"Sorry, Aunt Petunia."

Chapter 24: The Big Finale

The train back to London took off at 9 o’clock. The trial began at 9:15 sharp.

With a joint effort from Draco and Hermione - where Draco supplied the knowledge, and Hermione the actual execution - they stuck the mirror to the window, allowing them all to see.

If Harry were to guess, he’d say that Sirius had put his own mirror in a breast pocket, somehow charming it to ignore the fabric.

Both Sirius and Remus sat in the audience with a clear view of both the judge and the table with Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and who he assumed to be the goblin lawyer working his case.

From what they could hear, there seemed to be quite a number of people sitting near them. Due to Sirius sitting in the front row, however, they could see none of them.

The judge reshuffled some papers and banged her gavel. Silence settled.

The hearing began.

***

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen,” the judge said, sweeping her gaze around the room. “Today we are here to discuss changes in guardianship for one Harry James Potter. Mister Grinkoff, please proceed.”

The lawyer stood up, clearing his throat.

“Your Honour,” he said, “due to a suspicion raised by the Hogwarts Professors, the copies of the wills composed by James Fleamont Potter and Lily J. Potter, née Evans respectively, have been recently reviewed. As can be seen on the provided transcript, his current placement with Petunia and Vernon Dursley goes directly against the wishes of his mother. If I may, I’d like to project the relevant part of Lily Potter’s will.”

The judge moved a couple of papers, shifting her glasses and nodding a little.

Grinkoff opened a small box placed on the table, revealing the ghostlike likeness of Harry’s mum.

It was clearly slightly cut, considering that it skipped all the more general bits and only focused on the part regarding Harry.

“As for my son, Ari James Potter - Ari, my darling. If I happen to die before he reaches the age of maturity and my partner James Fleamont Potter is unavailable, under no circumstances is he to be placed with my sister and her husband, Petunia and Vernon Dursley!”

***

It went on to name Sirius and Remus as Harry’s primary guardian option, then Neville’s parents. The part about the blood ritual was not omitted - even though, by now, Harry was pretty sure that blood magic was illegal. The arrangement between Professor Snape and Harry’s Head of House was covered, and the projection was allowed to run through the bit about Peter being the real traitor before deactivating.

The court went into an uproar.

“Silence!” The judge banged her gavel. “I’ll have silence!”

But the people, taunted by the preview of the juiciest gossip they would never get to hear, properly explained that they did not want to be silent.

It took a good ten minutes for them all to calm down, and it was partially due to the judge threatening to throw them all out.

“This is not a trial of Sirius Black!” the judge said in the end.

“No, I never got one,” Sirius mumbled, clearly frustrated by the fact.

***

“And Harry Potter was still placed with the Dursleys?” the judge asked. Then, turning to a clerk, she added, “Who was responsible for executing the will?”