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Hidden Family	By : vinsmouse Category: Harry Potter Crossovers > General - Misc Views: 17507 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Biggles, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

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Chapter XLIV



SIRIUS BLACK INNOCENT!



PETTIGREW ALIVE



                                                                                   DUMBLEDORE AND CROUCH INVESTIGATED!

These were the headlines which greeted the Wizarding world on the morning of 11th November. Reading over the accompanying articles they soon learned the details, that it had been Pettigrew who betrayed the Potters and blew up that street, killing all those muggles. Sirius Black had in fact been completely loyal to the Potters and the side of the light. If these bits of news weren’t shocking enough, further shocks were to come. Perusing the third article it was learned that Dumbledore and Crouch had consigned the heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black to Azkaban without benefit of trial. The DMLE was investigating, what that investigation would reveal remained to be seen.

11th November, 1993

Ministry of Magic

"This is a disaster,” Cornelius Fudge, the current Minister of Magic, moaned. “How could something like this happen?”

“That is what I hope to discover through my investigation Minister,” Amelia calmly replied. Cornelius was, for once, not too far off the mark. Though the current administration had nothing to do with the unjust incarceration of Black the public would quite rightly question the trust they had placed in their leaders.

“Have you found any answers?”

“Not any that are satisfactory,” Amelia admitted. “I wish permission to question both Dumbledore and Crouch under veritaserum. I don’t think we’ll find the truth by any other means.”

Cornelius chewed on his lip as he considered the options. The use of veritaserum would of course obtain truthful answers but the precedent it would set could be dangerous. Did he truly wish to allow senior members of their government to be questioned like common criminals? Such a course of action could be used later to argue for the use of the truth potion against others in government, perhaps even the Minister himself.

He glanced at the pile of letters on his desk, many of them questioning the honesty and integrity of the MOM. If word ever reached the public, and he had no doubt it would, that he had failed to authorize every means possible during this investigation the masses might well call for his head on a platter. Something he was certain many in the Ministry would happily provide them.

So his choice was simple really. He could refuse the use of veritaserum for fear that it might someday be used against him, an eventuality he needn’t fear unless he committed a crime. That same refusal would likely incur the further anger of the Wizarding populace, almost certainly costing him his position as Minister. Yes, he would allow Amelia’s request.

A moment later Amelia Bones left the Minister’s office a satisfied smile on her face, chuckling darkly, it was probably the first time any woman left Fudge’s presence with such a feeling. On her way to the holding cells Amelia collected a member of the Unspeakables. There were certain tests she needed them to perform before she administered veritaserum to either man.

“Mr. Crouch,” Amelia greeted as she entered the cell.

Crouch rose to his full height, looking down his nose at the head of the DMLE. “Madame Bones I demand you release me immediately.”

Amelia’s only response was to turn to the Unspeakable accompanying her. “Would you please ensure this wizard can safely receive veritaserum and has taken no counter-agent?”

The Unspeakable silently acceded to the request. Waving his wand in several complicated patterns he performed the necessary scans all the while ignoring the very vocal protests coming from the prisoner. “You may question him as you will Madame Bones.”

“Now see here...”

“Oh do be quiet Barty,” Amelia interrupted the tirade before it could go any further. “There are questions to which we need answers and I have been given permission to use veritaserum to ensure those answers are obtained.”

Crouch stood frozen for several seconds. His break, when he made it, took the other two occupants of the cell entirely by surprise. It was this surprise which allowed him to make it out of the cell, unfortunately for Crouch he failed to make it past the Auror guard stationed in the hallway. Only a moment after leaving the cell he was returned to it, stunned and in a full body bind.

"Are you alright Madam Bones?”

“We’re both fine Auror Tonks, we didn’t expect his actions,” Amelia reluctantly admitted. It was embarrassing to admit that she, the head of the DMLE, had made such a rookie mistake. Perhaps this was why she was a bit rougher than strictly necessary when binding Crouch to his chair before enervating him. Without further delay she administered the required dosage, waiting for it to take effect. Following procedure Amelia began the questioning with a few control questions, establishing that the potion was working.

“What is your name?”

“Bartemius Crouch Sr.”

“Did your wife die in 1982?”

“Yes.”

"Did your son also die in 1982?”

“No.”

Amelia started. She had been certain the potion was working. Every question put to the man had elicited the expected response until this one. Obviously the potion wasn’t working; everybody knew Barty Crouch Jr. died in Azkaban less than a year after entering the Wizarding prison. Amelia stared hard at Crouch Sr. everybody knew, just as everybody had known Sirius Black was guilty of betraying the Potters.

“Where is your son?”

Crouch could no more resist answering than he could resist breathing. “He is hidden in my home, guarded by my house elf Winky.”

Merlin! How could this happen? It was that very question Amelia next put to Crouch.

“His mother was dying and begged me to save him. We visited him in prison where they each drank polyjuice in order to change their appearances. My wife died in Azkaban while disguised as our son.”

“You are telling me that you broke a convicted Death Eater out of prison and have been hiding him for the past decade?”

“Yes.”

“How do you prevent him escaping your home?”

“I have been forced to place him under the Imperious curse.”

Amelia staggered back, horrified by what she was hearing. This man was notorious for his prosecution, some said persecution, of any who practiced the Dark Arts and yet he had used them himself to control his son; after breaking said son out of prison of course. “Is your son hidden in any way?”

“Winky has orders to hide him beneath an invisibility cloak should anybody else be in the house.”

Using a patronus Amelia sent a message to Senior Auror Shacklebolt with the pertinent information and orders to take Crouch Jr. into custody. Turning back to the senior Crouch she continued her interrogation. “Why did you sentence Sirius Black to Azkaban without trial?”

“He was found at the scene of the crime, laughing and he was from a known Dark family that supported You Know Who.”

“Was he questioned?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Was his wand examined for prior spell casting?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“What was Dumbledore’s role in condemning Black to prison?”

“He told me that Black was the secret keeper for the Potters that was enough for me. I saw no need to waste valuable time giving an obviously guilty man a trial the outcome of which was a foregone conclusion.”

Amelia administered the antidote. “Bartemius Crouch Senior you are hereby charged with the following crimes: Obstruction of justice; malfeasance of office; use of an Unforgivable, to wit the Imperious curse; and aiding a convicted criminal in evading justice.”

Staring down at the prisoner Amelia made no attempt to hide her contempt for the man before her. “You are one of the things wrong with our society Crouch. It is my hope that your trial and others will awaken our world to the changes which desperately need to be made. Merlin knows it will be the only positive thing you will have ever contributed to our society.”

Sweeping from the room, Amelia only wished she could afford the luxury of a shower to wash away the stench of corruption. As she made her way down the hall she couldn’t help thinking it would have been wasted at any rate.

Just as they had in Crouch’s cell, Amelia and the Unspeakable entered the cell holding Albus Dumbledore. Again the proper spells were cast and the veritaserum administered.

“Are you Albus Dumbledore?”

"Yes.”

“Were you Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot at the time of Sirius Black’s arrest?”

“Yes.”

“Are you Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy?”

"No.”

Satisfied that the potion was working Amelia began the serious questioning. “Were you aware that Sirius Black was innocent when you sentenced him to Azkaban?”

“No.”

“How did you know Black was the secret keeper for the Potters?”

“James Potter told me they would use Sirius.”

“Though you believed him guilty, why didn’t you allow Black a trial as the law requires?”

“I needed him out of the way.”

Amelia narrowed her eyes. “Out of the way for what reason?”

“He is Harry Potter’s godfather; as such he would be entitled to custody. It was imperative that young Potter reside with his mother’s blood.”

“So you allowed an innocent man to be sent to prison?”

“I thought him guilty.”

“Then why not allow him a trial?”

“Other Death Eaters had escaped justice, I couldn’t take the risk that Black would do the same. I would not allow the Potter boy to be raised by a wizard loyal to Voldemort.”

Seeing that there was nothing more to be gained Amelia administered the antidote. “Albus Dumbledore you are hereby charged with malfeasance of office,” she informed him. “It is my hope that the Wizengamot will at the very least remove you from power. Any man who would allow the things you have done is not a man who should have the ability to determine the fate of others.”

“It was for the greater good Amelia,” Dumbledore sadly intoned.

“You will refer to me as Madam Bones,” Amelia coldly demanded. “You lost the right to address me with familiarity the moment you condemned a young child to a life of abuse while condemning his godfather to another type of hell on earth. I only wish I could charge you with more than malfeasance.”

the days that followed the Wizarding world would be shocked and disheartened to learn the extent two powerful men had gone to in order to bring about their vision of a perfect world. Found guilty of using an Unforgivable, Crouch Senior was automatically sentenced to life in Azkaban. For his other crimes the court could do little. The years he was given for these crimes were purely for the sake of appearances. He would join his son in Azkaban where they would both eventually succumb to the horrors of the Dementors.

Albus Dumbledore was, after a short trial, found guilty of malfeasance of office. This was not a capital crime of course, nor was it truly considered a crime. The result of his trial was as certain as Amelia had known it would be. Removed from office, fined and stripped of his Order of Merlin, these were the only punishments available to the court. The majority of the Wizarding world was satisfied with the decision of the court. Only a few thought he should have been sent to Azkaban with the Crouches, while some still thought him a saviour who should have received no punishment for what they saw as a simple mistake. That his mistake had cost an innocent man more than a decade of his life didn’t seem to matter to these stalwart supporters.

TBC...
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Hidden Family