Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but J.K. Rowling does.
The Hearing.
Harry gasped; he could not help himself. The large dungeon he had entered was horribly familiar. He had not only seen it before, he had been here before. This was the place he had visited inside Dumbledore's Pensieve, the place where he had watched the Lestranges sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban.
The walls were made of dark stone, dimly lit by torches. Empty benches rose on either side of him, but ahead, in the highest benches of all, were many shadowy figures. They had been talking in low voices, but as the heavy door swung closed behind Harry and an ominous silence fell.
A cold male voice rang across the courtroom.
"You're late."
"Sorry," said Harry nervously. "I — I didn't know the time had been changed."
"That is not the Wizengamot's fault," said the voice. "An owl was sent to you this morning. Take your seat."
Harry dropped his gaze to the chair in the center of the room, the arms of which were covered in chains. He had seen those chains spring to life and bind whoever sat between them. His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked across the stone floor. When he sat gingerly on the edge of the chair the chains clinked threateningly, but did not bind him. Feeling rather sick, he looked up at the people seated at the bench above.
There were about fifty of them, all, as far as he could see, wearing plum-colored robes with an elaborately worked silver 'W' on the left-hand side of the chest and all staring down their noses at him, some with very austere expressions, others looks of frank curiosity.
In the very middle of the front row sat Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of
Magic. Fudge was a portly man who often sported a lime-green bowler hat, though today he had dispensed with it; he had dispensed, too, with the indulgent smile he had once worn when he spoke to Harry. A broad, square-jawed witch with very short grey hair sat on Fudge's left; she wore a monocle and looked forbidding. On Fudge's right was another witch, but she was sitting so far back on the bench that her face was in shadow.
"Very well," said Fudge. "The accused being present - finally - let us begin. Are you ready?" he called down the row.
"Yes, sir," said an eager voice Harry knew. Ron's brother Percy was sitting at the very end of the front bench. Harry looked at Percy, expecting some sign of recognition from him, but none came. Percy's eyes, behind his horn-rimmed glasses, were fixed on his parchment, a quill poised in his hand.
"Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August," said Fudge in a ringing voice, and Percy began taking notes at once, "into offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley –"
"Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," said a quiet voice from behind Harry, who turned his head so fast he cricked his neck.
"And Harry James Potter's attorney, Clair Abigail Bustable," said a black woman, standing beside Dumbledore.
Dumbledore and Clair were striding serenely across the room, he, in his long midnight blue robes, she, in a professional muggle attorney outfit, complete with a white blouse with a black tie and a black skirt that fell to her knees, and on her feet, black shining high heels.
They wore a perfectly calm expression. Dumbledore's long silver beard and hair gleamed in the torchlight as he drew level with Harry and looked up at Fudge through the half-moon spectacles that rested halfway down his very crooked nose.
The members of the Wizengamot were muttering. All eyes were now on Dumbledore. Some looked annoyed, others slightly frightened; two elderly witches in the back row, however, raised their hands and waved in welcome.
Clair stood beside Harry, conjured a table with her wand and setting her shiny and important-looking black briefcase on top of the table.
"Before we begin, I would like every person present in this room to swear on their magic that in the duration of this court, they will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Clair spoke in a professional manner.
"That's a good idea," said Madam Bones approvingly. "And we will honor this request."
Fudge paled but nodded. "Very well, everyone raise their wands."
Everyone did so, including Harry, Dumbledore and Clair.
"I hereby swear oath upon my magic," said Fudge, "that in the duration of this court, I shall tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the—the truth…" he finished reluctantly. Long golden ribbons flew out of the tip of Fudge's wand and wrapped themselves around Fudge's torso before they faded into his skin.
Everybody copied the Minister of Magic and yielded the same results.
"Now then," said Clair. "As an attorney, I'll ask the questions." She then turned to Harry. "Full name, please."
"Harry James Potter." Harry replied.
"Three years ago, you were accused of performing a Hover Charm in your Muggle relatives' household. How do you plead?"
"I-innocent," said Harry, uncomfortably aware of some of the Wizengamot's disbelieving expressions.
Clair nodded. "Explain,"
"Well, during the summer before my second year, a house elf came to visit me at my relatives' house." Harry said. "He was warning me of dangers that were plotted against the school. He was trying to get me to swear that I wouldn't go back to Hogwarts, when I refused, he went downstairs and made my aunt's pudding hover above my uncle's dinner guests and dropped it on their heads."
"A house elf, in a Muggle house? I ask you!" snarled Fudge, glaring down at Harry.
"Need I remind you, Minister, that Mr. Potter is currently under magical oath to tell the truth." Clair said coldly, she despised injustice and she knew what Fudge was trying to do. "If he was lying, he would've glowed red and his magic would be gone. So that means that the house elf story is true."
Fudge's face went purple and his fury at being outwitted by the attorney rendered him speechless. He flashed a hand in Clair's direction, signaling her to continue.
Clair smiled pleasantly as she addressed Harry again. "Now, can you tell me about the Dementors attack?"
Harry obliged. "There were two Dementors down this alleyway and they went for me and my cousin! They were coming from opposite ends of the alley, everything went dark and cold and my cousin felt them and ran for it –"
"Enough, enough!" said Fudge, with a very supercilious look on his face. "I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story –"
Clair glared at Fudge, how dare he interrupt her client while he defended himself!
"I will remind you again, Minister , that this boy is under magical oath to tell the truth," she said through gritted teeth, her patience with Fudge was wearing thin and decided now was the time to set the trap.. "What is your purpose for this court, if not to see justice really being served?"
Fudge's face suddenly drained of all color. "I—I—"
"Remember, Minister, that withholding information, avoiding the question or remaining silence will be considered a violation to your magical oath." Clair said, inwardly smirking in triumph. SNAP! Fudge is already deep in my trap…
"Alright, alright!" yelled Fudge. "I was trying to discredit Harry Potter and Dumbledore, trying to shut them up about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Their lunatic tales of his coming back from the dead could well be just a cover-up story to get people on their side and against the Ministry!"
"So, let me get this straight, you're trying to discredit and lie about a fifteen-year-old teenager and an old man, just because you choose not to believe that You-Know-Who is back?" Clair asked, in outrage. "That's low, Mr. Fudge. People would call you a coward for this unnecessary legal action against this innocent boy and this sweet old man, who have no business in a criminal trial for a simple matter of underage magic. And also, for taking such measures to try and force your belief—or rather, your unbelief—on other people! You can't tell other people what to believe and what not to believe, nor can you force them, it limits their freedom of choices and freedom of speech, et cetera, et cetera."
Clair's logic seems to hit the Wizengamot hard, they stared at her, stunned by her words of logic and intelligence with the air of remorse.
"Mr. Fudge can no longer be a part of this trial, as his motivation is for personal gains. He cannot serve justice like that, so he must leave now." Madam Bones said, giving Fudge a disgusted look.
The Wizengamot all murmured in agreement, all except for a toad-like witch in the back row and Percy.
Fudge got up, looking all around him, looking betrayed and angry as he stormed from the court room. Madam Bones took over Fudge's seat in the middle of the front row.
"Continue please, Ms. Bustable," she said kindly.
Harry felt a bit better now that Fudge left the room, maybe now, he'd get a fair trial.
"So you conjured a Patronus…" Clair prompted Harry.
"Yes," Harry replied. "I produced a Patronus charm to get rid of the Dementors, it's the only thing that works against them, so you see, I had no choice."
"You produced a fully-fledged Patronus?" asked Madam Bones
"Yes," said Harry.
"A corporeal Patronus?"
"A - what?" said Harry.
"Your Patronus had a clearly defined form? I mean to say, it was more than vapor or smoke."
"Yes," said Harry, "it's a stag, it's always a stag."
"Always?" boomed Madam Bones. "You have produced a Patronus before now?"
"Yes," said Harry, "I've been doing it for over a year."
"And you are fifteen years old?"
"Yes,"
"You learned this at school?"
"Yes, Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, because of the Dementors stationed around the school and because they affected me more than they affected other the students."
"Impressive," said Madam Bones, staring down at him, "a true Patronus at his age... very impressive indeed."
There was a murmur of agreement amongst the Wizengamot.
"Hum, hum!" said a high-pitch girlish voice that sounded so annoying, you couldn't help wanting to shut that voice up. It was the toad-like woman who spoke "I believe we're getting off topic, Madam Bones. This trial is about Mr. Potter and his deliberate use of underage magic, and in the present of a Muggle."
Clair was now looking as though she'd like nothing better then to feed the toad-like woman to a pack of hungry man-eating sharks.
"You're right, Madam Umbridge. But it's clear to me that this boy used magic in the defense of himself and a Muggle and such heroic deed is not worthy of a criminal trial."
"And might I add that the Muggle in question was Harry's cousin," Dumbledore said gently. "So this particular Muggle was already fully aware of magic and his wizard cousin that lives in his house. So forgive me, but I failed to see how that threatens the Statue of Secrecy, unless the said cousin went around telling everyone about it—which I doubt he had done so."
"Oh yes! An excellent point there, Albus," Madam Bones said, looking impressed with Dumbledore. She turned to her fellows on the Wizengamot. "All in favor of—"
"Wait, Madam Bones, I have one more question," said Clair quickly, wanting to set another trap, this time, for a certain toad-like woman...
"Alright dear, ask away." Madam Bones said, smiling gently.
"Who in this courtroom sent the Dementors to Privet Drive to attack Harry?" Clair asked, looking up at the Wizengamot.
There was an ominous silence, nobody moved or made a sound. Clair looked them up and down, until she spotted Umbridge glowing red—withholding inquired information was considered a violation to her magical oath. Clair inwardly smirked, it was clever of her to get the entire court to swear an oath on their magic to tell the truth, now lying is not an option for anyone or they'd lose their magic forever…
"Was it you, Umbridge?" Clair asked, pointing at her.
Umbridge was trembling as she looked up at Clair, Clair could tell she was thinking of lying, the red glow was getting brighter.
"Y-y-yes, I d-did," she stuttered, she was pale as a ghost now, the red glow of the magical oath faded as she told the truth.
"Aha! A confession!" Clair exclaimed delightedly, she was hoping to get Umbridge for something, the horrible old toad. "So Harry's use of underage magic was a setup by a Ministry official, what a rude awakening this must be to the Ministry."
Umbridge screamed as her seat magically ejected her, she flew across the room and landed on the hard floor at Dumbledore's feet, who has been standing there the whole time, watching Clair handling this case with an amused expression. Now however, he stared down his crooked nose at Umbridge with the expression of cold fury, a fire dancing in the blue eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.
For a moment, there was an uneasy chill in the courtroom, as the people within try to decide what they fear more: Voldemort or a furious Dumbledore.
"You sent Dementors to attack my student?" Dumbledore said, his normally calm voice trembled with rage, and an aura of power radiating from him could be felt by everyone in the room, a lot of them shrank back in their seats, cowering in fear and thankful they were not Umbridge at the moment.
"Dolores Jane Umbridge," boomed Madam Bones angrily. "We fine you guilty of setting not one but two Dementors upon a fifteen-year-old while he was on holiday, where he could only use magic in life-threatening situations. You are no longer Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. All in favor of a life sentence in Azkaban for Dolores Jane Umbridge…."
Everyone in the Wizengamot raised their hands.
"And all in favor of clearing Harry James Potter of all charges."
Once again, everyone raised their hands, including—to Harry's surprise—Percy. That put a smile on his face and he felt light as a balloon, knowing that he was cleared and none of these events could ever be used against him again.
"Harry, since you were in a criminal trial just for underage magic and are found innocent, please accepts one thousand Galleons as our apology for putting you through this court and treating you like a criminal when you're obviously not."
Harry smiled. "Thanks Madam Bones, but really, that won't be necessary, I'm just glad it's over."
"Oh but we insist."
"Alright," Harry said, accepting ten large bags of gold coins. He was not going to keep it for himself, no, he was going to give it to the Weasleys, even if he have to force them to take it.
Since Harry was declared cleared of all charges, Dumbledore had left without Harry noticing, but Clair was still there.
Umbridge had her wand taken from her and it had been snapped in half by a Ministry wizard.
"NOOOO!" Umbridge cried, then she rounded on Harry. "I'll get you, my pretty!" she said with a wicked cackle before she was Stunned by another Ministry wizard.
Harry shivered in disgust at Umbridge's words; he was strongly reminded of the classic Muggle movie, the Wizard of Oz, and Umbridge with her cackling voice, sounded just like the Wicked Witch of the East.
"Take her off to Azkaban." Madam Bones ordered, and they picked Umbridge up and carried her away.
"Erm, Miss Bustable?" Harry said, approaching his lawyer.
Clair looked at Harry as she closed her briefcase. "Oh, hi, Harry, another case won by a successful lawyer." She said, grinning with self-satisfaction.
"Um, right…" Harry said. "Listen, I just want to say, thanks, for—for everything."
"Just doing my job," Clair said with a smile. "If you get into anymore legal problems, I'll be right there, after all, I'm the Potter family's attorney."
And before Harry could ask any more questions, Clair left the courtroom.
Author's Note:
What do you guys think of this story? I know Harry was cleared in the book, The Order of the Phoenix, but I wanted Fudge and Umbridge to get a taste of their own medicines by having a hot lawyer outwitting them.
Clair Bustable is based off Clair Huxtable from the Cosby Show, hope I did well with her character, I used Bustable because I wanted her to sound like a lawyer who can 'bust' any cases thrown at her.. :)