I groaned as I noticed I had skipped another stitch, and it was way down there too! I was getting aggravated at my own stupidity. I couldn't sleep again, and I was trying to make sweaters for everyone. I knew this would be the first year that the Weasley's: Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron and Arthur wouldn't get a sweater from Molly, and I hoped that if I made one for them, it would lessen the blow. I was sitting in my room, knowing that they wouldn't come in here without giving me some time to hide everything.
I tried it again and smiled as I got it this time. I was actually pretty proud of myself. I had already gotten Fred and George's out of the way. Fred's sweater was violet with a lavender F on the front, and George's was lavender with a violet G on the front.
I was working on Bill's and it was going to be Navy Blue with a silver B on the front. I couldn't help but think it was Ravenclaw colors, but Bill was insanely smart.
I was thinking to make Charlie's a sky blue sweater with a royal blue C on the front to match his eyes. I was actually making a sweater for every Weasley. I didn't want any hard feelings with anyone, and I felt pretty terrible about sending them to the cold cells in Azkaban.
I looked at the sweater I made for Ron. It was teal with a black R on the front, and I felt sad. Why would he do this to me? What did I ever do to him to make him hate me so much? If he needed the money that bad, I would have given it to him; all he had to do was ask.
I felt my eyes stinging with tears. I was crying a lot lately, but it wasn't because of my monthly. That had come and gone two weeks ago, but I was extremely emotional. I don't know if it was because all of this was finally kicking in, or if it was because I missed who I thought was my friend.
I still remember third year, when he stepped between Sirius and me, thinking he was a mass murderer. What would make a person go from that to the person who was in Azkaban now. I looked into the fire and pulled my knees to my chest. I missed my old friend. I pushed my eyes onto my knees and started sobbing into them. I hated feeling this way. He betrayed me! He hurt me, and I can't trust him anymore! I still missed him though.
"Dammit!" I sobbed into my knees. I hated Ron Weasley, but I missed the boy that was my best friend. I needed to find out why, or I would never be able to get over this.
The day of the trial came quickly with all the exploring and crocheting I had going on. I was going to look into Ron's face as he told everyone what he was thinking when he and his sister drugged and spied on me.
I was wearing a white button down shirt with a navy blue pencil skirt, blazer, and matching heels. My hair was done in beautiful soft waves and it went down my back or over my shoulder. Harris was very confident that we will be the winners, but I still felt terrible.
I looked at Sirius and tried my hardest to keep a brave face. Apparently, there was going to be a surprise witness that Harris wouldn't tell me about. Also, Ron had asked for Veritaserum for when he was questioned. That just told me that he had nothing to hide and he was going to speak what he thought was the truth.
"Malfoy?" I asked looking at the blonde, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm the surprise witness," he said, "I've been watching you for years. Did you really think I wouldn't notice a change?"
"You've been watching me?" I asked with a smile. I sat down with him and looked down at the court room from above. I looked at the three chairs that were there, with the magic restraining chains on them. I couldn't believe that they were going to chain them up for all to see. Like animals in a zoo! Ever since the incident at the zoo when I was eleven, I never really agreed with locking animals up.
Ron, Ginny, and Molly were brought in and placed in the chairs before being shackled. I heard Malfoy chuckle from beside me. I slapped him on the leg, so no one would see. "Careful Malfoy or you may lose that date."
"Yes ma'am," he said shutting up.
Fred leaned in to my ear and whispered, "Use these new found powers for good."
I had to stop myself from laughing as the court commenced. Ron looked around the courtroom from where he was in the center. He looked directly at me. He looked so sad and pitiful, but he looked up at me with his blue eyes, and I saw something. It was like he was begging me for forgiveness with just his eyes. I didn't know if he truly meant it or if he was just trying to get into my head.
"Court is now in session, Minister Fudge presiding. Plaintiff, call your first witness."
"We call Ember Potter, Formally Harry Potter, to the stand," Harris said standing up. I made my way down to the stand, and I sat down.
"Miss Potter," Harris said with a kind, mysterious smile, "How are you today?"
"Nervous, sad, angry... disappointed. A lot of things really," I said looking at the man.
"Why are you sad?" Harris asked with a smile.
"Ron was my best friend for years," I said, "Molly was like a mother to me for almost as long. I hate to think that our entire relationship was just so they could get money from me."
"Can you tell me what these three did to you?" Harris asked.
"Actually, Albus Dumbledore was the ring leader. He got Ginny Weasley to drug me with love potions that Molly Weasley made. They all also took money that Dumbledore stole out of my vaults," I answered.
"Exhibits A and B, forms from Gringotts Wizarding Bank listing the spells and potions used on Miss Potter and amounts of money stolen from her vaults," Harris said handing the papers to Minister Fudge. "Can you explain to us how you felt after you found out everything they did to you?"
"Hurt, angry, betrayed. I felt like I wanted to hit someone. I wanted to cry my heart out. I wanted them to feel the pain I felt, but I didn't. I didn't do any of that. I went to you. I felt the justice system would do a better job at taking care of them then me."
"That was very grown up," Harris said.
"I had some help. My friend Hermione Granger and one of my teachers, who I will not name to protect his privacy."
"I have no more questions at this time," Harris said with a smile at me. The Weasley's lawyer, some two-bit hack who had a couple glasses of firewhiskey, if his breath was anything to go by, came up to me.
"Hello Mr. Potter," he said.
"Actually, it's Miss Potter now, sir," I said calmly.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I thought these charges were for the things my clients supposedly did to Mr. Harry James Potter."
"Is there a question here?" Harris asked in objection.
"Give me a minute," the lawyer replied, "Have you had any changes, besides physical, since you were turned into a woman?"
"I have," I replied, "I turn into a demon for around three to five days out of the month."
I heard everyone in the room chuckle as I said this.
"Your emotional changes didn't start right away?" he asked.
"No sir, these emotional changes started about a month after I was turned into a girl," I answered.
"But it's safe to say that you were angry at the fact that your manliness was... stolen from you?"
"Not really," I said, "It was my own stupid mistake, and I've come to terms with it. I wasn't angry with Ron or Ginny until I heard a conversation when I was coming to in the hospital wing."
"Who was this conversation between? What was it about?" the lawyer asked.
"It was between Albus Dumbledore, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley. Ginny said that she couldn't marry me now, and Dumbledore said that he could marry me off to one of the other Weasley brothers. I didn't understand what that meant at the time. I had just turned fourteen. I wasn't thinking about marriage. After Ron adamantly refused to marry me as well, they left the room."
He made a face, angry that he couldn't get me to lose my temper, "No further questions."
"Am I done now?" I asked the Minister with a smile.
"You are," he said, "You may go back to your seat Miss Potter."
"Thank you Minister," I got down and did as instructed.
"Next we call Fred Weasley to the stand," Harris said. Fred stood up and made his way down.
One after one, all my friends went up there and told the court about the changes they had seen in me and in their siblings over the last years. How I used to want to just stay out of trouble, but how just before Halloween, I had started to get reckless and started doing stupid things like try to beat down a troll, or running after our crazy DADA teachers.
McGonagall even got up there and told the entire court that she believed that Dumbledore was hiring dangerous teachers on purpose. Finally, it was Ron's turn on the stand. Even after my testimony, he still had that kicked puppy look on his face, and I still couldn't make out why he kept sending it to me. Not to the members of the Wizengamot, he was looking at me.
He was allowed out of the chains long enough to get to the stand and the Virtaserum was administered. "State your name for the court, please," the administer said.
"Ronald Billius Weasley," Ron said.
"Billius?" Malfoy asked from beside me.
"His father had a brother named Billius who died," I explained in a whisper.
"That's actually pretty noble for a Weasley," Malfoy said with an impressed look.
"I will hit you again," I said without looking at him. After a few more basic questions, the administer nodded his head and moved away from the stand.
"Mr. Weasley," Harris said, "There is enough evidence that has been stated here to put you away for life in Azkaban. What could we possibly learn from you now?"
I looked at Ron and steeled myself for his explanation. "If I may tell you a little story?" he asked Harris and the Ministry.
"Will it help you to get us to understand why all this took place?" Minister Fudge asked.
"Yes sir," Ron said honestly. Every word he said was honest now.
"I'll allow it," Minister Fudge said with a nod of his head.
"It all started on September 1st of our first year," Ron said slowly but loud enough to be heard, "We were in the muggle part of Kings Cross Station, and I saw this tiny little boy who looked like he hadn't eaten in a week. I wanted to protect him. I wanted to make sure that no one would hurt him. I made friends with him, much to my Mum's excitement. I was his friend, I wanted to be his friend. I still do, but I noticed the changes in him just like everyone else. The thing is, it didn't take me long to figure out that Dumbledore was behind all of this, but I was stupid enough to tell my Mum about it. She told Dumbledore and I've been under the Imperious Curse for three years. When Dumbledore ran, his concentration slowly allowed me to be myself again."
I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. My other hand grabbed on to the closest thing I could reach. It just happened to be a very shocked Draco Malfoy's hand.
"What about the money your family was receiving from Albus Dumbledore for your services?" Harris asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That money was given to my mother for her 'troubles' of having her son put under the curse," Ron answered with a scowl sent to his mother. "I don't care what happens to me anymore," Ron said looking back at me, "I want to apologize to Ember for all the crap I put her through, and I hope that she can forgive me for all the idiotic things I've been forced to do."
"Were your mother or your sister ever under the Imperious Curse?" Harris asked.
"Never. All they cared about was the money," Ron said glaring at his mother and sister.
"If the charges brought against you were to be dropped, would you ever betray, spy, or steal from Ember Potter again?" Harris asked.
Ron looked up at me again before turning back to Harris.
"No. I know that earning her trust back will take a long time, but I am willing to go down that long road just to be her friend again. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that... again."
"I move that the charges brought against Ronald Weasley be dropped, for he was under the Imperious Curse and did not do any of this on his own accord," Harris said.
"Motion granted," Minister Fudge said banging his gavel, "Ronald Weasley, you are free to go home to your family after a physical at St. Mungo's." The shackles were taken off of Ron and he looked at his wrists as if it weren't even possible. "On the cases against Molly and Ginny Weasley and Albus Dumbledore, deliberation will now commence. Raise your hand for guilty, keep it down for innocent."
I was almost crying as most of the hands in the room shot up without a second thought. They were all found Guilty. Ron was free. I almost wanted to hug him, knowing the truth, but I couldn't. I couldn't trust him yet.
We got outside the Ministry, and Ron was with standing with his father, Bill, and Charlie. "Are you going to be okay, Ember?" Fred asked, "It's only a week until Christmas."
"I'll be fine guys," I said with a smile, "Go spend time with your family."
"You're our family too," George said, "At least come and say hello and goodbye to them. Please?"
"You're gonna do the- Don't do the puppy dog eyes!" I begged as they looked at me with the cutest puppy dog eyes I've ever seen. "I hate that I taught you how to do that!"
"Is that a yes?" Fred asked.
"Come on," I said walking towards the Weasley men. Bill and Charlie were red in the face as they looked at me. I would have thought that it was in anger if their jaws weren't hanging to the floor.
"Hello Har-Ember," Arthur said as he saw us, "Thank you for telling the truth up there. We needed to hear it."
"It's no problem," I said with a smile, "I just wanted to check and see how you guys were doing. I may come over after sometime after Christmas and see how your getting along."
"We could be better," Arthur said, "I've gotten very lonely in the house with Molly not there anymore. McGonagall said that Ron will be rejoining the student body after Christmas Break. He will have to take some extra lessons to catch up, but he should be fine."
"That's great Arthur," I said with a smile.
"Y-You look amazing close up, Ember," Charlie said with a wild blush on his cheeks.
"I agree," Bill said with a charming smile.
"E-Ember?" Ron asked looking up at me, "Would you like to get a cup of coffee sometime over the break? I'd like for us to get to know each other again."
"As long as Hermione can be there," I said grabbing my best friend's hand and pulling her closer, "You were right. It will be a long time before I can trust you again."
"Who won the first challenge?" he asked with a smile, "I didn't get to see it."
"Krum took first place, by tying the dragon he got in ropes. Cedric came in second with a rock transformed into a dog, and Fleur came in last by putting the dragon to sleep," Fred said really fast.
"I'll write you with my next free day," I said to Ron, "But I would like one thing first."
"Anything," he said.
"I want a vow on your magic that you will not knowingly betray me," I said.
"I swear on my magic that I will not knowingly hurt you, so mote it be," Ron said looking at me in the eyes. I felt his magic tie with mine as the vow was sealed. I nodded my head, and I turned my head to Fred and George before kissing them each on the cheeks, "I'll see you at the Yule Ball."
"See you then Em," Fred said.
"Can't wait to see your dress, Ber," George said with a smile.
"Oh!" I said, "We've got to go get our nails done! Then the facials!"
Hermione looked at her watch and gasped, "We're going to be late for our appointments!"
"We've got to find Sirius!" I yelled. Running in heels had become much easier thanks to Hermione's teaching. We found Sirius quickly and as we got into a cab, I sighed. "Thanks for playing along. It was super awkward having Bill and Charlie staring at me like that."
"We still have an hour before our mani-petis," Hermione said with a smile, "Wanna get some coffee?"
"Can we Sirius?" I asked.
"I don't know Bambi," Sirius said, "Last time I let you have coffee you were hanging from the chandelier for hours."
"It wasn't my fault the barista gave me an extra two shots of espresso in the hopes I would give him my cellphone number... what's a cellphone?"
"No clue," Sirius said, "Fine, but I'll order it so he won't know which one is for you."
"Good idea," I said. I had learned long ago that three shots at a time was my limit. Anything else is too much. I smiled as Hermione, Remus and I went to go get a seat. Sirius came back four minutes later with a holder of coffee cups.
"Alright, Pumpkin Spice Latte for Remus," Sirius said handing out the drinks, "Hot Green Tea for Hermione, Caramel Macchiato for Ember, and Peppermint Bark Mocha for me."
"Thank you," I said pulling my drink to me.
"You need your nails done," Hermione said, "Such beautiful, soft hands, but your nails are a mess!"
"At least I'm not biting them!" I said with a smile taking my hand away from her grasp, "We're getting them done today, so you don't need to worry much longer."