Name – Destruction Where I Stand

Genre – Romance/Drama

Style – AU

Warnings – (In future chapters) Slash, Het, Bi, Violence

Book/Anime – Harry Potter

Chapter I – The Marauders Return

There was an uproar in Wizarding World and Harry Potter, as usual, was the cause of it. He felt sick to his stomach as Aurors, who were both very tall and twice as wide as he was, dragged him by his arms to a trial that would change his life and, consequently, the lives of many others.

The trial of Sirius Black.

His numbed mind barely registered the stares and whispers of the passing blurs he eventually realized were people. He closed his eyes, silently willing them to go away. He had half a mind to warn the Aurors that if they didn't slow their steps he might vomit on their shoes, but decided against it when he felt a sudden ice-cold and familiar breeze.

Harry opened his eyes and regretted it when he spotted at least a dozen Dementors – cloaked in black and floating the air rather gleefully – but they didn't hold his attention for long. There – in the middle of the room was a cage and in it was –

"Sirius!" Harry screamed, or attempted to. His throat, apparently, hadn't been prepared for a loud exclamation of shock so his godfather's name came out as an almost unidentifiable croak.

Nonetheless several heads turned towards them. They all looked rather pale – some looked slightly green and others had a thin sheet of cold sweat on their foreheads.

It took a while for Harry to realize that, this time, they were staring at him so as to avoid having to stare at someone whom they believed to be Voldemort's number one supporter being force-fed a large dose of Veritaserum.

Harry's heart sank when he saw that Sirius struggled not to choke on the bottle a hard-faced Auror shoved down his throat. Wasn't Veritaserum poisonous if taken in large quantaties, Harry thought hysterically.

To his relief, the Aurors dropped him, rather unceremoniously, in a seat in the witness stands. He was sitting inbetween Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore, and immediately noticed how no one, but him and Dumbledore were sitting near his former DADA teacher. It took him several moments to remember that Remus was a werewolf and people, whether Wizard or Muggle, were terrified of werewolves.

His stomach clenched even more and it took all of Harry's self-control not to shrink into a ball, clutching his abdomen in pain.

He recognized others as well, including – Harry swallowed heavily – Severus Snape. A man who had tried his damndest to be the one to catch his godfather and surrender him to the Dementors and their dark Kiss. But, Snape didn't seem to be enjoying himself. In fact, he looked like had spend some time in Azkaban himself.

Harry glared at him nonetheless. It was his fault. He convinced Dumbledore to hand Sirius over so that he could have a trial – a trial that anyone who knew anything about the Ministry knew he wouldn't win.

A large, but thin hand made Harry jump when it landed on his shoulder. "Harry?"

"Professor Dumbledore, sir." Harry managed to gasp. "I can't – this is..."

"It's alright, Harry." Dumbledore said. He gave him a small smile, but Harry couldn't help but notice that the twinkle in his blue eyes was missing.

"It's not alright." Harry whispered angrily. How could Dumbledore have let this happen?

"They'll have no choice but to believe Sirius. He's been given a truth serum so he can't lie."

"Does it matter?" Harry wondered out loud.

"Of course it matters!" Remus snapped rather harshly, making Harry jump. He noticed that the Dementors had even managed to drain Remus' brilliant golden eyes of their usual warmth and kindness. They were transfixed on Sirius' shivering form. "It has to matter."

It occured to Harry that Remus, who knew Sirius far longer than him and must've spend the last week trying to deal with the immense guilt of letting his best friend, an innocent man, rot in Azkaban for years, was probably suffering more than he was.

Oddly enough, seeing Remus's anguish made Harry forget all about his own. But he, for the life of him, couldn't think of anything to say that might comfort him.

He forced himself to look as the hard-faced Auror magically screwed long, sharp black nails into the cage. Sirius couldn't move in inch – his hands were cuffed behind his back and if he so much as breathed to deeply he would become a human porcupine.

"Sirius." Harry whispered to no one.

"SILENCE!" A stern-looking wizard sitting on a high chair in a raised platform roared. Harry's heart leaped into his throat. For a moment he thought the man had heard him. "I, Barty Crouch, dealt with the case of Sirius Black upon his first capture." The man said impressively, "Therefore, Minister Fudge," He nodded at Fudge who gave a weak nod in return, "decided that I should oversee his second hearing."

"You mean his first," Harry muttered darkly, "You never gave him one before."

Remus shushed him, a deep frown marring his forehead.

"As you've all clearly witnessed," Crouch continued, "the accused has consumed a powerful truth serum. We must all therefore believe that whatever words the accused will speak are the truth, or what he believes to be the truth." He added.

It couldn't have been more plain that Barty Crouch thought that Sirius was anything but innocent.

"Who made the truth serum?" Harry asked in an attempt to distract himself.

"Severus did not make it, if that's what you are asking." Dumbledore said softly. "It was brewed by an equally gifted Potions Master from Africa. They did not want it to be made by someone who has had any kind of contact with Sirius, whether good or bad."

"SILENCE!" Crouch roared again, glaring in the general direction of the witness stands. "The hearing has started!"

He slammed an impressive gavel onto it's tiny stool. The sound was enough to render Harry momentarily deaf. He stared at the object, wondering whether it was magical and if it would help Sirius if it was, but his thoughts were interrupted: it was happening. It was beginning.

"You're name is Sirius Orion Black?"

"Yes." Sirius wheezed.

Harry could see he was moving very carefully as if trying to find a position that would be more comfortable.

"You are the son of Orion and Walburga Black?"

"Yes."

"Older brother of Regulus Black? A known Death Eater in his time."

"Objection!" A ferocious-looking witch, who had been sitting quietly somewhere beside the witness stands, rose to her feet, "It states clearly in our Laws that the actions of the accused's family and friends are entirely unrelated to those of the accused."

"Unless you can prove that the illegal actions of a friend or family member had an effect on the accused which enabled him or her to commit their crime, Mrs. Parel." Crouch snapped back.

"You have evidence that proves that the actions of Regulus Black helped steer his older brother into committing a mass murder?" Mrs. Parel did not flinch under Crouch's stare, but her eyes narrowed in warning, "A mass murder he is yet to be found guilty of, I might add."

"He has been found guilty!" Crouch spat.

"Actually, Mr Crouch, evidence shows that Sirius Black has never had a fair trial thus it is impossible for you or anyone else to have found him guilty of anything."

Crouch looked livid. "Very well!" He resigned to her reasoning, very begrudgingly.

"Who is she?" Harry said, taking an instant liking to the witch that rushed to defend his godfather despite the fact that she must've lived most of her life thinking he was indeed guilty of a horrible crime.

"Tilena Parel." Dumbledore said, but he did not elaborate.

"Sirius Black!" Crouch snapped, "Did you or did you not kill Peter Pettigrew as well as twelve innocent Muggle bystanders?"

"I did not." Sirius said, looking uncomfortable still, but much calmer than Harry was feeling.

"Liar!"

"Objection!" Mrs. Parel rose to her feet again, giving Crouch a scalding look, "The accused has taken an approved truth serum from Angtul Inkinti, a renown African Potions Master! He cannot be lying!"

Crouch was shaking in his seat. "Fine." He hissed through clenched teeth. "Black, if you did not commit these murders than why were you found at the scene of the crime?"

"I was trying to kill Peter Pettigrew-"

"Aha!"

"-but he escaped."

"Escaped? Escaped?!" Crouch looked quite mad, "He didn't escape. You blew him to pieces!"

Harry couldn't breathe. This was not going the way he would've liked. He glanced hopefully at Mrs. Parel but she was watching Sirius to see how he'd respond.

"No, I did not." Sirius said plainly. "Peter Pettigrew escaped. He killed those twelve Muggles, cut off his finger and turned into a rat."

A stunned silence followed.

"Rat?" Crouch's expression of shock would've been comical in almost any other situation.

Sirius nodded or tried to. He gave the needles closest to his face a grimace. "Peter Pettigrew, James Potter and myself became illegal Animagus in order to comfort our friend, Remus Lupin, during his full moon transformations. Peter turned into a rat. James is a stag and I am a Grim."

Harry vaguely felt Dumbledore shift abrubtly beside him, but he was too busy looking at Crouch's reaction to care.

"Animagus?" Crouch repeated blankly before going through some of the papers on his desk.

Mrs. Parel stood up. "Mr. Crouch, I believe the accused was quite clear. He said that they became Animagus illegally in order to aid their werewolf friend thus you will not find any of them registered."

"I know that!"

Mrs. Parel smirked. "Then I would like to suggest calling forth this werewolf friend as a witness."

"Remus Lupin, come forth!" Crouch roared immediately, as if that was what he'd been planning on doing all along.

Harry turned to see Remus swallow thickly before standing with his fists clenched so tightly that his whole hand turned white.

"You are Remus Lupin?"

"Yes."

"A registered werewolf?"

"Yes."

Crouch glared at Remus. "Is it true that Peter Pettigrew, James Potter and the accused illegally became Animagus to... help you?"

"Yes, it is true."

"And you were aware that it was illegal at the time?"

Remus hesitated before nodding. "Yes, but -"

"And you did nothing to stop them despite knowing this?"

"Objection!" Once again, Mrs. Parel rose to her feet.

"Alright, alright." Crouch sneered before she could say anything else, "You may sit down. Black! Were you aware of the fact-"

"Objection!"

"-that becoming an Animagus for the sake of a werewolf -"

"Objection!" Mrs. Parel spat. "You are attempting to use wizard's prejudices against werewolves to-"

"Fine!" Crouched glared at her. Mrs. Parel glared right back.

"I was indeed aware at the time that becoming an unregistered Animagus was illegal." Sirius said, surprisingly everyone, "But since I was doing it for the sake of a very good friend, who was suffering monthly an excrusiating pain, I found it worth the risks."

"And yet," Crouch began after he recovered, "you were quick to accuse this good friend of associating with He Who Must Not Be Named after you left school."

Harry felt Remus stiffen beside him.

"No." Sirius said immediately, "I have never, not once in my life, believed Remus to be in league with Voldemort-" The entire room seemed to gasp as one, "- or any other dark wizard."

"Then, dear me, why did you register him?" A witch who reminded Harry of a toad said in a sickeningly sweet giggle. "It doesn't make sense."

"I thought Remus would be an easy target for the Imperius Curse. I knew he was being hunted down by Fenrir Greyback who was attempting to recruit as many werewolves as he could whether they were willing or not. Remus would've been quite a gem. A werewolf, probably the first who's ever received a proper education, and the best part was that no one but a handful of people knew he was a werewolf. I registered him to try and make him less...valuable to them... in the hopes that they'd give up the chase."

"You were trying to protect me? And I a-accused you..." Harry heard Remus whisper. He knew his former professor was fighting back tears and didn't dare look at him.

"But werewolves are very hard to jinx." Crouch said.

"That depends on how hard you try though, doesn't it?" Sirius replied, "As strong as Remus is, I doubt he'd be able to shake off an Imperius Curse from Vol-"

"Thank you." The toad-witch interrupted with a hideously sweet smile.

"Alright." Crouch said. He smirked. "Tell me, why were you trying to kill Peter Pettigrew?"

"Because he was James and Lily's Secret Keeper. He betrayed them." Sirius's face turned dark. "I convinced them to switch because I thought no one would expect Peter to be their Secret Keeper. I thought I was a much more likely choice so I... but the coward turned them in."

"Peter Pettigrew in league with You Know Who?" Crouch said, his eyes narrowing. "Impossible. The boy was a Gryffindor and a good friend of James Potter and his wife."

"I'm a Gryffindor and I am James Potter's best friend yet you didn't hesitate to send me to Azkaban." Sirius replied, grimacing at Crouch. "Without a trail." He added.

Crouch sneered at him. "All the evidences pointed at you."

"What evidence?!" Sirius roared, and Harry, to his horror, saw tears running down his face, "You didn't bother searching for evidence! I'm innocent!"

The room went silent. Everyone turned to look at Mrs. Parel who rose to her feet.

"I would like to call forth a few witnesses if possible, Mr. Crouch."

Crouch looked faint as he nodded wordlessly.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, come forth!"

A beautiful woman rose from the far back of the witness stands. Her hands, like Sirius', were cuffed behind her back and the resemblance between her and Sirius was uncanny. She, like Sirius, was extraordinairily beautiful. Or used to be. Unlike Sirius, she never had the chance to recover from whatever horrors lie within Azkaban.

"Yes?" She drawled.

"You are Bellatrix Lestrange? A known Death Eater and cousin to Sirius Black?"

"Yes!" She said, a manic smile forming on her twisted face that couldn't seem to decide whether to remain beautiful or turn ugly, "A proud Death Eater!" Her smile vanished, "But that piece of filth hasn't been family of mine for years."

"Filth?" Crouch frowned, giving her a suspicious look.

"A blood traitor! Like you – like all of you! You're a fool to believe that this thing-" She seethed at Sirius who gave a hateful look in return. "- was loyal to the Dark Lord. He was never one to recognize greatness when he saw it, running around with Gryffindors. He's a shame to the House of Black!"

"Thank you." Mrs. Parel said, looking quite unimpressed as Bellatrix continued to throw a fit, calling Sirius every bad word she could think of. "Rodolphus Lestrange, come forth."

A man stood up, also cuffed. He was tall and muscular. He had an untrimmed beard that made him look even more unclean, "Aye?"

"Have you ever seen Sirius Black amongst your fellow Death Eaters?"

"Never." He said, glowering darkly.

"Have you ever heard or seen anything to suggest he was loyal to He Who Must Not Be Named?"

"Never." He repeated, swaying as if it took too much energy for him to stand as opposed to his wife who was fighting tooth and nail against three bulky Aurors.

"Thank you." Mrs. Parel turned to Crouch, "I, personally, find this enough evidence to prove that Sirius Black is innocent."

"Well, I don't." Crouch snapped.

"Each of them have taken Veritaserum, also brewed by Angtul Inkinti. Therefore, they were both speaking the truth. Sirius Black did not have and never did have any loyalty to You Know Who. In fact, I have evidence to prove that he was an active member of the Order of the Phoenix, an organization made by Albus Dumbledore," Mrs. Parel nodded at Hogwarts' Headmaster, "to fight against You Know Who and his followers."

Crouch gaped at her, seemingly unable to think of anything that would once again make Sirius seem guilty.

"It's over." Harry whispered, feeling the knot in his stomach untangle and relief wash over him like a tsunami. "He's going to be free."

"Not so fast, Harry." Remus whispered back. He was still pale and did not look as reassured. "They still have to vote."

"Yes, but-"

"Think about it, Harry. What would it look like if people found out the Ministry have put an innocent man in Azkaban for over twelve years while the real culprit walked free? There are people who'll vote against his release simply to avoid that."

Harry felt the knot return. He snapped his head back at Crouch who seemed so deep in thought that he looked pained.

"Alright." He said finally. Harry could not read his expression. "Those who vote in favor of clearing the name of accused?"

Harry closed his eyes. He didn't know what he would do if they sent him back to Azkaban despite knowing he was innocent. He'd go crazy. He kept his eyes shut and waited. It seemed like forever. He could hardly breathe.

"CLEARED!" Crouch's voice echoed through the room.

Harry opened his eyes and, to his amazement and relief and sheer joy, he saw over half of the Wizengamot had their hands raised in favor of releasing his godfather.

"Free?" He gasped, not quite believing it. "He's free! He's free!"

Harry was half aware of Bellatrix's cries of 'blood traitor!'. He needed all his self-control not to bound over to Sirius, blast the cage apart, hug him and never let go. Sirius was free. He would no longer have to return to the Dursleys. He would be living with Sirius in a house in the Wizarding World.

No more starvation, no more neglect and cruel punishments for things he didn't do.

Harry cried.

When Remus Lupin, as overcome by the events as Sirius and himself – with his golden eyes looking even more radiant than ever, enveloped him in the warmest embrace that shattered all of Harry's emotional defenses, he found that he didn't care if anyone saw or heard.

They were free.

...

For now.