Author's Note: Hey guys, this is the Prologue of Among the Outlaws... Chapter 1 will be out in a couple of hours or so. If the prologue seems a bit confusing, wait until chapters 1 and 2 for explanations. Please review and happy reading.
Harry Potter knew what he was doing was highly illegal and, if caught, he would most likely find himself waking up in a cell in Azkaban. Needless to say, the threat of imprisonment didn't scare him as much as it should have.
He was situated in a secret room used by authorized members of the British Wizengamot to silently observe court trials. This particular room was located slightly above the infamous Courtroom 13, where the worst criminals were questioned and received trials.
Harry shifted uncomfortably, fidgeting with the sleeve of his robe. His godfather, who was present in the courtroom as one of the Lords of an important house, hadn't told him about the time it took for the trial to start. All he had received from his smiling godfather was a knowing smirk and a whispered reminder to not get caught.
"Bloody wanker," he murmured to himself, thinking of said godfather.
"Who?" the boy next time him drawled, unconsciously fixing his already immaculate platinum blond hair.
"Sirius. He never mentioned how long it bloody took for the Aurors and the prisoners to arrive at the trials," Harry replied, frowning slightly in irritation.
"Well to be fair, we do deserve a bit of payback from the mutt, no matter how petty my dear cousin can be. After all, you did blackmail him to get us into this room for the arguably the most interesting trial of the year," Draco reasoned.
"It was his own fault. He knows my mum will have an absolute fit if she somehow discovered a bunch of firewhiskey bottles hidden in his godson's room at Black Manor. He should have never hidden his stash there, and it would be a shame if Mum found out," Harry smirked, his green eyes shining with mirth. "All I asked him to do in exchange for not telling Mum was to let us watch this trial. He eventually agreed."
What Harry forgot to mention to Draco was the many hours he had spent with Sirius pleading and begging and his godfather's stern refusals to take Draco and his godson to watch the trial in person. Sirius was finally forced to give into his godson's demands with the threat of having to face the wrath of an angry Lily Potter (Harry, annoyed at having spent so much time begging his godfather, had threatened to present his mum with Sirius' stash of firewhiskey).
Draco snorted. "There's a name for that, Harry. It's called blackmail."
Harry sniggered. "It worked out, didn't it? Sirius got us into here. Now do me a favour and shut up. They're starting the trial."
Draco's rather indignant protest to being told to shut up died as the massive doors to Court Room 13 opened with a bang. All chatter and noise from those seated in the seats around the circular courtroom died down as an Auror squad lead a shackled prisoner inside the room.
Harry wasn't very impressed with the appearance of the prisoner. He could tell Draco wasn't either by the way Draco raised an eyebow.
"He doesn't look like a criminal, much less a member of the Order of the Phoenix," Draco sneered. "The Order must be desperate."
The man in question was lead to the center of the courtroom, where he was forced by an Auror to seat in the lone chair in the middle of the platform. With a wave of another Auror's wand, chains appeared, circling the prisoner and binding him to his seat.
Harry took a moment to observe the prisoner, who was sitting with his eyes closed as if he had no care in the world as the Auror squad silently left the courtroom. He agreed with Draco's assessment that he wasn't very remarkable. He had cropped brown hair and a crooked nose that looked like it was recently broken.
Harry turned his gaze to the judging panel, which was made of three individuals. The lone woman on the panel raised her wand, as a loud bang echoed throughout the courtroom.
"The trial of Alan Carters, known associate of Albus Dumbledore and member of the Order of Phoenix will begin now," Amelia Bones said. Harry recognized her from various pictures Sirius had showed him over the years. He tuned her out for a moment, finding the beginning of the trail rather boring."…and passing important Ministry information to the Order. How do you plead to this accusation, Mr. Carters?"
Harry stifled a gasp as the man opened his eyes. Cold, ice-blue eyes glared out at Bones and the rest of the judge panel, as his face twisted into a smirk. Harry shivered at the sight. Carters raised his head proudly, staring directly into the face of the Head of the DMLE. "I find it hard to object against your accusations, Madame Bones. The only regret I have is that Britain has yet to notice the corruption and wickedness that plagues our nation in the form of Emperor Riddle and his followers. I refuse to follow such a tyrant and I swear, I fucking swear, one day his lies will be revealed for what they are: lies. His so called empire will fall, crashing and burning…"
Carters was cut off suddenly and violently when he found himself not being able to breathe. A man wearing the dark green robes of a Serpent had risen from the stands, wand clutched tightly in his hand. His rage was visible as his face contorted into an expression filled with hate as he choked Carters.
"You dare speak against our Emperor himself, you mudblood filth," he spat. "You truly know nothing of our world. Our emperor has ensured the prosperity of our entire country, while filth like you and the rest of the Order live to destroy it. Now take your punishment as an example of what happens to those who disobey the Emperor."
Harry gasped and Draco swore as a sickly green light zoomed towards Carter and connected. The member of the Order slumped in his chair, eyes closed forever.
The Serpent pocketed his wand, face still filled with hatred. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. No matter who you are, the result of treason and disobedience is death. Do not trust the words of a muggle-lover and all the mudbloods that plague our world. The only thing they can do for you is lead you towards your death. This trial has ended." With that, the Serpent stood up, green robes billowing, and left the courtroom.
"What did you think of the trial?" Sirius asked the two boys after apparating both of them back to Black Manor.
"It was fascinating finally seeing one of the Order bastards standing trial," Draco replied. "I was surprised to see that Serpent AK'ing him so quickly."
"Yeah," Sirius grimaced. "I really didn't want you two to see that. It was a cruel way to end his life, no matter what he did."
"He deserved it," Harry said suddenly. He had been quiet so far in the discussion, and now both Draco and Sirius turned to look at him. "He bloody deserved it."
Sirius began to protest, but Harry cut him off. "He was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. That alone should be a death sentence," he said coldly.
Sirius sighed. "Harry, that doesn't excuse that Serpent. He murdered the poor man in cold blood, without any type of sentence. Nobody deserves that."
"I don't care. His status as a member of the Order marked him for dead. I say good riddance." Harry said, contempt for Carters plain to hear in his voice.
"Harry…" Sirius began.
"I don't want to hear it, Sirius. They've killed so many good wizards and witches. Or have you forgotten how they murdered my FATHER in cold blood?" Harry's voice rose in pitch as he began to progressively get louder. "THEY BLOODY KILLED HIM WITHOUT HESITATION. HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF TO SAVE HIS MEN, AND THEY BLOODY AK'D HIM. THEY MASSACRED HIS AUROR SQUAD AFTER THAT!" Harry screamed, tears starting to stream down his face as he sat down in a chair, exhausted.
Sirius immediately moved to Harry's side, comforting him. "It's okay cub, you've had a long day. I shouldn't have taken you two there."
Draco fidgeted, uncomfortable with Harry's outburst and felt as if he was intruding on a family moment. "I'll floo back to Malfoy Manor then," he told Sirius, and headed out of the room.
Harry's tears began to dry, as he clung onto his godfather fiercely. "Sirius?" he asked.
"Yeah, cub?" replied his godfather.
"I'll kill them," Harry whispered, his voice hoarse. "One day, I swear I'll kill them all. The Order will fall and burn, and I'll be there to witness it."