5th year at Hogwarts

The month went by really slowly for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They had arranged with Dumbledore that they would go to Sirius' trial, leaving on the nineteenth and returning the twenty-first. Classes had now ended and it was December eighteenth.

"You two should pack," said Hermione, "We are leaving at noon tomorrow."

"There'll be plenty of time in the morning," said Harry who was carefully surveying a chess board.

"Yeah 'Mione let it go. Harry it's still your turn," said Ron as he waited for Harry to make his move.

"I'll move when I'm ready," said Harry. The room suddenly filled with giggles as Lavender and Parvati came down the stairs from the girl's dormitory.

"Hi Harry," said Lavender flashing him a smile.

"Hi Lavender," he responded automatically. Lavender separated from Parvati and joined Harry on the couch. Harry was looking at the chess board trying to find a move that wouldn't put him in check.

Lavender looked at the board, too, before leaning down and moving Harry's bishop, "Check."

"Hey, not fair, Harry wouldn't have seen that," Ron said indignantly.

"Well I did see it," Lavender said.

Ron made a noise before saying, "Fine, but no more helping him."

"Fine. You're just afraid I'll beat you."

"You wish," Ron muttered. If Lavender heard him she didn't acknowledge, and instead she buried her face in Harry's shoulder.

A few minutes later Ron proclaimed, "Checkmate."

"Urgh! I'm tired let's go up to bed."

"Okay."

"Night Lavender," Harry said as he lifted her head off his shoulder.

"Night," she said smothering a yawn.

The next morning Harry and Ron packed before joining Hermione at breakfast.

"See Mione I told you we could pack in the morning," Ron said. Hermione choose not to respond but instead rolled her eyes.

"I have to talk to Dumbledore, again," said Harry as he stood up.

"Why?" said Hermione immediately.

"I think we might floo out instead of taking the train."

"Okay," said Ron, "See you in the common room."

Harry walked to the stone gargoyle by himself and gave the password, "Cockroach Cluster."

"Harry," said Dumbledore when Harry entered the room.

"Sir."

"Instead of taking the train into London, you, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger, will be flooing out of my office."

"Alright, sir. When do we leave?"

"Noon."

"Alright sir, see you then."

"Bye, Harry."

Harry went back to the common room and told Ron and Hermione of the new plan.

The next day Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore all sat together in a large dungeon courtroom. Harry recognized it as the one he'd seen in Dumbledore's Pensieve the year before. In the middle of the room two chairs sat on the platform and a moment later two men were led in by dementors. One was Sirius, who was looking a little pale because of the dementors, and the other was Peter Pettigrew who looked terribly pale and sick. Both men were locked into their chairs and Cornelius Fudge stood.

"Sirius Black," he began, "fourteen years ago you were sent to Azkaban, for killing Peter Pettigrew and working for Voldemort, without a trial. Now we have found that Peter Pettigrew is alive. We have the belief that Peter Pettigrew was actually the one working for Voldemort and blew up the street in front of Muggles cutting off his own finger. Is this the correct story by your accounts Mr. Black?"

"Yes, it is," Sirius answered evenly.

"And Mr. Pettigrew?" Fudge asked.

"No, no. See he tried to kill me and I escaped but it was him who blew up the street and he was working for Voldemort. He tried to kill me," Peter was squirming around in his chair.

"Then why spend twelve years as a rat, Peter? Why not come to the Ministry? Why cut off your finger?" Sirius asked looking over at Peter.

"I-" Peter started but he quickly fell silent.

"With the evidence presented on this case," Fudge said, "I believe that Sirius Black is an innocent man and Peter Pettigrew should be sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss." At this remark Peter squeaked and struggled more to get out of his chair, Fudge continued over the racket, "All those in the jury agreeing with this raise your hands." All the jurors raised their hands, "Then it is unanimous. Sirius Black is a free man, and Peter Pettigrew will receive the Dementor's Kiss at six pm tonight. This court is adjourned." Fudge sat down when he finished and two dementors came in to take Pettigrew out.

The binds on Sirius' chair released him and he stood up and walked up the stands to Harry, making several stops to shake hands with people on the way. When he reached Harry he lifted him up in a bone crushing hug and smiled a huge smile which took years off his face.

"Congratulations," said Hermione. "You're a free man." Sirius just continued to grin like an idiot, his happiness seemed beyond words. Harry too said nothing, he wanted to say something but his mind couldn't form the right words.

"Sirius, you're proven innocent, this is great," said Ron.

Dumbledore nodded and said, "Sirius perhaps you should go speak with Fudge about getting custody of Harry."

"Yeah, yeah I guess I will," Sirius said apparently finding his voice again, "Harry, why don't you come with me?"

"Alright," Harry said as he fell into step with Sirius.

"Mr. Black," Fudge said when they reached him.

"Minister," Sirius said in a bit of a rude tone, he was apparently still mad at Fudge.

"Well...ah...right then," Fudge said.

"Yes."

"Minister, I want to get custody rights on young Harry, here," Sirius ventured.

"Ah...yes. Harry what do you think?"

"Yeah. It would mean leaving the Dursley's and everything. I want to be legally adopted by Sirius," Harry said nodding enthusiastically the whole time.

"Well then, are you in town for awhile?"

"Just 'till tomorrow," Sirius said.

"Why don't you stop by the Ministry tomorrow about...two and we'll sort this all out?" Fudge said.

"I guess that'd work, Minister," Sirius said.

The next day Harry and Sirius went to the ministry at 2:00. Fudge's secretary told them they would have to wait for a few minutes because the minister was not yet back from his one O'clock. So they waited until 2:25 when the minister walked in.

"Oh, Mr. Black. I'm sorry about the delay. This shouldn't take more then a few minutes. Come with me."

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When Harry and Sirius left, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore were left alone in the hotel suite they had rented. Dumbledore was working on something or other, and Ron and Hermione were arguing.

"Oh, come on Ron I don't want to go by myself," whined Hermione.

 "Well why don't you ask Harry to go with you, when he gets back I mean?" Ron asked.

"Because once they get back we're flooing back to Hogwarts!"

"Oh..."

"Come on Ron, I really need to get some supplies and I don't want to go by myself! I want to go with you!"

"Oh alright," Ron grumbled.

"Sir?" Hermione called to Dumbledore.

"Yes," he said turning to look at her.

"Do you mind if we go down to Diagon Alley; I need some supplies?"

"Not at all. We're planning to floo back at about four remember."

"Okay, bye."

"Good day."

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No more then ten minutes after Hermione and Ron left Harry and Sirius came walking through the door.

Dumbledore turned to look at them and without even asking he knew the outcome of Fudge's decision. "It went well then?" was all he said a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Yeah," said Sirius, "and if you don't mind we need to go to Gringott's."

"I don't mind at all, in fact, I need to go there myself," the old man said standing up. "That is if you don't mind an old man tagging along."

"Of course we don't," Sirius said with a grin. Dumbledore scribbled a short note to Hermione and Ron. Then they set off.

Harry then spoke for the first time, "Where are Hermione and Ron?"

"I believe Ms. Granger dragged Mr. Weasley along on her shopping expedition."

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Hermione had dragged Ron around for almost an hour, and he did nothing but whine.

"Hermione, do we have to go into another bookstore?" Ron moaned.

Hermione decided she had had enough of this, "Ron, don't you have anything you want to talk to me about? All you do when we're alone together is complain, complain, complain! I'm starting to get the idea you don't like to spend time with me at all!"

"No, 'Mione, it's just that I hate shopping," Ron said.

"Oh, but you didn't mind going to a broom shop with Harry for TWO HOURS yesterday? Or is that not shopping?" Ron cowered back slightly and couldn't think of a single thing to say. "You know what Ron," Hermione continued speaking softly now, "I only started going out with Draco because I wanted you to be jealous. But now that I've gotten to know him a little, he's really nice. And he likes things that I like, like studying, and long walks and shopping, even if he likes Quidditch and stuff, too. Also he doesn't complain all the time when we're together; he has things to talk about and listens to things I have to say."

"Gods, 'Mione," Ron said softly, "You used to have a crush on me? You even started dating Malfoy to make me jealous. And here I am being mad and jealous that you're dating him. Of course now I suppose it's too late to tell you that I really do like you, because now you're dating Malfoy who apparently has millions of great qualities that I don't."

"I'm sorry, Ron," Hermione said looking away.

"I have made the necessary arrangements for you to leave the Dursleys and live with Sirius," Dumbledore said to Harry and Sirius who were seated in his office. "Tomorrow you, Sirius, and I will Apparate to Private Drive as close to the Dursleys as we can due to the wards set up around there. Harry, you will collect all of your belongings, and Sirius, you and I will remove the wards. New wards will of course be placed around whatever house you and Narcissa decide to reside in. If there is nothing else it is getting late so perhaps you should return to the dorm."

"Thank you for doing this for me, sir, I really appreciate it," Harry said smothering a yawn.

"Goodnight, Albus," Sirius said standing up.

"Goodnight, Harry, Sirius," Dumbledore said. As Harry pulled the door open Severus appeared, he was walking up the steps with a broom in one hand.

"I have to go, Albus," Severus said quickly.

Dumbledore looked up immediately and said, "Now?"

"Yes, also he knows about the delaying of Pettigrew's Dementors Kiss, that's probably what this is about."

"But Pettigrew is in Azkaban," Dumbledore mused, "He must be trying to get the dementors on his side."

"Shit," Sirius said under his breath.

"Albus I have to go now!" Severus said through gritted teeth as he clenched his arm.

"Yes, go," Albus said with a sigh, Severus immediately left the room.

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Narcissa Malfoy walked through the damp corridor with a sureness she hadn't had in a long time. She was smiling, not grinning like an idiot. She had just told the man she loved she would marry him, and they wouldn't have a big wedding. Not like the one she'd had with Lucius with hundreds of death eaters, even the Dark Lord himself had been there. No, this would be a proper wedding with close friends and family. The only dark spot on the horizon was telling Draco, she could hardly bear to think how he'd take it. She walked to the entrance of the Slytherin common room and spoke the password . When she entered the room quieted and Draco stood, he was glad to see his mother and even more glad because it gave him an excuse to stop talking to Pansy.

"Mother," he said.

"Draco," she said back with a soft smile.

"Come, we can speak in my dorm room," Draco said.

"Good," she followed him up and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"What is it, Mother?"

"Sirius, he asked me..."

"He asked what?"

"He asked me to marry him."

Draco's in take of breath was quite audible, "And you said?"

"I said yes, Draco, I said yes," she said softly.

Draco stared a her, then shook his head before speaking, "Mother I don't approve of him, but if you're so happy then you, you must have made the right decision."

"Thank you, Draco," she said smiling. "Oh, also Sirius adopted Harry, so he'll be you're step-brother."

"What? You expect to be step-brothers with him?"

"You don't have to get along, or anything."

"Yeah, but we'd have to live together, in the same house, and talk to each other, and see each other on holidays!"

"Draco, you're being very immature," Narcissa said her voice rising in warning.

Draco took a breath, many years of absolute obedience ingrained into him took over and a mask dropped over his features, "You're right mother, I'm sorry."

"Goodnight, Draco," Narcissa said sadly.

"Goodnight, mother," Draco said, his voice void of any emotion.

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"Harry," Sirius said, "We need to go; Dumbledore's waiting."

"Okay," Harry said, climbing out of his seat at the Gryffindor table. He had just finished breakfast. They walked to Dumbledore's office in silence, not an awkward silence, more of a companionable silence.

"All set then you two?" Dumbledore said as he came out of his office. "Right then let's be off." If Dumbledore was worried about Snape not returning he didn't show it. They walked to the apparition barrier; Sirius and Dumbledore were making idle chitchat.

"Here we are then," Dumbledore said when they reached the barrier. "Harry you take Sirius' hand and we'll be off." Harry grabbed Sirius' hand and felt the unnatural lurch that came with unpracticed apparition. They landed almost a block from the Dursley's house and began to walk.

"Now all we have to do is get your uncle to sign the papers and Sirius will become your legal guardian," Dumbledore said. They reached the front door of the Dursley's and Dumbledore knocked. The door was opened by none other than Vernon Dursley himself.

"What are you doing here?" he growled at the three of them.

"If we may step inside for a moment," Dumbledore said as he pushed past Vernon Dursley.

"What have you done now boy? What was so terrible that you and your freak kind had to come here?" Vernon spat at Harry. Sirius noticed Harry cower back slightly.

"I-I didn't do anything Uncle Vernon," Harry stuttered.

"Of course you didn't Harry. Mr. Dursley we are here because we need you to sign some papers," Dumbledore explained calmly, though he had obviously seen Harry cower under Vernon's gaze.

"And what, pray tell, did you want me to sign?" Vernon asked turning to look at Dumbledore.

"Adoption papers, my good man."

"Adoption papers?" Vernon repeated.

"Yes, this man here," Dumbledore said gesturing to Sirius, "is Harry's godfather and he wishes to legally adopt Harry. Of course you are his current legal guardian, so you need to sign the papers."

"Let me see these ruddy papers," Vernon said. Dumbledore pulled them out of his pocket and handed them to Vernon. Vernon read them quickly and then said, "Rubbish, I won't sign these, they're complete rubbish."

"Rubbish?" Dumbledore said, standing, "Rubbish? Please, Mr. Dursley, I do not insult your kind. Please do not insult mine. The sooner you sign those papers the sooner you can have Harry out of your life."

"Fine, I'll sign but only if the boy promises not to come near me or my family again," Vernon said turning to glare at Harry.

"Okay, I promise," Harry said quickly. Vernon pulled out a pen and grumbled as he signed the papers.

"Harry, do you have anything here you need?" Sirius speaking for the first time since they arrived.

"Just a few things," Harry said standing. Harry walked up the steps to Dudley's second bedroom and wrenched up the loose floor board. He pulled out the pillow case and emptied it on the floor. He picked up the small pile of letters and birthday cards.

He came down carrying them and said, "Ready."

"Okay, Sirius, you and I need to take down the wards," Dumbledore said removing his wand from his pocket.

"Right, where do we do that from?" Sirius asked.

"We do it from right here," he said. Sirius and Dumbledore proceeded to take down the wards. Once they were all done the three of them Apparated back to Hogwarts.

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