Stolen Innocence
Chapter 9
Trial
"What's wrong with him?" Junior asked worriedly as Blaise sank into the ground from Harry's weight.
"He's tired. He was sustaining three animals even while he was tired to begin with." She explained, annoyance tinting her words. "Help me, he's too heavy." She groaned. Howie stepped forward and pulled the limp body up. Harry squeezed his eyes shut in pain because the extensive use of magic made his body sore.
"Harry just go to sleep." Howie said quietly. Harry nodded faintly and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep.
Someone was shaking his shoulder and Harry groaned in displeasure. "Wake up, mate!" He heard his own voice shouting at him. Harry jerked awake to see himself staring at him.
"Gyaaa!" He yelped, jumping up and away from his doppelganger.
"Hey! Calm down, it's me, Junior." Junior hissed. The past few days came back to Harry and he relaxed slightly.
"Where are we?" Harry asked, looking around at the whitish blue walls.
"We're at Remus' house?" Junior said. "We would have let you sleep longer, but detectives from the Ministry are coming to question you through Veritaserum in an hour." Harry's eyes widened.
Veritaserum lasted for four hours and by the first hour, things got hot. Two hours would be torture. "Did they register me at the ministry?" Harry asked.
"Not yet, they are waiting to see if you were really under the Imperious Potion. The questioners know, though. They're in the order, so they can be trusted." Junior replied. "Blaise is staying here as well because they don't trust her. Your family went home, but Sirius and his daughter stayed here." The fact that Howie and Orion were both here went unspoken.
"I didn't think Remus had a large house." Harry said quietly, ignoring the fact that he was the enemy in this family's eyes once again.
"Oh, he has to because he's a werewolf. On the full moon, he needs enough room to run about the house in so he doesn't go outside. It's part of the magical beast rights." Junior said quickly. "You've been asleep for a day, so I'll catch you up on things."
"Fine." Harry consented.
"Voldemort was very put off that we all got out. He killed a couple of the student hostages. The Aurors managed to get out most of the Slytherin captives and Ravenclaw captives, but they couldn't get into the towers." Junior looked a bit disturbed by the news. "The professors and Dumbledore are all missing. Filch was found dead by the aurors just before they were driven out. Voldemort is now using Hogwarts as a base."
"All of that in one day?" Harry asked. "They sure move quickly." He paused until he remembered something Junior said. "What order?"
"What do you mean, what order? How can you not know about the order?" Junior's eyes were wide with surprise.
"I meant, what order? If I knew, I wouldn't ask." Harry stated dryly.
"The Order is actually called the Order of the Phoenix. It is led by Dumbledore and is working against Voldemort and his death eaters." Junior said. "Dumbledore won't let me, Ron, or Hermione in until we graduate."
"Ron and Hermione?" Harry rose an eyebrow. "Oh, yes, you're a Gryffindor. I bet the three of you have some sort of threesome or something."
"Yeah, we're called the Golden Trio of Gryffindor." Junior replied eagerly. "Ron was my first friend and Hermione is brilliant once you get past her Know-It-All attitude."
"Whatever." Harry groaned, deciding to drop the subject. "They didn't lock Blaise in her room the whole time, did they?" Harry asked anxiously.
"No, she spends most of the time outside in the garden." Junior said.
"That's good." Harry was just finishing when the door opened. Two men in ministry clothing walked in, followed by a woman holding a vial of clear potion. James, Sirius, and Howie walked in after that and motioned for Junior to leave.
After Junior left, Harry painfully sat straight up. He focused only on the vial that held his torture. Harry swallowed thickly and felt like there was cotton in his throat.
"Mr. Potter, you are being questioned about the murder of Annie Black and being a traitor to the ministry." The tallest man said. "If you take this Veritaserum, and answer our questions, we will decide if you are guilty or not." The woman walked over to Harry and pushed the vial to his mouth. Harry swallowed the potion and felt the familiar burn from his fire starting.
"We were told about your ability to get rid of potions in half the time of normal people, so we will go quickly. What is your name?" The tall man asked.
"Harry James Potter." Harry said before he could even comprehend the question.
"How old are you?"
"15." Harry noticed that the shorter man had a quill that wrote everything he said, along with the question.
"What is your sister's name?" Harry couldn't answer the question. He had two sisters, not one like the question required. "Answer the question!"
"What is your living sister's name?" The woman asked.
"Iria Rose Potter."
"What potions did the Dark Lord or his followers give you within the last week?" The tall man snapped.
"Imperious Potion." Harry droned.
"How do you know that you were given the Imperious Potion?"
"Voldemort said it was the Imperious Potion and it felt like a strong imperious curse."
"Have you ever been under the imperious curse?"
"Yes."
"Where was the curse cast on you?" The man demanded.
"Hogwarts." Harry said in the same dull voice.
"What year were you under the curse?"
"Fourth."
"Who cast the curse on you?"
"Headmaster Dumbledore." There was a round of gasps.
"What did Dumbledore tell you to do?" The taller ministry man asked after quickly getting over the news.
"He wanted me to crash my broom into the Gryffindor stands during the Slytherin-Gryffindor quidditch match."
"Liar!" Sirius yelled.
"Sirius, hecan't lie, he's under Veritaserum." Howie said soothingly. "Keep asking questions." He directed to the ministry man.
"Did you crash?" The tall man asked.
"No." Harry answered immediately.
"Can you break the imperious curse?"
"Yes."
"Was there only one time that you were under the imperious curse?"
"Yes."
"Can you break the Imperious Potion?"
"No."
"Why can't you break the Imperious Potion?"
"I don't know."
"Did you kill Annie Black?"
"Yes."
"Did you want to kill Annie Black at any time in your life?" The man asked, his eyes narrowing slightly in anger that Harry did kill her.
"No." Harry replied.
"Did you try to fight the Imperious Potion when you killed Annie Black?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever used dark magic?"
"No."
"Have you ever seen the killing curse within the last ten years?"
"No."
"Have you ever felt like using dark magic?"
"No."
"Have you studied dark magic?"
"Yes."
"Why did you study dark magic?"
"To understand what Voldemort and the death eaters use."
"Have you ever thought of killing someone?"
"No."
"Who got hit with the killing curse and lived?"
"Me." Harry gritted when the pain that had been steadily increasing reached a point of almost being unbearable.
"What can you do with fire magic?" Harry remained silent. "Can you change the color of the flame?"
"Yes."
"Can you change the temperature of the flame?"
"Yes."
"Can you change the shape of the flame?"
"Yes."
"That isn't possible! Fire doesn't have a shape!" Sirius yelled.
"We need to get this over with, please don't interrupt we can go over questions and find answers later." The woman said.
"Can you change the sound of the flame?" The tall man asked when the people stopped talking.
"No." Harry answered.
"Can you change the smell of the flame?"
"Yes."
"How long have you been using the fire magic?"
"Since I was three years old."
"What is Professor Snape's position in the war?"
"He is a death eater."
"Give him the antidote." The tall man said and the woman tipped the other vial into Harry's mouth and the pain from the new potion gave a brief spike of intense pain before leaving completely.
"Happy now?" Harry spat. He glared at them and they all looked back at him with startled gazes.
"Did you tell anyone about the imperious curse last year?" Howie asked.
"Like who?" Harry hissed.
"Professor Snape? He's your Head of House; he favors his own house." Howie said as though it was an obvious answer.
"Not me, he hates me because of my father." Harry spat angrily. He felt cornered with only one person in the room that would spare him a kind glance. "Don't you have places to be?" He asked.
"We need to discuss what was said and then we will decide your penalty." The short ministry worker said and the three officials left. Sirius glared quickly at Harry before storming out of the room.
"Why didn't you tell anyone when we asked you fourteen years ago?" James asked in a defeated voice. Harry looked confused before finally understanding.
"I was scared! I didn't know what happened! By the time I worked up enough courage to tell you, you were already ignoring me!" Harry glared at his father.
"How did you get through potion class if the potions hurt you?" Howie asked.
"Snape knew. He got some of my blood in exchange for not making me drink the potions and keeping quiet about what I am." Harry said, looking down at the blanket he was under.
"You gave him your blood!" James exclaimed.
"He didn't have any fire elementalist's blood." Harry shrugged.
"How could you be so stupid! Do you evenknow how many things he can do with just a drop of blood?" James snapped, running his hand through his hair.
"Oh stop pretending to care." Harry growled.
"I'm not. I wouldn't wish what he can do to a person on anyone, including you."
"You guys can't be back to hating each other." Howie moaned.
"I have never hated him, I just prefer to stay away from him." Harry explained. "I don'thate anyone. I can't think of anyone worthy of a feeling so strong from me."
"If I hated him, I would have sent him to some muggle orphanage halfway across the world." James retorted. "I would rather he just stayed out of sight, out of mind."
"Then why are you in my room?" Harry asked snidely.
"This isn't your room; it's Remus'." James snapped.
"It wasn't my choice to be left here." Harry hissed. "Where's Blaise? I was told she was here, but you better not have questioned her. She did nothing wrong."
"She isn't being questioned and she is being kept three rooms away." Howie said.
"Kept!? Not even sleeping or staying, but kept?" Harry was appalled.
"She didn't want to stay there and she kept fighting us. So we grounded her to the room we gave her. We could have just sent her on her way." James explained, his eyes narrowed. "You will be able to see her if you aren't proven guilty of anything you are being charged with."
"Can you see the happiness rolling off of me?" Harry asked sarcastically.
"If you don't watch your tongue, you won't see her at all." James snapped before leaving. Howie looked down at Harry sadly as he glared at the wall.
"Harry, it wasn't your fault." Howie said.
"Yes it was. Ikilled her! I said the bloody curse and she died." Harry hissed. "I'll be damned, though, before I givethem another reason to hate me. If I don't stay right on track, they'll throw me onto the streets. This might be the very push they need and if they find out how guilty I feel about it, it will only give them more ammunition." He bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. He hadn't wanted to say that, Howie just had enough understanding in his voice and Harry's mind was spinning just enough that he slipped up.
"Harry?" Howie asked uncertainly. Harry turned away as the bitter taste of blood twisted his face into a look of disgust. He leaned over the bed and gagged on the blood. "Harry! What happened!" He yelped. Harry just coughed and spat as his face turned red.
"'eeve 'e a'one." He slurred. He didn't know what Howie said, but his tongue stopped bleeding and healed leaving only the taste of blood in his mouth. "Water."
A glass of water appeared and Harry swished it in his mouth before spitting out the bloody water. Howie clapped his hands and a house-elf appeared.
"We need some sandwiches." Howie said and the house-elf disappeared. "You might be hungry after not eating for a day." Harry gave a half grin of thanks as he stared down at his bed covers. The house-elf had already cleaned the blood and vomit from the floor.
The sandwiches came and Harry tentatively ate one. "I can't eat five sandwiches." He said quietly.
"Of course. House-elves rarely get what you want. Most of the time they get too much." Howie said cheerfully.
"Why haven't they turned me into the ministry?" Harry asked after he ate half of his sandwich.
"That would mean letting them know where we are." Howie said slowly. "They also want to keep news of our escape quiet." Harry nodded. He knew that he wouldn't have believed Howie if he said that they were worried about him.
"Why can't I see Blaise?"
"I already told you. But they will find you innocent in a short while." Harry growled lowly, but didn't push the subject. They sat in silence until a knock on the door announced the arrival of the ministry people, who walked in directly after knocking.
"We have found that you were not guilty of killing Annie Black and you are not guilty of being a deatheater." The woman sneered before leaving. The two men left with her and the door slammed shut behind them.
"Can I go see Blaise now?" Harry asked. Remus nodded and Harry rushed out of the room until he saw Blaise's room, the room three rooms to the left of his room. If this were the wrong room, then he would look at the room three rooms to the right of his room.
"Blaise?" He called after knocking on the door.
"What do you want now?" A feminine voice snapped.
"Can you open the door?" He asked. The door swung open to reveal a furious Blaise. "Blaise?" He asked uncertainly.
"You're up?" She asked dully.
"Are you going to let me in?" Harry replied.
"Sure." She stepped aside and Harry walked in. "Feeling better?" She asked as she closed the door.
"Yeah, I feel fine." Harry lied. "Junior told me that you hung out in the garden while Howie told me that you were being locked in your room."
"I'm not able to leave if that's what you're talking about." Blaise said sarcastically.
"I don't even know why I came." Harry muttered angrily. He wasn't in the mood to listen to this so he turned to leave.
"Wait!" Blaise yelped and grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry." She tugged at his arm. "I didn't mean to take it out on you, I'm just frustrated."
"Fine, but I only just woke up and I was interrogated, then when I finally get out, you bite my head off." He shook his arm free.
"I said I was sorry." She pouted, eyes narrowing in anger.
"I was explaining my displeasure and I wanted you to feel guiltier." Harry clipped with a smirk on his face.
"So I was curious, how did you get out of taking potions in Snape's class?" Blaise asked. Harry groaned. "What?"
"Ijust answered that. I'll tell you later, I don't answer the same question twice in one day."
"What about three times?" Blaise chirped.
"If you don't get to number two, you can't get to number three." Harry deadpanned.
"You're no fun." Blaise pouted.
"So I've been told."
"Who told you that? I've never told you that."
"Youaren't the only one I talk to."
"Then who?" Blaise sniffed.
"Emrys." Harry chirped. Blaise rolled her eyes and walked over to her bed.
"Well? You can sit down." She waved vaguely to the only chair in the room. Harry grinned and sat down on the bed instead. "You do not have permission to sit there."
"Are you going to move me?" Harry challenged.
"Expelliarmus!" She yelled while her other hand swung out and pushed him off as he blocked the spell. He landed in a heap on the floor with a short shout of pain. "Harry?"
AN: Sorry for not updating lately. My uncle died in early October. School's been a lot of work and then earlier this month, my grandpa almost died but he didn't. My other uncle is in horrible health and my grandparents are moving into an assisted living place so hopefully they can stay healthy until they move. I have been helping taking care of everything and I have been very sick for the last week or two. We have an extra person living with us and I hardly ever sleep and get enough energy for the day. I'm just glad that a new semester starts a week after we get back from winter break so school will cut down a bit. Don't know when the next chapter is coming out and this is possibly riddled with mistakes. I just wanted to get one last chappie out for this year. Happy holidays whatever you celebrate and a Happy New Year.
Thanks to:
MaxFic
vache
phenix-tears
japanese-jew
Jekyll- I'm not a very good writer and I'm willing to accept that. When I write, I write for the ideas, because I don't write that well
HPlover
Hakkai - Gojyo - Goku - Sanzo
Beth5572
the-mpreg-spirit- wow, that sucks. i don't like it when people say that the ratings are wrong because there is a very thin line between all of them and it isn't the same for everyone. hope you have better luck when you are able to get on again
MuShU gIrL- sorry, I don't try to make it hard, I just don't want to put he said she said all of the time
hermione21
wolvfbfn
A-man
Fangfoot
Akua- I don't know where I came up with Howie from and I actually did write Harry in as Prongs in the notebook that I write my stories in but then I decided to put it in as junior my mind is odd
SiLvErFaTeD
Shelob
Night-Owl123
athenakitty- would it help to say I don't know? I'm still writing it out, I have the next chappie mostly done
FroBoy- thanks for the happy birthday
risi- same as above
Eric2
guilty by association
xHidden- thanks for the happy birthday