"Silence! Everyone, please take your seats, the trial of Vernon Dursley is about to begin." Lord Gaius Ogden announced over the bustling courtroom. Since Dumbledore was involved in the upcoming trial Ogden was voted in to act as temporary head of the Wizengamot, a position that Ogden had dreaded but it was better than letting that pompous prat Malfoy lead the trial in any format.
The Wizengamot sat more solemnly than they ever had in Ogden's experience at least. Even the trials of the Death Eaters from the last war hadn't produced such heavy morbidity that hung over everyone. When reading the facts of the case during the Wizengamot session last week they had had to take several breaks because the case was so gruesome and depressing. There hadn't been a case like this presented before the court in nearly 200 years. Magical children should be treasured, nurtured, and protected. This trial would be going down in history for more than one reason.
The Aurors then opened the side door to the courtroom, three of them having to use their wands to drag Vernon Dursley into the courtroom. Once he was put into the chair in the center of the room, the chains wrapping firmly around his wrists and legs, the courtroom went dead silent. Vernon clearly had a silencing charm over him as he appeared to be yelling, his face getting more and more red by the second, but no sound was heard.
"Murder trial on the 2nd of May 1988, offenses committed by Vernon Dursley resident of number 4 Privet Drive in Little Whinging Surrey England. Interrogators are Millicent Margaret Bagnold, Minister of Magic, and Amelia Susanna Bones, Head of the Department for Law Enforcement. Charges are as follows, child neglect, child abuse, child endangerment, and the murder of one Harry James Potter, as well as tampering with evidence and assaulting Aurors during the arrest. How do you plead Mr. Dursley?" Minister Bagnold stated from her spot in front of the Wizengamot, staring down at the purpling face of Vernon, waving her hand to the closest auror to lift the silencing spell.
"The little freak deserved everything he got! I will not put up with your lot holding me captive! This is kidnapping! Assault! Harassment! Let Me GO!" Vernon yelled. The callous way he spoke about young Mr. Potter shocked the court.
"The proper channels have been adhered to Mr. Dursley and the muggle authorities know that you are here and being tried for crimes against your magical nephew. Now if we could proceed. I need you to state for the record guilty or not guilty. Keep in mind we have memory testimony where you already admitted to killing your nephew." Minister Bagnold said.
"So what if I killed the little shit?! The world is better off having one less freak infecting it!" Vernon shouted with no remorse.
"Aurors please silence him again," Bagnold ordered harshly, struggling to believe the callousness this man, no, this whale, showed toward a young child's life.
"Wizengamot, Honored Lords and Ladies, you have all already seen the evidence against this man and you have heard from his own mouth that he admits to ending the life of Harry Potter. Please step into the adjacent room to discuss the punishment this court will bring down upon Mr. Dursely's head." Ogden said in his resonant voice. There would be no need to prove that Vernon had killed his nephew, just how severely he would be punished for doing so.
"May I also remind the Wizengamot that due to Mr. Dursely's actions that Harry Potter is currently residing at Hogwarts as a ghost and will be unable to move forward to be with his beloved parents due to his body being destroyed. No rites will be able to be performed. Not only did the Dursely's kill Mr. Potter but they condemned a little boy to be trapped forever until the end of magic." Bagnold spoke in a quiet but harsh tone. In her opinion, no punishment would ever be enough for what these people did to a child in their care.
Severus sat quietly in the gallery seething. On one hand, he was grateful that he was not needed to be called upon to provide testimony, but on the other hand, he was not needed here. He could be at Hogwarts soothing an agitated little boy who hadn't understood why Severus was needed in London. Although if all the trials were this quick then he would thankfully be home much sooner than expected.
Severus was getting some joy in watching Vernon Dursely scream himself hoarse and purple in the face but with the silencing charm on him, very few were paying attention to his toddler-esque temper tantrum. In his watching Vernon he didn't notice the immediate change in those who were left in the courtroom while they waited for the Wizengamot to return. But when the quiet murmuring that had been happening turned to stiff deadly silence, he had to tear his eyes away from a quickly paling and suddenly no longer shouting Vernon.
He quickly found the source of everyone's change of behavior in the form of a pouting ghostly Harry Potter sitting (floating? hovering?) to his left. Severus just sighed. He should have expected this.
"Harry, do Helena and the Baron know that you are here?" Severus asked quietly, although there were some gasps from others in the room, probably from the confirmation that this was Harry's ghost. Instead of a response, he got an impressive version of his own glare staring back at him. "You do know I was just trying to protect you. I did not want you to have to face your relatives after what they had done to you." Severus said softly, worried that Harry being here would set back his progress.
Harry's response was a quick hand motion for 'don't care'. Severus again had to wonder how this had become his life. Before Severus could respond to his ghostly charge's sassy attitude, Dumbledore had to butt into the conversation.
"Harry my boy! I am happy to see you here. Maybe you can speak to the Wizengamot and tell them that leaving your cousin without his parents would be a bad decision." Dumbledore spoke in a happy yet disappointed tone. Severus already knew that this was going to blow up in Dumbledore's face, and probably Severus' face just due to proximity.
Harry's ghostly form had already tensed up hearing Dumbledore use the word boy but looked ready to rip Dumbledore's beard right off his face for even mentioning letting the Dursely's off for the sake of his cousin.
Before Harry could set off another magic bomb in their faces, Minister Bagnold's voice rang out across the courtroom in both bewilderment and anger. "How dare you suggest such a thing Dumbledore! Especially to Mr. Potter's face. If you do not remove yourself away from Mr. Potter right now, I will have the Aurors take you into custody. Is that understood?"
"Now Milicent I was just-" Dumbledore tried to speak but was immediately cut off by the minister.
"Did I stutter Dumbledore? Give me an excuse to arrest you, I dare you. It would fill me with joy to have you held in the ministry holding cells until your upcoming trial in this mess." The courtroom was silent, watching the battle of wills between Milicent Bagnold and Albus Dumbledore. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus saw a small Slytherin smirk on Harry's face. At least someone was enjoying this. Severus was sure he was developing heartburn from just today's events alone.
"Of course Minister," Dumbledore said through clenched teeth, moving quite reluctantly to the other side of the gallery under the Minister's glare.
"I apologize Mr. Potter for Dumbledore's behavior. You are of course welcome here, although I assume you are here more for Master Snape's presence and not ours. Master Snape, I will keep you closely informed, especially if we need your testimony, but I doubt we will. You are free to return to Hogwarts if you wish." Bagnold said with a soft smile, looking between Harry and Severus.
Severus looked over at Harry who just looked up at him with pleading eyes. Severus had never understood how some parents folded under their children's pathetic version of 'puppy dog eyes' but now Severus couldn't help but melt a little at the longing and hope in Harry's eyes.
"Yes, I think we will return to Hogwarts. Thank you Minister for everything, and I look forward to hearing from you with hopefully appropriate punishments for these monsters." Severus said in a cold tone, standing up and nodding his head at Harry who disappeared with a large smile. Probably already waiting for him back in his rooms in Hogwarts.
"I will make sure that they do not let them off lightly," Bagnold promised with a cruel grin, the unspoken words of Dumbledore would not be allowed to get them off easily and it would be over her dead body before they walked free.
Severus couldn't help but feel relieved that there was at least one person in the ministry that would be able to hold their own against Dumbledore's masterful manipulations. With a quick nod, Severus quickly left the courtroom for floo hall in the front atrium of the ministry. The sooner he was back at Hogwarts, the quicker he could soothe Harry and get their routine back to normal.
Here was to hoping the Wizengamot made their first intelligent decision, but Severus wasn't as worried as he had been with Minister Bagnold's cold and reassuring words still ringing in his ears. The Dursely's would pay for everything they had done, even Dumbledore was looking to be held accountable for the first time ever. All Severus had to focus on was caring for a 7-year-old poltergeist.
Suddenly taking on Dumbledore seemed like the easier option.