Gringotts. It was probably not the first place that a wizard wanted to be in the wee hours of the morning. It was definitely not the place that a young wizard, still pondering the death of his Godfather, needed to be. Despite his support system, in the forms of his bestfriends, the Weasley's, Remus, Tonks, and Dumbledore. Despite that, the presence of the Malfoys, Narcissa and Draco, put a damper on his spirits. Not that he really needed any help in that area. Between the calculating look given by the mother, Harry still had to contend with the smirking from Draco. It made him want to cross the room and strangle the blond boy.
It had already been a long night, full of tossing and turning. Add to that, it was a dark and dreary morning full of rain, bitter tea and stale biscuits. Really, it was an awful morning. Even the room where they had been left by a nondescript goblin was dark, dreary, and stuffy. Harry hated it. Having never been to the reading of a Will, he had not known what to expect. He hadn't truly found the inspiration to ask, and didn't have the heart to look for such motivation in the first place. He didn't even want to be here. And yet, ultimately, he found that he himself was the very cause of the reading.
In the short time since the battle, he hadn't had the proper time to consider the backlash of the passing of his Godfather. He had gone immediately from the battle to the Headmaster's office where he was immediately bombarded by with his fate. He had fumed, raged, and cried most of the night away, and still hadn't reached a place where he could comfortably say that he was okay. He had never truly faced a death that had affected him.
He had been too young in the matter of his parents. He had never known any of the extended family members of Dursley's, and even if he had, he doubted that his relatives would have allowed him to be around. They probably thought his being a freak would taint the ceremony. He had never been to a funeral. And, the only time he had stepped foot inside of a graveyard was when Voldemort decided he needed to come back to his body.
All in all, it was an unsettling experience for Harry Potter. Add to that, he was facing the Ministry again, shortly after this reading. He was ready to go back to Grimmauld Place and throw himself into his training. At least that was something that he was used to. At least his training was something that he had some inkling of control over.
His entire existence, for the most part, seemed to be largely out of his control. And when he did have control, fleeting moments to be certain, he was still not in control. He had always been in a position where he was responding to someone in control. From his first year with the troll, to the more recent attack on his person by Voldemort's thugs. The question was, he often wondered, was how to make it possible for him to be in control. The defeat of Voldemort was certainly an appealing, if extremely difficult, task.
Before he could get further with his line of thinking, he was interrupted by the gruff voice of a goblin. He hadn't even noticed that he had even entered. He had been too absorbed in his thoughts once again.
"Now that we are all gathered. We shall begin the reading of this Will immediately." The Goblin spoke. Whether speaking gruffly, or simply because of his nature, his words brooked no arguments. "Questions will be answered after the initial reading. Now, to begin."
Harry, having never been to a Will reading, let alone a magical one, did not know what to expect. When the goblin uncovered a large pensieve inscribed with an indiscernible number of runes, his breath caught. His mind blanked briefly, and the air that had been in his lungs burned in an attempt to be released. It was only Hermione grabbing his right hand that allowed him to finally breathe again. What had seemed an eternity, but had only actually been a few seconds, had done nothing for his composure. He didn't need to look to his bestfriend to see that she was concerned for him. He had never expected to actually hear the voice of his Godfather, and with his penchant for luck - or lack thereof - it appeared as if he would be doing far more.
HIs premonition served to be correct as the Goblin tapped a few of the runes. Simultaneously, the lights dimmed and the room appeared to be even quieter than before. And then Sirius appeared before him. It had clearly been a post-Azkaban Sirius. Though his face was still withdrawn and a bit haggard, there was a smile on his face and certain light in his eyes. He looked happy for once, and when he began to speak, there was a certain strength in his voice that belied the past twelve years of his existence.
"I, Sirius Orion Black, being of exceptional mind and quite the sexy body do hereby swear that this is my Last Will and Testament. Shut up Moony, I heard that!" Sirius began, the levity always a moment away from him. Harry spared a quick glance in the direction of the last remaining Marauder to see a look of longing on his face. Harry hadn't even really given thought to the fact that Remus had seemingly lost everything. Making a mental note, he continued to listen to the last words of his Godfather.
"Unfortunately for Old Walburga, I was never banished from the family. Therefore, the Black Family Fortune, my fortune, is to do with as I please as the Head of House. Firstly, to my cousin Bellatrix, I leave nothing. I highly doubt she'd be here in any case, but just to make it uncontestable, I had to say it. Narcissa, I leave you 1 Galleon, as I know that you will never leave Lucius, and I refuse to support Lord Voldyshorts. Draco, as Heir of Idiot, you also get nothing. Goblin, please escort them from the premises." Sirius voice nearly boomed. It was silent for only a few ticks of a watch before Draco spewed forth a stream of obscenities.
"Who the bloody hell does he think he is? I am next in line to be Head of House. He can't give me nothing!" Draco fumed storming from his seat to approach the goblin. The goblin, quiet before, instantly appeared defensive and shifted subtly into a battle stance.
"Draco!" Narcissa spoke. Having never heard her voice before, the sound of it threw Harry for a loop. It was delivered in a shrill voice that forced Draco to stop dead in his tracks. "We are leaving. Potter, this isn't over."
With that last line, the matron of the Malfoy family shifted her robes into position and stalked, gracefully, out of the room. The younger Malfoy followed shortly after, likely realizing that he was making a complete fool of himself. Harry knew, though, that this would only make situations worse with Malfoy. The git was likely to hold a grudge for eternity at being one-upped by Harry Potter again.
"Excellent, now that they are gone, I can finally put this title as Head of House to good use. Andromeda Tonks is hereby fully reinstated as a member of the Black family. Her dowry shall be reinstated, and because I can, I will toss in an additional 50,000 Galleons. To cousin Nymphie, and you can't kick me this time, I leave 50,000 for you as well. I want to thank you very much for helping me to reintegrate into society after my stay at Azkaban. You will never know how much it meant to me that you saw me as family and not as the insane lunatic that most others saw." Tonks, usually happy, had tears running down her face. It seemed that her time with Sirius was just as touching to her as it was with him.
"Molly and Arthur," Sirius spoke again suddenly. "You took Harry into your home with modest means and never once asked for anything in return. You were the family that he needed when he had no one else. For that, there is not enough Galleons in the world to repay you. I know that you are often looked down upon as lower-class, but when it comes to matters of the heart, there are few richer. I am leaving you two 100,000 Galleons. Hopefully this helps, and no, you cannot give it back. It doesn't work like that." Sirius finished with a smirk and a wink. The Weasley family said nothing, but the expressions on their faces showed that they were awestruck. Padfoot, though, was not done.
"To each of the Weasley children, even the oldest two, I leave 30,000 Galleons apiece. That should allow you the freedom to purchase some of the things that you desire. You are all very rich in spirit and heart though, and not many people can say that. Don't let the money change you. Fred and George, I also left you a few books that will allow you to, well, they'll allow you to cause hell. They were from when Jame's and I were in school. Ask Harry to tell you the story of the Marauders." The smiles from the twins was infectious to everyone present, despite the somber mood.
"I doubt the eldest brothers are here, but I hold each of them in the highest esteem. Ginny Weasley, such a beautiful, bright, and fiery young woman. Your strength is impressive to behold, and you have the makings to become a brilliant witch. I pray that you never let that waver. Ah, and that leaves me with just Ron. Ron, the Marauders were never the perfect group of friends, and we had our fair share of downs. But when we were strong, we were nearly invincible. I remembered that whenever i looked at you with Harry and Hermione. You all have something very special between you, don't lose sight of that." The redness in Ron's face was deep and dark and indication of the sheer emotion that he was under.
"Albus, only Merlin knows where I would be had it not been for you. Though you tend to do things on your own time, you always have a way of helping those out in need. You've been handling the great burden of the wizarding world since before I was born, and you still do it now. The Order is here to help, and we want to help. At the very least, you can trust Harry. He needs your guidance more than he knows, and you need to be there for him, to protect him, and to teach him. For you I leave 100,000 galleons. Though, I know you don't need the money, I'm sure you can find a way to put it to good use. For Hogwarts, I leave 500,000 galleons. There are likely some repairs that need to be made as a result of my stay there, and some poor kids that cannot get in." Albus, always the calm and stoic one, had a look of great pain on his face.
"Remus. I'm sorry brother. I should have been there for you. We left you all alone for so long, and yet you stayed faithful, and strong. You were always the smart and calm one. Harry is going to need that now. We both know that he has a tendency of acting before he thinks clearly. Reminds me of his old man actually. I leave you 500,000 galleons. Clean yourself, find you a reason to smile, and continue to keep Harry company as his Godfather. I made it official should anything happen to me." Harry could hear the soft sobs of Remus from across the aisle, and mentally lent him his strength. He knew he would need it for himself soon.
"To Hermione," Sirius began, unaware of the sharp intake of breath from a the subject. "Words cannot express how much you mean to me, and even more so to Harry. You trusted me without hesitation and helped to save my life. I can never repay that debt. You and Ron need to keep Harry whole because he needs you, whether he knows it or not. I leave you 50,000 Galleons and a section of the Black Family Library, separate of the books that I will give to someone else. Merlin keep you strong."
"Harry," Sirius began, his voice breaking a bit. "I can never begin to ask for your forgiveness for being there for you for most of your life. I loved you as if you were my own son, and sometimes wished you were. You are so full of life, courage, and sacrifice. Some people will tell you that you remind them of your father, for your looks and your boyish charm. Others will say that you remind them of your mother for you eyes and your fierce protectiveness of those that you care for. I say that you are the very best version of both of them. You never knew them, but I did, and they would be proud of you. For me, there was no greater honor than to be your Godfather. I leave you everything that I have left, including the name of Black. There's a lot of stuff included in that name that I never thought to look into. It may prove useful to tap into some of it. I love you Harry, never forget that."
Harry could feel the prickle in the back of his eyes, and allowed himself to close his eyes to hide the emotion. He felt a hand slither into his and deliver a tight squeeze of support. After only a few moments, the hand retreated but the feeling of support never left. He opened his eyes, ignoring the feeling of every eye in the room upon him. He looked at the specter of his Godfather hovering above the lips of the pensieve, and resolved to never let his death be in vain.
"Mr. Potter, I have just a few things for you to sign here." The goblin spoke. Harry made his way to the front table, preparing to toss a few jagged lines on the paper and continuing on the rest of his tough day. "Mr. Potter, I have taken the liberty of setting up an appointment for you. One, I think you should take advantage of. It would be best to let no one learn of it, but you are to return here two days from now at 11am promptly." The goblin continued in a whisper. Harry simply nodded that he understood before standing from the table.
He made as if to turn around, before abruptly throwing his hand out to the goblin to shake. There was a moment of hesitation before the goblin roughly grasped his hand and gave it a rough shake. After another nod, Harry turned on his back foot and headed out of the room, never looking back to see the speculative look on the face of the goblin.
He had a minister to see, and he could not afford to be late.
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
"Aurors, please bring in the accused." Harry heard a distant voice.
Harry found himself being escorted, none too gently of course, down the long hallway. He knew the way there, but the Aurors that had been waiting for him in the Atrium had been very explicit in their duties. He had taken the time crossing from the huge fireplaces that lined the far wall and observed what had once been the scene of a magnificent battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore. The room still showed signs of the vicious fight between the two wizards. Deep gouges lined parts of the walls on account of their missed spells, the power evident from the sheer size of some of them. There were still scorch marks on the ground from Voldemort's manipulation of the Fiendfyre, evidence of the heat of the spell. Most telling though, to Harry at least, was the absence of the statue that had once been a proud resident of the Atrium.
This was the same courtroom from the year before when he had been forced to use the Patronus charm to save he and his cousin from what would have been certain doom. If anything, though, this time it was even more packed with people. Outside of the stern faced wizards that would dictate his fate, there was a crowd of reporters waiting with bated breath for his trial. Outnumbering even them was the mass of Hogwarts students, both supporters and criticizers. The huge room was abuzz with low conversations. Harry sat with his eyes to the floor, contemplating his fate.
While he thought it ludicrous that they were trying to send him to Azkaban for saving the Ministry, he realized that he would need to stand up for himself. He couldn't allow himself to be taken advantage of. He had far better things to do. Indeed, he'd much rather be running the laps for Remus as opposed to sitting here. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he completely missed the beginning, the only thing snapping him out of his pensive moment was the absence of the crowd's noise.
"We are here to see justice done for damages caused in the Hall of Prophecy, the Atrium, and various hallways within our building. The accused, Harry James Potter, shall stand trial for his actions. He is being charged with 1st Degree Vandalism, 2nd Degree Secrecy Violation, Impediment of Law, 4 Accounts of Trespassing, 2nd Degree Reckless Endangerment, Numerous Accounts of Aggravated Assault, 4 Accounts of Attempted Murder, 1 1st Degree Account of Aiding and Abetting, and Numerous Accounts of Improper Use of Magic. How do you plead Mr. Potter?" Amelia Bones asked, looking him in the eye.
"Er, to which charge in particular Madame Bones?" Harry said, feeling slightly nervous at the sheer numbers of eyes viewing him. From what he had heard, Dumbledore has been barred from coming to his aid, despite being the Supreme Mugwump. He had heard the Aurors discussing it as they were "escorting" him to the room. For some reason, unknown to him, they had not taken his wand.
"Smart boy. For the record, we simply need a guilty or not guilty plea from you." Madame Bones stated, surveying Harry intensely through her monocle.
"Well then, let's see if I remember correctly. Not guilty." Harry replied. While he had thought of the various ways in which he could respond to the predictable question, he had decided to keep it simple.
"Your plea will be noted as in accordance with our governing laws. The prosecutor for this case will be the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Questioning done by members of the Wizengamot. Are you certain you wish to forego a professional representative for your defense?" Bones asked, seemingly off script if the mutterings were anything to go by. At the shake of Harry's jet black hair, she continued. "Minister, when you are ready, you may proceed."
"Thank you Madame Bones." Cornelius began, waving and nodding to a few select people in the crowd. "It is with heavy heart that I stand before you my dear members of the Wizengamot and the members of the community at large. The very place that we use as the center of our power was broken into by a group of teens led by one we all know, Harry Potter." There was a gasp of breath from those that didn't know the story firsthand, and cries of outrage from those that knew the truth.
"Let there be order!" Madame Bones snapped, rapping her gravel several times.
"It is true my fine wizard folk. A young man that we hold in such high esteem and with such high regard, has failed us. He is a danger to the community, and I, for one, will not have his kind on the streets of our beautiful country. We have worked too hard to carry on our traditions for a young man to be so ignorant of them that he threatens to rip apart and destroy the very things that make us wizards. Society has an order, one which Mr. Potter does not seem to care for. Using his fame and popularity, he's managed to create a following that endangers our prosperity, and our safety. If anything, he is on the path to becoming a Dark Wizard, just like the man he vanquished on that fateful night." Fudge continued, sweetening up the crowd. Harry had to give Fudge a few points in the way the man owned the court scene. Hermione had found that before he was Minister, he had been a defense attorney in the wizard courts, and had been successful at all indication. But that was in his younger days, when he hadn't been corrupted by power.
"Mr. Potter, were you indeed in the Ministry that night?" Madame Bones asked. Fudge glanced at her in annoyance, but if Harry knew anything about Susan, it was that her aunt was respected and honest.
"Yes." Harry stated. He had decided to try to stick to one word, when possible, in hopes that they didn't try to use his words against him.
"Mr Potter, did you use dangerous spells?" Madam Bones asked further.
"Yes." Harry stated again.
"What spells did you use that were dangerous?" A man asked from behind Madame Bones.
"Primarily Reducto, though it was never aimed at a human being." Harry replied. He would not mention the failed Cruciatus curse, after all, he hadn't actually hurt Bellatrix to his knowledge.
"Why did you use these spells at all Mr. Potter?" Fudge asked.
"Our lives were in danger and we were outnumbered and the smartest thing to do was to run. To run, we needed a distraction that the rows of orbs provided." Harry stated, nailing the rehearsed line.
"You see, he doesn't even deny it! The nerve of him." Fudge uttered to the crowd. "He breaks into our building and destroys the place as if it is some property to him." Harry sat there silently, his face belying the building rage within. Remus and Hermione had prepared him for some of the questions that would be thrown his way, but they had not readied him for the words of a seasoned politician. He was nearly prepared to take Fudge's head off for the disrespect. Having never liked the man, he had to appreciate the almost-Slytherin like manner in which he retained power.
"I asked you a question Mr. Potter!" Fudge barked, snapping Harry back to attention.
"I'm sorry Minister, I dozed off for a bit. Would you mind repeating?" Harry spoke, without a hint of the internal smirk he wore. Various members of the audience, including the Wizengamot, chuckled at the incredulous look on Fudge's face.
"See here! He makes a mockery out of us. I asked you why did you break into the Ministry of Magic?!" Fudge repeated. harry sighed.
"I didn't break in. I came in through the front door, stated my name and my intentions and went ahead as a person normally would. There was no kicking down of doors. There was not any picking of locks. I didn't even have to use magic to open the door. I walked in. I even have the badge to prove it." Harry replied. He had been prepared for that question, though Fudge didn't look too happy with that answer.
"What were you doing off of school grounds?" Fudge asked, trying to trip Harry up. Again, Harry was prepared.
"Minister, with all due respect, I do believe that is a school related matter, and therefore out of your jurisdiction." Harry replied. He withheld the smirk upon seeing Hermione grin out the corner of his eye as he nailed the answer. Remus, being a werewolf, had not been allowed to come.
There was a moment of silence as Fudge glanced down at a list of questions he had seemingly prepared in advance.
"You are being charged with Reckless Endangerment, do you know why?" Madame Bones asked.
"Because Minister Fudge has a vendetta against me?" Harry replied innocently, not missing the numerous smirks and the snarl on Fudge's face.
"You are being charged because you led teenagers to a dangerous situation." Fudge stated, barely sustaining his air of calmness.
"Led, sir, would imply that I made them come with me or that they did not have a choice. You can ask any of them that I was set and ready to leave on my own." Harry replied. It was the truth, he had been ready to leave, but saner heads had convinced him that 6 was better than one.
"How did you get to the Ministry?" A woman in the ranks of the Wizengamot asked. Harry didn't recognize her.
"I flew here on a Threstral." Harry replied. There was a gasp from the audience. Apparently, despite not being able to see the creatures, most people had a bit of knowledge about them. The woman herself even looked impressed.
"That's illegal!" Fudge cried out looking about him for support from his constituents.
"Prove it." Harry responded quickly. Through Hermione, he knew that while the Ministry had decrees to protect all the magical animals, they couldn't very well police those same creatures. Baffled, Fudge began to turn another shade of red, as if the anger within him was slowly reaching its peak.
"You destroyed hundreds of prophecies that belonged to the Ministry, are you denying that?" Fudge asked.
"Yes. I deny destroying the Ministries property. Maybe I'm wrong, but none of those glass spheres had anything to do with the Ministry. How can they be your property?" Harry responded, enjoying the look of frustration on Fudge's face.
"Mr. Potter, you are also being charged with 4 accounts of Attempted Murder. Do you know why?" Madame Bones questioned again.
"No. I was under the impression that as long as you feared for your life, you could retaliate with necessary force. That charge makes no sense to me." Harry replied, he had figured that the charge was tacked on by Fudge to simply have a convincing reason to have the entire Wizengamot in front of him.
"That would be correct Mr. Potter." Bones replied, inclining her head towards him. "You are also being charged with numerous, 22 in fact, Accounts of Improper Use of Magic, can you explain."
"Madame Bones, I did not know that magic could be used improperly when fighting for your life." The earnest expression on his face belied his true confusion. This charge was plain stupid. Fudge really did have a vendetta against him.
"That is also correct, on some points. Magic is to never be used to harm another human being, except upon protecting one's own life. Though, Mr. Potter, had you not been here, would you have had to fear for your life?" Madame Bones asked.
"Yes." Harry said simply. Voldemort was back, and therefore his life was always in danger. From the look on Madame Bones' face, Harry could tell that she wanted to ask follow up questions on that point but was cut off by the Minister.
"Is it true that you were in cahoots with the notorious criminal, Sirius Black?" Fudge asked, completely throwing Harry off. He hadn't expected this question, at least not so soon. How had Fudge known that Sirius as there? Fudge was obviously bent on trying to make Harry look as bad as possible by bringing out Sirius so soon.
"I fail to see what that has to do with anything Minister." Dumbledore spoke up from his position in the ranks of the Wizengamot.
"I wasn't talking to you Dumbledore. Keep your comments to yourself." Fudge snarled, almost desperate for some sort of advantage. The crowd gasped at the blatant disrespect towards whom many considered the most powerful wizard alive. Dumbledore, though, showed no reaction. If you knew him however, you could see the hardening of his eyes and the lack of his trademark twinkle.
"You will respect Headmaster Dumbledore, Minister Fudge." Harry spoke out. He could see Dumbledore discreetly shaking his head as if to tell him to avoid this particular battle. "To answer you, yes. Sirius Black was my Godfather."
"Aha! So you aided him in his escape, and helped him to hide all of these years. It is a most grievous crime to assist a criminal! Why you should be locked up on the spot." Fudge started.
"Minister, might I remind you that Sirius Black did not have a trial, but was simply thrown into Azkaban for 12 years? Should I remind you also that in order for someone to be a criminal, and indeed break the law, that they have to be submitted to a trial first, by this very same body of government? Or should I remind you that it is not a crime to escape from a place that you were illegally held in, even if it was by the government." Harry responded, thinking quickly. He didn't know much about the law, but he did know that without a trial, one couldn't truly be accused of committing a crime. Cornelius was flabbergasted, to say the least. The crowd was abuzz with chatter and witches and wizards who did not know the entire story of Sirius Black mumbled their confusion.
"Is it true that you attacked a representative of this government, one Delores Jane Umbridge?" A random man asked, signifying that Fudge had lost that particular round.
"That is not true. I never laid a hand or wand on her. In fact, she nearly used the Cruciatus Curse upon me and another student. Any actions against her, though mild, were to protect me and my friend." Harry responded. If they wanted to go off topic, he could play that game too!
"The boy lies! I would never -" Delores stood, though there wasn't much of a difference to her height in his opinion.
"That's Mr. Potter to you." Harry responded. He still hated the woman dearly.
"There will be order! The next person to speak out of turn will be asked to leave." Madame Bones spoke. Harry could see that she was getting irritated. "Minister, please proceed."
"The fact of the matter is, Mr. Potter has no respect for the proper authorities. He is unruly, unsafe, and needs to be disciplined." Cornelius spoke hurriedly, trying to regain lost ground.
Harry could clearly see the frustration and the rage that Fudge was attempting to hide. His every action seemed to be an attempt to avoid further embarrassment by the young man before him. It hadn't been Harry's goal, but he could possibly push Fudge to his breaking point, and even get a true reaction out of him.
"Mr. Potter? Is there anything to add?" Madame Bones asked.
"No. I believe that the facts speak for themselves." Harry said, slightly disappointed in the fact that he had failed to keep his one word answers going. Madame Bones nodded.
"You cannot simply break into the Ministry of Magic and begin to think that you will not be punished for it! It's preposterous." Cornelius Fudge spoke, his voice rising with every syllable.
"But -" Harry tried to respond only to be cut off by the acting Minister of Magic again. He had no legal representation, and the Wizengamot was still behind the Minister.
"You are a spoiled brat Potter! I'll not have you setting a bad example for the rest of the decent magic folk of Britain. You have a history of endangering your fellow students, disregarding our laws. You even used magic upon your Muggle Aunt! Your lack of control and pitiful attitude to the safety of others is dangerous. You are dangerous. You are probably in cahoots with You-Know-Who. You even admitted to working with Black! You are a disgrace to the Potter name." Fudge yelled, not noticing the hardening of Harry's eyes. "I have half the -" Fudge ranted on.
SLAP!The sound could be heard throughout the entire courtroom as Harry slammed his hand to the table in front of him. Powered by his anger, the table, though magically reinforced, very nearly cracked at the touch of his palm.
"Shut up you fool!" Harry roared, his eyes flashing dangerously and his outburst stopping Fudge completely.
"That is no way to address the Minister of Magic! I will be respected!" Cornelius responded after a few moments of silence in the courtroom.
"When I feel that you are worthy of that title - and you will never be - I will address you as such. You are a pathetic excuse for a Minister. You're supposed to be a leader and yet you flinch at the mere mention of the name VOLDEMORT!" Harry said, standing and yelling out the name, inwardly rejoicing at the obvious flinching in the crowd. He did not miss the reporters scribbling furiously. "You want to throw me in Azkaban, you'll have to stop me first. If you do get me there, I'll break out and destroy the place when I do." Harry spoke, further shocking Fudge to sputtering silence.
"As the Head of House Potter and the steward of House Black, I hereby take your words as an insult. You have two choices. You can apologize, and hope I forgive you. Or, you can meet the business end of my wand. You have 30 seconds before I decide for you." Harry spoke, daring Fudge to reach for his wand.
"This is unheard of, you cannot challenge the Minister of Magic to a duel you foolish boy!" Fudge shouted indignantly.
"I'd like to point the Wizengamot's attention to Article 4 of the Familial Protection Act that states that a Head of House or a Steward of a house can, at their discretion, choose to defend their family from harm, whether that intended harm be physical, magical, or verbal in nature. This law transcends titles. I could challenge Headmaster Dumbledore if I so see fit, or even a First Year student at Hogwarts. So you see Minister, I can. You have 5 seconds." Harry responded, his jade green eyes flashing in anticipation.
"The court hereby apologizes in the place of one Minister Cornelius Fudge for insults against House Potter and House Black, of which Mister Harry James Potter has dominion." Madame Bones spoke hastily. There was no need for a wandfight, especially an unfair one.
"I accept your apology Madame Bones. As for you Cornelius, you will not receive any further warnings. Look at the facts. You yourself saw Voldemort here, not too far from this very room. After I have been telling you for an entire year that he had returned. What did you do with the information? What have you prepared? Who have you protected besides yourself? If any questions need to be answered, we need to know why you chose to sat on the information that could've saved dozens of lives already? Why have you been so pathetic in your attempts to protect the general population?" Harry replied. Sitting down from when he had stood with his hand on his wand. He hastily, and hopefully unnoticed, took deep breaths to calm himself.
"The court will now adjourn to deliberate. We shall resume within an hour." Madame Bones spoke while lightly rapping her gravel.
Standing quickly, Harry exited the courtroom with Hermione, somehow, already on his heels. He could've sworn he had just seen her in the stands to his right.
"That was brilliant Harry. But you must keep your calm. Don't let that twit of a Minister frustrate you too easily. You'll work right into his plan." Hermione spotted as soon as they were a mere dozen feet from the doors. Harry didn't respond, intent on reaching a destination of his that he had just considered. Quietly, he heard Hermione speaking as they walked, giving him a few pointers, a few tips, and more than a few corrections.
"Hermione!" Harry said suddenly, startling the older girl into silence. "I hear you and I appreciate your knowledge. Right now, I just really need a moment. Can I have that?" Harry pleaded. He needed to slip out into Muggle London before the courts resumed. Hermione simply nodded in response.
Inwardly, Harry fumed. He had wanted to reach out and strangle the pudgy man, damn the consequences. He flicked his hood up as he neared the end of the hallway in a way to avoid the eye of the reporters, though unknown to most, a small beetle flittered by.
Harry had exited the Ministry and was well on his way to a secluded park when he confirmed that he did indeed hear the small buzzing of the insect. He had counted on her using her form to spy on him; he could use this to his advantage. Spotting an out of the way bench only a few blocks away from the Ministry building, Harry sat down and waited for the beetle to approach. Suddenly he reached out and snagged the bug in his fist lightly, not allowing room for any escape.
"Hello Rita. Fancy meeting you here. You will transform or I may forget that there is a witch that resides in the body of this beetle." Harry said quietly, knowing that she heard every word. He waited a few seconds before he sat her on the bench beside him. Before too long, the woman herself was there.
"How'd you know it was me?" Rita asked, slightly disturbed that the young man has actually threatened her.
"I saw you fly in and land on the wall. Not truly stealthy, but no one else noticed you, so you must've done something right. Also, Aurors walked right past you on their way out and you didn't move an inch, a normal bug would've flown off in a rush." Harry responded, still surveying the area around them.
"What do you want from me then? I haven't written anything bad about you, as promised." Rita asked, puzzled.
"You are going to help me." Harry responded, finally turning and looking at the woman. His green eyes were hard, alerting her to the fact that she didn't have much of a choice.
"Why would I do that? What's in it for me?" She replied, ever the greedy woman.
"I am going to give you a story." Harry said, watching her eyes light up. "You will write down the facts that I tell you and you can even add your own spin to it, make it feel like you really wrote it."
"Why me?" Rita responded. Harry looked at her thoughtfully, intrigued by her continued defiance. He gave a small laugh before responding.
"Everyone deserves a chance at redemption. You get your story, I get what I want, or you get squashed." He saw her gulp rather noticeably. "Relax, I'm not that mean. I just don't believe in working with you without first giving you the terms that won't be changed."
"What's your story?" She asked, reaching into her bag for her notebook and QuickNotes Quill. Before she realized it, Harry had drawn his wand in a flash and aimed a quick Incendio to the quill, turning it to ashes in seconds. He had tucked his wand back in his robes before her head had even whipped back to him. He succeeded in shocking Rita Skeeter into silence.
"I don't trust you with that quill in your hands." Harry said simply, not offering an apology. "What's going to happen to the wizarding world that is led by a Minister that is afraid to speak the name of the evil that has plagued us for decades? What's in store for the magical world when we have a Minister that is in cahoots with known Deatheater Lucius Malfoy? When will the Minister of Magic begin protecting the people, recruiting more aurors, passing legislation that halts the progression of Voldemort? Is the Minister of Magic capable of doing the one vow he should never break? That is, is the Minister capable of caring for common people, more than his own feelings or his own bank account? Also, we should look into the Minister's finances, he seems to have a few private accounts, which in his position would be quite suspicious." Harry spoke, pausing to look at Rita's wide eyes at the questions that he was posing.
"Anything more?" Rita asked as she made a few notes.
"Yes. Why are we wasting time and valuable Ministry resources attempting to charge a 15 year old student with pathetic crimes when all he wanted to do was save his Godfather? Why was Sirius Black thrown into Azkaban without a trial? Why was it that,despite these allegations, Sirius Black was still one of few people that came to the rescue of the Ministry of Magic? Why is Fudge so hell bent on protecting himself? What is he hiding? Who is he hiding it from? Did you know that in my 4th year Fudge had Bartimus Crouch Jr. kissed without a trial? Without even seeing what the man had to offer as far as information? Why was our Minister so panicky? Why is he so panicky? Are his secrets dark enough to hurt our citizens, our beliefs, and our ideals?" Harry stated, continuing his rant while Rita scribbled away.
"What's troubling is that I can't even completely blame all of that on the Minister. We elected him. We kept him in office. We allowed him to continue to lie to us to manipulate us." Harry spoke again.
"What do you want Harry?" Rita asked tentatively.
"I want Fudge out of the office of the Minister of Magic. Elect someone worthy, someone good." Harry replied.
"Who would you recommend?" Rita asked, knowing that Harry's word carried a lot of weight in the magical world now.
"You're asking me? Er.. I'm just an underage wizard." Harry replied with a laugh. He hadn't completely thought this entire process out, and hadn't been prepared for her question.
"You can't ask for the removal of a person from office, and not offer an idea for a suitable replacement." Rita said with an honest look in her eye. "With what you have so far, and the allegations against Minister Fudge, you can certainly get the ball rolling on getting rid of him. Some of these questions will require me to dig a bit, but it could lead to the right places. On the other hand, you could have one of his friends get in there in his place, or worse an open supporter of You-Know-Who!"
"How about Arthur Weasley? He's a good guy." Harry posed, thinking of the first name that popped up.
"Arthur Weasley? Really? He's not strong enough for the spotlight. No offense." She added after seeing Harry's eyes harden. "You need someone that is used to power but hasn't let it corrupt them. Arthur could be good as a deputy Minister, but not in the official post." She explained. It made sense to Harry. Arthur was a hardworking, humble man.
"How about Madame Bones, with Arthur as her recommended second in command? The Weasleys are far tougher than people take them for." Harry posed. He could see Rita tumbling the name around in her mind.
"She could work. She's certainly respected enough, and used to a marginal bit of power, and she's trustworthy. You-Know-Who wiped out most of her family you know, she has a reason to want to fight him. She would certainly have the sympathy vote." Rita stated, scribbling on her parchment once more.
"Good, I have to go. Send me a draft before you publish." Harry replied, standing up to leave. After taking a few steps, he turned around to address Rita once more. "And Rita, I am more dangerous to you know than you know."
A short walk later found Harry re-entering the Ministry of Magic, once again covered by the hood of his cloak. He managed to make it to the courtroom without incident, though he did spot Umbridge and Fudge speaking to each other in a harsh tone, if their facial expressions were anything to go by. Once everyone was back in place, the hearing proceeded.
Harry ignored most of what was being said by various members of the magistrate; they always took forever at this point. He was ready get back home and continue his recovery. He could feel the bandages around his torso becoming a bit wetter as his blood seeped from his wounds. He had to clean them and then put another layer of ointment on it. The cursed wound caused him various issues, but he would not complain about it. There was no reason for anyone to suspect that he wasn't recovering as well as he had led them to believe. Hopefully Remus would let him rest and Hermione wouldn't pester him as much. Harry pushed his thoughts to the back of his head as he saw Dumbledore stand up.
"I, as Supreme Mugwump, have been asked to relay the verdict against young Mr. Harry Potter after today's proceedings. In the case of the 22 counts of Improper Use of Magic, Mr. Potter is found not guilty, on the grounds that protecting his life, and those of his friends, supersedes the word of said law." Dumbledore announced, pausing his speech for the applause that rang out.
"In the case of Reckless Endangerment, Mr. Potter is found guilty on the grounds that he did indeed leave the protection of school grounds. He is to be assessed a fee of 2,000 Galleons." Dumbeldore continued, again pausing for the reaction of the crowd.
"In the case of Aiding and Abetting, both sets of charges, Mr. Potter is found not guilty, due to lack of credible evidence, and also to the point that Sirius Black was not criminally charged. In the case of Aggravated Assault, Mr. Potter was found not guilty. In the case of the 1st Degree Vandalism, Mr. Potter is charged as guilty, and will be assessed a 500 Galleon fee. In the case of the 2nd Degree Secrecy Violation, Mr. Potter is found to be not guilty. Mr. Potter was also found not guilty for the charge of Impediment of the Law and the 4 Accounts of trespassing as the Ministry logs clearly show that he and his party announced themselves and their intentions. In regards to the charges of Attempted Murder, Mr. Potter was found not guilty. There can be no attempt at murder when one is simply protecting themselves." Here, Dumbledore paused again as if he had more to say.
Harry himself was not worried about the money, he had more than enough to cover it from the interest alone. He was relieved, he would admit, that he did not have to think of a way to break out Azkaban. He came back to focus on the matter at hand, Madame Bones had begun rapping her gavel again. Seeing that it was not working, Dumbledore simply cleared his throat and quieted the entire room instantly.
"It is the determination of this court that Mr. Potter and his friends were acting out of sheer bravery, despite the possible and literal threat to their lives. Instead of being awarded, we scolded them. That is not the job of the government." Dumbledore spoke, not looking at Fudge but understanding that everyone knew whom he was talking about.
"Now see here -" Fudge started. Dumbledore spoke over him, softly, but his voice reached every corner of the room.
"Let it be noted that our government has a lot to learn about bravery, and doing what is right, even at the cost of neglecting to do the easy thing. Let it be noted that we condemn those that protect us, and uphold those that wish to do us harm. It is a sad day that this is indeed a reality. Therefore, this court would like to take a stand and attempt to write wrongs. It is the decision of this court to reward Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, and Miss Lovegood a 3rd Rank Order of Merlin for their services to the country. It is the decision of this court to award Mr. Potter with a 2nd Rank Order of Merlin for his actions to protect this country." Here the crowd erupted thunderously. Harry himself was flabbergasted. He had not expected this sudden change of events.
After a few moments, Dumbledore motioned for silence again, but was slow to speak. Looking at him, Harry could tell that the old man had many things that he wanted to say, but due to his position was unable.
"Are there any questions from either the Plaintiff and the Defendant? No? Then this court is now adjourned by the power granted upon me a Supreme Mugwump. You are all dismissed." Dumbledore spoke, he was easily followed by a few sharp raps from Madame Bones' gravel. The woman certainly did seem to like it.
Once again, Hermione managed to catch up to Harry despite the size of the crowd and the reporters that were clamoring to get near him. He, as politely as possible, refused to answer any of their questions, though he almost drew his wand on a man looking to push past Hermione. He reached out to grab at her hand and guide her safely to him, while actually drawing his wand and reaching under his robe for his Invisibility Cloak that had been tightly folded and tucked away should he need it.
"Let us be away from here Miss Granger." Harry spoke. With a smirk, he flicked his wand, causing a bright light and smoke to ensue. In the chaos that followed, Harry and Hermione managed to vanish into thin air, though a few hallways away showed the young pair whipping off the Cloak and quickly folding it again as they walked towards the bank of Fireplaces.
"I can sense another article coming from that stunt." Hermione said disapprovingly, though her eyes showed her humor.
"They'll write about me regardless. Unfortunately, I'm used to it." Harry responded after a quick moment to think of his response. The truth was that he was indeed used to all of the reporters, and he hated them for it. He didn't get flustered as much now when they wrote ridiculous articles about him, but he did get frustrated with the people that saw him nearly everyday and seemed to believe the rubbish.
"You shouldn't have to be though Harry! It isn't fair." Hermione said, stopping her forward motion and looking at Harry. Realizing that she wasn't keeping pace with him, he stopped to turn and look at her.
"Would you rather it be someone who couldn't accept it? Or, rather, someone that flaunted it? No, it's me. I make do with it." Harry replied with a bit of heat in his voice.
"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I just hate that you have to go through so much, and you only want to live a normal life." Hermione replied.
"Normal huh? What is a normal life, where do you find one of those? What does it look like? We do what we must with what we have. Now come, let's go home." Harry replied, forestalling any attempt at a response from the bushy-haired witch. He reached out his hand again, and she begrudgingly reached for it as they continued their journey to the fireplaces.
"Thank you Hermione, I appreciate you more than you know." Harry said quietly as a way to apologize for his heated tone.
