"My name is Draco Malfoy." I stand in the center of the large chamber.
"You stand before this court accused of murder. How do you plead?" The judge's voice is icy and sharp. He glares at me as if I were a lowly insect that he would very much like to squash.
I hang my head, clenching my fists at my sides. "Guilty…" I can feel how tight and strained my voice is. I hate my weakness. Mother screams out at the word, pleading my innocence. Her body soon begins trembling as she sobs into her hands, having been silenced by the judge.
"Silence!" the judge snaps. He turns his attention back to me, his violet eyes as hard as stone. I hold his gaze. Backing down has never been in my nature. I am a Malfoy. I never take anything back. "For the brutal murder of Lucius Malfoy, you are hereby sentenced to a life imprisonment in Azkaban."
Mother screams once more as the dementors swoop in around me. "No! Please! Don't take my son!" She tries to get to me, but two guards hold her back. "You can't do this! He's just a boy!" Her voice is drowned out by the applause and cheers erupting around the room as I am seized by the dementors. My body stiffens and I begin struggling. Azkaban does not frighten me, but I can't stand the feel of those clammy, cold hands on me.
They are dragging me towards the door in the corner of the room, leading me to my fate. I close my eyes. Suddenly, the chamber has quieted down and the dementors have stopped pulling me, though they keep their firm grip on my arms.
"He is innocent!" a male voice calls out. "He was under the influence of the Imperius curse." I know that voice! My eyes spring open and are met by a man of my own age with hair as dark as a raven's wing. It's Potter.
"Oh, really?" The judge eyes him with great dislike, but not quite the hate that I had received. "And who cast the curse upon him?"
"Lucius Malfoy." There are many gasps around the room. "It wasn't murder so much as assisted suicide. Lucius wanted to end his life, but didn't have the stomach to off himself. If you want proof-" A black wand with the head of a silver snake flies up to the judge. "Then check the last spell."
The judge waves his own wand of elm over my father's. An image materializes over it, showing me getting hit with the Imperius curse. I can't help but be surprised. I have no recollection of the curse, but I remember what I did: I looked him in the eye, muttered the killing curse and watched the light fade- 'No! I don't want to remember!' I shake my head, attempting to expel the unwanted images of my father's lifeless form on the floor of his study.
"We will put it to a vote then…" says the judge. "Those in favor of conviction?" Quite a few hands raise and I hold my breath. I count: 37 of the 100 witches and wizards have raised their hands, including the judge. "Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" All the other hands raise and I feel a tremendous weight lift from my chest. True, I had condemned myself not 5 minutes ago, but that was before I knew the whole story.
The dementors release their hold on me and I nearly collapse. A pair of steadying hands wrap around my shoulders. I look up, expecting to look into the eyes of my mother. Instead, I am met by piercing green, shielded by glass. "You alright, Draco?" he asks, his gaze never leaving my own.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" I say, removing myself from his grip. "I guess I'm just a little - Wait! You just called me 'Draco'!"
He gives me a light shrug. "Well, yeah… I thought that was your name." I can hear the sarcasm in his gentle voice. Though, unlike during our school encounters, it holds no malice. He's simply joking with me. "You know, I think it would be in both of our best interests if we just start over." He extends his hand out to me. "Hi. My name is Harry Potter."
I look at his hand for a moment, remembering first year when I had offered him my friendship in the same gesture. I contemplate denying his hand as he had done to me. No, that would be petty, childish and, not to mention, just plain foolish. I take his hand in mine, flashing him a genuine smile.
"My name is Draco Malfoy."