Save us from the Time of Trial

The next few days were worrying for everyone in Grimmuald Place. The trials were coming up and everyone was on edge. Hermione and Percy were pouring through books on Wizarding Laws and Wizengamot proceedings, Fred and George, in between working at their shop, were trying to keep everyone's spirits up., Bill and Charlie were becoming more nervous by the day and Arthur was pensive. Harry was being prepared by his family for the trials. Daphne would help him relax, whilst Neville, Tracey, Tonks and Remus would prepare him physically and mentally. It soon came to pass that the trials were upon them.

On that morning, Harry woke up early to Hedwig's hooting. He groaned as he stood up, his bones creaking and his mind trying to get into gear for the day. He walked down into the kitchen to find Tonks, Percy and Hermione sleeping and the others reading or nursing steaming mugs of coffee. Kreacher trundled up and got harry to sit.

"Master Harry must eat up for big day" he croaked. Harry nodded and ate what Kreacher had set before him. Harry gazed around the room and chuckled when he saw the snoring trio of Tonks, whose hair was going through a range of colours, Percy, whose glasses were askew, and Hermione, much to Crookshanks' dismay.

"Late night was it?" said Harry to George.

"Yeah" said George. "Apparently, Crookshanks found them in the study this morning pouring through copious amounts of books".

"They were still researching about today's proceedings" added Fred.

"In true Hermione" said Bill.

"and Percy" added Charlie.

"STYLE!" chimed the four conscious Weasley sons. Harry shook his head and creeping over to the sleepers, he moved silently to Tonks and gently shook her awake.

"Dora, Dora, time to get up" he said gently. Tonks just groaned.

"Five more minutes, Mum, just five more" she groaned. George and Fred just sniggered.

"Wake her up the Maurauders' way, Prongslett" said Remus nonchalantly. Harry grinned a mischievous grin.

"Excellent idea, Mooney old boy" he said and with that, Harry waved his wand a whispered 'Aguamenti' and a jet of water shot out, drenching Hermione, Tonks and Percy in water, waking them up.

"Who left the tap running?" murmured Percy, adjusting his glasses. Hermione was not amused and glared at the twins.

"Hey! Don't look at us!" cried Fred indignantly.

"We're innocent" added George. Remus, Charlie, Bill and Arthur chuckled and Harry choked.

"Something funny, Harry?" said Tonks, eyebrow raised. Harry was about to speak when Andromeda came in.

"Accident with the shower, Nymphadora, dear?" she chuckled. Harry and Remus lost it and burst into peals of laughter when Tonk's expression turned darker.

"Dora's been pranked by Prongslett and Mooney, Aunt Andi" choked Harry. Tonks turned red.

"Why you little..." growled Hermione and Tonks.

"RUN!" cried Remus to Harry. Harry didn't need telling twice and shot out of the kitchen being chased by the disgruntle girls.

"YOU LOVE ME, REALLY!" he cried as he tried to hide from Tonks and Hermione.

After a while, they all left for the ministry where they were greeted by the Bones', Longbottoms, Davis' and Zabinis.

"Hi all" beamed Blaze, who was clad in emerald coloured robes. "Daphne and her clan are running a bit late".

"That's fine, Blaze old boy" smiled Harry, but stopped when he was greeted by Tracey and Susan flying into his arms. "Ooof! Not again!" he muttered. "If this keeps happening, I'll resemble a set of deflated bagpipes!" Neville, Blaize and the Weasleys howled with laughter, whilst the others giggled.

"Hi Harry" muttered the two girls in Harry's chest.

"You're going to be the death of me" he muttered affectionately. The girls looked up and batted their eyelids innocently. Harry sighed and returned their fond embraces.

"Whipped" said Neville and Blaize, miming a whip.

"Ah, Harrykins..." began Fred.

"Me think..." said George.

"You are a ladies man!" they ended, grinning maniacally.

"Ah shush!" said the two girls as they released Harry, only for to be filled with another weight in his chest. He grinned when he saw who it was.

"Hello Daphne" he smiled. Said girl raised her sapphire eyes to his emeralds and kissed him.

"Hello, lover of mine" she smiled. Harry gave her a lop sided grin and kissed her again, when they were interrupted by Astoria tapping her foot impatiently and Tim and Rupert howling with laughter and Tonks metamorphing into an impression of a crab from a muggle movie she had seen.

"You gotta bat your eyes like dis" she said fluttering her eye lids and then making kissing impressions: "then you pukker up your lips..." but her mother covered her face when she saw Harry's face.

"I should never had let your father taken you to see that wretched movie" she groaned.

"What was Tonks talking about?" asked Astoria innocently.

"I'll tell you in a few years" said Harry. Astoria groaned.

"Good answer, Harry" remarked Rupert winking. Amelia, Marie and Elanor chuckled. Just then, Alastor Moody came up with the Minister.

"My Lords and ladies, if you'd care to follow me" said Fudge sombrely.

"Not particularly" muttered Harry to Daphne. "But heigh-ho, here we go". Daphne stifled a chuckle as the whole entourage were led into the courtroom.

Harry and the other member of the Council of Seven sat in their usual place and await the commencement of the trial. They all had their wands out just in case of emergencies. Just then, an official looking clerk stood and called everyone to silence.

"This meeting of the Wizengamot is opened. This is the trial of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Molly Anne, Ronald Bilius and Ginevra Molly, formely Weasley, detained and accused of crimes against Lord Harry James of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter, Peverell, Black, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Corneilius Oswald Fudge as Judge, Lord Neville Francis Longbottom for the Prosecution, Lady Augusta Longbottom as scribe. Bring in the accused!" With that the doors were opened and in came four figures, all bound in chains, all flanked by aurors. They were put in chairs and shackled down by magical chains. All were wearing varying expressions of sock and anger.

"How do you plead to these accusations?" said the minister.

"Not guilty" came the unison reply.

"Duly noted" said the minister. "Madame Bones, please administer Veritaserum". , Amelia signalled her Aurors to administer Veritaserum to Dumbledore first.

"Name?"

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore"

"Date of Birth?"

"1886, 20th May...a Tuesday, I believe..." Everyone groaned.

"Did you intentionally ignore the will of James and Lily, the Lord and Lady Potter?"

"I did".

"Did you kidnap Lily Davis from Saint Mungo's hospital when she was a baby, resulting in her being raised as a muggleborn?"

"I did".

"Did you place the son of Lily and James with a Mr and Mrs Dursley of 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, in full knowledge that they were of no relation to him?"

"I did". There were murmurs in the court, only to be stopped by Fudge banging his gavel to silence. He signalled Amelia to continue.

"May I enquire as to why?"

"For the Greater Good" came the reply, only to receive uproar.

"Oh, Dash it all!"

"Get on with it!" roared the minister.

"Elaborate, please, Dumbledore".

"He would come to me, meek and weak, ignorant of the Wizarding World and his true heritage. He would have been the perfect weapon to be used against Voldemort. When Harry defeated him, I'd kill Harry and declare myself 'Saviour of the World'". To say that people were horrified was an understatement. Neville stood up.

"You were aware of the abuse he suffered?" he asked coldly. Silence. "Answer the question!"

"Yes, I was aware and I endorsed it". Immediately there was a roar of anger from a vast majority of the courtroom, until Lady Longbottom blasted noises from her wand.

"One further question, did you set up the marriage contract between Lord Potter and Ginervra Molly, formerly of the House of Weasley, despite the fact that Lord Potter is involved with a Soul Bond with Lady Daphne of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass?"

"I did. He must marry a light family and the Greengrasses are merely Neutral. The Potters were neutral, much to my disgust. It is almost as bad a being dark". That was the wrong thing to say as Amelia punched him in the face. Harry, Daphne, Tracey and Susan were trying to keep calm, Blaize was silent, whilst the other members of the Potter entourage were trying not to burst.

Molly was next to be questioned. She was loudly protesting about being here, but was silenced by a stunning spell and force fed Veriteserum. Neville started his questioning.

"Name?"

"Molly Anne No-name"

"Date of Birth?"

"12th May, 1954" Arthur gulped as he knew that day only too well as a day he would rue for his life.

"Did you aid Albus Dumbledore in the treatment of Harry James, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter?"

"Yes". At this Tracey, Susan and Blaize began to growl. Neville contined.

"In what way did you assist in this crime?"

"I had drilled it into my daughter, Ginervra, that she would marry Harry. I brewed up Amortentia keyed to her so he could fall in love with her and join our big Happy family." Tracey stood next and glared at Molly.

"May we ask why you did this to my cousin?" Molly sang like a bird.

"We knew of the contract between the Potters and the Greengrasses, but Albus said that Ginny looked more like Lily, so he created a contract between them and signed it. Harry would not find out until his death that we would get all his money and property".

"In full knowledge that this would destroy the life of Harry and Daphne is they completed your bogus contract?"

"Yes" There was more uproar. Daphne was losing control as Harry tries to keep her calm as well as herself.

"You also had Scion Percival Ignatius of the House of Weasley under the Imperious Curse, an unforgivable, may I courteously remind the court?" remarked Neville. Nods came from everyone. "Why did you subject Scion Weasley to this heinous act?"

"Because he found out about our plans and was going to inform Harry, so we cursed him to be distant from family and friend alike."

"Why did you steal from the Potter trust vault?"

"We were poor and needed funds". Harry stood.

"That is no excuse, madam!" he roared. Murmurs of agreement came. "Theft is not acceptable. You have embarrassed my house as well as the House of Weasley. Shame on you!"

"Hear, Hear!" cried the other members of the council of seven. The minister spoke up.

"ORDER!" silence came. "Bear with us, Lord Potter, we shall have due retribution in time". Harry sat down and let Neville continue.

"Any further information?"

"Ginervra wanted to be engaged to him so that when he dies fighting the Dark Lord, we get his cash, Ronald got to be Prefect, Head Boy and captain of Gryffindor Quidditch Team, as promise by the Albus, which were not his to grant". The Veritaserum wore off and Molly was immediately silence by Shacklebolt, glaring all the time.

"I propose that that we do the next two defendants together, Minster" remarked Amelia.

"Quite right, Madame Bones, you know the drill". They repeated the same process with the two traitorous teenagers.

"Name"

"Ronald Bilius No-name".

"Ginervra Molly No-name".

"Give us a reason why you perpetrated these crimes." Ronald was first.

"Potter gets everything, money, fans and fame. I was envious of him at school. I knew he had a bad life, but I wanted to rub it in to him. Mum had been teaching my sister about Harry. He should be with Ginny and that Greengrass bitch, soul bond or no soul bond. Ginny wants to be engaged to him so that when he dies fighting the Dark Lord, we get his cash, I get to be Prefect, Head Boy and captain of Gryffindor Quidditch Team, as promise by the Headmaster. End of". Ginny spoke next.

"Mum told me that I looked a lot like Lily and Harry was like James. Like Mum, I felt that Harry was for me and me alone, so Ron and I shooed away others who wanted to be friendly to Harry. He doesn't belong to that Slytherin whore Greengrass. He belongs to me! I would take his money when he died fighting the Dark Lord or when Proffessor Dumbledore did and I'd become rich!" Harry glared.

"She has an Oedipus complex, I'm telling you" muttered Lady Augusta to the minister, who nodded. Daphne stood and asked:

"Why do it? What was the use of this...this fallacy?" the reply us unified.

"It is for the Greater Good".

"Huh!" scoffed Tracey. "Greater good, my Aunt Lily!" Fudge then shot up some sparks into the air.

"Verdicts please. Not Guilty?" Silence. "Guilty?" The reply was unanimous.

"GUILTY!" The gavel was sounded and all sat to attention. All turned to Harry.

"My Lord, you as the injured party, must pass sentence" said the minister. Harry inaudibly gulped and glared at the four guilty.

"I cannot find it within my heart to kill you here and now" he began. The prisoners looked like they were wetting themselves. "However, you have defiled my house, my family and the memories of my parents. I therefore, in the name of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, ergo the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Black, Peverell, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, I sentence you to have your magic boud for eternity and to receive the Dementor's Kiss. May God have mercy on your souls. This I have decreed, so mote it be".

"SO MOTE IT BE!" cried the assembly, but before anyone could move, Dumbledore had stood and wandlessly shot a curse at Harry.

"You must die for the greater good!" he chanted. "Avada..."

"HARRY, LOOK OUT" cried Daphne. Harry jumped and swung past the curse. The sword of Gryffindor appeared and Harry swung it and sliced the head of the disgraced wizard. Harry glared at the now deceased body and shook as it disintegrated. The other three were dragged kicking and screaming to Azkaban to await their fate.

"This session is concluded" said Minister Fudge banging the gavel. Harry made a quick escape to his chambers, followed by a concerned Daphne. The others were left there pondering the events of the day.

"Well, I think he's had it" concluded Tracey. The others could only nod in agreement.