Chapter 483: The Retrial Begins
Chapter 483: The Retrial Begins
Kingsley escorted them to the entrance before returning to the Auror headquarters. Albus Dumbledore twisted the iron handle and stepped into the room with Kyle.
As the door opened, the buzzing voices within grew louder.
Kyle couldn't help but glance around. The walls of the courtroom were made of black stone, with a few small windows near the ceiling that let in scant sunlight, giving the room a gloomy ambiance.
On either side were rows of ascending empty benches, filled with people whispering to each other.
"Albus, you're finally here," Fudge hurried over and said, "There's a bit of a problem. I'm not sure if the owl reached Black... but if he doesn't show up, this retrial will be meaningless."
"Don't worry, Cornelius," Dumbledore said calmly, "He's here."
"What...?" Fudge subconsciously looked past Dumbledore.
In a flash of fire, Fawkes appeared out of thin air, flapping its wings as it landed on Dumbledore's shoulder.
At the same time, it brought with it another man, thin and pale—none other than Sirius Black.
He looked much the same as before, with messy hair and beard, and wearing dirty, tattered clothes.
His face was extremely pale, and his legs trembled as if he might collapse at any moment.
Kyle could understand Sirius' current state... this was how people often reacted to their first experience with the phoenix's magical transportation.
Seeing Sirius, Fudge finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Sirius Black wouldn't make it, and if that were the case, the retrial would have become a farce.
Fortunately, he had arrived.
Fudge gave Dumbledore a strange look before turning back to the platform.
Without Fudge obstructing the view, everyone else in the room also caught sight of Black, and the whispers grew louder. The entire courtroom buzzed with excitement, resembling a lively Quidditch stadium.
Kyle even heard someone shouting about the Aurors catching a fugitive... did this person not know why they were here?
"Quiet!" Fudge said loudly, "Now that everyone is here, let's begin."
The courtroom immediately fell silent.
Sirius took a deep breath and, under the gaze of everyone present, slowly walked to the center and sat down in a chair.
"I don't understand, Minister," a cold voice spoke up: "You've caught the fugitive, so why waste time with a retrial? Just throw him back into Azkaban or hand him over to the Dementors."
"No need to rush, Barty..." Fudge said slowly, "I have received compelling evidence suggesting that Black is likely innocent."
As soon as he finished, a chorus of whispers filled the room once more.
"Nonsense!" Barty Crouch exclaimed, his face twisting as if he'd been slapped, "Twelve years ago, the entire Muggle street knew that he had sold out the Potters, and he even killed Peter Pettigrew when he came to question him."
"As far as I know, they only heard someone shouting that. No one actually saw it with their own eyes," Fudge said, "And, if I tell you that Peter Pettigrew is still alive..."
"That's impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible." Fudge paid no heed to Crouch's increasingly ugly expression and called out to the door, "Bring him in."
The large door opened once more, and in walked Deloris.
All eyes turned to him, but when they noticed he was alone, their gazes shifted to the chained cage he was carrying.
Crouch frowned as he saw Deloris unlock the cage and tip out a half-dead rat.
"Don't tell me that's Peter Pettigrew!" he asked coldly.
"Revelio!"
A blue light fell upon the rat, causing it to twist and contort, growing larger by the second. A head emerged, followed by limbs...
Moments later, a short man appeared before them, his sparse hair messy and with a bald patch on top, his pointed nose and beady eyes retaining hints of his rat-like features...
A hum filled the courtroom for the third time, and a portion of the wizards leaped to their feet, evidently recognizing the man before them as Peter Pettigrew, the Wormtail.
"Impossible..."
"But he's dead..."
"What in the world is going on here..."
Crouch stood as well, his face darkening with a scowl.
A group of Aurors stepped forward to inspect Peter's identity.
Kyle noticed that as Peter transformed, Sirius clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with a deep-seated hatred, his breath coming in sharp gasps as if he wanted to kill the man before him instantly.
But thankfully, he restrained himself.
"Everyone..."
Soon, Scrimgeour, the head Auror, put away an empty potion bottle and announced loudly, "He is indeed Peter Pettigrew, the Wormtail."
"Good..." Fudge said.
Without addressing Crouch, he continued with the procedure, saying, "Now that everyone is present, I declare that due to the false fact of the death of the witness, we shall now reopen the case regarding the incident in November 1981, where Sirius Orion Black betrayed the Potters and destroyed the street, killing twelve Muggles."
"Questioners: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, the Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; and... Barty Crouch, the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation! Recorder: Cuthbert Binns."
"Witness: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Dumbledore stood and introduced himself.
As Kyle hesitated, wondering if he should also stand, an invisible force suddenly tapped him. It felt like someone had placed a hand on his shoulder.
Kyle glanced at Dumbledore, seeming to understand something, and remained seated.
Fudge quickly glanced their way but didn't say anything. He nodded at Dumbledore and said, "Then, please share your testimony, Mr. Dumbledore. When did you discover that Wormtail was still alive?"
"Thanks to an excellent student of mine, who, with his keen insight, discovered a well-hidden Animagus..."
Dumbledore pointed at Kyle, instantly making him the center of attention. However, most people seemed more interested in what Dumbledore would say next, so they only glanced at Kyle before turning their attention back to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore stood there and repeated what he had previously told Fudge.
During this time, the expressions of the judges varied.
Some were surprised... some were angry... but most wore looks of suspicion...
Especially when they heard Dumbledore claim that it was Peter who had been the Secret-Keeper twelve years ago, that he had betrayed the Potters and framed Black. Crouch stood up again, his expression furious.
"Evidence!" he interrupted Dumbledore harshly. "Peter kept his survival a secret, possibly out of fear of Death Eater retaliation. This does not prove that he was the one responsible for everything!"
As he spoke, he glanced at Wormtail, as if expecting him to defend himself.
But he was soon disappointed. From the beginning, Peter had just lain limply on the ground, silent and unresponsive, even when others called out to him.
(End of Chapter)
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