When Sirius Black emerged from the shadows, illuminated by the flickering firelight, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
His hair was matted and tangled, his frame gaunt, skin sallow, eyes sunken, and cheeks hollowed out. If this were Azkaban, his appearance wouldn't have been shocking—everyone entering that place braced themselves for such sights. But this was Hogwarts.
"Sirius Black!" someone shouted.
"That's me," Sirius rasped, his voice rough. Instantly, a dozen wands were raised, and he cursed inwardly. "I'm here to turn myself in—bah! I'm not guilty. I'm here to demand justice."
Silence fell over the scene.
"Liar!" Mad-Eye Moody bellowed. "You're guilty as sin—" But before he could finish, Sirius roared back, "Guilty of what? Who heard me confess to anything?" His body suddenly froze, rigid as a statue, only his eyes darting about.
Two Aurors stepped forward, pinning Sirius down. One patted him down and quickly found a wand.
Fudge stepped forward, a smug smile on his face.
"The Ministry has apprehended Sirius Black. Case closed. Dawlish, bring the Dementors—"
At that moment, Dumbledore's voice cut through. "The case is far from closed. We all saw Sirius Black step forward of his own accord, proclaiming his innocence."
"Albus, you believe his nonsense?" Fudge countered, incredulous.
"Until today, I didn't," Dumbledore replied. With a wave of his hand, the two Aurors holding Sirius flinched as if stung, releasing him instantly. "But I'm willing to hear his defense."
Freed from the spell, Sirius rolled his wrists and shot Fudge a toothy, mocking grin.
"Dumbledore, you—" Fudge sputtered, his confidence wavering. "I'm the Minister for Magic! I have the authority—"
"You have the authority to do what the Ministry permits," Dumbledore said sharply, "but not to silence someone in front of Wizengamot members, especially someone who just stepped forward seeking a fair trial. Cornelius, don't let personal feelings cloud your judgment."
Amelia Bones pulled a monocle from her pocket, adjusted it, and scrutinized Sirius, who stood smirking nearby. "Sirius Black, what do you have to say?"
"And who are you?" Sirius asked, eyeing her.
"Amelia Bones, member of the Wizengamot and Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," she replied, her tone clipped as she raised her thick eyebrows. "Given your public surrender, the Ministry will grant you a chance to speak. The Wizengamot members present will form a makeshift tribunal. I'll serve as chief judge, with the others as the jury. The outcome will determine whether you're handed to the Dementors." She cast a stern glance around—Dumbledore, Fudge, two other Ministry officials, and herself made five.
"Amelia…" Fudge muttered, clearly displeased.
"Oh, it's you," Sirius said, momentarily thrown. "Didn't expect you to be running the Law Enforcement Department. Back at school—"
"This isn't the time for reminiscing," Amelia Bones cut in coldly. "Sirius Black III, you stand accused of war crimes, murder, and espionage. The Ministry sentenced you to life in Azkaban, and you escaped. We have every right to hand you to the Dementors."
Sirius dug a finger in his ear, unimpressed.
"Who sentenced me?"
Amelia ignored him, her voice booming. "Evidence shows you sided with Voldemort during the war, passing intelligence as a spy."
"False," Sirius said.
"Evidence shows you betrayed the Potters."
"False."
"Evidence shows that after Voldemort's fall, you, unwilling to accept defeat, killed Peter Pettigrew when he tried to apprehend you, leaving no trace of his body and murdering twelve Muggles in the process."
"It wasn't him apprehending me—it was me chasing him," Sirius growled through gritted teeth. "I'd kill him again if I could, if he were standing here. It was Peter Pettigrew who betrayed James and Lily!" His final words erupted in a venomous shout, echoing across the castle grounds.
Behind the castle windows, students pressed together, pointing and whispering. They were too far to catch every word, but Sirius's shout carried clearly to their ears.
At the castle's entrance, the Ministry officials and Hogwarts professors stirred restlessly.
"Minerva, what do you think?" Professor Flitwick asked quietly.
McGonagall shook her head. Nearby, Snape's dark eyes glinted with hatred.
"You're spouting nonsense!" Fudge bellowed. "Peter Pettigrew was a hero, a holder of the Order of Merlin, First Class, a man of impeccable character—"
"Was he?" Sirius sneered. "I knew him for ten years. Selfish, cowardly—news to me he had a heroic side. How'd he get that medal?"
"He tracked you down," Fudge snapped, "the night the Potters were killed. He saw through you, because you were their Secret-Keeper. When he confronted you, you brutally killed him, blasting him to pieces!" Fudge's voice trembled with fury, his heavy breathing the only sound amid the flickering firelight.
"Sirius… did you and James… privately switch the Secret-Keeper?" a strained voice asked. Sirius froze again, slowly turning to face one of the professors.
"Remus?"
"It's me," Lupin said, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion. "Was it… Peter? Did you… not tell anyone?"
Sirius locked eyes with Lupin and gave a slow nod. Lupin surged forward, shoving Snape aside, and strode to Sirius, studying him closely.
"You've aged, Moony," Sirius said softly.
Lupin threw his arms around him.
"I knew it… I knew…" Lupin choked out. "I had my suspicions, but I was too weak…"
"Forgive me too, for all my stupidity," Sirius murmured.
The firelight above illuminated a crowd of stunned faces, their eyes clouded with confusion. Amelia Bones's monocle glinted as she waited for the two to part. Then, without emotion, she said, "So, Sirius Black, you deny all charges against you?"
"I don't deny wanting to kill Peter Pettigrew," Sirius said with a cold, bitter laugh. "I'd swear I could do it again if you saw it with your own eyes…"
"You all heard him," Amelia announced, addressing the crowd. "According to Sirius Black, he initially served as the Secret-Keeper for the Potters' safehouse, but unbeknownst to others, he and James Potter switched to Peter Pettigrew." Her gaze sharpened as she turned to Sirius, who nodded. "Sirius Black accuses Peter Pettigrew of being the true traitor, leaking the Potters' location to Voldemort, leading to the tragedy. Do you have any proof?"
"If I hadn't been thrown into Azkaban, I might've remembered to have some," Sirius said darkly.
"Very well," Madam Bones said. "Let's vote. Should Sirius Black be given a chance for a fair trial? If his claims are true, the truth of that time could be turned upside down—a hero revealed as a traitor, and a despised criminal as a hero."
A moment of silence followed.
"I declare Sirius Black be taken into custody," she concluded, "to await a formal trial."
————
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