Chapter 301: The Trial of Black
Having no other choice, Dylan reached out and rubbed the edge of the toilet. The instant he touched the cold porcelain, he felt a sudden, sharp tug, as if his navel had been hooked by something. Immediately, a "whoosh-whoosh-whoosh" sound filled his ears. Everything around him rushed backward. In the blink of an eye, he was standing steadily on the floor of the Ministry of Magic Atrium.
Dumbledore arrived right after and patted Dylan lightly on the shoulder from behind. The two registered their wand information together, then walked into the elevator to head downstairs.
The elevator descended slowly. When it stopped at the ground floor—the floor of the Minister's Office—Dylan inadvertently glanced at a large poster of Fudge on the wall. The Fudge in the poster held his wand, his gaze cast into the distance, looking energetic and ready to accomplish great things. In reality, anyone familiar with Fudge and the recent state of the British wizarding world wouldn't actually believe that.
The elevator continued its descent, finally stopping at the Ninth Underground Level—the Department of Mysteries. The courtroom was on the Tenth Underground Level, which the elevator couldn't reach directly. Dylan and Dumbledore had to walk.
As they walked toward the tenth level, Dumbledore suddenly brought up the matter of Sirius Black. "I heard from Remus and Sirius that your Divination skills seem to have improved again." Dumbledore's tone held a hint of interest, his bright blue eyes fixed on Dylan.
"Ah... that. I think it is the case after studying with Professor Trelawney for a while," Dylan said with a smile, nodding.
"Oh... it seems she's taught you a lot," Dumbledore said, walking ahead of Dylan down the stairs. He gently stroked his silver beard, lost in thought. After a moment, he asked, "Do you have any plans for the summer holiday?"
"Nothing much. As you know, I'm not very interested in Quidditch, so I don't plan to go to the World Cup." Dylan blurted it out, but regretted it as soon as he spoke. He realized that the old Headmaster must have a reason for asking and probably wanted his help with something. He didn't want to become the next Newt Scamander or Harry Potter, getting caught up in all sorts of trouble. He had many experiments to conduct over the summer. Plus, he had to observe how a ghost dissipated.
Dumbledore's footsteps paused. When Dylan caught up to him and walked alongside him, Dumbledore smiled and patted his shoulder. "It's wonderful to hear you're free. I'll pay you a visit then."
Dylan pursed his lips, his expression glum. Just as he thought!
He followed Dumbledore straight into Courtroom Ten.
The courtroom was already filled with people; the seats were nearly all occupied. Dylan followed Dumbledore to the empty seats in the front row. This was the exclusive spot for the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Dylan was only allowed to sit there because of Dumbledore.
"Speaking of which, I once served as the Youth Wizard Representative of the Wizengamot," the old Headmaster said, looking at the courtroom's setting. He recalled the past years, his voice tinged with emotion. "I participated in Wizengamot voting as a youth representative when I was still in school." For a long time after Dumbledore, the Ministry of Magic's Wizengamot never established the position of Youth Representative again.
Dylan looked at Dumbledore with confusion, not understanding the purpose of his sudden remark. Was he just trying to show off his past experience, or did he have another agenda? He can't possibly want me to be the next Wizengamot Youth Wizard Representative, can he?
Dumbledore seemed to read his mind. He winked playfully, patted Dylan's shoulder, but said nothing more. Then, his gaze turned to the doorway of Courtroom Ten. He stepped forward to meet a wizard who had just entered, embracing him.
"Cornelius, it's been a while since we last met."
"It has, Albus. I've missed you." The newcomer was none other than the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Although they had just met not long ago, that didn't stop him from flashing an obviously forced smile.
Behind him followed a short, stout woman in pink clothing, her chest badge clearly reading: "Dolores Umbridge, Undersecretary to the Minister."
Umbridge's voice was shrill and grating. "Minister, the criminal Sirius Black has arrived."
Dylan followed her gaze. A slightly overweight man walked into the courtroom doorway, looking rather relaxed. He wore only a jacket on his upper body—it was indeed Sirius Black.
The moment he walked in, the seated wizards began to whisper and exchange comments, their voices spreading throughout the courtroom. In the eyes of some, Black was still the killer from over a decade ago, the madman who had used a single curse to kill thirteen Muggles and destroy half a street.
Behind Sirius Black was a tall, dark-skinned wizard. The wizard gently poked Black's side with his wand and said, "Time to move forward, Sirius. By the way, you've gotten much fatter than before."
Sirius Black swatted the wand away, stepped forward, and muttered, "Even if I'm fat, I can't catch up to you, Kingsley..."
When Sirius Black reached the center of the courtroom and stopped, Fudge walked up to the podium, cleared his throat, and announced the start of the trial.
"Fourteen years ago, Sirius Black, as a Death Eater, caused the deaths of the Potters, violated the Statute of Secrecy, destroyed an entire street, resulting in the deaths of thirteen Muggles, and murdered Peter Pettigrew. He was consequently sentenced to life in Azkaban."
"However, evidence now suggests that Black is, in fact, innocent."
"And Peter Pettigrew, previously thought to be dead, has been confirmed to be alive, and that Pettigrew is the real Death Eater and the perpetrator of all these events!"
The moment the words fell, the courtroom burst into an uproar. The Wizengamot wizards on the podium whispered among themselves, their discussions rising and falling. Although many had already heard rumors, hearing Fudge's statement firsthand still felt somewhat unreal. A cold case from fourteen years ago was now being overturned. The person once regarded as the murderer had become the innocent party, while the one who should have been a hero and received the Order of Merlin was the true culprit.
"That's impossible!" A shrill, tearful voice came from the corner of the courtroom, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Perched on a chair in the corner was a shabbily dressed, haggard old woman. Her face was gaunt, her hair plastered messily to her face. The old woman was Peter Pettigrew's mother.
"My son couldn't possibly be a Death Eater! He was so, so..." The old woman suddenly stalled, unable to find the right words to describe her son.
"Madam Pettigrew, we do not appear to have invited you to this trial, nor are you a member of the Wizengamot," Fudge said to her, his tone flat.
"Don't talk so much! My son is absolutely not a Death Eater!" Madam Pettigrew's voice suddenly rose sharply, the wrinkles on her face bunching up due to her distorted expression. She stretched out a withered finger, pointing directly at Sirius Black in the center of the courtroom. "It's him! That man is the murderer! He killed my son and now wants to frame my poor child! How despicable! How shameless!"
The old woman, full of grievance, stumbled toward Fudge, then abruptly turned to Dumbledore, rushing toward him and wailing: "Peter is still just a child!"
"I think he must have been tricked by that murderer, that Black!"
"I could tell that Black was no good from the time they were in school!"
"Merlin! My poor little Peter has been wronged so terribly! He was so brutally murdered by that damned killer, and now he is being framed like this!"
Dumbledore stood up, reached out to support the emotional Madam Pettigrew, and then gently guided her to the side. His tall figure allowed him to look down at the old woman. "Madam Pettigrew, everything requires evidence."
Dumbledore's gaze first went to Fudge, then slowly swept across the seated Wizengamot wizards, finally resting on Dylan. "Dylan."
Hearing Dumbledore call his name, Dylan knew it was his turn to step forward. However, just as he stood up, the disheveled madwoman lunged at him as if possessed, fiercely grabbing his arm and pleading tearfully, "Tell me! Peter is innocent, he's innocent, isn't he!"
Dylan was somewhat disgusted; if there weren't so many people here, he would have cast an Unforgivable Curse. He shook his head, sidestepped Madam Pettigrew's grab, and walked toward the center of the courtroom. He exchanged a knowing look with Sirius Black.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to present the facts as I witnessed them."
With that, Dylan raised his wand, gently pressed the tip against his temple, and slowly drew out a bright silver strand of memory. The strand floated slightly in the air, emitting a soft glow.
At that moment, Dumbledore opportunely waved his hand, and a mass of clear water appeared out of thin air, slowly floating in front of Dylan. This was the memory receptacle taken from his Pensieve, clearly a pre-arranged step between the two.
Dylan gently placed the memory strand into the water. Then, he waved his wand. The mass of water slowly stretched and flattened in the air, gradually expanding its area until it formed a clear water mirror.
On the water mirror, the scene slowly emerged. Sirius Black in human form was holding a rat, and that rat was Peter's animagus form. Then, a spell flashed, and the rat gradually transformed in the light, finally reverting to Peter Pettigrew's human form.
A collective gasp instantly erupted in the courtroom, the wizards' faces full of disbelief. They had never imagined that Peter was an Animagus!
Clearly, Peter's actions violated wizarding law. Everyone who is an Animagus must register with the Ministry of Magic!
"This isn't true!!!" Madam Pettigrew shrieked again.
However, no one paid her any mind this time; the scene on the water mirror continued to play. As the conversation between Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew progressed, the truth of the matter slowly surfaced. By the end, Peter finally confessed that he was the murderer all those years ago.
The courtroom fell into a dead silence, where even the sound of breathing seemed magnified several times.
Dylan ultimately did not show the part where Lupin transformed into a werewolf. He only displayed Peter's fleeing back, and his attempt to attack Dylan.
"Very well, I believe the matter is quite clear now," Fudge said, clearing his throat, attempting to finalize the case. "The floor is now open for a vote. Those who agree that Sirius Black is innocent and that the fugitive Peter Pettigrew should be immediately pursued, please raise your hands."
However, someone objected. It was Madam Pettigrew again. She screamed, "This is impossible! Where did this little wizard come from? Have you all colluded beforehand? You're all lying!"
"Madam, we understand your feelings, but the facts are plainly evident," Dumbledore said gently, with a hint of pity in his eyes.
"No, I don't believe you, liars! You are all lying to me, an old woman! Peter was a kind child..." The madwoman wept, trying to use her tears to elicit sympathy from at least one person.
But the wizards present clearly weren't moved.
A witch sitting on the Wizengamot bench looked at Dylan. "You seem to know the Patronus Charm? I saw you use it to guard Peter."
Dylan nodded.
Seeing this, many wizards, including the witch, cast benevolent glances toward Dylan and nodded lightly.
"An astute and talented young wizard who has mastered the Patronus Charm, compared to an unregistered Animagus—I believe everyone here knows who to trust." Someone in the crowd remarked.
Immediately, many people nodded in agreement.
"Yes, that's exactly right."
"That's how it is. I always felt that Peter wasn't an ordinary rat!"
With a large amount of evidence presented, the voting results were quickly tallied. Nearly all the wizards present voted in favor.
The consensus was reached: Sirius Black was innocent, and the fugitive Peter Pettigrew should be immediately pursued.
Seeing the outcome, Madam Pettigrew's last trace of color drained away. She collapsed miserably onto the floor and suddenly began to shriek hysterically. "I knew it! You are all in on it! You've teamed up to deceive an old woman like me! Merlin! Open your eyes and see!"
Fudge frowned, signaled to Kingsley Shacklebolt, and commanded, "Take Madam Pettigrew out."
Kingsley acknowledged the order and, half-supporting and half-dragging, escorted the still-wailing old woman out of the courtroom. As Madam Pettigrew's screams faded, the courtroom became considerably quieter.
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