Harry woke up the next morning with his insides, as he was more than
sure, removed. At his last hearing, he'd gotten off merely because of
Dumbledore and a technicality. He wasn't sure if Dumbledore would even
be making an appearance this time, due to whatever seemed to be keeping
him from explaining what's been going on. Harry was going to have to
convince the court that he and Malfoy were innocent of anything
unpractical. He opened up his suitcase, which had arrived the previous
afternoon, and got dressed. He went downstairs where Hermione and Krum
were talking to Fred and George Weasley. Malfoy was sitting a few seats
away from them, scowling at Hermione. Fred and George stood up and
smiled.
"Harry, good to see you mate!" Fred stated
"We've come to take you two to the Ministry, dad's sent us." George added.
"How is everyone? They're all okay right?" Harry asked immediately.
"Oh yes, we got an anonymous tip a few hours before the attack. We think it was Kingsley, evening things out for what he owed us."
"He's turned to the dark side you know."
"Yes, Malfoy and I overheard him talking with Peter Pettigrew yesterday."
"Yes, well he was supposed to be spying for us." George started to explain.
"But it seems as if Voldemort made him an offer he couldn't refuse. He traded in the information to our location and the identities of everyone who's in the order and now it seems he's under Lucius' watch and control."
"So where is everyone?" asked Harry.
"Hogwarts of course."
"The safest place to be at the moment."
"Who died?"
"Dumbledore said he'd explain everything later." George told him.
"Are you ready to go then? You have to be there in an hour."
"Yeah, let's go." Harry responded. Malfoy got up and joined them.
They went down to the Ministry of Magic. George and Fred led them to Mr. Weasley's office on Level two. Perkins was looming over his desk studying an article on bewitched ovens found in South London. Mr. Weasley smiled and stood up from his desk. He shook Harry's hand, then turned to the twins.
"Thank you so much boys. Harry! How are you?"
"I've been better to say the least. How's Ron? I've tried owling him."
"Oh, Ron's just fine. He's staying at Hogwarts with the others. As will you two when we're done today. You best head on over to the courtroom, they'll be expecting you shortly. It's courtroom five, I believe. I'm sure you remember how to get there?" Mr. Weasley told them looking at Harry then Malfoy. They both nodded and said goodbye to him and the twins.
"We'll be here to take you back afterwards." Fred informed them as they left.
Harry led Malfoy back to the lift and they headed down to the Department of Mysteries. Harry's stomach gave a jolt, and his eyes suddenly burned as the lift doors rattled opened. He hadn't been back there since Sirius had died, since Voldemort had possessed him. Malfoy looked around, he went to question Harry about it, but he was pulled to the left and down the stairs. He walked through the corridor looking at the numbers next to the wooden doors, on small wooden blanks bolted to the stonewalls. He could barely read them in the dim torchlight. He found Courtroom Five, and pushed open the door.
"Ah, yes. Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. Come in, you're on time." Cornelius Fudge directed towards them, and motioned for them to have a seat in two chairs that Harry recognized with uneasiness.
They sat down and looked at the crowd of people who were seated in front of them. There were only about half as many people there as had been during his first trial. This didn't surprise Harry, as the Ministry had lost many of its employees when the truth of Voldemort had come out. Percy was there however, and he gave Harry a nod. As did Dumbledore, who was seated a few seats down from him. Some of Harry's stress released its grip on him. Fudge continued.
"Disciplinary hearing of the third of August into continued offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter and first offense of Draco Lucius Malfoy."
Harry sat as they went through the list of who was present. His throat caught his breath when the name Dolores Jane Umbridge was mentioned. He scanned through the faces of the people and saw her sitting a row back from Dumbledore, continuously scribbling notes down on her clipboard. He couldn't believe she was still working for the Ministry. She may help Malfoy's case, but she'd do nothing but damage to his own. She looked up and noticed Harry's glance. Her sugar sweet smile stretched across her face as she looked at him through above her glasses.
"The charges against the accused are as follows:
'Having knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of their actions produced a random number of charms including but not solely the Confundus charm, the Conjunctivitus charm, and the Impediment charm, in a muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of seven muggles, on the first of August at fifty-one past eight in the morning, which constitutes an offence under Paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under Section 13 of the International Confederation of the Warlock's Statute of Secrecy."
Harry had heard nearly the same speech before two summers ago, but they still had the same effect now as they had then. The stone lying in the base of his stomach seemed to grow.
"You've been here before haven't you? In front of the same group of people, just two summers ago, isn't that right Mr. Potter."
"Yes, but-"
"It seems you have not taken the seriousness of your actions, and the last time, as I remember correctly, you won your case due to a small technicality. Do you believe this has given you the right to continue to disregard the rules set by the Ministry of Magic?"
"No, I-"
"What was the reasoning behind your actions this time? There were no dementors or Death Eaters on Privet Drive this time, I assume?"
"No, but there was no other way for us to escape the muggles."
"For you to escape, you mean. We'll get to Mr. Malfoy's case in a minute. From this point you are to regard the situation as your own. And what were these muggles doing that drove you to the point of having to use magic on them? As I noticed from reading over your case you struck five muggle men with the Impediment charm, and another muggle as with the Conjunctivitus Charm. Was your life in danger?"
"No, but they were going to lock me up into a mental health facility after believing that I was insane due to my mishaps within the wizarding community." Harry replied. Fudge looked over his parchment again. A few of the witches and wizards began muttering to each other. Fudge raised his hand to silence them.
"Are you Draco Lucius Malfoy?" Fudge asked, moving over to the other side to question Malfoy.
"Yes."
"Isn't it true that your father is Lucius Damien Malfoy, who's been charged twice with being one of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named followers?"
"Yes, but I am not my father. I do not support the actions that Lord Voldemort has bestowed upon the wizarding world." there were a few gasps at hearing the name spoken so freely.
"All right, what is your reasoning for the actions on the morning of the first of August?"
"Just as Harry as stated. I was supposed to be under the care of the Dursley's for the rest of the summer under Albus Dumbledore's orders. They were going to put us both away." Malfoy replied and glanced over at Harry.
"Now I'd like to call Dolores Jane Umbridge to the stand to bear witness of the characters of Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy." Fudge stated and Umbridge made her way to the stand. Dumbledore stood up.
"I would like to point out that it is not their characters that are on trial here, it is simply the matter of the situation in which the magic was used." he commented.
"On the contrary, Albus. I believe it is of utmost importance that we show the character of the accused in this trial, as this hasn't been Potter's offence. I believe this has been in third in the past four years. This isn't just a matter of whether or not he will be expelled from his school. It is about the fact that Mr. Potter is incapable of following order and rules. As for Mr. Malfoy, I'll get to that in a minute."
"Very well, then continue." Dumbledore remarked and sat down. Umbridge took her place in a chair a few feet away from Harry and Malfoy.
"Please state your name."
"Dolores Jane Umbridge."
"Now you taught at Hogwarts two years ago as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, is that correct?"
"Yes it is."
"What kind of student was Mr. Potter?"
"He had a very bad habit of breaking all the rules and decrees that were set in motion for the students' protection. He helped set up a study group to fight against the Ministry of Magic, although I have no proof of this other than the word of a student who went to the meetings and the confession of Professor Dumbledore being in charge of the whole thing." she told the court.
"That's a lie! The only reason we set up a study group was so that we could learn how to protect ourselves against Voldemort when you and the entire Ministry refused to believe that we had any reason to be afraid! If it hadn't been for us, Voldemort would've gotten what he wanted from the Department of Mysteries. We helped protect the Ministry, not fight against it!" Harry shouted at her. The mutters became a crowd of noise. Fudge gave Harry a look that warned him not to speak out of turn again.
"You see what I mean, Minister. He and his friends were like this through out all of my classes. They were caught sneaking around the school after hours on several occasions, even leaving the school grounds when forbidden. He broke into my office several times to communicate with the escaped criminal Sirius Black. Two of his friends were expelled after creating a giant swamp in the middle of the school, under his instructions no doubt after they were banned from Quidditch for...attacking Mr. Malfoy if I remember correctly." she looked oddly at the two of them sitting together. Then turned her attention back to Fudge.
"In my opinion, from my experiences that year at the school, Harry Potter isn't fit to remain carrying a wand." Umbridge continued.
"Thank you, Dolores. Now what have you to say about Draco Malfoy?"
"Mr. Malfoy obeyed rules. He was also appointed a member of the Inquisitorial Squad and helped me greatly to catch Potter and his friends when they were disobeying the rules. You could say he was the complete opposite of Harry Potter. I see no reason to destroy his wand or expel him for his actions. He was merely trying to get himself out of the mess that Potter led him in to." she finished.
"Thank you, you may return to your seat." Fudge told her. He redirected towards Malfoy again.
"Now you say that you do not follow along with your father and his work for Vold- He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But rumor has it, that you have been marked as a Death Eater. Is this so?"
"Am I on trial here for being a Death Eater or for using a harmless spell against some muggles?" Malfoy snapped at him. Apparently Fudge had hit a nerve, as it was unlike Malfoy to talk back to his elders, especially when in doing so he ran the risk of getting himself into worse trouble.
"Would you please show the court your arm?" Fudge demanded, disregarding Malfoy's question. Irritably Malfoy pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark etched into his pale skin. He rested his head on his other hand and closed his eyes.
"So you are a Death Eater. Could it be you attacked these muggles under orders from your Lord?"
"No. I haven't harmed anyone."
"Ah yes, but it is noted that you performed the Killing Curse, one of the Unforgivable Curses, on a fellow student last year, a Miss Pansy Parkinson. Is this not true?"
"She was trying to kill me! She was the one working for Voldemort. Ask Potter!"
"If you are not a follower, why were you marked?"
"Under my father's wishes. What does any of this have to do with what I'm on trial for? If you're going to expel me then do so, but don't question my character. I am not my father." Malfoy spat.
"Is it true that you despise anyone who is not of what you and your family consider 'pureblood', meaning anyone who was born with muggle relations?"
"My last girlfriend was muggle born, both her parents are muggles. Does that answer your question?" Malfoy told Fudge. Harry was completely shocked that Malfoy would mention Hermione. He looked at Malfoy, but he wouldn't return the glance. He continued to stare daggers into Fudge.
"I have no further questions."
"I'd like to call Albus Dumbledore to the stand, I'm interested in what he has to say." Madam Bones stated.
"Certainly." Fudge replied and stepped aside. Dumbledore took his place in the seat Umbridge had just unoccupied.
"You have allowed Mr. Potter to break several rules in your school before, have you not? The reason I ask this is because Cornelius has a point, if he's become accustomed to doing whatever he pleases, it might have led him to believe he can do as he wishes whenever he feels like it." Madam Bones asked.
"Yes, but within reason. He and Mr. Malfoy, along with the rest of the students involved were punished for their actions in March. Most of the situations which have caused Harry to break school rules, have been in haste to protect the school and those close to him. He is a remarkable wizard, and in those situations he has been forced, through powers not of his own, to act. The rules are simply there as a guide line." Dumbledore replied to the question. Harry and Malfoy exchanged glances.
"Have you had any problems with Draco Malfoy?"
"He and Harry have been working together the past year, despite how they inwardly feel towards each other. This has shown me that the both of them are quite capable of being mature in a serious situation. Now I know that all of you would be quick to presume that young Malfoy has all the makings of being a follower of Voldemort. But I know for a fact that he is not, and it's completely irrelevant to this case. If you wish to question him further on the subject, I have to ask you to charge him for it first, but seeing as you have no further proof aside from the mark on his arm that he is indeed working for Voldemort, I see nothing to charge him for."
The Wizengamot talked amongst themselves. Harry could tell they were discussing their fate. After what seemed like an age they finally broke and got quiet. Madam Bones hushed the group and looked straight at Harry and Malfoy.
"We have decided you may return back to school for your final year. You are both cleared of the charges, but will remain on probation for an undetermined length of time. Mr. Potter, this is for your continued disobeyment of the laws. Mr. Malfoy, expect to be hearing from us again soon as we are looking into your background until we see fit to bring you back here for a proper trial on your involvement with the Death Eaters. If either of you feel the urge to use magic against or around muggles again, then there will be no trial and you will be sent straight to Bogstroad Prison, do I make myself clear?"
Both Harry and Malfoy nodded, and they were excused. Dumbledore didn't stay to chat, when Harry turned around to say goodbye to him, he was gone. Malfoy and Harry made their way back up the staircase.
"This is where my father trapped you and the others isn't? Where Sirius died." Malfoy asked as they reached The Department of Mysteries.
"Yes. I don't want to talk about it." Harry told him and walked ahead of him. They got back to Mr. Weasley's office. The twins were playing around with random muggle objects that their father had lying around the office.
"How'd it go?" George asked, noticing they'd returned.
"We get to go back to school, but we're on probation."
"For how long?"
"Not sure." answered Harry.
"Well we better head back to the Leaky Cauldron for your things." Fred stated and stood up, setting down a stethoscope.
"The sooner we can get you all to Hogwarts the better, eh?" George added.
They got back to Diagon Ally about an hour later. Hermione was just returning as well, with Krum. They'd spent the morning out in Diagon Ally shopping. He'd never gotten to see Diagon Ally before, so she thought she'd take him site seeing. She hugged Harry and then sat down her shopping bags. Malfoy sneered at her and went upstairs to his room.
"So how did it go?" She asked as Krum took their things up to their room.
"Well we're on probation. I don't think they've decided how long yet, but they're allowing us to continue our schooling and they won't destroy our wands unless we do it again. They're going to be watching and researching Malfoy to make sure he doesn't do anything in regards to Voldemort, and they're going to try him as a Death Eater as soon as they have evidence that he is one." Harry explained to her as he bought a butterbeer from the bar. He took it and sat down at one of the tables next to Fred and George, who were distracted playing Wizard Chess.
"But he's not a Death Eater. Didn't Dumbledore explain that to them?"
"Yeah, otherwise I think they would've tried him right then and there. Fudge made him show the court his Mark. Didn't really question him at all about the other night. Asked if it was true he hated Muggles and stuff like that."
"Did he behave?"
"He snapped at Fudge a few times, but over all yeah. He mentioned you." Harry told her. Hermione spit out some of her Butterbeer out of surprise.
"What'd he say?"
"Well like I said Fudge asked him if he hated Muggles, and Malfoy told him that his last girlfriend was Muggle-born. That's it really." Harry saw the look in her eye. He shouldn't have mentioned it. Hermione went to say something, but before she could the doors of the Leaky Cauldron slammed open. Harry, Hermione, Fred, and George all turned to see who'd made such an enterance. Five Death Eaters stood there while witches shrieked and the sound of chairs and glasses crashed to the floor.
"Where is Draco Malfoy?"
"Harry, good to see you mate!" Fred stated
"We've come to take you two to the Ministry, dad's sent us." George added.
"How is everyone? They're all okay right?" Harry asked immediately.
"Oh yes, we got an anonymous tip a few hours before the attack. We think it was Kingsley, evening things out for what he owed us."
"He's turned to the dark side you know."
"Yes, Malfoy and I overheard him talking with Peter Pettigrew yesterday."
"Yes, well he was supposed to be spying for us." George started to explain.
"But it seems as if Voldemort made him an offer he couldn't refuse. He traded in the information to our location and the identities of everyone who's in the order and now it seems he's under Lucius' watch and control."
"So where is everyone?" asked Harry.
"Hogwarts of course."
"The safest place to be at the moment."
"Who died?"
"Dumbledore said he'd explain everything later." George told him.
"Are you ready to go then? You have to be there in an hour."
"Yeah, let's go." Harry responded. Malfoy got up and joined them.
They went down to the Ministry of Magic. George and Fred led them to Mr. Weasley's office on Level two. Perkins was looming over his desk studying an article on bewitched ovens found in South London. Mr. Weasley smiled and stood up from his desk. He shook Harry's hand, then turned to the twins.
"Thank you so much boys. Harry! How are you?"
"I've been better to say the least. How's Ron? I've tried owling him."
"Oh, Ron's just fine. He's staying at Hogwarts with the others. As will you two when we're done today. You best head on over to the courtroom, they'll be expecting you shortly. It's courtroom five, I believe. I'm sure you remember how to get there?" Mr. Weasley told them looking at Harry then Malfoy. They both nodded and said goodbye to him and the twins.
"We'll be here to take you back afterwards." Fred informed them as they left.
Harry led Malfoy back to the lift and they headed down to the Department of Mysteries. Harry's stomach gave a jolt, and his eyes suddenly burned as the lift doors rattled opened. He hadn't been back there since Sirius had died, since Voldemort had possessed him. Malfoy looked around, he went to question Harry about it, but he was pulled to the left and down the stairs. He walked through the corridor looking at the numbers next to the wooden doors, on small wooden blanks bolted to the stonewalls. He could barely read them in the dim torchlight. He found Courtroom Five, and pushed open the door.
"Ah, yes. Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. Come in, you're on time." Cornelius Fudge directed towards them, and motioned for them to have a seat in two chairs that Harry recognized with uneasiness.
They sat down and looked at the crowd of people who were seated in front of them. There were only about half as many people there as had been during his first trial. This didn't surprise Harry, as the Ministry had lost many of its employees when the truth of Voldemort had come out. Percy was there however, and he gave Harry a nod. As did Dumbledore, who was seated a few seats down from him. Some of Harry's stress released its grip on him. Fudge continued.
"Disciplinary hearing of the third of August into continued offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter and first offense of Draco Lucius Malfoy."
Harry sat as they went through the list of who was present. His throat caught his breath when the name Dolores Jane Umbridge was mentioned. He scanned through the faces of the people and saw her sitting a row back from Dumbledore, continuously scribbling notes down on her clipboard. He couldn't believe she was still working for the Ministry. She may help Malfoy's case, but she'd do nothing but damage to his own. She looked up and noticed Harry's glance. Her sugar sweet smile stretched across her face as she looked at him through above her glasses.
"The charges against the accused are as follows:
'Having knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of their actions produced a random number of charms including but not solely the Confundus charm, the Conjunctivitus charm, and the Impediment charm, in a muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of seven muggles, on the first of August at fifty-one past eight in the morning, which constitutes an offence under Paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under Section 13 of the International Confederation of the Warlock's Statute of Secrecy."
Harry had heard nearly the same speech before two summers ago, but they still had the same effect now as they had then. The stone lying in the base of his stomach seemed to grow.
"You've been here before haven't you? In front of the same group of people, just two summers ago, isn't that right Mr. Potter."
"Yes, but-"
"It seems you have not taken the seriousness of your actions, and the last time, as I remember correctly, you won your case due to a small technicality. Do you believe this has given you the right to continue to disregard the rules set by the Ministry of Magic?"
"No, I-"
"What was the reasoning behind your actions this time? There were no dementors or Death Eaters on Privet Drive this time, I assume?"
"No, but there was no other way for us to escape the muggles."
"For you to escape, you mean. We'll get to Mr. Malfoy's case in a minute. From this point you are to regard the situation as your own. And what were these muggles doing that drove you to the point of having to use magic on them? As I noticed from reading over your case you struck five muggle men with the Impediment charm, and another muggle as with the Conjunctivitus Charm. Was your life in danger?"
"No, but they were going to lock me up into a mental health facility after believing that I was insane due to my mishaps within the wizarding community." Harry replied. Fudge looked over his parchment again. A few of the witches and wizards began muttering to each other. Fudge raised his hand to silence them.
"Are you Draco Lucius Malfoy?" Fudge asked, moving over to the other side to question Malfoy.
"Yes."
"Isn't it true that your father is Lucius Damien Malfoy, who's been charged twice with being one of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named followers?"
"Yes, but I am not my father. I do not support the actions that Lord Voldemort has bestowed upon the wizarding world." there were a few gasps at hearing the name spoken so freely.
"All right, what is your reasoning for the actions on the morning of the first of August?"
"Just as Harry as stated. I was supposed to be under the care of the Dursley's for the rest of the summer under Albus Dumbledore's orders. They were going to put us both away." Malfoy replied and glanced over at Harry.
"Now I'd like to call Dolores Jane Umbridge to the stand to bear witness of the characters of Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy." Fudge stated and Umbridge made her way to the stand. Dumbledore stood up.
"I would like to point out that it is not their characters that are on trial here, it is simply the matter of the situation in which the magic was used." he commented.
"On the contrary, Albus. I believe it is of utmost importance that we show the character of the accused in this trial, as this hasn't been Potter's offence. I believe this has been in third in the past four years. This isn't just a matter of whether or not he will be expelled from his school. It is about the fact that Mr. Potter is incapable of following order and rules. As for Mr. Malfoy, I'll get to that in a minute."
"Very well, then continue." Dumbledore remarked and sat down. Umbridge took her place in a chair a few feet away from Harry and Malfoy.
"Please state your name."
"Dolores Jane Umbridge."
"Now you taught at Hogwarts two years ago as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, is that correct?"
"Yes it is."
"What kind of student was Mr. Potter?"
"He had a very bad habit of breaking all the rules and decrees that were set in motion for the students' protection. He helped set up a study group to fight against the Ministry of Magic, although I have no proof of this other than the word of a student who went to the meetings and the confession of Professor Dumbledore being in charge of the whole thing." she told the court.
"That's a lie! The only reason we set up a study group was so that we could learn how to protect ourselves against Voldemort when you and the entire Ministry refused to believe that we had any reason to be afraid! If it hadn't been for us, Voldemort would've gotten what he wanted from the Department of Mysteries. We helped protect the Ministry, not fight against it!" Harry shouted at her. The mutters became a crowd of noise. Fudge gave Harry a look that warned him not to speak out of turn again.
"You see what I mean, Minister. He and his friends were like this through out all of my classes. They were caught sneaking around the school after hours on several occasions, even leaving the school grounds when forbidden. He broke into my office several times to communicate with the escaped criminal Sirius Black. Two of his friends were expelled after creating a giant swamp in the middle of the school, under his instructions no doubt after they were banned from Quidditch for...attacking Mr. Malfoy if I remember correctly." she looked oddly at the two of them sitting together. Then turned her attention back to Fudge.
"In my opinion, from my experiences that year at the school, Harry Potter isn't fit to remain carrying a wand." Umbridge continued.
"Thank you, Dolores. Now what have you to say about Draco Malfoy?"
"Mr. Malfoy obeyed rules. He was also appointed a member of the Inquisitorial Squad and helped me greatly to catch Potter and his friends when they were disobeying the rules. You could say he was the complete opposite of Harry Potter. I see no reason to destroy his wand or expel him for his actions. He was merely trying to get himself out of the mess that Potter led him in to." she finished.
"Thank you, you may return to your seat." Fudge told her. He redirected towards Malfoy again.
"Now you say that you do not follow along with your father and his work for Vold- He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But rumor has it, that you have been marked as a Death Eater. Is this so?"
"Am I on trial here for being a Death Eater or for using a harmless spell against some muggles?" Malfoy snapped at him. Apparently Fudge had hit a nerve, as it was unlike Malfoy to talk back to his elders, especially when in doing so he ran the risk of getting himself into worse trouble.
"Would you please show the court your arm?" Fudge demanded, disregarding Malfoy's question. Irritably Malfoy pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark etched into his pale skin. He rested his head on his other hand and closed his eyes.
"So you are a Death Eater. Could it be you attacked these muggles under orders from your Lord?"
"No. I haven't harmed anyone."
"Ah yes, but it is noted that you performed the Killing Curse, one of the Unforgivable Curses, on a fellow student last year, a Miss Pansy Parkinson. Is this not true?"
"She was trying to kill me! She was the one working for Voldemort. Ask Potter!"
"If you are not a follower, why were you marked?"
"Under my father's wishes. What does any of this have to do with what I'm on trial for? If you're going to expel me then do so, but don't question my character. I am not my father." Malfoy spat.
"Is it true that you despise anyone who is not of what you and your family consider 'pureblood', meaning anyone who was born with muggle relations?"
"My last girlfriend was muggle born, both her parents are muggles. Does that answer your question?" Malfoy told Fudge. Harry was completely shocked that Malfoy would mention Hermione. He looked at Malfoy, but he wouldn't return the glance. He continued to stare daggers into Fudge.
"I have no further questions."
"I'd like to call Albus Dumbledore to the stand, I'm interested in what he has to say." Madam Bones stated.
"Certainly." Fudge replied and stepped aside. Dumbledore took his place in the seat Umbridge had just unoccupied.
"You have allowed Mr. Potter to break several rules in your school before, have you not? The reason I ask this is because Cornelius has a point, if he's become accustomed to doing whatever he pleases, it might have led him to believe he can do as he wishes whenever he feels like it." Madam Bones asked.
"Yes, but within reason. He and Mr. Malfoy, along with the rest of the students involved were punished for their actions in March. Most of the situations which have caused Harry to break school rules, have been in haste to protect the school and those close to him. He is a remarkable wizard, and in those situations he has been forced, through powers not of his own, to act. The rules are simply there as a guide line." Dumbledore replied to the question. Harry and Malfoy exchanged glances.
"Have you had any problems with Draco Malfoy?"
"He and Harry have been working together the past year, despite how they inwardly feel towards each other. This has shown me that the both of them are quite capable of being mature in a serious situation. Now I know that all of you would be quick to presume that young Malfoy has all the makings of being a follower of Voldemort. But I know for a fact that he is not, and it's completely irrelevant to this case. If you wish to question him further on the subject, I have to ask you to charge him for it first, but seeing as you have no further proof aside from the mark on his arm that he is indeed working for Voldemort, I see nothing to charge him for."
The Wizengamot talked amongst themselves. Harry could tell they were discussing their fate. After what seemed like an age they finally broke and got quiet. Madam Bones hushed the group and looked straight at Harry and Malfoy.
"We have decided you may return back to school for your final year. You are both cleared of the charges, but will remain on probation for an undetermined length of time. Mr. Potter, this is for your continued disobeyment of the laws. Mr. Malfoy, expect to be hearing from us again soon as we are looking into your background until we see fit to bring you back here for a proper trial on your involvement with the Death Eaters. If either of you feel the urge to use magic against or around muggles again, then there will be no trial and you will be sent straight to Bogstroad Prison, do I make myself clear?"
Both Harry and Malfoy nodded, and they were excused. Dumbledore didn't stay to chat, when Harry turned around to say goodbye to him, he was gone. Malfoy and Harry made their way back up the staircase.
"This is where my father trapped you and the others isn't? Where Sirius died." Malfoy asked as they reached The Department of Mysteries.
"Yes. I don't want to talk about it." Harry told him and walked ahead of him. They got back to Mr. Weasley's office. The twins were playing around with random muggle objects that their father had lying around the office.
"How'd it go?" George asked, noticing they'd returned.
"We get to go back to school, but we're on probation."
"For how long?"
"Not sure." answered Harry.
"Well we better head back to the Leaky Cauldron for your things." Fred stated and stood up, setting down a stethoscope.
"The sooner we can get you all to Hogwarts the better, eh?" George added.
They got back to Diagon Ally about an hour later. Hermione was just returning as well, with Krum. They'd spent the morning out in Diagon Ally shopping. He'd never gotten to see Diagon Ally before, so she thought she'd take him site seeing. She hugged Harry and then sat down her shopping bags. Malfoy sneered at her and went upstairs to his room.
"So how did it go?" She asked as Krum took their things up to their room.
"Well we're on probation. I don't think they've decided how long yet, but they're allowing us to continue our schooling and they won't destroy our wands unless we do it again. They're going to be watching and researching Malfoy to make sure he doesn't do anything in regards to Voldemort, and they're going to try him as a Death Eater as soon as they have evidence that he is one." Harry explained to her as he bought a butterbeer from the bar. He took it and sat down at one of the tables next to Fred and George, who were distracted playing Wizard Chess.
"But he's not a Death Eater. Didn't Dumbledore explain that to them?"
"Yeah, otherwise I think they would've tried him right then and there. Fudge made him show the court his Mark. Didn't really question him at all about the other night. Asked if it was true he hated Muggles and stuff like that."
"Did he behave?"
"He snapped at Fudge a few times, but over all yeah. He mentioned you." Harry told her. Hermione spit out some of her Butterbeer out of surprise.
"What'd he say?"
"Well like I said Fudge asked him if he hated Muggles, and Malfoy told him that his last girlfriend was Muggle-born. That's it really." Harry saw the look in her eye. He shouldn't have mentioned it. Hermione went to say something, but before she could the doors of the Leaky Cauldron slammed open. Harry, Hermione, Fred, and George all turned to see who'd made such an enterance. Five Death Eaters stood there while witches shrieked and the sound of chairs and glasses crashed to the floor.
"Where is Draco Malfoy?"