Author's Note: First HP fic ever, so bare with me please...
P.S I didn't know exactly which Minister of Magic would be around at this time, so I just called him Minister.
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It seemed like a normal day. Harry was still training as an Auror in the Ministry of Magic. He worked together with Ron, but they were only getting small jobs for now until they were ready to take on a real Auror job. At the moment Harry was helping Ron try to make a small oven stop from spitting out chocolate chip cookies that caused injury because they were as hard as a rock.
"Harry Potter!" a familiar screeching female voice called at him from the door of the room. It was Umbridge. She often avoided Harry but for some reason today she was chosen to summon him for something.
"Just a moment!" Harry yelled as he put a spell on the oven so the door would lock. Harry stepped towards Umbridge after waving briefly to Ron. "Yes?" Harry asked the woman he despised since he was at Hogwarts.
Dolores Umbridge cleared her throat and read off a peice of rolled up parchment. "The Ministry of Magic has summoned Harry Potter to come to the court rooms immediately under the Minister's orders."
"But Harry didn't do anything!" Ron yelled defensively. "Or...have you?"
"Mr. Weasley this paper has the Potter's name on it, not yours so mind your own business and get back to work," Umbridge scowled.
"Ron, I'll be back. Try to start that assignment we both got yesterday, alright?" Harry said calmly even though he was just as shocked.
Harry barely got a glimpse of Ron nodding, but he was rushed through many corridors and elevaters to get to the room. He had been there many times rather it was physically or through the Pensive in Dumbledore's office. As soon as Harry walked into the room, people started whispering. Harry took his seat and everything began.
"We are here," started the Minister who was where the judge would sit,"to discuss the special case Tamra M. Riddle." Harry didn't know what to think. He knew all to well about the last name Riddle. "Since there is no suitable guardian or family left for Tamra, we must decide what the fate of the Dark Lord's daughter is." For a moment Harry thought the Minister and everyone else had gone mad. All that was left of Voldemort was a few wondering Death Eaters here and there. "We have at the stands," continued the Minister, "the head nurse of Saint Mungo's Hospital and Mr. Harry Potter." Harry looked around and sure enough there was another woman in a chair not far from him in St. Mungo's uniform. She looked middle aged and had eyes that spoke wisdom. "To begin, we must discuss what would be best for Tamra Riddle custody wise and then we shall discuss the rules and conditions of her custody. We shall begin with the representative from St. Mungo's Hospital."
The entire court, including Harry turned to look at the nurse. "Your Honor, since we all know Ms. Riddle's ancestry I believe she should be raised in St. Mungo's living facility for the mentally ill or put her in our orphanage," the nurse announced nervously.
"Mrs. Leech, are you not aware that Tamra Riddle is an infant no more than one year of age? She has no illness that we have discovered yet, but seeing how former Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange and...the Dark Lord are her parents, if an illness should occur she shall be moved from the orphanage into the hospital. Would you agree on those terms?" the Minister asked.
"Yes your Honor," Mrs. Leech answered respectfully. The people in the room started whispering again but stopped when it was Harry's turn to speak.
"Your Honor, if I may ask, are you not aware that Tom Riddle was raised in an orphanage and never recieved care from a set of parents? How do you think...Tamra would turn out if she wasn't raised in a family that would love her?" Harry asked. He was not implying that he would take custody, but in a way he felt like he would not have a fair choice.
"Mr. Potter, we are all well aware of how Tom Riddle grew up," the Minister answered in an annoyed tone.
"But what family would take Tamra Riddle in knowing her heritage," Mrs. Leech intervened. "Surely it would be best if her existance was not known to the public."
"That's what we are about to get to," the Minister said. "Harry Potter, if you take Tamra M. Riddle into your care under Ministry conditions, would you ensure that Tamra recieves the best care a family could give her?"
Harry was speechless for a moment. How could the Ministry of Magic just shove Voldemort's daughter into his custody?
"Clearly Mr. Potter does not wish to take care of the child, so I suggest her custody be put into St. Mungo's care," Mrs. Leech intervened.
"Your'e all mad! All of you!" Harry shouted. "If you put her in the exact same position that Voldemort was in when he was a child, you may have a much larger problem than you had before when he was alive!"
The court fell silent. Harry was expecting to be scowled or thrown out. The Minister leaned over his podium and looked Harry straight in the eyes.
"Then do you think, the child will be best cared for and protected in your household?" the Minister asked in a low voice. Harry really didn't have a choice. He couldn't just abandon an innocent child.
Harry sighed. "Then yes, I shall take Tamra Riddle into my custody."
The court erupted again and Mrs. Leech seemed to be somewhat relieved. Harry thought maybe she was more understanding than she looked.
"You shall only if you agree to never tell her about her heritage, and if you even suspect a bad spark coming out of her wand then you take her straight to the MInistry of Magic to further decide what should be done," the Minister said. Harry wanted to run far away and never return but this situation was serious. The wizarding world had just recovered from war and did not need history to repeat itself.
"Alright then," Harry said so it was only audible for those who listened. "I agree."
"Also, those of you who like to spread rumors, if any of this is leaked out to the public you shall be put into Azkaban for life," the Minister announced. Harry felt his stomach cramp up. He wished there was someone there who was years wiser to give him advice. He didn't have Dumbledore or Sirius around to talk to.
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The trial ended after what seemed like hours and everyone was dismissed except for Harry of course. He saw a pink cradle being rolled out with a girl asleep in it who looked about as old as Teddy. Harry expected to see a snake-like creature with frizzy black hair, but instead the child looked like a normal one-year-old girl. Her head was covered in fine dark hair and she was wrapped in a pink blanket. She was sleeping peacefully.
"The Ministry shall give you some supplies to start with and then the rest will be up to you and your wife," the Minister said. "Take good care of her Harry. You of all people should know how to teach someone to have a kind heart, but remember the conditions you agreed to. You will not tell her who her real parents were and if you suspect anything wrong you take her straight to the Ministry for evaluation."
Harry thought it really wasn't fair, but when he thought about it for a moment it did seem the best thing to do. If Tamra didn't know who her parents were she would not have to fear turning out like them and she would not try to follow in their footsteps. She would live a normal life that her father didn't have. Ginny might kill him for this later, but she would understand that he was only doing what was right. No child deserved to be without a family. Harry left the room and went back to the office with Tamra. Ron seemed to have been unsuccessful with the oven, but he was happy to see Harry.
"Your not in trouble then," Ron said happily until he looked at the odd pink cradle. "The hell is that though?"
"It's a long story," Harry sighed as he sat down. Tamra had slept all the way up to the room and she was still asleep. He hoped she stayed that way.
"Is that a doll?" Ron asked as he looked Tamra up and down. He reached down to touch her, but Harry stopped him.
"Ron, don't wake her up!" he scowled in a low voice.
"Don't wake her up? You mean she's a real...?" Ron began to ask.
"Yes, Ron. She's around Teddy's age," Harry answered. "And keep your voice down."
"Please tell me you are just babysitting for someone who is going to give you loads money for it," Ron whispered.
"Um...she's sort of permanent," Harry said slowly. Ron's look on his face was priceless. He seemed in more shock than Harry was.
"Ginny is gonna kill you," Ron said as he kept his voice as low as possible.
"Tell me about it," Harry said,"but it was for a damn good reason."
Ron took a seat too. "Harry you can tell me anything, you know that. Why is she with you now?"
"If I tell you, you have to take this to the grave," Harry answered in all seriousness.
