Author's Note: To answer a few questions. This is the last chapter, definitely, for The Greatest Trial. Little is mentioned about Voldemort, the war, and retribution and reactions of others. Trust me, I have a proper scenario weaving together in my head as to what's happening outside the courtroom, but I am not sure if it will be well received by people. That, and I have a few other alternative ideas which would make a great continuation too. I don't usually plan my stories in such a haphazard manner, but I honestly didn't even intend to come so far with this story. It literally wrote itself under coffee-induced sleeplessness.

So my intention is to continue the tale, from after the court's decision, in a different story. That way, if the continuation doesn't come out as nicely as I want it to, The Greatest Trial, which I like, will still be a stand-alone decent work.

Just to add, Amelia Bones isn't a bad person. She just fits the characterization of judges from Boston Legal (Judge Sanders and Judge Brown).

Yes, Alan slept with Ginny. Some of my readers might have a problem with that and I don't understand why. Even the most diehard HarryGinny shippers must admit that for a 15 year old girl to remain celibate until the age of 30 as her ex-boyfriend languishes in prison and is executed, isn't perhaps very reasonable. And though I cannot stand the thought of ayounger Ginny being physicalwith any other guy, an older Ginny with someone crusading for Harry Potter like Alan, doesn't really bother me at all.

I have tried not to depict any of - Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Dumbledore, Lupin as evil… no, they all had reasons to say what they did, which was intensified by their own characteristic weaknesses (Ron - jealousy, obstinacy, narrow-mindedness; Dumbledore - belief in self-omniscience; Hagrid and Lupin - belief in Dumbledore's omniscience). Lupin also lost his fiancée, not that he was justified in treating Harry like he did, but makes it a bit more understanding. Ginny just lost her favorite brother whom she had loved much longer than Harry who claimed to have killed him.

Anyway, this has to be the longest Author's Note I've ever written. Promise to keep it shorter in the future.

The Greatest Trial

Chapter 4. The Verdict

Alan Witschild stood in that fateful courtroom long before anyone else arrived. By his side was the same package that had arrived for him in the inn. He was preparing himself for the final showdown. Only one witness remained and his closing argument, and then the matter would be up for judgment before the panel.

He shook his head sadly. Harry Potter was innocent, that he now knew without any doubt. But there was no way to prove it. The poor boy would face condemnation by the same court for the second time despite being innocent. Not even in death was Harry Potter allowed to rest in peace, but that was his, Alan Wiltschild's fault. History would forever remember him as the gadfly that stung Wizarding Britain, that roused the fading embers of an innocent boy's insane cries and fueled them with his own convictions, to create an inferno that might one day consume civilization as they knew it. Fate had given him not the means to win his case in the court of law, but in the court of History. And he would make full use of that small respite.

But more than anything else, he owed it to himself. With all his values and ideals, Alan Witschild would give up everything he had, to remain true to himself. Even then, he was resigned to fate. He knew the testimony that was to come. The absolute damning bit of it was there was no means of cross-examination, for the witness was Harry Potter himself, recently executed.

Slowly, the crowd grew in size and Alan Wiltschild felt a deepening sense of trepidation rise within him. He watched the ominous glare sent towards him by nearly every single person gathered there. It was obvious that they too recalled the final witness and his testimony. Alan Witschild waited.

"This court is now in session," Amelia Bones ordered. "You may proceed, Mr. Wiltschild. As there is but one witness left from the original trial, I would appreciate if all this is completed before lunch."

"Is the Defense allowed to introduce new witnesses?" he asked but knew the answer quite well.

"No," boomed the voice of Amelia Bones. "You are making a mockery of our legal system, Mr. Wiltschild, with your tomfoolery. Your entire basis for retrial was the lack of a lawyer for the Defense, not the introduction of new evidence. We will have this done now as it was done the first time."

Wiltschild laughed. "Well done," he said loudly, clapping his hands. "Well done, Madam Bones. Today you have achieved what Fudge, Umbridge and Scrimgeour had started years ago. Well done!"

Then seeing the speechless fury of the three judges, he raised his head defiantly and continued, "Today we stand at the funeral of justice, killed by the self-importance that the Ministry places for its own image. Well done, Madam Bones! Well done, Madam Longbottom." He started clapping mockingly, ignoring the sharp intake of breath taken by both ladies. Ignoring their fury, he said, "I ask one last time. Will you permit the Defense to introduce new witnesses?" He turned to Flitwick, who looked troubled, and was about to open his mouth when Amelia Bones struck her hammer down.

"The court has ordered, Mr. Wiltschild," she shouted. "Cease this ridiculous attitude, and continue."

"Before I proceed," Wiltschild said with polite formality, "I want the scribe to put into record that the posthumous trial of the defendant, Harry James Potter, is now approaching its conclusion. Only one witness remains, Harry James Potter himself, who can neither be asked to elaborate his former position nor be posed any further questions. The court has decided that the course of justice is best served by a speedy resolution to this trial and has seen it fit to deny the Defense from introducing new witnesses and evidence. The Defense shall agree and refrain from putting forward a motion of Mistrial, only if it is granted a certain consideration."

"You are not seriously considering going for Mistrial, Mr. Wiltschild?" Amelia Bones asked in a highly worried tone.

"I am," Wiltschild responded happily. "And you know it was a Mistrial. Former Minister Fudge did not allow the Defendant proper Counsel. The judges didn't see fit to rectify that. The Minister played with the emotions of the witnesses, twisted statements to construe completely different meanings, used the media to sell his case, and perhaps… even infiltrated the judging panel."

"HOW DARE YOU!" Amelia Bones shouted, flinging her hammer at the man, who instantly created a shield in front of him to harmlessly rebound the hammer to safety. The woman instantly cringed in shame. "I… I apologize, Mr. W-Wiltschild. I… I should have restrained my t-temper."

"You should have," Wiltschild agreed. "But no harm done. I didn't imply you personally, Madam Bones. As I recall Madam Umbridge and Alastor Moody were the other judges. But enough," he raised his hand in a placating way. "I will not go for Mistrial if you grant me this concession: I will end my case with the final witness and my closing argument, following which the court will give its decision. This is as per your schedule. However, I request the court to grant me ten minutes after that. Just ten minutes… to say and show what I want. Is that acceptable?"

"I… I suppose so," Amelia Bones said hesitatingly, still flustered by her momentary lack of control. But she frowned when Alan Wiltschild suddenly smiled. The implications of ten minutes of unrestrained speech given to the charismatic and eloquent former Minister could spell havoc to the Ministry, and especially her own Department.

"The final witness is Harry James Potter, the Defendant. It has been already established Mr. Potter is immune to Veritaserum, hence the lengthy trial."

"Name and occupation."

"Harry James Potter, student."

"Student, where?"

"Hogwarts."

"Which year?"

"(Angrily) Sixth."

"Where were you on the morning of the First."

"I was in my room. I woke up. I brushed my teeth. I…"

"(Court's reprimand) I was in the Great Hall. It was as Hermione said."

"And Mr. Weasley's version of your threat?"

"What about it?"

"Did you threaten your friends about Mrs. Fleur Weasley?"

"I told them to stop bothering her."

"Did you ever have a physical relationship with the deceased Fleur Weasley?"

"NO! I NEVER! You (Censored)."

"Have you ever desired a physical relationship with Fleur Weasley?"

"NO!"

"Let the record indicate that Harry James Potter claims to be immune to the charm of a Veela, a feat wizards older and cleverer than him are incapable of."

"Did you cast a Killing Curse on the morning of the First?"

"(Witness remains silent)."

"Did you, or did you not, cast a Killing Curse on the morning of the First?"

"Yes, but it was…"

"(Interrupting) Did you cast the curse that killed William Weasley?"

"(Witness remains silent)."

"Did you cast the curse that killed William Weasley?"

"Yes but it isn't like you… (Chaos in the courtroom, spectators riot, witness silenced)."

"I rest my case."

Alan Witlschild walked from one end of the courtroom to the other, aware of the ominous and sad glares being thrown his way. He didn't care. Not anymore. Proving Harry Potter's innocence in that court of justice was no longer his aim.

There were to be no additional questions to this witness and Alan Witlschild's case was over. He only had his final closing argument left. And he meant to make the most of it.

"In this very chamber, a court was held fifteen years ago that condemned Harry James Potter to fifteen years in Azkaban and the Dementor's Kiss."

"That court was willing to believe a boy is capable of overcoming the effects of Veritaserum and yet doubted his resistance to the charm of a Veela."

"That court was willing to force a boy to prove his innocence without due legal representation, while the Minister of Magic himself was the prosecutor."

"That court was willing to believe a boy is capable of acting completely contrary to his nature and murder three friends based on flimsy circumstantial evidence."

"That court did not question the lack of a proper investigation and allowed the case to be tried by the media."

"That court did not question the complexities that I have raised and allowed the entire Wizarding society to wage its war against a boy whose life was never allowed to be his."

"That court did not question the motives of Albus Dumbledore in allowing a student to face such ordeals as he has so proclaimed."

"That court did not question the motives of Harry James Potter for committing the crimes he was accused of."

"That court did not prove Harry James Potter killed Fleur Weasley or Nymphadora Tonks."

"That court did not prove Harry James Potter killed William Weasley beyond all reasonable doubt."

"That court," he spat out in disgust. "That court did not give Harry James Potter a free and fair trial."

"What will this court do?"

He glanced at each judge searchingly and walked back to his seat. He gazed dispassionately at the coldness with which the three judges deliberated. After fifteen minutes of silence, Amelia Bones banged her hammer.

"Your efforts are worthy of much praise. You have single-handedly shown much of what was wrong in the last trial, and I appreciate your intentions. But," she said ominously. "You haven't proven Harry Potter's innocence completely. His response to Prosecutor Fudge's final question was more damaging than all the complexities you showed. However, in the light of new evidence, this court makes the following ruling."

"On all counts of murder of the deceased Fleur Weasley, this court finds Harry James Potter… not guilty."

"On all counts of murder of the deceased Nymphadora Tonks, this court finds Harry James Potter… not guilty."

"On all counts of murder of the deceased William Weasley, this court finds Harry James Potter… guilty."

"The punishment would have been reduced to five years of imprisonment in Azkaban followed by the Dementor's Kiss. For ten years of additional imprisonment, this court makes a formal posthumous apology to Mr. Potter," so saying, she picked up Augusta Longbottom's hammer and rose it, "Court Dis…"

"Excuse me, Madam Bones," Wiltschild said angrily. "You have forgotten my ten minutes."

"Oh all right," Amelia Bones shook her head in frustration. "Go on ahead."

He got up again and walked to the empty space between the panel of judges and the spectators. He gazed unflinchingly at the coldness with which he was being received.

"This court finds Harry James Potter guilty," he said quietly but his voice carried to all those present. "And I have nothing further to say to this court. In this retrial where Harry Potter was found innocent of two murders out of three, the Defense was not allowed to introduce any new witnesses. Who knows how the result might have changed if the Defense was given greater latitude, as promised by Judge Flitwick at the beginning… But I admit now, I had no witnesses. No, none at all. I merely wished to see the court's desire for justice… whether things had truly changed… whether all these new Wizengamot rulings actually amounted to anything… and I deem the changes unsatisfactory… I decry the Ministry of Magic and the Legal System of Magical Britain as worthy of utter contempt."

He walked from one end to the other, removing a vial from within his robes. "The evidence I have is of a nature not admissible in a court of law and will never be acceptable in proving Harry Potter's innocence. The trial of Harry Potter is over and a guilty verdict passed. However, despite what the court has ruled, it is my duty to allow History to make its own judgment. To change the verdict of this court is no longer my aim, now that the punishment has been carried out. I only seek to make you, the people who would condemn Harry Potter, think… think, how you threw an innocent boy to the worst fate imaginable. I hope after today, you wake up in the morning and are unable to face the mirror, seeing yourself as Harry Potter once did. I hope the curses you screamed at him ring in your ears until your very last breath."

"I will now show you what truly transpired that day. You, who claimed to love Harry Potter as a brother, sister, friend, lover, father, mother, friend, uncle, grandfather… I decry you! I decry you all!"

Walking back to his seat, he removed a Pensieve from the package he had brought and placed the vial inside. Then he cast a charm at the Pensieve, and drawing a beam of colors and light out of the basin of memories, he flicked it at the floor in front of him.

It was as if the contents of the memory were being made visible outside the Pensieve. Shadowy forms flickered and nearly everyone gasped when the scene shifted to that of the Hogwarts Great Hall. Alan Wiltschild nodded and walked to his seat. He was glad to notice that Ginny Weasley had moved forward and was by his side. He put an arm around her. They had both seen the memory the previous night, and cried many tears together.

-------

"Leave it, Ginny!" Harry said loudly. "Just leave it!"

"Harry?" the young redhead asked nervously.

"Your family was more than willing to take me in, then why not Fleur? What wrong did she do? The poor girl is in a new country, far away from everyone she's known all her life. She's come here to be part of your family, to become a Weasley, and all you do is find fault with her accent and the way she talks! Where is all that Weasley affection that was given to me in such great abundance? Was it all because of this scar of my head?" he snapped and hardly noticed the redhead recoil in horror.

"Do you know how it feels to be unloved by people you consider family? No, you don't!" He pushed Ginny aside and turned his back to her.

Without turning, he spat out, "How are you any different from the Dursleys?" and walked away, disregarding Ron's angry comments about not hurting his sister or Ginny's heartfelt sobs. "At least the Dursleys leave me alone these days. Maybe you should do that to her."

He walked angrily outside the Castle, despite the snowstorm, and made towards Hagrid's cottage, when a red light in the distance caught his attention. Taking his wand out, Harry ran towards the site of activity and balked in horror.

The first thing he saw was the limp and apparently stunned form of Bill Weasley. The next thing he saw rose bile up his stomach. Fleur Weasley was struggling on the ground, screaming soundlessly under a silencing charm, as the short and ugly figure of Peter Pettigrew ravaged her mercilessly.

"YOU!" Harry shouted, immediately grabbing Pettigrew's attention. "Stupefy!" he yelled, sending a jet of red light towards the rapist, who jumped up. The Stunner hit Fleur instead. Harry shook his head in disgust and dodged a Killing Curse from the Death Eater.

"You have gone too far this time, Wormtail!" Harry yelled angrily. "Sectumsempra!" the curse missed its mark and Pettigrew rolled over. "Rennervate!" he pointed to Bill and "Diffindo!" at Pettigrew.

Groggily, Bill got up and looking around, ran straight to Fleur as Harry dodged another Killing Curse.

Pausing for a moment, Harry gathered all his emotions and coldly, pointed his wand at Pettigrew, who had fallen down, "Avada Kedavra!" just as Pettigrew whispered, "Accio Weasley!"

Harry watched in horror, trying to fruitlessly recall his spell in despair, as an unsuspecting Bill was brought to intercede the Killing Curse cast by him at his foe. As the redhead crumpled to the ground, Harry's knees gave way. The pure horror and despair in his face was a sight none could behold. He didn't pay a second glance at Wormtail, who changed into a rat and disappeared instantly.

Instead, he removed a stone from his pocket and desperately yelled, "You can't die! You can't die! Come back, Bill! Please come back! I want you to come back!" a white mist went from the stone towards the limp form of William Weasley and a shadow rose from the corpse.

The shadowy form of Bill had a mask of deathly despair and gloom. It raised his head to Harry and said, "Let me go."

"You can't die!" Harry shouted despairingly.

"I have died, Harry. You must let me go."

"NO!" Harry said, shaking his head violently. "No! No! Come back, Bill! Please come back! I will bring you back. I will…"

"You will condemn me to a state of emptiness. A state of unliving among those I once loved while I am dead. You would make me linger when I desire to pass. Every moment I spend here is more painful than anything I have ever felt. Do you know why? It is because I am unable to feel at all. I can't feel the breeze brush past my face, the feel of the earth beneath my feet," then gazing at the Stunned Fleur, "or feel the love I once had for my wife. I remember but I can't feel. You would condemn me to such a life. Why, Harry?"

Understanding dawned upon the boy and dejectedly, he lowered the hand in which he held the stone. "I'm so sorry. You gave me no choice. I'm sorry it came to this, Bill." Then he raised his hand again, determination shining in his face.

Bill smiled, but his tone didn't change. "Take care of Fleur, will you?"

"She is no longer your concern," Harry said, just as a scream emerged from the bushes and Nymphadora Tonks fainted on seeing the apparition of Bill. Harry rushed to her, trying to locate the mirror to contact Remus Lupin and gave a frustrated scream when he found the mirror broken. Sighing, he turned to Bill with tears streaming from his face. "Then go, Bill. You were a brother to me in every way. I know this won't change a thing but I'm truly sorry I killed you. Go," his eyes were empty and devoid of all emotion when he said that.

Before Bill could say anything, the stone glimmered again and the apparition vanished. Harry sunk to the ground. For several minutes he said nothing, then he saw the big form of Hagrid come towards him. Reality was yet to strike him, and all he could think was that he had just killed Bill Weasley. "I killed him," he said to Hagrid in a desperate bid for the half-giant to deny his guilt. "I killed him."

Hagrid came to Harry, looked around in disbelief, and said, "Come with me, 'Arry. I'll take yeh ter Dumbledore."

"I killed him," he repeated. "I killed him."

-------

Alan Wiltschild slowly walked out of the courtroom that had frozen with that utterance from the boy they had so relentlessly condemned. Harry Potter's words threatened to resound forever, 'I killed him.'

He didn't linger. He didn't wait. He had gently parted from Ginny Weasley and walked towards the door. Nobody had noticed his movement, such was the effect of Harry Potter's final heartfelt words, 'I killed him.'

Alan Wiltschild left the courtroom and walked out of the Ministry building. He wouldn't be returning there again. He was done with being Minister, he was done with being a lawyer for an executed convict. But he would forever remain the gadfly that stung Britain out of its stupor. Waiting for him were two people, Jimmy and Billy, the guards from Azkaban. Both were smiling brightly.

"You sent me the memory and the Pensieve," Wiltschild observed quietly, with sudden realization. On getting no response, he sighed. "The court found him guilty. The trial is over."

To his surprise, both guards kept on smiling. The one on the right, Jimmy, looked at Wiltschild seriously and said, "The trial of Harry Potter is over. The trial of those that condemned him will now begin. It is time for the Balance to return."

\/p