"What nonsense are you telling me Dumbledore? Sirius Black is innocent? Have you gone mad?" Roared a furious Fudge as he rushed into the office.
'Here is the second biggest coward in the canon.' I thought to myself with a smile.
Aside from a better outfit, the man looked the same as I remembered. But this time his face was quite red.
"I am afraid this is the truth. We have young Harry as a witness to events himself. Young Mr. Bones, Two Hogwarts Professors, an additional two children and myself as eye witnesses to the actual culprit. A confession, evidence and the true culprit is currently under guard in the West Tower." Calmly informed Dumbledore.
"What did you say? True culprit? Evidence? What are you on about!?" He raised his voice again in irritation.
"That's very simple Minister." I suddenly interjected with a calm and smooth voice from right behind the man.
"Ah! Who!?" Fudge asked, clearly startled at the fact that someone was behind him without his noticing.
He turned around hastily as he wanted to stare down the one who spoke, but then, I am quite a lot taller than the man. He stands at about 5'9, whilst I am 6'3 at the moment. I am a head taller than him, well muscled, sharply tailored school robes and the aura of a ruler. I can be quite intimidating for a man like Fudge, and well many others. So he can only look up to me.
"It is so good to see you minister. I was sad that we couldn't greet each other yesterday before or after my trial. But I understand completely. Who would want to see his two friends fighting in court? I am sure you just did what you thought was right to not lose a friend." I say with a bright smile towards the man, as he backs away trembling slightly.
"Young-young Bones, what a p-pleasure to see you ag-again." He struggled to say to me. I still don't know why he's so scared of me, but whatever. It's fun to see him like this.
"It truly is sir. But as the Headmaster said, we have found the true culprit behind the betrayal of James and Lily Potter, as well as the man responsible for the killing of the muggles the night of Blacks arrest. We are just waiting on my aunt to come with the proper equipment to be 100% certain." I said to the shivering man with a bright smile.
At this time Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout came into the office, letting the Minister back away from me.
"Is it true Albus? Pettigrew is alive?" Hurriedly asked Minerva, without her usual hat.
"And he framed Mr. Black all those years ago." Added the worried Pomona.
"Yes it seems to be the case. We are just waiting on Madam Bones to come and verify if that it is indeed the case. She should be here at any moment." He calmly answered his colleagues.
"By Merlin. How?" Asked Filius in astonishment.
"He is apparently an illegal rat animagus, and has hidden himself during the last 12 years as a pet of the Weasley family. Now I want everyone to be clear, this is not in anyway their faults. No one could have possibly known that any man would be willing and able to live as a rat for 12 years. It is only because of this fact that we know of the danger that lurked right next to us." Seriously said the Headmaster.
It has been pretty unlucky for that family in the last two years. First their daughter gets possessed by a Horcrux, and now a traitorous death eater has apparently been living in their home for over a decade. Not the best of times.
"You mean, the man who was blown apart by Black, leaving only a finger. He's alive?" Realized Fudge.
"Yes. It would seem he removed it himself while exploding everything around him then transformed, to make it look like all that was left was his finger. The exact same finger the captured man seems to be missing." Gravely informed Dumbledore.
Fudge was about to try and disprove his words, but Aunty appeared with five Aurors in a series of green flashes, with an additional flash at the end letting Martha Cromwell pop in.
"Where is he? Where is our supposed Pettigrew? And where is my nephew?" She asked strictly.
"I'm right here aunty. You don't have to worry or be upset. I am completely fine, the man was a joke to handle. Pettigrew is in the West Tower, waiting for you to check him over. I am sure it would reassure the Minister to no end, known it is truly the right man." I say brightly.
"I will have a word with you when you get home young man, but I know your skills so my worries were minimal. Now show me to the supposed rat." She commanded with a serious expression.
"We shall all go. Everybody, follow me." Simply said the Headmaster with a friendly smile as he stood up.
As we were walking the Headmaster guided us and asked me in a low voice.
"Aedan, why is Cornelius so afraid of you?" He whispered.
"I have no idea. He was like that the very first time I met him at a ball. He's avoided me ever since." I answered truthfully.
"Hmmm, curious then." Said Dumbledore to himself mostly.
"Yeah, but funny to watch the Minister of Magic fear a teenager who's actually been helping his popularity." I say with a little grin.
I get a little chuckle of agreement and we press forward.
We arrive at the Towers cell, currently guarded by Snape and Lupin. Aunty immediately gets to work. She uses everything in the book: polyjuice reversal, disguise detection, blood matching tests, wand check (confiscated earlier naturally), forcing his animagus transformation, and was even granted the permission to use veritaserum due to the sensitivity of the issue. And the killing blow was also the Dark Mark on his arms. Everything matched with Peter Pettigrew, supposedly dead, who had received the Order of Merlin first class posthumously. The man who supposedly exposed the betrayal of Sirius Black to the world.
Martha was furiously writing as we speak, whilst recording everything, the Minister just got as pale as possible, Aunty had a fire in her eyes for having a death eater, and everyone else had a variety of expressions ranging from disbelief to vindication.
"Minister Fudge, this is Peter Pettigrew. And if he is not, then I can only say that this is beyond any magic we have ever seen. We must bring him in immediately." Gravely said Amelia.
"You really believe this?" Asked a disbelieving Fudge.
"We have done everything in and out of the book. If you continue to refuse to accept the answer before you I will be forced to cast a vote of no confidence and move to prosecute without your approval." Sternly stated Aunty.
"Surely the Minister praised for his fairness and justice would not let a guilty man roam free while an innocent rots. This is your chance to show to everyone that you truly stand for justice. You would even rectify the mistakes of the old administration when they are presented to you. Imagine the confidence people would feel about you Minister. It would be a brilliant move." I smoothly add, gently coaxing the man with his desires to remain in power. Painting the scene he wishes to see.
"Yes, yes, of course I stand for justice. Madam Bones, we will transport this man immediately. I will want him in Azkaban by next week. We will show everyone what fairness is." He stuttered a bit but managed to say with a straight face.
"Minister, I do believe the Dementors have also done their purpose. I see no need for them to remain on the grounds now that Sirius Black is innocent and that you have your culprit." Added Dumbledore with a slightly jovial tone.
"Why yes of course. They will be gone by tomorrow. Let us go. We will need to go through Hogsmeade. Don't want the man to pull anything by using the Floo." Agreed the Minister and then ordered.
The Minister, Aunty and her five Aurors swiftly restrained Pettigrew and took him away. They wanted to make sure nothing wrong would happen.
Martha had everything she could get from tonight, she then decided to leave through the still open Floo in Dumbledore's office.
After that, we were left with only Hogwarts staff and students.
"It would seem everything shall be solved soon and Sirius will be a free man. For the time being I will let him rest in the infirmary while having Poppy give him a thorough check. Aedan and Harry, I wish to see you two in my office tomorrow to discuss a few things. Tonight though, I will talk to Severus and Remus. There are a few things I wish to ask. That will be all everyone, dismissed." He calmly stated to those present.
All nodded and proceeded to head back to their respective sleeping areas.
I went back to the Ravenclaw tower and sat at the highest seat offered, looking in the direction of Hogsmeade, just in time to see a few barriers getting erected and flashes of lights occurring.
'Looks like things are going as planned. I am really sorry Aunty, but I need Pettigrew free for everything to occur as I know it. I need to be in control until next year at least.' I thought to myself with some guilt.
-3rd Person POV, Hogsmeade village.
As the Minister was rushing to get back to the Ministry, hoping to end this nightmare of his as quickly as possible, he was followed by Amelia and her men escorting Pettigrew.
The seven of them were able to drag the begging and whimpering traitor to reach outside the barrier of Hogwarts, and as they reached Hogsmeade, a barrier suddenly appeared around them.
"Ambush" yelled one of the Aurors before a shower of spells erupted everywhere.
One of the Aurors was down in the first volley and the rest were now struggling. The Minister has be hit by a light severing charms, just to make him hurt and bleed, followed by a stunner before he could even react. Amelia was completely protecting herself and ruthlessly striking back against the unknown foes. The six standing were desperately fighting back against such a well organized assault.
'Master's aunt really lives up to the hype.' Thought the leader of this group as she witnessed a few closed calls amongst her men.
Two more Aurors were no longer able to defend themselves against the 360 degree attacks and lost consciousness as well. At this time, a knockback jinxe hit Pettigrew and a severing charm 'accidentally' cut through his bonds, giving him his freedom. Before Amelia could do anything about it, the rat scrambled to one of the downed Aurors wand and tapped his head, transforming him back into his animagus form and running away.
"Damnit you whoresons! Show yourselves and face me like men you cowardly bastards!" Shouted an enraged Amelia.
"We are not here to kill anyone Madam Bones, but you have earned our respect for your skills. We were simply sent to 'teach someone that his betters are still there' as the employer put it. We were simply the messengers. With the message delivered, we are done here." Said one of the attackers using a spell to his their true voice.
The barrier disappeared and cracks indicating the escape of the attackers surrounding them leaving through apparition.
"Damnit!" Spat out Amelia as she began checking her men and the sorry excuse for a Minister on the ground.
-back to Aedan.
I received a message from Geri that her special assignment was completed perfectly. Peter escaped and a false trail was laid.
'Looks like everything went properly. If everything goes perfectly they'll think a pureblood family hired someone to scare Fudge. If not, they'll think some Death Eaters somehow got wind of their movements and targeted Peter. Nothing can be traced back to me anyway and with Harry confirming Trelawney had her second prediction, I'm almost certain little Wormtail will find his old master.' I thought with some satisfaction at how everything went tonight.
'Now all that is left for me is tomorrow's talk, which I think I know what it's going to be about, and next year.' I then thought with a little sigh.
"It will soon begin. Let's see how you handle me Voldemort, because I will pay you back for what I was put through. I will slowly grind you and you're lapdogs to dust." I declared to tonight's full moon as my eyes glowed intensely.