4 Hearing for the Deaf.

Harry had wanted to get to the Ministry as early as possible, but despite his best efforts he hadn't been able to persuade Mr Weasley that it would be fine to flue there. The whole idea of 'going the muggle way' had been pointless as far as he was concerned the first time round. To Mr Weasley it was the event of his year. That said it was difficult not to enjoy his fascination with everything muggle. His childish glee at everything he saw lightened Harry's mood at the ordeal he was about to face. For the last few days he had thought long and hard about the hearing and how he was going to handle it this time. In the end doing nothing different seemed like a wasted opportunity to him.

If he left it all for Dumbledore, like he had last time, he would be able to return to Hogwarts with his wand intact, but his reputation stained by false accusations. Stirring things up on the other hand carried a potential risk of him losing the hearing. Then being expelled, and having his wand snapped. He didn't care about being expelled he had already done the year and there was nothing new to learn. However there was one thing he was absolutely certain about his wand was special. If he'd had any other wand he would have died in the graveyard, so the risk of having it snapped was enormous. That was also why he had his invisibility cloak with him tucked inside his jacket. If the worst came to the worst then he would fight his way out if need be and damn the consequences. He'd probably fail, but the time for half measures was long gone. Besides if things went his way he had other plans that included the cloak.

It hadn't been difficult to give Mr Weasley the slip he was so easily distracted. Reaching courtroom ten had been remarkably easy. Security at the Ministry seemed to consist of a bored security wizard called Eric and nothing else. He drew in a deep breath to calm his nerves, turned the heavy iron door handle, and pushed it wide open so it slammed against the wall with a satisfying bang.

"You're late," a cold harsh voice said as he strode into the courtroom.

"No I'm not," "Harry answered clearly while glancing at his watch. "In fact I'm three hours and ten minutes early. I was told Madame Bones was down here. I was hoping to have the hearing bought forward. I've got other things to do today." "The time was changed. An owl was sent this morning."

"Really! Can you prove that?"

For a moment Fudge was struck dumb by Harry's sudden counter attack. In front of him was the entire Wizengamot dressed in all their finery. The few faces he could see, due to the poor lighting, were all staring down at him with a wide range of expressions on them, from severe scowls to a couple of smiles, a large section were of shocked surprise at his response.

"An owl was sent. It is not the Wizengamot's fault if you did not receive it. Now take your seat."

"No I'm sure nothing's your fault Minister, not even a wayward ministry owl. I expect Weatherby over there forgot to send it. He is after all a well known incompetent," Percy's face went bright red and Harry wasn't sure if it was in anger or embarrassment at being misnamed. To be honest he didn't care. Percy had proved himself to be a complete arse and suck up.

"Sit down Mr Potter the Wizengamot doesn't have time to waste."

Harry walked over to the chain covered chair but instead of sitting on it he placed a small black box on the seat that he removed from his robes. He had activated it outside the courtroom with a touch from his wand. To do so in full view of the Court would have been pushing his luck and that only stretched so far. Satisfied that it was working properly he moved behind the chair and rested his hands on the back of it and faced the Wizengamot.

"Really it appears to have plenty of time for a simple case of justified underage magic. There must be more important things for you to do."

"I told you to sit down Mr Potter."

"I'm fine right here thank you Minister. I prefer to stand this shouldn't take long so shall we get on."

"What is that?" Amelia Bones boomed out her finger pointing at the box.

"Oh that's the latest magical recording device, much more reliable than some moron with a quill and parchment. No chance of any deliberate mistakes being made," Harry said with a broad smile enjoying what was now definitely anger on Percy's face.

"Interesting I must get some for the Department. It looks much more practical than what we use at the moment. It looks portable enough to be used in the field. I wonder if you could tell me …"

"Amelia please we must get on," Fudge said with forced politeness.

"I'm so sorry Cornelius, please go ahead." There was no mistaking the lack of friendship between them.

"Mr Potter remove that … that device."

"No."

"That wasn't a request Mr Potter."

"I'm not removing it Minister. I need a proper record of this trial so that the facts are not misrepresented. Don't assume that I don't know what you are up to Minister, or are you afraid of the truth?" Harry gave a fake chuckle. "Sorry that was silly of me of course you are. You're scared witless."

"You see …," Fudge said addressing all those around him, "you see this is what I've been telling you the boy is living in his own personnel fantasy world."

"Voldemort is back Fudge. Denying it doesn't make it any less true, nor does shooting the messenger." Harry said an edge to his voice. "Now shouldn't we get back to this kangaroo court?"

"Come on Cornelius I have things to do, let him have the recording device," Madame Bones snapped. Fudge glared at Harry and Madame Bones, and it was clear he wanted to say more, but in the end he backed down. First blood to me Harry thought.

"Very well let us begin."

Harry tuned out all the legal speak and introductions. He tried to take a closer look at some of the individuals arrayed before him. Few of them were prepared to look him in the eye for any length of time which he found encouraging. Umbridge of course was the exception. The mere idea that she could be in the wrong or feel guilty for her actions was alien to her. He could feel the anger that was always present bubbling over just at the mere sight of her pudgy self satisfied face. It was not going to be like before. He was going to make damn sure of that. The back of his hand was scar free and he intended to keep it that way.

"Mr Potter I asked you a question?"

"Sorry I switched off there for a moment the tubby little lady there challenged me to a staring contest. What was the question?" Fudge glanced quickly at Umbridge, who was turning a Vernon shade of puce at Harry's casual insult, before returning his attention back to him.

"You are Harry James Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?"

"No," Harry replied returning Fudge's glare with interest.

"I beg your pardon."

"I stay there about a month a year. Less if I'm lucky. Hogwarts is my main residence." Fudge just gave a low growl knowing he was being played with, and refused to take the bait.

"You received a warning three years ago for using illegal magic, did you not?"

"It was a case of mistaken identity. No-one bothered to follow it up and check my wand so I guess it was an admin error."

"Oh I see so you're claiming someone else used your wand to cast a …" here he paused to look at the parchment in his hand, "a hover charm."

"No one used my wand a house elf called Dobby came to the house and did a hover charm without the aid of a wand. If I'd known you were going to ask me about all that I would have brought him with me to explain."

"A house elf in a muggle house is that the best excuse you can come up with."

"Are you accusing me of lying Minister?" Harry answered in a tone that made it clear that he was insulted.
"You expect this court to believe a random house elf pops into your house, and then cast a hover charm."

"Oh Dobby wasn't a random house elf he was Lucius Malfoy's. He's a free elf now, and very happy as well. Nobody beats him up anymore or tells him to slam his head in the oven door. I'm sure it wouldn't take too long to get him here to confirm my story. He works at Hogwarts, for pay now."

"Yet more tall stories from you Mr Potter. Lucius Malfoy is a highly respectable member of the Wizarding community. His good works are well known. Anymore wild accusations from you Mr Potter and I'll have you in contempt."

"He has the Dark Mark on his forearm and was present at the resurrection of Voldemort. As far as I'm concerned there's nothing the least respectable about that. In fact I'd go so far as to say it's contemptible in fact."

"Enough of these blatant lies did you or did you not conjure a Patronus on the night of the second of August?"

"I did indeed," Harry said.

"Knowing you were in an area full of Muggles."

"There weren't any Muggles around at the time, just my cousin who is fully aware that magic exists."

"You produced a fully-fledged Patronus?" Madame Bones boomed out.

"I did."

"A corporeal Patronus?"

"Indeed. It's a stag always a stag. Professor Lupin taught me over a year ago. He's the best teacher we ever had."

"Impressive, and you're only fifteen I believe."

"I had my birthday a few days ago," Harry answered warming to the loud woman as Fudge seemed ready to explode at yet another interruption.

"Very impressive …"

"It doesn't matter how impressive the magic is … was. In fact that makes it worse," Fudge shouted. "He did this in plain view of a Muggle." A number of heads began nodding in vigorous agreement.

"No I didn't. Dudley was incapable of seeing anything at the time as a Dementor was attempting to suck out his soul, and he had his eyes and mouth tight shut. First time he's ever taken my advice on anything."

"Dementor?" Madame Bones said after a stunned silence that hung heavily in the courtroom.

"Two actually."

"Dementors in Little Whinging?"

"Yes, yes very convenient. I thought we'd be hearing something like this. Muggles can't see Dementors can they," Fudge said smirking unpleasantly.

"But what would they be doing in Little Whinging?" Madame Bones said frowning.

"Well I guess someone sent them to kill me," Harry said coldly knowing who and why.

"Absolute nonsense we would have a record of two Dementors being ordered to patrol Little Whinging."

"Not if they were taking orders from someone else."

"The Dementors are fully under the control of the Ministry," Fudge shouted.

"Well in that case it is clear that someone at the Ministry sent them," Harry replied.

"Hem, hem." Harry's blood pressure rose.

"The chair recognises Delores Umbridge."

"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you Mr Potter, but it sounded like you are suggesting that the Ministry ordered an attack on you." The odious witch then gave her trademark girlish laugh that sent a cold shiver of revulsion down Harry's spine.

"Oh I didn't say the Ministry as a whole ordered an attack, just someone in the Ministry. Why I'm sure someone like you for instance could fudge the records. Just so you could silence me, and the unpleasant fact that Voldemort is back."

Harry took vindictive pleasure in the mental slap he had given the hideous creature. For a brief moment her eyes widen and her jaw dropped in shock, before she recovered her composure.

"The Dementors are fully under the control of the Ministry," Fudge repeated red faced, and through clenched teeth his temper barely under control. "They do everything that is asked of them.

"If that's the truth Minister then I must charge the Ministry with five counts of attempted murder. The latest attack in August makes it the fourth time that Dementors have tried to kill me personally. The attempted murder of my cousin at the same time brings it up to five."

"This is outrageous Potter. I warned you about making unfounded allegations," Fudge bellowed all attempts at restraint gone.

"I'll tell you what is outrageous Fudge is you thinking that sending a hundred Dementors to guard a school is a sane idea," Harry bellowed back. "Three times that year they tried to kill me, and they were apparently sent to protect me from Sirius Black who never laid a finger on me. Their second attempt was in front of hundreds of witnesses so don't you sit there telling me what is outrageous. The Ministry has as much control over the Dementors as the Dementors are willing to give, which from where I stand is damn little."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"HOW DARE YOU. I told you after murder attempt number three that Sirius Black was innocent, but you ignored that, didn't you. Didn't like the thought of what that could mean that the Ministry had yet again made a mistake. You couldn't wait to see a man who never even got the basic right of a trial from this august body given the kiss."

"Then this year you were in a total panic to silence Barty Crouch junior in case he told you Voldemort was back. You couldn't have that could you? Oh no you might have to do something about it. You might actually have to earn your pay and privileges. I mean that's what this farce is all about isn't it? Let's curse the messenger giving out the bad news, and then the problem will go away. Voldemort's out there right now laughing his head off at your cowardice and bumbling incompetence."

Harry could feel his face burning at the rage he was feeling for Fudge, and the blind sheep in the Wizengamot. Only the fact that he was grasping the back of the chair in a death grip prevented him from strangling the Minister in person. He had told himself before hand that he wasn't going to have a rant, but he'd failed. His anger had got the better of him, yet again.

"I think perhaps that it is time for a vote Madame Bones," a calmer voice said from behind Harry. "It is quite clear that Harry was defending himself from Dementors and I have a witness outside to confirm their presence if any of you doubt this."

Harry had no idea when Dumbledore had slipped into the courtroom, but he resisted the urge to turn around and look back at him. Harry knew he shouldn't have lost his temper these people were quite capable of finding him guilty just because he had been rude and disrespectful. Despite the fact that everything he had said was the truth. Thankfully the vote went much the same way as it had the first time and he was cleared of all charges.

"Mr Potter has raised many questions that the Wizengamot should investigate further," Dumbledore said once the vote had been taken.

"Save your breath Professor," Harry said loudly so everyone would hear. He picked up his recording device, and headed for the door without looking at him. "There are none as deaf, as those who will not hear."

He then opened the door of the courtroom, stepped out, turned off the recording device, and vanished under his invisibility cloak all in a matter of seconds. He wanted the prophecy, and now was as good a time as ever to get it. Mrs Figg and Arthur Weasley were so engrossed in talking with each other, further down the corridor, that they never heard him slide past as he headed up for level nine and the entrance to the Department of Mysteries.

He would have liked to have taken the stairs up to level nine at a run, but long experience at Hogwarts had shown that this was virtually impossible to do under an invisibility cloak, and not be detected.

His slower progress as it turned out probably prevented him from being discovered as he reached the ninth level corridor. Still invisible he saw the back of a man he recognised instantly. The shocking white hair was a clear give away. Lucius Malfoy was standing right outside the entrance to the Department of Mysteries. Harry's first instinct was to cut the man down once more. He resisted the temptation when he remembered why daddy ferret was here. The name Bode sprung into his mind.

Retrieving the prophecy had been Harry's initially aim, but with an Imperiused Bode under the control of Malfoy that could prove to be problematical. As he crept up behind him Harry wondered briefly if this was a good idea. The opportunity though was too good to pass up, and the blood was still coursing through him from the supposed hearing.

The ideal would be to disarm him without using magic, as it would lessen any potential complications. With his apparent increased strength it shouldn't be too difficult. All it needed was a hard kick to the back of his knees to knock him off balance, followed by a punch or two to the side of his head. Harry was no more than four feet away when Malfoy let out a muffled curse and turned away from the Department of Mysteries door so that he faced Harry.

"Damn and blast Bode," Malfoy muttered under his breath turning away from the door. Harry stopped moving and realised that Bode must have touched the prophecy and was now a gibbering wreck in the Hall of Prophecy. It would be months before he would be coherent enough to claim that Malfoy had put him under the Imperius curse, and there was no certainty that he wouldn't be murdered in his bed before then. Harry made a decision on the spot he would have to tell a white lie. Well not a white lie, a whooping great big one.

Harry whipped off his cloak letting it fall to the ground. In the blink of an eye he had closed the remaining distance and slammed his fist into the blonde mans stomach. Malfoy though was not Uncle Vernon. The most exercise Uncle Vernon did in a day was walk to his car or the fridge if Aunt Petunia wasn't there to fetch and carry for him. Malfoy on the other hand was in better shape. Whether it was by magic or good honest physical exercise Harry couldn't hope to guess. The result was that Malfoy didn't go down into an immobile gasping heap.

He was though bent over double up in pain from the blow but despite that Malfoy's wand flicked towards Harry and a weak yellow curse clipped his left arm. Harry ignored the numb feeling that suddenly affected his elbow and he lashed out again. This time his clenched fist connected with the side of Malfoy's head sending him rolling across the floor away from Harry.

Enraged by being punched not once, but twice, he cast another wordless spell forcing Harry to dive to the floor. The wall behind him erupted into a shower of pulverised plaster leaving an ugly curved scar. Instead of sending another one straight away at Harry Malfoy started to stand up, perhaps because he thought fighting on the ground was beneath his dignity. An arrogance Harry was going to make him pay for dearly. Blood pounding through his veins he launched himself across the corridor scrambling on all fours as he did so. Dignity be damned.

Seeing him coming Malfoy again swung his wand round at an impressive speed the point aimed directly at his head. Harry was a shade faster, and with his right hand, the other wasn't moving well thanks to a spreading numbness, he grabbed the man's wrist and twisted hard pointing the wand away so the curse slammed into the ceiling covering them both in a cloud of plaster dust. Malfoy yelled out in pain and dropped the wand when his fingers let go involuntarily.

Harry sensed rather than heard a group of people behind him, but that didn't stop him ramming his forehead into the bridge of Malfoy's nose which gave way. Semi stunned the Death Eater landed on his back clutching at his ruined bloody face. Harry felt a little dazed as well from the contact and allowed himself to land with both knees on Malfoy's stomach expelling the remaining air from his lungs.

"What is the meaning of this?" a female voice boomed out and Harry gave an internal sigh of relief. Madame Bones would at least give him the time of day before carting him off to Azkaban, unlike Fudge or Umbridge. As he made to stand up he made sure his eyes never left the red faced and currently speechless Death Eater. Harry held onto his left arm that was starting to cause him some real concern at the speed the numbness was spreading from his elbow. Already he could barely move his fingers and his shoulder was starting to seize up.

"He used the Imperius curse on me Madame Bones, but he forgot that I can shake it off. He was after all in the graveyard when Voldemort tried it on me and failed."

"That's a serious charge Mr Potter." Harry turned his head slightly to look the head of the Department of Law Enforcement direct in the eye.

"Check his wand. I'm sure that'll show you what he been up to including the other three curses he used. It's over there," he said pointing to the floor inches away from Malfoy. Madame Bones hesitated for a moment as she tried to grasp the enormity of she had just been told and partly witnessed.

"He's lying," Malfoy gasped on the floor finally have regained some of the power of speech. "He attacked me … from behind … unprovoked."

"I didn't even use my wand," Harry replied handing his wand over to Madame Bones. "The last spell I used was the Patronus charm." Amelia Bones took Harry's wand and with her own drew out a tiny figure of Harry's Patronus stag onto her hand.

"Impressive Mr Potter truly impressive," she said handing it back to him. "I think I'll look at Mr Malfoy's wand now," she added glancing at the damage to the wall and ceiling.

A look of desperation suddenly crossed Malfoy's face. He made a lunge to grab his wand only to feel two of his fingers break as a foot smashed into his outstretched hand. Harry not caring about any witnesses, and what they thought, swung his foot again and kicked him in the face for good measure. Then to make sure he didn't move again he placed a foot heavily on his neck.

"A little excessive Mr Potter," Amelia Bones said, but there was no condemnation in her voice. He kept his foot exactly where it was. She summoned Malfoy's wand and began a quick diagnostic her frown deepening at each spell she revelled. Pocketing Malfoy's wand she then sent a Patronus off up the corridor so quickly that Harry wasn't sure what it was. "You're holding your arm Mr Potter did one of the curses hit you."

"Yea the first one, it was yellow. I didn't recognise it."

"It was a paralysing curse and borderline dark Mr Potter. I'll perform a counter curse that'll stop it spreading. Then I'll get a professional to remove it permanently when I take a statement from you in my office."

"What would happen if you didn't?"

"You'd die Mr Potter, and a very nasty slow painful death it would be too," she said with a look of disgust at the prone man. She muttered an incantation and Harry's arm felt better. It was still numb but the creeping paralysis was gone.

"He has the Dark Mark you know."

"Yes I'm well aware of that. He claimed it was forced on him under the Imperius curse when he was first captured after the fall of Voldemort. I've read his file and those of others like him."

"Look at the Mark and tell me you don't think he's back."

"I don't need to Mr Potter I believe you now, but things are never that simple I'm afraid." His retort of 'they should be' died on Harry's lips as he heard a pompous voice that he knew all too well, and was beginning to hate with a passion.

"Make way there, make way there, the Minister needs to get through."

Turning around Harry saw the red hair of Percy trying to get through a huge crowd of Wizengamot member that he noticed fully for the first time. Malfoy sifted under his foot making him increase the pressure on his neck. Fudge in a failed attempt to look important had placed his green bowler hat back on his head, but all it did to Harry was make him look more ridiculous than usual.

"What's the hold up," Fudge said walking into the back of Percy who had stopped dead when he saw Harry with his foot on Malfoy's neck. It proved to Harry, if nothing else did, that the Wizarding world was made up of mostly sheep with a few wolves. Malfoy had friends amongst the crowd he was sure, yet they all stood by waiting for someone else to act first.

"I've caught a Death Eater red handed Minister. He tried to kill me." Fudge looked down and instantly recognised Malfoy, but then that wasn't difficult. Harry was reminded of some of the cartoons he had managed to watch when the Dursleys had abandoned him in the house for a few hours when little. He fully expected steam to blast out of his ears and his hat to fly up to the ceiling as though on top of a geyser.

"You'll go to Azkaban for this Potter," he shouted, "You're insane, mad …"

"CORNELIUS!" Madame Bones bellowed making Harry imagine the bowler hat was now whipping down the corridor caught up in a gale of epic proportions. Unfortunately the hat stayed on the mans head. He had tried to keep his face neutral but the victory smile broke through at the stunned look on Fudge's face. He didn't believe that the arrest of Malfoy would change many opinions on the return of Voldemort, but seeds of doubts had been planted, and best of all Malfoy was banged to rights. He might buy his way out of trouble, and if he did it was going to be mega expensive, but his reputation was shot for good.

"Lucius Malfoy has just attempted to murder Harry Potter in the Ministry of Magic, and on top of that used an Unforgivable on him. When I have finished my investigations I will send you a report. Should I deem it necessary of course."

The sound of running footsteps distracted Harry and he saw four Aurors heading towards them. He only recognised Shacklebolt, but didn't acknowledge the fact as he wasn't meant to know him. "Take him to holding cell number one and put a two man guard on him. He's a high risk prisoner take no chances. No-one, but no-one gets to see him without my personnel say so. Mr Potter I suggest you let him up he seems to be turning blue."

Harry removed his foot from Malfoy's neck taking vindictive pleasure in a bright red mark on his neck. He hoped it would leave a vivid bruise over the next few days reminding him of his humiliation, and sudden fall from grace. Bending down he grabbed his invisibility cloak, which fortunately was right beside him, and stuffed it inside his jacket, grateful at how small it packed down. He then grabbed the front of Malfoy's robes and yanked him roughly to his feet so his ear was an inch away from his mouth.

"I'll make you a promise. Draco gets one chance, and only one chance, if he rubs me the wrong way anymore than that, I'll make his life a bloody misery and blame you for it," he hissed in his ear. "Oh, and tell him that it's a promise, not a threat. I leave those to Malfoys." Malfoy, his smashed nose streaming blood down his face and in obvious pain from the damage Harry had inflicted, glared at him with utter loathing.

"You'll get yours Potter," he whispered splitting blood over Harry.

"Not today I won't, say hi to the Dementors for me," Harry replied slamming Malfoy's body one handed into the wall when he tried to break free.

"I'll take him from here Mr Potter," a deep baritone behind him said.

"Don't give him an inch he's a slippery bastard this one, almost snake like the why he wriggles out of things," Harry said locking eyes with Malfoy. Harry knew that if they ever met again there'd be precious few words spoken before they tried to kill each other.

I'd like to thank all those that have and will take the time to leave a review I know it's easy not to bother. I'm loathed to answer some of the inevitable questions you have as I consider most of the answers to be spoilers. The must common question, as usual is the shipping one. There will be no specific relationship in this fic. It is not necessary to the plot and nothing divides the fan-fiction community than who ends up with Harry and I don't want to turn people away.

That said I have an ending in mind hinting at what's to come that will probably please no-one but won't upset anyone either. I hope that's nice and cryptic for you.