As everyone took their seats, the courtroom gradually fell silent.
Cornelius Fudge, seated at the center of the front row, stood up and looked around before asking loudly toward the far end of the benches,
"Everyone's here. Let's begin."
"Are you ready?"
Following his gaze, Lewis noticed another witch seated at the end of the bench.
She was short and stout, with a broad, sagging face that resembled a giant pale toad.
Even though they had never met before, Lewis immediately recognized her from those unmistakable features.
Dolores Umbridge.
One of Fudge's closest confidantes.
At this point in time, she hadn't yet risen to the level of authority she would wield two years later. She merely served as Fudge's assistant, handling record-keeping during trials.
She stared intently at the parchment before her, quill poised and ready.
"Trial of February 12th," Fudge announced in a booming voice.
The squat witch immediately lowered her head and began recording.
"Concerning the case of Death Eater Sirius Black's alleged betrayal of James and Lily Potter, and the murder of Peter Pettigrew thirteen years ago."
"Presiding officials: Minister for Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge; Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Gianna Proudmoore; former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Bartemius Crouch."
"Witnesses: Lewis Green, Nymphadora Tonks, Severus Snape."
Lewis stepped down and joined Tonks and Professor Snape at the witness seats.
After they were seated, Fudge instructed the Aurors to bring Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew into the courtroom.
Footsteps echoed through the chamber.
A door at the far end of the dungeon-like room opened.
Four figures entered—
Black.
Pettigrew.
And two Aurors.
"...Hmm."
Fudge looked toward the defendant's area, where there was only a single chair.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
"Well..."
"It seems we'll need another chair."
"Umbridge, could you—"
Watching the Minister awkwardly stumble over such a trivial matter, Lewis couldn't help smiling.
He had no desire to let the proceedings be interrupted over something so insignificant.
Raising his right hand, he summoned his wand and flicked it lightly.
"Duplicato!"
The next instant...
An identical chair appeared beside the original.
Thoughtfully...
He even conjured a railing between the two seats to keep the defendants from attacking one another.
"Oh..."
"An excellent Transfiguration Spell, Mr. Green."
Dumbledore smiled approvingly from the judges' platform.
"Unfortunately, this isn't Hogwarts."
"I can't award you any House points."
Fudge also nodded.
"Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Green."
"But as a student, you really shouldn't..."
He instinctively wanted to remind Lewis that underage wizards weren't permitted to use magic outside school.
Then he remembered the dragon-slaying operation Lewis had completed for the Ministry.
In the end...
He said nothing.
With the seating problem solved...
The Aurors escorted Sirius and Pettigrew into the defendant's chairs.
Immediately...
Iron chains sprang from the armrests, tightly binding both prisoners.
Fudge shuffled through a pile of documents.
Eventually...
He pulled out a single parchment, took a deep breath, and read aloud.
It was the original verdict that had sentenced Sirius Black thirteen years earlier.
As the judgment was read...
Everyone was reminded once again of the events surrounding the Black family and the Potters.
After Fudge finished...
Another voice rang out.
"Sirius Black."
Lewis turned.
Bartemius Crouch had risen to his feet.
His expression remained stern.
"I have one very important question."
"You spent thirteen years imprisoned in Azkaban."
"Why did you never once appeal your conviction?"
"And now..."
"You're suddenly claiming you were innocent all along."
"That Peter Pettigrew never died."
"What exactly is the explanation?"
He fixed Sirius with an intimidating stare, as though hoping sheer pressure would silence him.
Sirius merely sneered.
"Because..."
"You never gave me the chance."
"You never held a proper trial."
"You simply threw me straight into Azkaban."
"Didn't you?"
He looked at Crouch with open contempt.
"As for whether Peter Pettigrew died..."
"You don't need me to tell you."
"He's sitting right in front of you."
"Surely the Ministry's Aurors have had enough time over the course of one night to verify his identity."
Hearing Sirius's sarcastic reply...
Many members of the Wizengamot began whispering among themselves.
They all knew...
He was telling the truth.
Ordinarily...
Every criminal case involving witches and wizards required judgment by the Wizengamot.
Not even the Minister could bypass their authority.
But during the First Wizarding War...
To cope with the endless stream of Death Eaters and Dark Wizards...
Then–Head of Magical Law Enforcement Bartemius Crouch had established a new institution—
The Magical Law Committee.
Its authority ranked below the Wizengamot.
It consisted of judges, committee members, and a jury.
Crouch himself served as its chief judge.
The committee handled trials involving Death Eaters and possessed the authority to issue criminal verdicts while evaluating information provided by convicted prisoners.
It was dissolved shortly after the First Wizarding War ended, following Crouch's failure to become Minister for Magic.
In truth...
The committee's very existence had infringed upon the authority of the Wizengamot.
Many members had opposed it from the beginning.
Sirius Black's imprisonment...
Had occurred while that committee still existed.
The murmuring among the Wizengamot caused Crouch's face to pale slightly.
His lips pressed tightly together.
Only after Fudge spoke again did silence return.
"Please present the results of last night's investigation."
Two Aurors stepped forward.
One carried a Pensieve.
The other held two vials of memories along with several sheets of parchment.
Lewis glanced toward Gianna.
Understanding immediately, the Deputy Director stood.
"I request that one of our witnesses, Lewis Green, present part of the evidence."
"Request approved."
Fudge nodded.
Lewis left the witness stand.
Walking over to the evidence table...
He poured one of the memory vials into the Pensieve.
Then pointed his wand toward it.
"Illusory Projection."
Normally...
One had to immerse their head into a Pensieve to experience a memory.
But under Lewis's masterful illusion magic...
The memory appeared directly in the center of the courtroom.
Like an enormous three-dimensional magical projection.
The memories of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew unfolded vividly before everyone present.
The entire Wizengamot erupted into astonishment.
None of them had ever witnessed such magic before.
The illusion felt astonishingly real.
They could almost feel the wind brushing against their faces.
Almost smell the scents from thirteen years ago.
Countless eyes turned toward Lewis.
Filled with amazement.
Respect.
Admiration.
This young wizard had surprised them again and again.
Perhaps...
Another Dumbledore was truly being born before their eyes.
As for Dumbledore himself...
His expression was even more complicated.
It seemed...
He had once again underestimated Lewis's talent and abilities.
The projected memories played out like a magical film.
Everyone watched the entire sequence together.
This alone saved the Wizengamot an enormous amount of time.
Otherwise...
Each person would have needed to inspect the Pensieve individually.
That would have taken forever.
When the memories ended...
Lewis noticed several female members of the Wizengamot quietly wiping tears from their eyes as they looked toward Sirius Black.
"I object."
Crouch stood.
"Memories are inherently subjective."
"They're too easily altered."
"They're far from reliable evidence."
"You're correct, Crouch."
Gianna rose as well, her voice calm but icy.
"But you're the last person who should be making that argument."
"The famous 'Pensieve Trials' were introduced under your own leadership."
As the principal executor of the plan against Crouch...
She had finally stepped directly onto the battlefield.
"When Sirius Black was convicted..."
"It was through a Pensieve Trial."
"So why can't a Pensieve Trial now be used to clear his name?"
Her words were razor-sharp.
For a long moment...
Crouch found himself unable to answer.
Instead...
Fudge spoke.
"And what is your recommendation, Deputy Director?"
"My recommendation..."
Gianna answered smoothly,
"...is that because this is a retrial of Sirius Black's original case, it is only fair that we continue applying the same evidentiary standards used during the first proceedings."
"Only then can true fairness be maintained."
Members of the Wizengamot discussed the proposal among themselves.
Most found it entirely reasonable.
Unable to invalidate the evidence...
Crouch sat back down heavily.
Gianna then turned toward the defendants.
"Peter Pettigrew."
"Why did you fake your own death?"
"I... I deceived everyone..."
Peter said fearfully.
"But I had my reasons."
He repeated the same story he'd used the night before.
Claiming he had lived in terror of Sirius Black.
Once again...
Sirius straightened furiously in his chair.
The chains immediately yanked him back down.
"A wizard transforms himself into a rat..."
"Hides inside another family's home for thirteen years..."
"All because he's supposedly afraid of a man locked inside Azkaban?"
"That's rather unbelievable."
A shrill, high-pitched voice suddenly echoed through the chamber.
It was Umbridge.
Before Sirius even had the chance to curse Peter aloud...
She had already pointed out the obvious flaw.
Just moments earlier...
Lewis had noticed Fudge subtly signaling her.
She'd understood immediately.
Without the slightest hesitation...
She stood up.
"Umbridge."
"Court recorders are responsible only for keeping records."
Crouch said coldly.
Obediently...
She sat back down.
But before lowering her head...
She cast a discreet glance toward Fudge, seeking approval.
Fudge responded with an almost imperceptible nod.
What a born politician...
Lewis couldn't help thinking.
Annoying as Dolores Umbridge might be...
Her ability to read the situation and side with whoever held power was unquestionably exceptional.
No wonder she'd climbed the Ministry ranks so quickly in the future.
Whispers once again spread throughout the courtroom.
Many Wizengamot members nodded while discussing Peter's testimony.
His explanation had clearly failed to convince them.
Peter shrank deeper into his chair.
His face had turned ghostly white.
Cold sweat streamed continuously down his forehead.
With the undeniable fact that he was still alive...
Every excuse sounded painfully weak.
Crouch appeared ready to continue questioning.
But Fudge spoke first.
"Since the evidence has been presented..."
"Let's proceed to the vote."
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