The three of them sat down, Harry glancing over at Fudge. Fudge was very
stubborn, and was sure that Harry was crazy after reading several articles
by Rita Skeeter the year before. He was also adamant that Voldemort had
not returned.
"Now," Dumbledore said. "Harry here has been busily researching Ministry
laws."
Fudge glanced at Harry suspiciously.
"Harry, if you'd tell him what you found." Harry nodded.
"Minister, sir, have you ever hear of the law 'Innocent until proven
Guilty'?"
Fudge jumped, and licked his lips. "Err, no, I can't say I have," he said.
"Well, it was established in 1607 to prevent innocent people from being sent to Azkaban. If that law is broken the person directly affected is entitled to one million galleons for every year of wrongful imprisonment, and all those indirectly effected are entitled to half a million galleons for every year the innocent party is imprisoned."
Fudge glanced at Dumbledore. "Albus, what is this lunatic child going on about?" Harry lost his temper. He stood up. "I'm demanding a trial for Sirius Black, that's what!" Fudge's reaction was exactly what Harry had expected. He jumped, and began to stutter. "P-p-p-preposterous! He was the Potters Secret Keeper, we know he was guilty, we heard what those Muggles saw-" "Prove it," Harry said softly. "You never gave him a trial. No one knew about the switch, that was his plan. And you don't have a choice about giving him a trial, if I demand one on that basis. You can't do anything. Sirius has to have a trial - with Veritaserum. And if you 'forget' that I demanded this, I will personally contact the Daily Prophet and get the full story in there. You can be sure that you will lose your spot as Minister. And when Sirius is proven innocent." "IF he is proven innocent," Fudge said heatedly. "He will want the compensation," Harry said. Fudge went pale. "B-b-but that would be 12 million galleons!" "24," Harry said. "Professor Lupin and I will both want compensating as well." He paused, glancing at Dumbledore, who seemed to be enjoying all this a lot. "That money, by the law, comes out of the Ministry. I don't think any of them are going to be very happy.." Dumbledore stood up. "Harry, you'd best be off. Cornelius and I have to discuss what to do now Voldemort is back." Harry nodded.
"Harry," Hermione said nervously at breakfast the next day. "Did you know that we are learning about the Fidelius Charm in Charms today?" Harry shook his head slowly. "No. At least I can do a good impersonation of you..It's a charm I know a lot about." He swallowed hard, then glanced up automatically as the owls flew in with the post. Hedwig was not among them. "You ok?" Ron asked anxiously. Harry nodded. "Yeah, just have bad memories involving owls. You know, that dream I had last year in Divination." Hermione tutted. "You really should quit, Trelawneys nothing but a fraud." She glanced at her watch. "Heck!" Ron and Harry stared. Hermione never never said anything like that in anger. "Err, is everything ok?" Harry asked. "We're meant to be in Potions in 5 minutes!" Ron said something that would normally have caused Hermione to lecture him, but this time she let him off. They leapt up and sprinted across the Hall, arriving at the Potions dungeon at the same time as Snape. He glared at them, but said nothing, so they hastily sat down.
"Today we will be making a potion designed to give the drinker flu-like symptoms," he hissed. "At the end of the lesson you will have to drink your potion...If you have made it correctly I should be able to reverse it with the antidote, if you haven't, you will have a bad dose of the flu."
Harry groaned, and set up his cauldron before looking through the recipe. He was halfway through grinding Unicorn horn when the door opened and Professor Lupin walked in. Harry nearly knocked his Troll Boogers off the table in shock. He caught it just in time, staring at Lupin open mouthed.
Lupin smiled at him, before turning to Snape. "Severus, I am afraid that Harry must leave this class now." Snape glared stonily at them both. "Harry has an hour left. He will stay here for that hour." "Severus, Harry has to go the Ministry. His presence is required at a trial. The trial of an acquaintance of his from two years ago.." Snape's eyes narrowed. "I was under the impression that his.. Acquaintance. had already been convicted." Lupin shrugged. "A lot of people were under that impression. But taking things into consideration, we are acting under an old law. Come on Harry, we're already late."
Harry stuffed his stuff into his bag. "Can you take care of it?" he muttered to Ron. Ron nodded. "See ya Harry. Good luck." Harry nodded, and scampered after Lupin. "Professor, where's Snuffles?" Lupin smiled. "Firstly, Harry, I am no longer your Professor, so don't call me that. Lets see, James would have a fit if you called me Mr Lupin, so just call me Remus, or Moony. And Snuffles is waiting for us in Dumbledore's office. He will travel with us to the Ministry for his trial." He paused in front of the familiar griffin. "Freddo Frogs!" The griffin leapt aside, revealing the familiar moving spiral staircase.
"Well, it was established in 1607 to prevent innocent people from being sent to Azkaban. If that law is broken the person directly affected is entitled to one million galleons for every year of wrongful imprisonment, and all those indirectly effected are entitled to half a million galleons for every year the innocent party is imprisoned."
Fudge glanced at Dumbledore. "Albus, what is this lunatic child going on about?" Harry lost his temper. He stood up. "I'm demanding a trial for Sirius Black, that's what!" Fudge's reaction was exactly what Harry had expected. He jumped, and began to stutter. "P-p-p-preposterous! He was the Potters Secret Keeper, we know he was guilty, we heard what those Muggles saw-" "Prove it," Harry said softly. "You never gave him a trial. No one knew about the switch, that was his plan. And you don't have a choice about giving him a trial, if I demand one on that basis. You can't do anything. Sirius has to have a trial - with Veritaserum. And if you 'forget' that I demanded this, I will personally contact the Daily Prophet and get the full story in there. You can be sure that you will lose your spot as Minister. And when Sirius is proven innocent." "IF he is proven innocent," Fudge said heatedly. "He will want the compensation," Harry said. Fudge went pale. "B-b-but that would be 12 million galleons!" "24," Harry said. "Professor Lupin and I will both want compensating as well." He paused, glancing at Dumbledore, who seemed to be enjoying all this a lot. "That money, by the law, comes out of the Ministry. I don't think any of them are going to be very happy.." Dumbledore stood up. "Harry, you'd best be off. Cornelius and I have to discuss what to do now Voldemort is back." Harry nodded.
"Harry," Hermione said nervously at breakfast the next day. "Did you know that we are learning about the Fidelius Charm in Charms today?" Harry shook his head slowly. "No. At least I can do a good impersonation of you..It's a charm I know a lot about." He swallowed hard, then glanced up automatically as the owls flew in with the post. Hedwig was not among them. "You ok?" Ron asked anxiously. Harry nodded. "Yeah, just have bad memories involving owls. You know, that dream I had last year in Divination." Hermione tutted. "You really should quit, Trelawneys nothing but a fraud." She glanced at her watch. "Heck!" Ron and Harry stared. Hermione never never said anything like that in anger. "Err, is everything ok?" Harry asked. "We're meant to be in Potions in 5 minutes!" Ron said something that would normally have caused Hermione to lecture him, but this time she let him off. They leapt up and sprinted across the Hall, arriving at the Potions dungeon at the same time as Snape. He glared at them, but said nothing, so they hastily sat down.
"Today we will be making a potion designed to give the drinker flu-like symptoms," he hissed. "At the end of the lesson you will have to drink your potion...If you have made it correctly I should be able to reverse it with the antidote, if you haven't, you will have a bad dose of the flu."
Harry groaned, and set up his cauldron before looking through the recipe. He was halfway through grinding Unicorn horn when the door opened and Professor Lupin walked in. Harry nearly knocked his Troll Boogers off the table in shock. He caught it just in time, staring at Lupin open mouthed.
Lupin smiled at him, before turning to Snape. "Severus, I am afraid that Harry must leave this class now." Snape glared stonily at them both. "Harry has an hour left. He will stay here for that hour." "Severus, Harry has to go the Ministry. His presence is required at a trial. The trial of an acquaintance of his from two years ago.." Snape's eyes narrowed. "I was under the impression that his.. Acquaintance. had already been convicted." Lupin shrugged. "A lot of people were under that impression. But taking things into consideration, we are acting under an old law. Come on Harry, we're already late."
Harry stuffed his stuff into his bag. "Can you take care of it?" he muttered to Ron. Ron nodded. "See ya Harry. Good luck." Harry nodded, and scampered after Lupin. "Professor, where's Snuffles?" Lupin smiled. "Firstly, Harry, I am no longer your Professor, so don't call me that. Lets see, James would have a fit if you called me Mr Lupin, so just call me Remus, or Moony. And Snuffles is waiting for us in Dumbledore's office. He will travel with us to the Ministry for his trial." He paused in front of the familiar griffin. "Freddo Frogs!" The griffin leapt aside, revealing the familiar moving spiral staircase.