Disclaimer: It's JK Rowlings... I'm jealous, but its all hers. I am just glad we get to play in the wonderland she created!

Author's Note: Ya'll are making me crazy... I know this story is being read, but really... no reviews? Come on, click the review button and just give me something... :o)

Courts, Decisions, and Ramifications

He released his protective hold on her as they stepped out of the foyer and into the dining room. She looked at him and smirked, "Sir, I do believe we are at the wrong house... would you please assist me in getting to the Potter Estate before our dinner gets cold?"

He smiled, blushed, extended a hand, wrapped his arms around her and they once again, apparated to the Potter Estate. When they arrived, she was still smiling and he was still blushing at his earlier mistake. A quick peck on the cheek, that went straight to his groun, and a firm hand to hold, they walked into the dining room and waited. She asked them to hold their questions for Percy and Arthur, as they were sure to join them soon.

As if on cue, they opened the front door, both smiling from ear to ear. Entering the dining room, Arthur walked straight to his wife and when she stood to hug him, he dipped her down in a low swoop and kissed her passionately. Cat calls and whistles echoed off the walls until they stood and sat at the table.

Harry looked to Rowan. "So, how'd it go today? Did you accomplish what we all wanted?" Rowan bit her lip in a way that Remus found particularly sexy, but did not answer; she looked to Arthur for verification.

"I would say so, yes," he laughed, "the International Wizarding Community Representatives are up in arms over the knowledge that you can strip them of their positions. There were thoughts raised of making new laws to supercede the old ones. Some are going to do research to find out if Rowan quoted correctly. All in all, by the time they figure out what she said was correct, they will not know what to do. Oh, Neville asked me to tell you that you were brilliant today, Rowan. "

Percy agreed with his dad. "She wrote those letters in about fifteen minutes. It took her longer to show me the spell of ennerwrite than it did to actually put the words on paper. She is bloody brilliant! No wonder you learned so much from her that year."

Draco, in a small voice asked, "So what about my parents?"

Arthur answered, "As we discussed, you have given them the opportunity to 'do the right thing', and deal with Delores Umbridge. We should wait to see what they do with her, before making any decisions. As far as your parents go, it is my opinion that you should abstain from the vote and hearing; not give verbal testimony either to sway the judges. As for the rest of you, I have spoken with several solicitors in the past few days in an effort to find out how best to proceed. The general consensus is that the best thing you can do is to sentence them to community service for the length of time they were associated with Tom Riddle."

He looked at the blonde couple before adding, "Aren't you the ones who suggested that each child be shown unconditional love from an adult? Didn't you suggest house-elves, what one for every two children? Aren't you the ones who are most interested in preventing the future generations from experiencing what you have?" They nodded, "Perhaps a public apology without explanation for what you were part of would go along way," he turned to look down the table at the ones he would always call children. "The bottom line is that they must be punished. Perhaps six months in Azkaban, then several years of probation is in order. Regardless of what you choose to do, you must be ready to admit that if they are let go without punishment, you risk the world believing you to have double standards. That is not something you can afford right now with the construction and future you all seem to want."

Ron thought carefully as did the others at the table. "I would like to take the evening and spend some time in the research room. I remember something about what Godric and the others did to Salazar when they tried him. I just can't remember the details."

"We'll all help then," Madison added looking at Draco, "except you two, Lucius and Narcissa, we'll handle it, fair and with all the information possible to give you a proper sentence." At the end of dinner, eight left the table, including Katie, to search for an answer to the problem. Hermione couldn't have been more proud of her friends at that moment.

Court convened at 9:00 that Wednesday. The hall leading to the court room was lined with every Gamut representatives and media representatives as Lucius and Narcissa were led to meet the sorcerers. Draco walked silently behind his parents but did not enter the courtroom. Twenty minutes later, the door opened. Percy Weasley walked out and asked all Gamut representatives to join them. Draco was the last to walk in the room, and stood silently by the door.

Ron spoke first. "Thank you all for coming. We have weighed the evidence in written form for the past eight days. The reason for the closed door session was to invoke the use of Veritus Serum. The truth potion will now be administered by Arthur Weasley approximately five minutes ago, both Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy agreed to its use by signing the contract which has been entered into the official transcript of this trial." Arthur walked to the stage where the Malfoys sat chained to chairs.

Just before he gave them a dose, a thickly accented voice raised from the floor, "How do ve know zit zis real?" Arthur shook his head and turned to the one standing asking the question.

"Come forward." He said to the German wizard. Once at the same level, Arthur smiled, "Let's test it on you, shall we?" Although a bit uncertain, he allowed it. When he admitted to sleeping with a teddy bear until he was seventy-two, the room was quite satisfied with the validity of the potion. He administered it to each Malfoy and returned to his seat.

Hermione: "The floor will be open to each of you for no more than one question each, to be answered honestly by one or the other Malfoys. Be sure the question you ask is relevant to the crimes of which they are accused. Who would like to begin?"

Draco spoke before anyone else "I would." He said simply. Ron nodded his agreement and Draco continued. "Did you ever feel love toward your son before Professor Black returned your memories to you?"

Lucius: "No. He was the heir to the family blood line. He was to continue our noble work to rid the world of the worthless non-magical humans."

Harry: "And after the memories were restored, you found yourself in St. Mungo's. How did you feel about your son then?"

Narcissa: "Ashamed of the way I had treated him."

Madison: "And now, how do you feel about your son?"

Lucius: "I respect him. He has become an adult of which any parent would be proud. I love him."

Mason: "Do you regret what you did to him prior to the examination of your choices?"

Lucius: "Yes, with an overwhelming desire to make amends with him. I regret the choices I made and forced him to make."

McGonagall: "What did you have to do in order to become a death eater?"

Narcissa: "Pledge our first born child to the service of the Dark Lord."

Dumbledore: "Why did you not give him over to Tom Riddle, as promised?"

Narcissa: "We found that Voldemort was a false leader. He used terror and torture to obtain his goals without concern for what it would cost those like us, who only had one child."

And so the questioning continued. On and on it went, three separate doses of the truth serum were administered. The counsel found the couple to be caught up in a world in which they could not seem to find their way out. They also heard of the intensive counseling and healing that had taken place during the year of absence that they spent in Texas.

Finally, every with and wizard present had asked one question. Ginny rose to ask the final one: "Will you ever, in your future, support anyone who is dark and kills for pleasure or who preaches that hate is better than love?"

Both of the captives answered simply: "No."

With that, they prisoners were removed from the shackles and escorted from the room with their son to await judgment. The room was silent as they left. Harry rose and surveyed the room before speaking. Rather than prolong the findings, he called for a vote. "We would like to know how you find the defendants. Your options are:

Guilty without chance of recovery

Guilty, but rehabilitated

Not-guilty of the crimes committed

Not guilty of being anything other than persuaded by a man who talked faster than either of them."

When the final vote was taken, the second choice was the overwhelming decision. None of the six voted. They merely watched as the witches and wizards who had been doing this for so long made their decisions.

Ginny rose when the verdict was announced. "Now the punishment phase should begin. The following options in this type of judgment are:

Life sentence in Azkaban

Sentence in Azkaban for 1 or less year with community service and/or probation.

Death

Dismemberment

Probation without prison time

Time served and redemption complete

or complete pardon for all crimes of which they have been found guilty.

Please write your vote on your parchment and set them on your lap.

Hermione raised her hand, "Accio Punishment Parchments," a sea of parchments flew neatly into her hands. She returned to her desk.

She muttered a quick spell and the stacks were sorted into numbered piles. Number seven, which seems to be their lucky number, had the largest stack, by far. She notified Mason who told Harry.

Harry stood on the stage and addressed the court. "Today we let you deal with an issue we could have easily taken over and completed ourselves. We did not vote. We did not use our influence to sway you in any way. We conducted the same trial that Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff conducted over a thousand years ago against Salazar Slytherin. The options of guilt and punishment of such were found in the library at Hogwart's.

"Please remember this, when Rowan Cowan Black told you that we didn't want power, she was right. We don't want anything other than to nurture the children that this war destroyed. Please let us do that. Please continue to work with us for the good of our community, world wide."

He turned to Percy, "Please give the Malfoy's the antidote and have them escorted back into the court room so the verdict can be given." Percy nodded and left the room.

When the final decision was read to the Malfoys, they all three cried. Madison resisted the initial urge to cling to them and cry with them. Before the hearing was adjourned, however, Lucius spoke. "Thank you for the opportunity to be different people. We have learned so much about ourselves in the past year. Our future is with you, not against you. I will stand shoulder to shoulder and help you fight what I once was, what I almost made my son become.

"Regardless of the final decision, Narcissa and I will be spending our time helping the orphans that are brought into the Tom Riddle House. We want to be part of the future, not live in the past." He sat, obviously exhausted as the Gamut left the room.

Rowan walked down from the highest seat where she had observed the hearing and verdicts. She clapped sarcastically while stating the obvious, "Do us all a favor Lucius, and follow through on the thought process." He met her eyes and laughed out loud agreeing.