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Chapter 160: Interrogation
Chapter 160: Interrogation
Lupin remained silent for a moment.
He had a feeling that Moody wanted to say something more along the lines of "stupidity" rather than "simplicity."
But... trusting Sirius was something he believed in without a doubt! He had been wrong for eleven years; did he want to continue down that path?
The four of them used to be inseparable, but even then, there were varying degrees of closeness among them.
When Sirius betrayed James, Lupin felt more hatred than anyone else. But the moment he learned that Peter Pettigrew was still alive, he knew he had made a mistake.
He should have trusted his instincts instead of blindly accepting the so-called "facts" that others fed him.
However, these feelings were probably something Moody couldn't understand.
So Lupin merely forced a smile and said softly, "I believe him."
Harry summoned his courage and, facing Moody's terrifying face, said, "M-me too."
The magical eye fixed on him, and at the same time, Moody's real black eye turned to look at Harry.
Harry felt nervous and sweaty-palmed but persisted, "I believe my father's choice of godfather... he's not a traitor!"
Moody burst into laughter, but for once, there was no hint of mockery in it.
"...Kid!"
He grumbled.
Suddenly, the entire house fell silent.
The side door of the interrogation room opened, and several wizards walked in—Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, a gray-haired witch with a monocle, and a fierce-looking wizard with leonine hair.
They took their seats on the highest stools in the center.
Then, about a dozen people in purple-red robes walked in and sat down on either side, looking solemn and dignified.
All the sounds in the interrogation room quickly faded away.
A crisp knock sounded, and the gray-haired witch said expressionlessly, "Bring in Sirius Black."
Lupin's body lurched forward, and his palms, grasping the back of the chair in front of him, turned pale. Harry, on the other hand, stood up instinctively.
Moody put down his hip flask and leaned on his staff.
Wade lifted his eyes to look at the small door in the corner.
The door opened.
Harry almost cried out, and a brief hum arose from the crowd.
Two cloaked creatures, nearly three meters tall, slowly floated in. They seemed to be holding the person in the middle by his arms, as if they were water-blistered and scabbed hands, leading him to the armchair in the middle of the room.
The faces of the two creatures under their cloaks seemed to be breathing, and as they inhaled deeply, a chill spread through the room.
Even from a distance, Harry felt his hands and feet turn cold. The wizards also showed expressions of disgust and fear.
"What... what are those?" Harry asked.
"Dementors," Wade replied.
His Occlumency skills were quite impressive by now, so the Dementors didn't affect him much.
—So those were Dementors, Harry thought.
He had heard that many prisoners locked up in Azkaban went insane, and he had found it unbelievable. But now, seeing the Dementors with his own eyes, he could understand why.
He looked at the man being held by the Dementors.
His head hung low as if he had fainted, and his long, dirty, tangled hair fell messily. His skin was as white as wax, and his body was so thin it resembled a skeleton.
He was wrapped in a set of tattered old clothes, looking like he was draped in rags. His skinny ankles were shackled, and the chains dragged on the ground, making a jingling sound.
Wade suddenly heard a creaking sound and looked up to see Lupin staring intently at the skeletal Sirius Black, his face taut and expressionless, his hands trembling slightly.
Wade lowered his eyes.
The Dementors placed Sirius in the center chair, and the chains on the armrests suddenly shone with a golden light, coiling around Sirius like snakes and binding him to the chair.
Then, they slowly left the room, their bodies floating lightly like a wisp of black smoke.
A distinct sigh echoed through the interrogation room. The reporters craned their necks, staring intently at Sirius in the chair and snapping a series of photos.
Among the wizards in the front row, only Dumbledore remained calm, while the others showed clear displeasure.
A crisp knock sounded again, and the reporters had to put down their cameras and pick up their quills, their faces still eager.
"Record!" The gray-haired witch said in a cold voice, "On November 14, the trial of Sirius Black for colluding with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, leaking the address of James and Lily Potter, and killing thirteen people after being exposed is reopened!"
"Questioners: Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge; Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Susan Bones; Head of the Auror Office, Rufus Scrimgeour. Recorder: Albus Dumbledore."
"Spokesperson for the defendant: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."
Dumbledore stood up from his side chair and said, "Given the defendant Sirius Black's poor condition, I will speak on his behalf."
A murmur rippled through the audience in the interrogation room, and most of the Wizengamot members in purple-red robes turned to Dumbledore with smiles.
Fudge's displeasure became more evident, and he looked left and right as if expecting someone to object. But Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour remained silent.
"Well... alright, Dumbledore... that's permissible..." Fudge said reluctantly.
Ignoring Fudge's reluctance, Dumbledore stood up and strode over to Sirius Black, placing a hand on his shoulder.
The warmth of a living person's hand seemed to pull Sirius out of some suppressed emotion. He slowly raised his head and looked at Dumbledore.
His eyes, set in hollow sockets, were deep and dark, devoid of any emotion.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Dumbledore began, "I believe most of you here still remember that we interrogated Peter Pettigrew here yesterday."
"Due to the complexity of the case and the passage of time," Dumbledore continued, "we specifically allowed the use of Veritaserum during the interrogation..."
Hearing that familiar name, Sirius Black froze, and then a faint, dark light seemed to flicker in those eyes.
He stared intently at Dumbledore.
In the audience, some showed worried expressions, while others gestured for the white-bearded headmaster to step back—they seemed to think Sirius would pounce and bite Dumbledore.
But Dumbledore did not move away. He continued his statement.
"Under the influence of the potion, Peter Pettigrew confessed to his crimes. He admitted that he was the Potters' actual Secret-Keeper and that he revealed their location to Voldemort..."
Sirius Black suddenly let out a hoarse roar—
"Peter Pettigrew? He's still alive?"
(End of Chapter)
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