reply. Despite the harsh tone, there was a softness in those blue eyes of hers, and Sirius, for once since leaving Azkaban, finally met someone he was glad to see. "Please answer the question."

Sirius stiffened and gave a sharp nod before he answered. "We planned it once we found out a friend of ours was infected with lycanthropy. Since werewolves are non-threatening to animals, we decided to become Animagus to help with transitions." His answer managed to silence the room before it broke out in noise and declarations of disgust, as many members had attended Hogwarts with Sirius. Learning you were attending school with a werewolf without being informed was not something any of them were particularly happy about.

"How did you manage to keep that a secret?" Someone asked.

"There was a werewolf attending Hogwarts with us!?" Another person exclaimed.

"Who was the one infected with lycanthropy?" Amelia chimed in.

It was then that Dumbledore hushed the room with his gravel, saying, "The identity of this former student is not what's important right now. As the years have passed, I am certain that all can be forgotten as no one ever knew nor was anyone hurt." Looking down at Sirius, Dumbledore gave a twinkling smile, but it was edged with a wariness that had many of the members sitting back down.

McGonagall raised her wand and, when pointed at, asked, "You said James and Lily also transitioned with you. What were their forms?"

Sirius stared at her for a moment before cocking his head to the side and giving a humorless chuckle that had many of the members of the court shuddering in their seats. Some of them had been on the receiving end of his wand when they heard that chuckle before. It wasn't exactly pleasant.

"I've always said James and Lily were soulmates. Their magic was compatible with another on a level I haven't seen in a long time." Sirius whispered quietly. A small smile made its way to his face, tinged with bitterness. "James was a stag, and Lily was a doe. Perfectly compatible but never dependent on each other; it resulted in their Patronus forms matching with their Animagus forms." Silence once again reigned in the courtroom as Sirius's words registered. It wasn't rare that couples had Patronus forms that showcased their love, it was quite common actually. What surprised the room was the fact that they had matching Animagus and Patronus forms that weren't dependent but rather independently compatible—it was practically unheard of. It seemed everything that came out of Sirius' mouth managed to shock the Wizengamot in ways they never expected. It made many of them wonder what other secrets he held in his mind.

"Would you mind showing the court your Animagus form Lord Black-Potter?" Dumbledore broke the tense silence, finally giving everyone room to breathe. When Sirius nodded, he gestured to an Auror, and with a flick of a wand, the chains that bound Sirius were released.

Standing up, Sirius shook himself; he'd gotten stiff from sitting in one place again after moving more than he had previously. He took a breath, hesitating. He wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to transform; he didn't particularly want to show this, but he didn't have a good reason not to, so he did. This time, not a sound was heard, nor was a word uttered, as the court could only stare at the animal before them. Sirius turned his head around the room, gauging the reactions, and the fear and surprise he saw were not what he was expecting, but it wasn't unwelcoming either.

"Interesting," Dumbledore mumbled, a glint of intrigue in his eyes. Transforming back, Sirius sat down on the chair with a harsh expression on his face. He saw the glint in Dumbledore's eyes, and it reminded him of how he often looked at Remus as they got older. Sirius knew Dumbledore was thinking of ways to use him.

"It seems, my dear boy, that your form does not simply resemble a grim. You are a grim. It's quite rare in fact, the first ever in Britain."

It was one thing to see Sirius transform, but Dumbledore was not expecting him to actually take on the form of a grim. Most grims are agents of death and are only spotted by those who've brushed against death or are crossing over. Never in any legend in Britain has a grim been chosen for an Animagus form, and Dumbledore was at a loss for what to do with that information. Some might interpret this to mean Sirius was truly dark, as his name suggests, but those familiar with mythology know that while grims are agents of death, but they aren't omens of darkness or evil but rather they protect souls from malevolent spirits. It was not the first time since the questioning began that the court was stunned. Dumbledore knew most of what was revealed, including that of the Animagus's abilities, but it was what his form was that continued to dumbfound him. Throughout the trial, Dumbledore gauged the reaction of the members, looking for hints of doubt, but rather than doubt, it seems that Sirius rendered the entire Wizengamot speechless, a feat not accomplished in quite a while.

Sirius scoffed: "I don't think that's right. I think I'd know if I were an agent of death." Ah, there was the snark missing from Sirius, and Dumbledore smiled. "You do understand the dementor's native tongue, do you not? They themselves are believed to be agents of death."

Sirius narrowed his eyes, ignoring the gasps and exclamations of surprise and disgust from the Wizengamot as they took in Dumbledore's words. Sirius wondered what Dumbledore was planning to accomplish by exposing that bit. Other than bringing about doubt concerning either his innocence or his inevitable placement as Harry's guardian. Something told him it was the latter.

Before anything else could continue, Leo raised his wand, and Dumbledore motioned for Mr. Evander.

"My client previously stated that he was an unregistered Animagus; I ask the court not to add that charge as whatever time would be served, he has already served it. I also ask the court to waive any fees, as I believe they would be unnecessary and trivial at this stage."

"I agree, Mr. Evander." Dumbledore nodded his agreement. "Any charges and fees that would previously be given for the act of being an unregistered Animagus are at this moment dropped. Are there any more questions?"

When no wands were raised, Dumbledore nodded and stated, "I do believe we should vote on Lord Black-Potter's innocence. Please light your wand blue for innocent and red for guilt after the charges are read out." This was the moment of truth, and Sirius held his breath. His hands balled into tight fists.

"On the count of murdering James and Lily Potter in the first degree, on the count of high treason to the Wizarding World, on the count of murdering Peter Pettigrew, and on the count of murdering 13 non-magicals, how does this court find Sirius Orion Black-Potter?"

Slowly, wands began to light up until all 50 members of the Wizengamot lit their wands blue. For a moment, both Sirius and Dumbledore were stunned. Even with the evidence, Sirius was at least expecting Lucius to put up more of a fight considering that once he was declared innocent, the proxy to the Black seat was null and void for the House of Malfoy. Dumbledore, on the other hand, firmly believed that despite what Sirius revealed, there would be members of the court who disliked his house enough to refuse to vote.

Smiling slightly, Dumbledore clapped his hands together once and said, "I believe that based on the votes, this court finds Sirius Orion Black-Potter innocent of all charges. Lord Black-Potter, you are now free to go, and on behalf of the Ministry of Magic and the Wizarding World, I give my sincerest apologies for the injustice you have received."

At his words, the chains on Sirius melted into nothingness, and with them, so did Sirius, as various members clapped slightly. Sirius raised his right hand as the Black insignia ring slid onto his pointer finger. Sirius couldn't help but shiver in delight as he felt his house magic spread throughout his body, working to fix the damage Azkaban caused. Despite being happy he was disowned at first, the loss of family magic haunted him immensely. He couldn't lie and say he wasn't glad to have it back because he was, and he knew the ring was happy to be back in the hand of someone with Black blood. It was back where it belonged, and thankfully, it didn't care who it was. Amelia stepped up to Sirius and placed a hand on his shoulder, saying, "Your solicitor will walk you through the steps with me at a later date to officially claim your lordship, along with the guardianship of Harry Potter, and the reading of the Potter's will at Gringotts." As she had not removed the charm, the entirety of the Wizengamot heard her words, and you could hear the collective intake of breath of the members.

Albus spoke up after a minute of quiet, his voice carrying a note of caution. "Now, Amelia, I believe young Sirius would like to visit a mind healer before tackling any of these things. Mr. Potter is with his aunt and uncle; I'm sure there is no need to remove him from a home he's known his entire life."

"No," Sirius glared at Dumbledore.

"I will have custody of my godson and nephew since I was never given a trial and I was never stripped of guardianship." Before Dumbledore could protest, Sirius held up his hand. "I agree I need to see mind healers before I meet him, but he will be removed from his aunt the moment I'm deemed well enough to take custody." Sirius was not blind; he knew where Harry was sent; he didn't know why, but he knew where. For the first time since he'd left Azkaban, Sirius felt a spark of pure, unadulterated anger:

"Need I remind you Dumbledore, Harry was never supposed to be placed with his muggle relatives? It was stated in James and Lily's will that Harry was never to go with Petunia. She was a danger to Harry before the boy was even born. However," Sirius said with a quirk of his eyebrow. "You already knew that Albus considering you were a witness when the will was signed."

"What do you mean by that, Sirius?" Professor McGonagall questioned. It was on the minds of everyone here. How a muggle could possibly pose a danger to a witch, regardless of pregnancy?

"Petunia has always hated magic, even from a young age. Part of it was jealousy but most of it came from the fact that Petunia took her bible lessons to the extreme. She once tried to have Lily, her own sister exorcised by priests." The cries of outrage filled the courtroom, while exorcism was fake, the effects of one were not. The starvation, the dehydration, and the beatings were well documented by the muggleborn or muggle-raised in the Wizarding community. At the reactions, Sirius felt a sick sense of vengeance curl in the bottom of his stomach. Even the pureblood bigots couldn't stand for that, and to them, Lily was as filthy as the dirt on the bottom of their shoe. Before Dumbledore could come up with an excuse, Sirius continued to speak.

"The minute Petunia found out Lily was pregnant, she ramped up her hatred to levels where it was dangerous for Lily to step foot in her old neighborhood."

Turning around, Amelia gave a small, saccharine smile. "Ah, Chief Warlock, I'm so glad you decided to protest Lord Black-Potter's guardianship." Her voice took on a sly tone, and everyone knew then that something big was going to happen.

"On this day, July 5th, 1991, I, Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE, in the presence of the Wizengamot, call for an official investigation of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore on the charge of tampering with evidence resulting in the unlawful imprisonment of a member of an Ancient and Noble House, the charge of an unlawful concealing of a will belonging to a member of a Noble House, one charge of kidnapping a child of a Noble House, and one charge of child abuse." After she read out the charges, it seemed as if the Wizengamot had become devoid of all life. If the previous silence in the room was unpleasant, Dumbledore could say that the silence now is positively unsettling.

Yes, I made Sirius and James brothers. Fight me.
James and Lily are fucking soulmates okay. I liked the idea of Lily becoming an Animagus after graduation. Somehow James and Sirius convinced her to do it, idk how they just did.
Lily was baking a pumpkin pie. It's her favorite. In fact, I'm going to say pumpkin is her favorite because I like to project.
Idk if Minerva was on the Wizengamot but why wouldn't she be hmm?
I feel like the inner circle is entitled to more power. It's stupid for them not to receive some extra benefits ya know? Why else would it be so damn important for them to achieve that rank besides added protection? Honestly, the death eaters were feared for. a. reason. I think personally by making the death eaters less competent than a group of teenagers is quite frankly...dumb? Yaxley, Barty, Bellatrix, Snape, Dolohov, and even Malfoy were able to outwit and subdue many of their enemies. By the second wizarding war, many of his inner circle were subjected to dementors which diminished their capabilities but even then, the likes of Barty who was subjected not only to dementors but spent years under the imperius curse were able to outwit both Snape AND Dumbledore.
For crying out loud, even Pettigrew showed high levels of intelligence regarding street smarts; being able to outwit Sirius, James, Lily, Dumbledore, and the entirety of the damn Order. I just feel like I need to give credit where credit is due. I feel like Amelia realized that the inner circle was not stupid or weak. I personally believe that Bellatrix n co were arrested because they allowed themselves to be. Voldemort was dead, they saw no reason to fight anymore. Let's not forget, most death eaters we saw in Azkaban were only there AFTER Igor Karkaoff tipped off the ministry. If he didn't defect, how many death eaters would have been captured? Let's be honest.
Listen, Voldemort valued high intelligence. Even in school, he was picky about who he let around him. Just because he didn't want to be questioned, didn't mean he wanted completely mindless slaves. At least, not for his inner circle. So yeah, his inner circle was granted special shit that made them harder to defeat. The death eaters aren't flushed out the way they should be. I'm going to fix that dammit.

We get back to Harry in the next chapter :)