Chapter 15: Adjusting to the Truth

Few things make Sirius Black happier than seeing Severus Snape fall for a good prank and today the list gained another item: Peter Pettigrew was shown to the Wizengamot for a public trial. All those people who refused to believe him finally had no choice but to see the truth as it was. Being the wizard he is, Sirius Black reacted the most mature way he could: he rubbed it in the faces of everyone who dared to assume him a Death Eater. His first stop was the Ministry of Magic, since he'd be going there anyway to see Pettigrew's trial. The first person to greet him without having any obligation to do so was Frank Longbottom. "Hi, Sirius." Frank awkwardly greeted his former friend.

"Forgive me, Auror Longbottom, but I had no idea we were at first name basis again." Sirius replied with a mixture of the Pureblood pride his mother forced into him and his own distorted sense of humor.

Frank cringed at this in spite of having seen it coming. "Sirius, I genuinely thought you were guilty."

"And I genuinely thought what I said in my defense would be enough to at least make you have second thoughts, Auror Longbottom." Sirius counter-argued.

Frank's wife Alice decided to help him. "Please, Sirius." She pleaded. "We know you're sad that we refused to see through Pettigrew's treachery but you have to understand the idea of such an unassuming wizard being that dangerous was something hard to believe."

"But it's easy to believe when coming from someone born to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, isn't it?" Sirius completely sneered this time.

"This is not what I meant, Sirius." She argued.

"But that's what I understood."

Cornelius Fudge then appeared. "Frank, Alice, why didn't you tell me Sirius Black is here?" He excitedly asked. "I bet he's eager to see the traitor being sentenced. Please seat next to me, Sirius."

"Of course, Minister." Sirius eagerly accepted.

"Call me Cornelius." Fudge asked. Normally, Sirius wouldn't put up with that but he opened an exception because Fudge wasn't among the friends who turned on him.

"Say, Cornelius, when will be Lucius' turn to be tried for his crimes as a Death Eater?" Sirius asked out of curiosity. He agreed to call the Minister 'Cornelius' to make the Longbottoms upset.

"After the Unspeakables finish analyzing the cursed diary the Aurors found at his manor, Sirius." Fudge answered.

Satisfied with the answer, Sirius and Fudge entered the courtroom. "I did what I have to do." Pettigrew pleaded. "The Dark Lord was becoming more powerful. I needed to survive! What would you do?"

Pettigrew got no sympathy for this. "You could have turned yourself in but you chose to frame an innocent and kill random muggles who had nothing to do with this!" Fudge declared and everyone agreed. Sirius had genuine respect for Fudge this time.

"The Death Eaters were blaming me for the Dark Lord's demise!" Pettigrew pleaded. "They'd kill me without him to confirm my loyalty."

Fudge and Sirius had no trouble to have Peter Pettigrew declared guilty and sentence him to the Dementor's kiss. Fudge had a Dementor brought to the Wizengamot for that very same purpose. "Bring in the next Death Eater defendant." Chief Warlock ordered. The other Death Eaters were dealt so fairly Sirius was impressed. He never thought he'd think that but he's seriously considering voting for Fudge next election. Afterwards, Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts. "How did it go, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked him.

"Cornelius saw light, Minerva!" Dumbledore happily exclaimed. "Or at the very least saw more advantage from punishing Death Eaters than coming up with excuses for them."

"I'm glad to know the Death Eaters won't cheat just like last time." She gave a soft smile. "What about Sirius?"

Dumbledore lost his smile and his twinkle. "Unfortunately, it seems Sirius still doesn't feel inclined to forgive us for not believing him."

"Did Lucius Malfoy try the Imperius excuse again, Albus?" Snape asked out of a desire to change subjects and a genuine curiosity to the closest thing to a friend he ever had among his fellow Slytherins.

"Actually, he has yet to be tried." Dumbledore explained. "We hope the Unspeakables can finish analyzing the cursed diary found at Malfoy Manor before the trial takes place. Lucius says Voldemort forced him to keep it until ordered to use it in a ploy to take over Hogwarts but I'm afraid the diary has a more sinister purpose."

Snape agreed it must be something grave if the Unspeakables were interested. "You must have an idea of what the real purpose is."

"And I do have, Severus." Dumbledore agreed and everyone around him was expecting him to share it with them, like they didn't know him. "Unfortunately, my theory is so terrible I'd rather not mention it." Everyone groaned. An owl then appeared with a message from the Ministry to Dumbledore. "It seems the Unspeakables have already finished their analysis and need me." He said upon reading the letter.

Meanwhile, at the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius Black was looking forward the chance of rubbing his recently proven innocence into doubters' faces. "One butterbeer, Tom." Sirius happily ordered. "I feel like celebrating the so-called martyr's capture. It feels so good to see others admitting their mistakes. Anybody dares call me a Death Eater again?"

Several wizards and witches groaned. Whenever Sirius Black is bragging about something is when he's in the most unbearable self. The worst part is when he's right. People should have believed him. "In spite of the skeptics, the rat got caught." But they didn't have to enjoy it.

Back at Hogwarts, supposedly reformed Death Eater Severus Snape was running around with his left arm uncovered and screaming "It's gone!"

"What's wrong, Severus?" Professor McGonagall asked out of concern for her usually stoic colleague.

"Not wrong, just unexpected." Professor Snape hurriedly said. "The Dark Mark is gone!"

"Wasn't it the same back when You-Know-Who was initially defeated?" Herbology teacher Pomona Sprout asked in confusion.

"No, Pomona." Snape replied. "Back then the mark was faint but still there, showing me that the Dark Lord was still alive. Now that it's completely gone, I'm sure he's dead."

A few minutes later, everyone at Hogwarts other than Death Eaters' children were celebrating. Draco Malfoy was trying to seek comfort from Professor Snape. "Please tell me you lied." Malfoy desperately asked.

"The truth is undeniable, Draco." Snape stated. "The Dark Lord is really dead this time."

"What will we do?" Malfoy asked in tears.

"I don't know about you but I'm trying to find another job." Snape explained. "Hopefully St. Mungo's will appreciate my services as a potioneer."

"Won't you try to avenge the Dark Lord?" Draco Malfoy asked.

"What for?" Snape asked. "We're Slytherins. We look out for our own interests. What would we get from revenge?"

"I'll think about that."

The end.