Pov Evelyn,
Even if there was a bit of a delay, the real trial of Sirius Black finally took place.
(Author's note: I forgot to release him before the World Cup, lol.)
"As the Veritaserum has proven, Sirius Black never killed James and Lily Potter, nor did he betray them to You-Know-Who."
"I would have preferred to be tortured for eternity than to betray them. I owe everything to the Potter family. It never even crossed my mind to turn on them. That's why I came up with the ruse of pretending to be the Secret Keeper — so that Voldemort would come after me instead of that traitorous rat."
The sincerity in Sirius' voice was unmistakable.
"The only crimes he committed were being an unregistered Animagus and letting his emotions take over instead of looking after Harry Potter. But can we really blame him? His best friend was murdered, and the one who betrayed them still walks free."
It was quite fun to take on the role of a lawyer for someone who truly deserved justice.
Several witnesses came forward, and we all said the same thing.
A vote was held, and Sirius was released. After that, the trial shifted focus to Pettigrew's sentencing.
"Wait before you judge him. On the night Marie and I captured him, a prophecy had been spoken earlier."
I took out a scroll — it was the prophecy Harry had heard from Trelawney when she had entered a trance-like state.
"This prophecy says, and I quote: 'The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and return to his master. With help, the Dark Lord will rise again, greater and more terrible than ever. Tonight... before midnight... the servant... will set out... to rejoin... his master...' The part about "the servant" could be interpreted as referring to Pettigrew's condition before his identity was exposed."
There was a lot of murmuring and concern.
"Another piece of information to add is that Marie and I chased this traitor for nearly three hours non-stop before we finally managed to capture him — exactly at midnight, if my calculations are correct."
"Who's to say you weren't just bad at catching him?"
"That's a fair question. But do you know many people who can dodge that many attacks, especially ones powerful enough to cause massive damage at Hogwarts? When we finally caught him, the forest was in flames. We weren't pretending to be incompetent — and besides, we can just ask him directly what he intended to do once he escaped."
We asked the question, and under the effects of Veritaserum, he told us everything.
"I was going to join the Dark Lord so he could protect me."
"Even if it meant bringing about his resurrection?"
"Yes. I would have done anything to earn his protection."
The whispers of the listeners turned into cries of protest.
"Hand him over to the Dementor immediately!"
"He's too dangerous to live — kill him!"
"THAT'S ALL IT TAKES!"
Marie raised her voice to calm the crowd again.
"Yes, we have escaped disaster this time, but the threat still remains — merely postponed. Voldemort will return one day, maybe in a few months. As long as someone stands by his side, he will come back."
Her words might have been misinterpreted, but she only spoke the truth: Voldy's return was inevitable, and it had already begun.
Pov General,
What no one knew was that Marie's words echoed a reality far beyond this world — beyond all dimensions. Beyond a crystal prison, forged by an ancient sacrifice, a forgotten clan was working desperately to delay the inevitable.
A pair of twins, born at the dawn of time, would soon awaken — and with them, the final chapter would begin.
The conclusion of time itself was drawing near.