Chapter 4
How Sirius walked out of that tower, how he got back home, he barely knew. How he was able to live in Remus in that place for even a day longer. Azkaban's sickening atmosphere, the shivering dread you felt when you were inside. Remus' dark, cold cell that was claustrophobically small, Sirius felt ill just after minutes he spent inse, he couldn't imagine what Remus must have felt.
He was now in his home, laying on his bed and could feel his hands still trembling. He thought about Peter... Everything started to make more and more sense. How could he ever be so blind? He would be missing for days at a time and never give a solid explanation to where he was. He'd put words in us, making us suspicious of each other, turning us agents against each other... and it worked… most of all on him. How did no one notice? We're all of them just so fucking focused on their own problems that they didn't notice their friend had become a completely different person?
The clock on his bedside table read 2:47. It was pointless lying in bed. He got up and walked down to his kitchen, he got a piece of parchment and wrote to the only person he knew could think of- Dumbledore.
He was the one that made it possible for him to go in the first place. The thing about Albus Dumbledore is that he is a calculated man that wants to keep his hands as clean as possible. He must have known that Remus hadn't had a trial, but he didn't want to be the one to fight for a werewolf prisoner alone in the Ministries' eyes. No, that would be too taboo, even for him. So there came Sirius. And even though he did not like him, he would fight with him for this.
His letter wrote:
We need to talk about Remus' "trial". As soon as possible.
Sirius
Sort but to the point. He wasted no time and got to his back garden to give to his owl Lulu (Harry choice in the name) he strapped it on to her leg and she flew away.
He stayed up till the early morning just thinking though after thought until his eyelids were way too heavy to keep open. And even that little bit of sleep he got was restless
He woke up on his couch to continuous knocking on his door. Shit! Arthur with Harry! He rushed to open the door.
"Sorry Arth-"
But standing at his doorstep was Dumbledore.
"Good morning Mr Black, I received your letter. May I come in."
He stepped aside for him, confused until his brain adjusted to being awake. Right, the letter he wrote, he did say as soon as possible the letter but he didn't expect this soon.
Dumbledore took a seat on the couch.
"So, what about Mr Lupin's trial did you want to talk about?"
His tone was as always calm and collected, he spoke as if he had no clue what had happened. Suddenly a wave of anger overtook him, and woke up his still hazy mind.
"It didn't happen. There was no trial!"
Dumbledore stayed quiet, carefully picking out his next words, but Sirius didn't give him the chance to speak.
"Did you know about this?"
"... I recently learned of some rumors."
"So you decided to send me to confirm or deny the 'rumors' hu?"
Sirius had backed him up into a corner. He didn't play his subtle game, he didn't want to dance around his words. Dumbledore remained silent but him his overall
composure there was a hint of irritation, Sirius took pride in that.
"I'll do it. I will be your shield in this, but I need you to pull your strings and get Remus a court case, immediately." He wasn't kind with his tone and he didn't care how Dumbledore would take it.
"I can do that."
Sirius waited for him to ask for more explanations of what happened that made him so certain that Remus was innocent, but he did not. Maybe because he already knew, maybe not, either way Sirius was glad he didn't have it in him to explain the whole story.
The important thing now is that it was going to happen, Remus would get a trial and Sirius felt a little weight being carried off his shoulders.
He was about to ask how long it would take when he heard knocking on his door. He went to open it and was greeted with a loud "Sirius!" and Harry hugging his legs. Behind him was Arthur with his on-the-brink-of-exploding briefcase.
"Hello Harry.” He reached down to ruffle his hair. “Arthur, thank you so much, really."
"Oh don't mention it, he is a joy to have around! Anyways I'm sorry but I really can't talk. I'll be so late for work."
Arthur hastily ran back into his car and quickly drove off.
"Sirius, it was so awesome! Me and Ron stayed up until twelve in the morning! And we-"
Harry stopped mid sentence when he saw Dumbledore in the living room and shyly hid behind Sirius' leg.
"Good morning Harry, you've grown so much since the last time I saw you" said Dumbledore. Sirius quietly huffed at the statement.
Harry didn't say anything back, just hid more while looking at Dumbledore with curious eyes. He couldn't blame him, Sirius was used to his wizardly appearance but to Harry he must have been something completely new. His long white beard, his velvet blue robe and his wizard hat.
"Harry, this is my old professor I told you about, professor Dumbledore."
"... You have a very big hat mister." Harry whispered.
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It wasn't long before Dumbledore left and Sirius had to wait for the letter for the court.
The rest of the day he spent with Harry making lunch, eating, reading a book to him, drawing, making the drawing fly, while Harry told him everything about his time at the Wesleys.
During dinner Harry still found new things to say.
"Percy also has a pet rat. His name is Scabbers… but I don't think he likes me very much, "
Just at a mention of a rat Sirius felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand up.
"Yeah 'cause every time I went to see him he ran away. And- and George also told me one of his fingers is gone!"
Sirius' head turned so fast that Harry jumped back in his seat.
"Harry, what- what did you just say" Sirius muttered with a hoarse voice.
"... I- I just said that- that George told me that Scabbers doesn't have a finger…" he softly whispered back unsertan and scared.
… fucking Peter.
Sirius started cursing under his breath. That only made Harry curl into himself more and more, his green eyes fixed on him afraid he might have done something wrong.
"... Did-did I say something bad?"
"No, no buddy! You did very well that you told me." He kissed the top of his head. "You- you finish here and go to bed alright, I need-..."
He got up for the table, not sure what he needed to do. Does he contact the ministry? Dumbledore? The Weasleys?
Fuck! He needed something quick. No flying, no letters.
In his room he had a box with floo powder inside, he could try to speak to Dumbledore. He wouldn't be able to go to Hogwarts, the floo network doesn't work in Hogwarts but maybe he could talk through the fire.
He accioed the box to him and lit a fire with his wand. He took a little bit of the power in his hand.
Please work, please work, please work!
He threw it into the flames and shouted "Dumbledore's office". The flames turned green in an instant, it worked!
He put his head through the green fire, the sensation was weird, the warm frames enveloped his face and suddenly he could see through red and yellow colors into Dumbledore's office.
His throat had a knot he hadn't realized was there until he tried to speak.
"D- Dumbledore! Sir!"
After a few more yells Dumbledore aperd.
"Mr Black, what happened? What is the meaning of this?"
"I know where Peter Pettigrew is!" As soon as he spoke his name the same discussing bitterness covered his mouth like he would get when speaking Remus' name, only this time even more vile.
Dumbledore looked at him for a few seconds, while in his mind he was meticulously analyzing everything about the situation.
"Where?" Was the only word he said.
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In one night a team of aurors were sent to the borrow. That same night Peter was captured. And the next day was going to be the trial.
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For one more night he got next to nothing of sleep, his body was running full time of pure adrenaline and caffeine.
He had to be at the ministry at two and he was told to bring " The Boy Who Lived" (their words) with him, which was utterly cruel.
He had to seat Harry down and explain to him so many things. He was only four and a half and he had to be present in the courtroom for the murderer of his own parents. How could the ministry ask that? What would a four year old boy even do there?
Once he was dressed and ready to leave he looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were red and had dark cuticles underneath, it reminded him of Remus' in the war.
With unending anxiety in his stomach and Harry holding his hand he stepped out of the house heading to the ministry.
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He arrived in the wide dim lit room, he sat where he had instructed to sit, next the tall benchies, with Harry beside him still holding his little hand.
One by one the room started to fill up with familiar faces. People he used to see in order meetings during the war, people he went on motions with. He saw McGonagall enter the courtroom with worried eyes looking over at him, he wanted to go up to her and hug her. He saw the asshole Azkaban auror. Then Hagrid with that must have been his best clothes. After a while Molly and Arthur also came in with disturbed expressions on their faces and tired eyes, they too most likely didn't get any sleep either. All of them sat far from him. Eventually Dumbledore walked in, he was the only one who sat close to him.
And finally the judge made her way up to the bench. She knocked the gavel, it was starting.
She started talking but Sirius didn't listen, his hands were trembling and he couldn't stop his leg from bouncing up and down. Where was Remus?
A man beside the judge took out his wand and pointed it at the center of the empty space in front of the bench. With a loud clicking noise the empty space filled a one person cage.
His blood ran cold.
"You may bring in the defendant."
Then Sirius saw red. What the fuck were they about to do? He stood up so fast he almost knocked down his chair. He started screaming.
"What is this!? You can't put him in that!"
The judge's head instantly turned to his direction with an authoritative look in her eyes.
“Mr Black! Sit back down and collect yourself!”
“What you are doing is inhuman, that man is innocent and you are going to put him in a cage!”
“Mr Black sit back down or you will have to leave.”
As he was about to snap back at her the door opened once more. In walked Remus, pale and skeletal as a dying man. Suddenly the air in his lungs didn't feel enough. His legs felt weak so he sat back down, unable to take his eyes off Remus.
Remus’ wrists were cuffed and an auror walked behind him with his wand pointed to his back. He walked with weak limp steps and stopped in front of the metal cage. Sirius saw his Adam's apple go up and down as he swallowed before ultimately stepping in.
His blood boiled at the sight of Remus in that thing, he clenched his jaw and dug his nails so deep into his arm it hurt.
“What is happening, Sirius?” Harry quietly mumbled.
“It-it's okay Harry… everything is going to be okay.” He tried to reassure him and himself, he wasn't sure if it was working.
He took Harry's hand again and turned his gaze on Remus once more. Remus was already staring in his direction, he wasn't looking at him but Harry. Harry's hand tightened around Sirius'.
“Who is that?” He whispered, staring back.
“My friend…” he responded weakly.
“...What happened to him?”
What hadn't happened to Remus? That was the real question.
Under the dim light of the room he could see Remus' face more clearly than when he went to Azkaban. Sirius could close his eyes and picture Remus; he knew precisely where every one of his scars was. A pale one crossing his left cheek bone, one that tore off a little bit of his right ear, three thin pink ones he got on he got on his 5th year at Hogwarts, going from left to right one going across his forehead, one his nose and cheek and one his chin -he felt responsible for those… and last his guilty pleasure the scar on the left corner of his lips.
Even though they were made by a vicious wolf, all were somehow still delicate. But now he saw two angry deep claw marks going all the way from his jaw down his throat to the collar of his ragged prison uniform. The hairs on Sirius's body stood, he couldn't bear to think about the rest of him.
“Remus John Lupin,” the judge said, “on November 1st 1981 you were sent to Azkaban prison indefinitely. For being a member of you- know-whose army, playing an active role in the murderer-”
Sirius put his hands on top of Harry's ears so he couldn't hear the rest and brought him closer.
“- of Lily Evans Potter, James Potter and attempted murder of their, at the time, one year old son Harry Potter. This was achieved by the use of dark magic against secret keeper of the Potters' location, Peter Pettigrew. Who after the secret was taken was murdered on the spot. How do you plead, Mr Lupin?”
“Not guilty.”
Whispers filled the room.
“Very well. Now due to some recent developments in the case we've gathered here to reevaluate Mr Lupin's sentence.” She looked over to a sanding auror “Bring the Veritaserum.”
The auror walked up to Remus with a glass vial in his hand with clear liquid inside. Through one of the bars opening he poured the dirk down Remus' mouth.
“This question is to see if the Veritaserum has taken effect. What were your parents' names, Mr Lupin?”
Without missing a beat he spoke “Lyall Lupin and Hope Lupin.”
“Good. Now Mr Lupin this court case is happening for two reasons the first one being it was asked by Mr Sirius Black after his visit in Azkaban in which you told him you didn't get a court hearing. Is that true?”
“Yes, it is. I did not get a trial and I'm pretty sure I never would.”
The judge stayed silent for a few seconds before continuing.
“... Your lack of a trial was due to complications in the system as the war had just ended.”
Bullshit. He bit down on his tongue trying not to speak.
“Mr Lupin, would you describe to us the events of the 31sr of October?”
“ I woke up late in the afternoon, hungover. I stayed in my house, alone, drinking. I think it's important to mention that I didn't know the Potters had gone into hiding, at the time I had cut off all contact with pretty much everyone. Around one or two in the morning of November 1st Peter Pettigrew's patronus was sent to me telling me to meet him and that it was urgent. I went he told me my best friends are dead”,
Remus’ voice was shaking
“and he was responsible, as he was a death eater. He pointed his wand at me and threatened my life if I didn't say back. Then he cut off his finger, threw it on the ground, turned into a rat, as he is an illegal animagus, and disappeared in the sewers… You probably know the rest.”
The judge opened her mouth to speak but she was cut off.
“He is out there a free death eater, while I was locked up in Azkaban with the dementors paying for his crimes!” he yelled.
The entire room was left in dead silence. But Remus wasn't done.
“And all because I am a werewolf! I was bitten when I was four! And I didn't get a trial not ‘due to complications in the fucking system’ but because all you turned a blind eye. Did you ever think what happened to me in that prison cell? Most people don't want to think about what happens on a regular day, think about full moons.” He pulled the collar of his shirt down showing where his scar ended. “Fucking look at me! And you bring me here not a death eater, not a criminal after paying the price of being bitten at four and the price of my best friends deaths I wasn't responsible for, you dare to bring me here and put me in a goddamn fucking cage!”
From the corner of his eye Sirius saw Dumbledore point his wand to Remus and with a pop the cage around him disappeared.
“Who did that?!” Distressed yelled out the judge.
Dumbledore stood up. “I did. Mr Lupin is not guilty of anything but a filthy mouth. I think he
should be informed of the second reason this court has taken place and that is Peter Pettigrew was found hiding in the form of a rat in the residence of the Weasleys. Has been captured and his trial will begin shortly.”
Remus looked at Dumbledore for a moment, the corner of his mouth slightly twitching. Then he slowly turned to the judge.
“What's the verdict?” somehow his voice was soft and steady.
“Not guilty.”
“I hope Peter gets what I went through.” Without another word Remus' turned around and headed for the door.
“Harry, come on.”
He took Harry's hand and ran for the door across the room. Outside he saw Remus looking off into space, down his cheeks running tears.
“Remus.” Sirius whispered while slowly walking up to him.
Just for an instant their eyes met before Remus wrapped his hands around him holding him tight. Sirius hugged him back just as tight.
That was it. It was over.
Remus Lupin was a free man.