Ronald Weasley and his wife, Hermione Granger-Weasley were pale faced and unable to form a coherent sentence. What had they done?
What had they done indeed.
Ron and Hermione had just apparated outside of their small home as they tried to process their best friend's innocence. Ron wanted to cry, he wanted someone to scream at him and call him an idiot for even having believed in Harry's guilt. How could he have believed that someone he considered a brother would murder, rape and torture his little sister. It was unbelievable and he still remembered that day very clearly.
Harry had disappeared for close to three hours and he had understandably gotten worried. He knew Harry had gone to talk to Ginny about to something. However, he had never mentioned where they were going to talk. He discussed it with Hermione and she had suggested going to find a teacher to help them in their search.
They went from the Gryffindor common room to the transfiguration classroom where they found McGonagall marking some essays. The transfiguration professor readily agreed to help them find Harry.
As they searched, the trio happened to stumble upon the room of requirement. Ron and Hermione shared looks and were able to open the room. They were not prepared for what they saw inside, it was a horrifying sight. They could not believe their eyes.
Ron had focused on the mutilated body of his little sister before he saw a sleeping Harry next to her. Rage overtook him and he shook his supposed friend awake. When Harry had woken up, he had seemed confused, but he had ignored that in his fury. The redhead had immediately come to the conclusion that his friend was guilty for his sister's condition, being the only one in the room with her before they came in.
He caught Hermione's eyes to see her staring in disgust at the dead body of Ginny Weasley and the seemingly very disoriented Harry. They had not even stopped to consider that Harry could be innocent and that oversight caused a disaster. Ron had remembered Harry trying to say that he had been stunned, that he had not touched a hair on Ginny's head and that he was innocent. Harry had endlessly tried to convince him, Hermione and McGonagall of his innocence, but they had not listened.
Ron had been furious at the betrayal and grieving because of the death of his little sister and he had classed Harry's ramblings as the weak defence of a guilty man. They had called the aurors, reported his supposed crime and handed Harry over to the Ministry.
After their discovery, Harry's acts had been revealed to whole school to explain his absence. The students had been mostly receptive to Harry's guilt and only a few were smart enough to question it. He had tried to ignore the uneasiness that came over him when he saw a triumphant little smile on Umbridge's face, too deep in his fury to question why she would be happy.
Then came the day of Harry's trial. Harry had been in a ministry holding cell for close to two weeks when his trial arrived. Ron had been convinced that his best friend was guilty and testified against him. Hermione and McGonagall had done the same.
Nobody seemed to question that Harry was treated like an adult, yet was denied the right to be interrogated under truth serum and to show pensive memories. On that day, almost seven years ago, Harry was found guilty and sentenced to life in Azkaban Prison.
Ron had never looked back and neither had Hermione. A year after Harry's trial, Minister Fudge was ousted as a death eater and Voldemort's return was finally believed. Ron had finished his schooling, started to date Hermione, entered the auror academy, became an auror, married Hermione and became the auror guard to the new Minister of Magic, Amos Diggory. Voldemort was still at large, but had thankfully not been able to control the government.
And today, a startling revelation had been made. Harry was innocent of all the charges brought against him. Ron had sentenced his best friend of five years to hell on earth and now, he was disgusted with himself and unable to think about what Harry had gone and was going through right now. He looked at his wife to see her wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"What have we done, Ron? We sentenced Harry to life in Azkaban and refused to believe his innocence. We believed him capable of murder, rape and torture. What is going to happen next?" Hermione said with a trembling voice.
Ron looked at his wife once again and had no idea what to say, but he spoke regardless
"We need to inform the Order and after that, I don't know either."
—
The war had been going on for close to eight years and Voldemort was still alive and kicking.
The Order of the Phoenix was sitting around the large table in the Kitchen of 12, Grimmauld place.
The group formed by Albus Dumbledore, who was present at the head of the table, was composed of Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Doge, Arabella Fig, Mundungus Fletcher, Alastor Moody, Severus Snape, Fleur Delacour, Hestia Jones, Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shackledbolt, Nymphadora Tonks, Augusta Longbottom, Arthur Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Molly Weasley, Emmeline Vance, Remus Lupin, a free Sirius Black and numerous other members including new recruits from Hogwarts.
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger-Weasley were at the Ministry. Neville Longbottom and The Weasley Twins were notoriously absent, having cut ties with anyone who had believed in Harry's guilt.
They were sat calmly at the table, eating dinner when two frazzled members burst in. It was Ron and Hermione. Their eyes were puffy, indicating signs of having cried recently, their faces were red and they seemed extremely troubled. Before Dumbledore could even greet them and ask what the problem was, Hermione burst into tears and Ron started to speak.
"We have just come from the Ministry. Our presence was required for the trial of Luna Lovegood. She had been accused of trying to free Harry Pot-"
With that declaration, the room exploded into chaos. Most members were expressing their disbelief and disgust at her actions. Dumbledore signed for them to stop speaking and he motioned for Ron to carry on.
"As I was saying, she had been accused of trying to free Harry Potter. She was interrogated and she admitted to her crime. She was found guilty and given a punishment. Her testimony was extremely compelling. Her reasons to free Harry Potter awoke the curiosity of the Minister. He reopened the case for Harr-"
Once again, the room was filled with disapproving murmurs. When it seemed that they were going to stop, Ron continued speaking.
"The case for Harry Potter was reopened. We, as a part of the Minister's team, went to Azkaban to question Harry Potter under Veritaserum."
An angry voice was heard when this was said.
"His guilt was evident, why would they feel the need to question that criminal for his part in my daughter's death?" Molly Weasley was indignant at the actions of the Minister. Many agreed with her statement, but they let Ronald speak.
"It is to say that we found some very interesting things. Harry Potter is innocent of all charges and had no part in Ginny's murder, rape and torture."
With this revelation, the kitchen truly erupted into chaos.
The reactions were mixed
Albus Dumbledore had a knowing look in his eyes. Certain members were ashen, others had tears in their eyes, some were angry at his oversight of justice, but Sirius Black's reaction was probably the most striking.
"What?" was all he said before he passed out and fell to the ground.
—
Harry Potter did not know how to feel.
Seven years ago, he had been condemned to life in Azkaban after being found guilty of the murder, rape and torture of Ginevra Weasley.
Today, he was being freed from Azkaban after being found innocent, multiple years later.
He had always been innocent and was not surprised to be wrongfully convicted with the state and the idiocy of the wizarding government at the time.
What had really hurt him was that his best friends had testified against him.
There were two days the boy-who-lived would never forget, those two days were the day of Ginny's death and the day of his trial. It would be forever stuck in his mind.
He had been knocked out in the room of requirement soon after entering. He had been shaken awake by a very angry Ron. When he saw Ginny's body, he understood his friend's reaction.
Until he realized that this hatred and disgust coming from Ron, Hermione and McGonagall was directed to him. They thought he had done it and this was like a stab in the heart, that his two close friends and head of house believed him capable of murder, rape and torture.
They handed him to ministry, knowing of the treatment he would receive. His trial came after and he would forever remember Fudge's triumphant smile as he was sent to Azkaban for life.
He had heard of Luna's attempt to free him and he would be truly grateful to her, Neville, the Weasley twins and the rest of the people who had believed in his innocence.
However, he would never forgive the people who had condemned him to Azkaban and the ones who had not even attempted to question his guilt. Harry was free and he was a changed man who was ready to fight.
—
In a tall manor situated in Wiltshire, a snakelike man received a newspaper from his snivelling servant.
As he read the headline, Voldemort issued a scream of rage that was heard from miles away.