Chapter 3: The Reckoning of Mrs. Dursley
Harry pulled at his sleeves nervously before he received a smack on the knuckles.
"Sorry Aunt Petunia." he muttered.
"They are fine Harry." Petunia said sternly. The woman was dressed in stylish dress robes, the latest fashion in fact, in a navy colour. Harry was still a bit shocked by the memory of his aunt standing in Madam Malkin's shop debating colour swatches and cuts with the witch. They even exchanged addresses! Petunia spent the entire trip home lauding the woman's taste. "and as long as you stop playing with them." she smacked his hand again as he headed for freshly cut hair "and your hair! you will look as presentable as I know you can be." she finished with a huff. Harry regretted showing her the photos of him from Yule Ball. She had a new understanding of how dressed up he could be.
"Sorry." Harry repeated. The courtroom door suddenly opened and Harry brought his hand to his mouth which Petunia smacked at again.
"Harry James Potter?" a voice called. Petunia gave him an appraising nod before she gave him a slight push in the center of the back and followed slightly behind him.
"Present." Harry said firmer than he felt. Then he blinked. The entire wizengamot was present, even the upper ring with their ominous red robes. Harry scanned the room then stopped. Amelia Bones caught his eye and gave him a stern but approving look and Harry eased up a bit. He knew he could count on Mrs. Bones. She'd managed to get the Ministry to pay out huge settlements to the families most affected by the ministry using Dementors near Hogwarts. He knew she would be on his side. Then he looked up at the central podium and his eyebrows rose in shock. Cornelius himself was the presiding judge? He didn't even know that was something the Minister could do.
"Madame this is a private hearing." Fudge said, giving Petunia a confused frown. Petunia's scolding frown was venomous
"I beg your pardon?" she demanded. "My nephew is 15 years old. You cannot expect him to sit here on his own! Where is his legal council?"
"One shall be provided for him. Kindly sit-"
"I think not." Petunia said as she put her matching clutch on the armrest of Harry's chair, and stiffened her posture.
"Madame-"
"I will remain here until his legal cousin arrives. Please continue.'' There was a moment of silence in which Fudge tried and failed to frighten Petunia with a frown, Amelia Bones smirked in satisfaction and a few Wizengamot members gave each other looks ranging from impressed to shocked.
"Very well." Fudge finished in defeat. Then he shuffled a few papers on the podium and cleared his throat. "disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August, into offences committed by Harry James Potter resident at number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey." the man droned. "Interrogators Cornelius Oswald Fudge," he began. Petunia narrowed her eyes at that but made no comment.
"Witness for the defence!" a voice suddenly cut through. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." the headmaster said before he came up beside Harry's chair. Petunia huffed in frustration.
"Well you took your time didn't you Dumbledore." Petunia complained. "I was afraid I'd have to defend him myself."
"Pardon my lateness madame. There was a mix-up with the times." Dumbledore said, giving Petunia a cheery smile before he looked up at the Wizengamot smile still in place "The courtroom as well. Though by a stroke of great luck I managed to arrive at the Ministry three and a half hours ahead of schedule."
"Yes… right." Cornelius said before he eyed Petunia with a renewed sense of fear. This woman spoke to Dumbledore as though she had summoned him in service of her nephew. But surely Dumbledore must have done so of his own machinations. But the woman retrieved her clutch and moved to the viewing gallery.
"What are the charges?" Dumbledore asked as he conjured a chair with a large purple cushion and perched on it expectantly. The ministry sniffed and looked at his papers again.
"The charges against the accused are as follows: that he did knowingly and in full awareness of the law perform magic outside of school.'' Cornelius said before he looked down at Harry sternly. "Do you deny these charges?"
"No, but-" Harry began.
"And were you aware of the reasonable restrictions regarding unaged magic?" Cornelius cut him off.
"Yes but-" Harry tried to explain.
"As you can clearly see-" Cornelius began with a smug grin on his face.
"I only did it because of the Dementors!" Harry snapped in frustration. The whole court began muttering in confusion before Amelia stood.
"Dementors?" she demanded, "in Little Whinging?"
"Yes. two of them." Harry confirmed.
"How clever." Cornelius said with a sniff. "Muggles can't see Dementors, so unless you happened to have a wizard as a witness then your story is unsubstantiated."
"As it happens Cornelius.'' Albus began with a smile making the man freeze and stare at him. "We have a wizard witness."
"I beg your pardon?" Cornelius demanded. Albus smiled before he gestured to the door. And who should step through but Sirius. The whole court shifted in their seat nervously as Sirius approached Harry's chair and gave his nephew a wink. Then he looked at Cornelius with an unimpressed frown.
"Mr. Black." the minister said slowly. "I hardly think he is credible-"
"I'll remind you, minister!" Black shouted over him. "That you still stand there because I didn't feel like suing you out of your office. And before you say I'm bluffing, I'll remind you that I'm the third richest man in the country, and I can damn well do whatever I want with that money. Including entering ruinously expensive legal proceedings." Sirius finished with a smug grin. Cornelius scowled before he huffed.
"You will need to agree to submit to a full dosing of Veritaserum."
"Gladly." Sirius said with a smile making the minister scowl. Sirius gave Harry a look and titled his towards Petunia. Harry rose and went to his aunt as Sirius took his place on the chair. A man came forward with a small vial and Sirius stuck out his tongue. After three drops he shuddered a bit before he began shaking his head like he had water in his ears. Then his head tilted back making him look drunk. Once this was done a seemingly random member of the Wizengamot stood up.
"Are you Sirius Orion Black?" he asked flatly.
"Yes." Sirius responded just as dulled. Harry frowned. He sounded so weird.
"Born November 3, 1959?" the man asked for confirmation
"Yes." Sirius confirmed
"On July 17th, 1994 you witnessed 2 Dementors in Little Whinging, Surrey?" the man asked
"Yes." Sirius responded robotically. The whole room began whispering then.
"What time?" the man asked
"Almost sunset." Sirius said.
"Is it possible they were not Dementors?" the man asked.
"No." Sirius insisted. "things got cold. They grabbed at me. Made me hear things."
"What things?" the man asked
"Mother shouting. Peter laughed. Voldemort." Sirius muttered as his eyes got all glassy. The man nodded before he nodded to the man who was holding the vial. He stepped forward and forced Sirius to gulp down another vial. After a few seconds, the man groaned and gripped his head.
"That stuff has to give the worst hangover."
"Thank you, Mr. Black." Cornelius said with a glum pout. Then he sniffed and straightened up again. "Regardless of this confirmation Mr. Potter still used magic outside of school."
"He did it to save me you asshat." Sirius snarked. Cornelius went red in the face and opened his mouth to shout an angry retort but Albus rushed forward.
"Whatever the reason!" Albus said loudly "the law clearly states that in life or death situations even those under the age of seventeen may perform magic outside of Hogwarts."
"Law can be changed!" Cornelius snapped angrily.
"But as the law stands now. Mr. Harry Potter has done nothing but save his life and the life of his family." Dumbledore argued back with a smile still on his face but a steely glint in his eyes. "Furthermore. I find this whole proceeding strange. Since when has the entire Wizengamot been summoned for a case of underaged magic? And since when was a hearing passed over for an instant expulsion?" Petunia narrowed her eyes and stepped forward.
"Are you telling me that you sent that letter, and put my family under great stress against the law?" The woman demanded coldly. Cornelius looked a bit pale and shuffled his papers as he tried to stutter out an excuse.
"Amelia dear." Sirius said suddenly. "We'll be in touch in a bit? Misconduct this time."
"Certainly." Amelia drawled from the stands making several Wizengamot members flinch or pale. Cornelius went an ugly greenish-yellow before transitioning to red as he slammed his gavel a few times
"I will have order in my court!"
"Yes of course. My apologies Cornelius." Albus said with a smile. "Of course one question remains."
"What is that?" Cornelius said bitterly.
"Why who sent the Dementors of course." Albus said with his grandfatherly smile. "They should have been in Azkaban after all. Surrey is quite far indeed from their post."
"Hem hem." A voice suddenly cut through the conversation like a sickly sweet knife. Sirius's scowl was murderous as he eyed the woman in the second row with the curiously out-of-place pink broach on her robes. "Excuse me? So silly of me but it sounded as though you suspect someone in the Ministry sent the Dementors." She said with a smile that widened her mouth to make her seem very much like a toad. Dumbledore smiled up at her.
"Oh, never Madam Umbridge. And I'm sure once the ministry completes its extensive investigation into this whole mess the culprit will be discovered. Though I think you all know my thoughts on that particular matter."
"Quite." Cornelius spat warningly. Albus smiled again with a sweeping gaze.
"Well, you heard all the evidence. What is your verdict?" The wizened old wizard asked.
"All in favour of expelling Harry Potter?" Cornelius muttered. Six hands rose in the court, including Umbridge's while she smiled in that horribly sweet way. Sirius has to resist the urge to snarl at her.
"All those in favour of clearing all charges?" Every other hand in the room rose including Amelia who gave Harry her own much more reassuring smile. "Cleared of all charges." Cornelius muttered in disappointment before he slammed down his gavel. The court rose and began to file out Harry stood up and sighed in relief while Sirius gave him a pat on the back
"Liberating isn't it! So nice to keep the convict number in the family at one." Sirius said with his casual smile.
"Sirius!" Albus suddenly called from where he was talking with Amelia. His back was still to the pair "May I speak with you a moment?" The animagus scowled then huffed.
"Give me a minute." He muttered before he joined Dumbledore and Amelia's conversation. Petunia came forward and began to lead Harry for the courtroom.
"I hope that Amelia woman is a good lawyer. I want the Ministry to be well and truly cowed for this stunt." Petunia hissed venomously.
"She's brilliant." Harry assured her with a smile.
"Madame! Madame! Harry Potter!" A voice called as the pair approached the lifts. The man that rushed forwards was scrawny with lanky brown hair that was plastered to his forehead in a very straight fringe. "Riggly Pike ma'am, reporter for the Daily Prophet can I ask a few questions?"
"Can I ask you a question, Mr. Pike?" Petunia suddenly snapped "does the Daily Prophet have a lawyer the likes of Amelia-" Petunia paused and gave Harry a questioning look
"Bones." Harry supplied.
"Thank you. As I was saying: Can your lawyers beat Madam Bones in court?"
"I can't say we do ma'am…" the reporter said nervously. Petunia narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.
"Then I suggest you stop printing articles calling my nephew an attention-seeking traitor or I will send her after you with the strongest defamation suit money can buy." Petunia warned coldly. Then she straightened up again. "Your questions?" Pike was silent for a moment, frozen in blinking fear before he shook himself and looked down at his notebook again.
"Can I have your name for the record ma'am?"
"Petunia Roseline Dursley."
"You are Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived's Aunt correct?"
"That's correct." Petunia confirmed, rolling her eyes as the report used her nephew's ridiculous moniker.
"What are your thoughts about the hearing that happened this morning? It will be published along with the verdict once the reports are released to the presses."
"I think the whole thing was a sham." Petunia said with a scowl "and an obvious, and terribly clumsy, power play by the Minister. If you want my completely honest opinion, Mr. Pike, I predict that man will be out of office by the year's end. Mark my words."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Remember my warning Mr. Pike. Do tell your supervisors." Petunia gave one final warning before she turned both Harry and herself into the lift. Harry blinked before he turned to his aunt with an impressed smile. "What?"
"That was amazing Aunt Petunia." The woman smiled.
"Thank you Harry." She said. Then the lift slowed to the atrium. There a dozen more reporters with flashing cameras were waiting. Petunia tsked in frustration before smiling and leading Harry through the crowd. She was gracious before the pair of them made their way to the floo. Petunia took the strange potion Sirius had precisely for her to keep her impervious to the flames before she and Harry were whisked away to Diagon Alley.
"Can we go to Floresques?" Harry suddenly asked. Petunia paused then smiled.
"Well, I don't see why not. You do deserve to after that mess." She agreed. Diagon Alley was as overwhelming as it always was. Loud and crowded with shops and shoppers. As Petunia enjoyed her nice, simple, strawberry ice cream while Harry had pumpkin juice flavour Petunia watched the witches and wizards coming and going and sighed. How could she have been so foolish to scorn this place out of jealousy. She looked over at her nephew, with his strange orange and green ice cream, and his strange scar in this strange place and smiled.
"What?" Harry asked curiously "have I got some on my nose?"
"No, I was just thinking." Petunia said "do you think we could get some for Dudley? I know he's dieting but a small ice cream one hurt."
"I think there's fat-free options too." Harry said.
"Ah what? You got ice cream without me?" Sirius asked with a heartbroken pout. The pair jumped and Harry smiled.
"Sirius! Sorry about that. What did Dumbledore want anyway?" Harry asked cheerfully. Sirius grinned.
"Actually I have good news! Dumbledore wants to ask about an old property of mine and maybe using it as a base of operations so to speak. He was wondering if I could go and open it up. And I was thinking, maybe the two of us will go. I can set you up with a room. It will be just like I promised." Sirius said with a grin. Petunia felt her face fall while Harry's began to glow as he beamed up at his godfather. But after a moment she shook her head. She shouldn't be surprised or heartbroken. After everything, Harry had gone through.
"I'd love to, Sirius!" Harry cried. Then he frowned. "Oh but what about Dudley and Aunt Petunia?"
"Oh don't worry about us Harry." Petunia insisted. "We'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" Harry asked worriedly. The woman chuckled.
"Of course Harry. Go with your uncle. I can make my own way home."
"Alright!" Harry said before he stood up. "Come on Sirius!"
"Off we go!" Sirius shouted merrily before the pair walked off. Petunia watched them go with a sad smile before she went back into the shop for some ice cream. She had a feeling Dudley would be very thankful for it once she delivered the news.
A/N: writing petunia is the most fun I've had in a very long time. She's such a Karen. but the best kind of Karen. The only Karen I would let speak to my manager!
Ugly-Duckling123: I had thought about it. But in the end, I decided against making parallels. The full extent of the car crash will be explained eventually, but it doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. Vernon was an abusive dick who thought he could get anything he wanted by pushing weaker people around to get his way. Sadly, people like that rarely learn their lesson.
Rori Potter: As you can see Vernon's death changes a lot! Not only does Harry get some freedom, but so does Petunia! This story is going to evolve so much, and I'm really looking forward to it!
dianaanne: Yeah Marge is gone. And I'm all the gladder for it. She's only slightly less despicable than Umbridge in my eyes.
ILoveGeorgeEads: Thank you!
hope to see you again in the next chapter!
Be sure to stay hydrated, stay safe, wear a mask, get your shots, and stay home if you can!
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-TTC