(Sirius POV)

Standing near the Aurors, I watched as a shackled Peter was led towards the elevator. It was difficult to believe they had voted for death by the Veil, but I guessed they wanted to maintain the facade of a "corruption-free" Ministry. Amelia likely had her own reasons for supporting the punishment as well. After all, Peter played a role in her breaking up with the original Sirius, which ultimately led to Amelia distancing herself from him. Speaking of Amelia, I wondered if I had been too harsh on her.

I silently thanked Merlin that the emotions from the original Sirius didn't interfere when I spoke with her. Did I truly hate her? The original Sirius never hated anyone and only blamed himself for everything, so I hadn't personally experienced those so-called betrayals. However, I realized I could use this to my advantage, leveraging her guilt to accomplish my goals.

There was work to be done, tasks that required assistance from someone with significant influence within the Ministry. The institution was rife with corruption, and having an ally in such a high position could prove invaluable. Aligning with her could be the key to achieving my objectives and navigating the treacherous political landscape of the Ministry.

As I pondered the situation, I considered giving Amelia a push to help her become Minister earlier than she did in the original timeline. But first, I needed to find out if she wanted to rekindle our relationship. If she did, I could propose marriage; marrying into the respected and influential House of Black would certainly help alleviate any public resentment towards her. If Amelia became Minister, having a supportive spouse would undoubtedly aid in mobilizing the Ministry to deal with Voldemort, should he return, now that the canon had derailed so much.

This world was already significantly different from the original – Hogwarts starting at 18, a female Harry Potter, and a comatose Lily. My knowledge of the canon was now worth only a grain of salt, so having a woman who was in charge of Magical Law Enforcement and a potential future Minister in my corner would be invaluable in navigating any unexpected changes in this universe.

I decided to be patient before "forgiving" her, reminding myself of the adage, "you've got to make them work for it." A wry smile crossed my face.

Just then, I heard the announcement: "Summon Sirius Black to the session." My moment of amusement was over; it was time to face the challenge.

Hearing my name called, I walked under the escort of the Aurors inside the hall. The place was filled with people, and giving it a curious glance, I proceeded towards the chair that was now empty of shackles. Amelia sat there, wearing her work robes, giving off an aura of strength and strict professionalism. There was a slight quiver in her eyes, revealing her nervousness. As I sat down, I noticed a woman in a garish pink dress with a toad-like visage, recognizing her as Dolores Umbridge.

Extending my magical senses, I took in the magical atmosphere of the hall. It exuded an ancient feel, most likely from the enchantments Merlin himself had woven when creating the seats for the Ministry. But then I sensed something else—an inferno of swirling power, emanating a sense of forbearance and steely determination. It was the most potent magic I had ever sensed from anyone or anything.

Looking around, I saw him—Albus Dumbledore. The ancient wizard was the very embodiment of what one would imagine when picturing a wizard—robes, hat, and a long white beard. He was also observing me, and I sensed a probing force on my own magic in response. He gave me a knowing look, as if he was aware of what I was doing. Smiling at him, I said, "Professor," and nodded. It was unwise to make an enemy of the most powerful and influential wizard in the country. The books may have mentioned his duel with Voldemort, but through inheriting Sirius's memories, I knew firsthand what Dumbledore was capable of. That's why I remained cautious, knowing that individuals like him existed.

He flashed his grandfatherly smile and said, "Ah, my boy, good to see you, though it would have been better to meet in a more pleasant place."

Nodding at him, I finally turned my attention to Amelia. As our eyes met, she announced, "Proceed with the dosage of Aequilibrium and then Veritaserum."

Aequilibrium was a potion invented to deal with strong Occlumens who started resisting Veritaserum. The potion affected the person in a way that you'd expect from someone who had been punched in the chin, throwing their mind into disarray. However, the downside was that you had to be fast, as a person could recover quickly from its effects. Prolonged exposure could also cause brain damage. Most of all, its ingredients are strictly prohibited, and even the full ingredients list and recipe are not circulated in public. Even the Black family didn't have enough information, as this potion was created right at the time when the war was ending, and the Black family's influence was pretty weak.

When I first read about it, I was struck by the extent of the Death Eaters' influence. These two potions could have forced them to confess their crimes truthfully. Yet, they were all released based on their mere claims of being under the Imperius Curse. This just highlights the corruption that exists within the Ministry. And it gives me more reason to have a strong influence in the Ministry to not become their target.

The Auror proceeded to give me the required dosage. At first, I felt nothing, but then my calm, composed mind went still. I tried to deal with the feeling, but then my ears started ringing. My chin was grabbed by what looked like two, or maybe just one, Auror; I couldn't tell. They administered another potion, and then a haze went through my head, creating a clouded feeling.

"Name?"

Even with my mind in disarray, words escaped my mouth, and I was surprised to find myself forming coherent sentences.

"Sirius Black," they began.

"Were you loyal to Voldemort?"

"No," I replied.

"Did you betray the Potters?"

"No," I insisted once more.

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