Chapter 486: Charges Dismissed
Upon seeing the thin line of golden text, nearly all the older wizards in the courtroom rose instinctively. Their eyes, filled with undisguised anger, fixed on the spot still shrouded in dense fog.
As people who had lived through those chaotic years, they recognized it instantly: the Fidelius Charm. When the charm was cast, these words would transform into golden runes and hide within the caster's soul. Many of those present had narrowly escaped death by relying on this magic and understood its implications all too well.
It was now certain—Peter Pettigrew, not Black, was the real Secret Keeper!
"Damn it!" Outbursts of anger erupted throughout the room.
Crouch's face darkened. Despite Dumbledore's testimony, he hadn't truly believed in Black's innocence until now—or rather, he had clung to the notion that Fudge had somehow duped Dumbledore with an elaborate ruse. Back then, everyone knew that Potter and Black were inseparable. By all logic, the Secret Keeper couldn't have been the cowardly and timid Peter.
They had trusted without a second thought, as though their common sense had been swapped out and given to someone else.
"Traitor..." Crouch muttered, clenching his fists so tightly that the quill he held snapped in half.
The murmurs in the courtroom grew louder. The thick fog lifted quickly, revealing Diana as she stepped forward. "Professor Dumbledore, I'll leave the rest to you."
"Of course, that's why we're here," Dumbledore replied with a smile. "Thanks to you, or else Sirius would be facing real trouble..."
"I only came to help Lily, not some arrogant fool," Diana said, pointedly ignoring Black.
"Besides, Headmaster, if I remember correctly, isn't there a rule at Hogwarts that says fifth-year students can't leave on weekends?"