Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter belongs to the one and only J.K. Rowling

A/N: As always thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. That was my first attempt at writing a romantic scene I hope it was in good taste. At last we have come to Bella's hearing I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 14

Friday June 7th at a too early 8:30 a.m. found Harry, Bella and Andromeda Tonks standing in Minister Bones Office. It was the day of Bella's hearing and the trio was nervously listening to Amelia's explanation of how the hearing would proceed.

Bella would be led into the chamber escorted by two of her top aurors. She would be restrained by magic suppressing shackles. This upset Harry who didn't want his love to be paraded into a most likely hostile courtroom and not being able to defend herself and even an appearance of guilt by wearing the shackles could sway peoples votes in a negative way.

Amelia told Harry that it was standard procedure and she could not be seen showing any kind of deference toward Bella. If the court thought she had any kind of sympathy for the 'known' death eater she could be excused from the proceedings and could possibly hurt her chances of being minister.

Harry was not happy with the explanation but reluctantly agreed with his godmother. Harry himself would be sitting in the gallery as a spectator. With some advanced glamour spells that Bella had shown him he had turned his raven locks in to a sandy brown his eyes became a grayish blue and with the height he had gained through the ritual it was very unlikely that anyone would recognize him.

Andromeda would be sitting at the defense table where she would be joined by Bella. The prosecutor representing the Ministry would be a witch by the name of Ima Wiseacher. She was known to be ruthless and would often try and bait the defendants by the use of condescending and demeaning slurs.

Wiseacher had been notified the evening before of whom she would be prosecuting. At first she was shocked at who the ministry had captured and giddy as well. Wiseacher was a first cousin to Amycus Carrow and quickly had owled her cousin of Bellatrix's capture.

Carrow immediately brought the news to his master who was most pleased. He informed Carrow to contact their agents within the ministry and plant them throughout the court room. They were to cause a disruption in the gallery. While the aurors attention would be on the crowd Amycus beneath an invisibility cloak would grab Bellatrix stunning her if necessary and then bring her back to Riddle Manor.

Voldemort knew he would need to place Bellatrix under the imperious until the compulsion potions he would need to give her bent her to his will once more. Of course she would need to be punished for foolishly believing she could escape him. But she was an incredible duelist and spell crafter and he was in need of her talents.

Voldemort had also ordered the assassination of Amelia Bones. He could not afford to have her sworn in as minister. He could not allow the ministry to strengthen its resolve against him. If the opportunity presented itself she was to be killed in the court room during the commotion.

Carrow had contacted Thomas Yaxley who was one of the higher ranking aurors about their master's plan. Yaxley stated that he would make sure he was on the detail that escorted the prisoner. He would then be in the perfect position to help Amycus in subduing Bellatrix and possibly killing the Bones bitch.

oooOOOooo

Albus Dumbledore was not a happy wizard, how dare that Bones woman call an emergency session of the Wizengamot. She was only the interim Minister for Merlin's sake! The power must already be going to her head and the audacity of not telling him the complete nature of the session. Only that new evidence has surfaced about a known death eater.

'She will need to be put in her proper place.' The ancient wizard thought to himself as he put on his garish robes of the Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot. 'She is too strong willed, something will need to be done about her and soon.'

Harry and Bella held on to each other tightly as Amelia finished her instructions a hundred thoughts and emotions passed between them each taking comfort in the shared link that they had. They could feel each other's love for the other and a bit of nervousness as well as the unknown lay before them. Bella cupped Harry's face in her hands and pulled him down into a passion filled kissed.

"I love you." She whispered into his ear.

"I love you too." He whispered back. "I'll see you after the hearing." She nodded bravely at her husband holding back the tears that threatened to fall.

Harry Left the Minister's office and made his way down to the 9th floor, courtroom number 10. Memories of the last time he was in the courtroom surfaced to the front of his mind. His anger rose a bit as the memory of being tried by the entire Wizengamot over a simple offense of underage magic which turned out to be a plot to silence him by then Under Secretary to the Minister Delores Umbridge and the Minister himself Cornelius Fudge.

Harry felt Bella's anger rise as he replayed the memories. 'It's all in the past love, and you need to focus on the here and now.' Harry gently reminded her over their bond. Harry and Bella had noticed that whatever linked them together had grown in strength and they were able to sense each other's presence where ever they happened to be.

Harry who had never apparated on his own before soon found that he could apparate to where ever Bella was by just thinking of her and she had been able to do the same. Their minds were so in sync that they always knew each other's thoughts and the two would have lengthy conversations in their minds which annoyed Narcissa to no end when she was around them.

They worked in perfect harmony with each other like they were two halves of the same whole. Even now as he entered court room ten he felt her presence in his mind. It was a comfort to the both of them knowing that they were not truly separated from each other.

Harry looked around the quickly filling gallery of the courtroom and recognized several faces. He noticed the austere looks of Neville's grandmother the Lady Longbottom. He noticed Amos Diggory, Cedric's father which brought a pang of sadness that the handsome young man had his life ended by the very man who had betrayed his own parents.

The very thought of Peter Pettigrew made his blood boil. 'Your day will come Peter, and I'll be there to make sure justice is as slow and painful as I can make it.' A hundred miles away Peter Pettigrew felt a cold sense of doom wash over his body.

Harry decided to take a seat just to the left and above the defendants table. He would be able to see Bella and her him. It also provided Harry with a tactical view of the entire gallery and the Wizengamot seats. Harry listened to the chatter of the visitors and members of the Wizengamot whose stadium style seats were placed directly in front of the defense and prosecution tables. This allowed those members to look down upon the defendant.

Most were buzzing about the as of yet unknown Death eater that was being brought in. Many seemed to have already made their decision. One man was overheard saying anyone even remotely associated with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named should be given the Dementor's kiss on sight. Another suggested just tossing the person through the veil and being done with it.

Harry to say the least was feeling a little anxious and was continually sending thoughts of comfort to his wife through their bond.

The court began to quiet down as Albus Dumbledore entered the hall. He approached the pulpit that was front and center of the Wizengamot seats and with three taps of his wand called the room to order.

"Welcome, welcome Lords and Ladys of the Wizengamot and to all vistors who are seated in the gallery. This Emergency session of the Wizengamot is in session. Although this is highly irregular it is being held at the request of the Ancient and Noble House of Bones. And in accordance with the bylaws of this group a house with Ancient and Noble status may call such a meeting." Dumbledore stated although with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"So without further preamble Interim Minister for Magic the Lady Amelia Bones will address this court." Dumbledore finished bowing to Amelia then taking his seat.

"Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot, you know me as one of the staunchest leaders in the fight against crime and insurrection in our world. I have personally captured or have helped in the capture and conviction of over forty supporters of You-Know-Who. Supporters known as death eaters." Amelia began.

"I have also been known as a just but fair judge and one who is willing to hear all sides of a story. During the first war there were many who claimed to be under the influences of the imperious curse, or blackmailed into acts of sedition and crimes against the wizarding people. To all those who claimed such coercion a hearing by veritus serum and pensieve memories were offered to those who proclaimed innocence. There were but few who refused it, but somehow were exonerated from charges."

Harry noticed more than a few members of the Wizengamot squirm a bit uncomfortably at Amelia's last remark.

"It is for this cause that I have called for this emergency session. An individual who had been known as a death eater during the first war has turned herself in. She has asked to give testimony by Veritus serum and by penseive memories that she was controlled by means of compulsion potions and by means of the imperious curse was controlled by the Dark Lord and one or more of his agents."

A wind storm of whispers echoed around the courtroom till the noise reached a rather loud buzz. Amelia attempted to continue but was drowned out by the sheer volume. Albus Dumbledore stood from his seat and by means of sonorous charm quieted the crowd.

"Silence!" Dumbledore bellowed. "Everyone will please refrain from talking." Dumbledore finished nodding to Amelia to continue.

"As I was saying" Amelia cleared her throat. "This person has voluntarily turned herself in and by the rule of law they will be given opportunity to make their case."

oooOOOooo

Bella was surrounded by four aurors, two to the front of her and two to the back. She recognized the tall bald blackman in front of her and to the left as Kingsley Shaklebolt, a member of Dumdorks order of the Flaming Chicken. She also recognized her niece Nymphadora Tonks as the auror in front and to the right of her. Bella didn't know however if Andromeda had updated her niece to her situation. Nymphadora glanced at Bella and snarled at her. 'Apparently not.' Bella thought.

She could not see the two aurors who were positioned behind her and had no idea who they were. The group came to a halt just outside a heavy wooden door that led into the front of the court room near the defendants table.

While they were stopped Bella caught a glance of the auror to her right and back. She had to catch herself from letting out a gasp as she recognized this particular auror.

'Harry! Harry! One of the aurors in my guard is a death eater!' Bella mentally screamed.

'What! Who is it?' Harry asked in an almost panic.

'His name is Thomas Yaxley, he is an inner circle member.' Bella replied trying to keep herself calm.

'Do you think you can…'

'Harry we're moving!'

Harry noticed a side door open near the defendants table and watched as Bella and four aurors walked in. The court room exploded into pandemonium. Screams of terror and anger and hate echoed around the courtroom. People were yelling "give her the kiss! Give her the kiss!" anything that wasn't nailed down was being thrown at the raven haired witch.

"Death to all Death Eaters!" was screamed out by a man in his mid forties. The same man broke from the gallery and leapt at Bella with a dagger clinched in his fist. An amazingly fast Kingsley Shacklebolt caught the man in mid flight with a mid-level banishing and disarming charm. The man crumpled to the floor in a heap after smashing into the opposite wall.

Although Bella appeared to be twenty years younger there was no mistaking who she was. She had the aristocratic beauty that all women of the Black family inherited. Her dark hair and violet eyes were unmistakably Bellatrix Black. Her face was as well known as any celebrity and it provoked a wide range of emotions from fear to hate to twisted fascination. She was the devil to some and a dark goddess to others.

More aurors were called in to manage the crowd and gain some sort of control and order. Harry kept a close watch over Bella and was a hair's breadth away from exposing himself to protect Bella from the man with the dagger before Kingsley had responded.

Yaxley thought it was the perfect opportunity to grab Bella and kill Bones. But he did not know where Amycus was. He scanned the crowd looking for the subtle ripples of someone under an invisibility cloak.

Aurors Shaklebolt and Tonks took flanking positions on either side of Bella. With wands drawn they scanned the crowd for more potential attackers as other aurors tried to regain some order in the courtroom.

Harry did not like what was happening at all and began to make his way toward Bella. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a shimmer of air that seem to ripple. With terrified jolt Harry realized there was someone underneath an invisibility cloak and they were within six feet of Bella.

Thomas Yaxley also noticed a wand materialize through an invisibility cloak which was pointed at Bella. Yaxley realizing that Carrow was about to act drew his own wand and pointed it at the back of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Harry saw what was about to happened and yelled at Bella through their bond to fall to the ground.

"Stupefy!" Carrow yelled. The spell flew over Bella's head as she was already dropping to the floor to take cover. The spell slammed into the defendants table with a crack splintering the top of the table. The spell got Tonks and Kingsley's attention and they spun to find the caster.

This act prompted the other six agents of Voldemort to begin casting reducto curses into the gallery and Wizengamot seats. Screams of terror filled the ancient hall as explosions were sending broken bodies flying through the air.

Harry wandlessly summoned the invisibility cloak off of Carrow exposing him to the court. This immediately got Tonks and Shacklebolts attention as they swung their wands at Carrow.

"Avada Kedavra!" Yaxley yelled, sending the acid green color of the death curse straight into the back of Kingsley Shacklebolt. The tall auror collapsed to the ground dead, eyes wide and unmoving in a look of surprise.

Yaxley and Carrow turned their wands on the pink haired auror who was frozen in place staring at the lifeless eyes of her partner. "Reducto!" Carrow screamed, as the spell hurled towards the shocked young auror. Bella seeing the spell leave the wand swept Tonks off her feet causing her niece to crash to the floor next to her.

"Nymphadora!" Bella screamed. "Snap out of it!" Nymphadora Tonks jolted as the events taking place around her suddenly came into sharp focus. "Y..you…you saved my life?" Tonks muttered looking at her aunt that she had believed was one of Voldemorts top deatheaters.

"Thank me later Nymphie but for now defend yourself!" Bella said while pulling her niece behind the over turned table as a spell shot over her head.

Yaxley saw that Bella and Tonks were taking cover behind a table; he raised his wand pointing it at the pink haired auror. "Avada Kedav…aieeee!" Yaxley's robes suddenly burst into flames. An irate Harry Potter had sent the borderline dark fire curse at the murdering auror.

The fire was so intense that the fabric was melting to his skin. Yaxley dropped his wand as fire was burning his hands and face. With a wandless stupefy Yaxley fell to the floor unconscious. Harry then lifted the fire curse and rushed to Bella's side.

Aurors had begun to subdue most of Voldemort's agents in the crowd. Carrow sensing that the mission was failing decided to at least get some small victory. He spun his wand toward Amelia Bones a cruel sneer spreading over his face. "Avada Kedavra!" The Interim Minister of Magic looked on in horror as she heard the incantation.

A look of surprise reached Amelia's eyes as the unblockable curse was redirected well over her head. The cause of the redirection was none other than Bellatrix Black who threw herself at Amycus Carrow knocking him bodily to the floor his wand sliding away from him well out of reach.

Before aurors could respond to and subdue the death eater he pulled an emergency portkey from his robes and vanished. The aurors then turned their wands on the prone body of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Hold!" Amelia shouted. The court room became silent but for the moans and silent weeping of the injured. "That woman just saved my life. You will treat her with respect." The former head of the DMLE spoke to 'her' aurors.

"Now…What the HELL just happened here!" A furious Amelia Bones asked.

A two hour recess was called while the incident was investigated. Aurors Robards and McKinna, the DMLE's top crime scene investigators, interviewed witnesses and captured instigators and from pensieve memories were able to piece together the actual events.

Rufus Scrimgeor, the current head of the DMLE, entered the Ministers office and presented Amelia with the results of the investigation. She was shocked to find that Thomas Yaxley was a marked deatheater. He had been an auror during the last war as well. Had he been a spy even then? Amelia wondered.

The incident claimed three lives including her most trusted auror Kingsley Shacklebolt. His death would be a huge loss to the DMLE. He was widely respected and had been one of the DMLE's top trainers.

Amelia Bones would be damned if she let Voldemort and his ilk get away with this attack. The six agents caught in the act and Thomas Yaxley would feel the full weight of the ministry. Their punishment will be most severe and in the case of Yaxley permanent.

She could not let a betrayal from within the Ministry be lightly punished. She would recommend the Dementors kiss for Yaxley. He will have to be made an example of what will happen to those who work for the ministry and are agents of the Dark Lord.

Bella's hearing was moved to the smaller court room five. The public would not be allowed in only members of the Wizengamot and a few court reporters.

The hearing began with veritus serum being administered to Bella. Amelia had been careful in wording her first question to Bella. She knew if asked her name Bella would answer with the last name of Potter and Amelia wanted to keep that bit of information quiet as Harry had asked her to.

"Would you please state your given name at birth?" Amelia asked

A monotone voice answered. "Bellatrix Adien Black."

"Were you a willing member of the terrorist group known as Death Eaters?" Bella was asked

"No."

"Explain." Dumbledore asked.

"I was force fed compulsion potions by my then husband Rudolphus Lestrange. I was then forced to take the Dark Mark and train the Dark Lords supporters."

Several members of the Wizengamot began murmuring in quiet whispers one to another. Lady Longbottom then stood and with controlled anger asked.

"Did you or did you not take part in the torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom." The Dowager Lady Longbottom asked.

"I was present but did not take part in the torturing. I was ordered by my husband to find their infant son and kill him."

Augusta Longbottom was shocked at this revelation and asked. "But you did not kill him, why?"

"I was sporadically able to fight off some of the effects of the compulsion potions in brief moments. I had achieved enough presence of mind to defy the order. Instead I found the boy and hid him in the closet of his nursery. I then returned to my husband and told him the boy was not in the house."

"Neville was found in the closet of his nursery when the aurors arrived and the three of you were captured." Lady Longbottom commented looking at the raven haired witch with conflicting emotions.

She had spent the last fourteen years cursing the name of Bellatrix Lestrange and now she found herself conflicted. She had actually saved the life of her grandson. 'Maybe she isn't the person I thought she was.' The Matriarch considered.

Albus Dumbledore had one more question, more to satisfy his curiosity than any proof that she had been involved. "Did you kill Harry Potter by the use of the fiendfyre spell at his residence in Surrey?"

Bella was terrified that his question would ask about whether she knew of the attack on his relatives which of course she did. But she had most definitely not killed Harry. So she answered with a clear and resounding "No."

The questioning only lasted for another ten minutes where other members had asked her about other death eater raids she took part in. It was learned that she had only killed two people in her time as a death eater but it was proven that she was not in control of herself at the time.

Bella was removed from the room while the Wizengamot deliberated over her fate. Surprisingly, to many of those present, Lady Longbottom was her strongest advocate for total acquittal. With the support of House Longbottom, Bones, Greengrass, Abbott, and Narcissa as the proxy for the Malfoy seat it was enough for the majority of the other houses to be swayed to their side.

Out of one hundred and fifty votes a clear majority of one hundred and twenty votes were tallied for a full acquittal.

Harry had been on pins and needles; he had not been allowed in to the court room and so was pacing back and forth outside of the court room door. He had of course heard everything through the bond with Bella but that didn't calm his nerves in the slightest. He froze in mid stride as Bella was escorted back in to the court room.

"The defendant will remain standing as the court decision is pronounced." Dumbledore stated in somber voice.

Bella and Andromeda stood together and held hands as the verdict was about to be read. Harry was fighting the desire to burst through the door and hold his wife in this moment of decision that could affect the rest of their lives.

Dumbledore unrolled a scroll and began to read from it. "Bellatrix Adien Black, it is the finding of this court that because of circumstances beyond your control you are found…innocent and hearby acquitted of all past charges that had been leveled against you. These are the findings of the court and we stand adjourned.

Bella burst into happy tears as she was hugged tightly by her big sister. "Thank you, thank you Andi. I don't know how to ever thank you enough." Bella looked up at the exiting members of the Wizengamot and found a smiling Amelia Bones looking back at her. She then noticed The Lady Longbottom who gave her a nod and half smile as she exited.

Meanwhile in the hallway Harry had given a rather large whoop of happiness and was receiving odd looks from people who watched him doing some kind of jig with a grin that threatened to swallow his entire face. The doors of the courtroom opened up and a raven haired missile crashed into Harry capturing his lips in a hard passionate kiss.

An immediate press conference was called by Amelia Bones who announced the acquittal of Bellatrix Black to the media. Within minutes of the press conference ending the news had been spread over the Wizarding Wireless Network. Special editions of the Prophet were flying off the racks faster than they could be printed.

The news of an innocent Bellatrix Black was met by skepticism by some, outrage by others and utter shock to the rest of the wizarding population. Minister Bones had made it clear that any retaliation against Miss. Black would be seen as an assault and the perpetrators arrested.

The attack in court room ten was also mentioned in the press release and that long time auror Thomas Yaxley had been arrested for murder and attempted murder and was also discovered to be a Death Eater. Six others were also arrested in connection with the attack and a date for hearings would be set soon.

Bella and Harry walked hand in hand to the nearest apparition point in the ministry and with a searing kiss the two apparated back to Black Manor to celebrate.

A/N2: I apologize to all the Kingsley fans especially those who wanted Narcissa to hook up with him, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Next chapter a lot will be happening another character death may be ahead. Thanks for reading!

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