I know it's been a long time but long story short my gran hasn't been very well of late, she's getting better now but it was touch and go for a while. Anyway, on with the show.
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!
Chapter Twelve:
By Rosa241
Sirius Black To Be Released!
In a shock twist to a horrifying piece of history it has been revealed late last night from our source within the ministry that Sirius Black is to be released. Our source has informed us of a startling revelation and shocking twist to the tale of Sirius Black.
As it has come to be well known Sirius Black was a traitor who sold his friends – Lily and James Potter – to you-know-who, causing their tragic deaths. He then murdered his long time friend Peter Pettigrew as well as countless muggles in an explosion that also threatened to reveal our world to the muggles. Black was imprisoned in Azkaban for the remainder of his days upon this earth. He has currently served ten years of his life long sentence. However in an astonishing development our ministry source has revealed to us that Peter Pettigrew was recently found to be alive.
Pettigrew was found in the care of a wizarding family in the guise of a rat. The family in question had no knowledge of the true identity of their pet until late yesterday afternoon when all was revealed. In another surprise to story suspicions regarding Pettigrews version of events surrounding the tragic deaths of Lily and James Potter were aroused. After Veritaserum was given the truth behind the events of that horrific night were finally brought to the surface.
Sirius Black is in fact innocent. Pettigrew was in actual fact you-know-who's spy and was the person who betrayed Lily and James Potter, resulting in their deaths. Sirius Black discovered the betrayal confronted Pettigrew at which point the latters evil ways continued. After setting off the explosion Pettigrew faked his own death and framed Sirius Black for his own crimes. He then went into hiding before being discovered by the wizarding family. Pettigrew is now in the custody of the ministry and will be taken straight to Azkaban after his statement has been made official.
Sirius Black is to be released this afternoon from his ten year imprisonment. Questions are inevitably going to arise as to why the truth was not discovered sooner. Research has revealed that Black was sentenced without a trial. This writer feels the need to ask why Black was not questioned under Veritaserum in the first place. The truth would surely have been discovered from day one. An innocent man has spent ten years in prison whilst a guilty man has roamed free. The ministry certainly has questions to answer.
Percy's POV:
Sighing heavily I place the paper down in front of me. A source within the ministry? Some idiot revealed what happened, it was probably that idiot secretary Harris. He'd always had it in for the ministry since he got demoted. Looking across the table to where Ron is still clearly in shock and being comforted by Fred and George my heart sinks slightly. Harry is nowhere to be seen. From what Ron said McGonagall dragged him off early this morning – probably after she saw the article in the Prophet – and he's been gone ever since. Before I can think anymore the world in front of me grinds to a halt.
"You have done well." The familiar green girl appears in front of me; honestly I'm getting sick of this whole thing. "But all is not over."
"I'm getting used to that." I murmur before sighing again. "But it's a start at least. Without Pettigrew around to help him out Voldemort might not be able rise again, and with Sirius being released Harry will have someone to turn to." Someone he can consider family. I know from Ron's words that Sirius was the only family that Harry truly had and that his death destroyed him.
"But there is still a long way to go before you complete your task." With that she disappears and the world begins to move once again. Well that was a complete waste of time.
There is still a long way to go...
Hell...
Ron's POV:
I take my gaze away from the article that Fred and George are pouring over. That man slept in my bed, just the thought is enough to turn my stomach. I can't believe how this could happen. How could that man spend all this time, all these years, in our house? Why didn't we know? The man is a murderer for merlin's sake!
"He was in our house!" George whispers to Fred. Thankfully our names weren't mentioned but Professor Dumbledore thought it best to mention it to the others – seeing as they lived with him as well. I don't even want to know how Bill and Charlie reacted when they got dads Owl.
Fred says nothing in reply to George but he definitely doesn't look happy. His eyes flicker between me and Percy a few times before he settles his glare on the table in front of him. If I didn't know any better then I'd think that he was trying to stare a hole into the damn thing. Eventually his eyes meet mine.
"Are you okay?" I don't really know how to answer that. One the one hand I feel ten times better knowing that he's behind bars (no one's ever escaped Azkaban before and I highly doubt that he will) but on the other hand...
"Don't know...not sure." I decide to be honest. "It's...weird..."
"Tell me about it." He places one arm around my shoulders before he speaks again. "I just don't understand. I don't understand at all."
As Fred turns his worried gaze to meet an equally worried George my own eyes flutter over to Percy. He seems confused, aren't we all? He's been strangely quiet since the whole thing happened yesterday well...Percy's always quiet but given what happened yesterday you would think that he'd want to talk.
"Percy?" He doesn't look up as I speak. "Perce?"
It's only as George clicks his fingers in front of Percy's face that my older brother responds.
"Sorry. In a world of my own at the minute."
"You alright?" It's George who asks the question we're all thinking.
"Yeah just...I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything." You and me both. "Well, at least he's locked up now. He can't do anything whilst he's in Azkaban."
"He won't get released, will he?" I hadn't thought about it before but what if he does. What if he gets out?
"Given everything he's done it's hardly likely he'll ever see anything but the inside of a prison cell again. Don't worry; he'll be under lock and key, and what with the Dementors guarding the place I guarantee that he's not going anywhere." I guess maybe he's got a point but...
"Well he managed to stay hidden for twelve years and made everyone believe he was dead. What if he escapes?"
"Hey, no one has ever escaped from Azkaban." Fred says as he throws an arm across my shoulders.
"Exactly, and if he happens to manage it then he's going to have to get by the three of us before he gets anywhere near you." George winks as he tosses the paper over his shoulder. I guess they're right. No one has ever escaped from Azkaban before and he won't start now...I hope.
Sirius' POV:
Every day in this godforsaken place is the same...the wailing...the screaming...the maniacal laughter...
Ten years...
I've been locked up here for ten years...it's a miracle that I haven't gone completely insane like the others...
But I won't...I won't lose myself...I'm innocent...
Wormtail...that fat, stupid lump...he did this...he did this to me...to Lily and to James...he'll pay...I will make him pay...
The incessant screaming continues, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, year after year...
The newbies are the worst...the fresh ones...there's a new one now...came in this morning...he's screamed since he entered...just like the others...
"Mr Black." I've been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't even sense the familiar figure that is now standing outside of my cell. "Come with me."
Another cell change?
Every now and then, when people die, they rearrange the cells. They move us about as they see fit, trying to make room for the many new members of our deranged little family.
I hate cell change...I almost cross my fingers and pray that I don't go back to her...Belatrix...It was a long time ago now that we changed cells...
Her cells was only a few metres from my own...thankfully she didn't know I was there but I could hear her...oh I could hear her...her constant cackling...it almost drove me to the edge but there must have been some sort of presence watching over me for just as I thought that my mind would shatter I was given a new cell.
As we wander through the hallways it takes all of my sanity and common sense not to try and run. People have tried it of course over the years but to this date no one has ever managed to escape. This place...this place isn't a prison it's a tomb.
It's only now that I realise that we're walking away from the cells...but where to?
The prison has two main sections. The first being the cells, which take up ninety percent of the building, the second being the visiting rooms. Well in all honesty I'm not entirely sure what are behind the door but I can assume that they are visiting rooms.
But the visiting rooms...why would they be taking me there? I haven't had a visitor for ten years...I'd always hoped that Remus would come but how could I expect him to? As far as he's concerned I betrayed our friends, I can't blame him for thinking the worst of me for I thought the worst of him for many months.
"Sirius, it's good to see you." It takes a moment for the voice and face to match in my mind.
"Dumbledore?" His eyes are as bright as they ever were and his smile is almost catching...almost.
"Sit, please." He indicates to the chair nearest to me which I take, still in shock. "Now I have some news. As I'm sure you are aware this year is the year that Harry entered Hogwarts."
Harry...
"Well I'm pleased to inform you that he is doing well, he is happy and is making many friends. One of whom is a Mr Ronald Weasley, Arthur and Molly's youngest son." Part of me wants to know what he's doing here but the other part – and the part I opt to listen to – is just happy to hear the sound of a friendly voice. A friendly face after all these years and news...news at last of my godson, news of Harry. "Ronald came to Hogwarts with a rat whom I'm led to believe was called Scabbers, well it turns out that Scabbers wasn't a rat at all."
"And what was he?" It's the first time in years I've actually used my voice, the very first time, it surprises even me when the words pass my lips.
"He was in fact a person, a person masquerading as a rat. An Animagus." My mind puts the pieces together at a remarkable speed considering that I've been locked up for all this time.
"And what was his name?" With this Dumbledore smiles at me, a genuine, real smile.
"Peter Pettigrew." The world stops turning for many minutes as the news settles into my head. He's been found. If he's been found then the truth would come out. "Now as much as I would like to go into details I do believe it would be a good idea for us to get out of here, we can talk on the ride back to the main land."
"What?" The words are whispered, barely audible.
"Sirius, you're being released."
Harry's POV:
"That's mad." Hermione's voice shakes as she speaks. "He's been locked up for ten years for a crime he didn't commit whilst the real criminal hid out right under everyones noses."
All three of us are silent for what seems like forever before I find my voice once again.
"Professor McGonagall said that he would want to see me but...I don't know. He's my Godfather but he doesn't know me. What if he wants nothing to do with me? What if I don't like him?"
"It's bloody mad mate." Ron's words about sum everything up. Its mad that less than a year ago I was living in a cupboard under a staircase, wearing Dudley's horrible old clothes and facing a life with my aunt and uncle. But now...now I'm a wizard, I've got real friends – lots of them – and I've got this amazing school and now...now I've got a real Godfather.
"You should write him a letter." Hermione's words jolt me from my thoughts. "Write him a letter, tell him all about yourself. Tell him about your life. Ask him if he'd like to see you, after all he is kind of like family."
With that everything stops. He's family...this man is family. If nothing else he could tell me more about my parents, he would have known them if they made him my Godfather.
"Write him a letter. It couldn't hurt."
Sirius' POV:
"We could have apparated of course but given that it has been ten years I thought it best to wait until you were a bit stronger, and of course the boat ride has given us time to talk." Dumbledore's smile this time causes one to form on my own face. I'm actually free, I'm a free man. He had explained what had happened with him - I owe my life to those two boys – but mostly he had talked about Harry. He had told me all about his time at Hogwarts; clearly he has inherited James' talent for trouble not to mention his quidditch skills. I had been told very little about Harrys time before Hogwarts, but the way that he spoke when I asked told me that the story was not a happy one.
As Dumbledore had told me that the house was still there, not that I wanted it to be after all the memories that lay inside of there...I shudder just at the thought. My bank accounts had been unfrozen and my life was returned to me. I had been given an official pardon by the ministry and everyone now knew that I was an innocent man. Not that I cared about everyone else, there were only a handful of people that I care about, a few friends from my days in the order, Harry of course and Remus.
"Here we are." Apparently I'd been thinking for quite some time as we were now almost at the mainland. It still feels so unreal. I'm a free man. As I step off of the boat I can't help the tears that escape from my eyes. No Dementors, no guards, no screaming or wailing. Just the sound of the water and the fresh air. Oh fresh air, good, clean, fresh air.
"Finally your appearance matches the madness within." That voice...that voice...my eyes finally lock with the familiar figure to my left. He's older now, ten years older, he looks far too thin and is using a walking stick but he's here. Remus."Hello my old friend."
As he embraces me the reality of the last few hours finally catches up with me.
I'm finally free.
Aww Weasley fluff! And Sirius is finally free!
Before I forget I'm swapping my internet supplier so I might not be available for a couple of days – hopefully no more than that.
As always let me know what you think, good or bad, and until next time, bye!