Power, Freedom and a French Flower

The trial

AN: Welcome to the next chapter guys.

Here is a sneak peek at what you can look forward to over the next couple of chapters:

The third-year will progress a lot quicker than the first and second years. Now that the entire Sirius, Pettigrew, and Dementor issues are over, we continue our story until finally, the juicy fourth year arrives!

Also, give me some recommendations for what Harry's Animagus could be like, as he will now be studying the subject under McGonagall and Sirius.

As you probably guessed, his Inimicus (and therefore also Patronus, should he ever bother to learn it) is a Thestral. It would make a fine Animagus, but there is always the issue of whether magical animals can be Animagi in the first place.

I am interested to see what you guys think about it.

Enjoy!

Chapter 23

He blinked his eyes open. Harry was surrounded by the color white: White ceiling, white walls. A white curtain surrounded him and he was laying under white sheets. Harry groaned. He was in the Hospital Wing again.

"Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauty." A voice greeted him from his right.

Harry did not need to even look to know who it belonged to: "Shut up you dirty dog. I don't even know how they allowed something as unhygienic as you in a hospital wing."

Sirius barked his trademark laughter: "I will have you know that I am perhaps the cleanest dog you will ever come across. Besides, I managed to clean myself up nicely over the last two days."

Harry let out another groan. "Two days? That's how long I have been out? What happened after I passed out?"

"I don't know much about directly after, but apparently, Dumbledore stopped the Minister and his Undersecretary from taking you into custody for protection of a known criminal and... Well, killing the dementors. I don't even know how you did that. You got to teach me that spell, Harry.

Anyways, Madam Bones took your side and argued that even though my complete innocence was not yet proven, still, due to the new developments in my case, it will be reopened, and Pettigrew and I will receive a trial.

The dumb bitch of an Undersecretary tried to arrest you for killing the dementors, but technically that was thought to be impossible, so it's not really a crime?

I don't even know... It's probably in some legal gray area. Well, the good thing is that the press coverage turned out a lot more positive than after your little adventures in Paris." Sirius grinned and threw a copy of the Daily Prophet in his lap.

Harry stared at the title page and could barely contain his laughter:

Harry Potter, savior of the innocent?

By Rita Skeeter

One of Britain's most controversial celebrities has again found himself in a most peculiar situation two nights ago at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry Potter lured a couple of high-ranking Ministry officials to Hogwarts, under the pretense of having valuable information on the whereabouts of the presumed criminal, Sirius Black.

You have read correctly, dear readers: The presumed criminal.

In a shocking revelation, Harry Potter uncovered the identity of one Peter Pettigrew, who had been hiding in his illegal rat-Animagus form for over a decade.

His identity was confirmed by several of the man's former teachers and a classmate. He was also spotted harboring the infamous Dark Mark on his left arm.