Place for Former Jailbirds (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Place for Former Jailbirds

"I can not apologize enough."

"Says the person who refused to give me a trial," Sirius said, his arms crossing his chest as he glared at Crouch senior. "Though, to be honest, I'm not sure why I'm suddenly being declared innocent on your part." His eyes narrowed. "It's also a bit odd that this is occurring right after your own son's been outed as a Death Eater, yet I, strangely enough, can't picture him caring to clear my name. So what gives?"

"I don't need to be reminded of my son's obsession with the fallen leader of the Death Eaters," Crouch said, his facial muscles twitching.

Sirius sneered, giving him the best Black sneer he could. "And?"

"Apparently, upon searching our family home, we learned that wasn't his only obsession. And that's what I am apologizing for, not the fact you weren't given a trial. Dire times call for dire measures."

"Excuse me?" Sirius felt his disgust for the man growing.

"And it's because of that other obsession that you're currently free."

"What other obsession?" Sirius wanted to reach across and strangle the man, even though that would result in him getting put back into the wizard prison.

"Someone who's not supposed to be alive?"

Sirius suddenly broke out in mad laughter, leaning into one hand while peeking through his fingers, smirking as he did so. "I can't believe it. Are you actually telling me you've caught Peter Pettigrew? "

"No. We're still trying to find him," Crouch senior said, not batting an eye.

"What the bloody hell? It can't be James, because I saw James that night."

"But he was asking for you. Or at least I assume that you're this Siri he keeps referring to."

Sirius let out a string of curses before saying, "Who the hell are you talking about? Actually, who the bloody hell was able to figure out that I'd switched places with Peter Pettigrew? What did they say that has you convinced I'd switched to being a secret keeper with that rat?"

"What did he say?" Crouch senior's face twitched again. "He said the only way the Potters would be dead as if you'd switched with Peter Pettigrew, although he was a tad bit evasive because it was Pettigrew."

"Evasive? As in he didn't want to help me, I bet, but..."

"No. He identified Pettigrew as that friend, then clarified not Lupin. Dumbledore filled in the gaps regarding what that meant."

Sirius glanced away. "Well, now you're being evasive. And I don't understand what you're apologizing to me for, given that you said it wasn 't for denying me a trial. "

"As I said, my son wasn't just obsessed with the leader of the Death Eaters." Crouch senior's face twitched a third time.

"With him? The person who—you're still being evasive," Sirius said, glaring at Crouch senior.

"I'm wondering how to approach the subject," Crouch said, glaring, before asking, "Actually, why did you ask Pettigrew instead of your friend Lupin to switch places with you?"

Sirius slammed his hand down. "That is none of your damn business Crouch!"

The question, after all, was personal. Yet, Crouch had to go there. "Answer the question, and you'll have your answer."