Chapter 31

Harry stood in front of the mirror in his Hogwarts room checking his appearance for a final time. He tugged down his robes, a smart, business set which had been amongst the many free gifts sent to him after the fall of Voldemort. Beneath his robes he had chosen formal muggle attire; a smart shirt and trousers with a co-ordinating neck tie and waistcoat. He looked rather good, he decided, appraisingly; professional and mature. Only two things slightly spoiled the aesthetic; his everyday school shoes which remained unpolished and scuffed, and his hair, which he had long accepted there was nothing much he could do about.

He made one last futile attempt to flatten down his hair and then left his room. The common room was empty, the rest of his year group having already left for their morning class. Ron and Hermione had eaten breakfast with him before they too had departed, Hermione with a tight squeeze and a 'good luck' from Ron.

He walked sedately to Snape's office, who was to accompany him to the Ministry. It wasn't really necessary, Harry had pointed out, for anyone to come with him, since he was an adult and had testified at a number of trials over the summer. Both Snape and the Headmistress, however, had insisted that he should have someone to go with him, and, as his designated 'Head of Year' that duty fell to Snape.

The door to Snape's office opened before he could reach it and his Professor emerged in equally formal attire. Although, Harry mused, it wasn't much different from what Snape usually wore. The Deputy approached him and indicated that they would walk back the way he had just come.

"We will need to use the Floo in Professor McGonagall's office. It is the only one in the castle connected to the Ministry atrium." Snape explained.

Harry nodded.

"You need not worry." Severus added. "Minerva has sent Albus away on some errand or other."

"Right." Harry said, not wanting to admit that he was a bit relieved.

The rest of their walk was completed in silence, neither man in the mood to converse, nor feeling it was necessary.

"Fortitudo." Severus said when they arrived at the Gargoyle and they were soon entering the Headmistress' office where she received them warmly.

"Hello, Harry, dear. Come on in." Harry wasn't sure whether she'd dropped the school formalities because they were in the privacy of her office of just because she felt sorry for the day he had ahead of him.

Despite his efforts, she caught him glancing at the empty frame of Albus Dumbledore and reassured, "Don't worry about him, Harry, I told him that Professor Sprout had discovered Professor Trelawney had been picking her Asphodel leaves to use in her Seer tea and he's gone down to the Staff room to watch the drama unfold."

Harry chuckled and began to relax a bit, taking a moment to look around the room while Snape told McGonagall about their expected schedule for the day.

The office hadn't changed too much, but enough so that it wasn't an eerie shrine to the former headmaster, which Harry appreciated.

"Hey, where's Fawkes?" Harry asked when he noticed the empty porch.

"Oh, he's not here much these days. He has his perch here but he's not my familiar like he was Albus'. He pops back every so often but mostly he is off somewhere else." Professor McGonagall explained. "I imagine he will become someone else's familiar at some point."

"Oh." Harry was a little disappointed that the phoenix wasn't there. He had spent many moments admiring Fawkes' fiery feathers and had been rather fond of the bird ever since he had saved Harry's life in the Chamber of Secrets. Nonetheless, Harry would be happy knowing the bird had found a new home. His mournful song after the Headmaster's death still haunted Harry.

"Are you ready, Mr Potter?" Snape interrupted his musings.

He nodded his affirmative and they both stepped up to the fireplace. Harry was hit suddenly by the memory of his first Floo travel, a twelve year old boy lost in Knockturn Alley. He smiled slightly, thinking how much nicer it would be to get lost in Knockturn Alley today, instead of giving evidence at the Ministry. Snape took a handful of Floo powder from the mantelpiece and went first, stepping into the green pseudo-flames and stating clearly, "Ministry of Magic."

"Best of luck, Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall patted his shoulder. "Not that you need it."

Harry nodded and stepped into the fireplace. "Ministry of Magic," he called and was engulfed in flames, turned back to front and sideways until he was thrown out at the other end.

Snape rose an eyebrow as Harry stumbled out of the fireplace, which Harry resolutely ignored. He still wasn't quite used to Floo travel, but at least he hadn't fallen over. Standing up straight and brushing the ash off his robes, Harry took in the sleek black tiling of the Ministry atrium. Just as it had been for the Death Eater trials, and every time Harry had been there, the Ministry was a bustle of activity with wizards and witches rushing to and fro, weaving in and out of each other. Harry was grateful for a moment that no-one seemed to notice him yet, busy as they were with their own affairs, although the relief didn't last long.

As the Professor and he moved away from the fireplaces, people around them began to look their way. Some did a double take, surprised to see Harry Potter among them, while others were clearly expecting his arrival. Harry began picking out members of the press, some of whom he recognised, and others who simply had that familiar air of invasive curiosity. More gathered until a substantial crowd surrounded them. Beside Severus, Potter sighed in resignation, "Come on." The Gryffindor led the way, walking with a confidence that parted the crowd.

"Do you get this everywhere you go?" Severus asked Harry quietly.

Potter shrugged which Severus took as confirmation. "I tend to avoid public places when I can."

They approached the front desk, ignoring the questions from reporters and the adoration of the Ministry workers and general public. Severus was used to getting looks as he walked through Diagon Alley, but people rarely ever said anything to him; this was something else. Before they could reach the welcome desk, they were intercepted by the Ministry Lawyer, William Woodward.

"Mr Potter! Very punctual, and causing quite a commotion already, I see." The balding wizard looked pointedly at the herd of onlookers.

Harry had met Woodward the week before once he had finished visiting with Teddy and Andromeda. The wizarding lawyer was a small man with bespectacled eyes and thinning hair, who Harry guessed was entering his 5th decade. He had explained the process of the trial, the questions he might expect and the court formalities. Harry wasn't surprised. He'd done it all before with the Death Eater trials. Woodward was pedantic and Harry found him a bit tedious, but he was amicable enough.

"Hello, Mr Woodward." Harry shook the man's hand politely. "This is Professor Snape."

"Pleasure, Sir." Woodward nodded a greeting at the Professor before turning back to Harry. "Right, this way then." He led them towards the elevators as he explained. "You're the only witness for the prosecution this morning so you'll be called in about 20 minutes or so, depending on how quickly the Wizengamot find their seats. Professor, you'll have to take your place in the public gallery sooner rather than later."

Woodward led them down the Ministry corridors to a set of chairs where he instructed Harry to wait while the prosecutor went to prepare and Snape headed to the public gallery. Harry sat uneasily on the wooden chair. He hated this place. He hated this corridor where he had been left alone before. He hated the court room where they had tried to convict him. He hated this whole god damn building. Nothing good had ever happened for him here.

"Harry!" He turned his head towards the familiar voice and grinned.

"Mr Weasley!"

"Arthur." The red-haired patriarch corrected. "How are you holding up?"

"Alright. I didn't think there'd be as much public attention as at the Death Eater trials."

Arthur grimaced. "Well there hasn't been if I'm honest. I'm afraid everyone had heard that you would be giving evidence today."

"Ah." Harry nodded in understanding. "You heading in?" He nodded towards the door which led to the public gallery.

"No, I thought I'd wait out here until things get started." Mr Weasley said casually, taking the chair next to Harry.

Harry smiled at the gesture. "Thanks, Mr Weasley."

They chatted quietly while they waited for Harry's summons. Harry asked after Mrs Weasley, George and Bill, and Mr Weasley asked how school was going. Harry told him about his application to join the Aurors and Mr Weasley seemed thrilled.

The main door to the courtroom opened and a young wizard in Ministry robes appeared.

"Mr Potter, er, Sir, they're ready for you now."

"Right." Harry stood up. "Thanks."

"Er, Mr Potter, Sir, can I just say what an honour it is to meet you." The wizard said with nervous excitement that reminded Harry a little of the first time he met Dobby.

Harry sighed, used to this reaction from strangers since the end of the second war, and smiled politely. "Thanks. Shall we?" He gestured back to the door.

"Oh! Yes, of course. This way."

Harry spared a moment to look back at Mr Weasley who smiled encouragingly. "See you in there, son."

As he crossed the threshold of the courtroom, Harry threw up his Occlumency shields and put his game face on. He drew himself up to full height and walked confidently to the witness stand.

"Mr Potter," Madam Bones spoke from the front seat. "Thank you for taking time to be here today. Do you understand why you have been called to the stand?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Harry confirmed. "I'm here to testify about the accused's actions while she was at Hogwarts."

"That is correct, Mr Potter." Bones continued. "Would you please tell the court about what Ms Umbridge was like as the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor?"

"Well she didn't teach us anything for a start. She wouldn't even let us use magic." Rumbles or murmuring went around the room as people expressed outrage over what they were hearing.

"Excuse me," A wizard in the upper rows of the Wizengamot spoke. "She would not allow you to use magic? In a Defence classroom?"

Harry looked over to the defendant box and took in the sight of Umbridge. Clearly she had made an effort for the trial, her hair freshly permed and a dark, pink tailored, tweed skirt suit beneath her black robes, but underneath the show of power and control, incarceration had taken its toll on the witch. Her hair was grayer than Harry recalled, and fresh lines adorned her face, running tracks around her grim set mouth and haunted eyes.

He looked back at the wizard who had spoken. "This was back when the Ministry was still denying Voldemort's return." He explained, observing some uncomfortable fidgeting from the Ministry officials. "Fudge thought Dumbledore was planning some kind of coup, so he sent Umbridge into Hogwarts to keep tabs on him. I think they thought if they taught us magic we would be part of some student uprising against the Ministry."

"What would her lessons entail?" Madam Bones took over the questioning.

"Reading from the textbook mostly. Occasionally she would lecture us about how great the Minister was, or how poor our defence teaching had been until she arrived, or how Dumbledore and I were lying about Voldemort."

"As well as her role as Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Madam Umbridge was also appointed 'High Inquisitor.'" Madam Bones announced to the room. "Could you tell us, Mr Potter about what Ms Umbridge did in this role?"

Harry thought back to that time with reluctance. "One of the first things she did was evaluate the current teaching staff. She clearly had a problem with certain teachers and targeted those of mixed heritage such as Professor Flitwick and Hagrid. She fired Professor Trelawney." Harry recalled. "She banned student groups and was prejudiced against muggle-borns."

From the public gallery, Severus admired Potter's testimony. The young wizard was clear and articulate and held himself with a confidence that Severus had rarely seen in the boy. It was ridiculous that Potter was even being made to testify in this case; he was no more qualified than any other student to speak on what Umbridge was like. McGonagall would have been a more appropriate witness, any of the Hogwarts Professors in fact. The only reason they had called Potter to the stand was because they all wanted a piece of the Boy-Who-Conquered. Potter most know this, yet he had agreed to this farce anyway.

Another wizard spoke up from the levelled seating and Harry scanned the rows until he found where the voice was originating. "This all sounds very…disheartening, but I'm not sure that you have accounted for any illegal activity."

His pompous voice made the hairs on Harry's neck rise and the wizard had an air of entitlement that reminded Harry of Lucius Malfoy. Harry took a breath before answering, determined to maintain his calm and controlled demeanor.

"Her punishments were not legal." Harry said clearly, distaste evident in his voice, his fist clenching where it was hidden in the sleeve of his robe.

Madam Bones prompted again. "Can you tell us about the punishments you received from Ms Umbridge?"

She didn't like it when I talked about Voldemort's return, so she tended to give me a lot of detentions. In them I would have to write lines with a blood quill."

Gasps went around the room, both from the court officials and the public gallery. The volume levels rose as the wizards and witches turned to each other in shock and anger.

"Quiet, please." Bones ordered politely. "My apologies, Mr Potter. How many times would you say you were subjected to this punishment?"

Harry shrugged, doing a quick mental calculation. "About 30? Maybe more."

"And were you the only student who received this punishment?"

"It started with me, but others had it with her too." Harry recalled. "We set up a sort of study group when she wouldn't teach us anything but that was against her rules about student groups so when we got caught everyone got lines with the blood quill."

"Were the other Hogwarts professor's aware that she was using such methods?"

"Not to start with, but later they did. There wasn't much they could do, particularly once they'd forced Dumbledore out. The Ministry gave Umbridge far too much power." Harry said a bit pointedly. "The teachers tried to protect the students where they could and I saw Professor McGonagall challenge Umbridge about the blood quills once."

"Surely, Mr Potter, your family would have intervened if such a thing were truly happening?" The smarmy Malfoy-esque wizard spoke up again. Harry got the distinct impression that this guy would not have been disappointed in the war had gone a different way.

Harry looked up to the public gallery. There were at least a dozen reporters, including Rita Skeeter, so he was not about to mention what living with the Dursleys was truly like or say how they would have reacted with glee if he'd told them one of his teachers was torturing him.

"I was raised by my muggle relatives." Harry said instead. "They have very little understanding of the magical world and no influence here. I chose, therefore, not to worry them about something they would not have been able to change." He turned a pointed glare at the pretentious wizard and spoke through gritted teeth, "If you don't believe me, I would be happy to show you the scars."

The room fell into an awkward silence as the other wizard refused to meet the challenge.

Madam Bones cleared her throat slightly. "Thank you, Mr Potter. I'm sure we can all accept your wrd in this regard. Is there anything else you think we should know about Umbridge's actions during her time at Hogwarts?"

Harry looked at the toad-like woman in the defendant stand. He could tell them about how she slapped him around the face that time and how she would have crucioed him had Hermione not intervened, but then he might have to explain how Umbridge had ended up at the mercy of the centaurs. There was nothing about that day which Harry wanted to relive.

"Nothing I can think of Ma'am."

Madam Bones asked Umbridge's lawyer whether he had any questions which he declined. They hadn't expected the defence to ask anything; Woodward had said that they would come off worse if they went after the 'Saviour of the Wizarding World.'

"Thank you for your time, Mr Potter." Madam Bones dismissed him from the stand. "The court will adjourn while we deliberate over sentencing."

Harry followed the court usher out of the room and back to the chairs he had waited at before. At the same time the door to the public gallery was opening and reporters and general citizens began streaming into the same corridor. Before they could swarm him, Harry quickly asked the young wizard if there was a more private place he could wait. The Ministry wizard was very accommodating and showed Harry into a small waiting room, assuring him that he would let Woodward and Professor Snape know where he was.

Woodward came by quickly, complimenting Harry on his performance on the stand before rushing off to confer with the other prosecutors. Snape took a bit longer to arrive since he first had to navigate his way through the crowds.

"Sorry," Harry said when the Professor came through the door. "I didn't want to be accosted in the corridor."

"Perfectly understandable." Snape said reasonably. "You did well on the stand."

Harry shrugged. "I did it quite a lot over the summer."

Severus nodded. "Did you want to stay for the sentencing?"

"God, no." Harry pulled a face. "I want to get out of here."

"Very well. The corridor has cleared, though I suspect people will still be milling about the atrium. Do you want to go now?"

"Yeah, let's just do it." Harry picked up the cloak he had draped over the back of a chair. "I don't suppose you fancy stopping at the Hog's Head for a drink on the way?"

Severus narrowed his eyes at Harry, taking in the underlying stress in his features. "You would be correct." He drawled, placing a reassuring hand on the young wizard's shoulder. "One should not drink when one has had a trying day. It isn't healthy." He scolded lightly.

Harry scoffed, "Ha, yeah right."

Severus kept his hand on Harry's shoulder as he steered him through the Ministry corridors, feeling Harry's tension ease somewhat as they got further from the courtroom. Reluctantly, he removed his hand as they entered the Atrium where the reporters and fawning public were waiting. It wouldn't do for Harry to be photographed so close to him.

"Harry! Harry!"

"Mr Potter!"

"Mr Potter, will you show us your scars?"

"Mr Potter, Mr Potter, will you demand 'the kiss' for Mrs Umbridge?"

"Harry is it true that you're dating the lead singer of the Howling Hags?"

"Harry, are you gay?"

Harry tensed a little more with every question that was thrown at him, annoyed by their invasiveness. He kept walking forward, ignoring the voices around him and wishing he could still feel Severus' reassuring presence, though he knew the man wasn't far behind.

As they reached the fireplaces, Ministry security stepped in to hold the crowds back, preventing them from following Harry and Snape through the fireplace. They landed back in McGonagall's office who asked how it had gone.

Harry just shrugged, feeling deflated now that it was all over. He didn't notice Minerva's concerned expression, or the look she shared with Severus.

The Deputy frowned at Harry's detachment and answered for him. "He did very well. He was clear and precise and held up beautifully when one of the old crowd tried to discredit him."

"Oh, well done, Harry!" McGonagall praised.

"Thanks." Harry muttered, looking at his watch. "Er, thanks for coming with me, Sir. I'll see you later."

"And just where are you going, Mr Potter?" Snape drawled stopping Harry's departure.

Harry tapped his watch, indicating the time. "Lunch?"

"In the Great Hall?"

"Um, I was going to eat in the dorms?"

"No." Snape prohibited. "My office."

"What? Why?"

"Because you are not to be alone when you are feeling like this. We'll have lunch in my office." Harry pulled a face. "And we'll talk."

Harry groaned.

On Thursday, the Gryffindors' last lesson was Herbology, which meant a cold, dark walk back up from the greenhouses in the early February evening. Harry, having not had much opportunity to spend time with Ginny lately, promptly left Ron and Hermione to their own devices so he could go and find his girlfriend.

Harry skipped through the castle like a goofy first year, but he couldn't help himself. Between classes, studying, Quidditch and Order meetings, Harry and Ginny hadn't managed much alone time in the last few weeks. He wasn't expecting anything special from their evening together, he just liked hanging out with her. Ginny was funny and fiery and kept him feeling light and good. It made Harry feel warm as he walked distractedly towards their intended meeting place.

Harry turned the corner and saw a seventh year Ravenclaw coming the other way. The way the other student maintained eye contact and walked determinedly towards him had Harry slowing down instinctively. Harry thought he recalled that the boy's name was Crutchley. As he approached the decidedly hostile expression on Crutchley's face had Harry quickly racking his brain for everything he knew about the Ravenclaw. There wasn't much; they certainly didn't move in the same circles. Crutchley was a pureblood, Harry recalled from when they were both invited to the Slug Club. He must have some influential family, or at least influential before the war.

There was no way that Crutchley's approach was coincidental or friendly at this point. Harry sighed at the disruption to his evening's plans, good mood officially ruined.

"Where are you off to, Potter?" The Ravenclaw spat out Harry's name as he came to a stop in front of him, invading Harry's personal space.

"Not really any of your business, is it, Crutchley?" Harry answered with equal hostility but a calm demeanor.

"You know, we've all had about enough of you walking around like you own this place."

"'You all?' Who exactly would that be? I only see you here being a prat."

"You shouldn't underestimate how many enemies you have, Potter. If I were you, I wouldn't be so cocky. Afterall, I don't see your little friends out here protecting you. Where is the mudblood bitch?"

Crutchley might have been expecting a curse to be thrown at him for that remark, but he wasn't expecting Harry to grab him by the front of his robes and push him against the stone wall of the corridor.

"You purebloods are so predictable sometimes. You're always so prepared for a magical attack, but you never realise that it's sometimes just as easy to do things the muggle way."

Crutchley's face turned puce in his anger and embarrassment. He pushed Harry away from him and Harry allowed it, taking a step away from the Ravenclaw.

"Watch your back, Potter." He spat and stormed away.

Harry kept his eye on the corridor until he was sure Crutchley wasn't coming back. Satisfied, he turned back and continued on his route, now in a far more agitated frame of mind. Angered by the Ravenclaw's attempt to intimidate him, he stalked furiously through the castle feeling his magic buzzing under his skin. Opening and closing his fists, Harry tried to get his magic under control. He was distracted and overwhelmed which meant that he wasn't as observant as he usual.

Ginny's sudden appearance took him by surprise, but he smiled, relieved when he saw her. She smiled back but then frowned at something behind Harry. He turned and for a moment thought it was Crutchley again, but soon realised it was Barns, the Ravenclaw he often saw Crutchley with. Harry knew him from he Quidditch pitch, and what he knew wasn't pleasant. The other boy had his wand drawn intentionally and Harry felt his stomach clench when he realised the boy's wand was not pointed at himself but at Ginny.

Barns sneered, "You should have been more receptive to our warning, Potter. Alarte ascendare!"

Without much conscious thought, Harry threw up a shield which would protect both himself and Ginny. What he hadn't anticipated was the force of his magic which acted out in response to his anger that Barns would try and hurt Ginny to get at him. His magic exploded into a shield which threw Barns back into the stone wall behind him and left him unconscious.

The magic didn't stop there. It swirled around him, lifting Harry's hair and bending the castle walls.

"Harry!" Ginny called above the static noise of Harry's out of control magic. He looked around at her, hair whipping about her face but otherwise unharmed. "I'm okay. You can stop now."

Harry looked at Barns on the floor as if realizing for the first time what he had done, and then looked back at Ginny in panic. "I can't. I don't know how to stop it."

The walls groaned under a fresh wave of magic.

Ginny looked at the shuddering structure with concern. "I think you should go, Harry. Go find Ron and Hermione and they can help you calm down. I'll help Bones."

Harry nodded, still a bit dazed. "I'm sorry."

Ginny stepped up close to him. Not frightened by his power, she took his face in her hands, ignoring the way the magic vibrated around them. "You have nothing to apologise for."

Harry nodded, unable to speak.

"It's okay, Harry. Go now so you can calm your magic."

Harry obeyed, getting away from that corridor as quickly as possible. Scared and horrified by what he had done, Harry did the only thing he could think of. He hid.