Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This is merely fanfiction.
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Last Chapter:
"Why would you care? I killed someone. Murderer. I have blood on my hands! It's pretty, but blood stains, I can see them everyday. Stains are not welcome, so why do you want me back?" Hm. Well, I started out logical enough. Maybe this is a after effect of actually being insane? Apparently, however, Dumbles didn't know what I knew. He was looking at me oddly with that same hated expression of sympathy.
Did he really expect me to come out of this unharmed? I almost feel like laughing, sadly enough, the word 'almost' threw me into laughter instead. I really don't have a reason as to why either, but really! The word 'almost' is hilarious, I know it. People are just ignorant to the truth.
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Chapter 3: A World of Pain
"You have never killed anyone, Harry. We have testimony under Veritserum that proves that you did not." Dumbledore spoke calmly, but an air of defeat hung over his head. He was probably expecting more out of me, as to how, I would come up blank. Yet the words shook me pretty hard. It was the confirmation that I was innocent, that my delusions of actually killing, the blood, were all just that, delusions. It caused that little voice that constantly echoed that word "guilty" to whither and die like the lilies in Aunt Petunia's garden often had.
I suppose I was supposed to be ecstatic. This was what I was waiting for! I should be happy. This was what my mind had been slowly coming to acknowledge before I was resumed control of my body. The only problem was, now that I was sure, and now that everyone else knew, I didn't feel anything. It didn't matter. The only thing that it accomplished was to help separate the truth from the Dementor induced delusions.
Still I suppose that is a good thing.
As I rose off my shaking knees, I could not recall when I fell, I set my fierce glare on the man before me.
Albus Dumbledore, The Headmaster of Hogwarts, and Head of the Order of the Phoenix, and too many other titles I do not care to remember. For those few minutes I let those titles, that name, play over and over in my mind trying to understand what my feelings toward that man were. Sure I was angry, betrayed and close to harming the man who came here to offer me pity and nothing but a home in a place that practically betrayed me, but did I still hold any of the lighter feelings that I had, in the past, come to contribute to the man?
I sincerely doubted it. I had spent the last few years pinning in guilt over what I had done, or what others had done more accurately, and slowly dissolving the ties to all my former friends and acquaintances. I was hardly going to start reconstructing them! I pushed all thoughts aside and decided not to spend any more time here than was necessary. Azkaban was hardly a place for deep thought...well I suppose it is, but not the type of place I would willingly stay in for long.
"When can I leave then?" My voice was cracking under the strain of talking. I suppose it became used to not being used besides the screaming and the force-feeding the Azkaban house elves handed out. (They hardly wanted us to die that quickly!) I was pushing my limit even asking that. Speechless, innocent or not, is never a good combination. The reason eludes me for some reason but I know it is good advice or maybe just a bit of common sense.
"You cannot, at the moment. As we speak there are aurors on the way to escort you to your retrial. Before the trial you are still, in the eyes of the ministry, a murderer and a rapist. Do not expect much sympathy until then, the information of your innocence was not leaked to the press, only the highest of ministry personnel know." As he was speaking I heard my 'escorts' loud footsteps echo down the long winding corridors of Azkaban. I knew then the knot of dread that was slowly forming in my stomach was something I should pay attention to.
A murderer and a rapist going to a retrial was never something good in a Auror's book. I knew, I read the handbook. I'd agree on a normal basis, but as I was innocent, and it was me who they were going to be looking at with hatred and disgust, I was preparing myself for the worst. I was actually glad the old man was there, it kept them from doing anything they would regret later (or rather save me from a world of pain). I briefly held onto the thought that Dumbledore came here for that precise reason, but it quickly faded away into the section of my brain labeled 'trash' (previously known as dreams and hopes) when the man stood and started to leave before the aurors even arrived.
Only my quick wit (briefly) saved me from that once mentioned 'world of pain'. I quickly circle back to that thought and grin inwardly. At least I hadn't lost all of that hard earned self-confidence I gained over the years at Hogwarts. Ignoring the urge to wince at the thought of the school, I quickly asked. "Are they going to use Veritserum?" Dumbledore stopped and couldn't stop the wince of guilt from showing on his face while turning. I couldn't understand why, though.
It only took me a few minutes to remember that they denied my request to prove my innocence at my past trial. Damn ministry. Supposedly, there was so much damning evidence against me that it would be a waste of expensive material. I think they just didn't want to hear the truth. Humans are strange like that, crave to know the truth but at the same time are blind to it. I'd laugh, but I don't find it that humorous in my position, the result of such ignorance.
The old man just nodded his head, and again at the aurors waiting in a respectful, if not surprised fashion at the cell door. Those same faces quickly shifted from the respectful, surprised smiles, to fearful scowls and hatred burning eyes.
Oh yes, I do believe I am screwed. Hopefully the guard doesn't decide to join in, I never liked him much.
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Edited 5-16-06
Original A/N: Sorry I took a while to get this out. I was feeling inspired, but I couldn't get near the computer. (my excuse, pathetic, but realistic, eh?) Thank you for the wonderful response -Grins- I am glad so many of you got my beta's note, it took me a while. Even I didn't know what Harry was laughing about until I stopped looking for errors. (that happens a lot, you notice an inconsistency in the story, point it out, please? Or mention if you're confused, I'll send you a nice email, lol)
This is the last 'in Azkaban' chapter. I considered making it longer, but I really wanted to end it there. I don't cover much, and I know it is short, but there'll be another update in about a week, so a quicker update is good, yes? Next chapter will cover the retrial and probably some reactions of a sort. Oh and you will finally learn what Harry 'supposably' did. :)