Dysfunctional

7 - The Trial - Part 1

The next couple of days was oddly, very... normal. Harry slept in, a luxury he hadn't had for months what with his OWLS he had sat for the past two weeks, which felt like he had written ages ago. It was very comforting and relaxing to wake up feeling well-rested.

At least, as well-rested as possible. He had not forgotten the prophecy. He didn't think he could ever wipe out the memory of Professor Trelawney's hoarse, distorted voice that had doomed him to an uncertain future.

Besides, he had another thing to worry about. Sirius' trial was coming up in three days and they had yet to get word from Dumbledore about how to proceed with it.

The third morning which was a Sunday, Sirius had woken up first and made scrambled eggs and toast. He was flicking through the newspaper that Lupin had brought in earlier, commenting casually at the day's Daily Prophet.

"And after an entire year of name-calling, Harry Potter is now 'The Chosen One', huh? Bloody hypocrites, the lot."

"Seems like they already know about the prophecy," said Harry nervously.

"No, they don't! There are only three people in the entire world right now who know about it and that's including Dumbledore and us. The Daily Prophet is just making up fanciful rumours, no doubt wanting to sell their papers out. Business must have been bad after your Quibbler interview..."

He shovelled scrambled eggs into his mouth with a fork as he looked up at Harry thoughtfully. "By the way, how did you manage that?"

"The interview with the Quibbler? Hermione's had Skeeter under her control ever since the end of the tournament. She's a beetle, an unregistered animagus, you know."

Sirius' eyes widened disbelievingly. "Skeeter was clever enough to become an animagus? I thought that daft cow didn't have an ounce of sense in that brain of hers!"

Harry shrugged. "Beats me how she did it. But Hermione threatened to reveal her secret, so Skeeter did what she asked her to."

Sirius smirked. "Smart girl."

He continued with his paper and read out again, "Looks like Dumbledore's been reinstated into the Wizengamot. About time."

"That gives us a better chance with your trial right?" said Harry. Having Dumbledore as the Chief Warlock could only help them.

"Let's hope," Sirius muttered darkly.

Harry's friends Ron and Hermione had written to him via Hedwig, both quite annoyed that he had left before they had woken up and also full of sympathy and comfort for the upcoming trial on Wednesday. They had filled him in on what was happening at Hogwarts and how Umbridge had been sacked. Sirius had had a good laugh reading Ron's detailed description of Peeves whacking Umbridge alternatively with McGonagall's walking stick and a sock full of chalk.

Dumbledore had dropped by that evening. He had brought along the letter from the Ministry issued for Sirius containing the details of the trial, which was to be a closed one. Dumbledore had said that as the Ministry was already facing public scorn, it was wise of them to keep it private. They had gone over their defence that they would all present and Dumbledore had also given pointers about who should talk and when.

They had decided Sirius and Dumbledore were to be the witnesses for the defence. They would rope in Kingsley Shacklebolt when they exposed the lack of documents convicting Sirius. They couldn't drag in Lupin for a werewolf's statement would not be considered by all as worthy of consideration.