The release of the newspapers set the citizens of Britain ablaze with discussion. Rumors of Sirius Black's innocence had already circulated, but reading the news made it a reality. The photographs in the Prophet and Quibbler of Sirius Black holding captive Peter Pettigrew, with their right arms on display, showed a clear sign of the dark mark on Pettigrew's arm, revealing the grim reality of an innocent man in Azkaban while the perpetrator and betrayer were awarded the first class of Merlin. While there were mixed reactions, the majority of the public supported giving Peter the worst punishment ever, as he had broken the sacred covenant of a secret keeper. Many believed he was now cursed by magic. However, some were apprehensive about Sirius Black being the godfather of the Girl-Who-Lived, as they believed the Black family was associated with dark magic.

Although the public sympathized with the innocent convict, Sirius Black, the reaction of the nobles and the ministry was quite the opposite. They cursed Black's shrewdness in publishing the news first, as it had caused them to lose control of the narrative. Originally, they had planned to either deny the trial altogether, as it would suggest that the law could be wrong at times, or to only hold the trial after receiving some "gifts" from the House of Black. However, now they were being forced to hold the trial unless they wanted to be seen as tyrants.

The order for Sirius Black's capture was revoked and Peter Pettigrew's Order of Merlin was stripped, while a new wanted order was presented. However, things were not going to be smooth, even with the aid of the media, as the ultimate power still rested in the hands of the nobles. Therefore, it was a shock when both the Neutral Faction and the Light Faction pushed for the trial to be held, with the Greengrass House leading the way for the Neutral Faction, and Amelia Bones for the Light Faction. The Dark Faction was caught in indecisiveness, as the Malfoys were busy in France and remained silent.

The more shrewd and astute members of the community had an inkling that whatever had happened to the Malfoys in the past few months was somehow connected to Black. It wasn't a coincidence, as in their world even the fabled Felix Felicis could be used to create a favorable coincidence. However, they had no proof to support their assumption. Some houses and institutes ordered secret investigations into any sightings and activities related to Sirius Black.

House of Greengrass

(Daminea Greengrass POV)

Sitting in his cozy living room, entertaining an ex-convict was the last way he had planned to spend his weekend. Yet, there he was, face to face with Sirius Black, the supposed innocent man who had invited him to this meeting. Upon receiving the letter, he was initially ready to reject the invitation, since he believed it didn't concern him whether Black was innocent or not. However, one particular line in the letter caught him off guard. The Blacks had a contract with the Greengrasses to help clear their family name when they had joined Grindelwald. The main point was that Sirius wanted to use his favor to meet, but he also implied that if he didn't get a trial, the alternative was for Draco Malfoy to become the Lord Black and marry one of his daughters. The prospect of it sent a cold bucket of water down his spine. He was a businessman, but he loved his daughters dearly and couldn't fathom putting them in any harm's way.

He couldn't shake off the dreary image that came to his mind as he read on the paper about Draco Malfoy's arrest for casting a Cruciatus curse on a Veela who had rejected his advances. He pictured his daughter writhing on the ground, the victim of the same curse that Draco had cast. He knew Black had him in a tight web. He had to help him and keep him alive, as he didn't want to throw either of his daughters into the fire pit. Although a dark picture was presented to him that Black orchestrated the whole thing to get Malfoy out of England, he knew that Sirius was a dangerous man who would do anything to accomplish his goals.

Sighing, the man shifted his focus back to the person sitting across from him. It was Sirius Black, his senior from school. Considering his long stay in Azkaban, he expected him to appear more worn down and defeated. However, Sirius sat before him looking completely different - rugged, handsome and carefree. His long, wavy hair fell in waves around his face, and his scruffy beard and mustache added to his rugged appearance. His piercing grey eyes had a mischievous glint that suggested a playful personality, while the black leather jacket with a fur collar exuded a cool and rebellious aura. He wore a dark gray shirt with a loosely-tied black tie that hinted at his nonchalant attitude towards authority. Completing the look, he donned black pants and boots that complemented his dark and edgy aesthetic. Looking at him, the man was momentarily thrown off, wondering if he was an imposter. However, upon seeing the Black family ring on his hand, he knew it was truly Sirius Black sitting before him.

"Lord Black," the man addressed, "I will assist you in obtaining a trial, but I must know if you plan on exerting the contract on my daughters." It was a question his wife had posed to him during their discussions. He couldn't bring himself to be the father who would force his daughters into a marriage with an older man, despite knowing that a dowry and direct contact from the re-emerging Black family could elevate his own status.

Sirius took a sip of his tea, pausing before he responded, "Rest assured, my focus right now is not on any relationships or marriage. My goal is to obtain a trial and rebuild my relationship with my goddaughter, Rose Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived."

The man had momentarily forgotten about Rose Potter, realizing the potential power of a Potter-Black alliance that could bridge the divide between the Dark and Light factions in the wake of Malfoy's departure.

Refocusing on his own predicament, the man couldn't ignore the possibility of Sirius breaking the contract with his daughters despite trusting his honor. He could only hope that both Malfoy and Black would meet an untimely end, though it seemed like an unlikely scenario.

As the conversation drew to a close, he couldn't help but suspect that Black had orchestrated the unfortunate events that had befallen the Malfoy family. Despite his suspicions, he decided to let it go for now and simply focus on protecting his own family's interests.

Sitting beside Black, he felt the heaviness in the air and a familiar feeling of an impending danger, much like when he was around Dumbledore. The man had to voice his warning, "I will trust you on this Black, but if you go against your word, contract be damned, I will do everything in my power to destroy you," he growled.

Black only had a slight twitch of his lips, indicating that the threat was merely child's play. The man felt a surge of anger from being underestimated and disrespected in his own house. He was going to retaliate, but quickly remembered the danger of dealing with powerful wizards, especially those with a contract hanging over one's head, like the Sword of Damocles  He couldn't understand why the wards weren't responding to the aggression.

Black's quick smile eased the tension, "Don't worry, in the future, if I have an heir, maybe we can discuss a contract with your grandchildren. Well, I will be leaving now, Lord Greengrass."

After shaking his hand and accompanying him to the front door, the man was left alone with the worried face of his wife.

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