39

"Do you want to continue with the trial, Minister?" Harry asked.

"Yes, continue. Place mister Pettigrew under Veritaserum and lets ask him some questions." Fudge ordered.

Soon, Sirius black was moved to the side and knocked out after the effects of the truth serum wore off.

"Release." Harry released the binding spell off Pettigrew's mouth after the truth serum was in his system and he was tied to the chair.

"State your name for the record." Harry asked.

"Peter Pettigrew." GASP.

"Were you the secret keeper of the potter's?"

"Yes."

"Did you reveal the location of the potter residence to anyone."

"Yes"

"Who?"

"Lord Voldemort."

GASP GASP

The crowd went wild.

"Order. Order." Fudge banged his gavel.

"Did you frame Sirius Black for the murder of the potter's?"

"yes."

"How did you do it.?"

"I lured him into a public street in the muggle city. I shouted out that Sirius killed the potters and sent a blasting curse at ground. Then, I cut of my finger and escaped by turning into a rat."

"What was your relationship with Lord Voldemort?" Harry asked after the crowd quietened down.

"I was his right hand man." "Enough, this is going on far to long. We already figured out who was the real traitor. There isn't a need for more questions." Lucius jumped up and yelled, interrupting the questioning.

"Silence. The trial of Sirius Black is over. Sirius Black is innocent and was framed by Peter Pettigrew. All charges against Sirius Black are dropped and he will be compensated for his time in Azkaban." Fudge quickly banged his gavel and shouted.

Lucius smirked lightly, as he succeeded in stopping new information from coming to light.

"Tsk" Harry tsked and looked at Fudge.

"Genjutsu." He whispered as Fudge's eyes turned hazy.

'Start a new trial right now. You will get a lot of names from Peter. If you are the one who caught them, you can solidify your position. Dumbledore can't be a rival to you anymore.' These words rang inside Fudge's mind as the daze from his eyes disappeared.

Bang, Bang

"The trial of Peter Pettigrew is in session."

"WHAT?? This is preposterous. He should be tried in front of the Wizengamot." Lucius's smile vanished as panic set in.

"Silence. I am the minister. I have decided to start the trial of Peter Pettigrew. You will not tell me what to do." In fudge's mind, if he could score a win, he wouldn't have to rely on Lucius's bribes anymore. He was truly fearless.

Lucius dejectedly sat down.

"State your name for the record." Fudge asked Peter.

"Peter Pettigrew."

"What is your relationship with Lord Voldemort."

"I am his right-hand man."

"Do you have the dark mark?"

"Yes."

"Dear Merlin." "How terrible." The audience whispered.

"Were you under the effect of the imperious curse when you received the mark." Fudge, for once asked an intelligent question. However, the questions were placed in his mind by Harry.

"The mark doesn't work that way. One has to be willing to receive the curse. It doesn't work if one is under the unforgivable's effect."

"No way." "He lies." "Silence the man" Many shouted from the audience, while many from the dark faction reached for their wands.

"Silence. SILENCE" Fudge banged his gavel repeatedly.

"Avada Kedavra" someone shouted the curse, and a green light came zipping towards the rat in the chair.

"Bansho Tenin" Harry quickly pulled one of the guards nearby and blocked the green light from hitting the rat.

"Stupefy. Immobulus." With quick succession, Amelia restricted the caster.

It was a middle aged skinny looking man who shot the curse. On his forearm, one could see the faint markings of a snake.

"Arrest that man. And put up the barriers." Fudge shouted.

Soon, numerous guards swooped in and broke the wand of the caster and knocked him out. A few others went to the corners of the room and turned on a mechanism that raised a shimmering barrier around the court room.

Inside the barrier, no one with an amulet to circumvent the barrier could cast any magic. However the effects of potions remained.

"We will stop the trial now. Peter Pettigrew will be handed over to Madam Bones for further interrogation. If any harm comes his way, everyone in your department will be help responsible. Understand?" Fudge looked towards Amelia as she rushed towards Peter Pettigrew and secured him with a few other guards.

"Amelia, take these. Wear one for those you trust fully. And put this on Peter's ankle. It wont let him die and if he escapes we'll be able to track him." Harry approached Amelia and whispered in her ear as he passed her a packet of trinkets.

"Yeah. And thanks for getting Sirius out safely. We encountered a few hiccups in the transport here, but that teleportation tag helped tremendously. Even portkeys didn't work near Azkaban, I wonder how your tags worked." Amelia accepted the packet and dragged the dazed Pettigrew.

"Remove the cuffs off mister Black. I will take him from here." Harry called out to Fudge who nodded towards the guards beside him.

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