Chapter 16) Fine
Selected Listening: Do You Know What It's Like?- James Newton Howard
Anastasia sat next to Albus on the bench in the hallway at the Ministry of Magic. He slumped in his shoulders and wrung his hands in his lap. He kept looking to the closed door of the awaiting court room. Anastasia looked worriedly at him. If he couldn't pull himself together, and she could barely speak, they might as well sign custody over at the start of the trial.
He had been like this since the day before, when she gave him the document from Justin.
This is from the new muggleborn student group. They're asking for board approval. She wrote on her parchment before giving the document to Albus.
Albus read through, his eyebrows rising at points. He sighed heavily when he was done reading and rubbed his eyes.
"…this is a hefty list," he commented.
Can they really ask for that? For people who say mudblood to be suspended and expelled? She worried, not because it wasn't a fitting punishment, but because she was certain Draco and the entire house of Slytherin would be kicked out in a week, and that wouldn't do any good for muggleborn-pureblood relations.
"If the board approves…then it can be so. Reality is that most of the board members have pureblood children or are pureblood themselves. They will not agree with using such punishments for things we cannot prove. The only real way to enforce it would to be to put a taboo on the word. And taboos really don't solve the root of the problem, it's really a form of threatening censorship," Albus explained blithely.
Anastasia listened and wrote.
At least I did what Justin asked. I gave you the document. That's all I can do.
Albus perked up now, squinting his eyes at her.
"My question is, why did they ask you to bring this to me instead of bringing it themselves?" he asked.
Anastasia blushed in shame and continued writing.
I said something rather rude in Hogsmeade, and Justin thought I took advantage of muggleborn students by pretending to be one. This is my repayment.
Albus stared at his daughter worriedly.
"Are you repaying them to make amends or to buy their friendship? If he's requiring you to buy his friendship, he's not a very good friend at all, despite his house."
Anastasia shrugged and folded her arms. She didn't really want to be friends with Justin. It was Penelope and Collin and of course, Hermione that she cared about, but now that they all hung around together, she felt pushed out and alone. It felt like every one of her friends she held at arms-length this year, not one of them was very close to her…all except one. But no matter how much she tried to enjoy his company, Draco simply wasn't a very ethical person, and although she cared for him, she couldn't lower her moral standards to keep the person to whom she was closest.
"Can you write it?" he pressed. She tried to sum up her thoughts.
I don't care about what Justin thinks. I care about doing the right thing…even if it hurts.
"I'm sorry," grandad said at last. "I'm sorry my actions have caused this rift for you. If you had never been raised like this, you would never have had to lie."
Fawkes cooed sadly from his perch. Anastasia's eyes widened and she wrote furiously.
If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be raised at all. She wrote and underlined.
Albus shook his head.
"That's not true. I could have given you to the Cambridges earlier…the day after Narcissa left you on the castle stoop. I could have brought you to them the next day."
Anastasia shook her head.
"No!" she shouted aloud. "No, don eve say tha! Why are you—" she had to clap her hands over her mouth to keep from expelling the leaf. She forced back her tears, but they bled through anyway.
He smiled weakly.
"You have always been braver than I, my dear."
Anastasia looked down the dark hallway and saw a tall figure with willowy white draped around them. As he approached, Anastasia felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck.
"Wha ah you doin here?" she shot, struggling to keep her tongue down over the now damp, bundled leaf. The man faltered, narrowed his eyes, and resumed his posture. Albus looked up now and saw that he was faced with the profile of Lucius Malfoy. He held his pinched nose so high, he could have been looking at the ceiling, but instead he sneered down at them.
"Why, you didn't know?" he asked confidently. "The Cambridges couldn't afford the prosecution, so I helped them fund this little trial. You should be thanking me girl. You'll finally be free of this fool," his solemn smirk held a taunting satisfaction.
Anastasia glued her jaw closed, fists clenched, if she opened her mouth she would have shouted, and surely had lost the leaf.
Albus stared into the man's eyes, unflinchingly.
"Does Narcissa know about this?" he asked.
At this Lucius grinned even wider.
"I multiple reasons for being at the courthouse today," he flashed a packet of documents marked CONFIDENTIAL. "Your care of magical creatures professor is on the docket, and I aim to be free of my wife's misconduct as well as her opinions within the coming months."
Anastasia felt an overwhelm of conflicted emotions. Irritated by Malfoy's attack on Hagrid, infuriated that he would be so bold to wreck the life of his entire family; pain for Draco, who certainly hadn't done anything to deserve this; and vindictiveness for Narcissa, who had given up so much for her sake, but after seeing the vision of what happened that summer, maybe her godmother would benefit from this arrangement after all.
"So, you say…" Albus drifted off,
As he did, the doors to the courtroom opened.
The room was octagonal, an eight-pointed star tiled in the marble floor, with benches flanking all sides. The presiding judge, a woman with short brown hair, sat at her podium in a black robe and black hat that looked like the top of a muffin. When she looked down at Anastasia, she smiled gently, but turned a stern face towards Albus. Something about her seemed familiar.
Lucius Malfoy strode to the benches at the right of the judge. He took a seat beside Mr. and Mrs. Cambridge who were sitting behind a very tall and skinny man and a very short and stout man. The short and stout man had a bristly black mustache, and the tall thin man wore a monocle. Both wore stark-black robes. These had to be the lawyers, Archibald and Crane.
To the left of the judge's podium sat two familiar faces. Kingsley Shaklebolt and Newt Scamander. Kingsley Shacklebolt caught Albus's attention and gave a short supportive nod. Newt looked as he might pee himself, and the beansprout he carried leaned out of his breast pocket to watch the show.
"We now begin the trial of Albus Wolfric Brian Dumbledore, accused of neglect and abuse of his daughter, Anastasia Holly Dumbledore. The prosecution, Tamara and Eli Cambridge who are Anastasia's blood grandparents are requesting full custody of Anastasia. They are represented by Archibald and Crane. We have Kingsley Shacklebolt and Newt Scamander serving as witnesses. Albus Dumbledore, do you have a defense lawyer?" she asked.
"I will serve in my own defense, Justice Bones," Albus retorted. "I find it useless to hire someone else to say what I'll say anyway."
Bones. Yes, Anastasia saw it now. The woman was related to Susan Bones from Hufflepuff.
"Very well. Anastasia, you may sit down," Justice Bones said and nodded at one of the empty benches across the room. Anastasia squeezed her father's hand, looked up into his cloudy blue eyes, and went to sit across the room by herself. The draftiness of the hall hit her nerves and forced out a shiver.
"The Cambridges will now give their statement of their accusations," Justice Bones.
Anastasia nearly growled. The homely couple stood and Tamara, who wore a drab beige robe, began to speak. Eli nodded supportively alongside her in charcoal gray robes.
"Years ago, our daughter Holly Cambridge, after graduating Hogwarts, became secretive and withdrawn. She was dating the auror, Francis Sinclaire, and he-who-shall-not-be-named had begun his quest to intimidate the wizarding world. We did not know at first that her withdrawal had to do with her involvement in a group of wizards aiming to stop the dark wizard. Involvement which would only lead to her death.
"She married Francis, and the more the two spent time with this group, the more they risked their lives…we begged them to stop, told them it wasn't their responsibility. Eventually Francis was killed by one of he-who-shall-not-be-named's followers.
"After Francis's death, our daughter became even further withdrawn. Eventually, she came to us with-child, but wouldn't reveal who the father was. We knew it had been too long for the father to have been Francis. She said very little. Only that she loved us, and that every time we met might be the last time she saw us."
Tamara took a deep breath and couldn't say her next words. Eli continued for her.
"Things seemed to get better. At one point, she told us she was going for her last appointment with the St. Mungo's oracle, to determine the due date…after which, we heard of her death," Eli finished. Tamara found her voice again, and pointed at Albus.
"The leader of that group was Albus Dumbledore…Albus Dumbledore betrayed his student's trust and kept their shared child from our knowledge for thirteen years!" she yelled viciously.
"Excuse me, Ms. Cambridge—" Justice Bones interrupted, "—I want to clarify. There is no evidence of Holly Cambridge having a romantic relationship with Albus Dumbledore. Anastasia was conceived with a no-contact magical process developed by prenatal healer, Narcissa Malfoy—"
Tamara snapped back at Justice Bones.
"You really expect us to believe that? Even if that is the case, do you know what it's like to find out the truth, years later, in a news column? To find out that your granddaughter had been raised in hiding and abused to the point of developing two obscuri!"
Anastasia winced. She now understood why the Cambridges were angry, but it didn't make her like them any more than she had. Justice Bones made a face as if the Cambridges fed her something awful and turned to the accused.
"Albus Dumbledore, Tamara and Eli Cambridge have accused you of abuse and neglect following the publication of several news articles that outline Anastasia's childhood, being raised in isolation and her later obscurus manifestation. What is your plea?"
Innocent. Anastasia thought. It wasn't his fault.
"I plea neither," he said discernably, "I am in no place to deny that these things happened, but I am equally unable to label them as abuse and neglect. I will leave that for the jury to decide."
Stunned, Anastasia stared wide-eyed at her father. She couldn't help but shout—
"Wha ae ewe doing?!" her words slurred together over the leaf. Albus winced slightly but did not turn back to face her.
"Miss Dumbledore, you will have your turn to give a statement later," Justice Bones said gently.
Anastasia stared at her father's back in desolation. The group of people sitting on the benches behind the Cambridges wrote frantically on their clipboards.
"Mr. Archibald, you may call your first witness to the stand—"
The tall man of the two lawyers, wearing the monocle stood, pursed his lips together, and strutted to stand in front of the benches, where Kingsley and Newt sat.
"I call Kingsley Shacklebolt to the stand," he announced, his voice droning.
At once, Kingsley Shacklebolt rose and replaced himself on the witnesses stand next to Justice Bones. He was sworn to honesty over the Grimoire of Merlin. Soon after, the man named Archibald began questioning.
"Mr. Shacklebolt, when did you first hear of Miss Dumbledore?"
Kingsley sighed, knowing he had no option than to tell the truth.
"I first met Miss Dumbledore two and a half years ago via floo call. I didn't know who she was at first. She went by her alias."
"The alias she used in her first years of school? Green, was it?" Archibald asked.
"Yes," Kingsley answered.
"And why was she calling you if she was in hiding?"
"If I understand correctly, she was on a trip with Mr. Scamander in China to study demiguises. There she was captured by a high-profile magical poacher. He asked for ransom, not knowing who she was. She told me to talk to Albus, so I did. Albus handled it and she was returned safely and the poacher imprisoned," Kingsley finished.
Tamara Cambridge stared in horror, mouth agape. Eli, frustration. Lucius wore a grin as if the situation couldn't have improved more.
"So, her Albus sent her on a trip where she was kidnapped and held for ransom?" Archibald questioned.
"Well, that's hardly Albus's fault," Kingsley corrected, "if anything, he was willing to let her venture outside the castle despite his will to keep her inside."
"Did you know anything of her obscurus then? Was it her obscurus that allowed her to escape unharmed?" Archibald asked, adjusting his monocle. Kingsley's anger flashed.
"The only information I had at the time was that she belonged to someone in the Ministry's legal boundaries. As far as I knew, she had no obscurus."
Archibald stared Kingsley down.
"What did you do after you learned about this girl, who Albus Dumbledore was willing to save, but did not reveal her relation?"
Kingsley nodded.
"I went to the records of births and deaths at St. Mungo's and gave her alias. The keeper of birth records told me there was no one by that name."
"Who was the keeper, Shacklebolt?"
"The same healer it has been since 1989. Narcissa Malfoy," he answered seriously. Everyone looked to the blonde man in the room. Lucius bristled his lip curled.
Internally, Anastasia fretted. She didn't intend to make any further trouble for her godmother.
Archibald smiled quirkily, as if he were quite proud of himself.
"No further questions, Shacklebolt. You may quit the stand."
Kingsley seemed to let a breath out and moved back to his seat.
Newt was called next. He trembled and shook as he took his place. His leaf-friend quivering by proxy.
"Mr. Scamander, when was the first time you met Anastasia Dumbledore?"
"I-it was three years ago, I believe."
"And why exactly were you called to meet her?"
"Well, because Albus summoned me, and you know I've always been able to do very little once he sets in his mind that I'm to do something for him," he twiddled his fingers together.
"And what were you asked to do for him?"
"Oh…I was asked to help relieve Miss Dumbledore of her obscurus."
"So, she did have the obscurus at that time?"
"Yes," Newt replied, seemingly holding his breath as not to say more.
"And what state was she in when you first saw her?" Archibald asked.
"Asleep. Albus placed her in a sustained slumber to keep the obscurus at bay until I could arrive to help—"
"So, he forced her into a coma—" Archibald interrupted. Newt seethed at his comment.
"It's a sustained slumber spell, and it's the most humane way to incapacitate an obscurus host so they cannot hurt others or themselves!"
"And how was she when she woke up?" asked Archibald. Newt withdrew.
"Traditionally, obscurus hosts are angry and scared and sad. She was too."
"Why?" Archibald asked.
"Well, it was because she couldn't go out—"
"And who did that—"
Newt stopped talking. He looked as if he might explode.
"It's alright, Newt," Albus said softly.
"Albus kept her in the tower…and she couldn't express her magic because she had to remain in hiding. That is what caused the obscurus."
Anastasia winced.
"That was the first obscurus…what about the second?"
"The second was a slightly different matter. She was aware she had been petrified by Slytherin's basilisk and was afraid she would die before people knew who she was. It didn't fully manifest—"
"No further questions—" Archibald smiled again. Newt snorted angrily.
Anastasia took a deep breath. She couldn't speak. Every time she opened her mouth, she sputtered saliva, she couldn't swallow because of the mandrake leaf. She pushed it back the best she could, took a deep breath, and walked to the witness stand.
"Miss Dumbledore, in Rita Skeeter's article in which she interviewed you, she mentioned your lonesome childhood trapped in a single room of the castle. Newt has verified that it caused you to manifest an obscurus. How was that experience for you?" the cross-examiner asked.
Anastasia shrugged.
"Fine," she spoke as shortly as she could.
"I'm sorry, fine?" the lawyer asked. "Are you saying that your childhood, during which you had no other friends except the occasional house elf was fine?"
"I ha' ofer friends," she said.
"Are you chewing gum?" he asked in disgust. She shrugged. "Name your friends," the lawyer commanded. She rolled her eyes ferociously. "Watch yourself young lady, or I'll hold you in contempt."
She let another breath out. She pushed her "gum" to the side of her mouth.
"Minerva McGonogall, Charity Burbage, Rubeus Hagrid, Poppy Pomfrey, Newt Scamander, Nicholas and Prenelle Flamel, and Fawkes."
"Excuse me, Fox?" he asked.
"No Fawkes. Our phoenix."
The lawyer squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"You are referring to four school employees, a magizooligist, two alchemists, and a pet phoenix as your childhood friends?"
Many jurors the courtroom chuckled. Some were kind enough to cover their laughter with coughing or the clearing of throats. Anastasia paused.
"Technically those were only the people I saw most often. I also knew Ollivander, and Florean Fortescue the ice cream man, and a wandmaking couple from China, and a demiguise—"
"Friends your age, Miss Dumbledore! Friends your age!" the lawyer specified.
Anastasia realized she was now holding back tears. That this was part of her life she hated to talk about most of all.
"I have plenty of friends my age now," she deflected. "What's wrong with being alone when you're young? I'm fine. Really!"
The lawyer, realizing he had been too harsh with the feelings of a child, softened his voice and spoke gently.
"Miss Dumbledore, at some point you must have met someone your age. Can't you remember the first time you made a friend?"
Anastasia searched the room, looking for a way out. She knew she had to say something. She wracked her brain back and forth. She saw Albus, sitting with his head hung low in shame. Who had she met first? It must have been something she would remember.
She spotted a steely, triumphant stare of Lucius Malfoy. This was the man who insulted her in Diagon Alley, who planted a demon in Ginny's cauldron, who bought his way out of every problem, who had threatened her godmother. The familiar flash of blonde. He thought he was winning.
Anastasia smiled and stared confidently down at the lawyer.
"I did meet someone once…I met a boy in Diagon Alley."
Albus frowned at her questioningly.
"Ah, you see. That wasn't so hard, and how old were you when you made this friend?"
"Ten," she responded cheekily.
"Ten?" he asked. "Ten years?" he smiled. "Your honor, this girl claims she was ten years old before she made a single friend of her age." The comment stung.
"Better late than never," she shrugged. Despite her newfound confidence, she spotted grandad, shoulders slumped, his gaze lost.
"Objection!" Lucius Malfoy yelled. "How do we even know if that's the truth? I was under the impression that she was isolated until the beginning of her schooling. Is that not the case?"
"You're not a lawyer, Malfoy. You cannot object," Justice Bones corrected.
Archibald continued questioning, "Are you able to name your friend, Miss Dumbledore?"
Her face fell solemn, "Draco Malfoy, your honor."
A hush fell over the crowd.
"What?" Lucius Malfoy, "That's preposterous! My son would never—"
"Order!" the judge yelled. The magic bell wrang out. "Order! Malfoy. You are not the one doing the questioning here.
The lawyer's brow crunched at the roadblock.
"Miss Dumbledore, you're claiming that Draco Malfoy was your first friend at the age of ten?"
"Yes, sir," she said plainly.
"Friend or not, ten years is a seriously long time to go without socialization. On top of that there's the kidnapping situation and two obscurus incidents."
She shrugged.
"I'm fine now, aren't I?"
"So, you say…" he drifted off, "questioning complete, your honor."
There was a stillness as the lawyer went back to sit at his spot. Anastasia glanced nervously at the jury. They peered angrily down at the wilting Albus. She had to do something.
"Very well, now the jury will deliberate—"
Anastasia swallowed the leaf.
"Wait!" Anastasia said, "it's not fair! I don't even know the Cambridges! They didn't even show up until this past summer, and they barely said two words to me. I don't care if my father isn't perfect. He took care of me all these years the best he could, and even if it did cause problems, what does it really matter if I'm perfectly healthy now? I don't want to live with strangers!" she cried.
The jurors began murmuring amongst themselves.
"Order! Order!" Bones yelled, and the room silenced again. "You comment has been noted, Miss Dumbledore. The jury will now deliberate on the case."
The judge set a recess, and Anastasia rushed to her father.
"What was that?" she demanded in a strained whisper once they were standing in the waiting hall. "You didn't deny anything. You let them beat you to a pulp!"
"It was the truth," he muttered forlornly, "I promised to tell the truth. I did neglect your upbringing. No matter how much you didn't notice because you didn't know any different."
He soothed his hand alongside her cheek. She stared at him in exasperation.
Anastasia felt something heavy and metal resting on her shoulder. She jolted away to find Lucius Malfoy glaring murderously behind her.
"If you ever lie about my son in that courtroom again, I will ensure you never see your father until you come of age," he threatened.
"It wasn't a lie," she said defiantly, "ask him yourself."
He glared back, and his expression cooled as he looked away.
"I doubt it will matter, after your father's pitiful defense."
When the court resumed, the judge called the room to order and announced their final decision. Anastasia sat back on her bench behind Albus. The contented faces of the Cambridges didn't comfort her.
"The court orders Anastasia Dumbledore to spend a trial custody period at the Cambridge's home over the Christmas holiday. Court dismissed."
Anastasia felt her stomach lurch; she choked on despair.