In the Headmaster's office, tension hung thick in the air.
Just as Peter Pettigrew blurted out that it was Black who wanted him dead, Douglas Holmes flicked his wand, casting a spell on Sirius Black.
The instant Sirius reappeared in his human form, every Auror in the room raised their wand, aiming straight at him. But this time, after all the speculation and mounting evidence, none dared fire recklessly.
Still, Douglas and Lupin stepped protectively in front of Sirius, and the three Heads of House joined them, wands drawn, forming a living shield.
Fudge shot Dumbledore a look that said plainly: I'm exhausted—this is your mess, you explain it.
Only Snape's crimson eyes blazed with open hostility.
Dumbledore remained as serene as ever. "Why is everyone so anxious? Sirius doesn't even have a wand."
But the Ministry contingent weren't taking any chances. Their wands didn't so much as twitch.
Sirius pushed through the crowd, his gaze burning with fury as he stared at Peter's reflection in the mirror. "He's right. The moment I learned he was still alive, I swore I'd tear him to pieces..."
Scrimgeour adjusted his glasses, voice hard as steel. "How did you know he was alive? And how did you escape from Azkaban? No one's ever done that."
Douglas produced a copy of the Daily Prophet from his robes and handed it to Scrimgeour, gesturing at the photo on the front page. It was this summer's feature on the Weasley family—there, perched on Ron's shoulder, was none other than Peter, in his Animagus form as Scabbers.
Sirius let out a weary sigh. He'd told this story so many times, but for Harry's sake, he forced himself to explain once more. "It was that newspaper. When Fudge visited Azkaban, he brought me a copy. The front page showed Peter—I recognized him at once. The article said he was at Hogwarts, right by Harry's side. If the Dark forces ever rose again, that would be the perfect place for him to strike..."
All eyes turned to Fudge. Scrimgeour's glare was especially venomous—if not for that newspaper, how could Sirius have escaped?
Fudge opened his mouth, his voice defensive. "Even if I gave you the paper, how did you manage to break out of Azkaban? The Dementors don't show mercy."
Sirius met Fudge's gaze, his words slow and deliberate. "I'm not sure myself. I think the only reason I didn't go mad was because I knew I was innocent. Azkaban is meant for criminals—it shouldn't be able to hold someone truly blameless. Wouldn't you agree, Minister Fudge?"
Douglas's lips curled in a faint smile. "The fact that no one's ever escaped before only proves that, apart from Sirius's case, the Ministry hasn't made any wrongful convictions. That's something to be proud of. Of course, the reason he could be held for twelve years was his illegal Animagus status."
He continued, "And Sirius's case didn't even happen during your tenure, Minister. I believe you should clear his name—demonstrate to the whole world that under your leadership, the Ministry of Magic corrects its mistakes and investigates every injustice. Wouldn't you agree?"
Fudge straightened his bowler hat, putting on his best official voice. "At present, the evidence does not conclusively prove Sirius Black is innocent. We didn't imprison him just for being You-Know-Who's follower, but because he murdered thirteen people in broad daylight—oh, well, now it seems it's only twelve."
He hesitated, then added, "But you're right. The Ministry of Magic corrects every error and investigates every wrongful case. We never punish an innocent, nor let a villain go free."
Sirius spoke up, voice raw with emotion. "It was the traitor who blew up that street. I cornered him at the end of the road. When I confronted him, he suddenly unleashed a spell that blasted the entire street apart—and left behind a finger. I thought he'd killed himself with his own magic, but in truth, he used it to escape. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let myself be captured."
At that moment, Douglas gave a discreet cough—a reminder not to forget the most crucial part.
Sirius took a deep breath, forcing down his disgust and bitterness. "I realized early on that I could escape Azkaban if I truly tried. But I always believed the Ministry would eventually give me a fair hearing. Millicent Bagnold couldn't deliver true justice back then, but I believed some Minister would, one day, get to the truth."
He drew himself up, "When I discovered the traitor was still alive, and feared for Harry's safety, I had no choice but to escape. Whatever losses the Ministry suffered during my escape, I'll shoulder them myself—as the last heir of the Black family."
His voice grew colder. "As for that traitor—he'd been passing information to Voldemort's followers for a year before Voldemort's fall. He caused the Ministry enormous losses. We suspect several failed Death Eater raids were due to his leaks..."
Dumbledore took over, "Cornelius, I only learned all this recently. When Douglas discovered Peter's betrayal, he informed me at once. I looked into Peter's movements during those failed operations, and the evidence is clear—he was the traitor hiding among us."
Fudge was still skeptical. "Why did he betray you? And if he could hide by Mr. Potter's side for three years, if he truly was You-Know-Who's accomplice, why didn't he ever harm Potter?"
Sirius's patience was wearing thin, but he forced himself to answer. "Because he's a coward—he'd never risk anything unless he was certain of victory. Voldemort vanished for twelve years. He wouldn't dare kill anyone under Albus Dumbledore's nose just for the sake of a crippled, fallen Dark wizard."
"He had to be sure Voldemort was still the most powerful wizard before he'd go back to him. That's why he found a wizarding family to take him in. That way, he could keep up with the latest news. If Voldemort ever returned, he could grab Harry and win back favor."
"You have no idea what it's like in Azkaban. The Death Eaters there rant in their sleep—most of them believe the traitor betrayed them, fed Voldemort false information, and sent him to the Potters' house, where he was defeated..."
He let out a shaky breath. "Lily and James made him the Secret-Keeper on my advice. I thought it was a clever move—Voldemort would come straight for me... I never imagined he'd use someone so weak, so spineless..."
"If I really were the traitor and wanted to harm Harry, I wouldn't be standing here today. And since escaping Azkaban, I haven't even touched a wand."
By now, the Ministry officials were beginning to waver. The evidence from the mirror—Peter's nervous tics, his evasive gaze—spoke volumes, even as he continued to deny everything.
Scrimgeour gave a subtle signal to the Aurors behind him.
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