"How is it all my fault?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Well not all your fault, Daphne's too" Cyrus answered.
"Me? What did I do?" Daphne was equally puzzled.
"Well, apparently all of his problems have been caused by you two" Cyrus reasoned "Which is why he did what he did. He said he just snapped and blacked out, didn't know what come over him. Said the next thing he remembered was waking up in a cell missing his arm."
"And the Wizengamot believed that? That somehow two 13 year olds caused Lucius Malfoy so much trouble in his personal and business affairs that it caused him to have a mental break. Some sort of psychotic episode? And that is why he attacked and tried to permanently disfigure and maim us?" Harry was getting worked up now which had his healer, Andromeda Tonks quickly by his bed side
"Mister Potter, if you don't calm down you will need to be taking another calming draught" she warned him.
Harry leaned back against his pillow and stared at Andi "See, relaxed" he said.
She was not convinced but walked away anyway.
"I am surprised he didn't just trot out the old 'I was under the imperius curse' excuse again" Daphne said with bitterness in her voice "The corrupt old bastards bought that last time. Or more accurately he bought the corrupt old bastards on the Wizengamot."
"Yes, he was at his slippery best blaming you two for everything whilst not admitting to anything himself. No premeditation on his part, just the stress caused him to do what he did." Cyrus agreed "And they were all nodding along in agreement. He has this way of lulling an audience into a kind of trance."
Harry could believe it, he had experienced it first-hand how the wizarding community revelled in their ignorance, happy to believe whatever the leaders of the day told them.
"That was until Amelia stood up and started questioning everything he had just said" Cyrus continued "Bones can be very persistent and unsettling when she is interrogating someone."
Both Harry and Daphne nodded, they had been on the receiving end of that not too long ago.
"She questioned his claim that the attack wasn't premeditated. It appears that during the course of her investigation she had uncovered an elaborate plan for him to completely disappear. Forever. Businesses had been transferred to be under the control of Narcissa, and she had been given complete access to the family vaults in Gringotts, which is unheard of in a family like that." Cyrus concluded "He of course denied everything, but declined the offer to take veritaserum to prove his innocence."
"So, attacking us was going to be his last act before disappearing?" Daphne asked looking down at her hand. The healers had been able to counter the curse thanks to Dobby providing details of what Malfoy had cast. That had stopped the curse spreading, but it was not healing, her entire left hand and wrist were still stone. The healers said to give it time, let her own magic have time start the healing process. The logical part of her brain understood all that, but still…
"It appears so. Makes sense really given the expected backlash, not just attacking you two, but purposely trying to maim. The prior incantato Amelia ran on his wand in the court room revealed as much, and shocked the moderate faction as to the ferocity and darkness of the curses he cast at two children." Cyrus said angrily, looking at his children. If Lucius gets off, he will kill the man himself and dare the Wizengamot to convict him. Wars had been fought over less in the past.
He went and hugged Daphne then Harry "I have to get back, closing arguments then we decide. I don't want to leave Sirius alone too long. He has been walking around growling at Malfoy's supporters that 'Justice will be served, one way or another'".
As he was leaving, Andi came back over with the calming draught "Enough excitement for now Mister Potter, drink this" she commanded leaving no room for argument.
"Twenty years" he told them grimly later that day "High security" he added. That meant dementors in the corridors outside the cells. It was practically a death sentence, a long slow death sentence. Cyrus could not find any pity in his heart for the man.
Daphne and Harry did not say anything, the magnitude of the sentence was sobering.
"It was a close vote, but a clear majority. It appears Lucius was right about his supporters abandoning him."
"Good news, you two go back to school on Monday. Healer Tonks tells me you are both fit and well." Roxanne said as she hugged Harry then Daphne.
While that was technically true, she couldn't help but look at the damage wrought by Malfoy.
Daphne's hand was still stone and had shown no sign of healing. But she had faith in the healers, they believed time and her magic would heal it.
Harry on the other hand…
"School?" Daphne queried "But what about…" she glanced meaningfully at Harry.
"At least I won't have to worry about girls chasing after me" Harry said with a bitter laugh, catching the direction of her glance.
Harry's face had not healed, they had been unable to find a counter curse, none had ever seen anything like it. The healers had viewed both Harry and Daphne's memories trying to see the incantation Malfoy used to no avail. The whole left side of Harry's face resembled what could only be described as a burnt piece of wood, the sort you would find in a fire that had burnt all the way down. His skin was a dusty ash grey, cracked into irregular shapes. The cracks were deep and were a pale red in their depths. Except, every time he got excited, or upset, or angry, the pale red erupted into small flames that flared bright green in the depths of the cracks up to the surface of the skin. The healers explained that it was his magic flaring, and in no way was any danger to himself or anything around him. So my pillows are safe? he had asked them sarcastically.
"Idiot, they wouldn't chase you anyway. Remember you are an evil dark lord or whatever they are calling you this week" Daphne chided him. The papers had been kept from them while they were healing so as to avoid causing any more stress, apparently the reports of the trial included all the grisly details of dark spells and lost limbs.
"Well actually" Cyrus started "You better look at this" he passed them a todays days Daily Prophet.
"Hogwarts Heroes Triumph over the Forces of Evil" was the headline.
The story that followed over the next five pages was a weird mix of adventure story and gossip column. Written by Gilderoy Lockhart and Rita Skeeter.
It was a rollicking tale of monsters and mystery, daring and desperation, bravery and bullying, romance and revenge.
A story in which our young heroes, lifelong friends and budding couple, battle the forces of evil arrayed against them.
With only their wits, their bravery, their magic, and their belief in each other to see them through their ordeal, only to emerge victorious and vindicated.
The monster defeated, the student saved, the scheming headmaster neutralized, and the evil lord imprisoned.
It was unlike any story that had ever been printed in the Daily Prophet.
The format was a series of moving photos, taken from memories, showing an action sequence from the story. These were all aligned on the left side of the page taking up half the width. Beside each of the photos was a story within itself, detailing a chapter in the saga.
[Photo: Pansy Parkinson laying in the corridor petrified with Draco Malfoy weeping over her prone body]
The chapter detailed the attacks on students and the terror and anguish the attacks caused. Students too scared to walk the halls alone.
[Photo: Harry standing over a petrified Albus Dumbledore]
The next chapter was all about how the Headmaster had been unable to stop the attacks and had fallen victim himself. And how Harry had only just missed saving the day by seconds.
[Photo: Ronald Weasley pointing his wand at a defiant and unafraid Harry Potter while accusing him of being a dark lord]
This chapter was all about how the entire school, as well as most of the magical community, had slandered of our heroes because of the gifts and talents they were born with and had developed over years of dedicated training (although omitting that it was the Daily Prophet doing most of the slandering)
[Photo: "It's a basilisk" moment of realisation for Hermione Granger surrounded by books in the restricted section of the library]
This chapter was interesting in that it detailed the investigation by long time friend, and one of the smartest witches of her age, Hermione Granger (ably assisted by author Gilderoy Lockhart), but failed to mention that it was out of sequence and totally irrelevant to the outcome. It also only discussed the more heroic aspects of Lockhart's investigation, no mention of him fleeing the forbidden forest in terror.
Harry decided Lockhart threw this chapter in because he couldn't bear to be out of the spotlight for so too long.
He wondered where the memory came from if Hermione was alone in the library. There was no way she would have shared her story with anyone but their immediate circle of friends.
[Photo: Harry Potter and Gilderoy Lockhart stare down Lucius Malfoy and Delores Umbridge]
This chapter introduces the evil Lord Malfoy and his attempted interference in Hogwarts and the investigation. Luckily it was stymied by the quick thinking and action of our heroes.
Harry was sure this was another Lockhart chapter as there was no mention of the brilliant performance by Tonks.
[Photo: Daphne and Harry running through the deserted corridors of Hogwarts with magic flowing off them]
The mad race against time through the castle to save the captured student.
This must have been from the start of the run, no way was Lockhart was able to keep up after the first flight of stairs.
[Photo: Lockhart's brave stand against the basilisk]
This chapter described how Lockhart had bravely faced down the basilisk only to be petrified.
Now Harry was really suspicious about some of these pictures of so-called memories as the pictures bore no resemblance to what actually happened.
Was Lockhart's imagination that good that he could construct realistic memories on demand?
[Photo: Harry summoning Fawkes who takes a weak and feeble Dumbledore away in a flash of fire]
The chapter focused on the headmaster being overwhelmed and collapsing, saved by Harry.
Probably one of Dumbledore's memories. Harry liked this one, the summoning of Fawkes and Fawkes disappearing in a flash of flame with Dumbledore made for a great picture.
[Photo: Harry slaying the basilisk, with the final shot being Daphne and Harry standing next to the dead basilisk]
The final showdown in the chamber with Daphne saving both Gilderoy and the poor student who was taken.
Harry slaying Slytherin's monster, making the school safe again for his fellow students.
[The last photo showed Lucius Malfoy in his cell at Azkaban. His usually sleek hair looked greasy and matted. He was ranting and raving, threatening to kill Harry and Daphne. He was waving his arms around, with the missing hand clearly visible]
The caption read "20 Years"
"What a load of rubbish" Harry said tossing the paper onto the bed "Ninety percent of this is made up. And those pictures are a figment of Lockhart's imagination, literally"
"The one of you and Daphne is nice" Roxanne said. "This version looks even more dramatic than the first time it was published"
"It says here that Lockhart will be releasing a full-length book about this adventure over the summer" Daphne said "This was just a teaser piece"
"If this edition of the Daily Prophet is anything to go by, it will a best seller" Roxanne said "They have had to do another print run, the first one sold out in the first hour."
"Lockhart will have to give you two a large slice of the royalties" Cyrus pointed out "You will be a rich, famous hero, Harry, you will be fighting the girls off" he said laughing before seeing the look on Harry's face. Daphne growled her displeasure, and Roxanne punched his arm. "Yes, well, anyway. You two can come home for the weekend and return to Hogwarts on Monday"
"Potter, Croaker tells me you are down on yourself about getting hit by Malfoy" a gravelly voice from behind Harry had him leaping up from his rock he was sitting on and spinning with wand in hand, a spell ready to go. Moody. Great thought Harry, just what he needed. Harry just wanted to be left alone and had been sitting on his favourite rock looking out over the ocean.
"Nice reflexes Potter" Moody said.
"Not that they did me any good" Harry said pointing to his face.
Moody just laughed. "Do you know how many people have faced Malfoy in a fight and lived? Potter. You don't get to be in Voldemort's inner circle by being average with a wand. Malfoy is an extremely talented wizard, and I hear he jumped you from behind."
Harry nodded
"The fact that you are still here is something to be extremely proud of. Sure, you got a scar or two, but you will end up with a damn sight more before this is over. But did you learn anything?"
Harry had been replaying the fight in his head almost continuously every spare moment since it happened.
He still could not face viewing a memory of it, he felt like he had let Daphne and himself down with his performance.
"Well, like you said, he jumped us from behind." Harry replied going over it in his head again "That gave him the upper hand immediately, and having got that advantage he didn't let up. He is extremely fast with a wand, but his accuracy was a bit off."
"And what about the spells he was casting at you?" Moody asked
"They were all non-verbal spells that could be cast quickly. And they were nasty spells. I have to admit it was very unnerving seeing some of them flying towards me, especially from someone who actually meant it" Harry was a bit embarrassed to say that.
"But none of them would be fatal if they hit you?" Moody asked
"No, I realised that after the shock wore off" Harry said "That is when I tried to get my other wand out. I didn't want to try wandless against such an onslaught. I was hard up against the rocks so I couldn't make any space. That is why I got hit."
"What if he had been firing killing curses at you?" Moody pushed.
"Then it would have been all over" Harry replied simply.
"Aye, if he had hit it would have" Moody's solemn reply
"No, you misunderstand" Harry said "The incantation for a killing curse takes so long to articulate, I would have been long gone by the time he got it out, and by then Daphne would have cropped his acorns"
Moody roared out a laugh. "Aye, she would have at that" He turned around and headed back towards the manor "They have banned me from fighting you until you are fully healed, but would you like to learn a spell or two?"
Harry didn't need a second invite, talking to the old auror had lightened his burden somewhat.
Harry was staring at his face in the hall mirror, he was not vain, but having one side of his face different to the other upset his sense of symmetry.
"Trying to find your best side for your publicity picture?" Daphne stood there watching him.
He turned to face her, after having just stared at his own ruined face he was in awe of her beauty. She walked up to him holding out her hand, he took it in his, the feeling of stone was still a shock to him, he could only imagine how she felt. She pulled him into a hug. Harry buried his face in her hair, which got the little green flames on his face flaring.
"Ready to go?" she said "Hogwarts awaits"
"Yes, time to get it over with" he sighed.
Just then Toby popped into view "Sorry for being so rude as to pop in like that Master Harry. But there is someone here with a business proposition for you. He was very insistent" Toby said with a twinkle in his eye.
"He said his name is Dobby"