Between Wands & Sigils - Chapter 115 : Old Man Flex, Truth Serum & Twinkle Twinkle Little Star...

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–Lucius Malfoy–

He arrived in the Wizengamot, his gaze flowing over the gathered lords and instantly, he observed a few things that were different than usual. For one, the absence of the usual cheer that was there on the Minister’s face every time he entered the Wizengamot. Right now, the Minister wasn’t even lifting his eyes as he remained seated, ignoring the proceedings all around him.

The second was the Aurors, or rather, the absence of them. No media personnel as well. While their presence was always optional, it had been years since a Wizengamot session had been conducted without media presence, not to mention this was an emergency session called by Dumbleore. The media should have been descending on this place like vultures.

The third thing was the presence of the members of Wizengamot. For a usual session, which was scheduled months in advance, the attendance rate was roughly 75%, a little bit above the 70% required to start and stop a normal session where everything is debated.

This time, he could see the assembly hall being far more paced than usual, much closer to 90%. The last time such a number was recorded was before The Dark Lord had begun his public operations, and they had to run interference to make sure the Ministry didn’t respond to their operations at the early stages. That number was driven by the sheer might and fear of the Dark Lord. He wondered what drove them now?

He glanced at Dumbledore before moving to take his seat. Whatever it might be, he was prepared for it. After all, Dumbledore was a paper tiger as far as they were concerned. The man had hobbled himself using the law. Law that they had twisted, bent, and created in their favour years ago. 

He was not concerned with what he might do with his magical might but was more concerned about what he could do with all the political weight he had accumulated in his long life, which was honestly a sad thing for such a powerful wizard. To fall so low that you had to rely on politics to get your will done instead of using what was naturally given to them.

After him, only a single Lord entered the assembly. The Old Longbottom Matriarch. Augusta Longbottom, who just stood at the door, looking at Dumbledore for a long moment, suspicion and wariness oozing out of her before a single minute nod from Dumbledore had her setting aside whatever issue she had and taking her seat as well.

Her presence further intensified the odd feeling in his heart. The Longbottom Dowager hadn’t appeared in the assembly since her son and daughter in law were crippled, and were permanent residents at St.Mungo’s. He was certain that the next time that seat would be filled was when her grandson would reach adulthood.

As soon as she took her seat, there was a jarring sound in the hall as everyone began looking at the massive doors that began closing. Their weight necessitated the use of magic to close them, but usually, such a thing was done by the Aurors stationed inside the chambers.

This time, it was done by Dumbledore, and it was being done in an overly flashy way. The man was seated in the position of the Chief Warlock, his hands laid on the table in front of him, with only a single finger raised.

That single finger was pushing the door. A fine display of wandless magic as the doors were not light, and required the simultaneous effort of two wizards to close properly, as the locking mechanisms required them to be shut at once.

As expected, whispers arose all around him as he looked at the three seated Ministry officials with narrowed eyes. Dumbledore finally closed the door and then waved his hand, and then the whispers increased, as the entire assembly hall glowed a subtle blue before disappearing.

Dumbledore had just activated the war time assembly protection wards. The last time it had happened was when the trials of the Death Eaters were happening. Not even when the Giant Killer attacked a few sites and destroyed them with his overwhelming powers, did they activate the wartime wards.

He noted the reaction of Bones, of Cornelius, and of Dumbledore, and a solid certainty settled in his mind, even as he resisted the urge to sag in resignation and slump in his seat.

Something was wrong.

__-xx__

And he was proven right when Dumbledore silenced everyone with a cracking noise that he created, once again, completely wandlessly, showing everyone present just how the wizard in front of them outclassed even the best of them.

“Ladiens and gentlemen,” Dumbledore began, taking his time to meet everyone’s eyes. A subtle pressure was present in the air as Dumbledore continued, “I apologize for calling you all here on such short notice, but a matter of grave importance has been brought to my attention. An injustice that was carried out against a Lord of a House Most Ancient and Noble.”

The bad feeling intensified further in his heart.

Bones took over at this point as Dumbledore sat down, “After Azkaban was destroyed, I tasked my office to review all the related documents for all the prisoners that were present before it was destroyed.”

Disintegrated, more like. The whole island had suffered such extensive damage that the Ministry wasn’t even sure if the entire place would remain above water by the end of the decade. Whatever means that the Giant Killer had employed, had done such severe damage that the island was basically fractured in two, and with the hole going down to the bedrock meant that the rocks were breaking apart into pieces. Soon, the entire thing will be underwater or a collection of small rocks barely afloat.

Nowhere near the island that it was before.

“During the review, I personally came across a discrepancy.” Bones said as she took out a file, and Dumbledore waved his hands. The file floated in the air before duplicating dozens of times as each person present got a copy.

He felt a chill run down his spine as he read the title on the file. 

Sirius Black : Incarcerated [Azkaban]

He opened the file, interested in what was inside, only to stop, turning the entire file over to see if something was missing. There was nothing inside it. It was completely empty.

Had Dumbledore messed up with his spell because he wanted to showboat about his wandless capacity? No, that doesn’t sound like him. He was never one to show off anyway.

“As you can see, it’s empty,” Bones showed them the contents of the original file to confirm. 

“So, we tracked down the copies that each Department has. They, too, were empty. Failing that, we had to track down the members of the Ministry who had worked on it. Through them, we got one name.”

“Barty Crouch Sr,” Dumbledore said, and as if he was summoned, Crouch appeared in the assembly hall, only he was not in robes meant to signify his house, or in his uniform to show his status as a decorated Ex government officer.

No, he was bound, in chains, appearing with a chair that he was tied to. A treatment reserved for the worst of prisoners who were to appear for trial in front of the Wizengamot.

As expected, the sight drove many members to rage, as many stood up and began shouting at Bones, to free the man who was innocent. He remained seated, his mind running a mile a minute, as he looked at the empty file in his hand that was slowly disintegrating, the expression on Cornelius’ face, and at Bones, who was looking at Crouch Sr. as if he was the scum of the planet.

His questions were all answered the next moment.

“By my authority as the Chief Warlock, I hereby authorise the application of the Truth Serum.” Dumbledore’s words rang like thunder in the assembly hall, as more and more nobles began rising up, even some of Dumbledore’s supporters, as they protested the unprecedented treatment of a–

His thoughts, as well as the shouts of everyone present, stopped all at once, a heavy silence reigning in the assembly hall as the very air around Dumbledore warped and glowed due to his sheer power, Cornelius squeaking and stumbling as he got away from the man.

Everyone got the message as one by one, everyone sat down, as Bones poured the Truth Serum down the throat of a struggling Crouch Sr. 

The first question she asked made everyone take a pause.

“Did Sirius Black receive a trial whatsoever? Were usual practices followed in his capture and subsequent incarceration?”

Crouch’s glazed face replied, “No. No trial took place regarding Sirius, and I made sure to personally throw him in Azkaban.”

“Why did you do that?”

“I wanted to make sure that the evil Black bloodline ended with him. We can’t have more of the Black madness roaming around.”

The entire Wizengamot gave the man shocked looks at his actions. Even he was shocked by his actions. He was the one man poised to benefit the most with Sirius’ death, but even he wouldn’t have done something so heinous and reckless, not to someone who was one of their own. The risk of backlash was too much for him to risk doing something like that.

To think Crouch did that because he felt like he was doing Magic Britain a favour?

He ignored the looks he got from everyone present, as he was laser focused on the interrogation unfolding in front of him.

“Was there any forensic analysis? His wand?”

“No. Broken and disposed of.”

“What of all the employees who were listed as support with you when you captured Sirius Black?”

“Dead. I couldn’t leave behind loose ends.”

“Was the Minister aware of this? Current or previous?” Ah. This was why Cornelius was silent. They were going to make sure Cornelius came out of this squeaky clean.

“No. I made sure to keep it as secret as possible. With most of the nation believing his guilt, there was no one who could take a second look at the records.”

Until now, that is.

It was ironic. The entire investigation that would finally exonerate Sirius Black was triggered by an event in which he died. Painlessly as well.

Bones put the antidote in the man’s mouth before turning to Dumbloedre, “That will be all, Chief Warlock.”

“Thank you, Madam Bones,” Dumbledore said before standing up to address all of them.

Every one of them instinctively straightened up as Dumbledore's mere presence commanded respect, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I apologise for the subterfuge, but considering the circumstances, it had to be done.”

“Now, we have to rule on the innocence of Sirius Black. All in favour?”

There was a unanimous Yay in the hall, as even he made sure to express his distaste at the blunder that had led to the death of a Lord.

“Then I declare Sirius Black, innocent of all crimes, and as is Ministry law, the last living male descendant of the house is automatically crowned as Lord, provided he is an adult and isn’t under imprisonment. I hereby declare Sirius Black as Lord Black.”

What? Has the man finally gone senile?

“What is the meaning of this? Are you mocking the dead, Dumbledore?” Dowager Longbottom stood up and glared at Dumbledore, who merely smiled, his eyes twinkling as he replied.

“Now, Augusta, whoever said that Sirius Black was dead?”

At his bizarre reply, the hall was silent for a moment, and then, as his eyes widened in realisation, the entire hall erupted in pandemonium, the implications hitting everyone all at once.

Did Sirius Black somehow survive that? Was it orchestrated by someone Sirius knew? Did the Giant Killer know Sirius? Was it orchestrated by Dumbledore himself?

Many thoughts swirled in his mind, each more ridiculous than the last, as he realised that it was going to be a long night before they could leave this place.