Waking to the feeling of my women hugging me I mewled under the sheets. Lethargically I twisted myself to look at them. I was immediately met with the purple-blue irises of Yuna staring back at me, her expression almost unreadable in the low light. Blinking away my sleepy feelings I took my currently buried right arm and began rhythmically rubbing her back.
"Hey honey..." The woman frowned somewhat, her hands, which I now noticed were wrapped around my midsection, tightened their hold.
"W-why do you all accept me so easily?" Her question made me despondent for quite a while as we simply gazed into each other's eyes. My emotions towards the woman were real, I knew that much, but other than that she just felt right to be around... As if the universe suddenly gained some more clarity and stability around her.
"Hmmm. You are a constant Yuna..." She frowned at that, her mouth opening before I lightly kissed her to stop her from speaking.
Pulling back after a second or two I began explaining myself. "When the universe and the world around us is quite frankly fucked, you are still yourself. You cause mayhem and trouble, scanning whatever you can to gain power... But you gain power not to harm anyone or even to effect anything, but for the experience of it all, the chaos, the enjoyment. On Asgard you revealed what no one else would for Loki. Possibly it could been seen as a vile jab given the situation, but you provided a kindness no one else had, the truth."
I kissed her again before continuing to speak. "The reason I came onto you so fast and we are accepting you in the relationship is because you care. Yes you are emotionally damaged in some ways, everyone is, but you channel it into affection and love, even if it is subdued or tame."
"...For me? That's why I love you."
She flushed a little before tickling my naked lower back, her rather feminine fingers revealing her nervousness. "I-i am not worth it though... I only kill demons, dress like a goth and am moody as hell... I have no endearing qualities. M-my father said as much..." Tears began to slide down her cheeks as I tightened my hug, her body clinging to mine as I placed my forehead against hers.
"What a load of poppycock love. He lied his ass off, and, before you say anything else, let me just say that you killing demons is HOT and dressing like a goth is also HOT. So enough of this degrading yourself." Artoria hugged into me, her rather large breasts squishing into my back and causing a touch of liquid to wet the sheets below my navel.
"Mmm, my king is right... You are too good to be trudging through the mire of self doubt..." Artoria mewled up against me, her position slightly lower than mine on the bed as she effortlessly decided who was going to be the 'man' today.
"And one day, you'll see yourself the way we do, Yuna." I added softly. "Until then... we'll just keep reminding you."
Yuna blushed much harder now, her eyes practically glued to mine and Arti's faces as we stared at her lovingly. Her eyes started to collect tears as I pulled her up and onto me, shock spreading across her face as I giggled. "Arti, it looks like someone needs to be cheered up..."
My queen smiled evilly before disappearing beneath the sheets, movement ensuing for a few moments until Yuna gasped on top of me. Then I began my ministrations, her entire body tensing and relaxing as we slowly showered her with our love.
...
Clicking the bracelet on over my wrist I rolled my shoulders and licked my teeth. The morning had certainly been entertaining, so much so, that Yuna was now sprawled out on the bed huffing powerfully whilst Arti got dressed off to the side of the bed.
Today was going to be a very busy day and this would most likely be the only time where we would be having some true fun. I ran a hand through my cobalt hair, watching as some errant water drops collected on my palm. Flicking the water away, the shower still lingering in my mind, I turned and watched my beautiful queen slip on a rather refined dress... The very same one that was shown in the anime.
"Yuna love, you coming with us to the trial...?" She waved her hand in the air, still struggling to breathe as we apparently had rocked her world. Arti chuckled before kissing her on the cheek.
"I think she is too orgasmic for that, my king." I waggled my eyebrows causing her to fully laugh this time.
"Kay, well, Muninn will stay with you. If you need anything just let him know and he will come to me." Yuna shot a thumbs up into the air before slumping her hand back against her bare breasts.
Shaking my head in mild amusement I hooked my arm around Arti's waist, the two of us leaving our apartment, the booked room in The Three Broomsticks and then the building itself before apparating directly into the atrium of the Ministry of Magic.
Rainbow light splashed down around us as we stepped through, hundreds of aurors all with wands raised staring at us as I imperiously strut forwards, ignoring their stares. The Bifrost light vanished as I offered my arm to Arti, her arm linking with mine soon after as we walked towards the security check-point. The guys just let us through now... A shame since Arti liked making jokes.
Venturing through the atrium we were met with many more stares this time, a multitude of people pointing towards me as my image graced the front page of the The Daily Prophet. The article was written by Rita Skeeter so I immediately assumed it was akin to a gossip piece than any actual news or story of substance. Arti disliked the attention but threw it all over her shoulder as she took my hand as we journeyed over to the elevators.
The green-black bricks of the Ministry clacked against our boots as ten aurors stepped in front of us, with several Hit-Wizards encircling behind us. Excalibur hefted upwards in Artoria's hands until a soft, leathery voice spoke out... "Mrs. Freya, could you please come with us to the trial chambers?" Turning I was met by Tonks, the woman sporting an ash-grey hair colour whilst her facial features resembled Sirius's much more closely... It seems she was showing her support unintentionally.
"Of course Auror Tonks, Arti, please sheathe the blade..." My lovely wife and queen furrowed her brows before reluctantly unsummoning the blade, the energies that had begun to emerge receding just as quickly.
Tonks smiled placatingly towards my woman earning herself a brief rolling of the eyes before the remaining aurors and wizards all slowly started corralling us into a larger staff lift. Comfort was forsaken with all these people around but It was somewhat assuring that they were taking this seriously enough to defend me and Arti. Although we could probably annihilate this entire building even with all of the powers they could possibly command upon us, it was the thought that counted.
Our trip was short as we only felt a few horizontal shifts and a single vertical, the entire elevator coming to a halt with the doors opening to reveal the chamber beyond. White stone and marble were the first things of note in the space beyond, followed quickly by the din of voices that drizzled in through the large marble entrance just a few meters beyond the elevator exit.
"This way..." Tonk walked forwards and had me walk by her side whilst the other aurors all faded into the background. "Your role in this meeting will be to provide the defence for Sirius, alongside his sister, Andromeda Tonks." I nodded sharply whilst Artoria clung to my side defensively.
Tonks looked at her before grimacing somewhat, "Your, lady, will have to stay in the stands above... Unless she is part of a noble house, in which she can possibly sit on the lower benches surrounding the trial..." I smirked, realising that Tonks hadn't been there to hear that she was a Pendragon; 'The' Pendragon really.
"Artoria, please tell her what family you hail from..." Arti smirked a touch before summoning Excalibur and piercing it into the floor in front of her, the blade shimmering gold and orange as the faintest of dragons' roars could be heard expanding within a few feet of her.
"I am Artoria Pendragon, of Avalon. Chosen by the lady of the lake and proven to be the king of Britain by the Sword in the Stone." I confined her speech to us three, the gaunt features of Tonks reeling from the reveal as she stared at my wife with utter disbelief and a touch of hilarity... She thought she was being pranked.
I beamed at my wife in pride before looking at the Metamorphmagus who was currently half way between believing and denial.
"She is a Pendragon. So, naturally, she will have a place in the trial... Won't she?"
"I really don't know... If you are pranking me, I swear..." Her words cut short as we reached the courtroom.
Currently the chamber stood packed full, many of the Lords and Ladies still settling into their seats as the other noble families all conversed lightly in the circling stands. A singular podium stood in the centre of the chamber with three chairs sitting just above it. In these chairs was the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, Head of the DMLE Amelia Bones and finally the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
Looking around the chamber I noted a bespectacled boy with emerald eyes sitting in the stands. He was surrounded by adults and they all ignored him, thinking him a child of some other person in the crowd. I frowned deeply, shooting a look at Dumbledore who had that characteristic twinkle in his eyes... The spell a rather mundane usage of Occlumency manifested through minor illusion.
Harry suddenly found me in the crowd and looked utterly shocked as I winked towards him and strut forwards. Arti noticed my looks and then smiled softly, tapping me on the shoulder and jumping up to the stands, right in front of Harry, who was gawking now; along with the rest of the room. The spectacle settled down when the gavel was struck by Albus, his eyes watching Arti for a few second before swooping down to me. All mirth faded from him as I grinned.
As I stepped into the middle of the chamber I felt every gaze flick to me, conversations starting up anew as Harry greeted my wife, shaking her hand before the two of them looked onwards at me.
"Order, order!" Dumbledore's voice echoed throughout once more before silence reigned.
"This session of the Wizengamot is now in order. We are convened to re-evaluate the standing charges against Sirius Orion Black, in light of new evidence brought forth by multiple witnesses and verified magical testimony."
He paused to let the words percolate within the minds of those present.
"Let it be known: this is not a retrial, for Mr. Black was never granted a trial to begin with. What we do here today is rectify that failure, and determine, at last, the truth."
Gasps and whispers were aplenty as the warlock scanned the entire chamber, his gavel slamming down one final time with a resounding BANG.
"Aurors, please bring the accused forwards into the chamber." Twenty aurors all exited through the doors that we all entered from, a minute passing before they came back with a circular bird-like cage... In which sat the horribly malnourished form of Sirius Black. Ash and long dried tears stained his time-rotted clothes as his sunken black eyes hawkishly regarded the room. He pulled away from the lights, dry lips being licked by an equally parched tongue. Azkaban was a horrid place and more cruel than most people deserve.
Dumbledore gestured towards the clerk sitting below the podium, a person I hadn't even noticed until this point as the spectacle of the entire event was mighty. Said person rose with all the decorum and officiality that a plain brown robe could grant a glorified office worker.
"Let the record reflect that this is the formal trial of Sirius Orion Black, of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black..." His voice paused before picking up once more.
"Sirius Orion Black You stand accused of the following: High treason against the British Ministry of Magic, Conspiracy with the Dark Lord, also known as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, The betrayal of James and Lily Potter, resulting in their deaths, The murder of Peter Pettigrew and twelve Muggle civilians, Unlawful use of destructive magic in a Muggle environment and Unregistered Animagus transformation!"
The clerk's scroll from which he was reading from burst into a puff of smoke as he sat down once more, gazing upwards at the Chief Warlock who nodded and once again rotated his head to scan the entire chamber.
"This trial is convened under the authority of the Wizengamot, with the express purpose of reviewing all evidence and testimony surrounding these charges, both old and new. The accused, having never stood proper trial, is now granted the full rights afforded under Section Fourteen of the Wizarding Code of Law: the right to counsel, the right to submit evidence, and the right to call witnesses in their defence."
Finally Dumbledore looked into the eyes of the man who had suffered a decade and more of Dementor exposure.
"Sirius Orion Black, how do you plead?"
The question was akin to a spell in the way it hushed the halls of power into a near-death silence. I watched on, standing close to Sirius who was smothered in the aura of someone truly distraught, excited, hopeful and reticent to acknowledge the realness of this all.
"I-inn-innocent..." His voice, haggard, echoed out as Amelia nodded.
"So recorded." The head of the DMLE wrote his answer down on a piece of parchment whilst the Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot all watched on.
Speaking of the nobles, I noted the fact that Lucius Malfoy was sitting back and not representing the black votes... A conflict of interest no doubt and probably some political manoeuvring by Amelia if my hunches were correct.
Fudge, the weasel, stood and strained out his official response to the entire proceeding. "The prosecution has prepared extensive documentation affirming the original charges, based on eyewitness accounts and official records from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. However, in accordance with the nature of this trial, all evidence shall be re-examined in the presence of the accused and his defence."
"Let the proceedings commence. The defence may call its first witness!"
I grinned maniacally as Andromeda finally emerged from the side of the room, her eyes meeting mine in mild confusion as I walked out into the middle of the room.
"The defence wishes to call upon the recently apprehended, Peter Pettigrew, under Veritasium, to the stands." People stood up all over the chamber, looking around whilst some glared at me menacingly, the dark faction no doubt.
The gavel slammed down once more. "ORDER!" Dumbledore sighed, trying his best to hide his surprise at the suddenly appearing, 'supposedly dead', man. "The defence has called for their first witness, aurors?" Once again they marched off.
Sirius snarled and made to lunge forwards at his bars at the mention of his name but Andromeda reached him first and subdued him somehow, making my job much easier.
One member of the assembled Lords, The Lord Selwyn, rose from his seat and shouted aloud for everyone to hear... "Veritasium!? Immediately...!? Does this defence not know etiquette?" I chuckled at him, his bulldog-like face scrunching horribly.
"Etiquette...? This is a court room, we are not here to observe nonsense, but facts! This man will not answer truthfully because he is involved. I am sure the Director of the DMLE can support my words...?" I looked at her and she nodded deeply, turning to the Lord.
"Indeed, this man has already confessed under Veritasium in private. I request that he be administered the truth serum."
A few murmurs in the chamber twisted into hostile whispers. The Lords of the darker houses, Yaxley, Travers, Mulciber, and Nott, exchanged looks, each face a mask of restrained alarm, barely hidden by centuries of aristocratic training. They didn't rise. They didn't protest, not yet, but their silence was telling.
The old Carrow matriarch smiled cruelly at Pettigrew, her heir sitting off to the side, beside her, as the old woman scowled at the 'dark' faction within the room... As if proclaiming that she had been correct or at the very least that what she believed was correct and they were in fact wrong. I couldn't be certain but she appeared to be much more 'Grey' than most assumed.
Lucius Malfoy was an enigma tonight. He sat unusually still, contemplative. No grandstanding, no objection, only silence. The silver serpent head of his cane rested beneath one gloved hand, unmoving. But his eyes were locked on Pettigrew with a hunger barely veiled, like a serpent waiting to strike, mind coiled and ready.
Neither I, nor Dumbledore and Amelia Bones missed the subtle posture shifts within the 'dark' faction. Smirking deep inside I shifted my posture to look back at the entryway, the clinking of chains clattering forth.
The shackled form of the rat-man was pushed forwards as the courtroom finally bore witness to the purportedly dead man. Camera flashes blared from the stands and the lower floor as the media ate up every single moment of this trial. Aurors dragged the panicking man forwards up to the platform just below the podium. The traitor's eyes watered as he feverishly glanced between all of the lords of the dark faction, his aura turning sickly green as he eventually noticed Sirius sitting within his cage...
If fury was a god, Sirius was its avatar at this particular moment.
One Lord finally stood again. Lord Travers, tall and reed-thin, eyes like flint beneath silver brows, his voice smooth as glass. "And how, precisely, has this... creature... been verified as Pettigrew? A Polyjuice impostor? An illusion? Are we expected to bend the law for theatrics and admit the testimony of a confessed coward?" Small chortles and laughs escaped many of the more arrogant dark faction members, Lucius scowling at Travers as his fist tightened ever so slightly upon his cane.
Amelia spoke up once more, her entire demeanor practically begging for them to reveal their allegiances. She had never forgotten what the Death Eaters took from her and that emotion seemed to ooze from her at this moment.
"The auror department, the Department of Mysteries and the Chief Warlock has confirmed his identity and the lacking presence of magics within his mind or on his person." Dumbledore took over from there.
"From now, hence forth, all opposition will require an official objection to be called." Many people sneered in the chamber as the old wizard huffed and regarded the man that was once his student in the past. "Please start the questioning, Mrs. Freya." I inclined my head before an evil smirk crossed my face as the aurors poured the truth serum down his throat.
A pause was had as they tested whether it was working before stepping back and letting me have the floor...
"Firstly... Are you Peter Pettigrew?"
A raspy, snivelling voice answered.
"Yes...!"
My smirk turned malevolent as I exclaimed my enjoyment... "Wonderful!"
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