"What in Merlin's name is happening here!?" Professor McGonagall's voice cut through the silence that had enveloped the room for a few moment's after Black's... statement.
Harry sighted. "Professor, I will summarize. Black is an Animagus, who takes the form of a dog. Ron, Hermione and I were returning from Hagrid's to the castle when we met the dog. When Ron tried to calm the dog down, he was bit and dragged into the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow. Before we could do anything, the violent tree smacked us away. I froze the tree with an immobulos maxima. and went into the tunnel. We emerged in here, the Shrieking Shack. We followed the trail upstairs and saw Ron was lying on the floor with his leg broken. Black emerged from the shadows and tried to disarm us. I was faster and reacted with a shield and returned fired. It ended up in Black's hand being broken and disarmed. I immediately bound him in special chains, which would inhibit magic and cause pain to Black, if he tried to use magic or force. They can only be removed by me. Then..."
"Forgive me for interrupting, but can you tell me the name of the spell you used? I have never heard of it." Dumbledore questioned.
"I am sorry professor, but it is family magic from the Potter Family Grimoire. I can not tell you." Harry lied, unwilling to answer the questions that would follow if he told them the truth.
Dumbledore nodded and gestured him to continue.
"Yeah, well then we heard footsteps and Professor Lupin emerged from the door. He saw Black and disarmed us successfully. He asked Black, and I quote, 'Where is he, Sirius?' but by that time, I had seen red so I took my secondary wand and attacked him quickly, disarming and putting him under a body bind. He tried to talk his way out but I interrupted him with a punch on his face. I told him that I regretted thinking that he was a good man and bound him in silver shackles as you can see. Then I healed Ron's leg, which was broken, to the best of my abilities. I think it would be better if Madam Pomfrey looks over it. After that Lupin told us that he came here because he saw Peter Pettigrew on a map. I told it was a load of tripe and no one was coming to save him. And that was when Snape entered. He told us that he will have us three expelled for being out of bounds and raised his wand at us, likely the death eater wanted to kill us for his Master, Voldemort. So I..."
"Harry, Severus has my complete trust. Voldemort is not Severus's master and he was a spy for the light side during the last war. I assure you that he redeemed himself and is no longer a death eater." Dumbledore said trying to defend Snape. Harry looked at him critically for a moment.
"Well... good for you. He may have your complete trust but in my opinion you should reconsider it as he does not show any signs of being... redeemed. In my eyes he was going to attack me, so I hit him with a lightning bolt and knocked him out." He said with a shrug. Dumbledore may have his own reasons to trust the Death Eater, but there was not a single chance in seven levels of hell that he would trust Snape. He paused and non-verbally conjured a glass of water and took a drink.
"Then anyway, Black pleaded to hear him out saying that Pettigrew was the real secret keeper and he was in this very room. He told us that Ron's rat was an Animagus and was Pettigrew. So, I took Ron's rat and used the Animagus reversal spell on it, and BAM! There was this man. These two started shouting at him but before he could respond, I stunned him. Oh, and I checked, he is branded."
"What does that mean Mr. Potter?" McGonagall questioned.
"You know how Voldemort gives his followers a mark? Well, it is similar to how cattle is branded as an owner's." He replied with a casual shrug of his shoulders.
"So, to sum it up, I am sure that Pettigrew and Snape are death eaters, what I am not sure is whether these two are guilty or not." Harry said pointing at Black and Lupin.
Dumbledore sighted, "Harry, listen to me, Professor Snape isn't a death eater any longer. As for the rest of them we should take them to my office and call the DMLE to oversee the..."
"I have already sent a Patronus message to Madame Bones. We should wait here till she comes. And for Snape..."
"Professor Snape, Harry" Dumbledore corrected.
"NO, Snivellus!" Black spoke out.
Hermione and Ron had looked at the exchange without a single word so far, but snickered at the name Snape was given. Harry looked between the wizened Headmaster and the haggard prisoner.
"As for Snivellus, I am not trusting him one bit even at your word. He probably even knew Pettigrew was hiding as Ron's rat and used him as a means to spy on us." Harry shot back. He would not let Snape... no Snivellus get out scot free. Even if he was not a death eater, he was a vile man who bullied students to feel superior. The results for OWLs had dropped by a huge margin after he became the potions professor and the number of NEWT students were even less. The number of Aurors and Healers were lessening as an effect. In Harry's opinion it was a perfect guise to weaken the light side by reducing the protectors and healers for them cementing Snape as a death eater in Harry's eyes.
There were several footsteps and everyone pointed their wands at the door. The door opened to reveal Madame Bones and a dozen aurors, including some from the castle security like Tonks.
"Professor, I call dibs on not telling the story again. You can do the honors." Harry said dryly and went to stand next to Ron and Hermione.
Half an hour later the group found themselves in Dumbledore's office. Hermione and Ron were sent to the Hospital wing to patch them up. Currently they were waiting for the Minister to arrive and then they would carry out the interrogation for the four prisoners. And to Harry's glee it included Snape despite Dumbledore's best efforts to make Madame Bones see reason. Harry's respect had increased exponentially for the hot redhead. She had also lost her brother and sister in law to death eaters and Voldemort and had vendetta against everyone bearing the dark mark .
Harry was sitting in a plush armchair besides the aforementioned hot redhead with Fawkes in his lap, stroking the majestic bird's plumage. The aurors present looked at him in awe seeing him pet a phoenix. Harry was feeling pretty tired as a result of the stressful day which was yet to end, and using all the high level spells so frequently. The chains required high level of magic to cast and he had done it four times!
"Madame Bones, we are unable to remove the chains on the Snape, Pettigrew and Black. We have never even seen such chains!" An auror exclaimed.
"And you won't. It is a spell straight from my family Grimoire. They are special chains, which would inhibit magic and cause pain to the prisoner, if he tried to use magic or force. They can only be removed by me or after seven hours. They are perfectly secure till seven hours pass." Harry replied casually as he glanced at Lupin stretching his legs after being free from his silver chains courtesy of Dumbledore.
"An extremely useful spell then but you can not give it to me for use." Madame Bones sighted. Harry was feeling particularly cheeky, he did not know why.
"There is a way, you know. You can always marry me and I will share a lot of things of mine with you." He winked at her.
She gave him an amused smile. "I am too old for you, If I was younger, I assure you that I would have jumped at the chance."
"Blasphemy! Madam Bones, you look extremely beautiful and hot, I assure you. Think about it, you a hot older auror and my tendencies to break school rules to save the school. So many possibilities." He gave her his most charming grin.
There were several choking noises, amused snorts and shocked looks. The aurors were shocked to see a thirteen year old boy flirting shamelessly with their boss, who would not entertain any guy who tried flirted with her.
"I thank you for thinking that I am hot, but you are too young."
"Nonsense! Age is a mere number, size is what matters." Harry shot back. Lupin had unfortunately chosen that moment to drink some water and spat it out while Madam Bones blushed like a school girl and black guffawed at him.
Unfortunately, Pettigrew chose that moment to wake up. "Wha- Where am I?" He asked but paled on seeing all the people in the room. "You-you mu-must understand. It- It was..." That was as far as he got. The flames in the fireplace turned green and the minister stepped out followed shortly by a hooded figure.
"I have brought along an unspeakable and he has the truth serum to interrogate them. Let us begin, shall we?" Fudge said.
Dumbledore had told the minister the whole story by sticking his head into the fireplace and the minister had agreed to bring an unspeakable with a verified Veritaserum to interrogate Black and Pettigrew. Lupin and Snape would only give a statement in the interrogation as there was no solid foundation for being convicted except they had arrived at the Shrieking Shack.
"Before we begin do you want to say anything, Mr. Black?" Madame Bones asked as her position as the head of DMLE.
"Yes, I am innocent of all the crimes I had been put into Azkaban for. I was never given a trial. Crouch said that as I was a black, a dark magic user and hence I was definitely a death eater and did not deserve a trial. It was Peter Pettigrew who was the secret keeper for the Potter's. When I confronted him, he began shouting how I had betrayed Lily and James. Peter tried to hit me with a dark cutting curse but I shielded. Next he hit a car nearby with a blasting curse, causing an explosion. My shield saved me and I saw Peter cut off his finger before transforming into a rat and escaping into the sewers."
"Mr. Pettigrew is not registered as an Animagus."
"Yes, he was not, rather we were not. James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and myself became animagi in our fifth year at school."
"My dad was an Animagus?" Harry questioned.
"Yes, he was a magnificent stag. We called him Prongs. I am a black dog while Pettigrew as you know, turned into a rat." He said with a nostalgic smile
"You mean one of the Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs people? The marauders?"
"Yes! We were the ones! how do you know of this?"
"I found your map... which Professor Lupin has confiscated. He somehow knew it was a map. I am guessing he was one of the four."
"Oh yes, I am Moony, Sirius is Padfoot and he is Wormtail." Lupin spat the last name.
"Mr. Potter, while I have no problems with you wanting to know about your father, I would ask you to refrain from it until the interrogation is over." Madame Bones said and Harry nodded.
"I will keep that in mind, Madame Bones."
"Thank you. So, you say that you were not the secret keeper, neither did you blast the street and killed the muggles, also you claim to have not received a trial which was specifically denied by Barty Crouch, my predecessor as the head of DMLE."
Sirius nodded at each of her points.
"Are you completely certain that when we ask you these questions under the influence of the truth serum, the answers will remain the same?"
"Yes." He confidently replied.
"Very well. Chief Warlock, administer the accused Veritaserum. Dicta Quill activate. Trial of Sirius Orion Black. Accused answers under Veritaserum. Interrogator: Amelia Serphina Bones, Head of DMLE. Witness: Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, Kingsley Shacklebolt."
Harry was not included despite being present as he was a minor.
"What is your name?"
"Sirius Orion Black." Sirius replied in a monotone voice, his eyes glazed over.
"Very well. Were you the Secret Keeper for the Potter family?"
"No"
"Who was?"
"Peter Pettigrew"
"Did you kill the muggles on the 2nd of November 1981?"
"No, it was Peter Pettigrew who killed them."
"Are you a death eater? Or a supporter of the Dark Lord?"
"Never."
"Were you planning to register as an Animagus?"
"Yes."
"Elaborate."
"Our Animagus forms were a secret weapon in case we needed to escape Death eaters or Voldemort. We were planning to register once the war was over and given that we survived it."
"Thank you. Dicta Quill deactivate." Madame Bones completed.
Sirius Black was innocent of all crimes he was convicted of. Harry waved his wand freeing Sirius from the chains.
"And what of Crouch. I do not know all laws, but I am certain that it would be illegal to put a man into Azkaban without a trial."
"That will be addressed by the Wizengamot. This is just an auror investigation. The Wizengamot will decide if they are innocent, well, no one will object to Sirius being innocent, once he tells everything under the truth serum again. For Barty Crouch and Pettigrew, their punishment will be decided by Wizengamot." Dumbledore replied.
"He Lies! Black must have found a way to evade the truth serum effects."
"Don't worry, Mr. Pettigrew, you will also be answering everything under the truth serum now. If statements contradict, we will investigate further." Dumbledore replied calmly.
"I object to being put under the truth serum! I have rights to refuse to it! I am a pureblood."
Bones paused, and sighted "He is correct, if he refuses we can't administer the truth serum as he is a pureblood." She said glaring at Pettigrew. There was a biased law that Members of the Families in Sacred 28 and Purebloods could not be administered Veritaserum as they were afraid of Family secrets leaking out.
"Technically you are a dead body, Pettigrew. You died twelve years ago. A dead body does not have any rights as far as the law is concerned." Harry said fuming. He was thankful for Salazar's lessons in politics as it enabled him to find the loophole in it.
Madame Bones looked elated. "Yes, Mr. Potter! You are indeed correct. Pettigrew, you are a corpse since the last 12 years. You have no rights. Let us administer the potion."
Kingsley punched Pettigrew and forcibly opened his mouth and Dumbledore put 3 drops of the serum in it.
Pettigrew's eyes glazed over.
"Dicta Quill activate. Trial of Peter Patrick Pettigrew. Accused answers under Veritaserum. Interrogator: Amelia Serphina Bones, Head of DMLE. Witness: Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, Kingsley Shacklebolt. What is your name?"
"Peter Patrick Pettigrew."
"Very well. Were you the Secret Keeper for the Potter family?"
"Yes."
"Did you kill the muggles on the 2nd of November 1981?"
"Yes."
"Are you a death eater?"
"Yes."
"Dicta Quill deactivate. Peter Pettigrew, you are under arrest. Sirius Black, you are a free man, but are to be available for contact till your trial takes place in front of the Wizengamot."
Sirius gave a whoop of joy. The unspeakable put a collar around Pettigrew's neck. "This is an Animagus restriction collar. Heir Potter, kindly remove your chains so we can cuff him." Harry nodded and waved his wand, vanishing the chains on Pettigrew and also let a short burst of lightning, enough to cause a lot of pain.
"AHHHHH!" The rat shouted as he convulsed in pain on the floor.
"Oops." Harry said unconvincingly.
"Aurors check Pettigrew for all the items on him." Madame Bones said ignoring Harry cursing Pettigrew. The auror nodded and checked Pettigrew and found two two wands a few Galleons and a knife.
"I recognize that wand." Dumbledore suddenly said. He further added "It belonged to Lord Voldemort." The aurors, Minister, and Pettigrew flinched at the name. Bones, Harry, Lupin, and Black were unfazed.
"Really? So by the rights of conquest the wand belongs to my family, doesn't it?"
"Yes." The Minister answered after a moment.
"Jolly good. Hand it over here please."
"Harry, what are you planni..." Dumbledore stopped short as Harry had casually snapped the wand in half and chucked the pieces into the fireplace where they burned to ashes. Snapping a wizard's wand was supposed to be the biggest insult to a person who wielded magic. It was akin to saying that the witch or wizard was unworthy to wield magic or had committed an serious offense.
"Why did you do that!" An auror exclaimed.
"Auror, you do realize that by law, it was my property as he had attacked the Potter family and was defeated. So, I could do anything with it." He glared at the auror who backed away quickly. "Good. Now what are you lot staring at? Take the criminal to jail!" The rest of the aurors broke out of their stupor and took Pettigrew away.
"Now, Mr. Lupin, we need your statement." The Minister said finally remembering that Lupin had to give an official statement. After 10 minutes, Lupin had described what had transpired in his own words before being thanked for his co-operation.
"What about Mr. Snape?" Madame Bones asked as Snivellus was still unconscious.
"Expergo Ennervate" Harry shot a very powerful waking charm on Snape. He had no doubt that Dumbledore knew of the spell but was unwilling for Snape to stand on trial for reasons unknown.
Albus Dumbledore looked at the boy. On one hand he was proud of the way he had handled himself and his advanced spell knowledge. Defeating four wizards, that too three so skilled was no small feat, even with them unwilling to attack at full power. On the other hand he was also irritated with the child's grudge against Severus, though Severus had brought it upon himself with his behavior towards Harry and his friends. He had warned Severus time and again not to take his rivalry with James Potter on the man's son. But, he could not have Severus sent to Azkaban. Snape was the only spy he had within Voldemort's ranks and would be invaluable once the Dark Lord returned. And Harry Potter was trying to team up with Amelia Bones, a lady with vengeance for every person who bore Voldemort's mark as she had lost a lot due to them. The team up was working and Harry was even casually flirting with Madame Bones and she did not even object!
Snape stirred. "Ouch. Where am I? What happ- POTTER! The brat attacked me! I will have him expelled! I -"
"SEVERUS! Control yourself." McGonagall thundered. Snape shut his mouth, realizing that he was in chains and surrounded by several Aurors along with Madame Bones.
"What happened?" He asked reigning in his temper due to the severity of the situation.
"You are accused of attempting to kill Heir Potter and would have killed him if he had not defended himself."
"WHAT?"
"You raised your wand at him Severus after handing him an expulsion threat despite the situation Mr. Potter was in. He had a supposed mass murderer at wand point, captured and you threatened to expel him for doing a service to the magical community, regardless of the fact that now, Sirius Black is proven innocent. At that moment neither you nor Harry knew about the fact that Sirius Black was in fact innocent." Dumbledore said, masterfully explaining the situation that Snape had found himself in.
"Wait a second. How can we be sure if Snape did not know of the fact that Sirius was innocent. He is a death eater. Surely he would have seen Pettigrew instead of Sirius in the Death eater ranks." Harry stated. He would not let a death eater roam free if he could help it.
"Exactly! I agree with Harry here!" Madame Bones said giving Harry a huge smile. She would love to take one extra death eater to Azkaban tonight. Death Eaters were the reason she did not have Edgar and his wife with her. The reason Susan was an orphan. Several death eaters had escaped justice by bribing their way out, pleading imperious and Snape by saying he was a spy for the old headmaster.
"I by no means knew that Black was innocent or that Peter Pettigrew was a death eater. I did not know everything that went on within the ranks of the Death Eaters. I just helped by trying to find out the destination and time of attacks so the ministry or the Order could be present there to save lives."
"I still say we should interrogate him with the truth serum." Madame Bones said to the minister.
"My dear Amelia, you can not administer the truth serum without a solid case, and certainly not on suspicion. The law forbids it." Dumbledore said calmly.
"Very well." Amelia conceded accepting defeat. She could not go against the protocols and rules despite how much she wished to sometimes.
"Describe the events that led to you going to the shrieking shack. And raising a wand on Harry Potter."
"I had went to Remus Lupin's office to discuss a detention of one of my Slytherin students. When I reached his office, I knocked and entered only to find an office empty. I saw a map on his desk and went to see it. To my immense shock, it was a map of Hogwarts that showed every single person in the Castle. On it, I saw Potter and Granger disappear underneath the Whomping Willow, and knew it was a passage to go outside Hogwarts. Potter has previously broken school rules so, I assumed that he was sneaking out to go into Hogsmeade and followed to catch him red handed. I arrived at the Shrieking and told Potter that I will have him and his friends expelled for breaking rules. But at hearing this Potter viciously attacked me with a dark curse." Snape finished.
"Objection. Snape lies. His exact words were and I quote, 'What do we have here? So, Black, you are finally caught, and I was correct... You are aiding him Lupin. And yes... the Gryffindor trio! I will have you three expelled for being out of school. Let us go.' He then proceeded to raise his wand at me. I defended myself, knowing that Snape hated me with every fiber of his being, likely for killing his master, and he was a known death eater who said that he was a spy during the war and got off. And the spell I used was Fulgur Percutiens a well known elemental spell which is used frequently in international dueling rings and not a dark curse as Snape stated. It won't even classify as a curse actually, but it is understandable that an incompetently useless dunderhead like Snape won't be able to differentiate between an elemental spell and a curse." Harry said.
"Are you calling me incompetent Potter?" He fumed, spittle flying from his mouth.
"No, I called you an incompetently useless dunderhead." Harry corrected calmly. He heard Sirius and Professor Lupin snigger and Amelia covered her mouth.
"Harry, Severus has a mastery in Defense against the Dark Arts. I assure you that he is competent. But, I have to agree with you. Fulgur Percutiens is an elemental spell and not a dark curse. I am sure, Severus made a mistake in identifying the spell."
"Really? Actually I do not think that several volts of electricity coursing through your body can be mistaken. We should check with his examiners. Snape may have used Blackmail or given a death threat to the Examiner, seeing he is a death eater and all."
"Mr. Potter, it was proven in court that Severus Snape was innocent. It is enough of accusations now." Dumbledore firmly told him with steel in his voice, and authority. Magic was rolling off Dumbledore in waves trying to make Harry submit to his wishes of leaving Severus alone.
"On your word professor, there was no other proof suggesting Snape was not a death eater. If you had not stood up for him in the court, he would be with his death eater buddies in Azkaban." Harry calmly countered.
Dumbledore did not respond. What could he say? Harry was correct. If he hadn't supported Snape, he would be a prisoner with likes of Lestranges. But he could not even tell them about the vow Severus had taken to protect Lily Potter's son nor his reasons to betray Voldemort. He shuddered to think of the day Harry came to know that Severus was the one who had given Voldemort the part of the prophecy that led to his parents demise.
"Well the statement has been taken. There is no evidence that Severus Snape wanted to fire a spell on Harry, as no spell was actually fired. Mr. Potter acted in self defense as his reasons were sound. We will take your leave now. It has been a long day. Good night." Madame Bones said finally breaking the silence.
"Wait. What will happen now? Like the trial for Sirius in front of the Wizengamot and all."
"We will call a meeting of the Wizengamot within a few days. There a similar trial will take place for them. I am sure that your godfather will be declared innocent and will be paid reparations for the mistakes of the previous administration. You would also need to be present with your friends if testimony is required during the trial. You will receive a notice for the same soon." It was Fudge who spoke. Harry noted how Fudge politicked his way out to save his reputation. Putting the blame on the previous administration was a good move for him.
Harry nodded. "Thank you Minister. Thank you Madame Bones. I assure you that I will be present on the day of the trial."
They nodded and left with the aurors.
"Sirius, I offer you the services of Hogwarts healer to get you back in health till the trial. It was partly my fault that you did not receive a trial all those years ago. I should have checked and not believed Barty blindly when he told me that you were convicted. You have my sincerest apologies."
"No problem professor. I may not be happy with it, but I understand that you believed Crouch so, it wasn't your fault." Sirius replied. He was happy to finally be free. James and Lily's betrayer was going to face justice soon.
He stood up shakily. "Let's go, Padfoot. We need to get you cleaned up." Remus's voice sounded.
"Professor" Harry hesitantly said. "I just wanted to apologize for treating you like a criminal. I am sorry."
"No problem Harry. I would have done the same if I was in your place. Also, I am sorry for not approaching you earlier and introducing myself as your Father's friend."
"We will sort that out later, professor. Let us first get my godfather to Madam Pomfrey." The man in question smiled widely. His godson had acknowledged him as his godfather. He stumbled but Harry and Remus caught him.
"Easy there. Let us go. I also want dinner. We can eat together in the Hospital wing and catch up." They supported Sirius and walked out of the Headmaster's office.
Dumbledore smiled softly at the scene.
"Headmaster, kindly free me from these chains Potter has put on me. I just want to leave and have some sleep." Snape said fuming at the fact Potter had nearly sent him to Azkaban and had gone scot free for attacking him.
"Why did you not say something before Severus? These are special chains. Only Harry can remove them or be removed after seven hours. I am afraid you would have to wait till the morning to get free."
"WHAT!"