Succession
"Dudley Dursley, be upstanding." A cold cruel voice demanded from across a courtroom, a wooden one set out in the same way a muggle on was. A bench for counsel, wearing black wigs, along with a raised one for a Judge. The Judge in this case was an old stern looking woman with a cruel glare and a pointed face. Her eyes were darkened and her curled grey hair was hidden behind the long black locks of a head engulfing wig. One that masked everything from her hair to her neck, apart from her face. Though in this room there was no jury, not even somewhere for them to sit and instead a number of solemn looking men and women gathered in a small enclosed boxed area. They watched intently as a boy, no older than eleven stood to his feet.
"It has long been an established precedent that those charged with attempted murder must be the age of ten. The laws of Azkaban are clear on this, you have reached the age of consent and subsequently all actions you have taken at that age fall under legal scrutiny. You attempted to murder, Harry James Potter, your father and mother played a role in planning but your failure to contact relevant authorities shows you had a direction intention. This view of your mens rea along with the facts allow me to find you guilty on the count of attempted murder."
The boy quivered slightly as she spoke while his long necked, thin faced mother rose to her feet.
"How dare you!" she began but found a dreadful chill fill her bones. She was sat with her family behind a sheet of long glass and in that space was a tall, black hooded Dementor. The chill would affect her whenever the Dementor wished and she quickly sat back down in a creaking wooden seat.
"Be silent." The woman cut off darkly, her chin tipping up slightly "However the counts involving serious bodily harm, sustained abuse and false imprisonment I believe were committed unknowingly or prior to your coming of the age of responsibility, and for that reason I find you not guilty.
"Dudley Dursley, you shall be held at the pleasure of his Lordship until such a time when he desires your release. Take him to the cells."
"No!" he reached out for his mother but the Dementor wrapped a skeletal hand around his wrist and another joined it, the boy was taken from the cells as his mother tried to hang on but was prised away. She was left sobbing,
"Petunia Dursley and Vernon Dursley be upstanding." The cold voice of justice made her rise while her husband was forced to his feet by another Dementor. One which swooped in almost eagerly.
"Serious Bodily Harm is an offence under Azkaban Law which refers to injures caused with the possibility of death present in the minds of the perpetrator. It is often the action accompanying attempted murder. The facts say both of you sustained the abuse Harry James Potter experienced and in turn planned his murder with Vernon Dursley taking the main role. It is however my belief that if was the plan of Petunia Durlsey to lock him away without food for three days before the incident. This being an example of not only the first three charges but also the fourth of false imprisonment. I believe the Mens rea of you both was in direct relation to that of your son. I find you both guilty on all counts."
Vernon did not blink through the proceedings and just glared at the court. His eyes brimming with contempt.
As for his wife, a strange look slowly passed over Petunia's face, it was one of shock, horror and disbelief. She mouthed a word but she could not speak, a chill was tearing into her bones. The older woman looked down at her with piercing eyes and then decided.
"Petunia Dursley, if it was not for my belief your husband put a great deal of pressure on you and led your prejudices to extreme lengths while also taking a major role, then you would get the maximum. Instead I sentence you to be detained for life, with a minimum requirement of twenty five years before you can be considered for release. Take her to the cells."
Though as his wife was led from the dock, Vernon said nothing, he did not even look in her direction. He just glared into the gazing eyes of the Judge who looked down upon him with the greatest look of contempt of all.
"Vernon Dursley, it is my belief that you were the driving force behind this attack, you planned the murder and what you would do when it was complete. You also sustained abuse to fulfil your hatred and used starvation and imprisonment tactics to weak Harry James Potter before the plan was enacted. If not for Azkaban officials arriving during the attack and making an arrest, while providing life saving care, then it is likely you would have succeeded." The Judge announced this slowly, making her words this time the most serious and cruel.
"For that reason I believe you are beyond rehabilitation and for that reason, Vernon Dursley I sentence you to be hung from the neck until dead. This sentence due to the overbearing evidence may not be appealed and shall take place at dawn tomorrow at dawn. May your soul be cleansed. Take him down."
A look of shock passed over the man's eyes and he almost spoke for the first time as he was led down to the cells, he had said nothing throughout the trial and had been found guilty within three days.
"This session is concluded,"
Azkaban Island
Azkaban Island and Azkaban Prison had long been confused and convoluted principles that were confused by the main body of the wizarding world. What the people of the magical world liked to forget was Azkaban was actually a governing body which oversaw many islands and had leased out its prison to the ministry.
"Poppy," an old woman with pointed face and piercing glare approached a healer of similar age. She was standing over a bed, a skinny boy was laid out on it. Medical equipment was stationed around him, moving and twitching as if they had a life which the boy almost lacked.
"Evelyn, you should have waited another few days, it still could be murder." Poppy Pomfrey muttered as she looked the boy over, he was not doing well.
"He'll come through, and if not I will have Petunia Dursley hung with her husband." The woman spoke darkly and with a vibrant intensity. "Remember the governance of Azkaban rests upon his shoulders."
"Look you are still the regent lady of this island and that might continue for quite some time. This boy is unlikely to ever fully recover and in all honesty, I'm not sure if he will." Poppy sighed looking at the sterner woman and speaking gently.
"I have ruled this island looking for Harry for eight years, my husband died looking and now I have him. I will not lose him now, he is my blood and I will see him take up his inheritance. It is his, not mine, he is the grandson to the last Lord of Azkaban" Evelyn Potter spoke in a wizened and dull voice looking down at her grandson. She had tried every possible way to find him and now she had, well it wasn't looking good.
"His death will spark a succession crisis, if not just for me for the islands Poppy, you have to help him." Her tone went low and it was almost saddening to hear her speak in such tones,
"I'm doing all I can, there is a chance he can make a full recovery. Until then there is nothing I can do, it is all up to Mr Potter now."
The next morning
A crisp chill was in the air as Vernon Dursley was led up a flight of wooden stairs where a single noose was awaiting him, Dementors brought him and one had a skeletal hand inches away from a single upright lever. He said nothing as he was led to platform and was unable to resist as the noose was tightened around his neck.
"Vernon Dursley you have been sentenced to death in accordance with Azkaban laws, do you have anything to say?" Evelyn Potter dressed in black robe with white fluffed sleeves and a single red strap across her front. She was stood on the platform, enhancing her voice so all those standing below to could hear.
"That freak deserved everything he got and more." The man promptly declared and then the lever was pulled and with a sharp jolt to the back of his neck his eyes closed. He died twenty minutes later and was cut down, then burnt.
Ministry of Magic - three days later
Dear Minister Fudge
Acting as regent Lady of Azkaban I am disclosing my abhorrent opinion of the state of living, for his Lordship Harry James Potter. As you know since the death of his grandfather, with James Potter excluded from succession, he is Lord of Azkaban and head of the houses. He was obtained during an attempted murder where three British Citizens were arrested and under the treaty extradited. One has been detained at his Lordship's pleasure , one imprisoned and the other has been executed. Acting as regent I demand to know exactly how this was allowed to happen under your administration, we also demand to know why the Wizengamot took ten years to approve our taking of him. I have complained of this before but in light of these events I demand you explain yourself and your administration's role in them. All treaties are under careful scrutiny until we receive a response.
Sincerly
Regent Lady of Azkaban
Evelyn Potter
"When was the Wizengamot permitted to vote on this?" Dumbledore demanded sitting across from Fudge, sipping a cup of hot chocolate and looking oddly disturbed. He did not like this, not one bit.
"Who cares about that! I want to know exactly why I have to explain an attempted murder and then explain to the rest of my administration how we could lose Azkaban." Fudge seethed throwing the parchment down with a reddening face, his lime green bowler hate shaking with the sway of his hair. He was beyond worried, he was actually scared. Dumbledore said nothing.
"In other words explain why you left him with these muggles, instead of going to his grandmother! The woman who needs an explanation and maybe a live sacrifice to top it off." Fudge stated dryly, he was not normally on edge like this. Though normal did not sum up the situation.
"I don't trust that woman, nor did I trust her late husband. They had their own son removed from the line of succession, why we don't know but I wasn't going to send young Harry to a place that was aiding Voldemort in the war."
"A few Dementors went rouge, please refrain from making potentially war sparking statements please. I've met that woman and she might as well have an eye in every office, the amount she works out." Fudge shivered caught up in an evidently unpleasant memory.
"A few Dementors who suspected to be working on Azkaban's behalf, they said they were neutral, no one believed them. I did not trust her."
"So the people you do trust attempted to murder the young boy?" Fudge questioned blankly with raised eyebrows.
"They say that, not me," Dumbledore retorted, the minister was evidently unconvinced judging by his unimpressed expression.
"They convicted them, and I need to trust them." Fudge reminded him with a wagging finger.
"Why? Dumbledore inquired "They have done nothing but demand things of you, they act like they are still in a world of monarchies, refuse to drop their claims to ancient thrones and have resisted all actions by the ministry for integration. What do you receive from their trust?"
"Eight million a year in trade, two million from docking rights, a bargaining chip in international disputes, not including the money the goods they flock into the country, a link to the goblin world, a lifeline for magical supplies and the use of their prison. The last one being the main one for the last three hundred years,"
"I do not agree with their methods, in my view they are an over glorified trading company."
"Well you keep your view, now if you wouldn't mind giving this over glorified trading company a reason not to cut us off and send every Azkaban inmate home then we can get this international incident over with. Before one of the pretenders gets involved please, being in the same room with that woman and the currently, normally pretend, heir to whatever throne she wants is not pleasant."
"Preferably before the papers report that thanks to you and somehow me, knowing them, all of Azkaban Prison will be cleared by tomorrow."
"We have to apologise and demand Harry return." Fudge's mouth dropped open as he spoke.
"Are you seriously going to tell me that I should demand the now de facto Lord of Azkaban return to this country, why are we going to send him packing to the nuthouse, or how about we just stab him here! In other words no!" Fudge exclaimed his arms wailing as he spoke.
"We need him back,"
"No! I'm not going to risk losing Azkaban, we need it! So we will sincerely apologise and seeing as Azkaban has sent their children to be educated here for years we shall remind Lady Potter of that fact. We'll also have to probably back her, well the boy now, to a throne. The Bourbon one's still unpopular with no chance of revival isn't it? We'll do that one."
"So Harry Potter is going to wake up in Azkaban as the Lord of it and the King of France, as backed by Great Britain?" Dumbledore questioned with a sigh. He had hoped the boy would arrive in the magical world with no idea of his fame or titles, he did not want an over spoiled attention seeker.
"Oh please, there's two other claimants and no popular demand for a King in France, ok that's option one . The other is I tell them it was solely you who organised it and she will send a notice of extradition, so do you fancy a chance with her in a court or not?" Fudge asked blankly. Dumbledore reluctantly nodded, evidently choosing the first one.
"Just don't end up supporting too many titles Cornelius, I don't want his name eight pages long when he arrives at Hogwarts."
Azkaban Island
The first thing he felt was a pounding sensation in his head, the second was that of an ache slowly spreading across his body and then his eyes flickered open. An old, kind looking woman was above him and turned just to see him move.
"Harry?" she questioned and the boy mumbled something in response.
"Get Evelyn!" she ordered moving over to Harry and looking deeply into his barely open eyes.
"Where am I?" he asked, the last thing he could remember was his aunt and uncle, they were hitting and kicking him with Dudley. Then there was a blank.
"You need to lay down, " the woman gently stopped him from getting back up.
"Why?" whispered.
"Because I say so, Lord Potter of Azkaban."