Disclaimer: Do I own it? Nope.
Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the absolutely amazing reviews!
First, I'm so glad you love Sturgis too. You'll find out more and more about him as the story goes on. I have a scene planned for him on September 1, 1995 which is going to be incredibly emotional to write. In fact, the entire September 1 chapter is going to be pretty darn intense. honestly, expanding on a minor character, especially basing him off someone real, is pretty amazing.
I'm glad you loved Ron ripping the wizarding world a new one. He deserves to have the chance to shine. So many people don't think he's worthy of being Harry's best friend just because he has human flaws. Sure, they got on my nerves in canon. But did I accept him for who he was at the end of it all? Definitely.
By the way, just a heads up to everybody. Last time I posted a chapter of my other story, I let those readers know, and this time, I'm letting all of you know. I will be getting married on Saturday, May 13 of this great year of 2023 to my gorgeous, handsome, loving, amazing fiance Ryan. There will be a lot of family time both before and after the wedding. I live in the US, but used to live in the UK so I have lots of folks coming from there. I just wanted to warn you that updates will be a lot slower during that time. I'll try to get as much writing done as I can, but I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do. I'm certainly not giving up on the story completely. I just wanted to let you know so that you wouldn't think I had. In June, Ryan and I will be going to the UK for our honeymoon. We will be gone from Friday, June 9 until Tuesday, June 20. The same thing applies there - updates will be slower then as well. I apologize in advance, and I hope you understand. I will remind you all again when the time gets closer.
In any case, I know my wedding and honeymoon will be amazing. I never managed to convince Ryan to read the Potter series, but in some ways, he doesn't have to! He is incredibly supportive of my work, and I talk about it all the time. I even bounce ideas off of him for my stories!
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
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Harry sat on the bench with the Weasleys and Hermione, feeling completely overwhelmed as he watched Ron answer Amelia Bones's questions. They had just returned from the thirty-minute recess, and as Harry watched his best friend reiterate how he knew Sirius and Harry needed each other, he battled his emotions for the thousandth time.
Never had he seen Ron put himself on display like he had. They were best friends, but the lengths Ron was willing to go to for Harry had stunned him. He remembered the anger he had felt when Ron had accused him of putting his own name in the goblet, and the hurt that had suffused his being when they hadn't talked for weeks.
But now that Ron had explained the reason for his actions, Harry realized he hadn't really understood his best friend before. He was just as guilty of not understanding Ron as Ron had been of not understanding Harry. And the fact that Ron had allowed himself to be vulnerable struck something deep within Harry. His passionate plea that he and Sirius should be able to stay together was something Harry would never forget.
And neither would the Wizengamot and so many others in the courtroom, Harry thought as he remembered their faces after Ron had finished. They wouldn't forget, either. Ron might just be the one who would be able to truly get through to the public that Sirius deserved a second chance.
And then, there was what Ron had said about Harry being allowed to be a child. It was true - Sirius had allowed him that opportunity. He let Harry tell him what he needed, and did his best to grant him every wish. Harry could tell that Sirius was desperate for it, too - every time he asked for anything at all, Sirius was unbelievably fast at doing it. That lopsided grin that was so totally Sirius always warmed Harry's heart.
And Ron had gone straight to the heart of the matter. He'd told off the entire wizarding world for treating Harry like he wasn't human. He'd given them a piece of his mind for accusing Harry of murder without any concrete evidence. He'd described the events of Harry's second and fourth years at school perfectly - the common folk treated him like a villain when it was discovered that he could talk to snakes, and they castigated him for supposedly putting himself in for Hogwarts champion. He hadn't gone into detail, but Harry knew exactly what Ron had been referring to. And the guilt-stricken look on his face had been prominently displayed to the entire courtroom - he was incredibly sorry for ever being jealous of Harry, of thinking that Harry had everything he could ever want. He now knew this was far from true.
During the recess, everyone in Harry's group had been quiet. Harry had been so choked up that he honestly hadn't known what to say to Ron. All he knew was that his best mate was insane for ever thinking he was less than Harry. Of course he wanted to still be best mates with him, and had told him that in no uncertain terms as, for the first time, he'd truly embraced him. He and Ron normally pounded each other on the back to show their affection for one another, but Harry needed the hug and could see that Ron did, too. Harry wished there were a million other ways to say thank you.
They'd all sat in the Ministry cafeteria and bought things to eat and drink as they quietly discussed how the trial was going so far. What Harry had learned about Sturgis filled him with many mixed emotions, and he could see the same struggle on Sirius's face. The man's heartfelt confession had touched something in Harry, but at the same time, he knew he had lost some of his respect for him. But this made him feel awful, as Sturgis had been amazingly reassuring during the lead-up to the trial, and was doing everything possible to make it all less painful. Was it a betrayal to Sirius if Harry felt like he could still trust Sturgis? Because honestly, he did. That man seemed to carry guilt like it had become a part of him. In many ways, he reminded Harry of Sirius, who had made some enormous mistakes. And Sirius had shown Harry that he was making up for his. Why, then, shouldn't he show the same courtesy to Sturgis? It was all too bloody confusing.
"I have no further questions," Madam Bones said, pulling Harry out of his musings. "Dawlish?"
Harry dreaded this part - he didn't like Dawlish at all. He seemed like a nasty piece of work who wanted nothing more than to see Sirius locked away in Saint Mungo's. Harry had felt his stomach plummet as what he had dreaded came to pass, but it was worse than he'd imagined. He thought that Saint Mungo's might be brought up if the wizarding populus found out about the night Harry and Sirius had truly been reunited for the first time. The fact that Dawlish was saying it was the place where Sirius belonged when that night hadn't even been mentioned ... it sent terror, anger, and sadness through Harry. Sirius deserved better than to be locked in a mental ward for the rest of his life. He deserved a chance for continued healing from the pain he had endured.
"Mr. Weasley," Dawlish said, the nasal quality of his voice grating on Harry's last nerve. "You gave a rather ... impassioned plea that Harry Potter and Sirius Black should be allowed to stay together as a family. It is true that Sirius is Harry's godfather, is it not?"
"Yes, sir," Ron said with confidence. "He is. He was asked to take care of Harry if his parents couldn't."
"I understand that," Dawlish drawled condescendingly. "That is the role a godfather is supposed to play. But I am also to understand that because Sirius went to Azkaban, mr. Potter went to live with others. It has been rumored that he lives with Muggles. Is that correct?"
Harry felt a stab of dread consume his being. He honestly hadn't been sure if the wider wizarding world knew about the Dursleys, because no one really asked him about his home life. But people must have wanted to know where the Boy Who Lived would stay after his parents were killed, Harry thought bitterly. Dumbledore must have had to assuage them somehow.
"Yeah," Ron said, looking more unsure now. He made eye contact with Harry, both of them dreading where this questioning was going.
"I see. And who are these Muggles he lives with?" Dawlish asked.
"His aunt, uncle, and cousin. His mum's sister," Ron mumbled, looking guilty even as he said it. Harry wasn't angry, as he knew that Ron had felt forced to answer the question.
"Aha," said Dawlish, and Harry didn't like the look on his face one bit. "In that case, why is it so important that Mr. Potter and Mr. Black stay together, as it were? Is Mr. Potter not happy with his Muggle family?"
Harry looked at Sirius then, who wore an expression of horror. Harry felt it, too - Dawlish had no idea what his questioning would lead the wizarding world to discover. It would only be more gossip for the rumor mill. The last thing Harry wanted was anyone knowing about his life with the Dursleys.
Harry gazed at Ron, who looked truly miserable. His eyes went to his other friends, who looked different degrees of angry or helpless.
"No," Ron said, but he didn't elaborate. He stared at Harry with stricken eyes, and Harry felt for him. He had been put in a truly impossible position.
"No?" Dawlish was acting like a cat who had caught the canary. "Please explain."
Ron glowered at Dawlish. "That's Harry's business," he snapped. "I won't betray his trust just because you think Sirius isn't well enough to take care of him. You have no idea what you're talking about."
The entire courtroom devolved into murmurs and whispers, and Harry could feel all the eyes on him. A surge of gratitude flared up - Merlin, he was so grateful for his best mate. But his heart started to race, and his hands began to go clammy again, just as they had done in the atrium.
"Breathe, Harry," Hermione said from next to him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right. It's all right."
"Dawlish!" Amelia boomed, sounding supremely irate. "This trial is not about Mr. Potter's living situation."
"But it is, Amelia," Dawlish objected, a sneer in his voice. "Mr. Weasley is insisting that Mr. Black should be the one responsible for Potter's welfare."
"No, Dawlish. This trial concerns Sirius's innocence, and whether he should be granted the chance to reenter wizarding society," Amelia snapped back. "Anything that involves Mr. Potter's living situation can be discussed in private."
"Merlin, I love Amelia Bones," Fred murmured with a grin.
"Yeah, don't mess with her," George chuckled. "She'll show you just how much of an idiot you are for doing so."
"But Mr. Potter is exceedingly important to the wizarding world. He is the Boy Who Lived," Dawlish whined, causing anger to burn within Harry's gut.
"Oh?" For a second, Amelia looked sincerely furious. "I am surprised to hear you say that, Dawlish. Only three weeks ago you were calling him a murderer."
Dawlish's face flushed a brick red. "Fine. I have no further questions," he said petulantly like a child who had been denied another biscuit.
Harry wasn't at all surprised that Dawlish's opinion of him had changed overnight. And Merlin, he hated that bloody title - The Boy Who Lived. It was almost mocking in the way many people said it. You lived, while your parents didn't. You lived, while so many witches and wizards deserving of life were cut down by the evil of Voldemort and his vile supporters. And he'd never forget the way the fake Harry had drawled it as he pointed his wand at Cedric.
"Thank you. And thank you for your testimony, Mr. Weasley," said Madam Bones. "You may return to your seat." She took a breath, and there was a frozen moment of time before she said, "I now call Harry Potter to the stand."
Harry had known that the time was going to come when he had to deliver his testimony. But he'd had no idea it would come so fast. Well, he thought as his friends and adoptive family gave him looks of love and support, here goes. I need to do this for Sirius. As he made his way to the stand, his eyes fell on his godfather. The look they shared was full of reassurance, and Harry suddenly felt his fear evaporate. His emerald eyes hardened with resolve - Sirius deserved the best from him. All the feelings of anger towards the wider wizarding world disappeared, as did the terror and sickness he'd felt that morning right after he'd had the nightmare of the fake Harry taking the life of Cedric Diggory. All he could see was Sirius, and all he knew was that by the end of today, his godfather needed to be free to live the life he deserved.
"My name is Harry James Potter," he said, his voice loud and clear in the courtroom. "And my godfather, Sirius Black, is the best thing that's ever happened to me."
He knew the entire courtroom was looking at him, but for once, he couldn't feel their stares. All he saw was Sirius, that look of love in his eyes. He once again imagined the man embracing him, the man jumping off the couch whenever Harry asked for something, and running to do it without a second of hesitation. All he saw was Sirius helping him with Transfiguration, while telling him stories of the old days with his parents. All he saw was the moment when that singer had repeated, "You're not alone ... you're not alone ... you're not alone, no, no." And Harry had caught and held Sirius's eyes, knowing that nothing in the world could ever break their bond.
He knew how he was going to begin the story, and if it was ever discovered that he hadn't told the truth about this, he would accept the consequences without a second thought. He was not going to tell the wider wizarding world anything at all about the night he and Sirius had been reunited for the first time that he didn't want them to know. It would not be a good outcome for Sirius if they ever found out. Harry would do all within his power to make sure that the truth was never discovered. It would not only hurt Sirius, but it would also get Remus Lupin locked up in Azkaban or worse, without a doubt. The fact that he had forgotten to take his potion and therefore transformed in the company of humans, and the only thing that had saved them was Sirius's Animagus form, was not something that could ever get out to the public.
He couldn't help but allow the memories of that night to filter through his mind. He recalled the naked horror of seeing the man up close. He'd only ever glimpsed his face in the newspapers, and seeing his maniacally grinning face in the flesh induced a rage in him that had quickly washed away any ounce of terror he felt at being in the same room with a murderer. He remembered how it had felt to hit and punch every part of him that he could reach. "You killed my parents!" The words had been filled with a raw hatred that took over his every pore. He remembered vividly how it felt to raise his wand and point it at the man, but he had hesitated on what spell to use. His heart raced, his breaths were sharp and quick, and his hand tingled as he was suddenly filled with horror at what he was about to do. And then, right when he realized he had no idea how to cast a spell that would kill anyone, as he hadn't heard the Avada Kedavra spoken out loud yet, the sound of the door opening was heard, and Hermione was screaming at whoever it was to come quickly. And then, Remus Lupin had entered the room, and Harry had lost his chance.
He'd never forget his conversation with Sirius about that night. Sirius had reassured him that he wouldn't have been able to kill him, even if Remus and Crookshanks hadn't stopped him. The fact that he'd stopped Sirius and Remus from killing Peter had been what made Sirius sure of it. And Harry held onto that with everything he had, because the thought of killing anyone was mind-numbing. How could he take anyone's life willingly?
Harry felt the memories fade as he went on with his testimony. "I used to think the same thing about him as everyone else did," he admitted quietly, and there was not another sound to be heard in the courtroom. "I thought he had betrayed my parents to their deaths."
Many people in the courtroom were looking at him with sympathy, and he caught Sirius's eyes, which were soft with understanding and love. "But I found out it wasn't true."
He proceeded to tell the entire courtroom an edited version of what had happened on that night - about how Sirius had suddenly shown up on the grounds out of nowhere, about how he somehow knew that Ron had Peter. He spoke of how he had made Harry, Ron, and Hermione go through a secret passage into the Shrieking Shack, but he didn't mention Sirius's Animagus abilities or the fact that he'd broken Ron's leg. He explained how Sirius had managed to convince them that his story was true, and that Ron had handed him the rat with the missing toe.
"Sirius promised to show us the truth if Ron gave him his wand, and he forced Peter to change back into his human form," Harry said quietly. "Peter ... he confessed everything. We were all going to go back to the castle so that Sirius could explain, and so that Peter could be caught and sent to Azkaban. We'd just left the Shrieking Shack when the Dementors came."
He then explained how he had been able to cast a Patronus, which had made the Dementors flee. He wasn't about to tell the courtroom that he had only been able to do so because he realized that he'd seen a second version of himself do it as he was falling unconscious. He couldn't inform everyone that he and Hermione had used a Time-Turner to go back and save Sirius. McGonagall had had to jump through hoops to get hold of the thing, and it would land both her and Dumbledore in a whole world of trouble if he mentioned anything about it.
"The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hospital wing," Harry said softly. "Minister Fudge was there. He said that Professor Snape had brought us all back to the castle, and that Sirius had been caught. I tried to tell the Minister that Sirius was innocent, but he wouldn't listen."
Harry dreaded telling the next part, as he knew how furious Sirius had been with Dumbledore. His heart still ached at the thought of his Headmaster, who was still recovering from the vile assault the so-called Mind Healers had inflicted on him. "Professor Dumbledore saved Sirius," Harry said softly, causing gasps to fly through the courtroom. It was more or less true - he, after all, had been the one to tell Hermione exactly how to do so. Harry caught Sirius's eye for a split second, and to his relief, the man looked at him with understanding.
"The Headmaster told us that Peter escaped," Harry said sadly, thinking of what the traitor had done to Cedric. "Sirius went back on the run. We corresponded through the year, and there was one time that me, Ron, and Hermione saw him while we were at Hogwarts. He was hiding in one of the caves close to the castle."
Yet more gasps followed this statement, and Harry felt a reckless defiance fill him. He caught Sirius's eye again; he couldn't care less what people thought of his actions. They could think him a fool or a juvenile delinquent all they wanted. It was their own fault that they hadn't truly seen Sirius for who he was.
"He was there the night of the Third Task," Harry said quietly as memories invaded his mind. "Professor Dumbledore knew it. Sirius stayed with me in the hospital wing without detection. He was there for me. He took care of me. He knew I didn't kill Cedric," Harry said as he looked around the room, and no one was able to meet his gaze now. "He knew I was innocent, just like I knew he was. The next day, when the Aurors came for me, he took me away from everything. He wasn't going to let them hurt me."
Harry suddenly felt a barrage of emotion crash over him, and he struggled to hold back tears. "It's like Ron said. He let me be a kid," Harry said, his voice shaking slightly. "He told me stories about my parents. He helped me with schoolwork. He gave me the best birthday in the world." His voice grew stronger again. "He had horrible things happen to him. I had horrible things happen to me. And we were able to heal together."
He looked at Sirius again, and his heart ached when he saw that the man was crying. "I need him," he whispered, looking out at the courtroom. "And ... and he deserves to be part of the wizarding world again. Sirius Black didn't murder my parents, Lily and James Potter or the twelve Muggles. Peter did. I didn't kill Cedric Diggory. Peter did, on Voldemort's orders." There were more gasps at Voldemort's name, but Harry ignored them. "And we both feel so guilty about their deaths. I wanted to save Cedric. Sirius wanted to save my parents. But we couldn't." He felt a sob building in his throat, and pushed it back down. "But we have each other to help us face it, and it's gotten us through the worst of times. All I want is for Sirius to have his life back."
A profound, charged silence filled the courtroom then, and it was full of so much raw emotion. There were tears still streaking down Sirius's face, and the entire room was staring at Harry, some crying, some with that guilt-stricken look plastered across their faces that had been there since Ron's testimony.
It took several seconds for Madam Bones to say anything at all. When she did, she spoke more quietly than she had done previously. "I am now going to ask you some questions, Mr. Potter," she said.
She then proceeded to ask Harry about where Sirius had taken him to during his stint in hiding. She accepted Harry's explanation of the house being unplottable without any issues, which he appreciated greatly. He answered her questions about whether Sirius had provided him with adequate food and clothing with the complete truth, and it all went without a hitch. The more it went on, the more comfortable Harry was with Madam Bones.
However, it was Dawlish's cross-examination that he was worried about. Sure enough, when the Auror began to speak to him, Harry saw the hunger in his eyes and didn't like it one bit.
"I can't imagine that you weren't frightened when you first met Sirius," he said. "Tell me more about that."
"Of course I was frightened," Harry said without preamble. "But that was before I knew the truth about him. I was angry, too," he admitted, his voice growing softer with his confession. "But that was then. This is now."
"Do you understand what a Dementor does to the human psyche?" Dawlish asked next. "Can you imagine what someone who has been around them for twelve years has been through?"
"I'm familiar with Dementors, Auror Dawlish," Harry said coldly. "They're horrible. And if Sirius had had a proper trial fourteen years ago, he wouldn't have had to deal with them at all."
Dawlish smiled, but it looked entirely wrong on his face. "Yes, but that was then. This is now," he said, and Harry felt a flash of anger at the way Dawlish had parroted his words back at him. "And yes, that is an apt description of Dementors," he agreed. "Surely, your relationship with Sirius can't be a healthy one. So you were in hiding with him for a month and a half. He was all you knew. What do the Muggles call it - Stockholm Syndrome ..."
"Sirius didn't kidnap me!" Harry interrupted, furious at the implication. "I wanted to go with him! It's not kidnapping if you go willingly, is it? I was terrified out of my mind that the Aurors were going to hurt me!"
Harry did not like to admit to anyone that he was scared of anything. But now, as he confessed that very thing to the entire courtroom, he didn't care. Not when Sirius's freedom was on the line. Not when Dawlish was implying that Harry only loved Sirius so much because he'd developed an unhealthy attachment to him.
"Dawlish," Amelia said sternly. "You will not continue this line of questioning. It is completely inappropriate."
"Very well," Dawlish said with a barely-hidden sneer. "Is what Mr. Weasley said correct?" he asked. "Is it true that you're not happy with your Muggle family?"
Harry, still seething over what Dawlish had said about why he cared for Sirius so deeply, felt a strong determination blossom within him. No, he did not want anyone finding out about the Dursleys. But he saw Ron's guilt-stricken expression out of the corner of his eye, the regret shining in his blue eyes that he had ever brought up such a thing.
And it wasn't like Harry was going to tell all of it. No one needed to know. But he needed to be brave now. He would do this while standing tall and proud. "Yes, it's true," he said quietly. "They don't like magic."
There were wide-eyed looks around the courtroom, and Sirius was looking at him with so much love that his throat caught. There. He'd admitted it. He was not at all happy with the Dursleys.
"Don't like magic?" Dawlish said, and the hunger for more information that Harry clearly heard in his voice was sickening. "Explain."
"No," Harry said defiantly, looking Dawlish right in the eye. "What happens between me and my family is none of your business. All you need to know is that I've been happier with Sirius in the last month and a half than I've EVER been with my so-called Muggle family."
"Oh really?" Dawlish asked, getting into his groove as his eyes shone with malice. "Did Sirius allow you to get away with things that your Muggle family did not?"
"How dare you!" The usually dignified, calm, collected Sturgis Podmore stood from his seat and faced Dawlish. "How dare you pursue this line of questioning! Is this how things are done in a trial these days?"
"Oh, you would know something about trials, wouldn't you?" Dawlish snarled. "Considering the fact that you almost had one? You're lucky, Podmore. Exceedingly lucky."
Harry was shocked, and it wasn't because apparently, something had happened in Sturgis's past. He had discovered that some of the best people in the world had rocky histories, after all. What he was truly stunned by was the level of sheer nastiness that was being displayed by Auror John Dawlish. He obviously hadn't been satisfied with the confrontation over whatever this was about during the first part of the trial. He was going over Amelia's head and continuing to needle Sturgis about it. He was nothing but a vindictive, arrogant, childish, petulant brat who always wanted his own way.
"I know I was lucky, John," Sturgis said, his acceptance in admitting such a thing throwing Dawlish off. "I've known that and lived with it for over twenty years. What I fail to understand is why you are asking Mr. Potter things that have absolutely nothing to do with this trial."
"I agree with Auror Podmore," said Madam Bones, who looked down her nose at Dawlish with a gaze that could freeze lava. "I am extremely ashamed of how you are conducting yourself, Dawlish. If you are going to cross-examine Mr. Potter, please ask him questions that pertain to his testimony."
"No further questions." Dawlish's voice was quiet now, like a little kid who realized they'd done something wrong and was struggling to apologize to their parents.
"Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Potter," Madam Bones said. "You may return to your seat."
And then came the words which would hopefully end this once and for all. ...
"I now call Sirius Black to the stand."