Running

Chapter 20

We're gonna start this chapter off with a little time jump, nothing too interesting would be going on. I tried something different with the trial, let me know if you think it's good or if I should completely rewrite it. 

As Minister Fudge had previously stated, Peter Pettigrew's survival was rather suspicious, especially the 11 years of hiding that had followed it, so the rat (though not in that form) currently sat in a holding cell in the ministry, two months after being exposed at Hogwarts. He hadn't said a word since arriving. This had been put down to him simply being unused to talking. Life as a rat did not seem to be at all appealing. He would, of course, be forced into spilling everything once he was administered Veritaserum.

Though Sirius Black still remained in Azkaban, he had been alerted of the situation and found himself looking forward to his future.

Exams had, of course, been cancelled due to the 'trauma watching a teacher die' could bring to children. No-one was too bothered by this and the remaining months at Hogwarts flew by quickly. It was now the end of June and the trial was to take place on Monday 6th July. Harry had insisted that he be able to attend while also making sure it took place as soon as possible. To 'prevent his education from being at risk' it was moved to the earliest available date in the summer holidays. Hermione, unfortunately, would not be able to attend, her parents wanting her home as soon as possible for the summer. However, she and Harry would continue to keep in contact via the watch she had got him over Christmas. She'd fashioned one of her own, a daintier style to Harry's but clearly similar. She'd kept it hidden from him during the school year while he attempted to work it out. Eventually he'd given in and she'd shown him its two main features, receiving written messages, and working as a two way verbal communication device. This way if they had something important to relate to each other, or just wanted to chat while Hermione was at home, they didn't have to worry about being intercepted or eavesdropped.

Harry was allowed to, after as much begging as he could, remain under the supervision of Professor McGonagall, in a small room in an Inn in Hogsmeade until the trial.

The Weasley parents were also to be at the trial, escorted by ministry officials to take the stand and testify as to their involvement in the life and survival of Peter Pettigrew. The Weasley children were all to remain with their Aunt Muriel, including Bill and Charlie who had come back to England as moral support for their parents and confused younger siblings.

Fudge himself now sat in his office late into the night of Sunday 5th. How could Sirius Black's trial have been so overlooked? Sure, people were just relieved the Dark Lord was finally gone but had they really chosen to not even investigate the deaths of his last two victims? What had they done? Had they even done anything wrong? What if Pettigrew really was just afraid of coming out? That war had scarred everyone, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume he had been so terrified by the events of the fighting and the bloodshed and the betrayal that he was paranoid. Still, the witness statements clearly heard him accusing Black of betraying the Potters, before cutting off his finger? What reason would he have to do that? This was too much for a Sunday night, and Cornelius was never one to drink before a trial, so rather than firewhiskey, a good cup of tea would have to do.

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It'll be fine Harry, don't worry, you've got this!

It was the morning of Sirius' trial and Harry was sat with Professor McGonagall in the ministry of magic. He'd spent the whole night up talking with Hermione via the watches, neither of them able to sleep, both rather nervous about the trial. Despite a sleepless night, he was perfectly alert for the day ahead. They knew Wormtail was about to get his just desserts, but now they had changed the timeline completely. They were going in to this, completely blind.