Chapter 4: startling revelations
When Harry, Ron and Hermione got into an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express back home for summer holidays, they simply sat there silently for a few minutes, before the silence was broken by Ron.
"So... About the memories... Are you going to show everything? From our first year on?" he asked the other boy sitting across from him.
"I dunno... I don't think so, though. I'll probably only show memories that will change events, like prove that Hagrid's innocent about the Chamber of Secrets episode, Tom Riddle being the real culprit and the real name of Voldemort, Sirius being innocent, Wormtail being the traitor all along, and the whole Goblet of Fire stuff about Crouch Jr. and Voldemort's return." Harry answered.
"What about that dream or vision you had, about Malfoy and Voldemort wanting to ruin Hogwarts?" Ron asked.
Hermione glanced at him in slight exasperation, and said, "Honestly, Ron! You and I know it's not an actual dream, but the Minister and those people in the Ministry are just gonna think it's just a dream, with no ties to reality at all. I mean, Harry doesn't even have proof that it's not a dream and has actually happened in reality. I believe him but well..."
Harry just nodded slightly. Ron contemplated it and after a few moments, nodded in understanding. The compartment door suddenly opened and those students who were outside opening the door was... well... unexpected.
"Mind if...uhm...we came in and talked to you three a bit?" said a Slytherin student, who Harry recognised as Theodore Nott. He looked around again, and saw that other than Nott, Zabini and a few others are there as well.
"What do you want?" said Ron in annoyance. "Came to tease my family, did you? Replacing Malfoy's role as a bully?"
Nott visibly flinched. "No, we just need to talk to you about... some things..."
Before Ron could retort, Harry said, "Come in, but don't do anything that makes me suspect you."
The Slytherins walked in slowly and closed the door, Nott deliberately waving his wand about to cast privacy spells.
"Harry, what?" Ron hissed.
"You heard Dumbledore, we need to unite together to defeat Voldemort. We shouldn't just ignore all Slytherins and think they are evil or dark." Harry whispered back, though it was loud enough for Hermione to hear and say, "Very mature, Harry. IT is not our abilities or even our family that make us, it is our choices."
Harry smiled slightly, remembering that Dumbledore had used almost the exact words to describe his differences with Voldemort after second year.
"So... Why have all of you came in here, exactly? What do you need to talk to us about?" Harry asked after the Slytherins have comfortably sat down. A few of them fidgeted at Harry's question. Zabini was the first to recover, and promptly said, "About You-Know-Who."
The whole compartment went deathly silent for a few moments, the Gryffindors surprised at what Zabini said and the Slytherins nervous about what's to come next.
"OK... What... What did you need to talk to us about him?" Ron asked curiously and without any sign of anger. He had calmed down after what Harry and Hermione said earlier about choices and unity - after all, what they said is entirely right. That question, however, made all the Slytherins subconsciously move into a slightly defensive position.
"This may come as a shock... But... All of us here... We... We don't... We aren't on his side, nor are we his followers despite the fact that our parents are," said a Slytherin Harry didn't recognise. Was his name something like Dedalus Dolohov? Or was it Darius?
The Gryffindors are stunned. 'Wouldn't that effectively be considered betrayal to the dark lord and their own parents? And wouldn't they be forced to join?' they thought to themselves. The want to be silent to listen and their curiosity warred with each other until Ron posed those vary questions to the Slytherins.
"Yeah... But we... I don't honestly care if we die cause of them or what, as long as I don't become... something like them... I don't even care if my dad considers me a traitor to the family or to their lord... Not like he loved me anyway, always abusing me at home..." Nott said softly, surprising the Gryffindors even more. They had thought that the bruises on Nott's body were there because he was involved in fights with other students, perhaps from the struggling of his bully victims, but this was unexpected. Harry and the others no longer wondered why Nott was such a prick now - he simply needed some channel to release his anger and bitterness. Bullying is his way of doing so.
Another Slytherin - could his name be Jason McNair - then said, nervously, "I guess what we're trying to say here is... that you... you have our friendship and allegiance. . . ."
The three Gryffindors were honestly surprised they haven't fainted from the number of surprises for the day. First Dumbledore revealing the cause of Cedric's death, then the opening of their compartment door by, not Draco Malfoy and his goons, but other Slytherins, then the revelation that they aren't loyal to Voldemort, and finally their allegiance to them?
Harry was the first to recover, though, and smiled. "Friends." he said simply and extended his hand out for handshakes. Nott was the first to accept, followed by Zabini, Dolohov, McNair, and all the others in the compartment. Ron and Hermione also extended their hands for a shake, and they were accepted as well, however hesitantly or reluctantly, by the Slytherins - some of them still have issues about blood purity - after all, those deep-seeded beliefs aren't just going to fade in a heartbeat.
OOO
A few days later...
Harry laid on his bed after a long day of chores assigned to him by Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, thinking back to recent events. The events on the train still surprised him, but he was happy about it none the less. Right after they came down from the train, the Dursleys were met by Harry and, surprisingly, Arthur Weasley, the real Alastor Moody, and Remus Lupin. The situation about Voldemort's return was explained to them, and they were asked (demanded) to take good care of Harry and love him as they would their own son. The Dursleys just scowled and drove away, Harry alongside them in the car. After that well... the usual happened. The constant chores, the belittling, the taunts... but Harry noticed something peculiar about their hatred for him. It seems as though, at their angriest, his uncle's and aunt's eyes would glow faintly red, and it seemed as though they had a slight internal struggle with something, Harry the source. He also wondered about the curious tugging he felt on his... soul... whenever one of those episodes occurred. He thought back to one of those nights where he had to meditate to calm himself about a particularly nasty nightmare he had, and particularly to what he thought he discovered... Pure evil energies in his soul and the negativity he could sense in and around him. HE could sort of feel it try to corrupt him into acting negatively, but why did he have those energies in him? And why did it feel as though it didn't originate with him? And why is it that whenever the Dursleys are angry with him that the negative energy will seem to spike in strength before calming back down?
-Tap-Tap-Tap
He looked up at the sound to see that an owl was outside the window of his room. Walking over and gently opening the window, he beckoned the owl in, giving it some treats which it happily pecked at. Harry then gently undid the knots tying a letter to its leg, and looked at the sealed envelope with his name written on the back in a loopy handwriting. HE didn't recognise the stylised seal, but knew that the letter was safe since he couldn't feel any malevolent magics on it. He tore the envelope open and began to read.
. . .
Dear Mr. Potter,
You have been summoned to a Wizengamot meeting that will be held in Courtroom 10 at the Ministry of Magic on Wednesday, July 5th, 1995. The Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Albus Dumbledore, will personally see to your transportations and will take you to the meeting place at the assigned date. We hope to see you there.
Yours sincerely,
Amelia Bones,
Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement,
Jury for the Wizengamot,
Primary assistant to the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.
OOO
Wednesday morning, July 5th...
Ding-Dong goes the doorbell at Number 4, Privet Drive, at about 9:30 AM on that day. Aunt Petunia immediately stood and opened the door to see who's at the other side, and was promptly greeted by the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
"Ah, Mrs. Dursley, it's nice to see you again. I am here to take Mr. Potter to the Ministry of Magic for a meeting. I trust he told you?"
Petunia just scowled, but nodded at him. "He's inside. I'll call him out to see you."
She then walked into the home and hissed to her nephew, "Your Headmaster's here, boy. Get going."
Harry nodded at her, thanked her for calling him, and walked out to meet the professor.
"Hello, Sir." Harry said with a smile.
"Why, good day to you Mr. Potter. Whenever you are ready to go, you can hold my arm. We are going to apparate to the Ministry."
Harry nodded uncertainly then hesitantly held Dumbledore's arm. Not a moment later, strange sensations could be felt. Harry felt as though he was squeezed from all sides, hard. His eyes felt as though they are being pressed into their sockets, his ears felt tight against his head, and he generally felt queasy after the sensation of being forcefully ejected from an extremely narrow hosepipe passed. He doubled over, gasping and trying to hold his breakfast in, without spewing all over the area. He shuddered at the sensations then looked around, to see ministry officials and what could only be the atrium of the Ministry. Fireplaces lined one wall, probably for floo travel, and a statue of men and women being looked at with adoration by house elves and other magical creatures can be seen. Dumbledore smiled at him then helped him up, gently guiding him to the elevator, and down to the bottom floor where Courtroom 10 is.
OOO
"Wizengamot meeting of the 5th of July, 1995." Fudge said, starting the meeting.
"Main interrogator, Madam Amelia Bones. Main witnesses are as follows: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic. Albus Percival Wulfric Bryan Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Dolores Jane Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic." Fudge continued. "The floor's open."
"Dear witches and wizards, Mr. Harry Potter and I have come today to reveal to you what truly happened in recent years. What happened with the sorcerer's Stone, what happened during the Chamber of secrets episode, who the actual traitor of the Potters or killer of 12 muggles is, and what happened during the return of Voldemort. And perhaps anything else Mr. Potter wishes to reveal to us today." Dumbledore said after standing up. "IF you will, Madam Bones, administer the Veritaserum on Mr. Potter."
Bones nodded, walked over to Harry, and dripped 3 drops of the clear liquid into his open mouth. There were no chairs for the accused this time since Harry wasn't accused of any crime, so he sat near where the witnesses were, though more towards the front.
A few seconds later, a glazed look came over Harry's eyes, and Bones immediately started testing the Veritaserum before the real interrogation starts.
"What is your name?"
"Harry James Potter."
"How old are you?"
"14 years old, reaching 15 in less than a month."
Bones nodded, confirming that the Veritaserum was effective, then started to ask questions related to what they were about to discuss.
"What happened in your first year, particularly towards the sorcerer's stone?"
Harry replied tonelessly (still under the effects of the potion), "Destroyed. After Quirell tried to steal it for Voldemort and I somehow saved it through the mirror of erised, Dumbledore thought it isn't safe to keep it at Hogwarts anymore. Said that he talked to Nickolas Flamel before doing so, and they agreed for it to be destroyed."
"Stealing it for V-Voldemort? Can you explain there?"
"Voldemort's behind his head. Quirell's turban covered his face. Voldemort decided to reveal himself to me after I saw Quirell in the last chamber where the stone is. Told me Quirell had been drinking unicorn blood to sustain him but he needed a more permanent solution so sought the sorcerer's stone so he could extract the elixir of life."
"What then happened in your second year? Particularly incidents related to the chamber of secrets?"
"Was warned by Dobby not to go back to Hogwarts. I didn't listen to him, but I still failed to board the train because the barrier sealed itself up. Flew Arthur Weasley's car to the school but it started malfunctioning and ended up crashing into the womping willow. Got detention for that, and I had to help that fraud Lockhart to answer his fan mail. That's when I heard a voice talking about blood, tearing flesh and killing. At Halloween, I didn't attend the feast cause I was attending the deathday party for Nearly-headless Nick. When we came back we saw the message about the chamber of secrets being opened and enemies of the heir beware. Saw Mrs. Noriss petrified and hanging from a torch sconce. Didn't tell any adults about the voice I heard because Hermione said that hearing voices isn't normal even in the wizarding world. A few more petrifications happened, one of them involving Hermione. Hagrid's imprisoned since people thought he opened the chamber, and I thought so too until I followed his instructions to follow the spiders. We met with a giant acromantula named Aragog in the forbidden forest who told us Hagrid is innocent and the monster in the chamber is one that spiders fear most. Ron and I were saved from being eaten by his dad's lost flying car, and we went to see Hermione only to find a note about basilisks and it traveling through pipes. Everything started to fit then. We tried to ask Lockhart for help but he tried to obliviate us instead, but ended up obliviating himself and causing a rockslide. Ron and Lockhart were stuck on the other side, so I went forward alone and discovered Tom Marvolo Riddle's memory and an unconscious Ginny. It told me everything, about how Ginny opened the chamber through possession, and about him being Voldemort. He called the basilisk to kill me, but Fawkes and the sorting hat came to me, and Fawkes blinded the basilisk while I pulled the sword of Gryffindor out of the hat and stabbed it. Its fangs almost killed me but Fawkes helped me by crying on the wound. I used the fang to stab the diary where Riddle's memory came from, hoping it would be destroyed. . . ."
The interrogations continued, with Harry revealing everything about the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Goblet of Fire episode to the entire Wizengamot. Bones then asked, "Can you give us your memories about all those events you have described?"
Harry did not reply, instead he just nodded. Bones raised her wand to Harry's temple, extracting long, silvery strands of memory substance and placing it into a vial. "Tamperus prevento." she casted over the bottle of memories. She then dripped a few drops of veritaserum-antidote into Harry's mouth, causing the glazed look to disappear from his eyes.
"We shall now view the memories of Mr. Potter, extracted while under the effects of Veritaserum, and charmed with an anti-tampering spell. Let it be known to all that evidence from memories is irrefutable, as memories forced upon someone using a confundus or a memory charm is not as clear as actual memories, and can be easily discerned from actual memories of a person." Bones said before pouring the memories into a pensieve, then casting something over it, causing the memories to play as though it was being projected.
-A few hours later, after all memories have been viewed-
Everyone in the courtroom were stunned speechless. All of what Harry said have been the truth, and a thorough mental check had been done by an expert legilimens who had taken an unbreakable vow to tell only the truth. Harry had not been confunded, obliviated, nor had his mind tampered with in any way.
"I, myself, have a memory to share, and am willing to lower my occlumency shields and take veritaserum before memory extraction. This memory is also related to Voldemort's return," Dumbledore said softly. Bones only nodded, her brain going into autopilot mode. Dumbledore, indeed, lowered his occlumency shields and drank the veritaserum. Bones then questioned him about what he wanted to share after the preliminary questions to determine the effectiveness of the Veritaserum. Dumbledore's memories were then extracted and charmed with an anti-tampering spell by Madam Bones, and played in front of everyone. Fudge's denial about Voldemort's return is shown. Even the veritaserum usage on Crouch was shown to them. These memories caused them to completely go into shock. Well, Dumbledore's memories didn't exactly surprise Madam Bones as she had been there at the incident, but it completely stunned all the other members of the court.
"It... I... So I suggest that a vote of no confidence on Cornelius Fudge be held soon. The people should also be told all this, and be allowed to vote for a new minister if the vote of confidence shows that the majority of people did not support Fudge anymore. I also think that a man, specifically Sirius Black, has been wrongly imprisoned... If Pettigrew's alive, Sirius at least deserves another trial to see if he truly killed 12 muggles - we know now that the claim that Pettigrew was murdered by Black was fake." the voice of one of the Wizengamot members could be heard. Fudge spluttered.
"Didn't you hear what I was saying! In the memories? I... I just didn't want the public to worry about Voldemort's return! It's better for all to be ignorant, otherwise our world won't be peaceful anymore!"
"I disagree, Minister. Precautions must be taken so that the people are protected from Voldemort, not emotionally, but actual proper protection, which means that the people need to know that he has returned!" another Wizengamot member commented. A "Hem, hem" can be heard before anything else was said. The senior undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge, stood up. Harry paled when he noted that the woman seemed to be the same one as the death eater with pink outfits beneath the robes he had seen in his vision.
"Pardon me, but it seems that both of these gentlemen are undermining the ministry's authority. One states that Sirius Black should receive another trial when he was clearly found guilty in the first, and the second doubts the Minister's decision when it clearly benefits the wizarding public. I object to both of them staying here, as they obviously will cause more problems in the future."
"As Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, I have the authority to have them continue to stay here. They are only stating opinions, after all, and every member has the right to do so. Besides, the memories of Mr. Potter under Veritaserum have opened up a new can of evidence that just cannot be ignored. A re-trial will occur and a search party for Peter Pettigrew will be made - that is, if Madam Bones agrees?" Dumbledore said, to a nod from the head of the DMLE.
After that, chaos ensued in the courtroom as many of the Wizengamot members shouted things at once.
"How dare you doubt the Minister of Magic!" "I agree with Dumbledore and the others!" "Potter might have ways to prevent Veritaserum working on him or somehow tricked us!" "The first questions Bones asked Potter couldn't be properly classified as confirmations questions! Potter could've been ordered by Dumbledore to tell the truth at that time!" "The dark lord must not have returned!" "We clearly have evidence of Pettigrew's death, Potter is lying!" Soon enough, Dumbledore was forced to silence the shouting members by shouting and casting spells over them.
"All in favor for the vote of no confidence?" Dumbledore asked. Almost everyone raised their hands.
"All in favor for the Minister continuing to hold his post, without a vote of no confidence?" Dumbledore asked again. This time, only 5 people raised their hands, Lucius Malfoy and Dolores Umbridge among them.
"Motion passed. The vote of no confidence will be held. Discussions may follow after I send Mr. Potter back home. Now, all in favor for Sirius Orion Black to get a trial?" Dumbledore asked again.
Everyone, save Fudge and Umbridge, raised their hands. Even Lucius Malfoy did, since he wanted to find the real traitor. If Pettigrew is still alive, he might've been the actual traitor all along. He wanted more information.
"Motion passed. If trial indicates that Sirius Orion Black is innocent, the Ministry will pay recompense for their mistake. The search party suggestion will not be voted on, as it falls under the DMLE and will be decided straight up by Madam Bones. Now excuse me and Mr. Potter."
The Wizengamot members nodded and sat back down on their seats, thinking deeply about everything that had transpired.
OOO
"Harry?" Dumbledore said after apparating back to Privet Drive.
"Yes sir?"
"Just know that... you can trust me with things. Even unusual things such as hearing voices through Hogwarts' walls and other stuff. Also, you won't be staying here for much longer, as I will bring you somewhere else about a week from now. Somewhere where you can spend time with your friends and your godfather," Dumbledore answered with a smile.
Harry perked up at that and asked hopefully, "Really, sir?"
"Indeed. And you might even meet a few other people who might become your friend or mentor there. Now before you ask, I cannot tell you where the location is yet, as the place is under the fidelius charm. I will show it to you the day you go there," Dumbledore said. Harry smiled, then entered the house. As he was about to close the door, he turned around and said, "Thanks, sir... for everything. For arranging the meeting and all."
"It is my pleasure, Mr. Potter. After all, this meeting benefits a lot of people, and not just you, so I am actually the one that's supposed to thank you for being brave enough to show those memories to the Wizengamot."
Harry just smiled, before remembering something else he needed to say.
"Professor... I... I think that the pink woman in my vision... the one Voldemort ordered to ruin Hogwarts... is the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister... at least, she looked like the woman I think I saw."
"I see. I have suspected as much when I saw you pale and when I saw the resemblance of Madam Umbridge with the woman you described. We shall see."
Harry just nodded. Dumbledore smiled then left with a crack. Harry then closed the door and went to his room, exhausted from everything earlier.