Chương 121: Chapter 121

Turning back to the now stunned assembled, Harry said, "We gave this information to Minister Fudge, that very night. We also escorted, not under wand point as he came willingly, Sirius Black back to the castle except for a minor detour in which he and I were set upon by a horde of dementors.

"Minister Fudge refused to listen to us. He accused us of heinous acts and of being confounded. And, with Sirius locked within a room in one of the towers in the castle, ordered the dementors be brought in to immediately Kiss him. Sirius, of course, escaped yet again.

"Therefore, I flatly accuse the Minister, Cornelius Fudge, of the attempt to commit murder most foul of Sirius Black. Even if he was guilty of any of the crimes he was... supposedly... accused of, he was captured. There was no reason for the 'Kiss on Sight' order to remain. That's why I state its attempted murder.

"Harry..." tried Ackerman.

"At this time, I am prepared to both offer my memories of the events, and swear a magical oath as to the truth of those memories," continued Harry, riding over Ackerman's protests. "I will offer up my magic, my life and my very soul to make that oath." Hermione suddenly stood in place and firmly stated, "As will I!"

Further pandemonium erupted. While Hermione calmly stood there the noise in the visitors' gallery surged around her. The assembled weren't quiet, either.

The Chief Interrogator had to repeatedly bang his gavel quite a few times before Madam Bones set off a cannon blast with her wand.

"Silence!" she snapped, when the noise level dropped enough for her to be heard. That stilled most of the rest.

She swivelled her eyes on Hermione and asked, "And you are?"

"Hermione Granger, Ma'am," Hermione firmly replied. "As he has told you, I was with Harry for the entire evening on the night this all happened."

"Take a seat, for now, Miss Granger," Madam Bones ordered. Hermione sat down as Madam Bones turned her eyes upon one of the other aurors on the floor and ordered, "Bring out the court pensieve."

Fudge surged to his feet and cried, "There is no need for this. This hearing is about the issues surrounding the story in the Daily Prophet..."

The Chief banged his gavel and snapped back. "Sit down, Minister Fudge! Interrogator Bones has the floor and you will remain silent!"

Fudge, albeit reluctantly, resumed his seat. He looked panicky, but Umbridge just looked furious and was staring daggers at Harry. As the Chief was berating Fudge, the auror sent for the records re-entered carrying a file. He took it directly to Madam Bones.

She flicked through it and looked back at the auror, who stood waiting. "Is this all of it?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the auror replied.

She turned back to the Chief and said, "Chief Interrogator Fitzwilliam, I have the relevant file relating to the incarceration of Sirius Orion Black."

Harry finally had a name for the wizard with the gavel.

"And is Mister Potter's testimony relating to Black's incarceration confirmed?" Fitzwilliam asked. With a second scan of the file, Madam Bones clearly said, "I have the record relating to the incarceration of Sirius Orion Black in Azkaban. I have the order for transfer of same from the DMLE holding cells to Azkaban prison. It is signed by then Minister Millicent Bagnold, then Head of the DMLE Bartemius Crouch, and Chief Warlock Dumbledore."

Harry immediately swivelled his eyes to Dumbledore and glared with hate-filled eyes at the man. Dumbledore sat there with his eyes closed and a pained expression on his face.

"I have a record of the arrest," she continued, "dutifully filled and signed out by Aurors Preedy and Watkins."

Looking back at Fitzwilliam she firmly stated, "There are no other records." That created a lot of noise from the visitors' gallery and from among the assembled.

With a pained sigh, Fitzwilliam clarified, "So, from the records, Sirius Black was arrested, brought to the DMLE holding cells, and then transferred to Azkaban where he remained until he escaped?"

"Yes, Chief Interrogator," she replied. "Further, the dates and times on the documentation show that Black was brought in to the DMLE holding cells at 11:05am on the 3rd of November 1981, and then sent to Azkaban at 2:15pm on the same day. There is no possible way he could have received a trial, let alone was properly interviewed within a three hour, ten minute window."

She then turned to look at Percy. "Mister Weasley," she asked. "Can you please turn your pages to the day of the 3rd of November 1981 and inform us of the trial of Sirius Orion Black."

Percy looked at her for moment before turning back to his massive ledger. He rapidly flicked back through the pages until he reached the day in question. He sat reading down through the page until he finally looked back at Madam Bones. "There is no record of a trial for Sirius Orion, or any other Black, on that day," he reported. "As a matter of record, there was no sitting on that day; Tuesday, the 3rd of November 1981."

Everyone was stunned for the moment, including the Chief Interrogator. The first to recover, he demanded, "Do you mean to tell me that the Minister, Head of the DMLE and Chief Warlock just decided to skip the whole trial and threw the man into Azkaban without even a by-your-leave?! "Bloody Hell! Even all the supposed Death Eaters received a trial; even when they flat-out admitted their guilt!"

"By my order," Madam Bones smoothly cut in and ordered. "The 'Kiss on Sight' order against Sirius Orion Black is hereby revoked." Looking down at one of her aurors she indicated her and said, "Go directly to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and remove that order. Come back when it's done!"

Harry said, "Excuse me, Ma'am." When she turned her eyes to him he said, "When you see my memory of the evening of the 9th of June last year... which will be sworn to by both myself and Miss Granger as to its truth... you may be doing a lot more revoking, yet."

With a firm nod back, she turned to Fitzwilliam and asked, "With your permission, Chief Interrogator?" He nodded back and turned to Harry, "Are you aware of how to extract a memory, Mister Potter?" "I am, Sir," he replied.