Harry woke up bright and early Monday morning. This was one day he wouldn't grumble about not being able to sleep in. This was the day that his godfather would finally be cleared of the charges he had been sent to Azkaban for. He jumped up out of his bed and quickly showered and changed. He bounded down the stairs and through the Gryffindor common room. He ignored the Fat Lady's protest at being woken so early on a summer morning and ran all the way to the Great Hall. He slowed down and walked through the door casually, setting his robes in order. He had borrowed the robes from Malfoy the day before.
He walked to the Head Table where those who were going to Sirius Black's hearing had already convened. He sat next to Hagrid and piled food onto his plate, and started shoveling it into this mouth.
"Excited, Harry?" Hagrid asked, amusement glittering in his eyes as he watched Harry gulp his food.
"Mfy muff mfrmph," Harry said through a mouth full of pancakes.
"Huh?" Hagrid asked, laughing. "I can' understan' a word yer sayin'."
Harry swallowed his food. "Very much, Hagrid. It's about time the Ministry got off it's ass and did something right. I am not looking forward to seeing that moron Fudge, though. I can't stand that git!"
"I don' doubt tha' Harry. I'll be there." Hagrid turned back to his food, leaving Harry to his thoughts.
Harry was excited about Sirius' impending release, but he couldn't help but feel some trepidation. He knew Sirius would want him to move in with him as quickly as possible. He loved Sirius, but he didn't want to leave Severus' house. He felt comfortable there, and surprisingly welcome. Then there was the fact that it was the last place anyone would look for him.
There was also Draco. The night of Severus' revelations concerning Draco, Harry spent most of the night feeling not only guilty (despite Severus' declaration that none of it was his fault) but also apprehensive. He tossed all of Sev's words around in his head and realized that he was completely right: neither Draco nor Harry would be safe by themselves. While Harry had friends who would stick by him, Draco did not, and that worried him, more than he thought possible. Harry also didn't like the thought of letting Severus down. The next day, he brought this up with Draco, and the two spent the entire weekend hashing it out amidst the usual squabbles and half- meant hex threats. Finally, they had some semblance of an idea on how to help protect each other, but they were loath to bring it up. Getting Severus and Sirius to cooperate on something was not going to be easy.
During the weekend, something else had come to light that Harry was more than irritated by. No, a better phrase for his feelings was pissed off, to borrow the American expression Hermione had taught him. Yes, that was it. Draco had shown him the threatening letters he had started receiving, and Harry had found out what it was Severus had been driving at that night. Severus had insisted that the letters be kept as evidence. He had them in a safe that Draco knew the password to. Harry had looked through the letters and had recognized the handwriting of one as the Hufflepuff he had been paired with in Charms last year, but for some reason, he couldn't remember his name. It was, however, the last letter that had caught his attention. To say that it was rude and vile was an understatement, and Harry didn't like to think about it. Harry had never thought that Ron would be the one to write such a thing. It really angered Harry to no end that his best friend would stoop that low. Harry knew that Severus was fully aware of who wrote the letter.
Harry shivered, taking a drink of pumpkin juice. He wondered what the hell had gotten into Ron, sending out garbage like that. He would have to have a long talk with his best friend, once he was quite sure he could talk to Ron without killing him. He hoped Ron would stay away from the hearing, but he wasn't optimistic.
A hand tapped Harry on the shoulder, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up into the twinkling eyes of Albus Dumbledore.
"Are you ready to go get your godfather, Harry?" Albus asked, smiling.
Harry grinned back. "Yep. More than ready. I can't believe it! I never thought this day would come." Harry got up and followed the Headmaster to his office, the rest of the entourage following close behind. One by one they Flooed to the Ministry of Magic's headquarters based in Diagon Alley.
* * * *
Harry flew out of the fireplace and into the arms of none other than Draco Malfoy, who helped him steady himself quickly. Before walking away, Draco surreptitiously placed a piece of parchment into Harry's hands, as per the plan. Draco had yet to decide where to meet Harry once they got back to Hogwarts; this was what was in the note, Harry knew. Harry followed Albus into the courtroom and down to the front row. He desperately tried to ignore the media that was roaring at him. He was pretty sure that he would never be able to see again, the magical versions of flashbulbs going off all around as each photographer vied for a first spectacular picture of "The Man Who Killed Voldemort." Harry wished fleetingly that Severus and Draco had put him out of his misery while he was sleeping.
Harry looked behind him, staring at the sea of faces that had come to see the hearing. Harry's eyes drifted over to Draco and Severus, who nodded at him. He nodded in return and continued his inspection. He saw many of his classmates, all of them waving frantically at him. He flashed them a forced smile. His smile turned genuine when he saw Hermione and her parents sitting towards the back. The smile faded when he saw the entire Weasley family walk in the door. Harry turned around and sat down, sinking into the bench as far as he could go. He was grateful that all the seats around him were taken up, and that at that particular moment, Fudge and the Ministry officials came in, bringing with them Sirius Black.
Harry sat up straight and beamed at his godfather. Thanks to Albus, Sirius looked well. He was too thin, but his hair had been trimmed up and he was wearing clean, well-fitting robes. Sirius caught Harry's eye and winked.
Everyone turned their attention to the front of the room as Fudge began to speak. It was a good thing, too, because Sirius would have probably died of heart failure at the scowl on Harry's face. Harry was looking at Fudge with an open hostility that would have made Severus worst glare look about as sinister as a sulking puppy. Severus would be very proud, if he had seen it.
The look, however, wasn't completely unnoticed. Fudge started to sweat under that glare, half-afraid that Harry would do to him what he had done to Voldemort. Fudge swallowed the lump in his throat. "We are here today to judge the innocence on Sirius Black. In 1981, Black was charged with the death of Peter Pettigrew and many Muggles. It was also thought that he had betrayed James and Lily Potter by revealing their whereabouts to You- kn...Voldemort. Black was sentenced to Azkaban and served 12 years before escaping three years ago. New evidence has come to light that, if found to be true," /and the look on Harry's face plainly says it better/ Fudge thought, "will result in the immediate release of Sirius Black."
Harry fidgeted as they played the testimony of Peter Pettigrew. He knew all of this, he was there in the Shrieking Shack and he didn't need to hear it again. Instead, he took a peek at the note Draco had given him.
Harry,
Astronomy Tower, after the hearing.
D.
He put the note away and fidgeted some more. He listened more intently when it was Sirius' turn to speak.
Sirius took the vial of Veritasirum, brewed by none other than Severus Snape, and took the stand. Harry had insisted that they use Severus' potion. Harry would not accept the work of some mere amateur to be used on his godfather.
Fudge started his round of questioning.
"What is your name?"
"Sirius Black."
"Were you the Secret-Keeper of James and Lily Potter?"
"No, I was not."
"Who was the Secret-Keeper of James and Lily Potter?"
"Peter Pettigrew."
"What did you do when you found out Pettigrew had betrayed the Potters?"
"I tracked him down and confronted him. He had Muggles all around him."
"What happened then?"
"He killed them all and transfigured himself into a rat, making it look like he was killed as well."
"Are you an unregistered animagus as well?"
"Yes."
"You may step down, Mr. Black. I call Harry Potter to the stand. As per the agreement, you will not be put under Veritasirum, but make sure you answer truthfully."
"Yes." Harry snarled.
Fudge gulped. "Very well. I have only a couple of questions, more of confirmation really. Could you tell me what happened the night Sirius Black was caught in the Shrieking Shack?"
"Sirius had been running from the Dementors. He had been hiding out in the Shrieking Shack. That night I ended up inside the Shack confronting Sirius. I had been told that he was the one who had betrayed my parents. But Peter Pettigrew was revealed to be alive and well, living as Ron Weasley's pet rat, Scabbers. It was he who was the Secret-Keeper for my parents and myself. It was he who betrayed us."
"Did Sirius tell you this?"
"No. Remus Lupin figured it out, with Sirius' help. He and Sirius forced Pettigrew out of his animagus form and he confirmed that he was the one who betrayed my family. He set Black up to take the fall."
"Thank you, Mr. Potter." Harry glared at Fudge and stepped off the stand.
Fudge talked to the other official for a few moments before addressing the courtroom. "It is my duty to inform you that Sirius Black has been found innocent of the crimes for which he was formerly convicted." Fudge paused as cheers erupted from the entire courtroom. When it died down, he continued. "Sirius Black will be released immediately. Case closed."
Harry jumped up and launched himself at his godfather, tears streaming down his face. At the moment, nothing else mattered. He saw and heard nothing but his godfather. He couldn't care less what the media printed about him, as long as Sirius wasn't hurt.
"Oh, Harry. I'm so incredibly happy!" Sirius was interrupted by a red-faced Cornelius Fudge. He set Harry down, and glared at Fudge. It took everything Harry had not to use an Unforgivable.
"Mr. Black, the Ministry of Magic would like to give you a formal apology, and would like to award you monetary compensation for the wrong it has inflicted upon you. Also, we would be happy to hurry along the paperwork making your animagus form legal, at our expense."
"Fine." Sirius growled. Fudge left the two alone immediately. Sirius looked Harry up and down. "God, Harry, there is so much we need to talk about, so much time to make up. I don't know how to go about starting to do that. It's been so long."
"I know a good way," Albus said, coming up and clapping Sirius on the back. "After you're done with whatever paperwork there is to do here, come to Hogwarts. I'm taking Harry back right now, before the media stampede begins. Come as soon as you can. We can all celebrate your release, my boy."
Sirius nodded, giving Harry one last hug before following the awaiting Ministry official to the appropriate office. Albus gently, but determinedly pushed people out of the way, leading Harry back to the fireplace. He smiled at his friends as he passed by, glad to be going home. He didn't want to stay here any longer. He had something very important to talk over with one Draco Malfoy.
* * * *
After he changed out of the robes into jeans and a T-shirt, Harry ran up the steps and into the Astronomy tower. Draco was already waiting for him, having been one of the firsts to leave the Ministry building.
"Congratulations Harry."
"Thanks. I never thought it would happen."
"Well, now we come to the issue of how to get Sirius and Uncle Severus in the same room without hexing each other. How do you think we should go about that?"
"Put them in a full body bind and stuff them in a closet until they glare each other to death?" Harry quipped.
"Be serious for a moment please."
"I will if you'll be Remus."
Draco groaned, throwing a pillow from the chair he was sitting on at Harry. "Knock it off with the corny jokes, Harry. We have to figure out how to do this! It's for your own good, as well as mine. And we both know my goodwill is the most important thing!"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes, great Draco. I humbly bow at your feet." Harry threw the pillow back at Draco, who chuckled. "I think the best thing would be to get them into a room here, and get them to talk, see reason. And disarm them, if necessary."
"We'll have to do that quickly. How do we get them to the room."
"You find Sirius and tell him I want to see him in the Transfiguration classroom. I'll find Sev and tell him you're looking for him and will meet him in the same room. If they ask why, we'll just tell them it's important but secret, not to be spoken where someone might hear. Once we get them in there, you just know the wands will come out. You disarm Sirius, and I, Severus. I think that with two wands pointed at each of them, they'll see fit not to kill each other, or us. Then, under threat of violence if they disrupt us, we will tell them our plan. But first we need to talk with Dumbledore. I told him to meet us up here in ten minutes, alone. He should be here any minute."
"So I am," replied Albus, walking into the Tower. "What can I do for you two gentlemen."
Harry looked at the Headmaster. "Well, we, Draco and I, have a small favor to ask of you."
"Ask away, my dear boy."
Harry proceeded to tell him what it is he wanted to do about the upcoming school year, with the occasional comment from Draco.
"Well," Albus said, looking at the two young men before him, "I have to agree that this may be the best course of action in order to keep you two safe, especially Draco. But you'll have to talk Severus into it. He's a private man, and even I'm not crazy enough to be the one to speak to him about this." Albus grinned at Harry and Draco. "You two have your work cut out for you, don't you? But first, you'll have to get Severus and Sirius together without killing one another."
"Already got that covered," Draco said, looking warily at Harry. "Not the best plan in the world, and more than a little dangerous, considering who we're dealing with, but I think it will be good enough." Draco told the older wizard what they had in mind.
"Hmm. That just may work."
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Since it's really simple, they won't be expecting it. They would expect something more elaborate and well thought out from us, considering the things we've done."
"I can only wish you luck. If it's okay with Severus, let me know so I can get the construction underway. Oh, by the way, Remus Lupin will be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher next year. Just thought you should be the first to know, Harry. You were practically heartbroken when he left in your third year."
Harry grinned gleefully. "Thanks for telling me, Professor. Now I know I'll enjoy the class. No offence, but last year's DADA teacher was the worst. She kept calling on me and when I'd get the right answer, she'd spend five minutes gushing about how brilliant I was. It was embarrassing. And if I didn't get the right answer, she'd practically faint, convinced the world was coming to and end and Voldemort's victory was nigh."
"Oh, come off it, Harry. You know you liked the attention."
"Sod off, Draco."
"Bite me, Potter."
"Oh wouldn't you like that, you pervy git!"
Albus chuckled and muttered, "Some things will never change, will they?" He left the two to their bickering and headed back to the Great Hall.