Harry Potter and the Second Chance - Chapter 70 - Well, This is Fun

Harry looked between Dumbledore and Sirius in shock, his mind struggling to process the words he'd just heard. Finally, he managed to speak.

"Is that true?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "It is not so black and white, my dear boy. However, all the pieces are in motion, and I expect that by supper time, Sirius Black should be officially absolved of the crimes he has been charged with."

Sirius inhaled sharply before letting out a shaky breath, gripping the arms of his chair as if steadying himself. His gray eyes, which usually held a mischievous glint, were unreadable, but before he could say anything, Dumbledore turned to face him.

"However," Dumbledore continued, his tone growing more serious, "we are not yet out of the Forbidden Forest, so to speak. There is still work to be done."

Sirius nodded, exhaling slowly as though preparing himself. "I figured as much. What’s the plan?"

Dumbledore folded his hands together and regarded the three of them. "Madam Bones and I have been working tirelessly on this to ensure everything goes well. We have a plan and are now prepared to get Sirius into the Ministry, where Madam Bones will present the evidence she has uncovered—all without allowing anyone the chance to curse you on sight."

Sirius arched an eyebrow. "Well, I’m certainly on board with that part. I can’t put into words just how much I prefer my backside being thoroughly uncursed, thank you very much."

Harry let out a small, nervous chuckle, at the site of Sirius smirk. However it quickly disappeared as he looked at Dumbledore. “What’s the plan then?”

But before Dumbledore could reply, one of the figures in the portraits behind him suddenly popped back into his frame.

"They are here," the old wizard in the portrait informed him.

Dumbledore glanced at the clock on the wall—an ancient contraption with no fewer than seventeen hands, all moving in intricate, enigmatic patterns. He smiled. "Right on time," he murmured.

He turned back to Sirius, the twinkle in his eyes dimming as he adopted a more serious expression. "I need you to act ... well ... serious," he said, his lips twitching slightly.

Sirius let out a single bark of laughter before rolling his eyes.

Dumbledore merely inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Madam Bones is about to bring five Aurors into my office with her.”

Sirius stiffened slightly, his easy demeanor faltering for just a moment.

Dumbledore inclined his head. “I am aware of how this will make you feel, but I have vetted these five Aurors myself. While Madam Bones has not yet told them whom they will be escorting, both Madam Bones and I believe that as long as you do not unnecessarily provoke them—especially not as soon as they come in the door—there will be nothing to worry about."

Sirius exhaled through his nose, his lips pressing together. He let out a single hollow laugh and nodded. "That was the most ‘almost-comforting’ thing I’ve heard in a while," he muttered.

He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, then took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Fine. What’s life without a little risk? I'll do my best to act as unlike myself as possible."

Dumbledore nodded approvingly just as a firm knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," Dumbledore called.

He then turned to face the door, which had just begun to open. Harry's pulse quickened as Madam Amelia Bones strode in first, her expression as stern and unreadable as ever. Behind her came Kingsley Shacklebolt, his tall frame commanding attention as he stepped into the room with effortless authority. His deep brown skin and bald head gleamed under the office’s warm candlelight, and his calm, piercing gaze swept across the room as he took in the scene.

Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw the tension ripple through Sirius’ shoulders, but to his credit, he stayed still.

Just behind Kingsley, John Dawlish entered. The grizzled Auror had a square jaw, short-cropped blond hair already graying at the edges, and a perpetual scowl etched into his weathered face. His sharp blue eyes darted between Dumbledore, Harry, and Sirius, suspicion evident in every fiber of his being. His right hand hovered near his wand, fingers twitching slightly as if expecting trouble.

Following Dawlish were two Aurors Harry didn’t recognize. The first was a broad-shouldered man with dark brown hair tied back into a short ponytail. A thin scar ran diagonally across his cheek, disappearing under the high collar of his dark-blue Auror robes. His expression was neutral, but his alert posture betrayed his readiness for action.

The last Auror was a woman with sharp, hawkish features and piercing green eyes that flickered with constant calculation. Her auburn hair was pulled into a tight braid, and she carried herself with a rigid precision that reminded Harry of McGonagall in a foul mood. She moved with an economy of motion that spoke of years of training, and her fingers curled around her wand in a manner that suggested she was always prepared to use it.

Harry’s attention was drawn to Kingsley as the Auror stepped right into the center of the office, his gaze steady as he looked to Dumbledore.

“Headmaster, good to see you again,” he greeted with a respectful nod before turning to Madam Bones. “Since we’ve arrived, will you finally dispense with all this mystery and explain why we’re here?”

Amelia Bones opened her mouth to reply, but before she could utter a single word, a familiar voice rang out from the doorway.

"That's Sirius Black! I'd recognize my cousin anywhere!"

Every Auror in the room reacted instantly. Their eyes hardened as they all whirled toward Sirius, wands snapping up in unison. Harry's heart leapt into his throat as he spun toward the doorway, where he saw Nymphadora Tonks standing with her wand already drawn and pointed straight at Sirius.

"Hold," Madam Bones ordered sharply, and the Aurors obeyed, though their eyes remained locked onto Sirius with expressions ranging from disbelief to suspicion to anger.

Sirius remained still, his face unreadable. "Well, this is awkward," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Harry to hear.

Dumbledore clasped his hands together. "Aurors, I present to you Sirius Black. Yes, the very same Sirius Black who has been branded a mass-murdered thirteen years ago. However, I must ask that you all remain civil.”

Despite having five wands pointed right at him, Sirius, to Harry’s surprise, wasn’t tense or defensive. Instead, he was looking at Tonks with an expression of confusion, one that quickly morphed into dawning recognition.

“Hey there, Dora,” he said, his voice softer than Harry had expected. “It’s good to see you. You’ve certainly grown up since I last saw you.”

Tonks hesitated, her wand trembling slightly in her grip. Harry could see the uncertainty flickering across her face, but she kept her wand trained on him.

Before she—or anyone else—could do anything, Madam Bones stepped directly between Sirius and the Aurors.

"Lower your wands," she commanded, her voice firm and brooking no argument.

The Aurors hesitated, their eyes darting between her and Sirius.

"Now," she repeated.

Still, none of them moved. Dawlish in particular looked downright suspicious.

“Do you all honestly believe that I would lead you into a room with Sirius Black without prior knowledge of it?” she demanded, her tone carrying the full weight of her authority. “And do you honestly think that Mr. Black would attempt anything in a room that contains Professor Dumbledore, myself, and five of the most skilled Aurors in the Ministry?”

Her words carried enough logic that, slowly, the Aurors began lowering their wands. First Kingsley, his sharp gaze studying Sirius as he eased his wand down. Then the broad-shouldered man, who let out a quiet exhale as he followed suit. The auburn-haired Auror hesitated but eventually complied, followed by Dawlish, who looked like he’d rather be chewing nails.

Tonks was the last. She kept her wand trained on Sirius for a few seconds longer, her lips pressed together in a tight line, before finally lowering it. But Harry noticed that not a single one of them actually put their wands away.

Madam Bones let out a small sigh. “I suppose that will do for now,” she muttered. She turned her sharp gaze to the gathered Aurors.

“The five of you were selected for this because of your vigilance in upholding the law,” she said, her voice measured but firm. “You are here to escort Mr. Black to the Ministry in order to overturn his sentence.”

That got a reaction. The Aurors, who had to this point not let their eyes stray from Sirius, immediately snapped their heads toward her, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

Amelia continued as if she hadn’t just dropped a bombshell.

“Professor Dumbledore approached me earlier this year with the claim that Sirius Black was innocent. Naturally, my first reaction was skepticism—deep skepticism, I might add. However, out of professional courtesy, I agreed to conduct interviews with Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and Mr. Black himself.” She glanced at Sirius before facing the Aurors again. “After those interviews, I began my own investigation.”

She let that statement settle, watching as they processed it. Then, she delivered the final blow.

“I now have enough evidence to prove that Sirius Black was innocent of the crimes that sent him to Azkaban.”

The room fell into a stunned silence.

Harry could practically hear the gears turning in their heads as they tried to reconcile this information with everything they had believed for over a decade. It was Dawlish who finally found his voice, though his words were filled with incredulity.

"Forgive me, but this isn’t wasn’t exactly something small like operating a shop without a permit. He was accused of mass-murder. How can we just take your word that everything we know is wrong?”

Dumbledore nodded as if he had anticipated the question. "A fair concern. That is why Madam Bones has prepared evidence proving that Sirius Black is innocent.”

“What information could you possibly have found?” he demanded.

Sirius, who had remained quiet throughout, finally spoke. "I understand this is a lot to take in. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t trust me either. But I didn’t betray James and Lily. I never would have. And in the end I didn’t even kill Peter, who was the actual traitor, although I won’t deny that I had seriously considered it."

The broad-shouldered auror with a ponytail scoffed. "Peter Pettigrew is dead. Everyone knows that."

Harry stepped forward, his voice firm. "No, he isn’t. He’s been living as a rat."

The Aurors turned to Harry, surprise flickering in their eyes. Madam Bones reached into her robes and pulled out a folder. "We have documented proof that Pettigrew survived and had been hiding in plain sight.

The disbelief on the Aurors’ faces wavered, replaced with uncertainty.

After several seconds of silence the older woman stepped forward looking between Amelia Bones and Dumbledore. “Wouldn’t all of this have come to light during his trial before he was sentenced?”

Madam Bones turned her gaze on her, her face unreadable. Then, in a calm, level voice, she said,

“There was no trial.”

That seemed to shake the Aurors the most. The impact of those four words was immediate. Every single Auror reacted in their own way.

Dawlish’s jaw went slack, his expression shifting rapidly between shock and anger. “What?” he sputtered. “That’s impossible!”

The broad-shouldered Auror, who had been rubbing his chin in thought, let his hand drop as he took a step back. “No trial?” he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. “That can’t be right.” Denial.

The auburn-haired Auror closed her eyes for a moment, then took a steadying breath. When she opened them, she nodded slightly, as if forcing herself to accept the truth. Bargaining.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was the first to regain his composure. His expression darkened, his usually calm demeanor giving way to a deep, simmering anger. He exhaled sharply through his nose before asking, “Are you absolutely certain?” His voice was controlled, but there was no mistaking the steel in his tone. "You swear you’ve confirmed all of this?"

Madam Bones met his gaze and nodded. “I am positive and I do.”

Tonks looked like she had been physically struck. Her mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Then she found her words, her voice—usually light and playful—was laced with something raw. “You’re saying my cousin was locked away for twelve years … without even a chance to defend himself?”

Amelia’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Yes.”

The room fell silent once more, the weight of the revelation pressing down on them all.

Sirius, throughout all of this, had remained silent. But now, a slow, wry smirk tugged at his lips.

“Well,” he said, breaking the tense silence. “This is fun.”

Nobody laughed.

The silence in the room was heavy as the Aurors processed the revelation that Sirius Black had never even been given a trial. Harry could see the weight of that knowledge settling over them, but Amelia Bones, ever efficient, had no time for them to linger in their shock.

She turned to Sirius, her sharp eyes locking onto his. “Now that we’ve settled that,” she began, “let’s discuss the plan.”

Sirius nodded but stayed quiet as she continued.

“We will use Professor Dumbledore’s fireplace to travel near the guest entrance to the Ministry,” she explained. “That particular fireplace and entrance into the Ministry do not have any form of tracking or identification charms on them, as they were designed for informants to arrive as close as possible to the Ministry without being seen. Using this path should reduce the risk of someone spotting us before we are ready for the trial.”

Sirius leaned against Dumbledore’s desk, arms crossed, listening intently. Harry could tell he was paying close attention, despite his casual stance.

“Once through the fireplace,” Amelia went on, “you will be disguised under the effects of Polyjuice Potion. Then we will escort you inside under the guise a witness for an unrelated trial. The last thing we need is someone recognizing you or getting suspicious before we can present our case.”

Sirius scoffed, waving a hand dramatically over his face. “A shame to hide this beauty,” he said, smirking. “But whatever you say, Amy. You’re the boss.”

Madam Bones grumbled under her breath but didn’t respond. She merely turned back to the Aurors to continue briefing them, though as she turned, Harry could have sworn he caught the faintest hint of a smile on her face before it vanished behind her usual stern expression.

As the Aurors refocused on Amelia, Dumbledore stepped closer to Harry and Hermione. His bright blue eyes twinkled, but there was an underlying seriousness in his gaze.

“While Madam Bones and the Aurors focus on Sirius, I will be making sure the two of you arrive intact,” Dumbledore said softly. “You will accompany us to the Ministry, and once we arrive, I will see you all safely to the courtroom before proceedings begin.”

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look before nodding.

Dumbledore glanced at them both before asking, “I am of course assuming that you are willing to provide your memories from last year?”

Harry and Hermione immediately interrupted him. “Anything to help,” Hermione said firmly, while Harry nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore’s expression softened into a warm smile. “Your memories will likely be invaluable,” he said gently. “I am grateful for your willingness.”

At that moment, Sirius, who had been staring at Tonks was nudged by Dumbledore. The older wizard motioned for him to join them.

“Are there any last minute questions or concerns?” Dumbledore asked, looking around the group.

Harry took a deep breath and looked between Hermione and Sirius, both of whom after a brief pause shook their heads. Harry then looked to Dumbledore, knowing how much was riding on this and that now, after all this time, there was finally a chance to set things right, with that he shook his head as well.

Amelia turned to them, her face unreadable but her tone firm. “It’s time.”

They all nodded and moved toward the fireplace.

Dumbledore flicked his wand, and the green flames roared to life, casting eerie shadows across the walls. He turned to them and nodded. “Everything is set. You only need to walk through.”

Just as Harry stepped forward, he heard Amelia whisper to Sirius in a low voice.

“You better take this seriously, Black,” she murmured. “Because if you don’t, things could go very badly for all of us.”

Sirius gave her an exaggerated look of offense. “Me? Not take something seriously? I am deeply wounded by your lack of faith, Madam Bones.”

Amelia sighed but didn’t respond. Instead, she gestured for them to step through the fireplace.

One by one, they vanished into the green flames.

The moment Harry stepped through the Floo, he felt a sudden jolt before landing on solid ground. He quickly moved aside, stepping out of the way as the green flames flared again behind him. Taking a quick glance around, he found himself in what looked like an abandoned building. The air smelled faintly of dust and old parchment, and the only source of light came from a few dim, flickering lanterns mounted on the walls.

Tonks was already there, standing near the far wall, her arms crossed over her chest. As soon as she saw him, her gaze sharpened.

“This is real, then?” she asked, her voice quiet but intense.

Harry nodded. “Yeah. It’s real.”

Tonks let out a breath and shook her head. “I just … I can’t believe it.” She exhaled sharply and ran a hand through her ever-changing hair, which was currently a dull shade of brown. “Mum always told me stories—stories about my cousin. Always telling me that he couldn’t possibly have done what they said he did. She never believed it, not for a second. But I grew up trusting in the rule of law.”

She clenched her fists. “And now, to find out that Sirius was sent to Azkaban without even a trial …” She trailed off, shuddering. “Merlin, that prison …”

Harry stayed quiet, unsure of what to say. He didn’t have to ask what she meant.

Tonks swallowed hard. “I’ve been there, you know. I’ve had to go and do follow-up interviews with prisoners. And even the ones who’ve only been there a few months … they’re never the same.” She shook her head. “But Sirius—he seems okay. He shouldn’t be okay.”

She fell silent, and Harry had no words to offer. He had wondered the same thing. Azkaban was supposed to destroy people, but somehow, Sirius had held onto himself. Maybe it was because he knew he was innocent. Maybe it was because of his Animagus form. Or maybe … maybe Sirius was just stronger than most.

Before Harry could say anything, the Floo flared up again. Sirius stepped through first, shaking soot from his robes. A moment later, Amelia Bones followed, brushing ash from her shoulder. Dumbledore was the last to arrive, his robes billowing slightly as he stepped onto the old wooden floor.

Amelia wasted no time. She pulled a small flask from her pocket and handed it to Sirius. “It’s time.”

Sirius took the flask and examined it. “Polyjuice, huh?” He smirked. “First time I’ve ever used this to go somewhere I wasn’t wanted.”

Dumbledore chuckled softly, while one of the two Aurors Harry still didn’t know let out a short, amused laugh.

Sirius grinned, then lifted the flask in a mock toast. “To your health, Madam Bones.”

With that, he downed the potion in one go. Almost immediately, he grimaced and gagged. “Ugh, and I’m not speaking from past experience or anything but this tastes like rotten cabbages and goblin feet.”

Harry watched as Sirius’s face twisted, his hair lightening to a muddy gray, his skin stretching and growing lumpy. Within seconds, the transformation was complete. The man standing before them now was much older, with a balding head, sagging jowls, and a face covered in boils and skin tags.

Amelia studied him for a moment before turning away, unable to suppress a smile. When she finally turned back, there was a mischievous glint in her eye. “Well,” she said dryly, “despite the striking resemblance to your appearance, I think we’ll be able to get you through without issue.”

Kingsley and Dawlish both smirked at that, while Sirius gave her an exaggerated bow. “Always the charmer, Amy.”

“No more jokes, its time to be serious,” Amelia replied immediately, but Harry could see the corner of her mouth twitching.

With no further delay, Amelia motioned for the group to move out. They left the abandoned building and crossed the street toward the Ministry’s guest entrance. The afternoon air was surprisingly crisp, but Harry barely noticed. His heart was pounding.

If this went wrong, if someone recognized Sirius before they reached the trial room …

He shook the thought away and focused on walking.

Once inside the Ministry, they stepped into the grand main atrium. It was the middle of the day, so there weren’t many people around, but a few witches and wizards were still wandering about, conducting whatever their business was for the day. Some recognized Amelia or the Aurors and nodded politely, but no one paid much attention to Sirius, who remained encircled by the Aurors. While there were a few raised eyebrows, no one moved to stop them.

So far, so good.

They made it to the elevator. Harry let out a breath as they stepped inside, relieved to see they were the only ones there. As the golden doors began sliding shut, he allowed himself a moment to relax.

And then—

A pale hand shot out and stopped the doors from closing.

Harry’s stomach dropped.

A second later, a saccharine voice rang out, smooth and unmistakable.

“Hem, hem.”

Harry’s breath caught in his throat as the doors slid open again. There, standing in the entrance, dressed in her usual sickly pink robes, was Dolores Umbridge.

“Room for one more, I hope?” she said sweetly.

Amelia didn’t answer, but she stepped aside to make space.

The doors slid shut, and the elevator began to move.

Harry swallowed hard.

They were trapped in an elevator with Dolores Umbridge.

Kind Regards,

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If you like this content do not hesitate to smash that like button and subscribe. Haha but seriously if you do enjoy the story - do favorite it, other than messaging me or leaving a comment it's the only way I know if you are enjoying the stories and chapters.

Story Note 1 – Looks like Sirius is about to get his day in court … well I sure hope so … cautiously optimistic about hischances of freedom at this point.

Story Note 2 – Obviously a large part of this chapter was the reactions of the aurors and I hope I did a decent job at capturing what I believe an actual reaction would be to finding themselves in the room with Sirius. Additionally, I think for the most part no one, other than Nymphadora … don’t call me that … Tonks recognizing him would be accurate as they would have images of him from the escape or images of him from twelve years ago. So certainly Tonks might have recognized something the others might have initially missed.

Thanks to those of you out to those of you who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you enjoy them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or reach out to me directly.

Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter. Who knew.