A/N : Co Writer: Tyler Nator
Beta reader: Arwrite, Luke Knight, LadyLucius, grimmypigeon, Calten
Chapter - 11
An owl arrived at The Burrow on Sunday morning, dropping three envelopes at the dining table and leaving immediately through the open window, it had arrived.
"These came for you, dears," Mrs Weasley said, handing the envelopes over to Harry, Ginny and Ron as she left the kitchen, a basket full of dirty clothes under one arm.
Harry looked at his envelope, his name written in gold ink on the front. Harry quickly opened the envelope to find a letter inside, words written in the same gold ink:
Harry James Potter
The Burrow.
Dear Mr Potter,
The trials of the members of, and those affiliated with, the Death Eaters, will begin from next Monday. As you were witness to most of the cases, your presence will be required for the Wizengamot hearings at 10 am each morning until completion. The exact dates, and those for whom the trials are conducted, are attached. You are required to attend.
Hoping you are well,
Amelia Pilliwickle
Head of Department of Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic
Harry pushed some air out of his nose, flipping over the letter to the next page as he continued to read:
Joseph Avery Jnr - Monday
Rodolphus Lestrange - Monday
Rabastan Lestrange - Monday
Lucius Malfoy - Monday
Draco Malfoy - Tuesday
Narcissa Malfoy - Tuesday
Alecto Carrow - Tuesday
Amycus Carrow - Tuesday
Corban Yaxley - Wednesday
Harry stopped reading. There was much more to the list of hearings he was required to attend, up until the twenty-ninth of August. He was required to be present at the Ministry for four hearings each day until then.
Harry's eyes moved from his letter. "Are your letters about the trials as well?" Harry asked Ron and Ginny.
Ron was still reading his letter as he replied. "Yeah."
"I don't have to go to that many hearings," Ginny said, taking a peek at the list on her brother's letter.
"Well, mine's a bit longer than yours," Ron's eyes moved from Ginny to Harry, "but not as long as Harry's," Ron looked at both Ginny and Harry's list.
"Well, that's probably because you're not the Chosen One," Harry said flippantly, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.
"I don't know. I think Hermione's will be the same as Ron's," Ginny said after thinking for a moment.
"Probably," Harry agreed, his eyes drifting back to his letter.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione were sitting at the very backside in courtroom five along with Mr Weasley, where the trials against the Death Eaters were about to begin. The trials were to be held before the full Wizengamot. Kingsley was sitting in the middle of members of the Wizengamot in his plum-coloured robes, along with Neville's Grandmother Augusta, and Elphias Doge.
"Bring in the first accused," Kingsley ordered, his voice slow and booming as it carried across the courtroom.
The doors to the courtroom opened, and two Aurors came in, dragging the prisoner between them. The prisoner looked vaguely familiar to Harry. They put him in the chair at the centre of the room, the chains around the chair came live and bound the man's hands and legs.
"Criminal Proceedings on the fourteenth of August into offences committed by one Joseph Avery Jnr, resident at Avery Manor, Wiltshire. The charges are as follows: that you knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of your actions followed Lord Voldemort and committed crimes against Muggles and Muggleborns." Kingsley began without any delay. "Do you deny these charges?" he asked.
"Yes. Not guilty." Avery said almost as soon as Kingsley finished.
"'Not guilty'?" a woman with ashen-coloured hair asked from the right of Kingsley, her eyebrow raised.
"Yes. You see, I was bewitched. I didn't commit any of those atrocities willingly-"
"Do you have any proof of that?" Kingsley asked him quickly.
"No, I don't. But we all know it's impossible to prove if I was bewitched or not,"
"That's true, however, in this case, we do have proof that you willingly participated in crimes against Muggles," Kingsley said, his eyes moving away from Avery for a moment. "I call forward Harry James Potter as my only witness,"
Harry got up from his seat and walked down towards the middle of the room. A chain-free chair appeared out of thin air right next to Avery.
The moment that Harry sat down, Kingsley began looking down at Harry from his position.
"Mr Potter, before we take your statement against Mr Avery, will you please inform the Wizengamot about your connection with Lord Voldemort?"
On hearing Voldemort's name, many of the Wizengamot members flinched. Some even looked around nervously, almost as if they expected that he would appear right next to them.
Harry shifted back in his seat, taken by surprise at the question. Kingsley, after all, knew very well about his connection to Voldemort. Harry furrowed his brows as Kingsley gave him a small, curt nod, and then Harry understood.
Harry cleared his throat, taking a moment to think about what to say and how to say it before he began.
"Er… You all know that Voldemort..." Harry again got a similar reaction from Wizengamot members on hearing the name but he continued regardless. "Tried to kill me when I was a baby, bu-"
"But he failed to do so. We know that Mr Potter," An elderly looking member interrupted.
Harry twitched, the young man trying not to let it show on his face that he didn't appreciate being talked down to.
"Yes," Harry said quickly, "but there's more to it than that. You see, when…" Harry sighed, not wanting to mull over what happened, "When the Killing Curse failed and gave me this scar," Harry motioned to his scar, just barely visible to those in the Wizengamot, "it created a sort of… mental connection between me and Voldemort. And three years ago, when he came back using my blood, he strengthened that connection."
"When you say 'mental connection', what exactly do you mean?" the same elderly member asked.
Harry sighed and licked his lips, the man's condescending tone starting to get at him. "It's... sort of hard to explain." Harry began.
"Well, try and explain." a member at the far-right end interjected.
"It sounds like," the elderly member chimed back in, "that this so-called 'connection' allowed you to share thoughts with… You-Know-Who. Is that what you're trying to say?"
Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Y-yes, but, no. Not always. It wasn't something I could just… do, whenever I want. It would just… happen."
Murmurs worked their way through the Wizengamot. "Why didn't you tell this to anyone? Aurors could have used this information."
Harry had had enough, sighing audibly as he sat back in his chair.
"Let me think… why didn't I do that?" Harry said lackadaisically. "Oh, right, the first Minister for Magic tried to discredit me and call me mentally unstable. The second one tried to use me as a poster boy, and the third was under the Imperius Curse, from a Death Eater-"
"Watch your tongue, boy!" the witch with ashen colour hair snarled.
"I think Mr Potter should be examined by a Healer at St Mungo's before we take his statement," Another witch from far-right said.
"Really?!" Hermione's angry voice made Harry's head snap in her direction, over the noise of other members of the Wizengamot both for and against the suggestion of sending Harry to St Mungo's.
"Mr Potter is as sane as you and I, Madame Bode. Besides, we're not here to decide whether Mr Potter is sane or not." Kingsley interrupted loudly.
"Thank you, Mr Potter, for sharing that insight on your connection with You-Know-Who. We will consider your testimony as an eye-witness," Elphias Doge said in his wizzy voice for the first time.
"Now, will you tell us whether Mr Avery has committed these crimes willingly?" Augusta Longbottom asked commandingly.
Harry looked at Avery, who was next to him, closely for the first time since stepping foot into the courtroom. His robe was dirty and wrinkled, light brown hairs sticking out at odd angles from not being combed properly for the last few days, there were beads of sweat on his forehead and his eyes were darting nervously in every direction.
"As I said before, my… connection with Voldemort was only with him, not his Death Eaters. So, I don't know what crimes he committed," Harry motioned his hand towards Avery. "But I have seen him with Voldemort and I can say with certainty that, from what I've seen, at least, Avery was serving him willingly"
"NO! He's lying!" Avery cried the moment Harry had finished.
"Do you have any proof to say otherwise, Mr Avery?" Elphias Doge asked.
"All in favour of convicting Mr Joseph Avery Jr?" Kingsley called, looking at his fellow judges.
Almost immediately, half of the members raised their hands. Three other members quickly raised their hands as well when they saw that Harry was looking at them.
"Guilty, to be imprisoned for life. Take him away and bring in the next accused," Kingsley said loudly but calmly, hitting the gravel with the wooden hammer.
The hearing of Rodolphus Lestrange was also similar to Avery's, with the difference being that Harry was not the only one who had been called as a witness. Nevertheless, the result was the same, and he too was declared guilty and would be sent to Azkaban for life for his crimes.
"The Wizengamot will reassemble after lunch in one and a half hours," Kingsley declared.
"Let's go to Kingsley's office. He wants to talk to you," Mr Weasley said to Harry as they got out of the courtroom.
Five minutes later, they were sitting in the Minister's office waiting for him.
"Oh, good, you're here," Kingsley said as he entered.
"Well, you asked me to bring Harry to your office regarding an urgent matter," Mr Weasley said, straightening himself on the sofa.
"That's right. I have to tell you something." Kingsley started, wringing his hands and looking at Harry. "Harry… chances are... Umbridge might get off."
"What?!" Harry couldn't help but snap at Kingsley, standing up from his seat.
"Calm down, Harry." Mr Weasley said warmly.
"Why?! Umbridge was possibly as bad as Voldemort was. She enjoyed everything!" Harry shook with fury.
"I know, that's why I've had her trial moved so it's the last one. We can put it off for as long as we can, and in that time, we can find a way to send her to Azkaban. And you can make it happen." Kingsley said, looking at Harry.
"How?"
"I want you to file a complaint against her,"
"What?"
"You heard me. You file a complaint against her, and we can help use that to push our case."
"What would I say in my complaint?"
"Isn't it obvious, Harry? She tried to cast an Unforgivable Curse on you!" Hermione said, exasperatedly.
"And don't forget, she was the one who set those Dementors on you that Summer before your fifth year," Ginny added, excitedly.
"You look cheerful about this…!" Harry scowled at her.
"O'course. After what she did to you, and Luna, and everyone else, she's finally going to get punished. She'll get sent to Azkaban, and we'll get our revenge."
"This isn't about revenge. And besides, isn't it too late to file a complaint against something she's done over two years ago?" Harry directed the latter part at Kingsley.
"Yes, but... we can say that you attempted to inform the Ministry at that time, but were dismissed."
"I… I didn't."
"Yes, you did." Mr Weasley jumped in.
"Hadn't you said that Dumbledore has asked Fudge to conduct an inquiry on how the Dementors got to Little Whinging in the first place?"
"Yes he did, but... is that important?'
"It is," Kingsley leaned closer to Harry, "because I can assure you... that Fudge didn't conduct any enquiry at all," Kingsley said.
"Alright, what do I need to do?"
Kingsley smiled, taking out a parchment from his drawer. "Just sign the form at the bottom."
"We'll need to prove this as well," Mr Weasley said rightly. "She won't accept this so easily." He said to Kingsley,
"We can have her take Veritaserum!" Ron added hopefully.
"That won't work. Veritaserum isn't reliable, some people could resist it, or can take the antidote," Harry said, shaking his head.
"I think we should just spread the word, you'd be surprised how many people will come forward to testify against her," Hermione gave her view.
"Yes, that would be a good thing," Kingsley nodded in appreciation.
"I'll spread the word," Ginny said,
"Do you need something else, or can we go and have our lunch?" Ron asked.
"Yes, that's everything for now," Kingsley said as he got up and opened the door for them.
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After lunch, Harry was again sitting at the same place in the courtroom that he'd sat in the morning. Rabastan Lestrange was brought in, and just like his brother, it didn't take long for him to suffer the same fate, the conviction of his crimes and a sentence to Azkaban.
"Please bring in the next accused," the ashen-haired witch ordered.
This time, the pair of Aurors brought in Lucius Malfoy. He looked as if he hadn't slept in a while, a thick unkempt beard has grown since the last time Harry had seen him.
"Criminal Proceedings of the Fourteenth of August into offences committed by Mr Lucius Malfoy, resident of Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire. The charges are as follows: participating in the murder of and torture to Muggles and Muggleborns, breaking into the Ministry of Magic, breaking out of Azkaban…" Kingsley proceeded as soon as Lucius Malfoy was bound in his chair. "Do you deny these charges?" he asked.
"Yes," Lucius said without his usual leer.
"Let's hear your defence then," Agusta Longbottom said irritably.
"I hadn't any choice, he forced me to commit those crimes," Lucius Malfoy drawled.
"Alright then, let's call Mr Potter and get this over with," Someone else from the middle called, already getting bored by the same answer from everyone.
Knowing that he was going to be called out, Harry got up before anyone could say anything else and walked out to the centre of the courtroom for the fourth time that day.
"Mr Potter, do you have anything to confirm Mr Malfoy's claim?" Elphias Doge asked.
"No, he was willing to commit all those crimes," Harry said, without looking at Lucius Malfoy.
"I was forced to! I didn't even participate in the Battle of Hogwarts!" Lucius insisted.
"That's because you didn't have a wand. You gave Tom Riddle's Diary to Ginny in her first year. That opened up the Chamber of Secrets, and you did that with complete knowledge and intent," Harry said hotly.
"Ple… please, don't send me to Azkaban!" Lucius cried. "I… I can give you names of others!" he begged.
"We've already caught everyone, Mr Malfoy," a wizard among the Wizengamot spoke to him almost dismissively.
"No, I don't think you have," Harry said.
"See? Even Potter knows that you haven't caught everyone," Lucius said desperately, trying to grab the chance to stay out of Azkaban, whatever that chance was.
"Quiet." Kingsley ordered, "Take Mr Malfoy away. We will decide on his punishment after we see how helpful his information is,"
Lucius groaned, eyes wide with fear as he was hoisted up from his seat and removed from the courtroom by two Aurors. His eyes kept to Harry's desperately as he was taken away, but Harry could hardly stand to look at him.
After everything Lucius Malfoy had done to him, to Ginny, to Hogwarts...
Harry shook his head. He didn't say that not everybody had been caught to be placative. He said it because it was true. Whether or not Lucius would be of any help was another matter entirely.
But that wasn't Harry's call to make, it was the Wizengamot. And with Lucius having been taken away, Kingsley adjourned the Wizengamot, and all further hearings until the next day.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"Hey…"
Harry's eyes were drawn from his bed, mind pulled from his thoughts as he looked over at Ginny, standing at the door frame. "Hey…" he smiled back a warm, but half-hearted smile.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, coming over and sitting down beside him.
"Good," Harry nodded, "it's… been a long day." he understated.
"I know." Ginny studied Harry's face, noticing particularly how hardened it was, or rather, had become, since the trials began. "Harry…"
"What is it?" he asked.
"...you are not alone in this."
Harry's brows furrowed. "I know, Ginny," he told her, taking one of her hands in his. "Is everything… okay?"
Ginny nodded. "I just wanted you to know that," she said. "Whatever happens with Umbridge and all that, I'll be here for you."
Harry smiled. "Thanks, Ginny."
He knew it, of course, that Ginny would be there for him, as he had and would be with her, but it was nice to hear it. Hear her say it.
"Anyway, I'll let you get some sleep," Ginny said, squeezing Harry's hand gently before leaning over and kissing him on the lips. "Good night, Harry."
"Good night, Ginny," Harry said back.
Ginny let go of Harry's hand and got to her feet, smiling at him once more before leaving the room, and leaving Harry alone with his thoughts once again.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The trials of the following day began in earnest. The first one was of Draco Malfoy's.
Kingsley began just like the previous day and called all the charges against him.
"Do you have anything to say in your defence?" Kingsley asked after he finished reading all the charges.
Draco shook his head while continuing to look at the floor.
"Very well then let's declare your punishment then," the ashen-haired witch began.
Seeing Malfoy not defending himself Harry stood up.
"I have to say something," He declared loudly.
"Mr Potter this is Wizengamot, not your home. You will only speak when you are asked to," The ashen-haired witch snapped.
"You weren't going to ask me to speak," Harry retorted.
"Why would we? He accepts his crimes,"
"No, he didn't, he is just not defending himself,"
"You won't talk to me like that, I am the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement,"
"I think we should hear what Mr Potter has to say, Madam Pilliwickle" Elphias Doge said, stopping the argument.
"Mr Potter please come forward," Agusta Longbottom said.
Harry walked to the same place in the middle where he had sat the previous day. Before he could even see Draco Malfoy properly. Amelia Pilliwickle growled
"What do you have to say?"
"Draco Malfoy is innocent," Harry declared.
As soon as Harry had said it people started murmuring among themselves. Draco looked at Harry, his eyes wide in surprise.
"Order, Order… Are we correct in understanding that you are witnessing in favour of Mr Draco Malfoy?" Kingsley stopping all the whispers.
"Yes and also in favour of Mrs Malfoy as well," Harry said confidently.
"You are saying that young Mr Malfoy wasn't a Death Eater?"
"Yes,"
"But he's got the Dark Mark on his arm," one of the members said from the back.
"Yes, he has. But that mark was more of a punishment rather than the reward,"
"Punishment? Will you care to explain how it is a punishment?" Pilliwickle asked.
"When Voldemort tasked Malfoy to kill Dumbledore. He knew perfectly that Malfoy would fail and he also suspected that Malfoy may get distracted from his task. So Voldemort gave that mark to Malfoy as a reminder that he can't fail to do his work."
"Is that all?"
"No. In March I was caught along with my friends by snatchers and we were taken to Malfoy Manor. Draco was present there and he was asked to confirm our identities, but he didn't do that."
"Maybe because he hasn't recognised you,"
"I don't think so,"
"So are you saying that he pretended to not recognise you?"
"Yes"
"Is that all you have got to say Mr Potter?" Kingsley asked.
Harry nodded at him.
"You said you are also witnessing in favour of Mrs Malfoy. So tell us if she is a death eater or not," Agusta Longbottom asked.
"Madam Longbottom the trial is about Mr Malfoy and not his mother," One of the members interrupted.
"I am aware of that but since Mr Potter is here why not hear him right away and save us some time," Agusta Longbottom waved her hand in dismissal. "Go on Mr Potter let's hear what you have to say,"
Harry took a deep breath and began.
"She wasn't a death eater she was just following her husband and sister's instructions and she was the one who lie to Voldemort when he asked her to check me if I was dead or not,"
Hermione and Ginny followed Harry's example and defended Draco Malfoy and Hermione also defended Mrs Malfoy. Ron on the hand was determined to see that Draco Malfoy was sent to the prison. In the end, the whole Malfoy family was called and the judgement was issued.
"Mr Lucius Malfoy you are found guilty of all the charges mentioned yesterday but your information regarding the remaining Death Eaters is very important therefore you will get reduced punishment. You will pay a fine of Fifty million Galleons and will serve in Azkaban for one year." Kingsley declared
"Mr Draco Malfoy and Mrs Narcissa Malfoy you are both cleared of all the charges, but you are being warned that if you take part in any of the activities similar to this you will be sent to Azkaban for life time."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The trial went on for the rest of the month and finally the day came when the trial of Dolores Umbridge was going to take place.
"Are you Dolores Umbridge resident of Russell Lane? Amelia Pilliwickle began without any delay.
"Yes"
"You are brought here in front of Wizengamot against the following charges. Using dark magic including an attempt to use an unforgivable Curse on the students of Hogwarts during your time as High Inquisitor of the school, holding unfair trials against muggle borns and sending them to Azkaban unlawfully during your time as Head of muggle commission, abusing your power for the personal gain. How do you plead?"
"Not Guilty,"
Ron snorted from the right side of Harry, "They should declare the use of this word as crime,"
"Ron keep quiet," Hermione scolded him from the other side of Ron.
"Ahem, Ahem, See at the time I was the Headmistress of Hogwarts I had to punish the students who were out of the line. But I only asked them to write lines." Dolores Umbridge replied in her soft and silky voice
"Didn't you use your power to wrongly accuse muggle borns of stealing magic?" Elphias Doge asked.
"No, I was informed that the muggle borns can only perform magic if they steal from witch or wizard,"
"And who told you that?"
"The Minister himself," Dolores said after a moment.
"She is lying," Harry muttered through gritted teeth.
"We know," Ginny said with a smile.
"What are you happy about?"
"She is trapping herself,"
"She knows perfectly well that Thicknesse was under the influence of the Imperius Curse,"
"Just wait, Harry,"
"Did the Minister tell you how he knew about it?" Elphias Doge continued the interrogation.
"No," Dolores replied immediately.
"Do you know who would have told him?"
"No,"
Elphias started asking questions rapidly, the questions were framed in such a way that the answers were alternatively yes and no.
"Did you enjoy wrongly accusing muggle borns?"
"Yes," Umbridge replied almost instantly having set up into the rhythm "N… No, no, no, I mean I didn't wrongly accuse them," Umbridge tried to correct her mistake, but the damage was done.
"You accept that you enjoy tormenting people?"
"No, I enjoy punishing lawbreakers," Umbridge continued in her thin girlish voice.
"Whether they broke any law is questionable in itself, Miss Umbridge," Agusta Longbottom said sternly.
"I have heard enough from you, Miss Umbridge. Based on the statements submitted by all the witnesses including current Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter and Minerva McGonagall. You are hereby declared guilty of all the charges, and sentenced to Azkaban for life,"
"But I was following orders," Umbridge shouted.
"Was sending Dementors to Little Whinging to attack Harry Potter also an order to you?" Agusta Longbottom asked.
A murmur broke out among the people of Wizengamot on hearing this.
"What are you saying Madam Longbottom, please explain?" one of the members asked.
"You remember a few years ago Harry Potter was accused of using underage magic," Mrs Longbottom began, a few of the members nodded.
"Mr Potter has claimed that he used Patronus charm to defend himself. Later on Miss Umbridge has herself admitted that she has in fact sent the Dementors to attack on him," Mrs Longbottom finished.
"As you can see Miss Umbridge only followed the orders that suited her ambitions. I suggest that we ignore her plea that she was only following the orders," Elphias Doge addressed the Wizengamot
"B… but this trial is not about that. No investigation was performed by the Ministry," Umbridge eyes were big and darting between Elphias Doge and Augusta Longbottom.
"That's because the Ministry was incompetent and corrupt." Neville's grandmother snapped.
But you don't have any proof of that.
On hearing Umbridge, Ginny tried to stifle her laugh.
"Yes we have. Mr Potter, Miss Granger, Mr and Miss Wesley, my grandson Neville and Mr Malfoy were present at the time Miss Umbridge confessed her crime.
"THEY ARE LYING,"
"And why would they do that?"
"Th… they are doing to take revenge from me,"
"Why would they want revenge from you,"
"Are you going to believe a bunch of kids over a high ranking Ministry official?" Umbridge started to regain some of her composure.
"They are adults, Miss Umbridge, besides there is no law that prevents children from being witnesses," Pilliwickle said, with a wave of her hand.
"But I was trying to…" Umbridge began.
"ENOUGH!" Pilliwickle cut her short. "I have heard enough. I don't know why Kingsley insisted on holding your trial at all for a person like you who uses Dark magic to create Blood quills and then using those on the students, trying to torture the kids for minute rulebreaking, sending Dementors to attack on people just because they don't agree with you, imprisoning innocents just because they aren't pure blooded…" Pilliwickle continued her rant for a few more moments before calling for vote.
"We have statements from all the witnesses and we have also heard Miss Umbridge's claims of being innocent. Please raise your hands if you think she should be sent to Azkaban for life."
Many Members raised their hands immediately, some raised hesitantly after sometime. Pilliwickle counted them.
"Those who are against?"
This time the seven remaining members raised their hands.
"Miss Umbridge you are hereby declared guilty of all the charges and sent to Azkaban for life." Pilliwickle declared after counting.
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"You knew about the whole trial," Harry turned to Ginny as they were walking out of the courtroom after the trial.
"Of course I knew. I and Hermione helped to plan it with Kingsley and Neville's grandmother. We knew she would claim to be following orders, so we kept that Dementors incident for last," Ginny said with a smile.
All Harry could do was shake his head with a smile.
Link of the next chapter
Harry Potter Chapter - 8