Fudge sat high on the judicial bench in formal attire, his expression solemn. When Professor Dumbledore entered, he gave him a slight nod.
Beside Fudge sat someone Su Er knew-Amelia Bones.
Her expression was equally solemn, though her gaze warmed a little when it fell on Su Er behind Dumbledore. She too nodded to Dumbledore.
On Fudge's other side sat an elderly wizard.
Apart from them, the tiered galleries were packed with wizards. They wore identical uniforms, but badges of differing designs gleamed at their collars.
In the middle was a circular open space, though it could not quite be called empty-there were two semicircular metal railings, each reaching roughly as high as an adult wizard's abdomen.
Dumbledore led Su Er at an unhurried pace to one of the railings, where a wizard stood-Sirius Black.
They had not seen him for some time, and he looked much cleaner. His hair had been combed and his beard shaved off, though his high cheekbones and pale complexion still made him look frail.
Thump. Fudge picked up a wooden gavel and struck it once, then cleared his throat. "Ahem, since everyone is here."
Fudge rose and looked around. "Then I hereby announce that, following an investigation into the case of Sirius Black's use of magic to harm wizards and Muggles, previously unknown circumstances have come to light. I therefore request a new hearing, which begins now!"
"Bring in Peter Pettigrew!"
The hearing went very smoothly. Under Fudge's questioning, Peter Pettigrew recounted everything that had happened ten years earlier with vacant eyes, including the fact that he had colluded with the reactionary Voldemort as early as two years before James and Lily married.
Something was very wrong with Pettigrew's condition. Clearly, he had been given Veritaserum before being brought before the bench; his