Retrial Begins

Kingsley saw them to the door and then returned to the Auror Headquarters. Afterward, Dumbledore turned the iron handle on the door and led Kyle inside.

After the door was opened, the noise immediately became even louder.

Kyle couldn't help but look around. The walls of the courtroom were made of black stone, and there were a few small windows near the ceiling, through which weak sunlight streamed in, making the room feel very oppressive.

On either side of him were rows of empty benches that gradually rose in height, filled with people whispering among themselves.

"Albus, you've finally arrived." Fudge strode over. "There's a problem. I don't know if Owl has contacted Black ... but if he can't show up, this retrial will be pointless."

"Don't worry, Cornelius," Dumbledore said calmly, "He's already here."

"What..." Fudge instinctively looked behind Dumbledore.

With a burst of fire, the Fawkes appeared out of thin air, flapping its wings and landing on Dumbledore's shoulder.

At the same time, it also brought another thin, pale-faced man, Sirius Black.

He was still the same as before, with messy hair and beard, and wearing dirty, tattered old clothes.

Moreover, his face was extremely pale, and his legs were trembling, as if he might collapse to the ground at any moment.

Kyle understood Sirius's current state... Everyone who was Apparition by Phoenix for the first time was like this.

Seeing who it was, Fudge finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Sirius Black wouldn't be able to attend; if that were the case, the retrial would have become a joke.

Fortunately, he arrived.

Fudge gave Dumbledore a strange look, then turned and went back to the platform.

Without Fudge's cover, everyone else in the room could see Black's face, and the chatter grew louder, making the large courtroom as lively as a Quidditch Pitch match in progress.

Kyle even heard someone shouting, "Auror, capture fugitives!"... Did this person have no idea why they were there?

"Silence!" Fudge shouted. "Everyone's finally here. Let's begin."

The courtroom fell silent instantly.

Sirius took a deep breath and, under everyone's watchful eyes, walked step by step to the chair in the very center.

"I don't understand, Minister," a cold voice said. "You've caught the fugitive, just throw him back to Azkaban or hand him over to the Dementor. Why waste time on this retrial?"

"Don't rush, Barty ..." Fudge said calmly, "I have received strong evidence that Black is very likely innocent."

As soon as he finished speaking, another murmur arose from the surrounding crowd.

"Nonsense!" Barty Crouch's face was ashen, as if he had been slapped. "Twelve years ago, Muggle on the street knew that he betrayed the Potters and even killed Peter Pettigrew, who came to question him."

"But as far as I know, they only heard someone shout that; no one actually saw it," Fawley said. "And what if I told you that Peter Pettigrew is still alive?"

"That's impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible." Fudge ignored Crouch's increasingly grim expression and called towards the door, "Bring him in."

The door was pushed open again, Dawlish walked in from outside.

Everyone looked at him, but after noticing that he was the only one who had come in, their gazes shifted to the cage bound by chains in his hand.

Crouch frowned as he saw Dawlish open the cage and pour out a half-dead rat.

"Don't tell me this is Peter Pettigrew!" he asked coldly.

Fudge didn't speak, but looked at Dumbledore as if asking something.

"Leave it to me," said Dumbledore, stepping forward and taking out his wand.

"Revelio!"

A beam of blue light landed on the rat, which began to twist and grow rapidly until a head emerged, followed by limbs...

A moment later, a short man appeared before everyone. His sparse hair was messy, with a large bald patch on top, and his pointed nose and beady eyes gave him a somewhat rat-like appearance...

A third buzzing sound came from the surroundings, and some of the wizards cried out and stood up from their stools, clearly recognizing the person in front of them as Peter Pettigrew.

"This is impossible..."

"Isn't he dead...?"

"Damn it, what on earth happened...?"

Crouch also stood up, his face so dark it seemed to drip water.

A group of Auror walked over and began to check Peter's identity.

Kyle noticed that the instant Peter transformed back, Sirius clenched his fists tightly, his eyes flashing with a deep-seated hatred, and he was breathing heavily, as if he wanted to kill the person in front of him immediately.

But thankfully he held back.

"Everyone..."

Soon, Auror Scrimgeour put away an empty Potions and announced loudly, "He really is Peter Pettigrew himself."

"Very good..." Fudge said.

He didn't look at Crouch, but instead proceeded with the procedure, speaking to himself.

"Now that everyone is here, I hereby declare that, because the witness's death is not established, a new trial will now commence regarding the case of Sirius Orion Black's betrayal of the Potters in November 1981, which involved blowing up the street and killing twelve Muggle."

"Interrogators: Minister for Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation... Barty Crouch! Trial Recorder: Scadbert Wimple."

"Witnesses: Albus Percival, Woolfrick Brian, and Dumbledore," Dumbledore said, rising to his feet.

Just as Kyle was hesitating whether to stand up as well, an invisible force suddenly patted him, as if someone had placed their hand on his shoulder.

Kyle glanced at Dumbledore, seemingly understanding something, and continued to sit there without moving.

Fudge glanced quickly in their direction but said nothing. He nodded to Dumbledore, "Now, please give your testimony, Mr. Dumbledore. When did you discover that Peter Pettigrew was still alive?"

"This is all thanks to an outstanding student who, with his keen insight, discovered a deeply hidden Animagus..."

Dumbledore pointed at Kyle, instantly making him the center of attention. However, everyone seemed more interested in what Dumbledore say next, so most people only glanced at Kyle before looking away.

Dumbledore stood there and repeated what he had said to Fudge earlier.

During this time, the judges' expressions varied.

Some were surprised... some were angry... but most were skeptical...

Crouch stood up again, especially after hearing Dumbledore say that Peter was the Secret Keeper twelve years ago, that he betrayed the Potters and framed Black.

"Where's the evidence!" he rudely interrupted Dumbledore. "Peter may have concealed the fact that he was alive to avoid retaliation from the Death Eaters, but that doesn't prove he did it all."

As he spoke, he looked at Peter Pettigrew, seemingly waiting for the other to defend him.

But he was soon disappointed. From the beginning, Peter had just been lying on the ground, listless and silent, and he didn't respond even when others called him.