"Allies?"
"Tiberius, and Lady Longbottom, but other than the two of them, we haven't wanted to stir the pot for fear of the problem simply being silenced, leaving us with just questions. Tiberius said you would know who to speak to."
"Hmm, well obviously Amelia Bones, Rufus Scrimgeour, probably the new Chief Warlock… once those three know the biggest trick will be getting Fudge to allow the trial without consulting Dumbledore or Malfoy."
All of which led to this morning's meeting. He entered the meeting room behind Jamieson Fawcett and sat down, quill in hand, ready to take notes. When Amelia Bones and Scrimgeour entered, he stood and shook hands, then resumed his seat, while Jamieson started the meeting.
"Amelia, Rufus, thank you for coming. I know I can trust the two of you to keep what is said here in confidence. In November 1981 there was a gross miscarriage of justice that took place, I hold neither of you responsible but we owe it to all citizens of the magical world to correct it. Because uncorrected it sets a dangerous precedent to the rights of all citizens."
Amelia Bones' features took on a granite like expression. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Sirius Black. I was approached a month ago by Stephen here. He brought it to my attention Sirius Black never had a trial; he was signed into Azkaban on Bartemius Crouch's order but never received a trial."
"Are you sure?" Scrimgeour growled.
"Positive, I went over the courts time logs. Every minute is accounted for so there was no secret trial. The man was chucked into prison without a trial." Jamieson replied.
"That is grave news indeed." Amelia looked very thoughtful. After several minutes she said, "What is your interest in all this, Stephen?"
"Questions from a client wanting answers, a desire for justice. Something like this reflects badly on all of us in the legal field."
"Show me what you've found." She stated. Forty five minutes later all four of them sat back.
"Our new Chief Warlock, Cecil Warwick, won't be a problem. We send him a brief, and he'll probably reschedule the upcoming calendar to get it dealt with promptly. The trick will be getting Fudge on board." Scrimgeour stated. "He probably has taken bribes to look the other way."
"Leave Cornelius to me." Amelia drawled. "In the meantime, Rufus, I want you to personally see Black into protective custody use Shacklebolt, trainee Tonks, Spencer and Ferguson. Go do it now before anyone gets wind of this."
The Head of the Aurors nodded.
Amelia said, "Jamieson, Stephen I want the two of you to come with me to meet with Fudge tomorrow."
The next morning she lead the way to Minister Fudge's office.
Once there she spoke to the secretary "Mindy, I have a nine o'clock."
"Yes, you have the next two hours in his schedule, Director."
Moments later she was ushering them into the office.
"Amelia, what can I do for you today?" Cornelius Fudge said.
"Actually Cornelius, I wanted to do something for you. It has come to my attention through the efforts of these two gentlemen, that the previous administration made a grievous error and set a very dangerous precedent. Jamieson, how about you tell Minister Fudge what you found."
"Well Minister, Mr. Corner here brought it to my attention that the previous administration denied a fundamental right to a member of one of the oldest pureblood families at the end of the last war. The right to a trial, shocking though that may be to you. After all to deny a right to trial, is to deny something that makes us British, don't you agree? Of course you do. I'm sure you are as appalled as I am that the former Chief Warlock didn't catch this and probably the man involved is guilty but correcting this oversight is far preferable it letting it hang over and taint your administration, don't you agree?"
Cornelius heard the word 'taint' and shuddered most of the Ministry thought him weak and foolish since he had followed Albus Dumbledore so closely. If this, whatever it was, allowed him to distance himself from that man, and cast his administration in a good light he was in favor of it. "Of course I do."
"I'm so glad you agree, Cornelius. I'll see about scheduling a trial for Sirius Black as soon as possible. In the meantime, I'll have him moved into the lockdown at St. Mungo's to ensure he is fit to stand trial in a couple of weeks. I and these nice gentlemen will get out of your hair, I'm sure you have important things to do." Amelia smiled at the confusion in the Minister's eyes as she swept out of his office.
She had been the newly named Head of the Auror Department at the end of the last war and had been quite dissatisfied at the number of questions surrounding the deaths of James and Lily Potter. When she'd gone to Dumbledore he'd claimed his hands were tied, then when she had tried to force the issue, she had been told point blank by Bartimieus Crouch, then Head of the DMLE, and Minister Bagnold, to drop it or might cost her more than just her job. Given that she was the last living relative of her grandniece and had just been given custody she had dropped it, but it had never sat right with her. This opportunity wasn't one to be passed on.
At Hogwarts, Harry finished the last of his transfiguration essay and considered carefully how he wished to proceed on the information he'd found out about Azkaban and it denizens, and what that meant for him. He'd actually been mulling over the information for a while but it was only the letter he'd gotten this morning from Mr. Corner that had him deciding to act on what he'd found out. He found a deserted classroom and pulled out his mirror to Cassandra.
"Cassandra?"
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