Chapter Nine: Whisperings and Allies
Two hours later, we were dressed, fed, and back in court. Hermione and I sat at our table; the others were in the audience. Voldemort-as-Dumbledore was sitting in the judge's chair. Just as he was about to bang the gavel to start court, Hermione stood up. "Your Honor?"
"Yes?"
"We propose to settle outside of court."
Voldemort's cheek twitched ever so slightly, but he said, "Very well. I will agree if the charge-bringers do."
Sirius rose. "I agree."
"So do I," said Percy, with a puzzled look on his face.
"I agree," said Filch, who I hadn't seen in court before, "but we are settling this."
"I'm with Filch," said Snape, tossing his hair over his shoulder. I heard several thuds as five witches hit the floor in a dead faint.
"I don't," said a cold, drawling voice from behind me. I turned. Sure enough, it was Malfoy. "How can I assure she'll be reasonable without a court overseeing this? And she has broken the law."
"Wait!" called a tiny voice from the back of the courtroom. Everyone turned and looked at Dobby. He ran down the center aisle and pulled on the hem of Malfoy's robe.
"What?" asked Malfoy, irritated.
"Former Master Draco must bend down so Dobby can whisper in his ear, sir!"
With a look I usually associate with the looks of tortured saints in stained glass windows, Malfoy bent down. As Dobby whispered, his look grew more and more scared. When Dobby finished, Malfoy stood up and said, fearfully, "You wouldn't."
"Oh, but Dobby would, sir."
Malfoy blanched, looked at Voldemort, and said, "All right. I'll settle out of court."
I nudged Hermione. She shrugged.
"All right. I'll leave it to you to settle on your own. Court is now dismissed." He banged the gavel.
I looked around the courtroom. McGonagall looked dissapointed that she couldn't argue in court any more. Three of the witches who had fainted had been revived. Malfoy's face was still as white as Dumbledore's beard. Suddenly, an owl flew in and landed on McGonagall's hand. I recognized it as one of the owls we had sent to the witches and wizards about the Diagaon Alley meeting. She opened the letter, read it, looked puzzled, and gathered up her things.
The night before, when Hermione and I had been hiding in her dormitory and hoping that by some miracle we would never have to look Remus and Sirius in the eye again, Ron and Harry had sent out the owls. The meeting was set for two o'clock that day.
"Could someone please explain what's going on here?"
It was Percy, looking confused and annoyed at the same time. "Yes, but not here," said Hermione. "Come with us, we're meeting back at Hogwarts."
We walked through Hogsmeade until we arrived at Honeydukes, not speaking. Once we arrived back at Hogwarts, we met the others in the Gryffindor common room.
"All right," Hermione said to Percy, "let me fill you in, and don't ask any questions until I'm finished. Voldemort's kidnapped Dumbledore. He's taking Polyjuice Potion to look like him, and he's been presiding over this whole trial. We think he wanted Joanne put in Azkaban for her books, because now all the Muggles know about him, and some of them might believe that her books are really non-fiction. He's got to have some sort of plan, or else all of us and Dumbledore would be dead by now. Jo, Harry, Ron, Sirius, Remus, Hagrid, and I sent owls to some people we thought could help us. We're meeting them in Diagon Alley at two o'clock."
Percy stared. "You're mad. You-Know-Who could never kidnap Dumbledore. He's too powerful, Dumbledore, and even if You-Know-Who managed it somehow, he couldn't get away with it. Besides, Fudge says he doesn't believe he's really risen again."
"This may come as a shock, Perce, but Fudge is a prat," said Ron.
"Yeah, and if Voldemort hasn't risen again, perhaps you'll explain why Cedric Diggory's dead," said Harry. A hush fell over the room.
"But...but Mr. Crouch said..." Percy stammered.
"He's dead too, because of his son who was one of the Death Eaters," said Harry. Then his face softened a bit. "Cone on Percy, we wouldn't lie to you about something like this. I know it's frightening, but it's true."
"All right," said Percy after a few seconds, "I believe you."
Remus spoke for the first time since we'd returned to Hogwarts. "Good. I'm honored to have you on our side. Now, I think the best thing for us to do is to rest until two o'clock. I have a feeling it might be a while before we can rest again. And there isn't really anything we can do before then anyway."
"Come on Percy," Ron said, "I'll have Winky get all your things from Hogsmeade. You can stay in your old dormitory with Harry and me."
"Why aren't you two in your own dormitory?"
"Long story," said Harry, his eyes sliding to Sirius and Remus and back again. "Come on." The three of them left for upstairs.
Ron's remark about Winky reminded me of something. "Dobby," I said, "what did you whisper to Malfoy in court?"
Dobby gazed up at me with his tennis-ball sized eyes. "Dobby wishes he could tell Ms. Rowling. But it is part of Dobby's agreement with Former Master Draco not to tell. If he finds out that miss knows, he might bring her back into court. Dobby will tell miss someday if he can. But let Dobby assure you, miss," he said, his mouth slowly spreading into a smile, "It is very good blackmail."