"I wish to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated. 

Snape took a step toward Dumbledore. 

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

"I don't blame him!" said Amelia.

 "My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. 

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry, Amelia, Hermione. They burst into speech at the same time. 

"Professor, Black's telling the truth -- we saw Pettigrew "-- he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf --"

 "-- he's a rat --"

"-- an Animagus -- "

"-- Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off --" 

"-- Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius --" 

But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.

 "It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word -- and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper." 

"Professor Lupin can tell you --" Harry said, unable to stop himself

 "Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little -- and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends --"

"Racists," grumbled Amelia.