"Mister Draco Malfoy. You may enter," announced a booming voice from behind the dark, grimy door. It swung open to reveal a large dungeon. Draco hesitated at the entrance but his guard eyed him and pointed his wand at Draco's neck, challenging Draco to give him a reason to fire a curse. Striding into the room with as much dignity as he could muster, Draco marched to the chair in the centre of the room. Poised to sit a voice rung out, making Draco flinch.
"Stop!" Draco's guard commanded. The guard waved his wand and Draco's bonds fell away. Astonished, Draco froze. "Sit!" the guard barked. Quickly Draco dropped into the chair and the chains covering its arms sprang to life, winding around Draco like snakes. Draco's eyes tightened as he watched the glowing chains shackle him to the chair but he did not struggle.
Once the chains' glow faded a tall, thin man stood up from his seat in the very middle of the front row of benches. He had thick-framed spectacles perched on his upturned nose, thinning ruddy hair curled around his ears and his plum-coloured robes were slightly creased. His expression was serious but Draco could not help but notice his eyebrows looked like two fuzzy caterpillars on his forehead. "It is the 28th of February, 1999. Hearing of Draco Malfoy for suspected involvement with the evil wizard V-Voldemort." The man looked simultaneously pleased with himself and slightly ill that he had managed to say the Dark Lord's name. There was a pause as the man waited for the sudden burst of muttering to stop. "Suspected involvement in the Secondary Wizarding War as a Death Eater. Also, the illegal use of Unforgivable Curses, aiding Death Eaters with entry into Hogwarts, causing the near death of two students as well as attempted murder of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and various other doings and such. Interrogator being myself, Henry Siegfried Pickket, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Court Scribe, Magnolia Genevi- need I continue Magnolia? I believe you know the rest."
"No sir," chirped a pretty golden-skinned witch, presumably Magnolia, scribbling frantically.
"Excellent. Let's make this quick, shall we?" Pickket said briskly. "Charges against the accused, let's see," he pulled out a piece of parchment and scanned over the contents. "Being a Death Eater; aiding Voldemort and his followers in full awareness, yes, yes. Attempting to murder Albus Dumbledore three times, nearly killing two students in the process; allowing Death Eaters into Hogwarts, resulting in near death of fellow students; accomplice in the kidnapping of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Garrick Ollivander, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, etcetera, etcetera. In other words," Pickket looked up from the parchment into the accused's eyes, "criminal actions." A pause swept through the dungeon before Pickket snapped; "You are Draco Malfoy of Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire? Eighteen years old?"
Draco's gaze went to the floor. "Yes."
"The charges. Do you object to any of them?" Pickket asked.
For a moment Draco considered lying. But he knew he could not do so with all the evidence the Ministry might have against him. "No."
"You did so knowing the illegality of your actions and that of Voldemort's and his Death Eaters'?"
"Yes."
"And you have the Dark Mark on your forearm, a symbol of your allegiance to said dark wizard?"
"Yes."
"In the defence of the accused he was marked before he came of age. Is this correct?"
"Yes."
"We have several testimonies from witnesses of your crimes. I shall read them aloud and unless you deny any of the claims these witnesses will not be brought in. Do you object?"
"No."
"Well then, let's continue. Clarice Butterfield claims…" and so Pickket read through each formal registered, thoroughly validated, supported testimony. There were eight altogether and as each one passed Draco's stomach sank lower. He could argue against none of them. Each was true. How he wanted to be able to plead his innocence. Draco had no desire to go to the dreaded Azkaban, even with the terrifying Dementors gone as guards. He feared it. Though Malfoy Manor was quiet Draco could avoid being left alone with his own thoughts. In Azkaban he could not. Unless Wizengamot were to take pity on Draco or someone could provide reasons to not convict him, Draco was looking at a brief time in Azkaban. He had no evidence that would be of importance against other Death Eaters as of yet. His father could free him, certainly. Surely Lucius still had enough cards up his sleeve to do so. But how long would it take? Draco was not sure how much of Azkaban he could handle. Already fear was clawing its way through him.
"Do you, Draco Malfoy, have any objections?" Pickket finally concluded. Draco did not trust himself to speak calmly so he shook his head. "Alright then. Next I call on a witness who asked to personally be here to speak in defence of the accused. Mister Harry James Potter, please step forward."
Loud whispers broke out in the courtroom and many heads whipped to the corner the famous Harry Potter walked out of, Draco's included. It was a wonder he was not spotted earlier. Pickket had a smug smile on his face that said he knew beforehand of Harry Potter's presence. "Sir Pickket," Harry nodded respectfully. "Members of Wizengamot. Thank you for allowing me to speak today for the defence of Draco Malfoy." Draco was positive he heard a witch sigh dreamily at this. He might have sneered ha he not been paralysed with extreme shock. The Harry Potter was at his hearing? The same Harry Potter he was enemies with throughout his school life? The same Harry Potter that had saved his life twice at the Battle of Hogwarts?
It was him. Glasses, scar and all. Here to defend Draco Malfoy, who he hated and Draco hated right back. "Potter?" Draco spluttered at last. Harry glared at Draco as if to say "shut up and let me handle this before you make things worse". Draco was too gobsmacked to do anything but gape.
"Yes," Harry answered curtly before turning back to Pickket and Wizengamot. "Wizards and witches of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, today we have a very interesting trial. Draco Malfoy has committed many punishable offences which he has openly admitted too. However he was underage when given the Dark Mark and under pressure from Voldemort in many cases at the threat of his family. Most notably is the attempted murder of Professor Dumbledore. During his sixth year of school Draco was tasked with the murder of Albus Dumbledore by Voldemort himself, who was certain he would fail. When Draco failed Voldemort planned to kill Draco and his parents as final punishment for Lucius' failure to get a very important prophecy concerning myself and Voldemort from me and my friends at the Department of Mysteries." Some shifted uncomfortably in their seats at the mention of that particular incident within the Ministry and others at Harry's casual use of the name Voldemort. Even Pickket said the name with fear whereas Harry had none. A sickening feeling twisted in Draco's gut as he thought of that awful year, the threat of death hanging over him constantly.
"Draco did attempt to murder Dumbledore throughout the year using a cursed necklace and poisoned mead, with the help of Rosmerta, who was under the Imperius Curse," Harry continued undeterred by the outburst. "I witnessed both attempts nearly kill Katie Bell and Ron Weasley. Failures, feeble attempts at best, just as Voldemort predicted." Was this supposed to clear Draco of his charges, Draco thought bewilderedly, or convict him? "As the year went on and Draco became more aware of the difficulty of his task and the likelihood of his failure he became stressed, frightened and increasingly desperate. This can be supported by evidence from students and teachers at Hogwarts during that year, including myself. Moaning Myrtle, a ghost of a student killed by Tom Riddle, young Voldemort, could also provide a testimony." Draco thought of the sympathetic ghost who had offered him a chance to let out his emotions and fears when he had no one else to turn to. Then he thought of Harry finding him crying to Myrtle in the bathroom. His fear had been magnified and focused into his spells as he duelled with Harry. All his rage, envy, weakness and the want to make another, perfect Potter, suffer as he was channelled as he began to cast the Cruciatus Curse. The pain of Harry's curse as his skin was slashed open and Moaning Myrtle's screams. Draco almost cringed.
"Yet Voldemort underestimated Draco," Harry smiled wryly. "Draco fixed the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement that connected Hogwarts to Borgin and Burkes, allowing the entry of Death Eaters. He planned to put the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower to lure Dumbledore there, where Draco would be waiting to kill him, with the Death Eaters as back-up." Draco screwed his eyes shut. Don't think about it, don't think about it, he chanted to himself.
"The plan worked. I would know. I was there, invisible and wordlessly immobilised by Dumbledore for my protection. It would not have boded well with Draco if I had been flinging curses. I would be happy to verify this under Veritaserum but I would rather not. Personal reasons. For now, just take my word for it." Harry grinned and a few people chuckled fondly. Draco started at this news. It explained the second broomstick and Dumbledore's deflection of Draco's question. But it let even more questions in Draco's mind. Harry had seen him almost murder not only his Quidditch team-mate and best friend but also the man Harry looked up to. But still he defended Draco that day?
Harry sobered and wrung his hands; "I witnessed Draco disarm Dumbledore. Draco spent valuable time talking with Dumbledore and even with his wand pointed at the Headmaster Draco did not strike. Dumbledore was defenceless, Draco knew Voldemort would kill him if he failed and yet he did not kill Dumbledore. The Death Eaters Amycus Carrow, Alecto Carrow, Fenrir Greyback and Yaxley joined Draco, insisting he kill Dumbledore but still Draco did not do it. Snape – excuse me, Severus Snape," Harry amended, "killed Dumbledore at Dumbledore's order and to protect Draco."
The night on the Astronomy Tower, cold wind biting as Draco faced down his Headmaster, Dumbledore's calm words, the crippling indecision and the immense, ever there fear rushed at Draco. It was too much, picturing Dumbledore falling like a wax-work doll into the night. The overwhelming shock of watching death, the horror and the shameful undercurrent of relief that it was not him that killed Dumbledore rose up in Draco's chest. Snape killed Dumbledore, Dumbledore let Snape kill him, thought Draco, to protect me from the Dark Lord. And then Draco gagged violently. Eyes flew to Draco gasping in his chair, expression pained and drawn. "Draco would not have killed Dumbledore," Harry said, nearly drowned out to Draco by the blood pounding in his ears. "As you mentioned earlier, Sir Pickket, Draco became a Death Eater before the age of seventeen. His father was a Death Eater and his mother supported Voldemort. Naturally, this influenced Draco and as we know Voldemort was not above threatening the death of the Malfoys. You cannot condemn a child for being forced into support of Voldemort by fear."
"Though this is true, Mister Potter," a witch with coiled, steel grey hair and a stern face input, "Mister Malfoy's support was continued long after Dumbledore's death. Many of the Death Eaters were spurred by fear of the Dark Lord but they still caused suffering that should be punished. Mister Malfoy used an Unforgivable Curse on an innocent women and committed other crimes that cannot be excused so easily."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Yes, he did use Unforgivable Curses. But, if we are to punish those who have used those curses these past years then I must be punished as well." Noises of protest resounded in the dungeon. The boy who lived? Using Unforgivable Curses? Inconceivable! "I can think of several instances I used some of the illegal curses. And not just in during the war but also at my sixth year at Hogwarts, like Draco. I attempted to use the Cruciatus Curse on Professor Snape twice as he fled the scene of Dumbledore's murder. This was before I was aware he was acting under Dumbledore's orders and of Snape's true feelings on the matter, of course." Witches and wizards throughout the courtroom blinked at Harry Potter, dumbfounded by the revelation that he was not so pure after all. "I daresay none who fought in the war are guilt-free, even those fighting against Voldemort. So, if it is a matter of less than savoury spell-casting, by all means, lock me up as well as Draco. I could also point of many other 'criminals' who fought against Voldemort and I consider close friends and allies." The tension in the courtroom at this proclamation was palpable.
"Oh, and you also brought up how Draco followed Voldemort even after Dumbledore's death?" Harry persisted conversationally. "The threat of death was not gone. As everyone in the Wizarding World knows, my parents were killed by Voldemort." Wizengamot was baffled by this unforeseen turn. "The only family I had left were very unpleasant muggles who were thoroughly protected from Voldemort's wrath. I went into the war with no family to protect. My best friends, Ron and Hermione, came with me to help me defeat Voldemort and I cut off ties with all my other friends. Voldemort had no family to threaten me with but he still managed to use my friends against me at the battle of Hogwarts, using them to get me to offer myself up. Draco had a family that he obviously cared about. Voldemort was powerful. The only person he feared was Dumbledore, one of the most powerful wizards in history. Most did not stand a chance against Voldemort. It took enormous amounts of luck that I am still alive at all. Draco knew this. He was scared and he had his family to protect. If Draco had actively opposed Voldemort do you think his parents would still be alive? No. Or him for that matter? Not likely. Think about your own families. If Voldemort threatened their lives would you oppose Voldemort? If Voldemort held a wand to the throat of Ron or Hermione or Ginny and told me to jump off a building, I would. If he tortured them and told me that the only way to stop it was to use the Cruciatus Curse on myself, I would do it. Voldemort used love as a weapon against those who would defy him. Draco was merely a victim of this, like many others.
"And from all those testimonies not one speaks of an instance Draco fought against us at the battle of Hogwarts except in self-defence. In only one instance that I know of did he actively oppose us by attempting to capture me for Voldemort. This was an action of a desperate man and he was adamant about not harming me. Also, when Ron, Hermione and I were taken to Malfoy Manor and Draco was asked to determine if I was truly Harry Potter, as my face had been marred by a Stinging Jinx, Draco was hesitant to identify me despite knowing my true identity. If this does not show that Draco is not truly loyal to Voldemort then I don't know what will. Without Draco's reluctance to hand me over to Voldemort I fear that we would not have won the war.
"Really, is Draco so different from me? The supposed saviour? Voldemort chose both of us, forced us into roles we would grow to hate. Voldemort, by coming to kill me, made me the only person who could defeat him. Voldemort made Draco a weapon to be wielded at Dumbledore. How can one be looked at as a hero while the other is imprisoned? I fought Voldemort to end corruption and injustice. What justice is there in putting a victim of Voldemort in Azkaban?" Harry's gaze swept around the room, piercing each witch and wizard before he stepped back. "Thank you for your time Sir Pickket. Wizards and witches of Wizengamot. I pray you'll make the right decision," and with that Harry returned to his seat in the corner of the dungeon. The room was hushed as the members of Wizengamot and one accused processed what had just occurred. Many found much difficultly doing so.