Chapter 3
Jailed
"Your behavior is inexcusable," a sharp faced woman stated. "What have you to say for yourself?"
The person standing before her replied with only a glare staring out of his round red face.
"Very well, Mr. Dursley… After reviewing your marks and the behavior reports from your professors, I find your record dismal. You have not passed a single one of your classes the entire time you have attended this school. I have used these records in deciding your punishment.
"You are hereby placed on probation for the entire first term. You will attend study hall during any free class periods as well as after school until 30 min before lights out. You will have study hall for 8 hours on both Saturday and Sunday and are not permitted off school grounds without a member of the staff as an escort. After careful consideration of your marks I have decided to have you tested to see exactly where you are in your studies. You will be attending special classes based on these tests in the hope that you can catch up to at least a level that will permit you to pass the GCSE's for a trade."
"You can't do that to me! Wait 'til my father hears about this, he won't leave me in this second rate institution…"
"Yes Mr. Dursley, I am certain you father will be less than happy. Until such a time as you are removed from this school, or graduate, you will be following the rules laid out for you."
"I'll be out of here as soon as my father receives my letter!"
"I am sorry Mr. Dursley, but I have received notice from the court, you are now a ward of the state until a certain matter is worked out. A letter form you father will not be enough to remove you from the care of this school.
"Now, you are dismissed to your room. Unpack and get ready for your testing tomorrow."
As she watched the irate young man bluster down the hall followed by one of the professors she wondered. What would her staff say when they heard about the punishment? After all she had just sentenced their most difficult student to being supervised at all times. They would not be happy with sharing that duty.
She sighed reaching down to review the papers sent by the court. There was much to do, and this would be a difficult year, for all of them.
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Petunia Dursley let out a startled screech as she fell backwards on a cold stone floor beside her husband. "Vernon!" she called out reaching toward him in fright. After all, one doesn't fall out of the back of a police car, dies one? At least, no perfectly normal person does. And Petunia was, if nothing else, perfectly normal, wasn't she?
"Who are you?" shouted Vernon Dursley as he stared up from his place on the floor. "Stop pointing those things at me!"
One of the two uniformed officers that had accompanied them in the car had jumped to his feet and was standing before one of those freak people and saluting smartly. "The prisoners are transferred to your care as per the directions on the warrant for their arrest."
The freak saluted back accepting the transfer before walking over and demanding that the two frightened muggles stand.
"You have no right! We are not your kind; you can't do this to us!"
"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley you have been legally arrested on a warrant issued by the wizarding court and will stand for the charges but first you must be in-processed. You will stand and follow me."
"We will not! I want my attorney! You have no authority over us!" Vernon bellowed, watching as the as the ring of aurors surrounding his wife and him slowly moved closer with their wands drawn.
"Get… up… NOW!"
Still he refused, attempting to shield his wife behind him, and nearly squashing her in the process. Then several hands reached out toward him and he was dragged to his feet, struggling against the handcuffs which had not yet been removed. He was forced forward against his will, shoved unceremoniously into a room at the end of the hall.
It wasn't a large room compared to some, but it would not be considered small compared to others. In one corner was a plain old wooden desk, gouged and burnt, barley holding together under the weight of the dragon skin boots positioned upon it.
"A new one, eh?"
The boots were lowered slowly, scraping the stone floor as their owner rose to see his new charge.
"I heard this one is a muggle. Is it so?"
"It is. He will stand before the court tomorrow at 9 AM. He will need to contact his attorney this evening so they can prepare."
"What are the charges against him?"
"Child abuse; both his nephew and son."
"We don't much like child abusers here, but I am sure we can find you a nice cozy cell for the night. Wouldn't want you upset before the judges tomorrow, would we?"
"Where is my wife?" demanded Vernon as he rubbed his now free wrists.
"She'll have been taken to the female division, you won't see her 'til tomorrow in court," the guard explained as he held Mr. Dursley in place for a photograph. "Just this way," he continued, shoving his charge toward a crowded cell across from his desk. "I can keep a good eye on you here; make sure you don't cause any trouble."
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Dudley Dursley stood in the center of his darkened room. It had not been dark for long, just since immediately after he threw his lamp through the wall. The broken plaster was hardly alone in its state. So far, Dudley had managed to forcibly remove the door form the closet, shove the desk through the window (it now lay splintered on the ground two stories below) and completely disassemble the bed.
He had yet to write to his parents, he first needed to calm down enough to use a pencil. Not that he wanted to write. No, he wanted to call them so they could remove him tonight. That stupid house matron was standing outside his door and refused to let him use the phone. He'd write about that also. His father paid good money to have him attend this school, and for them to treat him like this? His parents would not permit this to continue. He knew it!
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Edward Alfonsis, attorney at law, sat silently at his desk. The office has closed hours ago; his family had most likely gone ahead with dinner without him he was so late returning home. Only the youngest of his three children would be home, safely tucked into bed, the others were in school. And yet he sat, reading once again the letter from the court he had received earlier that day.
The directions were clear; he already had a client though. This could possibly cause a conflict of interests. He understood the need, and he understood the reasons for the courts decision, but… he would have to discuss this with his client before going ahead.
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Carefully smoothing her hair with her hands, Petunia Dursley sat behind a large wooden table in the center ring of the courtroom. She still wore her dress from the day before, after all, that thing they offered her to wear was hardly appropriate for a woman of her position, was it?
She had met with the attorney the night before, immediately after his meeting with Mr. Dursley. She had listened to his advice, but refused to follow it. Her… use an attorney of that kind? Never!
Spending the night crowded into a small cell with a group of freaks hardly improved her disposition. There wasn't even a bed for her to lay out on, only a single bench attached to the wall for all 8 women. None of them were normal like her, all weird. They didn't like her, especially not after hearing what she was arrested for. She had the bruises, carefully positioned under her dress so no one could see. The guard hadn't seemed to notice, not even when she called out to her.
And now, she sat, waiting for the preliminary proceedings before her trial to begin. How she hoped Vernon would arrive soon.
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Mr. Alfonsis hurried through the London traffic. His meeting that morning at Hogwarts had gone; he supposed, as well as could be expected. His client had understood and agreed to the courts request. Now if the traffic would clear so he could get to the trial at the ministry on time!
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Dudley Dursley sat in the lobby to the headmistress office with a pencil in his hand, glaring at the horrible exam he was being forced to take. It was his third one that day. He wasn't even permitted to leave for lunch; instead a plate was brought for him.
He had managed to wear himself out so thoroughly the night before; he hadn't managed to write to his parents before falling asleep in his dismantled room. Now he would, just as soon as he finished these stupid exams and was permitted to leave.
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Three tables were positioned in the rectangular courtroom across form the judge's platform. The witness stand (a heavy wooden chair laden with large metal chains) held a position to the right. Above and surrounding the court, were rows and rows of empty wooden benches.
A few reporters had taken seats in the front row, their security badges prominently displayed for this closed court session. Each one had been required to sign a contract which clearly dictated the rules for these proceedings.
After laying his briefcase down on the far right table, Mr. Alfonsis took the time to examine the courtroom. The table on the far left hosted the bickering voices of the accused, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. He knew their attorney, a muggle who seemed to be attempting to talk them into hiring someone with more experience in this court. He turned his attention to the center table and nodded to the prosecuting attorneys, who returned his greeting and held out a folder toward him.
"You may need this, came from the school."
"Thank you, good day gentlemen."
Quickly he thumbed through the packet, Dudley's early exam results and analysis. Not a single pass and this was the entrance exam for Smeltings. The boy should never have even been accepted into the school. They were continuing with exams to pinpoint the boys' actual academic level, this did not look promising.