Disclaimer: All settings, characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Four --
After having reached the Ministry of Magic, Harry was immediately escorted to Courtroom Ten where his own hearing had taken place the previous summer. It didn't seem as dark and foreboding this time, though. Wall sconces sent a warm glow along the walls, and the jury of fifty were all friendly chatting. Harry approached the benches, and a tall, brunette woman dashed over to him.
"Mr. Potter, it is so good to see that you were able to come. Hi, I'm Amelia Bones. You go to school with my daughter, I believe," the lady said very quickly.
"Yeah - I mean, yes. I've seen Susan around before," Harry replied nervously.
Fudge was banging a gavel onto a short podium placed in front of his chair.
"Oh, I think they're starting now," Mrs. Bones said, ushering Harry up to the benches and directing him to a seat near a formidable wizard with a heavy black mustache.
The lights dimmed and the chair with the leather bands appeared in the center of the room. Harry heard a door swing open and shifted in his seat so he could see who was coming through the doors. Kingsley Shacklebolt walked to the chair and took a seat. A leather band clasped itself around Kingsley's chest.
"Ministry of Magic vs. Auror Shacklebolt," Fudge's voice echoed against the stone walls of the courtroom.
Harry could see Percy Weasley from the corner of his eye, taking notes as he had at Harry's hearing.
After some preliminary droning, which Harry couldn't find the focus to pay attention to, Fudge began a direct conversation with Kingsley.
"You were assigned to capture the escaped convict, Sirius Black. Is that correct, Mr. Shacklebolt?" Fudge sneered.
Harry was reminded of emotional courtroom movies that his Aunt Petunia watched on weekday afternoons.
"Yes," Kingsley said in his barotone voice.
"Did you know the whereabouts of Sirius Black prior to the night of the ministry raid?" Fudge's eyes were glittering.
Harry found Fudge's game of baiting revolting.
"Yes," Kingsley answered truthfully.
"Did you have the opportunity to withhold Sirius Black and bring him before the appointed ministry officials prior to the aforementioned night of the ministry raid?"
Kingsley remained silent for a moment, and Harry thought he was debating lying.
"Yes, if that had been my intention," Kingsley said quietly, the sound of his voice settling like dust around Harry.
Kingsley was going to tell them the whole truth. He was going to tell him he had been friends with Sirius. He couldn't do that. Harry didn't expect him to throw away his position like that.
"If that had been your intention?" Fudge yelled, "What was your intention, Mr. Shacklebolt. Capturing the murderer, Sirius Black, was your job -- ."
"Sirius Black was innocent!" Kingsley shouted over Fudge.
"Innocent! You think that blowing up a street and killing thirteen muggles is innocence, Shacklebolt!"
Kingsley took a deep breath, "Sirius never hurt anyone but himself."
He bit down on his lip, "He was framed fifteen years ago. I won't bother telling you by whom because you're not going to listen to me anyway. But as a friend of Sirius's, I'm here to say that he never killed anyone -- no matter what he thought. I had known his whereabouts since February of the previous year, and I never considered turning him into you, Fudge. I know what you would have done. You wouldn't have listened to him. Not for a second. You would have seen those ministry oafs struggling with his emaciated figure from a distance, and you would haveimmediately ordered his soul be sucked out. And you would have felt proud of yourself! Sirius, the last Black, died nobly...beside his godson -- ."
It was the first time since Kingsley had entered the courtroom that he looked up at Harry.
"-- and Sirius would have had it no other way. I'm guilty. What is my sentence?"
The jury sat -- silent. Fudge was too annoyed to speak. Harry looked down at his lap, half wishing he could have said those things about Sirius. He willed himself to look at Kingsley. Not sure if Kingsley could see him or not, Harry bowed his head and smiled at the member of the Order of the Phoenix strapped in the defendant's chair. Kingsley, too, bowed his head.
Susan Bones proposed that Kingsley's sentence be a drop from title of auror to auror trainer. Harry thought it a gracious sentence from the ministry's perspective. Kingsley, himself, looked surprised. Twenty-eight hands raised in favor of Mrs. Bones proposition, including Harry's.
Kingsley came to see Harry after the Wizengamot began filing out. He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and bent over so no one else would hear what he was saying.
"I want you to know, that was for Sirius. Not you. But I'm glad you were here to hear it."
"I know," Harry said, "Thank-you."
Kingsley smiled, "Oh, and Lupin wanted me to tell you that you might be seeing him around Hogwarts soon."
"That's good news," Harry replied.
As Kingsley and Harry exited the courtroom, Harry glanced at Percy. He was talking animatedly to another ministry official.
"I'll be transferring there in a couple of weeks," Percy said smugly.
Harry glared contemptuously at the traitor Weasley.
"Moving departments again," Kingsley whispered, noticing the direction of Harry's attention.
"Good riddance," Harry mumbled.
____________________________________________________________
Harry wasn't sure if he could discard of Mrs. Norris once he got back to Hogwarts or not. He stood at the gate for a few moments, trying to work up the nerve to toss the stuffed cat into the lake, but he feared that cats might too have ghosts and that Mrs. Norris would haunt him for the rest of his life. So he carried the cat at a cautious distance back to the castle.
The grounds were quiet for a Sunday afternoon, and Harry decided everyone was at lunch.
Not far from Hagrid's cabin, Harry passed Luna Lovegood who was stretched out on the ground. He doubled back and saw that she was aiming a camera at the sky.
"Taking pictures of the sky, today?" Harry stood over her, grinning.
He hadn't come across Luna much the first week of school, and even though he hated to admit it, he had come to appreciate her quirkiness.
"No, of the castle," Luna responded, shaking her head as if it had been obvious.
"Um...I don't know much about photography. But seeing as how the castle is perpendicular to the ground, don't you think it would be easier to take pictures of it if you were...I dunno, call me crazy....standing up?" Harry reasoned.
"I'm trying it out from different angles," Luna told him, "I've already taken a front-on picture. It was boring."
"Right," Harry laughed, "So, where is everyone?"
"I scared them away," Luna sighed.
"How did you do that?"
"I tried to take candid shots of them. You know, of them swimming in the lake, kissing in the bushes, flying -- you know, everyday Hogwart's life. I don't know why they all got so upset."
Luna began to change her roll of film.
"Why do you want all those pictures anyway?" Harry asked, moving to help Luna change the film. She was becoming irritated with the process and began flinging the plastic capsules around dangerously.
"For the magazine."
"You mean, the Quibbler?"
"Yeah, well, the Hogwart's edition."
"There's a Hogwart's edition?"
"My dad agreed to print me five hundred magazines a month to help prepare me for my job after I graduate. I'm going into the business with him. The profits will be my allowance," Luna explained.
"Oh, I see."
"The first edition is on the Hogwart's ghosts and their pasts."
"So...that's why you're outside...taking pictures of the living students...having fun?"
"The ghosts don't like their pictures to be taken," Luna said, "They itch for days afterward."
"Why don't you come inside and get some lunch?" Harry motioned to the castle with the hand holding Mrs. Norris.
"Is that -- Mrs. Norris?" Luna asked, an expression of fascination lighting her face.
"Yeah, she's...well, she's dead, actually. I used her as a portkey this morning -- ."
"Can I keep her?" Luna opened her eyes wide and looked pleadingly at Harry.
"Er...you want to keep the stuffed cat?"
"Please, Harry....I'll take good care of her."
Harry held Mrs. Norris up by the tail, "Sure, take her. I don't think Dumbledore will miss her much."
Luna held the cat lovingly.
Harry backed away slowly, "You know what -- forget lunch."
______________________________________________________________________________
Harry didn't see Ron and Hermione until late that afternoon when he dropped in on Tonks. They were playing a game of exploding snap against Tonks and Lupin.
"Harry! You've got to get in on this!" Ron roared, "We're pulverizing the changing freak and the werewolf!"
Hermione ushered for Harry to join them, "Ron's uh...really excited." Help me, she mouthed.
"You know what," Lupin brandished his wand, "I quit."
He made the cards disappear, which sent Ron into a fit of hysterics.
"Hey, that's illegal -- ."
"So, Harry, how was your first trial?" Lupin asked pleasantly.
" -- can't just flip your wand out and quit because you're losing -- ."
"Yeah, what's Shacklebolt's sentence?" Tonks asked nervously.
" -- look at me...I'm upset I'm losing...I'm just going to make the board disappear -- ."
"He's been moved down to auror trainer," Harry told them.
" -- well, isn't that just peachy! I'm not longer losing because there's no longer a game!"
Relief overwhelmed Tonks's face, "That's all?"
" -- Really! Bring back the cards! Admit that I was winning, it's not difficult. I'll help you -- ,"
"Ron! Shut up!" Hermione placed the bond-binding curse on him
"That's wonderful, Harry!" Lupin exclaimed, "But how did he do it?"
Ron's body fell heavily to the floor.
"He told the truth," Harry said.
"But the truth should have gotten him convicted," Hermione argued.
"He really stood up for Sirius, Remus. You should have been there."
"I would have liked that," Remus assured him.
"This calls for a celebration," Tonks announced, "Harry, Hermione -- I've moving your report down to three and half feet."
"Thanks, Tonks. Really," Harry replied sardonically.
"Should someone help him?" Lupin gestured to a stationary Ron.
Hermione undid the curse but was later forced to perform the lip locking curse.
"Going to have a pain in my posterior for weeks," Ron had grumbled all the way to Gryffindor Tower.
____________________________________________________
October approached quickly. Harry was excitedly awaiting the quidditch season, but he was worried that he would never balance quidditch and all of his homework. Ron had made a profit of two galleons so far on his gossip board. He probably would have done a bit better, but Dobby had cleaned the board one night. Harry had to hide the houself in his trunk to save him from an avenging Ron. Hermione never ceased studying. Ginny was taking her prefect responsibilities almost as seriously as Hermione had her fifth year. Neville had only caused himself twelve minor accidents, and Luna had been restricted from the grounds from seven in the morning to eleven at night on weekends.
Harry came down for breakfast one morning to witness Luna attempting to feed Mrs. Norris.
"That's creepy, Luna," Ron muttered.
"You've been short-sighted. You've been brought up in a society that believes that only living things need nourishment. Harry understands, don't you, Harry?"
Harry took a set between Ginny and Hermione, "Huh, yeah, whatever."
"I wish this storm would go away," Ginny pouted.
It wasn't until she said something that Harry noticed the Great Hall's ceiling was a deep gray and sheets of rain were disappearing a foot underneath the imaginary sky.
"Okay, Luna, stop it. Stop it," Ron grabbed Luna's wrist and pried a piece of carefully shredded bacon from her grasp.
"Whatever you say, Ronald," Luna placed Mrs. Norris on the bench beside her.
"Ron, let Luna express herself," Hermione said from behind a book.
The windows lining the Great Hall burst open, curtains of rain streaming in and collecting in the dips in the floor. A few storm-ridden owls managed to fly into the Hall. One, a brown tawny, settled in front of Harry's plate, dripping water into his scrambled eggs. Harry took the soggy letter tied around the owl's leg and let the owl eat what remained of his soaked breakfast.
"What's that?" Hermione asked.
"A letter from Fred and George."
Harry flattened the letter in the center of the table so the whole group could see what it said.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to invite you to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for a Fabulous Day Full of Pranks, Tricks, and Treats plus a special surprise guest! The blessed event will be on Halloween. We insist you come! Ignore this invitation at your own risk.....
Your associates,
Fred and George Weasley
"How come they didn't personally invite me!" Ron huffed.
"You didn't give them a thousand galleons," Ginny reminded him.
"True."
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione shot up from her seat, "We're going to be late for Transfiguration!"
"We've got fifteen minutes--."
"I promised Professor McGonagall we'd be there early!"
Hermione grabbed him by the shirt collar.
"Why did you --."
They were gone.
Ron shook his head, "She is so bossy."
________________________________________________________
Harry was kicked out of the library that afternoon because he had stubbed his toe on the table leg and screamed. Now he was trying to do homework with his back to the stair banister while Ron dully listened to the conversations below with his Extendable Ears.
"A girl hasn't come by in ten minutes," Ron complained, "Where are they? Why do they do this?"
Harry grunted in response and forcefully flicked through the pages of his potions book. A few moments later Ron gasped and seized Harry's forearm.
"Ron! What -- ."
"Take an ear, take an ear, take an ear," Ron urged quickly, tugging a fleshy bulb from his right ear and shoving it into Harry's ear.
"Ow!"
"Listen," Ron clasped a hand over Harry's mouth.
Harry could hear a male voice from below the stairs. It sounded slightly familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint it.
"Yeah -- so anyway, I'm thinking about asking Granger to Hogsmeade on
Halloween -- ."
Another male voice, "-- Granger. Isn't she that smart Gryffindor? Bushy hair, annoying smile?"
"Her smile isn't annoying. You've no taste, Henry. You're so hypocritical. You pointed her out last week and was saying how attractive she is -- ."
Harry pulled the Extendable Ear out. Ron, too, removed his Extendable Ear. They sat in silence for a moment.
"Who was that?" Harry asked, breaking the stunned silence.
"Christopher Stone," Ron answered, weakly.
"Well, he's --."
"Crazy."
"Hermione's not -- ."
"Noooo -- ."
"That's what I thought."
They sat in more silence.
"Let's go check on her."
"Good idea."
____________________________________________________
Hermione was safely oblivious, wrapped in a jacket by the Gryffindor fire, comfortably reading a book before dinner.
"Hey, Hermione," Ron said, sitting on her left.
"How are you?" Harry asked, sitting on her right.
"Er...fine. Do you two need something?"
"No."
"Just hanging out before dinner."
An impressionable third year boy walked by the fireplace.
"Keep your distance, young man!" Ron bellowed, snatching Hermione's book and throwing it at the terrified boy.
"What is wrong with you!" Hermione shoved Ron in the chest.
Ron doubled over, then struggled to catch his breath for the next few minutes.
"I think," Ron wheezed, "she'll be" -- wheeze -- "all right" -- wheeze.
Hermione glared at Harry, "What is he talking about!"
Harry looked straight at her, "I'm famished. C'mon Ron, let's get some dinner."
They left.
"What's wrong with them!" Hermione stormed up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, receiving the full attention of the common room.
A/N: Please review! Thanks for reading!
