Hey everyone,
This story is going incredible. I actually wanted to halt in between bits of the will to write out reactions from Sirius and the others, but I feared that, if I did so, I would write out a whole storyline that would make the rest of the reading be postponed and postponed and then postponed some more and I didn't want that. This will first got mentioned in chapter 06, first became a thing in chapter 08, got quoted in chapter 11 and then I made it look like it disappeared off the face of the earth. I just didn't want to have that happen again,
So yeah,

Venquine1990


Chapter 27
Evidence At Last

11th of November 1995
Harry's Chambers, Hogwarts
Harry's POV

I had been shocked and horrified when I read that dad had been cursed to comply with Pettigrew's whims and desires or else he would risk me, that he knew Pettigrew was a traitor, but was obviously cursed against revealing this in such a horrible way. The knowledge that my dad felt threatened by his former best friend not just for a single year, but since his graduation had made it almost impossible for me to continue reading.
Damian had taken the will from me and read the bit of Dumbledore, McGonagall and myself and this had gotten my spirits back, making me able to take back the will and reading on, even if the hint about books on prophesies had made an uncomfortable lump be stuck in my throat for a bit. Yet the bit about books on Animagus being left to the women had made most of us giggle and snicker at the idea of Animagi becoming a regular part of Transfigurations lessons.
I myself had been amazed and touched and even teared up a little when reading about all that dad was leaving me. Sirius and Remus had been just as touched, even though Hermione had tried to object to the idea of dad not leaving Remus any money. Yet the man had laughed and said that dad really knew him well and that, even if he had been given any money, he probably would have just left it in his vault and just kept living off of his own income. Hermione had been shocked and confused about this, but the Weasleys had nodded in understanding.

And while it had already been read out loud by Fudge some time ago, did I still feel a great deal of satisfaction when reading about dad's penalty for Pettigrew betraying him. Yet the bit about my cloak and some kind of story had really confused and intrigued me and Ron said: "I'll see if mum can send a copy to the girls to give to you when they come to the Garden." At which I had given him a grateful nod before reading the final bit.
Instantly everyone had tensed and yet confusion had been the main emotion coming from everyone after I read out the hint my dad had left me. This, however, had not been the case for Ron, Hermione, Sirius or myself and we had all shouted: "THE WHOMPING WILLOW!" Shocking the others, but Remus mutters: "Of course, it's the perfect hiding place. Snape would never go back there. Well, bar that one time in your third, but even then he went through, he didn't study the tree itself.
James must have hidden the evidence in a hole in the tree somewhere." And instantly Sirius, Remus and I are on our feet and, to my gleeful, grateful surprise, Lea snaps his fingers, conjuring another corridor. And while I suddenly remember the little trick the Sixth year tried to pull on me, do I think: "Forget that, I'm leaving for the Garden tomorrow anyway. The most they can do is take points." And with that do I rush through the portal.

I reach the other side and notice that it ends up just a few feet away from the softly swaying tree, close enough to easily reach it, but also far away enough not to give it reason to get violent. And before it can do so, do I pull my wand and cast the spell my father mentioned in the will. Instantly the willow stills its almost peaceful movement and I turn to the others as I say: "Keep an eye on it and keep casting the spell once mine wears off. I'm going to go and see if I can find any hollows or something." At which Lea says:
"I got one better." He summons his Keyblade, aims at the tree and states: "Stopza!" And a huge clock, of which the hands aren't moving, shines above the tree for just a second. I smile at my mate and then take off my robe before starting to climb the tree. And while it has been years, does it actually feel quite similar to the one time I had to climb the tree at the Dursleys in order to escape Ripper's wrath and his teeth.
I climb up the trunk of the tree, moving all over the entire thing and letting my hands roam over its wooden surface in search for a potentially hidden hole or a hollow part within the tree. And after a few minutes of not finding anything, do I climb up a bit higher before repeating the same process. I then notice the spell being cast again and this makes me wince, but then I turn around and notice that others have also come to climb up the trunk.

"The sooner we can find this evidence, the sooner we can leave this whole mystery behind us. Let's all take care of one bit of the tree. I mean, it is a pretty big one." Sora tells me as he is just a little bit below me and to the right. I give the brunette a grateful nod and say: "I'll go check the top of the tree. You guys try and find something here on the trunk." The others – Ron, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, Lea, Axel, Remus and Sirius – all nod at me and I climb up.
Yet after almost an hour of searching, Sora and the others having actually started to using their Keyblades to provide us with bits of light and Lea now searching alongside me as the flames on his Keyblade give off a natural light, do I start to wonder if I might have misunderstood my dad's hint and do we all just climb down from the tree again, Isa having stayed back on the ground and recasting the time spell a few times.
He also still has the will in his hand and I take it from him after coming back down, rereading the final line that includes the hint and suddenly a sense of fear grips at my heart. "Wait, what – what if – what if Pettigrew – what if he –." But then Sirius lies a reassuring hand on my shoulder and says: "He didn't, Harry, I assure you. When I first started hiding in the Shack, I instantly changed into Padfoot and started sniffing the whole place out. His scent –."

"Wait, what did you just say?" I ask, interrupting the man and looking at him with eyes wide with shocked realization. The man falters and mutters: "When I first started hiding in the Shack, I changed into Pad – Padfoot." The man mumbles in the end and I quickly go back to that one line and whisper: "Stupefy the moon, little buck. Little buck. That's the hint. Not just the moon, that was just meant to indicate where. The petname was the hint as to how to find the evidence."
At this Remus looks up at the tree and whispers: "Unbelievable. James actually managed to create a spell that transfigured this picture into something else – and of which the magic stayed active even after his death. I – I always knew Transfigurations was his forte, but – this – wow." And while Hermione and the twins nod in agreed amazement, do I grin widely in pride over my father's achievement before fear grips at me again.
"But, if dad managed to create that kind of spell – what kind of chance do we have in being able to find it, let alone undoing it? I mean, dad obviously hoped that I would inherit his Transfigurations talent, but – I am nowhere near that level." Yet at this Sora shrugs and says: "Well, that's what you have your friends for, don't you? To be able to do the things that you can't?" And as he asks this, can I not help but turn to the twins, Sirius and Hermione, the sight of them making me smile.

I turn back to the will, having a strange urge to reread the line one more time and then suddenly mutter: "I – I wonder." I look up, pull my wand and send a quick look at Lea, who nods and casts the time-spell yet again. I move back to the three and, instead of trying to climb it or finding something in the trunk, I crouch down to the knot near the roots of the tree. And while putting the tip of my wand on the knot, do I mutter: "Your little buck is here, Prongs."
And to my utter amazement does the knot actually change, shrinking down a bit, getting a line cut in the side that goes all around the knot and even getting a small, wooden doorknob growing out of the knot. I grab the knob and turn it, pulling the small door open and my eyes widen even more when I spot not just one, but four faded looking pictures hidden within the hollow part behind the door. And then I notice that one of them even has a golden line around the picture itself.
Instantly I realize why and I snag said picture out of the hollow part as well as the other ones. I close the door again and whisper: "Mischief Managed." And just like I expected, which causes me to feel a new burst of amazement and excited pride, does the door turn back into the knot it was before. And while a small part of me wonders if dad may have hidden other spots around Hogwarts like this for me, do I walk back to my friends.

"You found them! How on earth did you find them!" Hermione shrieks as she sees me, yet I suddenly notice something behind her that makes me halt in my tracks. And then the ancient voice of the Headmaster speaks up from behind my best friend and politely asks: "Found what, Mss. Granger?" The girl shrieks, but because Dumbledore has always been the one to, endlessly and tirelessly, defend the bastard, do I firmly step forward and say:
"The pictures. The pictures that Death Eaters sent my mother after killing my grandparents and that dad hid upon her request. She wanted to keep it quiet and secret until her grave and dad hid the only hint on how to find them in his will. I have them right here." And while I make sure to remain standing behind Sora, Riku and Kairi, sure that their magic can keep Dumbledore from summoning the pictures to him.
Yet the man actually seems genuinely interested instead of concerned and I wonder if Sirius' memory might have been enough to finally convince him as he asks: "Have you checked them yet?" I shake my head and everyone turns to me as I turn my focus back to the one that matters, the one pictures that has golden paint covering the outer ring of the picture like a frame. But to my shock and slight horror, the only thing the picture shows is a decapitated hand with an ugly ring on it.
"Sirius, have you ever seen this ring before?" I can't help but ask, not getting the hint on the picture or wondering why dad chose this one as the one mum had been talking about all those years ago. The man comes to stand behind me and I hand him the picture, allowing him a closer look. Yet the man shakes his head and says: "Can't say I have. I know basically every Official House Lord, Lady, Regent and Heirship ring and this isn't any of the above."

"May I?" Dumbledore asks, still politely standing on the other side of Sora, Riku and Kairi and while I am not entirely happy with it, do I cautiously float the picture over to the man. Yet after doing so, do I keep my wand in hand, ready to summon it back if need be. The Headmaster gazes at the picture and even seems to tap his half-moon shaped glasses with his wand before he says:
"Ah, right there. Heh, yes, that does indeed prove that it was Severus who betrayed them. Who sold poor Mr. and Mrs. Evans out to Voldemort just because Mr. Evans wouldn't let him near his daughter anymore. Severus told me after we left the memory." The man explains upon seeing our shocked looks and Hermione asks: "Wait, why wasn't he allowed to visit her anymore?" To which Ron retorts: "Because of that falling out Sirius told us about, remember?"
The girl nods and Dumbledore sighs as he floats the picture back to me himself before he says: "I've told Severus about the whole thing with Pepper and the Dark Marks. Set him an ultimatum as well. Either he apologizes for how he was willing to turn a blind eye to Draco's attack on you, Harry, or he won't get the same treatment from Pepper that all other Death Eaters who are parents will get." Yet this confuses and befuddles me and Sirius says: "We haven't told them that yet."
The elder man looks started at this and we turn to the other two adults as Remus says: "To make sure that kids like Draco won't try to go for Harry once Voldemort is out of the picture, Death Eaters who are parents will be visited and offered the chance to have a certain spell removed from their mark. A spell that, if activated upon his death, would leave them in a mental state similar to that of what Muggles call a human vegetable."

At this most of us turn to Neville, the boy's eyes wide with shock and horror and then Dumbledore says: "Even so, once Voldemort has met his end, I will do everything I can to work alongside Amelia and to bring justice to anyone who deserves it. I won't deny it, finding out that Severus pulled this kind of a stunt years before he even joined Tom and that he never told anyone, not out of respect to Lily like you, Sirius, but out of pure selfishness, it truly woke me up."
Yet at this Damian steps forward and says: "Just make sure of one thing. That whatever justice you serve, you won't negate the Unspeakables and their need to keep Harry safe from retaliating kids. Make sure it's some kind of punishment that the kids will be able to accept, if not at the least come to terms with in the long run." And while some of those around me look at Damian in shock, does Dumbledore seem to get his message as he says:
"I will, but only for those – who are indeed parents." And instantly I get the hidden message that seems to have, somehow, been heard and agreed upon by both parties. And while I still feel an enraged sense of fury and disgust, only tempered by the fact that I won't have any more contact with the man after tonight, can I not help but turn to look at the bottom floors of the castle, wondering if somewhere deep within its dungeons, Snape might be shivering in well-deserved fear.
"I do believe it's time for bed, for all of you." Dumbledore then says, drawing me out of my musings and the fantasy of what could happen to Snape once he realizes he will have no one to apologize to. We all nod to the man and retreat through the portal. Yet when I reach the midway point, do I stop and whisper: "Dobby, copy this picture and make sure that the copies are in every frame Snape passes from now on." And I feel the elf's magic tingle against my skin as I walk.


Wow, Harry, just – wow.
So I'm sure that some of you might not be happy with the idea of the Death Eaters getting away with just deserved punishments and everything, but you have to understand something. In the end, in this timeline the only criminal acts that have been committed in recent years are Cedric's death and the whole thing with the Imperius Curse on the other Unspeakable. And the whole reason I am withholding from bringing that up is simple.
I have plans,

Venquine1990