From that he'd also learned that Harry had reported that he, Sirius, was innocent; and that both the Minister and the Chief Warlock had received irrefutable evidence of such and not acted as they should have done. The paper also covered the arrests of Fudge, Umbridge, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, Hagrid, Pomfrey, Barty Crouch Senior, Molly Weasley and Lucius Malfoy. To add insult to injury, it also reported that the person who posed as that year's DADA Professor, Alastor Moody, was actually a supposedly dead Death Eater, Bartemius Crouch Junior. He too was also arrested at that time.
'Twelve people arrested!' he thought. 'Of them, the Head of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of their premier school, the Head of the Ministry and his Senior Undersecretary were included!'
"And this was all because of Harry?" he muttered.
He'd been living in the now 'refurbished' cave for just over a week, still collecting intelligence, when the Patronus form of a lynx cat appeared out of nowhere and leapt into the mouth of the cave.
It so badly startled the crap out of him he had his ill-gotten wand raised and pointing back at the Patronus before he even realised he had reacted. However, his hand shook so badly it would be pure luck if he'd actually managed to get a spell off, let alone hit anything.
While he was trying to get his hammering heart and shakes back under control the lynx spoke in a deep man's voice.
"Black. Auror Shacklebolt. We know for a fact you are innocent. We need you to turn yourself in so we can give you the trial you should have had and clear your name."
As the first one faded away a second one jumped in of the same Patronus form. And the voice continued.
"I swear on my magic, if you turn up at the Three Broomsticks at noon on any day I will ensure your safe transport to the Ministry to await trial. Leave a white rose on a table and I'll know you accept."
As he took time to calm down again, even choosing to chug one of his on-hand calming potions to quickly achieve it, he began to calculate the risks involved and how to minimise them.
It took him hours to think about it - he really had nothing better to do at the moment - while he thought it through.
And that's when the Ministry owl glided in and alighted on the ground in front of him.
After a puzzled frown he checked to ensure there were no illicit, or otherwise unwanted, charms on either the bird or its letter before he then used a charm to drop the letter away from the owl.
As soon as the owl was free of its load, it moved to perch on a rock nearby.
Again frowning, he cast more detection charms over the letter and only found the one - a standard mail package shrinking charm. He quickly had that cancelled and the letter unshrunk. There were no other charms.
Carefully opening the letter he realised it also contained a blank sheet of parchment and a self-inking quill. Both had been wrapped inside the letter.
Setting them aside he began to read...
~ # ~
Lord Sirius Orion Black III
of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
Lord of the House of Black
Lord Black,
I, Amelia Susan Bones, swear on my magic I mean you no harm. I further swear I am ready to give you that trial you were denied and, if you hand yourself over to one of my aurors, they are under orders not to harm you and to bring you before me with all alacrity. As I write, so I swear, so must it be.
I have tasked two aurors specifically with finding you and bringing you in unharmed. One is Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt; and the other is your cousin, Auror Second Class Nymphadora Tonks.
If you find them before they find you, I beg of you, hand yourself in!
We know you're innocent of the crimes for which you were unlawfully tossed into Azkaban, Lord Black. Together, we will right this wrong.
If you would prefer we come to you at a place of your choosing, please use the attached quill and parchment to write me and let me know. The owl has been ordered to remain to allow you to mail back. Otherwise, please simply order it to return to the Ministry.
Sincerely Yours,
.
Madam Director Amelia Bones
of the Noble and Ancient House of Bones
Director of the DMLE
Regent of the House of Bones
~ # ~
Shocked yet again, Sirius simply sat there unsure of what to do. Did he go ahead with the 'white rose' concept? Or, did he write to her and have her or someone else meet him at a place of his own choosing, as she suggested?
He also found himself completely believing what he'd been sent. He already knew Ami Bones was a witch of her word and had no doubt she'd do her best to keep him safe and see to him getting the trial he needed.
The question was: Was her best going to be good enough to keep him alive? He knew there were forces out there that would like nothing better than for him to reach a state of 'dead' before he even had a chance to walk into that courtroom.
He was certain Malfoy would be one of them. And had the financial capital and incentive to organise it.
What to do? This bore some deep thinking. Plus, knowing the trials of Fudge and Umbridge, at least, were starting the next morning, he knew he'd need to do what he was going to do pretty quick. Or, he'd have to wait until after the trials and move then.
But, if he did turn himself in either that afternoon or the next morning, would they be able to fit his trial in before or during the trials of those already organised, anyway?
He spent quite the few hours more thinking on it. And, suddenly, he had an idea. As far as he was concerned, his idea was both brilliant and worthy of being titled one of the most brilliant and daring pranks of all time.
It would definitely be one for his memoirs, if he every got a chance to write one.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Riddle Manor 'Babymort, the homunculus' was having another tantrum, though mainly in his head.
There was a great deal going on in the wizard world at that moment and he was effectively out of the information loop. The only information he was receiving was via the Daily Prophet and Pettigrew. And, as far as he was concerned, neither was a reliable source of information.
He already knew that one of the two of his minions currently aware of his existence and location was once more behind the walls of Azkaban. The other, Pettigrew, was a poor choice of servant. His only redeeming quality was his animagus ability and form. That he was a common brown rat allowed him to infiltrate places very few could hope to enter. However, besides his animagus ability and loyalty to him, he had very few redeeming qualities. And being a representative of his powerful self wasn't one of them.
"Wormtail!" he called.
When Pettigrew scurried in, he tentatively asked, "Yes, Master?"
"My potion!" snapped Riddle. "And be quick about it!"
Oh, how he wanted to cast the Cruciatus curse on the fat little sniveller. But, he couldn't. He needed Pettigrew to have a steady hand while making him his potions. And the Cruciatus curse would rob the man of that.