A Difficult Decision
The next morning, Harry had a strange buzz of excitement in his belly. They had discussed the vows and oaths for the council the night before and everyone seemed more than happy with them. The question had been asked how many people Harry wanted in his council and that had drawn a blank from Harry. He sort of just expected that everyone would want to be included. Was he wrong? Most of them were here because Mother Magic had decided they should be or if not that, she had agreed that they would be good additions to the chamber. Harry thought it might just be best to trust her judgement and included everyone.
But did they all want to be included?
He would have to ask them. And if he was including everyone that left another difficult question to be asked. What was he going to do about Rita Skeeter? He didn't really want her on the council, but perhaps that was a good thing. He was pretty sure you weren't supposed to always be in agreement with your advisors. They were supposed to give critique and offer a counter opinion to your own. And who did he disagree with more than Rita Skeeter? Well, except Voldemort. He even found himself agreeing with Tom and the death eaters on some stuff. But could he trust Rita Skeeter to be involved?
Then there was the question of the younger people in the chamber. They were all just kids. Should they really be included? Harry was certain that he wanted to give them the option. After all, no one had ever given it to him. That's why they had decided on a vow and an oath. The adults would give a magical vow - not an unbreakable one, Harry didn't want to risk their lives, but a magical one with very clear consequences for breaking it. And the kids, if they chose to join would take an oath. That was less dangerous for their magic. It also gave them more freedom to leave the council at any time, so long as they continued their silence.
Next he was concerned about the death eaters. While he was getting to know them in the chamber, he couldn't help but wonder if they should have their trial and prove their remorse before he included them. That seemed like the right thing to do. But he wasn't sure it was fair to put them through two trials. One here in the chamber and another in the new timeline. He knew Severus regretted his part in the war. He'd seen his memories after all. But the others? He really didn't know them well enough to judge. Could he just accept Mother Magic's guidance on it? She'd allowed them into the chamber...
But then there was Peter. If he was letting everyone in the chamber into his council, did that include the rat? He really didn't want to include him. But he wasn't sure how much longer they could keep him trapped in his rat form. It wasn't very humane. And he'd been a lot more forgiving of the other death eaters. Some of which were responsible for causing serious harm and potentially death to the family of other people in the chamber. Wasn't it a bit hypercritical of him to keep the death eater that hurt his family locked up while they all discussed the books politely with the ones that had hurt them? It didn't sit well with him at all.
And that brought him back to the idea of trials... He needed to give Peter a trial at the very least. But he didn't want to rush the others, they deserved to hear the books in their entirety before their trial. What if they missed their chance because they didn't feel remorse until the last chapter of the seventh book? No. That wouldn't work. They could have their trials after they finished reading and not before, unless they decided they were ready. Perhaps, he could leave it in their own hands. They could decide if they were ready for their trial...
Yes. That might work.
But Peter... Harry sighed, pushing his breakfast away.
"Madam Bones," he said, his voice tense.
"Yes, Prince Myrrddin?" She looked up expectantly from her own breakfast.
"I think..." He hesitated, glancing at his dad. Sirius would not like this. "We need to let Wormtail out of his cage."
Amelia's eyes widened in surprise. "But my prince, he..."
"Harry," Sirius started, before stopping himself. He didn't want to say anything rash.
"Can you explain your reasoning?" Remus asked, struggling to control his own feelings on the idea of the rat being freed.
"The other death eaters are allowed to move about freely and..." Harry grimaced. "It's not fair. I can't expect other people to do what I won't. The rat betrayed my family and is the reason my parents are dead, but... Crouch went to Azkaban for what he did to Neville's parents and we're letting him move around freely. Dolohov was one of the death eaters responsible for killing the Prewett's but Mrs Weasley still makes his meals. I shouldn't expect that of the others, if I'm not willing to do the same."
Augusta looked pained. While she agreed wholeheartedly with the Prince's reasoning, she thought it was completely unreasonable that he was holding himself to such a high standard. He was barely more than a child after all.
Sirius looked like he'd swallowed something foul and Remus and Severus looked much the same, although none of them disputed what Harry said. Mr Weasley looked hesitant. He wasn't sure if he'd manage to keep the No Violence rule if the rat was freed. He'd slept in his son's beds. But he knew Harry was right.
"Should we give him a trial here in the chamber?" Amelia asked. They could give him his trial and then if he didn't show remorse, they could lock him back in his cage and be done with it.
"No," Harry said with a sigh. "I think all the death eaters should be allowed to decide when they have their trial, if that means waiting until they leave the chamber or having a second one here."
She raised an eyebrow at that.
"I've been thinking," Harry said, "and I think they need to have their trials before taking any vows for the council."
Several people murmured their agreement to this statement.
"But I don't want to rush them," he continued. "What if they don't feel remorse yet, but will after they've read all the books?"
Amelia nodded in understanding. These books had that potential, she could definitely agree. "Very well. He will have a trial in the chamber if he decides it is something he wants. But I will be keeping a very close eye on him. I don't trust him."
Her eyes darted towards the Weasleys. No. She wouldn't be letting Peter Pettigrew out of her sight.
When they returned to the main chamber, Madam Bones approached the mantle and with a heavy sigh, she unlocked the cage, pulling the rat out. Immediately, the wards in the chamber took effect and Peter transformed back into his human form.
"Peter Pettigrew," Amelia started in her harshest tone of voice. "You have been accused of being a death eater, betraying Lord, Lady and Heir Potter to You-Know-Who and the murder of twelve muggles."
"I didn't!" Peter squeaked. "They're lying."
Amelia rolled her eyes. "You can have a trial to prove your... innocence at a time of your choosing. You can either wait until we return to our time or you can have a pre-trial hearing here in the chamber to confirm your story. I will leave that decision to you. For now, you will sit and you will listen to the books, as you no doubt have already been doing."
She pointedly glared at a chair next to her own. Young Kingsley took the other seat next to the rat, ready to stop him if he tried to escape. Not that he had anywhere to go. The man was shaking violently and muttering about his innocence. But she wouldn't fall for that. Not when she'd heard the truth for herself in the last book. She sat tall in her chair and looked towards Professor Flitwick who was waiting to start the charm on the book. It was going to be a long day.