Chapter 27.1- Doom Days

I wish I could say it was close. Or that it was more dramatic and had come down to my astounding oratory abilities. None of those were true. I’d given a good performance, I was sure. But the priori possessio was incontrovertible proof that Peter Pettigrew was still alive. After that shock, the defence had requested a recess and after debating among themselves for a few minutes Forswythe announced that they would be dropping the defence and all charges against Sirius Black. Of course, that meant our case was going to go forward without challenge. It was a useful means to save face, and the Ministry went from being the other side in an adversarial matter, to fellow victims of the Scoundrel, Peter Pettigrew. Either Fudge was smarter than I expected or the combination of Bones and Forswythe had managed to get to his better self and convince him that fighting this was a lost cause.

Of course, not everyone had bought the pivot. We’d ended up with a handsome enough settlement from the Ministry. One million galleons for wrongful imprisonment across twelve years, another hundred thousand for the chase he’d been subject to, and two hundred thousand galleons for his reputational damages. The ICW had gotten their own licks in, fining the Minister Fifty thousand galleons for lying in their application for an international warrant. Fudge had taken each sentence with a stone cold expression. Or at least that would have passed for a stone cold expression on his face if he hadn’t been fiddling with his hat all through.

“You did it, Harry” Sirius whispered in my ears as the last of the judgement was read out by a smiling Dumbledore.

“We did it” I corrected with a smile.

“I’ll be taking 10% of that settlement as attorney fees, though” I said with a chuckle, trying to introduce some levity into the situation. I wasn’t sure I was comfortable with the level of gratitude and devotion I could see in his eyes. I was trying to build a friend here, not a follower. I’d had too many of the latter and too few of the former in my my first life.

“10%? You can have the whole fucking thing. I can’t believe I’m free.” He said, as I began to rise and guide him out. The next petitioners were scheduled to begin.

“On behalf of the government of China, in exile, I am Wei—“ that was the last I heard as I crossed the doorway and left the meeting Hall’s boundary ward. Well, that was going to evolve fascinatingly. Couldn’t wait to see the news after this.

“Mr. Black. Mr. Black” Fudge called out to us as we walked away.

“Be nice” I whispered to Sirius as I spun him around to face the minister.

“I just want to say that I am so sorry for my Predecessor’s mista—“

“You did well, Mr. Potter” Forswythe had left Fudge’s side to come speak to me and I was drawn away from paying attention to whatever Sirius was being told.