Chapter Four - The Hearing
Haiden looked around the courtroom, there was no chair for Harry to sit in, yet there was a circular hole in the ground with a chain hanging down from the ceiling into it. The walls were made of dark stone, dimly lit by torches. He wondered when they would bring Harry in.
A minute later a cold voice rang across the courtroom, silencing the whispering. "We are ready to begin, bring in the suspect." His attention was pulled to the highest benches where about fifty witches and wizards sat, all wearing plum-colored robes with an elaborately worked silver W on the left side of the chest and all staring down their noses at the floor below them.
In the middle of the front row sat Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Fudge was a portly man who often sported a lime-green bowler hat, though today he had dispensed with it. A broad, square-jawed witch with very short grey hair sat on Fudge's left; she wore a monocle and looked forbidding. On Fudge's right was another witch, but she was sitting so far back on the bench that her face was in shadow. Ron's brother Percy was sitting at the very end of the front bench, eyes fixed on his parchment, a quill poised in his hand, ready to take notes.
A loud squeak of rusted metal rubbing against medal sounded and Haiden looked around the room, trying to locate the sound only to notice that the chain was being lifted. Horror filled him as he watched a large, man sized bird cage raise from the hole in the ground. In the middle of the cage sat his brother with his legs pulled to his chest and his hair (much longer than the last time he saw him) sat around him like a dark curtain. There were chains on his writs and ankles. His eye unfocused and staring at the ground in front of him. He had lost almost all the weight he had put on, his skin was sickly pale, and his face was sunken in. Harry was rocking back and forth and seemed to be muttering something to himself.
"Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August," Fudge said in a ringing voice, "into offenses committed under the Misuses of Magic by Harold James Potter. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley -"
"-Witnesses for the defense, Haiden Prince Potter," Mr Malfoy stated quickly standing up and forcing Haiden to his feet, "Hermione Jean Granger, Draco Lucius Malfoy, Luna Pandora Lovegood, and Myari Leigh Rose." He forced the rest up one by one as he said their name, shocking them all.
"And Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." A quite voice said from the door of the room, Haiden turned his head so fast that he cricked his neck. Dumbledore was striding serenely across the room wearing long midnight-blue robes and a perfectly calm expression. His long silver beard and hair gleamed in the torchlight as he drew level with Harry in his cage (Harry had stopped rocking and was now shaking his head, a large, unnerving smile on his face) and looked up at Fudge through the half-moon spectacles that rested halfway down his very crooked nose. Mr Malfoy quickly ushered them down to the floor of the courtroom.
The members of the Wizengamot were muttering. All eyes were now on the six of them as Harry gave a soft giggle. Some looked annoyed, others slightly frightened; two elderly witches in the back row, however, raised their hands and waved in welcome. A powerful emotion had risen in Haiden's chest at the sight of Dumbledore, a fortified, hopeful feeling rather like that which the phoenix song gave him. He tried to catch Dumbledore's eye, but Dumbledore was not looking his way; he was continuing to look up at the obviously flustered Fudge.
"Ah," Fudge said looking thoroughly disconcerted. "Dumbledore. Yes. You - er - got our message that the time and - er - place of the hearing had been changed, then?"
"I must have missed it," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "However, due to misreading Miss Lovegood's message this morning, I mistakenly arrived at the Ministry three hours early, so no harm done."
"Yes - well - I suppose we'll need more chairs - I - Weasley, could you -?"
"Not to worry, not to worry." Dumbledore said pleasantly; he took out his wand, gave it a little flick, and six squashy chintz armchairs appeared out of nowhere next to Harry's cage. Draco went to take the chair closest to Harry, but was beat to it by Luna who gave him an pointed look. With and annoyed huff, Draco sat in the chair next to Luna and Myari sat next to him, Hermione sat next to Myari and Haiden took the chair next to her, leaving the final chair for Dumbledore. Dumbledore took his seat, put the tips of his long fingers together, and looked at Fudge over them with an expression of polite interest. The Wizengamot was still muttering and fidgeting restlessly; only when Fudge spoke again did they settle down.
"Yes," Fudge said again, shuffling his notes. "Well, then. So. The charges. Yes." He extricated a piece of parchment from the pile before him, took a deep breath, and read, "The charges against the accused are as follows: The continued attacks on fellow Hogwarts Students, Spelling fellow students into being friends with him, Dosing fellow students and students of other schools with love potions, Suspect in the Dark Mark incident at the Quidditch World Cup, Suspected Dark Arts user, and the Suspected Murderer of Bartimus Crouch." He looked up from the parchment and to the cage where Harry had started rocking and muttering to himself again. "You are Harold James Potter?" Harry paused in his rocking and muttering to tilt his head as if thinking. The air was tense as everyone waited on baited breath for how, and if, Harry would answer.
"That depends on who is asking." Harry said softly after a few minutes, his voice sounding strained, as if he wasn't used to using it. It hurt Haiden that his baby brother was forced to suffer like he was because people were frightened of his power.
"It's Minister Fudge asking, Harry." Luna told Harry gently. Haiden watched his brother bow his head so that his long hair covered his face before turning to look at Luna through his hair.
"Minister Fudge? The Minister Fudge?" Harry asked with a slight giggle and Luna nodded. "Oh, in that case, yes I am Harold James Potter."
"Do you know why you are here?" The Minister asked. The air became tense as people once again waited for Harry's response.
"You believe Harry broke the law." Harry whispered as he pulled his legs closer to his chest, making himself look smaller than he already was. Haiden's chest hurt and tears filled his eyes, Harry used to do that all the time at the Dursley's to hide when he was scared. "But Harry didn't. Harry is a good boy." Something wasn't right with the way Harry was speaking, but then again Harry had just spent months in Azkaban locking deep inside his own mind his speech pattern is bound to be a little messed up as his mind starts to heal.
"You have been accused multiple times of attacking fellow students." Minister Fudge told him. "What say you of this?" There was a pause as Harry gathered his thoughts.
"Harry? Attack students? That does not sound right. Harry would never attack students. Harry would only defend himself from a student attacking." Harry explained.
"Would you elaborate on that?" The Minister asked as Percy was scribbling furiously.
"In Harry's 's second year, during dueling club, a fellow second year tried to purposefully hurt Harry. So, Harry defended himself. Harry's friends were witnesses." Harry explained Haiden felt the shift of everyone's eyes shift from Harry to them.
"Is this true?" The Minister asked them and Draco was the first to say something.
"Weasley did send a spell at him before Lockhart finished counting down." Draco informed them and Haiden had to stop himself from commenting and asking how he would have seen that happen when Draco had also sent a spell at Haiden before Lockhart had finished counting down.
"I also saw Ronald send an spell at Harry before Lockhart finished counting down as well." Hermione agreed.
"I saw it too." Myari added and they looked at Haiden who nodded.
"Ron did send out a spell before Lockhart finished counting down." He admitted shoving down the feeling of betraying a friend. It wasn't like he was lying, Ron had sent a spell before Lockhart had finished counting down. "But I was focused on my dueling partner so I can't really call me a witness..." Haiden trailed off as he glanced at the angry looks he was receiving from everyone but Luna who was smiling softly at him.
"I, on the other hand," Luna started as she turned to look up at the Minister, "wasn't partnered with anyone and was watching everyone as I waited for a pair to be finished so that I could get partnered up. Lockhart and Professor Snape paired everyone up and instructed them to use disarming charms only. As Lockhart counted down Harry had to quickly throw up a shield charm before Lockhart had finished his countdown because Ronald had sent out a snot-green spell at him. I remember the spell bouncing off Harry's shield charm and barely missed hitting Lockhart who had to dodge out of the way before it hit the wall. The wall then began to sizzle and melt." Luna explained, the crowd gasped around them at hearing the story.
"And, from our research, around this time it had come out to everyone in the dueling club that one Harold James Potter is a Parslemouth." Amelia Bone's voice boomed.
"Is this a question or a statement?" Luna asked with a small smile.
"Why did Harry choose to use this ability in front his fellow students?" Madam Bones asked.
"I don't think it was a choice, or at least, it was a conscious choice." Luna explained to them as Harry laughed.
"Harry saw the snake and spoke to it. Harry believed he was talking English. He told the snake to leave everyone alone. The snake was stubborn and refused to listen at first. But Harry eventually got it to listen. And then the snake was gone." Harry explained through his laughter. Haiden could see confusion in the Minister's and Madam Bones's eyes.
"After realizing that he should have taught us all how to use a block unfriendly spells, Lockhart called Haiden and Draco to the front of the room and instructed them to duel. Lockhart took Haiden aside to show him how to use a blocking spell. During the duel someone conjured a serpent that began to head towards Haiden to attack. Harry, not realizing he was speaking English, began to hiss at the snake. After a few seconds of him hissing at the snake it turned from Haiden towards Ron, at that Harry stomped his foot and hissed angrily. The snake seemed conflicted before it began to slither towards Harry who held out his wrist to the snake. It was then that Professor Snape snapped out of his shock and took action and destroyed the snake." Luna explained. It was silent as everyone took in everything.
"Do we know what was said to the snake?" Bones asked.
"Harry claims that he was trying to get the snake to not attack either Haiden or Mr Weasley." Dumbledore began, "I had a sit down with both Mr. Weasley and Harry, where Harry explained to me, in detail what happened that night. My memory of that meeting is right here." Dumbledore said holding up a vial with a wispy blue ball of memory in it.
A whisper flew through the crowd before a hush fell over them as the Minister made a motion with his hand. An Auror that Haiden hadn't seen, walked out of a door carrying a pensive that almost looked to be attached to a screen. After setting up the pensive, the Auror walked over to Dumbledore. "You swear that this memory is untampered with in any way?" The Minister asked.
"Of course, Lucius Malfoy will be able to contest if it is or not seeing as he was at the meeting as well." Dumbledore informed him.
"If it is determined that this memory was tampered with in any way, you will be charged with tampering of evidence." The Minister said before nodding to the Auror took the memory and placed it in the pensive, a few seconds later the memory started playing on the screen.
It showed Lucius Malfoy standing in Dumbledore's office with his arm around Harry who was crying and leaning on Lucius as said man was giving Dumbledore a hard look.
"Now, onto more important business right now. We have students getting attacked and petrified, one student accusing another of trying to kill him, and that same student attacking the one he accused and only given a detention? And said student that was being accused and attacked in your office in tears." Lucius turned to look at Harry. "Please explain to me what is going on, Harry."
"It all started earlier this year around Halloween when I stumbled upon a girl who looked like Ginny Weasley writing on the wall-" Harry began looking and sounding terrified.
"There is no proof that Ginny-" Dumbledore interrupted only to be cut off by Lucius and his terrifying glare, and even though Haiden knew that this was only a memory, that glare froze him in his seat.
"Headmaster, I believer I asked for Harry's side of the story first, you will get your chance after him." There was a small pause before Lucius continued. "And while we are at it, we should hear the side of the student who not only accused Harry of trying to kill him but also attacked Harry. It would also be best to call their parents here as well." Lucius said, his voice full of authority demanding to be listened to. Dumbledore got up from his seat behind his desk and walked over to a portrait, woke it, and asked for it to have a teacher bring Ron before he moved over to the fireplace and called Molly and asked her to join them.
It was tense in the court room as they watched memory Lucius and memory Dumbledore almost stare each other down as they waited for both Molly and Ron to show up. "What's going on here?" Molly asked the second she stepped out of the floo, her eyes solely on Lucius and his grip on Harry.
"This is what we are trying to figure out." Lucius told her in cold politeness. They watched as the air became tense as they waited for memory Ron to show up. Moments later memory Ron was brought in by memory Severus. The second memory saw memory Harry, his facet turned as red as his hair in anger.
"Trying to kill me wasn't enough, huh Potter had to get my mother involved in this? What lie have you been twisting in her head?" Ron asked angrily causing Molly to gasp. Haiden was shocked at the pure malice that was in Ron's voice. He knew Ron disliked his brother and believed him to be evil, but he had never heard him sound like that.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you watch your mouth young man. Accusing someone of trying to kill you is not something to joke about!" Molly reprimanded and opened her mother to continue only to be stopped by Lucius.
"As much as I would like to see young Ronald Weasley get punished, we must first make sure the punishment fits the crime, and if we are punishing the right person." Lucius explained as he conjured up four chairs before turning to Severus. "As much as I wish for you to stay, this does not concern you until you win custody of Harry."
"I was witness to the first accusation." Severus said and Lucius conjured up another chair. Molly made sure to sit Ron in the chair at one end with her next to him, Lucius sat beside Molly with Harry in between him and Severus. They were protecting Harry from Ron.
"Let us first hear Harry's side, then we will hear young Ronald's side, followed by Albus's punishment for the wrongdoer." Lucius said and everyone in both the memory and the court room turned to look at memory Harry who took a deep breath.
"It stared earlier this year around Halloween. I stumbled upon a girl who looked like Ginny writing on the wall in-"
"Bullshit!" Memory Ron cried shocking everyone in the court room, and causing memory Harry to flinch back and close his eyes as if waiting to get hit. And Haiden knew that he most likely was because at this time they were still living with their relatives and whenever their Uncle yelled like that it meant either one or both of them were getting 'punished'.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you let Harry finish his side and then you can have your chance!" Molly ordered after waking Ron on the back of the head. "I'm sorry, Harry, please continue." Memory Harry took a moment to compose himself before he began again, a little shaky only to get more confidant as he continued.
"She was writing on the wall in blood. Once she was done she ran off. The message she wrote was 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware'. That was when Hermione, Haiden and Ron found me. We then saw Mrs Norris hanging on a torch, petrified. Ron pulled Hermione and Haiden away just in time to sip into the crowd of students that had just came from the dinning hall. Mr Filch accused me of killing his cat and threatened to kill me. I don't know what he would have done if Dumbledore and the other teachers had not shown up then. We went to Professor Lockhart's office where Dumbledore informed everyone that Mrs Norris was not dead, only petrified.
"The next incident happened last night at the Dueling Club that was just started. After Professor Snape and Professor Lockhart gave us a little demonstration of how a proper duel was to be, we were split into pairs and I was paired up with Ron. Professor Lockhart told us to send spells to disarm each other only and to go on the count of three. As Lockhart counted down, Ron attacked me before Lockhart had finished and I blocked the attack, knocking it into a wall where it began to sizzle as if acid had been dumped on it. In anger at the fact that I believe Ron was trying to seriously harm me, I let my anger control me and I did use my magic to hurt him. I admit I should not have done that, I should have gotten one of the Professors. I will accept any punishment for attacking Ron there." Memory Harry admitted.
"Thank you for admitting that, Harry." Memory Dumbledore said. "Is that all?"
"No." Memory Harry said with a small shake of his head. "After realizing that he should have taught us how to block, Professor Lockhart had Haiden and Draco demonstrate how to block a friendly, non harmful spell. It didn't go as planned. Draco conjured a serpent to attack Haiden and I-" Memory Harry paused there and closed his eyes while taking a deep, shuttering breath.
"You what, Harry?" Memory Dumbledore and memory Harry looked over at Severus silently asking him for help.
"I can't help you here, Harry, you're going to have to tell them yourself." Severus told him as a tear fell from Harry's terrified eyes. Memory Harry took another deep shuttering breath.
"I used an ability I just learned I had. I used Parselmouth to talk to the snake." Memory Harry admitted and everyone in the court room had a sharp intake of breath at that. "I told him to leave Haiden alone and the snake turned towards Ron. I told the snake 'Don't even think about it' and he told me that I was not his master and that he was created to attack, that if he was not allowed to attack Haiden then he would attack Ron. I ordered him to listen to me, that I was now his master and that he was to listen to me. I told him that he was to not bite Ron, that he was to bite me. The snake finally listened to me and started to come towards me, I bent down to allow the snake to bite me when Professor Snape disintegrated it.
"Ron then blew up, accusing me of trying to kill him. I denied the accusation and learned that I was speaking Parselmouth. He then accused me of attacking Colin Creevey, who had been taken to the Hospital Wing because he, too, had been petrified. Ron also accused me of opening the Chamber of Secrets. And when I tried to deny it, he used me attacking him in anger as proof. And when Hermione tried to defend me, he accused me of putting a curse on her, and using the fact that she had once been so sure that I was the one attacking people, and then suddenly began defending me after being alone with me in the Restricted Section. Draco, Myari, Luna, and Hermione helped me get away from him after Professor Snape stepped in.
"And then today after I run away from Hermione and Draco, I found myself at a dead end. And as I was trying to get my breath, Ron, Justin, Terry, and two other Gryffindor boys that I don't know came up behind me. After asking if I could help them, Ron stepped out of the group of boys asking me where I was going in a hurry then accused me of trying to get to the Chamber of Secrets to attack more students. I informed him that I didn't know where the Chamber of Secrets was and that Hermione was in the library looking for clues as to where it might be. Ron then punched me and demanded that I remove the curse from Hermione." The crowd in the courtyard gasped at that. "I informed him that I hadn't put a cure on Hermione and he accused me of lying after punching me in the gut. I told him that Hermione was a big girl who could decide who she wanted to hang out with.
"Ron accused me of using an act to appear innocent and that he was not fooled by my 'act' that Haiden had informed him of all the times I used magic to get Haiden in trouble with our relatives." Haiden looked confused at that, he never told Ron that Harry was using magic to get him in trouble, he had been talking to Ron about how his relatives would punish them whenever anything unexplainable happened. He remembered saying that most of the weird and unexplainable things happened around Harry. "Ron also informed me that Haiden told him about the time I set a boa constrictor on my cousin at a zoo." At that a murmur flew through the crowd and Haiden regretted ever telling Ron about that incident, but at that time he didn't know what accidental magic was.
"By this time Ron had continued punching me until I was curled up in a ball on the ground where he began to stomp on me." Everyone gasped at that. Anger was no welling up in Haiden. Ron had lied to him. Ron had told him that he had only talked with Harry that day, that he had only shoved Harry in the beginning, that it had been Harry who had thrown the first punch. "Ron then began to accuse me of being a Dark Wizard because I am a Parselmouth. That I was the real reason Voldemort killed my parents and tried to kill me and Haiden." The crowd flinched when Harry said 'Voldemort'. "That the only reason me and Haiden survived was because I was a powerful Dark Wizard. He also informed me that Voldemort wasn't trying to kill Haiden, but me because Voldemort didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him. He accused me of hiding other powers. That was when Professor McGonagall showed up and took me to the Hospital Wing." Harry finished with tears streaming down his face. The memory ended there and the Minister looked towards Lucius.
"Was the memory tampered with." He asked.
"It was cut short, but other than that, no." Lucius explained.
"Was there anything else of importance in that meeting that we should see?" The Minister asked.
"The explanation on the boa constrictor incident, but other than that, nothing else is related to this case." Lucius explained.
"What happened with the boa constrictor at the zoo?" The Minister asked Harry. It was a long minute before Harry spoke again.
"Harry's relatives were not nice, they beat and starved Harry and Haiden. Harry and Haiden lived in a small cupboard for 11 years. Harry's relatives encouraged their cousin to hit and beat them as well. They never took Harry and Haiden anywhere. That day was the exception. Their normal watcher canceled last minute and their relatives were forced to take them to the zoo. Harry was in the reptile room when he began to speak to the Boa Constrictor. Harry did not know he wasn't speaking English. Haiden caught Harry and stopped him before their relatives saw him. Their cousin shoved them to the ground. Harry accidentally used magic to make the glass disappear. The Boa Constrictor got loose. She never attacked anyone. She left the zoo never to be seen again." Harry explained.
"I was there, and that is what happened." Haiden informed. The Minister, Madam Bones, and Umbridge leaned their heads together and began to whisper. After a few minutes they separated.
"Our investigation shows that everything stated and shown here is true. Our investigation also indicate that Harry was not the one attacking his fellow classmates, nor has any student been spelled to be his friend. We investigated the claim of Harry dosing fellow students and other students of other schools with love potions shows that to be false, no love potion was ever detected." The Minister announced.
"Those in favor of clearing the accused of these charges?" Madam Bones booming voice asked. Every hand raised. "A unanimous decision. Haiden felt hopeful that their investigation would prove Harry innocent of all charges.
"We have investigated the Dark Mark incident at the Quidditch World Cup. Or investigation shows that though Harry's wand was the wand to conjure the mark, it was not Harry who conjured it. It was proven that it was Bartimus Crouch Jr conjured the mark. We still have no idea how Bartimus Crouch Jr received Harry's wand as, as our investigation states, Harry didn't have it on him. Our investigation shows that Harry rarely even carried his wand on him as he can do both wandless and wordless magic. At the start of the Quidditch World Cup, our investigation can prove that Harry's wand was hidden safely in his trunk protected by powerful protection charms that can only be disengaged by someone who can speak Parslemouth. It was also proven that Harry could not have gotten the wand from the trunk and give it to Bartimus Crouch Jr." The Minister explained.
"Those in favor of clearing the accused of the charge of conjuring the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup?" Madam Bones asked, it was another unanimous decision and Haiden's hope rose.
"We have investigated the accusation of Harry being a Dark Arts user. Our investigation has come back as undetermined. Most, if not all, of Harry's spells are edited version of ancient and long forgotten spells. We have located the books where he learned them from and the translations he has done on them. We are still trying to determine which category of magic these spells fall under. Though, just from reading about what they do most of them seam to be of the neutral side." The Minister read off a report.
"Those in favor of clearing the accused of the charge of being a Dark Arts user?" Madam Bones asked and over half the hands rose. "Those in favor of conviction?" Fudge raised his hand; so did half a dozen others, including the witch on his right and the heavily mustached wizard and the frizzy haired witch in the second row.
Fudge glanced around at them all, looking as though there was something large stuck in his throat, then lowered his own hand. He took two deep breaths and then said, in a voice distorted by suppressed rage, "Very well, very well . . . Harry has been clears of his suspicions of being a Dark Arts user." The witch to the right of Fudge leaned forward so that Haiden saw her for the first time.
He thought she looked just like a large, pale toad. She was rather squat with a broad, flabby face, as little neck as Uncle Vernon, and a very wide, slack mouth. Her eyes were large, round, and slightly bulging. Even the little black velvet bow perched on top of her short curly hair put him in mind of a large fly she was about to catch on a long sticky tongue.
"The Chair recognizes Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister." Fudge said. The witch spoke in a fluttery, girlish, high-pitched voice that took Haiden aback; he had been expecting a croak.
"From all the evidence, it is clear that Harry gets all of his knowledge of these potentially dangerous spells from books. So, I suggest that we limit what he can and cannot read." She said innocently, her big, round eyes as cold as ever. Haiden had to grip the side of his chair and bite his tongue to keep from yelling that they couldn't do that! That if they took Harry's books away that it would kill him. Hermione's hand flew to his and gripped it so hard that it hurt. He glanced at her to find her glaring up at the witch, it was obvious that she was also fighting the urge to yell at the witch as well.
"I do believe that you are misunderstanding my role as Headmaster, Ms Umbridge. I no more control what a student is learning than I can control the weather." Dumbledore explained and Umbridge gave a silvery laugh that made the hairs on the back of Haiden's neck stand up. A few other members of the Wizengamot laughed with her. It could not have been plainer that not one of them was really amused.
"Of course, so silly of me. But you can limit his access to the Restricted Section of the school's library. It clearly states in our investigation that in Harry's first year of Hogwarts he was given unlimited access to the Restricted Section by his Head of House, Filius Flitwick, that was never taken away." Umbridge pointed out.
"I will, of course, revoke that." Dumbledore said and the sound of something hitting metal shocked everyone and caused them to look at the cage to see Harry had fallen forward and slammed his head against the bars, giving himself a nose bleed.
"Owie." Harry whined.
"We investigated the murder of Bartimus Crouch. Our investigation showed that, once again, Harry's wand was used, however it was proven that Bartimus Crouch Jr was the one to murder Bartimus Crouch. We were not able to determine exactly how Bartimus Crouch Jr came to have Harry's wand at that time. Though we were able to prove that Harry himself never gave Bartimus Crouch Jr the wand." The Minister read out, not sounding very happy about the out come of the investigation.
"Those in favor of clearing the accused of suspicion of the murder of Bartimus Crouch?" Madam Bones asked and it was once again a unanimous decision, though Fudge and Umbridge did not look happy having to vote to clear him. It took Haiden a couple of seconds to realize what that meant.
"It would seem Harry is hear by cleared of all charges." Minister Fudge said through clenched teeth.
"Excellent." Dumbledore said briskly as he sprang to his feet, Haiden and others following his example as he pulled out his wand, with a quick flick of his wrist the chairs vanished. "Well, I must be getting along. Good day to you all." And without looking once at Haiden, he swept from the dungeons. But Haiden was too happy to care, his brother was cleared, he would be coming home.
An Auror came in and unlocked the cage, Haiden watched as Harry watched the Auror with a guarded look, a strange glow to his eyes. "Wrists, please." The Auror said and it was a long second before Harry held out his writs and allowed the Auror to unlock the chains on his writs. "Ankles, please." The Auror and Harry slowly moved his body so that the Auror could unlock the chains on his ankles. "You're free to go." The Auror told him backing away from him, and yet Harry stayed in the cage confusing everyone. It was until he glanced over at Luna that anyone seemed to realize why Harry hadn't left to cage.
"Here, let me help you." Luna said before rushing over to help Harry out of the cage. Everyone watched as Harry stood on, weak and shaky legs with the help of Luna, a few photographers took that moment to get a few shots before Draco rushed over and lifted him up, and then every photographer in the room began taking pictures. And Haiden could see why. Curled up in Draco's arms the way he was made him look smaller than ever.
Moments later they were swept from the room by Lucius, Remus, and Severus before the press could swarm them.