A/N: *Sylvia creeps up behind Muse and pokes her. Muse continues snoring.
Sylvia looks around, and pulls out a baseball bat. Sylvia gives a little
evil grin, pulls back, swings, and connects with Muse's head. Sylvia tears
off like mad, cackling all the while, while trying to escape enraged Muse
who promises death.* Well, I'm back! I had to hit the Muse, but she beat
me up a bit, and I produced this. Not as long as the other chapters by any
stretch of the imagination, but I felt you all deserved something after
waiting so long. That's why I needed a baseball bat. ~Sylvia
"Mr. Potter, over here!" Flashbulbs went off all around him while Harry, Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Draco made their way to the courthouse. "Were you under a spell?" One man shouted in the crowd. "Did you realize that the man you were with was You Know Who?" Harry ignored the rest of the questions and pushed his way inside the building, followed closely but the rest of the group. He adjusted his robes and nodded to the others there.
"Let's go." He said. Draco came up next to him.
"Bet you enjoyed that, Potter." Draco mock-snarled to him. Harry laughed a bit.
"This time next week it'll be you." He answered. Draco paled.
"Oh, bloody hell." He said in response. "Thank goodness school starts again in two days, right?" Harry smiled and nodded. Not that he would be attending classes with the trial on. Even if they did manage to have Tom acquitted, then there would definitely be some kind of public relations nightmare considering his guardians. He wished again once for a normal life and sighed. He just wanted to go home with Tom, Matthew, and Nellie and ignore the rest of the wizarding world for a while. Maybe play football again and hang out with his Muggle friends. Be normal. He shook his head. It seemed like Destiny enjoyed toying with him.
The entire group went through security rather well and found the courtroom without much trouble. There were several members of the press there and they all immediately jumped up at Harry's entrance to the room. Draco moved between him and the cameras, not allowing a free shot of Harry at all. Harry nodded his thanks to the boy and they all settled in the seats marked off for them directly behind the defendant's chair. Draco's lawyer came in just behind them and smiled at the boys. He had met with them several times over the past week to plan out their defense. The two boys would be his last witnesses to call, with their memories as evidence. He knew that memories were perfectly admissible as evidence as long as they showed entire scenes. The boys reassured him that their memories were perfect to clear Tom Riddle of charges.
The press went crazy as Tom was brought into the room. Several people in the crowds drew back away from him as though they were going to hurt them. Others wondered how a nice old gentleman could harm so many people. Some just looked at him blankly, wondering where the rest of the world got off accusing him of things that he couldn't possibly have done. He was so gentle and soft-spoken when speaking to Harry Potter. There was no possible way he was a madman.
"Hello, Tom!" Harry greeted brightly.
"Harry, you're looking well." Tom returned, sitting down in front of the boy. He nodded to his lawyer and smiled at Harry.
"I've been at Hogwarts, where they believe food and sleep is the cure for everything. I'm lucky I'm still in shape." Tom chuckled and nodded to Draco, whom somehow had become attached to Harry's hip. Matthew had told him the night before when he had visited that the two had become really good friends since Harry had been rescued, more so now that Harry's family had been threatened. Matthew likened it to Draco being a protector of Harry. Now, the adults never saw one without the other, especially after the letters that Harry's friends had sent him. Matthew said that Harry had been down for a while after the Howlers, but Draco bullied him into living again.
"Well, that's lucky then, because Nellie was out for your head it you hadn't planned on eating more than a plate of food a day." Tom said, smiling at the boy who had changed so much, and yet, had remained the same. Tom remembered how he had wrestled the Gameboy away from Harry only a week before. Had so little time passed? Harry managed to ignore the photographers that shamelessly took pictures of the two talking. He knew that public relations was important in how the court decided, that and he wouldn't dismiss any offer of support if the public wanted to rally around him. Right now, he would take everything he could get in way of support.
"All rise!" The bailiff said as the judge came into the room. Harry leapt to his feet and watched as Tom made his way to his feet. Tom looked so old at that moment. Harry hoped that he was going to be okay. The judge made her way to her bench and looked out at her packed courtroom. She almost rolled her eyes. Why couldn't this trial be private? She scanned the crowd and found the Potter boy standing behind the defense table. He looked older than she thought he would. She settled herself in her seat and sighed.
"You may begin the opening arguments." She said to the two lawyers in the room. Both men nodded and the prosecution rose to his feet and moved forward to address the court and jury.
"Ladies and Gentleman, Your Honor. What can be said about this man sitting here in the courtroom today? Nothing much, except that he has participated and even orchestrated the war of sixteen years ago, under the guise of Lord Vol-," the lawyer stuttered to a stop. "You Know Who." Harry almost laughed. The man was not going to be very convincing if he could not even squeak out Voldemort's name. Wings of Death the man was, but even Harry couldn't see the purpose behind not speaking his name. Never mind the fact that Harry was only sixteen, a mere boy by wizarding standards. "This man," he paused and pointed at Tom, "is responsible for murder, torture, and crimes too heinous to mention in the presence of good, decent wizards." Harry almost smirked before remembering that he had to act mature, responsible, and sane today. Mr. Connell had forbidden the boys any action, comment, or expression that cast any doubts that Harry Potter was a normal wizarding teenager. Of course, normal had never really applied to the Boy Who Lived, but Harry was managing to pull the act off with aplomb.
"The fact that he has lived long enough to influence others to join in his insane acts, much less turn the Boy Who Lived against those who would protect him is evidence enough of his plotting and scheming ways to not only destroy wizarding society, but Muggle standards of living as well. Vol- You Know Who, is nothing more than a menace, and the people demand that he be prosecuted for his crimes, and dealt with to the fullest extent of wizarding laws." Here, the prosecutor seemed to run out of things to say and hurriedly thanked the court before retreating to his seat. Harry was reminded of a rat scurrying back to his hole. Harry wondered how much Fudge had paid this man. Whatever it was, it didn't seem worth it. The crowd of people had erupted after the prosecutor's speech and denied that Harry Potter would ever do anything that the prosecutor had inferred from Harry's connections with Tom. Harry almost shook his head in disbelief. He knew for a fact that almost half of these people had turned on him during his fifth year.
"Mr. Connell, you may begin." The judge said, waving towards the man. Mr. Connell stood and turned to face the entire crowd, ready to make sure that his client would be able to return home with very little trial. The burden of proof was on the shoulders of the prosecution after all. With only hearsay evidence, the court, if fair, would have a hard time convicting Tom Riddle of any wrongdoing. It was just a matter of time.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Riddle is nothing more than an man who took his interest in the well-being of the Boy Who Lived as a personal responsibility. There is no evidence showing that the man known as Tom Riddle is actually, of this day, the wizard known as Voldemort." Mr. Connell had to wait for the entire courtroom to calm down before he could continue. The judge battled for order while Harry and Draco grinned at each other.
"You owe me a sickle." Harry whispered to Draco. Draco rolled his eyes. The two had bet on how long the courtroom would explode over the word, and Draco had said no more than two minutes. Harry was winning by two minutes. Draco discreetly dug out a sickle and passed it to Harry. "You wanna go again?" Harry asked.
"Three minutes." Draco said, holding out his hand.
"Two and a half." Harry said, shaking Draco's hands as the two bet on the amount of time that the crowd would indulge in hysterics over a name. Tom turned around and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "What?" He asked, seeing Tom's face. "We've got to do something to keep ourselves amused while everyone else freaks out." Harry explained in a whisper. Tom turned back around, shaking his head and muttering something along the lines of "boys will be boys", once order had been re-established. Mr. Connell sighed and waited for the go-ahead signal from the judge. He nodded to her when she gave it and turned back to face the court.
"Tom Riddle was nothing more than a man who cared for a boy many would have loved to take in, yet few could handle. Harry Potter is not a normal child with normal worries. He has been plagued by an evil wizard, Lord Voldemort," Mr. Connell found need to pause again as the court burst into chaos again, with screams of terror and shouts of demands not to say the name. Harry and Draco both stared at the watch on Harry's wrist, counting the time. Draco moaned in defeat and Harry held out his hand with a small, triumphant smile. He pocketed the sickle and looked back up at the judge, who had been staring at the boys. Harry was sure that she was trying to keep a straight face when she made eye contact with Harry. Well, they were busted. The people finally quieted down and Mr. Connell started again.
"As I was saying, Harry Potter has been plagued by an evil wizard, so evil in fact that few can hear his name spoken without being affected with some amount of fear. Mr. Riddle, in spite of all the 'emotional baggage' that Master Potter brings with him as part of his life, accepted the boy into his home, and did what was required to keep him hidden from the Dark Lord, as well as the rest of the wizarding world, for the boy's own safety. Even Albus Dumbledore, one of this century's greatest wizards, could not locate the boy. This, indeed, was protection that no other person would have been able to provide to the boy whose needs only grow more demanding with each passing year." Mr. Connell took a deep breath. "There is nothing more than a passing physical resemblance between the evil wizard that few want named, and Mr. Riddle. The mental differences are very distinctive, as well as his actions. Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no way that Mr. Tom Riddle could possibly be the evil wizard that the prosecution states he is. There is no similarity between the two men, none at all." Mr. Connell thanked the court for their attention and returned to his seat. The judge sat back and sighed. Both lawyers made very good cases, although she felt as though the prosecution was less than happy about the assignment.
"Alright. Thank you gentlemen. We will recess until tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. I believe there are two young men who have afternoon classes to attend." She said, smiling at Harry and Draco. Harry smiled back at her while Draco rolled his eyes and mumbled something about not even getting a full day off. The entire court stood as the judge left the room. The minute she was through the door, Harry made his way to Tom before he was lead out of the room.
"So far, so good." Tom commented as Harry came up. "How are you doing, truthfully?" Tom asked. Harry shrugged. "Harry." Tom said with a slight warning in his tone.
"Ron's being a prat, but Hermione understands." Harry answered. "I'm okay otherwise." Tom smiled at Harry.
"I understand, Harry. Just remember, that if he is your true friend..."
"He'll come around." Harry finished Tom's sentence for him. "I know. I just want to hex him right now, but I won't."
"There's the Harry I know and love." Tom said, looking over Harry. Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. Had Tom just said that he loved him? Harry looked around for photographers, and seeing none, stepped forward and wrapped Tom in a hug. The Auror who was waiting to escort Tom back to his cell stopped dead in his tracks and stared as Tom held Harry. The Boy Who Lived was hugging the accused Dark Lord. What was the wizarding world coming to? "What's wrong?" Tom asked quietly.
"I don't think that I've ever heard that before." Harry said into Tom's shoulder. "Not in person, that someone loved me." Tom nodded and held Harry a little tighter before releasing him.
"It's okay, Harry." Tom said as he held onto Harry's shoulders. "You still wear your necklace?" Tom asked, looking for the chain that Harry had hidden beneath his collar. Harry nodded.
"Day and night." Tom nodded, satisfied that his charge was safe for the time being.
"All right. I know you have a class in the next hour. I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early." Tom said, giving him a small push towards Dumbledore and Snape, who had been waiting for Harry with Draco.
"Bye, Tom." Harry said, watching as Tom was led through a door. Tom waved before the door was shut. "Let's go." Harry said to the others present. The group made their way through the crowds and reporters to the Floo system and made their way back to Hogwarts.
**********************************************************************
"I detest Flooing." Harry said to Draco as he tripped and nearly fell out of the fireplace. Draco, who was brushing the soot of his uniform, snorted at Harry's comment.
"Could be worse. Could be portkey." Draco told him. Harry gave an involuntary shudder and watched as Snape gracefully stepped out of the fireplace with not even a hair out of place. How did he do that? Harry vowed to himself that he would learn Snape's secret to flawless Flooing before the year was out.
"I believe the two of you have class." Snape said as Dumbledore hopped out of the fireplace, giggling at something he had seen while spinning through the system. Harry and Draco both decided that they didn't want to know what Dumbledore had seen and grabbed their school bags and headed towards Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall.
"So how do you think today went?" Draco asked Harry as they turned down the hallway towards the Transfiguration classroom. Harry shrugged.
"I don't know, but I think that Mr. Connell did a very nice job. Tom just has to be acquitted of the charges. He's not responsible for what Voldemort did." Draco nodded as he and Harry turned the corner. "I think that it's going to turn out okay." Harry finished as he heard a sneering voice.
"Oh, look! It's the mini-Death Eaters!"
Reviews:
Mrs. Tom Riddle: I'm glad you liked my story. Your review made me squeal (yes, squeal, ask my brother) with happiness. I had thought that no one else was going to review and then yours popped up. Thanks for reviewing! Good luck to your mother.
VioletS: You're welcome for the book. Try the company Reclam. They're pretty good with foreign books and notorious for making the book covers bright yellow. My German teacher loved to torment us with those yellow covers. Your review almost made me cry. Literally. I was sitting here, thinking about the possible reasons I have writer's block, and then I saw your review. Your kind words helped inspire me to hit my Muse. (She's still grumbling about the bump on her head) Thanks for reviewing. I needed it!
Uten: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it. There is no movement on their relationship as of yet, but I can work on it. Thanks for reminding me. (Anyone else actually have to go back and re-read their fics because they couldn't remember what happened at the beginning? Or is it just me?) The trial has begun. Let the fireworks begin.
Lady Krista: (grumble) I never said I was perfect! Only semi-perfect. Just kidding. Grammar sometimes takes a backseat in my stories, but it is important to me. I just kind of forget about it. If you want, C, you could tell me where my mistakes are and how to fix them. If not, thanks for reviewing my fic. I have three (that's right, three) on the back burner right now, and it's killing me not to be writing them. (anyone else have that problem?) So, if you would like to look over one of those and screen for grammar, let me know. I don't want to burden Sue with too many, especially as she is beta-ing the other one for me. Thanks for reviewing, C!
Max: Thanks! Glad you liked it. I don't know. I seem to attract a lot of anti-Ron readers to my fic. It is kind of scary, the animosity that they have towards him. I like the idea of a fistfight. Thanks for suggesting it. It might just happen. Thanks for reviewing!
TheWraith1: Time will tell, my friend. Time will tell. As to Ron, see above statement. I'm telling you, it's scary. But that's okay, because he is being a sort of prat. Perhaps Gred and Forge will straighten him out a bit. Thanks for reviewing!
Nphipps: I hope your wait wasn't too long!
Anon: Thanks!
SilverFated: Nice suggestion for a prank. Any others? My Muse is asleep. Thanks for reviewing!
Lady Reaper of the Shadows: Shadows unite! Hahaha. Glad you liked the chapter. Here's the next one!
I can't find the snitch: I still can't get over your name! I love it. Animosity abounds in your review. I think you are the staunchest support of "break it off" through all the reviews, though others want to wish some sort of prank on the prat. Don't want to give away what happens, though. Guess we'll all have to wait for my ticked off Muse to get back to life. Thanks for reviewing!
Gshans: Thank you for your suggestions. I tried some here; I hope they worked out the way you wanted. You're a close second behind Can't Find the Snitch for Ron's fate. Burning in Hell is a bit extreme. How about a few pranks? If you can come up with some good ones, let me know. I'm not much of a prankster, so any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reviewing!
HoshiHikari4ever: Only the characters that have spoken to Draco have accepted (with the exception of Ron the prat) Draco. The others are still feeling out the territory, wondering what had happened to make him change houses. I haven't figured that out yet, whether or not Harry and Ron will continue their friendship. Time will tell.
SheWolfe7: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it. Still not sure about Ron. I actually didn't mean for him to come off as such a prat, but I just couldn't control him. (Anyone else not able to control the characters when writing?) I hope your wait for an update wasn't too long. Thanks for reviewing!
Crazedgurl1290: Thanks! Don't worry about Ron. I haven't figured out where he wants to go yet. I think he's settled for "extreme pratishness" at the moment. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reviewing!
EriEka127: Thanks! Hope the wait wasn't too long. Thanks for reviewing.
HermioneGreen: Thank you. That meant a lot to me. Hope your wait for the next chapter wasn't too long.
Suzanne of Dragon's Breath: I know you're without computer, so this wait is going to be even longer for you. Sorry, Sue! Just think, this is a back to school present for you on Monday or Tuesday. Get your mind out of the gutter. Look for story soon. Thanks for reviewing!
A/N: Well guys, that's all for now. The count of Ron/Harry friendship is as follows: Those Who Think Ron Is An Extreme Prat and Should No Longer Be Harry's Friend – 7 Those Who Want Ron To Continue To Be Harry's Friend – 2 The polls are still open. Anyone care to take up Ron's defense? The next chapter should be much longer, I hope. My brain has atrophied beyond all recognition due to lack of school I actually miss assignments. Someone call St. Mungo's and have them lock me up. I've gone crazy. Well, next chapter is soon. Till then! ~Sylvia
"Mr. Potter, over here!" Flashbulbs went off all around him while Harry, Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Draco made their way to the courthouse. "Were you under a spell?" One man shouted in the crowd. "Did you realize that the man you were with was You Know Who?" Harry ignored the rest of the questions and pushed his way inside the building, followed closely but the rest of the group. He adjusted his robes and nodded to the others there.
"Let's go." He said. Draco came up next to him.
"Bet you enjoyed that, Potter." Draco mock-snarled to him. Harry laughed a bit.
"This time next week it'll be you." He answered. Draco paled.
"Oh, bloody hell." He said in response. "Thank goodness school starts again in two days, right?" Harry smiled and nodded. Not that he would be attending classes with the trial on. Even if they did manage to have Tom acquitted, then there would definitely be some kind of public relations nightmare considering his guardians. He wished again once for a normal life and sighed. He just wanted to go home with Tom, Matthew, and Nellie and ignore the rest of the wizarding world for a while. Maybe play football again and hang out with his Muggle friends. Be normal. He shook his head. It seemed like Destiny enjoyed toying with him.
The entire group went through security rather well and found the courtroom without much trouble. There were several members of the press there and they all immediately jumped up at Harry's entrance to the room. Draco moved between him and the cameras, not allowing a free shot of Harry at all. Harry nodded his thanks to the boy and they all settled in the seats marked off for them directly behind the defendant's chair. Draco's lawyer came in just behind them and smiled at the boys. He had met with them several times over the past week to plan out their defense. The two boys would be his last witnesses to call, with their memories as evidence. He knew that memories were perfectly admissible as evidence as long as they showed entire scenes. The boys reassured him that their memories were perfect to clear Tom Riddle of charges.
The press went crazy as Tom was brought into the room. Several people in the crowds drew back away from him as though they were going to hurt them. Others wondered how a nice old gentleman could harm so many people. Some just looked at him blankly, wondering where the rest of the world got off accusing him of things that he couldn't possibly have done. He was so gentle and soft-spoken when speaking to Harry Potter. There was no possible way he was a madman.
"Hello, Tom!" Harry greeted brightly.
"Harry, you're looking well." Tom returned, sitting down in front of the boy. He nodded to his lawyer and smiled at Harry.
"I've been at Hogwarts, where they believe food and sleep is the cure for everything. I'm lucky I'm still in shape." Tom chuckled and nodded to Draco, whom somehow had become attached to Harry's hip. Matthew had told him the night before when he had visited that the two had become really good friends since Harry had been rescued, more so now that Harry's family had been threatened. Matthew likened it to Draco being a protector of Harry. Now, the adults never saw one without the other, especially after the letters that Harry's friends had sent him. Matthew said that Harry had been down for a while after the Howlers, but Draco bullied him into living again.
"Well, that's lucky then, because Nellie was out for your head it you hadn't planned on eating more than a plate of food a day." Tom said, smiling at the boy who had changed so much, and yet, had remained the same. Tom remembered how he had wrestled the Gameboy away from Harry only a week before. Had so little time passed? Harry managed to ignore the photographers that shamelessly took pictures of the two talking. He knew that public relations was important in how the court decided, that and he wouldn't dismiss any offer of support if the public wanted to rally around him. Right now, he would take everything he could get in way of support.
"All rise!" The bailiff said as the judge came into the room. Harry leapt to his feet and watched as Tom made his way to his feet. Tom looked so old at that moment. Harry hoped that he was going to be okay. The judge made her way to her bench and looked out at her packed courtroom. She almost rolled her eyes. Why couldn't this trial be private? She scanned the crowd and found the Potter boy standing behind the defense table. He looked older than she thought he would. She settled herself in her seat and sighed.
"You may begin the opening arguments." She said to the two lawyers in the room. Both men nodded and the prosecution rose to his feet and moved forward to address the court and jury.
"Ladies and Gentleman, Your Honor. What can be said about this man sitting here in the courtroom today? Nothing much, except that he has participated and even orchestrated the war of sixteen years ago, under the guise of Lord Vol-," the lawyer stuttered to a stop. "You Know Who." Harry almost laughed. The man was not going to be very convincing if he could not even squeak out Voldemort's name. Wings of Death the man was, but even Harry couldn't see the purpose behind not speaking his name. Never mind the fact that Harry was only sixteen, a mere boy by wizarding standards. "This man," he paused and pointed at Tom, "is responsible for murder, torture, and crimes too heinous to mention in the presence of good, decent wizards." Harry almost smirked before remembering that he had to act mature, responsible, and sane today. Mr. Connell had forbidden the boys any action, comment, or expression that cast any doubts that Harry Potter was a normal wizarding teenager. Of course, normal had never really applied to the Boy Who Lived, but Harry was managing to pull the act off with aplomb.
"The fact that he has lived long enough to influence others to join in his insane acts, much less turn the Boy Who Lived against those who would protect him is evidence enough of his plotting and scheming ways to not only destroy wizarding society, but Muggle standards of living as well. Vol- You Know Who, is nothing more than a menace, and the people demand that he be prosecuted for his crimes, and dealt with to the fullest extent of wizarding laws." Here, the prosecutor seemed to run out of things to say and hurriedly thanked the court before retreating to his seat. Harry was reminded of a rat scurrying back to his hole. Harry wondered how much Fudge had paid this man. Whatever it was, it didn't seem worth it. The crowd of people had erupted after the prosecutor's speech and denied that Harry Potter would ever do anything that the prosecutor had inferred from Harry's connections with Tom. Harry almost shook his head in disbelief. He knew for a fact that almost half of these people had turned on him during his fifth year.
"Mr. Connell, you may begin." The judge said, waving towards the man. Mr. Connell stood and turned to face the entire crowd, ready to make sure that his client would be able to return home with very little trial. The burden of proof was on the shoulders of the prosecution after all. With only hearsay evidence, the court, if fair, would have a hard time convicting Tom Riddle of any wrongdoing. It was just a matter of time.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Riddle is nothing more than an man who took his interest in the well-being of the Boy Who Lived as a personal responsibility. There is no evidence showing that the man known as Tom Riddle is actually, of this day, the wizard known as Voldemort." Mr. Connell had to wait for the entire courtroom to calm down before he could continue. The judge battled for order while Harry and Draco grinned at each other.
"You owe me a sickle." Harry whispered to Draco. Draco rolled his eyes. The two had bet on how long the courtroom would explode over the word, and Draco had said no more than two minutes. Harry was winning by two minutes. Draco discreetly dug out a sickle and passed it to Harry. "You wanna go again?" Harry asked.
"Three minutes." Draco said, holding out his hand.
"Two and a half." Harry said, shaking Draco's hands as the two bet on the amount of time that the crowd would indulge in hysterics over a name. Tom turned around and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "What?" He asked, seeing Tom's face. "We've got to do something to keep ourselves amused while everyone else freaks out." Harry explained in a whisper. Tom turned back around, shaking his head and muttering something along the lines of "boys will be boys", once order had been re-established. Mr. Connell sighed and waited for the go-ahead signal from the judge. He nodded to her when she gave it and turned back to face the court.
"Tom Riddle was nothing more than a man who cared for a boy many would have loved to take in, yet few could handle. Harry Potter is not a normal child with normal worries. He has been plagued by an evil wizard, Lord Voldemort," Mr. Connell found need to pause again as the court burst into chaos again, with screams of terror and shouts of demands not to say the name. Harry and Draco both stared at the watch on Harry's wrist, counting the time. Draco moaned in defeat and Harry held out his hand with a small, triumphant smile. He pocketed the sickle and looked back up at the judge, who had been staring at the boys. Harry was sure that she was trying to keep a straight face when she made eye contact with Harry. Well, they were busted. The people finally quieted down and Mr. Connell started again.
"As I was saying, Harry Potter has been plagued by an evil wizard, so evil in fact that few can hear his name spoken without being affected with some amount of fear. Mr. Riddle, in spite of all the 'emotional baggage' that Master Potter brings with him as part of his life, accepted the boy into his home, and did what was required to keep him hidden from the Dark Lord, as well as the rest of the wizarding world, for the boy's own safety. Even Albus Dumbledore, one of this century's greatest wizards, could not locate the boy. This, indeed, was protection that no other person would have been able to provide to the boy whose needs only grow more demanding with each passing year." Mr. Connell took a deep breath. "There is nothing more than a passing physical resemblance between the evil wizard that few want named, and Mr. Riddle. The mental differences are very distinctive, as well as his actions. Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no way that Mr. Tom Riddle could possibly be the evil wizard that the prosecution states he is. There is no similarity between the two men, none at all." Mr. Connell thanked the court for their attention and returned to his seat. The judge sat back and sighed. Both lawyers made very good cases, although she felt as though the prosecution was less than happy about the assignment.
"Alright. Thank you gentlemen. We will recess until tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. I believe there are two young men who have afternoon classes to attend." She said, smiling at Harry and Draco. Harry smiled back at her while Draco rolled his eyes and mumbled something about not even getting a full day off. The entire court stood as the judge left the room. The minute she was through the door, Harry made his way to Tom before he was lead out of the room.
"So far, so good." Tom commented as Harry came up. "How are you doing, truthfully?" Tom asked. Harry shrugged. "Harry." Tom said with a slight warning in his tone.
"Ron's being a prat, but Hermione understands." Harry answered. "I'm okay otherwise." Tom smiled at Harry.
"I understand, Harry. Just remember, that if he is your true friend..."
"He'll come around." Harry finished Tom's sentence for him. "I know. I just want to hex him right now, but I won't."
"There's the Harry I know and love." Tom said, looking over Harry. Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. Had Tom just said that he loved him? Harry looked around for photographers, and seeing none, stepped forward and wrapped Tom in a hug. The Auror who was waiting to escort Tom back to his cell stopped dead in his tracks and stared as Tom held Harry. The Boy Who Lived was hugging the accused Dark Lord. What was the wizarding world coming to? "What's wrong?" Tom asked quietly.
"I don't think that I've ever heard that before." Harry said into Tom's shoulder. "Not in person, that someone loved me." Tom nodded and held Harry a little tighter before releasing him.
"It's okay, Harry." Tom said as he held onto Harry's shoulders. "You still wear your necklace?" Tom asked, looking for the chain that Harry had hidden beneath his collar. Harry nodded.
"Day and night." Tom nodded, satisfied that his charge was safe for the time being.
"All right. I know you have a class in the next hour. I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early." Tom said, giving him a small push towards Dumbledore and Snape, who had been waiting for Harry with Draco.
"Bye, Tom." Harry said, watching as Tom was led through a door. Tom waved before the door was shut. "Let's go." Harry said to the others present. The group made their way through the crowds and reporters to the Floo system and made their way back to Hogwarts.
**********************************************************************
"I detest Flooing." Harry said to Draco as he tripped and nearly fell out of the fireplace. Draco, who was brushing the soot of his uniform, snorted at Harry's comment.
"Could be worse. Could be portkey." Draco told him. Harry gave an involuntary shudder and watched as Snape gracefully stepped out of the fireplace with not even a hair out of place. How did he do that? Harry vowed to himself that he would learn Snape's secret to flawless Flooing before the year was out.
"I believe the two of you have class." Snape said as Dumbledore hopped out of the fireplace, giggling at something he had seen while spinning through the system. Harry and Draco both decided that they didn't want to know what Dumbledore had seen and grabbed their school bags and headed towards Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall.
"So how do you think today went?" Draco asked Harry as they turned down the hallway towards the Transfiguration classroom. Harry shrugged.
"I don't know, but I think that Mr. Connell did a very nice job. Tom just has to be acquitted of the charges. He's not responsible for what Voldemort did." Draco nodded as he and Harry turned the corner. "I think that it's going to turn out okay." Harry finished as he heard a sneering voice.
"Oh, look! It's the mini-Death Eaters!"
Reviews:
Mrs. Tom Riddle: I'm glad you liked my story. Your review made me squeal (yes, squeal, ask my brother) with happiness. I had thought that no one else was going to review and then yours popped up. Thanks for reviewing! Good luck to your mother.
VioletS: You're welcome for the book. Try the company Reclam. They're pretty good with foreign books and notorious for making the book covers bright yellow. My German teacher loved to torment us with those yellow covers. Your review almost made me cry. Literally. I was sitting here, thinking about the possible reasons I have writer's block, and then I saw your review. Your kind words helped inspire me to hit my Muse. (She's still grumbling about the bump on her head) Thanks for reviewing. I needed it!
Uten: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it. There is no movement on their relationship as of yet, but I can work on it. Thanks for reminding me. (Anyone else actually have to go back and re-read their fics because they couldn't remember what happened at the beginning? Or is it just me?) The trial has begun. Let the fireworks begin.
Lady Krista: (grumble) I never said I was perfect! Only semi-perfect. Just kidding. Grammar sometimes takes a backseat in my stories, but it is important to me. I just kind of forget about it. If you want, C, you could tell me where my mistakes are and how to fix them. If not, thanks for reviewing my fic. I have three (that's right, three) on the back burner right now, and it's killing me not to be writing them. (anyone else have that problem?) So, if you would like to look over one of those and screen for grammar, let me know. I don't want to burden Sue with too many, especially as she is beta-ing the other one for me. Thanks for reviewing, C!
Max: Thanks! Glad you liked it. I don't know. I seem to attract a lot of anti-Ron readers to my fic. It is kind of scary, the animosity that they have towards him. I like the idea of a fistfight. Thanks for suggesting it. It might just happen. Thanks for reviewing!
TheWraith1: Time will tell, my friend. Time will tell. As to Ron, see above statement. I'm telling you, it's scary. But that's okay, because he is being a sort of prat. Perhaps Gred and Forge will straighten him out a bit. Thanks for reviewing!
Nphipps: I hope your wait wasn't too long!
Anon: Thanks!
SilverFated: Nice suggestion for a prank. Any others? My Muse is asleep. Thanks for reviewing!
Lady Reaper of the Shadows: Shadows unite! Hahaha. Glad you liked the chapter. Here's the next one!
I can't find the snitch: I still can't get over your name! I love it. Animosity abounds in your review. I think you are the staunchest support of "break it off" through all the reviews, though others want to wish some sort of prank on the prat. Don't want to give away what happens, though. Guess we'll all have to wait for my ticked off Muse to get back to life. Thanks for reviewing!
Gshans: Thank you for your suggestions. I tried some here; I hope they worked out the way you wanted. You're a close second behind Can't Find the Snitch for Ron's fate. Burning in Hell is a bit extreme. How about a few pranks? If you can come up with some good ones, let me know. I'm not much of a prankster, so any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reviewing!
HoshiHikari4ever: Only the characters that have spoken to Draco have accepted (with the exception of Ron the prat) Draco. The others are still feeling out the territory, wondering what had happened to make him change houses. I haven't figured that out yet, whether or not Harry and Ron will continue their friendship. Time will tell.
SheWolfe7: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it. Still not sure about Ron. I actually didn't mean for him to come off as such a prat, but I just couldn't control him. (Anyone else not able to control the characters when writing?) I hope your wait for an update wasn't too long. Thanks for reviewing!
Crazedgurl1290: Thanks! Don't worry about Ron. I haven't figured out where he wants to go yet. I think he's settled for "extreme pratishness" at the moment. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reviewing!
EriEka127: Thanks! Hope the wait wasn't too long. Thanks for reviewing.
HermioneGreen: Thank you. That meant a lot to me. Hope your wait for the next chapter wasn't too long.
Suzanne of Dragon's Breath: I know you're without computer, so this wait is going to be even longer for you. Sorry, Sue! Just think, this is a back to school present for you on Monday or Tuesday. Get your mind out of the gutter. Look for story soon. Thanks for reviewing!
A/N: Well guys, that's all for now. The count of Ron/Harry friendship is as follows: Those Who Think Ron Is An Extreme Prat and Should No Longer Be Harry's Friend – 7 Those Who Want Ron To Continue To Be Harry's Friend – 2 The polls are still open. Anyone care to take up Ron's defense? The next chapter should be much longer, I hope. My brain has atrophied beyond all recognition due to lack of school I actually miss assignments. Someone call St. Mungo's and have them lock me up. I've gone crazy. Well, next chapter is soon. Till then! ~Sylvia