Chapter 153: News, Law

Wade’s enchanted Book of Friends didn’t sell particularly well—only a few parents bought it to place on their children, treating it like a protective talisman. Of course, Wade himself had multiple templates of the device. After acquiring the Marauder’s Map, he refined the Book of Friends using the magical rune circuitry he’d studied, making it smaller, more precise in tracking, and far less detectable in magical resonance.

After capturing Peter Pettigrew, Wade used a Sticking Charm to affix a miniature Book of Friends to the man’s nape. Shrunk to the size of a grain of dust with a Shrinking Charm, even if Pettigrew transformed into a rat, the device would likely be mistaken for a speck of dirt. With this, Wade could now master Pettigrew’s location in real time.

To Percy, Ron, and the others, handing Peter over to the Ministry of Magic was the end of the matter. But Wade couldn’t see it that way. In fact, his decision to pursue Pettigrew with the Weasley Twins instead of seeking help from Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall stemmed from the same conviction.

Wade had no trust in the Ministry of Magic—neither in their competence, nor their integrity, nor their sense of responsibility. And while Dumbledore was arguably the most powerful wizard in the world, he carried a kind of self-imposed restraint. Though he could have crushed Fudge and Umbridge with a single hand, in the story, he tolerated their absurd laws, their endless restrictions on his authority, and their persecution of students and staff.

Since Harry’s second year, the Ministry had repeatedly invaded Hogwarts under the guise of official authority, arresting innocent people, forcing Dumbledore to step down on multiple occasions, and eventually branding him a senile old madman.

And Dumbledore? He always backed down. He would nudge the needle of fate slightly within the rules, steering events toward his desired outcome—but never dared to overturn the table. Under Dumbledore’s influence, most of the professors—McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, and others—adopted the same cautious, law-abiding approach.

So when Pettigrew was captured, Dumbledore would conduct a private interrogation… but in the end, he’d hand the case over to the Ministry for investigation and trial. He had expectations for the outcome, but he wouldn’t use his power to manipulate the result or force Fudge to rule as he wished. Even if the verdict went against his hopes, he’d first exhaust every legal avenue before taking any action.

The most powerful wizard in the world, bound by law and self-restraint—this was a blessing for ordinary people. But when standing across from someone who wielded the law as a weapon to destroy others, whose hunger for power was matched only by their cowardice in taking responsibility, Dumbledore’s adherence to rules felt infuriating.

Wade couldn’t place his hope in Dumbledore. He wouldn’t make the same mistake as the original trio—naively scrambling through legal texts after the Ministry delivered a verdict they didn’t like, or lamenting too late when the window of opportunity had closed. Because he knew: regret was useless. Mistakes carried consequences.

---

The next day at the Umbrella Room gathering, Harry recounted the entire incident in full detail, with Fred and George adding their own insights. Ever since the Deathmatch began, the twins had joined the SSC. Their spellcasting proficiency had skyrocketed, and in their free time, they often studied alchemy with Wade.

“This was a huge deal—you should’ve called us in,” Michael complained.

“You can’t get into the Gryffindor Common Room,” Wade replied. “And success requires secrecy. What if Wormtail overheard us by accident?”

“So… the hero was actually the traitor,” Liam concluded, “and the one in prison was innocent all along?”

“Yeah…” Harry said, his voice heavy. “Remus told me Sirius Black was my godfather. I don’t even know what kind of man he was.”

Theo sympathized. “Merlin… he’s been in Azkaban for eleven years. I can’t even imagine.”

“What’s Azkaban like?” Harry asked.

“It’s the most terrifying place in the world,” Theo whispered, lowering his voice. “A wizard’s prison. Guarded by Dementors.”

“Dementors?” Harry frowned.

“Creatures that feed on happiness,” Theo shuddered. “They force you to relive your worst memories. My uncle was there for three months. When he came out, he was nearly mad. He said he’d rather die than go back.”

A shadow fell over Harry’s face.

Three months nearly drove a man insane. What about eleven years?

His godfather… could he even still be himself?

Still… Harry thought.

Even if Sirius Black had lost his mind… he’d gone mad protecting them. That was his duty. That was what his parents would have wanted.

That was his responsibility.

---

For days afterward, Ron would gag every time Scabbers was mentioned—until Harry entrusted Remus Lupin with buying him a new owl as compensation. It was a stunning creature: eyes like polished moonstones, glowing faintly in the dark; feathers arranged like sharp, pointed cat ears; and a spotted, tawny coat resembling a leopard’s pelt, giving it a fierce, noble look.

The joy of his new pet instantly erased the disgust and frustration he’d felt toward Scabbers. Ron proudly showed off his owl everywhere, beaming with happiness. Harry was glad too. He began counting the days, eager for the moment his godfather would be released.

On the weekend, Machionni had to postpone his meeting with Wade due to work obligations. So Wade and the others slipped through the Vanishing Cabinet to Hogsmeade. When they arrived at Remus Lupin’s house, they saw him hanging the photograph again on the wall—but this time, Peter Pettigrew’s face was covered.

Sirius Black’s face, now fully revealed, was striking: handsome, elegant, his dark hair tousled across his forehead, and eyes—gray, sharp, and smiling.

“He’s got gray eyes, just like you!” Michael gasped.

“Yeah… I guess so,” Wade admitted, surprised.

Harry stared at the photo, unable to stop smiling. Remus Lupin watched him, his expression shadowed with worry.

“What’s wrong?” Wade asked.

“I… don’t know,” Remus said slowly. “But something feels off. I applied to visit Sirius, but they refused. And there are rumors—bad ones.”

“Rumors?”

“Someone inside the Ministry has proposed a theory,” Remus whispered, careful not to be overheard. “That Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew both served Voldemort. Eleven years ago, when James and Lily Potter were killed, they framed Sirius Black while Peter Pettigrew went into hiding, waiting for the right moment to resurface.”

“Now, with Pettigrew exposed, they’re trying to exonerate Sirius—so that there’s always a loyal Death Eater outside, ready to serve Voldemort again.”

Wade was silent for a long moment, then let out a half-amused, half-sarcastic chuckle.

“Imagination is truly limitless. Have they never thought… why couldn’t both of them have escaped together?”

“Exactly,” Remus said bitterly. “And yet, this absurd theory… someone inside the Ministry actually believes it.”

“Who’s behind it?” Michael asked, leaning in.

“The Minister himself—Fudge,” Remus replied. “He provided key testimony.”

“Fudge?” Michael frowned. “He was Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Catastrophes back then. He was one of the first on the scene after Pettigrew’s murder.”

“He swore that when they arrived, the place was a bloodbath. Sirius Black stood there, laughing hysterically. When arrested, he was still grinning—like a madman, driven to vengeance after his master’s failure.”

“The Black family has always been staunch pure-blood supporters. Sirius had a younger brother who joined the Death Eaters before even finishing school.”

“So Fudge doesn’t believe Sirius is innocent. He thinks… if we free Sirius, he’ll try to return to Voldemort. That loyal, fanatical servant could bring the Dark Lord back.”

“But the Ministry’s been saying Voldemort’s been defeated,” Wade said.

“Of course they say that during promotions,” Remus shook his head. “Fudge claims he’s only presenting a possibility. But the moment you think about it… it sends chills down your spine.”

“Besides the Death Eaters, there’s no one inside willing to bring the Dark Lord back,” Michael said calmly. “Given that, the trial could go badly.”

“If they’re truly ruthless,” Remus added, his voice trembling, “they might even get Pettigrew to testify against Sirius—something that would destroy any chance of a fair trial.”

His face paled. His brow furrowed. He looked heavier than ever.

“Wade… about that thing we prepared earlier…”

Wade paused, then nodded slowly. “I was planning to hold off on the news… but now, maybe this is the best time.”

Remus visibly relaxed. “Thank Merlin you were ready. I thought it was overkill.”

“What else did you do?” Michael asked, curious.

“Found a few journalists,” Wade said simply. “Prepared a major incident.”

Waiting until the Ministry’s official trial to release the story might have created a stronger emotional impact—shaking Fudge’s authority, possibly forcing him out early. But the risk was too great. Fudge wasn’t just a fool—he was a killer. If the situation turned against him, he might have Sirius and Pettigrew both silenced. “Suicide in prison” was common enough. He could always blame a few temporary workers. Even Dumbledore, furious as he might be, couldn’t storm the Ministry and kill the Minister. That was why Fudge dared to push so far.

Without waiting to return to school, Wade contacted Machionni.

The next morning, Machionni sent him several newspapers.

France, the United States, Germany, New Zealand, Italy—top-selling papers in each country carried the same story: a gripping, twisting tale from Britain, filled with betrayal, secrets, and justice long denied.

Magic had no real distance. The news spread like wildfire across the world.

British media couldn’t let foreign outlets steal their headlines.

By the third day, The Daily Prophet published a front-page story in bold, eye-catching type:

“Hero or Traitor? Peter Pettigrew’s Crimes Exposed After Eleven Years!”

The front page featured two giant photographs: one of Sirius Black, gaunt and wild-haired, his face hollowed by years in prison; the other of Peter Pettigrew, bald, round-faced, and trembling with fear.

Wade nodded in satisfaction. The reporters had copied the international stories almost verbatim, using suspenseful phrasing and relentless questioning to build the narrative.

Anyone who read it would reach one conclusion: Peter Pettigrew—the man who’d been awarded the Merlin Medal—was the true traitor. The Ministry had made a catastrophic error.

After the paper arrived, the Great Hall buzzed with whispers. Students barely touched their food. Even the professors at the staff table were hunched over their copies, murmuring among themselves—most of them still unaware of Pettigrew’s capture.

Wade finished eating quickly and returned to the Room of Requirement. He opened the slightly warm Book of Friends.

[Machionni:] A reporter contacted me. Fudge is furious with the coverage. The Ministry has pressured the paper, forbidding them from portraying Sirius Black as an innocent victim.

[Wade:] The Legal Enforcement Department’s Barty Crouch was the one who sent Sirius to prison without trial. Shift the blame to him. Minimize Fudge’s role. That way, the Ministry won’t fight back so hard.

[Machionni:] You wanted to shake Fudge’s authority, didn’t you?

[Wade:] A temporary measure. We’ll bring this up again later.

Machionni drew a large, upright thumb on the paper, then wrote:

[Machionni:] This will reduce resistance. I’ll convince them to cooperate.

[Wade:] Tell them I’ll pay extra.

[Machionni:] …Alright. No problem.

[Machionni:] But I have one more question.

[Wade:] Go ahead.

[Machionni:] Why are you doing all this for Sirius Black? You’ve never met him.

After a long pause, Wade wrote:

[Wade:] Law exists to protect the innocent. If justice is twisted, order collapses.

[Wade:] If those with power abuse the law to persecute the innocent—if we have the power to change it, yet choose to do nothing—then when the same persecution comes for us… who will speak for us?

Minutes passed. Then Machionni’s reply appeared:

[Machionni:] Looking forward to meeting you this weekend, Wade.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end