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Chapter 57: Freedom at Last.
🕑 Added 2025-06-02 06:50:40 +0000 UTCCelestial Ascendancy
Chapter 57: Freedom at Last.
Kuoh, Japan.
Elias Black.
“Mione…” I began, lips twitching with amusement, “Do you think Iris realizes she looks perfect in literally anything she puts on?”
Hermione giggled and snuggled closer to me on the bed. We were sitting inside my Hollow, watching Iris flit around the room, fussing over what to wear.
She’d been ecstatic about Sirius finally getting his trial. Still, now that she needed to get ready, she was nervous and indecisive.
After returning with Asia last night, things had mostly gone back to normal. Rias had been exasperated, sure, but not truly angry. I could tell her mind was elsewhere. She’d probably say more after we got back, but I appreciated the peace for now.
As for Asia… what could I even say? She’d been nervous, maybe even a little scared, after realizing Rias and her peerage were devils. But I’d promised her protection, and the second I patted her head, she practically melted under my hand. She was adorable, and I would fight to the death anyone who dared speak against her.
I didn’t know why I felt so protective of her. I didn’t even fully understand it. But I didn’t dislike the feeling.
She slept in the bed inside our “room” in the cabin while the girls and I retreated into the Hollow. We were already used to it... sleeping anywhere else just felt weird now.
“She knows,” Hermione murmured, watching our raven-haired girlfriend with fondness. “And be nice, Eli. I love watching her like this.”
“You won’t hear me say a word against it,” I said, rolling my eyes with a soft smile. “Merlin knows she deserves moments like this instead of being so high-strung all the time. Voldemort’s rebirth really messed her up.”
“I know,” Mione whispered, gently running her fingers across my chest. “This trip is helping… I can see it. She’s so much more relaxed now, and she really gets along with Rias and Akeno.”
“What about you, love?” I leaned down and kissed her brow, grinning. “What do you think of them?”
“I like them,” she said simply. “They treat us like friends, and like hell I’m going to sit around doing nothing if Rias hates her situation that much.”
“That’s the spirit,” I chuckled and stood up with a soft sigh. Walking over to Iris, I lifted her off the ground, earning a surprised squeak.
“And you, Iris,” I said as I spun her around slightly, “you look perfect in that blouse and pencil skirt. Besides, we’ll be wearing robes at the Ministry anyway.”
“Eli!!” she whined, lightly punching my back. “Let me down, you brute! Not all of us can look perfect in absolutely everything.”
I swatted her hand playfully and waved my wand. The blouse and skirt floated over and draped themselves neatly over her frame. In seconds, she was dressed and absolutely gorgeous.
I grabbed a brush from the table and began gently taming her hair. She closed her eyes with a faint smile.
“There,” I said, pressing a kiss to her lips. “You look perfect, love. What do you think, Mione?”
Hermione walked over and hugged Iris from behind. “That she does,” she whispered before biting Iris’s earlobe with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “It’s a shame we have to leave… watching her like this was making me feel things.”
Iris let out a sound that could only be described as a boiling kettle. It was unusual for Mione to be this forward.
I couldn’t help but laugh. God, I loved these two.
“Alright, we need to get going,” I said, pulling back. “We have to let Rias know about the change of plans, and I think we’re taking Asia with us. She seemed calm enough around devils last night, but I don’t want her panicking once the shock wears off.”
“Oh, Asia is adorable,” Iris squealed. “I don’t understand how someone can be that cute. She’s kind of naïve, though, right?”
“You noticed?” I smiled sadly. “From what I gather, she was sheltered most of her life… and the people who were supposed to protect her did her dirty.”
“Do you really think it was as simple as she made it sound?” Hermione asked with a slight frown. “A devil getting that close to someone like her… it’s weird. If I were the Church, I’d have her under surveillance at all times. She was practically a symbol to them.”
“I doubt it was that simple, love,” I replied, shaking my head. “But that’s all she knows.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Iris said firmly. “I’ll hurt anyone who makes her cry.”
Chuckling, I grabbed her hand and led the way toward the exit, Hermione trailing behind while reading something from a folded piece of parchment.
We soon reached the dining room where everyone had gathered, stuffing their faces with Dobby’s first attempt at a Japanese breakfast.
Rias was clearly enjoying it the most, judging by the blissful expression on her face as she chewed with her eyes closed. Akeno gave me a bright and vaguely sultry smile as I entered.
She’d been the most thrilled about yesterday’s events. I was pretty sure she almost came just from hearing what I’d done to Raynare.
Akeno had issues. But hey, work in progress.
I had a feeling Pranitha was going to start having more personal conversations with the devils today. She’d mostly kept to the sidelines so far, besides tactical training, but now that they knew her a bit better, she’d probably try to help them open up. I hoped she’d succeed. Rias’s peerage needed it more than they realized.
“Hey, Eli!” Akeno waved. The rest followed; Kiba gave a calm nod, Koneko ignored us entirely, too focused on her food, Rias opened her eyes in mild alarm, and Gasper waved enthusiastically from the far end of the room.
I sighed when I caught Rias’s expression. She didn’t look upset, just a little startled, but that softened quickly into a smile.
As for Gasper… honestly, he was doing a lot better than I’d expected. After hearing about his issues with Rias, I thought it would be harder to get through to him. He still wasn’t out of his shell completely, but he was trying. And that was enough.
He felt close to me, and my girls absolutely adored him.
I really needed to keep an eye on them, though.
If I didn’t, I was pretty sure they’d traumatize the poor boy’s cheeks from how much they wanted to squish them.
“Hey, Rias,” I said slowly, offering a gentle smile. “How did you sleep?”
She dabbed her mouth with a napkin before replying, “Could’ve slept better, Eli. But I’m ready for today’s training.”
“Yeah… about that,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “We just got word from Britain. My uncle’s trial is finally happening. We’re going back for it. I still have the the traitor in stasis back in the Hollow.”
Rias blinked in surprise, then her eyes widened, and her face lit up with a smile. “That’s amazing. I’m so glad to hear that. You three must be thrilled to finally clear his name.”
“We are,” Iris grinned. “Padfoot deserves to be free. I can’t even imagine what it must’ve been like... spending all those years in Azkaban for a crime he didn’t commit.”
“When are you leaving?” Akeno asked after congratulating us.
“Pretty much now,” I said with a sheepish shrug. “We just wanted to let you know. Madam Pranitha will handle the training for today. I know I don’t have to say it, but… trust her. She knows exactly what she’s doing.”
Right on cue, Madam Pranitha stepped into the room and gave a slight nod. “You can leave them in my hands, Elias. I’ll make sure they get the most out of today.”
Rias turned and smiled warmly at her. “Thank you, Madam Pranitha. I really appreciate it...”
She didn’t get to finish because a sleepy little yawn stole the room’s attention.
Asia shuffled in, rubbing her eyes with one hand and clutching her rosary with the other. She wore a fresh copy of her nun outfit, still clearly half-asleep.
“Good morning…” she mumbled.
“Morning, sunshine,” I said with a chuckle. “We’re about to head to Britain. I wanted to ask, would you like to come with us?”
Her mouth opened in surprise, but after a second, she nodded quickly, a bright, happy look appearing across her face.
Iris beamed and skipped over to her. “We’re going to meet Eli’s uncle and my godfather! You’re going to love him.”
“E-Eh?” Asia squeaked, pointing to herself in confusion.
“Yep! Sirius Black,” Iris said, patting her shoulder. “We’ll fill you in on the details soon. You can grab something to eat at his place, too, alright?”
Asia gave a slight, eager nod, still blinking the sleep from her eyes.
I let out a soft whistle, and in a flash of flame, Ash appeared, letting out a tired squeak.
That was the signal. One by one, the rest of Rias’s peerage stood to say their goodbyes.
Kiba and Koneko offered a simple wave and a wish of good luck. Akeno hugged each of us, except Asia, who she only smiled at sweetly.
Then Gasper shuffled forward, shy as always but clearly forcing himself, and pressed his face into my stomach as he hugged me.
“Good luck, Elias,” he mumbled.
I chuckled, ruffling his hair and earning a pout in return. But before I could warn him, the girls pounced.
“Take care, Gasper,” Hermione said softly, hugging him tight.
“Yeah!” Iris grinned, squishing his cheeks as she pulled him close. “You still have to show me what cool traits being half-vampire gives you when we get back!”
He nodded rapidly, mostly to escape, and the girls let go once he started gasping for breath.
I shook my head, smiling.
Trust Iris to get him to open up better than anyone.
Rias stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. I held her gently, rubbing a hand down her back. She trembled a bit, making me frown, but she relaxed against my hold.
“I’m happy for you,” she whispered. “Really. Tell Sirius… that I look forward to seeing him again.”
“I will,” I said sincerely. "And take care, yeah?"
She pulled back and hugged Iris and Hermione, whispering something soft to each of them.
“Well… see you all in a bit,” I said with a grin. “And hopefully, I’ll bring good news.”
Ash enveloped us in a flash of gold.
Grimmauld Place
We appeared at the entrance of Grimmauld Place, and I nodded in satisfaction. We hadn’t been sure if Sirius telling us the secret over the phone would work, but it seemed to have done the trick; we could see the door just fine.
According to my uncle, Dumbledore had layered Grimmauld Place with more wards than when the Black’s were at their prime.
Arcturus wasn’t exactly thrilled about that, but it wasn’t his decision to make.
“Where are we, Elias?” Asia asked timidly, hiding behind Iris, who was still holding her hand.
“We’re in London,” I said with a reassuring smile. “Ash is a phoenix if that wasn’t obvious. Now that she’s grown, she can teleport us anywhere in the world.”
Asia’s eyes widened, and she looked toward the proud little phoenix perched on my shoulder, feathers puffed out like she owned the place.
“She’s so cute,” Asia squealed softly, stepping toward Ash hesitantly.
Ash let out a chirp of pure smugness, then casually took flight and landed right on Asia’s head.
“Oh, God,” Asia froze. She tried to move but stopped once she felt Ash settle in like a queen claiming her throne. She was my little queen.
“She likes you,” I assured her. “Don’t worry, she’d never harm you.”
“Oh Merlin, that’s adorable,” Iris whispered with sparkling eyes.
“They both are,” Hermione said with a small smile and flicked her wand in Asia’s direction.
The nun gasped softly as her outfit shimmered and transformed, her robes replaced with a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
“Now we’re ready,” Mione said, nodding in satisfaction.
“Oh, nice idea, Mione,” Iris nodded.
I smiled and knocked on the door twice.
As the door creaked open, I blinked in surprise.
Fred and George's heads popped out from behind the door with matching smirks.
“Oi, Fred, look who showed up,” Fred said.
“I don’t believe it, George!” George added.
“It’s Elias Bloody Black!” they chorused.
“I know which one is which,” I rolled my eyes before I gave them a brief hug.
While I was patting their backs, I murmured in their ears, “You two are not allowed to prank the blonde. She’s out of Limits for the time being. Am I clear?”
Both of them blinked.
Asia peeked from behind me with wide eyes as she watched the twins.
“We don’t prank anymore,” Fred started.
“Mum found our stash,” George finished.
I didn’t blink.
They stared at me for two seconds more… then nodded rapidly in sync.
“Right, then,” I said, brushing past them. “We’ll talk later. I think we’re just on time.”
Iris snickered behind me while Hermione just sighed and muttered something while rolling her eyes.
We rounded the corner toward the dining room hallway and nearly collided with the next wave of chaos.
“Guys!”
Ginny Weasley launched herself at me like a missile. I caught her easily with one arm, spinning her once before setting her down. Before I could react, Luna followed.
Well, Luna didn’t launch herself; she just kind of gilded forward and hugged me around the middle with a hum.
“I had a dream about you,” she said like it was the most normal thing in the world. “You were in a bathtub filled with Pudding.”
Ginny giggled but covered her face.
“... Right,” I said, patting her back. “Did Ginny put you up to this?”
She shrugged dreamily. “She told me to tell you no.”
“Hey, Iris,” Ginny said with a grin, moving past me. “You’re glowing.”
Iris puffed up with pride and hugged the redhead like usual, while Hermione waved from behind, exchanging a tired smile with Luna.
Ron appeared last, trailing behind with the expression of someone being dragged to classes. He nodded toward us with a grunt.
“The adults are in a meeting,” he said like we couldn’t hear the muffled yelling from the dining room already.
“Thanks, Ron,” I said politely. “Hope you’re enjoying the break.”
He stared at Asia, looked at me, then at Iris. He clearly decided not to ask and walked away.
“Asia,” I said, turning back to the group. “This is Ginny, and that’s Luna. They’re good friends, and I hope you get along.”
“H-Hello,” Asia said softly, her hands curled against her shirt. “It’s… nice to meet you.”
Luna smiled dreamily at her. “You’re really cute.”
Asia blinked like a deer in headlights but nodded brightly. "You too. I like your earrings."
I turned back toward the dining room.
I pushed the door open and strode inside like I owned the damn place. In a way, I would in the future.
“... and I said we should hold off until we can secure...”
Molly Weasley’s voice cut off mid-rant as she turned toward us, hand raised in full Mom Fury mode.
I didn’t stop walking.
“Hello, Mrs. Weasley,” I said casually as I passed her. “Great to see you too.”
She sat back down without a word. Arthur's hand pulled her down.
Hermione coughed into her fist to hide a chuckle. Iris smirked in the open before she hugged the Weasley Matriarch. Asia followed timidly, but I knew it looked funny since Ash was still perched on her head.
The room went quiet.
Sitting around the long table were the core of the Order; Kingsley, Tonks, Remus, Moody, and a few unfamiliar faces. Sirius sat at the far end, hunched over a folder, looking absolutely giddy.
Dumbledore was at the head, his fingers steepled in front of his face, eyes twinkling just a bit too much as he watched us make an entrance.
“Elias,” he greeted me warmly. “I’m glad Remus's message arrived without a problem.”
“I would never miss this,” I chuckled, giving him a nod.
Iris didn’t wait a second.
“SIRIUS!”
She practically flew down the table and crashed into the man’s lap, hugging him so tightly I thought he might wheeze.
“I’m so happy for you, you big mutt,” she choked out.
Sirius blinked once, then broke into a grin and wrapped his arms around her. “Iris, dear. Everything was possible thanks to your and Elias's work.”
Hermione hugged him briefly before she walked towards Tonks and spoke in hushed whispers.
“Uncle,” I grinned, walking over.
He looked up, and in that moment, the smile faded just a bit…his eyes went a little wet, “I’ll never tire of hearing that, nephew.”
I pulled him into a firm hug and thumped his back once.
“You’re gonna be free,” I whispered.
“You better be right,” he muttered into my shoulder.
“I always am.”
We pulled apart, and Sirius clapped my shoulder, then turned to Asia.
“Well, isn’t the group getting too big?” he chuckled, his eyes softening at the sight of a very nervous Asia.
“Hello,” Asia said nervously, bowing slightly. “You must be Elias’s uncle… A pleasure to meet you, and I hope the Lord blesses you this day.”
“A pleasure, dear,” Sirius said, waving a hand. “And thank you. At this point in my life, I’ll take whatever blessing I can get.”
“She’s a nun,” Iris added helpfully, then smirked. “If it wasn’t obvious.”
Asia flushed.
Tonks snorted. “That’s new.”
Remus always looked like he needed a weeklong nap. He had been our main point of contact during our two days abroad.
Dumbledore stood then, clearing his throat.
“I suppose, now that we’re all gathered… we can begin early.”
“Wait a second,” I stopped him, “Kreacher, make something good for Asia here.”
Kreacher popped into the room and nodded firmly before disappearing again.
We all took our seats and listened to the old man.
Dumbledore steepled his fingers again. “Elias. I trust the stasis runes on the prisoners are still intact?”
“Flawlessly,” I nodded. “I’ll take the rat out when Madam Bones asks during the trial.”
“Very good,” he said. “Then we’ll leave soon.”
Tonks leaned over the table and grinned at Sirius, “Mum and Dad are already there. You have your defense covered, and with the amount of proof, you will be free without a hitch, Uncle Siri.”
Sirius shivered, “Merlin… Dromeda will never let me live it down.”
“Do you plan to tell the truth during the trial?” I asked Dumbledore seriously.
“No,” he shook his head and sighed sadly, “We’re not ready… No, Britain isn’t ready for Voldemort. We barely managed to win thanks to a miracle last war and a Voldemort not afflicted by his madness? We need to prepare. Amelia knows and agrees with me.”
“You know that giving us time means he can continue to do whatever he is doing, right?” I frowned.
“It’s a risk we’re willing to take, Elias,” he shook his head, “Severus has not been called back into his employ. We’re in the dark.”
Hermione sighed, “I hope we can be ready, then.”
Ministry of Magic.
Courtroom 10.
The room was silent, stripped of every pompous, bloated detail I usually associated with the Ministry of Magic under Fudge’s leadership. But maybe it made sense in this situation. There was no one here besides the Lords of the Wizengamot and us. There was no need for a show.
We were present because we had been the ones to capture the rat, and today, that was the only proof that mattered.
We walked in as a group, even if Asia kept glancing around with wide eyes full of awe. She had never seen anything this magical before, and I couldn’t blame her for being interested.
Hermione had transfigured her clothes into proper robes to match expectations.
Sirius walked to my right, Iris at his side and Hermione beside me.
We probably looked like a bizarre group, but I didn’t care. We were flanked by Kingsley and Tonks, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t paying close attention to every single movement around us. Like hell I’d let anything happen with Sirius’s freedom this close.
The lords and ladies of the Wizengamot watched us in silence, each with their own expression; some curious, others cold, and a few conflicted.
From what Dumbledore had explained (in that half-briefing he called an explanation), the seats were divided by faction.
To the left sat the Progressives, led by Augusta Longbottom. Every one of them is a solid Dumbledore supporter.
At the center was the so-called Grey Faction, led by Lord Greengrass, Daphne’s father.
And to the right? The Traditionalist side. Or, as I preferred to call them, the Dark Wankers. I had no doubt most of those lords were either loyal to Voldemort or, at the very least, sympathizers.
I had to stifle a snort when I saw how many empty chairs dotted their ranks. Apparently, my battle with Walburga had been more destructive than I thought. Still, some of those who had been at the graveyard were here, including Lucius Malfoy.
“Since Sirius Black is present, we may begin,” Dumbledore announced, tapping his wand once against the marble table.
“Good. Just in time, too,” Madam Bones said as she stepped forward and took her seat in the center of the courtroom.
“Sirius Black,” she began formally, her tone crisp, “You are here today to clear your name. Who will be representing you?”
“I will defend Sirius, Madam Bones,” a firm voice rang out from the gallery.
It came from a tall, black-haired man rising from his seat.
“Your name, sir, for the record,” Bones requested without missing a beat.
“Edward Tonks,” he replied with a nod, walking down to stand beside Sirius.
“Very well. Then let us proceed.”
“Now,” Madam Bones began, “you claim you never had a trial. Explain, in your words, what happened that night.”
Sirius glanced at Edward Tonks, who gave a single, firm nod. He took a deep breath.
“I was in my house, relaxing after a very long week,” he said dramatically, throwing his hands in the air. “Feet up, brandy in hand, contemplating whether I had finally trained my new owl to shit outside the window...”
Bones narrowed her eyes. “Mr. Black.”
He froze mid-gesture.
“This is not the time for humor.”
“Right, yes, sorry. I make jokes when I'm nervous,” Sirius cleared his throat, all bravado vanishing as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I had a bad feeling. Can’t explain it, really; something just felt… off. So I took my bike to Godric’s Hollow.”
He took a shaky breath. “When I got there… the house was already in ruins. The wards were shattered. James and Lily were gone, and Iris... Iris,” His voice caught, just for a second. “Iris was crying. Alone.”
Silence fell over the courtroom if someone used a muffliato. Even the more skeptical lords leaned forward slightly.
“What happened next?” Bones asked, voice softer now.
“I… picked her up. Tried to calm her down. I barely had time to think when I heard Hagrid land outside. He’d been sent by Dumbledore to retrieve Iris. I didn’t want to give her up, but I...” Sirius shook his head. “I knew I couldn’t take care of a baby, not when I was seeing red. Not when I knew the only way Voldemort could’ve gotten through those wards was if Peter… Peter had sold them out.”
“Peter Pettigrew,” Bones clarified. "The wizard you allegedly killed."
“Yes. He was the real Secret Keeper,” Sirius clenched his jaw. “I handed Iris and my bike over to Hagrid, and I went hunting. I had my fair share of experience looking for traitorous bastards.”
A murmur rippled through the chamber. A few lords from the far right scoffed, and someone on the left muttered something about recklessness.
It was chaos.
A few voices rose, overlapping; someone shouted that it was all hearsay, someone else brought up blood purity and that the Black name had been ruined by the last minister, and then a spell thundered in the air.
A bright explosion of raw magic flared over Bones’s head as she stood, wand raised, expression unamused. The shouting died immediately.
“If you cannot listen to testimony in silence,” she said coolly, “you can leave.”
That’s when someone stood up.
Someone I didn't recognize.
His voice was smooth. “Let the man speak.”
It wasn’t loud. But people listened. More than a few heads nodded. A few more actually sat down.
I squinted at him. Who the hell was this guy? I couldn't say that I knew every Lord and Lady present, but there was something strange about this dude.
Sirius continued.
“I found him on a Muggle street. I thought I had him,” he scowled. “I demanded to know why he did it. He started crying. Begging. Then he screamed something about betrayal, cut off his own bloody finger, and blew the street to hell.”
He looked down, shoulders tense. “I was… shocked. He got away in the chaos. When the Aurors arrived, I was still laughing like an idiot. Laughing because I’d been played so thoroughly, I didn’t know what else to do.”
Another scoff rang out. “Sounds convenient,” someone said from the shadows.
“Enough,” Bones snapped. She turned toward me. “Mr. Black. Produce the witness.”
"Mr. Black?" Augusta Longbottom stood up from her seat, looking at me with narrowed eyes.
I smiled calmly, only offering her a nod.
I gave a short whistle.
There was a burst of flame, and Ash sang as she appeared. Curled in her claws was a block of something human-shaped that she dropped with a thud.
Inside it, curled and mid-cry was Peter Pettigrew.
The silence was deafening.
An Auror stepped forward. I recognized him from the graveyard. Rufus Scrimgeour.
He approached the frozen body in the middle of the chamber with an unhurried gait.
Dumbledore gave a sharp flick of his wand, and Pettigrew gasped awake with a shriek, thrashing briefly before realizing he was restrained.
“Where is he!? Where is the...!” he screeched, spittle flying as his eyes rolled wildly.
Gasps broke out across the courtroom.
Scrimgeour didn’t wait; he stunned Pettigrew with a swift flick, and the rat collapsed again.
“Traitor,” someone from the left muttered under their breath.
Scrimgeour conjured enchanted bindings, forcing the animagus into a rigid chair in the center of the courtroom. A golden dome flickered to life around him, blue runes glowing faintly around it.
“What in Merlin’s name is that?” Malfoy asked from his seat, a sneer on his lips that didn’t hide the way his hands clenched the armrests.
“It’s a stabilized rune shield,” Madam Bones said coldly. “To avoid convenient interruptions or ‘accidents.’ The only proof of Mr. Black’s innocence will be guarded better than a Gringotts vault.”
Scrimgeour nodded and pulled a vial from the table beside him, filled with clear liquid. He moved as if he were used to this.
He poured the potion down Pettigrew’s throat, then hit him with a reviving charm.
The rat twitched and then opened his eyes. His glassy eyes.
“Peter Pettigrew,” Madam Bones said firmly, “Who was the secret keeper for the Potters’ Fidelius Charm?”
“I was,” Pettigrew rasped. “They changed at the last minute. I... I was the only one who knew.”
A ripple of stunned whispers spread through the room. I didn’t look at Sirius; I was too busy watching Lucius Malfoy scowl.
“What happened on the night they died?”
“I betrayed them,” Pettigrew whispered. “I told the Dark Lord. He... he found them. Tried to kill the girl. But it backfired. Only his robes were left.”
“What happened after?”
“I fled. Found Sirius… I staged the scene. Cut off my finger. Killed the Muggles. Hid with under the Weasley's nose.”
Pettigrew began to cough. Soft at first, then violently.
His limbs twitched, and his face started turning purple.
“No,” I said, immediately rising to my feet. “No, no, no!”
“Lower the shield!” I shouted, already rushing toward him.
Scrimgeour froze.
“Lower the damn shield!” I glared.
The Auror turned to Fudge, who looked like a ghost, staring at Pettigrew with wide, terrified eyes. He didn’t speak. Didn’t even twitch.
Rage surged through me. Fine.
I leaped into the center, coated my fist with blue flames, and slammed it into the golden barrier.
A sound like shattering glass exploded through the room as the dome cracked, then broke completely.
I was already kneeling at Pettigrew’s side. Iris skidded to a stop behind me, Asia dropping to her knees and placing glowing hands on the rat’s chest.
Seconds passed.
Then her breath hitched.
“I... I can’t...” she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. “He’s already dead.”
I slowly stood up.
Turned to Scrimgeour.
He was backing up, looking at me with clear fear in his eyes.
“What the hell did you just give him?” I hissed.
Scrimgeour opened his mouth to respond, but I was already walking. My eyes flicked down, catching the small glass vial still clutched in his hand.
My nose twitched.
I snatched it.
“Does Veritaserum usually smell like this?” I asked coldly.
Scrimgeour’s expression paled, "I can't smell anything!"
My magic flared.
Sirius laid a hand on my shoulder.
“Not now,” he said quietly, his eyes never leaving the one-armed rat nor the smoke coming out of his body.
Some clinking sounds made me turn around, and I wondered why Tonks's mum was walking toward us looking this serious.
"Let me see that vial, dear," she said softly, and I gave it to her.
She sniffed it, looked at me curiously, and took a deep breath before saying out loud, "This veritaseum was mixed with mourning-shade extract. I'm surprised that you could discern it, nephew."
“Auror Scrimgeour, explain!” Madam Bones demanded harshly.
“I don’t know, Madam Bones,” Scrimgeour said quickly. “The Veritaserum was already on the table, I just grabbed it like usual!”
“And you didn’t think to test it first?” she snapped. “Did training not cover the basics of potion security during a trial?”
Before he could answer or dig himself deeper, the same man as before stood up from his seat.
His expression was dark, not with fury, but something more confusing... disappointment.
“This was not an accident,” he said cooly. “That man was executed. Silenced before he could testify fully.”
A few murmurs broke out, almost everyone present nodding in agreement.
“I implore you, Madam Bones,” Alaric continued, turning toward her. “Look deeper. If this can happen in the middle of the Ministry itself… then what does that say about the justice my father used to tell me?”
Bones sighed deeply, rubbing her temples once before clenching her jaw.
“I will,” she promised. “I’ll pull every log, trace every vial, and interview every single person who’s been near this courtroom in the last week. I swear it. We’ll find out who did this.”
Alaric nodded slightly and returned to his seat, his gaze brushing over me as he passed.
Bones straightened and looked toward Sirius.
“It is abundantly clear that you were wronged, Mr. Black. Your record will be cleared, effective immediately. You are now, once again, a free man.”
Sirius let out a breath I don’t think he realized he’d been holding for thirteen years.
He looked at me.
I gave him a small smile and clapped a hand on his back. “Told you.”
His laugh was half-sob, half-grin. “You did. Thank you, Elias.”
Bones turned to me briefly with tired eyes.
“Thank you, Elias. For the capture. And for making sure the truth had a chance to be heard.”
I nodded once.
Then I glanced back at the shattered shield, the empty chair, and the faint burn marks on the ground.
I didn't like the look of genuine shock in Malfoy's eyes.
Comments
InfinityReads99
My bad. You are right, I should have specified, it’s about the poisoning.
Bishop7053
Malfoy shocked he could break the shield or shocked at the poisoning? Or is Lucius shocked at finding out Elias is a pureblood son of the house of Black thus fucking him outta yoinking the black fortune out from under sirius
