Lupin was silent for a moment. He had a feeling that what Moody wanted to say wasn't "simple," but "stupid."
But… for him, trusting Sirius was the most natural thing in the world! He had been wrong for eleven years; should he continue to be wrong?
The four friends had always been inseparable, but they had their own unique bonds. Lupin had hated Sirius for his supposed betrayal of James more than anyone. But the moment he found out that Peter Pettigrew was still alive, he knew he had been wrong. He should have trusted his heart's judgment, not the so-called "facts" that everyone was spouting.
But these feelings were probably lost on Moody. So Lupin just forced a smile and said in a low voice, "I believe him."
Harry gathered his courage and faced Moody's fearsome face. "Me, too."
Moody's magical blue eye instantly zeroed in on him, while his real black eye also looked at Harry. Harry was a little nervous, his palms sweating, but he held his ground. "I believe the godfather my dad chose for me... isn't a traitor!"
Moody laughed, but for once, his laughter wasn't mocking.
"...Kid," he muttered.
Suddenly, the whole room fell silent.
The door on the side of the interrogation room opened, and several wizards walked in—Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, a gray-haired witch with a monocle, and a fierce-looking wizard with lion-like hair. They sat on the high benches in the middle.
Then, a dozen more people in maroon robes entered, sitting on either side, all looking solemn and authoritative.
All sound in the interrogation room quickly vanished.
A crisp tapping sound echoed. The gray-haired witch said expressionlessly, "Bring in Sirius Black."
Lupin leaned forward abruptly, his hands gripping the chair back so tightly his knuckles turned white, while Harry instinctively stood up.
Moody put down his flask and gripped his walking stick with both hands.
Wade raised his eyes and looked at a small door in the corner.
The door opened.
Harry almost cried out, and a brief murmur rippled through the crowd.
Two cloaked monsters, nearly three meters tall, drifted in slowly, their hands, which looked like they had been rotted by water and then scabbed over, gripping the arms of the person between them. They walked toward the armchair in the center of the room.
The faces beneath the monsters' cloaks seemed to be breathing, inhaling deeply. A chilling cold swept through the room.
Even from a distance, Harry felt his limbs turn to ice. Many wizards showed expressions of disgust mixed with fear.
"What... what are those?" Harry asked.
"Dementors," Wade replied. His Occlumency was quite good now, so the Dementors didn't affect him much.
So those were Dementors. Harry thought to himself.
He had heard that many prisoners in Azkaban went mad, and he had found it hard to believe. But now, seeing the Dementors with his own eyes, he suddenly understood.
He looked at the person held between the Dementors. The man's head was bowed as if he had fainted, his dirty, tangled long hair hanging messily. His skin was as white as wax, and his body was so thin he looked like a skeleton.
A tattered old suit of clothes hung on him like rags. Shackles were on his gaunt ankles, and the chains dragged on the ground with a clanking sound.
Wade suddenly heard a rattling noise. He looked up and saw Lupin staring intently at the skeletal Sirius, his face tense and expressionless, his hands trembling slightly.
Wade lowered his eyes.
The Dementors placed Sirius in the chair in the middle. The chains on the armrests suddenly glowed golden, wrapping around Sirius like snakes, binding him there. Then, they slowly left the room, their bodies light as wisps of black smoke.
A noticeable sigh of relief echoed through the interrogation room. The reporters craned their necks, staring intently at Sirius in the chair, snapping a series of photos.
The wizards in the front row, except for a calm Dumbledore, all showed clear signs of displeasure.
The crisp tapping sound rang out again. The reporters had to put down their cameras and pick up their quills, their faces still showing excitement.
"Let the record show!" the gray-haired witch said in a cold voice. "The November 14th trial, a retrial of Sirius Black's case: his defection to the Dark Lord, revealing the location of James and Lily Potter, and killing thirteen people after his betrayal was exposed!"
"Interrogators: Minister for Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge; Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Susan Bones; and Head of the Auror Office Rufus Scrimgeour. Trial Recorder: Albyro Imma."
"Defense Representative: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."
Dumbledore, who was sitting in a chair to the side, stood up and said, "Given the poor state of the defendant, Sirius Black, I will speak on his behalf."
A subtle stir spread among the audience in the interrogation room. Most of the Wizengamot members in maroon robes smiled at Dumbledore.
Fudge's displeasure was even more obvious. He looked left and right, as if hoping someone would object. But neither Amelia Bones nor Rufus Scrimgeour said anything.
Fudge had no choice but to say, "Hmm... all right, Dumbledore... that is permitted..."
Dumbledore ignored Fudge's reluctance, stood up, and strode to Sirius Black, placing a hand on his shoulder. The warmth of a living hand seemed to pull Sirius out of his oppressive emotional state. He slowly raised his head and looked at Dumbledore. His eyes, set deep in their sunken sockets, were dark and empty, devoid of any emotion.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe most of you here will remember that yesterday, we interrogated Peter Pettigrew right here," Dumbledore said. "Given the case's long history and complex nature, we specially allowed the use of Veritaserum during the interrogation..."
Hearing that familiar name, Sirius Black froze. Then, a faint, shadowy light seemed to flash in his eyes. He focused intently on Dumbledore.
In the audience, some people showed worried expressions, while others motioned for the white-bearded headmaster to stand farther away—they seemed to think Sirius would leap up and attack Dumbledore.
But Dumbledore did not move. He continued his statement.
"Under the effect of the potion, Peter Pettigrew confessed to his crimes without hesitation. He admitted that he was the true Secret-Keeper for the Potters, and he was the one who revealed their location to Voldemort..."
Sirius Black suddenly let out a hoarse shriek.
"Peter Pettigrew? He's alive?"
I only share the most exquisite and beautiful novels. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon DaoistWujinzi