As I walked into the Ministry of Magic with my parents and the Weasleys, I felt as if I had an army at my back and that everything was going to be okay. Alone was the last thing I ever could've been. We made it into the courtroom where the hearing was to be held. George was seated at the front with his lawyer, and Lucius Malfoy was at the table beside them on the other side of the room, with his lawyer, who looked just as snooty as the man. I was sitting in the row behind George's table. His lawyer was whispering something to him, and when he was finished I tapped George on the shoulder. He turned around to look at me. I leant forward so only he could hear me. He smiled and kissed my forehead before I even spoke.

"Are you okay?" I asked. I hated seeing him in this place, handcuffed like he was some kind of criminal. And then someone walked down the aisle, somewhat noisily as if to make their presence known. George glared behind me at someone and I turned to see Draco walking up the aisle. But he wasn't glaring; he was looking over at me. His brow looked somewhat sweaty, as if he was nervous, but he kept a straight face. I looked away from him and George continued to glare as Draco took his seat beside his father.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Johnson, I am Esmond Wiccaning, George's lawyer." I looked over at the wizard seated beside George and he extended his hand which I shook. He had a firm warm grasp that was reassuring. His eyes were so dark that I assumed them to be black, his hair a bright brown in contrast, with loose curls to it, falling at his shoulders. He didn't look much older than George. Being that I was really the only witness, I was called to the stand. I felt some of the colour drain from my face as I faced the crowd of witches and wizards looking on curiously. It wasn't packed, but with the number of eyes on me, I just felt as if I was being criticized and I felt my eyes start to water. I spotted Hermione who nodded at me, sending me this comforting gaze, but my pulse quickened as I glanced over at Draco whose face was stolid as he looked on at me, his pale hands folded loosely on the table top.

"Ms. Johnson, can you tell the court what you saw when you walked down that aisle at Dionysus Delicacies the evening of…?" he went on to give the date and time of the incident and I closed my eyes tightly, not letting the tears out.

"It's called a hearing for a reason, Ms. Johnson, we're going to need a verbal response from you," Draco's lawyer said somewhat viciously, approaching the bench where I sat.

"You saw George Fabian Weasley using the Cruciatus Curse on Draco Malfoy," he said, as if trying to force the words into my mouth. I shook my head.

"So that is a yes?" he asked, folding his arms behind his back and smiling curtly as he began to pace.

"No!" I said, standing somewhat before calming back down and sitting.

"Your honour, I'd like to cut to the chase and present the evidence, as this is duly a waste of my client's time."

"Very well," the judge said, sounding almost bored.

A goblin hobbled over with something and the lawyer flicked his wand at what appeared to be a tape. The lights dimmed slightly and there was a hologram projection of Draco standing in the aisle at the store I remembered, except he was picking up a case of butterbeer. George, who had been standing a little ways behind Draco, points his wand shouting the curse and causing Draco to drop the case, writhing and screaming in pain. I heard someone clear their throat, and looked over at Draco to find him tugging his collar. He knew this was a foul lie. There was a toothless grin on Lucius's face as the hologram continued. It went on to show me running up behind George and grabbing his arm to make him stop, followed by George running away and a few passersby coming to check on Draco.

"Objection, this evidence is falsely accusatory," argued Esmond standing up.

"In what way, Esmond?" asks Draco's lawyer, blinking as the lights went back up.

"This is such a short recollection—perhaps there's more to go off of than this eight second clip."

"That's not what happened!" I said jumping in.

"Clearly the witness is attempting to exonerate the perpetrator—"

"Let her speak," the judge interrupted.

"That is not what happened," I said vehemently, "This isn't right—that tape's been tampered with."

"And how would you know something like this? Have you done something to it in order to cover for George Weasley?" the lawyer asked, rounding on me. I wasn't going to let him intimidate me a second time.

"You—rotten—liars," I said, unable to control myself.

"That's not what happened!"

"Really, Ms. Johnson, then tell us what did happen? Did you or did you not happen upon George Weasley using the Cruciatus Curse on Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, but—!"

"Point taken!" The lawyer said, brandishing his finger.

"He was trying to help me! Draco was harassing me," I said, trying not to break as I explained.

"Really? Because based on that footage, and I'm sure everyone in this room would agree, there is no evidence of my client harassing you as you so claim—"

"Objection! There was no modus operandi for George Weasley to randomly subject Malfoy to that kind of treatment. He has no criminal record—" Esmond pipes up.

"The evidence is clear," the lawyer interjects, "shall we play it a second time?"

"Overruled," says the judge, becoming agitated, "The evidence presented, being in the form that it was, is clear enough to dismiss any claims made by the witness. George Fabian Weasley, you are hereby sentenced to life in Azkaban on the count of premeditated assault, without provocation or use under the Imperius Curse."

"No!" I screamed, startling the judge before he could bang his gavel.

"Obiecto!" Hermione shouted standing and pointing her wand at the tape that Draco's lawyer was still holding. Almost as immediately as the hologram started to play and show the actual unedited footage, Hermione was restrained and taken out of the courtroom, Ron following after screaming at the officers escorting her out. The hologram showed what actually happened. I could see myself going to pick up the case of butterbeer, dropping it when I bumped into Draco. It showed him cornering me into a shelf, it showed him touching my face and it became much clearer that this was the truth. George had only cursed Draco out of defense. The judge was angry as he asked the lawyer what the meaning of this was. The evidence had been completely misconstrued and the case was called to recess in order for it to be properly studied by the department of Improper Use of Magic. I felt a sense of relief as Lucius looked utterly flabbergasted and Draco rushed out of the courtroom before anything else could occur. I knew they weren't going to get away with it.