A/N: And another reviews record is shattered, both for the largest number of reviews for a single chapter and also because we just past 3000! Mum and I were floored by your response to Chapter 42!I only hope you like this one as much! Enjoy!
Chapter Forty-Three: Judgment Day
Harry felt the Order's tiny listening device in his ear stop working, and spun around. The sight of Snape charging openly into the park warned him that something had gone wrong, but movement from the corner of his eye made him turn back.
He found himself face to face with Peter Pettigrew.
"Hello, Harry," Wormtail simpered, but Harry didn't wait.
He threw himself to one side and conjured a shield. Pettigrew's Stunner bounced off, and Harry heard other people rushing across the grass. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw red robes, but also black ones. Death Eaters.
Bloody hell.
But there wasn't time to think. Snape had drilled instructions into him until after midnight. "If anything goes wrong, anything at all, get OUT, Potter, do I make myself clear?"
Firing off a few hexes at Pettigrew as he dove for cover, Harry grappled for his Portkey. As he'd feared, nothing happened. So he took a deep breath and charged for the street.
Only to find himself nearly surrounded by Death Eaters.
"Harry!" someone yelled.
The Death Eaters weren't playing around with him anymore, he noticed distractedly as he backed towards a tree, shielding himself frantically. Curses were coming at him from what felt like a dozen sources, and all he could do was shield, duck, shield, dodge, and try to keep moving.
A pair of arms seized him from behind, and he rammed elbow back, causing his captor to grunt and let go long enough for him to wrench free and dive behind, using the Death Eater as a shield. The dark wizard went down almost at once, hit by his own allies, but that gave Harry an opening to throw a few jinxes back at them.
He spotted Snape and Moody trying to work their way to him through the fray, so he headed in their direction.
"Potter, watch out!"
Harry didn't have a chance to see who had yelled before a powerful hex caught him in the chest, throwing him hard sideways right into a tree. The impact took his breath, and he distinctly heard—and felt—a sharp crack near his left elbow.
He hit the ground face down, seeing stars, searing pain lancing up and down his left arm and making him nauseous, his ears roaring, but his mind screamed a single warning:
Get up! Get up! SHIELD!
From somewhere dangerously close, he heard curses encanted, and instinct took over. He raised his wand and threw up the strongest shield he knew, the Crystal Ball Block Snape had taught him last night. It erupted around him, a glassy sphere of magic, and he vaguely heard multiple hexes impact harmlessly against it. But as he'd been warned, such a shield was hard to hold for long, and when it collapsed, he doubled over, winded and starting to despair.
Someone grabbed him, he yelled and twisted to get free, but heard a voice hiss at him, "Come ON, Potter!"
Harry gasped with relief. It was Snape. He allowed the Potions Master to pull him to his feet, and they ran, conjuring shields and throwing hexes at black robes, making for the edge of the melee.
By now there were over a dozen wizards battling for each side, and the previously-quiet park was full of struggling bodies, flying debris, streaks of colored curse light, shouted instructions, shrieks for help, battle cries, and cries of pain. Snape yanked Harry along, shielding him both with magic and his own body, and Harry searched out Pettigrew in the mob, flinging as many hexes at the traitor as he could.
Then his scar flared with hot pain, and he doubled over with a hiss of surprise.
"Potter?"
"He's—here—"
Snape didn't ask who he meant. He just grabbed Harry by the shoulders and attempted to haul him physically to the cover of the shrubbery. Gritting his teeth against a blaze of agony wripping through his broken arm, Harry staggered along, but the two of them found their path suddenly blocked by Wormtail, brandishing his wand.
"Ferito!"
Snape shoved Harry aside, but the curse caught the Potions Master in the side of the head, throwing him to the ground. Harry shouted and threw up a shield while trying to pull Snape to his feet. "Potter!" Snape yelled, looking past Harry in visible panic.
Remembering too late, Harry turned, raising his wand, only to have a metallic hand close around his neck, yanking him away from Snape. He gasped, helpless as Wormtail's grip tightened, and heard people shouting his name, but there was nothing he could do—until a surge of something...else...rose up around his neck and forced Pettigrew's grip apart, letting him drop to the ground and scuttle away, coughing.
Snape reached him, wiping at the blood on his own face as he scrambled to Harry's side, but the Potions Master's eyes were on something between Harry and Wormtail. Harry, disoriented, couldn't see much in the dust and smoke in the air from the battle, but he suddenly noticed that Wormtail had frozen where he stood, staring with wild, horrified eyes at something Harry couldn't see.
"What—"
"Look out!" someone shrieked, and Harry had no time to react as the red-eyed figure of Voldemort loomed out of the battle, wand already brought to bear.
The Dark Lord shouted an unfamiliar curse, but it wasn't aimed at Harry. Instead, it was headed for whatever Pettigrew was staring at...but Harry had lost his glasses and couldn't make it out...Snape hauled him back, and abruptly yanked Harry around so he couldn't see.
"Exilium Spiritus!"
Harry felt the surge of magic in the air behind him and knew that whatever Voldemort's spell had done, it was something powerful. Snape released him, watching him with what might have been concern, and Harry babbled, "What—what did he—"
Snape looked shaken. "You didn't see?"
"No, I..."
"Never mind, come on! Move!" They staggered upright again. Wormtail was still frozen where he stood, apparently completely thrown by whatever he had seen, and others nearby were reacting the same way. Harry wondered distractedly what Voldemort had done—and where he had gone.
He got his answer. Snape swore furiously and reared back as Voldemort appeared in front of them, blocking their escape. "Severuusssss!"
"Percutio!" Snape roared, putting so much power into the curse that Harry felt his skin crawl.
Moody and Snetterton fired off a few curses of their own, but Death Eaters swarmed toward them and began driving them back, away from their Master and his prey. Time seemed to slow down as Harry took aim, and he and Snape threw every hex they could think of at Voldemort. The Dark Lord parried them easily, until a concussive curse from Snape actually staggered him.
"Well done, Severus," Voldemort sneered, blocking a hex from Harry. "I'd forgotten what a skilled dueler you were."
Then he threw a curse that sent Snape flying.
"No!" Harry cried as he saw his teacher hit the ground and lie motionless.
But Voldemort was not done. Harry whirled and began hexing the dark wizard as hard and fast as he could, but to his dismay and outrage, Voldemort did not try to use the Killing Curse. Instead, he matched Harry with shields and counter-curses, until they were spinning around each other in a blur of motion and colored light so fast that Harry couldn't see anything around him. His vision had tunneled to nothing but Voldemort.
And that was how Lucius Malfoy managed to hex him in the back.
Harry gasped, falling to his knees, and Voldemort's triumphant laughter rang in his ears. But there was only one thing in his mind: Keep fighting!
So he forced breath into his screaming lungs, took aim, and rasped out, "Quassio!"
It didn't have nearly enough power, and he didn't get the motion right. But it did hit, and Voldemort actually staggered. When the Dark Lord straightened, Harry spotted something on his dry, white skin.
Red. Blood.
Harry had made Lord Voldemort bleed.
And Voldemort was going to make him pay for it.
"Enough!" the snakelike wizard hissed at him. "This stalemate ends here, Potter!"
Harry realized what was coming and tried to brace himself, tried to turn away, to Occlude, to fill his mind with a wall of light...
But a spear of scorching black fire, sizzling with poisonous dark power, ripped into his mind, sending him toppling backwards until he could do nothing but lie on his back and scream at the top of his lungs.
It was worse than CrucioWorse than possession. His mind was full of acid.
Images exploded in front of his eyes, burning their way out, but he fought. He was aware of nothing around him, but he fought. He thought of light, tried to conjure it in his mind, to drive the black poison out, but the will behind it was unrelenting, burning its way in...
The last of Harry's walls of light tore apart under a searing invasion of black hate, and a voice thundered into his mind...
THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACHES...
"NOOOOOOO!" he screamed, tears of agony streamed down his face. Stop it STOP IT STOP IT!
BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM, BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES...
He had to fight! He HAD to! He pushed, he screamed and writhed on the ground, feeling that his brain was sizzling away as the black snake sought the words and tore them into the open...
AND THE DARK LORD WILL MARK HIM AS HIS EQUAL BUT HE WILL HAVE POWER THE DARK LORD KNOWS NOT...
He tried. He did. He was blind with agony, screaming so hard he couldn't breathe, but all he thought of was closing his mind, shutting Voldemort out before...
AND EITHER MUST DIE AT THE HAND OF THE OTHER, FOR NEITHER CAN LIVE WHILE THE OTHER SURVIVES...
Someone was yelling behind him, but Harry's screams were from agony and defeat. It was gone. He'd lost it. He'd failed...
THE ONE WITH THE POWER...
And then it was as though a pair of magical arms wrapped themselves around his chest, bracing him from behind, and he felt a surge of power in his mind, but friendly power. Vaguely familiar, it seemed to lift him, battered and torn to shreds, and strengthened him, and he could see Voldemort again. With that new ally in his mind, he stiffened and cried out from sheer effort as he forced the snake back in a blaze of white light.
It was gone. Harry slumped forward, his mind torn to shreds, helpless. He squinted in the painful light of day to see Voldemort, red eyes blazing, standing triumphant.
"Either must die at the hand of the other...to think I feared what would follow if I tried to destroy you again...the hour of victory is at hand, Potter!"
Gasping for breath, Harry raised his wand and threw a few rather feeble curses, which Voldemort knocked aside, laughing.
"Embrace your fate, pitiful boy! You could not have hoped to stand alone against me! Your parents' shades have gone at last, but you will see them yourself soon! Avada Kedav—"
Harry flinched in anticipation of death, but a flash of yellow light struck Voldemort...from behind! The Dark Lord staggered and turned around...to see an utterly terrified Draco Malfoy huddled against a tree, frozen with his incriminating wand still extended. "No..."
"You!" With a shriek of inarticulate rage, Voldemort threw a powerful curse at Malfoy, but a hex from somewhere behind Harry knocked him off balance, and it missed, although it was still enough to knock Malfoy off his feet. "You DARE to curse me!"
"DRACO!" roared an outraged Lucius Malfoy, but Voldemort raised a furious hand, having forgotten all about Harry, it seemed.
"Stand aside, Lucius! He will pay for this!"
Severus Snape never imagined he would face a moment such as this. The Dark Lord's back was turned, his attention distracted. There was time to reach Harry and get the boy safely behind the Auror lines, possibly the only chance now that the Dark Lord had ripped the prophecy from Harry's mind. The boy was too badly wounded in body and mind to put up a fight now.
But Draco...
The Dark Lord would kill him.
Severus had to think of Harry Potter, their one chance of winning this war, he had to keep his priorities...
Draco
All sense said that he had to save Harry...
Draco
The Slytherin boy was cowering worse than Pettigrew at the moment, too terrified to move as Voldemort advanced on him, prepared to deal out an undoubtedly painful demise...
Must think of duty...must get to Potter...
No.
Severus charged across the grass past Harry, catching the boy with a Mobilicorpusthat tossed him a few yards closer to the Auror lines in the hope that they would reach him, but he would have only one chance to reach Draco.
"Ictus!" A powerful curse aimed at where Potter had drawn blood earlier actually threw the Dark Lord to his knees, and a Stunner followed to hold off Lucius. "Mobilicorpus!" Draco flew into his arms with a yelp of panic, but then their time ran out.
Voldemort staggered to his feet, angrier than Severus had ever seen him—which was saying something—and Severus felt the power sizzling to life even before the Dark Lord incanted whatever curse he was preparing...
But there was a shout from some yards away that made the Dark Lord pause.
"VOLDEMORT!"
It was Harry's voice. Something made Severus turn, but it had caught the Dark Lord's attention as well. The wounded Gryffindor was still on the ground, still too near to the Death Eaters for the Aurors to fight their way to him, but he had raised himself partly up on his uninjured arm, and was staring at the Dark Lord with a very unnatural look in his green eyes.
It was a few seconds before Severus realized what Harry was doing.
Bloody hell...
Even stranger was the fact that it worked. The Dark Lord stood motionless, taken by surprise by Potter attempting to invade HIS mind, and that bought Severus time to sprint for cover.
"DRACO!" Lucius shouted, but the dazed teenager held onto Snape's robes as he attempted to stagger along with Severus to safety. Severus literally threw the fair-haired boy into the arms of Tonks and Vance, then spun around and incanted a Crystal Ball Block around Harry. It broke the connection between the boy and the Dark Lord, but Severus saw Voldemort stagger. Harry had collapsed altogether, but the Dark Lord had apparently had enough, and Disapparated.
Panting for breath, Severus stumbled toward the fallen Gryffindor, amazed at what Harry had just done—and keenly aware that the boy had just saved both his and Draco's lives—but Lee Jordan got to him first, turning him over.
"He's alive."
Snetterton joined him. "Hurt bad, though. Portkey to Hogwarts, fast."
Severus scrubbed at his bloody face and glanced toward Draco. The Slytherin boy was also unconscious, as several Aurors milled around him with calculating expressions. Deciding Draco was in more danger at the moment, Severus hastened back to his side. "I'll take charge of Malfoy."
"He came with them, Snape," said Moody darkly.
Severus glared at him. "He's a Hogwarts student. He also just saved Harry Potter's life. He has sanctuary at the school."
Someone muttered about "son of a Death Eater," and Severus suspected a standoff was imminent. "Boy needs to be interrogated."
"I know about your interrogations. Draco stays at Hogwarts."
"That's for the Headmistress to decide," said Moody stubbornly.
"And she has." Severus had always gotten on well with Minerva McGonagall, but never in his life had he been so very pleased to see her. She narrowed her eyes at the Aurors until they reluctantly shuffled out of her way, then said, "Professor Snape, kindly see Mr. Malfoy back to the hospital wing and make sure both of our students are treated?"
"Yes, Headmistress," Severus said, unable to resist shooting the Aurors a sneer as he collected Draco.
I thought I had lost him to the Dark Lord after all. I will be damned if I lose him to you.
How the worst of all the unpleasant post-battle duties ended up falling to him, Severus would have dearly loved to know. But by some mischance of fate, it was he who was forced to trek to the lower levels of the Ministry of Magic, bypassing skittish Aurors and hysterical reporters, to report the news of a certain student's injury to his loosely-termed "next of kin."
Black sprang off his bench the minute Snape came into view of his cell. "What the hell happened? None of these asses will tell me anything!" he cried, indicating his guards.
Sauntering up to the bars, Snape sneered, "Had I a choice in the matter, you would get nothing from me either."
"Bloody drop it, Snape!" the mongrel snapped. "I know there was an attack; how badly is Harry hurt?"
To Snape's annoyance, he could not deny that Black's desperation was genuine. And that made toying with him less amusing, even if he'd thought the man would rise to the bait. Curtly, he informed Potter's godfather, "He sustained no permanent damage. A compound fracture to the arm and severe bruising were the worst of the physical injuries."
Black leaned against the cell bars, arms folded, staring at the floor. "And other than physical?"
At first, Severus was surprised that Black was so receptive, until he recalled that the man had been present the first time Harry had tried to repell a full-power mental assault.
"The Dark Lord Legilimized him violently. We repelled it after several moments, but he's suffering aftereffects." Seeing Black's expression, he scowled and admitted, "He is in considerable pain."
Black squeezed his eyes closed and sank back onto the bench. "Oh god." He swallowed hard and muttered, "He'll be all right, though?"
"Yes, once the potions have had time to work. Your trial should resume within forty-eight hours." To Snape's surprise, Black showed little interest in his own fate. "The greater concern about Potter is that the Dark Lord will undoubtedly be stepping up his efforts to personally dispatch the boy."
Black's eyes snapped open, and what color was left in his face drained away. "It's...true? What they're saying about...the prophecy?"
There was no point in denying it; it was no longer a secret. "Yes. 'Either must die at the hand of the other.' The Dark Lord ripped it from the boy's mind."
"But..." Black's breath was actuallly hitching. "How could Harry have known it? They said it was lost!"
"Albus knew it. He told Potter last year after the Department of Mysteries."
Wide-eyed, not seeming to see Severus, Black whispered, "Why didn't he tell me?"
"I believe he feared it would distress you," Severus said dryly.
He was intensely relieved when a shadow of the familiar bastard version of Black returned, shooting him a derisive glower. "I suppose you told him not to."
"Unlike yourself, Black, I had better things to occupy my mind than seeking new ways to slight you."
"Could have fooled me," Black growled. He stood up and began to pace. "What the hell was Harry doing outside the Ministery to begin with?"
This will be good. "Trying to capture Peter Pettigrew. The Order was with him; unfortunately, the Dark Lord apparently had the same idea."
Black reacted just as Severus predicted: spinning towards the bars, eyes wild. "YOU planned this?"
"I said 'the Order,' did I not?"
"I can't believe they'd let Harry try something like that; what'd you do, warn them five minutes beforehand?"
"Pipe down, you mangy stray," Snape retorted. "You know well how I felt about the brat's antics to date. I approved this attempt, only because this is the first time the boy has been capable of seeing real action."
"And look what happened!" Black shouted, lunging at the bars.
Severus stepped back and replied, "Missions go wrong. You of all obnoxious Gryffindors ought to know that. Potter was injured, but he survived. And bloodied the Dark Lord doing it, not to mention, making a mental attack of his own."
Black shook his head furiously. "You should never have let him get that close, prophecy or no prophecy."
"Wake up, Black!" Snape snapped. "We cannot win this war without Potter's involvement. He is the only one who can destroy the Dark Lord, and even notwithstanding that, he is extremely powerful. We would be fools not to use him."
Black was actually shaking. "It's so easy for you to talk of using people, isn't it? That's all you ever do, but this is my godson you're talking about."
"I meant allowing him to fight," Snape shot back. "And if our positions were reversed, you would insist on the same thing!"
"But Harry's not ready!" Black cried.
"You have a dangerous habit of underestimating people, Black," Severus told him. "Potter decided for himself that he was ready a long time ago; sooner or later, the Order would have to permit him to become involved."
"And Remus and I get no say in this?" Black demanded.
"Not if you're unable to be impartial where the boy is concerned," Severus replied. "We have no time for parental sentiments, particularly when they are causing you to deny what must be. We are all fighting this war, but Harry Potter is the only one who can win it."
Black just stared at him, open-mouthed. There was really nothing more to be said. With a curt nod, Severus turned on his heel and strode out of the holding area. But he had not gone far, before he heard Black's wracking sobs echoing up the corridor behind him.
When Severus returned to the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey was waiting for him. "Ah, Severus, Mr. Malfoy woke about five minutes ago."
"Thank you," said Severus, and headed into the private section.
"I've kept an eye on him," Madame Pomfrey called after him. "No one has gone in or out."
Draco jumped when he opened the door, but didn't completely relax, even when he saw that it was Severus. "Professor."
Severus closed the door and cast a Silencing Charm. "Draco. How are you feeling?"
Draco fidgeted, staring at the bedclothes. "All right, I guess." He dared a glance at Severus. "Where've you been?"
"Making reports," Severus said.
Draco nodded, then swallowed nervously. "What's going to happen to me now?"
Severus took a few steps towards the boy's bedside, and Draco seemed to shrink just slightly. "That depends on how you answer my question. What were you doing there?"
"Goyle came," Draco blurted out. "He said we had to go right away! I didn't know what to do. If I'd said no, he might have...they might have found out...I don't know what he would have done..."
Severus held up a hand. "And what happened when you arrived?"
"Dad said it was time for me to leave Hogwarts. He told me to go join Mother at the mansion, and we would meet after his business was finished, but I heard them talking about heading off Potter at the park, so I went there instead—I didn't know what else to do! He said there'd be no turning back after today! I didn't know..."
Severus silenced him with a wave of his hand. "I see." Something tight and tense inside him began to relax, and he noticed Draco relaxing as well. "Your father was right. There is no going back after today."
Draco shuddered. "They're going to kill me, aren't they?"
"That will certainly be their intention, however, there are others who they have been intending to kill for far longer than you, and they have yet to succeed. You will be protected at Hogwarts as I originally promised, provided you follow my instructions and do not take any foolish risks." He said the last part in dry tone, not really in reference to Draco.
But Draco knew who he was referencing. "Do you really think Potter can kill him?"
"He has the power, at least. If he doesn't, then we are all dead," Severus said bluntly. Draco cringed. "However, as I've said, the Dark Lord has been trying for years to destroy that boy, and failed. We may have a better chance than you think. Speaking of which, as foolish as it was, you may well have saved both our lives today."
Draco actually blushed. "Seemed like the right thing to do."
The only other private room of the hospital wing in use that night was pitch black, because its occupant could not bear even the faintest light. In spite of potions and healing spells, Harry's head still felt ten times its normal size, more painful than he had ever imagined possible. He was vaguely aware of a familiar presence beside his bed, holding his hand and occasionally changing the potion-soaked cloths on his forehead. His eyes were uncovered, but he couldn't bear to open them.
Even the soft sound of the doorknob turning caused a knife-like stab of pain through his head. He hissed involuntarily, and heard Remus Lupin move nearby. "Shut the door, quick," Remus whispered. "He can't stand the light."
"Has there been any improvement?" Harry was mildly surprised to hear Snape's voice, guarded and quiet, as though he was actually taking care not to cause further pain.
"A little," Remus answered. "He's been coherent for about an hour. Did you talk to Sirius?"
"Yes."
"How did he take it?"
"Predictably." Snape's voice, though still very quiet, betrayed a trace of irony.
"You're lucky there were bars between you." Remus's voice was calm as always, but Harry could sense the genuine fury emanating from the normally-controlled werewolf.
Snape snorted quietly. "As I told him, Lupin, the boy's involvement was an Order decision – not to mention inevitable. You could not prevent it forever."
"My objection," Remus hissed furiously, "is having been denied any chance to take part in this Order decision, Severus, which I have no doubt was your doing."
"Because, like Black, you are incapable of being impartial where Potter is concerned, and I am not the only member of the Order who is aware of it," Snape retorted.
"We are Harry's guardians," Remus began hotly, but Harry mumbled at them,
"I'm right here, you know."
"Sorry, Harry," Remus said contritely, and Harry heard him come back to the bedside to pat his hand.
"Was the right thing to do," Harry said, wishing he could make himself sound more forceful without his head pounding. "For Sirius..."
"I know," Remus whispered, squeezing Harry's uninjured arm. "I just wish we had known about it beforehand."
Snape heaved a dramatic sigh, and said in the tone of one long-suffering, "I will take it under advisement."
"See that you do," Remus replied.
Which reminded Harry... "P'fessor, 'm sorry."
Snape sounded incredulous. "For what?"
"Failed at Oc'mency. Could'n keep 'm out, 'n he got the prophecy."
"It's not your fault, Harry," Remus said gently.
"Yea't is. I blew't completely."
"You did not," Snape said. "Your resistance was extremely powerful, but I no longer believe it is possible to block the connection between you completely."
Harry digested that information in silence. "So, Occlumency doesn't work on 'm?"
"Apparently not. Not for you. Not entirely," said Snape. "But given that...you did well. Very well."
"Oh," Harry said, surprised at Snape's attitude. Then he asked, "Professor, di'we get Wormtail?"
The prolonged silence should have been answer enough, but Harry waited until Snape replied reluctantly, "He escaped."
Frustration and anger surged through Harry with such intensity that it made his head throb, and he hissed. "Dammit!" He struggled to think straight past the pain in his head, and murmured, "Then when trial starts again, I have to convince'm, make'm b'lieve me..."
Remus squeezed his hand again. "Harry...you're not going to be testifying."
"What?" Harry actually tried to sit up, but hot agony erupted behind his eyes, and he gasped and groaned in frustration. He felt Remus gently push him back down. "Remus, have to testify...have to..." His head hurt so badly he could barely think.
"Harry, I'm sorry. There's just no point," Remus whispered.
"No..." Harry moaned in protest. He had to convince them...
"Shh," Remus held both of his hands. "It'll be all right. Just try to rest for now. We can't have you upsetting yourself."
How could he not be upset when he felt that despair was eating him alive? His head hurt so bad he thought he might throw up, the whole bloody battle had been a waste, and now they didn't even think his testimony would do Sirius any good. He had to do something, had to convince them.
He took a shaky breath, trying to push down the pain and nausea long enough to argue again, but Remus shushed him again, and a hand slipped under the compresses to touch his forehead. Cool magic seemed to reach into his mind, soothing away the worst of the pain, but once that happened, he was too tired to fight anymore and sank down into sleep.
"The next time you try to set a trap for Wormtail, you might at least tell your friends about it!" Ron grumbled at him after they found their seats in the courtroom two days later.
Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead. His head still ached, but at least he could stand light again. Of course, it might not have bothered him nearly so much if he hadn't felt like this was the last time he would ever see Sirius.
"I barely managed to convince the Order to let me do it," he told Ron. "The only way they'd agree was if I swore to keep it secret."
"Yeah, and look how well it all turned out," Ron muttered.
"Ron, hush!" Hermione hissed, elbowing him in outrage. Ron subsided, but still looked resentful.
Below them, Mr. McGonagall rose to resume the defense. The doomed defense, Harry thought bitterly. Ginny squeezed his hand.
"I understand the defense wishes to revise its witness list?" asked Madam Bones.
"That is correct," said Mr. McGonagall. "All the defense witnesses previously listed for today, will not be called."
A collective gasp rose from the majority of the courtroom, followed by a rush of whispering. Harry heard his name muttered over and over; they all knew what this meant. The testimony everyone had anticipated the most would not be happening. Everyone was wondering what it meant for the defense. Sirius frowned, glancing at Mr. McGonagall, but looked slightly relieved when he looked back at Harry.
Still trying to protect me.
"Does the defense intend to call any other witnesses?" Madam Bones continued.
"Only one," said Mr. McGonagall.
"Objection!" said Cornelius Fudge, glaring at the roll of parchment in his hand. "The prosecution should have had prior notice of any new witnesses."
"This witness is merely to authenticate the final piece of evidence that the defense wishes to produce," said Mr. McGonagall smoothly.
"You have additional exhibits?" asked Madam Bones.
"We do," said Mr. McGonagall, holding up a small parcel of what looked like some papers. "The prosecution is free to cross-examine our witness if they have any doubts about its origins or reliability."
Madam Bones glanced at the other members of the Wizengamot, and got several shrugs. "Objection overruled. Proceed."
Fudge shrugged as well and sat back down.
"The defense calls Miss Rita Skeeter."
Hermione let out a strangled noise of shock, which Ron, Ginny, and several other people on the defense's side of the courtroom echoed. The press section muttered amongst themselves in surprise as Rita, dressed in a glaringly red silk suit lined with black velvet, rose majestically from her seat and strutted her way to the witness stand. Fudge frowned, Sirius blinked, and the majority of the Wizengamot exchanged baffled glances.
Rita settled herself primly and faced Mr. McGonagall.
"Please state your name and occupation for the record."
"My name is Rita Skeeter. I am a freelance reporter, licensed in wizarding Europe, Australia, and the United States," Rita replied.
"Miss Skeeter, two days ago, a disturbance took place in Frimby Park, approximately half a mile from the Ministry of Magic. Were you present during any part of this incident?"
"I was."
"How did you come to be present at that location?"
"I followed Harry Potter out of the Ministry building."
Ron elbowed Harry and pulled a baffled face. Harry shrugged; he certainly hadn't seen her.
"Did you lose track of Harry Potter at all after he left the Ministry building?"
"Only when I saw he was about to be attacked. I ran for help then."
Someone in Harry's row snorted. Harry rather agreed; he doubted it was help she had run for.
"How is that no one saw you?"
"I'm an investigative reporter," Rita said smugly. "Stealth is part of my trade." This time it was Hermione who snorted. Ron elbowed Harry and rolled his eyes.
"Did you return after summoning help?"
"Yes."
"Please describe to this court what you saw."
Rita cleared her throat and raised her voice. "I saw a battle between Death Eaters and Aurors. Harry Potter was right in the thick of it; he took some bad hits. But he gave a few too. And..." she paused dramatically, "I saw Peter Pettigrew."
The courtroom exploded. The press sprang to their feet, flashbulbs popping, shouting questions. The spectators were yelling, the Wizengamot were yelling, Fudge was yelling, half the people in Harry's section were yelling, and Madam Bones was banging her gavel furiously—and yelling.
"Order! Order!"
Ron and Ginny were both shaking Harry by the arms, also yelling questions at him, but Harry couldn't answer anyone. His heart was in his throat, and all he could do was look at Sirius. Sirius was sitting frozen in his chair, his mouth hanging open, and his eyes locked on Rita.
"Order, damn it! ORDER!"
At last, the tumult quieted. Everyone fell silent, but there was considerably more fidgeting from every person in the room. Madam Bones snapped at Fudge to shut up when he tried to object, and motioned for Mr. McGonagall to continue.
"Miss Skeeter, are you absolutely certain it was Peter Pettigrew that you saw?"
"Oh yes," Rita said innocently. "When Harry Potter claimed he had faked his death, my photographer and I did some research and conjured a time-accelerated image of what he would look like at this age."
"I see," said Mr. McGonagall. He reached onto the defense table and picked up the small parcel. "The defense wishes to introduce these photographs and designate them Exhibit C."
"So ordered," said Madam Bones.
"Objection!" Fudge cried. "There's no pr—"
"Overruled," replied Madam Bones. "You may continue with your authentication, Mr. McGonagall."
"Thank you, Madam," said Mr. McGonagall.
Both Ron and Ginny had Harry by the arms, their mouths hanging open. Harry held his breath.
Mr. McGonagall approached Rita and handed her the photographs. "Would you please explain to the court how these pictures came into your possession, Miss Skeeter?"
Rita smiled. "My photographer took them...in Frimby Park."
Everyone gasped, and Madam Bones slammed her gavel onto the bench. The courtroom fell silent again.
"How did your photographer come to be in Frimby Park?"
"Oh, when I went for help...I summoned my photographer as well."
Harry couldn't feel either of his hands, Ron and Ginny were squeezing his arms so hard.
Mr. McGonagall carried another stack of photographs over to the jury. The first wizard in the section snatched them from him and began pouring over them as his neighbors eagerly leaned over his shoulders, and other jury members began hissing at them to pass them down.
"Would you please tell the court the subject of these photographs?"
Rita held up the first one, beaming as the flashbulbs began to pop. "This is Peter Pettigrew."
It was. Harry could see the image quite clearly, moving as wizard photographs did: Wormtail was dueling with Harry, right after the battle had started.
Rita held up the second photograph: "And this is Peter Pettigrew!" It was Wormtail, his silver hand wrapped around Harry's throat.
Rita held up a third photograph. "So is this..."
It was Wormtail cowering with Voldemort in the foreground. Many people hissed in horror.
"And this..."
Wormtail was running for cover as Harry and Snape dueled with Voldemort...
"And this..."
Wormtail was hiding behind a tree...
"And this..."
Wormtail was yelling instructions to two other Death Eaters...
"And finally, this..."
Wormtail was transforming into a rat and scurrying away. Rita's photographer had caught the entire thing with his camera.
The courtroom erupted again. Now the Wizengamot members were yelling questions at Rita, the press was almost hysterical, the Aurors were having trouble keeping everyone in their seats, some people were sobbing, and Harry thought he might pass out. His head hurt tremendously from all the noise—but he didn't care.
"ORDER!" Madam Bones banged her gavel so hard that it broke in two. Finally, after repairing it and breaking it twice, she tossed it aside in favor of using her wand to send up red sparks. "I will have ORDER in this court—sit DOWN, Minister Fudge!"
Fudge was sweating profusely, but he did as she said.
Mr. McGonagall asked Rita, "I remind you now that you are under oath, Miss Skeeter. Do you confirm before this court that these photographs are genuine images of what you and your photographer saw in Frimby Park less than forty-eight hours ago?"
"I most certainly do," said Rita in a ringing voice. "I brought my photographer with me to document that battle, and we did, without falsifying a thing. Peter Pettigrew is alive, just as Harry said, and working for You-Know-Who! Sirius Black could NOT have murdered him!"
Mr. McGonagall's voice betrayed the barest hint of satisfaction. "Madam Bones, the defense rests."
Madam Bones nodded. "Minister, do you wish to cross-examine the witness?"
Fudge was white as a sheet. His mouth was moving, but no sound came out, making him look rather like a fish. His eyes darted from Rita to Madam Bones to Sirius, then to Harry.
"Minister? Has the prosecution rested as well?"
Fudge glanced at the photographs that Mr. McGonagall had slipped onto the table in front of him. Finally, he said in a weak voice, "The prosecution...er...the prosecution..."
Madam Bones looked distinctly bored with him. "Does the prosecution wish to proceed with their case against Sirius Black," she asked delicately, "or do they elect to...drop all charges?"
"Yes," squeaked Fudge.
"Which...one...Minister," Madam Bones practically growled.
"We..." Fudge shot the jury a glance, then mumbled, "the prosecution is dismissing its case against...against...the accused."
"So noted and ordered," said Madam Bones in an unmistakably triumphant voice. "All charges against the accused are dismissed! Mr. Black, you are free to go."
"YYYEEEEAAAAAHHH!" Ron flew out of his seat with an outright scream of elation. Ginny followed suit, Hermione broke down sobbing, and the rest of the Weasley boys let out whoops of triumph.
The chains on the defendant's chair abruptly fell limp to the floor, and Sirius sat back, too stunned to even move. Harry felt the same way.
Behind him, he could just see Remus from the corner of his eye, spinning Tonks around wildly. Professor McGonagall was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief while passing another to Mrs. Weasley, who was sobbing openly as Mr. Weasley jumped up and down.
"Come on, Harry! Come on!" Ron and Hermione tugged at him. "Let's go! Let's bloody GO! He's waiting, Harry!"
Harry couldn't move.
"Harry? I think we should collect your godfather and head home, don't you?" he heard Remus say behind him.
He still couldn't move.
"Harry, we won! Sirius won! He's free! Come on!"
He couldn't move. If he moved, it would all disappear. It couldn't be real. It was like a dream, and if he moved...something would go wrong. It couldn't be real.
"Harry?"
A softer voice amid all the yelling and shrieking penetrated Harry's dazed thoughts, and he blinked. Sirius was in front of him—right in front of him. How he'd managed to get off the courtroom floor and up the steps into the stands, Harry didn't know, but here he was...
Harry held out a cautious hand, and Sirius took it.
It's real.
Sirius broke into a grin as Harry took a dangerously shaky breath, and folded his godson into his arms. "It's okay," he muttered gruffly into Harry's ear. "It's okay, it's over. Come on, Harry."
"I'm okay!" Harry gasped, furiously trying to get a grip on himself. "I'm..." he pulled back, looked at Sirius's grinning face and overly bright eyes, and felt himself grinning insanely back. "I'm...we're..."
"Everyone's okay!" laughed Remus behind them, and Harry and Sirius began laughing too (if a bit hysterically.) He clapped them both on the shoulders. "Let's get out of here."
Ron and his brothers began yelling again and formed a dancing escort as Harry and Sirius moved out of the stands and fought their way through the bedlum in the courtroom. The Order Aurors and the elder Weasleys kept the worst of the crowd away from the former accused and his rather stunned godson, but Hermione suddenly groaned beside Harry.
"Oh, lord. Brace up, you two, here she comes. I guess we can't really stop her now, considering she won our case..."
Harry spotted red silk and rhinestone-studded glasses coming toward them in a blaze of flashbulbs, and Sirius quickly nudged him toward Remus. Harry started to protest, wanting to stay with his godfather, but Remus held him back as Sirius stood to await Rita and the inevitable barrage of questions.
Rita reached Sirius and extended her hand sweetly. "Mister Black, I just wanted to—"
And Sirius seized her in his arms, dipped her halfway to the ground, and planted a resounding kiss right on her lips that went on...and on...
And on.
Then he straightened up, let her go, swung an arm around Harry's shoulders and strolled on toward the courtroom doors as if nothing had happened.
Harry and Hermione glanced back and saw Rita still standing where Sirius had left her with a dazed sort of half-smile on her face and rather distracted look in her eyes.
"Blimey," Hermione murmured. "I never would have thought of that."
To be continued...
Coming as soon as possible: Our heroes get a much-needed respite from the tensions of late, and look to family matters, future plans, and former problems. Gryffindors have their eyes on glory and goals as the school year wraps up in Chapter Forty-Four: Homecomings!
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