Dysfunctional

8 - The Trial - Part 2

The trial was very long in Harry's opinion. His bum had gone numb and he couldn't even get up to relieve the numbness, lest he draw attention to himself.

Harry thought he must have been in the room for about two or maybe even three hours. Sirius had spoken his piece and then the accusations had come raining down. He had calmly reasoned everything with the air of a man of infinite patience. This in itself was so unlike Sirius that, for a moment, Harry wondered if he had known him at all.

Two other Aurors who had been Hit Wizards during Sirius' sentencing fifteen years ago, came in to give their account of the scene they had witnessed when Sirius had apprehended Wormtail. Sirius had then questioned if they had checked his and Pettigrew's wand for Priori Incantatem on arrival. Madam Bones had requested a clerk to bring in Sirius' wand from the Ministry records.

Sirius mentioned how Pettigrew's body was never found and then went into the tale of Wormtail cutting off his finger and escaping as an Animagus.

Dumbledore had also given his word and retracted the accusation that Sirius was his parents' Secret Keeper. Sirius had then questioned the Wizengamot why there hadn't been a trial for him and he was thrown into Azkaban without giving a chance to defend himself. Kingsley then entered and gave confirmation regarding the lack of documents convicting him.

It seemed plain to Harry that most of the Wizengamot members were starting to believe him. Harry took time to notice each and every one of them, some squirming in their seats at what he thought was the biggest mistake the Wizengamot had done in regards to Sirius, and he was particularly satisfied when he realized Fudge had been more or less mum the entire time, despite being the interrogator. If the Daily Prophet was to be believed, Fudge was getting so much backlash, that they were thinking of sacking him. Harry hoped Sirius' innocence when proved, would do just that.

Then they had gotten round to Pettigrew being alive for which Dumbledore had recounted Harry's story of the graveyard and Voldemort's resurrection. Harry knew everyone in the room had read his interview which he gave in The Quibbler, which had also been published in the Daily Prophet. More than a handful of people eyed him and Harry, feeling nervous, looked straight at his godfather.

Sirius managed to look bored and anxious at the same time. He looked up suddenly at Harry as if he had known Harry was watching him. His eyes softened and a small smile wound its way on his lips. He winked at Harry and Harry shook his head, fighting his smile. It looked like even Sirius understood that things were beginning to look up.

"...testify that he's no more a Death Eater than you and I," said Dumbledore, finishing his testimony.

It was quite a sight to watch Dumbledore giving his statement from beside Sirius. Though he had been reinstated as Chief Warlock, he chose to stand next to Sirius in his Wizengamot plum robes as he was the only defence other than Sirius. He then walked up to the Judges' table resuming his seat.

Sirius looked up at Madam Bones pushing the sleeve of his robes to reveal a clear arm free of the Dark Mark. "I was never a Death Eater. Pettigrew is and he's still out there. You've been chasing the wrong man."

Kingsley had also claimed that everyone captured in the Department of Mysteries had had the Dark Mark, including Lucius Malfoy. People gasped and more whispers ensued as people assimilated this new information.

The murmurs grew audibly louder as the Wizengamot talked among themselves, deliberating the validity of Sirius' statement. The Ministry clerk, who Madam Bones had sent earlier, had come in carrying what he proclaimed to be Sirius' original wand that had been procured at the time when he was sent to Azkaban.