Narrator's POV

***

Soon the Yule Ball and the rest of the break passed, and it was time for Remus and Harry to return to school.

The Ministry had replied to Remus' letter and removed the search, the Dementors had been recalled, and Sirius would have his trial a week after the school year ended.

***

Once they returned to school with Sirius in his Padfoot form, Harry decided to hide him in the Chamber of Secrets so nobody would know he was there.

Sirius happily slept in the bedroom, used the hot-springs, and wandered around it during his days: though he couldn't read anything in the library since it was completely in Parseltounge —he'd have to ask Harry about that later.

"Where did you find this place?" Sirius asked Harry when he first arrived, "We never did."

"A friend showed me." Harry had replied

Within several weeks, the school year ended and Harry, Remus, and Sirius —disguised as Padfoot— returned to Grimmuld Place to await the court date that would make Sirius a free man.

***

Soon came the day of Sirius' trial, the trio dressed in formal clothes and made their way to the Courthouse where the others were waiting.

"Today we are reopening the case of Sirius Orion Black since he was thrown in Azkaban for twelve years without receiving a trial." The Judge said

An Auror poured Veritaserum into Sirius' mouth and Sirius' eyes glazed over, showing that the potion was working.

"What is your full name?" The Judge asked Sirius

"Sirius Orion Black." Sirius robotically replied

"Sirius, did you inform You-Know-Who to the Potters whereabouts?"

"No, I would have died before betraying my friends, Peter Pettigrew is the one who betrayed them."

"Did you kill Peter Pettigrew?"

"No, he's the one who blew up that Muggle street, cut off his finger, and then changed into a rat —his animagus form."

"Do you know where Mr. Pettigrew is now?"

"Yes, he is living with the Weasleys as Ron's pet."

Several people gasped at Sirius' words, and since he was under the potion, they knew it was the truth.

"Mr. Black, you have been found innocent of those crimes and the Ministry will repay you 12,000 galleons for your time spent wrongly in prison and the Ministry will pay for your care at St. Mungo's for any damage caused by the Dementors. Aurors will go to the Weasley home and retrieve Peter."

Everyone cheered at the decision, Bella and Narcissa hugged their cousin and offered assist in unblasting himself from the family tree —even though he was the Lord of the house— and he accepted their offer.

Tonight, everyone celebrated.

***

Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, rolled his eyes —well, if a snake could roll their eyes— at Wormtail's idiotic attempts of magic.

The Dark Lord was annoyed as the Muggle he'd Imperiused while in Lockhart's body gave Wormtail instructions — he'd kill them both soon enough once they'd fulfilled their usefulness.

Wormtail was far too weak of a specimen for him to possess, so Wormtail proved his usefulness by keeping his master alive.

He sighed —as best as the snake he was using could— at least Harry was having a good time.

***

Sirius Black has been known as Lily and James Potter's betrayer and He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named's possible apprentice for twelve years since their deaths on October 31, 1981 in Godric's Hallow.

He has also been said to be the killer of Peter Pettigrew and several Muggles after the Potters —save their son, Harry— were killed by You-Know-Who.

But, Black was not given a trial and the truth of the event was not revealed until yesterday when he finally got his trial and was proven innocent.

Unfortunately, he had to break out of Azkaban before he even got it, which makes me ask the question: did someone not want him to receive a trial that night —someone who knew the truth, but chose to remain quiet?

Black revealed that the culprit to the crimes we believed to be his was actually Peter Pettigrew and he was living with the Weasleys!

Aurors inform me that when they arrived to the Weasley Family Home, the Burrow, the rat animagus, nicknamed 'Scabbers', could not be found anywhere.

And that revelation has me, and I believe you as well, thinking: why would Pettigrew hide at the home of his master's killer's — Ronald Weasley, the Boy-Who-Lived— home?

Maybe for revenge for his dead Dark Master?

To somehow learn Ron's secrets and somehow revive the Dark Lord?

Nothing is certain except Black's innocence and Pettigrew's guilt.

..