✓ | Constellations; Fred Weasley [Book One]

Chapter 13

Trials

Soon it was time for the third Quidditch match of the season. The four friends were all tense. The match was Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw after all. Although her best friends and cousin were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Venus could not betray her own house and cheer for the Lions. Instead, the girl went up to the Ravenclaw players to boost their morale. Venus knew that her house barely stood a chance against Gryffindor. Harry had gotten the latest broomstick, a Firebolt for Christmas and well the Ravenclaw team's broomsticks were quite outdated.

Venus was not going to attend the match on that particular day. She had other very important things to do. So she went ahead to wish the twins and Harry good luck as well before making her way towards the library. The place was deserted. It was to be expected, of course, since most of the students and teachers wished to watch the match instead.

"Shouldn't you be in the stands supporting your house, Venus dear?" Madam Pince, the librarian asked her.

"I just have to complete some extra work. As you know I'm taking my OWLs this year," she replied. The older woman smiled at her and Venus took that as her cue to continue with her work.

Venus rushed to the newspaper section. The wizarding newspapers were organised by name, year and date. She first started with the Daily Prophet. Looking for the year 1981 and dates following October 31st, she took them from the shelf. Afterwards she moved on to the other lesser known newspapers such as the Quibbler. Soon, she had a pile of newspapers in front of her. Venus did not wait to dig in. She grabbed the Prophet, dated 1st November 1981 and looked for the article she needed.

SIRIUS BLACK ARRESTED

Last night, Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. It has also been reported that Peter Pettigrew of Smunning Gardens was murdered at the hands of Black in a crowded muggle street. Black killed him in cold blood, leaving nothing but a finger behind. The nature of the grudge between the two wizards remain unclear but it is rumoured that Pettigrew hunted Black down for revenge. Black, who is now rumoured to be You-Know-Who's most faithful Death Eater, was apparently the reason for the Potters' death. According to the Ministry, Black's crimes are far too cruel to be allowed a trial. He has been sent directly to Azkaban where he will be spending the rest of his life.

Her eyes kept scanning the pages. Most of it celebrated the downfall of Voldemort and congratulated the boy who lived.

YOU-KNOW-WHO HAS FALLEN
HARRY POTTER: THE BOY WHO LIVED
HARRY POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE

Venus went through all of the other papers and the results were the same. Sirius Black had never been allowed a trial. Peter Pettigrew left only a finger behind. She knew that the conclusions she was coming to would seem absurd to other people. She kept her theories to herself but she desperately needed to know. She had already talked to Remus and the man did not think that Sirius might be innocent at all. She knew it was time to talk to her father, himself, even if it meant putting herself in potential danger.

Venus put the newspapers back on the shelves. She did not need anyone to suspect her in a time like this. Mumbling a 'later' to Madam Pince, the girl hurried out of the library, only to smack right into another person, sending both of them tumbling down.

"Blimey! I think I broke my back," the other person said as she struggled to get up. It was Grace. Venus apologised and helped her up.

"Where were you Vee? You missed the whole match," Grace started rambling,"not that there was much to see anyway. It was so embarrassing. We lost really badly this time."

In that particular moment, Venus could not have cared less about a Quidditch match. She felt so close to the truth, yet so far from it. If Peter Pettigrew was somehow still alive, but has been living in hiding for thirteen years despite his 'great deeds', then her father might not be a murderer at all. She hoped that her father was really innocent but wondered if she had come to that conclusion because of her desperate need for a father. She was not sure if her judgements were being blinded by emotions. She hoped that Professor Lupin had told her only the truth. After having heard the conversation at The Three Broomsticks, Venus knew that she hardly even knew anything when it came to her background. She suddenly felt so lost, as if she did not know anything about herself at all.

"Our dear Venus." The Weasley twins had appeared out of nowhere. Each of them threw an arm around her and dragged her towards the Gryffindor Tower. She smiled sheepishly at Grace who smiled at her before joining her friends as well.

"We think you should let loose a bit," Fred said.

"All you've been doing is stressing over your studies," George told her, taking her books from her hands.

The three had arrived at the portrait. Unlike the Ravenclaw common room's door knocker, in the form of an eagle, which asks visitors a question, that they must answer correctly in order to gain entry, a portrait guarded the Gryffindor common room entrance. The portrait used to be of the Fat Lady's but had been replaced by Sir Cadogan's after Sirius' attack. Of course, it was not the first time that Venus was sneaking into the Gryffindor common room. She had done it a lot of times before, especially for the parties. Venus felt a bit bad for going to a Gryffindor after match party when the house had just defeated hers in Quidditch but all was forgotten when the twins took out a bunch of Honeydukes candies and Butterbeers.

Soon everyone was having the time of their lives, stuffing their face with candies and dancing to some random muggle music on the old gramophone that the twins had managed to borrow, or rather steal from Mr Weasley. The party ended around one in the morning, when Minnie turned up in the common room. She was the Head of the Gryffindor House after all. She ordered Venus to get back to her dorm and insisted that they all went to bed. After wishing her friends 'goodnight', the Ravenclaw sneaked into her dorm, careful to watch out for Filch since she was out of bed after curfew.