"I have one more question for you. Did your uncle ever physically harm you?"
Harry's heart stops. He feels his chest contract. He is struggling to breathe. He feels something being pressed to his lips so he opens his mouth automatically. A liquid comes pouring in. He tries to swallow but can't; someone starts massaging his throat and the liquid goes down his throat.
He looks up and sees Severus watching him with concerned eyes. All of the eyes in the courtroom are on him. He starts to breath quickly again, he doesn't hear the Minister say that they are taking a recess or the crowd being herded out of the room.
Soon all that is left is Remus, Albus, the Minister, Kingsley and of course Severus and Harry.
Harry feels tears coming to his eyes. Severus picks Harry up and sets him on his lap.
"Child. Calm down, you are alright calm down. Breath for me my little lion. In and out. That's it. In and out. One more time you are doing good. In and out. That's it my cub. You are perfectly fine. They can't hurt you. I won't allow it."
"Harry. I am sorry my question caused this. I didn't mean for you to panic. I just need to know."
Harry buries himself closer to Severus. Severus looks up at the Minister. "I'm sorry. He panics any time we ask that. Is there any other way we can prove it to you?"
"Well, if you could give us a memory. We could do it that way as well." Kingsley cuts in.
Severus nods his thanks before turning his attention back to Harry. "How about that Harry? Are you willing to give the memory of the day we rescued you? It will help put your uncle behind bars."
Harry just whimpers. "Hey. Don't worry it won't hurt. I promise. All I need you to do is bring it to the front of your mind." Kingsley says softly.
Severus nudges Harry slightly away from him. "Don't worry. I am right here."
"I am here too pup." Remus says laying a hand on Harry's shoulder.
Harry nods ever-so-slightly. He closes his eyes and goes back to that day. He feels a wand being put on the side of his head and all of a sudden he can't remember that day at all.
Cornelius is the one that speaks up this time. "Thank you Harry. That was very brave of you. I will give you two a few more minutes and then I will call everyone back in."
Harry closes his eyes again and leans into Severus. "Don't worry it is almost over. With that memory the conviction will be quick."
Harry just takes a deep breath trying to keep himself calm. "I know. I knew he was going to ask that. Didn't stop me from hoping though."
"That's understandable. Are you okay now?"
"Yeah. I am. This is easier than I expected."
"It usually is." Severus says.
He sets Harry back down on the bench beside himself. He allows Harry to lean into him. "Are you ready?"
Harry nods. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Severus looks up at the Minister and nods, signally it was time to let everyone back in.
The doors open and the room fills as quickly as it emptied. Most are sending concerned looks towards Harry. If looks could kill Harry would be dead 100 times over from the look he was getting from Vernon.
Severus notices this and sends his famous glare at the muggle and watches in satisfaction as the man pales a great deal.
Before any other looks can be exchanged the Minister bangs his gavel down and calls for order.
"It has been decided that we will view a memory of the last time Harry was in the care of the Dursley's. That is to say, the day that he was picked up by Professor Snape. This memory is from Harry himself."
Cornelius nods towards Kinglsey, who with a flick of his wand had that memory showing in the middle of the courtroom. Harry buries his face in Severus's cloak and tries to ignore the sounds coming from it.
Vernon's color leaves his face when he sees a replay of what happened that day. Severus watches the first few moments of it but decides not to. He buries his face in Harry's hair, trying to calm himself and convince himself that he can't hex Dursley on the spot.
The memory ends when Harry falls unconscious, even though that isn't when Vernon stops.
Most of the audience is crying. Several are yelling at Vernon asking how he could do such a thing.
The Minister has to take a moment to compose himself.
"Taking everything into account. I have reached this verdict."
An/ I hope you all are staying well and I hope you continue to enjoy this story. it has come to my attention that the length of my stories is not appropriate and that I should be making them longer. I do apologize if you agree with this statement. I have been reviewing my chapters and making them longer, I did not do that to this one but the next chapter should be a substantial length. Again, I am sorry if you shared this feeling, I will try and do better.