Chapter Four: The Court Case

The day of the court case was tense for everyone around Harry since they had already gotten so attached to him, Carlisle had long ago spoken to Mrs Owens about adopting Harry completely into their family and she had filled in all the paper work and all it needed now was a judges signature, as well as having applied for a name change so that Harry could have a start over.

Alice and Rosalie had been out shopping (again.) and bought Harry a few sets of new clothing and a suit to attend the court case in since he was required to attend being over the age of eleven so that he could have his say in custardy arrangements although the judge, offence and defence weren't allowed to ask any questions to do with sentencing Vernon and Petunia – because with the evidence there was no way on earth they couldn't be found guilty.

"You don't have to go," Esme fussed as she straightened Harry's already perfectly straight shirt-collar, for vampires they were rather fussy and anxious. Emmett had taken Rosalie, Alice, Jasper and Edward over to their new home once everything had been sorted they would be moving – sadly it would be with or without Harry and they were going to Alaska, so only Carlisle and Esme had remained behind for now. "We can sort everything out without you there Harry,"

"I want to come," Harry said quietly taking a step back to put a little space between them, the only ones who had actually got close to him for an extended period of time after he was out of the hospital were Jasper and Carlisle, and sometimes Alice and Rosalie depending on how much pain he was in and how tired he was, if he was really tired though it was only Jasper since he could calm him easily. "Everyone's always lied to me or kept things from me, I want to do this for my own sake to prove to them I'm stronger than they think I am."

"Harry, child, you don't need to prove anything." Carlisle frowned stepping out of the car which they had driven to the courts in, the courts they were using was in central London and had the best and strictest judges in Britain. Moving over to Harry, Carlisle scooped him up easily so that Harry's arms were around his neck and head resting on his shoulder while his legs were wrapped around Carlisle's waist, making him look a lot younger than he was with the small body frame and large green eyes, he screamed innocent, "It took a lot of strength to keep fighting against those monsters, never doubt that, if you wish to leave Esme can go in and I'll stay with you."

"I want to do this." Harry repeated with a slightly different wording Carlisle sighed and kissed the top of his head gently as they walked into the large and beautiful building where they found Mrs Owens and David Howers (the lawyer) as well as Doctor Stanford who was there for witness of abuse and he also worked as a court doctor.

"If we don't win today I'll resign and go on a protest." David said seriously as he looked at Harry, the first time that they were meeting in person since the child was still recovering – hence one of the reasons that Carlisle was carrying him, you couldn't use crutches with broken ribs, "Doctor Cullen, I was unable to keep this out of the press as I'm sure you have seen, names have been kept low but the story hasn't,"

"It's fine, just keep them away from Harry," Carlisle sighed in irritation, Harry clung tighter to him at the thought of the media; he didn't want everyone to know that was why he hadn't ever said anything but he knew it was the right thing to do, Edward had explained that a few days ago when he voices his worries in the hospital. "But you are right; I don't think anyone remotely sane could deny how innocent Harry is."

"Hey!"

"Son you're eleven, you look seven or eight with big emerald green eyes – you're adorable." Doctor Stanford smirked ruffling Harry's hair earning another huff and exclamation from Harry causing them all to laugh half-heartedly at him, really Harry knew that he was short compared to other boys his age but did everyone really have to mention it.

Less than half an hour later they were called into the courtroom since Carlisle was witness to Harry's injuries along with Doctor Stanford he had to stay out of the room until he was called for though they allowed him in briefly to place Harry in the watching stands with Mrs Owens and Esme along with a police officer just in case anything did happen.

As Harry had entered in Carlisle's arms the judge and jury had both been watching and Vernon was in the stands, Petunia would be called for after Vernon was judged to makes things fairer on them, and of course so they couldn't swap answers and conspire. No one beside their lawyer and two officers had been allowed near each of them since being arrested.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. You have been selected as the jury in the matter of Mr Potter v. Vernon Dursley. Mr. Dursley is charged with child abuse, child neglect, attempted murder and embellzement of a minor's inheritance. He has entered a plea of not guilty to these charges." The judge, Carlos White, said loudly so that everyone in the court could hear, most of the jury sent a disgusted look at the accused, "Defendant please proceed."

"My client, Mr Dursley, pleaded not guilty to these charges," Dursley's lawyer said stoically keeping his face completely emotionless so that even his eyes looked cold. "How can a hard working man with a stable financial income and a loving family be accused of such things? Mr Dursley, in your opinion, what is the local people's view of your nephew?"

"They complain that he beats their children and bullies them." Vernon growled keeping eye contact with Harry who flinched and looked down at him lap, Esme glared back at Vernon for him and pulled Harry closer, "He has the lowest grades in the class and his parents were no goods that lived off the state, Potter has been nothing but ungrateful to us and since he was six has been hurting himself to get attention."

"As is it says on the notes in his school files," The lawyer said in agreement holding up a paper file and passing one copy to the judge and the other to the jury to look at. "Which so states that when asked about his arm which he been broken he fell from a high banister which he had been climbing on when told that he wasn't to, I believe my client to be innocent and this child mentally unstable, Mr Dursley did nothing but look after the boy since he took his nephew in after his parents death even though they had an agreement with James and Lily Potter that they wouldn't ever see Harrison after he had hurt young Dudley when they were one."

"Prosecution?"

"Mr Dursley how exactly would young Harry get the whip marks on his back, if he was hurting himself? Surely you aren't suggesting that a mere eleven year old could come up with something that should be impossible?" David drawled pacing in front of the judges stand, there was a mummer among the jury until they were silenced, "No reply Mr. Dursley? How about the stab wound? Broken ribs? If you knew he was 'hurting himself' why weren't you watching more carefully and getting professional help? And why WASN'T HE EVER TAKEN TO SEE A DOCTOR!"

"My wife is trained in first aid so she could patch him up," Vernon defended his actions weakly although he looked like he had just been told he had won the lottery and looked proud of the injuries that had been listed, "and we did watch him, but as you well know we have our own son to care for as well."

"What about the malnourishment?"

"He refused to eat," Vernon replied simply,

"Professional help?"

"Why should I pay for something we can sort ourselves?"

"What did Mr Dudley Dursley mean when he said that Harry lived in a cupboard under the stairs?" David asked getting angrier and angrier, the defendant was looking paler and paler by the second as Vernon got more confident, it was clear from the glares that the jury had already decided on the verdict.

"The boy refused to sleep in his room," Vernon shrugged causing his fat to wobble disgustingly, he saw the questioning looks that everyone was giving him, "When he first arrived we placed him in a shared room with Dudley but he wouldn't sleep, we found him in the cupboard napping a few days later, he was happy there."

The questioning went on and on and Vernon did his best to deflect most of the questions and did so rather bluntly and when he would answer a question it was clearly either an outright lie or something made up from his imagination, twisting the truth so that it made Harry look guilty and Vernon innocent.

"Is Harry ok?" Carlisle asked when Esme stepped out of the courtroom alone at lunch time, he and Doctor Stanford had both been in and testified already against both Vernon and Petunia, and Petunia had been in after Vernon had been removed.

They had called lunch break to determine 'guilty' or 'innocent' though it was perfectly clear of that. Harry had fallen asleep half-way through but they hadn't moved him since he so rarely slept as it was, it actually added to the whole innocent child effect as well.

"Sleeping," Esme reassured her husband/mate while glancing back into the courtroom itself though already knowing he wouldn't be there since Mrs Owens had took him once the room had been dismissed with an officer following her, "Mrs Owens said they have a room here where he could go and lay down, I think the stress got to him."

"It will have," Carlisle agreed looking worried though, he wasn't a doctor for nothing and had seen elder men than Harry be hospitalised for lesser evils than child abuse and a court case against the abusers, "What did they both plead?"

He didn't need to ask – he already knew from his extra sensitive hearing but there were people around that could hear them including some reporters to whom he had already spoke to about the situation and asked to keep Harry's name out of it completely and no photographs of the child since it was already hard on him, they had been more than willing after he commented casually that he had been the one to pay for the best solicitors and judge to be put on the case so quickly after it had been reported.

"Vernon pleaded innocent to child abuse, child neglect, attempted murder and embezzlement of a minor's inheritance, and Petunia pleaded guilty to child neglect, knowledge of child abuse and bodily harm, preventing the course of justice and embezzlement of a minor's inheritance." Esme listed off shaking her head sadly as Carlisle hugged her in comfort, they could hear the recorders from the reporters being used and notes being scribbled down – they would only get the scripts after the trial anyway and they would find out. "They said they should have the verdict right after lunch, they can rot in hell for all I care! It is disgusting that someone could do that to a child!"

"I know dear, he's safe now though," Carlisle rubbed her back soothingly muttering sweet nothings and reassurances to her until they were called back into the room, this time Carlisle joining them in the observation section and both Petunia and Vernon were in the room now – Harry was sat sleepily on the bench and Carlisle scooped him up and placed him on his knee easily, most of the people in the room actually cooed and 'awed'.

"A unanimous verdict has been reached in the case between Mr Potter and Mr Dursley and the case Mr Potter v. Mrs Dursley." the spokesperson for the jury informed the room with a disgusted look towards both of latter people whose names had been called, "We find Vernon Dursley guilty of all crimes he has been accused of, we also find Mrs Dursley guilty of all crimes committed and accused of, with recommendation they should serve the maximum sentences for these crimes."

"It is decided, Mr Vernon Dursley will serve 26 years at her majesties pleasure no parole," The judge said after a few minutes of thought, but he wasn't even near finished, "You will serve 150 hours of community service once you are released and no unsupervised contact with a minor, Petunia Dursley you will serve 7 years at her-majesties pleasure after which you are free to go, neither of you are allowed contact with Mr Potter again unless he chooses to come to you."

They were both dragged, kicking and screaming from the room in opposite directions to the vans that were waiting to take them to a closed prison. Esme looked disgusted at the sentence that Petunia got but no one contested the judge's judgement.

"Sir, there is the matter of custardy." David reminded them all as the judge went to leave the room, he considered the papers in front of him intently before signing several things, "Ah, custardy and adoption rights to Carlisle and Esme Cullen of Harry Potter, along with change of identity. Custardy of Dudley Dursley is Marge Dursley, paternal aunt."

Harry sat frozen on Carlisle's knee for a moment before he realised what had been said and turned around and hugged his new adopted-father around the neck with all his strength while grinning happily, causing a few light chuckles to spread through the court.

An hour later Esme and Carlisle exited the court house with their new son in their arms; his new identity was Raiden Nathaniel Cullen. And none of them could have been happier about it.