"I assume Lucius has been informed there is a new Lord Black?" Cornelius inquired.
Ah, Brian thought, pleased; Cornelius was trying to establish when he could go against Malfoy's wishes and side with Black openly.
"Family members were to be notified today and I understand that there will be a family meeting once Lord Black returns to England." Brian said. "As I've said I believe that Lord Black wants this matter of Sirius Black cleared up by then so that he can take his position publically without having to comment on a situation he feels is ambiguous." He gestured expansively. "He can't make a statement supportive of the Ministry if he believes there is a potential miscarriage of justice in play."
Cornelius hummed and sat back, contemplatively. "There were questions raised when Black was captured at Hogwarts. I dismissed them at the time because it seemed so unlikely that he could be innocent, and the comments were made by children who had just undergone something of a traumatic event with a werewolf and a few Dementors." He peered at Brian. "Lord Black mentioned irregularities with the initial conviction?"
Brian hid his smile as Cornelius effectively asked to be given an excuse to open up an investigation. "I examined the official records. There's an arrest sheet and some witness statements taken at the scene of the explosion; the evidence of Pettigrew's finger. The witness statements confirm Pettigrew shouted something accusatory at Black about the Potters, and then there was a blast near to Pettigrew. Black's wand was taken from him but it was never examined. The arresting Auror, Moody, noted Black appeared to be in severe shock with emotional mood swings ranging from hysterical laughter to – and I quote 'agonised weeping.' He did note Black had been overheard to mutter 'it's my fault' in his hysterical state but Moody also explicitly stated that it couldn't be deemed a confession as Black was in no condition to understand his legal rights." He took a moment to pause dramatically. "The only other item in that file, Cornelius, is an order from Crouch, counter-signed by Bagnold, to transport Black to Azkaban. No charges were actually filed; no medical treatment was given; no interrogation record exists. I can't find a trial transcript and there is no record on the court register of a trial taking place even."
"He wasn't questioned or given a trial?" Cornelius looked suitably shocked.
"It appears not." Brian said solemnly. "Lord Black's concerns seem warranted."
Cornelius huffed, clasping his hands over his corpulent stomach. "I had no idea."
"Why would you?" Brian demurred. "It's the previous administration who is at fault."
Cornelius's eyes lit up. "Indeed, the previous administration."
Brian knew he'd taken the bait. He brushed the front of his robes in an absentminded gesture that was anything but. "Far be it for me to advise you on the way forward, old friend, but…no, I shouldn't…"
"Please, Brian, if you can help me find a way through this difficult matter, I would be grateful." Cornelius said.
"I would hand this to Amelia Bones. She is in charge of the DMLE and the situation with Black is under her jurisdiction and the Auror office." Brian suggested calmly. "Tell her about your discovery of the irregularities in the original case and to verify the claims the children made at Hogwarts. Say nothing publically, or to anyone else, until she has completed her investigation and come to a conclusion. In the meanwhile, I will inform Lord Black you are moving forward with an investigation as he has requested."
Cornelius blew out a long breath and nodded. He tapped a interoffice communications mirror on his desk and looked meaningfully at Brian who hastily took down the privacy ward. "Amelia, can you come to my office immediately, please?"
"Of course, Minister." Amelia replied briskly.
Brian replaced the privacy ward as Cornelius tapped the mirror closed. "One more thing, Cornelius, I feel I should alert you to in regards to Lord Black."
Cornelius nodded eagerly for him to continue.
"He has taken control of Sirius Black's vault and has a copy of the Potters' last will and testament. Sirius Black is listed as Harry Potter's guardian in the event of their deaths should Frank and Alice Longbottom be unable to assume guardianship." Brian said crisply. "I've been instructed to prepare guardianship papers." He looked at Cornelius. "He believes as I do that Albus Dumbledore who organised the current guardianship situation for the Potter boy will seek to block any attempt to challenge it."
In Brian's opinion the sooner they got Harry Potter away from his muggle relatives the better. He had met with Petunia Dursley the day before and her willingness to sign away her rights to the boy on the promise of a bit of gold and a new house was alarming.
Cornelius's eyes sharpened. "Any guardianship claim would be judged on its own merits. Personally, I've never been happy that the boy was placed with muggles. You know there was an incident last summer that caused him to run away?"
Brian was about to reply when there was a rap on the door and Amelia entered with sharp efficient grace that spoke of her Auror training. "You wished to see me, Cornelius?" Her dark eyes landed on Brian. "Brian."
"Amelia." Brian stood and took her hand in his, placing a kiss against her knuckles. "Always a pleasure, but I'm afraid I'm here on business."
Cornelius waved Amelia into the second visitor's chair and handed her the letter from Lord Black. She took it and read it through her monocle. She glanced at Brian and back to Cornelius. "Well, a new Lord Black will certainly put the cat among the pigeons. What are the irregularities to which he refers?"
"Sirius Black never received a trial." Brian informed her.
"Indeed," Cornelius said, "which is most troubling." He clasped his hands together and looked at her sharply. "You see the problem?"
She pressed her lips together. "You're going to acquiesce to a full investigation?"
"Yes, under your personal jurisdiction given the sensitivity, Amelia." Cornelius cleared his throat. "When Black was captured at Hogwarts Harry Potter claimed Black was innocent and Peter Pettigrew was alive. Obviously I didn't take him seriously at the time because, well, I believed he had been traumatised by Dementors and a werewolf and confunded by Black because everybody knows Pettigrew died and Black was his killer. However, now that I understand there wasn't a trial…I'm forced to reconsider whether Potter was telling the truth."
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