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Chapter 1: The Unexpected Name

Karkaroff's trial was almost at its end. He had hit the jackpot with Rookwood, but to many in the room, whether or not he would be cleared was a completely different story.

"Take him away," said Crouch, disgust evident in his voice.

As the Dementors closed in around him, Karkaroff called out, "Wait, Wait! There is one more, I have more!"

"After Snape, you mean," said Crouch with barely a touch of interest.

"Yes, yes, please, just listen!" begged Karkaroff.

"Well?" Crouch responded impatiently.

Karkaroff looked around nervously, before saying, "Peter Pettigrew."

There was complete silence. Then, gradually, a roar of outrage echoed through the court room.

"Silence, Silence!" cried Crouch, banging his Judge's hammer on the desk in front of him.

Finally the noise died down. "Peter Pettigrew died a hero fighting against the dark arts. He has been awarded an Order of Merlin by this court. What evidence do you, a piece of scum, have against him?"

Karkaroff face showed his eagerness, yet his eyes nervously flickered between different people in the crowd. "I swear, I tell the truth!" he said, "What do I have to gain by lying?"

A stony silence followed his words.

Seeing no one was speaking he continued, "Pettigrew turned spy for the Dark Lord about a year before he fell. He continually passed on information he gained through the Potters and Dumbledore. I believe it was how many of the plans against him failed. I think he may also have helped with the eventual death of the Potters and therefore the Dark Lord. The few in Azkaban who know of his identity think he double crossed again. The only reason I am aware of his status of a spy was after nearly interrupting his report to the Dark Lord." Karkaroff shivered, no doubt remembering the cruelty he had suffered for that small blunder.

Mutterings ran around the courtroom, and while several were still full of disbelief, many looked interested, even Crouch.

Moody leaned across to Dumbledore and whispered, "Pettigrew had access to all our failed plans, but I would never have guessed he would have enough backbone to betray us. Though he could have just as easily been helping Black, if not by himself."

The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had disappeared. Another friend gone traitor; but at Moody's words he was reminded – something just didn't quite fit.

He stood up, causing several people to turn around with interest, including Barty Crouch.

"What about Sirius Black?" Dumbledore called out to Karkaroff.

"Sirius? Sirius Black?" responded Karkaroff, "I would have no idea. I never heard of him as a Death Eater. Many of them, especially his family, would curse him constantly for being a blood traitor."

The noise in the room increased substantially at this. Was there a chance that Black was innocent? But he had been the one to blow that street up; to betray the Potters; or so it was thought.

Over the noise, Crouch yelled, "We are finished here, take him away." Then to Karkaroff, "You will be informed of your Judgement once your evidence has been investigated."

Karkaroff called out in protest as the Dementors dragged him out of the room, yet he was barely heard over the conversations he had started in the courtroom.

Dumbledore meanwhile, turned to look once a Moody, whose eyebrows were raised slightly at him. It seemed they were thinking along the same line, for Dumbledore nodded once before pushing his way through the stands to where Crouch was sitting, Moody close behind.

Crouch turned to look at him, "Well Dumbledore, as always you've managed to send my courtroom into complete disgrace. What do you want now?"

Ignoring Crouch's insult, Dumbledore responded with determination, "We need a trial for Sirius Black."

The pause that followed his statement seemed to last forever, even those around them had gone quiet.

"A trial, a trial for Black?" Crouch said stunned, almost disbelievingly, "Black was found laughing like a maniac, wand in his hand with a bloody crater in front of him and the remains of Pettigrew barely 10 feet away. If that isn't dark I don't know what is. Then you think about his family … Black, innocent? Really Dumbledore."

Dumbledore stared back, all twinkle gone from his eyes and fury almost evident, "You would judge a man's innocence based on his family? Especially after the recent event in your own?"

Crouch went red, furious, before continuing, "I know longer count that man as my son. In any case, you know perfectly well that is not what I meant… Look at all the evidence … his family just supports the fact."

"You have just heard from an eye witness that Pettigrew was a death eater," growled Moody, "You just going to ignore that evidence Crouch?"

Dumbledore continued, "I am not saying Sirius is innocent. For all we know he may have been the one to blow up that street. But from what Karkaroff was saying, there is an indication that Sirius may not have betrayed the Potters as we thought. Before Voldemort fell, he was a loyal Auror in training for the ministry and fought against death eaters alongside James Potter numerous times. Surely you would give the man a chance to prove that he is not a supporter of Voldemort."

Crouch flinched slightly at the name, before whispering, "He-who-must-not-be-named worked in ways we cannot begin to understand. It is entirely possible that there were two traitors in your crowd."

"I am not saying it isn't," responded Dumbledore coolly, "But I will not let any man with the slightest chance of innocence rot away in Azkaban, left at the mercy of Dementors."

"Wouldn't do the ministry any good if people found out you had made a mistake either," added Moody with a trace of satisfaction in his voice.

Crouch glared at the two of them over his stand before leaning back in his chair and saying, "Fine, for all the good it will do – I'll give Black his trial. Now if you could return to your seats I will try and bring some order to the court to make the necessary announcements."

Dumbledore nodded, his robes sweeping around him as he turned and walked back to his seat, Moody right behind him. Several people looked up from their conversations as the two men sat back down, curiosity evident in their expressions. After fiddling around with his papers, Crouch stood up and banged his hammer once more on his stand. Immediately a hush seemed to fall upon the court, as muttered conversations dimmed into nothingness.

"From the evidence bought forwards by Igor Karkaroff, the following orders shall be fulfilled," Crouch declared to the council. After a pause to make sure everyone was listening he continued, "Aurors shall be immediately dispatched to the house of Augustus Rookwood for his immediate arrest, upon which he shall be interrogated regarding his involvement in dark activities."

Murmers of agreement followed these words.

As Crouch held up his hands silence fell once more, "Furthermore, for the case of Peter Pettigrew and in light of the evidence provided today, at the request of Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black shall be given a trial on the Monday of next week and questioned accordingly."

This time, the reaction was mixed. While several nodded in agreement, cries of outrage could be determined through the court while others discussed the case fervently with the people around them.

Over the noise Crouch shouted, "The Council shall gather in 3 months to determine the release of Igor Karkaroff in return for the evidence provided should his claims prove true. Session adjourned!"

With that he swept out of the room to avoid the crowds, closely followed by Dumbledore and Moody leaving the rest of the Council and members of the public to drift out slowly behind them.