a/n: I'll try to update this every day, but knowing me it may become every other day. Reviews are amazing and constructive criticism is great!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Looking down the corridor that led to the Department of Mysteries with Mr. Weasley at his side, Harry felt a strong sense of déjà vu. This was, he thought, very much like three years before. Of course, now was different. The trial he was going to today was not his own. Instead, it was the fates of two others that hung in the balance, and Harry was there to help them. The pair reached the staircase that led down to the courtrooms.

"I'm all right from here, Mr. Weasley," said Harry to the man at his side, "Thanks again for walking me down."

"It's Arthur, Harry, please," replied Mr. Weasley.

"Right, thanks, Arthur. You didn't need to drop your work for me."

"No, no, don't even think of it. It's my pleasure." Arthur peered at Harry. "Are you sure you want to do this, Harry? No one would fault you if you didn't, after everything they put you through."

"No. I have to do this. It isn't right that either of them go to prison for life, and anyway, there's evidence only I can provide."

Arthur nodded, satisfied with this answer. "Well then, I'm off. I'll be up in my office if you need me."

"Thanks again, Arthur, for everything." Harry gave him a meaningful look. It was clear to both men that he wasn't just speaking about the escort.

Arthur gave him a sad sort of smile. "It's no trouble at all Harry, none at all. You're like a son to us." With that, he turned and walked off down the hallway.

Harry watched him go, before turning to the doorway in front of him. he took a deep breath, and walked down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he found a crisply dressed young Auror waiting. The young man gave him a brisk nod and said, with a touch of pompousness that reminded Harry of how Percy used to be, "Right this way, Mr. Potter".

The man led him down the narrow hallway. Two more Aurors came out of a doorway ahead of them, holding a man between them and effectively dragging him. The man straightened himself out as they went, attempting to fall in step with his captors. "I can walk perfectly well myself, you know. You needn't go dragging me about like common lowlife. I'm hardly going to run at this point."

Harry hadn't recognized him at first, but the voice gave the man away. Lucius Malfoy's hair hung lank and unwashed around his face. Its blond was faded and streaked with grey. His once fine clothes hung around him in tatters. When he saw Harry, he sent him the typical look of disgust and loathing. "Come to gloat, have you, Potter?" he sneered.

"Hardly," Harry answered, with a level look, "I'm here to defend your sorry excuses for a wife and son".

A look of surprise seemed to cross Lucius's face, and Harry could have sworn he saw something change in the man's blue eyes. "Narcissa," he breathed, before being yanked forward by the pair of Aurors, down the hall and out of sight.

Shaken, Harry turned to his Auror guide. "What was his sentence?" he asked.

"Life in Azkaban." The young Auror puffed up with pride at his ability to be useful.

Harry wasn't too surprised at the sentence. The Ministry under Kingsley was cracking down on former Death Eaters. Unless substantial evidence in their defense could be given, all those with the Dark Mark were receiving life sentences. Despite there being this normalized response, all trials were still conducted in full. This was mostly due to Kingsley's guidance. Gone were the days when every trial began with a preconceived verdict and every witness was ignored. Prejudices were still there, but lawyers were allowed at all trials and the cases were listened to.

Another change was that now all trials were presided over by the Minister of Magic. Kingsley's schedule was booked nearly all day every day with trials, but even now, a month and a half into this system, the trials were still happening. Harry had been invited to testify at any trial he wished to, but had only gone to a few. He'd defended Stan Shunpike, telling of his firm belief that Stan had been under the Imperius Curse, and managing to clear the young man along with a few other Imperiused wizards. Only once had he testified against someone. He'd shown the court the scars on his hand and told the stories of Umbridge's questionable practices at school, helping to lead to her imprisonment.

Today's trial, however, was more complex than an unmarked youth believed to have been acting under a curse, or a horrid teacher using illegal punishments. The Malfoy trials were set to last the full day. Harry had come later, having no desire to take part in the trial of Lucius Malfoy. As far as he was concerned, Lucius deserved whatever punishment the Wizengamot gave.

"Come along this way, Mr. Potter," chirped the young Auror, "This is the room for witnesses to wait in. I'll come get you when you're called forward." He ushered Harry into a small, stone room lined with benches. Harry was unsurprised to find it empty. The Malfoys had not made any friends who could defend them. Harry sat down on a bench, ready to wait. "I'll be right outside if you need anything!" said the Auror, closing the door behind him as he left.

Around a half hour later, the door opened. Harry followed the Auror out and across the hall. From inside the court room he heard a voice say, "I now call forward the witness for the defense: Harry James Potter."

Harry walked into the room and took his place behind the newly added Witness Stand. It was a far cry from the old practice of chaining the witness into the same chairs as the accused. Harry looked around the room. Whispers of surprise could be heard all around. He recognized several of the Wizengamot members seated around the room from his own trial when he'd been fifteen, but many were new to him. Kingsley was seated at the front of the bunch, flanked by two women Harry didn't recognize.

In the center of the room, chained to a chair, sat Narcissa Malfoy. Much like her husband, she looked as though the pre-trial stay in Azkaban had not been kind to her. Still, her head was held high and Harry saw only a flicker of surprise at the mention of his name. He'd asked that his participation in the trial remain a secret, and the Malfoy's lawyer had complied. Harry hoped that he could avoid some of the media attention by waiting until after the trial for the reveal of his involvement.

The lawyer was a well-dressed wizard with a shrewd look on his face. Although the Malfoys had fallen from favor, they're fortune was intact, leaving them able to hire the best lawyer they could find. The man in question turned to Harry. "Please tell your story, Mr. Potter," he said.

"Sonorous," muttered Harry, tapping his throat, "Narcissa Malfoy saved my life." His voice reverberated around the room. "When I went into the forest during the Battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort cast Avada Kedavra on me. I collapsed. Voldemort asked Mrs. Malfoy to check that I was dead. She could tell that I was alive, but she didn't turn me in." Whispers filled the courtroom. Harry paused until they'd quieted.

"She asked me if her son was alive. I told her he was. She then turned to Voldemort and told him I was dead. He believed her and went on to parade my body around the castle. If Mrs. Malfoy had told him the truth, he'd have killed me, and our duel, if you can call it that, would never have occurred." The whispers grew louder. Everyone was probably thinking the same thing, Harry supposed. To them he had as good as given Narcissa Malfoy some of the credit for Voldemort's downfall, despite his belief that someone else could have finished the man off in the end.

Nearly an hour passed, full of questions and specifications, but eventually the Wizengamot seemed satisfied. Harry was sent back to the witness room to await the verdict. Another half hour passed before the young Auror re-entered the room. Harry was on his feet at once. "What did they say?" he demanded.

"She's on probation and under house arrest for the time being. They'll re-evaluate in a year's time," answered the Auror.

Harry sighed in relief. As much as he disliked Narcissa, he did feel that he owed her a debt, and he didn't believe she deserved Azkaban. Now he just had to wait for the younger Malfoy's trial. Once more, Harry was the only witness called forward. Draco was not as good as his mother at disguising his shock. It was written all over his face, but after a moment he managed to cover it.

Harry told of the many times Draco could have done something horrible and hadn't. He explained how Draco had begun to lower his wand on the Astronomy tower, and how he'd saved Harry's life at Malfoy Manor. He asserted his belief that Draco had been forced into taking the mark against his wishes, as punishment for his father's misdeeds. By the end of the night, Draco had been given the same charges as his mother.

As Harry ascended the staircase out of the courtrooms, he was joined by Kingsley Shacklebolt. "That was a very good testimony, Harry," said Kingsley, falling into step with him, "You're a good man to have done it. Many wouldn't have."

"Minister!" cried Harry, surprised, "I thought you'd be busy!"

"You can call me Kinsgley, Harry, this is a social talk, not a professional one. As for being busy, I need to head up to my office anyway, and I thought I'd walk with you."

Harry nodded. "How are you then, Kingsley?"

He laughed, "I've been better. These trials are never ending and there's still so much more to be done. Voldemort's actions will have repercussions for generations to come." He sighed. "How are you?"

"I've been better," said Harry with a faint smile.

"I'd imagine so. How are the Weasley's faring? I understand you're living with them."

"They're getting better, I s'pose. It's. . . still hard. George is a mess."

"I'm not surprised. The bond between twins is a strong one." By now they'd reached the lifts. They entered and the grills closed. A few levels up Kingsley stepped out. "This is my stop. It was nice speaking to you, Harry. Give the others my best."

Harry nodded. "I will. It was good talking to you too. Good luck with the rest of the trials and everything."

"Good luck to you too, Harry, in whatever happens next." The grills closed and the lift went up again, leaving Kingsley behind.