Chapter 1: The Hearing

"Order, ORDER I say!" This was Kingsley's 21st year as Minister of Magic, and since Voldemort's time he had never seen this much upheaval in the Ministry. He rearranged his features with difficulty to a mask of calm he did not feel. His thoughts were a string of panic, and he did not dare to look over to the corner of the courtroom dungeon on his far right, the corner that seated Harry Potter. Harry, now being utterly avoided, was trying to keep calm and collected, much as the minister was, but Kingsley could see him tapping his foot and looking around nervously in his peripheral vision. Harry once again in the spotlight thought Kingsley sympathetically. The last time was 21 years ago exactly, and Harry had just been a mere boy, thrust into danger by none other than the most powerful wizard ever known, Voldemort. But by some miracle, Harry, only 17 had killed the monster. Even today top historians and magicians have trouble comprehending what happened that day in Hogwarts hall. Now 38, Harry was top auror and the father of 3 kids, Lily, James, and Albus. He had grown some, though not much, and was now a staggering height of 5 foot 7. Big things come in small packages, thought Kingsley. But now is not the time to reminisce. I must get the court under control before the prisoner was brought in.

The prisoner, Jessica Donoghue, was nothing more than an ordinary squib. Nothing special, living a normal life. She had been raised in the wizarding world, Kingsley knew, the daughter of Stacy and David Donoghue. But, as the parents found she was a squib, they sent her away unappreciated and unloved. Kingsley had heard nothing of her in a very long while, up until this point.

Jessica had done the unthinkable. Exposed the wizarding world to muggles. Driven mad by poverty, she had felt there was nothing else to do that could save her, so she wrote the story of Harry Potter down on a napkin. To wizards, the story of Harry Potter was famous, often printed in textbooks and children's stories alike. But the muggles were oblivious to him, as his aunt and uncle love to remind him. Jessica Donoghue, or to muggles now known as J.K. Rowling, had gotten the first book published last week. Delagus Diggle had seen the new book in a muggle bookstore and immediately turned it into the aurors. Harry was in charge of solving the mystery of the fake name and of tracing where she might be hiding. Finally, after 4 months of frantically searching and tracking, Jessica was found. But, unfortunately in those four months, Harry Potter had become wildly popular. They had almost sold half a million in Britain alone, and soon it would go to the Americas. Muggle news stations were already predicting a franchise; movies, theme parks, dolls. They were also expecting another book. Kingsley was now seething. Why must she be so selfish, risking the exposure of our kind! Didn't she know that muggles used to burn us? Does she want us to go into hiding, to destroy the world we had made for oursleves? But, Kingsley thought, she wouldn't care, because she's a squib. This was probably done in cold blood! Kingsley pounded the gavel and drew his wand up to his vocal chords. Sonorus, Kingsley muttered.

"Quiet, the prisoner is entering now."

Immediately the Wizangamot's loud chatter subsided, and the great wooden doors of the Dungeons opened, followed by the expected chill of the dementors. Kingsley saw the pale white face of Jasmine, quite pretty but determined as she kept her gaze firmly on the ground and tried not to shudder.

They sat her in the chair, and the chains snaked up her arms to hold her there.

"Thank you, you may leave," Kingsley said to the dementors. They nodded and left. The room was instantaneously warmer.

"Jessica Keri Donoghue- or better known as J.K. Rowling. You have been summoned to this court to discuss your recent publication of the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to the muggles.

"Yes-" she started.

"Did you, or did you not reveal Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and the existance of Wizards in your book?" Kingsley interupted.

"Yes, but-"

"Were you aware that by doing this, wizards everywhere would have to go into hiding?" Kingsley interrupted again in his booming voice.

"Yes, I was but-" There was murmering in the crowd.

"Then you are sentenced to li-"

"WAIT!", said Jessica. "Wait just one second. You don't understand. I couldn't afford a place to stay, food to eat, clothes-"

"Could you not have asked friends or family?"

"No. No one would help. They said it was the price you pay for being a stinking, useless squib." Jessica had said this very quietly, and the room had gotten very quiet again. She paused, and when she looked up at him again from the chair, he could see there were tears in her eyes.

"So you see, I had too. And it's not as if anyone believes me. There are millions of fiction books in the muggle world, and many about wizards, it's not as if mine is any different-"

A man shouted from the crowd, "But the difference is, muggles wrote them, and they were not true. Now muggles know the very true and many details of our lives, and we are that much closer to being exposed! We cannot wipe a whole people's memory!"

"ORDER. Sit down Draco. Calm yourself." ordered Kingsley.

With a very sour face, the shaking Draco Malfoy sat back down.

"But what he says is true, Jessica, and you must be punished for this crime against your people. Therefore I am forced to sentence you to life in-"

"BUT, sorry for interrupting again sir, but don't you think it would be very odd to the half a million plus people who have read my book, that only a couple months after it's been published, the author mysteriously disappears, and no one can find her? Don't you think that would raise suspicions even higher? Here's what I propose. I turn into a Muggle. I buy a muggle house, muggle clothes, and get muggle friends. I finish my series, build a life and respect for myself (because that's what I've always wanted) and give the ministry all the money I make. That way, no one exposes us, and they know all of it's fiction. And the ministry can get the money it's been needing."

After her speech, the room was once again very quiet. Kingsley could almost see he wheels turning in everyone's head. Well, it does make sense. And we don't need another squib taking up space in Azkaban. I'm all for it. With his mind made up, he interrupted the Wizengamot's thoughts and banged the gavel.

"All in favor of Miss Donoghue's plans raise your hand now." After raising his own, he looked around to see about 60 percent of the people raising their hands."

"Cleared of all charges. But, if you step out of line in any way, or even imply that the stories you write may be true, you are subject to another hearing, and you will not get a second chance."

Jessica nodded solemnly and the chains slowly receded from her arms, as if they did not trust her not to run away. Kingsley himself was wondering about this new trust he had put in this young woman, and wondered if it was a mistake. Before he turned around to get off the stand, he saw one last glimpse of the court; Jasmine smiling to herself, Draco Malfoy staring murderously at her, and Harry walking swiftly away, expression unreadable. And then, as he closed his eyes, he saw the trusting and open face of Albus Dumbledore in the back of his eyelids, and knew he had made the right choice.