Hello and welcome! This is my first Harry Potter fanfic  - I think I might have dreamt it at some point! Anyway, basic idea, this happens after the Forth book. Please review! I've got three stories going at the moment – the one with the most reviews gets finished!

All characters are property of J.K. Rowling

The Trial of Sirius Black  - Chapter 1

A loud screech woke Harry Potter with a start. There was huge eagle owl perched on the edge of his bed, with a red tag around its leg that meant 'urgent'. It dropped an official looking letter on the bed, then flapped off. Harry yawned. It was so early that the screech hadn't even woken anyone else. When he looked round he saw two more large owls. Both dropped their burdens and left. Hedwig still wasn't back from hunting.

Harry glanced at the two new letters. One, judging by the handwriting on the envelope, was from Ron and was stuck to a package, the other was sealed with the Hogwarts crest.

Harry opened the one from Ron first. What he read almost made him drop the letter.

Harry

They've caught Sirius. Dumbledore gave him up so they would give him a trial. It's all in this copy of the Prophet; I had to send Hermes because Pig's not big enough.  They want you, Hermione and me at the trial. You might have already got the letter.    

Hermione's really upset, and I know you will be too, but I've explained it all to Mum and Dad, and Dad says to play it all by the book and Dumbledore will get Sirius off.

Happy birthday

Ron.

  Harry stared at the letter for a few more seconds, and then ripped open the one from Hogwarts. It was, as he had expected, from Dumbledore.

Dear Harry,

You will by now have heard that I informed the Ministry of Magic of Sirius' whereabouts and made them promise to give him a trial. I must tell you that I asked Sirius beforehand and he agreed. In case you do not understand, it is better this way. Sirius will be of much core use if he is proven innocent, but we have to do that first.

  You are expected at the trial. Someone will fetch you at seven o'clock in the morning on Sunday. Pack all your school things, you needn't return to your Aunt and Uncle afterwards.

Albus Dumbledore

Harry felt even worse. Today? What terrific timing. He flopped back onto the bed and rested his head on his arms for a few seconds. The first thing he saw when he looked up was the official looking letter, still lying on the duvet. He sat up and opened it, knowing what he would find inside.

Mr. H. Potter,

 

Your presence is requested at the Ministry of magic headquarters by four o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday, July 31st at the trial of Mr. Sirius Black as a witness. Failure to attend is a criminal act.

 

Signed,

 

L. Wattling

Head of the Department for

Magical Law Enforcement.

   "As if I wouldn't show up," muttered Harry. "As if I'd leave Sirius to get chucked back into Azkaban."

There were only two hours before the 'someone' came to fetch him. Head till spinning with the contents of the three letters, Harry dressed, gathered all his school things and some extra clothes and tossed them into his trunk. When he was done, he settled down to read the Daily Prophet Ron had sent him. A large picture of his Godfather covered the front page.

Harry stopped reading after the first two paragraphs. None of the paper's writers, it seemed, were on Sirius' side. He started to wonder how Dumbledore was going to pull this off. The Minister, Fudge, no longer respected him. Almost the whole of the wizarding world believed that Sirius was guilty of selling Harry's parents to Lord Voldemort.